Did Barcelona Make a Mistake: Anthony Gordon's World Cup Performance Heavily Criticized

Following the England national team's goalless draw against Ghana in the World Cup group stage, winger Anthony Gordon has come under heavy fire from the public and experts. The 0-0 result under Thomas Tuchel has led not only fans but also specialists to question Gordon's high-profile transfer to Barcelona. This is reported by Goal.com news reports.

Starting the match, Gordon played for 65 minutes but was completely unable to break through the opponent's defense. According to Goal.com, talkSPORT expert Jamie O'Hara rated the player's performance very poorly. In his view, Marcus Rashford should have started instead of Gordon.

"Gordon played very poorly. No matter what anyone says, he performed well below his level. Marcus Rashford is much stronger, and after coming on, he managed to create three dangerous chances in just 10 minutes. Gordon, however, could do nothing against a compact defense," O'Hara noted.

A profitable deal for Newcastle United?

Among experts, not only the player's performance but also his transfer fee is causing significant debate. Reports indicate that Barcelona paid Newcastle United £70 million for Anthony Gordon last May. Currently, there is growing talk that this sum is not being justified.

Former footballer Gabby Agbonlahor believes Newcastle was the biggest winner in this transfer. "If I were in the Barcelona management, I would check if the ink on the contract has even dried yet. £70 million is too much for Gordon. It wouldn't be surprising if Newcastle is laughing at this deal right now," said Agbonlahor.

The specialist added that Gordon failed to show consistency last season as well. In the match against Ghana, he couldn't employ any unexpected moves or dribbles against the fast defender. Thomas Tuchel was captured on camera showing frustration several times regarding the lack of pace on the wing.

Now, Barcelona fans and management are worried about the player's future in the Spanish league. If Gordon fails to prove himself in the coming matches, the Catalans' investment could be viewed as one of the most unsuccessful moves in the transfer market. Thomas Tuchel is expected to make serious rotations in the attacking line in the next matches.