Perhaps just too many changes in the team this summer. This was expected and we are still looking for two or three more after we signed the Brazilian forward from Fulham.
We need time. But we are second from the bottom - two points above Coventry who have three games in hand!
Well, I won't panic yet even we were really toothless yesterday. But it might take the whole season to get the team running on all four cylingers.
Up the Boro!
Yesterday’s defeat was nothing to do with the number of changes/new personnel it was down to a lack of tempo, a lack of accurate passing and a willingness to find a defence splitting pass.
Players took the soft option all day long and passed it backwards and sideways and despite our 70+ possession stats we never looked like opening them up.
One thing I did not understand was that it appeared that two Reading players were beyond our defence in the six yard box when they scored. Why was that not offside?
CW has talked much about square pegs etc which I totally concur with but he has still not delivered it based on yesterdays back three. DF is a Centre Back and if you want the best from him then that is where he should be played. DL on his appearances to date also appears to be more comfortable in that position but you can’t play them both in a three. He is also right footed, so why was he bought when we have been desperate for years for a LCB! Bola is also not a CB but a LB whose defending, at times, is poor as demonstrated yesterday by a weak header which led to their goal.
For me, Jones is spending too much time on the ball and doing little with it and contributing to slowing down our attacks. He needs to receive the ball whilst he is on the move and start attacking full backs more.
All the talk about goal scorers and creativity is a waste of time if we keep conceding goals as we are doing.
Do we persevere with this set up or move to a flat back 4 with Giles and Jones wide midfielders with less defensive responsibility. Howson and Crooks in midfield with McGree playing off Akpom or Muniz or two up front?
Something has to change, even with all the possession we had against Stoke they still managed to score two against us.
I can’t see how keeping to the same system will work as teams have worked out how to counteract it and we don’t appear to have a plan B! 😎
Received a message from my brother before kick off yesterday that he had got me a ticket for the home game against Cardiff.
I messaged him at half time to ask if he could get a refund!😉🤣😎
According to the gazette or whatever it's called now Mr Wilder is hoping Muniz and one or two others will shake things up? Am I mistaken but I thought that was most definitely his job, I 'm sure Boro are suffering from 'cluelessitis'. In fact 'hoping' sounds like he's hung out a prayer flag, doesn't he know?
It is somewhat early in the season for this level of frustration to be setting in but in all honesty I simply can't see it getting better, like all Boro supporters I'd crave being proved wrong but if he can't get the team to turn around all that possession into the odd goal he and his team will be so far adrift by Christmas the rest of the season will be academic. And there were rumours of Whatmore being sold too.
KP in Spain, your comment about having a Plan B is so right but do we have a Plan A?
UTB,
John
I said recently said that I despair that Boro constantly passing across the field and backwards is very annoying.
The first half yesterday was in my opinion the worst ever. I nearly threw the computer monitor out the window.
Glad to say that CW was also angry, okay but why did he not change it the first half.
Looking at his demeanor over the past week or so, he doesn't seem happy at all.
Also what is going on with Fry. Just saying 😀
Fry has lost his way, yesterday he hadn’t a clue what to do with the ball other than pass sideways and backwards. Body language of McNair does not inspire me either.
Come on BORO.
Fry has lost his way, yesterday he hadn’t a clue what to do with the ball other than pass sideways and backwards. Body language of McNair does not inspire me either.
Come on BORO.
Exmill, I thouht the same about Mcnair. Not been at his best and one of the culprits of passing back.
The Gazette have written about Muniz as though he’s going to be the star forward. He’s only 20 or so, has a handful of Championship games virtually all as a late substitute. There’s no way he’s going to be the forward to smash 20 goals.
He’s a promising young lad learning how to play adult football and about to sample the hurley burley of the Championship and so we can’t expect miracles.
CW keeps going on about signing another 3 players which will take the new signings to around a dozen. Does anyone in their right mind expect them all to be a success. It just doesn’t happen even with the top Clubs who buy tried and tested international players.
The season even after 5 matches couldn’t have been a worst start.
So, I’m finding little to be excited about in the coming weeks, irrespective of the number of new signings, regarding Boro’s performances and winning games.
Hope I’m wrong
Philip of Huddersfield
More sad news reports that David Armstrong has passed away
This has really hit home to me as I used to see spike every time he came up to the Riverside and visited his family up in the North East.
A lovely lovely man always up for a joke and a laugh and always willing to talk about his years as the wonder kid for Big Jack.
So sad
RIP SPIKE
OFB
This has really hit home to me as I used to see spike every time he came up to the Riverside and visited his family up in the North East.
A lovely lovely man always up for a joke and a laugh and always willing to talk about his years as the wonder kid for Big Jack.
So sad
RIP SPIKE
OFB
He was only 67 no age
Extremely sad news about Spike. One of my favorites in my favourite Boro team. I have a photo of me and my brother as young teenagers with the Boro team at their pre match lunch at Marton Country Club the day they demolished Wednesday. Spike is in that and I recall him being so kind in his reaction to us interupting their lunch.
RIP Spike. The Good Lord now had a class option for his left wing.
I am really devastated to hear the sad news about David Amstrong.
He was a really good player and I had his picture on my bed room wall while I was a teenager. The picture was from the Shoot! magazine.
I met David's mother and sister before a match in 1980 and had a cuppa with them at Ayresome Park. And met David in a former players' assosiaatio meeting seven years ago. Also Len was there.
Definately one of my first Boro heroes. A terrible loss at the age of 67. Will miss him enormously remembering his concutive appearance record. I think he is the eight longest serving player in our history.
A club legend. Up the Boro!
Such sad news. Never met Spike but followed him and the team during a wonderful promotion winning season. A great winger with one of the best left foots to fill a Boro shirt and a fearsome tackler.
RIP Spike and thanks for some great memories 😎
I remember going to Marton country club for a Boro “do” with my wife and did the hokey kokey holding my wife’s hand on one side and a young 17 year old spikes hand on the other side. It made my night I loved all that team!
OFB
So sad to hear of Spike’s demise at the early age of 67. Sincere condolences to his family as I know only too well what it’s like to lose a loved one so comparatively young as that was the same age that my wife bless her also died. It seems so easy to say that life goes on, but it does actually. I used to feel guilty enjoying myself thereafter but everyone used to tell me that my wife Enid wouldn’t want me to grieve too long and it’s true as life must go on, but nevertheless it does take time.
RIP Spike, but my thoughts are for his family at this sad time.
Talking of age, when I read about footballers like Rodrigo Muniz being born in the 21st century it’s hard to believe that we were celebrating the new millennium as if it was so long ago. Although I really thought that this year was 2020 not 2022. One of my neighbours thought the same; maybe we’re like the old codgers from ‘Last of the Summer Wine’. But there again I actually missed my birthday this year, forgot all about it though my 80th in Portugal four years ago was the last time I celebrated it or Christmas.
I have probably said this before somewhere, but...
David "Spike" Armstrong: what a footballer! I was once in a pub in Saltburn one Friday night. I went to the bar for my 5th refill. I chap at the bar looked at me, looked at the new pint of beer in my hand and did a "double-take". Much as it might seem ridiculous now, at that stage David Armstrong and me bore a similarity that might seem all the closer if one had taken some alcohol on board and we were very close in age.
The man said something like "You shouldn't be drinking like this, the night before a match..." I knew who he thought I was but I just grinned and sat down to drink the beer. Maybe I should have told him I was NOT the person he thought I was, but I just let him think it. I wonder what he told his mates when he got home.
David Armstong - one of the very best.
I know that this probably goes against the grain for 99% of Boro supporters but I’m pleased to see Leeds United, Sunderland and Newcastle doing so well because I have relatives, neighbours and friends supporting these clubs and the only occasion I want to see any of them lose is obviously when they’re playing against the Boro. By the way what a great match at St James’s Park yesterday, I’m tired about hearing about London derbies; far too many of them in my opinion.
There is a lovely tribute video to Spike on the club website, showing some of his goals and assists.
Great times, great side and lifetime memories. 😎
I would be happy with this signing, either as a loan or permanent transfer.
Come on BORO.
As this is the 30th anniversary of the Premier League I thought I’d delve into history to ascertain the final league positions:-
1 Man. Utd 84.
2 Villa———74.
3 Norwich—72
4 Blackburn 71.
5 Q.P.R——-63.
6 Liverpool 59.
7 Sheff Wed 59.
8 Spurs——-59.
9 Man. City 57.
10 Arsenal. 56.
11 Chelsea 56.
12 Wimbld 54.
13 Everton 53.
14 Sheff Utd 52.
15 Coventry 52.
16 Ipswich—52.
17 Leeds Utd 51.
18 Southam 51.
19 Oldham -49.(now in the Conference League)
20 Palace—-49.
21 Boro——-44
22 Forest— 40
At least it looked more competitive then than it has done recently
Even outside the first season of the Premier League the Championship finished with Tranmere 4th, Swindon 5th, Grimsby 9th (in the Conference last season), Oxford 14th, Notts County 17th (now in the Conference and only relegated from the old First Division in the season prior to the Premier League), Southend 18th (also now in the Conference) and Cambridge 24th (spent 9 seasons from 2005/14 in the Conference League).
Even Hartlepool finished 16th in the 3rd tier whilst Scarborough finished 13th and Darlington 15th in the 4th tier (the latter two now in Conference League North).
However it’s the balance of power that has occurred in the Premier League in those last 30 years and unfortunately unlikely ever to return until there is some form of salary capping.
According to the gazette or whatever it's called now Mr Wilder is hoping Muniz and one or two others will shake things up? Am I mistaken but I thought that was most definitely his job, I 'm sure Boro are suffering from 'cluelessitis'. In fact 'hoping' sounds like he's hung out a prayer flag, doesn't he know?
It’s a very good point, John. I’ve made my feelings known previously on this blog about Boro’s striker recruitment strategy, and how I think it’s flawed. I think we’re getting more evidence of this now.
In the EG yesterday, CW is quoted, on the Muniz signing, as saying, ‘We need a presence at the top of the pitch. Chuba is injured, Duncan couldn’t start, so we went with young Marcus Forss who tries to run off the shoulder. We haven’t got anybody to offer us a physical presence at the top of the pitch without Chuba. Rodrigo will give us the chance to do that. He’ll give us a presence, that power and focal point up front. When a team sits deep, blocks passages and forces you out wide like Reading did, you need someone in the box. It can be quite difficult to break that kind of shape down, so we need different players and Muniz gives us that. Chuba gives us that.’
When I read that, I nearly spluttered me tea everywhere. To me, it seems wrong on so many levels. Let’s break it down. 1) Marcus Forss:- there’s a tacit admission here from Wilder (further emphasised later in the EG article), that both Forss (and Hoppe) need coaching. Correct me if this is wrong, but I think we’ve paid about £5million for these two? Didn’t CW know that Forss likes to run off the shoulder? Didn’t he know he wouldn’t offer a physical presence? Why have we signed him if he’s not going to match CW’s preferred style? Why have we signed the pair of them if they’re not yet ready when the clear need was for hit-the-ground-running strikers?
2) We had a lad called Uche who offered a physical presence. Not good enough, apparently. We also have Josh Coburn, who clearly is a physical presence and can definitely score goals. But we’re going to ship him out on loan when he’s fit again. But if he needs further coaching too, why can’t we use him here and bring him on ourselves? What’s the difference, then, between Josh and Hoppe?
3) I wouldn’t call Chuba a physical presence. I suppose he holds the ball up well, and is clearly more of a physical presence than say, Ashley Fletcher, but is that really his game? In any case, if CW wants a physical presence, why did he sign Connolly and Balogun??
4) CW’s acknowledged strength and preferred style is to use his wing-backs to get wide and forward to deliver crosses. Presumably, therefore, he can’t complain when Reading ‘force us wide’? Yet from everything I’ve read, both Giles and Jones had poor games and provided very little in the way of crosses. And if that ‘someone in the box’, if crosses do come over, isn’t Forss (because he’s still running off shoulders!), then what on earth is he here for?
The whole thing just smacks of excuses to me, as did the ridiculous Warnockesque complaint about the linesman and the offside flag. And Wilder is definitely placing tough expectations on Muniz, whose scoring record isn’t that great. I genuinely hope the lad does well, scores us a hatful of goals and becomes the key striker we’ve needed for so long. However, given CW’s record with strikers thus far, I wouldn’t bet on it.
Clive,
I couldn't agree more.
I'd love to know what happened with Uche and having let him go Mr Wilder bemoans the fact we haven't got a player like him. You really couldn't make it up.
He's said Whatmore needs looking after but in the great new tradition of get everyone as muddled as he is we might sell him back to Sunderland. Boy, would that be a haunting.
UTB,
John
A long time since i posted but just wanted to post in memory of David Armstrong.
The '74 promotion season was my first attending regularly and 'Spike' one of my heroes.
I remember him scoring direct from a corner against Sunderland at Roker Park.
A great player and very sad news that he has died, 67 is no age.
I know that this probably goes against the grain for 99% of Boro supporters but I’m pleased to see Leeds United, Sunderland and Newcastle doing so well because I have relatives, neighbours and friends supporting these clubs and the only occasion I want to see any of them lose is obviously when they’re playing against the Boro. By the way what a great match at St James’s Park yesterday, I’m tired about hearing about London derbies; far too many of them in my opinion.
Hi Ken, sorry I like Leeds/Sunderland but Newcastle a definite no. Had 3 bad experiences when I was up there watching Middlesbrough. Once they found out we were supporting Boro, all hell let loose. Each time we had to leave early, otherwise we might have got a hiding. Plus they are now cock a hoop because of the Saudi connection giving them millions to spend.
Also two of their main supporters are Ant and Dec who I have no time for.
Again Ken, sorry for the rant.
@Nigel, you are welcome to comment more often. Up the Boro!
I was at the Reading game, to say Boro's performance was abysmal would not be over stating it.
Reading set up like an away team and were happy to give us possession, but they have that right, Boro's job was to break through.
The first half we were slow and unimaginative, i'm not sure where Chris Wilder's overlapping centre backs were, i think he left them on Teesside.
I didn't see Bola or Fry make an attacking foray once.
The midfield was equally unimpressive, all three in the middle of the park weren't at the races, the wing backs lacked penetration. I haven't got a clue what form the strikers were in, they didn't see the ball.
The Reading goal was Boro made, a weak header out from Bola and no midfielder picking up the Reading player who was given time and space to hit a sweet shot.
I think Wilder got his selection wrong, Bola may be left footed but he's no McNair, Fry looked completely out of his comfort zone on the right of a three, he's the man for the centre of the three.
Matt Crooks was sorely missed in the first half and we clearly haven't replaced Tav. There was no energy or drive in the middle of the park.
Second half was a bit better, (not difficult to achieve) McNair got forward from centre back, Matt Crooks showed his usual drive and energy and as a result Jones was more prominent but it was still average.
I thought Hoppe looked like he had potential when he came on and Zack Steffen looked calm and confident, although he could have stood leaning against his post smoking a fag for the 90 and the result would have been the same.
Reading were there for the taking...............
Good post Nigel, good to see you back. 😎