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

[Snowflake Royal]

Thoughts are with Ian Royal at this difficult time

Hope Smith has a great game and thr experience is good for him. I don't expect him to make any real difference though.

What the oxf*rd is the shape? 4-3-3 with Ilori RB Gunter LB? Beerens LWB?

Where the oxf*rd is Bacuna and why is Barrow dropped FFS?

Great to sew Kermie makw the bench and Kelly return to the team. Always concerns about how lightweight midfield will be with both him and Swift.

The teamsheet has done little to convince of success.

[RG7Fan]

Confused who will play LB
Presuming 4 at the back...

Bacuna injured I imagine again. Nice to see Yann back of course

Must be Gunter surely?

[strap]

Haha, van den Red Card - of course.

[Snowflake Royal]

lol going well

[CountryRoyal]

LOL we're so oxf*rd bad.

Bored of this, I'd be surprised if there isn't someone out there who can't get more out of this bunch of players than Stam. We cant score, and we're shit at defending, it's a recipe for disaster. I'm still not going to be Stam out JUST yet, but we're getting closer and closer.

[Snowflake Royal]

I'd suggest a significant problem is putting out XIs where no one knows who is supposed to be playing where just by looking at the names.

According to Whoscored McShane is RB

[Emmer Green Royal]

[quote="Snowflake Royal"]I'd suggest a significant problem is putting out XIs where no one knows who is supposed to be playing where just by looking at the names.

According to Whoscored McShane is RB [/quote]

That's where he seems to be playing, made a few overlapping runs forward.

[Snowflake Royal]

I'd suggest a significant problem is putting out XIs where no one knows who is supposed to be playing where just by looking at the names.

According to Whoscored McShane is RB

That's where he seems to be playing, made a few overlapping runs forward.

That's even funnier.

Anyone leaving yet? Clearly not going to win.

Have we scored a first half goal yet this season?

[CountryRoyal]

I'd suggest a significant problem is putting out XIs where no one knows who is supposed to be playing where just by looking at the names.

According to Whoscored McShane is RB

That's only one person's responsibility. I know we have had an awful time with regards to injuries but he's had opportunity to build consistency and play a team more than once, ideally with players playing in their actual position.

[CountryRoyal]

I'd suggest a significant problem is putting out XIs where no one knows who is supposed to be playing where just by looking at the names.

According to Whoscored McShane is RB

That's where he seems to be playing, made a few overlapping runs forward.

Anyone leaving yet? Clearly not going to win.

Have we scored a first half goal yet this season?

Probably.

No.

[Snowflake Royal]

I'd suggest a significant problem is putting out XIs where no one knows who is supposed to be playing where just by looking at the names.

According to Whoscored McShane is RB

That's only one person's responsibility. I know we have had an awful time with regards to injuries but he's had opportunity to build consistency and play a team more than once, ideally with players playing in their actual position.

Yep. Stam's not doing a good job currently.

I'm feeling fairly sanguine though. I really do think we've got to start giving manager's proper time and accepting they might have bad seasons. It's already way too late to really change something to mount a play off challenge, and there's plenty of time to bring someone in if relegation starts looking likely.

[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.

[CountryRoyal]

I'd suggest a significant problem is putting out XIs where no one knows who is supposed to be playing where just by looking at the names.

According to Whoscored McShane is RB

That's only one person's responsibility. I know we have had an awful time with regards to injuries but he's had opportunity to build consistency and play a team more than once, ideally with players playing in their actual position.

Yep. Stam's not doing a good job currently.

I'm feeling fairly sanguine though. I really do think we've got to start giving manager's proper time and accepting they might have bad seasons. It's already way too late to really change something to mount a play off challenge, and there's plenty of time to bring someone in if relegation starts looking likely.

I said at the start of last season when things weren't going great that if we are going to commit to this new identity then we should actually be serious about it, and that doesn't mean when things look a little bleak you jump ship strait away. Unfortunately opinions have altered somewhat as expectations have been raised due to last season's surprise successes. That being said going from then til now is not only surprising but equally worrying, how has it gone this wrong so quickly? He must have more about him than being reliant on a couple of players.

He's still a young manager so its difficult to be too critical, but equally, when he seemingly goes against so much what appears to be common sense, then it's hard to back him. I think he tries to be too clever for his own good, and I honestly believe this group of players is far better than our current position.

[leon]

That's only one person's responsibility. I know we have had an awful time with regards to injuries but he's had opportunity to build consistency and play a team more than once, ideally with players playing in their actual position.

Yep. Stam's not doing a good job currently.

I'm feeling fairly sanguine though. I really do think we've got to start giving manager's proper time and accepting they might have bad seasons. It's already way too late to really change something to mount a play off challenge, and there's plenty of time to bring someone in if relegation starts looking likely.

I said at the start of last season when things weren't going great that if we are going to commit to this new identity then we should actually be serious about it, and that doesn't mean when things look a little bleak you jump ship strait away. Unfortunately opinions have altered somewhat as expectations have been raised due to last season's surprise successes. That being said going from then til now is not only surprising but equally worrying, how has it gone this wrong so quickly? He must have more about him than being reliant on a couple of players.

He's still a young manager so its difficult to be too critical, but equally, when he seemingly goes against so much what appears to be common sense, then it's hard to back him. I think he tries to be too clever for his own good, and I honestly believe this group of players is far better than our current position.

For an ex world class defender he absolutely can't get his team to defend. It's getting ridiculous.

[Snowflake Royal]

The injuries are playing a key part as are the recruitment choices and failures - which weren't all necessarily Stam's.

The entire team is off balance because we don't have a viable and fit front man, not enough fullbacks and too many midfielders to choose from. Blackett's form falling apart combined with the injuries to Watson and Obita have been disastrous. As have the injuries to Mendes and Bodvarsson. Stam has had no solution to them, but then I don't think there are really many solutions to them available.

Clearly he should have played Bod more when he was fit. And he really needs to settle on a midfield combination. Again, issues outside of Stam are contributing there. Injury to Swift. Berg having a good game followed by two shit ones followed by a good one, followed by a shit one. The defence is constantly in flux too.

He's got to settle on a midfield and defence combination and stick with it, using the best players in the best combination of their best positions. Then he has to fill in the gaps with who ever is left. He can't keep shifting the likes of Gunter, Berg, Bacuna and Aluko across the pitch as needed.

[CountryRoyal]

For an ex world class defender he absolutely can't get his team to defend. It's getting ridiculous.

It's utterly baffling. Unlike attacking, you don't necessarily require a huge amount of technical ability to be able to defend effectively. It's all down to organisation and discipline, desire and effort. It's not even like we're so bad at the back because its a consequence of our free flowing attacking prowess. It really is the worst of both worlds.

[Snowflake Royal]

Ilori off for Blackett... injury related?

According to BBC - yes. Marvelous.

[RichTea94]

Ilori off for Blackett... injury related?

According to BBC - yes. Marvelous.

Moore and Ilori jumped into eachother and clashed heads. Ilori stretchered off with a visibly gashed head.

[Snowflake Royal]

Ilori off for Blackett... injury related?

According to BBC - yes. Marvelous.

Moore and Ilori jumped into eachother and clashed heads. Ilori stretchered off with a visibly gashed head.

Ahh, at least that shouldn't see him out long once it's stitched and bound.

[Dick Habbin's hairdo]

Watching on iFollow as usual and this comedy just confirms everything that I have ranted to myself about all season: Blackett, Beerens and van der Berg should not be allowed anywhere near a football pitch.