Lots of comments on the bus back into town after the game the Pulis is 'anti-football' and he is 'destroying the game' with his turgid style which sets his teams up not to lose first and foremost with the hope they can nick a goal from a long throwing, corner or a set piece. Boro also blatantly time wasted from the off which is horrible to watch but you have to say that I never thought we would win this game. It's a shame that Boro play like this because they do have good players in the team (Clayton, Howson, Downing) and we saw glimpses of them in the first half, especially when Howson danced around KIich, left him for dead and made Peacock make a good save. Can we buy him back please? I've always been a big fan. As soon as the teams came out I said they looked like a big team whereas we had no height. Bielsa dropped Jansson to bring back Cooper and so we lost our best defender from set pieces (and long throws). Also we played Roofe, on his own up front, against some 6ft plus horrible, cheating, ugly bastards (Ayala). He was never going to get a sniff and when you consider we lost Hernandes and Saiz was having another off day it was always going to be tough for us. I don't think their keeper had to make a decent save all night. Having said that we battled hard and deserved a point but I think it was more down to poor Boro play than anything. I don't think we won many headers in our box and they had chance after chance from free headers in the first half that they either sailed over or on one occassion from another long throw Peacock excellently saved. We tried to play the way we have done so far and at times we did manage to create space and openings it's just there was no end product or Boro just snuffed the attack out. When we did get space, it usually fell to Allioski who more than often was off-side. He really is a brainless footballer at times. Look along the line you numbskull. I was watching him making his runs in the first half and he was always at least a yard off side. Frustrating. So lots of possession but very little end product. Is Saiz injured ? because he doesn't look the same player as he did for the opening games. He didn't have the pace or the acceleration to get the ball and go on those runs where he always seems to be a yard ahead of the opposition. He seems to be stuggling and doesn't have the legs to do what he wants to do, leaving him totally ineffective as he was last night. Worrying. The highlight for me though was our keeper's perfromance last night. Against the Boro bombardment he commanded his area brilliantly and also made a couple of great saves to keep us in it. When you couple that with great distribution it was definitely a man of the match performance for me. Another learning game for Bielsa against a team who won't get beaten much this season. Scores: Peacock - 9. He convinced me last night he is the future for us in goals. Ayling - 5. I thought he really struggled last night defensively and coming forward where he never looked convincing. Beradi - 7. I thought he was immense first half in the way he man marked Assombolonga on their left first half. Not sure how bad his injury is but it would take a bad one to prevent him from continuing although he did try. Stuggled in the air but that's not surprising. Cooper - 6. Same old Cooper. 90% decent and 10% reckless. Neither him or Beradi won much in the air but Cooper's tackling or should I say fouling nearly cost us in terms of the free kicks they got and also I think they had claims for a pen. Douglas - 6. Did ok but totally ineffective going forward which was probably more down to Boro. Yet to see why he is given all free-kicks. Siaz - 5. Saw a lot of the ball and tried first half to make things happen but truth is that the Boro midfield were just too lively for him. He hasn't got the legs. Klich - 5. On the ball, he played some nice stuff but again off the ball I think he struggled. Allioski - 2. Brain dead. Also don't like his constant whinging, play acting, fouling .... I thought Bielsa might change this but he hasn't. I'd get rid today. Harrison - 7. I thought he had a quiet first half however he came alive second and I thought he looked our most dangerous player. He also worked hard in defence but was obviously out on his feet later on. I think he will get better and I'd like to see him play in Allioski's role. Roofe - 6. He's clearly a better and fitter player than last season. He is also stronger and is winning 50:50s that he would never have done last season. His effort and work rate is high and he's busy all the time. Having said that, as a striker I thought he was totally ineffective in the lone role last night. This is mainly down to Boro not allowing our full backs to play as extra wingers which meant he had no service. For me I would have started with Bamford tonight but at very least put Bamford on for the last 30 minutes. Why put him on with in injury time ? Ridiculous. Subs: Jansson - actually won a header ! Bamford and Dallas not on long enough. Overall disappointing but top of the league even after tomorrow's game is nothing to complain about.
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