Will Boro turn the Tricky Trees into Forrest Gump?

by Ian Gill, posted in Uncategorized

As Boro travel to the East Midlands looking to build on back-to-back home victories, Ian Gill looks forward to Saturday’s encounter by the Trent…

This weekend Boro face a difficult trip to Nottingham Forest or the ‘Tricky Trees’ as many prefer to call them. The actual origin of this nickname has become veiled in history, though it most likely has it’s roots from an early 90’s fanzine of the same name – others say it stems from the days when they played at the Forest Recreation Ground, which was surrounded by said trees. Either way, it’s normally a tricky encounter for Boro as Forest has been a barren wasteland over the years for us with many a dismal result – the lowlights being the 5-1 thrashing given to Big Jack’s team and an occasion when they put four past the unfortunate Officer Dibble (who sadly wasn’t a top cat between the sticks) in the late 90’s under Robbo. Despite that, and for all Aitor’s faults, his team got a win last time we played there – in fact the only time I have seen us beat them in over 50 years! Unfortunately it has mostly been endeavour with little end result.

So can we pull another trick on the Trees and have them running like Forrest Gump with little purpose? Who can say with Boro, as Gump’s mum nearly said, “Boro are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” However, we head to Forest in high spirits fresh from our victory over Burton Albion after a second home win in a row with a striker notching two and another clean sheet. To rub salt into the wounds, we also leapfrogged them in the table on Tuesday too.

Looking at the team, Fry is doing his best to keep Ayala on the bench whilst he recovers from niggles (pick your own), Randolph is looking to be a decent keeper.  George and Christie are firing in patches, we were used to that with George over the last twelve months but in Christie’s case that would be no surprise to Rams fans. As we are lacking in wide, creative players it is up to the full-backs to provide the width so consistency is crucial, being regularly streaky is not the consistency we want. 

The engine room is in midfield, until they take a grip for the entire game we won’t truly dominate, getting the blend is crucial. We already know Clayton will sit so the other two partners in crime need to be pushing us on. I fear Forshaw will be more use away where his continuity play will be beneficial. That leaves Howson, Grant and Baker. Howson has not really delivered and Baker is settling in, Grant we know. More to come from there.

Traore got his cameo role as predicted, if we can get him firing he will be a useful addition, many managers have tried. Two out of our three strikers have scored, Bamford has been in a more withdrawn role and has shown deft touches. He is a better player than his last stay at the Riverside and looks like there’s also more to come.

What about our next opponents? The City Ground has been a graveyard over the years and they have started the season well despite Britt Assombalonga moving north. There was a blip on Tuesday as they lost at Barnsley in a game where two teams with a 100% record clashed, typical Championship as The Tykes were yet to pick up a point and Forest hadn’t dropped one before the match.

I garnered some thoughts from Forest fans. Defeat came after arguably their best performance of the season, in a lop-sided match in which Forest had 62% possession, 26 chances created with 7 on target!

They have a very good manager in Warburton who played good football at Brentford. Forest are very good going forward moving the ball with pace with a decent crop of hungry young players. However, their weakness is at the other end of the pitch where they are defensively poor and another two soft goals were conceded in the last game. They have tried both three at the back and a flat back four – neither is working. The manager wants to invest in a new goalkeeper and they have apparently been linked with four, though Saturday will probably be too soon for a new custodian. They are also short at the back and fans think a new centre-half is a must. 

Three league games in, Forest have two wins and one defeat, which is probably better than expectations. The fans think they will have a top half finish and will upset some of the bigger teams but they’re always liable to get beat away from home at lower division opposition. Their Saturday prediction: 2 – 2.

From our view point it will be interesting to see the reception Britt gets from Forest fans. Also here is something that some may have forgotten – Paddy Bamford is a Forest fan and went to their academy, he progressed through the ranks and made his first team debut at 17 but only made two appearances before he was hoovered up by the Chelsea Academy. His biggest sin was playing for Derby, a slight redeeming feature was him undermining the Rams playing for Boro.

In terms of selection, I wonder if Monk will pick Baker to start and instead of replacing one of the three midfielders he operates alongside Bamford with Assombalonga the focal point. Gestede, Fletcher and Traore can offer different attacking alternatives later on in the match from the bench. This would serve two purposes, it would give some tempo and guile further forward to unpick the Forest defence, it would also strengthen us centrally, it will be crucial to keep the ball to quieten the City Ground, keep their young bucks under control and free our full backs to spring forward.

A draw wouldn’t be a bad shout, a win a real statement of intent, not many will take three points from a visit to the Trent.

So will Boro employ their cutting edge to fell the Tricky Trees or will they be stumped by the task ahead and put in a wooden performance? As usual, give your predictions on score, scorers and team selection…

93 thoughts on “Will Boro turn the Tricky Trees into Forrest Gump?”

  3. The ‘Tricky Trees’ versus the even ‘Trickier Tees’ well I hope that is how it works out.
    I’m going for a 2 – 2 draw but if the team Gell a little more and Bamford and Co. play better because of it we could win but I’ll stick with a draw. Gary Monk’s root and branch rebuild is beginning to bear fruit.
    UTB,
    John

  4. It will be interesting to see what team GM picks for Forest.
    In the half-hour Lewis Baker had against Burton he passed for PB’s disallowed goal, set up Britt for the flick that went just past the post and then shot just wide himself. He was also in the centre waiting to pounce when Fletcher’s attempted chip at the end was grabbed by the keeper. (And he covered well at our back post to clear when Burton had one of their few dangerous attacks.) In other words, he makes a lot happen going forward and gets himself involved in key moments of the game.
    If we are going for a win, perhaps he would start. However, it’s clear from GM’s press conference that he’s aware we are only playing in patches. We still haven’t had a game where we have enforced a consistently threatening pattern of play on the opposition, although that should come in time. We may concentrate on keeping it tight and allowing the forward quality we have to launch the sudden bursts of attacking power which did for Burton.
    I am encouraged to learn from AV in the Gazette that we are pursuing two wide men at the moment. This is the final piece of the attacking jigsaw assuming Baker proves he can maintain effectiveness within the heavy Championship schedule.
    GM will be delighted with his strikers. Gestede and PB re-booted and contributing fully, new boy Britt off the mark with his first Boro goals, Fletcher looking a handful for opponents.

  6. I have been thinking about our money spending.
    Has paying 15m for Britt allowed forest to strengthen without the threat of FFP fines. This may be the case for all the money sloshing around the championship.
    It may be prudent to purchase from premier or league 1, or even overseas so we don’t advantage our rivals.
    Any thoughts?

  7. I might be bark ing up the wrong deciduous but if the Boro come up with a Root performance, I reckon that leaves us with three more points.
    Eh? Eh? Shiver me Woody timbers – it cant get worse than that!
    Forest 0 Boro 3
    Oh, yes!
    Happy days
    🙂

  8. Old Billy
    Here is a link Spartak posted
    https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-middlesbrough/transfers/verein/641
    It shows we have spent £44.78m so far this summer and recouped £38.55, that is a net spend of £6.23m and doesn’t include any money we received for Stuani.
    Throw in the reductions in wages plus we have parachute payments.
    The season ticket sales have held up well, home gates are encouraging.
    We didn’t even have to pay anyone to take de Pena!
    I suspect we are in a very sound financial position and well within FFP. We certainly wont have to prune the squad though Monk can cut out the deadwood. There is plenty of scope to graft new wood on to our existing root stock.

    1. I think Old Billy meant that we gave a lot of money to a Championship rival. Now they can invest and get round the FFP rules. His thinking was to buy from Premiership or lower than Championship level. I don’t think me meant buying from Spain, though.
      The problem is od course, that you don’t get seasoned Championship players from the PL nor League One.
      Up the Boro!

  9. As you know I am not as optimistic as Spartak anything about the Boro club, so I cannot say I expect a win at Forest.
    I am more like Nigel, in fear – or like the new word I learned today, trepidation. Would be happy with a 2-2 draw as many had predicted. But I will take a 0-3 win any day. Cheers to Spartak.
    Gibson and Bam-Bam the scorers.
    Up the Boro!

  10. My prediction? I tend not to make ’em.
    But rather than go ahead of myself and say we’ll notch up a big win, say, 3-0, I think the team should aim to go out there, do their best, and if they take the lead, build on it. You know the counting-chickens-before-they’re-hatched and pride-comes-before-a-fall sayings.
    I think we have the momentum to carry forward for a win, but I’m not sure what kind of win. That, and this is Boro were talking about.

  11. Tend to agree with Spartakboro.
    Last time I visited the City ground was in 1957 when Brian Clough scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 win. That was a genuine hat-trick, three successive goals before Arthur Fitzsimons scored the 4th.I have often wondered why in sports such as football and rugby, one credits the scorer with a “hat-trick”, yet in cricket one doesn’t say a bowler completes a hat-trick by taking 3 wickets unless it is with successive balls, which must surely be a rarer occasion – I know, another of my rhetorical questions.
    Anyway, if Clough can score 3 against the team he was later to manage, who is to say that Assabalonga can’t score 3 against a team he used to play for? I would be most disappointed with a draw, never mind a defeat, and like Spartakboro expect a 3-0 win.
    Maybe I’m on a hat-trick myself, because having stayed up until 2am this morning to watch a recording of Yorkshire’s record score and Adam Lyth’s 161 in a T20 Blast last night, following my late wife’s beloved Castleford Tigers magnificent 45-20 win giving them their first League Championship in their 91 year existence, a 3-0 Boro win tomorrow would complete my hat-trick.
    Am I too old to believe in miracles? Of course not!

  12. Difficult to call this one given that during our three previous games we have showed what we can be capable of but still remain inconsistent at times.
    I would be inclined to stick with the team that started on Tuesday and make tactical use of the bench as the game develops.
    I would be pleased with a draw and delighted with a win but could this be another typical boro away performance?
    I will settle for a 0-0 and be happy but keeping fingers and everything else crossed as I watch events unfold or stutter on iFOLLOW.
    CoB

  14. If Boro win 3-0 at Forest I’ll be a very happy bunny, it wont be a hat trick for me but a double as my son has just got into Leeds uni to study Geography, following in the footsteps of other Boro supporters such as myself and Ian.
    I’m a tad envious actually……………

    1. Congrats to yer son, Nigel. My brother-in-law went there in the 70’s. Chemical Engineering I think. My daughter is about to enter her final year in Catholic University of Leuven studying Theology and Religion. I went to one of the better ones, the University of TEESSIDE -Urrrraaahhhhh!
      Boro born, bred and edumacated.
      🙂

  15. As yew all know I wood knot stoop so low to attempt tree puns to make myself poplar, so I’m just going for a plane old victory – though a even a run of the mill hollow one would do! 2-1 to Boro with a pear for Blossombalonga…

  16. Jarkko
    You get it.
    The benefit of parachute payments for a well run club is the ability to avoid FFP sanctions.
    We have given 23m (if you include Shotton) to rival champ clubs. Inevitably this money will be passed around as players switch clubs.
    Some of these clubs could be on the brink of transfer embargo, our cash gets them of the hook and may allow them to recruit bettering their squad
    UTB 0-1 Gibson

  17. Nigel
    Congratulations to your lad, hope he enjoys his time there.
    Lets hope I don’t have any problems logging on tomorrow, it is knot much fun listening to Forest commentary, their style is rather wooden but I have no axe to grind.
    I pine when I miss the match but I may have twigged why I couldn’t get the commentary. I had a similar problem with another website.
    Hopefully it will be a chain saw massacre.

  18. Most Boro fans seemed happy, some even euphoric, over Boro’s display over Burton Albion, yet not quite confident that Boro can win away to a Forest team who finished below Burton Albion last season, and we should be happy with a draw.
    What on earth has happened to their confidence? If fans would be happy with an away point against a team who missed relegation on goal difference last season and have lost their top goal scorer to us, then where are Boro ever to win away from home? The fact that we rarely win at the City Ground should have no bearing on this match.
    I don’t expect Boro to “smash” this League, but I didn’t expect Cas to “smash” Super League, but they did (just look at the Super League Table on the BBC website).As I wrote earlier I do believe in miracles, if I didn’t I’d be already dead what with my tortuous colon and aggressive prostate cancer. Be positive, I am.
    A Boro win should not be beyond a team with our resources, and we should not settle for anything less.That is not being over confident, that is belief.
    Come on, Boro.

  19. Spartak & Ian thank you for the congrats, appreciated. spartak, good luck to your daughter in her final year , time at uni when life is (relatively) care free flies by.
    I have to say I’m finding recent posts on here a bit wooden…………..I think we need a root and branch review.

    1. Yes, some welcome good news about your son heading off to Leeds Uni – make sure you warn him off from switching allegiances and heading to Elland Road though – still it’s going to be a great time for him, despite the unreasonable debts and loans forced upon students these days. I actually applied to Leeds Uni to study Astrophysics all those years ago but my laid-back approach to studying back then left me easily distracted and a little spaced out – so no change there then…

  20. Ken I would agree with you wholeheartedly we’re it not for the fact that this is not last season and I believe that Forest are a stronger team than Burton.
    I have said I would be happy with a draw given it is so long since we secured points on the road and we have still not fully gelled as a team.
    Given a bit more time I think that we can win at places like Forest but I am not convinced that we are there yet.
    Don’t get me wrong, I will be delighted if we do but I am not one of those who subscribe to scores of three or more to the Boro. When did we last do that at home let alone away!
    CoB

    1. Fair enough KP, maybe 3-0 would be being a little over confident, but only Rotherham conceded more goals than Forest in the Championship last season, and I doubt if they have improved their defence by too much this season having conceded 5 goals in their last two matches. Surely this is a must win game for Boro.

      1. Ken
        I agree we should win but I am a Stockton boy born from the fifties. I acknowledge that you are my senior and much more experienced, but this is the Boro we are talking about and what happens when we should win – or am I just too much of a glass half empty guy or a pragmatist?
        We shall see, but I can assure you that ever fibre of my body wants us to win.
        I was in my early twenties when Jack’s team demolished the old second division.
        I had moved down to London working for Lloyds Bank but was provided with two train tickets each month which enabled me to see most of the home matches and also, as an original member of the London supporters club, I saw most of the away games. Having spent countless seasons where we promised so much but failed to deliver then expecting the worst seemed to become part of the Boro supporter DNA.
        That season however was majic and to me will always be the best ever unless of course we really can smash the league this year!
        Sorry to hear about your health issues but I am sure your positivity will help you with your continuing fight.
        Come on Ken Come on Boro.

  21. For quite a number of season now Boro fans have been somewhat too reluctant to speak up in a noisy manner,even last season capiculation was met with a shrug of the shoulders.
    It wouldn’t happen at other clubs.
    We all point the finger at the manager ,myself included ,after all ,players are recruited ,he picks the team ,and sets them up to win games.
    But is it time players were made to take responsibility for their attitude and effort whether starting or in the squad,have we been too soft on them,
    I look at this squad ,and I don’t see another one better,maybe more experienced ,but not better talent wise.
    So if the team doesn’t live up to expectations,then you can only conclude ,it’s a lack of desire or ambition on their part.
    I for one expect players to play to their full ability and if they are having a bad day ,at least work hard on the pitch.
    We should be dominating other teams ,with an arrgance, not play one half ,then take the foot off in the second.
    Like I said it’s time to demand ,No favourites pick the players who have the right characteristics, for the fight.
    UTB.

  22. I tell everyone I did a joint honours at Leeds, Chemical Engineering and Formation Drinking. I will leave you to guess which subject I got the best marks in.
    The truth is we basically had 9-5 lectures and labs, still had a great time.

  23. Ryan Shotton is not in Brum City’s squad for tonight’s game at Burton. Perhaps Harry was bluffing after all and he is being prepared for his move to Boro?

    1. Yes, very sad news from Turku, a lovely cultured city where I’ve had the privilege of working. Thoughts are with you Jarkko.
      And how sad beyond words too that one of the greatest of European streets, Las Ramblas, which has given so much pleasure to so many, should be defiled by yesterday’s senseless events.

      1. Thanks for the messages, chaps. Yes, was very scared as both of my daughters are living in Turku as they went to the Uni there. My wife drove over there yesterday – but only after the accident.
        Yes, the world is crazy sometimes. At the moment we don’t know was it a terrorist or just a crazy young guy. The police caught him in less than five mins luckily.
        But it was tough day yesterday. In the morning I took a good friend to a hospital, too. He is OK now – his problem is drinking.
        At least I have Boro to think about. The life must go on. Up the Boro.

  26. Werder, Really surprised that someone of your undoubted talents didn’t manage to get on the Leeds’ Astrophysics course. It’s not rocket science.
    Ken, It’s hard to be too confident about tomorrow’s game if you went to the City Ground, as I did, confident that Jack Charlton’s table-topping Boro would get a good result against a Forest side, languishing just above the relegation zone. We were three down at half-time and finished on the wrong end of a 5-1 hammering. I agree with the general consensus that we have shown some early promise , but so far that’s all it is. I’d settle for 1-1.

    2. Len, my philosophy is that the past has no bearing on the future, but Boro fans always seem to be either over confident, like our late friend Ali Brownlee, or when things are going well seem to think that it won’t last.
      I just can’t see Boro conceding a goal today, so surely we can score at least one.

  27. I think we will either get a rude awakening or we steamroller them. Anything else just wouldn’t be Typical Boro.
    I think we will keep a clean sheet if Dael and Ben are partnered. Up front its inevitable that the old boy curse will strike Forest and Bamford is due a goal so one from each of them plus a Baker set piece. 0-3 it is then.
    More importantly, Ian keep fighting and winning!

  28. Hope its not a rude awakening as on my only visit to the City Ground Feb 2 1974- unbeaten in 24 games- lose 5-1. The only thing I remember is that Jim Platt wore red boots!

  29. It’s always difficult to be confident of victory in the Championship as there isn’t really the same kind of gulf in class between the teams. Those who can play in the PL normally don’t hang around in the second tier for the obvious reasons of wanting to play at the highest level and the financial rewards that go with it.
    Also those teams relegated from the PL are usually in that position because they didn’t function as a team even with apparently better players – likewise those teams promoted from League One managed to do so because they worked well as a team and often continue to do so when promoted.
    It basically means you have to be on your game for every match and complacency is generally punished by the opposition – maybe not ruthlessly but enough to put a dent in your aspirations. If you add into the equation that Boro are a team in transition with a lot of new players still getting used to playing together then there is little guarantee of producing a match-winning performance.
    However, there are signs that the players are enjoying their football under Monk and developing a good team spirit, which is a crucial ingredient for successful teams. Ian made the point in his piece that whilst Forest are scoring they are also leaking goals. So it will be interesting to see which of those two Monk tries to address – perhaps he’ll concentrate on getting another clean sheet but will he try to exploit their weakness too?
    I woke up this morning less confident than yesterday of Boro getting a win and was more leaning to a defeat – though after seeing Burton won last night against Brum then maybe we’re doing quite well after all!

  30. Jarkko
    It is always a worry when something kicks off where your loved ones are, the odds of one of your own family being involved are very slim but sadny to some families it is 100%.
    Life has to go on, you cant hide away. Who would have thought all those years ago a shooting frenzy would take place in a small town like Hungerford.
    On to the football, apart from ourselves, Wolves and Cardiff clash, Ipswich play Brentford and the Mackems play The Dirties up the A19. The table may look a little different tonight.

  31. My son goes back to school on Monday to start his “Highers” year in the Scottish system, so I took a day off to spend with him on Friday. We spent the day at the Fringe in Edinburgh and the irony only struck me this morning as I catch up with Ian’s excellent build up piece about todays trip to Forest and the plethora of arboreal puns in the subsequent posts, but we went to see the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s students put on a performance of Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” ! Very appropriate considering, and (for anyone who likes musical theatre) well worth a trip to Edinburgh this month to see it.
    First things first. Glad to hear your girls are safe Jarrko, and long may they stay so.
    Next well done to your son Nigel, I’m sure he will enjoy his time at Leeds and I hope he is successful there. Well done to all our young school leavers about to embark on a big new chapter in their lives, be that in higher education or starting out on their working careers. Good luck to them all.
    Next to the puns and predictions. I hope I am not too late to carve out at least one original paragraph before someone else twigs on and leaves the rest of us stumped because all the best woodland imagery has already been felled.
    Enough. Let us hope the match day experience today will be positive and that there will be no need for the copse to get involved. As for the game itself, I expect our forwards to be in the thicket of a lot of the action, I just hope our midfield doesn’t get too entangled in the undergrowth and the defence stands tall and proud like the mighty redwoods they are, while between the sticks we get to witness another confident display from our budding new keeper.
    I am not sure what to make of today’s fixture. I suspect I am a little pessimistic about it and so will be very happy and relieved if we get to share the points. I am going to predict that we will log a 1-1 draw, with PB etched on the scoresheet for us.
    COB

  32. Today’s is a game where the opposition may actually be more unpredictable than we are. Apparently Forest were poor and lucky to win their first home game against Millwall, but then attacked very well at Brentford where they won, and at Barnsley where they were unlucky to lose!
    We have been strong defensively, no-one has really pulled us apart and the only goal conceded was a gift rather than the opponent breaking us down. This suggests we are good for a point at least today.
    I feel increasingly optimistic that if we can add a further quality creative attacking player, and with the steadily growing understanding and teamwork among our squad, we are building the foundations for a very strong and exciting season. But at this stage any result is possible in today’s game.

  33. Exmil2017
    Big congrats to your son on his acceptance success!
    Physiotherapy is an excellent subject and profession to follow, if u don’t mind me saying.
    As an exmil myself, I am very aware of how great a service physiotherapy is to those injured whilst serving their country.
    I do of course not foreget the wider public. The NHS is a jewel in British public service and physiotherapists provide an essential role within it.

    1. Thanks Spartakboro, I am immensely proud of his achievements through his hard work, even stopped Table Tennis training to spend the evenings revising but now back playing.
      Come on BORO.

  34. Reading this blog is so refreshing – all the human kindness that exists. Glad all ok with Jarkko and family. The world is a mess at times although I guess it always has been – just we are more aware of it all with 24 hour news and instant reaction on the interweb things.
    Just hope that the idiots never win and that we carry on with life.
    Well done to those who offspring have secured uni places- it is an expensive time for all concerned and then there is the termly pick up and take back drives with loaded cars to factor in!
    Onto football matters, today won’t be a walk in the park and I will be happy with not conceding and a draw.

  35. Just “twigged” what Exmil means thanks to Spartak, obvious really, doh!
    I see Villa are at home to Norwich this afternoon, I wonder if this evening will see another Bruce departure this week after the late great Forsyth.

  36. SAM the computer predicts a 46% chance of an away win for the Boro. Whilst I believe Forest got mid 20’s% for a home win.
    Take yer pick!
    RR
    Steve Bruce ain’t going to get the chop after 4 games IMHO. It’ll take a couple more losses yet. But if he don’t get his finger out, he’ll be out.
    Odds on first managerial casualty of the season?

  38. A bit of humour about fears.
    Mrs G had been up in York for a few days with the kids visiting Grandad and were driving back down to Derby.
    I left the office early to be at home when they arrived, When I got home there was a police car on the drive with two officers stood beside it.
    ‘Mr Gill?’ they asked as my heart sank in to my boots.
    ‘Yes’ I replied.
    ‘We have some bad news for you’
    Gulp!!
    ‘Your house has been broken in to’
    ‘Great’ I beamed.
    🙂

  45. 2.55pm came and went. no call from MFC.
    Still couldn’t get in then had a brain wave, well, not so much a brainwave as a bit of wishful thinking. I tried Microsoft edge instead of IE and lo and behold I have the sound of Maddo from the computer.
    No rhyme or reason because I can get all the interviews and videos from MFC on Explorer.
    In the words of the prophet Elijah, who cares!
    Mind you it is humble pie because I have muttered about the Edge icon ever since it was launched, about as useful as a wasp WAS my view.

  46. Very poor so far today. Forest are miles better and well worth their lead. Our midfield is pedestrian and allowing Forest far too much space. Our attack has had no service and posed little threat. Needs massive improvement if we are going to get anything out of this game.

  47. Glad it is half time and only 1-nil. Cannot be that bad in the second half…can they.
    Front three have had little to feed off with the midfield playing second fiddle th Notts lads. Christie not covering Fry as much as he should be.
    I would seriosly think about swopping Forshaw for Baker pretty soon. We need to win the ball in the middle more, cut out the sloppy passing, once again, and get the ball to the feet of Britt and Bamford.
    Forrest are doing a good job in restricting them to chances

  48. I agree about our midfield not getting to grips and Forest seemed to be playing with more width than us, which is restricting George and Christie from adding width for us. We’ve looked to play through the middle too much and any dead balls have been delivered with Clayton’s usual quality. So all quite hectic and Boro have been slightly slower to the ball than them. Probably needs a change at half-time to pose them more problems – though defensively Fry and Ben always seem quite far apart but whether that’s to allow Clayton to drop in between them I don’t know. Assombalonga doesn’t seem to look like he’s enjoying the reception he got on his return – what else did he expect?

  55. Well Boro threw the kitchen sink at Forest in the second half and Assombalonga could have scored at least 3 or 4 if he’d had some composure – Exciting stuff and after shout YES! for the equaliser the linesman this time was not accepting a ‘get out of jail free’ card. At least Boro didn’t go out with a whimper as we probably would have seen last season – but the midfield remains a bigger work in progress than other parts. 17 attempts on goal away from home is certainly not what we are used to from Boro.

  58. Poor, pedestrian performance (particularly the first half) against an average mid table, at best, side means our our hopes of being promotion contenders could be a pipe dream.
    The team lacks cohesion and we seem to have three midfielders who are still all very much of a likeness and not one of them has displayed the ability to take a game by the scruff of the neck.
    I would venture to say that AK’s championship team would not have lost that game against that opposition.
    Six points adrift already of the top sides does not bode well. I appreciate promotion is not won/lost in August but if we do not get our act together quickly and start to perform like a unit that can play football and put moves together we could be way off the pace at the end of the ten game point which a number have suggested should be the benchmark on which to judge the team and GM.
    We should be dominating sides like Burton and Forest for the majority of the game but we are still far from it and the work in progress needs to materialise into the finished article PDQ for my liking.

  59. Poor quality Ifollow
    What I did see was Boro asleep first half. Their midfield walked all over us.
    I thought the penalty was harsh and need a second look at the offside goal.
    Adamas service has not improved, Neither full back got forward often enough and we played too narrow.
    We still had enough chances to win the game.
    I put it down to the fact we were away to forest. It’s not gunna happen.
    We should just stay at rockliffe, forfit the points and do some training instead
    UTB

  60. Karanka at least go a result at forest
    For that he should be knighted ” king of Sherwood forest”
    I can’t see the wood for the tricky trees me like.

  64. Ian
    I deliberately musspell as a means to an ent 😉
    Meanwhile, I do believe it’s been discussed on this ere blog about the lack of purpoise and leadership at the centre of our team.
    Where’s the hunger, the passion, the Jamie Pollockesque drive? I suggested bringin in one Lee Cattermole to add some extra spice but many prefer not to countenance it. Fine, but no one enjoys drinking a flat wine and you don’t get many great performances without spirit.

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