DARK SIDE OF THE TOON
It’s sheer torture for hitman Carroll as the Magpies slide closer to Prem drop zone After the game I can’t sleep, my head’s going over it all & I’m there thinking: If only this happened NEWCASTLE’S CURRENT RUN IS:
We’ve given it a go.. but it’s bugging me.. it’s driving me crazy we are not getting results
ANDY CARROLL has been driven “mad and crazy” by Newcastle’s slide towards the bottom three, suffering sleepless nights and exhausting worry.
The big striker admits the last two months have “eaten him up’’ and says Toon’s players have suffered along with their fans during a miserable run of results.
Steve Bruce’s men have lost 10 of their last 13 games, with just one win – against Everton last Saturday.
With Southampton visiting St James’ Park today, Bruce has defensive problems with Jamaal
Lascelles, Federico Fernandez, and Paul Dummett out, and Jamal Lewis struggling.
Allan Saint-Maximin is fit enough to start and midfielder Joe Willock – on loan from Arsenal – will be involved.
Carroll says the bad run is not something he and his team-mates brush off easily, and they take their work toils home, with defeats hitting their mood.
He said: “You can go around the training ground and see it is weighing heavily.
“It does, it obviously does. It’s not good when you play football and you don’t win.
“It is tough at the minute but we’ve got to get through it and weather the storm.
“It’s killing me. It’s eating me up. The gaffer pulled me the other day and said he could see it was driving me mad. It was bugging me, it was eating me up... I just can’t cope with it.
“We’ve given it a go in the last two games. But it’s bugging me, it’s frustrating, it’s driving me crazy. It is driving everyone crazy that we are not getting results.”
Carroll, 32, has made three starts in the last five games but also gets “angry” when he is left on the bench by Bruce, who has Callum Wilson, Saint-Maximin, Ryan Fraser, Joelinton and Dwight Gayle to choose from up front.
He said: “It is also frustrating sitting on the bench, when you can’t do anything to change it, or coming on in the last 10 minutes.
“If you’re a player that just accepts being on the bench, and accepts not coming on, what’s the point of being a footballer? Every single time when I don’t come on the pitch or
If I don’t come on the pitch or don’t start.. I’m angry. When I do come on for the last 10 minutes I try to smash a couple of people
don’t start, I’m angry, you know, I’m angry. Even if it’s the right decision.
“When I do come on for the last 10 minutes, I try to smash a couple of people around a bit.
“After the game, you’re sitting in bed, and I can’t sleep. My head’s going over it all and I’m sitting, thinking, ‘If only this happened’. I’m trying to think and I can’t sleep. It wears you out, it tires you out.”
Carroll believes there is only one way to get out of the rut. “You have to go to training, work hard, listen to the manager, listen to the lads, encourage the lads and stay positive,” he added.
“I know there is a lot of criticism at the moment and everyone’s on the manager. But at the end of the day, he is the manager and we are the players, and we can only do it with everyone being positive.” Bruce (with Carroll, below) says “pressure” is part of the relegation fight Newcastle have been dragged into.
He said: “Brighton have had a good two weeks, winning three out of four. It is always your accumulation of points. We got to 18-19 quickly and have been stuck. Let’s hope we can skittle through the 20s. “The reason you are in the bottom half is because you’ve had a bad spell. Two wins in a week would be a good return. “People say get to 40 points, 38, 35 last year. It has been such a peculiar season, really strange. “There is pressure as manager of Newcastle. Bottom half, or chasing for Europe, that horrible word pressure is used. You become used to it, you have to handle it and get on with it.”