Absolutely sick of this group of players

It’s the winning a couple of games bit that’s the trouble.

We’ve played 6 of the botttom 8 teams. We’ve won 1 of them. We play the only team in that bottom 8 we have yet to face on Tuesday. Away.

Where are these consistent wins coming from?
New manager bounce, I hope.

You're quite right though. They have to come from somewhere.
 
It’s true - he makes awful decisions, and in truth it’s been pretty much all a downward curve since Eindhoven, barring a brief up turn under Aitor Karanka

Yep absolutely correct. Karanka was out of his comfort zone - foreign manager with a bit of arrogance and a winners mentality. Abrasive, not a yes man. Soon retreated into his shell after that and went for ‘safe’ but rubbish options.
 
That's nonsense. Tav was a good player, but in no way obviously our best player. This forum was full of people questioning his selection.
This side is largely the same.
It's true that some people didn't rate him, imho they were clueless. Our performances since he left certainly suggest he was a hugely important player for us and a lot of people on here and the gazette etc pointed out that it was terrible business. I think people could certainly have made a case for Jones or Crooks being our best player prior to the season starting, both had a big impact last season. I like both and think they can return to form, but for me Tav was our best player by a distance.
Here are some more thoughts on why this group of players are weak, have a soft mentality and are **** easy to play against, scaring or troubling nobody.

Cardiff had scored 4 away from home all season. Put 3 past us in 30 mins at the Riverside.

Preston scored 2 home goals in 8 games before yesterday. Scored 2 in 1 against us.

Blackburn lost 5 away in a row before coming here. Won at ours.

Huddersfield’s only clean sheet? Do I need to say.

Only team in the league with no away clean sheet? You guessed it.
Great stats, they tell a story don't they. The squad needs leadership.
 
Best OP on this forum all season.

I too am sick to death of the rubbish we’ve kept hold of for FAR too long. Why we gave Howson a new contract baffled me, he should have been given the boot last summer. As you say, Fry, McNair, Howson just not good enough to sustain a top of the table team. To think people said Fry is a better player than Ben Gibson 😂
 
We'd have been better re-signing him than Lenihan who, although at least a supposed leader and organiser, is weak as **** for a centre half. I never saw Ayala get bullied in six years, he was hard as nails and as strong as anyone.
Apart from in the first 5 minutes of the Play Off Final :rolleyes:
 
Wilder was right in saying far too many been around ages and achieved nothing other than championship mediocrity.

Fry, McNair, Howson for starters. Bottle merchants who will always let us down when it matters.

The best we can hope for is midtable but even that is a pipe dream this season.
100pc agree. These 3 are the ones the main culprits. Sick of watching McNair going backwards slowly then falling over when someone goes near him. Fry constantly outmuscled.. Howson is enjoying that Clayton luxury of doing nothing every game and still getting picked.
 
They didn't become a bad side over the closed season.

And it's still largely the same side, with a committed manager and no underlying mood.

I wonder what additions we'll make.
 
Michael Carrick`s second game in charge v Hull. 31st October 2022
He was well aware of what he was stepping in to long before he walked under the Ayresome Gates.


"If you never try, you never succeed"

Carrick`s Call

1667293180522.png


"If you never try, you never succeed"

In his latest media conference, the Boro Head Coach was pragmatic about the task in hand and what his immediate priorities are.
Following the injury time defeat at Deepdale, Carrick and his staff had the team in for training on Sunday morning. No time to dwell on the mistakes of Saturday - only to learn from them and move forward. He stressed "Positivety is key" and emphasised that, although Boro sit just above the relegation slots, being "calm" and "thorough" in building on the teams strengths is the priority. Asked about his "system"(?) of play he pushed aside the idea that he has a set style he wants to impress on the players - defending his tactics on the basis of our strengths and the opposition we face. "Flexibility" Carrick confirmed. What matters to him is creating "stability" amongst the team and his staff: "emotional control....calmness....composure...belief and self control.." are what drives him and what he wants to instil in the players. "Play to the boys strengths" - get the ball "up the pitch" and work together. "You`ve got to make things happen" and "if you never try, you never succeed". Clearly the aim is to get the best out of the squad we`ve got.

Isaiah and Paddy?

Asked about Isaiah Jones and Paddy McNair, and the expectations placed on their shoulders [especially Jones after last seasons tremendous performances] - he was quick to answer that Jones is still a young player and relatively inexperienced - but there is reason to "expect the positives". Clearly he understands the pressure on him and that his game - management will improve. Jones has hardly missed a match since he joined the first team and Carrick understands the issues which that can bring. As for our Northern Ireland International - Carrick said "oh yes I know Paddy - he was my runner....". It appears he has "had a chat" with Paddy and added "when you`re not winning, football can be hard at times".

The Fans

"As a coach and as a player, to have a following like that [at Preston] is such a difference". Engaging with the fans is what the game is all about - "I made sure the lads clapped the fans" - even though the result was`nt what they [the fans] wanted. He sounds genuine - and that is not to question his integrity. We`ve heard Managers trot out familiar lines almost robot like. Fans are`nt fooled by words. Its action and points on the board - and occasionally enjoying the game which matters. Carrick appears to have time for the players, to listen and understand, but also sets high standards. He expects the players to have the same high standards and knuckle down to achieving positive results.

New "number two"?

Finally, he was quizzed as to whom his "number two" was going to be (?) and when that person was likely to arrive? Was it someone from Manchester United? Carrick brushed the question aside, saying "I`m not hung up on the number of the order" [Coaching and backroom staff]. He highlighted that he has two weeks coming up [of the World Cup] to calmly and thoroughly assess the squad and decide how he and his staff are going to move forward when the season recommences.

Tonight?

Could tonight be the night we break our poor away record at Hull? Will we bring home the bacon and allow ourselves a brief smile?
It will be interesting to see how we line up tonight. Suspect it will be a back-four: Carrick appears to have the belief that building a solid defence is the first place to start. Its certainly an area that became destabilised under Wilder - where as before, Boro have always boasted a strong defence if nothing else.

One thing Boro fans have in abundance is "hope". We`ve needed bucket-loads over the years.
So lets have some more of it tonight.
Thousands of the Red Army will be in attendance tonight.
Lets get behind Carrick and the lads (y)

Up The Mighty Boro!

1672422098067.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hap
This kind of mess and Gibson brings in a laid back novice and failed sidekick in woodgate.
If you made it up you’d just laugh it off as a kind of incompetence that’s not possible….

We really are going down
Precisely - the biggest problem this club has is the owner, who in football terms couldn’t organise a decent píss up at the Guiness store house Dublin
Best OP on this forum all season.

I too am sick to death of the rubbish we’ve kept hold of for FAR too long. Why we gave Howson a new contract baffled me, he should have been given the boot last summer. As you say, Fry, McNair, Howson just not good enough to sustain a top of the table team. To think people said Fry is a better player than Ben Gibson 😂

Great insight there.
 
Back
Top