Maurizio Sarri is thrilled by the way Felipe Anderson has adapted to life back at Lazio, hailing the ”extraordinary talents” of a man who was released by West Ham United a few weeks ago, in conversation with Italy News 24.
If Old Smokey Sarri is willing to give you a free role on the football pitch, you must be a pretty special player.
Even Eden Hazard, one of the most naturally gifted players of the modern era, complained his creative instincts were being asphyxiated by the “restrictive, rigid”, possession-by-numbers approach Sarri brought with him to Stamford Bridge alongside 1,000 packets of Merit cigarettes.
Willian was similarly scathing when asked about a man who bade a less-than-fond farewell to Chelsea despite lifting a Europa League trophy and securing a top-four berth in his one and only season in west London.
But Sarri obviously feels if he’s to get the best out of the maddening, marauding, mercurial Anderson, giving the former West Ham misfit the freedom to do what he does best is the only way forward.
West Ham reject Anderson becomes a star again at Lazio – but how long will it last?
“Felipe Anderson doesn’t always follow the action but I can tell you one thing, I have coached many strong players but I have rarely coached one as potentially strong as Felipe,” says Sarri, who led a thrilling Napoli side to second behind Juventus in 2018, accumulating 91 points along the way.
“(Anderson) has extraordinary talents (but) he has brought them out in small doses. He must increase his conviction, his nastiness, because otherwise he is a waste of talent. He can be a ‘crack’ at international level.”
While Sarri has shown willingness to bend to Anderson’s whims, David Moyes certainly did not.
The West Ham boss could find no place in his hard-working, sweat-shedding 4-2-3-1 formation for a man who, while undoubtedly talented, appeared to lack the diligence of a Pablo Fornals or Michail Antonio.
Anderson’s “unplayable” man of the match performance in Lazio’s 3-2 derby victory over Roma, however, was a reminder of what the Brazilian can do when he’s let off the leash.
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