Spot on RR with the exception that in fairness to Coulson he was played yet again by NW on the right with Kebano on the left when both should have been on each other's wing!
As for next season, I am not holding my breath as we are not a team who are progressing despite the addition of NK, YB and NML.
I was very disappointed with NW's post match interview where to my mind he seemed to deflect the discussion away from what was a poor performance, suggesting he enjoyed the game!
Whilst we do miss DF and MT, this is a team and squad game and we need to build a squad which has adequate replacements when players are not available. Poor selections and poor performances cannot be excused by the fact that a couple of players were not available.
It appears that nothing was learnt from the Millwall game and the team lacked a focal point upfront. Fletcher should have been played from the off with Watmore, with Bolasie and Kebano on the flanks.
I agree that non of those signed in January are worthy of a contract which means the squad will again be very thin on numbers without major investment which is unlikely given the financial situation.
I see another season ahead of being a mid table team and not one where we will be chasing promotion given what has been delivered since the turn of the year and if next season is to be NW's last, then we are back to square one and the merry go round starts again. 😎
Jarkko is absolutely right.
Today was a total mismatch of tactics versus personal. To have Kebano, Bolasie, Mendez-Laing and Bolasie on the field - all players who thrive on ball to feet and running in behind - and serve them with long balls to contest in the air was brainless.
To disagree with KP, I think those loanees have plenty to offer but only if you play to their strengths.
We could have had Messi and Aguero up front today and still lost thanks to the way we played to them.
That was awful (and watching wasn’t helped by the terrible narrow camera angle).
To get back into the game and then throw the initiative away again is unforgivable. I’ve got a sneaky feeling NW will be glad this year’s race is done and he can concentrate on next year.
Will I watch again on Monday? Probably!
Don't forget about our proficiency at set pieces!
Paddy's devastating free kicks, Bola's blaster and and our sedentary throw ins. Not to mention that most dynamic of all tactics, the famous back pass to the Keeper to hoof it back up the pitch to the big Centre Forward who doesn't exist.
It drives me nuts. On at least 5 occasions today we managed to pass it back to Bettinelli from advanced attacking positions, losing all impetus. This happened even after we’d gone a goal down. And almost without fail, he then belts it long to no-one in particular, or just into touch. It’s a tactic completely devoid of any sense, as we haven’t anybody -Bolasie apart perhaps - who can win the ball in the air. Bettinelli very, very rarely plays the ball out from the back, like the good teams do, so we always have at least a 50% chance of losing possession.
And the keeper was obviously at fault for the first and third goals today, beaten too easily at his near post for the first, and palming the ball straight back to Solanke for the third. He has to go.
I agree with KP. If that was us ‘having a real go’, then I fear we have more problems to fix than I thought was the case, and I also agree that we are over-reliant on Tav: when he’s missing, we have nobody to link midfield and the forwards. RR may be right when he talks of needing 8 or 9 new players next season. And if NW thought ‘we played some good stuff in the first half’, then he must have been watching a different game to me. It was just tame, insipid and lackadaisical to me.
I'm taking the Black Dog for a walk in the morning, he's got more drive and energy. Depressing. Is it time to play the youngsters and test some out. Effort and energy, now that would be a start. Never mind it's certainly a way of increasing season ticket sales.
Stay safe,
UTB,
John
Great post RR
I thought out of a lot of poor performances that Howson seems to have given up or his legs have gone !
It was his fault for the first goal although the absence of FRY made it easier for Bournemouth to score
OFB
Don't forget about our proficiency at set pieces!
Paddy's devastating free kicks, Bola's blaster and and our sedentary throw ins. Not to mention that most dynamic of all tactics, the famous back pass to the Keeper to hoof it back up the pitch to the big Centre Forward who doesn't exist.
It drives me nuts. On at least 5 occasions today we managed to pass it back to Bettinelli from advanced attacking positions, losing all impetus. This happened even after we’d gone a goal down. And almost without fail, he then belts it long to no-one in particular, or just into touch.
Of all the things, this is the one that winds me up. Thing is, we've been doing it for 6 months so you have to assume at this point that they are being taught to do it. Maybe Warnock thinks we're incapable of anything else but I can't remember a single time this didn't end up with us losing the ball. The other thing that grinds my gears is when one of our players gets doubled up on but no one makes an angle for him to pass to. They literally stand still and wait for him to lose the ball. Again, if this is a mistake you would think it would have been fixed by now so this must be something they're told to do.
I said over on AV's place that Warnock has been supported with 9 new signings this season. I know there are a lot of mitigating factors but I'm really starting to feel that he has not made the most of them. Not by a long chalk.
Warnock has been supported with 9 new signings this season.
I rate Johnson as mediocre at this level but putting that aside and being fair to him he was effective with both his goals and assists. In came the nine including bigger name loanee's and we lost those Johnson goals and assists to be replaced with nothing of merit apart from gushing stories about how they excelled and excited at Rockliffe. Pity they don't don't do those things against the opposition on matchdays instead of against an 18 year old during training sessions.
That the absence of Fry and Tav (both homegrown) have seemingly far greater influence on the team's performance than those selected has to call into question those who Warnock has brought in. That we have so many returning on loan and out of contract players this summer is now making me very concerned about who is recruited bearing in mind they will like as not have three year contracts and we and the next manager will be stuck with them for some time to come assuming that NW stays for just the year.
@andy-r. "To disagree with KP, I think those loanees have plenty to offer but only if you play to their strengths."
Andy I fully accept your comments but sadly I have seen precious little impact from the loanees that would encourage me to offer them a contract.
Is that down to them or in the way in which they/the team have been played and managed?
If it's the latter then what will change next season? 😎
I neither saw nor listened to the match so am only going on what I’ve read, but I’m beginning to think that Neil Warnock is now past his sell-by date. I’m even wondering if Boro will win another match this season, as most of the players seem to have lost self-motivation. It has happened so many times in the past with Boro when promotion prospects have gone out of the window. Maybe giving the youngsters a chance might not be a bad thing as they’ll be so excited to play for the first team with no pressure of needing to win or frightened of making mistakes with no crowd reaction.
Thank goodness the Rugby League season has started, and although Cas just managed to beat Leeds yesterday I was most impressed that the Rhinos with 8 youngsters were able to keep Cas so quiet. And now there is the US Masters Golf next week to look forward to especially the lovely scene of rhododendrons and azaleas which is the harbinger of Primavera bringing hope for a better future after such a dreadful year of COVID.
I’ve managed to survive, but at Easter my thoughts go out to all those people who have lost their loved ones; for those of us who have survived it almost feels like it did after the end of the Second World War.
But keep safe everyone.
@andy-r. "To disagree with KP, I think those loanees have plenty to offer but only if you play to their strengths."
Andy I fully accept your comments but sadly I have seen precious little impact from the loanees that would encourage me to offer them a contract.
Is that down to them or in the way in which they/the team have been played and managed?
If it's the latter then what will change next season? 😎
I was hoping that with some footballers in the team, some actual football might break out but you’re right KP, what’s the point?
Historically Boro have a habit of finishing badly in their last dozen or so matches when well placed in the League. I’ve picked out a few in my lifetime:-
1946/47 After 30 matches Boro were 3rd with a chance of gaining their first Division title. After losig
Historically Boro have a habit of finishing badly in their last dozen or so matches when well placed in the League. I’ve picked out a few in my lifetime:-
1946/47 After 30 matches Boro were 3rd with a chance of gaining their first Division 1 title. After losing to Sunderland they won only one match of their final 12 to finish 11th.
1947/48 After 29 matches Boro were 8th but after losing at Everton won only one of their final 13 matches and finished 16th.
1950/51 Were top of Division 1 with a 3 point lead, and in 2nd place after 29 matches but lost to Sunderland and won only one match from their final 13 matches to finish 6th but nevertheless 13 points behind Spurs the Champions.
1975/76 After 33 matches were 6th but lost to Leicester and won only 2 of their final 9 matches and finished 13th.
2012/13 The most damning of all, 3rd under Tony Mowbray after 25 matches but after losing at Derby won only 3 more matches and finished 16th.
There have been the odd exceptions such as gaining promotion on the last day of the season by beating Oxford 4-1 under Stan Anderson to finish 2nd in Division 3 having been no higher than 4th all season, but such League rallies have been rare.
Incidentally if their had been playoffs under Stan Anderson Boro would have made the top 6 in 4 of Stan’s last 6 seasons, and in Bob Dennison’s last 4 seasons Boro would have made the playoffs 3 times.
... I’ve managed to survive, but at Easter my thoughts go out to all those people who have lost their loved ones; for those of us who have survived it almost feels like it did after the end of the Second World War.
But keep safe everyone.
Thank you Ken, and you keep safe and well yourself too.
@k-p-in-spain Ithink Kebano is ace. Up the Boro!
Kebano, Bolasie and Mendez-Laing ought to be a major upgrade on Johnson, Akpom and Spence (especially when you consider that NML hasn’t been anywhere near full fitness) but it really doesn’t matter if you play them like they’re Kevin Davies, Andy Carroll and Peter Crouch.
@jarkko. I agree that out of all the loanees he has had the most impact and shown the greatest promise. Out of all of them he is probably worthy of a further loan deal as I don't believe we could afford to buy him.
There again, if Fulham are relegated they may not want to let him go out on loan again.😎