OPINION
It is fair to say that West Ham star Michail Antonio did not have the best of starts to the season, with the versatile ace coming in for criticism from all angles for his poor performances.
The 28-year-old was well off the pace at times and looked a shadow his former self for the Hammers, whose struggles for form as a team mirrored Antonio’s toiling displays.
Fans really began to get on Antonio’s back, with negative comments fired his way on a regular basis on Twitter following matches, including after a 4-0 loss to Manchester City.
Fast forward to now and the speed machine is back in the good books of West Ham fans, with some really promising displays topped off with two goals in their last three matches.
Obviously his upturn in form is still in its early stages, but the signs are seriously good for the much-maligned £70,000-a-week ace [Spotrac] as he looks to get back to the form which made him a favourite on the terraces for the Irons.
The 28-year-old looks fitter than he has done in ages, and the confidence looks to have come flowing back after a couple of months which saw him linked with a January exit.
West Ham fans will obviously be delighted to see Antonio playing well again, but many of them will be eating their words from earlier this season when they mercilessly slammed the forward for his performances.
Hopefully Antonio can continue to prove everyone wrong in the coming weeks and keep playing a key role in what is shaping up to be a promising season in east London.