Michail Antonio has now been subbed in successive games with the big suspicions being it may be down to tight hamstrings.
Last week we were told it was a purely precautionary measure and that the ice and strapping on his leg spotted during the Spurs player celebration was normal standard procedure for Antonio.
After the match yesterday David Moyes suggested it may be a cramping problem and an insider confoirmed that to CandH but explained he was off for a scan on Monday morning.
There’s always the possibility of course that club is trying to play it down although Moyes did say he HOPED it wasn’t a more serious issue!
Antonio is no stranger to hamstring problems and his pace and muscular build mean he more susceptible than others.
Antonio is a very important player since Project restart scoring eleven goals in fifteen games but we need a plan B when he is inevitably injured.
He has suffered a number of groin and hamstring injuries throughout this West Ham career, in 2017 he missed 124 days with a hamstring tear and in March 2018 he suffered another hamstring tear which kept him out for 132 days.
Like many players, he has special training programmes to reduce the risk of hamstring injuries but the sheer number of games since project restart must be taking their toll.
Maybe he needs a rest no matter the result of the scan.
He should definitely be rested against Liverpool. Lose him for 3 months and we would struggle- big games coming up where we need to win after Liverpool.
Agreed – let him sit out Liverpool and come back to full power to torment Fulham
Totally agree. Miss 1-2 games just now to increase his chances of playing up until xmas, then another short rest. He came back to soon a couple of times already since being at OSand his form struggled and he ended up getting injured again.
I’m sorry, what the heck are you talking about. He is our first choice striker with only one other recognised striker in the senior squad and we don’t set up to play to his strengths. We knew that Antonio was hamstring susceptible and yet again we failed to bring in suitable cover/competition, so we are so reliant on one player. If he’s fit he needs to play, it’s that simple. Rest him for the Liverpool game, yeah right our top scorer, might as well just give them the points then, pathetic suggestion.
Surely he can manage one game a week, what would happen if we ever had a Cup run or get in Europe ?
For me it shows why the club shouldn’t go near a 4 year contract.
Instead of resting him for a game, manage his time better.
If we go 2 or up like at Leicester or wolves he should be Taken off then.
The other problem is we still don’t have another player who can play right up top with pace.
Yes give him a rest be brave Moyes give Yarmolenko a shot got to be better than Haller
Resting Antonio especially at moment is the best we can do for him considering he was getting pain in the thigh area other day. We need him fully up to speed for the upcoming. Personally I’d like to c Benrahma come in at Liverpool sometime, really want to c what this lads capable of. From what I’ve looked up nd read we’ve got ourselves a possibly brilliant signing. But yeah definitely agree with previous comments, rest Antonio he’s to important to lose at this point of season. “COYI”