West Ham United forward Andy Carroll was once again not part of Manuel Pellegrini’s squad on Saturday when the Hammers fell to a 2-0 away defeat at the hands of Cardiff City. The Bluebirds were the deserved winners on the day as Junior Hoilett and Victor Camarasa got the goals which made the difference in the contest.
In an interview after the game (via Football.London), when Pellegrini was asked about whether Carroll’s unavailability was because of an injury, the Hammers boss replied, “He was not considered for this game. He has a small problem in his ankle but he was not on the list.”
The Chilean manager’s recent revelation indicates that the English forward has not been considered to feature in this game despite not being named on the injury list. It could mean that Pellegrini does not think that the former Liverpool striker has done enough to justify a place in the West Ham match-day squad.
Injuries have ravaged Carroll’s career in England and it’s been the same during his spell at the London Stadium. The 30-year-old has made just 14 appearances for the Hammers this term, scoring just one goal so far across all competitions.
There is no doubt that the English frontman is not good enough to start just yet, but the fact that he is not even being considered to be a part of the 18-man squad doesn’t bode well for his long-term future at the East London club.
On his day, the Newcastle United academy graduate can be a match-winner against any opposition. However, those days are quite few and far between and so it is not worth keeping a player who would not get much game time going forward. Hence, Pellegrini should waste no time in the summer and let him leave the club at the end of this campaign when his current contract with the Hammers comes to an end.
There are no benefits to keeping him at the club beyond this season as Carroll has proven to be such an inconsistent player under Pellegrini’s stewardship. West Ham should instead concentrate on performing well on the pitch and recruiting wisely off it.
