We're weaker than last season

[Lottowyn]

Perhaps a win or two is the vital thing Boro need . We seem to kick off and hand the initiative over to the opposition regardless of their status .
This was certainly the case against Cardiff where we treated them like world beaters.
I notice that Steve Morison’s planning of how to beat Boro didn’t benefit him much because Cardiff have sacked him.

 

[Gains]

He was good going forward, distribution was strong. He defo turned off every other game.

I think he's got a problem with his concentration. Some games he got away with it and looked a decent keeper, others he didn't and looked pub team. As you say good with his feet and made the odd good save but I don't think he could concentrate for 90 mins.

 

[Pinkers]

I don’t get how our starting XI can be poorer.


We’ve improved it with Steffan, Giles and Muniz, but lost Tav.


Has the loss of Tav really weakened us more than those 3 improvements? I think it’s more a case of a few players being below par, and a serious lack of luck

Personally I think it has. It's hard to believe really, but the evidence is staring us in the face. Certainly the system we played last season requires a hugely industrious box to boxer who can track back and carry it forward at pace.

Wilder is trying to mitigate the loss and it isn't working. I don't envy him, because his options are awful. He immediately needed a mobile destroyer because Howson (who was too exposed against better teams when Tav was here) is now exposed much more.

If we'd got Onyeka, we could maybe get away with McGree as the forward thinking creator. Though I'd personally prefer someone with more drive and energy. Realistically though, I think we need two as I don't think it's possible to replace Tav like for like. He has gone to the Prem because his qualities are there to be seen.

 

[newyddion]

I think he's got a problem with his concentration. Some games he got away with it and looked a decent keeper, others he didn't and looked pub team. As you say good with his feet and made the odd good save but I don't think he could concentrate for 90 mins.

Was that his first full season as a number one?

 

[Gains]

Was that his first full season as a number one?

He had one season as QPR number 1. They must have got a replacement sharpish after that. Their keeper got sent off against us and he had an absolute blinder, we clearly signed him based on that.

 

[festa5]

The thing with Tav is he compensated for a lot of deficiencies in midfield. He was a rarity in that he was an attacking midfielder who was excellent at tracking back and pressing.

It's not just about his ability as a player, it was the balance he brought to the side. Unless we found another with exactly the same attributes we really needed to reshape the midfield a bit.

A proper high quality DM would probably make a world of difference. We really needed one whether Tav stayed or not but definitely now he's left. The squad in many areas is stronger, but that doesn't matter if you have an unbalanced midfield that's easily overrun. We could have the best forward and centre back in the league and we'd still look ropey/vulnerable with our slow paced mediocre midfield.

 

[Jonny Ingbar]

The single most obvious issue is confidence and the longer the poor run goes on the lower it gets.

First few games we looked decent, but we've conceded too many daft goals and we seem to be in a bit of a rut currently.

Can Wilder turn it around? It's in the balance for me, but even if we take a step back this season, we need to give him time.

 

[Jedi boro]

E

The thing with Tav is he compensated for a lot of deficiencies in midfield. He was a rarity in that he was an attacking midfielder who was excellent at tracking back and pressing.

It's not just about his ability as a player, it was the balance he brought to the side. Unless we found another with exactly the same attributes we really needed to reshape the midfield a bit.

A proper high quality DM would probably make a world of difference. We really needed one whether Tav stayed or not but definitely now he's left. The squad in many areas is stronger, but that doesn't matter if you have an unbalanced midfield that's easily overrun. We could have the best forward and centre back in the league and we'd still look ropey/vulnerable with our slow paced mediocre midfield.

Exactly he papered over the cracks and filled in for others inadequacies that are glaringly obvious now.

 

[Andy_W]

'Lumley - was great every other game'

Really?

I thought he was poor for this level, and think the two replacements are miles ahead.

Lumley didn't make many saves I wouldn't expect him to, didn't save enough of what I would expect him too, distribution was average and he was very prone to errors. He also didn't exactly give much confidence to the fans, and likely also the rest of the team either.

He did come out a lot, but not sure if that was a good or bad thing, as a lot of the time when he did it was the wrong decision, which sometimes led to an error, which was often critical.

Steffen's not had a great deal of luck in the number of games he's played, and to be honest, he's not had many chances to make routine or good saves, as basically we hadn't conceded a lot of shots on target. They've scored a few worldies, and some close range, which I wouldn't be expecting many keepers to save at this level.

Been impressed with Roberts, considering where we got him from. His handling on crosses has been great, probably better than any recent keeper and his shot stopping looked good too, but he shouldn't have conceded three against Cardiff, which he'll admit himself. He needs to improve his kicking and calm down a bit, but he's been making some very noticeable improvements in that area. I'd be happy with him as keeper next year, after we've had a year to coach him on retaining the ball and not lumping it. This was good recruitment.

 

[Andy_W]

We've certainly replaced the keeper and LWB with far, far better options, and I'd pick Muniz, this year's chuba, Forss and Hoppe over last years Sporar, Uche, Balogun and Connolly. That's also without seeing Forss or Hoppe really. Muniz is a massive upgrade. Watmore's missing too many this year.

The defence is better, in a way that we have better/ more options, but some of last year's players have dropped in form and we've not had much time to get them to gel. I think we've tried to play a bit more attacking this year, which has left the defence a bit more exposed, but last year's defence would have been exposed just the same, and would have conceded the same number of goals. We've made more individual errors this year, and the lack of confidence isn't helping, but I think we can turn that around.

The big problem is centre mid, now people are finally realising how important Tav was, it's not going to be possible to replace him with a ready-made player without spending some good money, and this is not likely in January. Jonny is a year older and Crooks doesn't seem quite as influential. The big problem with this combination is it's by far the most important area of the pitch, as it's where the ball is 60% of the time. If centre mid has problems, then you're going to get problems everywhere else.

If we could have kept Balogun, I probably would have, as he looked promising, but not quite ready, but that's to be expected in his first half-season in "proper football". He had a great record at the levels he's played at prior, so there was a fair chance he was going to end up a very good player and looks to have turned a corner this year. I think we possibly didn't try and retain him due to his positioning, as he likes to come in from out wide, and that's possibly not something you want in a 3-5-2. He's probably more suited to 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 types of formations, where he can be the wide threat, rather than a wing back.

 

[Andy_W]

The thing with Tav is he compensated for a lot of deficiencies in midfield. He was a rarity in that he was an attacking midfielder who was excellent at tracking back and pressing.

It's not just about his ability as a player, it was the balance he brought to the side. Unless we found another with exactly the same attributes we really needed to reshape the midfield a bit.

A proper high quality DM would probably make a world of difference. We really needed one whether Tav stayed or not but definitely now he's left. The squad in many areas is stronger, but that doesn't matter if you have an unbalanced midfield that's easily overrun. We could have the best forward and centre back in the league and we'd still look ropey/vulnerable with our slow paced mediocre midfield.

Yup, DM is the area I'd look to improve first, we need a super fit/ young breaker of play/ ball winner. It would make the lives of the two in front far easier. Could even mean Jonny could go into one of the CM roles, he'd be better there than Mowatt, but I don't mind McGree in there with Crooks. Howson as a backup would be good for any of the three positions, would mean he could put his all into 35 mins, rather than trying to sustain a full game, which is hard in there at 35.

We were just a bit odd last year, as our super fit pressure player largely came from Tav, who was in centre mid, it was a little lop sided, but he could cover for Crooks, or anyone, no other player we have can do that.

 

[Jedi boro]

now people are finally realising how important Tav was

I said this last season well only know how good he was when he’s gone.

 

[festa5]

Yup, DM is the area I'd look to improve first, we need a super fit/ young breaker of play/ ball winner. It would make the lives of the two in front far easier. Could even mean Jonny could go into one of the CM roles, he'd be better there than Mowatt, but I don't mind McGree in there with Crooks. Howson as a backup would be good for any of the three positions, would mean he could put his all into 35 mins, rather than trying to sustain a full game, which is hard in there at 35.

We were just a bit odd last year, as our super fit pressure player largely came from Tav, who was in centre mid, it was a little lop sided, but he could cover for Crooks, or anyone, no other player we have can do that.

Yeah at times it was almost as if Tav covered the left half of the pitch on his own leaving Howson and Crooks to cover the right between them. Of course it probably helped that Taylor/Bola are far more defensive than Jones too.

Now Howson is trying to have to cover everything. He's a year older, DM is not his natural position and Giles is probably even worse than Jones at tracking back. McGree is probably the best option to play as the left sided 8 but he's the weakest midfielder defensively too, which just compounds the matter further.

So Howson gets dragged over to try and cover the gaps on the left leaving the right more exposed.

Ideally we'd have used the Tav money to bring in a DM and an energetic left sided proper box to box number 8. Two players and it'd make a world of difference.

 

[uncle_rico]

I think man for man we have replaced the out goings with far better players.

The keepers are a massive upgrade. You'd say the likes of Hall/Coulson /Uche etc have been replaced by better.

So you'd have to say the recruitment has been pretty decent. The issue is they simply haven't clicked. The amount of times ball go astray or players are looking at each other with a look of 'why did you do that? '.

I'm guessing a turnover of 12 players will do that. Also some seem questionable like Hoppe and Forss. I don't see why we've signed either. They don't look like Wilder 'types'.

I just think it's going to take time. I didn't think it would take until October.

The other issue isn't just the new signings. It's players like Howson / Crooks/ Jones who look a shadow of last season. You'd say all 3 were arguably our best players last year. So f"ck knows what's happening with them.

I agree, but these issues sit with the manager and his coaching staff. If they can't motivate and utilise the players at their disposal in the best way then maybe they're not up to the job?

 

[newyddion]

We don’t have the players for Wilder’s 3-5-2 the improvements have been minimal and by the looks of it based completely on XGs!! Lol

We’ve taken elements out of the squad and not sufficiently replaced them.

The transfer window was always going to dictate our standing, all our business needed to be done before the start of the season.

 

[Andy_W]

I said this last season well only know how good he was when he’s gone.

Yup, you sometimes don't realise what you had until it's gone, it applies in many scenarios.

I knew he was good mind, and offered so much cover and energy in various aspects, something which is also quite rare.

 

[VestasBoro]

We were only a keeper off getting in the play offs last year, now we look 4/5 players off staying up. Scary.

 

[Andy_W]

Yeah at times it was almost as if Tav covered the left half of the pitch on his own leaving Howson and Crooks to cover the right between them. Of course it probably helped that Taylor/Bola are far more defensive than Jones too.

Now Howson is trying to have to cover everything. He's a year older, DM is not his natural position and Giles is probably even worse than Jones at tracking back. McGree is probably the best option to play as the left sided 8 but he's the weakest midfielder defensively too, which just compounds the matter further.

So Howson gets dragged over to try and cover the gaps on the left leaving the right more exposed.

Ideally we'd have used the Tav money to bring in a DM and an energetic left sided proper box to box number 8. Two players and it'd make a world of difference.

Exactly right on all of that.

We definitely sacrificed the left, to push up the right, we sort of rotated around the centre of our players which was Crooks when we had the ball over on the right with Jones and Dijksteele up high. The LWB effectively became a left back, the centre backs shifted across and Dijksteele was a light a right back, pushing forward. We did this a lot in the first load of Wilders games. The opposition tried to counter this though and shut off Jones, which worked, as we had no threat on the left, and we were not willing to switch it to the left.

McGree has the energy, but like you say, he's not as defensively strong as Tav, but I suppose is more effective around the box. Although saying that, Tav probably didn't get the opportunity to play with as much free will, as he was critical for getting back. Tav had more end product later in the season still.

Giles is weaker than Jones defensively, but this year has been much more of a threat too. With us being more attacking, and less defensive that DM role and SM becomes much more critical. It's like we added 3 or 4 good supporting pieces, which were major improvements, but then removed the key piece linking it all together.

Howson can't cover for McGree and Crooks, but it was a much simpler job for him with Tav in there.

 

[Laughing]

We were only a keeper off getting in the play offs last year, now we look 4/5 players off staying up. Scary.

We are one player away from being better than last season, tav. Replacing him is going to be expensive though.

 

[Andy_W]

We were only a keeper off getting in the play offs last year, now we look 4/5 players off staying up. Scary.

One player away from getting beat in the play offs, over two legs, we wouldn't have made a final with those strikers, and certainly not won one.

We improved quite a few areas, and got considerably better backup for others, but we've shot ourselves in the foot in centre mid by selling Tav, and expecting Howson to repeat last year at 35, CM is the most crucial area of the pitch. A key starter here and we would be very strong.

Having the injured players back (Steffan, Lenihan and Chuba) would help too, but the backup lads have done ok, and most teams will go through periods of injuries etc.