We look set to miss out on the play offs

I tend to concur with the OP. I was pleasantly surprised by the intial improvements in performance and results under wilder but I think it will be difficult to get back to wilders best the shortcomings in squad numbers and Wilders physical demanding style of play is taking its toll. The biggest factor still not addressed from Warnock's era is the poor poor strikers and very average goalkeeping options. The January window was disasterous who ever decided on Balugun and the woeful Connolly dropped the ball and it's very likely to cost us promotion
 
Last edited:
Ex Footy Legs said:
Face some harsh reality then, how you see it is skewed with a negative view point rather than an optimistic view.
Perhaps you are trying to avoid the disappointment if we didn’t achieve our aim….
Without injuries our first 11, is as good as
Ex Footy Legs said:
Face some harsh reality then, how you see it is skewed with a negative view point rather than an optimistic view.
Perhaps you are trying to avoid the disappointment if we didn’t achieve our aim….
Without injuries our first 11, is as good as Fulham and Bournemouth and better than all play off contenders.
A couple of key injuries (like jones or dijksteel or paddy or perhaps bola) and we become more like the playoff contenders in terms of performance.
Still capable but not as consistent. That’s the truth
Click to expand...


What absolute tosh our first 11 isn't close to Fulham's. They have a striker with nearly 50 goals to his name we have Connolly who won't get 50 in his career. Did you really think before you posted that
Click to expand...
 
Glover_elbow said:
I tend to concur with the OP. I was pleasantly surprised by the intial improvements in performance and results under wilder but I think it will be difficult to get back to wilders best the shortcomings in squad numbers and Wilders physical demanding style of play is taking its toll. The biggest factor still not addressed from Warnock's era is the poor poor strikers and very average goalkeeping options. The January window was disasterous who ever decided on Balugun and the woeful Connolly dropped the ball and it's very likely to cost us promotion
Click to expand...

The obvious rejoinder to this is: who better was available?

If we don't get promoted, I have faith that we'll improve these areas. Targets will have already been identified that will fit with Wilder's system and he'll have a preseason to get them up to speed.

I know we needed bodies, but I'd have only taken one of Balogun and Connolly, we wasted too much time getting them both match fit and used to first team football in a league neither of them know. With that hard work done, I'd have Balogun back next season. Not Connolly, who it just hasn't clicked for.
 
tenor.gif

Sky posted an interesting stat before the game, we are the top point scoring side against top half sides in our division (possibly excluding Fulham?)

If we're in the play offs, no one will fancy playing us.
 
You do realise if we beat Huddersfield then our game in hand should the results all the be same the day of the Swansea game we're only 1 point behind Huddersfield right 😂?
We're nowhere near out if it. From the outside looking in I think our rivals will be thinking it's advantage Boro because of our game in hand
 
coluka said:
Crikey, even WBA and QPR in 11th and 12th still have a shout. Win on Monday and the view will be breathtaking
Click to expand...
Col is right.

There are 8 teams within 5 points of the play off places and I tipped QPR for automatic promotion after seeing them at the Riverside early in the season, but true to Championship football they haven't kept up that early pace.

We're in with a massive shout but losing Dael Fry and Matt Crooks is a body blow o hamper our expectations. I hope Duncan Watmore just had a touch of cramp yesterday, we can't lose him.

#UTB
 
So in recent weeks I’ve got slightly more pessimistic than I was because I’m a firm believer in points in the bag not games in hand.

I’m thinking its resting on staying unbeaten and the rearranged Cardiff game.
 
Mwelolo said:
The own goals, deflections and gifts have dried up, Crooks has stopped scoring and it is pitiful just how limited our scoring options are.

It really says it all when Wilder perseveres with a player such as Connolly.

If Jones doesn’t fire there is precious little creativity.

I will be pleased to see Magree get a run in the team but I’m not sure how much he can do to reverse our downward spiral.

We’ve had our purple patch with Wilder and now It is hard to see where the next win will come from.
Click to expand...

Get up, go for a walk, smell some roses or something and cheer up mate! We are just outside the playoffs with a game in hand, enjoy the ride!
 
The positive for me is how much better we’ve looked defensively since that run of games where it looked like we’d concede every time the opponents went forward. Think we’ve conceded 2 in 6, if we can keep that up I have no doubt we will start picking up wins.
 
Mwelolo said:
The own goals, deflections and gifts have dried up, Crooks has stopped scoring and it is pitiful just how limited our scoring options are.

It really says it all when Wilder perseveres with a player such as Connolly.

If Jones doesn’t fire there is precious little creativity.

I will be pleased to see Magree get a run in the team but I’m not sure how much he can do to reverse our downward spiral.

We’ve had our purple patch with Wilder and now It is hard to see where the next win will come from.
Click to expand...
Blimey I was panicking there but having checked the table I'm relieved to see we're safe from relegation. :giggle:
 
I know it is only one way of looking at it, but on the Bookmakers' sites we're in the top four to make the Play-offs, although only a little better priced than Sheff Utd.

We're well in the mix and it is in our hands. If we can get 10 points then probably jus enough.

As somebody said above - this is a "Classic Boro Promotion Push", and I love it.
 
It is impossible to forecast because there is no real quality in this league.
Literally anybody can - and does - beat anybody, see Derby last night; Posh and Reading yesterday too.

We are averaging a point and a half per match over the course of the season, only QPR in the top 13 have lost more matches than us. We shouldn't be anywhere near really.
But we could still do it and our remaining fixtures are benign.
If we win our three home matches and win one of the aways at Swansea or Preston, then I am confident we would make it. Nobody below could overhaul us and I don't see Sheff U getting 11 points in their last 4 matches.

So it is absolutely in our hands.
I worry we are seizing up in midfield and Wilder plays with ten men selecting Connolly, BUT I see nobody else pulling up trees and we do have a good run in and some good players.

🤞
 
Boro fans have two choices for the run in.
1. Getting behind the team, believing and trying to drive them over the line.
2. Sinking into negativity

I fear that the urge to default to no.2 is far too strong for a lot of Boro fans
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top