OPINION
West Ham United came through a tough test on Tuesday as they beat Cardiff City 3-1 at the London Stadium, with Lucas Perez netting a brace to win them a crucial three points.
One huge positive to take from the match though was the performance of Michail Antonio, who filled in really well at right-back after a trying season so far for the powerful ace.
Antonio has copped a lot of criticism from the terraces for his lacklustre displays so far this season for the Hammers, but really looked back to his old self against the Bluebirds as he netted their third goal of the night.
The 28-year-old has now admitted that he has not felt quite right this season, but expressed excitement at his improved performance on Wednesday.
As quoted by the Evening Standard, he said: “It was not until the game against Manchester City 10 days ago that I really felt sharp, fresh, the ‘old me’ from two years ago. Up until then, I had been trying to do the things I used to before that hamstring injury, but just couldn’t.”
West Ham fans will tell you that Antonio’s comments really ring true, with it looking like the 2018/19 whipping boy could simply not perform at the level he had done previously.
Obviously things have clicked back into place for Antonio in recent weeks, and that bodes really well for the rest of the season for the Hammers.
Few would have seen Antonio playing a big part in the coming months for the Irons, with a January exit even touted in the press, but his admission really suggests that he is feeling confident once again.
And let’s not forget the damage that he can do when fully fit and firing, with Antonio netting 13 goals for the club in the 2015/16 season, and nine the next.
This all suggests that Antonio could be about to serve up a real treat for Hammers fans in the coming months, many of whom may be forced to eat their words after that early-season criticism.
