This majestical roof fretted with golden fire - Smoggies (A)

[Bruce Rioja]

I watched this lot on Saturday against Leeds. It was basically Middlesbrough versus Leeds' goalie, yet Leeds won 1-0.

Out of the frying pan and straight into the fire after Saturday's disaster at Forest.

I honestly can't see beyond this lot sticking four past us an' all.

4-1 to them

[Enoch]

Damn near perfect. If only the date had fitted in.

[officer_dibble]

We'll get bummed

However, lets play pick your team:
Amos
Mcnaughton
Moxey/Ream
Wheater
Dervite
Danns
Vela
Janko
Feeney
Clough
Heskey (on the basis the ball might stick a bit more there end)

[wigan white]

We'll get bummed

However, lets play pick your team:
Amos
Mcnaughton
Moxey/Ream
Wheater
Dervite
Danns
Vela
Janko
Feeney
Clough
Heskey (on the basis the ball might stick a bit more there end)

According to NL, Ream is out for tomorrows match.

[Harry Genshaw]

Well the early optimism has now been well and truly trampled over. A loss and I'll be almost glad if we can keep them down to 2

[Enoch]

Well the early optimism has now been well and truly trampled over

It's the hope that kills yer Harry.

[Peter Thompson]

Well the early optimism has now been well and truly trampled over. A loss and I'll be almost glad if we can keep them down to 2

Boro by 3 or 4 for me....our players will just roll over again.

[Jugs]

Football surprises you. I expected us to get hammered by Forest, but I think this game might be tighter. We'll either lose 1-0 or we'll nick a point.

[Jonah]

We'll get bummed

However, lets play pick your team:
Amos
Mcnaughton
Moxey/Ream
Wheater
Dervite
Danns
Vela
Janko
Feeney
Clough
Heskey (on the basis the ball might stick a bit more there end)

Spot on for the team for me. If mcnaughton is fit he's got to come in . Theres also the question of whether slavchev could come in central perhaps for vela or danns both of whom have lost whatever they had hopefully temporarily . We need a presence up front in order to have more options and be more compact . It seems unlikely there will be much service into the forwards which makes le fondre pretty much useless for this game. He's a decent player and works hard but he's all about finishing and doesn't look the sort to make his own chances .Sadly , like other posters its hard to see anything more than a hammering but boro have struggled at times against a well organised defensive set up. If we don't concede early and return to the work ethic we had pre Liverpool we could get a result .
First real testing period for Lennon, we've come up short against some of the divisions stronger sides and key players seem to have lost confidence .
The performance is more important than the result for this one . There needs to be something to start building from again .

[Vertigo]

------------------------Amos------------------

McNaughton---Wheater---Threlkeld---Moxey

Feeney---------------Bannan--------------Janko

-----------------------Clough--------------------

---Cravies/Heskey---------------Glenville---



Danns, Dervite and Vela need a break, they were poor. Is Threlkeld injured?

I'll review that in the morning

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

------------------------Amos------------------

McNaughton---Wheater---Threlkeld---Moxey

Feeney---------------Bannan--------------Janko

-----------------------Clough--------------------

---Cravies/Heskey---------------Glenville---



Danns, Dervite and Vela need a break, they were poor. Is Threlkeld injured?

I'll review that in the morning

You could cut through that lot like butter. I'd guestimate about 10-0 to them!

[TANGODANCER]

Taking it game for game, one of the last two was a game of football, one a football disaster. I really can't see us being as bad as Saturday because it was silly errors that cost us. When you go two down your mental view has to be different. Get two in front and we'll soon put these games behind us. If you're playing against greyhounds, don't wander as far from the kennel.If we haven't learned something we're in bother. Personally, I'm not sorry Wheater will be back. He's been pretty decent lately.

[Jonah]

Wheatear and mills are both ok when the ball is being angled into the box but their lack of pace if frightening . They only look good if the space I front if them is closed by the midfield pair. Mills had a mare the other day but it is down to his pace . He knew he should have taken Antonio out on the goal he scored and was angry with himself for letti g him run . I think it was that that led to the rash challenge . He is keen to do well here but lost it in a way perhaps because he is so motivated .
To stop conceding the midfield needs to stop letting opponents get a free run at the back four . That may mean defending deeper and doubling up when we don't have the ball . Team has pace but is too lightweight to be in the centre . Dervite is the only central option with a bit of pacesnd he looks shell shocked at present .crucual that he recovers some form and certainly the generally poor away from home needs a rethink . Even when we were doing well we were relatively poor away from home.
A number of teams have murdered us without scoring four prior to the recent shockers

[Jonah]

It's quite possible team will end up playing infront of the defence if danns , vela and slavchev don't pick things up . The goals at forest were a individual errors but they came from a general ease and space forest had to run at our defence . They closed our midfield down and we had no out ball .
Mind you, it's bit the best game to judge things . Two down after 17 losing , team, getting a lifeline then mills having s mare . All self inflicted but really it was a sequence of disasters and hopefully a turning point .

[officer_dibble]

fecking hell even coyle wouldnt pick that side!

Its easier to justify the none selections in my side.

Bannon is soft, went hiding on saturday and a luxury player in a 442/4411 in my opinion. Maybe at home. Maybe.
Twatdick is injured anyway but whatever he is, it isnt a full back on saturdays showing.
Le Fondre doesnt hold it up. Yep he's a cracking striker but for me it came back at us too quickly saturday (and the game before). Clough creates chances out of nowt and for that he plays over Alf for me.
I think we are weakest in midfield at the moment, though short on pace at centre half as well. Danns looks fecked but he's also had feck all help. I think Vela has most in the tank to do a Pratley and help him out, plus he puts his foot in. I have no idea about this slavchev but i am recalling attacking mid:/luxury. For me its a battling midfield tuesday. I'd probably give spearing a game where he here...

[officer_dibble]

Wheaters too slow...watfords first goal t'other week. All the lad did was run at him and wheats fell over. Weak link IMO. Not sure mills is much better mind!

[Dr Hotdog]

Three at the back is OUT because we simply do not have the personnel.

Our loans-out list looks like a Who's Who of Championship(ish) level football. Spearing, Medo, Baptiste, Andrews (maybe not)... Are we financially that fecked that we have to have so many off the books at any one time...!!!!

The defence needs protection from the Midfielders. It's OK to loan in Slavchev & Rochina and othersuch luxurious imports if the back four is Thuram-Stam-Baresi-Maldini. But it's fecking not. These lads on loan won't be getting a game any time soon because creative types give the ball away trying to slot through the cute pass. It's their game to sometimes relinquish possession. We're so soft at the back we can't afford that. Get some cloggers in Midfield. Flood it with Bastards who like to tackle and will take the hits and give it back. Bannon might be a cultured little fecker, but he's no use when the grit is called for. Danns can be - he's a clogger by definition, but he's going backwards at the minute and is easily dispossessed when he gets the ball clogged up between his feet, which often give the impression he has clogs on. Vela seems to be running on empty at the minute - too much expectation his his young shoulders at present and he's sinking.

Tough job for Lennon sorting this mess out. He must have been leaned on to loan out Spearing and Medo because Injuries happen and they pile up. We're so light in centre mid it's horrid.

4-3-2-1

Janko (needs must) - Wheater - Dervite (needs must) - Moxey (needs must)
Vela - Danns - Bannon
Clough--------Feeney
------LeFondre

Is that a goer, is that the same as against Forest?? Bench: Heskey, Eidur, Hall + Kidz/luxurious loans

[Jonah]

From what I remember of the video footage slavchev looked like he could win a ball and do the defensive side . Scores goals too and has height though may not be the most mobile . Totally agree re banana man . I really dont rate him , tries to make the simple things look fancy. A curving pass out wide might look pretty but the pace of the pass makes it easier to close down . Vela s snappy passing when on song is more effective . He worked hard against forest but looked well out of sorts and frustrated but then there wasn't many players moving to play those snappy passes off and forest kept very tight . Danns just had a right bad one but has more limitations than vela too. I was very surprised we went with clough and le fondre . Reading between the lines in post match comments I think Lennon didn't feel confident in Heskey doing 90 mins.
The annoying thing is that forest central defence pair are rank if you believe their fans views and yet we hardly troubled them . We really struggle without a target man .

[Jonah]

If he won't play mcnaughton our next best available full back is feeney unless janko suddenly matures and puts his lip away or threlkeld is suddenly deemed adequate .

[Jonah]

Re slavchev there is a 5 min vid on you tube and looks anything but tippy tappy . Wins the ball gets his head up , plays it simple . Seems to be playing quite deep a lot of the time .if anything he looks like he could even play centre half . There's no footage of goals but I know he has scored quite a few , presumably has a decent shot in him or perhaps gets on the end of set pieces .
Rochinha though I suspect is a bit lightweight for current priorities . Again I've only seen the bit of footage out there and he looks a talented lightweight . It's a shame for him that things aren't going well enough for him to get involved at all at present .
Fortunately slavchev does no seal related stuff in that footage . He does look exactly like what we need at the moment given vela and danns form but who knows what his English is like , how fit he is at present or how he's settled .