Tangerine Dream Turns Into Nightmare
TWO steps forward one step back. Two back maybe.
After a slow and steady six game unbeaten run had fostered an unaccustomed bubbling optimism based on Boro's new found steel we have been given a harsh reality check by Blackpool. Again.
It was Ian Holloway's well organised side of grafters that brought Boro crashing to Earth after the false dawn of a 5-1 away day hammering of QPR early in December. That turned corner quickly became a cul-de-sac of successive defeats to the Tangerines, Cardiff and Newcastle.
A quick glance at the coming fixtures gives food for thought as the other two teams of that trio are looming fast - and defeats in those games would surely end any foam fingered hopes of the play-offs. As it is, a slot in the the end of season shoot-out is already looking precarious after Boro failed to show the neccessary ruthless streak on a night when the other results all went their way.
The truth is that Boro were made to look very ordinary by a limited Blackpool side who would be the first to admit they are only outsiders for the play-offs themselves. It was a big test failed and it runs the risk of squandering the goodwill stockpiled in recent weeks.
It was all set up for Boro: the Seasiders had wobbled and won just one of their last six at home while Boro had shown a new resilience and substance in a six game sequence in which they had clawed from behind, held out against heavy pressure and shown they could win ugly. New Boro had been winning hearts and minds.
It looked as if under Gordon Strachan they were finally evolving into a competant Championship side of art and craft, who could play a bit but battle too.
But against ten man Blackpool they showed they are still lacking in some key areas, still blunt and still lacking the mentality needed to pass these tests.
Now, it would be easy to offer refereeing errors in mitigation. Very easy.
Blackpool should have been down to ten men two minutes after the break when key man Charlie Adam - a ã3m Boro deadline day target - body-checked Jeremie Aliadiere just outside the box. He was the last man. It was a cynical "professional foul" and if the ref thought it was a foul then he had to go. But no. It was just shown a yellow card.
The red card when it came was indesputable... Edwards dived into a rugby tackle whose homage to egg-chasing was matched only by the trajectory of Gary O'Neil's free-kick from 22 yards. The ball flew high into the new but as yet unopened Jimmy Armfield stand. Had it been at the other end the Tower may have been in danger.
So Boro should have played the last half hour against nine men.
And Boro could arguably have had another penalty too, before the spot-kick they were eventually awarded. Evatt wrestled Scott McDonald to the ground from behind just inside the box and the referee waved play-on when it looked clear cut.
But to retreat into those excuses would disguise the flaws that cost Boro the game.
Boro lost at Blackpool because they turned in a first half performance that was as poor as anything we have seen this season.
After the scrappy second half display against Peterborough on Saturday Strachan had blasted his side for falling below acceptable standards. At Bloomfield Road the reshuffled team - four changes, again - picked up exactly where they left off against rock bottom Posh, on the back foot, disjointed and struggling to relieve the pressure.
They conceded possession cheaply, failed to close down quickly in midfield, failed to clear their lines effectively - and crucially, failed to take their chances when they came.
In short the team slipped back in to bad habits that Strachan had started to address.
Boro looked creaky at the back - both full backs had been rested and so it was yet another new unit - and Blackpool time and again broke through with time and space and but for two cracking saves by Danny Coyne and a shot that DJ Campbell skied the game could have been over at the break in embarrassing and emphatic fashion.
Boro were creaky up front too. Aliadiere and McDonald was yet another new partnership and both lacked match sharpness or any hint of an understanding.
And just to make sure it was a collective failure the midfield misfired too with Willo Flood and O'Neil both failing to impose themselves and Jonathan Franks unable to find space on the winsg of a narrow pitch.
Boro looked laboured as they beavered away after the break and although they showed more fight and urgency and got forward more, well drilled Blackpool sat back and soaked up the pressure.
They systematically broke up the game with scrappy, niggly fouls that prevented any fluidity or tempo being imposed and Boro could not find a way to break them down, even with the extra man. They were more professional than us," said Strachan tersely.
But despite the disatrous first half Boro were somehow still in the game at the interval an have only themselves to blame for not clawing it back.
To miss a penalty is a major self inflicted wound, especially after what seemed a dispute over who would take it then an unconvincing stop-start run up trying to out-fox the keeper. Just leather it man. It was a good save but was "at a nice height for the keeper" and for McDonald it was a squandered opportunity to get off the mark and establish his credentials as Boro's goal-hero elect.
But the game didn't just come down to a missed penalty. By then Aliadiere had missed two sitters.
It was hard to decide which was the worst offence, when he was given a free run into the box to go one on one in the first half by inexplicably opted to cut back inside to give a defender a chance to tackle.
Or the O'Neil ball that bounced and sent him free into the box and with all the time in the world to bring it down, pick his spot and slot home he decided to weakly, meekly head it straight into the keeper's arms.
So to blame the referee - and to his credit Strachan did not go down that route - would be disingenuous. Boro lost because they were poor in both boxes, did not concentrate and failed to match Blackpool's workrate and desire.
Now there is a lot of ground to make up with time running out and some very tough games coming up.
We need to take two big steps forward again. And this time, there is no room to take any more backwards.
*********
Some observations....
Barry Robson was fantastic... but fiery. In the first half he was the most composed component in an erratic engine room but after the break powered by anger at the injustice he was brilliant, breaking up Blackpool moves, playing neat little balls through that cut their defence open. He linked up well, he won the penalty. But he will have to learn to wind his tounge in or he will spend a lot of time suspended.
Some of the changes were strange. Why Aliadiere? Yes, his pace causes problems for defences (which is more than his finishing!) but he was far from match fit and allied to a still short McDonald that left Boro lacking stamina and sharpness against a robust defence (Evatt was fantastic.) Plus, presumably Strachan bought Miller and Killen as big lads for McDonald to play off... so why was one of them sat on the bench?
That is yet another new front line, yet another defensive unit.... at some point we have to decide what the best team is and stick with it if we are to make the play-offs. There are already too many new players being bedded in without tinkering.
The Blackpool fans were brilliant although all those new tangerine scarves from the recent influx of glory fans was retina burning. They were very noisy for the full 90 despite a low crowd and an vast open side that made for strange acoustics, theire drummers kept a good rhythm (take note Red Faction) and the chanting was seriously old school. The Boro fans turned out in decent numbers - 1,200 and they all but filled that side - just looked f-f-f-f-f-reezing.
There was no press room, just a spare forgotten breeze blocked corner under the stand with two plug socket and a B&Q extension, a trestle table, a flask of tea and Peek Freen family favourites selection of biscuits. Apparently there will be a new facility in the Jimmy Armfield stand when it is finished (last November). I'll look forward to it next season but pencil in fish and chips beforehand just in case.
There were no players made available for interview after the game. The gaffer's decision. Not just for us but also BBC Tees and the website. Even in the worst run in the Premier League there was always Poggi or Julio Arca. A bad sign. Yes, he may be angry and reportedly said "let's just get out of here," but fans expect to hear someone say something, even it is only "sorry, we weren't good enough."
The stakes are now piled up high for the games against Forest and Cardiff now. I think we need four points there now to keep our hopes alive.
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'Pool 1 Boro 2 (Wheats, Flood)
Am working this evening so am particularly unhappy at Senor Cloudfiles refusal to don his boots. Give that player a rollicking in a Strachan stylee from me AV.
Come on Boro
I am predicting a 3 - 1 win for the Boro.
Goals from McDonald, Flood and Wheater
C'Mon Boro!
I will take an ugly 1-0 victory! Lets keep the unbeaten run going.............
Okay, my prediction is a 3-1 Boro win!!
After bidding for Charlie Adam that means he will be on the score sheet tonight after coming back from his ban - it's the football law.
Going 1 - 3 (Adam, McDonald 2, Robson)
Come on Boro!! Don't make me look silly now............
No predictions, just hope for another win - please?
The Boro attitude seems right ..right now Robson is an inspiration along with O'neil. The team now is starting to believe it can compete and win..Predict Boro. 3 - 0 win tonight.
A draw would be acceptable but a win would be lovely, thank you. And if Gutted!! is right at 3.47pm, I'd be more than happy for Adam to score against us if we manage to score three.
Fingers, arms and legs crossed (sadly the toes are not supple or long enough!). Radio Brownlee, it's down to you now....though I might have a sneaky look at myP2P, suspecting that on a European night a Championship game at Blackpool might not receive quite as much coverage as it truly deserves.
I think this game has 1-1 written all over it but I'm hoping the roasting the lads got on Sat'di after the game will set them off into the stratosphere with a high-tempo performance that get us all three points.
Truth is that at half time we are not in it, we desrerve nothing and that is what we are getting.
Sounds like the match at the Riverside (which I conned my brother into going to, hasnt spoken since). they seem to be getting to every loose ball, they are controlling the football.
lets see the what the half time talk does.
One half, we only play one half.
Oh well...I don't suppose many predicted 0-2 even though Blackpool aren't a bad Championship side.
Taking a step backwards, bearing in mind we were facing 10 men for 30 minutes or so, and that we missed a penalty, the result shows how far we are from Premier level. The double done over us, and an aggregate score of 0-5 imposed on us by a competitor for one of the play-off places, tells the story.
Still quite a lot of work to be done by GS2 snd next we face Forest away. I will have to see whether any of those toes can be stretched into a crossed position for the weekend.
Who is our designated penac taker now?
If not McDonald then the captain should've stood his ground and insisted that the designee should have made our "Tangerine Dream" a reality!
eddie
same old boro beat 2-0
why did GS play arca and grounds was naughton not fit what about young bennett
We had every opportunity to grab something from that match and blew it. Of course it didn't help that Charlie Adam wasn't sent off for a very similar foul to the one that saw their centre-half do one. And we had at least two more pen shouts!
The tomfoolery surrounding who was going to take the PK was a poor augur. Funnily, GS2 said post-match that McDonald was always going to take it, but the others didn't know. I thought most of those mental lapses were sorted...
Fourchanges to a winning team, how many due to injury I wonder? And how many due to poor management?
When will this Scotish Master Manager realise that if you want to bring back players from injury, do it gradually and not have wholesale changes for the sake of changes.
The top teams have a reasonably permanent look to them, except for the ones who can afford the luxury of a bench that allows the selected team to lose non of its potency when changes sre made.
I think Mr Strachan is making Raniere, who was slated for all the changes he made to the Chelsea team look like a non starter in the top team changing management stakes.
All this waffle does not help us to get a setled team, all we can hope for is that Mr Strachan sees the error of ways quickly and provide us with a winning play off contending team.
McDonalds penalty miss is not acceptable, if he can not score on a one on one situation, I have great fears for his future scoring tally at the Riverside.
Target 70pts min to reach playoffs = 2 losses, 5 draws 7 wins = total 26pts from remaining matches.
This target still maybe just 3pts short based on last season's Championship final pts results!
Personally - can't see this at mo. after tonight's debacle!
However on a positive note at least the club "sounds" if it is on a reasonable financial footing despite what league we are in 2010-2011.
Hi there stayed up and read the report on the Sporting Life. It appears that the BORO had more than enough chances to have won the game themselves their keeper made at least 8 saves.
I am not just saying things but John dd says above Strachan still plays people out of position when he has natual position players on the bench, one can only assume that he does not like these players as first team players.
I have had my say on Mcdonald (scored in Mickey mouse league only) John d says he thinks he will come good, how many times did they say that about Alves? I am sorry but for a centre forward to miss a penalty against 10 men is not good.
As regards Miller, the people up in Scotland told you what he was like, but we still bought him. What I dont understand is that we are getting beat and he does not bring Lita on, and then we fall for a goal in the 94 minute.
Last night was a night for a win, only one team above us won. A VERY BAD NIGHT FOR THE BORO I AM AFRAID. and yet the league looks better this morning (sounds crazy) but we are only 6 points behind the 4th team (yes they still have games in hand but they only drew. T
hat is 3 games now for Mcdonald (1st not bad 2nd very poor 3rd Misses chances and penalty) oh oh Forest on Saturday. MUST DO BETTER
Sick as a parrot. I am always positve about what I write but I dont wear rose coloured glasses like many of you. Unfortunately what I wrote came true last night another bad night for Mcdonald (need I say more)
I watched Mcdonald 4 times this season in the European games and he missed enough chances to WIN all four games, but he didnt and Celtic did not qualify for either. So I will continue to have my say wether you like it or not my friend.
Just looked at latest league position
SWANSEA 4th (1) game in hand (away)
Cardiff 5th (2) game in hand (away / home)
Liecester 6th (2) game in hand (both away)
So we are in position that is not to bad only 6 points adrift. A win is now critical on Saturday at Forest.
Come on the BORO you can do it.
**AV writes: just think how it would look if we had won.
AV - a quick question relating to Gibbo's quote that we're now on firm financial ground.
Which, if any, of the current squad will get shipped out this summer if we miss out on the immediate return to the PL?
After last nights defeat we can now only afford 2 more losses, and even that is dependant on only having 1 or 2 draws. This means a 'champions' run of 10 wins in the last 14 just to get into the lottery of the play-offs so there has to be a reasonable spectre of not going back up at the first attempt..? Your opinion please?
**AV writes: If we don't go up Gary O'Neil and David Wheater will probably go, Poggi won't get offered a new deal (not on his current wages anyway) plus anyone on PL money will be off-loaded they can find a buyer... Arca, Aliadiere, Jones, Hoyte.
Bad day at the office if i had as many bad days, i wouldnt have an office.
Missed penalty has possibly cost us a play off place as City and Cardiff dropped two points each. This is a big step backwards we are definatly underdogs for Saturday and for a place in the play offs.
very disappointing result and we wont get anything at forest...long way to go yet...
So alas the performance was more ambivalent than ambient as the visit to Blackpool didn't turn out to be a Tangerine Dream - though given the nearby fake Eiffel Tower, perhaps the more surreal Lost Tangerine in Paris would suffice.
Still against a team down to ten men (and fortunate not to be nine), along with missing a penalty, Boro should have got something from this game. Though, I think the team still appears to be a bit thin in many positions and seems to suffer from too many injuries to have everybody firing on all cylinders.
Other results means this was more of a missed opportunity than a concession of ground. It means that a win at Forest is probably now needed to restore momentum.
SO we bring back Southgate signings or squad players and lose.
I figure we have to win at least 10 more games to have any chance of a play off spot,Ive tried to stay possitive , but its getting harder allidared couldnt score in a Nevada you no what
Desperately disappointing. That was the sort of performance I'd hoped we'd left behind last season: absent first half, start playing at 1-0 down, miss loads of chances, lose.
I said a couple of weeks ago it was important that McDonald hit the ground running if we were going to get into the play-offs. I'm not writing him off by any means, and he's looked pretty good, but he hasn't got amongst the goals straight away which is a blow.
When was the last time a big-money striker got off to a good start for us? Ravanelli?
By my reckoning we've used 20 players in the last 4 games alone. That includes 5 full backs (6, if you include Taylor playing in midfield), and 4 strikers.
We've had four different back fours and four different striking partnerships. We've only had the same midfield twice in those four games.
Only Coyne, McManus and Flood have started all four.
Isn't all that vaguely ridiculous? I can see what GS2 is trying to do, keep players fresh as the games come thick and fast, but surely this is taking it to extremes?
Benny, have a word. 'Made for the sake of changes'? You what? Are you seriously suggesting that, really?
As for the McDonald miss, wait until he scores a couple in one game - then no doubt you'l be back saying ''oh yeah, McDonald looks like an excellent signing''.
Love em when we're winning, sack the lot when we lose. Boro fans eh, who'd be one?
"the pleasure beach/kiss-me-quick hat/sickening novelty rock/sew your own sequins Tower ballroom botherers"
That's why other teams love beating Boro. If you didn't aim so high you wouldn't have so far to fall. 5-0 Oh dear.
**AV writes: You should hear what I say about Boro....
I can only conclude that Gordon is interviewing these players on the field. It seems he is giving everyone a chance to show himself and the chairman the reason he will make wholesale changes in the summer.
I dont believe we are strong enough to go up rite now. Its just alarming the difference in quality from prem to this div. I for one am shocked how big it is
In 30 yrs time we will all look back with fondness at the memory of the six game un beaten run.
âÂÂWe havenâÂÂt even come close, Grandsmogâ says a misty eyed Smogonthetyne now some where else inappropriate.
âÂÂThere was the good run of 2033 but that came to a sticky end at Standard Liege, in the first season of Flavio BriatoreâÂÂsâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâÂÅ ..âÂÂ
The game last night was lost in a five minute spell in the first half culminating in their 1st goal. Ormerod put one in the side netting, Dudley Junior hit the bar and then Ormerod scored. We were rocking and never got close enough to them.
The goal was inevitable and well deserved. We still look a little weak and need to disrupt teams before they build up a head of steam. Feign an injury; launch it out of the ground anything but sitting back and waiting for the inevitable.
What followed in the 2nd half is infuriating as a point would have been great and kept Blackpool a safe distance behind. But now we have to dig deep in the cliché bin and I have pulled out âÂÂThe mark of a good team is how they come back from defeatâÂÂ. As if SaturdayâÂÂs game wasnâÂÂt a biggie anyway, it now has season defining stamped on it. ItâÂÂll be a big ask, roll our selves up and show our mettle etc etc.
The one thing we cannot say was that we were unlucky. We could/should have been dead and buried at half time. Also we could easily have dropped points in the last minute of our last two home games so maybe last night was a bit of Karma.
I haven't read a match report, but it sounds like we gave it a good go in the second half. If the penalty had gone in we'd probably have scored another against ten men, its a fine line between success and failure.
We were bound to get these blips, it just goes to show the rest of the season is going to be tense. We certainly aren't going to stroll into the top six! Still a win at Forest will have us all smiling again.
Same old same old. At least Gibbo and Lamb will be content. Gibbo all but admitted in his interview with the Gazette that the club cannot afford to be in the Premiership under his Chairmanship.
Clearly a money spinning visit to Wembley with a defeat in the final to keep the club in the Championship would be ideal. But that seems a long with off with this bunch of journeyman.
Why is it Boro get classy players from the likes of Arsenal then proceed to knock the quality out of them (Aliadiere, Hoyte). Three and a half seasons of dire football continues with no respite.
Johnson and Downing did the right thing to abandon this club and the likes of Wheater, Williams and others should do the same thing first chance they get, One things for sure Gibbo won't stop them, he's made it clear where his focus is.
Having watched the rubbish served up on Saturday disguised as a football match I am glad I did'nt pay to get in and did'nt renew my season ticket in the summer.
Be carefull all of you guys who write negative(but true comments above) you will get sick as a parrot and realism complaining at you. You can only say positive things you know. So for you two here it is I am being very positive. Mr Strachan play players in their correct positions on saturday, win , give us something to be happy about.
Up the BORO I have changed my glasses and as the song goes I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW. keep smiling guys I know I am.
I didn't comment after Saturday's result as I felt we were extremely poor apart from the opening 20 minutes and I guess three points is three points so tried very hard not to be negative.
Last night was a shambolic performance. Strachan blaming the Referee is a very poor excuse. The Referee was woeful and spent the whole game trying to "balance his previous wrong decisions from moments earlier but he was equally bad for both teams with absolutely no bias, just incompetence.
Tactically Holloway set his team out to battle, scrap and harras to prevent us building any momentum. It worked a treat and for the 1st half it was as bad as any I have seen from Boro. The second half only improved when they went down to 10 men and as the Blackpool fans were chanting after the 2nd goal "we've only got 10 men" it made the point more poignant.
I'm sorry but if McDonald isn't fit he shouldn't be playing because from what I have seen I remain to be convinced he can make it at this level and he and hardlyeverthere last night were completely bossed out of the game and offered very little until they were up against 10 men.
Why were Naughton and Bennet dropped? Strachan did at least play Hoyte in his logical position but unfortunately he seemed very reluctant to get forward. Strachan looks to be the new "Tinkerman".
There wasn't a single decent performance and Robson's petulance was the signal for Boro fans to demonstrate their sheer anger by walking out in droves. Losing is one thing but no fight or fire in the belly and out fought, out thought, out battled and tactically we were completely at sea.
Watching last night you would have thought we were a team of complete strangers, it was absolutely clueless, the shape of our team had us confused let alone handing Blackpool the initiative.
If we had to wait until they went down to 10 men to have a go then it is a very poor offering. To then miss a penalty (body langauge was obvious to everyone around me that he was going to miss even before he sauntered up to it) and Robson's now predictable cameo role of card collections just compounded the entire evening.
On a positive well done to those hardy Teesside souls who turned up in freezing temperature in good numbers only to witness those souless Teesside individuals failure to show any spirit, graft or endeavour.
**AV writes: My impression was that Strachan DIDN'T blame the ref. In a throwaway line he said it would be easy to blame the ref, that and yes, he thought there were two sendings off but he stressed Boro lost because Blackpool were the more professional team and his side didn't deal with it.
Like everyone else, very disappointed with last night's display, especially the penalty miss. In hindsight, you can pick any one of the other ten players to take it, but the guy who did was woeful. That should now be rock bottom for McDonald, and the only way from now on is up.
I'll be at 35,000 feet when we play Forest on Saturday A.V. so I'll be looking forward to reading your comments from my Notebook on arrival in sunny Mexico. Just hope it is good news.
Listened to Ali and Gary last night, not being there makes it difficult to judge fairly.
Stats never tell a true picture but can give a hint. We played against a team with 10 men for the last 30 mins. Blackpool had 53% possession overall. They had more shots on target, they had 6 corners to none for us.
That hardly paints a picture of an Alamo style bombardment with last ditch blocks diverting balls past the post, keepers going full length to tip over the bar or round the post but my comments are not from someone who was there.
In my morming paper the result says 2-0. The stats cannot be changed. End of story, opportunity missed.
Lets move on to the match at the place that cannot be named.
Well given the effect that my prediction of a 3-1 Boro win had on the result I'm now predicting we go down 0-4 at Forest.......
You are correct in everything that you wrote Redcar Red.
Please see my previous comment. But some of the writers on this web will still not accept anything being said against Strachan or the team. That is one of the reasons he will not change his ways.
We will never have a settled team under this manager, even on the "run" he was changing and now that is over what will he do for the next match. you hsave guessed it change again. Some of these lads must be wondering what they have to do to stay in his team.
You gotta laugh at boro fans, surely there can be any more fickle set of fans in the country than boro fans! It's ridiculous the misplaced optimism after some good results, and the outcry of negativity after every poor result.
it was never going to be an easy ride especially with all the change of players and injuries this year. Despite all that and despite being poor last night we still could and maybe should have won it with the missed sitters and penalty. As someone mentioned above its a fine line between success and failure.
Just far too many below par players in the team, and squad.
Robson, McManus, Flood, Wheater and O'Neil are worth keeping. As for the rest..?
Forest will murder us at the weekend.
âÂÂThe mark of a good team is how they come back from defeatâÂÂ
Well ok then, let's do the math! Following on from defeat in the League Cup at some ground I now forget our next game was a defeat to Bristol City. Did we bounce back at the 2nd time of asking? Yes we beat Ipswich at home.
After the West Brom game, did we bounce back? Nearly, last minute equaliser for Coventry. After home defeat to Leicester we then won in Reading. After Home defeat to Watford, we then won at home to Derby. Did anything else happen that night?
Then in WGS first game defeat at the hands of Plymouth was followed by defeat at Palace. Defeat at Palace was followed with home draw against someone or other. Then the Blackpool defeat at Fortress Riverside was followed by defeat to Cardiff and Newcastle
But we did beat Scunny after the Toon game
Defeat at Barnsley was followed by defeat against Man City. Which in turned was followed by defeat at Sheff Utd. But we did pick up a point against Swansea next.
So defeat at Blackpool will be followed byâŠâŠâŠâÂÅ well statistically speaking another loss = 46%, Draw 23% and a win =31%
Or logicallyâŠâŠâÂÅ nul pointa 100%. I have never been so sure of anything in all my life. But that wonâÂÂt stop me from going and at 14.55 will be thinking, âÂÂyeah todayâÂÂs the day, weâÂÂre gonna do this!!âÂÂ
The mark of a good team is, they donâÂÂt get beat.
SouthgateâÂÂs record after a defeat
Won 60%
Lost 20%
Drew 20%
WGS record after defeat
Won 12.5%
Lost 62.5%
Drew 25%
**AV writes: Hmmmmm. Interesting stats.
Hardly a banana skin on the road to the play offs, more an open manhole cover. Saturday is now looming like a crevasse of Arctic proportions.
Time to change my Defcon level of Play Off hopes where the scale is....
Defcon 1 Yes We Can
Defcon 2 Maybe We Can
Defcon 3 Don't Think We Can
Defcon 4 No We Can't
Defcon 5 Yer Joking Aren't Yer
Defcon 2 it is then.
BoroPhil - didn't Massimo and Boksic start with braces on debut? (Possibly Massimo's were in his home debut).
**AV writes: Mido started well...
David Connor
Everyone has a right to post whatever they want. The difference between most posters and you, is that they (and me) post positive and negative comments.
It seems that you only have negative things to say about the club (as you are entitled to do). You seem to take pleasure from the Boro getting beat, so you can tell us all that you told us so.
It was disapointing that so many changes were made last night, and as others have posted it is time for Strachan to pick his best 11 and stick with them when he can.
As for MacDonald, time will tell if he can become a success at the Boro. Judging him after three games and then selectively choosing games were he did not score for Celtic is petty. Have you watched him play live?
C'Mon Boro!
Redcar Red
Pretty much spot on with your summary. I agree with AV and you about Robson.
We can only play better on Saturday against Forest and will need to to get something out of the game.
C'Mon Boro!
A very disappointing performance.
I am wandering when Robson will be given a chance to take our free kicks. Gary O'Neil appears unable to hit the target on any regular basis, whilst Robson scored some terrific goals for Celtic from dead ball situations. Is there a whiff of team politics in the air?
Note O'Neils reaction when Adam Johnson snuck in and took the free kick off Gary's toe in his final game for us. Perhaps he too had had enough of watching another dead ball being launched high into the stands !
Come on give Barry a go !!
AV any news on incoming players
we dont half need some
At the game last night - disappointing performance after the last few games.
Another disappointment was the facilities for away fans. I fully understand that Bloomfield Road is undergoing redevelopment at the present time and that this means that some element of the crowd would need to be located in some form of temporary stand. You can also appreciate that it is likely that this be given to the away fans, as they are only likely to be attending once in a season.
What I find absolutely amazing is the fact that Blackpool FC charge adult away fans ã24.50 for the pleasure of being outside, open to the elements in a temporary wooden/metal stand for over two hours, with only one small burger van and very basic temporary toilet facilities, whilst only charging ã20 to home fans who have covered seating, and the opportunity to go somewhere warmer inside to use a range of facilities. How do they justify this??
Sounds like your accomodation wasn't any better AV - any comments? Anybody else think we were well and truly "ripped-off" last night by being charged around 25% more than the home fans??
**AV write: My understanding is that away fans can't be charged more than home fans in "eqivalent" seats. You would need to check what the prices were for the main stand paddock on the opposite touchline. My bet is they will be the same.
In general, away fans always get treated badly.
I did not enjoy last night's performance at all and did something I have never done before - left early to get away from Blackpool before the roads blocked up. I also paid ã7.50 for my car parking ticket and then found the barrier was already fixed in the up position - so that could have made things feel worse, except I was past caring and just wanted to get home.
Positives: Danny Coyne, McManus and David Wheater (again, my MoM), also Barry Robson in the second half, but someone should tape his mouth up if he's not wearing the captain's armband.
Willo looked tired and made some silly decisions; Aliadiere got in some great positions but looked effete in every decision he made, whether trying to lay the ball off, head or shoot, everything done with no conviction; Franks did not suit the sticky conditions; Grounds looked too slow for a left back; Hoyte was OK coming forward but pushed people in the back or made token gestures when required to defend with his head and did not (as I recall) tackle even once with his feet; O'Neil was not fit to play and his shooting was simply dire; MacDonald was not good, but was largely unsupported.
I remember thinking as I watched the referee and his assistants trundle round the pitch before the start, "I hope that overweight, unfit one isn't the man in the middle." He was, and he did as little running as he could get away with, consequently missing a great number of our most obvious fouls as well as letting us down with the sending off of Adam etc. He was so visibly not fit to referee, easily the worst of a largely poor bunch of officials we have seen this year.
The more I think about it, the more I am coming to realise we need Killen back to link up properly with Willo, Robbo and Scott. We have tired out our new acquisitions, it seems, now the new-club adrenalin has drained away.
As a crowd, we did not shine last night either. We all get a chance to put this right at Forest on Saturday. I hope my daughter who is with me for that trip, does not have to endure the limp lettuce kind of performance we saw last night!
Very disappointing defeat.
If we lose our next three games we will still have a chance of the playoffs in this league, with teams dropping or picking up points against each other.
Are we good enough? A totally different arguement!
I suggest not.
The main reason ALL season for us not getting into the playoffs is that we do not achieve sufficient cleans sheets. Yes we could do with scoring a few more goals and now have more forwards ( I will not say strikers as GS might disagree ) than at any other time. But generally speaking the fact is that to gain promotion you need to be good at the back, start the game with a point and keep it.
Also the midfield is still too weak and inconsistent, GON with too many missed games through injury, and now we will have Robson missing too many games through suspension. Roll on the summer, maybe SG and GS will finally get it right if they can ship out the excess backage and get a few more off the right type in.
On another note AV, would it be possible to number the posts, because during some of the longer threads it takes some finding that last post without a marker, sorry if you have been asked this before and said no can do.
**AV writes: I don't know but I'll ask.
sick as a parrot
You musnt name Saturdays opponents, Smogonthetyne is allergic to the collective name for a large group of trees. I think it was the 5-1 defeat under big Jack did for him. I wasnt at that one but I was for the 4-0 when Van hoodonkey kept peppering the Boro goal from all distances.
The ref had an odd game that day. You could not argue with any one decision but every time two players challenged for a ball he gave the free kick to the Tricky Trees. Even the harmless challenges around the centre circle, the ones where he gives them in turns, went against us. The only surprise was when he didnt penalise us for NOT playing Steve Stone onside!
Last visit was the 3-0 pre season game with JFH and Veruka. That was the first telling sign that MacMoses had decided TLF was going to be squeezed out, Greening was in the midst of signing for West Brom and still played, even the kit mans son got a run out in front of Juninho.
Strachan said their is a pressure taking penalties however Mat le Tissier doesn't agree. I listened to Le Tissier's interview on the radio on taking spot kicks and he said he would go to any club to teach them how to take penalties, and over the course of a season it's got to be worth it? It could mean play offs and possible promotion or seeing Blackpool's new stand open next season!!
Matt le Tissier could even show Gary O'Neil how to take a free kick as well. Bring him up and get him coaching even if it's only for a week every month.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1234103/Penalty-king-Matthew-Le-Tissier-offers-help-England-banish-World-Cup-shoot-jinx.html
Redcar Red sums things up far more accurately and eloquently than I could have done. I'm stricken with jealousy at his prose. Well done, lad.
Why Aliadiere? C'mon Gordon Strachan, that's just one bridge too far with tinkering for the sake of tinkering. It's difficult enough as it is with all our injuries without you making unforced changes. Aliadiere is a chump of the highest order with those incredible misses. I could wring his neck.
For those that find it difficult to name our opponents this weekend, it's Nottingham Forest, Nottingham Forest, Nottingham Forest, Nottingham Forest, Nottingham Forest.
N~O~T~T~I~N~G~H~A~M F~O~R~E~S~T :o)
Up the Boro!
Oh come on fellas. The missus hijacks the remote so to escape Holby City (currently 8th in Lge 2, needing 2.09 pts per game to reach the play offs) I come here the last refuge of a scoundrel.
And what to do I get? Mr Gill doing his utmost not to actually name them but then highlights every reason why I could possibly dislike them. The defeat to big jacks boys was before my time but I was there when Andy Dibble âÂÂexcelledâ himself.
And as for you Neil In Canada âÂÂHow Dare You!â Not only was I ridiculed as a little Smog growing up in NotâÂÅ tâÂÅ IâÂÅ n âÂÅ ..IâÂÅ no I canâÂÂt do it. Now I get it from my fellow brethren.
I have feeling the next couple of days could be chore.
For those of you that would prefer to use the international symbol for the town in question itâÂÂs
.
Def con2
Neil
That is uncalled for, poor Smogonthetyne is reaching for his antihistamine tablets at this very moment.
As the match approaches John Powls has asked me to invoke my mantra of 'points from unexpected sources'. In part this is due to the fact that in the away end at the City Ground there are no Sofas for us to hide behind and in part to the fact we could do with three points.
You may recall the tooth fairy requires a tooth to be put under the pillow so that he can replace it by a pound coin.
The God of 'points from unexpected places' did not respond last season so I am going to suggest that he needs some form of encouragement. I have left my account details with AV so please feel free to donate ã50 each to encourage a generous response.
It would also help in Smog's recuperation from his debilitating allergy.
Please give freely.
LOL I love you guys! Ok, silence is golden and I shall refrain from naming the team in question ever again. I don't want to be held liable for an allergy or anything for that matter!
How about a bit of wordsmithing? Here are some suitable anagrams that we can use to identify the team that cannot be named:-
Nightmares oft not
Mangiest oft north
Angriest oft month
Smogonthetyne now in Nunthorpe - Def con2?
I don't want to make your condition worse, but is there an explanation for this "international symbol"? I must have missed something!
Hello my friend sick as a parrot.
Contrary to what you might think I always want the BORO to do well. I have supported them for well nearly 60 years. I have been there with crowds of less than 5000 I have paid my money, still season ticket holder.
I am sorry that you think that I am only negative most of the time, but lets be honest, for the last few seasons we have not had many WINS to write about. I was all for Southgate out and I was happy when Strachan came, but to my dismay I do not like his style of management at all.
The constant changes (injuries or whatever) players out of position. leave a lot to be desired. To the person who asked had I seen Mcdonald live the answer is no. I have only seen live games on television and he scored only two in ten euro games but in the four which I referred to he missed so many chances, one on one (remember all of Alves one on one )with the keeper. it made we wonder.
I will still shout the BORO on week after week I am proud to be a BORO supporter but I will have my say my friend. Thank you for your responses.
McDonald if fully fit and Killen look the best bet up front at the moment but dont know how far Killen is to returning.
Keep Franks in as i agree with most a bigger pitch will give him the room to operate.
Am i correct in saying we can go into loan market from Friday and keep them until end of play offs.
Boro will need to do much better on their travels than at Blackpool when they visit the four other clubs currently above them (Forest, Cardiff, WBA, Leicester) - you could also add the visit to Derby to that tough fixture list who are currently 4th in the form league (over last 8 games). In addition, we face table-topping Newcastle at home - which makes six tough games to negotiate.
If Boro are to make the play-offs then they will need a minimum of 30 points from the next 14 games.
Therefore, we will probably need to win three of those tough six games and then win seven from eight of the other remaining fixtures to hit the 30 point target.
The only other credible scenario is to win two and draw two from the tough six games, then win seven and draw one from the other eight games.
So I would argue that only by playing at the top of their game until the end of the season do Boro have any realistic chance of making the play-offs - there is no more room for another Blackpool performance - though if we do stay in contention then the play-offs will probably start a game earlier with the last game of the season visit to Leicester.
All donations gratefully received.
However I should have fond memories of the ground that cannot be named as that is the only professional ground I have played on. In fact I have played on it several times and even scored a winning goal in a cup final.
So you can only imagine the terror and torment I must have suffered for me to break out in cold sweats at the mere mention of the town let alone the Football club.
If you are in the away end on Saturday and see a shell of a man shivering, shaking and mumbling about Marlon Harewood in the last minute and that cheating Stuart Pearce. Just leave him be and think there but for the grace of god go I.
AV
I dont know how the donations are going but it was remiss of me to mention that foreign currency would be ok so that our overseas fans would not feel left out. Cash would also be fine.
You could bring the latter in a suitable brown paper bag so that I could, er, scatter it on the Trent (well away from prying eyes of course).
Only two days before the match so dont delay.
Smog
How come you grew up in a place so far from Smogboro?
Pedro
It is hard enough gettng the magic hundred post without giving sighters to snipers like Dormo, GHW and Werdermouth. It is a bit like in the past dressing British troops in bright red coats.
Moving on from our trials and tribulations it was sad to see that Monsieur Myopia has now developed a Memory Malfunction.
Was it not Arsenal who first took advantage of the opportunity to take a quick free kick before the defence could organise itself. They were often taken by Henry, the same chap who instantly stood a yard away from opposition free kicks to prevent them being taken quickly.
The ref committed two crimes. The first was to give a free kick when Campbell was clearly shepherding the ball back to Fabiani and touched it to his keeper. Unless Campbell was wearing someone elses feet that counts as a back pass.
The second was to give the free kick close to the goal then didnt allow the sleeping Arsenal defence time to organise themselves. Maybe he should have moved it 30 yards back.
Shame on the official!
**AV writes: I agree that arsenal were the architect of their own problems and that any complaints have a tinge of hypocrisy.... but I have NEVER at any level seen a ref so eager to demand the ball from a player and so quick to hand it to the kicker.
Ian
I was not at the Forest game when we lost 5 - 1 (I watched it on TV) but I was at QPR a few days later when we lost 5 - 0. That performance made ther Forest one look brilliant by comparison.
Hopefully on saturday we will revert to typical Boro and win at Forest.
C'Mon Boro!
I watched the Bayern Munich game on Kazakh tele and the referee (of Chelsea) fame was just as bad and his linesman. Winning goal at least 2 yards offside. I did not mind though I took 2-1 for Bayern and 2-1 for Porto. Drinks are on me when I get back lads. (whoops) providing I dont lose winnings on the Boro in the meantime.
COME ON LADS. In reality league BORO need to win and just hope that those above lose their games.
David Connor
Thanks for the reply and what you say in about the last two years and Strachan is true. But go on, post something nice about the Boro, you know you want to.
C'Mon Boro!
Smogonthetyne.
I have a slight confession to make, the donations are for the God of 'points from unexpected places'. The benefit to would be theraputic, not pecuniary, and the whole of Diasboro could rejoice in your return to wholeness.
Right feeling a bit better at the moment. Just watched a couple of inches of snow fall up here by the banks of the Tyne, very picturesque. But back to business,
Dormo, Def Con 2 is the threat level I see to our play off hopes. See the goal machines post at 12.17 yesterday.
The international symbol for the place that must never be mentioned is . Did you get it this time? I donâÂÂt know how I can make it any clearer,oh yeah a web cam might do it.
Mr Gill, Smog Snr is a true T T Teessider but moved away from the area in his prime. For some unknown reason to mankind he chose (makes international sign for town that can never be mentioned) to live there. Raised me up the only way he knew how and here I am, one bitter and twisted individual.
In a very worrying twist of fate, his defection from Middlesbrough has led me to now live on Teesside. There are times when I wish, couldnâÂÂt he have come from Manchester, Liverpool, London, Donetsk, or Glasgow. But I jest, have you read the blogs on Vechinery Donetsk, http://vecherka.donetsk.ua/
Ian - You make a good point, I didn't watch the match but the likes of Wenger, Ferguson and other top managers do the game no credit at all or help the vast numbers of people who operate at a lower level in the FA in trying to promote fair play and honesty in the game.
What irritates me is that the top managers are clearly good enough to be succesful without resorting to psycological bullying yet still they persist and there is no one at senior level within the FA or UEFA who has the balls to front them up and stamp it out.
The best and most succesful coach in English team sport for years, Mr Clive Woodward wouldn't have been seen dead doing what some of our football managers do. Many people in football usually ex-pros are constantly spouting off about how 'great' some managers are, personally when I see some of their antics contempt is the only thing I feel.
As for AV's comment, if the ref believed the team who had been disadvantaged by the foul should be allowed to gain an advantage by a quick free kick then he was quite right in his actions surely?
I agree that Arsenals complaints do have a tinge of hypocrisy about them, just like most clubs. However, my understanding is that the ref has to ask the player about to take the kick if he wants to take it quickly or to wait for the whistle.
More importantly, (and the goalkeeper certainly should not have given the ball back so readily) surely the ref was actually impeding Campbell, by obstructing his attempt to get in front of the ball/ free kick taker.
Arsenal's reactions were dreadful once the free kick was given, but the referee actions were also appaling. Should a similar situation happen to Boro in the east Midlands on Saturday, I would rightly expect an outcry from the travelling supporters.
People say that any team in this league is capable of beating any other team. Its more like- any team in this league is capable of beating BORO!
We need to try and loan some midfielders as the play offs are not a certainty.
we need to get three wins under our belt to keep us in contention !
I saw the goals Blackpool scored on Boro World recently. My opinion was that the two goals were terrible mistakes by us. We should have kept a clean sheet.
In the second goal our player fell down because the pitch was too slippery with all the mud. So our normal bad defending, a terrible pitch and a bad (halifaxp said fat) ref! Not our day as we even missed a penalty kick!
But I understood that we had enough chances to have won according to Gary Gill at the BBC. But these things happen and I am not that worried yet. Of course we need to get a point or two from somewhere unexpected (like out of the woods - got it Smogonthetyne?)
So I wait us not to lose on Saturday. But we need a midfielders on loan - the sooner the better. As said Robbo and GON could miss some matches soon for injuries and suspension. Still, up the Boro!
Come on Boro .... do the club you love to hate... the Toon... a favour! Win at Forest PLEASE!
Smogs at 12.06pm - thanks for the explanation. I was asking myself "What on earth is Def con2? What on earth is Def con2?" Sounded familiar but just couldn't retrieve it from the old grey cells. I have now remembered.
I suspect Def con3 might be a little nearer the mark in our case, now.
And what wonderful news to hear that Aliadiere "hopes to make up for lost time with a promotion push" (under the banner "I'm ready to roll" in our local fish and chip wrapper). Well, not so much news, really. Something akin to AV's wife being reported as saying she hopes to win on the Football Pools. Wouldn't we all?
It would be news if he said he didn't care whether we went up or not, or that he felt we weren't good enough to go up and that some purchases defied belief, or that he expected to be elsewhere next season so why should his views be relevant.
It must be soul destroying having to put together some interviews, not with the player you might want to talk to, but with the one put up that week (whether or not he has anything to say). AV - don't you sometimes wish you had someone like Robbie Savage or David James to interview, for some off-the-wall comments, or some surprising revelation that might genuinely be interesting, that might actually be "news"? On the one hand our manager just might fall into that category, but how many of the players would?.
Still, I suppose it could be worse. Presumably you have to be sponsored by Specsavers to manage some clubs. A team could be defeated in a European competition, some clearly awful uprofessional performances that would be criticised in an Under 11's side and that are recognised as such by the supporters, and yet the only person to be criticised is the ref!
**AV writes: There are players who are always good value (Gary O'Neil, Poggi and it looks like Barry Robson could join them) and some who say little. That's life. With Jezza I am just mesmerised by his accent.
Credit where credit's due.
Blackpool did a number on us twice and Strachan and the players failed to deal with them thrashing us at home and then use the pitch and a certain style of play at their place to get another one over on us. Very well done to them.
We are still lacking in several key areas and I'm not convinced that while we may have built a steely resolve into our game, all the other facets necessary to turn us into regular winners just aren't there. Certainly consistency and a settled side have been our major downfall. Is it too late in the season to turn these kinds of traits around?
My belief is that it is far too late and to delude ourselves into thinking that there is still a remote possibility of finishing in the top six is nothing more than a fleeting fancy for those bravest amongst us to remain that optimistic.
While I still hope above all hope that we somehow conspire to put a string of positive results together, the fact is that we simply aren't good enough in front of goal for that to materialise.
I am more than happy for us to consolidate and then build for next season. I'm not conceding the season is in any way over, I just think we should be prepared to accept the obvious outcome of a very unsettling season with new management and a completely new philosophy of playing style that has caused no end of problems with the players.
There have been far too many changes at management level and line-ups, injuries, unforced changes etc to expect anything other than to get a few more wins and a couple of decent performances under our belt. A couple of wins to savour; perhaps Strachan improving his absolutely abysmal win-draw-loss record at Boro would be a target for me.
Perhaps we can play a large part in who the top six teams will be? Now that is something I can buy into; that and having some fun along the way.
I'm not throwing the towel in, just trying to add some realism to our season.
Up the Boro!
Just waiting for the final injury news before the match close to the Trent and Nottingham Civic Centre.
I am adopting a sanguine approach, not because I am sanguine, but because there is nothing I can do to affect anything. Like many Boro fans I feel there is nothing I can do. I stopped writing my article on another Boro focussed medium because there was nothing new to write.
I can continue supporting my team but I have a probem. Because I live a 280 mile round trip from the Riverside I have already spent much more than a season ticket supporting Boro fan.
But here comes the rub. The matches coming up to get behind the team without selling my soul are relatively local. That means income to teams like the one like smog wont mention.
Oh, well, red army, red army.
Hi there my friend "sick as a parrot" I did say something nice about the BORO 'I support them ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
All the best for saturday. I will be back in three weeks time, so a few of us are getting together for a few beers hopefully you will be there too. We can start a list in a couple of weeks time.
Dont forget Anthony you are the arrbitrator. and getting the beer in on your "expense account" whoops I already said I am getting them in from the winnings. COME ON BORO WE NEED THE POINTS ON SATURDAY/ Now that is POSITIVE my friends not NEGATIVE
Ian Gill makes the point about funding other clubs. It wasnâÂÂt until a few years ago that I realised that away ticket revenue actually went to the home team. What a Doyle!
All these years we have taken bumper away fans to grounds and in return they send up a couple of coaches only We must have made BarnsleyâÂÂs coffers swell somewhat this season, they will be in credit having played us. Only the Toon and the unmentionables will probably have sent more fans then we did for the corresponding fixture.
Then the most depressing fact is that Toon and Forest are the teams that I have financially supported the most behind the boro. I donâÂÂt know how I can live with my self.
Anyway on what is a sad day for Teesside and those at Corus, letâÂÂs hope we have something to cheer us all up tomorrow.
I did it!! I did it. I actually mentioned them!!! Maybe the curse is lifting?
âÂÂfact is that toon and forest are the teamsâÂÂ
Uncle Eric certainly knows how to wind up the Boro faithful with his headlines. 'Jeremie Aliadiere fired up for Boro battle' you've got to laugh!
Can't see any chance of a win tomorrow but something keeps telling me that McDonald will score. A draw would be a good result...
On another note, the scottish press reckon Celtic manager Tony Mowbray will be sacked in the next few weeks... the crowd are against him.... they reckon his new signings have not performed and the defence is shocking.. ..and they are 10 points behind a very mediocre Rangers team
Let's hope he does not send for Mcmanus to rescue him.
AV, any truth in the rumour the club have asked for dispensation to sell players outside of the transfer window, and that Senor Cloudfiles is top of the list?
**AV writes: I've been half-terming this week so I don't know the current status of Senor Cloudfiles.... I'll have to wait to see the team-sheet like everyone else.
I hope we get stuffed at Forest. That'll mean that the geordies might not go up.
That will make my day, me!
adam newton....
If I was you... feeling so bitter at the prospect of Newcastle going up, a Boro fan, praying for your own team to get 'stuffed' at Forest in the highly unlikely event that your 'stuffing' will put the slightest dent in the Toon's promotion quest.... I would have simply settled for a 1-0 defeat ... not a 'stuffing'.
On the other hand... Newcastle could well assist the Boro in their bid for a play-off place... or would you rather the Toon get beat when playing against your play-off rivals? .... guess I know the answer to that one ... then.
Adam Newton,
I'm with you brother!! I couldn't think of a better out come tomorrow.(!)
T minus 17.hrs 45 mins.
INCOMING!!!!
DEFCON = Fill your pants.
Come on boro!!!!!!!!
P.s. if the worst does happen tomorrow i know the travelling fans will do us proud and make me proud to be an adoptive T T Teessider.
Av, any news of the eagerly waited live blog on Saturday ay Forest? Do they have Wi-fi in the woods?
I will stick my head out and predict an untypical Boro result - a 2-1 win for the Boro! Wheater and McDobald scoring. UTB!
Adam Newton
Such thoughts are unworthy and you should be ashamed of yourself.
However....
Boro will beat Forest.
Three points would be incredible although extremely unlikely. It's still ok to dream, isn't it? This is Boro we're talking about here and in our Boro World, anything is possible.
I would never, ever wish anything but a positive result for Boro and for any Boro fan, regardless of their rationale for thinking otherwise has lost the plot.
Up the Boro!
David Connor -
getting the beers in on AV's expense account? It might possibly stretch to a bag of pork scratchings, but I wouldn't hold your breath on the arrival of a foaming pint!
Not too sure about the game on the banks of the River Trent, but most of the people I have spoken to have written it off already.
Somehow I can smell the fumes of a madly waving foam hand in the distance, though. Must be mad.
And although I might stay up a while to see if our British girl can have a good last run to win a Gold Medal on the skeleton sled in the Vancouver Winter Olympics, I doubt I can stay awake long enought to compete with our Antipodean Boro Diaspora in the countdown for the Big 100 on this thread.
Might be close, though. I might feign indifference.
Mind you, it might be worth staying up a while to watch Eve Muirhead and the girls of the Curling Team doing their stuff on the ice. Against the Germans! 4-4 on the 9th End....
And Evie throws down the last stone....it's looking good...and it's great...three shots up.....it's 7-4 and a victory!
Wonder if they are watching this in a certain house in Bremen? Come on, what's the Werder over there?
Amy Williams to set off on her last run in the skeleton......(more chance of success than we have recently seen at the Riverside but I wouldn't want to bring things down to Earth!), and with Shelly Rudman also in the leading pack though almost certainly out of the medals....
It's the excitement of sport. Wonder if Jarkko is watching the coverage - it's a bit more Finnish than British after all.
Our girl is in the lead and therefore it appears she goes last, so it's a nervous time. A bit like the last 15 minutes or so of a Boro game has traditionally become in recent years.
You know the story: we've been doing quite well, maybe even scored a goal in a minority of these scenarios and had a host of other spurned chances, but then the other team lays seige to our goal in the last 15 minutes and the pressure mounts. Can we hold out?
They score one, maybe a lucky one but it counts. And then we retreat further and further back into our half and the pressure becomes unbearable. PLEASE don't try to dribble it out of the penalty area, hoof it into Row Z!
And Shelly Rudman has her go....starting in 7th position but others yet to go might crash out, so she must try her best. She won silver last at the last Olympics, looking good so far....and she finishes in first place (but with six to go, all with faster times from their three previous runs).
And the Canadian, Gough, has a slow time and therefore now lies BEHIND Rudman with five or to go. Tension!
Curses! Huber (German) has a good time and goes ahead of Rudman, who is now in second. USA's Pikus-Pace is next, has a reasonable time and is now in second (so Rudman is down to third, with three to go).
A German, let's call her Kirsten as her surname is a Scrabble maximum score, is next on the ice, with a good start and powers down the track and takes the lead. It's almost the same as the Boro defence under fire, with the ball bouncing around our penalty area.
Canada's Melissa Hollingsworth is next, a great start and is going for gold. But a bad bend slows her down. She finishes in fourth! All or nothing, and it ended up with nothing.
And finally our own Amy Williams....can she do it? The last to go. Coat off. All the pressure. A great start. Half a second ahead of being in the lead with all to lose. Losing a little. But she is safe, no disasters, and she does it! A gold medal!! And Shelly Rudman was sixth!
Could almost be football. Just as we were under pressure, they gave away possession at the edge of our penalty area, Wheater feeds it to Robson who puts a wonderful through ball to McDonald. Forest are heavily committed upfield chasing the winner and he runs through the gap, steadies himself and slides it past the advancing keeper. Get in!
Maybe I have been a little too near the foam handers, or maybe it is sleep deprivation. But maybe a win at the "unmentionable place" is no more impossible than our girl winning a gold on the skeleton sled. (And the speeds they get up to - terrifying). Come on, lads, prove me right.
Let's hope there is a new Sheriff in town today.
Right lads, it's time for bed (at least in the UK).
But before I go can I just say one thing. The vast majority on this Blog are Boro fans. We may not always agree with one another, but we want the Boro to succeed: it's just that we might have different views as to how that success might best be achieved. And usually we can have a bit of banter and leg-pulling along the way.
For many of us, relegation from the Premier League was a disaster the club blindly sailed into. It has damaged us and it will be difficult to get us back into the position were were in previously. It may take many years. But in the end football, for all our fervour and the views of a misundestood Bill Shankly, is a game and not life itself.
What has happened to our club was certainly a misfortune, and maybe one that should have been avoided. But what has happened this week to the Steel Works at Redcar really is a disaster for Redcar and for all of Teesside. It might possibly have been avoided, too. Not a "tragedy" or a "disaster" in the exaggerated sporting lexicon, but a real life-changing, community threatening event whose effects may be felt for decades unless an ecomonic miracle occurs in the near future.
Many of the workers there were Boro supporters but will now find it impossible to afford to come to Boro games. The area will lose their spending power in local shops, and other ancillary and supplier firms will face massive difficulties at the worst possible of economic times.
Some marriages and relationships may suffer as money becomes impossibly tight. Some may lose their homes, some may lose hope. In order to find work, others may have to move out of the area.
Not many, I suspect, will be prepared to "sit on their hands" for a year or two on the off-chance that the steel furnace might be taken out of "mothballs". So vital skills will be lost to the area which has for so long been at the forefront of iron and steel technology.
It helps sometimes to have a bit of perspective when thinking about life, as opposed simply to a sport. I'd rather that we stayed in the Championship but that the Steel Works remained open, but sadly they are not alternatives.
Let's just spend some time to think about the steelworkers who have just been kicked in the guts, and their families, and the damage done to the whole of Teesside by this whole sorry story.
**AV writes: Couldn't agree more.
I don't think we should be too worried about Forest as they're hardly pulling up trees at the moment - they've lost three of their last five and edged the other two by a single goal.
Besides, a more solid Boro are highly unlikely to get thrashed by anyone - in fact if the new strikers discover where their shooting boots have been hidden then we might be surprised.
I also noticed that the betting tipster at Sporting Life is predicting a Boro win as he thinks Forest are looking a bit jaded having been unable to freshen up their squad in the window.
So is everyone convinced now? what could possibly go wrong?
Now then. Any chance of the live blog today?
Also, I was just wondering.... do you get any extra money if we click on the adverts on this blog?
**AV writes: Extra money? Don't be daft.
I've been off this week (half-term) so haven't had a chance to address the blog problems. I need something reinstalling but I don't have administrator powers and if I try to do it myself there would be all kinds of chew.
MacDonald,Flood and Franks.... Tree Fellers.
**AV writes: I don't believe this....
I am so glad Downing and Johnson left to join proper football clubs. Gibson has shown he does not have the ambition anymore and lets be honest with poor crowds i doubt if anyboby with money would invest in the club, so i can see Wheater and O.neill leving in the summer,to proper football clubs and rightly so.
Strachan I don't think has any interest in football management anymore and i don't think he cares whether the club goes up or not. The club will lose another 5,000 off the gate because fans want premiership football and you can hop on a train now and be at a top premireship ground within an hour or two. So Mr Gibson beware of where you want this club to be.
Just had a look at the teams. I hate to be critical, but is Julio Arca really our best option in central midfield alongside GON?
On the plus side the defensive lineup looks quite solid.
Wot! No live coverage?
YYEEESSSSS, get in there Forest 1 up. the jawdess aren't going up. Hahaha.
No offering to the gods and no unexpected points.
Hoped Vic would be outside the away end with a brown paper bag (I have heard they used to be quite common around the City Ground) but no sight
Forever
The closure of Corus is a bitter blow, far more serious than Boro getting relegated. It is not disaster but its implications are huge for the people affected across Teesside. It will create huge problems for many people and you can only feel sorrow.
But a disaster is what happened when the Tsunami struck in the Pacific or the devastation suffered by Haiti.
The match was poor today, my intial thoughts are how poor we were on the left. Pogi isnt the best left back in the world but Forests biggest creative outlet was Arca, he had a real shocker. If only he could spark as many attacks for red shirts when he played at the Riverside.
We only came to life at 1-0 down and young Franks came on to inject a bit of pace.
Sorry Smog, John, Phil and I did our best but not good enough.
The great news is that we have a solvent club that is well-placed to survive through more difficult times for Teesside.
At some point in time in the not-too-distant future, the new art projects, with the installation of Temenos (sponsored by the Boro) leading the way, coupled with the completion of the Middlehaven Development, Teesside will for very different reasons become THE place to work, live, visit and enjoy.
And the proximity of the Riverside to this major development will mean that our Football Club will be part of something very special. There is great hope for the future of Teesside.
Meanwhile, as Ian and Forever have already alluded to, there are other more serious and pressing matters in the world that we should take into account before we get all doom and gloom on ourselves.
Up the Boro!