The pundit believes the West Ham star’s patience after leaving Nottingham Forest has served him well.
Paul Merson believes Michail Antonio’s mindset after leaving Nottingham Forest for West Ham United has helped his current success at Upton Park, according to Sky Sports.
Indeed, the pundit has heaped praise on the 25-year-old but feels he was a good enough player for this level even during his time in the Championship.
And Merson believes Antonio would have been prepared to sit on the bench after leaving Nottingham Forest, leading to a patient approach that has enabled his current strong form for West Ham.
Merson told Sky Sports News on Saturday afternoon: “I saw him when he was at Forest and he was a good player. He’s waited for his change and he’s done really well. He would have been thinking ‘will I get in the team coming from Forest’ anyway so he was patient.”
Antonio added to his tally since leaving Nottingham Forest by scoring for the third game in row for West Ham on Saturday.
During the comeback 3-2 win over Everton, the Hammers saw Antonio, Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho all hit the back of the net.
The trio are all good examples of excellent West Ham recruitment from the last couple of years and will have key roles to play if the east London club are to qualify for the Champions League.
A place in the top six looks very likely indeed, while West Ham’s strong recent form has now opened the door to a top-four finish.
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