Since 2011, Andy Carroll’s career has been one of disappointment and despair punctuated by brief moments of ‘oh, he’s actually pretty good’. A £35m switch to Liverpool from Newcastle will, probably, see him go down as one of football’s all-time worst big money flops, but his spell at West Ham – who also paid big for him – has been a little more promising. Yet true to form, it’s been no cakewalk for the Geordie, who has spent the majority of 2014 on the treatment table rather than the pitch.
But now back from injury, Carroll is in the XI and looks to be living up to his billing as one of English football’s best old-fashioned forwards. West Ham in the meantime appear to have slightly outgrown his unique brand of barrel-chested ‘up and at ‘em’ play, but the relationship could yet be a fruitful one, and here are FIVE reasons why…
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The Nolan partnership
The Kevin Nolan – Andy Carroll axis may have been one that resembled all that was wrong with West Ham under Sam Allardyce last season, but it’s fair to say that the pair are a deadly combo, and they once again they combined, albeit fortunately, against West Brom to give the Hammers the lead. Carroll’s acrobatic bicycle kick was repelled before being turned in by Nolan, who seems to have a telepathic knack of knowing where his team-mate’s knockdowns are set to land.
A constant threat
He may not be fashionable, but Carroll is a tricky customer to play against. When fit and firing, he’s strong, powerful, determined and deceivingly quick, making him a genuine threat to defenders of any level. As the video below shows, he can also find the back of the net!
//www.youtube.com/embed/Ntoi4rRMgsE
Politically tough to drop him
This may not be a reason that sits well with fans, but as West Ham’s record signing and top earner, Carroll is somewhat a political hot potato at Upton Park. The club put a lot of money into getting him from Liverpool, and his injury record thus far has prevented the big Tynesider from making a genuine impact. But now he looks to be fit again, justifying why the cash was splashed may be something the Londoners feel they have to do, with a few goals likely to see Carroll’s stock rise to the point that he’s no longer seen as a claret-clad waste of money.
Sakho can be used as an impact player
Diafra Sakho’s start to life at Upton Park appears to be the major sticking point with getting Carroll back into the XI on a permanent basis. The Senegalese striker has been, arguably, the surprise signing of the season, with six goals in eight Premier League games a record envied by far more celebrated names in the division. The 24-year-old is currently out of action through injury, but when he returns it’s going to be a tough decision to leave him out of the side. A role as an impact sub may be an option, with Sakho possessing the pace to stretch teams late on, which could be vital in both chasing games and seeing out wins.
Valencia can play deeper or from wide
Another spanner in the works comes in the shape of fellow summer signing Enner Valencia. The Ecuadorian was rather a coup for the Irons after his impressive World Cup showing, and he’s since transferred that form to east London with a respectable three goals and two assists in 11 showings. Although he’s been used ‘up top’ on the most part, Valencia actually shone on the wing for former club Pachuca, and could be slotted into such a role should ‘Big Sam’ opt to use wide men to get crosses in for Carroll.