Resilience key to our run of form, says Pulis
MATCH STATS
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Tony Pulis hailed his side’s resilience as they continued their fine run of form with a 2-1 win at Brentford.
He said: “This is a very difficult place to come, it’s a very tight ground and they move the ball around really well. They are a good side so this is a very good win.”
Pulis had special praise for striker Hugill, who gave the hosts’ two young centrebacks a torrid time.
He said: “He moved them about and gave them a very physical test and that allowed us to get others in and around him to pick up the pieces.”
Alan Judge gave Brentford hope with a late goal and Pulis was unhappy with how his side dropped deeper to let the hosts back into the game.
“Once we were two up I thought we could have consolidated and looked to add to it, but we fell back a little and that allowed them to get back into the game a little which was disappointing,” he said.
“But we were resilient, well organised and always posed a threat going forward, so I can’t complain too much about the outcome.”
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank felt his side’s lack of quality in the final third cost them in a game where they dominated Middlesbrough for long spells.
But despite seeing his side slip to a fifth defeat in six, he is confident the “big heart” shown by his players will soon help turn things around.
“We dominated the game but you have to defend well in crucial situations, and although they were happy to sit back we needed to open the game up,” he said.
“Middlesbrough are a big team and are favourites to go up, and we matched and were better than them for much of the game. But we also need to be more aware offensively with our final balls and decision making.”
Frank, buoyed by lively returns from the bench of fitagain Emiliano Marcondes and Josh Dasilva, called on his goal-shy midfield to “step up and take responsibility”.
“When we have Said Benrahma and Ollie Watkins fit we have enough quality to score goals, but in the meantime we need the rest of the boys to help out,” he said.
“Every team goes through spells like this and that is why we have more than 11 players.”