Amid all the excitement that surrounded the start of the new Premier League season, many have tipped this to be the year that the ‘top six’ is broken up, with the likes of Leicester and West Ham among those being suggested as potential candidates to break in and challenge.
With Manchester United and Chelsea both facing an uncertain season, there is a genuine belief that there could be a new player in the Premier League’s big boys. Such is the uncertainty in the respective dugouts at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, many believe that those famous Premier League ‘big boys’ are finally losing some of their allure.
Leicester’s 1-1 draw away to Chelsea on Sunday, a game that they will feel that they really should have won, is a sign of how times are changing in the top half of the Premier League.
West Ham have never hidden their European ambitions and Manuel Pellegrini will have one eye on European qualification going forward. One player who could be the difference-maker for them is Felipe Anderson.
The Brazilian is now heading into his second season in the Premier League and after a year of adapting to English football, he should be looking to achieve big things this time around. By all accounts, Anderson enjoyed a very successful first year in England, but it was a story of two halves.
During the first half of the season, Anderson was simply electric, making himself a nightmare for defences up and down the country. While nine league goals represent a good return on paper for the Brazilian, his performances during the second half of the season tell a different story. In truth, his campaign tailed off quite drastically, like West Ham’s did and they’ll be hoping for more consistency this season.
After all the big-spending from West Ham over the summer, Anderson could be the man to step up and take the fight for the Hammers as they look to push into the top six. With the likes of Sebastien Haller and Pablo Fornals joining the club over the summer, the Hammers can line up with a new-look attack.
Download the best betting apps for betting on sports to back the Hammers if you’re confident that Pellegrini is the man to guide the club back into the Europa League this season.
Add to that they have the added bonus of Andriy Yarmolenko’s return, who provides some quality in depth. Not to mention Manuel Lanzini, who will again aim to be the creative genius in midfield. On paper, the summer additions certainly take West Ham up a notch and with a year of Premier League football under his belt, it will be time for Anderson to step up too.
He is widely recognised as one of the more naturally gifted wingers in the division, but he’ll need to add to his game if he personally wants to make that step up and play in European competitions. It’s the consistency that will set Anderson apart from the rest of those around him in the league. Such is the potential that the Brazilian possesses, he could be the difference-maker for West Ham, who will be looking for that quality throughout the season, not just in spells.
In Anderson’s favour, the West Ham squad is now far more balanced and the summer signings add a level of quality that simply wasn’t there last season, alleviating a huge amount of the pressure on Anderson’s shoulders. No longer is he the man that West Ham need to look to, but the player that can stand out in attack for Pellegrini’s side.
