WHZ View: Soucek the super Czech who is driving West Ham to Europe
Tomas Soucek has been the driving force behind the development of West Ham under David Moyes this season.
The Czech international joined the Hammers on an initial loan deal from Slavia Prague in January 2020. After scoring three times in the run-in, and helping us beat the drop, Soucek was signed on a permanent deal for £19million.
During the 2020/21 campaign, he’s come on leaps and bounds. Soucek is currently our top goalscorer, with eight, and has developed an outstanding partnership with the skipper Declan Rice.
When you actually look into his background as a player, it’s no real surprise to see him lead the charge in our change of fortune this season. Whilst playing for his boyhood club, Soucek has won plenty of silverware, he’s used to glory.
A serial winner
He played an instrumental role in Slavia Prague’s league and cup double win in the 2017/18 season. That year, he played 34 league games and scored 13 times. He played in two cup games and bagged three.
Including the European competition, he played 49 matches in the season and scored 18 goals, an excellent return. After his impressive campaign, Soucek was named the Czech Footballer of the Year for 2019. The two trophies he lifted added to the league and cup he had won in 2017 and 2018.
Before making his switch to east London, Soucek was playing in the Champions League with Prague. The midfielder led his side to a goalless draw at the Nou Camp to Barcelona captained by Lionel Messi, and a 1-1 draw at the San Siro with Inter.
The midfielder has since made a seamless move to the English game. He played a pivotal role in our survival after the restart in June. In the last 13 matches, he worked tirelessly every game and bagged three goals. After our safety was sealed, and his transfer was confirmed, Soucek was named awarded the Czech Golden Ball, as voted for by Czech sports journalists.
Since the restart in June, West Ham have collected 57 points from the 33 matches contested, and are now seen as serious challengers for Europe. Without his goals this season, we’d be nine points worse off and outside of the top ten.
Speaking to West Ham ahead of the clash with Leeds, he said: “I spoke with the guys, with my teammates, and we want to be in this position at the start of the (international) break and after the break.”
It’s very reassuring to hear him speak in this way and sums him up really. He’s never satisfied and is always pushing us to do more. Against Manchester United in the FA Cup, we were hit by injuries to Ogbonna and Yarmolenko during the game and had to change shape. Rice claimed on talkSPORT that Soucek ran 17km in that match.
He demonstrated his attitude further in the 2-1 victory over Spurs. Soucek had a nasty head clash with Sanchez, one that required him to leave the pitch for immediate stitching. Moyes waited for the five or six minutes for him to come back out and continue playing rather than make a sub, which is a huge compliment to him in itself.
Soucek is a warrior, a born winner, and an engine all in one. He’s a modern-day hero at West Ham, and we hope to see him wear claret and blue for a very long time. We honestly don’t think we’d be in the position we are now without him.
In other West Ham news, here are three key areas in which the upcoming clash with Leeds can be decided.