‘I had a stinker’… £7m West Ham player admits he was dreadful against Nottingham Forest

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West Ham United striker Michail Antonio has admitted he ‘had a stinker’ against Nottingham Forest last weekend.

The Hammers were well beaten by Nuno Espirito Santo’s side as they continued their dismal run of form in 2024.

West Ham suffered a 2-0 defeat at the City Ground and Michail Antonio made his long-awaited return from a knee injury against his former club.

There were disappointing performances across the pitch for the Hammers but Antonio struggled on his return to the side.

And by his own admission, Antonio believes he was ‘rusty’ and could barely kick the ball. 

Antonio admits he was dreadful against Forest

Speaking on The Players Channel, Antonio discussed what was a disappointing return to action for himself. 

“I was out for three and a half months and I played 35 minutes and I think I had a stinker,” he admitted.

“I couldn’t kick the ball, I couldn’t hold up play, it was difficult for me. I was rusty.”

You can understand why Antonio would have been off the pace considering he hadn’t played for West Ham since early November.

The Hammers have missed his tireless running and physical presence up front.

With David Moyes’ men going through a difficult patch of form, it feels vital that Antonio returns to full match sharpness over the coming weeks. 

While the £7 million man hadn’t exactly been prolific before his injury, he provides a real focal point for the Hammers up front. 

West Ham are without a win in 2024 and the pressure on Moyes is ramping up.

The Scotsman will be desperate to get back to winning ways with his side slipping down the table in recent weeks.

Having Antonio back is a boost for Moyes and West Ham. But they will be hoping the 33-year-old improves on his latest display following a lengthy layoff.