BFTG - Middlesbrough

[Far Canal]

Barcelona play tic tac with a purpose, Reading, it seems, don't.

Barcelona play tic tac with a purpose, Reading, it seems, don't.........yet.
Isn't that the real crux of the matter? Adkins hasn't succeeded in getting the team to play the way he wants them to.........yet.
Perhaps he hasn't got all the palyers he needs to do it.........yet.

The questions, Shirley, should be:

1. Will Adkins succeed in an acceptable time frame and without us being relegated?
2. Would we do any better with someone else in charge?
3. Should we dump Nigel like we dumped Brendan and revert to smash and grab 4-4-2 hoof ball á la McD?

My answers:

1. I don't really know (Vera).
2. I doubt it. We'd probably mess the next guy about like we have Nigel, especially if the chairman / ownerswhip situation isn't sorted out first.
3. Personally, I'd rather risk relegation than go through that loop again. I'd still buy my season ticket if we were in league one, or league two for that matter.

[starbug]

If you strip out the goals I actually thought we done ok first half (with McCarthy keeping us in the game which I'm getting used to) Boro played on the counter most of the half. Problem was we looked so vulnerable every time they broke. Like a lot of games, we plod for ages going forward so slowly and ultimately getting nowhere then the opposition breaks, looks dangerous and scores.

Need a stronger presence in midfield and sort our crosses out, so many today went straight off into the stands behind the goal.

Prog done ok as a presence up top, McClearly looked lively and Blackman looked on a mission when he came on but not much else to say about the rest of them.

[RoyalBlue]

I can't comment on the game, only on the result. I didn't go, I didn't listen as I was working. But those who did travel deserve credit for their dedication and commitment.

I heard Tim Dellor say it was the worst away performance he has seen.

.

Dellor is turning into a complete and utter bellend. Thank god they put Mick Gooding alongside him to instil a bit of intelligent commentary and debate.

If that was the worst away performance he has ever seen, then perhaps he should be seeing a doctor about his loss of memory. I'm sure it was far from great but I bet every travelling supporter who has been following the club for more than a couple of seasons could name performances that have been significantly worse.

Were you there??? Rather trust someone who goes to all these games. After 50 years of watching I would say all round the performances are about the worst I've ever seen

You have to be joking or your memory is failing in your advanced years. I wouldn't trust Dellor's judgement at all, even if he does go to all the games. He clearly believes it's part of his job (and maybe it is) to be really dramatic in his assessment. I would wager that performances such as the 6-0 (or did we steal 1 goal) drubbing at Walsall and dire cup games at places like Hendon and Slough and that Welsh non-league outfit (where the Cardiff animals turned up to throw stones at us) were far worse than today - and that's just for starters.

[Royal Ginger]

Surely even this season with Peterborogh

[old woman]

First Adkins game today.
Live in frozen North so almost home game.
1st goal They broke at pace. Those that got back(Pearce and Gunter) followed ball leaving goal scorer on his own.
2nd goal Fine shot from outside box.
3rd goal Soft Penalty

Observations: Guthrie took all dead ball opportunities- most were crap. Either off target, hit first defender or went over everyone's head.
McCarthy kept the score down.
Our defenders are not comfortable passing the ball around at the back so why do people pass it backwards.
Why do players pass the ball and then stand still as if they have done their bit. Move into space!!!
As usual referee put in a poor performance which was not helped by people throwing themselves to the ground.
Need to see it again but thought the sending off was a 50/50 ball.

[Andy]

OK I was there and as my first game since Everton away (!) i was thinking I might be able to offer some views that were a little less....blighted than some, maybe.

We created some chances, but didn't take them. Borough broke well and we defended poorly for their goals from open play. 2 down with 10 men and you're dead really. This chat about worst ever away performance is bs.

More specifically:

1. Pog is at a different level with his link up and hold up play.
2. Lack of decent crosses was a big issue. Football at this level is not really that complicated.
3. I was surprised just how good guthrie was.
4. Not sure I could tell what Williams offered. Didn't offer adequate defensive protection and not much going forward. Would be keen to know what others think.
5. Not wanting to criticise those that went, but I did seem weird that bar about 20 at the back, most sat there in utter silence. I mean not even moving at all. Is there a general view that our quality of away support has tailed off since we were last in the championship? I just don't recall it being that depressed for a long time. But maybe that's all part of this well documented english football disease.

[old woman]

No disrespect-we all see games differently BUT Guthrie was not good and Williams was.
Agree Pog good
Crowd stunned by early goal I think

[old woman]

OK I was there and as my first game since Everton away (!) i was thinking I might be able to offer some views that were a little less....blighted than some, maybe.

We created some chances, but didn't take them. Borough broke well and we defended poorly for their goals from open play. 2 down with 10 men and you're dead really. This chat about worst ever away performance is bs.

More specifically:

1. Pog is at a different level with his link up and hold up play.
2. Lack of decent crosses was a big issue. Football at this level is not really that complicated.
3. I was surprised just how good guthrie was.
4. Not sure I could tell what Williams offered. Didn't offer adequate defensive protection and not much going forward. Would be keen to know what others think.
5. Not wanting to criticise those that went, but I did seem weird that bar about 20 at the back, most sat there in utter silence. I mean not even moving at all. Is there a general view that our quality of away support has tailed off since we were last in the championship? I just don't recall it being that depressed for a long time. But maybe that's all part of this well documented english football disease.

Must agree about crossing .

[Basingstoke Royal]

I agree with some of the other posters that we are losing the midfield battle most weeks.

He was shit last year, but is ledge not fit yet? I thought he was back in training a few weeks ago?

[PistolPete]

Laughable BBCRB thoughts of a 4-4 game before kick off. Laughable BBCRB lackey commentary in the first half in comparison to their quite rightly so though negativity in the second half, we could all see this result coming. They know more than they are letting on and so are being lenient in their interviews, but very much welcomed how much more open NA came today in the post match. Did you hear the anonymous colleague of AW state how the current situation is the manager's fault. Has Nigel lost the dressing room, sounds a bit like the late days of the Coppell era, blamed on post Prem slump but in all fairness just some inflated player egos. I for one hope NA succeeds, he is the manager, the team will consistently change.

Lets get you in charge instead!

Couldn't understand a word...

[AirRaidSiren]

Just seen the highlights. What worries me is that the players don't seem to be that bothered, apart from Gorkss, who was pledging his innocence in the second silly tackle of his. And what the oxf*rd was Pearce doing for the tackle in our box? Adkins seemed pissed off in his interview.

Roll on January, the players need a huge boot up the arse

[sandman]

Laughable BBCRB thoughts of a 4-4 game before kick off. Laughable BBCRB lackey commentary in the first half in comparison to their quite rightly so though negativity in the second half, we could all see this result coming. They know more than they are letting on and so are being lenient in their interviews, but very much welcomed how much more open NA came today in the post match. Did you hear the anonymous colleague of AW state how the current situation is the manager's fault. Has Nigel lost the dressing room, sounds a bit like the late days of the Coppell era, blamed on post Prem slump but in all fairness just some inflated player egos. I for one hope NA succeeds, he is the manager, the team will consistently change.

How do you know it was a colleague of Williams? Can't remember him saying it was a colleague just that it was a text on his private mobile.

Wonder if any of the players have his number...

[paddy20]

[


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You have to be joking or your memory is failing in your advanced years. I wouldn't trust Dellor's judgement at all, even if he does go to all the games. He clearly believes it's part of his job (and maybe it is) to be really dramatic in his assessment. I would wager that performances such as the 6-0 (or did we steal 1 goal) drubbing at Walsall and dire cup games at places like Hendon and Slough and that Welsh non-league outfit (where the Cardiff animals turned up to throw stones at us) were far worse than today - and that's just for starters.[/quote][/quote][/quote]

Yes I agree, but this is on the back of numerous poor performances and a feeling that we are going backwards rapidly, not because of the players but because of the tactics. A good example of this was when Gunter had a free kick on the halfway line in the last seconds against Wigan. He had to look across to Adkins to see what he should do! The players look almost brainwashed and afraid to take any initiative. Personally I think they are scared stiff of Adkins and his coaching team! I feel he may be an intellectual bully.

[SydenhamRoyal]

[

Yes I agree, but this is on the back of numerous poor performances and a feeling that we are going backwards rapidly, not because of the players but because of the tactics. A good example of this was when Gunter had a free kick on the halfway line in the last seconds against Wigan. He had to look across to Adkins to see what he should do! The players look almost brainwashed and afraid to take any initiative. Personally I think they are scared stiff of Adkins and his coaching team! I feel he may be an intellectual bully.

There was some stuff coming out from the Southampton players after Adkins was sacked that was along the lines of what you are saying there.

[RoyalBlue]

[

Yes I agree, but this is on the back of numerous poor performances and a feeling that we are going backwards rapidly, not because of the players but because of the tactics. A good example of this was when Gunter had a free kick on the halfway line in the last seconds against Wigan. He had to look across to Adkins to see what he should do! The players look almost brainwashed and afraid to take any initiative. Personally I think they are scared stiff of Adkins and his coaching team! I feel he may be an intellectual bully.

There was some stuff coming out from the Southampton players after Adkins was sacked that was along the lines of what you are saying there.

TBF you wouldn't need to have much brain power to intellectually bully the average professional footballer! What's more, when a manager leaves a club you always get a few players (usually those who were out of favour) bitching about him after he has gone.

I think the problem is actually the other way around. Adkins wants them to use their footballing brains and they are either incapable or unwilling to do so. In his post match interview he made a point of stating that there were numerous opportunities throughout for us to exploit gaps in the final third but that the players were spotting them or, if they did, they were too slow to react to and exploit them. He was clearly very frustrated about that and IIRC made the point that it wasn't down to the coaching staff to point out those sort of opportunities whilst the game was actually being played.

Ironically I think the type of player Adkins and the team are now crying out for is a Marek! What's more, were he playing for us now, we have a couple of players i.e. Pog and Sharp with the footballing intelligence to make the runs into the spaces that Marek would be looking to exploit.

[LoyalRoyal22]

We need Bridge back, or a new left back. A ball playing CB that can carry Morrison. Maybe a proper defensive midfielder that can protect the back 4 and who's comfortable on the ball. The icing on the cake would be someone who can play behind the forward (dorrans )

These players would complete our team.

[Will95]

It was not a fun showing at all. Poor from pretty much everyone, Guthrie was especially lazy. McCarthy stopped it from being a fair few more, but even he was clumsy by his standards. Gorkks was back to being clumsy and dangerous today. Williams was the only player who looked good today. Pog not awful either. Fully back Adkins still, but very questionable subs today. We put a fair bit of pressure on, but like at Leicester we couldn't get any shots away, and that's becoming a real issue. Boro were nothing special.

Fair play to the other fans who showed up, decent support for the game/size of attendance. The ultras section at Boro was cringy as anything (loud though).

After seeing us get beaten 6-0, 5-2 and 3-0 on the road this year I'm beginning to question my sanity in going to each and every game...

[Will95]

+ Pearce needs to learn to pass, we have ONE CB for the Forest game now, going into the season with just 3 centre backs was bloody stupid, also we need Bridge back ASAP.

[loyalroyal4life]

we do not have the players to play the style NA wants, quicker he realises this, quicker we may have chance of sneaking into the PO

[RoyalBlue]

we do not have the players to play the style NA wants, quicker he realises this, quicker we may have chance of sneaking into the PO

So we want a repeat of what happened when Brian managed to sneak promotion for us and we then eneded up with a team and playing style that was quickly shown to be unsuitable for PL survival?

Next time we get promoted to the PL we are far more likely to be paying big money for our tickets so personally I would much rather it take a bit longer and we then get promoted with a team and playing style that has a reasonable chance of holding its own at that level.