The journey of a football club is never a straight line. There are peaks of incredible joy and valleys of real challenge.
For Newcastle United, the past few years under manager Eddie Howe have been a remarkable climb, transforming the team from one fighting to stay in the Premier League to one that competes for trophies and plays on the grand stage of the Champions League.
The victory in the Carabao Cup final was a moment of pure magic for the long-suffering fans, a tangible sign that the good times were back.
However, progress often comes with its own set of new problems. The very success that makes a club attractive can also make its best players targets for the world’s biggest teams.
This summer, Newcastle faced that harsh reality head-on. The transfer of Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a record-breaking fee was a painful but undeniable signal of their place in the football food chain.
Isak was more than just a goal scorer; he was the team’s focal point, a complete forward whose movement, technique, and finishing made him the heart of the attack.
Replacing a player of that caliber is not about finding one person who can do everything he did. It is about building a new attacking identity.
The club moved quickly to bring in new faces. They signed the experienced Yoane Wissa, a player who knows the Premier League well, and the younger Nick Woltemade, a striker with great potential from the German league.
Both are talented and will undoubtedly contribute goals and effort. But they are different players, and it will take time for them to settle and for the team to adapt to their styles.
This period of transition places a huge responsibility on the shoulders of the players who remain, and one, in particular, is under the spotlight: Anthony Gordon.
Gordon’s own story at Newcastle has been a rollercoaster. After a difficult start following his move from Everton, he enjoyed a spectacular breakout season.
He was everywhere, scoring goals, creating chances, and playing with an infectious energy that made him a fan favorite. He was crowned the team’s Player of the Year, and it seemed he had truly arrived.
But the current season has been a struggle. The team’s overall form has been patchy, and Gordon himself has looked out of sorts.
A red card in a chaotic match against Liverpool disrupted his rhythm, and he has found himself playing in an unfamiliar central role at times, which has limited his effectiveness.
This is a critical moment in Gordon’s Newcastle career. With Isak gone, there is a void of leadership and production in the attack.
This is Gordon’s chance to step forward and prove that he can be the talisman, the player the team looks to in big moments. The alternative path is one that another former Newcastle winger, Miguel Almiron, knows all too well.
Almiron was a player universally loved for his incredible work rate and passion. He ran tirelessly for the shirt and had a wonderful, explosive season where everything clicked.
But for much of his time at the club, his final product his goals and assists was inconsistent.
The table below illustrates Almiron’s fluctuating output in the Premier League, highlighting that single prolific season amidst years of hard work that often lacked end-product:
| Season | Appearances | Goals (Assists) |
|---|---|---|
| 24/25 | 9 | 0 (0) |
| 23/24 | 33 | 3 (1) |
| 22/23 | 34 | 11 (2) |
| 21/22 | 30 | 1 (0) |
| 20/21 | 34 | 4 (1) |
| 19/20 | 36 | 4 (2) |
| 18/19 | 10 | 0 (0) |
Gordon now stands at a crossroads. He possesses attributes that Almiron did not; his ceiling is considered by many to be much higher, which is why clubs were once rumored to be considering massive bids for him.
He has the pace, the directness, and the confidence to be a truly devastating winger. He has even described himself as a “nightmare for anyone” to play against. But raw talent and self-belief are not enough. They must be channeled into consistent, decisive performances.
The fear is not that Gordon lacks ability or passion. The fear is that he could become a player remembered for his explosive potential and his relentless energy, but without the steady, season-defining numbers to match.
He could, in essence, become a flashier version of Almiron a player who everyone loves but who ultimately doesn’t deliver the goals and assists required for a team with top-four ambitions.
The coming months are therefore crucial. This is not just about Gordon finding his form; it is about him seizing the opportunity that Isak’s departure has created.
The club and the fans believe in him. They have seen what he is capable of at his best. Now, he must use the frustration of this slow start as fuel.
He must demand the ball, take responsibility in the final third, and turn his “nightmare” potential into a consistent reality. The story of this new Newcastle attack is still being written, and Anthony Gordon has the chance to make himself the author.
