v Middlesbrough (a) - 16/3/24

[Gordon Gekko]

We’ll throw a spanner in the works somewhere and probably beat Ipswich or Southampton at home. Stranger things have happened at sea.

Edited March 16 by Gordon Gekko

[Norbert Rassragr]

This season has been more Frayed ends of sanity.

And unlike most, I appreciate the Load album as they earned the right to not go down the Oasis route, and experiment. 

Anyway to get back to football, I am expecting us to be looking over our shoulders until the last 2 games.

[Exiled in Toronto Mk2]

There’s no doubt we play better with a back 4 who play it out from the back, and have an extra midfielder to play it to. JDT had them practise it every day for 18 months, and we’ve seen how crap they are at anything else.

I like Bucko but his slowness of thought vs A Wharton is why he takes 4-5 touches before he sees a pass, if he doesn’t lose it in the meantime. He can pass though.

Of all Gallagher’s many shortcomings, his stupid runs that offer the passer no possibility of finding him annoy me the most. 

[only2garners]

What is absolutely nailed on is that there will be some odd results in the run in - there always are. We need to make sure that we get at least one of them.

Edited March 16 by only2garners
spelling

[roversfan99]

Another drab watch, in isolation a decent point but yet another failure to win for Eustace. We have a good chance of survival purely because of the number of teams down there, in a mini league of 8 you just have to avoid being in the bottom 2 and we already have a buffer even though its been cut since Eustace came in. But it shouldn't be heralded as an achievement.

The team looked far more balanced with a back 4 and I just hope that Eustace doesnt revert back and put in McFadzean who we looked much better without. Scott Wharton would probably go down as our man of the match and did very well. Hyam wasn't quite as solid but still the pair did very well all the same. Brittain was also good and slightly better than Pickering who uncharacteristically gave the ball away once or twice. But overall the back 4 did well.

Tronstad was a huge bonus and is our only convincing midfielder, Buckley was tenacious but is not good enough on the ball and conceded possession too often.

The attacking players dont play as if they are well coached as to what to do, that was an area that Tomasson clearly coached them well at. Under Eustace it is a regular occurence to see players playing on different wavelengths and passes not made at the right time. Gallagher was far more effective as an out and out striker even allowing for his usual clumsiness. Some of his link play got Szmodics in particular in a few times although he was well off his usual levels. Hedges tired badly and his end product can flatter to deceive but we are better with him playing. Sigurdsson again was pointless.

 

[only2garners]

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

 in a mini league of 8 you just have to avoid being in the bottom 2 .

 

 

I'd prefer not to finish third bottom as well..................

[roversfan99]

Just now, only2garners said:

I'd prefer not to finish third bottom as well..................

Ive written off Rotherham outside that mini league so 3rd botton would leave us 21st. Not that such a season would warrant any praise.

[rigger]

43 minutes ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

As others have said, I'm sure most of us would have taken that set of results today. but good grief, where are we going to get points next month?

On the pitch. Stadium of light, Ashton gate, Ewood.

Edited March 16 by rigger

[Mercer]

A good and unexpected point today - not sure it will be enough to compensate for those squandered in recent winnable games.

There will be twists and turns to come.

Ipswich next up on Good Friday and they are in cracking form, scoring goals for fun.  Let's see how the purported Eustace defensive solidarity holds up then!

[joey_big_nose]

Thought we played well today, Boro are in decent form and a decent side and while we rode our luck a few times we looked both decent defensively and offered a threat. Pretty rare we've managed to do both in the same game.

The players seem motivated to play, and tactically we were pretty well put together, which is reassuring as I was beginning to get a bit concerned about the manager. Change of shape, good effort from the team and some smart play gives me hope. 

[M_B]

Good point which looks even better thanks to some favourable results elsewhere. Here's hoping that a full week's coaching, and a decent all round performance at a difficult venue isn't a coincidence. 

 

[Armchair supporter supremo]

hopefully with players coming back from injury we can keep pushing😅 and hopefully pick up a couple of wins soon. I'm confident that we wont be relegated but flippin eck its going to be tight 😞  

[Roverthechimp]

Think Tronstedt being back meant the back 4 were somewhat protected - with Ayari and Buckley as a pair then a third cb is probably a must. 
We were fortunate at the end - JE seems to have had that bit of luck that deserted us for a while. Much better play when we actually decided to pass it around after the break.

[Andy]

20 minutes ago, Exiled in Toronto Mk2 said:

There’s no doubt we play better with a back 4 who play it out from the back, and have an extra midfielder to play it to. JDT had them practise it every day for 18 months, and we’ve seen how crap they are at anything else.

I like Bucko but his slowness of thought vs A Wharton is why he takes 4-5 touches before he sees a pass, if he doesn’t lose it in the meantime. He can pass though.

Of all Gallagher’s many shortcomings, his stupid runs that offer the passer no possibility of finding him annoy me the most. 

Agree with all of that.

And an example of that last point was Ayari's superb curved ball over the top, right to SG's feet.
Obviously SG made a mess of it, but a good striker likely scores from there.

[roversfan99]

Im pretty sure that even Haaland wouldn't "likely" score from a ball curled up high in the air 25-30 yards from goal, slightly wide and with a defender not too far away. Hardly on a plate, was a good pass but to bring that down, run on and finish is low percentage stuff for anyone.

[roversfan99]

Eustace said we were "outstanding on and off the ball" post match. Obviously a pinch of salt needed as its obviously partly aimed to motivate but whilst we were well set up off the ball, on the ball we certainly weren't outstanding. We gave the ball away quite a lot and didn't create much in the way of clear cut opportunities.

[Ianrally]

59 minutes ago, Mercer said:

A good and unexpected point today - not sure it will be enough to compensate for those squandered in recent winnable games.

There will be twists and turns to come.

Ipswich next up on Good Friday and they are in cracking form, scoring goals for fun.  Let's see how the purported Eustace defensive solidarity holds up then!

As they are our next opponents, who do you think from Rovers was at Portman Road today watching them?
Probably nobody as we couldn’t afford the bus fare.
Answers on the back of a postage stamp, 

Edited March 16 by Ianrally

[lraC]

9 minutes ago, Ianrally said:

As they are our next opponents, who do you think from Rovers was at Portman Road today watching them?
Probably nobody as we couldn’t afford the bus fare.
Answers on the back of a postage stamp, 

Lewis Travis.

[Herbie6590]

1 hour ago, CambridgeRover said:

Not a good point for me

We have the hardest run it and needed to win today

Sunderland and Bristol City are probably are only other chances for a win

Sheff Weds at home surely ? 🤔

[Paul Mellelieu]

52 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Eustace said we were "outstanding on and off the ball" post match. Obviously a pinch of salt needed as its obviously partly aimed to motivate but whilst we were well set up off the ball, on the ball we certainly weren't outstanding. We gave the ball away quite a lot and didn't create much in the way of clear cut opportunities.

It's all relative.

[rigger]

9 minutes ago, Herbie6590 said:

Sheff Weds at home surely ? 🤔

Coventry at home ?

[simongarnerisgod]

59 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Eustace said we were "outstanding on and off the ball" post match. Obviously a pinch of salt needed as its obviously partly aimed to motivate but whilst we were well set up off the ball, on the ball we certainly weren't outstanding. We gave the ball away quite a lot and didn't create much in the way of clear cut opportunities.

very much a hyperbole merchant is eustace,we certainly were not  outstanding in any department but then neither were middlesborough and we  matched them

[Exiled_Rover]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

Im pretty sure that even Haaland wouldn't "likely" score from a ball curled up high in the air 25-30 yards from goal, slightly wide and with a defender not too far away. Hardly on a plate, was a good pass but to bring that down, run on and finish is low percentage stuff for anyone.

He probably would have actually trapped the ball though. 

[Exiled_Rover]

Just now, simongarnerisgod said:

very much a hyperbole merchant is eustace,we certainly were not  outstanding in any department but then neither were middlesborough and we  matched them

We were good today - if Szmodics had been more clinical we might have won it too.

A very good, and unexpected, point. 

[Ossydave]

I suppose on paper it's a decent point, but we need more than just decent points/draws.

We're going to have to take more risks and potentially get tubbed a few times somewhere along the way with a few wins scattered in there.