Anthony Gordon Is Making Barcelona's Attack Less Predictable and Easing Lamine Yamal's Burden

Barcelona have made a perfect start to the new La Liga season despite Lamine Yamal not yet operating at his peak, and Anthony Gordon has played a central role in making Hansi Flick’s attack harder to read. The Catalan side have won their opening three league matches, scoring 12 goals and conceding only twice.

Yamal remains one of Barcelona’s primary attacking weapons, but he began the campaign below his best physical and technical level before showing signs of returning to form with two goals against Rayo Vallecano. What has shifted is that Barcelona no longer appear to need every decisive attacking move to come from the right flank. Flick’s summer additions have given his side a stronger threat on the opposite side, with Gordon particularly important in rebalancing the attack.

How Gordon Has Changed Barcelona’s Left Side

Barcelona’s previous attacking structure placed a heavy creative burden on Yamal. The Spain international would stay wide on the right, receive the ball in one-on-one situations, and attempt to beat his defender when opponents defended deep. On the left, Alejandro Balde generally provided the width from full-back, allowing Raphinha to move inside.

This season, Raphinha has increasingly been used as a centre-forward, while Gordon and Karim Adeyemi have been asked to stretch opponents from the left wing. That has created a very different dynamic. Gordon gives Barcelona another attacker capable of carrying the ball at speed and beating defenders directly, while Xavi Espart has offered support from full-back.

Espart, naturally a midfielder, can either overlap outside the winger or move into central areas, giving Gordon the freedom to attack different spaces. That flexibility has repeatedly created two-versus-one situations on Barcelona’s left side.

The Goal Output Already Reflects the Change

Five of Barcelona’s 12 La Liga goals this season have involved movements where the left flank played a central role. Against Elche, Gordon drew the defence wide before Espart found Fermin Lopez between the lines for a goal. Against Athletic Bilbao, Adeyemi stayed wide while Espart’s movement helped create space before a cross led to another Fermin finish.

The pattern continued against Rayo. Espart moved inside to combine with Pedri before releasing Raphinha, while Gordon later attacked the box to meet a Dani Olmo move and force an own goal. Another goal came after Gordon won his one-on-one battle and released Raphinha on the overlap.

Has Flick Really Solved Barcelona’s Yamal Dependency?

It is still too early to say that Barcelona have completely removed their reliance on Yamal. The sample size is only three league matches, and their opponents have generally been willing to play high up the pitch. Elche, Athletic, and Rayo all gave Barcelona space to attack, which suited Flick’s fast and mobile front line.

The more difficult test will come against opponents who sit deeper and reduce the room available on both wings. That is where Yamal’s ability to create something from a standing start may again become especially important.

Even so, Flick already appears to have created a healthier balance. Yamal can still be isolated against defenders on the right, but opponents now have to account for a similarly aggressive threat on the opposite flank. Gordon’s presence also helps Barcelona’s midfielders. When defenders are forced to shift their attention towards both wings, players such as Fermin and Pedri have more space to receive between the lines.

Gordon’s ability to operate both from the left and through central areas adds another layer of movement, giving Barcelona a front line capable of constantly exchanging positions. For Yamal, that may ultimately be beneficial. Rather than being required to provide the solution every time Barcelona encounter a compact defence, he can operate within an attack that now contains several different routes to goal.

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Flick still has more difficult tactical tests ahead, but Gordon’s impact on the left has already made one thing clear: Barcelona are becoming less predictable, and Yamal no longer has to carry quite so much of the creative burden. Follow TipsGG for continued coverage of Barcelona’s La Liga campaign.