✍ Manuel Lanzini

[NorthBank86]

Hard hat on.

Can’t see it being a huge loss. Think he’s overrated on this forum. Struggles to influence games, seems to only impose himself in the latter stages when (if) the game gets stretched. Easily knocked off the ball.

I’m not saying he was the only player who underperformed against Palace today, but he was so anonymous, and his role is too pivotal for him to disappear. The game was crying out for him to grab it by the scruff of the neck, and he didn’t. Hugely frustrating talent.

[johnnyb]

He is so frustrating, as is Anderson, as is Yarmolenko, as is ................(enter any West Ham player's name).

[il_martello_di_genovesi]

Doing absolutely nothing week after week. Getting an easier ride than Anderson despite not even attempting to make anything happen. A complete passenger whenever he’s on the pitch. Should be the first dropped.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

Doing absolutely nothing week after week. Getting an easier ride than Anderson despite not even attempting to make anything happen. A complete passenger whenever he’s on the pitch. Should be the first dropped.

erm, he was........

[Bill]

Enjoying his nice fat contract and doing naff all!

[westham,eggyandchips]

Doing absolutely nothing week after week. Getting an easier ride than Anderson despite not even attempting to make anything happen. A complete passenger whenever he’s on the pitch. Should be the first dropped.

I got caned for suggesting it's like playing with 10 men when Lanzini is playing. I stand by that comment.

[hammer1975]

The team was playing poorly long before he came on today. But what is the point of playing him in this 4-1-4-1? Pellegrini kept pointing him to drop deeper when he came on - what’s he supposed to do there? Ok if his good stuff for West ham has been in positions further up the pitch. Should have left Snodgrass where he was and had Lanzini wide left closer to Haller if he wanted to bring Anderson off.

[goa127]

Keep finding myself agreeing with you eggy, lanzini is he who must not be criticized. Mind you Haller is pushing him close

[DannyboyDJL]

Not rated him since Payet. He can beat a man for fun, but that's it. He's never had a pass in him and he doesn't work at all.

[hammers92]

We need to start getting ruthless with players who simply aren't doing it for us. Lanzini is one of them who is expected to create for us. If he's not doing it, he shouldn't be playing.

[NorthBank86]

And there was I thinking I was the only supporter hugely underwhelmed...

Just one other observation, in our present system it’s vital that the AM’s, whether central or wide, occasionally get beyond Haller. Otherwise the opposing centre backs can play as high up as they like. Yarmolenko does it regularly, Anderson too, even Noble, for all his faults Fornals last weekend tried to, on one occasion heading straight to their keeper. I’m struggling to remember Lanzini running beyond Haller (no doubt I’ll be put straight) which makes his contribution tepid, one dimensional, and, at least to me, comes across as lazy.

[iLoveLasagne]

I didn't get the hype. Many said he was the natural successor to Payet. He was wonderful during that season but so were many others. Also, his shooting is pretty poor. Not atrocious but they tend to always go about 2 yards wide of the post. And I HATE his free kick shots. In my eyes he is just very average.

I think Fabianski is the only player deserving of the level of hype we dish out.

[ageing hammer]

He doesn't seem to be the same player after his injury, he was decent enough ( without being outstanding ) when we had Payet but I never actually got the hype with him even back then.

The rumours of him going to replace Coutinho at Liverpool didn't seem accurate either if I am honest.

Post Payet he has been out a lot of times injured even before his big one and I think he just isn't as good as was being made out. (imo)

[YorksHammer]

Doing absolutely nothing week after week. Getting an easier ride than Anderson despite not even attempting to make anything happen. A complete passenger whenever he’s on the pitch. Should be the first dropped.

By an eye test, I agree. But statistically you're running a hard argument to support here.

Highest number of key passes per game in the squad at 2 (nearest is Yarmolenko with 1.6). Second highest number of crosses per game in the squad after Snodgrass (1). Fifth highest passes per game with the third highest pass accuracy (42.2 and 86.8%).

His expected assists is the fourth highest in the team (1.08) - that's compared with Masuaku (1.11), Anderson (1.77) and Yarmolenko (3.28). His xG is fifth (1.01), behind Noble (1.07 - beneficiary of a penalty), Yarmolenko (1.34), Anderson (1.79) and Haller (4.31).

So statistically he's trying to make things happen through key passes and crosses almost more than anybody in the squad, making a high number of passes with accuracy, and in our top five for creating chances and goalscoring opportunities.

[Croydon]

The line "players better with better players around him" gets banged out time after time for Noble, but I think it's more true with Lanzini. His form with Payet was outstanding, similar to Messi with Argentina.

He and Anderson really need to work on how they interact with eachother on the pitch because right now it's just not working.

It's time now for him to really work out if he really wants to be the main man, which a lot of us think he is. If he does, he needs to take a lot more responsibility in games and lead by example. If not, we need to shift him. He's a passenger when not on form and sadly that seems to be a more frequent occurrence.

[hammer1975]

Not.a.centre.midfielder

Compare him play with Payet or Arnautovic in his excellent spells and see where he sits now. The club didn’t get the player they needed in the summer and is trying to compensate by sticking players with the wrong strengths there. As a result they and the team look worse as a result.

[Jon]

Surely if he played in behind Haller with Yarma and Anderson on the flanks we would see better performances.

Apart from Rice and Noble I see NO combinations between any of our players. Get him and Haller to combine.

[Patito]

Surely if he played in behind Haller with Yarma and Anderson on the flanks we would see better performances.

I think that's what he's supposed to be doing, but clearly isn't.

[englebert]

He is better out wide, I don't think he can play with his back to goal. Not strong enough when up against defensive midfielders.

[simon1982]

I’m not digging him out. It is Quite obvious that he is being asked to play miles deeper when he is on the pitch. He is to far away to link play plus i feel we took his understanding with arnie for granted. They buzzed off each other. I’m struggling to see who his link up partner will be as most of our players stand and watch him when he has the ball.