All the goals in two minutes & 10 seconds:
Great to get the win but Boro were very lucky to get out of jail today. Hopefully KH will now get the message load and clear that the defence needs to be sorted. Any promotion contender worth their salt would comfortably close out a game where they are 3-1 up without the need for an injury time winner. It almost seems that the attitude is that we’ll score more than the opposition so no need to worry about the defending but that is a very risky approach that usually doesn’t end well. As I recall Kevin Keegan tried it years ago at Newcastle and lost out on winning the league.
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@werdermouth Phew (again!) - Philips gets Boro out of jail after criminal defending - did Boro deserve it? You be the judge...
Just got home after being at the game.. As Philip said, not for the faint hearted.
So Boro do it again, another game of two halves and nearly through it away.
Norwich are a very good side, with some excellent forward players. Vulnerable at the back, but so were Boro. In the end, we probably deserved the three points, but then I may be biased.
Listening to Hellberg on the way home, he did comment on two things. We should have made more of the chances we created in the first half……agree.
Second half we were OK until the substitutions started to be made. Norwich then stepped up a notch, Boro lost their shape somewhat and virtually conceded the middle of the park.
Hellberg commented on this and said he has to take the blame for the players not doing what he wanted.
I was concerned about Morris as he apparently had some kind of fitness test prior to the warmup. There were holes all over at the back and if we should lose Morris, I am not sure how we would cope.
Peart-Harris does not appear to be the answer, I just hope the the Rangers lad has something about him when he is up to speed.
However, in the end, a very good crowd, good away support and an excellent entertaining game, for a neutral. 🫣🫣
@boroexile There has to be a halfway house, some kind of compromise along the line. We have spent a fare amount of money on the defence, is it any better than last season?
We have brought in midfielders, but are they any good at defending?
Dom Shaw attempts to make sense of this afternoon's match in the Echo:
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/26545311.middlesbrough-edge-norwich-championship-thriller/
It seems it wasn't just his maiden goal for Boro for Phillips, but his first ever league goal, full stop!
Player ratings in the Hartlepool Mail:
No point in posting a link to the Gazette's as I have "0 free articles remaining"!
Not .sure my nerves or heart can take many more games like that.
Thanks, Powmill for the Match Preview. Sorry not to have contributed earlier and I haven't (yet) read any posts other than the Preview so I have come to the (current) end of the thread to offer my congrats to Powmill and the Boro.
I liked the recipe, Powmill, but I think the managers threw little more into the pot. No meagre 3-2 today but a 4-3 bursting with joy at the end. I am tired and need a cuppa, having got back from the stadium. I will say this: the new winger from Brighton (sadly I believe only on loan) adds some spice to the bowl. He is a welcome addition.