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Eerie Descent 1:25 Mon Jan 16
Soucek Watch

Vs Wolves

12 attempted passes, 8 completed, 67% completion

0 (ZERO) tackles

ted fenton 1:45 Mon Jan 16
Re: Soucek Watch

God not one tackle !!

Yet Moyes still plays him,

Eerie Descent 1:57 Mon Jan 16
Re: Soucek Watch

Some people on here agree with Moyes on that, Ted!

Sir Alf 8:02 Mon Jan 16
Re: Soucek Watch

I was annoyingly asking about this stat on Saturday as I heard it was only 9 or 10 touches of the ball. I apologise, I did him an injustice , he touched it 12 times ;-)

Fvck me it’s staggering ineptitude or blindness from Moyes and the coaching staff. I have been boring in about the whole bizarre , equally shocking treatment of Downes who has never started a Premiership game in his proper defensive midfield position.

There are no words to describe the insanity of our manager, coaches and owners.

Look out for a future book and film entitled “The madness of Coach David” in a year or two

andyd12345 8:07 Mon Jan 16
Re: Soucek Watch

We’re literally playing with 10 men.

I remember saying to my dad in the Brentford home game that Paqueta touched the ball more times in the first 35 seconds against Brentford than Souchek did in 90 minutes against Arsenal

cambsiron 8:40 Mon Jan 16
Re: Soucek Watch

Moyes is generally quite good at dropping people that aren't cutting it (sometimes takes him a while) e.g. Kehrer recently but the Soucek situation is beyond baffing. Basically most league one midfielders would offer us more than he does.

Charoo 9:40 Mon Jan 16
Re: Soucek Watch

Played 60 mins, so one touch every 5 mins.

I’ve been saying how shit he is for nearly 2 seasons, apparently most people were saying he was just tired last season and needed a rest.

Bullshit - he’s just fucking awful.

I don’t question his attitude as I don’t think he’s a bad lad just very short on ability and has no pace.

Sir Alf 10:21 Mon Jan 16
Re: Soucek Watch

Charoo I do remember you’re skepticism and doubts with regards Soucek. Unfortunately too many “Score board fans” only see the goals he was heading in from corners and crosses but ignoring the pace and technical issues which teams now target.

I just I wished we knew someone that could the situation with Downes. Is he smoking a joint during training and generally taking it easy or has he let Moyes know he ain’t happy because Moyes, like with Benny, reluctant to give praise. When he did after the conference games he put him in an advanced midfield position out on the right ? WTF ?

Full Claret Jacket 10:36 Mon Jan 16
Re: Soucek Watch

People have short memories, he was a huge part of our success when he arrived and for the first season here. His athletic ability, timing of runs and aerial ability were top notch. Granted never a great passer and playmaker but got about the pitch closing down, intercepting and winning the ball.
I do think he has been getting worse for a good few months. Was unlucky not to score in some games early this season but his influence has dropped right off. He is under pressure, making mistakes and looks way off the level of fitness he was. Not sure what has happened physically but mentally he is struggling too.

Moyes seems intent on trying to play him out of his slump but all it is doing is making it worse. We have others who can play there and do the basics well enough. Maybe a change in formation can cover the gaps in ability.

It does piss me off a bit when fans jump all over a player who is playing badly and call them crap constantly. Like Antonio, Cresswell etc. ,he has done a decent job in the past but cant be picked to start matches on this form. He seems a decent bloke. Maybe his time here is up and he needs a fresh challenge, maybe he just needs an extended rest to sort himself out. Maybe if the team as a while starts showing some form then his form will also pick up. Absolute shitshow at the moment.

Eerie Descent 11:45 Mon Jan 16
Re: Soucek Watch

Short memories? You need to have a fantastic memory to remember the last time Soucek had a good game.

You're being sentimental, I don't give a fuck how good he was 3 years ago, his form for over a year now has been dreadful.

Fans don't just suddenly 'jump all over a player', when someone performs as badly as him for such a sustained period of time, you can't get away from it. And this is a West Ham football messageboard, you'll get honest opinions, if you want everyone to be a happy clappy cunt not criticising anyone, google kumb.

eusebiovic 12:10 Tue Jan 17
Re: Soucek Watch

I don't actually think Soucek is as bad as he has suggested over the past 12 months.

At Slavia Prague he played as a deep anchorman in a 3 man midfield and by all accounts did very well indeed in a brutal champions league group where they came up against Barca, Dortmund and Inter Milan.

He is not the most naturally gifted footballer but I'm pretty sure it's about giving him a clearly defined task and role which he can stick to.

I think Moyes is a bit laissez faire at the small details...

nychammer 12:34 Tue Jan 17
Re: Soucek Watch

Many players are one season wonders then just drop off a cliff. Can think of many over the years. If there is no sign he's going to rediscover that form of 3years ago then for one certainly do NOT persist in playing him week in and week out for starters, and if you cant work it out on the training ground then ship him out

SurfaceAgentX2Zero 12:45 Tue Jan 17
Re: Soucek Watch

It won't be a popular opinion, but Soucek has been sacrificed by Moyes on the altar of the sacred Declan.

Since they essentially switched roles Soucek has become complete shit and Rice has become a bit shit (at least, compared to what he was)

Full Claret Jacket 12:49 Tue Jan 17
Re: Soucek Watch

Eerie, Soucek has mostly been a 6 out of ten guy up to end of last season which is pretty average. Its only been this season where his game has totally fallen apart but so has the whole teams. None of them have turned up ‐ Star man Rice included who has been awful since the World Cup in particular.
I am in agreement with most people that on current form Soucek shouldn't be picked to start. We need somebody to bring some life and grit to the midfield and hopefully lift others in the side. The fact he keeps getting picked is a Moyes issue as he is ignoring everything most of us can see.

Eerie Descent 12:33 Tue Jan 17
Re: Soucek Watch

Jacket, a lot of us could see this back in September, you were one of the most vocal saying he had to stay in the team, and it'd be madness to drop him.

He is Moyes' Roberto. Don't get me wrong, I think we have a lot more problems now than we did back then, but not dropping Soucek for Downes has to go down as one of the most consistently bizarre decisions I've ever seen at the club.

dealcanvey 2:52 Tue Jan 17
Re: Soucek Watch

Surface

The last 2/3 games Soucek has been playing further up with Rice sitting back and he has still been shocking.

master 3:33 Tue Jan 17
Re: Soucek Watch

Soucek has been pushed further forward.
Basically Moyes watched Paqueta at the world cup and realised he was a deeper midfielder. He didn't know that before. Just like not knowing where Kehrer could play.
Moyes tweek after 6 weeks of world cup break was to try and turn soucek into Fellani.

He's a one dimensional dinosaur.

Northern Sold 3:35 Tue Jan 17
Re: Soucek Watch

The Czech Kevin NOLAN

the exile 3:39 Tue Jan 17
Re: Soucek Watch

I don't buy any of this bollocks about how it's all, or even partly, down to a tactical switch with Rice. Can't see any evidence for it. Having said that, I have a lot of questions about Soucek but no answers.

This stat of 12 touches against Wolves is truly shocking and I wonder if it's all down to him or whether his teammates are deliberately bypassing him because they know he's a liability.

Is it just a drop in form or to what extent is it that other teams have worked him out, and if so, what is it that they're doing to affect his game?

Does anyone know how his running stats are holding up? In his first year we used to regularly hear that he was running further than anyone else on the pitch.

Why does he rarely win a header these days? He hasn't shrunk!

Is he as bad when playing for the Czech Republic as he is for us?

I also can't help wondering if he has any self-awareness and knows that he has turned to shit.

Sir Alf 3:49 Tue Jan 17
Re: Soucek Watch

I’m still trying to get my head around why Downes just has not been tried.

Moyes doesn’t rate him because he doesn’t impress or try in training? ( Moyes said early on he needed to see more from Downes in training to show he was ready to start even conference games, any game)
He’s “one for the future” whatever that implies? Harks back to Moyes not rating him despite standout performances in the conference league.
Moyes thinks he’s just the same type of player as Soucek or Rice but not as good? So cannot play Downes and Rice ? Doesn’t make sense of course because until England played Rice as the holding midfielder in the WC, Moyes wanted Rice to contribute more further forward.
He thinks Downes is limited to just playing short balls and recycling it ? Well Soucek can’t even do that?
He was not a Moyes find and acquisition so he ain’t gonna give him a chance because he’s so insecure that someone else might be better at recruitment?
Downes has called him a “stupid Scottish cvnt”?

I can only think it’s one or both of the last two scenarios ?


Baffling, bizarre, insane.

RoyalDocksGK 4:18 Tue Jan 17
Re: Soucek Watch

Downes hasn't been tried simply down to it being a Sullivan signing. That's it. He's impressed every time I've seen him and that sweaty can't stand it that he's a good player who he didn't want.

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