Boro (H) Match Thread

[jono]

5% better in touch and passing and we would have hammered them. As it was, a hugely better performance and a really enjoyable Saturday afternoon

nervous first 10 .. horrid back pass .. phew .. well done Clarke ! 
 

players in an system that suited them .. first goal was joyful, Martin and Marriott give and goes bringing Tom I to play .. bang .. goal

Great to see CM with some support so he can do his stuff .. but he did a carp pass to Jack and leant back to sky another one. These things take time the poor bloke (and Jack as well) hasn’t had a mate to play off since Adam was a lad. MaM could be the new SaS if they get a few games together. 
 

Best bit of all for me was seeing a midfield making tackles and running in the direction of the oppositions goal. Saw some flashes from Bielik (38th minute) right hand side in defence .. took the ball avoided the attackers .. in perfect ball to the middle which was then passed to our forward line .. all 4 of the, lined up like sharpshooters 20 / 22 yards out and moving forward with intent .. when did we last see that !

Marriott defending deep reviving the ball .. in to touch for safety  .. no spun it kept the ball moved it forward 

Bogle off it for the first hour . Seemed to lack his usual bravery but started to look himself in the last 30 mins.

Excellent day .. some polish and some confidence to be applied and then we have a football team.

well done everyone 

 

[Steve How Hard?]

Some solid performances out there today. For me though that block by Clarke early in the game gave us the platform to go on and win that. How he stopped Assombalonga scoring I'll never know. With how things have gone lately and Boro being quite robust defensively, I feel it would have been a tough ask to turn it around had we gone 1-0 down so early. Loved the fact Cocu had the balls to try that formation. Just hope he persists with it as it can only get better as Jack Marriotts match  sharpness returns. The fact he lasted 90 mins bodes well. 

[Mr. P]

This could be a thing that the opposing managers use against us

 

[Derby blood]

Enjoyed that, played some good football, scored 2 good goals, and should have had a few more, Clarke played better, the 2 lads in centre midfield where really good Shinnie never stops working popping up in all the right areas. Love his attitude to the game, becoming one of my favourite players, now Bielik was so good at times, could become a real class player, hope he is fit for Forest, and as for Tom 2 great goals, made things happen all game, so feeling a lot more confident going to the red dogs next week now. 

[Gritstone Ram]

In the second half after a foul Martin tried to take a quick free kick to put Marriott through. The ref pulled it back, why? That is almost encouraging the opposition to foul to gain an advantage.

[TuffLuff]

Some good performances but I thought Clarke was very very good today at the back. Bielik is starting to look like an excellent acquisition. Lawrence comfortably motm in the end but Shinnie not a million miles behind. Shinnies work rate is vital to our tempo. Boro were poor but our display was more assured than we’ve seen in recent weeks.

[RamNut]

Awful traffic today. I actually got out and walked along the a52, up the slip road and over the bridge. 

Expect to hear that I’ve been sacked on Monday.

 

[Patrick Rams]

4 minutes ago, Derby blood said:

Enjoyed that, played some good football, scored 2 good goals, and should have had a few more, Clarke played better, the 2 lads in centre midfield where really good Shinnie never stops working popping up in all the right areas. Love his attitude to the game, becoming one of my favourite players, now Bielik was so good at times, could become a real class player, hope he is fit for Forest, and as for Tom 2 great goals, made things happen all game, so feeling a lot more confident going to the red dogs next week now. 

Yep..agree on Shinnie.... signed by Frank...moves family south..then a change of manager who didn't seem to fancy him,he must have thought what the hell have I done.And he seems a really decent geezer..a really good replacement for Bryson.Hope he can now continue to improve and becomes a fans favourite.

[GrimsbyRam]

Been saying it for weeks that our wingers are not good enough for the system. The change in system today worked well. We generally perform better when Marriott plays.

Bielek was brilliant today. Having willing runners through the middle (Holmes, Lawrence and Marriott) is what he/we have been crying out for. It also allowed Bogle and Malone to play ten yards further forward in possession.

Another, possibly less noticed, aspect today was the fact that Boro could not ‘advance’ as they were worrying about our ‘press’ and having attacking players. This allowed our defence and Bielek more space. The sending off helped too. 

Lawrence, to give him credit, has been more consistent since the incident. Worked well for both goals and similar to his Huddersfield performance (again when he cut in more central).

Shinnie again mr reliable and I do not mean that in a negative way. He keeps us ticking, plays it simple, gets up and even put some good crosses in. 
 

Marriott needs another 2-3 games to pick up his fitness. Defenders hate playing against him. 
 

We seemed to advance quicker today and if anything the only worry for me is still Roos in possession and from crosses.

[nottingram]

11 minutes ago, Van De Squid said:

This could be a thing that the opposing managers use against us

 

Luckily for him there isn’t anyone at Middlesbrough home games otherwise maybe it would be the same there

[jono]

10 minutes ago, Van Gritters said:

In the second half after a foul Martin tried to take a quick free kick to put Marriott through. The ref pulled it back, why? That is almost encouraging the opposition to foul to gain an advantage.

That one really got me Martin places the ball firmly with his had on top of the ball ... no way was it moving. Poor decision 

[Millenniumram]

13 minutes ago, Van De Squid said:

This could be a thing that the opposing managers use against us

 

I mean the boro fans were literally chanting “we’re ducking poo” but yeah, sure

[angieram]

14 minutes ago, RamNut said:

I always do. Me and the chap next to me are virtually the last to leave. Looked out for you but I since I don’t really know what you look like, it’s a bit of a challenge. Are you sat next to someone in a flat cap?

 

I'm in Block O - just checked my ticket! 

I can usually see some people clapping more centrally but the bit where I am is really quiet. I know I go on about it a bit but I can't quite get over it. North Stand had a reputation for being quiet but it's like the Popside in comparison to where I am.

Some people were also very reluctant to stand up for the minute's silence too. I think they just come along out of habit and don't really notice what's going on in their surroundings.

[Ghost of Clough]

13 minutes ago, Van Gritters said:

In the second half after a foul Martin tried to take a quick free kick to put Marriott through. The ref pulled it back, why? That is almost encouraging the opposition to foul to gain an advantage.

Ref said the ball was rolling. The ref was also the only one who saw it out of all 27000 people in attendance. 

[Ruud Aralliss]

1 hour ago, lagavulinram said:

Roos got a clean sheet. Got to state that. 

?. 1 shot on target 

But yeah, a clean sheet nevertheless.

[Rev]

11 minutes ago, RamNut said:

Awful traffic today. I actually got out and walked along the a52, up the slip road and over the bridge. 

Expect to hear that I’ve been sacked on Monday.

 

That's why I'm still stuck on this bloody bus!!!

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

It was awesome.

Well a very big improvement on any other game I've seen this season....a lot more cohesion,players operating in areas and with tactics that suit them together with a functioning midfield,lovely.

And Lawrence and Marriott working off Martin worked an absolute treat.

Would have been nice for all three to have got a goal today,they all deserved it but I'm sure we will just that in future games as they begin to understand each other.

 

[Gritstone Ram]

6 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Ref said the ball was rolling. The ref was also the only one who saw it out of all 27000 people in attendance. 

Right I thought he put it down and took it quick I wasn’t sure why He pulled it back. Another in the first half he pulled up probably rightfully too for taking it quick from the wrong place but then I noticed Boro take a quick free kick from the wrong place played on. A bit of a mystery with the free kicks although I don’t think the ref did too bad overall.

[Carnero]

12 minutes ago, angieram said:

Some people were also very reluctant to stand up for the minute's silence too.

Isn't the minutes silence supposed to commence AFTER The Last Post is played?

Football fans ?

[Gritstone Ram]

6 minutes ago, Ruda Harliss said:

?. 1 shot on target 

But yeah, a clean sheet nevertheless.

Was that in the first minute when they should have scored and he had rounded Roos and Clarke’s knee saved the day?