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STEAUA BUCHAREST v MIDDLESBROUGH - BRIGGSY'S ANALYSIS
We started the biggest week in our history in Bucharest and came away from the game with very mixed emotions. On the one hand we were second best on the night but the result leaves the game very much in the balance.
Steve McClaren opted for an attack minded 4-4-2 formation rather than the conventional 4-5-1 we tend to play in most European away games. The team was:- Schwarzer, Parnaby, Bates, Ugo, Queudrue, Morrison, Rochemback, Boateng, Downing, Hasselbaink and Yakubu.
After a cagey twenty minutes when both teams were testing each other out, the game finally opened up. The first real chance came after twenty minutes, from a Steaua Corner. The corner was taken by Bostina and found the head of captain Radoi, but gladly the corner flashes past the right hand post.
Five minutes later we had a fantastic chance to score the opener with a decisive breakaway. The Yak made a surging forward run deep into the Steaua half then unleashed a twenty-yard effort on goal that was deflected wide. For me he took the wrong option. Morrison had made an overlapping run on the outside and a simple ball through would have given him a better effort on goal.
The breakthrough came on the half hour mark and it was made out of nothing really. Ogararu collected a throw in from the right then passed on to Radoi who then cleverly found Dica. Dica then managed to find himself enough room to shift the ball to the left and have an excellent shot at goal which left Schwarzer helpless. It was a piece of individual class.
As the half came to a close we had two very good chances to snatch an away goal. The first was from a Boateng cross, which was turned onto the bar and over by Ogararu who he was under heavy pressure from Yakubu. The resultant corner eventually found Morrison whose close range shot was saved brilliantly by the Steaua keeper.
This signalled the end of the half. We were at the quarter stage of the tie and there's still a long way to go just yet. We have no need to panic and chances will come our way. We're still in this tie. I'm sure these words were echoed in the Middlesbrough dressing room at half-time.
Steaua started the second half much brighter and enjoyed a heavy spell of pressure but thanks to the big Aussie Mark Schwarzer the score remained at 1-0. With barely eight minutes of the second half gone, Schwarzer was called into action and again the threat came from a corner. A Bostina corner this time found Goian and his header at goal was superbly tipped over by Schwarzer.
We had more reason to be thankful to Schwarzer minutes later as he made an even better save. A Bostina right wing cross was mis-kicked by Parnaby. This left Dica virtually with a free shot at goal. But he couldn't recreate his goal scoring heroics from the first half and Schwarzer made a save low down to his left.
We were finding it very hard to break Steaua down and McClaren changed it with seventy minutes gone. Basel hero Maccarone and Parlour replaced Yakubu and Morrison. But as the game came to a close we ran out of steam and our heavy schedule looked like it was taking its toll. Steaua had twelve days to prepare for this game and we had three matches in that period.
With ten minutes to go Marin evaded the Boro back-line but his finishing left something to be desired as the shot went wide. Massimo created a decent chance with minutes to go. The Italian cut inside from the right and sent a fierce shot goalbound on his left foot. After fumbling the ball the Steaua keeper collected.
We were second best on the night and can have no complaints about the 1-0 defeat. But we are still in this game. It's only half time! Any team that wins any competition will have bad games. It's how you limit the damage during these off games that will determine how far you go. We limited the damage to a single goal and I'm fully confident we can overturn the result back at our place.
We're at the business end of the competition now, there are no easy games and Steaua proved that. They are a very strong organised team. They are physically tough and will make life difficult for you. Having said that I'm confident we'll grab a couple in the return leg.
What we need is a packed Riverside to roar the red lions onto victory. The atmosphere against Basel was fantastic so imagine what another ten thousand fans can do?
The lads will be looking to bounce back and what a better way to do it by booking a place in the FA Cup final.
Bring on The Hammers.
NOW HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE NEW HOLGATE MESSAGE BOARD
BACK TO BRIGGSY INDEX
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