Anthony Elanga has struggled at Newcastle United, but Sweden manager Graham Potter believes one part of his game is at “the highest level.”
Perhaps more than any other summer signing, Elanga has failed to convince at Newcastle United. Indeed, at least Yoane Wissa has the excuse of coming off a long-term injury.
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Still, Elanga remains a key player for Sweden and there is yet hope he can reach the 2026 World Cup under Potter despite a dreadful qualification campaign. If they beat Poland on Tuesday night, they will qualify.
Nations League success gives Sweden hope and Potter’s side beat Ukraine 3-1 on Thursday night, with Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres scoring a hat-trick.
Potter, however, was also full of praise for the Newcastle star.
Potter says Elanga is a brilliant counter-attacking player
Speaking to FotbolSkanalen after the game, Potter said: “In Anthony [Elanga] and Viktor [Gyokeres] we have players who are at the highest level when it comes to attacking open spaces.”
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Newcastle United chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan in the stands at St James' Park, Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe looks to the ground
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Potter, of course, isn’t wrong. Elanga excelled at Nottingham Forest last season in a Nuno Espirito Santo side that ceded a lot of the ball before springing counter attacks.
It has not been seen often enough at Newcastle this time around, however.
Graham Potter reacts during Sweden's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine.
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How much of that is down to the team as a whole is up for debate. Eddie Howe’s side have not functioned in any kind of attacking sense all season and Elanga is not alone in struggling.
Newcastle also have a lot more of the ball on average (52.9%) than Forest did last season (40.7%). That in itself is a huge stylistic change.
Still, even during the times he has had to run at opposition defenders, Elanga has looked desperately short of confidence, to the point where a wrong decision has attracted audible groans from the St James’ Park crowd.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Elanga on Tyneside next season.
Howe tends to make players better and, if Newcastle miss out on Europe, there will likely be more time on the training pitch together.
Elanga really hasn’t worked out just yet but he clearly has his uses and Newcastle will hope to unlock them going forward.
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