wilsoncgp

I don't think I've ever seen a more eccentric keeper play for Middlesbrough than Victor Valdes. Liable to errors early on from sweeping, also capable of pointing the finger as others have said, when it wasn't warranted. And yet I still think he's probably the best keeper in terms of quality that I've maybe ever seen play for us. Which is quite something as I was not one of those gushing over his signing at all, I didn't actually think much of his time at Barca and the early games for us only began cementing my opinion that he wasn't quite the coup some thought it was. Even leaving under the circumstances he did doesn't do enough to tarnish the quality I think he had.

Yeah, you're right on that front I think. As much as I despise Pulis for his time here and how he threw away using the wingers he did bring in at times, the one that still always baffles me a little is the Jack Harrison comments. Don't get me wrong, I think the lad has come on leaps and bounds but he's not the only player who has improved a lot under a world class manager. I don't think that he was ever going to be that player under Pulis in those 6 months. I also understand the comments who were just disappointed we never used him, same as with Roberts right now (there are a few here who just want to see the lad given a chance now, even if they're not heralding him as the Championship's Juninho) but I don't think there's any guarantee we'd have got even half of what Bielsa has got out of him. Roberts has still got things to prove too, he's not been on the pitch very much but he's not done a huge amount this season when he has been on it either. There's a balance to be struck here, get him on the pitch so we can call him *** rather than calling him class when he's not on it. 😄

I don't think Roberts would have made the difference on his own between winning and losing this game, or even getting a point. But he should have been on the pitch to give us more energy on the pitch, how we can look so void of energy and still only make 3 out of our potential 5 changes is beyond me, 2 of which came in the 88th and 90th minutes.

There's no doubt we looked shattered. But goodness me, when you're shattered, why do you wait until 5 minutes left to make changes. Also, I think that challenge on Britt looks like more of a penalty than the one we actually got.

Shocking ball, that.

He surely gives himself a chance by standing the right side of the goal, though? He's stood on his near post from what I can tell. It's a good finish, but he's put the spotlight on himself with bad keeping already today. Now he's deservedly under the spotlight over any decision he makes.

Well we know Warnock was happy with the point at 2-2 as they've changed their minds twice on the change they're making around the goals.

Where is Bettinelli standing there when that shot comes in?

Well. Incredible.

It's very difficult to see if there is a touch on Britt there, the lad does stretch his leg out and doesn't connect with the ball. Whether he touches Britt on the hell or something, I don't know.

GET IN THERE

Good work again from Howson getting into the box there, man looks shattered but finds a second wind. Daft challenge from Huddersfield defender. Don't even know if he catches him to be fair.

PENALTY COME ON

Thing is as well, again, if the lads are knackered, there's no use in leaving them on to get even more knackered.

If it really is just that the lads are knackered then we should be making changes just to get some energy onto the pitch. There's only 12 minutes left, if now isn't the right time to make those changes, when is?