JOHNGIBSON Loan successes put Rafa under pressure
ARE TRIO PROVING THEY SHOULD STILL BE PLAYING AT ST JAMES’?
YOU pay your money and make your choice.
Either Newcastle’s on-loan trio Aleksandar Mitrovic, Adam Armstrong and Jack Colback have exposed the folly of them being jettisoned out of a fragile Premier League squad at St James’ Park, or – at least in the case of the first two – they have gained valuable confidence to eventually come back here and persuade Rafa Benitez they have a future with the Mags.
The bottom line is that their latest successes are a tad uncomfortable for Benitez.
He clearly does not rate Mitro and has fallen so out of love with Colback there is no way back, while Armstrong has regularly been loaned out all over the place despite United being appallingly short of goals.
Mitrovic, a controversial figure who has split fans, is the real squirmer. He made it five goals in 14 days this week as Fulham continue to barnstorm the Championship.
Sheffield United were the team slayed and their manager Chris Wilder heaped pressure on United by declaring: “Mitrovic should not be playing in this division. He is an outstanding player. He is going to the World Cup, he should be playing in the Premier League.”
Mitro’s new gaffer Slavisa Jokanovic weighed in, stating: “Aleksandar is a quality player. He is the proper striker we have been looking for.”
In seven games since his arrival, Mitrovic has helped Fulham gain five wins and two draws, lifting them to fourth.
So who is right? Benitez? Wilder? Jokanovic? There is no question Mitro’s style of lineleading is not what Benitez wants and the player himself has alluded to that since his departure. My good mate Malcolm Macdonald, who knows something about the art of playing central striker, agrees with Benitez and has no time for Mitro. I myself have harboured a lot of doubts and still do. It is possible the Serb is not a Premier League player – he is not the only Magpie in that category – but it is hard to explain why he only had 11 starts last season in a division he is now burning up. There is always a delicate balance between player and manager – the player wishes to feel wanted and not judged through biased eyes while the manager will talk about attitude in training and matches. It is why form can vary wildly from one club to another. There is a positive for United in all this. Either Mitrovic will be welcomed back by a forgiving Benitez having proved himself, or at the very least his value will have increased considerably following his Fulham success and the Magpies can demand a bigger transfer fee. Meanwhile, young striker Armstrong has been crowned the League One Player of the Month after scoring four for Blackburn Rovers with two assists. Tony Mowbray has revitalised Armstrong’s career – it was Mowbray who took the then-18-year-old to Coventry City where he scored 20 goals in his first full season of first-team football.
Benitez faces a big decision this summer. Either Armstrong, still only 21, is given a squad shirt here or, having scored all his loan goals in lower divisions, he is sold on.
Colback, on the other hand, is a certainty to be playing elsewhere.
Te Geordie has helped Nottingham Forest carve out a five-match unbeaten run with fans urging Aitor Karanka to “move heaven and earth” to sign him permanently.
Colback was once absurdly labelled “the ginger Pirlo” by Roy Hodgson when selected for an England squad shortly after joining United.
That statement alone underlines the difference of opinion there can be in player assessment even when it comes to two high-profile managers.
The current successes of Mitro, Armstrong and Colback are happening not in the Premier League, where United reside, but lower down the pecking order where it is unquestionably easier to perform.
A fact no doubt not lost on the United manager.
I understand the firm stance Benitez has taken with all three. They are not top-of-the-range superstars or anywhere near.
It is just that sometimes things can turn a little uncomfortable however much you might be right.