Anthony Gordon is getting a ‘free pass’ at Everton thanks to Merseyside roots – journalist
Anthony Gordon’s strong start to the season quickly tailed off, and journalist Tony Scott thinks he’s being favoured at Everton due to being a local.
Gordon started the season with two goals in five games, but the 21-year-old winger has now gone without a goal or assist in six matches.
Despite his poor form, Frank Lampard has kept faith in Gordon and consistently selected him in his starting lineup. Scott, who is regularly featured in the Liverpool Echo, believes it’s down to the winger’s Merseyside roots.
Speaking via the All Together Now Podcast (20 October), Scott said: “If he wasn’t a local lad and he wasn’t an Evertonian, he’d be launched out of the team and there’d be a lot more pressure on him not to be in the starting lineup.
“He’s getting a free pass because he’s local, that’s the only reason why he’s in this team at the moment because he’s not doing a thing.
“I want him to do well, but I’m clearly justifying a reason as to why on earth is he in the team because he’s not doing a thing at the moment, as Gav touched on there, six yellow cards in 10 games, central midfielders don’t get that so what’s he doing on the wing.”
Wake-up call needed
Scott is right – Gordon has hugely underperformed in recent weeks and has been a liability out on the wing.
The young star was a standout for the Toffees last season for his relentless work rate and direct running during a season where many players in the team looked blunt and lacking confidence.
But this season, it’s Gordon who looks as though he’s going through a rough patch. Whether or not the summer transfer saga has had an impact or not is only known by the player himself, but he looks like a shell of himself currently.
Lampard is obviously trying to show Gordon just how much he trusts him by consistently starting him despite his poor form, but the best thing for him could be sitting on the bench.
It could provide Gordon with a wake-up call and help him rediscover the form that made him a fan favourite at Goodison Park.
As a born-and-bred scouser he’ll always be loved at Everton, but that doesn’t always guarantee a starting spot and Lampard needs to make sure Gordon knows it.