Gayle scored loads in the championship.... Mitrovic is not, all of a sudden, premier league class. I think most would prefer him over Joselu (but most of us would also prefer AIDS to Joselu playing again) as an option, but realistically, with our style of play, we need a pacey forward. Iheanacho seems like he has fallen down the pecking order at Leicester, perhaps he'd be worth a punt.
I'm too lazy to put the effort in so will just have to take a stab at it but reckon his premier league stats aren't too bad. According to Wiki he has 9 goals in 34 games so about 1 in 4 which I concede isn't great. Gut feeling though, and if I'm proved wrong then fair enough, his minutes per goal won't be bad. I feel he has been given 5 minutes at end of games which are counting as an appearance.
I love Rafa and I love Mitro, so it's a real dilemma. It's a shame, but I doubt we can have both no matter how much I would love that. I would love Mitro to be a success here, but it's more important that Rafa is a success here. I think Mitro will prove himself to be a very very good striker and not just an ok one. He's only 23 and strikers are at their best later in their careers. I don't think he will get the chance to prove that here though. I'd love to think that it is all part of Rafa's plan to help him learn the English game and become the player Rafa needs. I doubt it though. It's a shame, but it's not the end of the world.
Think as a striker confidence is all important. They need to know their manager has full faith in them. It would be clear to Mitro that this wasnt the case - he wasn’t being picked regularly and getting a lot of subs run outs. Now he is probably the first name on the teamsheet. That brings confidence and goals.
There's countless examples of good players just not working out at clubs because of management that doesn't suit or playing style. Veron, Shevchenko, Robinho, Torres, Hleb, Falcao, Bakayoko, Soldado, Janssen. These are just a handful, there's a lot of £20m guys not working out around the league, Hernandez, Carillo, Gabbiadini, Bailly, Iheanacho, Klassen. I think we've been so starved of passionate players, under Ashley gladly punting ourselves as a stepping stone club looking for a bargain, that when we found one who matched the passion we wanted it desperately to work. Mitro looks decent at Fulham, probably a mix of freedom management from his countryman and a higher quality squad (Sessegnon and Cairney are PL players all day) compared to the league. Low expectation also a factor - how many players fail under the spotlight and fail? As Jak says, he knows he's playing, the players want to feed him, he has one job - score. At NUFC, "score" seems to be pretty low down the list of priorities for our CF!!!! Fact remains we've secured safety, comfortably, without him. That's pretty much the only relevant point. Once again, cannot argue with the management from Benitez. World class.
10 in 22 PL starts. Further 20 sub appearances. Just a bit part player under this manager so his stats are pretty irrelevant.
Thought I'd bring this back up to the top of the listings but put your Mitro hating Pitchforks away I'm not on about Alek "better than Shearer" Mitrovic today Scott Longstaff seems to be ticking along nicely down at Blackpool this year and scoring some good goals...(scroll down...no further....further still) http://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2018/04/1...ge-chance-to-breakthrough-under-rafa-benitez/ Another season on loan for him next year I think but defo one to keep an eye on while he's away. P.S. #1MITROSONFIRE #rafabeneitezisterrified
Pretty sure his name is Sean Longstaff... Apparently he's got a good engine and a decent finish on him...
You must have heard of Bill? He was that good they even made a song up about him after he left his home club.