How has Andy Carroll been central to West Ham’s recent return to form?

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West Ham have recovered well from the Dimitri Payet saga and could be set for a top-half finish if they continue to play as they have been in recent weeks. Many thought that the sale of the Frenchman would be a setback for the Hammers, but it could have had the opposite effect, as it has brought the club closer together. The supporters are now fully behind those playing for the shirt and the side are a lot more balanced. Although Payet is a great player, everything went through him at West Ham and that made the side predictable. That is no longer the case and three wins in their last four suggests that they are in for a much better second half of the season.

One player that has been central to the side has been Andy Carroll and if he can stay fit, he could be set for one of the best periods of his career. His problem has always been his fitness, as he has suffered several bad injuries throughout his career. Although his build makes him susceptible to injuries, there have been doubts about how he looks after himself, but he looks great at the moment and there have been some suggesting an England recall could be on the horizon.

He has had a sustained run in the first team, but it hasn’t been until the past few weeks that he has started to threaten in the final third consistently. This season, he has six goals from 12 Premier League matches, with four coming in his last four. He is averaging a goal every 133.3 minutes, which is an excellent return for a player outside of the top six. There are few strikers like Carroll in the modern game and that makes him an even bigger threat when he is on form. Opposition teams struggle to effectively defend against him and that has been evident in recent matches.

His physical presence is his main asset, but there is a lot more to his game. Against Southampton, he displayed his intelligent movement to get in behind the defence and smartly finished past Fraser Forster. His movement is often overlooked, but he is very clever in the final third and often gets into the right positions to score goals. Carroll makes it easy to for the midfielders to find him and it is no surprise that West Ham have been better in attack with the Geordie in the team.

There are few better players in the air than Andy Carroll in the Premier League and that is an asset for West Ham in both halves of the pitch. He is always an aerial threat in the final third, while the fear that he produces in defenders creates space for others to exploit. His hold-up play is excellent and he is capable of producing chances for his team-mates. Recently, West Ham have been very good defensively from set pieces and the addition of Carroll has helped a lot.

West Ham have had a mixed season to date and haven’t been able to live up to the heights of last season, but the last few weeks suggest that they will be a bigger threat over the coming months. It is important that Andy Carroll remains clear of injury as they are a much better side with him in the team. He is their only striker that guarantees a regular supply of goals and offers a lot more with his overall play. The England calls are inevitable as there are few other players like Carroll available to the national team. Carroll hasn’t been able to live up to his potential, but if he can play consistently for the next two or three years, he can be a huge player for both club and country.

Featured image: All rights reserved by Alex Hannam