| Middlesbrough | Norwich | ||
| Maddison | 13′ | ||
| Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
60% 21 5 13 8 |
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
40% 5 2 1 16 |
Poor Performance Prevents Playoff Position
When Norwich last played at the Riverside it had resulted in a 4-0 win for the home team. Bamford had kicked things off with a stooping header, before Leadbitter then added two more either side of the break. Yanic Wildschut (now with the Canaries) then rounded off the scoring with his second and final Boro goal. Could there be a repeat performance on the cards?
Apart from Wildschut, Norwich also have the services of former Boro player James Husband who didn’t have the chance to play much football at the Riverside. Both former players would be out to prove a point that they didn’t have a realistic opportunity at Boro and we all know how often a former player comes back and haunts us.
To complete the set of former players playing their previous clubs, Boro have Jonny Howson who has returned north after five years at Carrow Road and was man-of-the-match for us in the weekend Championship draw at Fulham. A similar performance tonight would be gleefully accepted by at least one set of fans.
Howson told Boro’s official site – “I think whenever you play against your old club these things are going to get mentioned. But once you cross that white line I’ve got a job to do for the team. Things will have been said before and after the game. We are going for three points and nothing different.”
On a night when Middlesbrough fans will be seeking revenge on a Norwich side that ended their Wembley dream of a return to the top-flight at the play-off final in May 2015, the club have just announced closer sponsorship ties with Scottish airline Loganair, which will coincidentally start direct flights from Durham Tees Valley to Norwich for those eyeing up a quicker than usual trip to Carrow Road. So we’ll soon be seeing that sponsor’s logo landing on the back of this season’s away strip, with the newly branded Boro shirt expected to be cleared for take-off in time for the visit to Barnsley in mid-October.
So game on…
A misty eerie night greeted the crowd who were high with expectation as Norwich kicked off towards the North Stand, To their credit Boro appeared to start brightly in a loosely configured 4-2-3-1 configuration with Britt playing a lone striker role and support from Baker, Johnson and Traore. Howson was playing in a more central midfield role and started to thread passes and look towards picking up the pace from where he left off on Saturday.
A couple of nice runs by Traore gave the expectant crowd a glimpse of what they expected to see during the game but Boro were undone when a loose ball on the right-hand touchline was not cleared by Fry, He was robbed by Watkins who centred to Maddison, who crisply finished into the top corner for a goal and this was their first attempt at hitting the target.
This was the cue for Norwich to display the elements of time wasting we have come to expect from teams at the Riverside, with players fastening shoe laces every five minutes and taking excessive time at throw ins and free kicks.
Traore was the outlet for many of Boro attacks at this stage and the crowd felt confident that an equaliser would soon be scored. A number of free kicks were given against Norwich for fouls on Traore but the referee kept his cards in his pocket and play went on. Baker was not having much involvement in the game at this stage and seemed unsure of his role. He wasn’t close enough to Britt to support him up front and at times the play passed him by.
Middlesbrough had a lot of possession but this was easily coped with by Norwich and in the 35th minute a good run by Howson resulted in a centre to Clayton who shot at goal which was easily saved by their goalkeeper Gunn who is on loan from Manchester City.
It was apparent that Britt was getting no service from the Boro midfield and the Norwich defence were not allowing him any space to turn and run at them.
On the 43rd minute Baker produced his first piece of productive football by having a great strike at goal but this was saved easily by Gunn.
Traore was having an excellent game and even ran back 2/3rds of the pitch to make a last-ditch tackle near the Boro penalty area, saving an awkward situation which was wholly appreciated by the crowd.
We had not seen much of Johnson in this half and he was was quiet and seemed to be well shackled by the Norwich defence.
Second Half Period
There were no changes at the start of the second half and indeed the first piece of action came from a Norwich strike at goal from Jerome which was smartly saved by Randolph which was only the second shot Norwich had on target, the first being the goal.
In the 53rd minute Johnson and Traore started swapping wings as each of them looked for a fresh breakthrough for getting crosses into the box. Howson was trying to put some impetus into the play and beat four men before being hacked down on the half way line resulting in a free kick to Boro.
Norwich stepped up their time-wasting efforts as the clock ticked on and it was obvious that changes had to be made to the Boro line up.
Fletcher came on for Clayton in the 60th minute and Baker moved back to a more central role and Howson sheltered the defence. Just after the substitution another free kick was taken by Baker which was collected easily by Gunn. On the 65th minute Traore went on another mazy run, beat three men and shot at goal. Boro were finding it difficult to beat this well marshalled defence and a promising young goalkeeper.
Johnson was starting to find gaps on the wing and sent over inviting crosses which were met by Britt who inexplicably directed headers straight at the keeper each time without the keeper moving to save.
Fry was beaten in the air quite a few times by Jerome who seemed to have the measure of our young centre back during the game.
On 69 minutes Gary Monk went for another substitution taking off Fabio and bringing on Martin Braithwaite. Johnson reverted to a position of a wing back to take Fabio’s place and Boro were playing with a back three.Johnson and Braithwaite showed a promising understanding and on the 72nd minute Johnson put over an inviting cross which was met by Britt and… you’ve guessed it, went straight to the keeper in the middle of the goal.
In the 79th minute Traore was surprisingly brought off to cheers from the partisan crowd of 24,084 and substituted by Bamford who moved over to the right wing. Fletcher and Bamford showed good movement and were constantly interchanging positions from centre forward to right wing in an attempt to create space and confuse the Norwich defence.
Pressure was now constantly being applied by Boro and on the 86th minute a hard drive from Baker sailed over the bar and in the 87th minute Bamford headed over from a Baker corner.
In the 89th minute another corner into the box resulted in strong claims for a penalty when a Norwich defender clearly put his arm around Britt’s neck and prevented him from having a shot on goal.
The fourth official signalled 5 minutes of extra time and the Boro redoubled their efforts to snatch an equaliser. A free kick into the box was deflected by the head of a Norwich defender and was heading for goal only for the keeper to make a magnificent save and flick it over for another corner.
The Boro crowd were gradually dispersing prior to the final whistle and we can only hope that our next home game will result in three points.
Boro attempt to get back on song
as the Canaries visit Riverside
Boro host Norwich on Tuesday evening as they look to consolidate their position in the playoff zone with the first of two home games before yet another international break. The Teessiders are attempting to mine another three precious points from the Championship coalface and the crowd will be expecting Garry Monk will come out on top when he pits himself against his German counterpart Daniel Farke. Whilst avoiding complacency is paramount, hopefully Boro won’t need to dig too deep for victory and the Canaries won’t act as an early warning sign that the refreshing early air of optimism at the Riverside is not in danger of turning slightly poisonous.
Norwich have tightened up at the back of late after conceding four in two successive away defeats at Villa and Millwall – they are now unbeaten in their last four games with two wins and two draws without conceding but have only found the net twice in this mean mini-run. It will also be a return to the Riverside for a couple of old boys in Yanic Wildschut and James Husband – neither of whom will think they got much of a crack at nailing down a place at Boro and will no doubt be keen to prove the club wrong. This will be the first meeting of the clubs since the Canaries beat us 2-0 in that play-off final at Wembley back in 2015 – Boro were slow out of the blocks on that day and were left chasing the game after going two-down after only a quarter of an hour. So no slow starts please and no slow coaches either!
| Middlesbrough | Norwich City | ||
| Gary Monk | Daniel Farke | ||
| P9 – W4 – D3 – L2 – F11 – A6 | P9 – W3 – D3 – L3 – F8 – A12 | ||
| Position Points Points per game Projected points |
6th 15 1.67 77 |
Position Points Points per game Projected points |
13th 12 1.33 61 |
| Last 6 Games Fulham (A) QPR (H) Aston Villa (A) Bolton (A) Preston (H) Forest (A) |
F-T (H-T) 1:1 (0-0) D 3:2 (1:1) W 0:0 (0:0) D 3:0 (1:0) W 0:0 (0:0) D 1:2 (0:1) L |
Last 6 Games Bristol City (H) Sheff Utd (A) Burton (H) Birmingham (H) Millwall (A) Aston Villa (A) |
F-T (H-T) 0:0 (0:0) D 1:0 (1:0) W 0:0 (0:0) D 1:0 (1:0) W 0:4 (0:3) L 2:4 (0:2) L |
Tuesday’s game takes us to the ten game mark and this milestone will allow the Boro faithful to start making assessments on whether the club are on course for their promotion objective without appearing too hasty. A win will take the points-per-game average closer to that holy grail figure of the golden number two that is required to be anointed as near enough nailed-on automatic promotion candidates. That of course would give you 92 points but the average number of points for the club finishing second in the Championship in the last ten years is actually just under 87.
Though if the objective is finishing above third spot then that requirement drops to needing just 83 points on average – the highest third place points total was in fact 89 when Brighton lost out to Boro on goal difference in our promotion two years ago and the next best is 86 points, which was achieved just twice by West Ham and Norwich. After all that statistical rambling through the last ten years of the Championship we can probably say a safe bet target for automatic promotion is 87 points, an average of 1.89 points per game – OK let’s round it up to 2 to make it easier, so it’s basically as you were folks!
| Automatic promotion points target | ||
| Season | 3rd Place Team | Points |
| 2016-17 | Reading | 85 |
| 2015-16 | Brighton | 89 |
| 2014-15 | Norwich | 86 |
| 2013-14 | Derby | 85 |
| 2012-13 | Watford | 77 |
| 2011-12 | West Ham | 86 |
| 2010-11 | Swansea | 80 |
| 2009-10 | Forest | 79 |
| 2008-09 | Sheff Utd | 80 |
| 2007-08 | Hull | 75 |
| Average points total | 82.2 | |
| Average points per game | 1.79 | |
The obvious selection issue for Garry Monk tomorrow is the availability of Adam Traore once more after serving out his three-match ban – given his form before being sent off, you’d expect him to come straight back into the starting XI. The return of the Boro power-house will probably see Bamford being returned to the bench unless he’s given a position somewhere else – and that would mean his manager dropping one of either Baker, Johnson or Assombalonga. The problem for Paddy is that his Fulham performance didn’t shout at Monk that he was undroppable – OK, Johnson also had a quiet game by his recent standards and neither Baker or Assombalonga made a telling contribution. Nevertheless, I would expect Monk would quite like to see both Johnson and Adama running at the Norwich defence – the question then becomes whether Baker is the best choice to get on the end of the potential service or could he decide on Bamford in the number ten role? It’s also a possibility that Braithwaite may be ready for the bench following his layoff and he could yet prove to be first choice in the central attacking role.
There are also a couple of other issue that need addressing in terms of selection – Fabio left the field suffering from calf problems that appeared to be just severe cramp, though his performance was probably below par defensively and perhaps Friend will get the nod instead. In midfield, former Norwich player Howson had his best game in a Boro shirt and with Leadbitter still feeling the effects of an earlier knock it’s likely he’ll retain his place alongside Clayton to face his old club – though many are perhaps a little hesitant given the displays of other Boro players against their old clubs.
So come the final whistle will the Boro supporters be singing like canaries after Boro start flying up the table or will the Riverside faithful be spitting feathers after having victory plucked from their grasp? As usual your predictions for score, scorers and team selection – plus will Jonny Howson try to out-do Assombalonga and Adama by missing a few sitters and getting a red card against his old club?
Lip Licking Cats 3 Canaries 0
‘I tawt I taw a puttyy tat!’
Didn’t Sylvester usually get knocked around the pate with a large sweepin brush? And if my memory serves me well, even with said yellow bird in mouth he never got to chew and swallow.
Let’s hope the Boro stuff the Canaries good and proper tomorrow night or there’ll be plenty of sqwarking on the net from disconsolate Boro budgies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdVBU-gS2xo&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I expect Boro to cut the mustard against Norwich tomorrow, and see no reason for us to go easy on the Dijon.
Boro 3 – 1 Norwich
Cut the mustard I hope so and I’ll be on the cress of a wave !
Thanks for the continuing Headliners Werder……not many more then we can have a fortnights rest, moaning and groaning that Boro have not delivered the two points a match required to smash the league, well top two anyway.
It will be a hard fought dour match with Norwich giving nothing away, four clean sheets on the bounce, Boro looking dodgy at the back and slow out of the blocks.
Can Britt find his shooting boots? (Probably hidden by Paddy), can Baker actually make some killer passes? can we get some crosses when there are forwards in the box?
So many questions that need addressing if we are to pick up the points.
I will only know late on, by which time RR will have written his piece. Hope it has all the right elements in it!!
PS. Bamford on the bench, however sorry GHW, still think he is ahead of Baker and desrves a place.
Tricky one this, Norwich seem to have tightened up at the back and despite the rich attacking resources we now have at the Boro we aren’t proving to be prolific scorers.
I’m going for a 1-0 Boro win. Howson to score.
I can just see the headlines if we get beaten by Norwich and their manager
BORO GET FARKE ALL
Of course it’s odds on that Wildschutt and Husband will score tomorrow night !
It’s cast in stone !
I won a bottle of fizz at the last match for guessing tje correct time of the goal!
The only problem is I thought it would have been the Boro to score first !
Pedro
My view is that Bamford on the right side of an attacking three is a waste of a player.
Not a waste of Bamford but just waste of a player in general, play someone who can play there and be comfortable in the role.
It all depends what Monk wants, I tend to think of a No 10 as basically a deep lying attacker. So I think he could be a No 10, Ken would say no that is playing 442, GHW would say he doesn’t deserve a place.
I say, if you play Bamford, play him there or put him on the bench.
From what I have seen, Baker looks a really good attacking midfield player, Monk may well prefer Baker in there flanked by attacking players to give width.
We will see tomorrow.
I think Downing might get the nod tomorrow night and anyone fancy Johnson playing as left back ?
I like Baker and I like Bamford but it’s going to
Be hard to fit them all in
Just hope he starts Traore
How about a bit of mischief?
Having spent zillions on attackers we have played 9 games, have 15 points, scored 11 and conceded 6.
The miserly AK, don’t go beyond the half way line team had 17 points, scored 15 and conceded 7.
To match the ten game challenge we have to win 9 to -1 and get 5 points.
Any takers?
It is a long old season. Plenty to play for but it shows the importance of points even at this early stage. We need to get to two points a game as soon as possible.
Ken
Good news, I believe we have avoided a relegation battle in the cricket.
Ian, yes I saw that, could even finish 2nd with a win. Also Yorkshire took all ten wickets for England in yesterday’s win against the Windies, five for Plunkett, one for Willley, and three plus a run out for Rashid.
Ken
If England had a squad of 15 in the glory days of Yorkshire cricket the selectors would have had a field day, a couple would get in to the starting line up and the twelth man would come from the five Yorkies making up the squad! to handicap the Yorkshire team.
Today it is testimony to the strength of the squad
Those first ten games in our promotion season under Karanka were an interesting story – Boro managed just one win in their opening four fixtures with the fourth game being the 1-0 defeat against the run of play to Bristol City, where Adomah started on the bench against his old club and was blamed for their goal by AK and so began Adomah-gate as he was naughty-stepped for the next three games.
Following Bristol, Boro went on a run of 5 successive victories before losing at Reading in game ten – after which they stuttered with a 0-0 at home to Fulham and a defeat at Cardiff. Though Boro netted three goals on four occasions in those opening ten games – so plenty of goal action. To be fair he was only playing two defensive midfielders back then and it wasn’t all about grinding out a result.
We should not forget that the opening ten games this season are Garry Monk’s first games at Boro with around 7 new faces in the starting XI – Karanka was building on his play-off final squad with most of he starters already familiar with the system and each other.
Yes, Yorkshire avoided a relegation battle by the skin of their teeth! It’s just as well they got the bowling points they needed to stay up because they have just been bowled out by Essex for 111 in their first innings. Their batting has been the weak link all season and will need to be addressed for next year.
This league is becoming more competitive week by week throwing up unusual results. Since Norwich lost 4-0 at Millwall last month they have gone unbeaten in four matches collecting eight points but scoring only two goals but not conceding any which suggests they have tightened up their defence considerably. One of those wins was away to Sheffield United who themselves had won four successive league matches before that encounter and who on Saturday won the Sheffield derby.
This then is likely to be a very difficult low scoring and a goalless draw or even a 0-1 defeat cannot be discounted. My forecasting so far has been poor, so I hope that I don’t put the mockers on Boro tomorrow by forecasting a 1-0 win with the winning goal from Downing coming in the last ten minutes. Crowd 23,410.
Hmmm, Nice stats but I’m beginning suspect you didn’t read my pre-match article…
I think Friend will be in at LB with Downing in front and Johnson on the bench to cover both positions. Adama will be restored on the right and Paddy benched with Baker in the No. 10 role.
Grant will get the nod for grit and avoid the angst ridden former player car crash that would like as not befall Howson.
I’m down in Wiltshire working (one of those couldn’t get out of it scenarios) this week so I will miss the game entirely due to a corporate bun fight in the evening. I will be relying on everyone on here to provide a flavour of what will hopefully be a 2-0 Boro victory to read about when I retire to my hotel room somewhat tired and like as not heavily inebriated.
who will do the match report??
Unfortunately it looks like you’ll be stuck with my poor scribbling !
OFB
Boro 3 Norwich 0 – Fry, Howson and Wing
Boro feather their nest as Dael “Frys” Canaries and Howson howitzer plunges knife into Farke.
Flying Wing gets third to put Norwich back in their cage.
As long as we are not as sick as a parrot !
Seem to remember AK Boro having a fantastic record for night matches, certainly at the riverside but also away. I would love to see the stats of night matches WDL during AK’s tenure.
Can you oblige Ken once you have had your breakfast.
BBC website reporting that Boro have not lost at home on a Tuesday night since a
2-0 defeat to West Ham in November 2011. Since played 27 games (W20 D7).
Fingers crossed we don’t have an untypical Boro evening!
Yes, Old Billy
The following results include televised Friday night matches but not play off marches against Brentford :-
2014/15
Home Played 8 Won 7 Drew 1 Lost 0 Goals 15-3
Away. Played 6 Won 4 Drew1 Lost 1 Goals 7-5
2015/16
Home. Played 8 Won 8 Drew 0 Lost 0 Goals 15-3
Away. Played 9 Won 2 Drew 4 Lost 3 Goals 8-9
A very impressive home record with the only match Boro failing to win being Blackpool 1-1 on 30th September 2014
The usual simple prediction, Boro 2 – 1 Norwich.
Norwich being allowed to score the obligatory ‘shoot yourself in the foot goal’ with five minutes to go plus added ‘nervous breakdown time’. It is the Boro after all and there’s also the old boys playing for them. Maybe they’ll go down to nine men?
UTB,
John
2-0 Boro: Britt from a Traore centre and Baker from the edge of the box after another Traore cross is only half-cleared.
And if that’s right I’m getting my lottery numbers on.
My birthday so off out for a meal, I am relying on you lot to make sure that when I get back and log in there is a good score on the board.
Many Happy Returns Ian
I appear not to be the only one who feels nauseated by the Gazette reporters’ over reaction to Boro’s progress this season with statements such as “embarrassment of riches”, “our squad are the envy of the rest of the division”, etc. being a bit too much of an exaggeration judging by comments to these articles by fans on the Gazette forum.
Whether such articles are made to help to boost sales I don’t know, but they would appear not to fool most Boro fans. Yes, Boro are one of the favourites for promotion and have played well in patches, but let’s not be too euphoric yet. Boro’s goal scoring so far this season is fairly average, and indeed the average number of chances created per match is pretty woeful for a team with aspirations of promotion.
It has been often quoted that after 10 matches one can gauge the prospects of a team, but from recent seasons one can’t even assess Boro’s prospects after 25 or 30 matches. By all means let’s hope that Boro get promoted this season, but this is, to quote Mick McCarthy “a bonkers league” and strange results often occur.
I’m pleased to say that the majority of contributors to this forum are more circumspect than the Gazette reporters in their opinions of Boro’s progress so far this season and have a more realistic approach.
A quick warning, Sky Sports News have just run through the matches tonight, we cant be playing because we were not mentioned. Clearly my morning paper has it wrong because it says we are playing Norwich.
Boronoia, alive and well.
To be honest this one is beyond prediction – anything could happen even all options could happen simultaneously until observed – let the cat out of the bag. Still this match could be the one that the Canary sings or dies indicating that its time to get to get the gas masks out once more.
Anyhow we wont panic regardless of the result and neither I suspect will we get too excited even if we give them a tanking.
So, i think both sides could score two goals, none at all or anything in between so 2-2.
Or Darren (the cat ) Randolph can make the Canaries squawk !
This is going to be a close one as I believe that Norwich will only play one up top, pack the midfield and look to hit us on the break. 1-0 at best but as others have said this could go either way.
Randolph
Christie, Fry, Gibson & Friend
Howson & Clayton
Adama, Baker & Johnson
Assombalonga
Crowd 21, 731
Assombalonga to score if we score.
Great read again Werder.
Have given my £5 to the canaries so that I can hopefully watch tonight!
CoB 😎
Thanks KP (and Pedro earlier too) – interestingly despite not conceding a goal in their last four games, Norwich have still faced 44 attempts on goal with 17 of those coming in their only away game in that run at Sheffield United. So those stats are both skewed by playing three home games in that mini-run and the opposition not being too clinical.
I suspect if Boro can make an early breakthrough then it becomes about whether we can sustain some pressure and go on to win by two or three. The team selection will perhaps be influenced by whether Monk believes having Adama and Johnson on the pitch together is a risk or not – will he go for an experienced head to start off instead?
As for up front, it’s possible Bamford may be given an opportunity to play centrally instead of Baker – he looked quite comfortable in that role in cup game and Monk may want to go for a player who can unpick their defence.
Based on that I’m hoping for Boro to win comfortably and fancy a 3-0 if they get scared by an on-form Adama and we can get their defence running towards their own goal with our fowards getting into the box. Scorers: a brace for Assombalonga and another for Christie.
An apology, when I did my post about where we are relative to the promotion season I mistakenly added in the 3-0 Wolves League cup score – I blame the tiny logo MFC use for the competition and my aged eyes.
A win tonight will just push our noses in front at the ten game point.
The key is to get closer to the top spots and then push on. With Leeds playing Cardiff it is a chance to get within a result of one of them
Ken
When I first heard of the ten game test it came from an article by Graham Taylor about the premiership. The idea was that normally, after ten games you can see where you are and that you will finish in that part of the table.
It wasn’t set in stone but a rough guide to where you are likely to end up, if you are sixth it doesn’t mean you will finish in sixth position but somewhere in that part of the league.
I posted Taylors views on the old message board pre Vic’s blog as something of interest. There was a fair amount of derision along the lines of what does Graham Taylor know about football.
It now seems to be common usage though probably a dozen games is more accurate in this league. The reality is that there is a team likely to implode (post Xmas slump springs to mind) or put together a barnstorming run but by and large it is probably a reasonable guide to the season ahead.
It should however come with a health warning.
Tonight’s crowd? Last time we played Norwich on a Tuesday they brought 584 fans, we are averaging just under 24,500 Boro fans so far. Guestimate of 24700 tonight.
Ken
By the way, I agree with your comments about the Gazette being a little carried away.
I remember Vic going overboard as Strachan’s forge produced hardened players to replace the wimps that had got us relegated. That was in the August and I think it was a close run thing between the implosion and Christmas cards replacing charcoal briquettes in the super markets.
Yes Ian it’s the repetitive comments we get day after day in the Gazette I find embarrassing. If we were heading the table I could tolerate some of the comments, but we must remember we’re five points behind the leaders, and only five points ahead of Millwall in 16th position at the moment. It’s such a congested League table and as you say being 6th now doesn’t mean we’ll finish 6th; we could finish 1st or heaven forbid 12th. I just feel the Gazette reporters should show a little humility.
Norwich will be be very negative. Against Sheff U Chris Wilder was sent to the stands for protesting about their time wasting, he blamed the Norwich coach driver! Google it.
I suspect they were time-wasting because they took the lead in the 23rd minute against the Blades – let’s just hope Boro don’t give them an early lead but if Norwich are 2-0 down then I don’t mind if they time-waste!
Ken
I squirm when we get the ‘point could prove useful at the end of the season’. It is okay when you get a late away point where you dogged it out but when you squander them through wasteful football it winds me up.
I personally think three points are much more useful.
Lots of positive results coming from the prediction’s corner,but you could guarentee whenever Ali (rip ) commented so and so hasn’t scored in forty two games sure enough two minutes later he’s headed in from a corner, 0-1.
COB
Predictions? Whatever Andy R says.
I think I may have taken it at least one step too far this time, Len. However, Britt to score and Boro to win 2-0 is available at around 20/1. Sadly I can’t find a price for 2-0, Britt and Baker!
My tuppence worth
Gazette is between a hard place and a stone. They won’t budge in ‘solidarity’ & the Boro won’t forgive coz they are investin in their own ‘all the latest news’ platform.
Still, Gazette needs traffic to attract advertisers to make a profit, so they pump up the volume to attract the punters/clicks.
Conclusion, Gazette will continue to struggle. They ain’t got enough leverage to move the boulder.
Nuff said
At the moment we are still not performing at the level we need to be, and GM is realistic about this in his press conferences – he accepts that we are very dangerous in patches, but struggle to control the flow of games.
I feel that our teamwork is not yet functioning effectively enough for automatic promotion and that individually some of the players need to dig deep and find more, need to be performing at their peak with maximum concentration.
If we do hit that higher coherence of team play and fierce individual concentration we can mount a really powerful run of results and work our way to the top. I still feel fairly confident that will happen at some point in the season. If it doesn’t, we should have enough resources to claim a play-off place.
We are 5 points off the top, but there are only 6 points between ourselves in 6th, and Burton in 19th position, in a division where there are often 9 points available in a week. Every win can make a big difference to how the league looks on the surface, but it is the underlying progress of our team play which will decide the season.
Mark
It’s TEAM in capital letters coz when you play as a team you are worth 14 players as a group rather than 11 individuals. Boro for much of the last 9 games have been the latter. Why?
1. New members new formation
2. New manager new personality new ideas
3. Oppostion teams know when Boro do click together they are super dangerous, so they play high tempo closing down disruptive game style (just watch Norwich tonight).
They can’t match the Boro and they know it, so spoiling is their only hope. We have to get used to it.
Finally, the pesky transfer window didn’t help and pre-season was a juggling joyfest.
Prediction – all goes well we’re in the top three by Xmas.
🙂
Spartak
We do need to start welding the units in our team together to maximise our potential.
There are some caveats, we are not the only club with new manager’s and changes in personnel.
It should come but putting points on the board would help the process along.
Ian
We are putting together a run of unbeaten matches !
OFB
Yes Bob, but only two wins in those five league matches. Carabao Cup matches shouldn’t really be taken into account.
The club seem to have gone down the, “solid championship player” route in their recruitment policy. Hopefully come the January window ( if prospects look good) they will go out and buy a marquee attacking midfield player to consolidate a promotion push.
I think Jack Wiltshire has all the necessary attributes, but attitude and injuries have hampered his career. Perhaps GM could be the man to sort him out.
A strong team tonight and Ayala Downing and Forshaw can t even make the bench !
Ian
I acknowledge what you say and agree to a degree. What has concerned me is, and I say this diplomatically, GM has NOT played his best hand at times and I believe that has added significantly to the issue.
I dare to suggest his team selections/formations have cost us points. On the other hand he seems to read games pretty well and isn’t afraid to use subs when necessary.
Where oh where is that Assistant Manager when you need her?
Arrived at the Riverside ground and had a word with the Commercial Manager to say Diasboro are doing a match report on the game tonight
She’s arranged for one of the players to come and have a chat with me after the game which of course I will share with all you other bloggers !
Keep posting !!
OFB
Outstanding, OFB!
You are the man.
Hurrah!!!!
As it turned out and not surprisingly no Boro players were available after the match !
Pity really as the player scheduled to talk could have given us a good Fry up!
Well onto the next game
Had a chat with Mark Proctor and Jim Platt and their comments will be included in the match report later
Brief word with Marin Braithwaite as he was going out and said he felt no reaction to his injury and was fit to play so that is god news
OFB
Top man Bob
I was looking forward to going to tonight’s game but have been struck down with a proper dose of man flu. Had already taken a half day off work but was heading home up the A19 by 10.
Norwich are a different prospect than a few short weeks ago so definitely not a gimme. Cut out the defensive lapses, I’m looking at you Gibbo, and I’m going for a Boro win 2-0.
In respectful disagreement with Spartak, I’m very much enjoying GM’s sensible team selections as I see it (Preston aberration aside which seems to have been learned from) as well as his use of substitutes (as Spartak said in fairness).
Along with the common sense recruitment policy and return of the white band, the club as whole (perhaps with the exception of non-iFollow for overseas supporters), seems to be making a lot more sense this year.
Long may it continue.
Can’t disagree with the team selection too much. Defence should be ok but question remain about RB LB efficency. DM should be up for it and attack is powerful. Not happy SD is missing from the bench. I’d have rather dropped Fletcher or one other. I think Leadbelter should be on but maybe he’s still not 100%.
Depends on first 10/20 mins. Boro get a goal and the Canaries plan A goes right out the window.
Traore is the impact player.
Game on!
UTB
Watching on I follow – ground looks empty are they all in the bar?
Losing 1-0. Fry mistake.
Stupid mistake gives them a goal. Once again behind – but we are looking good.
The I follow stream is great tonight, clear and no glitches [shame about the Boro], although I must say we look very composed and dominant and its only the score that is the bad news. We should be able to get 3 or 4 past this lot but so far it seems we are only probing. No highlights replay or commentary so maybe MFC were right when they said that the fans would be happy with ifollow. Certainly those clubs who are doing their own thing have better tv.
Fabio looks weak however and he does not look as polished as those around him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was replaced for the second half.
I don’t know if it is just me but Traore seems to be running a lot more off the ball, quite possibly he has been to soccer school during his week off!!
Any how not giving up hope yet
What’s that old saying ‘If in doubt put it out’ ? I’m sure Dael is being reminded about that in the dressing room now!!
Mistake from Fry but that happens. More worrying is the lack of support for Assombalonga in the box. Baker not contributing as much a single he should close to their penalty box.
UTB
“As much as he should”
Britt needs dropping for Bamford. He misses far too many sitters.
Teapot,I was wondering about that. Assombalonga has scored 5 goals, but it would be interesting to find out how many chances he has had. Bamford meanwhile has not had a run of consecutive matches, and often played in different positions.
Ian Gill made a point that Bamford was wasted, and I concur with him. Bamford himself has stated that he is primarily a striker, and strikers do need a run of successive starts. If we are to play with only one striker I would give Bamford that role, and use Assombalonga as a substitute as if, or when, the situation arises.
That’s it, we were found wanting….top half if we are lucky.
I’m afraid we are running out of runway.
Nothing is over after 10 games out of 46, unless of course you think it is.
Just sayin like
🙂
Lucky old RR, he knows which games to miss and no happy birthday present for Ian. If we’d played til midnight, we’d still not have scored.
Roll on Saturday. Surely it can only get better.
I did warn you that I have a notoriously poor record of guessing the score of Boro matches when I went for a 1-0 win in an earlier text, and it gives me no pleasure to say that I always thought it would be a one goal match. I guess I should keep quiet in future.
However, it does underline what I said about the embarrassing articles of the Gazette reporters in building Boro’s squad up as the envy of the rest of the League. Even Neil Maddison was salivating about Boro’s strike power yet there are now only 7 teams in the Championship who have scored fewer goals than Boro, and I can’t see how we are going to improve that by much because we lack creative players who can unlock defences of well organised teams.
In my opinion I can’t see that Traore will be the answer, and unless we cant find the solution soon, I guess we’ll have to do as best as we can with the players available until the January transfer window.
Wonder where we would be if we had Warnock as Manager?
For a team with supposedly the most potent attacking resources in the league we don’t score many goals do we and tonight just underlined the problem. Is Assombalonga really a £15 million striker? Not on tonight’s evidence he’s not.
So we are 10 games in and 15 points on the board. Some will say a solid start for what is a new team and manager and some will say nowhere near good enough.
My verdict is must do better and soon if the dream of promotion is to be kept alive.
Glad I did not give Norwich my five quid as It was middle of the night in Aussie.
And so I cannot comment on what appears to have been a very frustrating match.
I will store it in the (large) part of my memory reserved for typical Boro moments and move on to Saturday.
Interesting that OFB is getting some access to the match day players and staff, cant wait for your report Bob as Diasboro now seems to have taking over from the gazette as the first place to look for accurate reports, views and comments.
On the rare occasion (when I am bored) that I look at the gazette articles, I am stunned by the comments section, there is very little intelligence and the posters seem to prefer slagging each other off. The articles themselves are nothing more than background info that most dedicated fans already know, designed to fill voids in the absence of real reporting.
I really fear for the future of the gazette as a credible reporter of all things Boro.
The “stand off” with the club may hasten the gazettes demise and it’s Boro reporting could well become irrelevant.
Werder and the founding members of this blog may have created an unstoppable monster fueled by its own momentum.
Long live Diasboro, a sanctuary for intellect, objectivity and reason.
On to the BEES. UTB
3 changes
Forecasted for Saturday. Shotton, Leadbitter & Braithwaite for Fry, Howson and Baker.
Immoveable object beats ‘unstoppable’ force!
🙁
Cue song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dx5QQfWRuU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
“Mind the gap!”
It was interesting talking. To a couple of ex players last night after my chat with a current player was pulled (for obvious reasons!)
One said that even at this stage GM doesn’t seem to know his best 11.
That has been said on this blog but we dismissed it as being not likely.
Interesting to hear that is the concensus of ex international footballers
OFB
OFB, I mailed you a query about your match report
It was included when I sent it last night I’ve sent it again
I didn’t destroy it even though I felt like doing so !
Let me know when you’ve got it
OFB
He doesn’t seem to realise that Bamford is his best forward. Assombalonga misses some chances that he should be scoring. GM probably won’t drop Assombalonga, but I would, and play Bamford as the speahead. He is more likely to give Fletcher that chance though.
The team yesterday had enough talent to win that match. We can’t kid ourselves that he didn’t pick a strong team this time. It wasn’t a daft formation. It was pretty close to being my first 11.
Brentford have lost all three of their away games so far haven’t they? So that should be interesting.
That wouldn’t be Woodgate in the background again !
Come on BORO.
No it wasn’t Woody although I do see him there occasionally
Whilst I wouldn’t disagree with a few changes such as the ones OFB has mentioned I don’t think we should kid ourselves that recent results have been the result of poor team selections and formations/tactics. There was more than enough talent, in the right positions, in red last night to have won the game comfortably.
To my mind, GM has two clear areas to improve us in:
1. Cutting out individual errors at the back
2. Making a fast start in games
Many posters have rightly said that with us trying to play a more adventurous game, it is likely that we will see more chances against us, and that we can accept that as a necessary evil. The goals we’re too often conceding, however, are not because of leaving gaps at the back, they are highly avoidable errors. I’m not sure how or why that has crept in but it needs to get straight back out.
The slow starts are also hard to understand and have been a regular feature. Is GM’s measured approach failing to fuel his charges? Are we missing a rabble-rouser (Leo?) to gee the troops up? I don’t know but the next pre-match teamtalk needs to ensure that the players are at it from the first whistle.
Overall, it’s two steps forward, one step back at the moment. However, beat Brentford on Saturday and that will be 11 points from these 5 matches between international breaks, which isn’t too bad at all.
Teapot,
I can see a similarity here with AK and Monk.
AK didn’t realise that the best finisher in his squad was Stuani who spent most his time picking splinters from his backside, if he did get on the pitch he was pushed wide.
Sound familiar!
Oh this one felt like those old home ‘bankers’ when we went down under Gareth and lost at home to teams that we should have tonked. Frustrating, frustrating, frustrating. I know there is a stack of arguments for saying GM doesn’t know his best players yet, but sometimes these things just happen and they really hurt. To me, we don’t look too far from the finished article and teams like Norwich – despite their current league position – always have the ability to come to the Riverside and sting us. Not a lot of fun this one, spoiled my Tuesday night, lifted my spirits by watching the first episode of that Vietnam documentary on iPlayer…
Andy R
‘There was more than enough talent in red shirts to win the game comfortably.’
Perhaps but we didn’t, they did!
We didn’t even score. Against Norwich last home game we won 4-0. Leadbelter got two.
We can’t expect to win the game in the last ten minutes each and every match. The ‘talent’ is insufficient. Someone needs to think of how opposition will play then plan accordingly. That means select players and tactics to suit the occasion. Anticipate senarios on the basis of prior opposition analysis and decide accordingly.
That’s why a manager’s job is so important – strategy, tactics and in the case of football selection.
I refer my learned fellow poster to the following text (I have a personal copy but it’s not for lendsies).
https://www.amazon.de/Art-War-Sun-Tzu/dp/1590305477
Happy days- we dont support Sunderland 🙂
The link is not showing on my phone so here’s an alternative.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_War
‘Those who do not learn from the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them.’
We knew that they would park the bus.
We also knew the golden rule, they must not get a lead.
We gave them a lead by a vile blunder(we did the same in an earlier match)
We still stand and watch as Traore beats five men, no attempt to get near him and help.
Several times last night we had the play on one side of the pitch and Traore standing alone one the other side, no attempt to make a quick pass to him.
Endless corners with all their men on the goal line, no attempt to put a man near the corner taker and then hammer a short corner low into the box round their ankles.
Free kicks in goal scoring positions(no idea) blast over the bar.
Every player who got into a shooting position blasted it high over the bar.
The early use of substitutes abandoned very quickly, three were needed at half time as the match was in a stalemate situation.
Finally. Did we work a shot at goal? (forget the hopeless blasts over the top) they were quite frankly shameful.
I also refer learned fellow posters to the following article.
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/norwich-manager-daniel-farke-we-13679593
Dismiss it at your peril.
Once again a seemingly slow start and individual errors at both ends of the pitch have done for us once more.
Saw the goal on SSN while listening to Tees and why oh why didn’t Fry just not clear it into the top row of the West Stand instead of faffing about hoping the ball would roll out of play under its own steam. Take some responsibility and make a decision. It was a quality finish though so certainly no blame on Randolphs behalf.
Second hand from Mark or Maddo was the comment that their keeper never had to move his feet for any of the 5 (?) saves he had to make, a worrying statement on the apparent poor finishing from the men in red.
As stated in a previous post I didn’t make the game last night, so the goal apart, my view is coloured from what I heard and not what I saw but I had a lot of texts from my mates at the match and overall they were far from happy.
My17 year old season ticket holding granddaughter went with our usual crowd last night due to my being unavailable for selection. I was tucked up in bed when she got dropped off and in reply to my wife asking how was it, apparently she shrugged her shoulders and had a bit of a harrumph then went straight to bed. I fear there will be a lot more of those harrumph moments in the years to come.
Onto Brentford on Saturday on what is a very important game. By no means a must win, yet, but 3 points would be greatly appreciated.
Spartak
I don’t buy that GM got his team or tactics wrong or that we don’t have enough talent in the squad. For me, last night was as a case of a defensive error (again) and a slow start (again). That changed the game and played into Norwich’s hands. GM then tried to change that via his substitutions – which again I thought were correct.
If there’s blame on GM, then I think it’s on not getting enough from his players in the opening 10-15mins of matches, not anywhere else for me.
And there we must part on our opinion, Andy R.
What if’s –
What if Leadbelter had played (if he’s fit enough for the bench he should be fit enough to play, if not then he shouldn’t be there)?
What if Downing were on the bench and instead of playing Braithwaite who hasn’t played all season, you had someone with experience and a cool head to pick out a pass or hit a shot that can make the difference?
What if instead of a strategy of raw power in a confined space you had a team who were schooled in the art of drawing a team out, thus creating space for runners to exploit thus turning the defence?
This isn’t rocket science it’s footballing fundamentals.
What I’m saying is Faulk or whatever his name is, got the gestalt right and the gods smiled on him and his team. GM did not and so without ‘luck’ (you make your own) he and the Boro failed.
IMHO you cannot separate individual parts from the whole. You can say it was x that was in error but who put the whole strategy together and why did ot fail?
One error and one goal should not determine a win or loss for a quality team and more importantly manager.
Nuff said
What if:
Dael had put the ball into row z. !
then
Assombalonga had put that header away !
Then the result would have been Boro 1 Norwich 0
In my opinion Andy R is correct in his post without any “ifs”.
Only saying like.
Come on BORO.
ANd we should have had a nailed on penalty shocking referee again last night
Well, thanks for the belated birthday present.
Just before we went out I was about to reply to OFB where I had posted putting points on the board helps gelling etc.
OFB quite rightly posted we were in an unbeaten run, my response was going to that he was right but it didn’t stop us needing to put points on the board. Two points a game gets you promoted.
Sadly the internet was down and when we got back in at 9.10 it still wasn’t working, mobile services are pretty intermittent where we live – it is called the hollow and even though in the centre of Mickleover the clue is in the name. We have cable TV because aerials are fairly useless.
Took me a few minutes to find out we were losing.
My original post remains valid, points on the board are useful. Wolves and the Blades play tonight, already an important game.
61% possession, 22 shots to 5, 5 shots on target to 2, 13 corners to 1, 0 goals to 1.
The last statistic is the only one that matters.
Plenty to play for, the ten game test shows us outside the play offs but time yet, lets see if Ken is right and we can prove it wrong.
Well I’ve finally managed to post up OFB’s match report – for some reason his email attachment with the match report got put into my Outlook spam filter – we’re slaves to algorithms these days!
Anyway, time to start the postmortem on a disappointing night at the Riverside and many thanks to OFB for coming off the Diasboro bench at short notice…
https://diasboro.club/2017/09/25/championship-boro-v-norwich/#MatchReport
Ian
Stats are wonderful in their descriptive abilities but it takes a human mind to identify the issues and provide a solution.
Football is a beautiful game because it comprises of so many
challenges at so many different levels.
Just sayin like
First of all thanks to OFB for the report and Werder for his unstinting stewardship of the good ship Diasboro.
Spartak
I totally agree, one stat does count, scoring more goals than your opponents. That is why Burnley are in the top flight and we are not. The stats I mentioned from last night were pretty much those achieved against Burnley for most of last season
Not many would argue too much about the line up though OFB talked of Britt being isolated, I suppose it is always a risk if the No 10 is a progressive midfielder rather than an attacker. We only have to look back at how much more threatening we were with Gaston playing well in that role than when he wasn’t playing.
It matters not, we lost. End of story, Brentford next.
Ian
I still think Bamford is better playing with Britt as he thinks like a striker but can also deliver a quality ball
I must also say that Britt was guilty of some shocking shots straight at the keeper
OFB
HEADER from the middle of the goal and about 8 yards out (??), aimed right at the keeper’s stomach. No need to move. What happened to the advice to head downwards?
And there was lively debate after the match about whether Fry’s big mistake and Britt’s big miss are worth the same. After all, before Fry’s indecision, we had a draw at 0-0, and after Britt’s miss we should have been 1-1 so would have collected the same point we started with.
FD
It wasn’t only one header straight at the keeper unfortunately there were a few shots.
Fry did make a mistake and also underhit a pass which was nearly jumped on by a Norwich player
I would keep both in the team for Saturday and look instead to provide more creativity in the team by dropping Fabio and pushing Johnson to wing back
Bring on Braithwaite on the left
Drop Baker for Bamford and make sure BA is not isolated
Also here’s a curve ball keep Howson drop Clayton and play Leads
OFB
Ian, hope the result last night didn’t sour your birthday.
Well where do we go from here? I wouldn’t be too hard on Fry; he is probably too young to remember Alan Hansen’s solution “kick it to row Z”, but he’ll learn.
1. Generally our defence has not been as solid as in the past, and that can be expected to a certain extent with the more attacking system we now play. However, the defensive howlers are a concern and must be eradicated.
2. Jonathon Taylor in the Gazette stated “Boro showed signs of life just before the break”. Why on earth aren’t we showing signs of life not just at kickoff, but also in the kickabout beforehand? Then surely we could attack teams from the start especially at home. Is JT saying we are starting matches half asleep?
3. If Monk is to persist with the 4-2-3-1 system, and seemingly having tried Baker, Forshaw, Bamford?, Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all in the number 10 position, then in my opinion his only alternative is Downing. If that doesn’t work, change the system because we can’t buy anyone until January and I fear that will be too late.
4. You quite rightly stated, Ian, that Bamford is wasted as a right midfielder/winger. Karanka had a perfectly good striker in Stuani and played him out wide. Monk has tried doing the same with Bamford who is a self-confessed striker. Just because Assombalonga cost a reputed £15M doesn’t mean he is a better striker than Bamford. Strikers need a regular run of starts (Jordan Rhodes springs to mind), and I would play Bamford as the striker if we’re to play only one.
5. This then leads again to which system we should adopt. If that is to be 4-4-2 then we play Bamford and Assombalonga/Braithwaite. Although Assombalonga has scored 5 goals, I am concerned about how many he has missed, whilst Braithwaite hasn’t played much at all yet.
6. The midfield however is still a cause of concern. Does Clayton need to play so deep? Leadbitter, Howson or Forshaw? The former for me. Wingers? Traore, Baker or Johnson? If we continue playing 4-2-3-1, the latter for me. I still don’t see a footballer in Traore. If Barcelona couldn’t make one out of him, what chance have Boro? He may excite some of the crowd but so far there’s been no end product.
7. I reckon that most away teams will play for a draw at the Riverside this season, the better teams will do a Norwich if they score first, so we have to get used to that. Therefore as I mentioned in paragraph 2, it is essential we start at full throttle. If we don’t we can expect to drop many more points at home. Possibly we might find it easier in accumulating points away from home!
8. There are no outstanding teams in the Championship this season, and that includes Boro. I’m not too concerned where we are in the League Table now, or indeed at Christmas, as long as we are challenging for a playoff place by then. I still don’t expect us to gain automatic promotion this season, but unless we start scoring goals we won’t even make the playoffs. Only 7 teams have scored less in the Championship so far this season. It’s often said that this League is a sprint, not a marathon, so perhaps by May we might have solved our goal scoring problems and become the team that we all hope for.
9. Despite all my current reservations I still think we’ll gain promotion via the playoffs. However I can’t see our performing any better in the Premier League than we did last season without buying some international class players. But let’s worry about that when we get there!
Continuing thanks to Werder and to OFB for stepping into the breach and posting a excellent and slightly different match report….well done.
Cannot say too much on the match as I did not get to see it. I was just finishing my coffee after a nice meal with friends, when the results were read out to me. To be honest I was not so much disappointed as, oh well typical boro. I had half expected a defeat after all the spin of clipping the Canaries wings.
The time for excuses has gone IMO. Other teams have had to gel, find the right formation or whatever other excuse is appropriate at the time. We are not delivering. That is Mr Monks problem to deal with. The question even at this early stage is, can he deliver, can he start winning the matches to get us were Mr Gibson said we would be.
Everybody has their favourites, mine Paddy, RR Gestede. (only kidding RR).
However in the last two windows we have purchased, Bamford, Gestede, Britt, Braithwaite, Fletcher, Johnstone, all attacking players at a cost of around 46 million. Yes that’s right FOURTY SIX MIL.
Oviously Mr Monk cannot of rated the first as he went out and bought the next four. Yes I know slightly different types of players, but all are supposed to score goals. But goals we cannot score, I think Ken said we are 7th lowest scorers. It is the League that matters so no adding in the Cup matches for goals or wins in the unbeaten run, which now has gone.
AndyR talked about slow starts and unenforced errors. That the team selection generally has been OK.
I think we have nobody near to a Ramirez. It was thought Baker may be that player. He isn’t. Baker has been generally poor. Works hard, but with very limited creativity or delivery to date. The midfield is still not what we require it to be and far too often in matches the forwards and Britt especially has been to isolated.
I think we will see Braithwaite from the off on Saturday, along with Shotten for Fry. As for the rest, apart from Randolf your guess is as good as mine.
Why Shotton ahead of Ayala?
Had a chat with Mark Proctor after the game and he said what we are all thinking
Boro lack a creative player to set up chances. I would think Braithwaite is a certainty to play in that role on Saturday
OFB
Pedro
I’ve a sneaking thought that Johnson might replace Fabio
I’m having to walk around the village with a bag on my so that the Norwich supporters don’t recognise me. Them one did and he said, with a big smile, we Karankard you last night.
Another slow start and another defensive mistake, this is getting boringly repetitive.
On to Saturday, did someone post that Brentford haven’t won in three… that’s a statistic I don’t want to hear.
Depressed in Norfolk,
UTB,
John
Enjoyed my meal last night
So did I and the banter afterwards
Then dashed home to file my Report by midnight and the algytjimgy didn’t like it !
The puddings on the pitch were not much good
Ton up?
This not the first time Fry has done this kind of stupid decision he did it playing for the U21 recently, he is soft at times when marking a man that uses his body,I was funnily enough going to suggest before the game,it was maybe a game for Shotton to step in,as I thought Fry needed a rest.he was looking shaky in a couple of games and I think it effected Gibson.
Having said that, the reason these players are playing in the Championship and for most thats their level,is because although every team has talented players that some would say are good enough to play in the Premiership, they will not,because they lack the consistency and strengh that’s needed.
It’s no good having one good game every four games, and that’s what we have bought, Championship playere for a Championship league.
Top eight if we are lucky.
So Fry made a mistake and now it seems everyone wants him dropped. He was one of the better performers at Craven Cottage and his performances so far have been good. Indeed some commentators argued he was playing better than Gibson. So, one mistake and he should be dropped? Will Assombalonga be dropped for missing sitters?
I think Fry should be cut a bit of slack because I’m certain that noone regrets his mistake more keenly than he does.
Couldn’t agree more – what kind of message would that give Fry? one mistake and you’re out – what about Gibson’s error that gifted QPR a goal when he left it for Randolph? or even Fabio’s that gave them the first. On the whole Fry has been one of our best players this season, are we saying a defensive error in games we win don’t count as much?
Personally, I’m thinking given our less-defensive capable full-backs, which have been exposed a few times this season, I wonder if three at the back is the way to go with Christie and Johnson as wing-backs. Most top clubs are now playing variations of 3-4-3 and it may help Boro to be able to keep some width as well as getting players in the box.
My problem with Assombalonga is that he’s seldom playing as the centre-forward, which is I think his only real strength. He’s not very good at playing with his back to goal and his first touch tends to bounce off him in a similar way to Gestede. His passing is also not the greatest and his main ability is to use his strength and pace to get on the end of crosses (should they arrive).
I think both Bamford and Braithwaite would offer you more in situations where you need someone to bring others into play and mix up the striker’s role.
I mentioned to MW in Darwin yesterday that the main danger against Norwich was conceding an early goal and well in doing so we gave them something to defend, which they did in Karanka-esque fashion. Though before we hail Farke as a genius Boro had more than enough opportunities to score a goal and it was the execution and decision-making that let them down.
Monk should ignore Britt’s price-tag and drop him if he’s fluffing his lines – a striker who’s struggling needs a break more than a defender who make one error of judgement.
https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=767291970122814&id=343888889129793
The above from AV on facebook
Has AV been reading my posts, Braveheart?
Seems he has the same conclusions.
🙂
Yes and the key to unlocking teams that park the bus is to have enough creativity in the side to penetrate the massed ranks of defenders. The position where creativity is most effective is the centre of midfield and Monk persists with Baker in this position. Why? He is not creative and not particularly industrious. He is pedestrian at best.
Maybe Braithwaite is the solution to the problem but there was one player on the bench last night who would have contributed more creativity – Bamford – and one not even selected in the match day squad – Downing – who has bags of experience and knows how to pick a pass. As it is obvious that teams are going to park the bus when they come to the Riverside, why doesn’t Monk select one of these two players for the no.10 slot? If he thinks that Baker is better than both of these options then we are in trouble for sure.
Not good news for Yorkshire cricket today either – now 20 for 4 chasing 451.
Exmil
You are of course entitled to agree with Andy R even if you are both wrong- ask AV he’ll tell you!
😉
🙂 I don’t see anything in AV’s facebook piece that contradicts my view or yours (or anyone’s in fact).
No, not contradicts Andy R but agrees – with meeee!
Happy days
Boro Exile & Ian
That was a disgraceful performance from Yorkshire 74 all out and losing by an innings and 376 runs. I suspect they weren’t even trying. I’ve seen some dreadful Boro performances in the last 70 years, but even the worst of their football performances I don’t think can have been as abject as Yorkshire’s batting displays this week. They should be deducted points and relegated for bringing cricket into disrepute.
Ken, I agree that it is disgraceful. Even if there is nothing to play for they are representing Yorkshire and should always put in the maximum effort. The batting has been weak all summer and unless they sort it out for next season they will struggle again for sure.
One thing to bear in mind with defending, there is only Ben Gibson currently playing in the first team from the mean team that got us promoted. That means a lot of work in solidifying the defence.
A misplaced pass or mistimed tackle around the oppositions box gives them the ball, the same applies around our box but with potentially disastrous results.
Don’t see why Fry is getting so much stick for one mistake. The young lad has taken his chance tremendously well and for me has been our best defender this season. Friends been appalling,Gibson has been ok but not spectacular,Christies settled well after a shaky start and Fabio is just Fabio never lets us down.
One mistake in defence led to their goal but bad decision making by our forward thinking players who spurned 21 shots at goal,the majority of them easy catches for their Keeper. Very harsh on Fry and ridiculous to say he should be dropped on Saturday.
At least Braithwaite looked impressive last night,let’s hope he gets 60 mins on Saturday and is fully fit after the international break. I’m sure with him on the pitch our play will soon speed up. After the initial few games with Britt Paddy and Gestede breaking their necks to get into the box we are now slow to get bodies up quickly. Last night was the worst game so far for it.
Three points vital for Saturday,almost a quarter of the season gone and our points tally is no where near what we expected
I feel sorry for Fry but then again I feel sorry for Diasboro
Guess who was lined up for the post match chat ?
Good Post and I agree with that.
I spoke briefly with Braithwaite after the match and he said he had no reaction after playing and felt fit again.
He really has to play Saturday and hopefully Fry will be in the team for the next time he is in a similar position it will be ball into row Z !
Hi Werder
The QPR errors could be overlooked, I think, because we went on to win the game anyway. The reason Fry’s isn’t overlooked is because it could have – not would have, note – made a difference to the final outcome if only he hadn’t made that error.
We had this under AK. Repeatedly. Many a game under AK may well have had a very different result if only “the defenders had done their job”, “if only that chance had been buried”, “if only Adama Traore actually had a good final ball in him”, etc, etc. I point to Wembley, where Ayala and Dimi’s hugely uncharacteristic mix up followed a Vossen screamer hitting the bar. If only.
It missed the real issue. The manner of those misses stuck out like a sore thumb because of the manner of AK’s style of play, which didn’t allow for too many opportunities to miss to begin with. For months I defended AK because so many games under him were close to having different outcomes… it took a great post from Smoggy In The Heed to finally make me see sense.
Errors are magnified by their consequences – the same error as Fry either saved by Randolph or the target missed by Maddison would hardly have got a mention. I think not many players will go through a game without making some kind or error and to be honest the goal by Norwich was a great finish – easily the best attempt on goal in the entire match.
If only one of our forwards had been similarly composed for one of our 21 efforts. Only five were on target and from memory two of those were almost passes to the keeper by Assombalonga, a Fry header from a corner also at the keeper and an Adama effort that was saved – all in the last half hour – plus a long range speculative effort from Clayton in the first half.
Werder
Errr that sounds familiar have you actually been reading my match report as you were putting it into some semblance of artistic merit ?
OFB
I’m not exactly sure what you are getting at there OFB – I unfortunately watched the same game online where Boro only had 5 efforts on target by the same players so I can’t really come up with a different number from different set of players to avoid it sounding familiar.
I suppose I could have said we won 2-1 thanks to an Assombalonga brace in the last 20 minutes but then that would have been a different game…
Werder
I meant we had the same thoughts on the match !
OFB
Sorry OFB, I think the ‘Errr’ at the start threw me a little into thinking it was some kind of cryptic message and I didn’t realise it was just a rhetorical question – though I should add that I didn’t need to do anything with your match report to put it into the semblance of artist merit (as you put it) as it was all perfectly written and ready to go!
It was just annoying that my Outlook email dumped your mail in the Spam box, which removed the attached document from the Windows 10 mail viewer, since I’d set aside half-an-hour at 6.00am to post it up before I was out for the rest of the morning. Especially as you’d obviously stayed up pretty late in order to get it to me for first thing this morning – so apologies for the technical glitch.
No problem we all appreciate the work you do and if ever I’m called off the bench to shake the splinters out of my butt I’ll be happy to do so
I could never match RR anyway and that’s not being sycophantic I and others genuinely relish those reports
Long may this blog continue
UTB
OFB
As a postscript, Big Jack was full of this when in charge of Ireland – using misses, errors, and external decisions (refereeing or bureaucratic) to possibly deflect attention from his own internal failings.
When Ireland lost 2-0 to Holland in USA 94, the idea that there’d been little wrong with Ireland’s performance per se and that both Holland’s goals came from defensive howlers from individual players rather missed the point that Ireland never looked like coming back into the game after the second goal, even though there were more than 50 minutes of game time left.
Len had a term for this during Aitor’s tenure: Scapegoat/s Of The Week. Gilty (sic) as charged.
Thanks to Bob for the match report.
Despite the excitement generated by Traore’s runs and dribbling skills, I feel that the end product is still not there. Baker has flattered to deceive and was poor last night. Yes, Fry made a bad mistake, just like Gibbo against QPR. It seems that players these days are averse to using the Row Z option. Decisive action is generally better than gambling in these situations. Despite his errors, Fry has, in my opinion, looked better than Gibbo this season, so I think it’s harsh on him to be scapegoated.
No creativity, slow starts and defensive errors are a challenge which GM is going to have to quickly resolve.
Everyone,and in this case every player makes errors, passes, judgement what ever they maybe. The big thing is learning from them. Next time he will forget about winning a goal kick or a throw-in and lash the ball out. Not pretty but crude and effective, I suppose it makes you to appear to not have a football brain if you employ crude but simple tactics and I am sure that some would criticise him for doing it.
It was a mistake, he needs learn and forget the event. Equally Boro should have tucked away one or two of their chances…
Note to GM, please start on the front foot with a degree of dynamism and energy.
UTB,
John
UTB,
John
Looking at the posts above I don’t think there’s actually been too much criticism of Fry. Not sure about other places or social media.
For what ir’s worth, whilst I wouldn’t be surprised or overly disappointed to see Ayala or Shotton play – they both have serious credentials – I would stick with Fry.
He is probably the least likely to make a mistake in the next match and to be shown support could be the making of him.
Overall though, we’ve got to stop shooting ourselves in the foot with silly individual errors.
Baker and Howson are the most vulnerable to the drop to me, as much as anything because we have serious competition for them in Bamford, Braithwaite, Downing and Leadbitter (and Forshaw?).
All the talk (and the defence of Fry) misses the point, in every match we have at least one instance of a near miss defensive changer.
The cause is not difficult to pinpoint.
Whilst the attackers are busy at the other end, the defence fall in love with elegant (slow) passing to each other,
it generally works out at, oh, I don’t know, maybe six very slow passes, three of them square across our goalmouth before we have another venture up field(slow, of course)
The strange thing is that from the stands we can see the speedy predator sniffing, looking hopeful every one of those oh so slow passes rolls ever so slowly to its intended destination, they often move slowly, to instil a sense of security in the victim.
The player trailing Fry as he shepherded the ball, deliberately fell back, then darted forward to steal the ball.
There was another incident last night when, for one heart shopping moment it looked as though the slow pass had been nicked, and it would have been a goal, it was that good.
I think the point is, even when it is ninety minutes of attacking, the defence is still all important and must be working flat out to put any pressure they can on the opposition, and I do mean, at speed.
by the way, Fry is fine, but the tactics are not.
Good points Plato and well expressed. It’s all timing.
UTB,
John
Grateful appreciation to Bob for stepping into the breach at the last moment and at least proves that the substitutions on here are better than AK’s and certainly more effective than GM’s last night.
Have to say I was a bit peeved when I seen the result possibly eased by consumption of considerable alcoholic beverages. Typical Boro came to mind! I’ve since had a chance to read up and watch the highlights and Dael’s error was a shocker and one that he won’t repeat again as it will be forever imprinted on his psyche for the rest of his career. I’m sure he feels pretty low so emotional comments elsewhere rather than on here about dropping him are understandable but he’s done nothing that Ayala and Ben (a few times this season) haven’t already done, dropped a clanger.
Big question for me is why? is it GM’s fault? Ultimately he carries the can but individually he can’t alter a players mindset during a game or can he? Something isn’t right at the back, in fact its downright diabolical and comedic. Think about the goals we have conceded and whilst the opponent has to gain the upper hand in order to score we have facilitated that by gift wrapping chances. There is something wrong, its now happening regularly, too regularly and seemingly not getting any better. We know what a good solid defence looks like but also accept that we can’t attack and think we will be as tight as we were under AK but come on now we are presenting errors that are expected from 13 year olds on a Saturday morning not professionals on a Saturday afternoon.
Midfield still isn’t working, its like a car that has an intermittent fault, Fuel? maybe, air? possibly, HT leads?, Timing?, whatever it is it isn’t running smoothly. Being blunt other than a wistful scratch of the head with a screwdriver it doesn’t look like the Chief Mechanic has a clue what is wrong. Up front Britt seems to need three times more gilt edged chances than most Strikers I’ve seen at this level. The positive is that we are creating them, the negative is that Britt seems to have a square forehead complimented by blinkers and hits or heads the ball in the direction he is facing. Paddy as we know doesn’t do that and will miss but at least by trying a deft flick or drop of the shoulder. I suspect in a parallel universe and all things being equal Britt would score more goals but at the minute his return on opportunities is poor. It pains me to say it but I believe Kike or Stuani would have scored more given that level of service.
Psychologically we don’t start until the 35th minute or thereabouts or until we go behind.That is a disturbing factor and allied to the above has to be addressed and corrected, no more “bedding in”, no more “settling in”, no more waiting to “click” its time to deliver. From a Corporate and Commercial viewpoint the return on investment has been very disappointing but then again all at MFC will be thinking the same if not openly admitting it just yet. If GM doesn’t cut the mustard and quickly in terms of Point on the pitch and not Plaudits after Pressers a number two may have to be installed quickly. as it stands its looking like there was more to Clotet than we originally all thought.
RR
Thanks for the comments the report would have been up a lot sooner if Werders machine hadn’t taken an instant dislike to my rambling style.
I suppose taking your analogy of cars that you posted about Boro you must have felt like an old car last night ?
Piston Broke !
OFB
Apparently Monk came out of the Closet when they fell out at Leeds
RR
Apologies I was just reading my match notes and noticed I had missed a final word on the game.
For some reason I had written about the Norwich manager.
It was only one word and I had trouble reading my own scrawl. It was…..
FARKE
OFB, our super sub for RR. Thanks, mate a great report. I missed the whole match because I was in Belgium for business.
So great report and Up the Boro!
It does seem that Monk is still in a quandary as to what system to employ, and which players to fit into it. After ten matches one might expect that he would have solved the problem, but he would appear to be not the only manager with this conundrum. Ronald Koeman seems to have a similar problem with Everton having spent a reputed £140M on new players and he has a higher profile than Monk and more experience especially with Valencia, AZ Alkmaar, Feyenoord and Southampton.
Although Everton have only played 6 matches compared to Boro’s 10, maybe we should give Monk some slack as Steve Gibson is unlikely to change managers in the near future.
I think everyone sees that Fry is going to be a very good Centre Back, he could be a top one if he understands his position,and what his priority is in certain situations ,I’m sure it will come,this is where the coach has to be questioned,
I’d have him on the training pitch this week, having balls knocked into dangerous areas and make him defend them in the right manner, so he automatically does it without thoughts of something else,the reason it was so bad last night, once the guy went round him he was lost and the other players weren’t in a position to defend tight.
That’s over with it happens , it’s now over to the coaching team to do their jobs not only on him but others too, I’ve mentioned before we still look a misunderstanding mash lot at times.
Other notes how many corners does Baker have to take before he Gets it right, very poor.
My biggest beef ,is , we are not in the business of learning,we’ve spent a fortune and right now not very well.
So tell me,
Why not Ayala with his experience.
Is Baker better than Downing
If you play one up front expecting other players arriving in the box to support,Bamford is the perfect one to do it.not playing?
Clayton starting from a centre back position?
Fabio making runs ,into dead ends when winger goes across the field with ball?
These are all questions aimed at the coach.
And on top of that £3.5 m ,on a Watford reserve,now awol?
COB
Dael fry has been fabulous this season. He has the potential to be a top defender.
However, he is a 20 year old centre back, playing in a key position, who has yet to make thirty first team appearances. Last season he was on loan at a relegated championship club and was unable to get in their first team.
Compare that to Ayala who in my opinion was our best player in our promotion season. He is a fantastic partner for Ben Gibson. He is a threat offensively from set pieces and a leader on the pitch. He has been through a successful promotion. A player who only a season ago was valued at around 15 million pounds.
Like I said this is not meant to be a slight on dael fry who has been fantastic, only that I think I would choose Ayala over any 20 year old centre back in the world if the objective is promotion and where consistency, experience and leadership are paramount to mounting a successful promotion push.
I would go on further to say that relying too heavily on Nathan baker another young player with bags of potential may be folly also, although he is playing in a position, unlike fry, where mistakes aren’t so costly. But we need consistent performers week in and week out, not flashes in the pan.
If we take the Season to date and look at performances as a whole then out of the two CB’s the one I would drop is Ben. I can speculate as to why he has dropped off in form and especially composure but out of the two of them up until last night Dael had been reasonably steady and dependable. If Ben’s surname had been Gibsonerez we would be preparing gallows and swearing he was doing a Gaston thanks to some of his dithering.
Personally I would request that the CB’s do not presently report to Rockliffe for training and instead report to the Riverside with one solitary coach. The logic being that they stand and place the ball anywhere of their choosing on the edge of the 18 yard box and then practice hitting the ball into Steve Gibson’s seat in the West Stand upper. When they have successfully repeated that feat 3 times in immediate succession then they can return to training with the rest of the first team at Rockliffe. Eccentric yes but it would focus minds and make a humiliating but basic point without the need to do it in public.
At the other end of the pitch I would organise a 1 on 1 training session with Britt and Beattie similar to the Father Ted sketch where Ted explains perspective to Dougal that big cows and little cows are in fact the same size and its the distance that makes them appear bigger or smaller.
Father Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These [he points to some plastic cows on the table] are small, but those [pointing at some cows out of the window] are far away… Small, far away
[Dougal shakes his head in confusion]
Father Ted: Ah forget it……
Beattie: Now concentrate this time, Britt. These [he points to some goalkeeper gloves on the table] are small, but those [pointing at some goalkeeper gloves out of the window] are far away… Small, far away
[Britt shakes his head in confusion]
Beattie: Ah forget it……
They could even make videos on their phones and put it all on twitter, one could be called “Gibson’s chair challenge” and the other the “Cow’s backside with a Banjo” challenge.
For Garry Monk we could have the “Dusty Bin challenge” as a homage to the late Ted Rogers only with a slight finger twist or two to a 4-2-3-1 instead of Ted’s original 3-2-1. If GM appears at the Press Conference tomorrow with the fingers of his right hand all bandaged up due to repetitive strain injury then we all know whats happened.
Lastly but not least a motivational speaker is needed, someone who will inspire, drive and wind up the players so that their headphones are removed a minimum of two hours before Kick Off. Minds fully focussed on demolishing the opposition and not on some dirge by a mono named wannabe US gangsta rapper, bedecked with Gerald Ratner approved gold chains, drawers half way down their backsides remonstrating on how unjust the legal system is with the local Sheriffs department confiscating his stash of Bazooka Joe’s nodding his head in rhythm to the same beat as those plastic dogs used to on tartan rug bedecked rear parcel shelves of Ford Consuls, Hillman Minx’s and Vauxhall Cresta’s of a few decades ago. Made cringingly hilarious by the fact they they live in the “burbs” of Yarm and Nunthorpe never having got of their heads on Lambrini and Special Brew let alone bling encrusted snuff boxes in their low riding Overfinch Range Rover’s.
Seriously as ridiculous as all the above sounds somebody needs to really get a ferkin grip of them right now and shake them before they next step out onto the pitch bedazzled by their price tags. It is sadly now too apparent that the current back room staff couldn’t motivate a bowel movement in a ward full of incontinent geriatric’s with the keys to the Senna cabinet. This Saturday is now huge and nothing but a resounding and definitive victory will do. Anything less and “Something tells me I’m into something good” might invite a more appropriate lyric adaptation!
Well. That has put a smile on my face as I have been eating my Shreddies (other cereals are available) for breakfast, at the same time making several valid points.
I think I am less concerned about the low conversion rate that Britt is demonstrated thus far, than the slow starts that leave us on the back foot and having to unlock an organised defensive shield that is protecting the one goal start that we have gifted.
A high tempo and forward pressing game from the off is less likely to lead to conceding a first (and early) goal at the same time creating the scenario that we force an error before the opposition had the chance to settle into the game. More chance then for us to score first, which obliges any team (bar a Karanka influenced one) to have to be more open as the game wears on as they hope to equalise.
RR, I could certainly here steam escaping there, excellent stuff. Someone needs to grab a few by the lapels, Big Jack/Souness style, and spell out a few facts about conceding early and getting in the oppositions face.
UTB,
John
Brilliant Redcar Red
The trouble is your reference to bowel movements does strike a cord with me. We all come into this world incontinent, and as you’ll find out when you reach my age, most of us depart from this world in the same condition.
No offence mind, just saying as it is.
A good point of view re: Ayala, Paul.
The alternative argument is that Dani will not last forever, he is injury prone, and blooding Fry is a safe bet against the day that Dani will eventually move on.
The second alternative argument is that the brittle and dependence of many Boro personnel, highlighted brilliantly by NikeBoro in the Mogga days, is very much part of Ayala’s armoury.
NikeBoro said of Rhys Williams, “All too often, he looks fragile and erratic and is too easily dominated. However he can be impressive and look like an imperious Rolls-Royce – but only when in a successful team and surrounded by the right players.”
I think the same pretty much applies to Ayala. His injury history has been so prominent to the point where we can’t rely on him on a consistent basis.
I think the Fry mistake is masking a lot of issues. Regardless of the change of personnel from match to match we have not come close to playing as a cohesive unit this season. I fear there are parallels with Aston Villas season last year, spent 50M and struggled all season and are only now just starting to gel. At this moment I see 6 or more teams better than us in this division at the moment, with the emphasis on “team”. Next half a dozen games are going to be interesting.
“Something tells me I’ve stepped into some ****” 💩
Anyhow there are only really 2 more games left before the die are cast and the spread sheet is launched.
I watched some very interesting videos on you tube during the international and cricket breaks regarding quantum theory [again] and uncertainty together with a mathemetical way demonstrating that the future has an impact on the present.
It seems that if we were destined to smash the league we would have already seen signs of it by now or at least by game 12 so fingers crossed for Saturday….
Not so much a mistake by Fry, but great hassling by the Norwich player. That the inside pass then led to a ” worldie” just emphasises the rewards of hard work.
Nevertheless Boro still had 77 mins ( plus the 13 that had already passed) to score a goal, yet failed.
This is nothing new, the failure to create and convert chances has been a problem for several seasons. We need a creative midfield player.
Nail on the head there GHW. Hope Briathwaite can be that player.
Where was Christie and the covering midfielders etc getting back picking up the runners. It all smacks off being half asleep and not alert enough in the early stages of games. Dael’s error in not putting it out was compounded by the above.
On Britt he has had more chances presented on a plate than any other Boro Striker I can recall including Ravanelli. With all those sitters he could and should be the Championship version of Lukaku and in double figures.
There is a creeping danger that all the hype has them believing that their proverbial smells of roses and all they have to do is turn up. That in theory should be fine just so long as they do so before the opposition score first.
RR, all good points. It’s interesting how opposition managers all say that Boro has the best squad in the league, probably with the intention of encouraging complacency in the Boro players. Seems it works!!
GHW
We had a glorious view of the Fry incident, as it happened, in Technicolor.
It was a death foretold, the ball was never going out of play, we knew that, the Norwich player knew that, we all tried to shout “man on” (I know, the logic of the lunatic asylum) But what can you do?
The rest happened in slow motion, after dropping back to lull him he accelerated, nicked the ball, and wandered in lonely isolation waiting for his team mate to get into position, rolled him a lovely pass and the rest is history
Fry simply made a decision and was stuck with it, brain freeze of course.
The line was one metre away, he could have fouled the player, decisions, decisions.
More to the point, where was the right full back? Fry shouldn’t have had to deal with it in the first place.
I hope that Downing’s omission from the match day squad doesn’t mean he has been naughty stepped because internal squabbles are the last thing needed when the team is stuttering.
Maybe OFB has some inside Information?
As far as I’m aware it’s purely tactical not political
Thanks OFB.
Good news in a way that it’s tactical but in my humble opinion the tactics are then seriously flawed because Downing would be a much better no.10 than Baker.
The tight muscle that caused my home internet to miss the Tuesday night match turns out to need more treatment and is not training at the moment. It is having a fitness test on Saturday morning so just doing light exercises in the office until then.
Many interesting posts and an air of contemplation amongst posters. Something isn’t quite right at the moment.
We are not the only club with a combination of new manager and/or players.
It begs the question have we too many riches? Is the manager spoilt for choice and finding it difficult to settle on formation and personnel?
All will be relieved.
The fact is Boro throughout this century have nearly always been lethargically slow starters in matches, especially at home. Some teams attack straight from the kickoff, we rarely do. I’m struggling to recall when we last scored in the first 10 minutes, yet we’re now getting into the habit of conceding early goals. In fact overall, we have conceded the first goal in 5 of our 10 league matches. Needs sorting quickly.
I thought it started when Mogga was the manager. But you are right we have had that attitude for a long time now. UTB,
Thanks to OFB for his report and for coming off the bench to admirably substitute in RR’s absence. Thanks also to Werder for his early morning editorial input/publication.
A very disappointing evening both in terms of the quality of the iFOLLOW stream and the fare on offer.
Some of my predictions came to fruition in that it would be a close fought game and that the canaries would defend in numbers and try to hit us on the break. I even got the score correct, just not the scoring team!
A salutary lesson for young Dael Fry which I am sure will leave him mentally scarred for a few days. I do not believe however that this one aberration is deserving of him being benched. He has shown immense maturity and ability for his age and experience and deserves support and encouragement to overcome his mistake, not chastisement. If we benched everyone who made a mistake then we wouldn’t have a team.
I am fearful that unless GM can sort out the deficiencies that have been highlighted to date, then I see our season ending in disappointment.
So far there has been an underperformance both on a collective and an individual basis which cannot be allowed to continue.
As has been mentioned on here by many, the slow starts which comprise a pedestrian build up and attacking style aligned to a tendency to shoot ourselves in the foot need to be consigned to the bin immediately.
I have watched all the games on TV and whilst it does have limitations I have been frustrated at the way in which the ball is recycled along the back line time and time again allowing the opposition time to ensure they are back in their defensive shape and to pressurise us at appropriate times. When defenders do look to get the ball forward they appear to be struggling to find a fellow player in space or on the move. I think the coaching staff need to make the team review the Fulham game to see how they moved the ball forward at pace and not by just hoofing it long.
On the personnel side, some of the incomings have not lived up to the hype with Baker being a disappointment and clearly not the attacking midfielder/creative player I had been expecting. For some one renown for being two footed and a dead ball specialist his free kicks and corner kicks have been mediocre to say the least and Tuesday in particular his corners were abysmal. He is often easily dispossessed and I cannot understand why he continues to start every game.
Assombalonga is only effective if he has close support and when isolated, as he was in the first half, he makes no impact and his first touch is poor with the ball often bouncing off him to opposition feet. On the goal scoring front he needs delivery on a plate and even then is not a certainty to score. He clearly at this stage has not shown the ability to create and score something of his own making.
Our return of 11 goals is poor given the investment in the front line and is flattered given that six have come in two of those games.
Howson has only shown his quality and abilities fleetingly and has not made the impact expected of an experienced Championship midfielder. He has not been the driving force I expected and we clearly need a fit and functioning Leadbiter to provide impetus and to drive the team forward as it has only appeared to have happened when he has been in the team.
It has been disappointing that Friend has not displayed his previous form at this level and whilst Fabio can deputise he lacks stature, is not a natural left footer and as a consequence when moving forward checks back onto his right foot which can lead to the move slowing down or not progressing. He also as a tendency to ball watch with disastrous consequences.
It has been good to see that there is clearly a good team spirit and that they enjoy playing together. As a unit however they are still disjonted and there continues to be a lack of intensity and flow to the attacking intent which is proving costly.
Whilst we have yet to see all the Championship sides play, I have been underwhelmed by what I have seen so far and since we were last in the division I believe the quality is lower than in previous years and they are all of similar ability. Not one team has stood out so far as being a serious threat to us and that is why I am finding our performances so frustrating.
if GM and his team are unable to quickly address what to many of us are clear flaws in the current set up then I fear as someone else mentioned that we will end up like Villa has albeit hopefully not like Sunderland are!
Come on lads get your act together and if not smashing the league then at least live up to your reputation as promotion contenders as to date you have rarely played like it.
CoB 😎
On paper this squad is better than the one we had last season in the Premiership so the “give it time to gel and click” has now worn very thin. AK had a Plan A and when that didn’t work he switched to Plan A and if all else failed then he invoked Plan A again. As ludicrous as it was it was at least a plan and everyone knew what they were supposed to be doing even when it didn’t work. The odd maverick like Albert who may go on a marauding run instead of passing it backwards or sideways was soon curtailed and shipped out, likewise Rhodes who didn’t fit the lone Striker profile.
Watching GM we seem to have several plans that change frequently during the game itself. I have to admit to not being entirely sure if we are going 4231, 4123 or just plain 442 at times. The Preston debacle with three clueless and lost at the back didn’t last long into the game. Despite their by Championship standard lofty price tags I’m not convinced that the squad are mentally sharp enough or just plain clever enough to be constantly switching about without making positional errors thereby allowing gaps to appear and confusion over who is picking up who.
There are individuals who have underwhelmed to date despite them having occasional purple patches or even odd games where they looked to be finding their feet. Why this is the case is perplexing enough but I do wonder if it is down to the shape and organisation constantly being disrupted. Then we also have support for the main striker changing from a No.10 supporting to wide play cutting in or even both. Does Britt need a strike partner? If not then he definitely needs some additional support as he is constantly praised for his unselfish off the ball running and closing down attributes. Now just think about that for a minute, a £15m Striker in the Championship defending from the front. It sounds more like an AK game plan so how on earth does that happen to a side supposedly focussed on pace and flair?
Defending Corners! this is a real bug of mine, GM pulls everyone back into a packed and crowded 18 yard box with no outlet at all, not one single player left upfield let alone two. Now if we were resolute Karankanista drilled defenders then maybe, just maybe I could grasp that but we now defend like Marilyn Monroe trying to keep her frock under control. At least she kept her undercrackers on whilst regaining control, we have players getting in each others way and no outlet should we eventually clear it (bearing in mind our CB’s have no idea where Row A is let alone Row Z! Putting say Johnson or Traore up front with maybe Baker or even Britt surely means the opposition cannot throw everyone forward (last desperate 5 minutes excluded). That means less players to mark, more space for Randolph to come out and claim instead of being hemmed in in a packed box crammed full of bodies. Heaven’s above we may even break away and score with all this pace and flair or is that not the point of pace and flair?
Set pieces? I’m afraid this hasn’t got any better than during AK’s tenure in fact if anything its worse. Grant may be no Brazilian set piece merchant and as bad and predictable as his corners where he at least could hit a free kick on target and with venom. From the efforts I have seen on Tuesday there is a strong case for Downing not being excluded for tactical or any other reason unless and until someone learns how to take set pieces. They could even just maybe work out a routine or two or are they so good that their price tags decree that they don’t need to?
The claim about it not being a case of not knowing who his best eleven is and instead being a case of a squad game only holds water for GM when you are 5 points clear with a game in hand. Having the best squad in the Championship and only playing decent football for 20 minutes a game tells an entirely different story when its repeated over 10 matches. Its not a disaster yet, we do indeed have the best squad and the best players in that squad. They do seem a united happy bunch and they can play some great football. So why aren’t they? Perfect planning prevents poor performance, it seems to me that the planning is either not good enough or effective enough at the moment.
I see that the games giants are agitating for a greater share of the enormous wealth coming into the game, even better they have collected three votes from Everton,Licester, and west Ham have joined them in trying to win the day.
Just shows the triumph of hope over experience.
KP
Villa are above us and seem to be turning things around. 🙂
It is too early for must win games but Saturday’s game is taking on some significance. Three points from two home games would be a poor return, one would be miserable and could deflate the home fans. I wont mention the third possibility but Brentford are showing some form and if they come flying out of the blocks whilst
we are still stretching our legs it could be a fraught afternoon.
It is good that the Diasboro outside the UK have the opportunity to watch games, it certainly adds to the quality of the blog.
I am about to watch the highlights.
What highlights ?
The half time draw by the sounds of it?
The cracker of a goal unfortunately!
Ian
Yes you are right. My comment was meant in the context of the way in which Villa were relegated and spent big but still did not manage to gain promotion. I am fearful of us going the same way.
Your comments regarding a must win game are apt and we certainly do not want a typical Boro performance as the impact it could have on the support let alone that it could leave us well adrift of the top slots.
Fingers crossed Tuesday was just a blip the team will want to put right and get us close to getting back on track to the two points per game requirement.
CoB 😎
Saturday is not only a must win game but a must win with a polished performance game. A poor wishy washy performance will result in sections of the Riverside expressing their displeasure in the traditional manner. A defeat is something that at this stage of the season will leave the fans asking massive questions and as we enter October it has traditionally been the month for Boro managerial changes come the middle or the end of the month. Now I don’t expect that to be the case but if the overall underwhelmingness of it all to date continues SG may decide that the cosy band of brothers great dressing room environment is perhaps just a little too comfortable for the many and a rocket from somewhere is required.
I would guess that the rocket would come from the appointment of a number two rather than a sacking but regardless a result is much needed this Saturday for GM and with it a performance to send the fans home purring with pride and excitement. The Riverside faithful will be watching for a confused tactical starting disaster changed after 25 minutes allied to a slow non committed start leading to going a goal down inside 15 minutes or so, a defensive muddle that resulted in said goal, Britt missing an open goal and one of Howson or Baker looking out of their depth. These are all just caricatures of what may happen of course but if any of them overtly present themselves then Garry’s honeymoon period may well and truly be over. Saturday is the day it has to click with all the parts tuned and in harmony.
Head on block I would go with:
Randolph
Christie, Fry, Gibson, Friend
Leadbitter, Clayton
Bamford
Traore, Assombalonga, Downing
Subs: Dimi, Roberts, Forshaw, Howson, Ayala, Fletcher, Johnson
—————Randolph
Christie— Fry— Gibson—— Friend
————-Howson Leadbitter
Traore ——-Bamford ——–Johnson
————–Assombalonga
Subs: Dimi, Johnson, Ayala, Clayon, Baker, Braithwaite, Fletcher
Randolph
Christie Fry Gibson Friend
Leadbitter Clayton
Traore Downing Johnson
Bamford
I would pout Johnson in for Downing but otherwise the same. Generally, the team has looked better for having Grant in it and I really want to see Bamford in the Sheringham role.
Bamford doesn’t have electric pace though so Johnson gets the nod to ensure we have plenty of speed around around him.
Braithwaite is the wildcard.
Randolph
Shotton Fry Gibson
Christie Friend
Traore Leadbitter Clayton Johnson
Assombalonga
Brentford will come for a point with a lone striker, we could feasibly even play with just two at the back.
————–Randolph————–
————Fry——Gibson———-
Christie-Clayton-Leads–Friend
–Braithwaite–Baker—–Traore—
————–Assombalonga———
Having watched the potted video version of the match, the goal was a collective failure. The midfield got no closer to their scorer than they did to Assombalonga.
Overall a poor result but their keeper must have had more pressure in the pre match warm up.
We certainly did not look a well drilled unit, the whole is not better than the sum of the parts.
I haven’t seen as much of the Boro as many of you not getting to many games nor having the benefit of overseas coverage but my impression is that Baker is not the No 10 we need.
Still, we move on and beware the ides of October. Getting to the end of the month with 22/23 points from 15 games is likely to leave us somewhat further adrift of the leaders.
I have no doubt Monk is safe in his job but the affect on the fans would be interesting to see.
So come on, a sort of pre Halloween challenge
Brentford H
Barnsley A
Cardiff H
Reading A
Hull A
We need five wins to get back to a point a game, what do you think we will get? The odd thing is all games are starting to look tricky.
Going in the interminational break with a RR’s polished win over Brentford would be a boost but getting ten points looks fraught.
Then there is the issue of a soft drink cup trip to Bournemouth to navigate.
That is six games in 17 days. Tough life being a Boro fan.
What I hope for:
Brentford H W
Barnsley A W
Cardiff H W
Reading A D
Hull A D
and what I fear unless fingers are pulled out and “gelling” excuses confined to the waste bin:
Brentford H D
Barnsley A D
Cardiff H L
Reading A L
Hull A D
The second scenario isn’t worth contemplating so it has to be the former especially the Home win against Cardiff.
On Saturday another laboured, ponderous, tactically confused start and things could turn to Brentfords favour very quickly. The Bees team talk will be to keep it tight, frustrate them and the home crowd will do the rest along with the Boro defence gifting the by now obligatory soft goal. GM has to ensure that whoever he puts out there in whatever formation are well drilled and know what they are doing, where they are supposed to be, fired up and ready to start from the off. That means Grant has to start with 10 others.
The chilled laid back approach isn’t working and is costing us points and games. if it happens again on Saturday GM runs the risk of the home fans starting to chant self deprecatingly “Attack, Attack, Attack” at the Kick Off.
Oh one thing to cheer me up on a miserable night was I won the dream team draw at the Boro a bottle of fizz !
That’s two in two weeks so my selection is obviously better than GM !
I’ve got over the game now and I mist say that Norwich were tactically superior and I liked Jerome up front for them
OFB
‘Tactically superior!’
Surely not, OFB. You’ll have to take that up with Andy R & Exmil.
Best of luck.
Did I hear someone call for the services of a motivational speaker?
Ahem…. maybe we have one in the Diasboro house!
Just sayin like.
Spartak,
Please stop jabbing your finger at fellow posters who have a different opinion and especially so when you are misrepresenting another’s view. The blog is all about debate and it’s difficult to do that when posters are subject to jibes and asides, however jovial or otherwise intended.
I didn’t say that we are tactically better than Norwich, I said that “I don’t think we should kid ourselves that recent results have been the result of poor team selections and formations/tactics” (Preston aberration accepting), and that there are two clear problems: individual defensive errors and slow starts. These are regular themes and urgent areas for improvement – which played nicely into Norwich’s hands/tactics on the night.
Norwich’s tactics were obvious and effective but I think it is probably easier to set up not to lose – and an easier message to convey in simple, understandable terms -than to try to win. Attacking appears more complex and fluid than defending, with it’s disciplines and structure.
I’m not saying that all is rosy. I’m not saying we’re going to smash the league. I’m not saying there aren’t causes for concern. I’m not saying that Garry Monk is a tactical genius. I am saying that slow starts and defensive errors are happening too often.
Chill, Andy!
Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.
There you’ll be fine.
🙂
UTB
Slightly off topic, but I’ve just had a message from Stuart Roy Clarke pointing me in the direction of his new website, Homes of Football (https://www.homesoffootball.co.uk/) – the film has some lovely shots of the Riverside and if you click on the Ms link there are a few more Boro shots.
I’m the Chairman of a busienss in Wigan and when Springfied Park held its last game the fans grabbed our advertising board and ran off with it – the only shot I’ve found is this one with our phone number (https://static.wixstatic.com/media/942a92_46884f4cd68c4ab691c35eaf4da79e4f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_697,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/942a92_46884f4cd68c4ab691c35eaf4da79e4f~mv2.jpg) but I know somewhere oiut there is a shot with our name on too – I’ve asked Stuart if he can find it for me.
Ooooh, a Chairman!
What with OFB & ian’s Jaguar we ought to name the blog Executive Diasboro.
Snotty nose wastrels like me could of course serve the coffee after M’Lords ave finished their nosh.
Bitter, me? Nah, I’m a Socialist.
UTB
Just step back in line there my man don’t want you getting uppity do we ?
Only joking !
Who said we are an executive set ?
Tony Blair is a socialist millionaire !
I’m a socialist too Spartak and was born in a council house in the Boro.
Don’t judge a man by his job title and NEVER presume that you know someone else’s politics.
Tony Blair a socialist? Ha Ha, you’re hilarious!
Ian
I think you meant five wins to get us back to 2 points per game.
Looking at the next five, and based upon current performance, I think we will do well to get 8 points which will probably leave us well adrift of the top two but in contention for 5th/6th spot.
I agree entirely with your comment re Baker and it it is one of the positions that needs to be addressed urgently as has been the case since Gaston threw his toys out of the pram.
I also still remain unconvinced about the AT project and a couple of good performances does not outweigh all his previous ineffectiveness or that he is likely to revert to type.
I believe that even at his best teams are beginning to get the measure of him, as they did to a large extent on Tuesday, when he was closed marked by two players who were intent on stopping him getting down the wide areas and to push him more infield with the consequence he ran into more traffic and lost effectiveness and often the ball. He also appeared at times to be a statue, with one notable exception where he raced back into defence and made and excellent tackle.
As far as being a tough life being a Boro fan, has it not always been the case!
I think we have got to the point where we know we haven’t got a Number 10 (clearly doesn’t rate Bamford let alone in there) so it may be prudent to adjust the tactics and formation to best suit what in fact we do have instead of square pegging players who clearly can’t fill Gaston’s boots. Whether that is 442, 3231, 433 or 4123 is up to GM but he needs to decide and settle on something and quickly.
I think 8 points would be par for the course but not a disaster.
“If the overall underwhelmingness of it all to date continues SG may decide that the cosy band of brothers great dressing room environment is perhaps just a little too comfortable for the many and a rocket from somewhere is required.”
Brilliant, RR. Absolutely brilliant.
Not everyone appreciated what was perceived as the ultimately suffocating oppression of Big Jack’s Ireland and AKBoro. By, or near, the end of each manager’s reign, it was suddenly oh so easy to join the Dunphyite calls for player freedom, to lament the players as hapless victims of a dastardly straightjacket.
But, either way, you can have too much of a good thing. The players can become too relaxed, the players can believe a little too much, too soon in their own praise, and it is then when the manager and the leaders have to crack the whip and get the squad moving upwards.
For all their weaknesses, and they had plenty, AKBoro and Charlton’s Ireland were upwardly mobile over a prolonged period of time. (And if you admired that – as I certainly did – they were easy to stand by.)
Something MonksBoro still have yet to be.
Redcar Red
I must admit my hopes would be
Brentford W
Barnsley W
Cardiff D
and somehow get a point out of Hull or Reading.
8 points would be good but 6 or 7 more likely and less a distinct possibility.
The problem is we haven’t had some really great performances scattered through the ten league games.
It can suddenly turn around and we put together another run with more conviction.
We should beat Brentford and Barnsley. Hull and Reading have started poorly and wins aren’t off the cards.. Cardiff at home , depends if they’ve run out of steam by then!
It’s the Championship. Nigh on impossible to predict. However, with two home games and three away, the target should be nine points and, with a little more purpose and concentration, that’s very achievable I think
There are managers ( many), who are not tactically bright, and basically sign players and rely on them to get him out of the brown stuff.
If these players are inconsistent and don’t come up with the goods, you end up mid table or lower.
John Neal was an office manager, I understand Southgate spent a lot of time in the office too, or at least most of the time.
Does Monk know what he is doing time will tell?
Just asking.
I second yer comments, GT!
Too many jolly japes and midnight snacks with matron sleepin I think. Perhaps we’ve gone from the sublime to the ridiculous.
UTB
Hello, is anyone lurking ?
It’s only me !
What, no …. oh welll then !!!!
We have a wealth of strikers (MB, BA, RG, PB, AF) so it makes sense to play to our strengths and employ 2 of them upfront as a default. We have three wingers (SD, MJ, AT) so we can play one of these each side, this leaves two spots for central midfielders so we’re free to pick from AF, AC, GL, JH or LB, most of whom are proven and capable. I’m not overly concerned what we call the formation but to me we have at least as many attributes as any other side in this division to deliver solidity at the back, creativity in the middle or out wide and goals upfront. However, after ten games we’re only 9th in the standings, 15th in goals scored and have delivered only 75% of our points per game target . . . so we’re behind where we’d like to be but not a mile away cast adrift and I haven’t seen another team yet who I think we can’t compete with, we’ve just got to actually show how good we are rather than just assuming it, and that’s entirely up to the players.
Billog72
Spot on but we need to put points on the board.
The front runners are doing well but timing is all. In our promotion season we are a bit ahead of where we are now, Brighton were steaming away, we got tanked at Hull but went on a good run.
The others came back to the field and when we were points clear with two games in hand we seemed to be ready to gallop away. We didn’t.
As Andy R says, the points are there to be won but you can only do that if you give it a go and get stuck in.
Pussy footing around, window wiper passing, sitting back, waiting and seeing, just wont get you anywhere.
Sorry, it will, at best the play offs.
Elsewhere, I have seen the footage of Ben Stokes night out. Oops!! It may be the only way he will be going down under is if we re-instate deportation to the colonies as was.
“Pussy footing around, window wiper passing, sitting back, waiting and seeing, just wont get you anywhere.”
A topic I am addressing in my next Talking Point.
If we keep our eye on the ball and our nose to the grindstone, take our feet off the brake and our head down we will uncomfortably play them off the park
Simon, this comment from the BBC report stood out to me from the recent Cardiff performance in their win against Leeds . . “Organised defensively, energetic in midfield and quick and powerful in attack”. The phrases “breathless” and “full-blooded” were also used, and all this in a pressure game against an in-form side. That isn’t about formations or ability, it’s all about players mindset, whether that comes from themselves or the management it’s something we need to replicate.
I agree that we should be looking to win 6 points from Brentford and Barnsley.
However.
Cardiff will come expecting to get a result, which for me perhaps makes it a better candidate for 3 points than Brentford who will come with a spoiling tactic knowing that we are having difficulty breaking well-drilled teams down.
Still, I have an abundance of foam here, so will stick my neck out and pich for 4 wins and a draw from the next 5 fixtures:
(w) Brentford
(w) Barnsley
(w) Cardiff
(d) Reading
(w) Hull
As for starting on Saturday, I think a lot is going to depend depend on how fit Braithwaite is yet. Assuming he won’t be started, I would like to see
————-Randolph——————–
Christie—–Fry—Gibson—–Friend
——–Clayton——Leadbitter——–
Traore————————-Downing
————-Bamford———————
——————–Assombalonga—–
Dimi, Braithwaite, Johnston, Howson, Fabio, Ayala, Fletcher on the bench
Was composing my last post while Billog72 posted and I can see that we were thinking a long the same, lines two up front.
While I’ve been busy writing a match preview for Saturday’s game, I see many of you are already pretty keen to move on and have started to contemplate the team. I’m actually getting ready to set off on the 24-hour road and boat trip to Teesside tomorrow – so I’ll be there in time to take my seat at the Riverside to hopefully enjoy a much needed victory. Hopefully we have a Plan Bee tomorrow…
https://diasboro.club/2017/09/28/championship-boro-v-brentford/
Werdermouth
Safe travelling and I hope our team does you proud – no typical Boro please for all of us!
Thanks KP, I’m travelling in hope rather than expectation!
Where are you sitting ?
Good question, I actually don’t exactly know as my ticket has been bought by NeverGiveUpOnBoro – I think it’s one of the sides but not sure which side 🙂
Ok enjoy !
Let’s hope the right side win …….
Going forward does the blog have a future beyond comments and opinions?
I agree that representation in the presser is not likely to work but there must be a way forward for all the intelligent minds that contribute to the blog.
Could we put this intellect to Google use by arranging charitable events?
What about an annual meet up?
The future is in our hands and some form of expansion should be considered.
Any thoughts?