Didn't comment during the game last night as wanted to concentrate a bit more on it.
1: Silvera's decision-making is probably some of the worst I've ever seen as a footballer for Boro. I don't think this is going to improve as this is a head thing/natural thing. Doesn't matter how good your feet are, if your head doesn't work, and your head is controlling them. I don't think he quite understands how strong and quick other players can be and he seriously over-values his shooting ability.
2: Crooks isn't fit enough to be playing 90 minutes, he was toast after about 60 minutes and stopped running, in an effective way. In possession, he would run two yards, stop and turn back and play an easy ball, when not in posession he wouldn't (couldn't) make the runs like he used to, to get onto crosses. This didn't achieve anything other than slow momentum down (and actually slow Jones down), and when he was tired his forward passing became a bit lazy also. He put a shift in for the 60 mins, so it's not a dig at him, but the combination of Jones and Crooks could have been better timed.
3: Jones was very effective, but I think it helped him that their left back and whole side had tired by the time he came on. Problem was our other players were tired when he came on, he must have got round the back or beat his man 20 times, but nobody could keep up. It was often 1 v 4 in their box, so he couldn't even cross it if he wanted to, ended up slowing down most of the time, and then waiting until payers made it to the top of the box. Opportunity wasted. I think bringing him on at HT could be a good long-term ploy and bring Crooks on at the same time. Should have brought Latte on at the same time too, and could have even dropped Coburn into Crooks role, even if just for fitness/ strength, and sacrificing his goal threat, or push Hackney into there.
4: Their goal was extremely lucky, their lad didn't even look up to pull that ball back, but the lad who scored should have been marked. Maybe the sub caused a bit of confusion over who should pick him up, but it's a partial excuse.
Going forward I think our game plan has to be to try and just keep the game fairly tight for 45 minutes, and maybe not even starting with our best team, and then use up what threats we do have (Jobnes/ Crooks combo) when their players are tired. So front 4 I could be starting Coburn, McGree left, Hackney as No10, Forss/ Rogers/ Silvera right. Then second half Latte up top, McGree left, Crooks middle and Jones right, and drop Hackney back into holding mid to replace howson (who is old). Or see how Greenwood can do as a 10.
I think we missed a trick by keeping Crooks on the pitch and could have easily pushed Hackney in there, as we had two good options for holding mid to bring on, with Howson and Barlaser, and bringing Rogers on is a waste of a space on the pitch, like Silvera. I would rather fit Howson and Barlaser or the pitch, and squeeze in others into positions they may not be comfortable with, rather than playing Silvera and Rogers.
Or another option is just sack off the idea of a 10, as it's a massive problem at the minute, for the whole game, so could play 2 up top, or one holding mid and two more progressive mids. McGree could be a shout for No10, but we don't have a good left-wing option, so he's going to have to get stuck out there, unless Forss can go that side.