West Ham United ace Michail Antonio has claimed he is “fully fit” again having overcome a series of hamstring injuries, and the winger’s update has got fans talking.
When Antonio burst out of the right-back position and was handed a chance to play at striker, the Englishman proved a menace for opposing defences, but his performances massively dropped off the pace when the 28-year-old began to suffer what proved to be a run of persistent hamstring injuries.
Had the versatile playmaker been sold, no one would have held it against the club, providing they brought in an adequate replacement, but Antonio remained in East London throughout his repeated blows.
So far this season, Antonio has remained free from injury and has been able to take full advantage of Andriy Yarmolenko’s season-ending Achilles tendon rupture.
Speaking to the official West Ham website, Antonio said: “It’s taken time to get where I am and I now have the stamina to be out there running at people and taking people on constantly.
“Right now, I need to start scoring and creating more goals as they are the parts of my game I’ve not got back properly yet.
“I felt good when I came back from the first one but, because I’d never had issues with my hamstrings previously, at first I was fine and didn’t mind putting my body to the test.
“After I did it for a second time, though, with the way I did it, it scared me.”
Antonio’s update, needless to say, got a reaction from the London Stadium faithful…
Sometimes the mental hurdle after an injury is bigger than the injury itself
— andrew wickstead (@AndrewWickstead) February 12, 2019
Well done @Michailantonio ⚒
— Forever Boleyn (@ForeverBoleyn) February 12, 2019
Andy Carroll twice the player? playing him in midfield? ain’t it a bit early to be drunk John.
— Tom (@Tomconnolly86) February 12, 2019
I agree your back to your best
— tony (@happy_hammers) February 12, 2019
After seeing him in the first couple of games of the season I though he was done, looked like the injuries had taken their toll and he would be another player to ship out ASAP. The one bright spark of Yarmalenko’s injury is it gave Antonio one final chance and he has taken it.
— Samuel Kirkwood (@SKirky7) February 12, 2019
#mindset changes everything.
— James Hymers (@jamestherapies) February 12, 2019
Love this @Michailantonio keep up the hard work!
— Scott Smallman (@SGSmallman) February 12, 2019
Most of our idiotic fan base forgot you had 2 hamstring ops within a year, and then wondered why you took a while to get back to 100%. Great to see you fully fit and long may it continue
— Adam Moore (@mooro_skipbear) February 12, 2019
Hopefully Andy Carroll next….
— Ⓟⓗⓘⓛⓘⓟ 父 Ⓦⓘⓛⓚⓘⓝⓢⓞⓝ 父 (@PW57WHU) February 12, 2019
Yep but he gets paid loads of money so all that doesn’t count right????? lets hope he keeps playing well and no other hammy injuries ⚒
— JT (@WHUfan2017) February 12, 2019