Mitro's Movement

[St Eve]

Mitro was playing deeper as he got zero service. We missed Lookman. BDR did nothing and the entire midfield huffed and puffed but did nothing to help the attack. I think Reed had a shot. I wonder how many assists, shots and goals Lemina, Reed, RLC and Anguissa have had combined all season. I can only remember 2 goals. That's the major problem

[Arthur]

I do wonder what 'service' Mitrovic can expect to get. With the players we have, we're rarely going to be cutting opposing defences to ribbons such that he can receive the ball unmarked in front of goal.

Were Mitrovic being assisted by players of the calibre of Sterling, Mahrez and De Bruyne, doubtless he'd find the back of the net on a more regular basis. We, however, need attacking players who can do something for themselves: evade an opponent with a bit of deft footwork, or cover a bit ground with the ball, or find a pocket of space among opposing defenders. As this season is showing, playing with someone who is a 'finisher' but has 'slow feet' and an even slower turn of pace hasn't been a viable role.

Last night, in typical fashion, Mitrovic pretty much rooted himself to the spot when we got the ball into wide positions. Did he make a single well-timed run across the face of a defender or even once lose his marker by cleverly pulling to the back post? I don't think he did. He certainly didn't come close to scoring a goal.  With his being so static, crosses seemingly had to fall on a proverbial 'sixpence'.

And as for whether we saw deft footwork or ground being covered...

Yet - because some of our crossing would have been no use to any striker, no matter how mobile, and because we didn't commit many players into the penalty area, despite our great need for a victory - it is fair to say we could have provided more opportunities for Mitrovic to contribute. Even had we done so, there's nothing in what I saw to suggest he would have scored. It would simply have been more of the same from him. At this level of football, a lack of service is not the only problem - or even the main problem. As with all our strikers, it's a lack of Premier League quality that affects Mitrovic's performances most.

[WindyCity]

I feel very sorry for Mitro. He had virtually no service. Hardly a ball played to his feet. Crosses sailed far over his head. Of course he dropped deeper & wider. He wanted the ball. I would have played Bryan in place of Robinson. He is our best crosser.

Actually I thought Robinson had a good game and did put in a few decent crosses.  RLC had pretty much a free header which he couldn't direct on target. 

[Mickeyboro]

Do we not coach these players. Even West Ham seem to know how to beat Wolves...

When the starting XI finished their pre-match warm-up before the 4-0 win over Wolves in September, Kevin Nolan took Arthur Masuaku to one side and instructed the full-back on where he should be aiming his crosses. Masuaku would provide an assist for Sebastien Haller in the game. Nolan's advice worked.

[rebel]

I do wonder what 'service' Mitrovic can expect to get. With the players we have, we're rarely going to be cutting opposing defences to ribbons such that he can receive the ball unmarked in front of goal.

Were Mitrovic being assisted by players of the calibre of Sterling, Mahrez and De Bruyne, doubtless he'd find the back of the net on a more regular basis. We, however, need attacking players who can do something for themselves: evade an opponent with a bit of deft footwork, or cover a bit ground with the ball, or find a pocket of space among opposing defenders. As this season is showing, playing with someone who is a 'finisher' but has 'slow feet' and an even slower turn of pace hasn't been a viable role.

Last night, in typical fashion, Mitrovic pretty much rooted himself to the spot when we got the ball into wide positions. Did he make a single well-timed run across the face of a defender or even once lose his marker by cleverly pulling to the back post? I don't think he did. He certainly didn't come close to scoring a goal.  With his being so static, crosses seemingly had to fall on a proverbial 'sixpence'.

And as for whether we saw deft footwork or ground being covered...

Yet - because some of our crossing would have been no use to any striker, no matter how mobile, and because we didn't commit many players into the penalty area, despite our great need for a victory - it is fair to say we could have provided more opportunities for Mitrovic to contribute. Even had we done so, there's nothing in what I saw to suggest he would have scored. It would simply have been more of the same from him. At this level of football, a lack of service is not the only problem - or even the main problem. As with all our strikers, it's a lack of Premier League quality that affects Mitrovic's performances most.

Mitro of old could hold the ball up, everyone has wised up to that, he gets marked by 2 / 3 defenders. He can't hold the ball up. He isn't mobile enough to evade defenders, he's still trying to do the same thing. He's a different player for Serbia, he body language is different. He's concentrated for longer. 

[YankeeJim]

Mitro was playing deeper as he got zero service. We missed Lookman. BDR did nothing and the entire midfield huffed and puffed but did nothing to help the attack. I think Reed had a shot. I wonder how many assists, shots and goals Lemina, Reed, RLC and Anguissa have had combined all season. I can only remember 2 goals. That's the major problem

This is exactly why we don't score. Its not Mitro as much as it is a midfield geared toward defense. We constantly have RLC as the attacking mid. Over the course of the season, RLC has one goal and zero assists. Mitro's pace didn't enter into his 26 (?) goals last season. Why would anyone think it matters this season? RLC plays pretty football but has no defense and absolutely no end product. His muff of a free header in the second half yesterday is case in point. Carney, with all his flaws, is a much more effective footballer than RLC.

[SouthIslandWhite]

A full season without Tom Cairney is definitely a big piece of this goalless production.  A fit TK and we probably have 15+ goals in various nets around the league at this point.

Can you imagine where we would be with maybe just 12-15 more goals scored?

[Arthur]

A full season without Tom Cairney is definitely a big piece of this goalless production.  A fit TK and we probably have 15+ goals in various nets around the league at this point.

Can you imagine where we would be with maybe just 12-15 more goals scored?

I think you're getting carried away here.

Two seasons ago, Cairney played 2200 minutes (according to 'Who Scored') for 1 goal and 1 assist. This season he has one goal and one assist to his name in 10 appearances. This suggests it's highly unlikely that, had he played another twenty times, he would have added a combined total of 15 more goals and assists to our tally.

[milis]

A full season without Tom Cairney is definitely a big piece of this goalless production.  A fit TK and we probably have 15+ goals in various nets around the league at this point.

Can you imagine where we would be with maybe just 12-15 more goals scored?

I think you're getting carried away here.

Two seasons ago, Cairney played 2200 minutes (according to 'Who Scored') for 1 goal and 1 assist. This season he has one goal and one assist to his name in 10 appearances. This suggests it's highly unlikely that, had he played another twenty times, he would have added a combined total of 15 more goals and assists to our tally.

TOM CAIRNEY
Appearances          10
Goals                1
Assists              1
Passes               594
Passes per match     59.40
Big Chances Created  1
Crosses              37
Cross accuracy       32%
Through balls        1
Accurate long balls  40


RUBEN LOFTUS CHEEK
Appearances          27
Goals                1
Assists              0
Passes               673
Passes per match     24.93
Big Chances Created  2
Crosses              9
Cross accuracy       44%
Through balls        2
Accurate long balls  8