Leeds Utd v Middlesbrough Match Thread

[1964white]

Doak was frightening against Burnley. The fact that he looked average tonight was down to Wober and Pascal.

Totally agree.

Wober had a good game.

[Carrick Dave]

Completely agree, if Piroe put in that performance, he'd have been slated. All Joseph seems to do is foul and give the ball away. He has potential, but is far away from being starting striker.

Problem is, neither is Piroe. He doesn’t have the stamina for 70 at the intensity we need.

Our early lead tonight was in part down to Joseph closing at pace.

[Sean_Nile]

So you weren't missing negativity and if we keep everything that you said (reverse the reversing) that is how you feel.

Smarty pants, you take things too literally.

[Jaydog]

So you weren't missing negativity and if we keep everything that you said (reverse the reversing) that is how you feel.

No. Yes. He’s actually reversing the reverse so in actual fact he means what he says originally.
Its a difficult technique that’s popular in Finland.
Hölynpölyä.

[The Subhuman]

You know, that will be interesting to follow. So far, Mateo appears to breeze International U21s but fails to score in men’s football at sub-Premier level.

Piroe is proven at Championship level, has he had an International career?

Not sure about Piroe in Internationals, But Joseph is still a kid. All the building blocks are there and we're really good at writing off young quality on this forum

[Cjay]

You know, that will be interesting to follow. So far, Mateo appears to breeze International U21s but fails to score in men’s football at sub-Premier level.

Piroe is proven at Championship level, has he had an International career?

Former UEFA U19 European Championship golden boot winner.

Was a prolific goalscorer in International and youth club football.

[1964white]

Thought Joseph was a complete non factor myself.

Never held the ball up, wasn't involved on the game I don't think.

Worst player for us today imo.

Not my Piroe bias either I genuinely felt he was at best ineffective and at worst really crap.

One of the worse displays I've seen from a No.9

Your man Piroe did very well, we needed a cool head up top to recover the game we had lost in the first 25 minutes of the second-half.

[Carrick Dave]

Former UEFA U19 European Championship golden boot winner.

Was a prolific goalscorer in International and youth club football.

Thanks cjay, what's happened since?

Not attacking him, just don't know.

[Jaydog]

Weasel said exactly what I was thinking (honest ) in that Joseph seems to need that pinpoint cross. He doesn’t seem to have the movement to outfox a defender atm. But I wouldn’t write him off as he seems to lack a little confidence.
Of course Piroe will start next game and it wont work and then everyone will be on his back.
We are a bit Jekyll & Hyde home & away.

[SG90]

[/b]

Problem is, neither is Piroe. He doesn’t have the stamina for 70 at the intensity we need.

Our early lead tonight was in part down to Joseph closing at pace.

Yep we need a number 9 in January, even if it's only a loan

[Cjay]

Thanks cjay, what's happened since?

Not attacking him, just don't know.

He scored a lot of goals in the Championship

He did quite well in limited minutes in the Dutch football.

1 goal in 127 minutes at PSV,

2 goals in 1 game in the Europa League

2 goals in 385 minutes when on loan at Rotterdam.

But grew frustrated with minutes so moved to Swansea

He's been prolific at every level he's played at.

[Cjay]

One of the worse displays I've seen from a No.9

Your man Piroe did very well, we needed a cool head up top to recover the game we had lost in the first 25 minutes of the second-half.

He was disappointing, especially his hold up play which is held up as a strength, I think he lost every duel.

Piroe and his experience was key as you say,

[weasel]

Weasel said exactly what I was thinking (honest ) in that Joseph seems to need that pinpoint cross. He doesn’t seem to have the movement to outfox a defender atm. But I wouldn’t write him off as he seems to lack a little confidence.
Of course Piroe will start next game and it wont work and then everyone will be on his back.
We are a bit Jekyll & Hyde home & away.

How did my fingers get so dirty?

Gosh I've done it again! Seriously though wash them don't lick them.

When Joseph first made his few cameo appaearnaces last season, and his performances for the Spanish, it lookeds like he had that striker's instinct. This season he just doesn't seem to have that and seems to continually getting into the wrong positions. There was a great cross played into him and he was completely on the wrong side. At that point someone like Kane finds a way to get in front of the defender and poke the ball home. It doesn't even need to be Kane, strikers like Billy Sharp, as an example, have that knack of behing able to get to the ball first. A couple of minutes later and Boro equalise, thankfully it didn't cost us in the end.

[weasel]

For me it was a very comfortable performace and deserved win for us tonight. Boro did try to take the game to us but we were comfortably best and even when they had a good spell in the second half we were creating chances - in fact Boro's best (only) 2 chances were when we over committed and got stretched. The gulf in class, combined with our workrate, was evident although I have to give credit to Boro for giving it a go rather than just coming to defend en masse and then opting for damage limitation when behind.

[Barlow Boy]

Another thoroughly good game, and fair play to the Boro fans, some good banter between us all too

[Carrick Dave]

He scored a lot of goals in the Championship

He did quite well in limited minutes in the Dutch football.

1 goal in 127 minutes at PSV,

2 goals in 1 game in the Europa League

2 goals in 385 minutes when on loan at Rotterdam.

But grew frustrated with minutes so moved to Swansea

He's been prolific at every level he's played at.

No doubt - I just wonder what happened internationally after his shining at U19.

He's the most clinical finisher we have by a mile, but other attributes must be holding him back?

[1964white]

He was disappointing, especially his hold up play which is held up as a strength, I think he lost every duel.

Piroe and his experience was key as you say,

Didn't even jump for any of the header duels, his feet were stuck to the ground.

Without seeing the game again, how good was the James cross, it seemed from the kop end, Joseph didn't react quick enough & the ball flew across the goal begging for a striker to get on the end of it.

[Irish Ian]

In his defence Josephs chance led to the first goal

[Cjay]

Didn't even jump for any of the header duels, his feet were stuck to the ground.

Without seeing the game again, how good was the James cross, it seemed from the kop end, Joseph didn't react quick enough & the ball flew across the goal begging for a striker to get on the end of it.

I think Mateo tries what probably works at youth level and he tries to use his strength and hold the defender off.

And he's a powerful young man and against less experienced players it works fine. He's not that tall so he sees using his strength on the ground as the way forward?

But he's not a big bloke really, 5ft11 maybe? Strong build but so are Championship cbs and most of them have a few inches on him and a lot more experience so more often than not they just lever him aside.

He will get better at it but will need time and maybe less pressure?

The James ball was quality and again maybe inexperience on Joseph's part?

As Ian says he did play a part in the opening goal tbf but it was his only contribution

[Jammy 07]

Just back from ER and what was a really enjoyable game. Obviously the result helps but I'd much rather be watching a match where both teams have quality and the outcome is seriously in doubt for the full 90 mins rather than some of the one sided affairs we've witnessed lately.

Also a massive well done to all our players tonight who as a group were outstanding with no weak links whatsoever. However if I had to pick out a standout performer it would be Tanaka...or Rothwell...err or Dan James...or maybe Aaronson.

Special shout out to Piroe the supersub as that was exactly what we were seeing earlier in the season and he showed excellent quality once again in those final 20 mins just when it was needed the most.