You did not need to be a natural-born soothsayer to see Lucas Paqueta’s red card coming, his ‘ridiculous’ sending off exacerbating West Ham United’s worries during an insipid 2-0 home defeat by Premier League champions Liverpool.
Rob Green, the former Hammers goalkeeper, said it best.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s ‘passive’ tactics had already gifted Arne Slot the easiest-possible route back into form at the London Stadium. West Ham United barely laid a glove on their crisis-hit opponents.
The home side could not have asked for a better chance to end their four-year wait for a win over Liverpool. A chance they surrendured in the most pathetically spineless, yellow-bellied way imaginable.
And as Lucas Paqueta yapped and whinged his way into the stupidest Premier League sending off since, well, Idrissa Gueye slapped Michael Keane a few days earlier, any lingering hope the hosts had regarding a late fightback went out the window.
West Ham were dreadful, almost to a man. Alphonse Areola was needed to keep the scoreline relatively respectable on a day in which Jarrod Bowen’s goal drought extended beyond a seventh match, in which Callum Wilson barely had a kick, and in which Soungoutou Magassa never even threatened to justify his inclusion.
But if Bowen and Wilson could blame Nuno’s tactics – completely isolated throughout – there would be no excusing Paqueta’s behaviour.
Lucas Paqueta sent off for West Ham United
Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images
Rob Green slams Lucas Paqueta after West Ham United lose to Liverpool
Like a toddler throwing a tantrum after being told he can’t have any more ice cream, Lucas Paqueta just would not shut up. Two quickfire yellow cards, each for dissent.
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
Referee Darren England even appeared reluctant to put his hand in his pocket but, after the Brazilian returned to yap some more against the advice of his increasingly-exasperated teammates, he had no choice but to hand Paqueta a rubber duck and start the bath running.
“It is completely irresponsible,” a baffled Green said during Sky Sports’ live coverage. “[Paqueta] may as well try and deflect the blame onto the referee but he’s going to keep on going and going, and he needs someone to take him away because he’s lost his head.
How should West Ham discipline Lucas Paqueta?
“He has not helped the team for the next eight minutes, or for the next game. It’s ridiculous. Ridiculous behaviour. He can’t help himself.
“Just get him down the tunnel, get him away from any of the officials! West Ham, with their passive play, have helped Liverpool get back on tack, and that has helped them even more.
“He’s a real talisman but just has a knack of losing his head at times. Just a really ridiculous situation.”
The former AC Milan ace has now accumulated more yellow cards this season – seven in just 12 appearances – than he has goals and assists combined.
“I don’t know what he’s doing,” agreed former Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison, speaking on BBC Sport. “If you’re not happy with the decision, he’s not going to change his mind.
“Darren England hasn’t had the best game but Paqueta wouldn’t give it up. He kept going and going, even his international teammate Alisson said ‘stop’!
“You can’t keep going over and goading the referee. You’ve let your team down. It’s ridiculous.”
Nuno Espirito Santo under fire as Arne Slot gifted an easy win
To think, Nuno welcomed Lucas Paqueta back against Liverpool having lost him to suspension for the 2-2 draw at AFC Bournemouth eight days previously. Now, the Hammers boss will have to do without one of his star players yet again when they travel to Old Trafford to face Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United on Thursday.
Who was West Ham’s stand-out performer against Liverpool?
“The problem with Bowen is he’s got absolutely nothing ahead of him,” Green added, feeling that Nuno’s lowest of low blocks stunted West Ham’s potential as an attacking force against a Liverpool side gifted an escape route from the depths of rock bottom.
“It’s almost like [West Ham are playing with] a flat back-six!
“It has felt like a training game from the get-go. When you go 1-0 down and Liverpool are getting more and more confident, you’ve got to raise the crowd, raise yourselves. You’ve got to do something!”
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox