Back From The Game - Middlesbrough (H)

[weybridgewanderer]

We have tried the "be positive and give the team your support", it made no difference.

Have we? I must have missed that.

If you mean "be positive and give the team your support by keeping quiet and not booing" then yes I suppose we have.

On the whole I think we have yes.

I suspect most teams would have been a lot more vocal about no home wins since January than we have been.

At other clubs there would have been protests by the end of March. We have got to the end of September.

[Wycombe Royal]

At other clubs there would have been protests by the end of March.

[Zammo]

Sean Evers >>>>> Brian Howard

Oh, and Saturday was the worst ever.

[Whore Jackie]

I am still totally stunned as to his 'tactical' decision at half time to take off Kebe!

Really, really poor decision. At the time, I assumed Kebe was injured. Though a long way short of his best form, Kebe and Cummings were looking ok, and counter-balancing the better stuff, primarily through McAnuff, on the left.

The main problem was through the spine. Church struggling against Wheater, Gunnar totally knackered and unable to make a pass, Howard anonymous and O’Dea uncharacteristically slack. The obvious change, given the paucity of the bench, was Sigurdsson for Howard and Hunt replacing Gunnarsson, joining Church up front in a 4-4-2.

[Maguire]

Totally agree WJ, that's the change I would have gone for/expected.

[brendywendy]

'greed




and

I suspect most teams would have been a lot more vocal about no home wins since January than we have been.

it could be that this is simply indicative of our lack of vocality in general

[rob the royal]

My first game today for over 10 years. Drove 100 miles each way. I agree that the match was poor from a RFC point of view and it reminded me of the darker, final days of Mr Branfoot and the sucession of poor/cheap/underqualified replacements we had.

There is, however, a common thread to the really poor performances - they're all AT HOME!

Why is that? Is it because going to a game has never been the same since they sold Elm Park? No - most of these boys probably never knew that EP even existed.

Is it because there's a jinx or voodoo curse on the Madejski or the club? Unlikely - I doubt anyone else cares enough about RFC to bother.

Or is it because the crowd are constantly on the backs of THEIR OWN players for the slightest thing? If I was on the pitch and was subjected to the same level of barraking and abuse as they get FROM THEIR OWN FANS then I'm not sure I could be bothered either.

Why not try SUPPORTING the team instead of UNDERMINING it?

This has really annoyed me and I have waited a few days to calm down.

I travel an 80 mile round trip every home game. You rock up for the first time in 10 years and have a pop at me.

You are entitled to your thoughts on the team, but please I have seen, Barnsley at home in the league cup, swansea away, watford at home, doncatser at home, sheffield at home, and boro at home amongst others. It is hard to remain positive when you watch this garbage week in week out.

to be fair rfctabs did say later he gets where we coming from and if we'd turned up for whatever reason for the first time in 10 years and sat in that graveyard perhaps we'd have the same initial reaction! The lack of atmosphere makes the whole experience even more dull than it already is, if i'd turned up for the first time for that long i think i'd be a bit shocked myself.

[Ian Royal]

I am still totally stunned as to his 'tactical' decision at half time to take off Kebe!

Really, really poor decision. At the time, I assumed Kebe was injured. Though a long way short of his best form, Kebe and Cummings were looking ok, and counter-balancing the better stuff, primarily through McAnuff, on the left.

The main problem was through the spine. Church struggling against Wheater, Gunnar totally knackered and unable to make a pass, Howard anonymous and O’Dea uncharacteristically slack. The obvious change, given the paucity of the bench, was Sigurdsson for Howard and Hunt replacing Gunnarsson, joining Church up front in a 4-4-2.

Hell yes.

[Ryn]

For a while I thought I was the only one who had seen that

The width was definitely working for us, if Rodgers insists on this barmy 4-5-1 then at least let's try to keep the ball down the flanks rather than play it through a choked midfield.

[clauski]

I think a lot of people on here have been extolling the virtues of a traditional 442 with width for some time. Rodgers is clearly very reluctant to concede his idea's aren't working tho and I highly doubt he will really do so until it is too late, so we will get his version of 442 which really means no such thing.

As for the atmosphere at the ground - come on, with no win and 5 goals since January can anybody really expect anything other than silence when met with the boring, clueless performance our players put out on Saturday? To be fair to the crowd we've seen some poor performances recently but there has still been noise when there was any vague excitement within the game. Saturday we were outplayed from the first minute so nothing to cheer - simple as that.

[Ian Royal]

I think a lot of people on here have been extolling the virtues of a traditional 442 with width for some time. Rodgers is clearly very reluctant to concede his idea's aren't working tho and I highly doubt he will really do so until it is too late, so we will get his version of 442 which really means no such thing.

As for the atmosphere at the ground - come on, with no win and 5 goals since January can anybody really expect anything other than silence when met with the boring, clueless performance our players put out on Saturday? To be fair to the crowd we've seen some poor performances recently but there has still been noise when there was any vague excitement within the game. Saturday we were outplayed from the first minute so nothing to cheer - simple as that.

He's changed to it twice in the last two home games, so it might not be that far off. Even if he hasn't got his personel in it right yet.

[brendywendy]

dont think we were outplayed for teh entire game

we held our own, and both teams were dull in th efirst half
it was the appalling 2nd half that colours our memories of the match

[Ian Royal]

Just seen the highlights.

WTF were Karacan, O'Dea and Ivar doing for the second goal?

That did look piss poor.

[Ryn]

Just seen the highlights.

WTF were Karacan, O'Dea and Ivar doing for the second goal?

That did look piss poor.

The just seemed to be clowning around tripping over each other.

Lita had the better of Ivar for the whole game.

[Man Friday]

Quote from Ivar:

“Supporters can boo if they want, but it doesn’t help the players out on the pitch.

“I can understand people’s frustrations as the players are also frustrated that we haven’t got a win at home from the five league games so far this season.”

How does he know the fans were booing the players. It may well have been directed at the manager, his tactics, Madejski, etc. Don't jump to conclusions, Ivar. [Reminds me of the song "you're so vain, you probably think this song is about you, don't you, don't you, (fades to finish...)]

[brendywendy]

at the very least, they are containing it to when the final whistle blws, rather than when one of the manycock ups on the pitch occurs

but hes right


its never going to help anything other than by allowing you to destress slightly

[Ian Royal]

Just seen the highlights.

WTF were Karacan, O'Dea and Ivar doing for the second goal?

That did look piss poor.

The just seemed to be clowning around tripping over each other.

Lita had the better of Ivar for the whole game.

Looked like O'Dea fell for Lita's typical back into the defender routine and lost his balance as he lunged for the ball. Karacan then got tangled in him and so couldn't catch up and Ivar could have been out-paced by an arthritic turtle.

As for the booing. The players had better get used to it. I'm sure it doesn't help, but then pretending everything is hunky dory isn't exactly going to solve our problems.

We've shown we boo poor performances, not poor results.

[Big Foot]

Quote from Ivar:

“Supporters can boo if they want, but it doesn’t help the players out on the pitch.

“I can understand people’s frustrations as the players are also frustrated that we haven’t got a win at home from the five league games so far this season.”

How does he know the fans were booing the players. It may well have been directed at the manager, his tactics, Madejski, etc. Don't jump to conclusions, Ivar. [Reminds me of the song "you're so vain, you probably think this song is about you, don't you, don't you, (fades to finish...)]

Does he think we enjoy booing? I was one of the thousands booing at FT last week and trust me, I'd much rather not have to boo.

[brendywendy]

you didnt HAVE to
and it achieved nothing positive other than to make you feel slightly better.

[ZacNaloen]

Quote from Ivar:

“Supporters can boo if they want, but it doesn’t help the players out on the pitch.

“I can understand people’s frustrations as the players are also frustrated that we haven’t got a win at home from the five league games so far this season.”

How does he know the fans were booing the players. It may well have been directed at the manager, his tactics, Madejski, etc. Don't jump to conclusions, Ivar. [Reminds me of the song "you're so vain, you probably think this song is about you, don't you, don't you, (fades to finish...)]

It really doesn't matter what you are booing at, he's 100% right.