Just to clarify/quantify.If someone has done that to you,I don't condone that in the slightest...It's abhorrent!!
To some extent, Boro did a City tonight. Missed chances, failed to kill us off and came to regret it. Meanwhile we were uncharacteristically clinical. Scoring from a set piece and making it look simple, and then the second goal was everything I wish we'd do more often. Vinagre's every touch on that run was spot on, drove at them and put a dangerous ball in. Doc's tee up was perfect and you could see that Tufan was in a great position and he's exactly the guy you want shooting from there, and of course he buried it. That was Tufan's City career in microcosm today; he came on and got a lot of little bits wrong, some poor decisions and losses of possession, but his finishing is the best of our squad and he showed that again. It's an enigma because others are so much more reliable than him in general play, but occasionally his shooting wins you a game. If he could teach Delap how to shoot like he does then we'd have the best striker outside the PL. Allsop. I don't like coming on and saying I told you so, but people really are too over the top with their criticism sometimes. All week it's been about dropping him, how he's not a shot stopper. Turns out he is a bloody good shot stopper after all, just as we knew he was a month or so ago before people chose to forget about all of his previous good saves because of a couple of mistakes. It's another reminder not to be so extreme all the time. Likewise Rosenior. Whenever we lose in the second half he gets slammed for his subs. This time the subs look great. Realistically, managers can only do so much and sometimes it'll work and sometimes it won't. We shouldn't be so extreme on that either.
Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick told BBC Radio Tees: "I thought we played some really good football tonight. We were fantastic defensively in general and gave them next to nothing and yet we're coming away without the points - it's hugely disappointing. "The boys and the performance deserved a lot more rewards than we got tonight, but that's the game, it's ruthless and you've got to be ruthless in both boxes and it was another one that has got away. "I thought we were in control. We started very well, very aggressive, and had control of the second half. I thought the next goal would come, but obviously it didn't quite come. "We looked like ourselves for large parts of it and I thought we played some very good stuff so I've got no problems with that side of things. If we play like that more often we will be absolutely fine." Hull City boss Liam Rosenior told BBC Radio Humberside: "We weren't at our level - it was probably the worst in terms of football we have played in that first half out of the last three games so at half-time I said it's not about football any more, it's about who we are as people. "And to show the character and for the subs to come on and show the character that they did, it tells me we have a group who are together and who believe we can do something really good this year. "We changed our formation for the second half, but it's about spirit. "When I see my whole team celebrating in front of the goal they've just defended with three magnificent blocks, sometimes that means more than building out from the back or having possession - it's about spirit and determination and we've got to keep that going."
We were as bad as I’ve seen first half so to win after that takes guts and determination. Well done all.
Or maybe, the building out from the back/having possession is just pointless, and actually being brave with the ball and trying to score is the way forward?
We were shocking first half and Allsop had a couple brain farts playing out from the back. The run up to this game also saw him make several mistakes that led to us dropping points. As good as his saves were in the final minute, that doesn’t invalidate the previous criticisms of him.
Keeping is a lot about confidence and this performance will have boosted him immeasurably after some dodgy games. I think he’ll now improve again as a result. If he doesn’t, time for Ingram.
That first line rings true, like Watford did to us, you sometimes win when you've been **** and lose when you've been great, all that matters is the league table, and mid Dec to be level on points with 6th is cracking
It doesn't change the fact that he's made a couple of mistakes in recent weeks, you're right. But it does remind you of the context that he's been good overall, saved us on multiple occasions including tonight, and puts the two mistakes into a context that shows how reactionary and over the top the calls to drop him were, as well as the accusations that he plays not on merit but because he's Rosenior's mate.
Completely about Twine he needs to show he can play he has not done that yet. Tufan on the other hand has. And he showed it todqy by scoring with a great shot that few in the team could have taken like he did.
I really want our squad to be consistent, because all of the players that came on made a difference, but for some reason when they start they're nowhere near as effective and end up getting pilloried on here.
A weird start to the evening proceedings, got up at 2.30 am, found out Tiger + was not available in Vietnam, thanks to VPN got the picture only to find it was showing Man City's game, which continued until about 10 minutes into our game when it switched over finally only to find we were already 1-0 down. Most odd. It's fair to say we weren't very good first half, and probably the worst we have played all season. Boro started well, got their goal, but gradually got worse. They did press us high, which did make it difficult, and we just couldn't get any rhythm going. We did start better in the 2nd half, but the game changed when Vinagre and Tufan came on, and Liam changed the shape. Fair play to all the subs, Doch did well and got an assist. Seri in particular didn't have the best of games, and we did look better when Morton took over that role. On the goals, interesting that Greaves near post header, which Delap finished off, was more or less identical to when Allahyar scored from a similar position when we last scored from a corner, we need to try that more often. Really nice move for the 2nd, Vinagre getting past his man, putting a dangerous ball into the box, and Doch there to set up a goal for Tufan who took it very well. I thought both Jones and Greaves had good games, as did Slater. I was advocating before the game that I would like to see Vinagre on the left and Coyle on the right, and when that finally happened, we did look a lot better balanced. The final words go to Alsopp, he has had a couple of iffy games, but he certainly won us the game with the 3 saves at the end, delighted for him, and will give his a confidence boost. We have played better and lost, but great credit to all concerned to come back for behind to snatch the win. What a lovely sight to see the togetherness at the final whistle. P.S. It was a pity Connolly didn't score, I would have loved to see what celebration he would have conjured up, as the Boro fans were giving him some stick.
it’s fairly simple, he’s not a winger. So stop playing him there for our sake and his sake. Same with Adama, he’s a classy on the ball probably a far better technical player than Twine but can’t show it on the wings. It’s making them look players they aren’t. Id like to see Vinagre and Vaughan get a bit of game time. Both can go past a man, which is not in Twines locker. He’s a simple player passes what he sees infront of him, turning and find space with the ball isn’t in his game.
