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Boro v Blackburn
 

Boro v Blackburn

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Jonny Howson bags an equaliser in the 36th minute!  🙂


   
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Good to see us back level and we have shown good movement and build up play but our final ball/crosses have been poor and could prove costly. CoB 😎


   
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An open game with Boro driving forward against what looks like a Blackburn defence that is waiting to be undone. Having Tavernier in that midfield role has proved effective as he can both turn, drive and find a team-mate. Jones again has looked a threat along with Crooks and if Howson is going to start scoring then it could well ultimately be Boro's day.

I suspect Warnock is trying to solve the problem of losing a forward when playing with a back three by dropping Bola in favour of keeping Jones as a more attacking wing-back. Watmore has looked off the pace and is probably not yet match fit. 

This looks like another game that Boro should win - third time lucky perhaps?


   
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Vic:

HT: 1-1. Boro deserved the leveller. They've played well. Rovers goal a rocket against run of play. Boro been positive. WBs Dijksteel and (especially) Jones creating lots of problems for Rovers, Tav buzzing around. Decent tempo and intent. Enjoyable stuff.

And:

The ref hasn't done Boro many favours. Let a lot of niggly stuff go and strong penalty call ignored.


   
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Oh no Blackburn down to 10 men - no chance of us winning now! 😎


   
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Martin Bellamy
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Morsy off now. 10 men each. 


   
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@k-p-in-spain

The ref could send two of our players off to give us a fighting chance...

UTB,

John


   
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Well it was an open end-to-end game full of action but perhaps Boro still lack an end product and a serious goal threat. Some good performances again from Jones and Crooks plus Tav looked lively in his midfield role - Howson too looking back to his best and even got a goal. Still ultimately it was another two dropped points against a Rovers side that was there to be beaten if only Boro could have crafted some better openings. Morsy's red card looked harsh as he didn't lunge at the player and it didn't look dangerous play - but the ref had a bad game today, missing some clear fouls and shirt tugging.

Boro now sitting in the unlucky 13th spot but could easily have been joint top with Fulham if they'd picked up those 7 points dropped against QPR, Derby and Rovers - where they were the better side without capitalising on their advantage. Still, just three points off the playoffs with a long way to go if I look at my half-full glass that is currently feeling half-empty!


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Why did he take of Jones  big mistake.


   
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It will be interesting to see if the club/NW challenge Morsy's red card. Exceedingly poor refereeing today. 😎


   
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@malcolm

Yes it didn't feel like the time to take off one of your most threatening players given there aren't any games for two weeks now - plus Bola took a while to get into the game if indeed he actually did.

This post was modified 3 years ago by werdermouth

   
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@k-p-in-spain

I would think Warnock will appeal as it didn't look anything that demanded a straight red - he seemed to react to player holding his shin more than the actual challenge.


   
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Well that ranks as very poor Officiating of the worst kind. The Ref needed to get a grip of the game and stamp his authority early on for blatant fouls but was far too lax. Jones was brought down a few times in the opening quarter yet he saw nothing and when similar fouls were committed elsewhere he seemed happier to give them. A very bizarre performance from the Referee all round for both sides in fairness but the shirt pulling and tugging became ridiculous and a few early warning or cards even would have settled things. By the time Olusanyo was dragged down and the two reds were issued he had totally lost it.

While I can't condone Warnock's outbursts Officials who are that inept  either need removing or retraining. The game itself was an improvement on the Derby no show but once again poor shielding and defending let in a soft goal. I don't know why we seem to hesitant and confused around our own 18 yard box but it is becoming a feature of this season rather than a one off.

I was once again impressed by Jones who adapted well to his new role and bringing him off and Bola on had a negative impact. Howson was much improved and back to his best and probably his best game for years. Morsy was his usual niggly spoiling self, I'm not sure if he adds any more than that or indeed if that's enough for a side looking to get out of the Championship but up until his sending off he was busy and constantly involved. His sending off looked harsh but he done himself no favours by attracting attention especially with his slapping the back of opponents heads in a manner which was designed to annoy.

McNair looked better than of late along with Lumley. there were signs of improvement and some decent spells of pressure but then what? Much better but not anywhere near what is required to reach the top six. Two points from nine tells the scale of the mountain NW now needs to climb.

 


   
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@redcarred

 

Totally agree RR poor refereeing display from the off.

Boro should have had a clear penalty for the shirt pulling by Ayala on Tav.

RED CARD FIASCO!

Definately tried to level it up I doubt if we will ever see him again at the Riverside 

OFB


   
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@werdermouth

Boro have appealed Morsy red card

 

OFB


   
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@allan-in-bahrain

 

i said 1 1 !

getting good at this !

unfortunately !

 

OFB


   
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jarkko
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@redcarred  Well said, mate. 

A carbon copy of the QPR match except for the result. We could have won both.

But generally, we have bought nine to ten players and still expect three to happen. That is more than a whole team!

So it is work in progress. It takes months to gell and time is needed to get the players to know each other. This is a team sport where the show is dictated by a team performance rather than individuals. We need patience.

I hope the new structure with a Director of Football will prevent the need to buy a new team during a tranfer window (with a couple of subs included). We cannot do that every season, makes no sense.  And next year we possibly have a new manager again, when Warnock retires (possibly).

Mind, I think we have done quite well in the market during this transfer window.  I am just critical why we need to buy a whole new team in one window. Where is the long term planning? 

Anyway, I will just keep on enjoying the matches this season. And hope we make it to the top six some how. Most probably by having a better second half of the season I hope.

Up the Boro! 

This post was modified 3 years ago 2 times by jarkko

   
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jarkko
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Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"It wasn't very nice. It takes two teams to play a football match and Middlesbrough really deny you from playing.

"They're very combative and man-for-man in midfield. It was a real eye-opener for young Leighton Clarkson and Ian Poveda-Ocampo to play against that today.

"I thought Boro were good. They were at it and on the front foot, so we'll take the point, put it in the bag and move on to the next game."

A good summary. Up the Boro!


   
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@redcarred

Jones is our most important player, I find it amazing that he can be taken off just as the opposition are weakened. All the match he had to be guarded by two players, one to tackle him and one to stay close as insurance. For our patter merchant to take him off was unforgivable. I will agree that he is a humorist, as evidenced by his throwaway remark at the end, and I quote! "yes, he did get applauded of the pitch, that is why I took him off when he was on the far side of the pitch, so that he could enjoy the applause as he walked off". This is golden comedy material, impossible to invent. 


   
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Norwich City winger Onel Hernandez has joined the club on a season-long loan.

The Cuban international completed the formalities of his move after watching Neil Warnock's side draw 1-1 with Blackburn Rovers at the Riverside on Saturday.

The 28-year-old is a two-time promotion winner with the Canaries and has made over a century of appearances since joining the Carrow Road club in January 2017.

OFB 


   
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Ipswich make enquiry about Sam Morsy:

https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/ipswich-town/itfc-in-talks-over-walton-and-morsy-8281242

Come on BORO.

 

 

 


   
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Topic starter  

I didn't see or hear the game yesterday unfortunately due to family commitments but reading reports, the general comments above and looking at the match stats (61% possession, 12 shots to 6, 5 on target to 1) it seems to have been a decent performance from Boro, just lacking the winning goal.

Maybe the one or two incoming transfers at the front end of the pitch will make the difference in turning the sorts of games we've lost and drawn of late into draws and wins and ultimately upgrade midtable into pushing for the playoffs. Let's hope so.

Interesting to read that Tav played centrally - is there anywhere he can't play? - and Jones at left wingback. I wonder if the best position for both of them will turn out to be wingback given the energy and workrate they put in. There's a good argument that they're both wasted there in the Championship but if we did somehow manage to get into the Premier League and were upgrading the team, I could see them becoming hard-running wingbacks for us.

I hope big Uche recovers in time for the next run of games. He's already such an important player for us.

This post was modified 3 years ago by Andy R

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@plato

Jones might have had a slight knock as he had suffered quite a few bad tackles during the game.

Warnock is trying to nurse his best players as he has a small squad.

OFB


   
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@original-fat-bob

At least the arrival of Hernandez will mean Payero will finally have someone to talk to in Spanish.


   
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@werdermouth. As well as Leo. 😎


   
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I actually enjoyed the game, if we play like that in all the games it won't matter to me  if we go up or not. I think this is a good bedrock upon which to build and with the right attitude.

Lots grit, effort and enthusiasm.

 

 


   
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Only got to see the extended highlights but I remember watching the U23s in pre-season and commenting about how they were playing the ball through the pitch at pace. What I managed to see of this game is that we were doing something similar. Dijksteel's ball and Howson's run were absolutely top-drawer.

It really feels as though this team is a glass that's half-full or half-empty based on your perception of Neil Warnock. We could easily kick on and go on a really good run or continue to flail around trying to find a pattern of play that works for our best players. 

Other things I think.

Lumley is quite an aggressive keeper and I think his issue is consistency rather than ability. If he's not absolutely on his game I think his positioning and decisions can let him down.

Dijksteel is rapidly improving after a slow start. If he stays injury-free I think he may end up being a candidate for player of the season. I suspect that some people are going to have to apologise to the recruitment department because Dijks, Bola and (possibly) Browne is starting to look like a really good set of buys.

Warnock said about Hernandez that if he plays then teams won't be able to double up on him and Jones. If you have Jones, Hernandez and Tav in your team and a team that can quickly change direction of attack you have more threats than they can counter by doubling up. The key of course is the service to these players rather than Pulis style give it to Adama. 

Overall, going into the break, I'm inclining to the glass being half-full. 


Clive Hurren
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I agree, Allan. I thought it was a very entertaining game. If nothing else this season, Boro are at least keeping us interested now. We played on the front foot from the off, and played some lovely football. I was particularly impressed by how quickly and how often we moved the ball out to the wing-backs and by how well both Jones and Dijksteel took on their men and put in loads of crosses. We haven’t seen stuff like this for years! What a pity Uche wasn’t there to get on the end of any! 

I would give high marks to the two wing-backs, to McNair, Fry and, of course, to Tav, who had a brilliant game. Jonny Howson had one of his best games and his goal was an absolute gem, already a candidate for goal of the season.  Lumley couldn’t be faulted for Rovers’ goal and his catching and speedy distribution were impressive all game. In one such instance his quick throw out to Dijksteel led directly to our goal. Classic route one! Boro’s work-rate and will to close down opposition attacks was terrific, epitomised by Jones appearing in his own penalty area to make a last-ditch, goal-saving tackle! 

A mention for the fans, too. I thought the Red Army was brilliant yesterday, chanting and urging Boro on all game. 

Two negatives for me:- Hall was worryingly done for pace a couple of times when Gallagher ran him to the byline. He played well enough otherwise, however. The most disappointing thing was Morsy. He’d charged about as usual, winning lots of tackles and generally being effective, but often sailing close to the wind in terms of legality. However, from my position high in the East Stand, it did look like a red card - I thought he went in studs up and caught the Rovers player above the knee - but I haven’t yet seen a replay and NW seems adamant he’s going to appeal. Having said that, even though I do think Morsy is a bit of a liability, I definitely wouldn’t let him go to Ipswich. He does offer us solidity. 

All in all, I do think it’s coming together, despite our meagre points tally. I’m really enjoying our football, not just how hard we are to play against, but also our forward movement. Our dead wood has been shifted out. Hernandez will make a difference, as will Sporar (if that deal is ever completed), and if we get a couple more in, then I think we’ll become a force to be reckoned with. My glass is rather more than half full at present. 


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@allan-in-bahrain

I certainly agree that watching Boro games has become a lot more enjoyable this season - plenty of action and a much more positive approach going forward has produced some good interplay.


   
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