Andy Carroll makes no bones about the fact that he’s been to hell and back with the latest of his injury lay-offs.
The club’s record signing made a fleeting and near fairy story re-appearance at the end of the Villa match bringing one of the saves of the season from Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
And afterwards he said: “It’s been a nightmare. It’s been a killer to be honest, coming back from the end of last season and in the first week of training I find out I need surgery.
“It’s been disappointing and devastating and now I’ve just got to forget about everything that’s been going on for the last few months.”
“The medical staff have been a great help. I’ve been working with them as a team and individually. We’ve worked outside of the club as well and they’ve been coming to my house.
“It’s a credit to them to get me back fit so quickly given the injury and the surgery that I had. They’ve got me back as quick as possible and I’m happy with my recovery.”
On his plans during the international break Carroll said: “It’s a chance for me with no games to train hard – and harder than I have been ahead of the games coming up in a couple of weeks’ time. Hopefully I’ll have a game behind closed doors so I can get my fitness up in that as well.”
I’ve read that BFS has told Carroll to curb his ‘headless chicken’ style – I think what he actually said was something along the lines of him being ‘too brave’ for his own good and that he should go in for a more controlled type of game.
I think that he has to make up in effort what he lacks in natural ability – full marks for the effort and I think we just have to accept that his time out with injuries are part and parcel of what makes him the player that he is.
I think he is destined for cameo appearances between long periods out with injury – which are exciting at the time but at the end of the day are disappointing and sad.