Newcastle United failed to improve their squad during the summer transfer window, leaving plenty of supporters frustrated.
Eddie Howe will now be under added pressure to get things right on the pitch with those at his disposal, but it has hardly been an exciting start to the season for the club.
eddie-howe
The Magpies have won just once all season, drawing against Bournemouth in the Premier League and winning on penalties against Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup in midweek.
Against Forest, the Magpies failed to perform well, with several players delivering subpar displays, and this could see Howe switch things up against Tottenham Hotspur, notably by dropping Miguel Almiron to the bench.
Miguel Almiron’s game in numbers against Nottingham Forest
The winger was deployed on the right of a front three which included Alexander Isak and Harvey Barnes.
He managed to make two key passes during the game while having a shot on target against the Premier League side, but Almiron lost possession seven times during his spell on the pitch along with being dribbled past on two occasions.
Miguel Almiron’s performance against Forest
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots on target
1
Key passes
2
Big chances created
0
Successful dribbles
0
Via Sofascore
This led to his substitution in the 61st minute, making way for Anthony Gordon, who enjoyed a decent cameo in his place.
Indeed, in just 30 minutes, plus extra time, Gordon succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts, made three key passes and scored in the penalty shootout.
Botman-Isak-Almiron-Newcastle
Not bad for a substitute and this suggests Howe would be wise to unleash the English winger against Spurs today.
Anthony Gordon’s statistics this season
The 23-year-old has featured in both of Newcastle’s Premier League matches this season so far, scoring against Bournemouth in the 1-1 draw last weekend, salvaging a draw for the north-east side.
In the top flight, Gordon has also created a big chance, averaged 2.5 key passes per game and averaged a shot per game, demonstrating his eye for goal and ability to create chances for his teammates.
The £60k-per-week starlet would clearly be a better option for Howe against Spurs compared to Almiron, especially judging by his impressive cameo in midweek against Forest.
When compared to his positional peers in the Premier League last season, Gordon ranked in the top 3% for goal-creating actions per 90 (0.9) and in the top 1% for penalties won per 90 (0.19), showing how much of a threat he was in the final third.
He will be hoping to continue this sort of form into the current season in order to help Newcastle qualify for the Champions League again.
Gordon
Teammate Bruno Guimaraes lavished praise on the youngster last season, saying: “He has been unbelievable, always scoring and giving some assists. He is a lovely guy as well, I am very happy for him and hope he can get some minutes for England. For me to play against him will be massive for both of us and the club as well.”
Howe will be hoping for a match-winning performance against the North Londoners, one which could kickstart their season in the process.
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