Middlesbrough v Charlton - Post Match Views

RedChaser said:

Just seen the goals on SSN the two from corners looked like we've reverted to zonal marking again. Nobody went with their scorer for the first one, Tomlin went through 3 players in our box before laying on a plate for the 2nd and the third was a great strike from Tomlin on the volley edge of box but no one any where near him so had time to measure it all the way from the corner taker. So much for making us harder to beat.

Our defending of set pieces have been shit for about 3 seasons now. They were bad under Powell as well. I really don't understand how we can't improve in this area

The games are a touch irrelevant for me at the moment although obviously relegation would be a disaster. It's the deconstruction of the club from within that's the bigger picture. Until that's fixed, nothing's going to improve on the pitch.

We ain't defended corners well since curbs

Can Solly play on Tuesday?

I think if we are in the bottom 3 at the end of the season, we are going down....

PeteF said:

Oakster said:

Going to be interesting to hear from the diehards there - no disrespect to Finchy but every time the ball gets into the opposition box he sounds like we are about to score the goal of the season!! Still a million miles better than the dark days of Emma.....

Its the expectation that gets the better of me!

As I said, a trillion light years ahead of the dark old days of Emma & Jamie - it's my fault anyway 8am on a Saturday morning is not a good time to be listening to live football!!

Interesting that people are saying that Buyens didnt look bothered today but have seen the goal and it was his lay off for Gudmundsson to score...

There's not really much point analysing a game which most teams in the league would lose. We weren't really thrashed and had more shots on target than in previous games so it's not a step backwards. Have to get some points on the board soon though starting on Tuesday.

Oakster said:

Its the expectation that gets the better of me!

As I said, a trillion light years ahead of the dark old days of Emma & Jamie


I thought that Jamie fella was okay to be fair. Totally agree about Em..(pause for effect)...ma though.........

Redrobo said:

When I saw the team I said we had one eye on the Norwich game.

Just like Rega did, I think he has targeted games we can win - and a home game must be one.

I expect dropped players to be back in and JJ. High hopes for a win.

Norwich took Blackpool apart today, they'll have plenty of confidence when they turn up on Tuesday. They are only a few points from the play-off places so they'll see us as an ideal opportunity to make up some ground.

well just everything has gone wrong today cost a fortune finally on way home now when will we see a bloody win

Lost as I expected us to. The trouble is I also expect us to lose most of the rest of our games. Many of our players have no commitment to the club, many are not good enough.

If RD thinks he is going to make money by bringing through players in League Ome and selling he is a fool. We lose £5M in the Champ, drop another £3M Sky money on relegation and tiny crowds and he will need to find £8M + of sales a year just to break even. The best of our Youth will leave in droves before signing contracts and we will get nothing for them, like they did last time we went down.

Not such a great businessman after all.

Athletico Charlton said:

Lost as I expected us to. The trouble is I also expect us to lose most of the rest of our games. Many of our players have no commitment to the club, many are not good enough.

If RD thinks he is going to make money by bringing through players in League Ome and selling he is a fool. We lose £5M in the Champ, drop another £3M Sky money on relegation and tiny crowds and he will need to find £8M + of sales a year just to break even. The best of our Youth will leave in droves before signing contracts and we will get nothing for them, like they did last time we went down.

Not such a great businessman after all.

Who would you say has no commitment AC?

On the way home. We left Bamford - probably the best finisher at Middlesbrough - totally on his own to glance in an ultra easy header in the first five minutes. Absolutely criminal. Never a great start but Boro slipped into complacency and - having threatened on a number of occasions - we deservedly drew level through an excellent strike by Gudmundsson . Nice work by Church and Tony Watt. This was a fair reflection at half time.

The concern was that they'd get their act together in the second half and that was, in broad terms, what they did. We conceded straight away from some piss-poor defending and were then up against it. We offered little in a relatively tepid second half and a quality a
strike from Tomlin - the best player on view by far - put it all beyond doubt. I also liked Leadbitter, who sprayed the ball around for them very well, using the whole breadth of the pitch.

Our lads certainly gave it a good go and there was no lack of effort or application on their part. We just fell short against a better side. Fair enough in this instance, although we are starting to look a bit 'soft' at the back, which is a worry, given our impotence up front. You can't give high quality opposition two goals at the start of each half.

A most enjoyable day out, notwithstanding the result. I also had a very interesting chat with a little Scots guy called Ian Gibson, who played for Boro and - more notably, Coventry (under Jimmy Hill) - who recalled the days of those renowned hatchet men, George Curtis and Maurice Setters. He also played will people like Willie Carr - he of the little flick up for Ernie Hunt's goal against Everton on Match if the Day.

Sorry, I digress. No surprises today but certainly no disgrace. The other results went for us today but we do do need to win one or two games to arrest the slide.

It was surely meant as a signal to us - new broom -no interest in who your heroes are etc... I'm in charge now.