BFTG Middlesbrough

[Sutekh]

Dour and workmanlike game, front players just couldn’t get on the end of something. Middlesbrough maintained a serious threat throughout. Definitely defences won the day. Big thanks to the lino for really annoying Colin halfway through the second half by denying their goal.

More of a team performance, don’t think any one player stood out but equally don’t think any one player let the side down. Consequently definitely a point earned and still waiting for the game where Reading beat Middlesbrough again.

[Millsy]

Fair assessment.

Clearly we're all feeling a bit dejected for not making it five on the bounce as there's not the usual rush to get ratings up.

A decent away performance, pretty solid in defence, clean sheet, all played fairly well. Holmes improving game by game. Aluko not disappointing. Ejaria showing his danger when people take their eye off him. 2nd best goal difference and second In the league.

My only concern, as I've been banging on about for months: I counted ONE decent cross by us all game. The other 2 were crap. They worked us out eventually by packing out the midfield but we still tried to walk right through the centre anyway.

But yeah, can't be disappointed by that. A very good team we have.

[Fox Talbot]

We were better side first half. Two points dropped. Owners clearly going for it this season. We need to be beating the likes of these.

Solid at the back but not ambitious or energetic enough going forward. Have to create more if we’re going to finish in top two.

Obvs miles better than I expected on 3 Sept and hats off to Velcro for making Reading interesting again.

[Jagermesiter1871]

Thought there was an element of us reverting back to Stam ball - a lot of knocking it around the back especially first half, something we haven't done for a while. That said good enough result, still joint top, still only 1 goal conceded. We move on.

[Royalwaster]

We were better side first half. Two points dropped. Owners clearly going for it this season. We need to be beating the likes of these.

Solid at the back but not ambitious or energetic enough going forward. Have to create more if we’re going to finish in top two.

Obvs miles better than I expected on 3 Sept and hats off to Velcro for making Reading interesting again.

In what way are owners going for it this season? We've hardly spent millions

[Snowball]

I think we would have won comfortably if Joao had been playing.


I know he started, but I meant if he had been PLAYING


Not his best game.

Moore and Morrison did well again, as did the FBs. Ejaria put in a very good shift. BORO didn't win, another record beaten.

If we can win these next two things will begin to look seriously promising.

(Banana Skin Alert).

[Simmops]

Awful game as bad as the Stan era

[Snowflake Royal]

Dour and workmanlike game, front players just couldn’t get on the end of something. Middlesbrough maintained a serious threat throughout. Definitely defences won the day. Big thanks to the lino for really annoying Colin halfway through the second half by denying their goal.

More of a team performance, don’t think any one player stood out but equally don’t think any one player let the side down. Consequently definitely a point earned and still waiting for the game where Reading beat Middlesbrough again.

Yeah, think that's a pretty good summary.

In earlier games, a few of those twinkle toe moments came off and someone would wriggle free to create something. Boro defended well and our touch just wasn't quite on point enough.

Cabral - 7 not tested too much, one horrid flap followed by a tip over I *think* was safe and a tip over off Morrison I don't think was.
Holmes - 6 acquitting himself fairly well, but less rampaging, some poor crossing and got beaten quite easily once or twice. Think he's quality though
Richards - 6 pretty solid effort
Morrison - 7 same old Morro, Mr reliable, but nearly scored an own goal
Moore - 8 really good couple of blocks to stop goals
Rinomhota - 7 bossed midfield
Laurent - 6 did a decent job
Olise - 7 good set pieces and some creativity, our only real shot on target
Meite - 6 caused some problems but didn't really happen from him
Ejaria - 7 not too effective, but went narrowly wide twice
Joao - 6 looked subdued compared to normal, didn't get a lot of service

Semedo - 6 some nice touches but didnt affect the game a lot - I thought he was a defensive player, have I misread / misremembered something - I thought he was cover for Rino / Laurent?
Puscas - 6 similar
Aluko - 6 similar

Boro look solid, classic mid-table Championship outfit. Hard to beat, but not likely to create a great deal.

[URZZZZ]

We were better side first half. Two points dropped. Owners clearly going for it this season. We need to be beating the likes of these.

Solid at the back but not ambitious or energetic enough going forward. Have to create more if we’re going to finish in top two.

Obvs miles better than I expected on 3 Sept and hats off to Velcro for making Reading interesting again.

Not sure that “we need to be beating the likes of these”, they’ve only lost once so far, and they have played three of the top five already (including two of the relegated clubs from last year)

After all, as a general rule of thumb, if you win your home games and draw your away ones, you’ll get promoted. Considering Boro are a well organised, solid team, and a Warnock side is never easy to beat, and given our record against them recently, I think it’s a very good point

[CountryRoyal]

Iirc Watford fans saying Boro were much the better team and were unlucky to lose to them.

Not the result we wanted but it’s not a bad point by any means.

[Royal_jimmy]

It was one of those games where we weren't able to really get going. Middlesbrough's shape made it quite tough for us to break them down. That said I think they tried to stop us playing more than they did trying to win the game themselves.

0-0 was a fair result albeit a bit disappointing. That shows how well we've started the season as we'd be pleased with an away point at most teams. Especially against our recent bogey side. Bournemouth couldn't win at Boro either so in the grand scheme of things today is a solid result. Also just 1 goal conceded in 5. Well done Paunovic and O'Shea making us hard to beat!

Rafael was my man of the match. His early saves were crucial, had one of those gone in it could have been a long afternoon. I was also impressed with Tom Holmes today although he got skinned a couple times. Saving him slack as he's no full back. I hope he gets some game time despite the new right back coming in.

Got our 2 easiest fixtures on paper next week so a great chance to be top on 19 points in 7 days time. Could me on more points by then than Wycombe will manage all season!

[windermereROYAL]

Awful game as bad as the Stan era

Stan who?

[AthleticoSpizz]

“Don’t tell him your name Pike”

[Lower West]

Slowly improving and coming together. At least this season , for the first time in a while, doesn't look like a relegation dogfight. Very little between the sides in this division.

[Zip]

Superb from both centre backs and Rinomhota but disjointed otherwise

Rafael. 7 One early flap but a couple of decent saves and good distribution
Holmes 6 Finished the game well but got beaten far too easily a couple of times
Morrison 8 Dominant in the air and generally passed well
Moore 8 Missed a header early on but a terrific second half
Richards 7 Very comfortable and lovely skill at times
Laurent 6 Fairly quiet but tracked back well
Rinomhota 8 Everywhere. One or two poor passes but otherwise lots of good work
Olise 6 Good first half but ineffective after the break
Ejaria 6 Our main threat in the second half but dwelt on the ball at times
Meite 5 Poor. Head down shoot at goal without looking up
Joao 6 Did ok but nowhere near his best

Semedo 6 Did one or two decent things
Puscas 6 No service but worked hard
Aluko 6 Good tracking back

We look very strong defensively but we really struggle to create. Do we play a change of formation against Wycombe and play both Joao and Puscas?

[Millsy]

Semedo - 6 some nice touches but didnt affect the game a lot - I thought he was a defensive player, have I misread / misremembered something - I thought he was cover for Rino / Laurent?

So did I

[Simmops]

Awful game as bad as the Stan era

Stan who?

Jack Stan

[Royals and Racers]

No one going to mention Josh Laurent`s miss from the Olise free-kick. Really should have hit the target.

[royalp-we]

Semedo - 6 some nice touches but didnt affect the game a lot - I thought he was a defensive player, have I misread / misremembered something - I thought he was cover for Rino / Laurent?

So did I

Likewise, on that showing he covers a lot of ground too. Which is welcome with Swift missing for some time yet.

[alfie9]

People are seriously exaggerating how boring this game was. It was lower tempo than our previous games but the team was still trying to attack and having shots... it was nowhere tear the turgidness of our worst Stamball performances.