match thread Middlesbrough (H)

[The Mighty Chaffinch]

Walton collected two high balls today that Raya would surely have punched. He made one glaring error in the second half but it wasn't punished. Quite often Raya's errors were punished. I know this is only one incidence in one match but I think we're going to be ok with Walton. His distribution was mixed but it never put us under direct pressure. His height will surely alter opposition corner takers thinking, with Raya too many corners into the six yard box became scrambles leading to goals. Let's see how many errors he's made after 15 games and then we can cast more judgement. 

[chaddyrovers]

good win today iaby the players who show loads of passion and desire. 

The back 4 was very good and Walton look better behind this back 4. The clean sheet will give him confidence. Impressed by all back 4 players. Williams show what we been missing. A leader in the back 4. Travis and Johnson was very good. Gallagher never stop running and working all game. Impressed by him. Graham and Dack show why they are good partnership. 

Today was about winning and getting 3 points not about style of play. 

I thought Mowbray got it spot on today. Fans singing him name. Pleased he came over to clapped the fans who had sung his name and show us some appreciation. 

[Parsonblue]

Pleased with the performance in general today.  Still a lot to do to get us fully up and running but I thought there were plenty of positives today.  We looked more organised, the side looked to be better balanced and the attacking formation of Gallagher, Dack, Downing and Graham up top always caused a threat.  I was very impressed with the workrate of Gallagher today on the right - which seems a natural position for him to use his height and strength.  Downing looks a class act on the left and his crosses should be a source of goals this season.  Johnson too, after last week's indifferent display, was excellent and looks to have formed a decent partnership with Travis.

Defensively, I thought the back four did very well with Lenihan and Williams looking sound in the centre of defence.

I thought young Buckley did well and didn't hide even when one or two things went against him.  He has quick feet and will cause problems for defenders.

Walton seemed to be better until that moment of madness when he is flying about nowhere near the ball - very lucky to get away with that.

On the evidence of today the manager certainly hasn't lost the dressing room and the crowd seem right behind him.

[Bbrovers2288]

Nice to get a win, hopefully first of many 

[Gary C]

Looking forward to the Hull game now and Cardiff next weekend. Unfortunately Bell will have to come in for the ineligible Cunningham but if Tosins back William's could be a better option for one game before reverting back to centre back

[Roverinbelfast]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

good win today iaby the players who show loads of passion and desire. 

The back 4 was very good and Walton look better behind this back 4. The clean sheet will give him confidence. Impressed by all back 4 players. Williams show what we been missing. A leader in the back 4. Travis and Johnson was very good. Gallagher never stop running and working all game. Impressed by him. Graham and Dack show why they are good partnership. 

Today was about winning and getting 3 points not about style of play. 

I thought Mowbray got it spot on today. Fans singing him name. Pleased he came over to clapped the fans who had sung his name and show us some appreciation. 

Bang on about Williams. I forgot to mention him in my post, he was superb today. 

[aletheia]

Would be easy to point out all the usual deficiencies - they’re all still there - I’ ll keep it to the idea that it could easily have been 1-1 (if not 0-1 had the ref let them get away with the shirt pull.)

But let’s look for positives.

Middlesborough were poor.

We won.

We started well. 

We really dug in 2nd half, determined not to lose and win ugly (cf. Johnson, Lenihan, Travis tackling).

Williams at centre back- giving it large to others.

Rothwell/Armstrong game management with 10 to go.

Gallagher will run all day for us - bless.

So, no real fan of TM but we’ll middle through.

On another note, ref was poor? Rubbish. Gave us the pen (how often do you get that for shirt pulling in the Chumpionship?) Johnson, who had an excellent game, could easily have had 2 yellows. 

 

 

 

 

[JHRover]

Good important win to get that 3 points under our belts and hopefully the clean sheet will do us some good. Thought the game was desperately short on quality with two teams struggling so far this season. In the end I don't care but feel we have a lot of work to do.

Thought Mowbray's changes with 15 minutes to go and us on the rails were bold/foolish. The Armstrong introduction was fair enough but taking off Graham and Downing's experience and bringing on Buckley and Rothwell was very brave but in the end it worked.

[toogs]

Just now, JHRover said:

but taking off Graham and Downing's experience and bringing on Buckley and Rothwell was very brave but in the end it worked.

You mean he got away with it on this ocasion. 

[Maji]

Very pleased to get the win, not pleased to have lost my bet yet again.

Poor gambling start for me this season,1 out of 6 ?

[Vilesinner]

43 minutes ago, Gary C said:

Looking forward to the Hull game now and Cardiff next weekend. Unfortunately Bell will have to come in for the ineligible Cunningham but if Tosins back William's could be a better option for one game before reverting back to centre back

Williams is a very poor left back too, so I'd go for Hart before he or Bell.

[Tugay-is-God]

2 hours ago, Mike E said:

Cunningham looks like the best left back we've had since the Warnock/Givet years.

The better Olsson was decent ofc, but he always struck me as a wing back/winger rather than an actual defender. The less said about the less good Olsson, the better.

I don't think left back has necessarily been one of our biggest trouble spots to be honest. 

Marcus Olsson was our player of the year in 14/15, don't forget. Tommy Spurr was decent as well.

[Fraserkirky]

Would have had Williams as Man of the Match. Plenty others in contention, Travis best game of the season too. 

What a bloody relief that was.

[Gone to seed]

Second game of the season for me. Somewhat more convincing than Tuesday night, although still a lot of huff and puff without much end product. The back four was certainly better and more stable than the back three, even if Bennett did look out of his depth.

Baffling substitutions - Dack and Graham were perhaps the most energetic and effective players on the pitch throughout, and other than giving them a well earned breather, the subs did nothing to improve our approach to the game. If anything we nearly capitulated once we lost their contribution. I think we only kept a clean sheet because Boro weren't able to function as a team - lots of individual endeavour, but nothing cohesive to leverage whatever their strengths are. I wonder how long Woodgate will get before questions are asked?

From where I was (Riverside) it looked like TM was wearing a tank top. Was he?

[rigger]

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.

[rigger]

4 hours ago, Tom said:

Not to dwell on a negative but Walton was lucky today for that one he came and missed 

so he missed one and caught four, and we still kept a clean sheet

Edited August 17, 2019 by rigger

[bazza]

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)   

[OJRovers]

It's hardly rocket science: top scorer and player of the year finally gets a start and wins the game for us.

Why do we have to go through Mowbray's experiment phase at the start of every season?

[Dave S]

As a sideline, I thought it was interesting that the Blackburn End have a song for Ryan Nyambe.

He was warming up and you could see he was pleased with the song.

Does anyone know the song?

I think he will be excellent for us in the future.

[rigger]

I have to say I have been a critic of Bennett, but today he was great .At one point in the second half he had covered across to the left back position, got in a great tackle and just cleared the ball, just what I wanted to see. Long may it continue. This may be looking through blue and white beer googles but I am having a good Saturday night

[Mattyblue]

Sure a line of the Nyambe song may have been ‘manhood’ related. He was laughing away on the touchline, but I’m sure it won’t be long until the Offendotrons are on to the club complaining about it.

[rigger]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Sure a line of the Nyambe song may have been ‘manhood’ related. He was laughing away on the touchline, but I’m sure it won’t be long until the Offendotrons are on to the club complaining about it.

if it puts a smile on a Rovers players face who give a f@@k

[Gary C]

Couldn't make it out but he had a smile while he was warming up from what I could see from family stand

[joey_big_nose]

I would say it is only fair that those who gave TM a bollocking at the start of this thread for playing Gallagher right also admit he got it correct in this instance at least. Me included.

[47er]

3 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

I thought Mowbray got it spot on today. Fans singing him name. Pleased he came over to clapped the fans who had sung his name and show us some appreciation. 

Or another way of putting it "we ordinary fans got it right weeks ago."