Changes or Stubbornness?

[baggieal]

Apart from bringing back Mikey otherwise there will be a lot of angry fans - for me Mason will stick with the same side and be stubborn,

I would start Junior, Gilchrist, Collyer, Mikey and Maja. There needs to be pace and a cutting edge.

Any thoughts anyone on your choices?

[Bombers right foot]

Changes must be made the majority can see that, why when you are playing a team at the top of the league leave out your best players, can you imagine Big Ron saying to Laurie or Willie your on the bench, play your best team, Roberto did that the last time Boro were top and us second and we murdered them 5-0, we?ve all played football/ cricket at various levels and played in games against so called higher opposition, win or lose play your best side and give it a go and cause them some problems

[baggieal]

I definitely would like Collyer to start. Interestingly in the pub speaking to a group of Boro fans - they didn?t rate Mowatt when he was there on loan as they all said he was too slow. Collyer is hugely rated at Man U and for me he looks composed on the ball and always trying to move it forward.

Don?t know what it is with us - we bring in these players but don?t give them minutes and revert back of has beens like Wallace and the lack of creativity and talent of Molumby and Mowatt.

Sunderland got promoted last year for a reason. Their midfield were the engine!

[Albionic68]

Morning. First things first. Caveats. None of us are privy to the scouting reports of up coming opposition or what information the analysis team have provided Mason with.

Secondly none of us have any in depth knowledge regarding the availability of players due to fitness/injury monitoring or sees what happens in terms of training ground performance.

That not withstanding there's clearly an issue with breaking the opposition down. This isn't helped by our opposition having scouting reports, analysis and training sessions of their own. Very unsporting of them.

However, personally speaking I wouldn't mind seeing the following line up purely to find out where we're at in terms of what they can offer.

Griffiths GK.
Ghallagher RB.
Phillips RCH.
Mepham LCH.
Taylor LB.
Johnston RW.
Collyer CM.
Styles CM.
Iling Junior LW.
Price roaming 10.
Heggebo CF.

This would be my preferred set up currently. If not I'd like to see Price on the left ahead of Iling Junior purely because that's where he's often found internationally and he's more than not bad at that level. Wide options can always swap and invert and in game options such as Diakite, Mowatt and Wallace should not be overlooked all three players have plenty to offer. Yes, Jed Wallace too.

If we come up against pacier opposition Iling Junior could start at LB ahead of Taylor should his positioning not make up for any lack of pace. I've no idea what levels he's currently at as I haven't seen him play in years.

We have a squad and a bench with any number of derivatives therein. Personally I would like to see what Price could offer as a box to box 8 but I feel there's only certain games where the squad would lend itself to this at the moment due to injuries.

I'd love to go into further detail about patterns of play, back fours transitioning into a three as one fullback moves forward, playing with two CHs while both fullbacks shore up the midfield etc but I genuinely do not have time at the moment. Apologies for rambling on as it is.

Three things I will say though. Ryan Mason is very definitely his own man and final decisions are his. Should he get fit the club have a lot of faith in Bany. This in itself could solve a lot of our issues regarding creativity and free up Price to perhaps expand his repertoire. I haven't mentioned Maja because despite his undoubted ability we simply cannot rely on him.

And finally yes, Big Ron did indeed leave some of his better players out of the starting eleven from time to time. We had a better squad in those and he could only use one sub.

From memory Robson and Cantello found themselves on the bench on occasions. Meanwhile laughingly, and tragically for me, Laurie Cunningham also found himself on the bench for the 1978 FA Cup Semi Final against Ipswich in our 3-1 defeat to them. So yes, it definitely happened.

[baggieal]

Morning. First things first. Caveats. None of us are privy to the scouting reports of up coming opposition or what information the analysis team have provided Mason with.

Secondly none of us have any in depth knowledge regarding the availability of players due to fitness/injury monitoring or sees what happens in terms of training ground performance.

That not withstanding there's clearly an issue with breaking the opposition down. This isn't helped by our opposition having scouting reports, analysis and training sessions of their own. Very unsporting of them.

However, personally speaking I wouldn't mind seeing the following line up purely to find out where we're at in terms of what they can offer.

Griffiths GK.
Ghallagher RB.
Phillips RCH.
Mepham LCH.
Taylor LB.
Johnston RW.
Collyer CM.
Styles CM.
Iling Junior LW.
Price roaming 10.
Heggebo CF.

This would be my preferred set up currently. If not I'd like to see Price on the left ahead of Iling Junior purely because that's where he's often found internationally and he's more than not bad at that level. Wide options can always swap and invert and in game options such as Diakite, Mowatt and Wallace should not be overlooked all three players have plenty to offer. Yes, Jed Wallace too.

If we come up against pacier opposition Iling Junior could start at LB ahead of Taylor should his positioning not make up for any lack of pace. I've no idea what levels he's currently at as I haven't seen him play in years.

We have a squad and a bench with any number of derivatives therein. Personally I would like to see what Price could offer as a box to box 8 but I feel there's only certain games where the squad would lend itself to this at the moment due to injuries.

I'd love to go into further detail about patterns of play, back fours transitioning into a three as one fullback moves forward, playing with two CHs while both fullbacks shore up the midfield etc but I genuinely do not have time at the moment. Apologies for rambling on as it is.

Three things I will say though. Ryan Mason is very definitely his own man and final decisions are his. Should he get fit the club have a lot of faith in Bany. This in itself could solve a lot of our issues regarding creativity and free up Price to perhaps expand his repertoire. I haven't mentioned Maja because despite his undoubted ability we simply cannot rely on him.

And finally yes, Big Ron did indeed leave some of his better players out of the starting eleven from time to time. We had a better squad in those and he could only use one sub.

From memory Robson and Cantello found themselves on the bench on occasions. Meanwhile laughingly, and tragically for me, Laurie Cunningham also found himself on the bench for the 1978 FA Cup Semi Final against Ipswich in our 3-1 defeat to them. So yes, it definitely happened.

Fair points there Danny

[Prando]

Undoubtedly, the first 2 paragraphs/caveats from Albionic are paramount. Following on from that, I don’t consider Mason to be stubborn, maybe overly cautious. Understandable to date, but as I mentioned on another thread, his time to demonstrate his managerial skills is due.
I also have been disappointed to see the starting XI last couple of matches and sincerely hope not to see Mowatt and Mulumby both starting, nor Wallace, nor Campbell.
I won’t be holding my breath though.
COYB

[baggieal]

Undoubtedly, the first 2 paragraphs/caveats from Albionic are paramount. Following on from that, I don’t consider Mason to be stubborn, maybe overly cautious. Understandable to date, but as I mentioned on another thread, his time to demonstrate his managerial skills is due.
I also have been disappointed to see the starting XI last couple of matches and sincerely hope not to see Mowatt and Mulumby both starting, nor Wallace, nor Campbell.
I won’t be holding my breath though.
COYB

Fair play to Mason as he?s made some changes which everybody wanted to see!

[Omegstrat6]

Fair play to Mason as he?s made some changes which everybody wanted to see!

True, but given that he has at last brought in Taylor at LB, am surprised that he hasn't replaced either Molumby or Mowatt with Styles in midfield. Similarly, a bit surprised Maja not on with Heggabo rather than Iling Junior. Still, good to see some needed changes.

[Omegstrat6]

True, but given that he has at last brought in Taylor at LB, am surprised that he hasn't replaced either Molumby or Mowatt with Styles in midfield. Similarly, a bit surprised Maja not on with Heggabo rather than Iling Junior. Still, good to see some needed changes.

OK-so that is why Iling Junior is on! 😁Wonderfully taken goal!