Gary Neville demands more from ‘huge’ West Ham talent, slams his ‘inconsistency’
West Ham playmaker Felipe Anderson is a “huge talent” but is too inconsistent, according to Gary Neville.
The Brazilian scored his first goal of the Premier League season in the New Years’ Day demolition of Bournemouth, and has generally come in for some stick from pundits such as Darren Bent, as per Football Insider.
But Neville has claimed that there is a top player in there somewhere, and that he just needs to produce his best work with greater regularity.
Speaking on Sky Sports‘ coverage of the Hammers’ Friday night clash with Sheffield United (Sky Sports Main Event, 19.45, January 10th), he said: “He is a huge talent.
“He falls into that category of being inconsistent, but that’s like a lot of forwards.
“What you want him to do is deliver in moments when he can provide that little bit of quality for you, only two or three times in a match, but he can essentially be a game changer and the difference for West Ham.”
Is Neville right about Anderson?
You would have to say he is, to be fair.
The Brazilian is a special talent, but far too often he drifts through games, and his anonymity has been acutely felt by the Hammers this term.
When he’s been very good, but there have been some matches when he has been nothing short of abysmal.
Matches like the 3-0 defeat to Burnley back in November, when he was taken off after 56 minutes and managed a Whoscored rating of just 5.83, show just how infuriating the South American can be.
At the other end of the spectrum, we have games like the one he put in on January 1st, when he tore Bournemouth limb from limb, got his goal, and registered a Whoscored rating of 7.94.
If he can keep up that kind of form, then both he and the Irons writ large will thrive in the second half of this season.
In other news, Martin Keown head over heels for West Ham man.