Boro V Arsenal 1-2

[AnglianRed 6,320]

Are people still actually pinning the blame on Karanka? We're going down because of a number of reasons, not just Karanka. Steve Gibson and our recruitment are more to blame than Karanka.

 

Well whoever is responsible for signing players has to take some blame, as we didn't bring in nearly enough additional quality to the squad in January. However, having seen how Karanka used the players at his disposal,  I'm not convinced it would have made much difference.

 

We would likely have continued playing defensively with a lone striker and struggled for goals. What we needed most was a change in tactics and formation.

 

As others have already said, we had a good enough squad to compete with the likes of Hull, Burnley, Bournemouth, Palace and even Watford. They were just grossly misused.

[AnglianRed 6,320]

Well that was an improved performance... Although a sloppy 2nd goal and the inevitable occurred of conceding sloppy free kicks on the edge of our area was going to cost us at some point. I think our starting 11 was a pretty negative start point and I think perhaps dropping one of the 3 central midfielders would have been wise considering this was a "must win" game. I also think our substitution of Ramirez was wrong as for me we lost all the spark and momentum after he went off.

 

If we played like that all season I think we would have had a fair few more points on the board. Sadly it all seems too little too late. I apologise for this sacrilege statement but I thought Barragan and Ayala played well today bar the 2nd goal but then again I thought we generally played well overall but sadly we can't score enough and now we are conceding sloppy goals as well.

 

Oh well 6 points from the next 2 games and we are back in it :s

 

To be fair to Agnew I can't blame him for starting with a defensive lineup. I'd also argue about this being a "must win" game.

 

Hull and Swansea, for sure, but how realistic is it to think we could beat ***nal - even with their current problems?

 

Overall I'd say we at least didn't embarrass ourselves. This was actually one of our better performances this season. Disappointed our defence went AWOL for their second goal, but overall the game was a lot closer than I expected.

[Jimmy 140]

Just on a side note, I've been quite critical of Negredo this season at times, but thought he played really well last night, full of energy and finished well.

 

I think our squad are better than Sunderlands, Hulls, Burnleys and probably Swanseas. No better than anyone else's. With that in mind tho we shouldn't be in the bottom 3.

[Betamaxman 14]

Just on a side note, I've been quite critical of Negredo this season at times, but thought he played really well last night, full of energy and finished well.

 

I think our squad are better than Sunderlands, Hulls, Burnleys and probably Swanseas. No better than anyone else's. With that in mind tho we shouldn't be in the bottom 3.

 

I've seen Watford play about four times this season, and they've been pretty rubbish. I don't think their squad is all that good if I'm honest.

[Will 2,958]

Just on a side note, I've been quite critical of Negredo this season at times, but thought he played really well last night, full of energy and finished well.

 

I think our squad are better than Sunderlands, Hulls, Burnleys and probably Swanseas. No better than anyone else's. With that in mind tho we shouldn't be in the bottom 3.

 

I've seen Watford play about four times this season, and they've been pretty rubbish. I don't think their squad is all that good if I'm honest.

 

Same here.

 

We're nowhere near Palace, they just underperformed for a long time.

[Dynamo Kev 1,558]

what we learned last night. barragan is still utter ***te and proved so again. it was his fault we lost. as highlighted very nicely by his old manager gary neville.

 

traore is half the player gaston is. and even downing invisible for a large part of the game still has quality to create a moment for us something traore has not done.

 

ayala is still a fantastic cb, great seeing him back in with gibbo.

 

george is still unfit but offers far more than barragan in attack and defence at 80%.

 

fabio is good,regardless of his weak defending at times.

 

de roon is better than leadbitter and clayton. despite what others say.

 

leadbitter is still a great leader and will be a great asset next season, played on injured still giving his all.

 

gestede is a massive donkey, clumsy one at that. perfect for championship to bully the big donkey cb's he'll be against every week.

 

valdes will be a massive loss, if he played, that freekick, the wall etc would have happened. he'd have saved at.

 

so if valdes played and barragan never we'd have won that 1-0. friend left fabio right. fabio wouldnt have got inured like he did either. its all barragans fault if ever a player deserved to be a boo boy its him.

[MMC 1,000]

what we learned last night. barragan is still utter ***te and proved so again. it was his fault we lost. as highlighted very nicely by his old manager gary neville.

 

traore is half the player gaston is. and even downing invisible for a large part of the game still has quality to create a moment for us something traore has not done.

 

ayala is still a fantastic cb, great seeing him back in with gibbo.

 

george is still unfit but offers far more than barragan in attack and defence at 80%.

 

fabio is good,regardless of his weak defending at times.

 

de roon is better than leadbitter and clayton. despite what others say.

 

leadbitter is still a great leader and will be a great asset next season, played on injured still giving his all.

 

gestede is a massive donkey, clumsy one at that. perfect for championship to bully the big donkey cb's he'll be against every week.

 

valdes will be a massive loss, if he played, that freekick, the wall etc would have happened. he'd have saved at.

 

so if valdes played and barragan never we'd have won that 1-0. friend left fabio right. fabio wouldnt have got inured like he did either. its all barragans fault if ever a player deserved to be a boo boy its him.

 

Careful, if you stretch too hard you'll put your back out!

[Humpty 3,261]

Are people still actually pinning the blame on Karanka? We're going down because of a number of reasons, not just Karanka. Steve Gibson and our recruitment are more to blame than Karanka.

 

The only thing Steve Gibson has done wrong is not sack Karanka sooner and bring in a capable successor in time.

[Will 2,958]

Are people still actually pinning the blame on Karanka? We're going down because of a number of reasons, not just Karanka. Steve Gibson and our recruitment are more to blame than Karanka.

 

The only thing Steve Gibson has done wrong is not sack Karanka sooner and bring in a capable successor in time.

 

And not have a capable recruitment team in place.

[Borodane 6,301]

Seems like we have a similar view of Barragan, DK. The guy is an utter joke. How he has amassed 153 La Liga games I will never know. I'd rather have the current Justin Hoyte at right back.

 

As much as I have been critical of Downing I was really delighted to see him have a go in the second half. Some fantastic deliveries into the box and he actually took on his opponent. If he can take that into the rest of the season he will definately have a part to play next season in the Championship.

[Humpty 3,261]

Are people still actually pinning the blame on Karanka? We're going down because of a number of reasons, not just Karanka. Steve Gibson and our recruitment are more to blame than Karanka.

 

The only thing Steve Gibson has done wrong is not sack Karanka sooner and bring in a capable successor in time.

 

And not have a capable recruitment team in place.

 

Yes and no. Maybe if we had viable alternatives Karanka wouldn't have so relentlessly pursued Jese and Bojan to the point of self destruction. Having said that I can't for the life of me believe that we didn't have viable alternatives lined up. Something seriously went wrong there.

[Dan1234 1,056]

I think a large part for the slightly improved Downing performance was starting on the right. He hasn't got it in him to go on the outside anymore, however he can make a yard for himself cutting in. If I remember rightly his best performances in the Champo were also from the right, MK Dons? springs to mind.

[Guest Changing Times]

what we learned last night. 

 

de roon is better than leadbitter and clayton. despite what others say.

 

leadbitter is still a great leader and will be a great asset next season, played on injured still giving his all.

 

 

What's de Roon better than them at because it isn't football?  Running around perhaps?  Did he have any influence on last night's proceedings because I can barely remember him doing anything other than being offside when he scored?  I think Leadbitter is finished quite honestly but even he had more of an impact last night.  Clayton gave away that freekick with an idiotic challenge but if anything he grew into the game and was the best of the lot.

 

As for Leadbitter, he's no kind of leader because he can barely influence things himself any more. Fair play to him for carrying on when he stretched his hamstring after making his own idiotic challenge but he can't cut it at this level.  The stupid shot from distance when we had a penalty area full of players and you're playing ***nal who can't defend properly and hate defending crosses into the area is an example of his lack of thought.  He's an experienced player certainly but not a leader in my opinion.

[Guest Changing Times]

I think a large part for the slightly improved Downing performance was starting on the right. He hasn't got it in him to go on the outside anymore, however he can make a yard for himself cutting in. If I remember rightly his best performances in the Champo were also from the right, MK Dons? springs to mind.

 

Also we were playing against ***nal and they really aren't very good at the back.

[Betamaxman 14]

It's funny how we all see it differently. Apart from the free kick, I thought Clayton was excellent last night. I hope we don't sell him, but I'm sure other PL clubs would be happy to take him of our hands.