HH apparently suspended for picking up a fifth yellow as he was subbed near the end of the match:
🙁
So, Hackney is suspended for Saturday, just to add to our list of absentees. MC has blamed the ref, who apparently booked him for taking too long to leave the pitch when subbed. I must admit that when Boro made our substitutions it seemed to take an absolute age - but MC is adamant that Hayden’s number hadn’t gone up on the board. Oh well, it is what it is, as MC says. Howson and Barlaser will have to play together, which shouldn’t be too much of a risk, especially if Crooks and Greenwood can support them with some of the defensive spadework. Perhaps MC might also think about deploying Dijksteel in a midfield role at some point, if we don’t need him at full-back?
Here in Cyprus we’re 2 hours ahead of the UK. No red button to watch the game so went to bed at 11.45 when it was half time and 0-0. I was happy with that but happier still when I checked the score this morning to see 2-1.
The tenure of MC is looking good with the poor start to the season looking more like a loss of 5 key players replaced by a group not as good. But with good coaching he and his staff have turned things round.
At this rate he’ll have other Clubs knocking on his door. Somehow , I think he’s a man of principle and will want to finish what he’s started.
We now move onto Saturday against Stoke with the biggest challenge being how to cope with so many injuries plus the inevitable knocks players get.
Finally, a bit of good man management taking Clarke to Norwich- probably with no intention to play him.
Philip of Huddersfield 👍👋🤗
ps the locals here thought they’d turned the corner with their first win under their new coach but then walloped 4-0 at home to Cardiff last night.
EG Ratings
Seny Dieng - 6
Clean sheet run came to an end with a strange late goal from a tight angle. Only one other comfortable save to make and otherwise commanding and confident as usual.
Rav van den Berg - 6
Back in the side, he had to work really hard throughout to keep Norwich's pacey attackers at bay. Generally did so well until he just tired and gave Rowe a little too much space to score a late consolation.
Dael Fry - 8
Absolutely rock solid at the back for side. He won every header, made some big tackles and blocks, and was unlucky not to score one at the other end too. Monumental final 15 minutes as Norwich applied the pressure.
Paddy McNair - 7
Complemented Fry really well again. The pair are unfortunate to not have another clean sheet to their slate. McNair, like Fry, made some big blocks and important interceptions.
Lukas Engel - 6
Another solid if unspectacular effort from the ever-improving Dane. Rowe was Norwich's most lively, but Engel didn't give him much throughout and was unlucky with a couple of decent first-half chances too.
Jonny Howson - 7
Back in the side at his former club, Boro weren't at their free-slowing best. But Howson's calmness in possession and experience to lead them through tricker moments in the game was important.
Hayden Hackney - 8
Another really positive and brave effort from the young midfielder. In a congested midfield, he still always wanted the ball and wanted to do something positive. Had one cleared off the line in the first half and then made the important interception that led to the first goal.
Isaiah Jones - 6
A bit of a quieter evening for Jones in this one. Norwich had done their homework and guarded him closely. He still worked really hard for the team though.
Sam Greenwood - 8
Lively and penetrative throughout, he scored what looked like being the only goal until stoppage time drama. Not just is goal though, the amount of effort Greenwood put in for his side in this one, supporting Engel throughout down that left, should not go unnoticed.
Matt Crooks - 7
Another positive evening for Crooks who, as well as linking play really well, battled hard for his side throughout. He tired as the second half wore on, and it was little wonder given the shift he put in.
Josh Coburn - 7
At times isolated up top but battled so hard for his side and crafted a couple of half chances from very little for himself, before having the vision to spot Greenwood better placed than him to open the scoring.
Substitutes
Sammy Silvera (For Coburn, 83') - 7 - Came off the bench to play up front and did exactly what was asked of him. Chased everything down to make it hard for Norwich's defenders and then got one chance to seal the game and took it.
Alex Bangura (For Engel, 83') - 6 - Worked hard to help his side see it over the line.
Morgan Rogers (For Greenwood, 89') - N/A
Anfernee Dijksteel (For Jones, 89') - N/A
Predictably some of my Norwich supporting neighbours avoided me this morning. How nice to be avoided when two weeks ago the conversations were about bro's lucky streak and they'd fare against Norwich. I'm rally enjoying all the lack of attention!
An excellent result but as has been said the wear and tear of the high intensity game must be taking its toll.
Stoke on Saturday and if the myths about Stoke and its environs are to be believed it will be rainy foggy, muddy, freezing with a possibility of snow and the showers won't be working. A draw will do me nicely. Meanwhile very well done to Boro, very well done indeed.
Best wishes everyone.
UTB,
John
Watching the game last night I was impressed with the fast inter passing between the Boro players and high press of Greenwood and Coburn which forced the Norwich keeper and defenders into making hurried clearances and misplaced passes. It is an attractive style of play to watch and made me think of other styles we have had with previous managers.
Big Jack had his play the ball forward quickly over the top of opposition players for Foggon who was a teenage sprint champion to run onto.
In later years Karanka adopted a safety first approach using a defensive strategy which was at times uncomfortable to watch.
Pulis adopted the most mind numbing boring football I have ever seen at the Riverside and it wasn’t particularly successful.
Woodgate attempted to play high press attacking football but didn’t have the players to carry out his hopes and methodology.
So turning back to Carrick after he has now had a year in the Boro managers hot seat it’s on the whole been an enjoyable experience, so much so that I can call myself a season card holder once more!
We’ve all had a go at the recruitment strategy adopted this season, but to be fair last seasons use of expensive loan players didn’t move the club forward although it was a gamble that nearly paid off in the playoffs.
The change this season to a strategy of signing young unknown players on a permanent basis was greeted with suspicion and initially we all thought it was a disastrous decision when we were bottom of the table. Slowly but surely guided by the calm assurance of Carrick the squad have gradually improved in increments so that we now find that we have several players for positions. This will be needed on Saturday when we have so many players injured and now the suspension of Hackney.
If we look at the posts on Diasboro from the beginning of the season to now, we can see that we’ve all come a long way.
Whilst we will have setbacks, that’s a given because it’s football we are talking about played by humans who are fallible. The steady guiding hand of Carrick whose calm influence seems to have settled on the players and coaching staff will hopefully bring Boro into a playoff spot this season.
I don’t expect an automatic place as there are some good clubs taking those spots at the minute. I do however expect the Boro to get to the playoff final at Wembley this season !
It must be the new pair of foam hands 🙌 that’s made me put that into print !
So some thoughts Diasborians to pick at and consider and put some counter points and arguments.
I’m waiting to hear 👂?
OFB
The loss of Hackney for the next few games is a blow, but another yellow card and suspension were just around the corner anyway. In fact Hackney would have received a card earlier in the half had a reckless tackle made any contact.
There are other consolations. The lad looked to have sustained a leg injury which may have made him doubtful for Saturday anyway. And a break will do him good after the efforts of the last few games. Plus Barlaser and Howson are both in excellent form. So in many ways the loss of our outstanding midfield player has come at as apposite a time as we could have wished for.
Incidentally I don't think we can have too many complaints about the booking. Boro knew what they were doing: continually time-wasting in order to take the sting out of the game at a time of Norwich pressure and dominance. Not only did we sustain two bookings for this repeated offence, but the ref added the stinging rebuke of 9 minutes of extra time.
I'm sure that Carrick and the team will learn from this. Time wasting is now counter-productive. Long may it remain so. It has been one of the curses of the modern game and we should support the efforts of officials to stamp it out even though on this occasion we may feel that we were the victims of the stricter approach.
That fast and intense passing game is a joy to watch and I now think that it has taken a while for the new boys to understand, adopt and play it successfully, hopefully it can only get better as confidence and ability improves and after a slow start that seems to be happening.
UTB,
John
The game on Saturday is at The Riverside and not in the Potteries, so what we have to hope is that the myths about Middlesbrough and its environs are not to be believed that it will be rainy, smoggy, muddy, freezing with a possibility of snow and that the showers won't be working 😉
So, just as we sat down on our connecting flight home last night, Boro scored. What joy, but then agony having to wait until we landed in Edinburgh to see if we had won.
I had a look at the "extended" highlights this morning. You really don't get any idea how the game was from that, so thanks to everyone for their take on the game,without which I would be in the dark about how we were.
Great posts about where we are and how our collective view of the recruitment has evolved.. especially good post from OFB on just that topic.
I think we have to credit MC and his coaching team for having kept calm and carried on the way they know best... and it really does look like they do know much better than any of us !!
Sky must be kicking themselves not having chosen Boro V Leicester for live broadcast.
Thank goodness for that, I'm confused by a state of elation. It'll be a beautiful autumn day on the Teesside Riviera, Stoke City will be thinking about the beach at Redcar.
UTB,
John
Last nights Boro win is the first time we’ve won 6 league games in a row since the 2015/16 season, and 7 games in all competitions since 1995/96
OFB
Tommy Smith Has Confirmed on His Instagram That He Has Suffered A Ruptured Achilles in Boro’s 1-0 Win Against Birmingham City This Past Saturday, And He Will Be Ruled Out For The Rest Of The Season.
OFB
Terrible news for Tommy and for all Boro fans, especially after such a fine display last Saturday
Tommy's presence will be greatly missed.
Right back cover now looks very thin.
Dijksteel has not really had a pre-season, whilst RVDB should really only be cover for cover in that position.
Right back now second priority in January after one or two more strikers .
A solid Championship performer coming to the end of his contract this summer would do.
No more "projects ' please.
Not much I can add to what has already been said by others about an excellent win last night. A real team effort.
Having had a dislike of Carrow Road for many years, I am now having a change of heart following two wins there in consecutive seasons.
Worrying news on the injury front, especially for Tommy Smith. Fingers crossed that his injury and the illness and injuries to a number of other players does not scupper our winning streak.
Saturday can’t come quickly enough. 😊😎
@clive-hurren - I can only assume the ref took the view that Boro was wasting time and that may be the reason that we had 9 minutes "added time" shown on the 4th Official's board. Apparently it was 90+12 before the final whistle was blown.
On another issue - I remember seeing the injured Tommy Smith walking his way slowly around the perimeter of the field at the Riverside as the match against Birmingham continued last Saturday. Accepting that some players might have to be stretchered off if sufficiently injured (though being carried on a stretcher has its own perils), I had a chat with my mate who sits in the seat next to me at the stadium as we watched Smith walk off, obviously in great discomfort. He had been injured at the far side of the field, about as far away as it was possible to be, away from the players' tunnel. I suggested the club could surely afford a wheelchair for use in cases like that, where it is obvious the player could not continue through inury and needed to get back to the medical team for further treatment or investigation. If, as suggested, Smith has ruptured his Achilles Tendon, then a 250 yards hobble immediately after the incident is unlikely to have helped him and could conceivably make things worse.
@lenmasterman - Sorry, Len, I hadn't seen your earlier post (about time wasting) when I put my reply up to Clive a couple of minutes ago. It's the peril of posting before reading the recent posts first! I'd seen Clive's post (11.48pm last night) but not gone on to read the more recent ones on this thread.
@lenmasterman I wonder if MC would consider (after a trial in training) the use of Engel or Bangura as a RB?
There have been a few instances of players in the past playing permanently in the full back position, not of their natural foot.
Probably he will continue with VDB, whilst he is fit. He may even consider Dijksteel.
@pedro. I hope he does continue with RVB as he is getting more confident and effective in the role the more he plays in that position; lefties on the left and righties on the right please, no square pegging unless it is the only option. 😎
@k-p-in-spain I recall Colin Cooper was used as a left back in the first team at the age 17. Remember discussing with him in 18987.
Colin was right footed and most probably a centre back originally. He went on to play for England. Cannot recall what position he played at Forest, though.
Up the Boro!
Last nights Boro win is the first time we’ve won 6 league games in a row since the 2015/16 season, and 7 games in all competitions since 1995/96
OFB
well that has gone and done it now OFB - typical Boro and all that!
I am predicting that our run will end on 11 November since that will be my first attendance at the Riverside since we lost to QPR and I was at the Millwall game too!
Actually trying hard to think when I last saw Boro win in the flesh so maybe my luck has to chance soon
Catching up after another busy day and I thought this retired lark would give me more time!
can only echo what others have said and delighted to have another 3 points in the bag and a league position looking healthier than before.
We are starting to gell together and the players appear to be playing the game that MC wants to play with a lot more effectiveness.
Smith will be missed and is a slight concern but maybe RVB can step across with Dijksteel on the bench ti come on as required?
Colin Cooper?
So you talked to him in 1898 and here you are today still working ?
Shakes head …….
OFB
@original-fat-bob I said 1(8)987, mate. Wax in your ears ... UTB!