v Middlesbrough (h) - 24/1/22

[BigBar]

Edun is poor. His league 1 is showing.

[joey_big_nose]

This match is pretty much why I'm  confident on us making playoffs, we haven't been fabulous but solid, yet the oppo generate so few chances and we make a lot. It's been the same every game since Fulham, even Hull last week (until the subs ruined the formation and everything went to sh*t).

New just need to make something of the opportunities we create. Should have got at least one from this half.

[bluebruce]

Edun needs to wake up defensively. Nearly gave them a clear run on goal before, and that should've been a pen.

Suspect this is our 'good half' so it's a bit concerning we haven't notched. Shame BBD and Markanday are out, all we have lacked is that edge in and near the box.

[Tugay-is-God]

Dijksteel is a great name.

[CambridgeRover]

John Buckley is the man, hope no one comes in for him

[G Somerset Rover]

One goal wins this - we need make sure it’s ours. Final ball simply has to be better. 

[Dan]

Do sky hate us? The commentary seems so one way. Last week was Hull TV, just week Middlesbrough TV. 

[ben_the_beast]

47 minutes ago, benhben said:

Fuck sake, no Rothwell, Gallagher out wide and Buckley as false 9. Not got a good feeling at all. 

Buckley has been a false 9 all season and he's been superb at it

[Tugay-is-God]

1 minute ago, CambridgeRover said:

John Buckley is the man, hope no one comes in for him

Plenty of time left on his contract, think he'd be worth more to us than any team trying to buy him at the moment.

[CambridgeRover]

Just now, ben_the_beast said:

Buckley has been a false 9 all season and he's been superb at it

And I dont think that is good for buckley tbh. Put him behind a proper centre forward and he would thrive

[joey_big_nose]

1 minute ago, BigBar said:

Edun is poor. His league 1 is showing.

Think he's been better than recent games for me. That said obvious weak point. Sure Edun will feature quite extensively in the Wilder team talk.

If I was wilder I'd tell the team to sit back and just ping it wide right to Jones all half. Don't think it's his style though so hopefully theyll keep passing it around and letting us break.

[booth]

We're missing Brereton and Pickering, such a shame they'd have thrived in this game.

[Dreams of 1995]

The way Buckley glides over the grass is majestic. He just needs to find the weight of that final ball more. Excellent player 

Been good all round. I’d take Gallagher off for Butterworth, but then again he does add an extra aerial presence. If Johnson is to go off for Davenport I’d keep Gallagher on purely for his height. 
I would sub Nyambe too. Don’t want another sending off and he has that in him. 

[SuperBrfc]

We're lucky there's no VAR in this division. Boro should have had a penalty there.

Solid display from us so far, though. I'm happy to see us snapping into Boro and not giving them much time on the ball. If we can get that final ball right the 3 points are there for the taking.

[Dan]

1 minute ago, ben_the_beast said:

Buckley has been a false 9 all season and he's been superb at it

And Gallagher has been played on the wing for three seasons and he’s been shockingly bad at it. 

[Dan]

2 minutes ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

The way Buckley glides over the grass is majestic. He just needs to find the weight of that final ball more. Excellent player 

Been good all round. I’d take Gallagher off for Butterworth, but then again he does add an extra aerial presence. If Johnson is to go off for Davenport I’d keep Gallagher on purely for his height. 
I would sub Nyambe too. Don’t want another sending off and he has that in him. 

Has Gallagher actually won a header? Definitely not in this game and probably not in the last few. 
 

Those changes should have been made before the kickoff, but as usual it doesn’t happen until 60 mins of the wrong players doing fuck all

Edited January 24, 2022 by Dan

[RoverDom]

If we win it'll be a 1-0 goal from a CB at a corner or free kick

[Commondore]

We're the better side here, just needs to get more runs in behind their defense. They're not responding well to Rovers high pressing, keep it up. Would like to see Butterworth on for either Travis or Johnson, move Buckley back into midfield (where he seems to be playing anyway). Edun is having a nightmare though, caught on his heels several times in addition to being positionally off. 

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Can’t complain about that. Edun is a concern and Gallagher is unconvincing at best but we look very hard to break down. Buckley is running the game. 

Would still take a point right now but feeling slightly more confident we could nick it.

[neophox]

Buckley has been best player with the defence. You can see why Khadra is not a premier League player yet. The final ball must be better second half. We can still win it!!

[Mr. E]

Frustrating half. As others have said, Buckley showing class, but quality missing up front big time. Gally is huffing and puffing, I respect that, but just isn't providing much quality at all. We are solid at the back, except for Edun who seems really out of place. We are stretched thin so not many options on the bench...a bit worrying.

[davulsukur]

4 minutes ago, Dan said:

Do sky hate us? The commentary seems so one way. Last week was Hull TV, just week Middlesbrough TV. 

Sky have hated us for a long time.

I mention it in here more than I probably should but they once played a little montage of all the Premier League winning teams and their great moments in winning the league (Arsenal invincibles, Leicester surprise win, Man City's Aguero moment)

Only PL winning team not to feature at all?

Rovers.

[OsloRover]

6 minutes ago, Dan said:

Do sky hate us? The commentary seems so one way. Last week was Hull TV, just week Middlesbrough TV. 

Have you ever watched us on sky before? They’ve always hated us.

[OsloRover]

5 minutes ago, SuperBrfc said:

We're lucky there's no VAR in this division. Boro should have had a penalty there.

With VAR we would have won at Hull

[booth]

If we get anything from this it'll be interesting to see what Sky make of that penalty shout. Against Hull we were absolutely robbed of refereeing decisions including a penalty, yet they said Hull were worthy winners.