Due to the likes of Lanzini being injured and Moses only just returning from injury, in recent games Dimitri Payet has been pushed out to the wing. Having seen the Frenchman dazzle in a more central role for West ham, as fans we want to see him play in his most effective position.
Bilic has in the last three or four fixtures played a 4-3-3 formation which has meant Payet plays on the left wing with Antonio on the right, and then Valencia through the middle. Payet has always been a flare player who possessed elegance and this is why some fans feel he is less effective in a wider position.
What some fans might not be aware of is the fact that Payet was originally a winger. It was only at the beginning of last season that Marseille realised how effective he could be playing as an attacking midfielder. The former Marseille player is therefore perfectly capable of playing as a winger and perhaps had he joined a different club, he might have been pushed out to the wing permanently.
However, this season Payet has been the team’s best player and that is the central reason as to why fans get frustrated because we all know what he can do when he sees more of the ball. Any fans who say Payet is completely ineffective on the wing are incorrect because in the Aston Villa game, from a wide position he had a 92% pass completion rate and created 6 chances. The 28 year old playmaker is crucial in this team, and the fact that he still created 6 chances playing as a winger reflects his classy nature.
Despite his position, Payet was still influential against Villa
Throughout the Villa game he made 77 passes and when he took on player’s he was successful 5 out of 7 times. I can understand why Bilic was playing him out wide whilst other players were injured although I think that the team should be being built around him.
Payet can change the game with a goal and or an assist, and therefore he should be playing in his best position in as much as possible. Payet is a pivotal part of the team and he makes the other players in the team better, therefore he must play in attacking midfield.
In summary, I disagree with the statement that Payet is totally ineffective on the wing because he has played in that position a lot in the past and knows the role. However, as West Ham fans we have seen him play magnificently in a central role, and he is a large contributor to the team’s 6th place status.
Ultimately, Payet is less effective as a winger but extremely effective on a regular basis as an attacking midfielder.
