Recorder Series West Ham United correspondent Dave Evans says Manuel Lanzini should fill the void left by Dimitri Payet’s injury
Recorder Series West Ham United correspondent Dave Evans says Manuel Lanzini should fill the void left by Dimitri Payet’s injury...
Losing Dimitri Payet is a huge blow for West Ham United.
He has been West Ham’s best player this season, and many would say he has been the best player in the Premier League since his arrival from Marseille in the summer.
To lose someone who has already got five goals and three assists is a big blow and it’s going to be very difficult for West Ham to replace him.
That said, someone has to fill the void left by Payet’s absence and the squad is very strong and I would imagine that Manuel Lanzini will step up to the plate and play more in that central playmaker role.
Lanzini has done that before in Argentina so he knows how to play that No10 role. He is a very confident boy and certainly scored a great goal against Everton on Saturday, so I think him coming into that position will help things.
When he was playing in Argentina for River Plate, he was their No10 and in that playmaker role at the age of 20, which is pretty impressive. He played more than 80 games for River Plate, so he has real pedigree and is back in top-level football now after a spell in the UAE.
He has looked confident and strong and has settled into the Premier League so well. He plays with such belief, as was seen by his goal on Saturday, when he had the composure and ability to control the ball when it dropped to him before picking his spot. It was a superb goal.
Manuel will also have a chance to take more set pieces too, I would imagine, so hopefully we’ll see if he can do the business with those as well. Mauro Zarate might have a role to play in that position as well, so we shall see.
Losing Dimitri Payet is a huge blow for West Ham United.
He has been West Ham’s best player this season, and many would say he has been the best player in the Premier League since his arrival from Marseille in the summer.
To lose someone who has already got five goals and three assists is a big blow and it’s going to be very difficult for West Ham to replace him.
That said, someone has to fill the void left by Payet’s absence and the squad is very strong and I would imagine that Manuel Lanzini will step up to the plate and play more in that central playmaker role.
Lanzini has done that before in Argentina so he knows how to play that No10 role. He is a very confident boy and certainly scored a great goal against Everton on Saturday, so I think him coming into that position will help things.
When he was playing in Argentina for River Plate, he was their No10 and in that playmaker role at the age of 20, which is pretty impressive. He played more than 80 games for River Plate, so he has real pedigree and is back in top-level football now after a spell in the UAE.
He has looked confident and strong and has settled into the Premier League so well. He plays with such belief, as was seen by his goal on Saturday, when he had the composure and ability to control the ball when it dropped to him before picking his spot. It was a superb goal.
Manuel will also have a chance to take more set pieces too, I would imagine, so hopefully we’ll see if he can do the business with those as well. Mauro Zarate might have a role to play in that position as well, so we shall see.
I would imagine that Manuel Lanzini will step up to the plate and play more in that central playmaker role
There are attacking options for Slaven Bilic in this squad.
Hopefully Diafra Sakho will be back soon, as I believe he is a vital player for this West Ham team and the way they want to play.
Michail Antonio hasn’t really been given his chance, so hopefully he can get one now, while Andy Carroll is around and can be lethal on his day.
With Alex Song also hopefully coming back soon, it will add more experience to the midfield and he can organise things even better than they already are, and they can work out a way of playing without Dimitri.
There is strength in depth that West Ham have not had for a few years and this is a chance for others to step up to the plate and show what they can do, but it is a blow to lose possibly the best player in the Premier League.
There would be no greater pick-me-up for the fans than for West Ham to go to Tottenham Hotspur and win in their next game.
I remember the games there in the last two seasons, when West Ham played superbly and got positive results, and of course there are the away wins the team has already achieved this season, too.
The Hammers have won at Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Crystal Palace, so why not make it five away wins for the season?
Lanzini has played important parts in many of those victories, so they are certainly of going to Tottenham and winning. Hopefully, they can get the result.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of West Ham United.
Hopefully Diafra Sakho will be back soon, as I believe he is a vital player for this West Ham team and the way they want to play.
Michail Antonio hasn’t really been given his chance, so hopefully he can get one now, while Andy Carroll is around and can be lethal on his day.
With Alex Song also hopefully coming back soon, it will add more experience to the midfield and he can organise things even better than they already are, and they can work out a way of playing without Dimitri.
There is strength in depth that West Ham have not had for a few years and this is a chance for others to step up to the plate and show what they can do, but it is a blow to lose possibly the best player in the Premier League.
There would be no greater pick-me-up for the fans than for West Ham to go to Tottenham Hotspur and win in their next game.
I remember the games there in the last two seasons, when West Ham played superbly and got positive results, and of course there are the away wins the team has already achieved this season, too.
The Hammers have won at Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Crystal Palace, so why not make it five away wins for the season?
Lanzini has played important parts in many of those victories, so they are certainly of going to Tottenham and winning. Hopefully, they can get the result.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of West Ham United.