This is the modern way isn't it? The days of playing a ball through the middle for Wardy or Robinson to chase are gone
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Player Ratings - Middlesbrough (H)
- Thread starter JBizzle
- Start date
This is the modern way isn't it? The days of playing a ball through the middle for Wardy or Robinson to chase are gone
Sorry Acker but how can a cross be a good cross when there's nobody to get on the end of it? Settle in to our system? Is that the system that has a fella out wide lobbing high balls into the box when we've got one 5'9" vs 3 x 6'+?
We should've started with Buckley
Can someone explain that free kick from Bridcutt near the goalline to the right of the penatly area at about 89 mins. Bruno and Bridge were poised outside to have a strike but what does Bridcutt do? He gets Bruno to run closer so he passes to him and then gets the ball back in the same position it was for the free kick and then crosses out of play!!! Bridcutt didn't have a bad game but that poor decision making was endemic in the team.
portslade seagull
Well-known member
Wouldn't matter at the moment because we have no-one to win the ball when it comes in anyway
matthew
Well-known member
Kuszczak-7 Good game from him
Bruno 7 Brillant
Greer 5 Not his best game
El-Abd 6 average
Bridge-6.5 slightly above average
Bridcutt-8 MOM
Crofts 6 Average
Hammond 5 gave the ball away a lot
Barnes 6 average
Lopez 5.5 looked slow with the ball
CMS 4 - missed a SITTER
Subs:
Dobbie 5
Buckley 5
LuaLua 6
Bruno 7 Brillant
Greer 5 Not his best game
El-Abd 6 average
Bridge-6.5 slightly above average
Bridcutt-8 MOM
Crofts 6 Average
Hammond 5 gave the ball away a lot
Barnes 6 average
Lopez 5.5 looked slow with the ball
CMS 4 - missed a SITTER
Subs:
Dobbie 5
Buckley 5
LuaLua 6
Crosses that are delivered into the "corridor of uncertainty" between cb and keeper are exactly what we want. Not spanish daves fault we dont have a Striker who has the common sense to know where to poach.
This is the modern way isn't it? The days of playing a ball through the middle for Wardy or Robinson to chase are gone
Maybe but today one player tried it once, Dobbie, he went round two/three players but then passed it to the goalkeeper.
Vicente does it. It create chances, we didn't do it today. Why not put Buckley in the middle or Lua Lua? He could of kept Lopez on and still brought on the others.
I reckon we have a half decent poacher ... but Boro defended well and outnumbered us, so maybe run at them a bit rather than lobbing in hopeful balls that had zero effect time and time again? Just an idea
Chesney Christ
New member
Tommy 6
Bruno 6
Greer 5
El Abd 5
Bridge 8 MOM
Bridcutt 7
Hammond 6
Crofts 4
Barnes 6
CMS 6
Lopez 7
Buckley 6
Dobbie 0
Bruno 6
Greer 5
El Abd 5
Bridge 8 MOM
Bridcutt 7
Hammond 6
Crofts 4
Barnes 6
CMS 6
Lopez 7
Buckley 6
Dobbie 0
6/7 all round no one played bad but no one played good Bruno had his worst game in the stripes and we had plenty of huff and puff but we are being caught out in the tactical and think part every game now and how the hell do we expect to win a game if we have no one capable of finishing. Get them to practice shooting in training all week long if you can't hit the target you will never win.
It's all very much like last season.
It's all very much like last season.
The best in the world wouldn't have got that, the Boro defender got there before him, no time at all to react!
Chesney Christ
New member
What?
terryberry1
Well-known member
Kuszczak 6
Bruno 6
Greer 5
El-Abd 6
Bridge 7
Bridcutt 7
Crofts 4
Hammond 7
Barnes 5
Lopez 7
CMS 5
Bruno 6
Greer 5
El-Abd 6
Bridge 7
Bridcutt 7
Crofts 4
Hammond 7
Barnes 5
Lopez 7
CMS 5
Meade's Ball
Well-known member
Bruno was occasionally blunderous, but by jingo that man has some ballskills that i envy and admire equally.
In terms of Lopez i quite liked him. He'd ping some balls in and his length of passes to feet were generally sweet. The midfield weakspot for me was Crofts. I have barely seen him touch the ball since his return. He is either in the right place and his colleagues fail to see him, or he hasn't the understanding of our movements and instincts in order to keep turning up and being a part of it. Hammond had a good second half and demanded the ball continuously, which had him the stronger character than Crofts. Bridcutt didn't have much of a chance today to really get in there.
Boro were a quality side with the right level of experience and skill levels to just be in control, and a threat if they really wanted to be. They moved and prodded and were tough. A seemingly successful combo that we just lack a little of to compete with.
I'm still thoroughly excited though and the future seems continuously brighter.
In terms of Lopez i quite liked him. He'd ping some balls in and his length of passes to feet were generally sweet. The midfield weakspot for me was Crofts. I have barely seen him touch the ball since his return. He is either in the right place and his colleagues fail to see him, or he hasn't the understanding of our movements and instincts in order to keep turning up and being a part of it. Hammond had a good second half and demanded the ball continuously, which had him the stronger character than Crofts. Bridcutt didn't have much of a chance today to really get in there.
Boro were a quality side with the right level of experience and skill levels to just be in control, and a threat if they really wanted to be. They moved and prodded and were tough. A seemingly successful combo that we just lack a little of to compete with.
I'm still thoroughly excited though and the future seems continuously brighter.
On at least a couple of times in the second half they absolutely had 10 in the box.
Running at people, especially in crowded areas is more about ball control/dribbling than pace.
West Hoathly Seagull
Honorary Ruffian
Kuszczak 7 - would have been 6, but extra point for great save near the end
Bruno 6 - some good stuff but very careless pass that set up their goal
Greer 4 - frankly since we signed him, I've never seen what the fuss is about. A captain should be a leader, not just shout at his players when they make mistakes
El-Abd 6 - adequate, but did seem to be caught away from his defensive area
Bridge 7 - very good defensively, but not the attacking force he was earlier in the season
Bridcutt 7.5 - MOM for me today
Crofts 5 - fair enough, only just back from injury, but anonymous apart from one tackle. No attacking presence at all
Hammond 5.5 - slightly better than Crofts, but still doesn't seem to have a proper role in the team. Gus - are we playing him in the Bridcutt role as Southampton did, or as an attacking midfielder? Please decide.
Barnes 6 - thought he had a good game, bar getting a goal. If his header had gone in, would probably have got another and MOM
Lopez 6 - attacked the wing quite well in the second half, but no end product
CMS 5 - as said earlier, back to the bad old CMS. Why was he chasing hopeless causes down the wing, instead of getting in the box?
Buckley 5 - poor touch and control and no attacking threat
Lua Lua 6 - didn't seem to want to attack their right back, but we looked more dangerous once he was on
Bruno 6 - some good stuff but very careless pass that set up their goal
Greer 4 - frankly since we signed him, I've never seen what the fuss is about. A captain should be a leader, not just shout at his players when they make mistakes
El-Abd 6 - adequate, but did seem to be caught away from his defensive area
Bridge 7 - very good defensively, but not the attacking force he was earlier in the season
Bridcutt 7.5 - MOM for me today
Crofts 5 - fair enough, only just back from injury, but anonymous apart from one tackle. No attacking presence at all
Hammond 5.5 - slightly better than Crofts, but still doesn't seem to have a proper role in the team. Gus - are we playing him in the Bridcutt role as Southampton did, or as an attacking midfielder? Please decide.
Barnes 6 - thought he had a good game, bar getting a goal. If his header had gone in, would probably have got another and MOM
Lopez 6 - attacked the wing quite well in the second half, but no end product
CMS 5 - as said earlier, back to the bad old CMS. Why was he chasing hopeless causes down the wing, instead of getting in the box?
Buckley 5 - poor touch and control and no attacking threat
Lua Lua 6 - didn't seem to want to attack their right back, but we looked more dangerous once he was on
Barnham Seagull
Yapton Actually
Kuszczak 6
Bruno 6
Greer 5
El-Abd 6
Bridge 6
Bridcutt 7
Crofts 6
Hammond 6
Barnes 6 - A good shot, should have done better with header
Lopez 6 - Looked tidy and promising. Faded.
CMS 4 - Fell over when in good position's and finishing was awful.
Buckley 5
Doobie 5
Lua Lus 6
Gus 0 - Learnt nothing from previos games.
Durso 5 - Added the time on for time wasting but some of the decions he gave for alledged fouls were awful
Bruno 6
Greer 5
El-Abd 6
Bridge 6
Bridcutt 7
Crofts 6
Hammond 6
Barnes 6 - A good shot, should have done better with header
Lopez 6 - Looked tidy and promising. Faded.
CMS 4 - Fell over when in good position's and finishing was awful.
Buckley 5
Doobie 5
Lua Lus 6
Gus 0 - Learnt nothing from previos games.
Durso 5 - Added the time on for time wasting but some of the decions he gave for alledged fouls were awful
DarrenFreemansPerm
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Is Greer a bit of a tool?