Paulo Fonseca understands that there is more to football that winning.
“Sometimes, things are too serious,” explains a coach who strives to put the ‘beautiful’ in the ‘beautiful game’, via the Ligue 1 website.
“Sometimes, you need to also make the people smile. I take pleasure in my profession.”
Smiles have certainly been in short supply at West Ham United this season. Despite a recent upturn in form – two wins and a draw with Arsenal in their last four Premier League games – this is not a campaign Hammers supporters will look back on with a great deal of fondness. A team who overachieved throughout much of David Moyes’ second spell now doing precisely the opposite.
Lucas Paqueta struggling under David Moyes at West Ham United
If one player sums up West Ham’s decline, from European challengers to relegation battlers, it is arguably Lucas Paqueta; a highly-talented footballer resembling a pale imitation of his former self at the heart of Moyes’ midfield.
“I’ll be honest, we brought him for eight to ten goals. For eight to ten assists,” Moyes told Football London in February. “The fact is, yeah, we hoped he would get us goals or add assists.”
So far, in 32 games, Paqueta has only two goals and three assists to his name. A measly four ‘goal contributions’ in the Premier League. When West Ham signed Brazil’s first-choice number ten from Lyon for a fee of £36 million, far better was expected.
Though the West Ham boss has always been more comfortable working with workhorses than wizards. There is a reason why Felipe Anderson and Sebastien Haller were discarded at the London Stadium. In favour of, say, Pablo Fornals and Michail Antonio.
Even during a hugely successful two seasons under the former Everton boss, West Ham picked up points through perspiration more than inspiration. Paqueta is not afraid to do the dirty work. His ball-winning numbers are actually very impressive. But asking Moyes to get the best out of Brazil’s number ten is like expecting Richard Hammond to guide a Formula 1 car around the Monaco Grand Prix.
David Moyes out, Paulo Fonseca in?
But reports from The Guardian suggesting that Brendan Rodgers, Graham Potter and Paulo Fonseca are the early frontrunners to replace the veteran Scot – Moyes unlikely to still be at the helm for when 2023/24 kicks off – suggest better days are on the way for Paqueta.
The aforementioned Fonseca, according to France legend Thierry Henry, is proving himself to be an ‘extraordinary’ coach across the Channel at Lille.
Throughout his managerial career, taking in spells at Roma, Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk, the Portuguese tactician has averaged 1.7 goals per game. For Moyes, in contrast, that average stands at 1.4.
Only Monaco, Marseille and PSG have scored more in Ligue 1 than Fonseca’s Lille this term too. Jonathan David has already broken the 20 goal barrier. The outstanding form of ex-Manchester United whizzkid Angel Gomes in the ‘number ten’ role, meanwhile, suggests that Fonseca would make a concerted effort to get Paqueta performing in his best position again. Perhaps building a side around West Ham’s most naturally-talented player.
“We have changed tactically, with the new coach and new ideas,” Gomes explains. “What (Fonseca) asks of the team suits me well. Obviously, also the confidence that the coach has given me.
“He also gave me an opportunity in positions that other managers didn’t imagine for me because of my physique. It’s about opportunities and confidence to be able to show what I’m capable of doing.”
If Fonseca could coax these kinds of performances out of Gomes, imagine what he could do with a man who often starts as Brazil’s go-to playmaker on international duty.
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