West Ham United coach stunned by ‘Scary’ Lucas Paqueta after injury news
West Ham United coach Mark Robson has heaped praise onto Lucas Paqueta, admitting that he simply blows your mind when watching him.
The Brazilian is one of the first names on David Moyes’ teamsheet, if not the first, having shot into life at the London Stadium since arriving from Lyon in August 2022.
West Ham have felt the blow of Paqueta’s injury, with the Brazilian potentially out for up to two months after being forced off in the FA Cup against Bristol City.
“He’s different class, he blows your mind at times,” Robson said on West Ham’s official podcast, Iron Cast, on Tuesday (16 January).
“He’s not coachable. He’s a real flair player and he’s probably the first to say that he’s probably given it away too cheaply.
“But the times he gives it away too cheaply, there are other times when he’s your best creator and he creates things out of nothing and some of the things he does are scary.
“If you look at him, he has a right go. Yes, there are times when he can’t get there because he’s maybe out of position, but actually his work ethic has been superb.”
Missing character in the squad
It is no wonder why Paqueta is drawing attention from the likes of Manchester City, with his displays in the Premier League and the Europa League.
He played a vital role in West Ham winning the Europa Conference League last season, their first trophy in almost 50 years, and helping the club to survive relegation at the same time. The box-to-box midfielder scored five goals and registered seven assists across 41 appearances in all competitions.
But to understand the Brazilian’s brilliance, you must look beyond his stats and watch him grace the field. His ability to push his team forward is impeccable, while his stepover to trick the opponent is second to none.
The Hammers have absolutely missed his presence since sustaining his calf injury against Bristol City in the FA Cup Third Round. That, accompanied by an injury to Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus away on international duty, Moyes’ squad have been struggling to perform to the same standards.
However, just six points behind fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham have a real shot at breaking into the top four this season, all while looking to lift back-to-back European trophies with the Europa League up next.
Fans will currently be praying for Paqueta to return from his injury earlier than expected, as he is one of the driving forces leading West Ham to so much success over the past couple of seasons.
In other West Ham news, Hammers willing to pay £40m to sign Premier League outcast this month.