David Moyes suggests West Ham star Tomas Soucek is making it impossible to drop him despite grumbles over style of play
David Moyes has suggested West Ham star Tomas Soucek is making it impossible to drop him despite grumbles over the style of play.
We’ve got our Tomas Soucek back and West Ham are certainly feeling the benefit.
So too is his manager David Moyes who would be under severe pressure right now were it not for his towering midfielder’s last gasp goalscoring heroics in back-to-back wins over Forest and Burnley.
Super Tom has returned to the kind of deadly scoring form which attracted interest from the likes of Bayern Munich and Juventus after his first full season with West Ham.
And it comes as a result of being freed from the shackles of playing alongside Declan Rice, who was given licence to roam in the last two seasons.
The big Czech had found himself being questioned by some Hammers fans. He was even ludicrously jeered off against Crystal Palace during one dismal run of defeats this time last year.
Many feel Soucek’s lack of ability on the ball is hampering West Ham in terms of the style of play and approach.
When West Ham were going through a dip in form recently, Soucek was a scapegoat for much of the criticism for some.
There are supporters who feel Soucek should be the one to make way when Moyes is trying to fit Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus, James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez and Jarrod Bowen all into the same starting XI.
But no Hammers fan in their right mind could accuse Soucek of hindering his team so far this season.
It seems the manager is aware of the issues in getting his midfield functioning more fluidly and the question marks over where Soucek fits into that.
But Moyes has suggested West Ham star Soucek is making it impossible to drop him despite grumbles over the style of play.
“Tomas has done great and he’s you know… (Moyes takes a deep inhalation of breath), it’s difficult because we’re trying to get the right blend to the team and get the right players in,” Moyes told West Ham TV.
“But we’re also trying to get the players who we think are in form into the team and playing in form.
“And Tomas is certainly in form. If it’s the goals you’re talking about I think he might have five or six this season already so that alone is a really good starting point (for him and to justify his place).
“I thought when he got that chance (against Burnley) he took it like somebody who is in a confident mode of scoring. Look he’s doing great.”
There has been some real slander about Soucek from some quarters.
And it is great to see him proving his doubters wrong and those who pointed out he was being hampered by Moyes’ decision to pander to Rice, right.
