Newcastle Transfers: 7 Problems Andy Carroll Would Solve

7. The African Nations

It is already painfully obvious that Newcastle are currently over-reliant on Papiss Cisse: after two mostly barren years, the Senegalese striker has hit some form scoring 4 goals to rescue Pardew's blushes already this season, and nobody else has looked like scoring. Emanuel Riviere is played in completely the wrong role, Yoan Gouffran seems not to be a striker in Pardew's eyes any more, and Ayose Perez and the rest of the "developmental" strikers won't be given enough of a chance to impress. Sadly, when the African Nations likely robs Cisse away to Morocco, Newcastle will be left with an unfancied striker not suited to a lone role, and kids who won't have been blooded properly by then. Goals will be even rarer than they are now, but bringing Carroll in on loan would at least represent another option in attack, as long as he's actually fit.