With everything else going on in his life just now, you can understand the relief for Lucas Paquetá of just getting back onto the pitch and doing his thing: An ankle injury sustained in training kept him out of two consecutive starts which, ironically, saw West Ham triumph away to Arsenal and at home to Leicester City.
With the FA enquiry due to start in the next week, the stakes couldn’t be higher for the Hammers’ number ten just now. Pushing for a lifetime ban if found guilty, the English authorities have spent well over a year preparing their case and the charges against Paqueta – charges which he strenuously denies.
The chance to just get out a play must have been a relief for Paq-man even though the had to wait until the 65th minute to make an appearance. His cheeky chip into Newcastle’s penalty box almost created a Bowen-won spot kick: West Ham’s dearth of attacking talent when Paquetá is on the sidelines is a worry for Potter and West Ham fans alike, with the outcome of his hearing very much up in the air.
Paquetá himself posted on his instagram account afterwards, showing his relief just to be on the pitch again.
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“Happy to be back. Glory be to God for that”
Enough said. Hopefully the Brazilian will be up for a more influential role in Saturdays’ trip to Goodison Park and is played in a more advanced position by Potter to address the criticism of last nights’ “defensive-minded defeat”.