[Archived] Brill Middlesbrough Preview by m1st :)

[USABlue]

How many games now have these refs had truly bad games? One wonders about certain peoples influence in the game. Could any of the nasties who had their feelings hurt and gravy train derailed have anything to do with this trend.

Good but nervy win. Onward and upwards

[FGS5635]

Like others have said a rough game but a massive 3 points. Conditions didn't help but overall a poor game.

Good fighting quality from rovers to keep a badly needed clean sheet especially with a midfielder at left back and centre back.

Thought Williamson had his best game in a rovers shirt. We cant play cairney on the right at home as he is wasted and needs to be central.

King going up top made a big difference. Instantly boro dropped 10 yards deeper and we started playing the game in their half more.

Then the much debated Rhodes. I wish most centre halfs would try and rough him up like boros did today as it seemed to get him fired up and I thought he had a much better game doing the dirty stuff I say he usually doesn't do well. 2 decent big centre halfs boro have and he won more than his fair share of balls played up.

As for lowe....take a bow son...Worldie

LIS an overall poor game but I thought there was some good positives to take from the game

[rog of the rovers]

A hard fought victory, if ever there was one! Not a classic, and not much separating the teams, but we had the better chances and the goal from Lowe was a beauty!

My ratings

Kean 6 - little to do to be honest, spilled a couple and kicking still poor, but never really tested.

Kane 6 - another ok performance, picked up another yellow for a rash challenge.

Kilgallon 6 - again, solid enough, one moment of brilliance in the second half hooking away a dangerous cross, should have won a penalty when hacked down.

Dann 6 - read game well, this is his level.

Spurr n/a - forced off early with injury.

Cairney 6 - wasted out on the right, perhaps we're playing him out of position so a Hull don't want him back?!

Lowe 7 - usual Lowe performance in front of the back four, a fantastic strike for the goal.

Williamson 8 - my MOTM, scrapped throughout, kept things simple, made some vital clearances at the back and stood up to the physicality of the Middlesbrough midfield.

King 7 - always a threat, now a key cog in the side. My more effective once moved in 'the hole'.

Judge 6 - drifted in and out, works hard and had a good shot in the second half, but needs to sharpen up to this level.

Rhodes 7 - a very unselfish display, went close a couple of times, was denied by a wonder save in the first half. Did plenty of running off the ball and nearly poked home number 2 right at the end.

Subs

Morris 6 - solid performance in tough conditions, delivered some good crosses from the left. Prone to turning back to goal, but an able replacement.

Taylor 6 - worked hard, but was confined to defensive duty more often than not.

Marshall 6 - like Taylor had to work harder defensively than going forward.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

I'm starting to wonder what players aren't allowed to do to Rhodes. Tugging his shirt, shoving him over in the penalty area and sandwiching him when he jumps for a header have been regulars this season. But today we saw the introduction of swinging an arm in his face, grabbing him when he's on the floor and giving him a slap on the back of his head off the pitch. In some respects the Championship is a very ugly league where refs seem to encourage brutality as a means to combat ability.

[Tom]

He needs to start giving it back a bit

[Amo]

And (I don't like having to play this card) the fact you don't ever see games is showing, his errors aren't due to youth the one today was totally under no pressure gathering a ball trickling along and he failed to hold it. These are the kind of errors he is making week after week.

Okay, you attend games, I don't. You're a better fan than me. We get it.

Doesn't change the fact you're one of Kean's most vociferous critics and fail to cut a young goalie who's still learning his trade any slack.

[FGS5635]

He needs to start giving it back a bit

To be fair I thought he did a bit today. Nothing Vinnie jones esque, but it did seem to fire him up

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

He needs to start giving it back a bit

Possibly but then I just think about players like Roberts. Fouled - nothing, fouled - nothing, fouled - nothing, fouls - free kick.

Refs are falling over themselves to give the safe decision these days. If a striker is fouled and they have to give a dangerous free kick or a penalty, they avoid the decision. If a defender is fouled, not giving the free kick allows the attacking team to score, giving the free kick does nothing, so they go for the safe option.

Its blatantly unfair, tedious and very poor refereeing and infuriatingly the standard model by which they all seem to work these days.

[Tom]

Okay, you attend games, I don't. You're a better fan than me. We get it.

Doesn't change the fact you're one of Kean's most vociferous critics and fail to cut a young goalie who's still learning his trade any slack.

I've never once claimed to be but I have watched him every home game this season and seen him make mistake after mistake after mistake. People who attend home and away with give a better picture again.

Ask yourself Am I a critic of his for no reason? Did he insult me personally or do I just think he's not good enough on the evidence I have seen.

[Stuart]

He needs to start giving it back a bit

Maybe he will once he recovers from his hand injury.

The Boro players were all over him today.

Also, I couldn't help but think of this site when the ball broke in the first half and we had no-one to give it to because Rhodes had been busy 'adding more to his game'.

I'll take his goals thanks.

[bluefred]

Routine saves shouldn't need mentioning, although for Kean it seems somewhat of an achievement at the moment.

Anyway poor first half but the second was much better like a cup tie. Much needed win.

tom is right kean is @#/? I know he is young but he dosent seem to be learning from his mistakes.

as for the save he made today, good on him,dont forget that's his job.

[Stuart]

Okay, you attend games, I don't. You're a better fan than me. We get it.

Doesn't change the fact you're one of Kean's most vociferous critics and fail to cut a young goalie who's still learning his trade any slack.

'We' get it?

Look, no-one is trying to belittle you but you need to stop getting carried away when talking about players' performances when you haven't seen them, and arguing with folks who have.

Kean has been @#/? poor this season, having done well when he first came in. He desperately needs a break but with Eastwood as understudy, there isn't much chance of that.

The spill Tom referred to earlier was unforgivable and could easily have seen us 1-0 down.

[Tom]

Maybe he will once he recovers from his hand injury.

The Boro players were all over him today.

Also, I couldn't help but think of this site when the ball broke in the first half and we had no-one to give it to because Rhodes had been busy 'adding more to his game'.

I'll take his goals thanks.

Thought he showed some really good forward play to flick it on and draw woodgate into a foul today. King playing off him could work really well as defenders have to double up on king often which would leave Rhodes with less men watching his every move

[adsfortheblues]

I've never once claimed to be but I have watched him every home game this season and seen him make mistake after mistake after mistake. People who attend home and away with give a better picture again.

Ask yourself Am I a critic of his for no reason? Did he insult me personally or do I just think he's not good enough on the evidence I have seen.

Kean is an awful keeper, instills minimum confidence into his defence, therefore causing them to be overly nervous, his kicking is also woeful and puts us into so many unecessary problems its untrue.

[arbitro]

I actually thought it was a decent game. Delighted with three points and well done GB for making the bold change by moving King further forward and central. With two more home games this month (and hopefully some injured players back) we have a real chance to put ourselves in or on the fringe of the play offs.

A real dilemma for GB for Brighton with Hanley being available and Kilgallon having played well.

No Best on the bench today? Phantom injury no doubt.

[adsfortheblues]

I'd just like to add that Josh Morris is one of the worst footballers I have ever seen, on every occasion when the Boro winger got forward, he just stood back an either let him cross the ball or shoot, it really was the worst piece of defending I have ever seen, and shows how short we are for cover at the back.

[arbitro]

Kean is an awful keeper, instills minimum confidence into his defence, therefore causing them to be overly nervous, his kicking is also woeful and puts us into so many unecessary problems its untrue.

I don't know if anybody else noticed but shortly after his fumble early on John Keeley ran round with a towel for Kean. How elementary is that?

[cesus]

Possibly but then I just think about players like Roberts. Fouled - nothing, fouled - nothing, fouled - nothing, fouls - free kick.

Refs are falling over themselves to give the safe decision these days. If a striker is fouled and they have to give a dangerous free kick or a penalty, they avoid the decision. If a defender is fouled, not giving the free kick allows the attacking team to score, giving the free kick does nothing, so they go for the safe option.

Its blatantly unfair, tedious and very poor refereeing and infuriatingly the standard model by which they all seem to work these days.

Yeah I've noticed lately how often defenders "take a fall", running back towards their own goal with an opponent at their back and they just take a phantom drop and they always get a free kick, so many attacking threats end this way.

[Kie_BRFC]

First half was pretty even, with boro having more of the ball but we had the best chances. I really thought Rhodes had scored but for an amazing save from Steele. Second half we were impressive as boro just countered, that penalty decision has still got me shaking my head in disbelief and same with the elbow! Great goal by Lowe and a great win!COYB

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I'd just like to add that Josh Morris is one of the worst footballers I have ever seen, on every occasion when the Boro winger got forward, he just stood back an either let him cross the ball or shoot, it really was the worst piece of defending I have ever seen, and shows how short we are for cover at the back.

With this - and your previous qoute about Kean - I presume you didn't enjoy today ?

Personally I think Kean is a promising keeper - but is apt to drop the odd clanger - which is understandable for his age. Also - today was awful conditions for both keepers.

Morris - he works hard - but I must admit I have only seen him play the odd good match for our first team.

[FGS5635]

Touch harsh on morris as he's a midfielder who only seems to get games at left back for us. No wonder he looks a touch lost at times

[Amo]

I've never once claimed to be but I have watched him every home game this season and seen him make mistake after mistake after mistake. People who attend home and away with give a better picture again.

Ask yourself Am I a critic of his for no reason? Did he insult me personally or do I just think he's not good enough on the evidence I have seen.

Problem is, when you've made your mind up about a player, you begin to focus only on their mistakes to validate your opinion.

As to your motivation, I really cannot say. I'm just calling it how I see it.

'We' get it?

Look, no-one is trying to belittle you but you need to stop getting carried away when talking about players' performances when you haven't seen them, and arguing with folks who have.

So asking for a balanced viewpoint is 'getting carried away' now? I love BRFCS logic at times.

[Tom]

Problem is, when you've made your mind up about a player, you begin to focus only on their mistakes to validate your opinion.As to your motivation, I really cannot say. I'm just calling it how I see it. So asking for a balanced viewpoint is 'getting carried away' now? I love BRFCS logic at times.

Yet the problem is - you don't see it you are just presuming any negative comments about him are due to an agenda or personal dislike which just isn't the case

I'm just calling it as I see it which is seeing bad mistakes, bad decision making and bad kicking with the odd good save thrown in

Nobody wants to read post after post about it after a win but today he did nothing I wouldn't expect a keeper to do comfortably yet made a mistake you wouldn't expect a Sunday league keeper to make that's hardly unfair to say so.

[bluefred]

I wonder how many points he has cost us this season,up to now ?

[FGS5635]

A lot of keans mistakes are mental ones which you half expect with young keepers and they are possibly fixable. His kicking on the other hand....dear god he seems like he has 2 left feet, but is right footed at times. He needs to work hard on that aspect of his game