v Middlesbrough (a) - 15/10/22

[Miller11]

Proper game of two halves that! Gallagher and Kaminski with heroics either side of half time. 

We looked so much more balanced from the start with a more conventional formation. Shame about the momentary lapse in concentration that let them back in, just needs better communication there to stop that happening, but it’s 2 players who haven’t been playing regularly.

Second half we rode our luck but some good individual defensive moments kept us in it. Few questionable decisions/moments, but I’m too relieved with the win to dwell on them.

[FGS5635]

Genuinely wonder how many years following rovers takes off your life expectancy. Manic roller coaster constantly 

[1874]

25 minutes ago, Colt Seavers said:

Szmodics won more tackles in 15 minutes than Pickering did all game.

Szmodics is defending in front of Brittain. Who's defending in front of Pickering?

[Exiled_Rover]

22 minutes ago, Darwen Rover 007 said:

I think we have to stick with 3 x in CM.. 

Personally I'd like to go back to the 4-2-3-1, but we have an abundance of CBs now so it's going to be difficult to drop any of them. 

[DE.]

I think that goal on the stroke of half time changed the entire complexion of the match. Go in at 2-0 and we probably have a much more comfortable second half. Scoring that goal against the run of play meant Boro came out with their tails up and we fell back and let them come at us. 

Ultimately three points is three points and you can't argue with our league position. We must be close to setting some kind of record for a consecutive WLWLWL pattern? 

[rigger]

32 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

We could have been 4-0 up at HT and just held on for a point at the end.

Top game throughout by Kaminski.

?

[AllRoverAsia]

2 minutes ago, rigger said:

?

Bloody hell! Thanks and now corrected ☺️

[yankfan]

Great to see us come out away from him in the front foot. Last few away games we’ve F’ed about with the ball in our own box and played mostly sideways and negative.  Couldnt get an outlet to get us forward in the second half but that’s partly down to Boro pushing and us sitting a bit deeper. When Jones came on, Diaz was pulled deeper to cover leaving just Szmodics and Dolan as outlets. Neither we’re going to win the long balls out. 
 

Would really like to see us on the front foot more, as we genuinely look quality when we do. 

Edited October 15, 2022 by yankfan

[bluebruce]

14 minutes ago, J*B said:

You’ve been left behind unfortunately. 5 million wouldn’t get his arms nevermind his feet, it’s absolute chicken feed for Liverpool. I bet they’d reject 20M. 

He isn't close to that good. I frankly wouldn't want him at 5 million.

[RTM08]

One thing I will say in JDT's favour despite performances is that he has been adamant that we would see consistency after the WC - if we're up near the top and he's right... could be an exciting season.

That said, it's a big if. 

[chaddyrovers]

 

 

[BigBar]

36 minutes ago, Tugayisgod said:

Doesn’t look like Rich Sharpe agrees with some posters

 

There was the best part of 40 mins to play at that stage. He was awful second half when they upped it, they got in countless times down the left. No way of sugar coating it.

[M_B]

We're a work in progress, but it's much easier to do that work at the top end. 

Keep waiting for us to click,it seems mad saying that when we're a point off top. If we could hit any kind of consistency, we'd be a force to be reckoned with in this league. 

[Exiled in Toronto]

Kaminski, Brittain, Hyam and Wharton Jnr all fantastic today. Phillips I don’t think is quite ready: always place the safe ball and looks offended when some big twat gives him a push; Carter fancies the rough stuff more.

But for Gallagher’s awful header and a moment’s inattention at the back, should’ve been deck chairs and cigars second half.

[BigBar]

21 minutes ago, 1874 said:

Szmodics is defending in front of Brittain. Who's defending in front of Pickering?

You could have Robertson in front of Pickering and the outcome would be the same. He's not up to it end of story. Brittain has never been destroyed in his time at Ewood. In the same period HP has been multiple times. It shouldn't even be up for debate anymore. We were lucky second half and most of the danger came down the left. It's far to easy to beat HP, not even a contest at times, you sometimes see his man 4-5 yards ahead of him after dropping his shoulder. He doesn't sense danger, he seems oblivious to overlaps and constantly watches the ball. Nothing personal but it's our weakest position.

[RoverDom]

37 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Instead of splashing out 5 million on that Leicester player I think 5 or so million could twist their arm. Though probably not

The same Liverpool who sold Brewster to Sheffield United for £25m and Williams to Forrest for £17m?

[Paul Mani]

Fantastic result…need to back it up with two home wins now and we’ll prob be top of the league!! 

Worth mentioning that Hyam and Brittain for combined around £2m to replace Lenihan and Nyambe feel like the deals of the century.  They are light years ahead of the two who left. Every credit. 

[roversfan99]

Really good win today against a Boro side that looks all over the place. First half we was excellent, again we got the ball forward quicker and it was more effective than the slow, sideways dross that we have often seen. The goal was avoidable and the second half was a struggle but we at least showed good spirit.

Kaminski saved the day, brilliant reaction to an initial mis-judgement.

Hyam was absolutely superb, he isn't a great ball player but he is a proper defender who can sniff out and deal with danger. Scott Wharton has been the worst form of his Rovers career in recent weeks, lots of mistakes but we know he is a good player so hopefully he will improve. Phillips is clearly not ready and needs taking out, the goal came down his side, and in general he is prone to being bullied. Brittain was very good aside from his miss, Pickering gets unfair stick having been one of our best players this season but he struggled against Jones in the second half to be honest.

Morton aside from giving it away very dangerously in the first half put in a very good performance and showed such composure at times, I think he is growing into being an effective player at this level. Adam Wharton makes things look effortless and is such a talent although he dipped and it made sense to take him off. Travis was poor again and I still insist that we needed another experienced midfielder in the summer. Gallagher was really good although needs to be more clinical but you wouldn't like to defend against him on that form, Brereton looked to be struggling throughout really.

Subs wise, Szmodics was effective, Dolan was poor.

[roversfan99]

21 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

 

Strange that he says that “I think we will be inconsistent all season for sure." Makes little sense to not strive for consistency as quickly as possible.

[harryhealless1928]

Top show from Daragh helping us on our way!

Who replaces Travis as our "tackler"(if he is suspended)? Garrett hasn t been given any game time so Szmodics or Morton to plug the hole? Just need to remember these good performances when the (mostly young) lads hit an inconsistent patch.

[Athlete]

3 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Strange that he says that “I think we will be inconsistent all season for sure." Makes little sense to not strive for consistency as quickly as possible.

Be consistent and we would be in a with a shout

lets break this wlwl etc with a Win on Tuesday

[chaddyrovers]

 

 

[Andy]

10 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

Fantastic result…need to back it up with two home wins now and we’ll prob be top of the league!! 

Worth mentioning that Hyam and Brittain for combined around £2m to replace Lenihan and Nyambe feel like the deals of the century.  They are light years ahead of the two who left. Every credit. 

Excellent point.

The world was imploding at one point, if you listened to the noises from some quarters - even after we'd done our business.

But on these two in particular, they are both clear upgrades.

And, for what it's worth, I'd rather have A.Wharton over Rothwell every day of the week.

[1874]

20 minutes ago, BigBar said:

You could have Robertson in front of Pickering and the outcome would be the same. He's not up to it end of story. Brittain has never been destroyed in his time at Ewood. In the same period HP has been multiple times. It shouldn't even be up for debate anymore. We were lucky second half and most of the danger came down the left. It's far to easy to beat HP, not even a contest at times, you sometimes see his man 4-5 yards ahead of him after dropping his shoulder. He doesn't sense danger, he seems oblivious to overlaps and constantly watches the ball. Nothing personal but it's our weakest position.

As you have identified it as our weakest position, you have to wonder why he wasn't given any help when they brought on a player that kept Jed Spence out of their team

[Herbie6590]

56 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Instead of splashing out 5 million on that Leicester player I think 5 or so million could twist their arm. Though probably not

Not a chance. 🤷‍♂️