Boro v Huddersfield 2-1 (Watmore, Fletcher pen)

[sanddancer 1,967]

6 minutes ago, TLF10 said:

You must have seen a different game to me. We absolutely dominated them first half and the second half up to the 70th minute was much to do about nothing. They came in to between 70-80th min and when we went down to 10 men they naturally found a further gear.

To say we were “very lucky” i think is a harsh assessment of our efforts and a very over the top assessment of Huddersfields.

I would love to see games through your eyes. 

[TeaCider24 12,646]

Just now, TheJew said:

Paddy red surely has to be appealed.

Can't see how it doesn't get overturned, but I'll need to watch it again once the blood settles.

[DanFromDownSouth 1,706]

Considering Hall and Fletcher haven't played much football in the past few months, I think both did well today. With Fletcher you could see by about the 65th/70th minute mark he was fatigued. Think Morsy and Howson as a midfield two has some promise as long as we have someone like Tav or Kebano in with them too, having Saville with those two (Morsy and Howson) lacks any real creativity or go forward.

1 big difference for me that won us the game, actually having someone alongside the striker, the first goal comes from Fletcher doing well to get something on the ball over, and Watmore being close by and gathering the loose ball. 

As the game wore on Huddersfield started to grow into the game a lot more, their substitutions really shifted momentum in their favour. Fisher couldn't deal with Rowe at all and the change to bring Spence on in his place worked to a degree. Did notice on a few occasions Huddersfield were hugely overloading on Spence's flank (I remember a 3 on 1), which at times left him a bit exposed, but I think some of that comes down to being a man down.

Might be a bit unpopular but I actually think Morsy had a really good game today, in terms of breaking up play and the general defensive side a bit more. Although I think in my opinion Watmore gets MoTM.

[Changing Times 12,347]

6 minutes ago, TeaCider24 said:

I'm leaning towards yes because of another game where we've had to wrongly hang on with 10 men for 10 minutes, but at 11 v 11 I'd struggle to argue that an equaliser wasn't fair.

Yeah I think that's about right.  Couldn't seem to get our attacking play going for most of the second half for some reason.  Kebano wasn't in the game much so those two things would be linked I guess.  Bright first half though, once we actually got going.

[sanddancer 1,967]

2 minutes ago, diggerlad07 said:

Stopped the rot and rode our luck throughout the game, but it doesn't matter, that is a massive massive 3pts.

Performance wasn't important for me, it was always about getting pts on the board which will hopefully build confidence going into a crucial period.

Games like this where you don't deserve anything, often change seasons so hopefully we can kick on and go on a run now.

Personally I thought the ref had a good game and we were winning a lot of poor niggly free-kicks. Looked to me that Hall was onside for the header but wouldn't need to say a different angle.

Red card decision for me was correct. It was reckless and unnecessary. Mcnair went in with force and showing studs which is a red by the law. If that was the other way round, we would be screaming for a red card so let's not kid ourselves saying it wasn't a red.

Need to be a lot better to get anything from the must win game against Reading at the weekend. We need to risk Fry for this game.

Watmore and Kebano were the real pluses for me tonight.

UTB!

 

I agree, hell I thought it was only me that made a fair assessment of the game. 

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

Now we're back to winning ways, time to introduce a new GIF.

[TeaCider24 12,646]

14 hours ago, TeaCider24 said:

Assombalonga missed a sitter after minutes, Kebano scored a beauty from the edge of the box in the 21st minute. 

Bettinelli actually made a couple of vital saves in the first half.

Hall defended embarrassingly to allow Aarons to equalise at the cusp of half time.

Boro got a soft penalty from a corner, easily saved as McNair telegraphed it all the way.

Then Boro got another penalty, this time for handball, McNair's shot is easily saved again.

Boro got a third penalty in the 84th minute, for handball by Jonathan Hogg, Assombalonga slotted away comfortably as McNair sulked in the corner. 2-1

Grant Hall gave away a penalty for a bad tackle in the 87th minute, but Bettinelli dived fantastically to save it and keep Boro in front.

Ended 2-1 Middlesbrough.

 

Now this totally accurate simulation means we're going to win

Obviously 2 of the Boro penalties were only missed because I'm *** at FIFA 21 penalties, and Hall only defended badly because of me, but it just seemed so realistic.

I don't want to say we won because of me playing FIFA and putting on a Boro top again, but the facts are there to see.

Edited February 16, 2021 by TeaCider24

[pikerman 1,121]

Positives - Hall brings some much needed steel into the cb position, Kebano looks really good but his lack of fitness showed in the second half, Watmore caused all sorts of problems with his direct running, Bola is improving all the time. Negatives - Bettenelli is a clown, Morsey is just so limited and a red card waiting to happen.  The rest were ok and Fletcher needed that game and goal

[diggerlad07 3,695]

7 minutes ago, sanddancer said:

I agree, hell I thought it was only me that made a fair assessment of the game. 

We will get crucified for having a different assessment to the game compared to the 'never' a red card Boro fans because a decision went against us 😂

[Borodane 6,301]

Phew. In the end it was a very lucky three points. The second half panned out exactly how I feared it would. Warnock went into game management mode and we suck at that. Left too much initiative to Huddersfield and that is very dangerous when you only have a one goal advantage. 

[TLF10 4,497]

18 minutes ago, sanddancer said:

I would love to see games through your eyes. 

You dont want to watch any boro game through my eyes. Not unless you want to sh*t yourself every game.

[TeaCider24 12,646]

8 minutes ago, diggerlad07 said:

We will get crucified for having a different assessment to the game compared to the 'never' a red card Boro fans because a decision went against us 😂

We'll see how the appeal goes.

I'm sure some people on here were also saying that it was a definite red card for Morsy against Luton too, they were wrong then as well.

[BoroSmoggie 2,710]

Still don’t really see what Morsy brings to the team bar giving stupid fouls away. Always gets booked and then is limited and has to play within himself for the remainder of the game. Saville over him any day for me.

Great win nonetheless, and hopefully McNair gets overturned. Hall, Watmore and Bola (again) played well.

[White Band 831]

9 minutes ago, diggerlad07 said:

We will get crucified for having a different assessment to the game compared to the 'never' a red card Boro fans because a decision went against us 😂

I need to see it again, but I think his studs may have been showing.  If his studs were showing then it is a red card. 

[DevKWat 2,371]

If Huddersfield had received a red for the same challenge I would’ve gave the ref the exact same level of criticism. As all EFL refs continue to show incompetence week after week, it’s beyond embarrassing. That’s never a red in a million years