Former West Ham United striker and Sky Sports pundit Tony Cottee has singled out goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski as the one player who has performed consistently this season.
The Hammers signed the 6ft 3in [Transfermarkt] giant from Championship outfit Swansea earlier in the summer, and Cottee, who is a pundit and commentator on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday, believes that he is the one player in the team who has churned out good displays on a regular basis.
He briefly mentioned the likes of attacking duo Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko for doing well this season, and said that it has been “hard to assess” them properly as the players have been “in and out.”
“There have been glimpses from all the players, but nobody has done it consistently in all the games we have played, aside from Lukasz Fabianski in goal, who has been excellent,” Cottee told the club’s official website.
“Felipe Anderson at times, Andriy Yarmolenko at Goodison, the two centre-backs have done well at times, but then others have been in and out so it’s hard to assess what they’ve done overall. History tells us that it takes time to settle in, though, and I believe they are now doing so.”
OPINION
Cottee is absolutely spot on to single out Fabianski in the way that he has. He is one summer signings who often goes under the radar due to the likes of Anderson and Yarmolenko impressing – but if anything, he has been far more consistent than players like them. Yes, their technical ability is to be admired – but when it comes to being able to play well on a regular basis, Fabianski is your man. He has hardly put a foot wrong so far this season and his good form only looks set to continue, and he will most certainly be key to the Irons’ achievements this season. Having a top-quality keeper is essential to any team’s success – and Manuel Pellegrini looks to have found a real gem here in the shape of the Polish stopper. No one will be getting near the number one spot at the London Stadium for a long time, especially if this praise is anything to go by.
