Yes, typical Boro which is exactly what I feared would happen. Yes again we were a soft touch for the bottom team. We have now lost four of the last 6 games and 11of the 24 games played this season. Teams don’t finish in the top echelons of the league with that sort of record at the half way stage. Solving the chronic ongoing inconsistency must be a priority for Carrick as the team is going nowhere unless he does.
Yes we had a stonewall penalty denied plus we hit the woodwork a couple of times but Boro didn't control their own controllables...ie finishing off the many chances created. On that basis we got what we deserved. Talk about consistently inconsistent. Very frustrating.
A draw would have been disappointing but that was unbelievable.
Typical inconsistent Boro; ponderous going forward despite which they created clear cut chances but failed to score through poor finishing against a team who have been conceding two goals a game so far this season!
Top six teams don’t lose those games, unless we now take six points from the next two I fear we will slip further behind and make it even more difficult to catch up.
Not all over yet but the signs are not good; too many individuals are not producing the goods and question marks remain whether or not they are good enough at this level.
I agree we should have had a penalty but that wasn’t the reason we lost to a side who only offered hard work and organisation; probably not enough to keep them up.
A unbelievable end to Christmas! 😖😎
Well for that defeat, Mr Carrick has to take quite a lump of the blame.
OK, Rotherham created nothing, played for the draw and won the three points with a mishit cross the rocketed into the far corner. But they were very poor.
The Boro game plan, with yes, limited resources, did not work at all in the first 45. MC should have changed things at half time, either tactically or with substitutions, knowing that one chance out of nothing could change the game.
So, he brings on McGree for the once more ineffective Greenwood, but not Coburn or Crooks which may have changed things upfront. No, he waits until Rotherham score. Then to cap it all, brings on Crooks and Kavanagh in added time.
Why would you wait until there are only 3/4 minutes left to bring on two subs. We are one nil down, not one nil up. That was 3 points thrown away. Yes I know, someone on here will say, well we are still only three points off sixth place. Yes and the other seven teams above us are all saying something similar.
Huddersfield, is now a must win game.
Well, we had a cou9le of great scoring chances but missed them. And they got a fluke goal that was impossible to catch by Glover.
Some statistics from the match are attached. Up the Boro!
Ratings from Gazette
Tom Glover - 5
Didn't have a shot on target to save and was then beaten by a sliced cross which beat him as he positioned himself to better deal with a cross. It was harsh, but his positioning is pre-emptive and poor.
Anfernee Dijksteel - 6
Largely positive throughout both defensively and going forward. Goal came from his side but he was left with two as Jones failed to follow the goalscorer back.
Dael Fry - 6
Largely solid in trying to deal with the handful that is Jordan Hugill. Beaten for the header which led to the goal, though suggestions it may have been a foul on him too.
Matt Clarke - 6
Very similar to Fry in that he duelled well when he had to with Hugill and kept Boro moving out from the back. They conceded no shots on target but the rather fortunate cross-cum-shot goal.
Alex Bangura - 6
A couple of uncomfortable moments but largely very positive, particularly going forward. Bundled down in the area for what looked like a clear-cut penalty as well.
Jonny Howson - 6
In a largely dominant Boro display possession-wise, Howson didn't do an awful lot wrong. But there were just a couple of passes that lacked their usual crisp and when the passes aren't crisp against a setup like Rotherham's it allows the extra second to regroup.
Dan Barlaser - 7
Probably Boro's best on the day in the way he once again dictated the tempo for Boro and kept them going. A couple of sloppy passes strayed back in, but by and large he always went looking for the ball and looked to move Boro forward throughout.
Isaiah Jones - 5
Was lively in attack and was unlucky not to score early on before wasting a great counter-attacking moment later in the first half with a really tame effort having earlier delayed a potential through ball for Silvera. He was then guilty of not tracking Bramall back for the goal.
Morgan Rogers - 6
Plenty of neat touches and flicks, he was involved in some way in almost every decent Boro opening. It was such a congested space that he was trying to operate in, so it wasn't easy to thrive in it, but he at least tried.
Sam Greenwood - 5
Struggled to really get into the game much but still found three of Boro's best chances falling to him. He was thwarted by one good save but he hit the bar with another and hit it straight at the keeper from eight yards with the latter.
Sammy Silvera - 5
Struggled up top as Boro's lack of a natural centre-forward showed against such a stubborn defence. He had one major opportunity in the second half which he dragged wide but otherwise struggled to have much impact.
Substitutions
Riley McGree (For Greenwood, 70') - 6 - Positive after coming on. Tried to make something happen and was so unlucky when Johannson tipped one onto the post.
Lukas Engel (For Bangura, 77') - N/A
Josh Coburn (For Dijksteel, 77') - N/A
Matt Crooks (For Howson, 90') - N/A
Cal Kavanagh (For Silvera, 90') - N/A
Dear oh dear. The lack of a clinical cutting edge in the box is costing us dearly. Unless that is resolved early in the transfer window, I fear it will be too late for us to be more than upper middle table also rans when the honours ate being handed put.
Perhaps we ought to concentrate on winning the Carabao Cup to make us look like an attractive proposition for some talent before next season.
I do not like to negative, so like I posted earlier today, failing to win today is not the end of the season for us, it is just making it so much more difficult for us for the rest of the campaign....
On Boxing Day we failed to score and gave a goal away
"How typical of Boro" I can hear the fans all say
Now for an in form striker in the window we all pray
O'oh when will the Boro score more goals
Sco'ore more goals
O'oh whe'en will the Boro score more goals
This was the performance we all feared might happen last Saturday. The brilliant and somewhat unexpected win against West Brom allayed the justifiable pre-kick-off worries that we would lack any kind of cutting edge.
Here, our lack of a fit front line striker came back to haunt us as we dominated the game, created any number of acceptable chances but failed to take any of them.
With Typical Boro inevitability Rotherham, in a rare break, scored when an intended centre was sliced into the top corner of our net from the acutest of angles. It looked as though our keeper might have been at fault, but the ball sailed in well over his head. The flukiest of flukes.
The obvious criticism is that we played too much Fancy Dan football, and should have been more direct.
And it is true that the usual suspects, Silvera, Rogers, and Greenwood engaged in far too many flicks and failed cute passes that either got us nowhere or broke down entirely.
But it was our finishing rather than our approach work that really let us down
Greenwood spurned four gilt-edged chances, Silvera failed when through on his own and late in the game punted two long-range shots over the bar with team-mates in better positions begging for the ball. Jones also finished weakly whilst Rogers struggled to get into the game.
Yet we played some great football. Their keeper was M-o-M, and we hit the post and the bar. But this was really Hull write so large that even the partially sighted could see it. A failure of too many of our forwards to put the ball in the back of the net. A lack of basic ability in a well-coached team.
I don't despair at this result. Other results went with us today and there was plenty of evidence, even today, that we could still be in with a shout come the end of the season. But this result was a manifestation of our failure over the past three seasons to recruit the three or four decent strikers that are needed in this division to get us out of it . Today, as on Saturday, we started with precisely zero. But this time we paid the consequences.
I thought Clarke was our best player today, keeping their only real attacker, Hugill, well under control. And it would be difficult to find fault with our defence which scarcely put a foot wrong.
But Greenwood was disappointing, and Rogers was never really in the game. Our approach work was good, however, with Howson and Barlaser dominating midfield and both Jones and Silvera lively and energetic in attack.
But oh, that finishing!
Good post, Len.
Even if we had a fully fit squad, the lack of real quality striking options would be glaring. I think the defence and midfield would generally be ok (we would most probably need 1 more decent midfielder (a big assumption being HH staying) and a specialist RB. However we are seriously under resourced up front. So let's hope the powers that be, have something up their sleeves. The only plus is that we have very few loanees so would not start from scratch again. Keeping Hackney and McGree however, would mean another big rebuild. No real major complaints with Carrick, I think he has done ok with the present attacking options constraints he faces. He simply needs some better playing resources at his disposal if we are going to be genuine contenders especially when competing against parachute payment clubs each year. UTB
it seems that we set ourselves up to, "see how the game goes". No matter what our opinion of our Young striker is, today was the perfect time to let him loose against a poor team who expect to let in goals from the start! All these upsets have the same narrative, the none strikers are non strikers for a very Good reason, they get all a flutter when the chance comes, After a few blunders in front of goal, they get worried that the opposition may fluke one, they do just that, then they call on the player who would have loved to play ninety minutes against such trash. This story is repeated ad nauseum, and always ends the same way.
This time last year we were 14th with 30 points.
Today we are 14th with 33 points.
Keep the faith.
OFB
I think we all keep the faith because we have to as supporters of the Boro. But the stats show were mid-table last season and now we are mid-table this season at the same stage. I would argue this is because the team is inconsistent and no progress has been made in addressing the problem.
@jarkko The only statistic that counts is One - Nil
I did not keep count of the corners, but the BBC had a lower total I believe.
However, considering how many we did have, why did Barlaser continue delivering the same type of delivery, when it was obviously failing. Are the coaches just not capable of teaching something else. Or is it that the players are just not capable of learning other than the norm hoof into the box.
After almost 70 years of following this sad bunch of losers, and just when you think to yourself, why the hell do I constantly, year after year, put myself through all of this self inflicted flagellation and do something else to hurt myself, like maybe licking a 240v live electric cable, wearing 80 grit sandpaper underpants, trimming my nails with an angle grinder, nailing my shoes on instead of tying my laces, or maybe just simply sticking a pencil in my eye, why on earth do I flick through the fixture list to see where my next injection of Methamphetamine swiftly followed by Mogadon is coming from? I regard myself, despite being born and bred in Park End, as a reasonably well, self educated (I missed more school than I attended) individual, that has a balanced approach on life and made a bloody good job in raising a family and providing more than expected in what's required to do so. And yet, if I took the same approach in life's choices as I do in my regard to what was served up yesterday by clowns in suitably dressed clothing, we would literally be living the Monty Python life in a shoebox in the middle of the road, luxury I tell you, sheer luxury.
I took the equivalent steps of leaving the ground early for the first time by taking myself to bed after the clock ticked past 70 minutes, because to be quite frank (what's poor Frank got to do with all of this?) we wouldn't have been dangerous or threatening if we'd taken to the field armed with AK47's. Fist pumps were the order of the day post WBA, but after that crap last night it's now a case of stand up straight, arms by your side and legs one yard apart, free kick anyone, form a line please? Still, the light at the end of the tunnel (or is that a train coming the other way?) is that there will be no muppets dressed in skunk uniforms in the line up to take a free punt, they've got more than enough woes of their own to contend with whilst taking up the same stance.
Can we please stop this, "we're only three points from this and only three points from that", and "all of the other teams around us got beat, so we're still in with a shout" because, until we get our garden prim and proper and with the shoots of what we sowed in the summer beginning to show signs of growth, we can't be seen to be poking fun at the weeds in everyone else's allotment now can we. I've never been one that looks at the results coming in to see who's done what because there's only one result that matters, and that's ours, there's only one performance that matters, and that's ours, and there's only one person looking back at us when we look in the mirror, and that's us. If there's not a lot of towels draping mirrors in players bathrooms this morning I'd be amazed, because if I'd put in a performance like that and then went "kerching" as the money went in to the bank, I honestly couldn't face the reflection looking back at me.
Okay, whinge over and I now have to face the reality of a day by the pool in 30C, wall to wall sunshine and with a beer in my mitt, I at least have this as an aspirin to my throbbing pain. How the hell I got over it back in the days when daylight arrived around 09:00min the morning, and then disappeared around 15:30 in the afternoon after a day being windswept and drenched I'll never know, I think I'm going soft. There again, I have to be soft in the head supporting the Boro and being stupid enough to broadcast the fact, is it time for my medication nurse?
Let's get real, this defeat is on Carrick, he picks the team, he picks Greenwood every game, who doesn't belong to us, this guy should have fifteen goals with the chances he's had, I don't care anymore
@gt A while ago I thought that at £1.5m Greenwood was a snip, I wouldn't give you £1.50p for him at the moment, he's making a living off one free kick against Leicester. The only reason he's possibly getting a game at present is that it's in his contract to play when available, if it is then the answer is to knack him in training.
@peasepudinperth I think he gets selected as we have so many injuries. But I do not want to blame an individual as this match was lost as a TEAM.
As terrible as yesterday was, we are still just three points off the top six position. We have to remember that the other teams are not that much better. If we can start McGree next, it will be in improvement.(until he will go to join the Australia team next week). And then hopefully Hackney will be back soon, too - that was not supposed to be long term injury.
But the finnishing was terribleyesterday. When shall we have Latte Lath back fit? Up the Boro!
@jarkko Jarkko, if you read my post you'll see that I panned the whole set up and no particular individual culprit, in my reply to GT I was simply endorsing his opinion of Greenwood, or better known as the invisible man. If I was to finger an individual then it would be Greenwood, firstly because he's not one of ours but a 'Dirty', and secondly because at present he's about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike.
@peasepudinperth Sorry, did not mean to critize you. I was thinking myself that Greenwood has played badly for the last two to three matches but did not want to say that. It was poor play as a team - we did not lose with a individual error. And yes, gt said it originally about Greenwood.
Perhaps Greenwood needs a rest like Crooks did. But at the moment we are playing those who are fit. Not those who deserves the shirt. Up the Boro
and @peasepudinperth
I think we need to call out a management failure here, as much as a team failure. The reluctance ro get the team to play it differently after half time and the overly delayed substitutions have to be recognised as big contributing factors.
We are fortunate it is a poor collection of teams from 5th down but we have to be honest and acknowledge that so far we are demonstrably the worst of those 10 teams from 5th down. The table does not lie and the table couldn't give a monkey's about any team's injury list.
We are not out of it yet, but (as usual) we supporters are being dragged through the mill. Huddersfield is not not going to be a pushover...which team is for Boro this year...
I’m less inclined to blame the team as a whole. The back four were excellent with Bangura in particular looking very good. He and Engel are a quality duo battling for the one place. The midfield moved the ball forward as they should and it should have been ok except for the abysmal finishing. Greenwood had one strong shot that was a bit too central, a misplaced free header and two golden opportunities when all he had to do was pick a spot on either side of the keeper and last defender. If it had fallen to Rogers (or Crooks or McGree ..and yes, maybe Coburn as well ..) it would have been a goal. Silvera can’t keep his shots down and Jones can’t shoot with power.
Even McGree in his cameo came closer to scoring. He hit a strong shot that produced a truly superb save.
Yes, we should have had a penalty but given the way they were playing, who would you have trusted to take it. I suppose Howson or Rogers.
We controlled the game but that’s worth nothing if we don’t score. We have to convert our chances or this will be a depressing season.
utb
@selwynoz. Excellent and balanced assessment of yesterday’s game.
I do however agree with other posts about MC not changing things/personnel earlier; we seem one dimensional and easier to set up against to nullify, especially with strikers who can’t strike.
Whilst hoping I am wrong, I am already fearing a disappointing outcome to another campaign. 😎
@selwynoz Well said there, mate. We had some golden chances to score and a stone-wall penalty claim. It is what it is as Mogga used to day. Next game please.
Anyway, up the Boro!
Thankfully didn't see the game - though just watched the highlights - and can't believe Boro didn't win that one yesterday. Another missed opportunity (as they say) to have been level on points with 6th spot. The match stats just emphasise how one-sided the game was and in the end it was down to some poorly executed shots and of course that inexplicable decision by the ref not to award what looked like the simplest penalty award I've seen in a long time - the defender just pushed Bangura to the floor without any attempt to play the ball - shocking decision at this level.
Anyway, Boro had more than enough chances to win the game and they must be kicking themselves - though I suspect some may have missed. Time to regroup and make sure they win on Friday as results won't go our way again - a real shame after such a good team performance to beat West Brom to mess up against the bottom club.
In the match that I was watching, I saw the Boro have a stranglehold on the game in a way that I have rarely witnessed before. Also I saw Bangura repeatedly showing an incredible turn of speed and Clark supremely dominant in the defence.
I’ve avoided reading the posts on here until just now. We were away at relatives in Ripley all day yesterday (passing signs to Rotherham on the way) and only saw the result on the way home.
I can understand the negativity and anger on here after that performance, but I’m not prepared to play the blame game on individuals or even MC. We win as a team, we lose as a team. On another day, we’d have won by a hatful and all would be sweetness and light on here.
We all know we’re not the best team in this league, we’re almost certainly not even one of the top six teams, but we’ll win enough to be mid table and might yet claw our way into the playoffs.
January may bring a decent striker, Josh Coburn might get over his injury and be the new Messiah or young Kav could come good. All three of those options seem unlikely to me but it is what it is.