Aleksandar Mitrović

[Happinesstan]

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dwight-gayle-continued-nod-ahead-14237158

Gayle has been working hard in training throughout his drought and under the surveillance of GPS in training his statistics have been good.

 

The GPS system in place keeps a close eye on sprints and distance covered on the pitch while the coaching staff are also looking out for headers and tackles won and goal ratios - even in training sessions.

 

Many have asked why Gayle, Joselu and Ayoze Perez had more chances to shine this season than Aleksandar Mitrovic - who has now been loaned out at Fulham.

 

But the coaching staff could see that Gayle, Joselu and Perez were outperforming Mitrovic - who was also banned at the start of the season - and told all players that statistics Monday-Friday would determine who plays at the weekend.

 

It hasn’t been just Benitez’s decision alone to leave out Mitrovic, the Toon boss asked every member of his coaching staff to give an opinion and they all felt that he needed to work harder during the week to justify his selection.

 

Mitrovic continued to slump in training and despite Gayle’s lack of goals his stats and work-rate during Benitez’s sessions meant he found himself in the starting line-up 11 times while the Serbian international didn’t make the opening XI on any Premier League team sheet this term.

 

There are very few footballers talented enough to justify still being picked if they're not putting the effort in during training. Unfortunately Mitrovic isn't one of them.

 

Exactly this. If you're Romario or Ben Arfa or Georgie Best, sure, even the manager will be forced to pick you even if you turn up to training in a dress and drunk, but Mitro isn't exactly in that class.

 

Might be worth trying the dress in the current climate.

 

[Guest firetotheworks]

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dwight-gayle-continued-nod-ahead-14237158

Gayle has been working hard in training throughout his drought and under the surveillance of GPS in training his statistics have been good.

 

The GPS system in place keeps a close eye on sprints and distance covered on the pitch while the coaching staff are also looking out for headers and tackles won and goal ratios - even in training sessions.

 

Many have asked why Gayle, Joselu and Ayoze Perez had more chances to shine this season than Aleksandar Mitrovic - who has now been loaned out at Fulham.

 

But the coaching staff could see that Gayle, Joselu and Perez were outperforming Mitrovic - who was also banned at the start of the season - and told all players that statistics Monday-Friday would determine who plays at the weekend.

 

It hasn’t been just Benitez’s decision alone to leave out Mitrovic, the Toon boss asked every member of his coaching staff to give an opinion and they all felt that he needed to work harder during the week to justify his selection.

 

Mitrovic continued to slump in training and despite Gayle’s lack of goals his stats and work-rate during Benitez’s sessions meant he found himself in the starting line-up 11 times while the Serbian international didn’t make the opening XI on any Premier League team sheet this term.

 

There are very few footballers talented enough to justify still being picked if they're not putting the effort in during training. Unfortunately Mitrovic isn't one of them.

 

Love to see the Ben Arfa fanclub argue this.

 

He was good enough to justify it. Next.

[steve_69]

Benitez is so precise man. It's clear he wasn't doing this flippantly.

 

Also, starting the guy when the other players know they have been doing more in training could lead to squad disharmony.

 

This is idiotic, tbh. I was a goalkeeper for twelve years and I was always worse than other two goalkeepers when they compared our fitness, speed... mostly because I'm 6ft 7inches tall, but I always performed better at games because the other two were lacking decision making, determination, positioning, etc. If that's how the squad is picked, then it's poor man management. Benitez should know that manager at his level is mostly motivator, psychologist and tactician and not some professor from middle school who thinks that ones who know subject by heart are better than ones who truly understand it.

 

Ferguson and Big Ron openly admitted Paul Mcgrath never trained as he just wasn't upto it and usually drank a bottle of vodka before training. Come Saturdays though the guy was an absolute colossus of a centre half

 

Picking a team by training statistics is not how a manager should be doing it

 

Jesus Christ man, you're an absolute hoot  :lol:

 

Tell us more about how you know better than our every world class manager in the game....

Your trophy cabinet must be absolutely bursting chocca?

[Kimbo]

People shouldn't disagree with Rafa's decisions?

[DJ_NUFC]

This forum's going to the pits

[Darth Crooks]

Decent signing for them.

[TRon]

I suspect the point AlexJack is making is that however much you monitor particular training stats, the ability to influence a match is more than the sum of any data you can measure. Obviously, a player needs to be fit enough to contribute but beyond that it is easy to drift into scientism/believing the numbers tell you something they really don’t.

 

Well, there are doubts about whether Mitro was fit enough for one thing. Then another factor would be his attitude and how it affects squad harmony. One of the reasons West Ham were failing under Bilic was that he was more bothered about pandering to big names than doing proper training drills.

[steve_69]

People shouldn't disagree with Rafa's decisions?

 

What?!  The guy said 'Picking a team by training statistics is not the way a manager should be doing it'. That's a very definite statement and an incredibly arrogant one since every top manager in world football picks their team that way. 

 

Disagree with Rafa's team selections and tactics by all means, but don't make definite statements that he's wrong. None of us are qualified to make statements like that, least of all GeordieJeans

 

[Kimbo]

People shouldn't disagree with Rafa's decisions?

 

What?!  The guy said 'Picking a team by training statistics is not the way a manager should be doing it'. That's a very definite statement and an incredibly arrogant one since every top manager in world football picks their team that way. 

 

Disagree with Rafa's team selections and tactics by all means, but don't make definite statements that he's wrong. None of us are qualified to make statements like that, least of all GeordieJeans

 

 

The guy made an assumption, like all of us do when it comes to the club because there's so much we don't know about what's going on, and he gave an opinion.

[M1tche]

I think its crazy to pick a team solely on stats, especailly when those playing in from of him arent doing it on a match day which is when it really matters. Even with poor training stats he should have been given more of a chance, just because the others have been crap in most games

[alexjack]

People shouldn't disagree with Rafa's decisions?

 

What?!  The guy said 'Picking a team by training statistics is not the way a manager should be doing it'. That's a very definite statement and an incredibly arrogant one since every top manager in world football picks their team that way. 

 

Disagree with Rafa's team selections and tactics by all means, but don't make definite statements that he's wrong. None of us are qualified to make statements like that, least of all GeordieJeans

 

I clearly remember Brazil squad from WC 2002. Bunch of players that hated trainings and won WC. I hope that you understand that football players aren't factory workers so you can measure how much they contribute by purely output stats. Our team lacks winning mentality. Mitrovic won in his short career more than any player at the club. You think he waves his hands every time we miss a chance without reason? That's a player with winning mentality, agressive, hothead, cares when you are losing.

 

Just go and see how much honours every player has in our club and how much Mitrovic has. Exclude last year Championship title from our players, including Mitrovic, for better data analysis.

[Incognito]

Benitez is so precise man. It's clear he wasn't doing this flippantly.

 

Also, starting the guy when the other players know they have been doing more in training could lead to squad disharmony.

 

This is idiotic, tbh. I was a goalkeeper for twelve years and I was always worse than other two goalkeepers when they compared our fitness, speed... mostly because I'm 6ft 7inches tall, but I always performed better at games because the other two were lacking decision making, determination, positioning, etc. If that's how the squad is picked, then it's poor man management. Benitez should know that manager at his level is mostly motivator, psychologist and tactician and not some professor from middle school who thinks that ones who know subject by heart are better than ones who truly understand it.

 

Ferguson and Big Ron openly admitted Paul Mcgrath never trained as he just wasn't upto it and usually drank a bottle of vodka before training. Come Saturdays though the guy was an absolute colossus of a centre half

 

Picking a team by training statistics is not how a manager should be doing it

 

Jesus Christ man, you're an absolute hoot  [emoji38]

 

Tell us more about how you know better than our every world class manager in the game....

Your trophy cabinet must be absolutely bursting chocca?

Paul McGrath didn't train in his late career because he was a chronic alcoholic. It was down to his knees not permitting him to do so. Ferguson never allowed him not to train, he just wouldn't show if he was on a bender, hence why he let him go.

 

So he's wrong on two counts [emoji23]

[steve_69]

You honestly think a manager of Rafa’s stature bases his team selections on who runs the furthest in training?

He and his coaches will have data on everything - each player’s Vo2 max, resting heart rate, heart rate at maximum output etc.

If the stats consistently show that he isn’t pushing himself as hard as he can in training, would you honestly advocate picking him? That kind of attitude is unacceptable!

Rafa’s word is law at this club, end of. If he says he wants players giving everything in training and he can see that Mitro consistently isn’t then he can’t expect to get picked. All he had to do was work a bit harder and he would’ve been in the team.

What you seem to be saying is it’s ok for players to go against the manager and that they should still be picked regardless. I can see that ending really f***ing well!

 

[alexjack]

You honestly think a manager of Rafa’s stature bases his team selections on who runs the furthest in training?

He and his coaches will have data on everything - each player’s Vo2 max, resting heart rate, heart rate at maximum output etc.

If the stats consistently show that he isn’t pushing himself as hard as he can in training, would you honestly advocate picking him? That kind of attitude is unacceptable!

Rafa’s word is law at this club, end of. If he says he wants players giving everything in training and he can see that Mitro consistently isn’t then he can’t expect to get picked. All he had to do was work a bit harder and he would’ve been in the team.

What you seem to be saying is it’s ok for players to go against the manager and that they should still be picked regardless. I can see that ending really f***ing well!

 

You know what, when Joselu does this, you'll be right, until then you're wrong, have a nice evening

 

[steve_69]

You honestly think a manager of Rafa’s stature bases his team selections on who runs the furthest in training?

He and his coaches will have data on everything - each player’s Vo2 max, resting heart rate, heart rate at maximum output etc.

If the stats consistently show that he isn’t pushing himself as hard as he can in training, would you honestly advocate picking him? That kind of attitude is unacceptable!

Rafa’s word is law at this club, end of. If he says he wants players giving everything in training and he can see that Mitro consistently isn’t then he can’t expect to get picked. All he had to do was work a bit harder and he would’ve been in the team.

What you seem to be saying is it’s ok for players to go against the manager and that they should still be picked regardless. I can see that ending really f***ing well!

 

You know what, when Joselu does this, you'll be right, until then you're wrong, have a nice evening

 

 

Umm......no.

[Footsoldier]

I think the point is that when you only have Joselu, who is an absolute dog and Gayle who is not far behind then there surely have been times when a case could be made for Mitrovic. Freezing him out seems very childish to me given our precarious situation when we need all the help we can get.

 

[Guest firetotheworks]

You honestly think a manager of Rafa’s stature bases his team selections on who runs the furthest in training?

He and his coaches will have data on everything - each player’s Vo2 max, resting heart rate, heart rate at maximum output etc.

If the stats consistently show that he isn’t pushing himself as hard as he can in training, would you honestly advocate picking him? That kind of attitude is unacceptable!

Rafa’s word is law at this club, end of. If he says he wants players giving everything in training and he can see that Mitro consistently isn’t then he can’t expect to get picked. All he had to do was work a bit harder and he would’ve been in the team.

What you seem to be saying is it’s ok for players to go against the manager and that they should still be picked regardless. I can see that ending really f***ing well!

 

You know what, when Joselu does this, you'll be right, until then you're wrong, have a nice evening

 

 

one of his 4 goals in 25 appearances in the Championship there. Meanwhile, the universally deemed not good enough Joselu has 4 goals in 22 appearances in the Premier League. GET.HIM.IN.THE.TEAM

[Chicken Dancer]

Would much rather a team was picked on merit/stats rather than persisting with the same players and formula constantly. See Pardew, Alan.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Mitrovic isn't like Ben Arfa or even Marveaux, that should be clear to absolutely everyone. He's not a player that you can really argue for being picked on merit.

[Ketsbaia]

Well I wish Joselu tried a bit less in training, then we'd not have to put up with him on matchday.

[Parky]

You have three average strikers - two give their all in training one sits about eating kebabs..Who do you pick?

[hoppaz]

You honestly think a manager of Rafa’s stature bases his team selections on who runs the furthest in training?

He and his coaches will have data on everything - each player’s Vo2 max, resting heart rate, heart rate at maximum output etc.

If the stats consistently show that he isn’t pushing himself as hard as he can in training, would you honestly advocate picking him? That kind of attitude is unacceptable!

Rafa’s word is law at this club, end of. If he says he wants players giving everything in training and he can see that Mitro consistently isn’t then he can’t expect to get picked. All he had to do was work a bit harder and he would’ve been in the team.

What you seem to be saying is it’s ok for players to go against the manager and that they should still be picked regardless. I can see that ending really f***ing well!

 

You know what, when Joselu does this, you'll be right, until then you're wrong, have a nice evening

 

 

He scores a good goal then rips his top off which is a yellow card offence just for doing something daft like he often has done.

 

Advocating playing a player who doesn't train well and does daft things which cost the team is not correct my friend.

 

Even before you factor in the bans his total PL goals vs mins on the pitch is not as good as Gayles.

[Figures 1-0 Football]

You honestly think a manager of Rafa’s stature bases his team selections on who runs the furthest in training?

He and his coaches will have data on everything - each player’s Vo2 max, resting heart rate, heart rate at maximum output etc.

If the stats consistently show that he isn’t pushing himself as hard as he can in training, would you honestly advocate picking him? That kind of attitude is unacceptable!

Rafa’s word is law at this club, end of. If he says he wants players giving everything in training and he can see that Mitro consistently isn’t then he can’t expect to get picked. All he had to do was work a bit harder and he would’ve been in the team.

What you seem to be saying is it’s ok for players to go against the manager and that they should still be picked regardless. I can see that ending really f***ing well!

 

You know what, when Joselu does this, you'll be right, until then you're wrong, have a nice evening

 

 

one of his 4 goals in 25 appearances in the Championship there. Meanwhile, the universally deemed not good enough Joselu has 4 goals in 22 appearances in the Premier League. GET.HIM.IN.THE.TEAM

 

Would be interesting to lose the term ‘appearances’ and change it to minutes played, a more accurate reflection.

[DJ_NUFC]

Mitro has suddenly become a goalmachine, maverick Ben Arfa type 2 days he's been gone Some posters on this forum, man. The dude fucking sucked balls for us. If he was a goalmachine, even if he'd not trained, Rafa would've started him every game. As would have every other manager. But he's a young lad who struggled with the pace of the league. He's best suited to another country where the pace is slower. I don't know why people are acting as if he was 100% the best striker at the club when even when he actually started, he wasn't any better than Joselu or Gayle.

[hoppaz]

If you google his name and red cards you will find he has a history of daftness btw. His two seasons before joining us are a hoot. How many games would he have missed if they were in PL?