Carroll out for Norwich test but West Ham boss hopeful that injury will be short

Friday, September 14, 2012
12:01 PM

Team news: West Ham United will be without Andy Carroll for the Premier League clash with Norwich tomorrow but boss Sam Allardyce is hopeful that Andy Carroll could return from injury earlier than expected.

The striker – on a season-long loan from Liverpool – damaged his hamstring on his Hammers debut against Fulham and it was thought that he would be out for six weeks.

The club still yet to put a definitive time-frame on his injury but Allardyce revealed that Carroll’s progress is good.

“We have got no time on it really,” he said. “It will be a maximum of six weeks but he is improving well so we continue day-by-day and look at every day and see what type of improvement we have got and go from there.

“If there is a possibility we can get him back quicker we will be trying our best.”

The loan signing of Carroll was one of the marquee deals of the transfer window and the arrival of the England international, coupled with other new arrivals, has left Allardyce delighted with the some of the options he now has at his disposal.

“The last three signings that the co-chairmen okayed were brilliant for us,” he said.

“I think Matt Jarvis, Andy Carroll and Yossi [Benayoun] are all of great talent in their own positions and all of a different talent that makes us a much better team and a much better squad.

“Hopefully when they get the opportunity to play they will show those talents from the very first opportunity they get.

“We have got Matt Jarvis who is the provider of more crosses than anyone else in the Premier League during his time at Wolves.

“We’ve got Yossi Benayoun with his quick feet and his ability to beat players in and around the final third - and we have got Andy Carroll who plays up front and in his own right is a fantastic centre-forward through his sheer talent, determination and his size.

“Those three players will make our side look good for the rest of this season.”

Benayoun could make his second debut for the Hammers against Norwich.

Jack Collison (knee) is the only other absentee for Allardyce as Jarvis has started training again following a thigh injury that ruled him out over the win over Fulham two weeks ago.

West Ham’s provisional squad: Jaaskelainen, Henderson, Demel, Tomkins, Collins, Reid, McCartney, O’Brien, Potts, Spence, Diarra, Diame, Noble, Taylor, O’Neil, Nolan, Jarvis, Benayoun, Hall, Vaz Te, Maiga, Cole.