West Ham Online

"BBC Sport after Newcastle game asked Moyes what Kudus has to do to get a Premier League start for the Hammers. Moyes answered “He (Kudus) will be in the team for years to come so we are not in a huge hurry,” Moyes said matter-of-factly. “The team is getting good results (so there’s no need to change at the moment). “But he can play a big role in the future.”"

Vexed Of course Soucek is a defensive midfielder. Check his description on Transfermarkt or Wikipedia… fraser No need to be rude just because you’re talking nonsense. Just because we went into attacking mode and Newcastle were holding onto their lead doesn’t necessarily mean Kudus would have been better there all game.

"You know that you’re comparing a defensive midfielder with an attacking player don’t you? Yes I do, has the penny dropped yet.. Doesn't sound like it, that's my exact point, he's shoehorned a defensive player into the attacking position that Kudus should be in, hence the vast improvement when he changed them I'm starting to think you didn't watch the game, or are you just senile or retarded."

"Willtell 11:57 Wed Oct 11 He's not a defensive midfielder, he just got 'Moyesed' into that position to accommodate Captain WOW trying to be a Tesco value Roy of the Rovers."

If only Moyes listened to your advice fraser! If it was that simple then you’d be a multi-millionaire PL manager. You know that you’re comparing a defensive midfielder with an attacking player don’t you?

"Nagel - I agree with all that, and with Paqueta likely off and Bowen not signed a contract it made sense as those are his two best positions. But would have made more sense if we had addressed the left hand side first."

"Why would he drop Soucek.. Quite simply because Kudus is much better.. Soucek 15 touches 8 completed passes 1 goal 75 minutes. Kudus 15 touches 90% pass accuracy 1 goal, 1 big chance created, I successful dribble 15 minutes. You'd have to be blind or absolutely clueless to not notice how much better we were after the substitution..."

"fraser, you'd have to think that Kudus was bought for his versatility. Even though he prefers playing as a No 10 he spent most of last season at RW or CF. Before we got him Moyes had seemingly given up on finding a striker that suited him and was talking up Bowen playing that role, so getting in someone who could play RW in Bowen's absence probably became the priority. It is weird that we put in bids for Barnes and that Man City kid and then suddenly gave up looking for LWs altogether, but then Moyes has form for that sort of thing."

"I don’t understand all the hate towards moyes, I’ve been watching West Ham for 40 + years and this is probably by he most exciting time we’ve had (bar maybe 86). We have some brilliant players but like most jobs the punters always seem to know best. None of us are at training every morning or sat in the meetings, or talking to the players, we aren’t privy to anything that goes on behind the scenes and I bet It’s far more complex than we give them credit for. With hindsight kudus should have come on at halftime against Newcastle and that 10/15 mins cost us (some of which was down to the ref, fee kick, push on aguard) I’m sure he will be on the pitch longer against villa and he’s obviously ready for it now, wether that’s for the first 70 mins or the last 45 we will have to see, but both him and Antonio can be very effective in the same game. We beat villa and things are going to be looking really good."

"I wouldn't say Soucek is playing well. Better than last season, maybe. In any case, it's more important what Kudus brings to the side if he replaces him. Soucek might have goals in him but not as many as you'd expect Kudus to get. More importantly he can carry the ball at pace through central areas from deep, which is massively important for a counter attacking side like ours. He could bring to the team what we had briefly with Lingard."

"I wouldn't say Soucek is playing well. Better than last season, maybe. In any case, it's more important what Kudus brings to the side if he replaces him. Soucek might have goals in him but not as many as you'd expect Kudus to get. More importantly he can carry the ball at pace through central areas from deep, which is massively important for a counter attacking side like ours. He could bring to the team what we had briefly with Lingard."

Why would a manager drop Soucek when he's playing well and scoring vital goals?

"Ron and Nagel - Inded so we bought a very good player but for the wrong position, well for the moment anyway. Think nobody would mind Paqueta on the left to accommodate Kudus. But to accommodate the non passing, non ball carrying Soucek in that position is bizarre. So it's obvious to most what needs to happen. But can anyone see Moyes not playing Soucek?"

"Exactly Ron Eff. If people think that our midfield/attack should consist of Edson, JWP, Paqueta, Bowen, Kudus and Antonio (which I imagine most people do) then Paqueta on the left is clearly the best option in our normal formation. Only way I could see Paqueta in central midfield with all those players in the first 11 would be in some variation of 4312 with Bowen and Antonio running the channels and Kudus as a no 10 in front of a midfield 3 of Paqueta/Edson/JWP."

So people think Kudus coming in for Soucek (for which I’m pro) means Paqueta is no loner played on the left? Who plays on the left then?

The thought of Bowen Paqueta And Kudus starting……

"Ridiculous Matthew. You think Antonio can perform consistently well until say March? Always assuming he's uninjured of course. Soucek may be scoring a bit more, but he certainly isn't performing at any sort of level that we need right now in that midfield role."

"Soucek is playing well and scoring - but i think we know Kudus would offer more going forward. Ok ease him in dont burn him out, were just fans in a hurry for some excitement. (i'll accept that if he'd been on earlier on Sunday we could have won the game, also Paquete should be central not shunted out wide.) BUT you know what, i'll trust Moyes on this, its a long season and keeping his powder dry for when we need something different is maybe a good idea. you want to be playing your best at the business end of the season (Fergie said so)"

"There's only 1 person on this planet that thinks soucek should start over kudus. Soucek big improvement over last season, but for me there's no comparison. Especially as soucek playing shunts paqueta out left."

The whole world and its dog knows Villa will be delighted if Kudus doesn’t start next game. It’s getting to the stage Moyes is beginning to look like a fool.

BREAKING NEWS: Martin Luther King mumbles something about having a dream.

"Twoleftfeet calling people twats and making a cսnt of himself Paqueta signed on August 29 made his debut Tottenham as a sub 2 days later, then 3 days later started against Chelsea and was a regular from then. Yeah that's exactly the same as what has happened with Kudus."

He'll be in the starting line-up when Paqueta is flogged off in Jan.

"Given we never play an out and out centre forward (Antonio naturally drifts to the wing), I think a fluid forward line/false 9 interchanging mostly with Bowen makes most sense. People wanting him and Paqueta playing in the midfield 3 is never going to happen. Alvarez is an absolute guaranteed starter for the job he does, JWP is never being left out and nor should he given what he brings in goal contributing moments. It’s therefore one of Kudus or Paqueta on the assumption you leave out Soucek, with the other on the left. Paqueta has actually been very effective from the left and has a fairly free role rather than playing as a winger. As good as he is centrally, his link up with Emerson down the left is a real positive recently."

Moyes out etc etc He did the same with Paqueta and he turned out alright. I trust Moyes more than I trust the FIFA playing twats who post on here.

"It is frustrating and IMO he should be starting, but Moyes also has a point in that he will be a starter here for years, it's 100% inevitable, just hope it's sooner rather than later."