Anthony Elanga

[The College Dropout]

Howe likes over powered physical attributes.

[Palestoon]

4 hours ago, Nine said:

Who is the player you’d rather we had signed? 
 

I’m not convinced a more creative wide player makes that game different for us today, more outside chance of one moment leading to a goal though? Yeah maybe, but then unless that player can also deliver the physical aspect of the game that Howe asks for it’s a non argument.
 

Do wide players that tick both boxes exist in our realistic transfer world? 
 

For me it’s evolution of the system that will end up leading us to being able to break a low block, Woltemade at #10/SS could be a big piece of that puzzle. 

 

 

 

 

Again, I dont think the club made some horrific decision with Elanga. He's going to be a very solid player for a long time for us.

 

I've just felt for the last 2 seasons our biggest weakness from an attacking perspective is how limited we've been in our build up play. Always look like we're out of ideas when we approach the 18 yard box.

 

RW was the big spot for an upgrade, and I thought we could have addressed that weakness. Who should we have signed? Not sure, but was hoping for either a player who could consistently win 1v1 in close situations, or to get one of those hybrid winger/10s who has the technical ability to pick out cute passes in tight spaces.

 

Don't see either of those in Elangas game. Doesn't mean hes a bad player or that he won't improve us.

 

But as you said, if the plan to add those elements to our game comes from a second striker/10 like Woltemade, Elanga makes alot more sense from a team construction standpoint.

 

 

Edited August 31, 2025 by Palestoon

[Whitley mag]

4 hours ago, TRon said:

 

 

The technical ability issue is a weird one. There' times when he can produce some absolute magic, clever whip on the delivery, a brilliantly intuitive first time flick to put someone in. Then there's other times when his first touch is awful, and the cross ends up in the stands. Howe was chasing him for a year so I will just presume he knows better than me. He's very exciting anyway. 

There’s a reason no other top club was in for him in my opinion. Even Nuno didn’t start him a few times last season. 
 

I feel he’s been bang average in 2 games so far and awful off the bench yesterday. When he’s had full pelt it looks exciting on the eye, but he’s created and scored nowt.

Let’s hope once we have a proper striker up top he comes into his own and we get a tune out of him, this was meant to be a signing that improved the first 11, the reality is he’s been dropped after 2 games.

 

[HayDen Traces]

I thought he was great vs Liverpool, he was okay at Villa but he was hopeless yesterday. His crossing was so wayward, he just kept digging the ball into the stand. But everyone was terrible in the final 3rd yesterday

[Lush Vlad]

9 hours ago, et tu brute said:

Obviously he has to be given time, but I've certainly haven't seen anything to argue against my opinion on here at the time, that we were over paying by £25 million when the deal was done. Hoping he proves me wrong, time will tell

No you’re not  

 

Like a few others. You’re in here telling us how you weren’t mad keen on the signing with another smug ‘I told you so post’ after one bad game/30 minute sub app. 
 

[Lush Vlad]

3 hours ago, Whitley mag said:

There’s a reason no other top club was in for him in my opinion. Even Nuno didn’t start him a few times last season. 
 

I feel he’s been bang average in 2 games so far and awful off the bench yesterday. When he’s had full pelt it looks exciting on the eye, but he’s created and scored nowt.

Let’s hope once we have a proper striker up top he comes into his own and we get a tune out of him, this was meant to be a signing that improved the first 11, the reality is he’s been dropped after 2 games.

 

That’s the reality in your head, maybe  

 

[Newcastle Fan]

I've said it after the Liverpool game and got loads of shit for it but for all his pace he's not able to come up with anything useful at the moment, i think he was the right signing but unlike what we usually do which is slowly introduce players to our system we decided to start him right away, missed a sitter 2 minutes into the season and was unable to come up with any goal or assist afterwards.

 

For all his faults Murphy looks more capable of helping us out at the minute and we can take it easy on Elanga and let him settle into our system without the pressure he's on at the moment.

[ExiledGeordie]

3 minutes ago, Newcastle Fan said:

I've said it after the Liverpool game and got loads of shit for it but for all his pace he's not able to come up with anything useful at the moment, i think he was the right signing but unlike what we usually do which is slowly introduce players to our system we decided to start him right away, missed a sitter 2 minutes into the season and was unable to come up with any goal or assist afterwards.

 

For all his faults Murphy looks more capable of helping us out at the minute and we can take it easy on Elanga and let him settle into our system without the pressure he's on at the moment.

Elanga is someone you feel Howe will (I hope) really be able to improve in terms of end product. I also think having a proper striker up front will benefit him. The German lad looks like he’ll create space for others too. 

[Whitley mag]

9 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

That’s the reality in your head, maybe  

 

He didn’t start, therefore he was dropped. Take your pick as for the reason.

[Lush Vlad]

Just now, Whitley mag said:

He didn’t start, therefore he was dropped. Take your pick as for the reason.

Being dropped, IMO. Has always indicated someone being taken out the team due to poor performances, disciplinary reasons etc. It carries negative connotations and always has done. But I’m sure you already knew that, but went with it anyway to somehow try and prove your point about him as a player/signing. 
 

Maybe, just maybe. There was some truth to the rumours about a knock. Or that he trusted Murphy in the system change off the right. Owing to him being here longer and being more comfortable in the new system. Not that it did much good  

 

Is rotation, tactical changes depending on the opposition and using the squad not a thing anymore? You’re DROPPED and it’s automatically a negative?!

[Menace]

Howe made Murphy - a very limited winger achieve 20 g/a last season. Elanga is very young and his ceiling is obviously far higher, I have no doubt Howe will make him into a player but the price for EPL players really is nuts. 

[Whitley mag]

7 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

Being dropped, IMO. Has always indicated someone being taken out the team due to poor performances, disciplinary reasons etc. It carries negative connotations and always has done. But I’m sure you already knew that, but went with it anyway to somehow try and prove your point about him as a player/signing. 
 

Maybe, just maybe. There was some truth to the rumours about a knock. Or that he trusted Murphy in the system change off the right. Owing to him being here longer and being more comfortable in the new system. Not that it did much good  

 

Is rotation, tactical changes depending on the opposition and using the squad not a thing anymore? You’re DROPPED and it’s automatically a negative?!

If we’re dropping him against Leeds for tactical reasons it would suggest we thought Leeds would have a low block and he wouldn’t be able to use his pace.
 

If he was dropped due to Murphy working harder defensively away from home I’d be concerned. As this is where surely Elanga will be able to exploit his pace on the break.

 

Using the squad is a legitimate reason, however in my opinion Howe thought him and Barnes would be better off the bench with the game broken up.

 

My main concern being if it’s the first point we haven’t solved any problems from last season through signing Elanga.

 

Time will tell but can only go off what I’ve seen so far and I’m not impressed.

 

 

Edited August 31, 2025 by Whitley mag

[The College Dropout]

Thought he delivered some excellent balls against Liverpool that you would expect a proper striker would be close to getting on the end of. 
 

Was pap against Leeds but so was everybody.  

[Ashley17]

I just assumed he had a rest due to playing 90 on Monday and having to do the running of 2 men all second half. 

[Inu]

8 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

Howe likes over powered physical attributes.

Probably hates Bruno then 

[KaKa]

8 minutes ago, Ashley17 said:

I just assumed he had a rest due to playing 90 on Monday and having to do the running of 2 men all second half. 

 

Thanks for having some common sense.

[The College Dropout]

19 minutes ago, Inu said:

Probably hates Bruno then 

And even his stamina and durability is amazing. Ran the furthest in the league 2 years in a row.  
 

It’s Trippier, Hall and Schar that really don’t have any standout physical attributes. 1 was inherited. Another was just levels above as a player when he joined and then there’s Hall who I genuinely don’t think was Eddie’s first choice  but convinced Eddie through ability and becoming a much more aggressive player. 

[The College Dropout]

Funnily enough Guehi doesn’t seem a Howe type player other than the PL experience. His main strengths are technical and mental.  He doesn’t seem to prioritise those attributes going forward. 
saying that we ended up with a very Howe player in Thiaw. 

[Crimson Cardigan]

I’m expecting the wingers to be rotated regularly, surely that’s the point of the squad. It’s not the same as being dropped.

[The College Dropout]

Just now, Crimson Cardigan said:

I’m expecting the wingers to be rotated regularly, surely that’s the point of the squad. It’s not the same as being dropped.

I’m expecting an earlier subs in the main. 
 

Arteta had this concept of starters and finishers which I think makes sense. A lot of players getting 55-70 minutes and others getting 35-20 minutes. With the odd rotation. 

[Ashley17]

There’s also the Bunce influence. If he says their condition is to do 20 minutes, that’s what will happen.

[The Prophet]

10 hours ago, et tu brute said:

Aye £30 million in today's market, so far he hasn't even looked worth that much

 

I don't think Elanga is the problem here.

[Tiotes Witch Doctor]

He was laughably bad yesterday but think he's done ok in the first two games, seeing him being written off by a few online with some vitriol, just absolute silliness, think he will be a huge player for us, has all the attributes to be a huge success here.

[et tu brute]

2 hours ago, Lush Vlad said:

No you’re not  

 

Like a few others. You’re in here telling us how you weren’t mad keen on the signing with another smug ‘I told you so post’ after one bad game/30 minute sub app. 
 

Stop talking shite, of course I want the best for the team. Just because I don't rate him, doesn't mean I don't want him to perform when playing. So again stop talking shite 

[Rich]

People still not able to understand rotation is it? Probably a good crossover with those who’ve previously moaned at Howe for not changing the team enough an’ all.