Boro V Rovers match thread

[cn174]

It looked like Savage was at fault, turning his body sideways to create the gap. Looked as if he was trying to avoid the ball.

I dunno if they were set up right in the first place, but just after it was taken Savage wasn't standing square. Nelsen seemed to be jumping across to try and close the gap!!

Either way, it doesn't matter now thanks to Roque and Derbyshire!

[USABlue]

I watched the full game on viewers choice on FoxSports in Aus and Rovers were pretty good for first 10-15 mins. Then Boro came more into the game. Savage was busy but Dunn didn't really seem to completely get into the game.

Boro were hitting us on the break and Yakubu was proving difficult to defend against up front, and Aliadiere was putting some good runs that were stretching us. The ref was very fussy and it was no surprise when he awarded a free kick that Boro scored from. Friedel was ropeable as the free kick went through a gap in the wall and into the back of the net.

In the second half the game looked to be slipping away from us until the McCarthy incident, that looked pretty innocuous but took 6 minutes to get him off the pitch. The commentators were saying he want to hospital for observation but it looked pretty bad at the time. But the change bringing Santa Cruz really turned the match. He was strong up front, is tall and has plenty of pace and the Boro defenders didn't know what to do with him. From a good cross he leaped very well to score a great header and once we'd got the equaliser we looked set for more.

Derbyshire came on and scored after 20 seconds and then did the worst knee slide celebration I think I have ever seen! but it was worth it to get the winner!

A couple of scares in the 6 minutes of injury time including more heroics from Friedel got us the 3 points and then after the whistle Boateng get his handbag out and kicked the ball at MGP in frustration. A melee ensued and Hughes came on the pitch to 'drag' the players off!

If we can control midfield more I think with the firepower we've got we should score lots of goals this season. We've just got to make sure our defence is strong. At times today it was desperate defending but still very happy with the win, especially when I only expected a draw.

Putting two and two together here, perhaps stirring the pot, Benni goes off our performance improves? Interesting. Coincidence or the result of having 11 working players on the pitch, your thoughts please.

[MCMC1875]

I dunno if they were set up right in the first place, but just after it was taken Savage wasn't standing square. Nelsen seemed to be jumping across to try and close the gap!!

Either way, it doesn't matter now thanks to Roque and Derbyshire!

Clur

MOTD shows it from the Boro viewpoint and it went between Savage and Gamst - nothing to do with Nelsen.

[cn174]

Clur

MOTD shows it from the Boro viewpoint and it went between Savage and Gamst - nothing to do with Nelsen.

I know, I was just saying it looks like he was launching himself across to stop the ball!

[USABlue]

Haven't seen any details, but does Benni's injury count as a concussion and therefore sidelined for two weeks?

Mmmm. could keep him in cotton wool till the window is almost shut. Wonder if the delayed reaction was the amount of time it took him to remember that rule.

[benhben]

I think it was Hansen, rather than Shearer who said we needed new players.

Im sure the new signings comment was aimed at boro!

[den]

All credit to the back four for keeping Boro down to one goal, that was a brilliant performance from those guys. Unfortunately the reason they had to be so good, was the ineffectiveness of savage and Dunn in front of them. Boro ran past Dunny in particular, at will. I don't think that particular partnership is the answer, especially away from home. There has to be a place for the axe somewhere. Bentley didn't give much support defensively either. But hey, an away win on the first day of the season and quality goals to boot. I'm happy.

Was talking to a couple of Boro fans before the game and they both couldn't understand how rovers could attract players of Santa Cruzs' pedigree and they couldn't. Really puzzled by that, they were. To cap that point, we were listening to Jeff Winters [ex referee and big Boro fan] phone in programme on TFM Radio after the game. He was saying exactly the same. He couldn't for the lif of him understand how Rovers had such quality players. He also reckoned Derbs would be asking for a move if he isn't starting games soon. Derbs is the kind of player Boro should be moving for, in his opinion.

[thenodrog]

A weak wall with players (seasoned professionals) not linking arms tightly enough to keep their colleagues in place and unbroken was the issue. A Cub scout football issue which should be resolved by Monday when a bollocking, teammates ridicule and a forfeit of 30 mins extra fitness training for the two involved should make sure there is no repeat.

I rest my case.... Looking at that pic it seems that they must tell em not to link together nowadays. If so it's as unfathomable to me as not putting a man on both posts at corner kicks. I'm in my 50's now and couldn't run for a bus but that goal would not have been scored if I had been stood next to Savage.... it would have hit him in the midriff. I'm not saying what is right and what is wrong but we'd have won 0-2 if they'd done as we were taught.

[philipl]

100% down to Savage- he swiveled and let it by leaving MGP looking a spare wotnot on the end.

Great post by Graham- really enjoyed reading it and agreed most points.

USA - no nothing to do with Benni. I saw chunks of the game and Roberts really was bad. Benni was his normal self until the Tom and Jerry routine (we can joke about it now).

The REAL difference was Roque who seemed to mesmorise Boro just by being there - that magnificent header after he just came on helped as well. It would be irresponsible to take him to My Pa but I guess until 31 August it is a case of Benni want, Benni get. Of course, will be nice to get him cup-tied by giving him a brief run in the land of the paper mills.

Two players I am 100% convinced by- Bentley and Derbyshire- just oozed class when their opportunities came.

Over to the rest of the Rovers to give them more opportunities and for Messrs Nelsen, Savage and Dunn to really recover pre-injury form. I am not greedy but if those three get back to top drawer then we are in for an amazing season.

[thenodrog]

100% down to Savage- he swiveled and let it by leaving MGP looking a spare wotnot on the end.

75%...... As I say if MGP had gripped him it would've hit him midships.

[Ozz]

I knew I was back in the north east when I witnessed an act of prostitution occurring in broad daylight. Pre match pub was a bizarre back street boozer which did not appear to have a name. They sold John Smiths Magnet, a dark heavy-ish bitter, a bit like a Guinness shandy. The only woman in the whole pub was a 50 odd year old, with a pruney face and a Liam Gallagher haircut. She disappeared and shortly after so did a rather young, muscle bound guy too in the directions of the bogs. Thinking no more of it, my seal had broke and needed a wazz my self. Whilst in there, I heard some commotion in the WC, and shortly after the two emerged , the bloke wiping the smile off his and face and the woman (and I hope it was a woman) wiping something entirely different off hers.

As for the match, we were pretty poor. A repeat of the Portsmouth result would have been no great surprise really, but Boro couldn't put the ball in the net. Poor goal to conceded, both in terms of the refs decision to award a free kick and the shoddy walls performance too. I actually voted Savage as our man of the match, thought he put in a shift and a half. Bentley and Dunn certainly needed a better work rate, and the game appeared to bypass them for the middle hour.

Where Boro were better was in getting the ball wide and using the areas behind the full backs, esp Warnock who looked a little bewildered at times. Tuncay played wide on the right and had the better of the full back and caused a lot of problems in the first half. Downing on the left also gave Ooijer a bit of grief, exposing his poor pace at times.

But we got lucky, and the injury bizarrely worked in our favour. Benni off for Roque who looked great and Roberts who had been in frustrating mode again off for Matty and you know the rest.

Brilliant save by Brad at the end to win us the three points.

More poor photos here.

[philipl]

'drog- When was the last time you saw a PL level wall "gripping" each other.

Not Blacksnape you know.

[Exiled_Rover]

All credit to the back four for keeping Boro down to one goal, that was a brilliant performance from those guys. Unfortunately the reason they had to be so good, was the ineffectiveness of savage and Dunn in front of them. Boro ran past Dunny in particular, at will. I don't think that particular partnership is the answer, especially away from home. There has to be a place for the axe somewhere. Bentley didn't give much support defensively either. But hey, an away win on the first day of the season and quality goals to boot. I'm happy.

Was talking to a couple of Boro fans before the game and they both couldn't understand how rovers could attract players of Santa Cruzs' pedigree and they couldn't. Really puzzled by that, they were. To cap that point, we were listening to Jeff Winters [ex referee and big Boro fan] phone in programme on TFM Radio after the game. He was saying exactly the same. He couldn't for the lif of him understand how Rovers had such quality players. He also reckoned Derbs would be asking for a move if he isn't starting games soon. Derbs is the kind of player Boro should be moving for, in his opinion.

Here we go again.

[Pugg]

I agree with Ozzie about Savage. Did someone say earlier that he hasn't got it anymore? Well he may not be like he was pre-injury, but he is getting fitter and fitter and I thought yesterday he ran his socks off and got some great tackles in. He will soon be back to his old self.

[den]

Brum still missing Savage

[Robertson]

Result was much better than the performance, was strangely relieved to be only 1-0 down at half time, they were the better side and we looked a bit suspect at the back.

think the changes would have been made anyway but Bennys injury forced Hughes hand, turnd out nice

Support was also in good voice, ROCKY ROCKY ROCKY!!!

Great start, the perfomances will come I am sure and 3 points on the board fist game is just what we need.

Roll on Arsenal

[Ozz]

Forgot to mention that Aliadiere looked a decent buy up front.

Words To Roque Song

You better watch out, You better beware

He's good on the ground and he's good in the air

Santa Cruz is coming to town

Santa Cruz is coming to town

Santa Cruz is coming, to town

[Fife Rover]

DERBYSHIRE

heinous strike

Are you crazy???? That was a wonderful strike!! I suggest you get your eyes checked.

[brfc fan]

What the fck?! They've removed those videos of the goals!

[cn174]

What the fck?! They've removed those videos of the goals!

Because they're not really supposed to be there are they?

[daren]

Im sure the new signings comment was aimed at boro!

Nope, it was at us, but what he was saying is that we'd need some better quality players in certain positions to make a push for the champions league. In fairness he has something of a point there.

Hansens introduction to Derbs' goal was "every time I see this kid it's right after a shot of a keeper picking the ball out of his net" which is a nice thing for him to say. They also implied (slip of the tongue, no doubt) that we're on the same level as Spurs, Newcastle and Everton going for the "2nd league".

Watched football first - our defence was a bit of a shambles at times. The full backs were all over the place, Ooijer went a bit too central and definitely couldn't cope with the pace of Tuncay on the break, although he kept him quiet most of the match. The centre of defence wasn't particularly good either, which surprised me because it look fairly solid at the end of last season. It's a concern, but hopefully it's more "start of season settling in time" than anything else. Central midfield still worries me, I know we have 5 players, but Savage and Mokoena, and Tugay and Dunn... those are more-or-less like for like changes and I'm not too comfortable with them. Mokoena and Tugay tend to hang back a bit and Savage and Dunn both like to get forward. Playing those combinations unbalances the side a little and makes work for our wingers. On the other hand, Savage and Tugay or Dunn and Moko seem to work well.

Bentley looked like he missed having Bert charging past on overlaps. On the evidence of yesterday, I seriously underestimated Bert's contribution to the right side last year. I hope he's back soon and (again on the evidence of the day) I'd like to see another pacey right back in there as cover.

I voted for Santa for man of the match. It's not entirely fair on Big Brad, but we do rather expect him to be fantastic Seriously, though, Santa completely changed the game when he came on and 'Boro looked tragically unable to deal with him. Given it was his debut his impact was hugh, his goal was a brilliant header and he provided the knockdown for Matty's sublime finish, it seemed appropriate.

[RoyRover]

It's great to get a win away from home on the first day of the season. It sounds like we didn't play particularly well, but this shows that we can grind out results. I'm delighted that Santa Cruz scored on his debut. This will no doubt give him confidence going forward. Derbyshire is also showing what a good player he is. It will be difficult for Hughes to leave him out soon. I think that before long, Santa Cruz and Benni will be our first choice pairing, with Derbyshire being the 3rd choice, over Roberts.

Defensively we sound like we weren't at our best, but there was always going to be rustiness in the team at the start of the season. Hopefully these kinks will iron themselves out soon enough. Midfield still seems like an area of concern for people. I've always felt that this is a part of the team that we could improve and hopefully Hughes will before the end of the month.

All-in-all, I'm happy with the start and we can only get better.

[Fife Rover]

I know it sounds overly cynical but I have to say that I was 3/4 expecting it. I am of course referring to Benni's injury. If you care to look back to my post on the Benni McCarthy thread of Aug 8th you will see that I predicted that benni will make sure he is not available for selection for the My Pa games so as not to get himself cup-tied. He has now done just that by getting an "injury" that cannot be diagnosed easily as anything other than concussion, and as we all know that automatically means a 2 week lay off from any games/training. Nicely done Benni, especially as no one can prove a thing!

[Cocker]

I know it sounds overly cynical but I have to say that I was 3/4 expecting it. I am of course referring to Benni's injury. If you care to look back to my post on the Benni McCarthy thread of Aug 8th you will see that I predicted that benni will make sure he is not available for selection for the My Pa games so as not to get himself cup-tied. He has now done just that by getting an "injury" that cannot be diagnosed easily as anything other than concussion, and as we all know that automatically means a 2 week lay off from any games/training. Nicely done Benni, especially as no one can prove a thing!

What It was clear that he was clattered. I thing your going a bit far there.

[USABlue]

I know it sounds overly cynical but I have to say that I was 3/4 expecting it. I am of course referring to Benni's injury. If you care to look back to my post on the Benni McCarthy thread of Aug 8th you will see that I predicted that benni will make sure he is not available for selection for the My Pa games so as not to get himself cup-tied. He has now done just that by getting an "injury" that cannot be diagnosed easily as anything other than concussion, and as we all know that automatically means a 2 week lay off from any games/training. Nicely done Benni, especially as no one can prove a thing!

Good, so it's not just me being cynical then. Does Benni know something we don't, tapping up conspiracy theory starts here.