Andy Carroll Blow Could Seriously Hamper West Ham's Start to the Season

Given the tumultuous nature of West Ham's existence between 2007 and 2011, which included a dramatic Carlos Tevez-inspired escape from relegation, questionable Icelandic owners and a drop into the Championship, the past two seasons have represented something approaching a period of calm for the club.

A potentially perilous journey back to the top flight was successfully navigated via the playoffs, and manager Sam Allardyce will have been satisfied after seeing his side safely ensconced in mid-table at the end of their first season back among the big-hitters.

The sense of optimism was heightened earlier this summer when co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan sanctioned a club-record deal to turn Andy Carroll’s temporary stay into a permanent one.

Injuries may have pockmarked his first year in the capital, but he endeared himself to the Upton Park faithful thanks to his towering aerial presence, surprisingly lethal finishing and link-up play with former Newcastle teammate Kevin Nolan.

However, with less than two weeks to go until West Ham begin their Premier League campaign against Cardiff City, the sense of calm has cleared following the news that Carroll could miss the first month of the campaign as he recovers from a heel injury.

For Allardyce this represents a blow, with Carroll firmly established as his first-choice focal point at the apex of his preferred 4-2-3-1 system.

A string of possible attacking recruits including Wilfried Bony, Salomon Kalou, Emmanuel Emenike and Loic Remy have thus far failed to end up at Upton Park for one reason or another, further dampening fans' expectations following a bright start to the summer.

Worryingly, the shrewd spending of mid-table rivals such as Southampton, Swansea City and Norwich City—all three have smashed their transfer records to bring in high-profile players—has allowed those sides to gather momentum before the start of the new season.

Allardyce's means of securing Premier League safety last term—by placing emphasis on discipline and organisation at the expense of flair and panache—provided his side with a platform to build upon and grow ahead of the upcoming campaign.

However, West Ham are in serious danger of undoing some of that good work unless Allardyce adopts a tactical Plan B and bolsters his strike force soon.

At present he has just two other senior strikers at his disposal, namely the wildly inconsistent Ricardo Vaz Te and the unproven Modibo Maiga, and neither have adequately demonstrated their ability to lead the line on their own in the top flight.

Carroll has been plagued by injuries since the final months of his time at Newcastle and could struggle to hit the ground running when he returns to Allardyce’s starting lineup.

What started as a summer of aspiration for West Ham could soon morph into an autumn of discontent if Allardyce fails to address his attacking issues—and soon.