Andy Carroll has had a terrible injury record in his time at the club. He has certainly done well whenever he has played, but that has not been often enough. Indeed, one must pose the question: could there be something about Carroll’s playing style that places undue stress on his body and militates towards injury? When Carroll was injured in the pre-season tour of New Zealand we were told that the Achilles problem he developed was unusual in a footballer. We were also informed that it was a very distinctive type of injury, more usually found in basket ball players and ballet stars! I recall it being explained that he had acquired that specific type of injury through the constant impact on his legs of continually jumping to challenge for high balls. It also has to be said that Carroll at least partly contributed to his latest knee injury, against Southampton last February, with a clumsy challenge on an opponent. It was the result of a poor challenge, which could and should easily have been avoided.
If we accept the hypothesis that Carroll’s playing style is a factor in his poor injury record, how could that issue be addressed? Undoubtedly by modifying the way in which he approaches and plays the game. It is something that Carroll may need to do, anyway, in order to be successful in a Bilic West Ham side. Perhaps these two factors should come together to facilitate a thoughtful re-assessment by the player. Under Sam Allardyce, Carroll spent an inordinate amount of time challenging for high balls played from out wide or launched forward from the back. He is undoubtedly formidable in that role, terrifying central defenders and being almost unplayable at times. Although last season there were some initial signs that PL sides were adopting more effective tactics to nullify his threat, including doubling up on defenders when challenging him in the air.
Under Bilic, it is likely Carroll will need to be to be more mobile, make runs to the near and far post and shield the ball to bring team mates in to play. In short, less ‘battering ram’ and more intelligent movement in the final third of the pitch. His size, strength and ability in the air will still be decisive factors, but in a more applied way. In fact, if Carroll wanted to develop a new playing style he would do far worse than to study the way Sir Geoff Hurst used to play. Sir Geoff could do the lot, play with his back to goal, shield the ball and lay it off, make dangerous runs into the box and score goals a plenty. Another distinctive aspect of his play was his ability to make intelligent runs off the ball that both got him in to dangerous goal scoring positions and, equally, created space for his team mates. Sir Geoff was powerful on the floor and in the air. His very best headed goals were from well timed runs to the near post, a trade mark goal for which he was rightly famous.
Now readers might make the point that Carroll is very far from being Sir Geoff Hurst and that argument is well made. However, he can still learn, adapt and improve his centre forward play. Indeed, I actually think that Carroll is probably a better technical player than many give him credit for. Do you remember the superb skill that he displayed to score a wonderful goal against Swansea in last season’s away fixture? Any striker who can exhibit that type of touch and skill must be a good player. Perhaps, under Bilic, that aspect of Carroll’s game will begin to come to the fore?
With the change of manager, some have doubted Carroll’s long-term future at the club. The argument goes that his presence encourages the team to play a more direct style and Bilic will want more than from his centre forward (Especially if he is the focal point of the attack in a 4-2-3-1 formation). It is possible that Carroll can adapt and become an asset in this new, expansive approach. I certainly hope so. However, going back to the original point, it may well be that Carroll also needs to adapt to overcome the injuries that are currently plaguing his career.
In that sense, adapting his playing style is not only desirable, in terms of fitting in to the new Bilic regime, but crucial in keeping him fit and available for selection next season.SJ. Chandos.