Boro v Hull 0-1

[Redcar Rioja 2,984]

15 minutes ago, AnglianRed said:

And we wonder why we have problems scoring goals (other than against very poor teams).

So many times we are reduced to shooting hopefully through crowded penalty areas, where we're basically looking for a lucky deflection to wrong-foot the keeper. Either that or long range efforts from outside the area.

Its so rare for us to actually get behind an opposition defence and create clear scoring opportunities (while not being offside).

 

I called the Peterborough performance last week "worrying" despite scoring four goals against the worst defence in the Championship and got pelters for it, careful!

[sanddancer 1,461]

1 hour ago, Downsouth said:

A comment was made yesterday which rings true to a degree, maybe a fair number of players have burnt out?????

Also and we all know it will happen Crooks is one card away from a 3/4 game ban right at the wrong time, self discipline and he seem to be strangers at the moment.

We will be without him when possibly most needed.

We have issues which have come at the wrong time

Must be hard work putting in two 90 min shifts a week. 

[Downsouth 3,559]

7 hours ago, AnglianRed said:

And we wonder why we have problems scoring goals (other than against very poor teams).

So many times we are reduced to shooting hopefully through crowded penalty areas, where we're basically looking for a lucky deflection to wrong-foot the keeper. Either that or long range efforts from outside the area.

Its so rare for us to actually get behind an opposition defence and create clear scoring opportunities (while not being offside).

 

This is the thing though AR we do not shoot often enough when the chances are there we try and pass it around so that we walk the ball into the net.

Biggest gripe I have is players being indecisive and passing the buck so often

 

[morrissey 34]

16 hours ago, Foxtrot Oscar Colin said:

I thought Hernandez was starting to play well for wilder when he had him up top. If we had of kept him I think he'd have start making more goal contributions. His performances around Xmas time were better than what Connolly gives us now for me. He was coming back from a long injury lay off so was always going to be a bit rusty at first.

Think it was the Boxing Day match v Forest where Hernandez played up front with Sporar and they were excellent. Sporar looked a far better player wirh Hernandez using his physicality and they looked a right handful. Our forwards now just run around a lot to very little effect and no threat.

[AnglianRed 4,128]

29 minutes ago, Downsouth said:

This is the thing though AR we do not shoot often enough when the chances are there we try and pass it around so that we walk the ball into the net.

Biggest gripe I have is players being decisive and pasing the buck sooften

 

Fair point. Quite a few times I've found myself shouting "shoot!" then groaning when they take another touch, or pass it. Another reason we are so frustrating to watch at times.

Its like we caught the Arsenal disease and just want to pass the ball into the net.

 

[Smokedsalmon 841]

2 hours ago, AnglianRed said:

Fair point. Quite a few times I've found myself shouting "shoot!" then groaning when they take another touch, or pass it. Another reason we are so frustrating to watch at times.

Its like we caught the Arsenal disease and just want to pass the ball into the net.

 

Moving the ball slowly has been our bane for years now. Very rarely we get some one-touch passing and movement going on down the right, usually involving Jones/Dijksteel (who have a great partnership) but otherwise it's soooo sloooow. McNair especially is guilty of picking the ball up in his LCB position, watching everyone stand in front of him, moving it to he left, then the right, then waaaaaiting....

I think we just don't have the technical ability to play at the pace required to break teams down with passing and movement.

[ManBearPig 1,003]

I know Connolly is getting slated, but do people really think we are creating clear cut chances and playing to their strengths? I mean Connolly scored an offside goal yesterday when we only had 4 shots on target all game?

 

[Downsouth 3,559]

12 minutes ago, ManBearPig said:

I know Connolly is getting slated, but do people really think we are creating clear cut chances and playing to their strengths? I mean Connolly scored an offside goal yesterday when we only had 4 shots on target all game?

 

It is a dilemma that is for sure and maybe Connolly could play central and bomb through the middle though his passing needs to improve.

It will be to our detrement if this lack of clear cut chances does not improve.

The thing is now we have got so close and maybe unexpected to a degree we know the squad is capable and if we fail the disappointment will be hard to overcome. There will be many "if and only" debates going on

[GrimsbyBoro 1,438]

36 minutes ago, ManBearPig said:

I know Connolly is getting slated, but do people really think we are creating clear cut chances and playing to their strengths? I mean Connolly scored an offside goal yesterday when we only had 4 shots on target all game?

 

I guess there’s two questions 

if we aren’t playing to his strengths then why did we sign him? And what are his strengths other than falling over and throwing his arms. He’s a *** Scott McDonald without the goal threat.

[Redcar Rioja 2,984]

I see Connolly more as an attacking midfielder rather than a Striker. In fairness to him in far too many games we have resorted to launching balls upfield which is definitely not playing to the strengths of a somewhat diminutive Striker. Taking the line that he is a fit for Wilder's style of play if our style of play isn't being executed then he isn't a good fit (nor is Balogun) for what is being delivered. 

We seem to be trying to find Crooks with these hoofed balls but recently that hasn't been working and if the knock downs aren't there and Connolly can't win high balls himself then it's little wonder that he has struggled to convince the majority that he can deliver. 

[TheJew 1,197]

Connolly is shocking. He offers nothing. Doesn't hold the ball up. Can't beat a man. Can't win anything in the air. Can't shoot. 

If this is the benchmark we are looking for then we will be in for a painful few years. He is quite honestly the worst forward I've seen in quite some time.

[Blanco 3,389]

32 minutes ago, TheJew said:

Connolly is shocking. He offers nothing. Doesn't hold the ball up. Can't beat a man. Can't win anything in the air. Can't shoot. 

If this is the benchmark we are looking for then we will be in for a painful few years. He is quite honestly the worst forward I've seen in quite some time.

Stop sitting on the fence @TheJew

What do you really think about Connolly? 🤷‍♂️

[TheJew 1,197]

15 minutes ago, Blanco said:

Stop sitting on the fence @TheJew

What do you really think about Connolly? 🤷‍♂️

Absolute t1ts.

I don't understand how anyone sees a player in there. Complete fraud of a player and will never ever make it in the Premiership or Championship. I don't even think he will make it in league 1.

 

[Blanco 3,389]

2 minutes ago, TheJew said:

Absolute t1ts.

I don't understand how anyone sees a player in there. Complete fraud of a player and will never ever make it in the Premiership or Championship. I don't even think he will make it in league 1.

 

Other than that though you think he’s brilliant 🤩 yeah? 🤣🤣🤣

[Downsouth 3,559]

What a sad inditement it is that as we approach the crunch part of the season we are still having this type of discussion.

So many for and against certain patnerships but at the true core of the problem is that Boro have failed to produce and deploy strikers of real quality and a system that often bypasses strikers.

We need to start scoring first get the opposition on the back foot but how?