A deserved two goal lead albeit Dieng has made four excellent saves against a poor QPR.
We have played much better in other games and not got the win so it just proves what a strange game this is.
Surely we can’t throw this one away? 🤔😎
As we know, it's never over until the Fat Lady sings ...
But I liked the First Act and hope for more of the same in the Second. Get that Fat Lady to go through her scales in readiness. .
Well that’s more like it 2-0 up at HT - though since I missed the first 25 minutes can’t comment on what went before - plus Dieng has shown he can save shots - a few more goals in the second half we I’ll repair the goal difference from the weekend!
Nice to see Dieng in such a good form. Up the Boro!
We may be 0-2 up, but we are not playing nearly as well as we have done in games we have lost. Our passing is off, there is little cohesion and had it not been for two excellent saves from Dieng that lead would have been thrown away. The next goal will be vital. If we get another QPR will disintegrate. If they score it could be Norwich all over again, poor as QPR are.
Borges is getting forward more , but is demonstrating that he cannot tackle. I would sub him as he could easily pick up another yellow.
On the positive side, Doak is as penetrative as ever, and Azaz has looked good in patches. A fine opportunist goal from McGree, who has otherwise been anonymous.
@k-p-in-spain How we are still two nil up, I have no idea. We’ll only Dieng to thank.
Two great goal from two good passes. However Boro are trying to “a Norwich” and give the game back to QPR. Defensively we have been more than poor and Howsons lack of game time has shown, almost handing them a goal.
We need to be better at passing out and through the lines. We cannot rely on Doak for almost everything..
Nothing from the left once more. If QPR score next, well it could a Norwich.
Dijksteel on for Borges in the 50th minute, with Ayling moving across to the left.
CJ in the 52nd minute:
McGree close
Boro really pushing for a third. More excellent work down Boro's right and Doak pushes it to Morris on the edge. It's congested, but his first-time ball finds Conway, who then slips it left to McGree, but his low effort is well saved. Good play.
Bugger! Almost inevitably, the Hoops pull one back in the 69th minute! 🙁 Can they hold out - or, better still, score a third?
Bugger! Almost inevitably, the Hoops pull one back in the 69th minute! 🙁 Can they hold out - or, better still, score a third?
CJ:
Got to say, Boro's own sloppiness has brought that on. Corner flicked on by Dunne at the front post and Cook gets in at the back ahead of Ayling to turn it home. Game on
More Boro subs ub the 80th minute - CJ:
Barlaser for Howson and Latte Lath on for Conway. Was just starting to think that Boro could do with something different up top here. Conway had run hard and now there's fresh legs up there in Latte Lath.
So. two changes: Howson & Doak for HH & Jones, the former not even in the match-day squad; Marcus Forss on the bench.
Of course, he couldn't be, given that he's suspended! What an idiot! 😡 - that's a red (for embarrassed) face!
And ELL makes it "Boro3" in the 87th minute - CJ:
Boro seal it! Great ball from McGree to put Latte Lath in behind as Boro hit on the counter. Latte Lath shows great composure as he rounds the keeper, but ends up too wide, so comes back and rounds him again before finishing.
🙂
Barlaser adds a fourth in injury time! And 1-4 it finishes. 🙂
Well after QPR scored it looked like Boro had let them back into the game but didn't see 4-1 coming - a great bit of composure from Latte Lathe after a stunning pass from McGree and then a Barlaser individual goal with a super strike.
In truth and up and down performance with Boro looking very good stroking the ball around and passing it well but then some rather dodgy playing out from defence with Boro struggling to get out. Though QPR looked a side low on confidence and in the end a deserved win!
Explain QPR 1-4 Boro after last weekend's display!
My view - Jarkko has to do EVERY Match Preview from here onwards. It's obviously down to him.
We were so close to Boro3. But I won't complain.
MotM was Dieng according to Maddo at BBC Tees. Up the Boro!
I thought Morris was a contender for MotM - he seemed to have all the time in the world, lots of composure and never panicked when in a tight spot and generally distributed the ball well - he's been a great signing.
@werdermouth I'll second that about Morris Werder. He would have been my pick, with Azaz and Doan and McGree contributing some class as well, just not as consistently as Morris held everything together.
Agree about Morris. My MoM too.
Some great play from us at the beginning of the second half, but continued sloppiness at the back allowed them back into the game and I feared the worst at 1-2.
A comedy goal from Latte Lath, refusing to push the ball home with his left foot and having to beat the keeper and defender all over again to score with his right, settled the match and Barlaser, surrounded by four QPR defenders, produced the best moment of the game with a goal of the highest skill.
Also memorable were Azaz's pass for Conway's goal, two superb Dieng saves, Mcgree's wonder ball for Latte Lath's goal, and a sublime piece of skill from Azaz controlling the ball and beating his man in one movement during Boro's best period early in the second half. Most disappointing was Clarke's continuing rustiness, and I am his No 1 fan.
A good win- forget how Boro let QPR back into the game as it turned out to be an excellent score line. 4-1 is a brilliant score line irrespective of how a team performs over the 90 minutes.
So we look forward to the next game with renewed confidence.
please don’t let us down - some of us can’t handle the level of inconsistency by Boro this season!!
Philip of Huddersfield
👍👋🤗
@werdermouth He would have been my pick, although Dieng kept us in the game.
A very up and down performance as Werder said. The difference tonight was we took our chances probably for the first time when not playing well for quite a lot of the match.
Nice to see us being clinical for once. We've played better and lost this season certainly.
Boro seem to be the proverbial 'coupon busters'. Just like everyone else how did they conjure that up after Saturday and the goals are being spread around too. Now, just as we may be about to establish some momentum another waste of time international break looms. Cue tumbleweeds.
Well done Jarkko and well done Boro.
UTB,
John
I am just relieved. A 4-1 win away! What would Man City give for that when they lost at Sporting Lisbon 4-1. Their third consecutive loss - last happened in 2018.
Tonight there is another important contest taking place in the USA. We may not know the result when we wake up tomorrow. But I will stay up to watch on TV to see what happens. EEEEKK!
We might have to wrap Doak in cotton wool as his form is going to make him a marked man with some defenders being more rough than others so far.
He looks a class apart compared to other wingers in the Championship. Just hope Liverpool don’t want him back in January.
Philip of Huddersfield 👍🤗
An extremely enjoyable result. I lost connection just before LL’s goal, then the screen came back on as he was celebrating.
We didn’t play brilliantly throughout but definitely deserved the win. We need to make the most of Doak before fullbacks start to work him out or kick him up in the air. What chance him winning a few penalties before the season’s over?
@martin-bellamy They doubled up on him quite a lot tonight, but still got his fair share of crosses in. And in the penalty area.
We might have to wrap Doak in cotton wool as his form is going to make him a marked man with some defenders being more rough than others so far.
He looks a class apart compared to other wingers in the Championship. Just hope Liverpool don’t want him back in January.
Philip of Huddersfield 👍🤗
Have a read of this, Philip:
I hope it was only a joke on Slot's part.
Also worth a look:
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/24700937.middlesbrough-liverpool-regular-ben-doak-talks/