Great win for Boro. Really pleased for the 9400 fans who were there.
Well, how did Boro win that ?!!
First half - men against boys, chasing shadows, couldn’t get near them, defensively all over, every time United attacked at speed they looked as though they’d score, Boro couldn’t keep the ball.
Could and should have been 4-0 down.
Second half - much the same until Watmore came on. Well done to the Officials - many would have caved in to the pressure of Old Trafford and disallowed Boro goal. United then started to lose momentum and Boro came more into the game although United still had chances to win.
We all know penalties are a lottery.
The pluses ? - Defended well as a team. Watmore became the spark( must be picked for next game)
The minuses ? - The goalkeeper- almost gave them a goal in first few minutes and again with a poor pass out to the captain.
…………And the Boro supporters ( magnificent the whole game ) went home happy.
Good night all
Philip from Huddersfield
Bloody he'll. Been through a lot of whisky. Brave of Payero; I admit I didn't fancy him.
Bragging rights for me here with my ManU supporting mate.
Very disappointing to listen to the ITV team spending all their energy discussing how Utd lost and barely a good word for the team that won out on the night.
So. There's one half of a more than unlikely double. Now, come on Pools. It would be unbelievable if you can make it through at Palace.
Bragging rights for me here with my ManU supporting mate.
Very disappointing to listen to the ITV team spending all their energy discussing how Utd lost and barely a good word for the team that won out on the night.
So. There's one half of a more than unlikely double. Now, come on Pools. It would be unbelievable if you can make it through at Palace.
Pools 20-1 to win outright, but only 8-1 for a draw and I’d guess even money in a penalty shoot out if it goes that far. However they’ve never reached the last 16 in their history.
Just finished the bottle of Malbec. In a one-off match against a team that is expected to beat you and starts off outplaying you it doesn't matter if you are outplayed as long as you stay strong enough and take your chance to win. The penalty shoot-out was hard to watch but well done to the players that stood up to take the penalties and score. It was hard to watch the penalties so I can't imagine what it was like for them. It must have been in dreamland for the Boro supporters there.
The real big match against QPR is to come so I hope the players can recover in time. A home draw against a top premier league side would just be a bonus but is not really important compared to the promotion race.
Were Boro lucky to win? In my opinion yes. But were Man.United unlucky to lose? Not in my opinion. A team that misses so many chances doesn’t deserve to win. The wonder is how they managed to score 7 penalties after that 120 minute performance!
Thankfully missed the first half then thought I might have to miss the shoot out as I had to chase a cat back into the house. I agree that we were lucky to win but you can’t say that very often. I thought that Dael Fry added a few million to his value. The fifth round is played in midweek March 2nd so hopefully a home tie as there are a lot of teams from the South still in it will probably be Bournemouth away knowing our luck as they play Boreham Wood tomorrow
Well, how did Boro win that ?!!
First half - men against boys, chasing shadows, couldn’t get near them, defensively all over, every time United attacked at speed they looked as though they’d score, Boro couldn’t keep the ball.
Could and should have been 4-0 down.
Second half - much the same until Watmore came on. Well done to the Officials - many would have caved in to the pressure of Old Trafford and disallowed Boro goal. United then started to lose momentum and Boro came more into the game although United still had chances to win.
We all know penalties are a lottery.
The pluses ? - Defended well as a team. Watmore became the spark( must be picked for next game)
The minuses ? - The goalkeeper- almost gave them a goal in first few minutes and again with a poor pass out to the captain.
…………And the Boro supporters ( magnificent the whole game ) went home happy.
Good night all
Philip from Huddersfield
Well said. Boys against men, especially the first 15 to 20 min.
But in the second half we were as good as United - at least in fighting terms. Lumley was good after the Fry mix up. As was the latter.
Fry was MoM for me. Up the Boro!
Once in a while you win a game you had absolutely no right to. That's football.
It was a game of four halves.
First half they tore us apart for fun. Lumley had a horror show. We couldn't live with their press, their tempo, the accuracy of their passing; we couldn't get close to them. But we hung on.
Second half we reorganised and although we were still second best, it wasn't by much. We started to put together little periods of possession and once Watmore came on we started to carry a threat. Partly because Utd were losing their edge and partly because we were blunting them, they struggled to fashion chances of the same quality and they slowed down. Towards the end of the second half it felt like we were the more likely to score.
Extra time first half continued with us looking increasingly confident. Extra time second half, Utd tried to push forwards but we held them pretty comfortably.
Penalties. We are Germany on Tees when it comes to penalties.
Few things.
Crooks and Tav are the beating heart of this team. They wear their hearts on their sleeves. Crooks is everyone's very big brother; Tav is the village idiot everyone loves because you know he will never stop running and busting a gut for the team. A lot of our key players - McNair, Howson, Fry, Dijksteel - are quite reserved characters so we need those two to glue the team together.
Lumley's horror show first half probably overshadows just how good he was the rest of the game. I loved the way he trolled Ronaldo for the first penalty. He may not have saved a single penalty the whole game but you felt that he was really getting into their heads during the shoot out.
I was surprised that Wilder took Crooks off but I guess the amount of games and intensity he is playing at caught up with him. It was a good display of faith in Payero and although he didn't do anything to stand-out, Payero did put himself about. And of course he (just about) scored his penalty; importantly he had enough self-belief to volunteer. I don't know if Payero will come good this season but hopefully tonight helps keep him feeling part of the team.
Dijksteel had a horror game but I think that's in part because he was trying to play out from the back but failing. Very noticeable that as we started to move forwards in the second half, he was the one driving us from the back down the right.
I guess it speaks volumes for Connolly's mental state that he didn't take a penalty. As it stands, I would rather have kept Hernandez or Ikpeazu than Connolly. Still, he's ours for the rest of the season so here's hoping that Wilder and the team can get him playing.
Bamba. What a penalty. What a man. He has been an inspired signing. Warnock's old warhorses - Bamba and Peltier - have really strengthened the squad.
Watmore showed us what we've been missing. Maybe he just hasn't been fit enough to last even 60 minutes or maybe Connolly and Balogun leap-frogged him. Either way his ability to press from the front makes us tick.
The game did emphasise again that we struggle against a press. Blackburn, Coventry and Man Utd all pressed our midfield and defence really hard and our players just don't have the speed and accuracy to pass their way out of it. Most teams won't be able to press us as well as the last 3 games but the rest of the season seems likely to be defined by whether we can improve our ability to break a press.
Wilder. I think he may have sold his soul at a cross-roads somewhere. How on earth we got out of the first half just one down, I'll never know. A whole legion of invisible demons appeared to be keeping the ball out of our net.
It's good to be a Boro fan right now.
Great post Deleriad.
Great post Deleriad.
Agreed
deleriad what are you doing up so early on a Saturday morning? Still thinking about the post you have just written.
That was one of your best ever and there have been some good ones. I am, I have to admit a little jealous of your and others writings.
Yes a match we had no right to win. Some poor performances. But hey, what a team performance. And yes what a difference Watmore made.
Well there you go battered from pillar to post in first half, but we rode our luck and beat the media darlings, but dont shed any tears as somebody said a couple of their players cost more than our club, oh dear what a shame
There is a great video on the MFC Facebook page with the players celebrating with fans. Nathan Wood seems to be particularly enjoying himself and the smile on Sol Bamba's face is something else.
I can’t add too much to what’s already been written - a great result and a game that was so tense I actually fell off the wagon for a glass of red.
Our penalty takers were superb despite a nervous look on a few faces - it was inevitable that something had to give eventually so thank goodness it wasn’t one of our youngsters. Is there a cooler penalty taker than Sol Bamba?
Bloody marvellous. Pardon my French. Given that all my wife’s family are staunch United fans,I had rather a good night! I may be tempted to remind them of this result for a year or two……….
So, who do you fancy in Round 5? The stock answer is ‘We’ll take anybody, really.’ But I’d rather wait for Liverpool, Chelsea or Man City till the semi-final. Personally, I want Hartlepool at home, once Pools have disposed of Palace this afternoon. That would be a great local derby with a full house guaranteed.
It’s a bit churlish being critical after last night, but two things stood out for me. Firstly, Duncan has to start. He gives us something the other forwards don’t. I don’t mind which of Balogun or Sporar partners him. Connolly may eventually come good, as Wilder says, but he was disappointing again last night and obviously wasn’t confident enough to take a penalty. Secondly, Joe Lumley isn’t good enough. In his favour, his positioning was often good, and he did rush out of his goal a couple of times to kick clear or to smother the ball. However, he nearly gifted MU a goal in the first minute then did the same for Fernandes second half. His kicking was woeful and he got nowhere near any of United’s penalties. Time to give Daniels another go?
Got home at 10:30pm last night after our evening out to watch the match, which I had recorded, and after three glasses of scotch and American ginger, finally got to bed at 1:30 totally elated and with a big smile on my face; it took some while to nod off!
Yes it was men and boys at times and they rode their luck but to a man they chased and harried, they tried their hardest against a multi million pound side and eventually deserved to win.
For me Fry was immense and I think after that display we will struggle to hold onto him next season.
Fingers crossed that last night’s endeavour’s do not take there toll and adversely impact on our league performances with an equally big game coming up on Wednesday.
When fit and able Watmore has to start as his pressing, movement and link up play will cause problems for the best defences and we look a far more potent side when he plays. CoB 😎😊
Are we going to go to Wembley twice this season? Perhaps not if we get promoted automatically!
Saw a nice tweet yesterday. A Boro chap was in a Mancurian underground or tram, full of footy fans. He shouts: "Excuse me, does this stop at Wembley?" Made my day.
Up the Boro!
Great result, loved it. Was amazed at the number of times we gave the ball straight back to them. No idea why but plenty of screaming at the screen. It is getting monotonus, starting with the wrong player, replacing him with Watmore and promptly getting into the game. It is time we admitted that he is the man. Both praise and blame for our goalkeeper, his outfield play is so close to suicidal that you really do wonder, yet he caught at least three very Good shots on goal which could have ended the contest. Just one point, please stop this jumping up and down when facing a penalty, just adapt a slight crouch, watch the takers feet as he reaches the ball, make your decision, and a full dive, you will save the odd one. Remember he has got to guess which side to go.
Just one other point. The great Sol! What a feeling of security as he came on, what a man, what a penalty, what more can I say?
Yes Sol Bamba. Not sure about his football (coaching) credentials, but from what I have seen and heard of the man, doesn't he inspire. Surely there must be a place within MFC where he can pass on his lovely attributes.
One thing I did notice was that Samba and Peltier when taking their penalties, hit the ball hard not with the instep as most footballer do, but with a good old fashioned laces job. Brilliant.
The history of the FA Cup
From 1872
That’s now 150 years ago
Incredible, but true.
That has been dominated,
It must be said,
By clubs since the World War Two
Of clubs that play in red.
One of those clubs was Newton Heath,
That’s Man United now to you and me,
Whilst Arsenal are the other one
As all the records show, you see.
But formerly as Newton Heath
They played in yellow and green
And were only a nonentity
One of the poorest ever seen.
It was 1948 before
Their second Cup they won
When Matthew Busby took the helm
That their fine Cup run begun.
The Busby Babes soon followed
And in 1956
They mesmerised the other clubs
With all their fancy tricks.
But tragedy occurred in 58
When half the team were killed.
It took Matt Busby quite some time
Another team to build.
That’s when their fan base widened
Through England far and wide
As some supporters only liked to watch
A regular winning side.
It’s such a shame some didn’t watch
Their local football team
But transferred their allegiance
To a club they’d never ever seen.
The networks chose this Cup match,
But when all is said and done
They really got their wishes
That the MIGHTY BORO WON. (ha,ha)
Perhaps though in reality
Some really are annoyed.
Whilst many football fans across the country
Have engaged in Shadenfreude.
That United spend such millions
For players, though here might be the rub,
That who’d want to support a team of misfits
Instead of a real football club.
There are almost 3,000 blogs on the BBC website mostly from Man Utd supporters who can’t understand how Boro’s goal was allowed. But why when the ball accidentally touched Duncan Whatmore’s hand? He couldn’t avoid it, no intention was meant, a pure accident. Similar to the hand ball by George Boetang against Man Utd in 2007 for which Boetang was wrongly penalised in my opinion. The law has now been correctly amended, but many commentators are not aware of that. Apparently Lee Dixon thinks the law is an ass and wouldn’t shut up about it for the remainder of the match. Among those 3,000 there were many from supporters of clubs up and down the country thanking Boro for putting United in their place even if some couldn’t spell Middlesbrough correctly. Even three from Newcastle possibly still smarting over Fergie’s comments in 1996 when the Geordies imploded and Villa fans who were beaten by United in this season’s 3rd Round. Some United fans even wrote that in future they would support Manchester City and another who would switch his allegiance to Liverpool, can you believe? However I had to smile about one Hartlepool fan who wrote that Hartlepool are the only club in the North East still in the Cup, insisting that Boro are a Yorkshire club. He might have a point of course.
The problem now for Boro however is 6 matches in March and at least 6 more in April which could derail their playoff chances.
Great post Ken
On my way back from Manchester after staying overnight and going to the Etihad this afternoon. What an atmosphere at Old Trafford last night, my throat is sore from the singing, never stopped from beginning until they kicked us out at 23:30 and I was in the corner where all the team came to at the end. Then it was into town for a few pints, got to bed about 2:30, well happy. I must say the Utd crowd were pretty mute all through the match, we were greeted well in the Man City pub before we went into the Etihad.
Come on BORO.
Yes Sol Bamba. Not sure about his football (coaching) credentials, but from what I have seen and heard of the man, doesn't he inspire. Surely there must be a place within MFC where he can pass on his lovely attributes.
One thing I did notice was that Samba and Peltier when taking their penalties, hit the ball hard not with the instep as most footballer do, but with a good old fashioned laces job. Brilliant.
I agree absolutely. His is a story to inspire and there is a nice piece on Teesside Live - https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sol-bamba-middlesbrough-fairytale-penalty-22999848 - which is well worth a read. I was particularly pleased to read his comments about the nature of the club and although I know that it may be 'media-speak', somehow it rings true coming from him and we can all be proud of the way the club has given a chance to him and Duncan Watmore as well.
I don't know if this rings true to those of you on here who are much closer to the club than I am but I want to believe it. A club like MFC in a town like Middlesbrough can be so much more than just a bunch of well-paid footballers making a living.
I'd like to see us draw another big club away. Another Pds1 million or so in the bank wouldn't do any harm and we have to believe that we can give anyone a game.
UTB
Came across these £ values
Total cost of the teams on Friday
Manchester United
Starting XI: £409million
Subs: £110million
Boro
Starting XI: £13.4million
Subs: £6million
i would add to that entertainment value £ priceless!
OFB
Came across these £ values
Total cost of the teams on Friday
Manchester United
Starting XI: £409million
Subs: £110millionBoro
Starting XI: £13.4million
Subs: £6millioni would add to that entertainment value £ priceless!
OFB
Brilliant! 😎