[Albion] Kaoru Mitoma [27/2/24 - possibly out for the rest of the season]

[Professor Plum]

He’s still great at controlling the ball and advancing attacks but he seems to have lost the will, or the ability, to get past opponents. He receives the ball, hares forward, comes up against a defender, shimmies a bit, then lays the ball off.

 

[Krafty]

Why is he seemingly undroppable? He’s been poor for weeks now.

I agree. He hasn't been playing well and I think he should be benched. We have a great array of talented wingers (Minteh, Adingra...) who have yet to start consistently this season, but maybe it is time to give them a chance instead of Mitoma? I still consider Mitoma as one of our best players, he has a 'spark' when he is on the ball sometimes, however he hasn't been that influential in recent matches in my opinion. Not enough to change games anyway.

 

[TottonSeagull]

He's just another one of our decent players going backwards under the current coach!!
Looks half the player he did under RDZ!

 

[London Irish]

Mitoma had an off day today but I don’t agree he’s been poor for a while. He was our best attacker at West Ham and pretty much most of our recent games, just the composure in front of goal has dipped (but he’s never been a goal machine)

 

[Justice]

He's just another one of our decent players going backwards under the current coach!!
Looks half the player he did under RDZ!

This is kinda my point with FH, he hasn’t improved any player in fact they have declined. Admit the mistake and employ an experienced coach to save the season. After all it’s just business nothing personal.

 

[fruitnveg]

Mitoma had an off day today but I don’t agree he’s been poor for a while. He was our best attacker at West Ham and pretty much most of our recent games, just the composure in front of goal has dipped (but he’s never been a goal machine

I live in opposite land. I think he's been poor for a long time, not contributing much and today was one of the better performances in recent memory. Did everything except collect his assist (not his fault) or score.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Still great at trapping overhit passes from 60 yards.

Then meh currently.

But Gruda can take on that role for a few games, no?

 

[amexer]

His contribution was not great but still the most likely player to create something and was very surprised when he was subbed. Because he he is seen as a danger marked by 2 defenders. Because of this Gruda had loads of space on right that apart from stopping and going to left foot did nothing. Before Dezerbi got nim to take FB on both ways this is what March used to do.

 

[Bodian]

I keep seeing the thread title and thinking Mitoma is out for the rest of the season! Who has the power to change thread titles, OP / mods?

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Why is he seemingly undroppable? He’s been poor for weeks now.

Seeing Adingra get 20 minutes in his "preferred" position, I can see exactly why Mitoma is undroppable.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

There was a period of time, when we would have 4 or 5 players in the box ready for his cut backs.
Now often there is only 1 or 2.
The team aren't playing for him to beat his man and put a dangerous pass into the box, so he isn't doing it anymore.

I assume it's a deliberate tactic, but agree it makes him looklike he's lost his mojo.

Or maybe he has lost his mojo and teh players have stopped gambling to get into the box.

 

[Justice]

There was a period of time, when we would have 4 or 5 players in the box ready for his cut backs.
Now often there is only 1 or 2.
The team aren't playing for him to beat his man and put a dangerous pass into the box, so he isn't doing it anymore.

I assume it's a deliberate tactic, but agree it makes him looklike he's lost his mojo.

Or maybe he has lost his mojo and teh players have stopped gambling to get into the box.

The idea of playing a high line is to overload when in attack, with this idiot we are taking the risk for no reward. If Bloom is a data driven obsessive then what is he holding out for? It’s not working.

 

[METALMICKY]

He’s still great at controlling the ball and advancing attacks but he seems to have lost the will, or the ability, to get past opponents. He receives the ball, hares forward, comes up against a defender, shimmies a bit, then lays the ball off.

Pretty fair assessment. His one touch control is sublime. However, in particularly that signature burst of pace inside when he gets to the byline is conspicuous in it's absence.

 

[Balders]

This is kinda my point with FH, he hasn’t improved any player in fact they have declined. Admit the mistake and employ an experienced coach to save the season. After all it’s just business nothing personal.

Any player? Carlos Baleba?

Declined enough to sit in the Top 6 in the first part of this season, if he eeks out a tiny bit of improvement from now, the Champions League should be a piece of ......

How long do you give him to improve players - he's had 5 months and 18 EPL games? IIRC after 5 months and a handful of games, Caicedo and MacAllister were already worth multi millions........not ;-)

 

[Wozza]

How long do you give him to improve players - he's had 5 months and 18 EPL games? IIRC after 5 months and a handful of games, Caicedo and MacAllister were already worth multi millions........not ;-)

Er... Caicedo looked a £50m+ player after his first 8 games.

 

[Justice]

Any player? Carlos Baleba?

Declined enough to sit in the Top 6 in the first part of this season, if he eeks out a tiny bit of improvement from now, the Champions League should be a piece of ......

How long do you give him to improve players - he's had 5 months and 18 EPL games? IIRC after 5 months and a handful of games, Caicedo and MacAllister were already worth multi millions........not ;-)

Are you enjoying what you are watching?

 

[Balders]

Er... Caicedo looked a £50m+ player after his first 8 games.

and he improved further over the next season to be worth £115m (allegedly)

 

[LamieRobertson]

My mate Dave who’s in the know (nothing), says he’s heard that Mitoma’s had a bust up with the tea lady over how many sugars he can have …..maybe this has something to do with f all

 

[Balders]

Are you enjoying what you are watching?

I'm frustrated with what I am watching and if I wasn't enjoying what I was watching I wouldn't be watching it. It's the same as watching the last half of last season under RDZ, but apparently he's the Messiah and FH is inept.
I'm happy supporting my club through the good times, the bad times and the occasional loss of form - that's what being a fan is all about imho....

 

[Han Solo]

There was a period of time, when we would have 4 or 5 players in the box ready for his cut backs.
Now often there is only 1 or 2.
The team aren't playing for him to beat his man and put a dangerous pass into the box, so he isn't doing it anymore.

I assume it's a deliberate tactic, but agree it makes him looklike he's lost his mojo.

Or maybe he has lost his mojo and teh players have stopped gambling to get into the box.

Why would anyone move into the box when half of our players are fully commited to scoring a screamer from outside it? When I run into the penalty box for the fifth time and see Enciso take his fifth shot from distance, why would I make that run again? If I run into the box for the fifth time and see Joao Pedro or Rutter trying to dribble their way through five players in the middle before losing the ball, why would I make that run again?

Mind you, Mitoma has not been great himself but his style of player requires players to run without the ball rather than position themselves outside the box waiting for it. He's a team player tasked with serving some people who think way too much about showing their individual brilliance rather than winning the game.