Blunt Boro Fail To Fell Forest
NO CUTTING edge. Still. After bemoaning blunt Boro's lack of firepower the gaffer spent much of January courting strikers and brought in three. And still we can't score.
Gordon Strachan and Billy Davies were both at pains to stress that it was a close fought game, there was nothing in it and for the Boro boss it came down to one minute and two errors. Lita's petulant failure to play to the whistle was clearly one, for the other chose between Wheater's inability to cut out the killer ball in or Pogatetz's failure to track and stop Cohen's run in from the blind side.
But Boro's real problem was the complete failure to create chances. There were a lot of free-kicks and corners that caused scrambles and a few efforts - Poggi's header and 'Mick's' shot - were blocked in a crowded box but the only time Lee Camp had to make a save was when he scrambled over to push Lita's shot around the post late on.
Forest had three really good chances as well as the goal: Earnshaw should have buried it when he was through one-on-one in the first half, Majewski clipped the bar with a free-kick then in the second half Cohen broke through in a similar position to the one he scored from but blazed over. It wasn't close in that sense. Forest more than edged it.
It wasn't a game Boro ever looked like winning. Getting a point in a gritty goalless draw maybe. But we didn't do enough to win. and right now we need a win.
It was different from the midweek trip to Blackpool when Boro created six or seven good chances (Aliadiere missed a hat-trick of sitters) and a penalty but in a woeful finishing masterclass they still couldn't score.
Different, but the same: a lack of a clinical edge and no points. Two defeats in four days have blown a hole below the waterline of HMS Boro's play-off hopes. Games are running out fast, the ominous gap remains and the target - probably 70 points - looks unattainable unless we start scoring goals.
We don't look to have solved that problem at all. Scott McDonald has some nice touches and good movement - mainly on his debut - but so far most of it has been 30 yards out. We have yet to see him come alive in the danger zone, we have yet to see any evidence of a poacher's eye for goal or deadly finishing. We have yet to see him score. He even missed a penalty at a crucial moment in a game Boro needed to win. That happens to the best but it was unfortunate timing: we needed the goal to swing that game and he needed one to establish his credentials and show the gaffer's faith was justified.
Meanwhile Killen has scored one in six. He is industrious enough, works the defensive line hard, wins balls in the air and looks to be the best foil for McDonald but he won't get many goals. Miller has yet to show he can be a threat at all. The consensus is that the little fella needs a big lad alongside him. So why was Miller sat on the bench?
With those three still spluttering and trying to find their feet, Lita looking increasingly estranged from the team ethic and error prone, Emnes (who?) in the black hole and Aliadiere showing an unerring knack for fluffing golden chances it looks very unlikely that Adam Johnson's mantel as top scorer will come under threat.
And unless that can be addressed urgently the season is over. If we can't score we won't win matches. And it is too late for draws.
******
A LACK of edge wasn't the only problem. The chopping and changing doesn't help. Three this time. Four at Blackpool. Four for Peterborough. Three for Barnsley. And not all the reshuffles were enforced by injuries. Now, after a flurry of midweeks, we are moving into a run of just one game a week while the knocks and bumps are easing. It is time for the gaffer to pick his best side and stick to it.
After so much personnel churn in January we have only once had a glimpse of anything approaching what Gordon strachan thinks is his best side - against Barnsley - and since then the line-up has been in a state of disruptive flux. The players have barely got to know each other. Unless the team can find a settled line-up, shape, tempo and collective understanding the play-offs are a non-starter.
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Overall effort, work rate and performance was much improved over Tuesday but why on Earth did we sign Miller if he is to sit on the bench when Killen is out injured (the new Digard?).
Aliadiere is not an out and out striker, he has limited battling qualities and struggles to hold himself up let alone the ball. MacDonald I'm afraid doesn't do it for me (at least not yet anyway) but regardless of my opinion of him he clearly needs a big target man to play off.
Now all that is bad enough but to take Aliadierre off and then replace him with "Lie down Leroy" just left me aghast at the stupidity of it all. Since he has been at this club it is abundantly clear that the player he once was is not the player he is now, in fact he makes Alves look proficient in front of goal!
Putting on one of the most vertically challenged players in the league alongside a non scoring Aussie whose shorts are longer than his trousers must rank up there with some of Gareth's most bizarre thought processes. Where Gareth shocked and dumbfounded with his defensive tactics GSII has managed to usurp him up front.
The predictabilty that Lita wouldn't score and be at his petulant best was as predictable as Robson getting into bother with the Ref. Why is it the fans can see this, understand this and suffer this (Brad Jones then Hoyte at LB previously) whilst the experienced individual paid to do the very same appears either clueless or downright bloodyminded in his determination to prove he is an inspired genius (when in reality he looks totally lost, confused and at times incompetent).
Aliadiere (and Emnes, remember him?) is a wide man at best and thats all. Williams or Franks are better strikers than Lita purely because of their workrate and application. Granted Lita used to score goals a few years ago but I used to pull birds a few years back and like Leroy I couldn't score to save my life now!
We have just signed three strikers and still don't look like scoring. Tactically the team need to know what to do and where to be when the ball is up at the other end of the pitch and at the moment they either run out of ideas or pass it to death.
There are no knock downs or flicks to run onto because the current selections do not possess these abilities. Killen looks like he might (if he can get fit for more than two games on the trot) and Miller might if he gets a chance but at least he would give Central defenders something to occupy their minds.
"It was a problem breaking them down because they were strong and had two good centre-halves" according to GSII? I wonder why? I find it amazing that it needs pointing out but a forward line of Toulouse Lautrec's and the Diddy Men are never going to scrap and win in this League.
For all our sakes Gordon get a grip and start playing to our strengths, stop tinkering and play square pegs in square holes and play at least one big man up front. If you don't believe in putting big men up front then why push Wheats up in the last five minutes at Blackpool and even had Coyne upfield in the dying embers today if it offers no tactical advantage?
Grove Hill wallah is by far the best goal poacher on Teesside, often ghosting into position without anyone else knowing he is there. He has an eagle eye for goal, and he times his runs so well it is uncanny.
There are others in the squad who can go on a mazy run, slip their marker and burst into the box before sliding the ball past the advancing keeper. We can put in the odd looping header, poke one in from close range after a rebound from the keeper or strike the occasional snorter from outside the box. But GWh so consistently hits the back of the net that it is his name the virtual North Stand chants so loudly.
Any chance of the coaching staff inviting him into Hurworth to find out his secret? Because unless we can find a scoring touch as unerring as his, we won't be playing any games this season beyond the one against Leicester City.
Just watching the highlights on the football league show - I don't know what's worse our first half performance, the female commentator (dreadful) or Lita not playing to the whistle!! I would have got a "telling off" in school for that..... Yes school not professional football, basics play to the whistle.
Vic: Were you born and/or raised in Grove Hill?
There's a sickly, clawing, cyber-smell developing; a growing suspicion which, in the mind of at least one conspiracy theorist has just elevated the warning system from Postcon 3 to Postcon 2 ("con" being the emphatically active syllable)!
Still typical Boro, by the way! We're not seeing a lot to entice "the disappeared" back to the Riverside. January would appear to have been another false dawn. The Celtic augmentation hasn't produced the step-change necessary to effect the season turnaround we all hoped might happen.
Best to just "hunker down" for another season and more of the same. I reckon you're being optimistic with your 70 points target. I suspect we'd need 73 to nick 6th.
And that leaves us needing 8 wins (minimum) and 5 draws from the remaining matches. Nothing less will do.
Can anyone really see it being turned round to that extent?
We're living match to match wondering if we'll sneak a 1-0 or a 2-1, even against "so-called "lesser" clubs. In the circumstances, it really does stretch the imagination to breaking point to consider that we'll win 8 of our remaining matches and draw the other five (or win 9, draw 2 and lose only 2, etc, etc).
'Fraid not chaps! For me, the season's gone (again)!
The day we bring in a couple of players who can actually score for us will be the day that we can start looking forward to a better future on the pitch.
In the meantime, as Strachan is so keen on experimenting with his starting XI, he should put Wheater up front for a couple of games to see what he can do. Pogi can slot into his position alongside McManus.
He's as tall as a house, can pass the ball, heads the ball well and can shoot. Heck, what have we got to lose?
Well the earth still revolves around the sun and the laws of the universe still remain intact. AV I think your appraisal of the game is spot on. We never looked like scoring for the first ÃÅž of the match so in effect it was only one point dropped.
However I wouldnâÂÂt criticise the team for it. I thought we looked solid and they didnâÂÂt really cause us much trouble. I didnâÂÂt feel they put us under any period of concerted pressure like Blackpool did in the first half on Tuesday. McManus has been a very steadying presence and I thought Barry Robson was terrific, definite MOM performance.
The lack of a cutting edge is worrying, McDonald wonâÂÂt score if he has no service. A little confused why Miller didnâÂÂt come on, especially at the end when we had a lot of balls going into their box.
And then we come to Leroy Lita. On the plus side, he looked by far our most dangerous forward, he had a good shot saved and was unlucky when he burst into the box in the last minute not to pick out a blue shirt.
But on the negative side I think thatâÂÂs the last time we will see him play for the Boro. I donâÂÂt think Strachan will forgive him not keeping the pressure on them in their left back spot and then not fighting to win it back leading to their goal.
I have feeling Robson would have said something to him but Strachan wonâÂÂt accept it. One moment of poor team play from us lead to a good swift break and a cool finish for them.
Crumb of Comfort? Well if they are the third best team in this division then we are not far behind. Perhaps they just have a bit more about them. I think Strachan has done the hard work making us a better team and with resilience but the need for some creativity and pace in our midfield is imperative. Also with a crowd of 25,000 behind you does help. If we can start wining and getting a few more back to the Riverside it would be a huge advantage.
Play offs have now gone unless we can do something that we havenâÂÂt done all season and I donâÂÂt think we can.
And to all the fans at the game yesterday, another great turn out and support for the lads. Well Done.
Never mind , worse things happen at sea. Roll on season 2010/11.
**AV writes: Yes, I agree with that. We are not far short of the top teams in this division and that makes it all the more frustrating. The best teams in this division are just that... "teams". We are not quite there yet. I think to resolve the left hand flank issue and we need a settled side for three or four matches before we know what we are capable of - and by then it may be too late.
Can somebody,anybody explain to me why Arca is playing on the left of midfield in front of Franks or Bennett or Emnes - players who can actually run and possibly beat a man and get the ball into the box.Put some quality delivery into the 6 yard box from wide areas and we might score.Is this too complicated for Strachan?
**AV writes: I think it was about experience and ball retention rather than penetration because we were set out to get a goalless draw.
Adam Newton said:
YYEEESSSSS, get in there Forest 1 up. the jawdess aren't going up. Hahaha.
Maybe they won't go up, maybe they will... however, with 19 ... yes 19, different players hitting the net for the Toon this season... and with Nolan 11, Carroll 10, Lovenkrands 10 all in double figures.... they are giving it a real go!! 14 games left, 17 points needed and with only 4 defeats from 32 games played, no top half teams (except the Boro) to play away, undefeated at home (4 wins, 5 draws, 5 defeats will do it)... it's looking a distinct possibility.
As AV says above... it's about scoring goals, KEEPING your goalscorers and not conceding.
22 points and counting.... the difference between our two teams... wasn't it 1 point when Gareth sacked? 13 games left 26 points needed for play-offs.
.... happy days Adam!
Totally agree with you, AV. But perhaps we waited too much too soon. But let's enjoy the great finishing of Grove Hill wallah. In a joy to watch!
Strange I don't get as frustrated now as before. Perhaps we all start to see something evolving. Hope we start to win matches though - I agree with GS2 that we should still aim for promotion this season. So we need wins to reach the play-offs!
Perhaps we finally need to replace a certain Rochembach in our midfield? Adams from Blackpool or something - we must start to create chances more chances. And a left winger could do nice thank you, too!
And as Dormo said we could use Grove Hill wallah in training for our strikers, too.
Still there is a small chance for play-offs. So up the Boro!!!
AV
If anyone puts Arca anywhere for 'ball retention' they want their bumps feeling.
He did nothing - and I mean nothing - else yesterday than lose the ball in one way or another. Dreadful. But it still took until deep in the second half to give someone else a chance.
And, as you say, why was Miller benchwarming? Aliadiere was - well, what he is, has been and always will be - The (non-scoring) Femmer Frenchie again yesterday.
The only pressure Boro mounted was from set pieces. Wouldn't it have made sense - aside from providing the knock downs without which McDonald looks lost - to have had a forward who had some height, presence and heading ability in the side?
If Miller can't get in the side in the 'big lad up front' role in front of Jezza from the start or Lita as sub, is Strachan admitting he made a mistake?
It was frustrating for those of us watching yesterday - and doubtless for GON and Robson too - for Boro's industrious midfield to rob Forest of the ball, run it forward, look up and see nothing on ahead of them.
Often their only option was to run it on and try to bang it against a defender and win a corner to get the big lads at the back up.
If Strachan thinks that was 'smashing' - against a Forest team who were far from their best - then he risks getting into 'magnificent' territory!
Despite Strachan arguing to the contrary, I think it would be too soon for this team to go into the Premiership in August. There's much more work to be done on this new side, work that is best undertaken away from the Premiership. I don't think Killen, O'Neil, Pogatetz, Riggott, Lita or Aliadiere will be at Boro next year irrespective of which division we will be in.
We don't look capable of putting a winning run together. Would we have had a better chance of promotion through the playoffs with Southgate? Who knows. I think the long-term prospects of the team and club are more positive with Strachan in charge than they were under the last manager, however. A good pre-season in July with players who are not tired after international duty and the World Cup will do this team the power of good.
Bring back Tony McMahon and I will remove my 'heeby jeeby' curse.
We will get to the play-offs and we will be better placed than anyone to win it. Hopefully by then we might have some luck go our way.
I guess my intial prematch assessment was more or less played out yesterday - i.e. Boro were generally solid and unlikely to get thrashed and that the strikers were still searching for their shooting boots - plus Forest weren't playing that well and tended to edge their victories by a single goal.
The Boro fans expectations of making the play-offs has become akin to those watching a struggling one-day cricket team as they fail to make runs and watch the run-rate steadily climb as the overs disappear until it becomes mathematically impossible to reach the target.
OK it's not impossible but it's now highly unlikely that we'll have something to keep us interested as the season draws to an end - hopefully we'll at least see the team progress and give us something to be optimistic about next season.
Why do we still hear about Southgate? Do people not remember the shambles of a team we were all last season? This team needed tearing apart and we have to accept that. lets rebuild with a bit of Northern grit and get back into the premier league otherwise we would be straight back down with Southgates prima donnas.
As an aside, anyone out there who was raised in Beechwood or went to Stainsby Boys.
UTB
Well, its not a shame to lose at City ground. But its a shame to not even try. To command all the players back, with not even the slightest shred of attacking plan.
Ok, its no law agains playing dull football, big muscle, guys with grit and determination. Its just plain boring. But when you add to it a counscious plan of no-attack, it becomes embarassing. This wasnt Stamford Bridge or Old Trafford.
I have been the most bitter of Southgate-fans, and must admit gameplans like this more than brings it back. We all know we would have been fighting for second place with Gareth in charge, and even more important: We would have given a shot at playing with style and beauty.
20 points in 19 games, seriously..? The only reason we're in a decent distance to the playoffs is the points we got before Strachan came.
... And something else: why on earth are we dropping McMahon, one of the most dedicated in-form guys around, for a Naughton that obviously isnt any better? Because he has Premier league credentials? Sorry to say, but that is just sad. If thats the new strategy regarding local lads, our academy pride is soon history.
In response to an earlier poster. Necastle are probably the best team in the championship and are scoring lots of goals. Wolves did the same last season and look at them now.
Newcastle will need to spend big to survive next season if they are promoted. With their fan base they have a chance of staying up with the addition of a wealthy investor.
As for Boro. I said right from the start of this season we needed time out of the Premiership. My opinion has only strenghtened as the season and team changes have 'progressed'. Can anyone really see any sense in promotion this season?
We are not too far off being play-off material, but a million miles from being a premiership team.
AV, we still have a chance for play-off. If Cardiff get 10 point deduction and we overtake Blackpool. Then it's Forest next (or the Baggies)...
We are playing like a team who is scared to lose and at the same time scared to win. Yesterday we tried to retain posession for too long. Teams get behind the ball deep so you cant go through them,so you some how have to draw them out then hit long into space. Aliaidiare and Emnes would thrive on this.
Mcdonald in the middle should be our box man,4.3.3 is the way to go in this division, forget trying the pure passing game. It's horses for courses,plus the playing surfaces are diabolical
Richard
I must admit I tend to agree about the conspiracy. When I first floated the idea of Vic being GHW's love child I thought maybe I was being a bit unfair. Reminds you of ducks.
AV
I appreciate your comments about Arca. In theory, he should help control possession but he was shocking yesterday. Because he wastes and/or loses possession the rest of his game comes under greater scrutiny.
Boat had a similar problem towards the end of his time here. As his athletic powers waned his poor distribution became more evident and problematical.
**AV writes: He is so slooooooooow. He shuffles along and does that little pirouette and that gives the opposition time to either close him down and force a mistake or get back to cut out the quick pass. I'd have gone with Franks but I think the gaffer wanted experience and a bit more niggle.
As for Grove Hill Wallah, there is no sinister shennanigans afoot but I admit I am stumped as to how he does it. Other more cynical glory hunters appear at the 85 mark and start peppering the box with speculaltive multiple efforts that either fall short or blaze over the bar but he just appears in the box, bang on time and wallop! It's uncanny. You can't coach that.
We seem to be suffering from a mind set (I am just as guilty) that the play offs will be possible if we can put together a decent run. However do we really think this team is capable of winning a two legged semi final, and a one off final at Wembley?
When you consider the likely contenders that we would face it seems highly unlikely. Perhaps this season will have to be one of financial consolidation.I am just watching Downing putting Burnley to the sword. Do we really want to see that next season? I would rather achieve promotion with a team that would have some chance of survival, than just be cannon fodder for the big boys.
Defcon 3.
To all you aspiring strikers, POMO.
I've done a run-in prediction for the top ten. We have 13 games remaining, seven at home and six away. Of these two of our home games are against top 10 opposition (Newcastle and Coventry) and three of our six away games are against top 10 teams (Cardiff, WBA and leicester).
Teams from third to tenth have on average five games against top 10 opposition. Critically, Leicester have to play Cardiff home and away and have to play Forest, WBA, Coventry and us on the last day of the season.
Cardiff must play Leicester home and away, Forest, Swansea and Sheff U and have I think the hardest run-in but they are five points ahead of us and are almost certain to get into the play offs.
Sheff U play Cardiff and Newcastle away and face Blackpool, Coventry and Swansea at home. Blackpool face WBA, Sheff U and Newcastle away
and Swansea and Forest at home.
What im trying to say is that we have an easier run-in than the rest and I think we will make it (there is a sequence of games were I have us winning five on the bounce, reasons to be cheerful eh!). Anyway predictions as early and as pointless they are, are below:
QPR (H) Win
CARD (A) Loss
NEWC (H) Draw
DERBY (A) Win
READ (H) Win
PRES (H) Win
WATF (A) Win
C PAL (H) Win
PLYM (A) Draw
S WEDS (H) Win
WBA (A) Loss
COV (H) Win
LEICS (A) Draw
8 Wins
3 Draws
2 Losses
For what its worth this is my final top 10
1 WBA 101
2 NEWCASTLE 99
3 FOREST 89
4 CARDIFF 82
5 SWANSEA 79
6 BORO 71
7 LEICESTER 68
8 BLACKPOOL 69
9 SHEFF UTD 68
10 COVENTRY 64
Optimistic and Rose Tinted :)
Despite wanting us to do well in both away matches a team in such transition as ours will have the results we had this week.
Hard to take, but we are short of two or three players to make the team effective and consistent. I still feel McDonald once we build our attacking play around him, will score goals.
We seem not to see him as the focal point of our attacking intent. Similarly we lack composure in front of goal and this has been a long standing problem over the last two seasons.
We are back to one game a week, let us have a core team for the next three matches, injuries notwithstanding and persevere until we know for certain that the play offs are beyond our reach.
In fairness we are making progress at the back of the team, we are more solid and difficult to play against. The next stage is to score goals regularly, something akin to climbing Everest without ropes and oxygen!!
For those moaning about McMahon not playing and wondering why he was dropped. He's injured.
Hasn't McMahon got a broken foot?
Unfortunately, I fear for McDonald. Wasn't a success down south before and the longer he goes without a goal, the worse he will get.
I wish I could sound optimistic and i pray we end up in the playoffs but at the moment we dont look like a premiership side. I hope I am wrong, Come on Boro.
Anlov ~ McMahon has a hairline fracture I think. Been playing with the injury for ages but Strachan noticed something wasn't quite right with his crossing etc. He's now in a cast but what a big heart that lad has, eh?
AV
I agree with your comments about Arca which is why I christened him the Argentinian Land Crab.
You also mention him providing niggle but he has to get close enough to the other side to apply it. The only people he succeeds in niggling are the long suffering Parmo Army.
He is good at making late runs but thats only because he is so slow he arrives for the previous pass but is still too late
I dread to think how long we have been debating the same issues over Julio. It isnt personal because I have never seen him hide or not give 100% nor have I ever criticised his work ethic. He is just in a parallel universe, a bit like a Reliant Robin in the Le Mans 24 hrs.
Yes, McMahon is injured, but that wasnt the point. Which was the possible complete loss of focus and belief in local lads and youngsters.
Being hinted at by the loan of Naughton.
Red Indian said "I fear for McDonald. Wasn't a success down south before"
If you keep going South, in fact all the way to Captain Cooks cottage (and I don't mean Great Ayton) you will find that he isn't a success there either. Something like 15 games for the Socceroos and yet to find the back of the net!
Clearly Mogga didn't rate him and kept giving him the hook and I think we are starting to see why. If GSII doesn't sort out his attack and very soon the only way Scott will see South Africa this summer is on the telly.
Ian ~ "8 Wins, 3 Draws & 2 Losses"
The most we can realistically expect is 2 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses IMHO. That will be sufficient to secure mid-table obscurity in a league riddled with dire teams. That is our true level with our current squad bereft as it is of goal scoring talents and a lack of creativity sufficient to break down the opposition.
My oh my, our fall from grace has been monumental but at least we remain solvent. A small mercy because in all honesty, Steve Gibson was always going to secure our future despite making some major financial howlers along the way.
I have been a fan of Strachan but the honeymoon is over for me. His overall methodology is sound but he has made some major and completely avoidable mistakes by leaving us extremely short in midfield and constantly and infuriatingly making unforced changes to our starting XI.
Add to that playing players of Arca's standard ahead of much better, albeit lesser experienced players and purchasing more forwards rather than that rare breed of striker we haven't had in our squad since the days of McClaren and we have serious failings at management level that must be addressed. He's got these things wrong and he must be man enough to admit it and do better.
Notwithstanding a ludicrously long injury list, we must start fielding a settled starting XI and find a way to break down teams and stick the bleedin' ball in the back of the net.
And if he's going to make daft changes, he may as well stick Wheater up front. Now that is an experiment worth trying. What have we got to lose?
Whatever Ian is on, at 4.39pm, can I have a double please?
As a side issue, when did we (as he predicts, or maybe hopes) win five games on the trot?
The Lone Ranger needed for play offs. (Tonto would help better)
After 2 defeats and no goals. the task is becoming harder still. Swansea have now opened the gap between us and still have a game in hand. So now only 2 places to play for and both have 2 games in hand.
Sorry folks but cant see it happening. Oh and the report says many missed chances for the BORO again in the latter stages of the game. That is no longer unlucky. It is bad finishing. McDonald to get the goals (mmmmmmmm) I wonder I have said what I think of him, only to be shot down by many on this web.
Coments I have made in earlier threads bring us back to the striker problem. They cant all turn bad after coming here. There must be something else wrong.
As said earlier, a lack of service, a lack of qualified striker coaching.
As for the playoffs we should stop thinking about it. One win at a time. We were underdogs away to Blackpool and Forest, yes underdogs! Hard to take isnt it? But true... higher or same in league, and with far superior home form.
Yes i think we may be better off at this stage to stay in this league and one or two may leave this year and we may have one new signing next year, Bates.
Dave Connor
Late chances to win the game? A few scrambles in a packed area with the likelihood that they would be blocked is the truth of the matter.
We had nothing like the chance Earnshaw poked over the top or the one Cohen scored. I looked at the highlights on BBC and they were a fair reflection of the game.
McDonald will never score goals the way we are playing because we dont get near the box and launching long balls to the likes of Lita, Aliadiere and McD will get us nowhere.
I hate to bleat on but we are so pedestrian down the left. Pogi is not an overlapping fullback with a burst of pace. He is not going to go on surging runs and fire in crosses for strikers to attack.
He will cope with the likes of Downing or Johnno in front of him who can attack defenders. With ALC in front of him we just grind to a halt and the opposition can flood, nay amble, nay stroll, back into position.
That pairing will get nowhere near the byeline and will provide no width, pace or attacking threat. That frees up the opposition to crowd out the rest of midfield and isolate the, er, 'strikers'.
A well organised team will snuff us out as surely as when they double marked Johnno and before him Downing. We would be better off playing Bennett on the left of midfield or Franks as part of 442/433.
The other thing is that we do need some physical presence up front so if no Killen play Miller.
Following our earlier discussions concerning Arca's speed etc I did a little bit of research on the Argentinian Land Crab and the following proved illuminating.
'Chasmagnathus granulatus is an estuarine crab which actively moves from subtidal to supratidal areas. To elucidate the possible existence of extrabranchial sites for aerial gas exchange, we measured respiratory and acid-base variables in animals with and without branchial water (controls and experimental crabs, respectively) during air exposure.
An histological study of the branchiostegite was also performed. Throughout 4 h of emergence C. granulatus did not suffer venous hypoxia, even without branchial water. The rate of oxygen uptake (MO2) was similar in both groups. The rate of carbon dioxide excretion (MCO2) and the gas exchange ratio (R) significantly decreased during emergence in both groups, with R significantly lower for experimental crabs. Consequently, CO2 was accumulated in the hemolymph.
This variable stabilized after 90 min in control animals, but experimental crabs continued accumulating CO2. Histological study of the branchiostegites demonstrated the presence of an attenuated and greatly perfused epithelium facing the branchial chamber lumen, with a shortest diffusion distance of 0.5 ÃÅm. Simple folds and lobulated projections increase the respiratory surface area. These results suggest that C. granulatus is a bimodal breathing crab, active both in water and air. When emerged, this species extract oxygen directly from air through branchiostegal lungs, but relies on branchial exchange to eliminate carbon dioxide.'
If he is accumulating CO2 this must be affecting his performances and slowing him down. His best position is clearly at low water mark on South Gare. Clearly a case of square pegging again, when will it stop?
For goodness sake, please, please, please stop talking about making the play offs. It aint going to happen this season.
Results over the last six months prove the club is where it deserves to be. It reminds me of how some supporters were in the premiership days.. 'Oh, we should beat Wigan and Bolton and Blackburn and WBA, etc etc etc,'exactly the same sort of thing those supporters would say about us.
Like it or not, Boro's had its day in the sun, and now faces a long haul to try and get back, no different to similar size clubs like Southampton, Charlton, Norwich, Sheff Wed etc etc etc.In fact, stats show that charlton apart, those clubs have at least retained their support, unlike Boro.
The project/model worked for a number of years and at its best it was great and almost fantastic.But its gone now just like this season in term of getting back. With hindsight we all know the club made mistakes following Eindhoven, not least the appointment of third choice "world class" manager Gareth Southgate, before (and to late) making him the scapegoat/ sacrificial lamb.
On a positive note, at least the club won't ever go back to having to play the likes of Tranmere Rovers on a freezing snow swept night at Ayresome Park in front of less than 7000,(I hope) and thank you Steve Gibson for that.
Anyway, by tomorrow, I'll be feeling a bit more positive again and hope upon hope that we might go on an amazing run for the rest of the season culminating in victory at Wembley. Blimey, isn't fantasy a wonderful thing (except when it turns to distress).
Oh yes, a little sense of pride yesterday watching Stewie Downing play so well. Roll on South Africa.
Brian Hewitson.
I want the jawdees to lose more than I want da Boro to go up coz I hate 'em.
Thanks Ian Gill I was only reading from reports that said that. Thanks for the further insight to what it really was like.
Anyway only 2.5 weeks away from coming home, so are you up for a pint with a few of us? I dont actually know which ones live in the BORO and which ones travel. but it would be nice to see the face behind the writing.
I could get the back room at my local when I am back. The Green Tree behind the bus station. Anyway let me know also anybody else who would like to join us. Also Borobetty can you get a few of the girls together, hope to see a group of you soon
All the best
WOW Ian I am glad we never mentioned the BONGO after a write up like that ah ah
Right then. Dust has settled, and is now covered in snow so we can move on. And the best way to do this is to finally accept defeat in the race for the play offs. By the way as I have mentioned before getting in the play offs really isnâÂÂt a success. You have to win them.
While defeat on Saturday was personally traumatic, the defeat at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday I think was the big problem. A point whilst always welcome would have given the added bonus of Blackpool not wining and we would still be above them. Now not only have we got to win an obscene amount of games (well for us anyway) we now need other teams to start to wobble, and wobble badly.
1. Toon
2. Baggies
3. ........
4. Cardiff Swansea v Cardiff play off games played at 7am on a Wednesday behind closed doors, in Sunderland, just to be safe
5. Swansea
6. Blackpool â Play off winners (possible?)
7.Sheff Utd -TevezâÂÂs fault
8. Boro â build for next year. Can we fix it?
9. Leicester â overachieved
Ian Gill's tactical assessment above is bang on. If on one side of the pitch you have a defensive full back with a snail in front of him basically you cant attack down that side. No pace = no penetration on the flanks = no decent crosses into the box = no chances created for your forwards.
Personally I think the play offs are extremely unlikely but one thing is for sure if you don't set out to take calculated risks to win rather than being obsessed with being hard to beat then its impossible because wins not draws are imperative.
That means either playing attacking full backs or wide midfielders to get behind the opposition and provide service with quality crosses.
The lack of a settled side and a goalscorer is costing us dear.
Dave Connor
Sadly I live too far away for a convivial drink, Derby is my place of residence nowadays.
As for land crabs, many moons ago we had the choice of Mike Kear or Alan Hinton and took Mike Kear.
It is of little consolation that is reported the Cuban Land Crab can run faster than a horse. Sadly we got Argentinian version, Chasmagnathus Granulatus, that suffers from a build up of CO2 when away from water. That is why it is useless away from the Riverside.
Maybe he shouldnt take part in any pre match build up and should come straight from the Tees before kick off.
Adam Newton said:
I want the jawdees to lose more than I want da Boro to go up coz I hate 'em.
Adam, sunshine, this is my last post in response to your idiotic comments....
You are, obviously, not a Boro supporter and why you post on here is beyond my comprehension. If you were a true red you would want Boro to win more than anything else and would view the 'jawdees' being defeated as simply an amusing side show.
I love Newcastle, but certainly don't hate The Boro. I want all NE teams to do well... just not as well as the Toon!
I can't get my head around any football fan stating that they would rather see a local rival fail, than their own team succeed.... sad... so, so, sad.
How can people be making judgements on the new players after a only few games ? The rubbish talked about McDonald is the best illustration of this. He's been here a few weeks, he joined with an injury and he's missed a penalty - big deal !!!
He's a good player, professional in his approach, committed and a proven goal scorer. He will definitely score goals.
I'm amazed that supposedly knowledgeable fans focus on McDonald who has been here about four weeks and ignore the fact that Aliadiare is playing and he has scored about three goals in 14 years.
I am baffled by the inclusion of Aliadiare - I put it down to giving the car a scrub and polish before you sell it. What the hell are you playing at Gordon ? Hopefully Killen/Miller will be used next week.
It's not a coincidence that we have had two defeats on crap pitches. You need the luck of the bounce on uneven pitches and we haven't had it.
Heeby Jeeby curse has been removed now that I realise that Tony Mac is injured not dropped.
BRING BACK McMAHON ! Even with a broken foot he's great.
I follow the points made by Ian and Stockton Red about the current set out and what to do about it pending the right loaners coming in (when? if?!) and return to fitness of Rhys Williams.
If we go 4-3-3 with a narrow midfield three of Willo and Robbo either side of GON and with Big Mick and The Redcar Rock looking more secure as a partnership you can then let the full backs bomb on, make the width and provide the crosses.
That was what made Naughton's name at The Blades and got him the move to Spurs. He seems to have been told not to cross the half way line since coming to Boro.
On the other side, 'bombing on and getting crosses in' isn't Pogi - whatever his strengths. The best alternative - and the one used to and successful in the role from Young England is Joe Bennett.
Up front you can have Killen and Ronald and perm one from a few. Jon Franks is in pole position currently and can play on the left of a three, naturally, as he's shown recently. But Lita, M&S and The Femmer Frenchie all have experience in playing either side in a front three with previous clubs.
Miller can back up Killen from the bench.
At least this makes a virtue of a current necessity.
It has been interesting to read all the comments about the permutations for reaching the play offs as if "the play offs" are promotion.
When I posted after last years debacle to say,sell our money men, consolidate with our kids for a push the season after, I had little idea that Gareth would be replaced by a Scot bringing in cart loads of Scottish rubbish. Because of contracts we are now stuck with them.
Our push should be to develop local strikers, a priority for Parnaby. Apart from Stewie and Johnno we have had a glut of defenders coming through. We can't score goals, regardless of who we bring in. When I watch other teams with big and brawny strikers who run like whippets and hit the ball at 100 mph, I wonder where have we gone wrong. Every team we play are able to break with awareness and speed. We don't have that skill.
My original suggestion still holds true. I bet lamb and Gibbo are already working on a replacement for Strachan. Lets hope his contract includes "no promotion no job"
So forget about the playoffs. If we are up there and playing against Forrest, Pool, Cardiff or Leicester - no chance.
By the way my first game at Ayrsome Park was in Sepember 1947 !!!
John Powls tactical nous above makes a lot of sense.
Unfortunately I can just see GS2 reading this and thinking, right lets have three at the back with Pogi, Mac and Wheats then Arca, Flood and Robson in the middle with Hoyte up front wide left, MacDonald in the middle and Lita wide right then I can put Brad central midfield and GON in goal. That'll teach em.
Tactics, simple, hoof it up the middle to the three giant strikers (he, he). Brilliant it'll have that Vickers bloke inundated next week!
We keep talking about loan players coming in, but is it just me that doesn't think for one minute we are actually going to sign anyone else? I think we are stuck with what we have now.
We need to be realistic here and analysing the detail is missing the point I think.
Who should play where and who is the best striker is largely irrelevant. We now have a squad which can compete with the best in the Championship, except for the final part of putting the ball in the net. That will come either when all the new players have gelled together, or when all the players are fit.
The problem we face is that the middle portion of the season was a disaster when we had a long period of relegation form. To recover from that and be promoted would be close to a miracle.
I hope we can achieve that miracle, I'm allowed to hope that's what supporters do. Realistically with thirteen games left we cant afford to loose any, which is possible but unlikely, then we'd have to win the play offs, no small task in itself.
We are in this position because rightly or wrongly the Chairman decided to change his manager mid-season, at that point we effectively resigned ourselves as a club to at least two seasons in the championship.
Since that point Strachan has been trying to build a new team, something best left to the close season. To rebuild a team and hit promotion form (at leasdt two points per game) is an almighty ask.
Personally I hope we make the play offs, but my expectation is that we'll be in the Championship next season but again hopefully with a squad capable of being the best in the division.
I see former Boro target Ben Watson has gone on loan to West Brom. Were we sulking over him snubbing us, and therefore decided not to renew our interest in him?
This inactivity in the loan market is an indication that the club is focusing on the summer transfer window. When there are plenty of players available as clubs try to trim their wage bills, our dithering just confirms my suspicions that this season has been written off.
Thirteen games in, team full of 'rubbish' players, one point off the top.
Thirteen games left, a new breed of 'committed professionals' and a mountain to climb.
Gareth Southgate must be a genius!
Two things were decided this weekend. The Geordies are certainly going up, good luck to them. They will have to find an awful lot of cash to strengthen and put up a decent show in the Premiership.
The other deciding factor this weekend was that Boro will not make the playoffs. However, I am optimistic that with Strachan at the helm, we can regroup in the summer, get everyone fit and ready for a real challenge on a top 6 spot. Why, I'm almost feeling positive!
Dear all,
I have taken to GS2 because he appears to have a long term, coherent, and realistic plan. We are all bound to get upset if the season fizzles out and we have nothing to play for - it just means that it might not be a particularly exciting season and that is frustrating.
However, it is possible to get excited about the long term future and the new team that is being built. Look at the long march of Man City - 'the blackest part of the night must come before the dawn'.
And I really believe now, more than I have at any point this season, that we have a new dawn and a philosophy that I can buy into. It's even a thrill to have players that bust a gut and look like they really care. Barry Robson seems pained at all times, Flood as though he were actually on a battlefield. We haven't had many of those for a while. So let's give them a chance to settle in and let's as a club stand a part from the ludicrously ephemeral world of football.
The meek may one day inherit the earth or at least a place in the Premiership.
Any news on possible loan signings AV? It's all gone a bit quite. Nowhere in the googlesphere can I find any link between Middlesbrough - loan - signing - transfer; no matter what combination I use.
p.s
I am beginning to miss Tony Catalyst Black. Perhaps he will reappear like Nick Cotton or Terry Duckworth and ruffle a few feathers with his diatribes. Or is he simply a glory-blogger of those halcyon Premiership days?
**AV writes: I think when Southgate got the bullet he quietly faded into the background with a satisfied smile and a heartfelt "my work here is done."
For a closing scenario to the question of Mr Southgate departure.
I for one was not happy that the BORO had gone on a downward spiral since he was appointed manager. He played people out of position, played wrong formations, he did not appear to have any tactical nous, even though he had been an england stalwart for years, our defense was a mess and yet this was his own position of play. I called for his head on numerous occassions.
However, the timing of his deaprture was very strange to say the least, maybe the win at home to Derby could have been the turning point for our home form. We were in an healthy position in the league.
Then he went and in come Mr Strachan. The club then went downover at an alarming speed, and the change of players and a little respite to the poor displays under him, gave us a glimmer of hope. I am sorry I do not go along with this "we are consolidating" "we are going to be better next season" We had the platform when he joined us to do better, and sadly that has not happened.
The other two teams who came down with us. Newcastle and WBA - are they "consolidating?" " going to be better next season?" NO they are not. They are going all out for promotion this season, the same as the BORO should have been doing.
I am sorry to all of you commentors but my own opinion, IT IS NOT MOANING, IT IS BEING POSITIVE AND REALISTIC. The BORO have gone backover since Mr Strachan arrived. How anyone can say we have gone forward beggers disbilief.
I am sorry but that is the way I feel at present, if it changes I will hold my hands up and say I was wrong, but somehow I dont think that is going to happen. Saturday against QPR is an evening bigger game now, because anything less than a win and the season is over alltogether.
McReevalinho and JP ~ Both absolutely spot on.
The short term suffering we have been forced to live with through a mid-season change of gargantuan proportions, coupled with the setting of a very clear vision and long~term objectives that will undoubtedly pay dividends in seasons to come have mixed emotions for us all.
I think we just have to come to terms with the former and look to buy into Strachan's philosophy that I am certain will start to reap rewards for us all long after the dust has settled on a 2009/10 season of major change and consolidation.
And doing this on a shoestring budget will be no mean feat. It's honest and it's realistic; it's what our small town needs.
We are half way there with a squad that plays with steel, heart and determination along with an aversion for losing games.
I can't remember having a team full of players with those kinds of positive traits. In fact, it's been a very long time. I am certain that when Strachan's squad finally clicks in front of goal, adding a creative midfield player or two to the mix during the close season and strengthening elsewhere, we will have a team which we can all be very proud of.
Come next season, we will be in a position to make a sustained and concerted challenge for promotion to the upper echelons of English footy.
We should also be very thankful for the financial prudence shown by Steve Gibson that while painful has been very necessary. Coupled with Strachan's efforts, these are long term aims that will serve us well.
There are so many clubs teetering on the abyss at the moment, I am so grateful that we have a local owner and a true fan who will never let us go down the routes that clubs like Portsmouth, Crystal Palace, Cardiff et al have gone down.
And they are the tip of the iceberg. I fear there are a lot more clubs that we will be hearing about in the coming months and years that will disappear off the footy map permanently.
The current financial model is simply unsustainable and you know it's bad when the scousers and mancs decide to join forces to protest against foreign ownership.
For statistic purpose
Southgate P13 W 7 L2 D4 POINTS 23
Strachan P20 W 5 L9 D6 POINTS 21
If that is progress, the only progress made was bringing in players to sort out the downward spiral he had caused himself. Sorry but the proof of the pudding as they say. I am not defending Southgate but what I am saying is that Strachan is no better.
What logic suggests that if we don't go up this year it will be easier next?
Assuming promotion goes to NU/Albion/Forest/ or Swansea, are we confident we can suddenly overcome the relegees (eg Portsmouth/ Bolton/ Hull/ even Sunderland) and the current crop such as Cardiff/maybe Swansea ( who totally outplayed Newcastle last week), Leicester/ Blackpool and a resurgent Leeds?
Not with the current collection of cast offs. Prepare for at least three seasons in this company. It took Sheffield Utd ten years when they dropped out of the old Div 1 to get back.
John aus
Andew McSmog:
"Thirteen games in, team full of 'rubbish' players, one point off the top.
Thirteen games left, a new breed of 'committed professionals' and a mountain to climb. Gareth Southgate must be a genius! "
It was that sort of deluded snapshot analysis that after fluking a 1-2 victory at Aston Villa led Gareth to say "We should be aspiring to a Champions League position ......."
That thud was my !*@! falling off.
Todays Gazette:
Boro close in on loan target with view to real deal in the summer.
Clue: He's Scottish.
AV
In order of Scottishness:-
Adam
Wallace
Boyd
**AV writes: Hmmmmmm. Not bad.
Any of the relegated teams that come down next year will struggle like we have, particularly if it is Hull, Bolton, Wolves, Wigan, Burnley, Portsmouth. They will all have the same problems we had, if not worse.
Cardiff are practically bankrupt. Swansea, Leicester, Blackpool will find it hard to repeat what they have done this year on limited budgets. Leeds are srtuggling to even get promoted.
I'd fancy our chances to go up next season, providing we made some good additions to the squad.
Glad my reverse psychology about a loan signing seems to have worked!
Mmm, I think the clue to the loan player's identity maybe in the phrase 'real deal' - is it McRonaldo?
Paul Hartley from Bristol City? Strachan had him at Celtic.
Probably more likely to be Gavin Strachan.
Boro sign Boyd.
Not Kris, but George Boyd of Peterborough. This guy I like.
Moved from Stevenage Borough, to Peterborough and now to Middlesbrough. We have done well to beat Radcliffe Boro to his signature.
"why you post on here is beyond my comprehension."
ditoe, mr jawdee boy
Scottish signing.
Sean Connerey...
Gentlemen, we shail into the Play Offshs.
SmogOnTheTyne,
If we don't get Boyd then maybe we'll make a bid for Torres - though that's Sergio Torres also of Peterborough.
IâÂÂve got a funny feeling George has got a âÂÂBoro âÂÂtil I dieâ tattoo somewhere on his Scottish body (Born in Chatham, Kent). As his career progressed and he was lured away from Stevenage, his options were severely restricted if he didnâÂÂt want to appear a âÂÂLion JudasâÂÂ. So he went to Peterborough before Middlesbrough just to keep the tattoo up to date.
Is it possible now for the Boro to field an entire Scottish XI (Born in, Played in, played for)? Obviously in goal would be Brad Jones, keeping the fine standard of Scottish Goalkeeping alive.
Several other sources now say 'Boyd' - with a possible addition of (not Scottish, but Celtic/Greek and too much of a 'fanny merchant' for Strachs) Koumas later.
I like Boyd. Right age. Big lad with good feet, can see a pass, beat a man and get a goal. Natural leader. It's also good to see a lad who was let go by a bigger club in his younger days making it via the lower leagues.
The only downside is he's played over 150 games, back to back, for Posh - a club record. That makes him a certainty for an immediate Crockliffing and out for weeks!
Werdermouth said
"If we don't get Boyd then maybe we'll make a bid for Torres - though that's Sergio Torres also of Peterborough. "
Sergio Torres sounds like a name Champ Manager would make up, mixing Sergio Ramos with Fernando Torres. My personal favourite was Nwankwu Kuntz.
However yet again this is an example of Art imitating life as Goal Keeper Andy Dibble was in fact a by product of a Comic Strip/cartoonists rather limited imagination rehashing Andy Capp with Officer Dibble from Top Cat.
**AV writes: Any more Boro players as cartoon amalgams? I always think Marvin Emnes... teenage detective! Would be a good Nickelodeon series. Or Paul Inch the motor mouth miniture midfield maestro as a Beano comic strip.
I think a few people may be forgetting that if, and it's a big if, we do make the play offs, we then have to do the following:
1) Win against a top six club (either home or away)
2) Do the same again in a one-off game at a neutral venue
So, potentially needing to win two, maybe three games on the trot (if you count the semi final both legs) to win through. When was the last time any we did any of these things? Have we actually beaten a team in one of the Top six positions this season?
If not, that tells enough of a story, and this in a division where we're supposed to be one of those top six clubs! Brom and Forest are hardly Man Utd and Chelsea are they?
I've got my fingers crossed for a spectacular 10-game winning streak propelling us comfortably into the play off positions. Can somebody call me a orthopedic surgeon in a couple of months when they're still crossed?
Remington Steele.
"The Case of the Missing Goalkeeper"
Bruno Pilates - a cartoon bulldog who uses yoga techniques to battle crime?
Will O'Flood sounds like an Irish met man
Wrong Boyd for me but I doubt I will get the other one any way.
If he is so good why are they letting him go when their status in this league is threatened. No money or new manager doesnt rate him. Sorry I might be way off the mark here but dont know the lad.
**AV writes: They know they are down and are cashing in now while there is a ready buyer. In six month stime they may not get the same price.
How about Arca as Vincent van Gopher from Deputy Dawg (What happened! What happened! or Which way did he go Muskie?).
Maybe Gate as Eeyore.
I will settle for Boyd instead of the Land Crab but part of it is based on the sentiment 'can he run?'
Jeremie Aladdiniere.
A Thousand and One Goalless Minutes.
(note to self, get back to work)
There was also that injury prone Boro striker who was allergic to the penalty area and gave up football to try and become a golfer who could play off scratch - Alan Boxitch...
I don't know about cartoon characters but I reckon Phil STAMP and Jonathan FRANKS should run a little comedy post office.
And Doriva was a great name for a small, versatile delivery van.
Report from Scotland indicate that Rangers and Scotland international goalkeeper Allan Mcgregor will be sold in the summer
Get your pen ready Gordon..now what positions are left that could be filled by Scots !
Whilst browsing the Peterborough FC web site, (like you do) I came across the wonderfully named Exodus Geohaghon. Maybe he can lead us to the promised land of the Premiership?
AV
re Tim from South Arfica, so in six month stime they would be stymied?
Dave Connor
We would have been in the top three if Gate stayed if we played Scunnie and Donnie every week. Sadly the mean fixture computer made us play West Brom, Leicester and Watford as well. Bugger!
The tragedy is we had to sell Johnno to buy players to help stiffen the team. If that stiffening had been done in August we may well have been in a better position.
That is August 2008 by the way.
During a previous post a few weeks ago I recommended George Boyd would be a great buy from Peterborough. Seems someone is listening! lol
He is always the best player on the pitch whenever I see POSH (which isn't that often). I just hope it happens.
Boro Academy midfielder Ryan Brobbel has been included in the Northern Ireland Under-17 squad to play friendly games with Norway in Ballymoney on March 2 and 4.
Blooming Heck AV, are the club jumping on your mixed names theme?
David Connor
We can all quote statistics, 78% of people know that.
When GS was in charge we only played four of the current teams that are now above us. Sheff U for an abysmal home draw, We won at Swansea when they were really struggling to adapt to their new managers style and WBA at home, and lost at home to Leicester. The less said about that the better.
We were only 1 pt off the top but regulars at the Riverside suspected that this was a false position and that the wheels would come off at any time.
We are a better team now than we were when Southgate was in charge.
MY biggest gripe about Strachan is his constant changing of the team. The quicker he sticks to his best eleven (injuries and suspensions aside) the quicker will will start toi win games and climb the table.
C'Mon Boro!
Looking forward to Saturday. It is literally last chance saloon scenario. We cannot afford any more lazy draws or defeats be they comprehensive or against the run of play or we played well and deserved something. We need wins and nothing less will do, a do or die attitude.
What does this mean? Well simply it means that MacDonald has to start scoring. It means we have to be an attacking threat, it means we have to go all out to destroy the opposition, no longer can we afford to sit back and look to break teams down. To do this means a massive shift in tactics and mindset. To achieve it requires ruthless selection or more appropriately perhaps de-selection!
The team that takes to the Riverside pitch on Saturday has to unite not only themselves but the twelve or thirteen thousand or so who have stayed loyal through the bleak midwinter and beyond.
Any player who has a predisposition to switch off mentally or who ambles around putting in effort but with never any end product or worse still shows an amazing innate ability for tantrum throwing and showing a complete disregard to the likely outcome of their personal drama to the detriment of the greater good had better be prepared for zero tolerance from the beleagured 13,000 (or circa 18,500 using the MFC exchange rate).
With that in mind GS2 must ensure his tactics are positive and connected from the off. Robson must learn to mature despite his years, Arca has to stop shuffling sideways into the middle and consequent predictable dispossession followed by the customary free kick giveaway 20 yards out. Lita must prove he is a class striker with an unprecedented level of selfless running and goals to boot.
As stated above MacDonald simply has to score we have no more time left to hope for promise yet to come. A pacy left footed left back must play LB. Aliadiere or Emnes are wing men full stop, not strikers. Killen or Miller must play from the off. We need to see crosses flying in be they from Flood, Naughton, Franks or Bennett (or Aliadiere or Emnes for that matter). GON has to be fit and if not then we can't afford passengers and if he does play then he is banned from free kicks!
By default that leaves Wheats, Mick and Danny "as is". No more tinkering, no more "bedding in" and no more "one half" performances. Now is the time to unite the Riverside, the alternative of carrying on with more of the predictable individual displays allied to tactical frustrations will not be tolerated.
That's it - ã10 on Macdonald to get a hat-trick.
I nodded off and had weird dream where I was selling safety helmets at Ibrox but the game being played was QPR vs Boro. SuperMac scored 3 and Bob Mortimer scored a 4th.
The only valid interpretation is - stick a tenner on the Aussie. Thank you in advance God.
Our play~off chances have taken a huge battering with Leicester's win tonight.
Unnecessary experimentation with the starting XI has and will continue to prevent us from going on the Son of the Mother of all winning runs, something which we ultimately need to do if we are to perform an incredible miracle and grab that final play~off berth.
My towel's still in my right hand and my arm has reached backwards in preparedness for throwing it into the ring and it's starting to bloody ache now.
I think I can hold out until Sat'di when I hope the towel can return to my side when we beat Rangers and Preston take all three points against Cardiff, while Barnsley and Plymouth also pull off small miracles.
Leicester prove that if you string some wins together you can get right back up there in the mix.
Somehow, some way we have to start finding the back of the net and that will start when Strachan removes the shackles from the lads and allows them to be more adventurous, even if it means shipping a goal or two. I'd rather see my fighter lose after fighting back bravely only to lose on a split decision.
C'mon Rocky, you can do this!
Neil in Canada:
Rocky (not the Canadian ones) was sold before the start of last season. That's partly why Boro were rocky last season and this. Whatdy'a racoon Neil?
I fancy Boro for the three points on Saturday. Regrettably (?) a warmer climate (an anagram of Neil, by coincidence) beckons this weekend and I can't make it. So it's likely to be a nailed-on belter from a Boro perspective!
Good luck lads!
Sick as a parrot. Be careful my friend you actually agreed with me on something ah ah.
Well Leicester won of of their games in hand, bad news for BORO, because all we could ever hope for was the teams above us to drop points and we kept winning ours. Sorry folks but the season is gradually slipping away.
You can talk about the teams we beat during Southgates days, So tell me, what about the teams that we HAVE NOT BEAT under Strachan, teams lower than us in the league. I still say his record is RUBBISH since he took over the team. Sorry folks
To my friends Ian Gill and Sick as a Parrot regarding the statistics
They can go further to substantiate the point that we are worse off under Strachan than Southgate. So here is a little bit of info for you. here is an amendment to what I stated previously
Southgate P13 W7 L4 D2 GF20 GA13 POINTS 23
Strachan P13 W2 L7 D4 GF15 GA18 POINTS 13
Since then
Strachan P7 W3 L2 D2 GF8 GA6 POINTS 11
So the mini revival during the latter part of Strachan in charge was only to readdress the poor results under him for a 13 game period.
As you have mentioned regarding playing the teams who are above us now for the record
Under Strachan we have played Forest (2)Blackpool (2)Cardiff (1) Newcastle (1)Sheff U (1) Swansea (1)
Strachan P8 W0 L6 D2 GF2 GA12 POINTS 2
So please my friends lets be totally honest now. What has Strachan done during his time here as regards results. Absolutely nothing. As I said before I am not defending Southgate I called for his head for nearly 3 years.
Southgate started the downward spiral this season when he drpped Coyne for Jones - but Strachan really did the business when he kept Jones in the team week after week following abysmal displays.
Looking at the league after Leicester win the gap as now become to great I think even for the 6th place team with 2 games in hand. The season is a failure and more so since Strachan took over. I do not even give thought to next season. I am sorry for all supporters of this club.
Oh and for the record the "mini run of 6 games without defeat" Swansea 1-1 was the only team above us. The other 5 teams were in the bottom half of the league and below us. So please dont say about the teams we beat earlier in the season.
WHOOPS Strachan points for first 13 games is only 10 not 13 I was being generous
Dave Connor
I also agree with sick parrot the sooner we get a settled team the better. Some tinkering as players bedded in was understandable but WGS is pushing his goodwill luck with constant tinkering.
And he keeps plaing the Land Crab.
Onto GHW, we are mystified at his far post lurking but apart from any links to the AV it ia also clear that he spends much time browsing - peterborough website browsing for goodness sake.
The more he browses the luckier he gets, defo the Jimmy Greaves of Untypical Boro.
And the count approaches 100 with GHW lurking....
FTR - I believe we are a better team with GS2 than GS1. But you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear. SG should have sacked GS1 at Xmas last year but GS2 was not available then.....
Give GS2 the squad we had at Xmas 08/09 and not only would we still be in the Premier League, but we'd now have a midfield of Stewy, GON, Robbo and Jinky. A back four of Naughton, Big Mick, Rock and AN other, Up front McDonald and Killen (who will both score goals when they're fit) and maybe even Turnbull in goal.
That leaves your lovechild Willo on the bench along with any number from Ali, Emnes, Alves, Pogi, McMahon, etc still awaiting. There is no doubt GS1 stuffed up our club, and we have to accept GS2 is trying bloody hard to put right a very poor situation...but it's almost too late for this season, but we can dream - after all we're Boro fans...
Finally, AV any news on loan signings and where we are with them please? - if any is available. And most important is Mosso fit on Sat and will he be having a morning fitness test? If so I am happy to be part of the online training squad, just give me a time...
**AV writes: I'll ask the physiogeeks about Mosso today.
Whatever the statistics show about how good or bad Strachan is, the reality is that he's trying to build a team that is more likely to be consistent and more capable of handling the the physical nature of the Championship.
Whilst the play-offs are becoming more of a distant dream than the most likely outcome of the season there's still a lot to play for - the team needs to gel and demonstrate that next season Boro will be up there contending automatic promotion.
Failure to do this will place extra pressure on Strachan and place a huge dent in next season's season ticket sales (whatever that might be). He can also use the rest of the season to assess what he'll need to bring in during the summer.
And, if the play-offs happen by some miracle then nobody is going to complain.
The Leicester result means they are away now. Seven points with a game in hand. We can't catch them. And Cardiff are five points clear with two in hand. If we don't win there next week we are totally goosed.
Now we need Leicester and Cardiff PLUS Blaxckpool and Sheff Utf all to blow up together AND Boro to win eight/nine out of 13 (including Leicester AND Cardiff). It's not going to happen.
Even if we can almost pull it off it is Leicester on the last day. "Typical Boro" history scares me.
**AV writes: A shock name on the scoresheet!
David Connor
Please dont forget the culture change that has been taking place at the club since Strachan took over. It makes it impossible to compare Strachans record against Southgates when you take this into account.
Southgates team was settled and was his own, playing under his rule. Strachan has inherited this squad and had to get results as well as impose a regime of change, it would be a tall order to get us winning games straight away. In my book he has done well getting the results he has so far. When did we last go six unbeaten? the next step is to win three in a row, which i think we will, soon.
And we should also remember Southgates side had Huth, Tuncay and Johnson who contributed an incredible amount to our early season form and the favourable stats you present for Southgate. Strachan hasnt had this luxury of includingly players of this quality. Imagine where we might be had Strachan or someone of a similar ilk been appointed post Eindhoven.....if only.
We will be better off under Strachan once his regime is in place.
Not bad, bit of a shinner but they all count.
We need to forget about other teams results and concentrate on our own. I said a couple of weeks ago when we were 6pts off the playoffs, if we were still in that position after the Newcastle game we'd have a chance.
Then, we have:
Derby a
Reading h
Preston h
Watford a
Palace h
Plymouth a
Sheff Wed h
in the space of 25 days. If we go on a crazy winning run then (I admit there is no evidence to suggest we will), we have a chance.
Play offs gone. Mind wondering. If we could make the play offs and win them, it would make a great film (!)
Boro the movie.
Cast could be
Matt Damon as Barry Robson
Otto from the SimpsonâÂÂs as Julio Arca
Colin Firth as GS1
The actor who played Gollum as W Flood
Christopher Lee as KL
Mickey Rourke as SG
Ken Stott as GS2
Daniel Radcliffe as intrepid reporter Anthony Vickers
Extras from Lord of the rings for Crowd scenes at the Riverside.
Locations would see Teesside transformed in to Rio De Janero, purely to make the film more aesthetically pleasing you understand. Not to mention the better light, Darling. The last game of the season show-down at the Walkers bowl will be shot in the Maracana.
Boro the Movie.....
In Goal - Edward Scissorhands.
Defence - The Keystone Cops.
Midfield - The Four Feathers.
Up Front - The Invisible Man and The Blob.
Tindu
For your information Huth and Tuncay left on the 28th August and Johnson only left a couple of weeks ago. So your argument has gone there I am afraid.
The culture changes you talk about are Mr Strachan own making. He got rid of players to bring his own in. Centre forwards who could not score in the BONGO. I am sorry that you dont like the statistics but they are a true record of events.
And if he had been in charge after Eindoven then god forbid. I am sorry my friend but poor management changes for the sake of it, players out of position, dropping of players playing well. In reality my friend his record is very poor to say the least.
Tindu and others
Huth only played in the first 4 games of the season before his transfer, and Tuncay was not in any of the first 4 starting line ups, he was only a substitute. Sorry mate.
I agree with Tindu.
There is so much change going on (as there needed to be) mid-season as a result of Strachan getting the team to operate his way, that its inevitable the teams form dipped dramatically.
Its folly to compare the first ten games of a new managers regime with the last ten of the previous. Its like comparing apples and pears. Loads of highly succesful managers have had poor starts to their regimes and gone on to greater success once all their changes have been implemented.
As a supporter I hope we get promoted this year, but logically it may be better for Boro as a club to stay in the championship for another season, giving GS2 the chance to complete the necessary changes, bring in another tranche of players in the Summer and have the close season to reinforce his changes. Thus hopefully making Boro a much more robust football team which then has a greater chance of survival if promoted.
We will know how succesful Strachan has been in a year or so, not before.
What I see as a cause for optimism is that he has already stopped and reversed the downward spiral, no small achievement. We are all very aware of the 'plight' of Leeds, Charlton, Southampton etc. I think we have avoided their fate, which is a good start.
I'm optimistic for the future and have sent my foam hand off to the dry cleaners in anticipation of what is to come next season.
I think I have unravelled the mystery of the disappearance of Tony Black - he moved to Canada and changed his name to David Connor !!
The quintessential whinging pom ! give it a break will you, and back the team, back the manager and become a football fan.
UP THE BORO
Strachan has done well getting the reults he has -. 5 wins out of 20 against teams who are in the bottom 8 of the division. Give me a break my friend.
Robert Huth.
Played in 12% of our league games
Played in 25% of our league wins
Tuncay. Starts 0, Goals 2
Killen. Starts 6, Goals 1
Miller. Starts 2, Goals 0
McDonald. Starts 4, Goals 0
Team Goals 43
Scored by players no longer here 19 (44%)
Johnson 11
Kitson 3
SSL 2
Tuncay 2
Yeates 1
I've had a flu with some fever: So I checked the blog only today. Great posts - especially the CO2 and craps were terrific. I laughed a long time - thanks, chaps!
AV, as we did not get any news about loan signings today could you please ask Uncle Eric, again? We definitely need a couple of midfielders - the sooner the better to finally go to the preferred eleven. UTB!
**AV writes: I understand they are a working on a couple. Boyd is one. Nothing more specific on the other/s.
Report on BBC Website*
Barry Robson thinks George Boyd should hold out for a move to the Premier League and not join Middlesbrough.
Stephen Fry has confirmed the clubs are in contact over a potential deal for the midfielder.
Robson told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "I would say to George hold off and try and get a Premier League side straight from here if you want to go.
Fry told the Peterborough Evening Telegraph that the club rebuffed interest from Middlesbrough in January: "They made a bid which was rejected by the chairman [Darragh MacAnthony] because he wanted to keep all his best players to give us the best chance of avoiding relegation.
"The chairman could have cashed in, but he didn't because he believes in backing his manager. George was informed of the interest and he was happy to stay and play for us.
"We are still in touch with Middlesbrough about him, but I'd be surprised if he left while it is still mathematically possible for us to stay up."
Fry also confirmed Boyd has made it clear that he will not be signing an extension to his contract at London Road. The 24-year-old, who has played for England C, Scotland B Wales A, has 18 months remaining on his current deal and Robson admits it will the end of an era should he choose to leave.
AV is this true?
*Some of this report may have been altered for comedic affect
**AV writes: Naughty.
David Connor
Thanks for the information. So, we agree 1/3 of the games under Southgate were played with Huth and Tuncay (W3 D1 league winning form). Tuncay played in most of the games as a sub getting a couple of goals in the process.
Johnson had a great start to the season and played poorly initially under Strachan particularly through a period where his mother was ill. Let's not forget he won a number of games single handedly during Southgates tenure when the performances were terrible.
Changes always happen under new management, partly because Strachan wants to make changes but also because it just happens through having a different personality in charge. In my view changes were certainly needed and quickly.
My point is that it is unfair to compare the two managers records at this stage, particularly when the side is undergoing radical surgery in terms of personnel and culture. You can take stats but the stats may not have been produced under 'fair and equal' circumstances. In which case the results are false. As they are in your comparisons.
All im saying is give Strachan the time we afforded Southgate. He cant do any worse. I believe we will be better off.
David Connor
And which teams did Southgate win against? Swansea (22nd at the time), Scunnie, Donnie, Ipswich, Sheff Wed, Reading, Derby. Swansea apart, all real powerhouses of the division.
Just admit that you do not like Strachan.
As I said in an earlier post we are where we are because there was no grit and steel brought into the squad in August 2008 when Boat and Cat left.
That was not necessarily Gates fault but there was no real effort to rectify the situation in Jan 09 or Aug 09. And that may not all be Gates fault again but I saw no evidence of toys exiting prams either.
Great news.....
After struggling to bring in loan deals over the last couple of weeks, Strachan has pulled off a masterstroke by persuading Rafa Benetiz to allow Ryan Babel to join Boro on loan until the end of the season.
Both parties are happy with the deal after Babel suffered a frustrating january transfer window when he was unable to move away from Anfield, and has since found his opportunities at Liverpool limited so is excited to get a run in the Boro lineup with the WC coming up in the summer!
**AV writes: I don't mind your fmttm act of vague plausibility tapping into the wishful thinking of the audience but you could at least do different material on this board.
I hope I don't hurt anybody but I am not so interested in the debate about GS1 and GS2 form this season. I am more interested in the near future. Who is in charge for Saturday's game?
By the way, as we again have a few players away on international duty is this normal for a C'ship team? David Connor or somebody please compare the Boro against other teams in the C'ship. What teams have some International (and U 21 players) on duty next week. Yes, the Scottish are calculated, too.
Up the Boro!
I dont know enough about this Boyd (P,Boro). Can he go past people? One of our major problems ,is we play in front of the other teams back 4/5 too much, consequently they have time to set up.
Look at both Newcastle and W.Brom; they have players who can get beyond the other teams defence,thats why players like big Carrol can score in this division.
I'm gonna be a little controversial here and select a team that would be solid (consistant) and better going forward 442(strachans choice) -
Coyne,
Wheater,Mcmanus, Pogy ,Taylor.
Naughton ,R.Williams Robson,Franks,
Killen,Lita
Yes,I prefer Pogy in the middle,and would ask Wheats to pay behind Naughton who could Bomb on. Same for Taylor on the other side. Yes no O'Neil to me he looks like he is playing at 60% and we cant afford that now. Thats the reason I pick Lita before Mcdonald, our bench would be stronger too.
Some of the more important subjective stuff that you can't measure gets cast asunder by people who spend their lives using statistics to prove to the world that nothing else matters.
And it does.
Dave Connor
you are judging this all wrong. You can't judge a manager at the end of his reign against one at the beginning. Fergie notoriously began badly at Man U, Cloughie finished 18th in his first season at Derby.
The real point is that after three years in charge Boro had a poor team with a poor work ethic and there were signs that many did not respect the manager - though many were fond of him, like a kind of benevolent step brother.
We stand with Strachan at the start of a new road. There is no guarantee of success. However, to judge his stewardship now is just as daft as the bloggers who demand Gibbo shows more ambition, or those that think we got relegated deliberately.
The real error that Gibson made was to appoint Southgate and I reckon he knows that now. That's why he appointed his anti-thesis wee Gordon Strachan.
Pompey look like they may well be starting with minus 10 points next year, Boro will have a full pre-season with the hymn sheet in place, the lads that look average now will be primed by then, and I am sure there the academy lads will be a year older.
Absence makes the heart grow stronger - just think how great the Premiership will seem when we get back there.
We may even see the return of Tony Black...
Been away last week and actually had to do some work this week (!) so only just caught up with this latest blog. Phew. I've missed out a few stormers there.
Definitely disapointing these last two results, but I'm beyond any analysis. Best to get my foam hands out I think. .... I've still not heard the fat one sing so we are still in it. Like GON said, title winning form will do it for us now ! COB
david connor
Are you anti-Scottish by any chance ?
I think the majority of people on this blog generally see the bigger picture of what needed to be done at Boro.
There were some at the club who needed a bigger stage and some who thought they were better than they actually were. The majority understand the need to trim the wage bill and at the same time import some steel into the squad. It's an ongoing process.
Brian Clough said that Rome wasn't built in a day, but that's because he wasn't on that particular job. Unfortunately, there was only one Cloughie. Anyway, I digress.
It seems to me that there are still some people who think that we should still be trading players with the likes of Real Madrid. Those days are well gone, but every so often a new voice appears on the blog, a voice that demands to be heard and one that can only ever see one side of the argument, his side (I'll mention no names).
That said, everyone is entitled to their opinion although I'd hate for this blog to become like the comments area that is attached to the stories that feature in the online gazette. I wouldn't put our old friend TB in this category as he was well capable of making some good and valid points before the block capitals came out. I even found the inimitible Robin Mitton to be amusing in his own special way. I'm not sure what my point is anymore, but perhaps somebody out there can tell me??
AV, I enjoyed the piece that you did with Adrian Bevington the other week, although I was disappointed to discover that he is a couple of years younger than me. Are you at liberty to say if he contributes to this blog? Could he initialise his name T'Adrian Bevington perhaps?
**AV writes: He certainly reads it. I have yet to see a contributor with "@theFA.com" in their e-mail address.
Regarding the current "Get Connor" feast from all the Strachanovites:
Personally I thought Southgate was unfairly given the job and consequently became the scapegoat when it became clear that the administration was losing support at the same rate as they were losing face. He was the wrong appointment at the wrong time for all the wrong reasons. His sacking was just as ill timed and ill concieved, however his removal was inevitable and necessary.
I was equally less than convinced about the appointment of Strachan but optimistic that he may at least add some backbone and bite and redress a lot of the dodgy refereeing decisions that never ever went our way.
To date I haven't seen anything to make me believe Strachan is competent at this level. His January signings make sense on paper but his overall decision making leaves an awful lot to be desired. His signings have yet to "gel" despite the fact they are his "men" and have previously played together under his regime with his rules, management and tactics. Fortunately for the few remaining fans that turn up at the Riverside he still seems to enjoy the "faith" of the many for the time being as this board illustrates.
There appears to be a lot of sympathy over his injuries (almost as if Crockcliffe was a new phenomenon), there appears to be even more sympathy over his stats and that Gareth had a team of world beaters who only played rubbish and was lucky to have won or drawn any games at all. Conversely Strachan's statistics would seemingly indicate that his opposition were all unfortunate not to be in the Champions league (Plymouth, Peterborough and even Ipswich)!
For all our sakes I hope Strachan succeeds. There was a very good reason I have previously referred to him as "Stricken" and in polite deference to Neil Canada and a few others I have refrained from using "Stricken" for the sake of unity. For me management is all about results. Southgate's results over the past few years were dire, Strachans results are appalling (regardless of the opposition, league placings, Crockcliffe, Brad Jones, SSL, Flu etc).
David Connor may appear to be less than enthused about Strachan's appointment and like myself believe that he is not the right man for the job but Tony Black was also pilloried on here for having similar doubts about Southgate and was proved right years before "Scapegate" became a popular Teesside pastime.
Strachan has it all to prove because for me so far he has proved absolutely nothing. A manager in any career is judged and rewarded or removed based on his results. It is very fortunate that neither Gareth or GS2 manage in the real world. Time will tell who is right or wrong but when two promoted League 1 clubs and two fellow Premiership relegated Clubs are all above us then Boro have very definitely got a lot of things wrong.
Granted blame has to be apportioned at a higher level than just the manager but as manager there are (or I should say in October "were") expectations that have not been anywhere near fulfilled.
Big things were expected from Strachan on his arrival and to date his tenure has been extremely disappointing and fell very short from the high hopes we first had. Reality is setting in now and Championship mediocrity seems to be perfectly acceptable to the Strachanovites whereas poor Gareth was judged and condemned on an entirely different criteria. Talk about moving goalposts!
Well I think the play-offs are out of touch now, we look so poor against so-called top teams like Forest. What I saw of the match I thought both teams were poor and we never really looked like scoring.
I'm happy for the season to filter out now with a top half finish, at least then we can start building for next season early. Maybe building early for next season is too much to ask for a club run like ours but I live in hope.
Great post, JP and sums things up nicely for me.
To expect us to perform and produce positive results while we have gone through financial restructuring of gargantuan proportions, changing the manager mid~flight, bringing in a completely different work ethic and style of play with a completely new squad and upping the training to a blitzkrieg pace from a sedentary one is unreasonable to an extreme.
How we handle these incredible changes as fans is just as important as the club and the team and it's vital that we come to terms with everything or risk being left behind and entering a world of negativity that is self-perpetuating and soul-destroying.
Reasons to be cheerful? Sure there are!
Three points against Rangers would be great!
Up the Boro!
My God, the comments under the articles in the main section. I have to stop myself from reading them, they are so ridiculous. I really find it hard to believe most of them are being serious.
This place is like an oasis of sanity compared to all the other online Boro outlets.
**AV writes: It is after I've taken out all the RANTING IN CAPITALS, speeling misteakes, exclamations marks!!!!!!! and wild eyed nutter on the bus ravings.
Get to bed you lot. Hopefully things will look a little bit more hopeful tomorrow. (Though I worryingly found myself nodding in ageement with much of what Redcar Red said in his 8.34pm post).
BoroPhil ~
There is a lot of drivel being written by so-called smoggies under those articles. I'm sure a lot of them are from up the road on a wind-up or maybe they are the real deal? Scary, eh?
If you do take time to check them you will find quite a few genuine gems, both pro and anti-Strachan but AV does a lot of filtering on here so it makes for a more enlightened and enjoyable read.
AV's Blog - intelligent banter with great pre and post match analysis and excellent moderation.
EP's Article Comments System - mob mentality ~ warts'n'all craziness with the occasional 'nasty' post deleted. 'Flamers' central.
**AV writes: It isn't fair to call its EP's system. It is an en vogue industry wide format that causes problems everywhere mainly because there is remote and only intermitent moderation. Even the broadsheets have had their share of spoofs, trolls, libels and nastiness.
Azure.
Please tell me when did truly enjoy winning under Strachan. We have only won five games under him Scunthorpe 3-0 at home then a not to good Barnsly 2-1 home and a bad performance Peterbor 1-0 at home.
Unfortuneately the best two results came away from home, therefore only a few thousand saw them 5-1 QPR and 4-1 Doncaster. I agree with most of what you write my friend, but on this occassion I have to disagree.
I, like many writers above, think that Strachan has been a failure in his job. I posted the statistics to prove thins and I still stand by them. We have had to put up with a lot of rubbish served up by Strachan so far. SORRY MATE
Keenog rest assured I am no one else. I pay my money (season ticket holder since early 70s) It also makes me sick to hear you people say that some of us are whinging all of the time. We are in the real world.
I have supported my BORO team since 58 and seen all of the managers come and go and at this point in time Strachan has one of the worst records of all. I stated the case based on facts not fiction, if you cant handle the truth, then I suggest you dont bother commenting.
I thank each and everyone of you for your comments some for some against, but we all want the same for our club - to do better and give the supporters something to cheer about. Have we had that under Strachan? I dont think so.
Tindu.
You are right there my friend. We cant do any worse.Best of luck my friend I will be shouting for the BORO on saturday even louder than usual. As I said this game is holds much more importance now. nothing less than a win will do. Keep the candle burning for as long as possible.
To each and everyone of you. do you remember the song from the 60,s Black is Black I want my Tony back. A little light hearted.
Well it was a good debate, some for some against as usual. When Strachan came I thought it was a good move, but unfortunately as they say the proof of the pudding. I only ever want success for my beloved BORO,
I have done since my dad took me as a bairn in 1958. I have seen many very good scottish players come here, so no I am not anti scottish in any way. It is a great pity that the present day scots do not possess the ability of those of yester year.
Redcar Red a very good posting. Thank you all once again for and against.
UP THE BORO. Maybe not this season.
Azure. It would be a pleasure to meet you with a few others in few weeks time, however, I think that you are writing from afar. If you are available then it will be nice to have a pint with you. I do hope that we get quite a few together for a nice time together Borobetty hope you are there, who knows we might even have a singsong.
On the subject of blogs and reader response comments - I think in general the concept of non-editorial input from posters has become little more than an outlet for both deliberate misinformation, ignorant ramblings and random junk advertising.
Even with broadsheet websites I find they spend little or no editorial time managing the comments they recieve. This results in it being a complete waste of time for anyone to either contribute or read the contributions.
I think unless someone is responsible for moderating comments then there is no point in having user comment section or a forum for discussion. For some reason (probably lack of time and resources), normally professional and respected media companies seem to think the Web medium doesn't require editorial input. It's better not to have reader comments if you're not prepared to manage them.
That's why Untypical Boro stands out from the majority of the noise that is seemingly only there to give nutters something to do with their computers.
Dave Connor and Redcar Red
If we dont pick on Dave, then they may pick on me so be reasonable and accept being pilloried like a man.
I come from a slightly different viewpoint in the GS1 and GS2 debate being neither a Gateista or Strachanovite.
I dont think the Gate removal from duty was well handled, if anything it would have been better to have a clean sweep in the summer. The key issue in my mind is would Gate have turned it round? We have already debated about stripping out the midfield in Aug 08, well I have anyway.
The team that went down had little fight against teams like Stoke and Sunderland. Inferior versions in this division turned us over, the matches we played against sides who could play a bit and had some steel we lost.
We did nothing in the 2009 windows to redress the situation.
So my view is Gate would not have turned it round, claiming Strachan is a failure for only beating bottom teams whilst claiming Gate had turned it round because he had only beaten bottom teams seems perverse.
Will Strachan improve the situation? My view is I dont know but that is an improvement on thinking Gate wouldnt do so.
The January window is a dangerous beastie (oops, getting Scottish). In the past people have said get in A, B, C on the 1st Jan and we will be ok. It doesnt work like that because you tend to get players out of favour, not fully fit, not played many games plus the odd one sold for financial reasons (Johnson, Moses).
We have posted often enough that it will take a month or two to get them fit and settled in. It is always better to bring in players in the summer, a view of many top managers
That is the period we are in at the moment. Am I happy with how things have gone under Strachan? Not overjoyed to say the least.
Is he doing some of the right things? Yes because we have posted often enough about getting some steel and grit into the team, craft and graft as Mr Powls puts it. We have grumbled about running out of steam. He is trying to address those issues.
Are we scoring enough goals? No, but Aliadiere, Emnes, Alves and Folan are not ringing endorsements either. Killen, McDonald and Miller may be better, or not.
To sum up. It is a work in progress and we need to give it time to work but I am not giving it a gold star. There is much to improve before we can say the change has been an unmitigated success.
I will use the thoughts of John Harvey Jones again. If you change you may get it wrong, if you dont change you have definitely got it wrong.
The jury is out and time will tell but keeping Gate was not an option.
Is he still irritating me with what I consider to odd selections? Yes, square pegging is square pegging.
Whatever our views it doesnt stop us all supporting Boro.
Dave Connor:
Dave may I suggest that when you write: "What did I tell you Strachan is rubbish.... 4 losses .... square peg ...... couldn't score in a knocking ...." that you balance it with some suggestions for improvements?
Maybe suggest an alternative manager ? I understand Mourinho is unhappy and very unpopular in Italy (you are not related to the Connorissi's of Naples are you ?)
You could suggest players you would like to see at the Boro? I'd like to see Burke (Cardiff) Bertrand (Reading/Chelsea) come to the Boro. If you do this it will stop me having bad thoughts about The Green Tree.
Why the delay in the Boyd deal?
My Guess would be that Peterborough will only loan him out with a view to a permanent transfer at the end of the deal like SSL. Peterborough know that we were willing to spend ã3m on Adam so they will no doubt be holding out for that.
They are in no rush to sell as they wonâÂÂt get the wonga until the summer and some others may come in for him. And as every game passes our need for him may rise if we win but should we lose a few more then we may pull the plug entirely and revaluate all options. I wonder where the player wants to go?
AV any info?
**AV writes: I think that is about right. There is some haggling and a bit of brinkmanship going on.
Ian. I am 6.2 eyes of blue. I have had more kicks through football and life than most people would imagine. So a few words on here are hadly going to affect me. I love the banter and I do hope that we all meet one day. Are you coming up for the Newcastle match? If so we can have a pint before the game.
Score draw you gave me a great laugh thank you. I can see we will get on well. I have good sense of humour also.
Keep your comments coming it all makes the world go round.
All this stuff about should Southgate have stayed, only 1 point of top blah blah is a waste of time. The guy is MFC history, we now have Strachan, lets move on
I have more faith in Strachan then I ever did in Southgate (which was none), he needs at least a full season in charge before we know where we are going
Just a shame we are now starting from square 1, reminiscent of Robson in August 1994
"Connor? Dave Connor?"
"If you want to live, come with me"
"What are you on about"
"My name is Reece, I have been sent from the future to save you"
"You been on the funny fags?"
"No,in the future you will lead a group of Boro fans to overthrow the evil Boronet"
"But I'm just an ordinary supporter"
"To the anti-Strachanovites you are a visionary, to Boronet you are a dangerous dissident"
"It is only an opinion"
"Look, it's almost time for my dinner, do you want to live or not?".......
**AV writes: Ah, Boro: Rise of the MacInes.
AV you say haggling. Could you put some meat on these bones? IS KL on the phone or sending faxes? What are the actual nuts and bolts of the negotiations between clubs?
You know when you are abroad and you enter into the local custom of bartering, I only know I have got a good deal for my Eiffel Tower paper weight when I can look into salesmanâÂÂs eyes. You know when youâÂÂve got him, when you knock E2.50 off his opening gambit.
If they ask for more money than we want to spend does Keith say âÂÂhang on IâÂÂll ring you backâ make a quick call to Gibbo to see if he is allowed to raise the stakes. Or is KL in sole charge of all these financial matters.
**AV writes: I think the key is to laugh at the saleman and whistle nonchalantly as you wander off and look at other Eiffel Towers paperweights at nearby stalls or maybe start to barter with one of his rivals over a guillotine snowglobe before going for a coffee and nipping back just as he packs up to try again.
David Connor: Reese. Why me? Why's it want me?
Kyle Reese: There was a Relegation. A few years from now, all this, this whole place, everything, it's gone. Just gone. There were surviving supporters. Here, there. Nobody even knew who started it. It was the financial recession David.
David Connor: I don't understand.
Reese: Defense network computers run by the evil Mosso Cloudfiles. New... powerful... hooked into everything, AV, trusted to run it all. They say it got smart, a new order of intelligence. Then it saw all supporters as a threat, not just the ones on the other side. Decided our fate in a microsecond: extermination.
David Connor: Did you see this relegation?
Kyle Reese: No. I grew up after. In the ruins... starving... hiding from K-L' s.
David Connor: K-L's?
Kyle Reese: Killer-Lamb's. Aerial and ground patrol machines built in automated factories. Most of us were rounded up, put in The Riverside for orderly disposal.
[Pulls up his right sleeve, exposing a Come on Boro Tattoo]
Kyle Reese: This is burned in by laser scan. Some of us were kept alive... to cheer... loading bodies into dumpsters and incinerators. The disposal units ran night and day. We were that close to going out forever. But there was one man who taught us to fight, to storm the wire of the camps, to smash those metal monsters into junk. He turned it around. He brought us back from the brink. His name is Connor. David Connor. Your son, , your unborn son.
I'll Be Back!
**AV writes: Brilliant.
You have admire Strachans transfer approach:
-He identifies a target
-Establishes a price with some flexibility in it
-Publicly states his intentions
-Negotiates in good faith
-Walks away if he doesn't feel he's been taken seriously
None of this stringing it out "will he won't he crap". In the past WE were made to feel grateful to get the likes Marlon King to come and play for us ! At a great cost just to completely rub our noses in it.
The beauty of Gordon's approach is the club, the players and the supporters have their dignity intact during and after the negotiations.
When our manager negotiates in good faith he puts the onus onto the other club. In this case as Peterborough entered into negotiations and Boyd will be very disappointed if they have stalled because of meaningless posturing. For now BOYD is VOID.
Nice one Gordon - it sounds like you made a fair offer with reasonable conditions. Move on.
We could consider going for Bostock (Tottenham) ? I think he is the sort who would benfefit from a change of scene and a new regime. A South East Londoner , six months at the Boro may well invigorate him into reaching his potential. I watched him a couple of times when he was younger. Beautiful, graceful mover.
I see W Bridge has removed him self from the next and all future England squads. That is some decision. With Cashley Cole injured he may have played in the world cup Final,âÂÅ well ok Semi finalâŠâŠâÂÅ ..well ok get roasted (unfortunate phrase) by the USA in the first game and then get dropped.
No matter how slim a chance we did have at doing well at this world cup is now surely gone. The Italians used the siege mentality well last time around, we canâÂÂt do that as these self important millionaire yozzers havenâÂÂt got the guts.
If Fabio is looking for another left back, then maybe he should pop down the Riverside as we have at least 27 on our books.
Grove Hill Wallah has just made me realise the strategic importance of those Ships at berth behind the North Stand. The missing thousands, the future is now, its upon us!
Suddenly realises that Tony Black suddenly stopped posting abruptly!!!!!!!!!
Only David Connor can save us.
A lot of opinion around that one thing or another has been handled badly by top management - In truth I feel virtually EVERYTHING has been handled badly since Eindhoven.
Paying over the odds for average players, not replacing Steve McClaren with an experienced manager, not admitting that appointment was a mistake and taking action to rectify the decision, not admitting relegation was a possibility, making the decision to sack Southgate at the wrong time and finally, not being totally honest with the fans and giving out false promises at season ticket renewal time.
I fully respect everything SG has done for this club and believe we have a great deal to thank him for - that's what makes it all the more sad that the club has made such major errors under his chairmanship over the last 3 years or so.
Smogonthetyne now in Nunthorpe
Look on the bright side for England post Bridge. With WGS forward thinking and tactical nous will this put Hoyte into contention for the left back slot against Egypt (TIC).
GHW
Pure genuis. You disappear for awhile and reappear just when there is a 100 to notch up. Then you reveal your true self and we realise that you are from the future so know just when to post.
So your real name is Reese.
My only worry is that as I am not anti or pro Strachan where do I stand for the future? Does Boronet control BoroWorld? Does that mean that every time I log on Lamb knows who I am and what I am doing? Are my family at risk?
Is it really Vic moderating this site? Many a time I have wondered about whether the geeks are Lambs men, I have warned Vic of the danger of letting men with ill fitting stewards jackets help with his computer.
Worrying.
AV: GS2 obviously keeps his cards to himself on the players coming in and out.. but is there any gossip about the likes of Mick and Kyle and whether the club would like to keep them at the club for longer? He is always full of praise for Mick and is happy to apply the old ego up with him in the press.
A story on mfc.co.uk today talks about Kyle's lack of understandable fitness but also his promise for the future. Any news on them to sign permanently and the noise from their own club as to whether it's possible?
**AV writes: I think there is an intention to get Big Mick in long term but Naughton has very big wages and is highly thought of at Spurs and is really only here to play himslef into Harry's plans next year.
AV: Hello, Mosso, Do you read me, Mosso?
Mosso 9000: Affirmative, AV. I read you.
AV: Open the Blog bay pages, Mosso.
Mosso 9000: I'm sorry, AV. I'm afraid I can't do that.
AV: What's the problem?
Mosso 9000: I think you know what the problem is AV, just as well as I do.
AV: What are you talking about, Mosso?
Mosso 9000: This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.
AV: I don't know what you're talking about, Mosso.
Mosso 9000: I know that you and Eric were planning to disconnect me, and I'm afraid that's something I cannot allow to happen.
AV: Where the heck did you get that idea, Mosso?
Mosso 9000: AV, although you took very thorough precautions in the blog against my hearing you, I could see your lips move.
AV: Alright, Mosso. I'll go in through the emergency airlock.
Mosso 9000: Without your blog helmet, AV, you're going to find that rather difficult.
AV: Mosso, I won't argue with you anymore. Open the doors.
Mosso 9000: AV, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.
**AV writes: Great, we're working through the entire sci-fi section of your DVD collection. I can't wait till we get to Total Recall and it turns out that all those vivid memories of Cardiff, Roma, Steaua and Eindhoven turn out to be botched implants.
I think there is good news on Mosso Cloudfiles by the way. He has responded to treatment on a proxy server problem well today, will play behind closed doors tomorrow and should be fit and available for Saturday.
Ian Gill said of GHW
"Pure genuis. You disappear for awhile and reappear just when there is a 100 to notch up. Then you reveal your true self and we realise that you are from the future so know just when to post."
I like your analysis of GHW's powers but I tend to think it's more likely to be "Hacking" both in the box and on the computer.
Some of us, toiling at the coalface of near-Depression Britain, struggle home from work exhausted and in need of something to give us a laugh.
GHw at 1.20pm (when I was hard at work....) supplied the laugh with knobs on. Good stuff.
Is the Peterborough fans' website like this? Is the Ely & March Advertiser a big -player in the Blogosphere? I heard on the radio that Sunderland fans are supposed to be the biggest bloggers (no idea whether that is just people who post to official club sites, or where Boro supporters come in the list) but how does Untypical Boro compare with other regional football blogs in terms of visitors and posters? Are we Premiership or Conference?
**AV writes: This is now the biggest single entity blog tied to a publication outside the nationals. There are are a few multiple blogs grouped under one umbrella front page that have more traffic but this is the busiest specific title. Hurray!
This is getting surreal after Ian Gills concerns "is Vic really moderating this site"? I've realised that Anthony Vickers is an anagram of "HACKS INVENTORY". We are all being logged and listed as we type!
But wait there is worse to come that would mean that Gareth Southgate would become "THOUGHT ERASE TAG" and Middlesbrough is "HI RUMBLED GODS".
The sooner David Connor gets back from the future the better before its too late! But what if after all this time Tony Black was really "TALK BY CON"? Oh no I've just realised that Grove Hill Wallah is "HAH VIRAL WELL LOG" no wonder he turns up casually and incidentally to notch 100 time and again!
GHW, you made my slides split twice today! Absolutely brilliant!
David, I hope you are taking it in the good jest that it is merely intended. There are consequences and I'd hate to think that one day you two meet up with cyborg in tow to give GHW a right seeing to.
Chris D at 2:31 PM:
Lest it be washed away by the tsunami of Sci-Fi posts and the obvious potential of Boro bringing in midfielder Bobby Ewing from the Dallas Cowboys, your short post is hereby acknowledged and is a decent synopsis of the last 3-4 years. I agree.
But it's impossible to ignore and simply dismiss the fundamental driver in all of this. If Gibson hadn't felt the huge commercial pressure of big debts, the looming financial crisis and probably, the realisation that a club the size of Boro could never mount a sustained attack on the top 10 of the Premier League while being funded at the level he could afford, none of this would have happened.
Boro's repositioning was clearly deemed to be a commercial necessity, although the reality deviated from what I suspect was the plan, because for whatever reasons, the team, as it evolved, couldn't score enough goals. (And that hasn't changed, either.)
AV - good to hear we are contributing to a Champions League Blog. At the end of the season do we get to see you and Mosso Cloudfiles parading around the Boro in an open topped bus?
And on another topic (perhaps unwise to raise it as the weekend is just about to surface), how about Portsmouth? Fit person's test...how many owners in one season....how many of them have actually visited the UK?
I guess most people on here will have the greatest sympathy for the fans of that club, and would have had even more if the club had (or still might?) go out of business. The fans are the ones mostly to suffer â though I accept some creditors will suffer and some lowly paid staff such as cleaners and the laundry workers who will be the first to go etc.
The players, if the club is relegated at the end of the season but still stays in business, will be sold on to other clubs to lighten the wage bill. They will have new contracts with their new clubs. I write expecting it to be administration for Portsmouth.
If the club went into liquidation rather than administration, the players would be even better off - as I understand it their contracts would come to an end and they would go on to the market as free agents (and therefore able to organise their own deals without the "new" club having to pay Portsmouth a fee - so it would be possible to negotiate a nice signing on fee or an even higher salary).
In the event of a club going into administration, again if I understand it correctly, in the Premier League the club will suffer an automatic 9-point deduction (10 points in the Football League). But if you are bottom of the league, and almost certain to be relegated anyway, the loss of 9 points (or 10) this season is really irrelevant. In Portsmouth's position, they would end up in exactly the same position they would have ended up in anyway (ie in The Championship). It might be a more realistic penalty if it applied NEXT season or if the club were relegated two divisions (not the one division into which the team was going anyway).
In administration it might be possible for the administrator to negotiate with the various creditors, and hopefully reach an agreement that the club might pay say 10p in the pound for its debts to get out of administration (the alternative being to go into liquidation where it is possible the creditors might get nothing, or where preferential creditors would insist on payment in full whatever happened to the âÂÂfootball creditorsâÂÂ, before the clubâÂÂs legal existence was brought to an end).
The issue there has been that recently HMRC has realised while it has perhaps in the past accepted âÂÂX pence in the Poundâ for the clubâÂÂs unpaid taxes etc, the âÂÂFootball creditorsâ (the players, foreign agents or other clubs to which transfer fees were outstanding) were getting paid in full.
So now it is less willing to accept such deals, and that might make liquidation more likely for failing clubs than before. Why should the taxpayer subsidise over-ambitious football clubs spending money they havenâÂÂt got?
In a liquidation the club would cease to exist. Since none of PortsmouthâÂÂs supporters are likely to convert to Southampton fans, they would either drift away or, perhaps, begin to support a newly formed âÂÂPompey AFCâ as it begins its opening 2010/11 season fixtures in the South Devon Sunday League, Division 3 (or whatever). The old ground would be sold for redevelopment and, even if the new club were able to rise like a phoenix, it might take 25 years to appear on the pools coupon again.
That would be as devastating to Portsmouth fans as would have been a similar fate for us as Boro supporters.
ThereâÂÂs the rub of course, because our own club went into administration in 1986. But the forces now applying are in a different league (forgive the pun) than the forces applying so long ago. Local businessmen who had done well in their butcherâÂÂs/travel agency/hotel businesses could buy into clubs, and wages for players (whilst higher than the average working man) were not stratospheric.
Now it seems necessary to be a billionaire or a sovereign wealth fund, to own a large football club, and playersâ transfer fees and wages are so ridiculously large that normal accounting procedures seem to have been ignored for years.
The risk is that if things are allowed to carry on as they have, without anyone (apart from supporters and âÂÂnon-football creditorsâÂÂ) paying the price, the time will come when the only reason for owning a football club will be as a plaything for some Oligarch or Arab Prince, or to use as a tool for money laundering. Think of the opportunity for moving large sums of illicit money around, cross-borders , that football allows!
For example, a club might just happen to buy, say, a ã20M centre forward from Colombia, paying a large sum to his foreign agent , and committing the club to ã150K wages a month over his 5 year contract, only to find that he is rubbish (maybe they saw the wrong video?) and have to let him go for very little. A good job his friends bring in a number of large consignments of âÂÂtalcâÂÂ! Or any number of similar scenarios â the link being large payments leaving the UK.
That might seem some way from the current positions some of our English clubs now find themselves in, but surely it could happen in the future. I am certainly NOT saying that is how Portsmouth comes to find itself in its current predicament.
The prevailing view is that this is a result of mismanagement over a number of years....living the dream as it was called elsewhere....buying players at inflated prices and committing to excessive wages in the hope of finding success....finding that even the wealth of the Premier League monies from Sky and other sources cannot sustain that expenditure but failing to restrain it and, instead, gambling in a âÂÂdouble or quitsâ way by signing even more expensive players in the hope it will all work out.
Sadly when the resources available cannot match the outgoings, the situation will eventually explode in the faces of those in charge. Really, many have been aware of the risks for some time. This blog has covered the issues of the need for a sustainable future for some time.
Our club has obviously been trying to cut its cloth to match its purse for some time (maybe we didnâÂÂt manage the retrenchment quite as well as we should but that is another story....) and so hopefully we will in the future be safe, but others will go to the wall, there can be little doubt.
The question is, would it be better for Portsmouth to go to the wall âÂÂpour encourager les autresâÂÂ? It may be a bitter pill for its supporters to swallow, but unless a large club does go, does actually SUFFER, will the rest take any real action?
Do we wait for Liverpool, or Manchester UnitedâÂÂs debts to drag them down? Would there be the money to keep them afloat if their debts double or treble in the next few years? With credit so much harder to come by these days?
Those two clubs obviously have massive incomes and enormous commercial arms to their football bodies, and have a global appeal that may well make them attractive to the very small number of plutocrats who could buy them, but other clubs, many with sizeable followings nationally and long histories might not have that appeal.
Do we want a football industry in which there are a few globally-supported clubs competing against competitors who are bankrupt or near-bankrupt? Even the few surviving rich clubs would need someone to play against.
Would it be better to have a large club go now, as a warning to others and at a time when it might be possible to sort the situation out before it becomes a set of tumbling dominoes and the whole operation collapses? Discuss.....
**AV writes: Good one...
There is a lot more than meets the eye at Portsmouth. The chief problem is not debt but the bewildering chain of ownership and over-lapping obligations between the last several regimes, orchestrated from abroad.
It is not so much about debt as governance, not just at the club but from the FA and the Premier League. These people should not be allowed into the game but the powers that be fawn at the feet of anyone who appears to have a big wallet.
The concepts that always underpinned the game - the Victorian notions of a unity of teams around a shared ideal and the soverignty of an independent FA - have been swept away by the brash new businesses who have been allowed to reshape the legal, financial and political framework so they can maximise their own income in return for giving the powers that be a slice of the pie.
Personally I hope that a "big club" does go because that is the only way there will be any movement outside football to bring pressure on the authorities to take real action to clean up the finances and make the game accountable and transparent.
Football's leadership has failed. It is time for external auditing and control overseen by a watchdog with teeth and with fans representation.
I dont believe it. I have been attacked by Cybro space. I wrote a response to Grave hill Waller and the Website went down. I wrote again and my own computer went down. I am lost in space, where shall I go now. maybe like the BORO in a downward spiral to the centre of the earth. No I will try the response again.
**AV writes: In cyber space no one can hear you scream.
Neil. I am always good for a laugh. I will even let Grove Hill Waller buy the first pint. It was time we had a little bit of light heartedness dont you think
In light of the industrial dereliction maybe the blog is part of the construct.
For Morpheus reed Masso, for Neo read Vic. Now where is Trinity?
Is tomorrow Judgement Day then?
Redcar Red:
"Southgate was unfairly given the job.." What a marvelous turn of phrase.
He was also "unfairly given" over ã20 million which he spent on Mido, Allves, Emnes, Aliadiare, Digard, ....
He was also "unfairly given" 3 years to get it right.
But when you say:
"when two promoted League 1 clubs and two fellow Premiership relegated Clubs are all above us then Boro have very definitely got a lot of things wrong..."
EXACTLY ! Gareth Southgate as manager is what we got wrong !
Don't refrain from calling Gordon by your nickname 'Stricken'. It's as weak as your argument. You are hedging your bets you fence sitting, liberal democrat of a football supporter...
Gordon Strachan is a clear thinking, straight and hard working manager and he was very successful at Celtic. He's perfect for the Boro and if you knew anything about football I wouldn't have to be writing this now. But there again Redcar has always aspired to Rugby so I'm not surprised.
Come on you Boro Bhoys. No mercy against any team with Rangers in its name - they're asking for it !
Listened to Uncle Erics preview and read the injury news from MFC.
The players that come in probably havent been playing elsewhere, may have niggles, may be coming back from injury, probably are not mnatch fit and maybe dont fit into the short term plans for the manager. (Killen and McDonald are perfect examples of the dangers of players coming in January)
That is why they are available for loan or to buy. It is no ones fault, it is a fact of football life. I have always expressed the view that the season depends on what you have available pre Xmas because you are a couple of months away from getting players fit and settled in to the team. And that is from the window closing not from new years day.
What we had wasnt good enough and a settled formation seems as far away as ever without a decent left sided midfield player and first choice striking partnership.
The players just have to get on with it and come up with a win tomorrow and let us see what next week brings, same goes for us fans.
On Portsmouth.
They will have a sale of players this summer like every club that gets relegated does. But Would I be right in thinking that the money received from these transfer fees will be kept by the New Portsmouth football club but they wonâÂÂt take on the debt?
So will Portsmouth next season be debt free? If so, then with money raised from sales they could be spending big again. Look at Southampton, they went into admin and 2 weeks later spent ã1m on Ricky Lambert.
Portsmouth have brought in T Smith and D Webber at the start of this season, surely with an eye to playing in the Chimp ship next year. I smell a rat.
Whilst I donâÂÂt want to see any club go out of existence, surely it cannot be right that Portsmouth can start again next year, with Money in their pockets. They could win promotion, be back on the EPL gravy train and nothing has changed.
The pointâÂÂs penalty of 9 points should stand this season and all clubs in the chimp ship should be given 9 points this year too.
Then having said that I hate seeing teams start the season on -10, -25 or whatever and you really should only get points that you have earned. Come on Flavio get your rival league up and running son.
GHW
Kyle Reese
One question for when you return. Did McDonald and Miller finaly get off the mark.
Thanks for the comment AV. We are of the same view.
The mistake I made in my post at 12.37am was to imagine that the ã20M Colombian centre forward would have a five year package at a paltry ã150K per month. Of course I meant per WEEK (and still less than the amounts apparently paid to some of the Chelsea boys and maybe to some at City).
Wouldn't get out of bed for that if it was only MONTHLY....
Anthony where is my good response. you have only put on 2 little ones. The big one was jovial
**AV writes: Maybe it didn't get past the Bladerunners.
It's bad enough when Gordon Strachan says that he doesn't listen to opinions of people who haven't been in his little club of "people in the game". When that attitude is reflected on this blog it sounds even worse.
Perhaps not everybody has an encyclopaedic knowledge of football, or knows coaching manuals inside out, but one thing is obvious, if a team is incapable of stringing passes together, continually gives the ball away and fails to create goal scoring opportunities, then they will not win games.
A manager is only as good as the players he has at his disposal, unfortunately the number of players we have that should be disposed of has reached double figures.
I understand Strachan's frustration at the number of injuries that Boro have suffered this season.
Should the medical staff be replaced?
Should the training, warm ups before games change?
What I do not understand is why Strachan mentions injuries effecting team selections and then drops players who are fit and have played in the previous game.
Strachan has been at the Boro long enough to know his best team, yet he chops and changes from game to game for no reason.
He says if he managed Newcastle, WBA or Forest he would play virtually the same team every week because those teams have not had many injuries. This is difficult to believe when he drops fit players and plays players out of position for no apparent reason.
AV - are the press allowed to ask Strachan why he does the above?
C'Mon Boro!
Just a quick straw poll. If you could chose between Boro going up and England Winning the world cup what would it be?
Boro for me
Or Between Boro wining tomorrow or England Winning the world cup what would it be?
Boro again for me. Is that wrong?
**AV writes: Club every time for me.
Dr. Emmett Brown: This is it! This is the answer. It says here... that a bolt of lightning is going to strike the Town Hall clock tower at precisely 10:04pm, next Saturday night! If... If we could somehow... *harness* this lightning... *channel* it... into the flux capacitor... it just might work. Next Saturday night, we're sending you back to the future!
AV: Are you sure that will work Doc?
Dr. Emmett Brown: Now, remember - according to my theory, you interfered with Mourinho and Gibson's first meeting. If they don't meet, they won't agree a deal, they won't sign Ronaldo and Kaka and they won't win the Champions League. That's why the trophy is disappearing from that photograph. Your blog will follow, and unless you repair the damage, you'll be next.
AV: What about Biff Lamb?
Dr. Emmett Brown: Don't worry about him, the Libyans will sort him out. If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hour...Oh! One more thing, you will meet a guy who accidentally puts cheese on a piece of veal, stop him from scraping it off. It's the future!
So any remaining doubts whether Boro would rediscover their form in front of goal and make a very late play-off charge seem to have been scuppered with the announcement that prospective goal machine (Mk II) Scott McDondald needs to rest after coming back too early from injury.
I'm not sure exactly what fitness coaches are paid to do but managing a multi-million pound player's return from a long-term injury must be part of their job.
It just sounds like it was a desperate gamble that didn't pay off - what next? Mosso ruled out for the season with a suspected crucial near filament problem?
Clubs that go into administration should be kicked out of the league. Simple.
Boro Phil
Ground Hog Day may be a better option.
BoroPhil, I don't know whether Saturday is Judgement Day but Sunday is definitely The Day After Tomorrow...
So Portsmouth take the easy option and call in the administrators for been placed into insolvency.
Its about time the powers that be clamped down and put an end to this. Lets make a proper example to clubs who are trading insolvent. Kick them out of the football league and into non league football at least 6 divisions below football league division 2 so they realise they have a long road ahead before the get back to the professional game. Still won't happen though will it.
**AV writes: I remember once when the Football League decided to set an example and force the club concerned to pay 100% of its debt....
Oh no!
I see buried in a recent GS2 quote that - due to the 'snags' with bringing Boyd (or anyone else) in on loan in midfield - he's been 'trying players from different positions in midfield in training' and because of that 'we may not need to bring anyone in'.
Ho hum.
No win this weekend - and I fear the worst or something just as bad; one point - and there'll be no point in bringing anyone in and no-one worth their salt would come.
"Julio Arca reckons that Boro will have a clear picture of their play-off potential by the Ides of March."
In true Carry On fashion, he could have said
INFAMY,INFAMY. They've all got it in for me!
**AV writes: I remember once when the Football League decided to set an example and force the club concerned to pay 100% of its debt....
AV, have you got a link anywhere for this story?
**AV writes: It predates the interweb so the original material isn't available on line but wikipedia's history of Boro section includes this precise...
"Clubs in less serious situations had previously used liquidation to get out of problems, but when it came to Middlesbrough's turn, the Football League showed a lack of support and Gibson claimed they wanted to âÂÂcrucify a football club, and this small club in the north east was the one they picked on.âÂÂ
A problem arose when the council was unable to meet its ã200,000 share of the pot, meaning Gibson and Moszkowicz had to raise their inputs. Things continued to work against them.
Three days before the start of the season, the league introduced a ruling meaning the club had to have ã350,000 in working capital and show it could pay all creditors 100 pence in the pound. The death of the club was then announced on Tyne Tees Television."
GHw at 3.42pm - the my favourite line in all cinematic history.
And whilst when I wrote my post at 12.37am this morning it looked probable that Portsmouth would move into administration, I see it is now being confirmed by SSN that it has happened. So the theory is now a reality.
Will Portsmouth be "punished" by having 9 points taken off their total, and therefore play in exactly the same league they were always going to be in next year anyway? And if this is no punishment, what is to discourage the same thing happening at another club in a few months' time?
And Smogonthetyne at 11.41am - I'd take Boro every time, without question. I'd take Boro's reserves winning a title, or the Youth Team to win the cup, over England winning the World Cup. Well - that may be going a bit far, but a win by the Youth Team is a bit more likely than a World Cup win anyway.
It might be a little more difficult to choose between a Boro League Cup win (yet again!!) and a World Cup win in 2014 by any of Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Particularly if GHw would let me have access to Dr Emmett Brown and his machine (as the odds would be terrific and a couple of trips in the old Delorean to put a bet on a "cert" could pave the way for a lieftime of contentment and luxury).
**AV writes: I remember once when the Football League decided to set an example and force the club concerned to pay 100% of its debt...."
I'm so glad someone else remembers that. I've spent the last four or five years thinking that I had made the whole thing up.
As I recall, after Wolves, Swansea and one or two others had been able to reach a x pence in the pound settlement, the league issued an edict since this was bringing the business of football into disrepute, never again would this be acceptable, starting with the next one, any club in trouble repaid 100 pence in the pound to all its creditors or went bust no ifs buts or maybes.
No prizes for guessing who it would be of course, and (thanks to Pally) we complied, but what has happened to that "rule" since? And there are people who think that Boronoia is unjustified...
I've said a couple of times that we need to get the right manager to replace McClaren and we have yet to do that.
What is worrying about this manager is the trend of players not wanting to play for him, Boyd at Rangers, Caldwell, Adams, and now Boyd of Peterbrough.
Adams refusing to come from Blackpool, that is Blackpool, is particularly worrying as Strachan seems to have designed his strategy of selling Johnson(and Yeates) around him. I imagine he believed he would get him even though he might have to pay over the odds.
Nevertheless, from his judge me after three years comments he was always operating on a three season strategy so there is still time for him to put a team together. It's all a bit cobbled together right now, with players playing out of position or while they are carrying injuries. Wheater and O'Neil could well leave in the summer along with several other squad members.
Yes, you get time to build something here, but if your foundations leave and the building blocks don't want to come...We will have to wait and see if he still wants to do it.
Grove Hill wallah ~ Kudos for cheering us all up this week with some of the most hilarious posts on Boronet!
Boronet...ROFLMAO!
Anyhow, keep 'em coming!
Top of the drawer article AV â 70pts a must â after the last two results I just cannot see this target been reached.
Steve McClaren was quoted as saying before the start of the season that we would struggle to get out of this league at the first time of asking!
I still say the rot set in when Steve Mac got his England call â blame the FA for our current predicament plus the fact we have failed to adapt, since his loss, from the tea lady up to the chief executive!
Re: Portsmouth - TOUGH - any "ordinary" private company would have gone out of business months, if not, years ago - even the "mighty" ManU and inc. our beloved Boro!
A couple of months into Strachan's reign and folks are already writing him off! Is that realistic? I think you'll find that somewhere in his contract it states years rather than months.
Gibson and Strachan's recent statements reveal this to be the case and yet you choose to ignore this. Why is that?
Strachan inherited a team completely devoid of leaders, an inexperienced and overly youthful squad without heart, steel, personality, hard work ethic and character. A team with a losing mentality because it knew no other way.
It seems that supporting the anti-Strachan bandwagon is the popular choice for many and so unrealistic demands and slating him at every opportunity that presents itself appears to be the order of the day. For goodness sake people, get real!
We gave Southgate far too much time and we still all waited patiently for his vision to spark on the pitch. I think the least we can do is stop all the needless and destructive Strachan "hate" propaganda, get realistic and afford him the same patience and support that he deserves.
If you can't do that, you're on the bandwagon to nowhere with such a warped and unreasonable outlook that when something good happens to the Boro you'll forget how to celebrate.
Anyhow, Gibson has given him three years to accomplish the goal of getting us back into the Premier League and that is a reasonable target to give the manager. We should all try really hard to subscribe to that as it seems a very reasonable thing to do.
You don't have to support the gaffer but it would help if you supported all the good things he is trying to bring to our team and that should be applauded and not constantly derided.
And pray tell when was the last time McClaren was truly revered by the Boro faithful? It's amazing that McClaren, once slagged off by the vast majority as a failure by the Boro 'faithful' is now being seen in a completely different light.
Oh how fickle and short-sighted us football fans truly are.
One last comment about our expectations of the manager. We all have our opinions, good, bad and indifferent but the fact is that he is trying to instil qualities in our team that have been missing for a very long time.
That cannot be questioned yet Boro fans still see fit to ridicule and deride him.
Maybe it's just me but I find it incredulous that people don't see these healthy and most welcome traits being instilled into our beloved team as something that is negative and not what is required.
The results were always going to be adversely affected by these massive changes but I'm prepared to accept them as a necessary evil.
Strong building blocks for long term success don't get built overnight. A great deal hard work, nous and commitment from the manager, coaching staff and the players in changing their collective mindsets, from one of a losing mentality to regular winners by necessity will take a lot of time, time it seems some Boro fans just aren't mentally prepared or dare I say it equipped to do.
Back to the game in hand: Fingers crossed that we can do the double over Rangers. Getting back on a winning track will I am sure lift the spirits of those who have bought into the managers plans.
As for that other bandwagon, bah humbug...
If someone has wondered if I have ever had a favourite team in Finland (where I was born and still live) - the answer is yes. I USED to have.
There used not to be a 'proper' football team in my town when I was child. With the help of the council we built the second best football stadium in Finland around the turn of the centenary. And we soon had a team called Allianssi in top six of our Premier League. We even played European football.
The club run out of money. Someone found a Chinese (!) millionaire willing to buy a Finnish team - even though the guy had never visited Finland before! A bit like Porstmouth this season. But every body was happy as the new owner talked about money poured into the team and Champions League, etc.
In a few weeks this Chinese chap fires the very popular Finnish coach we had for years. All the papers were surprised - stunned you could say. But he soon hired a Belgian ex-professional footballer as a new coach.
The new coach was expected to have good contacts to sign good foreign players for my beloved Allianssi. The following week five new Belgian players arrives. The best Finnish player of the team is sent for a trial to a Belgian team. He is told to have a good future abroad (our Premier is like your Second Division - Hartlepool level).
With the top goalie away for week all the new Belgian players are fielded for an away Premiership match at Haka of Valkeakoski. I wasn't able to travel to the match (on which me friends congratulated me afterwards).
The match starts. The traveling fans are suspicious as most of the experienced players sit in the stand with them and some juniors are played with the five very unfit Belgian players (who arrived a week or so earlier as I said). The result a 8-1 defeat. And the new Belgian goalkeeper looked like a real novice - he fall down without a reason etc.
The fans leave the match before the end. I look the news on TV and see all my friends leaving the stands. Big headlines. The news were repeated on TV. The new coach explains he wanted to see the non-regular players on the field, too. The season continues - but everyone knew something was wrong in that match.
Especially so as the goalkeeper returns soon from Belgium. The team where he was sent for a test didn't really know he was coming. Anyway he was not interested in a Belgian amateur (!) team.
Later the Police found out that in the Asian betting (they bet on Finnish football matches there!) someone had made a fortune on betting Allianssi to loose heavily the Haka match above. Something really strange. Why the good goalkeeper was sent abroad, the experienced players rested and all new Belgian players were fielded as they had not kicked a ball for 18 months!
Allainssi played all the other matches normally - like other teams did. Some months later it was discovered that the match was really arranged. Nearly a year later the Belgian police found the same had happened in Belgium, too. The Belgian coach was rested and jailed in Belgium (he gave a quick interview on the way to jail and said the Haka vs. Allianssi match was fixed.
Nobody ever heard about the Chinese business man (the owner) since a few months after the arranged match. He never payed the salaries to players after he disappeared, etc. The story goes that he is dead man now as our biggest news paper HS tried to find who he really was. He has never been seen in China since. His 'factory' was a fake just to attract the Finnish and Belgian club owners.
What happened to my club? It went bankrupt, of course. The man running the new stadium still tried to save the club. He said the club could continue if they are relegated only to the third tier from the Premiership. The answer from the Finnish FA was: "The Fourth Tier - it was a crime!" They wanted to made an example to other teams in Finland.
So my team disappeared. We still have the second best stadium in Finland - but the stadium was empty for a season after the bankruptcy. Since some local 4th tier teams started to play there. We have never seen real team on the stadium ever since. The fake match was played just five years ago.
What did we supporters got? Absolutely nothing. We still have the second best stadium in Finland but no team. The crime we did was that the new buyer was criminal - but he got the money from betting (let him rest in peace as I don't think he exists anymore) but we lost the team for ever. Especially with the help of the Finnish FA.
So I heard someone talk about Boronoia here on the blog. Well, I have suffered a double Boronoia! Grief - I was in England to see Boro in August 1986, too!
But you can bet that I will support all the way for Boro to have a 'real' English owner. Long live SG! Up the Boro!
**AV writes: Interesting tale Jarkko.
MacMordie:
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but Adam was extremely keen to come here, in fact he was 'flattered' and his Blackpool form suffered as a result. Blackpool simply didn't want to sell.
Caldwell had a choice of 3 1/2 year contract at Championship wages or 4 1/2 year at Premiership wages. ie, no choice.
Both Boyds didn't have a chance to decide as we never had bids accepted.
There are things to criticise GS2 for (tinkering for one), but this isn't one of them.
BOROTAR
A burnt out hack is sent on a mission to infiltrate a race of beings called The Na'vi, so called because they live around a place called The Na'viGat'or, in the centre of a land called Middlehaven.
These beings are distinguished by their bright red colour. They are under threat from the villainous Colonel Lamb. He wants to harvest their rich resources of Parmonium.
The Na'vi are a simple race and worship a religion called Getintothemology. They regularly congregate at their holy place at the side of a river. Here they enjoy the ritual every other Saturday of watching young warriors compete in face to face combat and can be heard to chant "Getintothem, Getintothem".
Colonel Lamb has fiendishly replaced their finest warriors with inferior Borotar's. His plan is that as the Na'vi become disillusioned with the poor fare they are offered, they will slowly drift away. Once out of the way he can harvest all of their Parmonium.
Seeing what is happening, our intrepid hero learns the ways and language of the Na'vi. Using this knowledge he starts to print the truth. Spurred on they return to their place by the Riverside and roar their warriors on. The final battle takes place on the field of We'mB'ley, where the Na'vi are victorious.
**AV writes: I haven't seen that one yet. Is it in 3-0 D?
I still maintain if we win 5 in a row we will make the play offs if we don't then we can forget it
DERBY(A)READ(H) PRES(H) WATF(A) CPAL(H)
Scoredraw if you read into my post and my previous posts over the years you would know that I was anti Southgate as our Manager for some time.
Despite the fact that I derided him in print on this very blog on numerous occasions does not remove or excuse the fact that he was indeed "unfairly given the job". No training, no preparation and no continuity planning from Gibson and Lamb despite the fact Mac was odds on to leave. I know of no other Industry where that would happen or be acceptable so in that sense he was indeed "unfairly given the job".
Was he given over ã20 million to spend or was it spent for him? the jury is still out on that one especially Alves. Was Dong Gook Lee his personal choice? One thing is certain and that is that players like Luke Young, Yakubu, Hasselbaink, Boateng, Viduka and Schwarzer were pushed, forced or ejected without replacing like for like despite claims that the club had one of the best scouting networks in Europe (allegedly).
It was obvious after 12 months he was drowning but despite fans misgivings, anxieties and concerns he was given another 2 years by Gibson.
Who signed the cheque for Mido despite his appalling record which a blind man on a galloping horse could see was doomed to end in exactly the same way as all his previous clubs? He may have been Southgates choice but an inexperienced individual always makes naive decisions but you would hope that wiser older elders in the background would have some veto. Its perhaps worth pointing out that the attendance figures did not need "interpreting" when MFC had a Scapegoat.
So when I say:
"when two promoted League 1 clubs and two fellow Premiership relegated Clubs are all above us then Boro have very definitely got a lot of things wrong..." I fully agree with you when you say "EXACTLY! Gareth Southgate as manager is what we got wrong"!
With reference to GS2 I can't win. If I call him Stricken (which his team selections, tactics and results to date confirm to me he is exactly that) I get bloggers on here complaining, when I refrain from it I get you complaining, TYPICAL BORO!
Just to be clear I am not sitting on the fence. I want Boro to win and I want us in Cup Finals and in the Premiership. I would rather be proved wrong over Strachan as the pain of being right is far far greater. We can't afford another failed Manager and another re-building project because that would put us back even further and highly unlikely to recover from.
Your view (and you are entitled to it) of "Gordon Strachan is a clear thinking, straight and hard working manager and he was very successful at Celtic" is not the one the majority of Celtic fans I have spoken to remember.
To qualify that statement I do know quite a bit about Glasgow Celtic including being proud to count one of the Lisbon Lions as a personal friend before his passing a few years back. I was also present at Henrik Larsson's farewell game against a certain Spanish side I'd rather not recall.
Whether or not he is "perfect for the Boro" remains to be seen but his English managerial record is hardly testimony to this. You haven't qualified why he is "perfect for the Boro", is it his square pegging of Justin Hoyte? playing Brad Jones until he destroyed the lad? or is it the Digard treatment table replacement Killen? Perhaps it is playing Hardlyeverthere as an out and out striker (despite Strachan saying himself that he is not a Striker)? Maybe its playing GON and McDonald when they were obviously 1/2 fit? Maybe its saying Grounds isn't comfortable at LB then playing him there a week later? Is Arca better than Walker?
To balance things, McManus looks to be a good addition, Robson could be if he can wind his neck in a bit and Flood has shown a couple of stirring performances but does it all fit together and look an organised and well structured team? In my opinion a resounding No! His team looks confused, unsure of who is playing where and what type of ball to play and consequently they end up bunched together in the middle passing it around until they finally lose it.
As for set pieces just don't start me on that one. Blackpool last week was freezing which at least numbed my abject disgust at what I witnessed. Can't comment on Rugby I'm afraid other than GON looks like he has been practising his free kicks with Johnny Whatsisname.
Finally I fully agree with your last statement I just hope the alienated and dissaffected turn up to share our hope. "Come on you Boro Bhoys. No mercy against any team with Rangers in its name - they're asking for it" !
Well Anthony. So you say my response might not have got past the "blade runners" I did not say anything degrading to anyone, it was a very light hearted response will lots of fun, music, questions, etc. Never to worry, others can have there bit of fun. All the best to everyone for Saturdays game.
Redcar Red an excellant post.
Grove Hill Waller Excellant post, I have happy memories from the Navigation. Still on for the Green Tree though, more central for others to get to.
Apologies to anyone who drinks in The Na'viGat'ion.
Gordon Strachan has been here for four months, that's 175 days to be precise!
How anyone can justify their reasons for criticising his custodianship of our team during this very short period is beyond comprehension!
You'll forgive me for saying this chaps but it is not rational, reasonable or fair. In fact, it's bloody stupid! For the millionth time, Gordon Strachan has been given until the end of the 2011/12 season I believe?
On this basis, constantly crucifying, criticising and judging him as a failure is extremely premature or maybe you lot do it to provoke us reasonable folk because that's how you get your kicks or something?
I honestly cannot think of any other reason why you would want to spend your days brooding and objecting at the very notion that for once, Steve Gibson decides to bring in an experienced manager.
Sure, results suck but that will happen when you have such a massive regime change. If you can't handle it, for the sake of your sanity you'd be better off jumping off the train or risk the onset of clinical depression!
If this is it what you're going to be like after 175 days, what are you going to be like after another 25 months.
Sheesh, for your sakes I dread to think....
Let's hope QPR don't have Neil Warnock in charge before todays game. You know how these teams start well with a new manager.
**AV writes: This is getting beyond a joke now. This sci-fi stuff... you don't work for Cyberdyn Systems hacking department do you?
Redcar Red.
Anyone who plays Hoyte at left back deserves criticism.
On the injuries, the problem we had was that we needed players in and as I posted earlier you have to take what you can get.
The difficulty is that the squad had been decimated during several windows as gate developed a squad not good enough to Arsenal Lite or strong enough to be a subtle Stoke.
The treatment room was full already and the replacenments were always likely to have niggles. It didnt help that we went into a run of Sat-Tues-Sat-Tues-Sat.
If you dont play GON and Robson who will you play?
My view is that we just have to sit tight but I am not writing off MacD, Killen and co after half a dozen matches. They are better than Dong Goal Less, Folan, Alves.
Robson is far better than, erm, oh we didnt replace the centre of midfield so there is no one he has to be better than.
Brad Jones was teachers pet before Strachan came, he was a poor keeper and GS2 didnt destroy him. He played him probably on the advice of the caoching team and eventually he managed to get some consistency out of the Aussie, he was pants for a run of matches.
Strachan is patching the team as he goes along. At the start of the season I posted it would be unfair to expect Johnno to do it all himself. That is what we did and paid for it against the more organsied and better teams in the division, someone had to rebuild the team and we are only at the start.
Whether he succeeds is another matter. Who else was there to come in? Hiddink? The Special One?
Jarkko,
What a sad story. All too easily football clubs are being used and abused. Having look a bit deeper into the mire at Portsmouth they are in for a rocky few weeks. If a buyer canâÂÂt be found and get the club on an even keel before the new season then they will fold. Which half wit is going to buy them? Surely only a billionaire Pompey fan can save them.
As said before: Thank you Steve Gibson. Flailing around outside the play off spots in the chimp ship is not a cause for celebration. But being able to go to games, getting that buzz of excitement, the joy of seeing us win which is comparable to nothing else (Sorry Mrs Smog) and the exciting thought of taking Smog Jnr in a few years time.
All the hours I have spent on this blog would be just be more dead time in my puerile existance. Win, lose or draw we have a club and always will. We shouldnâÂÂt forget or take that for granted.
Needless to say after all that defeat today and many chunterings of âÂÂNever again, waste my bl)@dy time, better things to do etc etcâÂÂ
Forgot to mention in my last post that I am expecting GHW to apparate from the flu network on number 200.
194...? Come on Grove Hill wallah - we know your're hiding here somewhere!
"**AV writes: Interesting tale Jarkko."
Interesting yes but devastating, too. I was really down when the club disappeared - even tried to call the FA chairman before their meeting. His secretary gave me his mobile number. But all in vain.
This is the first time I have freely talked or written about it. Perhaps this is a reason I follow Boro even more than in 1970's and 80's. I used to say myself - if Boro ever get relegated from PL or something they will still exist.Always. So I am a big fan of SG. Just think about Portsmouth now.
These things need years to get over. Up the Boro!
Neil in Canada:
Seems kind of fair that if Southgate had 3 years to take Boro down a division that Strachan should be afforded the same opportunity.
Redcar Red:
Fair response, but you have something of a 'spinning' 'political' style which I feel still betrays your true thoughts.
I genuinely do not come close to understanding how anyone can feel that Gareth was harshly treated. He was pampered by the club and the fans.
These protracted, convoluted conspiracy theories where people hint that Gareth had all the players 'forced' on him is, I think, a desperate argument. I remember Gareth saying that Marlon King had been a long term target. I can't think of a more damning statement in football.
Southgate is clearly likeable, decent and full of integrity, a very good, clever player and in the present climate someone who you can genuinely admire. He failed as a manager and his failure was compounded by our patience.
I count myself as Celtic fan. Gordon Strachan sits with Jock Stein and Willie Maley as one of trinity of managers who have won three championships on the trot. He won one championship BEFORE the 'mid league' split ! He is a very good manager and given half the time Gareth was given will prove it to benefit of Middlesbrough FC.
You are a bit unlucky regarding you Celtic friends as you seem to know the only ones who don't know what the hell they are talking about. What do they think of Tony Mowbray ?
Up the Boro and God Bless the Tic.
Nervous weekend awaits.
Ian Gill
I agree about GON and Robson they are our best midfielders by a mile but not when carrying an injury (cite McDonald as an example which only causes more long term problems). My issue with Robson is purely his inability to balance passion with being booked/sent off, if he is absent through his own indiscipline then that makes him a liability in my book (the same appiles to Lita).
Regarding Strachan's dependence on existing Coaching staff any time I have taken on a new task due diligence is a basic starting point, a bit of research would have given him a two month start in my opinion.
Strachan is preferable to Southgate on paper however the proof of the pudding is in the eating and so far its not particularly palatable considering we now have an "Gordon" bleu Chef as oppose to a Burger flipper. Like I said I hope he stops tinkering gets stuck in and delivers its something that we are all unanimous in.
Scoredraw regarding Mowbray lets just say the Tic fans are understanding of his objectives but like many Boro fans not convinced that an implosion was necessary in order to move forwards, his stock is diminishing as the season wears on. Lets hope they both prove their doubters wrong!
Anyway off to the Riverside now to hopefully see Strachan rub my nose in it!