It’s fair to say Anthony Elanga has struggled to hit the ground running since completing a £52m switch from Nottingham Forest over the summer.
The 23-year-old ended the 2024/25 season with 17 goal involvements in 38 Premier League games, managing six goals and 12 assists in all competitions in an electric campaign at the City Ground.
However, in his first 17 games as a Newcastle player, the former Man Utd talent is yet to register a single goal or assist, looking woefully short on confidence, lacking in quality and often giving the ball away with sloppy passing.
Speaking to SVT in a recent interview over the international break, Elanga has discussed his recent lack of starts now Jacob Murphy has won back his place as Eddie Howe’s first choice winger, insisting he is making sure he is “ready” when called upon in amongst Newcastle’s busy schedule across league, cup and Europe.
Reading between the lines, Elanga hints he’s yet to ‘build momentum’ gained from a run in the side, never starting more than two consecutive league games so far, although Howe’s decision to play Murphy has been justified in recent weeks:
“In football, things happen quickly. You can play one, two games and then start on the bench for ten games in a row. So you just have to be ready all the time.
“We have the League Cup, the Champions League, the FA Cup which hasn’t even started yet, then we have the Premier League too. So it is important for me to be healthy so the opportunities will come.
“You always get hungry, you always want to start and try to help the team. When you start and play several games, you build momentum. It is important for a football player to have that.”
Elanga has pace to burn, showed ability on both feet for Forest last season, allowing him to cut in on his left or get crosses in from his right, but we’ve seen so little end product and dynamism from the winger so far.
That said, Howe remains adamant that he’ll “come good” and deliver some “amazing things” for the club in time, admitting that the Sweden international has been adjusting to a different style of play and needs our support:
“I think he’s just adjusting to a different style of play. Sometimes that adjustment happens quickly, sometimes it takes a little bit longer with certain players.
“Anthony is working very, very well. I’m really impressed with his attitude and desire to do well. His focus and professionalism is at the highest quality.
“I really, really back him. I think he’s going to come good and do some amazing things for us. But we’re just taking it slowly with him.
“While Jacob is playing so well, I don’t see why there’s a big rush. We need to support him, help him and sit back to let him do his stuff.”
I believe he’ll come good, too many people eager to write the lad off and i tend to agree with Ally McCoist when he said wingers can be inconsistent and that’s part and parcel of what they are.
The confidencein the whole club is low atm but once that builds as long as the crowd keep off his back he’ll get there and prove to be a top signing.
Jacob Murphy is a fine example of what Eddie can do to a player.
Absolutely glorious(Quote)
Maybe he had little competition at Forest in that role and that’s also a factor in his struggles .. but I was also surprised that forest sold him given his stats…
Mike(Quote)
Mike, Forest looked at how many £££s we were prepared to offer……….
davewallace(Quote)