Eddie Howe quizzed on Anthony Gordon after ‘mental break’ and remaining 3 weeks of window

3 months ago 33

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Eddie Howe welcomed Anthony Gordon back to the training ground earlier this week.

England in the European Championships until the very final whistle, so the winger and Kieran Trippier allowed extra time out.

A very busy last year or so for Anthony Gordon, as last summer he was player of the tournament when England won the Under 21s Euros, before then 48 matches for Newcastle United last season in all competitions, starting 45 and off the bench in another three.

Eddie Howe stating that Anthony Gordon needed a ‘mental break’ as well as a physical one, before heading back for pre-season preparations.

This week’s training culminating in Anthony Gordon playing the first half and scoring, as he helped Newcastle United go 4-0 up by the break against Girona, in Friday night’s friendly.

Eddie Howe quizzed on Anthony Gordon following the first minutes of pre-season for the winger, explaining that Trevan Sanusi replacing Gordon at half time was always the intention.

Eddie Howe asked about Anthony Gordon after he played the first half and scored in the 4-0 win over Girona on Friday night:

“It was the plan for Anthony Gordon, play 45 minutes.

“He looked good.

“Of course though he is behind the other players [in terms of fitness].

“He has had to have a mental break after the Euros and a very long season for him.

“This was important though.

“Great to see him score and I thought he played very well.

“We will build his training load up this coming week.”

Eddie Howe asked about further signings, with three weeks of the transfer window remaining:

“This transfer window is picking up now.

“We are hoping to add at least one more player to the group.

“But it has to be about quality rather than quantity.

“If you are going to add players then they have to push the group to new levels.

“That is what we are looking for.

“Which is very difficult to find.

“There are not many players that will make us better.”

Eddie Howe on Newcastle 4 Girona 0:

“I don’t think that the entire ninety minutes was perfect.

“However, I do think that the first part of the game was really good.

“Really pleased with the energy, the intensity, the desire to do well.

“I don’t think it’s easy to keep that up for the 90 minutes.

“Certainly in the second half we didn’t, though we still played well and had chances to score.

“We knew today was going to be difficult.

“Girona are top level opposition, technically very good.

“We knew that if we didn’t get that part of our game right, we would have problems.

“They had a very good season last year, so you can’t underestimate the opposition that we were playing against.

“I thought that we imposed ourselves on the game and broke up their rhythm.

“Then we showed our quality as well.

“The main thing in pre-season games is always fitness and coming through unscathed.

“Hopefully we have done that and the players will be ready for next week.

“Everything in that first half hour was really top drawer.

“In Japan, the humidity was incredible, so it was a good opportunity today to show our true selves.

“Saturday will be a totally different eleven, everyone who is fit and didn’t play today will play [against Brest]”

Final scoreline:

Newcastle 4 Girona 0

Newcastle United:

Pope (Ruddy 76), Livramento, Burn (Stanton 89), Krafth, Hall, Longstaff, Jamie Miley (Parkinson 63), Joelinton, Gordon (Sanusi 46), Isak (Hernes 89), Jacob Murphy

Unused subs:

Gillespie, Alfie Harrison, Heffernan, Munda, Shahar

Attendance: 31,958

(Newcastle 4 Girona 0 – Watch all the goals and match highlights HERE)

(Newcastle 4 Girona 0 – United blow away Champions League side in 16 minutes – Read it HERE)

Newcastle United schedule to end of October 2024:

Saturday 20 July 2024 – Newcastle 3 SpVgg Unterhaching 1

Saturday 27 July 2024 – Hull 0 Newcastle 2

Wednesday 31 July 2024 – Urawa Red Diamonds 1 Newcastle 4

Saturday 3 August 2024 – Yokohama F Marinos 2 Newcastle 0

Friday 9 August 2024 – Newcastle 4 Girona 0

Saturday 10 August 2024 – Newcastle United v Stade Brestois 4pm kick-off (SJP Sela weekend)