*The Unofficial "official - "The Chase is on" - Boro v Stoke. Match-Day Thread*

[Scrug]

Think we’re just up against a good side here, they look better than Sheff Utd did.

 

[Alzi]

Fair score at half time. They are the best team I’ve seen here in a while.

 

[kuepper]

Damn

 

[Cuthbert]

Balls. What a daft goal to give away just before half time. Really soft.

 

[Teesste]

Best team we’ve faced in a while.. but we are more than capable of seeing them off in the second half

 

[Ipad1977]

What a time to concede - come in Michael sort them out!

time for a Carrick "chat and a laugh" talk to sort things..

 

[The Card Cheat]

Is it just me or has the atmosphere been really poor at the Riverside this season?

I think it's just you! Atmosphere especially in the South Stand has been excellent.

 

[Duffman]

We are a bit slow tonight. They are nipping in and first to the ball too often. Stoke look really up for it and their pressing game is working at the moment. Their style does expose them to our rapid counter attack but we need to do more particularly in the middle third of the pitch. Really fast start to the second half and we can quickly re- establish control and we always have a goal in us. Come on Boro

 

[Steer]

They are a good team. Don't know why they are where they are in the table.

 

[Andy_W]

Giles was miles away

To be fair he’s probably told to shift in like that, so the rest can shift over and pressure the ball.

Was a great ball which caught us out, but they’re playing for it, they look for that switch a lot, he’s dangerous that lad, and their midfield is good enough to find him.

 

[ForssAwakens]

You can't blame Steffen too much for that.

He should have done better, a neutral commentator seemed to agree

 

[Alzi]

They are a good team. Don't know why they are where they are in the table.

they made some excellent loan signings in Jan.

 

[Mickey_2003]

Smallbone has a touch of class about him. And Laurent is making a nuisance of himself, shame about going down looking for the penna.

 

[Otto42]

Not been at our best, one all fair. They look dangerous going forward. I would get Fry on.

 

[Hap]

I think it's the game we expected. Conditions are slippy for tight passing football and they're pressing well and physical. More goals in this.

 

[Laughing]

Looking at the half time stats there is nothing between the teams at all. Surprised me, I thought we were the better side.

 

[Domsinoz]

They are running us ragged in midfield. Everytime they go forward they seem to have an extra man. If not outwits then they seem to have a lad who drops between howson and the defence. We are struggling to pick him up. Their goal came from Giles trying to pick him up and leaving himself too central to get to his wide player. Hopefully carrick has seen similar and corrects things

 

[Hap]

I think it was a clear pen. We got off there.

Smallbone has a touch of class about him. And Laurent is making a nuisance of himself, shame about going down looking for the penna.

 

[Corcaigh_the_Cat]

Two good sides here, that's a fair score, we need to up it and tighten up next half.

 

[edinboro]

I think it was a clear pen. We got off there.

I think the ref felt the ball had gone/been passed.