Anthony Gordon hit with ruthless verdict from Spanish media after seven Barcelona games
The Spanish media have made up their minds about Anthony Gordon after his seventh game for the Catalan club.
Gordon signed a five-year deal at Barca after completing a £69.3million move from Newcastle United ahead of the World Cup.
It didn’t take long for the Englishman to have an impact at his new club, registering four assists in his first four games.
Now, three La Liga matches later, Gordon has failed to register another goal involvement despite his teammates causing nightmares for opposition defences.
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Gordon started Barca’s 4-2 win over Levante on September 13, with Lamine Yamal’s brace ensuring the Catalans maintained their perfect start.
Despite being benched for the 7-2 win over Racing Santander in midweek, Gordon was given the nod by head coach Hansi Flick against Sevilla on Saturday (September 19), as Raphinha netted a hat-trick to hand the La Liga champions a convincing 3-1 win.
Yamal provided two assists, while Gordon struggled to make a positive impact on the game, missing two clear-cut late chances to net his first goal for the La Liga champions.
Spanish media issue verdict on Anthony Gordon
Gordon’s recent form prompted a huge reaction from the Spanish media after the match.
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Mundo Deportivo described Gordon’s performance as incomplete, writing: “It's a tactical blessing. But being a striker, as he is, he's lacking that spark that distinguishes a star from a good player. He ended up playing as a center forward and missed a chance to score, which he pursued with more passion than finesse.”
Barca Universal gave Gordon a rating of 6.5: “Once again, Gordon appeared isolated on the flank and relatively distant from the busy buildup through the middle. He did not complete many take-ons and did not produce much end-product in terms of crosses.
“Gordon’s work rate was positive, but his impact has been on the decline in recent games. He even drifted centrally as the game progressed, but did not get into any promising goal-scoring situation.”
Barca Blaugranes gave Gordon a rating of 6/10, explaining: “He’s beginning to seem a little one-dimensional now, works extremely hard but his end product is a little limited and he skied or missed multiple good chances to get his first Barca goal.”
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Sports Illustrated gave him a slightly higher rating of 7.1, adding: “Had a few bright moments, but it’s starting to become clear that he’s overly eager to score his first Barça goal. Missed a sitter and was withdrawn soon after.”
Meanwhile, AS said: “He tried, but nothing came of it. At least he doesn't give up and keeps trying, but he's unlucky in front of goal. He had two great chances when he played a few minutes as a false 9, with Lamine and Adeyemi as his main providers.”
SPORT gave the winger a rating of 6/10, claiming: “He roamed across the entire attacking front and ended up playing as a centre-forward. He wasn't sharp, as evidenced by two missed shots and he needs to score to regain his confidence.
"Even so, he occupied the centre-backs, dealt with the pressure and provided the tactical discipline that Flick seeks. His profile complements Adeyemi's.
"Barcelona remain unstoppable. They know how to score goals and they also know how to suffer. Flick's men head into the international break without having dropped a single point and with the feeling that this season could be very special."
Barcelona return to action at home against Getafe after the international break.
Topics: Anthony Gordon, FC Barcelona, La Liga
Luke Davies