Did I say comfortable as you like? 3-2, down to ten men and Brynn off injured 🙄
Make that 3-3 after 61 minutes. 🙁
MC shuffling the pack: Matt Clarke on for Azaz, Jones for Doak & Glover for Brynn in the 60th minute. Not looking good. I obviously spoke too soon earlier. 🙁
I go out for 40 minutes at 3-0 and come back to 3-3. What on earth is happening?
Borges off injured in the 89th minute, replaced by Engel. Seven minutes of injury time.
3-3. *shakes head* I suppose they were lucky to see it out after the implosion. Why does it feel so much like a defeat?
Well that was Boro's season wrapped up in a game - unplayable in the first half and unable to play in the second - I guess the only good thing is at least we didn't lose it. So two games scored six conceded six and unfortunately 3 injuries to boot with both Brynn and Conway likely to be out for a few weeks at least.
Just to add that I thought Jones looked very sharp when he came on but turning point of the game was Latte Lath's failure to pass to Doak, who was unmarked with an open goal to make it 4-0 and they went up the other end and scored. Also just watching the replay of the sending off it looked like the Wednesday player was already falling when he fell over Rav.
Latte Lathe was too greedy and didn't play Doak in who would have been favourite to make it 4-0 and game over. Instead dribbled himself into a dead end lost the ball and Wednesday immediately take the ball forward and show exactly how to play a square ball to a player with space in front of the goal.
RVDB unlucky to be dismissed, but Boro were woeful in the second half.
We are certainly not favourites for a play off finish now and we will have to improve some to earn that opportunity.
Disappointing.
Powmill is right we have no chance of a playoff position playing like we are. Can you imagine any of the top teams drawing a game after being 3-0 up at half time. No, nor can I and it sums up Boro’s problem. I accept that the sending off didn’t help but the defence is woeful and has been for much of the season. What is the coaching team doing about it? Not much it seems.
@john-richardson Yellow cards cannot be appealed.
Come on BORO.
I presume so as two yellows in theory become a red rather than remaining as 2 yellow cards - it would only be a one game ban so it's not too crucial even if it stands - the real punishment is being a player down in the game for what was essential 42 minutes.
Yes just googled it and it appears 2 yellow cards cannot be appealed
Well if you thought last week was bad then this second half display was inept both defensively and tactically, added to which we now have a string of injuries!
A number of us felt a few weeks ago that a top two position was beyond us and I think the last two results has definitely confirmed that; we will be lucky to make the top six with the season already having connotations of seasons past.
Whilst we still managed a point it feels like a defeat and whilst there is still a lot to play for I am far from convinced that we are defensively and mentally capable of being a top six side let alone have the ability to be promoted.
Not sure where we go from here, a really disappointing day which may prove significant as the season progresses. 😬😎
@werdermouth That's the final Christmas gloss taken away, I know it's better to give than receive but that was taking the Mickey. Where was the discipline? Weather the storm and subdue? But no let's try Boro's version of hari-kari. Defensive coaches needed please oh, and maybe some defender?
I need a pint of Timothy Taylor. Or three.
UTB,
John
Another 2 points dropped, we went from sublime to ridiculous, we need a left and right back who can defend. Plus there are no leaders on the pitch and off it. If we continue in same vein as today we will not make playoffs expletive expletive argh!!??!?!!!
Ok
I think it's time for a rant
Media keep bring up why British managers can't get the big jobs , in my opinion it's not they can't coach ,it's they can't manage, when I say that instead of making the big decisions , they don't want to upset anyone.
They are fools ,the players will get them sacked.
Let's take today, Boro v Sheffield Wednesday
Half time up 3-0
Realize Sheffield have changed tactics, going wide, OK, I'm coach, right stop this, , 3-0 up , off Doak, Jones on stay deep, bring on Engel help Borges, force them inside tighten that area , in other words see the game out you've already entertained the fans, just win the game.
It it just me that sees this, I'm just a fan, what's going on,
Look were the entertainers of this decision, were also the suckers, something as to change, I don't even know what to do on January it's Bazaar
Bottom line you win anyway you can
To finish off , Carrick as lost us points too many times
I thought we had a first team coach who was one of England’s best defenders in his prime. Based on how well he has done coaching the defence this season he would be out of a job in most companies.
As mentioned by other posters, that was a microcosm of our season.
I can see the pull of Carrick, where he can attract players like Doak on loan from the PL, is a big plus for MFC.
However, maybe a more pertinent question is whether he has the tactical nouse and flexibility to maximise the resources at his disposal. I think it is always a big ask to compete with the relegated PL teams but for me, we should be a solid top 6 team with the playing resources we have. We have conceded 3 goals in 3 of our last 4 games. On that basis, we will not make the playoffs.
Obviously the players need to be accountable but so do the coaching staff who make the tactical decisions in game and need to have a number of ready made plans up their sleeve in anticipation of opposition tweaks in formation. It feels like we have been just sticking to plan A only when the game is turning and getting away from us, with disappointment to follow. I wasn’t at the game today so it would interesting to know whether our demise was down to player errors or a manager not reactive to events (or maybe a mixture of both?)
As mentioned by other posters, that was a microcosm of our season.
I can see the pull of Carrick, where he can attract players like Doak on loan from the PL, is a big plus for MFC.
However, maybe a more pertinent question is whether he has the tactical nouse and flexibility to maximise the resources at his disposal. I think it is always a big ask to compete with the relegated PL teams but for me, we should be a solid top 6 team with the playing resources we have. We have conceded 3 goals in 3 of our last 4 games. On that basis, we will not make the playoffs.
Obviously the players need to be accountable but so do the coaching staff who make the tactical decisions in game and need to have a number of ready made plans up their sleeve in anticipation of opposition tweaks in formation. It feels like we have been just sticking to plan A only when the game is turning and getting away from us, with disappointment to follow. I wasn’t at the game today so it would interesting to know whether our demise was down to player errors or a manager not reactive to events (or maybe a mixture of both?)
In my opinion it started with the players and then became a total lack of leadership on and off the pitch, is it the case of our manager not understanding why the players can't do it because he always could.
Boro at their best first half. Boro at their absolute worst second half. Unacceptable. I said I didn’t know which Boro would turn up - but I didn’t expect both to turn up for the same game. I thought the red card was extremely harsh, but we were imploding well before that.
Please get fit very soon, Aidan Morris. We’ve really missed you.
I had a wonderful day overall, lunch with my two sons, grandsons, nephews, brothers in law and friends some 18 of us in total for a celebratory Xmas period get together.
Watching the game I was amazed at how fast the interpassing and movement was being carried out and chances made and goals scored.
Somewhat in wonder I took my seat in the second half and witnessed the destruction of the Boro team that I could hardly believe in the first half. Sloppy misplaced passes and I cannot say schoolboy errors because schoolboys wouldn’t have made them. All the crowd around me knew what was going to happen from the moment that the first Sheffield Wednesday goal went in.
A fussy inaccurate refereeing decision which was enhanced by the Sheffield players surrounding the refereee demanding VDB be sent off didn’t help the composure of the Boro team.
The only surprise with the result, was that we didn’t get beat, despite the efforts of our substitute goalkeeper .
After the Boos rang around the ground our group retired to the fan zone and then to a genuine Irish pub in town where everyone was drinking Guinness. I don’t know if the match had got to me or some thought of ‘what the hell’ and I imbibed a Guinness as well, my first taste of alcohol for over five months!
I was so overcome by this phenomenon of pleasure after being so down with depression caused by my Football team, I had to have another one and closed the evening with a final one to make sure that I was enjoying myself.
So at the end of the day, it wasn’t all bad news, the players all got paid. The Boro had healthy gate receipt’s,and I enjoyed myself.
LIFE GOES,ON !
UTB
OFB
It’s hard to know where to begin. It was always obvious that Wednesday were going to come out fired up and so the logical response was to play safety first football for the first fifteen minutes of the second half. Don’t lose the ball in positions where we can be counter-attacked, don’t try smart tackles when you can put it out for a corner. Just close the game down and then take possession again. Instead we carried on trying to play cavalier football and blew a necessary win. We would have been up to 5th if we’d been sensible.
Now we have Burnley who have just turned over Sheffield United. Any optimists out there?
utb
@original-fat-bob - I WAS going to leave a short post effectively saying "Words alone couldn't possibly convey my feelings after the home game against Sheffield Wednesday". Then I read your post. The players, the match, the result? Forget them! The most important thing is that you met family and friends, you had a happy celebratory Christmas Lunch, you enjoyed the first half of the match, and later you went out "on the town" to enjoy THREE pints of Guinness! There was goodness in the day that the football couldn't sully. It brings what we witnessed on the pitch into some form of perspective.
Well, I warned you about Wednesday, didn't?
They were able to change their tactics as their Manager is famous for. The TV screen (BoroLive) showed their three coaches (including Röhl) with a tactic boad, and Röhl making new arrangements. I even saw one coach calculating with a finger that there were 11 players on the board.
And his Chess moves worked.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"Outstanding. How we came back was so strong. The mentality, the belief was there, the trust.
"We made some points at half-time, we changed the shape to 4-1-4-1, it was very helpful, we controlled the midfield more, the players who came on helped us.
"But we should also recognise the first half. In the end, we are happy to come back. It's not normal against a strong Middlesbrough, who play a fast, attacking style."
I do not think we lost the lead because of our tactics, though. Our players just stopped playing and we missed Jonny Howson and Aidan Morris in the central midfield.
Another point, Sheffield Wednesday was awful in the first half. Exactly the same way as Boro was in the second. So a draw was probably a fair result in the end.
Up the Boro!
@original-fat-bob Glad for you. And you saw another Boro3 again.
Didn't we score three in the match at Plymouth, too? I just wonder how often we have played two successive 3-3 draws in the League before. Up the Boro!
@selwynoz Exactly. HT, three - nil to the good. Some excellent fast flowing football where we took our limited opportunities and turned them into goals.
(and it really should have been four before they scored)
In the dressing rooms, SW players were getting an earful. In Boro’s they think it is “job done”
Any tactically decent Coach, would, as Selwynoz said, played the safe balls, slowed the game down and denied SW space.
But, as we know, Carrick is only a half decent Coach. He has plan A, a one trick pony, nothing else.
So we continued where we left off, made our mistakes and paid the price.
I have always had my doubts about Carrick. Yes we have seen some entertaining football over the last two years, however as difficult as it is competing against the parachute payment teams, I think Mr Gibson deserves a better return on his investments during Carrick’s tenure.
Promotion under our Coach, highly unlikely.
@jarkko. All the Powmills were out to dinner at a friend's yesterday evening. It has been a bit of a tradition this last 6 or 7 years for us to have a Boxing Day meal of left over meats from Christmas Day with them and with lots of drink and sweets and games and presents and stories. Anyway, our friend's son ( who was at nursery and then primary school with Powmill Junior) now has a Finnish girlfriend (from Tornio if I remember correctly) and he had some Scandinavian treats for us to try. So it was, we all had a bit of Salt and Vinegar chocolate (albeit that was Swedish, but you might be familiar with it), but, where I was going with this, we also sampled Salmiakki. One variety neat, in small round 5 pence sized tablet form, and the other in little gummy diamonds half fruit and half salmiakki. The little round ones reminded me a bit of a Yorkshire liquorice treat known as a Pontefract Cake, maybe a little smaller, but with added salt. My preference on the night was for the fruity ones.
We had a great night out, not getting home till after 1am. A perfect antidote to what was only a football game, no matter how disappointing that was.