Former ref Once Fat Bob, can you explain?
We don't expect refs to have a degree in maths but surely an ability to use a watch, calculator or abacus.
Todays ref allowed only 3 mins stoppage time after 6 second half subs ( 30 seconds each) and at least the injury to Fletcher, probably more.
Surely if they cannot get the basics right they should not officiate at this high level.
Even in the first half, miminum stoppage time was two minutes and he whistled at 1.55.
This lack of attention to detail is really annoying, it shouldn't be that hard.
Well done Boro, deserved to win today.
Dijksteel improves the more I see him. The GK made some good saves ( one was exceptional). Still too many wayward passes and over hit crosses though. One good thing was we are no longer out-muscled in the 50/50’s. I’d like to see them move forward as a unit much quicker, build up is still fairly pedestrian.
Yes, I agree that Boro looked quite well organised and the players seemed to place themselves into positions where they could offer their team-mates a pass. McNair looked to be organising from the back and Howson kept the midfield tidy - though often it was bypassed with long searching balls for the forwards to run onto but perhaps Britt, who did well with his back to goal didn't quite have the pace to make that an effective route on goal. I thought the passing could have been sharper in the final third as often players wanted longer on the ball than Bournemouth would allow them to set themselves.
Definitely a step forward performance wise but more quality needed with the final ball and shooting if Boro are to offer a consistent goal threat. Defensively, Boro looked better and the new keeper had a solid game, Dijksteel also looks a good prospect, Hall I'm not sure and Johnson's defensive qualities are not his better part of his game. Spence has quick feet and closes down well and looks comfortable on the ball. I'd prefer Fry to Hall at the back rather than lose the composure of McNair.
An improved performance and plenty to build on but also plently of work to be done too.
@werdermouth agree about Hall, he is good in the air but cant turn quickly. At bit like a 747 jumbo jet.
Any player with pace goes passed him with ease.
Remarkable that we managed 52% possession against a possession-based Bournemouth. A performance that surprised and broke the mould.
i never thought I’d be slightly disappointed to have only got a draw today. Big credit to them.
Pretty good performance really against a good side on paper. If we had some composure or quality in the final third then we would have walked it. I like the way we set up though, and I thought we dominated the midfield battle.
Dijksteel is very assured at the back and you'd think he'd always played CB. If McNair is going to continue there it might now be easy for Fry to get back in.
Tav was very bright at at times, he just needs to find ways to ensure there is end product. Browne took his chance well and looked confident.
Going was a positive experience on the whole, it was very well organised so credit to the club. Parking at the ground was fine and they had people giving out face coverings. Hand sanitiser on entrance and inside, then when you sit down you weren't exactly nowhere near anyone but everyone had plenty of space. I think it's pretty safe, but I guess we'll see. If I was in a vulnerable category I might think twice. I kept my face covering on throughout but I'd say only 10-15% did that (it wasn't compulsory).
The atmosphere was good as well considering there wasn't many of us - I'd actually missed going more than I realised and it was a bit sad in some respects, something else that we take for granted a bit and haven't been able to do.
I see no reason why they couldn't replicate this across the ground and get 10k in - but I fear circumstances may dictate that it could be a while before this happens again.
Couldn't fault the energy and commitment today. We fully deserved at least a point.
Credit to the crowd. Though small they made plenty of noise and were encouraging throughout. They certainly contributed to the atmosphere, which made this much more like a proper game than the ghostly simulacra played out in empty stadia that we have seen so far. Hope everyone managed to stay safe, and that the experiment can be continued and extended.
The extent to which it is difficult to draw too many conclusions from a streamed game was demonstrated by the reception given to Fletcher when he was substituted.
To my eyes he did little of note. Yet he was given a warm ovation when he came off. He must have contributed off the ball or in other ways that the camera could not pick up.
By contrast the quality of Bettinelli's first half save from Brooks was only fully evident on seeing the replay. A fingertip worldie to a shot heading to his top left hand corner.
Another crucial save from Solanki in the second half kept us in the game after the striker had left Hall for dead. For all of Boro's pressure these were the two biggest saves in the game to that point.
Yet there will surely be an inquest over our conceding another goal from a set piece, with the keeper again being beaten at his near post.
McNair was again our best player, solid in defence, dangerous going forward, and the architect of our goal. Tav, giving an improved performance, was not far behind, but everyone pulled his weight, with only Johnson falling below his recent improved form.
Our failing continues to be a lack of inventiveness in going forward. There was a refreshing willingness to shoot today, but we created few clear cut chances.
We rely too much on the hope that the ball will fall for us as we put crosses into the mix, or play long balls down the channels. It's just so terribly old-fashioned, and in our recent choice of managers we have allowed the most progressive elements of the modern game to pass us by.
We should expect more. We are the Boro. Football is in our blood and our area is one of the hotbeds of the game. Bournemouth has always been more noted for its mild winters and wheelchairs. Shout out of your window in the north-east and a footballer will come running up. Do the same in Bournemouth and it will be a pensioner on a stick It's a travesty that over the past five seasons Bournemouth have taught us some painful lessons in how the game should be played -in an entertaining, attacking and attractive way.
That is the wider context of a game which I quite enjoyed and in which we played reasonably well and with good spirit.
That we managed to get an creditable and unexpected draw against Bournemouth is a measure both of our achievement and of our shrunken horizons.
”We rely too much on the hope that the ball will fall for us as we put crosses into the mix, or play long balls down the channels. It's just so terribly old-fashioned, and in our recent choice of managers we have allowed the most progressive elements of the modern game to pass us by.”
Summed up in a nutshell by Sir Len.
I watched the game and after a bright start thought a few heads dropped when chances were not converted into goals
McNair seems very comfortable at the back and Dijksteel is improving every game
Fletcher was poor and Tavernier seems to have lost a bit of guile and wasn’t supporting the front two
No width in the team and if Johnson and DJed Spence don’t get forward we seem to just punt long balls forward
Still not impressed with Hall he looks far too slow but of course he hasn’t played many matches for a while and could just be getting up to speed
Still haven’t missed George or Clayton or anyone else who left the last few weeks
BTW Has Downing retired?
Some great posts today and thanks for the mention. I must admit I wasn’t impressed with the standard of refereeing today and thought he let a lot of things go. Indeed Brighton could have had a player sent off for a second bookable offence!
A Referee can keep the time of a game and play however long he deems is the correct amount expired no matter what the fans think !OFB
@billy it’s up to the ref to decide how long to play no matter what we think. I remember one game I was refereeing and whistled for half time. One of the players said “there’s still a few minutes left to play ref” I looked at him sternly and replied “my watch counts!” He instantly responded with “ mine only tells the time!” I must confess I did have a grin at that and it was a reminder not to take myself too seriously !
OFB
@billy it’s up to the ref to decide how long to play no matter what we think. I remember one game I was refereeing and whistled for half time. One of the players said “there’s still a few minutes left to play ref” I looked at him sternly and replied “my watch counts!” He instantly responded with “ mine only tells the time!” I must confess I did have a grin at that and it was a reminder not to take myself too seriously !
OFB
One thing I did notice regarding the limited views of those attending, is that despite the low number there were those who still insisted on standing.
im surprised the stewards allowed it, it’s always been a pet hate of mine, particularly in the South Stand.
I enjoyed and agreed with your summing up, and your opinions about various comparisons between the teams/clubs. My chief worry is that we are stuck in a rut of no serious tactical preps, and no apparent intention of altering that situation. As noted, we keep conceding simply worked goals at corners and free kicks. The corners are very easy goals indeed, consisting of a hard low swerving ball to the near post, which results in a session of hunt the ball, which is found in the net. We played O.K but without determination when near their area. Our keeper made a wonder save plus two others. There is just the thought that they might have spent the match thinking that three points were in the bag.
Well, I got that result wrong but I was probably in the majority there. Because being unimpressed with Boro’s performance at Watford I opted to watch the Rugby League Challenge Cup match between Warrington and St Helens which was the best game of any code I have seen all year, before turning to Final Score for Boro’s last 15 minutes. Now having seen highlights of Boro’s match and the enthusiasm of the 1,000 Boro fans, the response of the players, Kevin Blackwell’s excellent post match press interview not to mention Redcar Red’s superb report has given me the charge I needed as I was on the verge of depression beforehand not entirely due to lockdown, but also like Bob I’ve not felt well at all these past 7 days with lethargy and vertigo now another unwelcome cross to bear.
Although all the Rugby League matches have canned cheering, there’s no substitute for crowds and to watch football behind closed doors with no canned crowd reaction has put me off wanting to watch any football at all. Like most people I’m not sure how this coronavirus pandemic will last, how just one player living outside the bubble can result in four or five players having to stand down for 10 to 14 days ruining Yorkshire’s cricket season. If it happens to Boro that could be annoying to say the least, but at least hopefully it would be short term in a season of 46 matches, not so for Rugby League as most clubs have only 10 matches remaining. Although I’m not too sure about the wisdom of allowing crowds back so soon, it seemed to work okay at the Riverside yesterday and certainly invigorated the home team. I did fear another relegation battle, but maybe Boro can finish mid table and go on from there, although I doubt I’ll live long enough to see them in the Premier League in my lifetime.
If I can stay awake I hope to watch the final round of the US Open Golf Championship tonight as apart from music I live for sport and this summer has been a disaster in that regard especially having looked forward to it on my return from Portugal. At least I’ve survived so far and still able to stay in my own home and sympathise for those who have lost loved ones through this horrible pandemic, but nevertheless life had become a bore so hopefully Boro’s display yesterday although not perfect, will give me the fillip for my first winter at home in 25 years.
I didn’t see Leo at the ground when I watched it on TV was he missing ?
I also noticed that Leo seemed to be missing.
Is he a COVID victim or has NW eased him out?
- Apparently there are three positive cases, two we know. Number three??
- Apparently there are three positive cases, two we know. Number three??
Its likely that Stojanovic is the unnamed player suffering with Covid and Pears possibly was also as they both missed the Barnsley game. In that scenario its highly likely that a goalkeeping coach may have also tested positive.
Should draws be worth a point? In America they want to watch a proper result so play overtime in all their major sports. The same thing now seems to be catching on in Australia. I don’t know about Aussie Rules, but in the second major sport down under they play a golden point rule in rugby league which unfortunately Super League has copied over here. Yet cricket has increased the value of a draw from 5 to 8 points in the four day game in the Bob Willis Championship this season when years ago in my youth a draw only counted 4 points to the team gaining a first innings lead whilst a win counted for 12 points. Of course the weather can curtail play in cricket, but not in other sports I’ve mentioned. We all like a winner, but should draws now becoming irrelevant. I must admit I certainly don’t like the golden point rule in rugby league where teams have fight out to a finish in extra time, but one rarely sees a match where draws are rare anyway.
But what about football? This season so far there have been 8 draws in Division Two with 2 matches being goalless, 2 ending 1-1, with 4 ending 2-2. In Division One there have been 6 draws, 2 of which were goalless, 2 being 1-1 draws, one ending 2-2 and another 4-4. The Championship has produced 5 draws 3 of which were goalless, one match ending 1-1 and another 2-2. Yet in the Premier League there has yet to be a drawn match albeit that only 18 matches have been played as opposed to 24 in the other 3 Divisions, but at the moment it would appear that the higher the Division, the fewer the number of draws yet 67 goals have been scored in the Premier League with only 3 matches ending 1-0.
Should a goalless draw have the same merit as the 4-4 draw between AFC Wimbledon and Plymouth last Saturday? Is it not time that points should be awarded for goals scored also? Or at least extra points for the margins of victory as in rugby union? How to implement that would obviously there being a need to increase the value of a win to say 5 points, a 4-4 draw to 4 points, and a goalless draw zero points. Certainly radical changes, but I’m only making suggestions which might well be flawed, though would it make for more attractive football? It probably would not have helped Boro in the past two seasons, but for the good of the game do we need a more revolutionary vision? I’m only asking!
Hello David, please join in and contribute - you are very welcome.
@davidwek Welcome aboard the good ship Diasboro for full steam ahead to promotion. With our Captain Werdermouth ably assisted by our Navigator Redcar Red we hope that you enjoy the journey!
OFB
@davidwek
Welcome aboard an optimistic DiasBoro. Watch out for the 'eyes in the sky'!
UTB,
John
I'd only add to anyone new thinking of joining in the discussion I've had to take a few precautions since setting up the new site to avoid fake members registering that may not be here to join in the discussion.
Unfortunately, since I've had to handle now nearly 400 fake registered members since we moved to diasboro.club (mostly Russian spam-bot new members) I'd just add a cautious welcome to Davidwek as his post was quite generic in nature with a grammatical error often typical of a spam register. Since it's sometimes impossible to tell genuine from fake members until they actually post something more substantial on Boro, I've made the default member type as 'First Post' which requires subsequent posts to be approved until I'm satisfied it is indeed genuine. If I wrongly approved non-genuine members the site could easily get inundated with spam posts during the early hours, which until approved would remain invisible to normal members.
@davidwek
Not so fast Mr Warnock......
@davidwek
Posting about Boro v Bournemouth Justine, does it really take that long for Boro news to reach the Steppes?