The key area Michail Antonio has raised his game at Nottingham Forest from Sheffield Wednesday

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Michail Antonio has made big strides for Nottingham Forest since signing from Sheffield Wednesday in the summer.

Nottingham Forest signed Michail Antonio from Sheffield Wednesday in the summer, for a fee of £1.5 million which already looks to be a bargain.

Antonio has been consistent even in Forest’s poor spell of form, and has nine goals and six assists in 17 games this season.

That in itself is an improvement on his return for Sheffield Wednesday last season, netting four times for the Owls and providing three assists, in 24 starts.

Perhaps one of the key elements behind his improved form is his success in the air.

Antonio has won more aerial duels than any of his Forest teammates this season, and even scored two of his nine goals with his head.

This is notable because he has been far more dangerous in the air this season than he was at Sheffield Wednesday a year earlier, more than doubling the number of headers he has won per game.

Antonio seems more determined, and more confident at Forest than he did at Wednesday, and he even looks bulkier, as if gym work put in over he off-season has helped him in stature.

With Wednesday struggling for goals this season, they have 12 in total – just three more than Antonio, it’s easy to wonder whether they should have fought harder to keep the winger.