Time to be brave Danny...

[Foxy]

... and send the message to midfield (which will cascade to the rest) that 20 minutes isn't enough and hiding has been tolerated long enough. It's not hard to make space/be available and we look ten times better when we do so.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Individuals may be hiding but some are also not good enough.

 

[Wards]

Doyle and Ronald McDonald in midfield really showed their true colours when the backs were to the wall tonight.

Woeful.

 

[Guesty]

There's been absolutely no competition for places in central midfield all season and it really has taken its toll. Whether Doyle and MacDonald are too complacent or just shattered I'm not sure but they've been poor for weeks. At times in the first half in particular it looked like the entire midfield had just evaporated. How many time did Maguire or Collins get a foot in and then have to chase their own clearance?

The really frustrating thing is there were flashes. MacDonald sending Murphy clear down the channel, for instance. But for most of the game, nothing.

 

[Hollinsend]

I hoped that coming up against his old club might motivate Doyle but if anything he was even worse tonight and McDonald's lack of work rate is such a waste of his ability. Early in the season Wilson was fond of saying that we had to earn the right to play, some need to be dropped to remind them.

 

[super_pig]

and resign..

well you should get your wish.. KMac was carrying his hamstring for the last ten minutes in case you hadn't noticed
we're overrun in midfield two against three in the central area.. teams have worked it out. our widemen are passengers

 

[JohnDenver]

The difference between first and second half was huge. Midfielders getting on the ball and being positive were the same midfielders as those who had hidden previously. They must have had the rocket they deserved at half time.

The reason we go long is because the back four have no-one showing for the ball - there's no other option but to look long. And because we're not playing long ball as a deliberate tactic it achieves nothing. At least if we planned to do it we'd have players in position to flick, chase and hustle.

Our inability to play through midfield has now been utterly found out - every team that comes here is pressing high up the pitch without fear. And we can't do much about it because the players at fault have no obvious replacements.

 

[GAZBLADE]

OMG! Does it really take the fans to tell Danny this?? Either he's fuckin blind or fuckin stupid!

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

has anybody seen the new spiderman movie? any good?

 

[Rodley]

The difference between first and second half was huge. Midfielders getting on the ball and being positive were the same midfielders as those who had hidden previously. They must have had the rocket they deserved at half time.

The reason we go long is because the back four have no-one showing for the ball - there's no other option but to look long. And because we're not playing long ball as a deliberate tactic it achieves nothing. At least if we planned to do it we'd have players in position to flick, chase and hustle.

Our inability to play through midfield has now been utterly found out - every team that comes here is pressing high up the pitch without fear. And we can't do much about it because the players at fault have no obvious replacements.

Absolutely bang on the money.

 

[sheffielder]

Doyle is wilsons captain. Need I say more

 

[super_pig]

The difference between first and second half was huge. Midfielders getting on the ball and being positive were the same midfielders as those who had hidden previously. They must have had the rocket they deserved at half time.

close but no cigar.. after half time we were the same.. it was the introduction of forte that lit the blue touch paper.. he was actually moving around and giving us options.. plus they were now vulnerable to the ball over the top which meant they couldn't hold a line on about the half way line anymore

 

[Highbury_Blade]

My boro mate says Robson is a proper midfield general. Get him in the middle Danny!

 

[shreds1975]

Playing two big, immobile players up front puts the onus on wingers who need the ball and then beat their full back putting a cross in for the big men to attack. Or on midfielders attacking teh second ball.

First half, the ball rarely went wide, the wingers never came in to feed off flick ons and the insistence on playing inverted wingers who cut inside and get crowded out is driving me mad. Porter and Kitson got a slaughtering around me but they were given awful balls to deal with an no support. Forte dealt with slightly better service second half.

Our one player who might burst forward from midfield (Okay McDonald tried second half) was sat in the stands. Is Whitehouse injured?

I can't decide if we went long by tactical choice or necessity. the way we set up make me think the former and we don't have the players to play that way. Nothing worse than watching long ball, executed badly with no anticipation, movement or pace.

 

[Foxy]

close but no cigar.. after half time we were the same.. it was the introduction of forte that lit the blue touch paper.. he was actually moving around and giving us options.. plus they were now vulnerable to the ball over the top which meant they couldn't hold a line on about the half way line anymore

Except we'd upped the tempo and some in the middle suddenly remembered they were supposed to be playing a few mins before Forte came on. Forte was given better and more logical service than the other two had.

 

[shorehamview]

Two big lumps up front might be okay if each winger didn't have to cut in to pass the bloody ball. A left footed player on the right and a right footed player on the left isn't going to bring quick crosses after decent runs if they have to do a 270 degree turn to get into position. Flynn and Murphy spent most of the match on the "wrong" sides - why?

And why does Kitson seem to play like a schizophrenic? One minute he's winning balls and playing it on, next minute he's giving the ball straight to an opponent.

Doyle last night was, on the whole, woeful. Never mind making Monty look good, most of last night's efforts would have made a Dalek look like a silky-skilled genius.

As for Porter, well, if he's the answer then what's the question? Who can jump for headers and get his head lower than his arse in a Wayne Allison stylie?

We've got highly rated kids sat on the bench, and highly underrated shirt hangers getting regular starts. Time for youth, even if it's for just twenty minutes or so. Personally I'd start at least two of the current crop that haven't had a look-in yet. How could they be worse than Porter, or Doyle? At least if they play and look like they're trying then it'd be better than watching Doyle jump around like a goose on a hotplate.

 

[super_pig]

Except we'd upped the tempo and some in the middle suddenly remembered they were supposed to be playing a few mins before Forte came on. Forte was given better and more logical service than the other two had.

perhaps that is because he actually started showing for the ball. porter is a traffic cone.. i'll let kitson off for now.. at least he puts himself about and looks interested
as for this left footer on the right and right footer on the left .. it never works because you have to check inside.. flynn does this every time so he is easy to mark you know what he will do.. the main point about checking inside is that the defence are allowed to turn around. so they are going out not in
no doubt some smart arse will come out with the Robert Pires argument.. yeah well he had Ashley Cole behind him and Henry always went left so that is why that worked for that combination only

 

[Jon Bon]

Time to be brave Danny...

 

[FleaPitBlade]

Im not one for banging the 'play the kids' drum but as much as they need experienced pros, sometimes experienced pros need them. a 18yr old will play with enthusiasm, no fear and a willingness to impress that rubs off.

 

[SwissBlade]

My boro mate says Robson is a proper midfield general. Get him in the middle Danny!

Yep I got the same. I said is he not past it, he reckons not and we've got a proper signing in Robson for this level

 

[Fiery Blade]

Robson may be OK it's the others that I worry about!