Moyes has to solve the Soucek problem

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.