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Replies - Newest Posts First ( Show In Chronological Order)
David L
2:50 Wed Mar 6
Re: Tomas Soucek
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RM10 - he's also one of the reasons we were in a 35 game relegation battle last season
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David L
2:49 Wed Mar 6
Re: Tomas Soucek
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Sorry W. No offence intended!
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RM10
12:33 Wed Mar 6
Re: Tomas Soucek
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He is one of the reasons we have achieved Europe 3 times.
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yngwies Cat
12:29 Wed Mar 6
Re: Tomas Soucek
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Thought he was going down the shitter, but hes been back to his best in last few games,. I like Tommy
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BillyJenningsBoots
7:27 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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He's made the clown 🤡 Crooks Team of the Week along with Zouma you couldnt make it up.... and he's missed Areola out for the Liverpool goalie... the guy continues to steal a living as well as a justified diversity spot at the BBC...
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JAC
4:28 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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Very average player who I would not have in a starting 11 but has proved himself a bit over the last few games.
Lets see more continuity and maybe then get a bit more excited for him.
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Willtell
3:12 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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David L
No need to be rude!
I hope we get better than Soucek too! However he has been playing well lately and you’re obviously too biased to notice…
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ludo21
2:54 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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Soucek's contribution on Saturday wasn't just the goal though was it? He also made a goal line clearance saving a certain goal... so that's effectively a two goal difference. Second half he played well.
His detractors fail to recognise his defensive contribution which is pretty immense most games, plenty of blocks and last ditch headers.
As we all know he has made a habit of being in the right place at the right time to grab an injury time winner.
While we have Paqueta, Kudus and Bowen in the side we don't need another flair player and Soucek has offered more recently than JWP and Philips.
Could we get a better player in his position? Yes, I'm sure he could be improved upon and yes, it can be frustrating when an attack breaks down if he misplaces a pass but there has been a lot less of that in recent weeks.
JWP is the player that I think we should try an alternative for. He hasn't yet scored from a direct free kick yet this season and while his corners are certainly useful Bowen can also deliver a decent corner and Kudus can take a decent freekick.
Dropping JWP would allow us to try a front three of Antonio, Kudus and Bowen with Paqueta just behind in the 10 role. The front three can rotate position with all three able to play central for spells to keep the opposition CBs guessing.
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David L
2:29 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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You as well, Willtell!
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David L
2:28 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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Yes we cant have someone fucking around doing nothing for 90 minutes in the hope he gets a goal in the 95th.Shame the childish fools on X can't see that, with all their Super Tom bollocks.
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Willtell
2:27 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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We have come a long way over the last few years when we think a 66 cap international that is our second highest goal scorer is not good enough for us…
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Rossal
2:05 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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He is one of the worst footballers in the league, but has this knack of popping up with goals.....and this season usually in the last minute
On the ball he is dreadful, off the ball offensively he never shows for it, never looks to link play. He is a large reason why our possession stats are so low. You can't be a top half premier league side and have a CM who has no interest in possession. We play with 10 when we have it, 11 when we don't simple as.
The finish at the weekend was sublime, i was right behind it.....that moment one of highlights of the season. But when you take a step back and analyse he was put into the 10 when JWP went off and he was fucking useless there. Didnt get on the ball, didnt have any goal or creative threat....coincided with Everton looking more likely to score last 20 mins or so
Then he pops up with a thundercunt into the top corner. He has had some great moments for us, but after his debut season never got close to those heights for me. Apart from Burnley or Sheff Utd is there any other team he gets in? That tells you all you need to know
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Stubbo
1:10 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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I think the 'distance he covers' as a major positive is a misnomer. It's largely headless chicken syndrome.
He spends large parts of the game chasing after the ball, 2 or 3 yards behind the play. This means that whilst he covers lots of ground, it's to no effective purpose.
A player who covers less distance but is quicker and anticipates better will be more effective.
IMO he's not remotely a 'defensive midfielder', and trying to make him do that is when he's at his worst, as he doesn't do much anticipating/positioning for interceptions, he's slow over 10 yards to get to the man on the ball, he doesn't distribute very well, and he doesn't carry the ball very well. Basically all the things a DM needs to be good at (and that makes Alvarez so good).
He's an old fashioned number 8 from the days of 2 in midfield, where one was more 'playmaker' and one was the guy that relentlessly ran from box to box to box, dealing with 'direct' balls at both ends of the park, arriving late to try and score, or throwing themselves in front of things to block defensively, but not offering much quality in the spaces in between.
He's way better alongside Alvarez than alongside Rice, given Alvarez sits and lets Tomas revert to the box to box role. JWP then pushes in front where he's (slightly) better at closing down than Tomas....although I'd say other than his (JWP) "dead ball prowess" which at least from corners, is no better than Bowen for me, he's starting to look a bit like end-of-career Mark Noble, when Moyes stuck Noble in the number 10 role to find a space for him in the side where he might be useful at times, but couldn't be a problem otherwise. I like his attitude, but he will get few direct freekicks in our side, and I actually think by the end of next season we're (trying) to move him on again.
Clearly if we had signed a meanginful upgrade at left forward, JWP should have been benched with Paqueta moving inside to 10, which would give us more ball retention, more physicality, more creativity, more threat, and more aerial prowess....basically more of everything.
But it didn't happen. Anyway...back to Soucek...he's a bit David Platt for me (all be it different physically)...only really noticeable when in our box or their box, anonymous most of the game, can't be faulted for effort and when he scores a goal/puts a great block in you say love the guy, but for the run of 5 games where he doesn't, you wonder why he's out there.
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Willtell
12:20 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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I'm not a particular fan of Soucek. I think the criticism of him stems from when he was demotivated by being underpaid. He went several games hardly touching the ball and should have been dropped last season when he let everyone know that he felt demotivated.
I feel he's one of those players that does so much unseen stuff. His natural position is Defensive Midfield and he puts a huge shift in and often covers much greater distances than any one else so clearly doesn't lack mobility.
He pops up with goals and has 9 in all games so far this season. He clears balls off our line, and blocks shots around our penalty area. He clearly has been instructed to get forward for areola's kicks upfield. He lacks some ball skills but he's a rock of a player that teammates and managers love. He's captain of Czech Republic and has scored 12 goals from 66games for them.
I think he's been quite an asset for WH...
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Sir Alf
11:38 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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Willtell, no need to be sorry, youre opinion is different and I am willing to be wrong. I hope Soucek will now maintain his improved performances, improved passing and involvement. For me, he is not the longer term answer in a team that wants to play thru midfield and out from the back due to a natural lack of pace and technique but recently the latter has improved. At the moment though, a Moyes team has not played a possession based game so Soucek is better suited to the tactics. And if he can score every few games there is a case for accepting his deficiences just like we would a forward who does little but score goals.
I will bake a humble pie ready for consumption. Lets see how he goes for the next few games and rest of the season and then I will gladly take a large slice. :-). As Dale Carnegie once said, “if you get something wrong admit it and admit it emphatically” but we are only 2 games into Soucek’s revival and a fair few more games needed to see if this is a permanent thing imo.
Would agree or thinking that JWP is currently moreof an issue. Got an assist last game but seems to he on the periphery of games too much. Phillips may well take his place as a starter ?
Longer term, still work required in improving midfield but like everything will come down to who is manager or preferably coach next season
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Stubbo
10:52 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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Thought he looked better once Ward Prowse went off. Personally don't think we can operate effectively with both Soucek and JWP in the same side as they both lack the mobility/pace to keep up with play when we're out of possession.
Balance looked much better once Phillips was on. As for Soucek himself. He's ok. Great attitude, decent eye for goal. He's Marmite and is the footballing embodiment of Moyes really. Don't think he lasts under a new manager for long, but will be an ever present whilst Moyes remains.
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Willtell
10:35 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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Sorry Sir Alf but I disagree with your fixed view completely. Soucek has had 2 really good games for us where we have won both and started as a DM alongside Alvarez. And he scored a late winner against Everton after looking quite accomplished on the ball in both games.
I agree he deserved to be dropped last season where he looked completely demotivated. He isn't a Paqueta but a team of Paquetas would win nothing. You need someone to win the ball in both areas and clear balls off the line all of which he does regularly. And he's our second highest goal scorer to Bowen.
You need to stop having a fixed opinion on a player that deserved criticism in the past but is currently one of our better players.
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Sir Alf
2:26 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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In a Moyes team that does not dominate possession he fits quite well with his effort and contributions in both boxes.
But if we ever want to start dominating teams for possession and playing though the middle, he’s not a good fit at all. Far too slow and poor technically on the ball egen though he deserves credit last 2 games as he has been a lot better and not guilty of wasting it as had been the case for much of the last 18 months. In summary and IMHO he would and should not be a starter in a team that wants to dominate possession so his future is likely tied firmly to whether Moyes stays or not
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Massive Attack
1:34 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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Doesn't get the credit he deserves a lot of the time. He aint just a glorified Lamp Post a la Fellaini. He actually has the ability to show skill and coolness in front of goal with his expert timed runs in to the box. He was badly hampered last season with pandering to Rice need to get forward more to Souceks detriment.
Sure, his passing game a lot of the time is woeful but for me that isn't his game. He breaks play up very well as his primary role which us often overlooked too easily.
Coupled with the quality eye for goal, breaking up play and a bang on attitude to boot Bondseque always prepared to put his body on the line, makes for an archetypal West Ham player that excites. Even with warts n all like the poor passing at times.
I for one have and always will fuckjng love our Super Tom.
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The Fonz
12:05 Tue Mar 5
Re: Tomas Soucek
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Charoo 4:48 Mon Mar 4
Dreadful, terrible footballer?
Bit OTT.
Not as technically gifted as some players we have had over the years but he is a good, effective player who has a knack of scoring important goals from the midfield which is something we missed before he came in.
He was a big part of why we stayed up when Moyes came in, captains his country, leads by example, is always fit, scored an absolute beauty this weekend, an equaliser against spurs and THAT goal against Sevilla.
Far from being a dreadful terrible footballer.
Put some respect on his name.
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chim chim cha boo
10:56 Mon Mar 4
Re: Tomas Soucek
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If he can keep the form up he's shown in the last couple of games he's good enough for me. Same with Coufal who looked great, particularly against Brentford with his little back-heels, flicks and tricks adding to his industry.
Moyes dropping Tom for a game obviously woke him up a bit. As it was, Moyes's excuse for picking him week after week, that the team lack height without him, wore us all a little thin.
The lovely goal he scored up at Everton reminded us that he's more than just a rolling bollard and I hope it's the catalyst for better things from him.
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