It’s usually pretty easy to disagree with Paul Merson…but not on his latest assessment of West Ham United.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Panel he made it crystal clear the Irons are far too reliant on Dimi Payet saying: “I think all the players go out on the pitch and go ‘Go on then Payet do something and then when you’ve done something we’ll start getting involved. You get it going first.’
None of them step up to the plate. I just think they rely on him so much to make things happen and if he doesn’t make anything happen the other lads just won’t step up to the plate and that’s worrying for West Ham.”
He’s right – with one or two exceptions – and some of the comments directed at Dimi on various forums after recent performances are of no help whatsoever particularly as he is refusing to deny that he may be on his way in January.
He’s been accused of not being interested, not trying and worse with the implicit suggestion being that he’s some kind of robot, who turns up turns it on, guarantees a win and returns next match day to do the same.
It’s time for something to change, for serious contributions to start being made throughout the team.
As we go into the international break I can only think of three or four players who have ticked most of the boxes this season – Obiang, Kouyate (at the back), Reid and Antonio.
Dimi has been the best of the bunch with his various assists but Manu Lanzini has disappointed.
Merson – for all his faults – has nailed a problem and there’s a few of them who need to pick things up pretty damned quick.
COYI
Having watched Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool this weekend and the way they move the ball into spaces and the speed with which they do it I am concerned about the 3 man back line. Stoke made the most of the space behind Cresswell to the side of Ogbanna and created several chances. Ogbanna maybe too slow for the wide position and at the moment Cresswell is not recovering anywhere near fast enough.
The three teams I mentioned are up soon and I think that speed is going to be a major issue for WHU. I just cannot see them coping with these teams without reverting to a back four which may of course be on the cards but will then create a midfield issue of Noble or Obiang, Lanzini or Ayew or Antonio.
It is a shame that none of the Summer signings automatically fit into the team.
Then we have AC and if he is back we will be lumping the ball forward like Saturday and it won’t matter who is in midfield because they will never so the ball on the ground.
Some very tough days ahead for Mr Bilic and his crew.
Great players want to play with other great players, Dimi needs the others too lift their games, of the others you imho can only really say Obiang, Reid and Fernandes, Lanzini has at times had his moments and the same can be said of Antonio. I think Cresswell will when he gets his sharpness back. Kouyate has been a disappointment, the same problem was apparent last year, we rely on a piece of Dimi magic too often, this season although it pains me to say it without Carroll we have not had a goal threat at all which is shocking, under any other circumstances I would be wishing AC a happy future somewhere else but unless we get another physical striker that can score and preferrable a nippy one also although if he wants to Sakho can fill the latter role we shouldn’t get rid of AC. We have Callieri for the season so we might aswell use him in the u23’s to pick up some goals, we could do the same to Zaza if his contract allows it or trade him in for a different model. If the players don’t up their gams after the international break we could be looking at a very nervous xmas/ new year.