West Ham United will have to make do without Andy Carroll for their crunch match at Tottenham Hotspur next week despite recent reports to the contrary.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
The Hammers are sitting 17th in the Premier League table after a torrid start to the season, just one point above the relegation zone.
Slaven Bilic’s side are struggling for goals and not one of his strikers has scored this season, 17 games in.
So when recent reports suggested Andy Carroll would make his latest injury comeback at White Hart Lane it was a big boost for Bilic and the club’s fans.
West Ham United’s Andy Carroll training in the summer
According to the Mirror, Carroll was set to be ready to return for the big London derby which kicks off a daunting run of fixtures for the Hammers who then face a double header against Manchester United at Old Trafford, a home game against Arsenal and a trip to Liverpool.
But in the latest lengthy injury update from West Ham’s head of medical and sports science Stijn Vandenbroucke on the club’s official website just seven words were reserved for Carroll.
Bilic and head of medical and sports science Stijn Vandenbroucke
“Andy Carroll is progressing well with his rehab,” Vandenbroucke told whufc.com.
This of course is nothing new for the club’s supporters who are well accustomed to seeing Carroll out injured.
The former Liverpool and Newcastle United man has played just 81 games in four and a half years in East London.
No return date: Carroll
Their patience may be reaching breaking point, though, given the club’s current predicament and the fact supporters were initially told Carroll’s latest injury – suffered in the Europa League qualifying game at Astra in July – would keep him out for between four to six weeks.
Supporters have been left bemused by a lack of progress in his recovery four months on and latest reports are linking the former Newcastle United man with a move to China in January.
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