Boro v West Ham 1-3

[BillyWoofs_shinpad 1,884]

Was at the game was impressive with Stuani today could of had two goals, always willing to get into the box! Strong performance again today! Time for people to get of his back?

 

I'm glad to hear it, what a guy.

[Oslo_Syd 320]

My three ha’pence on this, for what it’s worth, is that Karanka was perfectly justified in his after-match comments. He did drag us kicking and screaming out of the Championship relegation zone and into the Premier League. It wasn’t easy and we scraped through at our second attempt, but he did it.

 

This season is all about consolidation and, as someone recently pointed out very accurately, keeping a clean sheet is the name of the game right now. That means defensive football, which is not exactly entertaining at the best of times, but a necessary evil at the moment.

 

As a club, we are addressing the problem of a toothless attack, as buying Bamford and Gestede shows. We still lack the sort of playmaker who will unlock defences and hopefully that will come before the end of this transfer window.

 

I don’t think any team or manager is beyond criticism but the behaviour of many fans recently has been over the top. It’s also quite noticeable, of course, that our attendances have increased considerably since we got promoted (30,000 odd today), and so too has the criticism of Karanka. Might it not be possible that the fans who expected us to beat West Ham were not those who turned out to watch us play against Rotherham last season?

[SmogDane 4,057]

My three ha’pence on this, for what it’s worth, is that Karanka was perfectly justified in his after-match comments. He did drag us kicking and screaming out of the Championship relegation zone and into the Premier League. It wasn’t easy and we scraped through at our second attempt, but he did it.

 

This season is all about consolidation and, as someone recently pointed out very accurately, keeping a clean sheet is the name of the game right now. That means defensive football, which is not exactly entertaining at the best of times, but a necessary evil at the moment.

 

As a club, we are addressing the problem of a toothless attack, as buying Bamford and Gestede shows. We still lack the sort of playmaker who will unlock defences and hopefully that will come before the end of this transfer window.

 

I don’t think any team or manager is beyond criticism but the behaviour of many fans recently has been over the top. It’s also quite noticeable, of course, that our attendances have increased considerably since we got promoted (30,000 odd today), and so too has the criticism of Karanka. Might it not be possible that the fans who expected us to beat West Ham were not those who turned out to watch us play against Rotherham last season?

Good post

[Guest Changing Times]

The atmosphere was supportive today as it has been for every game this season. What part of this are people struggling with? Karanka's comments are completely unjustified.

[sackrobson2 371]

Thought it was a pretty decent game today and we didn't play badly at all. The 3-1 flattered them, it was a typical smash and grab. I believe if Carroll hadn't been playing, we'd have won that. Unfortunately, what he lacks in grace and decorum, he makes up for in his attacking prowess.

 

Traore had a great game, he was absolutely torturing their defence, both left and right sides. His end product was pretty good as well, couple of cut backs in the first half that were begging for a tap in and a few decent crosses in the second half.

 

I also think Espinosa had a great game. Some of those tackles he made were so important. Like when he knicked it off Lanzini on the edge of the box after a long run. Good stuff.

 

We were unlucky that that chance that pinged off the crossbar didn't go in and Gestedes decent shot went just wide... on another day that would have been a decent win.

 

I agree with your comments except Espinosa. I honestly thought he was a total liability. He did make that good challenge you highlight but generally he looked like he was running on sand and his distribution was shocking.

 

I thought Traore was excellent unfortunately people who don't like him will point out he had no end product again because nobody tapped in the good chances he created.

 

No idea why he split our centre back pairing. Chambers did very well I thought but the centre has to be the priority so leave him in there and Fabio has done nothing to warrant being dropped. I thought that was a very strange selection.

 

We really can't continue playing 3 limited midfielders at home.

 

I thought Stuani did well today. He was much more dangerous than Negredo.

 

As for AKs comments well they weren't as bad as I was expecting after seeing some comments on here. He does need to learn though that he isn't perfect and might actually be at least partly to blame for the loss today. He comes across as thinking he is perfect.

[gephind 7]

Imagine if someone launched their season ticket at him like mclaren back in the day, he'd probably scrap with them.

He cares about the job he does, he is passionate and a real fighter for the cause. For all his sins if he is a bad looser the media and the fans should let it go.

[gephind 7]

Reset Filters

Matches Played

22

Wins

4

Losses

10

Goals

18

Goals Conceded

25

Clean Sheets

7

Attack

Goals

18

Goals Per Match

0.82

Shots

198

Shots On Target

53

Shooting Accuracy %

27%

Penalties Scored

1

Big Chances Created

15

Hit Woodwork

4

Team Play

Passes

9,532

Passes Per Match

433.27

Pass Accuracy %

78%

Crosses

439

Cross Accuracy %

23%

Defence

Clean Sheets

7

Goals Conceded

25

Goals Conceded Per Match

1.14

Saves

63

Tackles

433

Tackle Success %

73%

Blocked Shots

59

Interceptions

350

Clearances

647

Headed Clearance

333

Aerial Battles/Duels Won

1,726

Errors Leading To Goal

3

Own Goals

0

Discipline

Yellow Cards

47

Red Cards

0

Fouls

143

Offsides

32

[gephind 7]

https://www.premierleague.com/

 

Not sure how these Statistics stack up against the more successfully performing teams but I am well behind the manager and team and I don't presume or come on here and profess that I can say what I want for want of the fact I am a Boro fan all my life.

[boroinbishop 65]

Having read the comments I'm not to fussed if i'm honest. Think it roughly translates as "please show me some loyalty".

 

Without him - he is right, we would be lingering in league one.

 

Probably still shouldn't have said it - not that it makes anything he said wrong.

 

I think i am more upset with the local RAG coming out with "AITOR SLAMS FANS". Did he? or did he slightly criticise them for this one match (out for 150+ he has managed)? 

 

What's that? Boro fans criticise the team daily yet are criticised once themselves they go home to their message boards crying and sobbing claiming foul and uncalled for.   :s

 

Big babies, grow up ya fannies  :D

 

Spot on.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself, some of the fans I sit near in the south stand really don't understand football with some of the comments they come out with and that long balls don't work 90℅ of the time so I can see why someone as intelligent as karanka would be frustrated by the calls to hoof it long just to get it further up the pitch.

[ManBearPig 1,853]

So would Karanka have been unhappy had the long ball Negredo nodded down to Gestede went in instead of going wide?

 

Ironically that long ball brought out one of our better chances of the second half!

[Nics 8]

So would Karanka have been unhappy had the long ball Negredo nodded down to Gestede went in instead of going wide?

 

Ironically that long ball brought out one of our better chances of the second half!

 

Yes. He would've called for offside, slammed his team, and walked out of the ground immediately. 

 

ZzZzZz

[Betamaxman 14]

Having read the comments I'm not to fussed if i'm honest. Think it roughly translates as "please show me some loyalty".

 

Without him - he is right, we would be lingering in league one.

 

Probably still shouldn't have said it - not that it makes anything he said wrong.

 

I think i am more upset with the local RAG coming out with "AITOR SLAMS FANS". Did he? or did he slightly criticise them for this one match (out for 150+ he has managed)? 

 

What's that? Boro fans criticise the team daily yet are criticised once themselves they go home to their message boards crying and sobbing claiming foul and uncalled for.   :s

 

Big babies, grow up ya fannies  :D

 

Spot on.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself, some of the fans I sit near in the south stand really don't understand football with some of the comments they come out with and that long balls don't work 90℅ of the time so I can see why someone as intelligent as karanka would be frustrated by the calls to hoof it long just to get it further up the pitch.

 

Hmmm. Maybe you don't understand football either then mate - LOL :) I think you need to look at the long ball stats, that we play under Karanka.

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

I read the comments, more context when you read the whole thing rather than the snippets that make him sound much worse.

 

Condensed what I want to say about it to 3 things.

 

I like Karanka and genuinely wonder where we would be without him.

I feel Karanka was pretty much right and I can understand his frustration.

I feel Karanka shouldn't have made his frustration public.

[Betamaxman 14]

I read the comments, more context when you read the whole thing rather than the snippets that make him sound much worse.

 

Condensed what I want to say about it to 3 things.

 

I like Karanka and genuinely wonder where we would be without him.

I feel Karanka was pretty much right and I can understand his frustration.

I feel Karanka shouldn't have made his frustration public.

 

Wilsoncgp, I normally rate your posts mate, so I'm interested which bits you think Karanka is right about?

 

Surely shouting 'Attack attack attack' is getting behind your team, so it's OK. Secondly, if you look at the stats, which I think you do, you can see that we play more long balls than most. It's not the fans' chanting that causes that, it's the way we play. That comes from Karanka, and in his comments he was blatantly blaming that on the fans - how is that right?

 

Cheers.

 

PS. I've also listened to all of AK's comments, and I'm actually not bothered by them. I just think that some of what he said is plain wrong. (Factually rather than morally)!

 

Also... I've not seen it mentioned, but they did talk about it on MoTD briefly. They said that having a go at the fans was a dangerous thing to do when you're in a relegation battle. I see no reason why MoTD shouldn't be impartial on the matter.

[mj south 613]

I am a fan of Karanka, I do think he's an intelligent guy when it comes to the tactics side of the game, but his biggest downfall in my opinion is that he seems to have a "favourite" player who he just will not drop in Negrado!

I think in the last 2 games Stuani has shown much more than Negrado and I think he should be playing the lone striker role but because of Karankas stubbornness he will stick with Negrado just to try and prove a point, and I think this is starting to become costly to our survival and needs to be addressed