Report – West Ham first team regular absent from team bus v Bournemouth
The last thing new West Ham manager David Moyes needs right now are more obstacles.
Not only has the Scot taken over a side in disarray, but you could argue that unless he pulls his finger out sharpish, relegation will be a very real, very scary possibility for the Hammers.
But it would appear that he has been dealt another sizeable blow prior to his first game in his second spell in east London.
According to Football.London correspondent Sam Inkersole, Irons forward Michail Antonio was not seen getting off the team bus for his side’s Premier League class with Bournemouth on Wednesday.
That definitely can’t be a good thing for Moyes.
There’s a very strong argument to be made for Antonio being West Ham’s most consistently influential attacking threat this season.
Granted, he did miss a large chunk of the campaign through injury, and it’s not exactly like he’s had a great deal of competition for that title, but all things considered, when he has played, he has look like a real danger man.
His desire and natural physicality make him a real handful for opposition defenders, and when he builds up a head of steam, he must be a terrifying prospect.
Of the four games he has started in the Premier League since returning from his hamstring injury Antonio has averaged a Whoscored rating of 7.58, a score that would put him joint fourth in the entire division alongside Sadio Mane were it carried into his other games.
That’s seriously impressive, and surely Moyes must have been hoping to unleash that kind of talent against the Cherries later on.
The only hope now is that the reason for his absence isn’t anything serious, because the sooner Antonio is back, the better for everybody.
In other news, Hutton shares verdict on Moyes at West Ham, suggests part of dressing room may not be happy.