Hammers’ Peter Crouch Clone

Tall, gangly, crashing into defenders and scoring sometimes irritating, sometimes brilliant goals at often crucial moments. Thus was the infuriatingly effective Peter Crouch who popped up like a footballing windmill of arms and legs whether for Liverpool or later for Stoke City to score against our seemingly helpless defences.

Tomas Soucek seems to be remodelled in the Peter Crouch style now, being a little less tall and gangly but just as effective. In his first season with West Ham he notched 10 goals in 38 appearances and won the Hammer Of The Year award.

Seemingly rejuvenated, repositioned, repurposed and refuelled for 2024, Tomas has always given 100% but became the object of criticism from fans – me included – when he was switched to a defensive midfield role after his first season to allow Declan Rice to roam forward.

Tomas is many things but a secure defensive midfielder he is not. A creative passer he is not. And a ball carrying box-to-box Patrick Viera he isn’t either.

What he is – is seemingly reborn under Lopetegui. Effectively a number 10, lurking outside the penalty box and running in late, often unmarked- exactly as his debut Hammers season. Full credit to our head coach for re-programming him.

When the team sheets were announced we as onlookers did not appreciate his new purpose – and the expectation and criticism came as we thought we saw Soucek-shaped gaps in our midfield through which we were exploited.

Soucek may be wearing ’28’ but he is playing ’10’ and if he lives upto the Peter Crouch playbook, there’s plenty more good, bad and ugly goals on the way this season.

Lopetegui now has to put the final jigsaw piece in place to complete the midfield without him: Alvarez’ return should make this much easier and allow ‘Tornado Tom’ the freedom to remain upfield and do what he is best at, clattering into the ‘box and who knows, developing a role with Niclas Fullkrug:  In effect, two forwards, Hammers fans!  Something else I am looking forward to this season.