Southampton ‘can’t cope’ with West Ham ace Manuel Lanzini in 1st half – Martin Keown
Manuel Lanzini was causing all sorts of problems for Southampton as West Ham took the game to their hosts in the first half of their FA Cup tie.
The Argentine was floating around in the number 10 role as David Moyes changed his trusted 4-2-3-1 formation to a 3-5-2 to surprise Ralph Hasenhuttl.
The Saints couldn’t cope with the slick passing and movement of the Irons in the first half as the rowdy travelling fans created all the atmosphere at St. Mary’s.
BBC commentator Martin Keown loved what he saw from Lanzini and the rest of the Hammers in the first half as they toiled with their opposition.
“Wonderful move from West Ham, slick passing. It comes through to Soucek but he scuffs at it. It was a great opportunity,” Keown said on the BBC Red Button commentary.
Southampton can’t cope with Lanzini, he’s playing through the lines.”
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The change in formation has worked wonders so far for Moyes and West Ham with Pablo Fornals looking like he’s played at wing-back all his life.
He and Lanzini have linked together on countless occasions and Kyle Walker-Peters has no idea what to do at right-back for the Saints.
It has also allowed Michail Antonio a strike partner for the first time in what seems like forever with Jarrod Bowen leading the line with the Jamaican.
Ben Johnson was just as free as Fornals on the other flank and the solid five of Kurt Zouma, Craig Dawson, Issa Diop, Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek was very hard to break down.
Moyes would be smart to persist with this system at times as it could reap very beneficial rewards for the club going forward.
In other West Ham news, this Championship teenager is on the Irons’ radar for a summer transfer window swoop.
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