The West Ham United star seems to have rediscovered his best form this season.
West Ham ace Michail Antonio sat down for an exclusive interview with the club’s official website, and shared how two hamstring injuries really affected his game from a psychological perspective.
The 28-year-old has been in fine form for the Hammers this season, chalking up four goals and five assists in 28 appearances in all competitions, in what has been a stark contrast from last term.
Antonio seemed to lose his explosive pace and willingness to run at opposition defenders when coming back from his second hamstring tear, and there must have been a moment when he thought he would never return to the player that he once was.
The former Nottingham Forest winger spoke exclusively to the club’s official website, and admitted that the thought of pulling his hamstring again scared him:
“You definitely have to trust your body. I felt good when I came back from the first one, 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. I was thinking it could go again at any time because all I had done was strike a ball and it popped so, mentally, I wasn’t sprinting properly.”
Now that he has returned to his best, Antonio is proving to once again be a vital player fro West Ham, and if Manuel Pellegrini’s side are to have any chance whatsoever of finishing inside the top seven this season, the winger will have best on his very best form between now and May.
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