Thought we were superb

[BedsFFC]

Some of the football was fantastic. Definitely best we have played this season.

For the first time (I don't count Ipswich as I thought they were awful on the day) we looked like the side from the 2nd half of last season.

I get the feeling that we are starting to click. They all played well. Fonte will be much sharper on Tuesday, Kamara will be chomping to get on, Norwood is finding his role.

I hope Ayite is ok. I fear a muscle tear.

Yes, its a blow to concede and felt like a loss at the end but Forest and Qpr cant come soon enough.

I cant see Forest and Qpr sitting back against us at home.

A word on Sess. Wow, This boy is getting better. I cant wait for Soares to get in at full back.

Soares in and TC back....wow

[@jolslover]

Good performance. On paper Boro have the best team in the league, Would have probably taken a point before kick off.

[HV71]

That makes three of us thinking the same

[Southcoastffc]

+1. Good enjoyable game. Ayite hamstring apparently.

[Fulham76]

Some of the football was fantastic. Definitely best we have played this season.

For the first time (I don't count Ipswich as I thought they were awful on the day) we looked like the side from the 2nd half of last season.

I get the feeling that we are starting to click. They all played well. Fonte will be much sharper on Tuesday, Kamara will be chomping to get on, Norwood is finding his role.

I hope Ayite is ok. I fear a muscle tear.

Yes, its a blow to concede and felt like a loss at the end but Forest and Qpr cant come soon enough.

I cant see Forest and Qpr sitting back against us at home.

A word on Sess. Wow, This boy is getting better. I cant wait for Soares to get in at full back.

Soares in and TC back....wow

It's funny how people see the same game differnently...

I thought we played okay today, kept possession quite well but constantly over-played by going sideways & backwards without creating too much. It's all very well having possession but not for the sake of it.

They had 3 or 4 & sometimes 5 players on the edge of our box at goal kicks but we still tried to play it out from the back & ultimately ended up kicking it long, (if they didn't lose possession), why not kick the odd ball long - keep the opposition on their toes without being so predictable.

Also, thought Sessignon was terrible first 10-20 minutes, gave the ball away a few times & got caught in possession a few times too. He's not a great left back but looks good going forwards.

[Mince n Tatties]

Exactly my thoughts, particularly the bit about looking like we did last year, and that's without Cairney

I will get stick for saying it but at this point in the season I'd much rather play like that and draw than play poorly and fluke a scrappy 3 points

So you'd rather we play like today and get one point a game and get relegated..
Some of you on here have been at the glue?

[Mince n Tatties]

I remember West Ham with all their great players playing total football, and if I'm right getting nowhere in league and getting relegated.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Middsborough are a solid unit, and looking on the optimistic side, this point today could be crucial.
Providing we stop surrendering leads, and improve our Ball control in defensive areas, and try and remember where Row Z is when defending corners with minutes left on the clock.

[Riversider]

Just to keep things in perspective, Boro were missing three key players from their front line today, Martin Braithwaite, Traore and Gestede, that's a big loss to them, and because of their absence "Sausage Boy" Bamford played and he was absolute doggy doo ,
At one time Bamford was going to be the next big thing, when their 3 missing players return Bamford won't even get a place on the bench.

[Twig]

Just to keep things in perspective, Boro were missing three key players from their front line today, Martin Braithwaite, Traore and Gestede, that's a big loss to them, and because of their absence "Sausage Boy" Bamford played and he was absolute doggy doo ,
At one time Bamford was going to be the next big thing, when their 3 missing players return Bamford won't even get a place on the bench.

They couldn't have played all three in their starting line up, plus we have equally important players out. I agree that we were excellent until we scored (i.e. for 86 mins) then we were pants.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Which begs the question. Why once we took the lead with 4 + minutes remaining. You would have thought that a well drilled professional team could keep the opponents at bay with two banks of 4, and a player up front pushing up on their last defender, with a player on the flanks as an outlet when countering, and who funnels back when we lose possession and tucks in and picks up his marker. You would have thought could keep the same team out for a further 4 or so minutes that they have kept out for the previous 86 minutes.
Is it the lack of mental strength, is it the lack of leadership in the bowels of the defence, is it the lack of character when under pressure, is it the lack of a heart beat when it really counts.
If it's all 4, then there is plenty of homework to do on the training ground, but even the training ground cannot produce Leaders and Characters and Warriors and Winners and fighters. Surely that comes from within the individual player, something the stats team do not compute.
Perhaps that is why our Manager never looks happy.

[HatterDon]

Which begs the question. Why once we took the lead with 4 + minutes remaining. You would have thought that a well drilled professional team could keep the opponents at bay with two banks of 4, and a player up front pushing up on their last defender, with a player on the flanks as an outlet when countering, and who funnels back when we lose possession and tucks in and picks up his marker. You would have thought could keep the same team out for a further 4 or so minutes that they have kept out for the previous 86 minutes.
Is it the lack of mental strength, is it the lack of leadership in the bowels of the defence, is it the lack of character when under pressure, is it the lack of a heart beat when it really counts.
If it's all 4, then there is plenty of homework to do on the training ground, but even the training ground cannot produce Leaders and Characters and Warriors and Winners and fighters. Surely that comes from within the individual player, something the stats team do not compute.
Perhaps that is why our Manager never looks happy.

It does seem to be the tactical weakness in Joka's pack.

[Forever Fulham]

gotta agree with that.  Good teams with a late one goal lead know how to kill off time, bunker in, send it long.  We needed those extra two points.   

[RaySmith]

I think it's a mental thing, giving up leads - anxiety sets in, we don't  play with the necessary calm,  composed manner, keeping sold at the back, clearing our lines.

Of course, the opposition always comes at us, especially in the closing stages, but we should be able to hold out, play out time.

[EJL]

Weird how things change in such a short span of time. I believe we were the best team in the league at recovering points from losing positions last season but now can't seem to get over the line when we actually take the lead

[Whitesideup]

Exactly my thoughts, particularly the bit about looking like we did last year, and that's without Cairney

I will get stick for saying it but at this point in the season I'd much rather play like that and draw than play poorly and fluke a scrappy 3 points

I agree. I love the way we play football.

[MaidstoneMark69]

I thought we showed Boro a clean pair of heels yesterday,  great build up and possession play, at times playing some wonderful stuff around their box.

Same old story though, can't take our chances, i felt at half time that either a 1-0 or 2-0 scoreline was justified, therefore very frustrating.

I was a little worried about SJ's gamble bringing on Kamara,  as this may have invited them onto us through the midfield. Fonte dropped back, and recognised immediately what was required to get Kamara going, who i also thought was excellent apart from the miss.

Unfortunately, i think history of being 1 up is in our heads now, and there is an instant anxiety which really hinders us and almost prevents us from doing all the things we've done well previously in the game.

Wouldn't change much cos i love how we play, and thought at times yesterday we slaughtered Boro, Monk's talking out of his rear as usual saying they deserved a draw.

[toshes mate]

Some of the football was fantastic. Definitely best we have played this season.

For the first time (I don't count Ipswich as I thought they were awful on the day) we looked like the side from the 2nd half of last season.

I get the feeling that we are starting to click. They all played well. Fonte will be much sharper on Tuesday, Kamara will be chomping to get on, Norwood is finding his role.

I hope Ayite is ok. I fear a muscle tear.

Yes, its a blow to concede and felt like a loss at the end but Forest and Qpr cant come soon enough.

I cant see Forest and Qpr sitting back against us at home.

A word on Sess. Wow, This boy is getting better. I cant wait for Soares to get in at full back.

Soares in and TC back....wow

+1

[Mince n Tatties]

We played well,but some getting carried away with performance and who we played..Middlesbrough best in league,no way.

[hovewhite]

Some of the football was fantastic. Definitely best we have played this season.

For the first time (I don't count Ipswich as I thought they were awful on the day) we looked like the side from the 2nd half of last season.

I get the feeling that we are starting to click. They all played well. Fonte will be much sharper on Tuesday, Kamara will be chomping to get on, Norwood is finding his role.

I hope Ayite is ok. I fear a muscle tear.

Yes, its a blow to concede and felt like a loss at the end but Forest and Qpr cant come soon enough.

I cant see Forest and Qpr sitting back against us at home.

A word on Sess. Wow, This boy is getting better. I cant wait for Soares to get in at full back.

Soares in and TC back....wow

+1

+2
We will be fine,its a long season!