match thread Middlesbrough (H)

[CD_93]

Ryaaaaaaan Nyaaaambeeeee

 

Should start every week just for that.

Edited August 17, 2019 by CD_93

[BlackburnEnd75]

1 hour ago, bazza said:

A good performance by ALL the Rovers players!  Not one of them failed to impress. Special mention to Gally on the wing who had a brilliant game and must have been a handful for their left back. Dack was a busy wasp. Couldn't understand Buckley being brought on at the double substitution and he looked a bit lightweight but such close control and intelligent play taking the ball towards their corner flag showed the lad has class.

Lenihan and Williams, the two Irish CBs were immense, especially Williams who was my MOM and should be considered for the position of team captain. (But please don't play him at left back)   

I really must’ve missed something with Gallagher, thought he looked like a fish out of water on the wing, got into some good positions but couldn’t take advantage especially 1v1. I wouldn’t say he played well at all.

What he did do was worked his socks off, it was fantastic to see, he looked goosed after 65 mins but kept going and going.

[47er]

Reminds me of Kalinic does Gallagher. On a lower level of course.

Will run around all day but rarely an end product.

[stinny1]

I think alot of us got it right this week the good old 4.4.2 . Unfortunately  TM got it wrong at the start of the season. Ive never herd a manager come out  with so much rubbish. I changed  the formation and change  the style of play  because  Graham who has been brilliant  for us over last two season was making the team play too direct and it we needed a  change of style . Well i  hope this change of style has been shelved  because  it wasn't  working . It was a good results  today but there are still round pegs in square holes and it needs addressing. The left side of the team today looked spot on Johnson and Travis worked well  together. Williams was a leader at the back today which we haven't  had for a long time and should be made captain he was talking Lenihan all game.and it just what Lenihan needs and it will make him all the better for it  . Graham  and Dack where on the same wave length  and worked  well together  . Gallagher  ran his socks off but it still looks unbalanced and Bennett aways gives you 100% but he's  passing his wayward  and  he just switches off to much . Keepers  a bit like Dracula  he doesn't  like crosses but want can be done when the club haven't got a proper goalkeeping coach .  I know a few will say whys he having a moan after todays result  but its so frustrating because  we've  got there players but have we got the manager only time will tell

[rossyrover]

Poor game by two poor teams but three points are welcome Rovers have not scored a goal from open play yet in the league.

Edited August 18, 2019 by rossyrover
missing fact

[Ossydave]

9 hours ago, toogs said:

You mean he got away with it on this ocasion. 

They were visibly blowing out their backsides,  age does that. Both subs fully justified.

[Ossydave]

8 hours ago, rigger said:

I thought Dack was brilliant today without creating that much his effort was above and beyond. he did not give any of their back 4 a minute to spare. I thank you.

He looked like he'd stepped his fitness up a notch to me, encouraging signs 

[Paul Mani]

It was a poor match overall in terms of quality. 

Higlights - Walton is more commanding than Raya, Cunningham, Williams and Lenihan looked like a defensive unit, Travis and Johnson a mahoooosive upgrade on last seasons Smallwood and Evans and I’m a little bit in love with Sam Gallaghers desire to play for Rovers!

Lowlights - Bennett deteriorating, forwards working hard but not creating much, Mowbrays move to sub DG and not put SG up top and AA on the right was baffling and invited pressure.

Overall - A big step forward. Get Nyambe in at RB and keep the back 7 (keeper defence plus Johnson and Travis) steady and we’ll be much harder to beat. 

I think he set the team up right yesterday. But why he didn’t just put Rothwell and Armstrong on at 70 mins for DG and SD and just counter attack in the wide areas with SG down the middle is beyond me.

Interesting - Buckley for Dack who looked unimpressed. I liked it. Put a shot across Dacks bowes. Feels a bit too comfortable for him at times.

[Paul Mani]

Just now, Ossydave said:

They were visibly blowing out their backsides,  age does that. Both subs fully justified.

The subs were bang on. How they set up after them was baffling...

[Paul Mani]

I know I’ve already showed my hand with Gallagher but as I’d boycotted the whole of Coyles reign I hadn’t seen anything of him - I love the guy. Wins headers, good feet, quick and works as hard as anyone I’ve seen for Rovers. The goals will come too. Was close to a couple yesterday. Fabulous addition!

[Gary C]

Just now, Paul Mani said:

The subs were bang on. How they set up after them was baffling...

Yeah didn't make any sense but Tony's subs dont always. Gallagher should have definitely gone uptop with Armstrong wide

[@roverseas]

Another win adds more confidence. Not been the prettiest but slowly slowly we will keep moving in the right direction.  If we can get 4 or more over the coming week we should be in good shape heading into the international break just need a few goals from open play.  Thoughts from the gaffa, the one and only deuce and a Boro fan too boot.

 

 

 

[dingles staying down 4ever]

41 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

The subs were bang on. How they set up after them was baffling...

Armstrong done the middle made sense if we changed how we played and played the balls into the channels and got two slow centre halves turning as SG was offering Bennett protection, which Armstrong never does.

The fact that we carried on playing the ball to Armstrong with his back to goal shows that Mowbray does not have a plan B to the one style of play. With Rothwell and Armstrong brought pace on but yesterday showed Mowbray does not know how to utilise it.

[arbitro]

Just now, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Armstrong done the middle made sense if we changed how we played and played the balls into the channels and got two slow centre halves turning as SG was offering Bennett protection, which Armstrong never does.

The fact that we carried on playing the ball to Armstrong with his back to goal shows that Mowbray does not have a plan B to the one style of play. With Rothwell and Armstrong brought pace on but yesterday showed Mowbray does not know how to utilise it.

I actually thought we played with a false nine as Armstrong and Gallagher were predominantly in wide positions. Buckley seemed to get the Dack role.

[rigger]

Just now, arbitro said:

I actually thought we played with a false nine as Armstrong and Gallagher were predominantly in wide positions. Buckley seemed to get the Dack role.

We have been playing with a false left-back for ages. Yesterday was a massive improvement in that position.

[arbitro]

Does anybody else think Christian Walton looks like Rodney Trotter?

[Mattyblue]

Peter Crouch with gloves...

[Ossydave]

Interesting stats in Rich Sharpes match report.

Highlights Sam Gallagher won 12 aerial duals yesterday, more than the entire back 4.

Step forward please those of you who said he's shit in the air, don't be shy now because I know you're out there ?

[1864roverite]

Called the result far better than the wedding I attended in Wales ?

[CambridgeRover]

Just now, Ossydave said:

Interesting stats in Rich Sharpes match report.

Highlights Sam Gallagher won 12 aerial duals yesterday, more than the entire back 4.

Step forward please those of you who said he's shit in the air, don't be shy now because I know you're out there ?

I guess the only flaw with that is given he is on the wing and against a full back less than 6ft that stat is probably inflated. Let's see him go up against two big centre backs and see how he does. 

[Hasta]

Firstly Boro were shocking. In the first half they'd get into a good position and just play the most ridiculous overhit through ball, or run into trouble. They are in for a long season.

From Rovers perspective, I thought everyone who started did reasonably well. Walton was suspect when they hit the post but then did claim a high ball under a lot of pressure latter on. The much maligned defence was very good. Even Bennett looked good at RB apart from giving the ball away too easy early on. Downing again looked a very good footballer. He's certainly an upgrade on Conway.

It's just a shame that, as comfortably as we looked for the first hour, we didn't really create much and it took a bit of stuipidity from a defender to get us the penalty.

I think the problem with our lack of goal threat is that, with that starting XI, there is only Dack who you expect to create. You can say Travis, Downing, Johnson etc.. played well and had a solid game without expecting them to have created anything. Gallagher was very good, without ever doing anything that was likely to create. Had Armstrong, Rothwell or Chapman been in the side, for them to play well normally means they've been good purely as an offensive threat. I don't know if selecting a solid team, rather than a quicker more mobile team was a ploy to combat a Boro side who I still regard as a physical imposing team from the Pullis era. If that was the plan then fair play, it worked. However I feel we still need to get pace in there somehow, and also encourage one of Johnson or Travis to actually get up and support the attack.

Edited August 19, 2019 by Hasta

[dingles staying down 4ever]

10 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Interesting stats in Rich Sharpes match report.

Highlights Sam Gallagher won 12 aerial duals yesterday, more than the entire back 4.

Step forward please those of you who said he's shit in the air, don't be shy now because I know you're out there ?

He did win the ball a lot but be interesting to see how many times he won it and it went to a Rovers player.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

I actually thought we played with a false nine as Armstrong and Gallagher were predominantly in wide positions. Buckley seemed to get the Dack role.

Gallagher predominently wide after the subs but Armstrong was more central. Buckley did play the Dack role with Rothwell was wide. Armstrong, buckley and Gallagher did change positions several times.

[Martin]

For me there hasn’t been a HUGE difference in all three league performances this season.

We’ve looked decent in all of them but hardly forced a save or pinned a team back for a significant period.

Think Mowbray got everything spot on yesterday. Starting line-up and subs. An ugly(ish) win, but we’ll have that.

The BIG win, for me, is that we now have an actual left back, so that’s good. Other observations:

Keeper looks nervous. It’s like watching Peter Crouch in goal.

Williams continues to impress at centre half.

Trav and Johnson is a cracking midfield combo at this level. 

Gallagher did lots of jumping and running.

Downing has great quality on the ball and I think he won’t be far off our player of the year award. Big claim at this point. But genuine quality in his boots.

Graham class. Think he has grounds to be disappointed not to have started the season up top. Couldn’t have done much more last year.

Special mention for Dack who ran his little socks off.

Rothwell and Armstrong showed great game management.

Buckley, needs time obviously, but looks way out of his depth at the moment. 

 

[joey_big_nose]

6 minutes ago, CambridgeRover said:

I guess the only flaw with that is given he is on the wing and against a full back less than 6ft that stat is probably inflated. Let's see him go up against two big centre backs and see how he does. 

He won virtually everything in the middle at Fulham when he played as the sole striker.