v Middlesbrough (a) - 16/3/24

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

47 minutes ago, 47er said:

I'll always remembers 2 examples of the conundrum that is Hedges---one of the best goals I have ever seen at any level,

against QPR and that abject fatal disaster that cost us our Play-Off place at Preston.

He’s ok if you’re bringing him on from the bench. He would never be a starter in a team that’s serious about promotion. He’s just not consistent enough.

[davulsukur]

Only saw the highlights but it looked like we got away with one here. They had some good chances and somehow failed to take just 1 of them.

It's a point away from though and Boro are in some good form.

He is literally trying to draw us to death though.

[NeilInBristol]

1 hour ago, MarkBRFC said:

I don't care about venkys, they don't care about me, all I care about is BRFC.

There's a Facebook page called "Away Days" that has a pic of our following yesterday.

Those pages are usually full of piss taking but there's loads of comments from boro fans saying how superb we were yesterday and best fans at the Riverside etc.

Really proud of the fanbase yesterday and would love for the Bburn end to get that going on Good Friday.

Fair play. All fans go through the same suffering for the cause of their team and we can all rally around a recognise when owners are treating the fans like we aren't worth anything. We put our money and time into supporting the club and they treat it like a transactional business. Great spirit from the away fans

[tomphil]

8 hours ago, lraC said:

Between you and me, we don’t have any big money to throw at him. 

He'll be a victim of the summer cull and for those who always have it in for him i think they'll be disappointed when an academy lad replaces him.

[arbitro]

44 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Only saw the highlights but it looked like we got away with one here. They had some good chances and somehow failed to take just 1 of them.

It's a point away from though and Boro are in some good form.

He is literally trying to draw us to death though.

I would agree that Middlesbrough just shaded it but the highlights are misleading. There was an incident close to the end where, from a corner we probably had three shots in a matter of seconds. It wasn't shown on the EFL programme. It was a combination of poor connection with the ball and a couple of blocks which prevented us from taking the lead and probably winning.

[philipl]

6 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I would agree that Middlesbrough just shaded it but the highlights are misleading. There was an incident close to the end where, from a corner we probably had three shots in a matter of seconds. It wasn't shown on the EFL programme. It was a combination of poor connection with the ball and a couple of blocks which prevented us from taking the lead and probably winning.

We had 5 attempts in that melee.

[lraC]

36 minutes ago, tomphil said:

He'll be a victim of the summer cull and for those who always have it in for him i think they'll be disappointed when an academy lad replaces him.

I agree 100%.

[lraC]

2 hours ago, MarkBRFC said:

Huge credit to whoever came up with the venkys chant.

Non confrontational, no swearing and no rapidly chanting venkys out without some berk piping in with "well what do we do without them".

To have nearly 1000 fans singing it in unison for that second half gave me hope that there is a beating heart left in the fanbase.  Not a single bit of division in todays following.

As for the game it is what it is, probably our best under Eustace which isn't saying much, never looked like winning but a decent point to take away.

Incredible that by the end of the season we could end up staying in the league by winning 2 out of our last 28 games, shows what miracles our previous manager worked with this squad.

Based on the results and points collected so far, 0 wins, 7 draws and 2 defeats, that would bring 35 points over the season and certain relegation.

I loved the football under JDT but I am struggling to accept the new manager. If he does keep us up he has done a job I guess, but surely he has got to start at least trying to win.

Two more wins and I think we are safe, as I am sure he will pick up 2 or 3 more draws, but although yesterday was a point earned, I am definitely struggling to be contest  with 3 points from the last 4 games, given the quality of the opposition.

[sharpysharps86]

Good point on its own. The majority of away draws in this league should be considered a point gained, such is the Championship.

However, imagine if Rovers had actually beat Millwall and Plymouth. We'd basically be safe at this point and there would be much more positivity surrounding JE. Instead, I still think there's a big possibility of relegation due to the run-in.

Sounds like it was a much more balanced team yesterday, more than likely down to the returns of Hedges, Tronstad and Pears. Hopefully we can keep a consistent group together between now and the end of the season.

Gallagher's form when he came back from injury was promising but he's fallen off a cliff in recent weeks. Deserves dropping but the problem is who do you bring in? There's literally only Telalovic available to come in.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

4 minutes ago, sharpysharps86 said:

Good point on its own. The majority of away draws in this league should be considered a point gained, such is the Championship.

However, imagine if Rovers had actually beat Millwall and Plymouth. We'd basically be safe at this point and there would be much more positivity surrounding JE. Instead, I still think there's a big possibility of relegation due to the run-in.

Sounds like it was a much more balanced team yesterday, more than likely down to the returns of Hedges, Tronstad and Pears. Hopefully we can keep a consistent group together between now and the end of the season.

Gallagher's form when he came back from injury was promising but he's fallen off a cliff in recent weeks. Deserves dropping but the problem is who do you bring in? There's literally only Telalovic available to come in.

Normal service has resumed with Gally. One good game in every five or six matches.

[RevidgeBlue]

13 hours ago, simongarnerisgod said:

i rate hedges,he works his **** off,got a sweet left foot and is hard to knock off the ball

dolan is ok once in ten matches,got no concistency at this level,same with buckley

Strange to see Hedges being praised to the rafters, I think he is absolute garbage, a complete waste of money even at £200k. The ultimate journeyman footballer.

Conversely whilst Dolan is a bit hit and miss I think he has a lot more quality about him and generally puts in a far better shift.

Each to their own I guess.

[RevidgeBlue]

2 hours ago, sharpysharps86 said:

Gallagher's form when he came back from injury was promising but he's fallen off a cliff in recent weeks. Deserves dropping but the problem is who do you bring in? There's literally only Telalovic available to come in.

Might as well give Telalovic an extended run in the team and see if he can discover some form as Gallagher literally offers nothing, so even in the worst case scenario you'd not be particularly any worse off.

It's like the argument about selling Gallagher. Even if he hadn't been replaced we'd not be any worse off on the pitch and at least we'd have had the money in the Bank.

Furthermore to have turned down a reported £2m for him with six months to go on his deal, with the potential there to have replaced him  permanently at equal or less cost with the younger Mcguire was particularly barking even by our standards.

[Roverthechimp]

On reflection: first 20 minutes i thought we looked lost. After that we played more JDT style and gave Boro a decent match. Fine margins - both sides could have won it but neither team got that lucky bounce or quality moment that win games.

[Paul Mellelieu]

If only we'd signed a striker....

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Might as well give Telalovic an extended run in the team and see if he can discover some form as Gallagher literally offers nothing, so even in the worst case scenario you'd not be particularly any worse off.

It's like the argument about selling Gallagher. Even if he hadn't been replaced we'd not be any worse off on the pitch and at least we'd have had the money in the Bank.

Furthermore to have turned down a reported £2m for him with six months to go on his deal, with the potential there to have replaced him  permanently at equal or less cost with the younger Mcguire was particularly barking even by our standards.

We certainly would be worse off with Telalovic in the team.

Gallagher did pretty well yesterday, some good work getting other players into good positions, Szmodics had one shot saved from his hold up and got in on 2 or 3 other occassions through Gallagher only to dither and fail to take full advantage on a rare off day for him. Gallagher also had a powerful shot well saved in the second half.

Had we sold him, none of the money would have been made available to do this straight swap, if £22m of Wharton money couldn't be touched due to the owners, a couple of extra million in the owners back pocket wouldn't have been either. A functional set of owners might have allowed a Gallagher sale and then a few million to be spent on a couple of strikers, but here we are.

[Herbie6590]

 

[norwichblue]

9 hours ago, arbitro said:

 

Love that. Great support. Well done all travelling fans. 
 

Let’s hope we can kick on after that performance and secure safety nice and early 🤞🏻

[Upside Down]

19 hours ago, MarkBRFC said:

I don't care about venkys, they don't care about me, all I care about is BRFC.

There's a Facebook page called "Away Days" that has a pic of our following yesterday.

Those pages are usually full of piss taking but there's loads of comments from boro fans saying how superb we were yesterday and best fans at the Riverside etc.

Really proud of the fanbase yesterday and would love for the Bburn end to get that going on Good Friday.

Chuck a few tennis balls in for good measure as well

[ruggles1995]

On 15/03/2024 at 04:44, bluebruce said:

Have you forgotten about Buckley, or has he picked up an injury? That's a lot of talking about CM options without mentioning probably our best (fit) one.

I thought he was injured.
Glad to be very wrong on my score predictions. Another draw and I think that's 1 more than most expected!

[bluebruce]

57 minutes ago, ruggles1995 said:

I thought he was injured.
Glad to be very wrong on my score predictions. Another draw and I think that's 1 more than most expected!

Glad to be right on mine (well, I said our form suggested a draw or a slim defeat, not the drubbing being predicted by many). I say glad, I'm still not sure if going down would be enough for Venkys to leave considering the financial issues, and my current prediction is we will scrape enough to stay up this season, then go down next season.

[speeeeeeedie]

On 17/03/2024 at 06:40, sharpysharps86 said:

 

Gallagher's form when he came back from injury was promising but he's fallen off a cliff in recent weeks. Deserves dropping but the problem is who do you bring in? There's literally only Telalovic available to come in.

 

On 17/03/2024 at 06:45, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Normal service has resumed with Gally. One good game in every five or six matches.

I think Gallagher's greatest attribute is his defensive heading ability from corners. He can't head in the opposition box but does a good job in his own. 

As for Saturday, a draw was fair. A pretty even game. Rovers had a couple of chances in the second half that on another day may have gone in, yet so could the Boro one that hit the bar and the fresh air kick off the rebound. 

Still no wins for Eustace. I had Rovers picking up 4 points from the last 3 games, they got 3. Ipswich next who manhandled Sheff Wed.

[ruggles1995]

23 hours ago, bluebruce said:

Glad to be right on mine (well, I said our form suggested a draw or a slim defeat, not the drubbing being predicted by many). I say glad, I'm still not sure if going down would be enough for Venkys to leave considering the financial issues, and my current prediction is we will scrape enough to stay up this season, then go down next season.

There going nowhere. We have already dipped our toes into league 1, they did nothing then. I think it will just be further cuts if we did go down. 
I feel similar with those league predictions. 

[bluebruce]

34 minutes ago, ruggles1995 said:

There going nowhere. We have already dipped our toes into league 1, they did nothing then. I think it will just be further cuts if we did go down. 
I feel similar with those league predictions. 

They didn't have the massive hassle of going to court every time they need to send us funds last time we went down. Further cuts would likely leave us struggling to compete in League One and they may even end up with a League Two side on their books. Surely even Venkys would realise they are less than useless to us if they can't send money. Of course, the latest public message from them is highly discouraging. You can never really predict what they'll do.

[superniko]

On 17/03/2024 at 10:40, sharpysharps86 said:

Good point on its own. The majority of away draws in this league should be considered a point gained, such is the Championship.

However, imagine if Rovers had actually beat Millwall and Plymouth. We'd basically be safe at this point and there would be much more positivity surrounding JE. Instead, I still think there's a big possibility of relegation due to the run-in.

Sounds like it was a much more balanced team yesterday, more than likely down to the returns of Hedges, Tronstad and Pears. Hopefully we can keep a consistent group together between now and the end of the season.

Gallagher's form when he came back from injury was promising but he's fallen off a cliff in recent weeks. Deserves dropping but the problem is who do you bring in? There's literally only Telalovic available to come in.

Millwall OR Plymouth. I honestly think if we were sat on 44 points now instead by winning either of those matches (with either Millwall on 42 or Plymouth on 40) we'd be pretty much feeling safe and thinking 1 or 2 results would do it from 8 matches.

Edited March 19 by superniko