Good morning?

[B68Baggie]

Woke up with the usual gut punch on initial recollection of the defeat.  

However after watching the post match interview and reflecting on the performance I'm feeling quite positive this morning.  Some reasons..

Eric gives me Carlos vibes and we know how well he organised the defensive side.  These defenders just can't be as bad as their current performances show. Poor form and lack of confidence can be turned around.  He also needs to drill the whole side on how to see a game out, CC's sides were very good in that respect.

That performance last night was without a recognised CM.   The return of M&M will make a huge difference.   It was also great to see Price being used differently, another player who's confidence got shot under the previous manager.

Maja!! Dropped off, with Grant pushing on.  Exactly how he should be used.  I also think Eric will get the very best out Grant.

SIJ NOT a right winger.  Put a square peg in a square whole.  Looked comfortable.

The only loser for me last night was Mikey.  Our most creative player nullified.  However his numbers have been excellent in a team sitting 18th.  He may need to be sacrificed for the good of the team.

Eric! Changed formation, started well.  Players dropped off, he changed it again.  Overloaded their box to get us back in the game.  Got the crowd buzzing. Must have been utterly bemused by how we let them back in again. And I love a manager that dog whistles.  

As a fan you get a gut quite early on.  I had no gut for Mason.  This one feels like a good one.

[Lurker#3]

Good post.

[Johnny akes]

Switching MJ to the left later on made him much more effective, but it meant moving Grant into the middle where he can’t operate. Should look to try Grant in the RWB position where his engine could be put to good effect.

[Lurker#3]

Grant and MJ could easily dove tail in those positions off the CF. Especially with an additional 2 attacking outlets.

Molumby at RWB and Price at CM, or Grant at RWB, with Molumby at CM. All could work to add balance.

I never thought j would say I am looking forward to seeing Molumby in this shape.

[Cheshire East Baggie]

I'm going to cut right across the generally positive vibe in this thread. Ramsay came in and imposed his "vision" on the team from day one. Three CBs but no RWB. He made the wrong choice, either Grant or Wallace would have been a better bet there, even Price perhaps.

To play a proper 3 CB system, the CBs need to be more mobile, read the game better and interact better.  Any three from Phillips, Mepham, Taylor and Campbell is likely to be more chaotic than any two from the same group. Bielik is our best CB by a country mile. Let's hope he gets to play there once we have some midfield players back.

The wing backs need to be specialists, capable of both defending and attacking. We only have two players who remotely fit that description, and both are left-sided. We are in the grip of a relegation struggle. Is now the time to re-train players to fit a different system? Can Nestor make a couple of meaningful signings to make it all work?

Some may point out that Meggo played 3 CBs after saying "these players aren't good enough to play 4-4-2". But he unashamedly played a back five, with little expectation of both full backs doing much attacking. Last night Ramsay made some serious errors of judgement. Excusable because he only had 3 days with the squad. He needs to learn these lessons very quickly. Another defeat on Tuesday changes the whole perspective, plunges us into a situation that still seemed avoidable on the night Mason was sacked.

[Tom Joad 25]

I'm going to cut right across the generally positive vibe in this thread. Ramsay came in and imposed his "vision" on the team from day one. Three CBs but no RWB. He made the wrong choice, either Grant or Wallace would have been a better bet there, even Price perhaps.

To play a proper 3 CB system, the CBs need to be more mobile, read the game better and interact better.  Any three from Phillips, Mepham, Taylor and Campbell is likely to be more chaotic than any two from the same group. Bielik is our best CB by a country mile. Let's hope he gets to play there once we have some midfield players back.

The wing backs need to be specialists, capable of both defending and attacking. We only have two players who remotely fit that description, and both are left-sided. We are in the grip of a relegation struggle. Is now the time to re-train players to fit a different system? Can Nestor make a couple of meaningful signings to make it all work?

Some may point out that Meggo played 3 CBs after saying "these players aren't good enough to play 4-4-2". But he unashamedly played a back five, with little expectation of both full backs doing much attacking. Last night Ramsay made some serious errors of judgement. Excusable because he only had 3 days with the squad. He needs to learn these lessons very quickly. Another defeat on Tuesday changes the whole perspective, plunges us into a situation that still seemed avoidable on the night Mason was sacked.

Harsh Chesh. 2 training g sessions is all he had. No midfield, against a good side and carrying  a hangover of numerous defeats lately. Way too soon.

[Lurker#3]

Not sure he has 'his vision' for this team yet, Chesh.

I think he went with what he knows best to learn what he has and what his players could do.

He challenged MJ to do a job at RWB, he tried his very best and kept plugging away but alas he just didn't have that in his locker right now. Maja came on and played deeper and on the right and was required to graft, he also put a shift in.

I think he will learn loads from that and we will see a few different shapes and personnel used in various positions.

[shadman]

I'm with B68. Looking forward to Tuesday now.

[HawkingsHalfpint]

Yes - very good post. Sums up my thoughts on it all.

I was too tired really to reflect on it all after getting back (only started running again yesterday, after 8 months of physio, mile walk each way from where I parked really didn’t help) but have woken up feeling that last night wasn’t a disaster. We were beaten by a much better, more organised and clinical side, but for fifteen minutes of each half asked questions of them I doubt we would have under Ryan Moments.

And let’s not forget that it took the same Boro half a dozen or so games to regain their Mojo after losing Edwards to the Dings.

I think that - with one or two CMs back in the line up on Tuesday (and assuming no casualties from last night) it’ll be a much better spectacle to judge our immediate fortunes. Clearly a dozen or so matches will be needed to truly ascertain if this is a good appointment or just merely Mason MkII, but that would have been a tough one for even the most elite of managers to come in and win. Regardless, it perhaps also reinforces the need not to get too carried away with our expectations for the rest of this campaign, whilst at the time reminding Shilen/Nessie a little of what we lack.

[Cheshire East Baggie]

Not sure he has 'his vision' for this team yet, Chesh.

I think he went with what he knows best to learn what he has and what his players could do.

He challenged MJ to do a job at RWB, he tried his very best and kept plugging away but alas he just didn't have that in his locker right now. Maja came on and played deeper and on the right and was required to graft, he also put a shift in.

I think he will learn loads from that and we will see a few different shapes and personnel used in various positions.

Fair comment. I wish he'd stuck with "what the players know" and picked a side based on the one that's had some good spells (more than just "moments") in recent matches. Too many players last night were finding their way in a new system and new role. Free hit to some extent because Boro are quality, but we can't afford to be confused come Tuesday.