Antonio: Old Father Time is at the door
By Hughie Southon
It hurts me to say this because my admiration of Michail Antonio is know to all of you.
He has been a fabulous servant to this club and there would have been a time I’m sure that had he been asked to play in goal he would have done so without a murmur.
Like Ian Wright before him he came to the Premier League late arriving at West Ham in 2015 at the age of 25.
In the eight years since he has been excellent for us on many occasions but today he really did not look the player we have known for so long and that has been the case a couple of time already this year.
Antonio: Old Father Time is at the door
Some sloppy passing, poor crossing into the box and his inability to make much count may sound unfair given how little support he got but when he did appear to get free there was nothing on the end of anything.
I was very happy to see him receive another deal in the absence of any likely new arrivals but today the front role worried me more than anytime in recent weeks. He can’t be the player he was and it is time – indeed it is well overdue – to find his successor.
Most of us will hope it may be Divin Mubama or Callum Marshall though none are getting any time at all under the manager. Goals win football games – a striker has to be found and quickly!
Old Father Thyme catches up far too quickly and that is starting to look the case with Mikey.
I must agree Hughie it’s quite visible. His form has gone and he is scrapping more and passing less. Time to push Bowen up and play Kudus, and for goodness sake sub on the youngsters Mubama and Marshall or Chester’s for example in Moyes late flurry subbing. Not Ings, not Yarmalenko (!!) Young players.
Cornet can play the striker role, if given the chance and indeed Kudus and Divin.
Antonio can only be used as a pinch hitter off the bench nowadays.