Anthony Gordon: ‘One-dimensional’ Barcelona tryhard dismissed by Spanish media
After a flying start to his Barcelona career, Anthony Gordon is now struggling and the Spanish media has taken note.
Having joining the Catalans for £70m from Newcastle in the summer – a surprise move in the eyes of many – Gordon got four assists in as many games and won the hearts of the Barcelona fans, who were chanting his name from the stands.
But Gordon has failed to register another goal contribution in the last three La Liga games despite Barcelona continuing to tear through opposition defences.
After being benched for the midweek 7-2 win over Racing Santander, Gordon was reinstated to the starting lineup on Saturday, as Raphina scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory over Sevilla to maintain their perfect start to the campaign.
The England international was on the periphery of the game before moving centrally late on and then missing two big chances to score his first La Liga goal; the Spanish media is not impressed.
SPORT
‘He roamed across the entire attacking front and ended up playing as a centre-forward. He wasn’t sharp, as evidenced by two missed shots and he needs to score to regain his confidence.
‘Even so, he occupied the centre-backs, dealt with the pressure and provided the tactical discipline that Flick seeks. His profile complements Adeyemi’s.
‘Barcelona remain unstoppable. They know how to score goals and they also know how to suffer. Flick’s men head into the international break without having dropped a single point and with the feeling that this season could be very special.’
Mundo Deportivo
‘He’s a tactical blessing. But being a striker, as he is, he’s lacking that spark that distinguishes a star from a good player. He ended up playing as a center forward and missed a chance to score, which he pursued with more passion than finesse.’
Barca Universal
‘Once again, Gordon appeared isolated on the flank and relatively distant from the busy buildup through the middle. He did not complete many take-ons and did not produce much end-product in terms of crosses.
‘Gordon’s work rate was positive, but his impact has been on the decline in recent games. He even drifted centrally as the game progressed, but did not get into any promising goal-scoring situation.’
Barca Blaugranes
‘He’s beginning to seem a little one-dimensional now, works extremely hard but his end product is a little limited and he skied or missed multiple good chances to get his first Barca goal.’
Sports Illustrated
‘Had a few bright moments, but it’s starting to become clear that he’s overly eager to score his first Barça goal. Missed a sitter and was withdrawn soon after.’
AS
‘He tried, but nothing came of it. At least he doesn’t give up and keeps trying, but he’s unlucky in front of goal. He had two great chances when he played a few minutes as a false 9, with Lamine and Adeyemi as his main providers.’
