If West Ham United playmaker Manuel Lanzini was once the club’s little jewel, now he is just a cubic zirconia.
West Ham fans have fond memories of the fearless Lanzini who used to terrify opposition defences.
When the Argentine first arrived at West Ham on a season-long loan in 2015, he was so good the Hammers signed him permanently for £10million the moment the January window permitted them to do so.
Four and a half years on, aged 26, the midfielder should be entering his prime. But instead Lanzini looks a busted flush.
As is so typical of the club’s player recruitment and player retention processes under David Sullivan and David Gold, very little logic was applied when handing out a bumper £100,000 per week long-term deal to Lanzini this season (whufc.com).
Illogical West Ham only have themselves to blame
And in many respects West Ham only have themselves to blame.
Why the club would see fit to dish out a new four-year deal – with the option to make it SIX no less – to a player who had a career-threatening knee injury, has proved to be injury-prone and has showed no signs of recovering his best form, is anyone’s guess.
That is a commitment of just under £21million in wages alone.
Lanzini is undoubtedly one of the most talented players at West Ham. But he hasn’t been showing it, or anything close to it.
In mitigation, serious injury decimated last season. But big things were expected this campaign.
His form, though, has been terrible. Gone are the days the agile, pacy little star drops deep nicking the ball and launching counter attacks with his quick acceleration and skill.
Sparkling little jewel that lost its shine
It has been so long since West Ham fans have seen that Lanzini, many could be forgiven for failing to recall his Hammers heydays.
Now it is not too harsh to say, Lanzini is just downright lazy and totally ineffective.
And when West Ham have needed him most, Lanzini has been found wanting.
Many fans feel the bumper new deal – which effectively sets him up for life regardless of what else he does from here on in – has taken that hunger and desire out of Lanzini’s game.
Others believe his confidence is shattered.
David Moyes is the man that matters most at West Ham, though, and he continues to show unwavering faith in Lanzini (Football London).
West Ham fans do not share Moyes’s sentiments. They cheered and jeered as the diminutive playmaker was substituted following yet another inauspicious display against Liverpool last time out.
Lazy? Loss of confidence? The statistics don’t lie, Manu is ready for the pawn shop
A look at the statistics suggests Lanzini never truly earned his lofty acclaim in the first place.
He was at his best in that Farewell Boleyn season playing alongside the mercurial Dimitri Payet. But who wasn’t? The sumptuous mix of passion, genius and emotion provided by Slaven Bilic, Payet and that magical Upton Park invigorated and inspired everyone in that West Ham side.
Perhaps the most damning evidence comes from a look at the cold, hard facts. And they tell us that in 128 games for the Hammers he has scored just 21 goals and has only been named man of the match on nine occasions.
With just one goal and two assists since August 2018, Lanzini is still dining out on his decent statistics from his debut season.
Yes injuries have played a part. But there are no excuses for the kind of performances he has produced, particularly of late when he has received such unequivocal backing from Moyes.
The likes of Liverpool and Juventus were being linked with £30million moves for Lanzini less than two years ago (The Mirror).
The little jewel has lost his sparkle. Now he is ready for the pawn shop and West Ham would be lucky to recoup their £10m outlay.
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