@stircrazy - The applause for the Police officers who died on duty (according to the news, their car was struck in Grangetown by a VW Passat which had been driving the wrong way along the A66 - on the wrong side) was very well received and a large majority in the crowd applauded loudly.
Great result by the team today. WBA played well so you've got to be happy to get three points. Lankshear is clearly a natural goalscorer. I had suspected that was an extinct breed of Boro footballer.
Well that was definitely a game of two halves with Boro slow, laborious and well below par whilst West Brom looked comfortable and always dangerous on the counter; fortunately they didn’t take the chances they created and Riley McGree missed two good opportunities for us.
The second half was much better with the introduction of two subs, Berhalter and Joseph improving the pace and urgency of the game; slightly disappointed that RM was substituted as he had looked our brightest player.
We were slightly fortuitous in that our first goal was off side and just before Jones added a third he appeared, to me, to handle the ball when defending a corner.
Overall we were deserving of the points but still needed to demonstrate we can perform over a full 90 minutes.
For me both Sarmiento and Whittaker are not at present deserving of a starting berth with better and more reliable options available.
Not convinced at this stage that Vitek is an upgrade on Brynn 😎
A LOSS, A DRAW, A WIN ??
Today’s game could have been all 3.
West Brom were the better team in the first have and should have been ahead. Both teams were a bit “tippy tappy” in their play.
Why is it when an ATTACKING Boro player has the ball in an advanced position he turns his back on the goal and plays it backwards or sideways ? ( Sermiento was the exception today ). They are not doing their job.
That puts the pressure on the receiving midfielder or defender to do something creative. Not their job.
Second half and Boro played better and deserved the win although WBA equaliser could have led to a draw. So far I’m not convinced we’ve got an improvement in the goalkeeper.
Thank goodness. Boro have Lankshear. An out and out natural goal scorer. Boro always have a chance of winning when he’s on the pitch. I’ll take his offside goal. There will be an occasion when the reverse will happen.
So overall a satisfying 3-1 win.
Philip of Huddersfield 👍😁👍
@simonfallaha - I also initially thought that Vitek could have done a bit better with their goal - he was nowhere near it and to my mind positioned wrongly. The various replays changed my mind a bit. That said, there were times when he should have caught the ball rather than parry it away (albeit with a fair bit of power).
I did see him being a bit verbal with the defence so maybe he will grow into the team and on me as well.
As an aside good to see Mark Swarzer getting his legends number - a great servant to the club and would be in my all time top Boro team.
@jarkko - The weather forecast has been grim all day so I was genuinely surprised to have been able to walk in the dry from my car to the match and back again. An alcohol free Saturday to bask in the glow of those three shiny points gained. And a weekend ahead, too!
@k-p-in-spain Re RM substitution perhaps keeping him fit and to avoid his propensity for getting injured?
The possible handball, I have seen them given although I think the ball hit his arm and he had no way to move it in the view of the ref.
For all we moan about the officials, we definitely got away with a few decisions in our favour today - Lankshear was offside possibly twice for our goal, on other days the handball would have been given and the commentators noted that Ayling got away with a foul on one of their players that would have probably been a yellow card.
@forever-dormo - Pleased to see a good use of the subs by KH and hopefully Sarmiento was a precaution because I think he has upped his game and gives us another dimension.
As Phillip says, Lankshear is making an impact and great to see we have a striker in the Bernie Slaven mould who is in the right place to put the ball in the back of the net.
Whilst early days, I am hopeful that our performances will continue although Burnley won’t be an easy game - just debating with myself whether to get one of the last tickets and have a little trip over the hill.
Southampton 5 Millwall 1
A surpricingly big win for the Sinners. When will we get help from the EFL with a ban for Eckert?
Up the Boro!
For those referees amongst us, if the ball rebounds of an opposition player (ie goalkeeper) the forward is not offside. How many times in the past have decisions gone against us, now people are looking to find fault with our goals. I just enjoyed the win against an inform team and I was there, as usual in the East Upper.
Come on BORO.
@exmil - I’m not complaining, far from it - I enjoyed the poetic justice of having a decision go in our favour for a change!
Lankshear was a tad offside when Whittaker first shot and whether the lino wouid have flagged it it had gone in…………doesn’t matter it’s 3 points against a good team!
Southampton 5 Millwall 1
A surpricingly big win for the Sinners. When will we get help from the EFL with a ban for Eckert?
Up the Boro!
And now up to 18th in the table on two points! Grrr...
@exmil I’m confused now. WL was definitely offside when MW took his shot.
Is the rule that you can stand offside, wait for an onside forward to have a shot and if the gk parries it you can score with impunity? Or is there a separate definition of “rebound”?.
@exmil. Not looking to find fault, just pointing out that it was offside. I would have said the same had the baggies scored from an offside position. 😎
So. I ended up missing the second half....typical!!!.
Great result though and bodes well that KH could change things/personnel to make a positive difference.
Waiting for the highlights to be available so I can catch up on what I missed.
@powmillnaemore You might be able to get it on ITV X.
@martin-bellamy thanks Martin. I looked thete alrwady and couldn't find it. Also tried STV app as very often we can't access content on ITVX because we are in Scotland. I'll find it on NowTV I am sure
@martin-bellamy thanks Martin. I looked thete alrwady and couldn't find it. Also tried STV app as very often we can't access content on ITVX because we are in Scotland. I'll find it on NowTV I am sure
It's available under "English Football League" on my ITVX, but I'm in London...
@martin-bellamy - I think it counts as a "different phase of play" after the ball comes off a defender.
@mw-in-darwin - thanks for- that’s made the decision easier! I was humming and haaing this afternoon but then went out so I have missed the boat.
We needed a win, especially at home, to keep the fans coming in.
Another good crowd, the weather OK, and what a sad, but lovely appreciation of the two policemen that lost their lives this week gone, supported by the WBA fans also.
It kind of puts life into perspective at times.
As for the game, I think that Hellberg got his team selection wrong, and the players did not deliver with some poor performances, especially the passing, but WBA looked a very decent team. Brittain struggled against Price, but was not helped by the once more anonymous Whittaker.
I still struggle to get my head around Sarmiento playing on the left and having to come inside and likewise, the lightweight Whittaker doing the same. OK some may argue, he assisted Lankshear’s goal, but he did nothing else.
At HT, Hellberg admit their were some strong words said and made two changes that certainly improved things.
Both Arfsten and Berhalter made a difference and help change the game, albeit with a modicum of luck. So did Joseph with his pace.
We now got behind their defence for the first time, and caused problems, 3 goals and 3 points.
There are issues to be solved though. Brittain has not had the best of starts, defensively, to the season. Ayling carries the ball well and makes the highest number of passes out of the defenders, but does get caught out to often.
We are still too slow at times, with too much recycling of the ball. Hopefully that will improve with time.
Lastly, if I was Sol Brynn, I would be looking at Vitek and thinking, he’s not better the me. I would agree and for someone 6’ 7”, I would agree, certainly on distribution.
the way that we play and the weakness of Whittaker on defence leaves Brittain isolated 2 against 1 on most counter-attacks. One could argue that he makes the very best of a bad job by preventing most crosses from coming in. In the second half we seemed to be playing with 3 at the back and that both helped him with the defending and left him free to attack.
I would see our ideal shape as a back 3 on defence with wingbacks and then Malanda stepping up to support the base of midfield. Morris and Berhalter seem to be the best two for midfield but Pustkas could be an interesting option.
Front two behind Lankshear are a choice of 2 from a wide range of possibilities.
UTB
There were 29 571 people at the Riverside yesterday. I expect a few sold-out games this season like Lincoln already.
Four wins out of five already. Much better start than I ever dreamed of as we have so many new players to bed in. Credit to the club, the signings are excellent and they mostly came reasonably early.
At the moment we have no injuries, and I hope Sarmiento's substitution was more to be carefull and preventing an injury rather than anything to be woarried about.
Life is good. Up the Boro!
@selwynoz Yes I would agree, the second half set up was more akin to 3 at the back, more so when Joseph came on. I thought Arfsten had a good game and his pace is a great advantage.
Berhalter to, played better than previously. Hopefully once we get a few more games in, the system Hellberg prefers generally will appear. He has spoken about 3 at the back, but possibly less rigid, as I think he prefers the extra attacking player.
As for our RH side, at times Price had the run of it, and was in acres of space unchallenged for his assist. As commented on by someone earlier, Vitek was way out of position for their goal. 5 out of ten, must improve.
Thanks all, for the tips on finding the highlights. I did find the whole match on Now, so I have now been able to watch the entire 2nd half.
Much better than the first, with some faster movement of the ball and a bit more movement off the ball when in possession. That said, I think there is an almost default mind set to stand in a set position and wait for the ball. That has to change as we only really look threatening when we do move to make space or an angle for a pass. I will call out Brittain as being one who does try to do this and I could sense his frustration at times when his movement was ignored.
Lankshear was in an offside position as Whittaker shot, but was so far to Whittaker's left he was not interfering with play, or distracting the keeper, who was well beaten by the shot. So, play on. The last player then to touch the ball was the keeper. I think the officials got that all right.
Vitek still is not convincing me. He is welded to his line at times instead of using his height to dominate the area. I agree with those thinking he was at fault for their goal. What is all that with punching the ball ... at one point there was a two handed punch of the ball low, straight back to the West Brom midfield that could have ... should have... been punished. That is 3 games now. How many is reasonable before he gets pulled?.. For me, I would have Brynn back for the next game
Whittaker is generally ineffectual as well as a little lazy. I am not sure we can afford the luxury of him starting a game. On the other hand, I was delighted to see Conway back on the pitch and still chasing everything down. I would much prefer if he is given the nod over Whittaker for the next match. ...
This was a great result against a quality team. I think we are only going to get better as everyone gets up to speed with each other.
...
Lankshear was in an offside position as Whittaker shot, but was so far to Whittaker's left he was not interfering with play, or distracting the keeper, who was well beaten by the shot. So, play on. The last player then to touch the ball was the keeper. I think the officials got that all right...
I have just researched the offside rule and I correct my previous assertion that the officials got it right. No they didn't. The linesman has misjudged that one and should have flagged for offside.
Still. That is one of the things about the game, human beings will make mistakes and they will even out over time. Better the spontanaieity than VAR
@powmillnaemore - agree with you about Whittaker. He is a frustrating player who can pull out some great play although most of the time makes the wrong decision. That said, he had the shot which led to the goal………
His tracking back leaves something to be desired and I would use him as an impact sub to run at a tired team if we were chasing a game - better to have Conway or Joseph to start with. Maybe Puktas (if we sign him) will also be positive.
Once we get all the new players bedded in and match fit then we have plenty of options!
With a short space of time before Wednesday’s game, I’m hurriedly finishing off my starter. I’ll post it later this afternoon if that’s ok.