West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini has demanded more from winger Felipe Anderson, despite the Brazilian’s impressive start to life in England.
The 25-year-old has scored seven goals in past nine appearances for the Hammers, including a brace in the 2-1 victory over Southampton on Thursday night, but his boss still believes he can get better.
Speaking after the match, as quoted by BBC Sport, he said: “He loses too many balls – he will continue improving.
“He must understand the Premier League is difficult if you keep the ball at your feet. He is a different player, a player that in every game makes important plays.
“His run of goals is important for him and the team. It’s not easy for a midfield player to score so many goals by this stage of the season. He can change the score of the game in any moment.”
OPINION
Given Anderson’s barnstorming start life in the Premier League, it is a little unexpected to hear his manager come out and suggest that he needs to improve. Pellegrini’s comments are certainly unorthodox, but at the same time they hint at the mentality and obsession with being the very best that could see the Chilean take the Hammers a long way. In truth, the winger’s brace on Thursday probably papered over some of the deficiencies in his performance. He was quiet for long spells and wasn’t always efficient in possession, and Pellegrini was right to pick up on these things in his post match comments. He will only push Anderson if he believes that he can use the criticism constructively, and the Irons’ boss will be fully aware of just how good his player can be. The Brazilian has been integral to West Ham’s recent rise up the Premier League table, and is on the cusp of having a phenomenal debut year in England. Pellegrini will just want to make sure he doesn’t become complacent.