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‘I regret the day Newcastle bought Aleksandar Mitrovic’ – Former star Supermac

6 years ago
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Aleksandar Mitrovic ‘mystifies’ Newcastle United goalscoring legend Supermac.

Malcolm Macdonald’s verdict being that Newcastle fans are liking/responding to his ‘antics’, rather than what he actually does when playing.

The former NUFC star thinks Rafa Benitez would ‘buy a much better, more complete forward’ than Mitrovic, if he even had just the same money spent on the Serbian over two years ago.

Not mincing his words, Supermac says ‘I regret the day Newcastle bought Aleksandar Mitrovic’, and that he does’t ‘envy’ the job anybody has when trying to play with the former Anderlecht striker.

After scoring on Friday, his ninth goal in his last 11 internationals, it provoked more calls for Mitro to be included in seven days time at Old Trafford.

As for Joselu, Supermac is similarly unimpressed, saying the Spaniard ‘Will do nothing for Newcastle’, stating ‘I don’t think he is technically good enough and he is not a finisher either’.

Hard to disagree with that on the basis of what we have seen so far, plus the fact that at 27 Joselu has still never scored 10 league goals in a season in first team football.

Maybe surprisingly, Malcolm Macdonald has kinder words for Ayoze Perez, though he does accept he is currently ‘in a battle for his career at Newcastsle’.

He actually states that Ayoze Perez would be ‘exceptional if playing with somebody of the standard of Alan Shearer.

To sum it all up though I have to agree with Supermac’s conclusion…’The answer for Rafa is in the transfer market armed with funds’.

Roll on January…hopefully.

Supermac talking to the Chronicle:

‘When I look at Benitez’s options, I really worry. Joselu does not look like a Premier League striker to me and the whole debate surrounding Aleksandar Mitrovic really mystifies me.

I know there’s a support for him in the crowd but they really are responding to his antics, not his talent on the field. I think he plays the crowd better than he plays football with all the raised fists and trying to gee up the crowd.

He should be dominant in the air but he does not channel his strength or aggression properly to bully opposing defenders or win headers.

I hate to agree with Mark Hughes but Joselu will do nothing for Newcastle. I don’t think he is technically good enough and he is not a finisher either.

It feels to me like his continued inclusion in the team is more of a message to the owner for not backing Benitez than it is confidence that Joselu will score ten or more goals this season.

I feel for Ayoze Perez, who is working his socks off and – I think – knows he is in a battle for his career at Newcastle. He does not have a physical presence and I’m not sure he will ever be the greatest goal threat in the league but his workrate is phenomenal and he has some deft touches. But playing alongside Joselu or Mitrovic is not a task I envy. If he was playing in a better team I think he would be much more highly-regarded than he is. Alongside someone like Alan Shearer, he would have looked exceptional.

The answer for Rafa is in the transfer market armed with funds. Although there are people calling for Mitrovic, I just don’t think he will be the man to score the goals Newcastle need.

I regret the day Newcastle bought Aleksandar Mitrovic. If you had £13million and gave it to Rafa Benitez, he would buy a much better, more complete forward.’

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