Anthony Elanga

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I don’t think many forwards would pass there TBH, there are two defenders in the picture. 

[stozo]

4 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Fucking hell man, the square ball to Barnes isn’t anything like a difficult pass

There is about one second between Elanga’s check, which is the first time he’ll see where Barnes is, and his shot. At that point he has a defender one yard in front of him who has the potential to make a challenge and probably has some idea of the positioning of the second defender, but probably not exactly because again he has come from behind him in the past two seconds. 
 

On balance, was Barnes probably the better ball? yes.  But the idea it’s a simple pass is just total rubbish. It’s a split second decision that led to a decent shot. As I said before, if Barnes or Gordon do that then nobody is bothered. 

[Menace]

He's making Murphy look miles better than him which to me speaks volumes about his current ability.

 

Not a fan, don't really see where he goes from here. It's almost January and people are still talking about a good 45 minutes against Barca.

 

£55M for him is the exact reason why I'd never buy from the EPL again.

[KaKa]

2 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

I don’t think many forwards would pass there TBH, there are two defenders in the picture. 

 

Apparently it's a an obvious simple pass to a completely free Barnes don't you know.

[KaKa]

2 minutes ago, stozo said:

There is about one second between Elanga’s check, which is the first time he’ll see where Barnes is, and his shot. At that point he has a defender one yard in front of him who has the potential to make a challenge and probably has some idea of the positioning of the second defender, but probably not exactly because again he has come from behind him in the past two seconds. 
 

On balance, was Barnes probably the better ball? yes.  But the idea it’s a simple pass is just total rubbish. It’s a split second decision that led to a decent shot. As I said before, if Barnes or Gordon do that then nobody is bothered. 

 

100% bang on.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Just now, KaKa said:

 

Apparently it's a an obvious simple pass to a completely free Barnes don't you know.

Live I thought he ‘might’ have passed but on that replay it’s not at all clear. 
 

FWIW I thought he was decent again, messed up one attack in embarrassing manner but he was taking on 4 defenders with really nobody to pass to. 

[The Butcher]

Just now, KaKa said:

 

Apparently it's a an obvious simple pass to a completely free Barnes don't you know.

It's a simple pass to Wissa, who's in a much better position. Wissa will then shoot or lay it off to Barnes. 

 

It's textbook stuff.

[bobbydazzla]

1 hour ago, Bellis80 said:

But obviously made no difference because it didn’t affect him one bit.

 

So we should try the same with this guy should because he is howling.

Burn was playing poorly at left back, people constantly slagged him off in the ground shouting about how shite he was, he kept playing poorly at left back.

 

He got moved to CB and played well. 

 

I’m not sure what point you’re trying to make ? That we should shout negative shite at players in the ground just because we can ? 
 

Or are you one of the blokes I sat next to who slagged Burn off constantly game after game and now you’re feeling the need to justify your actions 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2025 by bobbydazzla

[TRon]

1 minute ago, Menace said:

He's making Murphy look miles better than him which to me speaks volumes about his current ability.

 

Not a fan, don't really see where he goes from here. It's almost January and people are still talking about a good 45 minutes against Barca.

 

£55M for him is the exact reason why I'd never buy from the EPL again.

 

 

Murphy still looks very hit and miss on the ball, but he can fire in a great cross if the defender gives him room. We really needed a quality upgrade but Eddie was set on Elanga. 

[KaKa]

1 minute ago, The Butcher said:

It's a simple pass to Wissa, who's in a much better position. Wissa will then shoot or lay it off to Barnes. 

 

It's textbook stuff.

 

Read @stozo's post again.

 

Think he explains it perfectly from the perspective of the player on the pitch, for anyone that's played football.

 

He doesn't have the same point of view as everyone sat at home watching it on the telly for goodness sake 

[toon25]

Who the fuck scouted him?

[Pata]

His confidence is ripped to pieces right now. We just have to give him minutes here and there and hope some things come off for him and get the positive snowball rolling. It has been a horrific start to his career here but I have faith he can still become useful.

 

I thought he should've passed live but looking at the replay the ball to Barnes would have to be inch perfect to not be intercepted while not being too behind for Barnes.

 

 

Edited December 21, 2025 by Pata

[Lush Vlad]

I thought once he slowed up and cut inside. That pass was clearly on to Wissa and also Barnes if he let it develop. He didn’t even look like he’d set himself for the shot and it was a tame effort. Showed great speed and intent though. Already looks a weapon for counters like that from set pieces. 
 

Thought he was better in general bar that awful non-decision. But full backs just drop off against him and sort of use the sideline as another defender, to use American Football terminology. He doesn’t back himself to get by them. 
 

He still looks shit scared all the while and lacking in any confidence. 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2025 by Lush Vlad

[The Butcher]

3 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

Read @stozo's post again.

 

Think he explains it perfectly from the perspective of the player on the pitch, for anyone that's played football.

 

He doesn't have the same point of view as everyone sat at home watching it on the telly for goodness sake 

The arrogance, my goodness 

 

It's just poor decision making. 

[gbandit]

Just now, Lush Vlad said:

I thought once he slowed up and cut inside. That pass was clearly on and he didn’t even look like he’d set himself for the shot. Showed great speed and intent though. Already looks a weapon for counters like that from set pieces. 
 

Thought he was better in general bar that awful non-decision. But full backs just drop off against him and sort of use the sideline as another defender, to use American Football terminology. He doesn’t back himself to get by them. 
 

He still looks shit scared all the while and lacking in any confidence. 

Aye, he wasnt set at all for the shot. It was the action of someone who hadnt got their head up early enough and someone who is desperate for a goal that they’ll prefer to make the wrong decision if it means they might nick one. I feel for him. I actually think he had a couple of ok moments after he came on but it kills me watching him receive a pass with pace on it to feet 

[TRon]

1 minute ago, Lush Vlad said:

I thought once he slowed up and cut inside. That pass was clearly on and he didn’t even look like he’d set himself for the shot. Showed great speed and intent though. Already looks a weapon for counters like that from set pieces. 
 

Thought he was better in general bar that awful non-decision. But full backs just drop off against him and sort of use the sideline as another defender, to use American Football terminology. He doesn’t back himself to get by them. 
 

He still looks shit scared all the while and lacking in any confidence. 

 

 

His slowing down is definitely a reaction to losing the ball while trying to tear past players early in his time here. He ran the ball out of play once or twice, and now he seems scared to even try. 

[Bellis80]

6 minutes ago, bobbydazzla said:

Burn was playing poorly at left back, people constantly slagged him off in the ground shouting about how shite he was, he kept playing poorly at left back.

 

He got moved to CB and played well. 

 

I’m not sure what point you’re trying to make ? That we should shout negative shite at players in the ground just because we can ? 
 

Or are you one of the blokes I sat next to who slagged Burn off constantly game after game and now you’re feeling the need to justify your actions 

 

 

 

I think my point is the shite players get in the ground is nowhere near what you’re making out it is and if you’re a good player it makes no difference. If you do something shite people will grumble, if you continue to do things shite the grumble will be a bit louder until you stop being shite. That’s football.

[Dr.Spaceman]

No issues with him taking on the shot, but fuck me if there's still people defending him after that performance they want their heads checking.

 

 

Edited December 20, 2025 by Dr.Spaceman

[Crimson Cardigan]

From a very low bar, that was incrementally better. It was a shot from a guy with absolutely zero confidence, I feel sorry for him. We have no choice but to persevere with and hope he scores a jammy deflection or something.

[Ilovetoon8788]

4 minutes ago, Dr.Spaceman said:

No issues with him taking on the shot, but fuck me if there's still people defending him after that performance they want their heads checking.

 

 

 

Its really harsh on him. He came on very late and that too when we had no control of the game anymore and were struggling at times. 

 

What could he do. 

[bobbydazzla]

24 minutes ago, Bellis80 said:

I think my point is the shite players get in the ground is nowhere near what you’re making out it is and if you’re a good player it makes no difference. If you do something shite people will grumble, if you continue to do things shite the grumble will be a bit louder until you stop being shite. That’s football.

Some PHD level psychology insight on display there like. You seem like someone who really understands the human psyche. 

 

1 - certain players get loads of shite in the ground. I’m there most weeks and over the last few years have been in every part of every stand apart from the family enclosure. It’s the same everywhere. We have pantomime villains in black and white, the player being targeted may change but the attitude from the stands doesn’t. 

 

2 - many people, including footballers, respond much better to positive encouragement rather than being shouted at and told their shite. 

 

3 - telling someone their shite lots of times wont typically result in them stopping being shite, it makes them even more shite because it destroys their confidence. 
 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2025 by bobbydazzla

[KaKa]

4 minutes ago, The Butcher said:

The arrogance, my goodness 

 

It's just poor decision making. 

 

It's not arrogance. He explained it from the point of view of the player on the pitch, that was the point.

 

I have no doubt you've played yourself at whatever level, so you should understand it's not as straightforward as it looks from someone watching as a spectator.

 

What is really amusing about this whole thing is that if that was Murphy or Barnes there'd be all kinds of justifications.

 

You guys are just going overboard to prove how right you were about Elanga.

 

We get it. You didn't like the signing. But he's at the club now, and so overly criticizing everything he does bad and minimising the good things he does is just really pointless. You can't even be fair in any sort of critique of him and it's just pathetic.

[Dr.Spaceman]

Just now, Ilovetoon8788 said:

Its really harsh on him. He came on very late and that too when we had no control of the game anymore and were struggling at times. 

 

What could he do. 

 

In 20 minutes against tiring legs? He couldn't even run past Marc Cucurella who'd been on the pitch for 75 minutes at that point. He's absolutely cack, man 

[JT24]

14 minutes ago, toon25 said:

Who the fuck scouted him?

Steady now

[Pata]

9 minutes ago, Bellis80 said:

I think my point is the shite players get in the ground is nowhere near what you’re making out it is and if you’re a good player it makes no difference. If you do something shite people will grumble, if you continue to do things shite the grumble will be a bit louder until you stop being shite. That’s football.

Every player/human handles it differently. Burn obviously is mentally strong enough to not care about it while Longstaff could never recover here  despite showing at Leeds that he’s a good PL player.

 

I don’t think there’s any need for the grumbling in 99% of the cases unless it’s for lack of trying, professional footballers know very well when they have fucked up.