Michail Antonio’s astonishing overhead strike to give the Hammers the lead against Manchester City today (Sat) was hailed as a masterpiece by Joe Cole and Glenn Hoddle.
Both of the former players were astounded at the goal and in former Spurs midfielder Hoddle’s case it brought him to his feet.
The veteran player, manager and pundit could barely believe what he had seen as the sensational Antonio completed a move started by the two Czechs Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal.
The midfielder had chased a ball which looked almost a lost cause and played it to the right back to centre for the striker.
Antonio allowed it to cross his body before scissor kicking it into the City net.
Hoddle seemed hardly able to believe his eyes and said: “That was absolutely astonishing. What a striker he has become. I’m not even a West Ham fan and that had me on my feet.”
Former Hammer Cole was equally gobsmacked by the strike which begged the question which was best – his or Lanzini’s equaliser against Spurs.”
Speaking at half time on BT Sports he described the 30 year old as “incredible” before adding: ““It’s outstanding. He turns and gets his body shape right.
And then this…unbelievable. I haven’t got words to describe it. The technique to reverse it across his body…outstanding.”
A great goal and another one set up by the two check mates. What an incredible pair of signings those two are and at that price, both of them for less than half a haller. I love the way coufal crosses it in first time exactly into the right place for Antonio to get on the end of it. If coufal had taken a touch first it would have allowed Man City defenders time to ready themselves for the cross and cut it out.