One key Hammer was left out of the team for the West Ham vs Olympiacos clash tonight, and Joe Cole thinks he was dropped.
The West Ham vs Olympiacos Europa League Group A clash at the London Stadium tonight was a vitally important one for both sides.
Hammers boss David Moyes went really strong with his lineup, but there was one very noticeable omission.
Michail Antonio didn’t start the game and I think that was 100% the correct call – he has been absolutely woeful over the past couple of months.
The 33-year-old has seemingly been putting more effort into his podcasts over the past year or so than he has on improving his all-round game, and Gabby Agbonlahor ripped him to shreds for exactly that on talkSPORT earlier this week.
The fact that he wasn’t in the starting XI this evening for what was such an important game tells us all we need to know about his form really doesn’t it…
Key man dropped for West Ham vs Olympiacos
Well, that’s what ex-Hammer Joe Cole thinks anyway.
He suggested that Antonio was dropped rather than rested tonight, when speaking on TNT Sports (Thursday November 9th, 7:54pm):
“All the big hitters are in, big news is, Antonio is out of the starting lineup, I’m not sure that’s for a rest, he’s not scored since August.”
I make Coley right – Antonio was definitely dropped tonight after his shambolic performance away at Brentford on Saturday.
It wasn’t just that game though – the 33-year-old has been atrocious this season as a whole really, and he seriously needs to up his game.
As a team we look far more dangerous with a front three of Said Benrahma, Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen, with Lucas Paqueta slotted in just behind them.
Antonio faces a real fight if he is to force his way back into this side in my opinion. And Joe Cole’s comments ahead of the West Ham vs Olympiacos echoed exactly what we were all thinking.
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