De Roon

I wasn’t a fan when he was here. For me, he ran around a lot, tried hard and looked busy but always seemed to be following the play, a yard away from having any effect. Close but not close enough. Maybe he needed better players around him.
One thing those threads that Gaz posted show conclusively though, Exiled was an arrogant, angry man who thought a lot of himself and his opinions. Hope he’s chilled out a bit somewhere.
 
He was misused during his time here. Think Karanka had originally planned on playing him alongside Clayton, as one of the two defensive midfielders and for him to essentially be an upgrade on Leadbitter but he ended up injured in the first game against Stoke, and by the time he was fit again we'd switched to 3 in midfield, hence why he was used as a box-to-box midfielder.
 
I thought De Roon was poor when he was here. It’s just a personal preference thing. He came with a big reputation/fee (“the wavebreaker” etc) and, to me, he didn’t look like he had any technical ability whatsoever. I also didn’t like Doriva for similar reasons.

I don’t care how he’s done at other clubs, maybe he’s just more suited to that league or that club or the role they’ve given him, but I judged his time at Boro by his time at Boro, nothing else. And for me, it was largely poor. Same goes for Stuani, although it’s increasingly clear he should have played upfront for us.
 
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When we signed him people thought we had the second coming of Ngolo Kante but really he was running around a lot but not really getting the ball back. He should of played in a deep position rather than box to box, his form at Atalanta shows we mis used him. The lad is doing well at Atalanta but let’s not pretend he did very well for us because to be honest he didn’t.
 
He had Clayton and Forshaw alongside him in midfield, well Forshaw anyway, a magnetic force kept Clayton within 5 yards of the centre backs.

Clayton and Forshaw in a Premier League midfield FFS!
 
I thought De Roon did ok for us, maybe needed a season under his belt to kick on.

I still think there is an untold story somewhere in Karankas premier league season as to why we just disintegrated after Christmas having more than held our own in the first half of the season - and it must have been more than just a bad transfer window.
 
Staggering that the carthorse Clayton is lauded and an international, Champions league player like De Roon is castigated. Dear me!
 
Michael_Vronsky said:
Staggering that the carthorse Clayton is lauded and an international, Champions league player like De Roon is castigated. Dear me!
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Well, one got us up, the other took us down. When appraising their Boro careers, why is that staggering?

Gazza was an outstanding player but no one lauds over his time at Boro. They laud Robbie Mustoe, doesn't mean they think he was a better footballer.
 
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HolgateCorner said:
I thought De Roon did ok for us, maybe needed a season under his belt to kick on.

I still think there is an untold story somewhere in Karankas premier league season as to why we just disintegrated after Christmas having more than held our own in the first half of the season - and it must have been more than just a bad transfer window.
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Gaston situation and the split in the dressing room I think? Ultimately they just didn't deal with the pressure of being in the PL, including Aitor himself I'm afraid.
 
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