Boro’s biggest test and they fluff their lines - they simply crumbled when Burnley turned up the pressure.
Listening to the radio commentary Steffen was at fault for two of the goals and Giles - for goodness sake don’t rely on him to defend - he just can’t , he’s a winger.
Tactically,  Boro did everything right in the first half. But in the second half allowed  the game be  be more open instead of strangling the game to frustrate Burnley plus  just couldn’t hold Benson who scored  Burnley’s first two goals.
So much for MC to improve tactically.
Philip of HuddersfieldÂ
Boro miss penalty given for non existent Burnley handball!
Boro miss penalty given for non existent Burnley handball!
Penalty missed by Akpom.
Well no surprises. Â Did the job in the first half of containing Burnley but offered little threat going forward.
A well taken goal by Watmore early second half aided by a poor Burnley back pass should have seen us take charge but we failed to do so and then we could not respond when Burnley stepped on the gas.
Poor defending by Giles and Steffen and an own goal by JH helped Burnley on their way to a deserved win.  Even when gifted a penalty, which wasn’t, we failed to take advantage.
The second half was the poorest we have seen since MC arrived and was reminiscent of some games/play under CW.
I hope that we have not been worked out as a team and a win against Wigan is now a necessity if the doubts on our abilities are not to surface again. 😎
Boro miss penalty given for non existent Burnley handball!
Penalty missed by Akpom.
As perceived by Vic:
Dicky Dancer run up and Akpom's penalty is easily saved. "One of those days"
And:
I will never, never, ever understand why people do those daft run-ups. You lose momentum and have to think too much about what the keeper is doing it and when to connect. JUST LEATHER IT!
That was a bit meh, questionable goalkeeping, own goal, missed penalty not a good day at the office
@stircrazy. They need to get big John Hickton down to the training ground to show them how to take penalties! 😎
Unsurprising. Burnley are probably a couple of years ahead of us in terms of putting together a promotion squad.
Boro contained them well for the first twenty minutes or so but Burnley turned up the heat from there on.
Watmore’s goal was brilliantly taken and came out of nowhere really and suddenly we looked capable of gaining a surprise result.
The game really changed on the non-award of a free kick/penalty for a clear foul on Akpom. It was probably just outside the box but could easily have been given and, had we scored, we might well have gone on to win.
It wasn’t awarded. Burnley were galvanised and overpowered us from then on, taking full advantage of the one or two defensive frailties  we have.
A deserved win for the hosts in the end but on another day we might have grabbed something.
Not a disaster and a game that we can quickly  move on from I think.
Well after the first half was played with all the enthusiasm worthy of a World Cup third place play-off and was more of a behind-closed-doors training ground match that was not one that needed watching too closely.
However, the second half was played in full-festive spirits with both sides and the officials exchanging plenty of gifts - though Boro seemed to have problems unwrapping some of theirs. Watmore accepted his gift superbly but Steffen looked like he was keen on being Boro's secret Santa as Burnley retook the lead with a couple of keeping gifts. Still, Howson was keen to give Burnley another gift but despite the ref presenting Boro with both a penalty and a red card, Akpom was determined to reciprocate to gesture by rolling the ball generously to their keeper.
Sadly, this game may take some time for Michael Carrick to unwrap as the winning run has ended without the season's joy he may have hoped!
A sobering reality check but hopefully it will be used to good effect by MC.
We will all see how Boro respond on Boxing Day, that will be the real test. Steffen not a good afternoon will MC give Roberts a chance, Giles frailties as a full back exposed by Benson, a mad 12 second half minutes but Burnley are a very good side.
Come on BORO.
Blackburn a goal up at Carrow Road - OG by Ben Gibson in the 4th minute; Dani Ayala booked for Blackburn in the 28th...
A poor defensive display after the brilliant Watmore goal in which Steffen again proved he is not the answer to Boro’s defensive problems. Burnley do what they usually do in the first half of matches, size up the opposition and then outplay them in the second half. This is a completely different Clarets side that played under Shaun Dyche in the Premier League. They completely outclassed a lacklustre Boro side who were flattered by the scoreline. Remember that Burnley were without Nathan Tenna and Anass Zaroury, two of the speediest wingers in the Championship who are also capable of  scoring a few goals themselves. By my count Vinny Kompany has already offloaded about a dozen overaged players and replaced them with a similar number of younger players many of which are on loan, without using up their allocation of parachute payments which I understand will only be received at the end of this season.
As for the sending off of Connor Roberts it transpires that the referee initially waved play on but his assistant thought that Roberts had handled the ball where in fact the ball ricocheted off the crossbar, and the red card will almost certainly be rescinded on appeal. Nevertheless Akpom’s penalty was poor; maybe Grant Leadbitter will take him aside to show him how to convert the next one. As KP in Spain remarked it was a sobering reality check as to the future prospects of making the playoffs, never mind as to gaining promotion in the near future. Although I sometimes think that Boro fans often think that Boro have turned the corner, we have yet to see how the January transfer window will transpire, but it’s a monumental task to expect Boro’s recruitment to be anywhere near that of Vinnny Kompany’s.Â
I feel that some of us are getting too excited about the prospect of reaching the playoffs never mind promotion this season. However I do agree that the football is infinitely better to watch under Michael Carrick than that displayed under previous managers, but come on, we’re still outsiders for promotion at the moment even with a successful January recruitment drive. We’re probably no better than many of the sides in the Championship at this time. Take Blackburn for instance. Some say that they don’t win enough matches. I tend to look at it differently. I dislike drawn matches, as apparently Rovers do too.
Good news from the England camp. Gareth Southgate will remain as England manager until after the European Championships in 2024, the Football Association has confirmed.
Southgate has won 49 of his 81 games in charge so far, losing 14. But his record of winning six knockout games in major tournaments as Three Lions boss is the same number as England had won in the 48 years before he took the helm.
Southgate previously managed England Under-21s from 2013 to 2016 and was also in charge at Middlesbrough from 2006 to 2009.
Up the Boro!
Just seen the after game photos of Boro on the pitch. Howson not happy and seems to be having a go at Akpom
OFB
I have a couple of points, one!, does anybody really believe it is clever to play in your penalty area for 5-6 minutes, and I do mean silly little passes to each other sometimes actually getting the ball out of the area, but of course passing it back inside the area, involving our keeper in silly passing routines. Burnley watched in amazement, but of course took Good care to cash in, and it was not difficult. We at no point even looked like we wanted to frustrate and infuriate them when we were in front, and I mean place the ball firmly in their half for a throw in. I saw nobody even consider putting the ball over their heads and just chasing it. Secondly and most importantly, we got nothing out of our winger, he was brushed aside throughout the match. I hope it was a one off, because Burnley are hardly going to set the world on fire.   Â
I didn't get to follow the match live so only have reports to go by. That said, the result is hardly surprising and definitely not a reason for panic. After the first half-dozen matches, the new manager "bounce" ends and there's a fair chance we'll have a series of poor results over the Christmas and new year period.
To an extent, the results against Norwich and Luton covered up mixed performances and now we have a classic banana skin match coming up against Wigan followed by a difficult trip to Blackburn.Â
I've been encouraged by what I've seen so far; Carrick certainly has a philosophy of how he wants to play and how he wants to manage. The next few weeks will tell us whether he can make it stick.
@deleriad. Â Good post Deleriad. Â I think one thing we will find out over the next few weeks are how well MC and the team cope as teams learn how to nullify the way we play, especially if key players are having off days.
There has been an element of that in the last two games and we got out of gaol with a late winner against Luton but couldn’t cope yesterday in the second half which was akin to performances under NW and the latter part of CW’s reign.
An interesting Christmas/New Year period in store. Â 😎
I watched the game from a really good vantage point from one of the Burnley stands. My BFC-supporting mate had to get me a ticket as Boro had sold out. Had I been a neutral, I would have enjoyed it, as it was full of incident and thud and blunder. Here are my reflections:-Â
Firstly, the blunders. 1) Despite some brilliant defending (especially by Fry and Lenaghan throughout the first half), I counted at least 5 occasions when Boro foolishly passed the ball out from defence straight to a nearby claret shirt. Some of this was downright carelessness, some because of our insistence on playing out from the back (as Plato just noted), with Steffen sometimes taking this to extremes, and mostly because Burnley’s press from start to finish was extremely effective. Kompany has them playing with a terrific intensity: they harassed us mercilessly throughout the game, giving our lads hardly any time on the ball.Â
2) Ryan Giles was directly to blame for BFC’s first goal. He gave the dangerous Benson far too much room and failed to prevent him shooting. Steffen was beaten at his near post. Then, for the second, Boro failed to learn this lesson and let Benson cross from virtually the same spot, and of course, it snook in at the far post without a further touch. I don’t blame Steffen for that one: he genuinely needed to keep his position as Rodriguez was a whisker away from connecting.Â
3) Even the ref blundered. I did think the foul on Chuba that MC complained of was a foul, but I don’t think this impacted on the final outcome. But I also thought Roberts had handled the ball on the line; so did my BFC mate!! So, apparently, did the ref, perhaps after hearing from his linesman! It seemed he gave the penalty decision ages after the actual incident. How on earth did the officials get this wrong? It mattered not, ultimately. Chuba made our final blunder.Â
4) Even Burnley blundered, gifting us Watmore’s excellent goal.Â
For all the mistakes, I’m not too downhearted. We had a mad 12 minute spell that cost us. Burnley are undoubtedly the best side I’ve seen this season, and were missing a couple of key players. I think they’ll be the stand-out side this season and will go up. Boro more than held our own for 50 minutes. Easier challenges ahead, methinks. Having said all that I was disappointed at how little we offered going forward. And while few sides will press as well as Burnley did, it was nonetheless worrying that we couldn’t really  break out from their stranglehold.Â
Great report Clive which matches my views of the game.
I still think Steffen should have saved both goals and perhaps we may see a change on Boxing Day between the sticks
Perhaps the shape was wrong and Giles should’ve been changed for a more defensive player.
Re the foul on Akpom I thought it was just out of the box 📦!
Â
OFB
Good post I do wonder if some agents have been whispering into Jones ear with promises of riches to be had in January and it’s turned his head a bit?
OFB
We’re now into Advent and for me as a Christian it means looking towards the birth of Jesus Christ. But the word ADVENT also means looking forward to expective hopes and views. Whilst I’m not advocating a joyous Advent for Middlesbrough Football Club this season, one should not give up hope. Once Christmas is over we have EPIPHANY which means to most people the gloom of dark winter nights. But in the Christian faith it means the looking forward to primavera in the expectation that better times are ahead. And probably that’s what Boro fans are hoping for, that EPIPHANY should mean, the feeling  that even though promotion may be doubtful this season, that the future for our club is in the good hands of our SAVIOUR, Michael Carrick. Of course a lot of serendipitous incoming transfer  targets will need to come to fruition for that to happen. But of course Rome wasn’t built in a day!
An interesting article about one of our competitors, with some issues which will resonate with MFC supporters.
I have a couple of points, one!, does anybody really believe it is clever to play in your penalty area for 5-6 minutes, and I do mean silly little passes to each other sometimes actually getting the ball out of the area, but of course passing it back inside the area, involving our keeper in silly passing routines. Burnley watched in amazement, but of course took Good care to cash in, and it was not difficult. We at no point even looked like we wanted to frustrate and infuriate them when we were in front, and I mean place the ball firmly in their half for a throw in. I saw nobody even consider putting the ball over their heads and just chasing it. Secondly and most importantly, we got nothing out of our winger, he was brushed aside throughout the match. I hope it was a one off, because Burnley are hardly going to set the world on fire.   Â
No Plato, I for one agree that it is lunacy, even for the most gifted of players. I hate it when I see my team doing that and I sit with my heart in my mouth, waiting for the consequence to arrive. It is unnecessary risk that this pattern of play introduces, the consequence of which is significant.
Interesting article:
also:
Over 29,000 tickets sold for Boxing Day against Wiganso it looks like a sellout.
Come on BORO.
Â
Â
I have a couple of points, one!, does anybody really believe it is clever to play in your penalty area for 5-6 minutes, and I do mean silly little passes to each other sometimes actually getting the ball out of the area, but of course passing it back inside the area, involving our keeper in silly passing routines. Burnley watched in amazement, but of course took Good care to cash in, and it was not difficult. We at no point even looked like we wanted to frustrate and infuriate them when we were in front, and I mean place the ball firmly in their half for a throw in. I saw nobody even consider putting the ball over their heads and just chasing it. Secondly and most importantly, we got nothing out of our winger, he was brushed aside throughout the match. I hope it was a one off, because Burnley are hardly going to set the world on fire.   Â
No Plato, I for one agree that it is lunacy, even for the most gifted of players. I hate it when I see my team doing that and I sit with my heart in my mouth, waiting for the consequence to arrive. It is unnecessary risk that this pattern of play introduces, the consequence of which is significant.
Â
I disagree. If we want to play the ball out from the back then the only way we get good at it is doing it. It may look more risky but kicking long into the other half is to give up on the ball. 24 months ago we were all complaining about Warnock and his "dinosaur tactics" of hoofing it long and trying to pick up a knock-down.
I will say that when we face a team that's good at pressing we need to be able to adjust and Steffen is key to that. If they press high with 3-4 players then you pass short-short-short to invite the press then long on a diagonal or over the top to the half-way line to turn the opponents. That longer pass is one of Steffen's strengths.Â
Thing is, if you don't keep faith with it then we will never progress beyond kick and hope.Â
@deleriad. I am with you on this one. We need to make it work and find varying options to deal with the different teams/presses. 😎
@k-p-in-spain I second to that, too. No hoofing, please. Let's keep the ball in CONTROL.Â
I have always wondered why the goalkeeper cannot be a 'defender' and outside his box when we are having the ball and circulating it. He should be taking part when in possesion. Up the Boro!
When any team is pressing, and Good at it, then their chief aim is to keep the ball in your area. That way you keep all your players on the edge of your opponents box, with all the possible opportunities to shoot without the slog of battling your way up field. You also have the chance of your corner specialist, long distance shooter, specialist header of the ball, penalties, free kick merchant, all without the sweat of working to create these chances. We, at least twice, played the ball around our own box for at least five minutes, including getting it out of our box, and passing it back into same. Even Man. City would have shoved them back to their own half. Oh! And their three goals were gifts, plus the quite awful penalty ( no pressure, the game was over).   Â