Sky Sports pundit Danny Higginbotham claims under fire Andy Carroll is crucial to West Ham United’s chances of survival this season.
West Ham face an uphill task to secure Premier League survival this season after a disastrous start to the season which has yielded just two wins from 15 games so far.
That form cost Slaven Bilic his job but his unpopular replacement David Moyes has not fared any better, drawing one and losing three of his first four games, although there were plenty of positives to take from the 2-1 loss to Manchester City last time out.
Hammers fans look to have finally lost patience with injury prone striker Andy Carroll who is once again sidelined and is yet to score this season.
Carroll had the nerve to criticise supporters for leaving games early recently and his stock is at an all-time low with the club’s fans.
“Getting him fit and keeping him fit is so important because at the start of the season it was (Javier) Hernandez up front on his own and they were going long to him and it was just coming back at them,” Higgingbotham said on Sky Sports.
“Now teams have seen West Ham can’t go long with Carroll out of the side and they have to play their way out and they just push right up and teams are nicking the ball off them in their own half and sticking it in the back of the net.
Danny Higginbotham
“Carroll could literally be the difference between West Ham staying up or being relegated.”
Higginbotham makes a salient point and it sums up West Ham’s poor recruitment over the last two seasons that they are still over reliant on a player who is rarely fit and available for selection.
West Ham fans would also argue that even when Carroll plays West Ham are all too predictable as an attacking force and they have failed to shine with the former Liverpool man in their side this season.
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