Joey Barton has challenged Elliot Anderson to add goals and assists to his game over the final few weeks of the season, believing this is one area he must improve to break into Eddie Howe’s plans for 2022/23.
The Bristol Rovers boss has spoken so highly of the 19-year-old since he arrived on loan in January, comparing him to Maradona and insisting he’s the best player he’s seen in League Two, but he’s highlighted a few areas of his game he may need to work on.
Knowing we are likely to spend money this summer, Barton has challenged Anderson to add a bit more final product to his play in the final few weeks of his loan spell after three goals and three assists in 15 appearances, feeling this would grab Howe’s attention ahead of his return to Tyneside.
The former NUFC midfielder also hinted that promotion to League One is essential if they wish to bring Anderson back on loan next season – something that looks highly unlikely given the number of Championship sides who’ve been linked in recent weeks.
Speaking to the Bristol Post, here’s what Barton had to say about our U23 star:
“He has got a lot of quality that’s for sure.
“I haven’t seen anybody (as talented in League Two)…there have been a few good players, certainly in the opening gambit of the season when Swindon came here they had a few good ball players, (Harry) McKirdy, people like that, some quality operators.
“I think he is superb.
“I think our fans have taken to him because he gets you off your seat.
“You would be really pleased watching him have the ball for 90 minutes because he’s just got such quality.
“The challenge for him is getting that final (part), he gets in one-on-one and chops everyone but you need them goals.
“That’s what’s going to make Eddie Howe sit up and take notice because unfortunately, Eddie probably won’t watch our game. He would not watch but he’ll just see if Elliot has assisted or scored.
“For El, I think if you get sent from a Premier League club to League Two, he’s been getting loads of rave reviews, so he’ll be aware of it but to get anywhere near Newcastle’s first team next season with the money they might have available to them, he needs them goals or assists.“
Barton then had this to say about the prospect of Anderson returning for another loan spell next season – also admitting that the 19-year-old wasn’t actually their number one target in January!
“I think at the level above you might have a sniff (of signing him next season), that’s the horrible thing as a coach because we could have a really good team in League One or if we’re in League Two next year we could lose lots of our players.
“But we’ll find them, I know where they all are. Luckily for me, I’ve got an unbelievable team that can find good players and that’s a group effort.
“To find Elliot Anderson in the midst of us chasing down a transfer target which was priority number one for the whole of the window, but that didn’t work out.
“To have Plan B, C and D is a credit to our recruitment staff and the work they do. As a manager, you get very focused on target one, ‘Let’s take that off the board’ and you start making plans for that.
“But then they’re like ‘Hang on if this doesn’t happen we need to be prepared and take B or C’.
“Elliot was Plan B, believe it or not. Sometimes you need a bit of luck because plan A was definitely not as good as Plan B. He wasn’t, I’ll tell him to his face.”
