Dmitri Payet: West Ham star reveals secret to his free-kick brilliance

It's probably not what you think

West Ham United and France star Dmitri Payet has revealed the secret to his great success from free-kicks.

The 29-year-old has scored 12 goals and added 10 assists in a brilliant first season in east London that has seen the Hammers on the brink of challenging for the Champions League.

Along with his brilliant performances has been a number of outstanding free-kicks, the latest against Crystal Palace last weekend.

It was the fourth free-kick the former Marseille midfielder has scored for West Ham this season - the others came against Bournemouth, Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United - as well as another brilliant strike he scored for France.

Payet has already become a cult figure at Upton Park and has now spoken about his success.

His improbable secret is that he's stopped practising.

"I worked very hard on taking them earlier in the season up until the Bournemouth game when I scored," Payet told West Ham TV. "Since that game I have not been practising as I have been happy with the way I am hitting the ball so I am carrying on with that technique and now I just take a few before each game when I am warming up."

Payet, bought for £10.7million in the summer, is in the running for the Premier League Player of the Year and said he believes he's enjoying the "best season" of his career.

"I would say that I have been consistent and I have carried on my form from Marseille last season,"

"My maturity has helped me see things differently at the age of 29 and this has been the best season of my career so far."