ANDERSON SHOWS SIGNS OF BEING THE NEW PAYET
ThERE will be parents across east london thanking the heavens that West ham do not charge by the letter for shirt printing. Christmas is coming and Felipe anderson will be the name in demand for fans wanting a shirt under the tree.
his performance and goal against Crystal Palace will have turned any doubters into believers. It was a gift of a display.
Moments like anderson’s magic strike make the london Stadium feel like home. It will be talked about in five years, and may even become part of the myth of this place. West ham now have their own gold medallists — the Brazilian chief among them. It was the sort of solo display that has not been seen around these parts since dimitri Payet’s brief spell.
The goal itself was straight out of the Frenchman’s locker. anderson wrapped his right foot around the ball, curling it into the Palace net. It was the crucial goal in a turnaround performance that saw West ham blitz the visitors in less than 20 minutes.
he was also the only player to take control in a tough first half. after West ham went behind, it was anderson who demanded the ball in his wide-left berth before pinging several passes to Pablo Zabaleta on the right. Manuel Pellegrini insisted anderson is still learning how to play in England.
asked what he needed to change, the Chilean said: ‘I think he runs too much with the ball. here, you cannot do it because there are a lot of players with a lot of power. Every game, he is doing less of those kinds of ball. he is improving and he is appearing in every game with important things that demonstrate he is a top player.’
Pellegrini wants his new arrivals, including £40million man anderson, to earn them a shot at Europe like Payet did. after losing their first four league games, they are now five points from sixth.
That has been helped by a run of three straight wins in which they have scored three goals — a feat not achieved by the club in the top flight since October 1982.
‘ We have lots of things to improve,’ Pellegrini added. ‘not only because we scored three goals in three games you now think you are a scoring team.
‘We must concentrate on defending, playing this way, you have a lot of space behind the line so we have to learn how to defend with 11 players, eight players, with four players.’
That defence has been improved by the addition of Issa diop, who rivals anderson as West ham’s best summer signing. In attack, they now have options, even with Marko arnautovic out injured.
That meant that a fit-again andy Carroll could be kept on the bench until the game needed changing.
‘The manager is very attacking and there are goals in the team,’ said Carroll. ‘We have got a great team. Even the two centre halves we have signed, the goalkeeper, all the way through. The attacking strength is unbelievable.’
Winning is helping on another front too. It was noticeable just how much the atmosphere at the ground has changed. When anderson’s shot flew in, it was greeted by a roar that would have been heard by the shoppers in neighbouring Westfield.
‘ We have been saying that,’ Carroll said about the improved feeling around the place. ‘ It is hard sometimes when the crowd is quiet and tonight I think they were great. They were well and truly behind us. We could hear it and it makes a difference to the lads. I think sometimes it is intimidating when we play away and the fans are on top and it is very good when we get it here. Today it was fantastic from the fans.’
Those fans have a new hero. Forget Payet — they’ve got Felipe.