Lucas Paqueta intervened to put an end to West Ham rumblings and provide some much-needed perspective.
With their strong start to the current Premier League season, West Ham has in many ways confounded expectations.
The team is in or near the top six after victories over Chelsea at home, Brighton, and Luton on the road, as well as a draw at Bournemouth that could and could have been a win.
West Ham is now in last place in their group after their victory in their Europa League debut.
But the disappointing 3-1 losses to Manchester City and Liverpool in the last two league games have slightly dampened the optimism about what this new-look Hammers team might accomplish.
Of course, there is no shame in losing to either of those teams. However, there is a perception that West Ham could have won, notably against Liverpool.
The outstanding start to the season has put an end to complaints that persisted from the previous campaign regarding David Moyes’ team selection, style of play, strategy, and replacements.
But in the last week or so, that has just begun to resurface among some West Ham supporters.
Some have criticized the strategy used at Anfield, especially in the second half when some fans felt Liverpool was there to be attacked defensively.
Others are frustrated by Moyes’ drip-feeding of Mohammed Kudus into the side and shifting of Lucas Paqueta out to the wing to accommodate a midfield three of Tomas Soucek, James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez.
So step forward our Brazilian magnifico to offer words of wisdom.
Because Paqueta spoke up, West Ham rumblings were stopped in their tracks, and some much-needed perspective was provided.
Paqueta says everyone associated with the club should be really encouraged by the manner they have played in losses to Man City and Liverpool, in what is a fairly uncommon interview with West Ham’s official website.
And he thinks his squad, which is changing quickly, has a lot to be happy about.
Paqueta expressed his frustration at the setback at Anfield, where he received a standing ovation from the home crowd for his brilliant performance. “The loss is annoying though because we did have chances to win the game, just like against City,” he remarked.
But we must maintain our confidence. We’re getting better, and we’re improving. We’re upset that we lost to Liverpool, but that shows how far we’ve come.
“In both games, we played well and had winning opportunities. Even though we lost, which is a normal occurrence in football, we showed growth in playing against big opponents and having opportunities to defeat them.
“Now it’s back to working out consistently so we can triumph in our upcoming challenge…
Despite the disappointment of the defeat, I believe we are all in good spirits. But as I have said, that’s an indication of how far we’re progressing, and we need to maintain that confidence.
“I believe the season has begun positively for us. We currently have 10 points despite playing Brighton, Chelsea, City, and Liverpool, four incredibly tough opponents.
“So I think it’s a good start, and we’ll keep working hard and keep the confidence in the camp high so we can keep on winning more points,” he said.
That dude said it well.
Our talisman provided some much-needed perspective. Given everything that is happening to him right now, it says a lot that he is acting as a leader both on and off the field.
When Sheffield United visits the city on Saturday, the Hammers will undoubtedly have faith in their ability to resume their winning ways.
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