Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has commented on West Ham United’s decision to loan out Felipe Anderson.
Pressure piles on West Ham striker Haller after honest statement from Leeds boss Bielsa
West Ham face Leeds at Elland Road on Friday night.
Both West Ham and Leeds are looking to get back on track after 3-1 defeats to Manchester United and Chelsea respectively last time out.
West Ham facing no ordinary promoted side
David Moyes knows a win will push the Hammers back up to fifth in the Premier League table.
Victory for injury hit Leeds will see them move level on points with West Ham at the quarter-way stage.
Leeds’s swashbuckling, high energy style under Bielsa means West Ham will not be facing any ordinary newly-promoted side.
But Leeds boss Bielsa – who was once interviewed for the Hammers job – has heaped praise on Moyes and West Ham before the game.
And the Argentine says West Ham must be good if they can afford to loan out £40million Brazilian Felipe Anderson (Leeds Live).
‘West Ham must be good because they loaned out Anderson’ says Bielsa
“West Ham has what most Premier League sides have – two players in each attacking position of the same or similar quality,” Bielsa said in his pre-match press conference.
“They loaned out Felipe Anderson and this gives you the idea they have good offensive potential.
“(West Ham) have a structure of seven defensive players who are also very solid. They are clear on defending, attacking and how they need to play. These are all aspects in which you can praise the coach.”
It is interesting that Bielsa has highlighted West Ham’s decision to ship out Anderson.
Bielsa makes a salient point about Moyes’s attacking options but Anderson future remains unclear
He clearly feels Anderson is a quality player. That is a view shared by many West Ham fans who felt it would be a mistake getting rid of him. Although plenty others felt it was the right move after growing frustrated with the winger.
Anderson enjoyed a superb start to life at West Ham, scoring 10 goals and getting eight assists in his first season.
But last term was a different story as he – like the team – struggled for any kind of form and his attitude and desire were questioned.
West Ham sold Grady Diangana, loaned Anderson to Porto and signed Said Benrahma instead.
That – and the fact neither Anderson nor Diangana are pulling up any trees – has stopped any potential unrest from fans in its tracks.
Where Anderson’s future will be is anyone’s guess.
But Bielsa makes a salient point about West Ham’s attacking options.
The Hammers have Benrahma – a Bielsa target in the summer – as well as Pablo Fornals, Jarrod Bowen, Andriy Yarmolenko, Manuel Lanzini, Robert Snodgrass, Sebastien Haller and Michail Antonio when fit. Tomas Soucek is also a serious attacking threat.
And both Arthur Masuaku and Vladimir Coufal offer a lot to the attack too.
West Ham will be hoping that attacking talent can prove Bielsa right and get them back on track at Elland Road.
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