Aleksandar Mitrović

[Hhtoon]

Will be a bit miffed if Rafa sells, doesn't get backed and leaves himself.

With our current striker options, any incoming manager would surely set the formation to benefit Mitro if still with us.

[mrmojorisin75]

Will be a bit miffed if Rafa sells, doesn't get backed and leaves himself.

With our current striker options, any incoming manager would surely set the formation to benefit Mitro if still with us.

 

decent point that tbh, thought rafa won't leave this summer we could be fucked next summer when he does leave aye

[YNGLEGIONNAIRE]

Reminds me of the traumatic time when King Kev ripped up our beloved Andy Cole- led squad . Keegan knew exactly what he wanted from throughout the whole squad and was not afraid to pursue his vision . Difference here is the man with a stranglehold on the purse strings . Rafa knows down to a tee what he needs from everyone and unfortunately Mitro doesn't fit the bill . But how Rafa achieves his goal with this guy in charge is the conundrum .

[xLiaaamx]

Joselu will do what you ask him to in a really shit way. But that's what keeps him here. Mitrovic will just try to play his own game.

[TRon]

I must confess, I was watching Mitro the other day and questioned our ability to replace him with the money we are likely to get for him.

 

Say we get 20m for him, I can't see any way in which we will get someone clearly better and I don't even rate him that highly.

 

I would be surprised if a "bigger" club doesn't come in for him. He would be an attractive option for anyone in a so called lesser league. Roma, Porto, someone like that.

 

what people are saying is that instead of buying better wide forwards and attacking midfielders to play off mitro we'd be better to sell him and replace one player to play with the ones we have - i'd say that's a +£30m striker because you'd need someone who could more or less guarantee you 15-20 goals

 

that isn't happening for us

 

alternatively if you stick with mitro and sign a couple of players for around the £20m mark instead to augment what we already have i reckon you'd be looking at +10 goals from mitro and you'd have to assume a decent contribution from those playing around/behind him

 

i was for selling him tbh but no longer convinced due to the way we're obviously not even going to bother really trying in the market - getting a striker of the requisite quality simply isn't happening unless rafa has a gem scouted somewhere

 

Yeah, I do agree with that. I'm not a fan of Mitro personally, I agree with Rafa's preference for a mobile CF, but realistically we aren't getting a decent one for the sort of money we would raise by selling Mitro. I actually think the club might price him out of a move just so we'll still have him here for the next manager if Rafa leaves. Of course by then Mitro will be down to the final year of his contract so that will also be in the back of the minds of the bean counters.

[jackyboy]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that Mitro and Rafa didn't see eye to eye.  He didn't want to train or work the way Rafa wanted and used his own fitness coaches who Rafa reckoned were bulking him up rather than sharpening up.  In training he was always 3rd for finishing, 3rd for speed, 3rd for fitness etc. and that was about the time Mitro was dropped down the pecking order.  Rafa is looking for another Torres really, someone with pace who can pull defenders about and also finish.  Mitro sadly (and I like the bloke) can't do any of that

[Happinesstan]

Fwiw I think rafa would probably play him if he was allowed money to build a more attacking side. Problem is he doesn't. As someone said a pure nightmare would be selling mitro not getting a replacement, and then Rafa going

 

A dream come true for the fat cunt, though.

[loki679]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that Mitro and Rafa didn't see eye to eye.  He didn't want to train or work the way Rafa wanted and used his own fitness coaches who Rafa reckoned were bulking him up rather than sharpening up.  In training he was always 3rd for finishing, 3rd for speed, 3rd for fitness etc. and that was about the time Mitro was dropped down the pecking order.  Rafa is looking for another Torres really, someone with pace who can pull defenders about and also finish.  Mitro sadly (and I like the bloke) can't do any of that

 

See, I could accept that argument if the alternatives weren't Joselu and Gayle, neither of which have been particularly good in that role.

 

For me, Mitrovic really deserves a chance and good run in the side as our 1st choice striker (assuming we don't sign someone)

[Zero]

FYI, Chelsea is asking 60m for Batshuayi.

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

Joselu did not start a game from January onwards.

[Serb]

All time not just Serbian, but Ex-Yugoslavian international goalscorers.

 

Mind that Mitrović is only 23 years old.

 

[Serb]

Some class players on there, loved Savićević

 

...and you realize Zigic has scored more than he did. 

[Happinesstan]

He didn't do anything to increase his value, or the interest in him. But he didn't do anything to reduce his value either.

 

£20 million from Fulham it is.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Just sell, get as much as we can and hopefully Rafa can reinvest it back into the team enough to improve us.

[Aiston]

Not a good World Cup for him, missed a few sitters in a couple of the games. Scored at least though.

[Kimbo]

I thought he had 2 decent games followed by a difficult one. I don't think it matters though, I never bought into the idea that he could raise or lower his value in any meaningful way at the WC. The teams that are interested in him are limited financially, and because of that we will be looking at a max of 18-20m. Fuck knows where we find a striker for that much that people will rate though.

[Zero]

He showed his strength and weakness during the last game: physically strong enough to dominate the defenders and get into great scoring positions, but failed to score goals due to not good enough finishing.

 

If he irons out his finishing he would be a top player.  That said likely we don't have the patience, nor Rafa.

[Cronky]

He just looked too slow for that level of football. Again.

[joeyt]

What level of football? International level football? His recent record for Serbia is good

[Kaizero]

What level of football? International level football? His recent record for Serbia is good

 

Essentially a 1 in 2 striker for Serbia. A comparison could be Shearer, who was essentially a 1 in 2 striker for England. Madness to say his record for Serbia isn't great.

[Guest firetotheworks]

There's no such thing as 'International level football' like.

[Serb]

I thought he was decent at the WC. Nothing spectacular, but OK.

 

He isn't the wiggly striker that runs into chances, but rather a powerhouse that carries around two or more defenders, opening up the space for wingers and shadow strikers. He did exactly that, while also scoring a goal in the tournament. Shame that other Serbian players were shit, not to mention the godawful tactics.

 

I do think that his career in NUFC is over, it has been over for quite some time, it's just some people who get their hopes because we have literally no alternatives in the squad right now.

 

P.S.

 

It is strange how Mitro managed to become a fan favorite wherever he has played. In Partizan Belgrad he is a cult hero, Anderlecht fans still can't get over the fact he left, he became a star at Fulham, and is loved by the Serbian national team fans and the media. I guess he is just "one of us", the lad that simply adores football as we all see it.

 

 

 

 

[jackyboy]

Just doesn't do enough off the ball for me.  When his team lose possession he just doesn't close people down, it is a half hearted  canter towards the guy in possession but doesn't actually pressure anyone. He rarely strays from the central line between the 2 penalty spots and that is not enough in the moder game

[Away Day Gadgie]

There's no such thing as 'International level football' like.

 

Aye.  i don’t think you can call it a “level” when you play a team like Panama one day, then 4 days later you play a team with the quality of Belgium.  The 2 standards are miles apart, even if Belgium field their 2nd team.

[Kaizero]

There's no such thing as 'International level football' like.

 

Aye.  i don’t think you can call it a “level” when you play a team like Panama one day, then 4 days later you play a team with the quality of Belgium.  The 2 standards are miles apart, even if Belgium field their 2nd team.

 

Agree you can’t call the WC «level». However, for European teams in their respective qualifiers, there’s usually an equal quality from shit to good in the groups, so drawing comparisons between International stats for European players internationally works, since most of the time the teams play an equal amount of matches against shit/good/mediocre sides.