Dismal Display Deepens Basement Gloom
A DISMAL and dispiriting day in which cautious Boro set out to draw a 'must win' match and came out of it claiming some kind of moral victory ("I was proud") after failing to really test the visiting keeper and hanging on for dear life at the death.
In one of the few remaining 'winnable' home matches against a relegation rival, insipid Boro were shown to be lacking firepower. Lacking fire. Just lacking. Time is running out. It was a massive missed opportunity to regain control of a situation rapidly spinning out of control and to give the fans some hope and inspiration in what will be a sticky run-in.
On a day when Boro needed to win, when they needed to deliver, needed to show some spirit and steel, pride and passion, they rarely played with any urgency or noticeable desire, failed to respond to the gravity of the situation the club find themselves in and din not set the tempo or ask the questions. Worst still, they were left hanging on grimly at the death and but for a string of saves from Brad Jones could easily have been on the wrong end of an embarrassing and near fatal defeat.
Yes, the squad is thin and injuries and suspensions have tied Gareth Southgate's hands but that was a scared selection - not so much a team as a noose. Boro started with five central defenders on the pitch including one in central midfield; they played their most creative player out of position on the right and in a game crying out for two up front to give a cutting edge they left a striker who had scored four in four on the bench in favour of a frustratingly out-of-sorts luxury player who has not produced the goods for months in a deeper role most effective away from home.
And the overly cautious selection was matched by an overly conservative approach: it was low key, low tempo and low quality. The defending was scrappy and nervous (although arguably the Land of the Giants rear guard did its job with a rare clean sheet and a tighter grip of dead-balls), the midfield was disjointed and unbalanced and the strike-force barely featured. Even during the spells when Boro had the bulk of possession there was little penetration into the box and Robinson had only a few routine long range efforts to save.
In contrast Brad Jones had to turn in a man of the match display to save from David Dunn twice and then Benni McCarthy in a hectic last five minutes.
Elsewhere the tightly bunched table is starting to thin out. A fortnight ago five teams were lock in joint bottom. In the two games since then Boro have taken one point while the team above them have started to inch away. Even Stoke won! Soon the "one win" needed to gain some breathing space won't be enough.
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Anthony Vickers
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Agreed.
Footy is a simple game. I hope Mr. Southgate doesn't overthink things today. Alves and King should start up front, and we need to be a little more adventurous going forward. If things aren't working, we need a "Plan B".
With reference to the last thread...I have no problem going to Chelsea witha 4-5-1 to try to nick a point, but after we went a goal down, it was time to switch tactics. Once again, we stuck to our tactics and just made "like-for-like" switches.
One of the coaches whom i most admire is Anson Dorrance, a man who has an incredible record at UNC here in the States. A large part of his program is a focus on 1v1 battles. When I've watched us recently, we seem lose more of those battles than we win... IF we compete at all. Defensively we automatically retreat five yards whenever the opposing team gets the ball.
We need to show a bit of mettle and a bit of grit. The fans need to strong of voice. The last time I attended the Riverside was last season's home opener v Blackburn when about 2000 away fans outsung the hole stadium. We are not down yet. As King says, we have 15 cup finals to preserve our status, starting today.
Good luck everyone...Boro expects.
I was at the Bradford Game all those years ago, not pretty. More importantly look where Bradford are now!
On a more philosophical note Pompey, Stoke, Hull, Toon and others are on the slide big style so it is possible that despite our "non shows" this season there are others who are struggling badly and even if we cough and splutter to the finish line we might just make it.
That said this is a "must win" game. It is "THE" defining moment of Gareth's season and most of the judging will be done this afternoon at 5.00pm not at the end of the season.
We will be right behind the lads but they must earn our support and respect today right from the off. Otherwise things could turn very unpleasant very quickly with cheers turning to jeers.
Come on Boro!
I sat on the touchline - Ayresome was that full - for another must-win game to get us out of the Third Div in '67.
And we prevailed. Different era,different attitude to the game but the pashion remains for this Grangetown lad. Come on Boro, believe you can.
John in Aus
West Brom was the last "must win" game wasn't it?
After today, I'm sure our next "must win game" will be our next realistic chance of winning. Unfortunately, I can now only identify about four-or-five teams we can realistically beat! I cannot remember a more serious time in Boro's recent history.
Since Eindhoven, we have slumped further and further into oblivion. If, from some fluke, we manage to avoid relegation this season, we will be sure to go down next year unless something changes.
The Championship is becoming increasingly difficult to climb out of. If, or should we say when Boro go down, there will be no 1998-style bounce back. Just look at the likes of Southampton and Coventry to gain a realistic assumption of Boro's future when the inevitable happens.
As much as I hate to say it, I can't see a way out of this. Can anyone else?
It is now a bigger crunch game than we thought as Stoke City have just beaten Manchester City 1-0 with ten men outstanding. This result just shows what grit and determination can achieve all the team give 100%. Let us hope the Boro can show similar trends in the nest two hours.
Just got home & checked out the score & the team & I just give up!
Alves has been crying out for someone to play alongside him ever since he arrived, someone to be do some of the graft, do some of the physical work. What does Southgate do when we finally get someone who can do that? Drop Alves. Just as he's scored a few goals to boot.
Thats any lingering doubts I had gone. Southgate never had the plot to lose it but the guys an absolute joke.
We can't defend for squat so forget grinding out hard won points, to get points we need goals, simple fact.
Second simple fact, theres no goals in the squad at all, Alves is the only possible source of them. The only hope we had was to find a way of getting them out of him but Southgate predictably is incapable of understanding this.
Third fact, we are effectively down already. Southgate stays (and he will because Gibsons got his head buried so far in the sand he can almost see Australia), we go down.
Couldn't believe the Team selection, it left me stunned.
It was the ultimate irreverent salute to the fans. Alves finally starts to score so now gets the Mido bench treatment, Hoyte and MacMahon both fit but Wheats is put into the right back slot that we have resolutely to a man condemned unreservedly on here and other blogs previously.
Two experienced midfielders (albeit usually dire at best) sat on the bench but Gate selects another CB (to go with the 4 he already selected!) plus Walker who he clearly didn't rate all season and has had only a game and a half under his belt (and just back from injury) with left footed Stewy on the Right.
The consequence was no shape to the right side of the team, a midfield woefully short of experience and sat far too deep, and at the front and back we go with a new keeper and a new striker. You couldn't make this stuff up if it was Sunday league but in the Premiership?
Today was deja vu, back to a terrible dark time when Robbo had lost it, sadly today I witnessed a performance and after match comments reminiscent of those despairing days. Anybody have big Jack's or Tel's number handy?
A key game as you say but a performance much like many others this season - boring, insipid and clinging on at the end. Puzzling substitutions again as well - why didn't he go for it and keep King on, taking a wide player off giving the absence of delivery into the box?
As soon as he went off we lost the impetus to attack as there was no one to hold the ball up and consequently we were left hanging on for a (probably inconsequential) point.
Desperate times.
John Gibson (in Aus) - I was there, too, in 1967 - admittedly with more hair and weighing less than now. And the crowd was MUCH larger than the posted figure, with people crowded into each other and the ground bursting at the seams. Sadly the joy at that game, and the joyous invasion of the pitch at the final whistle, wasn't repeated at the Riverside today.
Not everything today was bad. We kept a very welcome clean sheet for the first time in ages (by coincidence, on the day Manchester United broke the record for consecutive clean sheets). There was evidence of effort on the pitch. The midfield was a surprise and, in Bates and Josh Walker (though with lot more energy and enthusiasm than experience) a sign of better things to come.
Of course Digard and O'Neill were not available but the two youngsters were not out of their depth. I particularly like what I see about Walker. It looks as though he will have a very good future providing he is allowed to gain experience by playing. I just hope he gets the opportunity to get that experience playing for us and in the Premier League.
We didn't get the chance to see Alves and King together. Alves needs a muscular player, who can win the ball in the air, and who can hold it up and flick the ball into the path of the oncoming Alves, if our record purchase is realistically going to turn into a regular scorer in this league.
It was also a surprise to see Jones in goal. After the clean sheet (almost as rare as seeing a unicorn trotting along Linthorpe Road) he could now hardly be dropped for the next game. Imagine what it would have been like if King had scored a hat-trick on his debut. He would have to start next time. Same with a keeper with a clean sheet when, in recent memory, our keeper has been at risk of repetitive strain injury from picking the ball out of his net.
However, we cannot shy away from the truth of our position. As listed earlier, I think on the previous thread here, the Blackburn game was the latest of a line of "Must Win" games. As with the others, we didn't win. At which stage do we conclude there are not enough must win games left, even if we suddenly started to win them?
I wonder whether we will be hearing a string of metaphors from the Press Bench. You know the stuff! "Last Chance Saloon"......"Last Orders"....."A few minutes to midnight"......"The Ship in a storm being driven onto the Rocks".....
Then, no doubt "Dead Man Walking"...."The Ship's Master needs a Pilot to help guide us into Port".... talk of dinosaurs, references to long-lasting and seemingly secure institutions like Halifax Bank of Scotland which couldn't maintain independent status.
I really hope it doesn't come to this. But we have to start winning games now, since otherwise we will go down as surely as the sun goes down every night. Leadership is vital.
Who was in charge when Tuncay was on the ground for a few minutes, seemingly unconscious at first, and when Alves was readied at the sideline to come on as substitute? Tuncay decided he was OK and ran back on the pitch as Alves stood by the side of the field for several minutes in the cold on the half-way line. He eventually put the manager's coat on against the wind. Should it be Tuncay or the manager who decides whether it would be sensible to put a sub on? (It must be said this was not Tuncay's best game for us).
Come on lads. It really is serious now. If we are not in the list of three favourites to go down, then the bookies have not been looking at recent form, have they? If we are not to go down, things will have to start going in our favour from now on.
Talent, fitness, form, determination, leadership, luck, even prayer. It has got to the stage we need them all. If we wait any longer we will require snookers.
I have spent the whole first half of the season waiting for the Mido-Alves dream team. Remember Toshack/Keegan, Hately/Mcoist, Wilkinson/Slaven, and for whatever reason, Rockliffe curse, we never got it.
I was out today and the game wasn't on the telly but when I switched the computer on I was hoping and praying for the Alves/King headlines, what a combination, best double act since Astaire and Rodgers etc. etc.
Turns out they didn't even start and this from a bloke who was saying we need to attack, get goals, bla bla bla. I have officially jumped ship.
SOUTHGATE OUT, SACK THE MANAGER.
GREAT CAPTAIN, CRAP MANAGER
Championship here we come, will still be supporting the team.
Starting a must win game with five central defenders on the pitch just about sums it up - it's now 315 minutes since we scored a premiership goal and that is our only goal in our last 7 PL games of a winless run that has now reached a dozen.
Come on Mr Gibson please admit that this run is shocking and Gareth Southgate is not going to get us out of this mess. It's hard to imagine Boro winning any of our games in February against Man City, Wigan or Liverpool under the current regime.
So with only the possibility Nick Shorey arriving on loan to improve the team it's time to make the change at the helm - Sorry Gareth you've had your chance and have not made the cut and only a new manager can change our fortunes now.
Well at least Ian Gill broke his duck, we didn't lose (or did you do the sensible thing Ian and stay at home?) and he saved his pocket, no outfit for the missus.
And that's about all I have to say, because there is nothing else to say after yet another must win game sails by, after another gutless insipid display, after another clueless set of tactics and square pegged team selection.
Coca Cola anyone?
The whole situation is dreadful. We have no money... the team has been ravaged by the new regime over 3 years.The Glory days of UEFA long gone. We should have built not gone backwards.
I love (in a manly way) Gibson - one of our own - but a major bad decision was made at that time. Not through lack of money but just a bad decision that most Boro supporters knew.
Taking Gareth out now is not the answer. Ten weeks ago when a lot wanted to maybe, but now no. The transfer window is all but gone and what can anyone else do with what we have?
Sadly I think the wins will not come and we will fall back into the championship but what I do hope is at some point is Gibson does the honourable thing and hold his hands up and say why he did what most Boro supporters knew was the wrong thing at the time.
Water shed gone... playing 5 central defenders in a premiership match must also be a record.
I couldn't resist peeping at the BBC premier league live text during the game. There was nothing about our game when I first checked at about half time...every subsequent time I checked all I saw was another Brad Jones save. I don't think the Beeb stated that we ever threatened Blackburn's goal. Shocking.
I read about the team selection... I think the pressure has got to Southgate. He admitted as much when he said that he stays up late at night thinking about team selection. I guess he and Malcolm Crosby blindfold each other and play "pin the team" on the team sheet because I cannot rationalize this team selection.
We are clearly one of (if not the) worst teams in the league unless we somehow turn things around. Where do we go from here?
AV,
I am absolutely shattered we are on the verge of experiencing no Premiership football next season.
Im not sure I understand exactly what Steve's plan's are for this club! If it was any other club with real ambition they would have addressed the issue with the management team by now (including crosby, cooper and co).
Southgate has proven to be incapable of premier league football management. The reality of the situation is that Southgate has to go, his failure to step down only infuriates myself and other fans further. To think he used the words "proud" to describe yesterdays performance is a joke. The only word i can think of is "disgusting".
The buck stops with the manager. He has showed no signs of improving our position our ability to win cups or even avoid relegation over the past 3 seasons.
SOUTHGATE MUST GO!!!!!!!!!!!
Neil,
I went and it was a waste of a day.
I can cope with Bates and Walker in central midfield. A better combination if available would be Digard and O'Neill but they werent.
The major flaw was in the back four, AV commends the Land of the Giants back four for a clean sheet and better grip of set pieces. The fact Brad Jones had to make so many saves shows we were still a little porous.
At this point I will mention for those Boro fans with poor memories that a save is something a goalkeeper makes when a player propels the ball towards the goal he is minding. The goal is that set of posts with a net in a thing called a penalty area at the end of the pitch and you are awarded a goal when you get the football past the keeper into the net. There is an odd rule in football whereby you get extra points for scoring more goals than the other team.
I should forward that to Gate et al.
Back to the post and the back four. We play Pogo at left back because we are short in that position. Playing Wheater right back with Hoyte and mcMahon on the bench was folly.
It meant we sat too far back, the defence didnt hold a line far enough up the pitch. With two holding players you need the full backs to push on and help the attackers. Ours never got beyond the half way line. Every time the wide players got the ball they were double marked. Even if they could escape the shackles they would still be near the half way line.
We were playing a team just outside the bottom four at home and we parked the bus. As I have said previously to win the lottery you have to buy a ticket. Tuncay tried his tricks without much success but if they had come off the ball would still be 40-50 yards from the goal.
It was a timid selection leading to a timid display. On this evidence we will be sleep walking into the Championship. I can see the ticket renewal forms now, 'as part of our drive to give value for money we are pleased to announce our initiative for next season. If you buy a new season ticket for next season instead of 19 games we are giving an extra 4 with no additional cost'.
I listened to the phone in as I returned down the A19 and a fan was saying he thinks 35-36 points will keep up. I think it will be more but do I think we will get them? I have severe doubts, we are not even being unlucky like Portsmouth. Have a look at the match stats, they make gloomy reading for a side at home. We were not playing ManU.
Gibson wont sack Gate but he can throw a tantrum. We need some coherent selection and motivation. Without it I will be able to get to loads of matches next season in the East Midlands
Well, well. I think it will be hard for the eternal optimists to defend GS now. Never mind all that 14 games to go crap - we are now on less than a point a game. No wins in 12. No goals in who knows how many. A "safe" team selection in an absolutely must-win home game against a relegation rival.
I would always consider a point away from home as a point won. So Blackburn have won a point from us. By contrast, as the home team, we have just lost 2 points. The result that neither team needs is the one we have to put up with because of GS's bewildering tactics.
Forget the result for a second though, because hidden within our atrocious form has been the Boro Comical Ali style of PR again this month. First we don't have money. Then we swap one of our biggest goal threats for someone with hustle but no real end product. Then we find £2m down the sofa for a young Championship midfielder. We lose out, so GS says he has "other options". Predictably, those "other options" are to scramble around the list of "failed summer transfers" and pull out James Harper. It then seems we're spending around £3-4m on him (Steve Coppell laughing all the way to the bank). THEN we hear there is a "hitch" and chances are we won't sign anyone.
We're handing out the schadenfreude all round at the moment.
Back to GS. When I spoke to my mates we all said that if he doesn't win against Blackburn then he should go. But then there is this nagging feeling inside, saying "lets give him the Man City game to turn it round...". Unfortunately, we can't keep saying that, and I feel that now is the time we see "thanks, but see you later..."
Either that or get El Tel or Curbishley in. GS played for El Tel (and infamously let him down on a big stage) so hopefully he can tempt him to come and help us out.
Seriously worried about us now.
Forget for the moment the inevitable calls for Southgate's head... how do we get out of this situation?
There are 14 games left and 39 points might be enough. To achieve that we need 5 wins and 2 draws or 4 wins and 5 draws.Those results are unobtainable unless we start to score.
The only player we have that in any sort of goalscoring form is Alves. He must start. Tuncay is not worthy of a shirt at present. With Alves King should start. If that doesnt work then Aliadiere when back in 2 weeks should start with him.
I cant see a way out at present. In the last three home league games we have created ONE clear chance which Alves put away against the Mackems.
Please Gareth make simplicity your watchword. Play players in their best positions. My team for next week:
Jones or Turnbull;
Hoyte Huth Riggott or Wheater Pog;
O'Neill Digard Walker or Arca, Downing;
Alves King.
Did anyone else hear Southgates interview the other day? He refused to call this a must win game! His words were (or as near as I can remember) "I dont like to call these games must win games because it suggests that if you dont win you don't have anywhere else left to go."
What planet is this guy on? Wake up Gareth, grow a spine, look at the fixtures for pity's sake! We haven't took points off any of the teams down at the bottom with us! We have some tough games coming up & the games are running out!
This WAS a must win game & its no good denying that because it scares you! I really cannot understand how someone so embarrassingly out of touch can continue to be employed in such an important position in the club.
I have not been posting much as I have nothing positive to say.
Nobody wants to pay good money to go to a home game to watch us play for a nil nil from the off. That is not my idea of football.
Gareth, with that team selection you offer NOTHING attacking. To give us a chance you should have played Alves and King and Hoyte. Can Tuncay play in the middle like he does for his country or not?
I dont want to see 15 points from 15 nil nils!
Man City must be- Alves, King, Downing, O'Neil, Digard, Johnson/ is Aliadiere fit?
McMahon/Pogger ,Riggot ,Huth/Wheater/Pogger, Hoyte.
If we are losing towards the end then throw on Tuncay/ Emnes up front [ but not like for like go more attacking]to put the pressure on the opposition!
Brad Jones was on fire yesterday and stopped us reaching the very bottom of the table and should keep his place maybe.
Southgate like Ince and Adams may be good managers in the future and have been great players and lots of us want that for English football but at the moment all three in terms of Premiership quality have NO MAGIC or charisma or whatever you want to call it.
Southgate is like a comedian who , because his joke isnt getting a laugh, just works harder and harder at it .
The truth is its just not funny.
Some time ago I wrote on here that I believed that Gate was looking for the excuse to get Rosco out of goal and The Corporal in - and that the non-signing of the contract would soon be presented as part of the reason for benching him.
Maybe Rosco's waving at the cross for Chelski's second goal along with the rest of Boro's defence opened the door but - surprise, surprise - the contract issue arises in the Saturday Gazette and Rosco's benched.
As it happens The Corporal's shot stopping - always his best trait - saved a point late yesterday and this change in selection was hardly the worst Gate made but, for me, it's just another indictment of the current regime.
Anthony
Your feature says it all and it most certainly was a “Scared selection”.
I have always given GS the benefit of the doubt, but now I want him out and fast.He actually said “It was a fair result" on camera when his team failed to compete.
Steve Gibson must ask himself this question. “Is Gareth Southgate the man to lead our club into the future or is he not”? If the answer is the obvious, then for God’s sake give someone else the chance to get a realistic grip of the situation, before it is too late.
61% of fans wanted GS out according to the Gazette Poll recently. I would bet that number has now risen to 99& and is rising by the minute.
GS used some young lads to give his senior players a wakeup call were the only tactics I saw.
If GS doesn’t go then the fans will, because nothing ever changes.
Well, it seems as everytime I'm putting up a new post on here, I'm just saying exactly the same things. Southgate really does seem to have lost the plot.
He STILL doesn't know where to play Tuncay, and why he is still playing him at all bemuses me. He isn't playing well, he's all of a sudden lost his touch and flare, so he needs to be dropped. But no, Southgate has other ideas to drop our only real attacking threat, in Alves. We looked like the away team yesterday, fighting to get a point, when in reality, we should have been griding out 3!
The amount of times i saw a decent passing move, it ended up going back to our defence, then somebody would whack it long upfield, gifting them the possession. If we have signed King just so we can play long balls up to him, then we really are going down, cause its not going to work, especially if we play Tuncay off him!
Drop Tuncay and get Digard and O'niel in midfield against Man City, play Johnson on the left (who was our best player yesterday by a MILE) and Downing on the right. Alves and King or even Emnes up front, and sort the defence out.
Yes we got a clean sheet, but why are we playing players out of position to accomodate the players who southgate likes, and is afraid to drop! (ie wheater) keep Huth and Riggot in defence, and get Hoyte back at right back, so we have more pace on the right wing, someone who is willing to get forward and put crosses in!
And finally Brad Jones, yes he made a couple of OK saves yesterday, but why on earth drop Ross Turnbull? He has made one mistake where he flapped at a ball at Chelsea, but you look at where Kalou was, nobody was marking him anyway!
Get brad jones out of the team, cause for me, it doesnt look as if he installs any confidence in the men who are playing infront of him!
Come on southgate, sort out your head!!!
The fact Gareth Southgate is still manager at the club tells me one thing: Mr Gibson does not care about what the boro fans want.
The fans want Gareth OUT!! He is not up to the job, and never has been. We are on a one way ticket to the championship and lower.
I recall a recent poll on here had something close to 70% wanting a new manager at the club. Even this had no effect with Mr Gibson.
Please end this misery soon, before the damage caused to the club takes us back 10 years.
Ive read the blog enough, I've followed the boro enough, I've looked at the results enough, Ive seen Gareth praise his team enough... tHis is a talented boro side that looks shocking on the pitch every week and I'm afraid its down to Gareth.
Yes hes a nice guy, yes hes respected but if he stays, its the championship. We will not win again until March. This is very very silly and unbelievebly naive by Gibson. Bring in an advisor....do something....but dont leave him unsupervised, its gonna go pear shaped.Why no Alves? Why Bates for Arca? oh please.
NOW is the time, the time is NOW.
Something drastic has to be done at the top and Steve Gibson needs to put his loyalties to one and think about the club and the fans; can he really afford for the club to go down when the world is deep in a credit crunch?
It is time for Southgate to go. He's had enough time. When is Gibson going to realise that whilst trying to blood a successful English manager, how long do Boro fans have to suffer for this sacrifice that is being made at our expense?
SOUTHGATE HAS TO GO, SOUTHGATE OUT. Like the previous poster said, Lovely man, great Captain but hopelessly out of his depth as a Manager.
It says a lot about the poor quality of the football we have been repeatedly served and the deadening experience that is now a regular feature of home matches that the lads around me were equally fascinated and distracted by the size and style of Jones's boots, ie winklepickers circa 1962.
The only light relief in a match of unremitting tediousness. Where do we go from here apart from the accelerating nosedive into the Championship?
One supporter near me at the end of the match raged against the vanity of Gibson keeping Southgate in his job. Its hard to draw comfort from yesterday's match and its becoming an endurance test of patience to still believe in what Southgate is trying to achieve, when his aspirations are so low - no creativity in midfield, no pairing of King and Alves, no link between defence and midfield. There are good players at the club but does he know what to do with them?
His post match interviews are becoming like the pleas of a guilty man. Apart from the energy of Walker and Jones 's heroics towards the end, the suffering goes on.
How dare Southgate imply that we, the Boro fans are somehow culpable when it comes to the horrendous run of home results we have had to endure in the last few months?
Yes it was quiet yesterday but does he really expect us to turn up see a team that includes 5 central defenders and one "striker" (if 5 in 20 is enough to warrant that description) play as if Barcelona are the opponents and cheer enthusiastically for 90 minutes?
Everybody knows that the fans can make a massive difference to the players, but it works both ways, we need to feel like the team, and the manager, are willing to give 100% in the fight to stay in the premier league because, believe me, if Mr Lamb thinks the crowds are small this year wait until we have midweek game against Blackpool or Plymouth!
I think most Boro fans have a lot of respect for Gareth Southgate for what he did as a player and the way he has handled a difficult couple of seasons following Eindhoven. He was the wrong appointment at the time, but it is about time somebody from the club stood up and admitted they were wrong
What a truely awful display by Boro. There was no attempt to win that game. Only one up-front again when this has been shown all season not to work for us.
Look at the stats, only three goals in the last 10 league games! Get the stat book out Mr Vickers. I cant remember a dearth of goals like this in all my 35 years watching the Boro (although there will be no doubt).
I'm now pretty much resigned to the fact we are going down, not only down but bottom of the league. We are without doubt the worst team in the Prem now, with the worst management setup. I just cant see us even winning one more game.
The players clearly have no faith in the manager now. He should have gone a long while ago before the situation became hopeless. Even if he went now I doubt a new manager would be able to dig us out of the hole we are in, and to think not that long ago we had just played in a UEFA cup final.
What an opportunity lost by not appointing a top class manager when our profile was the highest it had ever been. God its frustrating being a Boro fan!
I love GS to bit and I was in favour of him becoming manager - but with an experienced mentor at his side.
Part of the above happened and I was still pleased. However, something has to change and now. I'm not necessarily saying sack him, but he needs help. As others have stated, he seems to have lost the plot and seems void of any idea of which way to turn.
Is that my imagination or should others at the club be seeing the same? Is there anyone out there and available? Jack Charlton? Venables? Don Howe? anyone with vast experience and football wisdom!
I've stated for several weeks that I can't see where our next win is coming from. Now I'm beginning to wonder where our next goal is coming from?
The negativity shown in our last two games is frightening. West Brom, Stoke, Bolton, Blackburn, Hull, Spuds and Man City all seem to have a spark and some idea of where the goal is. Although inconsistent, they are picking up points and the occasional win.
Isn't football supposed to be entertainment? Many more performances like the last two and the fans will desert the club forever.
I can't ever remember feeling so sure that we are doomed.
Time up, Gareth. You have had 100 games.You did your best but you are not a Premiership manager. You promised to go this year if you were again in the bottom three. Be the decent man we all respect and please leave now with your head held high.We dont want to here any more reasons for your failure.
We need new leadership now to save our club from the drop. Nobody has faith in you anymore. Please please go now before it all turns ugly.
There is no doubt that some of GS's decisions have baffled us recently and his post match interviews are straight out of the Tony Blair school of Q&A ( in fact he sounded a bit hoarse yesterday - he must have shouted).
However, what is clear is that he won't walk, and SG won't sack him. Therefore we are where we are, and we have to make the best of it and, wait for it,... back him! There is no alternative; The reason we've got him is because no one wanted the job in the first place.
I'll be taking the 196 to the council house next week when surely the worm will turn and someone from midfield will smash a piledriver into the net from 30 yards to give us a one nil win. Up the boro!
To extend your football gravity metaphor AV, we have now crossed the event horizon.
JC at 20.50pm - and with due acknowledgment to dear departed Douglas Adams, it looks like we need the "Heart of Gold" with its Infinite Improbability Drive to get us out of this hole. Where are Ford Prefect and Zaphod Beeblebrox when we need them?
Actually Zaphod, with his two heads, must surely be good in the air?
Deep Thought to calculate a way out of this impending tragedy?
I'm sorry but however surreal the possible solution, it can't be worse than the shipwreck that looks to be about to follow the next tidal wave to hit us.
I suppose there might be one silver lining to this black thunder cloud. I understand that people who are upset make more noise than people who are content and, as a result, phone-ins have more calls when things are going badly. This might mean that the job of blogger-in-chief at the Gazette will be the only safe job in the region as the economy slowly dissolves itself down the plughole.
One notable feature of the Blackburn game was that whenever the ball was cleared from our box, they had 3 or 4 midfielders picking up the loose ball and driving it back into the box, so that pressure was never released.
In complete contrast we always only had 1 or at best 2 men in the box, and whenever BRFC cleared it, lo and behold our midfield was nowhere near, so we lost every second ball. Why? Because the 2 wide men stayed wide and didn't push inside or further up (Rovers didn't have any wide men, didn't need them!), and because Gate played a defensive midfielder and a central defender in the middle. Result - midfield stays back on the half-way line!
I could understand it if it was a new problem. But people like John Powls have been banging on all season about the midfield failing to push up. Last season Gate complained that his midfield didn't score enough goals (and Stewy scored 10!). This season the midfield has the grand total of 2. And this is what gives me the greatest fear - we simply aren't creating chances, because we never have enough men in the box.
If Gate can't see this - and evidence from the appalling Blackburn team selection suggests he can't - then it really is time to go. Sorry Gareth. Can't see us turning this round because with your tactics we'll never score the goals. Time to depart. Now, please, before it really is too late.
Dormo - I'm sure the answer to all our problems is just to get, say, 42 points...
**AV writes: Don't Panic.
Have you ever been in a bad situation where you can see no way out of it, no matter what you do? I'm talking about the kind of situation that overshadows all else in your life for many weeks, one that leaves you with a head filled with cotton-wool and unable to think clearly.
If you try to think positively, all you can see are pitfalls ahead for you and so you begin to think that treading water will stave off drowning and that's better than sinking, after all, isn't it?
That's where Gareth Southgate has been for weeks.
He's having recurring nightmares about trudging ever deeper into a quagmire that has already sapped all of his strength and left him drained, without any real hope of ever getting back on solid ground.
I feel for him but the time for putting him out of his misery is overdue.
If Gareth was impressed with this display he must be on another Planet. When playing at home against a bottom team we must attempt to win the match.
We could go down this season on goal overage looking at the present table.The present goal average difference is worth a point at least to the teams above us, so we are not two point behind the next team but three points in n fact.
Our next 6 league games:
Man City (a)
Wigan (h)
Liverpool (h)
Tottenham (a)
Portsmouth (h)
Stoke (a)
Six massive games to save our season. If 35-38 points will be enough to stay up this season then we are 13-16 points off safety. How it would be lovely to think we could get them in these 6 games!
Looking at those fixtures there are two more "must-win" home games (Wigan and Portsmouth), a must-win away game at Stoke, and then thre other games which will be tough, but are an opportunity for draws - and with some luck, a little more.
The question is, will we get the results we need? We'll certainly need more of an attacking threat than last week. We've been poor since Ali was injured. Whether you like him or not, he has pace and is a threat. The problem is that GS has a like for like replacement (Emnes - e.g. fast striker played on the right wing) but he hasn't used him!! So we have no pace down the right as an outlet.
We were so much more threatening with Tuncay, Alves and Ali in the team. We need to bring that pace back. GS just cannot seem to see it though. Let's hope he has an epiphany soon - otherwise we're sunk.
I was going to write out the team that I would choose for the City game but what's the point? Imagine a rational line up and you aren't even close to what GS will do. At the moment it seems like he wants to give everyone a surprise on match day.
I just wish he would pick his best TEAM of 11 and say - this is the team, let's go for it. But the problem is, I don't think he knows who that team is...
Will we see any activity before the window closes? Elsewhere maybe, but it looks unlikely at the Riverside, a five pm deadline is in daylight so it is especially difficult for the Count.
Our NE sky reporter, Craig says it is unlikely but he also said we have done plenty of last minute deals. We will just have to wait and see.
Gareth Southgate came into the job without the coaching badges that were neeeded for the position. I still dont think that he has them. The reason being he has no tactical sense at all. NEGATIVITY is his order of the day.
I wrote somtime ago that this man is taking us down. Another 7 games gone and we are sinking like a stone. This man is becoming a laughing stack and the people the club are laughing at are the supporters who pay good money for tickets,.
I normally go to watch the boro on my home leave but that wont happen next time home simply because they no longer deserve any support for the rubbish we get served up.
Even Jackie Charlton who has been out of football for years would give us more optimism than we have. NOW THERE IS A MAN WHO KNEW HOW TO MANAGE.
WAKE UP!!
I have supported GS as manager and willed him to turn the corner and achieve success, but the final conclusion is he is out of his depth and so are his so called backroom boys.
I look at teams like Charlton, Southampton and years gone by Forest and can see us following down the same path (unless there is a change now). Eindoven is a million miles away and I am afraid SG made a huge error by letting a rookie manager have the reigns, and ultimately destroy the club.
The players body languague is poor and Tuncay looks as though he is fed up to the back teeth. He and the rest of the team need strong leadership and mangement - like all good companies.
People didn't like McClaren for many reasons, but his record is untouchable and will probably be the most successful manager in my lifetime (how depressing does that sound!)What has happened to our beloved club is an absolute disgrace and when we now think that teams like Hull, Wigan etc are bigger than us and can attract players and we cannot, what the hell is going on.
A quick fix is needed - SG needs to give El Tel a ring, pay him what he wants and save us, then get the backroom staff sorted out. Even giving Dean Windass a call to come as a coach for our strikers, at least he has passion and he has his badges, couldn't do any worse surely.
As the next full time manger is concerned - very difficult. I would like to see Martin Jol at the reigns, forget Curbishly, O'Leary et al.
WAKE UP GS if you are reading this blog pick your next team from what the fans are telling you. You are listening to hundreds of years of experience from us. At least play Alves and King up front on Saturday, Put some players in their correct positions and you may even be surprised what may happen.
WAKE UP!!!!
Well - The feelgood factor after the Wolves win lasted all of the 40 minutes it took to walk back to the car.
The dire performance on Saturday only eclipsed the comical defending against Chelsea, owing to the fact we didn't concede against Blackburn.
The long knives are out for GS, but can anyone please tell me what Malcolm Crosby's role is at the club, apart from his job title ?
In my opinion the current situation goes a lot deeper that GS alone, and the whole backroom staff needs a wake up call. It appears to me that we have a state of art training facility, which is not running like a well oiled machine.
I too have seen this morning's Sky countdown to the end of the transfer window. I hope SG can produce a rabbit out of the hat and bring a smile back to the fans faces. If he dosen't, then the struggle will continue, and the fans will vote with their feet; even those with season cards.
The problem with Southgate is not only will we drop unfighting into the Championship, we will continue to drop every season after that, untill he is replaced with an experienced manager.
He dosent know how to motivate or organise 11 footballers. Our club is ruined, unless theres change. Now would be a good time, as theres at least theres still a small chance we may have time to escape the drop with some discipline, organisation tactics etc. Or at least get reorganised on the way down - so our time in the Championship is less harrowing than this seasons pathetic efforts.
Got to agree with most on here; Gareth must step down now.
Only problem is if he does walk it will be caretaker Crosby until the end of the season. No money and a closed window will only give us rookies or hasbeans.
I would suggest that the club try in the last few hours to secure a couple of loan signings just to freshen things up then play players in the positions they are supposed to play in.
Give Alves and King a run up front with the Turk behind them, Digard and Oneil should be ready for city and finaly put central defenders in central positions and backs as backs. This would at least agree with the fans if it dosnt work then we are just not good enough and deserve to go down.
If Southgate had travelled 650 miles and paid 28 quid to get in would he have been happy? I did and I wasn't.
The fans want to get behind the team Gareth but give them something to cheer. They can see the mindless selections, the lack of reasonable tactics and presume that the team talks which you give will be similarly 'inspiring'. They ask 'What would be the point of bringing in new players and subjecting them to this? Within the week they'd be as demotivated as the rest.'
Gareth Southgate (and your coaches) you are now a NEGATIVE influence on the players and the fans. It's time to go. Without you the chances of survival would be better.
Remember I travelled 650 miles and paid my money only for the home team not to turn up. Don't blame the players or the fans, blame yourself.
As it just falls on stoney ground, might as well just repeat the previous post
"THERE IS NOTHING TO SHOW that Southgate has this capability.
Let Gibson publicly display the evidence to the contrary, let Gibson publicly state where we expect to get the points necessary to stay in this league, let Gibson publicly name the teams he believes to be worse than us and expects to be relegated. Because, I'm only a 'punter' and I can't see it."
Totally agree with all you have said AV.
I have always backed Gareth and believe in giving managers a chance. HOWEVER my mind is starting to slowly change. I like other fans I am sure will try and predict the starting 11 for a boro game.
I am concerened and confused now as Alves was left out as he had starting scoring again (4 in 4). Tuncay was shockingly bad against Blackburn (probably the worst I have seen him play) and I actually lost count at how many times he gave the ball away. This is why we only managed 1 shot on target because we just cant keep the ball long enough in that area.
In my opinion King and Alves should have started but never King before Alves! We worked for weeks to get the guy back scoring again and when we did we drop him for a player with half his ability!
Left back needs to be addressed badly as Andy Taylors distribution is awful (oh yeah that was addressed by moving poggy to left back) and dave wheater at right back? your having a laugh. has tony mc not done a good job there recently???
I watch most premier games on sky and everyone else passes the ball well and holds it up (something we lost when we lost Viduka). We chase and hassle no doubt about that and we are more energetic but whats the point if we cant pass the ball on the floor and end up panicking and hoofing it forward?
Im really unhappy to say this but I really dont see a way out of this unless we start playing the players we have available in the correct positions!
After the gutless performance from Saturday how many more "must win" games are going to end up with nothing. I am now resigned to the fact that relegation is a nailed on certainty with no cavalry arriving from either the transfer window or the physio room.
However let's go out and try fighting -playing two up front to try and score more goals than the opposition - difficult because with our defence that'll mean at least 2 a game. That may sound radical to GS's sensibilites but hell I would rather go down honestly fighting than capitulation that seems to be order fo the day.
John B
I sympathise with your plight. I have a 280 mile round trip and that is bad enough.
I mutter and chunter on the way back down the A19, when not even Ali sounds cheerful it is a struggle. I refuse to watch Match of the Day either Saturday night or the Sunday morning repeat.
We seem to stumble from one incoherent team selection to the next. At the moment I dont know where the next win is coming from and the prospects for February look gloomy. But things can turn round, I dont know how it might happen but you have to keep hoping.
It is hope rather than expectation at this moment in time.
On a lighter note, the last entry I saw on the Sky Transfer Window site was the fact Turnbull has been offered a new contract, maybe that will be 'just like a new signing' at 4.59pm.
Not a great result last Saturday. How I wished for a home win against Blackburn... I am as worried as everyone but still I think we cannot panic as fans.
Some positives - just some - is that we had a clean sheet. So that is a starting point.
We have a lot of players coming back from injury and suspension. Is it only Aliadiere who is injured after Mido is gone?
Our problem has been the midfield - but against Man City Gate can chose from: Downing, Digard, Walker, A Johnson, O'Neal, Arca, Bates (?) and Shawky.
And in defence we have Hoyte etc available. If not more injuries I think there is still a chance. So I feel relaxed in a way that we should have all the players fit - and we need that to survive!
Having left the Blackburn game in total disbelieve, I am then faced with Southgates after match interview with Radio Tees. What a load of nonsense.
He has bleated on for weeks about our "young team". Does this include, Jones, Pogatetz, Huth, Riggott, Downing, Tuncay, King & Alves? Add to that Wheater who last year was in the England squad and Johnson who is a regular in the under 21's. This is just a excuse by a desperate man.
Lets start with the positives from Saturday. We kept a clean sheet, got a point and at last he played Jones who has been the best keeper at the club for the past 3 seasons.
This however is to little against a team directly above us. They should have been at least given something to think about, yet I can only think of two shots on target all afternoon, one of which anyone at the ground would have saved.
Sadly like the rest of the faithful I made my way to the ground knowing what to expect having been told the team in advance by Alaiter Brownlee.
How can we expect to win a game with 5 centre halfs on the field and our top scorer in the last few week on the bench. And to compound things Englands best left sided player and our best provider. played out of position.
Yes the fans booed at half time and at full time. However, during he game they were behind the team. I suggest Mr Southgate the fans anger was directed towards you and not the team.
We the fans would love to seek some sanity from the decisions he makes. After all we are in this fight with him. Perhaps we could understand his rational if he came out and explained it us.
So Mr Southgate, if you happen to read this newspaper I would ask you to exlain to me and the rest of the fans the following.
1) Why did you play Wheater and Bates out of posiion when you had, Hoyte, McMahon, Arca & Shawky on the bench. I make that 2 experienced right backs and 2 experienced central midfielders.
2) Why was Alves on the Bench, given that we have only scored 1 goal in the last 7 league games. He at least is showing signs of form with 4 goals in recent games.
3) Why are you persisting with Tuncay. He is hopelesly out of form and gives the ball away all the time with his silly flicks.
4) Why was Downing played out of position?
5) Why have you not tried Alves and King together given that one up front and one in the "hole" has brought us just 18 goals in 24 Premier League games, the lowest in the league!?
There are many more I could ask and others will have their own questions. Sadly I dont expect a response from you or the club.
Make no mistake unless your outlook, rational and common sense change significantly we will go down.
There are 14 games left and we still have hope. If I can make a couple of suggestion, play players in their positions and be more positive and please give us a few goals to cheer!!!
A couple of weeks ago in response to all those that said we were only one win from mid table, I pointed out that we were also only a couple of games from being cut adrift. That still applies and is looking even more likely now, especially with Man City away coming up.
This is not a case of 'I told you so', its more a case of if i can see it, and if i can see that our defence is massively weak and this undermines every other aspect of the team, why can Southgate and Steve Gibson not recognise this.
We needed to strengthen the defence with at least two experienced players and a decent midfielder as well. O'Neill wants out and Downing wanted out, so why did we not cash in and buy. We already have a replacement for Downing in Johnson and with Bullard and Nolan being available for roughly the same as we would get for O'Neill, why did we not pursue such obvious avenues? That would have then left us with plenty of cash for a couple of decent defenders and the balance would even up the wage bill.
The only answer is I believe that we are preparing for the championship and that Gibson's loyalty to Southgate, and his desire to be perceived as the most loyal chairman is getting in the way.
Southgate can only speak of 'rolling our sleeves up and working hard in training', but this line has been trotted out almost every week of this season and clearly illustrates his limitations as a manager. It must be time to stop being a kindergarten to first time managers and get someone with a bit of nous involved.
Disapointment, anger, frustration. I could go on. It was a shambles on saturday and i still havnt come to terms with it yet!!!
It was a great opportunity to get three points on the board. One isnt good enough and the way the other results went three would have seen us move up to 15th.
We knew stoke had beaten Man City so why not go three up front? King and Alves with Downing in behind and Jinky and Emnes wide. Sacrifice one of the centre backs and play 3 at the back and just go for it. what did we have to lose?
Nothing is the answer. We could have gone for it and may have got some goals and all the points. We didn't and now we are in no better position than before kick of probably a worse one. If we had of lost then fair enough because we went for it but hey thats what you are supposed to do as the home team.
I just cant see where our next win is coming from, I cant see who is going to score and I cant see who is going to create anything... Downing had a shocker and so did tuncay, get them off if they arent playing well. Why is Downing untouchable?
With hard games coming up we needed the 3 points it could be the game that spells the end for southgate. A win would surely have given him more time however now the vultures are circling and it ain't good when we play so negatively in front of our own fans.....
Opportunity missed....... must do better..
Gareth's low point was when he talked about challenging for champions league position about 10 weeks ago. I cringed when I heard it. For me he has taken impersonation of Wenger too far. The Boro isn't Arsenal and he's not Wenger.
Let's get real and start by picking a side that resembles the one when were playing well i.e. Centre Halves in the Centre Half posiotion , Full Backs in the Full Back position and so on and so forth.
We have a better side than Stoke, Sunderland, Newcastle, WBA, Portsmouth, Hull, Blackburn and Bolton. Get rid of the FEAR and if that means GS resigning then that's what needs to happen.
People make irrational decisions when they are desperate. Emotions and anxiety take charge over normal thought processes and panic sets in.
This is the only reason I can come up with for Saturdays team selection, GS needs to count to ten, take a deep breath, or even go have a few weeks off, because the thought processes and decisions that have brought us the displays over the last weeks and months have not seemed rational, and have not worked. So either the behavioral routine that generated the thought processes need to change, or the person making them.
We know that we can't draw our remaining matches and expect to stay up, therefore we need to win. So we have to figure out ways of scoring goals - that means having your best finishers available and working out how best for the rest of the players to get the ball to them in the correct positions to shoot.
Saturdays (and Wednesdays) team seemed to have no idea on this front, there didn't seem to be any plan to create openings at all - just putting players on the pitch and hoping something might happen, and it didn't.
The only person I have heard talk sensibly on the subject of how the team should be playing has been new boy King in his interviews, perhaps he has not been in town long enough for the great depression and lack of hope that is playing for MFC to have set in yet.
Here's hoping for a £10m attacking ball playing midfielder to come in on loan from a top European club in the next 2 hrs...
It just seems inevitable now doesn't it! The club just seems to accept that relegation is around the corner and are simply going through the motions.
EVERY other club in this league are busting a gut trying to stay up; buying players, changing managers, adding to coaching staff. We, on the other hand, just sit back and 'go with what we have'.
Scandalous! How Gibson can watch 'that' and tell us that Southgate is the future is beyond me. I have lost faith in Gibson now and honestly feel he will never deliver the experienced manager that we need. He had NEVER done it. Why the hell did he turn down Hitzfeld?
Southgate will never walk; he has the easiest job on the planet. He is under no pressure and Gibson is the most stubborn man on the planet. Result? Championship football with 15,000 fans.
The world and his wife could see in the summer that this squad wasn't good enough, but the club did nothing to address it.
RIP Middlesbrough. Will we ever rise again? Gutted!
A famous cricketer, when announcing his retirement, was asked to explain his reasons for doing so. "I'm going while everyone is asking 'why' and not waiting until they're asking 'why not" he replied.
If GS cannot see that everyone is asking 'why not' who is going to do him the service of putting him out of our misery?
Having posted extensively - & critically - in the previous blog after the Chelsea defeat, it's notable that those supporting Southgate then in his team selection have gone to ground after this latest horror show!! Where are you all?
Dwight Eisenhower was once asked why he was such a successful US President. He said "because I surround myself with people who know more than I do."
That is indeed the key to successful leadership. Listening. Sadly, GS has repeatedly demonstrated he's not listening, and he's isolating himself from good company and common sense that could have averted the disaster (in a footballing sense) that has/is befalling us. Every week simply reveals more befuddled tactics and less faith and belief in his players to go out and do the business.
He comes across as completely out of touch with the fans feelings and with the realities of where the club are. More confused & flaccid tactics, one shot at goal, and your keeper being man-of-the-match in a 4-5-1 (I think) line up says it all.
Would those GS supporters like to suggest the tactics for our trip to Citeh? Or would anyone disagree with me when I predict one up front, pack the midfield, basically kick it anywhere and try and nick something on the break?
Here's that rousing speech in full from the Boro manager:
I am Gareth Southgate, a man who will not entertain for a minute - the supporters should forget any thoughts of walking away and remember to hold their heads high because like them I have bored shoulders.
The supporters should be reassured that i'm not a quitter and when it comes to hard work, I've been there, I've got the T-shirt. So we're going to roll our sleeves up and dig deep and get ourselves out of this hole.
I've spoken to the players and flagged up a few issues - So the team needs to group together like a stick and stand firm on the pitch and not be blown away by the opposition - Each player I select knows that he's there as a defender for the Boro cause!
Although it's stating the obvious, Boro are in this predicament because they are not scoring enough goals. Generally if a team scores against us we do not win the game. We concede too many goals but the scoring problem is the big difference from last season. Let’s face it, if it hadn’t been for Downing and Wheater's goals we would have been in a similar position last year.
Given that we are unlikely to bring any players in before the transfer deadline we need to work with what we’ve got to improve the number of goals scored.
The only central midfielder capable of a defence splitting pass is Arca but that’s only on a very good day! We do however have two of the best wingers in the country in Downing and Johnson so giving them the ball in advanced positions is clearly the best way to create chances. A quality centre forward who is good in the air would score plenty of goals from their crosses (did anyone see James Beattie’s header against Man City! He only cost Stoke £3 million!!!)
Unfortunately we do not have a centre forward who is good in the air and can convert crosses. Southgate doesn’t know where to play Tuncay and Aliadiere because they do not score goals. Although they look good on the ball they deliver little. Emnes looks bright but is light weight and unlikely to get us out of trouble. King doesn’t look to be anything different from what we’ve already got.
Although Alvez hasn’t scored goals at least he’s proved capable of finishing clinically in the past. He needs to be supplied so that his first or second touch is a shot (which is exactly how he scored each of his recent goals). He is however poor in the air so needs someone in there to win the ball from Downing and Johnson’s crosses and provide him with chances in the six yard box.
The answer seems obvious. Play Wheater as a centre forward along side Alvez. He would get on the end of Downing and Johnson’s crosses having proved an excellent finisher with his head. Alvez could feed off the scraps. He’d also have a better chance of winning the long balls up field and flicking it on to Alvez or feeding the wingers.
It would also mean that we could play a proper right back but still have Wheater in the team to call on to help with defending set pieces.
AV
'It's all gone quiet over there...'
There seems to be no updated news on the Gazette Boro home page. Is everyone waiting for the news that Messi and Lampard have signed? Or are the journos as hacked off as the rest of us?
There appears to a sullen brooding amongst the fans. Whilst there was some booing on Saturday at half time and the end ther overwhelming feeling around me and the fans leaving the ground was resignation.
Even the postings on here are exasperated rather than rude.
In the absence of any Boro deals here apparently is the latest on the Wenger Window Watch:
Although nothing is yet certain, there is still a little tidying up to do and even though he would have liked to have had brazilian up front he may now settle for arshavin...
Numerous first choice players injured or suspended. Some playing that were clearly carrying injury.
A makeshift central midfield with virtually no experience.
What else was Southgate supposed to do? Attack Blackburn full pelt and we'd have been susceptible to their strong physical forward line - worth between them as much as our entire starting 11.
Yes the team selection was based on fear, but we did get the first clean sheet in weeks.
The Downing on the right decision was based on Warnock being a key supply line for Blackburn and designed to give Warnock something to worry about. For most of the game it was an effective - if defensive ploy.
Club management have left the team short in central midfield from the start of the season, and we're in a mess as a result.
Had we our first choice central midfield available I'm sure the outcome would have been very different, but we didnt.
There are 14 games left and enough quality in the team to pull through. Whatever we may think of Southgate as a manager, it's time to stop whinging and get behind the team.
I see that Gate has issued an 'SOS' (as the Gazette calls it) rallying cry after Saturday. He reckons a streaky clean sheet against Blackburn is the turning point.
Whilst I can agree with the fact of a point and a clean sheet, I can't go along with the performance was anything other than 'just lacking' to quote AV.
But even if anyone did for a moment accept what he was saying, if that's all there is to getting a turning point, why didn't he do it weeks ago in any of the better opportunities we've had? And why, when we've squeaked a draw before in that wasn't that the turning point?
Tosh.
The only other reason I can think of for his line of thinking as that - apart from Aliadiere - most of the squad are fit or semi-fit now.
But how does that work? When we had the full squad out we started playing well and losing and we then gave up the playing well bit and carried on losing. So, how's having them back going to make a difference? Particularly if bizarre selections and square pegging continues?
The problem is that we've heard it all before - and so have the players.
Get us some results - and I don't mean goal-less draws against teams around us or a one-off and then back to the same old same old - and then we might listen.
I'm just waiting for our next goal-less draw for some player to come out with the 'heading for Europe schtick again.
Our best hope - and it's a slim one - is that there are still a dwindling band of other laggards in the Prem - maybe there might be three that are even worse than us!
Transfer deadline has passed and nothing from the Boro, this is getting silly. We need some serious help, or maybe it's time for a Geordie like rant at the chairman?
Why oh why does GS continue to play defensively, with baffling tactics and such (Alves starting on bench again!).
C'Mon GS we played great attacking football earlier in the season (fair enough we did not get the results) but give me that anyday over the dire that you are serving up at the moment
COME ON BORO!!!!!
It's amazing how many people think they know more about running a business than Steve Gibson or think they can tell Gareth Southgate how to manage a football club.
"Pick your next team from what the fans are telling you"
That's a classic...
In light of virtually universal condemnation in this blog this week it is galling to read the Boro perspective in today's Gazette. Gate was "proud of his players", because we've had difficult times and this was a difficult fixture.
So our times have been more difficult than other clubs', then? The Geordies, say? Everton and their striker "crisis"? Pompey losing their best players? Come off it! And this was a difficult game? So is every other game in the Prem. And this was a home game against poor quality opposition just one place above us.
Even more galling is the implication in the article that Boro began their so-called 15 game survival plan with the intention not to get beaten. So that kick-starts the campaign, then? That really says it all, doesn't it!
Surely Gate must realise that we now have to win 4 or even 5 of our last 7 home games to stay up, cos we sure as hell aint going to win many away. He can talk all he likes about fighting as a unit to beat the drop but until and unless the attitude changes to one of going out to attack the opposition with our best players in their best positions, aiming to exploit opponents' weaknesses rather than trying to stifle their strengths, then that fight will be in vain.
And not even a loan signing coming in to help out. I am getting more and more livid with every game.
Team prediction for Saturday using Southgate logic!
GK: Steele (because Jones went and kept a clean sheet on Saturday and don't want him asking for a pay rise like Bull)
RB: Riggott (because everyone keeps moaning about Wheats playing there and couldn't play Hoyte or Mac otherwise I'm tumbled)
CB: Bates (because everyone keeps moaning about him playing in Midfield)
CB: Huth (because everyone keeps moaning about Wheats playing RB so stuff em)
LB: Pogi (because Tayls is injured so nobody can moan!)
RM: Stewy (because he asked for a transfer and he's crap out there with his left foot, that will teach him)
CM: Walker (because he makes me look good and I can talk about Youth, getting behind the lads, blah, blah, blah etc.)
CM: Wheater (because I can't play him at RB so if I stick him in midfield I can hear the moaning already.........genius)
LM: Jinky (because he looks the part.......need to rethink that one.....maybe if we Crockcliffe him?)
ST: King (Lets face it will never score but looks busy)
ST: Tuncay (because Alves hasn't read the script and might keep scoring)
Now for the aftermatch excuses.............!
After reading the blog I am sure every BORO supporter now knows Southgate must go if we are to have any chance of staying in the premiership.
I like the other supporters love this club. I travel to watch them whenever I can, buy strips tee shirts etc and watch almost every game. I believe that a team is a reflection of the managers personality. Southgate is a good man but dear me he dose not inspire does he.
The next choice of manager is so important after two and a half years of destruction. Yes that's how I see it. He said he was getting rid of dead wood. what an insult to players he played alongside, players who took this club to cup finals and great young local prospects.
Yes, I agree two or three needed changing. BUT SOUTHGATE GUTTED THE WHOLE TEAM AND BACKROOM STAFF. That could not be justified and I do not believe for one minute that Steve Gibson and Keith Lamb two men who have given their lives to this wonderful club told Southgate to sell the players off cheap and give the kids away.
Gibson backs his managers and he did back Southgate fully. But now is time for change so I would like CHRIS COLEMAN,he is a manager who has a good track record in the premiership, saved Coventry from the drop and did a good job out here in Spain.Yet he has managed small clubs with little money to spend and still achieved good results good football and the fans love him.
BR14
What else could Gate do?
We pay salaries for McMahon and Hoyte and either would have given some impetus and helped getting forward. You know what I mean, towards the other end of the pitch where you can score goals.
Lets use one of our few creative players to mark their full back!
We didnt have to go on all out attack, just try to support our wide men so we played further up the pitch. Having the defence so far back actually created the space behind Downing and Johnson to attack when they couldnt get past the double marking.
Playing so deep meant that when Tuncay tried anything that didnt come off they got the ball in our half not near their penalty area.
Sorry it was a shocker. We had enough defensive cover with Bates and Walker to allow the full backs to get forward without compromising the defensive elements. Come to think of it we defended so well Jones made 7 or 8 super stops and was man of the match, at home against a team fourth from bottom. Blackburn should have been home and hosed by full time.
Haven't been back for a week or two as it's an almost entirely dreary read these days.
I will once again swim against the tide (with only Steve H for company it would seem). Still think the bottom half of the table is wide open. Still in favour of Gareth Southgate continuing his positive transformation of the club and Steve Gibson preparing the club for the impacts of the credit crunch. Still think we will stay up.
Reasonably happy with a point on Saturday.
This really is depressing, isn't it? It feels like being in a large group of passengers huddled on the deck of a ship taking on water, faster than it can be bailed out, in the middle of the ocean and without a radio to call for help.
We might gain some hope from the fact that there are no sharks visible in the waters below. We are, however, a thousand miles from land and the lifeboats were washed overboard in the storms last month. Not many of us are confident of being able to swim for a thousand miles....
No wins for 12 league games. It isn't as if we have been unlucky in all those games. We haven't threatened Premier League teams with the carving out of numerous chances and thrilling forward play, only to have been denied by an inspired keeper or "robbed" by fate.
Our points tally in the last few months reflects accurately the quality of our performances. If we put the ball in the opposition's net more times than they put it in ours, we will win games. If we have kept a few clean sheets in addition to the rarity that was achieved against Blackburn, at least we might have had the chance of not losing some of those games.
Is it likely Boro will now be so galvanised by the Save Our Skins message from the manager, that the players will suddenly discover their confidence, the ability to score goals, and keep a number of clean sheets in the next few months? Not to mention suddenly finding themselves in a rich vein of good luck. Because that is what must happen if we are to stay in the Premier League.
If you were a betting man, you just wouldn't waste your money, would you?
A couple of additional points:
(1) I note that quite a few loan deals have been done as the transfer window came to a close. Not by us, though. Maybe management believes the players we have are good enough.
(2) If turning the players' performances around proves to be as easy as issuing an "SOS" as per the back page of the "Gazette", why was it not done earlier to save us the heartache? If the players CAN do it, simply flicking a switch at the request of the manager after a few months of very definitely NOT DOING IT, that says a lot about them, their desire, their professionalism (or the lack of it shown in the last few months) and the man management (or not) skills of the coaching staff.
If the players are not good enough (despite what The Count apparently said about the squad a short while ago) that is bad news. If they are good enough but for some reason (lack of motivation, lack of organisation?) then that is also bad news. If we do not, as a club, have the resources to go into the transfer or even into the loan market to try to strengthen our squad, then that is also bad news if the current squad is too weak.
There really isn't an "up side" to this situation. Managing to turn things around sufficiently to stay in the Premier League would be marvellous (even if it now seems less than probable), but it would still leave us in a very vulnerable position next year. A number of players apparently soon to leave (Downing, O'Neill, the finalisation of our divorce from Mido etc), the same management in place, not enough money to replace players who were either not good enough this time around or could not be motivated enough to do better etc.
Where can we find sufficient money to compete in this league, and where do we identify the management that can organise and motivate players so as to get the most out of them? Time to put the kettle on....
I think today says it all... no Vic on transfer watch... no Southgate on we're trying our best... no nothing!
The Management at MFC have decided, no, resigned themselves to the championship.The worry is I think this was decided 3 years ago. Arsenal rebuilt from youngsters but they have a state of the art management team we have novices.
Doing nothing fixes nothing. That is life not just football. So Mr Gibson what are you doing? Are you going to try fix it? Or are you going to sell out for your losses? Maybe not selling Downing was yet another ...homer 'duh' moment. It would have paid a big chunk and the season would have been the same.
Spurs may only offer you £5million next year becouse of course he is only a championship player!
*AV writes: Ah yes, the drama and anticipation of the deadline vigil... I remember it well.
Okay, so after our latest home shambles, maybe our away games will save us. So I
just did some checking up on Boro away stats under Southgate:
We've played 59 away games (incl League Cup & FA Cup): won 10, drawn 16, lost 28. Goals for: 49, goals against 85.
We have kept a clean sheet in 11 of those 59 games.
We have scored two goals or more 10 times in those 59 games.
Biggest win: 3-1 at Charlton in 2006-07, the only time we've managed three away from home under Southgate.
We have seven away matches left, and based on our record date this means a safe prediction is four losses, two draws and a win, 1 clean sheet, possibly one more 2-goal bonanza. Or simply 5 points, if you want the brass tacks.
"Doing nothing fixes nothing"
Possibly the most succinct summary of our current situation. There is a famous phrase, "if it ain't broke - don't fix it", presumably the reverse applies? We are more than broken, we're shattered into more pieces than the bad lad in Terminator 2.
The only problem is we're not made of liquid metal and look unlikely to pull ourselves together again.
The watch-word here is "experience". When teams are promoted from the Championship the managers always talk about getting proven "Premiership experience". They realise that whatever the Championship is like, you need players used to the PL to bind the team together.
We had lots of Premierleague experience in our squad last year but, for whatever reason, we've mercilessly stripped it out. I don't believe that GS was told to weed out all of the experienced players, I think this was a convenient excuse to get rid of stronger characters such as Boat and Schwarz who essentially had the same level of experience as GS and probably grumbled somewhat about him being their gaffer.
It's fine to get rid of one or two of Rocky, Boat, Catts, Young, Schwarz - but all five? This is madness. That is basically half your first eleven. And this madness has left us woefully short in midfield, where Digard is the only real addition to the squad (I'm classing Emnes as a forward).
Oh, and one thing that has really annoyed me recently - GS coming out with the absolute cobblers line of "we've had two young players (Walker & Bates) emerge...like two new signings".
WHAT!?! Two players who he evidently didn't trust for the first half of the season are now paraded as important new signings! Sometimes I honestly wish when somebody put a microphone infront of GS that he would engage his brain before spouting absolutle balderdash and piffle.
Let's not forget Bates was already a first team squad member coming back from a long term injury. Walker was also someone who played in Europe last term, and therefore should already be considered in the first team squad. How to wind the fans up...
Anyway, I'm hoping and praying that O'Neill can now concentrate on his football for the next five months and him and Digard can form an effective, and more dynamic, midfield partnership. Hopefully this will shore us up through the middle and allow our wingers, whichever two you choose, to get forward more.
Let's just please go back to a simple 442. Whether that is a 442 with Tuncay dropping a little deep, or a 442 with two out-and-out strikers I don't care, I just want a simple round hole - round pegs line up.
Forever Dormo's first paragraph just about sums it all up. A siege mentality has developed at the club but unfortunately Gibbo, The Count and Southgate have rounded the wagons and left the fans on the outside to fend for themselves.
It seems we're stuck in a Groundhog Day hell continuously muttering to ourselves in the knowledge that nobody is listening.
We may as well all shut up and just watch the car crash unfold and practice saying 'I told you so' in the mirror so that we look convincing come the end of March.
I'm afraid our only hope now is the phenomenon known as 'Typical Boro' which sees the tide turn with a victory over Liverpool in a few weeks time.
I'm going to do my bit in a couple of weeks by heading off to Australia for a break from the winter's doom and gloom - the last time I did this we won the Carling Cup - I hope you'll all thank me for this selfless sacrifice!
Team for Man City:
Jones, Poggy, Riggott, Huth, Hoyte,
Jinky (left), Downing (CM), Digard, O'Neil (right and swapping with stewie)
Alves, King
you know it makes sense!
It's going to be a long hard slog between now and May. If we finish fourth bottom I'm not sure if I'll be delighted or full of gloom lookin ahead to yet another season slogging it out in the bottom third.
Werdermouth any spare tickets for Oz?
I noticed the editor of Match of the Day has knocked another two seconds off our 30 second slot and tried to camouflage it over.
Gary Lineker always rubs it in by saying” We’ve got another feast of goals coming up this week”, which confirms that we end the show again.
This week Chelsea will kick off the show when they run up a cricket score against
Hull City which will benefit us greatly, providing we don’t get beat.
Portsmouth v Liverpool could see Tony Adams finally cry on Television.
Blackburn v Villa should wipe the smile off fat Sam’s ugly mug.
West Brom v Newcastle may well see Mogga on his way to the Championship.
Sunderland v Stoke should see the Mackems push Stoke towards the Championship
Man City v Boro is a guaranteed draw as long as they don’t score.
That’s how I see the weekend’s forthcoming fixtures panning out.
Nigel
Several Derby fans had the same feeling before they first dropped out of the Premiership. They got fed up of the struggle but were unhappy at going down.
After a few years they went up almost by default, winning a host of matches 1-0, often against the run of play. After the original optimism the old dread set in of knowing they were doomed. They were used to seeing ManU, Arsenal etc from their previous stay but were being systematically destroyed by all and sundry (except us of course).
The long slither from being a secure premiership side into a relegation struggle does take its toll. Whatever people say about Eindhoven our slide began Dec 04. The squad couldnt focus on league and cups, it was getting old and expensive and needed rejigging.
The problem is we are still waiting for jam tomorrow. Hopefully we can turn it round but if we just scrape through it sets the wrong tone for next season especially as we have no money when we desperately need it now so how will it improve in the summer?
The argument is that the players will be better for the experience, dont buy into it. A culture of fear and failure is difficult to change.
The one thing I will say is that there is still time to turn it round but there seems to be no clear strategy to do it, no consistency in rational selection. I would be delighted to have the blog inundated with foam as the RaRas return. I see no evidence at this stage.
James Emmerson.
You were wrong on what you posted then, plain and simple. You even succeeded in scuppering your own argument and not many can do that. Your attempted justification was tantamount to an admission of this but I have no wish to kick a man while he's down so merely wished you all the best.
The team selection was wrong on Saturday and even a blind man can see that. It doesn't take 'yah boo told you so merchants' like you appear to be to see that.
Thing is Saturdays team was that of a frightened man. Like everyone else I was hoping for a little more adventure. If we have strong centre backs play three of them and five in the middle. That way we can accomodate Alves and King, keep the middle tight and also play Tuncay as well.
Away from home most teams play one up, thats just the way it is. Maybe Premier league managers need to take a leaf out of your book eh James and have a go against better teams away from home. After all it worked for you; oh hang on......
Werdermouth said:
"Forever Dormo's first paragraph just about sums it all up. A siege mentality has developed at the club but unfortunately Gibbo, The Count and Southgate have rounded the wagons and left the fans on the outside to fend for themselves".
How true. After all these years, the boys in charge have run out of ideas, not to mention money, and have indeed "rounded the wagons". It's time for change and the top is where it must start...after all, the upheavals at Chairman, Director and Manager level may have adversely affected the Geordies and Mackems but at least they're both still ahead of stale but stable (sic) Boro in the league.
Southgate partly blames the transfer window for the lack of points in the last 12 matches a bigger factor however is the number of goals conceded in the last 10 minutes and the number of goals conceded to set pieces.
This has been going on for two years in spite of the fact many of the faces have changed. This must be due to the training methods. Every manager in the PL must know this and exploits this incredible weakness.
Mr Gibson, who is the most respected chairman, has the answer in his hands if things don't improve at Manchester tomorrow.