Middlesbrough - v - Leeds United *** Matchday Thread***

[Rev72]

We had the rub with one decision , hardly makes up for the two 100% nailed on certain pens we did not get against Sunderland , but we'll take it , god knows we were due it!

[Rev72]

Middlesbrough wanted to play football, which definitely helped us at the end of the day.

Our attempt at playing the low block (for a time) wasn't pretty.

Still might not be enough, but it was more entertaining (at times, a bit TOO entertaining) to watch.

Agreed.

The "art" of defending went out the window last night though

[Billyni]

Thought Bamford just spent the night waiting on the last defender to miss the ball. Maybe that's what you do, dunno.
Piroe was knocking them in for lesser team last season so what has changed other than our coach not knowing how to get the best from him.
Any luck we had we deserved considering we should have been given penalties in the last 2 games .
Again though, we made it harder than necessary. The last 20 minutes were really trouser explosion time.

[UbiqueLUFC33]

Thought Bamford just spent the night waiting on the last defender to miss the ball. Maybe that's what you do, dunno.
The last 20 minutes were really trouser explosion time.

Why were you watching p_orn during the game?

[Tichi1]

No, he's simply realised that we don't need to play "keep ball" in order to score, we need to attack when we have it!. But I think in Firpo we have a real "assist machine" who really ought not to be starting at LB

Don't think he's "Suddenly realised" anything. Every game is contested between two teams - both having plans and tactics, in the case of teams that come to spoil and sit back we are given the ball as they don't venture far from their own goal [Huddersfield, Blackburn, Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland etc etc] so that puts the onus on US to attack - the aternative being a none-contest if everyone sits back awaiting the opposition - Last night - and against Ipswich twice, Leicester twice and a few others - games you give as examples of how we played well - we didn't come up against a team not prepared to give it a go - and the result was an open attacking game that suits us and our counter attacking style... and resulted in 3 points in the bag in each case - some luckily - but an OPEN game is where we will excel. Farke cannot dictate what the opposition does, he can only plan to counter it, and if we come up short it's not because of lack of effort - more a case of a lack of ability - ie - few players with the skills to unlock packed defences.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Thought Bamford just spent the night waiting on the last defender to miss the ball. Maybe that's what you do, dunno.
Piroe was knocking them in for lesser team last season so what has changed other than our coach not knowing how to get the best from him.
Any luck we had we deserved considering we should have been given penalties in the last 2 games .
Again though, we made it harder than necessary. The last 20 minutes were really trouser explosion time.

Pretty much my thoughts too.

At the start of the season we were playing Rutter up top with Piroe behind which seemed to suit him. We then switched them and didn’t suit Piroe but obviously does Rutter.

He now seems to come on for Bamford up top and not really his best position (but still better than Bambi imho).

If you rewatch the Bamford goal he seems to be pulling out of the challenge (not very striker like) their keeper doesn’t go for it and it then hits him. So whilst a super important goal not sure he intended it.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

If you look at the penalty again, Bambi appears to be in the area when Summerville takes it. If VAR was in operation the the kick would have to be retaken.

It’s stupid mistakes like that which Bambi is prone to.

[WTF11]

Don't think he's "Suddenly realised" anything. Every game is contested between two teams - both having plans and tactics, in the case of teams that come to spoil and sit back we are given the ball as they don't venture far from their own goal [Huddersfield, Blackburn, Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland etc etc] so that puts the onus on US to attack - the aternative being a none-contest if everyone sits back awaiting the opposition - Last night - and against Ipswich twice, Leicester twice and a few others - games you give as examples of how we played well - we didn't come up against a team not prepared to give it a go - and the result was an open attacking game that suits us and our counter attacking style... and resulted in 3 points in the bag in each case - some luckily - but an OPEN game is where we will excel. Farke cannot dictate what the opposition does, he can only plan to counter it, and if we come up short it's not because of lack of effort - more a case of a lack of ability - ie - few players with the skills to unlock packed defences.

Dont disagree with the vast majority of what you say (surprise, surprise), but (not so surprising!), Der Fuhrer may not be able to dictate what others do, although as you say he SHOULD plan to counter it. Fact is, since the end of March when we drew against Watford, we haven't managed in any way shape or form to overcome teams who sit back, the result against Dull being singularly lucky in many ways, certainly NOT as a result of a modified "plan" to overcome a team who weren't exactly on the front foot.

Surely it's not unreasonable to expect the manager to have such plans, working on the (again) not unreasonable assumption that not every team will want (or be able) to mix it as more capable teams have? We have plenty of past experience where there wasn't a plan B, and we know how it ended. If promotion is to be gained (and I acknowledge there are some who aren't entirely enthused) then we need to have that plan B, and Mondays win showed some evidence that it exists (or was it just pure chance, if so not exactly reassuring).

[Billyni]

Dont disagree with the vast majority of what you say (surprise, surprise), but (not so surprising!), Der Fuhrer may not be able to dictate what others do, although as you say he SHOULD plan to counter it. Fact is, since the end of March when we drew against Watford, we haven't managed in any way shape or form to overcome teams who sit back, the result against Dull being singularly lucky in many ways, certainly NOT as a result of a modified "plan" to overcome a team who weren't exactly on the front foot.

Surely it's not unreasonable to expect the manager to have such plans, working on the (again) not unreasonable assumption that not every team will want (or be able) to mix it as more capable teams have? We have plenty of past experience where there wasn't a plan B, and we know how it ended. If promotion is to be gained (and I acknowledge there are some who aren't entirely enthused) then we need to have that plan B, and Mondays win showed some evidence that it exists (or was it just pure chance, if so not exactly reassuring).

Pure chance unfortunately.
I doubt that if allowing them to attack us, was ever a plan.

[WTF11]

Pure chance unfortunately.
I doubt that if allowing them to attack us, was ever a plan.

Why not? Others accept.the challenge, knowing what the opposition will most likely do?