Let me say first and foremost this is not being written on the back of Tomas Soucek’s own goal last night as I believe some lazy defending down the right wing eventually led to the unfortunate attempted clearance.
But despite that – and I don’t believe it will happen on Sunday against Liverpool – I am starting to him what last season would have been unthinkable: Is it time to drop the brilliant Czech.
Having asked the question my answer would immediately be a no but like some before me I believe an issue has developed in the way we play which is affecting his game.
Yes, he has played a lot of football and maybe weary but it’s no coincidence in my view that he is yet to score a goal at a time when Declan is roaring through from the back at times and has scored two for us and one for England.
It was a point made early last month by David Moyes when he admitted after the Brentford defeat that Soucek is struggling to play his natural game due to Rice’s new role (Football.London).
Hammers News added at the time that some fans have put it down to fatigue but added: ‘There is much more to the malaise than that. It’s not just the fact the goals have dried up, Soucek has looked like a fish out of water at times.’
That’s correct. Declan is now effectively taking – or has taken over – the role which last season’s Hammer of the Year adopted so effectively.
He eventually finished up with 14 goals in all games – an amazing number as an defensive midfielder. Will Declan do the same?
The real answer has to be found by the gaffer who was the first to identify the problem – obviously we can’t have two brilliant defensive midfielders racing from the back although Tomas has always adopted a more stealthy approach.
If we are to see the Czech return to his best Moysie needs to find a solution to the problem he identified.
Yes Hugh it looks like the issues go hand in hand; there is little doubt he is fatigued, which seems to affect his dynamic stamina in bursts rather than overall – he is running enough but less effectively. At the same time, Dec has come forward more – but hopefully they could share that ‘ one go one stay’ with practise. Hoping that with good timing Tomas will be back to deadly in the box, where he is missing final power imp.
Perhaps it is time to start testing a 4-3-3 formarion with Dec, Soucek and Kral/Noble in the middle and Bowen/Benrahma/Antonio in front? Lanzini and Fornals could swap for a CM to change back to regular formarion. Both Dec and Soucek would have attacking freedom with Kral/Nobes sitting behind. It would however leave us exposed on the flanks…
I’m sure it’s fatigue. Tomas Soucek played more minutes than anyone last season – a season that started late and still managed to finish in May. Then there was the Euros, in which he played a full role for the Czechs. West Ham have had a full-on season and so far we’ve played ten league games, two EFL cup ties and four matches in the Europa League. Moyes has not selected him for every one, but then it’s been the same with most of the squad. After Sunday, there’s yet another international break, in which Tomas has already featured regularly as captain. The remainder of November and December continues to be two games a week. That’s a lot of football. Tomas is arguably the fittest player in our squad, but it’s clear he needs a rest.
Apart from goals imho there is little wrong with Soucek’s play apart from others perception of his tiredness, he is in the top 10 in Europe on power rankings number 7 The only one of our squad in that list and possibly the only one in Europe not in one of the big clubs. He gets through immense amounts of work every game and doesn’t need to be dropped, I trust Moyes to know whats best and he is miles better than any of our alternative options.
I wonder why Moyes mentioned this issue then?
We have several players who are looking somewhat jaded, Soucek amongst others have earned a rest. I raised this same point towards the end of last season too.
I wonder if Kral had been available would Soucek have even featured yesterday?
Very unfortunate own goal, but until our left sided players improve their defensive tactics it’ll continue to cost us more points!
You can’t drop Soucek. Apart from his lack of goals his stats and all-round play are still up there with the best. Declan has obviously discussed with Moyes the possibility of pushing forward more this season and to keep our star player happy, Moyes has obviously told him to crack on whilst informing Soucek to stay back. I would love to know what Declan makes of it as he must realise that Souceks lack of goals is down to his own desire to push forward more. I would say as long as the teams performances remain at a high level, we keep winning and the players are happy, why change anything?
I do think Souchek’s looking a little tired and it’s not surprising given the nuber of games he’s played in the last 12 months. Hopefully Kral can be rotated in now he’s available to give Souchek and/or Rice a rest and reduce the chance of either getting fatigue-related injuries. But even at 75%, Souchek is one hell of a team player. We are so lucky to have them both at the same time. The only defensively-minded midfielders in claret and blue that bear comparison in my opinion are Scott Parker and, of course, Bonzo.
Their goals have generally come in different ways. Rice is a dynamo who’s taken to surging forward towards goal with fabulous effect. Souchek’s goals last season were at set pieces or from him arriving in the box late in open play without being picked up. This season he’s a marked man at set pieces but that gives more opportunities for others to get their head on the ball. Maybe he’s not arriving late in the box so much due to being a little jaded and maybe because Declan is already forward so Tomos is sitting back a bit more. Declan has added goals to his game and was deservedly compared on C & H to the great Bryan Robson. In my opinion, Declan and Tomos are better than Kante at his bet and, as a pair, worthy of comparison to Viera and Petit (as I’ve said on here many times). As far as Roy Keane, I’d take Declan or any of the players mentioned above over him every time. COYI.