There is a passage in Michael Carrick’s book in which he describes how a loss of form made him a shadow of the player he had once been for Manchester United.
“I returned to pre-season and just couldn’t shake the depression off, and 2009-10 was my worst season for United,” he wrote in his autobiography Michael Carrick: Between The Lines.
“I’d lost that edge. I had a heavy head and a heavy heart, even my body felt heavier. I knew it was all in my head, but I felt that I couldn’t turn to anyone for help, I’m too stubborn. In 2010, that was the worst time. It was my dream to be at a World Cup but the truth is that I didn’t want to be there.”
Carrick, the former West Ham, United and England midfielder, would eventually rediscover his form. He went on to play a key role in helping Manchester United win the Premier League in the 2010-11 and 2012-13 seasons. He was named in the Professional Footballers’ Association Team of the Year for 2012-13. It is an example from which West Ham United’s playmaker Lucas Paqueta may take comfort.
Paqueta arrived at West Ham as a star, but his influence has waned dramatically and has done so since last season.
This season, the 27-year-old was dropped for the 1-1 draw against Fulham. He was then brought off early in fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, and has a paltry return of two goals across 11 league appearances.
He no longer plays with the attacking flair that once made him a £85million ($106.8m) transfer target for Manchester City.
His ball retention remains a concern. He was at fault for goals conceded in losses to City and Tottenham. His indiscipline has also led to him being booked in five of West Ham’s 13 fixtures this season.
All of which leads us to the presumed cause. In May this year, the Brazil international was charged by the FA with four separate instances of spot-fixing, meaning he is accused of influencing moments matches — by receiving a yellow card, for example.
The charges relate to a yellow card Paqueta picked up against Leicester City on November 12, 2022, as well as matches in 2023 against Aston Villa on March 12, Leeds United on May 21, and Bournemouth on the opening day of August 12.
An FA statement said: “It’s alleged that he directly sought to influence the progress, conduct, or any other aspect of, or occurrence in these matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market in order for one or more persons to profit from betting.”
If found guilty, he could be banned for life — a fear that is shared internally by senior figures at West Ham.
News that he was being investigated broke in August 2023. The player released a statement on Instagram, saying: “I am extremely surprised and upset that the FA has decided to charge me. For nine months, I have cooperated with every step of their investigation and provided all the information I can.
“I deny the charges in their entirety and will fight with every breath to clear my name. Due to the ongoing process, I will not be providing further comment.”
In October, he released a statement calling for the FA to launch a “thorough investigation” into the disclosure of what he claims to be “false” information regarding his case on alleged breaches of betting rules.
The midfielder has been summoned by a parliamentary commission in Brazil to give evidence to an investigation into sports betting next month, which means he will miss West Ham’s league match against Leicester City on December 3.
The assumption is that so much off-field chaos has hindered his on-field performances.
There was a time when Paqueta not being in the XI was seen as a massive blow for West Ham, but that is no longer the case.
Given his struggles, the hierarchy and his team-mates have tried to rally around the Brazilian. Last season, the players held a team meeting without former manager David Moyes and his backroom staff. Paqueta was tearful and told his team-mates he was innocent and felt he was being picked on by the FA.
Edson Alvarez said he would protect Paqueta on the pitch if anyone tried to target him. Emerson Palmieri, his close friend, tried to arrange a night out, but Paqueta did not want the attention.
When the attacker might have been low on confidence this summer, technical director Tim Steidten travelled to Brazil before Copa America to support him and reassure him of his importance amid an unsatisfactory offer from boyhood club Flamengo to sign him.
In September, West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui revealed he does not talk to Paqueta about the gambling charges or his possible suspension. But at the manager’s unveiling, two months prior, the Spaniard did come to the midfielder’s defence.
“We know he and his family are suffering a lot,” said Lopetegui. “We are looking forward to him being here with us. We are his family in England and we are going to take care of him. I liked it when I saw him smiling in the last match because he was enjoying playing football.”
Somehow, West Ham need to get the playmaker out of this rut and closer to what he was: a sought-after talent who seemed destined for the top of the sport. After all, he is the club’s record signing, having moved from Lyon in the summer of 2022 for £51million.
There was a time when Paqueta would do extraordinary things and saunter away as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Aaron Cresswell and Tomas Soucek were left speechless when the Brazilian produced an outrageous piece of skill in a European game against Anderlecht.
His ability prompted Vladimir Coufal to say: “He plays football like he’s dancing on the Copacabana.”
Paqueta can be unplayable on his day, but that has only happened fleetingly this year. He is still an asset for West Ham, but one that has dropped in value considerably; his story is a reminder of how quickly everything can change in football.
Only time will tell if the Paqueta of old will make a belated return to form, like Carrick.
(Top photo: Rob Newell/CameraSport via Getty Images)
