And it finishes 1-1. At least no sucker punch conceded by Boro.
9 unbeaten run now, with some difficult fixtures played.
Come on BORO.
Aziz poor O Brien poor need better players who can win a ball but then distribute it and pass to another player.
Jones should have scored it was a routine save by the keeper not a worldie.
Very disappointing that we didn’t sign a striker during the Xmas signing period. Pity that we have had to rely on loan signings again to make up our team.
A great pity that Steve Gibson hasn’t supported our manager with signings that were so obviously needed after losing so many players during the close season.
OFB
Aziz poor O Brien poor need better players who can win a ball but then distribute it and pass to another player.
Jones should have scored it was a routine save by the keeper not a worldie.
Very disappointing that we didn’t sign a striker during the Xmas signing period. Pity that we have had to rely on loan signings again to make up our team.
A great pity that Steve Gibson hasn’t supported our manager with signings that were so obviously needed after losing so many players during the close season.
OFB
Your gloom & despondency are palpable, Bob. 🙁
@original-fat-bob I think you need to add Howson in there Bob. The just passed him by. We lack pace at the back, and certainly strength in midfield. Our midfielders just bounced off Morsy, Luongo and Chaplin.
Wow, a decent result at Ipswich and still whinging, I don’t believe Jeff.
Come on BORO.
An enjoyable game where both teams had chances to and should have won it; a point however against Ipswich is a good point and keeps the unbeaten run going.
The game did highlight our failings in the final third and that Silvera is no better than Greenwood and struggles at this level.
Many of the players worked hard and never gave up but all too often lacked quality in their execution and decision making.
Ayling and Clarke were standout players at the back whilst RvDB looked sluggish at times. Engel endured some torrid moments but stuck to his task.
Jones again contributed little and really should have scored toward the end. He may have pace but appears to have little else in his locker, with crossing and decision making poor at times.
Howson, O’Brien and Azaz were industrious and Latte Lathe scored an excellent goal and worked hard but was too often isolated. Dieng was solid and made some good saves and generally commanded his area well.
On this showing and over recent weeks I think Ayling is deserving of a contract if we can match his demands.
I just hope that the team will continue with this level of commitment until the end of the season. 😎
@exmil Fair comment exmil, and unbeaten for nine is commendable.
However, it depends on your expectations overall. Todays result was excellent and although Ipswich should of won, we could of nicked at the end. So the Boro deserve credit for sticking at it,just I said against Hull.
If we want to really have a chance of “having a go” at the playoffs next season, then we need to be better than we have been overall this season. As KP said Latte Lath needs somebody else up near him. We also need some more quality than we have within the squad now.
If you are hoping for the Play-offs I'd say it would be better to aim for automatic promotion. Then, if you fall short, at least you have chance of the back-up position of being in the Play-offs. At Least AIM high.
A draw at Ipswich, away. A very creditable result. Look where they are in the league table.
Can't hang about. I have an Amelia Coburn concert/gig to attend shortly....
I think we should have won at Ipswich today. They had some luck to keep it 1-1 in the second half.Town had to be grateful to goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky as he made two superb saves in quick succession with 10 minutes to go.9 unbeaten run now, with some difficult fixtures played.
Come on BORO.
Absolutely great team performance. Each and everyone. Well done, Boro.
Up the Boro!
As a standalone result that is an excellent outcome so credit to Boro. Just because it means our play off chances are even more unlikely doesn't alter that. Next season let's try and avoid the many dropped points to the Plymouths and Rotherhams of the world. UTB
Luke Ayling will not be available to play against his home club so is this an opportunity to play Dijksteel against Leeds and put him in the shop window? 😎
The point I am making is recently we have played Ipswich (1st), Leicester (2nd), Southampton (4th), Hull (7th) all away matches getting draws, Norwich at home winning 3-1, if we can replicate that type of form next season, whilst cutting out the points thrown away against the lower teams (Rotherham etc) we will not be far off next season and hopefully we won’t have the same amount of injuries again. It will be an interesting summer transfer window both incoming and outgoing.
Come on BORO.
A good Boro performance yesterday in an entertaining game between two enterprising sides.
A point was one more than we could have expected and I thought it was deserved overall. Yes, Ipswich had control of the game for the most part and Dieng needed to make a few smart saves but we also had some big chances towards the end with their keeper keeping the scores level. I really enjoyed it - more so in fact than a couple of the turgid wins we’ve had over the last six weeks or so.
A word for Luke Ayling. I had previously said that I didn’t think there was much between him and a fully fit Tommy Smith but I take that back. Now that Ayling is fully fit and up to speed, you can see that he’s a level above especially in the attacking third.
His determination and dogged defending is similar to Smith but his crossing is becoming an occasional weapon. The one for Clarke late on yesterday was a peach and unlucky not to result in a winning goal.
I’m not yet convinced about left back but, despite the general dissatisfaction with our defence, I think Dieng, Ayling, VdB and Clarke is a strong Championship line-up on paper. And there’s plenty in reserve if and when all are fit.
Howson, Hackney, O’Brien and Barlaser is decent as well (appreciate that there’s some loanees amongst that lot in midfield and defence).
It’s the attacking midfield/forward positions where we at short on quality and for me where the summer recruitment is vital.
Crickey, if we still had Akpom, Archer, Ramsey and a fit McGree then I’d have that squad fighting for automatic promotion, nevermind glancing enviously at the playoffs.
Latte Lath has grown immeasurably over the season as he’s gained fitness and settled in. He’s not Archer, but I like him.
The three behind aren’t promotion challenge material at the moment.
Jones has streaks where he’s unplayable but arguably longer streaks where he can be ineffective. Azaz may yet develop as other players have but has quite a long way to go at this point. The same for Silvera, though his starting point is even further back than Azaz’s. Greenwood can go now if he wants.
Forss and McGree can make a big difference in that front four but we must sign a couple more of promotion level quality in my opinion. And keep hold of the rest.
@andy-r. A fair assessment Andy.
I quite like Ayling and see him as a better all round RB than Smith. My only issue with him is that he does get turned by the opposition winger at times, as does Smith.
But Smith is 32 and Ayling is 33 in August. Do we really want TWO players of that age.
I am not convinced about Fry, both from playing out from the back and his injury issues. Assuming we keep VDB and lose McNair, then another CB may be needed.
As for midfield, I cannot see us being able to do a deal for O'Brien, if we want him His wages and a fee will probably put paid to that.
Will HH still be with us again assuming he gets over his injury OK. To push for a top six place may need one minimum or even two new MF players. The one would need some pace and robust like Morsy.
Azaz has been very hit and miss. He has a good passing range, but like Barlaser gives the ball away too much and is not that robust also.
Up front, we have LL, hopefully Forss to swop with Jones and also assuming it is true that McGree wants to leave, then we would need another two quality players who would probably cost more money than we could afford, maybe?
The summer could be very interesting.
@exmil - BORO did the double over Leicester this season, but your point is still a good one.
I think Lenihan, Fry, VdB and Clarke is enough at the back with Howson also able to fill in manfully.
I also doubt we can retain O’Brien, in which case we’d need someone to replace him. Forest may yet go down and decide to keep him in any case. Wages could well be the stumbling block if not.
I expect Hackney and VdB to stay. No guarantees but it seems odd that VdB would eschew a bigger club in the summer for game time, then leave after one season. Of course, we may get an offer we can’t refuse but I doubt that tbh.
Same goes for Hackney. He’s one of our best and looks set for a career at a higher level but I don’t see a PL club coming for him just yet. There’s another season for him with us yet I think.
McGree is more difficult if the rumours are to be believed but I have a feeling that if we were fighting at the top end of the division, he’d be just fine staying.
I could be miles out but I don’t see an overhaul this summer. To me it’s McNair and probably Djiksteel out, Ayling and O’Brien either retained or replaced, then two or three attacking players.
My decision to focus a large lump of my opener on Kieran McKenna has been justified! He has won Championship Manager of the Year. And that’s fully deserved, in my view. It makes the point gained by Boro yesterday even more praiseworthy.
Maybe this article will allay people’s concerns about RVB:
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/rav-van-den-berg-addresses-28996595
Come on BORO.
@jarkko I am just not covinced about Fry any more Jarkko. The once replacement for Ben Gibson has gone backwards and I see him as at the bottom of any CB’s to choose from, including Howson.
A fully fit Fry should be playing in the Premier League. This what I think and Sol Bambas has said recently.
But he mmust have a full season without injury.up the Boro!
Good to see Bayer Leverkusen winning the Bundesliga yesterday. 1st time winners after 5 near misses. Perennnial underachievers, population approx 160,000 with an industrial heritage near to the Rhine. Sounds pretty familiar and at least gives us hope for the future! UTB
@eboroacum And very closely followed here in Finland as they have had Finnish International goalkeeper as their captain. Lukas Hradecký is very popular here as well as in Leverkusen. A top keeper but very funny as a person.
I am very huppy as long as the German Champions are a team not called Bayern Munchen. Similarly wishing it won't be Manchester City in 2024, too.
Up the Boro!
@eboroacum And very closely followed here in Finland as they have had Finnish International goalkeeper as their captain. Lukas Hradecký is very popular here as well as in Leverkusen. A top keeper but very funny as a person.
I am very huppy as long as the German Champions are a team not called Bayern Munchen. Similarly wishing it won't be Manchester City in 2024, too.
Up the Boro!