Newcastle United have completed the signing of 21-year-old English forward Anthony Gordon. He played for English Premier League rivals Everton and the deal could go up to £45m. The Magpies have seen a massive transformation since the Saudi takeover and are currently fighting for qualification for the UEFA Champions League next season. Since last season, Anthony Gordon has been an essential part of Everton’s setup. He was chased by a few rival clubs and ended up signing for Newcastle United. We now look at some of the stats of the player that show why the Magpies paid a high price for the young English talent.
Anthony Gordon played on the wings for Everton. He made 16 appearances in the English Premier League this season and scored three crucial goals. The above viz shows the percentile rank of the player in comparison to other left-wingers in the league. Everton are struggling this season and fighting in the relegation battle. Therefore, Gordon failed to make much of an impact on the team this season. He is ranked highly for contesting aerial and defensive duels. The player is also ranked decently for his dribbles as well as for his shots. Other than this, the player has struggled to make much of an impact this season.
Last season, the player had a better season, and that caught the attention of the other clubs. The player made 35 appearances in the English Premier League and scored four goals along with two assists. His percentile rank was way better than how he has played this season. He played on the right wing and had decent performances in defence.
A versatile player
One of the primary reasons Eddie Howe’s team signed the player was because of his versatility on the field. The player can play on both flanks and provide an extra edge over the other attackers.
The above viz shows the winger’s actions from the current season. He has played on both flanks, with most of the minutes on the right side. Gordon is a decent dribbler of the ball and averages 4.58 dribbles with a 50.8% success rate. His performance has dipped from the last season when he attempted 5.23 dribbles and had a 60.4% success rate.
These dribbles have helped Gordon win 78 fouls in both seasons combined. These fouls even include two penalties. Anthony Gordon has also won a few free-kicks in the attacking third as well. With the likes of Kieran Trippier in Newcastle United’s ranks, these free-kicks could lead to goals.
Last season, things were a bit different, as the player was given equal opportunities on both flanks. This season, he has featured mostly on the right flank. The two visuals above show the crossing zones for the 21-year-old forward. Last season, Gordon averaged 2.8 crosses with a 28.6% success rate. This season, he averaged 1.95 crosses with a 19.2% success rate. His accuracy rate was on the higher side last season, especially for the ones that were attempted from the left. Eddie Howe will look to deploy him in areas where he can adjust easily and give his best.
Contributions in attack
Anthony Gordon can also contribute toward goal-scoring. The youngster knows how to find the back of the net and has done so seven times in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons combined. The above two visuals show the shot map of the player. Anthony Gordon has attempted 26 shots this season and has an accuracy rate of 61.5%. He has shown massive improvement from last season when he attempted 43 shots in twice the number of appearances and had a comparatively low accuracy rate of 39.5%. The xG map of this season shows that Gordon has taken most of his chances from inside the penalty box. He has positioned himself in goal-scoring areas, and that has also increased the average xG from 0.15 per 90 minutes last season to 0.25 in the current season.
Adding to his goal-scoring ability, the player also possesses the ability to create goals for his teammates. Gordon provided three assists last season, with one coming from a corner. The above viz shows that most of the shot assists came from set pieces or from crosses. He gave 28 of them last season, and this season the numbers have dropped to nine. The average per 90 minutes has fallen from 1.02 to 0.67. The primary concern behind this is Everton’s form. They have struggled to take shots, and Gordon has also failed to make much of an impact.
Betting Analysis
Anthony Gordon is likely to feature in the starting lineup from day one. Eddie Howe will look to adjust him in the squad this season and look at how the player is progressing. As per the betting, the 1×2 odds for Newcastle United are likely to get affected by his inclusion. As for the over/under lines, the Magpies have become a strong side, and Gordon’s inclusion could slightly lower the rate for over rates. However, if the player’s stats indicate that he scores goals, then this rate will be affected more.
Anthony Gordon is looking to make a name for himself by joining a Newcastle United side that is hungry to play in Europe next season. He is young and has plenty to offer his new club in the coming seasons. Eddie Howe will look to make full use of his potential and hope to get the desired results from this big move.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
