'Frustrated' Andy Carroll hoping brace can give him regular spot at West Ham
The 28-year-old striker was given just his third start under David Moyes against West Brom as the Hammers came from behind to win 2-1
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Your support makes all the difference.Andy Carroll is hoping his two goals that saw West Ham come from behind to beat West Brom will help him seal a firm place in the side’s starting lineup – a situation that's left him "frustrated" on the bench.
The striker scored his first goal in nine months, and followed it up with a second in the dying seconds of injury time, to clinch a vital victory for the Hammers, taking them out of the relegation zone.
“It was fantastic,” said Carroll, “The lads were over the moon; the fans were over the moon. I think it was a great atmosphere.”
Carroll, whose career in East London has been tainted with injury troubles, admits he’s not best pleased sitting on the bench under new boss David Moyes, and wanted to use the game to prove his worth.
“It’s been very frustrating,” he admitted, “I’ve been sitting on the bench – it’s been tough. I’ve been wanting to play. I’ve been wanting to get there and start. It’s hard when you’re coming on for the last 20 minutes.”
“I don’t want to be an impact player coming off the bench,” He added. “Tonight when I was called upon I felt like I needed to show what I was about and try and get back into the starting 11, and push myself back into a starting place.”
The 28-year-old was quick to praise both strike partner Marko Arnautovic and captain Mark Noble for their performances – the latter of which was brought on at half time after James McClean put the visitors ahead.
“I think going one-nil down was tough,” said Carroll. “I thought Nobes [Noble] changed the game for us. He kept the ball, he dominated in midfield and defended well and brought everyone into the game. I thought it was fantastic, and changed the game for us.”
Just three points currently separate Brighton in 12th and Stoke in 18th, with West Ham sitting in amongst those teams just a point adrift of the drop zone in 16th.
“Down at the bottom it’s very tight, it’s nice to pull away,” Carroll said. “We just need to continue that, continue the results, and continue working like we did tonight.”
“I think we know the quality in our dressing room and we’re confident that we will not be going down,” he added. “We’ll be getting out of it. At the minute it is tough down there but we’ve still got the quality and the confidence.
“We are on a decent run at the minute, so hopefully it continues.”
West Ham face Tottenham at Wembley on Thursday, with the Hammers having previously beaten their hosts in the Carabao Cup back in October.
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