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Allardyce to keep faith with goal-shy Carroll

Andy Carroll is yet to find the net for West Ham © PA Photos

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Sam Allardyce has defended Andy Carroll's striking abilities after the 23-year-old again failed to find the net in West Ham's 1-1 draw with Stoke City on Monday.

Carroll is yet to score since moving to West Ham on loan from Liverpool in the summer and he was substituted for Carlton Cole late in Monday's game after doing little to trouble Asmir Begovic in the Stoke goal.

But Allardyce insists he will continue to give Carroll opportunities at Upton Park and puts his goal drought down to the pressure the striker faces from opposition defenders.

"He is going to attract attention by the fact he is very good at his hold-up play and his heading ability, and people are going to need to pay particular attention to him," Allardyce said. "He is going to attract one or two defenders around him and that will create spaces elsewhere.

"Andy is not to be frustrated by the fact that he is not scoring at the moment and in fact today he didn't get much of a chance to score. But I think sooner or later, if we keep concentrating on him making runs into the box and the service we give, he will eventually score."

Carroll was obviously frustrated at Allardyce's decision to withdraw him, but the Hammers boss claims it was necessary as the home side went in search of a winner.

"He wants to score a goal and he wants me to leave him on for 90 minutes but at the end of the day he put that much effort in, there are a lot of fresh players on the bench," he said. "There is Carlton Cole, Matt Taylor and Guy Demel who came on and continued to give us that much more energy to find a winner.

"Fresh players with fresh legs can come on and try and push the opposition and try to score a goal. He will be disappointed, I know, but in the end you make the subs for the benefit of everybody to try and win the game."

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