Winning Games By 1 Goal: Boro -v- Top 3

[Conoraskins97]

I remember speaking with my brother after we secured our play off place against Hull. We beat them 3-1 that night and a few days before we beat Norwich 5-1. One slight concern was that we either seemed to thrash teams (great) or if it was a tight game we wouldn’t find a way to grind the result out (not great). The games in the play offs were always going to be tight, nervy affairs…

Since the turn of the year we have played 23 games, here are some stats from 2023:

- Boro have won 12 games, we won 1 by 1 goal (Millwall at home). 8.3% of wins have been by 1 goal. In contrast, we have lost 4 by 1 goal since the start of April.
- Burnley have won 14 Games and have won 7 of them by 1 goal. 50% of wins have been won by 1 goal.
- Sheffield United have won 12 games and have won 9 by 1 goal. 75% of wins have been won by 1 goal.
- Luton have won 13 games and won 8 by 1 go. 61.5% of wins have been by 1 goal.

Hopefully next season if we get in a similar position in the run-in we will be able to grind results out to get over the line. There were some key games where we took the lead and didn’t manage the game well (Stoke and Huddersfield are the big 2 that stand out). Am I being too critical?

 

[northernrower]

I think you are being too critical to be honest. A good bit of research, and I'm sure there's some worth to it, but winning games by thrashing teams is what every team would ideally like to do.

 

[Conoraskins97]

I think you are being too critical to be honest. A good bit of research, and I'm sure there's some worth to it, but winning games by thrashing teams is what every team would ideally like to do.

Agreed that is the goal, and I love seeing us thrash teams! I just think even the best teams grind those results out, Burnley and Sheffield United were thrashing teams at the start of the season but then just had enough to get the job done towards the end.
I’m confident in Carrick though and think he’s the best asset we have so hopefully he is backed!

 

[Morton94]

We're one of them sides that goes out with the mindset of we're going to outscore you. Its brilliant to watch.

I do think we need some more grit and if Carrick thinks so to I'm sure he'll go out and get it

 

[ska66]

I know we have scored a lot but we concede too many. Look at top 3 in the division, how many they have conceded compared to us.

Luton made play offs last season but conceded a lot. This season they have tightened up and are stronger for it.

Am not saying go back to Pulis days but somewhere in between Pulis and Carrick philosophy. Maybe Carrick was just using what he had as best he could and maybe with his own pre season window we will see tightening up at the back.

 

[Nano]

We get better when we're ahead because of the way we break. IT's not a case of grinding out results but getting a lead and then punishing teams trying to get back into it.

Number of wins is most important and we had plenty. I think had we have needed results in the last few weeks we would have finished with the highest number of wins on that list.