West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui has not spoken with Lucas Paqueta about the FA gambling charges and possible suspension hanging over the Brazilian, and admitted he is reluctant to load too much creative responsibility on to the playmaker after a muted beginning to the season.
The 27-year-old is facing a lengthy ban if found guilty of breaching regulations relating to “spot fixing” in four Premier League matches during the 2022/23 season, when it is alleged he deliberately got booked in order to influence the betting market.
The Hammers have made a mixed start to life under Lopetegui with just one win in their first four league fixtures, and are yet to pick up a point at home ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Chelsea at the London Stadium.
Paqueta's Form and the Gambling Charges
The limited impact made so far by Paqueta, whose only goal involvement came via a penalty in the 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, has not helped as the former Real Madrid and Spain coach seeks to transform the team’s playing style from the defensive football favoured by predecessor David Moyes into a more expressive brand of play.
The drawn-out nature of the FA’s disciplinary process means the former Lyon winger is likely to be available to play for much of this season, and the manager said he is satisfied with what he has seen so far.
“I’m happy with his behaviour and his commitment,” said Lopetegui. “He’s working very hard, he’s trying to understand what we want. We’re trying to help him to be better and better. He’s an important player.
“I don’t want to put this kind of responsibility on one player. He has to do the best he can about the offensive phase and defensive phase.
“When he is focused on the defensive work he is a much better player and we try to encourage him to always be focused in a defensive way as well as an offensive way.
“He managed (the betting scandal) in a good way. We try to help him, because until now he is one player more.
“But we don’t talk about (the charges). We talk about football, about the next match and about life. But not about this.”
Lopetegui's Vision for West Ham
The team sit 14th ahead of the visit of Chelsea having lost both home fixtures so far, albeit against teams that finished in last season’s top four, Villa and champions Manchester City.
Lopetegui’s renewal of the footballing style that supporters had grown weary of under Moyes – despite their former manager delivering the club’s first major trophy in 43 years, the 2023 Europa Conference League – is yet to bear fruit, despite some promising spells in those losses to the two Champions League opponents.
“Patience in life and in football is important, but in the same way you have to compete and you have to win,” said Lopetegui. “We have to be able to be competitive, it’s what we’ve done from the first day.
“I think we’ve competed very well in these four matches. We’ve had very good moments in all of them. We’ve had the possibility to win each match.”
Paqueta's Importance to Lopetegui's Plans
The West Ham manager is clearly reluctant to place too much pressure on Paqueta, but he does believe the Brazilian can rediscover his best form in the final third if he doubles down on his defensive work. Lopetegui’s approach to Paqueta’s situation reflects a delicate balance between understanding the player’s off-field struggles and his desire to see him perform at his best on the pitch. As the season progresses, fans will be eager to see how Paqueta adapts to Lopetegui's system and whether he can overcome the challenges he faces both on and off the pitch. The upcoming clash against Chelsea will provide a significant test for both Paqueta and Lopetegui as they look to make their mark on the Premier League.
