MATCHWATCH : Middlesbrough (h) sponsored by fat ladies being asked about their availability

[RichTea94]

I walked out after 70 minites. Utter rubbish from reading and stam. Good bye and good riddince. Worst football I have ever seen in 27 years of supporting reading no wonder why I decided to support another team. Terrible manager and terrible football. The club should refund fans for these performances

today was nowhere near the worst we've played this season, and nowhere near as bad as some of the dross at the end of the Clarke era and under McDermott 2.0.

[Hound]

Just on the way back

Will post more on the BTFG thread but I thought we were absolutely woeful

What the hell has happened to Stam this year. Tactically we were all over the shop.

A number of players were particularly bad but what is going on with Aluko? He seems to have licence to wander wherever he wants, and the entire output of his ‘movement’ is to wander slowly into CM

Stam brought us success last year by being massively disciplined and tactically very secure. We are miles away from that at the moment

Smith did well. Pretty much the only thing I can take as a positive

[genome]

I mean seriously what the fcuk was that marking for their second!?

[Royal_jimmy]

Blackett is also a huge liability. His and Alukos error cost us the first goal at Sheffield United. He nearly gifted Boro a 2nd.

Boro were crap (worst team who have visited us this season) which makes me feel more angry and we gifted them 2 goals. I wasnt at Hull so I can't comment on them.

Smith was the only player who could leave that pitch with his head held high. The rest should donate their wages to charity.

[Hound]

I mean seriously what the fcuk was that marking for their second!?

Not quite sure where Mannone was either tbh

Can’t get over how bad we were

[Oilroyal]

Stam will be gone by tonight surely.... I like the guy and respect his efforts but the team don't want to play for him

I'll be amazed if he isn't here for the next two to three games at the very least.

Managers almost never go until fans have been vocally calling for their head for at least two or three weeks. More like a month or more.

Looks like he's safe for quite some time then!

Most of those shouting for his head, and the most vocal amongst his critics, aren't at the games

. They're airing their frustrations on this forum.

I would still have been at today's game but for the fact my transatlantic flight was late landing!

Or being vocal through an empty blue seat

[Hound]

I still want Stam to turn this round but if Forest goes like today I can’t see a way back

People will whine about the system. It isn’t the system (someone mentioned already the U23s played the system very successfully) its the complete lack f discipline, shape, concentration and ambition. What an absolute mess we were. Boro were desperately ordinary and yet won’t get an easier game all year

[RG7Fan]

15:10 McShane RB - Yes, McShane is playing right back today, with Gunter at LB.
15:13 PENALTY Boro - Van den Berg fouls Assombalonga in the box and it’s a penalty for Boro...
15:23 Clash of heads - Ilori and Moore both down after a clash of heads. Looks quite nasty and they’re both receiving treatment.

Can this get any more ridiculous???

Stam, in the name of everything good and Holy - oxf*rd THE oxf*rd OFF NOW!!!

15:26 Not good - Moore has gone off down the tunnel and Ilori is still receiving treatment.
He is on a stretcher and it looks like both will have to go off.
Ilori had blood gushing from the left side of his face.

I posted too soon. This cannot get any more serious ... can it? Looks like 2 more to add to the injury list. Hope they're ok.

How is the penalty and the clash of heads Stam's fault?

[windermereROYAL]

Slumped in my seat for the entire game, not a single thing made me stand up. says it all really, awful and woeful start too finish, McShane full back, WTF?
Sadly the clock must be ticking for Stam, and I`m sure he knows it, Not a clean sheet at home yet, for a world class defender as coach that is unacceptable.
Tuesday must be his last chance.

[RG7Fan]

Shit! Just noticed the current line up!

.....................Mannone
Gunter, McShane, Moore, Blackett
..................Swift, Aluko
........Barrow, Kermie, Beerens
.......................Smith

You can't say he's not going for it.

Think Smith did alright for supposed 3rd choice shit striker. He made runs at the right place & time, didn't always get the service, and had a few attempts. Can we say that about Beerens and McCleary when they've been upfront?

[Oilroyal]

15:10 McShane RB - Yes, McShane is playing right back today, with Gunter at LB.
15:13 PENALTY Boro - Van den Berg fouls Assombalonga in the box and it’s a penalty for Boro...
15:23 Clash of heads - Ilori and Moore both down after a clash of heads. Looks quite nasty and they’re both receiving treatment.

Can this get any more ridiculous???

Stam, in the name of everything good and Holy - oxf*rd THE oxf*rd OFF NOW!!!

15:26 Not good - Moore has gone off down the tunnel and Ilori is still receiving treatment.
He is on a stretcher and it looks like both will have to go off.
Ilori had blood gushing from the left side of his face.

I posted too soon. This cannot get any more serious ... can it? Looks like 2 more to add to the injury list. Hope they're ok.

How is the penalty and the clash of heads Stam's fault?

Could be argued that McShane should have partnered Moore but that would be harsh on Stam. At the end of the day nothing is going right atm

[Oilroyal]

Shit! Just noticed the current line up!

.....................Mannone
Gunter, McShane, Moore, Blackett
..................Swift, Aluko
........Barrow, Kermie, Beerens
.......................Smith

You can't say he's not going for it.

Think Smith did alright for supposed 3rd choice shit striker. He made runs at the right place & time, didn't always get the service, and had a few attempts. Can we say that about Beerens and McCleary when they've been upfront?

Did exceptional considering last week he wasn’t ready for first team football, he played well today.

[Snowflake Royal]

Shit! Just noticed the current line up!

.....................Mannone
Gunter, McShane, Moore, Blackett
..................Swift, Aluko
........Barrow, Kermie, Beerens
.......................Smith

You can't say he's not going for it.

Think Smith did alright for supposed 3rd choice shit striker. He made runs at the right place & time, didn't always get the service, and had a few attempts. Can we say that about Beerens and McCleary when they've been upfront?

McCleary? No, he's been very poor where ever he's played.

Beerens did alright the one time I can remember seeing him lead the line. And he scored against Sheffield.

I'd just like to point out that with the striker on the pitch for 90 minutes that people have been clamouring for, we had just 3 shots on target (9 in total) and achieved our joint worst result of the season. I wish him the best and I'm happy to see him get some minutes, but Smith isn't an answer to turning us around.

Also, no one's said he's shit. And he's more realistically 4th choice, Kermorgant -> Bodvarsson -> Mendes -> Smith

[Hound]

Ian, can see your point but it goes deeper than that. Smith played well and caused problems but we inexplicably barely passed to the guy. He ran the channels, harassed, won a few headers ad generally put himself about. The service to him was abysmal, he could barely have done any more

[strap]

15:10 McShane RB - Yes, McShane is playing right back today, with Gunter at LB.
15:13 PENALTY Boro - Van den Berg fouls Assombalonga in the box and it’s a penalty for Boro...
15:23 Clash of heads - Ilori and Moore both down after a clash of heads. Looks quite nasty and they’re both receiving treatment.

Can this get any more ridiculous???

Stam, in the name of everything good and Holy - oxf*rd THE oxf*rd OFF NOW!!!

15:26 Not good - Moore has gone off down the tunnel and Ilori is still receiving treatment.
He is on a stretcher and it looks like both will have to go off.
Ilori had blood gushing from the left side of his face.

I posted too soon. This cannot get any more serious ... can it? Looks like 2 more to add to the injury list. Hope they're ok.

How is the penalty and the clash of heads Stam's fault?

You serious?

[RG7Fan]

15:10 McShane RB - Yes, McShane is playing right back today, with Gunter at LB.
15:13 PENALTY Boro - Van den Berg fouls Assombalonga in the box and it’s a penalty for Boro...
15:23 Clash of heads - Ilori and Moore both down after a clash of heads. Looks quite nasty and they’re both receiving treatment.

Can this get any more ridiculous???

Stam, in the name of everything good and Holy - oxf*rd THE oxf*rd OFF NOW!!!

15:26 Not good - Moore has gone off down the tunnel and Ilori is still receiving treatment.
He is on a stretcher and it looks like both will have to go off.
Ilori had blood gushing from the left side of his face.

I posted too soon. This cannot get any more serious ... can it? Looks like 2 more to add to the injury list. Hope they're ok.

How is the penalty and the clash of heads Stam's fault?

Could be argued that McShane should have partnered Moore but that would be harsh on Stam. At the end of the day nothing is going right atm

I actually think he did ok at RB. Gunter starting at LB and Blackett on the bench says more about Stam's opinion of Blackett I would say.

I thought most of the time we were ok - the first 10 minutes was the most positive start we've seen in ages. Same in the 2nd half. Both goals were hammer blows - the penalty was against the flow and unlucky (ie it wasn't the result of lots pressure play building up). The second was a shambles - Blackett could (at a stretch) got to it before the Boro player who then crossed it in. Mannone / McShane / Gunter all confused (McShane was blaming Gunter afterwards).

If we lose on Tuesday I think Stam's days are numbered - rightly or wrongly.

[JR]

I walked out after 70 minites. Utter rubbish from reading and stam. Good bye and good riddince. Worst football I have ever seen in 27 years of supporting reading no wonder why I decided to support another team. Terrible manager and terrible football. The club should refund fans for these performances

Frankly good riddance to you Double D - you're not the sort of fan we need.

We were not terrible today - we were a low confidence team that had good spells but were hit by suckerpunches.

We are not being thrashed - today was only the second time we have lost by more than one goal - but football is a game of fine margins and at the moment most of them are going against us.

I applaud Stam for picking Sam Smith today and thought the lad did very well - actually made lots of good runs that weren't noticed by the midfielders.

A few things did concern me - Kelly looks a poor player at the moment, failing with straightforward passes and Swift is just frustratingly laxidasical.

I would also be delighted if Blackett never put on a Reading shirt ever again. How someone that talentless could have made United's first team is baffling.

But Tuesday is massive - football is such a confidence game and we need something to boost us or we will slide in to a relegation battle.

[RG7Fan]

15:10 McShane RB - Yes, McShane is playing right back today, with Gunter at LB.
15:13 PENALTY Boro - Van den Berg fouls Assombalonga in the box and it’s a penalty for Boro...
15:23 Clash of heads - Ilori and Moore both down after a clash of heads. Looks quite nasty and they’re both receiving treatment.

Can this get any more ridiculous???

Stam, in the name of everything good and Holy - oxf*rd THE oxf*rd OFF NOW!!!

15:26 Not good - Moore has gone off down the tunnel and Ilori is still receiving treatment.
He is on a stretcher and it looks like both will have to go off.
Ilori had blood gushing from the left side of his face.

I posted too soon. This cannot get any more serious ... can it? Looks like 2 more to add to the injury list. Hope they're ok.

How is the penalty and the clash of heads Stam's fault?

You serious?

You're the one who took 3 events and then said:

"Can this get any more ridiculous???

Stam, in the name of everything good and Holy - oxf*rd THE oxf*rd OFF NOW!!!"

[genome]

Shit! Just noticed the current line up!

.....................Mannone
Gunter, McShane, Moore, Blackett
..................Swift, Aluko
........Barrow, Kermie, Beerens
.......................Smith

You can't say he's not going for it.

Think Smith did alright for supposed 3rd choice shit striker. He made runs at the right place & time, didn't always get the service, and had a few attempts. Can we say that about Beerens and McCleary when they've been upfront?

McCleary? No, he's been very poor where ever he's played.

Beerens did alright the one time I can remember seeing him lead the line. And he scored against Sheffield.

I'd just like to point out that with the striker on the pitch for 90 minutes that people have been clamouring for, we had just 3 shots on target (9 in total) and achieved our joint worst result of the season. I wish him the best and I'm happy to see him get some minutes, but Smith isn't an answer to turning us around.

Also, no one's said he's shit. And he's more realistically 4th choice, Kermorgant -> Bodvarsson -> Mendes -> Smith

Smith was one of our best players today Ian

[RG7Fan]

Ian, can see your point but it goes deeper than that. Smith played well and caused problems but we inexplicably barely passed to the guy. He ran the channels, harassed, won a few headers ad generally put himself about. The service to him was abysmal, he could barely have done any more

Correct - he did everything expected of a Striker. If people wont pass to him he cant stick the ball in the net. Why they wont pass to him is another question.