Former Hammers Midfielder Don Hutchison Slams West Ham Forward After Carabao Cup Showing

On Wednesday night, West Ham were comfortably beaten 3-1 at home by Premier League and London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup.

West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini used to the tie as an opportunity to rotate his squad and give some of the lesser used players valuable game time. Michael Antonio was one of those players afforded this opportunity, but former Hammer Don Hutchison hit out at the forward's performance after the game. 

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Speaking on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast, Hutchison said: “Antonio had an absolute stinker." 

He also criticised Mexican international Javier Hernandez, claiming: "Chicharito couldn’t really hold the ball up."

Elaborating on the podcast, he went on to compare his former side's two strikers with the often forgotten Fernando Llorente, who made the most of a rare start for Spurs.

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“He was excellent. He’s great for midfield players and I thought Spurs battered West Ham in the midfield and that was all to do with Fernando Llorente getting hold of the ball and not being wasteful in possession,” Hutchison said.

"That’s what Chicharito and Antonio were doing. And once (Llorente) got hold of the ball, all of a sudden Son was excellent, Harry Winks was making forward runs, Dele Alli was spinning off, Christian Eriksen was excellent – all because they had that focal point."

The only West Ham player deemed worthy of any praise was 20-year-old Grady Diangana, Hutchinson saying: “He was absolutely sensational. He was willing to take people on, go past people. A 20-year-old was probably West Ham’s Man of the Match.”

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West Ham next play Burnley at home in the Premier league; you'd be surprised to see Antonio included form the start.