Middlesbrough Match Thread

[NicRanger]

Steff is not at the races recently, he's supposed to be one of our creative drivers, but he's just not on it at all, maybe give him a rest next game and get Hendrick in there, he certainly couldn't be any worse

Agreed. Not sure what SJ is giving us. Not enough at the back, not enough going forwards. Let’s maybe give him a rest and play someone with more energy and pace.

[Martinmalta]

I felt we were lucky to take a draw. Boro was all over us for most of the game. We are too slow and when teams pressed us high, we end up dominated. I agree that Stef is far from the player he was last season. Unlucky for Uncle to concede the own goal, however, they did open us prior to the goal. Marshall was our best player. Always calm and know what he's doing. Cannot see Dieng taking his place anytime soon. Hendrick must start more often ... his experience was obvious.

[Rebel R's]

Alot of moaning about how bad we were but let's give Boro credit,they are a good team and will definitely be strong contenders for the play offs .Not delighted with our performance but happy with a point

[Macca]

Well got to be happy with a point we were poor and they wanted it more Marshall was our man of the match kept us in the game, need to up it a gear instead of all this slow play need a lot more fizz, but as some on here have said we are getting points out of games that we would have lost, so got to be happy with that.

[Sleeping Giants]

I saw the game and I completely agree that boro bossed most of it but they were time wasting at the end (before and after they went down to 10 men) so we must have been causing them problems....glass half full.

[LoftusRoadLad]

Was a double substitution with Hendrick coming on to cover the middle.

Yes, but silly having 2 strikers on whilst they were running the show. Should have had Sanderson on with his pace.

[MINCER]

Poor decision to bring on a striker and then have them chasing back trying to defend

[72bus]

Lucky to get a point . Really don't see what people see in Johansen he's off the pace , slow and sloppy , he doesn't close down quickly enough and the game passes him by . Boro's speed troubled us all night . Without Marshall top save and watmore hitting the bar we'd have been well beaten ... We got away with a point tonight we move on to Barnsley and wall two winnable games

[gator]

I agree Johansen has not been good lately, he looked like he was noticeably hobbling before he came off, with the game he likes to play he needs to be at full fitness and if that is the issue he should be rested, we have options at that position!

[dave58]

Thought they were very good their pressing game was good put us under a lot of pressure. quicker Sharper , slow start again, not at it for 20 mins, they could have been 3 up before we got going ,rest of 1st half we were ok. 2nd half they were all over us like a rash moved the ball quickly unlike our slow lethargic build up , really exposed our lack of pace, in defence and midfield, and but for Joe' gift feel we would have lost that game

[stanistheman]

Not a bad game to watch and yes, we could have lost it. However, we could have won it too if Chair had scored when clean through prior to his goal. Overall, got to be pleased with a point.

Too much passing the ball around the back for my liking. It is slow and allows the opposition to regroup and win the ball back. We need to get it moving forward quicker. I’m not sure why Dickie doesn’t run with the ball when able to instead of turning back to pass it to Dunne or Marshall.

As Gator says, Johansen was hobbling off and maybe needs a rest to be replaced with Hendrick.

We are still 4th and on course to challenge for 2nd place. Let’s go to Barnsley and get a rare win at Oakwell.

[3London]

Very strange game to watch

Middlesborough were very good and were very quick on to us - which seemed to unsettle us - we never seemed to have the ball under control - Barbet seemed to be the worst culprit.

if ever there was a night for Sanderson then this was it - both Dickie and Barbet seemed to struggle with the pace of the boro forward line.

interesting that Wallace has taken some stick on here - it didn't seem that way at the ground - if anything Albert seemed to be the one struggling and after the OG he seemed to completely lose his cool. I would have replaced him with Moses rather than Wallace.

We gifted the both goals

but bigger picture if you take four points from 6 from your rivals then you should finish above them.

I think Warburton need to think more about his subs - bringing Gray on did absolutely nothing as the midfield was under so much pressure that they were unable to create any chances for our front two.

I felt a bit sorry for Dykes who seemed to be picking balls out of the night sky all night long somewhere between the centre circle and the Pen box.

Little of no service from the wings which worked so well against reading.

Steffan - had a great game against reading and poor at Peterborough - if he has an illness or stomach bug then why risk him when you have a premier league midfielder on the bench!

We stuck in there and didn't lose against one of the form teams in the division s thats a positive i guess.

[MINCER]

I don't agree that we gifted both goals. Their first was really unlucky for us - a block that could have gone anywhere but fell straight to their player in the box. That stuff happens, unfortunately.

I thought Field was outstanding last night. Put himself about a lot, broke up their play where he could and drew lots of fouls. Just what we needed in a game like that.

Agreed,he was excellent and along with Marshall was the major reason why we managed to scramble a point.

[dave58]

Very strange game to watch

Middlesborough were very good and were very quick on to us - which seemed to unsettle us - we never seemed to have the ball under control - Barbet seemed to be the worst culprit.

if ever there was a night for Sanderson then this was it - both Dickie and Barbet seemed to struggle with the pace of the boro forward line.

interesting that Wallace has taken some stick on here - it didn't seem that way at the ground - if anything Albert seemed to be the one struggling and after the OG he seemed to completely lose his cool. I would have replaced him with Moses rather than Wallace.

We gifted the both goals

but bigger picture if you take four points from 6 from your rivals then you should finish above them.

I think Warburton need to think more about his subs - bringing Gray on did absolutely nothing as the midfield was under so much pressure that they were unable to create any chances for our front two.

I felt a bit sorry for Dykes who seemed to be picking balls out of the night sky all night long somewhere between the centre circle and the Pen box.

Little of no service from the wings which worked so well against reading.

Steffan - had a great game against reading and poor at Peterborough - if he has an illness or stomach bug then why risk him when you have a premier league midfielder on the bench!

We stuck in there and didn't lose against one of the form teams in the division s thats a positive i guess.

So Joe's wasn't a gift ???

[3London]

So Joe's wasn't a gift ???

Absolutely...never said it wasn't ..