Middlesbrough v Doncaster

[MagicMartinoWoods]

How did Grehan look? Didn't manage to watch the game.

[mpc123]

I thought he was very good, looked composed, not out of place at all. Strong.

[sf9944]

Graham was excellent last night. Grew into the game. Solid and composed

[drfchound]

Graham was excellent last night. Grew into the game. Solid and composed

Thank you.   

[drfchound]

I liked the way Ajayi was tapping the badge on his shirt when he ran to the fans after his goal and more so, the looks of sheer joy by the players (especially Jack) as they celebrated the fourth goal together.
It is easy to see the togetherness of all the players.

[ForsolongaRover]

It was good to see some confidence from Nixon. When he first came he seemed more attack-minded, like Sterry, but he has not really shown that side of his game in the few appearances he’s made since Sterry became the justifiable first choice. But   last night he showed that he has the attacking qualities needed from a good wing-back and topped it off with his goal.

The shooting was intelligent last night too. Low shots in a crowded box are always the percentage option.

[Ian Nimmo]

Yes a very good performance by Nixon, towards the end he was dead on his feet, could hardly pick his feet up.
The lad gave his all, and certainly deserves more game time.

[GazLaz]

Grehan, Lawlor, Close and Gibson write the standouts for me but everyone was excellent.

[DearneValleyRover]

Gotts was outstanding and gave the space for Close in the first half, towards the end he was always in support of the attacking play, offered far more than Clifton does in those areas

[Draytonian III]

Go on the Middlesbrough official site and watch their manager’s interview …………..

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Yes a very good performance by Nixon, towards the end he was dead on his feet, could hardly pick his feet up.
The lad gave his all, and certainly deserves more game time.

I think he's one of those who always looks like he's run himself into the ground. When he was out injured for a while, I saw him in the gym pounding away, he looked knackered then. He deserves his chance as he's worked hard and had to be patient.

Both Nixon and Senior have done everything possible to earn a starting shirt.

[Dagenham Rover]

Go on the Middlesbrough official site and watch their manager’s interview …………..

He seemed a bit stunned

[jmt23]

He looked shell shocked after 10 mins of the game, he or they clearly didn’t expect us to be as competent on the ball and in the press, neither did I, as good as we’ve been in the last year, we haven’t shown that free flowing one touch football for years, a real pleasure to watch.

[danumdon]

He looked shell shocked after 10 mins of the game, he or they clearly didn’t expect us to be as competent on the ball and in the press, neither did I, as good as we’ve been in the last year, we haven’t shown that free flowing one touch football for years, a real pleasure to watch.

For his own longevity in the game he will have to learn to accept that its wasn't just his teams actions that produced that result. Never once gave Rovers any credit whatsoever for restricting his side to a nil. Most good managers will acknowledge that the opposition had a part to play in their teams poor performance.

[ForsolongaRover]

He looked shell shocked after 10 mins of the game, he or they clearly didn’t expect us to be as competent on the ball and in the press, neither did I, as good as we’ve been in the last year, we haven’t shown that free flowing one touch football for years, a real pleasure to watch.

For his own longevity in the game he will have to learn to accept that its wasn't just his teams actions that produced that result. Never once gave Rovers any credit whatsoever for restricting his side to a nil. Most good managers will acknowledge that the opposition had a part to play in their teams poor performance.

I think that’s a bit harsh. His own team’s poor performance was obviously his focus and if he’d said that Rovers were lucky or tried to rationalise why the 4 goals were somehow undeserved, you might criticise him. I don’t agree that “most good managers…” I think Clough was unusually complimentary in his remarks and I don’t think you could expect more from a man who was very clearly embarrassed.

[andyst79]

He looked shell shocked after 10 mins of the game, he or they clearly didn’t expect us to be as competent on the ball and in the press, neither did I, as good as we’ve been in the last year, we haven’t shown that free flowing one touch football for years, a real pleasure to watch.

For his own longevity in the game he will have to learn to accept that its wasn't just his teams actions that produced that result. Never once gave Rovers any credit whatsoever for restricting his side to a nil. Most good managers will acknowledge that the opposition had a part to play in their teams poor performance.

I think that’s a bit harsh. His own team’s poor performance was obviously his focus and if he’d said that Rovers were lucky or tried to rationalise why the 4 goals were somehow undeserved, you might criticise him. I don’t agree that “most good managers…” I think Clough was unusually complimentary in his remarks and I don’t think you could expect more from a man who was very clearly embarrassed.

We deserved credit for that performance, GM is always on point when he speaks about opposition teams.

[jmt23]

Someone posted the radio teeside phone in, I think it’s titles reaction - have a listen. Each Boro fan praised us, but I’m not sure I’ve heard a team get so much stick on the radio - I’m not sure Edward’s has long in the post if they start to have a league wobble.

[danumdon]

He looked shell shocked after 10 mins of the game, he or they clearly didn’t expect us to be as competent on the ball and in the press, neither did I, as good as we’ve been in the last year, we haven’t shown that free flowing one touch football for years, a real pleasure to watch.

For his own longevity in the game he will have to learn to accept that its wasn't just his teams actions that produced that result. Never once gave Rovers any credit whatsoever for restricting his side to a nil. Most good managers will acknowledge that the opposition had a part to play in their teams poor performance.

I think that’s a bit harsh. His own team’s poor performance was obviously his focus and if he’d said that Rovers were lucky or tried to rationalise why the 4 goals were somehow undeserved, you might criticise him. I don’t agree that “most good managers…” I think Clough was unusually complimentary in his remarks and I don’t think you could expect more from a man who was very clearly embarrassed.

The thing is though, good managers understand how to take a certain amount of pressure of their side after a poor result. By acknowledging that Rovers had a part to play in that poor performance takes some pressure of his players, allows them to regroup and refocus on where they went wrong and how to deal with it.

Standing there all embarrassed and talking about his team like they had just set out to play Rovers but Real Madrid turned up makes it look like his man management skills are lacking and he fails to understand that sometimes you play against a team that against all your earlier thoughts nullify your original plan, have to implement another on the fly and then further refine it as it finally dawns on you that you've been outplayed by a team you didn't expect to be able to.

This fella will go far!!

[RobTheRover]

I had a meeting with a supplier today, a lovely chap but sadly a Boro fan.  We started the meeting and he said "Not a word. Not one. You handed us our arses last night"

[StocksArmy]

Graham was excellent last night. Grew into the game. Solid and composed

I thought he was better than that as was Jay.

[5minstogo]

Came across three types of Middlesbrough fan last night,  one congratulated us and said we played really well, another barked like a dog and called Billy Sharp a sex offender, the third called me a bald prick and lobbed a bottle at me. Funny old place to go

[drfchound]

Came across three types of Middlesbrough fan last night,  one congratulated us and said we played really well, another barked like a dog and called Billy Sharp a sex offender, the third called me a bald prick and lobbed a bottle at me. Funny old place to go

Was it a bottle of hair restorer matey. 

[NigelJ]

Came across three types of Middlesbrough fan last night,  one congratulated us and said we played really well, another barked like a dog and called Billy Sharp a sex offender, the third called me a bald prick and lobbed a bottle at me. Funny old place to go

Was it a bottle of hair restorer matey. 

No, Matey is bath foam.

[BillyStubbsTears]

He looked shell shocked after 10 mins of the game, he or they clearly didn’t expect us to be as competent on the ball and in the press, neither did I, as good as we’ve been in the last year, we haven’t shown that free flowing one touch football for years, a real pleasure to watch.

For his own longevity in the game he will have to learn to accept that its wasn't just his teams actions that produced that result. Never once gave Rovers any credit whatsoever for restricting his side to a nil. Most good managers will acknowledge that the opposition had a part to play in their teams poor performance.

I think that’s a bit harsh. His own team’s poor performance was obviously his focus and if he’d said that Rovers were lucky or tried to rationalise why the 4 goals were somehow undeserved, you might criticise him. I don’t agree that “most good managers…” I think Clough was unusually complimentary in his remarks and I don’t think you could expect more from a man who was very clearly embarrassed.

The standard format for that interview is for the embarrassed manager to say. "I'm taking nothing away from Doncaster because they were superb. A credit to their manager. But..."