Presumably this is exactly what Kenny Dalglish had in mind when he brought Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing to Anfield for a combined £55m three years ago. The only problem with that theory, however, is that while Carroll and Downing have arguably never played with this much confidence and inventiveness before, they are doing it in the claret and blue of West Ham United rather than the red of Liverpool.
These two have been hapless figures of fun who could seemingly do nothing right but Carroll and Downing are forcing their critics to revise their opinions with each sparkling display of match-winning virtuoso for West Ham. Carroll and Downing scored in each half to dampen Leicester City’s festive spirit and ensure that West Ham, who visit Chelsea on Boxing Day, will be fourth at Christmas for the first time since the 1985-86 season.
For Leicester, this was another worrying defeat and one that exposed flaws at both ends of the pitch. They did not play badly and were frustrated on several occasions by some superb late saves from Adrián in the West Ham goal but there is no escaping reality.
Leicester are without a win in 12 matches and their gloom will intensify when they digest the information that in the Premier League era only West Bromwich Albion in 2005 and Sunderland last year have survived after being bottom on Christmas Day.
As heartening as it was for Nigel Pearson, who is yet to serve the one-match touchline ban he was handed by the Football Association on Friday, to hear the travelling supporters chanting his name, ultimately there were only scraps of encouragement for him to take from his side’s performance.
Leicester were awkward opponents for West Ham at times and they certainly ran their socks off for their manager. Yet the learning curve since last season’s promotion has been steep. They are crying out for more quality at crucial moments and for all Leicester’s endeavour and persistence this ended up being another harsh lesson in doing the simple things well. “It doesn’t give us a great deal of satisfaction,” Pearson said. “It’s another day in which we’ve done OK in certain areas.”
Take West Ham’s opener in the 24th minute, a horror moment for Paul Konchesky. There should have been no danger of a West Ham attack, let alone a goal, but the Leicester left-back dropped his team-mates in it with a backpass that went straight to Carroll, who beat Ben Hamer with a delightful and surprisingly subtle dink.
The applause for Konchesky, a former Hammer, was warm when he was taken off in the second half.
It was an important goal for Carroll, only the second time he has scored from open play for West Ham, and how he cherished it given that minutes earlier he had blazed over from six yards after a cutback from Downing.
Sam Allardyce’s side were not at their most coherent but, weirdly, they were given a new lease of life when Carroll slipped on the touchline and clattered face-first into the advertising hoardings. Upton Park roared when their apparently indestructible hero rose and minutes later, Diafra Sakho’s header dropped at Downing’s feet in the 56th minute.
Downing has been an almost player in the past. He hit the crossbar on his Liverpool debut. He was almost very good. Yet he has been revitalised in his new central position at West Ham and his left-footed curler, bent high to Hamer’s right from 25 yards, was a stunning piece of skill.
“Barcelona, we’re coming for you,” the West Ham fans sang and, to be fair, even Lionel Messi would have enjoyed that effort from Downing.
