The Boro squad have been preparing for Saturday’s important game at home to Everton with a team-bonding mini-break in Benidorm – hopefully the sun, sea and setup in the micro-climate of the Costa Blanca will have our boys relaxed and ready to relaunch their season.
Though perhaps Benidorm is not usually the expected destination of millionaire footballers and maybe on hearing the news a few may have felt like X-Factor judges houses contestants chosen to go to Louis Walsh’s house in Ireland instead of The Bahamas with Simon. The local language will no doubt have been a problem for some, especially the Spanish speakers in the squad who will probably only come across retired English couples in search of two-for-one coffee and cake deals along the promenade – though perhaps several of the squad will have taken advantage of the wide selection of tattoo parlours and maybe purchased a ‘Keep calm and carry on’ T-shirt for the boss.
Anyway, the location is not so important as it’s a chance for everyone to enjoy the company of each other – especially the new arrivals. Also it’s an opportunity for Gaston Ramirez to put the machinations of January behind him and re-introduce himself to his team-mates. No doubt he’ll simply explain it was a misunderstanding from his agent who when heard the Italian manager of the current champions wanted him he had assumed it was Chelsea and not relegation rivals Leicester – Plus that ‘great deal in China’ for Stewie turned out to be 24 piece dinner service from Argos instead.
So back to the serious business of ensuring our Premier League survival – if Boro are going to pick up much needed points then it’s quite likely they will need to be garnered at home – particularly as we’ve only managed a solitary win on the road this season and that was way way back in August against neighbours Sunderland.
But Boro only have seven home games left this season, three of which are against Arsenal and both Manchester clubs, so somehow Boro will need to start making them count if they are to get some wins on the board. Though if you compare Boro’s stats at the Riverside to those on their travels there isn’t actually too much difference. Maybe we shouldn’t put too much emphasis on creating fortress Riverside and just play the team in front of us.
Here is a statistical comparison of our 12 Home and 12 Away matches – we have generally created a third less chances away from home but that has only equated to us being 25% less effective in terms of achieving points.
| Possession | Shots | On Target | F | A | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | Total | 128 | 32 | 11 | 14 | 12 | |
| Average | 52% | 10.7 | 2.7 | 0.90 | 1.16 | 1.00 | |
| Away | Total | 89 | 24 | 8 | 13 | 9 | |
| Average | 46% | 7.4 | 2.0 | 0.67 | 1.08 | 0.75 |
The debate seems to be about how Boro should go about achieving those much needed wins – should we hold our nerve and continue to keep it tight and hope to nick a few victories – or is it now time to be more progressive in games we should be identifying as winnable. I think the best we can hope for is a return to 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 with a non-defensive midfielder. Though anyone expecting a few days in the sun will have relaxed Karanka’s game plan will surely be disappointed.
Though if Boro are going to start winning games then they will need to start working the opposition keeper more – the stats in the tables show we only average a measly two shots on target per game, which means if the opposition score then both have to go in to win the game. What’s apparent is that the amount of possession Boro have makes little difference in the number of chances being created. Somehow the team has to be more productive with its possession to convert it into chances created, as it doesn’t hurt the opposition to pass in front of them.
Since I know many of you like to browse the Boro stats occasionally (some more than others I believe), I’ve gone to the trouble of collating this table of our match stats for each game this season. It generally shows the picture of a team who is not creating too many clear cut chances but Boro definitely sit back and try not to be beaten against the better sides. It also doesn’t appear that possession converts into good chances to score against many of the opposition teams.
| Opponents | Possession | Shots | On Target | F | A | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Spurs | 35% | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| H | WBA | 62% | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| H | West Ham | 62% | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| A | Watford | 54% | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| H | Leicester | 62% | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A | Man Utd | 34% | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| A | Burnley | 54% | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| H | Swansea | 43% | 10 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| H | Liverpool | 37% | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| A | Southampton | 45% | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| H | Hull | 61% | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| A | Leicester | 60% | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| H | Chelsea | 42% | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| A | Man City | 29% | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| H | Bournemouth | 40% | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| A | Arsenal | 25% | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| H | Watford | 64% | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| A | West Ham | 60% | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| H | Spurs | 42% | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| A | Everton | 48% | 7 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| H | Palace | 58% | 12 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| A | WBA | 59% | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A | Sunderland | 53% | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| H | Stoke | 46% | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 217 | 56 | 19 | 27 | 21 | ||
| Average | 49% | 9.0 | 2.3 | 0.79 | 1.12 | 0.88 |
In fact Boro have failed to score in six of their last ten Premier League games and it is these costly blanks that have left us now just two points off the bottom. More urgency on the pitch is needed – we have occasionally seen Boro are capable of an incisive counter-attacking move that gets to the opposition box before they have set themselves – this is what we need more of and not only when we’re chasing the game at the end.
So Everton arrive to the Riverside in good form at the moment and are unbeaten in their last seven, scoring 19 goals in the process – whereas Boro have not registered a win in their last seven and only managed 3 goals. The only comfort appears to be that the Toffees are not so prolific on the road in comparison to their home form – with only 6 goals in their four away trips.
No doubt Boro will be focused on the threat from Romelu Lukaku, it’s possible Karanka will be tempted to re-introduce Ayala to counter his aerial threat but a lot will depend on whether George Friend is fit to play and the knock-on effects his absence entails. If Fabio continues at left-back, Chambers will probably play right-back again – but it would be much better to have him partner Gibson and Fabio return once more to right-back. Also I wonder if we will see Gaston back on the pitch – Karanka seemed to suggest not but he’s still our best option on the left.
I’m still not convinced continuing with three defensive midfielders will lead to enough chances being created for Boro but Everton are almost a top six side and Karanka will be concerned about their threat more than re-addressing ours. What was worrying was the comment from Karanka that “We had a chance to beat Tottenham last week, and we are more mature and more experienced now than then” – unless I missed something we only had a chance to pull off an unlikely last minute draw. Positive thinking is all well and good but it needs to be also credible.
So will our nicely-bonded bunch of Boro boys stick together and arrive home ready to put three points on the board or will they come unstuck and come to a sticky end at the hands of the Toffees? As usual give your predictions of the result, score, attendance and any ideas on the new tattoos that some of the lads may be sporting.
Thanks Werder. Excellent pre-match fayre of the type we’re quickly becoming used on the this new blog.
To me, the only thing that separates Everton from the most elite sides in the Premier League is consistency. Romelu Lukaku neatly represents his club: He blows a little hot and cold but when he’s hot he’s as good as anyone in the division.
Which version of Everton/Lukaku we see tomorrow will go a long way to deciding the outcome. If they play to their maximum, it’s difficult to see us getting anything. If they don’t we have a chance to get a point and an outside chance of nicking a win. Everton have rediscovered their early season form of late, which is a worry, but don’t put it past them to throw in the sort of inexplicable below par performance that separates them from the very best.
Of course, it’s also about what we do. After a week on the beach, can we find that elusive attacking spark? I hope that AK has had some time in the sun to reflect, and puts a team out that can hurt the Toffees, rather than simply contain them.
I don’t expect AK to be any more adventurous than adding in Guedioura for Forshaw, with Gaston playing on the left in our 4-3-3. I’d like him to push it a little bit further. The most disappointing line up will be the three holding midfielders again with Stuani wide right. Surely not?
Although we desperately need a win, given Everton’s quality and form I would probably, reluctantly, take a point right now.
”So will our nicely-bonded bunch of Boro boys stick together and arrive home ready to put three points on the board or will they come unstuck and come to a sticky end at the hands of the Toffees?”
The Gazette showed a photo of all the happily smiling squad getting ready to leave Benidorm. Well, all might be exaggerating a bit, no sign of Gaston though the Gazette did wonder if he was taking the photo.
Of course Phil T wasn’t there so we have no confirmation of what took place.
As for tomorrow, logic says a crowd of 32,000, no gaston, no goals, no clean sheet, no points.
Or, as it is Boro, a surprise win against a sluggish Everton.
My ideal line up would have Fabio and George at full back, Gaston back in and us playing 4231 with Traore right side.
I think it will be 433 again with Fabio left and Chambers right. We may see Guedioura as part of that midfield three. The front three of Traore, Negredo and maybe Bamford. Whatever, play Traore on the right side.
Whatever happens, I think…
I think we need to gather together and bring the #Boro140’s back to Twitter.
It was a good wheeze of AV’s, that we all write our “pun-tastic” match reports in a tweet. Well, they didn’t all have to be puns, but the best ones would be at the top of a list published on Gazette Live.
That list no longer seems to exist, and, as Anthony “Paulista Park” McCarthy has rightly told me, #Boro140 is now essentially just me and him making bad puns.
The best are timely or related to the club nicknames. When we beat the Cherries 2-0 for example, Anthony dug into the fruit bowl. This one packed a punch…
“Fans go bananas as Boro bag a pear including a peach of a goal by sub-lime Gaston which left the Cherries feeling melon-choly”
After United?
“We had Big Ben, fireworks from Grant, fans feeling bubbly and United on toast but it turned into an unhappy Pogmanay”
Here’s mine after the 1-1 with WBA…
“Sound returns and capital gains from #Boro’s Self Assessment on Deadline Day, but more points fast or Aitor will PAYE with his P45”
We need more.
I’m sorry to feel so pessimistic but I’m going to go Boro 1 – 2 Everton. I can’t see where Boro’s goals are going to come from and the Toffees will have it wrapped up and in the bag by half-time.
Please let me be wrong… if Boro just play people in their best positions that would be a start.
UTB,
John
My foam hands are trembling as I write this to announce it’s a..,,,
1 0 win to Boro with a goal from Negredo (pen) after Traore brought down in the 78th minute watched by a 33,747 crowd.
So pick the bones out of that then!
Oh and it’s my birthday so at least I’ll have a good day anyway
Happy Birthday Bob. I hope you get the present we are all praying for !!
I know this isn’t totally true but close enough, we played 4231 up until the Arsenal game and largely 433 from then on.
That is 8 matches or a third of the season thus far. In that attacking spell we had 71 shots which is about a third of the 217, 19 shots on target which is about a third of the 56, scored 7 goals which is just over a third of our 19.
Just shows the folly of statistics.
I will slink off.
That’s a good post Werdermouth and really confirms what we all know . For all the possession we have we are not positive enough with it often enough.
I also hope we see Geudioura in place of Forshaw and also Traore on the right with Bamford on the left with instructions to get in the box with Negrado as much as possible. (I am assuming Gaston will not feature).
However, I am really quite pessimistic about tomorrow and think we will be stuck in sticky toffee while Everton give us glimpse of what it’s like on Quality Street and deliver us a right walnut whipping. 3-0 to Everton in front of 33,333.
Hope I am very very wrong. COB
The slump must end soon. The sooner the better. So I will go for a surprise 2-1 win over the Toffee Men.
Why are they called toffees? Any idea?
For Boro, Ayala and De Roon.
Up the Boro!
Hi Jarkko. Everton Toffee is a traditional sweet, originating from the village of Everton before that place was swallowed up into the city that is Liverpool. So, the football team get the nickname from that sweet.
At first Ye Anciente Everton Toffee House was very popular with fans because it was near to their stadium. However when the club moved to Goodison Park, they became close to Old Mother Nobletts Toffee Shop. There they sold sweets called ‘Evertonmints’, which proved even more popular.
Yes Mr Google came up trumps with the toffee answer. Oops… shouldn’t mention Trump or I’m in the doghouse.
IMHO it’s a nailed on drubbing for us tomorrow. If not it don’t matter because I love Humble Pie, especially Natural Born Boogie. So if it is a drubbing, we can’t blame it on the Boogie. Let’s hope instead it’s a Riverside ‘Thriller’ with ‘Ben’ getting the winner.
Heart says a dull draw.
Head says avoid MOTD.
My head says watch MOTD to reiterate what we all know & have done for long enough.
Only woofing like.
After digesting Karankas tactical permutations (both of them) & honing their set piece game changers, the players won’t have time for tattoos in Benidorm, will they ?…
As usual, I’m hoping for a win against all odds but I’m not sure how we’re going to do it. Might have to be O.G., whoever he is.
I don’t think there will be any surprises in the line up, AK won’t have spent too long chewing on his selection (box) choices.
We could hope for some curly wurly crosses for Ayla or Gibson to stick the ball in the net but our set piece play is far from being mint. Usually goes over the bar towards Mars or the Milky Way.
We can hope that Everton may rolo ver to give us 3 much needed points in what is a marathon season.
We need the team to put in a dime mond like performance so that we can Celebrate
Other confectionery is available!
At least we don’t need to worry about losing our bite because of sugar-induced tooth decay … We don’t have a bite to lose!! 😉 Pass me another mint humbug
Thanks for the Toffee info, mates.
BTW, the only matches I and wife have seen live were the two defeat against Spurs and at Everton. The next time I go to see Boro away I must use earplugs. Noise was luod all game at Everton.
BTW, Rhodes scored for Wednesday and celebrates with his father. Concratulations!
Up the Boro!
Having read this piece, Werdermouth, I must offer congratulations. Easily as good as, and I personally feel better than, AV’s write-ups on the old blog (good as they were).
As for tomorrow – impossible to get the image of Lukaku running amok out of my thinking. Same old story – if they score first it will be game over; if we score first, then there’s the slimmest of chances….
Werder, great article and another cracking go headline. Bob, happy birthday!
Everton will score against us tomorrow but on the basis that Boro must win another game at some point (mustn’t they?) I am going for a 3-2 win – a Negredo penalty, a Guedioura rocket from 30 yards and a farcical a own goal from Everton.
Now I’m going to take my medication………
Boro 1 Everton 3 and it will be all Bob’s fault whose wild West Stand Birthday celebrations mistaken for excitement putting pressure on the players.
Attack attack attack was the cry
Bob removed by the stewards protesting ” but it’s my birthday”
Thanks for the great feedback guys – really appreciated!
My only wish is that we’ll have something to cheer about tomorrow (especially for Bob’s birthday treat) as putting those tables together made for somewhat grim reading – especially the last ten games where we’ve failed to score in six of them.
Anyway, we must be due a win and then maybe our season will take off – ‘chocs’ away as Boro Beckys Dad might say…
Maybe Jordan Rhodes should be a stick to beat karanka with as that’s a goal and an assist in his first two games.
And lo and behold it’s another headed goal. All these people who saw him as a goal poacher obviously never watched him play. He’s all about the crosses into the box and always has been.
We simply never played to his strengths. Ever!!
The fact is karanka could get the worlds best striker and he would make him look useless. This criticism is not without foundation the evidence is glaring everyone in the face. Offensively he hasn’t got a clue.
All these players whose natural game is weakened by ak. Downings crosses – not utilised. Rhodes heading ability – never utilised. I mean even gestede (and I’m not his biggest fan!) relies on crosses – never utilised. Bamfords cool finishing – stick him on the right wing. Ramirez – stick him on the left. Negredo – very little pace – let’s play everything through the middle for him to run on to. Traore – really talented dribbler – let’s leave him so unsupported that he beats three men but its all in his own half. (No wonder Chelsea wanted him can you imagine what he’d be like with his ability higher up the pitch?) oh yeah karanka dropped him because he said he wouldn’t have the space to run into.
I end up just hanging my head in my hands. Football is such a simple game. You play to people’s strengths and nine times out of ten it works.
Paul
Agree with those observations, with the additional one, why would you pay a good (twenty goals a season) striker to sit on the bench for nine months before selling him just a dozen matches before you will need him in the championship. It will be very hard to get another twenty goals man when we do go down.
I think that traore is being wasted. To have him entertaining the spurs crowd by beating three men easily and proceeding up field, from the full back position?
Crazy, simply crazy, and why having to beat three men? Why not give him the ball to run onto, in the opposition half of the field?
Rhodes scored on his home debut, Nsue hit the woodwork for Brum.
No one will have noticed.
Ian, you noticed. Interestingly, according to the BBC Rhodes has scored more goals than any other player in English football since August 2009. Paul is right that offensively Karanka hasn’t a clue.
You did Ian
Considering Bamford netted 19 in an AKBoro shirt in 2014-15, that kind of negates your theory. Limited offensively? Check. Hasn’t got an explicit, concrete clue offensively? No way. We didn’t score a lot of goals in 2015-16 – but we scored enough.
Simon, we only scored enough in 2015/16 because we conceded very few and thereby scraped into the EPL on goal difference only.
Considering also that sticking Ramirez on the left paid off against Bournemouth and nearly did against Arsenal… Considering also that sticking Bamford on the right, flawed though it was, allowed Kike to move centrally, set the pass away for Adomah whose cross found Bamford at the far post, leading to a 1-0 lead and eventual 4-0 win…
I admire your passion, Paul, but the way your dislike of Karanka is preventing fair, objective, reasonable and open-minded analysis is a little concerning.
Rhodes in scoring-in-the-Championship shocker. No-one had any doubts he could do that.
Can’t say I’m particularly optimistic about tomorrow, those stats are pretty stark – Lukaku scored more goals last week than we have in the last 7 matches. Everton are inconsistent though, I remember captaining Lukaku in my fantasy football team away at Hull and watched him draw a blank (and Everton nearly losing). I think we’ll do well to get anything out of the match though. A lot will depend on whether we see Ramirez and what state of mind he is in.
And Reach scores outpacing Nsue and Grounds.
Just need Juke to net.
Bamford played up front when he scored 19 goals. He was awful on the right wing. Since he’s come back he’s solely played on the right wing again!! I said previously I liked bamford as a striker. My point is that AK has a complete inability to play players in their best positions and in doing so fails to get the best out of them, again and again and again.
How much better would Ramirez be anywhere in the front line if he had more support? The fact is we rely on him or traore doing something special to create anything.
As for ‘shocker’ Rhodes scores in the championship. Is that the same championship where gestede and bamford got all their goals? Yet we paid 12 million for them two possibly rising to 16 million.
The battle of the Boro exes has provoked a lot of commentary!
Any win tomorrow will be hugely welcome. An ugly 1-0 win v Everton got McClaren’s first season properly kick started again – up ’til then I think he’d won 5 in 19. Better than AK, I know, but still.
The trouble is AK can’t bring in a Carbone like catalyst to spark things up.
I also think it is less open minded to ignore all the statistics to the contrary and talk about how AK manages to get the best out of our forwards.
Bamford didn’t play solely up front when he scored his goals, in fact if I remember rightly he played on the right a lot, and certainly wasn’t awful there. Fake news!
Remember this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yTj2QgRIvk
Selective memory there Phil. Bamford scored one goal before November playing on the right wing. Then he was moved up front just as people were saying he was a waste of space. Once up front he went on a massive goal scoring spree scoring four or five in the month.
Don’t worry though you’re not alone obviously ak also has a selective memory too.
The match above was in March, Paul. (March comes after November – in the football season) I’m also not sure ‘everyone’ was saying he was a waste of space, but there you go.
He was still playing on the right vs. Blackburn in December. Came on as a sub for Yanic, I think… yes he did. We played Vossen behind Kike.
And… yeah, I just checked again, I think he was playing on the right to accommodate Kike in our 2-1 win over Cardiff. In which he scored.
By then he had eight league goals.
You don’t have to be a winger to play on the right of a 4-2-3-1. Supply strikers can play there too. Stuani’s contribution away to Brighton – which we, interestingly, won 3-0 – is a perfect example of this.
Quite correct Simon, some people don’t seem to recognise that the inside-right or inside-left channel position is not the same as playing on the wing. Strikers can be very effective in those channels and are not actually “stuck on the wing” as some suggest. Bamford was very effective there, playing off Kike or Vossen, I think he can be again.
I certainly do, BoroPhil.
But a bigger issue, more than any team or tactics, is this: momentum.
That was then, when we were flying and competing for promotion.
This is now, when we are feeling low in a battle against the drop.
I quote Kevin Moran on the start of Big Jack’s reign as Ireland manager:
“The way (Jack Charlton) was trying to get us to play, would have (seen) a lot of players thinking: ‘this isn’t really the way’ or ‘we want to try and knock it about and play the way, possibly, (that) the other European teams play.’
“But you tend to believe a lot more in (the method) when success comes from it. And we went and won that little tournament out there (in Iceland, in 1986). It (was) no big shakes, but it was the first thing we ever won.
“We built on win, after win… and then all of a sudden, the more success we had with (Charlton’s system), the more we believed in the way he wanted us to play.”
So there you have it. No matter where a player plays, no matter where he and a fan would like him to play, if the overall method *works* for the good of the team then all is well.
By 1995, it’s an entirely different story. I quote Ronnie Whelan.
“It was embarrassing that we couldn’t change our style of play against a team like Liechtenstein. But not half as embarrassing as the final result: 0-0. It was their first ever draw in a competitive international. At half-time Jack had come in and he had no answers either. All he said was, ‘You’ve got yourselves into this mess, now get yourselves out of it.’ And that was more or less it. It was a strange thing to say and a strange attitude to have. To me, that was the beginning of the end. Jack was running out of steam too.”
Right now, to some, it *feels* like the beginning of the end for AK. But if Ramirez re-finds himself and the new signings hit form, among other things, it need not be.
Besides – and this seems like the only thing that encourages me to support his ways a lot of the time – he has repeatedly dug himself out of trouble in the past.
I don’t disagree with you Simon, if you are saying Bamford isn’t the answer now. I’m struggling to see him making an impact before the end of the season, but that’s more down to his lack of game time and confidence, rather than his ability to play on the right in our system. He needs time, and I’m not sure we have the time to give him.
That’s the catch Phil! I’d like Bamford to be the answer now. We all would, I’m sure. But it’s more out of hope.
When Bamford puts on the Boro shirt now, he, AK and Boro are not the same player, manager and team that they were in 2014.
Simon –
I think it’s a valid point about players believing in the manager’s methods so long as it appears to work for the team – it must be easy to persuade the players to follow you methods when everything is going fine – no doubt the Leicester players thought Ranieri was genius last season, whereas this season his methods have been called into question.
But maybe it’s even more nuanced than that and individual players will buy into it if it works for them. I imagine our defenders and defensive midfielders are more than happy with being part on one of the meanest defences in the PL – with them subsequently being personally recognised, having their future prospects enhanced with big clubs and international managers making note of them.
But I suspect our forwards are not so happy with being part of the second worst attack in all four divisions. Forwards like to score goals and don’t usually get the plaudits for clean sheets. OK Adama has been put in the spotlight and Bamford is having his stalled career rebooted so they must be content at Boro – but others have been unsettled, like Downing, Gaston and obviously Rhodes.
Plus I’m not sure if forwards who may be considering a move to Boro would feel too much at ease about choosing us over other options if they thought their goal stats would take a hit. Though if the money is right it may negate a few concerns, but can you keep a forward happy if they don’t get to do what they are all about? I suspect not.
I agree with what you said about momentum. But I think that’s because momentum means your tactics aren’t scrutinised. The fans are more tolerant of mediocre performances. Players have more confidence. Etc etc.
However, what you can’t escape from is statistics. Because any player can have a worldie in a given position in any given game. But it’s only through playing there over a number of games do you discover whether actually you are getting the best out of them.
And the fact is yes stuani scores the occasional goal from the right wing. So did bamford. Negredo occasionally looks lethal in front of goal. Traores crosses are sometimes dangerous.
But the statistics show we don’t score enough. We don’t create enough. So somewhere, some how these players set out in the system ak plays doesn’t work. Now it might work for one game but you are judged over the course of a season. And thus far, we have been found wanting. We are in free fall with a manager who doesn’t know how to get his team to score and with a complete unwillingness to change things.
Whether you agree or disagree with me about bamford or anyone else the stats that are clearly highlighted in this article is that we are woeful going forward. Last season, with in my opinion the best squad in the league (I agree ak built a lot of that squad so I’m not knocking him for that) we still scored the least out of the top 8 teams.
Why is that? I’ve given my reasons why I think it’s the case. But the reality is there is a case to answer. And if that case isn’t answered soon we will go down.
I may seem very anti ak but the truth is ive always thought he has some amazing attributes that could one day make him a top manager but for me he has had enough chances to rectify our struggles in front of goal and has failed miserably. He has made us a dour team to watch with a game purely based on strangling the opposition without any attempt to win a game of football and as a passionate fan who cares about his team it is soul destroying to watch.
“But the statistics show we don’t score enough”
but, do they? yes, our goals for this season looks poor – but as it stands, we’ve scored enough goals to keep us out of the bottom three which is our target for the season. We heard plenty on our old blog last season about how we weren’t scoring enough goals to get promoted, but ultimately we did. Time will tell on this season, but at the current time we are. Just.
Well put, Werder.
Similarly, you can’t wholly compare AK’s Boro to Big Jack’s Ireland if the players under the latter were getting an entirely different – and some argued, more progressive – footballing education at club level, which they transferred to international level.
The similarity I see between AK and Jack – and, to a point, Jose – is their ability to build a strong, upwardly mobile collective from what previously looked like a shambles. It was said that Jose needs true challenges to thrive, unsurmountable obstacles. His latest is restoring the Manchester United aura that vanished with Fergie.
With Jack, Boro had spent years in the wilderness before he took us up, and Ireland had never qualified for any international tournament. With AK, Boro had been out of the Premiership for years, attendances had plummeted, and action needed to be taken.
Perhaps, though, all three managers were/are so good at building collectives that individualism wasn’t/isn’t allowed to flourish as much as it could/can, so when the collective faltered/falters, their teams were/are no longer sure where to go. For a while.
AK has struggled most following the January 2016 transfer window, I think. Throughout 2014-15 and the first half of 2015, he had mainly succeeded with collective strength trumping individual ability. (Two wins out of two and seven goals post-Higgygate, three wins out of three post-Albertgate.)
Since Ramirez and Rhodes arrived, he’s been mainly relying on individual ability to dig us out of trouble. Three of our victories and the draw at City owed a lot to the initiative of Gaston, Forshaw, Stuani and Negredo combined.
The higher the level, the more one must rely on individuals, and with greater talent comes greater managerial responsibility in dealing with greater egos.
AK and Jack also found – and Nikeboro pointed this out some time ago – that revolving attacks around one totem, be he a hard worker or maddeningly inconsistent (say Foggon, Gaston), lasts only so long before being negated. And with every game being televised, opposition managers catch on very quickly now. It’s not (and again, I quote Nikeboro) like the eighteen months Jack enjoyed before being found out.
Excellent piece, Werder. Well written and full of interesting insights.
Difficult one for AK tomorrow. Our best hope for a positive result is to keep it tight. Everton will pick us off if we make it an open game. It’s worth remembering that anything better than two goals down at half-time will be an improvement on our previous two games against the Toffees.
In theory it’s sensible to take more risks in going all out for a win. Probability theory tells us that it’s worth risking the loss of a point in order to go for the three that we so desperately need.
The reality is considerably harsher. If we lose tomorrow in spite of being on the front foot, don’t expect anyone to praise the manager for at least having a go. Not a soul did so after the West ham defeat. A similar result tomorrow will have everyone sharpening their knives, rather than praising the manager for doing what they suggest, but losing.
Attack as much as possible, yes, but keep it tight at the back, and be aware that our opponents will be at their most dangerous on the counter.
A point will be a good result for us given the current form of the two teams, so I would be happy with a 0-0. But being greedy I’m tipping us to hang on to a 1-0 win.
UTB
That was a good read, Paul.
But, “without any attempt to win a game of football”? Really? Were that really the case, we wouldn’t be where we are today, ie promoted and above the drop zone, not in it.
I would instead argue that AK plays to win – but not in the way that the fan raised on the goals, naked entertainment and speed of the 1990s wants their team to win.
With AK’s methodology, it’s like this. To quote Jared Browne’s “Dunphy: A Football Life”:
“Prolonged possession alters the formation of the opposing team by shifting the ball between your own players. When an opening does eventually arise, you then make a decisive move and capitalise on the space created… The ball, and not the player, does the running, while the opposition team is foced to expend energy trying to win back possession. This more nuanced approach to the game also recognises that a sideways or backwards pass can be a progressive pass in that it is reshaping the formation of the opposing team, thus allowing for an eventual opening to occur.”
That methodology was applied by Shankly, Paisley, Aragones and Del Bosque and its success spoke for itself. Except…
AK’s misguidedness lies in what, to me, is his apparent belief that the current set of players can play this way. They cannot. It is more crucial that he learns to get the best out of what he has rather than shoehorn the players into tactics which will not pay the greatest of dividends. Not right now.
I sense his assumption is, “if we play like this we’ll be good enough to finish, say, 16th, then we’ll buy better players, finish higher and higher as years go by, and eventually we’ll be competing with the top teams.”
Ah yes. Eventually. That’s the problem. How long are fans who spend their hard-earned money going to wait for this development, even if it pays off? I know it disgruntled some to wait an extra season for promotion, come in the end though it did.
And I should also add that when Browne wrote his words, Barcelona were still dominant and Spain were set to win their third successive international tournament. Two years later, tiki-taka was passe as a combination of physicality with sparks of individual class came to the fore again.
Good response Simon. You are obviously a well read man on football and you probably describe the current situation perfectly.
But I still come back to football is a simple game. It shouldn’t rely on overthinking every situation. Footballers aren’t usually the most intelligent people their intelligence is usually in their feet. Play to their strengths, put them in the right positions and they’ll probably play well. Shoehorn them tactically and straight jacket them and they’ll probably underachieve. If you look poor going forward then change the front end. If you still don’t score evidence suggests it’s more likely to be the set up/structure rather than the personnel.
The comment about winning games was slightly tongue in cheek. Obviously ak wants to win it’s just he’s only achieved it four times in this league (the least of anyone) instead we’ve racked up draws which so far are keeping us out of the bottom three. Unfortunately recent form of us and others suggest we need a massive upturn in form when we’ve got most of the top sides still to play. It doesn’t bode well.
I think we will be just as ultra defensive as usual tomorrow. AK is even more likely not to want to lose given our league position and the threat of finishing the day bottom of the league.
I can’t ever see us playing any other way until the end of the season.
If we play 4231 with Gaston at 10, and if we don’t have 2 DM in the 2 with Guedioura one of them and if Friend and Fabio are our fullbacks, then I can see us scoring.
If not Boro nil Everton ?
‘The runes, the runes!’
‘Beware the edes of February -Aitor!’
Weekend end of, results see Boro beaten (but heroically). Others don’t go our way. Boro slip to 18th position.
Aitor does long walk off short plank ( unless SG along with collective management cant find someone of credibility to take up vacancy).
Momentum indicator – downward spiral.
Just prophesising like
Against Spurs we looked vulnerable down the sides and in particular our right because there was so much space available behind Traore. Arsenal had a similar problem against Chelsea who counter-attacked at speed. The commentary was quite good for once pointing out that you can’t have both full backs attacking at the same time. If you attack down one side, the defender on the other side has to stay back and tuck in to provide extra cover which allows the central defenders to slide across as necessary. This seems to me to apply both with regular full backs and wing backs.
Against Everton, we may be safer with three central rather than two plus Fabio and Friend but can we create enough. Perhaps yes, if we have Clayton locking up the centre and four attack minded players but it seems easier with a back four and a 4-1-3-2 setup which would allow Negredo and Bamford up top with Traore and Ramirez plus one of the other midfielders. I could see that formation scoring goals.
UTB
Selwyn
I don’t think Friend is fit plus I have a hunch that Gaston wont be involved. That really does limit our options.
It will be a compromise line up. We may have to settle for a compromise result, I think we will be lucky to get a point.
One thing I’ve just noticed is that Boro and Everton do have one stat in common – they’ve both conceded 27 goals this season – however the Toffees have scored 21 goals more than us to give them 19 extra points.
I saw your other piece, Werder, (Merkel, the Press, algos, false news) . I cannot see it on here now. I thought I read it on here….!
Reading the 6th paragraph of that piece, I had a twinge of thought about Liverpool FC banning The Sun and its journalists from the ground, its facilities and Press conferences etc. Almost always a bad sign. Didn’t Newcastle ban The Journal once?
It strikes me that, if The Sun journalists are not able to enter the ground and partake of the (probably) Premier standard comestibles offered to the Press, and are not allowed first access to the gems of perspicacity dropped in front of the assembled hacks by an entirely honest and helpful club staff, The Sun might decide to go down a different route.
They might for example start printing articles telling it as it is. Knowing they can no longer be frowned upon by the club or starved of access to “news” (because that nuclear option has already taken by the club anyway), they might print stuff that would embarrass whilst being accurate. If Wikileaks can get the info it prints, no doubt The Sum would be able to print the actual wages of the players, the backroom staff and the financial rewards by those who own the club. It could print the amount of money going into the hands of agents and intermediaries, and compare that with the money being paid by the supporters to watch the games, the weekly wages paid to the staff who launder the sports kits, and the groundstaff’s pay. Maybe how much goes to Ticketmaster?
It could give an honest account of how each player performed rather than having to be concerned about whether they would ever get to interview that player again. Praising when the player has done well, but being honest rather than tactful when he hasn’t. It could perhaps NOT accept at face value the information (or misinformation) drip-fed to The Press by the club. It might even bring attention to the results of the team in 2017 and wonder why things have started to go wrong, maybe actually criticising those believed responsible. The manager would cease to be untouchable. These are things the “captive” mainstream Press rarely do, for fear of losing “access”. Maybe The Sun could print that under a headline – how does “Veracity” sound?
I don’t say the above because I like The Sun. They have been giving it away free at my local shop for ages and I simply can’t bring myself to accept a copy. But when organisations ban newspapers,. that is the start of a very slippery slope. Let’s start burning books next, shall we, or chucking bricks through shop windows?
I know the main point of your piece was a concern about the hidden agenda of news being manipulated, false news being spread and eventually accepted by a credulous public as being fact….but I thought there was a “football element” to The Sun’s position, which needed to be said. Football clubs banning the Press???
That is an interesting and very plausible take on the banning of a newspaper’ s journalists Forever. I think the logic stands up, but there is another angle on it so far as The Sun is concerned. It already has an appalling reputation in Liverpool for reporting lies as the truth. Everyone knows that is what they did and do and without any reason to believe that they have changed, or will change in their attitude to reporting whatever agenda they have as fact, without ever having applied any journalistic rigour. In other words, why would anyone believe what that rag had to report, especially when it would be seen as vindictive. So, while I agree with your view in general terms, I think in this case the particular comic in question has so much of a bad track record in reporting the truth that no one in Liverpool FC will be too worried. Add to that, the EPL is a big cartel anyway, that the Sun would have to be careful of what it wanted to reveal about Liverpool, as the same ugly “truths” will apply to all the other teams who the Sun needs to keep on good terms with.
And finally, I do accept the irony in mentioning the concept of false news being being spread, in the same sentence as mentioning The Sun (other titles, some with a MUCH bigger online presence, are also available)…..
What, like The Daily Fail to tell the truth for example ?
What function do Newspapers actually fulfil nowadays?
With 24 hour “tabloid” news channels from the pomp of the Beeb through the sensationalism of Statins/Refugees on Sky and the comical anti US rhetoric on RT the only semi serious news channel is possibly Al Jazeera. Then we have Internet and Social networking sites with Newspapers reporting 24 hours later what we knew yesterday.
The printed press is a throwback to former times and those still breathing now resorting to survival on exaggerated/fabricated stories and desperate means of engagement. It is in a state of flux and the choices are bigger then ever to the discerning target audience. Liverpool’s decision is only one tiny nail but a nail nonetheless in the S*n’s coffin.
I was composing and posting my reply before I saw your ” and finally ” …
No problems, mate.
As for today and Everton? Logic says that we will play a dour defensive game (groups in the South Stand chanting “Defend, Defend, Defend…”) but still fall to at least one goal from an Everton team which is really on form at present. That would possibly put us in the relegation places, and it would not be easy to extricate ourselves the way things are going.
But I just have this sort of feeling that Boro MIGHT surprise everyone. As Adrian Chiles used to say, “It’s the hope that kills you in the end”.
Dormo –
I do agree that when organistions or individuals start banning particular elements of the media because they don’t like what they say or print about them it’s really an attempt to bully them into line. Whether they deserve it or not, it’s counter to a healthy democracy and the concept of a free press.
Trump did the same recently over the Kremlin allegations after he refused to take questions from a couple of journalists he’d personally blacklisted – it was an attempt to shut the story down and stop it being investigated further. OK you might think football clubs are not in the same public interest league – but we should remember the tabloids rely on football coverage to sell a lot of copies and it leaves them exposed to second class coverage – though as news moves online it’s now more about clicks and views to keep the advertisers happy.
Though whether restricted access will stop the tabloids is uncertain as normally they don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story – in fact it’s becoming quite normal to just print something plausible as the public find it hard to distinguish between fact and fiction – it’s more about ‘likes’ these days and ‘firsting’.
Team in. What a shock. I am feared we will get pasted at home today. Let’s hope I’m wrong otherwise that will kill off any delusions of self believe this team/squad has.
I hope Bamford is injured, otherwise one more big stick to beat AK with.
Long afternoon ahead…
Well the Team sheet hasnt exactly lifted the mood. Same old predictable same old.
Lets hope it works for the 5th time this season!
My guess & reasoning for team formation against Everton :
AK woke up this morning & noticed the bedside clock saying eighteen minutes to five. So I reckon the team will line up as 4.42 which fits in well with his previous tactical decisions.
My guess for blog headlines tonight is :
Toffees leave bitter taste as Coal Man delivers injury time sucker punch.
Your post is there so no dog house !!
The only glimmer of creativity in the usual dismally negative set up – epitomised by the selection of Stuani – is Traore but with no support it will be more of the same. We have nil written all over us.
I revise my score prediction to 0-2.
Arsenal best Hull, so at least we know we can’t be bottom tonight!
Great article Werder and some very persuasive posts….depending where you stand.
No prediction once again, apart from the crowd. 32100.
However I do not believe AK will change the line up apart from the Watford lad from the off. George still out limits his back 4, and I do not think he will start with Ayala, which I would.
So no change from AK, no changes from Boro…..no chance of scoring more than one goal, so will that be enough, meaning a clean sheet. Cannot see it.
So another game gone, and closer to the drop as teams below make up ground. well not Hull as Arsenal have just scored their second.
I most sincerely hope I am eating humble pie for dessert tonight.
Just watched Hull, they are not the team from a month ago,looked very positive, and are definitely a better team than us,
I’ve been saying for a long time our recruitment people are not up to it , Hull in one month of recruitment have a better chance of survival than we have .
I Think we will go down,and you have to point the finger,
gt…..I think you have to point the finger first at AK and then question the recruitment policy and choices. Most I would assume are AK´s anyway, especially the Spanish speaking.
Just seen the team sheet, so most of were correct in no change from AK. No bamford on the bench, so Gestede to save the day!!!!!!
Whilst I have not advocated sacking AK and it is too late now anyway probably, the future looks bleak. Again hope I am totally totally wrong.
It’s never too late. Get AV out & someone in who will lift the team to safety. There are plenty on this blog who could do that !
What’s AV done wrong then? He only reports on the Boro he doesn’t pick the team!!
Only joking like I’ve done the same thing before now !
Team much as expected, surprised to see Ramirez on the bench, reckoned it would have been Bamford.
I think Bamford is for next season and not because it will be ‘in’ the Championship. His lack of football means he will take time to get up to speed, he will play against Oxford.
Today, at the moment I will take a point.
Discussing our attempts on target on Soccer Saturday and Phil Thompson made a comment that during training they will be having shots from all around the box. Are we trying enough shots, you can get deflections, a worldie, a keeper error.
If you remember my bit about shot conversion of chances, Burnley are way up the table. They have taken pot shots and got deflections, top corner goals, keeper mistakes.
Just saying like.
I agree with you and Phil Thompson, Ian
The problem is, do our central midfielders get within shooting distance of goal?
Not very often.
Disappointing team selection (again) but fingers crossed (again).
Ian, “all around the box” is the problem. We are rarely that close to the opposition’s goal.
Well Maddo is almost shouting at Forshaw with two opportunities centrally to have a pop but tried a pass that came to nothing.
May make no difference, just passing on others comments.
After posting them an hour ago I can’t find my comments regarding team formation or tonight’s possible headlines. Have I been sent to the Doghouse ?
Karanka is footballs anti-christ.
Only listening to the commentary but if Maddo finds a couple opportunities to yell have a go in a half of football, how many others half nit taken all season.
Grasping at straws but have a go, as I said earlier that is what Burnley have been doing.
Credit where credits due a much better second half and we at least looked like we wanted to win it. A good point against a decent side. There is still hope!!
Streamed the game at home. All we need is the key to the final 3rd, if we had that we would be top-I’m telling ya- we were excellent today. Can’t fault any of the lads- well- apart from Adam!! If we can play like that every game then I have no fears about the dreaded relegation. Traore- what a player- if we do go down it will be so sad to lose him.
I have no worries- we have a very good team..
Care to share please how you were able to stream the game ?..
VIP league.. stream every game in HD- free- no pausing. Brilliant
Glass half-empty #Boro140?
Toffees stick together, ensuring no Celebrations, no Roses and no goal Heroes on the Boro lack-of-Quality Street.
Glass half-full #Boro140?
Boro, as usual, lack Forsyth near goal but, good game, good game, and in May You Bet we’ll be alright if we Play (Our) Cards Right
(And what a lovely, lovely #Boro crowd. So much better than last week!)
Diamond performance with plenty of heart and great attitude in spades. We could have clubbed them but the deck was stacked against us. Karanka shuffled the pack in the second half no solo performances or a knock out whistful result
I enjoyed the game and thought we should have won it. Forshaw was guilty on at least two occasions of not having a crack at goal from a good position. He also gave the ball away more than he usually does. Stuani was anonymous for me. Fabio was again my MOM. Traore is improving. I think he should drive through the middle, like an upgraded Foggon, as he could win us free kicks around the box and penalties, as defenders panic when he runs at them.
We have to perform like this when we play those around us if we are to survive.
Much better but only one point. Has SG maybe had a word to politely suggest that it is time for a much more positive attitude and greater intent? If so it’s about time and hopefully it will be maintained for the rest of the season.
Having said that, the lack of goals is still a problem that needs to be fixed if we are going to stay up. At least Hull, Palace and Sunderland all lost today which helps.
OFB
Shame we couldn’t have played a joker then we could have trumped them. I am sure we can bridge the gap, we just need some patience.
The relegation battle is a bit of snakes and ladders.
PS Negredo must be fed up of playing solitaire.
I think it is too easy to say SG has had a word in AK’s ear. From the comments by Forshaw the purchase of Quedioura has been a bit of a wake up call.
It all comes back to attitude, AK doesn’t seem to think his way of playing is wrong. He appears to want us to press the opposition and create turnover ball. How ell we do is related to the quality of our players.
We can argue all day abut AK, it is the players who cross the white line.
Interestingly Pocchetino was accused of being a bit rigid today.
Not sure why the purchase of Quedioura would wake anybody up and it certainly didn’t do much for Forshaw’s performance today.
Just to let you know Redcar Red has posted up his match report for you to have a good read and discuss the ins and outs of the game – though he’s decided not to describe the goals again for some reason…
https://diasboro.club/2017/02/11/boro-v-everton-match-report/
Ps
Before I get incoming, AK is in charge of the football side of the club, even if he has someone to do the recruitment and buying, they are still his players.
A point is a point
Three points better
🔴 Just noticed you managed net in time added on Ian…
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