Following Anthony Gordon’s interview immediately following Newcastle’s 2-1 Champions League loss on Thursday night, Barcelona fans have expressed their opinions. The Magpies had the ideal conditions at St. James’ Park to pull off an unexpected victory, but their aspirations were swiftly dashed by two outstanding goals from Marcus Rashford.
The Spanish champions rolled back the clock to their tiki taka pomp to keep the ball for most of the remaining sequences and nullify any attacks, so even though Eddie Howe’s team did manage to score in the 90th minute—Gordon found the net just as seven more minutes were announced—it wasn’t enough to win anything.
In the end, Gordon had a mixed night. Despite his late pressure, he was unable to present a strong argument for continuing to start as a center-forward. Newcastle’s assault was based on speed, and Howe’s system appeared to be set up to generate counterattacking scenarios. However, the England international wasted a fantastic first-half opportunity to grab the lead.
Anthony Gordon’s Open Interview Following Newcastle’s 1-2 Los Angeles
Perhaps Nick Woltemade, a more natural number nine, would have been a better fit in many situations. However, both groups of fans have praised Gordon for his open interview following the loss, which demonstrated his understanding and acceptance of the game. Watch the entire conversation with him below. He told BeIN Sports:
“I learnt a lot about how they keep the ball. In that aspect of the game, they were the best opponent I’ve faced. We aren’t used to playing against players who can keep the ball in this manner, to be honest. Yes, we have played Manchester City and Chelsea before, but it was never like this.
Gordon said of Rashford, who scored two crucial goals in Lamine Yamal’s absence despite having a difficult first few months of his loan at Barcelona: “On his day, he’s one of the best in the world.”
The 24-year-old’s honesty, respect, and sportsmanship have been praised by Barcelona fans in particular. One X user commented: “Excellent interview. “Great class from Gordon today,” one person said, while another added: “I like this guy! Fair play, buddy. A third added elsewhere:
“I like that these English guys are honest in their statements. They always say how they feel. Well done, boy. You performed well.
A fourth commenter said: “Excellent interview. Gordon’s class today was excellent. “Gordon is a true gentleman of the game,” remarked a fifth. I liked how he stated that if he were winning, he would follow suit.
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