2. Felipe Anderson
It didn’t quite work out for him in the Premier League. Despite showing signs of brilliance here and there, Felipe Anderson didn’t manage to push that full throttle in what was an underwhelming stint at West Ham United. To erase the miserable memories of English soil, Anderson made a swift return to Lazio after leaving the club for the first time in 2018.
And what a return it has proved to be! From 12 starts in Serie A this season, Anderson has racked up three goals and three assists. It feels as if the Brazilian has rediscovered the mojo that got lost in front of goal during his cursed spell in London. As the current standing suggests, the 28-year-old is the third-leading goal scorer behind Ciro Immobile and Pedro and second-highest assist-provider for Lazio.
Yet, he tops the list when it comes to xA (expected assists). According to FBref.com, Anderson has averaged an xA of 0.25 per 90 minutes so far this season, placing him at the top of the table among the players who have completed 500 minutes for Lazio in Serie A.
Playing down the wing, Felipe Anderson acts as inside forward, often moving infield to create space for the full-backs to bomb forward. Teaming up with intelligent forwards such as Pedro and Immobile has elevated the Brazilian’s individual game. He now plays with greater self-belief.
If we look at his track record, Felipe Anderson has scored one goal against Inter and one against AS Roma already this term, depicting his knack of stepping up for the big occasion. He certainly possesses the talent and gut to trouble the Juventus defence on Saturday afternoon. As such, the Brazilian is surely one of the key players for the Biancocelesti.