Tomas Soucek proves Julen Lopetegui right after what West Ham United ace did for Czechia
West Ham United ace Tomas Soucek has proven Julen Lopetegui right after his performance for Czechia in their 1-1 Nations League draw against Ukraine on Monday (14 October).
Czechia now find themselves at the top of their Nations League table, one point ahead of second-placed Georgia.
Soucek starred on the international stage once again and proved that Lopetegui’s choice to continue starting the midfielder is a worthwhile cause.
Tomas Soucek needs to carry his international form over to West Ham United
Lopetegui has stuck by the Czechia international on numerous occasions this term and started him in five of the Hammers’ seven Premier League games thus far.
His form for West Ham hasn’t been the best at times with fans calling for the midfielder to be axed from the starting XI.
However, Lopetegui has stuck to his beliefs and continued to start the midfielder and, if he can manage to carry his international form over to the domestic level, the Spaniard will be able to say ‘I told you so’.
As per Sofascore, Soucek played the full 90 minutes of the clash, had 78 touches of the ball and also ended the game with a pass accuracy of 85 per cent.
He also attempted six long balls throughout the game with just one going off course. Although his attacking prowess shone throughout the game, his defensive performance was arguably even better.
Soucek attempted 10 ground duels in the game and won seven of them, the 31-year-old also found himself fairly dominant in the air.
The midfielder attempted nine aerial duels and won eight, these are both near-perfect records and are likely just one of the many reasons Lopetegui has chosen to stick by him for so long.
Soucek also managed six clearances, two blocked shots, four interceptions and three tackles throughout the clash, further showcasing his defensive dominance.
Although Guido Rodriguez was brought in over the summer [Fabrizio Romano, 6 August] to bolster the Hammers’ midfield ranks, it feels as if Soucek could perhaps be a better option, especially if he can carry over this level of form.
Soucek proved Lopetegui right in this international break and his summer decision to fight for his place in West Ham’s squad [GiveMeSport, 19 August] has seemingly pulled off.
In other West Ham news, Vladimir Coufal has been lauded after his international performance for Czechia.
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