West Brom manager Steve Bruce praises Andy Carroll after victory against Bournemouth
Steve Bruce has singled out praise for fellow Geordie Andy Carroll after he helped West Brom to an impressive 2-0 victory over promotion-chasing Bournemouth.
The Baggies started the game in excellent fashion and took a two-goal lead after quickfire goals from Alex Mowatt and Carroll – a deficit that the Cherries were never able to recover from.
It was an excellent performance all-round from the Baggies and a great response following their defeat 1-0 defeat to Birmingham City.
Speaking to the West Brom media it was Carroll in particular who was credited for his role in the victory.
Speaking to the club media, Bruce said: “There were plenty of good performances out there tonight but I thought Andy led the line in typical Andy fashion. He’s worked so hard to stay fit. I’m delighted for him.”
The 33-year-old rolled back the years with an excellent display. He was a great presence in the air for West Brom and held the ball up very well during the game to bring others into the game.
When he is in such form it is a nightmare for opposition defenders and Bournemouth’s central defenders struggled to deal with him throughout the game. This was shown in the goal where he juggled the ball excellently and used his strength excellently to hold off the defender before finding the far corner.
The result leaves West Brom 11th in the Championship table and seven points away from the play-off places. Although a play-off push looks unlikely for the Baggies they can take great satisfaction in the fact that they have beaten both of the top two sides in the division and kept clean sheets in both games.
Does Andy Carroll still have a role to play next season?
Carroll’s contract is due to expire at West Brom in the summer and Bruce has told the Birmingham Mail that the striker is in talks with the club over extending his stay at the Hawthorns.
Based on his recent performances, Carroll deserves a new contract with the club and can still bring a lot to the table for next season. The former England international has scored twice since arriving at West Brom in January.
The 33-year-old is clearly a player that Bruce admires, as his comment show and would undoubtedly be a huge weapon for the Baggies next season.
Next season West Brom will most likely be aiming for automatic promotion from the Championship and in Carroll, they have a player that any opposing centre back in the division would fear facing particularly in an aerial duel.
Although he may not be as prolific as he has been in recent years he offers a different avenue of attack than most Championship strikers and is incredibly effective at bringing other players into the game with his hold up play.
In other West Brom news, a staff member has quit the Albion to join Wolves.
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