Minority Report 2017/18 v Middlesborough

At half-time, I am sure that everyone painted a different picture of the future. My own thoughts were that we were 2-1 ahead, and my future was that we would stay 4-5-1, dig the trenches deep and hope to see it out. Frankly. I was not expecting us to change to 4-4-2 again, having had a disappointing outcome against QPR and after Hecky’s comments during the week, which were effectively that we could not yet play 4-4-2 as well as 4-5-1. Clearly, Hecky’s vision of the future was different to mine, but just why was that?


After the fireworks of the first 10 minutes, we changed our shape slightly. We had started with our 3 in the centre of midfield set out as 1 defensive and 2 attacking, but we changed to 2 defensive and 1 attacking. Even though we were in front, it was the ‘boro shape that forced the change. Boro may have suggested 4-4-2 on paper, but their shape was 3-5-2. Their left back (Fabio) was essentially playing left midfield, and their left midfield player (Braithwaite) played in the hole behind their front two. In our starting shape, we found Braithwaite very hard to mark, and consequently, he was a huge influence on the game. Our change got some sort of control on the game, but it also resulted in Bradshaw being isolated from the rest of the team. Boro were gifted a huge share of possession, and it was hard to see that situation changing.


As expected, the change to 4-4-2 left the game very open, but it was open at both ends because defensively, Boro are weak. I cannot say that it was a huge surprise when Boro equalised, but equally, we had chances as well. It was a very good game and hugely entertaining. We tried to match the huge difference in the cost of the sides by working and running ourselves to a standstill. It is the way that I have watched my team compete for much of my lifetime. It is honest and it attracts the support and the praise of the loyal home fans. We will improve, but there will never be a time when we spend £30 million on players, and I accept that as part of my heritage. Nevertheless, we can always punch above our weight, and today was one of those occasions.

 

I think they would have scored regardless of formation as they were just seeing too much of the ball

 

Not much to disagree with there. Good entertainment for the neutral but for the more committed, of both persuasions, it was a game where frailties were exposed. Better teams than Boro would have prospered today. That said the attempt by Thiam where he put it wide and the shot that ricocheted off the upright might have put a different complexion on the game. Can't fault the lads for effort or commitment, what we lack in an expensively assembled squad is more than compensated by their never say die attitude.

 

I thought the change from 451 to 442 was brave to say the least but we've had plenty of success from that formation in the past . Had the shot that hit the post gone in we would have been lording the change of shape . We simply didn't make good use of the ball when we eventually got it .

 

It would be interesting to hear Hecky's view on the rationale for the change of formation, but managers never take it well when they are asked the question as they perceive it as veiled criticism. I'm not critical - he called it as he saw it. And it was a magnificent point against a very richly-endowed team (not a Lukaku-style pun, by the way).

 

My report was a little rushed yesterday, so I want to spend a little more time on it today. As I said yesterday, it was clear that the link between Bradshaw and the rest of the team was broken after we scored our second goal and our slight change in shape. The question was whether we could hold on for the whole of the second half in the 4-5-1 shape, with occasional forays forward through our wide players, or whether we needed to change our shape. It was pointed out to me that going 4-4-2 enforced a change of shape on Middlesborough. With us in our defensive 4-5-1 shape, they committed their full backs forward, particularly their left full back and effectively our wide players spent most of their time marking the two Boro full backs. Our mindset was defensive and we were fully committed to the process of holding on. Any thought about scoring a third had been firmly shelved. What 4-4-2 did as much as anything was to break that negative mental barrier that the team had fallen into. What 4-4-2 said was that the better form of defence might be to attack. In a sense, it worked because although the game became more open, it forced a rethink upon Middlesborough. They had to concede that with 2 players forward, we had a better chance of scoring a third, and they had to respect that chance. They had to play their 2 full backs deeper and closer to their centre backs, and I will say again, in spite of their reputations, I thought Boro were weak defensively at their core. There is a saying that attack is the best form of defence, and whilst I do not always agree with this sentiment, in this case there is merit in it. I do not have 50/50 vision into the future. I said what my half time vision was in my original report, but I have no idea whether we could have held out if we had stuck to 4-5-1. I respect that Hecky and his staff have more understanding of the game than I do, and consequently I merely try to report upon what they do, and what their motives may have been for doing it, rather than second guess what the outcome may have been had they done something else. We all know what the outcome was, but none of us can know what the outcome would have been had Hecky done something else. It is always good to remember that.