Stat's A Fact - 50 PL goals for AC

 

Saturday was bitter-sweet for West Ham United’s Andy Carroll. The Hammers centre-forward had the honour of leading his side out as captain for the first time and in the 18^th minute scored the 50^th Premier League goal of his career. However, the disappointment of a 2-1 defeat to Hull City overshadowed what should have been an immensely proud day for West Ham’s number nine.

Carroll’s goal was a beautifully crafted one too - picked up by Manuel Lanzini in the middle of the park, spread wide to Aaron Creswell on left side whose cross perfectly picked out the big man in the box. AC then did as AC does; controlled on the chest, bought down and coolly finished past Hull keeper, Eldin Jakupovic. It was the neatest way to bring up his Premier League half-century.

Despite an injury-plagued campaign, which has seen him feature only 16 times, Saturday’s goal was his seventh of the season. The same number of goals scored from 2012-13 and 2013-14 combined.

Since signing, initially on loan, in August 2012, Carroll has bagged 30 of his 50 Premier League goals in the claret and blue of West Ham United.

The 6’4 striker has amassed an impressive 23 headed goals in his league career – almost half of his total tally. Indeed, for West Ham alone, the proportion is very similar with 14 of his 30 goals coming from the head. His winner against Chelsea last season is certainly up there among his most memorable headed goals.

As good as AC is in the air, he is just as capable and destructive with the ball at his feet. His wand of a left foot has scored 22 Premier League goals, while his weaker right foot has five. For West Ham, it is 13 and three, respectively.

Most recently, he had his right foot to thank when coolly finishing past Fraser Forster to score the first in a 3-1 victory against Southampton on 4 February. Even more impressive was his sensational over-the-head right-footed volley against West Bromwich Albion in 2013.

To his left foot and it is difficult to look past that sublime overhead kick against Crystal Palace on 14 January this year as a stand out goal so far. Carroll himself admitted after the game that “it has to be one of the best of my career”. His curler at Swansea City’s Liberty Stadium in January 2015 and his second of three at home to Arsenal last season are also worth a mention.

In dead ball situations, Carroll has scored two West Ham penalties and one free-kick.

What often goes unnoticed is his ability to score those all-important game-changing goals. Whether as a starter or an impact sub, over 30 per cent of Carroll’s West Ham United goals have come in the final 15 minutes of the game.

In his whole career, Andy has scored 30 second half goals compared to just 20 in the first 45’.

With eight games remaining, Carroll needs just three goals to enter double figures for the season. Should he do so, it would be his highest scoring campaign with West Ham and would be doubly impressive given that he has missed over four months of action this year through injury.

The next opportunity to get on the scoresheet? A trip to Arsenal: a side he has scored against four times in just the last two meetings..