I think we forgot that Howson was injured most of the pre-season. Just shows how much Carrick rates him as he was played.@jarkko Sorry, but I think JH is now probably out of it, especially when it comes to defending the back four.
But long term it could be HH and O'Brien. And then there is Barlaser ...
Last season we always played 4-2-3-1. With all the new players who have arrived, Carrck has said he is not stuck anymore to just one formation like last season. So it will be interesting to see the formation after the bad start we had.
Interesting match and as @deleriad said, we might well see 4-3-3 on Saturday. Up the Boro!
@selwynoz I wonder when McGree was or will be back on Teesside? I hope he is OK to play but can be on the benxh after all the travelling. Up the Boro!
The game was played on Sunday US time in Arlington Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys. That means that the trip back wasn't too bad. I don't know when the squad split up but they only had the one game.
UTB
Many thanks for your usual excellent opener, OFB. In fact, I think you’ve taken it up a notch this time around with a lot of detail and additional thought/opinion included. Bravo.
Also many thanks to the other contributors above who have made some excellent points, particularly Deleriad.
Boro? We’re stuck in a loop.
A couple of years ago we acrimoniously replaced Neil Warnock with Chris Wilder. Before too long we were playing some terrific possession-based, attacking football, beating teams all around us, coming back to win from behind on several, exhilarating occasions and shooting up the table. However, we dropped off poorly at the end of the season, missed out and then carried that poor form into the next season.
Not long after, Chris Wilder was sacked. Enter Michael Carrick. Before too long we were playing some terrific possession-based, attacking football, beating teams all around us, coming back to win from behind on several, exhilarating occasions and shooting up the table. We dropped off poorly at the end of the season, missed out and have then carried that poor form into the next season.
The main difference seems to be that Wilder was held accountable for the poor run, the finger of blame pointing directly at him. That is not yet the case for Michael Carrick but you wonder how long that will hold.
More importantly of course, was/is the manager actually the problem? We seem to have had the same outcome regardless of the man in charge. Or maybe our expectations are too high – maybe this season was always going to be one of overhauling the squad and building for the future. It’s not a message the club can publicly announce for fear of seeming unambitious in a time when, perhaps more so than ever, fans have to dig deep to find the cash for season tickets and the like. As long as the whole club are internally on-board, it might be ok longer term.
Anyway, I go into the Blackburn game with the usual hope but sadly without any genuine reason to be confident. Two weeks on the training ground with the majority of the squad should help but Rovers fans can say the same.
I’m away with work all weekend and won’t be able to follow the game so I’m leaving it up to you lot to turn our fortunes around.
Come on Boro. Please.
More importantly of course, was/is the manager actually the problem? We seem to have had the same outcome regardless of the man in charge. Or maybe our expectations are too high –
I think the majority of footballs teams, especially in the the Championship, have expectations higher than the reality.
We, the supporters have been waiting for, what is now, 7 seasons? One could argue that things looked better at one stage under, Wornock, Wilder and now MC, but then collapsed, bringing the next Manager.
This season, for the likes of most on here, it was always going to be difficult. However generally amongst the supporters there was hope, shown by the increased ST sales.
Now that hope has almost disappeared, with the fans generally, probably feeling let down once more.
So going back to Andy's paragraph above, is it the Manager? May be not. May be it is MFC. Let's be honest, their strategy at times has been decidedly flawed. Who knows exactly what they have in mind.
They are certainly not very forthcoming in communicating with the fans. The truth is possibly that SG has finally realised he cannot buy his way into the EPL and has decided that we will have to do a Luton.
interesting about Barlaser is that whilst his range of passing skills are unquestionable, his pace (or lack of it!) somewhat leaves a lot to be desired.
He was always considered to have a good forward pass within his skill set but I’m afraid I don’t rate him. I would have expected that after a settling in phase last season he would now be staking a claim for a regular first team slot this season.
OFB
In fairness to Barlaser, I think I'm right in saying that we've only seem him play alongside Hackney, which doesn't suit him as they're too similar. It might be a better outlook for him if he played in a midfield three or alongside Howson/O'Brien.
As it is, I see him purely as back-up for Hackney.
@andy-r I would say that arguably. he is the best passer of the ball of the midfielders we have. However like the others we have, he does not have a lot of pace. And unfortunately, none of them are good at the defensive side of things.
Lets hope O´Brien is the one that we are crying out for.
Well come Saturday I haven’t got a couch to hide behind but I will be we walking along the cliffs near Cawsands with what is left of my midfield but a Boro supporter and cliffs? It’s a bit machinery and sharp implements!
Maybe I’ll stay on the beach and have an ice cream instead. Forward planning I think, let’s hope Boro have some forward planning including not giving away a goal away just before halftime and trying to score first themselves. Not forgetting a Plan B.
All the best everyone,
UTB,
John
@john-richardson. Enjoy your cliff walk John, just don’t jump off when you find out the result! 😂😎
Many thanks for the opener OFB and I expect you would be hard-pressed to find any positive quotes after Jarkko's revelation that this is Boro's worst start to a season in their history! Things can only get better - surely?
So back-to-back away games followed by the visit of Southampton to turn it around for Michael Carrick - not the easiest tasks with bags of new players and projects to reassemble into something resembling a coherent team.
Hard to know where to start but it may be the time to go with players who know what the Championship is about rather than hoping young inexperienced projects will find a way to impose themselves on the game.
Indeed, I'm sure many of the new arrivals were sold on joining a club that came within a whisker of breaking into the Premier League - not sure how many will be up for the fight of dragging the club off the floor of the league.
I would expect O'Brien to be starting as he looked full of energy and commitment when he came on that had been absent for most of the game against QPR. As to where and what role he's given is another matter and it could require either shifting Hackney into a more advanced role or even dropping one of him or Howson.
Though it's hopefully in defence where a lot of work has been done in the last two weeks and there are some decisions to be made for Carrick. I've not been convinced by Engel since his arrival with perhaps only one game where he looked OK at full-back but has offered little going forward - so I'd like to see what Alex Bangura can do instead.
At right-back in the absence of Dijksteel, I'd be inclined to stick with McNair as he's looked one of the better performers this season and has plenty of experience and is one of the few wise heads left at Boro. In central defence I'm not seeing much from Fry that fits the way Carrick wants to play and he looks a bit one-dimensional and is not looking on top of his game. Lenihan at least appears to read the game better and attempts to find forward passes and make runs - Fry looks better suited to a team that defends deep and keeps tabs on a traditional centre-forward.
Having said that, McNair is one of the only options available unless 18-year old Rav van den Berg is going to be thrown in at the deep end and persevered with - sounds like a high risk given the circumstances. OK, there's lesser-spotted Matt Clarke but not sure it's time for a player who's barely kicked a ball for nearly a year either - interesting idea about playing Jonny Howson in central defence as I recall the last time he was forced to switch to that position he was the best player on the pitch.
Up front you pay your money you take your choice - could be anybody given the options available. I'd expect Latte Lath to be the striker but he's not remotely looked like a finisher in the same league as what was available last season - I'd like to see Coburn get more than a brief cameo from the bench if Boro were needing a goal. Though for me it would be McGree and then either Forss or Jones if Hackney is playing an advance role.
That may not be the winning formula and who knows which players will click together eventually - Carrick will be given time but he desperately needs a win if the seagulls won't be gathering like vultures when the Saints arrive.
Another change of manager in October sounds like the crazy option but as has been raised already - Boro have only managed good runs of form in recent times after changing manager and then have seen the form nosedive followed by a dismissal. Maybe the Watford way is proving to be the best option to motivate players and grab their attention as after six months it appears your side becomes predictable and ineffective.
So can Carrick reinvent himself and the team or will he keep trying the same things until they work - I guess we'll soon discover if there is a winning team among the bits and pieces now gathered at the club. Though not sure if he thought he's be making Boro history in quite the way he has so far this term...
@werdermouth It was the local BBC that said it was the worst start in Boro's history. Don't shoot the messanger 😆.
Anaway, the Echo reprted some better statts.
Although Boro are currently propping up the Championship, their Expected Goals per 90 minutes is the seventh best in the division and only three teams have lower Expected Goals Against per 90 minutes. Only seven teams are averaging more shots per game and eight teams more shots on target. And at the other end of the pitch, only four teams are facing more shots per game.
The stats - and certain aspects of Boro's play - encourage Carrick and possibly some fans.
I will miss seeing the match due to my brother's 60 Year Anniversary Party. He is an Arsenal fan and they play on Sunday. But I will miss the Boro match, though. Younger brother ...
Up the Boro!
I guess if Boro were going to shoot the messenger at the moment they'd probably miss 😉
Interesting stats but what do they mean? Sounds like we should be scoring more goals and conceding less - or to put it another way, Boro are not putting their chances away and are not defending shots very well compared to other teams.
Not a great combination but sounds like the team should be doing better than they are at both ends of the pitch.
Just watched an entertaining game Southampton v Leicester. Whilst both teams weren’t perfect, the game seemed to be played at a faster pace than Boro usually play. Based on this performance Southampton looked okay going forward but made too many mistakes when defending and like Boro will be going nowhere if they can’t defend. Leicester were solid.
I know that some people on this site didn’t rate Karanka but he taught his teams how to defend and keep a clean sheet - and he got Boro promoted.
Another stark contrast watching the press releases of M. Carrick and N. Warnock. M.C . seems very cautious in his replies with little fluency despite getting the same questions every week. By contrast N.W. is relaxed, smiles and talks fluently demonstrating his experience. You can visibly see he enjoys talking to the press.
I can’t imagine how M.C. motivates his players at say half time when the team are not playing well - I’ve no doubt how N. W. will do it !!
And so onto tomorrow - my biggest wish is for Boro to keep a clean sheet guaranteeing at least a draw. But I can’t see it happening and so hope they score two goals which I think might be enough for a draw but I’d not put money on it. What a contrast in expectations to last season!! 👋☹️
Philip of Huddersfield
If not good at HT
Then go 343
Deing
Fry,McNair, Lenehan
Howson, Obrien, Hackney , Bacula
Greenwood, Latte, Mcgree
If that doesn't work, we have bigger problems than we think
COB
BTW, when was the last time when we had both an England U21 and a Netherland U21 player in our team? And both played a full match for their country last week, too.
Beside we have a couple of full Australian internationals, too.
I think long term, we will have a very exciting team together. We just have to solve the short term problem. Let's see how we shape today - will it be something different than 4-2-3-1?
Up the Boro!
Remember Aaron Connolly? He has scored four goals for Hull City this season. That is one more than the whole of Boro team. Just saying, like.
Up the Boro!
4
Thanks for the opener OFB - been off football for the break and trying to keep sane and forget about our predicament!
I am hoping that MC will have worked his magic with the squad over ghe last 2 weeks and we come out rejuvenated.
Team selection will be interesting I feel and might give an indication of what has been achieved.
I can’t see 3 0 ti Boro somehow, I will settle for a 2 2 draw at the moment!
agree re ghe defence aspects- at the end of the game a scrappy 1 0 win gives you 3 points whilst an entertaining 3-4 defeat leaves you with nowt!
Right now we need to work at both ends in my view
Team News: Plenty of changes - make of that what you can...
In defence it looks like Rav van den Berg may be back at right-back and Bangura at left-back. In midfield Howson, Hackney and O'Brien all start and that leaves a front 3 of Latte Lath, Crooks and Forss - McGree still on the bench.
McGree may be on the bench after travelling this week whilst away with the Australian Squad. Hopefully we will see him make an entrance later in the game.
OFB
Possibly Carrick starting mainly with players who were available for training during the international break - I notice Engel not in the squad today.
McGree may be on the bench after travelling this week whilst away with the Australian Squad. Hopefully we will see him make an entrance later in the game.
OFB
makes sense although depending on how the game is going, I would like to see him on at half time.
Well it's certainly a pretty radical overhaul. Engel, Rogers and Silvera have taken quite a bit of flak of late, so it will be interesting to see whether being out of the firing line for a time will help them in the long term.
I wasn't too convinced by Rav an den Berg as a right-back as he looked too big a unit to be getting up and down the pitch regularly and looked shattered after an hour or so.
So O'Brien actually not playing in midfield but as a left-sided attacker 🤔
All to do and not sure where the creativity will come from. Still little pace.