Andy Carroll (now playing for Amiens SC)

Yeah, same. I'd feel better about signing him mind if he had a lengthy spell of playing without picking up knocks. The talent is there, we seen that.

We're still desperate for an outlet up top and someone to dominate set pieces in both boxes. If he wasn't a crock I'd happily see us pay pretty big money for him.

We're still desperate for an outlet up top and someone to dominate set pieces in both boxes. If he wasn't a crock I'd happily see us pay pretty big money for him.

Needs to be back in town drinking NE water getting drunk at NE bars and being taken care of by his folks again from time to time.

We're still desperate for an outlet up top and someone to dominate set pieces in both boxes. If he wasn't a crock I'd happily see us pay pretty big money for him.

Think him and Remy would be great.

We're still desperate for an outlet up top and someone to dominate set pieces in both boxes. If he wasn't a crock I'd happily see us pay pretty big money for him.

 

Think him and Remy would be great.

http://static.wine-searcher.net/images/labels/67/85/remy-martin-coeur-de-cognac-france-10356785.jpg

Cognac. 

Carrol is an extremely average striker, lower end PL player at best. I wouldn't even have him back on a free.

Carrol is an extremely average striker, lower end PL player at best. I wouldn't even have him back on a free.

I remember in one of his last game's for Liverpool against Chelsea when he had Terry on toast

Wait all season to get him fit and then gamble on his fitness by rushing him back?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25680495

Sam Allardyce prepared to take Andy Carroll gamble at Cardiff

 

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce says he is willing to take a "calculated risk" on striker Andy Carroll for Saturday's "massive" game at Cardiff.

 

Carroll, 25, has not played this season because of a foot injury.

 

But with the Hammers second from bottom in the Premier League, Allardyce said Carroll could play a part.

 

"Ideally we would like to progress it a little slower but based on where we are it may be a calculated risk we're prepared to take," he said.

 

Carroll scored seven goals for West Ham while on loan from Liverpool last season, but has been troubled by injury problems after making a record £15m move to Upton Park in the summer.

 

The Hammers face 17th-placed Cardiff having been thrashed 5-0 by Championship side Nottingham Forest last Sunday and 6-0 by Manchester City in their Capital One Cup semi-final first leg.

 

And the manner of defeat led a section of supporters to voice their disapproval towards Allardyce, who has received public and private backing from co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold.

 

Allardyce, who received an extension to his contract last summer keeping him at the club until 2015, has said he will keep on fighting as his side aim to overturn a run of one win in their last 10 games in their attempt to avoid relegation.

 

But although he thanked Gold and Sullivan for their support, when asked if he would survive a defeat at Cardiff, he replied: "I don't know, I will talk to you about that after we have played Cardiff."

 

Cardiff are two places above West Ham in the table but have been buoyed by a first win for new boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Newcastle in the FA Cup last Saturday.

 

Allardyce, who said he was trying to sign Inter Milan striker Ishak Belfodil, explained that his team's problems had come from a lack of defensive cover, revealing that full-back Joey O'Brien had joined centre-backs Winston Reid and James Collins on the injured list.

 

But the 59-year-old said defender James Tomkins was back in the squad and he denied claims his players had not been committed in their last two games where they have conceded 11 goals.

 

The former Newcastle, Blackburn and Bolton boss said: "[The players] are committed, you can't question the commitment. It's an easy thing to say.

 

"The other easy thing to say by people in the outside world, is you've lost the dressing room, that goes hand in hand, then another easy thing to say is they are not fit enough. There's a lot of rubbish that gets bounded around.

 

"They are in a lack of confidence mode at the minute, I can tell you that, they are distraught about the way things are but we have to lift ourselves up. The Cardiff game is a massive game, in many ways much bigger than the Manchester City game."

 

On the fans turning against him at Manchester City on Wednesday, he added: "It's always difficult. When the club isn't doing as well as they think it should they will turn and show their disapproval, that's an acceptable fact of management today."

 

And Allardyce said of his pursuit of 21-year-old Algerian forward Belfodil. "We are trying. We have been trying for several weeks to be successful with one or two players. I thought I would be talking about one player at least today which we would have had in the country and signed but that fell into some paperwork problems."

West Ham have basically bet everything that Carroll can get fit stay fit and hit top form very quickly and maintain it for 6 months. Hell of a gamble and moronic management by Hippo Head

West Ham have basically bet everything that Carroll can get fit stay fit and hit top form very quickly and maintain it for 6 months. Hell of a gamble and moronic management by Hippo Head

Gambling his fitness in the hope of keeping his job. Nice.

It's not like he's throwing him in with a broken leg. He's reasonably fit, not match fit but worth getting him out there if not at the weekend sometime this month. The game is huge for them, the gamble could be worth the risk should they pick up 3pts and he plays his part.

It's not like he's throwing him in with a broken leg. He's reasonably fit, not match fit but worth getting him out there if not at the weekend sometime this month. The game is huge for them, the gamble could be worth the risk should they pick up 3pts and he plays his part.

it could also go the way it went for Moyes with RVP vs us, lose the game because the guys not fit and he picks up another injury in the process because he wasn't ready to come back.

It stinks of the last desperate act of a desperate man............................or was that the signing of a 1st division center half

It's not like he's throwing him in with a broken leg. He's reasonably fit, not match fit but worth getting him out there if not at the weekend sometime this month. The game is huge for them, the gamble could be worth the risk should they pick up 3pts and he plays his part.

it could also go the way it went for Moyes with RVP vs us, lose the game because the guys not fit and he picks up another injury in the process because he wasn't ready to come back.

There is no debating that and I wasn't but there was less reason for Moyes playing RvP as it didn't need to be done. this is a huge game and his wham career could be over should he lose it.

He's rolling the dice, he has too it's all or nothing at this stage. I agree with the gamble, Carroll needs to start playing now if they stand a chance of staying up. Also it's better for him to break down with half the window gone than when it's closed.

It stinks of the last desperate act of a desperate man............................or was that the signing of a 1st division center half

boy did that ever show he has absolutely no imagination or scouting network in the slightest, would have been better off taking a gamble on some random young cb from the championship than signing him.

Titus Bramble is available

It stinks of the last desperate act of a desperate man............................or was that the signing of a 1st division center half

boy did that ever show he has absolutely no imagination or scouting network in the slightest, would have been better off taking a gamble on some random young cb from the championship than signing him.

If he went out and did that he'd get laughed at as well. If Poyet went out and bought some young cb from Brighton whose had a few reasonable games in the championship you'd be howling at him.

Unfortunately the right player for a relegation battle either isn't available or isn't interested. Experienced pros probably stand a better chance than throwing in a young kid, especially at the heart of the defence.

HTT says some really weird things at times.

It stinks of the last desperate act of a desperate man............................or was that the signing of a 1st division center half

boy did that ever show he has absolutely no imagination or scouting network in the slightest, would have been better off taking a gamble on some random young cb from the championship than signing him.

 

If he went out and did that he'd get laughed at as well. If Poyet went out and bought some young cb from Brighton whose had a few reasonable games in the championship you'd be howling at him.

 

Unfortunately the right player for a relegation battle either isn't available or isn't interested. Experienced pros probably stand a better chance than throwing in a young kid, especially at the heart of the defence.

no probably not since he trained them he'd have a good knowledge of whether they can maybe step up, what I'd say as I say when managers go back to previous club for players is it displays a distinct lack of imagination.

And seriously couldn't Allerdyce find a better cb anywhere in the world than Roger Johnson? It can't be that fucking hard to find a half decent one rather than a fully useless one who's caused problems at his previous club including allegedly showing up drunk for training yes thats the kind of personality West Ham need to get out of the hole they're in.

It stinks of the last desperate act of a desperate man............................or was that the signing of a 1st division center half

boy did that ever show he has absolutely no imagination or scouting network in the slightest, would have been better off taking a gamble on some random young cb from the championship than signing him.

 

If he went out and did that he'd get laughed at as well. If Poyet went out and bought some young cb from Brighton whose had a few reasonable games in the championship you'd be howling at him.

 

Unfortunately the right player for a relegation battle either isn't available or isn't interested. Experienced pros probably stand a better chance than throwing in a young kid, especially at the heart of the defence.

no probably not since he trained them he'd have a good knowledge of whether they can maybe step up, what I'd say as I say when managers go back to previous club for players is it displays a distinct lack of imagination.

 

And seriously couldn't Allerdyce find a better cb anywhere in the world than Roger Johnson? It can't be that fucking hard to find a half decent one rather than a fully useless one who's caused problems at his previous club including allegedly showing up drunk for training yes thats the kind of personality West Ham need to get out of the hole they're in.

Sam is throwing him a premiership lifeline. There is talent in Johnson but he's wasted it. Massive second chance this, it's not a laughable move until you see how he responds or if he steps up. I think he'll be steady for them, certainly no worse than a lot of cbs down there.

Pards dream striker. Big immobile lump to aim at.

He's hardly immobile like.

He's hardly immobile like.

Just needs a ponytail.