Jump to content
oneBoro Forum

Boro vs Watford 0-1


Recommended Posts

There is absolutely no surprise in that, its hard to change our style if you don't know how to.

 

The problem Karanka has is Gibbo is watching the same boring dross that we're all watching, Gibbo's a patient man who in the past has shown loyalty to his managers but stupid he isn't and I don't see him showing blind loyalty this time round.

 

Mentioned it yesterday, he looked concerned when the camera flashed to him in the stands next to his daughter and Bausor.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 431
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  •  

    35

  •  

    27

  •  

    22

AK spent more than two years on turning us into a promotion winning team. I'm as unhappy as anyone with the displays so far, but the man needs more time. The Premiership is new to him too like it is to a vast majority of our team, many of whom have only played lower league football up until a few months ago. 17th was always going to be the most realistic target and then build from there. That is still within our reach.

 

Yesterday was without doubt a poor result but there were some things that we did well. I thought Downing was good on the left but the right side needs something else. It is much too easy for teams to defend against. When Stuani gets the ball the defender can just stand still as Stuani can sprint, dribble, pass or cross. All he is good at with the ball is bundle into an opposing player. At least Downing can take a man on and whip a decent cross in or find a teammate with a short pass.

 

Aitor needs to be given until christmas unless we go on some daft losing streak isolating us at the bottom, but looking at the other teams I reckon 17th is always going to be within reach for every team exept Sunderland.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think it's time to start Traore. His positioning is poor, his work rate isn't the best and he needs to improve on other aspects of his game but I think the best way for him to do that is to start games. His crossing seemed better yesterday than it was against Spurs as did his positioning in my opinion. I have no idea why him and Downing switched sides but that completely nullified whatever threat both of them were offering.

Link to post
Share on other sites

What I find somewhat strange about Adama is he spends a lot of time infield for a winger. Or at least for someone with bags of pace and trickery. You could pretty much rely on Adomah to hug the touchline regardless of which side he was on but yesterday the only time he picked the ball up out wide was when he was on the left with no space to run into.

 

Perhaps it is just time to let him loose and see what he can do. Against ***nal we don't really have much to lose. I don't think we are going to hold them off so we're going to have to try and score at some point. Stuani appears to be one of the first names on Karanka's team sheet at the moment, though.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Unless by January we're firmly rooted in the relegation zone (definite possibility given yesterday's performance) I think Gibson will stick by Karanka. It's not his style to make knee-jerk reactions, especially with the amount of money he has backed Karanka with over the past 3 or so years. The man took us out of the division and deserves a shot at preventing us from dropping back there - once it becomes clear he can't, and only then, should he be replaced.

 

I think on paper there are 3 worse teams in this division than us, I don't think there are 3 worse playing teams currently however. If we weren't leaking stupid goals then our attack would be a concern rather than a crisis. If we're to continue playing in our current way then we need to be more alert and to cut out the stupid errors that have cost us 3 points in 2 games. The defending against Payet at West Ham was embarrassing and yesterday at the riverside as well - how hard is it to lump the ball well up the field and away from danger instead of spooning it straight to a Watford player?

 

The referee was dire yesterday yes, but if anything that worked in our favour. Barragan categorically should have been sent off and the ref lost his balls. I think he got the penalty shouts correct by and large. I'd have been angry if they had been given against us, so with the red and white specs off I think it's safe to say he probably got that right.

 

Yesterday was a shame as, after an improved performance at West Ham, it gave us the opportunity to show we had turned a corner and show what we can do in the Premier League and to put us in a much more comfortable position. Barring some absolutely heroic performances we will be in the relegation zone in a month's time with our upcoming opponents.

 

We need to make improvements and fast. Negredo seems to have lost the initial interest he had, granted with the amount of support our strikers get it must be hard to stay motivated. Barragan looked a very solid acquisition but recent performances have been worrying. I think the only 2 players to come out of our early fixtures with some credibility are Forshaw and Gibson.

 

I'm hoping we can manage to be the 4th worst team in this division and that we an sort out our creativity issues in January. I felt we came into this season a winger light and that is showing to be the case. Fischer is sporadically showing his quality, but by and large contributes nothing. Traore is a totally bizarre signing as he has none of the attributes to make him suited to our team and way of playing. That leaves us with an untechnical centre forward on the right and Downing on the left. All the opposition has to do to neuter our threat is prevent the ball coming up the left wing - either Barragan or Stuani will give it back to you if it comes up the right.

 

We have a chance to turn things round, but I think some changes need to be made and opportunities given to some of our alternative players. Rhodes was decent against West Ham, managed to get in behind a few times and certainly contributed more than Negredo. Fischer showed his crossing to be excellent with the assist for Stuani against West Ham, why not let him have a crack down the right so that we don't have a lopsided and easily defendable attacking threat.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think it's a positive that no one is beating us convincingly. The likes of Sunderland and hull have been taken apart a few times this season whereas we haven't. I think those two are in big trouble and it will be between us, burnley and Swansea for that third place. It's going to be hard but I think that because we are relatively solid we have a decent chance.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think it's a positive that no one is beating us convincingly.  The likes of Sunderland and hull have been taken apart a few times this season whereas we haven't.  I think those two are in big trouble and it will be between us, burnley and Swansea for that third place. It's going to be hard but I think that because we are relatively solid we have a decent chance.

 

i think you should have waited until after the next 4 games before making that opening statement  :D

Link to post
Share on other sites

haha, well we've played Spurs and they didn't beat us convincingly and they're unbeaten aren't they? And we've proven in the past couple of years that we're pretty good against the best teams, albeit in the cups, I think we'll frustrate the life out of them.

Link to post
Share on other sites

What I find somewhat strange about Adama is he spends a lot of time infield for a winger. Or at least for someone with bags of pace and trickery. You could pretty much rely on Adomah to hug the touchline regardless of which side he was on but yesterday the only time he picked the ball up out wide was when he was on the left with no space to run into.

 

That last bit isn't true, he picked up the ball wide right at least 3 times and ended up getting the ball into the box on all three occasions if I remember correctly.

 

I think it's time to give him a chance, he wants to attack and make things happen which is more than can be said about pretty much every other member of our starting 11 at the moment.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think it's a positive that no one is beating us convincingly.  The likes of Sunderland and hull have been taken apart a few times this season whereas we haven't.  I think those two are in big trouble and it will be between us, burnley and Swansea for that third place. It's going to be hard but I think that because we are relatively solid we have a decent chance.

It doesn't matter if you get beat convincingly or otherwise a loss is a loss, and when you very rarely threaten the opposition goal or force their keeper into a worthwhile save your in big trouble.

I don't believe Karanka and his staff know how to change our style of play when its going wrong, because I've seen nothing to suggest otherwise.   

 

Granted Hull have been taken apart a few times this season, but at this moment are above us in the league because they've won a game more than us.

Link to post
Share on other sites

haha, well we've played Spurs and they didn't beat us convincingly and they're unbeaten aren't they? And we've proven in the past couple of years that we're pretty good against the best teams, albeit in the cups, I think we'll frustrate the life out of them.

 

Think it depends what you mean by convincingly. Spurs were in full control of that game until Traore came on / Gibson scored. The scoreline kind of flattered us in some respects.

 

It will be interesting to see how we do going away to a big team who should thrash us. ***nal and City could be big losses. City could get their own back for the thrashing we gave them in '08.

Link to post
Share on other sites

What I find somewhat strange about Adama is he spends a lot of time infield for a winger. Or at least for someone with bags of pace and trickery. You could pretty much rely on Adomah to hug the touchline regardless of which side he was on but yesterday the only time he picked the ball up out wide was when he was on the left with no space to run into.

 

That last bit isn't true, he picked up the ball wide right at least 3 times and ended up getting the ball into the box on all three occasions if I remember correctly.

 

I think it's time to give him a chance, he wants to attack and make things happen which is more than can be said about pretty much every other member of our starting 11 at the moment.

 

From what I remember, it was Chambers who got the ball in the box more often of the 2 when he came on and Traore was very narrow when he picked the ball up. I don't remember him ever hugging the touchline. I'm not basing that on anything other than my memory though (can't be ***d checking stats right now) so I may well be wrong.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hands up who thought this season wouldn't be difficult?

 

We struggled again up front, we just can't create chances in open play and when was the last time Boro scored on the break? I reckon it was Fabbrini last season. Our problem is lack of options. We are a team that takes no risks.

 

We need a striker that can provide a bit more movement in front of our creative midfielders. So often either Downing, Ramirez and Forshaw were forced to play the ball backwards or sideways, as there was nothing on in front of them, occasionally the ball will be pinged wide, but more often than not, it gets played back to one of our CB's who then hoof it forward.

If we are going to continue with a loan striker, we would be better off giving Nugent a go, at least his runs are more dynamic than Negredo's, either that, or give Stuani a chance up front, at least he has an eye for goal, Negredo has scored 1 goal in 19 matches, Rhodes has never scored at the Riverside, it's our forward play that needs working on.

 

I don't blame the system, it's a very popular one at this level, but something is wrong. It may be that AK urges the team to be cautious, but I can't believe that he would urge the forward players not to take chances on the edge of the opposition's penalty area. The early interchange between Negredo and Ramirez, that cute back heel to put Gaston through was our best bit of attacking play all match, nothing else of any note happened, both players spent far too much time rolling around on the floor after that.

 

If it's not the system or the mentality, you have to look at the skill-sets of the players, particularly the ones that the club have bought in to improve on last years squad. We seem to have more staff employed in the area of recruitment than we do as coaches, I'm not convinced that there weren't quite a lot of factors that influenced our recruitment in the summer, some of our signings seem to have been made to put players in the shop window rather than for the good of the team, I'm yet to be convinced by any of them, although Chambers is improving alongside Gibson.

 

The club have been cautious in their dealings this year, with one eye on damage limitation should we go back down. An understandable stance, Gibbo isn't made of money and the club is a business which has rarely made a profit.

 

We are playing in a very difficult league, with a squad that lack premier league experience, it's going to be tough, we are punching above our weight.

Link to post
Share on other sites
×
×
  • Create New...