After the second half capitulation to Norwich the manager called for more consistency. The man is clearly determined to lead by example. He’s played not only the same no.9 but also the same goalkeeper for each of the seven games played. And he’s turned up in the same suit. And worn the same socks. And he’s used the same tea leaves to determine the remainder of his line up.
The back four today included new boy Bruno Ecuele Manga in a new central defensive partnership with Cala, with former central defender Connolly - a converted right back - slotting in at left back. Brayford was kept on at right back so that Marshall could confidently feed the ball to someone he recognised.
In midfield Whittingham and Pilkington were joined by Adeyemi and Daehli and after a round of introductory handshakes, bashful half-grins and diffident hobnobbing they settled in just behind Jones and Mecheda in an innovative 4-4-2 formation.
For 60 seconds everything was going swimmingly. Then the ball broke from a Whittingham free kick and was fed out to Boro’s Adomah who eased past Connolly and crossed for the unmarked *Kike, former frog puppet and nemesis of Hector The Dog, to head past Marshall. 0-1 after 90 seconds.
*Apologies to anyone under 45 for the gratuitous reference to a 70’s French surrealist children’s TV programme.
Boro, under new manager Aitor Karanka, former assistant to Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, were organised, compact; insipid. They were dominant but without suggesting that they’ll be a real force this season. Their creativity was limited to feeding the ball to Adomah to do his stuff down the right wing on the correct assumption that Connolly would be hopelessly out of position. Fortunately for us the redoubtable Manga and Cala were dealing with the central threat. This was one of the only positives to come from a night of fear and loathing in CF11.
Tactically we were all over the shop. At the back Marshall was looking for outlets to play the ball short, but if the full backs were briefed to build up slowly no-one had told a midfield which was playing with its back to defence awaiting the inevitable long punt. The consequence was speculative passes to absentee wingers or a panicked back pass to Marshall to play the default hit-and-hope. The midfield itself was as slick and well-oiled as a puffin caught up in the Sea Empress oil spill.
Upfront Jones and Macheda were slowly forming an intuitive understanding that at times bordered on the mystical. On one occasion Macheda fed the ball through to a position where Jones had been standing only five minutes earlier. After 45 minutes Macheda mysteriously disappeared.
Half time arrived without a shot on target from the home team, the crowd showing its displeasure with a morale-sapping but well earned chorus of disapproval.
There was a welcome and heart-warming debut appearance on the stadium mega-screen during the break from a young couple in the first flush of youth celebrating 3 years of conjugal entrapment. The crowd rose as one. And went for a beer. LOL arf, arf…
Ole brought on Gunnarsson at half time, rejecting the attacking imperative for the time being in favour of shoring up the midfield. Guerra and Le Fondre were introduced later on, replacing Daehli and Pilkington. This left us with an embarrassment of riches in the middle of the park but with no width.
We huffed and puffed up and down the crowded centre of the park but the most damning stat of the night - the number ‘1’ in the Shots On Target column - confirms how ineffective we were.
Before the game we were promised that there was ‘no panic’ in the board room. After the game the manager admitted ‘I’m responsible’. He can expect ‘the full backing of the Board’ after next Saturday’s inevitable defeat at Derby. His successor will inherit a deflated squad of gifted individuals in desperate need of a system they believe in and are comfortable with. The fans want to see a starting eleven they can believe in and an end to the tinkering. Ole might take some advice before it’s too late from Douglas Adams. Your squad might look ‘insanely complicated’ but DONT PANIC. Try this:
Marshall,
Brayford, Manga, Cala, Fabio
Daehli, Adeyemi, Whittingham, Noone
Guerra
Jones
QED.
Goodbye Ole and thanks for all the fish…
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