✍️ Welcome Michail Antonio

[Johnny_C WHU]

Wow, what a difference a couple of months makes!

Credit to him he has managed to get fit and he seems a little more composed now.

Up until recently he was horribly unfit and he was kinda wild in what he did. Although there are still elements of that, a couple of times last night I saw him hold the ball up and actually try some skill, rather than bulldozing his way through players.

I actually think he is ok as a wing back. His positional play is awful and his defending needs some work as he spent some of his time kicking people but last night the players around him covered him really well. it worked because it was a game where we were generally attacking and had the luxury of an additional winger. In a game where we would be expected to defend more I don't think it would work so well.

Good squad player!

[carnage]

Thought he did okay last night considering he's basically a supporting striker playing at RB.

Great work for the winner.

He isn’t in any way a supporting striker.

Loving him at right back, it’s sticking two fingers up to Sullivan. Plus he isn’t too bad there and will only get better with more games.

[Phil S]

We all know his limitations..

His attitude has changed as far as I can see
He's much more of a team player now

[The Gibbins]

He has all the attributes to be an excellent modern day full back. He is a tank, he's strong, physical and quick but the last few times he has played there previously his attitude has let him down. He didn't want to play there and his performances were bad because he didn't want to be there not because of his actual ability to play in that position.

I think there were positives and negatives last night, but then i wonder if Pellegrini gave him the license to push further forward. I doubt this would happen against better opposition or against teams who do not play as deep as Southampton did last night. If he was slightly more disciplined than he was last night he can still give us a huge attacking threat when we are going forward.

[Crouchend_Hammer]

I love Antonio but he doesn't have enough football technique to play full back IMHO
Think of all the wingers who have been recently converted to full backs - Rose, Valencia, Young. They are all superb on the ball
In the modern game, it is the full backs who often have the best technique and close control out of everyone

he can certainly do a job at RB if called upon but I much prefer him further forward

[hammer1975]

Still a wingback not a fullback for me. The two are very different positions and require different skill sets

What he brings in an attacking sense seems to blind people to the defensive lapses. We could have conceded a couple of times in the first half where he lost possession near our goal - at one point twice within a minute.

We’re at the stage where all of our squad are capable - to some degree - so it gets harder to make decisions on where to upgrade. That doesn’t mean that we don’t need to upgrade though.

[stu1]

He didn't want to play there and his performances were bad because he didn't want to be there not because of his actual ability to play in that position.

I don’t think that’s true at all.

He doesn’t think like a defender and is not an intelligent footballer who can adapt. There’s more to being a defender than simple physical attributes. The best defenders are those that are positionally sound and can anticipate the play, this is where Antonio is severely lacking and I think he knows it.

Sometimes his strength and speed can make up for his lack of intelligence, but against the best teams it won’t. During Antonio’s last run at RB he started getting caught out and costing the team, giving away penalties and conceding chances and lost confidence.

Antonio is still the same player he was back then. I remember when we lost to Swansea at home (at Upton Park) and we were poor all over the pitch, Antonio was our only attacking threat but he was also arguably at fault for three of their goals. That game typified the benefits and drawbacks of playing Antonio at RB, he’ll never be the long term solution in that position.

[Crouchend_Hammer]

agree with most of that Stu, except the part about lack of intelligence [as that is just a lazy label IMHO]

It may also be the case that he didn't feel he was getting enough 'coaching' at RB from Bilic, and so lost motivation

I am sure he realises that RB is not his best position and thus needs support, but maybe under Bilic he didn't get that support and coaching he felt he needed so he felt he was being hung out to dry

I get the feeling that Pelligrini and his coaching team will be working a lot harder with him to help him through and therefore he is more motivated to play there

[Johnny_C WHU]

I agree with the coaching as it seems all of the players that have been somewhat questionable have shown improvement. I don't know if its the general way we are now playing or if individual plans are being introduced or both but it is good to see players 'playing' again.

I am still not 100% with Antonio but definitely on the right track.

[DaveWHU1964]

We all know his limitations..

His attitude has changed as far as I can see

I do wonder if the penny has finally dropped for him that regardless of what he previously thought, that attacking right back is by far his most effective position. I hope so

[stu1]

agree with most of that Stu, except the part about lack of intelligence [as that is just a lazy label IMHO]

It may also be the case that he didn't feel he was getting enough 'coaching' at RB from Bilic, and so lost motivation

I am sure he realises that RB is not his best position and thus needs support, but maybe under Bilic he didn't get that support and coaching he felt he needed so he felt he was being hung out to dry

I get the feeling that Pelligrini and his coaching team will be working a lot harder with him to help him through and therefore he is more motivated to play there

I completely agree with your point about coaching, I liked Billic but I do feel like he inadvertently hung Antonio out to dry at RB through a lack of coaching and protection.

That being said, I do think the lack of intelligence is a valid point, even in an attacking sense his decision making is questionable at best. That same lack of intelligence is magnified playing in an unfamiliar defensive position. Coaching can obviously help but it’s very difficult to coach anticipation etc, some players just understand the game better.

[costa75]

With our injuries his ability to be a jack of all trades positionally is invaluable.

[mumbles87]

MP doesn’t seem to mind one full back that’s more of a wing back

Seems to why Arthur plays a lot with zabs more solid

So cresswell played last night with Antonio being the wing back in the team

[Cuenca 'ammer]

@ Crouchy and hammer1975

both absolutely correct.

he can fill in. he's bloody 28.........there are a few wingers who have made the transition.

not many. he's isn't going to learn his defensive responsibilities and positioning at his age.

he might improve some. not enough to be a top quality FB. I am not knocking him. it's a really good skill set that he would need that he doesn't possess and won't imvho.


it would be like asking AC to suddenly play CB. big, good in the air, physically strong...

they have been coached defensively or offensively their whole career.

expecting them to be our replacement FB so we don't have to buy one is a huge hope.

keep him where he is, can play wide in a 3, up top in a 2 or push comes to shove a 1 up top on his own.

but again I would do that if the need arose. it's not his best attributes.

his shot that missed I had no problem with him taking. none. his pass to Anderson was very good especially with his "wrong" peg.

why can't we buy a bloody good RB to replace Zaba ? why try to "convert" someone ?

makes no sense.

unless you're Sully.

[libero]

The good FB to replace Zaba was Fredericks - till the West Ham injury curse stepped in.
As 3rd choice right back, he's doing a fairly decent job

If there was some transparency about the kind of injury Fredericks has we could decide if we need to splash the cash in January

[Cuenca 'ammer]

according to the physio room

https://www.physioroom.com/news/english ... _table.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Fredericks no return date
Wilshere no return date
Reid no return date

[libero]

But physioroom know less than we do

That's if it's possible to know know less than nothing

[Diogenes]

Im really pleased he has his mojo back and he looks fitter and meaner. However, he has never been and never will be a competent full back. Happy for him to cover for Zab (no other choice really) but like Masuaku, defensively, he is an accident waiting to happen. Love them both, but neither should really be part of our long time plan (defensively).

[norse]

Happy that he is on form and contributing for goals, nothing against the man, but he is simply not a good enough footballer for this hopefully rising Pellegrini squad. He makes too many mistakes costing possession, he misjudges situastions and delays our attack, destroying the flow of the play going forward. I think we should get rid of him (and for the same reasons Masuaku) in the summer and simply get better players.

Edited

[NW5hammer]

Happy that he is on form, nothing against the man, but he is simply not a good enough footballer for this hopefully rising Pellegrini squad. I think we should get rid of him (and for the same reasons Masuaku) in the summer and simply get better players

I think this is true. He made at least three screaming mistakes against Southampton but his general endeavour was outstanding.