Lesson learned

[baggieal]

No point bemoaning us having sold Fellows, Palmer or Heggem because those ships have long sailed and I think the harsh reality is that we will not see any real funds to upgrade the squad until the summer either so Ramsay will have to utilise what we have.

For me, our best defensive line up (while not ideal I know) is Griffiths, Campbell, Bielik, Phillips and Styles. Midfield -when fit-should include both Molumby and Mowatt. Neither are the creative players we so badly need in that position but at least we won't be so easily run over in that area. I'd like to see young Whitwell also get his chances in midfield.

Going forward, Mikey has to play on the wing. Ramsay may indeed be able to ultimately develop him into a successful wing back as he did with one of his wingers at Minneapolis but we don't have the time and MJ looked uncomfortable in that role to say the least.

Heggebo, for me, still has to lead the line as a number 9 and Grant is probably a better number 10 behind him than Price although if Maja improves we could do ok with playing him there and play Grant on the wing. The other option is to play Grant as a 10 and play Illing Junior (who was better last night) on the left wing. Not ideal as Junior has been largely underwhelming since joining us but we also have the option of swapping Mikey to the left wing and using Ollie Bostock or Wallace on the right.

Very early days for Ramsay of course but, as he said in his post-match interview, if we took the best bits of the first half and the best bits of the second and could manage to play 90 minutes like that, then we would be on our way to performing as he would want us and points should follow.

Key take aways for me from last night were that 1) we were defensively too open and Styles is a better LB than Taylor 2) Mikey needs to play as a winger 3) Our breaking was much better being faster and getting more bodies forward but whilst the first half showed that possession may not be everything it also showed that we cannot afford to defend so deeply and invite pressure for so long and expect to get away with it. Far too static in the latter stages of the first half. 4) At 2-0 down we did begin to rally and started to play some decent football with more intent that began to pay off and created us chances but, yet again, our failure to be more clinical cost us. The push for a late winner was understandable but it also made us more open at the back and vulnerable to conceding the almost inevitable last minute goal. Maybe with a team with less quality than Boro it may have worked but the obvious lesson is to try and avoid leaving everything so late in the game.

Good points there Omeg. Are Boro any better than us? Had Mason not picked a s hit starting line up at Boro we could have got a result. Last night did Boro deserve the three points considering the sloppy goals? As Prando says it?s game management. That effectively translates to an experienced manager playing the best players in the correct positions and having a tactical formation that works. Take Man Utd they have been dire without any shape or conviction. Carrick comes in with the correct starting line up and the SAME team played Man City off the park, Man U were brilliant.

Tells you something! My fear could be we have an inexperienced manager who could be Mason number 2! I hope not but whatever anyone says - it would have been the cheapest option.