[Archived] Rhodes To Boro

[oldjamfan1]

Don't worry fella, I'm not stressed.

I do try to answer people when they ask me questions though. Since I'm the lone voice on my side of the debate, I'm fielding a lot of questions!

But we're all guessing one way or the other until we see how the new look forward line gets on.

[Stuart]

https://mobile.twitter.com/Impaullambert/status/694272607869386752?s=04

[ChrisyG]

The whole thing was massively dysfunctional. A player signed on silly money (by Barry) on a massive wage compared to the rest of the team. The aim was JR's goals would fire us to promotion and it didn't work.

I'm genuinely sad JR has gone. He was cracking goalscorer, professional and he also seemed like a good egg.

However, Lambert wants change and he's made a big call. We need to get behind Lambert, move on and the back the players for the run in. Hopefully, the players will step up and show they're not a one man team.

[Athlete]

Last four years...

Rhodes 83 league goals

Jackson 6

Graham 12

Watt 24

Tells it's own story

[yoda]

Tells it's own story

And slipping down the league

[gumboots]

Don't worry fella, I'm not stressed.

I do try to answer people when they ask me questions though. Since I'm the lone voice on my side of the debate, I'm fielding a lot of questions!

I don't think you're the only one who thinks selling your best goalscorer at the end of the transfer window to a team you still have to play twice is probably a mistake. However, once it was clear he wanted to go it had to be done. Good pro and probably good guy that he is, he might have tried to get his head down and work hard for the team but it was never going to work out. Lambert may not fancy him but he didn't push him out. Rhodes had already asked to talk to the Boro and obviously wanted to again. I wish we could have kept him. I wish there was a way it could have been resolved that didn't make us feel like we've probably been screwed over again by someone, but it's done now and who knows what might have been. He's gone. Let's just hope we have enough to survive this season and then see what happens

[Dean]

Let's have a look at some other clubs before we start panicking about goals. Top three goal scorers for some promotion chasing sides:

Middlesbrough (2nd): Cristhian Stuani 10, Albert Adomah 6, David Nugent 5

Brighton (4th): Bobby Zamora 7, Tomer Hemed 6, Dale Stephens 4

Birmingham (6th): Jon-Miquel Toral 6, Clayton Donaldson 5, Jacques Maghoma 5

Ipswich (8th): Daryl Murphy 8, Brett Pitman 8, Freddie Sears 6

Cardiff (9th): Craig Noone 6, Anthony Pilkington 5, Sean Morrison 3

You don't need expensive, prolific individual players to challenge at the top end, let alone survive. Obviously it helps if you have one, but it's not a necessity. It's about the team as a whole, and that's where having Rhodes really held us back.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I'm struggling to see why people are pinning all their hopes on watt, he's a decent player but nothing special, he built his early reputation on that goal against Barcelona since then he's had loan spells at other clubs including a productivish one in Belgium apart from that he's not pulled up any trees

I think what has made me optimistic is that fans of both Charlton and Cardiff were apparently disappointed he left.

[Stuart]

I don't think you're the only one who thinks selling your best goalscorer at the end of the transfer window to a team you still have to play twice is probably a mistake. However, once it was clear he wanted to go it had to be done. Good pro and probably good guy that he is, he might have tried to get his head down and work hard for the team but it was never going to work out. Lambert may not fancy him but he didn't push him out. Rhodes had already asked to talk to the Boro and obviously wanted to again. I wish we could have kept him. I wish there was a way it could have been resolved that didn't make us feel like we've probably been screwed over again by someone, but it's done now and who knows what might have been. He's gone. Let's just hope we have enough to survive this season and then see what happens

You may be right, gb, but with the speed and manner that Lambert reacted you can help feel the Rhodes was pushing against an open door.

Let's hope that the style of football that Rhodes was preventing Lambert from successfully deploying (according to some) is effective with the remaining players.

I'll admit to being quite pleased about Gomez. If he can become 5/8th the player Tugay was then I'll be very happy.

[Spankus Munky]

Let's have a look at some other clubs before we start panicking about goals. Top three goal scorers for some promotion chasing sides:

Middlesbrough (2nd): Cristhian Stuani 10, Albert Adomah 6, David Nugent 5

Brighton (4th): Bobby Zamora 7, Tomer Hemed 6, Dale Stephens 4

Birmingham (6th): Jon-Miquel Toral 6, Clayton Donaldson 5, Jacques Maghoma 5

Ipswich (8th): Daryl Murphy 8, Brett Pitman 8, Freddie Sears 6

Cardiff (9th): Craig Noone 6, Anthony Pilkington 5, Sean Morrison 3

You don't need expensive, prolific individual players to challenge at the top end, let alone survive. Obviously it helps if you have one, but it's not a necessity. It's about the team as a whole, and that's where having Rhodes really held us back.

Derby (5th): Chris Martin 9, Tom Ince 8, Jacob Butterfield 6

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

The whole thing was massively dysfunctional. A player signed on silly money (by Barry) on a massive wage compared to the rest of the team. The aim was JR's goals would fire us to promotion and it didn't work.

I'm genuinely sad JR has gone. He was cracking goalscorer, professional and he also seemed like a good egg.

However, Lambert wants change and he's made a big call. We need to get behind Lambert, move on and the back the players for the run in. Hopefully, the players will step up and show they're not a one man team.

IMO it was the only decision he could make - we have too many deficiencies in other areas of the team to afford a single player on £45k a week. It will be interesting to see how he goes on at Boro - in theory he should be the icing on he cake - but I am curious to see how the other deficiencies in his game start to impact the team - in truth it may only start to hurt them in the Premiership. Either way - I wish him the best - but interesting to hear David Platt questioning his ability to play in the Premiership - but I suppose if they get promoted they can afford to buy somebody else.

[Tom]

Is rhodes the only player we've at least made a transfer fee on that signed in the post relegation season?

Koita

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

IMO it was the only decision he could make - we have too many deficiencies in other areas of the team to afford a single player on £45k a week. It will be interesting to see how he goes on at Boro - in theory he should be the icing on he cake - but I am curious to see how the other deficiencies in his game start to impact the team - in truth it may only start to hurt them in the Premiership. Either way - I wish him the best - but interesting to hear David Platt questioning his ability to play in the Premiership - but I suppose if they get promoted they can afford to buy somebody else.

Yeah and if he does flop they'll sell him to another championship team next season and possibly get a chunk of that dosh back.

[Stuart]

Koita

I think he meant the first season we dropped, not just since the drop.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

He's got a couple of goals but I don't think he'll chip in with many more. He's okay at winning the ball but useless going forward from what I've seen - he's unable to pick out a forward pass and seems to aimlessly hit the ball forward to a defender.

The fact that I agree he's still the best midfielder we've got speaks volumes should be seen as an alarming reminder about how awful we are in central midfield rather than glowing praise for Akpan for managing to score two goals all season.

The point I'm making is that other players should have chipped in and haven't.

Don't worry fella, I'm not stressed.

I do try to answer people when they ask me questions though. Since I'm the lone voice on my side of the debate, I'm fielding a lot of questions!

On the one hand there's you - and on the other hand there's David Pleat. Mm, who do we think knows the most about players ?

Funnily enough my view coincides with his exactly.

[Tom]

I think he meant the first season we dropped, not just since the drop.

Ah fair enough, my response makes no sense we've actually sold loads

[ewood111]

The point I'm making is that other players should have chipped in and haven't.

On the one hand there's you - and on the other hand there's David Pleat. Mm, who do we think knows the most about players ?

Funnily enough my view coincides with his exactly.

Pretty sure that my point in the first place was that all of our midfielders - Akpan included - need to step up their game and contribute? Sounds like we're already agreeing there...

[RevidgeBlue]

How about "let's grab the momey quick before Rhodes is found out?"

On a more serious note, how about "the squad needs rebuilding and there's no money?"

I'd call it "decent haste".

We couldn't rebuild at this late stage though that's entirely the point. It's more or less the same as letting your best players go whilst under embargo. I'm sure there would have been an outcry if that had have happened as indeed there was with Cairney.

[ChrisyG]

IMO it was the only decision he could make - we have too many deficiencies in other areas of the team to afford a single player on £45k a week. It will be interesting to see how he goes on at Boro - in theory he should be the icing on he cake - but I am curious to see how the other deficiencies in his game start to impact the team - in truth it may only start to hurt them in the Premiership. Either way - I wish him the best - but interesting to hear David Platt questioning his ability to play in the Premiership - but I suppose if they get promoted they can afford to buy somebody else.

I agree. I'll be fascinated to see how he get's on! With Boro having some very good players you'd expect JR to bang a few in.

[Stuart]

On the one hand there's you - and on the other hand there's David Pleat. Mm, who do we think knows the most about players ?

Funnily enough my view coincides with his exactly.

Presumably that MUST prove your opinion right and mine wrong then. Well done.

I guess that makes Gibson a know-nowt as well. Just remind me of our respective positions in the league could you.

[Pedro]

I agree. I'll be fascinated to see how he get's on! With Boro having some very good players you'd expect JR to bang a few in.

He's going to take the place of someone who's been scoring already so he's going to have to play well. Strange signing in a way and the lack of interest in 4 years from any decent Premier League team does suggest they doubt he can cut it at the top. It's only teams where his Uncle has been that have really tried to take him off us.

[roverandout]

If rovers survive this season then spend heavily in the summer and rebuild the squad from top to bottom then selling rhodes would have been a good bit of business if not then its a fookin farce

[onlyonejackwalker]

Not much faith being displayed in Lambert. This is obviously all part of a longer term plan. It's one I'm buying into. Over engineering things won't help and time and patience is of course required.

Some right old tosh in this division. We won't go down.

Admired Rhodes skill in hitting the target from in and around the box. Disliked his general play and the negative impact on the team. Have genuinely missed having pace upfront. Going nowhere but down with Bowyer's squad and a major overhaul was required. Good to see the manager going for it so quickly.

Onwards and upwards. It remains exciting times for the club.

[tonyoz]

It’s sad to see Jordan go and I have mixed feelings. When he doesn’t score, his overall contribution is minimal. That being said, his 20+ goals per season will be difficult to replace and we won’t get promotion unless someone steps up to the plate.

Let’s have a look at the contenders:

Brown He has yet to score for us after 20 odd matches.

Graham He was reasonably prolific back in the 2008-11 period but he only ever scored more than 20 in a season once - way back then (in 2010-11). In recent seasons he has not reached double figures.

Jackson He has never scored more than 20 in a league season. In each of the previous 3 seasons, he has not scored more than 3! He was reasonably prolific in the 2008-11 period.

​Watt He has never scored more than 20 goals per season. His best in the last 4 seasons is 8.

All these players have lost their way recently. We will be relying on Lambert to rejuvenate them. He

has taken a cleaver to the first team…………………it needed it!! Selling Rhodes is a massive (and brave)

statement of intent. He is backing himself to build a better team without him.

Many people have written enthusiastically about the Oxford performance but having watched the

full match recording I am not convinced. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to the next game with an

unfamiliar sense of excitement!

Here is a complete breakdown of the players stats showing goals and (appearances in brackets).

E&OE as they are from Wiki.

2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

Brown 1 (16) 2 (11) 9 (36) 9 (40) ? 0 (5)

Graham 24 (45) 12 (36) 3 (31) 7 (36) 2 (19) 0 (10)

Jackson 13 (38) 3 (22) 1 (13) 2 (23) 3 (28) 0 (0)

Watt 3 (15) 2 (3) 5 (20) 8 (19) 7 (35) 4 (26)

Rhodes 16 (37) 36 (40) 27 (43) 25 (46) 21 (45) 10 (25)

[Mike Graham]

Rhodes has gone.

He is history, another ex-player.

Let's move on.

Not much faith being displayed in Lambert. This is obviously all part of a longer term plan. It's one I'm buying into. Over engineering things won't help and time and patience is of course required.

Some right old tosh in this division. We won't go down.

Admired Rhodes skill in hitting the target from in and around the box. Disliked his general play and the negative impact on the team. Have genuinely missed having pace upfront. Going nowhere but down with Bowyer's squad and a major overhaul was required. Good to see the manager going for it so quickly.

Onwards and upwards. It remains exciting times for the club.

Exactly my sentiments. Too many PL attackers on this MB......give the guy some time, your love in with GB lasted 3 long years, with PL we have had 3 short months.