Old Codger 3,039 Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 Think start just did too many heads in........perhaps might have helped if Saville started instead of Wing and then put Lewis on for him or Clayton last half hour. We missed pace of Coulson but after the kicking he got from Derby, probably right to save him for Friday and although he did not see much of ball, Fletch's running helped create space for Nmecha and the lad seemed to get more confident as time went on. Result more or less as expected, but I am going to take it as they won the first half and we won the second. .....and our supporters outshouted theirs for virtually the whole game...so no contest in that battle. Liddle did look overawed, but he did play a couple of decent balls and I have seen many poorer debuts than that, so I will reserve judgement till I see him against Championship players, not internationals..finally, if we can't get Spence to sign new contract, make sure we get a cast-iron sell-on clause in the transfer deal as he is going to end up in Prem one way or another 2 Link to post Share on other sites
BoroSmoggie 2,678 Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 42 minutes ago, morrissey said: Agree with that re: Liddle but here's the thing, he is 21 not 17/18. You would have thought he'd have had chances before now if he looked good enough and on that showing...he isn't, though playing alongside Wing tonight can't have been easy, he was woeful. Really like the look of Nmecha, pacy, aggressive and decent touch, think he'll cause problems for Championship defences when fully up to speed. Djed Spence...well, only a handful of games so far but it's clear to a blind man on a galloping horse that this kid is quality and will only improve. All in all, a really good 2nd half showing and thought Saville was terrific when he came on. All players mature and progress at different ages. Wing was 23/24 when he started doing well for us. Far to early to write off a player making his pro debut at 21 away to the champions league finalists! Let’s see if he can put in some decent performances against championship teams first, he might even need a loan to a league 1/2 side to get some regular game time. Link to post Share on other sites
DurhamRed 2,043 Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 Well it was a good performance in the end did fear for the worst when 2 down so early from stupid individual mistakes that were from two of the most experience players in Howson and Mejias. But to get a 2-1 against a out of form champions league finalists isn't too bad. I am just really happy too of witnessed a boro goal and though Saville played well along side Tav. But have to say Spence is some talent immense. Just a real shame we are playing Fulham Friday night as if the game had been switched to the Sunday think we could of given this a better go with Roberts, Tav and Coulson starting. Would of made it a lot more interesting as Spurs are proper shaky at the back. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Lord_Moose 387 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 I think Woodgate got the team selection wrong this game and whatever game plan we had went out the window very early and we didn't adapt quick enough, Mejias was obviously at fault for the 1st and Howson and McNair for the 2nd. Poor errors cost us but we were much better second half. I do think though that Woodgate made good substitutions; Saville had a great impact, Tav was attacking and full of running and Gestede caused problems, I think he got a flick on for the goal? Nmecha looked good and could have scored, Djed was definitely man of the match for me. I think the game passed Liddle by without him being able to have any impact but the lad does need to go out and play regularly so who knows. Pretty much as expected in the end really, not disappointed to have lost and hopefully we can keep our league form going against Fulham! 2 Link to post Share on other sites
SmogDane 4,052 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Gooooood 2nd half .. JIMMYYYYYYYYY!!!! Link to post Share on other sites
Brunners 7,952 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 8 minutes ago, Lord_Moose said: I think Woodgate got the team selection wrong this game and whatever game plan we had went out the window very early and we didn't adapt quick enough, Mejias was obviously at fault for the 1st and Howson and McNair for the 2nd. Poor errors cost us but we were much better second half. I do think though that Woodgate made good substitutions; Saville had a great impact, Tav was attacking and full of running and Gestede caused problems, I think he got a flick on for the goal? Nmecha looked good and could have scored, Djed was definitely man of the match for me. I think the game passed Liddle by without him being able to have any impact but the lad does need to go out and play regularly so who knows. Pretty much as expected in the end really, not disappointed to have lost and hopefully we can keep our league form going against Fulham! I thought so, but on the replays it looked awfully like it was Sanchez who actually flicked it on. EIther way, he did really well to get involved in the play there and either head it on or force Sanchez to do so. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
wilsoncgp 9,230 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 51 minutes ago, morrissey said: Agree with that re: Liddle but here's the thing, he is 21 not 17/18. You would have thought he'd have had chances before now if he looked good enough and on that showing...he isn't, though playing alongside Wing tonight can't have been easy, he was woeful. Well, no, you wouldn't. Remember, he's trying to get a game in centre midfield where we kept buying players like it was going out of fashion. Since he was 17, we have had Leadbitter, Clayton, Forshaw, Zuculini, De Roon, Guedioura, Howson, Baker, Besic, De Sart, McNair, Wing, Saville, Tav. Not all of those have been given the chance in centre mid from the off or consistently either. McNair had to be a substitute utility player / shoddy right back for a season, Saville got pushed out to left back towards the end of last season, Tav came through as a winger, Wing was playing for Shildon at Liddle's age. I'd say the fact Liddle is still here says we think there is something about the lad and I think his lack of opportunities, especially this season, is more about what we've been paying for in front of him. As someone else has said too, him being 21 means very little when he's still played so few first team games. He's not definitely going to make it, nobody definitely makes it, but let's not be so hasty in writing a young lad off after one start against a Premier League team. Link to post Share on other sites
Erimus 63 478 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Pity about the first half. However, a good second half, showing the club in a very good light for any prospective signings to finish off the transfer window. Link to post Share on other sites
BillyWoofs_shinpad 1,884 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 9 hours ago, BoroJake said: Same with the second one. A bit dodgy on both I think maybe Meijas only had one pair of gloves and didn’t want to get them wet or dirty, bearing in mind that the spare pair had already been “used” by Lewis Wing. In those circumstances, l can see why he was reluctant to soil his new gloves and so tried to save everything with his feet or knees in the first half. Link to post Share on other sites
Will 2,958 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Nmecha looks a bit like Gestede with a good infusion of footballing talent, look forward to seeing more of him as he gets up to speed. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
BelgianBoro 765 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 I think that this was the best result we could have got. Mejias's confidence doesn't matter so much - he's not going to play again for another 4 years. We don't have to play extra games with the small squad we have. We weathered the storm, finished on a high and really looked the part at the end. The Fulham match is the next hurdle and I think we should be able to do them based on our recent matches. Nmecha looks like a real player - fast, strong and good movement. He'll cause Woody a headache - who to play now with Fletcher : Roberts or Nmecha! 2 Link to post Share on other sites
BoroMart 139 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 9 hours ago, HoyteForLeftBack said: Contentious topic around the living room tonight: why did mejias squat down like he was having a poo for the first goal. I would have thought you’d just gamble and go one way or t’other. Suggestions are his brain was scrambled due to either his error or the occasion, orrrrrrr he’s just ***. you can see he twitches left, I think he gambled on a near post shot, and was off balance to make an attempt at a dive to his right Link to post Share on other sites
mendieta420 988 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 (edited) if you havent seen the post match presser thought we were alright/good all things considered.. would've liked to see the main starting 11 with tav, roberts, coulson, etc but with fulham in a few days i understand why.. liddle was very very poor. at 21 you'd expect him much further down the line than that. Edited January 15, 2020 by mendieta420 Link to post Share on other sites
Dan_Boro_Till_I_Die 1,179 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Throwing Ben Liddle under the bus after one game against Spurs... Let's see how he does in our own leauge before writing him off. 4 Link to post Share on other sites
Woof Woof 84 Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Firstly I know nothing but I just wanted to say I was gutted by that 1st half performance and indeed most of the 2nd half, they just looked like lambs to the slaughter or rabbits in headlights or something like that. It looks like they just froze to me. I really hope they don't play like this in the league otherwise this good run could be dead. Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts