Alan Brazil slams West Ham star who would have got a ‘slap’ in past for what he did under Nuno
West Ham are looking nailed-on for relegation under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the London Stadium has left the Hammers sitting seven points adrift of safety.
With games against Tottenham, Chelsea, Man United, and Liverpool all to come before the start of March, West Ham’s 14-year stay in the top flight is in a precarious position.
Nuno is now under huge pressure, and despite only winning two matches out of 16, some of the blame must fall on the players.
Alan Brazil didn’t hold back on Lucas Paqueta‘s performances this season, especially when the Brazil international was shown a red card in West Ham’s 2-0 defeat against Liverpool on 30 November.
Alan Brazil has had enough of Lucas Paqueta’s performances for West Ham
Paqueta was sent off in the 84th minute against Liverpool for complaining to the referee after making a foul, talking his way into two yellow cards in quick succession.
Speaking on talkSPORT on 7 January, Brazil claimed that Paqueta’s attitude in that match was particularly poor.
He said: “I mean, look at Paqueta for a start. A few games ago, that was just ludicrous.
“Getting sent off, he didn’t want to be on the pitch. In the older days, someone would have given him a slap.”
| Season | Appearances | Yellow cards | Red cards |
| 2022-23 | 28 | 5 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 31 | 10 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 33 | 10 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 18 | 5 | 1 |
Former West Ham captain James Collins added: “He would have got pinned up against the wall a few years ago.”
Against Forest, Paqueta was substituted after 63 minutes, and Nuno clearly doesn’t place much faith in the midfielder at this moment in time.
However, since joining from Lyon in 2022, the 28-year-old has been a part of some unforgettable moments at West Ham.
He played a vital part in the 2023 Europa Conference League win, making 11 appearances and registering five goal contributions in the tournament.
However, he has gone missing on several occasions this season, and his poor discipline hasn’t helped his side in the slightest in certain key matches.
The Brazilian midfielder was also suspended for the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth on 22 November, and it’s clear he hasn’t been fully focused on helping the Hammers avoid relegation.
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Speculation over Lucas Paqueta’s future hasn’t helped his performances
Paqueta could leave West Ham in January, with both Aston Villa and Brazilian side Flamengo both in the mix.
Although a move looks unlikely to materialise with the Hammers in desperate need of their talisman to rediscover his form, it’s not the first time the Brazilian’s performances have dipped when there’s been speculation over his future.
The 28-year-old was strongly linked with a move to Man City in 2023, but after being the subject of an FA investigation due to betting offences, the move was called off.
He’s certainly had a turbulent spell in E20, but his quality on the ball is undeniable at times.
However, with the Hammers in need of a miracle to avoid dropping down to the Championship, he needs to ignore all the noise and step up under Nuno.
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