Anthony Elanga

[El Prontonise]

Gordon RW?

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

This is selecting from the players we have in the squad like, not from hypothetical players we could’ve signed. 

[La Parka]

2 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

This is selecting from the players we have in the squad like, not from hypothetical players we could’ve signed. 

Jacob Murphy?

 

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

6 minutes ago, La Parka said:

Jacob Murphy?

 

 

Yeah sure, but he’s also quite poor and presumably can’t start every game. 

[magorific]

1 hour ago, Lush Vlad said:

We were linked with and bid for loads of players that didn’t want to come here/went elsewhere for more money. Mbeumo being one of them. 
 

No relevance to Elanga whatsoever. 

Semenyo would be the missed opportunity, for me. Plays anywhere across the frontline but a great record at RW - and surely would have come.

[Displayname]

Neither Gordon and Barnes can be played right, its better to have them rotate on the left to get most out of them. We have enough games.

 

Get a new winger in during January. Not like Murphy is bringing a lot to the table either without his Isak connection. Was willing to back Elanga after a few hopeful signs, but it's getting to a place were we just can't wait for him to find his footing. 

 

Forest will maybe take him back for a decent discount?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

No chance we can sell Elanga in January after buying him in summer. 

[Displayname]

2 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

No chance we can sell Elanga in January after buying him in summer. 

Did it with Loyd Kelly. Don't think we will either, but we should.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

If we can I'm up for it

 

I did think it was strange that we didn't sign a left-footer for RW.

 

 

Edited December 15, 2025 by AyeDubbleYoo

[Danh1]

I’m just glad we signed a Premier League proven player. Imagine having to have patience whilst a lad from abroad settles in?

[Chicken Dancer]

He’s play enough now for me to make a judgement- I did hold off at first despite him looking like he’d won a competition.
 

He’s basically Obertan and that’s probably harsh on Obertan. 
 

Sign midtable shite, become midtable shite. £55m man  

 

Whoever sanctioned that needs peddled. Absolutely awful footballer. 

[alexf]

Feel like he loses the ball 9 out of 10 times he gets involved. I was stunned that he started. It didn't work at all and should have been hooked at half time along with Gordon. Our most productive wide players were both sat on the bench. 

[Danh1]

3 minutes ago, Chicken Dancer said:

He’s play enough now for me to make a judgement- I did hold off at first despite him looking like he’d won a competition.
 

He’s basically Obertan and that’s probably harsh on Obertan. 
 

Sign midtable shite, become midtable shite. £55m man  

 

Whoever sanctioned that needs peddled. Absolutely awful footballer. 

We chased him for a year as well. I remember being raging we put a bid in for him 2024 summer. 
 

He then posted some good numbers the following season, but surely with the track record we have of signing players, they’d be able to identify someone who could come in and give us more? 55 million man. Absolute scandal. 

[Chicken Dancer]

4 minutes ago, Danh1 said:

We chased him for a year as well. I remember being raging we put a bid in for him 2024 summer. 
 

He then posted some good numbers the following season, but surely with the track record we have of signing players, they’d be able to identify someone who could come in and give us more? 55 million man. Absolute scandal. 

I’m not sure we scouted him just signed him because he’s PL proven. He suited Forest down to the ground because they were a team that would just sit and play on the break 90% of the time.

 

With the ball at his feet he’s absolutely shocking. I’d be ringing Nuno now and asking if he wants to sign him for West Ham. 

[KaKa]

Elanga, Gordon, Barnes and Murphy.

 

None of these are good enough in deeper positions when we have the ball. They do not make consistently good decisions and are loose with their touches or their passes.

 

As soon as we get the ball they should all be getting as high up the pitch as possible, right up against their opposing full back. They are all quick and make decent runs in behind.

 

Between Malick/Schar/Botman, Hall, Tino, Bruno and Tonali and even Woltemade dropping deep, we should be figuring out getting the ball out from the back with minimal involvement from this profile of winger in those deeper areas of the pitch.

 

I don't see any patterns or approach to progressing the ball forward that makes sense for the players we have.

 

We barely use the midfield or Woltemade in build up and keep trying to play through the wingers too early.

[Mikky]

5 minutes ago, KaKa said:

Elanga, Gordon, Barnes and Murphy.

 

None of these are good enough in deeper positions when we have the ball. They do not make consistently good decisions and are loose with their touches or their passes.

 

As soon as we get the ball they should all be getting as high up the pitch as possible, right up against their opposing full back. They are all quick and make decent runs in behind.

 

Between Malick/Schar/Botman, Hall, Tino, Bruno and Tonali and even Woltemade dropping deep, we should be figuring out getting the ball out from the back with minimal involvement from this profile of winger in those deeper areas of the pitch.

 

I don't see any patterns or approach to progressing the ball forward that makes sense for the players we have.

 

We barely use the midfield or Woltemade in build up and keep trying to play through the wingers too early.

Problem is Kaka, and I use yesterday as a clear example - we play in a low 451 - so when we do get the ball, we have nowhere to go - the wingers are too deep and Woltemade can’t get up the field - it’s not a fluid system whereby in 2/3 passes you are able to transition - and it’s too easy for teams to defend against us 

 

The system needs ripping up - like I said yesterday, it’s hurting every single player by virtue of nullifying what they should be doing on the pitch 

[KaKa]

3 minutes ago, Mikky said:

Problem is Kaka, and I use yesterday as a clear example - we play in a low 451 - so when we do get the ball, we have nowhere to go - the wingers are too deep and Woltemade can’t get up the field - it’s not a fluid system whereby in 2/3 passes you are able to transition - and it’s too easy for teams to defend against us 

 

The system needs ripping up - like I said yesterday, it’s hurting every single player by virtue of nullifying what they should be doing on the pitch 

 

I agree 100%.

 

It's a system issue and everyone is suffering.

 

Feels like we are not playing to anyone's strengths at the minute.

 

It's awful.

[DevonGeordie]

29 minutes ago, Danh1 said:

I’m just glad we signed a Premier League proven player. Imagine having to have patience whilst a lad from abroad settles in?

Hahah fucks sake 🤣

You’ve got to laugh like otherwise you’d cry

[AyeDubbleYoo]

27 minutes ago, alexf said:

Feel like he loses the ball 9 out of 10 times he gets involved. I was stunned that he started. It didn't work at all and should have been hooked at half time along with Gordon. Our most productive wide players were both sat on the bench. 

 

Think the problem is that the same players can't start every game, I guess. 

 

That and we need to try and get a return from Elanga rather than write him off. Management I mean, they can't think like fans do. 

[geordiesteve710]

31 minutes ago, alexf said:

Feel like he loses the ball 9 out of 10 times he gets involved. I was stunned that he started. It didn't work at all and should have been hooked at half time along with Gordon. Our most productive wide players were both sat on the bench. 

 

Same.

 

I'd go as far as to say Elanga's was the worst individual performance I've ever seen in a derby, and I've seen a lot.

 

Losing the ball continuously was bad enough but just prancing around afterwards was unforgiveable.

 

I'd accept it if Howe didn't want to embarrass him by a first half substitution, but sending him back out after the break was negligence and no excuse for it.

[Kid Icarus]

The solution should be simple tbh, he doesn't play at all until he shows something off the bench. Barnes and Murphy can point to tangible things they've done recently and consistently as reasons they should be playing, the others don't and shouldn't be having their failures vindicated with starts over people who have succeeded.

 

 

Edited December 15, 2025 by Kid Icarus

[The College Dropout]

Didn't watch yesterday's game but this lad is not a good footballer and it's always going to be a problem. His lack of footballing ability isn't a system problem.

 

There is a system where he can flourish. But it's not a system issue that he's not a good footballer.

 

 

Edited December 15, 2025 by The College Dropout

[Pablo123]

1 minute ago, The College Dropout said:

Didn't watch yesterday's game but this lad is not a good footballer and it's always going to be a problem. His lack of footballing ability isn't a system problem.

You missed a masterclass. He was superb. 

[GEFAFWISP]

We wanted this guy to play with Isak and it's blown up in our face. The turgid, set piece heavy, compressed football in middle areas of the pitch trend this season hasn't helped him and his technical weaknesses are being thoroughly exposed, and it's the same as Gordon really. Unless they manage to break away from their full back at speed they're both functionally useless and even then due to confidence and general shiteness outside those breaks, when they do get into decent areas the end product is often garbanzo.

[The College Dropout]

Just now, Pablo123 said:

You missed a masterclass. He was superb. 

I haven't even watched the highlights, just read the comments, and it's all the same from previous games - he can't control the ball, can't make a simple pass, can't get on the dribble to use his pace, doesn't work hard off the ball, etc. I can see the performance.