Julen Lopetegui spells out how Lucas Paqueta can bring himself out of West Ham slump

Brazil prima Lucas Paqueta was dropped for past weekend's gully astatine Fulham but West Ham's caput manager underlined the attacking midfielder's value to his squad aft hard fewer months

Julen Lopetegui is reluctant to spot excessively overmuch unit connected misfiring Lucas Paqueta.

And West Ham's caller brag thinks the Brazil maverick tin rediscover his champion signifier successful the last 3rd if helium doubles down connected his antiaircraft work. Paqueta, 27, was dropped for past weekend’s gully astatine Fulham having looked disconnected the gait successful their opening 3 games.

The dip comes aft a disruptive summertime successful which helium was charged with 4 betting offences that could spot him banned for beingness if recovered blameworthy – though a determination is improbable to beryllium made until adjacent year. He was besides linked with a transportation distant from East London lone for speech of a determination to location nine Flamengo to collapse.

But erstwhile asked up of today’s gathering with Chelsea if Paqueta needs to rise his level, Lopetegui said: “I don't privation to enactment this benignant of work connected 1 player.

“He has to bash the champion helium tin astir the violative signifier and antiaircraft phase. When helium is focused connected the antiaircraft enactment helium is simply a overmuch amended subordinate and we effort to promote him to ever beryllium focused successful a antiaircraft mode arsenic good arsenic an violative way.

“All the players tin bash better, the coaches too. Always. I’m blessed with his behaviour, his committedness with the remainder of his team-mates.

“He’s trying to enactment precise hard, trying to recognize what we privation from him. We’re trying to assistance him to beryllium amended and better. He’s an important player.”

When helium was unveiled arsenic David Moyes ’ replacement, Lopetegui said helium knew that Paqueta and his household were “suffering” and offered to supply immoderate enactment required.

Yet the ex-Wolves caput manager says helium has not felt the request to sermon a hard fewer months with the player, adding: “No, he’s managed this successful a bully way. We effort to assistance him but we don’t speech astir this.

“We speech astir football, the adjacent match, astir beingness but not astir this.”

West Ham big Chelsea having mislaid their opening 2 league fixtures astatine London Stadium. But of greater interest than defeats to Aston Villa and Manchester City is however galore shots a revamped back-line is affording opponents.

Three defenders arrived and 5 departed successful the summer, including past season’s skipper Kurt Zouma, but nary squad has conceded much than their 18.25 attempts per game. It is lone 0.01 little than the fig coughed up erstwhile they were past relegated successful 2010-11.

And Lopetegui added: “In the Premier League it’s precise hard not to endure shots. But it’s existent that successful this mode we tin amended more. We’re trying to beryllium much compact, much accordant successful a antiaircraft way. In the aforesaid way, we’re trying to beryllium much progressive with the shot too.”

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