Or they'd decided Jones was being sold in the summer, hmmm... - around the last international break per chance?
How many goals this season has at least a few on here commented Hughes was at fault? I am wondering how good he is. Having said that, I do recall saying exactly the same about Harry back in the day.
I noticed a couple of times Joseph got shoved in the back as he was about to control the ball, and then couldn't hold onto it as a result. He was probably too nice; a McBurnie would've either anticipated the shove and defended himself against it, or gone down to display the foul to the ref rather than trying to just about stay up when it was always going to make it difficult to trap the ball.
The logic of saying 'Jones vs Egan - look where Middlesbrough are now' is really lazy. Especially when both players were playing for a team who last season survived the drop by the skin of their arse and when Egan by the same logic comes from clubs with multiple promotions from this league and games at a higher level. Also, the season's not exactly finished is it. Most of our goals conceded this season have come from individual errors from our deeper players. Egan's not been the worst offender at all and has popped up a few times in dangerous positions up front as well. I don't think popping Alfie Jones back in there is the answer to our problems.
agreed, I mean Reece burke left for Luton and ended up playing in the prem, doesn't mean he was any good, I'd certainly have still taken Jones or Greaves who we replaced him with
Egan started the last five games of the season but Jones started in most of the games before then. Egan joined in January and didn’t nail down a spot in the starting XI until April. I think there’s some revisionism going on here. People are making out like Jones lost his place as soon as Egan arrived when that clearly wasn’t the case.
I'm not saying Egan is better. I am saying that Jones isn't the answer. I think they're fairly similar players, though Egan is probably a bit more adventurous. If Egan isn't the answer, Jones isn't the answer. Pressure is mounting on the defence at times because the midfield isn't quite ticking yet. The actual goals we concede are largely coming from **** ups - probably more from Hughes than any other CB currently. He's young and improving but just needs to hold his concentration for the full 90+ For a team willing to play it long, we don't seem as willing to clear it long when we probably should. Overall though the defensive issues aren't down to any individual. There's too much going wrong across the board. I think it'll click more in time though. New manager, new playing style. It's certainly working at one end, and even if we can just play with less defensive mistakes, it'll help us win more.
... said nobody on here ever. "..... Egan became the preferred choice". (which, with inevitable interest being shown in him, then led to him deciding it was time to move on).
Has anyone done that? I think the point was someone said our defence this season is worse than last season when it's effectively the same players with an upgrade at lb.
Ryan Giles is an upgrade in the attacking sense , he seems to have contributed to loads of our goals this season , he isn't a great defender though
It's looking like he's the answer at the top team in the league at the moment. Egan has achieved more in his career, but he's getting towards the end of it. Ajay will most likely play ahead of him as and when he's actually fit.
It's not a penalty. No goalkeeper has to make a choice for a shot from outside the penalty area. I think you've mis-transcribed Acun's text.
Ok, maybe should have said 'has made a choice' rather than 'had to make a choice'. Of course, you'd know what you do being a a professional elite level keeper unlike Panda ... oh, hang on. And wtf has it got to do with Acun. Why be a knob?
Jones has been hit and miss at Boro according to radio pundits he was getting rinsed the other week in one match , yes he’s scored a goal . We wanted physical strength Jones didn’t have it like Greaves the more robust players put them under massive physical pressure and the ball drops to their colleague usually .
This is the point. A fit Ajayi with Egan as understudy is absolutely fine. Given Ajayi's injury record though I think we'd probably have been better off keeping Jones. I think the decision to offload boiled down to him entering his final year, and the need to raise funds as opposed to him bot being good enough or some compelling need to strengthen his position.
