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Josh 10:03 Fri Jan 15
West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Yeah - another thread but decent read

West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season... the Frenchman has inspired a remarkable transformation

The Olympic Stadium in Stratford looks pretty desolate against the backdrop of slate grey skies and intermittent sleet when you pass it on a winter’s morning.
But come August it will once again be a vibrant place, bedecked in West Ham’s colours of claret and blue, that glorious spirit of 2012 revived.
Supporters will flock to watch Slaven Bilic’s equally vibrant team, challenging in the upper reaches of the Barclays Premier League table and - who knows - even in the Champions League.

And as they clack through the turnstiles they should look up and see - 30ft tall, gazing out proudly over the east London skyline - their club’s new poster boy Dimitri Payet.
For seldom has a signing caused such a dramatic uplift in a team’s fortunes. Seldom has any player become so integral so quickly. And seldom has a £10.7million investment looked like such a bargain.

There can be no doubt that Payet, brought in by Bilic from Marseille at the end of June, is the Premier League’s signing of the season.
You might make a case for Petr Cech at Arsenal, but the true dynamos of their title challenge lie further forward on the field. Dele Alli at Tottenham? Well, the deal was actually secured back in the January so that doesn’t really count.

It’s Payet that has inspired the remarkable transformation in West Ham’s fortunes. A transformation that sees them, against all expectations, just a point off the Champions League places ahead of their Saturday visit to Newcastle United.
Let’s consider the stats. With Payet in the team, the Hammers have won eight of 14 matches, scoring a total of 28 goals. Their win percentage stands at a muscular 57.1 per cent.
Now compare that to the seven matches when Payet wasn’t in the side when he suffered ankle ligament damage against Everton in early November.

Just one win from those seven, a mere five goals scored. A paltry win percentage of 14.3.
There is nothing coincidental about West Ham recording three wins on the bounce - against Liverpool, Wolves in the FA Cup and Bournemouth - since Payet returned to full fitness.

The 28-year-old France international brings so much more than the six goals and five assists contributed in claret and blue so far. He supplies that spark, a certain galvanising effect that produced another 10 per cent from his team-mates.
Bilic summarised it nicely after Payet curled home a lovely free-kick on his return to the starting line-up in the 3-1 win at Bournemouth on Tuesday night.
‘It was a team win but Payet made the difference,’ Bilic said. ‘West Ham fans love that kind of player with a bit of magic and he has got more than a bit.
‘But it is not only about his quality. He is deciding games, he is keeping the ball and he is doing the things which are very hard in football.

‘He is taking the whole team 20 yards up the pitch without kicking the ball and that is important. He is also making all the players around him better.’
Bilic has taken Payet under his wing like a son. The Croat was absolutely despondent when he suffered his injury - describing it as a ‘massive blow’ - and West Ham crashed 4-1 at Tottenham in their next game.
Five successive draws followed as they struggled to replace that missing impetus delivered by Payet. There has inevitably been an upturn in mood and form since their talisman returned to fitness.

The Upton Park faithful adore him too, as witnessed by the wonderful ovation he received on his return against Liverpool a fortnight ago. He’s almost ranked in their affections as highly as Paolo di Canio and Carlos Tevez.
And that’s just off the back of seven months. Continue this trajectory in the coming years and he’ll go down in legend.
These are historic times for West Ham. Their move to the Olympic Stadium is imminent, representing a move to the next level. And with their inspired signing of Payet, they have a team ready to meet that challenge.

Alex G 10:52 Sat Jan 23
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Is it true that Newcastle looked at signing him the summer before we did but decided against it on the basis that at his age they wouldn't be able to recoup the transfer fee they'd pay for him?

Utter Geordie morons!

Saul Bollox 10:30 Sat Jan 23
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Whatever e are paying him, double it for next season. WE are going to be very big.

Tomshardware 10:29 Sat Jan 23
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Was good again tonight, he has the swagger of a player who knows hes mustard against anyone but backs it up with some sublime skills.

Sarge 10:26 Sat Jan 23
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Classy guy too


Hanging back at half-time to shake Harts hand after the free kick save. Great stuff

Eerie Descent 10:17 Sat Jan 23
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

To think he's only a few games into his comeback after being systematically taken out and injured by some West Ham fan's favourite opposition manager's team.

Will go down as one of our best ever players if he has 4 more years of this form.

gph 10:12 Sat Jan 23
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

MO: Can't we persuade Sakho to change the spelling to Saxo?

Browno22 10:08 Sat Jan 23
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Would rather we went for De bruyne at 55m to be fair

bruuuno 10:07 Sat Jan 23
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Even skinned them in his own penalty area towards the end

The Joker 10:04 Sat Jan 23
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

He's a very special player indeed.

Romfordboy 10:03 Sat Jan 23
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

he is going to be up for premiership player of the season

you can take that to the bank

Hermit Road 10:00 Sat Jan 23
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

I still wouldn't swap him for any of their players today. Amazing display from the little magician.

MikeHammer 2:54 Fri Jan 15
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Posted That on wrong thread !! ... Must have been too long!!

MikeHammer 2:53 Fri Jan 15
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Sold - ever bought a newspaper? This is long for a thread but a short article surely?

VirginiaHam 1:43 Fri Jan 15
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Trevor B 12:29 Fri Jan 15

Antonio seems to be improving visibly with every game......just needs to work on his ball control.

There's nothing about Antonio not to like. He's making things happen too.

Lily Hammer 1:15 Fri Jan 15
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

It was a deal. It was a steal. It was buy of the fucking century. You know what? I think we'll fucking keep him.



I am a walking talking 10 feet tall hard on these days, and it's mostly down to the Payet effect Bilic has been talking about.

Eggbert Nobacon 12:47 Fri Jan 15
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Mike Oxsaw 12:34 Fri Jan 15
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season
A strike force with a Y and a Z in their surname?

Where's Montieth? Right up his passage is that.



Imagine if we do sign Yilmaz!

B6NY B 12:40 Fri Jan 15
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Buster 12:30 Fri Jan 15
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season



Can't wait until LANZINI is back alongside Payet. Fucking hell, what a couple of players to have alongside each other.


EXCITING OR WHAT!

B6NY B 12:40 Fri Jan 15
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

I love the fact he seems to really love us. Big 2-3 years for him, will go euro's if he carries on as he can't be ignored.

El Scorchio 12:35 Fri Jan 15
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Trevor B 12:29

That's the plus side. We know that as we watch the others every week, and it's good that they are all fairly under rated. Especially Lanzini. At least we've shown we can cope without Payet.

i-Ron 12:35 Fri Jan 15
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

Mike Oxsaw 12:20 Fri Jan 15

Fear of change. Some people freak out.

Mike Oxsaw 12:34 Fri Jan 15
Re: West Ham paying £10.7m for Dimitri Payet is the signing of the season

A strike force with a Y and a Z in their surname?

Where's Montieth? Right up his passage is that.

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