BFTG - Middlesbrough

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

RoyalBlue wrote: 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.

Worried about the Premier League NO. Worried about Division One YES.

If we continue to play like we do we will join Sheffield United, Wolves and Coventry in Division one.

[Platypuss]

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

I'm pretty sure he does realise that, but can't do anything more about it until the window opens and the ownership issues are resolved.

[Royal Rother]

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.

Agreed.

Far too much impatience and short-termism in football. Adkins teams play good football. This one isn't doing so yet, but given his history, the odds are very much in favour of it doing so, given time.

[Cureton's Volley]

Far too much impatience and short-termism in football. Adkins teams play good football. This one isn't doing so yet, but given his history, the odds are very much in favour of it doing so, given time.

Good point. Nigel could definitely make us the prettiest football side in League 1

[No Fixed Abode]

Loved that picture of the 5 Reading fans in The stadium who made the journey

[Will95]

+290 others.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

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.

Personally i'd prefer a promotion run, followed by a relegation if we did fluke it to get up. Rather that than join the Blades in Div3

We're not a prem club, so I for one am happy to bounce up and down.

Repeated promotion/ relegation >>>>>>>> mid-table prem mediocrity (which is all we could ever dream of achieving)

So Nige can just f*ck off essentially

[RoyalTank]

NANANANANANANANA BLACKMAN

Haha was that you? Made my trip - your missus looked liked she loved that one.

[LWJ]

NANANANANANANANA BLACKMAN

Haha was that you? Made my trip - your missus looked liked she loved that one.

She thought I was embarrassing myself

[facaldaqui]

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?

I would not mind. I actually enjoyed our efforts at first--for example our kamikaze rompings against Chelsea and Arsenal, our battering of Newcastle, baulked only by the hand of Ba. It is easy to forget, but the dour whimper with which we finally spluttered out against Wigan and Villa was not the true Brian McDermott style. It was the cautious style he felt he had to adopt after his initial approach had failed. I remember him admitting in about November that the go-for-a-win, bombard-forward style was not working. But I had enjoyed that and would not have minded us going down all guns blazing, in the way of Blackpool under Holloway or West Brom under Mowbray.

Although the style had failed, I do not think it was bound to. It had worked repeatedly in the cup against good opposition. It had got us wins in the champ against fellow promotees West Ham and Saints. I just think a combination of poor signings, injuries, contract disputes, and hissy fitting players meant we were not good enough to carry it out. Unfortunately, we were even less equipped to carry out the rearguard style that we ended up with.

[St. Brynjar]

Finally back from the game now! Half my family lives in Teeside so it made a nice post-Christmas trip. Distracted me from the garbage on the pitch anyway. Middlesbrough were excellent, passed it around with a very high tempo and had real quality in Ledesma, Adomah, Leadbitter and Varga. Enjoyable team to watch and made our poor performance seem even worse. I'm a big Adkins supporter but he really does need to change something because it seemed to me the biggest difference between the teams was style rather than individual quality. Their first two goals were superb. Gorkss' red card, probably just about deserved although the first yellow was a bit soft, killed the game off. Ironically this is when we started to play well. The January window can't come fast enough!

McCarthy - 4.5 - Spilled a lot, didn't seem at all confident. Given was far superior and if this level of performance continues I wouldn't mind Federici getting a chance.
Gunter - 6 - One of our best, bailed the centre backs out of jail a lot. Will have to play CB next game which is probably a blessing in disguise.
Pearce - 4 - Too slow, let the defenders in far too often.
Gorkss - 4 - I'm a big fan but not good enough at all today. Too slow & the red card.
Cummings - 4 - Started brightly but gave it away all to often and even though he's out of position, he's not good enough.
McAnuff - 5 - Meh. Should have scored, I would like to see Obita or Blackman take his place for the next game. Can't fault his effort.
Guthrie - 4.5 - Another play I defend a lot on here had a stinker. Delivery poor, gave it away too often. We really need him to play well.
Williams - 6 - Decent game, doesn't seem to be able to influence it enough though.
McCleary - 5 - Had very little success against Friend.
Sharp - 5 - Made some good runs but ultimately ineffective.
Pog - 7 - Good game, held it up well. Had to come very deep due to lack of help from midfield. We need him!

Blackman - 7 - Excellent, should definitely start next game. A 4-3-3 with Blackman, Pog and Sharp/McCleary should cause Forest some trouble.
Kelly - 6 - Was brought on to sure it up. We conceded. Not really his fault though, hopefully he starts at right back next game.

Big response needed because this wasn't good enough at all! Well done to the fans that travelled but would a little noise have killed you?

[Will95]

We tried with the noise but it's a little disheartening when it was just our group going for it!

[Man Friday]

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?

I would not mind. I actually enjoyed our efforts at first--for example our kamikaze rompings against Chelsea and Arsenal, our battering of Newcastle, baulked only by the hand of Ba. It is easy to forget, but the dour whimper with which we finally spluttered out against Wigan and Villa was not the true Brian McDermott style. It was the cautious style he felt he had to adopt after his initial approach had failed. I remember him admitting in about November that the go-for-a-win, bombard-forward style was not working. But I had enjoyed that and would not have minded us going down all guns blazing, in the way of Blackpool under Holloway or West Brom under Mowbray.

Although the style had failed, I do not think it was bound to. It had worked repeatedly in the cup against good opposition. It had got us wins in the champ against fellow promotees West Ham and Saints. I just think a combination of poor signings, injuries, contract disputes, and hissy fitting players meant we were not good enough to carry it out. Unfortunately, we were even less equipped to carry out the rearguard style that we ended up with.

Agreed. Plus poor officiating lost us 6-7 more points than we gained (City, Villa, Chelsea, & Newcastle Vs Everton pen).

[AthleticoSpizz]

Finally back from the game now! Half my family lives in Teeside so it made a nice post-Christmas trip. Distracted me from the garbage on the pitch anyway. Middlesbrough were excellent, passed it around with a very high tempo and had real quality in Ledesma, Adomah, Leadbitter and Varga. Enjoyable team to watch and made our poor performance seem even worse. I'm a big Adkins supporter but he really does need to change something because it seemed to me the biggest difference between the teams was style rather than individual quality. Their first two goals were superb. Gorkss' red card, probably just about deserved although the first yellow was a bit soft, killed the game off. Ironically this is when we started to play well. The January window can't come fast enough!

McCarthy - 4.5 - Spilled a lot, didn't seem at all confident. Given was far superior and if this level of performance continues I wouldn't mind Federici getting a chance.
Gunter - 6 - One of our best, bailed the centre backs out of jail a lot. Will have to play CB next game which is probably a blessing in disguise.
Pearce - 4 - Too slow, let the defenders in far too often.
Gorkss - 4 - I'm a big fan but not good enough at all today. Too slow & the red card.
Cummings - 4 - Started brightly but gave it away all to often and even though he's out of position, he's not good enough.
McAnuff - 5 - Meh. Should have scored, I would like to see Obita or Blackman take his place for the next game. Can't fault his effort.
Guthrie - 4.5 - Another play I defend a lot on here had a stinker. Delivery poor, gave it away too often. We really need him to play well.
Williams - 6 - Decent game, doesn't seem to be able to influence it enough though.
McCleary - 5 - Had very little success against Friend.
Sharp - 5 - Made some good runs but ultimately ineffective.
Pog - 7 - Good game, held it up well. Had to come very deep due to lack of help from midfield. We need him!

Blackman - 7 - Excellent, should definitely start next game. A 4-3-3 with Blackman, Pog and Sharp/McCleary should cause Forest some trouble.
Kelly - 6 - Was brought on to sure it up. We conceded. Not really his fault though, hopefully he starts at right back next game.

Big response needed because this wasn't good enough at all! Well done to the fans that travelled but would a little noise have killed you?

Thanks Bryn

Makes a pleasent change to read an assessment that actually bucks the standard norm on here...and even dares praise one or two of our routine whipping boys

[eddiegrundy]

Spotted Roy "Chubby" Brown in the crowd, sitting in the ordinary seats. He was wearing his normal stage attire including flying goggles and giving it large with the Boro fans.

[Cureton's Volley]

Pog MOTM again?

[RoyalTank]

Pog MOTM again?

Yep.

[Will95]

Williams for me, Pog second.

[RoyalTank]

Williams for me, Pog second.

Williams was great on the ball, but he struggled to win the ball back.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

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?

I would not mind. I actually enjoyed our efforts at first--for example our kamikaze rompings against Chelsea and Arsenal, our battering of Newcastle, baulked only by the hand of Ba. It is easy to forget, but the dour whimper with which we finally spluttered out against Wigan and Villa was not the true Brian McDermott style. It was the cautious style he felt he had to adopt after his initial approach had failed. I remember him admitting in about November that the go-for-a-win, bombard-forward style was not working. But I had enjoyed that and would not have minded us going down all guns blazing, in the way of Blackpool under Holloway or West Brom under Mowbray.

Although the style had failed, I do not think it was bound to. It had worked repeatedly in the cup against good opposition. It had got us wins in the champ against fellow promotees West Ham and Saints. I just think a combination of poor signings, injuries, contract disputes, and hissy fitting players meant we were not good enough to carry it out. Unfortunately, we were even less equipped to carry out the rearguard style that we ended up with.

Agreed. Plus poor officiating lost us 6-7 more points than we gained (City, Villa, Chelsea, & Newcastle Vs Everton pen).

^^^ Full agreement there