Boro V Blackburn (A) 0-1

[Dan1234 1,056]

26 minutes ago, Youngy228 said:

Clayton is a key player for us.  I'd put him captain every time.  Everyone always has someone to play instead of Clayton and when it happens it's funny how our results are not as good.  

When everyone is fit, Friend shouldn't start.

It didn't happen how everyone wanted though. I don't think anyone wanted Howson to take the place of the number 10 role. He was anonymous. It also meant that we missed out on Mcnairs press which has been excellent. He's the only one of our midfielders that has the knack of knowing when to press and also has the pace and strength to win the 50/50's.

I still want to see Howson in the Clayton role and leave Mcnair and Wing as they were. 

[Youngy228 1,444]

6 minutes ago, Dan1234 said:

It didn't happen how everyone wanted though. I don't think anyone wanted Howson to take the place of the number 10 role. He was anonymous. It also meant that we missed out on Mcnairs press which has been excellent. He's the only one of our midfielders that has the knack of knowing when to press and also has the pace and strength to win the 50/50's.

I still want to see Howson in the Clayton role and leave Mcnair and Wing as they were. 

I don't just mean yesterday - Im talking historically.  I think the key for me is Clayton role - if it is to do what he does then there is no-one better.  If its a change in role then maybe.

[Skinemrippers 895]

I really want Woodgate to do well but I have an awful feeling he and his team are out of their depth. He can’t just say “it’s simple” after everything and hope that it is! We need to score goals - it’s simple. We need to press - it’s simple. Even about the debacle with Downing’s contract last season - don’t put clauses like that into contracts - it’s simple! 

If it was all as simple as he says, anyone could be a manager and every team would play exciting football with loads of goals. He either needs to create a team who can play his high press style, or he needs to play to the strengths of the players he has - it’s simple! 

The worry is that Fry aside, the team he’s played in the league is his best 11. And they seem to have quickly regressed to long balls, sideways passes and low intensity. I can’t see who he could bring in to change things up. 

Im worried that Britt knew a move was on the cards and we stopped it. Saville knew we wanted him out. Shotton knee we would have let him go. How does Woodgate motivate these players again? I’m just not sure he knows how. 

 

[Essuuaitch 330]

of all our squad. the three guys that should be first on the teamsheet at the moment are  Randolph, Ayala and Clayton (add Fry  when fit)  the simple reason being that they are very good at what they do . by that i mean ,when being asked to do what they do best (in Claytons case) i agree he isnt going to worry the score stats but no other member of our squad can play the anchor role as effectively ,the only questionable issue is Does he perform better with a partner in there as with leadbitter in the AK days.  Personally ,i think so .   i admire Woodys  intention to  play a more offensive high pressing 433 but we havent got the  players with either the  technical mindset or  discipline to do that as it stands  .  for me at present we need to utilise the players in positions they are most adept  in and in thier comfort zone  .  Wing needs to be  the furthest forward of the midfield and  maybe even playing  in a similar role to how we percieved  Vossen or Tomlin.   We need his potential goals and assists  desperately  but he can sometimes be  caught out of position or  loses his man when playing  centrally.  i think the two best options with what we have are  4231  or  442 

[Duvel 2,446]

15 minutes ago, Skinemrippers said:

I really want Woodgate to do well but I have an awful feeling he and his team are out of their depth. He can’t just say “it’s simple” after everything and hope that it is! We need to score goals - it’s simple. We need to press - it’s simple. Even about the debacle with Downing’s contract last season - don’t put clauses like that into contracts - it’s simple! 

If it was all as simple as he says, anyone could be a manager and every team would play exciting football with loads of goals. He either needs to create a team who can play his high press style, or he needs to play to the strengths of the players he has - it’s simple! 

The worry is that Fry aside, the team he’s played in the league is his best 11. And they seem to have quickly regressed to long balls, sideways passes and low intensity. I can’t see who he could bring in to change things up. 

Im worried that Britt knew a move was on the cards and we stopped it. Saville knew we wanted him out. Shotton knee we would have let him go. How does Woodgate motivate these players again? I’m just not sure he knows how. 

 

I said at the start of the season that its easy to sit there and talk the talk, any of us could sit in a press conference and say how we want to play and how much better things are going to be. The hard thing is to actually deliver the things that you are proposing.

I don't mind Woodgate refusing to be drawn on yesterday's performance, like he says we'll move onto Tuesday but it really needs to be better in the next 2 home games. His words mean very little to me, he can deliver the best sound bites in the world but if the team are rubbish then its pointless.

 

[LinoJo3 3,191]

14 minutes ago, Duvel said:

I said at the start of the season that its easy to sit there and talk the talk, any of us could sit in a press conference and say how we want to play and how much better things are going to be. The hard thing is to actually deliver the things that you are proposing.

I don't mind Woodgate refusing to be drawn on yesterday's performance, like he says we'll move onto Tuesday but it really needs to be better in the next 2 home games. His words mean very little to me, he can deliver the best sound bites in the world but if the team are rubbish then its pointless.

 

I agree, those type of words have a way of being brought out when things are bad. Southgate in 09 ‘we learn and get back on the training ground’, Mowbray in 2013 ‘we are where we are and we keep going’.

its not inspiring any confidence at all.

[BillinghamBoro 229]

2 hours ago, Downsouth said:

Where is the leadership on the pitch? Is Friend the right man to wear the Captains arm band, does he inspire others around him?

Who are the real effort players on the pitch?

If there is one then make him Captain please, because it is noticeable that performances since George has been back have not been as good as the two without him.

Can't believe that I am even considering this but Clayton would make a far better captain than current

Maybe I'm mad, but I think Howson would be a good captain

[ManBearPig 1,853]

I get the feeling Woodgate has implemented a system he fancies, ie high pressing, without looking to see if we have the personal to play that brand of football. 

What I find strange with this is that I if we know the team doesnt have the people for that system, why didnt we gear our transfers for that? 

We either need to adapt, or do what Karanka did is bring in players for a system. This is where experience and high level thought pays dividends. 

I really really hope for Woodgate and the club that this appointment works. But nothing I've seen so far has convinced me AS yet. 

I said I'd fully judge after 10 games, but 4 games in and 0 wins in all competitions isn't promising. 

What do other people reckon?

[BillyWoofs_shinpad 1,884]

56 minutes ago, ManBearPig said:

I get the feeling Woodgate has implemented a system he fancies, ie high pressing, without looking to see if we have the personal to play that brand of football. 

What I find strange with this is that I if we know the team doesnt have the people for that system, why didnt we gear our transfers for that? 

We either need to adapt, or do what Karanka did is bring in players for a system. This is where experience and high level thought pays dividends. 

I really really hope for Woodgate and the club that this appointment works. But nothing I've seen so far has convinced me AS yet. 

I said I'd fully judge after 10 games, but 4 games in and 0 wins in all competitions isn't promising. 

What do other people reckon?

Woodgate needs to stick to his guns and play the way he has promised, otherwise he’s going to look a bit foolish, do you remember the flack that Monk got when he abandoned his philosophy after a couple of defeats?

[mendieta420 1,008]

51 minutes ago, ManBearPig said:

I get the feeling Woodgate has implemented a system he fancies, ie high pressing, without looking to see if we have the personal to play that brand of football. 

What game were you watching? We weren't playing a high-press at any point. We had a flat back 4 and 2 holding mids sat deep on top. We spent the entire game sat on the 18 yard box trying to defend the long diagonal ball to Gallagher - it was like being teleported back to the Monk days.

I really don't know where we go from here. Shotton, Dijksteel and Lewis Wing shouldn't be anywhere near the starting line-up as things stand. Marvin Johnson has probably had his chance now as well. 

[DevKWat 2,371]

For me the things that are really letting us down...

Ryan Shotton and George Friend. Even when Fry comes back I still don’t fully trust Ayala playing out from the back. In January or the Summer we need to sign another CB who is comfortable on the ball.

There was a lot of shouts for Eze in the transfer window but that’s the exact type of player we need. An attacking midfielder to play in that midfield 3 who can make things happen and drive forward with the ball. 

We simply cannot play both Ashley Fletcher and Britt Assombalonga in a 4-3-3. We are unbelievably exposed on the left side of midfield ALL the time. Britt hasn’t done anywhere near enough for me so I think we have to go Browne - Fletcher - Johnson in the next game. 

Something that’s been overlooked is the defensive midfield role, definitely one of the most important parts to make the 4-3-3 system work. I think we need a big improvement on Clayton, someone who has the same defensive instincts but much more comfortable on the ball and playing out under pressure. 

 

[Brunners 7,982]

34 minutes ago, DevKWat said:

For me the things that are really letting us down...

Ryan Shotton and George Friend. Even when Fry comes back I still don’t fully trust Ayala playing out from the back. In January or the Summer we need to sign another CB who is comfortable on the ball.

There was a lot of shouts for Eze in the transfer window but that’s the exact type of player we need. An attacking midfielder to play in that midfield 3 who can make things happen and drive forward with the ball. 

We simply cannot play both Ashley Fletcher and Britt Assombalonga in a 4-3-3. We are unbelievably exposed on the left side of midfield ALL the time. Britt hasn’t done anywhere near enough for me so I think we have to go Browne - Fletcher - Johnson in the next game. 

Something that’s been overlooked is the defensive midfield role, definitely one of the most important parts to make the 4-3-3 system work. I think we need a big improvement on Clayton, someone who has the same defensive instincts but much more comfortable on the ball and playing out under pressure. 

 

I get the Clayton lack of mobility criticisms, but this one is bananas to me. Clayton has an excellent pass on him?!

[Downsouth 6,328]

Well with Reading currently 2 up against Cardiff we had better find a winning formula pdq.

How important is next week?

[king boro 11]

Just now, Downsouth said:

Well with Reading currently 2 up against Cardiff we had better find a winning formula pdq.

How important is next week?

we might end up like sunderland then steve gibson will have to sell up how can he compete in league 1 if he cant spend the money 

[ManBearPig 1,853]

For me there isn't many players better than Clayton in that CDM role. Hes tidy on the ball, can pick a pass and is good at defending. If we got rid of him we would struggle to find someone better for our price range. 

I do hope that Woodgate sticks to his principle, I just think hes promised something without thinking have I got the squad for it or are the players capable. Our squad is too thin for a full season of high pressing.