Middlesbrough 1 Stoke City 1
Negredo 11 Shaqiri 67
Alvaro Negredo returned to the Premier League in style but
it wasn’t enough to earn his new side Middlesbrough an opening day victory.
The imposing Spanish forward scored after just nine minutes
on his Boro debut at the Riverside, before a spectacular free kick from Stoke’s
Xherdan Shaqiri midway through the second half drew the visitors level.
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Alvaro Negredo celebrates his first Boro goal
(Picture from Eurosport.com)
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On the whole a draw was probably a fair result, with newly
promoted Boro looking well organised and disciplined before the interval, while
Stoke took control after the break.
The decision to award the free kick, from which the visitors
equalised, may have been dubious. The ball had already gone when Adam Clayton
clipped Shaqiri with little intent on the edge of the penalty area. Even so it
was a sign that Stoke were building up ahead of steam, and in the closing
stages they were the only team which looked like taking all three points.
Boro had competed well and looked a threat on the counter
attack at times. However, after half time, they barely laid a glove on their
opponents, as the likes of Shaqiri and ex-Barcelona forward Bojan were allowed
time and space to come to the fore.
Aitor Karanka will have been impressed, however, by the
performance of his new signings and the Boro boss handed out five debuts on the
opening day.
That included the ubiquitous Gaston Ramirez, who produced a
man of the match performance in front of a packed Riverside crowd.
The Uruguayan playmaker was protagonist in Boro’s attacks
and also made some important clearances inside his own penalty area.
He also linked up well with Negredo and there were plenty of
signs that the pair could form a decent partnership this campaign.
It certainly started well, when a move started by Albert
Adomah ended with the opening goal of the game. The Ghanaian international won
the ball in the middle of the pitch, before charging down the left flank where
he played a neat one-two with George Friend.
Adomah then swing a deep inswing cross towards the back
post, where Ramirez produced a clever header back across goal. Negredo leapt
the highest and the ball appeared to come off his shoulder before it flew past
goalkeeper Shay Given, not that the 32,110 home fans cared about that.
They will have also been encouraged by the performance of
another new arrival Antonio Barragan, who was signed as a right back but looked
comfortable as a makeshift centre half.
There were also admirable performances from Friend, Adam
Clayton and Ben Gibson, none of which looked out of place on their Premier
League debuts.
The only negative of the first half for Karanka was the
injury to Marten De Roon, who limped off with what looked like a hamstring
injury after 17 minutes.
Even so Boro were able to keep the visitors at arm’s length
thought-out the first, as Stoke lacked the urgency and intensity which many
would have expected from an established Premier League side.
Boro did pose a threat on the counter attack and almost
doubled their lead ten minutes before the break when Negredo held the ball
effectively and set up Ramirez, whose low shot glanced off the post.
Stoke’s best chances came in the closing stages of the first
half, as first Marko Arnautovic curled a free kick over the bar. Minutes later
the Austrian set up Shaqiri with a neat reverse pass but the latter cannoned a
shot into the side netting.
Shaqiri was involved again when his in-swinging cross from
the right caused some uncertainty in the Boro penalty area and forced keeper
Victor Valdes to punch the ball to safety.
The host’s best opportunity to double their lead came just
before the hour mark, when Adomah broke away down the right but failed to find
a team mate when he arrived in the penalty area.
Even so Boro had begun to back off and Stoke were only too
happy to accept the invitation to attack.
Shaqiri fired just over the bar minutes before his free
kick, which he curled across goal and low into the bottom corner.
Stoke looked the more likely side to nick a winner but the
best chance fell to Boro when Adomah’s cross picked out Stewart Downing but he
headed his effort straight at Given.
A point each was probably a fair result.
Player Ratings
Victor Valdes 6- Was
rarely tested on his debut. He made one punch to repel one of Shaqiri’s crosses
mid-way through the first half.
Emilio Nsue 6.5- Was
forced to do his fair share of defending, especially in the second half when
Marko Arnautovic and Erik Pieters doubled up on him.
Antonio Barragan 7-
An impressive debut a centre half. He regularly positioned himself well to keep
Stoke out.
Ben Gibson 7- Barely
put a foot wrong at the back. Stoke striker Mame Biram Diouf hardly got a
sniff.
George Friend 7.5-
Made some strong challenges and was keen to charge forward down the left flack.
Didn’t look out of place on his Premier League debut
Adam Clayton 7- Was
the heartbeat of Boro’s well organised defensive unit and helped keep Stoke’s
creative players on the fringes in the first half.
Marten De Roon –Limped off injured after just 17 minutes.
Not enough time to give a fair rating.
Albert Adomah 6.5-
Started lively but faded as the match went on. His decision making was
questionable at times.
Stewart Downing 6.5-
Did a lot of running on the left flank but didn’t create much going forward. Headed
a late chance straight at the keeper.
Gaston Ramirez 7.5-
Influential both on and off the ball. His clever header across goal set up
Negredo and the tricky playmaker was also on the end of some vital clearances
in his own penalty area.
Alvaro Negredo 7.5-
Made the perfect start to his Boro career with a goal. He won numerous headers
and made himself nuisance for Stoke’s defence.
Substitutes
Adam Forshaw 6.5-
Replaced De Roon after 17 minutes. He was tidy in possession and made some
decent interceptions but couldn’t stop the team retreating in the second half.
David Nugent – The striker replaced Ramirez with five
minutes to go. Not enough time to give a fair rating.
My Boro Man Of The Match: Gaston Ramirez
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