How Gordon became one of England's main men

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How Gordon became one of England's main men
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Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Declan Rice, Jordan Pickford and now Anthony Gordon.
All have become guaranteed starters and reliable stars for England, with the Barcelona winger the latest to look, according to captain Kane, like one of the Three Lions' "main men".
Gordon was one of England's standout players at the World Cup and earned a big-money move to European giants Barca in the summer, while his good form has continued into his country's Nations League campaign.
He scored the opening goal in England's 2-0 win against the Czech Republic on Tuesday night, after also netting in a 3-2 defeat by world champions Spain at Wembley on Saturday.
In fact, the 25-year-old's England form has been building since the knockout stage of the World Cup began - his run of averaging a goal contribution every 69 minutes started with assisting both Kane's efforts in a 2-1 last-32 victory over DR Congo.
The former Newcastle player has scored three goals and provided three assists in his past six England matches, while he also won the penalty in England's dramatic last-16 victory over Mexico at Azteca Stadium.
And after a positive start in Spain, where he has already picked up five assists in La Liga, Gordon looks to be joining boss Thomas Tuchel's "undroppable" bracket.
Gordon belongs at top level - Kane
Tuchel likes to give his players clarity on their role and makes clear who they are up against in the squad and for a starting position.
When asked whether Gordon is getting to be one of the first names on the team-sheet, he said: "He's getting there. He's defending his shirt, he's defending his position - an excellent performance again after his performance against Spain.
"He was very decisive [against the Czech Republic] and had an excellent goal. It was very, very difficult but the technique and finishing was excellent.
"He scored against Spain so he has decisive actions and he's defending his shirt and his position. He does it on the highest level and he's a very important player."
Gordon linked up well with his former Newcastle team-mate Lewis Hall on England's left and combined with right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was making his first start for the Three Lions in nearly two years, for the opening goal.
Gordon said he had been "dying" to link up with Alexander-Arnold, who is also playing in Spain for Barcelona's rivals Real Madrid.
"It's a great compliment and it's great to play with him," Alexander-Arnold said of Gordon.
"I tried to get the ball, and try and see what the best play is and try and play forward and create something. And I was able to get the pass."
Captain and record goalscorer Kane is a guaranteed starter in England's biggest matches but the position to the left of Kane has been a problem area for the team, with no player able to make it their own.
Gordon looks to have secured that role and Kane said the winger is "showing that he belongs at the highest level, for Barcelona and England".
"His performances in the last couple of games have been some of his best that he has played in an England shirt," Kane said.
"I think he is just relishing putting the shirt on and being one of the main men in the team. He is an important player for us and he showed that during the World Cup."
It has not always been a straightforward route into the team for Gordon.
Marcus Rashford, Eberechi Eze, Phil Foden and Noni Madueke have all featured for England from the left in the past couple of years.
Gordon started to emerge as a clear option during Lee Carsley's time in interim charge, but said himself last October that he had only shown "50%" of what he can do for England.
Now that seems to be coming to fruition. Against the Czech Republic he attempted four shots, more than any England player and more than any of his team-mates against Spain too.
Gordon is ranked in at least the top four of England players for expected assists (0.9), expected goals (0.9), passes into the box (14), touches in the opposition box (29), chances created (eight), and shots on target (five), since the start of the World Cup knockout stage.
His importance is underlined by the fact he has contributed the same amount of goals and assists, six, as Bellingham since England faced DR Congo.
Battle with Rashford at England and Barca
There has been an interesting subplot with Gordon and Rashford competing for a left-wing space for England and effectively Barcelona.
Rashford was on loan at Barcelona last season but they opted to not make his move permanent, instead he returned to Manchester United while the Catalan club splashed out £69m to sign Gordon from Newcastle.
Gordon has the ability to take on his full-back on the inside or beat them for pace on the outside before putting in a cross.
"People raised eyebrows when Anthony Gordon went to Barcelona for the money that he did and Marcus Rashford came back to Manchester United," former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"He has become a key part of the England team. There were certain games in the World Cup where he was substituted and he shouldn't have been - I think others should have come off instead of him.
"Gordon [when he is] full of confidence running at pace like he does, he can go either way and he's causing full-backs all kind of problems."
Gordon says that since his move to Spain he has changed people's perception of him being a player who is only quick and presses well, even if they are two of his best attributes.
"I always felt in England, people respected me because I was fast and I pressed but they never actually respected the quality and IQ that I play with," Gordon told ITV.
"Only the players I play with ever seem to notice that. I think now I'm at Barcelona and I play a different style, those qualities are highlighted much more and people are actually starting to take notice that I'm not just quick.
"In England, it was never really respected because people just see me as really quick and really aggressive.
"In Spain, they really appreciate my IQ and quality because at Barca, if you're not technical, if you're not smart, you're going to stand out like a sore thumb."
Tuchel is starting to build a team he thinks can challenge and win the Euros in 2028.
But first he wants to win the Nations League, and if England are to do that, it is likely Gordon will have played a huge part.
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