Middlesbro Thread

I've had a bit of feedback from two atteendees, watched the video highlights and read some comments here and on the usual sites. The gist seems to be that we were a bit lacklustre in the first half, had Bamford been more careful we could have gone three down quite easily but that we did prettye well in the second half and had some good late chances. It seems Heskey was our MoM and that squares with NL's coments quoted by mtid above and indeed his own earlier point re what might prove effective

I was and am interested to know how Amos shaped up. There was nothing remarkable on the highlights but I'm given to believe he had an air of confidence. It doesn't look as though the goal was down to him unless he could have somehow yelled at Wheater and Dervite as they slumbered. I saw first hand at Nottingham the power of his kicking. We've missed that and it has to have helped Heskey. It would be great if he could replace the out of form Lonergan for a while whilst Bogdan is recovering. Lonergan was low on confidence even before knocking himself senseless last Saturday and it will be hard for him to come back at his best. Our defenders really need a positive, assertive and confidence-giving presence behind them. Lonergan will never be that. Maybe Amos can stand in. But he lacks experience and we have yet to see him make a really good save under pressure. In general Lonergan has delivered in that regard as did Bogdan. It's a decision NL has to make

It looked on highlights as though Bannan was deployed alongside Danns in midfield and that we didn't press them so high up the field? If so I think that's good. Bannan is a good passer and mover of the ball and Danns needs a closer ally if he is not to get caught in possession. Consensus seems to be that he has declined somewhat in effectiveness in recent weeks. Can Slavchev step up? I can't see Twardzik in centre midfield, despite the fact that he is the best header of a ball of all the options . Rochina seems to have vanished. Ideally Danns would have a break but can NL afford it. Another decision

We really do need a settled defence . At full back it's really odd that MacNaughton who did well last season is on the books but never gets a mention. I understand about loanee limits but we have really struggled for a full back so either he's unfit or has fallen out with NL? Unless he's lying slain on the training ground and no one has noticed or reported same? So Vela may well continue. Will Ream return at left back or did Moxey at last step up to the challenge. He gave a goal away at Forest ( although Lonergan was very slow to approach him) and hasn't impressed but we know Ream is bettr elsewhere. In the centre does he pair Mills and Wheater and stick with it? Or does he pair Mills and Ream. That's a tough call. Very few would argue for Dervite after the last few w games. I hope Wheater keeps his place because of all of them he is the closest we have to a centre half who can hold his own aerially

But in defence most of all I hope NL takes a decision and sticks to it. I have always been in favour of rotation of midfield and up to a point attack but the constant choppping and changing of defence, even if enforced at times, cannot be good. Nor can the switching between three at the back and four, OK if the players are good enough but not for our present crop who all have glaring weaknesses be it lack of pace, poor aerial play or just a lack of concentration at key moments. I do like in principle that Neil has thought hard about opposition strengths and tried to counter then but he tried to be too clever at Forest. It does sound as though last night was better. It is a myth that individual mistakes were the cause of 4*4 shipped goals. In the games I saw it was systemic and there could ahve been many more goals.

One of the systemic problems is the continued , variable deployment of Feeney. NL clearly rates him not least for his wilingness to play anywhere as and when asked. We have seen him on the left and right flanks, up front and at wing back/full back. I just think that whoever plays behind Feeney needs to be very alert. Several goals at Sheffield, Rotherham, Derby and most noticeably V Watford came after he advanced and lost the ball or got stuck with it or fired in a cross that took out several teammates and launched counter attacks. There is no denying that he really helps our forwards, can hit occasional good crosses and has assisted a number of goals, three v Watford for example but his pass completion rate stats as mtid quotes are awful and I have yet to speak to or read an article by anyone who really rates him? yet again we all , I think , have to allow that he does keep going and at times has been the provider of chances. Can he be omitted or benched? Should heIn favour of Janko?

Up front we have Clough, Le Fondre, Heskey and Davies, maybe Eidur at a pinch. It's difficult to keep them all fit. Neil seems to favour two up front even if midfield is over-run. Fine. It surely has to be Emile or Craig  with Le Fondre or Clough to create the competitve element referred to above. I was surprised that Le Fondre was rotated out at Middlesbro and wonder if alongside Emile he might have profited. This is an area of strength and at points in second halves three or even four of the five can play together but I do think we need a bit of consistency for the run in?

On the highlights the game appeared to lack some intensity. It is galling again to lose to such a soft goal but attendees and commentators eem less dispirited than those like me who witnessed the absolute  shambles at Forest. If NL learns form it and sets about Brighton and Reading with the same sort of inspirational attacking play we saw v Fulham whilst curing his leaky defence then maybe last night's result was not so bad. We need to win both of these games to keep clear of the dogfight!