A star in childish sulk should just be delighted he’s even still at West Ham. It is one thing forgiving poor performances but a lack of effort in a West Ham shirt should never be tolerated and must be addressed.
West Ham United have signed 53 strikers since David Sullivan arrived at the club in 2010.
Fast forward 14 years and Niclas Fullkrug is the latest to try and break the Hammers striker curse.
Not all of those 53 signings have been flops of course. But plenty have struggled or spent too much time injured.
Those who have hit it off haven’t stuck around long enough either. West Ham fans were excited about the potential arrival of Jhon Duran in the summer.
Now the world is seeing why. While West Ham fans wait for Fullkrug to be given a chance – and now return from an all too inevitable injury – fans find themselves with familiar viewing.
After nine signings, £155m spent and another year going by, Hammers fans are still watching Michail Antonio leading the line. The first thing that needs to be said is that West Ham’s record Premier League goalscorer deserves respect.
Star in childish sulk should just be delighted he’s still at West Ham. He has scored some seriously important goals for this club and been a magnificent servant over nearly 10 years.
It should also be said that Antonio – who turns 35 this season – is not the one renewing his own contract or picking himself up front.
Antonio used to be so effective as a blunt instrument giving opposition defenders nightmares. But he does not make the kind of intelligent runs a true bona fide top level striker would make.
And his workrate which earned him the nickname among many West Ham fans of ‘grafter’ has dropped off in recent seasons. Antonio fully embraced being West Ham’s number nine. But he has never been a brilliant finisher.
When he stated a few years ago he believed he could challenge Harry Kane and Mo Salah for the golden boot, someone should have taken him aside and brought him down to Earth.
It’s one thing having confidence but from that moment Antonio stopped doing many of the things which made him so difficult to play against.
The signing of Fullkrug as the latest to try and succeed Antonio raised eyebrows. Chiefly because of his own age at 31 years old and lack of pace.
Many West Ham fans feel the club should have signed a younger, more dynamic forward like Duran. It remains to be seen whether that has been a mistake. But as West Ham once again rely on Antonio up front, an elephant in the room must be tackled.
The star is in a childish sulk but should just be delighted he’s even still at West Ham. Hammers legend Tony Gale noticed something very interesting at Fulham last weekend.
Antonio should be embracing challenge and role but isn’t. Julen Lopetegui has frustrated supporters by putting his faith in Antonio as the club’s starting striker this season. But Lopetegui was spotted berating Antonio for a lack of effort just 18 minutes into the 1-1 draw.
Gale described Antonio’s play as lazy as he failed to hold the ball up or chase to get it back. West Ham fans have noted that about Antonio’s game too, make no mistake about that.
He was hauled off at half-time and rightly so.
Antonio should really be remembered as a West Ham legend by modern standards. But he is the latest example of West Ham holding on to a player for too long.
The problem is Antonio himself when it comes to competition. Antonio has bemoaned a lack of competition up front at West Ham in the past.
The Jamaica striker said he needed someone to share the workload with. Yet whenever West Ham bring someone in, his performances and workrate dip rather than spike.
Striker can go out as Hammers legend but must change mindset
Instead of embracing the challenge and – at 34 – realising it’s for the good of the team Antonio goes the other way.
He should be relishing simply still being involved at a massive Premier League club like West Ham. Let alone being in the starting XI every week. Antonio could have a big part to play this season if he attacked this as an opportunity to be an impact sub. These could be some of the last days of his career and he should be playing like it.
He doesn’t seem to appreciate even that bit-part role would be fantastic for a player of his age and ability.
