Another good post from deleriad and comment from KP. As I previously posted, the midfield has been for sometime been my concern and even more so now.
I agree that McGree is our most creative player, he will get you goals, however he is not quite robust enough for defending the midfield. However as KP said we keep getting turned in that area and especially down our left. Giles does not defend as well as Jones and therefore misses the bookings the latter picks up. Clarke started well and for some reason has tailed off these last two matches along with Mowatt. So a weak-ish side that would possibly preclude McGree from replacing Mowatt if we play with two up front.
So a conundrum for CW to solve. How do we include McGree, play with two upfront to take the chances created, but most importantly tighten up the middle were we lose out too many timrs even against the so called weaker teams.
I think desperation may force us down the Free Agent road sadly.
You could play McGree behind a front two in a 3-4-1-2. It would mean Crooks playing deeper or not at all but I’m not sure we have the defensive midfielders to play two at the same time anyway.
With the left-side of the team, I think we have to factor in that it’s all new and that Mowatt and Clarke haven’t played much football before joining us. A bit of time is needed for both fitness and cohesion.
No surprise that Jones has picked up a bit with Crooks back from illness and the right side may improve again with Djiksteel restored.
Sadly on this display with the spate of yellow cars accumulating,plus the poor shooting especially from Crooksl I can’t see Boro anywhere near the playoffs this season. I’m pleased that Boro won but it was against a poor Sunderland side. Can’t say I enjoyed the match at all, just the result although presumably for technical difficulties the BBC website still had the match ending in a goalless draw at 7am this morning.
I think the sum of Crooks and Jones is definitely greater than the parts. They look much better players when they’re both in the team.
I’ve not been impressed by Mowatt - to me he looks like a bargain basement version of Sam Morsy, who I still think could have done a job for us.
Pleased that we got a win and as we lose our Sky TV after Monday’s move, it may be the last game I see for a while.
Good result, average performance, poor team. Am I being harsh?
No flowing Football and a litany of missed chances that an opportunist goal scorer would delight in.
Defence looked better and the goalkeeping standards have gone up a notch.
The midfield seems full of journeymen and players who lack flair and skill. Is it no coincidence that we seem to be on the back foot in the second half when Howson naturally gets tired due to his age. Crooks who doesn’t seem fit enough also reduces his work rate and it shows through the middle of the park.
Boro need to find an experienced out of contract midfield player who can command the ball and direct play. Easier said than done but with suspensions looming on the horizon we may have to play the kids and that could be a recipe for disaster!
OFB
The attendance of yesterday's match was 30,391. Just saying, like.
Up the Boro!
Only just watched the highlights and was happy with the clean sheet and three points. I had to watch it a couple of times to check that that I wasn’t seeing things but was the ref really wearing a head band? I wonder if OFB ever wore one when officiating.
I only wore a headband on New Year’s Day with an ice pack under the headband !
it helped !
OFB
@original-fat-bob Or may be try one of the under 23's and discover another Jones.
Surely Boyd-Munce must be worth a place on the bench in the present circumstances.
Delighted that Boro beat Sunderland and as always the game has been analysed beautifully on DiasBoro.
Sadly my procedure was cancelled with half hour to go because of the shortage of specialised nurse to look after me in the HDU. Frustrating but you just have to roll with it but Boro did at least come up with the goods. Now I'm back home waiting by the telephone and back in limbo.
All the best everyone.
UTB,
John
Stay strong John
Thomas Tuchel sacked by Chelsea
@john-richardson. Sorry to hear that John and good to hear that you appear to be dealing with it with a positive mindset. Keeping fingers crossed that you won’t have to wait by the phone too long. 😎
Thomas Tuchel sacked by Chelsea
Chelsea had won just seven of their last 16 Premier League matches, starting this season with two defeats in their first six games to fall five points behind leaders Arsenal.
What is Wilder’s record in the past 16 league matches? And we must be more than five points behind leaders Sheffield United, too.
Personally the changes and chopping are crazy in the modern football. Managers and players are changed constantly a lot of money and energy is lost. Looks like the clubs have too much money to throw away.
I hope we keep Wilder for a few years now. At least as long as Mogga will be availabe again 🤣.
Up the Boro!
Lots of sport on television today with the first day’s play of the 3rd cricket test from the Oval between England and South Africa, and locally the 4th stage of the Tour of Britain Cycle Race which started from Redcar, then Saltburn, Skelton, Sandsend, Robins Hood’s Bay, westwards through Great Ayton, Stokesley, Chop Gate to Duncolme Park and Helmsley. Recorded TV highlights on ITV 4 at 8pm.
Good result, average performance, poor team. Am I being harsh?
No flowing Football and a litany of missed chances that an opportunist goal scorer would delight in.
Defence looked better and the goalkeeping standards have gone up a notch.
The midfield seems full of journeymen and players who lack flair and skill. Is it no coincidence that we seem to be on the back foot in the second half when Howson naturally gets tired due to his age. Crooks who doesn’t seem fit enough also reduces his work rate and it shows through the middle of the park.
Boro need to find an experienced out of contract midfield player who can command the ball and direct play. Easier said than done but with suspensions looming on the horizon we may have to play the kids and that could be a recipe for disaster!
OFB
I agree with most of that, OFB, but I think perhaps you are a bit harsh with your overview. I really enjoyed the game and the fabulous atmosphere. I thought Boro were great first half, and in almost full control, although we did miss some good chances. We were much less good second half; bloggers have analysed possible reasons why with intelligence.
For my part, I felt that in the 2nd half Boro stopped playing football and passing sweetly as they had done in the first 45. We just started belting long balls forward, often aimlessly, and with only Muniz to aim at. I’m not sure why: perhaps someone remembered that Danny Baath lacks pace, and planned that if we played the ball over his head, he’d struggle to turn and catch the onrushing forward(s)? Whatever the plan was, it didn’t work. Baath and his fellow defenders just gobbled up all the long balls. Consequently, the ball just kept coming back at us, allowing the Mackems to retain possession and put us under pressure.
Boro improved noticeably when Duncan came on. His work-rate is phenomenal and he immediately starts running at defenders. He and Muniz look dangerous together. Somehow Wilder has to find a way of playing two strikers without weakening our often less than effective midfield. I liked Andy’s suggestion of a 4-3-1-2 with McGree in the hole behind the strikers, but that would presumably negate our use of wing-backs, which is one of our great strengths going forward?
Anyway, 3 valuable points against our local rivals, and a clean sheet to boot! I’m happy with that. Obviously, though, we now need to build on that and start an undefeated streak. The next 3 games are all winnable. Let’s do it!
Where is Redcar Red.? Miss his postings.
Where is Redcar Red.? Miss his postings.
Ditto.
He did post some time ago that he might not get the opportunity to post so much.
Is anyone in contact with him to let us know all is OK?
@werdermouth - As regards possible suspensions, you might as well ink Crooks in for a few right now. More yellow cards than goals + assists.... (even if he's playing well most of the season).
OK I am a little late with this but:
Crowd and atmosphere at the Sunderland game were great.
Boro could easily have gone behind after about 8 minutes when S'land cleared the bar with virtually an open goal, from about 8 yards.
For most of the rest of the first half, Boro played quite well but both sides' wing backs made threatening moves on the defences in front of them.
I sort of suspected in the 2nd half and as the game went on, that Boro would end up in retreat, defending the penalty area, and so it turned out. It's a Typical Boro Trait and adds to the tension of the whole Boro experience. Part of that, in this game, was down to Sunderland going up a gear, but they weren't a great side and certainly a team that, at home, we should expect to beat.
I loved the touch by Muniz in bringing the ball instantly under control from a ball hoofed into the clouds. He needs another player near to him, to whom he could lay the ball off. But in this league and with decent service, he should score quite a lot of goals, especially if he is more often in the middle of the penalty area when crosses come in.
Fry played well and Roberts did all he was asked to do, with no drama and no "heart-in-the-mouth moments", which is exactly what you'd want from a keeper: a sense of safety and security. He kept a good clean sheet and I'd say he deserves to keep the shirt. I'd be surprised if he doesn't end up as Boro's No 1 next season but I'd lose no sleep if that applied THIS season, too.
It was a good result and. frankly, we badly needed it. I'd have been satisfied with a spawny 1-0 win, against the run of play from the only time Boro got into Sunderland's half. Thankfully that was not the case. It was smiles all round on the way home, and a big sigh of relief.
Finally I hope John Richardson's operation takes place soon and successfully.