Can Soucek carry his fine West Ham form into the new season?

Tomas Soucek has been nothing short of a revelation since he first joined West Ham on loan in January 2019 and subsequently on a permanent deal later that summer.

The Czech Republic captain played a vital role in keeping the Hammers in the Premier League – scoring three goals during the final run-in – while stepping up a different level last season, finding the back of the net ten times and pushing the club to an unexpected 6th place and a place in the Europa League.

Not to mention his role in helping bring compatriot Vladimir Coufal to West Ham during the same summer, who proved to be one of the best right-backs in the league throughout his debut season while continuing such form during this summer’s European Championships.

With such towering standards already having been reached, can Soucek continue in the same vein for West Ham this coming season?

While West Ham may need to add another central midfielder to their ranks to bolster their squad depth, especially with European football to deal with, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Soucek play every minute in all competitions such is the nature of the Czech.

The 6’4″ giant ran a staggering 437.1km in the Premier League last season – the most out of any player throughout the division.

This type of stamina means that, even when he isn’t finding the back of the net with his late runs into the box, he is still making himself useful during the rest of the game, particularly in the middle and defensive thirds of the pitch with 337 duels won, also a league-high.

The partnership he has formed with Declan Rice over the last year and a half can also not be understated, with the pair complementing each other’s strengths so well that they now have the reputation as one of the most formidable midfield duos in the entire Premier League.

If Soucek makes a progressive run forward, as he so often does, he knows that he has the insurance of Rice to cover him if there is an opposition turnover, while the same can be said vice-versa.

Both players are so reliable and equally crucial to David Moyes’ Hammers side. If another midfielder were to join the club before the end of the transfer window, they would certainly not be displacing either Soucek or Rice in the first eleven any time soon.

While we know how consistent Soucek is for his all-around performances, can the 26-year-old match or, even better, his goal tally of 10 from last season?

There isn’t any reason to believe that his output in front of the goal will drop, as he constantly finds himself in crucial positions to shoot at the goal, meaning that the goals will inevitably continue.

Soucek is so good at timing his runs into the box just as the cross is being played in, making it so difficult for opposition defenders to mark or pick him up, ultimately often leaving him with a free shot on goal.

If West Ham is to have another successful season, Soucek is bound to be at the heart of everything the Hammers achieve, making the fan-favorite even more of a hero than he already is.