Michail Antonio has claimed that one ‘unbelievable’ West Ham United player is very unlucky not to be starting games regularly this season.
West Ham boss David Moyes had to make some tough calls at the start of the season, and Michail Antonio was one of the players to have found himself left out at times.
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However, the Jamaica international has highlighted how one of his teammates is particularly unlucky not to be playing regularly.
Michail Antonio says ‘unbelievable’ West Ham ace is very unlucky to have been dropped
Alphonse Areola was named as the Hammers‘ number one goalkeeper at the start of the season, with Lukasz Fabianski dropping down to the backup role.
The 38-year-old goalkeeper came out and said that he felt disrespected by Moyes, because of the manner in which the Scot went about the decision.
Areola has been in fine form since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, so it’s fair to say that the Frenchman deserves his spot as the number one for West Ham in the Premier League.
Fabianski has been playing in Europe and in the Carabao Cup, and he recently made it very clear to Moyes that he is desperate to force his way back into the Premier League starting XI.
Antonio opened up on the current battle for the number one spot at the London Stadium, and told the Footballer’s Football Podcast that the Polish stopper can consider himself unlucky to have been dropped down to the bench for Premier League games:
“West Ham right now, we have Alphonse Areola in goal. But over the last five years, Lukasz Fabianski has been unbelievable. He has pulled us out of some unbelievable situations, he’s been unreal. At the start of the season though, the gaffer says to him he’s making Areola number one this season. Lukasz has been unbelievable and he could easily be our number one this season. Alphonse has been unbelievable this year too. We know that if something happens to Alphonse, we’ve got Lukasz, and we’re not worried.”
That’s a fair shout from the 33-year-old. However, Areola is making it almost impossible for Fab to force his way back into the side…
Alphonse Areola flying whilst Lukasz Fabianski pushing him all the way
The Frenchman has been in fine form for the Hammers this season. He has made 33 saves, nine high claims and three successful punches in just eight Premier League games so far this season.
The thing is, Fabianski hasn’t let anyone down in the Europa League or the Carabao Cup this term either.
It’s a great dilemma for David Moyes to have. With Fab on the wrong side of 38 though, and Areola not set to turn 31 until February, this season was the perfect time for the changing of the guard.
Michail Antonio made it clear that he feels like his West Ham teammate is unlucky to have have been dropped, and I agree with him to an extent.
However, Areola is more than deserving of his place in the side right now, and I don’t see Fabianski ousting him from the team anytime soon.
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