Boro V Sheffield Wednesday 1-4 (McNair)

[BoroAbroad 321]

Anyone else think Man City's away strip looks like a piece of Blackpool rock?

[jamesp 125]

Think we’re at the stage where it doesn’t matter if Woodgate stays or goes, nothing will change while Gibson is still running the club like this. Been saying for a few years we could end up in league one, and today we looked like a side that could realistically go down. We will spend nothing in January and likely sell anyone we get a decent offer for. Worrying times 

[boro-unger 3,870]

Looking on the bright side...

- It was good to see mido back and playing well for Sheffield Wednesday.

- Britt did really well at getting himself into one-on-one and open-goal shooting positions...

- We didnt get beat in the second half.

- We can make "all 4-1 and one for all" jokes.

- The roads were nice and quiet getting out of Boro.

- I won some Prosecco yesterday, so I'm getting drunk like a king tonight!
 

[Jimmy 140]

Haven't posted much this season, as I've been quite busy and the apathy of last season still lingers, but I went to the game today for the first time in a couple of weeks.

It's way too early to be calling for anyone's head, but I've got to admit I've been completely underwhelmed by Woodgate's start to the season. It takes time for managers to implement their plans, and for the players to get on board, so I wasn't really expecting to be up challenging for promotion. That being said, I just can't see what Woodgate's plan is. He keeps talking about this high press, high intensity football, but the Luton game aside I haven't really seen any glimpse of it. It just seems to be the same dross football that Pulis had us playing last year, but without the defensive solidity. 

I'm really hoping it comes good for him and I don't think he'll be sacked, but so far its been worse than Garry Monk's early era in my opinion, and he was getting slated on here.

Onto the players;

Bola and Dijksteel have looked garbage throughout, especially the former. Hopefully they'll come good and reach at least Championship level, but I've seen nothing so far.

Wing and Clayton. Given an easy time because one's from the area and one just seems to have lots of fan boys. Both garbage again today. McNair finally showing his form has been the only good thing really so far this season.

Assombalonga - devoid of confidence, and very much a confidence player. Two horrendous misses today.

Finally, why are Ayala and Howson not starting? Honest question, as I'd have both in my starting eleven every week.

I know it seems convenient to come out with a negative post after a 4-1 loss at home, but the above basically reflects what I've seen this season in general. Happy to give Woodgate the full season regardless to give him a chance at least, but from what I've seen so far it's not looking good. I think his whole 'I'm from Teesside, and we're hard working' mantra will start to wear thin soon.

[BoroAbroad 321]

1 minute ago, boro-unger said:

Looking on the bright side...

- It was good to see mido back and playing well for Sheffield Wednesday.

- Britt did really well at getting himself into one-on-one and open-goal shooting positions...

- We didnt get beat in the second half.

- We can make "all 4-1 and one for all" jokes.

- The roads were nice and quiet getting out of Boro.
That last
- I won some Prosecco yesterday, so I'm getting drunk like a king tonight!
 

That last comment is on the bright side. You might catch me up. ?

[mendieta420 1,008]

Writing was on the wall when the teamsheet came out. Fry vs Fletcher and Nuhiu.. no Ayala say no more. Tactically outsmarted even though most people could see it coming.

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

Individually will say again, Bola was shocking, he was targeted by Fletcher and Fletcher won every time, when he wasn't against Fletcher he was watching the ball float over his head and giving them a chance to get the ball into the box. He was not intercepting anything at all. He didn't seem to be doing much of anything to be honest.

Shotton was poor first half (decent second half considering his position) but Fry was worse as Fletcher and Nuhiu won everything today. Dijksteel did okay going forward, was probably the best of a bad group though I think that comes from not actually having that much defending to do on that side. I guess it doesn't help that the one man supposed to help them all out the most had one of his worst games in a Boro shirt. I'd be surprised to see the same performance two games running from Clayton. I think for what it's worth that the decision was right to give him the hook, not for his performance but he looked distraught with what he'd caused by the time the third went in, he didn't look in the right mind to carry on. Randolph, as I said at half time, don't think he could have done much about the goals he let in today and he saved a couple more on top of that.

McNair was good or at least he tried to be. Wednesday were all over him when he got the ball and it proved effective a few times. Still, probably deserved his goal. Wing I thought was okay, he was a bit hit and miss, I don't think he was as bad as some were making out personally.

Ayala played well when he came on, he actually won his battles which was more than you could say for Fry in the first half. Browne did alright too, was helpful during the period we had after half-time. Walker tried and it's nothing against the lad himself but I was honestly baffled when he came on for Johnson, we just lost a little something without him on the pitch, getting the ball into the final third was immediately made much harder by that call and he absolutely looked fine so I have to assume it was tactical. Johnson overall was quite good at times in that second half especially.

Fletcher was okay and apart from his finishing, Britt was too. His finishing was dreadful, though. He was banging them in pre-match and then he missed from like 3 yards out and then put a more difficult chance wide from a tighter angle and on his weaker foot.

[TAPOUT 361]

25 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

It's way too early to be calling for anyone's head, but I've got to admit I've been completely underwhelmed by Woodgate's start to the season. It takes time for managers to implement their plans, and for the players to get on board, so I wasn't really expecting to be up challenging for promotion. That being said, I just can't see what Woodgate's plan is. He keeps talking about this high press, high intensity football, but the Luton game aside I haven't really seen any glimpse of it. It just seems to be the same dross football that Pulis had us playing last year, but without the defensive solidity. 

Pulis got better from the team because he played to the strengths we had, no matter how boring it was to watch. Woodgate wants to play more expansive pacy football but does not have the players. He probably realises this and is now caught in the middle ground. He has to implement his philosophy and stick to it and he needs a really busy January window. If he isn’t supported then it may be a season of looking over our shoulders.

[BoroSmoggie 2,710]

Just watched highlights. 

Britts misses were even worse then I first thought lmao. 5 yards out and then an open goal. Not surprised like, he has zero technical ability.

Dael Fry was at fault for 2 goals today. Was also at fault for 2 goals at Bristol away. Needs dropping for Ayala, not Shotton. Fry needs to grow a pair if he’s gonna captain this club.

Special mention to Reach, quality player, done well for himself. 

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

This is where he missed from. I just... don't understand.

[Jimmy 140]

We lost four-one. We conceded four goals at home. As terrible as those misses were, I think this loss probably isn’t on Britt, yet it seems most of what people are talking about post-game ??‍♂️

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

6 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

We lost four-one. We conceded four goals at home. As terrible as those misses were, I think this loss probably isn’t on Britt, yet it seems most of what people are talking about post-game ??‍♂️

I don't think anybody is saying it's the reason we lost, just looking at that incident on its own and expecting better from our best striker, tbh. I think a lot of players in our squad would have buried that, not just strikers.

[Jimmy 140]

1 minute ago, wilsoncgp said:

I don't think anybody is saying it's the reason we lost, just looking at that incident on its own and expecting better from our best striker, tbh. I think a lot of players in our squad would have buried that, not just strikers.

Wasn’t really saying people were blaming him. Just interesting how he seems to be getting the most flak, compared to say Clayton who scored an awful own goal and gifted them a second, or Fry who was at fault for two of the goals. 

 

[Ash 167]

Just when you think it couldn't get any worse ? Fans in the stadium were absolutely fuming and rightly so...

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

3 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

Wasn’t really saying people were blaming him. Just interesting how he seems to be getting the most flak, compared to say Clayton who scored an awful own goal and gifted them a second, or Fry who was at fault for two of the goals. 

 

I mean for Clayton, this was pretty much a one-off this season so that probably helps. I'm surprised either of those players aren't getting flak to be honest, I certainly rated them lower than Britt today. Britt all-round, as I said, was alright. But it is a pretty big individual moment in the game and he's had two of them today where he's not taken a chance. There aren't many top strikers in this division you can give 2 great chances to and not expect them to score.