v Middlesbrough (h) - 16/09/2023

[Beanie01289]

17 minutes ago, DavidMailsTightPerm said:

For me it was a case of missed opportunities - we took 2, missed some very clear chances. But they also had some good chances. We would have been unlucky not to win - but it could have been so different. Boro look a good side - can't see them at the bottom come the end of the season.

for me we are two up going on five they get given a goal 2 yards off side we are denied a clear pen and they huff and puff a bit.

[Andy]

Just had a scan of one of the Boro forums and, despite the depression of how bad they are, they were all in agreement that we were, by far, the better side and should have won by several.

Almost all admitted that Dieng was their best player.

Quite a few admiring glances in Szmodics' direction also.

[martonrover]

6 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Probably a game that sums us up. Going forward, we create chances far better than we have in the past, although we dont take anywhere near enough.

Defensively we look very ragged this season and the balance of the midfield especially without Travis wasnt right. Massive gaps that a better team than Boro (we have had a favourable first 6 games) would have done far better with, their striker in particular was really poor when presented with big spaces especially at the end. The Tronstad situation is so strange, surely he would be ideal to help to close some space deep in our midfield.

Pears was shaky as we expect, the back 4 were left exposed but in the main did well. Wharton has been a mixed bag this season, fantastic on the ball but exposed at times, Travis did well when on. Hedges was a threat, Szmodics deserved man of the match, Gallagher was ok without offering much goal threat and Dolan again nowhere near good enough. Moran was really poor too and Telalovic looks very raw, think he was given offside when he missed that sitter but aside from one excellent pass he struggled to lead the line.

We are dying for some experience to provide some stability and some know how. The last 30 minutes is not a sustainable way against better teams to see results out.

A very good analysis.

Very pleased with the win, but we are skating on the thinnest of ice with the lack of depth in the squad.

Every time a first team regular goes off injured it's a worry, especially with two more games within a week.

The new striker is going to have to be a very quick learner.

[Crozzy]

Also couldn’t believe we were giving a round of applause for Matt on the 30th minute and we went and scored. Amazing 

[alex l]

11 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

VAR would have ruled out their goal.

A moment after contact but yes it was clearly offside 

[Cherry Blue]

1 minute ago, Andy said:

Just had a scan of one of the Boro forums and, despite the depression of how bad they are, they were all in agreement that we were, by far, the better side and should have won by several.

Almost all admitted that Dieng was their best player.

Quite a few admiring glances in Szmodics' direction also.

Their fans were very quiet especially in first half. Glad we've got this win before they sack Carrick which surely is on the agenda.

[Mashed Potatoes]

3 minutes ago, Andy said:

Just had a scan of one of the Boro forums and, despite the depression of how bad they are, they were all in agreement that we were, by far, the better side and should have won by several.

Almost all admitted that Dieng was their best player.

Quite a few admiring glances in Szmodics' direction also.

Szmodics is a good example of why rushing to judgement of players is not a good idea. This time last year there were many on here who were saying that we had had our trousers pulled down by Peterborough in signing him; now he is our talisman. Players should be given a fair chance to show their worth.

[pick32]

Would start JRC on the wing ahead of Dolan and Moran next game 

[simongarnerisgod]

we need to shut games down,jdt is a great manager but the way he sets the team up is a to attacking at times,we should have seen that game out easily

we got a decent ref for a change,mind you that linesman needs to go to specsavers or learn the rules

telalelovic needs a good 5/6 games to get used to english football,he looked a bit lost at times

 

[roversfan99]

7 minutes ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

Szmodics is a good example of why rushing to judgement of players is not a good idea. This time last year there were many on here who were saying that we had had our trousers pulled down by Peterborough in signing him; now he is our talisman. Players should be given a fair chance to show their worth.

People are going to discuss players as they go, its not this rash and misery induced negativity that it is made out to be. The key is if and when that player improves, which doesnt always happen, that people acknowledge the improvement. Now Szmodics is showered with praise and seen as a key player.

[only2garners]

27 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Spot on. He was pointing to a Rovers player, but I think he knew he'd fucked up and was trying to justify it. And he did give offside soon after against their guy who was on the RS side of the pitch who was clearly on!

I think what unnerved the lino was the guy who, after the Crooks goal, ran out from the section of singers near the DE, and followed the lino all the way back to the Halfway line giving him shit! 

I think the linesman thought that Pickering's slide to try to intercept the cross, had played Crooks on. You can see that on the Sky highlights. Pickering clearly wasn't playing him on but you can see why the linesman was pointing to a player. At the time Crooks put the ball in Pickering's legs were level but nowhere near when the cross was played.

[rovers11]

We are playing very sexy football this season and probably the best attacking football we've seen in more than a decade.

I'm not sure the "we will score more goals than you" approach will get us results on a consistent basis though. I think we'll see a lot of Plymouth-esque performances and results with this approach. 

[Tim Southampton Rover]

17 minutes ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

Szmodics is a good example of why rushing to judgement of players is not a good idea. This time last year there were many on here who were saying that we had had our trousers pulled down by Peterborough in signing him; now he is our talisman. Players should be given a fair chance to show their worth.

I'm one of them and I am so glad he's making me look stupid with every game he plays in a Rovers shirt!

[Ossydave]

18 minutes ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

Szmodics is a good example of why rushing to judgement of players is not a good idea. This time last year there were many on here who were saying that we had had our trousers pulled down by Peterborough in signing him; now he is our talisman. Players should be given a fair chance to show their worth.

Szmodics development gives me hope for Ennis. When he trapped from posh he was absolutely nowhere near the athlete he is now, although he did look burnt out when he came off. Seems a likeable chap in the dressing room too, definitely a tick for GB on this one.

[roversfan99]

Ennis has one problem that Szmodics doesnt, he is made of glass.

[M_B]

Great win, they're all great wins but as most have said, we didn't half make hard work of it. 

I'm feeling it for Dolan to be honest, he maybe needs taking out of it for a while, that was an absolute sitter,although from my angle, Gallagher's looked like it was a bit behind him and wasn't as gilt edged. 

Pears got away with one, but made some cracking saves, especially late on when he definitely got his angles right in a one on one to win the match. On the whole he had a great game to bounce back well. 

Szmodics could, should have had a hat trick but what a performance. He epitomises what a fan wants a player to give. 

 

[Andy]

3 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Ennis has one problem that Szmodics doesnt, he is made of glass.

The hope is that his history has been due to a combination of the player not looking after himself properly (alcohol / etc) and Plymouth's medical science team not being adequate enough.

Barring the serious broken fibula injury from a few years ago, obviously.

Let's see what magic Ben Rosen and team can work on him, in terms of strengthening his body in the coming weeks and months.

[Mashed Potatoes]

24 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

People are going to discuss players as they go, its not this rash and misery induced negativity that it is made out to be. The key is if and when that player improves, which doesnt always happen, that people acknowledge the improvement. Now Szmodics is showered with praise and seen as a key player.

I think it's more that in discussing players too soon, some posters - or maybe one in particular - start trying to build a bandwagon that the person seen to be responsible for their signing should be dismissed.

[cesus]

I can't remember a time when we have created more chances than we have this season, it just so happens we do so when we have the weakest strength and depth up front.

For large parts I thought we played very well, I actually expected Boro to be much stronger with the squad they have so fair play to the lads. 

We will have a good few of these games this season but we will also have a good few Plymouth's too I think.

[simongarnerisgod]

20 minutes ago, rovers11 said:

We are playing very sexy football this season and probably the best attacking football we've seen in more than a decade.

I'm not sure the "we will score more goals than you" approach will get us results on a consistent basis though. I think we'll see a lot of Plymouth-esque performances and results with this approach. 

if we aproach the better teams in the division this way it won`t be a pretty watch😥though we look magic going forwards,great to see adam wharton looking more himself,he needs to sort out his off the ball work though

[Ossydave]

19 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Ennis has one problem that Szmodics doesnt, he is made of glass.

How do you know this?

[Andy]

13 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

if we aproach the better teams in the division this way it won`t be a pretty watch😥though we look magic going forwards,great to see adam wharton looking more himself,he needs to sort out his off the ball work though

Watford away shows that we have a Plan B for certain games (and it worked to perfection) 👍

[SBlue]

14 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

if we aproach the better teams in the division this way it won`t be a pretty watch😥though we look magic going forwards,great to see adam wharton looking more himself,he needs to sort out his off the ball work though

Think we saw how we’ll deal with those kind of teams (especially away) in the Watford game.

Sit back, stay solid, smash and grab.

Counter attacking suits some of our forwards.

[grizfoot]

For the benefit of those not in attendance the Blackburn End went through a repertoire of disparaging chants relating to the masturbatory habits, body mass index and penny-pinching habits of Steve Waggot, who was on the pitch pre-match. I know not all views prevalent on this board are echoed in the stands but on this occasion they seem very closely aligned. 

[roversfan99]

18 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

How do you know this?

Because he has a history of injury issues that Plymouth fans warned us about (along with praising him in terms of quality) and he will have spent basically the first quarter of the season in the treatment room.

33 minutes ago, Andy said:

The hope is that his history has been due to a combination of the player not looking after himself properly (alcohol / etc) and Plymouth's medical science team not being adequate enough.

Barring the serious broken fibula injury from a few years ago, obviously.

Let's see what magic Ben Rosen and team can work on him, in terms of strengthening his body in the coming weeks and months.

We can only hope, but his start here doesnt bode well. The alcohol etc stuff is just hearsay.