da betway： We’ve seen plenty of false dawns from Slaven Bilic’s Irons since the start of last season, but West Ham’s 3-2 comeback against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup last night did feel like a turning point for a team that currently finds itself spared from the relegation zone by goal difference alone as their manager’s future dangles in the balance.
da esoccer bet： West Ham’s start to the season has been glaringly inconsistent even by their usual standards and in many ways, an unexpected victory over their third-placed London rivals only sustains that trend. But if it’s true that Bilic was given two matches to save his job after losing 3-0 to Brighton, last night could well be the catalyst that propels the east Londoners back towards the Europa-League-contending levels expected during the summer.
Manuel Lanzini will play a huge part in that. The two-cap Argentine is the Hammers’ chief creator, their only player capable of replicating some of the services Dimitri Payet provided, and his absence through injury during the start of the season was inherently linked with West Ham’s poor results.
The South American’s importance to the side was poignantly evident last night at Wembley, finding himself at the heart of the Hammers’ comeback. While Andre Ayew put his side back into the match with a poacher’s effort on the rebound, it was Lanzini who set up West Ham’s next two goals – providing the Ghana international once again for another poked finish before whipping in a delicious corner for Angelo Ogbonna to head home.
Indeed, Lanzini was West Ham’s biggest creative threat by quite some distance, laying on five chances and whipping eleven crosses into the box, two of which found their target, but perhaps most tellingly of his influence and quality, he also had the most touches of the ball of any Hammers player and completed 89% of his passes.
If West Ham are to transition the quality, belief and determination they showed at Wembley last night over to their wayward Premier League form, it seems Lanzini will perform an instrumental role. The revival in the top flight though, will have to start at Crystal Palace this weekend.