West Ham boss David Moyes has dropped a monumental Lucas Paqueta update that could be bad news for Arsenal.
There has not been much to shout about for West Ham fans since that memorable 2-0 win at Arsenal just before the turn of the year.
The Hammers have played six games since that victory over the Gunners but are yet to win in 2024.
Now West Ham are gearing up to face Arsenal and Declan Rice again at the London Stadium this weekend, desperately hoping for a third win over them this season.
On recent form, West Ham’s chances look bleak.
David Moyes has admitted his side lacks balance and creativity without the injured Lucas Paqueta.
And that was evident again in the 3-0 defeat to Man United.
Meanwhile Arsenal beat Liverpool 3-1 ahead of the clash with West Ham.
But there may well be some welcome good news for the Hammers.
Because West Ham boss Moyes has dropped a monumental Paqueta update that could be bad news for Arsenal.
The Scot admitted he is struggling to find the answers to his Paqueta problem.
But he hopes the solution is just around the corner – in the shape of the Brazilian magnifico himself.
Speaking after the defeat to Man United, Moyes revealed Paqueta could be back for the game against Arsenal.
“We’re looking for a solution, we’ve not been in the best of form probably for a month,” Moyes said in his post match press conference.
“But if you look at our form up until January before players went in the African Nations or before we picked up the injuries to Paqueta (the form was good).
“In this month or so we’ve been fighting to get the right balance around the team… we’re a wee bit lacking the structure we want. But we’re trying our hardest to get a team out that can get us results…
“You know we’re hoping that Paqueta is only a week or two away so you might not be talking about it (the team’s imbalance) in two weeks’ time, you might be talking ‘we’ve got Paqueta back and things look a lot better’ and we’ve got a lot more selection choices.”
Even just having Paqueta back in the squad for the Arsenal game would be a massive lift for everyone.
West Ham lack any real guile without him.
It would be somewhat ironic if West Ham’s star man does make it back for the Gunners clash. It was against Arsenal at the Emirates that he pulled up with the issue in the warm-up.
Paqueta started the game but had to come off injured. He was then cleared to play in the Bristol City cup game a week or so later and set up West Ham’s goal before aggravating the issue and being out ever since.
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