This summer, Anthony Gordon has generated a lot of conversation.
The Newcastle United player was able to push his way into the England team that traveled to Germany thanks to his double-figure Premier League figures on both goals scored and assists during his incredible first full season at St. James’ Park.
only to learn that, instead of traveling as an active participant in the Gareth Southgate master plan, he had been invited on a month-long vacation.
As England has struggled to win any of its five games in normal playing time (90 minutes or more including injury time), we all know how excruciating it has been to watch this negative nonsense on TV.
Imagine then how it must have been for Anthony Gordon! I know he hasn’t had to pay for his seat but that is no comfort for the 22 year forced to watch at such close quarters and not allowed to do anything about it. Starting eleven after starting eleven, Gareth Southgate refusing to select any attacking threat on the left. Then game after game refusing to make the most obvious change of all during the matches, leaving Anthony Gordon on the bench as yet again, no threat from the left. Indeed… no threat from anywhere really. In over two hours on Saturday, England only managed three efforts on target, the Saka equaliser on 80 minutes the first that they’d had against Switzerland.
Can you picture what’s going through Anthony Gordon’s mind as he sits there helpless to do anything as England manages to win game after game against subpar opposition and sneak into the semi-finals? Recall that England was hanging on for the majority of the match against Serbia after Southgate lost control of the team after the early lead, and they had failed to defeat Denmark, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Switzerland in regular game time (90+ injury time). Only three shots on goal on average per game throughout these Euros, and two of those shots required more than thirty minutes of extra time!
After a terrible team performance that culminated with Palmer wasting a one-on-one with the goalkeeper after a terrific run inside and amazing ball from the halfway line onto the edge of the box, Anthony Gordon was given just one minute of play during the 89th-minute Slovenian catastrophe.
Gordon’s prize for his inventiveness and setting off yet another horrifyingly bad England performance—yes, something that will never be seen again. Anthony Gordon will learn that! Gareth responds, “No thanks,” to creating opportunities, flair, and positive football!
Anyway, I think Newcastle United will gain a lot from this absurd disdain that Gareth Southgate showed Anthony Gordon.
The 22-year-old will be prepared to let loose and demonstrate in club football what he hasn’t had the opportunity to in these 2024 European Championships, much like a highly wound spring.
Anthony Gordon is going to have an incredible performance for Eddie Howe.
A chance to play football at last and demonstrate to Gareth Southgate why he should have been given a fair chance in Germany. More importantly, though, is to demonstrate to Southgate’s successor why he should be an integral part of an entirely new England team that is centered around playing attacking football and fully utilizing the considerable talent within the national team. Rather than playing every game against mediocre to below-average opponents as if England were Scotland.
In terms of Newcastle United, it simply couldn’t be more ideal.
Anthony Gordon has been protected from any possibility of injury, but he has also been working with several of the nation’s top players for the past month, so his fitness will be at an all-time high and he will be primed to start this Premier League season strong.
Though I wish I could say the same about having to endure another terrible England game under that clown’s leadership, I am forward to witness it.
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