He lost the ball 20 times: West Ham may have to drop 5/10 ace after Chelsea
West Ham United

West Ham United have lost their first three home games of a league season for the first time ever, after losing 3-0 to Chelsea at the London Stadium. This is also the first time Chelsea have beaten the Hammers at their ground since 2021, when Thomas Tuchel’s side defeated them 1-0.

Nicolas Jackson started proceedings early with a goal in the fourth minute, before adding a second in the 18th, putting Chelsea 2-0 up going into half-time. The Blues came straight out of the gates quickly in the second half, scoring two minutes after the break to make it 3-0, and put the game to bed.

Jackson-Colwill-Chelsea

West Ham now sit 14th in the Premier League after five games played, winning once, drawing once, and losing three times.

Changes could be afoot, therefore, one of which should see Guido Rodriguez dropped

Guido Rodriguez’s performance in numbers

Rodriguez was taken off after just 33 minutes played, as West Ham struggled to lay a glove on Chelsea in the middle of the park. Julen Lopetegui made the decision to bring Tomas Soucek on in midfield to add some power and physicality with the summer signing being the one to make way.

That said, he wasn’t the only culprit during the Hammers’ defeat to Chelsea.

Lucas Paqueta’s performance in numbers

Handed a 5/10 match rating by 90min at the conclusion of the game, Brazilian international Lucas Paqueta had a notable off day, losing the ball a staggering 20 times, according to Sofascore, which was more than anyone else on the pitch.
Paqueta also only won 2/6 ground duels, had a 76% passing accuracy (making 32 of his 42 passes), made zero successful crosses out of four attempts, and didn’t make a single tackle or interception all game.

Paqueta is playing in a slightly different role this season under Lopetegui, as he is required to drop deeper to receive the ball, mostly due to West Ham’s lack of progressors in central midfield. This has seen the Brazilian’s passes into the final third per 90 increase, whilst his key passes have decreased.

The 27-year-old midfielder is an excellent technician, who excels with a progressive passing toolset, and the ability to slice through opposition defences.
However, his tendency to do this, is better utilised in a “free” role, closer to goal, and where, if he does lose the ball, it doesn’t cause immediate danger to the team in transition.

Paqueta is one of West Ham’s most talented players, but Lopetegui has a job on his hands, to provide the team with the correct balance, with ball security in the middle of the park to hold possession, and game changers in the final third, to help the team create chances and score goals.

It could just be that he has to do that without Paqueta starting, with players like Carlos Soler and Tomas Soucek banging at the manager’s door for a start.

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LISTEN to It’s All Kicking Off! West Ham are in a dangerous position… it’s hard to see them ‘flicking a switch and changing’

The Hammers were comprehensively defeated by their bitter rivals at the London Stadium – a result that saw them suffer a third loss in their opening five Premier League games of the season.

Once more it was their third home defeat out of a possible three – the first time the club have suffered that fate in their history.

A section of West Ham fans got their wish when David Moyes left at the end of the season but pressure is mounting on Lopetegui – with some supporters walking out early during Saturday’s derby capitulation.

And in the latest episode of It’s All Kicking Off!, IAN LADYMAN and CHRIS SUTTON discuss the Hammers’ current plight.

Listen to It’s All Kicking Off! here:

Ladyman warns that the Hammers are in a ‘dangerous’ place to be in already in September with Lopetegui’s pragmatism stifling the attacking players he has it his disposal such as Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus and captain Jarrod Bowen.

Sutton is in agreement with Ladyman about the attacking talent but also expressed his concerns about the porous nature of their shape defensively – citing that it was ‘galling’ how easy it was for Chelsea to ‘cut through West Ham’.