Ahead of Sunday’s trip to West Ham United, Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper has lauded winger Anthony Elanga.
Since joining Forest this summer from Manchester United, the 21-year-old has shown promise. Elanga gives the offense a fresh perspective.
As seen last weekend when the team was switching from defense to counterattack against Aston Villa, his lightning-fast speed is a tremendous advantage for Cooper’s team.
In his first 11 Premier League games for the team, the Swedish international has one goal and three assists, but his overall play has been equally outstanding, and Cooper has noticed the young player’s potential.
Cooper on Anthony Elanga
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Reds boss Cooper admitted that he’s impressed with the 21-year-old but claimed he’s only going to get better with the correct guidance.
“As a footballer, Anthony [Elanga] is right where we want him. He’s a really young player with such high potential and a really good mentality to learn and engage to get better.
“We’ve given him some good starts, and now he’s also had good impacts off the bench; we’ve also provided a program for him to help him fulfill his potential.
“We’re enjoying working with him, and he’s a promising player for this football club. The best thing about him is that he wants to do as much as he can every day.
“He’s a young player; no one is getting carried away; he possibly has a very bright future, but he and we have got to make that happen.”
Elanga has become key for Cooper
Elanga’s playstyle has allowed him to become a key player in Cooper’s counter-attacking system.
The 21-year-old’s quickness was on display last weekend against Villa, as he frequently outran former Forest player Matty Cash.With just a few touches, the Swede’s raw speed enables him to change the play, with Elanga gradually becoming essential to Cooper’s desired style of play.
Even though his time at the City Ground is just getting started, if he continues on this upward trajectory, he has the potential to play a significant role for the team in the Premier League.
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