Maybe just sacking, or replacing MoN isn't the answer though?
We sacked Keane when it all went a bit pete tong and it got no better under Sbragia (actually a lot worse tbh); we dumped Bruce when it went tits up and appointed one of the games big hitters? It started well but has gone a bit awry of late. We have hired and fired for 40 years and it barely gets beyond canny before it goes tits up and we start again.
If we cant make a proper fist of things with a manager of the calibre of MoN, then maybe its time to call it a day as a fan (for me anyway) after 38 years of complete disappointment and let down time after time. I wanted MoN to desperately be the one manager that stopped the rot at this club and turned it on its head but that looks increasingly unlikely as the weeks roll on.
I look at our team and see some excellent players but I watch them play like clueless fools. I don't think we could score in a brothel a the moment, even with £50 notes strapped to our bell ends and yet on paper at least we have a decent squad.
We have all the ingredients for a successful period in our history but it just never works. Are we feted to everlasting failure here? Are we never going to realise a 50 year potential and actually become more than a bit part player?
I have my grave reservations we ever will. If MoN cant make it here, then I am prepared to hang up my boots as well, as I don't think I have the fight to support yet another change in management so early into MoN's term, whoever that may be.
Last night was a benchmark defeat for me. Deserve to lose? Totally yes. Were Boro that good? Of course not and thats what has hurt so much.
We got beat at home off a penniless, bit part play off championship at best bunch of young lads but they wanted it more and deserved their night of glory.
For me, I am left reflecting if this is really how I want to spend time in my life anymore.
MON has all the ingredients to be successful at our club, the club itself has never been better, we have a fantastic stadium, fantastic training facilities, the club has one of the best sposnorship deals in EPL history and the backing of a billionaire owner of the highest calibre. We just need to get it right on the pitch and we will so don't lose faith.
I don't know what's going on behind the scenes, none of us do, we're guessing at best and feeding of scraps of rumours and newspaper articles which usually are all ****e anyway. One things for sure, it's not all roses and sweetness and light is it? somethings just not right.
When MON came to us last season the team was immediately lifted and results went our way, we played decent enough attacking football until we hit the wall and we limped through to the end of the season. Everyone was happy and excited for the transfer window to opemn, buy a few players and kick on. Why all of a sudden (this season) are we playing like a team without belief? with the players we've brought in we should be getting at teams and playing attacking football, instead we're lining up to not get beat, it just doesn't make sense to me. It's like we've adopted a whole new way of playing, totally opposite to last season.
We've got a keeper who would walk into just about any EPL team as first choice and defensively we're solid and work as a unit, we don't leak goals like we used to under Bruce and there's a general confidence in the back 5. For me there is anyway.
Up front we have a striker who can play and knows where the goal is, he just needs service and he'll produce the goods, no question. Midfield???? individually we have some gifted players but it's like they don't know each other and i can't remember a game this season where we have gelled in the middle of the park. I can't remember seeing any freeflowing football like we did when MON first came in, i can't remember us stringing more than a few passes together to be honest.
We were 4 games into the season and we still had players who weren't match fit, we still have players who aren't match fit, that's wrong. Fair enough if a player has been injured but i'm talking top class (supposedly) players who are just not fit enough and are not performing. Fletcher must be sick as **** to think he was coming here to bag shed loads of goals and be fed loads of quality balls, he spends more time chasing after the ball these days.
Bottom line, we'll get there, i'm convinced we will. Looking at our fixture list i think it will get worse before it gets better and my take on it is that MON is setting his teams up to not get beat, sort of damage limitation if you like until the window opens again in January. I can't think of any other reason why we would set up 4-5-1, even when at home against inferior opposition, it just doesn't add up.
There's either something going on that none of us know about or he's tactically inept and i hope to **** it's the former and it can be put right cos we're in for a long, ****e season if it's the latter.
