marvin 301 694 Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Blank Space where there should be a picture but we're not allowed to put one on because of copyright or something... ... WHO: The Boro V Delia's Dynamos WHAT: another day in football paradise... WHERE: the home of... footballllll? WHEN: 19:45 Wednesday 6th March 2024 WHY: Who even knows anymore? INTRO BIT I thought I'd have a look at the MDT for the last time we played Norwich when we hammered them 5-1. Great times! Or so I thought... @RiseAgainstwas the author of said fixture and I found this sentence particularly resonant with our current predicament: "...we’ve resembled a Chris Wilder side more than a Michael Carrick one. Witless defending, lethargic midfielding, wayward striking…at least Zack Steffen hasn’t given us too many moments of cardiac concern lately. It’s the players in front of him who suddenly look bereft of inspiration, leggy, lethargic and sloppy." Saturday's defeat to Stoke was dismal. Even the return of Dieng in goal and Lath up front did little to lift a team that looked almost equally as clueless in their defeat to Plymouth. It could be argued that the defeat to Plymouth was worse, given Stoke have a squad that, if they were challenging for the playoffs, it wouldn't be a surprise. I've spent Sunday half expecting to see that Carrick has left the club "by mutual consent." It wouldn't be a huge shock. He has to be on shaky ground. Even with the squad we have (unarguably weaker than last season) we shouldn't be as bad as we are. This season has become incredibly frustrating. Yes, the squad is worse than last season, but in glimpses we've been good enough. Perhaps not to challenge for the top spots, but certainly not to be worried as we look over our shoulders towards the drop zone. THEM BIT A quick glance at our visitors forum appears to show a familiar apathy towards their team at the moment. But they are one point outside the playoffs and 11 points ahead of ourselves. Click >here< to see for yourself. DIFFERENT BIT In the absence of any actual images, I asked an AI to describe an exciting game of Football between Middlesbrough and Norwich City: "The match between Middlesbrough FC and Norwich City was a thrilling event, filled with non-stop action and dramatic moments. Both teams displayed their skills and determination throughout the game, with Middlesbrough taking an early lead only to have Norwich City equalize in the second half. The momentum swung back and forth as each team fought hard to gain the upper hand. In a nail-biting finish, Middlesbrough scored a last-minute goal to secure a hard-fought victory, leaving fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle blew." QUESTIONS How excited are you for the game? What would your team and formation be? How long does Carrick have left? UP THE BORO 5 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitchy 139 85 Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 How excited are you for the game? Even though I have a ST I'd quite like not to go. The realisation when we go 0-1 that the game is over really takes away any enthusiasm I have for the game. Largely, the players don't seem to care so why should I! What would your team and formation be? Carrick won't but I would play 4-1-4-1 Dieng Djkes, Rav, Clarke, Engle O'Brien Forss, Azaz, McGree, Silvera Latte How long does Carrick have left? Two defeats in two and it is thanks for the memories. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernSmoggie 4,449 6.2k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Not saying I think we'll win, but won't be surprised if we look better against a team who want to dominate and take the game to us. Whatever Carrick says to the cameras, he's not dumb and he knows we're playing sh*t and he's under pressure to sort it. Leicester tactics for me, we can't afford another thumping. More bodies centrally, drop the two dogsh*t loanee fullbacks, and get Azaz close to Lath up top to counter. Dieng McNair - VDB- Clarke Dijksteel - O'Brien - Barlaser - McGree - Engel Azaz- Lath 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiseAgainst 4,084 3.5k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 (edited) How excited are you for the game? About as excited as a dog going to the vets to have his knackers cut off. A vague sense of dread grows ever more acute as the number of sleeps til Wednesday diminishes. What would your team and formation be? Honestly, why even bother? I'd just pull 11 squad members' names out of a tombola, use a Random Positional Generator (TM, c in a circle) to assign them a place on the pitch, watch silently for 70 minutes with hands in pockets, and then take off our best player on the day. And then tell the supine local media we played well, even though an eyeless corpse in a lead-lined coffin could see we didn't. How long does Carrick have left? If I know Steve Gibson (which I don't), I think we're two consecutive defeats away from a trigger being pulled. The whole point of our new approach is that managers fit the club ethos rather than the other way around. There's no reason Kieran Scott couldn't continue turning diamonds into coal with another manager at the helm. Edited March 4 by RiseAgainst 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaCider24 13,969 18.6k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 I'll be going and I'll no doubt let it ruin my night. I expect a comfortable defeat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLF10 4,928 6.6k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 I think we need to return to a back 3 for this one: I would go with: Dieng Paddy VDB Clarke Dijk Barlaser O'Brien McGree Engel Forss LL Or we can go 3.4.3 with Forss and McGree either side of LL. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redcar Rioja 6,780 6.6k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 How excited are you for the game? There seems to be a large number of season card supporters threatening to not bother going to games now due to being totally underwhelmed and fed up with the state of the performances. Now I know a lot of people say things in anger that they later relent on and habits of a lifetime are hard to break and will attend anyway but I haven't heard this level of disgruntlement since the end of the Pulis reign when he basically bored us all into submission. Personally I didn't bother attending Pulis' last four (from memory) home games, happy in the knowledge that although I'd paid for them already with my Season ticket I would be much happier sticking toothpicks in my eyes. This time it's a little different in that fans disliked (intensely in many cases) Pulis but despite frustrations we still like Carrick the person but to have that swell of resignation from fans well before the season ends even beats the dinosaur in fan disenchantment. Me personally I'm expecting more of the same failed tactics with players going through the motions, beaten before they run onto the pitch, their confidence in pieces before a ball is kicked and a manager seemingly oblivious to it all or simply unable to offer anything else. What would your team and formation be? Dieng Dijksteel, McNair, VDB, Clarke, Engel Azaz, O'Brien, McGree Forss, ELL How long does Carrick have left? That can be up to him, if he starts to learn from his mistakes instead of repeating them but two more poor dismal performances and he can't survive, the Early Bird sales will have confirmed fans thinking already. Right now based on recent club history I would be amazed if talks weren't taking place elsewhere behind his back. If we are to splash the cash this Summer it can't be with a Manager who we end up jettisoning in October because that would just be a repeat of previous mistakes when a Manager got players for his needs only for another Manager having to make the most of what he has inherited rather than what he would like, the funds we have for the summer will likely be a once in a 5 year high. I'd also speculate that the reason we didn't splash the cash in January may have been in part internal concerns about the fallibility of the incumbent Manager despite "contract talks". 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce 1,956 1.7k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 How excited are you for the game? More dreading than excited. What would your team and formation be? Carrick doesn't have a lot of options to change things around. People do keep saying that we won when we went 3 at the back and defensive against Villa, Chelsea and Leicester. Unpopular opinion but we were *very* lucky against Leicester and Chelsea. I think the only really good, strong defensive match was against Villa but 4 of those starting players (Jones, Bangura, Coburn, Hackney) are injured while one (Rogers) has been sold. For all that I am sceptical about Carrick's ability, I don't know how any manager copes with that level of disruption. I guess we just have to go Full Pulis with a 5-4-1 Dieng Ayling - RVDB - McNair - Clarke - Engel Dijksteel - Barlaser - O'Brien McGree Latte Lath For Rotherham, Barlaser played as the centre of a three and focused on starting attacks. The other two midfielders acted as enforcers. Ayling and Engel have no pace but do have a good range of passing. McNair can step forward and clear up after Barlaser. The main thing is locking up the middle of the pitch then hoping we can build some sort of foundation in the game. I remain of the opinion that even players like Ayling who have been horrific recently are perfectly decent but being made to look stupid by what they are asked to do. When Ayling or Engel go forward then someone has to cover the counter because neither of them have the pace to get back. How long does Carrick have left? Probably until November unless we head into the international break without winning any of the four matches. If that happens and our performances don't pick up, I can't see how Carrick stays. The main thing that is likely to save Carrick would be the lack of a replacement and the memory of what happened when we appointed Agnew. The problem in all of this is Gibson. The head coach should be hired and fired by the head of football but we all know that Gibson makes that choice. If Gibson fires Carrick this month we all know that the bat signal goes out to Pulis and then whole "model" gets scrapped. Again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinboro 1,000 1.6k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 (edited) Excited - not much but what are we supposed to do? They do need us and these next 3 games are huge. Formation. It won't be this but I would go Dieng Dijksteel Rav McNair Clarke Engel O'Brien McCabe McGree Forss. Lath. Carrick - I believe Scott will tell Gibson there is no point in changing now as we won't get anything but a short term fix. All to review in the summer. And hope to God Howson, Jones and Fry are back sometime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnglianRed 6,504 15.8k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 (edited) QUESTIONS How excited are you for the game? What would your team and formation be? Same as the one I picked for the Stoke game. Still reckon we could've won with this... How long does Carrick have left? You have to feel time is running out with every result like the last two games. I know this was meant to be a multi-season rebuilding job, but we have taken a big step back from last season, with no signs of anyone being able to plot a way forward. This isn't just Carrick's fault though and if/when he goes, I'd hope the coaching staff and Scott follow (seems the Stuart Webber magic didn't rub off on him, after all). Speaking of which, maybe we could bring his old boss in now? As it is, I'm still desperately hoping things will turn around in the Summer, all the pieces will fall into place and we will be a force to be reckoned with once again. But for that to happen, Carrick needs to give himself a chance of still being here and arrest the current alarming slide we are on. Edited March 4 by AnglianRed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downsouth 6,744 36.2k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Don't forget it is on the RB on Sky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erimus74 3,595 3.7k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 (edited) 14/9/1985 - Gary Rowell scored the fastest penalty at Ayresome Park when he scored the penalty within 30 seconds for Boro’s 193 home penalty Edited March 4 by Erimus74 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoroDave4 1,192 3k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 To quote a fellow poster, defeat is inevitable. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erimus74 3,595 3.7k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 15th October 1960 - The day after I was born Boro 2 Norwich City 0 Ray Henderson put the mighty Boro one nil up in the first half with Brian Clough adding the second after half time ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 14th October 1978 - My 18th birthday Boro 2 Norwich City 0 David Armstrong & a Martin Peters OG Terry Cochranes Boro debut on our first home win of the season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoroDave4 1,192 3k Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 3 minutes ago, Erimus74 said: 15th October 1960 - The day after I was born Boro 2 Norwich City 0 Ray Henderson put the mighty Boro one nil up in the first half with Brian Clough adding the second after half time ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 14th October 1978 - My 18th birthday Boro 2 Norwich City 0 David Armstrong & a Martin Peters OG Terry Cochranes Boro debut on our first home win of the season I hope that 6th March 2024 has some significant meaning..... 🤞🏼 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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