r00fie1
Well-known member
It's that time again>>>>>>
V 

Saturday 9th November 2024. EFL Championship. Middlesbrough v Luton Town. The Riverside Stadium. TS1 1EH. KO: 12:30 hrs.



Saturday 9th November 2024. EFL Championship. Middlesbrough v Luton Town. The Riverside Stadium. TS1 1EH. KO: 12:30 hrs.
“It was nice to spend a moment with the supporters at the end. They've made a massive effort to come down mid-week, so we're delighted for that as much as anything”. [Michael Carrick].
What a difference 90 minutes made! Was it all a dream, or did we really score four goals? Carrick said prior to the game, his players would take the positives from those wins over Sheffield United and Norwich, and take that energy to Loftus Road. What a pleasure then, on a Tuesday night in London, with the home fans looking miserable [all night] and the packed tier of Boro fans making a hell of a racket non-stop. We started a bit edgy, like we sometimes do, you know. But we made up for some sloppy passing in the first half, with a bit more pace and determination up front. It was obvious from the start that QPR were up for the challenge. Having not won a league game at home so far, they were desperate to break their duck.

"Manny" leaves the "R"s defence looking like a battlefield after
he scores that spectacular third goal! [Screenshot:Skysports]
Riley McGree`s goal was a pearler from the ball to the near stick. It was a great start and our passing appeared to improve after that. Tommy Conway looks like a runaway steam train when he's on fire, and put us two up before half-time. Let's not forget the contribution of Finn Azaz! Brilliant! But this was the Boro and that unfortunate and unavoidable Anfernee OG [not XG!] gave a lifeline to QPR. But they hadn't the fight or confidence, and we out-played them for much of the second half. We upped our game. Either watching on the box or at Loftus Road, our fans had everything crossed – in anticipation and fearing the worst. Would Boro let another lead slip?! Surely not? Thankfully not, as it turned out(y)

Ben Doak skinned their defence all night. What a player!
[photo:Screenshot.Skysports]
Carrick's subs were just what the doctor ordered [cliché alert!]. What can you say about Emmanuel Latte Lath? From a beautifully flighted ball from McGree, the QPR defender couldn’t put him off his stride as he thundered towards their goalie. Up goes the fan's anticipation and excitement, then a feeling of “oh dear”, as he takes it out wide, only to swivel ninety degrees, see the goalie sliding on his backside [come on!] and he knocks it into the net, like there was no one there! [YEEAAHH!!!!]. He does nowt from open play for the first ten games, then scores a Maccaroniesque header against the Blades and creates chaos with an anarchic piece of play at QPR! There can't be a training manual befitting our unique striker! That's the highlight moment of the season so far!
3-1 up and three minutes of normal time remaining. That's it then, lads. Too late to make a mess of it now. Just blow the whistle, ref! We want the three points. What then?
A Geordie midfielder, who seems to have spent most of this season coming off the bench, tries a move to the right, then one to the left, where their defender tries to retrieve the ball, but he gets it back off him, heads towards goal and fires a beautiful curling ball past the goalie into the bottom right-hand corner!

The lads celebrate Barlasers first for the club, and the fourth on the night at Loftus road.
[Screengrab:Skysports]
Dan Barlaser, thumbs up, pointing to his chest, a smile like a Cheshire cat and a perfect end to a job well done. Barlaser scored one of the goals of the season so far [or at least in the last three games!]. His first for the club. He made it look like he could do it for a living.

He deserves a photo for the sheer joy at scoring his first Boro goal!
[photo: MFC. Edited]]
Carrick was "delighted with the win".

Michael Carrick watches on.
With a big grin after the final whistle, he commented:
“It was nice to spend a moment with the supporters at the end. They've made a massive effort to come down mid-week, so we're delighted for that as much as anything”. Carrick stressed our support “drove the lads on”. “You can see the boys celebrating goals in front of them in the second half [and] what that means to the lads”.
“[I`m] Happy with the lads, the attitude, the character, the work rate was great. Some of the quality of the football.....it's been a really good night for us. Coming in at half-time with that two-nil scoreline, we aimed to come out and control more of the second half.”
“I was really happy with the boys coming off the bench and getting the goals. For both of them, it was fully deserved and finished the game off well for us”.
Carrick was especially pleased they “finished the game off” rather than just seeing the game out.
As for Dieng`s performance: “Big saves. Big moments” said Carrick. “Really pleased with him. Certainly needed a bit of that tonight”. “ It was all round a really good night tonight”.
And so it was, and now we prepare for the visit of Luton. The last game before yet another International Break (!). Luton have been struggling, but they are a physical side, with plenty of experience and wanting to bag all three points. Nothing new there. We can't afford to rest on our laurels. Our bonfire night in London certainly went with a bang, but it's just another game. Saturday, last week, we fluffed it against Coventry. Let's hope we push on and bag the three points. Results have been kind to us this week, but a win could see us consolidating a position in the top six going into the break. It's in our own hands. Let's get the job done!
Come On Boro!
@r00fie1
What a difference 90 minutes made! Was it all a dream, or did we really score four goals? Carrick said prior to the game, his players would take the positives from those wins over Sheffield United and Norwich, and take that energy to Loftus Road. What a pleasure then, on a Tuesday night in London, with the home fans looking miserable [all night] and the packed tier of Boro fans making a hell of a racket non-stop. We started a bit edgy, like we sometimes do, you know. But we made up for some sloppy passing in the first half, with a bit more pace and determination up front. It was obvious from the start that QPR were up for the challenge. Having not won a league game at home so far, they were desperate to break their duck.

"Manny" leaves the "R"s defence looking like a battlefield after
he scores that spectacular third goal! [Screenshot:Skysports]
Riley McGree`s goal was a pearler from the ball to the near stick. It was a great start and our passing appeared to improve after that. Tommy Conway looks like a runaway steam train when he's on fire, and put us two up before half-time. Let's not forget the contribution of Finn Azaz! Brilliant! But this was the Boro and that unfortunate and unavoidable Anfernee OG [not XG!] gave a lifeline to QPR. But they hadn't the fight or confidence, and we out-played them for much of the second half. We upped our game. Either watching on the box or at Loftus Road, our fans had everything crossed – in anticipation and fearing the worst. Would Boro let another lead slip?! Surely not? Thankfully not, as it turned out(y)

Ben Doak skinned their defence all night. What a player!
[photo:Screenshot.Skysports]
Carrick's subs were just what the doctor ordered [cliché alert!]. What can you say about Emmanuel Latte Lath? From a beautifully flighted ball from McGree, the QPR defender couldn’t put him off his stride as he thundered towards their goalie. Up goes the fan's anticipation and excitement, then a feeling of “oh dear”, as he takes it out wide, only to swivel ninety degrees, see the goalie sliding on his backside [come on!] and he knocks it into the net, like there was no one there! [YEEAAHH!!!!]. He does nowt from open play for the first ten games, then scores a Maccaroniesque header against the Blades and creates chaos with an anarchic piece of play at QPR! There can't be a training manual befitting our unique striker! That's the highlight moment of the season so far!
3-1 up and three minutes of normal time remaining. That's it then, lads. Too late to make a mess of it now. Just blow the whistle, ref! We want the three points. What then?
A Geordie midfielder, who seems to have spent most of this season coming off the bench, tries a move to the right, then one to the left, where their defender tries to retrieve the ball, but he gets it back off him, heads towards goal and fires a beautiful curling ball past the goalie into the bottom right-hand corner!

The lads celebrate Barlasers first for the club, and the fourth on the night at Loftus road.
[Screengrab:Skysports]
Dan Barlaser, thumbs up, pointing to his chest, a smile like a Cheshire cat and a perfect end to a job well done. Barlaser scored one of the goals of the season so far [or at least in the last three games!]. His first for the club. He made it look like he could do it for a living.

He deserves a photo for the sheer joy at scoring his first Boro goal!
[photo: MFC. Edited]]
Carrick was "delighted with the win".

Michael Carrick watches on.
With a big grin after the final whistle, he commented:
“It was nice to spend a moment with the supporters at the end. They've made a massive effort to come down mid-week, so we're delighted for that as much as anything”. Carrick stressed our support “drove the lads on”. “You can see the boys celebrating goals in front of them in the second half [and] what that means to the lads”.
“[I`m] Happy with the lads, the attitude, the character, the work rate was great. Some of the quality of the football.....it's been a really good night for us. Coming in at half-time with that two-nil scoreline, we aimed to come out and control more of the second half.”
“I was really happy with the boys coming off the bench and getting the goals. For both of them, it was fully deserved and finished the game off well for us”.
Carrick was especially pleased they “finished the game off” rather than just seeing the game out.
As for Dieng`s performance: “Big saves. Big moments” said Carrick. “Really pleased with him. Certainly needed a bit of that tonight”. “ It was all round a really good night tonight”.
And so it was, and now we prepare for the visit of Luton. The last game before yet another International Break (!). Luton have been struggling, but they are a physical side, with plenty of experience and wanting to bag all three points. Nothing new there. We can't afford to rest on our laurels. Our bonfire night in London certainly went with a bang, but it's just another game. Saturday, last week, we fluffed it against Coventry. Let's hope we push on and bag the three points. Results have been kind to us this week, but a win could see us consolidating a position in the top six going into the break. It's in our own hands. Let's get the job done!
Come On Boro!
@r00fie1