West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has hailed Tomas Soucek as a “nightmare” for opponents after the Czech midfielder once again proved decisive in the Hammers’ thrilling 3-2 Premier League win over Burnley.
Soucek came off the bench to score for the second match running before setting up Kyle Walker-Peters for what proved to be the winning goal, as West Ham secured back-to-back league victories for the first time since February.
“I’ve played against Thomas, I’ve played against West Ham many times, and every time I was analysing it, it was a nightmare,” Nuno said after the match. “How do you control Thomas getting into the box? He recognises the space so well, and he has belief that not many players have. He’s just so good.
“He’s just made 250 appearances for the club — it’s huge. You cannot have anything but respect and love for Tomas.”
The win came against a backdrop of fan unrest, with thousands of West Ham supporters once again marching from Stratford Station to the London Stadium in protest against the club’s board before kick-off. Their frustration only deepened early on when Burnley took the lead through Zian Flemming’s well-placed header.
Callum Wilson drew the hosts level just before half-time with a neat close-range finish, but the game truly turned after the interval when Soucek replaced the injured Freddie Potts, who was forced off with a dead leg.
The Czech international bundled home from close range after Martin Dubravka could only parry Lucas Paquetá’s strike, and minutes later, his long-range effort led to another Dubravka spill that Walker-Peters pounced on to make it 3-1.
Former West Ham midfielder Josh Cullen capitalised on a rare mistake from Alphonse Areola to pull one back for the visitors, but Scott Parker’s side could not find an equaliser.
Parker was left lamenting a missed opportunity for the Clarets, who could have opened up a six-point cushion above the relegation zone with a win.
“My feeling is we were exceptional at the start,” Parker said. “But then we played the game the way West Ham wanted — end to end, open, and if you switch off for a second, the ball’s in your net. It’s a massive opportunity missed.”
