Anthony Elanga has yet to find his best form at Newcastle United, but he is being missed at Nottingham Forest.
Eddie Howe splashed the cash on a new winger over the summer as Anthony Elanga joined Newcastle United.
The Magpies spent £55million on Elanga, having tempted Nottingham Forest into selling the speedy wide man.
Elanga dazzled in two seasons at Forest, racking up 11 goals and 21 assists in 82 appearances.
Howe is backing Elanga to shine for Newcastle, but he has endured a slow start at St James’ Park.
Anthony Elanga in action for Newcastle United against Nottingham Forest
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Jamie Carragher on Nottingham Forest selling Anthony Elanga to Newcastle United
Elanga has struggled to make an impact on Newcastle’s right flank and has left fans frustrated.
Elanga is confident that his best form will come, but he has some way to go in order to justify his huge fee.
The Swede’s former club aren’t exactly thriving without Elanga, though, as Forest are already on to their third manager of the season.
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Sean Dyche has replaced Ange Postecoglou, and Jamie Carragher has been left baffled by Elanga’s exit.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher suggested that the root of Nuno Espirito Santo’s unhappiness at Forest was the sale of Elanga.
Carragher praised Elanga as the ‘quickest attacking player in the Premier League’ and believes Forest haven’t replaced him properly.
Carragher even thinks that Forest shouldn’t have sold Elanga at all and should have sent Newcastle packing if they were committed to Nuno’s approach.
“This is why I think Nuno was not happy; if you’re selling Elanga, who is the quickest attacking player in the Premier League, absolutely perfect for your style of play of counter-attacking football, and then you’re bringing in Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee, they’re almost those players between the lines, they’re not flyers.
“I know, there’s a player, Ndoye, who has come in supposedly to replace him, but if you’re hell-bent on sticking with Nuno’s style, you don’t sell Elanga.
“That tells you the club wanted Nuno, but they wanted Nuno to change the style,” he added.
Newcastle United fans must be patient with Anthony Elanga
Elanga hasn’t been good enough so far – that much is absolutely clear.
The former Manchester United talent has failed to show his blazing pace, and his end product has been poor.
Elanga didn’t exactly hit the ground running after joining Forest, though, even with a winning goal against Chelsea included.
From his first eight league games as a Forest player, Elanga played more than an hour on just two occasions.
One goal and one assist in that run wasn’t anything to shout about, but Elanga was given time to shine and benefited from that at the City Ground.
Newcastle need to afford Elanga that same period of adjustment, and he will hopefully prove his worth over the season.