Boro v Sunderland (A) 3-3 (Bamford (2) Leadbitter)

[Changing Times 2,550]

Holy crap Bamford's first goal was a thing of beauty, a proper strikers goal,  that!

 

Yeah, lovely stuff wasn't it  :)

[SmogDane 1,037]

Bamford MUST be played up top next match!

 

He scored 2 goals there in that position in a cup game as well this season!

 

But who do we put behind him?

 

Downing, Howson, Harrison?

 

Harrison, Downing, Johnson?

 

Harrison, Baker, Downing?

 

Who?

[Snowblind 439]

GK - Randolph

 

RB - Shotton

CB - Ayala

CB - Gibson

LB - Friend

 

CM - Besic

CM - Howson

 

RW - Harrison

AM - Baker

LW - Downing

 

ST - Bamford

 

That's the team I'd play against Leeds. Knowing Pulis though, we'll see three holding midfielders and probably Downing and Harrison swapping to be on their weaker side...

[Jimmy 96]

Slightly worried that Pulis is going to continue to play Leadbitter over Howson for the rest of the season :(

[Randy Sandwich 209]

Slightly worried that Pulis is going to continue to play Leadbitter over Howson for the rest of the season :(

 

Thats all you're slightly worried about regarding Pullis?

[Jimmy 96]

Slightly worried that Pulis is going to continue to play Leadbitter over Howson for the rest of the season :(

 

Thats all you're slightly worried about regarding Pullis?

 

Not necessarily. I struggle a bit with the continued presence of Leads in midfield at the expense of better players. Got nothing against him, and been a great servant for the club, vital in our promotion season. But his legs have started to go imo.

Took his penalty well yesterday and fair play to him for that but other than that he was pretty poor again, as he was against Hull on Tuesday. Howson has been superb in midfield over last couple of months, and now seemingly been dropped. Don’t understand it myself.

 

As for Pulis, haven’t really made my mind up. Quite like him as a bloke, I like his no nonsense press conferences and attitude, his experience. His management tenure at the Boro has underwhelmed so far (as Monks did too mind), but it’s still early days.

Not a massive fan of his substitutions and tactics and it seems like it’s becoming a little bit of a recurring theme. I can’t be ***d going through the whole palava of sacking yet another manager, so I’m just hoping it all comes good.

[Downsouth 1,267]

Once again a game ends up where Pulis and his tactics are the centre of attention and as we know this is par for the course and will always be with us whilst the situation remains the same.

 

However and taking aside various aspects all we can do is accept what actually takes place on the football field after all we were either watching or listening to the game and really it does not matter where our opposition are currently placed in the table because as a team you have to beat what is in front of you.

 

Teams near the relegation spots are now having to fight for their lives just to ensure that they remain in The Championship and we ourselves have Birmingham, Barnsley and Burton to play and I am certain that just because we are hovering near the top six spot they will NOT simply roll over for us and give us the 3 points as a goodwill gesture.

 

Having reflected on the game and taken aboard other fans comments and opinions and because I listened to the game I have to accept that Sunderland put up a damned good fight and simply kept going, certainly we were tested and had our moments of luck, forget about we should be beating them due to their position, I agree but in all honesty Sunderland deserved their spoils and point from the game I know if the roles had been reversed we would have been delighted to come away with a share of the points.

 

We were not that good, we have real issues and honestly I think Sunderland made a real game of it and gave a never say die attitude, so really we can't complain about the actual result.

 

Those teams mentioned earlier in the relegation spots will remind us of this when we play them

[mj south 119]

For me its the formation thats the problem, both managers this season has failed with 4-2-3-1, it just seems that when we play we either defend well but offer nothing up front or score but can't keep a clean sheet.

Pulis should be able to see this and make the necessary changes, we have bloody good players for this league and that fact were treading water outside the top 6 and playing crap football is totally unacceptable, I'm hoping game after game to see some sort of improvement but at the moment I just can't find anything to get excited about!

But we live in hope! UTB!

[Duvel 914]

For the record who would sack Pulis now?

 

I wouldn't.

[Dan1234 157]

For the record who would sack Pulis now?

 

I wouldn't.

 

Me.

 

0 improvement made, horrible tactics and subs. The only bright spark has been Traore, its almost a certainty that he leaves in the summer and I'm terrified of a Pulis rebuild.

[Duvel 914]

For the record who would sack Pulis now?

 

I wouldn't.

 

Me.

 

0 improvement made, horrible tactics and subs. The only bright spark has been Traore, its almost a certainty that he leaves in the summer and I'm terrified of a Pulis rebuild.

 

I can understand the fear of letting him rebuild in the summer (to an extent). But what would sacking him now achieve?

[Essuuaitch 114]

For the record who would sack Pulis now?

 

I wouldn't.

 

Me.

 

0 improvement made, horrible tactics and subs. The only bright spark has been Traore, its almost a certainty that he leaves in the summer and I'm terrified of a Pulis rebuild.

 

I can understand the fear of letting him rebuild in the summer (to an extent). But what would sacking him now achieve?

 

 i thhink a mix of your two arguements is where i stand. 

i actually think Pulis is a good manager who has a very good understanding of all the basic essentials  but he simply isnt going to be and never was flexible with what HE believes in, set up wise . Apart of me dreads what players he might bring in and let go in the summer to suit those needs.

[Borodane 1,240]

I would keep him until the end of the season and then look for a new available manager that suits our players better. Another manager might not require such a big rebuild. I certainly wouldn’t keep Pulis.

[Dan1234 157]

For the record who would sack Pulis now?

 

I wouldn't.

 

Me.

 

0 improvement made, horrible tactics and subs. The only bright spark has been Traore, its almost a certainty that he leaves in the summer and I'm terrified of a Pulis rebuild.

 

I can understand the fear of letting him rebuild in the summer (to an extent). But what would sacking him now achieve?

 

Honestly who knows, but could we really be much worse? Adama aside, I literally can not think of 1 other positive to Pulis. Can you?

[Jimmy 96]

I wouldn’t sack him. I’d even give him the summer too, only fair really. I do think though if we start next season the way we started/are going this season he’ll get the bullet.