[Archived] Middlesbrough Preview

[Bobby G]

Late late escape.

Watched the match on TV, and all I have to say to the "positive-spinners" is that we are a quarter of the season in and I have seen more negative signs of things to come than positive. Yes, we all support the club, but three games on the spin and only one or two shots on target. Whats more worrying is that we have absolutely no width or creativity other than when Carlos plays centrally. Yes he loses the ball quite a few times but thats cause he is really pushing on forward. He keeps the ball a tad too long though and needs to speed it up a bit in decision-making.

Overall, we had a good first 30 minutes during which we should have scored at least once, but in the second half we were pathetic. Couldnt create anything. No shots, no creativity, nothing.

Man of the match was Grella who was excellent I thought all-throughout.

Now about Ince's selection. Derbs is NOT a left winger, and we were playing with 10 men while he was on the pitch. If Ince has a problem with MGP now, he might as well started with Treacy, although I dont think he will ever be anything more than a squad man at best.

Im disappointed that we didnt win this, and unless we sign a couple of decent wingers, its difficult to see how things will change.

PS. Sell Roque and we are bottom 5 certainties.

[chileandude]

Poor long balls all day...very frustrating. It's funny to see defenders throw long balls as if they were Riquelme. Ok, maybe the rain didn't help the passing game, but surely Blackburn must have a plan B if Santa Cruz is being marked all over.

I would have liked to see a little bit more confidence in the midfield passing. As soon as they see a red shirt they just kick it up there and hope RSC grabs it...If you are going to play high balls to Roque, then at least try and and get them from the corners so that the rest of the midfield can push up and pressure on their side of the pitch and keep the ball around their area.

At times Blackburn was pushed back so much Villanueva was receiving balls on his own half! They are at home! They should be pressuring the other team on their side!

[Bobby G]

The one where we struggled to get any shots on target again, where we offered virtually no penetration and where we played countless long balls, again completely bypassing the midfield.

I'd be interested to know how the anti-Allardyce people are viewing the current regime. I can't imagine the football being any worse than it is now.

Sam Allardyce is the guest in the Dubai-studio of Showtimes coverage of the game and he has been highly critical of Ince from the outset...Sore feelings I see...

[Frisky Jim]

What game were you watching?

We had the majority of the possession and bossed the game, it was not the greatest we have played but it wasnt a "pathetic performance" neither. The game merely highlights the need for a couple of decent wingers in January.

Grella and Carlos both played well.

It was a pathetic performance. In fact it was disgusting.

Paul Ince has a lot to answer for.

[Mr. E]

Robinson was the reason for our equalizer which seemed to be God-sent, but it won't spare the team from the criticism.

Where to start.

Carlos - f*** off back to South America right now. Completely useless, even more so than Pedersen. Can't cross the ball, can't pass, loses it every time it's near him. Makes 1 good long shot for every 5 mishits. Get out.

Satna Cruz - missed 5 clear goals today. Dump him at Man City's stadium and get rid already.

Derbyshire - did nothing but stupid long crosses that went out for a goalkick with no one ever coming near the ball.

Emerton - tries, but is nowhere near good enough to be taking on 2-3 players at once

Warnock + Grella - might as well plant two trees in their place, they'll be more useful

Olson - Back to the reserves right now. Goes forward like a blind horse but can't beat his man and can only give away fouls. Ruined half our chances today.

Paul Ince - the biggest clown of them all. 3 strikes already I think. After the depressing performance vs Man United, this one effectively killed us. Why on Earth do you not start with McCarthy but Santa Cruz? That cost us the game more than anything. Weak midfield all around.

Season over as far as I'm concerned. If we can't beat Bolton or Boro, what else are we going to do? We'll get a drumming from Villa next game and sink back to lower table mediocrity.

[imy9]

The one where we struggled to get any shots on target again, where we offered virtually no penetration and where we played countless long balls, again completely bypassing the midfield.

I'd be interested to know how the anti-Allardyce people are viewing the current regime. I can't imagine the football being any worse than it is now.

As I stated earlier we are clearly lacking in the wide areas which has resulted in long balls being pumped forward, this changes when we play Tugay but he cant play every game.

One point saved, Benni scored, Carlos and Grella played well, which are positives to take from the game.

Any stats on how many shots on target?

It was a pathetic performance. In fact it was disgusting.

Paul Ince has a lot to answer for.

And we drew, god imagine the reaction if we had lost the game

Robinson was the reason for our equalizer which seemed to be God-sent, but it won't spare the team from the criticism.

Carlos - f*** off back to South America right now. Completely useless, even more so than Pedersen. Can't cross the ball, can't pass, loses it every time it's near him. Makes 1 good long shot for every 5 mishits. Get out.

Our most creative player whose set plays were excellent throughout the game

[RibbleValleyRover]

Carlos - f*** off back to South America right now. Completely useless, even more so than Pedersen. Can't cross the ball, can't pass, loses it every time it's near him. Makes 1 good long shot for every 5 mishits. Get out.

I completley disagree Mr.E

Carlos was our most creative threat today. He put numerous through balls into Roque and his set piece delivery was pretty good. He was our best player on the pitch IMO.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Not the best of performances by Rovers despite the majority of possession.Again the crux of the problem appears to be the lack of creativity from midfield,without this the likes of Cruz are being starved of chances.Well done Benni for the late goal and lets hope that sees the return of your form in the side.

The weather was lousy but I have a real fear that with the amount of empty seats in the stands many people are voting with their feet at the lack of quality and entertainment being served by our team at Ewood and that is a real worry.

PS. Sell Roque and we are bottom 5 certainties.

The thought is truly frightening Bobby.

[RoverRich]

Robinson was the reason for our equalizer which seemed to be God-sent, but it won't spare the team from the criticism.

Where to start.

Carlos - f*** off back to South America right now. Completely useless, even more so than Pedersen. Can't cross the ball, can't pass, loses it every time it's near him. Makes 1 good long shot for every 5 mishits. Get out.

Satna Cruz - missed 5 clear goals today. Dump him at Man City's stadium and get rid already.

Derbyshire - did nothing but stupid long crosses that went out for a goalkick with no one ever coming near the ball.

Emerton - tries, but is nowhere near good enough to be taking on 2-3 players at once

Warnock + Grella - might as well plant two trees in their place, they'll be more useful

Olson - Back to the reserves right now. Goes forward like a blind horse but can't beat his man and can only give away fouls. Ruined half our chances today.

Paul Ince - the biggest clown of them all. 3 strikes already I think. After the depressing performance vs Man United, this one effectively killed us. Why on Earth do you not start with McCarthy but Santa Cruz? That cost us the game more than anything. Weak midfield all around.

Season over as far as I'm concerned. If we can't beat Bolton or Boro, what else are we going to do? We'll get a drumming from Villa next game and sink back to lower table mediocrity.

You are a negative plonker who most definitely did not watch the same game as everyone else! Are you deliberately trying to wind us up?!! Carlos was very good, very creative and a bright performance on an otherwise very dull night. And as for Grella (yes, I will constantly defend him lol) he played very well and looked a different player to the one who played against West Ham. He did his job perfectly. It was only his second match for us after injury. If they are consistently poor like Pedersen or Roberts give them stick, but with our youngsters and newer players give them a chance! Having said that I do agree with your assessment on Derbs!

[chileandude]

I completley disagree Mr.E

Carlos was out most creative threat today. He put numerous through balls into Roque and his set piece delivery was pretty good. He was our best player on the pitch IMO.

Yeah...I was going to comment on that. It's hardly Pinapple's fault if the other players are not confident passing the ball around the floor, that's why many S.Americans are reluctant to go to the Premiership...it's this 'long balls and run for it' type of football that gives the Premiership a bad rep. You need at least two players to link up and build up an attack...and it only happened in the first half a few times. In the second half Blackburn just skipped the midfield altogether! Started taking long shots which were never going to work...a lot of homework for Ince.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

That's our 'Get out of jail free' card we've used up this season. Just a shame it happened at home against a team who we should be beating comfortably.

We had 3 good chances to score through Santa Cruz but apart from that we didn't really test their keeper.

I think it's time for Ince to start playing people in their correct positions.

Warnock back to left back, Emerton at right back once we buy a right midfielder. Put two actual midfielders in the middle and put Benni and Roque upfront.

[Bobby G]

Also tinkering so much with the team this far into the season cant be good.

We have made 4 or more changes for the last two or three consecutive games.

Plus Roque has NOT had a partner this season, with so many players mixing and matching and that would surely effect his form.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

17,606

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Paul Ince certainly loves the words "ya know". He said it about 500 times in that post match interview.

[ROVERS]

Anyone here thinks rovers had played well, is truly decieving yourself.

1) what the hell was paul ince thinking, to leave Matty on the wings? Not only the starting line up has been shocking, the instrutions to leave Matty to deliver the balls was even more shocking! and it takes PAUL INCE 65 mins to finally take him off, realising he has been awfully wasting Matty there.

2) has anyone here realise how narrow the play was!? once the ball starts from the right , it juz keeps going down the right even when most of the players were obviously well marked. vice versa down the left flank. isn't there any support from the middle to spray the ball probably down other paths??????????? the player are so damn blind and narrowed.

3) what were the back four actually thinking by crossing long balls, bypassing the midfielders? to make matters worse, the deliveries were awful. once the midfilders realise that they simply can't penetrate, the denfenders came along to help out by recieving a back pass, and pumping it right up to santa cruz. Santa cruz try ways and means to get to the ball and setup someone...... and the story ends there. its not soccer, this is simply gambling and finding the simplest way out.

4) this point is more of a feel, in the past, when rovers were down, the attitude and character to fight back were miles apart from what i saw today. AWFUL sums it all up

5) when you are down, you make sure you bring in some substitues to make a difference, you don't bring in someone of the same calibre, and adding on to it, an inexperience young player. what difference does it make by substituting ollson with treacy? LOOK! Treacy has contributed ZERO when he came on. instead of creating something, he actually brought confusion to the play.

6)just how many players were played out of position today?

for 3 seasons..... the centre midfielder problem is still there. for 3 seasons, the lack of pace is still there. And congratulations! the play has upgraded from winning boringly to losing/drawing awfully.

Just how many more games INCE will need to finally find out that , you don't try to be smart by trying people at different positions and take your time trying to figure out the right position for the right person. you don't destroy the castle to build another castle, basically you will just need to upgrade it. You don't do changes like that, as it is equalivent to killing yourself.

Its just a matter of time when players starts to be fustrated and thats the begining of an end.

And Yesh! i am a Anti-Paul Ince, because there isn't any reason why i should not be one.

I sincerely pray! as all teams are improving except for my beloved ROVERS.

[jonv]

so uhhhh,

that was (Please don't use that word again)ing atrocious

no seriously, watching that with friends tonight was embarrassing.... wheres the football?

[philipl]

Well done Benni.

That game was crying out for Tugay to give us some guile and intelligence.

Derbs did well receiving and running with the ball but I don't think he played a decent end ball all game- two bad misses from Derbs when we were completely on top in the first ten minutes.

We have to face it, we don't have a decent winger on either flank- balls into the box from either flank missed their targets all game.

Carlos was a bright spark but second half they had sussed how to snuff him and we really did not have a plan B.

Grella has a huge anount to learn to be Premier League standard.

[joey_big_nose]

We retained the ball well, and passed around our own half fine, but the problem was that Boro just sat back with 10 behind the ball and Alves up front and we couldn't open them up. The main issue was a lack of outlet on the left hand side - Emerton and Villanueva in particular did alright, but Derbs just didn't trouble them and we lack overlaps from the full backs (strange as Olsson seems so keen to get forward usually.

I was surprised Tugay wasn't on around the hour mark as we clearly needed someone to play a clever ball. Grella did well but he is a destroyer not a maker and Warnock seems to have lost that verve and energy that made him look so good in the midfield role. I have to agree he will soon be moved back to his regular position.

If it had been me I would have switched to 442, taking Olsson off for Tugay (moving Warnock to left back) and Derbyshire off for Treacy (in a straight switch) a lot earlier.

With the quality that Boro had in Alves up front they knew they could always nick a goal and just sit back, they had so little ambition. The rain didn't help our cause either.

Not a bad performance as a team but lacking in creativity apart from Carlos.

Not too worried to be honest in terms of slipping down the league, but I think we are going to struggle to get out of mid table unless we find the the right balance in midfield.

McCarthy still worries me. Real quality on the ball but a lack of movement makes things difficult for everyone else, I find it hard to see how we will acomodate him except as a sub or if Roberts plays to do the running should Cruz be unavailable.

[Plastic Head]

A few quick thoughts while I dry out...

3 goals in 5 home games is grim.

Warnock needs to go back to left-back and maybe give Ollson a go further forward.

Derbyshire is as bad as Pedersen on the left, and that takes some doing.

We are not good enough as a team to afford to play Carlos "in the hole". We need to be able to benefit from Roques headers on, and we need stronger players in midfield. Maybe Carlos on the left.

The balls in from the set plays were very good today in the most part but we were crap at getting onto the end of them or getting a decent shot or header in.

A dull and depressing evening brightened slightly by a point at least.

[chileandude]

If Blackburn doesn't have any wingers then just put another striker upfront. Against small teams Blackburn should be playing with two strikers. Marking a lone RSC was too easy for the opposition. Two men upfront means more targets for the midfield and the Riquelme-esque defenders.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

I don't think we played as bad as people are making out but we just didn't look like being able to get a goal.

We always looked like we would get the ball and pass it around but it's when we get to the final 3rd when we seem to be clueless about what to do. Considering the amount of time we spent in their half, we should be testing the keeper from all over the place yet we seemed quite easy to work out. That is where the problem lies. We need that creative spark to be able to get chances to the likes of Santa Cruz without him needing to create the chance every time. Comparing us to last season, we simply haven't replaced Bentley.

Also we need to put players in positions they are most effective in. Warnock is doing well in midfield BUT he's an England international at left back. Olsson isn't half as good as Warnock yet. In the future...maybe...but at the moment i'd rather have Warnock in a strong defence. At the moment our back four has been different in most games.

[imy9]

Anyone here thinks rovers had played well, is truly decieving yourself.

THOUGHT WE PLAYED OK, CERTAINLY NOT "PATHETIC" AS CERTAIN POSTERS HAVE STATED.

1) what the hell was paul ince thinking, to leave Matty on the wings? Not only the starting line up has been shocking, the instrutions to leave Matty to deliver the balls was even more shocking! and it takes PAUL INCE 65 mins to finally take him off, realising he has been awfully wasting Matty there.

MATTY PLAYED WELL THERE AGAINST NEWCASTLE AND HELPED US KEEP POSSESSION IN THE FIRST HALF WITH AN EXTRA MAN.

2) has anyone here realise how narrow the play was!? once the ball starts from the right , it juz keeps going down the right even when most of the players were obviously well marked. vice versa down the left flank. isn't there any support from the middle to spray the ball probably down other paths??????????? the player are so damn blind and narrowed.

AGREED.

3) what were the back four actually thinking by crossing long balls, bypassing the midfielders? to make matters worse, the deliveries were awful. once the midfilders realise that they simply can't penetrate, the denfenders came along to help out by recieving a back pass, and pumping it right up to santa cruz. Santa cruz try ways and means to get to the ball and setup someone...... and the story ends there. its not soccer, this is simply gambling and finding the simplest way out.

NO PACE ON THE WINGS MEANT WE PLAYED NARROW, THIS NEEDS TO BE SORTED WITH A COUPLE OF QUALITY WINGERS.

4) this point is more of a feel, in the past, when rovers were down, the attitude and character to fight back were miles apart from what i saw today. AWFUL sums it all up

DISAGREE, WE KEPT FIGHTING AND CERTAINLY PUT IN A SHIFT.

5) when you are down, you make sure you bring in some substitues to make a difference, you don't bring in someone of the same calibre, and adding on to it, an inexperience young player. what difference does it make by substituting ollson with treacy? LOOK! Treacy has contributed ZERO when he came on. instead of creating something, he actually brought confusion to the play.

INCE'S SUBS USUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, DID BENNI COME OFF THE BENCH?

6)just how many players were played out of position today?

QUITE A FEW BUT WE HAVE INJURIES IN MIDFIELD

for 3 seasons..... the centre midfielder problem is still there. for 3 seasons, the lack of pace is still there. And congratulations! the play has upgraded from winning boringly to losing/drawing awfully.

BARRING THE LAST MONTH THE PROBLEMS WERE THERE FOR HUGHES TO SORT OUT HE DID NOT, WE ARE COMFORTBLY MID TABLE, THE WAY YOU ARE MAKING OUT WE ARE LOSING EXCESSIVELY, HOW MANY HAVE WE LOST?

Just how many more games INCE will need to finally find out that , you don't try to be smart by trying people at different positions and take your time trying to figure out the right position for the right person. you don't destroy the castle to build another castle, basically you will just need to upgrade it. You don't do changes like that, as it is equalivent to killing yourself.

AS A NEW MANAGER HE NEEDS TO KNOW WHICH PLAYERS HE CAN RELY ON, MGP IS OUT FOR THAT REASON. THIS CASTLE NEEDED REBUILDING SIMPLY BECAUSE PLAYERS ARE AGEING, PLAYERS MOVED ON AND INCE WANTS TO PUT HIS STAMP ON THINGS, NOTHING WRONG IN THAT.

Its just a matter of time when players starts to be fustrated and thats the begining of an end.

MAJORITY OF PLAYERS HAVE BEEN PRAISING INCE, EMERTON BEING THE LATEST, IS THAT NOT POSITIVE?

And Yesh! i am a Anti-Paul Ince, because there isn't any reason why i should not be one.

I AM PRO INCE BECAUSE THERE IS EVERY REASON TO BE HOPEFUL AND UNLESS WE ARE BOTTOM 3 IN FEBRUARY I AM BACKING HIM.

I sincerely pray! as all teams are improving except for my beloved ROVERS.

[Tom]

Seriously some pricks on here need to take a look at themselves, just got back from the game, we played decent football given the conditions.

According to some of you we created nothing, i must have imagined roque hitting the post, and then their keeper making a good save from another 1 on 1 also the Nelsen header in the first half.

If Roque was on form today we would have walked it.

Oh yeah I also noticed Bennis head dropping, didn't do a thing near the end did he, get a grip and stop hoping Ince fails.

Must be easy to sit there at home criticising.

PS Did anyone else who actually bothered going notice the rotund lady kicking off with the stewards near then end, wonder what that was about.

[tcj_jones]

What on earth? I watched the game on Setanta with my friend (a neutral) and neither of us could understand how Rovers didn't come away with three points today. 'Boro offered next to nothing all game and we played very, very well, always making openings and always creating. 'Boro just made it very difficult for us by putting ten men behind the ball from the off. I am absolutely gutted that we didn't win the game, I cannot believe that some actually think we played badly! All in all, extremely encouraging stuff today.

Carlos got caught in two minds a few times, but he looks as though he'll become an excellent player.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

We are not as bad as people are suggesting. Certainly not as bad as they seem to make out from their blurry streams.

We played okay. Our defence was, on the whole, solid. Went a bit walkabout for the goal, but apart from that we restricted them. Derbyshire can't cross, and it's unfair to criticise him for it, he isn't a winger. Carlos was decent in the first half but they had an extra man on him in the second half. Benni looked up for it and I could tell how relieved he was when he scored. Kinda wish it was Robbo who got his head to it though .

Anyone else pleasantly surprised by Grella? He is the closest thing we have to Tugay in terms of picking the ball up from the back 4 and moving it around. His long range passes are inconsistent, but there is definitely potential. He put a few out of play but in the first half he chipped over a perfect pass for Bert.

We were not that bad. We just need more decisiveness and penetration in the final third. We can't break teams down with 10 behind the ball most of the time.