When Anthony Elanga set the World Cup alight on Saturday evening, it was unfortunately an all too unfamiliar sight for Newcastle United fans. Much was expected of the Sweden international when he joined the Magpies from Nottingham Forest in a £55million move last summer, but he has struggled to make an impact at St James' Park.
Elanga's Premier League struggles
Elanga's Premier League record in his first season at the club stood at 32 appearances, zero goals and one assist. When you bear in mind he registered six goals and 12 assists the previous season, it really was a paltry effort. The 24-year-old was supposed to be one of Eddie Howe's 'oven ready' signings, ready to hit the ground running because he was used to coping with the demands and rigours of Premier League football.
After a slow start to his time at the club, Chronicle Live asked Howe back in October what Elanga needed to do to become a success at Newcastle. "I am really, really excited about Anthony's future, I think he has all the qualities we need," Howe said back then. "I think he just needs a little more time to understand what we do but for those of you who have been here for any length of time that is not unique for us. There have been a number of players during our time who had to work for a long time to fully get the Newcastle way. Sometimes it is really worth the wait and I think that will be the case with Anthony."
Glimpses of quality
Fast forward eight months and the jury is still out over whether he will ever 'fully get the Newcastle way'. There have been glimpses along the way, of course. His first goal for the club came in the Carabao Cup semi-finals against Manchester City and in both legs of the Magpies' Champions League last 16 tie with Barcelona, Elanga was arguably his side's best player. He gave Hansi Flick's side's high defensive line all sorts of problems at St James' Park and in the return leg, he scored twice in the Camp Nou – a performance that would have written him in club folklore but for a disappointing second half collapse in Catalonia.
Those moments have been few and far between in a Newcastle shirt, though, and it is perhaps why he has had to watch on from the bench during Sweden's opening two World Cup games. Graham Potter's side play with a 3-5-2 formation and more natural wing-backs were preferred out wide, while Liverpool forward Alexander Isak and Arsenal star Viktor Gyokeres are undroppable up front.
World Cup cameo
But with his side 4-0 down against the Netherlands, Elanga came on as a 56th minute substitute, replacing right-wing-back Alexander Bernhardsen, and needed just three minutes to make an impact on the game. Elanga made a clever run in behind the Dutch defence to latch on to an incisive through ball from former Newcastle forward Isak, taking the ball in the stride before firing beyond Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen with his left foot from point blank range. The former Manchester United youngster's bright cameo from the bench continued just minutes later as he left Dutch left-back Micky van de Ven for dead before nutmegging him with a clever Cruyff turn to move into the box but his eventual cross was cleared away.
When you watch Elanga in full flight like that, you understand why Newcastle parted with so much money to prise him away from the City Ground last summer. He has certainly given Potter food for thought over his team selection as Sweden prepare to take on Japan in their final group stage match in Dallas in the early hours of Friday morning and Elanga has politely set his stall out. "I try to train like I want to play and have the energy that I have every day," Elanga told the Swedish press. "We are 26 players and 11 can be on the field. I have to be ready and take my chance when I get the opportunity. I have a lot of confidence in Graham, he knows what he's doing. Millions would like to be in my position, at a World Cup."
Need for consistency
But Sweden will want to see a ruthless streak in Elanga and if he is given his chance against Japan he has to take it. It is perhaps that clinical edge at Newcastle he has lacked so far and that must change if he is to make a success out of his move next season. The positive performances have been rare and building on them in the next match has been even rarer. Sweden's trip to Texas is the perfect opportunity for Elanga to prove he can do it ahead of a pivotal season at club level.
