West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek has said that Declan Rice has telling him to get forward more often during matches, often talking him through proceedings.
What’s the word?
That is courtesy of WestHamTV, as per the club’s official website, who spoke with the Czech Republic international after the much-needed win over Wolves at the weekend.
It was a game which saw Soucek put in an inspired performance next to midfield ally and skipper Rice, who seemingly issued an important message to the 27-year-old throughout the match.
Speaking to WestHamTV, the Czech maestro revealed of his team-mate: “It’s true that he’s always telling me to ‘go there’ or ‘stay there’, but another time I can tell him he can go and I stay, and that’s the reason we are together, so one can go and one can stay.
“I hope that I can add a few goals but when we win without my goals, I will also be happy because we are a football team, not individuals.”
A different Declan Rice
The double-pivot duo of Rice and Soucek has proven to be solid in the defensive aspects of the game, although it’s contradictory in an attacking sense. They are key players for David Moyes, but can be restrictive to the team in a creative sense.
The duo created just 45 chances between them last season, as many as Michail Antonio managed on his own.
However, you can certainly see Rice’s attacking intent this term, with his instructions on the pitch to Soucek clearly being used to help the 27-year-old to drive forward.
Already established as a traditional water-carrier, ultimately it is end product which has prevented Rice from perhaps being viewed as the ultimate box-to-box type of midfielder. Things are different this season, though.
The 23-year-old ranks joint-second among the Irons’ squad in terms of chances created, having racked up 10 already this season at a chances created per 90 rate of 1.3.
He also boasts two assists from his eight Premier League outings in the current campaign. For additional context, he posted four assists and one goal in his 36 Premier League appearances last season.
The Englishman’s attacking displays have made him more established as a well-rounded asset in the Hammers’ engine room, and it appears to owe plenty to the in-game communication between Rice and Soucek.
