Blackburn

[Happy Face 29]

Or Murphy's inclusion has little to do with Mitrovic and more to do with rotating the bench a bit? Nobody says playing Anita ahead of Yedlin is to give Yedlin a kick up the arse,  nor having Lazaar on the bench is because Gamez is poor in training. It's just accepted that the squad is rotated a bit. Yet, Mitro's exclusion is because he's got a bad attitude in training? 

 

It's not concerned me while Mitro was still getting on the bench, only when he dropped even further down the pecking order. If Anita drops to the bench i won't give it a second thought.  If he then drops out of the squad in favour of Tiote or Saivet or something, then I would think he must have done something seriously wrong too.

[ewerk 26708]

Aye, being dropped for a fella who's away on loan for the season would be a real kick in the teeth.

[The Fish 9088]

It's not concerned me while Mitro was still getting on the bench, only when he dropped even further down the pecking order. If Anita drops to the bench i won't give it a second thought.  If he then drops out of the squad in favour of Tiote or Saivet or something, then I would think he must have done something seriously wrong too.

Anita is a bad example, he's getting game time, so if he were dropped from the bench for Curtis Good, eyebrows would be raised.

 

It's like if Hanley were fit, you wouldn't care which of the 3rd and 4th choice centre backs were on the bench. Would you assume one of them had a bad attitude if Elliot or Sels were on the bench? 

[Happy Face 29]

Aye, being dropped for a fella who's away on loan for the season would be a real kick in the teeth.

 

 Thought he was coming back like other loanees, when .co.uk lumped him in with the ACON people 

[Happy Face 29]

Anita is a bad example, he's getting game time, so if he were dropped from the bench for Curtis Good, eyebrows would be raised.

 

It's like if Hanley were fit, you wouldn't care which of the 3rd and 4th choice centre backs were on the bench. Would you assume one of them had a bad attitude if Elliot or Sels were on the bench? 

 

No, because there's healthy competition among the keepers.  I'd expect Sels to drop off the bench once Elliot returns to full match fitness as Sels has already wasted his opportunity. But it wouldn't ring alarm bells if he couldn't usurp him, Elliot would just have to wait for his opportunity.

 

Murphy hasn't played a minute all season despite being fit and is 34 in a couple of month.  He's never offered any competition for a place whatsoever.  I can't see any reason for this journeyman who knows he came here for a bit of wedge before retirement to get a place ahead of the most expensive player in our squad unless our most expensive player is failing in some regard to please the manager.

 

I can't see how that would be beyond doubt?  Like Gullit dropped Shearer and Ferguson and started Maric because Maric was looking particularly sharper than those two.

[The Fish 9088]

No, because there's healthy competition among the keepers.  I'd expect Sels to drop off the bench once Elliot returns to full match fitness as Sels has already wasted his opportunity. But it wouldn't ring alarm bells if he couldn't usurp him, Elliot would just has to wait for his opportunity.

 

Murphy hasn't played a minute all season despite being fit and is 34 in a couple of month.  He's never offered any competition for a place whatsoever.  I can't see any reason for this journeyman who knows he came here for a bit of wedge before retirement to get a place ahead of the most expensive player in our squad unless our most expensive player is failing in some regard to please the manager.

 

I can't see how that would be beyond doubt?  Like Gullit dropped Shearer and Ferguson and started Maric because Maric was looking particularly sharper than those two.

 

Gullit also dropped Lee and Barton, didn't he? That says more about Gullit's ego than it does anything else. 

 

You said yourself Murphy hasn't featured and given Rafa doesn't give him subs more than 15 minutes or so I don't think leaving Mitro out is a big two fingers up at him. I honestly think he's just giving Murphy a spot on the bench to keep him happy, Mitrovic motivated and the squad rotating. Just like he gave Murphy 2 appearances in the EFL cup games. It's rotation not punishment.

[scoobos 297]

Any fan whos had rafa as a manager will say you just can't explain some of his rotations - he's driven more by his medical team than his coaches, by his own admission. Not saying that's the reason for Mitro of course, but just an example of his unique style of picking the first 11.  I'd still like to think that if Mitro had the gametime Gayle had, he'd be performing as well, if not better - but I don't doubt Rafa's ability over mine like, so he can play whoever he likes.

 

I've not seen the first XI I'd pick all season, theres always been some strange decision (at least I think not).

Edited January 4, 2017 by scoobos

[trooper 940]

I wonder in any of the journalists at the press conference feel brave enough to ask Rafa about the Mitrovic situation ?

[Alex 30679]

Gullit also dropped Lee and Barton, didn't he? That says more about Gullit's ego than it does anything else. 

 

You said yourself Murphy hasn't featured and given Rafa doesn't give him subs more than 15 minutes or so I don't think leaving Mitro out is a big two fingers up at him. I honestly think he's just giving Murphy a spot on the bench to keep him happy, Mitrovic motivated and the squad rotating. Just like he gave Murphy 2 appearances in the EFL cup games. It's rotation not punishment.

Gullit didn't even give Lee a squad number.

[The Fish 9088]

I wonder in any of the journalists at the press conference feel brave enough to ask Rafa about the Mitrovic situation ?

 

I'll save them the bother

 

"Does Mitrovic feature in your plans?"

"Yes, absolutely, he's a very good player for this cloob. I have a good squad and some will play now and some will play another time."

Edited January 5, 2017 by The Fish

[David Kelly 1117]

Any fan whos had rafa as a manager will say you just can't explain some of his rotations - he's driven more by his medical team than his coaches, by his own admission. Not saying that's the reason for Mitro of course, but just an example of his unique style of picking the first 11.  I'd still like to think that if Mitro had the gametime Gayle had, he'd be performing as well, if not better - but I don't doubt Rafa's ability over mine like, so he can play whoever he likes.

 

I've not seen the first XI I'd pick all season, theres always been some strange decision (at least I think not).

I said at the start of the season that if Mitro gets the games he'll get 20 goals easily.  I still believe he could now but don't believe he'll get the opportunity.  I don't think he'd score more than Gayle though.  Gayle is a better finisher.  I think Gayle would comfortably get over 30 if he stays fit.