RiseAgainst
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Posts posted by RiseAgainst
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Just read @p_mardsstory about the near-death experience on the motorway. Really hope you've recovered from it by now and aren't still having flashbacks.
A similar thing happened to me on the M6 a few years ago. Drug dealer in an Audi (it would be an Audi, wouldn't it) coming towards me at probably 100mph on the hard shoulder, me in lane 1 doing 70, car in lane 2, so nowhere to go. For a few strangely elongated seconds, I accepted my death.
The wife couldn't drive at that point so I had to continue our journey home for another two hours, because I knew if I stopped I wouldn't be able to get back behind the wheel. Made it home and then collapsed with a suspected heart attack. Still have flashbacks to it all on occasion.
The Audi driver was eventually caught by police and got a long prison sentence for drugs and theft offences. Not long enough, though. And ironically, whenever I try to find details of 'my' M6 incident online, loads of other stories come up instead, so it clearly wasn't an isolated event.
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Fine sentiments from Izzy, but we all know he'd leave in a heartbeat if a big-money offer came through for him in the summer. Chuba almost gushed with praise for Carrick and the club last season. I'm not suggesting he was wrong to move, but saying you're enjoying your time at a club is meaningless in the modern football world.
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If we still have Smith and Ayling in August, we don't need a third RB. Our problems aren't at the back - they're at the other end of the pitch. No club could expect to be in contention for promotion with our current forward line, even if the players do have more experience and no injury issues next season.
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7 minutes ago, Changing Times said:
Maybe they just didn't tell him that the game was today to play a trick on him.
Drury's going to be so confused after he drives to Southampton tomorrow.
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9 minutes ago, Neverbefore said:
We've been the more threatening side since the 20th min or so for me. Well deserved. Didn't really understand all the negativity on here given the performance from a patched together side away from home vs a top top side.
We've had some awful individual performances today, with players right off it (if they were ever on it). Saints could have scored twice in two minutes in the second half, when we briefly looked shambolic. There have been so many bad individual decisions made by players it's impossible to list. If we were Southampton fans, I suspect we'd be raging about a 1-1 draw at home against an injury-riven team in poor form carrying passengers like Greenwood and Silvera, especially after leading for most of the match.
Still, gritty performance overall, we did hold them at bay for long periods, and it's a valuable away point plus a confidence boost for ELL. I'll gladly take it, but I'm really not sure it's well deserved.
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Well, I did not see that coming!
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Someone's been led away by the police in the stadium. Let's hope it was Greenwood for stealing a living off us.
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Two absolute let-offs in the last few minutes. We are so lucky to only be one nil down.
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So, next season, eh?
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1 minute ago, AnglianRed said:
This is how you know our season is over...TJ didn't even say Defeat is Inevitable... 😯☹️
No, it's apathy that's inevitable now.
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3 minutes ago, Denzel Zanzibar said:
That bench 😬
Hey, look on the bright side, people have been saying for days we'd like to see some kids given a runout!
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3 minutes ago, Neverbefore said:
Lol I've no idea how that's gonna line up. Ayling cb with Clarke and maybe Jones rb? But I think he'd play dijksteel if that was the case. Howson cb?
Jesus. Who'd have thought Clarke would be our only fit cb a few months ago
I think it'll be Howson and Clarke at CB, Ayling and Engel at the sides and then Barlaser and O'Brien as two CDMs, with Jones and Azaz out wide.
I accept we've clearly got a lot of injuries (again), but the random positional generator has been dusted off for today.
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Greenwood 🤦♂️
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24 minutes ago, Humpty said:
My worry is putting it a vote.
We'd probably end up with something designed in MS Paint, christened Badgey McBadgeface, reusing the current lion and adding 1986 back in just to confuse opposing fans about our heritage.
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13 minutes ago, OldManGravz said:
The transporter bridge was on Auf Weidersehn Pet, its gotta be known nationwide at least surely
Was just about to post the same thing. I didn't finish the second series of AWP but I remember that was the key storyline - they were selling the Transporter Bridge overseas - America IIRC.
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⬆️
Want that one.
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55 minutes ago, SouthernSmoggie said:
Deadwood is a harsh term but I'll take it to mean players who I don't ever see being part of a promotion-winning side. For me, that's: Greenwood, Barlaser, Hoppe, Silvera, Coburn, Glover, Dijsksteel, Gilbert, Thomas
We then have a large-ish group of players who can all be very good on their day but have at least one major issue hanging over them, whether that's getting on in age, lack of consistency, or recurrent injury problems: Howson, O'Brien, Smith, Ayling, McNair, Fry, Lenihan, Clarke, Engel, Bangura, Forss, Latte Lath, Jones, Azaz... There's potential in there, but let's be real, none of them are getting in the AK promotion side first XI.
For me, we really only have a handful of players who I have total confidence are good enough for a promotion push: Dieng, McGree, VDB, and Hackney. I would have included Rogers here too which would have made nearly half a team.
Barring a 10/10 transfer window where several miracles are performed, I expect another similar season to this one. Probably a bit closer to 6th without such ridiculous injuries.
Yes, perhaps deadwood is too pejorative a term. "Not good enough for what we need next season" is a kinder - if rather wordier - way of expressing what I mean.
I don't think we play to Barlaser's strengths, and I'd defend him to a point. He can be a fine passer but he'd look a far better player overall as the holder in a CDM pairing alongside a teammate with more licence to charge forwards. He's clearly limited in some respects, and certainly wouldn't be in my starting XI if everyone was fit, but I think he could be a useful player for us, especially in games which are getting bogged down in midfield.
Also, I'd suggest we haven't seen the best of Coburn yet. He's a young lad with a niggling injury problem but he can still give opposing defenders a torrid time. Again, our reliance on him to lead the line this season is indicative of the paucity of talent elsewhere in our squad (as is playing Greenwood and Silvera up front), but as an impact sub, Coburn has plenty to offer in a promotion push.
Ultimately, though, it's all so subjective. I think Ayling could be great for us in a back five, Clarke (despite the odd rick) looks a class act and it's hard to say what impact Smith and Lenihan could have next season. Whatever money we have in the summer needs to be spent giving our attack more teeth - a first-choice striker, a Rogers-type replacement and the aforementioned defence-to-attack CDM in particular. With more players fit and one or two more vocal leaders out on the pitch, the defensive half of our squad is a lot better than this season's goals against record might suggest. By contrast, I don't think our current attacking half offers much scope for improvement.
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5 hours ago, TLF10 said:
@Erimus74. Interesting you say we have “extensive dead wood”. I don't think we do if am honest but interested to hear your views:
GK: No issue with Dieng, Glover and Jones in that order. Happy for Jones to be offered a further 1 yr deal which allows Brynn and Hemming to carry on developing elsewhere.
CB: Paddy is on way out but other 4 in VDB, Lenihan, Fry and Clarke are a good a quarter as any in this league imo.
Full Backs: Need a new RB but Smith as competition and Engel and Bangura at LB are good.
CM: Need a new DM but Hackney, Howson and Barlaser (in that order) are fine. Barlaser has his detractors but as a 4th choice he more than fine.
AM: Need another but Forss Jones, Azaz and McGree are not dead wood imo and I do believe Silveria will be better for this season.
CF: 100% need a new CF but LL and Coburn I take no issue with as no.2 and no.3 (if we want a no.3)
……….
Only Dijk and Hoppe are our dead wood imo.
Thomas and Greenwood are not our problem as likely to return to parents club in summer.
Gilbert 100% needs a season loan but he not dead wood imo. Not one to give up on him after 1 season.
It was me who said we had extensive dead wood.
I would argue that Glover either needs to be played in a different system (e.g. not being a Steffen-style sweeper-keeper) or receive intensive coaching to try and knock the numerous ricks out of his system. Yes, he's probably good enough as a stand-in to Dieng, but I don't think he gives the defenders or fans much confidence. The question "is he good enough for a concerted promotion push?" needs to be levelled at any player in our squad in preparation for an absolutely critical season ahead of us. You can argue Glover's merits and deficiencies - perhaps dead wood is harsh in his case, but he's got a hell of a lot to prove based on what we've seen this season.
Elsewhere in the squad, there are persistent rumours we'll sign Greenwood, who has shown next to nothing over most of a season. Thomas has also been a liability. Gilbert is nowhere near the high-end Championship standard we should set as a minimum bar for next season, and therefore I would describe him as dead wood in our squad, though I hope he forges a successful career somewhere. Ditto Dijksteel and Hoppe - maybe one day the latter will come good, but I'm pretty sure it won't be with us. I'd add Silvera to that list as well - he simply hasn't shown anything anywhere close to the standards we need to be aspiring to (and I'm honestly not expecting him to be the next Harry Kane).
I personally have seen very little from Bangura to convince me he's worth keeping over Engel (I'd much rather keep the latter and bring a new LB/LWB in for competition), but I do accept I'm in a minority.
When Azaz comes on, I don't really see where his potential lies. Rogers' talents were obvious, even when he went missing in games. Ditto Jones, who's had some absolute stinkers for us but clearly has natural talent. Even Greenwood, who I would be pleased never to see in a Boro shirt again, can deliver a fine free kick. Based on the evidence of my own eyes - which is ultimately all we fans have to go on - I don't see Azaz being part of a promotion-chasing Championship side. Is it harsh to call him dead wood? Perhaps. But hopefully you can see why I think the eight outfield players listed above could all be defined as such, even giving Glover the benefit of the doubt.
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I think the dwindling post count in recent MDTs is emblematic of the fact our season is basically over. It feels as if the club have given up on this season, so it's unsurprising some fans have, too. I ignored the last game entirely, checked the score at 5pm (it was 0-0), added one post on here and went off to do something more enjoyable.
There is a stagnant malaise around the club right now which has been engendered by poor performances, an awful January transfer window (and a pretty dodgy summer one before that), a seemingly endless injury list and the ST prices PR fiasco. I normally make an effort to attend the final home game of each season, but I just can't summon up the enthusiasm this year.
Will the Saints number one fan (also known as The Prime Minister) take time off and be noticeable in the Directors box or will he be in crowd singing along "who the frigging hell are you" taunting the brave Boro souls?
I don't know how committed a Saints fan Sunak is, but I suspect he'd currently be booed at his own birthday party, so I expect him to stay away.
Can this game be viewed on the red button? I suspect not but will Boro TV cover this for a £10.00 fee?
It's not a Saturday 3pm kick-off, so it should be. Then again, I have sacked off Sky Sports - it's been increasingly crap for years, with deteriorating standards of studio punditry in particular, but the loss of Jeff Stelling and Martin Tyler removed two of the few reasons for continuing to subscribe.
We beat Southampton in one of our rare home wins will the Saints (bless them all) be determined not to allow a double done over them this season?
I think Southampton have bigger fish to fry than worrying about us doing the double over them. We're basically irrelevant at this stage.
Will Matt Le Tiss be standing outside the Stadium waiting for a kiss?
Only if he's taking the p*** out of the Swiss!
Will it be a Good Friday for the Boro?
If we don't nail our chances, I think we'll be cross over the weekend.
Will I get the chance to get my first winning thread of the season
Hope so, but I doubt it. Sorry.
Your favoured starting 11
I'd start a couple of in-form Academy players in each match between now and the end of the season, to determine who (if any) should be incorporated into next season's squad. I think preparing for the future is more important than results over the rest of this season, and I sincerely hope the club are already preparing to jettison the extensive dead wood which is rotting within our squad.
And finally will we get the chance for our faint hopes to rekindle? (don't win this and it has to end surely?)
I know mathematically we're not out of it yet, but I find it inconceivable that we could gain seven points on four different teams in eight remaining games (most of those teams have a game in hand on us as well), given our plodding recent performances and woeful home form.
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58 minutes ago, Old Codger said:
VAR is a poorly implemented system in its current form. Would far rather see it run as an appeals based set-up where each team had a couple of chances to appeal a refs decision if they are convinced it is wrong, retaining the number of appeals if proved right and losing one if proved wrong.
That could become far worse than the current system. If managers had the ability to appeal, they'd find spurious reasons to appeal at times of maximum opportunity - to disrupt waves of opposing attacks, for instance, or to buy an injured player time to come back on. They'd then howl about the injustice of not being able to appeal an obviously wrong decision because they'd used up their allocation earlier in the match. I can almost hear the likes of Guardiola bleating about it on MotD now. The original number of allowable appeals would be steadily increased over time, too, I have no doubt. Football managers aren't respectful of existing rules like tennis players.
I loathe VAR and its unique ability to sap the joy out of a goal being scored, but at least it's not being cynically manipulated by managers who would sell their own mothers to gain an advantage. It's 'just' killing top-flight football as a spectacle, especially in the stadia itself.
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If Forest got four points for a temporary financial breach and a guilty plea, what should Man City get? 200 points deducted? 250? Relegation to the Conference?
In truth, City will probably spend six or seven years enmeshing the football authorities in oceans of red tape and spurious arguments through one court after another, and then when the PL are on the brink of bankruptcy, City will be given a token fine and asked not to do it again.
I'm honestly glad Boro aren't in the PL, with its institutionalised cheating and six-minute VAR checks. What a cesspool of a league.
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Spent the afternoon at a spa celebrating my wedding anniversary and just read through the thread. Jesus, what a depressing season this has been. Beyond the obvious first choice XI, we're carrying far too many passengers and not-up-to-its. We need a massive clear out in June starting with every loan player bar Ayling, who's still not necessarily good enough for a promotion campaign. We're a largely joyless team to watch, and even when we win it tends to be attritional rather than enjoyable.
August cannot come soon enough. And the recruitment team need a rocket up their jacksies for the slop we've been served in the likes of Silvera, Greenwood, Thomas and (so far) Azaz. Surely to God our own academy players couldn't be less effective?
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Can (will) we win again?
We can. Will we? I think this might be a Desmond.
Will we see another "sensible" performance?
I do hope so. If it ain't broke...
Line up prediction?
Hopefully unchanged. Ayling was my MotM midweek, so I'd be quite happy to see him in the team again if we're staying with the 532 formation, which I suspect we will.
Who is your favourite player to represent both clubs and why isn't it Rudi Gestede?
Shay Given. I always liked him, even when he was a skunk, and he's one of the best keepers we've ever had.
As for Rudy, he epitomised everything wrong with our club in that PL season.A bad player with a bad history with us, signed in a January panic by a failing regime and trusted to do something he can't - score consistently. A genuine one in ten striker. We've had worse players turn out for us over the decades (cough*Connolly*cough), but few failed quite as spectacularly. That headed miss is perhaps the worst I've ever seen from a Boro player, in a field with some stiff competition.
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3 minutes ago, coney3 said:
My only frustration was the subs. Greenwood and Azaz didn’t get into the game at all and only allowed Brum into the game more.
Forss was fading, so I understand the logic behind the subs, but yet again, Greenwood did nothing to justify his place on the pitch. Neither did Azaz, which is worrying if we're hoping he'll become Rogers' replacement.
Even though we look much better playing with two up front, it's the one area of the pitch where we're obviously (and quite desperately) short of quality.
Good win, with some fine individual performances, but a pretty boring watch (especially second half) and hardly a springboard for a late play-off run. Birmingham dragged us down to their level in the second half, but resolute defending kept them at bay.
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Non-Boro Football
in Boro Forum
Posted
Midweek FA Cup games always blur into the endless midweek PL and Championship fixture rounds, especially since they tend to be played on the same days with cup-involved teams postponing their fixtures. Glad to see the FAC being given a higher profile, and I agree that the home advantage will be magnified for lower league teams who aren't going to get walloped in the replay if they draw their home game.
I do wonder if some smaller teams in financial trouble might agitate to swap their home ties for away ones to boost gate receipts, though. Those replays at bigger grounds will have brought in some valuable cash for minnows over the years.