Odemwingie is backed to get better
Wednesday 20th April 2011, 10:30AM BST.
Albion assistant boss Michael Appleton has claimed striker Peter Odemwingie is improving all the time during his record-breaking debut season at the Hawthorns.
The Baggies No 2 reckons Odemwingie is still learning despite moving to the Premier League for the first time at the age of 29.
The Nigeria international’s goal against Chelsea at the weekend took him to 12 for the season to make him Albion’s highest scorer in a single Premier League season.
And Appleton said: “I think a lot of the stuff we are asking him to do, he may have not been asked to do before.
“He’s played wide right as well as up front and we’re asking him to do things out of possession that he’s not been asked to do before.
“The difference between the good players and the average players is the average players do a lot of running and work hard but they’re not really doing much, they are not really closing people down in the right areas and that’s a lot of stuff we’ve been trying to work with Peter.
“If he continues to do that he will get a lot more chances because when we do win the ball back he will be in the right areas to go and hurt teams rather than, when we win the ball back, him being miles away from our midfield players.
“We’ve been delighted with him, he’s got his goals to back up his general play as well which is important from his own personal point of view.
“He’s been a big plus for us because what he’s been is something completely different to what we’ve had in the past.
“He’s got raw pace and it scares the life out of defenders.”
Appleton believes Odemwingie’s personality has helped him become an instant hit in England.
Roy Hodgson’s right-hand man said: ‘He’s a bubbly character. It helps that he speaks about five languages.
“He’s not a shy person. He’s a likeable character.”
UK Sport
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