We recruited too many players who were not going to cut it. We took the cheapest option. We still have in my opinion, a squad who will just bounce around Chimp mid table. I think it will be the same next season. We are going nowhere with Gibson. The club needs revitalising, something on the lines of what has happened to Ipswich Town.New energised owner required.Thanks Steve Gibson for all you have done but your time is up.The club needs to move on.

For what it is worth!

So disappointing

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/13096205/middlesbrough-0-0-blackburn-rovers-championship-highlights

14 minutes ago, Changing Times said:

Azaz did the first bit right at least.  Just the finish that was lacking.  A lot like Rogers in that respect actually.  Jones did well for his effort.  I'm assuming that Clarke's and Ayling's shots were from set pieces?  Did we have any other good chances earlier on?

Ayling pinged in a great cross to Forss, whose header went right across the goal and I think grazed the far post on the way out. Still wondering how it didn't go in. Not long after that he did his hamstring. ☹️

16 minutes ago, Obii said:

Personally at this point Barlaser Greenwood and Sammy wouldn't get game time for me move them on in the summer dont pickup greenwood. Give Finch Mccabe maybe Cartwright some game time see how they get on. You might get another Hackney out of it. We don't lose anything by having a look.

Exactly this. You don't have to go full-metal academy but we need to start building for next season. We know what we'll get with Silvera, Greenwood & Barlaser and I see no sign that they will ever be good enough for more than a bit part role in a team playing for promotion. We can be pretty sure that Ayling, Thomas, McNair, Dijksteel &, sadly, O'Brien won't be here next season. We need McNair & Ayling, & O'Brien as starters for now but the rest ought to be sent on gardening leave to make room for the kids.

We have Finch, McCabe, & Cartwright who can all play in positions in which we're short. Willis may have missed the boat but maybe he has a small window to prove he can offer something. I don't know why Carrick won't play Gilbert or Hoppe but it is hard to believe that Hoppe would have been worse than Silvera at centre forward. 

Carrick also has to decide whether four at the back or three at the back suits us best. Assuming we play 4-2-3-1 and Forss is out for the next few games but Hackney and/or Fry are back after the break.

Dieng/Glover

Ayling/Gitau

RVDB/Fry

Clarke/McNair

Engel/(O'Brien)

Howson/Woolston

Hackney/(O'Brien, A J Bridge)

Jones/Willis/Finch 

Azaz/McCabe/Gilbert

McGree/Hoppe (he routinely played left in a front three)

Latte Lath/Finch

23 minutes ago, BoroDave4 said:

I'm *** sick of Carrick saying "it's just one game" and things like that. I get it, but we've had 15 or so "just one games" this year. I want to see him be passionate about driving standards up, expecting more and demanding the maximum. 

You can't tell me that Sir Alex would have been OK with that. I know we aren't Man United and Carrick isn't Fergie, but I want to see a bit of it if you know what I mean

Agree. I mean protect the players and don't single people out for criticism, thats fine.

But a bit of passion and engagement, about what he expects, what the club is working towards etc. wouldn't go amiss.

Edited March 16, 20242 yr by AnglianRed

On the plus side 3 cleansheets in a row 

The squad has never looked like a promotion winning squad from the start of the season, a lack of quality in midfield, a strike force never good enough, and its coming home to roost.

A disappointing season with the fans once again let down by the signing of poor to bog standard quality players, we're like a rudderless ship going nowhere.

Im not mad or angry tonight. It was a nearly game, at least you could see us trying and doing some good things. If jones shot goes lower or Silvera taps it in we win again. 

We turned up in parts today, Ironically the games against Sheff wed and Stoke we didn’t and if we played like today we would have won. 

The fact we’re talking about being gutted about being off the play offs is a good sign because we’ve turned a corner. 

Im happy we’re looking up and not looking down anymore so that’ll do for me until the end of the season 

25 minutes ago, Rioch's Braves said:

The squad has never looked like a promotion winning squad from the start of the season, a lack of quality in midfield, a strike force never good enough, and its coming home to roost.

A disappointing season with the fans once again let down by the signing of poor to bog standard quality players, we're like a rudderless ship going nowhere.

our first 11 is competitive against all teams and would win most games. but the drop off in quality is there for us all to see. to many weak back ups and a few first 11 players that should be easily improved on to.  

The coming summer is going to be so important to the future of our club, if we continue along the route with more projects then we will go backwards, our performances on the pitch will either mirror of this season or fighting relegation

 

 

Slightly disappointing result today all things considered, but let's not forget we've collected 10 of 12 possible points in the last 4 games including 3 clean sheets, certainly no reason to be overly upset. As much as I've given up on the playoffs, if we can maintain some form anywhere close to this we will still remain within touching distance of the pack.

Just now, LincsBORO88 said:

Slightly disappointing result today all things considered, but let's not forget we've collected 10 of 12 possible points in the last 4 games including 3 clean sheets, certainly no reason to be overly upset. As much as I've given up on the playoffs, if we can maintain some form anywhere close to this we will still remain within touching distance of the pack.

we failed to score but never lost. not very often we could say that this season. 

Just now, Dynamo Kev said:

we failed to score but never lost. not very often we could say that this season. 

And that has to be a positive, I do feel like the squad is starting to feel the benefits of a little bit of stability and any small tangible progress has to be a good thing. It's not fancy or glamorous right now, but we are slowly moving in the right direction, hopefully we're shaking off some of the naivety we've shown earlier in the season. More and more players returning to fitness and hopefully form and we might yet have a solid finish.

13 minutes ago, Dynamo Kev said:

we failed to score but never lost. not very often we could say that this season. 

Problem is that it's goal scoring that's the problem, and nothing we are doing at the moment is really helping with that.

We were still very good defensively for what it's worth. Thought Clarke was probably our man of the match, if not Dieng for looking convincing again. Their best efforts probably came from outside the box though so part of that has to be down to our defending too.

I think going forward we had our moments, particularly first 20 minutes. We had enough chances to win the game but didn't take any of them. Blackburn probably earned that slice of luck late on with Jones' effort coming back out off the bar, if it had been an inch or so further down it probably wins the game for us. They were very strong in possession at the back though. Looked comfortable no matter how hard we pressed their defenders and Pears. We got a few turnovers in midfield but don't remember many problems for them further back.

We looked so leggy for long stretches of the game, though. After Forss went off it was like the adrenaline was gone. We lost our momentum and passes started going astray. The subs came too late, which probably doesn't come as much of a shock to anyone of a Boro persuasion right now.