O'Brien looked very angry at times, and should have been booked, not at least, for dissent just before half time when he went down under a challenge, didn't get a free kick and then proceeded to point and yell at the referee.
To continue the theme of Si's starter - let's move on.
A defeat and a bad day at the office for the whole team.
What I liked about yesterday, was the news from the USA. The majority of the nation had had enough of hate and me only attitude. People need love and each other to be happy.
So two totally different matters happened. I feel good as the former was more significant. I trust the team and Kim Hellberg. As Andy said, we usually have at least one good half. Yesterday it was only the first quater of the game.
We are still top of the league. Yesterday was a decent day in all.
Up the aboro!
The player ratings from the Echo:
MIDDLESBROUGH (3-4-3):
4 Vitek: Should have made a much better first of trying to keep out Wrexham’s opening goal
6 Ayling: Saw a lot of the ball, and generally used it efficiently, but the switch to three centre-halves limited Boro’s attacking threat
6 PHILLIPS: Won his individual battle against Moore and tried to step out of defence when possible
5 Malanda: Defended reasonably well for the most part, but was undone late on as Wrexham got the upper hand
6 Brittain: Came close with a first-half shot that was saved by Patterson but his attacking impact was limited
5 Morris: Was dropping extremely deep despite Boro having three centre-halves, further overloading the defensive third
6 Berhalter: Played a couple of incisive first-half passes through the Wrexham defence, but was taken off on the hour mark
5 Borges: Started off at wing-back, but wasn’t able to provide the kind of attacking thrust that Boro needed out wide
5 Cozier-Duberry: One of the winger’s quietest nights in a Boro shirt – failed to seriously threaten the Wrexham defence
4 Joseph: Was a willing enough runner, but couldn’t offer anything like the kind of threat that Boro have become used to from Lankshear
5 Conway: Showed some drive down the left, but wasn’t really a factor when he was switched up front
Subs:
4 Peart-Harris (for Berhalter, 60): Couldn’t get control of the central area during his time on the pitch
4 Arfsten (for Ayling, 60): His limitations as a full-back in a back four were exposed late on
5 McGree (for Joseph, 60): Tried to make some breaks into the Wrexham box, but couldn’t influence the result
Strelec (for Borges, 72)
(not used): Brynn (gk), Byram, Barron, Castledine, Sarmiento.
Personally, I don't think Joseph was the worst player. We lost as a TEAM, though.
Up the Boro!
There was that old habit of usually coming inside instead of attacking the by line and getting in behind. Sarmiento did at least do that when he came on, but too little too late. I might have played Conway in the middle rather than Joseph, with Sarmiento on from the get go.
We also need McGree on from the start.
I promised earlier in this thread to leave my opinions on Vitek behind. After last night I am going to be true to my word, but if any of you need reminding, take a look at my posts following every other league game this season...
@powmillnaemore Hah, hah! And is Arften only four ...
Anyway, Hellberg talked after the match to the Echo. The Teessiders only managed two attempts on target despite enjoying more than 62 per cent of possession, but Hellberg did not feel Lankshear’s absence was the determining factor in his side’s defeat.
“I think every team would miss their top goalscorer,” said the Boro boss, who is hoping Lankshear will be available for Saturday’s trip to Watford. “It’s even tougher when the decision has to be made very late and you have already planned for him to play. That doesn’t help.
“You need to find ways, but today I think it would have been difficult whoever had been on the pitch because we just were not sharp enough. There were not so many opportunities for anyone to end up with."
So the problem was not missing Lankshear (who was in the playing kit among the subs), because we did not create many chances. The whole team did not perform well enough after the first 25 min.
Up the Boro!
Well that was a bit of a wake up call and hopefully a bad day at the office all around rather than a return to inconsistent Boro.
It was a ponderous and toothless display against an average Wrexham side, who were little more than well organised and functional but allowed to grow into the game and confidence through our ineptitude on the night where, again, we managed to concede two poor goals.
Perhaps we all got carried away by two games where we looked invincible rather than recognising that we still have a number of shortcomings. Not least of which is that we still only have a core of about 13 players worthy of a starting place whilst their backups, particularly in midfield and upfront, are not adequate replacements and have yet to show they are capable of influencing a game when introduced.
Joseph, looked like a fish out of water, whilst Strelec did more in 15 mins than Joseph did in 75. Sarmiento tried but failed to produce anything again and for me the substitution of Berhalter for Peart -Harris made no sense as the former was the pick of a bad bunch.
I think KH got his selection/tactics wrong again, as he did against Cardiff; I understand the need to manage playing time but surely it is better to start with your best players and then rest them as the game unfolds.
We should have played our usual back four from the start, McGree should have started and Conway should have led the line with Joseph wide left. Last night Conway’s purple patch on the left seemed to have deserted him and he was back to being ineffectual and did no better when moved centrally.
At least our games played to losses ratio, P14 v L2, should still see us in the top two if maintained but I am concerned that the impact of injuries and suspensions as the season progresses may scupper our aspirations.
A major improvement will clearly be needed on Saturday and I would hope Strelec starts if big Will is still unavailable, which I believe will be the case. 😎
‘I would hope Strelec starts if big Will is still unavailable, which I believe will be the case.’
And I’d like to see Castledine given some game time, too. He hasn’t lived up to his potential yet, but he must offer more than Joseph, surely?
We are unbeaten when Morris, Berhalter and McGree start together, we've won every game when Luke doesn't start and we haven't won without Will. When our spine is slightly weakened we suffer very badly. I think we all know what our strongest team is and the stats confirm its pretty unstoppable. Kim knows this too, he's tried to mitigate with what he's got but without a fit Strelec, Pukstas and Jones it hasn't worked. We tend to get injuries exactly where we can't cope (HH last season).
A bad day at the office but at least we’ve got another game coming up quite quickly to allow us to put this one behind us.
I blame TC’s loss of form last night on the praise I gave him after recent games. I promise I won’t do it again. 😉
I am coming more and more around to your thinking on Vitek.
I can’t understand why he seemed to do so well for Bristol City but has been the way he has for us. There must be potential there but when will we see it?
As you know, I don’t think we’ve got a great replacement in the wings but although Brynn has his weaknesses, at least he has some strengths as well. On his first 14 games or so, I’m not seeing any real strengths from Vitek.
Yet they must be there.
How long is long enough to wait?
@billog72 the players missing through injury are starting to pile up.
Is Jones going to end up another Lenihan. Strelec appears to pick up niggles at regular periods and Pukstas, well he will be missing probably until December and we have no idea of his capabilities.
And now we have Lankshear doubtful for Saturday with a short turnaround for the squad players.
We all thought we were getting a squad with greater depth, especially given the the fees paid for someof them.Sadly as Len said, it is starting to look as that is not the case.
Do we know how close to kick-off KH found that Will wouldn't be available? The fact that he was on the bench in his kit might indicate that it was very close indeed. Maybe that created a bit of panic that led KH to instinctively reach for trusted experience in Luke Ayling.
@andy-r I guess that because we spent a lot of money on him, we feel obliged to use him. Also, because we payed a lot of money for him it is perhaps a bit of a weight on his young shoulders.
A goalkeeper always looks good (well often enough) playing in a bad team. He gets to make lots of saves ..... much more than a goalkeeper playing in a good team. So, perhaps he has just been made to look good.
The measure of "good-ness" of a goalkeeper is how well he is able to react and keep his awareness going to be ready when called on to react or perform when in a good team that doesn't expose hime so much as in a bad team where he is constantly vigilant.
Whatever it is, I think he needs taking out of the spotlight. He still has a lot to learn and to work on, so I am not writing him off, it is just I think Brynn is the better of the options we have at at this time.
Damn you @andy-r - I made a pledge at the start of this thread not to go on about Vitek and look what you have drawn me into 🤐
@peter-surtees that is a good point. Was the team prepared to be set up one way and then setting up a different way threw them ?
@pedro. The squad may be greater in depth but it is not greater in quality, which is the problem when injuries start to impact. 😎
@andy-r I very difficult one for Hellberg. We know Sol Brynn has his faults, and we all remember the play off final unfortunate push to McBurnie.
However, without some research into Brynn’s stats and goals at fault against Vitek’s to date, I cannot remember as many over the whole season against the “he should have done better” this season with Vivek. Also Brynn cost us nothing so to speak, were as Vitek was 7 million up front without add-ons?
Vitek does appear to have one issue that cannot be argued against. His ability to get down quickly to shots close to his body and near post shots from opposition players. That would be fine if he commanded his box and his distribution was better than Bryan’s, though they are not. (IMO)
The downside is dropping him and then Brynn letting in a “he should of done better” goal or two.
The easiest option is to carry on as is.
@k-p-in-spain Which was what I was alluding to.
Powill. He still has a lot to learn and to work on, so I am not writing him off.
I would be quite upset to write off 7 million after my post siting Strelec and Joseph and the 10/11 million there. Yours is a good argument, plus as stats drive everything now. He was at the top or thereabouts for most of the goalkeeper ones last season. Add the Bolton goalkeeper against us, arguably MotM, but is really that good.