Michail Antonio has breached disciplinary rules again

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Despite returning from injury, the Michail Antonio has been punished for arriving late to a pre-game meeting. Captain Mark Noble has stated his conduct is disrespectful to the team.

West Ham captain Mark Noble has accused Michail Antonio of cultivating a disrespectful attitude toward his teammates my slacking off and turning up late for a pre-match meeting. Apparently, this behaviour caused David Moyes to drop the player during their draw at home to Crystal Palace.

It seems the team’s leadership must be serious about making a show of disciplinary force against the midfielder, especially in light of the side’s long injury list at the moment. The Hammers chief also intimated that this hadn’t been the first occasion Antonio has showed sloppy conduct in this manner.

While the captain Mark Noble adopted a conciliatory tone regarding his behaviour, he underlined Moyes’ zero-tolerance approach to punctuality issues and tardy interactions by Michael Antonio and others.


The Prodigal Son Returns, for Now

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Michail Antonio's injury has kept the player off since the end of December after damaging his groin, so observers could be forgiven for thinking that the player would be keen to get back into play with his best foot forward. However, that has apparently not been the case.
In the words of David Moyes, “I am not having it at the club”. Moyes stressed that it’s not the first time it’s occurred, and that, despite fitness issues following his return from injury, the manager would have endeavoured to find Michail Antonio a place on the bench as one of his best betting offers.

Michail Antonio apparently took the ruling well, conceding that the fault was his own and that he did have to work on himself regarding these problems.


In the Dog House

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Michail Antonio's latest act was reportedly apologising to Moyes and his teammates, after which he was tentatively included in the line-up for the team’s match away to Brighton. West Ham are at a point in the League where they need every able-bodied player on the pitch they can. Injuries have beset the side this season, considerably narrowing David Moyes’ strategic options when it comes to defending themselves against tough sides.

Michail Antonio would surely have been an asset on the pitch, but it seems the manager was determined to set an example and let the team know that sloppy conduct won’t fly, no matter how secure a player thinks their place is on the team, or, indeed, how much they’re needed on the pitch.

Michail Antonio’s penitence bodes well for him getting over his shortcomings moving forward, and hopefully, he can resolve his issues and make a difference to the team’s performance on the pitch.


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