West Ham United is becoming an interesting side to watch. Their style of play is becoming more entertaining and fantastic. They have a number of stars who many teams are now salivating for.
The team is a threat to most top EPL sides, Manchester united is a victim of the West Ham wrath. 3-1 was the punishment that West Ham imposed on the former EPL champions. But who is this new face of West Ham that is part of the transformation?
Manuel Pellegrini says there is more to come from record signing Felipe Anderson after his brace against Southampton sent West Ham back into the Premier League’s top half.
The Brazilian arrived for £42million from Lazio in a summer of huge investment, but took a while to get going in English football.
Pellegrini called for more from him earlier in the season, but with seven goals in his last nine games Anderson is starting to repay his fee.
Pellegrini places a lot of responsibility on ‘technical players’ – the likes of Anderson who he feels have the real ability to change and win games – and the faith he has placed in such characters all season is now starting to bear fruit.
The Chilean, though, will continue to demand more from his star man.
“Of course he is a different player, a player that in every game makes important things,” he said.
“I think he will continue improving. He still loses too many balls, maybe because he must understand the Premier League is difficult if you keep the ball in your feet.
Felipe Anderson drills it into the bottom of the net! pic.twitter.com/4GqoD5104V
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 27, 2018
“In every game he makes important plays and that’s the most great thing that he has.”
The West Ham boss was only able to name six players from an available seven on the bench at St. Mary’s, with a number of senior players sidelined through injury and illness.
The Chilean called on Michail Antonio to play at right-back while Italian defender Angelo Ogbonna started only his fourth Premier League game of the season, and the manager hailed the work ethic of those on the fringes of the squad.
Felipe Anderson again! What a counter attack! pic.twitter.com/eI8Qbrt539
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 27, 2018
“Well it is not easy when you have 10 players injured,” Pellegrini added. “But I always say that we have a squad and it is the moment maybe for players that are not playing all the games to demonstrate why they are in this squad.
“Antonio I think played very well tonight also very happy with the performance of Angelo Ogbonna and Pedro Obiang, players that for different reasons were not playing and tonight they play as if they were always in the starting XI, because they work well during the week.”