Who's better in the air? Crouch or Carroll?

I've just been watching some goals from seasons a few years ago, and a few of Crouch's goals in the air came up that has me looking forward to another tall-man upfront for us, that being a certain Mr Carroll. Seeing the goals made me realise that it's another strength that we'll have back for this season, but who do you think is better in the air attacking crosses? Is Andy Carroll as good as Crouch was for us? Will he develop into a better headerer of the ball than Crouch was? Or is Crouch's aerial threat that little bit better than Carroll?

Discuss...

Carroll without a shadow of a doubt. For someone so tall, Crouchy is actually a bit feeble with his head.

Carroll without a shadow of a doubt. For someone so tall, Crouchy is actually a bit feeble with his head.

It's hard to tell the now, but it seems that Crouch is a bit more mobile than Carroll but Carroll has more strength over Crouch.

I'd go with Carroll too I reckon...and not just because he's with us now. I reckon Carroll is a lot stronger than Crouchy was which enables him to be more effective in the air.
However I think that in focusing on his aerial ability a lot of people have grossly undervalued the contribution that big Andy can make with his feet. He can hold the ball up fantastically and he has a cracking left foot to boot! All around I think Andy will pull off head and shoulders above Crouchy (no easy feet...tall joke...I'm here all week!:P) this season and by the end any comparisons between the two will be like comparing Messi to Titus Bramble!

Carroll. For all his height advantage, Crouch's heading was often poor. Good touch for a big man though

It's hard to tell the now, but it seems that Crouch is a bit more mobile than Carroll but Carroll has more strength over Crouch.

Yeah, that's a fair comment although Carroll does have a turn of speed about him. Crouch was very good with his feet and could play with his back to goal but we looked for him too often with balls 'hoofed' over the top and he wasted a lot of opportunities to get a good header on goal. I hope we don't make the same mistake with Carroll but I would put money on Andy getting more headers on target and with more venom.

Crouch was sh*te in the air for a man of 6ft 7in.

Carroll is now and will always be better in the air. He almost certainly quicker across the ground too. But then again I don't really rate Crouch at all

Carroll, but it will be intresting to see if he can match Crouchies ability on the deck

Carroll. But Crouch really was decent stuff on the ground.

If he can match the perfect hat trick I'll be happy 

Carroll. Crouch enfuriated me so much with his constant climbing on the defender. The ref's gonna blow every time   

Carroll, crouch actually wasn't that great in the air for his size

Carroll.

Don't know if it was his timing, a lack of physical strength to fight off the defender, or another factor, but I agree with those who said Crouch wasn't as good with his head as one would expect of such a tall lad.

Decent player, though, and a cracking dancer!

Carroll is better in the air than Crouch by miles. Crouch is better on the deck, and I would say Carroll is easily more mobile, and a greater threat in behind defenders.

For a tall man i thought his heading ability was piss poor on times ,was actually a lot better on the deck , you would have thought it would be the other way about .Caroll hands down for me.

Caroll by a country mile.

I know Keegan doesn't usually talk much sense, but didn't he claim Caroll was the best header of the ball since Shearer?

Crouch was pretty meagre in the air as has been mentioned above.

Carroll without a shadow of a doubt. For someone so tall, Crouchy is actually a bit feeble with his head.

This all day long.

Carroll attacks the ball and will put his head through it. I think this encourages players to cross the ball with pace to him. With Crouch, I thought it was usually floated balls in to him which indicates the cross is intended to give the header of the ball a bit more time to adjust. That usually happens when someone isn't very good with their head.

No contest, Crouch was just tall and waited for the ball to hit his head whereas Carroll attacks the ball.

There's a massive difference.

Carroll all day long. He's the best one in the league I think.

Crouch could not get his timing right, he mainly jumped too early which meant he had to bend to head the ball, or he was on his way down as the ball came to him. Both senarios meant he had very little power in his headers, and I can only remember him getting it right once for his second goal against Arsenal when he (I think) got his hatrick.
Carroll on the other hand seems to attack the ball, even when he's going backwards.

 Crouch was very poor in the air, he got pushed about and as someone said earlier he just waited and hoped for the ball to hit him.
 
 He headed like he danced

 That said for a tall man his skills with the ball at his feet were at time exceptional

People are being a little harsh on Crouch here, he did a lot of good work with his head, knocking down balls ect, he was a great all round centre forward, I hope Carroll turns out to be as good on the ground, he seems to have a stronger shot.

Carroll for me.

Crouch got pinged a lot for things he wasn't actually doing, and didn't have the same presence as Carroll.

Plus he always looks like a cranefly when he does his bycicle kicks

Having said that Carroll is pretty decent on the deck and has quite a few years in front of him before he gets to the age Crouch was when he was here, so with good coaching he will be a more complete player than Crouch.