15th November 2025 Daniel Luker (@danielluker_)
By Conor Hogan
West Ham midfielder Tomáš Souček has been in fine form this month.
The Czech skipper has been at the heart of the Hammers’ two most recent wins against Newcastle and Burnley, coming on as a substitute and scoring in both games.
Souček also scored the only goal in his country’s victory over San Marino last night, meaning he now has three goals in his last three matches. His form begs the question: should he start in the Hammers’ next game away at Bournemouth on November 22?
Before this recent spell of form, Souček had started the season poorly — like most in Claret and Blue — with performances in a disjointed midfield against Brentford and Leeds particularly difficult for Hammers fans to watch.
But he now appears to be back to his best. He has taken on a striker’s role in recent matches when coming off the bench, and he has been surprisingly effective when used up top.
However, it is highly unlikely that West Ham’s No. 28 will be the Irons’ starting striker going forward. When fit, Callum Wilson should occupy that role, and Souček is more naturally suited to midfield.
The midfield trio of Freddie Potts, Mateus Fernandes and Lucas Paquetá has been central to the Hammers’ recent upturn in form, and it would be harsh to drop any of them for the next game.
However, after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Burnley, Paquetá is suspended, which could open the door for Souček to start against the Cherries next weekend.
With Potts sitting behind them, Souček and Fernandes could alternate the “8” and “10” roles in midfield — both are effective in defence and attack and could complement each other nicely.
That’s not to say Souček couldn’t also feature as a striker when Callum Wilson inevitably runs out of steam during the game. Soungoutou Magassa could slot into midfield, pushing the Czech further forward — but with the potential return of Niclas Füllkrug after injury, Nuno may be tempted to make a like-for-like swap in that scenario.
Ultimately, I expect Souček to start in midfield at Bournemouth — and if he keeps up this excellent run of form, he may well rediscover his place in the starting XI for the rest of the year.