Antonio confidence worries grow

Slaven Bilic’s insistence  that Michail Antonio is a full back  is now causing acute  anxiety among fans and Hammers insiders that the player may be suffering a confidence crisis.

It has been the one issue that thus far has caused a shadow over the manager’s reign and we are now in a position where we await the announcement of the team for our Premier League opener against Bournemouth with real concern.

And the big question is WHY? He is a wide midfielder. End of. Surely! He has said so himself!

Antonio looked distraught when Bilic reached for the’ hook’ and pulled him out of the action against Chelsea and the player’s march down the tunnel did nothing to soothe our worries.

Indeed some on the ClaretandHugh forums are claiming that if this goes on there will be a showdown between the pair which could lead to the player looking for the exit door.

The only acceptable reason for subbing him is that his mind may not  have been right after such a high profile error – which ironically had been preceded by some decent defensive work.

But it seemed extreme and surely it would have been a much better idea to draft in Sam Byram – who was immediately very impressive – and push Michael forward to threaten the west London team with what he does best – scaring the life out of them with his amazing runs.

One insider told us this morning there are now fears Michail will suffer a confidence crisis after the double whammy he suffered last night and that would be a serious concern.

There is nobody in the world who can convince me that the lad is anything other than one of the best wide men in the country and it looks from here as though the manager has a growing man management issue on his hands.

We are very close to this situation and it is occupying most minds but even on the broader football landscape others are beginning to wonder what’s going on.

Sky’s chief pundit Gary Neville – who genunely knows what he is talking about – said after last night’s game when comenting on the incident: “It has to be questionable to be playing him in that position.”

Indeed Gary indeed!