Chris Sutton claims £19m West Ham player has got so much worse this season

By Sam Preston

Chris Sutton thinks Tomas Soucek is among a host of West Ham players who have not been at their best this season.

On the BBC’s Monday Night Club, Sutton picked out six members of David Moyes’ Hammers squad who can do better than they currently are.

Among them were £19 million man Soucek, who has slipped well below his former standards this term, with Flynn Downes unlucky not to get more gametime in the Premier League.

The Hammers slipped into the Premier League relegation zone after losing 2-0 to bitter rivals Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.

Chris Sutton says Tomas Soucek has been a ‘shadow’ of the player this season

Sutton said of West Ham: “This season they have spent a fortune. Lucas Paqueta, Brazilian international. Gianluca Scamacca, Italian centre forward – both haven’t fired.

“Then you ally that with Jarrod Bowen, he hasn’t been the same player this season. Michail Antonio hasn’t been at it.

“Think of Tomas Soucek, when he first came to the Premier League, he looks a shadow of his former self. Declan Rice isn’t on top of his game.

“There are issues with the centre-halves, which is where I have great sympathy with David Moyes at this moment in time. I think Aguerd got injured early and he has improved them a little bit.”

West Ham have so far stuck with Moyes after they backed him in the transfer market during the summer on the back of their run to the Europa League semi-finals last season.

Every other club genuinely in the relegation battle have changed boss, with varied success, as Leeds and Southampton’s searches have dragged on.

Moyes’ tactics are not pretty and that has always grated with the fans, even during the good times, and the Scot needs to prove he can keep them out of trouble.

The Times report Moyes could pay with his job if West Ham lose to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, in another huge relegation six-pointer.