Redcar Rioja 5,872 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 That was a tough watch, Cardiff happy to sit and absorb and offering very little in return but fair play to them for the set piece. Our defending for that was abysmal. At least when they tried the same long throw routine in the second half Bettinelli actually came out for it rather than stood motionless on his goal line. Sadly NML looks like a poor man's Ravel Morrison, something in there deep within but his lack of playing time is showing. Ironic that a sliced daisy cutter miss kick clearance from Bettinelli saw us with the ball on the ground and then some resultant slick play from Spence and Kebano along with that all important block from Tav saw us score a well deserved equaliser. I pity any neutrals watching that on Bein. It's still possible that teams will slip and drop points and that we might pick up a few more. As the games run out it's becoming less likely but still a possibility that we gatecrash those play offs, meanwhile Assombalonga doesn't look any better. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
TeaCider24 12,398 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Redcar Rioja said: Sadly NML looks like a poor man's Ravel Morrison I think that is incredibly harsh. He's not been thrilling so far, but he's already looked more like doing something than Ravel Morrison ever did. He's also had a consistently decent career, whilst Morrison has done nothing in 10 years. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
BoroSmoggie 2,678 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 9 minutes ago, DurhamRed said: We don't have the physicality of Cardiff to play the hoof ball and I don't want Warnock to go out to buy plodders like Pulis did. Tbf don’t think Warnock does/will sign plodders. He plays Tav whenever he is fit, and he’s brought in Watmore, Bolasie, NML and Kebano. He wants ‘plodders’ in the positions you need them, like CB. He would probably like a target man aswell. I think if we had Fletcher up top, with Kebano and Bolasie either side of him, with Tav playing in one of the 3 in midfield, we’d be higher up the table. Unfortunately injures have meant we haven’t even been able to play 2 of them players together at one time. Injuries have cost us massively this season. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Changing Times 12,212 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 27 minutes ago, boro_fan_in_brum said: Really???? And bring in who. I dunno mate. I think I'd start by only considering people whose beliefs revolve around getting the ball down and playing though. Anyone not of that nature shouldn't be considered at all, such as Warnock. 4 Link to post Share on other sites
Downsouth 6,175 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 Fair result in the end so can't complain about the score after all we did not test their keeper and seemed clueless tactics wise to do something different against their defence. Poor defending by Boro for the Cardiff goal has to be a man on the post surely? Looking at Cardiff today had we been switched on we caould have beaten them they too lost the plot to an extent whilst others around and about us kept up their own form. @GrimsbyBoro over to you for the red button game on Tuesday Link to post Share on other sites
BoroSmoggie 2,678 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 (edited) 26 minutes ago, Changing Times said: I dunno mate. I think I'd start by only considering people whose beliefs revolve around getting the ball down and playing though. Anyone not of that nature shouldn't be considered at all, such as Warnock. They have to actually be a good manager at the same time though. Quite hard to find good managers that play good football that are willing to manage in this league. So more often then not they would have to come from abroad. Do we think Gibson is willing to go abroad again? Personally I don’t mind Warnock being here next season, as I really think we will be more competitive with players like Kebano and Bolasie having a full season. (I know leave at end of season, but hopefully they rejoin us, especially Kebano). However, at the same time, I’m happy for the club to change things, as long as it is a good appointment which makes sense. I am of the strong opinion though, that the grass isn’t always greener, and I fear that if we change manager, we will probably end up changing manager again come the summer, after the ‘transition’ season doesn’t work. Are we better off with Warnock, for one final season, to let him build on the foundations he has created this season, albeit under crap football, to make one last push for promotion? Or is it worth the risk of potentially going back to square one and changing manager, but with the hope that we play nice football and get results at the same time? Ultimately it’s Gibson choice. Link to post Share on other sites
Redcar Rioja 5,872 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 23 minutes ago, TeaCider24 said: I think that is incredibly harsh. He's not been thrilling so far, but he's already looked more like doing something than Ravel Morrison ever did. He's also had a consistently decent career, whilst Morrison has done nothing in 10 years. I'm only interested in judging Players in a Boro shirt. I couldn't give a stuff what any of them used to do or go on to do elsewhere. NML isn't fit, he doesn't look fit, he isn't mentally match sharp and looks well off the pace. Currently he offers little and is only marginally more effective than Britt. We can't carry two passengers at this level. Harsh truth is he isn't an upgrade on Spence, he might come good at some point and go on to be great but I don't want it to be at our expense for where we are and for what we need right now. I also fear that we will have to indulge a half fit Bolaise at some point in the near future. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
TeaCider24 12,398 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Redcar Rioja said: I'm only interested in judging Players in a Boro shirt. I couldn't give a stuff what any of them used to do or go on to do elsewhere. NML isn't fit, he doesn't look fit, he isn't mentally match sharp and looks well off the pace. Currently he offers little and is only marginally more effective than Britt. We can't carry two passengers at this level. Harsh truth is he isn't an upgrade on Spence, he might come good at some point and go on to be great but I don't want it to be at our expense for where we are and for what we need right now. I also fear that we will have to indulge a half fit Bolaise at some point in the near future. If you're only judging them on what they did in a Boro shirt, then in what world is he worse than Morrison? Morrison made 3 league appearances in a Boro shirt, and did absolutely nothing in any of them. At least Mendez-Laing has the excuse of being without a club for 6 months before playing for us. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Downsouth 6,175 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 2 minutes ago, Redcar Rioja said: I'm only interested in judging Players in a Boro shirt. I couldn't give a stuff what any of them used to do or go on to do elsewhere. NML isn't fit, he doesn't look fit, he isn't mentally match sharp and looks well off the pace. Currently he offers little and is only marginally more effective than Britt. We can't carry two passengers at this level. Harsh truth is he isn't an upgrade on Spence, he might come good at some point and go on to be great but I don't want it to be at our expense for where we are and for what we need right now. I also fear that we will have to indulge a half fit Bolaise at some point in the near future. Like me simply resign yourself we are not going to get into top 6 by hook or crook or the hairs on my chiny chin chin,it is a lot less bothersome. We ain't getting into the RB so we have next season to look forward to! 2 Link to post Share on other sites
TheJew 2,886 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 30 minutes ago, Changing Times said: I dunno mate. I think I'd start by only considering people whose beliefs revolve around getting the ball down and playing though. Anyone not of that nature shouldn't be considered at all, such as Warnock. Woodgate's yer man. Link to post Share on other sites
TeaCider24 12,398 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 2 hours ago, TeaCider24 said: If Wales beat England I'm going to bed at 7pm. Zzzzzzzzz Link to post Share on other sites
Birdie 83 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 I think, unfortunately, that our defensive and midfield players are mostly brain dead. Unless they've been threatened with castration by Warnock, why else would they persist in lumping the ball forward at every opportunity when it was patently obvious that we were hardly ever going to win aerial battles against their defence? 3 Link to post Share on other sites
Redcar Rioja 5,872 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 28 minutes ago, TeaCider24 said: If you're only judging them on what they did in a Boro shirt, then in what world is he worse than Morrison? Morrison made 3 league appearances in a Boro shirt, and did absolutely nothing in any of them. At least Mendez-Laing has the excuse of being without a club for 6 months before playing for us. They both contribute or contributed little to nothing, like I said I am not remotely interested in what they may or may not have done in their careers before they joined us. From what I have seen to date NML isn't offering anything special or indeed better than what we already had. Excuses are exactly that and NML's lack of playing time is now a Boro problem in the same way that Morrison's lack of playing time was. Their individual circumstances/excuses prior to coming to Boro are different but that isn't my argument or of any interest to me come to that. I'm only interested in what I see and both of them look or looked off the pace and not ready for competitive Championship football. NML may come good and there is probably more chance of that with him than there ever was with Morrison but I would rather not see him involved unless he is selected on merit. Link to post Share on other sites
Redcar Rioja 5,872 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 40 minutes ago, TheJew said: Woodgate's yer man. I'd rather have Pulis back and Britt given a 10 year contract on £100K a week! 2 Link to post Share on other sites
boro_fan_in_brum 604 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Changing Times said: I dunno mate. I think I'd start by only considering people whose beliefs revolve around getting the ball down and playing though. Anyone not of that nature shouldn't be considered at all, such as Warnock. I think (and it's been said a million times) that it's beyond the manager. Meaning it's the club and what it wants to achieve long term. I'd take farting around the championship if we had a vision. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
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