Steve McClaren seems to have talked some sense into Aleksandar Mitrovic since he was sent off against Arsenal after only 16 minutes for a bad tackle.
He has cut out the wild tackles and he’s been more composed on the field and he’s starting to play very well and the 21 year-old has hit two goals in the last two games for us.
Steve McClaren congratulates Aleksandar Mitrovic last Sunday
Steve McClaren doesn’t seem to be too worried about Aleksandar for the derby game at Sunderland on Sunday.
This is what Steve has said about the Serbian International striker:
“He has played smart. I would say he has been playing smart and that is what we have been telling him.”
“We knew there was a bit of the devil to be perfectly honest and that has added to our team game. We need that but we need control and that is the key on Sunday.”
“You can play smart and be ineffective but play on the line and play smart.”
“He got sent off against Arsenal and could have been against Southampton and they were not derbies, but that was a willingness to win and playing on the edge. On that line.”
“We know that this game, externally and around it, it is huge. We have got to have our attitudes and preparation and focus spot on. And if it is not, we could easily get into trouble.”
Aleksandar is starting to look like the player we thought we had signed in the summer and he can get some goals for us this season – Sunday’s goal was really great.
And Mbemba, Wijnaldum and Mitrovic are three of our best performers these days and young Ayoze Perez is also continuing to improve and has nailed down a starting place at the club.
Let’s hope our lads turn up for the game on Sunday at Sunderland and if they do – we can win it – and that would give us 7 points from the last four games.
Comments welcome.
27 comments so far
Munster Mag
Oct 23, 2015 at 1:00 AM
Comment #1It may be 12.50 pm and i may have consumed a few but in honour of limericks brilliant u21 hurlers this year what can i say but ” up the treaty “! Belfast where are u when i need u? Or even ciaran ( where did he go?) . I reckon 2-2 on sunday. Sam will blame the linesman/ref/luck for not winning. What a gowl he is – but all tv channels in uk adore him. Why ffs? At least in ireland he is nailed regularly by our panelists who dont suffer Kamara syndrome. 🙂
jimmysmith
Oct 23, 2015 at 1:42 AM
Comment #2“deise buoy”. That’d be O’shea, I take it. Yeah, i’d have him for the squad for the rest of the season, seeing as we can’t expect enough from Willo and Taylor. Fletcher as understudy to Mitro, Larsen might be handy. And you’d probably take Rodwell and Johnson too. But only Cattermole for the starting 11, who like Mitro, would be loved by the fans if he played for us, now that he sees less red.
lesh
Oct 23, 2015 at 2:14 AM
Comment #3Has young Chancel (ToonfromLeeds) been on of late? I haven’t had the time to read each blog’s posts in detail (Jib, how do you manage to find the time – or have you got an army of PAs working for you?) and haven’t noticed his moniker (Chancel’s that is).
Santon03
Oct 23, 2015 at 4:51 AM
Comment #4Let’s hope SM starts with Anita instead Tiote, he bring more stability with Colback.
Perez definitely made the difference, he was involved in most of the goals and his hard work and skills are 1st class.
Ron Knee
Oct 23, 2015 at 6:12 AM
Comment #5lesh
Re TFL, I was wondering the same thing.
nut meg
Oct 23, 2015 at 6:21 AM
Comment #6Lesh / Ron
It crossed my mind also after reading about BobbyBee.I hope the young lad is OK.
Ron Knee
Oct 23, 2015 at 6:27 AM
Comment #7nut meg
I think he said he was going to have another op.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Oct 23, 2015 at 6:38 AM
Comment #8Morning lads 🙂
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Oct 23, 2015 at 6:40 AM
Comment #9Villads is turning 5 today and our very own Ibiza will be turning 27 in a month (such a small fry 😉 ) lol
firebug666
Oct 23, 2015 at 6:42 AM
Comment #10I think Mitrovic will be ok v makems, he has calmed down and just gets on with the game.
Defenders are frightened of him and he can take two or three with him when making a run and that opens up space for others like Perez and Wijnaldum to exploit, as happened against Norwich.
Get well soon TFL hope to see you back in the near future.
Finally decided on a prediction for Sundays game, I’m going for a 3-0 to the Toon.
Ron Knee
Oct 23, 2015 at 6:53 AM
Comment #11Morning jesper
firebug
I think a lot depends on Sissoko. What’s the likelihood of his turning in two good performances in a row?
Jail for Ashley
Oct 23, 2015 at 6:57 AM
Comment #12Happy Borthda Villads ?
Jail for Ashley
Oct 23, 2015 at 6:58 AM
Comment #13🙂
firebug666
Oct 23, 2015 at 7:00 AM
Comment #14Ron
I agree, Sissoko will be the key to winning this game, and I think we will start to see what the French national team see with him.
In the past he would make those powerful runs, but with no end product because if we had anyone getting forward with him it would be a lonely Cisse or Riviere.
Now he has other options up front, Mitrovic, Perez and Wijnaldum, with the likes of Janmaat, Anita/Tiote, and Colback giving him plenty of options in and around the opposition box.
On Sunday the makems may be slight favourites but IMHO we have the better team, and it is starting to gel.
Ron Knee
Oct 23, 2015 at 7:10 AM
Comment #15firebug
It would be great if we got a win. What a morale booster!
SUTTY1978
Oct 23, 2015 at 7:12 AM
Comment #16Have you seen Rob Elliots comments about trying to “stay in the game as long as possible and try to hit them on the break”.
Jesus, we are playing the Mackems not Barca. It’s like Pardew never left. I really hope these are his thoughts and not what the coaching team have been drilling into them!
firebug666
Oct 23, 2015 at 7:18 AM
Comment #17Ron
I think we will win, and convincingly too. This is the first game this season where I have predicted a win.
That is because we look more like a team now and not 11 players looking to move on.
That philosophy of players being sold without warning or replacement has kept the team unsettled for years, keeping some of our better players in the summer, then claiming we are going to build a team that can compete, and bringing in McClaren (not my choice) and his coaching staff has all gone a long way to settling the lads down.
Also giving each player his role and telling him what is expected from him in that role has helped too.
firebug666
Oct 23, 2015 at 7:25 AM
Comment #18SUTTY1978
To be honest I think it will be the other way around, They will want to keep it tight at the back and hit us on the break with long ball over the top.
The will fear Mitrovic and Perez, and will try to marshal the runs of Sissoko and Wijnaldum, so keeping players back and lumping the ball forward hoping for a reward will be the most likely scenario from them.
nut meg
Oct 23, 2015 at 7:37 AM
Comment #19I think it will be a game littered with free kicks, in your face rough house disruptive stuff, balls into our penalty area as quick and as often as possible, typical Allardyce tactics. Cool heads with 11 players on the pitch can win us this game.
Mag52
Oct 23, 2015 at 7:45 AM
Comment #20If Macca has managed to sort out our dodgy right flank, we’re in with a good shout on Sunday.
JamesToon
Oct 23, 2015 at 7:47 AM
Comment #21This game imo can make or break our season.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 23, 2015 at 7:48 AM
Comment #22It will make the world of difference if Collo and Sissoko decide to put a shift in, why they have decided to go obviously missing for this fixture more than others is a mystery.
nut meg
Oct 23, 2015 at 7:50 AM
Comment #23Ron
I agree, if we win and put a similar type of performance as the Norwich game but with a stronger defensive display then that would really be a monster boost.
firebug666
Oct 23, 2015 at 8:01 AM
Comment #24Don’t know about Colo, for me he passed his sell by date two seasons ago, but Sissoko can produce the goods, but for him to be effective he needs other players to be on form too.
Sissoko needs to have players ahead of him running into and creating space, and stretching their defence.
I just have a good feeling we will see him and the team perform on Sunday.
Bambams
Oct 23, 2015 at 8:08 AM
Comment #25We need to defeat the mackems. Psychologically this would be a major blow to them as they know they had to rely on 6 points from us each season to stay up.
lesh
Oct 23, 2015 at 9:18 AM
Comment #26Jesper
Haway Villads!
😀
lesh
Oct 23, 2015 at 9:23 AM
Comment #27Sutty
Maybe Elliot’s comment about hitting ’em on the break could be useful.
It might just make them overconfident and encourage the Mackems to come at us, leaving themselves wide open to being knocked of their arrogant perches!