Antonio – Our squad has great unity

Michail Antonio
  • West Ham United face Watford on Saturday and Michail Antonio believes his side can claim the victory
  • The winger thinks the feeling of togetherness in the squad could have a huge impact on the Hammers’ performance at Vicarage Road
  • Slaven Bilic’s team will be looking to avenge their 4-2 defeat to the Hornets in September

Michail Antonio believes the current feeling of unity in the West Ham United squad can play a huge part in leaving Vicarage Road on Saturday with three points in the bag.

The Hammers take on Watford in the late kick off this weekend and will be looking to avenge their 4-2 defeat to the Hornets at London Stadium earlier this season.

And having just returned from a five-day team trip to Dubai for warm weather training, Antonio thinks the togetherness amongst the players can help them claim a victory in Hertfordshire.

He said: “The trip was definitely good for the team unity, and it’s one of those things where you’re away from home for five days solid with each other. At training, we’re together for four hours then you go home, but out there, it was 24/7. It’s good for the team.

“The feeling’s very good [in the squad]. We’ve had a couple of good results over the past few weeks, so the boys are ready to keep kicking on and keep going forward.

“There’s definitely that unity in the squad right now. Everyone that’s here wants to be here and play their football here. We’re enjoying our football right now.

“[The new boys] Jose Fonte and Robert Snodgrass have settled well, as well. They’ve gelled and they’re a good set of boys. I knew Jose from Southampton and Snodgrass has come in and he has got a bit of banter about him.”

Antonio was on the scoresheet twice back in September against the Hornets, putting Slaven Bilic’s side two goals up before their opponents scored four without reply to stun the Claret and Blue Army.

There’s definitely unity in the squad right now. Everyone that’s here wants to be here and play their football here. We believe we have got the players to go to Watford and get the three points.

Michail Antonio

Antonio

But the 26-year-old believes the team has grown in confidence since their early-season struggles, and they can come away from Vicarage Road having got revenge over Walter Mazzarri’s team.

“Watford are doing very well at the moment, so it’s a tricky place to go,” he continued. “But we really do believe we have got the players to go there and get the three points. So, that’s the mission we’re looking to set for ourselves.

“[The defeat against Watford] is definitely one of those things in football where what happens in the past has happened and you just have to keep looking forward.

“[Against West Brom last time out], we also had some frustration in not getting the win, but we need to make sure we get those points back on Saturday.

“After that, we have Chelsea at home and they’re having an unbelievable season and have probably already won the Premier League. It’s one of those things where we have just got to go out in every game and set our own targets and keep fighting.”

Antonio is West Ham’s top scorer this season with eight league goals and is enjoying his time as a key player for the side in east London.

“I definitely see my future here and I am loving my time here. They give me the opportunity to play in the Premier League and there’d be no reason to leave, really.

“[Being linked away] is not distracting at all, because I take it as a compliment, as to how I’m playing on the field. But if I stop that, those reports will stop because I’m not playing so well so I need to just continue that.

“My Mum is from south London and when I lived up north, it was difficult for me to get down as much to see her, so now I can see her weekly. It’s more relaxed here for me and it’s more of a chilled vibe.

“That’s why, probably, I’ll be playing the rest of my career here in London.”