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Just seen Pablo has earned a recall to the Spanish side, and is performing well for Betis. Better stats than our own Lucas Paqueta apparently.

Loved that bloke and he loved this club, but Moyes mismanaged him, sidelined him and bombed him out for 6 million quid.

How big a mistake was this, and would you take Pablo back? I can't help but think we'd have struggled a lot less in midfield in the last couple of seasons.

Takashi Miike" wrote: ↑15 Nov 2025, 14:50 the jock hated anderson so much that he used that LW spot to punish players he disliked, it was like a graveyard for out of position non favourites

the jock hated anderson so much that he used that LW spot to punish players he disliked, it was like a graveyard for out of position non favourites

Mad Dog" wrote: ↑14 Nov 2025, 22:44

eusebiovic wrote: ↑14 Nov 2025, 21:46 He was a tidy player - not spectacular but did his best considering the vast majority of the time Moyes nearly always used him as a utility man out of his favoured position. 

He would've been ideal playing on the right side of a 3 man midfield. He certainly had the mobility and quick feet to do that which is his current role for Betis. So no surprise he's thriving. It's true that finishing was his weak spot but he does seem to be knocking a few more in these days and certainly wasn't intimidated playing in this league.

Could've been so much more...if he wasn't playing for the grinch

Moyes repeatedly put him on the left wing "naughty step" that so many players seemed to end up on

Admittedly misused by Moyes, and always gave his all, but just didn't suit the Prem, and still wouldn't if he came back.
 

Gank wrote: ↑14 Nov 2025, 11:46 That's twice on this thread someone has misunderstood the 'pulling up trees' idiom.

The metaphor of pulling trees out of the ground is about extreme effort, not ability or application.

Therefore, Formals did in fact pull up trees for West Ham, even when he played poorly.

eusebiovic wrote: ↑14 Nov 2025, 21:46 He was a tidy player - not spectacular but did his best considering the vast majority of the time Moyes nearly always used him as a utility man out of his favoured position. 

He would've been ideal playing on the right side of a 3 man midfield. He certainly had the mobility and quick feet to do that which is his current role for Betis. So no surprise he's thriving. It's true that finishing was his weak spot but he does seem to be knocking a few more in these days and certainly wasn't intimidated playing in this league.

Could've been so much more...if he wasn't playing for the grinch

He was a tidy player - not spectacular but did his best considering the vast majority of the time Moyes nearly always used him as a utility man out of his favoured position. 

He would've been ideal playing on the right side of a 3 man midfield. He certainly had the mobility and quick feet to do that which is his current role for Betis. So no surprise he's thriving. It's true that finishing was his weak spot but he does seem to be knocking a few more in these days and certainly wasn't intimidated playing in this league.

Could've been so much more...if he wasn't playing for the grinch

Top, top bloke - love him. Produced some great moments but not sure if I would want him back - too inconsistent. We can do better.

I liked him, loved his enthusiasm and there was some ability there but he did struggle towards the end of his time with us.   Don't know how many games he played in centre mid though.  Do agree with his lack of being able to score goals after getting into really good positions.   Good luck to him though as he always came across as a good bloke who gave everything for the club.

Moyes didn’t want anyone to “control” the midfield. He didnt really want a midfield to be honest. He just wanted defenders and attackers, like 80/20 in favour of defence.
Players like Fornals just didnt fit in for him. Just like Haller and Scamaca didnt fit in. I think the problem is we tend to think if a player isnt performing at our club they are shit but never consider what the manager is asking of the player and overall setup. 

Under Moyes we played a style of football that hardly any team in Europe plays. It’s hard to judge any player properly that played in that period with him in charge.
 

He was largely for us bang average. Decent in the european games but in the league haven't missed him. Felt a bit sorry for him as Moyes banged him wide left for most of it and always thought he would suit centrally more. I always think of him as a terrible finisher, used to get in great positions but couldn't finish his dinner most the time. 

Gank wrote: ↑14 Nov 2025, 11:46 That's twice on this thread someone has misunderstood the 'pulling up trees' idiom.

The metaphor of pulling trees out of the ground is about extreme effort, not ability or application.

Therefore, Formals did in fact pull up trees for West Ham, even when he played poorly.

Jean-Luc Paul Goddard" wrote: ↑14 Nov 2025, 11:00 I reckon that Paqueta would piss all over his stats if he was playing for Betis in La Liga instead of with us, and let's not forget that Fornals didn't pull up any trees in the Premier League even when Pellegrini was here (1 goal and 3 assists in 18 games).

He’s never coming back, and he’s enjoying his time back home. I wish him all the best, and Betis because of him. 

I liked him, came up with the goods when needed, passionate, loved being a player for us.
Not the best midfielder around, but considering the dross we have witnessed, we really could have done with him recently. However, due to the lack of time on the pitch, only fair to have moved him on.

Huge fan of fornals.  Woefully misused in his time here.
He could have solved a lot of our problems in midfield over last couoke of years

moyes stubbornness in refusing to use him and a few others is one of the reasons I site when people try to gaslight over us letting him go is the reason we're in trouble now because he was "the bestest ever"

That's twice on this thread someone has misunderstood the 'pulling up trees' idiom.

The metaphor of pulling trees out of the ground is about extreme effort, not ability or application.

Therefore, Formals did in fact pull up trees for West Ham, even when he played poorly.

It just proves what a massive cսnt Moyes was, the problem wasn’t Pablo it was the slow ponderous shit that was around him. Love it when foreign players come to a new life and get us, you don’t have to be the best if you give your all and get us. Moyes fucking destroyed the kid, proving again what a shit so called manager he was. Loved Pablo.

Was never a puller-upper of trees.

I always saw his main contribution as being nearly always available as an extra out for the man in possession, whenever Moyes let him play anywhere near the ball, that is.

Underwhelming most of the time - seemed like a nice fella though.

He was alright. Would always flatter to deceive when given a run of games though.

Gave us a great moment right at the end of the Alkmaar game.

I reckon that Paqueta would piss all over his stats if he was playing for Betis in La Liga instead of with us, and let's not forget that Fornals didn't pull up any trees in the Premier League even when Pellegrini was here (1 goal and 3 assists in 18 games).

Having him back in a heartbeat. Never wanted him gone, unlike Moyes.

A better option than the players we replaced him with like Rodriguez & Irving obviously