The ACN match review: Middlesbrough (a) | OneFootball

How did we play?

We played well enough to beat most teams in the division. But without the same potency in front of goal as in recent games, and some sloppiness at the back, a high-quality Boro team came out on top. They deserved the three points. 

There was a lot to take out of the game to encourage our play-off charge. Ahmed’s form isn’t a flash in a pan, he does seem like the real deal. Goodness knows where this new iteration of Jose Cordoba came from, but he’s like a new signing. McConville – who made a late, goal-saving tackle – was immense again. 

And all this was in the context where Boro had absolutely pumped their recent visitors to the Riverside. They seemed to be able to press fairly highly and yet also not leave space behind. They’re extremely decent and we went toe-to-toe for all ninety minutes. 

What was the best bit of the game?

The best bit was that this didn’t look like 2nd vs 18th, more like 2nd vs 4th. We looked every part a play-off team and ran the most in-form team in the league close in every part of the pitch. The fact that losing this game was so annoying says all we need to know about just how much Big Phil has turned things around. 

What was the worst bit of the game?

Big Vlad can occasionally be like that football meme: “sometimes good, sometimes maybe shit.” He wins us games, he loses us games. On balance, I’m glad he’s ours, and there isn’t another keeper at this level I’d swap him for. But the formulaic playing out from the back gifted Boro a chance which they took. On this occasion, that was the ball game 

Off the pitch, the pre-match pie in the ground tasted of plastic and that was not good. 

What was the atmosphere like?

ACN is nothing if not fair-minded, and we simply have to take our bucket hats off to the Boro fans. They were bang up for it today and were loud pretty consistently from the off. More so after their goal. I’m marking them down for the use of a megaphone, which — in this country — is tinpot. But overall, that’s one of the best home supports I’ve heard in many a year. 

Norwich fans travelled in good numbers but a combination of home noise off the pitch, and stop-start momentum on it meant we never really got things going. We go again. 

Hero of the match

Big Phil getting another yellow card, and giving us a glimpse at the sort of temperament that is surely on display in the dressing room. 

Summary in Five Words

Got beat but still unbowed.