Pablo Formals is quickly becoming a West Ham fan favorite. He is skilled and technical, though equally as hard-working and passionate; the Spaniard has genuinely bought into the club’s culture since he arrived from Villareal in 2019. The upcoming season feels like it is set to be a coming of age for Pablo, after donning the number 8 shirt, as he will be aiming to emulate some of the European campaigns of idol and fellow “8” Andres Iniesta.
What have we learned from his time at the club so far?
Fornals began his career in Spain at Malaga, where he made his senior debut in 2015. After gaining a reputation in La Liga, he moved to Villareal two years later. In his first season at The Yellow Submarine, he registered 12 assists – joint highest in the league alongside Barcelona’s Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi. His early career showed plenty of promise, and he was being spoken about as a potential star in the making. However, Villareal and Pablo’s form slumped in the 2018/19 season, resulting in West Ham making a £24 million swoop for the midfielder.
After signing for West Ham, Fornals represented Spain in the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and contributed to lifting the trophy team. Many Hammers fans tuned in to see their new man in action and certainly weren’t disappointed. Expectations were high when the European Champion made his debut for West Ham, though he initially struggled to adapt to the pace of the Premier League. Despite this, he showed a great attitude and desire to improve – attributes have served him well throughout his time at the club and endeared him to the fans.
His hard work eventually paid off after impressing Moyes and fighting his way into the team last season. He providedfive goals and four assists, though his contributions to the team were much more than that. Fornals’ work rate was vital for the manager’s system, and he was always available to receive the ball and often involved in build-up play providing passes to the player who then set up the goal. One downside to his game is that he often lacked composure or confidence in front of goal, sometimes sculpturing good counter-attacking opportunities and leading him to undershoot his xG of 6.5. Despite this, Pablo was rewarded for his persistence with his brace against Southampton in the season’s final game to secure Europa League football for the Irons.
The Spaniard has certainly bought into the culture in East London, describing himself as a ‘hard-working cockney boy.’ He has endeared himself to the fans by embracing the club’s storied history, referencing in interviews the time the club spent in ‘the second division.’ It should also be noted he has played out of position many times this season, yet he still gives it his all. He stated himself:
"“This season, I’ve played left wing-back, left-winger, right-winger, midfielder, No10, and sometimes as a striker. This is what I love doing – playing football. It doesn’t matter where; I want to help my teammates."
This attitude has endeared him to the West Ham faithful and is a big part of his success – alongside his undoubted ability.
What can we expect in the 2021/22 Season?
It was Fornals’ strong 2020/21 form that leads Andres Iniesta to liken the West Ham man to himself due to his movement off the ball. This season, Pablo has taken the number 8 shirt, also worn by Iniesta at Barcelona, and he will be hoping to live up to such a decorated player. This season could be the “hard-working cockney boy” to establish himself as a true West Ham cult hero.
Pablo has looked very lively in the pre-season, putting in an extreme performance in the 6-2 victory against Celtic, providing two assists and carving out chances time and time again with his passing. He certainly appears more assured on the ball, and his passing has been much more direct than it was at times last season. This can be seen with his assists in the Celtic game, as he only took one touch before picking out a perfect pass to his teammate. If he continues to play with such confidence, he will be a dangerous attacking threat.
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Fornals has certainly not lost his work rate over the Summer, and he looks as fit as ever. Another impressive aspect of his game that has been key this preseason is that the Spaniard is always in space and ready to receive the ball, making sure that his teammates always have a passing option. This allows the team to keep possession and comfortably move the ball through the thirds. He is willing to receive the ball anywhere on the pitch, making him a crucial component in Moyes’ plans.
West Ham will hopefully add to their ranks this Summer, and it has been reported that the club is looking for another attacking midfielder and a striker. This will undoubtedly affect Fornals, as he will have to compete with another midfielder and learn to play with new teammates. However, Pablo has shown that he is versatile enough to play in every midfield position and has won back his position in the squad on several occasions. He certainly possesses the right mentality and ability to learn to adapt to playing with a new striker as well if the club decides to sign a player of a different profile to Michail Antonio.
Finally, Fornals is one of the few players at the club who have played European football before. At Villareal, the midfielder made 19 appearances in the Europea League, where he scored four goals and assisted four more. This experience will be valuable to the squad, and the Spaniard has already shown he can thrive at this level, meaning he will indeed be included in Moyes’ team on Thursday nights.
The upcoming season is set to be a huge one for West Ham, but Fornals has shown he can be counted on to provide for the team. Possibly one of the most underrated squad members, and still with plenty to prove, Pablo is always ready to leave everything on the pitch. With European experience and growing confidence, the Iron’s very own Iniesta is primed for a standout campaign.