Antony is not good enough to play at the highest level, according to ex-Man United star, Jaap Stam.
Manchester United have not been playing at the required level all season long. Let’s not beat around the bush. Erik ten Hag did some good things last season. He’s doing some bad things now. I fully understand the squad isn’t to his liking, though he has to front up and own some of the blame.
Christian Eriksen doesn’t look good enough at this stage. Tyrell Malacia is constantly injured. Mason Mount cannot get in the side. Antony does not look like a £80m+ player. All are Ten hag signings.
The man from Brazil had off-field issues to deal with recently, though he’s just so one-footed, it leaves me constantly worried about his predictability.
Now, the big-money United star has come in for some stick from ex-Red, Jaap Stam. He believes the winger is ‘not good enough for this level’, as Antony struggled last night vs Bayern, with his club now out of Europe as a result of the 1-0 loss.
Check out what Jaap Stam had to say in full on Antony here:
“Antony is not, I don’t think, from what I have seen from him. He is not good enough for this level we are looking for at United. ” Stam said on the Stick to Football podcast.
“Because you are also looking for a player when he comes in he can struggle and have a difficult time, but you are still looking at a player thinking where is he making progress so he can get to a certain level.
“When you look at Antony now, at this moment, you don’t really see where he can make the progress needed to make that next step into the Premier League to be up there with the top wingers.
“In Holland he did okay, it wasn’t like he was the best player in Holland, he did okay for Ajax but they are playing in a league with a couple of good players and the rest of the teams are, with all due respect, mediocre players so they are always dominating and he can always do his trickery and always put crosses in or make a one two.”
As much as I’d like to back the United player, I just can’t. I know he works hard and he fits this system that Ten Hag wants to play, but he just doesn’t have the skill to play at the very top. There’s no shame in that. He’d be a success for most clubs in world football. Just not this one.
The lack of service Antony provides to his forwards is alarming and he feels very much like a one-trick pony due to the fact he can only cut in back onto his left foot and try to whip one into the corner.
I worry that he can’t really improve too much unless he works on his right foot. That hasn’t happened during his twelve-month stay in Manchester so far.
I know it feels pretty harsh words from Stam, but he’s absolutely bang on the money. He can get away with it in the Eredivisie, but here in the Premier League, it’s a different kettle of fish entirely.
I’m always happy to be proven wrong but at this stage, it just doesn’t look likely.
Do you agree with Jaap Stam on Antony? Let us hear your thoughts in the comment box below.
