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Boro v Bournemouth
 

Boro v Bournemouth

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Selwynoz
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Posted by: @clive-hurren

I watched today’s game at home. My wife is vulnerable and asked me not to go this time, given her understandable anxiety about the Covid situation currently. 

i enjoyed the game. I particularly enjoyed Boro’s second half showing, which I thought was tremendous. Defensively we were excellent, but we also created a number of chances with some slick and impressive forward movement. We might have scored three or four more - and should certainly have had at least one. I did think it was a penalty. The ref might have blown for the first (lighter) touch just outside the box, but Jones definitely received a strong push in the back as he ran into the penalty area. His forward momentum might have unbalanced him, admittedly, but I think the Bournemouth defender knew he’d fouled the lad - there were few protests from the men in green.

Suddenly, we’re on a roll. One goal conceded in 4 games. Ten points from twelve. We are in with a real chance of mounting a sustained play-off challenge. Let’s hope Wilder is aware of our habitually poor record post-Christmas and has plans in place to counteract it, even before it happens! 

I agree with @clive-hurren about the penalty. The first tackle was outside the box but the referee let him play on and the push in the back was clear and a definite penalty. It would never have been queried elsewhere on the pitch and Bournemouth hardly complained.

it was an entertaining game to watch. After a good start by Boro Bournemouth took a grip and they had three golden chances in the first half. We were lucky not to be behind but then we produced an excellent second half, perhaps the best that we have seen under Wilder given the level of the opposition. The key is going to be taking the chances that we make and I don’t know if Watmore is a natural striker. He seems better coming from wide or deep. Sporar looks like a very classy player to me and I could see him going on a scoring run if the passing from midfield tightens up.

Tav had a poor first half but then played better after the break without making a great impact. It’s hard to work out what’s wrong. Maybe he’s finding it a bit crowded in midfield in the CW system. 

Crooks is a beast and I love watching him play. He is the perfect definition of whole-hearted and sounds like a really good guy as well. Another excellent piece of recruitment. He also seems to be a kind of minder for Jones and the two of them and Dijksteel look very good going forward.

the defence as a whole was rock solid and Taylor looked like the seasoned pro that he is. We’ll have to learn to cover our eyes as they follow CW’s orders in playing it out from the back.

All in all, it’s a pleasure to see the side starting to knit together into CW’s new patterns and I have a lot of respect for the way that he is improving the team so quickly. 

I hope that the good news from MFC is helping to cheer people up in difficult times. Here in Oz, it’s hard to avoid the cricket and it was a real pleasure to watch Boronproduce this result.

I wish everyone a very happy and Christmas and New Year and let’s all look forward to a safe new year for us and our families and a successful new year with Boro It’s feeling good.

utb


Pedro de Espana
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Some good posts above from Len, deleriad and Clive. Although I have to say I did not agree with everything said.

CW has produced in a short while, a system that the players are adhering to and is now (tentatively) paying results.

What we cannot do is match quite a lot of teams (in lower positions as well) passing ability. Peterborough passed it around better than us. However we seem to have developed in the short time CW has been here, a more resolute and determined mindset that gets us through the sticky patches.

As has been said, Bournemouth could have been home and dry by HT. But we rode our luck and should have ended the game in a comfortable position.

I am still not convinced over Crooks and certainly the other two midfielders Howson and Tav. Whilst I admit Bournemouth were a EPL team last season and overall had the better players, we were weak when compared to their midfield. Unless we can get somebody in the middle to get the ball forward, we will struggle for goals and cannot rely on Jones for creating everything.

As deleriad said, the left side is not contributing what it should be. We did not miss Bola, was he or Siliki the COVID suspect? Tav has to start producing more going forward and come January could be at risk of losing his place if he doesn’t.

But, three wins out of four and still on the upward curve. Also credit to the crowd for getting behind the team during the difficult spells during the game.

This post was modified 2 years ago by Pedro de Espana

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Great result and great comments form the gang.

My take on the penalty is very similar. Jones doesn't dive, he tries to play through fouls and it is this honourable character trait that in my opinion was recognised by the ref.

The penalty was as a result of the second foul, had the first foul not happened he may not have been awarded the penalty  we have seen worse disallowed but I think the ref played fair on that and Jones deserved it.

We are starting to play automatically now - less mistakes are needed at the back though. Playoffs are now a distinct possibility.

 


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Posted by: @pedro

. We did not miss Bola, was he or Siliki the COVID suspect?

Bola was specifically mentioned as picking up an injury on Friday while nothing was said about Lea Siliki. Given that we know that there was one positive Covid test but the club don't generally announce who then it seems really likely it was him.


   
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Pedro de Espana
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@deleriad  I had not seen that, so is all the more disappointing that he is injured once again. May be it’s time to try Tav there as wing back and bring in Payero?


   
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If we keep improving like we have since CW took charge I may join the @Jarko cheerleading crew :-), three clean sheets in a row are not the be sniffed at, wasnt that part of a certain Spaniards plan a few years ago.  I must admit I had my heart in my mouth a few times when we were  playing out from the back, we are no Man City, but then we haven't spent One Billion pounds on players. One interesting stat from yesterday was that we have conceded 23 goals, 3 in the first half and 20 in the 2nd. If I could have one christmas wish it would be for a player who can stick the ball in the back of the net consistently but that is a wish for a lot of teams in the leagues. 

I dont want to go overboard but it looks like we are improving and long may it continue and maybe one day we will all become believers and dreamers.

Stay safe everyone........


jarkko
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@paulinboro I think Fry and especially McNair can play the ball from the back. We have to remember that we played the best away team of the division in Bournemouth yesterday.

So the system will work better against lesser teams. Also we should improve as the time goes on.

@pedro I think we should try Payero on the right hand side of midfield. But then we have the problem of choosing between Crooks and Howson for the defending midfielder slot. 

I hope to see more from Tav on the left. Perhaps Lea-Siliki or Hernanders can be tried over there?

As Watmore has played most of this career on the wing - as told by him on Thursday - he is not the natural choice up-front. So we definately need a striker in January.  

I like Watmore,  so the above was not meant to critize him. He is one of the best we have up there at the moment.

Up the Boro! 


Ken Smith
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Clive Hurren

Quite right Clive, your wife comes before football!


   
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Ken Smith
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I really think it’s time for Boro to cash in on Tavernier and suspect I’m not the only one judging by the comments on the Gazette website.


   
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Martin Bellamy
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I watched the game on Sky and really enjoyed it. I agree with others that we rode our luck but, equally, we could have had a couple more goals with better finishing. 
Tav looked anonymous again, but he’s still a young player and hopefully CW can make a better player of him. 
Jones has a lot of talent but his decision making needs to improve and it worries me that we leave him deep when we have corners. He gave the ball away cheaply a couple of times but, like Tav, he’s young and can definitely improve into a great player. 
Lots of positives heading into Xmas then - let’s hope we can avoid our usual post New Year slump. 


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@paulinboro

Terry Cochrane 

Terry still lives in Normanby and is often seen in the local pubs chatting with Boro supporters and his pals. A very good coach who spent a lot of time with Billingham Synthonia when they were in the Northerm League. 

I contact him now and again to keep in touch and he’s always promising to do an In2View but he’s basically a very shy person and doesn’t like talking about himself. One of the best wingers ever to play for Boro.

OFB


   
Liked by 4 people: Clive Hurren, Malcolm, Powmill-Naemore and Selwynoz
 
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@malcolm

It was interesting to hear in Chris Wilder’s post match press conference that he made special reference to both Jones and Tavernier.

He pointed out that both are still young players and on the whole relatively inexperienced. Jones he said “could have had the man of the match in one minute and the villain of the game by losing it for us the next!” On Tavernier he said that fans should look at his overall contribution to the team in tracking back and closing players down. It sounded to me that he is quite happy for both players to be in his team.

OFB


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@deleriad

I expect Lea-Siliki to leave the club next month.

OFB


   
Liked by 4 people: deleriad, K P in Spain, Malcolm and Powmill-Naemore
 
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@ken

I really think it’s time for Boro to cash in on Tavernier and suspect I’m not the only one judging by the comments on the Gazette website.

 

Totally agree Ken, he has been poor for months


   
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jarkko
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Posted by: @original-fat-bob

@paulinboro

Terry Cochrane 

Terry still lives in Normanby and is often seen in the local pubs chatting with Boro supporters and his pals. A very good coach who spent a lot of time with Billingham Synthonia when they were in the Northerm League. 

I contact him now and again to keep in touch and he’s always promising to do an In2View but he’s basically a very shy person and doesn’t like talking about himself. One of the best wingers ever to play for Boro.

OFB

Keep on pushing him, Bob. I had a cuppa with Terry in 1980. Cannot remember if it was at Rea's but somewhere in or next to Ayresome.

He is my all time favourite player. And I like to hear his latest!

Up the Boro!


   
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@jarkko

As you play football still (even at your age !) you must appreciate that referees will try and play the advantage and see what develops during a situation when a player is fouled. The referee waited to see if Jones would recover and have a shot at goal but a push in the back resulted in the penalty being awarded. It would make no difference if we had VAR or not as the referees decision is final !

Mind I can think of one or two referees who would have pulled back play and awarded a free kick outside the box for the initial foul. Imagine the reaction from the Boro fans and players if that had happened!

OFB


   
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jarkko
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@malcolm I used to follow Gordon's career as he had a regular blog on the Shoot! Magazine.

Luckily I was able to see him in a pub a few years ago and thanked him for teaching me English by reading his blog. 

Gordon stlii lives close to Middlesbrough. Up the Boro! 


   
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@lenmasterman:  Nice one, Len!


   
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@lenmasterman: But, in the end, I think Boro had Bournemouth's Measure for Measure.


   
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Ken Smith
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Very sad to hear about Gordon McQueen. I’ve had prostate cancer now for 12 years, a tortuous colon and hiatus hernia for about 4 years, and been registered disabled for 2 years, but I’ve always maintained that none of them is anywhere near as bad as senile dementia and that’s why I keep writing about Boro’s history, cricket and music the latter helping me to keep sane. Most times that I fall it’s head first so just imagine what it must be like heading a football especially many years when a football was far heavier than today’s. Also in general it’s far easier for people of my age to remember things that happened 60 or 70 years ago than what happened recently, so I’m pleased that Gordon can still reminisce, that’s what keeps one going, nostalgia.


Ken Smith
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Of course some of William Shakespeare’s plays had more of a sexual innuendo when I was young and virile - “As you like it”, “Much ado about nothing” and finally “The taming of the shrew”.


   
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@malcolm:  Thanks for that link to the Scottish Sun, Malcolm.  Gordon was able to go out last week and 8 days ago was with a group of friends who look after him in the pub - friends who in the past would have walked him from house to pub and back but now give him a lift home afterwards or get his family to collect him when he is ready to go. His walking is very unsteady and therefore a couple of the more "burly" chaps will help him to his seat and to get up and down. As the article says, he still recognises those he knows well. Another thing is that he'd only have a half put in front of him, which would certainly NOT have been the case a couple of years ago!

Whatever he was like as a footballer, he has always been a lovely bloke.  A heavy Glasgow accent that some might find difficult even before recent troubles, but he has a great sense of humour and was always good for a discussion about football.  He would always describe himslef as a Boro fan. He was occasionally joined in the pub by ex-team mates, particularly from Scotland and Leeds, and they were always happy to sit as anonymously for ex-footballers as they could (the locals being generally sensible and not wishing to intrude), having a few beers and a laugh - especially if they'd met together to go to a Boro match earlier in the afternoon. What I would say is that most of his friends all seemed very decent lads, too.

Gordon has always been great with little children - plucking a pound coin as if by magic from a young child's ear then giving the child the money, for example, and generally otherwise amusing the little ones. I am sure he has been a wonderful grandparent and, hopefully, that can continue for a while yet.


Pedro de Espana
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@original-fat-bob   Could be off to Africa, if nothing else.  😂


   
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Clive Hurren
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Posted by: @ken

Clive Hurren

Quite right Clive, your wife comes before football!

Thanks Ken. It reminds me of the old story:- 

A Newcastle fan told his wife he was still going to the game, even though she was due to give birth and had had a particularly difficult pregnancy. ‘Sometimes I think you love Newcastle more than you love me,’ she sobbed. Her husband was flabbergasted. ‘Newcastle? Howay pet man, I love Sunderland more than I love you!’ 


   
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