Surprisingly, the article in question is NOT about West Ham’s exciting trio of game changers Mateus Fernandes, Crysencio Summerville or Jarrod Bowen: Whilst Nuno will be hopeful of all being available and enabling him to put out an attack-focussed side tonight, a report today highlights the contribution of one Hammer – Nuno’s “shining light” – who did ‘t even start in the cup game against Leeds.
The dailymail.co.uk identifies the Hammers’ stalwart who has become front and centre in West Ham’s plans to survive relegation. “The former Nottingham Forest manager has formed a close bond with Tomas Soucek which is driving West Ham’s great escape from the drop’ writes the newspaper, suggesting at the same time that West Ham will try and rekindle their peak performance that saw them draw against Manchester City :
“It was in the 1-1 draw at Manchester City last month that the solidity and security was revealed at its best, in the performances of French centre half Axel Disasi, brought in on loan from Chelsea, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Jean-Clair Todibo..
‘Soucek’s performance was the one which stuck in the mind in for days afterwards.
Soucek looking to reignite the inner superman from the Man City game
The Czech covered more distance that night than any player of the Etihad pitch bar Rodri.’
“His capacity for taking up attacking positions from midfield was why David Moyes loved his game and saw a lot of Tim Cahill in him. But in the elemental fight that this Premier League season has become, we have seen Soucek operating as a number 6, dropping in among the centre backs yet controlling West Ham’s football, too. A shining light.”
Missing from the FA Cup quarter final starting eleven, it seems a nailed-on certainty that Soucek will be anchoring West Ham’s midfield in the must-win wolves game tonight. Number six again, probably, leaving Mateus Fernandes with more license to roam as the Hammers go in search of a massive three points.