West Ham currently sits fifth on the Premier League table, off to a strong start with three wins through five matches.
One of the keys to the Hammers’ success has been Dimitri Payet, who has scored three goals since coming to Upton Park from Marseille over the summer.
Payet scored both marks in West Ham’s 2-0 win over Newcastle on Monday, and has been pulling the strings for an attack that is tied for the league lead with 11 goals.
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Despite his great play as of late, Payet was left off of France’s roster over the recent international break, and the attacking midfielder seems to be a bit confused as to why.
Speaking to French news outlet Canal, Payet said he was unsure as to what France’s manager Didier Deschamps is looking for when he determines his squad.He (Deschamps) spoke to me the last two times that the squad assembled, that he wanted more from me, in the way I played for the national team.
Honestly, I am struggling to understand what he is really asking of me.
For me, it has been maybe a year now that I have been giving my all and I am probably in the best form of my career. I don’t know what more he wants. Of course, I can always do better, but on the overall idea, I struggle to understand it.
Payet has made 15 appearances for the national side, originally called up in 2010 under Laurent Blanc. However, after featuring in a few friendlies under Deschamps last season while at Marseille, was left out of the most recent squad.
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While playing at Marseille in 2014-15, Payet led Ligue 1 with 16 assists, and his form has clearly carried over to West Ham. With EURO 2016 being held in France next summer, he is certainly eager to cement a spot in the roster to represent his country in front of a home crowd, and deserves a chance to prove himself throughout the season.
However, with a French midfield stacked with the likes of Paul Pogba, Mathieu Valbuena and Blaise Matuidi, that’s easier said than done.