Andros Townsend wowed by Michail Antonio in West Ham United win v Chelsea
BBC Sport pundit Andros Townsend was quick to heap praise on Michail Antonio after West Ham United smashed Chelsea 3-1 on Sunday (20 August).
The former England international described the Irons’ striker as a “dream come true” after he opened his account in the Premier League this season as David Moyes’ side brushed past the Blues at the London Stadium.
Antonio had been the subject of transfer speculation this summer, with Football Transfers (7 August) reporting he was pushing for an exit from West Ham, but Townsend was keen to explain his importance to the Irons.
Discussing the striker’s performance on Match of the Day 2 on Sunday (20 August) he said: “When you’re a defender or a midfielder playing behind someone like Antonio, and you’re playing against a big side like Chelsea who have got 70-75% of possession.
“Those moments are like a dream come true because you’re doing all the hard graft and you get the ball to your outlet Antonio and he drives the ball all the way up the pitch on his own, wins a foul, gets something, gives you that breather you need to regroup and go again. It’s incredible to see.”
Valuable option
Every striker will hope to score more goals than Antonio’s five last season, but the extra options that he allows the Irons, especially when they face top-six opposition cannot be underestimated as he offers something so few strikers do.
His ability to hold up the ball and strike genuine fear into defenders when he turns and begins to run at them isn’t a characteristic that is held by many strikers in England, especially not by anyone who only started playing there when they were 30.
Although the Hammers will want to bring in a new frontman before the transfer window shuts as they still will want to replace the outgoing goals of Gianluca Scamacca, they should be looking for an option alongside Antonio rather than instead of him.
To let him leave the London Stadium in a season which is going to contain Europa League football on top of domestic commitments would be incredibly risky, especially after the reminder of just how good he can be against Chelsea.
In other West Ham news, one journalist has urged Harry Maguire to join the Irons this summer