Having had the pleasure of meeting Davey Hat-Trick, I realise his football brain and experience are much bigger than mine.
I rarely argue with his Newcastle United player ratings on The Mag. The marks and comments for the Spurs victory made plenty of sense, even though I would quibble with his (9/10) Lewis Hall score (docking one point).
As for his implied Anthony Elanga question — why didn’t he set Tyneside alight last season? — here are a few answers.
They are addressed less to Davey and more to the Newcastle United so-called supporters who declared Elanga to be a disaster zone, a waste of money, the worst player they had ever seen in black-and-white.
Put yourself in his shoes: new city, new club, new style of play (Forest thrived on limited possession and hitting teams on the break in 24/25, his standout season, while in Howe’s final campaign we were trying to play possession football to reduce the stress on a stretched squad while playing 58 matches).
Also remember, Elanga was in and out of the team once he didn’t immediately shine. That would undermine the confidence of many players, especially when nearly all his new teammates were struggling to hit the heights of previous seasons.
He also became a dad for the first time (just before Christmas, I believe). More responsibility and almost certainly a lot less sleep can take a toll.
Yesterday he mentioned post-match that he kept making runs behind and wide of the Spurs defenders but was often hoping in vain for the ball to be sent his way. He added that he would keep making those runs.
Nico Gonzo, via the excellent Dedic, found Elanga at least twice at the Beyonce Stadium. Other teams will now be wise to that ploy but with his exceptional pace and our new midfielder’s passing ability there are reasons for optimism.
Elanga will turn 25 at the end of April. He has not yet started 100 Premier League matches. He is still learning, as he freely conceded in his post-match interview. Am I the only supporter who looks at him and sees strong similarities with the career of Jacob Murphy, who didn’t reach his peak until his late 20s?
They have both been slagged off something rotten by many of our supporters, who happily ignore the fact that nearly all wingers are unpredictable from week to week. Their form fluctuates. They depend on their teammates, probably more than players in any other position.
First, they need a decent supply.
Second, they need a willing target to find in the box.
They cannot do it all on their own (Thierry Henry and Ryan Giggs possibly excepted).
Before anyone says: “Anthony Elanga is paid a fortune, he should overcome all these challenges,” please remember he is only human, even if he possesses superhuman speed. Also consider the effect audible abuse has on an NUFC player at SJP. I believe that is justified only if a player isn’t trying.
Anthony Elanga was trying last season; perhaps he was trying too hard. He now has teammates better attuned to his strengths. Just watch him fly!
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