Experienced right back Pablo Zabaleta has been impressed by youngster Jeremy Ngakia.
West Ham defender Pablo Zabaleta praised youngster Jeremy Ngakia’s breakthrough, especially his performance in the 3-2 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield.
On the club’s official YouTube channel, Zabaleta ran through Ngakia’s display against the champions elect and clearly liked what he saw.
He said: “You’ve been very good defensively, very solid performance. Very tight on Mane. You’ve never let him turn and run through. Then when you had a chance to get forward and support the attack, you did it very well with a few good crosses. You’ve got the speed to get forward.
“Full back is a very demanding position in terms of running up and down. It was a shame we didn’t get anything from the game but you as an individual have to be very proud of your game, what you’ve done. You’ve been superb. How old are you, 19? Keep working hard, listening, be a good professional and good luck in your career. You can go for 15 more years.”
Many West Ham fans may have felt they needed a new right back to come through the door during the January transfer window.
That’s given the injury problems suffered by Ryan Fredericks and Zabaleta’s ageing legs but Ngakia’s emergence has gone some way to allaying those fears.
He has come from nowhere and that’s exactly what the Hammers fans want to see, young hungry players giving their all for the shirt.
That spirit is what the Hammers need between now and the end of the season if they are to survive and Ngakia keeping one of the league’s best wingers quiet is evidence that he can do it against anyone in the Premier League.
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