Saturday 22 November 2014 14:15, UK
Sam Allardyce is not planning any major changes to West Ham's style of play as Andy Carroll prepares for a possible first start of the season.
Carroll looked lively when coming on as a late substitute in the goalless draw against Aston Villa before the international break, his first appearance since recovering from pre-season ankle surgery, when he almost scored a winner with a late header.
I don't want them to knock it up to Andy's head, I want them to be talented enough to knock it into Andy's feet or chest.
He could feature alongside Enner Valencia against Everton with the in-form Diafra Sakho a doubt for Saturday's Merseyside trip with a back injury suffered while playing for Senegal.
Carroll provides a very different focal point for the Hammers attack but Allardyce is keen to avoid lumping the ball high for the towering forward, who he would prefer to be getting on the end of crosses from his wide men.
"We play slightly differently, in that we play more into Andy's feet than we do into (Enner) Valencia or Sakho," Allardyce said.
"Valencia and Sakho are so pacy that we are a massive threat in behind the opposition when the midfield players like (Mark) Noble, (Alex) Song or (Stewart) Downing start sliding balls down the side of defenders, that has been a really big threat for us and on the back of that we have scored goals.
"Whereas Andy is not such a big a threat in that area, he is a much bigger threat in terms of setting up attacks to get into the final third by playing into his feet or chest and not playing into his head.
"No way do I tell a player to just knock it up to Andy's head. I don't want them to knock it up to Andy's head, I want them to be talented enough to knock it into Andy's feet or chest.
"We want it on Andy's head when it is getting crossed into the box because that is where he is at his best and where he can score a lot of goals, as Sakho has proved this season.
"I think we have scored more headed goals than anybody else, even without Andy Carroll."
