MATCHWATCH : Middlesbrough (h) sponsored by Chris Rea

[Zip]

Another dreadful home performance from a team who don’t know how to win. 1 home win in 13 games in 2020 is it? They are so slow and ponderous, and no width due to getting shot of all the wingers hasn’t helped. Bored, bored, bored.

Boye, Aluko, masika, mccleary, barrow, obita

That’s 6 wingers on the books

We just don’t play them because we play a different system. Worked in the away games

Of those Obita is really a fullback these days. He’s lost a bit of pace. Aluko has never come off for us and always drifts infield, GMac is leaving, Boye hasn’t done very much at all but surely deserves more of a shot, Masika just isn’t taking players on and using his pace. That leaves Barrow who on his day is good enough at this level.

[CountryRoyal]

Moore needs to go as well. Overrated tosh.

[Zip]

Home wins per season since relegation.
13/14: 8
14/15: 8
15/16: 8
16/17: 16
17/18: 5
18/19: 8
19/20: 7 so far.

One word, pathetic.

It begs the question how on earth have we avoided relegation.

[Old Man Andrews]

Swift can just go now.

Anyone seriously defending that crock of shite performance?

[Notts Royal]

Home wins per season since relegation.
13/14: 8
14/15: 8
15/16: 8
16/17: 16
17/18: 5
18/19: 8
19/20: 7 so far.

One word, pathetic.

Lolz that is absolutely terrible

There you go! And in that time how many playing styles have the club gone through? We’ve seen direct stuff, defensive stuff, boring Stam ball stuff. So the playing style is obviously not the issue. What is the issue? The expectation? And I don’t buy the whole “it’s the same group of players letting us down” argument because we’ve gone through massive turnovers. Yes certain players need to move on, but only the other day we were praising some of these lads

[windermereROYAL]

7 shots on target in 4 home games since the restart.

[Ascotexgunner]

And people are wondering why others are unsure of Bowen still

Sit back on a 1-0 lead once again and lose the lead again! And repeat. He’s steadied the ship but it’s dire viewing, and he isn’t improving it in terms of that aspect

Our home record has been dire for almost a decade.

Bowen's got us midtable from relegation places by building a strong defence and getting points away. Good managers always seem to start by building from the back.

People would be singing his praises to the rooftops if the home and away record was flipped.

If the home record is still terrible at the end of next season, think about changing over the summer, or maybe if we're back in relegation danger. But give the guy a chance to sort it out. The restart has been a complete wild card, we've been basically safe since before the lockdown and Bowen has a chance to do more squad building.

What is another manager going to do better with huge financial problems and half a summer?

Get behind the guy who is actually a success for a change.

That really isn't an excuse. Do you think when new players or managers come in they think "our home form has been dire for a decade it's adding to the pressure".
Course not, the answer to that question is simple. Every manager we have employed (BM MK1 aside) in the last decade has been negative, boring or cautious.....and boy does it show in the b*llocks we have witnessed.

[tidus_mi2]

Oh also, 7 losses in a row against Boro, absolute bogey team.

[Notts Royal]

Another dreadful home performance from a team who don’t know how to win. 1 home win in 13 games in 2020 is it? They are so slow and ponderous, and no width due to getting shot of all the wingers hasn’t helped. Bored, bored, bored.

Boye, Aluko, masika, mccleary, barrow, obita

That’s 6 wingers on the books

We just don’t play them because we play a different system. Worked in the away games

Of those Obita is really a fullback these days. He’s lost a bit of pace. Aluko has never come off for us and always drifts infield, GMac is leaving, Boye hasn’t done very much at all but surely deserves more of a shot, Masika just isn’t taking players on and using his pace. That leaves Barrow who on his day is good enough at this level.

Oh I didn’t say we had any decent wingers Zip! I was merely pointing out we have lots of them and haven’t got rid of them. I’d welcome 2 good wingers but having one would imbalance the team seeing as Meite is on the other side and is an inside forward. What system are we trying to play...because I thought it was a narrow system that doesn’t require wingers. But we all seem to think we need to sign wingers which I don’t get!

Agree on Obita, although Bowen seems to think he can play on the wing

[Zip]

We need to offload Baldock. He has been a piss poor signing and offers no threat at all.

[tidus_mi2]

Haha and we are officially the first current Championship side to have nothing to play for, everyone else can get relegated or promoted still.

[Zip]

Boye, Aluko, masika, mccleary, barrow, obita

That’s 6 wingers on the books

We just don’t play them because we play a different system. Worked in the away games

Of those Obita is really a fullback these days. He’s lost a bit of pace. Aluko has never come off for us and always drifts infield, GMac is leaving, Boye hasn’t done very much at all but surely deserves more of a shot, Masika just isn’t taking players on and using his pace. That leaves Barrow who on his day is good enough at this level.

Oh I didn’t say we had any decent wingers Zip! I was merely pointing out we have lots of them and haven’t got rid of them. I’d welcome 2 good wingers but having one would imbalance the team seeing as Meite is on the other side and is an inside forward. What system are we trying to play...because I thought it was a narrow system that doesn’t require wingers. But we all seem to think we need to sign wingers which I don’t get!

Agree on Obita, although Bowen seems to think he can play on the wing

Seriously I have no idea what system we are trying to play. What I do know is that we rarely stretch teams because we do play narrow and do it so bloody slow that it is predictable. Swift is hit and miss but he is the only one creating chances. If he goes then we are going to struggle unless Ejaria steps up. It’s not as if Puscas and Meite are missing loads of chances. Our crossing is generally awful.

[Ascotexgunner]

Of those Obita is really a fullback these days. He’s lost a bit of pace. Aluko has never come off for us and always drifts infield, GMac is leaving, Boye hasn’t done very much at all but surely deserves more of a shot, Masika just isn’t taking players on and using his pace. That leaves Barrow who on his day is good enough at this level.

Oh I didn’t say we had any decent wingers Zip! I was merely pointing out we have lots of them and haven’t got rid of them. I’d welcome 2 good wingers but having one would imbalance the team seeing as Meite is on the other side and is an inside forward. What system are we trying to play...because I thought it was a narrow system that doesn’t require wingers. But we all seem to think we need to sign wingers which I don’t get!

Agree on Obita, although Bowen seems to think he can play on the wing

Seriously I have no idea what system we are trying to play. What I do know is that we rarely stretch teams because we do play narrow and do it so bloody slow that it is predictable. Swift is hit and miss but he is the only one creating chances. If he goes then we are going to struggle unless Ejaria steps up. It’s not as if Puscas and Meite are missing loads of chances. Our crossing is generally awful.

Weird isn't it. I never thought there was a worse form of football than long ball......and now we are witnessing this. I wonder if it has a name? Could call it Hughesball. Reminds me of Wales under Hughes....got results but cautious and hardly effective and relied solely on Bellamy's qualities and John Hartson's head for just one chance.......remind me who coached that team hmmmmmm.

[URZZZZ]

We need to offload Baldock. He has been a piss poor signing and offers no threat at all.

No he hasn’t
He offers plenty of threat

He works well in a two man strike duo which was evident earlier in the season. He’s categorically not a lone striker however which Bowen can’t seem to understand and for some reason, he still doesn’t use two up front

[andrew1957]

Very poor tonight. I guess it is hard to get up for a game when there is nothing to play for for RFC but bearing in mind how many players are out of contract or possibly looking for PL moves you would think that they would want to impress as individuals - even if only for the sake of their own futures.

Perhaps it is a good thing as there will be loads of players released this summer and so we should be able to pick up some good freebies this summer and try yet another rebuild!

[Zip]

We need to offload Baldock. He has been a piss poor signing and offers no threat at all.

No he hasn’t
He offers plenty of threat

He works well in a two man strike duo which was evident earlier in the season. He’s categorically not a lone striker however which Bowen can’t seem to understand and for some reason, he still doesn’t use two up front

Yeah nine goals in two seasons. He’s lethal.

[Sutekh]

7 shots on target in 4 home games since the restart.

Wigan managed at least 8 today in one game.

[windermereROYAL]

7 shots on target in 4 home games since the restart.

Wigan managed at least 8 today in one game.

9, thats some going.

[Hound]

Bored of Baldock as well tbh

He did work quite well in a pair up front but he’s barely done that in his time here though

[Old Man Andrews]

We need to offload Baldock. He has been a piss poor signing and offers no threat at all.

No he hasn’t
He offers plenty of threat

He works well in a two man strike duo which was evident earlier in the season. He’s categorically not a lone striker however which Bowen can’t seem to understand and for some reason, he still doesn’t use two up front

Yeah nine goals in two seasons. He’s lethal.

LOL @ Baldock offering threat

He should be one of the first out the door this summer. Waste of money.