Carroll can fill Torres' boots at Liverpool

Andy Carroll is no Fernando Torres yet, but his record this season is better than that of the Spanish striker.

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The biggest deals of a remarkable transfer deadline day were Chelsea's £50 million (Dh295m) signing of Fernando Torres from Liverpool and the arrival of Andy Carroll for £35m from Newcastle United as his replacement.

The general consensus is Chelsea have paid a high price, but have got a world-class player who would walk into most top teams.

Torres, 26, has a proven record - he scored 65 league goals in just 102 games for Liverpool and is a World Cup winner.

Carroll, however, divides opinion. His form in the first half of the season has been blistering - 11 goals in 19 games making him the third top scorer in the league.

However, making him the most expensive English player ever on the back of half a season of good form (he also scored 17 goals in 39 games last season in the Championship) appears a bit of a risk for Liverpool.

The statistics, though, back Carroll. He has scored more goals, set up more goals and converted more of his chances than Torres this season. A bargain then?