Steve Bruce assesses Andy Carroll’s start to life at West Brom

West Bromwich Albion showed some excellent spirit to come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 late on against second placed Huddersfield Town on Friday evening.

The Baggies have still only managed one win since Steve Bruce replaced Valerien Ismael at the helm, but have built some momentum thanks to Karlan Grant and Andy Carroll’s late finishes.

Bruce has worked with Carroll before and was impressed with his commitment to the cause when he spoke to The Athletic.

He said: “He doesn’t like being on the bench, I have to tell you that, which I understand.

“The mobility of the other two (Callum Robinson and Karlan Grant) was just something I needed to see at Hull and they did okay last night.

“Andy has his strengths and he’s played very well. I have to say he has looked fitter than I’ve seen him and I’ve had him for the past two and a half years. That’s great.”

With Carroll’s contract expiring in the summer there is a lot of pressure on the 33-year-old’s shoulders to avoid the uncertainty of becoming a free agent once again.

Carroll’s performances and almost most importantly his consistent availability has been very impressive at both Reading and West Bromwich Albion, putting him in a good position to earn a contract in the Championship next season.

The Verdict

Bruce has a lot of options to choose from at the top of the pitch, Callum Robinson and Grant has been a devastating partnership in patches of the season but opposition teams seem to have worked them out a bit.

It was not a surprise to see Bruce ringing the changes in scratching around looking for the right combinations to earn his first victory, and it is no slight on Carroll’s ability and value in the squad that he was dropped.

The former England international still has a lot to