And many fans at Blackpool on Wednesday night felt Chris Hughton got it wrong dropping Ranger in a game he could have put the Blackpool defence to the sword.
Yep ... Carroll scored ... but he looked painfully unfit, and laboured on with Hughton hoping he could swing the game getting on the end of a dead-ball kick.
Blackpool boss Ian Holloway reckons Ranger will be a real handful in the Championship – as he's quick enough to catch pigeons!
Ian Holloway: "Have a look at their sub when he came on – he can catch pigeons that boy. Deary, deary me!"