Lucas Paquetá says the West Ham United squad knows how important Monday’s Premier League derby at Chelsea is to the Claret and Blue Army and everyone associated with the east London Club.
The Brazilian has faced the Blues on five occasions since he joined the Hammers in summer 2022, scoring in a 3-1 victory at London Stadium in August 2023.
As a player who understands exactly what it is to be a West Ham player, who respects the history of the Club and, with the experience of having played in dozens of Rio derbies during his time at his first club, Flamengo, the importance of winning against a traditional rival, Paquetá cannot wait to take to the pitch at Stamford Bridge and battle for both bragging rights and important Premier League points.
“Chelsea we all know is a derby and it's a game we all look forward to, our fans and our players,” he confirmed. “Since I've been here, we played [against them] many times, and it's a difficult game. We won a few, we lost a few, but it's a type of game that we all relish to play, and the fans and the players all want to win, and we'll try to do our best when we go there. We know Chelsea have been in good form, so it's always difficult, but we'll do it for our fanbase and for the team.
“We have to respect always the opponents, but we have to think about ourselves. We have to think about our work, how we're doing. We have to go and defend our colours and for ourselves, for the fans, for the badge, and we just want to go and do our best, respecting the opponents on Monday night.”
With forwards Jarrod Bowen, Michail Antonio, Niclas Füllkrug and Crysencio Summerville unavailable for recent matches, the 27-year-old has been asked to play a number of different roles by new Head Coach Graham Potter.
Typical of a player with such versatile and adaptable talents, and work ethic, physique and fitness levels to fulfil those roles to a high level, Paquetá has excelled, scoring against Aston Villa and Fulham and impressing hugely in a centre-forward role in the Premier League draw at Villa Park last weekend.
“It was not the first time I played in that number nine role,” he explained. “When I first came onto the scene with Flamengo, I played there, and even in Lyon. I try to do my best and work hard to do it. Everyone knows my original position is a midfielder, but I'll try my best to do it and to help the team.
“It's a very different position depending on how the game goes and how the team is performing. If you have a good day when the team is returning the ball and passing around, then you can get better service up front. But there are days where your team is not performing so well, so you don't get the ball as much, then it becomes a bit more physical. You have a lot of duels with the defenders, and it becomes a bit more draining and tiring, but it's the type of game I like. I like physical and I liked the challenge.
“I do enjoy the physicality and the challenge that comes with it. Despite the fact that it's not my strength – my strength is in midfield when I have the ball and I do like to have the ball with me and provide passes to goal, or score a goal or come close to it – but I do enjoy that physicality in my game, and it helps me improve, even when I have the ball, to do better.”
