Aleksandar Mitrović

[thomas]

I know who WONT be getting my vote for best foreign poster

I expect to be well into the negative this year. Been a right cunt tbh, no excuses.

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aleksandar-mitrovic-scores-again-possible-14766442

 

As Aleksandar Mitrovic scores again, is it possible Rafa Benitez would have rethink?

Aleksandar Mitrovic's price is rocketing with every goal and we may see him in a Newcastle shirt again

 

By Mark Douglas

 

Had you offered Newcastle United fans a £20million-rated striker heading to the World Cup who had hit 12 goals in 18 Championship games and an England under-21 forward who was one of the stars of the Toulon Tournament as their attacking incomings this summer, few would have turned their noses up.

 

Given that the Magpies – before their summer recruitment kicks into gear – can count on a £6million striker who looks just that and Dwight Gayle, who hardly answered the critics who claim his level is plundering goals in the Championship, it seems strange that it is Aleksandar Mitrovic and Adam Armstrong who face uncertain futures rather than their striking team-mates.

 

 

Mitrovic scored a superb hat-trick on Saturday night as he continued his red-hot form in 2018. For all that Rafa Benitez has explained why the Serbia striker does not fit into his plans for Newcastle, it does seem like a crying shame that there might not be one last chance for a striker who is making the most of the minutes he has been afforded this year.

 

Granted, Bolivia are not heading to the World Cup and offered precious little resistance against a Serbia side that look motivated ahead of this week’s World Cup kick-off. But Mitrovic looks lean and raring to go and his hat-trick goal was a wonderfully weighted long-range effort that would seem to confirm that when he’s playing with confidence he is a force.

 

To recap: Benitez felt last term that his team would be up against it for long periods so Mitrovic was a luxury he couldn’t afford.

 

“I couldn’t guarantee the way that we wanted to play (he would play),” he said back in February at a live podcast recording .

 

This was before the Fulham goals, before we knew the summer recruitment plans would hinge on selling him for big money. But it was revealing.

 

“If you know Mitro really well – if you attack and you create a lot of chances and crosses he will score goals, no doubt that. But a team that has 40-45 or even 35% possession in some games, you have to defend in some games, you have to play counter-attack. If you don’t have all these players who can do that and you have to sacrifice something.

 

“We were talking about the main thing of this team – it is the team, the organisation of the team. If we don’t do that, we will be exposed. When we went 1-0 up against Man United (in the Old Trafford game) or Chelsea, we were a little bit open and we conceded.

 

“In the FA Cup against Chelsea we had to attack in the second half so we were open and we conceded. We couldn’t manage it. The team is the key and the characteristic of the players are crucial. For me, I have to do the best for both.”

 

That made sense when Newcastle were where they were in February, struggling to squeeze every point.

 

But when they had Kenedy making them more expansive and Martin Dubravka allowing them to play out from the back, there was a different dimension to the side. Could Mitrovic – or this Mitrovic, anyhow – have looked a bit more at home?

 

Mitrovic says that he would be open to move to Fulham but it’s also understood that he has not shut the door on a return to Newcastle IF Benitez was to give him more opportunities.

 

The striker has remained respectful and has even spoken to Benitez and Newcastle at the end of his season with Fulham – with Benitez sending personal congratulations to the forward on winning promotion with the Cottagers.

 

It would be one hell of a U-turn but Benitez has always said that there was nothing personal about his decision not to play Mitrovic. If he thinks it would work for Newcastle, he would be happy to shelve his ego and work with Mitrovic again. The striker’s 18 goals last season and continued improvement internationally will be giving him food for thought – as well as pushing his value up.

 

While United were initially looking for £20million the price is now understood to be higher. If he has a good World Cup Newcastle will be wanting closer to £30million, which is why they haven’t entertained quick business. If there is one thing Newcastle have always done well under Mike Ashley it’s be difficult sellers, and Lee Charnley will be well aware that Joe Kinnear paid with his job when he undersold Yohan Cabaye.

 

No doubt there will be some who counsel that Mitrovic should be given another shot.

 

It still seems unlikely. Privately Benitez had spoken of the need to refresh the team and sees other options as better for Newcastle moving forward. To get the team set up to play the way he would want them to play with Mitrovic leading the line would require some serious, expensive surgery and would go against his instincts.

 

But the Islam Slimani experiment failed and Sunday reports of interest in Salomon Rondon do not excite . There is always the possibility that Benitez will not get anyone of the required calibre to lead the line and then what?

 

Mitrovic is worth more than any other Newcastle striker and if he returns in pre-season with Benitez prepared to play him, there won’t be too many Newcastle fans feeling upset.

[KaKa]

If Mitrovic has a good world cup, and we are able to add a couple of players that can help improve our possession and attacking play, I definitely feel like Rafa will keep Mitro and give him a chance to lead the line.

[HawK]

If Mitrovic has a good world cup, and we are able to add a couple of players that can help improve our possession and attacking play, I definitely feel like Rafa will keep Mitro and give him a chance to lead the line.

 

To be honest I think it just makes it more and more likely that Rafa will sell him if it's his decision. He doesn't like Mitro and if someone will give us 25m he'll take it so we can buy 2 grafters instead. Not intended to be a criticism of Rafa but I think this is just how he works.

[Shearergol]

If Mitrovic has a good world cup, and we are able to add a couple of players that can help improve our possession and attacking play, I definitely feel like Rafa will keep Mitro and give him a chance to lead the line.

 

He’ll win the golden boot and we’ll sell him for £50m

[afar]

The fact is though, buying a striker is expensive business, even if we got 20 million for him, I don't see a simple task in replacing him with a player as capable in front of goal for that amount. Rondon, ffs, that takes up the bulk of the fee and replaces him with a player with a far worse goals/minute whose older and frankly not proven anything in this country.

 

In this market it really doesn't make a lot of sense to sell him for less than 30 million, because you simply can't replace him with someone who can score at the same or better rate and has time on his side to develop like Mitro has. How much would Chelsea want for Abraham for example, bidding probably starts at 25 million, they sold a very average Ake for 20 million last year. So with agent fees and signing bonuses and shit like that, that Ashley insists on including, you are barely breaking even and your replacement has a worse goals/mins ratio in the PL than the player you are letting go.

 

Personally think Rafa needs to rethink here, see if he can work him into his system, or tweak it a little unless someone comes along with a ridiculous 30 million plus bid, then snatch their hands off.

[TRon]

The fact is though, buying a striker is expensive business, even if we got 20 million for him, I don't see a simple task in replacing him with a player as capable in front of goal for that amount. Rondon, ffs, that takes up the bulk of the fee and replaces him with a player with a far worse goals/minute whose older and frankly not proven anything in this country.

 

In this market it really doesn't make a lot of sense to sell him for less than 30 million, because you simply can't replace him with someone who can score at the same or better rate and has time on his side to develop like Mitro has. How much would Chelsea want for Abraham for example, bidding probably starts at 25 million, they sold a very average Ake for 20 million last year. So with agent fees and signing bonuses and shit like that, that Ashley insists on including, you are barely breaking even and your replacement has a worse goals/mins ratio in the PL than the player you are letting go.

 

Personally think Rafa needs to rethink here, see if he can work him into his system, or tweak it a little unless someone comes along with a ridiculous 30 million plus bid, then snatch their hands off.

 

I think if Rafa could replace Mitro with Abraham for the same money, he probably would tbh. Fits his style of play more, and that's assuming he didn't think Mitro had the right attitude. Just a hunch though, could be wrong.

[Sho Time]

Going off the strikers that we've went for lately under Rafa (Slimani/Jorgensen) I don't see how either of these are better that Mitro, especially taking into account his potential and his form at the moment. Rafa is the man but getting rid of him would be a mistake, even if we sold Mitro we still wouldn't break our transfer record and £15m is not going to get us anything better.

[jimmymag]

The fact is though, buying a striker is expensive business, even if we got 20 million for him, I don't see a simple task in replacing him with a player as capable in front of goal for that amount. Rondon, ffs, that takes up the bulk of the fee and replaces him with a player with a far worse goals/minute whose older and frankly not proven anything in this country.

 

In this market it really doesn't make a lot of sense to sell him for less than 30 million, because you simply can't replace him with someone who can score at the same or better rate and has time on his side to develop like Mitro has. How much would Chelsea want for Abraham for example, bidding probably starts at 25 million, they sold a very average Ake for 20 million last year. So with agent fees and signing bonuses and shit like that, that Ashley insists on including, you are barely breaking even and your replacement has a worse goals/mins ratio in the PL than the player you are letting go.

 

Personally think Rafa needs to rethink here, see if he can work him into his system, or tweak it a little unless someone comes along with a ridiculous 30 million plus bid, then snatch their hands off.

Mitro can't run, so will never work for Rafa!

[Fenham Mag]

After seeing Golovin's value jump by about £20m yesterday is exactly the reason we should wait until after the WC to entertain any offers.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

On the other hand, he could break his leg in the first game.

[Pons Alias]

I wonder if Rafa could broker a swap with somewhere?

[TRon]

Going off the strikers that we've went for lately under Rafa (Slimani/Jorgensen) I don't see how either of these are better that Mitro, especially taking into account his potential and his form at the moment. Rafa is the man but getting rid of him would be a mistake, even if we sold Mitro we still wouldn't break our transfer record and £15m is not going to get us anything better.

 

Don't know about Jorgensen, but Slimani would IMO be a much better fit for Rafa's style of play, I still don't think Mitro will work in that system, Rafa would have to change his style of play to accommodate him.

[afar]

I love supermac as a player, but as a pundit, the man is painful to read/hear:

 

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aleksandar-mitrovic-isnt-premier-league-14790167

[Kimbo]

The insistence in writing off a young player just seems vindictive to me, even if he does follow it up with "i wish him well" horseshit.

[Guest]

The insistence in writing off a young player just seems vindictive to me, even if he does follow it up with "i wish him well" horseshit.

 

It's weird like. The likes of him and Mick Martin seem to hate him, yet do everything they can to say how great someone like Paul Dummett is.

[alexjack]

I love supermac as a player, but as a pundit, the man is painful to read/hear:

 

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aleksandar-mitrovic-isnt-premier-league-14790167

 

No wonder he can't do well here, when one of our legends is always saying that he sucks. How demoralizing is that? Maybe he has some hidden agenda against him, because he never said a good word about Mitrovic.

[STM]

I have always been fairly neutral on Mitrovic. On the one hand, he's not a bad player and certainly has some qualities about him, on the other, he's never going to be a top level striker as he simply doesn't have the pace or finishing ability.

 

There seems to be an obsession with classing him great or shit.

[alexjack]

I have always been fairly neutral on Mitrovic. On the one hand, he's not a bad player and certainly has some qualities about him, on the other, he's never going to be a top level striker as he simply doesn't have the pace or finishing ability.

 

There seems to be an obsession with classing him great or s***.

 

I agree about his pace, but his finishing improved. I think that it will improve even more, because strikers tend to improve their finishing as older they get. And Mac says that he could do great and still be s**t, that's just insane. Imagine Mitrovic scoring against Brazil. That's something Mac can only dream about. And then Mac goes out and says "So what? He scored against brazil, that still doesn't mean his a good player."

 

 

Also, Palace wants Mitrovic, and Fulham is also in that race. So they probably want to play his strenghts more than us.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Mitrovic is a very limited footballer which has and will prevent him from ever being a top player, even if he were to score 30 goals in a season.

 

He just doesn’t have the attributes. He isn’t quick, he isn’t even particularly strong, he isn’t two footed, quick footed or able to play a number of roles and he’s tactically simple in terms of having a footballing brain.

 

He’s just an old fashioned rough and ready type centre-forward who will carve out a decent career and get goals, not loads, but enough to justify a starting place in your average PL team or another top-flight side elsewhere.

 

You look at his entire game and there is no stand out aspect. Perez is also an average and limited player too, but his finishing technique is of a good level in terms of finishing off moves, his movement and positioning tactically is also of a good level.

 

Shelvey has his passing despite being another limited and average player. Mitrovic though, really he is no different to someone like Glenn Murray, or Steven Fletcher or Bobby Zamora who today would probably be considered in the 20m bracket.

[Shearergol]

Mitrovic is a very limited footballer which has and will prevent him from ever being a top player, even if he were to score 30 goals in a season.

 

He just doesn’t have the attributes. He isn’t quick, he isn’t even particularly strong, he isn’t two footed, quick footed or able to play a number of roles and he’s tactically simple in terms of having a footballing brain.

 

He’s just an old fashioned rough and ready type centre-forward who will carve out a decent career and get goals, not loads, but enough to justify a starting place in your average PL team or another top-flight side elsewhere.

 

You look at his entire game and there is no stand out aspect. Perez is also an average and limited player too, but his finishing technique is of a good level in terms of finishing off moves, his movement and positioning tactically is also of a good level.

 

Shelvey has his passing despite being another limited and average player. Mitrovic though, really he is no different to someone like Glenn Murray, or Steven Fletcher or Bobby Zamora who today would probably be considered in the 20m bracket.

 

Scoring 30 a season would make him a great player though, so that makes no sense.

[Kimbo]

Is anyone claiming he's going to be a top 6 striker though?

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Mitrovic is a very limited footballer which has and will prevent him from ever being a top player, even if he were to score 30 goals in a season.

 

He just doesn’t have the attributes. He isn’t quick, he isn’t even particularly strong, he isn’t two footed, quick footed or able to play a number of roles and he’s tactically simple in terms of having a footballing brain.

 

He’s just an old fashioned rough and ready type centre-forward who will carve out a decent career and get goals, not loads, but enough to justify a starting place in your average PL team or another top-flight side elsewhere.

 

You look at his entire game and there is no stand out aspect. Perez is also an average and limited player too, but his finishing technique is of a good level in terms of finishing off moves, his movement and positioning tactically is also of a good level.

 

Shelvey has his passing despite being another limited and average player. Mitrovic though, really he is no different to someone like Glenn Murray, or Steven Fletcher or Bobby Zamora who today would probably be considered in the 20m bracket.

 

Scoring 30 a season would make him a great player though, so that makes no sense.

 

Gayle got 20 + in the Championship, does that make him a great player? It’s all about context. Mitrovic will never be a great player, Supermac is right on that one. Again even if he smacked in 30 one season. Phillips did it for the mackems once, still a bang average footballer though.

 

Edit: I meant if he scored 30 goals ONE season, do it every season and that changes things

[Kimbo]

Macdonald went further than that, he said he would never make it in the premier league, even though he already got 9 in a relegated side as a 20 year old.

[Shearergol]

Mitrovic is a very limited footballer which has and will prevent him from ever being a top player, even if he were to score 30 goals in a season.

 

He just doesn’t have the attributes. He isn’t quick, he isn’t even particularly strong, he isn’t two footed, quick footed or able to play a number of roles and he’s tactically simple in terms of having a footballing brain.

 

He’s just an old fashioned rough and ready type centre-forward who will carve out a decent career and get goals, not loads, but enough to justify a starting place in your average PL team or another top-flight side elsewhere.

 

You look at his entire game and there is no stand out aspect. Perez is also an average and limited player too, but his finishing technique is of a good level in terms of finishing off moves, his movement and positioning tactically is also of a good level.

 

Shelvey has his passing despite being another limited and average player. Mitrovic though, really he is no different to someone like Glenn Murray, or Steven Fletcher or Bobby Zamora who today would probably be considered in the 20m bracket.

 

Scoring 30 a season would make him a great player though, so that makes no sense.

 

Gayle got 20 + in the Championship, does that make him a great player? It’s all about context. Mitrovic will never be a great player, Supermac is right on that one. Again even if he smacked in 30 one season. Phillips did it for the mackems once, still a bang average footballer though.

 

Edit: I meant if he scored 30 goals ONE season, do it every season and that changes things

 

Gayle got 23 so nah, not great. 30’s my marker ;-)