MATCHWATCH : Middlesbrough (a) sponsored by a Simon Cox chip

[Elm Park Kid]

Was anyone really expecting an entirely new team to be consistently good straight-away?

Other clubs in the past have spent far more money than us, with much more experienced managers than us, and still struggled for the first few seasons.

[Sutekh]

When was the last time we came from behind to win a league game? damned if i remember it.

Didn't we numerous times at the end of last season?

Wigan yes,

Apparently Reading have gone behind first 10 times under JG and lost 9

[URZZZZ]

Yep. Particularly concerned that we’ve lost every game after conceding first in the league

It’s a huge problem. Look at West Brom in comparison. I’m not getting the hype for Puscas either.

Couple of well taken goals against Cardiff and that's it. If a player like Meite had missed some of the chances Puscas has in the last few games he'd have been criticised non stop by many.

Meite gets an easy ride by so many people. Boye seems to be an easy victim so far. Boye is miles better than Meite

[Jagermesiter1871]

It’s a huge problem. Look at West Brom in comparison. I’m not getting the hype for Puscas either.

Couple of well taken goals against Cardiff and that's it. If a player like Meite had missed some of the chances Puscas has in the last few games he'd have been criticised non stop by many.

Meite gets an easy ride by so many people. Boye seems to be an easy victim so far. Boye is miles better than Meite

Yeh I would say in terms of end product theres little in it between the 2.

[sandman]

It’s a huge problem. Look at West Brom in comparison. I’m not getting the hype for Puscas either.

Couple of well taken goals against Cardiff and that's it. If a player like Meite had missed some of the chances Puscas has in the last few games he'd have been criticised non stop by many.

Meite gets an easy ride by so many people. Boye seems to be an easy victim so far. Boye is miles better than Meite

No he's not.

People recognise Meite has limitations. You just have such a hard on for hating him that you think that people who have a more realistic and not as extreme view as yours of his weaknesses give him an easy ride.

[Zip]

Couple of well taken goals against Cardiff and that's it. If a player like Meite had missed some of the chances Puscas has in the last few games he'd have been criticised non stop by many.

Meite gets an easy ride by so many people. Boye seems to be an easy victim so far. Boye is miles better than Meite

No he's not.

People recognise Meite has limitations. You just have such a hard on for hating him that you think that people who have a more realistic and not as extreme view as yours of his weaknesses give him an easy ride.

Amen to that. Meite scored 13 goals in a struggling outfit last season and the majority were very well taken.

[Zip]

Didn't we numerous times at the end of last season?

Wigan yes,

Apparently Reading have gone behind first 10 times under JG and lost 9

So a continuation of what happened under Clement and the second season under Stam.

[Dick Habbin's hairdo]

So frustrating. Two blinding saves from the 'Boro keeper in the last 15 minutes, but still....

Boye - just not physical enough or clever enough. Spends most time on his arse after he's given up trying to beat the same player thrice.
Benchwarmer at best.
Joao - he's physical enough but just too slow in thought and speed. Spends nearly as much time on his arse as Boye. He tries to be like Ejaria and isn't.
Meite - same old, same old.

We do look solid at the back - and with Swifty, Ejaria and Rino (and Pele) we have a class midfield.

I have no doubt that Puscas willl come good but he needs someone to make runs either side.... Loader, possibly, or Baldock.... I'll get my coat.

[URZZZZ]

Wigan yes,

Apparently Reading have gone behind first 10 times under JG and lost 9

So a continuation of what happened under Clement and the second season under Stam.

We barely came from behind under Stam’s first season either

[windermereROYAL]

Actually I wouldn`t mind if we come from behind to draw once in a while . too often its game over when concede first. frustrating as fukk.

[Ascotexgunner]

To quote the BBCRB caller who was cut off after three seconds tonight....."I'm f*cked right off"

Gomes seems to have contracted that common disease called "Clementine Stamitis", a condition known as tinkering and p*ssing around with a system that's showing signs of success. HTF can you leave Jao on the bench for starters.
Even when he's not great he looks a threat......and Meite over Puscas? Really?

Spoilt my weekend.....unless Gomes cures himself of this condition we are not finishing above 17th at this rate.

[URZZZZ]

Couple of well taken goals against Cardiff and that's it. If a player like Meite had missed some of the chances Puscas has in the last few games he'd have been criticised non stop by many.

Meite gets an easy ride by so many people. Boye seems to be an easy victim so far. Boye is miles better than Meite

No he's not.

People recognise Meite has limitations. You just have such a hard on for hating him that you think that people who have a more realistic and not as extreme view as yours of his weaknesses give him an easy ride.

I don’t hate Meite. I hate players who clearly don’t give their all. He works hard but he’s extremely limited and the record for him starting right now is 0-0-3

[Hound]

I share your frustration with Baldock urrzzz

I could really see him being useful playing with Puscas or Joao. The others too similar

[paddy20]

Big worry for me is that he dropped both Joao and Puscas. If he still thinks Meite is a better bet he hasn't learnt much. Just because Puscas has missed some chances you still need to play your best players and stick to both up front so as they can build a rapport. After starring in both Internationals what was Puscas be feeling that the manager puts such a player in front of him. I like Gomes but he needs to stick to a plan

[krapmle]

Gomes comments after match:

"(George) Puscas, (Lucas) Joao and Pele didn't start. Pele and Puscas had travelled for their national team, but that was not the only reason why they did not play. The reason was that I did not like the way that they played in the last game.

They must give everything they have inside them, and it is my obligation as their manager to demand that. If they do not give the maximum they can, in my opinion, then we have very good quality players that can replace them and play."

[URZZZZ]

I share your frustration with Baldock urrzzz

I could really see him being useful playing with Puscas or Joao. The others too similar

Yep. Also would have kept McNulty too. But he’s done here, and it’s a crying shame because he’s playing well at Sunderland so far. He’s a different option like Baldock

It’s similar with the midfield. If one isn’t working, we don’t really have a “different” player, they’re all too much of the same

[Snowflake Royal]

Couple of well taken goals against Cardiff and that's it. If a player like Meite had missed some of the chances Puscas has in the last few games he'd have been criticised non stop by many.

Meite gets an easy ride by so many people. Boye seems to be an easy victim so far. Boye is miles better than Meite

No he's not.

People recognise Meite has limitations. You just have such a hard on for hating him that you think that people who have a more realistic and not as extreme view as yours of his weaknesses give him an easy ride.

Yeah that's nonsense from Urz who has a real boner for hating Meite. He's always been a player who needs a consistent run of about 5 games to get going.

I haven't seen a lot of Boye, but what I have seen he consistently falls over the ball and gives it away cheaply. Not writing him off but to compare him as better than last season's top scorer is lunacy.

[Snowflake Royal]

Also I see as fans we're continuing the cycle of talking about play offs and promotion if we win a game and relegation and the manager being on borrowed time if we lose one.

Jeez.

Let's be real. Jose is not the messiah, he's a passable manager. Puscas is not the second coming. Joao is well known for blowing hot and cold. Meite takes time to get going and is rather raw. Moore has been part of a shambolic defence for years. Ejaria and Swift are soft fancy Dan's.

It's going to be a long hard season. Finishing 16th would be good. Deal with it chaps.

[URZZZZ]

Meite gets an easy ride by so many people. Boye seems to be an easy victim so far. Boye is miles better than Meite

No he's not.

People recognise Meite has limitations. You just have such a hard on for hating him that you think that people who have a more realistic and not as extreme view as yours of his weaknesses give him an easy ride.

Yeah that's nonsense from Urz who has a real boner for hating Meite. He's always been a player who needs a consistent run of about 5 games to get going.

I haven't seen a lot of Boye, but what I have seen he consistently falls over the ball and gives it away cheaply. Not writing him off but to compare him as better than last season's top scorer is lunacy.

Agree with the sentiment but if you scroll back to our top scorers from the last few years:

17/18 - Barrow, was poor last year
16/17 - Kermorgant, was poor the season after
15/16 - Blackman, was shocking apart from a purple patch of 6-7 games
14-15 - Cox + Murray, both criticised throughout, Cox in particular

Being top scorer one season doesn’t make you immune to criticism the season after. It may give you “x” degrees of leeway but I often talk about players working on their weaknesses and improving

Take Swift. Last year I slated him a lot for drifting out of games and being ineffective. This year he’s been nothing short of superb, and he’s worked on his weaknesses and really improved as a player, huge credit there.

Compared to Meite, where im not seeing any improvement on his weaknesses and it looks like he’s regressing as a player. Yeah, he probably does need a run of games, but with the options we have upfront that’s unlikely. Maybe saying Boye is miles better is a stupid comment and was me overreacting but I do think certain players get it easy, certainly compared to others and that does include Meite

[Snowflake Royal]

No he's not.

People recognise Meite has limitations. You just have such a hard on for hating him that you think that people who have a more realistic and not as extreme view as yours of his weaknesses give him an easy ride.

Yeah that's nonsense from Urz who has a real boner for hating Meite. He's always been a player who needs a consistent run of about 5 games to get going.

I haven't seen a lot of Boye, but what I have seen he consistently falls over the ball and gives it away cheaply. Not writing him off but to compare him as better than last season's top scorer is lunacy.

Agree with the sentiment but if you scroll back to our top scorers from the last few years:

17/18 - Barrow, was poor last year
16/17 - Kermorgant, was poor the season after
15/16 - Blackman, was shocking apart from a purple patch of 6-7 games
14-15 - Cox + Murray, both criticised throughout, Cox in particular

Being top scorer one season doesn’t make you immune to criticism the season after. It may give you “x” degrees of leeway but I often talk about players working on their weaknesses and improving

Take Swift. Last year I slated him a lot for drifting out of games and being ineffective. This year he’s been nothing short of superb, and he’s worked on his weaknesses and really improved as a player, huge credit there.

Compared to Meite, where im not seeing any improvement on his weaknesses and it looks like he’s regressing as a player. Yeah, he probably does need a run of games, but with the options we have upfront that’s unlikely. Maybe saying Boye is miles better is a stupid comment and was me overreacting but I do think certain players get it easy, certainly compared to others and that does include Meite

Yeah, but you criticised him when he was scoring last season too. And you're criticising him again on his first game back in the team. Not only that but you're saying Boye, who hasn't scored at all and spends most his time ruining attacks is better. It's bullshit.