[Archived] Not The Middlesbrough Preview.

[Plastic Head]

If you shop, as the Rovers do, in footballing Netto, don't expect a meal of Gordon Ramsay quality.

...and what's wrong with Netto???

Anywhere you can a bottle of wine for 1.99 is OK by me !!!

[cletus]

I heard the drummer on TV.

Did you?

I thought they`d given him the day off. The guy next to me pointed out the fact "we were playing cr4p but at least there was no drummer". That`s when i realised something was amiss.

[Hasta]

If you shop, as the Rovers do, in footballing Netto, don't expect a meal of Gordon Ramsay quality.

The fact that we dod as well as we do is a minor miracle, and its about time the professional knockers faced that very simple fact.

If you have a defence that cost less than £4m, what do you expect? Everton have spent more on single players than our first team cost. City have spent £40m. And on it goes. Heaven forbid we ever get relegated, you'll be crying like a lot of teenage girls.

Thank (Please don't use that word again) you don't run the club AESF, the players and and would be passing 'round the happy pills.

Whilst you do an admirable job of defending the club and every member of it's staff no matter what Paul, I do think sometimes you miss the point certain people are trying to make. 99% of us know it is a miracle we are where we are. We know our team costs pittance of what others cost and, deep down, some of us know that one bad season could see Rovers as also rans.

However the point is that at the back end of last season, and early this season, we looked a very good side who were tight at the back and created chances going forward. Since November we look a shambles and certain players are no longer performing like we know they can. Having witnessed what this team can do, I don't feel we should be getting outplayed at home off Boro, battered at home off Coventry and lucky to beat a Sunderland side that were more than a match for us.

If that makes me a professional knocker fine but I've only gone into that profession last month.

[thenodrog]

Why is it that Bentley takes every free kick? OK he does get an occasional goal but when you have tried the same free kick three times in one match without success then it's time to go to plan B (if we have one that is?)

Pederson doesn't get a sniff unless its wide right and neither does Reid who we all know can hit a mean shot from distance?

Methinks a bit of invention on the training pitch is required

A point I made yesterday. Everybody tall goes up, Warnock sits deep and for what? To see Bentley continually trying a speculative shot. He's got a strong dose of Beckhamitis imo. Fine striker of a dead ball as he is we still need some invention to crack a disciplined wall and a good keeper.

[thenodrog]

Anyone watched Dunny's body language and facial expressions lately he looks well ###### off, doesn't look like he's enjoying himself at all.

Yeah must be sh1t earning a kings ransom and playing in his preferred position for the team that he professes to love. Swift dose of reallity required imo.

[RevidgeBlue]

If you shop, as the Rovers do, in footballing Netto, don't expect a meal of Gordon Ramsay quality.

The fact that we dod as well as we do is a minor miracle, and its about time the professional knockers faced that very simple fact.

If you have a defence that cost less than £4m, what do you expect? Everton have spent more on single players than our first team cost. City have spent £40m. And on it goes. Heaven forbid we ever get relegated, you'll be crying like a lot of teenage girls.

Thank (Please don't use that word again) you don't run the club AESF, the players and and would be passing 'round the happy pills.

You're changing your tune completely now, you've spent the last month or two telling everyone they're whinging unnecessarily because we actually have such a good side!

As regards your question about the defence, it's not asking too much to expect a back line that defends competently as a unit and doesn't make any basic errors.

The fact is various very good players throughout the team and squad are not playing anything like as well as they are capable.

[Paul Mellelieu]

It's difficult arguing with you Rev. You accuse me of things I haven't said.

We are a capable team, especially when considering our expenditure; we have been playing below par recently, but not as badly as many on this board suggest.

For example Rev, you have claimed that we've only played well twice at home this season.

Recently we have played five league games without defeat, but the team has suffered from injuries, a smallish squad and the inter-toto early start.

And Hasta, we did well at City, Bolton and at home to Chelsea. So let's have a bit of balance. Let's not forget CL placed Everton were knocked out by a club a level below Coventry.

There are things to worry about, but a sense of perspective is needed.

[Daremz]

Worrying times. One bad result in the last 5, although we could have lost 4 of them. Still though, the board can't see we need a midfielder. Please, a central midfielder. We need one desperately. Pressure on defence gets too high all the time because opponent midfielders are as free as Osama Bin Laden in the Western Sahara.

[Ben-2000]

Why is Bentley's name always spelt 'Betnely' on every poll?

Ooijer man of the match without a doubt for me although was disappointed with the game overall.

[USABlue]

Try Emmo on the left wing position, and put Ooijer at RB with Zurab and Samba as CB's.

Funnily enough, was contemplating that myself but was scared to post it for fear of getting slaughtered. Bert surely does bring some energy and is a threat moving forward. Does Ooyah look to anyone else like he might be able to fill a defensive midfield position with some success.

I don't know what the answer is but the season started with us playing some breathtaking stuff, albeit a bit too much close to the opponents box now we can't seem to string a couple of passes together

[USABlue]

Why is it that Bentley takes every free kick? OK he does get an occasional goal but when you have tried the same free kick three times in one match without success then it's time to go to plan B (if we have one that is?)

Pederson doesn't get a sniff unless its wide right and neither does Reid who we all know can hit a mean shot from distance?

Methinks a bit of invention on the training pitch is required

Methinks your memory only goes back as far as the last match. Peds has had a fair share of them but he has been woeful.

[Paul]

Why is Bentley's name always spelt 'Betnely' on every poll?

At an away game before Christmas, Fulham?, his name was spelt like that on his shirt

[B.R.F.C]

How on earth we managed to get a point out of that I'll never know...Initially before the match I said that we might need a bit of pace in the defence and midfield and Emerton should have been playing. Despite this there was a more obvious reason as to why we were completely pap.

Organisation...Organisation...Organisation

How we can't do this basic concept of the game correctly mystifies me totally. Several times Boro hoofed balls into the area between our midfield and defence and a lot of the time we had 2 players and on a couple of occasions 3 players going for the same ball and then one time where Dunn and Nelsen ended up on the deck staring at each other. It seemed to me that Dunn, Reid, Warnock and Nelsen weren't sure who was calling for what ball for the majority of the 2nd half and considering Nelsen is our captain I found this quite alarming. Nelsen was also caught out in a couple of areas going for a header pushing too far up the pitch and then the ball being played in behind and the end result was that we were short on the left hand side...the attack where MrSamba saved his bacon with a sliding block on a cross being a prime example.

Set piece defending was equally as poor. I've watched the goal a couple of times already and there appears to be 2-3 players in the box doing absolutely nothing standing in the middle of nowhere (What was Dunny doing?) with Oojier (the only player who marks his man properly) roaring at the top of his voice trying to sort it out. One man at the near post and markup in the middle with an extra body to block any run from deep from the Boro attack (a run which Wheater made perfectly and scored) Set pieces 2nd half we struggled to cope and the effort where Wheater hits the bar we have four...yes count them four players standing watching him ghost in for an unmarked header

Quite simply if we play like that or defend from set piece like we did on Saturday we are going to get absolutely mullered by Villa.

Two other comments:

Dunny-Why on earth does he not try and move forward and beat his man? He just seems majorly low on confidence and its an area where we'd benefit a large amount by having a player like Koumas and letting Reido sit back as he did reasonably well on Saturday. That and a bit of shooting practice is in order I think.

Roque-Was it just me or was he not injured after about 60mins or so? He seemed to be carrying a knock and his movement was restricted quite clearly. We had Benni on the bench and there was no reason as to why he shouldn't have been brought on IMO. In saying that Roques flick onto Roberts did help setup the goal so it seemed to work out ok. Hopefully Roque is fit for next week.

Nelsen-What has happened to him? Seems a totally different player from last season and should be dropped in my book.

Bents-Had a rather poor day and it was another game where he tried to hard to make up for the lack of performance from other players in the team.

Very pleased to get a point given the performance and how many guilt edged chances Boro missed. We seem to lack any organisation in midfield or defence at present and its something that needs sorting out before we begin to complain about the quality of player we have.

And Breathe

[pksrover]

Methinks your memory only goes back as far as the last match. Peds has had a fair share of them but he has been woeful.

I must say I found it a bit strange that Pedersen didn't get to take a single corner against boro, not even on 'his' side, even though every set-piece he hit against Bolton was spot on! I know the fact that Pedersen's set-pieces being spot on have been a rarity of late, or maybe for a longer period, but why not let him keep on taking some when he have showed that he can hit them? Bentley had some awful attempts on saturday which btw reflected his overall performance, apart from the free-kick and the first half shot of course.

It is getting a bit daft and boring to read about all the stupid posts lashing out at Pedersen for everything. Yes I am fully aware he haven't scored a premiership goal for a year or so and that his performances this season have been rather poor. But if you can't see his improvement of late I feel a bit sorry for you guys. Yes I am norwegian, but the people on here that know me can testify that I have never been a big fan of Pedersen and always been the first to lash out at his performances. He have had several decent performances lately, and have in some games been better than certain players that always seems to get the praise. For the first time this season Pedersen have enough confidence to control the ball, hold off a man and then play a decent ball in the right direction contrary to when he panicky just hit the ball first time to a random player earlier in the season.

[daveoftherovers]

On reflection I thought we were VERY lucky to get a point, they were all over us and missed several glorious chances to be 3 or 4 up by the break, 2nd half we were as poor as we were in the 1st half (Even though I thought we'd struggle to achieve another low)

Midfield, very poor, The passing stunk, Dunny was woeful and is sinking to a new low for me, Reidy looks what he is, lacking match fitness & confidence, his passing was poor and his choice of decisions late & poor, Boeteng & Co. had midfield in the bag, Bentley v quiet and was immediately shut out when he had the ball, Gamst clearly isn't 1/2 the man Pederson was, where has he gone, he too had a stinker!

Nelson stunk, thank God for Andre' & Samba, One of Stevie Warnocks poor games for me, so the defence (With little protection from our Midfield, it must be said) had a poor day with gifts a plenty from set pieces and long balls between the mid & defence being boro the order of the day, very easy for them.

Up front, Santa is still a different class with Jason not being given the service or when he did, he had absorbed Shefqi's 1st touch, a lot of huff & puff with little in the way of productivity, well played Matty btw, Where is Benni when we only use 2 subs??? I take it he is history is he?

Referee poor, too many fouls given with NO advantage, ref'd appropriately for the occassion, felt like an Accy & District Combination game i.e. We'll just keep doing you in the middle of the park and break the game up, weak ref & 2 poor sides for me.

Smoggies will be gutted with only a point, we missed another MASSIVE opportunity at home, table says it all for me.

p.s. Atmosphere stunk even with a better than expected turn out, do we not want to adjust without the drummer? Riverside made most of the noise, we couldn't get anything going in the BBE, so I gave up along with my voice!

Please MH, deliver a Midfielder or 2 and drop the Admiral (Can't believe I'm saying that, but it's necessary & true)

[krislu]

Anyone know who our defensive coach is? By the looks of things we don't got one, and if we do we should get another one asap.

[waggy]

writing this before i read the thread,well all you jason roberts fans must be creaming yourselfs,what a preformance by the big man,what a pass for derbyshire's goal.did you see how he frightened the boro defence with his raw pace and strength,4 million this guys worth 20 million,he even nullified our best striker santa cruz.

how we got a draw from this game is another world mystry,sort it out sparky

[waggy]

Why is it that Bentley takes every free kick? OK he does get an occasional goal but when you have tried the same free kick three times in one match without success then it's time to go to plan B (if we have one that is?)

Pederson doesn't get a sniff unless its wide right and neither does Reid who we all know can hit a mean shot from distance?

Methinks a bit of invention on the training pitch is required

remenber my quote last week after the bolton game,warnock was unmarked in acre's off space for a frre kick,same saturday only it was emerton,if the ball had been played to him he was behind the defence,better than the 1/10 ratio bentley is on

[waggy]

At an away game before Christmas, Fulham?, his name was spelt like that on his shirt

utd away paul

[waggy]

anyone else think benedicts omission on sat is down to fact a bid has been made for him

[Hasta]

anyone else think benedicts omission on sat is down to fact a bid has been made for him

No, more probably the fact he's contributed bugger all for 3 months.

[Jammy]

anyone else think benedicts omission on sat is down to fact a bid has been made for him

I think it was more down to the fact that after the Bolton game Roberts deserved his chance, RSC was never going to be dropped.

[waggy]

No, more probably the fact he's contributed bugger all for 3 months.

in that case how does pedersen get in

[Hasta]

in that case how does pedersen get in

Alas that I cannot answer. Ditto Nelson at the moment.

[Ozz]

I was busy on Saturday having sex-how many Boro fans were there?