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Comments
Izzy - have an agree. ;ok
Didn't understand Slav. Very unlike him. The sub after the foul, then no acknowledgement or "just weren't your game mate, next time maybe".
Only thing that I can think of is that he's a bit wound up about the way Antonio has gone about it, with his interview and that. Maybe he's had a bit of a mope on in training, the "I can't" attitude and that incident where he dribbled the ball out of defence and then made the foul summed that all up?
Almost like Antonio always had in his head that he wanted to prove in that game he couldn't do it. Maybe Slav has told him not to dribble and run when under pressure, but when we have the possession and space to do it?
Tbh, I don't subscribe to the "poor Antonio" view. He's a professional footballer, who should be able to adapt his game slightly and follow instructions. This isn't going from a
CB to left winger. He's simply dropping back a few yards. He can still do all the things he wants to do, but he has to be more responsible. He's mid twenties not 18.
I think that was the reason for Slav's actions. He's made a call, Antonio isn't fully on board with it and as a result he's not making a committed attempt to grow into the position. Then his body language after the sub was very poor. Expected more from MA tbh.
Just my view though.
So having established himself as a formidable attacker, Slav decides to fix what isn't broken, when Byram had been bought in Jan.
True MA might have done certain things differently, but he also has his own career and aspirations to consider. He possibly missed out on representing his country at a championship finals because of Slav playing him at r/b
And now on top of everything else he has now become the figure of ridicule re: the tweets. What's that going to do for his confidence?
A total shambles from top to toe and IMO it is of Slav's making
Shaw, Walker, Rose, Cresswell, Bellerin, Coleman, Byram, Bertrand etc in fact I could make a case for all of those playing as wingers. In fact, most have at least once.
Antonio is not fancied by Slav as a winger. The reason why is he isn't that good. He's very raw, very bull in a china shop and very limited technically. So he relies on his unpredictable approach. He is, however, quick, strong and good in the air, all things you'd want in a modern day full-back. He isn't very good with the ball under pressure, as shown Monday. He's also not very intelligent, footballing brain wise.
Don't think he gets a get out of jail card because he's not meant to be a defender. He wasn't meant to be a winger, but converted to that from a striker.
But the facts will say that he gets assists and gets goals from a wide attacking position - and he has done that in both the championship and the PL
Isn't that what being an attacker is about? Lots and lots of non West Ham supporters were calling for his inclusion in the euros.
His contributions helped get us to where we got to last season. Just because he is not silky smooth like David silva it would be crass to write him off as a winger IMO
as for Slav not fancying him, it may well be that, like Pedro, he wasn't a signing of the manager's choice.
Pardew and Mullins
Sam and Nolan
This is Slav's
Like Barracks said, when he got his
Chance last season he took it, and probably was apart from Payet our best signing...
I was not over amused on Monday with the way it happened, but it's clear to see there is something not right...
It will be very interesting to see his position in our next 2 games, both IMO very important games, will he get a chance to play in his preferred position or not at all...
Byram looked fine when coming on at RB and should be given a chance IMO , but sadly will that mean we will see little of Antonio?
Injuries again might just give him 1 or 2 chances , but will Slav threw it his way....
That being said, I've been surprised at how much "flack" Slav has got, online, more than I thought he would.
*Puts that there, then steps slowly away, all the time looking unobtrusive*
;sofa
;whistle ;wink
ITKBilic is the boss and in the end they will have to do what he says but I like them standing up for Antonio.
But my worry is he is the boss, and had told MA he wants him to play RB. MA says no, so Bilic is forced to back down.
What message does that send about his authority?
But I do understand that it is a delicate balance.
But obviously that isn't good enough it seems ;hmm
Getting played out of position was one thing, but getting subbed at half time on debut is quite another. Even the lad that was throwing up before and during the first half because he had a hangover stayed on!
I think I played one more game for them. Came on late in the second half, again on the wing, and despite having a 100% pass completion rate (and it was a very good pass...), I didn't feel like it was the best team for me.
Their loss, and all that...
Having said that, he was proven to get goals and assists on the wing more easily than other wingers at our disposal so I would rather he was played there and do agree that Slav has been wrong on this.