Finn Azaz

[Harry_SFC]

1 hour ago, AlexLaw76 said:

What has Azaz done, he has a track record of being one of the best players in this league.

he is now starting to show glimpses of it.

He's clearly one of those players who isn't going to play well every week. Not on the level of Scienza for example but he's clearly got a lot of technical ability. 

[Badger]

30 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

He's clearly one of those players who isn't going to play well every week. Not on the level of Scienza for example but he's clearly got a lot of technical ability. 

Why ? Thought he was a regular starter for both Middlesbrough and Plymouth 

[chiknsmack]

16 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

What has Azaz done, he has a track record of being one of the best players in this league.

he is now starting to show glimpses of it.

Exactly. How people thought someone calling him a shit Joe Rothwell was anything other than a joke I don't know.

[saintant]

Another goal and assist today.

 

[Harry_SFC]

On 23/11/2025 at 09:01, Harry_SFC said:

He's clearly one of those players who isn't going to play well every week. Not on the level of Scienza for example but he's clearly got a lot of technical ability. 

Well the first part of my post is actually looking inaccurate because he's played well 6 games in a row! 

At the end of the day the stats don't lie - he scores and assists lots of goals. What's not to like. 

[RedArmy]

This thread makes for some very funny reading 

 

Theres still time to delete your posts. 

[Sheaf Saint]

3 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

This thread makes for some very funny reading 

 

Theres still time to delete your posts. 

I think it's fair to say that, whether it was his position or just the system as a whole, Still clearly wasn't getting the best out of him earlier in the season. And as such it was probably fair that some were questioning if he would prove to be a good signing.

Now we're playing in a way that suits his strengths much better, lo and behold he's doing the business and showing himself to be the player we all hoped we were getting when he signed.

It begs the question - what the fuck was WS doing that made some obviously very good players at this level (Azaz, Fellows, Scienza) look so poor and underwhelming? 

[AlexLaw76]

Always rated him. He is a proper player

[S-Clarke]

We're finally using him right. We've gone from being slow and predictable in our build up, to quickly playing through the lines. Azaz picks up space, and if you move it quickly around him then he will stand out.

We're making much better use of the players we bought now, Still made a bit of a mess integrating them in it has to be said. He could never find the right match - but it was always staring him in the eyes. Jander in the middle, Leo on the left, Azaz floating around in the 10, and Fellows offering width from wide right. But it only works if you move the ball quickly, which we are now doing. 

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, S-Clarke said:

We're finally using him right. We've gone from being slow and predictable in our build up, to quickly playing through the lines. Azaz picks up space, and if you move it quickly around him then he will stand out.

We're making much better use of the players we bought now, Still made a bit of a mess integrating them in it has to be said. He could never find the right match - but it was always staring him in the eyes. Jander in the middle, Leo on the left, Azaz floating around in the 10, and Fellows offering width from wide right. But it only works if you move the ball quickly, which we are now doing. 

It helps that we are not just lumping the ball forward to small strikers.

That, and Azaz actually being in the pitch 

[Turkish]

16 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

I think it's fair to say that, whether it was his position or just the system as a whole, Still clearly wasn't getting the best out of him earlier in the season. And as such it was probably fair that some were questioning if he would prove to be a good signing.

Now we're playing in a way that suits his strengths much better, lo and behold he's doing the business and showing himself to be the player we all hoped we were getting when he signed.

It begs the question - what the fuck was WS doing that made some obviously very good players at this level (Azaz, Fellows, Scienza) look so poor and underwhelming? 

I watched him closely at Hull away as a mate of mine is a Boro fan and liked him although did say he can go missing. I thought despite the absolute abject team performance he was the only one trying to make things happen, whilst the rest just lumped it forward to Downs.  He’s that sort of player who is technically very good but because he isnt rapid and obvious like Scienza fans will be quick to write off. Clearly a good player. 

Edited Saturday at 20:29 by Turkish

[S-Clarke]

Just now, AlexLaw76 said:

It helps that we are not just lumping the ball forward to small strikers.

That, and Azaz actually being in the pitch 

This is what confused Nathan Jones/Still etc - getting it forward quickly doesn't mean lumping it.

It means deceive and accurate quick passes, on the ground, through the lines. That's what getting it forward quickly means in our context.

[Turkish]

On 27/09/2025 at 19:22, Turkish said:

There is a player in there they’re just not on the same wavelength at the moment. I thought he was good against Hull trying to make things happen but players round him were like statues. He’ll come good

Just saying 😉

[RedArmy]

5 minutes ago, Turkish said:

I watched him closely at Hull away as a mate of mine is a Boro fan and liked him although did say he can go missing. I thought despite the absolute abject team performance he was the only one trying to make things happen, whilst the rest just lumped it forward to Downs.  He’s that sort of player who is technically very good but because he is rapid and obvious like Scienza fans will be quick to write off. Clearly a good player. 

He had a few games like that early on where he was always receiving the ball and looking to play forward, sometimes even playing balls that other players either weren’t good enough to get on the end of or didn’t get near because of shit tactics. 

To be fair he’s had a few moments where I’ve thought fucking hell that is terrible. The touch 6 yards out and miss at Charlton for example, but he has always very obviously been a good player completely misused (or not used at all) until recently. 
 

There aren’t many better attacking 3’s in this league than Scienza Azaz and Fellows when he joins the attack. 
 

Also worth remembering that he missed a good chunk of preseason for boro through injury. 

Edited Saturday at 20:29 by RedArmy

[Nordic Saint]

Under Stiil, he looked lost and contributed very little; under Eckert, he fits in brilliantly and is creating and scoring lots of goals. Those who predicted he would come good (not me) were right.

[EBS1980]

Amazing what happens when you play someone in a way they are most suited.

[Turkish]

26 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

We're finally using him right. We've gone from being slow and predictable in our build up, to quickly playing through the lines. Azaz picks up space, and if you move it quickly around him then he will stand out.

We're making much better use of the players we bought now, Still made a bit of a mess integrating them in it has to be said. He could never find the right match - but it was always staring him in the eyes. Jander in the middle, Leo on the left, Azaz floating around in the 10, and Fellows offering width from wide right. But it only works if you move the ball quickly, which we are now doing. 

Spot on

i still think 4-2-3-1 with Jander/Downes/Charles and now Romeu as the two CMs is our best system but we seem wedded to 3 CBs so I guess that’s what it’ll be

as a front 4 you’d struggle to get better than those 3 and Armstrong in this league. We’ve got loads of goals in us but which is just as well as we can’t keep them out at the moment 

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Turkish said:

Spot on

i still think 4-2-3-1 with Jander/Downes/Charles and now Romeu as the two CMs is our best system but we seem wedded to 3 CBs so I guess that’s what it’ll be

as a front 4 you’d struggle to get better than those 3 and Armstrong in this league. We’ve got loads of goals in us but which is just as well as we can’t keep them out at the moment 

You mean, are players are not all shit and we, maybe, shouldn’t write this season off?

[Turkish]

3 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

You mean, are players are not all shit and we, maybe, shouldn’t write this season off?

They are all shit and being managed by the only guy in the world who was interested in the job 

[saintwbu]

27 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Spot on

i still think 4-2-3-1 with Jander/Downes/Charles and now Romeu as the two CMs is our best system but we seem wedded to 3 CBs so I guess that’s what it’ll be

as a front 4 you’d struggle to get better than those 3 and Armstrong in this league. We’ve got loads of goals in us but which is just as well as we can’t keep them out at the moment 

I hope that being wedded to 3 CB’s is in part due to not having a right back to use. Having said that, even if Roerslev was fit I wouldn’t want him to play - we really need someone in January to play RB, or use Bree if he returns. 

[AlexLaw76]

On 27/08/2025 at 18:58, AlexLaw76 said:

He should do well with us.

we like to make the pitch big, and with the ball in their half, there should be spaces, runners for him to exploit

we are clearly no longer a tight triangle type of side, so the “get the ball forward” way should align with him

Told you....despite the doubters 6 weeks ago.

This lad is fucking brilliant (in this league at least)

[Toadhall Saint]

1 minute ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Told you....despite the doubters 6 weeks ago.

This lad is fucking brilliant (in this league at least)

Never doubted him - mercurial 

[CB Fry]

3 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Told you....despite the doubters 6 weeks ago.

This lad is fucking brilliant (in this league at least)

Will Still was clearly given what he needed to get promoted.

Azaz, Fellows and Leo on the bench the fucking twat.

[austsaint]

On 07/12/2025 at 06:32, Nordic Saint said:

Under Stiil, he looked lost and contributed very little; under Eckert, he fits in brilliantly and is creating and scoring lots of goals. Those who predicted he would come good (not me) were right.

Like you, I got it wrong with Azaz.   He’s benefiting from the speed of build up and being played further up the pitch as a 10.   He also seems to have upped his work rate.   The assist for the Armstrong goal was superb.   A big tick for Tonda and a fail for Still.

[S-Clarke]

14 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Will Still was clearly given what he needed to get promoted.

Azaz, Fellows and Leo on the bench the fucking twat.

He struggled massively to integrate these guys, he was flapping around so much at the end to find a formula - none of which made sense, as Azaz and Leo were on the bench. I kinda felt sorry for him, I didn't expect him to be as out of the depth as he was, but seemingly he was.

[Toadhall Saint]

16 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Will Still was clearly given what he needed to get promoted.

Azaz, Fellows and Leo on the bench the fucking twat.

Unbelievable really. 

[Turkish]

16 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Will Still was clearly given what he needed to get promoted.

Azaz, Fellows and Leo on the bench the fucking twat.

It’s just weird isn’t it. One of the most highly rated managers in Europe when we got him. Absolutely clueless when he was here and I mean so bad. I just don’t get it. 

[Give it to Ron]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

It’s just weird isn’t it. One of the most highly rated managers in Europe when we got him. Absolutely clueless when he was here and I mean so bad. I just don’t get it. 

Look at the improvement in Armstrong, Finn, Downes back to best, Fellows but the best for me is Taylor was my MOTM last night . 
Tonda has to be given credit for this alone. 

[Turkish]

3 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

Look at the improvement in Armstrong, Finn, Downes back to best, Fellows but the best for me is Taylor was my MOTM last night . 
Tonda has to be given credit for this alone. 

that makes Stills performance even worse. You can make the excuses about giving new players time to settle, missed chances etc but some of the performances were abject.

I, like a lot of people thought Stills issue was he didnt have the gravitas and experience to turn this lot round, i thought we need someone more experienced and a figure end in charge who had been there and done it, yet a guy with even less experience has done it. It's early days and he hasn't got everything right but as good as he's been he's also highlighted how bad Still was.

[AlexLaw76]

Will Still was pretty clueless from day 1

that performance against Wrexham was very alarming, and we ultimately got away with it.

not a great deal change thereafter, other than having better players than nearly all of our opposition.

very quickly, Still’s inability to manage at this level was completely exposed. Constantly going behind and throwing in all of the forwards to scrape something from a game. We hit peak shite when he subbed Leo for Jack Stephens. Let alone discuss how to was completely unable to get anything out of Fellows and Azaz (who are proper players in this league).

Still’s approach seemed to be limited, hoof it to whoever was playing CF, which kind of worked for a bit whilst Stewart was fit for a couple of weeks.

overall, Still was hopeless and just wish others could see it as early as some of us did.

[Dman]

58 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Will Still was pretty clueless from day 1

that performance against Wrexham was very alarming, and we ultimately got away with it.

not a great deal change thereafter, other than having better players than nearly all of our opposition.

very quickly, Still’s inability to manage at this level was completely exposed. Constantly going behind and throwing in all of the forwards to scrape something from a game. We hit peak shite when he subbed Leo for Jack Stephens. Let alone discuss how to was completely unable to get anything out of Fellows and Azaz (who are proper players in this league).

Still’s approach seemed to be limited, hoof it to whoever was playing CF, which kind of worked for a bit whilst Stewart was fit for a couple of weeks.

overall, Still was hopeless and just wish others could see it as early as some of us did.

Even further back, I walked away from the first pre-season game at eastleigh thinking "Fuck me, we struggled to break those down. That wasn't great". I gave benefit of doubt given it was the first game and clearly the squad was going to change. Things didn't really get any better though.