Match Day Thread Middlesbrough vs. Bristol City

Nagy was my man of the match. But what a performance by young Ryley Towler?

 

Well if having NP in the stand produces a result like that -then Imagine what it will be like when he has been on the training pitch with them.
Those boys were not playing for Dean Holden.

 

Nagy was definitely mom-he reminded me of the day in Birmingham when he ran the show

 

Where did that come from?

Things I noticed tonight.

1. Some City players obviously did not get the email, at the start of the game the referee blew the whistle several City players started to take the knee and Middlesborough kicked off.

2. The starting 11 all put in a shift, the subs not so, I would be surprised if Paterson gets many starts under Pearson.

3. Hunt was rightly booked but their player went down holding his face before there was any contact.

4. Their goal was a pity but Hunt and Nagy should have closed the 2nd cross down much better, I am sure there will be things like that that Pearson would have picked up on.

A great performance and as Tinnion said Bentley barely had a save to make and we looked really good on the break, that can happen when your strikers play down the middle and your midfielders first thought is looking to make forward passes.

Well done all very happy for the first time in weeks.

 

maybe he should carry on watching! ..never change a winning side!

 

Typical dead cat bounce game. Warnock called it pre k/o.
Kalas clearing off the line made a massive difference to the game, he was awesome all night.
The players should be ashamed compared with their efforts these last 3 months.
Thought Bakinson played well, especially 1st half. Nagy did well both halves, as did most who started the game.
What a different feeling tonight.
Look forward again to watching City.

 

Just shows how the same group of players who couldn’t get a shot in target for Deano pull their fingers out when their jobs are on the line.
Disgraceful display of ‘selected effort’.
Pleased with the 3 points of course but shame on them.

 

Shows, that when required, we do have the players.......they need proper coaching and directing....we will see what Nigel can do with them.

 

I don’t think the players can be blamed too much. To me they seemed to be playing without shackles on. Wells played central and closer to Diedhiou from the rare times they played up top together. The way Wells and Diedhiou celebrated and the way they both congratulated each other when Wells came off seemed like they have a good friendship there. Palmer played more in a position more suited to his game.
Ryley Towler done fantastic and it was commented on how Nagy saw the threat and protected him well. That defensive last ditch tackle in the box was brilliant and the senior players went and patted him on his back must of gave him more confidence.
Mariaper (however you spell it) looked really good and put in his best game in a back three alongside Kalas and Vyner.
Play players in the correct positions, simple but effective instructions this is what you get.

 

We normally struggle against Warnock's teams....and make no mistake, he wanted to win that....but we have shown on occasions a spark...maybe it's a confidence thing or nervous to making mistakes...like I've said before, those players don't become $hit overnight, you can see the potential but you can also see the frailty in some.....A decent coach should get the best out of those players, which in turn will create a positive outcome.
Many on here keep blaming the squad left behind by you know who, but they aren't as bad as they make out..

 

Impossible to make anything concrete out of the result and performance both of which were totally against recent form but I'm very pleased of course.
I was as shocked as anyone to see us A) having more than 1 shot on target during 90 minutes B) Scoring a goal let alone 3 in 45 minutes.
Fammy has looked totally disinterested the last few games so I hope Pearson watches recent videos to see just how bad he was and how poor overall the team have been.
Also worth mentioning that Middlesbrough had lost 5 out of their last 6 home games.
I'm sure Pearson knows what he has to do, and that he'll be totally ruthless when the time comes.

 

'Many on here keep blaming the squad left behind by you know who, but they aren't as bad as they make out.'

One swallow doesn't make a summer.
Yes, the players did well last night but City won their first 4 matches at the start of this season. And look where we are now.
The proof won't be this season, it will be next season when we see Pearson's team, including a new coaching set up.
Should you be right and that these players are good enough dare I suggest how poor Johnson and Holden were as coaches.

 

As you well know, I don't see that LJ was as bad as you do, but I am now questioning Holden's abilities, a lot! He was No2 to LJ, then No1, and was awful, maybe he was a bigger issue than we realised?

Say what you like LJ has transformed Sunderlandv- they have only lost twice since he took over in Dec!

 

What's quite fascinating about that performance for me is that the formation barely changed - we played largely the same system on paper that has seen us playing like some Bristol Downs League sides and yet we go and beat a Warnock team away from home with it.

I doubt the players were refusing to play for Holden, and there will always be an inevitable element of players stepping up a little when a new manager takes charge, but it was the small tweaks that made such a massive difference. Kalas on the left side of defence protected Towler and allowed him to have such a decent game. Nagy, Palmer and Bakinson looked like different players with the way they were connecting, and finally Wells shows what he can do when he's not feeding off scraps.

Great performance, only slight issue for me, and I'm being picky, is Jack Hunt. He's that annoying ****house that every team needs but he's picked up 4 bookings in the last 18 days alone. Needs to watch himself or we might have even more problems squad-wise.

 

It's always going to be one or the other from you RP, soooooo predictable but you keep forgetting.....how ever poor you think LJ was, with whatever squad we had, he maintained championship status, with relative ease for 4 seasons.
I do keep harping on about, that we are just a few players away from being a very decent side.....but we need those players, creative midfield and leaders on the pitch.. we don't have them now as LJ didn't have them last few years..
I believe NP will see that and will demand those players required......lets see if that happens!!

 

NP went into the dressing room before the game -early doors but fantastic display bring on the Swans