Boro v Tottenham (A) 0-1

[edinboro 89]

Valdes

 

Fabio

Gibson

Chambers (AK said he's back training)

Espinosa (should be Ayala)

Barragan

 

Clayton

Guedioura

De Roon

 

Stuani

Negredo

Traore

 

That's a decent team I think.

[tylergomez 53]

Valdes

 

Fabio

Gibson

Chambers (AK said he's back training)

Espinosa (should be Ayala)

Barragan

 

Clayton

Guedioura

De Roon

 

Stuani

Negredo

Traore

 

That's a decent team I think.

 

5-3-3

 

An excellent sneaky tactic that might give us a chance

[MowbraysMoustache 7]

Valdes

 

Fabio

Gibson

Chambers (AK said he's back training)

Espinosa (should be Ayala)

Barragan

 

Clayton

Guedioura

De Roon

 

Stuani

Negredo

Traore

 

That's a decent team I think.

 

The ole 5-3-3. I like it!

[BillyWoofs_shinpad 945]

Valdes

 

Fabio

Gibson

Chambers (AK said he's back training)

Espinosa (should be Ayala)

Barragan

 

Clayton

Guedioura

De Roon

 

Stuani

Negredo

Traore

 

That's a decent team I think.

 

5-3-3

 

An excellent sneaky tactic that might give us a chance

 

I think that if we combine the 5-3-3 with the sticking the football "up yer jumper" and running with it technique we may just stand a chance.

[edinboro 89]

Valdes

 

Fabio

Gibson

Chambers (AK said he's back training)

Espinosa (should be Ayala)

Barragan

 

Clayton

Guedioura

De Roon

 

Stuani

Negredo

Traore

 

That's a decent team I think.

 

5-3-3

 

An excellent sneaky tactic that might give us a chance

 

Ha ha. Yes, didn't realise. Take Espinosa/Ayala out.

[Borodane 1,445]

Adama will play and we'll have 3 holding mids, I reckon. Reason being, we'll be looking to counter. We can't rely on attacking football because, frankly, we can't play it. Also doubt Karanka will start Guedioura as we all know what he's like with bedding in new signings. So I'm going for:

 

GK - Valdes

 

RB - Barragan

CB - Chambers

CB - Gibson

LB - Friend

 

CM - Clayton

CM - de Roon

CM - Forshaw

 

RW - Traore

ST - Negredo

LW - Downing

 

Could easily be Fabio for Barragan and Stuani for Downing, though.

 

Yes to this, although I don't think Friend and Chambers are ready for a start. Ideally I'd take Ayala instead of Espinosa.

 

We definately need to try and take advantage of our set pieces so that's why I'd start Downing. Free kicks and corners simply have to be delivered better. With Forshaw and Clayton taking them we might aswell not bother. I really can't fathom how a professional ball player can't put a decent ball into the box.

[Armster 29]

I'd agree with this but think bamford instead of downing and you'd have to people that can be a threat on the break and be good at playing off negredo think they'd balance us being solid at the back and a threat up front.

[tylergomez 53]

Valdes

 

Fabio

Gibson

Chambers (AK said he's back training)

Espinosa (should be Ayala)

Barragan

 

Clayton

Guedioura

De Roon

 

Stuani

Negredo

Traore

 

That's a decent team I think.

 

5-3-3

 

An excellent sneaky tactic that might give us a chance

 

I think that if we combine the 5-3-3 with the sticking the football "up yer jumper" and running with it technique we may just stand a chance.

 

Someone ring Karanka quick. Get it on how tactics board

[Borodane 1,445]

Still leaves us with no dead ball specialist. We aren't going to create many openings from open play, but we are bound to get the odd corner or freekick inside their half, and that is when we have to be able to find Gibson, Ayala/Bernardo and Negredo.

[Snowblind 514]

Adama will play and we'll have 3 holding mids, I reckon. Reason being, we'll be looking to counter. We can't rely on attacking football because, frankly, we can't play it. Also doubt Karanka will start Guedioura as we all know what he's like with bedding in new signings. So I'm going for:

 

GK - Valdes

 

RB - Barragan

CB - Chambers

CB - Gibson

LB - Friend

 

CM - Clayton

CM - de Roon

CM - Forshaw

 

RW - Traore

ST - Negredo

LW - Downing

 

Could easily be Fabio for Barragan and Stuani for Downing, though.

 

Yes to this, although I don't think Friend and Chambers are ready for a start. Ideally I'd take Ayala instead of Espinosa.

 

We definately need to try and take advantage of our set pieces so that's why I'd start Downing. Free kicks and corners simply have to be delivered better. With Forshaw and Clayton taking them we might aswell not bother. I really can't fathom how a professional ball player can't put a decent ball into the box.

 

Aye, depending on the Fitness of Chambers and Friend. I'd play Fabio LB if needed and agree that I'd prefer Ayala to Espinosa... I don't think Karanka would agree though.

[MMC 81]

Guedioura (sp?) Is supposed to be good from set pieces. I wonder if that was a big reason behind his signing.

[wilsoncgp 2,478]

Guedioura (sp?) Is supposed to be good from set pieces. I wonder if that was a big reason behind his signing.

 

Wouldn't be surprised, we're awful from set pieces.

[tylergomez 53]

Adama will play and we'll have 3 holding mids, I reckon. Reason being, we'll be looking to counter. We can't rely on attacking football because, frankly, we can't play it. Also doubt Karanka will start Guedioura as we all know what he's like with bedding in new signings. So I'm going for:

 

GK - Valdes

 

RB - Barragan

CB - Chambers

CB - Gibson

LB - Friend

 

CM - Clayton

CM - de Roon

CM - Forshaw

 

RW - Traore

ST - Negredo

LW - Downing

 

Could easily be Fabio for Barragan and Stuani for Downing, though.

 

Yes to this, although I don't think Friend and Chambers are ready for a start. Ideally I'd take Ayala instead of Espinosa.

 

We definately need to try and take advantage of our set pieces so that's why I'd start Downing. Free kicks and corners simply have to be delivered better. With Forshaw and Clayton taking them we might aswell not bother. I really can't fathom how a professional ball player can't put a decent ball into the box.

 

Totally agree. I am a pretty pants footballer. But I can float/chip/drive a ball into a good area 9 times out of 10. How a professional who practises it every day can't is beyond me.

We seem to have had poor set pieces for a few years now.

[MMC 81]

Guedioura (sp?) Is supposed to be good from set pieces. I wonder if that was a big reason behind his signing.

 

Wouldn't be surprised, we're awful from set pieces.

 

It amazes me, last season and especially the season before we were excellent at set pieces. Seem to recall a couple of very clever ones (Adomah scored from one at the riverside vs Ipswich iirc) which seem to have just completely vanished. I was reminded about it when watching West Brom play us as they're incredibly astute and effective from dead ball situations.

 

Would like to see a return to better deliveries and smarter routines. When we have big units like Negredo, Bernardo, Gestede, Friend, etc. who we can stick in the box it's criminal to watch the ball fail to clear the first man. On that note I'd have Traore making near post runs with his pace to give them something to panic about. When we're delivering the ball he's either not in the box, or if he is, completely static near the goalkeeper.

[Betamaxman 14]

Adama will play and we'll have 3 holding mids, I reckon. Reason being, we'll be looking to counter. We can't rely on attacking football because, frankly, we can't play it. Also doubt Karanka will start Guedioura as we all know what he's like with bedding in new signings. So I'm going for:

 

GK - Valdes

 

RB - Barragan

CB - Chambers

CB - Gibson

LB - Friend

 

CM - Clayton

CM - de Roon

CM - Forshaw

 

RW - Traore

ST - Negredo

LW - Downing

 

Could easily be Fabio for Barragan and Stuani for Downing, though.

 

Yes to this, although I don't think Friend and Chambers are ready for a start. Ideally I'd take Ayala instead of Espinosa.

 

We definately need to try and take advantage of our set pieces so that's why I'd start Downing. Free kicks and corners simply have to be delivered better. With Forshaw and Clayton taking them we might aswell not bother. I really can't fathom how a professional ball player can't put a decent ball into the box.

 

Totally agree. I am a pretty pants footballer. But I can float/chip/drive  a ball into a good area 9 times out of 10. How a professional who practises it every day can't is beyond me.

We seem to have had poor set pieces for a few years now.

 

I've wondered this too. We are most definitely rubbish at set pieces, but I've kind of come to the conclusion that it must be harder than it looks at a professional level.

 

It's really poor not getting the ball past the first man (which we fail to do quite often). However, there's also not much point in clearing the first man with a floaty ball that drops down from too high, because professional defenders will defend that all day long.

 

The ball needs to come in with more pace/power/direction to give the attacker something to attack (Look at Carrol's first goal for West Ham against us). I guess it must be so much harder to do that, that the likes of Clayton/Forshaw can't seem to manage it?