Play Lookman as our main striker

[Arthur]

Whatever one's opinion of Mitrovic, he and Lookman are clearly 'chalk and cheese'.

Lookman has already shown he has quicker feet, better close control and more pace than Mitrovic. He is lively and dynamic - not qualities associated with Mitrovic.

Lookman, with his back to goal, is capable of turning his marker. He can create a goalscoring opportunity for himself. Mitrovic almost never does either of these things.

Watching us fail to turn our second-half performance into a winning lead, I wondered whether we would have fared better with Lookman as our main striker. His goal showed he possesses a powerful shot. If he can consistently strike shooting chances as well as this, it would be another aspect of his game in which he is superior to Mitrovic.

Mitrovic's strengths are best served by crosses pulled back from the by-line - not something we manage often. (Twice today, by my count - a low number, and yet still more, I reckon, than in any other game so far.)  Need we be so limited? One solution, one alternative, would be for Parker to try Lookman up front - operating down the middle and in the channels - and play with a main striker whose strengths are on the deck. Let's dispense with our ineffective wingers and use our full-backs for width on the flanks. Mitrovic would be an excellent option off the bench if we were trying to force a result and were pushing players forward in greater numbers.

I don't suppose Parker will leave out Mitrovic any game soon. But if our 'star' striker, week-upon-week, is having less of an impact than Ademola, increasingly I shall be hoping Scott will give it a go.

[fulhamben]

It's totally different playing up top to a midfield/attacking type player. Having your back to goal is a lot easier when midfielders and full backs are picking you up to having two centre backs marking you. He is amazing at running at players and you want to take that part of him out of the game. Bobby Reid is a good example. Last season his end product wasn't great but he worked the wing and am roles quite well. He was absolutely crap when he played up top, a complete waste of space.

[Statto]

I'm not getting carried away with Lookman just yet. There were lots of times where he neglected the opportunity to give it to Robinson on the overlap and somewhat selfishly dribbled to towards goal himself. He won't get too much stick for it today because he got the goal. But for me it's reminiscent of Knockaert when we first signed him, during the brief period when he's actually score occasionally.

[@jolslover]

I'm not getting carried away with Lookman just yet. There were lots of times where he neglected the opportunity to give it to Robinson on the overlap and somewhat selfishly dribbled to towards goal himself. He won't get too much stick for it today because he got the goal. But for me it's reminiscent of Knockaert when we first signed him, during the brief period when he's actually score occasionally.

He looks way better than Knockaert did - and at a higher level

[Somerset Fulham]

He's a better version of Knockaert, but I agree with Statto.  Plus he's only one and a half games in and he previously hasn't really cut it in the top flight in England or Germany.

A promising start for sure, but that's all so far. I would see him play well in the position we have bought him in for before moving him elsewhere.

[Statto]

I'm not getting carried away with Lookman just yet. There were lots of times where he neglected the opportunity to give it to Robinson on the overlap and somewhat selfishly dribbled to towards goal himself. He won't get too much stick for it today because he got the goal. But for me it's reminiscent of Knockaert when we first signed him, during the brief period when he's actually score occasionally.

He looks way better than Knockaert did - and at a higher level

I agree he's miles better than Knockaert of course, but my recollection is that Knockaert looked decent at first, probably as good (relative to the division we were in) as Lookman has been so far

[Arthur]

It's totally different playing up top to a midfield/attacking type player. Having your back to goal is a lot easier when midfielders and full backs are picking you up to having two centre backs marking you.

I agree it's not easy. Mitrovic, however, has thus far shown little sign he will trouble opposition defences greatly. If this continues to be so, playing Lookman as the main striker is the one alternative I can see that might turn out to be better.

He is amazing at running at players and you want to take that part of him out of the game.

Yes, there is a risk this may happen. It depends how we get the ball to him. On the edge of the box with his back to goal is a different matter to receiving it with his back to goal on the half-way line. Likely, the latter is not how we want to use him. On the other hand, if we can get the ball into the channels, Lookman can collect the ball in a similar position to those he found himself in today - only instead of having the entire Sheffield defence in front of him, he may sometimes find himself one-on-one with a centre back.

Bobby Reid is a good example. Last season his end product wasn't great but he worked the wing and am roles quite well. He was absolutely crap when he played up top, a complete waste of space.

And Lookman's end product - as he showed - isn't 'crap'. Not the same necessity, therefore, to confine him to the wing.


I get that moving Lookman into a more attacking role will detract from our midfield department. In an ideal situation, Mitrovic's technique would be on a par with Lookman's and we'd be fine as we are. But Mitrovic, I think I'm right in saying, hasn't scored a goal with his feet in open play in his last 23 Premier League games. Worryingly poor. In suggesting that Lookman could be deployed as our main striker, I'm thinking about at the overall success of the team.

[spikey norman]

As said above a good start by Lookman and he could be key to our season but let's not give him grief if he has a poor game or two.
All players do have indifferent spells at some point.
As good as Lookman is I don't think he could offer what Mitro does up front.

[RaySmith]

You're right spikey.
Mitro can  play with his his back to goal,  holding the ball up with his strength, and laying it off, and is also a focal point for crosses, as well as his defending  skills.

While Lookman, runs from midfield,   going past defenders , and bursting into the box, and shooting, but would   be  wasted trying to play in Mitro's role, as said re BDR.
But it's good we now  have these options, players who can take defenders on and go past them, and  shoot or make a killing pass, instead of just relying on crosses to Mitro.

These players seem to  help Cairney's play too

[Sting of the North]

I think it is far too early to assess whether or not Lookman will be a real game changer, but he's certainly gone off to a great start in my opinion. Whether his end product is better than that of Cav or Knockaert also remains to be seem, given the very small sample size so far. Pick one or two games from any player and they might look good. Hopefully though he will continue to impress, just as I hope a player like Tosin is actually the real deal.

[Bronaldinho]

Lookman needs a target man to succeed. Would love to see a front 2. (442 diamond).

Mitrovic to draw defenders out and win duels, with Lookman playing on the last man.

[Tempest]

Play him off Mitro, big man little man, not quite Quinn & Phillips but the way teams are defending at the moment, think these two in tandem could have a field day.

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[ScalleysDad]

Interesting that 'we' are not going overboard with the so far impressive Lookman. I suppose Seri and Hector still haunt some of us as the next big thing that faded badly. Mitrovic had the quintessential mare on Sunday but he has not looked the part for a while. 4.4.2 offers much but it possibly would not feature either Mitrovic or Cairney. Lookman/AK, Lookman/BDR, Lookman/Kebano are all combinations of the smallest frontline in the Prem but we have height and strength across the team now.
There I go dammit, building the team around the newbie, but I would try it, risk it against Palace. You just know their centre backs will shut Mitrovic down.

[Arthur]

You're right spikey.
Mitro can  play with his his back to goal,  holding the ball up with his strength, and laying it off, and is also a focal point for crosses, as well as his defending  skills.

While Lookman, runs from midfield,   going past defenders , and bursting into the box, and shooting, but would   be  wasted trying to play in Mitro's role, as said re BDR.

I absolutely agree that to ask Lookman to play the way Mitrovic does would be daft. I have no expectation that Lookman would be winning aerial duels against six-foot centre-backs. The option it may offer us (and I wouldn't profess for one moment to have the coaching knowledge to be confident it would work) is that, instead of always playing the ball into Mitrovic's body with his back to goal in-and-around the centre circle, we can pass into the spaces beyond and around defenders for Lookman to pick up the ball facing our opponents goal. Such a change would also, of course, mean that we need midfield players to get forward in support of Lookman so that he is not always left to 'go it alone'.

I'm not suggesting we simply swap Mitrovic for Lookman up front and carry on playing the same way. With Mitrovic, there is almost always nothing to be gained in trying to play the ball behind the defender to run onto because pretty much every opponent can easily out-pace him. With Lookman, we may be able to play this way - a different way.

We all hope Mitrovic's current run of form is merely temporary - a lull before he bursts into life and lives up to his reputation. My worry, however, is that such performances from him will be the exception rather than the norm. There are, of course, other ways of trying to improve our forward play which do not involve dropping Mitrovic (which I imagine Parker would implement first). But my hunch, and this is all it is, is that playing in the fastest-paced league in Europe with the slowest of strikers who has no particular footwork skills is not our best ploy when we appear to have, in Lookman (and I understand why others here are cautious as to whether he can be consistent), an attacking player who is both more nimble and - even more importantly - highly skilled.

[ALG01]

I'm not getting carried away with Lookman just yet. There were lots of times where he neglected the opportunity to give it to Robinson on the overlap and somewhat selfishly dribbled to towards goal himself. He won't get too much stick for it today because he got the goal. But for me it's reminiscent of Knockaert when we first signed him, during the brief period when he's actually score occasionally.

I agree with you, I do not recall him using robinson once and that is bad.
He scored a cracker and got massively praised in the media but there were some poor things too.

[Slaphead in Qatar]

I'm not getting carried away with Lookman just yet. There were lots of times where he neglected the opportunity to give it to Robinson on the overlap and somewhat selfishly dribbled to towards goal himself. He won't get too much stick for it today because he got the goal. But for me it's reminiscent of Knockaert when we first signed him, during the brief period when he's actually score occasionally.

Yes for the first 60 mins of the game I was actually a little disappointed with lookman yesterday

[Mr K.Dilkington]

Mitrovic will come good and get 10+ goals easily. He's very much a confidence player and even though mitrovic couldn't hold the ball up yesterday Lookman just isn't physical enough for that

[FFCBadger]

Lookman has no where near the confidence to play as a target man. Ever.
From all accounts he has a wobble in a game or two and completely shuts down. Has done so at Everton and Lepzig.

This may change as he gets older but after the initial rush of the goal just watch his face, he almost wanted to run away from the attention from his team mates. I think keep the pressure off him, play him where he is for a run of games as he's doing just fine.

Mitro had a mare yesterday but he'll bounce back I'm sure...as for Cav... :/

[Mr K.Dilkington]

I'm not getting carried away with Lookman just yet. There were lots of times where he neglected the opportunity to give it to Robinson on the overlap and somewhat selfishly dribbled to towards goal himself. He won't get too much stick for it today because he got the goal. But for me it's reminiscent of Knockaert when we first signed him, during the brief period when he's actually score occasionally.

Yes for the first 60 mins of the game I was actually a little disappointed with lookman yesterday

He is known for trying to do too much,but the combo of robinson and lookman is extremely exciting. And he has match winning ability as nearly shown yesterday,so i'd pull back a bit. I think he's one of those players who can delight and frustrate in equal measure.

[filham]

Lookman has had 3 games and performed well in each, leave well alone, don't even think of playing him in any other position.
Mitro had an off day, too much football and lots of travelling in the past week, he will be better next week. We need continuity to get this team working at its best.
Just one change next week please, Cav. to be replaced with Bryan or Kebano.