Andy I have re-read your preview this morning as a prelude to the game and it really is a very interesting piece. Thank you. The comments of various members above have also been a good read and I get the impression that we arrive at the game with hope, but not yet confidence, that we will get a result.
I thought KH's comments this week concerning our need to improve against swift counter-attacks showed he is aware of this pressing issue; first to avoid giving away cheap possession in the midfield and secondly to find the correct patterns of play in order that we aren't continually caught short -handed at the back. If we can achieve this then we should be a tougher proposition for West Brom.
Thanks again.
@andy-r excellent pre-amble to today's game, thank you to you and to everyone for the good and intelligent reading that followed. I too am glass half full at the moment. There is the potential for some great football to be played by this Boro squad this season. Let us hope for some of that at lunchtime today 🤞
I have no idea who KH is going to start with, only happy that he has options now and there is equal quality to bring on from the bench as the game progresses.
The Baggies may be cautious to start with, so we might have to be a bit patient. Hopefully we can score early-ish so they will have to play a little more openly. No prediction from me, just hoping for a win, any win.
CoB
P.S. like others here I have that fond memory of Morrison wiping out Ronaldo, a player I have never liked.
So, Strelec AND Conway on the bench...
The thoughts of Chairman CJ on the starting XI:
That's five changes from the cup win then, as Vitek, Brittain, Malanda, McGree and Lankshear back in for Brynn, Arfsten, Jones, Berhalter and Joseph.
Tommy Conway also back on the bench, in a real boost for Boro. He was due to train on Thursday, but that was said to be his first session.
Expect that might be 4-3-3, with McGree driving on in midfield into the final third.
Interesting that Arfsten and Berhalter both drop to the bench. You suspect, with the opposition in mind, and with issues around being too open, that might be an attempt to solidify.
Strelec on the bench too, amid uncertainty over his future.
What an amazing bench. Must be close to the strongest line-up that we have put out for a long time. The only issue may be their ability to come together as a team.
This could be a tough game.
UTB
PPS - I hope that there will be reflection for the 2 police officers and the 2 who died in the fire as well after what has been a terrible week for the town.
CJ:
A reminder that there will be a minute's applause ahead of today's game to pay respects to PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, the two Cleveland Police Officers who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty last weekend, and to show support to Cleveland Police.
Look at that bench. I cannot remember a stronger bench in a League match for 15 to 20 years. Anyone on the bench could start - except Conway and Phillips who are not fully fit yet.So, Strelec AND Conway on the bench...
Wow, I say about the bench today.
Up the Boro!
Well I got the selection wrong! As said by all, it is a very strong bench - just hope KH uses it to good effect now.
Sarmiento off injured in the 40th minute, replaced by Arfsten.
@stircrazy That’s shot a big hole in my starter for the Burnley match!
The way it’s going so far, I will take a draw! We still keep giving the ball away too easily.
i think we are lucky not to be one down although McGree could have had 2!
Too pedestrian, giving WBA plenty of time to maintain their shape.
Insufficient movement off the ball, giving WBA plenty of time to maintain their shape.
Continual and predictable recycling the the ball around the front of WBA, giving them plenty of time to maintain their shape.
Too slow to cover back (yes, you Whittacker), making it easy for WBA who move the ball quckly and move inro space to get behind our defence....
We are lucky to be 0-0 so far....
Need to do better in the 2nd half
Would be happy to take a point now. WBA are so much quicker than we are and as the commentators here are saying we need width to get behind them. We have only had 5 touches in their box, 3 shots and surprise surprise none on target.
Not the dominance of the ball we’ve become used to and all a bit slow in attack. That gelling and the combinations aren’t there yet. Hopefully they’ll come.
On a more positive note, Morris and Peart-Harris in midfield have been more disciplined in their positioning and those yawning gaps haven’t appeared when we lose the ball.
We need to maintain that but add much more speed to our passing and attacks.
Berhalter on for MPH at the start of the second half.
I will take that despite Lankshear being offside twice!
Lanky Will gives Boro the lead in the 48th minute! 🙂 Crowd has suddenly woken up!
Lanky Will gives Boro the lead in the 48th minute! 🙂 Crowd has suddenly woken up!
Players seem to have woken up, too! CJ on the goal:
Great play from Boro. Brittain into McGree. McGree first-time back to Whittaker, who cuts in and hits one. So close as it hits the post and comes out. Bounces off the back of O'Leary, with Lankshear set to put home the rebound. Replay shows Lankshear offside when Whittaker shot, but we'll take it!
Bugger! The Baggies equalise in the 65th minute. 🙁 Ayling at fault.
Joseph & Jones on for Whittaker & McGree in the 69th minute.
Lanky Will gives Boro the lead in the 48th minute! 🙂 Crowd has suddenly woken up!
And gives Boro the lead again in the 73rd minute. Would love to see him claim a hat-trick! 
We need another goal because WBA are pushing and we still look shaky at the back.
And so it comes to pass!
Joseph & Jones on for Whittaker & McGree in the 69th minute.
Tommy Conway on for Lankshear in the 86th minute. 🙂 Alfie Jones makes it 3-1 a minute later.
Well as suspected arrived late for kick-off after shopping trip but Boro were outplayed during that first half with the Baggies passing the ball better and quicker. I was surprised to see Peart-Harris replaced at half-time as I thought he was better than Morris who still looked rusty. However, Berhalter certainly improved the team - as did Joseph when he came on.
To continue the earlier Jim Morrison theme, Boro were riders of the West Brom storm - though perhaps a little fortunate with Lankshear being a yard offside for the rebound. Plus Jones was also probably marginally offside for his goal too during the build up.
Still, credit to Hellberg for his tactical changes and substitutions, which neutralised West Brom and also gave Boro a sharper edge up front.
So three valuable points against a very good Baggies side and it looks like this team will only get stronger with time!
Will Lankshear scored twice. The in-form striker took his tally to six goals in five matches since being signed from Tottenham this summer.
Not a bad buy.
I think Berhalter was good - and we played much better as a team after his cameo.
A nice result for Dormo. Have a few at Buggered Belter - or how ever you call your local today - we got a win by TWO goals.
The first Lankshear goal was offside. But we are their bogey team. These happens.
Up the Boro!
Echo player ratings:
And Scott Wilson's match report:
Before I start... excellent preview, Andy. So sorry I'm late to the party.
Saw a musical called Wonderland last night, it was excellent (currently drafting some of my review) and I think you could say we feel like we're in wonderland after a three-goals-and-three-points home haul against a very good footballing side. A side who kind of echo what their head coach was like as a player for us - very gifted, very useful.
I did feel gloomy after the first half. It was the Baggies who did almost all the running and probing and on top of that, Jeremy Sarmiento had to go off. Yet the arrival of his replacement, Max Arfsten, coincided with the turning of the screw. If we hardly looked at our most slick we were certainly hungrier, more determined and more physical after the opening forty minutes.
Had the whistle not blown at half-time when Luke Ayling was in a good position we may have capitalised sooner than we actually did, and I felt bad when replays indicated that Will Lankshear's first goal was offside. But given how the game turned for the better, with special emphasis on Kim Hellberg's use of his bench and Boro's own rise in tempo and determination, I can't complain too much.
The goals certainly weren't as aesthetically pleasing or as telegenic as those we saw under Aitor Karanka during Patrick Bamford's first terrific half season, but they really didn't need to be. We can take great delight from the positional sense of not only Lankshear but also Alfie Jones, both ensuring that our pressure and efforts weren't wasted.
Final insight, for now? Sad that Radek Vitek still didn't get a clean sheet and the unwelcome, nervy moments in his game are still present, alas. The equaliser was a bit of a David Seaman moment, for me - the Arsenal and England legend appeared adept at predicting where through balls, crosses and goal attempts that could loop over you were going to go, but there are some looping headers, shots and crosses that you just can't predict. That's probably how we ended up with Ronald Koeman ("he's going to flip one..."), Nayim ("from the half way line"), Ronaldinho and Artim Sakiri - and I can't help thinking Vitek's positional sense could have been better on the goal. Still, he kind of made up for it with two saves later on and he did look more commanding on crosses than expected.
I thought Ayling was slightly at fault for their goal. He dropped two to three yards deeper than the rest of the defence which allowed the deep dinked cross, and was then beaten to the header.
I think Jones will probably replace him when fully fit.
Interesting game today. The selection and tactics did have more defence in mind with Borges preferred at left back and the midfield two definitely playing with more positional discipline.
I thought Arfsten coming on on the wing actually helped too. Not just because he has more defensive instincts but because he generally held width on the left and wasn’t trying to come inside all the time.
Joseph and Conway are two very useful subs to be able to call on.
A good slice of luck with the offside(s) but nevertheless a good turn around in the second half.