Derby Daze

AV

You can add the Manager to that assessment.

Retaining Brad Jones in goal when - even given his past Corporalisms and those today - his confidence is clearly shot and he undermines the confidence of those in front of him.

Playing Hoyte - not even good enough to claim a place at right back and out of the side for a while anyway - at left back and then wondering why he caused mayhem when knocking down into his own area, giving free rein to attacks on his win and then failing to cut out the cross for the second goal.

Playing Arca wide left and benching the only player who has shown any drive, energy and ambition in the last two games.

Truly shocking.

TV treat my Romer Parrish. Thought we were slightly unlucky to be behind at half time but the 2nd half was utterly embarrassing.

The three Geordie Latinos and Guthrie were streets ahead of anything Boro had on the pitch and the less said about Bad Jones the better. The worst thing though is that Newcastle are still nothing but Premier League relegation fodder and this defeat typifies how far we have sunk.

Nothing to suggest from today's showing that we will not be in this league for years.

Yes its Southgate's team, but that doesn't mean Strachan has to show loyalty to the likes of Jones, who must have demonstrated today to those who were prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt that he is one of the worst Boro goalkeepers for years and I can go back to Peter Taylor!

If Cloughie said a goalkeeper can save you up to 10 points in a season, here we have a clown who is costing us that amount of points on his own. Let us have some players dropped and banished from playing again for the club,starting with Jones, then Hoyte, I could go on, there are plenty of contenders. By the way is Luke Williams the new team mascot or is he there for novelty value?

Did anyone else notice that compared to the Boro, Newcastle are a team of big physical mostly over six footers. Maybe thats the secret of getting out of this league easily.

**AV writes: it sure helps.

Roll on January indeed. There is not one player in the squad I would be unhappy to lose. Let's try a total overhaul and see what happens, we haven't got much to lose.

Did anyone get on us at 66/1 to be relegated a couple of months ago??

**AV writes: We are in deep trouble if you of all people are losing faith.

another dreadful performance- this rubbish is tough to watch.

It would be hard to suggest that any of our players had a good game today, but anybody could easily identify a few that didn't. I don't remember Vic ever being quite so cutting with his immediate post match notes.

Yesterday I said:

"So, what do I expect from tomorrow? I honestly haven't got a clue but I'm Hoping for a performance along the lines of QPR or Sheffield Wednesday. I can handle losing the game, but not if we fail to turn up or if we hand it to them on a plate."

Well we didn't turn up, and at times we tried as hard as we could to hand it to them on a plate! Ok, the ref didn’t help much by getting both of his two major decisions wrong, but this has to go down as a pretty gutless performance without the "excuse" of being at home to fall back on. If only we could have taken one of those first half chances.

There were some strange looking decisions on the team sheet today and Vic might be able to tell us if they were forced or tactical. But given the fact that we can’t just make wholesale changes for the Scunthorpe game, can we at least have a left back playing at left back. Oh, and as we aren’t defending particularly well at present, let’s try to give the defenders a keeper that they trust. It became increasingly obvious that they don’t trust the current one.

Newcastle were a decent team. Gutierrez and Jose Enrique were very good. We were beaten quite easily. We were poor.

Brad Jones had a bad game on this occasion, to be sure, but one thing the Subbuteo view you get at Sid James's shows us very clearly is something that has been particularly obvious against Blackpool (and in most matches, really, since early last year) and that is that our players stroll around expecting the ball to find them, rather than trying (even wanting) to find the ball themselves.

We have a bunch of players whose confidence is shot. Poor loves! Aromatherapy is supposed to help here. More seriously, we have (now) an away support whose belief is cracked - and whose passion is now a little restrained thereby. Given half a chance, they'll get their noise back, but can the players do anything with half-chances?

We have a management whose ideas are incomprehensible to most of the fans (or, put another way, we are reduced to guessing what these ideas are, whilst the global strategy, if there is any strategy, is kept from us, as if we're the enemy).

All I know for sure now (having seen all but two matches this year) is that our players need to run around a lot more than they do; they need to offer themselves up as options to their teammates and to want to play with the ball; they need, in short, to work a lot harder.

And, to be a bit judgmental, they look like people who think they've earned their money just by being extremely good-looking and fabulous people, the kind that we're supposedly lucky to have on our wage-bill, rather than people who want to earn those wages. (As "lesser" players like Notts F., Swansea, Cardiff, Peterborough, Watford, Crystal P., Coventry, Leicester, and, most poignantly, Blackpool, earned theirs.)

I don't care whether Newcastle were, in Premier League terms, rubbish as well as us. They have their future fortunes to deal with. We have ours.

What I do care about is that 2700 good Teessiders went up there today, prepared to watch this game in less comfort than the BBC viewers, with a worse view, prepared to confront the consideravle and justifiable contempt of the Magpie fans, to suffer in the cold etc. and I do care that only four of our players recognised their commitment and effort by clapping them at the end of yet another failure. (They know who they are.)

I do feel that the other players were therefore very arrogant and could hence be got rid of without much of a loss to our cause. I should like all of those who did not acknowledge the supporters' efforts (better than theirs) to put in transfer requests, if only so that they find out how much market value they actually have, and how little they are really worth.

Denis said:

"Nothing to suggest from today's showing that we will not be in this league for years."

Exactly what I said several posts ago Denis but after today, I think even staying in this league would be an achievement.

"Too many players lack bottle, determination and steel" AV. Shearer pointed out Jones and Lita for not having such qualities and got quite angry about it, but they're many more who earn 15k-20k a week but don't fancy it. Oh for a Mowbray, Hamilton (Gary not Ricard) or Baird.

The youtube link you post from '91 it would be interesting who would fair better today Lennie's or GS2's team. There is also some similarities between now and the early 90's - dwindling attendances, relegation, poor performances - but a ticket back then was a lot cheaper and we had the holgate still providing an atmosphere.

It could be worse, we could be 20 points from the top and at 14th in the table............

AV, I totally agree with your assessment of the team and the need to rip it up and start again. I'd maybe only keep O'Neil, Pogi, Lita, Yeates for showing any effort and perhaps Wheater if he got his act together.

However, if I was Coyne and didn't play the next game then I'd hand in a transfer request as I would feel regarded as worse than useless.

As for Hoyte - in what world is he a defender? Plus Arca's body can no longer co-ordinate what signals that are being sent from his brain - his game is surely up. Also Kitson looked utterly uninterested in playing for Boro - though Bent was hardly an improvement.

Thanks to the BBC, it was the first time i've had the chance to 'enjoy' a full Boro performance this season - do we play worse than this at the Riverside? If so then my sympathies go out to those who have to suffer this week in week out.

This team could easily get relegated if major surgery doesn't start soon - it's that bad - over to you Mr Strachan

**AV writes: The really sad, and depressing, and terrifyingthing is that the Newcastle display is now pretty much the norm.

Strachan was right to rip into the players for their gutless second half display, but I hope for Boro's sake that he has someone who will do the same for him (perhaps his wife and SSL can come up with a roasting, so to speak, for him).

The team selection today was baffling. Many have mentioned Jones and Hoyte but what about Williams and Osbourne as a central midfield pairing up against Smith and Nolan? That's completely bonkers! How Strachan can expect two lightweight, inexperienced kids to boss (or even compete in) a game against Newcastle's two is beyond me. We're short of options, but surely O'Neil is the only central midfielder we have with the character to take the game by it's horns and stand up to Newcastle's relative heavyweights.

And then there's Arca. Johnson is injured, Yeates is in form. Play him! Strachan's been happy to play Arca on the right so far. Today we come up against Gutierrez, a right-footed left winger who likes to come inside - a problem that might actually suit Arca on the right. But no.

The substitution of Kitson was also wrong in my view. Kitson was fairly anonymous in the first half, but replacing him with Bent was suicide.

Strachan has much work to do in January. He needs a new goalkeeper who can do the basics and communicate with the back four. He needs a commanding centre-half who can organise his teammates. He needs two centre midfielders who can take control of a football match. And he needs two strikers, one that can play with his back to goal and another with pace and movement and above all else the ability to put the ball in the back of the net.

Southgate has left us with an inferior squad incapable of the basics; all the games we won previously were accompanied by the odd feeling that "yeah, we won but we're still garbage".

Strachan was brought in as the slide began (and we ran out of teams in the bottom half of the table to play) and it appears immediately demanded higher standards.

The way that our squad of "so-called" professionals have responded is a disgrace; they have just withdrawn all commitment and effort from the club that pays them handsomely because all of a sudden there are no longer excuses or acceptance for mediocrity. That is an absolute disgrace.

Its just a shame that we have no war chest for him. What little transfer money we did have this season has been squandered on utter rubbish; St.Ledger being the worst defender I have seen since I started going in 1979 (and yes I am including Phil Whelan and Simon Coleman).

The loan signings haven't paid off, but he had to do something till January and some of his decisons (Arca on the right) have been poor, but surely after giving Southgate 3+ years to rip the heart out of the team and alinate the town, the new manager must be given the support needed to change this; and if that means recruiting Scottish dogs of war so be it. When was the last time we saw Boro scrap out a win????

To blame Strachan is short sighted; the current crop of players do not have the guts to do anything other than pick up their wages

13 games, 24 points. 9 games, 5 points.

The table doesn't lie.

Why has a moderately good Championship squad suddenly hit relegation form?

Newcastle don't have that much more quality than Boro but are walking this league.
Their home form is great, and one reason was obvious from the officials decision making.

At a guess Championship refs aren't used to the size of crowds at SJP and bottle out of the big decisions against the home side. If the first goal wasn't given the match would have had a completely different outcome. It's not an excuse it's a fact.

We weakened defensively after the second half subs, and from then on didn't look like getting anything. They wouldn't have been necessary had the ref done his job.

AV - pretty much agree with what you and all the posters have said. A truely gutless and shocking performance.

I was not a fan of Southgate but Strachan's team selections are even worse. Why is Bennett not playing at LB? How many mistakes does Jones have to make before he is dropped?

After we beat Scunthorpe away we were looking good for promotion, if we lose on boxing day we will be battling against relegation.

Sad sad times for MFC

Come on Boro!

What to add to the above? God help us in 2010!

Christ, that was depressing. We've literally sold every player with any quality or fight. I don;t know what's worse,the ineptitude or the lack of bottle. Gary O Neill, you should save yourself. January's coming soon and you're wasted on this lot.

That was two matches in a row that I have now managed to watch, a complete different perspective to the normal AV on-line or BBC teleprinter.

My opinion, well there are still to many GS1 players brought in and are not good enough for this league. The loan players brought in by GS2 look disinterested, knowing that they are only here for the short term, I would not have any of them gift wrapped.

Osbourne is so pedestrian and his passing awful, who choose him for Mr Stachans list, because it does not want to be the person choosing Januarys, IF we can get anybody decent interested in coming here. Whilst I know beggars cannot be choosers when it comes to loan signings, I bet this blog could have come up with some better ones.

However the disapointing thing for me,especially yesterday was Hoyte at left back, as previously stated he is not even good enough for right back. Is GS2 saying that Taylor, Grounds and Bennet are not as good as Hoyte? If so that beggars belief.

We are now are left with players nearly out of contract, long term injured players who we do not want and nobody would buy, committed to ??K for SSL who I do not think is good enough. I really do not see GS2 having that much money available next month to save us from the slide towards relegation.

I've hardly posted since GS2 arrived. I haven't wanted to post negatively, it's not my usual nature, but I've been worried ever since news of Strachan's appointment. I'm pushed to find many here in Scotland that rated his term at Celtic (though looking at Tony Mowbray's efforts this season should also give some pause for thought about being careful of what you wish for).

I also can't think of anything you might call managerial success from Strachan in England ... worse still, a worry that he is inclined to throw the towel in when the going gets too tough (unless there's something else about his leaving Soton I don't know).

Southgate has gone, but he was shown the door at the wrong time and I still think he would have got us promoted, but that conjecture is irrelavent now. Strachan is here instead, but there has been none of the usual lift in performance usually associated with a new manager as the squad tries to impress that they are worthy of the shirt they wear, or that the new boss actually inspires them.

Can't bring myself to disagree with anyone that has posted yet. There is no hint at all of a serious plan for the season, nor a preferred tactic, nor any indication that he is able to judge a player. Worse, there is every indication that this group of “professionals” don’t have enough about themselves to deliver even a half-spirited performance.

For me, the transfer window is too late. No matter how many new faces he can get in the door, there is no time to mould or inspire these into a team that might just be able to challenge for 6th place.

Who would want to come here now anyway ? I'm worried that the writing is already on the wall and that we just might be facing a second successive relegation battle. I really can't see where the improvement is going to come from.

I hope my new found pessimism is truly mis-placed and that typical Boro’s usual reverse in form at Christmas means that we are going to start winning convincingly from Boxing Day on, or maybe it will be really typical Boro and our form will nose-dive (as usual) after Christmas and given our current form, that would mean there really is no hope.

Legends Frank,

I told everyone in the north east that strachen was useless,its me yesss me who should be hired by gibbo to stop us falling into league 1 where we belong.

Its not bad team selection to blame, but bad Mgt appointments! Mr Gibson has, unintentionally I'm sure, screwed the club up.

The appointment of Southgate was an enormous gamble even before we all new that the club had to undergo a huge restructuring. I'm sure we all agree that had to happen, but to put a novice in charge of that was folly!

I was against Southgate because at the tim because of his lack of experience, despite my huge admiration for him as a fantastic player and ambassador for our club! I am against Strachan for entirely different reasons.

The mans reputation in English football is far from dazzling. His attitude to the media I believe is contrary to the clubs community & family based approach. We are not Man U, Chelseas etc who can afford arrogance from the leadership, it doesnt suit us and I believe its doing us no favours.

I believe the change in style of managemnet is causing huge problems in the squad, and whatever we thought of Southgate, the players obviously respected him and tried to do what he asked, even if we were getting it wrong.

We are now stuck with the prickly Strachan who appears to be clueless to do anything about the obvious shortcomings in our side. Short of a massive shift in fortunes, we will be nearer the bottom of the league than the top come may!

Mr Gibson, please pull your finger out. You are undoubtably the man to lead Boro on. You deserve the mantle of being one of the UK's finest Chairmen, however, it is your failure to appoint appropriately over the last 4 years that is the root of our demise. Take action now to prevent any further catastrophes!

Not much more to be said though probably summed up in a pre match text to JP.

Q: If you dont know which left back to play what should you do?
A: Play a right back!

It is a sad reflection that Toons best attacking moments came from our two square pegged players, Hoyte at left back and The Corporal between the sticks.

Central midfield was painful to watch. You can get away with two players lacking pace if you have width and pace on the flanks. We had O'Neill who tried his best and Arca who is past his sell by date.

We can complain about the loan players but take them out and who are you left with? Riggott, Digsoft and Aliadioveragain are in the treatment room. So is Josh Who?

We have three left backs who are behind a useless right back in the pecking order.

I havent got any answers.

I would like to compare and contrast the team Cooper selected at Preston with the complete garbage we are having to stomach now. Yes they chucked away two points in injury time but their football was a joy to watch and had the Sunday papers praising the team to the hilt. Pace skill and movement all the hallmarks of our early season away performances.

Well look at the personnel changes

a]Emnes replaced by the useless Bent.
b]Digard replaced by the skill-free sideways crab Osbourne.
c]Bennett replaced by anybody and dumped in the reserves.

Please Mr Strachan GO NOW and take your assistant with you and your three loan signings .

If the Boro were a

..

Christmas present they would be socks from you Aunty. You know what you are going to get every year, yet you are still disappointed.

A drink it would be egg nog. All too fleeting appearances, but goes down well after Christmas.

Food it would of course be a parmo. Only really known/liked locally but can leave you feeling unwell.

Toy it would be meccano. But with a vital piece missing, leading to infuriation. Anyone else ever turn their F1 car into a Reliant Robin.

A job it would be a call centre job. Asking the same questions time after time, but not getting the answers you want.

A TV show it would be the One show. Utter drivel on an alarmingly regular basis.

A fruit it would be a pomegranate. All that fuss and effort just to extract a few little good bits.

There is not much point in us all hoping and wishing for January to come round soon. The people who are scouting for these new gems are the ones who brought us Alves and Dong Gook Lee etc.

The people who will be coaching and training them are the same people who coach, train and select this current lot including the Corporal.

Come January we will lose our best players (can't blame them for going) and replace them with new wasters scouted, Managed and coached by the calamitous individuals responsible for the current mess. The clear out needs to start a lot higher up than the playing staff.

SAVE OUR BORO, S.O.B.

I hope Mr. Strachan is very very busy during the transfer window, we need so many new players its hard to know where to start.

Keeper, full backs, centre backs, centre midfield, striker....... for sure though, if we see Jonno being sold then we know this season has been written off. Actually thinking about it, it is a write off isn't it? I can't see the current players producing the change in form needed to finish in the top six.

I thought last season was a car crash but the way this season is going it could end up as a motorway pile up.

Saw the game on tv: not good. Three players should not be on the pitch - Hoyte, Jones and Arca. Strachan is stuffed till Jan window.

All the loan players need to be sent back and players who are eager to make the step up to the championship brought in. Main requirements are a goalie, a left back and either an attacking midfielder or a more physical centreforward.

WGS needs to sort out the defence. Apart from the goals yesterday was brad jones troubled? What is the story with St Ledger? Wheater looked reasonable as in effect we played three across the back with hoyte playing for the mags most of the time!

The midfield never really gave out any stick apart from the young Aussie and the forward line apart from lita didn't care. apart from his loan signings which were a desparate attempt to give the side a lift wGS is stuck with the squad assembled by GS. If we survive relegation next season will be the time to judge wGS

I don't think we need too many new players. Just a few EXPERIENCED leaders on the field. I don't know about goal keeper - as most do - but we need somebody to lead the midfield. I still think that was our problem last year - and still is.

But to say all our squad is rubbish is wrong. Remember QPR? We played well a against Cardiff and same said the same about N'castle match, too. So changes are needed but still there is talent. Bring in a MF general and a goal scorer. And get a pattern to play ...

Up the Boro!

"Apart from the two flukey goals I can think of only one occasion when Jones was in trouble"

Which ONE was that then, was it when he fumbled the ball and kicked it to Guthrie who narrowly missed or was it when he dallied in the box and almost let Harewood score from his clearance or how about the one when he was lucky when Harewood got the ball stuck under his studs whilst he stood admiring the cross.

Still no thaw in North Yorks: the ice is hard and the beer stocks are rapidly diminishing. Solid food is a distant memory, rather like a win at home for the Boro. We'll be eating the beer mats soon. Apparently the coldest place in the UK last night was Topcliffe at minus 14.1C. Even the antifreeze has frozen, so no joy there.

Two things MIGHT just start a warm feeling deep inside though. Fistly, 5.47pm this evening was the Winter Solstice ie the point at which the sun has reached its lowest point in the northern hemisphere. From now on, the sun will get a little higher each day for the next six months, and the days (as opposed to nights) have started to grow longer.

Secondly those who might have started to despair about football and footballers might just read the piece by David Walsh in yesterday's Sunday Times. It was about Burnley's Graham Alexander, now 38 years old who has more games under his belt than anyone else currently playing in the Premier League (at 941, though most were at a lower level).

Clearly an unsung hero for most of his career, he is at last playing in the Premier League despite his age (which would be too much for most of our players even if they were at their prime) and sounds well grounded. Not an over-indulged multi millionnaire, though he will be very well paid by the standards of most of us, but one who appears determined to eke out every last ounce of his ability and who will be playing amateur football when no longer able to play at a professional level (presumably well into his forties by then).

Wish we had him! Meanwhile, the search for Carlos Kickaball (spotted by Sir Alan Sugar but unseen here for a while) goes on...

And if we are lucky, those warm thoughts might just start to melt the ice, and the great pub breakout can begin.

I want my Boro team to have pride, passion, commitment, determination, skill, team spirit and a togetherness that is evident, regardless if it's pitch-side or viewing as I am from afar.

Am I really asking for too much? Am I being unreasonable or unrealistic?

Anyhow, I refuse to lower my expectations and with a few exceptions, as far as this current squad is concerned, I have disowned them in my heart completely and point-blank refuse to accept that they have anything to do with my beloved Middlesbrough Football Club.

The current custodians of Boro are bringing far too much shame and misery to the Fans and the good People of Teesside and beyond.

This shower don't deserve us.

Smogonthetyne:

At least The One Show has Christine, who can you look at in the Boro squad?

The fans are now getting seriously worried that the club has gone back in time - a disorganised club with dwindling crowds and no money to spend.

So is Gordon a misunderstood genius? A kind of Brian-Clough-Lite figure out of time. Or are his methods just a throwback to a previous generation when relatively low-paid players had to swallow whatever strange cod-psychology they were fed by the gaffer or become marginalised or rejected.

But if we are looking at a return to the early eighties, then Devo-tees of Boroland may be questioning the wisdom of Strachan's philosophy that, when a problem comes along, you must whip it - especially when he's left the players to ponder 'Are we not men?'

**AV writes: Well, I can't get me no Satisfaction.

I used to take the mickey out of Norwich fans but now their team are playing out of their skin in front of 25,000 every home game. I get nothing but abuse from them now and I am having difficulty in defending our team. I used to sing the praises of Gibbo and our policy of playing local academy lads.

From our vast catchment area, why can't Parnaby find some potential strikers. To keep getting loan strikers, none of which have any ability is pathetic. Bent has almost been at as many clubs as goals he has scored. Kitson is just too lightweight. Danny is doing OK at Watford now that he has bulked up, can't we get him back and Tuncay, Huth and Stewie at the same time !!!

The reason that Strachen won't tell us his strategy is that he hasn't got any. He can't even pick a our best team from our squad.

The worst possible scene for me is for Norwich to go up and us to go down. I am pleased in a way that I can't get a ticket to watch Norwich. It is no time at all since I couldn't get a ticket to watch our lot.

I will never change my loyalty from the Boro, (my first game was against Arsenal in 1947) even though i costs me a fortune to see them but we do need the spirit of 1986 again.

Oh please, oh please Gibbo, swap Strachen for Mogga.

My son and I have decided that the best way to view this season is to assume we are in a 'rebuilding' phase and therefore our sights have been lowered to mid table 'mediocrity', My Dad on the other hand is worried about which division boro will be playing their football in next year.

But you never know the New Year may bring a miracle, a surge of self belief, an up turn in form, The Corpral suddenly developing the ability to shout and receiving an injection of self belief.

Who knows Gary O'Neil may even sign a contract extension..........just a minute.

Scoredraw - reading the tosh you wrote above I assume you had a bad day yesterday, did you get stuck in the snow?

Looks like even the optomistic fans have given hope as well now, given the tone of every post on this blog so far!!!

It is about time that we had some kind of statement from Mr Gibson. In the last couple of years he has successfully taken this club dramaticially backwards and undone everything he achieved before.

Relegation looks more like a reality than promotion on this form. At the moment we are experiencing the result of ingnoring signs like this and failing to take action - lets not make the same mistakes again. A lot of people said it could never happen last year.....

Maybe the Corporal needs to spend some time with Stephen Taylor, the Toon defender knows all about sticking a hand out to stop goals.

To be fair to our antipidean non shot stopper he is not helped by there being no organiser in front of him.

Those of my generation will remember Willie Whigham, he of the 20 senior Service and Ford Zephyr. He was even more terrified of crosses than Keith Lamb but he had the likes of Dickie Rooks in front of him so could stay on his line.

But you should decide to do one or the other and if he do stay on your line it does help if you wave a hand at ball as it approaches your net which brings us back to Mr Taylor.

In summary, the Corporal first loomed large in my conciousness at a cup replay at West Brom where John, his lad Phil and I watched a ball roll 35 yards so slowly Arca could have caught up with it. The Corporal took up his customary rocked back on heel pose as the ball beat the grass growing around it to trickle into the net.

Awful...

Nearly as awful as having to read John Powles and Ian Gill flirt on every topic...

Gary Wilson: That'll be the money that Gibson had Southgate claw back in by selling all our worthwhile players and only leaving enough to be able to source the third rate dross that we've ended up with then?

Surely you don't imagine for one second that Southgate was the prime architect of all of this?

The root cause of all of it, starting about 3-4 years ago, was funding clawback. It was strategic business decisions that have taken MFC and Boro to where "they" are now. Subsequent sporting decisions - tactical/ player selection/ player trading were all made against that backdrop.

I'd reluctantly concede to the inclusion of Gareth Southgate's appointment as part of that strategic reconstruction, because his appointment was convenient for the execution of Gibson's business strategy, which was never disclosed.

Considering the constraints he was working under - imposed by Gibson, the man who appointed him, after promising a world-class replacement for McClaren - it seems Southgate was getting a quart out of a pint pot! At least the players were playing for him. And that's something that Southgate always said was the case.

How often did you hear him say he couldn't have asked for more from them? That's because he was getting as much out of them as that squad was able to give - the squad that had been assembled under serious financial limitations, not of Southgate's making.

That the chairman didn't seem to know that, suggests serious misjudgment or a fundamental lack of awareness of the depths to which the cost cutting has sunk the club's playing ability.

As far as Scoredraw's criticism of AV's article is concerned: AV's views as expressed, although heightened in their intensity due to the identity of the weekend's opposition, were perfectly valid.

I might have agreed with Scoredraw if this had been an aberation, a one-off, or if Boro were looking like challenging for even a play-off spot. But they're not! And THAT is an accumulation of everything.

I believe it was a mistake for AV to beat his breast and concede the point. He's right. Scoredraw's wrong! (In my not so very humble opinion!)

**AV writes: Maybe, but you know it is my policy to always answer any direct criticism of my own or Gazette editorial policy on here. Partly because own my own belief in transparency and honesty, partly because not to respond prompts accusations of 'ducking the issues' and partly because these things can lead to interesting and illuminating discussions on how the media work.

Vic 'Reevalinho' Reeves:

Me, write tosh ??? Tosh, me ??

Me ??
Moi ?

I'm so hurt because I really look forward to your 'pieces'. Especially the ones about your Dad.

It's alright you lot sending pessimistic posts about the Boro. Spare a thought for us in the pub.

No food, not much fuel left for the fire, and down to our last barrel of 49er. After that it's only cider and lime cordial left, and after one or two youthful experiences with the fruit of Somerset and Hereford I'm not sure I like the smell of apples anymore.

The internet suggests it might be a few days before the thaw sets in, and that might be too late. I'm worried about the way that hungry looking bloke in the corner is staring at the pub dog and searching for a recipe book.

What if we don't get out before the Scunthorpe game? Surely everyone would pity us then. What if we don't last that long? Please, Santa, let it get better.

Richard:

I suspect you like things to be more complex than they need to be. (Do you like cricket ?)

So you think that - "The root cause of all of it, starting about 3-4 years ago, was funding clawback. It was strategic business decisions that have taken...." that, if I may say so, is a typical example of your financial, corporate 'soccer-babble'.

Things are simpler than that. Nobody made Gareth Southgate spend mllions on Mido, Alves, Emnes, Aliaidare, Digard, Tuncay or secure the services of King and Forlan. He chose to sell Cattermole, Boatang, Morrison. It was like he was hit by a cosmic ray that reversed all logic/wisdom (Sell Turbull keep Jones ! Sell Cattermole & Boatang buy .....)

Financial claw back my butt - he didn't know crap from yellow clay

Gareth probably had less money than Mclaren and Robson but more than Hodgson, Allardyce, Wigan.....,

The majority of our problems are down to his decision making (Turnbull, Cattermole, Bates..) Can anyone remember his statement after we FLUKED an away win against Aston Villa ? It's cringeingly embarrassing so I won't repeat it but it said everything about his judgement/wisdom.

Gordon Strachan is clever enough to know how bad the situation is but also bright enough to know what good a club and chairman we have.

Having had a second look at Anthony's article I may have been wrong (for once) because it was much worse than I originally thought! Written in the style/character of a hysterical, sulky, self pitying, thoughtless 'Gob-Lite' where all the players were, weak-eyed, gutless, passionless... incoherent... it was unfair and untypical.

Apparently he's working on a better version - I should think so.

I thought some of you may be interested in this bit of research I did regarding the goalkeeper situation. An idea for my preview inspired by a reply on this blog.

had always accepted that Brad Jones was a solid athletic shot stopper, who I believe had flaws in the area of dealing with crosses, leadership and presence. However some interesting statistics from a ‘Matt’ on the Anthony Vickers blog prompted me to look further into it.

I played Goalkeeper and coach them for a living now is US College ‘soccer’. Most teams hold their keepers to standards and goals to saves ratio is one of them. An acceptable ratio is usually 4 saves for every goal scored, equating to 80% of shots on target saved.

There are flaws with all statistics, one being the lack of ability to differentiate between a shot from 5 yards or one from 20, however all keepers have the same argument and it is a base level way to judge performance numerically.

I decided to research Jones and 4 other keepers. Danny Coyne, Steve Harper (top of the league), Romain Larrieu (bottom of the league), and Joe Murphy (18th and next opponent) and see where Jones stands. The statistics used are from the BBC website for league games, the results are as follows.

Keeper Goals conceded/Saves
Steve Harper 11/119 (10.8 saves to each goal conceded)
Danny Coyne 9/44 (4.89 saves to each goal conceded)
Romain Larrieu 35/114 (3.26 saves to each goal conceded)
Joe Murphy 39/109 (2.8 saves to each goal conceded)
Brad Jones 18/48 (2.67 saves to each goal conceded)

Any game that a goalkeeper started but did not finish was left out of these calculations. Harper left at halftime in a 1-1 draw at West Brom and a 3-0 win later in the season against Swansea. Murphy left a 1-0 win over Coventry after 17 minutes.

These statistics are interesting, and while many may assume Harper playing for a team that is top of the league makes it easier for him, the sheer number of saves he has made do not support this argument. He made 14 saves in a 1-0 win at Cardiff, 14 in a 2-1 loss at Blackpool, and 12 in a 1-0 win at Sheffield United. No other keeper on the list made more than 10 saves in a single game.

Harper is also rated as the top keeper by Actim, the official statistics of the Championship. The Actim top 100 players feature 11 goalkeepers, Brad Jones is not among them;

http://actimindex.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/champ_index_top10037.gif

It appears that some of the criticism aimed at the Boro goalkeeper is justified.

Forever Dormo

Have you ever thought that the pub dog might be a better alternative to the Scunnie match.

Just as well the pub has unlimited internet access. I have a sneaking suspicion you have your eyes on the Xmas special Merc for the upcoming 100.

Ian Gill at 7.4am - perish the thought.

Has Gordon been here more than "44 Days" yet?

**AV writes: Yes. He was unveiled on 23rd of October.

Smogonthetyne

That was a worthwhile piece of research but what we do not know is whether it relates to meat from a dog or to dog food itself. I would be grateful for an answer for completeness.

What is of grave concern for Foreverdormo's well being is the lack of dietary fibre. Combining that with an excess of Snecklifter could have severe effects on global warming and may offset all the good work undretaken at Copenhagen. The carbon footprint would be something to behold.

Would the beer mats that were mentioned in earlier reports from the isolated hostelry be of benefit?

I suppose one can sympathise with The Corporal because, like Dormo, he keeps being stranded in the middle of nowhere. And there is no Snecklifter but if someone passed him a glass he would miss it anyway.

Back to the dog meat and I am sure that the poison burgers sold outside most grounds are no better nutritionally.

What makes me laugh is AV pretending to know what burgers taste like having been feted on executive box fare as a journo.

As I dont like Schumacher I dont want a Merc for the 100th post. Maybe a nice 4x4 to go and rescue Dormo though ones suspects they havent bust a gut to get out of the pub.

A final thought. If Global warming is such an issue why did so many people have to fly from all over the world to have a summit? Couldnt they just have a conference call?

I suppose I better start thinking about the football again, like sundry others it is difficult to write something when all we are fed is unremitting crap. You may edit that AV

Merry Xmas to one and all.

A despondent Brad Jones jumped in front of a bus on Linthorpe Road...

It went underneath him.

I'm dreading Scunthorpe on Boxing Day after that spineless show at the Barcodes place. It wasn't a team was it? A few triers and a lot of dross passengers.

If the weather stays like this there will be no one there on Boxing Day. And they lose that one for the Man City game (FULL PRICE? HOW STUPID IS THAT??)there could be under 10 thousand.

PS loved the Nostradamus feature in the Gazette. Brilliant. Very funny.

Cheers AV and a very merry christmas to you and all

I've never been this depressed as a Boro fans since the last Lennie Lawrence season started to fizzle out and we couldn't even afford any decent loan players.

And look what happened next....

Merry Christmas AV and bloggers. Let's hope GS2 gets wahat he wants from Santa.

Sorry guys ... I played for that one, but was serious about wanting to see the Nostradamus article. Up here (Scotland) a Merc won't be much use, unless it is one of those impressive 4x4 jobs.

Time for festive cheer now, so COB and start the revival with Scunny.

Cheers all.

It's called self control. Although i was very tempted to nab the 100 with

Dog meat as in from a dog

AV is there manic chrismas celebrations in the Gazette office or for that manner in any fellow bloggers work place?

**AV writes: No, we scribes tend to be very sober, restrained, puritanical types.

Did Santa duty in the Boro yestreday. The journey up was rewarded with cheese scones from my Mother in Law.

Took a trip to the club shop at the Riverside where loads of stuff is being quite heavily discounted - but not the current kit of course! Nearly bought a Big John Hickton "Legend" T-shirt but I was worried it would give away my boyish good looks. I really wanted Fatty Foggon but I presume they must have sold them all.

Hopefully boxing day will give us all a welcome football boost. The highlight of this visit was definately the cheese scones!

Have a wonderfull Christmas everyone.

JONES MUST BE DROPPED!!

He should never play for the Boro again. He was appalling last season and has got worse this year. He does not seem to care about the Boro - where's the passion and graft?

Every week he has always been poor and a liability - no wonder the defence is poor for the second season running when a clown like Jones is in goal - he does not inspire any confidence or trust.

We need to build from a solid defensive foundation - bring back Danny Coyne!!