Middlesbrough v Leeds United Match Thread

[Sean_Nile]

Why does everyone focus on the past - ridiculous

Because they are fatalistic and suffer from apophenia.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Big hug from DF for Ramazani, will be surprised if we don’t see him on at some time on Saturday

Did the big hug come after Farke realized James might be out? Hmmm ...

[andrewjohnsmith]

A huge difference in how many miles Piroe has in his legs versus a very fresh Paddy .. But good to have options.

Good point on Piroe. I slagged him in the match ratings. But he could well be tired. He hasn't missed a game in months.

[Sean_Nile]

Did the big hug come after Farke realized James might be out? Hmmm ...

Naah!!! Schmidt is the winger to replace James now... isn't it logical???.

Left back to right wing makes perfect sense.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Aaronson is all effort but no way a 25 million player
Stuffed in the Prem

On my second watch tonight, I was just thinking that Sam Greenwood could have done what Aaronson has done this season.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Missed the match thread during the game. Watched live on my phone. Then came home and did a rewatch.

It was nervy as hell the first time. Boro's xg must have been really high. Their finishing was appalling. I can see Carrick being upset, but at his own players ineptitude in front of goal.

And yet we technically won it 3-0. Very inept linesmanship. Bamford one was tight. Tanaka was behind two of their players. The incompetence at this level is awful. Seriously thought it was going to cost us. And had Boro's finishing not been so bad it would have cost us.

And Burnley draw and chef U lose games that both were expected to win. What a good day.

Our wingers were great. Center backs were solid. (Bogle decent). Elsewhere we were not so impressive. Thinking there are a lot of tired players out there and we may be limping through the last five games.

Seriously hope DJ injury is not too bad. He showed his value and superiority today.

[1964white]

I get all the history with Paddy, but if he'd scored tonight, then everyone would be on the bandwagon to say what a difference he made.

He won balls in the air. Something piroe seems incapable of for some reason.
He tracked back.
He made a very important tackle at the death from the kind of situation Swansea scored from because no one made the tackle.

And he did score, just biased linesman ruling it out.

How does anyone think that wasn't better than Piroe?

Not saying he's the solution to everything and that he should start over Piroe, but having him back as an option is invaluable

What a brilliant post Nick, from someone who hasn't posted in five years.

[YorkshireSquare]

I get all the history with Paddy, but if he'd scored tonight, then everyone would be on the bandwagon to say what a difference he made.

He won balls in the air. Something piroe seems incapable of for some reason.
He tracked back.
He made a very important tackle at the death from the kind of situation Swansea scored from because no one made the tackle.

And he did score, just biased linesman ruling it out.

How does anyone think that wasn't better than Piroe?

Not saying he's the solution to everything and that he should start over Piroe, but having him back as an option is invaluable

Thought we sat too deep for the final 10 minutes but Bamford tracked back, made tackles, brought the ball out and when he did have it further up the pitch held it up and won a couple of important free kicks.

[1964white]

But it wasn't like he was doing wonderful number 9 things holding the ball up getting us up the pitch, Boro had 8 shots in 20 minutes with Paddy on and 9 in 70 without.

It was more harassing which he's always been good at and being a pest.

Nonsense!

[1964white]

Good point on Piroe. I slagged him in the match ratings. But he could well be tired. He hasn't missed a game in months.

Tired!!!

Piroe moves about the pitch about as much as our CBs.

He doesn't inject the same energy in his game as Bogle, Firpo, Aaronson, James & Soloman, who are bombing up & down the pitch for the full 90 minutes. Piroe reminds me of George Graham when he played for Arsenal, he was nicknamed Stroller. That's the type of player Piroe is strolling around the pitch with very little hard running in his game.

[1964white]

I've always said that Farke should play a left back as a right winger.

I have always said Lord Bamford has a purple patch, looses his marbles then gets injured.

I have always said Darlow is a better keeper than Meslier.

I have always said Farke will get us promoted.

I have always said Rodon/Ampadu is our best defensive partnership, and Tanaka/Gurev form a great pair in midfield.

I have always said Bogle and Firpo are the best wing backs in the league.

I have always said Aaronson runs forever like a Duracell bunny.

I have always said Solomon and James are a great combo to get goals.

Piroe is shite, can't see why Cjay loves him.

Never trust a man who says, "I have always said"

So do we take your post for gospel, Rab?

I have to say I agree with the majority of your points.

[1964white]

Thought we sat too deep for the final 10 minutes but Bamford tracked back, made tackles, brought the ball out and when he did have it further up the pitch held it up and won a couple of important free kicks.

I wish we wouldn't sit deep, as there is always a mistake in our defensive set-up. There were periods in the game where we continually gave the ball away cheaply, putting ourselves under unnecessary pressure!

[1964white]

I want an apology from the PGMOL for taking ten years off my life!

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Bamford also helps us defensively with his pressing. Piroe offers nothing in that regard - in fact defensively he's a liability if anything. So very likely the more game time we get out of Bamford, the least likely we are to concede in a game.

So Bamford to start for me. Piroe can still maybe get a late goal if he comes on in say the last 20 or so. If his energy is conserved for finishing, then that's probably the best way to use him right now. He fell away badly in the last few games of last season as well.

[The Subhuman]

Both goals were very onside, nothing tight about either as the benifit goes to the striker anyway

[John in Louisiana]

We all love Paddy

And Aaronson, too!

Hard work, determination, and goals are SO overrated.

[Jammy 07]

Bamford also helps us defensively with his pressing. Piroe offers nothing in that regard - in fact defensively he's a liability if anything. So very likely the more game time we get out of Bamford, the least likely we are to concede in a game.

So Bamford to start for me. Piroe can still maybe get a late goal if he comes on in say the last 20 or so. If his energy is conserved for finishing, then that's probably the best way to use him right now. He fell away badly in the last few games of last season as well.

Paddy has always defended set pieces well.

Then there's the work rate from the front which is another strong part of his game, plus the ability to challenge for the ball in the air.

Also great to see a striker have the speed to not only get up with play but burst through the defensive line to score, something that Piroe the snail could only dream of doing.

[Cjay]

Nonsense!

Truth!!!!

He did fine and was that tackling sequence in our half.

And was unlucky with the goal.

But spent 90% of the time in our half as we dropped back (which wasn't his fault).

The whole proper number 9 stuff is daft as is the slagging off of Piroe in favour of a bloke most here would have carried to a new club a week ago.

[The Subhuman]

Truth!!!!

He did fine and was that tackling sequence in our half.

And was unlucky with the goal.

But spent 90% of the time in our half as we dropped back (which wasn't his fault).

The whole proper number 9 stuff is daft as is the slagging off of Piroe in favour of a bloke most here would have carried to a new club a week ago.

Difficult to escape the recency biases here, they're always going to colour opinion. Piroe is off form but to compare his season to 5 minutes of Paddy is ridiculous. I recall Cry and Geo taking a lot of flak here at this point last season

Piroe/James/Borja Sainz - Joint top goal contributions this season, I think, with 21 goals and assists

[The Subhuman]

I thought the performance excellent last night, kept tense by a horror show from the reffereeing crew. Great game to watch. If the Tanaka goal is given then, odds are, we take control and that last 10-15 doesn't happen

Tanaka and Paddy deserved their goals, Solomon and Gnonto should have another assist each. I think Gnonto has been our unluckiest player this season and by a distance