| Middlesbrough | Rotherham | ||
| Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
65% 20 5 13 6 |
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
35% 8 2 7 11 |
Blank Boro ground down
The Millers travelled up to Teesside more through hope than expectation today. Rotherham had amassed the grand total of null points from their travels this season to date so whatever their selection was going to be it was considered unlikely to trouble Boro who were dauntingly at the opposite end of the table. Their Manager Paul Warne pre game had described tonight’s match as a “free hit” in a nothing to lose mind-set presumably intended to reduce fears and remove any unrealistic expectations. Boro fans of course had the “Typical Boro” fear for a game that should be a nailed on three points but could typically end up a banana skin.
The most recent connections between the two sides was Dael Fry having spent some time on loan down there as had Grant apparently earlier on in his career and Ledesma who now plies his trade in real New York Stadiums across the pond. The Boro team news was eagerly awaited as we wondered whether TP would rest a few, stick with five or switch to four at the back and who would be making way for Braithwaite? As it turned out TP switched to a back four again, meaning Dael Fry missed out again. The same ineffective set up that was disastrous against Forest then reversed against Sheffield Wednesday after an admission of getting things wrong previously had been reintroduced.
The absence of Shotton saw McNair at RB and Braithwaite introduced at the expense of a CB. The opening moments of the game saw a few forays from the Millers especially down McNair’s side which may have been coincidence or a deliberate ploy to exploit the reshuffle at the back. Paddy looked uncomfortable and far from assured and struggled to make any impact in an attacking sense. Ayala and Flint were solid but there was nothing else in terms of building from the back without Fry being there. George and Stewy were Boro’s main attacking threat or in reality only attacking threat in a very poor and disjointed first half.
We didn’t sign Bolasie or Adomah, we sold Adama and Tav doesn’t even get a sniff of the bench so unless we play with three centre-backs and two wing-backs we have no width, outlets or creativity. Tonight was as predictable as it was horrendous to watch once the team had been announced. I’m not sure what position is McNair’s best but it certainly isn’t as a Right Back let alone a Wing Back even allowing for one good run into the box in the second half. I was at times thinking George was the third CB and we were playing with three at the back after all but George spent most of his time linking up with Stewy on runs down the touchline so that couldn’t have been the case or maybe it was and he just forgot himself. Whatever was supposed to be happening clearly wasn’t as the entire team just looked a totally dysfunctional unit.
Besic who had excelled against Wednesday held onto the ball too long on numerous occasions and missed the killer pass and besides the movement was slow and ponderous at best. Britt was scrapping and Braithwaite provided a few moments including a great spurned chance which was easily saved by Rodak just after Randolph had pulled off a double reflex save seconds earlier at the other end to spare Tony’s blushes. Considering this was top versus bottom there was no indication to the neutral observer who was who, indeed a flurry of successive first half corners from the Millers had us hanging on desperately failing to clear our lines.
We were so poor in the first half that the only consolation was that Rotherham hadn’t earned any points on their travels this season so surely we couldn’t let this one slip? We sent corners and free kicks in from Stewy but they were either too close to Rodak in the Rotherham goal or Flint was underneath them and in the wrong part of the goalmouth to make them count. There was nothing else of note in the first half such was the paucity of the non-event, heaven help anyone who tuned in on the Red Button looking for entertainment. In truth Rotherham looked calm and unruffled controlling large parts of the game with relative ease from a very poor Boro side that lacked any belief or conviction.
The second half didn’t see any personnel changes which was a surprise considering the abysmal first half torture but then again not really as there was nothing on the bench that could really alter what was happening out on the pitch. No pace, no craft and no tempo or speed, just a defensive midfielder, two non-scoring Strikers, two centre-backs and a left-back. The second half started with a Boro attack which we hoped was a sign of things to come but like our hopes for the evening were dashed when Braithwaite was clattered and went down with a head injury. The sight of Hugill warming up had us hoping that the Dane would stagger to his feet but as one wag to my left extolled that even if Braithwaite was left prostrate on the grass and we played on it would be just like playing with Hugill anyway.
As if a warning was needed the first real ooh aah moment was when Manning fired a shot which had Randolph scrambling to see the effort just past his post. Boro did respond by entering a little purple patch which wasn’t exactly convincing but it was the best we were going to get and a low Downing cross into the feet of Assombalonga had poor Britt trying to remember the steps to the hokey cokey but he got them all wrong. As Rodak spilled the ball at his feet six inches from the goal line, Britt was putting his left foot out his right foot out, out, out, out and shake them all about as the ball was cleared. Once again Britt’s requirement to have five or six stonewall chances to convert just one bit us on the backside. That said it would have been rough justice on the Millers who were well deserving of their point and indeed as an away team perhaps felt unlucky not to have nicked all three.
A volley from Downing as the ball was cleared out to him inside the box was hit with his left foot which signalled it was going to miss the target as soon as it left his left boot when his right one would have sent it goalwards. That was the signal for TP to make big changes to radically alter the game and to take control except he took off the struggling McNair (who had actually looked a little better in the second half) and Braithwaite who was dribbling and twisting but most of it was going sideways for the creative pairing of McQueen and Gestede. Downing was now on the right side with McQueen on the left and we then just humped long and high balls up to big Rudy. It was a joy to watch a Managerial masterstroke against such limited opposition. What had been pure dross and dire all night had now just become desperate.
In fairness to Gestede he put himself about and tried to add something but the reality is there were no tactics, shape or strategy and Boro were a busted flush by this point. If anything Rotherham looked the more likely to score with Manning once again testing Randolph from range and Smith then coming closest as TP’s changes had bombed. If it hadn’t been so predictable it may actually have been disappointing but by now we had resigned ourselves to another game with pure sterility in front of (or indeed anywhere near) the opposition goal. With just under ten minutes remaining TP took off Britt and put on Hugill who battled and scrapped and did actually stay on his feet much to our relief. Nothing changed of course as the die had been well cast even before a ball was kicked with TP’s selections and tactics. And so the game petered out to a well deserved draw enabling the visitors to pick up their first point on the road all season as Boro left the pitch to a chorus of boos and jeers.
As regards the Man of the Match award it was probably Lewis Wing or Tav who were sorely missed and didn’t put a foot wrong all evening but seeing as it traditionally goes to someone who played then the only one is Randolph who kept a clean sheet with a brilliant save but whose kicking left a lot to be desired all night.
On the drive home I heard a debate on Tees about playing with three supposedly at the back well if that was the tactic it certainly didn’t look remotely like anything close to it to me and if so then why would you move Fry out to displace Friend across one when Shotton was already an enforced disruption on the opposite flank? Tony tinkered far too much and the failings of the night rest upon his shoulders and his decisions alone despite Britt’s glaring miss. The continual failure to score at home and the poor tactical shuffle which screwed us on the night will be punished on Saturday against much better opponents than tonight. Strange how we can be top of the league yet upon leaving the Stadium feel almost as bad as when Trashcan was here. Patience wore thin tonight and the fans let their feelings be known. You can fool some of the people some of the time but tonight just stunk the Riverside out and left a bitter taste to boot.