Boro Mauled In Lion's Den
STATiSTICS eh? Boro had the lion's share of possesion and far more chances - but out of maybe a dozen shots on target nine were tame and straight at their keeper. From the best chances Boro failed to even hit the target: Haroun sent aneasy header screwiing wildly away from six yards out then Marvin out-did him by spooning over from eight yards with time and space.
In contrast, Millwall soaked it up, knocked some telling balls down Boro's exposed and inviting flanks and put in crosses that caused chaos. Bang, bang, bang. An impressive and organised side playing to their strengths. Boro in contrast are a team still evolving. Some of the component parts are in place - the passing and movement is a joy at times and we are creating chances - but unless they are shaped into a more clinical weapon quickly we wil find ourself adrift.
Still, early days. No panic. Read on...
BORO'S mauling at Millwall was a deflating way to go into the international break.
After three solid wins on the bounce, all showing flashes of a potent new approach, Tony Mowbray's reshaped side had created a bit of a feelgood factor and were expected to continue their steady progress at the New Den against a side that had yet to win - or even score - at home this term.
In fact they were given a brutal lesson in functional football and playing to your strengths.
Boro passed and probed and had long spells of patient possession and weaved some pretty patterns in dangerous areas to pick open the Millwall defence with some success.
They had the lion's share of the game, carved out a dozen good chances and had 10 shots on target but the vast majority were tame efforts straight at the keeper from the edge of the box or further out. The best opportunities went begging as Haroun screwed a close range header wildly off target and Emnes missed a sitter, scooping over from eight yards out.
Millwall in contrast were outplayed for long spells but they soaked up the pressure, ruthlessly exposed the gaps down Boro's exposed and inviting flanks to hit some devastated crosses into the box that caused serial chaos.
And when it mattered, Millwall had teeth. They had far fewer chances but hit the target with venom more often. Bang! Bang! Bang! They made their crucial moments count.
Boro need to learn those lessons quickly if they are to fulfill the potential of this season and meet the high expectations of the fans.
The team need to do better in both boxes: they must make their spells of superiority count. They must start to convert more of their golden opportunities and turn possession and chances into goals - and at the other end they must start to deal with the crosses.
In every Championship game so far - and both Capital One Cup games away at Bury and Gillingham - a fledgling team still in flux have struggled to prevent, contain and deal with crosses, corners and dead-balls into the box.
That vulnerability has made it impossible to close out games they have dominated. The wins over Burnley and Crystal Palace served up tense finales and even the League Cup wins at Bury and Gillingham were far from comfortable late on.
Boro have yet to keep a clean sheet in the Championship this term. In four games they have conceded seven goals.
Mowbray recruited the classy Jonathan Woodgate to play alongside Rhys Williams in a unit that looked to tick a lot of boxes and threatened to be the best in the division before the Aussie's unfortunate injury.
Throw in the impressive solidity of George Friend - who has grow in confidence and competence with every game and the pacy and attacking outlet offered by last year's terrace target Justin Hoyte and you have a decent back-line - yet it remains porous.
At Millwall that was partly down to the fragility of the misfiring midfield where too many had off days. Although Boro had a lot of fruitless possession it was squandered too cheaply at times as moves broke down with a poor touch. And when Millwall broke forward it was largely uncontested. They were given free reign to get wide and pump crosses in and runners got to the edge of the box unchallenged.
Faris Haroun was poor. The Belgian, a flawed fans' favourite, has good days when his physicality and energy help him impose himself and bad days when his poor first touch and poor decisions let him down. This was a bad day.
Merouane Zemmama had a bright start with some sublime slotted balls but faded and his passing went awry to concede possession too cheaply.
And Josh McEachran was anonymous in the first half although he did perk up later on - ironically after the Millwall fans targeted him for systematic booing after he took a theatrical tumble looking for a penalty, an act that could easily have earned a second yellow card for him.
Up front it wasn't great either. Emnes was a decent outlet in the first half and made several searing slaloming runs, put in some good crosses and, of course slotted in a penalty, but his missed sitter late on summed up a lack of clinical edge in front of goal and he failed to form any kind of partnership with Ishmael Miller.
The big lad, newly signed by Mowbray, looks well short of match fitness and is a fraction out of synch with the match. But it'll come.
So Millwall wasn't great. But neither was it a disaster.
We must be wary of any knee-jerk over-reactions. It is hard to draw any conclusions after four games - two of which Boro won - let alone feel certain enough of those conclusions to hit the alarm bells.
After Millwall the gaffer said the start to the season has been 'average' after two wins and two defeats - although he noted the form from last year has been flipped. Boro have won both games at home and lost both on the road.
There is a jittery current in the crowd who think 'average' is too positive a spin and who see the early signs of a crisis, who want a change of course, believe the summer recruits are not up to it or that the team does not have the ability to take the next step forward, to develop a killer touch.
But we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
This is a team that is still evolving, a unit with 10 new signings that has yet to gel.
After two years of Mowbray's trying to get the best out of an inherited squad - successfully it must be said - the gaffer has finally had a chance to recruit a group he feels able to reflect his enterprising approach.
We have already seen that in flashes. This new look Boro have played some scintillating football for 30, 45, 60 minutes at a time and imposed themselves on games with panache.
The lack of pace, width and creativity have been tentatively addressed, though we have yet to see the best of new recruits Carayol, Ledesma or McEachran. And there have been plenty of goals shared around - some pearlers too - with the talented kids hinting at big things to come. There is much to offer excitement and optimism
This is a team that is still evolving. Some of the component parts are already in place - the passing and movement is a joy at times and we are creating chances - but it is far from the finished product.
Boro still need the rearguard to settle and gel and learn to shut up shop and still need to click up front so the polished possession and fluid movement can be shaped into a clinical and potent weapon.
But it will come. It is early days yet. We need to be patient. Progress may be slow. It will certainly not be smooth. There will be set-backs, defeats and no guarantee of success.
But we should celebrate the progress made so far, understand it may be a long haul and try to enjoy the journey.
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"Boro in contrast are a team still evolving."
The Dodo was evolving quite nicely in Mauritius,although it too was useless in the air. But along came some bigger and stronger species.....
Too early to panic just yet but another day of strange exclusions for me. If you are good enough you are old enough in my opinion but yet again we seen selection of players yet to deliver in the hope of them coming good.
I don't think we can aford the luxury in this division of "Managing with the handbrake on". I hope Mogga's selection theories start to deliver and quickly, otherwise we have new scapegoats in the making and we have only entered September. We used to have the "Tippy tappy twins" now we have the "dispossessed".
I can't see us getting promoted without a reliable scorer.
People are clamouring for McDonald to be returned but not long ago he was castigated for his lack of goals. Although he has at times shown promise, Emnes has never looked a natural goal-getter. Jutkiewitz's record with Boro and before offers little promise of goals. There seems no chance of Miller suddenly becoming prolific at this stage of his career.
This was a problem even when we boasted a tight defence. However it has been porous all this year and there are no signs of Woody improving things. Leaky at the back, the goals become far more important.
The tragedy is that there have been so many proven goal scorers signed this last fortnight. Several of them, like Sharp, could have made all the difference to Boro.
"....the passing and movement is a joy at times and we are creating chances - but unless they are shaped into a more clinical weapon quickly we wil find ourself adrift."
2008/09, anyone? A season in which, for all our promising early passing, pretty play, we ended up almost propping up the league by the end of the season. Relegated with a whimper.
Which begs the question; would you sacrifice all the pretty passing in the world for clinical finishing, results and a place at the top of the table? Given our current situation, it's tempting...
AV says, Still early days, no panic. Unfortuanately I am, if only a little.
You said AV that the Bennett deal had been on the cards for a while. Mr Gibson and Mr Mowbray should then have had irons in the fire to go and get the decent Championship goal scorer that we desperately need.
The defence is not reliable enough, and will not keep sufficient clean sheets to do without one. If you do not have at least two 15 goal strikers you are not going any where.
Where was Carayol today? Or Main? And I will not ask about the invisible man Thomson.
Mr Mowbray has got to get a grip, and soon.
Mowbrays team selection cost us today.
Reach confident and in form, left glued to the bench, his replacement Zemama was truly awful. Miller,unfit and slow,and for a big man can't out jump anyone to win the ball in the air. Both should have been subbed off after the half hour.
With Carayol out injured we had no pace in the side at all,it was all left on the bench
Man of the match Gearge Friend was great defending,got forward,won the penalty and nearly had a goal himself. 10 more of him in the team please.
At 2.1 down at the start of the second half and with the lack of urgency shown by the players to get forward and try for the equaliser you would have thought we were 2.1 up.
Needs sorting quickly!!.
The club really do not do themselves any favours.
We constantly hear that they want to attract fans back to the Riverside. Well the actions of the last few days will do exactly the opposite, while giving the glass half empty brigade plenty of extra ammunition. Selling Joe Bennett was understandable given the generous offer from Villa. What is perplexing is the apparent unwillingness to use some of that windfall to further strengthen.
Once again, we are back down to having only one specialist left back. Mowbray tells us that we don't need another player in as we still have Halliday and Hoyte in the squad. Yes Tony, just like I don't need a Ferrari as my Mondeo will get me round a race track perfectly well (eventually).
We really needed a proven goalscorer, instead we have got Miller who has a scoring record somewhere on a par with that of John Jensen and Justin Hoyte. Yes, he may not have cost us anything but there is a reason for that. Even mid table Championship side Forest did not want him.
Having only spent half a million pounds so far in the summer and dropped Robson, Bates, McMahon and Ogbeche from the wage bill (amongst others) the new financial prudence has continued in earnest. The guys brought in from the lower leagues are, in all probability, on a fraction of the wages of those they replaced. The fans would expect at least part of that £3M upfront payment to be given to the manager and the lack of movement on that front suggests a real lack of ambition.
No doubt the club would point to the players brought in early on during the summer. In reality, the spending on fees was minimal and only Woodgate will really have impacted on the wage bill. Sitting on your hands with so many important players out injured does not look particularly clever.
I'm aware that the loan market is still open for the time being. I am hoping that the club have something lined up, but I will not hold my breath. Players of the quality of McEachran are few and far between on loan.
Having said all that, I was encouraged when I watched the last home game. Some of the new signings look promising and I'm sure Mowbray will help them to get better over time. I enjoy watching the ball passed around swiftly on the ground, as the Stoke brand of football is something I would never pay to watch.
I have worked out where I stand now, I'm not annoyed with the club, just frustrated that they seem to have missed a chance to make a real push for those top six places. By the time we get some of our quality players back from injury and playing together it will probably be too late.
I suspect we will really regret not spending a bit of that £3M and getting Miller instead of a clinical finisher by the time the next transfer window opens.
This isn't panic, AV. This is a recognition that some of the deficiencies identified over the last year have not been rectified and are costing us dearly.
Yes, the MF has been strengthened. We lacked pace and creativity in MF. These have been improved through Carayol, McEachran, Leadbitter and, on a good day, Ledesma.
However Boro have lacked a reliable scorer for years. This was blatently obvious last year - and that was when we had a good defence. Now we're fragile and leaky at the back, goals are even more important.
The defence was obviously not as effective in the second half of last season as in the first half. However I didn't see that as a particular problem and thought it was the consequence of being more attack-minded. It is looking like it is a problem.
Given time, the back 5 might get their act together. However understanding comes from playing as a unit. With Williams out and Woody often missing, how will that come? The improvement in MF looks likely to be outweighed by the defensive deficiencies.
No, this is not a hasty judgement. It is a recognition that weaknesses going back months and years are finding us out and we risk treading water.
Panic - we did not score two goals. And the defense is leaking ...
But "Boro in contrast are a team still evolving." OK, we have two defeats but this is still a marathon. Let's wait and see.
Up the Boro!
It is all getting a little disappointing. Opportunities missed and talent stifled
I like many Boro fans, was looking forward to seeing our kids fire us to the premier this season. I expected Curtis Main to be given more game time to establish himself especially when juke box was injured, He has physicality, he has pace mobility scores goals and has great potential. Instead, we got Ishmael Miller (disappointing).
I expected to see Reach, Williams, and Gibson bursting into the team this season not benched or sent out on loan(disappointing)
But it seems that Cocky Cockney kids grow up more quickly than ours so they get picked whilst our kids get benched maybe because the Cockney kid doesn’t mind the indignity of the step down from Chelsea’s reserves to Boros first team, apparently as he said it’s not too big a step down (disappointing).
Selling off our young talent again: Now not many supporters would argue with young Benet being sold at the price we got however once again we cut out a piece of the heart of the club when we sell off loyal local talent ( disappointing)
The fanatical reasons put forward by Mogga are sensible and understandable.
The question must be asked of Mogga however, does he really expect Miller or the Juke to fire us back to the premier league. Not a chance in my opinion. Disappointing
Mogga earned a reputation as a manager who produced attacking entertaining football with no fear. Now I see fear creeping into his team selections his transfer activity and his team shapes (disappointing)
Its early, it’s a difficult league however 3 points at Barnsley, 3 points at Millwall can only be seen as points dropped by any team serious about promotion (Disappointing)
There are cracks and creaks in our midfield already and the injuries to Bailey, Williams and the continued absence of sick note makes the decision not to sign the Brazilians pure folly (disappointing)
Pre-season we all had optimism. Now a little disappointment is starting to creep in
Oops!
We had the debate on a previous thread about whether to twaek or have a relatively setteld side, if you keep tweaking it will take time for either to develop. Throw in a few injuries and it makes it harder.
The angst about scoring is well established and we all share it. Now the window has closed in the words of our glorious leader 'it is what it is.
We brought in someone the manager knows well in Miller but there is little chance of anyone with a decent scoring record coming in. If we didnt spend money to get one, didnt get a decent one on loan in the window then you really are struggling to get one once the loan market re opens - Caleb Folan anyone?
By the way I thought I remembered UEFA trying to cancel loans after the windows shut.
Main appears to have disappeared again, maybe two different strikers on the bench might make sense eg Williams/Ledesma and Main.
One thing you have to remember is that Mogga has brought quite a few players in. He must think they are at better than he had already including the kids. He has to play them in the belief they will come good.
We will need to show some patience.
Matt says he is frustrated the club have missed a chance to go for the top six. Time yet but I am more frustrated about last season.
Now for some mischief. I wonder what the posts would be like if we had lost 3-1 under Strachan with only two academy players in the starting line up?
It isnt just football coaching decisions that can wind you up.
Cricket is no better and they have the time to tweak and get information on the pitch far easier than in football.
Smith plays everything on the legside and England have had three players saving the single on the offside and only twp on the legside. Smith just keeps playing the ball on the legside and getting a single.
Michael Holding came up with a brilliant line about Bopara at extra cover. He has time to read a comic!
Then of course, despite all the plans, players sometimes dont execute. England keep dropping simple, regulation slip catches against South Africa. Each time the batsman has gone on to make a big hundred and England have lost.
It isnt just our beloved Boro, fans of every team in every sport think the same.
Ian Gill said: " I wonder what the posts would be like if we had lost 3-1 under Strachan with only two academy players in the starting line up?"
Yep, and I think TM got it wrong. I can understand him expecting a robust game in an intimidating atmosphere, and maybe thinking that experience was the way forward, but selecting Zemmama over Reach is a tough one to accept.
But hey, as we said on the last thread, Mogga is a tweaker, and he won't change. I still think he'll get it right more often than he gets it wrong.
We were missing our three best players from last season yesterday (Bailey, Williams, Robson) and with them not coming back any time soon and some tough looking games coming up we could be in for a tricky period.
In Mogga's defence regarding the goalscorer issue, I can't think of many proven Championship goal-getters who would fit the bill for under £3m. We know that we're not going to buy anyone without a sell-on fee, and that the wages would be relatively low. Loans are our best chance but most of the names seem to have gone now.
Played 4
Scored 6 (not bad for Boro)
Conceded 7 (therein lies a telling story)
Home: won two drawn none lost none for 5 vs 3
Away: won none, drawn none lost two for 1 vs 4
Conclusions: Mogga your defence is not doing its job, change it around and make it leak-proof. AV Yes its early days, however if this is indicative of our direction then we aint going anywhere.
Yep - early days. But errors of omission and commission - again - yesterday.
Disappointing.
More in Boro Banter.
I know it's stupid to look ahead and try to work our results. But humour me while I read some tea leaves
Our home form is difficult to gauge. Yes, we won. However both were struggling teams and we barely scraped past Burnley. While exciting, neither performance was convincing.
Looking ahead, Ipswich have been mediocre so far and aren't anticipated to be any great threat. Then we have Leicester at home who should be a different proposition. After these two games, we will have a better feel for the reality of our home form. My feeling is that it is very unlikely to still be 100%.
Away results have been poor and we have a tough September looming with games at Blackpool and Blackburn. I think these are the games that will shape our immediate future.
It's conceivable that the Boro team is still settling and the players will respond to the challenge against these top teams. We might just see Boro come good. However, with anything like current way form, we could get marmelised. Personally, even with improvement, I struggle to see any points in these games.
In summary, as I said a month ago, I fear we could enter October with only 10 points or less. If so, we would find ourselves with a mid-term future of keeping out of the relegation places. I pray that I'm wrong but this thinking is not just based on recent results but also on an assessment of our squad compared to the opposition, many of whom have made significant signings.
Couldn't get to Milwall, but thought I would run the rule over young Ben Gibson by taking in Tranmere v Colchester. Purely as a service to this blog, you understand. As I explained to the missus in response to her question, " Tranmere?... Tranmere? Why would anyone in their right mind....?" etc. etc.
Well as it happened Tranmere are turning into a bit, indeed a lot, of a surprise package, and after an impressive 4-0 win are now sitting at the top of their league.
For young Ben it was no mere stroll in the sun. He had serious ex-Premiership strikers to contend with in Clint Morrison and Freddie Sears. He responded to what looked like a formidable challenge with a pretty well faultless performance.
The lad looks like a real prospect to me, someone who could and should be knocking on the door of the Boro's first team, perhaps even as early as this season. He not only blotted out the men he was marking, but never wasted a ball, and took command of his entire defence, making sure they held their line, and that his mid-fielders were doing their covering.
For someone who went to the club on loan only a couple of weeks ago, it was remarkable. He played and acted as though he owned the joint. And to all intents and purposes he did, with his team-mates responding with enthusiasm to his leadership.
On this kind of showing Tranmere will want to keep hold of Ben for as long as possible. With a string of displays of this quality under his belt, he will come back to us as a ready made solution to many of the anxieties currently besetting the heart of our own defence. As for me I am looking forward to my next visit to Prenton Park already.
**AV writes: I'd like to see a few of the other youngsters given loan deals to get some competitive action and that was the plan last term but I don't think that will happen now because of the PL Reserves/U21 league has to be taken seriously because of Category Academy status. That will be a learning expereince but sometimes there is no substitute for getting kicked about by a brute.
Having just watched Liverpool lose to Arsenal on TV, I was struck yet again by the shakiness in performance and distribution of Pepe Reina, and wondered, yet again, just how Boro supporters would have responded had Jason Steele put in that kind of display.
I have seen Jason saving our bacon, producing wonderful displays, and securing numerous points for us for about a year now, with scarcely an error of the kind that is now commonplace in the performances of keepers reputedly of world-class such as Reina and Cech.
Jason is now well in credit as far as I am concerned, and should he be unfortunate to make the odd mistake, as all keepers inevitably do, then it should be placed in the context of his current remarkable consistency, rather than being seized upon by those who appear remarkably eager to pillory the lad.
With more than a passing reference to some of Matt's comments at 23.22 yesterday, the logic of this baffles me:
We take that proverbial donkey, Ishmael Miller, off the Tricky Trees' hands on a season-long loan. Meanwhile, the latter bag Billy Sharp, a tried & tested Champo goal-scorer, from Southampton, also on a season-long loan. Great bit of business - for the Trees...! *mad*
**AV writes: Two things: big wages we won't match these days; and Sean O'Driscoll, his former boss and mentot. (You could throw in his family living in the area as well if you want.)
It was very disappointing to watch us failing to capitalise on our footballing superiority, but, on the long coach trip back, I ended up thinking how well Lincolnshire farmers deal with trees and hedges, and also thinking about the virtues of the women who work for the postal service! Marvellous how they take messages from one person to another, making connections, sparking things up, marvellous!
Do me a favour AV , anytime this week could you ask Mogga the following questions
1) Why didn't Reach start on Saturday?
2) Why wasn't he brought on at anytime during the game?
3) Why does he talk up Main , then drop him from the squad without explanation?.
4) What chance have we got of selling McDdonald if he doesn't get the chance to show how good or bad he is ?
5) Why , despite the fact our strikers couldn' hit a cows arse with a frying pan , the aforementioned players dont get a look in?
Moggas team selections and consequently his tactics are worse than Gareth's and only marginally better than Strachan's.
Its about time you started judging Mogga on our performances on the pitch , not the fact we all would have gone to the moon with him 25 years ago
Andy R -
If you havent already, have a read of John Powls Boro Banter piece. He and Phil went to the match.
One of the things that struck me from the regular communications between us on Saturday and over the weekend was that part of our problem was that Millwall managed to get at our defence too easily. Maybe Smallwood was needed more than Reach to shield the back four, help close the space and stop crossing opportunities.
**AV writes: When Smallwood came on for the hapless Haroun on the hour it was noticeable that the midfield tightened up and that Josh McEachran, anonymous for an hour, suddenly started to press forward and link up play 10 yards outside their box rather than 10 years outside ours.
I thought during the Gills game that if this lot can bully us what will Millwall do?
We've 11(?) new players and instead of bringing them in gradually, we're throwing them in as and when and compounding the error by changing the formation game by game. And dropping players after great scoring performances.
It's very frustrating. Does anyone know our best team? I'm beginning to think Mogga would change an entire line up from game to game to match the opposition. That is not the way to gain promotion.
As for a goal scorer, if Main doesn't play, he can't score.
I'll come back to my point of playing a settled side (sorry).
How can the players settle and blend when the team is changing so much from game to game? I understand that we have injuries which has affected selection but changing the midfield and forwards from game to game just doesn't make any sense at all.
Mogga wants to play a passing game (great), Swansea play a passing game and I think they have played the same starting X1 for all their Prem games so far. I wonder why it appears that they know what they are doing?
Why is it that hundreds of fans can see what team to pick when Mogga can't? Everytime we have brought in one of our kids for an imported donkey an immediate improvement is seen. Every substitution this season has been for the better when one the donkeys has been taken off.
Come on Mogga get your act together, "the early days" are slipping by.
AV
When I read the BBC report it said Millwall had 57% possession. It doesnt seem right from the commentary, John's feedback and your report.
**AV writes: That sounds very strange. Maybe they are including the time the ball spent in the air after they had the last touch?
AV - Wonder if they included Zemmama's misplaced passes as Millwall possession?
Anyway, do you remember Fantasy Rafa where Liverpool fans had to guess what team he would send out each week? How about a Boro version, Mystery Mogga?
Three points for each player starting, two points for used sub and one point for unused sub. Three points for starting formation, one point for each change in formation - you could be the judge on that one.
Do you think you could get the Gazette involved? Star prize - a visit to the opening ceremony of the vertical pier.
for all the talk we still got gubbed.
The main worry is that our two away defeats so far have been at clubs expected to be below halfway if not relegation battlers. The tough away games are yet to come.
Perhaps the home form will continue but again that looks dowubtful given the difficulty Boro have shown in overcoming our two opponents at home so far. Certainly the Palace game looked very much like the sort of nailbiter we usually failed to hang onto last season.
On the bright side perhaps this all means that Boro have settled back into the sort of 2nd tier side they have been for much of my 58 years. A side that won most of its home games but managed only a handful of points a season away from home. Mid table rather than strugglers.
But that side went on like that for several years before gradually sinking further each year and finally slipping into the 3rd tier.
I agree with Mogga that Boro are a work in progress - only without the progress! (we've now lost twice away to teams we beat last season)
So it's beginning to look like it'll be another inconsistent season, which defintely means the top two slots are not going to be within our reach and the playoffs will probably be difficult with a seemingly leaky defence and no recognised goal scorer at the other end to make up for it.
OK, no need to panic but also no need to get excited about our potential to be in the promotion mix this season - it may now take until next season to be able to move on the last of Strachan's follies and afford the key players we need in order to find the right balance.
Jiffy -
Dont want to spoil your day but the wins were against teams currently in the bottom three. Sorry about that.
The rest of September will give a better sense of where we are. Home against Ipswich, two away trips against Blackpool and Blackburn then home to Leicester is a tough run. A couple of wins and a draw would be no mean feat. Still in the top half going in to October would be a decent return from the season thus far.
Ian -
Just read John's Boro Banter piece (apologies to John, I always seem to forget about his excellent previews/analysis).
I agree about Smallwood. With Bailey missing he is our only other midfield protector so surely must play?
It would make more sense to go 4-3-3 with Smallwood holding and Leadbitter and McEachran a little further forward. That might also allow us to play very attack-minded wide men like Reach (and possibly Emnes?) knowing that there is cover behind them.
Like I say, I can understand Millwall away being a fixture that TM wants to protect the kids from, but not when the alternative is unfit/out of form players like Zemmama.
I want TM to strategise, but I also want him to be brave. I know I'm asking too much.
Don't panic Mr. Manwering, DON'T PANIC!!
Chillax gents, long, long way to go yet. Criticism after four games is really just pointless. You hindsight managers should polish up your cv's and have ago at it yourself. It's all too easy to have a pop when we've lost.
I think Richie Smallwood is now showing Mogga he deserves to be the holding midfielder when Thomson or Bailey are not around. Each time he has come onto the pitch the team has improved and he is now showing the passing ability he had when bossing the reserves, always making himself available and passing it simple to the more skilful player.
He should have started against Millwall alongside Leadbitter with Josh McEachran tooked inside right and Reach roaming the left wing. Think young McEachran is a bit too light weight to be playing in the engine room.
I'd imagine Thomson will be back to get on with his v.good pre-season partnership with Leadbitter but if not Mowbray should show more faith now in Smallwood and have him on from the start.
As I understand it Ben Gibson was on a months loan to Tranmere so he should be due back for the visit of Ipswich, with the defensive frailties we have shown recently I hope Mowbray brings him back. Maybe that has already been arranged because Tranmere have just signed a centre-back from Wigan on a months loan. That lad plays with no fear at all and we need an organiser at the back right now, either play him down the centre or move Friend inside and have Gibson at left-back.
AV: you're right to urge us all not to panic. But I'm not sure I can be as sanguine.
Barnsley beat us fairly easily, helped by the inexplicable selection of Haroun and Arca. Yes, we had a good second half against Burnley. But in the first half we were no better than at Barnsley. I didn't see the Palace game but we struggled to hold on in the end. And at Millwall, what's all this about (from tonight's Gazette)?
"Boro could have been reflecting on a third successive win at Millwall had they been more clinical in front of goal, leaving Mowbray to reflect on a mixed performance by his side."
Millwall had 57% of the possession and brushed our pretty pretty but ineffective approach aside. It's not just that we didn't make or take chances but that Millwall were allowed to score three. There's a sense in every game that the opposition, whoever they are, can always get a goal or two.
I'm worried.
The premiership clubs name their 25 man squads today. maybe there will be some pickings for us, any hints of activity at the coalface AV?
As usual an admirably balanced piece AV although I would take issue with: "Unless they are shaped into a more clinical weapon quickly we will find ourself adrift"
Would that be adrift like Reading were at the beginning of New Year?
In such a long season there are plenty of points to be won. A re-run of 1966-67 would not surprise me and give us the roller coaster ride we all love.
Look out for Chicken Run revivalists, and Gate-ist backsliders during the first half of the season with band-wagon jumpers packing out the Leppings Lane end on May 4th.
This all goes back to the talks we had at the start of the season. When I predicted our final position I said it would depend on how many games our key players played.
Well Woody has played two out of four (league games). His partner and captain in centre is out until the New Year after only two league games. Bailey out already after two games an of course Thomson has yet to start.
I now think Thomson is our most expensive flop, far more than McDonald who at least he has contributed with goals since he arrived. I would think if we are going to play Miller then Macdonald should be feeding off him.
There was a long discussion a while back about our injury stats being no worse than the other clubs.That may be true but i cannot believe teams crock as many critical players as what we do.
After all that we have also had Emnes out with a foot injury for two games and our new signing on the wing played once due to injury. Need I go on? The Juke has not even started yet. To me this is crazy.
Timfromsa -
Just as well you are from SA or AV would have the heavies at the door telling you not to talk about injuries.
Had a quick look at MFC and it appears Carayol is not on the list so that will be good news.
What is a surprise is the fact it is the spine of the team that has taken a hit. We have Rhys injured (musnt forget Bates), Woodie is being managed week by week. Thomson and Bailey are undergoing treatment. So are Miller and Juke.
Miller is no surprise as he probably wasnt 100% when he arrived - Steve Claridge made a good point that unless you are playing each week the edge goes off your fitness. How often do loan players come in then get a strain alsmost straight away?
At least we have Curtis Main who can play the enforcer up front. Curtis, are you there? Curtis! Send a search party.
We have used 20 players in the league already but it isnt just knocks. Mogga is trying to find the right blend and bed in his new players. It wont happen overnight, as Andy R says it may be changes week by week. Or should that be tweak by tweak?
Now for a bit of a rant, not a lot, just a bit.
My family regularly insult my intelligence but Mogga's comments about Scottie are best left unsaid. I heard the comments on BoroWorld first then the Gazette now has an article with them in.
He has hardly scored a bagful of goals says Mogga. 25 in 84 games compared to Jukes 2 from 19.
Mogga wants to play a passing game. Scottie or Juke?
The only weaknesses Juke has are lack of pace, no control, one footed and cant score. Apart from that he is the perfect striker for our quick flowing passing game.
Will a half fit Miller be better? A fit one, who knows, may well be.
We understand the situation with Scottie and, probably, the sooner he leaves the better for the club. Just say there isnt an issue.
Rant over.
**AV writes: I've covered a lot of this ground in my column today on Scott McDonald's Internal Exile. I'll probably stick it up on the blog tomorrow.
This is my first time watching the Paralympics. I have to say I have enjoyed it equally as much as the main games, in some events even more. These people are fantastic, it has given me a whole new perspective on all disabled people.
Bloody Brilliant!!
Anyone who has played in a football team knows that when you have talented kids in the team,you need a couple of older heads, usually in midfield, who, let's say, know how to put their foot in when it matters. They are the ones who make sure there's no funny business going on. They are usually dependable as well.
So I cant understand why Mogga hasnt gone out and got a couple of holding midfielders, its obviously something we are missing. He talks about getting the balance right, but all hes done is bring forwards in,
I think someone like a Whitehead from Stoke would be ideal,
Anyway just a thought.
**AV writes: At the start of the season he would probably have pointed to Bailey, Thomson, Leadbitter as older heads and Smallwood and Rhys Williams younger but still adept at playing that role.
It seems that every season "this is a team that is still evolving, a unit with...new signings that has yet to gel".
It is my believe that this repetitive scenario is why we always lag behind come the end of the season and I would go so far as to say that success this season is being lost now, not in April or May.
If you are not careful TM you are going to make a fool of yourself over this McDonald saga.
If there is something more that has not been said, then it needs to be aired. I appreciate that warts and all is not always helpful. But when you continue to pick Miller, Ledesma, and others ahead of him, and continue to back the non playing, highly paid Thomson, then you are in danger of losing quite alot of the fans regard for you.
Get it sorted TM.
Ian,
Did you mean 'Woodys been managed weak by weak'
Sorry couldn't resist it.
The ineffective possession,weakness on crosses, weakness in finishing, weak organisation, weak in possession, weak in midfield, weak in mentality are the basics that were deficient all last season, and this season the symmetry with last season is stark and clear in equal measure.
It`s not just the defence to blame for our charitable approach towards giving goals away; as a team we are not compact or active enough in the pressing game when the other team have the ball.
When the other team has the ball the mentality of the top teams is that everybody becomes a defender with an absolute duty to regain possession as soon as possible.
Home games last season were instant replays of the one before, a repetitive pattern of early sterile domination that melted away into frantic retreat in the face of opposition that realised our lack of potency and a plan B was a charateristic that was easy to exploit.
In fact all these factors have been symptomatic of all the teams Mogga has managed and it was early last season that I soon realised all these weaknesses would serve to handicap us in our quest for promotion.
Nothing has changed, Mogga`s teams reflect his character - he is too much of a Mr Nice Guy, and that his management team seem to reflect this characterisation gives me no cause for optimism in their capacity to deliver success this season, or any other for that matter.
It's the basics that are lacking, lack of organisation, desire, drive and intensity or confidence
The performance at Millwall was extremely worrying as it showed how naive the team is and Mowbray's inability to see where things aren't working and make the changes.
Firstly we need to fix the problem of dealing with crosses and other high balls into the box. The timing of the defence was hopeless and every attempted clearance seemed to direct the ball into another danger area, causing panic. The extremely average Millwall players couldn't believe their luck.
Secondly, Boro seem to think that passing the ball left and right, then back and repeating the sequence is effective passing football. There was one sequence in the second half when we did this for minutes on end as if we were winning while the Millwall players took a welcome rest just standing behind the ball as the clock ran down. Where is the sense of urgency?
Thirdly we need to get players into or onto the edge of the box and attack the ball. The players don't seem to try to get into the box; a number of our crosses went into an empty Millwall box. We have enough ball players to take people on through the middle and create direct scoring chances or opportunities for the following up midfield players, rather than this habit of finally moving the ball out to the wing followed by looping crosses into an empty box.
Miller was hopeless on Saturday and effectively was Millwall's 12th player. His first touch is poor and he is so slow that he prevented us from attacking through the middle. There were a few occasions when our players had to get round Miller first before the Millwall defence. I couldn't believe that Mowbray didn't spot that and make a change.
On the bright side we looked much more threatening when Ledesma came on because he took players on and attacked the box. He produced the first signs of panic in the Millwall defence. Caroyal looked pretty exciting when I saw him briefly on the box. and I was very impressed with George Friend. Hopefully next weekend we will be joint top!