Well, it had to happen some time and in truth, it's been coming. Boro, our biggest threat to promotion, came to BDTBL tonight and spanked us thoroughly. After a crisp start, the usual pattern of losing the stiffy after ten pumps took place and we spent the rest of the match with the team in Osborn mode, chasing about and getting fuck all traction.
Great, if fortunate start from us with JLT lobbing in McBurnie's opener ... or Anels ... whoever ... I don't care. It went in and it looked like we may add to it with a flurry of chances but we have been playing this 'go soft' game for many months now, in particular at home. It's disappointing but we need to break free of this and start putting teams under concerted pressure. It would help if we could get the midfield to function correctly mind. Norwood had last season's boots on, Berge vanished back into Mr Light Grey and McAtee tried but failed. We tried optimistic but pointless punts up the pitch expecting McBurnie to 'do summat wi it' and did our usual schtick of getting bogged down in the kill zone wide outside the penalty areas. If we did break through, a lively but now misfiring N'Daiye failed to capitalise and across the pitch Boro, although pretty decent and well disciplined made the ten point gap look hollow and undeserved. They have some great players who turned us over all over the pitch and refused to ease up. It was a comprehensive 'job' on United and one the now suspended Hecky needs to learn from. Their goals were avoidable and as a result of basic footballing errors. A snoozing and rather naive defence for the first, lack of ability to control the game for the second and coughing up possession in advantage for their third. Boro simply punished that and we didn't respond, not even with some guilt-edged chances.
Foderingham 7/10: Possibly our best player. No chance with the goals and did what he could when asked, including picking the ball out of the net
Bogle 6/10: Good going forward at times but part of a sometimes calamitous right side and asked to do so much what with Berge on holiday
Anel 6.5/10: Good in parts but still showing critical vulnerability and lack of judgement at times. Key tackle in the second half which gets him a whole point
Egan 6/10: Trying to shepherd Archer and Akpom out on his own at times
JLT 5/10: Exposed and run at by their three man front line. Got into a verbal tangle at the end with one of our fans in the JSS
Lowe 5.5/10: Fairly vanilla game for him. Tried forays up the line but had his hands full too much traking back as they quickly broke to have any real effect
Berge 4/10: Disappointing game. It seems he only switches on when the ball is near him. His off the ball work tonight was poor, even after a promising start
Norwood 4/10: Poor game, telegraphing balls and coughing up possession. Boro simply cancelled him out
McAtee 5/10: And only just. Out muscled somewhat and frustratingly clumsy on the ball tonight
N'Daiye 6/10: Plenty of graft and industry but some disappointing finishing
McBurnie 6/10: he can only do what he can do with the ball in front of goal. Tonight he was a bit 'last year'
Jebbison 5/10: Brought on to go 4-3-3 then 4-4-2. Spooned a sitter header over the bar when we really needed a goal
Osborn 5/10: No fucking idea why he is the answer when Coullibally is sat on the bench. No real effect. Again.
HJ&SMcC 3/10: Aside from Hecky's daft red card we didn't change the game at half time and go on the attack. And the substitutes were characteristically late and misplaced. We can't afford to lose the game v Millwall, so need consistency and the ability to open teams up. Boro were technically much better than us tonight, especially capitalising on chances and working the counter attack into chances. We don't do that and it shows. Tonight was a lesson and it was predictable. It needs not be the start of our slide.
pommpey
