We’re sorry but…HOLY SHITTING HELL!
You watch football all your life, devote your every spare minute to the game you love, and you start to consider yourself a bit of a knowledge on it. Of course, no one is claiming to be an expert, but you pride yourself on knowing how certain things will go.
And then something happens that is so beyond your comprehension or understanding that you begin to question if you understand anything anymore. Such an instance took place on Saturday afternoon at the London Stadium.
The mood was less than ecstatic to begin with, as West Ham’s beloved Dimitri Payet had made his intentions to leave the club clear, but who needs the fantastic Frenchman when you’ve got the amazing Andy Carroll.
The cold hard facts will show that the lanky striker scored the second in a comfortable 3-0 victory over visitors Crystal Palace, but the strike in question was quite remarkable. Not this time round a rudimentary header at the far post.
With a ball drifted in from the left side of the area, a little behind where Carroll was expecting it, everyone assumed the centre-forward would gather it in and perhaps pass back to a teammate. But no, he went for the spectacular – and nailed it.
Contorting his body in mid-air, the Divine Ponytail hit a bullet scissor-kick volley of such beauty that Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mark Hughes, Hugo Sanchez or Pele himself would be proud of – it was quite sensational.
Sadly, with Premier League rules being Premier League rules, we can’t show you video footage, but this will give you a flavour…
The reaction of the watching public was almost as great as the golazo itself…
That Andy Carroll goal….WOW!
— Frodo (@Fredd2099) January 14, 2017
Just seen Andy Carroll's goal. Wow. Butter me up.
— Niall (@TheNamesNiall) January 14, 2017
When you see the Andy Carroll scissors kick! pic.twitter.com/ppaEzNBzai
— 101 Great Goals (@101greatgoals) January 14, 2017
stunning goal..and the power in the shot 💥 💥..#quality
— Vaughany 1971 (@ColV1971) January 14, 2017
@travisclayton17 oh my lord
— Ads (@adamvince7) January 14, 2017
obscene
— Dan (@wisey10000) January 14, 2017
@travisclayton17 oh my lord
— Ads (@adamvince7) January 14, 2017
That Andy Carroll goal 👏
— Paul Doherty (@_PaulDoherty78) January 14, 2017