Middlesbrough v Leeds United Match Thread

[DDB220]

Tired!!!

Piroe moves about the pitch about as much as our CBs.

He doesn't inject the same energy in his game as Bogle, Firpo, Aaronson, James & Soloman, who are bombing up & down the pitch for the full 90 minutes. Piroe reminds me of George Graham when he played for Arsenal, he was nicknamed Stroller. That's the type of player Piroe is strolling around the pitch with very little hard running in his game.

TBF - Piroe is not a forward who can be used as a target man. It is not the nature of his game, he is not great with his back to goal receiving the ball. Very good finisher and link player.

We just have not been playing to his strengths in the last few games and when he has had opportunities he has snatched at them, such is the pressure at this stage of the season and to some degree associated anxiety of wanting to get on the score sheet.

He is not playing any differently now to how he has done most of the season, except he hasn’t been as clinical of late. He is under the microscope because of recent TEAM results and on a few occasions the best chances have fallen his way.

Ironically PB is now the potential saviour and when he was playing regularly towards the end of last season when results dipped he faced the same level of scrutiny and his game was similarly dissected to suit a narrative.

The reality is Bamford looks sharp and is likely to start the next game, less pressure on Piroe. chances are he comes on he will score and all the previous analysis will be conveniently forgotten.

Then the eye of scrutiny will fall on Bamford if he doesn’t score.

[DDB220]

On Another point- the suggestion James has lost a yard of pace is for me unfounded. What he cannot do is maintain his speed in possession, specifically close control. His game is about running into space, hence why the ball over the top or into space for him to run onto, essentially in a foot race is where he shines.
His cross yesterday which neither Piroe or Solomon got on the end of was excellent. It only needed a touch and neither of them reacted well.

[1964white]

Truth!!!!

He did fine and was that tackling sequence in our half.

And was unlucky with the goal.

But spent 90% of the time in our half as we dropped back (which wasn't his fault).

The whole proper number 9 stuff is daft as is the slagging off of Piroe in favour of a bloke most here would have carried to a new club a week ago.

By referring to Bamford as a proper No.9, that's what he is!

He occupies centre-backs & ruffles their feathers.
Wins headers.
Holds the ball up.
Presses the opposition back four.
Uses his body to muscle up to defenders
He has a nasty streak in him.
Defends well at set-pieces

Not as prolific as Piroe but has 56 goals & 17 assists for Leeds, he was a goal in every three games, that figure has worsened due to his injury track record.

19 goals & 9 assists in the Premier League, 17 of those goals when we finished 9th in the PL, second season he was injured for much of it.

[Cjay]

By referring to Bamford as a proper No.9, that's what he is!

He occupies centre-backs & ruffles their feathers.
Wins headers.
Holds the ball up.
Presses the opposition back four.
Uses his body to muscle up to defenders
He has a nasty streak in him.
Defends well at set-pieces

Not as prolific as Piroe but has 56 goals & 17 assists for Leeds, he was a goal in every three games, that figure has worsened due to his injury track record.

19 goals & 9 assists in the Premier League, 17 of those goals when we finished 9th in the PL, second season he was injured for much of it.

But he's not not traditionally.

Much of it is perception.

Piroe has a very languid style whereas Bamford is perpetual motion.

Bamford is on the move thundering about and people like that, very British thing.

Same reason people like Aaronson.

But he doesn't win as much in these physical things as people think.

He made less tackles per 90 under Bielsa than Piroe did last season, he won less possession in the final 3rd as well and made less interceptions, less blocks and less recoveries.

But because he looks busy thundering about people perceive him as being a big physical number 9, but he's not really.

Keifer Moore is a big physical number 9, Paddy lacks the strength and overall physicality for it.

He tries very hard!!!! And he works very hard, and he is a nuisance physically over 90 minute more than JP Is just on the basis he is more keen on thundering about running into people.

But Piroe is quietly very effective at much of the things Bamford gets credit for just in a less manic way.

Bamford is a product of his English football training and Piroe is a product of his Dutch one.

Different players, different ways of doing things.

They could actually compliment eachother as a pair tbh

But look at it this way, if Piroe was as awful at all the physical stuff as people think Farke wouldn't use him.

Look at Ramazani.

He must be better than people think or DF wouldn't have barely dropped him since he arrived, basically an ever present since he arrived.

[mentalcase]

Bamford:
perpetual motion
thundering about
big strong CF
I need a lie down after reading that.

[1964white]

[1964white]

[1964white]

[1964white]

[Jaydog]

Why does everyone focus on the past - ridiculous

Exactly what I said yesterday and the day before that.

[Jammy 07]

Whilst watching last night it was clearly evident that when Piroe comes short Aaronson has to get on his bike and make a forward run into an advanced position where a traditional centre forward would be operating. The reason I'm making this point is to highlight both how important Aaronson is to the team and also how we play in a certain way to accommodate Piroe. All of which is fine if we're winning matches.

It does seem that a lot of what Aaronson brings to the team can go unnoticed.

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Paddy has always defended set pieces well.

Then there's the work rate from the front which is another strong part of his game, plus the ability to challenge for the ball in the air.

Also great to see a striker have the speed to not only get up with play but burst through the defensive line to score, something that Piroe the snail could only dream of doing.

Yeah - the set piece defending as well.

And at the end of the day, pressing by the forwards is the very first line of defence.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Screenshot 2025-04-09 13.47.57.png

I second the hope that Boro stuff Sheff U in the playoffs

[Jammy 07]

I second the hope that Boro stuff Sheff U in the playoffs

Almost certain now that Boro will beat us in the play offs.

[1964white]

Most Ex/VG/G pieces of play
26 Ampadu
25 Rodon
19 James
18 Bogle
17 Firpo
15 Tanaka
14 Soloman
11 Piroe
11 Bamford
10 Aaronson
08 Gruev

After 100 errors in the Swansea game, the count was down to 52 at the Riverside last night

Errors made by our starting XI
7 Aaronson
7 Tanaka
6 Firpo
6 Soloman
5 James
4 Bogle
4 Piroe
3 Ampadu
2 Rodon
1 Gruev

[mentalcase]

Most Ex/VG/G pieces of play
26 Ampadu
25 Rodon
19 James
18 Bogle
17 Firpo
15 Tanaka
14 Soloman
11 Piroe
11 Bamford
10 Aaronson
08 Gruev

After 100 errors in the Swansea game, the count was down to 52 at the Riverside last night

Errors made by our starting XI
7 Aaronson
7 Tanaka
6 Firpo
6 Soloman
5 James
4 Bogle
4 Piroe
3 Ampadu
2 Rodon
1 Gruev

Those are the main reasons why non of those 3 got in my mom 6.

[1964white]

Most

14 - Passes - Ampadu

9 - Defensive headers - Rodon

8 - Runs/dribbles - James

4 - Interceptions - Rodon

4 - Blocks - Rodon/Tanaka

3 - Defensive clearances - Ampadu

3 - Tackles - Bogle/Tanaka

4 - Interceptions - Firpo/Rodon

2 - Crosses - Soloman

2 - Saves - Darlow

1 - Goal - James

1 - Unofficial goal - Tanaka

1 - Unofficial goal - Bamford

1 - Assist - Soloman

1 - Unofficial assist - Soloman

1 - Unofficial assist - Gnonto

[1964white]