West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta came under scrutiny from football pundit Jermaine Jenas following his lackluster display in a crucial game against Aston Villa, writes the TBR. Despite Paqueta’s exceptional contributions to West Ham’s season, his performance left much to be desired in this particular match.
Speaking on the BBC’s Match of the Day 2, Jenas couldn’t hide his disappointment, noting that Paqueta appeared to be merely strolling around the pitch without the fervor expected in a pivotal game. Jenas acknowledged Paqueta’s brilliance throughout the season but believed that this was an off-day for the Brazilian.
Jenas expressed his concerns, saying, “Paqueta here, I mean what a player he is, he’s been brilliant for West Ham. But you can’t do this…for me, he just strolled around today. He looked like he was in one of those moods where if you get me the ball I might do something special, if not, then, you know, you get that side of me.”
While West Ham faced an overall frustrating day, manager David Moyes is unlikely to tolerate such an attitude. The team faces a mid-week trip to Greece to confront Olympiacos, offering an opportunity for a stronger performance. Notably, Jarrod Bowen managed to find the net during the match, even if luck played a significant role.
As West Ham navigates the season, Bowen might be considering a central striker role, especially considering the recent struggles of both Michail Antonio and Danny Ings. Although Antonio continues to contribute positively, Ings appears to be falling out of favor.
Despite potential concerns following Gianluca Scamacca’s goal against England last week, West Ham maintains a well-equipped squad for success. However, Jermaine Jenas emphasized that West Ham cannot afford too many more lackluster displays from players like Lucas Paqueta, particularly in crucial encounters like the one at Villa Park.