T[omáš Souček](https://www.claretandhugh.info/tomas-soucek-bio/) is a great guy, has scored some crucial goals, and his commitment to West Ham can’t be questioned. But sentiment shouldn’t cloud reality — for the good of the team, it’s time to move him on.
Some fans point to his goals and argue he’s a match-winner. But that’s **lazy analysis**. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll see why Souček has become part of the problem in our midfield.
Here are the hard facts from the 2024/25 season:
* **Distance covered:** He jogged **140km**, more than any Premier League player. Lots of stamina, yes — but jogging isn’t defending.
* **Passing stats:** Only **73.8% pass completion** overall, and just **79.6% on short passes**. That’s worse than **98% of Premier League midfielders**. You can’t win games if you can’t reliably pass the ball.
* **Pace issues:** Among the **five slowest outfield players** in the league, clocking just **29.4 km/h**. Compare that with **Matheus Nunes** at **36.7 km/h** — a huge gap when trying to defend or launch fast attacks.
Yes, he chipped in with **nine goals last season**, but how many opportunities did his lack of pace, poor tackling, and weak passing cost us?
The solution is simple: **either cash in now** or **change his role**. Keep him **out of midfield** and instead deploy him **as a late-game second striker**, where his aerial threat and finishing can be used without exposing his flaws.
Lovely bloke, loyal Hammer — but West Ham need evolution, not nostalgia.
**Guest post by Dan Hill**