Billy Bonds would have ‘really hated’ Lucas Paqueta incident in West Ham loss – Alan Pardew
Alan Pardew claims West Ham legend Billy Bonds would have been dead against the behaviour that saw Lucas Paqueta sent off against Liverpool.
West ham were beaten 2-0 at home by Liverpool on Sunday afternoon after the news that the Hammers’ record appearance maker and former manager had passed away.
Paqueta was sent off by Darren England for two bookings in quick succession at the London Stadium, after a nothing foul by Niclas Fullkrug on Dominik Szoboszlai near the half-way line.
The Brazilian was initially shown a yellow for dissent after the free kick was given, but then after repeatedly berating the referee despite teammates trying to intervene he was given a second and dismissed.
Following the game he then posted a message on social media hitting back at criticism and blaming the lack of “psychological support from the federation” in the wake of the betting probe he has been subject to over the past couple of years.
Pardew dismisses Paqueta’s red-card excuse
Paqueta was cleared of spot fixing charges in August two years after he was accused of picking up deliberate bookings, sparking an investigation which derailed an expected move to Man City.
Since then Paqueta has still been sanctioned by the FA anyway over a lack of co-operation during the process, but former West Ham boss Pardew says none of that is any excuse for his behaviour at the London Stadium, suggesting the late Bonds would not have been pleased.
Speaking live on talkSPORT Pardew said: “He’s put a quote out tonight sort of leaning on the lack of protection that he’s had over that gambling, is an issue for his frustration.
“But it’s no excuse for him to do that in my opinion. It was ridiculous what he did today.
“And on the back of the memory of Billy Bonds, of all people, who would have really hated that situation happening.”
Paqueta needs West Ham exit
Two things can be true at once and if Paqueta hasn’t been adequately supported by the club or the players’ union then that is a major failing when he has clearly been through a nightmare experience.
At the same time Nuno Espirito Santo can’t rely on him if the 28-year-old is liable to lose his temper like that, at a time when the scoreline was at 1-0 and the game was still in the balance.
So there is plenty of blame to go around and if Paqueta’s evidently affected by what he has been through he surely needs to move to new surroundings sooner rather than later.
The problem for both him and the club is that the collective has regressed to such a degree in the past two years that losing one of their best players at this stage could make relegation a genuine concern.
Equally, the £85 million that was being mooted for Paqueta to head to the Etihad at the time the gambling investigation came to light will have gone out the window, and City as a destination is likely off the table.
So the situation is clearly very delicate but if West Ham could ever get their recruitment in order it might be better all round to give Paqueta an escape route if it presents itself in the next couple of windows.
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