Matthew Etherington rips into West Ham and Dimitri Payet

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The former happy is far from happy with what he has seen from his former side and their leading star this season.

Former West Ham United star Matthew Etherington has told Reuters, as quoted by the Daily Mail, that the club’s players are not giving 100%, and used the example of last season’s hero Dimitri Payet to sum up their woes.

The Hammers have endured a dreadful start to the campaign, and to life in their new London Stadium home.

Ahead of the weekend’s action they sit just one point and one place outside the relegation zone, the result of losing eight and winning just three of their first 14 Premier League games.

Though the relocation has been used as a key excuse for their failings, the fact of the matter is that too many of last season’s stars have simply not performed well enough on a consistent basis.

Payet was shortlisted for the PFA Player of the Year award last term at the end of his first season in England after his dazzling form led the Irons to finish seventh.

This season, however, he has been a shadow of his former self, scoring just once in the league, and though he has also registered five assists, he has too often drifted through games without making any real telling impact.

Etherington has certainly not been impressed with what he has seen from the France international, and used the midfielder as an example of why the club have struggled so badly.

The former winger told Reuters, via the Mail: “There are a lot of players at the club who are out of form and don’t seem to be putting in 100 percent. When the team go behind then there are too many heads that are dropping. Not enough players are standing up and trying to get hold of the game and make a difference for their side.

“Payet has been worrying in the last few games, his body language for a start. I know he is still creating chances for the team but in the game away to Manchester United in the EFL Cup and at home to Arsenal last weekend, Payet looked like he didn’t want to be on the pitch.”

“The manager has got to do his job now and get a tune out of Payet. He needs to get him back into the form he was in last season because then West Ham won’t have any problems whatsoever.”

West Ham fans will be hoping that Bilic does indeed find a way to get the best out of the Frenchman.

The club needs a spark – any spark – to kickstart their campaign and begin climbing the table before they get embroiled in a furious relegation battle.