Boro vs Sunderland (a) 2-1

[Brunners 952]

Yep I know it's only 2 games but so far it's looking like the issue was definitely Downing not fitting into the Championship. He's looked much better in the PL so far, although I still think he has had chances to play a killer ball / whip a cross in and he's gone backwards instead (although that seems an entire team problem not just him). Way, way less often than last year though, definitely looks like he's taking more chances.

 

I personally to a degree am all for keeping possession of the ball and passing it around for the obvious reasons, and to a point on Sunday we had a two goal cushion. It maybe frustrating for fans who believe goal scoring chances are not created, taken or made due to a safer approach but fans never take into consideration the players view of things, tiredness or the blatant fact of 3 opposition players against 1 of ours. 

I thought against a very ordinary Sunderland we snuffed out any worry of an equaliser by keeping great retention of the ball towards the end of the game. All things being equal at times I agree we need to move the ball quicker but we are feeling our way in this league but most importantly the manger is an ex defender and plays it cautiously rather than gung ho. Suits me but not all I understand that .......but I am not one of the keyboard warriors who have no shame in ripping into everything from Team selections to the managers man management skills. And then glorifying a good result.......hang on sorry no they try and still pull to bits the performance after a win.  

This time sir this is not directed at you please take that as it is.

 

Lmao, interesting that you pick my comment to reply too and not the handful of other ones saying the same thing ;)

 

Regardless, I think his ball retention is fine. Ball retention shouldn't be the aim when you're within a yard or 2 of the 18 yard box as it so often is with Downing & co (I'm not going to blame him solely here because Nsue is just as guilty). They should be looking to carve out crosses or killer through balls and instead more often than not he'll play the safe backwards or sideways pass.

 

P.S. it's people like you that need to calm down. People aren't "pulling to bits the performance" after a win. Some of us just don't have blinders on and can admit where things need improving or aren't working. Just because we won doesn't mean we were magically brilliant all 90 minutes.

[Arskite 3]

Nsue concerned me a bit yesterday, as did Friend at first. I've got a feeling Nsue is going to get found out a bit in the Prem, if Jayden Gooch is getting the better of him, Eden Hazard etc are going to run rings round him.

 

Been really impressed with Barragan, I'd move him over to RB, and restore Ayala at CB.

 

I know what your saying but hazard can tear anyone apart on his day.. Luckily for us it's people of Goochs standard that he needs to be competent against. We will worry about a Rb that can contain the hazards of this league when we are stalwarts of the premiere league. Right now we just need a RB that can contain (a few here may be inaccurate) zaha, snodgrass, boyd, brunt, ibe, insert watfords lm, tadic, routlegde

 

We have genuine options with our full-backs, which is something I like. It would make sense to play the pacey, forward-thinking Nsue against weaker teams and the more defensively competent Barragan when we're going to be under pressure for the whole 90 minutes. Arguably the same can be said of Fabio and Friend on the left. Bear in mind Barragan has only played two games at CB his entire career - yesterday and last Saturday! He'll be moving in to RB once Ayala is fully back, and I think that has the makings of a very solid back line that has a chance to contain the Hazards and Mkhitaryans.

["KM" 162]

Stuani in Garth Crooks team of the week. :D

[CurtisFleming 66]

Crooks literally just picks whoever has scored and crowbars them in to a formation.

 

Also why is Garth Crooks still a thing?

[Humpty 77]

Nsue concerned me a bit yesterday, as did Friend at first. I've got a feeling Nsue is going to get found out a bit in the Prem, if Jayden Gooch is getting the better of him, Eden Hazard etc are going to run rings round him.

 

Been really impressed with Barragan, I'd move him over to RB, and restore Ayala at CB.

 

I agree. I'd do the same. barragan looked very comfortable at RB.

 

Yep I know it's only 2 games but so far it's looking like the issue was definitely Downing not fitting into the Championship. He's looked much better in the PL so far, although I still think he has had chances to play a killer ball / whip a cross in and he's gone backwards instead (although that seems an entire team problem not just him). Way, way less often than last year though, definitely looks like he's taking more chances.

 

I personally to a degree am all for keeping possession of the ball and passing it around for the obvious reasons, and to a point on Sunday we had a two goal cushion. It maybe frustrating for fans who believe goal scoring chances are not created, taken or made due to a safer approach but fans never take into consideration the players view of things, tiredness or the blatant fact of 3 opposition players against 1 of ours. 

I thought against a very ordinary Sunderland we snuffed out any worry of an equaliser by keeping great retention of the ball towards the end of the game. All things being equal at times I agree we need to move the ball quicker but we are feeling our way in this league but most importantly the manger is an ex defender and plays it cautiously rather than gung ho. Suits me but not all I understand that .......but I am not one of the keyboard warriors who have no shame in ripping into everything from Team selections to the managers man management skills. And then glorifying a good result.......hang on sorry no they try and still pull to bits the performance after a win.  

This time sir this is not directed at you please take that as it is.

 

Lmao, interesting that you pick my comment to reply too and not the handful of other ones saying the same thing ;)

 

Regardless, I think his ball retention is fine. Ball retention shouldn't be the aim when you're within a yard or 2 of the 18 yard box as it so often is with Downing & co (I'm not going to blame him solely here because Nsue is just as guilty). They should be looking to carve out crosses or killer through balls and instead more often than not he'll play the safe backwards or sideways pass.

 

P.S. it's people like you that need to calm down. People aren't "pulling to bits the performance" after a win. Some of us just don't have blinders on and can admit where things need improving or aren't working. Just because we won doesn't mean we were magically brilliant all 90 minutes.

 

Nothing wrong with critiquing a performance Gephind. Win, lose or draw ot every plays well when we win and not everyone plays poorly when we lose.

[Yeovil-Boro 4]

Probably already been all said but it is a great win.

 

Stuani's first was a fantastic effort and the second was a great move.

 

Negredo's unselfishness and teamwork is great to see and Forshaw has already shown he's going to be useful.

 

Guzan worried me with spills but did make a top save from van Aanholt. Nsue is going to get done big time in this league. Barragan was superb.

 

Bring on WBA! (after Fulham of course)

[bugrit 31]

No-one else brought this up but it looked to me like Djilobodji was deliberately trying to butt people when challenging in the air. It happened on at least two occasions and you could see his head jerk in the direction of our player's head in a typical butting motion.

 

Didn't anyone else notice?

[Brunners 952]

Irrelevant now but every time I watch highlights back I realise just how close Negredo was to putting the game out of reach. If his touch was just ever so slightly lighter, he had a great chance.

[Dynamo Kev 59]

Irrelevant now but every time I watch highlights back I realise just how close Negredo was to putting the game out of reach. If his touch was just ever so slightly lighter, he had a great chance.

 

Thats what nergedo was thinking then 'oh ffs' .

 

we've all done it and he was looking pretty tired by then, hes not fully fit i reckon. once he gets his stamina up he'll be pretty likely to take most of the golden chances, like that was.

[Air Resistance 23]

Irrelevant now but every time I watch highlights back I realise just how close Negredo was to putting the game out of reach. If his touch was just ever so slightly lighter, he had a great chance.

 

Thats what nergedo was thinking then 'oh ffs' .

 

we've all done it and he was looking pretty tired by then, hes not fully fit i reckon. once he gets his stamina up he'll be pretty likely to take most of the golden chances, like that was.

 

It was a big shame cause he deserved a goal. I couldn't understand why he didn't take it into his left foot

[Uwe 274]

Irrelevant now but every time I watch highlights back I realise just how close Negredo was to putting the game out of reach. If his touch was just ever so slightly lighter, he had a great chance.

 

Thats what nergedo was thinking then 'oh ffs' .

 

we've all done it and he was looking pretty tired by then, hes not fully fit i reckon. once he gets his stamina up he'll be pretty likely to take most of the golden chances, like that was.

 

It was a big shame cause he deserved a goal. I couldn't understand why he didn't take it into his left foot

 

If I was going to be mega critical it wasn't the weight of the touch as much as the direction. He kicked it bang straight in front of himself whereas I'm sure he wanted to pull it ever so slightly to his left. This would have put himself between the ball and the defender effectively taking him out of the game as we all know you can't tackle from behind. Plus would've opened the goal up a bit better

But seeing as he held that front line really well and got an assist and he's only firing on 95% I'll let him off. Quite excited to see a 100% firing Negrado..... Beast!!

[Borodane 600]

Yeah, I too was a bit disappointed about Negredo in that situation. It was a huge chance to shut the game out but he messed it up despite having plenty of time. Maybe it was fatigue, but if that was Rhodes he would have been crucified. Overall Negredo did ever so well though but should have gone off 10-15 minutes before.

[Brunners 952]

It was the timing as well, believe it was only a few minutes before the Sunderland goal. Really shows how quick things can turn.

[wilsoncgp 1,094]

A better touch could have made all the difference, but how good is his right foot? I remember watching and thinking not only if his touch was better, but if it was on the other side. I think the defender was closing him down quick so was closing the gap he could have used to take a second touch to line up a shot on his left foot. Mannone was out quite quickly too so I'm not convinced he'd have scored.

 

It was indeed just before Sunderland scored though, there or thereabouts, would have killed the game dead had he managed to get it in.