Boro vs Norwich 0-1

[White Band 275]

2 hours ago, BoroJake said:

I miss Ashley fletcher

Yes we're missing Fletcher.  I know he's not popular on here, but I genuinely think he is our best striker.

[Changing Times 2,880]

Not sure he'd have made much difference today although in fairness to Warnock, he might be more willing to play two strikers if we had all three fit rather than just the two?

[ladyspite 85]

2 hours ago, smogsterking the Inspirati said:

The thing that is frustrating yet could potentially be encouraging is we have been competitive in every game this season and could have got results in each game. The problem is we just haven't been scoring the chances albeit they are few and far between we have missed some gilt edged chances in each game. This league is wide open this season and think we are capable of pushing for the play offs but we need to start creating more.

We need to score more. We create more than every team we play so far (almost)

[Changing Times 2,880]

We don't create more.  We average more shots than shots we face but that isn't the same as creating chances.  Johnson hit a shot today straight at the goalkeeper.  Nothing wrong with the effort but it wasn't a chance in the real sense of the word.  We often have shots but not necessarily good chances.  Obviously the penalty was a good chance today of course!

[Old Codger 799]

That does seem a little contradictory as we have to create the opening to have the shot, so if we are having more shots that are heading in the general direction of a goalkeeper than our opponents, we are getting the chance to convert them, whereas our opponents are not. I understand there is a difference in degrees but we have all seen shots aimed straight at goalkeepers somehow go straight past them into the net, so they have to count for something. Ideally the effort should end up at a point out of the goalkeepers reach but a high percentage don't hence the rarely heard phrase "The goalie should have done better there"   

[sackrobson2 111]

4 hours ago, Changing Times said:

It's funny isn't it?  Fry is playing well, McNair is brilliant apparently and Dijksteel is a 'beast'.  And yet we can't possibly risk playing attacking players in attacking positions ahead of them?  Instead we have to have layers of protection in front of them and lots of people don't see that as the central issue 🙂

This absolutely is the key point. We have a very organised solid defence with a pretty organised solid midfield in front. How can we not risk picking 3 attackers in front of them? If we start Watmore and Roberts over Johnson and Spence then I feel like we are going to start scoring goals, especially with Tav supporting from deeper. 

[Changing Times 2,880]

I don't think there is a contradiction there,  O C.  If someone has a shot from half way then that's a shot but it's not really a chance.  The example I gave from Johnson was just one of the few shots we had on target today, it wasn't specifically about that shot but a goalkeeper fumbling that shot once in a blue moon doesn't make that a real chance in my opinion, it just makes it a shot we had that nothing came from.  I don't think the quality of the chances we create, or let's say the shooting opportunities we create, is all that good overall and hence we don't score a lot of goals. 

As I'm fond of stats then here's a few to consider:

We have the 8th highest total number of shots this season but we also have the 5th highest percentage of shots from outside the area.  So relative to other teams we might have more shots but more of them are from distance.  If you've already done the maths then you'll realise that this means we have the 19th highest percentage of our shots from inside the penalty area.  I don't know if a conclusion can be drawn from just that but relatively speaking, I'd say that shots closer to goal represent better chances than shots further away, so I think we are out of balance in what we are doing there.  

In terms of our shooting accuracy, we have the 11th highest percentage of shots off target, so we're not too bad there but we also have the lowest percentage of shooting on target.  How can that be?  Because we also have the 3rd highest percentage of blocked shots.  If we are having a lot of shots blocked then I'd say that demonstrates less good chances.  People might disagree there but to me if defenders can get in the way of a shot it probably isn't a great chance.  If we combine that we have a higher percentage of shots from outside the area, and we have a lower accuracy with higher blocked shots, to me it just says we're shooting too often from too far out, and those shots are more easily stopped, one way or another.

We also have the third lowest percentage of shots from open play - so again, relatively speaking, we don't create as many chances from open play.  The only teams worse than us in this regard are Wycombe and Rotherham.  On the flip side, we have the second highest percentage of shots from set pieces.  Set pieces can be a good opportunity to score goals but the chances tend to be less good.  A cross from a corner sees a penalty area packed full of people scrapping it out for example.  A direct freekick is usually 20 yards plus from goal and therefore you're having another long range shot.

To me, all of these stats indicate that the quality of shots we are having isn't that great.  The quality of opportunities we are creating isn't that great.  The way we are creating chances isn't that great.  We should be creating a higher percentage of chances in open play and we should be shooting less from outside the area.  Both of those things also indicate to me that there is a distinct lack of creativity in the side and that's because there quite clearly is.

 

[Dan1234 170]

Not really rocket science to work out that if you are expecting a 20 year old right back and Marvin fricken Johnson to be our goal threat and creators in the championship you are going to struggle to score goals and create good chances.

As others have said further up. Our defence is looking absolutely fine. Bola and especially Djiksteel are looking more than capable of dealing with 1v1 situations ( infact I'd argue it's both their major strengths). They dont need babysat especially when more often than not there is normally 3 def minded midfield players also on the pitch. I'm finding Warnocks player selection (attacking players) and especially his subs just as depressing as the capped tosser. 

[thatoldchestnut 224]

I wasn't shocked that we were beaten by Norwich but it was the way that it happened that severely irritated me. Coulson just lazily sticking his foot out for their penalty. He is definitely a slow learner. Our penalty was certainly a case of the wrong player taking the kick. It should have been McNair or Akpom. I do realise that they could have slipped as well. It seemed as hoc and disorganised.

[sanddancer 425]

Why-do people make football sound complicated. 
Shots are shots and the only ones that count are those on target. The reason we have more shots outside the box and shots blocked is because we are slow to attack which allows opposition to organise. We then run out of ideas and telegraph the shot / pass. 
School boy rules
The reason for ballooning shots. Leaning back.
The reason he slipped during the penalty, wrong boots. On this note I want to add,  penalties are not hard, pick your spot, stay on your feet and don’t change direction. 
Shooting in the box. Always across goal never near post. 
Pass, move to receive, repeat.  
Talk, talk talk, talk.. 
Jockey attackers towards bylines and corners and always have your body between attacker and goal. 
Don't go to ground when tackling. 

I played all the way through school and work and I don’t know I had what they call tunnel vision? 
I can’t remember seeing people around me or a overall view of the pitch. I heard the calls  and I made pretty good passes and scored enough goals but I don’t recall seeing the big picture. Is that strange? 

Edited November 22 by sanddancer

[Redcar Rioja 482]

We have only lost twice this season, against Watford and Norwich. Both of those have Premiership quality squads, albeit lower end but still a big step up from Championship level. Hall went to sleep at a set piece against Watford otherwise we would have drawn. Yesterday Tav slipped which could have given us victory or at least a draw. Another Ref on another day probably wouldn't have spotted anything wrong. Coulson then had an aberration which cost us the game unnecessarily. Three tiny moments in games against two teams with vastly superior resources which resulted in defeat. 

I think we all agree that score a few more goals and we should be nailed on certs for the Play Offs as a minimum. The issue is how to achieve that with the resources we currently have. Maybe playing Tav or Watmore if fit (which is probably why he has been given a contract as NW likely sees the same problem) on the left instead of Coulson or Johnson, keep Spence on the right and bring in Roberts in the Tav role. Unfortunately I think Britt is too limited with his portfolio so I'd go with Akpom as the Striker.

As a twist to that when Morsy is fit I'd even consider playing Howson in front of Dijksteel instead of Spence. That takes Spence out of the firing line for now and Coulson.

Whatever permutation from the above it involves utilising one more creative player than NW currently feels confident with. There are some "easier" (at least on paper) fixtures coming up so perhaps we may see more positive intent starting with Derby or it may be that the existing set up will be just as stoic but more effective against those sides without Premiership quality.

 

[Robin Johnson 59]

If any of our strikers reach double figures it will surprise me. Simply, not good enough

[BillyWoofs_shinpad 838]

21 minutes ago, Robin Johnson said:

If any of our strikers reach double figures it will surprise me. Simply, not good enough

Or not on the pitch enough!

[DurhamRed 535]

I really hope we start playing Watmore and Robert's flanking Britt or Akpom. As I don't get what Warnock see's in Johnson he's league 1 level at best. Then Spence basically has pace and if he doesn't beat his man losses it in massive crucial game defying moments. As we haven't scored in 3 games now something has to change

[Dan_Boro_Till_I_Die 427]

2 hours ago, Robin Johnson said:

If any of our strikers reach double figures it will surprise me. Simply, not good enough

Well how can they score with the terrible lack of service we give them? We don't create enough clear cut chances through our attacking outlets for any striker to thrive in our team. Its so easy to see that's the problem and has been for years.