Middlesbrough (H) Carling Cup First Round Tuesday 9/8/11.

[Ancient Moaner]

I think the annoying thing is that all summer Smith has been saying how the weakness in the squad is the lack of depth in central midfield, and two games in to the season that weakness is being exposed. It was absurd to go in to the season with one natural central midfielder in the squad; we'll need a signing by Friday afternoon in my opinion despite Peterlin having a fair game last night. The squad is just too thin in the middle of the park, and I'd include a lack of options on the wing with that too since Nicholls seems to be our only other option.

with that as our only option I tend to agree with Swifty Boys Delegation battle looming!
I think the pool will win easily on Saturday and then we face 'champions elect' Sheff United on Tuesday at thier place..
I think a right spanking is on the cards, which is crud, cus I'll be there to witness it!
Jarvis certainly seems to be impressing everyone so far! :lol:
As I've said before, where are the goals coming from?

[Magic Man Fan]

It seems everyone has missed the obvious reason Gnapka was taken off, and Peterlin bought on. When Chambers went off, that left Taundry as our only match fit central midfielder so Peterlin had to come on the get ready for Saturday. The reason that Gnapka went off, and not Jarvis is because if you're down to 10 men, to stand any chance of getting anything out of the game you need 10 men that are going to put a shift in. Not 9 and 1 more who has no positional sense and little workrate.

[We-ARE-Walsall]

It seems everyone has missed the obvious reason Gnapka was taken off, and Peterlin bought on. When Chambers went off, that left Taundry as our only match fit central midfielder so Peterlin had to come on the get ready for Saturday. The reason that Gnapka went off, and not Jarvis is because if you're down to 10 men, to stand any chance of getting anything out of the game you need 10 men that are going to put a shift in. Not 9 and 1 more who has no positional sense and little workrate.

Well lets be honest, no one could possibly be less effective than Jarvis. At least Gnapka can run, maybe pinch a goal on the break. Not been impressed with him either, but I mean Jarvis seems to have no positive attributes at all.

Wouldn't have made a whole lot of difference what Smith did to be fair, we were completely outclassed, by a much better side.

[Bernie]

It seems everyone has missed the obvious reason Gnapka was taken off, and Peterlin bought on. When Chambers went off, that left Taundry as our only match fit central midfielder so Peterlin had to come on the get ready for Saturday. The reason that Gnapka went off, and not Jarvis is because if you're down to 10 men, to stand any chance of getting anything out of the game you need 10 men that are going to put a shift in. Not 9 and 1 more who has no positional sense and little workrate.

So you think that Jarvis put a shift in and had positional sense? And that Smith was proved right in his decision to play three in midfield and two up front?

Is this a WHOOSH?

[Jolly Johnny]

It seems everyone has missed the obvious reason Gnapka was taken off, and Peterlin bought on. When Chambers went off, that left Taundry as our only match fit central midfielder so Peterlin had to come on the get ready for Saturday. The reason that Gnapka went off, and not Jarvis is because if you're down to 10 men, to stand any chance of getting anything out of the game you need 10 men that are going to put a shift in. Not 9 and 1 more who has no positional sense and little workrate.

Good point about needing 10 solid players and no 'luxuries' but what surprised me when I saw the substitution on the live text, and consequently reading comments on here, was keeping Jarvis up front and playing 432 rather than dropping him to wide right (where Gnakpa was) and playing a solid 441 to help the midfield battle, which we seemingly lost and were overrun a lot of the time.

[Magic Man Fan]

It seems everyone has missed the obvious reason Gnapka was taken off, and Peterlin bought on. When Chambers went off, that left Taundry as our only match fit central midfielder so Peterlin had to come on the get ready for Saturday. The reason that Gnapka went off, and not Jarvis is because if you're down to 10 men, to stand any chance of getting anything out of the game you need 10 men that are going to put a shift in. Not 9 and 1 more who has no positional sense and little workrate.

Good point about needing 10 solid players and no 'luxuries' but what surprised me when I saw the substitution on the live text, and consequently reading comments on here, was keeping Jarvis up front and playing 432 rather than dropping him to wide right (where Gnakpa was) and playing a solid 441 to help the midfield battle, which we seemingly lost and were overrun a lot of the time.

I think he went to the three in midfield to force Boro to play down the wings in the hope that the full backs and centre halves would deal with what came their way. Unfortunately Boro were very stong, especially on the left and clinical up front. No great shame in the result after Chamber's pathetic Mattis like foul in a silly area of the field. I thought the team worked very hard and were just coming to terms with Boro and containing them when they scored the excellent second goal.