The thing about Mitro that surprises me.

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

He's scored lots of  goals in the Championship and is fantastic this season.
He didn't do so well in the PS, but he hardly ever played and when he did, he hardly got any
service because of the system we were playing.
Back to this year, he's scored 20 so far and as yet, as far as we know he's not had any great
offers or much interest. Unless Fulham have posted a "Don't bother to ask" message.
We know he and his family are settled and happy, and he has 'flapped his ears" twenty times
and knows he is 'loved' here.

My question is, he has scored 20 goals with our style of play, which proves that given the right
service he will bang them in.  Imagine if he was given that service, by probably better players
at a higher level he would still score loads.
So, why haven't any of the big boys appeared on the BBC Gossip column ?
He is only 27.

Not that I'm complaining. He can flap those ears and have a smile between them, towards the Hammy End for many years,
hopefully in the Premiership.

It's puzzling, but fortunate for FFC

[JudgeBread]

He's just won player of the month so he won't score for 6 weeks now anyway

[filham]

I suspect there are other managers with a similar outlook to Parker and think that Mitro doesn't really fit their player profile and are therefor wish to spend the millions that Mitro would cost on others.

I hope we would be asking over £25m for Mitro and there are not a lot of clubs outside the big six prepared to sink that money into one player. A danger point would be if one of the big teams are getting close to relegation during January and then they would be prepared to pay the millions for a few Mitro goals. Arsenal seem to have got things together we now have to keep an eye on Villa and Newcastle, both are thinking big at the moment.

[Bill2]

Spoke about Mitro to a Chelsea fan some a couple of seasons ago and said they need him. He replied that while a good player he was not quick enough and to be fair he is right. Although this season he seems to have lost a few pounds and is looking quicker.

[MikeTheCubed]

Following Mitro's POTM award he was quoted as saying:

"I have a lot of quality around me in this team, a lot of creative players who make a lot of chances for me, so I have to thank them for helping me to score as many goals as I did in October.

Thank you also to the Manager for his trust in me, and the fans for their support. It is a nice award to win, but the most pleasing thing was that we also won lots of games."

Which is good to hear, but I wonder if it's also a back-handed jibe at previous season(s).

[Fulham 442]

Following Mitro's POTM award he was quoted as saying:

"I have a lot of quality around me in this team, a lot of creative players who make a lot of chances for me, so I have to thank them for helping me to score as many goals as I did in October.

Thank you also to the Manager for his trust in me, and the fans for their support. It is a nice award to win, but the most pleasing thing was that we also won lots of games."

Which is good to hear, but I wonder if it's also a back-handed jibe at previous season(s).

Without a doubt, and who could blame him...

[MartyFFC]

Sounds like a cryptogram of 'Parker is an absolute ****' to me

[General]

Sounds like a cryptogram of 'Parker is an absolute ****' to me

Agreed

Also, liked the fact that when he talks about what he wanted to achieve in the new 5 year contract he pointed to wolves and villa and said he'd like to play European football at the cottage again,  which I think is great because he has long term targets at the club that involve us and he can obviously score goals at that level given what his record is for Serbia

[copthornemike]

Imagine Mitro bullying an Athletico Madrid team in an Euro final?
Well we can dream eh  079.gif

[bencher]

I don't buy the argument that because he's no sprinter he's not good enough for the PL. Oliver Giroud made a great career at the top level of being a physical specimen with intelligent movement and good finishing. Never had that burst of pace.

If we get promoted and build the team shape around playing to his strengths, he will flourish, I'm sure of it.

[rebel]

I don't buy the argument that because he's no sprinter he's not good enough for the PL. Oliver Giroud made a great career at the top level of being a physical specimen with intelligent movement and good finishing. Never had that burst of pace.

If we get promoted and build the team shape around playing to his strengths, he will flourish, I'm sure of it.

That's 'ridiculous' statement, simply because in reality we struggled both season in the Prem for various reason. Lets assumes a motivated Mitro played for Chelsea, would he score goals? I think so. He got 11 goals the first time we were relegated from the Prem.

There is so much nonsense spoken about Mitro. Things like he has improved under Silva. He's the same player, but is motivated and man managed correctly.   

Parker is 'micro manager', that doesn't always lead to 'free flowing' football. It's so rigid.

[Plodder]

As with most subjects, there's a lot more to it than some of the contributors above suggest, who put it all down to poor man management and motivation by Parker. There's so much else to take into account.

Last season, Mitrovic was out of form, short on confidence, unfit, overweight, and did little or no work off the ball when we were in possession or when the opponents were in possession. He made 13 full appearances, with another 14 as substitute, and scored just three goals (a penalty, a tap-in and one presented to him on a plate by a terrible mistake by Mings).  Mitrovic has to take his share of responsibility for performing so poorly; it can't all be blamed on the manager.  This season, he has performed spectacularly well as our main goal scorer, and is noticeably leaner and offering more movement. Even so, the quality of opposition including defending is a whole lot worse than the Premier League.  Very rarely in the top division do you see a goal like our winner at Peterborough conceded; the full back offered half-hearted resistance to Kebano going past him, and Mitrovic was left unmarked the six yard box.  He would rarely get a free header right in front of goal like that in the top flight.  That's one of the problems comparing last season with this one.  Our team is different, and so is the opposition.

Not wishing to tempt fate, but assuming we are promoted, it is entirely possible that Mitrovic will do well in the Premier League next season.  He has strength, is excellent in the air and can be a deft finisher. The point is that the manager bears a share of responsibility for a player's performance, but it is not all about the manager.  It depends also on the form and ability of the rest of the team, and on Mitrovic himself.

[rebel]

As with most subjects, there's a lot more to it than some of the contributors above suggest, who put it all down to poor man management and motivation by Parker. There's so much else to take into account.

Last season, Mitrovic was out of form, short on confidence, unfit, overweight, and did little or no work off the ball when we were in possession or when the opponents were in possession. He made 13 full appearances, with another 14 as substitute, and scored just three goals (a penalty, a tap-in and one presented to him on a plate by a terrible mistake by Mings).  Mitrovic has to take his share of responsibility for performing so poorly; it can't all be blamed on the manager.  This season, he has performed spectacularly well as our main goal scorer, and is noticeably leaner and offering more movement. Even so, the quality of opposition including defending is a whole lot worse than the Premier League.  Very rarely in the top division do you see a goal like our winner at Peterborough conceded; the full back offered half-hearted resistance to Kebano going past him, and Mitrovic was left unmarked the six yard box.  He would rarely get a free header right in front of goal like that in the top flight.  That's one of the problems comparing last season with this one.  Our team is different, and so is the opposition.

Not wishing to tempt fate, but assuming we are promoted, it is entirely possible that Mitrovic will do well in the Premier League next season.  He has strength, is excellent in the air and can be a deft finisher. The point is that the manager bears a share of responsibility for a player's performance, but it is not all about the manager.  It depends also on the form and ability of the rest of the team, and on Mitrovic himself.

Do you think 'Parkerball' has anything to do with it? Do you think turning / playing Cavaleiro as a striker motivated Mitro? Yes there is bit more to it,
but Parker set up his teams to not lose, rather then go out and win matches.   

[Somerset Fulham]

Imagine Mitro bullying an Athletico Madrid team in an Euro final?
Well we can dream eh  079.gif

A fully fit Zamora would have done a better job.

[rebel]

Imagine Mitro bullying an Athletico Madrid team in an Euro final?
Well we can dream eh  079.gif

A fully fit Zamora would have done a better job.

One of the most gifted players, I really don't think his potential really took him where it should have. I think he would of had few more England caps if that 'reckless' tackle hadn't happened.

[Arthur]

There is so much nonsense spoken about Mitro. Things like he has improved under Silva.

I don't think the latter sentence is a nonsensical statement at all.