Anthony Gordon

[Gallowgate Toon]

I think he's also mastered the art of chasing the lost cause but neglecting fairly important other defensive work as well. 

 

Something just looks different about him even though lots of things are still the same - it's hard to put a finger on. I don't think his head has been turned but I do think he might've lost some sight of what made him so good last season; he was an absolute pest, first and foremost.

 

His off the ball movement has seemingly become non-existant.

[80]

17 minutes ago, madras said:

I said this to mates in the ground, couldn't understand it. If Willock plays it has to be in tandem with Joelinton.

I think the theory was "can we square the circle" and fix RW, have Joelinton's presence, Willock's dynamism and Gordon in his classic LW spot. But it was the wrong call unfortunately. Gordon should've made way for the outcome brothers.

[KaKa]

33 minutes ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

I was disappointed he started left. The Joe-Jo axis is the whole point.

 

We just need both Joes in there, with Joelinton further up. They don't have to be beside each other necessarily.

 

Willock and Gordon were still causing problems in the first half down the left and both could have and should have scored.

 

Joelinton was playing well on the right and combining well with Tino.

 

We were completely on top of them and creating chances. Should have been left well alone.

 

For an extra bit of creativity just drop Tonali deep and have Bruno further up.

 

Have no doubt we would have come back and got the result that way.

 

 

Edited November 25 by KaKa

[Theregulars]

Doesn’t deserve to start currently.

[ExiledGeordie]

His lack of finishing is still a concern for me. 

[80]

19 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

We just need both Joes in there, with Joelinton further up. They don't have to be beside each other necessarily.

 

Willock and Gordon were still causing problems in the first half down the left and both could have and should have scored.

 

Joelinton was playing well on the right and combining well with Tino.

 

We were completely on top of them and creating chances. Should have been left well alone.

 

For an extra bit of creativity just drop Tonali deep and have Bruno further up.

 

Have no doubt we would have come back and got the result that way.

 

 

 

I certainly agree with most of that. I'm surprised people are so down on our first half performance. We should've been looking to disturb our setup as little as possible, and if Willock had to come off, Tonali on with Bruno moving forwards was the promising way to go.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Some people might've left the Barnes sub for later or made a different one, but Joelinton was offering very little out wide and it looked like we didn't need his extra defending. Seemed like putting Barnes on was just about taking advantage of how much the better team we were. It made sense at the time IMO. 

 

I'm not sure if Willock had to come off for injury reasons anyway, seems more like Howe to leave the team longer. 

 

 

Edited November 25 by AyeDubbleYoo

[80]

1 minute ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Some people might've left the Barnes sub for later or made a different one, but Joelinton was offering very little out wide and it looked like we didn't need his extra defending. Seemed like putting Barnes on was just about taking advantage of how much the better team we were. It made sense at the time IMO. 

 

 

 

I mean... That ended up being dead wrong, didn't it. Joelinton is always wasteful with the ball, in percentage terms, but he gets so much of it and has such physicality he often ends up making something happen, and hems the opposition up in and around their own box, making them claustrophobic in the mean time. 

 

Barnes meanwhile... Well, I'm not looking to jump in on him. But whole new oceans definitely opened up for West Ham subsequently.

[KaKa]

7 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Some people might've left the Barnes sub for later or made a different one, but Joelinton was offering very little out wide and it looked like we didn't need his extra defending. Seemed like putting Barnes on was just about taking advantage of how much the better team we were. It made sense at the time IMO. 

 

I'm not sure if Willock had to come off for injury reasons anyway, seems more like Howe to leave the team longer. 

 

 

 

 

Joelinton isn't a flying winger. He just drifts into space and combines with other players to make things come together. It was working well with Tino overlapping aggressively.

 

He was releasing Tino forward and although his crosses need improving at least one chance came from a ball he delivered that fell to someone in the box after a bit of a scramble.

 

Moving Joelinton ultimately didn't make him anymore of a threat in any way. Didn't understand the change.

 

[Kanj]

1 hour ago, KaKa said:

 

We just need both Joes in there, with Joelinton further up. They don't have to be beside each other necessarily.

 

Willock and Gordon were still causing problems in the first half down the left and both could have and should have scored.

 

Joelinton was playing well on the right and combining well with Tino.

 

We were completely on top of them and creating chances. Should have been left well alone.

 

For an extra bit of creativity just drop Tonali deep and have Bruno further up.

 

Have no doubt we would have come back and got the result that way.

 

 

 

yep that’s where I am. It’s why I’m not too upset, it’s growing pains. 

[Karjala]

We didn't have both Joe's last season, Gordon is supposed to be one of our best players, yet we move him out of his preferred position to get both the Joes in.

[Big River]

it's infuriating how often he ignores the overlap

[The College Dropout]

Last season Gordon’s output negated any other issues largely.  But we weren’t as good down the left particularly defensively.  
 

Someone said Gordon is good at chasing lost causes and looking busy. But he’s not as good defensively as the Joe’s which is fine when the output is there.  But it’s not there this season.  Barnes is even worse defensively. 

[Kanj]

His chance actually looked more difficult on replay, needed to be a dink or needed more air on it. 

[BonesJones]

Not checking if it's been posted already.

 

 

[KaKa]

He's really off form.

 

Needs to be left in one position to get back his form and rhythm.

 

Moving him around while he's struggling is not helping.

 

At this point might as well just leave him on the left where he did well last season, so he gets his confidence back. And just leave Joelinton on the right.

 

 

Edited November 27 by KaKa

[The College Dropout]

8 hours ago, KaKa said:

He's really off form.

 

Needs to be left in one position to get back his form and rhythm.

 

Moving him around while he's struggling is not helping.

 

At this point might as well just leave him on the left where he did well last season, so he gets his confidence back. And just leave Joelinton on the right.

 

 

 

I’d play Joelinton left, Gordon right.  

[Lush Vlad]

I'd drop him for Saturday.  He's been poor all season bar the odd game, I don't think he's played that well for England, either.  I know we lose some of our defensive ability taking him out.  But we can't score for shit and we keep leaving Barnes on the bench.  Whose goals and assists have been consistently high for the last however many years.  I don't understand why he isn't deserving of a bit of a run of games and just gets the odd cameo.  When the player/players ahead of him are not contributing at the attacking end of the pitch.   

 

I get the impression the injury he is seemingly playing through might be limiting him, a bit.  So it's not even like it's dropping him.  It's giving him a chance to rest before the Liverpool game.  Where I think he'd get a lot more joy than Palace away.  He's played for NUFC, England or at least been involved with international squads non-stop since the U21 Euros, hasn't he?  

[TRon]

1 hour ago, Lush Vlad said:

I'd drop him for Saturday.  He's been poor all season bar the odd game, I don't think he's played that well for England, either.  I know we lose some of our defensive ability taking him out.  But we can't score for shit and we keep leaving Barnes on the bench.  Whose goals and assists have been consistently high for the last however many years.  I don't understand why he isn't deserving of a bit of a run of games and just gets the odd cameo.  When the player/players ahead of him are not contributing at the attacking end of the pitch.   

 

I get the impression the injury he is seemingly playing through might be limiting him, a bit.  So it's not even like it's dropping him.  It's giving him a chance to rest before the Liverpool game.  Where I think he'd get a lot more joy than Palace away.  He's played for NUFC, England or at least been involved with international squads non-stop since the U21 Euros, hasn't he?  

 

We should give Barnes a start, he should be champing at the bit to get his turn. Then it's up to him to take it this time, I don't think he's impressed when he's been given one previously. Gordon will be better for a rest and the realisation that his place isn't guaranteed. It depends on performance week in week out.

[Lush Vlad]

40 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

We should give Barnes a start, he should be champing at the bit to get his turn. Then it's up to him to take it this time, I don't think he's impressed when he's been given one previously. Gordon will be better for a rest and the realisation that his place isn't guaranteed. It depends on performance week in week out.

He started against Spurs and I seem to remember he looked sharp even before scoring. 
 

He hasn’t been good from the off overall, I agree. It does seem like the game can pass him by at times. But what’s his longest run of starts for us? 3-4 at most? Seems hard to properly judge him. 
 

Like I’ve said numerous times on here. I’m not having Murphy or Almiron starting ahead of him at all like they were earlier in the season and at times last season. Plus it’s not like Gordon has really done much this season, either. 

[Miggys First Goal]

Liverpool knew there was something up with this lad when they didn’t take him in the summer. 

 

 

Edited November 30 by Miggys First Goal

[M1tche]

His form has feel off a cliff. Body language is terrible, making horrible decisions, gives us nothing atm.

[aussiemag]

Needs to get back on the left and pressing and being a real fucker. 

[Smal]

him being on the left or right has no bearing on his ability to run or to kick a ball in a straight line, like. I don't think his head is in it this season at all. 

[Ikon]

Dopamine levels look rock bottom.