West Ham United duo Tomas Soucek and Niclas Fullkrug have both been described as nightmare opposition in recent times but, seemingly, for pretty different reasons.

After the towering Czech colossus marked his 250th West Ham United appearance with a vitally-important goal in a comeback win over Burnley, Nuno Espirito Santo explained why Tomas Soucek remains such a ‘nightmare’ for rival backlines even into his 30s.

Soucek is an expert, Nuno said, of finding space in the final third. Furthermore, the joint-most prolific Czech footballer in Premier League history also possesses a ‘belief that not many players have’ within the confines of the penalty area.

Niclas Fullkrug can only dream of boasting a scoring record in England’s top-flight as impressive as his long-serving West Ham teammate.

He is stuck on three league efforts, 15 months into a largely miserable spell in claret and blue.

Former Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic, though, describes Fullkrug as a nightmare opponent not because of his expert goal-poaching, but because of what he feels is a rather unpleasant penchant for trash-talking.

Neven Subotic wants a response from West Ham United striker Niclas Fullkrug

A two-time Bundesliga champion and one-time Champions League finalist under Jurgen Klopp at the Signal Iduna Park, Subotic shared a pitch with some of the finest centre-forwards of the modern era.

Fullkrug sticks in his mind for a less-than complimentary reason, however.

Speaking to the Skillers Academy, the former Mainz, Koln and St Etienne defender was quick to bring up West Ham’s number eleven when asked to name the biggest, let’s say, ‘trash talker’ he came up against between 2007 and 2021.

Who would you pick to replace Niclas Fullkrug at West Ham?

“Who got on my nerves the most? He came to Dortmund, the striker who went to England,” says Subotic, who is presumably glad he left Die Schwarzgelben a few years before Fullkrug pulled on the yellow and black.

“During a corner, he pushed me, and I thought to myself, ‘Yeah, OK, it happens. You’re in the zone.’ But then he glared at me and insulted me. I thought to myself, ‘Who do you think you are?’”,” adds the 35-year-old, remembering one specific Bundesliga flashpoint.

“I have never experienced a professional in the world who acts like that. Especially since there was no prior situation where I or anyone else from my team had fouled him or anything like that.

“I’d be interested in his side of the story.”

Fabrizio Romano says Fullkrug is done at West Ham

Fullkrug might soon be asked to provide a response, given that the signs are pointing towards a Bundesliga return in the January transfer window.

There have been a few examples of the 32-year-old’s rather bullish personality in East London – particularly during that furious post-match rant late last season – but it is his injury record and his poor goals return which looks set to bring a premature end to his English spell.

“It is over between West Ham and the German striker,” Fabrizio Romano explains on his YouTube channel.

“A difficult, very difficult first part of the season for West Ham in general, with Graham Potter fired with Nuno Espirito Santo [appointed] as the new manager. The players, apart from a few of them, are not performing as expected.

“One of these players is Niclas Fullkrug, who joined West Ham United one year ago and is now already out of the project.

“So Fullkrug will leave West Ham in the January transfer window. [He is] looking for opportunities. “Looking for the opportunity to be a starter. That’s a very important point for Fullkrug, who wants to play, and who wants to feel comfortable with the new project he is going to pick.

“There are some possibilities in Germany, some opportunities in Italy. So let’s see what’s going to happen.”

• Saturday 22nd November
  Premier League

• • West Ham

    

    15:00