BT Sport commentators love Michail Antonio’s ‘terrific’ hold up play for West Ham v Frankfurt
Michail Antonio was praised for his ‘priceless’ hold up play for West Ham against Frankfurt by BT Sport commentary duo Ian Darke and Lucy Ward.
The Hammers fell behind inside the opening minute before Antonio scored his first goal since March 2nd to equalise in a solid first half performance from the Jamaican.
Midway through the half the commentary team were quick to heap praise upon the 32-year-old after he held the ball up to bring Manuel Lanzini into play, with Ward calling it ‘key’ to the Hammers’ progression in the tournament so far.
“Terrific hold up play from him [Antonio],” Darke said.
“That sort of hold up play from Antonio has been key to how West Ham have progressed in this competition,” Ward replied.
“It’s priceless to them in terms of getting up the pitch and progressing up the pitch.”
Brilliant
Antonio has never been a natural goalscorer even despite going up front full time and being our top scorer regularly.
But it’s his ability to run the channels, compete physically with every defender in the league, win aerial battles and link the play with the midfield that make him so important to the team.
The goal against Frankfurt was just his third of 2022 with the others two months apart from each other, but yet he remains almost undroppable for David Moyes.
Ward is spot on when she says it’s an attribute that is priceless to the team, because it’s something that nobody else in the squad can even come close to replicating.
It’s a shame he isn’t five years younger, because if he could add consistent goal scoring to his game then there may not be a need for a new striker in the summer.
In other West Ham news, Lucy Ward stunned by Pablo Fornals during West Ham clash vs Frankfurt
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