Forss gives Boro the lead in the 61st minute, assisted by Greenwood - or was it HH?
Forss gives Boro the lead in the 61st minute, assisted by Greenwood - was it HH?
Greenwood it was - from the Beeb's text commentary:
A breakthrough worth waiting for! A deflected Sam Greenwood shot falls into the path of Marcus Forss 10 yards out. His first touch is to flick the ball up with his left foot. He then swivels and smashes a volley into the bottom left corner of the net. Superb finish.
O'Brien, Silvera & Coburn on for Barlaser, Forss & Greenwood in the 77th minute, Forss because of an injury. 🙁
Ayling booked in the 79th minute, joining Engel, who picked up a yellow in the 34th.
The Deckchairs equalise in the 83rd minute, Glover apparently at fault.
Thomas on for Engel in the 84th minute.
Well the positives were that we didn’t lose but the negative was we drop two points from a winning position; poor defending allied to a mistake by Glover led to their equaliser.
Instead of fortress Riverside it has become soft touch side and we are now desperate for a win against Bristol City next week; another team who we seem to struggle against! 😎
Glover should have done better but probably a draw a fair result 😥
Disappointing not to win that game in the end after Boro had upped the intensity in the second half and then got the goal after training ground routine didn't quite work out but Forss showed good control and made a great strike. Sadly a goal-keeping error by Glover with his only mistake in the game cost Boro two points - In truth Boro's triple substitution saw our energy drop and Sunderland got more possession - perhaps it would have been better to spread the subs out as it meant three players not up to the speed of the game.
Disappointed not to get all 3 points. We seemed to lose our impetus after the three substitutions and Glover probably should have done better with their goal.
I thought Greenwood did well in an unfamiliar position and Forss took his goal really well.
Having seen a few replays of their goal, it was a superb strike from Rusyn. Near the post and very, very low. He got the power behind the ball, too as he hit it from the volley. So I cannot blame Glover.
Both full backs were missing from the defence and Rusyn was totally unmarked near the corner of the penalty area.
Perhaps a fair result. HH was not bad, but he is not yet back to his best since recovering from his injury. Barlaser makes too many mistakes and there was no strong nr 10 nor a centre forward.
Coburn looked like carrying an injury and his movement was affected.
Up the Boro!
Football is a wonderful game. This wasn’t. I found it boring for an hour and only marginally better after the Boro goal. After Sunderland scored, Boro were in panick mode.
I’ll just comment on Boro. Passing and any indication of skill was virtually non existent . Only positive was the Boro goal. Apart from that no other positives from a team perspective as they were outweighed by the negatives. No point commenting on individual performances as I’d be here all night - so much wrong.
Boro are a mid table team and any talk of finishing 6th in the League is ridiculous based on this and most of the seasons performances. I hope others will stop talking about a top 6 finish.
The difference between the Premiership and this Division is enormous . I wouldn’t want to be promoted - just look at Burnley who we all thought were a tremendous team last season.
I feel so sorry for the fans. They pay good money, turn up home and away and get behind the team - for what ? Rubbish performances like this. They’d probably get more enjoyment from watching local league football and avoid the pain .
Philip of Huddersfield 👎👎👎
Ratings from the Echo
5 Glover: Good instinctive first half save to deny Clarke at front post. Steady all afternoon until costly clanger.
7 Ayling: Did a good job on Clarke until Sunderland’s star man came to life late on. Leeds loanee was on a yellow by that stage and had to be careful.
8 Van den Berg: Brilliant goalline clearance to deny Ba in the first half. Composed and dominant. Got caught in two minds in build-up to equaliser after Engel caught out of position on counter.
7 Fry: Alongside Van den Berg, didn’t give the anonymous Burstow a sniff. Will be frustrated by lack of clean sheet.
6 Engel: Troubled by Ba in the first half but mainly because he was left exposed by Azaz. Superb through-ball for Greenwood first half chance. Calm in possession.
5 Howson: Sloppy in possession in the first half, in particular. Protected the defence and kept an eye on Bellingham and Ekwah but not at his best.
6 Barlaser: Helped Boro take control after the break.
7 Forss: Clinical and emphatic finish for the goal, he’s going to be integral for Boro in the second half of the season.
5 Azaz: Missed a glorious early opportunity and left Engel exposed in first half. Found pockets of space.
6 Hackney: Tried to drive Boro forward at every opportunity but looks more comfortable playing as midfielder rather than in forward three.
7 Greenwood: Was bang at it against his former side. Not a natural striker, was a threat in behind but frustrated by offside trap. Still made a nuisance of himself. Played a part in goal.
Neil Warnock is still going strong. Next stop in Scotland?
Aberdeen are set to name the experienced Englishman as interim manager until summer according to BBC.
And a deal could be done in time for Warnock, 75, to be in the dugout when Aberdeen visit Rangers on Tuesday evening.
Barry Robson was dismissed last week after a year in charge at Pittodrie.
Up the Boro?
@philip-of-huddersfield Boro are a mid table team and any talk of finishing 6th in the League is ridiculous based on this and most of the seasons performances. I hope others will stop talking about a top 6 finish.
Apart from one piece of class from Forss we where poor all over the pitch. Lots of effort, yes, see Greenwood, but that does not win you games.
Our home form has not been good, and despite that the support has been excellent.
I think @werder was correct, in that the substitutions did change the game and let Sunderland back in. However as much as I do not think MC uses his subs to best effect at times, Forss was injured, Greenwood, knackered with cramp and O'Brien was a good shout. Unfortunately, they should have been staggered. O'Brien on first for Forss, and then Azaz should have been hooked and not Barlaser. He has done nothing since he arrived. How did he get all the reviews at Plymouth? Coburn just does not look totally fit.
The squad needs a thorough review and more changes than Jarkko will like come the summer.
@philip-of-huddersfield Maybe I don’t see enough games, but I definitely wasn’t bored at all - like I say, perhaps only seeing a few games makes me more forgiving. I’d certainly agree that there’s a huge gap between the EPL and the Championship and I don’t see any way that the chasm will be bridged anytime soon.
I still think that there’s a small chance of us finishing sixth, but that chance is diminishing quickly.
Football is a wonderful game. This wasn’t. I found it boring for an hour and only marginally better after the Boro goal. After Sunderland scored, Boro were in panick mode.
I’ll just comment on Boro. Passing and any indication of skill was virtually non existent . Only positive was the Boro goal. Apart from that no other positives from a team perspective as they were outweighed by the negatives. No point commenting on individual performances as I’d be here all night - so much wrong.
Boro are a mid table team and any talk of finishing 6th in the League is ridiculous based on this and most of the seasons performances. I hope others will stop talking about a top 6 finish.
The difference between the Premiership and this Division is enormous . I wouldn’t want to be promoted - just look at Burnley who we all thought were a tremendous team last season.
I feel so sorry for the fans. They pay good money, turn up home and away and get behind the team - for what ? Rubbish performances like this. They’d probably get more enjoyment from watching local league football and avoid the pain .
Philip of Huddersfield 👎👎👎
Agree we are probably a midtable team, at home don't score enough and concede too many, saying that this is a very mediocre division, the top 3 sides aside and they came down last season, says it all really far too good for championship but not good enough for PL.
This team would end up doing a sheff utd if we went up, it's also interesting to see the 3 of the players who made us tick last season are either struggling in PL or not playing.
Passing at time sucks, how many times do we give away possession with no look passes or over ambitious passes and talk about not been able to score in a house of ill repute with 50 quid sticking out of your flies, why doesn't forss get to play up front because not sure coburg can cut it. Playing with a false 9 seems crazy given we are no Man City.
At the end if the day that's the championship and it is what it is.
Does anybody know what the banner saying Cleveland police are corrupt and law unto themselves was all about?, if it had said teesworks it would have made more sense
@martin-bellamy I would say that I was entertained to a fair degree, by two mid-table looking sides. The atmosphere was excellent and credit once more to the fans. One could argue Martin, that the fare served up at the Riverside has overall been disappointing for the paying public. Only six wins at home out of 15 games. Not top six form at all.
It does concern me that if Mr Carrick does not really commit himself to his last years contract, then we may see a decent drop off in season tickets and player unrest also.
I do agree with Paul, but Coburn is young and thrown into the team because there is nobody else to play up front. I feel a bit sorry for him.
Carrick has a lot of work to do now and some tough decisions to make. For one, he needs to rest Howson, who, in fact, has been a great servant but is slow and giving dangerous balls away to the opposition.
Certainly a few tough weeks ahead for the boss.
I noticed the TV camera switched to Steve Gibson, and he didn't look happy.
M C and our goalkeeper.
Tom Glover was at fault for the leveller, letting a tame shot squirm under his body at the front post, but Carrick was quick to stress he won't point the finger of blame and backed the Aussie to quickly put the error behind him.
“We can’t put the spotlight on just one player, we have to take responsibility as a team," said Carrick.
“Tom is fine. He’s all right. Everybody has moments and ups and downs in football. He’s made some big saves for us and been a good presence in the team in recent weeks. He’ll move on from that pretty quickly, I’m sure."
Result probably as expected given our home form. Not seen any of the game so will wait for the highlights. Have just read all of the comments then looked at thr BBC match report and given some of the posts here found this bit interesting:
"Under Michael Carrick, Boro have found a formula for entertaining football and that was in evidence as January arrival Finn Azaz impressed. His movement and vision in tandem with Hayden Hackney cut Sunderland open time after time."
@mw-in-darwin. Just shows how we can all have different views at times. As I have already said, Azaz was poor and where he was playing who knows.
Gazette and Echo thought he was poor overall.
Must have missed those passages of play in my opinion HH has been somewhat underwhelming since his return, there may be a 20M+ player in there but not seen it recently
Back from game. Basically:
Sunderland better 1st half
Boro better 2nd
Belter of a goal from Forss
Sucker punch and mistakes led to equaliser
Sunderland pushed for winner but not good enough to grab it
Draw seemed a fair result.
No recognised striker means top 6 unlikely but not impossible
Don't need a clear out. Need a striker, a right back and a creative left midfielder/ winger. Not as many loan players going back will give team more stabilty.
Hackney coming back from injury = under par performances last few games.
We can't win many games with no recognised striker on the pitch. Also we were very narrow today with Jones out and we also needed a left winger.
No need for doom and gloom.....the sun will still rise tomorrow. UTB!
I'm gonna give Carrick a pass for now
Seeing injuries and players away, but he'd better get his finger out and find a settled team, we have players who are just not up to it consistently. Engel a bag of nerves. Ailing tell him to stay back. He's ruining Hackney out of position to accommodate the other two . Johnny is struggling Burlaser one good game in three or four. ,same Greenwood . Azziz I think Azzwaz ,
If he doesn't play Mcgree this week , no more pass for him, Thomas in . Crooks for Azziz , O'Brien for either Johnny or Burlaser or play O'Brien on the right if Forss is out. The goalie is erratic .,don't know there
Bottom line right now it isn't working consistently , stupidity is doing the same thing when it's obviously not working.
Sounds like policing unless plod planted or kept stash
A must watch on You Tube friends, our Bernie Slaven on the Middlesbrough v Sunderland game. He tells it like it is. I agree with every thing he said.
Some interesting views on yesterday’s game. I thought it was a good, intensive game, played at pace in a lively atmosphere. A point apiece was probably a fair result, but it was nonetheless galling to concede yet another soft goal.
I thought Azaz did ok in short bursts. There’s probably a good player in there somewhere, but he needs to start having much more of an impact. It was also very noticeable first half that Engel didn’t have his usual pass outlet down the left wing, as Azaz never ran ahead down the wing, when he should have been anticipating the pass. Instead he meandered inside. This meant that on several occasions Engel had to turn back with his pass, limiting the effectiveness of that means of attack. In addition, Azaz didn’t get back to support Engel, who was given quite a torrid time by the effervescent Ba. MC and Woody have work to do to get Azaz used to the team ethic.
In contrast, on the other flank, Ayling was superbly supported by Forss. Together, they entirely snuffed out Clarke, until the 83rd minute when he broke away, by which time Marcus was injured. At that point, Ayling simply didn’t have the pace to catch the Mackem flanker, who promptly found Rusyn for the equaliser. Once Silvera came on, Ayling’s support disappeared and Clarke took control, nearly creating a second Mackem goal. I know Silvera had just returned from his flight home from Oz, but surely he knows by now he has to track back? Hasn’t he learned anything from how brilliantly Isaiah plays this role?
I disagreed with the EG and Echo scores for Hackney, who I thought had a terrible game. For about 70 minutes he messed up most of his passes and gave the ball away too often. Does he need a rest?
My MoM award goes jointly to Fry and Van den Berg.
@eboroacum - Can't disagree with that...