da gbg bet： There are hot streaks and then there are hot streaks, and West Ham’s Michail Antonio is definitely in the latter camp at the moment. Five goals in eight games in all competitions since the start of February tell of a player bang on form.
da brdice： Slaven Bilic has transformed the Hammers this season. Dimitri Payet has grabbed most of the headlines. Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate have helped dominate midfield battles. But as of the last month or so, there is undoubtedly no hotter property plying his trade at Upton Park than the former Nottingham Forest man.
Brought in for around £7million at the end of the summer transfer window, Antonio struggled to get any game time early on in the season, such was the form displayed by his new team-mates. But an injury to Dimitri Payet in November eventually saw the 25 year-old thrust into action where he initially performed well, but not outstandingly.
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However, with increased game-time came more experience and increasingly more impressive performances, Antonio particularly effective around Christmas and New Year. Payet’s return in January saw him take a back-seat again for a short period, but since the start of February the young Englishman has been nothing short of sensational.
Playing predominantly on the right, Antonio has performed well as either a traditional right-winger or a more advanced wing-forward, depending on Bilic’s chosen formation. Six goals and a pair of assists in just 14 starts in this talented West Ham side speak of a player who has grown into his role and only looks likely to continue his improvement.
And he’s doing it at the perfect time. With just three months to go until the Euro’s, Antonio could be one of those players whose late season form put’s them into the thoughts of the England manager. And with two high-profile friendlies, against Germany and Holland, at the end of the month, West Ham’s wing-sensation should at least be considered for a run out, particularly given England’s options in the position of late.
Arsenal pair Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott have played there in the past but both are currently questionable for the role, for different reasons. ‘The Ox’ is dealing with an injury picked up against Barcelona in the Champions League last month, one that looks set to keep him out of the remainder of the season for Arsenal, and thus ultimately the Euro squad too.
Walcott’s problems are strictly performance based, his form (or lack of) and clarity of role for the Gunners surely affecting, if not his squad place, certainly a starting berth for the national side. And with a dearth of other natural right-winger’s out there, Antonio’s recent showings for West Ham must surely have attracted the eye of Roy Hodgson.
Whether playing 4-4-2, 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, the man from Wandsworth in London would be more than just an adequate fit on the right, his burst of speed, technique and eye for goal perfect for the role and a good fit in Hodgson’s England set up. With Andros Townsend seemingly out of form and favour since his move to Newcastle, that really only leaves Adam Lallana as competition on the right. The Liverpool man has improved for club of late, but is not nearly as natural a fit on that side as Antonio.
Whether or not he gets a chance in the upcoming friendlies remains to be seen, the decision ultimately coming down to the England manager and his backroom staff. But with two good feet, Antonio possesses good crossing and dribbling skills and is able to cut in or go on the outside. His strength and run-timing compliment a higher than average aerial ability, something that could be very beneficial for an England side lacking any real threat in the air, outside of the central defenders.
Unfortunately for Antonio, Hodgson seems to have a preference for his tried and trusted players, so it seems more than likely Walcott and Lallana would get the nod for the position, and even other members of the talented batch of attacking midfielders at his disposal may be utilised on the right, away from their more natural positions.
But if he can maintain his good form for West Ham in the coming weeks, a call-up to the England squad for the friendlies would be no more than he deserves, and from then on who knows?
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