Mitrovic or Gayle?

[joeyt]

Rafa has said why several times in interviews, he wants to control the midfield and in his view you do that with a number 10 sitting deep.

 

We're top 6 points clear of 3rd, i reckon he's getting right like. The thing is you notice when it doesn't work (which isn't often to be fair) more because of the one striker, . The lone frontman looks isolated and we end up being too direct.

 

Still better than cuntchops or island heed.

But none of the players we play in that gap do much in midfield (or up front fwiw) so we'd be as likely to control the midfiled as we are anyway. Is it a coincidence that the only time that "10" has had a good game this season is with more of a target man up front (Perez v QPR and Diame v PNE).

 

Perez played well vs Ipswich without a target man

He didn't really, weird as it sounds as he scored twice and created the other, he was nowhere near as good as he can be, as he was V qpr.

 

He did play well. He got 2 nice goals and an assist. I'd take that from our number 10 every week. You can't tell me that's not playing well

[madras]

Rafa has said why several times in interviews, he wants to control the midfield and in his view you do that with a number 10 sitting deep.

 

We're top 6 points clear of 3rd, i reckon he's getting right like. The thing is you notice when it doesn't work (which isn't often to be fair) more because of the one striker, . The lone frontman looks isolated and we end up being too direct.

 

Still better than cuntchops or island heed.

But none of the players we play in that gap do much in midfield (or up front fwiw) so we'd be as likely to control the midfiled as we are anyway. Is it a coincidence that the only time that "10" has had a good game this season is with more of a target man up front (Perez v QPR and Diame v PNE).

 

All that says to me is that neither of the options we have are doing what Rafa wants ideally, they just happen to be the best we have right now.

 

They might eventually but i imagine if Rafa could buy a player for that position in the summer he would.

Defintely, in fact I'd bloody well hope so. Just don't think it gets the best out of what we have, regardless of how well we are doing.

[xLiaaamx]

Perez makes it a 442 in possession.

[madras]

Perez makes it a 442 in possession.

In possession it should be more than 4-4-2, more like a 3-1-everyone else.

[Heron]

Different player in different circumstances but generally Gayle.

 

I like Mitro more though

[Tiotes Witch Doctor]

I've always strongly defended Mitro on here and think he is more than capable and will be great for us and will take over from Gayle probably next season, but right now Gayle looks a class above in this league, has to be him first, but happy with either really.

 

One of the advantages of Rafas rotational policy is that we get to see more of every player, and now hes impressed there's even more chance of seeing him.

[madras]

I've always strongly defended Mitro on here and think he is more than capable and will be great for us and will take over from Gayle probably next season, but right now Gayle looks a class above in this league, has to be him first, but happy with either really.

 

One of the advantages of Rafas rotational policy is that we get to see more of every player, and now hes impressed there's even more chance of seeing him.

Certain positions haven't really been rotated, Goalkeeper was purely a form thing, Diame seems to play when avaialable as does Gayle.

[joeyt]

I've always strongly defended Mitro on here and think he is more than capable and will be great for us and will take over from Gayle probably next season, but right now Gayle looks a class above in this league, has to be him first, but happy with either really.

 

One of the advantages of Rafas rotational policy is that we get to see more of every player, and now hes impressed there's even more chance of seeing him.

Certain positions haven't really been rotated, Goalkeeper was purely a form thing, Diame seems to play when avaialable as does Gayle.

Diame was available against Ipswich and Brentford but didn't play in either

 

[thomas]

I've always strongly defended Mitro on here and think he is more than capable and will be great for us and will take over from Gayle probably next season, but right now Gayle looks a class above in this league, has to be him first, but happy with either really.

 

One of the advantages of Rafas rotational policy is that we get to see more of every player, and now hes impressed there's even more chance of seeing him.

Certain positions haven't really been rotated, Goalkeeper was purely a form thing, Diame seems to play when avaialable as does Gayle.

A rotational policy doesn't mean there are no preferred players or that all positions must rotate continuously at the same rate. Surely you know that though.

[madras]

I've always strongly defended Mitro on here and think he is more than capable and will be great for us and will take over from Gayle probably next season, but right now Gayle looks a class above in this league, has to be him first, but happy with either really.

 

One of the advantages of Rafas rotational policy is that we get to see more of every player, and now hes impressed there's even more chance of seeing him.

Certain positions haven't really been rotated, Goalkeeper was purely a form thing, Diame seems to play when avaialable as does Gayle.

A rotational policy doesn't mean there are no preferred players or that all positions must rotate continuously at the same rate. Surely you know that though.

Yeah I get that, just don't get the idea of a rotational policy as opposed to the usual play my best best but he could do with a rest type policy.

[Hanshithispantz]

Rafa explained the rotation thing on the radio a while back. Any player can get into the team and him and his backroom staff assess a lot of things in the background to decide who plays. The players don't even know the teamsheet until matchday.

 

He's not just saying "right you have this week and you can have the week after". Colback will get in the team because leading up to matchday he's probably looked fitter than Hayden, same with Yedlin & Anita, Diame & Perez etc.

[madras]

Rafa explained the rotation thing on the radio a while back. Any player can get into the team and him and his backroom staff assess a lot of things in the background to decide who plays. The players don't even know the teamsheet until matchday.

 

He's not just saying "right you have this week and you can have the week after". Colback will get in the team because leading up to matchday he's probably looked fitter than Hayden, same with Yedlin & Anita, Diame & Perez etc.

So it's not rotation it's who looks best in the run up to the game ?

[Hanshithispantz]

More whoever is fittest I think, that's what it sounded like anyway, he seems to trust most of our squad to come in seamlessly on a matchday. I think his 'rotation' just comes more from him being more cautious than most when it comes to pulling a player struggling a little physically out of the side. Like you say, not so much him shuffling in an attempt to keep everyone happy and/or shake things up.

 

 

[madras]

More whoever is fittest I think, that's what it sounded like anyway, he seems to trust most of our squad to come in seamlessly on a matchday. I think his 'rotation' just comes more from him being more cautious than most when it comes to pulling a player struggling a little physically out of the side. Like you say, not so much him shuffling in an attempt to keep everyone happy and/or shake things up.

 

 

I'd like to think that, It's said that at Liverpool he went 99 games before playing an unchanged team.

[DJ_NUFC]

Surprising that many are questioning and countering the decision of the only good manager we have had since SBR, whose decision making has us finally functioning both like a real team and a real club. And has us sitting at the top of the table with the striker people want to see dropped being the league's top scorer.

 

Is all this love for Mitro really worth, as Thomas asked, disrupting all we have achieved this year? For what, because he's a more likeable lad than Gayle?

 

And this whole "well he's only scored so many because Mitro hasn't been given the same amount of games" is confusing and tedious.

 

Keep it simple, like all other teams do: as soon as Gayle hits a bad patch of form, we will have a very capable and hungry replacement who will come in and aim to make that spot his own, until he himself gets sent off or hits bad form, ad infinitum.

[simonsays]

Surprising that many are questioning and countering the decision of the only good manager we have had since SBR, whose decision making has us finally functioning both like a real team and a real club. And has us sitting at the top of the table with the striker people want to see dropped being the league's top scorer.

 

Is all this love for Mitro really worth, as Thomas asked, disrupting all we have achieved this year? For what, because he's a more likeable lad than Gayle?

 

And this whole "well he's only scored so many because Mitro hasn't been given the same amount of games" is confusing and tedious.

 

Keep it simple, like all other teams do: as soon as Gayle hits a bad patch of form, we will have a very capable and hungry replacement who will come in and aim to make that spot his own, until he himself gets sent off or hits bad form, ad infinitum.

 

While my first choice in this formation would Be Gayle, I wonder if your point about discrupting the team could also be applied to dropping a striker who has scored 4 gols in the last two games?  Surely, unless there are concerns over his fitness, Mitrovic has earned the right to start tyhe next game?

[DJ_NUFC]

Surprising that many are questioning and countering the decision of the only good manager we have had since SBR, whose decision making has us finally functioning both like a real team and a real club. And has us sitting at the top of the table with the striker people want to see dropped being the league's top scorer.

 

Is all this love for Mitro really worth, as Thomas asked, disrupting all we have achieved this year? For what, because he's a more likeable lad than Gayle?

 

And this whole "well he's only scored so many because Mitro hasn't been given the same amount of games" is confusing and tedious.

 

Keep it simple, like all other teams do: as soon as Gayle hits a bad patch of form, we will have a very capable and hungry replacement who will come in and aim to make that spot his own, until he himself gets sent off or hits bad form, ad infinitum.

 

While my first choice in this formation would Be Gayle, I wonder if your point about discrupting the team could also be applied to dropping a striker who has scored 4 gols in the last two games?  Surely, unless there are concerns over his fitness, Mitrovic has earned the right to start tyhe next game?

 

Your argument makes sense, I was more directing my confusion towards those who've questioned the wisdom of the Spaniard. Whatever he's doing, it seems to be working well at the moment, and for once I'm happy to put my trust in our manager. It feels weird even for me, I know.

[simonsays]

I agree.  I'm delighted with the way the suqad is being managed at the moment, everyone who is playing is generally paying well, and those who aren't seem desperate to be included.  I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise that a good manager knows how to manage his players in terms of keeping them happy and getting them to perform, but it does take some getting used to after Pardew and McClaren.