Chelmofox

Said it in the Maresca thread, but the way to beat us is to nullify the wingers and pray for that chance to come, which Borough did. With a back 5 and Winks, nullifying the wingers mean that we rely on KDH and Nacho for any quality in the middle. Nacho was useless, and KDH doesn't have the quality to be relied on as the only playmaker in the team. Our wingers aren't elite, and you can comfortably double up on them enough to be comfortable that KDH and Nacho are going to either not be in great positions or snatching at chances. If either KDH or Nacho are remotely clinical or make better decisions yesterday, we beat Middleborough easily. If we have more cutting quality in place of Nacho / KDH then teams will be in 2 minds about doubling on the wingers, which will in turn create more opportunities for them. Unless we sort this problem out, teams will continue to exploit this. Teams in the bottom half with struggle to double up on the wingers and i back ourselves to always find a way (we just did this against QPR), but those teams in the top 8 can play us with some confidence now that they stand a chance.

I watched the game via a stream, and just seen the extended highlights. I still can't believe we didn't win that game. Nacho's left foot shot that Dieng saved was tepid, and he should have done better with the one that hit woodwork. Fatawu should have done better from Mavidid's cross and KDH spraying a few chances over the bar rather than playing better passes just summed the day up. Even Vesty could have taken the lead in the first half. We have stopped being clinical, and 1 goal in 3 games with our squad is a poor return. I cannot believe we will continue like this. But back to the tactics and the system. Firstly, i think there have been tweaks to players games that have in the short term probably had a negative effect. Earlier in the season KDH was trying to do everything, and pretty much all of us commented on this. I think he's definitely had this coached out of him and he is definitely doing less. This issue now is that KDH's output is very much a percentages game - 1 in x attempts actually comes to anything. With him doing less, the % of anything quality has dropped off a cliff and with it the goal contributions. He is now snatching at chances and has lost his rhythm. Whether or not he can improve his game from hereon, or has to go back to his trying to do everything mode, remains to be seen. Seems to me that the best chance the opposition have against us is to nullify the wingers, and this definitely what Leeds and Borough did. With a back 5 and Winks, we have 4 offensive players 2 of which are wingers. The problem is our wingers aren't elite level. Fatawu is a beast but the goal contributions aren't there yet (we need to remember he's still a kid), and Kasey is still migrating from youth level and coming back from an injury. I have a lot of time for him, but Mavididi noticeably drops his head when its not working and Yunus is injured (and Yunus' issue is people want him to play in every position on the pitch now!). So, if you nullify our wingers, then in games like Borough, we can only rely on Nacho and KDH for the quality through the middle. And therein lies our problem. I've already explained about KDH who when has lost his rhythm snatches at the ball and struggles, and Nacho wanders aimlessly offering no intensity or intent through the middle. I don't think we need KDH in this team, his plus point is his energy but we have youth in Fatawu / Mavidi / Kasey that provides that energy now. KDH and Nacho need to be replaced with quality. Without quality in the middle, the system offers no alternative to the wing threat. With Vardy offering little alternative to Nacho right now, i don't see any subs that would have changed it through the middle yesterday. We need a playmaker through the middle to replace KDH. Maddison's don't grow on trees but we need someone of that ilk to be able to cut through the middle of the pitch. KDH doesn't have the quality, and the 2 strikers we use at the moment don't help this system. Maybe Canon is the answer to the striker issue, but we are a way off knowing that and can't expect him to just smash this on his return from injury, but we have 3 strikers (incl Daka) who aren't cut out for this. We need to get rid of Daka and Nacho in January, and prepare for Vardy's retirement by recruiting another. Maybe Alves is the answer to the playmaker issue, but again there is injury and youth in the mix. I think this is a key signing we need to make in January, and we probably need to make it with a view that the player is already ready for the Prem. So short answer, KDH isn't needed in this system and should be replaced with a more quality orientated playmaker, and we need to sort the striker issue out in January.

Apparently, he just needs a few more starts.

Or what? Have you seen how many points teams who get promoted usually drop?

No plan b means ‘I want 4 4 2 hoof ball’.

And thus would have done exactly what I said he would. Just another who runs down contracts who fans invested too much into.

Will score for fun. Apparently. Poor most of the time, idiotic for the rest. Just get rid in January and put the whole thing to bed.

My mates Daughter has started her first day work at the riverside. Let’s get this done properly and send her home in a foul mood.

If he smokes dope, he’s not gonna gluey picked.

Need a new tv. Had an ancient 40 inch HD LCD thing that outlasted 3 different sound systems. Started some research. Fek me, what a jargon filled industry it’s become. Barely have a clue what half this stuff really means with each manufacturer having different acronyms for the same thing. What’s a bloody quantum dot ffs.

Twitter post about interest from Torino on a potential loan incoming.......

2 Spurs fans at work who are constantly waxing lyrical about Madders. I had to explain there are 2 issues: He's made of glass. That injury is coming. When things aren't working out, he can be a completely plonker on social media. When there is an inevitable drop in form, that stupid twitter post is coming. Rumours he might be out for a little while. He tends to come back from injury and struggle. Be interesting to see how he deals with it.

And won 6. We've won 7 away from home. Stats are a bit skewed for Middlesbrough due to their awful start. Suggest we are confident without assuming we need to just turn up to win. Hoping the defeat would have spurred everyone on.

Biggest issue is he will be terrible for a run of games, his eyes drop and he starts to look like he isn't bothered. Then he improves a bit and we all think the issue is solved and he gradually regresses. It's happened this season again. The inconsistency is mind boggling, and i'm genuinely concerned he wont get better the closer he gets to end of contract.

Here Here. I hate some asshole exhaling some horrible strawberry mist in my face as im walking down a street. Makes me gag everytime i smell it. I would still rather smell cigarette smoke (or nothing at all).

You are shorter than I remember…

Thought Ipswich were lucky to get the draw - got a very lucky goal to go 1-2 up. Rotherham gave them a good game and don't look like a side who should be in the bottom 3.

Want to see the post match interview so bad.

He's joint top with KDH is he not? We have quite a wide spread of scorers, and Kasey is one behind Nacho even though he's been out injured for a while. Nacho isn't running away with it, and you really don't know if you are going to get the version of Nacho where is just bounces off him or not. He's not indispensable if the right offer comes in and we think we can source the right replacement.

Depends on what we get offered. If we are offered peanuts then I agree, but if we get offered a decent fee for Nacho we should definitely consider it. He did improve for a few games but he is not indispensable in this system. Ndidi i would hang on to and try to get a new deal sorted.

Hmm. Daka hasn't featured and Nacho isn't indispensable right now. Fatawu will be a big loss but we do have other wingers to utilise, but he is a maverick. Ndidi definitely a loss but we will hopefully have Yunis fit and Casadei has to start kicking on around January. It's not going to be ideal for sure, but i don't think it leaves any gaping holes in there. We can see right now how me miss Ndidi so that's my biggest worry.

Less weird than paying £100 mill for the actual Mudryk.

Is your dog called Mudryk?

Mudryk is woeful. He will probably score a hatrick now.