Lucas Paqueta has spoken out to explain his below par performance against Spurs and confirms reports about West Ham.
West Ham will be waking up this morning feeling they could and probably should have beaten bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
The Hammers put in a good display overall as they fought back from conceding to Tottenham’s first attack.
Captain Kurt Zouma answered the manager’s call for him and other senior West Ham stars to show some leadership following the Newcastle debacle at the weekend.
Good reason for below par Paqueta performance
He headed home from Jarrod Bowen’s corner to earn West Ham a point.
Michail Antonio and Bowen missed gilt-edged chances to win it.
But playmaker Lucas Paqueta unusually out of sorts throughout.
The Brazilian magnifico repeatedly gave the ball away to Tottenham in dangerous positions.
And when Paqueta had the ball in and around Spurs’ box he was uncharacteristically wasteful too.
There was a good reason, though, it seems.
West Ham’s Brazilian star struck by illness before Spurs
Paqueta has explained his below par performance against Spurs and confirms reports about West Ham.
Yesterday we reported that a top source close to the owners had told Hammers News there was sickness in the Hammer camp ahead of the Tottenham clash.
The source told us it was being left to the last minute to see if those affected could be passed fit to play.
And Paqueta says he was one of them.
We were all sick as dogs after that Newcastle collapse.
‘Pain all over my body’
But West Ham’s talisman has revealed he’s actually been ill since the trip to St James’ Park.
“After two really bad nights with fever and pain all over my body, we were on the field trying to do our best again!” Paqueta said on his Instagram.
“An effort for the group, for the fans and for the love I have for playing football!
“Important point in the derby and let’s move on.
“Glory to God always.”
It’s hard to shake that niggling feeling we could and should have got one over on Spurs again last night.
Three points would have been massive for us in the race for a European spot too.
But overall a draw may have been a fair result.
And it means West Ham have taken four points off Ange Postecoglou’s side this season.
If West Ham want to make Europe, though, beating Wolves this weekend is a must.
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