We doubled the amount of points in Sheffield. First away point and all.
But we should have won this match in the second half, though. I doubt if the Crooks' dissallowed goal was offside or not. He was level with the ball. Small margins.
Up the Boro!
Make no mistake Wednesday are a poor side and the fact Boro couldn't beat them to get off the bottom just about sums up the game. Don't understand how some players stayed on the pitch and you'd expect McGree to be able to do something more than Silvera or even the man who replaced him in Greenwood - whose last kick of the game was a woeful free-kick that sailed over the bar.
Well I hope Kieran Scott was watching his new signings - well those who haven't already been dropped as he may need check those video highlights he watched before signing them to check if they weren't AI fakes. I'm at a loss to think any of our new signings have actually added any quality to the squad and I'm expecting most will be discarded in the coming weeks to leave a very thin first XI.
It's a shambles and little sign Carrick has much idea how to reboot the team - it may be time to bring in a few academy players to see if they can add the quality that is sadly missing - surely they can't be any worse and no doubt a few will have the composure and guile that the majority of our new signings have failed to demonstrate they possess.
It's looking grim!
We are lucky we were playing one of the teams with the worst goal scoring record in the league so far.
We were unlucky that we were playing as one of the other sides with the worst goal scoring record in league so far.
We are far too slow on the ball and players are far too static when one of our other players has the ball. I said this last season when our rapid passing covered up that shortcoming. While we have players that do not (or cannot) move the ball on rapidly, this will always catch us out.
Jones has to start on Saturday and so does McGree, but in place of Silvera on the left.
Too gutted at the inept first half performance and our woeful finishing to say more now...
Well, we were better second half, though that’s not saying much. There was more energy, more threat on goal and some decent combination stuff from Jones, Crooks, McGree and Coburn. Hackney and O’Brien had positive second halves, and I thought Van den Berg did very well at left back. We actually scored from a corner! MC at last showed us he had (half) a plan B.
But that was still a huge opportunity lost. For 20 minutes we had them on the rack, but we failed to capitalise after the equaliser, and thereafter the game fizzled out a bit and we lost momentum. Greenwood replacing McGree was possibly a mistake, in retrospect, as he ran around like a headless chicken - what was his role, exactly? And if he’s a dead-ball specialist, I’m next in line for the throne. Silvera was terrible from start to finish. Neither he nor Engel should be anywhere near the first team for some time. In the end, the Owls could have won it, so we have to be ‘satisfied’ with a point.
I’ll be disappointed if MC comes out again with his usual ‘I saw lots of positives and the boys played some good football’ line. Twenty minutes at the start of the second half apart, this simply wasn’t good enough.
I bet he does Clive - he will see the second half as an improvement whilst it does hide a lot of problems and many of those are of MCs own making with his selections.
A better second half but overall still nowhere near good enough.
The best I can say is that I think Carrick, who is clearly still trying to find his XI, will surely have learned a few things tonight.
He has already grasped that Rogers doesn’t have any end product and has benched him for the last three games or so. He must surely come to the same conclusion about Silvera now. They cannot start.
Engel has also fully outed himself as nowhere near ready and cannot be selected.
They are all young enough to come good yet but not what we need now and surely cannot be trusted whilst we’re so badly struggling.
Jones as a makeshift right back worked nicely. A sorry state really but clearly Carrick wants one fullback to push high up the field and he cannot get that from his left backs, so switched the tactic to the right with some success.
Left back is a major problem for us. The most equipped in terms of skillset looks to be O’Brien but you can’t play him there. Van den Berg - the most right-footed number 3 certainly I’ve ever seen - likely gets the nod for now. At least he can stay back and defend a bit, giving that license to Jones on the opposite side. Maybe Clarke will end up there should he ever get fit.
Coburn did ok with limited service. He’s not the sharp, lively forward Carrick prefers but he brings some physicality and I trust him to hit the target more than anyone else to be honest.
Crooks also did ok but simply isn’t a no.10. I suppose if you play him there with Forss wide right and Coburn up front, you at least get our three best finishers on the pitch.
It’s all a bit grim.
@clive-hurren - Your Royal Highness, I didn't spot you there...
Grim was the word used in some of the posts above*, and I would endorse that view. I tried to send a message from my phone but it went AWOL. It might appear at some time in the future in which case I apologise for repeating myself, probably at greater length here.
From the BBCTees commentary (I only turned on maybe 15 minutes before kick-off so if there was something substantial said about Ken Smith and his passing then sadly I missed it) it sounded to me like an ABOMINABLE performance by Boro in the first half, and an improved (but far from good) performance in the second half. Overall I'd say it sounded "poor", and this against the team second-from-bottom and in the throes of revolt by its supporters.
I didn't hang on to listen to the interviews after the game. I therefore hope that we didn't get an "I can understand that some supporters are unhappy with results so far. I think the game showed that there are as many positives as there are negatives in our performance. The boys tried hard but things just didn't come off for us. If we get the rub of the green then I am confident things will change and the team should climb up the league. We are all working hard to achieve that" (Manager post-match interview, version 3B). If that is the view from on high, then I would venture to suggest it would be better to put the telescope up to the eye that can see rather than the one blinded by an accident some years before.
I still HOPE that Michael Carrick can turn this around. But it would be foolish to ignore the massive task that will prove to be. Maybe the team needs an alchemist to convert base-metal performances into golden ones.
At half time some messages were apparently sent to the BBCTees commentary team: "...some are using the "s" word....Strachan....". That was a depth to which I hope the Boro will never return. But I am very concerned about the team's position. What is the management team going to do about it?
* Both Werder and AndyR
You very much sum up the way that I feel. The club has to fight its way out of this mess with Michael Carrick and slowly build up the levels of the players.
The first halt tonight was truly awful despite the fact that we missed an open gal when Engel actually got into position to put in a decent cross. We did play better after that but really should have put Sheffield Wednesday away.
I don't know what happened to Silvera tonight but he has lost all of the sharpness that he showed in the early games. McGree should have stayed on because even when not playing at his best his instincts are better than Silvera.
Jones showed that he is a quality player and is the best bet for right back. In fact, I think that we should switch to a back three which would remove the need for a pure left back. Jones would be a strong right wingback. Maybe MC is waiting for Clarke to be fit as he is a genuine left-sided central defender and would balance a back three. Based on what I saw last week, I have faith that Bangura could be quite useful.
I was very disappointed in Crooks tonight and was surprised that MC didn't replace him with Latte Lath to play alongside Coburn. That would have been a genuine Plan B. By the way I like what I see in Coburn. He will be a real asset.
Well, on to Southampton.
UTB
Back late yesterday so not much to add other than to add my sorrow at the news about Ken. As someone who works in palliative care, I am well aware that death comes for us all and I hope that Ken's final days were as good as they could be.
Won't say much about the football. Ken might have been tempted to write out a bit of Kipling about treating triumph and disaster just the same so I'll leave it at that.
Only just seen the sad news about Ken - he will be long remembered on Diasboro for his excellent contributions, love of culture and sharing his comprehensive knowledge of Boro history. Though most of all he will be remembered for his strength in how he faced up to the problems that life had thrown at him and accepting without fear that his journey on this earth would end one day.
Cheers Ken, a lesson to us all in keeping going through pain and adversity and still finding ways to enjoy life while retaining a sense of humour and perspective of our own mortality.
@werdermouth I think your post more or less sums up MFC at this time. The reality, and we are probably going to have to accept it, is that we really are a poor team that deserves to be bottom of the League.
A majority on here have criticised MC for his team selection and perhaps his naive continuation of formation.
However, one has to be fair, in that of the players brought in, (mainly projects) we had seven on show last night. None, apart from Dieng and O’Brien are good enough (at this time) for the first team and some even for the bench.
van den Berg, OK he could get better as he plays more, Latte Lath, Engel, Silvera, Greenwood and Rogers. You can add Gilbert as he is not even good enough for the bench.
Did Scott and his chums, aided by Mr Gibson’s nod, really believe that these signings could achieve even a mid table place.
Scott has failed. Mr Gibson, on this front at least, has failed. MFC has failed to tell the fans what they are really trying to achieve.
It is a disaster. And on Saturday, in all probability it will continue.
@pedro There is always Mr Warnock we can turn to if this form continues until th3 end of October. He will be available after this evening's match. And he said is is not retiring yet. Up the Boro!
After that I was ready for a major rant,but I've allowed myself to calm down and take stock, fact is its bad, these players they've brought in and to think some on four year contracts are an embarrasment , I can only think MC as them on trial to see if they are up to it, as it's early , they are not, either that or he really doesnt know right now what to do,
Burlaser, Howson,Jones, McNair, Finch, I see right now better than those who started this game, the first half, sitting off a team ,allowing them to grow in confidence, and dictate play, was sacrilege, what is going on?
The two latest , my goodness, Obrien kept taking Mcgree space away, Greenwood came on he actually got the ball in space ran with it, instead of passing ran straight into one of their players. Unbelievable, and Silvero he's a pub player terrible ,should have been off at halftime,Engal I think he's out of his depth ,
This is bad, you can see why Wilder couldn't work with Scott, I saw somewhere his scouting history, and it's not only bad it's disastrous at Norwich, he hit a couple of decent ones, but 90 % of them the club lost a lot of money
Where we go from here I don't know, the second half there was some response, but when we did get into areas near their box, either poor crosses or tried to walk it in through the middle, or poor touches, poor decisions, just to finish,the body language on some looked iffy, not closing down tells you something.
Pedro, you are right that Scott has failed and “MFC has failed to tell the fans what they are really trying to achieve”.
I have raised on this forum before the almost total lack of communication from the club’s senior management with the fans about goals, strategies and execution plans. These items are basic for most well-run companies and public companies tell their shareholders what they are. While MFC is not a public company those of us who support the Boro through thick and thin are like shareholders with a stake in the club. Supporters are the life blood of the club and they deserve to be kept informed about where their club is going and how it is going to get there without having to guess what the management’s strategy might be.
I can’t recall when Mr Gibson last shared his plans for MFC with the fans and I doubt he will do it now. He should because the club is now in real crisis and he will need the support of the fans more than ever if MFC is not going to slide with a whimper into League One.
Come on Mr Gibson. Treat us like the valuable asset to the club that we are and share with us your perspective on the serious nature of the current crisis the club is in and what you are going to do to rescue it from disaster.
If one wants to be cynical then the fact that we have about 21,000(iirc) season ticket holders, many of whom no doubt renewed under. The early bird scheme, will be keeping SG relatively happy.
whether we have that many turning up for the games or renewing next season remains doubtful if our current level of performance continues.
There is a comment in yhe last set of accounts to the effect that the club will be run so that we live within our means and that we will keep aiming for promotion. The implication, well to me anyway, is that promotion would be a bonus and that there is no desire to spend what is required.
Relegation should put the fear of whatever God he believes in for SG, certainly keeping the fans in side would be a big help since the crowd getting on the back of MC and the players is unlikely ti assist in a turnaround in our league position.
Just my thoughts anyway
As a famous local comedian would say that was of a low quality, personally I would use more flowery Anglo-Saxon. But I won't first half shambolic second half a little better. But this seems to be a common theme if you look at last season
August - October : Poor
October - January : Good
January - April 15th : Excellent
Post April 15 : Average to poor
The whole season hung on 3 loan signings and a striker who had his moment in the sun and any player who excelled we were always going to sell.
Looking at last night again Couburn is no Evan Ferguson and the fans were clamouring for Magree yet he hardly set the world alight and can somebody explain Silvera?
I will stick my neck out and say we are going down hardly earth shattering news but if it comes to happen SG will have taken us full cycle
But then it is what it is
@paulinboro Yes, a tragic path of, hope, elation, disappointment, and back to where we started under Mr Gibson, is looking a very distinct possibility.
I honestly believe that the Owner has not surrounded himself with capable football people. If he had, then MFC would not continue making the same mistakes.
If we get relegated, then there will not be a quick return. Just like there was no chance of a top six place this season.
The better players will leave, sold for profit or demanding a release from their contract. We will then be left with the majority of this seasons purchases, who won’t be good enough for the rigours of League 1.
The first half was awful.
Lack of basic skills, passing poor, gave the ball away too much, no cohesion as a team, tried to play down the middle too much, no threat from the wings etc.
Individually Engel not good enough- beaten time and again including leading to their goal, Van den Berg is not a full back, has difficulty in turning and when he had the ball invariably passed it back, Silvera not good enough at this level, the two centre backs aren’t dominant enough- Fry is going backwards as a defender - I could go on.
The second half was better .
The pluses were - the team played better with better passing, playing quicker, with the introduction of Jones the team looked a threat . He should start before most of the other attacking players, O’Brien had a tidy game alongside Hackney who looks to play the ball forward, Coburn did ok with limited support. The team had chances to win.
Overall, two poor teams.
Boro need a lot of improvement before a first victory will arrive. Let’s hope Southampton is the start. It would be lovely if Boro scored first for a change.
Philip of Huddersfield
Tonight I’ll be watching Huddersfield and enjoying the atmosphere of Neil Warnock’s last game.
I really believe that we were lucky last year to be in the playoffs. Lucky in having some loanees who fitted MC’s style, lucky to have a striker who found form that he’d never looked like having previously and lucky to have a new manager bounce.
We all fell for it and thought we’d continue in that vein even though the key players have all departed and been replaced by inferior stock.
Even if we’d kept Akpom, I don’t think he’d have repeated his goal scoring feats. I’ve just had a look to see how he’s doing since his move to the Netherlands and found this article. Sounds familiar?
https://soccernet.ng/2023/09/he-doesnt-know-the-ajax-game-ex-aston-villa-star-rips-into-chuba-akpom-after-twente-no-show.html/amp
Looks like Neil Warnock was right about what would happen if Akpom was played out of position at Ajax - he's being converted into a right-sided attacker by the sounds of it as the manager already has a number ten in mind - so not likely to score many goals in that role I suspect.
Good post
I must admit I’ve never been a fan of crooks and he did nothing last night to dispel that view.
Jonesy made a difference!
ENGEL IS OUT OF HIS DEPTH
OFB
Your majesty I was unaware of your Royal lineage I bow to you as a loyal subject.
I don’t like Crooks and thought Van Den Berg showed up well as. Makeshift left back
I thought we looked a better team without Howson
OFB
@werdermouth If you do not use a players strengths, then it is a wasted choice.
Saying that, I would not of expected Akpom to have scored anywhere near last seasons tally, especially given the current squad.
However, I do think he would have from some of the chances created, that others have missed.
Dormo and OFB
Thank you for paying homage to me. Only right, I suppose. I must make it clear, however, that my lineage only becomes royal ultimately if Greenwood turns into a dead-ball specialist. I can assure you in the meantime that my blood is not blue, but is in fact as red as yours, only it comes with a white band across the corpuscles.
Thank you for your summing up, I was reluctant to say the same. In my opinion the set up, players (not all ) tactics, what else?, oh yes! Sheer brainless sticking to the plan, which went on forever, was painful, very! This collection of misfits was shown up for what it was. In my opinion this Sheffield side was of very little quality, and in my opinion committed every sin in the book from the start. I think Coburn is real quality, and to see him roaming about the box with his lone marker twenty yards away, and not getting any sign of a pass was frightening. How on earth can these players think he is worthless? He is faster, stronger, Great in the air, fearless, I hope everyone saw him ready to put the ball in the net from two yards out, but unfortunately his heroic team mate! Decided to score himself from four yards out he put it past the post. It really looks like our men in suits who like to do the hiring of new talent are a very bad idea and must go, they wouldn't know talent if it hit them in the face.