David Moyes delivered a four-word response when asked about playing Lucas Paqueta in the deeper role for West Ham.
The Scot mixed things up for the Hammers’ clash with Brentford at the London Stadium last night.
Moyes dropped Tomas Soucek, Thilo Kehrer and Michail Antonio for the huge Premier League game and switch up his tactics.
He started with a 5-2-3 or a 3-4-3, whichever way you want to look at it. In addition to that, Lucas Paqueta was moved from the number 10 position into a deeper role alongside Declan Rice in the middle of the park.
Moyes brought the Brazilian star to West Ham from Lyon for around £51 million in the summer (The Times). Unfortunately for him, and us, he has failed to hit the ground running. Many have suggested that that is because he hasn’t been playing in his favoured no.8 role – the one that he excels in for Brazil.
However, is Moyes prepared give him more time in that role to show what he can do?
Moyes responds to Paqueta deeper role question
The Hammers boss addressed the media last night, after our 2-0 defeat to Brentford in the Premier League.
Moyes responded when asked whether he will persist with Lucas Paqueta in the deeper role alongside Declan Rice, as quoted by Football.London:
Yes, I probably am.
Paqueta certainly has a bit of tenacity about him with plenty of quality to boot, but he needs to get up to speed with Premier League football, and fast.
The thing is, it’s all well and good him playing as an 8 for Brazil – a possession based team, with the likes of Casemiro, Neymar and Vinicius Junior supporting him.
It could be argued that Paqueta is completely unsuited to that role in the Premier League though. He has absolutely no time on the ball and is often caught out in possession.
Perhaps a free role as a number 10 for West Ham would be better for him in future.
Moyes is clearly keen to persist with Paqueta in the deeper role though. Let’s just hope that he manages to acclimatise to the ferocious pace of Premier League football.
If he doesn’t he could end up being a big flop in England, and nobody wants to see that.
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