Vasco da Gama: things are not getting better for Dimitri Payet…

Dimitri Payet will have to react. A flagship recruit of Vasco da Gama’s last summer transfer window, the Frenchman was welcomed like a king by a club playing for its survival in the first division. Eager to discover a new challenge nearly 9,000 km from Marseille, the Reunionese is doing everything to integrate into his new environment. But if the Carioca club is only three points from the first non-relegation place (Cruzeiro) thanks to its success yesterday against Cuiaba (2-0), the Payet case is starting to be talked about more and more.

Author of his first goal with Vasco on October 19, the former Phocaean was already starting to be singled out at the beginning of October. Expected as a hero, Payet only had one assist at that time and his lack of physical impact was striking. Today, nothing has really changed. The Frenchman remains stuck with a goal and an offering. Worse, he once again lost his starting status after three days (from the 27th to the 29th) spent in Ramon Diaz’s starting lineup.

Payet is no longer the holder

For the match against Cuiaba, one of the hot topics in the Brazilian press was how Diaz was going to replace Pablo Vegetti, the Vasco star striker suspended after receiving a red card against Goias (1-1). For many, the idea of playing Payet in false 9 predominated. “I think today it’s the only position he can play”launched on Globoesporte, consultant Luciano Mello. For his part, ESPN Brazil even went so far as to retrieve the statistics of number 10 at OM, when Jorge Sampaoli played him in this position (9 goals, 6 assists) to explain that this option was worth trying.

General classification Serie A (Brazil)

#	Team	Pts	J	DIF	G	NOT	D	BP	B.C.
10	Sao Paulo	42	31	1	11	9	11	36	35
11	Cuiabá	40	31	-3	11	7	13	31	34
12	Corinthians	40	31	0	9	13	9	37	37
13	International	39	31	-3	10	9	12	36	39
14	Bahia	37	31	-4	10	7	14	38	42
15	Santos	37	31	-19	10	7	14	36	55
16	Cruzeiro	37	30	3	9	10	11	28	25
17	Vasco	34	31	-10	9	7	15	32	42
18	Goias	32	31	-14	7	11	13	32	46
19	Coritiba	23	31	-31	6	5	20	35	66

See the full ranking

In the end, Payet mainly felt the sidelines and had to wait until the hour mark to appear on the pitch at the Arena Pantanal. Ramon Diaz preferred to start the meeting with the Gabriel Pec-Erick Marcus duo and these two proved him right. This precious success obtained without an XXL contribution from his star recruit has perked up Vasco. But for some, this risks making Payet’s task a little more complicated. To be continued.