Last updated on .From the section Football

Formation changes key - Sam Allardyce

Sam Allardyce has decried "tippy-tappy" football after revealing he changed to a more direct approach to help his West Ham side beat Hull City 3-0.

The hosts were booed off after an insipid first half at Upton Park.

But second-half goals by Andy Carroll, Morgan Amalfitano and Stewart Downing kept the Hammers within four points of the Champions League places.

"Getting the ball into the box quickly with quality is definitely sometimes the best way forward," Allardyce said.

"That's what we did in the second half and that's why we won the game.

"All this tippy-tappy stuff - everybody keeps on going about the right way to play football."

Allardyce was retained as manager last summer after acknowledging the West Ham board's demands that the team "provides more entertainment".

He also agreed to recruit an attacking coach - a role that was taken up by former England forward Teddy Sheringham.

The manager was also set the target of achieving a top-10 Premier League finish.