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Sunderland are due a result against anyone at this rate…

The Luton example was used because it was a forced tactical change and a good defensive performance by and large. It demonstrated to me that if we adjusted things tactically, we can defend capably in the formation which this discussion is actually about. I’d like to see us drop deeper away from...

You still haven’t addressed the points about the personnel being different when we played 5-3-2 because this is just as important as the tactical plan. We both watched the game v Sheff U, we created a ‘threat’ before the goal so it cuts both ways. Overall, we were arguably the better team in...

It’s not downplaying that run by pointing out that there moments during this spell where we rode our luck. It was those away games that Dovin put his hat in the ring for POTS. Co’mon, you’ve definitely been advocating 5 ATB for a while now. My critique has been tactical rather than formation...

Yes, the original point was that we could and arguably should’ve conceded first. We didn’t have a proper chance until Simms scored. The second half against Blackburn is where we managed the game masterfully but in the first half we were on the back foot, without a doubt. Again, judging by our...

Is it tactical tweaks that are required or formation change? The conceding goals is an issue, that’s taken the headlines by the likes of yourself, Stupot and Fernando but the lack of chance creation has seemingly gone under the radar. Again, I just struggle to see how 5-3-2 fixes that, the...

So why did Dovin get MOTM? It’s the same with Sheff W and he scored well v Norwich and Oxford too. He’s an underrated match winner for us and his absence has been genuinely missed.

If Collins was in goal, we probably go 1-0 v Blackburn and don’t win the game. The second half, we nicked a quick 2nd goal and could sit back on a 2-0 lead to create a 3rd chance that Rudoni should’ve scored. Blackburn had more shots than us and we really rode our luck and some good...

The chance creation has been a problem in all the games we’ve lost. How does 5-3-2 correct that problem? It doesn’t. You can point out our individual errors at the back (which formation does t automatically fix btw), it’s our chance creation since Oxford away that has considerably dropped off...

If we were to beat Sheff U, you’d have to back us beating Bristol City or Sunderland.

The personnel wasn’t the same. The reason 5-3-2 worked so well is because the midfield 3 complemented each other perfectly. Torp and Rudoni played so high and wide, they were operating like an LM and RM up the pitch at times. A midfield trio of Grimes-Sheaf-Rudoni fundamentally alters that...

They may be on their 9th life because the EFL may move to impose a ‘sustainable business plan’ on them which means gutting their squad. I’ll reserve judgement because we thought Sheff U may struggle and they signed lots of players on fees/big contracts and spent the season in the top 3.

Strongly disagree. I’m obviously biased, the league table doesn’t lie and we’ve been better than all the teams you’ve listed since Lampard has come in. If we keep our main players and add to it, there’s no reason we can’t build on this. WBA since Corberan has left have been operating at near...

I don’t buy the Birmingham or Wrexham hype. Both will stay up but look at Plymouth 2 seasons after getting 100+ points in L1. Why Sunderland? They started the season exceptionally well and have tailed off massively. If they lost in the playoffs and they start the 25/26 season slowly, you can...

How do you define favourable though? A simple look at the league table doesn’t do it much justice. Looking at the form table, Derby, Luton and Plymouth are 6-9th and had stronger home records than their league position and we played Sunderland, Sheff U and Burnley. For example, many people...

Why not? Assume the Top 3 are the relegated teams, who is better placed than us to be in and around that Top 4?

Under Lampard, we’re 5 points off Sheff U and only 14-15 points from Burnley and Leeds. It’s not that far away and there’s a huge gap in budgets, comparatively. Going into this season, there were pretty significant gaps in the squad that you’d assume will be built upon this summer. He came in...

Cov home record: 10-2-2 Boro away record: 3-3-8 If that doesn’t give you confidence going into this weekend, what will?

I don’t think he’s regressed per se, a lot of people seen that he had a lot of similarities to Vik and projected a favourable view on him. In my view, he’s been hyped early on and Robins decisions to play him less towards the end of his tenure was correct. It’s also difficult for him to make...

What permutation are you betting on for 7th? Boro win? Looking at both Bristol’s and ourselves own home form, it’s unlikely we both drop out. The bookies and data analytics still strongly favour things to stay as they are. The Opta super computer reckons both games will be draws whilst...