Still smirking at that winning goal celebration. He literally ****ed them in their new poxy stadium and will have been beamed globally around the world for all to see.
What gets me also, is all the commentators/reporters/pundits are happily commenting on it, even though it's extremely X rated what he's doing in reference to Spurs. :lol:
The goal and celebration is just so wonderfully memorable, those c**** will never ever forget who scored it and forever in our name.
great to see Antonio returning to the player he was. Totally *****d spuds in their new place. last week it was taking the p out of the carpet, this week shafting spurs ! great to see !
His interview on MOTD was a thing of beauty. When the first question was asked about what the goal meant to him, he started talking in what sounded to me like a mock-philosophers voice, before reverting to his usual voice. My wife and i were in absolute stitches, and over a 10 minute highlight package, I think he firmly became her favourite player. i thought the whole think was totally hilarious, and based on something quite wonderful.
I noticed his play last week was highly reminiscent of his 2016 performances when he was fit. He was using his strength to over-run players, and he became unplayable at times. He was unique in 2016 in that he was strong an muscular, as opposed to lean and fast, and most defences didnt know how to cope. His fitness undoubtedly dipped for 18 months or so, which I feel impacted his play, but since Christmas it has been a different player. He is back scoring goals, and terrorising defences. Perhaps Southgate's radar might be going off!
I must say, in a fairly indifferent season, seeing the contribution of Antonio and Snodgrass has been remarkable, and both are really vying for the most improved player award here. It kinda makes me wonder if Kouyate could have had a new lease on life too.
It’s been a frustrating couple of years, but how good is it to see the ‘real’ Antonio back in the team?!
You can literally see the opposition quaking when he goes on those bursting runs. Doesn’t matter that he’s no idea what he’s going to do with the ball when he gets there - that just adds to the fun and makes him harder to defend against.
He's all about, brute force and ignorance. With a touch of flair now and again like that finish.
When you think more about it, it's a great tactic for Pellegrini to rely on. Because on the one hand, he has the silky smooth pacey Brazilian skills of Anderson on one wing and Antonio's brutal unpredictability on the opposite wing. If you're a Full Back, you're dreading facing up against that for 90+ minutes. If it ain't quite working out for either side, then Pellegrini can simply swap them around so to give the opposite Full Back something completely different but equally painful.
Same again for next season, please Senor! Add in a full fit Lanzini with cameos from the likes of Nasri and Wilshere, hopefully we'll see more of what Pellegrini was trying to build for this season, if the footballing god's allow us just one ****ing season relatively injury free.
Talking of injuries, I think what's also benefitted Antonio, is he hasn't suffered a stop start season littered with injuries as he had done in the previous 2 OS seasons which hampered him getting up a head of steam injury free wise.
He's had the biggest turnaround of any player since the start of the season. He has gone from a player most wanted to sell to now being in the list of must keep, even if he is just in the squad waiting in the wings.
After Rice I would say he is the players that has improved the most from last season. And is back to the form he showed from Bilic's 1st season up until the 1st half of our first season at the London Stadium.
As I have said on here a few times before I think Diangana deserves the credit for why Antonio has improved as IMO that was the turning point.
When Yarmalenko got injured Antonio when he came in and was given more of an opportunity was still playing so poor Pellers' attitude was lets just give Diangana a run out as he has shown more in training and the minutes he was getting. He deserved his opportunity a lot more. And that must of really knocked Antonio's ego knowing that with a player as good as Yarmalenko out for the rest of the season when he most probably assumed he would waltz straight into the team he had now fallen further down the pecking order now being behind a 20 year old kid with hardly any first team experience the penny must if finally dropped. So well done to both Pellers for being brave enough to give Diangana a chance and well done to Diangana for taking his opportunity at the time.
Since balking down a bit too seems to be a lot fitter and is also picking up far less injuries this season.
Colours never run wrote:He's all about, brute force and ignorance. With a touch of flair now and again like that finish.
When you think more about it, it's a great tactic for Pellegrini to rely on. Because on the one hand, he has the silky smooth pacey Brazilian skills of Anderson on one wing and Antonio's brutal unpredictability on the opposite wing. If you're a Full Back, you're dreading facing up against that for 90+ minutes. If it ain't quite working out for either side, then Pellegrini can simply swap them around so to give the opposite Full Back something completely different but equally painful.
Same again for next season, please Senor! Add in a full fit Lanzini with cameos from the likes of Nasri and Wilshere, hopefully we'll see more of what Pellegrini was trying to build for this season, if the footballing god's allow us just one ****ing season relatively injury free.
Talking of injuries, I think what's also benefitted Antonio, is he hasn't suffered a stop start season littered with injuries as he had done in the previous 2 OS seasons which hampered him getting up a head of steam injury free wise.
Its a big ask, considering our history, but you're spot on. I was heartened yesterday by the number of players involved who were signed in the summer. Pelly did try and rebuild over the summer, and to an extent he has, even involving the likes of Snodgrass and Antonio who appeared to be on the way out this time last season (particularly Snodgrass). But like Spurs, i'm not sure a major overhaul is actually required this summer. I think sensible purchases in key areas (a dynamic Central Midfielder/RB &LB) which boosts the team will make all the difference.
I've gone from not wanting him here at the start of the season to now 100% wanting him to stay. Definitely our most improved players this season, showing signs of his 15/16 self. Well done Big Mick.
Back to his beasting best, and on for three in row, how will he top the last two goals? A towering header and superb piece of centre forward play. And the celebrations!!! The sublime piss take of the carpet, and his horse riding fuckery of the Spuds!
No pressure Mich if you're reading this, but we demand a goal and a worldie celebration, to make it three in row.
There was far too much credence given to the bad attitude rumours
He simply hasn't been properly free of injuries until earlier this season, and the way he plays relies on having absolute confidence in his fitness and body - as he attested to in an Evening Standard interview back in Autumn
Never quite got some of the negative comments about him tbf. I think the biggest boost has come from him not being brought back too soon from injury. I think that's what really killed him injury wise. The same goes for reid. We were so dependent on him he'd be called back into action before properly recovering, now he looks completely ****ed fitness wise.
Crouchend_Hammer wrote:There was far too much credence given to the bad attitude rumours
He simply hasn't been properly free of injuries until earlier this season, and the way he plays relies on having absolute confidence in his fitness and body - as he attested to in an Evening Standard interview back in Autumn
I love him as much as the next man but I think there were a number of things that contributed to his dip in form besides his injuries. I do think the England call up went to his head a bit and as such, he wanted to reinvent himself as this technically gifted winger who beats players with trickery as opposed to pace and power when tricks n'flicks wasn't his game. He constantly lost possession and simply looked lost and the goals dried up. He also clearly had put on too much bulk and along with that the injuries came which meant limited game time. When he did get a game he wasn't the team player he used to be as he would cut inside and shoot from absolutely ridiculous positions rather than pass as he was more interested in getting a goal for himself. In recent times he has clearly slimmed down, doesn't look like collapsing after 55 mins, choses the right pass a lot more and when he is in full flow I don't know if there is a LB in the league who can stop him 1 on 1. If we carry on seeing this version of Antonio, Yarmolenko will have trouble getting back into the side and who knows, Southgate might want to have another look at him. Well done Big Mike!
the penny must if finally dropped. So well done to both Pellers for being brave enough to give Diangana a chance and well done to Diangana for taking his opportunity at the time.
