I don’t like the pile on with this guy where people refuse to give him any credit whatsoever. He had an encouraging game today with facets you can look at and hope he builds upon. It is abundantly clear that his game is infinitely better when his full back interacts and chains passes and plays with him. AWB is getting his feet wet in this aspect and trying his best despite being nothing like an overlapping fullback is, but still, with AWB doing the right things, Antony grows into the game and starts to make more cute and intricate movements exploiting the distraction his FB has created. There were a few very good interactions between them that were threatening and very hard for Forest to keep up with. You can’t get that stuff from Antony by himself, but the more he gets to interact the more effectively he probes.
Forest being hemmed in more after losing a man also gave more short passing options on the inside. It’s the kind of oppressive conditions he’s used to and theoretically what we’re working toward having here if this system actually comes through.
Slaying him for every misplaced action rather than looking at what has potential for growth from what he’s doing suggests you’re dead certain you dislike the player no matter what and it’s a strange angle given his age and where he’s coming from. He has a lot to work on, but games like this one suggest he’s trying.