Anthony Elanga

[Whitley mag]

I would start him midweek the only way we’ll find out is by playing him from the start. It could be setting him up to fail in a tough away game but it could also be the making of him.

 

It’s very hard to draw any other conclusion at the moment apart from he’s all pace and nothing else.

[Geordie Ahmed]

I think the criticism of him not pressing 4 players is absurd

 

Seemed quite clear what he was asked to do as we rightly were no longer pressing as a team, his primary purpose to be ready as an outlet 

 

Which he was on a few occasions, however with the ball he seems massively devoid of confidence

 

The Forest Elanga does far better with that opportunity when he had the ball down the right hand side, instead it just very easily came to nothing

 

He's been largely poor but I still think a lot of it is confidence related, he desperately needs a goal or an assist as I think that will really get things going

[Lush Vlad]

1 hour ago, ExiledGeordie said:

The worrying thing is he just looks completely and utterly off it like his head has gone, confidence gone or some underlying issue. 

Oh I don’t disagree on him looking like

he has lost some self-belief and is unsure of himself.
 

I just can’t believe the amount of people moaning that he wasn’t chasing lost causes and tearing about like a Springer Spaniel/Osula  I’m sure those were the tactical instructions from Howe  

[Jewel]

He may eventually come good, but we needed him to come good now. Thats why we paid such a high premium, for a supposed Premier League proven talent. If the club wanted potential, they could have easily gotten someone cheaper from the continent.

 

We are simply not in a position to write him off for this season and hope he comes good for the next one.

If we fail to qualify for Europe this season, our progress will have stalled. So all this "eventually come good" stuff won't make much difference because the damage will have already been done. He was supposed to be the last piece of the jigsaw, the quality right-winger that we have needed for years.

 

I have no idea what Eddie thought he was getting with Elanga, but he certainly has a conundrum on his hands that he needs to solve sooner rather than later.

[black_n_white]

1 hour ago, bobbydazzla said:

He was ranked 3rd for assists in the Premier League last season and scored 6 goals in a side that set out to absorb pressure and hit teams on the break. 
 

He’s got plenty of other attributes than just his 10.93 time over the 100m

 

It’s just not clicked for him here yet. And maybe it never will. But he’s a proven player in the top flight. 
 

As a comparison, Isak’s been shite at Liverpool. But we know he’s not a shite player because he scored loads for us. To say he’s a shite player is just ridiculous. He’s just playing shite. And long may it last.

 

 

 

Who’s saying he’s a shite player? It’s a good point about Elanga, maybe our tactics just don’t suit him? I’d actually give him a start away at Marseille on Tuesday.

[bobbydazzla]

40 minutes ago, black_n_white said:

Who’s saying he’s a shite player? It’s a good point about Elanga, maybe our tactics just don’t suit him? I’d actually give him a start away at Marseille on Tuesday.

You said based on what you’d seen he looks like he has pace but not much else. 

 

So I said he was 3rd highest in league for assists and scored 6 goals last season. So he does have other skills beyond pace, we just haven’t seen them whilst playing for NUFC yet. 
 

And I compared that to Isak at Liverpool and used the word shite, but it was just a turn of phrase, nothing more than that. 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2025 by bobbydazzla

[Slim]

Played well 

[lovejoy]

Would like to see him start on Tues . I think he will.

 

 

Edited November 23, 2025 by lovejoy

[Benwell Lad]

At the moment he just looks like a player who desperately needs a top performance or an important goal to settle him and kick on.

It will happen and I think we'll see a very different player thereafter.

[Ketsbaia]

Really hope he gets his goal soon, because I still cannot fathom him being a bad signing.

 

At the time, he just seemed spot on, he should be doing well. Refuse to think he'll be a flop  

[Skeletor]

Keeping the faith with him, but it is becoming tougher. Needs to start showing flashes at the very least.

[Andy]

4 hours ago, et tu brute said:

Near the end of the game he just stopped when there was a decent chance (with his pace) that he may have got the ball before the city keeper. That's not good enough, you're struggling, not been on the pitch for long and you just stop when presented with possible opportunity. 

 

Aye I thought that was poor too. When you're struggling for form, chasing down those lost causes is at least a way to get the crowd on your side. 

[Groundhog63]

One of those "lost causes" was where the ball passed through into space wasn't deep enough and Nunes got enough of a touch? 

 

Leave the kid alone man. It's not your money was spent on him, you kna and he'll be Howe'd soon enough. 

[Keegans Export]

1 hour ago, Jewel said:

I have no idea what Eddie thought he was getting with Elanga, but he certainly has a conundrum on his hands that he needs to solve sooner rather than later.

Rapid, two-footed, 11 goals and 20 assists over the past two seasons and young enough to develop further. I think it's clear what he thought he was getting, we just aren't getting anything out of him.

 

In principle he should suit playing with Woltemade, he'll benefit from balls in behind to run onto.

[Andy]

37 minutes ago, Groundhog63 said:

One of those "lost causes" was where the ball passed through into space wasn't deep enough and Nunes got enough of a touch? 

 

No. There was one where the ball broke towards the keeper and he just stopped chasing it when it was there to be chased, which is what the post I quoted referred to quite plainly. 

[Jack14Bojangles]

5 hours ago, ExiledGeordie said:

The worrying thing is he just looks completely and utterly off it like his head has gone, confidence gone or some underlying issue. 

I think Elanga spent too much time with the rat. That rubs off on them.

[Jack14Bojangles]

5 hours ago, Whitley mag said:

I would start him midweek the only way we’ll find out is by playing him from the start. It could be setting him up to fail in a tough away game but it could also be the making of him.

 

It’s very hard to draw any other conclusion at the moment apart from he’s all pace and nothing else.

And that's precisely what I wouldn't do.

 

The Champions League is the competition where we perform best and have a real chance of finishing in the top eight.

Experiments like that are therefore too risky for me.

[Fak]

2 minutes ago, Jack14Bojangles said:

I think Elanga spent too much time with the rat. That rubs off on them.

 

 Go on Jack 

[andycap]

Should be starting majority of games to try and play himself into form. These ten minute sub appearances where we normally have him playing as a striker cannot be helping him. 

[La Parka]

Not even allowed to play the b team. 

 

Must be struggling with something. 

[Sibierski]

Good luck bro in your 10 min cameo. Make sure you either A) Run around like a headless chicken if we’re defending a lead or B) Play like prime Messi to score/create the crucial goal(s) to get a result.

[Dr.Spaceman]

19 minutes ago, Sibierski said:

Good luck bro in your 10 min cameo. Make sure you either A) Run around like a headless chicken if we’re defending a lead or B) Play like prime Messi to score/create the crucial goal(s) to get a result.

 

Spoiler

He'll do neither

 

 

 

Edited November 25, 2025 by Dr.Spaceman

[TRon]

He's looked worse with every outing tbf. Needs to come on and have a real impact to get his confidence back up. 

[Pilko]

1 hour ago, La Parka said:

Not even allowed to play the b team. 

 

Must be struggling with something. 

 

Playing footy.

[The Butcher]

55 million. Absolutely mental.