I’m disappointed to lose Big Josh. I hope he thrives alongside Duncan Watmore at Millwall.
I think we’ve had a very good window, the loss of Coburn apart. We’ve strengthened just about everywhere. The signing of Ben Doak seems to have come out of nowhere. I’m sure he’ll make a fine addition to what looks to be a very strong attacking line-up with a great range of flexibility. Carrick now has so many options going forward, more I would guess than any other side in our division. Surely this squad of attackers will score goals aplenty, won’t they, despite our inability to date to do just that?
Many thanks for another splendid starter, OFB. I don’t think I can quite equal your optimism at Boro scoring 3 at Cardiff, regardless of what I’ve just written! Nonetheless, if we can quickly get over the hangover from Tuesday’s abysmal defeat, then I think we should have enough to beat Cardiff.
Is there a problem with the site, when I click on it I have to do it 3/4 times before it will load 🤔.
Come on BORO.
Yes there does appear to be some problems - it was very slow this morning and then when I checked out a few things on my admin interface with my service provider I lost connection as I tried to clear the cache (memory). There are no messages from my service provider but it may well be that they're doing some server maintenance given it was Friday evening and early Saturday.
Anyway, the site has loaded now but I'm not sure if I can contact them at the weekend but the site may operate less than optimal until Monday.
So Boro now boast 10 forwards chasing 4 starting positions, which probably explains why Josh and Sonny were loaned out - I would probably place them into 3 groups by type - though some could easily belong in more than one group.
- Potential Strikers: Latte Lath, Tommy Conway, Delano Burgzorg, Marcus Forss
- Pacey Wide Players who can dribble: Isaiah Jones, Micah Hamilton, Ben Doak
- Playmakers/Number Tens: Riley McGree, Finn Azaz, Alex Gilbert
While 2 are currently injured (McGree and Forss) they both should be fit within in month so that's a lot of options for Carrick to ponder. I think Hamilton and Doak will need time to settle as the former looked a bit raw and short on match-fitness so far.
So, at the moment it's probably going to be mainly Latte Lath, Conway, Burgzorg, Jones, Azaz and Gilbert starting games and perhaps Latte Lath will be on the bench at Cardiff after his late arrival following his failed move to Ipswich.
Hopefully one of them can convert chances into goals - surely at least one of them knows where the net is!
Further to the site problem many have been experiencing in the last 24 hours - I've just rang my service provider and there is a recorded message apologising for those who are experiencing outages on sites and that technicians are currently working to resolve the problems.
So Hopefully they sort it out but just to be on the safe side I'd recommend you copy the text of your posts before click 'Add Reply' in case you lose it.
Boro team news is in: Two changes, Latte Lath on the bench
From the last league game, it's two changes with Borges and Conway in for Engel and Latte Lath
Thanks for checking the website I can open it now but still running very slow just like me 🤪
OFB
@original-fat-bob. He is having a therapy appointment! 😉😎
SSN dmsaying LL did not travel. So I assume KP's trmeam news is correct.
Considering how many players we hacmve signed, tge vebch looks rather light.
CJ's thoughts on today's team selection:
Neto Borges straight in for his debut then. Rather enforced in the end because Lukas Engel misses out with a problem that has been troubling him for a few weeks, we're told. He's not in the squad.
The other change is expected as Tommy Conway makes his first start ahead of Emmanuel Latte Lath after last night's drama. Latte Lath did later travel alone to join his team-mates and is on the bench, with yesterday's events said to have been forgotten about as far as everyone at the club is concerned.
Other than that it's unchanged from the last league game with Dijksteel right-back and Ayling in the middle. Feels like forwards Isaiah Jones, Finn Azaz and Delano Burgzorg could do with big games this afternoon.
On the bench with Latte Lath, Charlie Lennon returns to the squad at the same ground he made his Boro debut last season. Young right-back Charlie Simpson is also on the bench with young Harley Hunt, given Boro's lack of defensive options.
(my bold)
He then adds:
I'm told Rav van den Berg and Jonny Howson will be available for the Preston home game and Marcus Forss is apparently getting closer too.
CJ on Borges:
A quarter of the way through his Boro debut. He's looked steady so far. Done everything he's had to do. Real desire to get forward but, with Boro struggling to control possession in the way they usually do, they're yet to really utilise him, so we're still waiting to see that side of his game.
He then praises his defensive work:
Meite got the ball to be one on one with the Boro new boy on this left flank. Borges stuck with him, stayed strong in the shoulder to shoulder and ushered him out of play. Good work.
Anyone else got terrible sound quality on the Boro Live match feed
Had to smile at this:
(Cardiff) fans growing ever-frustrated with referee David Webb and letting him know about it. Hopefully it doesn't influence him because it's hard to argue against many of his decisions. They've just largely gone against Cardiff, which is the frustration for them
Yes once the commentary went it was ok but have had some lagging and pauses with video too - commentary just returned as i type
@werdermouth. Started with poor sound quality and then began to lag so much so the stream was over six minutes behind the actual live match.
Have given up and switched to the live Sky transmission; picture and sound quality much improved but hasn’t done anything for the match quality which is poor! 😎
BBC live text summary of first half:
Nothing to separate these two so far, with both teams struggling to create any clear chances.
Boro have shown flashes of their intent to get the ball quickly through the phases, but without any end product, while the Bluebirds have played some nice long balls out to the wings, but again without creating much.
Matt Clarke redeems himself & gives Boro the lead in the 55th minute with Azaz's help - against the run of play by the sounds of it! 🙂
Matt Clarke redeems himself & gives Boro the lead in the 55th minute with Azaz's help - against the run of play by the sounds of it! 🙂
CJ:
They could have quite easily been 1-0 down at the start of this second half after that fast Cardiff start. They kept their composure, relied on Dieng for two good saves and Ayling for a goal-line clearance and it seemed to finally spark some life into them at the other end. They have the lead - now can they kill this game off?
Morris bags his maiden Boro goal in the 82nd minute with a little help from Alex Gilbert (on as a sub in the 70th minute). Beeb is saying a Ramsey OG...
Deserved 2-0 victory, Clarke and Ramsey (OG) but a great strike by Morris.
Come on BORO.
Deserved 2-0 victory, Clarke and Ramsey (OG) but a great strike by Morris.
Come on BORO.
Well a good three points in the end. Not a lot of quality on display but the team battled throughout and having rode their luck when the ball came back off the inside of the post they then went onto a deserved win.
Much more quality required in the final third and hopefully that will start to come shortly. Borges looked comfortable for most of the game and Azaz was busy throughout and MoTM for me.
Hopefully this can be the start of a sustained run of accumulating points to get us on the required two points per game mark. 😎
Much better second-half performance from Boro after showing very little in the first 45 minutes - some of the players are starting to look much sharper and the Hackney-Morris partnership starting to look like they have a good understanding. Finn Azaz also pulling the strings as playmaker with Clarke and Ayling giving a solid showing plus another goal for the ever-present defender. Borges also having a very promising debut and looks like left-back is his now.
So three points and Boro up to 6th for the moment with 7 points and nicely positioned for the international break with hopefully few more returning from injury for the resumption in two weeks.
A scrappy game for the most part, but a win is three points which we really needed.
As KP said, the front lot need to step up and make more of the runs into the opposition half. A lot less shots today, only 10 and 5 on target.
Another good goal from Clarke, if he can keep fit, a stand out player. The replays show an OG and it also looks as if Morris' shot would have missed if not for the deflection. I am not convinced we would have scored two if the one off the post had gone in.
Hopefully the break will bring things together a little more, and hopefully the forwards can produce more. Still too many poor passes out from the back and still too many passes. But three points.
Lets see if we can play better against PNE.
I watched the game on my phone whilst Mrs B drove us home from Shropshire. We’ll need to start scoring goals from open play if we’re going to maintain (gain) a play off position - hopefully the international break will give MC time to get the new players bedded in and that LL will put Ipswich’s brief flirtation behind him.
I’m due to write the opener for the Preston game but I’ll hold off until nearer matchday.
Only thought they put us under any real pressure during opening minutes of 2nd half, we do seem to lack the killer instinct from open play, Baldini now top scorer, impressed with Morris.
As always it is what it is
Also nice to see Coburn scored and had an assist
Just seen this
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cwy53xw7xgjo
Very sad only 39. Will never forget his penalty in the shootout at Old Trafford
@mw-in-darwin I was going to write something about yesterday's game on lines like:
- we played better at Derby and lost (one mistake)
- but it was all about result yesterday and we deserved to win
- our style is perhaps such thatit takes a few matches to get really going
- our start at 1,75 points per match is decent. All well again.
But after reading the news about Bamba, I do not feel relevant to talk or write about the match at Cardiff. Sol was a legent in Wales and I really liked hima as a player and especially a person when he was with us.
So this was terrible news for his young family and football in general. Always remembered.
RIP Sol,. Up the Boro!