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 2 hours ago 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 1 hour ago 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.