It would be fair to say that Newcastle United are yet to get going this season.
While the opening eight Premier League games have not been a disaster for Newcastle – which looked a remote possibility after a dreadful summer transfer window – Eddie Howe’s side are hardly covering themselves in glory.
They’ve laboured to wins against Southampton, Tottenham and Wolves and were largely outplayed during their draw with Bournemouth. Fulham smashed Howe’s side 3-1 and poor finishing cost them against Everton, before that trend emerged again during last week’s loss to Brighton.
The likes of Shaka Hislop have expressed concerns about where this team are going but, hopefully at some point, the Newcastle United manager sees his side play themselves into form.
Anthony Gordon perhaps best typifies where the team are right now. Capable of brilliant moments, consistency has been an issue – albeit with mitigating factors.
Gordon returned from Euro 2024 lacking fitness but got up to speed in time for the draw with Manchester City, which looked to have sparked a turnaround in form for both the winger and the team as a whole.
Since, however, things have dropped off again.
Speaking on Friday, Howe posited a theory as to why.
Eddie Howe makes fresh Anthony Gordon fitness admission
Howe admitted that the fact Gordon went away with England not long after the City game and subsequently played only an hour over the international break may have had an impact.
While the Toon boss was not blaming staff at England, it does make a certain degree of sense.
“We just felt he was probably entering his best physical period for us and then he goes away with England and played 60 minutes and there was two weeks where the training is very different,” he told The Chronicle.
“That through no fault of England, he then comes back to us slightly below his best physical levels. Again, I have to say his attitude to his work this week. He has been very good.”
Anthony Gordon needs to prove he’s worth the money at Newcastle
Few would doubt Gordon has already gone some way into paying off his £40m fee but a fresh contract will no doubt bring fresh expectations.
There can now be no debate about where his head is at and Howe is expecting Gordon to flourish as a result.
Hopefully, he’s right…
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