Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WISED UP Antonio is more mature, but still too injury-prone says boss Moyes
Choudhury and Chilwell back in fold after axe for missing training
BRENDAN RODGERS has recalled Ben Chilwell and
Hamza Choudhury after giving them a dressing down.
England defender Chilwell
(right) and midfielder
Choudhury (below right) were left out for Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Burnley and fined for missing a crucial training session.
Leicester boss Rodgers said:
“It was dealt with internally.
They weren’t available for the weekend but now both are and we move on.
“They are young players and young players make mistakes but they have learnt a lesson.
“We’re creating a standard, and that’s not acceptable. We can’t carry anyone.
“If you want to be a top player in a top team, it’s my job to try to develop that mindset and possibility.
“We are a team that in terms of budget and everything else are a way off what would be top six. So we have to have different ways of trying to reach that level.
“One of them is about development, progression and professionalism.
“It is something that is so important and for young players it is absolutely critical, if they want to reach the highest level, to have that mentality. That is education and learning and why I’m here.”
The Foxes have lost four of their last six games and Rodgers admits they are having “a little blip”.
The run has coincided with the absence of Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who had a minor knee operation earlier this month to flush out some floating bone.
But Rodgers revealed he is ready to return to the squad against West Ham tonight just 13 days after surgery.
“He has made an incredible recovery,” added Rodgers. “It is a testament to him and our medical team that he is available.
“We didn’t want to rush him but he has been fantastic. He has been a miss, no doubt. He’s a real colossal player for us.”
DAVID MOYES says Michail Antonio has grown up since he was fined for his bad attitude during the Scot’s first spell at West Ham.
But the Hammers boss admitted he still cannot rely on Antonio, who is set to be back on the bench tonight, as he is too injury-prone.
Antonio (below, sharing a joke in training) is back in his good books after being axed by Moyes two years ago and forced to apologise for being late for a team meeting.
But the 29-year-old, who suffered a series of hamstring injuries, has made only 10 appearances this season and has not played since a 2-1 defeat to the
Foxes at the
London
Stadium on
December
28. Moyes said: “I think he is more mature now.
“I think everybody here at West
Ham thinks he is a really important part of the squad now because of his speed and his power. His attitude has been good.
“I hope it stays that way and why would it not? It’s really important he looks after himself as much as he can and gets himself in the best condition to play.
“I hope to have him involved in some way. With Michy, you just don’t know. The minute he gets fit, you bring him back in and he lasts a couple of games and he drops back out again.
“We need him. He is a really powerful player – you play him for his speed and power. You will probably need him to get fully fit for the way you want to play him.”