Former Premier League midfielder Michael Brown has heaped praise on West Ham’s Tomas Soucek.
In an interview with Football Insider, the ex-Manchester City player revealed his admiration for the Irons midfield partnership formed by Czech Republic international Soucek and Declan Rice.
He said: “It’s so important for them two (Soucek and Rice) to stay in that West Ham formation, stay where they are, allow the full-backs to get forward and they changed to a back four on Friday night which was something different.”
The 43-year-old, who played 194 times in the Premier League, singled out Soucek for specific praise, saying: “I think he’s a different type of midfielder. We’ve seen him get forward at select opportunities rather than always direct on the diagonals.”
The central midfield duo have played every Premier League minute together for the Hammers this season and have become a strong partnership for David Moyes’ side.
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Soucek is perhaps a more complete midfielder than Rice, given his knack of chipping in with goals. At 25, the Czech is four years Rice’s elder, so the Englishman has time to grow into a midfielder who contributes more often on the scoreheet.
It’s little wonder with this formidable duo occupying the two central midfield slots that club captain Mark Noble can’t get a look-in.
