* The Unofficial "Official" Boro v Coventry City Match - Day Thread *

I popped to the shops and heard maddo saying how on earth can we buy players for 3m and not play them or even on the bench as we aren't Chelsea....
 
I think it's more to manage the opposition, and counter 100% of what they would absolutely certainly have been prepping to do, the two week break has been a big factor in this, I expect.

At 2pm, their manager must have been thinking what the hell do we do here, we've got our team set up to counter two Boro attacking threats, and make the most of two Boro defensive weaknesses, but none of those even exist now, it's put 2 weeks of their prep largely to waste. Yeah we will probably do it second half, but their players will have been playing 45-60 minutes by then, with Watmore trying to run them ragged.

If anything it shows we're willing to change things up, it should make us less predictable, so we can get more out of Giles and Jones, when they're fresh.

I wasn't expecting it, and I wouldn't have done it, as I think we've been ok at the back, and largely unlucky, but those who have called for us to be stronger at the back, shouldn't be complaining about this, everyone knows our weakness is in the channels behind Giles and Jones, especially by counter attacking. Those who have been whining might then grasp that to create a lot of chances, you're going to end up giving a few away.

It's not like Jones has been in form either, and Bola can still play, it's not like we're playing with 9/10 players.
Agree that Cov will have been expecting to face Jones and Giles from the start but by not picking them it still removes our threat.

It's a bit like a boxer saying I've got a great jab and uppercut but he's expecting me to throw those so instead I'll just not throw any punches at all.

Wilder has forgotten more about football than i will ever know so I can only hope he has got this right.

UTB
 
Suppose Wilder felt he had to shake things up a bit.
Just a shame we have so little creativity in the middle - would love to see Mowatt come out of his shell today.

For months we've been far too reliant on Jones getting his mojo back.
The young lad has been amazing and probably the main reason we finished as high as we did last year.
But he is a winger by trade. A winger just learning the game who stepped up admirably to the role of wing-back.
He was remarkably consistent in his breakthrough season and I guess we can't be so surprised he has run out of a little steam.
So much responsibility on such inexperienced shoulders has probably robbed him of a little enthusiasm for the game.

If this line-up was after the usual 3 or 4 day break I'd be very worried.
But the fact that we have had a chance to work on things gives me some belief.
 
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