Ronald Koeman has defended West Ham’s style of play and admitted that at times even Saints can play long balls.

Koeman is preparing his side to face two potentially different sides West Ham at St Mary’s tonight– a more direct team if Andy Carroll is fit to start or one trying to dominate with possession and skill if he isn’t.

But while debate has raged about who is and is not a long ball side after the Hammers drew 1-1 with Manchester United at the weekend, Koeman stuck up for managers using the tactics that suit their players best.

He said: “I think West Ham have always options to play in a different style and what you have to do as a manager is to play with the best qualities what the players have.

“The most easy way to attack is a long ball, like we do sometimes. We play a long ball to Pelle.

“That means in one pass you are close to the box of the opponent and you can bring the pressing to the opponent at that time.

“I prefer always to play football but sometimes it’s a good option if you have a player like Carroll, or Man United do with Fellaini.

“It’s something different. To try something different to score goals is always good.

“In my opinion it’s not a question if somebody said something about the tactics, it’s losing energy and I need my energy to the players and not the press.”

He added: “I think it’s always good to have different options to do attacking. The most easy way is to play the long ball.

“You see that a little bit more in the Premier League, because if you always try to play and to build up you make mistakes in the first part in your ball possession. It’s very risky.

“If you put a long ball, you give the problem to the opponent and if you then press them they have the problem. It’s OK.

“It depends if we have Mane in front and no Pelle. OK, then why you play long ball? It’s to use each quality of the player. I think that’s good management.”

Koeman will brief his defence on how to handle Carroll if he does start and admitted: “Try to keep him out of the box.

“We know and we have to prepare ourselves that if he is playing then we have to press the goalkeeper, we have to press the defenders that we can keep out the long ball what they like to play.

“If he’s not playing it means a different style with Sakho and Valencia and they are good players, fast, and that means a different opponent.”