Who remembers the days when Boro surrended in the second half under Warnock?
Compare now that we often boss the second half. I often look forward to the second halv now. One of the biggest changes of Wilderball.
Up the Boro!
Who remembers the days when Boro surrended in the second half under Warnock?
Compare now that we often boss the second half. I often look forward to the second halv now. One of the biggest changes of Wilderball.
Up the Boro!
Warnock’s Boro would have undoubtedly lost that game. We would have sent endless, aimless long balls to their big centre-halves with Ikpeazu isolated.
Manager Graeme Lee was delighted with substitute Isaac Fletcher’s impact as Hartlepool United came from behind to beat Colchester United yesterday. Fletcher is on loan from Boro.
Pools trailed at the break thanks to Noah Chilvers goal but were able to turn the game on its head in four second half minutes thanks to goals from Omar Bogle and substitute Fletcher.
Fletcher had been on the field only five minutes when Bogle fired Pools level in the game before the Middlesbrough loanee enjoyed his best moment in a Hartlepool shirt so far just minutes later.
Bogle was once again involved as he bundled his way through the Colchester defence before the ball landed at Fletcher’s feet, who had continued his run, with the 19-year-old calmly slotting the ball underneath Sam Hornby.
And Pools were able to hang onto their lead in the final quarter of the game to extend their unbeaten run in League Two to eight matches.
The result also moves Lee’s side to within six points of a play-off place with this their second straight away win.
Fletcher has had to bide his time for his opportunity at the Suit Direct Stadium but when it arrived he took it in some style.
“That’s one of his attributes, he creates and scores goals,” said Lee.
“He’s a positive player who wants to play on the front foot. I wanted to do it [bring him on] because I knew he might be able to affect the game in the right areas."
So hopefully there is one young Boro player in Fletcher for the future. Up the Boro!
5 games to go before the cut off, I am sure it’s 1 game to go, i.e. 32 matches before it switches to 15 yellow in 38 matches for a 3 game ban.
Come on BORO.
Exmil, the information available currently, and directly, from the FA website definitely states 37 games for all EFL leagues. The document you posted was published ahead of last season by the Professional Football Scout Association. I think we have to trust the organisation that sets the rules on this one !
Jarkko
Apparently Isaac is the son of Andrew Fletcher who was on the Boro's books and was a prolific scorer for the Juniors but never made it to the first team. Interesting article here about Mogga's and Gary Gills kids.
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/echoes-middlesbroughs-class-86-cleveland-23178638
@MW Thanks for the link. Really appreciated.
As I know Gary Gill and his son, there was nice info of his doughter, too. And especially nice to hear about the class of 1986 stll going strong in local football. Up the Boro!
Wilder’s substitutions made the difference last night, clearly, allied to the change in shape with Tav moving to wing-back. Suddenly, we started pinging crosses into the box, an aspect that was sorely missing first half. I think CW finally hit on the best formation. Watmore and Sporar must start.
Neil Taylor is a good defender but offers little going forward. Let’s keep Tav at left wing-back! I guess the problem will come after Barnsley, when Crooksy returns. Can we play him and McGree together, or will that result in a Gerrard/Lampard impasse we used to see with England? I think it’s worth a go, especially as Tav can clearly play the wing-back role really well. Besides, I guess a midfield three of Howson, McGree and Crooks is going to terrify most Champo defences.
I think it’s worth a go too, Clive, though perhaps not all the time.
From an attacking point of view, I think McGree’s passing with Tav’s running will give us that missing threat from the left, balance the team and also help Jones find space.
Defensively though, when you need your wingback to get to the back post on the cover and flick a dangerous cross away under pressure, you’d prefer to have Taylor I think. He just has the defenders instincts that maybe Tav won’t.
I’d play it against Barnsley but maybe think twice before Spurs.
Who remembers the days when Boro surrended in the second half under Warnock?
Compare now that we often boss the second half. I often look forward to the second halv now. One of the biggest changes of Wilderball.
Up the Boro!
Warnock’s Boro would have undoubtedly lost that game. We would have sent endless, aimless long balls to their big centre-halves with Ikpeazu isolated.
Warnock would probably have been sent to the stands or maybe even the dressing room after berating the officials.
Warnock would probably have been sent to the stands or maybe even the dressing room after berating the officials.
Could you have imagined him after Jones was pulled over in the first half 😇
There’s been a fair bit of criticism of our goalkeeper lately, so this article seems timely.
Do I think he’s the best in the division? No, but neither do I believe he’s quite as much to blame as some others do. He’s learning his trade in the same way that Tav and Jones are - unfortunately his mistakes can lead to opposition goals whereas MT and IJ’s just mean we fail to score. The net result, though, is the same.
That’s a very interesting article, Martin. Thank you.
However, I do have serious concerns about Lumley. Last night he kicked the ball straight to an opponent, and one another occasion he mis-hoofed it low down the middle when he was yards from his goal - fortunately, it landed with Howson. Any Baggies player might have smashed it straight back past Lumley into the net. Then there was the moment when he had a rush of blood to the head and hurtled out of the penalty area to face 2 onrushing attackers. Last night, he got away with it on all 3 occasions, as he did twice at Old Trafford. He didn’t at QPR and gave a ridiculous goal away.
i make that 6 mistakes in those 3 games. Admittedly, he often does well with crosses and sometimes with saves, but, honestly, he gives me the jitters. Those around me near my seat feel the same. I wouldn’t fancy playing in front of him if I was a defender. I think Wilder is brave sticking with him.
I can’t agree about Lumley - ok he makes the occasional good save as all goalkeepers do from time to time but he is more consistent - in the mistakes he makes. If I was an opposing manager I’d be saying to my team make sure you’re ready to pounce on his mistakes.
On a separate issue, whilst McGree quite rightly got lots of plaudits for yesterday’s game , I think Fry has become the unsung hero.
Initially I thought he was at fault by not heading the ball clear allowing Carroll to get the ball leading to their goal. But seeing it again it looked as though the ball brushed a Boro player as Fry was shaping up to head the ball. Fry is the mainstay of the defence particularly when McNair gets out of position and when he wanders all over the pitch. As an out and out defender he’s better than McNair.
And so to the next game……
Surely Watmore cannot play 90 minutes at the intensity he does for 30 minutes - who could? In which case , I’d use him to start the game with Sporor and bring him off towards the hour mark. This would give an opportunity to one of the two loan forwards - possibly Connolly who seems better at pressing the opposition ( as Watmore does ) than Balagon.
I like the idea of McGree playing midfield and Tavernier as the wing back to give more of an attacking threat down the left. Okay, he’s not a natural defender but did you notice that in the first 5 minutes as West Brom broke down the right with a clear run to goal it was Tavernier who ran about 50 yards to snuff out the danger.
Philip of Huddersfield
I don’t agree with some of the comments on Lumley’s positioning and ability with his hands (he was good with both last night) but his kicking is a major worry and lately his coming out to deal with through balls has been very misjudged.
I have some sympathy for him as Warnock signed him with no intention of using him the way Chris Wilder does.
With Stejanovic out on loan, all the keepers on the Boro books came for free and you might say you get what you pay for but I think Lumley is a one of the victims of the change in playing style under Wilder, like Ikpeazu, Browne and Ameobi will be. He didn’t look a top keeper in Warnock’s time either but the real blunders have been of late.
Whatever happens this season, the club will need an overhaul at the top and bottom of the team. As it stands, our strikers will be Watmore, Ikpeazu, Coburn and Akpom, all of which have some kind of question mark against them whilst we now need not only a solid stopper or two but one who is useful with his feet.
I don’t agree with some of the comments on Lumley’s positioning and ability with his hands (he was good with both last night) but his kicking is a major worry and lately his coming out to deal with through balls has been very misjudged.
I have some sympathy for him as Warnock signed him with no intention of using him the way Chris Wilder does.
With Stejanovic out on loan, all the keepers on the Boro books came for free and you might say you get what you pay for but I think Lumley is a one of the victims of the change in playing style under Wilder, like Ikpeazu, Browne and Ameobi will be. He didn’t look a top keeper in Warnock’s time either but the real blunders have been of late.
Whatever happens this season, the club will need an overhaul at the top and bottom of the team. As it stands, our strikers will be Watmore, Ikpeazu, Coburn and Akpom, all of which have some kind of question mark against them whilst we now need not only a solid stopper or two but one who is useful with his feet.
I agree that his kicking leaves a bit to be desired but equally there was a clearance from within our box from a defender (I think it was Taylor) that went up in the air and was landing somewhere near the penalty spot before being headed away. Similarly an air shot by Paddy in an earlier game led to an opposition goal.
I guess we are where we are and we’ll have to live with JL for the time being.
By half-time yesterday we looked like a team that had a well-coached way of playing, but were lacking the players, and particularly the strikers , who were capable of putting it into practice.
It's not quite accurate to say that the game changed when we changed the strikers. Sporar wasn't any more effective than Connolly had been, and it may be that we have only one effective front man of the five who are available.
It was Watmore who made the difference, and not simply by providing his now familiar extra energy.
Up until his introduction our strikers had spent most of the game with their backs to the goal being easily picked off by the Baggies formidable central defenders. A case of men against boys.
When Watmore began to pick up the ball from deeper positions and attack at pace, the "men" suddenly looked vulnerable. It was this dynamic that changed the game, giving us a momentum that was sealed by Tav's move to the wide left. For his transformative effect upon the whole team Watmore was my M-o-M.
But if there is one thing from the game that will live in the memory when everything else has faded it will be McGree's pass to Tav in the build-up to our first goal.
The ability to see that kind of ball, played inside two defenders, and to have the ability to execute it with precision is something we haven't witnessed for many years. It provokes comparisons with some of our past greats. I recall TFL doing something similar on his debut at the Riverside. Before that you have to go back to Souness for distant memories of that kind of quality. And before that, way back to Mannion.
The Aussie is some talent. He should be a permanent fixture in the side now. The prospect of his partnership on the left with Tav to match the threat of Jones, Crooks and Dijksteel on the right is mouth-watering, and will give us the kind of balance and quality we will need to survive in the Premier League.
Our strikers and keeper are concerns that will give us continuing doubts until the next window, but over all we recovered well last night and remain firmly on course to reach the play-offs.
Oh, and the Tap-In Hypothesis remains firmly intact.
Both of our goals were scored inside the 6 yard box.
Len
I agree with you. Duncan Watmore was my man of the match too. However I thought overall that West Brom were poor. Some of the comments on the BBC were very disparaging too from West Brom and Newcastle fans alike. Also there were several comments from Magpies fans praising Steve Gibson and Chris Wilder and hoping that Boro get promoted. Apparently they miss the local derbies and would welcome Boro rather than Sunderland with open arms. I must add that I was pleasantly surprised at their comments.
I’ll echo Len’s praise of McGree. That pass for Tav was high quality and if he can keep up that standard, we’ve got a great chance of staying in the play off positions.
exmil
just checked again and the essential information for players issued by the FA definitely states 37 games for the EFL, the 32 is for the Premier League.
So the 10 yellow cards are reset after 37 games and the 15 yellow cards are reset after 38 games, talk about confusing.
Come on BORO.
Hi Exmil.
It doesn't reset.
5 yellows after 19 matches is worth a 1 game ban
10 yellows after 37 matches gets a 2 game ban.
15 yellows before the end of the regular season (i.e. excluding the playoffs) will get you a 3 game match ban.
20 yellows before the end of the regular season will lead to a disciplinary committee deciding what the punishment will be.
So, Crooks must now avoid 5 more yellows before the end of the season, else he will get a 3 match ban.
By half-time yesterday we looked like a team that had a well-coached way of playing, but were lacking the players, and particularly the strikers , who were capable of putting it into practice.
It's not quite accurate to say that the game changed when we changed the strikers. Sporar wasn't any more effective than Connolly had been, and it may be that we have only one effective front man of the five who are available.
It was Watmore who made the difference, and not simply by providing his now familiar extra energy.
Up until his introduction our strikers had spent most of the game with their backs to the goal being easily picked off by the Baggies formidable central defenders. A case of men against boys.
When Watmore began to pick up the ball from deeper positions and attack at pace, the "men" suddenly looked vulnerable. It was this dynamic that changed the game, giving us a momentum that was sealed by Tav's move to the wide left. For his transformative effect upon the whole team Watmore was my M-o-M.
But if there is one thing from the game that will live in the memory when everything else has faded it will be McGree's pass to Tav in the build-up to our first goal.
The ability to see that kind of ball, played inside two defenders, and to have the ability to execute it with precision is something we haven't witnessed for many years. It provokes comparisons with some of our past greats. I recall TFL doing something similar on his debut at the Riverside. Before that you have to go back to Souness for distant memories of that kind of quality. And before that, way back to Mannion.
The Aussie is some talent. He should be a permanent fixture in the side now. The prospect of his partnership on the left with Tav to match the threat of Jones, Crooks and Dijksteel on the right is mouth-watering, and will give us the kind of balance and quality we will need to survive in the Premier League.
Our strikers and keeper are concerns that will give us continuing doubts until the next window, but over all we recovered well last night and remain firmly on course to reach the play-offs.
Oh, and the Tap-In Hypothesis remains firmly intact.
Both of our goals were scored inside the 6 yard box.
Excellent post Len. I agree entirely with your comments regarding the game changing introduction of Watmore and the impact he had. Sporar did not have much impact and his touch was off, he looked rusty.
My MoTM though was Dikjsteel as he was influential both in defence and in attack and perhaps had one of his best games ever.
I also agree about McGree, and as you say we have not seen that sort of vision and execution since TLF and Souness. Unfortunately Mannion was before my time but according to my late family members no other players ever came close.
Given McGree’s left foot, he also reminded me of Spike (David Armstrong), who could pick out a pass or a cross and also had a tremendous shot on him. We will do well to keep hold of him for a few seasons as he is, without a doubt, a PL player in the making.
After last night’s display and CW’s praise he has to be a permanent fixture in midfield along with Crooks and Howson which means Tav will have to go to wing back and fight Bola for his place.
Certainly a game of two halves and for the first 45mins my worst fears appeared to be coming to fruition; we dominated the ball but were toothless in front of goal and on the rare occasions that WB got into our final third they looked more threatening and eventually they scored against the run of play. We got one back with a sublime piece of passing, movement and finishing and then went on to win deservedly as many had predicted and proving my fears unfounded.
Regrettably tonight’s results have not gone our way so we can’t let up and will need another positive result at Barnsley who will not be a pushover; play like we did in the second half last night and we should take the three points. CoB 😎
So I think it is agreed now, 32 matches played, 37 to the cut off for two game suspension.
McNair, Howson and Peltier on 8, Jones on 7 and Tav on 6. Will we if see the first two get through 5 games and only one booking. Possibly not without playing within themselves like Crooks did for his last couple of games or so.
Jones has to learn very quickly to stop giving away silly fouls and bookings. His push for his yellow against WBA was stupid, but more stupid that should have earned him a boll***ing from CW, was his kicking the ball away with minutes to go. As much as the referee was criticised he ran along with him and only gave him a talking to and not another yellow/red.
It may be that CW May have to “rest” one or two. Crooks 14 matches and only 4 bookings. A big ask.
Shocking news to wake up to even if we all knew it was due to happen sooner than later.
Jarkko, I hope everything stays safe for you and your compatriots.
Bad results for Boro last night maybe, but in the context of what is happening on Europe's doorstep now is it really that important.
Hopes and prayers for the safety and the lives of many many people who look and behave just like you and me.
@Powmill-Naemore
All well here. But I feel so sorry for the people in Ukraine. Putin hehavour is really unacceptable.
See my discussions with Selwynoz at https://diasboro.club/forum/middlesbrough-football-club/barnsley-v-boro-2/#post-13451
Up the Boro!
You know, I’ve read fellow diasborians differing points of view about which players especially forwards should start the match, and that’s fine by me. However I’ve got the utmost faith in Chris Wilder and am quite happy to leave the decisions to him, which I wasn’t with our last 3 managers.
I also couldn’t care less about last night’s results with so many turning on late goals. It’s to be expected that such turnarounds should occur, after all it’s happened to Boro a few times recently. What ever will be, will be, and let’s just concentrate on Boro as there are still at least 14 matches to play for most clubs. It’s too early to make sense of League tables anyway until all clubs have played the same number of matches. The only thing I would say though is that Boro need to win more away matches than the 4 they have up to now especially against those clubs who are fighting for a playoff place.
The situation is entirely in Boro’s own hands. Continue winning home matches and accumulate as many away points as possible. Is Sheffield United away more important than Barnsley away? Not in my book; they’re both only worth 3 points. So let’s start with a win at Oakwell this Saturday.