Andy Carroll has been great for West Ham when fit this season, scoring six goals in 18 appearances and being a vital part of the club’s 2017 revival after a dismal start to the campaign.
Carroll’s influence on the team was greatly noticed when he missed the games against West Brom and Watford recently because of a minor groin injury and it was clear that West Ham missed a focal point up front to hold the ball up and bring team-mates into the attack.
Although he is a great presence up front, he also brings great defensive qualities by tracking back and using his aerial ability to defend set-pieces.
Due to Carroll’s recent form, many pundits and fans have made claims for him to get called up for Gareth Southgate’s England squad to face Germany and Lithuania next week. His chances were majorly boosted by Harry Kane’s unfortunate injury that he suffered against Millwall, along with both Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge missing out, but Carroll has been overlooked again, with Jermain Defoe, Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy being selected ahead of him.
This may be a blessing in disguise for West Ham fans if you take into account his injury record. This upcoming international break will give him almost a two-week break, which is great for a player who is so injury prone.
During the January transfer window, West Ham rejected three offers from clubs in the Chinese Super League for the striker, which shows that Carroll still has a future at West Ham.
Despite rumours that the Hammers are open to offers for their former club-record signing in the summer, I believe that Carroll still has a big part to play in the future of this football club. Under contract until 2019 in a deal which contains a two-year option, the club do have a major decision to make soon regarding his long-term role in the squad.
Yes, Carroll has struggled with a groin injury of late, and not a severe one at that, but the striker has looked as fit as he’s ever been in a West Ham shirt this season as the club seem to have finally come up with a training method and regime that can keep him fit and well-drilled but also at limited risk of sustaining another injury.
Another question comes in the form of who would even be interested in Carroll? It’s unlikely a team in the upper echelons of the Premier League would take a punt on him again after he failed to make his mark at Liverpool. A possible move to the Chinese Super League would all but end his England career which he still harbours hope for.
For the time being, West Ham are tied to Andy Carroll and should give him a chance to stake his claim to the club’s top striker like it was always intended.
