A thought provoking post Andy, followed by good replies from PJ, Clive and Eboro.
. It almost feels like we’re in an inflated position and sooner or later it will catch up with us.
I and a number of the fans around us in the Riverside feel the same way about the current situation. I just do not think we have particually played at all well since the kick off day against Swansea. We have had a few moments, Millwall, Norwich and parts of the Ipswich game.
However it has to be said, and I think we all agree, that the defence including Sol Brynn have generally carried the team along at the top end of the league. Brynn coming back from injury, the purchase/loan of solid players in Jones, Brittain and Targett have had an imense impact on our defensive reliabilty compared to the last two seasons.
The midfield has also been a little hit and miss. Morris started well, when HH was off the pace somewhat. Then we had games when both could have done better until Browne came along and has solidified that area when he has played and after the last three games should be a first pick for the midfield.
Then we have the big issue, UP FRONT, including the midfield because they are normally expected to chip in with a few assists and goals, HH, Morris, Browne, Kante, Whittaker, Sene, Nypan, Hansen, Strelec, and add Conway, Burzorg and Hamilton as we paid decent money for him.
At least we can now see that Edwards is not totally wedded to the three at the back system and did change to a back four when initially forced to, by injuries. He has continued with that, possibly hoping that the extra forward player will mean more goals, but that just has not happened.
Infact I would say that yesteday when we reverted to a 3 with Ayling, we looked more capable than we had done for a while against the low block teams.
It really looks at this moment, that Edwards is just not sure what to do, to try and solve this major issue, if indeed it is solvable with this current set of players. He got it totally wrong yesterday, but at least did try to rectify the problem. You do not have to be a Coach with Badges to see where the problem lays.
Conway and Strelec are "box players" best served with crosses in from wide or possibly someone as has been said, the enigma McGree. As I post previously, Targett and Brittain are not "a Giles". I would say Probably going forward Ayling is a better source for crosses.
Nypan for all the trumpeting, has not produced any consistancy to date. As Andy said, Hansen is stuck to the bench, Sene, I am not sure where he fits in, Strelec, hopefully he is still finding his feet and more will come from him. Then we have the constantly inconsistant Burgzorg and finally Conway, who some have complained about, but without him we look nothing at the top.
It could be that the gamble of cheaper foriegn players being the answer may prove to be wrong. Should have bought less quantity and more proven quality from the EFL or loaned form the EPL?
Good post, Pedro!
Some very good post-match posts and a good debate.
To be honest I'm not surprised that the new players are not yet living up to their billing - both Strelec and Nypan both have the equivalent of just 4 games under their belt this season and Sene even less - with Hansen barely featuring.
All these players are new to the Championship and need to get used to the change in pace and physicality - let alone build up understanding with their teammates - plus Nypan is only 18! We should also take into account they are also off on international duty during the breaks and are missing out on extended training with the team after also missing preseason given they were late signings.
So my problem is that these players look like they have good ability but without regular pitch time they start each game under pressure to deliver or face more time on the bench - they also start each game in different roles with different players around them. Can we really expect them to be fully match fit and adjusted to playing Championship football? Obviously the answer is no.
However, there's no other solution than playing them if Boro want them to be at the top of their game - look at Whittaker, he arrived with a great reputation but has only just started to look anything like the player advertised after 9 months - though even that is not quite the full deal as he lacks physical presence and loses the ball easily.
That's why I'm in favour of Nypan and Strelec getting more pitch time as they have the awareness on the pitch to keep hold of the ball but just are lacking that connectedness to their fellow players and are maybe trying too hard with their passes to make something happen.
Boro have plenty of pace in this squad but for some reason are unable to utilise it in a meaningful manner. We're also still waiting for both McGree and Bangura to be allowed off the bench as Edwards opts for Silvera (who didn't once try to beat his man when he came on) and hoping Burgzorg is in the mood or Whittakers does more and doesn't lose the ball too many times.
Sadly this is the Championship and there's little time once the season has started it's all learning on the job - maybe we won't see things improve in an attacking point of view until the next international break has been and gone and the new players are focused on their clubs and playing how they do!
@werdermouth A good post.
Please remember that it took some matches EVERY season when we bough (too) many players in one tranfer season. Remember the difficult starts that Carrick had after every summer.
So I think we have seen the same problems as Carrich had in his two full seasons after every summer transfer window. It takes time to bed in a big number of players. And especially in attack.
So in all, our start of the season has been very good, indeed. We - fans - must just be patient. Please re-read the story above written by Wreder.
So I am very happy with the start so far. So well done, Boro. A bit over two points per a match after 12 games. Happy days and up the Boro!
Yes and despite all that Boro are second in the table so all credit to the management team.
btw I suspect the stop start disruption of the international breaks is probably also affecting Morris’s game too - especially after late flights back.
Talking of Michael Carrick, it was a pleasure to see him on Match of the Day yesterday as a pundit looking refreshed an rejuvenated. In fact it was probably one of the best performances as a pundit I've ever seen - he was articulate, intelligent and very knowledgeable as he explained the tactical nuances and plans of each game and explained it all very clearly and enthusiastically. He left his fellow pundit completely in the shade with an exemplary 10 out 10 display. Probably has caught the attention of many clubs too!
Let's hope the full week on the training ground can prove productive in sharpening things up, the first full week with the whole squad in a long time.
But I will say that our next two games away from home are really tough.
By all accounts Watford were excellent going forward against Coventry yesterday and could/should have had four goals in the first half.
So correct. We are still in the top two and hopefully a lot of potential to improve in attack. But the fight and spirit are there already. We can do it. Up the Boro!Yes and despite all that Boro are second in the table so all credit to the management team.
btw I suspect the stop start disruption of the international breaks is probably also affecting Morris’s game too - especially after late flights back.
Not a big betting man but they do say the bookies are very rarely wrong - i was interested in their updated odds for winning the championship this season
Coventry - 10/11
Ipswich- 11/2
Middlesbrough - 7/1
And then the next teams start at 20/1 !!
I suspect Ipswich are probably still short odds with the bookies due to being heavily backed before the season started - I think with many I had them as my Champions in the COTS challenge.
Incidentally, as you probably would suspect bookies odds mainly tend to reflect money placed by punters rather than any certain calculated probability at this stage of the season.
Naturally, as the season progresses odds will shorten as points are accrued and gaps are created but Ipswich are only 12th in the table and 7th in the recent 6-game form table - so nothing to make them 2nd favourites since the season started.
Boro currently are down in 10th in the 6-game form table but since only 2 points separate 11th and 3rd place, they would've been third if they'd beaten Wrexham instead of drawing.
@werdermouth absolutely those odds will change, very likely to change week to week, however, what struck me was the huge difference in odds between ourselves at 7/1 and then I think it was Millwall/Leicester at 20/1, it is very rare you see that, even at this early stage of the season.
We are now at a stage in the season where enough games have been played to say that the league position more or less accurately shows the level of the team's performances, week to week. It isn't a case of a team's position appearing artificially inflated, as might happen after only half a dozen games which turn out to have been against the teams which finish at the foot of the table, or all in the top six.
The performance and the result against Wrexham WAS disappointing. But the team is not in a worrying position. If we could shake God's hand on a deal that the league table will finish as it stands now, then I'd gladly make that handshake.
But I agree that any issues appear to be up front (and the support given by midfield). I suspect that RE and his team will work on that. I also think RE knows his Starting XI better now (if there are no injuries) and he knows which players are better as impact subs. I bet, if you cornered RE over a pint in a quiet corner of a pub, you'd find that he is quietly confident about this season without wanting to shout about it.
I bet he is just as pleased he came to Boro as we supporters are.
We all know that the hand of God can be a useful ally in football, but would you be prepared to shake the hand of Mephistopheles for such a bargain?
I must admit that I would have to think carefully about it.
I'm a lifelong Boro supporter but as I'm 87 next month (playing in Fergie time) it would be a close call.
Btw Excellent response by everyone to Andy's spot on post. A really high quality debate that is a credit to this blog. Pres Jump has been a really important recent acquisition.
Shaking hands on a deal with the devil and expecting him to 'honour' the agreement is probably more or less where the world finds itself at the moment on many fronts - so it's a no from me...
Arguably, Ayling, Browne and Conway have been Boro's best performing and most decisive outfield players this season so a team without them looked a little ponderous and lacking in drive.
btw I completely forgot about Kante, which just goes to show how difficult it is to break into a team as a new signing when there are so many waiting for pitch time.
5 yellow card suspension ends after the 18th match (Derby 29 Nov Home game) we presently have 5 players on 3 yellow cards with 6 fixtures before the deadline. They are Jones, Hackney, Brittain, Conway and Silvera and on 2 yellow cards are Whittaker and Nypan. We don’t really want anyone picking up a one match suspension especially for the Coventry home game on Tuesday 25 Nov.
Come on BORO.
Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards showed his class as he sent a message to former Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer after his return to football this weekend.
Edwards may be busy trying to plot Boro’s promotion back to the Premier League, but he could not let the momentous occasion for his former Hatters skipper pass without sending a message.
Lockyer returned to action at the weekend, almost two years after suffering a cardiac arrest during Luton’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth. It followed his heart scare in the play-off final just months before that and was later revealed his heart stopped for over two minutes.
READ MORE: 'Class' - Phil Parkinson verdict on Middlesbrough and Wrexham's Riverside draw
READ MORE: Adilson Malanda's Charlotte Playoff hope as Middlesbrough move draws ever closer
Edwards was Luton boss on both occasions and was visibly upset at the Vitality in December 2023 as Lockyer was rushed to hospital after life-saving medical intervention on the pitch.
Almost two years later and Lockyer made his return after signing for League Two side Bristol Rovers last Thursday. He then started Saturday’s defeat to Crawley Town.
Reacting to the 30-year-old’s social post after the game, Boro boss Edwards wrote: “So pleased and proud to see you back doing what you do best, Locks.” He accompanied the message with a love heart emoji.
In his Instagram post after making his comeback, an emotional Lockyer wrote: “Yesterday I stepped back onto the football pitch for a competitive game for the first time since my heart stopped beating at Bournemouth 679 days ago.
“What began with an incredible outpouring of love and support quickly turned into a dark and lonely road. The journey’s been far longer than I ever imagined with not one but two ankle setbacks during my cardiac rehab that made me question whether this day would ever come.
“But I held onto a burning desire and an unwavering belief that I’d do everything in my power to make this dream a reality. Yesterday was an emotional day and I’m not too proud to admit I shed more than a few tears.
“There are so many people to thank for helping me along the way, you know who you are. However none more so than my heroes who, at Bournemouth, saved my life. I’ll never take another minute on that pitch for granted.”
Edwards and Lockyer shared a close relationship at Kenilworth Road. Speaking back in 2024 about the now-Boro boss, Lockyer said: "He's an incredible human being, that's why the players want to run through brick walls for him. He's a family-first type of man and everyone can buy into that.”
Meanwhile, reacting a couple of months after the Lockyer incident, Edwards told the Athletic: “It was so so scary. The play-off final was different because he was very quickly awake, talking, and he was emotional at the time, probably a little bit confused. But clearly, this time, it was a cardiac arrest.
“He wasn’t responding. You just go into… football doesn’t matter all. I turn around and I see (Lockyer’s partner) Taylor — who was pregnant, bless her — on the sideline. His dad is there. It was silent, the whole ground. It was the scariest moment I’ve ever had in my life”
I think it was PJ that commented on our fixture list and looking at them in blocks.
Well November could be a very interesting and decisive month for possible changes in the Championship.
Boro have the following six games in two blocks of three
Watford Nov 1, A, Leicester Nov 4, A. Birmingham Nov 8, H.
International Break
Oxford Nov 22, A. Coventry Nov 25, H. Derby Nov 29, H
Looking at the overall fixture list for November, arguably Middlesbrough have the hardest six games overall, including the Tuesday night match against our nemesis Coventry.
If we can win four, then that would possibly be a good result? A win against Coventry as one of those four we be even better.
Following exmil’s post, here is the fair league table for the Championship.
Boro are in 15th place with 26 points, all with yellow cards. Coventry have 24 points, all yellows, whilst Ipswich only have 15 points, again all yellows.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/championship/fairnesstabelle/wettbewerb/GB2
Tommy Smith has been charged with the role of overseeing the club’s players who are out on loan.
The position of loans manager is to maintain regular club contact with the players and to work closely with the individuals and their clubs.
The role is seen as key in the development of players, particularly when younger members of the squad are stepping up to play competitive football for the first time and in a different environment.
Tommy sadly retired from the game last season after suffering a ruptured Achilles back in October 2023.
He has remained both a familiar and popular face around the club, having remained at Rockliffe while undergoing his rehab.
He brings a wealth of experience to the role, having made 353 appearances throughout his career that also included spells with Huddersfield Town, where he won promotion to the Premier League, and Stoke City. The Warrington-born defender made 47 appearances in a Boro shirt.
He is relishing the opportunity to stay with Boro and is excited about his role.
“I’m absolutely delighted,” he said. “When Kieran (head of football, Kieran Scott) offered me the role, I didn’t have to think twice.
“It’s a fantastic football club and I’ve really felt a part of it since I arrived as a player, so I’m over the moon to be carrying on, albeit in a slightly different role.
“I’m really grateful to the football club for how they’ve been with me through the last two years. The support I’ve had through the injury and the retirement is something I’ll be eternally grateful for.
“The club have shown a lot of trust in me to ask me to do this role and it’s something I don’t take lightly.
“The role is all about getting the best out of the players who are out on loan. I’ll be able to watch them train and play, be in regular contact and ultimately try to give them the best opportunity to come back and make a difference to the football club.”
Everyone at MFC wishes Tommy all the very best in his new role.
OFB
@werdermouth And Fry!!!
Up the Boro!
Yes and probably a few more too such as Brittain, who has defended well and got up and down all game.
@lenmasterman ah thank you Len, very kind of you to say so and much appreciated Sir.
Must give all the credit to yourself and other posters in here who stimulate me with their knowledge and passion.
87 next month, you have it all still going on Len, well done to you, will be keen to wish you many happy returns when it is your day, keep us updated.
@pedro its a tough run of games Pedro. I keep looking at that two point per game promotion standard and if we can get to December with that realised we will certainly be in a very positive place.
Currently one point ahead of that marker, we need to be looking at 11pts from the next six games, if we can win our three home games ( and put a little puncture in Coventry's tyres ) then we need to look at a couple of away draws or one win from three.
Is it doable, time will tell, but I think Saturday against Watford will be extremely tough.
Thanks PJ. I was somewhat taken aback by your reference to 87. On checking I'd mistyped I'm afraid. I'm a mere 85yo stripling, so it's 86 next month, and on that evidence obviously not quite the full shilling. Appreciated your generous comments though but.
@lenmasterman ah a young whipper snapper then Len.
I am in my late 50s but even now I have to work out how old I actually am by recalling my birth year and the current year, goodness know how I will manage if I can reach your grand age.
So that would make you 23 or 24 when you taught me in class 1G at Acklam Hall.
Seems just like yesterday, ish.
BAMFORD, could play against us for coventry on 25th November they are about to sign him!
OFB