West Ham United striker Andy Carroll believes that his style of play is to be blamed for his continuous struggles with injury.

The 26-year old centre-forward has been at West Ham for 32 months and has been sidelined for 17 of them but he has given a little bit of insight to why he has missed so much action since arriving in east London from Liverpool on an initial loan deal back in 2012.

"It is just the way I play - aggressive play," he explained to the London Evening Standard.

"You see the way I did my knee. I went up for a header, went to run in where one of the defenders was standing and I've clattered him in the back and I've ended up doing my own injury.

"That's just me. Most of the injuries - I've hyper-extended when running for a tackle - it is just because I am trying to give 100 per cent every time and throw myself into everything. I think that is what happens.

"In training I am not like that. I take my foot off the gas a little bit with our players but as soon as I am on the pitch, I don't think anyone can stop me running about like I do throwing myself into challenges.

"Whatever the gaffer has got to say, I don't think he could do anything to change that!"