It’s a goal and an assist once an hour for Anthony Gordon in an England shirt at the moment. Eight of those vital contributions in his last six games since clambering off the bench for the rescue act against DR Congo, another two added to the growing collection during Saturday’s demolition job in Croatia.
Count winning a penalty in the Azteca as the assist it was and the statistics are even more favourable: a goal contribution every 53 minutes.
Whatever the numbers, something has clicked inside somebody who has felt somewhat underappreciated by the English public and actively wanted to leave the Premier League to alter perceptions of his abilities.
Barcelona suits him, the £68million man whose performances in Catalonia are delighting Culers in much the same way as his use of Spanish at the summer unveiling.
Thomas Tuchel has noticed an extra air of confidence to him through this international camp (three goals and an assist), a sense of greater understanding around new-found seniority and a belief that he is now one of England’s main pillars.
Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka are locks in three of the attacking positions. It’s impossible to argue against Gordon’s inclusion as the fourth after the past few months.
Anthony Gordon (centre) and Lewis Hall (right) have a flourishing understanding
‘Anthony plays with a lot more edge,’ Tuchel said. ‘He’s for sure found another level, another gear, and is very decisive.’ The very best grow the higher they climb.
Gordon believes that Congo, changing the game in Atlanta’s indoor arena when the air was rapidly leaving England’s World Cup balloon, positively shifted his international arc.
By his own admission, it takes him a while to settle within a group – although that hasn’t seemed a problem at Barca – and now approaching 30 caps, it has become time to take ownership of the left wing. Particularly as Marcus Rashford nudged himself back into the frame last season and provided stiff competition in America.
Gordon’s goal in Rijeka on Saturday evening, England’s third of the night, was a flying header to follow up another smart header in Prague days earlier. To highlight just how things are landing for him right now, the former Newcastle United forward has not scored a single header across 248 career club appearances.
There is a swagger, noticeable in how he toyed with markers at the weekend. Josip Stanisic of Bayern Munich will have endured nightmares. The way Gordon stopped an attack dead, stood Stanisic up and then strutted past provided embarrassment for a full back who started both legs of the Champions League semi-final under Vincent Kompany last season. Croatia might as well have picked one of the kids in the stands.
Poor Stanisic was only provided mercy by Slaven Bilic once Gordon had earned his rest, which in itself felt unfair. Yet there might be some relief that the 25-year-old didn’t make the experience even more chastening, missing three big chances across his 70 minutes. It really could, and should, have been 10.
One of those arrived seconds after Kane’s early opener and engineered by Lewis Hall, his former team-mate at St James’ Park. Hall’s had a strong week himself after Nico O’Reilly’s injury and the connection between the two is obvious, a telepathy that Tuchel must want to tap into more.
Quieter and more reserved, Hall is offering evidence that an incisiveness from the middle third – the pass for that Gordon chance had precision and perfect weight – is being matched by defensive doggedness. Possessing both is a rare find in modern full backs.
Gordon’s form for Barcelona and England has taken him to a different level this season
To illustrate that, during a brief moment of England panic – Croatia breaking and the visitors defensively misshapen – Hall held up the galloping Franjo Ivanovic to allow others a return to their normal positions and the danger was adequately snuffed. Later on, and with England already five goals up, it was Hall’s relentless pressing inside the Croatia box that prompted a gift for Saka to smash into the net’s roof.
Hall had to deal with the setback of missing out on the World Cup squad and felt he was worthy of a spot, the response being an encouraging start to this campaign and carrying on where he left off for Newcastle. Hall, 23, has spoken openly about having to ‘play catch up’ with Tuchel’s general messaging during the camp, with the majority of the players familiar after seven weeks together Stateside.
Individually things are going well and as a pairing, they look a proper package. Tuchel loves his combinations – Bellingham and Kane, Guehi and Konsa, Quansah and Saka when Reece James isn’t fit. He wants them all over the pitch and the left-hand side has felt like a forever problem for England.
Gordon has unequivocally done more than anybody else to nail down the attacking spot, with Hall now in a straight battle with O’Reilly for the supporting role. Even before this week, the left has appeared in ruder health than for some time.
In the knockout stages of 2021, 2022 and 2024 tournaments, Luke Shaw had the place sorted for himself but there was uncertainty about what lay ahead of him. Phil Foden’s versatility meant he was shunted wide in 2022 and two years later, in a bid to play the Manchester City star inside, Shaw operated as a wing back as Gareth Southgate went to a back three to the detriment of any real flair.
The combinations weren’t quite there and Tuchel has had some questions answered across his tenure, with some crystalised during the first camp of the season.
‘I don’t want to write Nico O’Reilly off because he played for us in the first match,’ Tuchel said. ‘Lewis had two good matches now. He loves to play in the offensive full back position, he’s very good on the ball. He loves ball possession. He is very clinical, loves these little movements.
‘He played very well with Anthony. You can see that they’ve played many seasons together in the coordination of their movements. He helped Anthony a lot.’
Gordon has now taken ownership of the left wing position under Thomas Tuchel
Saturday was their 58th start together for club and country; as Tuchel alluded to, it showed. There is a little more power and physicality than advertised in them, Gordon leaning into his wiry frame and hustling in recovery runs to back up his mate, with Hall’s engine providing a different dimension going the other way.
‘I’m nowhere near the player I can be,’ Gordon told ITV last week when dissecting the move to Barca and his increased international standing. He regularly journals private targets and starring in La Liga appears to have been one. ‘Maybe delusionally I’ve [envisioned] it from a young age. Why would I have so much confidence from a young age? It makes no sense. I can’t explain why.
‘I’ve become a different player in a lot of people’s eyes. I always felt in England that people respected me because I was fast and I pressed but they never actually respected the quality and IQ that I play with. Only the players I play with seem to notice that. Now that I’m at Barcelona and playing a different style, those qualities are highlighted much more and people are starting to take notice that I’m not just quick.’
He spoke at length with Kane about the prospect of Barca, the side effects of leaving familiarities, and given the captain’s explosion at Bayern – in the running for this year’s Ballon d’Or – the feedback was to go for it wholeheartedly.
Gordon has never been shy, Everton fans will tell you that with the way he moved to Newcastle, and is still surprised at coming off against Argentina as England retreated. In being honest with himself in the quest for constant improvement and proving he deserves a place on this stage, he vows to become more selfish around the box.
Five assists in his first four Barca matches suggests that might need a bit of work. Not a lot else does and it is inarguable that Gordon looks even slicker with his mate behind him.
