Andy Carroll is back fit, in our first team and no one, apart from Andy himself, is happier than me about that. Everyone who was at the London Stadium on Monday night to see us notch our first Premier League win on our home turf, plus many more watching on television, will have seen what a difference he makes to us.
Inevitably, though, the questions have come thick and fast. “How can you keep him fit? What are you doing to keep him fit? Have you a special training regime for him?”
They are all questions I have been asked many times about Andy. The answers are probably very similar and this time, as before, we hope he can stay fit for a long period for us.
Am I feeling any more confident this time that Andy will be with us longer? Yes, I am. When I ask myself what is the reason for this, I have to be honest and say there is nothing definite. I was confident last time as well.
Last season, Andy was really unlucky that he was injured almost freakishly during a match in Romania and was out for four months. I am more confident this time because I don’t think he will be that unlucky again.
We have changed things, though. Last season, we would have put him in the team earlier, but this season we decided: “No, you are going to train for one month and then we will see.”
Also, in the early stages of his rehabilitation, we pushed him a little harder. If he felt something, we told him he had to go through the discomfort — and he did that. It was a good decision because Andy is happy and he looks good. You never know what might happen in the future but right now, it’s good.
He is also more mature. He knows he must manage himself and there are times when he needs to go in the gym rather than be out on the training pitch. I know there have been players in England who hardly trained but still did the business at the weekend: Ledley King for Tottenham and Aston Villa’s Paul McGrath come to mind.
In Pictures | West Ham vs Huddersfield | 11/09/2017
When you are a centre-back, though, as those two were, it is different, but I would have no problem with us following their example with Andy if that will make him constantly available. He needs a special programme to strengthen the muscles around the areas which have caused him problems.
If you think, though, that players can sit out training all week and then go out and play full on without getting injured, you are deluding yourself.
Another big positive for me was Michail Antonio. Sometimes defenders will know what he intends to do, but stopping him is another matter.
We were hoping he would return to fitness quickly because he is a beast but, in reality, after his serious hamstring injury he also needed a few games. Now he has them under his belt, he is looking better and better.
Don’t forget, he had been out since April, had an operation, rehab, no pre-season games and then played 45 minutes in one Under-23 match before we picked him for Southampton. Now, he’s almost back to his best, but maybe one more week and he will be there.
It is a huge year for him because of the World Cup. If he maintains his form and fitness, he definitely has a chance of going. I know Gareth Southgate is prepared to change things if it improves his team. Nothing is bigger or better than representing your country in the World Cup. It is the ultimate and Michail, plus Aaron Cresswell, have a big chance of doing just that.
We had more than two weeks to mull things over following our defeat at Newcastle and my staff and I thought carefully about systems and teams over the days that followed.
In the end, we decided on three at the back against Huddersfield. We used that system before and we decided to revert to it to make things a little tighter. The system, like any, has its pluses and minuses and will depend on the players available and whether it is home or away. We do have the players for it and I thought Pablo Zabaleta, at right wing-back, was one of our best players.