Boro vs Norwich (A) 0-1

[Snowblind 1,734]

The key is who plays just behind Britt... When it's Braithwaite, we have creativity. When it's Downing, we don't - it becomes more of a 5-4-1 formation with the almost traditional Boro void between midfield and attack.

 

We've moved from being overly reliant on Adama to being overly reliant on Braithwaite, and that's due to a lack of creativity from anywhere else on the pitch.

McNair and/or Saville *might* help that, but it still leaves Ian precariously low on creative, attack minded players.

 

Braithwaite simply has to play to make the WB system work.

[richmfc 41]

The problem yesterday was we couldn’t string two passes together. The personnel and system are irrelevant If you can’t pass the ball

[Tudders80 674]

The problem yesterday was we couldn’t string two passes together. The personnel and system are irrelevant If you can’t pass the ball

 

Of course it's relevant. It was the personnel that couldn't pass the ball...

[Downsouth 6,328]

My lad and I were chatting to McQueen's father at half time, very nice bloke along the lines of Friend's father, he stated just how much pleased his son is joining the club and could not get over just how tall and big our defenders are.

 

On a humorous note TP picked up McQueen and drove him to the N/E spending 5 hours in the gaffers company, however TP fell foul of the law and was booked for a motoring offense, TP quickly turned round and blamed the lad for it!

 

Tongue in cheek of course

[Brunners 7,982]

The key is who plays just behind Britt... When it's Braithwaite, we have creativity. When it's Downing, we don't - it becomes more of a 5-4-1 formation with the almost traditional Boro void between midfield and attack.

 

We've moved from being overly reliant on Adama to being overly reliant on Braithwaite, and that's due to a lack of creativity from anywhere else on the pitch.

McNair and/or Saville *might* help that, but it still leaves Ian precariously low on creative, attack minded players.

 

Braithwaite simply has to play to make the WB system work.

 

He wasn't playing just behind Britt though, he was playing right mid almost.

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

Exactly as he did against Leeds too. There was no intention from any of those midfielders to play anything like the role Braithwaite has played in the last 2 games.

 

We looked completely lopsided because of it too. Downing and Howson were playing as the widest midfielders for the most part of the game and that meant we relied on Friend to provide width on the left but seemingly had both Downing and Shotton on the right. It looked even worse after we made subs. We couldn't even control the game defensively because of taking Fry off rather than one of the useless midfielders.

 

Braithwaite should have come on for one of the midfielders first. Saville offered us nothing more than exactly the same. It was a stupid substitution that did nothing to help us get back into the game and kept our midfield stocked with players running about with no intent or tactical intelligence.

 

Losing that game in midfield with the team we started with is abysmal though. That's why you still have to look at the players. We couldn't string many passes together between Besic, Howson, Clayton and Downing. Britt had absolutely no chance with that midfield playing as it did yesterday. As I said at the time, he needed to both come short and play on the shoulder at the same time because he had no idea what kind of pass we were going to play.

[SouthernSmoggie 4,242]

Exactly as he did against Leeds too. There was no intention from any of those midfielders to play anything like the role Braithwaite has played in the last 2 games.

 

We looked completely lopsided because of it too. Downing and Howson were playing as the widest midfielders for the most part of the game and that meant we relied on Friend to provide width on the left but seemingly had both Downing and Shotton on the right. It looked even worse after we made subs. We couldn't even control the game defensively because of taking Fry off rather than one of the useless midfielders.

 

Braithwaite should have come on for one of the midfielders first. Saville offered us nothing more than exactly the same. It was a stupid substitution that did nothing to help us get back into the game and kept our midfield stocked with players running about with no intent or tactical intelligence.

 

Losing that game in midfield with the team we started with is abysmal though. That's why you still have to look at the players. We couldn't string many passes together between Besic, Howson, Clayton and Downing. Britt had absolutely no chance with that midfield playing as it did yesterday. As I said at the time, he needed to both come short and play on the shoulder at the same time because he had no idea what kind of pass we were going to play.

 

Yeah the players definitely need to take some responsibility. Too many individual battles lost yesterday and it's not the managers fault they can't find eachother with what should be simple passes.

 

Maybe some complacency set in after a good start to the season... two or three should lose their places on Wednesday and give other players a chance to show what they can do.

[edinboro 815]

Wednesdays Line up will be interesting. I don’t think Pulis is afraid to change personnel. We need high energy and he said that was missing yesterday.

 

What is interesting though is that IF the officials had been competent we may have won. From watching the highlights it was a penalty. And the sending off - didn’t see the lino with his flag up. And I’m not sure Britt could have been offside. He turned the lad when the ball was played. Fine margins.

 

I would like McNair, Hugill, McQueen, Braithwaite in on Wednesday. Hard to pick the team but maybe something like. Probably different to what I would have picked last night.

Randolph

Shotton

Ayala

Flint

McQueen

McNair

Howson

Saville

Braithwaite

Hugill

Assombalonga

[richmfc 41]

The problem yesterday was we couldn’t string two passes together. The personnel and system are irrelevant If you can’t pass the ball

 

Of course it's relevant. It was the personnel that couldn't pass the ball...

 

Everyone that played couldn’t pass it even the subs so it’s not as if it would have been different if we’d started the subs

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

It's not been mentioned much but Hugill missed two really good opportunities too, both headed opportunities and he took both chances really badly. If he puts those away, we possibly win that game despite playing awful. Maybe in the long term, the reaction to that performance will come quicker because of the actual end result? Certainly all we can hope for.

[mendieta420 1,008]

Just a few comments on yesterday:

 

Howson was awful. Probably as bad as I've seen him play. Besic was just as bad. In their defence they looked uncomfortable in the roles they were asked to play.

 

I heard Pulis was blaming Fry and Friend for the goal, so I wouldn't be surprised to see both out vs Bolton for Bartt and McQueen. Also, he was unhappy with Besic so he'll be out for Braithwaite.

 

I liked Hugill running the channels and holding the ball, but one thing we've learnt is Pulis hates his strikers missing big chances. And he did it twice.

[Changing Times 12,347]

You need options when you're looking for a pass.  Having 9 of the 10 outfield players behind the ball and Assombalonga left trying to chase down our punts upfield precision long range passing attempts wasn't exactly ideal.  You just end up having to play passes to people who are under pressure and who you don't really want to pass to at all or launching it up the park.  That's pretty much the issue from yesterday in a nutshell I'd say.

 

Is Wing injured btw?

[Jimmy 140]

I think I’d drop Besic for the next game. I know he’s a popular figure and I’ve nothing against the lad but just don’t think he’s up to it for me at the moment. Interested to see Saville have a full 90 minutes purely because I don’t really know what he’s about. If I’m being really honest I’d quite like to have McNair in there generally as I think he offers something slightly different than the rest of them. Although I think most would probably have him at the bottom of the pecking order, I wonder where Pulis sees him?

[timlloyd 18]

When was the last time we won the first game back after an international break? It seems to me every time the team have a break we take a bit of time getting going again.

[Borodane 6,301]

When was the last time we won the first game back after an international break? It seems to me every time the team have a break we take a bit of time getting going again.

 

It does seem like a disruptive time especially for the teams that have been doing well. I don't think it helped that Randolph, Fry, Besic, Saville and Braithwaite were away for the majority of the break. Obviously we should be able to cope with that, as it's part and parcel of having international footballers. Very important that we get two home wins now or at minimum 4 points. We need to keep within one game of the top-2 spots.

 

Everything was poor and well below acceptable level on saturday and regardless of formation I don't think we will see so many players fall through at the same time again. Now we are back in action and we need to make sure we are close to the top-2, preferably in them, when the next break comes around next month.