FROM the moment Lucas Paquetá’s name was absent from the team sheet for the FA cup tie against QPR, most astute fans and observers suggested something was up. Fair enough that youngster Mateus Fernandes (more on him later) -was given a breather – for the record, the young midfielder is carrying a knock but expected to recover for the Spurs game.
Paquetá’s mid- season attempt to force an exit from London -for that is what it is, (Jacob Steinberg in the Guardian calls it out) is creating a wave of disquiet amongst West Ham supporters who feel the club has stood by him for the last two years, enduring tantrums and tears from their £150,000 a week superstar whilst often receiving precious little in return.
Claret and Hugh Readers’ comments:
Lawrence: “Let him go he is a liability and he had checked out a long time ago.”
Nelly: “To be honest he’s been an absolute lemon of a purchase. The last year he has fallen off a cliff form wise. Sell him on, the team are carrying him”
Morty: “I’d bite their hand off for £34m. Does this mean JWP comes back as creative midfielder and captain 😊⚒️⚒️”
Jason Parker: “Sell him , hasn’t been at his best for a few seasons, plays when he wants, doesn’t give enough in games, not the player he was when he first arrived, ⚒️ stood by him during his charges and he wants to go ?
Ted Fenton: “I was expecting this today after he wasn’t in the squad at the weekend. Might as well let him go to Brazil as we are virtually down now. Not his fault that we have had 3 years of mismanagement and continued to buy second rate players. I think he has been a joy to watch for most of the time he has been with us. I am confident he will be one of the stand out players at the World Cup where he won’t be playing with second rate players”
Was always going to end in tears: Lucas Paqueta’s Hammers career
And as Steinberg himself points out:
“West Ham are disappointed with Paquetá’s determination to leave given that they supported him during the investigation. However, the player has struggled to contain his emotions and boiled over during a 2-0 defeat by Liverpool in November. Paquetá picked up a ludicrous red card when he received two bookings in quick succession for dissent. He later accused the FA of not providing him psychological support.
A consideration for West Ham is whether they can reinvest a fee for Paquetá in their unbalanced squad this month”
£35 million buys a couple of young centre backs. And in case you didn’t know it, Mateus Fernandes has played in central and attacking midfield roles for both Southampton and his u21 Portugal international side. So no fear that the maverick Brazilian is irreplaceable.
What a club legend LUCAS THEQUITTA, da da da da da da da da da QUITTA
If rumours are true Chelsea and Spuds have entered the bidding, Spuds allegedly with a £50m bid… while am not sure if any of that is true it is being reported and if it is good, I don’t have a problem selling him to Spuds for £50m then they can deal with him being useless most games, like Kudus will start well and then revert to type.
I’m really not surprised to read that Paqueta is trying to force a move. It’s been evident for some time that there has been player disruption within the squad, and it appears Paqueta is at the centre of it. Once he’s gone, we may well find our squad is much more of a team.
Not particularly that fussed about him wanting out or forcing an exit. I’m more pleased we’re getting shot of him. Fernandes is a much better all rounder, doesn’t give the ball away nearly half as much and distributes much quicker rather than holding possession and trying / failing to shield the ball and losing it like Paqueta did several times per match. Aside from all of that, look at our general decline over the past few seasons. From a high of our season that included Lingard and qualified for the Europa in 2021 to the relegation threatened seasons of 22/23, 24/25, 25/26
With the disappointing 10th place (52 pts) of 23/24. From the moment of hia including to our midfield we’ve been progressively sluggish and wasteful. He gets undue credit from pretty much all punditry, god knows why ? Just for being Brazilian it seems. Absolute car crash of a signing.
Take the money and run get him out of the club. Don’t like his antics on the pitch embarrassing what he does. I am mystified why people keep saying Earthy is the answer. As I have said before playing u21s football to the premiership is a massive jump in class. Summerville has struggled to perform in premiership and he was a star in the championship and that is a far better standard
Get Rid of him he disrespected the memory of Billy Bonds, made it about him.Lanzini was better and more consistent came back from a terrible injury and still turned up every time he played ⚒
Exactly how good is Pacqueta anyway? Ask yourself a simple question, Who would you rather watch, Trevor Brooking or Alan Devonshire in their prime, or this overrated waste of space.? In my humble opinion, I would take either of them over him in a heartbeat..
If his home team want him that much fee should be £40m.
Not sure if there’s any recall on Earthy loan and would be want to come back?
Two full backs for £35m could be a bit short.
Already bid £16m for Tiago Gabriel but it would take £21.5m to get him. 6ft 5ins c/bk.
Rave reviews about this guy and at 21 could have good resale value if needed.
This extra £5m makes him look good value keep losing players due to lo-balling bids.
Pac-man decision wasn’t overnight could have given whu courtesy and told them prior to transfer period starting.
Continually being associated with aged c/bk, Dier and ex Spurs player presumably because they are cheap and nobody else available. Scouts not doing their job or Sullivan.
For the fee we paid and his wages to be lied to after the club stuck with him. To be remembered for one pass in the conference final, to watch his antics in diving and rolling and playing one good game in every eight. No he was a waste of money and I am tired of his petulant little face and childish antics. Let him go, if the club has any sense they will either recall George Earthy or give him
a new contract as soon as he comes back from loan. He is a far better alternative.
The fee is reported to be £26m, puts a somewhat different complexion on matters.
For me it’s squeeze every penny out of the club that wants to buy him and sell. He hasn’t been great since his bookings scandal raised it’s head. Surely the club must have known something was in the wind but still sent Earthy out on loan. Crazy situation. It’s no good trying to keep him, he won’t play at 100% because he wants to leave and that’s not what the team needs at the moment
Another example of poor judgement by Numo . .
He’s nailed his flag to Paqueta , . playing him as a false 9 which we could all see was ridiculous .
Does he actually talk to his players ?
Paqueta , Wilson – 2 examples of a lack of any contact with players ….. he’s got a reputation for it .
Paqueta is a transfer that never worked( sure he put the pass to Bowen but it was hardly a 40 yard spiting through ball !
He was played on the left wing , no 10 , false 9 …
His actuall position is a no 8 but he gives the ball away far too easily to play ther in the premier league !
Oh and apparently he’s a Spurs Fan too !!
Kudos , Fulkreg , Paqueta are not team players in my view….
Along with Tobipdo , who never really looks like he’s putting a shift in or will go for a true 50/50
We need to rebuild and this is the very start of it
A joy to watch when on form but a liability when not. Unfortunately he has been off form for a season or two. Yes let him go now he will only throw another fit when playing for us or get another red card.
We should ? be able to use the money to find players who actually want to play for us.
I don’t agree we are down we have pulled our selves out of the s–t before we just need the right players.
We should return a profit on book price on Paqueta. He’s amortised to a book value of about £15.5m so anything he realises above that will show as a profit on the books.
He’s not done much for a long time, I suspect that Fernandes will do more and the money realised is likely to be spent given current circumstances.
To be fair I will always remember him for that wonderful pass for Bowen to score late winner in Conference League Final. After that the odd glimpse of star quality and plenty of giveaway passes leading to goals for the opposition.
The FA should hang their heads in shame over the betting issue especially as we still wait for verdict on Man City 115 financial irregularities!!