Slaven Bilic admits it is hard to partner Javier Hernandez and Andy Carroll

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has admitted that it is 'almost impossible' to partner Andy Carroll alongside Javier Hernandez in the striking department.

The Hammers welcome Championship club Bolton Wanderers in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.The Hammers had made a poor start to the Premier League season with defeats in their opening three games, but they have since had a mini-revival with a victory with a win and a draw against Huddersfield Town and West Bromwich Albion respectively.

Despite Hernandez's arrival, goals have been few coming for Bilic's men this season, and the manager admits that it is hard to play both Carroll and Hernandez in a two-striker partnership, he said: "It is almost impossible. It is very hard to put them in their ideal positions as two strikers, which looks good on paper. But you want to have a lot of them [best players] on the pitch at the same time. Of course I'm thinking about that. Chicharito is playing in a position which is not his position. I spoke with him, he's a great lad... he's doing a job of course."

Meanwhile, the Hammers upturn in form has coincided with the injury comeback of Andy Carroll, and Bilic feels that the Englishman should be handled with care in order to avoid a recurrence of his recent thigh problem. The former Newcastle United lad has been rushed from injuries over the past couple of years, but the manager has opted for a different approach this time around, which would see Carroll receive limited workload during the first half of the campaign.

Bilic had an average second season with the Hammers last term as they finished a lowly 11th with 45 points. West Ham United's form at the London Stadium was a particular concern, and the Croatian will be hoping to revive the atmosphere from the old Upton Park.