Allardyce: Carroll was a key

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce hopes there is more to come from Andy Carroll after the striker's man of the match performance against Swansea City.



The on-loan Liverpool forward started his first game since November after injury and scored the winner to earn his temporary club just a third Premier League win in two months.

And Allardyce thought Carroll, who could join West Ham on a permanent basis in the summer, was the best player against Swansea despite not being fully fit.

"I think Andy has made the difference today, no disrespect to [Marouane] Chamakh and Carlton Cole," Allardyce told Sky Sports.

"He is a big strong lad with a lot of ability. As we saw today, it was not just about his heading ability, even though that was the winning goal.

"It was about his hold-up play, his movement and the trouble he caused Swansea. I think everybody else could build off Andy and we created numerous chances."

West Ham were denied by excellent Swansea goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel on several occasions but Allardyce was at least pleased to see his struggling team making opportunities.



"It has been a great day from that point of view and, as long as we keep creating the chances - particularly at home, we will sooner or later start putting more in the back of the net," he said.

Wayne Rooney fears Carroll threat

Wayne Rooney has urged Manchester United to pay special attention to Andy Carroll on Wednesday night.



Carroll is bound to get a frosty reception from the Old Trafford faithful when West Ham travel north. As a Liverpool player with an enormous price tag, it is hard to imagine the United fans will not single him out.



However, after working alongside the 23-year-old at close quarters during Euro 2012, Rooney knows the reality of Carroll's performances is nowhere near the perception many have of him.



The burly forward will travel north with confidence high following his first goal of the season at Tottenham on Sunday. And Rooney has warned his United team-mates to be on their guard.



"Andy Carroll is a handful," said the striker. "I am sure if you ask any defender, they find it difficult to play against someone like that who is good in the air and on the floor.



"He is physical and makes it hard for opponents. That type of player doesn't always get all the goals but they can cause trouble up front and create problems. I am sure that is what Sam Allardyce wants him to do."

Carroll targets more West Ham goals

Andy Carroll hopes he can follow up his long awaited first West Ham goal by finding the net against Manchester United and Chelsea.



Carroll headed home Joey O'Brien's cross in Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Tottenham to end his 1,062-minute Barclays Premier League goal drought.



The £35million man had been brought in on loan to provide the firepower for the Hammers, but manager Sam Allardyce has instead had to rely on Kevin Nolan for his goals this season.



Carroll was relieved to finally get off the mark for his new club and now hopes he can repeat the feat against top-flight heavyweights Manchester United and Chelsea on Wednesday and Saturday respectively.



"It was about time (I scored), to be honest," Carroll said. "I'm just grateful to have got off the mark and hopefully there will be more to come this week.



"I think I've put myself about and been involved in our goals in previous matches. "I think I've been doing well so it was about time one went in.



"It was a great ball in by Joey O'Brien and I just had to get up and head it across the keeper. That's what I did and thankfully it went in."



Despite Carroll's failure to find the net, West Ham have exceeded all expectations so far this season and currently sit eighth in the table.



But they were easily outclassed by a rampant Spurs side, who coasted to victory thanks to a Gareth Bale strike and a brace from former Hammer Jermain Defoe.



Defoe was allowed to open the scoring in a marvellous solo effort that saw him go unchallenged from near the half-way line. West Ham's defence then backed off Clint Dempsey, which allowed him to tee up Bale for Spurs' second.



Defoe wrapped up the win by tapping home into an empty net following a swift counter-attack that started after West Ham were dispossessed on the halfway line.



Carroll was unhappy with how his team wilted but insisted they should not dwell too much on the defeat.



"It was disappointing as we made mistakes for all three of their goals, really," Carroll told the club's website. "We should have done better, but they have taken their chances and obviously beat us.



"We have got a tough week with Manchester United and then Chelsea and Liverpool coming up. It'll be tough so we just have to put this behind us now and focus on Wednesday.



"This game is all gone now so we're going to have to concentrate 100% on Wednesday, which is going to be another tough game."



Defender James Tomkins echoed Carroll's sentiments, adding: "We didn't play at our best but we need to put it behind us quite quickly because we have another big game at Manchester United in a couple of days' time and the games are coming thick and fast.



"We don't need to dwell on the result because we have the points on the board and it's vital we go to Old Trafford with our confidence intact.



"We have to make sure we go to Manchester United 100% mentally."