* The Unofficial "Official" 23/24 Championship Season. Boro v Millwall Match-Day Thread *

[Priv]

McNair is not a right back. Really dreadful and at fault for the goal.
Rogers looks ok but it's not a striker. No instinct to be in the right place.
Crooks is not a 10. I like him but that position is too big a job for him. He just doesn't have the X factor needed for that role.
Forss is decent out wide when we are playing well and creating chances. When we don't have all our best players playing and he's having to be the creator then he's not good. He's clearly not a winger.
Coulson wasn't bad today but we can clearly do better.
Barlaser can play a great defence splitting pass but he also seems more prone to giving the ball away in dangerous positions.

Desperately need Chuba back, or an adequate replacement if he's leaving. Desperately need a proper striker both fullbacks need improving and another midfielder if Howson isn't available (maybe that will be Payero).

Crooks hasn’t got a good enough first touch to play as a 10, too often it results in his second touch being a slide tackle. Same reason Carrick doesn’t trust him in a deeper position. He needs to be an impact sub for aerial presence but definitely not starting.

 

[ThePrisoner]

We've relied too much on the loans to fix the problems mate. We shouldn't be as reliant on then as we are. Certainly not in the spine of the team.

Too late. At least a decade too late. The entire Championship is now based on providing training sessions for Premier League second string players. No way out now.

 

[r00fie1]

Comments scattered across various platforms from championship Managers seems to suggest a lot are frustrated that the window doesnt shut before the season starts. It means clubs hanging on and making do. Frustrating all round. But hey ho.

The funniest thing about the game was Duncan Watmore heading into the Boro dug-out when he was subbed!

 

[SCG]

What time do the erm, highlights go up?

 

[r00fie1]

What time do the erm, highlights go up?

Middlesbrough 0-1 Millwall: Teenager Romain Esse sees Lions to opening-day win

Romain Esse's first senior goal enabled Millwall to start the new Sky Bet Championship season in style as they claimed a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough.

www.skysports.com

 

[McMordie]

On a positive note, when we lost our first home game of the season to a London team in 1973 we didn't lose again in the league, home or away, until the following February.

 

[SuperStu]

Rogers looks ok but it's not a striker. No instinct to be in the right place.
Crooks is not a 10. I like him but that position is too big a job for him. He just doesn't have the X factor needed for that role.
Forss is decent out wide when we are playing well and creating chances. When we don't have all our best players playing and he's having to be the creator then he's not good. He's clearly not a winger.

Can't help but wonder if we'd have been better off today moving these all along one. Forss up front, Rogers behind him, Crooks out wide. Or maybe swapping Crooks out for Jones.

 

[Nano]

Can't help but wonder if we'd have been better off today moving these all along one. Forss up front, Rogers behind him, Crooks out wide. Or maybe swapping Crooks out for Jones.

I agree. With Jones in and Crooks out. I like Crooks but he doesn't fit into our system anywhere.

 

[BumTrumpet57]

I agree. With Jones in and Crooks out. I like Crooks but he doesn't fit into our system anywhere.

I’d have swapped crooks out for a traffic cone or one of those wet floor signs. They are a lot more mobile.

 

[Rofesleg]

Interesting>>>>>>>?
View attachment 61587

More relevant >>>>>>>>>>>?

 

[Ipad1977]

Interesting>>>>>>>?
View attachment 61587

Yep. All this BS about Millwall being clearly the better team, we're lucky not to be 3 down, boo hoo how, etc is twaddle.

It was a 50-50 game, their goal counted and ours got ruled out. And that was with us in early season pub team $hit mode. Nowt for us all to turn into fannies over.

 

[Frazza65]

For me if Howson and Akpom were fit enough for the bench they should have started

 

[Mwelolo]

For me if Howson and Akpom were fit enough for the bench they should have started

I can’t understand how Akpom didn’t feature at all, if he was fit enough to be on the bench, when we were chasing the game.

 

[Rofesleg]

I can’t understand how Akpom didn’t feature at all, if he was fit enough to be on the bench, when we were chasing the game.

I don't think he was fit enough.
I reckon the club were sending a message to the fans by naming him in the squad.
Almost like parading a new signing at half time.

 

[Glover_elbow]

I’d have swapped crooks out for a traffic cone or one of those wet floor signs. They are a lot more mobile.

Hes not called tree for nothing

 

[Mwelolo]

I don't think he was fit enough.
I reckon the club were sending a message to the fans by naming him in the squad.
Almost like parading a new signing at half time.

I think you may well be right.

 

[r00fie1]

Yep. All this BS about Millwall being clearly the better team, we're lucky not to be 3 down, boo hoo how, etc is twaddle.

It was a 50-50 game, their goal counted and ours got ruled out. And that was with us in early season pub team $hit mode. Nowt for us all to turn into fannies over.

I perhaps wouldnt put things in the way which you have, but I get your gist and on the whole concur with your sentiments. Im always a glass half-full person and try to see the positives.
A team never learns to win until it has tasted defeat

 

[Cuthbert]

I perhaps wouldnt put things in the way which you have, but I get your gist and on the whole concur with your sentiments. Im always a glass half-full person and try to see the positives.
A team never learns to win until it has tasted defeat

Trouble is we seem to be getting quite fond of the flavour