Solving West Ham’s injury crisis: Here’s how Pellegrini can handle the absence of his injured star duo

How West Ham can cope without Andy Carroll and Winston Reid

As per reports, West Ham duo Andy Carroll and Winston Reid will be out for at least three months after having surgery.

Carroll, 29, has struggled with ankle issues since January and had an operation later, that saw him miss three months of action towards the end of last season. The giant striker could only make 18 appearances last season, scoring three goals.

Reid, on the other hand, has been troubled by a knee problem he picked up against Swansea in March. The New Zealand defender was limited to just 18 games last season. Both Carroll and Reid will return home early from preseason training to have follow-up surgery.

The double injury has come as a big blow for new manager Manuel Pellegrini, whose side lost the first pre-season game 3-2 last weekend to Winterthur, with Carroll scoring a goal. Pellegrini will already be without Manuel Lanzini for the start the season as the Argentine recovers from the knee injury which kept him out of the World Cup.

Although the injuries to Carroll and Reid are huge setbacks for West Ham, Pellegrini certainly can cope without them. The Chilean manager has already made some stunning additions to his squad, as he means business next season.

Considering Carroll’s injury, it is no surprise to see him on the treatment table again. The 29-year-old’s career has been hampered by severe ankle and knee injuries that have seen him fail to take the next big step in his game. The ankle injury is just the latest in the long line of injuries that the striker has had while at West Ham.

It is really sad to see Carroll struggle with injury problems, the striker who was destined for a bright future back when he was playing at Newcastle United. The 29-year-old has all the talent in the world and is one of the best target men when fully fit in the Premier League.

With his contract up at the end of the season, these are worrying times for the ex-Liverpool man at the London Stadium as Marko Arnautovic showed his quality as a central striker last season. Pellegrini has also signed Andriy Yarmolenko, with Felipe Anderson set to follow.

Meanwhile, Reid has had his share of injury problems in the last couple of seasons but when healthy, he has been a rock at the back for the Hammers. However, the New Zealand international’s absence will be felt very little as the Hammers have acquired the signature of Issa Diop from Toulouse.

With the young Declan Rice impressing last season, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell reliable in defence and Cheikhou Kouyate as a solid back-up, Pellegrini has enough ammunition at the back to cope with the absence of Reid.

Read more: Who’s this 4-goal midfield ace on West Ham’s radar? A perfect Pellegrini-type player?

Given the quality of players and depth West Ham have in their ranks, it is safe to say Pellegrini, an astute coach, can handle the absence of Carroll and Reid without splashing money on new players.