Player Ratings - Middlesbrough (H)

[Eddie Bee]

Kuszczak 7 good save, generally solid, could have claimed a couple of crosses
Bruno 6 Gave away ball a few times especially goal
Bridge 7 Good performance as usual
Greer 6
El Abd 6
Hammond 6
Crofts 6
David 7
Bridcutt 8 Important tackles in midfield.
Barnes 7 Like to see him play more forward but got through a lot of hard graft.
CMS 7 How did he miss 2nd half chance?

Dobbie 6
Buckley 6
Lua Lua 6

Not a bad performance, we had our chances, should have put them away.

 

[Titus]

Keeper 7. all the rest 6 apart from Bruno 8.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Kuszchak - 6
Bruno- 6
Bridge - 8
Greer - 4 - distribution v poor. Looks clueless at times
AEA - 6
Lopez - 5 - looks happier inside than out wide
Hammond - 4 - think I prefer Dicker
Crofts - 6
Bridcutt - 6
Barnes - 7
CMS - 5 - missed 2 sitters. Effort wise faultless.

Buckley - 6
Dobbie - 5 - one mazy dribble, sadly careless with the ball the rest of the time
KLL - 6

 

[Acker79]

Kuszczak 7.5 - Wicked deflection for the goal. Otherwise quiet.
Bruno 8 - good runs forward, looked to create
Greer 5.5 - Hesitant, critical of others when undeserved, on the plus side, he passed to his right back.
El Abd 6.5 - Decent, but not noteworthy
Bridge 7.5 - got forward, made some good runs always available
Bridcutt 7 - Did well late in the game with Miller who looked like a monster next to him, otherwise decent
Crofts 6.5 - Not particularly noteworthy for most of the game
Hammond 7 - Not hard to say, but one of his better games since returning. Involved a lot, spread the ball, played with purpose, didn't gift position so often
Barnes 7.5 - had our best shot, showed some fantastic control with first touches. Seriously, anyone who thinks he has no first touch need to watch his performance today, worked hard, needs to show more creativity
Lopez 7 - Some would be good crosses if we had any height, some good interlinking with Bruno. Starting to settle into our system
CMS 6 - Had a bad first touch far too often, his one on one was wasted as he spooned it over (the keeper didn't need to tip it over, but did anyway). I assume it's just because he hasn't played for a while

Subs:
Dobbie 6 - some very good runs and moments, but too often since he joined his shot has had absolutely no venom. Looks like the sort of player that will be a star for us next season
Buckley 6 - Perhaps he was left too late to come on, didn't really bring anything new or different to the team today.
LuaLua No time really, though had a couple of chances to create thins but made the wrong decision

 

[bhawoddy]

Kooshack - 6 nothing to do other than pick the ball out of the net.
Bruno 6 - sloppily gave the ball away which led to the goal. decent other than that.
Bridge 7 - good game, must be getting frustrated with some of his team mates. Prem quality!
Greer 5 - poor in the air and seems to slate everyone else when things go bad. time is not on his side.
El Abd - 6 solid enough - standard game, got stuck in as usual. typical performance from him.
Bridcutt - 7 Good game, great passer, breaks play up well, Tried hard.
Crofts - 6 hard working, battling player - missed a great chance 2nd half with a lashed effort.
Hammond - 6 - Again, worked hard, did well to miss a headed chance 1st half.
David - 7 Good game, not sure if he is a winger but showed he has quality on the ball.
Barnes - 7 tried hard but wayward with a couple of good chances. One of his better games for a long while
CMS - 4 Tried as usual but had a poor game IMO. Missed every chance that came his way. Lack of composure when it counts. Lets put it down to fitness issues.

 

[R. Slicker]

Kuszczak 6 OK, not as assured as usual
Bruno 6 good link up play with Lopez early but lost possession too much
Greer 6 OK performance
El Abd 6 OK Performance
Bridge 7 Classy player, looked far better with Buckley in front of him
Bridcutt 5.5 Not his usual standard
Crofts 5 Off the pace
Hammond 8 Easily our best player, was involved in all our best stuff. Should be skipper next season if he signs.
David 7 promising performance, good on the ball
Barnes 5 weakest link, why was he not taken off? I think Gus could make 10 subs and Ash would still be on there.
CMS 6 good start but ran out of steam

Lua Lua 6
Buckley 6 needs to start, couldn't get in the game
Dobbie 4 how about trying to go round a defender one time? instead of through them.

 

[Knightsworld]

Kuszczak-7
Bruno 5
Greer 6
El-Abd 5
Bridge 8
Bridcutt 7
Crofts 6
Hammond 6
Barnes 5
Lopez 6
CMS 6

Subs:
Dobbie 5
Buckley 5
LuaLua 5

 

[Trigger]

Kuzsczak 7
Bruno 6
Greer 5
El-Abd 6
Bridge 7
Bridcutt 8
Crofts 6
Hammond 5
Lopez 6
Barnes 4
Mackail-Smith 6

Dobbie 4
Buckley 5
LuaLua 7

Gus 3

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I like a bit of pace as much as the next man, but if we're playing a team with 10 men in their own third for most of the match, what good is pace. Surely pace is better on the counter or with a bit more space behind the back.

Sorry but that statement is cretinous. Pace allows you to run at people and beat them. Something we didn't do until Buckley came on. Attempting to pass through 10 players equals fail, something we appear to do well at home at the moment.

 

[Acker79]

Sorry but that statement is cretinous. Pace allows you to run at people and beat them. Something we didn't do until Buckley came on. Attempting to pass through 10 players equals fail, something we appear to do well at home at the moment.

It's not so cretinous. When you have 10 men in the penalty box (as boro did today), getting past one player on the wing isn't going to be much use, because you then get in the area, knock the ball past one player and as you work to get round him, the ball has been collected by one of the other nine. The pace gave you nothing.

 

[Silk]

Kusczack 7
Bruno 7
Bridge 6
Greer 5
El-Abd 6
Bridcutt 8
Hammond 6
Crofts 6
Lopez 6
Barnes 6
Mackail-Smith 6

Dobbie 4
Buckley 5
Lualua not enough time

 

[timbha]

Sorry but that statement is cretinous. QUOTE]

that doesn't help your argument. Starting with an insult rarely helps.

 

[Broady]

Barnes and Bridcutt are the only players who would get anywhere near a 7 for me.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Kuzsczak 7
Bruno 5 gave the ball away too often
Greer 3 stop moaning at everyone else when its you al fault
El-Abd 6
Bridge 6
Bridcutt 8
Crofts 5
Hammond 5 got in some good positions but way way too slow
Lopez 5 be nice to see some variety in the crosses. i.e. attempt to beat the first defender
Barnes 4 awful, one decent shot does not make a performance.
Mackail-Smith 4 missed to many good chances

Dobbie 4 oh dear!! must get better soon
Buckley 5
LuaLua 7

Gus 1 got it wrong, the team and tactics were wrong, too slow, to predictable, no idea, same old same old

 

[sagaman]

Presumably Bruno was MOTM as he created the only goal!

 

[supaseagull]

Kusczack 7
Bruno 7
Bridge 6
Greer 5
El-Abd 6
Bridcutt 8
Hammond 6
Crofts 6
Lopez 6
Barnes 6
Mackail-Smith 6

Dobbie 4
Buckley 5
Lualua not enough time

The two only things I'd disagree with is for PIG...had only two things to do and if give him 6...

The other is that you're being over generous for Dobbie

 

[clippedgull]

Kuszczak-6
Bruno 7
Greer 6
El-Abd 6
Bridge-7
Bridcutt-6
Crofts 4
Hammond 5
Barnes 5
Lopez 7
CMS 5

Subs:
Dobbie 5
Buckley 5
LuaLua 5

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

that doesn't help your argument. Starting with an insult rarely helps.

And that's not a f***ing insult is it! Unless I'm insulting the statement!

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

It's not so cretinous. When you have 10 men in the penalty box (as boro did today), getting past one player on the wing isn't going to be much use, because you then get in the area, knock the ball past one player and as you work to get round him, the ball has been collected by one of the other nine. The pace gave you nothing.

Boro didn't have 10 in the box they played a controlled attacking game for an away team.

Added to which pace doesn't mean run down the wing and chuck the ball over. Mr Ward had pace he took on players and used to shoot!! the moment you run at defenders they retreat we didn't, we just passed it around in front of them and then attempted some super pass.

 

[Silk]

The two only things I'd disagree with is for PIG...had only two things to do and if give him 6...

The other is that you're being over generous for Dobbie

7 for PIG just for not being Ankergren or Brezovan.

You're right about Dobbie, so far so unimpressive.