Manuel Lanzini slowly becoming West Ham’s main man

Manuel Lanzini slowly becoming West Ham’s main man

West Ham suffered a third successive Premier League defeat after losing 3-2 at home to champions Leicester City on Saturday.

Slaven Bilic’s men gave themselves a mountain to climb after going two-down in the first seven minutes, with Riyad Mahrez’s cross sailing past everyone and into the back of the net after five minutes, before Robert Huth headed home Marc Albrighton’s brilliant cross soon after.

Argentine midfielder Manuel Lanzini reduced the Hammers’ arrears with a stunning free-kick midway through the first period, although Jamie Vardy put Craig Shakespeare’s side two goals clear again eight minutes from the break by firing home from four yards out.



Andre Ayew got one back for West Ham just after the hour, but the hosts were unable to avoid a seventh home league defeat of the campaign.

However, one shining light from Saturday afternoon was the performance of midfielder Lanzini, who is slowly but surely becoming their main man in the middle of the park.

Since Dimitri Payet’s departure, many have speculated that he is the man to take over from the Frenchman given his excellent technical ability as well as his ability to produce something from nothing.

And it was more than evident on Saturday.

The 24-year-old fired a stunning free-kick past the stranded Kasper Schmeichel to give the Hammers hope, and given the form the Leicester goalkeeper has been in, and indeed was in at the weekend, to leave him helpless takes some doing.

And he almost reproduced his heroics later on in the contest when another free-kick, this one slightly further out, had Schmeichel scrambling across his goal to make another top save.

When you look at Lanzini’s efforts since the turn of the year, and since Payet was exiled and then allowed to leave, it will give West Ham fans much hope that he can deal with the pressure of being their go-to man.

The Argentine has scored four goals and laid on two assists for Bilic’s men in 2017, including an excellent 20-yard strike in a man-of-the-match display against West Brom last month, as well as two assists in their 3-1 success at Middlesbrough back in January.

It’s not just the numbers though, it’s the sort of goals he is scoring, and sort of level he is producing, which will help West Ham fans forget Payet in an instant.

A sensational free-kick against Leicester, a deft chip over Wayne Hennessey in the win over Crystal Palace, and a great 20-yard strike out of nothing against West Brom last month – Lanzini makes things happen.

Technical ability, incredible agility, and the capability to make something happen from nothing, Lanzini continues to go from strength to strength.

Guest post by Marcus Oades