Cut And Paste: Palace Draw Is Default Setting
BORO dominated for long spells.... TICK
Boro missed some good chances ..... TICK
Boro had a couple of decisions go against them.... TICK
Boro went to sleep in the box and let in a sloppy goal... TICK
Boro failed to show "quality and imagination" in the final third .... TICK
Boro let slip the lead.... TICK
Boro struggled and drew against one of the relegation battlers.... TICK
Boro failed to take advantage of other results going their way.... TICK
[*Just cut and paste any blog from this season here.... TICK]
More later....
Older/Newer
« April Fools? | Clause For Thought: O'Neil's £1m Trigger Point »
41 Comments
Leave a comment
Profile
Anthony Vickers
Keep up to date
Follow Untypical Boro on
As the Geordies close in on promotion and Boro don't, my thoughts return back to when we all laughed at their complete disarray on and off the field...funny how things have turned out, isn't it?
Mark my words well: for all their instability and soap opera ways, they are about to be successful and we are not...thanks must therefore go out to Mr. Gibson and Mr. Lamb for all they've done for us of late...instability and soap opera, who'd have it, eh?
At least one Boro boy can make me smile!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8gKmQ6Hrro
**AV writes: Very funny.
How many results went our way today as well. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh With a bit of consistency (of the winning/good kind) I think we are certs to go back up. Finances in order, a close season for Strachan to build his own team. No excuses by Xmas we must be at least entrenched in the Playoff by Xmas.
There has has to be a vast improvement on what was on offer today for next season.
In a sense it is pointless dissecting the wrongs of this 'bits and pieces' team because many of the personnel will not be playing in red next year.
However, since we cannot know the future, today was a sharp reminder how turgid and dire English second tier football is. Facing a team that looked more like basket ball players and who had all the finesse of elephants on ice, we lacked the guile and gumption to find a way to their goal.
I have always wondered how professional football teams, during the week train and practise, what drills they do, how they practise tactics, movement, shadow play and so on. I ask this, because as we are stuck in a rut of draws, the mantra from the manager is to work hard and harder.
Well, work hard at what? More time with the ball or without?.More time on attacking play or defensive cover? More time by staying back in the afternoon?
Judging by the way we failed miserably to prise open the Palace defence I am struggling to understand why we didn't vary our crosses, why we didn't shoot more, why we didn't take on and turn their defence. Why we didn't speed up our play?
If I am thinking and seeing this is as a humble supporter what is Strachan thinking? What are the players doing and thinking? From the evidence of today, there are not many in that team with a football brain to solve the problem of how do you navigate around eight big lads who are blocking your way to goal.
Chipping high balls into the centre where those same big lads could head away to their hearts content proved predictably to be our only tactic. We are light years from the Holy Grail of the Premier League let alone the outer reaches of football heaven achieved by Barcelona on Wednesday.
Its depressing!
Boro struggled and drew against one of the relegation battlers.... TICK
To be fair to Palace, without the 10 point deduction a win today would have taken them above us.
**AV writes: True. And they managed to win at Watford this week too.
Right footed non-winger on the left... TICK
Crosses aimed repeatedly at giant defenders... TICK
Lita looking food for about six minutes before fizzling out... TICK
Six games unbeaten and 10 games unbeaten at home is a nice change from earlier in the season, but despite the massive efforts of the clubs above us to draw us into the play-off race, we refuse to do it.
With the exception of Newcastle and West Brom, it seems none of the other clubs can put any kind of form together. A few weeks ago Cardiff were wobbling and they were the "target". Now they are clear in 4th...interesting to note that even if they were given the 10 point penalty for going into administration everyone was hoping for a few weeks ago, they would still be above Boro.
Now Leicester and Swansea are wobbling, and they are the targets. It's clear that the play-offs are still achievable for us, even after today's result.
You don't need a massive run, just 3 or 4 games. Blackpool look to be timing their run well, but the way things are going they may have set off too early!
I still can't see us making it, but I think there will be one or possibly even two of the long-established top six who will miss out. My money is on Sheff Utd and (possibly) Blackpool to be involved at the expense of Swansea and (possibly) Leicester. Boro aside, I'd love to see Doncaster make it!
Finally, slightly early congratulations to Newcastle. I'm pleased they are going back up, partly because I like to see all the north east clubs doing well, and partly, like Chris Marton above, because I was embarrassed by some of the more strident comments about them being a "joke" on here earlier in the season. They are entitled to enjoy their schadenfreude. Rookie managers eh?
Oneil is the most overated player weve had in years TICK
Please local media, start calling this guy out.
Scored an offside goal - TICK
Had decisions go for them - TICK
Have never looked like promotion contenders this season - TICK
Missing Adam Johnson - HELL YES,DOUBLE TICK
It seems clear to me that what 'Boro lacks is a prefix to its name. Each of the top six has one. Any suggestions.
Middlesbrough Disfunctionals?
John Aus
AV, If I said prefix, please make it suffix
John
I have no problem having a chuckle at Toon nor saying well done on their pending promotion. The secret is to laugh at yourself as well when it is deserved. It is only football after all.
Toon got it right and were solid in the middle of the park all through the season. We went into the season hoping we could fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee.
But another old sporting mantra held sway. A good big un will always beat a good little un. Physical teams with some skill were too good for us. We were neither Arsenal Lite nor Subtle Stoke.
A summer of rebuilding beckons.
**AV writes: The ironic thing is that Newcastle are now being hailed for the wisdom of keeping their core of PL experience when in fact they spent the entire summer desperately trying to flog them but couldn't find anyone to take on their ridiculous wages. This scenario wasn't planned. They were actively trying to "do a Boro."
For all my theoretical attempts to drum up a possibility that Boro could still make the play-offs, there was still one factor that I could still not alter - Boro!
We should have been comfortably in the play-offs this season but for the endless missed opportunities. Strachan is lucky he's both relatively new and not Southgate - otherwise the cries for his head would be deafening.
But how can we expect promotion when our record is won 14, lost 14, drawn 15 - an abject lesson in mediocrity if ever one were needed. However, next year will not make it easier to get promoted as it's quite apparent that relegated teams from the PL should normally walk this league no matter how bad they were.
So AV when making your list, don't forget it's those who run the club, manage and play for it that need ticking off for wasting a season.
Out of all the current frustrations on and off the pitch, the U-tube link that Gutted put on the thread just put everything in perspective. There is more to life than just football!
Absolutely hilarious. Having met Chris Kamara coming back from the AZ game in Holland, it is spot on!
Time left for GS? Tick Tock.
Another draw another bore.
I believe O'Shea came on too late. Was he effective or not? Thought he would start at home. We seem to be to scared to win in case we sneak into the playoffs with a poor squad and too scared to get beat in case we get the wrath of the fans and reduce season ticket sales. That's why we have 14 draws.
We should have been easily in playoffs by now it is like everybody is trying their best to get us there but we are not biting.
Wheater implicated in oppositon goal..TICK
We can cut and paste from as long ago as last season. How many chances did we have to pull away then when all around us failed to win.
We've had so many opportunities of late I begin to wonder if there is a hidden agenda here?
Despite all this, we still - yes still - have a chance of the last play off place. But with the games we have left I have now given up hope, and I'm the eternal optimist!
AV -
No disagreement with your comments about Toon trying to clear the club. My point was that they set out to be solid in midfield with whoever they had and they suceeeded in doing that.
Toon have also suffered more than their fair share of luck. No complaints, it goes with the territory. You finish in the part of the league you deserve to be in, the actual position is because you got that bit of luck or not.
There was the shocking penalty at Hull last season that turned the match. They stayed up and we went down. Thats life, bit of a bitch isnt it?
I can't be bothered about why our full backs never pushed up and exploited a very weak Palace back line. Why when in attacking positions they paused at three yards past the half way line to check and either pass back or into the middle (thereby ending any initiative we may have had).
I can't even be bothered figuring out why our midfield where not 2nd but 3rd to every ball in the muddle (sorry middle) of the park.
What I find unacceptable is why when we had nothing to lose and everything to gain with this match we looked like we were simply not up for it from the off (Robson and Franks excepted). I expected a swashbuckling Johnny Depp inspired "Pirates of the Caribbean" performance instead I watched a Christmas episode of "One Foot in the Grave"!
I am trying very hard to be objective but I am resigned to putting up with this tripe for another two years until Gibbo finally swallows his pride and admits another monumental mistake in the appointment of Strachan. His Championship ability is sadly lacking in many ways.
All this talk about a summer clear out and him bringing in his own type of players fills me with dread. All we have now are a different set of issues and problems which are even worse than we had last October.
I was anti GSI's appointment from the off but GSII has dragged us down to a new level of middling mediocrity. Be prepared for MFC to be weakened further and washed out over the coming years unless something radically and ruthlessly changes.
These problems are not all of Strachan's making in fairness and goes right back to the "Heads in the Sand" stance when the board started to alienate anyone and everyone who were speaking their minds and ringing alarm bells well before the crisis deepened. Instead of embracing the logic and acting accordingly they licked their wounds and retrenched into their collective shells and we now have the results.
Until the powers that be at MFC accept and acknowledge their errors and start embracing and winning back the Boro support by a process of involvement and not exclusion (unless they suddenly become Oil Rich barons or US mega billionaires in which case they can do what they please as their finances permit) the mess will deepen. Boro fans know truth from fiction, recognise rhetoric, spin and hype and most importantly need to be listened to, history sadly has proven the bed wetters right so far.
It's time for change!
AV... Ironic? Newcastle TRIED to do a Boro? Unable to sell off the core of Premier League high earners? Excuse me, but that's EXACTLY what they did for God's sake! They parted with Viduka, Owen, Bassong, Martins, Duff, Beye and Given, whilst Boro lost Downing, Tucay, Huth, Alves and Johnson. What remained at Sid James', pro fire sale, was simply a squad of better players than that of Boro, hence the 31 points difference in their respective league standings.
To hint that they have been 'lucky', that the scenario wasn't planned, is to do them a great disservice. I know, and you know, that it takes more than just lady luck to win promotion, let alone by Easter, in any league.... so I accept your apology in advance.
**AV writes: Newcastle got rid of some of their big earners yes, but they were desperate to shift another load. If they could have found takers for Alan Smith, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Nicky Butt and Fabricio Coloccini - key memebers of the current saquad - back in Auguest they would have moved. They were also trying to sell Ameobi, Taylor, Harper and Geremi (all of them were offered to Boro) but failed. The squad that is left is not by design.
I know and you know that had Ashley got his way in August, Newcastle could be a basket case by now (and they are not out of the woods now by any means). By my reckoning that has to go down as a lucky escape.
Obviously we deserved to win against a team that were only interested in sitting back for a draw.
Barry Robson should be playing in the middle not on the right.He needs to be in the middle where he can dictate the play.
Todays Sunday Mirror states that if O'Neill plays 1 or 2 more games it will trigger a final payment of £1m on his transfer. Boro would be barmy to play him in the last five games unless they know for certain he is staying next season.
How many more matches that we`ve blown what we could so easily have won? Had plenty of opportunities with other teams around us not being able to get a run together and could be that earlier in the season when they`ve met each other they`ve been draws, otherwise a win for either club might have pulled them further up away from us. Proves that it`s a worse championship division this season than ever before.
AV - will you be doing another video review of the season with the guys, when its over to discuss were it went wrong and were we go from here. It should be an interesting review considering the thoughts of the guys at the start of the season.
**AV writes: Yes, I think we'll do one the week after the season ends. Early may then.
We need a new manager..tick..His initials must be GS...tick Graeme Souness brings back happy mems
'tick Graeme Souness brings back happy mems'
Yes i enjoyed watching him screw up Newcastle as well.
Just to add a barbed comment or two to the exchange of observations between AV and Brian Hewitson:
What business acumen Ashley has!
Fails to find £100M of debt before buying the club, appoints all kinds of expensive managers, players and club "executives" - gets Toon relegated.
Sells off loads of high-earning but fairly decent players in panic sale because they're going down and is left with those nobody wants because he's paying them too much. He appoints a rookie manager and - wins the Championship and gains automatic promotion.
On this form, can we anticipate that next season's £30M+ Premier League money will be spent sacking Chris Hughton, employing some other wunderkind hotshot from Darnsaff, bolstering the squad to "ensure Premier League survival" and - getting relegated?
That would be pretty consistent with the inconsistency of Ashley's approach to running his football club.
At least Boro's Gibson did it properly. When he sent Boro down, we stayed down! Good job Steve! You really don't do things by halves, do you? Either you're leading us to a European Final or you're peddling a form of natural fertiliser that doesn't seem to promote any kind of growth whatsoever!
Stockton red
Re: Sunday Mirror article on O'Neill. What you failed to mention was that Boro were trying to renegotiate the transfer terms and only wanted to pay Portsmouth £20,000 a game for the rest of the season and threatened not to play O'Neill if they didn't agree to it so they wouldn't get any money.
Now that seems O'Neill is almost certainly leaving, Boro arn't going to pay another million for four meaningless games now we have blown the play offs
There wasn't much wrong with that. You say it ticked all the usual boxes, but I can't remember a game where we have dominated so much this season, particularly second half where they had their backs to the wall for the majority of it. It was just our final ball that was lacking, a bit more quality and a bit more confidence and we'll be challenging next season - and it's not over til it's over for this season.
Can't understand why GON is getting any criticism - must be his turn? He was outstanding again on Saturday, just did not give in. We must try and hang on to him next season, him and Robson in the middle will be a match for anyone.
"'tick Graeme Souness brings back happy mems" Yes i enjoyed watching him screw up Newcastle as well."
The thing is that you probably enjoyed Souness ruining Newcastle more than you enjoyed watching Boro winning a cup and playing in Europe. You are typical of the doyles that support the club these days.
John Powls post Palace pre Plymouth piece on Boro Banter is an interesting read.
My son and I were having a heated debate both saying the same thing with a slight difference. We both agreed that Gate had to go, his view that Strachan was rubbish, mine that the jury was out but it was difficult to be positive.
The frightening bit is that after the 3-1 win at Wednesday with all the praise that brought we have garnered just over a point a game. 7 from 6 under GS1 and 32 from 28 under GS2.
That is lower mid table form.
What evidence have we that we can get better? You could argue that strengthen a couple of positions and we will be fine (well, half a dozen at least). Turn those draws into wins.
That pre supposes good players will come but Boyd and Adam saw no reason to do so. Other teams will be trying to do the same thing but the assetion pre season that we were better placed to fund a return to the premiership has truly been blown out of the water by transfer dealings.
One suspects that the summer will be a case of high earners off the books. For many it will be money well saved, for others just another bitter pill to swallow as we take our medicine. 'David Wheater, was one of our own' doesnt scan very well!
That will allow some players to come in and there are good players out there but they will be lower league or loanees. Or Scottish. It looks like Blind Faith is on the summer menu again. Got to get past Plymouth before then.
And which of the Paul Bell's is it, then?
@ Paul Bell
[The thing is that you probably enjoyed Souness ruining Newcastle more than you enjoyed watching Boro winning a cup and playing in Europe. You are typical of the doyles that support the club these days.]
Not true 'bonny lad'! You lot really are not that important, though you pasty eaters do at least provide good light entertainment for the rest of the UK and I look forward to the circus starting up again next season.
But I've been watching Boro since the early 1970's and after decades of 'typical Boro' nothing compares to actually winning something, though you wouldn't appreciate that being a Trophy Virgin.
My underlying point was that Souness the Boro midfield general was far removed from Souey the mediocre manager so why would we ever want him in? But it obviously wound you up.
"But I've been watching Boro since the early 1970's and after decades of 'typical Boro' nothing compares to actually winning something, though you wouldn't appreciate that being a Trophy Virgin."
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. You aren't the brightest are you? LOL. Perhaps you should change your user name from "angry" to "dozy".
Tony Vickers has a blog
Ee I Ee I O
and on that blog he has Paul Bells
Ee I Ee I O
With a Paul Bell here
A Paul Bell there
Here a Paul, there a Bell
Everywhere a Paul Bell
Tony Vickers has a blog
Ee I Ee I O
(I thang yow!)
Excuse me? Did I read that right AV? Harper was offered to Boro in the Summer? Duuuh! Why oh why did we pass that one up?
**AV writes: Because his wages would have made him one of Boro's top paid players at a time when the most important thing was slashing the wage bill.
"But I've been watching Boro since the early 1970's and after decades of 'typical Boro' nothing compares to actually winning something, though you wouldn't appreciate that being a Trophy Virgin"
Early to mid sixties meself. Don Ratcliffe. Joe Laidlaw, Johnny Vincent, Taffy Orritt, Mike Kear, Johnny Crossan, Dick Le Flem. Mel Nurse, Ian Gibson.
Now what were you saying about me being a barcode Oh obsessed doylish one.
**AV writes: Right, you can have one more sly dig each and then we'll call time.
[Now what were you saying about me being a barcode Oh obsessed doylish one.]
The number of replies would indicate who is more obsessed...
[Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. You aren't the brightest are you? LOL. Perhaps you should change your user name from "angry" to "dozy".]
More comedy gold from the riled TV.
**AV writes: Right, you can have one more sly dig each and then we'll call time.
Please, no AV. We've been subjected to more than enough personal insults.
Were any of the digs really all that sly?
Good bit of business sense over GON's situation I think, obviously from the reports it had to be discussed by GS2 and Lamby (yes your right, I refuse to entertain that Lamby could work this out by himself, not with his suspect counting techniques!)
So as we wind down towards the end of the season and Mrs Oneil can get her Jet2 flights booked, I wonder what next season holds for us, I must admit that I find checking into the sky sports transfer centre has, for a good few seasons now, been the better source of football entertainment.
So its not so much who will go, but who will come in, the whole situation seems to echo not only the dark days, pre liquidation, but also the thrifty Lennie days, I wonder which it will turn out to be?
I am optimistic that it will be neither, that a new form of realism will overcome the club and that they will learn the errors of their ways and embrace the fans and community and start to walk amongst us as mere mortals.
A failure to continue the re-build that faltered on the back of unexpected success in the early Robson years must now be repaired.
The club needs to realise that its best resource just doesnt like being made fools of, put that right and the rest will follow, I just wonder if SG actually has the will to push on?