Kevin Nolan impressed by Carroll’s attitude

Mar 1 2010 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

KEVIN Nolan has been impressed at the way Andy Carroll has ignored his off-field problems to concentrate on overhauling him in the goalscoring stakes.

Carroll scored his seventh in nine games as Newcastle won 2-1 at Watford on Saturday. It took him to 11 goals for the season – one behind Magpies top-scorer Nolan and four shy of the target the Merseysider has set him.

Gateshead-born Carroll’s purple patch has come against the backdrop of being bailed on assault charges. Carroll failed to find the net in six appearances since December’s alleged Newcastle nightclub incident but now seems to have come to terms with it.

“We don’t know what has happened but I have spent a lot of time with him off the field and he is a great lad to get on with,” said Nolan (pictured right). “It is an unfortunate incident but we are just trying to move on.

“We have just got to get on with it. We have got to rally around him and support him, but he doesn’t really need too much support because he has broad shoulders and has taken it on the chin. Whatever comes of it, comes of it, but hopefully it will be the right way and he can continue to play football and good football at that.” Midfielder Nolan is slightly bemused by the interest in his recent barren run in front of goal (ended against Preston North End last week) and the “race” to be United’s top-scorer. Strikers Carroll, Peter Lovenkrands and Leon Best are all into double figures this season – though all Best’s goals came at Coventry City – and Nolan has told them they ought to outscore him.

“Andy Carroll should be finishing ahead of me in the goalscoring charts,” he said. “I don’t want to put pressure on him but for the type of striker he is and the amount of chances we create, that lad should score 15. That goes for Peter Lovenkrands, Bestie and all them.” Nolan faced Watford despite injuring his ankle in training on Friday.

“Chris (Hughton) asked me if I wanted to play and I said I would give my best as long as I could,” he explained.

“It is just a little knock, I got through the game and was delighted to be part of a big win.”