Chez

The second goal was just as much of a train wreck that revealed itself almost in slow motion in front of my eyes. Lose the ball, little hussle to win it back, McBurnie pulls to the back post, easily wins the header against THB to an unmarked runner (Roerslevs lack of effort to be there is shameful) who couldn't miss. Fucking horrible. The third makes me grind my teeth in anger. Zero fucking desire from any player to win the ball at all. Id be absolutely slaughtering them in the changing room after the game. I'd have that goal on loop on the coach home (fuck flying back) and then all week in the changing room. Disgraceful. If you are not willing (desperate) to win a header as a defender, midfielder whatever you can just fuck off... Still is getting slaughtered, but some of the players have completely fucked him yesterday. They don't seem to want it.

Tough game to bring them in, but maybe Liverpool play their kids?

His subs have been fine imo. From what I have seen so far he wants to freshen things up in the final third and he doesn't want to mess about, so brings several on at the same time. Some subs then play well, some don't.

Totally with you. I saw a little progress yesterday undermined by some horrific defending. That said, Hull were pretty poor though, so I may be giving him too much credit. I'm hoping it's like the Sunderland away game in 2023, which was a terrible performance. He recognises that THB is lightweight, gets Quarshie back in the side and we go from strength to strength....I'm dreaming now aren't I?

The Derby showed that we needed a more physical target man and a focal point of attack. Playing Archer in that role doesn't work and never will. The choice is then Downes or Stewart. Stills only job is to pick the side. It was his choice and no one else's.

I'm with you totally. Edwards looked no better in preseason. You have to win headers as a centre back, at every level, which is why Arsenal, City and Liverpool are like land of the giants. Big physically powerful guys. It's literally the first thing on the centre back check list. I thought that's why we bought Quarshie.

Doesn't Macca look, well, a little bit too old and slow? I've stuck up for him in the past, but is he genuinely a better option at this moment?

I think we are trying to do that and there were some occasions when we achieved it to good effect, like the Downes chance for example, but not enough. When we do get between the lines we are going to need to be a lot more ruthless. Overall I thought our general play was pretty good. We smothered them and dominated. In the final third there was a lack of quality and guile and I don't know how that will be solved. Fellows looks decent, but he needs a target and Downes hasn't got in the right positions in the box. At the other end we were let down by some pathetic defending of an arial ball. THB can pass but McBernie has him on toast. Sorry, but if you can't do the basics, win headers, you can't play centre back.

I'm sure I am overlooking the obvious, but when's the last time we scored immediately after an opposing corner? I guess if you dominate possession you have less breaks, but we need to sort that out...along with defending free kicks. We are fucking terrible at it. This continued high line bollocks for set pieces has us running towards our own goal and we simply do not win any headers. We don't even try to win the headers half the time. It's embarrassing. We get away with it time after time, but we shouldn't be relying on luck.

that moment stood out for me. Feels like years since we scored goals on the break. Every other team seems to be able to do it except us.

I am also with you that I struggle to understand what the plan is other than get between the lines and see where that takes us or to get it to Fellows and see where that takes us. Maybe that's enough of a plan...but it's not working just yet. I say that because I haven't given up yet. It was weak as piss CB that cost us today. We identified that we lacked physicality in that position, and signed Quarshie, but we haven't played him.

what a load of bollocks

I thought he was harshly treated on here and by Still after the first game. He had some chances and didn't take them, but the way he got into positions and was positive was encouraging. The trouble we have is not having a striker that can play on his own. How do we solve that issue?

Boro's best player was Hackney and WBA's was Heggem. Sadly we couldn't get either of them, as they are kind of what we need.

Simple solution. Pick Quarshie. That's what we bought him to do (nullify the likes of McBurnie), wasn't it? I am fed up of having centre backs that don't win the majority of headers in favour of lightweight ball players...and that's from someone that preaches constantly how important keeping the ball is (and thus the need for ball playing CBs) if you want to win games of football. You have to do the basics. Just look at the top sides. They have monsters at CB. Even Liverpool sacrifice a little skill on the ball in favour of power.

he's scored some goals at this level. But that doesn't automatically mean he's a great championship player. Whatever his level, we need to get more from him (and others). For me, not having a solitary striker that can be a focal point and play off is an issue. None of Downs, Stewart, Armstrong and Archer have so far shown they are that player.

Personally I thought he was overrated and the fact no PL side fancied him backed that up. Early days though, but if you are getting a free role you need to be the dogs bollocks, so he needs to do a bit more.

the first goal was THB's fault IMO. The third was Azaz. Check out how pathetic he was challenging McBernie.

THB. Weak as piss.

I thought we looked OK. I feel confident we will turn it around and get the win.

I thought we offered him a new deal but he decided to leave?

To me the stat highlights that Scienza was/is very happy to fall over when hardly touched to get a foul. You may call it an achievement, but I'm less inclined to do so.

What I want to see in the games going forward is us working harder to take charge of a game in the first half. We have started games poorly in a lot of games. If we are passing it out from the back, which any decent side will do, then the midfield 3 or 5 have to be more fluid and make more effort to lose their markers so we can get between the lines. These players need to be on the half turn far more otherwise we will have the same problem as Sunday...the ball goes nowhere. If the press against us is good, especially in the first half, then going long is absolutely fine, but what are we doing to hold up the ball and play off a forward? In the second half, the space tends to open up as the press fades, so getting between the lines is far easier. But what are we are doing with it once we do? I'd like to understand why our own press is so shit. Are we not actually bothering? I saw Archer and Aziz trying to cover four players on Sunday. Not sure where the wingers went. In contrast the skates press was regimented. Perhaps the change of formation meant we had not perfected our own press, but the truth is our press has not been great for a long time. Maybe we just don't want to tire ourselves out, but all successful sides seem to do it well, so why wouldn't we?

His tactic seems to be to not have a specific tactic. He seems happy for us to pass it short and try and get between the lines, but if that is not on and we are under pressure then the keeper smashing it long to relative safety is perfectly fine. Note that is different from him instructing us to play it long. He's not doing that, but he isn't asking players to play there way out of trouble. Reduced risk, basically. I think oru main route of attack is get the ball to the wingers and ask them to make something happen. He then seems happy for the wingers to get to the byeline and cross, or to dribble inside and shoot. That said, he doesn't seem to mind us hitting some longer balls down the channel for Archer to chase, but mostly its working it across the pitch to the wingers.

I don't recall there being too many crosses after he came on, but I recall that there was one where he went near post and the ball went far post. It happens. I don't blame Stewart for that. Possibly the crossers fault on that occasion.