OPINION
Andy Carroll hasn’t always had it easy during his footballing career.
Ravaged by injuries for the vast majority of his playing days, every time he looked as if he could be pulling ahead of where he wanted to be, another snapped this or twisted that would send him crashing back down to earth.
For large spells of his career he has cut a frustrated, and frustrating, figure, with his good work usually being directly offset by a lengthy stint on the sidelines.
As such, it is easy to why most West Ham fans were up in arms when the big Geordie was given the nod against Manchester City in midweek, and despite forcing a decent save from Ederson, for the most part their indignation was justified.
Even for a man who was never blessed with scintillating pace, Carroll looks as if he has lost half a yard as a result of his recurrent problems, and against City, he provided very little in terms of an out ball unless the ball was hoisted up directly to him.
Now, admittedly, the likelihood of West Ham needing a reliable out ball against Newcastle United on Saturday evening is slim.
Whereas City were always going to box the Hammers in, the Magpies will provide more of an opportunity for Manuel Pellegrini’s men to get on the ball themselves and build from the back.
There is perhaps even an argument to be made that Carroll’s robust style of forward play could be an asset against three bruising centre-halves.
But really, if Pellegrini has any ambition of making any kind of statement in the league this season, Carroll cannot start.
At 30, he is far from retirement age, but he has the demeanour of a player approaching the twilight years of their career.
It’s not his fault, but he looks as if years of injuries have finally caught up with him, and really, he must be axed against his boyhood club.