It’s the week that’s been at the forefront of the thoughts of Boro fans since the turn of the new year.
So what a way to settle the nerves!
As much as AK insists attention is only ever focused on the next game, it’s been hard not to get your head turned by the three crunch games that have been awaiting Boro, positioned ominously one after another.
The Week of Destiny.
Yet rather than harbour any fears about the six-pointers against promotion hopefuls, the boss saw it as an opportunity.
“Let’s embrace the challenge in front of us and seek to take maximum advantage of the opportunities these next games give us,” he said.
Boro did exactly that.
Admittedly, they’ve still got two huge games ahead of them in the next week but what a way to start the trio of games that will undoubtedly play a huge part in deciding the outcome of Boro’s season.
Apart from the lapse in concentration that allowed dangerman Daryl Murphy to score his 22nd goal of the season, Boro were largely faultless against Ipswich.
This wasn’t a repeat of the Millwall stroll - a poor visiting side who came expecting very little and had no plan B once they’d conceded the first.
This was a strong, powerful Championship outfit who are by no means out of play-off contention. In fact, following their equaliser, Ipswich looked the brighter of the two sides until Albert Adomah struck.
But the second half was an exhibition from brilliant Boro with Patrick Bamford at his clinical best to cap off a marvellous afternoon.
Positives? Plenty of them. The main one being the confidence Boro will take from the dismantling of the Tractor Boys ahead of two pivotal games on the road.
Here’s what we learnt from the win over Ipswich:
Jordan who? Bamford leads the way while leading the line
If Boro can just show an interest in a goal-grabbing centre-forward every week from now until the end of the season then that will work a treat.
Or at least it will judging by the glut of goals against helpless Ipswich.
Bamford’s wish to lead the line for Boro instead of occupying one of the wide slots is no secret. On this display, why shouldn’t that wish be granted from now until the end of the season?
An Ipswich reporter pointed out that their backline hasn’t looked as edgy since the end of the Paul Jewell era at Portman Road - that was almost two and a half years ago.
Credit must go to not only Bamford but Vossen and Albert Adomah, who absolutely terrorised £10m-rated Tyrone Mings throughout, for putting the visitors under unrelenting pressure.
But that’s been the story of Boro’s season - giving opposing defenders plenty to think about. Unfortunately, on a number of occasions that’s been overshadowed by a lack of composure and a clinical touch in front of goal. You wouldn’t have guessed it on this showing.
Penny for Bamford’s thoughts as a keen onlooker in how the Rhodes situation panned out this week.
There’s every chance he was out to prove a point against Ipswich. He did exactly that.
How vital those four goals could prove to be
The fact a Reading consolation goal briefly took Boro back into the top two before free-scoring Watford scored a fourth just sums up how tight it is at the top.
Four goals for Boro, four for Watford, four for Bournemouth.
As we edge closer to the climax of this terrific Championship campaign, it’s looking more and more likely that those automatic promotion slots could well be determined by goal difference.
Eyes glance at the GD column just as quickly as they do the points column nowadays.
How grateful we could be for Boro’s rock solid defence come the end of the season.
For Bournemouth it was always going to be a case of how many they scored against Blackpool. It’s a narrative that could repeat itself in games featuring the promotion chasing sides from now until the start of May.
Points will always be the priority but there’s every chance goal difference will act as an extra point.
That said, I’d snap your hand off for 1-0 wins at both Derby and Bournemouth...
Ayala blow but Woodgate turned back the years
It was quite remarkable really. Jonathan Woodgate, at 35-years-old and a history of having to wrap cotton wool around his injury-prone body, strolled into the action in the first half yesterday with just one league appearance to his name all season.
Rusty? Probably, but you wouldn’t have guessed it.
Woodgate was an absolute colossus at the back. Coming up against the league’s most feared marksman, he got an immediate grip of the backline and tucked Murphy quietly away in his back pocket.
Vital interceptions, brave headers, calm and composed distribution. As if we needed any reminding as to why Aitor Karanka was so keen to talk his club captain out of retirement last summer.
The Teesside-born centre-half partnership of Woodgate and Gibson never looked like being breached in the second half while Kalas looks just at home at right-back as he does in the heart of the defence.
Two games for Woodgate this season, two wins.
His experience, composure and class could play a big part in the promotion run-in.
No comments:
Post a Comment