Tony Cottee has heaped praise on West Ham star Felipe Anderson, but has suggested that the Brazilian still needs to improve his consistency.
The 25-year-old has scored eight goals in the Premier League since signing from Lazio in the summer, and ex-Hammer Cottee believes that he is huge talent.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “I think Felipe’s got real potential there.
“I don’t think he’s been our most consistent player this season, but we’ve seen glimpses of where he’s been absolutely fantastic.
“I think the challenge for Felipe is just to do it week-in, week-out. Hopefully, the more time he spends at the club and gets used to English football, the better he’s going to become.
“Potentially, we’ve got a real, real talent on our hands.”
“There are times when you look at him and think ‘wow, we’ve got a fantastic player’ and I think outside the top six, we’ve got a real top, top player at our football club.”
OPINION
Anderson has been wonderful so far this season, and could become the poster boy of the new era that the Hammers are trying to establish under Manuel Pellegrini, but Cottee is right in the sense that he does need to perform at the highest level on a regular basis. At times the Brazilian has been unplayable this season, but there have also been matches where he has been quite anonymous, and if he is to be regarded as a top, top player, he needs to cut that out of his game. At 25, he is just reaching his prime, and with Marko Arnautovic neither here nor there right now, he has the opportunity to make a mark as the Hammers main man from here on in. Some would argue he is already there, but if he is to become the undisputed king of East London, then he needs to knuckle down, turn provider for those around him more frequently, and realise his potential.
