Diego costa vs Andy carroll: Who Threatens Defense?

There’s little reason why West Ham and Andy Carroll in particular shouldn’t be confident of a win against Premier League table toppers Chelsea on Boxing Day.

We need to find some consistency in discussing the idea of West Ham finishing fourth and qualifying for the Champions League next season, and them being able to put one over on their rivals.

Carroll has every right to be in buoyant mood at this time. The striker, having missed most of the season due to injury, has added freshness and further attacking quality to the West Ham machine, which continues to rumble on in a manner few would have predicted.

At this time, would it be fair to say that Sam Allardyce’s methods for getting the club to where they are now can be overlooked?
Gary Neville described Chelsea’s Diego Costa as a horrible player to play against (he used the term glowingly), in addition to a couple of the club’s other recent additions.

It wouldn’t be far off to say Carroll, when fit and on form, is a similar prospect for opposition defenders.

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Sooner or later, the West Ham striker will shake that stigma that latched itself onto him during his spell at Liverpool. It’s generally undeserved.

For what he is, Carroll doesn’t do a lot wrong. In fact, he’s one of the perfect examples of an old-fashioned centre-forward, the kind English football is supposed to love.

Carroll has shown over the past few games that he does have variety in his locker. His headed efforts against Swansea spoke of the player most in English football have become accustomed to, but there was plenty of class in his finish against Leicester City last weekend, first displaying his ability to get across the ground quickly before then chipping the ball delicately over the onrushing Ben Hamer.

Where Carroll has been in good form for his side, Chelsea’s major striker addition during the summer has seen his goals dry up of late with just the one in his last six.

There shouldn’t be any major concerns about the Brazil-born Spanish international as he hit the ground running when he arrived in England last summer and has more than enough of a reputation as a reliable and excellent goal scorer from his last two seasons with Atletico Madrid.

Additionally, it’s become clear in recent weeks that Costa’s importance to Chelsea pales in comparison to that of Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas.

Of course, part of the reason why Chelsea’s title bid last season faltered was because they lacked quality up front, but the scoring threats throughout the team can compensate for a Costa dry spell in front of goal, whereas there are no like-for-like replacements for the team’s first-choice central midfield pair.

Who is set to come out on top in the sub-plot of the two strikers for Chelsea’s welcoming of West Ham to Stamford Bridge? Thibaut Courtois could have a major say in the matter.

The Belgian international looked an outstanding Premier League goalkeeper well before he made his debut in the English top flight. During his three-year spell at Atletico Madrid, he commanded his penalty area like a veteran, coming for crosses and offering genuine presence.

Since taking over the number one spot from Petr Cech at Chelsea this season, Courtois has shown no sign of fear or an inability to challenge attackers in his penalty box. He is perfectly suited to match Andy Carroll’s threat from set pieces and may just be the difference that sees Chelsea emerge with three points.