Middlesbrough v Stoke City match thread

[In With the Lurpak]

I take it Ben Gibson got a cheer  at the start  ?

[Redsteel (Moderator)]

I take it Ben Gibson got a cheer  at the start  ?

I cheered when I knew he was in their starting 11         

[erimus74]

All the way from Colin Walsh, Ben Doak became the 45th different Boro loanee to score a goal when he recorded our 171st loanee goal

[Bud Wiser]

I take it Ben Gibson got a cheer  at the start  ?

I cheered when I knew he was in their starting 11         

So did I. He's now just a low league standard stopper, only capable of hoofing the ball away from danger. It was embarrassing how poor he's become ever since being cut free from Daniel Ayala's umbilical cord.

[tunstall]

Brilliant performance, and a good result against a piss-poor Stoke side

McGree made a big difference for us

Hackney back to his best

Azaz played well, but can and must do better

Ben Doak was brilliant on the right and can hopefully inspire Jonesy to better performances

That Brazo left back seems to be settling in a bit better at the back

It was great to see RVB back on the pitch as well

Thankfully we didn't miss Baldini at all

Two tough games coming up this next week.....we can win em both!

UTB

[erimus74]

Brilliant performance, and a good result against a piss-poor Stoke side

McGree made a big difference for us

Hackney back to his best

Azaz played well, but can and must do better

Ben Doak was brilliant on the right and can hopefully inspire Jonesy to better performances

That Brazo left back seems to be settling in a bit better at the back

It was great to see RVB back on the pitch as well

Thankfully we didn't miss Baldini at all

Two tough games coming up this next week.....we can win em both!

UTB

Agree though I thought Preston were awful & we failed to beat them, hopefully with McGree now back up & running, Doaks star performance, Azaz pinging balls around we'll go to the leaders in confident mood
This is the start of a tricky run of fixtures against tougher opposition before another boring international break

[erimus74]

Not only a Boro win, but a good performance, every player played their part, unlucky not to register more goals
ELL's goals will come, he was a constant menace & so unlucky with his header that hit the post

[fukyu]

Good result against an average side who came to play,I hope I'm wrong but I see us as a top half side at the minute,plenty of tippy tappy passing but not enough direct play when we're losing and times running out.

[ZiEgE]

Not only a Boro win, but a good performance, every player played their part, unlucky not to register more goals
ELL's goals will come, he was a constant menace & so unlucky with his header that hit the post

Agree with that assessment Erimus. He hit the post and had the keeper make a good stop. If he wasn't getting any chances I'd be worried.

McGree makes all the difference, that work rate and attacking intent from the left. We've missed him badly.

[erimus74]

Not only a Boro win, but a good performance, every player played their part, unlucky not to register more goals
ELL's goals will come, he was a constant menace & so unlucky with his header that hit the post

Agree with that assessment Erimus. He hit the post and had the keeper make a good stop. If he wasn't getting any chances I'd be worried.

McGree makes all the difference, that work rate and attacking intent from the left. We've missed him badly.

Totally agree, for me he's one of the most influential players in the Championship, he makes us tick, his constant moving around the pitch, his protection on Borges side, his one touch passing, then the goal itself with his two touches of the ball & curling effort on goal when the keeper could only parry into the path of Doak
Azaz had his best game too, may have been a coincidence mind

[erimus74]

Good result against an average side who came to play,I hope I'm wrong but I see us as a top half side at the minute,plenty of tippy tappy passing but not enough direct play when we're losing and times running out.

I can see where you're coming from, teams have benefitted when they set up to frustrate us with us failing to capitalise on our superiority then we seem to drop back & our game plan suffers
Agree, Stoke sort of played into our hands & unless we can overcome teams who park the bus we'll continue to drop vital points which could make the diference between 4th & 8th

[fukyu]

Good result against an average side who came to play,I hope I'm wrong but I see us as a top half side at the minute,plenty of tippy tappy passing but not enough direct play when we're losing and times running out.

I can see where you're coming from, teams have benefitted when they set up to frustrate us with us failing to capitalise on our superiority then we seem to drop back & our game plan suffers
Agree, Stoke sort of played into our hands & unless we can overcome teams who park the bus we'll continue to drop vital points which could make the diference between 4th & 8th

That's going to be our major problem, we'll give the obvious promotion candidates a game but look who we've dropped points against already. Carrick needs to get a plan b for these teams.Possesion doesn't win games.

[TommyDickfingers]

Wow, Stoke were woeful and the tippy-tappy shite they were doing at the back made us look like long ball merchants !!

Thought McGree made a huge difference shoring up the left hand side and Doak was positive in everything he tried to do.

Improvement on previous performances but without trying to sound glass half full, the opposition were dogshit.