Mr Popodopolous

In League or in League and Cups? Fairly sure it wouldn't be anyway...given some of the terrible streaks we've had it'd be going some!

Must've imagined those late winners at Hull and Sheffield United then?

Great positioning can look like that, for screening and turning over of the ball...but this seems in short supply with us!

https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/7/Seasons/7379/Stages/16389/TeamStatistics/England-Championship-2018-2019 The stats are interesting...We have indeed made the least tackles per game so far (8.3). The team who have made 2nd least per game? Middlesborough, with 13. Rather more worryingly though, we have also made 2nd least interceptions. I always took the view that if you don't tackle so much you press and intercept in key areas a lot more to compensate, but 6.7 of those per game, when combined with the tackles- is not good at all!

A battle, a draw likely IMO- can't see it being a great watch either. Let's hope nobody's got any freak injuries today to add to our current list...

I am of the view that we won't go down... QPR look very weak so far. Bolton are a surprise package after 3 games but I'd be surprised if they can keep it up. Rotherham will struggle clearly, Ipswich may miss McCarthy more than they think. Sheffield Wednesday and Hull don't look fantastic, Birmingham with several senior players frozen out won't be brilliant. Norwich could be surprise strugglers (think they'll be mid table however). Reading will surely stay up but 3 losses in 3 is it. Not grounds for optimism in terms of a strong season, but grounds perhaps to believe we can reach midtable or lower midtable.

You'd hope one goes in..woodwork twice, their keeper tipper over also. I thought we deserved at least one goal for our 2nd half efforts...but at the same time also think Middlesbrough played within themselves 2nd half. Like a rather negative version of Brighton in November 2016. They went in 2 up at half time then kept their shape etc, like today. Agree that clearcut chances are hard to define.

Thought 2nd half there was more urgency and we had some good chances for sure...hit woodwork. Felt like Boro were playing within themselves somewhat though, especially after their 2nd. Both their goals felt fairly soft but will watch it back on the highlights later.

A bit earlier probably would have been fine, might have tipped the balance yeah. Still though- a point from 2 down away to a side who beat a number of top sides at home last season isn't too bad, given all the changes etc. Remember at Bolton when we lost in February, we were quite committed forward and that proved our downfall. The momentum was with us though, so maybe we would have snatched it late on.

Or we might have got hit on the break by a team who specialise in counterattacking, physical, reactive football. It's a fine balancing act for a manager. Overcommit too early and it can go one of 2 ways...besides extra strikers, is a simple solution when chasing a game. Simple, but not always correct.

Playing them recently or or not it's funny that they lost at home to Accrington- phone in suggested badly outplayed too. It's laughable- much like them.

Absolutely true. They are one of those horrible, niggly gnarly sides. Usually one of those away games is tough. Prutton had us down to lose 1-0 incidentally, betting tip site had is down to draw and independent of that I saw a draw as fairly likely what with all the changes to our squad. I'd say- coming back from 2 down, spirit and character good, result not so much. As we shouldn't have been 2 down in the first place.

Read a thread that said we were terrible defensively- however thanks, your assessment puts me a bit more at ease. Dunno if it's a good or bad sign that 2 goals conceded from 2 shots on target. Or just one of those things maybe.

I'm not too unhappy- 2-0 down to 2-2, it's a point gained in that sense. We lost at Bolton last year, FWIW. Sounds like we were shaky at the back- considering the churn, plus the absences of Frankie and Diddhiou however we will improve I think. Bolton are not a good side by any stretch, but they are one of those who if anything like last season are horrible to play against. Listening on radio, sounded like the chance Eisa missed at the end was gilt edged... On early evidence, don't think we'll go down but nor will we threaten the top 6 too much.

On paper, it could be a 4-4-1-1 or could even be a 4-2-3-1. Interestingly about Paterson, he was not very good last week- but one ratings (Sunday Times) gave him 6/10. Which was odd- going on past rep maybe. Let's hope he fires but away to a physical Bolton, not certain this is the kind of game he would. Hope I'm wrong!

Paterson behind Weimann wouldn't be so bad but if we are playing them both as strikers...

Get a feeling it will be a draw... Looks like 4-4-1-1 with Paterson behind Weimann? Or perhaps it's a 4-2-3-1. Kelly starting, heard Dasilva had a bit of a knock- which is why he isn't even on the bench. According to a couple of sites, Bolton seem to be setting up in a 4-3-3. Probably not an offensive 4-3-3 but a 4-3-3 all the same- suppose formations and setups are fluid however. Will be interesting to see how the midfield battle goes, dunno if it'll put us at a disadvantage.

Agreed. Been calling for it, even as a Plan B for about a year on and off. Now I'm no manager but knowing how this League is changing and evolving- quite rapidly at that- our setup (especially with more orthodox full backs and wingers than the great run last season) could see us slipping back and left behind I fear. Not towards relegation, but in a sense of stagnation, perhaps wasting opportunities to move forward.

Agreed- incremental improvement, means a second footballing centre half undoubtedly would be next o my list- press a ball playing centre back and it makes a hell of a difference. On the flipside of that, if you have 2 centre backs who aren't ball playing first and foremost- sit off a bit, press the midfield let them both have the ball and they (the opposition) will be at a loss for a while. Along with a 3 man central midfield I think that's top of my list. If we get that 2nd ball playing centre back a lot of useful and intriguing tactical, fluidity of football options and styles will all open up IMO.

That's why you play 3 in midfield. Especially v good sides on hot days. You refer to the new keeper, and the distribution thing- truth is that is how you play out from the back..short passing is how it's done. Through the lines, between the lines that's how it is done- keeper short to Webster (or the full backs, depends on the circs). Webster to Pack (Brownhill decent technically IMO). Last year, a pair of Flint and Baker...not so capable IMO in that regard. Best of the 3 would have been retain Flint, buy Webster but obviously that's all hypothetical isn't it. Fielding could distribute it well at short range I'm sure- vary it yeah, a few long passes out fine or a quick roll out for a break, but with Webster now we can play the shorter passing game more readily again I think.

Plus in more modern times...year after year when it looked like we wouldn't get out of League One- that time spannd from Pulis to end of Tinnion's reign. Horrible slog that League was, without about 50 away fans a lot of the time or so it felt like. Yes we had the playoffs under Wilson but it felt like a long and futile period... Set against that or your (before my time) 80's near bankruptcy etc today was nowhere near. I could pick out a load of games worse than today. A load between 1998-now.

Thought a draw was about right, started well enough but hard to maintain in the heat with that tempo. In a 4-4-2 especially. Happy with a point, Baker should have done better with the goal though.

Is he a liar? Wouldn't like to say. Could it have been embellished? Chinese whispers- pretty plausible IMO. Given CCTV, police, stewards, all that it's just fanciful at best that a guy with learning difficulties would have had teeth knocked out regarding a dispute over seats and covered up for 15 months. Inconceivable tbh.

Well it never happened then, as we all knew. What truly baffles me is having concocted, or embellished the story, Henbury Gas dug and dug and dug himself into a hole. Is it possible there was a row? Yes. Definitely not a chance, not one iota of truth to this though, yet he pushed it and pushed it all the way to meeting a police officer! Nuts! Would have liked to have been a fly on the wall for his explanations...

They've always been a good laugh. Remember 20 years ago, when their fans had to pay for their own roof? Vaguely remember it, for a professional (supposedly) club in a big city- pretty embarrassing no?