Former West Ham striker Dean Ashton told talkSPORT the news Andy Carroll will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury will be “mentally destroying” for the former Liverpool striker.
Carroll has scored five goals in 14 appearances since November, when he returned from an ankle ligament injury sustained in pre-season, but is expected to be out for the remainder of the campaign.
The 26-year-old will undergo surgery on Tuesday.
The ex-Newcastle striker was sidelined for the majority of last season with an Achilles problem, and Ashton – who retired from football aged 26 – sympathised with the latest injury blow for the England international.
Speaking on the Players’ Lounge, Ashton said: “It’s terrible, it’s mentally destroying. You want to play because you love to play, you want to play to help your team-mates and you want to prove you’re worth the money being paid.
“When you’re sat watching it’s mentally destroying. The only thing he can take from it is that is not the same injury; its hamstring, knee etcetera. When you have the same injury then you’re thinking of the worst; how long can this go on for?”
And Ashton claimed Carroll may be have to get used to more injury set-backs due to his playing style, adding the towering forward is “unplayable” when fully fit.
“He’s a big bloke, he may be susceptible to more injuries being a big player, but I don’t think it is to do with his training,” Ashton added. “You look at his injuries, he is just all-out, puts everything on the line, flies into tackles and that’s probably why he has picked up the injuries he has.
“He is unplayable when he is at his best; he gives West Ham a different. Yes, not everyone wants that option, but it’s great to have that option whether it is on the bench or from the start.”
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