Without a goal since April, without a start in six weeks, hardly looking recently like a sharp Premier League centre-forward, Andy Carroll’s selection up front for West Ham United tonight felt like a speculative roll of the dice from David Moyes. And in the first half, as Carroll struggled up front, it felt like a losing one.
But here at the London Stadium, Carroll produced a vintage second half, battering in an emphatic equalising header – think Sweden at Euro 2012 – and then slotting in a far-post winner in added time.
For West Ham to draw this game would have been close to a disaster. They were at home against West Bromwich Albion, and they had six more days to prepare than Alan Pardew’s side did. But they produced nothing of note in the first half and went behind to James McClean’s deflected shot. The second half was not much better, it must be said, but Carroll made himself dangerous in the box. Which is what he is paid to do.
Given that West Ham had one whole week to prepare for this, since drawing at Bournemouth, and West Brom had one day, since drawing with Arsenal, the hosts should have brought more intensity to the first half. But instead they looked slow, ponderous and predictable. David Moyes gave Andy Carroll his first start since November but what was his reward? Carroll struggled to impose himself on the opposition, barely winning anything from crosses or balls into the box, in a frustrating first half.
The only West Ham player who looked like he could seize control of the occasion was Manuel Lanzini. He started their best move of the first half with a clever pass to Pablo Zabaleta, eventually getting on the end of it and forcing Ben Foster to save his powerful shot. Later in the first half, Lanzini wriggled his way into space and got off another shot, but Foster was down quick enough to keep it out.
James McClean, at the other end, had more luck. Stationed out on the left, he had to spark a limp West Brom team into life but he did just that, charging at Zabaleta every chance he got, unleashing an early shot to test Adrian.
That enterprising spirit was rewarded on the half hour. Salomon Rondo broke down the middle and fed McClean to his left. Cutting inside, he skipped past the struggling Winston Reid, then had enough time to change direction and get the ball back on his left. He eventually shot, 20 yards out, and the ball hit Pedro Obiang, looped over Adrian and in. Yes, it was slightly fortunate, but West Ham could have gone in 2-0 down, as Craig Dawson and Jonny Evans later failed to turn in from a McClean free-kick.
What West Ham desperately needed was for Carroll to get back into the game. In the first minute of the second half he got away in the six yard box, getting on the end of Marko Arnautovic’s cross from the right but directing it high and over the bar.
At least that was a start. And after another 15 minutes of frustration, and finding no way through, Carroll did what he was meant to, equalising with a goal that only he could have scored. Aaron Cresswell, moved to full-back as West Ham switched to a back four, found himself some space on the left. He stood up a cross to the far post. Carroll hurtled at it, cleared out Kieran Gibbs and Evans, and thumped his header into the net. It was his first goal for nine months.
As West Ham squeezed forward – Arnautovic could have done better from a Lanzini pass – they left space in behind to exploit. West Ham had long run out of attacking ideas but when Oliver Burke, just on as a sub, raced onto Rondon’s pass he should have been more decisive. But he waited long enough for Angelo Ogbonna to get back and tackle him.
That was the moment when West Brom could have recorded what would have been their first league win since August. But they missed it and the next time West Ham attacked they got through. Lanzini played in Arnautovic down the left, he whipped in a cross and there was Carroll at the far post to slot home.
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