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Antonio wants his wing role back again

Antonio - nine goals

Antonio – nine goals

Michail Antonio has made it crystal clear to boss Slaven Bilic he is not a right back!

The fans have been in uproar over the ongoing decision to play the midfielder in the role and speaking to Four FourTwo the foremr Nottingham Forest star said: ““I’m hoping that I can be back in my right position because that’s where I’ve played my whole life.

“I think (playing at right back) it’s built me massively as a player. I’ve now learnt what defenders expect and how to be one. I now know where defenders need to be, where they don’t like attacking players to be going.

“As an attacking player, I can register that and put it in my game.

“When I pick up the ball now at West Ham, the fans shout: ‘Go, run, run’. It’s just one of those things I’ve always been able to have, running at people and beating players. It’s definitely a good attribute to have.

“As soon as I get the ball, I just hear the fans roar. You get something that goes inside your stomach, and it just makes you run and take people on and go. It gives you that massive lift and belief behind you.

“I’ve never thought or dreamt that I could actually be played as a defender. I’ve been one of the best players in the Championship. Now, hopefully, I can turn myself into one of the best wingers in the Premier League.”

 

 

About Hugh5outhon1895

Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!" Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

12 comments on “Antonio wants his wing role back again

  1. At last some sanity from the man himself,
    But with the talent we now have up front he is going to have to play out of his skin,
    It maybe his work rate that does it for him,and if he can produce the understanding with Byram like Payet has on the left with Cressie,
    Love the boy to bits and he gets goals but think we now have a great talent in Feggolui and Tore and Lanzini will be pushing for the place in that area,
    What a great position to be in ,
    Last year he only had Lanzini to fight with Moses and Emineke not pushing him

  2. Never thought I’d say this but we are close to overload now with too many quality players fighting for the same spot with the end result of losing the best by pure chance.
    I don’t see us being able to keep all of them happy unless a good number of them fall to injuries

  3. I hope he does get his chance he is one of the few midfielders we have that has the timing to make late runs and consistently be in the right place at the right time, I think he will score more goals than Feghouli across a season and I don’t think he is suited to making consistent 80 – 100 yard sprints upfield then back again, as a winger making runs mostly of 30 – 50 yards he was able to do that all day but he always looks like he is flagging playing as a right back after 65 mins, then there is his positioning. Tore can play both wings so we could alternate Feghouli and Antonio on the right to keep them happy and in worst case scenarios use Antonio as a right back or Reece Burke who was ok there in the friendly.

  4. Agree 32 but I think the left hand role will go to Ayew he will not play central unless we have no one else,
    I think Tore will rotate with him,
    Feggolui and Antonio will rotate on the right
    With Payet and Lanzini playing in the pocket pulling the strings,but only one of them will be able to play,
    Kouyate will fill the right hand side infront of the defence
    Noble will fill the left with Novedt and Obiang covering
    The right side of defence will be Oxford,Byram and Burke
    The left Ogbonna,Reid ,Collins and the new Bolt look a like,
    Are weakness is AC cover Sak at the moment the only cover
    Calleri would be good but not sure that will go through so that leaves Fletcher
    My concern is the right side of defence if we get an injury
    Novedt can cover but we might need him in midfield,
    We need a good freebie RB
    And I say it again Bony or Calleri

    • You said it Bubs; we need a (freebie) RB! I agree…Bang on!…(I’ve said it all summer….in my less stupid moments…)

  5. If we can have a decent run in the Euros, we can give players plenty of playing time. My concern is what happens once our Euro matches are done. Can we keep everyone happy with a squad rotation policy? I can see us not playing all of our “1st XI” against the lesser teams in the Prem at some stage this season.

  6. Antonio is dynamite on the wing; tears defences to pieces, brilliant crosses and scores goals. What is not to like. OK, not as graeful as Payet, but for guts and strength you can’t beat him. Chases lost causes, and gets ’em – absolutely love watching him play! Even prefer him to Payet…
    So, it’s an unbelievable waste to have him at RB. I wish Slav would explain. I’m completely gobsmacked; I just don’t get it? And neither do so many others…Can we all be wrong?
    Whatever adversity they put Antonio’s way, he’s proved himself with a superb attitude – (in complete contrast to Sakho).
    Come on Slave; time to reward that attiude; stop this RB nonsense and let him compete for R wing.
    Feghouli is looking really good, but nothing beats Antonio, not in my book….
    ANTONIO IS OUR VERY OWN IRON MAN!!

  7. 10/10 for passion and loyalty to Antonio, F&C. I think he’ll get plenty of time on the pitch this season, but I can’t see Slav making him a first pick. Being an aspiring team and having a larger squad brings its own problems about who plays when and keeping players sweet.
    However it’s a problem I’m happy to have.
    Onwards and upwards lads!

  8. at the moment it’s only Hammers fans voicing their dislike of Antonio being wasted as a RB. Unfortunately I think it’s gonna take a real heavy spanking and the right side of defence (Antonio) being exposed for the goals to get the media questioning Slaven’s experiment. Although I hope with Byram doing well at LB the last few games Slaven will not continue with it and see Byram or possibly someone new to fill the RB position permanently, and if Antonio has fight for his winger position and spend some time on the Judi, then so be it.
    TBH, i’m pretty sure Antonio would prefer it, and fighting for his shirt could make him all the better for it.

    • I wish this site had ‘like’ buttons!….If it did, I would ‘like’ your comment…For R wing, I reckon Antonio could compete with the best of ’em and STILL come out on top!….but he can’t do that if he stuck at RB.
      I think Byram has been prefectly good enough, and sounds like Burke did v well in that position too. (No need to waste Antonio any more) Will they be enough for Hazard on Mon? I dunno, but I don’t think Antonio would be good enough anyway…
      We’ll see soon enough.
      I just wish Slav would explain. Why doesn’t someone ask him in the presser “Why do you play Antonio at RB, when he is a natural winger and seemingly unsuited for RB?…Lots of WHU fans want to know”

  9. …And also ask “Why don’t you buy a fit-for-purpose RB, like you have for LB?”

  10. Byram will look after Hazard and win doubters over,
    Antonio in front of him would be good but I think Feggolui will start,
    Hope we pair Byram with Burke or Oxford not a left foot plodder

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