Smokedsalmon
-
Content Count
792 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
1
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Calendar
Posts posted by Smokedsalmon
-
-
If anyone is still in doubt about our midfield being the problem, watch the Geordies smacking Liverpool right now. Joelinton is incredible, but their entire midfield is exceptional at counter pressing and winning the ball back.
Our midfield genuinely look like pub players next to this 3.
-
2
-
-
1 minute ago, Tom said:
I really struggle with the perennially repeated idea that the club purposely leak that we want to bring signings in, then say "we did everything we could" when we don't. I don't see why they would do that, as fans famously like to be told that players are coming in and then not get them.
It's the equivalent of a parent telling their kids they're going to bring them some ice cream and then turning up empty handed.
It's weird that people are accusing the club of leaking information when this has been the tightest summer we've ever had. Pretty much every signing we've made has been announced by a reliable journalist at most a few days before it happens. We've been really efficient in the market. Gone are the days of sagas rolling on for weeks in the public domain.
I think that's why the ITKs are struggling to be ITK. I'm sure someone is telling them something, but I can't think of a single bit of info - that hasn't been so deliberately vague that it couldn't be wrong - being true.
People are just looking for ways to channel their (understandable) frustration at the poor start to the season.
-
2
-
-
I've banged the "our midfield offers no defensive cover" drum for about 6 months and yet, despite it happening again and again, Carrick seemingly not spotting it.
Wish I was paid as much as him.
-
1
-
-
1 hour ago, Changing Times said:
We had finished 7th the season before, then added Steffen, Lenihan, Muniz, Clarke, Mowatt, Forss, Giles, Archer, Ramsay and Barlaser over the course of the season. And of course the emergence of Hackney for good measure. I don't think finishing in the play offs with that squad was an overachievement at all. We were 9 points off the play offs with two thirds of the season still to play when he took over. Let's not act like it was miracle work. Teams have made up more ground than that in the past.
I suppose I can't argue that we weren't good enough to go up last year because we didn't go up. However, we did finish 4th so we weren't all that far away.
The team could be anything in 2-3 years. I'd say it requires a fair amount of wishful thinking however to believe it will be excellent. If we're still in the Championship in 3 years time, most of these players probably won't even be here. That's the reality of our situation.
Boro suffering from success? Err yeah.
If we end up finishing midtable this season then next summer will almost certainly bring another rebuild. Why would you think otherwise? We'll struggle to hold on to our best players, and we won't want the worst players any longer. The daft thing is that if this season doesn't go so well then you, and every other bugger on here, will be demanding changes to the squad! We all know that to be true.
So, firstly, the issue with adding Steffen, Lenihan, Muniz, Clarke, Mowatt, Forss, Giles, Archer, Ramsey and Barlaser is that the majority of those players offered no longevity or resale value. Steffen, Muniz, Mowatt, Giles, Archer, Ramsey all on loan is preposterously bad long-term planning. Short-term it was excellent; all good players who carried us to the play-offs. The issue? We now have none of them. Lenihan, Clarke & Barlaser were all solid signings, but they were clearly the outliers there.
The whole point of this new long-term planning is to avoid that situation - and dare I say, to actually make what you say about "struggling to hold on to our best players" deliberately happen! We want Morgan Rogers to bang 15 goals and go for 25m next year. That is the plan. Because that 25m then gets invested in another 2-3 players and the squad continues to build. Every time somebody goes, somebody is there to replace them. Selling 2-3 key players every year is fine. Look at Brighton - they have made hundreds of millions of pounds doing this and are still probably the best of the rest in the Prem right now.
You're right, the team could be anything in 2-3 years. Everybody we bought this year might end up being ***. But that's the risk you take to be sustainable and progressive in modern football. We don't have the money to *** away on proven quality, and if we followed our old system of letting managers pick and choose whoever they wanted on whatever wages we could stump up at the time, then we'd continue sliding backwards into obscurity (where we were 100% heading before Scott came in). I'd much rather we risk doing what we are doing now than the era of Saville, Flint, Assombalonga, Braithwaite, Fletcher, god I can't even go on because it makes me want to throw up in my mouth typing it.
Alex Gilbert might be worth 15m next year. Morgan Rogers might be worth 15m. Who knows? They aren't yet, they aren't good enough yet, but 46 games in this league sure as hell separates the wheat from the chaff and players can and will improve under Michael Carrick.
If we finish midtable this season then next summer will absolutely not bring a rebuild because, presumably, nobody is going to flock to us to sign our midtable Championship players. But they might sign our stand-out players for 5, 10, 15m. Just enough to keep us sustainable and keep the build going. Then the next crop of players we sign with that money might just be good enough to finally take us up and stay there. That's the gamble, that's the strategy, and it's 100% the right one to take.
I will not be demanding changes to the squad at all - I do not want us to go out and loan another 5 kids who we lose the next year, nor do I want us to spend 15m on "proven quality" who inevitably end up being *** for us because we're cursed with horrific big-money transfer voodoo. I want us to develop youth players, sign gems on the cheap, and have a manager with the quality to utilise them in a system that suits their technical and physical ability. Simple as. Right now, Boro are delivering on that.
-
23
-
-
7 minutes ago, Robin Johnson said:
So are you happy with the recruitment? You happy with the quality? How could we pay half a season to the quality players (Archer and Ramsey) last season? How do you know the present financial position of the club?
Answers are everyone doesn’t have a clue regarding these matters.
I think we are about where we should be at this point in the project.
I don't think anybody expected Carrick to get us to the play-offs last season. I was still worried about going down when he came in. Fact is, he's over-achieved - this has led to a huge spike in expectations. Now people see us as a top 2 contender with a squad that was never ready for it.
We were not good enough to go up last year - we scored plenty of goals for a period, but the defence was ***-poor all year, and I think we would be getting crucified week in week out in the prem if we had gone up. People have been crying out for Archer, Ramsey, Giles etc. all summer but the fact is that those players were not good enough to overcome a Coventry City squad built on peanuts and shoestring budgets across 3 games.
Make no mistake - last season was the chance. The league will never be as weak as it was then. And the squad you're calling so high quality failed to do it.
We are back to where we were when Carrick took over - except now we've reshaped the team into one that, in 2-3 years, could be excellent. All of the players we have bought this season have potential. If we had finished 14th last season under Carrick and he had steadied the ship and kept us from free-falling like we were under Wilder, I don't think anybody would be complaining about the squad right now.
We are quite literally Suffering From Success.
I'll put it out there now - the squad this year will not be good enough for top 2, nowhere close. We might break into the play-offs if we hit good form. I don't expect us to - and I'm okay with that, because we're now showing long-term planning and strategy so that we don't have to go through yet ANOTHER *** rebuild next year after doing it the last 5-6 in a row.
-
29
-
1
-
-
1 minute ago, Robin Johnson said:
That we probably will agree on. The team is unrecognisable in terms of players and quality- another glorious opportunity to build on and exploit from last season totally peed up the wall.
How were we meant to build on last season?
Pay the combined 35-40m for Archer, Ramsey and Giles, break the wage structure to give Chuba 30k+ a week, and then on top of that add more new signings...?
-
11
-
2
-
-
4 minutes ago, Changing Times said:
A bit like Akpom then you could say...
I think with Akpom the writing was on the wall all summer, last year of his deal, no part in pre-season, cryptic tweeting & a sell-able asset who is (thus far) a one hit wonder in his career.
I don't think there's anything to suggest McGree wants to go other him being a substitute for a couple games.
-
So McGree releases an interview last week saying how much he dreams of playing in the Premier League and can't wait to try and finish top 2 this time round, how much he loves Carrick, speaks to our new Aussie signings all summer telling them how good it is here and trying to convince them to come... and then wants to leave for Rayo Vallecano? The only evidence of which is that he hasn't started a couple of games?
Not sure I'm buying that one.
-
6
-
-
Mowatt was an absolute stinker of a player.
Epitomised everything wrong with our midfield; slow, no ability to press, no defensive sense of positioning, weak as ***.
We need players in the mould of Pape Sarr at Spurs & Joelinton at Newcastle; physical monsters who can run and press all day. Right now, as soon as you break our midfield line (which is *** way too easy) you have a free run at our defence. Not one of our CM options can get back and cover properly.
-
5
-
-
This was published 3 days ago.
Seems like a weird interview to give if you're imminently out the door.
"It was always my dream to play in England and in particular the Premier League," McGree told the Sun. "I thought joining Middlesbrough would give me the best opportunity to do that. Since Michael came in, he just got us back to basics. He made us go out there and enjoy ourselves by playing freely but within a structure.
"He wants us to have confidence in our abilities with a clear football identity and it suited the players we had and how we wanted to go about it. His man-management is exceptional. He tells players how it is. He is very friendly, warm and welcoming. He is composed, calm and that portrays to the players how we are on the pitch. We are clear-headed, know what we're doing and just go out to produce."
"I let the play-off disappointment sit there for a week and come back in here for a fresh start and to give it our all. We want to take the playoffs out of the equation this season and get one of the two automatic spots. It's going to be tough but we're going to give it a good go."
Not sure that reads "get me on the flight to Marbella lad"...
-
1
-
1
-
-
Big chance for Rogers to shine at #10 today! Thank God no McNair or Crooks.
-
2
-
-
I'm going to have a massive meltdown when the team is announced and it's-
Rogers
Crooks
Don't think I can stomach it again.
-
3
-
-
2 minutes ago, CrazyL said:
DM me and I’ll tell you how I know.
It's alright, I'm only taking the *** - will be happy if what you've heard comes off, I just found it funny how you all lined up. 👍
-
3 minutes ago, Mfcdanny said:
Tbf it’s pretty obvious that we are working on new signings 😂it’s the reason we’re all on this thread
It is one of the easiest ITK things to post, isn't it?
"Something's happening" - phew!
-
2
-
1
-
-
27 minutes ago, Bruce said:
When "all the players have been ***" the problem is almost never the players.
Especially the first half against Coventry, the team looked completely disconnected and short on energy. That is a sign of something having gone wrong with the coaching and training. It improved in the second half but only relatively.
Probably we have been struggling with the hangover from last season, uncertainty about our best player (now resolved...) and difficulty integrating a lot of new players who have very little experience and who aren't even close to the quality of the players they replaced.
Normally you would expect this to take a good couple of months to settle down.
For good or ill we have decided not to follow our standard procedure of replacing players with players of proven championship quality or players stepping down from the Premier. The team is going to look like a pale shadow of last season for quite a while because of that.
It might mean absolutely nothing, but I noticed during the pre-season we never seemed to play our intended first XI until the final game. All the other matches were made up of random groups with a lot of kids involved, like that day we split them between 2 different squads entirely.
I know pre-season game results do not matter at all, but I think we maybe made an error in not giving the first team the chance to gel properly. You can really see the lack of understanding at the moment. For me, every friendly should have your intended first XI start the game & then bring back ups on for 45-60 minutes to see if they can stand out.
-
4
-
-
2 minutes ago, Changing Times said:
First 20 seconds. You're absolutely barmy if you think that's Coulson's fault. The ball is on our right hand side so he tucks in like a left back should. Lenihan clears the first cross with his head, the Coventry player runs onto it, Coulson goes out to meet him, we leave another Coventry player free and it's him that puts the cross in. Tell me how Coulson stops that goal?
It's 100% the midfield's fault. Hackney is in no man's land, and it's like I keep saying, the cover provided by our midfield is abysmal - not one of them has the instinct to follow their man. Howson included, by the way.
-
1
-
-
2 minutes ago, MikeyBoro said:
Agree. We need a Rodri-type, and against the stronger sides go 4-3-3, with a DM behind Hackney and Barlaser.
Yep - I really don't like to see the over-complicated movement of full backs inverting and playing as midfielders.
It can work when you're Pep Guardiola and you can sign the best players in the world to do it. Asking Hayden Coulson to do it is the sort of thing that should get people sectioned, *** bonkers stuff.
Just have a man sitting in the #6 and let Hackney and Barlaser have a bit more freedom to play and make mistakes without it costing us a goal whenever they turn the ball over because there's nobody behind them.
-
We are desperate for a proper #6 and a shift to the 433.
As much as I hate to say it, watching the Geordies' middle 3 absolutely run the show against Villa was frightening. All 3 of them press for 90 minutes, know when to cover, when to break into the box... god, if only.
Barlaser & Hackney are tidy players but neither is blessed with pace, strength, or the ability to press well. Our midfield is honestly dogshit and has been for years, I maintain with 100% belief that a better midfield last year and we get promoted. Our defence doesn't work because we have no midfield cover positionally, and we don't turn the ball over enough in that area.
Howson, by the way, is not the answer at all and should have been replaced 3 years ago. Joke that he's still our best midfield option at this point, seeeriously poor from the club.
-
1
-
1
-
-
1 minute ago, wilsoncgp said:
Still trying to get hold of him apparently.
He's in the changies looking at his notebook where it just says "pass the ball loads" and wondering why it hasn't worked out.
-
1
-
1
-
1
-
-
Just now, ManBearPig said:
This Sakamoto has got Coulson in his pocket
A naked man would have Coulson in his *** pocket.
-
Just now, Dan1234 said:
Forss and Mcgree may have been poor, but we know they are decent players.
Crooks has been *** forever and Rogers has looked horrendous up front yet them two start again and Mcgree/Forss dropped? That's on Carrick.
Oh yeah 100% agree but I think it's hard to blame Rogers, anyone would look *** at the top of this side.
Crooks is definitely on him. Mental decision to keep him & give him a new deal when he is a complete Warnock yard-dog player.
-
2
-
-
Just now, Dan1234 said:
Tbf, apart from Dieng I don't think any of our signings have been brought in as first team nailed on starters. They all seem a bit "squad" playerish to me. This is another performance on Carrick for me. Nobody is forcing these team selections when you look at our bench.
Forss and McGree were *** against Millwall and we were all calling for Silvera and Jones to play.
This is down to the complete lack of control and quality in midfield. Crooks, Barlaser, Hackney is a properly *** poor 3.
-
1
-
-
Michael Carrick has now had 4 games in 6 to get the better of this Coventry side and somehow seems to manage to get worse and worse at it with each attempt.
Where do you even begin with that? Yikes. We are carrying Coulson, McNair, Barlaser, & Crooks.
I don't blame Rogers, nothing doing playing up top with this side - but Hackney is literally having to try and play midfield on his own at the moment.
-
Just now, LBP said:
How much time and space on the edge of our box?
The entire team stood still and watched that one.
-
1
-
2023 Summer Transfer Window Post Mortem
in Boro Forum
Posted
I'm obviously not saying we should have players of that level.
But their off the ball work is not something that requires special talent, just good coaching and willingness (alongside natural physical attributes). Our midfield has absolutely none of it. Wouldn't see Howson busting back like Joelinton to sniff an attack out like that.