Defence got ripped a new arsehole

[Boomstick]

Got found out last night, too many players not good enough. The teams full of league 1 players, major investment needed.
Having said that, we might get lucky and there could be 3 worse teams. But probably not.

[newyankee]

I agree the defence was ripped apart last night, but it was because we had no midfield which put added pressure on them.

 I don't think Furman and Keegan made a couple of passes each that didn't go straight to their midfield and we were back retreating from inside our own area.

[goalkick]

Spot on the mid field was the problem.if you are giving the ball away all of the time and not feeding the forwards.how are you expected to score and the defence are on the back foot all of the time.boro mid field dominated because of the errors.

[Boomstick]

Agreed, lack of a midfield of any note put immense pressure on the defence, who just got run ragged all night.

[CusworthRovers]

Personally speaking I think Dickov thought we could beat Boro and they were there for the taking in their current plight. I don't blame him as I thought the same.

I think our midfield was set up attack minded ie Duffy/Copps. We were OK for the first 15-20 mins and it looked a good open game. We were equally as capable as them in the scoring stakes. However they had what we didn't when attacking ie PACE and lots of it. This hurt us badly and Quinn/Wabara were left woefully exposed by nobody helping them. Don't get me wrong, they never really covered themselves in any glory in their positions.

In hindsight, we should have defended the first 20 to got them and their crowd frustrated. Then we gauge the game and stick or release more players into attack.
Unfortunately, we got shat on and by the time HT came we couldn't use 'defend' as an option, as we now needed to attack to get a goal back. This made things worse and Boro could have nearly hit double figures to in fairness.

 

[carlislerover]

  Nota single shot hit with any venom as far as I could see. It was Men versus Boys and as you've all said no strength or accuracy in Midfield possession. Where was Wellens? Who is Yun?

[RedJ]

Where was Wellens? Who is Yun?

1) banned for one game
2) on loan from QPR.

[Dare to dream!]

Like everyone is saying it was the midfield that was the problem. Copps and Duffy didn't double up and Adomah and Carayaol had a field day against our poor wing backs.

Should have played 4-5-1

[RedJ]

I'm really not a fan of Furman this season. Granted Keegan played his part in the midfield going missing but I think Furman's had one, maybe two good games. Keegan and Wellens for me, at least until de Val's up to speed.

[CusworthRovers]

I'm really not a fan of Furman this season. Granted Keegan played his part in the midfield going missing but I think Furman's had one, maybe two good games. Keegan and Wellens for me, at least until de Val's up to speed.

So when Wellens and De Val aren't available, PD does what?

What makes you think De Val is the saviour?

[RedJ]

I'm really not a fan of Furman this season. Granted Keegan played his part in the midfield going missing but I think Furman's had one, maybe two good games. Keegan and Wellens for me, at least until de Val's up to speed.

So when Wellens and De Val aren't available, PD does what?

What makes you think De Val is the saviour?

I couldn't say as I just don't know Cussy.

I don't think he's the saviour, I just think unless one of the two is ineligible, Wellens and Keegan have to play in the midfield. I said "when he's up to speed" so we can judge him properly as opposed to seeing him half fit and chucked on for half an hour.

[CusworthRovers]

I've seen De Val v Motherwell and was very impressed. I think others were impressed in the local pre season games that I missed, so the signs are there.

Nobody's seen him at Championship level yet, so none of us can make that call.

I liken him to Alonso in the way he plays (hopefully it won't be Fernando though).

Unfortunately, Furman and Keegan are similar holding players and neither give us any attacking thrust. That similarity cost us last night, but it's unfair for everyone to blame Keegan and Furman, who are not that type of attacking midfielder and cannot be expected to do a role that they are frankly not good enough to do.  Wellens has got more attack minded since he's come back, far more than in his first stint here. He gives us that bit more up front from centre midfield (as could possibly Syers).
It was perhaps too late in the end, but we should have gone with just Browny up front and stuck Duffy/Copps as the extra midfield support player for Browny. Cotts could then have played and helped counteract their pace out wide. That way Keegan and Furman both could have held and supported the full backs too.

[Wellred]

Whilst our midfield let us down in many ways last night there was no excuse for getting caught with the ball and passing to the opposition so many times.
Furman had a stinker last night and I would have taken him off at half time.

[CusworthRovers]

No options matey for him. He wasn't the only one needlessly giving the ball away. All the others did it (inc our better 2 on the night in Copps and Duffy). As a central midfielder Furman and Keegan are going to see more of the ball than most, hence if no options they will give it away more than anyone else.

I'm not defending him royally, as he had a dip in his performance last night (first touch let him and many of the team down and that's purely the individual and nobody else), but he cannot conjure passes and moves to something that isn't there. Xavi and Iniesta wouldn't have made any difference to our other 9 and overall team performance last night in fairness.