West Ham ace Michail Antonio ‘needed’ Europa League goal – Clinton Morrison
West Ham United fell to defeat at home to Eintracht Frankfurt at the London Stadium last night leaving themselves plenty to do in Germany.
The Irons went behind after just 52 seconds as Ansgar Knauff ghosted in to give the visitors the dream start before Michail Antonio pulled the home side level.
Daichi Kamada popped up with the crucial goal though early into the second half to firmly stamp the advantage in the Bundesliga side’s court.
BBC Sport pundit Clinton Morrison though believes that Antonio desperately needed to score that goal having been through a baron spell in recent weeks.
“He needed it,” Morrison said on the BBC’s Football Daily Podcast. “He would have been worrying about the goals because he’s coming out on social media saying he’s been very unlucky.
“He’ll always front it up though and he caused them a lot of problems in the first half and he scored a good goal too.
“I thought he might have kicked on in the second half but they didn’t create enough chances for him.”
Fatigue
We’re beginning to sound like a badly broken record but there can be no other alternative answer to the question surely?
The 31-year-old has played almost every single game for the Hammers this season due to David Moyes failing to sign a striker in either the summer or January transfer windows.
That failure is now catching up with him and it could cost his side a shot at European glory in Seville.
After the season he has had both domestically and for Jamaica, Antonio is starting to run out of legs a bit too much and he is no longer able to lead the line for the entire 90 minutes like he can when he is at full fitness.
Antonio has to be rested against Arsenal on Sunday to give him the best chance possible to be ready for the return leg next week where West Ham will have a mountain to climb.
In other West Ham news, see how we rated each player in claret and blue last night as the man of the match was awarded just a 7/10.
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