Middlesbrough Post Match 1-0 Defeat

[Nod.E]

1 hour ago, HankMarvin said:

Ipswich haven’t failed to score in any game, it’s happened 3 times with a “superior” squad. You don’t think that’s anything to do with how opposition teams set up and the success teams have had implementing that game plan?

 

You're kind of proving my point here. Our issues come down to attacking sharpness rather than opponents sussing us out.

 

The approach of Boro and Leeds couldn't be more different. One sat back, the other pressed us high up the pitch.

 

Regardless, in both games we've been in plenty of good areas which we could have created more chances from. On another day the chances we did create would result in a goal or two.

 

Not that you can rely on trying to pinch a goal. As I say, we need to be better with our final ball and our wide players need to do a better job of turning good positions into goal scoring opportunities. 

 

How anyone can watch the last 35 minutes of the match today and think the problem is our style of play / game plan / we've been sussed out is beyond me. 

 

The Boro commentators on our stream were stressing out that they hadn't been in our half for ages and were demanding subs and suggesting they needed to pump the ball long just have any chance of getting in behind us. They were absolutely knackered and were chasing shadows. Iheanacho hit a post and Mavididi somehow contrived to not even manage a shot with an open goal in front of him. Add to that plenty of scuffed shots wide.

 

Long story short, there is no blueprint but also we're not perfect. When you're not perfect, sometimes you'll lose games. On this occasion it's because they scored a worldie and we weren't clinical. It happens, it'll happen less if we can coach our attacking players to find another level.

Edited 11 November 2023 by Nod.E

[kristianity77]

1 hour ago, HitchinFox said:

 

And perhaps you will accept that you might see things in a way that has nothing to do with the actual performance, but rather purely on whether we end up with three points or not. 

 

 

But the two often go hand in hand.  Yes you can win sometimes not playing well, but you won't win as many playing bad as you would do playing well.

 

All I'm saying is our performances are meriting these losses.  And whilst continuing below par performances might be enough to knock 3 points against the Rotherham's and QPRs of this division, we will continue to come unstuck against the better sides unless we improve and/or devise a plan B.

[Wolfox]

3 hours ago, jmono84 said:

This is the problem, we are better than most teams in the division and the onus is on us to create chances against deep blocks and men behind the ball but when in the final third you haven’t got that top quality you’re gonna struggle to create good chances and it’s quite easy for teams to defend against us.

Our goals for column would suggest otherwise 

 

We’ve scored some high quality goals and we posses quality that’s the envy of the division…. Sometimes the from and performance is better than today

 

Most goals come later when we’ve worn teams down and after 60 mins (bar the worldie from them) it was all us…. It just didn’t quite click, but more often than not it clicks more than once and we take the points

 

 

 

[Basildon Fox]

 

Once upon a time there was a manager who, with a team only half as talented as now, won the league with over 100 points and created a squad capable of winning the Prem.

 

Nobody questioned his plan b in the Championship as he seemed to have the answer for everything. He was a little bit mental but how we loved him.

 

I wonder what he could do with our current squad...

[The Cult]

7 hours ago, Mike the Metal Ed said:

That light show at full time, are they going to present themselves a trophy too?

Happens there at every home win

[The Cult]

7 hours ago, jayfox26 said:

I'm worried. We've lost our way and are struggling to score. Boro were poor and we should have won comfortably but our poor finishing and decision making has ended up in another defeat. I could accept the Leeds defeat as they are a good side and deserved it. Boro were poor and the only time they got in our half 2nd half they scored a worldie free kick. Appalling that after they scored we didn't manage a single shot on target. I'm genuinely worried now that we won't get promoted as other teams are picking up whilst we've gone really flat. Our attacking options are worrying me now. 

Hhmmm you seem to be overlooking that Boro had some very good chances in that first half - Despite Boro presenting some great chances on a plate in the second half the finishing was atrocious 

[The Cult]

7 hours ago, lcfcdamo said:

Dogshit performance 🤣 wow people on here are absolutely braindead we dominated them had enough chances to win 2 games they have 1 wordly free kick and score from it!!

Let’s be honest here the dominance was a fifteen minute spell before Boro scored, and they had some very good chances to score in the first half that they fluffed 

[CrazyKopCorner]

I'd had a superb day yesterday up until that free kick went in 

 

I hate the fact Leicester City still have the propensity to ruin my weekends! 

Edited 12 November 2023 by CrazyKopCorner

[Dan LCFC]

A red flag to me is how abject we were after they scored. 83rd minute granted, lateish but did we even get near their box afterwards?

 

I think that fosse way article from just before the Leeds game made a lot of points that I hadn't really considered, the one about how there's never been more than a goal in our games before the 75th minute (Southampton excepted) and that we seem to have this obsession with keeping things tighter than we need to. We have the ability to blow some of these sides away. When you aren't doing that you always run the risk of something like that happening.

 

I still think we go up but bloody hell the last four games have some red flags.

[SafewayFox]

I thought that I’d learnt to not let Leicester ruin my mood but here we go again.

 

As others said, it wasn’t the worst performance BUT it also wasn’t good enough for the following reasons -

 

1) Too many players playing the full 90 when they had been 4/10 at best, I’m looking at you Kelechi and Stephy.

 

2) I said it on the match thread and yes we’re hugely missing Wilf in that 8 role but Doyle’s progressive passing/left foot lines are missing even more IMO.

 

3) Enzo ball as others stated looks good when win but boy is it extremely frustrating (almost limiting) when lose.

[Supergray22]

A theme of our season so far has been scoring late goals through improving our intensity and the directness of our play. Yesterday we did show periods of this during both halves. The learning points for me are that we need to be able to keep up the dominance and intensity for longer periods of the game and secondly to be more clinical when those chances arrive. Breaking it down it’s a simple game and we need to be better in those decisive moments and also create more of them. We are going through a dip in form in these respects partly due to injuries but maybe also through fatigue and/or complacency. Certainly in some players more than others and maybe we aren’t using the squad as effectively or have the ability to do this through those injuries.  The last ten minutes in particular we didn’t show the urgency of a team desperate for success. 

Edited 12 November 2023 by Supergray22

[Happy Fox]

Late subs again from Enzo really poor.

[sacreblueits442]

7 minutes ago, Supergray22 said:

The last ten minutes in particular we didn’t show the urgency of a team desperate for success. 

...that is because we have been institutionalised in respect of how we play the game!!!

  We have to start from the back and build, anything outside of that is alien, going direct with players taking the responsibility to progress and speed up the play is not part of the process. 

  We have to our credit learned how to play a style of football that requires hard work and discipline, we now need to add variety to our game and reduce the passing to get in on goal, we are only passing for the sake of passing. 

[Beachyboy]

I've heard we have to take our chances mentioned in the post match but from watching the extended highlights, it's just the final decision from me there's no glaring misses other than the KDH shot which I think he should be striking with the laces anyway not the instep. The Mavididi interception possibly he can strike that first time with where the goalkeeper is. The KDH blocked shot where Gerry Taggart says its the right decision, I look at the picture and see Iheanacho in a better position behind him. If a team that were in league 1 last season with a striker that we sold to them scoring, can score more than us. Iheanachos movement for the Ricardo shot could be better. I really wanna see Cannon for 2 main reasons the striking options don't excite me currently and he is a new signing with a point to prove.

[Beachyboy]

7 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...that is because we have been institutionalised in respect of how we play the game!!!

  We have to start from the back and build, anything outside of that is alien, going direct with players taking the responsibility to progress and speed up the play is not part of the process. 

  We have to our credit learned how to play a style of football that requires hard work and discipline, we now need to add variety to our game and reduce the passing to get in on goal, we are only passing for the sake of passing. 

It's the movement of the strikers and the wingers that's the problem, that and KDH lack of consistency to find that pass if its available. He did it for Mcateers Southampton goal. Ricardo has shown he will find that pass if its  there more often than not.

[fuchsntf]

14 hours ago, foxinsox said:

We need someone better on our free kicks. Ricardo or Winks maybe.

For a team with xx% possession,and decent press,we get few free kicks,around the penalty area..I think we have more FK specialists in the team…

We have to get them first…

Plus yesterday & against Leeds our defence gave away 2-3 FKs in dangerous areas.

[Devonfox1884]

We had them on the ropes before that beauty of a free-kick. Much less disappointed by yesterday than Leeds.

 

International break gives us time to hopefully get Wilf and Yunus back, and Cannon some more time training.

 

We have a relatively nice run of games coming up and I think we’ll soon hit our stride again. We were always likely to face a small blip at some stage.

[Fazzer 7]

2 probable goals with better decision making from Dewsbury Hall. Went for glory instead of making simple passes to Mavididi and Nacho who both had the goal at their mercy.

[Fox1norfolk]

13 hours ago, cropstonfox said:

Injured players are always the answer

Why on earth did Enzo try out Cannon ? Nacho seems to have lost control of his feet, Vardy not sure if he even touched the ball more than once. 

[adejo92]

13 hours ago, Dr The Singh said:

If we had won today,.there would be no criticism.  We weren't good but we didnt deserve to lose.

I disagree, I just think people would be more reluctant to openly post it due to getting shot down by the same fan boys.

 

Even our wins, there's a big difference in being good, or just being less sh1t than your opposition.

 

I'd say for most this season, we have just been less sh1t than our opposition. You look as far back as the Coventry game...if their strikers could kick a ball, we'd have come away with 0 points.

[Ricey]

I think so far this season all we’ve seen are the benefits of this clearly defined, well communicated, possession-based style of play, but now we are seeing the drawbacks. Too often we want to take more touches or more passes than are required, whilst we also seem incapable of upping the tempo or mixing it up when we really need a goal.

 

We saw it as well under Rodgers, but perhaps not quite to this degree.

 

Teams learning how to best combat us also isn’t helping.

 

I think all of the above becomes irrelevant if we sort out the general sloppiness that seems to be there for about 60 minutes of most matches. Wingers running into blind alleys, KDH being incapable of weighing his passes correctly, our striker not linking play, our no.8’s just generally not offering enough creativity etc.

 

I’d also love to see us try and go at a team early, rather than settle instantly into the slow, possession based football that’s designed to tire the opposition out.

 

I’m not panicking, but I don’t think we are going to walk automatic promotion like a lot of people think. I think Ipswich, Leeds and Southampton are at least on a par with us currently.

[LCFCJohn]

15 minutes ago, adejo92 said:

I disagree, I just think people would be more reluctant to openly post it due to getting shot down by the same fan boys.

 

Even our wins, there's a big difference in being good, or just being less sh1t than your opposition.

 

I'd say for most this season, we have just been less sh1t than our opposition. You look as far back as the Coventry game...if their strikers could kick a ball, we'd have come away with 0 points.

Nail on head. I’m specifically not commenting on the game, the manager or anything else for this reason.

 

For years, it feels there has been such a divide between our fans. Those who see things in real time, comment on patterns emerging and criticising where necessary. Then there are those who just believe all will be fine and shout down (often with aggression) those who don’t think everything is perfect!

 

What I will say, is that the latter group were the ones adamant we wouldn’t throw away top 4 twice and rubbished the notion we would get relegated and laughed at people who questioned Rodgers. 

Edited 12 November 2023 by LCFCJohn

[fuchsntf]

10 hours ago, kristianity77 said:

But the two often go hand in hand.  Yes you can win sometimes not playing well, but you won't win as many playing bad as you would do playing well.

 

All I'm saying is our performances are meriting these losses.  And whilst continuing below par performances might be enough to knock 3 points against the Rotherham's and QPRs of this division, we will continue to come unstuck against the better sides unless we improve and/or devise a plan B.

Plan B,is just improve our conversion rate from Plan A.

We create the chances,but front 4,then front 6,are not converting to a standard

one expects. THESE last 4 game days shows we need a goal scorer,that then creates a good scoring rate that others feed off for their odd goal.

We need Cannon to be that person NOW..too many games before January to lose out on.

Enzo & coaches have to work on KDH,wingers,but more so Nacho & Vardy.

Nacho should ,on chances alone be in double figures.plus he was ghosting

around in dreamland in the first 30 minutes,where he should of made 2-3 creations

of hustled space,his!! 
Our system is working,Choudhury was working,Pierera was working…

Mcateer struggled when falling back( but no panic,time needed to find form)

Mavadidi just had a Nacho day,of ball control.

Nacho had that regular negative day,of being Nacho..We criticise Casadei,but Nacho is becoming a problem & worry..

KdH alround play again was top, he and the others,seemed to hassle themselves,

and snapped at their shots. 4 goals again was on the cards,we split their defence

We are struggling to find anyone to take on that role of Goal scorer…& we need at least 2..

 

Leeds & Brough,hustled and ran around ,like a boxer who looks busy,but doesn’t get the descision…We let both off the hook,by not converting the chances or spaces we created…This lack of conversion rate,

will scuttle our drive eventually to the championship top 2.

 

Enzo also has to get his timing right ,on subs and/or tweaking within the system..

example Nacho to no8,Pierara moving back to RB, Mcateer to Nacho’s position..

2-3 games I miss,the needed early descisions on subs/tactical change in team..

The opposition,were quick to change it around,we were lack lustre in that department.

 

That all said,there is no reason to lose our heads or go into meltdown,the next 3 game-grouping of games ( ca 9 games) upto Dec 26.should see how all teams season will pan out,plus then the 3 game festive games that should show who takes the bragging rights towards the run in until Easter at least,then the last

challenge for EOS run in..

The system is not broken,the flexability Therin is not a defined game changer,but

converting space,converting chances and finding 2 players who take that mantel

on of putting it into the back of the net,while also being switched on from the getgo

Plus use of subs are our biggest weakness..

 

I love @StriderHiryu  @kushiro feedback tactic topic,but if we can’t put it into the back of the net,

no great system wonders will help us to take on the challenge of the Championship top 2 let alone PL..

Edited 12 November 2023 by fuchsntf

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

Getting Ndidi and Yunus back will give us so much extra athleticism, guile and creativity in midfield so a limited KDH doesn’t have to do it all on his own. For me that’s where the issues come. We have lots of possession, but then things aren’t as polished in the final third. 
 

Presumably Cannon has been invested in because he’s a better fit than Vardy or Iheanacho in this system. From what I’ve seen from clips of last season that looks the case. I just hope it doesn’t take him months to get match fit. Does anyone know if he had a pre season or not?

[justfoxes]

I blame the two losses on that dreaded October manager of the month award for Enzo, years gone by we had a few dodgy performances after the MOTM award !!