The former West Ham winger is delighted for his close friend.
Matthew Etherington has taken to Twitter to heap praise on West Ham United’s unexpected hero James Collins.
The centre-back is in the ‘form of his life,’ according to Etherington, who also praised the defender immediately after West Ham’s 2-0 win over Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.
And Etherington is delighted for the experienced Hammer, who hasn’t always been in the first-team picture at Upton Park.
The Welshman has certainly made an impact in the capital this term after being drafted into central defence by head coach Slaven Bilic.
| 2015-16 (Per Game) | Headers | Clearances | Tackles | Interceptions | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Carroll | 3.67 | 1.58 | 0.08 | 0.08 | 650 |
| James Collins | 3.5 | 8.4 | 0.9 | 1 | 743 |
| Angelo Ogbonna | 3.08 | 6.85 | 1.15 | 1.38 | 978 |
| Winston Reid | 2.83 | 7.25 | 1.92 | 3.17 | 1,056 |
| James Tomkins | 1.72 | 5.22 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 1,540 |
As Opta stats show, the 32-year-old has impressed in terms of the numbers so far this season.
In the air, Collins is almost as good as Andy Carroll of all people, also averaging far more clearances per game than any other West Ham player.
He lags behind when it comes to interceptions but not by too much when it comes to tackles.
It’s a big leap from a man whose West Ham future wasn’t too certain only a few months ago. Can Collins now maintain his place when all of the east London club’s defenders are fully fit?
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