Boro v Stoke City 1-1

[Borodane 6,301]

A draw on the opening day is ok. We created a few chances and kept stoke from creating anything bar a brilliant free kick that Valdes perhaps should have saved.

[gephind 7]

Happy

[Dan1234 1,056]

Good solid performance, excellent in the first half, Adomah had a mare last 20 minutes, and Downing needs to do more.

[MGMKLML 2]

Disappointed.

Your thoughts on Downing?

[Dan_Boro_Till_I_Die 1,181]

That goal we conceded was frustrating because he played advantage for them. Its a good point and I would of taken that before the game.i think Aitor didn't change it around because he must of felt we could of got a point

[Jamie-H 1,322]

Left with familiar thoughts on my mind after that game... Adomah and Downing.

 

Rest of the team did fine even Forshaw impressed if not as much as De Roon did the team can be proud of the effort but Adomah once again messes up most of our attacks and Downing on the left wing would be fine if it was 2009 but it isn't 2009 we need a winger.

[Aarfy_Aardvark 38]

Yeah a lot of positives we can take from this game. Clearly we can hold our own against the other "middle" teams in the division. (Again Stoke are a side we should be trying to emulate.)

 

Negatives are that we didn't capatilise on that early pressure and killed the game off in the first half. Plus we didn't really give Stoke that much of the ball so its a little disappointing that we drew, when we could have snuck it.

 

Still, a good point against good opposition and we are on the board now. Let's just build on this and keep the positive vibes going throughout the season.

 

ITS GOOD TO BE BACK!

[Smoggie_in_Canada 10]

Good result for us and a good way to christen our first game in the premier league.

 

I hope AK sits them down and shows them the stuff they can't do in the premier league. There were lots of individual moments that the players just can't do and not expect to be punished in this league that they were able to get away with in the championship.

 

I do agree the referee was dire at times, I'm glad they managed to get Gaston off the pitch before he was sent off he was like a time bomb, constantly getting involved in little scuffles.

 

Bring on Sunderland we'll show them who the top team in the north east is I'm sure!

 

Edit: I forgot to say there were a lot of good things the players did too, I just meant if we can cut out the smaller individual things we'll make our own lives easier.

[pikerman 1,121]

Why do we need to buy another central defender, Barragan has been excellent that half, Ramirez looks a class above and Friend has certainly answered his critics, now let us keep it going.

 

Because if both Gibson and Ayala get injured we're ***ed.

 

What about Espinosa Dell where does he figure ?

[BlackTreacle 5]

We probably should have won it was a decent point at home to a decent team. Could be worse Burnley lost at home to Swansea.

[2plus2 290]

I'm happy. A solid result against a decent Stoke team. A fair result too, and it's nice to know that it took a bit of magic to break us down rather then a mistake or lapse. All players did pretty well.

 

My only criticism would be that we didn't take the few chances that came our way to make it 2-0. Going to point the finger at Adomah for this one. He didn't have a bad game, but he's not Premier League quality. Gave the ball away a few times needlessly and he doesn't have the top tier composure to finish or supply at key points in the game. A real asset to our squad, and such a useful option off the bench with his pace and direct play, but we really need to bring in a better right midfielder. In my opinion it could be the difference between us finishing somewhere in the bottom 5 or 6, or finishing mid-table.

 

Good start though. On to Sunderland next who aren't as good as Stoke, and yet to be seen how they will react to losing Big Sam.

[Brunners 7,982]

Why do we need to buy another central defender, Barragan has been excellent that half, Ramirez looks a class above and Friend has certainly answered his critics, now let us keep it going.

 

Because if both Gibson and Ayala get injured we're ***ed.

 

What about Espinosa Dell where does he figure ?

 

When he's back in October we can reassess then.

[Prowler 197]

I would very much like to see Fischer start the next game, Downing basically vanished bar a few decent passes and I don't think he did much defensively at all.

 

Think de Roon, for the little time he was on, showed that he;s going to be an absolutely massive player for us and Friend does not look out of place in this league.

 

Our right side looks very weak. Adomah, for all the good he does messes up far too many time and I don't think Nsue is gonna cut it at RB. I can definitely see Barragan - Ayala - Gibson - Friend being our main defensive line up.

[chipchat 61]

Can't complain at a draw in the first game back up. From the bits I saw of it (between power failures), Negredo looked good, Clayton looked solid, Barragan pretty good. Adomah seemed to lose possession a bit easily at times towards the end. That'll do for starters, first point on the board.

[Andyboro 73]

badly badly need a new RW im sorry but adomah is just not good enough, he is to wasteful with the ball and far to inconstant with crossing