Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso has named five West Ham stars he’s worried about and one may well surprise you.
Much of the focus ahead of West Ham’s Europa League quarter-final clash with Bayer Leverkusen has been on the German champions-elect.
That’s understandable. Bayer go into the Hammers clash 41 games unbeaten and are clearly one of the best sides in Europe.
There’s the obvious players West Ham must watch out for such as Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, Patrik Schick and Victor Boniface.
How about Europe’s most accomplished attacking full-back duo Alejandro Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong.
Bayer have top players but so do West Ham
West Ham will be well aware of their threat as Grimaldo and Frimpong have contributed to nearly HALF of all their 100 plus goals this season.
Robert Andrich is an old-school warrior alongside Xhaka in midfield. And Jonas Hofmann is a very clever wide player who helps Bayer Leverkusen tick.
But what about West Ham? We have top players too don’t we?
Well Leverkusen’s manager seems to think so as he faced the media ahead of the first leg.
Xabi Alonso names the five West Ham stars he’s most worried about and one may surprise you.
Alonso names five West Ham stars he’s most worried about
When asked who he saw as the ‘key dangerous’ Hammers players his side must look out for, Alonso listed top scorer Jarrod Bowen, Brazilian magnifico Lucas Paqueta, rejuvenated striker Michail Antonio and star boy Mohammed Kudus.
It was the third name the Spaniard mentioned that may surprise some, though, as the former midfield pass-master picked out Tomas Soucek.
“Well all the players they are experienced,” Alonso said.
“Bowen might be injured tomorrow, Paqueta is a great player, Soucek, Antonio, Kudus. There are a lot of players that we know (can cause us problems).”
It’s good to see Soucek getting credit as he is too often a bit of scapegoat nowadays.
Let’s hope Soucek proves Leverkusen boss right
Super Tom is criminally underrated by a small section of West Ham’s fanbase.
He more than makes up for his limitations on the ball with his defensive discipline, work ethic for the team, desire and goal threat.
And Alonso is clearly an admirer.
He didn’t have his best game against Wolves and was substituted at half-time.
But let’s hope he proves Alonso is right to be wary of him at the BayArena.
German football expert Kevin Hatchard has told Hammers News that West Ham can burst the Bayer bubble.
The Sky Sports regular makes the tie 60-40 in Bayer’s favour.
Hatchard also warned David Moyes that simply sitting off in a low block and defending is usually futile against Alonso’s men.