Rav is injured, but I don’t understand Burgzorg being benched again tonight.
Come on BORO.
Carrick probably wanted someone worth bringing on off the bench... though maybe with Doak close to fitness he wants to try Whittaker on the left? Still, burgzorg has looked our best forward for the last month so odd choice.
Perhaps telling that none of the outfield loan signing in January start tonight with all three on the bench!
Boro takes the lead in the 20th minute - Forss, assisted by Whittaker!
Boro takes the lead in the 205hy minute - Forss, assisted by Whittaker!
CJ:
They deserve that. Work through the middle of the pitch well and Whittaker sprays wide for Forss quick to give him space. He comes inside using the decoy run of Azaz and smashes one left-footed across goal. Brilliant finish.
Great strike from Forss!
……..now comes the difficult bit……keeping the lead
……..now comes the difficult bit……keeping the lead
Unless they can add one or two more, ideally without reply! 😉
Conway???
Missed the unmissable...
……..now comes the difficult bit……keeping the lead
Unless they can add one or two more, ideally without reply! 😉
CJ:
Tommy Conway sitter
Boro should be 2-0 up. Another excellent Boro move as Morris does well to turn away from his marker before setting Forss away down the right. He does really well to spot Conway peeling off and the back post and it's a lovely ball fizzed across the face of goal. Conway runs on to it but slices over from close range. It's a sitter.
Have to hope Boro don't live to regret that. Huge chance. More great play though.
Ah well, it was nice while it lasted: the Potters equalise on the stroke of half-time. 🙁
I see what you mean...
Booo! An equaliser for Stoke after Boro dominated the first half and should have been at least 2 up.
Absolute rubbish defending, according to Maddo. "Sucker punch!"
I would LOVE Boro to confound my fears....
How on earth is that possible. Stoke were awful. We were all over them and gave away a totally stupid goal.
It makes you want to weep.
So Stoke were terrible - Boro playing a training game and Forss scored a beauty but then Conway missed the sitter of all sitters from a yard out to make the game secure. Then Boro somehow let Stoke back into the game with the crowd on their backs with yet more poor defending - they also almost let them in a few times before that equaliser after losing possession with poor passes.
This is a game Boro should win on the evidence of the first half but as usual just can't defend!
How on earth is that possible. Stoke were awful. We were all over them and gave away a totally stupid goal.
It makes you want to weep.
CJ's summary of the first half:
A 45 mins that pretty much sums up the whole season for Boro. Looking commanding, playing well, get their noses in front. They then unravel after the Conway miss. Stoke have one good chance just after and Boro retreated and got sloppy before conceding the equaliser.
simple really. Just put a Middlesbrough team out to play...How on earth is that possible...
How did Conway miss that open goal to make it two. Then we sat back and let Stoke have the ball. Whilever we will not turn possession into goals, we remain vulnerable.
It will be interesting to see which Boro will show up in the second half.
Delighted for Forss.
Just as I’m saying a good half by Boro and in control . Only wrong thing was the miss by Conway. Then typical Boro concede again on the stroke of half time.
I expect Stoke will be more than happy to be drawing and will start the second half half much renewed.
Can Boro hold out? Doubt it. Only way forward is to play attacking football- certainly I dread it if the tactic is to defend.
philip of Huddersfield
Yes they can attack, but can they do it on a cold Tuesday night in Stoke. Let’s hope so.
I'm back behind the couch with no alcohol and no sharp objects. Oh yes, and the lights out too.
UTB,
John
Worst thing about the first half is the two commentators on sky who just never shut up. I am watching with the sound turned down.
Philip of Huddersfield
Can't defend the indefensible deficiencies of a dreadfully deficient defensive unit
I was told yesterday that VDB was out. Being carrying an injury.
That was a miss of misses. Yes the cross was hard, but Conway could of stopped it and still had time to tap it in.
Their goal came from rank bad defending. Again. Schoolboy stuff all the defenders running towards the ball. Professionals?..
MC forced into a making a substitution within minutes of the restart following an injury to Edmundson: Ayling on...
Part of CJ's comment:
Rav of course missing out through injury. Is Carrick's January decision with Matt Clarke about to bite?
He doesn't say where...
One fit defender, there's only one fit defender, one fit defender, there's only one fit defender...
Maybe that goal will give rise to a return in form for Fin Azaz. 1-2.....
Best way to defender... keep scoring goals!
Thank goodness for that !!!! Good second goal...
Azaz (!!!) restores the lead in the 52nd minute, assisted by Conway...