FT: CARDIFF CITY 0 - 2 MIDDLESBROUGH. Match thread

[the other bob wilson]

Three weeks into the season and we looked knackered.

[Citizen's Nephew]

Agree, in the first half Siopis looked like he was playing in midfield on his own. He made a lot of mistakes 2nd half but I agree with citizens nephew he was okay in the first half

I don’t agree Kanga put a shift in, I thought it was a terrible performance, I know he had little service but he didn’t go looking for the ball, didn’t find space, didn’t close down, yet again he contributed absolutely nothing, save one or two awful touches on the ball. Same with Meite, how they both started again today after that shocking performance against Swansea last week defies belief.

NG looks like he doesn’t want to be here, O Dowda is not a full back and Ramsey should be playing deeper with Robertson further forward and it makes sense to sub Ramsey rather than leave him on for 90 minutes every game

I and many around me were bored watching our team . We played well for just a 4/5 minute period after half time when Ramsey was unlucky not to score. Then we took a shocking short corner , lost the ball and that was it.

It was criminal not to bring Robinson on earlier

The one bright spark was Daland and knowing Cardiff city he will now be out injured for months!

I think Bulut has lost the players, heads dropped again after the 2nd goal went in.

I can’t believe players such as Chambers and Willock can be as poor as I’m seeing , they all look devoid of confidence.

We have no defined style of play, it’s just defensive but conceding a lot of goals .

Bearing in mind our form over the last half of last season Bulut has to go

Sorry, needed to rant ��

Re. Robinson. He was warming up from just after the start of the second half. Doing stretches with the rubber band around his ankles and everything. He was so long warming up he would have been knackered by the time Bulut brought him on. One thing that's strange imo, is that Bulut never speaks to the players to tell them they're on or rarely speaks to them before they're on the park. It's always one of his team. It's really weird. There's a disconnect between him and the players. Odd.

I sit just behind the technical area and near the subs bench so watch and hear a lot of what's going on. It's very revealing. He cut a very lonely figure in the last 15 mins. Hardly any communication. Looked as broken as us supporters. There's no positive vibe in that team and management.

[The Lone Gunman]

What does any of that mean?

Roughly translated it means ‘I’m out of my depth by some distance.’

[Cleve van Leef]

Re. Robinson. He was warming up from just after the start of the second half. Doing stretches with the rubber band around his ankles and everything. He was so long warming up he would have been knackered by the time Bulut brought him on. One thing that's strange imo, is that Bulut never speaks to the players to tell them they're on or rarely speaks to them before they're on the park. It's always one of his team. It's really weird. There's a disconnect between him and the players. Odd.

I sit just behind the technical area and near the subs bench so watch and hear a lot of what's going on. It's very revealing. He cut a very lonely figure in the last 15 mins. Hardly any communication. Looked as broken as us supporters. There's no positive vibe in that team and management.

Probably reason he doesn’t speak to them is because they can’t understand what he telling them.

[B. Oddie]

What happened to Daland?

[Eric the Half a Bee]

I know it doesn't matter to some but that's now our 18th successive defeat in all competitions by 2 or more goals.

[jeepster]

Just watched all the matches from the championship,how many players are in the box when attacking not just at set pieces.
Is it the managers instructions?

[Michael Morris]

Bitesize highlights:

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re. Robinson. He was warming up from just after the start of the second half. Doing stretches with the rubber band around his ankles and everything. He was so long warming up he would have been knackered by the time Bulut brought him on. One thing that's strange imo, is that Bulut never speaks to the players to tell them they're on or rarely speaks to them before they're on the park. It's always one of his team. It's really weird. There's a disconnect between him and the players. Odd.

I sit just behind the technical area and near the subs bench so watch and hear a lot of what's going on. It's very revealing. He cut a very lonely figure in the last 15 mins. Hardly any communication. Looked as broken as us supporters. There's no positive vibe in that team and management.

That's a good observation.

Bulut, please, just go!

[ToTaL ITK]

What happened to Daland?

hamstring?

[Carl Dale's Mole]

Re. Robinson. He was warming up from just after the start of the second half. Doing stretches with the rubber band around his ankles and everything. He was so long warming up he would have been knackered by the time Bulut brought him on. One thing that's strange imo, is that Bulut never speaks to the players to tell them they're on or rarely speaks to them before they're on the park. It's always one of his team. It's really weird. There's a disconnect between him and the players. Odd.

I sit just behind the technical area and near the subs bench so watch and hear a lot of what's going on. It's very revealing. He cut a very lonely figure in the last 15 mins. Hardly any communication. Looked as broken as us supporters. There's no positive vibe in that team and management.

He’s touched upon it in interviews before this season. How he wants to delegate certain parts of the game to different coaches and what he expects from them etc.

I’m starting to think he’s delegating because he has absolutely no idea what to do.

It’s not working. He must go.

[WJ99mobile]

To be fair I thought Willock, Robertson and Ramsey were pretty anonymous - Ramsey as usual particularly so. O'Dowda and Ng were poor and both looked devoid of confidence, and whilst Kanga put a shift in, neither he or Meite ever looked a threat. The team looks a mess and for me there are signs the players are getting frustrated. If Bulut isn't sacked soon, I have a feeling the players will make sure he is..

Radio (Jason Perry?) said Robertson was outstanding

[Carl Dale's Mole]

Radio (Jason Perry?) said Robertson was outstanding

I thought Robertson was great and I was in genuine shock when he was subbed off instead of others. He kept finding the right pass forward to start the attacks (which inevitably fizzled out).

[The Lone Gunman]

Radio (Jason Perry?) said Robertson was outstanding

Outstanding is pushing it, but he had a much better game than Ramsey, that’s for sure.

[BLUETIT]

What happened to Daland?

hamstring?

I don’t think his hamstring is in his ankle

[Crisp White Lines]

I don’t think his hamstring is in his ankle

It has all the hallmarks of one of those innocuous incidents that puts a player out for weeks.

The way the Boro forward fell onto Dalands ankle was bizarre.

[Blooburd]

Outstanding is pushing it, but he had a much better game than Ramsey, that’s for sure.

he was outstanding considering the circumstances. It isnt easy looking great in a team falling apart.

Its amazing that some people are actually saying siopisstaker played better!!! the guy loses the ball under his won feet BEFORE the challenge comes in!

[delmbox]

he was outstanding considering the circumstances. It isnt easy looking great in a team falling apart.

Its amazing that some people are actually saying siopisstaker played better!!! the guy loses the ball under his won feet BEFORE the challenge comes in!

Robertson played well, I think people have been a bit harsh on Siopis. I thought he had a decent game, he's not exactly a cultured midfielder (although he did play one lovely ball over to Willock or O Dowda in the first half) and he's such a duracell bunny he guarantees you a bunch of errors a game but you cannot look at that man and think he doesn't care if we win or not.

Give me someone who tries to be involved in the game over someone who makes no errors because they're hiding any day of the week. I felt the same about Grant, he would guarantee you'd be pulling your hair out at least a couple of times a game but he'd always try and make things happen.

One of the things I love about Ramsey is he will always, always show for the ball. He can mess up (which he did several times yesterday) but next second he's there again demanding the ball

[The Lone Gunman]

One of the things I love about Ramsey is he will always, always show for the ball. He can mess up (which he did several times yesterday) but next second he's there again demanding the ball

Unfortunately, he’s developed a habit of giving the ball to the opposition more often than he gives it to his teammates. He had a really poor game yesterday and looks hopelessly out of form at present. The question is whether he can recover enough form at this stage of his career to justify his inclusion in the starting line-up.

[Hilts]

Unfortunately, he’s developed a habit of giving the ball to the opposition more often than he gives it to his teammates. He had a really poor game yesterday and looks hopelessly out of form at present. The question is whether he can recover enough form at this stage of his career to justify his inclusion in the starting line-up.

I think he's done as a 10.

Though I believe Bellamy thinks he can still do the job there as well.

[Tuerto]

Unfortunately, he’s developed a habit of giving the ball to the opposition more often than he gives it to his teammates. He had a really poor game yesterday and looks hopelessly out of form at present. The question is whether he can recover enough form at this stage of his career to justify his inclusion in the starting line-up.

He's always been prone to giving the ball away, he would do it when he was at Arsenal.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

I'm not gonna die on the Siopis hill either....but....he did actually make some cracking forward passes in the first half and was the only midfielder of any note imo. I know he's had some sh*t games but honestly, today wasn't one of them.

I’ve watched it back, he wasn’t as bad as I thought but his passing got worse, and he was missing them by miles at the end.

This group of players hasn’t got enough about them. Any new signings just get sucked in as well. We need a culture change from top to bottom cos it’s obviously completely toxic

[the other bob wilson]

I think Siopis has been one of our better players in the two home league games - that's not saying much mind. I still don't get why Bulut thought we needed a player like him when our shortcomings in other areas were so obvious.

[Lord Worcester]

I think Siopis has been one of our better players in the two home league games - that's not saying much mind. I still don't get why Bulut thought we needed a player like him when our shortcomings in other areas were so obvious.

For what it’s worth, I don’t. Many focus on his passing - good and bad - and his tackling. But what doesn’t seem to get mentioned by many is how easily opposition midfielders, in particular, ghost past him without a glove being laid on them, as if he is a small child. I watch him closely and it happens time after time. Straight through the middle of the pitch, straight into the heart of our defence.

In response to your question, we could have had 10 siopis’ at the club and bulut would still have brought him in. He is his eyes and ears, his lieutenant on the pitch. His comments post Saturday “sio needs support”. I would suggest he is completely blind to his many failings.

[Rjk]

I think Siopis has been one of our better players in the two home league games - that's not saying much mind. I still don't get why Bulut thought we needed a player like him when our shortcomings in other areas were so obvious.

managers quite often sign a player they know and trust when they go to a new club