Thierry Henry says he would have loved to have played with ‘annoying’ West Ham star

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Thierry Henry says he would have ‘loved’ to have played with West Ham United star Michail Antonio, as he told Amazon Prime Sport.

The legendary striker added that Michail Antonio is a player that is a ‘problem’ for defenders and someone who is ‘annoying’ to play against. 

David Moyes’ side suffered a 3-1 loss to Premier League leaders Arsenal on Boxing Day, with Antonio leading the line for the struggling Hammers.

At 32, Antonio is past the peak of his powers and he hasn’t been at his best this season, scoring just two Premier League goals.

But perhaps the best of them all to do it during the Premier League era certainly appreciates what Antonio brings to the table.

“I would have loved to have played with Antonio,” said Henry. “I know people will be like ‘what?!’, but yeah. He moves, he holds the ball and you come under. If you have a bit of a brain, then you can play underneath him.

“It’s what he gives off the ball also. It’s a bit Jesus-like comparison, not in terms of how they play. But it’s all about what they give to the team off the ball and what they create is annoying to play against.

“He’s not the guy that’s going to score you 15-20 goals a season, we all know that. But he is a problem. If I was a defender, then I would rather play against Scamacca, than Antonio.”

ANTONIO TO PLAY ALONGSIDE SCAMACCA 

Over the last few years, West Ham have punched above their squad weight and secured a number of European finishes.

But when they splashed the cash during the summer, in order to improve the squad, they have gone backwards and are struggling above the relegation zone. 

That attacking bite and power is missing, with several fans calling for summer signing Gianluca Scamacca to play alongside Michail Antonio, but that just isn’t David Moyes’ game.