Battling Boro Bluebird’s draw
Buoyed by their successful travels earlier in the week Boro once again set their sat nav in the direction of the South West this time to South Wales. The first return to one of Warnock’s former clubs, his last club in fact should make it an interesting affair.
Bluebirds boss Neil Harris was reportedly in attendance at Ashton Gate on Tuesday night although how he got a ticket when thousands couldn’t is a strange one. He will be trying to figure out a way past Boro’s new look steely rearguard as he attempts to bring the Bluebirds their first home win of the season. He had former Boro lads Joe Bennett and Lee Tomlin along with Jordi Osei-Tutu, all missing in midweek with various aches and pains and hopeful that they would be fit to face Boro.
Neil Warnock meanwhile was cogitating how he was going to organise his side still shorn of Hall and Fletcher and the fifty/fifty abductor torn Assombalonga. Britt travelled down with the squad and was surprisingly deemed fit enough for a place on the bench. The team announcement saw another Wingback swap but with Johnson remaining instead of the benched Roberts.
Harris brought Josh Murphy in for his first start of the season as he sought his sides first home win. Kieffer Moore replaced Robert Glatzel up front, Jordi Osei-Tutu returned but Tomlin and Bennet were still missing. Joe Ralls had also come back in for Marlon Pack in midfield.
Boro belatedly took to the pitch in their new white limited edition third shirt (paired with red shorts and socks) which was announced only yesterday celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Riverside Stadium featuring the logo of the MFC Foundation. Ref John Brooks got the game underway with Cardiff kicking off under dark and rainy skies. Boro looked to have lined up with a back four. Early action was with Howson having a long-range optimistic effort that was well off target in the third minute. Cardiff responded with a similar misplaced effort from Harry Wilson a minute later from the edge of the Boro eighteen-yard box.
Other than those two efforts there was little to talk about in the opening ten minutes apart from Vaulks sending an attempt at a cross well over Bettinelli’s bar. Ojo challenged with Dijksteel to provide another chance for Vaulks from which Morrison won and flicked the ball on for Bettinelli to easily collect. On fifteen minutes, McNair launched a free-kick into the Cardiff box but straight into the gloves of Smithies.
On eighteen minutes Vaulks took a throw-in but despite towels such were the conditions it slipped from his grasp before reaching full loft and Boro cleared easily. There was a continuous sound of an echoing whistle in the opening twenty minutes as the game was being constantly broken up for free kicks. Boro had looked solid so far but with not much creativity as Cardiff were racking up the possession stats.
Dijksteel won a corner after an impressive surging run. Taken short, Johnson then delivered it into the danger area which ended up deflected to Howson who fed it into the path of Tav but his effort sailed over with twenty-two minutes gone. Two minutes later Akpom appeared after an almost invisible thankless start but his header went over. More promising from Boro but the score remained nil apiece.
Ex Boro target Kieffer Moore conceded a free kick with a forearm in the face of McNair earning a yellow card on twenty-seven minutes. Bettinelli took the free-kick but the theme of launching them long wasn’t working or sticking as Boro frustratingly struggled to both win and retain possession. On twenty-nine minutes Vaulks found Moore down the middle of the pitch and battled his way to the edge of the Boro box but his shot flew wide of Bettinelli’s upright.
Boro had another effort this time on target but the Bluebirds immediately responded with Will Vaulks pretending to shoot but cleverly playing in Wilson whose dipping shot towards the far post landed on the roof of the net.
On thirty-six minutes Bagan blocked a Tavernier cross to concede a corner. An inswinging Boro corner from Tav saw Saville back peddling with a deft glancing header to hit the back of the net for the second time in a week. Thirty-seven minutes and Boro despite their frustrating tactics had taken the lead.
Cardiff didn’t lick their wounds for long as Moore dummied McNair, unleashing a curling shot that went past Bettinelli’s post hitting the side netting on forty-one minutes. Murphy then made Bettinelli work with a thirty-yard low shot that he done well to get down to in the slippy and skidding conditions, he then he had to be back up and agile to pull off a brilliant one-handed save from the head of Moore in a panicky few moments just before the half time whistle. The danger was eventually ended when Howson cleared it unceremoniously with an agricultural boot sending it out for a goal kick at the opposite end of the pitch as the half time whistle sounded.
As a spectacle so far it was like the weather, heavy, sodden, miserable and uninspiring but functional Boro had frustrated the opposition once again looking solid and organised, restricting opportunities to long distance efforts. No changes from both sides at half time as we started the half with Boro kicking off.
The half started pretty much the way the first half had panned out with Cardiff having plenty of the ball and Boro sitting back absorbing. A weak penalty appeal from a Johnson cross was dismissed for a Corner which McNair took sending it towards the back post requiring Smithies to tip over with the inswinging ball dipping in. Tav sent the resultant corner short to Johnson but the move became overly complicated and breaking down but Boro recycled play and the ball came back out wide and this time the pair of them held onto possession winning another corner. The inswinger came in but this time Smithies caught cleanly.
Another corner from Tav and was swept clear and then forced back in requiring Morrison to clear the danger. Fifty-two minutes gone and Boro looked keen to add a second. On fifty-five minutes Tavernier hit the deck after jumping with Ralls clattering into the back of him with Neil Warnock screaming for more than a foul.
A long throw from Vaulks caused a scramble in the Boro box. We cleared it but it fell to Vaulks who got off a strike from the edge of the area with once again Bettinelli palming it to safety. Fry was upended by Vaulks and then a minute later there was another unsightly challenge with Fry feeling aggrieved. The benches were up in arms with both dugouts feeling cheated as things suddenly sprung to life.
Just over the sixty-minute mark, Tav cut in from the right flank but his effort was well wide. Tav was in the action once more a minute later with a header just over. Harris then brought off Murphy for Glatzel underlining their route one intent on sixty-three minutes. Britt was then readied in response as Bola and Saville combined with a thirty-yard effort sailing well over. Johnson then had an effort set up by Dijksteel but as was the story all afternoon his effort flashed wide.
With twenty-five minutes remaining Britt came on for Akpom who had worked a thankless task running and chasing. Meanwhile, Bacuna came on for Jordi Osei-Tutu with the Cardiff right-back going off seemingly injured on sixty-six minutes.
Marvin Johnson had to come to the rescue heading out a dangerous cross for a corner. The corner was met by the unmarked Moore headed back in for Ojo to poke it home four yards out to draw level. There was an off the ball incident with Saville laid out on the penalty spot appealing for a foul after having been blocked but the goal stood. Ojo nearly came close again on seventy-two minutes with Cardiff now in the ascendancy and pushing for the winner.
Djed Spence was stripped and ready to join the fray as Cardiff set up another attack ending with Glatzel failing to control the ball and going out for a Boro throw. Spence shivered as play continued with arguments about a was it or wasn’t it a back pass to Smithies looking a genuine claim for Boro.
Marvin Johnson made way for Spence as Tav switched over to the left. Tav had enjoyed a fruitful afternoon against Bagan so perhaps the speed of Spence could yield dividends. A Tavernier ball fizzed across the Cardiff six-yard box but was just too far ahead of Spence on seventy-eight minutes.
A deflected Wilson shot went just over the bar as Cardiff continued to assault the Boro defence. Bettinelli punched the Corner clear for the ball to go out for a throw which was launched long but Bettinelli was alert but in doing so had to concede another corner. Wilson delivered it in, met by Howson and cleared but it came straight back and as Ojo shoved Dijksteel the whistle went to give Boro a break from the building pressure with ten minutes remaining.
Morsy put in a low cross which was blocked by Morrison for a corner. McNair took it short but it was passed around and eventually ended up being passed back to Bettinelli. A minute later and Ojo should have put the Bluebirds in front. Hoilet then came on for him and Boro now had a different type of threat in the remaining four minutes of the ninety. Hoilet went down in the box almost immediately looking for a penalty and as Boro cleared the danger Spence linked with Britt, starting a break, finding Britt again who advancing lost Morrison with a swivel in the box then his effort was blocked by Bagan and deflected out for a throw in to Boro.
In the last minute, Bacuna headed the ball back across the Boro goal area and fortunately, Wilson couldn’t control it but it fell to Moore who skewed his effort suspiciously looking to have come off Fry en route but a goal kick was awarded. That was close!
Four added minutes came up. Breaking, Bola hustled with Wilson earning a free-kick. Tavernier sent the ball into the box, headed out by Glatzel chased by Spence to Howson, the cross came back in, cleared, Saville slipped but covered by McNair who got too much underneath it and the ball sailed well over.
The game then swung up the other end with Cardiff once again going close but the cross to Hoilet was overhit. Phew! The Four minutes were all but up and seconds later the whistle went and Boro had come away with a point.
Cardiff will have felt aggrieved that their second-half pressure didn’t bring about a win but for Boro, a point on the road and four points in a week from two away games was a good return. That’s now six games undefeated for Boro. MOM for me was Dijksteel with Howson and Bettinelli a close second.
Thanks RR for your typically comprehensive report.
Had there been a crowd then after the first half-hour the police would have moved them on - "Nothing to see here".
Then Saville's brilliant opportunist header.
Since Mr Warnock says he peruses the fans' forums I wonder whether he popped in here a few weeks ago when we discussed whether Saville, who came here as joint-top scorer with Millwall, might fruitfully be pushed further forward rather than being played primarily as a covering defender.
Well, it happened and since then George has looked a completely different player. Another excellent performance from him.
Fry will not face a more serious physical threat all season and he came through it with flying colours. A real coming of age performance.
Howson and McNair both excellent, but Morsy less so today. Bola again looked like a proper player, but my M-o-M was Dijksteel the one defender to bring the ball out with quality and control, as well as being able to offer something in attack.
Tav was the pick of the attack but neither Akpom nor Britt was able to hold the ball up or make meaningful contributions. There must have been good reasons for not bringing Roberts on for the final 10 minutes. He might have given us an easy outlet and an attacking threat at a point when general exhaustion had set in.
Not much of a spectacle then but a gutsy and courageous performance against a tough, physical, direct team. There were a lot of young lads out there who stood up admirably to what was as much a physical assault as it was a game of skill.
Thanks RR appreciated as always and exactly how I saw it!
pleased Saville is now seeming to make his mark and I thought Johnson had a poor game
Another point and we move on to Tuesday
Thanks again RR and to you Len for excellent post
OFB
@lenmasterman There were a few really good performances yesterday and it is interesting to see Players develop and improve under Warnock. It didn't happen under Pulis, in fact the opposite if anything Adama aside.
Recently picking the Boro MOM wasn't too difficult but its very noticeable now that opinions are often split with different players standing out. Bola as an example has gone from looking like a total flop, totally devoid of confidence to showing promise that deep within lay a footballer who was just lost and confused. Fry looks rejuvenated, Dijksteel unrecognisable and Saville finding his scoring knack once again as you mentioned. The squad is far too thin but if we can avoid injuries and suspensions SG might be more willing to add a few in January.
Meanwhile on a separate note I see that Bamford is doing well, did I ever mention anything about how much I regretted us selling him.........
Well said, Sir. I fully echo those thoughts of yours. Up the Boro!
Redcar Red,
Thank you for your report and that was a game that Boro would have lost last season having taken the lead or not. Good work Mr Warnock and your colleagues. Boro playing for one another as a team? Now to get those forwards gelling and scoring.
A great week but no relaxing just because the apparent hard games are out of the way, although I don't think Boro will be allowed to stroll around with an 'it's only Coventry attitude' under this regime.
What a difference having a manager with clear vision, a plan and able to motivate makes. Oh for a crowd in the Riverside now.
Stay safe everyone,
UTB,
John
@john
Thats a great point you make there. The Riverside crowd have been crying out for a team they can get behind. It’s typical Boro that the current situation is prohibiting that.
It's just another level of frustration, but I'm sure all supporters would say that, I just think the Riverside crowd and atmosphere would lift the players and the collective performance higher. The stadium would also be an inhospitable place to come for a visiting team, perhaps 'Fortress Riverside' would be a reality.
Stay safe,
UTB,
John
Echoing the thanks of everyone RR. I have to say that your match report is the first thing I look out for following a match. How great for you now to be reporting on genuinely good team as well as individual performances. That said, you still must try harder to get more goals in your report😉
Good point about The Riverside JR. You are right that is absolutely typical Boro, that for the first time in years there is something for the crowd really to get behind, but all in a time when no one is allowed to have a crowd anywhere!
Whenever Boro are playing I go onto
Hesgoal.com
on Saturdays they have lots of matches( and midweek) and usually a couple of championship games. Yesterday I watched the Boro.The site is a bit finicky and the screen freezes from time to time but with a bit of patience it works.
i have to say there is a significant improvement in Boro performance both the team and individual players. Warnock certainly has the knack and I enjoy his press conferences. He says it as it is. I wouldn’t bank on 2 automatic home wins as playing at home is no longer an advantage with no crowds.
Philip of Huddersfield
Thanks again to RR for another breathless match report that got me wondering if Boro would actually hang on when reading it! Neil Warnock has certainly got the team motivated and if you think back to when Woodgate talked about having a pressing game, it only occasionally happened and wasn't always coordinated. In contrast, when Warnock's Boro team press, they all press together as a team and as a result are more effective.
Nevertheless, I'll be looking to see if Boro can add some guile going forward and it was noticeable several occasions that forward pass options seemed limited and the ball often ended up back with Betinelli from positions in the opposition's final third. Perhaps the return of Roberts will help but neither Akpom or Britt appeared to offer much yesterday. I think Britt is not the kind of player who can pick up the ball around the halfway line and drive at the opposition goal as he doesn't have the sustained pace to outrun defenders. To be effective he needs to receive the ball around box for a short burst of pace - which we saw when he turned a Cardiff defender inside the box and got his shot away.
Tav had a better game and maybe front three of him, Roberts and Britt may prove more penetrating. It may well be the way Warnock will go given he surprisingly started with a back four and 4-3-3 is now an option - though much may depend on whether the opposition play with one or two strikers as a back three suits the latter.
So another solid showing but now is the time to try and be a bit more expansive - there have been some signs but as yet we've seen very few shots that work the opposition keeper. If you consider Boro's six goals so far - I think two have come from corners, two have been second-ball conversions from free-kicks and one came from a defensive error following a goal kick. Essentially, that's just one goal from open play this season and if Boro are to mount a challenge for a top six then we need to see some more attacking creative play.
Boro now have a platform to push on and hopefully they'll show the same intensity in the next games against 'lesser' opposition!
@redcarred and John Richardson
Two excellent posts, both spot on.
Couldn't be more pleased for Bamford.
Like many Boro fans who remember his first spell here I have a really soft spot for him, and have always felt he was treated abysmally by both Monk and Pulis.
Monk never played him as his main striker, yet Paddy didn't let him down and was generally our most creative and hard-working midfielder.
Same with Pulis, with the added insult of being omitted for key games. It really was unforgivable that Bamford did not start for the play-offs against Villa when we couldn't buy a goal.
Then we sold him, gift-wrapped at a knock-down price, to one of our main Championship rivals.
What is it about so many British managers that makes them view a player with a brain and functioning intelligence as a threat to their authority and makes them wish to bring them down a peg or two, or even subject them to public humiliation?
It's a sad reflection on our own recent history that the best thing that could have happened to Paddy was to get away from our own club and find a manager who was intelligent enough himself to appreciate what he had to offer.
The rest of the footballing world seems to have been taken by surprise by the apparent revelation that Bamford was capable of producing such high quality finishes as his two final goals against (of all teams) Villa last Friday.
But that kind of finishing was a regular feature of Paddy's first spell with us. Many on here remember it well.
What has been more surprising has been how long it has taken him to get back to that kind of form. Bielsa has always appreciated everything he brings to his team in terms of industry, selflessness and willingness to learn, but many Leeds fans have been critical of his wastefulness in front of goal. And with some justification.
Not so now. I wrote on here during Monk's reign that played in his best position with half-decent creative support Bamford was a 20-30 goal-a-season striker.
That he is well on his way to that target in the Premier League after so many wasted seasons is a source of both the greatest satisfaction on Paddy's behalf, and the profoundest regret at our own historical ineptitude.
Congratulations Paddy on behalf of so many fans on here. Couldn't be more pleased.
Thanks again RR for another comprehensive report on a battling Boro performance which in my view was deserving of a point. I, like OFB, also enjoyed Len's very apposite post.
Just a small point, NW managed at QPR so this was not his first return to a former club. That apart I thought your report was spot on.
I also agree that it is becoming harder to pick a MoTM and for me it was Fry again who probably came up against two of the toughest forwards in Moore and Glatzel; he dealt with them with aplomb.
I am also now looking forward to matches with anticipation and just hope that somehow NW can get them scoring more frequently but if not, I am content to take one nil wins or one one draws all day long. 😎
Great report and a great game and a great result. Luckily it was on BEIN even though with Arabic commentary. I like watchting the boro these days and we are certainly becoming greater than the sum of our parts.
Roll on the next match.
I've just watched Bamford's hat-trick on Sky and two of those strikes are pure class from an intelligent and skilful player. I think we treated him badly enough, not forgetting the Burnley episode, so I hope he slots a couple like those two into the Burnley net when Leeds play them.
UTB,
John
Before the beatification of Patrick Bamford we should consider the facts. He wasn’t doing a great deal at Boro before he left ( for whatever reason) I still think it wasn’t purely for football reasons he left. Let’s see how he progresses through the season before we start the self flagellation. £10 million was a tidy sum, plus a large wage off the books.
Werdermouth
HELP!
I started to write under the Classical music section about the life of Arthur Sullivan and after a few lines pressed the ‘send’ button by mistake, so decided to rewrite it in much greater detail and pressed the ‘save draft’ button, but it hasn’t been recorded although the abridged version does appear. I made sure that I was logged in, but wonder if it’s possible to find the revised posting.
Can I give a shout for an interview with Craig Johnston posted by Martin on another thread. Absolutely fascinating stuff on his days at the Boro.
I found a longer version of your ARTHUR SEYMOUR SULLIVAN piece in the 'Posts Revision' table and have emailed it to you.
I found a longer version of your ARTHUR SEYMOUR SULLIVAN piece in the 'Posts Revision' table and have emailed it to you.
Thanks Werdermouth. I thought it was lost forever.
Before the beatification of Patrick Bamford we should consider the facts. He wasn’t doing a great deal at Boro before he left ( for whatever reason) I still think it wasn’t purely for football reasons he left. Let’s see how he progresses through the season before we start the self flagellation. £10 million was a tidy sum, plus a large wage off the books.
I thought it was nearer £7M and only then if Leeds were promoted within a certain time period (which may have elapsed?) and therein lies part of the problem. The secret, fudged and muddled nature of transfers these days do not help in fans objectivity.
Bamford when played as a Striker for us scored goals he ended the 2014–15 season with 19 of them a joint Riverside record if I'm not mistaken or at least second best. During the Pulis farce when his goals actually won us a place in the Play Offs and was then ignored by Pulis he scored 13 goals in 44 appearances. To my dying day I believe that if Pulis had played him against Villa in the Play Offs we could be sitting in the Premiership right now. The word "believe" is a strong one and there are only a few Boro players for me who created that level of optimism.
His goal stats are up there with the best of a bad lot over the last two decades which is why he stands out in the memory of fans and the fact that there was usually a more preferred Striker or even two ahead of him makes it even more remarkable. Sitting watching on cold miserable Saturday's and Tuesday's at the Riverside for years, the sight of Paddy was a massive spark of excitement and hope in what was a mire of dull unattractive football.
It's also more than a coincidence that there have been no sightings of Snakes in Yarm when he frequented the area or indeed since he left!
A couple of thoughts. With the exception of Bielsa and, briefly, Karanka, no manager has trusted Bamford. Until the weekend, the majority of Leeds fans wanted him out and many are still salty that Bielsa played him over Nketiah. A bit like Stuani, it has taken the right manager to trust a player. Look also at Harrison at Leeds.
Saville appears to be a similar case. I was one of many who wondered what Saville brought to the team. Warnock has shown the answer by playing him in his best position. Of course this means that he has taken the position that many of us want to see Wing play. Warnock has clearly decided that Saville offers more in that position.
The flipside of this is that we all have favourite players we want to see play (Wing and Coulson for me) and it's disappointing when they don't. At least with Warnock though you can see that he is putting faith in players like Saville, Dijksteel, Fry and maybe even Bola who are repaying him.
Could I just add to the general sighs of regret at the Bamford story. In the midst of the general mismanagement, not to say chaos of those times, no one spotted that he was, above all, a fox in the box. I remember his scoring streak of 8? Leading up to the play offs, most were scored when surrounded by opponents in a crowded box. And his hat trick were all wonderful examples of getting a shot on target in impossible conditions, even the First was squeezed inside the post.
Could I just add to the general sighs of regret at the Bamford story. In the midst of the general mismanagement, not to say chaos of those times, no one spotted that he was, above all, a fox in the box. I remember his scoring streak of 8? Leading up to the play offs, most were scored when surrounded by opponents in a crowded box. And his hat trick were all wonderful examples of getting a shot on target in impossible conditions, even the First was squeezed inside the post.
He always put me in mind of Allan Clarke which is somewhat ironic considering where he has now ended up.
To return to the two Home matches, we will have to be on our best behaviour if we want (need) six points. The lack of crowds has a definite effect on home form, I have no idea why but it does, so it's best foot forward please and no silly tactics.
I agree with the general consensus above on Bamford. An instinctive and clever player, excellent positioning and with a rare calm in front of goal. I can only assume that his personality doesn't fit so well amongst British managers. His quality was never in doubt. He was largely wasted at Boro and in the end I thought we did quite well to get as much as did for him, though had we used him properly the fee would likely have been much higher, or we may not have needed to sell him (or Gibson or even Traore, as we might have been in a stronger negotiating position to get Adama to sign a new contract) but that is all conjecture, ifs, buts and maybes. I'm glad to see him flourishing in the Premier League so far and hope there's more to come.
Onto more current matters and tomorrow night's game is an interesting one in that it's probably the first league game of the season that we go into as favourites (the bookies may have had us as favourites against Barnsley but not many Boro fans did, understandably at the time). Games such as this will give us a clearer steer again as to our prospects. We've shown we can handle the better/in-form sides with organisation and determination, but can we do the same when the opposition would be happy with a point?
We know that injuries and suspensions will bite at some point and that the squad may struggle to cope but right now it's pretty much the first XI. Are they good enough when the pressure is on to break a team down and win?
Two chances to find out coming up against newly-promoted and slightly struggling Coventry, then a Forest side that started poorly but now have manager with a good record in this division.
Onto more current matters and tomorrow night's game is an interesting one in that it's probably the first league game of the season that we go into as favourites (the bookies may have had us as favourites against Barnsley but not many Boro fans did, understandably at the time). Games such as this will give us a clearer steer again as to our prospects. We've shown we can handle the better/in-form sides with organisation and determination, but can we do the same when the opposition would be happy with a point?
This a really good point. We have proved that we can go head to head with most of the best in the division but can we take a game to a weaker team and roll them over. Football being football, nothing can ever be taken for granted but, to speak in football punditese, can we play on the front foot?
Since Warnock has been here, this is not a question he has had to answer so, in many ways, a draw wouldn't be unexpected. It would be disappointing but not the end of the world.