✍️ Welcome Michail Antonio

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hammerman11
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by hammerman11 »

great news he has signed up.
he has faults but many strengths. passion drive strength skill drive creates and scores goals.
if he was the finished article would he be with us ?

love him as a player and seems a great fun character. keep it up iron mic.
I look forward to his return to the team next season.
one of the first names on the team sheet for me.

one word describes him on the pitch - a threat !
Ingwe
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by Ingwe »

hammerman11 wrote:great news he has signed up.
he has faults but many strengths. passion drive strength skill drive creates and scores goals.
if he was the finished article would he be with us ?

love him as a player and seems a great fun character. keep it up iron mic.
I look forward to his return to the team next season.
one of the first names on the team sheet for me.

one word describes him on the pitch - a threat !
This. Plus, he really seems to want to play for us; something that hasn't been universally the case, this season.
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DrVenk
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by DrVenk »

CNR - don't think he reads the game or spots a pass or makes the right decisions as say Lanzini. Combined with his lack of technique, he can be quite jarring to the flow of the game.

By lack of intelligence I don't mean stupid, I just mean not at the level of the likes of Lanzini in build up play. Personally think we need at least another creative AM to blend with and take the burden off Lanzini.

Antonio is not that type of player but like I said, we can utilise his strengths in other ways. Agree he takes up some great positions in the box - hence why I said I think he is best played as a second striker.
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Centre Half
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by Centre Half »

hessa wrote:Personally I'm not a huge fan. I thought he was outstanding last season, busted a gut and gave everything for the team whenever he was on the pitch. This season for me, he has a sense of entitlement about him. I know the general consensus is that Slav was a plum using Antonio at right back and persisted with it for far too long. I think that he has the necessary abilities to have made a far better go of the position than he did, and the major reason he was so poor was due to his attitude. He didn't want to play there and his body language at the time made that clear for all to see. One home game earlier in the season, can't remember who against, a sub was made and he was shifted to right back and his shoulders slumped and his head went down. I get that he doesn't feel its his best position and doesn't want to play there, but the fact is that I'd expect any player to do whatever is for the good of the team and if you are asked to play out of position, you take one for the team and give 100%. For me he didn't do that, he put himself above the team.

Defensively he went missing week after week earlier this season, but due to his scoring record it was largely overlooked. I'm no statto, but would hazard a guess that he was culpable for far more conceded goals than he scored at the other end. It started first game of the season, dribbling out of his own area and got caught in possesion, absolutely ridiculous goal to concede, the average 10 year old would know better than trying to dribble the ball out of your own congested area. That isn't anything to do with not being suited to playing right back, its being brainless.

I guess its all about opinions, but I do think his goal scoring record papers over a lot of deficiencies.
Exactly my thoughts about the sense of entitlement and lack of application at RB.

We all agreed he shouldn't have been playing there, but the manager picks the team and you downright give it your best shot wherever he thinks best to play you

Fact is he didn't. Unforgivable in my opinion and I can't believe it's been overlooked by most of the fan base

As I said shirker is the word
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thejackhammer
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by thejackhammer »

hammerman11 wrote:great news he has signed up.
he has faults but many strengths. passion drive strength skill drive creates and scores goals.
if he was the finished article would he be with us ?

love him as a player and seems a great fun character. keep it up iron mic.
I look forward to his return to the team next season.
one of the first names on the team sheet for me.

one word describes him on the pitch - a threat !
Don't forget about his drive!
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Colours never run
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by Colours never run »

Venk

Bit daft to compare his game to Lanzini as they both play the game so differently. Lanzini is a one of a kind in our squad and does things many cannot. Having said that I think they've both created and assisted just as many in both season's, so don't see the big issue demanding so much more from Antonio when there's plenty of end product in one shape or another in his game, be it goals, assists, creating chances, winning set pieces and penalties.

He makes things happen all the time and usually gets something awarded in our favour if he's not the one scoring himself.
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fjthegrey
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by fjthegrey »

Image
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by Colours never run »

I want to talk a bit about 1 of my favourite players we've had in a long time. Not just how he plays but his bang on attitude he has.

One thing I've often heard criticised about him and have questioned myself in the past about his game is his technical ability. I'm starting to come to.the conclusion that he's actually more skilful than we've given him credit for. Yes it's true he can be found wanting losing possession sometimes and was wasteful with delivering a ball into the box but the more I watch him, the more I think he's better on the ball than first thought. Unless I'm mistaken I think he's been one of our most creative players who's been 1 of our best contributors since his arrival.

I loved it on Monday on 1 occasion he received a difficult ball but decided instantly to knock it past the defender to chase into space with leaving him for dead with a deft first touch and it allowed him to chase after it then dribble it into the area before pulling it back in the danger zone it needed to be for Hernandez to smack it against the bar. That's done by being a skilful plauer, not an oaf who flukes what he's doing, he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

What other moments in games impress others?
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S-H
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by S-H »

The improvement he has made in his time here is quite staggering.

He's one of those players who never ceases to amaze.
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ageing hammer
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by ageing hammer »

To me he is a breath of fresh air. He is amazing to watch and so charismatic. He plays with a smile on his face and his attitude is brilliant. You would easily know he came through the hard way and really appreciates his chance at the big time.

I love him. :scarfer:
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hammers92
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by hammers92 »

He's absolutely perfect for Conte/Mourinho. Quick, adaptable and never stops running. Don't think he'll be here that much longer.
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by durham city hammer »

It looks to me like he's been working very hard in the summer on his technical ability, it did cross my mind watching the highlights of him in the development squad game earlier in the summer, he was doing stuff in that game and since the season started that we haven't seen since he joined, his improvement is staggering and testament to his dedication, desire, hunger to succeed etc, love watching him play, keeping him involved for as much of the ninety + minutes of a game as possible has to be the order of the day for us now as he's a match winner that teams will struggle to cope with when he's on it !
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by Georgee Paris »

If we set up the team to cater for him in the same way we did payet it could free up the other players the same way.
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Boo Boo
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by Boo Boo »

He's a bit quick . . .

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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by Colours never run »

Good ****ing luck to teams containing him alomg with our other attacking players for the rest of the season. The variety in our forward line is going to be a nightmare for the opposition and now we have new additions of genuine quality in Hernandez and Arnautovic, we look really strong up front now. I guarantee we will paste a few sides this season - ie 3+ goals in at least 5 games this season.

That's not including the likes of Martinez, Holland and possiblyHaksabanovic knocking loudly on the door too.
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by Colours never run »

Boo Boo wrote:He's a bit quick . . .

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Yes, that's just the kind of examples I wanted to see! ****ing dynamite to watch and an archetypal old fashioned West Ham winger running down the flank for fun. Yes got so much confidence in his own ability, always positive and fazed by f*** all.

My very first post on this thread pointed out how he ain't afraid to shoot either with either foot and is technically good on his left foot as well as his right which he did again by testing the keeper with a curling left foot shot outside the box that needed blocking going for a corner. He always manages to make something happen, be it score, assist, win creek kicks/corners/throw ons.

But I stand by his biggest asset of all, is his attitude and mentality towards the game. Because even when he shows deficiencies to his game, he overcomes them with a real will to succeed. No one deserves success more than those types of characters in the game.
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Jigga
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by Jigga »

Antonio is the beast mode version of Paolo Wanchope!

One of those players you can't quite work out if he's any good or not.

He's growing on me!

MoTM on Monday by a country mile.
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by Gsbgsb »

Monday he was excellent, one of the best games I have seen from him overall.

Attacking wise we do not have any issues to my mind, the problem is how to fit him and the others we have into a system that also enables us to be sound defensively. I suspect many would say he, Lanzini and Hernandez are our best front 3 but that begs the issue of how you get the ball to them. Part of the reason why he had the space to exploit Monday was the simple havoc AC was causing. For all the buys etc we are still a more effective "team" with AC on the field. Yes we can now push a top striker forward when he is not fit and bring in quality with the likes of Ayew and Arnie but I wonder if we will be as effective overall.

Maybe we can go 4 across the back and still go long with those 3 behind AC when fit but I still feel that exposes the lack of pace of our central defenders and lack of defensive nouse of the central midfielders. In part they could pressure on Monday because of the fact they had 3 behind them if they lost out.
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by Crouchend_Hammer »

He should be the first name on our team sheet and fully expect him to be in the world cup squad next summer if he stays fit
He can change a game in an instant as is unlike any other player in the league
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Re: Michail Antonio

Post by Colours never run »

Gsbgsb wrote: Attacking wise we do not have any issues to my mind, the problem is how to fit him and the others we have into a system that also enables us to be sound defensively.


Exactly how we played it last night. And if we change it slightly it's 352. 2 Strikers with 1 in the hole be it Lanzini, Arnautovic, Ayew or Antonio.

Anything else then we lose our defensive solidity. The above way of playing is the most balanced as
We are ever going to be this season and I love it.
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