'Has to take some of the blame': Middlesbrough fans question Neil Warnock's tactics after Millwall defeat [Hartlepool Mail]

[r00fie1]

'Has to take some of the blame': Boro fans question Warnock's tactic after Millwall defeat

Middlesbrough missed the chance to close the gap on the Championship play-off places after a 1-0 defeat at Millwall – and fans were quick to react on social media.

www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk

'Has to take some of the blame': Middlesbrough fans question Neil Warnock's tactic after Millwall defeat​

Middlesbrough missed the chance to close the gap on the Championship play-off places after a 1-0 defeat at Millwall – and fans were quick to react on social media.​

By Joe Nicholson
Sunday, 21st March 2021, 7:00 am

A first-half own goal from Grant Hall was the difference between the two sides as the Teessiders slipped six points adrift of the top six.

The result was made even more frustrating after play-off rivals Reading and Barnsley dropped points, and that Boro came into the game following back-to-back wins over Stoke and Preston.

Warnock heavily criticised his side’s attacking players after the match, while some supporters questioned the manager’s tactic after making three changes to his starting XI and altering the formation.



Here’s how some fans reacted to the result:

@smoggyontour86: I think Warnock needs to look at the team he put out. Has to take some of the blame here

@CorkingNeil: Fluffed our lines yet again, great opportunity with Barnsley and Reading dropping points but this squad are too inconsistent. Let’s stop the play-off talk, as that’s total nonsense and let’s use what’s left of the season to see who we want to keep for next season

@Cruiseylee: Feel we went a bit too negative on team selection. Kebano should have started. Didn’t agree with Spence starting.

@THEREALBORO: Awful team selection, approach was all wrong, play-offs are gone

@jackbruin8: Huge opportunity missed. Absolutely huge

@FerretSqueaks: Just not good enough today. Couldn't control the midfield, couldn't keep possession and were sloppy at times defensively.

@Dann23MFC: Team selection all wrong. Why Warnock changed our whole formation and plan to deal with Wallace is ridiculous. Losing to an own goal is also unfortunate.

@NoahRobson13: Team selection was poor today. Not brilliant all game, sums our season up. See you next year.

@ashstone37: Frustrating game to watch, we had a lot of the ball but just didn’t create enough clear chances and tbf they defended quite well so credit where it’s due

@mfctom97: No need for Fisher, Morsy and Kebano to be dropped today. Big opportunity missed this.

@Jusher97: Literally did nothing with the ball apart from the first 15 mins of the second half

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Cant agree entirely with some other fans assertions: I agree, it would seem more sensible to persist with a winning formation.

But just watching the "forwards" and the rest of the team - we were like children afraid to pick up a hot cup of tea in the final third. We pussy-footed around the ten yard box and at times players looked scared to pull a shot off.

This isnt a new phenomenon - and we have to remember these are grown men who make decisions on the pitch. Only Watmore showed any invention or originality.

Not since Bamford, Stuani and Gaston have we had players with the balls to do something different beyond predictable "formation" play. Even the likes of Nsue, Forshaw, Nugent, Adomah, Tomlin - [non of whom were world class Champions League players] added delicious goals to the teams total.

There may be other reasons than a change of tactics in one single game - but its not Neil Warnock`s fault that those we have are not up to the mark. We`ve carried passengers on big salaries for the last four years whom I wouldnt employ to squeeze the oranges at half time.

Its a team performance and at the end of the day a team is only as good as the individuals within it. We all know the phrase about not making a silk purse out of a sows ear - Neil has inherited the core of the team which failed last year and the year before. We have loanees and players fresh in the side. All season has been about juggling a limited group to try and get the best out of a collectively average bunch.

Im certain Neil and his team are on the case for next season. Truth is - some have been around too long at The Riverside. Support Neil and our club - we havent seen anything yet. Im not sure we would be in the Championship if Neil hadnt arrived just in time. Careful what you wish for.

 

[Simply red]

Warnock has brought a lot of players in , of HIS choice , almost a full team , so don't put the blinkers on, this is his team and his formation and tactics .
Will he bring in the right players next time ?
In the last window , Kebano Fisher and Morsy apart , they have under performed .
Bolasie , NML , Betinelli , Akpom have been average .
He has said he wants 3 players , is this enough ? We are losing 6 ?
-----------
Dijksteel Hall. fry McNair Bola
------- Morsy
Tavernier
Watmore Kebano
-----------
Our best team when fit ? Can we afford to keep Kebano ?
Subs
Spence , Howson , Saville , Coulson , Wood , Fisher , NML , Akpom.
A keeper , a Better midfielder than the subs , and a proper centre forward , could be the 3 , although I think we need more . 6 leaving .
Johnsson ,Copenhagen Keeper £1.5m / Ben Siegrist DUFC £500k / Joel Dixon Barrow , free . 2 from the 3 , or loan Angus Gunn
Declan Gallagher , Motherwell Captain , free
Mowatt , Barnsley Captain , free
Nick Powell , Stoke , free
Michael Smith Rotherham £1m,Charlie Wyke Free , Dion Charles free , All 3 ?
That would be the minimum for me .
Add some young promising players too like
Corey Blackett Taylor , Tranmere LB LWB LW , free
Thomas Robert , Airdrie , LW RW , free
Carlos Mendes Gomes , LW RW , Morcambe , free
Kyle Joseph , CF, Wigan , free
9 - 12 new players there , with an outlay of £2.5m - £3m .
No money - Loan Angus Gunn ,instead of buying Johnsson
James Collins Luton CF , free ,Joe Pigott AFCW ,free ,CF ,instead of Smith .
9-11 in , no money spent .
Out ,
Betinelli , Archer , Johnson , Bolasie , Britt , Fletcher , and possible loans for
Wood , Coburn , Wing , O'Neill , Hackney .
9-11 out . Plus possible sales of Wing , Coulson , Saville .
Can be done . ( My choices , Neil will have his own list )
We shall see .

 

[indeedido]

There are players under contract I'm glad we have and would retain without unlikely massive bids:
Fry, Bola, Dijksteel, Hall, Morsy, Tavernier, Watmore, McNair.
I'd also keep Howson and Fisher but probably as versatile experienced cover only now.
I'd add in Browne as low cost and needing a chance.
These 11 are good Championship players with a good attitude and are our core.

There are others under contract for longer who I would sell if I got an offer around or over outstanding book value:
Saville £1.75m, Akpom £1.8m. Those two alone will hit next season's P&L with the equivalent of well over half of our entire gate money if they stay for one more season and we have bumper gates. They both still have to be paid for/accounted for.

There are others I would sell without a doubt:
Spence, Coulson, Wing.

There are those I would let walk away and not re-sign on contracts even on vastly reduced terms.
Assombolonga, Fletcher.
I'd also forget about Johnson too who is out of contract though suspect that won't be popular.
Archer is unknown to me, so I can't say with him and Stojanovic

The loan/short term players for me are all on trial to the end of the season. 8 matches is enough to judge them on. Do they want to be here; are they what we want?
Kebano look likes he might.
Bettenelli, Bolasie and Mendez Laing, let's wait and see for me.

So we are not in bad shape as we can choose to let people go and choose who to bring in over a long period now.
At last it feels like we are almost free from the chains that Monk and pulis tied us up in.

 

[r00fie1]

We build for next season.
Take away loan players - we cant depend on them being here or being able to afford them.
Its not his team.
Its a scratch side.

Akpom isnt a success, but Morsey and Fisher are.
ML isnt back up to match fitness yet - having been out the game for months.

 

[Laughing]

I think you would have to accept that if the team are inconsistent the managerr has to take some responsability for that. If you accept that our level of play can vary so much, it isn't just about a limited squad, which I don't believe is limited. I think Warnock has to get the players playing consistently every week.

 

[Redwurzel]

At the time I would have picked Watmore and Fisher ahead of Spence and Akpom. Millwall were too physically strong for Spence and it cost us the goal. Watmore is our best forward probably, and was fresh. Millwall put a lot into the first half, if we could have kept it 0-0 in the first half we would have won it as they tired in the second. Losing Tav did not help us.

We did create slightly more chances, so not outplayed, but of course disappointing result.

 

[Muttley]

Of course you have to accept that he got it wrong, he put the wrong team out and had to make three subs at half time after already having to sub for the injured Tav (who perhaps shouldn't have been playing at all?)

 

[Cardiffdaffs]

This “careful what you wish for” comment keeps cropping up albeit from the same poster.

In no way do I want to see a change in manager but we have to realise that Neil Warnock is into his 70s and won’t be around for the long term. We are going to have to plan for his succession. Saying be careful what you wish for sounds like ”no other manager could do a job this well”. Well soon enough one is going to have to try.

 

[r00fie1]

This “careful what you wish for” comment keeps cropping up albeit from the same poster.

In no way do I want to see a change in manager but we have to realise that Neil Warnock is into his 70s and won’t be around for the long term. We are going to have to plan for his succession. Saying be careful what you wish for sounds like ”no other manager could do a job this well”. Well soon enough one is going to have to try.

Hi Cardiff.
Be careful what you wish for.
Its just a word of caution. There are some posts calling him out for making a mistake. Others have posted elsewhere that they never thought Warnock was the right man for the job.
Just looking round the football battlefield - there are many fallen promises and failed leaders.
We should all be careful [i.e. realistc] what we wish for.

 

[indeedido]

Hi Cardiff.
Be careful what you wish for.
Its just a word of caution. There are some posts calling him out for making a mistake. Others have posted elsewhere that they never thought Warnock was the right man for the job.
Just looking round the football battlefield - there are many fallen promises and failed leaders.
We should all be careful [i.e. realistc] what we wish for.

But surely nobody is above any form of criticism?
I am very happy Warnock is manager, but I think he made a balls of things on saturday.

 

[r00fie1]

But surely nobody is above any form of criticism?
I am very happy Warnock is manager, but I think he made a balls of things on saturday.

Agreed.
This is what I said earlier:

"I agree, it would seem more sensible to persist with a winning formation."

The result might have been better if we had started with the team which beat Preston

 

[Norfolkred1]

But surely nobody is above any form of criticism?
I am very happy Warnock is manager, but I think he made a balls of things on saturday.

This is a generic comment and not to be taken personally.

There seems to be a lot seasoned managers in our fanbase. No doubt NW knows he blew it on Saturday bur surely does not need reminding about it with the basic team we have. Only he and the staff know what is going on behind closed doors with regards to players fitness etc.