Boro (A) 4/3/16 build up

[Lycan]

A glimmer of hope.

Really looking forward to this now. Part of me would like to see Williamson back in if he's fit but I'd also like to see today's XI rewarded for the first cohesive team performance we've put together for months.

If Coady, Saville & McDonald can get in and around Leadbitter & Clayton and disrupt the play like they did against Derby then we've got a chance here.

 

[Derby Wolf]

Similar kind of game as today with opponents who have more quality and away from home too, the tactics shouldn't be any different and nor should the team IMO. If I was part of that XI today and was suddenly dropped for Friday I'd be demoralised.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

"Don't change a winning team" is a bit of a fallacy in itself and I dislike it being peddled as an undeniable mantra because if there's an obvious weak link or underperformer within the context of a win, you remove it rather than waiting for the inevitable error to crop up and cost you. As such I wouldn't change any of the outfield players - the ones I generally dislike (Doherty and Coady) played very well today so it would be unfair to drop them, especially as those on the outside haven't especially done anything of late to prove they should be in - but I would change the goalkeeper.

Today wasn't one of Ikeme's worst 10 mistakes this season (which speaks volumes for his general performance levels) but it was still a positional error and the end result is a goal. Goalkeeper is the one position you absolutely cannot afford to have someone making regular errors, Carl has done all season and we have what I perceive to be a better goalkeeper on the bench who was in the team on merit before he got injured. So I would make the change. I suppose the caveat is that if we're not keeping Martinez beyond this season there's no long term point in him playing, but this is the here and now, not as if Ikeme needs games for the sake of experience or anything.

Otherwise the same, not just in terms of personnel but in terms of attitude, approach, tactics and desire.

2015/16: L 1-3 (H), L 0-3 (A, LC)
2014/15: W 2-0 (H), L 1-2 (A)
2012/13: W 3-2 (H), L 0-2 (A)
2008/9: L 1-2 (H, FAC)
2003/4: W 2-0 (H), L 0-2 (A)
1997/8: W 1-0 (H), D 1-1 (A)
1994/5: L 0-2 (H), L 0-1 (A)

Not won at Middlesbrough since 1951, fact fans.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

It would be a shame to make any changes after beating Derby County, but a fit Williamson should be in the team, but I doubt he is quite ready yet, so keep the same starting eleven please KJ.

 

[thehistorymakers]

I'm coming over to the UK this week and will try to make the Boro match.

 

[Dinowolf]

I thought Ikeme had a superb game for us yesterday. He commanded his area well and caught the ball cleanly under pressure. His positioning was good for the shots that Derby were limited to and I don't blame him for their goal.

If the keeper is confident and playing well it helps the defence, so on that performance I would leave him in goal.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

He had one thing to do. He failed at it, because his positioning was out. Obviously the wall should have jumped, but Ikeme left over half the goal for Martin to aim at.

He is disappointing at the moment. I would so prefer Martinez. However, if Ikeme keeps the shirt then we need to support him through this tough trot. Keepers bereft of confidence will keep making errors, unfortunately.

 

[The Bear]

His positioning was fine. Just off centre. The TV angle made it look like he was further over than he was.

Also, leaving over half the goal is standard practice for free kicks. You stand slightly to one side and leave the other side where the wall is.

 

[Kenny]

His positioning was fine. Just off centre. The TV angle made it look like he was further over than he was.

Also, leaving over half the goal is standard practice for free kicks. You stand slightly to one side and leave the other side where the wall is.

Yup. If the wall jumps, the free kick is going nowhere but the defenders face

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The wall should have jumped. However the ball went in at no great pace, nowhere near the corner and Ikeme didn't really get particularly close to saving it. His positioning was off.

 

[Kenny]

The wall should have jumped. However the ball went in at no great pace, nowhere near the corner and Ikeme didn't really get particularly close to saving it. His positioning was off.

Being overly harsh on this one. Giving Doherty the day off is making you put extra elsewhere....

(For the record I think Martinez should be in)

 

[The Bear]

It went fairly close to the post I thought. He had very little time from seeing the ball coming over the wall to be able to get across to it.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It didn't. Speaking as a member of the goalkeeper's union I would have been pissed at myself over that freekick. His position was wrong. In trying to see round the wall he left a huge swathe of the goal. Martin found it, nowhere near the corner.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

The freekick did look all too easy, even if the wall had jumped there was plenty of scope for Martin to have got it higher to account for that, easily a foot under the bar when it went in.

The way it was setup was just a massive invitation to dink one into that side but Ikeme was absolutely miles away.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

It went fairly close to the post I thought. He had very little time from seeing the ball coming over the wall to be able to get across to it.

He shouldn't really need to wait for it to come over the wall, when you've set it up with such a blatant invitation to hit it that side then you've got to be prepared to get over that side of the goal.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Precisely my thoughts.

 

[The Bear]

So he should just start moving in that direction regardless of where the ball is going? Don't talk rubbish. There was a Derby player in the wall who Martin could easily have hit it through which he needed to be aware of as well.

He moved over as soon as he saw the ball come over the wall. He can't go any earlier than that. Also the height of the ball is irrelevant as to how far horizontally he has to get over.

His positioning was correct and he moved as soon as he saw where the ball was going. You can't ask him to do any more than that.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

His position wasn't correct because by the time he saw the ball he couldn't cover all of the goal he had left. He easily could have been two feet further to the right and that would have made the difference.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

So he should just start moving in that direction regardless of where the ball is going? Don't talk rubbish. There was a Derby player in the wall who Martin could easily have hit it through which he needed to be aware of as well.

He moved over as soon as he saw the ball come over the wall. He can't go any earlier than that. Also the height of the ball is irrelevant as to how far horizontally he has to get over.

His positioning was correct and he moved as soon as he saw where the ball was going. You can't ask him to do any more than that.

You really think Martin was going to hit it anywhere other than the vacant 2/3 of the goal? He's left that door open for Martin so he should've been scrambling across that side to cover for it, no way Martin was going to have a crack at the far post where Ikeme is standing.

 

[Revenga]

ikeme left himself with a lot to do. I sit behind the goals was nothing to with TV angles. Wall also moved further to the right when the ref moved them back, but was a poor effort from all concerned.

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