Irons magical double act send us to heaven
Well it seemed to take an eternity but in the end West Ham class double act – Payet and Lanzini – turned on the style to clinch their fourth away win on the road to remain unbeaten in six league outings.
Palace were down to ten men throughout the second 45 minutes after Dwight Gayle was red carded for a shocking lunge on Chiek Kouyate.
Carl Jenkinson had scored his second goal of the season drove home in 23 minutes following a fabulous build up between Cresswell, Lanzini, Payet and Moses
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But the Arsenal right back was adjudged to have given away a penalty on Gayle a minute later and Cabaye converted a twice taken penalty after yes – Gayle again – had charged into the box as he took the first.
The Irons were forced to wait until the 88th minute for the second goal, hammered home by the fabulous Lanzini before Payet scored with a sensational chip in the 94th minute when Carroll headed down Lanzini’s fine ball in from the right wing.
This West Ham team is becoming a different class outfit and were a million miles from a side ready to adopt a crash, bang, wallop approach once they saw the opposition go down to ten men.
Instead they build the pressure bit by bit and although they created few real chances until the end, were always in control of things.
Many – weaned on a team rushing forward in their desperation for a winner – will have grown frustrated and anxious but this is a team developing a new and different way and it’s great to see.
Payet and Lanzini are pure class on their day, one taking the weight off the other as they create the sort of opportunities we’ve been dying too see for so long.
And at the end of it all we are sitting up there in third place behind the two Manchester teams and ahead of Arsenal who may leapfrog over us after their game against Watford.
Happy happy days.
COYI