Great post Drog!
I thought we were really good value for the three points yesterday, we started the game with such intensity which has been lacking at Cardiff, Wigan, Reading away etc. They could not handle BBD for the first 20 minutes and he almost gave us the lead with an absolute pearler from outside the area. Rovers looked neat and tidy on the ball, Adam Wharton (What a Player) calm as you like on a number of occasions kept and played the ball out wide from tight situations which really impressed me. We should have been 5-1 up at HT, two Gally effort well denied by there keeper who had an excellent game. Still not sure how that Gallagher header didn't go in!
I thought the REF was a bit poor today, slow and I think as Drog has said gave any of the 50's-50s to Boro including the yellow card to Travis. Muniz should have been sent of for that deliberate stamp on TK, I hope we take action and report that.
TK 6 - Friedel esque save but I think Akpom was already offside, his kicking seems to get worse each week.
Britts 7 - Nice footwork from CB, still think he would be more effective further up the pitch as we was pushed back quite a bit yesterday down that side especially in the 2nd half. Stuck to his job though and a wonderful megs in the first half.
Phillips 5 - Not ready for this level yet, plenty of promise but he shouldn't be near the 11. A bit clumsy, overly safe and at fast for losing his man Watmore for the goal.
Hyam 7 - Is there a better signing in the league than this man? Total colossus. He had a great hand with the Gally first goal, then I think it's him who plays the ball up the field for the second. Great defender, some awesome blocks partucuarly in the second half. Lost his man at one point and I was thinking Argh man! but he was atoned by Travis who had a great block challenge in on the Boro player.
S. Wharton 7 - What a player he has turned into, I wouldn't want to swap him and Hyam for anyone else in this league. Scotty is full of challenges, commitment to get there, great reading of where the ball is going to go. Got easily spun in the first half and should have been given a yellow in what was almost a faultless display.
Pickering 7 - His first half performance was terrific, bombing forwards to support, needs to fizz his crosses a bit as those high ones seem to take forever to come back down! Doggid, full of effort yesterday especially when BBD went wondering about. Jones (Mboro) will destroy most in this league with his pace.
Travis 6 - Upsets teams, get's in there faces quite a bit, seems to be getting some stick online but I think that's uncalled for. He's a technically limited player but he covers the yards, quite a few times he won the ball back in areas which if he didn't win we'd have been in trouble yesterday including our own box.
Morton 8 - Cool as you like on the ball, decent range of passing shown, I think it was Mortons ball which sent Dolan away? I think this lad is miles ahead in terms of thinking compared to the rest of the squad.
A. Wharton 7 - Was easily one of the best players in the first half, quickly tired in the second half and came of after 60 or so mins. He played for the U23s midweek so I think that had a part to play in his fatiguing. So competent and confident with the ball, loves a challenge, I think he has to start at Sunderland.
Gallagher 8 - MotM for me and should have had his first hat-trick in senior football, ultimate performance from him, tireless, full of energy and running, some clever runs with the ball in the first half.
BBD 5.5 - Boro struggled to handle him in the first 20 mins, he really unnerved Dijksteel, popping up all over that side of the pitch. The problem is when he does go roaming and we lose the ball we invariably get Pickering isolated at full/wing back. A few times yesterday he pulled out of challenges, he got a nasty one to his ankle in the first half though. Needs to be smarter with his energy uses during the game, I think Boros change s to the defence at HT effectively cancelled out BBD for the second Half who then did nothing.
SUBS
Dolan 6 - Should have scored, I swear his baggy shorts weigh him down a bit, doesn't seem as lively as he was previously, maybe the bulking up?
Schmozza 7 - Some really clever work putting the hard yards in when our backs where to the wall especially the last ten minutes of the game, two key challenges down our right side which he had to make.
Hedges 6 - Didn't do too much for the last ten mins he was on for, Cleverly bought a free kick when we needed to relieve a bit of pressure in the dying stages though.
But 5th for now, can't argue with that with what is a mediocre squad for me.
