Aleksandar Mitrović

[triggs]

 

 

If he put away his chances he'd start more, not much of a defence saying he hasn't scored because he hasn't started every game

 

Not true like. He came in against QPR, scored and assisted...was dropped. Scored 4 in a week against Preston and was dropped. Gayle has rightfully been number one but the above is bollocks. He likes one up top and that was Gayle.

 

So why has Murphy started ahead of him in some games in Gayle's absence?

[taxfree]

Murphy is experienced and a decent option in the Championship. Useless in Premier League.

[Guest]

I've never agreed with that choice.

 

Also just need to look at Perez's improvement when behind Mitrovic. 5 of his 8 league goals have came in the 10 games Mito has started. Throw in Mitro's 4 goals and 5 assists in those 10 and it suggests to me that something right was happening.

[Guest firetotheworks]

It's canny interesting to see what works in terms of pandering to fans like. I would never have thought that people would be desperate for a player to do well when they're useless at finishing, aren't that great in the air, demands (then misses) pens, who's rash in challenges, and regularly cheats by holding his face and trying to get players sent off, which is probably the weirdest part of it for me - cult figures are rarely both crap and dishonest, he's both.

[wyn davies]

Rafa  see's him the same way as the rest of us none Mitro worshippers, clearly not good enough for the requirements expected of him, bought as a striker, he cannot hold a candle never mind light a match.

[Foluwashola]

Do quite like the mad bastard but he's pretty shite at football and needs to be 3rd choice at best if he stays.

[cp40]

swap him for defoe

[Rompe]

It's canny interesting to see what works in terms of pandering to fans like. I would never have thought that people would be desperate for a player to do well when they're useless at finishing, aren't that great in the air, demands (then misses) pens, who's rash in challenges, and regularly cheats by holding his face and trying to get players sent off, which is probably the weirdest part of it for me - cult figures are rarely both crap and dishonest, he's both.

 

I don't think most people who likes him agrees with your assessment of him.

[Aiston]

Maybe I'm wrong in thinking that to hold the ball up well, means to also get it to a team mate.

 

That would make Mitrovic not good at all at holding the ball up, he has by far the worst pass success percentage in the team other than goalkeepers. 67.9% is absolutely dreadful.

[nemtizz]

It really isn't. For comparison Suarez has an average PA of 73%. Means fuck all.

[Guest]

I'd like to see that percentage in comparison to other target men rather than other positions where the ball's normally under control rather than coming at them with a defender up their arse.

[Guest]

It really isn't. For comparison Suarez has an average PA of 73%. Means f*** all.

 

Beat me to it.

[Greg]

Romelu Lukaku 65.1%, having a brilliant season.

[Guest]

Chris Wood: 61.6%

Glenn Murray: 59.5%

Romelu Lukaku: 65.1%

 

[Guest]

Daryl Murphy: 55.6% here, 44.6% at Ipswich.

 

 

[TRon]

So the argument is that Mitrovic holding the ball up makes things happen. I don't disagree with that, he's not just a goal scorer. But those type of players still need to be able to finish, especially in a team that plays with one striker. In the premier a lone striker needs to be scoring a minimum of 15 goals I would say. Who would put money on him doing that?

 

 

[mrmojorisin75]

So the argument is that Mitrovic holding the ball up makes things happen. I don't disagree with that, he's not just a goal scorer. But those type of players still need to be able to finish, especially in a team that plays with one striker. In the premier a lone striker needs to be scoring a minimum of 15 goals I would say. Who would put money on him doing that?

 

posts like this ignore that rafa's system isn't really suited to a big man up top type system for the entire season though; if rafa decided to start mitro for the entire season with him and adjusted the system to get runners from midfield around him and quality crosses in from out wide consistently then i see no reason why 15 wouldn't be achievable

 

atm he's often too far away from goal at crucial times and playing in the wrong areas for his type of game, i don't necessarily think that's entirely down to him

[DJ_NUFC]

So the argument is that Mitrovic holding the ball up makes things happen. I don't disagree with that, he's not just a goal scorer. But those type of players still need to be able to finish, especially in a team that plays with one striker. In the premier a lone striker needs to be scoring a minimum of 15 goals I would say. Who would put money on him doing that?

 

posts like this ignore that rafa's system isn't really suited to a big man up top type system for the entire season though; if rafa decided to start mitro for the entire season with him and adjusted the system to get runners from midfield around him and quality crosses in from out wide consistently then i see no reason why 15 wouldn't be achievable

 

atm he's often too far away from goal at crucial times and playing in the wrong areas for his type of game, i don't necessarily think that's entirely down to him

 

So what exactly is entirely down to him? Are the chances missed down to him? Or not attacking decent crosses? How about having zero goal threat even when being in the 6 yard box?

 

A decent striker is one who reads the game well. They know instinctively where the ball is going to end up, where it's going to land. This is why Rafa persisted with Cisse and also why Cisse's goals kept us up the season before last when he looked dogshit in general. I would counter-bet and say if we gave Murphy a full season he'd actually end up with way more goals than Mitro, as he does seem to have those instincts more than Mitro.

[mrmojorisin75]

So the argument is that Mitrovic holding the ball up makes things happen. I don't disagree with that, he's not just a goal scorer. But those type of players still need to be able to finish, especially in a team that plays with one striker. In the premier a lone striker needs to be scoring a minimum of 15 goals I would say. Who would put money on him doing that?

 

posts like this ignore that rafa's system isn't really suited to a big man up top type system for the entire season though; if rafa decided to start mitro for the entire season with him and adjusted the system to get runners from midfield around him and quality crosses in from out wide consistently then i see no reason why 15 wouldn't be achievable

 

atm he's often too far away from goal at crucial times and playing in the wrong areas for his type of game, i don't necessarily think that's entirely down to him

 

So what exactly is entirely down to him? Are the chances missed down to him? Or not attacking decent crosses? How about having zero goal threat even when being in the 6 yard box?

 

A decent striker is one who reads the game well. They know instinctively where the ball is going to end up, where it's going to land. This is why Rafa persisted with Cisse and also why Cisse's goals kept us up the season before last when he looked dogshit in general. I would counter-bet and say if we gave Murphy a full season he'd actually end up with way more goals than Mitro, as he does seem to have those instincts more than Mitro.

 

of course his finishing is down to him, as are all of his attitude and disciplinary problems and probably how poorly he's adapted to playings rafa's system as well...he's obviously at fault to some degree for how far away from goal he's playing i'm just not sure how much

 

i see something in him as a 22 year old, he's scored goals before he came to us so it's certainly not beyond him if things were set up right imo

 

plenty don't agree, that's fine, i strongly suspect we'll never find out either way

 

 

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

I don't agree that a "big man" isn't suited to Rafa's system. The fact is, if Mitro could convert his chances he'd have scored plenty of goals in this formation.

[mrmojorisin75]

mitro has to improve massively to be a good PL striker, i think we can all agree on that

[toon25]

He's not really mobile enough for Rafa's system.

 

I don't think he's really improved significantly since he arrived, which is typical of signings at this club in recent years.

[Zero]

It is a question of “what makes you useful in EPL” rather than “who is a better footballer” for Newcastle.  As a goal scorer, no one can argue that Gayle is the better one and he must be first choice if you simply look in this way.  Given the same amount of chances Mitrovic would miss probably twice as Gayle.  But then, as a team, in Premiership, are we going to have as much chances as in Championship? What I observe this season is if we are able to dominate the game without forward`s support, Gayle is a much better option because he has enough supplies to convert to goals.  However if we are unable to do so, Gayle is nearly non-existant, and he couldnt help to change the game.  Mitrovic is the opposite.  He couldnt convert the chances that good but he is able to help to create it.

 

To be blatently honest, both strikers are not good enough.  But if we are forced to use 1 next season, I believe Mitrovic could contribute more to our results even if he would score less goals than Gayle. 

 

I would rather spend 25m on Sigurdson though.

[Marmoset]

I disagree.

[Marmoset]

Urgh.