Big Sam welcomes Carroll call-up

Liverpool striker Carroll has been named in the England squad to play San Marino and Poland, despite a hamstring injury limiting him to just one start for the Hammers this season.

Allardyce believes a stint with England will improve Carroll's match fitness - providing Roy Hodgson takes good care of him.

"I am glad (he has been called up)," Allardyce said. "Going off to England because he is short on match fitness would be a good thing for us and a good thing for him.

"I will liaise with Roy. Andy is in a position to play for him but (I want them to) just be careful about fatigue because fatigue is what brings injuries.

"Andy's match fitness is a little behind where we would like it to be.

"Helping him to perform for England and catch up on match fitness would be an ideal solution for the pair of us."

Carroll played 23 minutes off the bench against QPR on Monday and Allardyce is weighing up whether to start his on-loan striker against Arsenal on Saturday.

Hammers midfielder Matt Taylor expressed his surprise on Twitter that Carroll was not joined in the England squad by Matt Jarvis, Mark Noble or Kevin Nolan.

Noble produced a man of the match performance in West Ham's 2-1 win at Loftus Road and Allardyce revealed he is on England's radar.

"I think it depends how Mark plays this season," Allardyce said. "I don't think it is about Mark Noble playing for England after three or four good games.

"He has pressed the buttons to alert Roy and his staff to come and have a look at him and see if he continues the good form he has shown in the Premier League up to now.

"There is a transition going on in the England set-up and Mark at 24 is an experienced Premier League player now.

"If he is the public eye and doing well then I think England will continue to monitor him and see how it goes."

Allardyce expects defender Winston Reid, who has been integral to West Ham's promising start to the season, to be fit to face Arsenal after he was knocked out in the win against QPR.

But West Ham are less certain about the fitness of left-back Joey O'Brien, who was forced off with a hamstring injury at Loftus Road.