[Albion] Match ratings Middlesbrough

[El Presidente]

Casper 7
Bridge 8
Greer 8.5
Upson 7
Calderon 7
Crofts 6
Hammond 7
Orlandi 7
Bridcutt 8
Lopez 7
Ulloa 8

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Sounded like Greer's best performance of the season.

 

[SeagullSongs]

Cracking away day, helped by some fast driving on the way home.

Ratings:

Ankergren - 7. Solid with a couple of good saves thrown in.

Calderon - 8. Every game I'm amazed by Calde's versatility and ability. I wonder how long until Gus sticks him upfront?
Greer - 8.5 MOTM. Fantastic today - one particularly timely intervention on their right wing springs immediately to mind.
Upson - 7.5. A little shaky to start with, but soon got into the rhythm of it.
Bridge - 7.5. Another good game.

Bridcutt - 8.5. Not 100% there in the first half, but really stepped it up for the second. Beautiful through-ball to Lopez for the second goal.
Hammond - 8. Got the team going in the second half, added a real desire and work rate that filled the whole team. A little off in the first half though.
Crofts - 7.5. Excellent workrate in the second half.
Orlandi - 8. Seems a little unwilling to run past players on the wing, but retains possession well and a tidy finish.
Lopez - 8. Great composure for his goal and good team play throughout the rest of the game.

Ulloa - 8.5. It's been a long time since I've seen an Albion player put so much effort into a game, he looked absolutely spent by the end and should've scored at least once from some sublime crosses. Fantastic hold up play though.

----------

Dicker - n/a
Forster-Caskey - n/a

Great tactics from Gus, got today spot-on.
Several contenders for Man of the Match too.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Sounded like Greer's best performance of the season.

Greer has been consistently good all season, the myth of his decline is baffling. Once an idea begins, it grows and grows until people actually believe it as being the truth.

 

[4-p]

Funnily enough apart from the goals, the weakest players on our team for posession and decision making on and off the ball seemed Orlando dave and Hammond,
However,
Bridge kept wanting to send Orlandi flying down the wing, Orlando didn't have the legs so wanted the ball to do the work, so miscommunication.
Their left winger was very handy so Dave didn't get forward quickly.
Hammond did his thing when he makes mad runs across the whole pitch and did not get given the ball, when we lost it we were out of shape cos Deano was elsewhere.
The goals were from everyone doing it right.
So even though they looked out of whack it wasn't their fault.

Thought Crofts had a very good game for all the game, good to see him back fit.

The whole back 4 were superb again. Greer seems to have reminded himself he can tackle and head.
Also Ulloa ran and ran all game, he's so tired which is why I think he missed those two headers, reaction time was a tiny bit too slow.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I read a few comments on BBS earlier about Ulloa. 2 separate Palace fans were surprisingly complimentary about him. One said "he is total class" and the other said "he is by far the best centre forward in the division". Obviously they weren't overly popular for their troubles.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Greer has been consistently good all season, the myth of his decline is baffling. Once an idea begins, it grows and grows until people actually believe it as being the truth.

I think people have been impressed with Greer since he got back in the team, and I think it has a lot to do with playing next to Matt Upson. He has made the heart of defense that much stronger.

 

[Skaville]

Greer has been consistently good all season, the myth of his decline is baffling. Once an idea begins, it grows and grows until people actually believe it as being the truth.

You're wrong. He was very poor mid season. His performance against Palace at Selhurst was absolutley appalling.

 

[Beach Hut]

Bizarre game as Borough never threatened us and it looked like we needed inspiration so had thought Vicente would come on for the 2nd half, but fair play to Poyet.

Stunning win

 

[Hyperion]

You know, I was scathing of Greer earlier in the season, but since he has partnered Upson, I bloody love him. It's like Upson has made him better.

 

[Doc Lynam]

Cracking away day, helped by some fast driving on the way home.

Ratings:

Ankergren - 7. Solid with a couple of good saves thrown in.

Calderon - 8. Every game I'm amazed by Calde's versatility and ability. I wonder how long until Gus sticks him upfront?
Greer - 8.5 MOTM. Fantastic today - one particularly timely intervention on their right wing springs immediately to mind.
Upson - 7.5. A little shaky to start with, but soon got into the rhythm of it.
Bridge - 7.5. Another good game.

Bridcutt - 8.5. Not 100% there in the first half, but really stepped it up for the second. Beautiful through-ball to Lopez for the second goal.
Hammond - 8. Got the team going in the second half, added a real desire and work rate that filled the whole team. A little off in the first half though.
Crofts - 7.5. Excellent workrate in the second half.
Orlandi - 8. Seems a little unwilling to run past players on the wing, but retains possession well and a tidy finish.
Lopez - 8. Great composure for his goal and good team play throughout the rest of the game.

Ulloa - 8.5. It's been a long time since I've seen an Albion player put so much effort into a game, he looked absolutely spent by the end and should've scored at least once from some sublime crosses. Fantastic hold up play though.

----------

Dicker - n/a
Forster-Caskey - n/a

Great tactics from Gus, got today spot-on.
Several contenders for Man of the Match too.

Great review thanks

 

[kingstn seagull]

Thought Hammond and Crofts both had great games today, I feel the role of centre midfielders is to get stuck in and make their mark on the game and both of them did that. They may not be the most technically brilliant but they allowed the others to play their natural game (Dave, Orlandi, Ulloa, Bridge, Calde). Bridcutt was outstanding, as always, it always astounds me how good he is at holding on to the ball!

Brave decision by Poyet to play 5 CM's today but it paid off!

 

[4-p]

I'm constantly pleased by Crofts ball control, a couple of times today he held off 3 or 4 players while carrying the ball. I've seen it a few times this season.
I'm also pleased by the way Crofty sticks to the middle of the park, where as Hammond can often chase the space up to the far corners of the pitch and leave us exposed when we lose possession. Of course when runs pay off it's awesome, like yesterday!

 

[saafend_seagull]

Thought Hammond and Crofts both had great games today, I feel the role of centre midfielders is to get stuck in and make their mark on the game and both of them did that. They may not be the most technically brilliant but they allowed the others to play their natural game (Dave, Orlandi, Ulloa, Bridge, Calde). Bridcutt was outstanding, as always, it always astounds me how good he is at holding on to the ball!

Brave decision by Poyet to play 5 CM's today but it paid off!

Worked for Cardiff all season pretty much playing just one flair player (Orlandi) and rest workaholics.

 

[stss30]

You're wrong. He was very poor mid season. His performance against Palace at Selhurst was absolutley appalling.

This. He was poor, but now he's returned from injury and partnered with Upson he looks much better.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Upson's contribution cannot be underestimated.

 

[Sussex on Leith]

Cracking away day, helped by some fast driving on the way home.

Ratings:

Ankergren - 7. Solid with a couple of good saves thrown in.

Calderon - 8. Every game I'm amazed by Calde's versatility and ability. I wonder how long until Gus sticks him upfront?
Greer - 8.5 MOTM. Fantastic today - one particularly timely intervention on their right wing springs immediately to mind.
Upson - 7.5. A little shaky to start with, but soon got into the rhythm of it.
Bridge - 7.5. Another good game.

Bridcutt - 8.5. Not 100% there in the first half, but really stepped it up for the second. Beautiful through-ball to Lopez for the second goal.
Hammond - 8. Got the team going in the second half, added a real desire and work rate that filled the whole team. A little off in the first half though.
Crofts - 7.5. Excellent workrate in the second half.
Orlandi - 8. Seems a little unwilling to run past players on the wing, but retains possession well and a tidy finish.
Lopez - 8. Great composure for his goal and good team play throughout the rest of the game.

Ulloa - 8.5. It's been a long time since I've seen an Albion player put so much effort into a game, he looked absolutely spent by the end and should've scored at least once from some sublime crosses. Fantastic hold up play though.

----------

Dicker - n/a
Forster-Caskey - n/a

Great tactics from Gus, got today spot-on.
Several contenders for Man of the Match too.

Thought I'd get involved in this thread as it's the first game I've been able to go to for ages. But there's not much I can really add to, or disagree with, on this assessment of the game.

Oh, just a few things actually, some of them slightly off-topic:

1. The ref (and useless linesman on the RHS as we looked) did us no favours at all. Boro lucky to keep all 11 dirty northern b******s on the pitch in the first half (and I say that as an adopted dirty northern b******).

2. The away support was magnificent throughout. Chants of support for Casper were great to hear. And I'm still finding myself singing "Spanish Dave, Spanish Dave, Spanish Dave" to myself absentmindedly, even after a night's sleep.

3. I hope Boro sort themselves out, because the fans, stewards and everyone else around the club are brilliant. Friendly, welcoming and representative of all the good things about following football.

4. I bloody love Calde. Almost as much as my sister does, but that's another story.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Greer has been consistently good all season, the myth of his decline is baffling. Once an idea begins, it grows and grows until people actually believe it as being the truth.

I totally agree with this. He has looked better than ever since he has come back into the team. Definitely in line for a new contract.

 

[chimneys]

Cracking away day, helped by some fast driving on the way home.

Ratings:

Ankergren - 7. Solid with a couple of good saves thrown in.

Calderon - 8. Every game I'm amazed by Calde's versatility and ability. I wonder how long until Gus sticks him upfront?
Greer - 8.5 MOTM. Fantastic today - one particularly timely intervention on their right wing springs immediately to mind.
Upson - 7.5. A little shaky to start with, but soon got into the rhythm of it.
Bridge - 7.5. Another good game.

Bridcutt - 8.5. Not 100% there in the first half, but really stepped it up for the second. Beautiful through-ball to Lopez for the second goal.
Hammond - 8. Got the team going in the second half, added a real desire and work rate that filled the whole team. A little off in the first half though.
Crofts - 7.5. Excellent workrate in the second half.
Orlandi - 8. Seems a little unwilling to run past players on the wing, but retains possession well and a tidy finish.
Lopez - 8. Great composure for his goal and good team play throughout the rest of the game.

Ulloa - 8.5. It's been a long time since I've seen an Albion player put so much effort into a game, he looked absolutely spent by the end and should've scored at least once from some sublime crosses. Fantastic hold up play though.

----------

Dicker - n/a
Forster-Caskey - n/a

Great tactics from Gus, got today spot-on.
Several contenders for Man of the Match too.

Interested to know what made Casper our worst player on the pitch today according to your scoring?

 

[Ninja Elephant]

You're wrong. He was very poor mid season. His performance against Palace at Selhurst was absolutley appalling.

No it wasn't. Colin Hawkins vs Hartlepool in the FA Cup was "absolutely appalling". Greer at Palace was nowhere near that derogatory term. Yes, he gave away a daft penalty but we played the whole game with 10 men and only conceded from a corner and two penalties...