OPINION
The signing of Andy Carroll at Newcastle United was always going to raise some eyebrows.
West Ham United took the decision to sanction the exit of the colossal attacker after he endured a couple of seasons plagued by injuries at the London Stadium.
Last season alone, the Newcastle striker missed 246 days of actions last season according to Transfermarkt, which added up to 24 games after undergoing two ankle surgeries.
With Steve Bruce aware of his forward’s past problems with injuries, the manager confirmed to the Chronicle that the 30-year-old is only training two days a week to protect him.
Darren Bent has recently questioned that decision and claimed that both Newcastle and Carroll don’t have the luxury of time in their quest to survive in the Premier League this season.
“If he was fully fit and they signed him, I would say great signing, bring him back home, get a lot out of him,” the Sky Sports pundit told Football Insider.
“That’s an anomaly, that shouldn’t happen that he doesn’t train and plays as well as he did. With Andy Carroll at the minute, he’s training twice a week – they must be having to wrap him up in cotton wool a lot. Unfortunately as a centre forward, you don’t have that luxury, you don’t have that time.”
Bent should open his eyes to the bigger picture, and realise that this is the last opportunity for Carroll to make a real impact in the top flight for Newcastle, and Bruce seems determined to utilise the forward between now and the end of the season.
The 30-year-old has won an average of 3.3 aerial battles per game already in his four substitute appearances according to WhoScored and has more than proved that he can be a massive threat in the final third to any side.
Carroll has a massive role to play going forward at St James’ Park, and Bent needs to realise that Newcastle need to do whatever they can to preserve his fitness if they are to reap the benefits.
