The Boro Breakdown Podcast

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Boro winning the opening game of the season? Well I never. The team talk about the victory over Swansea, and all the talking points it brought about.

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Duration:: 59m
Broadcast on:: 11 Aug 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

My dad works in B2B marketing. He came by my school for career day and said he was a big row as man. Then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laughing at me to this day. Not everyone gets B2B. But with LinkedIn, you'll be able to reach people who do. Get a $100 credit on your next ad campaign. Go to linkedin.com/results to claim your credit. That's linkedin.com/results. Terms and conditions apply. Linkedin, the place to be. To be. We all belong outside. We're drawn to nature. Whether it's the recorded sounds of the ocean we doze off to, or the succulents that adorn our homes. Nature makes all of our lives well better. Despite all this, we often go about our busy lives removed from it. But the outdoors is closer than we realize. With all trails, you can discover trails nearby and explore confidently. With offline maps and on-trail navigation, download the free app today. And make the most of your summer with all trails. In this podcast show about the win against Swansea, look ahead to Leeds and Derby and answer your podcast questions. This is the World Breakdown podcast. And this is where I borrow my state chair in a pot. Want support? Curtis Fleming is down the edge of the air. Fleming, for Craig Higness. Higgy, Higgy, it's the transfer! And now they're coming alive again. Choudini now wants the ball played to him. And now they spots out. Give us a hand! [Music] Hello and welcome to the Bora Breakdown podcast with me joining dinner. Tom and Matt, we are the Bora Podcast. That gives you all of your Bora Master Chair. In a podcast and Bora have finally won our first day of the season. And in over a decade, a decade, a decade. Like a laugh of course, give Bora the win. He couldn't bring a close record of course, of seven consecutively club goals in a row. And Bora, now sixth in the championship tier, will beat our point tally from last season, where it took us about 13 million games to get our first win. Guys, obviously we're very, very happy of course. It was a lovely day in TSI. But I felt absolutely horrendous during that game. But what was your one key take outs from the game? Dana, you can go first. What was your key take outs? We won. We actually won on the opening day. I think it's obviously something that we've been searching for for the past nine seasons. So the fact that we have registered those first three points on the board, I think is really important. And I don't think should be understated in any worship or form. I think there was maybe an expectation starting to form based on the last two seasons in particular, that Bora might start slowly again this season. So it's really good. It's kind of that pressure off the players' backs, especially the players that have been involved in the last two seasons, to know that at least from the game we won, we're not playing catch up. We've registered those first three points on the board. And we've managed to get rid of that little burden on our backs, I think. So talk about the performance. And we will obviously get into it. But the absolute, most imperative, most important thing is that we won that game yesterday. And I'm so happy for that. And our next match is what's your one key take out in the season. Be on the same lines as we won a game football? Yeah, mine was just the three points as all that matters. Obviously, we would have loved to have put four or five past ones yesterday and made a statement and be top of the table on goal difference and whatever. But for me, I just wanted us to win one way or another yesterday. We've already, as you say, topped our points tally after, I think what eight games in our last season, our seven games in our last season. So I think it was a bit of pressure off the shoulders of the players to get that win straight away. Because obviously, the more games that go by without us winning, I think fans would probably get more and more anxious looking back to last season. Obviously, it pours more pressure on the players week to week, especially with it being the same group, who obviously were here last year mostly. So yeah, for me, it was just win at any cost. The performance or a good performance would have been a bonus. Just to get three points on the board was everything yesterday. Yeah, then for you, Tom, wearing a lovely Toronto shirt, I must admit, it's a very, very late shirt. And what was your key takeout from Middlesbrough yesterday? It's not being worn and then a good five or six years as well. So brought it out of retirement for this pod. But yesterday, really, really positive start. And it's nice to have football back with a win. I got there quite early yesterday because with new pop bridge being closed, I was expecting more traffic than there actually was. Ended up getting there extremely early, walked over at the ground. And I'm like, I'm taking it all in. And I'm like, yeah, I went to the Mackin for meat, chips and gravy, you know, looking at the stadium on the walk. And it was just so nice that to have this back properly got into the stadium. And then it was like, this is going to be the hard part because we've not not won on the opening day in 10 years. So there was a bit of a bit of an inch going into it. Probably wouldn't have been there if we hadn't discussed it on last week's pod live because I wouldn't have even noticed. It was just a feeling that we don't usually do it on the first day. But no, we've been 10 years really good performance from us. It was looked like a solid continuation of last season. And I think there's more to come from us as well. I think on the T's phone and yesterday, Mado said something I was thinking during the game. And that was they're not much sharp yet. He said that it's going to take them up all five or six games to get to that point. I think once everyone's much sharper than that squad, it's going to be an unreal style of football and an unreal execution of it, should I say. So yeah, I'm looking forward to it as the season progresses. Not getting carried away, but I'm seeing some really positive early signs from us. Yeah, and I think it's to round us off. My probably key takeout was balance, I would say. We look like a really balanced outfit, both attacking defensively. I think it's been happening probably for about March time last year, last year, last season. It's been a long year. And I think we looked just really solid. And I think it's maybe when it noticed, I would say, that we haven't really give away many big chances. I remember last season where we were looking at it. And we had that lovely video, what you did on Middlesbrough Conseed in very low XG chances. I'm seeing it from them. And when I watched Middlesbrough sometimes, I think, you know what then, defending around our box, we've always been fair at fair enough. Maybe a look at times where we've been caught on the transition, which is a natural thing of football. A lot of teams too, most goals will happen from a transition. Anyway, but in terms of how we looked, I thought we nullified Swansea yesterday. I thought we were really good defensively. I thought Vanderberg and Mac Clark were just superb as always. We made a win, probably a bit harder than we probably could have been. We should have probably finished the game off in the first half, could have been 2-1 a look. Should have scored at the end, but we never. And they didn't really have the chance unless we give them it, and that was Morris in the first half. But overall, a really good balanced performance and a balanced team, we can only get better. And we thought we'd dive into this once again, just Darren and Tom. Chip Van Machem yesterday, how would you rate your meat chips and gravy in your chips and curry from yesterday? Ooh, chips and curry, always a 10 out of 10. It cannot fall beneath 10 out of 10. Like, you can't do chips and curry wrong. So yeah, I've got to give them Machem his dues. I think it was a splendid first one back. God, man, it's going to sound controversial now, but 9 out of 10. The only reason I'm saying that is because I think I might have been the first customer being there that early. And as I got to the van, he just taken the chips out there, deep for fryer and put them into the carton. So at times, I was having a like dipper chip and a gravy, a cool it down, if anything. Whereas if at a time decide got it there a bit later, probably would have been the 10. Nothing was wrong with anything else in it, really nice. It was just those chips where the inside was hotter than the surface of the sun, really. So a fairly decent time, you just had the standard Riverside chips yesterday, but I feel like you're missing out. You won't ever miss an out there. So maybe that's one for you to come into play a long life matter. And to be fair, I had the Machem quite a few times last season. It was just a bit too early for me yesterday. I had not long since I had my breakfast, so I didn't want to double down on it. But you know, next time, I'll be there, don't worry. Those bloody 1230 kick-offs. I know, really look awful. Let's chat about Swansea, then, you know, we're moving away from the chip chatter, just right there, right now when chat about Swansea and saying, "Dan, how would you assess the wonder when yesterday?" Well, firstly, it was really good to be back. I know we usually have the same amount of time between seasons every year, but I always miss going to the Riverside every Saturday. I think the performance was quite typical of an open day display, some good moments, some moments that need to be refined, but I did set out their stuff from the start. I thought we dominated large spells of the first half. Obviously got like all through latter laugh, after really good work from John's to win the penalty. And then we dropped off towards the end of that first 45, which kind of set the tone for the second half. And it was quite sludgy and sticky, especially when Ronald came on for Swansea. I think he probably galvanized them and lifted their performance up a little bit, because he is a fun and exciting, quite direct player. All I do think we defended against him, especially Luke Erning, pretty well. And we did concede a bit of territory towards the end of the game, which from a viewing standpoint, especially when your team are only one and up, it's not the best thing in the world. But we did defend really, really well. And I completely agree with what you said earlier, Johnny. I think defensively, over the past few months, I think we've definitely improved. And that's absolutely worth noting. One moment in particular, I absolutely loved, was in Morris was the end of the game, just caging that ball in and stopping the distribution from Swansea to basically launch that final attack. I think it was just that block, block, block. Try to push the Swansea player back a little bit, and he did that successfully. And obviously, the response to that, I think it showed, for our fans, massively appreciated that effort. The big question from that game, though, is how on earth did we not score more than that one goal? And we will get into it later. But we did have chances, just decision-making wasn't quite there. And I think there were probably, I mean, we had chances we didn't convert them. And then we had openings, I think we could have taken more of an advantage of. So that's maybe something to look out for, because I know last season, it was a bit of a tricky thing for us, because ultimately, we do not want to be on the wrong end of these tight score lines. Thankfully, this time round, we obviously got the victory, but just something to maybe keep an eye on and see whether that improves, or whether it sticks, and we kind of have the same problems as last season. But I'm happy, I'm happy that we've obviously registered that first win. It was a decent display, nothing to stand out necessarily, but it's the first game of the season, so I'm not really expecting that. Yeah, and there was, like Daniel was saying, we had plenty of chances done, we just didn't put them away. Fairly happy with the performance. I mean, you were looking at me, and I was very tempted yesterday, but thoughts, thoughts, feelings, emotions, you were very happy, of course, when my laughs got nearly through yourself, I may have come and get you off me. But overall, happy. That was before the penalty was even given, Johnny, I'd be honest. But no, I was happy with the performance overall. Naturally, yeah, we weren't expecting anything to amaze none of the opening day, but first half I thought we settled really well. I think it's a real compliment to the continuity, I think that we've carried off from last season, and the preparation in terms of bringing in the likes of Ed and Morris as early as we did, the fact he's had a full pre-season, and could just step straight into that starting 11 yesterday, and I'll be at, yeah, he nearly had a moment, which, yeah, could have completely flipped the script on him a little bit had we conceded there. But I think it was a real compliment to Boris Preparation, and that how early we've got our business done, and the fact we've brought in a lot of players last season, they've improved, they've started this season, and we had a settled 11, a lot like pre-season, we could just hit the ground running, and first half I was really happy. I think the only real opening Swansea had, if any, were through our own individual errors. I wouldn't say they carved us open at all from open play. And then, yeah, second half, there was a bit of a drop off, but I think you expect Swansea to try and get back into the game, and I think a lot of that was down to the fact that they brought four or five bodies on in the second half, and I think at this stage in the season, fitness probably plays a bigger role in like it as a differential between both sides, they put fresh lakes on, we kept the same 11 until 70 plus minutes, it might have been, and I think that you could see that, and there was maybe a little bit of anxiety that we hadn't made a change, and a lot of people in the stands I know were shouting about, was waiting to concede and allowing and inviting pressure, but yeah, really, a barren crosses and corners, you know, Swansea didn't really force us to say about with the end, you know, we defended our box extremely well limited to many really big chances. So overall, we had nothing to worry about in a sense, but yeah, the one big, not negative, but improvement was that we didn't kill the game off, and I know we'll chat about it more, it was a problem last season, and maybe if Swansea did get one of them in all XG chances that I made a compilation of last season, we might live to regret not scoring a second or a third, and it might have been different on another day against the better side, but yeah, that's the only negative for me is that we didn't kill the game off, and Jones didn't bloody square it at the end, but we can all look back and we can all look back and laugh now. You know what I really quite liked from that game as well, it's something that I know it's in pre-season too, it's borrowing the ball back, how the pitch, I think trying to initiate those high turnovers and basically strike the team, basically right in the heart of them, to be honest, when they're a little bit vulnerable, I think I quite like that, and obviously with latter latter you get a striker that can press. Finnezaz doesn't do that so much alongside him, but for me, it's not necessarily a bad thing because latter latter does it himself, but yeah the kind of high pressure onto the opposition's back line, who trying to force them into mistakes, something that I noticed in pre-season, and also in the game yesterday I get swans, you saw something to maybe keep an eye on, maybe Bora are going to be quite high up in regards to high turnover this season. Yeah, and obviously Dana, you both mentioned the man you say his name, we have to talk about him, it's Manuel like a laugh, and you know he scored yesterday, Tom, penalty of course, you know, against again a Taravini missed, how good was it to see him put the penalty away, yes the following his previous miss. Really good, I mean that was a bit of a worry for me as soon as Jones went down, by the way, Jones winning three penalties in a week, great work from him, could very easily be turned into a lower version of Kalam Wilson, a Hariada from one bottom of one up, but the key difference is actually getting fouled. But yeah, when that penalty was given, I was looking around to see who picked the ball up, and it was initially Lou Galen, and he walked over and gave the ball to let their laugh, had words of him, and it was almost as if it's like your hour penalty take, or you can do this, maybe a few words of advice or something, and then, you know, you've got like a laugh stepping up, and I'm just kind of like, please don't miss again, it's like all that was going from my head at that point was, I was hoping for his sake that he scored, because I wouldn't want him to miss two penalties, and his head to drop, Lou was a bit of confidence or anything like that, puts the penalty away superbly well, and then goes and screams into the south stand for a bit, and I say really well to it and penalty, and I'm glad that he got the chance only a week after missing the one against here, and then to put it right, and he can kind of take that into the season moving forward. Now, probably the best way the season could have started for him, because I don't recall as creating too many chances for him in particular yesterday, maybe that one he volleads towards the goal, and he did miss ahead during the second half as well, I think it might have been off the corner or across or something, but it's good for him, at least to get off the mark in the first game. Yeah, 100% of it is, and he was sitting, absolutely bang on there Tom, when he's here for a striker, getting that first goal of the season, means a lot, because then he's off your back, and then you're ready, you've got the confidence there, and I think you don't want to get better, like I think we could have had a couple yesterday, I was thinking in that corner in the second half, where he started for the heading, it was a really powerful heading, and it just went wide, but it was like that chance where I think maybe, maybe could have been, but there's a lot of if but some maybe just where Bora could have probably put the game at bed, and you know what, we were quite fortunate, I would say at a certain point, if we didn't actually put the game at bed, we're lucky that we've got to win in the end, because all those ones he didn't create much at all in the game, the only chance that he really has was when Bora probably given the opportunity to do so, and I'll come on this ones in a minute, because they were doing exactly the same as us in terms of giving us chances, but Dana, do you think there was some rustiness at play? I know you've all really alluded to it in terms of sharpness, so do you think it's just that rustiness that was causing Bora to make a couple of mistakes, and gives Fonzie those chances, because it's that big one in the first half, of course, with Morris? I'm a little bit reluctant to pin it down to rustiness, mostly because we've seen these lapses playing out from the back under my heart, within any point of the season, to be honest, personally, I mean, I can't speak for anybody else, I can't tell anybody else how to receive how Bora play, but I've kind of just accepted that that's going to happen sometimes, it's a risky approach, and with risks sometimes common mistakes, but when it works, it's really, really good, like it's so good to see us basically play through an opposition team's press, and so yeah, it's kind of like a take the rough with the smooth, with that, I wouldn't personally say that it's down to rustiness, I just think that's kind of, yeah, when you play that way, you're always going to get these momentary lapses a little bit too casual sometimes. I think as well, because it is the way that we play, it's just about mitigating that risk and making sure it doesn't happen so often, it's going to happen occasionally, but you don't obviously want to happen in every game, I do think the one from Morris in the first half maybe, and I think there might be another example where we're playing out from the back, and we just kind of gave it straight back to them, or maybe when Swansea were pressing high in the in the second half, I wouldn't say it was necessarily nervous from Clark and Bandenburg, but they seem to be firing the ball at each other across the box, a fair bit, and you know, it was, it was almost as if neither one of them wanted to make the mistake, and they were just like, you have it back, you have it back, we'll give it back to Dean, so that's maybe another risk where if it's not going right at times in the game, we can start to be a little bit nervy with it, but again, it's going to come down to work and repetition just to make sure the amount of times that happens is lowered throughout the season. Yeah, I think on the buzzers, there was one big difference, I would say yesterday from previous season. Our scene's gone by on the carrick, is that somewhere we'd all the play, too much at the back, or if we were to get the possession back from the opposition team, we were quite wanting to play from the back and build straight away, but yesterday, I would love to see the numbers from Matt Clark, just hoo from the ball up, knocking it somewhere where it's safe in the channel, knocking it the other way, and just clearing it rather than trying to top a play, and I think that again, it just reduces the risk that you potentially have in a game, but when you interrupt a lot of Swansea, they could have probably done with that yesterday, because when I was watching them, there was, it was quite interesting to see them, like, in possession, out of possession, I know we were in the last show, we were on about them changing their style back to the Swansea way, getting used to playing with possession, really trying to cut teams open, going into that three, two, five if you want to, where you see a lot of teams doing their way, trying to pin your full backs back, and with them yesterday, they were probably the biggest downfall in terms of the way I shoot themselves in the fall, because they were far too expansive when they were playing the back three at times, because the centre back was really far, one centre back was really far, the other side was the other side, you had two players out wide trying to pin the full backs, and the aim was for them yesterday, can we really target Boris full backs and cause them some issues, because we know the angle in Ireland that maybe potentially suspect defensively, then you know, they haven't got the legs or quotations, the legs to get back on, they're more reluctant to make a tackle on making it the right pass, so I'll say that probably a lot this year, I think teams will target Boris full backs, but then what that does create is, like in the centre, you've got more, I would say more controlled, the game you've controlled the centre of the pitch, and the way that swans, you were playing it, so Boris got pressed to control the good areas, it made it really difficult for swans that you get out, and then they were making more errors, that worker turned the ball over, and then getting behind and played the ball over the top, off of the ball and behind, and that's how for me, I think that's how they were able to win the game yesterday, what else comes back to that thing for me, I think if you control the centre of the pitch, you'll probably win the game nine times out of ten to be honest, because that is where you are the most dominant, and we're seeing it more and more, now we're playing with that box midfield, and they're trying to make things a little bit automatically up position, and I probably can't let me see it against Dabia, I think on Saturday that they'd like to play with 4-3-3, they did it against Black Boom and got punished really badly, I think they'll probably match us come Saturday, because I think Borra will probably out-power them in midfield, if they were to go with that 4-3-3 route, but in terms of Swansea, I think they were their own downfall to be honest, really poor and possession at times, weren't being quick and zip, but that will come with sharpness, and I still think they'll be a good side, they'll just need more additions in there, and maybe just tweak things about Borra, really good win yesterday, but it could have been more of course, I did say at the start of the show, that we didn't miss many chances today, you alluded to it as well, Matt, you've alluded to it as well, everyone's alluded to it, I think even you listen at home, or even watching us going, "God, we could have won but by more yesterday." But most notably, as I and Jones, there was a shot in the first half, where he was through one-on-one and chipped in and just nearly just missed the post and went wide, and then at the end, where he ran through, everyone's screaming "square it, square it as I and it doesn't, goes for the shot and sit in, it's just cleared off the line, the Thurgsog definitely wasn't happy about it, do you think this could potentially cost Borra though, and another reaction of course from Thurgsog and Jones, there was a bit of tense at the end of the game, I could see them arguing with each other, naturally a high professional environment, you're going to see it, what do you think, not squaring it, or that little glimpse of not squaring it, could cost Borra in the season if it does become a pattern? I don't think so, that it's interesting because there's moments in the game as well, where maybe, I think Finizazz happened once or twice, where he got into a really good shooting position and he maybe held on to it too long, or he cut inside and people are like absolutely saying "Shoot, you've got, you're such a good technically gifted player, you've got a shot and you take a shot," happens so often, I mean to be fair, even when him Hackney received the ball 40 yards out, you've got fans in the North asking for him to shoot, I mean don't get live, but you always get it, but I think it depends, there's times in a game where players may be open for a pop or go on, and if you take a shot, I mean if you, it might go in, it's an opportunity, you never know, but then equally there are better opportunities where players should square it or pass it off, so it's a difficult balance, I think it often depends on what your options are at that given moment, but definitely in a moment like that, where it would have just finished the game, it would have calmed any nerves, I do not know why his eye, Jones did not square that ball, and it was almost a Harry Kane moment to be honest against Croatia, if Swansea had gone down the other end and equalised, I dread to think what the reaction would have been, I mean Bergzog didn't even want to look at him, I think post final, he was just, he was just stood furious, so I think with Bergzog from what we've heard, I do worry that players might, maybe him and I don't know, I don't think, I've not really seen another board of players to be honest all that much, they might get a little bit too individualist, I think they mostly make the right decision for the team, but yeah certainly that it could have come back to bite just then, it would have been a real blemish on the game and it would have left us leaving the ground with a real sour taste in our mouth, so I'd like to think over the course of a season we'll get them decisions right more often than not, but yeah it depends, sometimes it's better to shoot, sometimes it's better to pass, it's just all down to decision making, which wasn't all that great yesterday and does need improvement. I don't know whether this is an entirely shit point, but Johns did nearly score, like it was Ben Cabango that got back and read the situation well and blocked it on the line, like it wasn't as if Johns absolutely like took Johnny's head clean off in the north sand, like yeah he probably should have squared it, but I wasn't asked, like I wasn't asked at the time, I'm not asked afterwards, I just found it funny that it was Berg's arc of all players that was winching that he didn't get the ball pass to him. The irony, I did think as well as in a slight defence of Johns I do think it was either his first or second touch, kind of took it away from him a little bit on that run and that's going to happen in you know 90 years from the end of the game when you've spent all the game sprinting, as much as he does, you are going to be a lot more tired and potentially make those minor mistakes in the touch of the ball, but like you say, he did nearly score and for me it wasn't necessarily Johns being selfish there, I think there was potentially more chance of an error with the pass because of where he'd knock the ball into, I think he really tried to square that across on his left foot, bearing in mind we know what Johns is passing, I wouldn't say passing the ball at the end, maybe kicking ability or kicking technique is like anywhere, there's a chance the keeper could have caught that, well, slid out for it and got it and started to counter attack anywhere and for me he's made the most of a bad situation there and still nearly scored from it, so like I said, minor defence of Johns there, but I can understand Bergzog's frustration, but like you say it is very ironic that he's the one on the other side that given what we've seen in pre-season, I think decision making is going to go, going to get better and better as the games go on as well, I had to think in the first half we were pretty dominant, I said to me that at the end of the first half, I was like over then the pass across from Morris which kind of led to that bit of danger and obviously end of the foul, so I don't know if we're counting that as a shot, I don't recall Swansea having a shot in the first half and we were that dominant, we were recycling possession every time they got it out, for me going into that second half it was it's not if we're going to come out well in the second half it's how many we're going to score and we probably did have the chance to score a few more, and as I don't know if he trusts himself on his left foot because a couple of times running into the box that he mentioned, it was on his left and he kept it a little bit too long, it was like watching Dan Balas so when he gets into the box and he's just like who kind of pass it to because I really don't want to shoot, yeah it just seemed like he maybe didn't trust his left, but then he had another opportunity that came from a throwing and he caught it on the volley with his left foot and it was on target and straight at the keeper it was quite a decent connection so I was like why don't you trust your left foot, you've gotten all right left foot so yeah I don't know whether it's that he doesn't trust it, I think it's just, I mean he might, he might not, I truly don't know, but I feel like it's just part of his like stylistic makeup, he just seems to like that chop inside, it's very like FIFA 19 isn't it? Plymouth fans did say that that's something that he likes to do, I just wish that he wouldn't a lot of the time if I'm honest, but yeah whatever, as I was, could you not? It might be a similar thing with John's actually when he was running obviously on the counter at the end, he's obviously knackered at that point, I mean I don't trust his left foot at the best of times, but I think at that point in the game he probably didn't want to square it to Berg's odd because it would have been easy to do on his left if he'd have shifted his body and tried to square it with his right and I think absolutely there was a big chance of it getting caught out, had that been on his other foot and he was counter attacking down the right, he probably would have just put one of them as Ira Jones, low passes in at Berg's odd for it to happen, so I think maybe he can be excused by the fact that the easy pass would have had to have been on his left foot and at that point in the game, yeah it probably wouldn't have even made it to the penalty spot to be honest, so that could be a similar sort of excuse for John's decision as well. Yeah and speaking about left foots, I mean I've seen your left foot on pro clubs and it is the worst left foot, that would have hit me in the head in the north standing if you took a shot from that. It had a clear at the stand mate, it'd be in the river tees. Yeah well not in layers and be failed, not a chance, there's not too fair, I could have put it with it. Anyway speaking of pro left foots, I think there's no relevance at all to pro left foots, he's not even left footed, but Adam Morris made his debut yesterday at the time, becoming the thousandth player to play for Borra senior team and obviously a half time was a really nice moment as well, we're turning more, we came up, I'll come up like that in just a moment if you're having thoughts on it, but Adam Morris, how do you think he's fair, just because I thought he played fairly well? Yeah I would agree, I think the real positive was he brought a lot of energy to that midfield, and I think when we've had certain combinations over the last season that maybe hasn't been the case. House and he does have it in spells, but it's unrealistic to expect nothing but energy from house and for 90 minutes, by-laws is just not that type of player, and then we've having Hackney injured for a large portion of last season, we didn't really have that in midfield, and it was great to see it from Morris yesterday, and obviously not even in capital, it's much that more than him closing down in the, what, 92nd minute of the game and not letting up at all, and that is something Borra fans love to see, so I can fully expect he's going to end up being a bit of a fans favorite if he keeps that up, but yeah, really encouraging first game from him, and for me, I'm kind of wondering how many combinations can he fit into in sentiment fields and possibly make them better. Could he be the answer to unlocking the potential that Dan Barlass has, if Barlass is able to play a little bit deeper like Hackney was yesterday, be that more kind of deep-lying playermaker, but to be able to try these risky balls, knowing that he's got a sentiment field partner who can chase and clean up after him, I wonder if that means we can maybe get the best out of Barlass of the season as well as, you know, hitting the net and creating such a good partnership in sentiment. Yeah, Tom, that's caught on this week, hitting the net, doesn't it? It's really caught on, you know, seeing it by a few accounting mils for as well, tweeting what it saw. People listen to your Tom. Accent and royalty checks. Yeah, 100% I don't blame you at all, but yeah, I thought it was brilliant yesterday to Morris, I was really happy with him and I agree with you there Tom. I think who can he make better in this squad? I think every combination he does really well and to be honest, and he's definitely that replacement I would say, for house and definitely 100% and he's only going to get better and was he adapts to the championship. But anyway, right, I think a ball has just went into my garden. I think it might have been Matt's pro doing a left-footed shot, so I want to go on and take a little bit of a breather when you can learn a little bit more about Bora break down merchandise. I know you're probably here ads, but don't skip this one because we've got some very excited stuff to talk about. Do you want to be a part of Neeslide Club? Well, you can be, but why not get your own Neeslide Club t-shirt as well? Fancy a slightly less creased version of the Shithouse Island tea? Or perhaps you want to Bora break down embroidered hat to keep your head warm during those cold, cold, riverside nights? We've teamed up with T-Side to create our own Bora break down merch range. If you want to support us on the podcast and support our local business, then the link to our merch items are always in the description. Happy shopping and up the Bora break down. Oh, now I can have to get in from getting my ball back. Anyway, while I get my breath, it's planned for podcast questions. Ah yes, podcast questions. Every week you get the chance to ask us a question via Twitter or by joining our telegram chat with all the featured Bora fans chatting anything but Bora. The first question this week, it's from Paul and he says, "Did we delay the subs for too long? We got away with it in the second half and were we too reactive? Who would like to take this one? Is there anyone who would like to take it?" I'll do it because I'm on muted. Yeah, to be honest, it's something that is kind of a criticism that's laid at Michael Kirk's door, hasn't it, over the time that he's been managing this club that he's just a little bit too reactive rather than proactive? I did think about five to ten minutes before Bora was brought on the book, so Hogg should have been brought on probably for his eyes, who in fairness I don't think was having the greatest of afternoons, but yeah, I mean, did we get away with it? To me, that kind of has the idea of that Swansea were massively unfortunate not to come away with something. I don't think they were because we defended well and I don't feel like they really paused that much of a threat given how precarious the score line was in that it was only one little. So in the end, maybe you could flip it and say that it was not necessarily a masterclass, but it was managed, the game was managed well by Michael Kirk, so that's going to be a question that I think he's levelled at my Carrick all season because it just seems to be the thing that he's criticized for, but it's not so much, it was so much of a problem for me yesterday, to be honest. Just to add something on at the end of our third earner, because you've, something you've mentioned there we were defended well, so in terms of the substitutions that we could bring on, it would have just been to change our attack really, whereas when Swansea were getting the ball, as Johnny said earlier, they were going out wide, crossing it in, but we were pretty much cleaning up everything that they crossed in, and it was a game plan that wasn't working for them. So I mean, this stuck to it and very enough definition in San Nadine and all that, but I don't think the subs were necessarily too late from Carrick because there wasn't a great deal in the, in the game left to change. Obviously, we, we would have loved to have been two or three goals up at that point, and then at that point, the substitutions become a little bit different in the, you know, maybe you bring Berg's argon, maybe Hamilton gets like five minutes at the end. I mean, for now he's got to wait for it, but those types of subs, they would have depended on the game state, and as it was, that we were defending well and keeping them out, and there was no real need to spring those subs on, I think. See, I understand that. I think in future games, I would like us to be more proactive than reactive in, in the substitutions side of things. It's two-fold. I would say that yesterday it could be more about minutes and getting people to play longer, because of course you could not have pre-season, you want to get sharpness up there. But I think secondly, I think if you were to make subs, it gives an opposition, well, another thing to think about makes things a bit more difficult for them. The fresh legs would have helped borrow, get out of it, because it was a good spell where we couldn't really get out, we were building it like, you know, to try and clear it, but that again invites more pressure, and you know, to have that bit of pace and appreciate this, I'll probably come to the next few games, where if you want to play Hamilton and bring him on, or bring Berg's argon, or if we were to go and get another player in, we've got the ability to just to give someone another, or give a team, like a problem, when they're just slowly starting to get a foothold in the game, because I think what would be nice, maybe yesterday, was whilst they were going through that spell, we stopped the game, so you nullify it a little bit, you kill the rhythm, and all about possession-based teams, it's all about rhythm, it's all about trying to get the ball to each side, left playing between each other, and creating space, and also trying to get in behind, and you know, sometimes we just stop that rhythm, and create a moment of madness that really just kills any possession-based team, to be honest. So maybe we could have done it a bit sooner, but you know, it's not the end of the world, we still can win with three points, but in future games, when people get up to speed, I would like us to be a bit more reactive, because that could be the difference from Bora getting into the playoffs and promotion, then not for who knows, we need to kill these games off a little bit quicker. But the next question, it's from Ian, he says, "Why, when we're in golf scoring positions that most teams will capitalise on, do we always seem to take the wrong option?" Matt, do you want to take this one? Why do you think we, uh, we seem to take the wrong option? I don't, I don't know, I think, I think it's just something that just needs to be coached into the players. I mean, we saw last season, didn't we, we're, it's not like we've got a problem creating these opportunities, we're right up there for big chances, create, but we're also up there for big chances, missed, so I wouldn't say we've got a problem as such, and getting in the right areas and maybe creating the chance itself, it's just finishing it off, so yeah, I don't know, I think it's just one of the things that'll just develop and improve over time, the more the players get used to one another, and the more it's just coached into them, then that's all you can do with decision-making, but I'm confident that we'll, we'll get there because we've got really good players who continue to get in really good areas and, and create good opportunities, so yeah, it's just something that I think will be ironed out all the time, and not a lot won't become a big issue and something that will only improve. And then the final question today, it comes from James, he says, "What team would you put out for the Cup game against Leeds?" The tie, the lads looked tired, I was going to say the tie is book lads. Three games in one week is a big ask, but Leeds will always be a big game when we don't want to get spanked. Tom, do you want to take this one? What would you, which pile against Leeds? It's, it's a bit of a difficult one, this one, and I'm having to, like, put me football manager on to answer it, because if it was any other team, well, maybe not any other team, some of the Newcastle's ranked mind as well, but if it was a lower league team in the, in the first round of the Caribao Cup, you'd probably expect to see quite a bit of rotation, give people a chance with it being Leeds, you do expect a tough game from them, and you expect us to put out a competitive line up. That being said, we have rotation options done in our squad this year, so potentially, McGree and Azaz could be rotated out, maybe Popurg's Org, maybe Hamlin then, maybe Gilbert, who knows, but you've got those options behind the striker, which, to be honest, I think should remain as likely a lot for this game, because he loves a goal against Leeds. With sentiment fail options, you could keep it the same, or like I said earlier, Ed Morris could be the key to kind of unlocking what we can get from Dan Balassar, so you maybe rotate Balassar in, you maybe give House and Minutes there, and potentially, you could take one of Clark and Bandenburg and put Lenna hand in, potentially as well, you could see the goalkeeper getting rotated, but that's pretty common for a cup game as well, so we've got rotation options there, and they are quite strong rotation options as well, so as long as we're not kind of writing the game off and playing a completely second and third string team against Leeds, that's the kind of approach I would take with it. Okay, so I've changed the full 11, I would probably go for, changed it all, what's the worst I could happen to? Anyway, let's go hands up, let's preach, it's the present place. Ah, yes, the present place, the only place place to give praise to a player, coaching staff member, present place, who's the present players this week? Daniel, would you like to go first, who were you preaching on? Well, there was one player that I think stood out amongst all of his teammates, I think it was such a good performance, a complete 10 out of 10 master class, and it was Johnny House, and I'm just kidding. I think mine was a match for yesterday, honestly, it was probably Matt Clark, Matt Summer, rather than Brad Summer, I just think he's a fantastic defender. When you want somebody to put his body on the line and to actually defend the goal with all that he has, I think Matt Clark is absolutely that player, and I really enjoyed it. I mean, he's such a good defender, he even blocks his own teammates from scoring, so I enjoyed him. I will also throw Lukas Angle in there, because I think Lukas Angle looked more confident, and it's kind of that intangible, you can't really measure it, but I just felt like his performance was better, and I quite like that. I'm really rooting for Lukas Angle this season, because everyone's throwing Ryan Giles's name around, and it's understandable, we all love Giles, but we do have a left back there that's contracted to us right now, and it would be wonderful, really, really good to see Lukas Angle build on last season and become a really important asset for this team right now. All the players I do want to mention, John's, because I think John's showed what he's capable of. I think he's a real threat against teams. The way that you won that penalty was proper old-school, John's actually taking the player on, kind of warming into the box and winning that foul, so I'm trying to think of the rest of the team, obviously Morris. There was quite a few good performers there, but I think the three that I do want to mention, Matt Clark, is I, John's, and who was it that I also said just then? Literally, just the ball. Lukas Angle, there we go. No, at least someone's listening. Anyway, Matt, I mean, Matt Clark is kind of what your pro club looks like to be fair, so we'll go for it. Who's in your present places? I put the entire back line in there to be honest. I mean, yeah, there was good performances throughout going up the pitch as well, but I was really, really impressed with Boris back line yesterday. Yeah, maybe went under the radar a little bit in pre-season. The fact that we picked up three clean shoots, I believe, here in Veen, Harrogate, Bolton. Yeah, it gets written off in pre-season a little bit because you're playing a little league opposition and who cares, it's pre-season, but I was really impressed with how we defended the box yesterday. I think both all backs defended really well up against Swansea's tricky wingers and everything that was getting chucked in the box Rave and Clark were just heading it straight back out. There was a chance, was it second half, where I think the ball come across our box from left to right. It bounced up awkwardly for their number 10 and Aileen got out, made the first block, and then Rave, I think, took one in the face for the second block. I thought Dean saved it at first, but I actually hit Rave right in the face. And yeah, it's something that we maybe don't think of and associate with Michael Carrick's sides, but if we can build on that, as we say, it's the difference, isn't it? I think our attacking qualities could get us playoffs, but the question market, whether we can go that extra step is probably around our defence and that you, apart from maybe Ipswich is the outlier, you need a good defence to get automatic promotion. And if we can improve on having a good defence, and as you said, Johnny, get top six for clean shoots, maybe this season, that could take us that one step further into challenging, maybe not just top six, maybe that little bit further. So that's where I put my present place. And as well, I just want to quickly mention half-time seeing Toni Morbra come out. That, for me, topped anything that happened in the game. To see him come out, look well, look healthy, and the reception he got off the boar of fans was moving. And to see how emotional he got, I mean, I was getting emotional. I think everyone was, and I've seen so many people online say how much they chucked up just seeing him. The reception he got from the fans and the words he said about the club as well, it was just such a wholesome moment. And it made me proud to be a tea cider, it made me proud to have Toni Morbra as one of our own. And just to see him well, and hopefully he continues to be well, was a highlight for me as well. So Chuck Mogher in there as well, just for being an absolute legend. Yeah, that's why it's got numbers as good as it creates those moments where you can do these really cool things. So it's always a great thing. Not just the player, but I think for the club as well. But Dan, I think you had wanted to add something there. I was just going to say I completely echo that I was chucking up as well. I usually do, I just turn into an absolute wet lettuce whenever a player or former player is introduced to the crowd, but it was really good to see Toni Morbrae. I think he laid down a lot of the foundations for I talk around because middle's routine and obviously I didn't watch him play, but he was probably the first borough manager that allowed me to take this club seriously. And yeah, obviously a massive, massive legend of the area essentially in a Red Cloud as well, as he said, just a lad from Red Cloud that wanted to do the best for his boyhood club. Like it, yeah, really, really good to see him. And that was a touching moment there from Borod to have him on the pitch at half time, receiving his legacy number. Yeah, and Denny, you're looking not a true baller, fine, if you didn't watch Toni Morbrae a player and I'm not even asked if you weren't even born. Tom, it was in your present place this week. Well, I can't not put Morbrae in it now. Yeah, it was like Dan Raman said, great to see him at the Riverside looking quite well. And as you said there, Johnny, the legacy numbers do allow for these kind of moments, and we've already had Janine on the hearing thing game. I do wonder if it's maybe going to become a bit of a recurring theme during the season and we start to see some old players rockin' up. But yeah, that part time presentation was great to see. I completely echo Matt's time with the back line. I think everyone in there deserves praise this week and I will also single out Ed Morrison in the midfield just because I'd say he was pressing and energetic right up until the end and it's something that we've needed in this midfield for quite a while. Yeah, and I think to add, I do echo all of you just to be fair in terms of the players and back line. I think Karak in the court just have to deserve a lot of credit for helping Bora build better foundation in terms of defensively. I think hopefully it can continue for the season that we improve, but it's football and we'll probably be concede fired next week. But I think I will probably to be fair, Lou Kaelin is probably the one I give praise to he saw surprise me, Lou Kaelin. I think when he first signed, I was in the January, I was like, let me get to end the season where I signed and probably not came out of some really good return. Then he was captain yesterday in a really good performance and just a really good leader on the pitch and fair play. I think he's absolutely just flipped me one A.E. and I think he's been fantastic for us really to and long may that continue and hopefully if he does play at right back at Ellen Rhodes during the week in the court, then please don't concede and I'll go all or something. I know you'll love Leeds, but just don't do it. I also find it quite funny that we always think we all hit Leeds come with them. We've got loads of Leeds connections in our team. I thought that yesterday there's a house in England, I'll be like, oh. Yeah, I mean, not Leeds, I mean, hundreds of games between them, you know, draft won't get played as well. So just really, anyway, anyway, but yeah, I think Lou Kaelin is in my present place this week. And of course, we'll go into all the all that thing that goes with it. So, well, let's move on. Let's chat some trivia. I actually love a bit of trivia on this podcast. And the question that I have for you guys and at home as well is Darby Bond, Chris Riggas, joined Middlesbrough from Derby in 2003. Remember those TVs? What, who did he play with more games for Bora or Darby? Your timer starts now. Time is up. So then, who did Chris Riggat play more for? And obviously, give you even more of a clue that Chris Riggat had two spells at Darby County as well. And those they have to be added together. But who wants to go first? And who was it? It was to give the Rancer first. That's that. Let's go with that one. Who wants to go first? Who wants to make up mugger themselves there? Yeah, I'm up to do with that. We both want to make mugger. I was gonna say, I forgot he was there for two different spells. Arbon would borrow. I remember him still being a when we're in the championship. I feel like that might have pushed him over the edge of his variances. I've gone differently. I've gone Darby. Just it was kind of a 50/50 and I just went with my gut. So I've gone with Darby. Yeah, put me a coin for me. I have no idea. My pens also gave up on me as well, so I put it on my phone. Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough? Yes, Middlesbrough. So, if you said Darby County, you were incorrect. It was actually what they actually was Middlesbrough. He played 146 times Middlesbrough and then 92 times for Darby. In the second spell, he only played the one game. Absolutely, through everyone, through everyone. But let's continue with chat with Darby. Yes, I know we have leads come up next. But to be honest, it's a cup game. It's not really that relevant. So I'm just going to do predictions. But anyway, I want to chat with Darby instead. Because the last time we weren't a prior part, we weren't a prior part, sorry, it was in 2018. It was more of a British and British sombolonger giving Bora the win card, what the glory it is. But after a couple of years in the League One wilderness, we caught up with Jake from Ren's talk to get us up to speed over Darby across the summer. Hello, Johnny and the Bora breakdown team. It's Jake here from Ren's Talk podcast. And yeah, Darby Summer, it's been interesting so far to put it in one way. We knew we needed a lot of players. We knew our recruitment had to be split on. And I think the majority of it has actually been OK so far. We've brought in players like Kenzo Howl of mine, who's coming in the center of midfield, who looks a really tidy player, picks up the ball, moves it on really well. We brought in Ben Osborne, who's been at Sheffield United, won two promotions with them as well. We sort of bulked up in other areas. Jerry Yates is unfortunately suspended against you guys, who looks a bit of a handful up top and Caden Jackson as well. But the problem is with us, we're really lacking a striker, really, really lacking a striker and going into the game against Middlesbrough. It's something we know we'll need. We know you're a good football inside, you're a little bit different to the Bora of Old, that maybe we're used to under the lights of Warnock. And yeah, I think we're going to really, really miss out on a striker. I mean, Darby Summer has been OK. But the problem is with our preseason, we've looked pretty poor. And that kind of continued against Blackburn as well. We don't seem to have a settled shape. We don't seem to have a settled line up. And Paul Warren doesn't seem to know exactly how to get his team playing. We're not great in open play. I'm not really selling this in the minute, but we're not great in open play, but we're very strong at set pieces. So as you probably saw, we scored two set pieces against Blackburn, which is what gave us a chance in that game. But looking ahead to Bora, yeah, not feeling confident. I'm going to be honest, as I said, we know you're a good football inside. Obviously been towards the top of the table for quite some time now with a good manager in Michael Carrick. One of my best mates is called Scott. And he listens to you guys all the time. And he washes every game. And he loves to tell me all about Bora and how good Bora are. So feeling a little bit of concern going into it. We're not the best at the back, it seems at the moment. But I just hope that we've got enough to stop players like Latte Lath tearing us to pieces, to be honest. So yeah, I was going to say best to look. That'd be a bit silly, wouldn't it? But let's hope for a good game at the weekend. And I hope for Darby's sake, we get something out of it. Because I think we need to break our look at some point. Charles, just got you there, I guess. Charles is going to listen to us. And also when Jake was going through that voice note, I literally just felt, well, that's three no dabbing in it. So we've heard these type of voice not before, guys. You know how things can happen. I mean, I'm not going to lie. I heard that we were pretty rubbish. I didn't watch the game because I went in. But, I mean, Matt, you said you watched them on the Friday, and you said they were garbage, so anything could happen. But anywhere, follow on sides, drink the fourth oldest team in the division at the average age of 27. God, so mean you. Anyway, we've cute, kind of, and they'll all be able to do play the four, three, three, and really struggle on Friday night against Blackburn. So I think they'll match us in terms of formations, but we'll do predictions and Matt, I'll call you first, because you've had the, you know, you watched them on Friday and they give me your thoughts on Dobby from Friday, and then give me your prediction. I wasn't impressed by them. I thought Blackburn, who were a side who would sort of tip to be one of the struggles this season, tore them to pieces. I mean, at fair, in a second half, Dobby were pushing forward a little bit to get back in the game. But Blackburn was just all over them at times, and they're only real threat, offensively come from set pieces. I mean, they were chucking crosses in, and I guess we've kind of seen from the Swansea game that Borough have been pretty good from defending our box. So if we can do the same again, we shouldn't have any issues. But yeah, this got both the goals from Corners. The stat also popped up during the coverage that they were the best team from set pieces in League One last season. I think this got like 25 goals from set pieces, which was six more than the next best team, I think. So we just needed to defend our box from set pieces and corners and crosses, and we should be okay. So I'm a bit more confident after seeing them on Friday. I'm more actually worried about the occasion than I am the opposition. I just have this horrible feeling that given recent past with Dobby, their first home game, probably a sell out or whatever, it's going to be a big crowd there. It's going to be a tough environment for us. So I'm more concerned about that, but I think we'll win. I'm going to say 2-1 Borough, added caveat. I'm going, which means we're going to lose 3-0. Thanks for that. Okay, so death them, to be honest, you know what, I'm going to pass the game, that you're not a good professor, I'll put it in there. What's your prediction at the Dobby game? I think it'll be a score draw. I'm going to go with, oh, is it going to be 1-0? Is it going to be 2-0? I'll say 1-0. Yeah, 1-0. I've kind of agreed with Mark in regards to the kind of occasion on the setup of the game. Obviously, there's a bit of tension there between Bora and Dobby, given the whole Mel Morris versus Steve Gibson thing. But I'm hopeful that we can get something from it. I just screw it. It's got 2-1 Borough. I think we'll just edge it now. Got a random shoot of confidence, for some reason. I don't know where I can go from, but I'll take it. What are you going to go with? Well, firstly, Matt, what have we told you about going all the way against? Stop it. I'm going to go and slap your tyres, Matt, the night before you can't go. So, secondly, it might be a big occasion. Hopefully, Carrick pulls a micallata to run, gets a lot of speakers. I'll go in at her with that at the pretty good preparation. I'm going optimistic, free-nail Bora win, with another caveat that Mark Clark is going to score one of the goals from us at base. That time's better than the year, is it, Mark Clark, any time? No, I think it's going to happen. It will happen. No, it's a big edge on it. Yeah, I can say that. I'll go three, I think I'm really confident. I'm going into it. Scary said, I know. I just think we'll look really good. We'll look a bit more comfortable on the road, I think, as well. It turns possession to let us have it in good areas. Look, if we can defend quite well, you were saying nothing, we can get a good win there. In terms of leads predictions, my question is, are we going to go through or not? So, Dana, yes or no, going through? No. Matt? No, no, sadly not. And then Tom, are you waiting? Yes, and I'll go, yes, as well. I'll go too, too, so, you know, keep it even. All right, then, what's it? It's before we leave you for this week. Just want to give a quick mention to the SES as well, because, you know, we are up for an award, of course, where we need your vote. And if you've got to then this podcast and go, you know what, these guys are pretty sounds. Give us a vote, because that helps us maybe get the gold this year, because, you know, for Bronze last year, let's go one better and maybe get there in the end. But anyway, that's it. If you like this podcast, do don't forget to give this video a like. I want to hit 100 likes there. I said it on this video, 100 likes going like the video. Go and subscribe to the Laura Brickdown YouTube channel. I'm your podcast provider as well, because we've got a lot of credit coming up, including two, one lord, I'm maybe two, you know, with about Hamilton this week, and that'll be going on Monday, evening, Tuesday morning. But that's it. Bora have come a long way. Let me see what I said there, and can maybe be dabbing again, hopefully get through in the week up as well. But for right now, this has been Bora Brickdown podcast, and that was why Bora matched their chat in a pod up the Bora break them.