Watmore has to start

Emmersons_BrazillianDong said:
Watmore was awesome when he came on. So much energy which was what was needed.

I know that the team we played wasn't the United of old but honestly they were so good at closing down space and attacking us last night. They looked amazing and you don't see that on the TV.

Even though Lumley looked shaky in parts, what you don't see on the TV is the way the space had been cut so that errors were forced because of a lack of viable options

The difference was that we had the heart to keep fighting and we wanted it more. Was one of my proudest boro moments, especially as I had my 6 year old lad with me.

We didn't look like the fluid team that we can be but you have to understand the gulf in class. What mattered was it was them with less desire than us and we beat them. Everybody played a part in that
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Thought we made the mistake of playing it a bit like a Championship match first half, second half we closed down space and had some decent posession
 
We were better in the second half, of that there is no doubt. I think Sporar and Watmore compliment each other. I can only assume that Wilder sees something in the other two and is prepared to give them the time to bed into their new team. Is that the right decision? Time will tell, I guess.
 
Diego said:
Aye, Sporar who played a huge part in the goal
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Sporar played a huge part in the goal? Did he?

Jones ran 60 yards from half way inside his own half and then played a great pass to Watmore. Sporar might have passed it to Jones, but I'm not sure that it was "huge".
 
Soutra said:
I know there's a Watmore love in here, but he's really not the answer to much. His assist last night is weird when you look at it again. He miscontrols it with his right leg, the ball pops up and away on to his hand, then he tries to chip the ball over the goalie - with his right again - and slices it into the path of Crooks. It would have been a lot easier with his left leg, but it worked out in the end. He runs a round a lot, but he's pretty much done after 30 minutes so I don't think he's a starter. That's too early to be subbing people.

Connolly is a mystery - he hasn't shown anything at all that would make you think he was a good signing. Balogun might be a good player but he hasn't had enough game time yet. Why get rid of Ikpeazu? He offers something entirely different to Connolly, Watmore and Sporar. At least he might have been able to hold the ball up, in the first half it just came back all the time last night.
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I liked Uche but I think it’s ridiculous to complain about the decision to replace him. We‘ve been in superb form in the last few months without him.
I also completely disagree with the idea Watmore is done after 30 minutes. He was on for over an hour last night and still had more energy than anyone on the pitch at the end of extra time.
 
Soutra said:
Sporar played a huge part in the goal? Did he?

Jones ran 60 yards from half way inside his own half and then played a great pass to Watmore. Sporar might have passed it to Jones, but I'm not sure that it was "huge".
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Then you don’t understand football. Watch how he holds the ball up shrugs the defender off and switches the ball to our best player in yards of space. It was terrific forward play.
 
Can't disagree with what has been said already.

Nothing I've seen so far suggests out loan strikers offer more than Watmore.

That's not writing them off, but the starting place should be DW's to lose; even if he lasts for only 60 mins, I'd rather have that than his coming on for the last 30.
 
Diego said:
Then you don’t understand football. Watch how he holds the ball up shrugs the defender off and switches the ball to our best player in yards of space. It was terrific forward play.
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So terrific it isn't shown on the highlights.
 
Muttley said:
When we were taking penalties last night do you think Mr. Connolly would have stepped up before Joe Lumley to take one? Not impressed that a "striker" can be so reluctant to pop the ball in the net from 12 and let EIGHT others step up before him.

Duncan is part of the heart beat of this team, play him, give Connolly pitch time when he earns it.
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Exactly and that was my beef with connolly coming straight in to the team he hadn't earned it and wasn't ready
 
Davey_C said:
Didnt even see connelly step up to take a pen .. what does that say about his confidence
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He's been getting dog's abuse since he signed for us, and he seems very active on social media, I imagine he was probably worried about the inevitable abuse if he missed.

Obviously not a great sign for his self-belief, but it's understandable.
 
Soutra said:
I know there's a Watmore love in here, but he's really not the answer to much. His assist last night is weird when you look at it again. He miscontrols it with his right leg, the ball pops up and away on to his hand, then he tries to chip the ball over the goalie - with his right again - and slices it into the path of Crooks. It would have been a lot easier with his left leg, but it worked out in the end. He runs a round a lot, but he's pretty much done after 30 minutes so I don't think he's a starter. That's too early to be subbing people.

Connolly is a mystery - he hasn't shown anything at all that would make you think he was a good signing. Balogun might be a good player but he hasn't had enough game time yet. Why get rid of Ikpeazu? He offers something entirely different to Connolly, Watmore and Sporar. At least he might have been able to hold the ball up, in the first half it just came back all the time last night.
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I don't think there's a love in for him but we all love players who play with energy and desire. He seems like a nice lad but if you find that attribute somewhere else then I'll happily take it and dump Watmore.

The point is that he brings what others don't in terms of energy and this makes things happen. He was THE difference last night in terms of getting the goal.
 
Soutra said:
So terrific it isn't shown on the highlights.
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I think this take is at best disingenuous. I actually do think that our fans have taken to him a bit more than his ability should warrant but his involvement in the goal last night was fundamental. It was really smart play and he'd realised he was getting nothing in and around him so decided to switch play and did it very well.

There was still lots more hard work to be done of course but the goal came from pretty much nothing
 
Can’t see any reason why Watmore and Balogun couldn’t be tried as a pair.

The combinations of Sporar with either Connolly or Balogun haven’t been particularly effective so far.
 
Not so much a Watmore love in, rather a critique of the other forward options. We just haven't looked as good an attacking force with Connelly in for him. Balogan made the goal for Sporar but other than that his contributions have lead to little.
 
I can see Balogun's potential, just don't think he'll be the man to make the difference this season. Connolly is getting into positions, but confidence seems low. I don't really see the loan forwards as an upgrade on Hernandez or Uche for where we are at the moment. Connolly and Balogun are probably both better players long term but then neither are here long term!
 
Norfolkred1 said:
If he starts he won't finish. The lad does not know when to stop and would burn himself out. As we saw last night, the ginger terrier just keeps going.
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Even when the game was over and they were preparing for penalties he ran across to the United players. Ronaldo had a ball at his feet and Watmore was trying to get it off him.

I noticed Wilder had to go across and drag him away cos the United players didn't look too happy.
 
I'd love to see the distance traveled stats on Watmore. He covered so much ground chasing absolute lost causes.

The thing about him is that he never stops and has pace the others don't. I'd start him and I've been saying that for 3 weeks since he's been 'removed' for no obvious reason. I say that as in he offers more of a threat than Balogun or Connelly.

I know he needs managing due to his knees. He made a pretty significant difference against a very good prem side.

I think the decision should be who partners him. Not the other way round.
 
Soutra said:
Sporar played a huge part in the goal? Did he?

Jones ran 60 yards from half way inside his own half and then played a great pass to Watmore. Sporar might have passed it to Jones, but I'm not sure that it was "huge".
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Watch it again, he showed poise and vision to switch play.
 
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