Blackburn and Kean staring at relegation after meek surrender at Spurs

Steve Kean looks out of his depth as a manager

Steve Kean has taken an incredible amount of stick this season.

It reached a crescendo in late-December during and after a 2-1 home defeat to local rivals Bolton, when the Scot suffered more abuse than anyone deserves.

However, after Blackburn's woeful season reached a laughable new low today with a pathetic 2-0 defeat at Tottenham, supporters have every right to call for his head.

It was a game Rovers simply had to win to stand a realistic chance of staying up, yet they didn't manage a shot in the entire game.

Kean stuck with an extremely defensive 5-3-2 formation throughout and took his only potent threat, Yakubu, off with 20 minutes to play.

It was as if Kean was playing for a narrow defeat, but this was a game Blackburn needed three points from.

They now probably must get at least four points from their remaining two games - against two of the league's form sides, Wigan and Chelsea - and it is hard to see any other outcome but relegation for them.

It's not hard to see why Blackburn fans are so negative about Kean.

First and foremost, of course, they have never warmed to him because of results and performances.

They're 19th in the table and three points from safety, while only rock-bottom Wolves have conceded more.

Think how many more Blackburn would have conceded without the excellent Paul Robinson in goal.

Think of how much worse the season could have been without the goals of Yakubu and talent of Junior Hoilett.

Yakubu has scored 16 league goals for Blackburn so far this season

It is true Kean has had a lot to put up with this season.

The transfer kitty Indian owners Venky's promised to bring in world-class players never materialised, while Kean has had to watch as assets such as Chris Samba and Phil Jones have been sold.

There have also been some brief revivals during the season, most notably the two-game spell after the Bolton defeat where Blackburn drew at Liverpool and won at Old Trafford against Manchester United.

However, Kean turned those results into myths and is still referring to them as "monumental" performances which give him the belief Blackburn can win at Chelsea on the final day.

Lucky is a more apt description of the four points Blackburn picked up in Merseyside and Manchester.

In the game at Anfield which ended 1-1, Liverpool had 28 shots to Blackburn's five while stand-in goalkeeper Mark Bunn had the game of his life to keep the Reds at bay.

At Old Trafford, meanwhile, Blackburn met a Wayne Rooney-less Man United and somehow only conceded twice despite the home side having 26 efforts on goal.

There is no doubt Blackburn's players showed tremendous spirit in those two games - fans have every right to question why the same effort hasn't been displayed by the players throughout the season - but to label them "monumental performances" is typical of Kean.

There seemingly isn't a situation he would perceive as negative and his ridiculously positive post-match interviews are sure to anger supporters who have watched their side suffer all season.

Kean even went through a phase earlier in the season when he embarrassingly  name-dropped managers who had told him Blackburn had been unlucky against their respective sides into interviews.

A section of Blackburn's support deserve criticism for the way they acted during crucial games in the first half of the season and the negative atmosphere they created, as it can't have helped on-pitch performances.

However, it is not hard to understand why they have been so angry with Kean and the club's owners throughout the season.

It seems just five minutes since Venky's came in with talk of Ronaldinho, Beckham and the Champions League, but Blackburn fans have had to put up with signing the likes of Bradley Orr and a slow, painful slip into the Championship.

Kean jumped on the Champions League bandwagon when he suggested the club would qualify for the competition in the next three years, but there is more chance of Blackburn going down to League Two in that time-span.

Venky's seem to have no clue about how to run a football club and it is extremely difficult to see Blackburn bouncing straight back to the Premier League next season should they be relegated.

It is hard to see how Venky's reign at Blackburn could have been more disastrous so far

Kean will probably still be their manager, despite everything, as he appears bullet-proof.

He must be putting his monthly treks to India for board meetings to good use by brain-washing his paymasters into thinking all is rosy at Ewood Park.

Kean should have been gone last summer, and Venky's have had numerous chances to do the right thing since then yet have persevered with him when it has been clear he is out of his depth.

There were even some ridiculous suggestions a few weeks ago that Kean should be manager of the year.

It is hard to fathom what some people see in him.

Yes, he has had to put up with a lot of stick and yes the board aren't exactly clued-up on football.

However, Kean is no manager.

His players seem to like him but that means nothing unless there are results to go with it.

The 2-0 defeat at Spurs was embarrassing and after the game, Kean gave another one of his classic, cringeworthy interviews.

He was typically positive and suggested they still had a great chance of staying up.

However, the obituaries are already being written and Blackburn will soon join Wolves in the Championship.

Kean will probably lead them into that campaign as the owners are likely to be fooled once more by his positivity, and Rovers will suffer as a result.

This season could just be the tip of the iceberg.

Venky's are giving a masterclass in how not to run a football club and the real people who are suffering are those who always suffer in these situations: the fans.

Blackburn supporters have crossed the line on several occasions this season with their antics but their anger merely shows how bad things have got at Ewood Park.

They can see their club meekly surrendering their place in the Premier League and feel the only thing they can do about it is abuse those at fault for their plight.

Today's performance may just have been Blackburn's worst of the season, and that is saying something.

Kean will never win round the fans and all logic points to him not being Blackburn's manager next season, but logic goes out of the window where Venky's are concerned.

The Championship is on the horizon and Blackburn look set to head into it in disarray.

Why Newcastle fans won't shed a tear if Aston Villa go down

This was just one of the 'hilarious' banners on show at Villa Park as Newcastle were relegated

Sunday, 24 May 2009 is a date etched in the memories of most Newcastle United fans.

It was the culmination of a season of mismanagement from owner Mike Ashley and pitiful effort from the club's 'star' players.

Supporters watched on in despair at Villa Park as Newcastle slipped into the Championship after a 1-0 defeat, with the future looking extremely bleak.

Less than three years later though and Magpies fans can now look back on the day as a necessary pill they had to swallow.

The club has undergone three hugely successful seasons since that fateful day, starting with their march to the Championship title and then last season's comfortable mid-table Premier League finish.

This campaign has been beyond most fans' dreams as Newcastle have deservedly fought their way into fifth place with just five games remaining, with a top four finish still a distinct possibility under Alan Pardew.

The pain of the relegation still remains but fans can almost look back on that spring day of 2009 and smile.

Would their club be where it is today without being relegated that day?

Chris Hughton deserves much of the credit for the success the club has had since then, as his calm and sensible management the following season allowed the club to bounce back to the top-flight at the first attempt.

Big-name players and high earners like Michael Owen, Mark Viduka, Geremi and Damien Duff were among those to jump ship in the aftermath of relegation and the club was a lot better for it.

A season in the Championship allowed the likes of Fabricio Coloccini, Jonas Gutierrez, Kevin Nolan, Andy Carroll and Jose Enrique to blossom and settle, and all have left a lasting impression on the club.

Coloccini and Gutierrez continue to shine in black-and-white, Nolan contributed goals aplenty including a hat-trick against the club's bitter rivals Sunderland, Carroll eventually departed and left the club £35million richer and Enrique developed into one of the best left-backs Newcastle has seen, certainly in the last 20 years.

There were many other success stories in that Championship campaign and that has continued over the last two seasons with new stars who have thrived on Tyneside.

Relegation may have been less than three years ago but Newcastle fans have had so much reason to celebrate since then that it seems a lot longer ago.

It's ironic that the club who sent Newcastle down on that sunny day in May should find themselves in a similar situation three seasons later.

Aston Villa's fanbase has seemed disgruntled all season, and understandably so given the newly-stringent ownership of Randy Lerner and unpopular management of Alex McLeish.

McLeish has endured a disappointing first season at Villa Park

Attendances at Villa Park have dwindled and big-name players haven't performed, which has forced the club into a relegation battle.

Villa are currently six points above the drop zone with five games remaining, but should still have enough to survive.

However, if they were to go down, you wouldn't find too many tears for them on Tyneside.

Football fans have long memories and Newcastle fans certainly haven't forgotten how their relegation was celebrated by Villa fans in 2009.

They revelled in Newcastle's demise and came prepared for the game with banners including "Who's your next Messiah, Ant or Dec?" and "Sob on the Tyne".

Of course, most sets of supporters make the most of it when their team sends another down, but not many go to the trouble of preparing banners and celebrating in the way Villa fans did that day.

It would have been understandable if the clubs had been long-term rivals (which Villa and Newcastle weren't), but their taunts and 'banter' crossed the line.

However, things have changed dramatically since then and it is now Villa who find themselves battling relegation while Newcastle are the side in the top six of the Premier League, as Villa were that day.

The Toon Army's tears certainly flowed at Villa Park in 2009 but since then they have had a lot more to smile about than their Villa counterparts.

Ironically, Newcastle's success since relegation should show Villa that going down can mark the start of a new beginning.

It could be exactly what the club needs.

It would allow the likes of Gary Gardner, Marc Albrighton and Ciaran Clark to shine and gain confidence in the same way Newcastle's relegation did for Carroll et al.

The likes of Gardner could benefit from a season in the Championship

Villa fans are unlikely to see it that way though and will be desperate for their team to survive - which they should - but they won't be getting any sympathy from Newcastle supporters if they do drop into the Championship.

Magpies assistant manager John Carver this week described the reaction of Villa fans to Newcastle's relegation as "outrageous", and the Toon Army certainly had their chance to gain revenge and laugh at their counterparts when their side thumped Villa 6-0 last season.

Among the chants at St James' Park that day was "You're not laughing anymore" but that won't have been the end of the matter for many and it would give some real pleasure to see Villa fans suffer in the same way they did.

As a whole, Aston Villa is a great club and most of their supporters are loyal and fair, but the actions of some of their support in May 2009 have not been forgotten.

It would be sad to see a club of their stature languishing in the Championship but they had very little sympathy for Newcastle when they lost their place in the Premier League so shouldn't expect any now if they are to suffer the same fate.

Villa's next two fixtures - at home against Sunderland and Bolton - will be crucial in their attempt to remain a Premier League club and they should get enough from those games to see them safe.

If they do fail though, they would find themselves in exactly the same position Newcastle fell into three years ago.

It's doubtful Norwich fans would goad them on the final day in the same way Villa did to Newcastle in 2009 but Toon Army supporters at Everton on the same day would ensure they revelled in it.

That would be Karma personified.

Top 10 potential Premier League free transfers of summer 2012

Demba Ba's move to Newcastle last summer has proved to be one of the bargains of the season

As always, big money transfers are likely to grab the headlines this summer.

That was certainly the case last year, with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Juan Mata, Samir Nasri, Phil Jones, Ashley Young and Stewart Downing all switching clubs for extravagant sums.

Most of the aforementioned players have went on to succeed at their new homes, but over the years it has been proved clubs don't always need to spend big to sign quality players.

Last summer, Demba Ba, Sebastian Larsson, Craig Bellamy and Brad Friedel were among the free signings on offer, and all have proved to be fantastic acquisitions.

But who are the freebies on offer this summer? Here is a list of the top 10 stars who should be available.

10 - Maynor Figueroa (Wigan)

Figueroa initially joined Wigan on loan before securing a permanent switch

Honduran left-back Figueroa was a reported target of both Manchester United and Liverpool a matter of two years ago but his form nose-dived after the 2010 World Cup.

This season, he has been more consistent without excelling and if he is to leave Wigan he should have top-flight suitors.

Figueroa, 28, is perhaps best remembered for a stunning goal from inside his own half against Stoke in 2009 which was later named Goal of the Season.

He also set up Hugo Rodallega's winner at Stoke last May as the Latics survived in the Premier League with a 1-0 win.

9. Ivan Klasnic (Bolton)

Klasnic's finishing ability has been particularly impressive this season

Klasnic joined Bolton on loan in 2009 and signed a permanent two-year deal a year later.

He has shown his ability in patches at the Reebok Stadium, but could be a useful acquisition for a mid-to-lower table team.

Croatian striker Klasnic started this season in great form and currently has eight goals to his name for the campaign, although a red card against Norwich certainly did not please his manager Owen Coyle.

The 32-year-old joined the Trotters from French side Nantes and also enjoyed a fruitful spell with German outfit Werder Bremen, while he is well known for recovering from two kidney transplants to continue his football career.

8. Hugo Rodallega (Wigan)

Rodallega has not been a prolific scorer during his time in England

Rodallega's reputation has taken something of a battering over the last year or so, but he has been rated in the £10-15million bracket in the past.

He scored the crucial goal which kept Wigan in the Premier League last season and contributed a decent number of strikes in 2009/10 and 2010/11, but has only scored twice so far this season.

The Colombian striker is talented but his form has not been convincing over the last year and it remains to be seen whether a top club will be willing to make a move for him.

However, his availability on a free transfer may just make signing Rodallega a decent option, with Everton, Tottenham and Aston Villa said to be interested in the 26-year-old.

7. Mohamed Diame (Wigan)

Diame was born in France but qualifies for Senegal through his father

Diame is the third Wigan player to make this list and is said to be interesting Everton and Newcastle.

The strong defensive midfielder, 24, has found himself on the bench in recent weeks but has impressed when called upon all season and would be a decent squad player for most Premier League clubs.

Before moving to the DW Stadium, the Senegal international was reportedly tracked by Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.

His wonder goal at Chelsea earlier this month looked like handing Wigan a crucial point in their battle for survival, only for the draw to be snatched away when the Stamford Bridge club scored a last-gasp winner which looked suspiciously offside.

During his time in Lancashire he has slated the town of Wigan, English women and the weather.

6. Michael Owen (Manchester United)

Owen has become something of a forgotten man in recent months

Injury has blighted Owen's spell with the Red Devils, but he still possesses the instincts of a goalscorer and is sure to have plenty of suitors if his deal at Old Trafford is not renewed in the summer.

The days of Owen terrorising defences and scoring goals for fun as he did at Liverpool are now long gone but if he can stay fit and hold down a regular starting place at a Premier League club, he will still be an asset.

Owen is now 32 but there will surely be very few strikers with a CV like his available on a free this summer.

He isn't fondly remembered by fans of Newcastle though due to an injury-ravaged and costly spell on Tyneside, while it remains to be seen how sharp he will be following a run of just 12 league appearances in the last two seasons.

5. Danny Guthrie (Newcastle)

Guthrie has been an under-rated part of Newcastle's success this season

Guthrie has grown frustrated by a lack of opportunities at Newcastle and looks set to leave St James' Park on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Aston Villa are among the clubs interested in the midfielder, who turned 25 today and has impressed when called upon by the Magpies over the years.

Guthrie is a player who deserves regular first-team football and Newcastle may yet tempt him to sign a new deal with the promise of more opportunities as manager Alan Pardew knows how important he has been at times this season.

The former Liverpool man is a tremendous passer and not afraid to attempt killer passes at appropriate times. He should turn out to be one of the bargains of the summer if he leaves Newcastle.

4. Salomon Kalou (Chelsea)

Kalou has stalled over signing a new Chelsea contract for some months now

Chelsea are thought to be keen to extend Kalou's deal beyond this summer, and he may yet decide to stay after becoming a more important member of Roberto Di Matteo's squad.

The 26-year-old Ivorian moved to Stamford Bridge in 2006 and has been a good squad player for most of that time, although he found himself unwanted under Andre Villas-Boas.

Kalou scored the only goal in Chelsea's 1-0 win at Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final this season and is thought to see himself as a central striker rather than a wide player.

However, future opportunities as a central striker appear unlikely for Kalou at Chelsea, meaning a free transfer move to a club like Tottenham, Arsenal or Milan may yet materialise.

3. Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United)

Berbatov proved last season he is still extremely dangerous when in form

Berbatov has been largely frozen out at Old Trafford this season after finishing the previous campaign as the Premier League's joint-top scorer, but his qualities should not be forgotten.

The Bulgarian striker is still just 31 and there are not many others with his football intelligence and ability, but his style often leads observers to call him lazy.

Berbatov has been extremely unlucky to find his opportunities limited at Manchester United this season and has proved in his few appearances he is still more than good enough to play at the top level.

Bayer Leverkusen are thought to be favourites to land Berbatov in the summer, but he could also be a superb signing for top Premier League clubs. A return to Tottenham or a move to a club like Liverpool or Arsenal may not be as unlikely as it sounds.

2. Junior Hoilett (Blackburn)

Blackburn twice sent Hoilett out on loan to German clubs to help him obtain a work permit

Hoilett is sure to have no shortage of suitors this summer and he seems certain to leave Blackburn, regardless of whether they are relegated.

As a player who can play wide or central and aged just 21, the Canadian seems to have everything going for him.

Without him this season, Blackburn could have been cast adrift and his form will have attracted the interest of the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Liverpool and Tottenham among others.

Players of his age and quality do not become available on free transfers very often so his signature will be much sought-after at the end of the season, with the majority of Premier League clubs sniffing around him.

1. Didier Drogba (Chelsea)

Drogba recently became the first African to score 100 goals in the Premier League

Drogba wants a two-year contract extension at Chelsea and they'd be mad not to give him it, but if he is to leave Stamford Bridge this summer he would be a magnificent free signing for someone.

He may be 34 now but he remains a powerhouse and a striker defenders dread playing against.

Drogba's performance was the catalyst for Chelsea's Champions League comeback win against Napoli and Sunday's FA Cup semi-final mauling of Tottenham, where he proved there is plenty more life left in him yet.

The Ivorian's play-acting diverts the attention away from his superb football talent at times but, on his day, there are very few better strikers in world football.

Drogba ought to go down as a Chelsea legend with 154 goals - 100 of those in the league - since joining from Marseille in 2004 and may yet feel he has one challenge left in him, which should alert the likes of Tottenham.

Best of the rest

Emile Heskey and Jussi Jaaskelainen look set to be released by their respective clubs at the end of the season

The above names would all make great signings for Premier League clubs, while there is a raft of others who will be available for nothing this summer.

Those names include the likes of Fulham's Andy Johnson, Aston Villa's Carlos Cuellar and Tottenham's Louis Saha.

Also expected to be available are Jussi Jaaskelainen, Craig Gordon, Kevin Davies, Emile Heskey, Heurelho Gomes and Martin Petrov, so there will certainly be plenty of free transfers taking place this summer.

Pavel Pogrebnyak is expected to sign a new deal with Fulham but could yet become a free agent, while Aston Villa have already secured the signature of AZ Alkmaar's Brett Holman.

Free transfers look set to be a key aspect of this summer's transfer window, while the list has not even touched on free transfers available from overseas clubs.

Who would you like your club to snap up on a free transfer this summer? Who is your favourite free signing of all-time for your club? Please leave your comments below...

Should Tottenham sack Harry Redknapp if they fail to finish top four?

Harry Redknapp's Tottenham have been in rotten form recently

Earlier in the season, the praise was flowing for Harry Redknapp and Tottenham Hotspur, and rightly so.

Spurs looked like genuine challengers for the Premier League title and were playing what Sir Alex Ferguson described as "the best football in the country".

Their capitulation since throwing away a two-goal lead at Arsenal in February has been staggering though and they now have both Newcastle and Chelsea breathing down their necks in the race for a top-four finish, while Arsenal have overturned a 10-point deficit and now sit two points above their neighbours with a game in hand.

Spurs' loss in form has coincided with speculation linking their manager Redknapp with the vacant England job but now he ought to have serious question marks over his future at White Hart Lane regardless of whether The FA give him the nod.

With players like Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Emmanuel Adebayor and Rafael van der Vaart in their team, Spurs should be a top-four outfit.

If they fail to qualify for next season's Champions League, this campaign would have to go down as one of underachievement and chairman Daniel Levy may struggle to keep hold of the club's big players for another year.

If Modric was desperate for a move away last summer, his urge would be even greater this time around as you get the sense if Spurs can't qualify for the Champions League this season given the position they were in and the players they have, it is only going to be harder for them to achieve it next season.

Modric's form itself has tailed off during Tottenham's slump - particularly his passing - and he is not involved in anywhere near as many goals as he should be, but teams like the two Manchester clubs are sure to circle if Spurs' poor form proves fatal to their top-four hopes.

Adebayor's loan finishes at the end of the campaign and it is hard to see him staying for another season of Europa League football, while his wage demands may scupper any move anyway.

And Bale, the jewel in Tottenham's crown, may even be tempted to move on in search of Champions League football if Spurs fail to qualify, so the closing weeks of this season are vital to the immediate future of the club.

Bale has looked more threatening on the left wing this season

Redknapp's insistence on playing Bale out of position on the right and in the centre has cost Spurs in recent weeks, as did his decision to play 4-4-2 at home against Norwich yesterday.

Their 2-1 defeat has left them looking vulnerable in fourth place, and Redknapp himself admitted after the game he had made a mistake with the formation.

He said they had "looked stronger recently with 4-3-3" so that begs the question: why did he change things?

That formation had worked perfectly well during the 3-1 win over Swansea, so it is difficult to see why Redknapp took the decision to revert to 4-3-3.

He has been heralded as something of a genius over the course of the last couple of years but is now being found out tactically and it could cost Spurs dear.

There is no doubt Redknapp has done a terrific job at White Hart Lane - he inherited a team rock bottom of the Premier League and turned them into a regular top-six side, including a campaign in the Champions League - but he now has the players at his disposal to turn Tottenham into a great team and he is wasting the opportunity.

Redknapp had a chance to push Spurs on - perhaps to the title - in January but wasted it by signing has-beens Louis Saha and Ryan Nelsen.

Saha has shown glimpses of quality but is simply not good enough for a side competing for a top four place, while Nelsen couldn't even get in the Blackburn side by the end of his time at Ewood Park.

Steven Pienaar was loaned out and although he never produced great form during his year at Spurs, he now looks fantastic for Everton and has proved he was more than worthy of at least a place on Redknapp's bench.

This season could still turn out to be a successful one for Redknapp and Tottenham.

If they were to win the FA Cup and/or finish in the top four, that would be superb for them and both those achievements remain realistic.

However, unless Redknapp can lead Spurs out of this slump soon their hopes will slip away and it may no longer be a case of whether he wants to stay at the club, but rather whether the club wants him to stay.

Redknapp is still likely to become England manager whatever happens in the remainder of the season, but Spurs' recent struggles must have raised a few question marks among fans and The FA over whether he is the right man for the job.

His tactical naivety and current inability to get the best out of a talented squad have been laid bare in recent weeks and it now may be that while Spurs were desperate to hold onto him not so long ago, they may not be too upset were England to come calling and give them a huge chunk of compensation this summer.

When you look at the job David Moyes continuously does at Everton on significantly smaller resources and a less talented group of players, Tottenham may now feel there are better managers than Redknapp available elsewhere.

Moyes' Everton are one of the teams to have beaten Spurs recently

This season could yet be a successful one for them, but one league win in eight tells its own story: Spurs are in horrible form and lack the momentum needed going into the battle for Champions League spots.

Speculation over the England job cannot be the sole reason for Spurs' poor form, and Redknapp should shoulder much of the blame.

His tactics and failure in the January transfer window are bigger reasons for Spurs' slump than the England speculation.

Redknapp's transfer dealings have often been the best part of his management over the years, but in January he seemed to forget where his side were in the league and signed completely the wrong calibre of players.

Spurs may yet finish in the top four, and should do given their fixture list, but if they don't Redknapp's future must be questioned seriously - regardless of whether he becomes England boss.

His side should have finished at least third given the first half of the season they enjoyed, and are now facing the unthinkable prospect of finishing outside the Champions League places.

The Harry bandwagon has ground to a halt.

Will Dalglish and Liverpool ditch Carroll in the summer after Newcastle defeat?

Andy Carroll suffered a humiliating first return to St James' Park yesterday

In the build-up to yesterday's much anticipated clash between Newcastle and Liverpool at St James' Park, Andy Carroll let it be known that were he to score, he wouldn't celebrate.

He wouldn't rub it in to the fans who used to chant his name and wouldn't show contempt for the club which gave him his big break in professional football.

However, within 10 minutes, he did show a complete lack of respect to his former club with a disgraceful dive which summed up his ineptitude in a Liverpool shirt.

Carroll had rounded Tim Krul and just needed to slot the ball into an empty net, but chose to throw himself to the floor and earned himself a deserved booking and, presumably, a place in Team GB's diving team for the Olympics this summer.

On this evidence, he's got more chance of making that team than he has of forcing his way into Stuart Pearce's football squad for either the Olympics or Euro 2012.

In fairness to him, he started yesterday's game looking more like the player who lit up the Premier League for Newcastle in the first six months of last season and more like the player Kenny Dalglish decided to spend £35million on.

He still didn't look worth that price-tag - in truth, even at his best he never did - but he did look like he'd be a threat to Newcastle throughout the game.

If he had slotted the opportunity away within 10 minutes, that would have set the tone for the rest of the match but he bottled it and had to deal with the consequences.

From the moment Papiss Cisse expertly headed home after some slack defending from Martin Skrtel on 19 minutes, there was only one team in it.

Carroll did have one more chance, which he headed over from close range, but would have felt humiliated long before Dalglish dragged him off with Liverpool 2-0 down and more than 10 minutes still remaining.

The 23-year-old was jeered and abused for the entire time he was on the pitch by the fans who used to cheer him, and the substitution would have just rubbed salt into his wounds.

It has become clear over recent months that Carroll is out of his depth at Anfield and Dalglish made a massive mistake to spend £35million on him just over a year ago, and it would be no surprise if he was offloaded in the summer.

The foul-mouthed tirade Carroll launched at Dalglish upon being subbed and subsequent storm straight up the tunnel will not have helped his chances of remaining a Liverpool player for much longer.

Carroll was clearly furious after being substituted

Dalglish was clearly trying to make a point by withdrawing Carroll at 2-0 down when the team were desperately looking for goals to get them back in the game that his performances have simply not been good enough and he will have to significantly improve if he is to save his Liverpool career.

If the Reds could recoup anywhere near the fee they spent for him in the summer, there can be little doubt they would offload him.

Their trouble will be that a club would be extremely foolish to spend anywhere near £15million for him, never mind £35million.

His reported £80,000 a week wages would also have to be significantly slashed were he to move, so it may be that Liverpool are stuck with him along with Dalglish's other costly flops, most notably Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing.

Around £75million has been spent on those three players alone and yesterday's defeat to Newcastle showed just how much of a fallacy their transfer strategy has been.

While Carroll toiled, his successor in the famous black-and-white number nine jersey thrived.

Papiss Cisse's brace took his tally to seven goals in seven games since his reported £9million switch from Freiburg in January, which is two more league goals than Carroll has scored in 15 months for the Anfield club.

Cisse looks the real deal with his movement, finishing and composure drawing comparisons to great Newcastle goalscorers of the past, including Andy Cole.

Cisse has started his Newcastle career in stunning fashion

As well as Cisse, the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa, Demba Ba, Yohan Cabaye and Cheick Tiote have all been brought in relatively cheaply and all were superb against Liverpool, while James Perch and Mike Williamson's performances were as good as any.

Newcastle thoroughly deserved their victory over Liverpool - despite Danny Simpson's handball on the line in the first half - and are now 11 points better off than the Merseysiders, so it is clear which transfer policy works best.

Alan Pardew and his scouting network have brought in some superb players and they deservedly sit in the top six of the Premier League, a fact Magpies fans ensured Jose Enrique did not forget with repeated chants of "Jose Enrique, we're in the top six", referring to Twitter comments by the player last summer suggesting the club's transfer policy meant a return to European competition was impossible.

Carroll's humiliation was complete as he was substituted and Enrique's ended with a bizarre cameo in goal.

Pepe Reina deservedly saw red for a ridiculous headbutt on Perch - who certainly made the most of whatever contact there was - and Newcastle fans revelled in seeing their former left-back suffer the ignominy of pulling on the goalkeeper's jersey for the closing stages.

Carroll and Enrique may point to their Carling Cup winner's medals to justify their decisions to swap Tyneside for Merseyside - as well as significantly improved bank balances - but as far as the league campaign is concerned, their new side has been embarrassed by their lack of success compared to the prudent Magpies.

Liverpool have now lost six of their last seven league games and their lack of form in the league cannot be defended by their performances in the cups.

Liverpool is too big a club to be classed as a 'cup team' so a tag like that should be embarrassing for Dalglish and the club's owners.

Dalglish is likely to survive this period as fans still appear unwavering in their support for him, but whether the likes of Carroll will is a major doubt.

His confidence will now be at an all-time low after the humiliation of his first return to Tyneside, and it would be no surprise if both he and the club wish to go their separate ways this summer.

Carroll will find it difficult to find a club willing to spend the amount of money it would take to get him out of Anfield and the wages he would demand, and many have predicted he will one day return to Newcastle.

After yesterday's events and the reception he received at St James' Park, it appears he wouldn't be welcomed back with open arms.

His career is at a crossroads as he looks out of his depth and lacking the desire to succeed, so it is hard to see where he will go from here.

As for Newcastle, everything is looking very rosy for them.

The spectre of the summer's transfer window still looms large, with Ba and Tiote both heavily linked with moves, but after the club's recent successes in the transfer market, they should be trusted to make the correct decisions.

Cisse is already looking like a superb player and if the team can continue to play like this, a top-five finish is not out of the question.

A top-four placing still looks fanciful but whatever happens in their remaining seven games, this has been a superb season for them.

Many predicted they would face a relegation battle after losing key players last summer, but they simply replaced them with better ones and now look sensational.

Fans are loving the club's revival and Pardew deserves tremendous credit - perhaps even the manager of the year award - for the unbelievable job he has done at St James' Park.

Pardew has built an excellent team at Newcastle

Even the loss of captain Fabricio Coloccini did not derail them against Liverpool, with Williamson and Perch dealing with the likes of Carroll and Luis Suarez superbly.

Newcastle produced a magnificent team display sprinkled with individual genius from the likes of Ben Arfa and Cisse and nothing should be taken away from them.

They were brilliant but Liverpool were shocking for much of the game.

They were epitomised by Carroll's performance and the big number nine may be angling for a move back to Newcastle.

However, on this evidence, it is hard to see why they would want him.

Pardew is still a big fan of him and Carroll was tremendous for around 12 months in a Newcastle shirt, but the Magpies play a different style now and to add Carroll to that would only unsettle what Pardew has built over the course of this season.

Carroll could be in for a very lonely summer unless he can somehow find form in the remaining games of this season.

Of course, it is still feasible he could score the winning goal in the FA Cup final and salvage his career at Anfield, but unless Liverpool and Dalglish adopt a much more direct style it is hard to see how they will get the best out of him.

To spend £35million on a player who simply doesn't fit in with a team's style of play was barbaric and Liverpool will have it confirmed to them in the summer just how much Carroll's stock has fallen in the period since they signed him.

They would be lucky to get a fee of £10million for him and, however hard they try to offload him, they will find it extremely difficult to.

Carroll could soon find himself as the unwanted man as no club will want to spend a significant fee on him and Liverpool and Dalglish's patience may soon wear thin if it hasn't already.

Dalglish has stuck by Carroll throughout his underwhelming spell of form

Dalglish's withdrawal of Carroll yesterday may have been a sign that his faith is wavering and it is hard to see how the striker can come back from this.

Liverpool appear stuck with him and he appears stuck with them, so the next few years should be very interesting.

Carroll should look back on last January's decision to leave Newcastle with enormous regret.

He looked like a player with tremendous potential and that potential is still surely intact, but he has struggled to fit in with Liverpool's style of play and the burden of his huge price-tag looks to have weighed heavily on his shoulders.

Carroll was described as the 'next Alan Shearer' during his time at St James' Park but now looks more like the new Michael Ricketts.

The £35million fee Liverpool spent on him looked ridiculous at the time and now looks more like daylight robbery.

Yesterday's return to St James' Park for Carroll - and Enrique - could not have been much more humiliating and his confidence must now be shattered.

He is still living in a Liverpool hotel and is still thought to crave a move back to the North-East, but with his diving antics yesterday he has now burnt the bridges he had remaining on Tyneside.

His tirade at Dalglish may have had the same effect on Merseyside and it will be extremely interesting to see if the Scot sticks with his record signing this summer.

Carroll does not look like a Liverpool player and, if they can somehow find a club to take him off their hands, it would be no surprise to see Dalglish cut his losses on him soon.