West Ham United put on a brilliant performance in their recent Carabao Cup fourth-round victory over Arsenal. David Moyes must be thrilled with his team’s approach in this clash, providing a clear blueprint for how they should play week in and week out.
In this match, Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus, and Lucas Paqueta formed the front line for the Hammers, leaving Michail Antonio on the bench. It was refreshing not to see the 33-year-old leading our attack, as his recent performances have been quite frustrating to watch. While there are reports of Moyes being content with Antonio’s recent form, it’s hard to believe. Nevertheless, the overall performance, movement in the final third, and clinical finishing displayed by the team last night should leave no doubt in Moyes’ mind that Antonio should not start another game for West Ham.
Bowen, Kudus, and Paqueta were sensational, causing all sorts of problems for Arsenal’s defense, which struggled to contain them. What sets these three players apart is their fluidity and versatility, as they can operate across the entire front line. This ability allows them to interchange positions during matches and create headaches for opposing defenders.
When Michail Antonio leads the line, our team tends to rely more on launching the ball into the channels for him to chase, resulting in less intricate build-up play. It’s evident that we were far more clinical in front of goal in the recent match. Therefore, it’s reasonable to suggest that Antonio should not be in the starting lineup again, as the Carabao Cup win provided Moyes with a successful game plan.
While Antonio has served the club well over the past eight years, it appears that his time as a Premier League starter has come to an end, at least in the author’s opinion. Going forward, he should be used as a squad player, while Bowen, Paqueta, and Kudus could form an exciting attacking trio for West Ham.