None of those hopeful high balls into the box which (an often static) Mitrovic gets his head to maybe once or twice a game. Instead we fizzed a few low across the face of the goal or pulled it back from the goal line into the path of a player arriving in the box. Only one goal tonight, but the potential for us to score more was plain to see.
With Hector making such a difference at the back, we have the chance to put ourselves in the running for an automatic promotion spot - something that our up-and-down form has so far precluded. Can we play the way we have tonight with Mitrovic in the team? I'm not confident that we can. Will Parker have the courage to leave Mitrovic out of the team? I'm not confident that he will. But I am hoping to be wrong on one-or-other of the counts.
Was more than one occasion where having a player that instinctively sticks in the middle for the low fizzes would have been good. Hoping Kamara and Mitro come back into the squad soon.
I thought we maybe did lack that cutting edge up front, someone who would get on the end of things, go in where it hurts.
Actually thought the opposite. Lots of possession in advanced wide areas and no outlet. Knockaert still prefers to shoot rather than playing "low fizzing crosses" and Cavaleiro was inconsistent. Onomah, among others, squandered the rare crosses we had (high and low) which Mitro would have put away. Reckon it would have been 4-0 tonight with Mitrovic.
We can never be better without Mitro. One day in the distant future but not now.
Mitrovic gets us goals so there's no way he doesn't play if fit. What we need to do is mix it up more when he plays, he shouldn't always stay in the middle, we need to have more fluidity up there.
No, we need Mitro, not just for goals but also for his hold up play
What it shows that if he is not on the pitch, we can win in his absence for the second time in a month, and it shows that Scott has a plan B and another string to our bow.
But I would rather have Mitro playing than not, although it shows that we have a strong squad and other players that can do a job which a team has to have to be successful.
The reason we won tonight without Mitro was because of the element of surprise. We still need Mitro but every now and then other players are able to step up to the plate
Give your head an absolute wobble, he's first on the team sheet every time he's fit and able. We just need to learn how to play another way when he gets isolated.
Quote from: Statto on January 17, 2020, 10:32:56 PM
Actually thought the opposite. Lots of possession in advanced wide areas and no outlet. Knockaert still prefers to shoot rather than playing "low fizzing crosses" and Cavaleiro was inconsistent. Onomah, among others, squandered the rare crosses we had (high and low) which Mitro would have put away. Reckon it would have been 4-0 tonight with Mitrovic.
Exactly this. :54:
Quote from: Statto on January 17, 2020, 10:32:56 PM
Actually thought the opposite. Lots of possession in advanced wide areas and no outlet. Knockaert still prefers to shoot rather than playing "low fizzing crosses" and Cavaleiro was inconsistent. Onomah, among others, squandered the rare crosses we had (high and low) which Mitro would have put away. Reckon it would have been 4-0 tonight with Mitrovic.
It's tempting to think so.
And yet in all Mitrovic's 45 games for us in the Championship, we've only scored 4 goals (never more) on two occasions - one of which we played against 10 men for 70 minutes. So the likelihood that we would have scored 4 with him in the team tonight does not seem that great to me. If for no other reason, had Mitrovic been on the pitch, someone else wouldn't have been. And yet, as I saw it, every role in the team was integral to the way we played tonight. Whilst Johansen can perform a similar role to Cairney, or Arter to Onomah, Mitrovic couldn't have taken the role of anyone. Had he played, I think it would have been a different performance: not as slick and with more aerial crosses. And while Onomah's header from the corner was poor, we can't assume that Mitrovic would have been afforded the same chance. Onomah wasn't being marked at set pieces by Boro's key defender; Mitrovic would have been.
For a few games - but I think it's important that we have diversity. We shouldn't be sussed. We are not a one trick pony.
Even before tonight, we needed to prove we have a squad and different assets at our disposal. It's been ok. Scott has some excuses at his disposal and he deserves it.
Quote from: Jimsbeerbelly on January 17, 2020, 11:35:48 PM
Give your head an absolute wobble, he's first on the team sheet every time he's fit and able. We just need to learn how to play another way when he gets isolated.
I take it that you mean you would like us to play so that Mitrovic doesn't become isolated. (And as the implication of your saying this is that it happens too often, I can only agree.) It's a problem that Parker has been unable to solve. Tonight, however, Scott put out a team in which Bobby Reid's contribution - while rather different to Mitrovic's - helped to ensure that neither he nor any other player became isolated. I wonder whether this
is the solution.
If Mitrovic had played we would have won by 3
Quote from: Andy S on January 17, 2020, 11:24:27 PM
The reason we won tonight without Mitro was because of the element of surprise. We still need Mitro but every now and then other players are able to step up to the plate
Yes and players did step up to the plate. It was good to see that the club have added Hector and Josh in the lineup as regulars as its improved our strength in the air which has been woefully lacking in the first half of the season. But it's a start and their height and strength and physicality has had a genuine impact.
I hope that we don't have to revisit this thread after 10 games without Mitro, but I don't think that this sentiment would age well at all.
No we missed Mitro for me
Quote from: Arthur on January 18, 2020, 01:55:25 AM
Quote from: Statto on January 17, 2020, 10:32:56 PM
Actually thought the opposite. Lots of possession in advanced wide areas and no outlet. Knockaert still prefers to shoot rather than playing "low fizzing crosses" and Cavaleiro was inconsistent. Onomah, among others, squandered the rare crosses we had (high and low) which Mitro would have put away. Reckon it would have been 4-0 tonight with Mitrovic.
It's tempting to think so.
And yet in all Mitrovic's 45 games for us in the Championship, we've only scored 4 goals (never more) on two occasions - one of which we played against 10 men for 70 minutes. So the likelihood that we would have scored 4 with him in the team tonight does not seem that great to me. If for no other reason, had Mitrovic been on the pitch, someone else wouldn't have been. And yet, as I saw it, every role in the team was integral to the way we played tonight. Whilst Johansen can perform a similar role to Cairney, or Arter to Onomah, Mitrovic couldn't have taken the role of anyone. Had he played, I think it would have been a different performance: not as slick and with more aerial crosses. And while Onomah's header from the corner was poor, we can't assume that Mitrovic would have been afforded the same chance. Onomah wasn't being marked at set pieces by Boro's key defender; Mitrovic would have been.
you're just looking at stats to make your point valid, not the fact of whether nitro is better for us. 7 of our games this season have seen us score 3 or more goals or win by a clear two goal margin.
Our weakest area has been defence which has been clear for everyone to see so much that the club have brought in two in January and most other teams message boards highlighted Hector to some degree after last night's game. That's had an obvious knock on effect to our results and the way we've played in terms of goals scored more than nitro not fitting our style of play. He's red 18 goals don't forget.
No
Quote from: howitis on January 18, 2020, 07:32:36 AM
Nonsense thread ...
Is it?
This is what I wrote on Wednesday
General Discussion / Re: Will we score more goals without Mitrovic?
« on: January 14, 2020, 01:01:30 PM »
Personally, I think we will look more fluid and almost certainly create more without Mitro.
However, to be clear, this is not meant as a slight to Mitro, more on the way he is utilised.
Our attacks are so focused on Mitro. It's absurd that a striker that occupies the attention of at least one and a half defenders, is not used top create lots of space for attackers around him or attacking midfielders. Its loverly scoring all these worldies but its an absolute crime that we're not creating space for tap in's, ala Ryan Sess. Cav & Knock get a lot of attention as well, this should be a field day for supporting players. The fact it isnt, in my opinion, is entirely down to the tactics employed with Mitro.
When he's not there, I think things will improve on an attacking sense more by luck than judgment.
I may be being a bit unfair but have been seriously underwhelmed with our attacking performance generally and especially considering the firepower we have
Were different without Mitro....
I'd say we're faster without Mitro..... Mitro is a clever player....swap Mitro for AK47, and we'll play a lot quicker, AK47 seems to like running onto the ball, and finding channels to run into...
Mitro is probably the best striker in the league, and his hold up play is second to none
Not better just different🙄
I can't wait for Mitro to get back. That was not the performance the rose tinted glasses may have made it look like. Stop kidding yourselves or have you been fed mediocrity for so long you've forgotten what finesse is?
Quote from: toshes mate on January 18, 2020, 08:53:33 AM
I can't wait for Mitro to get back. That was not the performance the rose tinted glasses may have made it look like. Stop kidding yourselves or have you been fed mediocrity for so long you've forgotten what finesse is?
Not so much mediocrity, more one-dimensional and predictable.
Quote from: 70sPimlico on January 18, 2020, 08:59:15 AM
Quote from: toshes mate on January 18, 2020, 08:53:33 AM
I can't wait for Mitro to get back. That was not the performance the rose tinted glasses may have made it look like. Stop kidding yourselves or have you been fed mediocrity for so long you've forgotten what finesse is?
Not so much mediocrity, more one-dimensional and predictable.
Predictably mediocre after sixty percent of a season ....
This is not a nonsense thread and we shouldn't just write off well intentioned comments (I thought we were going to be more tolerant this year?). Although I don't agree we are "better" without Mitro, different yes, better no.
However I did think we played some lovely fluid football last night and can't see why Toshes Mate thinks we observed through rose tinted specs.
Quote from: Twig on January 18, 2020, 09:04:50 AM
This is not a nonsense thread and we shouldn't just write off well intentioned comments (I thought we were going to be more tolerant this year?). Although I don't agree we are "better" without Mitro, different yes, better no.
However I did think we played some lovely fluid football last night and can't see why Toshes Mate thinks we observed through rose tinted specs.
Then read my fuller post elsewhere, please.
No.
We missed him in and around their box last night.
Not better without him, but different. We can be very obvious when he plays and one dimensional. Without him we play more fluently but miss his goals and passion.
If he was fit i would always start him but try and mix up the tacctics a bit.
There no doubt with the play that we had in the first half Mitro would have had a field day. The doubt is wether we would have had that quick one -touch passing if Mitro had played. Maybe not .
Mitro gives us a massive amount but also limits us ,in terms onf counter attacking and getting in behind teams.
Mitro showed he can play with our first half tactics in his first season under Jokanovic. Acting as a pivot.
However, it was Reid's runs in around the box that often created space alongside a more "up for it" Knockaert. So, if we sacrifice a midfielder.. we can have Reid alongside Mitro. Or indeed sacrifice Cav..
Let me put it this way.
It has nothing to do with Mitro.
It is the way Parker uses Mitro.
So the response to this is not "Mitro is a great player, holds up the ball well and is the best player in the championship and this is a nonsense thread".
Look at how easy we are to combat normally, how easy we are to restrict our chances, how we dont defend from the front, how one dimensional we are and how predictable and frankly a bit boring we are normally.
Its the basic way we use Mitro as a target man when he can offer so much more. When we dont play with a target man, it then lends itself to use the skills of the players we have bought, who, in my humble opinion, just dont fit the target man approach.
So, its not about Mitro, who I love with a passion, its the god awful tactics we use when he's on the pitch.
How can a team who play with a guy who basically ties up the two central defenders for 90 minutes, not be making loads of chances for other players. Its F=ing criminal
Why not mix it up then.
Many times last night our breaks were so rapid there was no one in the box.
I'd like to see Mitro playing but with crosses fizzed across as well as the hopeful cross.
We don't have anyone able to deliver inch perfect crosses onto Mitro's head, he would revel scrapping around with defenders for the loose balls which often result from the low,hard crosses.
With Mitro playing the opposing centre halves always have their hands full, can you imagine last night with the amount of last ditch blocks how much more room we could have had had those defenders been occupied with Mitro ?
.
i think not having mitro made the players think more and forced the movement . i was sitting there thinking i bet mitro is watching this thinking why don't i normally get this number of crosses into the box . they were crying out for a striker last night. but was it a mobile front 3 that enabled this to happen ? we will find out when he comes back .
one thing for sure , we were crying out for him in the second half , no one could hold the ball and i think he would filled his boots in that first 30 mins.
Once again though , we have showed we can win games without him and that's important because you don't want a stat hanging over like ' haven't won any of the 6 games without mitro ' if the next game he misses is a play off semi final.
Quote from: toshes mate on January 18, 2020, 09:10:24 AM
Quote from: Twig on January 18, 2020, 09:04:50 AM
This is not a nonsense thread and we shouldn't just write off well intentioned comments (I thought we were going to be more tolerant this year?). Although I don't agree we are "better" without Mitro, different yes, better no.
However I did think we played some lovely fluid football last night and can't see why Toshes Mate thinks we observed through rose tinted specs.
Then read my fuller post elsewhere, please.
I did and still beg to disagree. Sorry, just a different viewpoint I guess.
Quote from: Twig on January 18, 2020, 11:03:32 AM
Quote from: toshes mate on January 18, 2020, 09:10:24 AM
Quote from: Twig on January 18, 2020, 09:04:50 AM
This is not a nonsense thread and we shouldn't just write off well intentioned comments (I thought we were going to be more tolerant this year?). Although I don't agree we are "better" without Mitro, different yes, better no.
However I did think we played some lovely fluid football last night and can't see why Toshes Mate thinks we observed through rose tinted specs.
Then read my fuller post elsewhere, please.
I did and still beg to disagree. Sorry, just a different viewpoint I guess.
Opinions will always vary but I hold by my words and have also updated on comments elsewhere, since it seems I do not make myself clear enough for some ...
Once Mitro has rested up and his ankle is ok again he will be raring to go again
Based on last night alone, we can create plenty of chances without Mitro. Putting them in the back of the net is a different matter and so of course we want him back.
For all of the god football we played and chances we created last night we scored but one solitary goal at home.
This is not good enough , at the end of the game we were relying on our defence to pull us through to get the three points that should have been secured in the first half.
Make no mistake we are missing Mitro and we need him back ASAP.
Reid , a clever player with a big following, has demonstrated time and again that he will not take good chances and certainly not half chances. If Kamara is fit for the next couple of games we may scrape by while Mitro is missing but otherwise vital promotion points could be dropped.
