v Middlesbrough (a) - 26/12/25

[bluebruce]

5 hours ago, RoversTilliDie said:

As the LT says, I can't see how we can drop Pears at the moment. He hasn't put a foot wrong since he came in for Toth, he hadn't much chance with most of the goals conceded, and his kicks up field are excellent.

His kicks upfield are poor.

Whilst the goals he has conceded haven't been terrible, some have been saveable by a better keeper like Toth, who pulls off saves you wouldn't expect. Something Pears rarely does. Toth also has better positioning and handles crosses better. The goals conceded ratio has gone up since Toth's injury.

I wouldn't necessarily play Toth immediately, as he has been out for a while and we don't want a recurrence, or for him to come back in a bit cold and lose confidence if something goes wrong. But I'd hate for us to sit him on the bench for a month or two until Pears makes a glaring error. It would cost us points to take that approach.

[bluebruce]

54 minutes ago, Blow-in said:

Ah the Irony, it's as thick as butter here.

I don't think you can accuse Chaddy of not being loud enough.

[philipl]

Bristol City beat Boro 2-0 in their last game, not because Bristol were brilliant but because Boro were distinctly ordinary. Brittain in particular was nothing like the player he was for us.

[Andy]

59 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

His kicks upfield are poor.

Whilst the goals he has conceded haven't been terrible, some have been saveable by a better keeper like Toth, who pulls off saves you wouldn't expect. Something Pears rarely does. Toth also has better positioning and handles crosses better. The goals conceded ratio has gone up since Toth's injury.

I wouldn't necessarily play Toth immediately, as he has been out for a while and we don't want a recurrence, or for him to come back in a bit cold and lose confidence if something goes wrong. But I'd hate for us to sit him on the bench for a month or two until Pears makes a glaring error. It would cost us points to take that approach.

Yeah, agreed - his kicking has been suspect and I can recall a handful of occasions in recent games where he's kicked it directly out for an opposition thrown-in, under no pressure.

Pears has done fine, but Toth will come back in as the number 1 when he's fit, as he's a far superior GK.

[KentExile]

58 minutes ago, philipl said:

Bristol City beat Boro 2-0 in their last game, not because Bristol were brilliant but because Boro were distinctly ordinary. Brittain in particular was nothing like the player he was for us.

Based on the comments from Boro fans on twitter, that sounds like it may have been a one off.  I think that as Alebiosu has been much better than any of us could have hoped or expected, some of us have forgotten just how good Brittain is

Edit - I am not knocking Alebiosu, and he probably fits our current system at least as well, and possibly better than Brittain

 

 

Edited 6 hours ago by KentExile

[Old Codger]

3-0 to the smoggies, to end the year on a sobering note.

No way for Rovers' run away from home to continue, against a proper footballing side, in a stadium filled with passionate and knowledgeable football fans (from the North West as well as North East), and the prospect of very different ends to the campaigns of either side, with 180 degree separation of trajectories...

Rovers Riverside Rout? Smoggies 3 Rovers 0

Riverside Reverse Revelation? Boro 0 Rovers 3

Realistic Result Reflecting Resources? Smog Operators 2 Tommy Balls 0

However, COYB!

& of course, odious VENKYS OUT!

 

[Tomphil2]

27 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Based on the comments from Boro fans on twitter, that sounds like it may have been a one off.  I think that as Alebiosu has been much better than any of us could have hoped or expected, some of us have forgotten just how good Brittain is

Edit - I am not knocking Alebiosu, and he probably fits our current system at least as well, and possibly better than Brittain

 

 

He's a class player and one of the best RWB's in this league for sure when he keeps up the consistency.

Anyone pretending otherwise is just bitter revisionism although we've certainly been fortunate with a good replacement.

[Exiled_Rover]

42 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Based on the comments from Boro fans on twitter, that sounds like it may have been a one off.  I think that as Alebiosu has been much better than any of us could have hoped or expected, some of us have forgotten just how good Brittain is

Edit - I am not knocking Alebiosu, and he probably fits our current system at least as well, and possibly better than Brittain

 

 

Bloody hell it's a poor league.

[DE.]

2 hours ago, KentExile said:

Based on the comments from Boro fans on twitter, that sounds like it may have been a one off.  I think that as Alebiosu has been much better than any of us could have hoped or expected, some of us have forgotten just how good Brittain is

Edit - I am not knocking Alebiosu, and he probably fits our current system at least as well, and possibly better than Brittain

 

 

Yeah Brittan has been pretty good for them. Weird for anyone to be casting shade on them signing him when we're 20th and they're 2nd. 

[booth]

2 hours ago, KentExile said:

Based on the comments from Boro fans on twitter, that sounds like it may have been a one off.  I think that as Alebiosu has been much better than any of us could have hoped or expected, some of us have forgotten just how good Brittain is

Edit - I am not knocking Alebiosu, and he probably fits our current system at least as well, and possibly better than Brittain

 

 

At Rovers I thought he started well, went a bit shit, then never really got back to his earlier performances defensively. However he was brilliant going forward.

Alebiosu is a much better defender and when he gets forward he's very good. I trust him defensively more than Brittain and I think we're yet to see the best of him.

[philipl]

2 hours ago, DE. said:

Yeah Brittan has been pretty good for them. Weird for anyone to be casting shade on them signing him when we're 20th and they're 2nd. 

Doesn't negate the fact that like his team mates he had a bit of a stinker at Bristol on Saturday. Hopefully we don't suffer from a rebound reaction on Boxing Day.

[DE.]

22 minutes ago, philipl said:

Doesn't negate the fact that like his team mates he had a bit of a stinker at Bristol on Saturday. Hopefully we don't suffer from a rebound reaction on Boxing Day.

I mean, all players have bad games. We can hope Brittain has a poor game again when they play us, but by all accounts for most of this season he's very much been as good as them as he was for us in his final season or so. I'm expecting he'll come into the game with a bit of extra motivation to perform. 

[M_B]

1 hour ago, booth said:

At Rovers I thought he started well, went a bit shit, then never really got back to his earlier performances defensively. However he was brilliant going forward.

Alebiosu is a much better defender and when he gets forward he's very good. I trust him defensively more than Brittain and I think we're yet to see the best of him.

I hadn't even considered the Britain factor, great credit must go to Alebiosu for that, I honestly wouldn't swap back. 

[levi]

Tickets have gone off sale online for this with no mention of a sell out..

[Tomphil2]

35 minutes ago, levi said:

Tickets have gone off sale online for this with no mention of a sell out..

Yeah i was just looking for them before but no sign.

What's all the obsession some clubs have with restricting peoples ability to buy away tickets ?

Presume Boro are close to selling out so there'll be non on the day, think we've shifted a few but doubtful anywhere near the full allocation.