GS2 Gossip, Marcus Bent And Number-Crunching The Southgate Reign
UPDATED new and improved 12 inch remix****
BORO look set to take much-travelled former Brentford, Crystal Palace, Port Vale, Sheffield United, Blackburn Rovers, Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Everton, Charlton Athletic and Wigan Athletic and two time England Under-21 international striker Marcus Bent on loan from Birmingham. And he wasn't even on the (now dismissed) wish list!
And that's Marcus Bent. Not Darren. Or Junior. Or even Stockton/Geordie discontinued voiceover merchant Marcus Bentley. "It's day five in the Big Boro house and Gordon has called Justin to the diary room after he failed the defending challenge the .... "
Marcus Bent - poised for a debut against Plymouth tomorrow - ticks a lot of boxes: he has scored 107 goals in 498 career games which works out at about one in five, which is considerably better than Jeremie Aliadiere and Caleb Folan put together.
Those figures include long barren spells at Everton and Charlton where he got just 11 in 101.... but perhaps more importantly he has had two very prolific spells down in the Championship. He rattled in 20 in 48 games at route one Sheffield United in 18 months over 2000-2001 and 13 in 43 at Ipswich in Division One as well as 10 in 27 in the PL. He also got a healthy 11 in 34 during a Blackburn promotion season although he failed to net in ten in the top flight with Rovers. So he has done it over the years.
Another important criteria has also been met - he scored the winner against Boro while at Everton. Fact fans may like to know that the accumulated transfer fees for the not-quite-good-enough-for-regular-Premiership-action hitman come to a hefty £9.4m. The important Heat/Nuts reading part of the blog's demographic may also be keen to know that he has been linked in the tabloids to Scouse serial WAG Danielle Lloyd (best not do a link). But then again, haven't we all?
****3pm update**** It's official
Meanwhile, here are the results of the Acklam jury....
The stats fron the big interactive surveymonkey poll carried out on gazettelive.co.uk last Wednesday (that is after Southgate was axed but before GS2 was confirmed) have landed in my in-box. And very interesting they are too.
The comprehensive results are here but among the highlights of the survey of 1,500 plus readers are:
80% supported the sacking. Only 17.55% thought GS deserved more time
There was a tight three way split as to the reasoning with poor transfer dealings (27%) just shading poor tactics and poor man management on the rap sheet.
Most interestingly, despite the widespread vitriol against Southgate only 13% rated his reign as "awful" and 36.7% as "poor." You would have thought the opinion was harder and more entrenched and damning than that. My vote would have gone with the 35.9 who said "average". Again, the lunatic fringe weighed in with 2% saying it was "excellent."
45% of respondents wanted GS2 as boss with only Alan Curbishley even vaguely popular (19.7%) and a small lunatic fringe of sentimental nostalgists wanted Brucie back.
And the pressure is on the new boss with a whopping 69.4% setting automatic promotion as they target for GS2 this season. A shade under 4% after giving him the leeway of the play-offs with the same again willing to accept "building a strong side for next season."
And talking of juries...
The dispicable Marlon King has been deservedly banged up for his sexually aggrovated violence against a five foot nowt women who objected to his drunken groping. He asked for 10 other "don't you know who I ams" to be taken into consideration. It is embarrassing to think he played (not very well) for Boro.
He was out celebrating his winning goal against Boro when on loan at Hull and also the news that his wife was expecting when he ran amok. Which is nice. He has been jailed for 18 month - mainly because he has 13 previous offences and there was no self defence or 'I'm Sparticus' collective dissiptaion of guilt as in the Gerrard or even Woodgate/Bowyer cases. This was a full on Barton... a horrible super rich ego believing celebrity and cash put him beyond the law and free to act like a complete dick.
Commendably he was sacked by Wigan. Although arguably they have been trying to get shot of him for the past two years. No doubt when he is released he wil be swiftly rehabilitated into the ammoral and cynical results-at-all-cost bubble of football.
The bits that survived the cut from yesterday's blog...
Jeremie Aliadiere is out for six weeks after an ankle operation. Which should take him up very close to the transfer window. And the arrival of a new striker. Which combined with his failure to impress Strachan when at Celtic on loan could nudge him well down the pecking order and who knows, towards the exit door.
Stoke's benchwarming defender Andy Griffin - one of the names on the GS2 Boro wish list - has confirmed he would welcome a loan move to Boro. With quotes!
"It's something I'd really have to consider, playing for a manager of his calibre, it's a good club," he said. "If I get a phone call, which I haven't yet, then we'll have to wait and see. Middlesborough have got a great chance of moving straight back into the Premier League, great training ground, great ground, it's a big club. I would be interested in going out loan - as long as it's commutable every day."
Meanwhile one time error prone defender Derek Whyte has bigged up the boss in the McSun.
There are some match previews by some of our regular bloggers who moonlight over on Come On Boro. You can read Stewart Flaherty's head-to-head numbercrunching here and Ian Gill's tacticsboard here.
And to get us in the mood for Saturday when the thousands of stayaways will flood back to boost the Dawning of a New Era crowd to the highest this season...
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More positive comment from Joe Harper in yesterday's Evening Express:
"It's been a good week for Gordon Strachan. I hope the new Middlesbrough manager is a big success and shows Celtic fans exactly what they are missing.
The former Dom was never accepted by the masses at Parkhead, despite winning 3 SPL Championships in a row and two League Cups. If those supporters had been more accepting, Strachan would still be at Celtic and the team would be better for it."
AV you say early morning. Is this GS2 laying down the law and making the media dance to his tune? As a parent I now know the meaning of the phrase early morning and I doubt this presser got underway at 4.30am.
So was this at Crockliffe before he took the first of the day’s training sessions? Any sings of Pini Zhavi or any other ‘super’ agents lurking?
Any news re ticket sales for Saturday? Will Gibbo unveil GS2 from under a velvet curtain (GS2 on a plinth obviously)? Or will he sneak out of the dressing room once the game is underway?
Strachan Entrance odds
2-1F Enters dug out after game kicks off
4-1 Warms up crowd pre kick off with cross bar challenge
10-1 Watches from stands
25-1 Sky dive’s in with Keith Lamb
**AV writes: Early - ie before training - is probably the norm in football but Boro switched to afternoon pressers under McClaren. I don't know why he decided to do that but it was bad for us because we couldn't ask that day's questions as the nationals could print the answers before us.
Would prefer the reference WGS to GS2, if at all possible!
**AV writes: I'm easy. Let the people decide....
Since Aliadiere only returned to the role of striker by default this season it's fair to say that despite having a barcode on his arm he will not prevent GS2 from thinking it would be easier to scan other shopping list items ahead of him.
I also wonder whether the Wii Fella will only persist with Emnes as a main striker until deciding it may be better to out-source the project.
Still, you never know what a bit of coaching might achieve - as Wheater has told us that he has gone to the unusual step of stopping training sessions to highlight the players errors (I wonder how he puts that?). And that's on top of double-training sessions! (Is that 4 hours instead of 2 then?).
So let's hope we start to see some embryonic signs this weekend that Strachan's explanations to the players will lead to a rebirth of enjoying our football at the Riverside.
Well it looks like Alineverthere has kicked his last ball for the Boro. Or should that be tried to kick but missed and fell over from the prevailing exhaling of breath from the ball boy lurking on the touchline?
Here's looking forward to Saturday and the expected return of the stay aways. How about GS2 carried onto the pitch by the scantily clad cheer leaders. Noticed on the Beeb web site that demoralised Geordies are lamenting the appointment of Houghton. Oh how they wished someone like GS2 was there manager. How does the song go build a bonfire........
AV
Dont know why MacMoses did pm press conferences?
If one was petty and small minded you could say it was because he didnt give a monkeys about the Gazette and was more bothered about his friends in the national press. He was more interested in his own agenda and getting on the pages of the national press.
But I am not small minded so I wont mention it.
On to our Gallic striker. I wouldnt write him off just yet, there is a chance he comes back all guns blazing and astound us all. Whether I would put a fiver on the prospect is another matter.
Just thinking about the team for saturday and up front I am perming two out of Lita and Emnes. Competition for places? Same amount of competition as we have in the treatment room.
Aliadiere will not be missed, his contribution is, at best, negligible, too easily out muscled and his shooting boots aren't working. Maybe GS2 will give hime double double training when he's ' fit ' again. Maybe he will offload him asap, that option gets my vote.
Emnes is now the logical partner for Lita, but again, he is so light weight and easily muscled off the ball. He also seems to wear the same brand of shooting boots as Aliadiere, ie, couldn't hit a barn door if he was sat on the sneck. Get rid, why pay wages for people who can't hack it, and replace them with proper strikers. Not Phillips though PURLEEEASE.
I'm sure GS2 has enough nous in the transfer market to bring the quality of striker needed to get us promoted and look for prem quality strikers once we go up next season.
We just HAVE to get in a decent goalie too. I groan loudly every time I see Jones on the team sheet and have NO confidence in him at all. What a pity we didn't go for Carson when he was available.
Looking forward with a degree of excitement to saturday, and I haven't felt that for a long time. C'mon Boro, give us a real reason to raise the rafters at last.
GS2 tries to bring in a new striker - possibly before the match on Saturday. Of course this is needed as Aliadiere is injured. See link below.
www.mfc.premiumtv.co.uk/article/gordon-targets-instant-signing-20091029_70638_1840868
Why people say that GS2 is not keen on Aliadiere? He wanted to have Aliadiere on loan earlier at Celtic even though he was not played. I don't think it is so that you step into the Celtic team directly, though.
Hope we get a new striker soon. Up the Boro!
GS2 or WGS? let thye debate begin. AV how about TNLF (The new little fella!). Let his quips amuse us off the pitch as tlf did on it
I honestly can't see Alineverthere being in GS's thoughts. Didn't play him when he was at Celtic and lets be fair if he couldn't make it up there in a two horse race league he isn't going to prosper under GS here. Lets hope he goes along with Folan/Forlan or is it Forlorn.? does anybody know or even care.
Anyway onto Saturday - a good 4 - 0 would be a nice start and lets see how many under achievers can start and realise there potential and lets just pray that Calamity Jones isn't in goal.
Just have to say what an awesome first game to be in charge for. Watched plymouth live last week at home park and to say their confidence is shaky is an understatement.
Good luck WGS
A bit of gossip for you AV... Colin Cooper has just collected Marcus Bent from Darlo train station
I hear Glasgow Rangers are begging to get into English Prem, simple solution,close down your club, transfer all player contracts and any other possible assets to MFC renamed Middlesbrough Rangers and Bobs your uncle. Build a train station near the ground, extend the capacity of the riverside to 60,000, all the Scots can travel down direct for home games, European Championship here we come. I can hear the Geordies and Mackems now screaming for the valium
**AV writes: Not to mention our local hooped community.
Marlon King? Poor footballer and poor human being too. Of course, MFC employed him knowing the nature of the offence he was accused of. Maybe, unlike the jury, someone believed his 'mistaken identity' line.
I also noticed that Osbourne - one of the young lads from Villa on Strachan's little list - was recently arrested at their training ground on suspicion of conspiracy to rob. Can't get by on £N,000 pw?!
Agree with John Powls. How on earth Boro could move in for Marlon King? Were we really THAT desperate? Utterly disgraceful and a further indictment of the chasm between fans and club and of Southgate's lack of nous.
I'm excited about Saturday too, but too many bloggers are predicting an avalanche of goals. Much as I would love to see a 4.0 win ... where do we think these goals are going to come from? Unless Strachan really is Jesus in disguise and performs the odd miracle, he is working with the same bunch of players y'know!
Anyway, I don't think Jesus was a scot .. was he? And He knew nothing about footy, the Disciples were more into fishing than footy. Having said that, Jesus dabbled in music a bit, and did ok with his band, the Jesus and Mary chain. Now that was good!
Hey AV, now that we're ushering in a new era, can you have a word and get a DECENT new tune for the lads to come out to? We need a modern Powergame for the GS2 era! COME ON BORO!!!!
Yes JP, it's quite shocking about Marlon King - I can only assume he managed to convince Southgate that it was a definite case of mistaken identity otherwise he wouldn't have even considered bringing him to Boro.
As for Parrot's rumour that Coops has picked up Marcus Bent from Darlo - I hope it's just a coincidence and Coops is just supplementing his Boro income working as a Taxi driver.
Marcus Bent is the archetypal journeyman with eleven clubs already - it seems his main claim to fame is that he's been relegated with four clubs. I'm sure we could do better, besides he wasn't on the infamous list.
I know i keep blowing this trumpet but there is a former European player of the year sitting at home in Yarm. In the name of all things great about football, will someone from Boro ie Gordon Strachen get hold of him. Give him a role in the club. Remember he is only 35. Get a few seasons???? Am i barking mad AV??
**AV writes; Well I'm no shrink but.... besides I don't think it was GS he fell out with so the obstacle to that one could still remain.
You can't believe everything you read in the papers. But accounts of trials given in, say The Times carry more weight than those printed in the tabloids. The Times Law Reports are quoted in the courts as authority. Somehow The Sun reports do not.
Anyway I happened to be talking to a group of criminal lawyers today and also earlier in the week. Let's just say that everyone predicted the correct result in the "indecent assault and fractured nose in a night club" case, from the information published. The custodial sentence was universally predicted, notwithstanding crowded jails.
Read The Times tomorrow. I would be amazed if there isn't a full account, including details of the player's antecedents. Nice to know that the club was doing its homework (not!). I accept a man isn't convicted unless and until proved guilty. But his previous convictions were a matter of record and when we took him on loan we knew he was on bail for the offences for which he is now convicted.
No research into "character" then.
Onto lighter matters. I prefer GS2 as it is personal to OUR club (ie we have already had a GS). I do think reference to the Wii fellow is a good pun though. WGS is good for a Scots club, but we are told we are a small club in Yorkshire. But if he does a good job we can call him whatever he prefers.
AV with your reply at 8.14 - you're a tease. You obviously know a lot more than you are letting on. What does it take to loosen your tongue? A few beers?
**AV writes: Yes, a few beers would probably do the trick.
Kev B:
You're clearly not of the right generation or of the wrong (maybe right) classical education background to know, but, had you been educated in the Billy Connolly University of Life, you would most certainly know that Jesus WAS indeed a Scot.
He was Jesus of Gallowgate (the Glasgow East End - NOT the ToyToon Gallowgate) and the Last Supper was held in the Saracen's Head Pub (The Sarrie Heid). This is "audiologued"/ documented in Connolly's hilarious monologue, "The Crucifixion" Jesus was known as "The Big Yin".
Flash Gordon (GS2) might even become "The Wee Big Yin" on Teesside if he performs the miracles that many of us wish for!
Oh no Wheater says we must keep AJ (Which I more than agree with!!) but he said the same thing about Huth and a few days later he was gone - hoping he hasn't put the jinx on Jinky Johnson! I vote for GS2 (sounds & looks good).
"**AV writes; Well I'm no shrink but.... besides I don't think it was GS he fell out with so the obstacle to that one could still remain."
I would love to know - if it's Lamb even more reason to hand him his P45!!
Got love Wikipedia (of course it's not fact) but.............
"Mendieta was quoted to have said that he would fight for his place at Middlesbrough. A day later, Middlesbrough F.C. Chief Executive, Keith Lamb disregarded Mendieta's comments saying that there was "no chance" of Mendieta entering the first team"
Lamb Out!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaizka_Mendieta
Just seen Sky promoting Leicester v QPR and it got me wondering. Since the first match of the season we havent been televised. How much do we get for a live match? Whilst not a great amount it must have some benefits though I wouldnt want the world to have watched the West Brom match.
AV, any idea about a league table of live appearances?
**AV writes: Isn't it just Newcastle v Whoever at this level?
To return to a previous posting does anyone know what the total fee for St Ledger will be?
The loan fee would appear to be £1.5m and the transfer fee is £4.5m. The big question is whether that £4.5m includes or excludes the loan fee. Put another way might St Ledger be costing £6m in total? Any views?
**AV writes: My understanding is that on top of the loan fee it will be "up to" an extra £3m by the end of the season depending on promotion.
Doesn't take long for some of you to start bashing the club again, eh?
Marlon King is gone, let's forget about him.
Its a pity football is on the wrong page of all the papers lately. Marlon King, West Hams Derbyshire and the ManU fans at Barnsley all this week. The powers that be need to get together and pull things back together before things get out of hand.
As for Saturday a win is needed, thats all. Would be nice if it is pretty as there should be some more fans in the seats but he has still got what we had last week so ugly will do until he gets it right.
If its Bent. Good move. Ok he hasn't been prolific in PL but for Championship he has shown he can score for fun. So hopefully with him and Lita leading line tomorrow against a team woefully short on confidence I don't think 4 - 0 is been over optimistic.
I tried to post a little while ago but it came up with website too busy. Was that whilst you were updating the blog?
**AV writes: Maybe. You don't think I know how this thing actually works do you?
AV, I take it from your non reply to Sick as a Parrot yesterday afternoon that you were aware of this. As you shot down my Carsten Jancker rumour, your non dismissal of this added confirmation.
Are there any more loans imminently lined up? How many more can we have? Any clue’s, hints you’d care to dangle?
**AV writes: We were aware of several possibles.
So it was true! OK, there's no denying that Marcus Bent was probably once a half-decent forward but he's only managed 21 goals over the last five years with a strike-rate of 1 in 8 - on the plus side he's 6' 2" which seems to be the most important criteria these days.
Liked the idea of a Big Boro parody - but does that then mean we're allowed to vote somebody out each week? Could be an excellent revenue stream for the club.
As for the poll on Gareth's sacking - Did some of the comments include "Daddy said he's done an excellent job" - if so then surely friends and relatives of the manager should have been barred from taking part?
AV, can you use your club contacts to bring this player to their attention.
Dioh Williams, Liberian international striker. Currently playing in Denmark for AGF. I watched him play recently and he is worth a look.
21,494 2-0
**AV writes: If they don't already know of him they need their bottoms kicking.
If we get Marcus Bent on board maybe we could have a reunion with Euell, Alves, Folan and King. They could do a gig as Marcus and the Miskicks.
Average is about right for Gareth. Two decent seasons and one awful one.
Marcus Bent helped get Birmingham promoted last season, so no reason why he can't do the same for us. With two strikers, we are hardly in a position to turn our noses up at anyone.
Obviously having just seen a photo of a shirtless Marcus Bent in today's Gazette I wouldn't actually be prepared to tell him anything other than he's a fantastic striker!
I understand like Aliadiere, he also has his name tattoed on his arm (though in straightforward letters instead of barcode) but any idea what that Tattoo on his belly says?
**AV writes: Maybe I'll ask Gordon?
Tat on Bents stomach looks like it says PARMO.!!!
The climate around the club has changed dramatically in the last 2 weeks. Not so much bitterness. More optimism. It looks like SG made the right decision. Our chances of promotion appear to be better now the fans are back behind the team. It's just a pity that it took the sacking to achieve that.
Let's hope we have a big crowd and an impressive performance on Saturday to keep things bubbling along.
Wikipedia already updated with "Marcus Bent became GS first signing with Boro on 30 October 2009". Is it his agent or someone from our club with a hotline to Wiki?
Looking forward to tomorrow.....
He's signed... official.
Steve H
I agree the mood has changed. I think a lot of people thought Gate would only go when we were really in a mess (relatively speaking).
I must admit I was struggling to see how he could turn the fans round whatever he did, how he impart a change of impetus to the club as a whole. I think there was a general air of resignation.
I envisaged someone coming in to do a paramedic job on the football side of the club but Gibbo moving when he did and bringing in someone we can identify with, someone who can lift the atmosphere, has brought a new spark to the place.
I hope he brings the best out of Coops, Agnew et al as well as the players.
Now onto Marcus Bent. He is probably as good as we could get at the moment and I am not denigrating him.
I know Gordon was trying to get Ancelotti but he was at the theatre so missed out on Drogba, Rafa was working in Tapas bar and couldnt come to the phone so Torres was unavailable for tomorrow.
We need a physical presence and he seems to fit the bill and was available. We are not going to get players who are in the team and scoring in the top two divisions.
There may be scope for bringing a young tyro in from a good club but that would probably need some movement out of the club.
Which brings us on to Folan. He may have burnt his bridges with Mr Permatan but that may not be an issue in the near future. Can we send him back? Has there been some backdoor deal and he is ours for the foreseable future?
Over to you on that one AV, and do you know how ticket sales are going?
**AV writes: My understanding is that there is NO deal already in place for January. In a standard loan you can recall or cancel after 28 days but we don't know if there are clauses that mean Boro are committed for the full 93 days.
Why is everyone so anti- Caleb Folan? I must admit I've been too busy watching Boro the last few years to have seen much of him, so I'd like to see him in action for us (properly) before I pass judgement.
Why don't we give him a chance when he is fit? Again, when it comes to strikers, we really can't be choosy at the moment.
BoroPhil said:
Average is about right for Gareth. Two decent seasons and one awful one.
Er, sorry, but which were the two decent seasons??
Grove Hill wallah said: "AV, can you use your club contacts to bring this player to their attention. Dioh Williams, Liberian international striker. Currently playing in Denmark for AGF. I watched him play recently and he is worth a look."
**AV writes: If they don't already know of him they need their bottoms kicking.
Come on AV this is the team that brought us Massimo, Dong Gook, Alves, King, Alalalalalaladiare. As a man who boasts he gets the chairman to call him at midnight, surely a gentle text to inform them about the player is worth the 20p?
I have always liked Marcus Bent and I am glad we have signed him . he is well experienced too which should infuence the youngsters in a good way
If like me you’ve been a long time reader, deciding when to make your first post is pretty daunting really. You just keep waiting for a good reason to get involved but never quite bite the bullet.
Like many I wanted GS1 to be successful and I’m disappointed it went the way it did. He is clearly a good man, but somehow it just never looked like it was going to happen for him. He and others have provided plenty of positive and negative opportunities for me to pitch in, but despite the relative calm, the eve of the GS2 era has finally done the trick.
I’m cursed with slightly red tinted glasses and a generally “glass half full“ mentality, but as a (very) long time BORO supporter I also have caution and reality in equal measure. If I had ever been tempted to buy a foam hand I would have been stopped by previous experience, the odd false dawn, and a son who would have refused to sit with me.
With all that in mind I still find myself full of optimism for tomorrow and the rest of the season. I have no basis for this feeling but it’s there all the same. GS2 starts tomorrow with pretty much the players that GS1 had at his disposal and it will be very interesting to see who starts after only a few training sessions.
Obviously Marcus Bent could be straight in tomorrow and although he has rarely been the answer in recent seasons he might just click for us if he can stay fit. He might just form an excellent partnership with Leroy Lita and they might just score a lot of goals together. Why not?
It’s usual for new managers to produce a bit of a “dead cat bounce” and the key is whether it can be sustained beyond the initial change. Our cat is far from dead, it just needs to start to believe in itself and be a bit happier at home. That’s where it will find the people who care for it most. Surely it knows that!
Long term I want us to play good football and I think GS2 will try to do just that. Short term I’ll be happy if we keep picking up the points we need to stay in or around the top two - no matter how we do it. Playing pretty football would be nice but it’s not crucial at this stage. Crucial is that we begin to deliver at home and remember that the opposition is also allowed to score - even between 85 and 95 minutes. No rocket science here, but I am genuinely optimistic that GS2 will be the catalyst to plug the gaps and produce the excitement we all want.
First post done – who knows I might even start to enjoy it!
Come on BORO!
**AV writes: Welcome aboard Chilli. It's OK, they don't bite. Well, most of them don't...
Richard - I have just had a road to Damascus experience after reading your excellent historical piece ... Jesus WAS indeed a Scot then! Thanks mate I feel enlightened!
Marcus Bent eh? Well, GS2 has moved quickly to plug a gap and that's better than dithering around and fiddling while Rome burns. With our current incumbents recent track record he can't be any worse, and maybe a good foil to bring the best out of Lita.
Thank goodness for Marcus Bent, That should stop the constant calling for a "big fella" up front. I was beginning to consider accepting Christopher Biggins pulling on a Boro shirt, if only to change the subject.
BBC inform about the Plymouth squad for the match at Riverside: "Darcy Blake is suspended and Argyle could have a problem at right-back (!) as David Gray and David McNamee are both doubtful with ankle injuries."
Do we have some one to play at left wing to cause havoc over there for their right backs?
My prediction is 3 -1 and 22 541 people. AV, please give your prediction! Up the Boro!
**AV writes: An early goal and the crowd buzzing and we'll batter them.
ChilliRed
You are not Foreverdormo or Werdermouth with a new ISP trying to sneak a new Merc are you?
If not you are most welcome indeed.
AV, I posed the question about ticket sales, any news?
**AV writes: No numbers but the club have urged people buying to get there early to avoid expected queues.
Gareth's 1st two seasons were very decent. He did the job he was asked to do, trimmed the wage bill and kept us mid-table in the Prem. If you ever expected any more you had unrealistic expectations.
I'm not sure this is really a discussion we want to start again though!
**AV writes: We had this debate in the office this afternoon. GS record will be coloured by subjective feelings about the end but when you sit back and look objectively at the league positions and FA Cup runs and weigh it up against the club's performance historically it is right up there.
At risk of being provocative you could say that GS kept Boro up in his first two top flight seasons which is more than Robbo, Rioch or Lawrence managed.
"Average is about right for Gareth. Two decent seasons and one awful one.
Er, sorry, but which were the two decent seasons??"
Believe it or not, 12th/13th in the Premiership and a cup quarter final is a decent season for Boro. If GS2 manages that in his second and third season, will that be decent?
Let's put the Southgate debate to bed and move on now lads. I am very excited about tomorrow and the season after.
I think Marcus Bent is a very good initial way to show Strachan's managerial ability. Bent has it in him to be a goal scorer as shown by his spells at Sheffield United (20 goals in 48 games) and Ipswich (21 in 61). He also has the ability to be a disaster as shown with Charlton (4 goals in 46 games) and Birmingham (3 in 33).
I am personally a believer that a good manager can make a player love his job and love playing. When this is achieved players live better away from the field and the results show on, I think Gordon Strachan will get goals out of Marcus Bent.
Anyone can manage a Torres or Rooney and get goals, but some players perform well at certain times in their career, I think the manager plays a big role in this and forwards like James Beattie, Peter Crouch, and John Hartson played some of their best football under Gordon's tutelage.
If anyone is interested a preview of the Plymouth game is here including a Plymouth fan vid...Green arrrrrmy!
http://www.comeonboro.com/columns/314017.php
And in terms of respecting my elders (and may may say superiors) Ian Gill's column is here ;-)
http://www.comeonboro.com/columns/313016.php
Stew
AV writes: I'll link those on the blog so they come in easy click hypertext.
I've also noted our lack of TV exposure, but it will change soon - next televised games are Middlesbrough v Cardiff City on 13th Dec 13:15 (feeling anxious already...) and then the Newcastle Utd v Middlesbrough game on the 20th. So they've been saving up for the good ones.
Marcus Bent should temporarily add some good experience to the squad (he'll have played for half of our opponents...). And that photo of him almost had me questioning myself... I just fancy a parmo now. And a tattoo.
But I'm not going to get carried away with the new ginger regime. With uncharacteristic generosity, I'm actually going to give him more than one game to see the improvements! Maybe even three. And I'd like to hijack the WAG acronym for him (player's wives and girlfriends should be seen and not heard anyway... and not seen) - Wee Acid Ginge. Actually, wee acid probably means something else entirely, probably medical - maybe Acerbic? Angry? Arsy?
Still going to predict 3-0 tomorrow, though. And 24,431.
On S Mac's pm press conferences *SNIP*
**AV writes: I don't think you can say that last bit. Not on here anyway.
Maybe there is a market for Untypical Boro Uncut?
As if FD or our Bremen Correspondent would stoop so low as to use other ID's! And for a mere Merc? Top of the range Bentley or Roller maybe - we are Old Money, mate!
And welcome to our little club, ChilliRed. You're not posting from a very punny Santiago are you?
The posters here don't bite, but sometimes the software is a bit of a thief and, theory has it, the best posts are the ones that go missing in transit. And not being rude to Tony Black - there are plenty of others on this site who take that as a personal duty.
Bit of a thought AV, there has been many talks of a mid winter break. I cant understand why we dont consider it. All of these international 2 week breaks are accepted. I'd prefer to see the return of the home internationals, maybe played somewhere with an accepted climate, played at that time. That would be better to the transfer window which to me is a hyped free for all
It took GS2 four days to fix a problem up front that we all have seen since Yakubu and Viduka left.
Bent has been available since summer but not on our radar by all accounts.
Jones coments re players busting a gut to get the manager to like them and finally Coops saying Gareth was a mate.
All the above puts a perspective on what was happening before GS2 took over.
Also GS2 has hinted that the fitness was not 100%. So yes good vibes and hopefully a good win today and some goals for the crowd to enjoy.
More conservative with the crowd just over 20000 thats a healthy improvement on the last gate and considering the opposition and 3-1 Boro.
Is Jeremie Aliadiere the bookies favourite to be the first to leave the Big Boro House?
Who else is in the running? Will Boro sign "Jedward" as twin strikers? Is Keith Lamb going out with Sookie Stackhouse?
We should be told!
Not forgetting the new show from Boro TV....
"I'm a Failed Striker, get me out of here"
Ian Gill said:
"ChilliRed - You are not Foreverdormo or Werdermouth with a new ISP trying to sneak a new Merc are you?"
No Ian, although the Merc does sound appealing. Is it fully financed AV?
Personally the memory of a managers reign tends to be coloured as much by performance and other issues than actual results.
As AV says, GS1 produced reasonable numbers in BORO terms and McClaren was about as good as it gets. A big issue for both of them was that an awful lot of games were not good to watch and I remember that as much as anything else.
GS2 has a big job on his hands. He has to continue to collect points at least as fast as we have been, but eventually he also has to play a brand of football that the BORO faithful can be proud of.
Many of those who have voted with their feet will be at the Riverside today and GS2 has the opportunity to win them back. This won’t be achieved today, but it is something I think he can do with time.
Roy Keane said this week that it is probably better to win one and lose two than it is to draw three in a row. That’s particularly true if you haven’t won in 14, but the premise is an important one. The feel good effect of winning games and playing well has a big influence on any club and it also cuts some slack amongst supporters.
**AV writes: Especially if the one you win is at home.
Predictions:
25,438
Boro 2 Plymouth 0
C'mon Boro
After all the hype I think I will revise my prediction to a little over 18,000 - say 18,249. I know it is down but it is only Plymouth after all. I hope we wil so I will take anything but two nil sounds about right.
Just testing your alertness, Vic...
Hmm.... Malon King for Newcacstle disunited then eh ?
I said 3-0 before kick-off.
At half-time I said I'd be happy with 1-0.
Now, after witnessing the game, and reading the match report...
Gah. If you want the Riverside glory days to return, you may be waiting forever...
Tactically we were all over the place, ironically Arca was my M.O.M who at least looked like he actually wanted to win, St. Ledger ran a close second along with Lita who was full of running and was being dragged all over the place but blind to the Officials who again were as bad as the rest we have to suffer in this league.
The rest were collectively a mixture of ineffective, unproductive or just downright abysmal. What Justin Hoyte was supposed to be doing I had no idea but there again clearly nor did he. Here was a Right Back who had no offensive pressure to deal with all afternoon and could literally have put a deck chair out and opened a 6 pack. He is supposed to be an athlete who apparently can sprint a bit so forgive me for expecting him to tear down the wide open virtually unoppossed wing but no. Everytime he got possesion he stopped, dragged the ball back and looked to either pass back or infield. When Arca (who was out of position) got possesion and looked for Hoyte he was behind him or to the side. Not once did he run wide or even cut in dragging defenders and opening space up. I can only assume that is eithet the best he could offer or he had been coached to keep it tight at the back. Either way why was the game plan not changed because here was an extra man who was not in huge parts of the game and an opportunity waiting to be exploited.
Midfield was the same old story. GON was looking out of sorts and nothing like the player he has been all season, I'm sorry but I just don't get the Williams in midfield thing, to me he looks like a defender trying to fill a temporary gap and has done all season.
Wheats clearly needs to concentrate on his game rather than trying to Captain the rest of them. Either he needs a break from the Captaincy or he needs a break period.
Emnes continues to be an enigma, I personally doubt he will ever make it in England as he is too light weight and offers no outlet or end product. Jinky's penalty miss aside he couldn't get the breaks to open them up which was the main reason why Hoyte was a spare part for most of the game with nobody to pick up as Argyle largely abandoned their left flank.
Overall very disappointing and nothing on display to show that there has been a seed change at the club yet, lets hope its just early days because the rumblings were there again on the terraces and the punters were unimpressed.
On a slightly different note a bit of a PR gaffe from "me Mark Page", poor kids being dismissed on their big day at the Riverside, after the Watford full time gaffe from him I'd have thought he'd have learnt his lesson.
Hope pogi has a speedy recovery, he was looking good on his return.
Well loosing at home again just goes to prove that GS2 has some serious work to do. The team needs an injection of confidence, a steely resolve not to concede whether that be in the last few minutes or any other stage of the game and last but not least scoring a few goals will help!!
Still I have every faith that Gordon will come good.
Until we secure a striker who can actually score goals for us, our poor home form just isn't going to change. Cardiff have two of them and they will be far ahead of us on points by January unless GS2 can do what GS1 couldn't and that is to find someone who is available on loan who can hit the back of the net regularly.
If he can't, then I don't see the sense in Gibson's strategy at all.
Obviously disappointed not to get off to a winning start, but obviously this is going to take the new man time. I still don't think we will make the play offs this season though but here's hoping.
We need an injection of cash from somewhere if we want to have any chance of a promotion push this season and unless some deal was made behind the scenes whereby GS came with some money or came with the promise that money would be made available then I really can't see much changing in the short term.
But maybe GS will be able to work with what he's got and bring out the very best in people that they didn't show before, who knows???
I would like to see what the clubs real and actual financial status is so that we can all be clear about what funds will be made available. Maybe AV has some ideas here...
At some point I think the club needs to outline it's funding strategy as I don't think there was much point changing anything if we weren't able to offer the new manager some room to play with.
I think GS is a very good manager with a proven record who brings some much needed discipline, but beyond this he will need money to get us out of this league as he isn't a miracle worker.
Where and when will he get it AV? Any ideas???
TB
**AV writes: Well, there was £4m and £20k a week in wages in September for Hulse. I think there will be some reshuffling in January with possibly a couple going out to raise a bit of cash and create space. The big question is whether or not Johnson gets cashed in to fund two or three key first team players.
Looking at last season's stats GS was on course at providing a remedy for our poor Premiership away form - what the guy did not forsee was the dip in home form that has cost him his job in the Championship.
Had he remained at the club and the away form kept going as it is and he was given more time to sort out the home form we'd be UP there on top!
So the bottom line is, to date: The "Mags" n "Bags" have adapted the best to their new circumstances - message to GS - "you still on a learning curve mate, nice try - adapt and survive and you'll be OK!"