Wow that win on Tuesday was hard fought and so tense towards the end as the 10 men held on. But as the dust settled in the days following everyone is wondering can this be a turning point? Does Paddy McNair's red card being overturned also show another change, are the cards starting to turn in our favour? With all this baggage off their backs can Boro go on to preform at Reading and bring back some points?
I had a chance to put a few questions to Neil Warnock at zoom press conference this morning. Firstly following on from full back Darnell Fisher speaking to several fmttm posters yesterday, I asked about the influence of the recent signing.
Fly: We spoke to Darnell Fisher yesterday and he seems a great lad. Everyone was so impressed at both him and Bola getting so far forward v Huddersfield and of course Darnell being fouled for the penalty. Is this almost a new dimension to our attacking play?
NW: We are giving them the freedom to go forward so they have got to take it really. It is great to see both those lads in the box at the same time, especially when we play 3 at the back. When you have got people like Paddy and Dijksteel, so what if we are man for man at times, why worry, I don't worry about that when them two are playing. So, it gives them a freedom really. I thought they did well, especially for the penalty that Darnell got.
Neil Warnock had earlier seemed delighted that Dael Fry looks set for a return and he was also enthusing about the performance of Grant Hall. He looked like a rock in the centre of defence. Having been out and missing so much of his first season for Boro he could now play a big part in the run in for us.
Anyway, turning back to today's press conference I then asked Neil Warnock for his opinion about another of the new signings, our flying winger on loan from Fulham.
Fly: Neeskins Kebano – already looks like someone who is really going to excite the fans. He is such a dangerous player.
NW: He is. I think there are going to be games where I can't afford him. I don't mean as a luxury but tactically there are going to be games where we are going to have to be stronger in that area. You know in that first ten minutes we couldn't get anywhere near Huddersfield, could we? Passing wise we had to close areas down. Same on Saturday, if we start like that, they will wipe the floor with us. So we have got to be a bit solid and Neeskins has to help us out there.
So, it will be interesting to see how we set up at the start versus the Royals. Could we see a different formation or personnel. Will Neeskins be deployed in a different role or will he be on the bench as we seek to keep it tight and solid at the start.
This made me reflect back on Tuesday night, it was such a phenomenal game in so many ways.
Fly: After we equalised we had Huddersfield reeling, one of the best passages of play we have seen for some time. You must have been very happy with that.
NW: Yes, I thought Jonny Howson, was instrumental in that. I think he just gets better and better and I thought his drive and his will power was super, in every aspect, left side, right side, he was there, supporting. I thought his cajoling of some of the younger lads was excellent the other night. And like you say it should have been over by half time really if we had taken some of the chances.
Let's hope Howson can grasp the reigns at Reading tomorrow. But talking about taking chances, Ashley Fletcher just about scored the penalty but how much benefit will the big forward take from having been on the pitch for all those minutes?
NW: Yes. That is what you need. You can't get fit just training, you have got to have games. I am glad I didn't see his penalty. I didn't look at his penalty. And then Jep-o jumped up when it went in and then he said you will not want to see it. And he is right I didn't want to see it. A good job I didn't see it. But as Ashley says you read the paper the next day and it says Ashley Fletcher penalty and that is all that matters isn't it.
He said it was never in doubt (smiles).
Ha ha never in doubt lets hope we can blunt the Reading strikeforce and Fletcher and Boro can sneak some strikes of our own into the back of the net on Saturday. Last summer's win at the Madejski was probably the stand out result of our successful battle for Championship survival. Can we match that again tomorrow.
Up The Boro
I had a chance to put a few questions to Neil Warnock at zoom press conference this morning. Firstly following on from full back Darnell Fisher speaking to several fmttm posters yesterday, I asked about the influence of the recent signing.
Fly: We spoke to Darnell Fisher yesterday and he seems a great lad. Everyone was so impressed at both him and Bola getting so far forward v Huddersfield and of course Darnell being fouled for the penalty. Is this almost a new dimension to our attacking play?
NW: We are giving them the freedom to go forward so they have got to take it really. It is great to see both those lads in the box at the same time, especially when we play 3 at the back. When you have got people like Paddy and Dijksteel, so what if we are man for man at times, why worry, I don't worry about that when them two are playing. So, it gives them a freedom really. I thought they did well, especially for the penalty that Darnell got.
Neil Warnock had earlier seemed delighted that Dael Fry looks set for a return and he was also enthusing about the performance of Grant Hall. He looked like a rock in the centre of defence. Having been out and missing so much of his first season for Boro he could now play a big part in the run in for us.
Anyway, turning back to today's press conference I then asked Neil Warnock for his opinion about another of the new signings, our flying winger on loan from Fulham.
Fly: Neeskins Kebano – already looks like someone who is really going to excite the fans. He is such a dangerous player.
NW: He is. I think there are going to be games where I can't afford him. I don't mean as a luxury but tactically there are going to be games where we are going to have to be stronger in that area. You know in that first ten minutes we couldn't get anywhere near Huddersfield, could we? Passing wise we had to close areas down. Same on Saturday, if we start like that, they will wipe the floor with us. So we have got to be a bit solid and Neeskins has to help us out there.
So, it will be interesting to see how we set up at the start versus the Royals. Could we see a different formation or personnel. Will Neeskins be deployed in a different role or will he be on the bench as we seek to keep it tight and solid at the start.
This made me reflect back on Tuesday night, it was such a phenomenal game in so many ways.
Fly: After we equalised we had Huddersfield reeling, one of the best passages of play we have seen for some time. You must have been very happy with that.
NW: Yes, I thought Jonny Howson, was instrumental in that. I think he just gets better and better and I thought his drive and his will power was super, in every aspect, left side, right side, he was there, supporting. I thought his cajoling of some of the younger lads was excellent the other night. And like you say it should have been over by half time really if we had taken some of the chances.
Let's hope Howson can grasp the reigns at Reading tomorrow. But talking about taking chances, Ashley Fletcher just about scored the penalty but how much benefit will the big forward take from having been on the pitch for all those minutes?
NW: Yes. That is what you need. You can't get fit just training, you have got to have games. I am glad I didn't see his penalty. I didn't look at his penalty. And then Jep-o jumped up when it went in and then he said you will not want to see it. And he is right I didn't want to see it. A good job I didn't see it. But as Ashley says you read the paper the next day and it says Ashley Fletcher penalty and that is all that matters isn't it.
He said it was never in doubt (smiles).
Ha ha never in doubt lets hope we can blunt the Reading strikeforce and Fletcher and Boro can sneak some strikes of our own into the back of the net on Saturday. Last summer's win at the Madejski was probably the stand out result of our successful battle for Championship survival. Can we match that again tomorrow.
Up The Boro
