Post-match thread: Boro (h)

[EST_1892]

That was very sloppy at the back. Really quite happy to take the points and run.

It was the Torres show today!

[andyhanrahan]

finnan was shocking today and arbeloa is not a centre back. Lucas was crap in 2nd half though he did look v tired. Kuyt wasnt as bad as he has been but still no way good enough. gerrard looked lost in 1st half a lot better in 2nd half apart from losing ball in run up to boro's 2nd goal.

[JohnDoe]

How did Lucas play today? And Xabi not even on the bench?

Lucas was decent in the 1st half but very poor in the 2nd.

[Joe King]

How did Lucas play today? And Xabi not even on the bench?

He wasn't very good at all. The pace of the Premiership got to him today. Xabi wouldn't have been an improvement.

[Exiled_red]

After recent league performances the results have become more important than performance, a much needed 3 points

[AFII]

We were lucky to have Tuncay's blatant hand ball disallowed?

Masch could have been sent off. Tuncay wasn't offside when he was one on one with Reina, not even close. We had some lucky moments but so had Boro.

[Red_Polo]

You're gonna make me cry in a minute.

In fairness I don't think it's overly negative to suggest on another day we mightn't have come out of this as well as we have done. Still, we did get away with it, largely thanks to an absolute phenomenal signing in Torres, and just bringing back key defenders will make solve some of the problems that were evident in the game today.

[Exiled_red]

I was suprised Arbeloa played at centre back instead of Skertel, I'd have gone with Skertel myself, with Arbeloa in at left back instead of Aurelio

[Mattshark]

We won, it was an exciting game with lots happening, what is to complain about. Do people seriously think that when we were at our best we didn't have games like this?

[DannyMan2006]

Absoloute rubbish today.

We have played games this season where I have watched in disbelief as we fail to hit the net or fail to hol on after dominating play.

I think we just about deserved it today, we certainly did n't deserve to get beat, but we were very poor.

Lucas was below par, bu the biggest problem was defence. If you combined Arbeloa and Hyypia you'd have the perfect defendar. As a stand alone pair they are ****e. Arbeloa is clearly not good enough to be a centre back at this stage in his career. Stick to full back fella.

Gerrard didn't seem at the races either, just sood there sulking at times, but as he was palying just of the striker he can get away with it.

But we did win, and that is the only thing that matters.

[Tee]

Just imagine if we had no Torres this season...

[Mattshark]

Masch could have been sent off. Tuncay wasn't offside when he was one on one with Reina, not even close. We had some lucky moments but so had Boro.

Yes he was.

[andyhanrahan]

boro's 1st goal looked v offside and if kuyt wasnt such an honest man he would have had a peno in 2nd half

[DannyMan2006]

I was suprised Arbeloa played at centre back instead of Skertel, I'd have gone with Skertel myself, with Arbeloa in at left back instead of Aurelio

Just back from injury, otherwise I'm sure he would have.

[bigfooty]

- We have played better at home this season and not won so that is a plus.
- Defensively we showed a lack of cohesion, even the veterans like Finnan.
- I really do have to question the wisdom in playing one striker at home against bottom-half opposition. Yes Torres was fantastic but we really lacked a consistent pattern to our play in final third. With no Crouch up top alongside him it's not surprising that we gave away the ball so much.
- Babel was pretty poor, Yossi looked a lot brighter when he came on.
- Premiership seems a bit too fast for Lucas right now.