Record Breaking Awayday Heroes Roll On
TONY Mowbray's history making awayday heroes continued to skittle records as they sank the Clarets with a steely show and a flash of teeth.
Boro's battling 2-0 win at Turf Moor was a new club record fifth successive away victory in the league. Stretching back to last season the sizzling sequence now includes Hull, Cardiff, Leeds, Barnsley and Burnley. Four of those finished above us last year. And all of them were emphatic victories that were fully deserved.
In all competitions the run is even more impressive: Boro have now won SEVEN away games on the trot, a feat unprecedented since Boro turned professional in 1899. That's an incredible feat at any level.
On top of that Boro gained revenge for the one blip in an otherwise staggering upward graph since the Mogganaut started to roll. Boro went into the game having lost just one in 19 games: that one was at Burnley when they were battered back in April. That stain has now been erased. In style.
But it was tough at Turf Moor. It was a real battle. It was a fiesty, fractious, simmering affair with tackles flying in, injries, heads clashing, tempers close to boiling point and more than once a wisp of the red mist appeared.
Joe Bennett more than once looked to have lost his rag after losing the ball. He was caught out of position or lost possession - there was one awful backward header that almost set up Austin - and was getting frustrated. He was given a torrid time in the first half by Ross Wallace and Kieran Trippier and was steaming mad at times. Several times he went furiously chasing after lost ball to put in rash tackles. Even after he was shown a yellow card he was walking a very fine line.
Nicky Bailey too. He not only got away with some hefty challenges in the engine room when Boro were under the cosh but he also was lucky to escape a caution after man-marking the ref, yapping and arguing over decisions as the game got really fiesty.
That those two both scored their first goals for the club was a delicious irony - or, if you were a Burnley fan, a stinging kick in the teeth.
Bailey's opener after 10 minutes was well worked, Robson marauding down the left to cross for Haroun to nod on and Hoyte to neatly cushion back to the edge of the box where Bailey leant to crack an awkward looking volley that skidded through the box and squeezed inside the far post.
Bennett's goal to seal it soon after the interval was testament to his determination. He surged forward and weaved past two challenges then pushed it outside to McDonald but kept on running and when the Aussie's shot was blocked by the keeper and rebounded slightly behind the path of Bennett who did well to hook it home.
It wasn't a great game. It was scrappy, ragged and tetchy and Boro were rarely allowed to play expansive football. But it was still a polished performance. Boro sat deep and conceded possession and invited Burnley to try and break them down, and despite some jittery moments as they struggled to clear their lines early on, that never looked likely. As the game wore on Boro looked ever more organised and comfortable and even in the now mandatory late assault by a desperate opposition it never looked likely that the hard-working unit would crack .
An early injury to Stephen McManus - he's OK folks, just taken off as a precaution after a painful kick - forced a reshuffle as Haroun came on and Williams slotted into central defence as Boro switched to their now potent looking three at the back with wing-backs and once again it worked. Five in the rearguard helped take the sting out of the Burnley attack when defending and Bennett and Hoyte added width when Boro went forward.
Burnley had a lot of the ball but did little with it. They got it wide but couldn't find a killer cross. They had little penetration in the box. They were a shadow of the play-off chasers with blistering pace who battered Boro last year. They had one real chance that Carl Ikeme went full length to save superbly in the second half.
Boro in contrast looked solid, compact and absorbant at the back and far more striuctured and dangerous on the break and Marvin Emnes should really have sealed it after being released by a finely weighted Hoyte ball. .
Still, shouldn't grumble. We know that we will have to grind some games out and not every game will be like watching Brazil. Three points, a record breaking run rumbles on, we were top of the table briefly (again) before Southampton and Brighton got late goals to nudge back ahead, and the supporters had a great day out (again.)
The Mogganaut rolls on...
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A 2-0 win that'll do nicely and a new record for consecutive away wins.
What a bloody great day out. Went with the two older nephews and they saw their first ever away win. And record breakers too. Tony Mowbray words fail me but thank you. The Boro Haka was not such a success
Great result today thought we might slip up today but the winning away run keeps going.
Nicky Bailey and Barry Robson were magnificent today.
I really hope we keep Carl Ikeme. He is very confident coming out for crosses and racing off his line to smother the ball in dangerous situations but I suspect at the end of the month he will be sent back to Wolves and Jason Steele will be back in goal which I think will mean less clean sheets and more work for the defence.
Great win and a fantastic atmosphere as 2,000 (?) Boro fans dominated Turf Moor.
It has to be said that Burnley were awful, much the worst team i've seen for sometime. Slow in possession they were dispossessed over and again by a Boro team who were faster and more enthusiastic. He didn't score, but Emnes was terrific throughout and Robson had another great game.
This might be something rather bigger than a good start.......
For once at an away match I had the feeling the result was never going to be in doubt. We were commanding,in control and played tight,possession football. Despite McMahon having one of those days where every cross field pass went to a Burnley player, we coped and saw out the game.
The disruption caused by McManus's injury was minimal.
We are moving towards that metronomic consistency of winning/ drawing matches so essential to escaping this unforgiving division. Pleased for Bennett in achieving his first goal and some recognition for Ikeme who exudes calm in goal. He did everything right today.
At what point do we start to dare to believe?
That point is coming up rapidly isn't it?
Important result this - momentum maintained- these bloody international breaks play havoc with teams on a roll - and Boro demonstrated they have the class to keep their performance levels up, despite the break.
utb
Just so I know, we can only sign players on loan from the Prem who are not named in their 25, true? Or can we sign anyone? It gets confusing at times.
**AV writes: Clubs can loan anyone from any other domestic club for up to 93 days. Although obviously someone from the fringes of a Prem club would be nice.
AV and Martin Narey -
let me take issue in the nicest way with both of you. AV, they had one shot which narrowly went over the bar - at unstoppable pace - in the first half, and on several occasions Ikeme came bravely for the ball when a more dithery keeper would have been in deep do-do.
Which leads on to my point to Martin: Burnley were not as good as us in their skills on the ball, their teamwork, etc., but don't you think it's a bit of a Boro habit to say not that we were great, but the opposition were poor?
We are making teams look bad at the moment - all of them, including the ones we have recently drawn with! We are keener, more energetic, totally committed: we get in their faces, make them panic, make them hoof the ball away in Strachanovite headless chicken mode; we exhaust them and stretch them till they break. We look fitter than them and enjoy ourselves more than them. We have Mogga; they don't.
And, in terms of getting the stay-aways back, it seems important to me to sing it loud to anyone who is inclined to listen and care: the Red Army's On The Rise!
Brilliant atmosphere, a huge pat on the back for the fans that created a home feeling in the away end.
Turf Moor reminded me at times of the Riverside in the Strachan era, no atmosphere at all.
The best part of yesterday's win was the goals, which came from unexpected sources. Bailey just gets better and better every game. The England game has done Bennett the world of good, he was actually defending well at times yesterday, and started and finished the move for his goal with aplomb.
Boro will come up against better teams this season and will have to grind out results, but against teams like Burnley, they should put them to bed clinically, just like yesterday.
Finally, a word of praise for Ikeme, who had very little to do, but when called upon, pulled off a magnificent full length save, to keep a superb clean sheet.
UTB
Unspectacular but effective, robust and succesful. Emnes and Scotty didn't score but caused the Burnley defence headaches all afternoon.
Bails and Bennetts contributions on the scoresheet adds testimonmy to the burgeoning belief that this side perhaps has the makings of being remembered in Boro folklore for decades to come.
Confidence and belief won the game more than anything. Ikeme looks to be improving each week and although he has a tendency to spill the ocassional shot, his confidence is starting to show and his game is getting better. To win comfortably after not being knocked out of our stride through losing Mick is testimony to the belief in this new dawning Boro on and off the pitch (the support was 1st class).
The Mogganaut continues and at this rate may soon start hurtling, early day yet but plenty of reason for optimism!
'Do I like that!'
Once more points in the draw (cupboard that is)or are they in the bag? Where ever they maybe they most certainly are added to those already held and the party goes on. How many would wish to be in the Boro's position what with the records starting to tumble.
Still keep the feet on the floor as there's still a heck of a long way to go. Havin said that Mogga has passed on the secrets of success in the Championship and it seems to be a combination of good organisation, top class managerial credibility and motivation, passion, pride and grit; add to that a touch of class when it counts and you've got the right recipe.
The success soup is bubbling along nicely because we've got a great chef.
UTB Urrrahhh!!
Absolutely awesome result at a difficult ground. Before the game would have settled for a point, however these record breakers have a winning mentality, so let it continue.
Watching Sky Sports, seeing us topping the table until the South coast lads popped in late goals was disappointing, however who would have predicted third in the table at this early stage of the season. Easy does it guys, lets not run before we have learned to walk, however absolutely delighted
Your roving reporter in Dubai
Sandy
Nigel - "At what point do we start to dare to believe?"
They always say that you need to wait for the first 10 games of the season to see proper league positions. So perhaps after the next three games? They include both Palace and Leicester who should be tougher opposition than some we have met.
Also, I know you can only beat the teams you play and that, if you win, it means by definition they have lost and won't be top of the league - but the highest of the teams we have beaten is Leeds and they are only 12th - barely in the top half.
That does suggest we haven't met many teams in form yet. Oddly enough the fixtures mean we avoid the current top teams for quite a while yet. If we can keep the run going, then confidence should be sky high by the time we do cross swords
'Nigel Reeve said:
At what point do we start to dare to believe? That point is coming up rapidly isn't it?'
Nigel - I think, for me, that might come next week at Palace. I seem to have trudged that route from Selhurst to Thornton Heath station too many times when we've got nowt and often lost players to injuries in the process.
They've had a decent start to the season too - despite being overhauled at Leeds yesterday. So, if we dig out a result there next week - and Mogga can secure a striker (or two) on loan in the week - my pre-season estimate of 'top ten but not top six' might have to be revised upward - despite the benefits of flying under the media radar, somewhat.
Just been reading on Fly Me To The Moon the article where some CLOWN wrote a comment that Mogga was "Not the man for the job" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I bet that now we are doing pretty damn good he`ll be the guy saying "I told you we`re brillint didn`t I???"
Fabulous! What a lift to the weekend. Big thanks to MegaMogga and his Mogganauts.
fred karno -
Gate's record when he left the club showed that all his points were against teams in the lower half of the table but there is a difference.
In the start to that season we played a lot of games against teams you would think were relegation candidates.
This pre season you would have been happy with four points away at Leeds, Barnsley and Burnley. You do not expect them to be in drop zone. Nine points is beyond expectations.
The points dropped at home are a real irritation.
Mogga looks to be one of Napoleon's favourite type of generals - lucky.
Lucky the treatment room doesnt have it's normal dozen incumbents, lucky that we will give him the patience Gate and Strachan wouldnt get, lucky the absence of a striker hasnt really cost us, lucky with the international break allowing Scotty to get fit.
The list could continue but you need to create the luck.
Truth is I dont give a monkeys, just keep winning.
"Well organised", "every player comfortable on the ball", "well managed", "playing like a proper team". Not my words but those of the Burnley crowd around me as Boro eased their way to yet another relatively painless (give or take a few bumps and bruises) victory.
The omens weren't propitious. During the warm-up Ikeme looked as though he had not seen a ball for two weeks. He dropped, fumbled, dived over and let slip through his hands, every shot that he tried to field. They all ended up in the net. Then within thirty seconds of the match starting Rhys misplaced a pass, and in the ensuing counter-attack, pivot McManus got injured and was taken off.
No worries though. Ikeme had got his eye in and looked solid, one misjudged corner excepted. And we had our first opportunity to look closely at Haroun. He was impressive, a tall, athletic midfielder who looked good both going forward and tracking back. Above all he had the qualities which Mogga seems to prize most - spacial awareness, and the ability both to know what is going on around him,and to communicate it to others.
This was yet another victory for Boro's superior organisation. Bailey, Bates, and now Haroun ensure that the team never loses its shape and that everyone fills in and is kept up to the mark. Robson and Haroun looked a more creative and comfortable midfield than any we have seen so far this season.
As at Leeds, once we were in front the only danger seemed to be that someone would be sent off. Bennett came within a hair's breadth of doing so. Yet it was hard not to warm to the kid's willingness to get forward, and his evident delight at scoring the killer second in front of the travelling fans.
Once again both Emnes and McDonald were crucial. Their link up play was excellent, and their pace and creativity continue to make Championship defenders seem heavy-footed. One niggle on Marv. He is fast getting a reputation as a diver. He comes in for some heavy treatment , but he is not slow to make the most of it. Mogga might have a quiet word. It is counter-productive to rile a crowd whom our performances have reduced to unhappy quietude. And as refs cotton on, Marvin might not get the penalty decisions he deserves.
I tipped a 1-0 scoreline yesterday and 2-0 at Leeds. Correct, but in the wrong order( which is to say that they were both wrong) But in truth the way things are going this season- and we can no longer dismiss it as a fluke- I suspect that if you go for 0-1, 0-2 and 0-3 away scores for the rest of this season, you may end up being right more times than wrong.
The only fear, waiting in the wings, is the near certainty at some point soon of injury to one of our strikers. We need two other adequate replacements now. We all know that . So does Mogga. He has an extraordinarily difficult task, given that a fair number of Premiership clubs are in the same position. But our success this season is dependant on his achieving it.
At the moment there is no one in whom any Boro supporter would rather put their trust.
Another great win and another record broken. We are now scoring goals from all over the park which we have not seen for a long long time.
We were top for a while this weekend but i think we a perfectly placed for the time being.
Roll on the next game, glad to hear Mick not serious.
This boro team is starting to remind me of the 86 87 team believing in themselves and playing with a lot of confidence.
We know it is not down to one man but in TM we have a real man manager and so pleased he has brought Coops back into the fold.
UTB
Chris, mate, this Bailey thing, he does get better and better in every way, doesn't he. (Thanks, WGS!) We mentioned at the time, I think, the way, when Joe scored, he interacted with us lot in the crowd to tell us to keep our racket going (we'd got a bit complacent, hadn't we? used to this winning away lark, feeling it was easy for the lads? and there was Nicky, letting us know they needed us [as we needed them] to inspire us).
Now, this lad is our real captain, isn't he? Matty played great yesterday, and you and I agreed on that too; Robbo's fantastic this year too, but Nicky's REALLY the captain, isn't he? (But he can't have my wife, no matter what nonsense I sing about that, btw!!)
On to shatter Crystal Palace!
The better half, or boss, started watching George Gently and lo and behold up came the banner - Teeside.
We all discussed it and decided it was just lazy. When I say 'we' I mean Judith, Emma and Alex.
Halifaxp - 'we have Mogga, you don't.' Is that a song? If not, it should be.
Haven't been to a match this season, have my ticket ready for Palace though.
First game of the season.. Excitement level is already at Def Con four..
This is really quite amazing. We already have nine more points than I expected at this stage, and I also expected us to have been dumped out of the cup by now as well. The results just keep rolling in.
Do we really have to wait a whole seevn days before another game? When the results are going like this it makes you want to see a game every day.
It's true we've only played bottom half teams (a la Gates strong start a couple of seasons ago), but we look a lot more assured.
It's also true that Mogga appears to be getting a bit of luck with regards injuries... I can't remember such an extended injury free run for three or four (maybe more) seasons.
But whatever it is, let's just keep going. As Nigel says, the point is coming where we all might start believing. I've already discarded my pre-season pick that we would flirt with relegation before pulling away... this seems about as good as my horse tipping now.
Two visits to Palace to go before the next home game. If we can get a reasonable return out of those two games then surely the Riverside crowd would finally top 20K?
**AV writes: Have we really been injury free? Thomson and Steele in pre-season, Zemmama and McDonald in early games?
Pete from Halifax and Len Masterman,
Where would we be without your expert and erudite prose?
A joy to read!
UTB
Missed my first match of the season on the new BJ stand as I was visiting Belgium with my missus. I was only able the check the result as you know the mobile data abroad are costing robbery levels.
Having witnessed our last defeat at Turf Moor in April (a bit like I was at Hartlepool in 1986 rarity...) I was really surprised we won so comfortably. Really, we are talking untypical Boro here!
This is like walking in a wonderland. On board the Mogganaut! Up the Boro!
Reality check.
In spite of our recent good form, we are a long way from being of Premiership quality. Who, in our present squad , could walk into any Premiership team?
If, by any chance, we get promoted we would be lambs to the slaughter.
That has been our feet-on-the-floor default setting so far this season. Most of us on this blog are cautiously optimistic pessimists, and rightly so.
But wait a minute. Yesterday I watched Norwich, West Brom, Fulham and Blackburn on TV. I saw nothing to match the quality of our away performances this season.
With each passing week, my optimism gauge moves up another notch. I feel reasonably confident now that we have a squad capable of putting into practice what Mogga wants them to do, and that we can finish in the top six. At least.
**AV writes: Have we really been injury free? Thomson and Steele in pre-season, Zemmama and McDonald in early games? "
A scene from Crocodile Dundee
"[Dundee is threatened by a mugger with a switchblade]
Sue Charlton: Mick, give him your wallet.
Michael
J "Crocodile" Dundee: What for?
Sue Charlton: He's got a knife.
Michael
J. "Crocodile" Dundee: [chuckling] That's not a knife.
Michael J. "Crocodile" Dundee: [Dundee draws a large Bowie knife] *That's a knife."
The same applies to the injury list, for us that is barely a hitch. I seem to recall you think a dozen in the treatment room is nothing unusual.
Other clubs have different measures to us, having many players with 35 plus appearances almost the norm.
Many teams have 25 men squads with at least two for every position, we need that and two for every bed and couch in the treatment room.
If we have a normal, ie an Untypical Boro, injury record we will get in to the play offs.
Anecdotally of course.
As John pointed out, the Palace match will be a useful barometer of where we are at.
I'd also like to see us hit some seriously strong home form which we haven't quite managed yet.
Its very early to assess who the contenders are going to be but West Ham look to be picking up a head of steam.
The fact that Boro have played teams in 'lower' league positions so far this season is a reasonable point to make, but let's not forget this run of form didn't start in August. It started back in the late winter/early Spring and at the end of last season we played Cardiff away.
The Cardiff fans turned up that day to have a promotion party and what they saw was their team systematically dismantled by the Boro.
A few months on the squad is stronger, with the addition of the new midfield players and what has been achieved this season has been done without Tommo who was involved for the last few games last season.
Surely, there isn't a single team in this league for us to be afraid of? There will be blips along the way this season, we'll lose when we don't expect to no doubt.
Some have compared Boro's start this season to that under GS1, but there are significant differences. This season the team has played in a well organised and ruthless fashion, we haven't lost any key players in the transfer window, it feels different this time and we aren't relying on one man to win games.
At this early stage of the season we appear to have what it takes to be contenders.
Nigel
I agree, I was one who drew a link to GS1 but the teams have been tougher than in that run.
His team would have crumbled in the intimidating atmosphere at Leeds, now we have some dogs of war instead of Andrex puppies. You wouldnt want to argue whose round it was with Robbo or Bailey
Another huge bonus is the return to fitness of Williams, McMahon and Bates.
AV
Just a thought regarding the injury list, players in successful teams probably do not want to get injured as they do not want to sit out a successful season and therefore don't. Some sort of psychological effect I guess
Only played teams in the bottom half!
What nonsense!
They are in the bottom half BECAUSE they have been the unlucky ones who have had to play us of course!
RE the fact that Boro have played teams in "lower" league positions.
They're only down there because the Mogganaut battered them down there! Keep on rolling Mogga...
Jiffy -
As I posted earlier, pre season I would have taken four points from visits to Burnley, Barnsley and Leeds - that would have been three more than last season. Nine points is an incredible return.
In our first few away games in the Championship after relegation we won at Swansea (in disarray after losing their manager), Scunthorpe and Wednesday but lost at Bristol City.
I would argue the games have been harder this time round.
The disappointment is dropping points at home.
Mogga said at Burnley: “To get enough points in this league [to win promotion] you have to score 70/80 goals and they’ve got to come from everywhere. We can’t just rely on Scott McDonald and Marvin Emnes every week."
We have scored 12 goals in 6 league matches - on average 2.0 goals per match. That will make a total of 92 goals in 46 matches.
I don't say it but it's impressing. An excellent start to the campaign. Up the Boro!
The point about injuries (player downtime) being less than in previous recent seasons resonates with me.
I haven't collected stats however and it's a departure from my usual position of offering causation argument without first being sure of observable effect.
However it is my impression that the squad has managed to avoid multiple serious lengthy outages in key positions that seemed to dog our squads during GS1 and GS2's campaigns.
However, I wonder how much that is due to the style of play that Tony Mowbray has the squad playing? Impact injuries can be reduced my lessening the opportunity for impact. Twisting and strain injuries can be reduced by lessening the need to over-stretch. over-extend or otherwise test the limits of joints, bones, cartilage etc.
This is achievable by using the brain more!
Finding position and space, being aware of colleague positioning and crowd-pleasing though it may be, being less "gung-ho" in challenging for possession in low-risk or low-reward situations.
Making use of the available pitch area and moving the ball about, avoiding "hospital balls" and running off the ball for each other is a noticeable change in Mowbray's squad's style of play and it may be paying dividends on more than one front.
It's better to watch, it's more entertaining, is harder to play against and would appear to be getting the right results.
Anyone see it differently - until stats are accumulated that demonstrate otherwise?
Can't afford the transport costs of getting to the Palace game. Used three gallons of petrol getting my motability scooter to and from Burnley . Disability benefits, like inside lefts, are not what they used to be. Am considering jogging down to the Smoke. Sponsorship anyone?
Another well earned hard fought win,Well done lads, keep it up.
This team is good enough to win this league for sure, IF and its a big IF, we dont lose more than a couple of key players to injury at any given time. It will be so good to get Tommo and Steely back as both are class players that will improve the team. It will mean that when the games come thick and fast that Mogga can rest players or change the shape of the team.
Looking good. I watch most games out here and there is plenty of quality in this side to go up to the premier.Mogga would clearly have to add more quality to key positions thats all. The only reservation I have this season is the home form wich I expect to see put right in the next two home games.
However I was concerned to read that away teams are not intimidated by a half empty Riverside, So come on folks get yourselves down to the Riverside and Roar the boys to victory.
Now that promotion is a nailed on absolute certainty, do you think that Mogga needs to buy any players in the January window for "planning ahead to the Premier League" purposes?
And do you think that we will be the only North East team left in the Premier League next season as Sunderland and Newcastle both looked to be certainties for relegation as neither of them can score goals and have loads of bad players?
Met a couple of Burnley-supporting mates before the game. I warned them that Boro now have the strongest midfield in the Champo. They were both impressed as Boro amply proved my point.
What Mogga has done superbly in my view, is to load the midfield with real battlers who can also play a bit. Add another striker and this might just be the secret for getting out of this division......
And a Boro Lass wowing them on X Factor.
Come on all things Boro!!!
Does our run finally nail the myth that managers don't matter?
I got the impression about Steve Gibson over the appointment of the last four managers that he was trying to prove the rest of the premiership wrong in appointing rookies and giving them pots of money and hoping it would work. I suppose you could say it worked in that we won our first trophy but in the main the fare we had to endure was disjointed teams and negative rubbish.
I believe we would have achieved a lot more if a good manager(s) had been appointed and the appointment of Mogga is proving the point.
Ian Gill said: "Lucky the treatment room doesnt have it's normal dozen incumbents, lucky that we will give him the patience Gate and Strachan wouldnt get, lucky the absence of a striker hasnt really cost us, lucky with the international break allowing Scotty to get fit."
Point taken...but patience?? Southgate had THREE SEASONS with the club in the Prem. Strachan had more than 60 games, when in truth must suspected the worst after the first half dozen. The fact that both have gone on to become even worse 'pundits' than they were managers I shall get back to another time.
As for injuries - perhaps a case of players willing to try that bit harder, or play through that bit of pain, now that they have a manager who believes in them, rather than go 'up the ladder'.
I'm with Ian on the injury debate, the list is very small compared with previous seasons. As to why, I'm not sure I subscribe to Richard's view about style of play, this sounds a bit far-fetched.
However, I think Mohammad Abdullah has nailed the reason. Could it be that the players, like us, are really enjoying themselves and can't wait for the next game? No more "you know, I could really do with a couple of weeks off, and I've got a bit of a sore leg, I've been feeling a bit run down lately, got a bit of a sniffle, and the dog needs to go to the vet". They just want to be on the pitch again.
**AV writes: I don't think the list is any smaller than at any other time. Proportionally. We have had two first teamers - that's 25% of the first choice XI - out since the start of the season in Thomson and Steele plus the only player the boss has paid money for, Zemmama, has been out for all but an hour and we have had 50% of the total strikeforce out for a couple of weeks too.
The perception of injuries is subjective and correlates directly with results. Had we been losing the crowd would be baying for blood over "the injury crisis."
GHw - if the Boro play as well all season as that girl can sing then we'll do okay.
My next match is Reading, an old stains by mate of mine will be over from NZ hopefully I can persuade him to tag along.
AV - two first team players out through injury equates to 18% of the first choice 11, not 25%.
On top of that we might consider ourselves fortunate that Steele has been injured as its allowed us to play a more experienced and generally sound goalkeeper.
Also, Zemamma isn't "the only" player Mowbray has spent money on. He also paid for Max Haas, who quickly became 7th choice centre back. I don't think Zemamma would be in the team if he were fit.
I stick by my view that this is the quietest period of injuries I can recall for many a season.
James
Maybe I am being generous to GS1 and GS2 but I think we will cut Mogga more slack than the GS's. I could probably have put it better but when you type on the hoof that is what you get.
Another superb victory on the road. Like others, I would have taken a point. I'm not ready to get carried away just yet, but the surprise at a good result is starting to fade.
On injuries, like AV I'm not sure that we've had fewer overall (perhaps some hard evidence is needed on this), but it's certainly true that they're not affecting us as badly.
I'll be interested to see if, over the course of the season, we do get fewer injuries than usual.
If we do, I'd be inclined to look at the difference in pre-season schedules. Strachan and Southgate both talked about trying to create the fittest team we've ever had, but both seemed to suffer from multiple injuries. Their pre-season schedules appeared to revolve around hard fitness training (in Strachan's case it seemed to be all out beasting of the players).
TM spoke about the players coming back to training already in decent shape owing to off-season training routines for the players, and that his squad were able to get to ball work much more quickly in their pre-season training.
I wonder therefore, if hard physical work in pre-season is counterproductive in the modern game, causing more injuries.
It certainly seems sensible to have players maintain their fitness over the summer, rather than let themselves go and have to rebuild their strength and stamina in a very short period of time.
The bonus is that the squad were able to work on the technical skills so much earlier, something that I suspect has played a significant part in our excellent start to the season.
AV is spot on, the injury situation is all about perception. All of a sudden the injury list looks insignificant because we're winning and the squad looks strong, plenty of cover etc.
We've just lost our first choice centre back for at least one game and no one has batted an eyelid.
The fact that the clubs (arguably) best midfielder has been out all season has almost passed everyone by.
Interesting posts on injuries. Richard and AV both make good points, which are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
I think Richard may be on to something when he says that our different style of play may help the injury situation over the longer term. However we are pretty robust and steely when it's necessary, particularly when we are fighting to get the ball back. You would back most of this team (Hoyte always excepted) to win 50-50balls
AV., with typical shrewdness, points to the psychological aspect of this. The perception that we are lucky with injuries so far may be just that - a perception encouraged by favourable results.
There is another related aspect to this . When you enjoy your work, when you have responsibility, know what to do and how to do it. And when you have the opportunity to take initiatives and be creative in the workplace, then you are less prone to absenteeism. You get yourself to work when you may be feeling less than 100%. Indeed you are less likely to feel under the weather, because you have more motivation and energy.
All the evidence is that the team has bought into the Mogga project and it shows in every aspect of their performance. The difference between making the most of an injury and shrugging it off may turn out to be a crucial one.
Exciting times at the BORO now. The Feel Good Factor is sweeping Boroland.
AV is correct about the injury stats, also I would like to point out that,
The Dark destroyer had three teams left by McClaren and the poison dwalf had a large enough squad to discard players of the quality as Emnes, Taylor, Bennet etc
Mogga knows a player when he sees one and knows how to get the best out of them.
Interesting to know who the strikers are that Mogga is after. Clarke Swindon, Priskin Ipswich.Good freebies. But I bet MOGGA gets better quality than any of us expect.
THE GOOD TIMES ARE BACK FOLKS
We've just played a few games with one fit striker and up until this season if we'd played Emnes as centre forward because there was no one else, well there would have been a Teesside revolution.
Surely having one fit striker only is an injury crisis? If it isn't what is? But because we won/drew the games during the 'crisis' it was therefore perceived not to be so.
Mogga is doing a fantastic job and I agree with Ian in that because of who he is us fans will give him more lee way, but he doesn't walk on water, he can't heal the sick.......
Sorry folks but the spell where we had 12 first team squad players in the treatment room is not insignificant.
Have a look at the end of last season and see how relatively settled the team was. Result, one defeat in 12.
Look how settled the current team is, result, unbeaten. You can lose a player but apart from up front there is someone fit to drop into the role.
You will always get injuries, they afflict every team and we are no different. Never have had an issue with players missing through injury.
The long injury lists we have suffered were not perception. They were fact and on the website. Dave Allan didnt make them up to use up column inches.
The fact the teams that did well last season had settled squads playing lots of games is not perception - they are facts, go and look for yourselves.
The fact that once we started getting players back fit we played better is not perception, it is fact - look at the line ups and appearance figures.
The team is blending nicely, the understanding between players improves, players get to know the runs of other
players, they pass into space because they are confident someone will be there, players run into space because they know someone will pass to them.
Look at the table and look at the current injury list on MFC. Both are a lot different to last February/March.
The reduced injury list isnt the only reason we are playing better, there are many other factors such as Mogga juggling resources to check out the right blend, but ask yourselves this question.
Would we be better off with a full team and sub in the treatment room?
**AV writes: I've never disputed that Boro have injuries and that they are disruptive and create selection headaches and leave areas of the team weak or hostage to fortune.
My quibble has always been with the perception, the mythology, that Boro somehow have more injuries than other teams, that there is some dark unspoken institutional training ground secret or 'curse of Crockliffe' that may make Boro more susceptible. That is simply not true.
There is no statistical evidence to back it up. If anything it is the reverse. When we were in the Premier League injury statistic were collected, collated, assessed and publicised by physioroom.com and far from being a footballing plague ship Boro were usually stuck in th emiddle of the table they produced. The teams usually well out in front at the top were West Ham, Newcastle and Spurs.
But Boro fans never noticed that. It comes down to self-imposed tunnel vision. It's natural. All fans do it.
The problem in recent years has not been injuries, it has been belt tightening, squad slimming and the selling off of quality players. When the squad size is reduced by a third then the same number of injuries have a disproportionate impact.
When we were sliding down the table and towards disaster injuries reared their head not because there were more but because results were poor so their perceived impact was exagerated: when you are losing games two players out is a crisis... especially when the rest of the squad is small or deemed to be not good enough.
Now if we have an injury in midfield the reaction is "great, a chance for Smallwood/Haroun/Martin", no problem.
Every week I talk to reporters from the other lot and without fail when we exchange team news they will bemoan their own injury crisis, this player is out, that star striker is missing, the other key defender is a long termer... but Boro fans are not interested in the opposition line up or the fact that broadly, in a professional high tempo contact sport, all teams get generally the same proportion of injuries (and broadly the same types of injuries too.)
Len -
If you can get to Castleford X-Scape car park by 08:30ish on Saturday, you are welcome to join me and Peter from Halifax for a freebee lift.
We drive to Stevenage Station and get a Day Travelcard on the train to Norwood Junction. A quick and easy way to get in and out of London from North to South without taking the car all the way.
Chris
I did work with a South African consultancy firm who, amongst other insightful observations, offered a very real but subtle distinction between Leadership and Management.
Leaders see the task as an opportunity to develop their charges. They (genuinely) focus on their people. (This is a form of giving).
On the other hand, Managers use people to achieve their goal. Their focus is on the results - what they can get out of the people. (This is taking).
This distinction may be hard for people to make and get their heads round, but when you're on the receiving end of each approach and you feel and recognise the benevolent intent of a good, genuine leader, it feels entirely different.
That's not to say that good leaders are in any way soft - they're anything but! You don't make people better by making them feel great about their errors or mistakes. But what you do is to coach them in their development and help them improve themselves.
Part of that is to hold them appropriately accountable, across the full spectrum of reward and sanction. But that also requires a well-defined, recognised and agreed role and set of criteria against which performance/ behaviours can be measured.
I can see all of this happening at Boro under Mowbray.
It's my opinion that Len Masterman and AV are both right in their respective takes on the psychological analysis of the current form.
And with the "benefit" of the above background and reasoning, I'm prepared to agree with many others that Mowbray is succeeding where GS2 didn't, because he's more of a natural Leader, rather than simply an appointed Manager.
I was, initially, cynical and sceptical about his appointment, because I was concerned that he was being appointed by Gibson quite simply to placate local support because of his Middlesbrough history.
So far, however, his appointment has been successful and from what I get to see of the man through the media and what I've been able to glean from other sources, Mowbray seems to be in the mold of Leader rather than Manager, as per the distinction I attempted to make, above.
He knows what works on a football field and he knows how to organise, prepare and motivate his players. Mowbray's more than a "Managerial" appointment.
Richard - Great piece.
Ian - There is no doubting the facts, where we have to be careful is what is infered from the facts.
It is a fact that people who drink high volumes of coffee are more likely to develop lung cancer than those that dont. It may be infered from this fact that drinking coffee causes lung cancer, it doesn't.
The link is that those that drink large volumes of coffee are more likely to be heavy smokers than those that dont drink large volumes of coffee.
Teams that are doing well are bound to have settled sides aren't they? Why would the manager change a winning team? On the other hand a manager of a struggling side may change his personnel to try and improve the teams performance, so it may be the case that winning teams have settled sides because there is no driver for change rather than because they are injury free.
**AV writes: Plus, last season appearance stats were distorted because one manager didn't fancy Bennett and Emnes and the other played them in every game; one used Halliday and Boyd every week and the other when forced to.
Ian -
Firstly, congratulations on getting a reply from AV regarding the injuries debate. If I remember rightly, you said yourself that this been a sustained campaign of bating! I know, however, that you're quite serious in your points on injuries.
I have to disagree with you though. Whilst the number of injuries we've had is not perception, the notion that we've had significantly more than others (and are therefore disadvantaged) is. Without definitive supporting evidence, what else can it be?
The best evidence around is the appearance figures that you've mooted. That would seem to me to be an indicator to support your theory, but not definitive evidence as appearances (or a lack thereof) are subject to more than just whether the player is injured or not.
It's a tough debate because there doesn't seem to be proof either way. The best we can go on is the appearance figures you brought forward, or alternatively the injuries table that physioroom have for Premier League clubs, as AV said.
Personally, I come down on the side of the hard evidence when we were in the Premier League, which showed that our injury problems were no great disadvantage (at least not numerically) when compared with our competitors. Drawing alternative conclusions without hard evidence can only be perception.
Richard -
good point about management. Have to admit that there are too many managers only after their own ego. But few leaders. In business and football.
AV was right about the injury situation in August. But I feel we have only one long term injury now in Jason Steele: Fractured scaphoid in wrist. He's expected back towards the end of this month, though.
McManus had a knock in last game but he could just be back at Palace. Tommo is playing his second reserve match tonight.
That's all according to mfc.co.uk. But of course Franks is out injured even though he is out on loan until January.
So my feeling is that there are not so many players injured at the moment. Perhaps no one wants to miss playing when we are winning most of the time?
Up the Boro!
Good blog Richard, enjoyed that one so much. Spot on.
Mowbray I guess was followed by most of us Boro fans and promoted by AV, yes AV. Do you remember that fantastic blog about Mowbray and the Chinese Ward Lords. Sublime.
AV knew the qualities that Tony could bring to the Boro better than most so he chipped away to get him here but he could not be totally open as he would like(part of the job) but his influence was there to see.
THANKS A.V.
Its always nice to see Boro fans where ever you go in the world and I have met them in so many places in the USA, darkest African and her in Dubai.
I met my best mate in Spain 10 OR 12 years ago I guess. Boro v Man U Boro scored and only he and I were jumping for joy each end of the bar.
We were both in Spain living a few doors away from each other. Both lived in Yarm few doors away kids went to same school etc etc. But until then we had never met.
Dave Jenkins (Capitain Jack) he sails one of the biggest container ships in the world. He has put flags, shirts, scalfs, pics of the Boro in bars in almost every port in the world teaching the locals how to say up the Boro.
He has pics from years and years all over this plannet flying the flag. He follows the Boro whenever or wherever he is and he will follow your blog for sure.
Miss you mate.
UP the BORO
**AV writes: Well Captain Jack? Identify yourself.
AV -
Forget all the barbed humour about Crockcliffe - Richards Boro Banter about the sprit of Rockcliffe was an absolute stonker.
Forget all the debate about our injury jinx, forget all the historical data from the Premiership, all I have done is linked availability and results.
So three players in the treatment room is not less than twelve? Having three players creeping over 30 games is as beneficial as seven with 35+? Having more players fit wont affect performances?
This isnt tittle tattle from the press room or gloomy perception from a chicken runner. Those are facts. They are available on clubs websites.
I stand by my view that if we have most of our players available then we will play better.
I also stand by my view that as the injuries eased last season our form picked up. I also stand by my view that the relatively settled nature of the squad is helping us play better as a team.
I repose the question. Is it better to have twelve in the treatment room or three?
Mogga comes in and says the lack of sports science at Rockcliffe surprises him. That is taken as gospel and accepted. There is no quibble because it came out of the mouth of Saint Mogga.
All I have done is drawn the link between having fit players and performance. Unlike many I didnt post Robson, McDonald, Bailey, Thommo etc were tosspots and a waste of money. I posted that we needed them fit and playing then we can make a judgement.
I posted that McMahon, Bates and Williams being fit is a boost. Is it a hindrance?
Is it so difficult to say that if the squad is fit and available we will play better? That is all I have done.
I was the one saying that we would have a good season even when squad trimming was going ahead. I think we have some good players at the club, need a couple more but Mogga wil bring them in.
**AV writes: As I say, I don't question that injuries have an effect on the team. It would be churlish to say otherwise.
The thing I take issue with is the repeated unscientific notion abroad that Boro have persistently more injuries than others and that there is some inherent unspoken dark reason for it.
There isn't. Boro's injury record is no better or worse than other teams. To say that it is requires some statistical evidence, not just a subjective perspective on one team, especially one viewed through a prism of recent results.
Mr.Tony, this is the voice of the oracle...... Its now late in the Palace v Boro match this weekend, Palace are starting to tire after their midweek frolics with Wigan in the cup. Put on Tarmo Kink Mr.Tony and he will bag a brace.
Listen to the mystical oracle Mr.Tony.......
AV
Fair shout.
I still have historical issues with recurring injuries such as Christies and Thommos broken legs but that wasnt what I was posting about.
We have downsized to basically a 25 man squad if we add a couple of loanees. That should be ample.
If we do end up with 10 or so in the treatment room we will struggle.
On the subject of injuries, as many others have stated, nothing seems as bad when you are winning. It's something, with a run like this, I am not used to.
The expectation that we will win instead of blind hope that this week will bring three points. If we are down by a goal, the horrible feeling in your stomach is smaller at the moment and a fire wells up that the boys will turn it around. A goal down now just means that the oppositions supporters will be going home disappointed.
It's an amazing feeling to actually have trust and belief in your football team and that no matter the hole, they will be there, Chilean style, and will be prepared to fight out of it. It's not something I have consistently felt as a Boro supporter. It's new territory for me.
Trust, Belief, Pride.
It feels like we are glory hunters simply supporting the best form team - what a joy! (ignoring brighton's and s'hampton's current blistering promo form!)
Boro have two strikers. I called for Miller to go and to be replaced with two others. TM decides to let Miller go and replace him with none (but not without trying).
What other Boro manager could have gone into the season with only two strikers and not have the majority calling for his head or any other words you can put before "head"? It's incredible. Two strikers and i am not overly bothered.
For sure we need more. Ideally quality, that will push the current two for a starting slot and score buckets with assists and a great presence on and off the pitch, oh and on a free would be nice too.
Impossible for the Boro of old. It would have meant of the largest wage packet in the league for a well past it EU or UK hobo looking for the final, final retirement fund push.
With TM - I cannot wait till he signs and proves it was worth the wait and risk!
The season is only just started. The warm duvet feeling wont be there in every game or for every period of the season. BUT it is here now - 20 games one defeat for Boro.
Rose tinted glasses only make the world look foggier when they break but right now everything is looking good and feeling fine!
COB!
Great post, Richard. The distinction between an instrumental or utilitarian approach to work, and one in which the work itself is seen as intrinsically valuable, important and fulfilling is a crucial one.
Rubbish managers see profits, or winning football matches ( cf. Steve McLaren) as ends in themselves. What they create are alienated workers and uninteresting products (cf. McLaren again).
Good managers are interested in and committed to what they produce . The activity they engage in they see as a worthwhile and creative end in itself. Profits (or winning games) is a beneficial by-product of that engagement.
The fact that Mogga is one of our own, with an already proven commitment to the club and the area, puts him firmly in the camp of those who see the task of running the team effectively as significant in its own right, rather than as a machine for producing results. The outcome in terms of the players' commitment and motivation is there for all to see. And results have so far exceeded everyone's expectations.
Lest anyone think I am a misery following my prolonged attempt to prise out of Vic that having players fit and available to play can be quite useful, rest assured I think Mogga is doing a grand job.
The current relative lack of injuries is but a part of our turnaround. As many have posted there are many facets. As I posted earlier, Moggas juggling of resources had an effect on appearance totals.
As mentioned by Richard, a change in the way we play will help the players. We are letting the ball do the work, we are playing it about in some style. The players seem happy in what they are doing but that is always the case when you are winning.
Onwards and upwards.
Re the injury figures. I'm not a statistician, but I have been broken down by age and sex. Does this qualify me to comment?
Thought I would take in Tranmere v Carlisle tonight, purely as a service to this blog. I know that you will all have a consuming interest in the progress and performance of our Striker That Never Was, Lee Miller.
I have never had the privilege of seeing the lad, so I will go to the game purely in a spirit of academic enquiry. I hope to arrive at the answers to two questions: How come Strachan thought him good enough to be worth £500,000 of the club's precious money? And how come Strachan thought him so useless that he couldn't get a game in a rubbish team?
I don't hold out any hopes of seeing an absorbing game. Call it taking one for the team.
Come on, AV, be realistic! You can't expect Captain Jack to be posting on this Blog, whatever you might say in answer to Jeffrey Wood at 1.15pm today. He's got something of a crisis to sort out with the rest of his Torchwood buddies - and he only has until Thursday to do it.
Blogging on here or saving the world? A close one. Of course after Thursday it might be a different matter.
**AV writes: Blogging on here would be a Blessing.
In response to Richard's post, Len drew a contrast between McClaren and Mowbray as two result getters but with very different methods, styles and processes.
It got me thinking just how successful Mogga has been in almost a year in the job, and given that he and Strachan have had a similar number of games in charge of the club, I thought I'd dig up some comparative stats:
Strachan: P46 W13(28%) D13(28%) L20(43%)
Mowbray: P42 W20(48%) D11(26%) L11 (26%)
Nobody here needs convincing what a fantastic job Mowbray has done so far, but I found it interesting to discover just how stark the contrast is. They're basically drawing the same proportion of games, but Mowbray is winning two thirds of the remainder where Strachan lost that amount.
If those percentages were turned into a 46 game Championship season, it works out at 52pts for Strachan, 75pts for Mowbray. And that's before we even get into the added entertainment. That Mowbray has done so well amidst the downsizing is another feather in the cap.
A few people have mentioned, quite correctly, that Mowbray will be given more time and leniency by us fans because of his emotional attachment to our club, and our sentimental attachment to him. But given the results, does he need it?
For goodness sake, forget all the usual stuff, let's just wallow in success.
Andy R -
Your stats are revealing about Mogga and Strachan. My view about the appointment of Mogga was that we would give him time and you rightly pose the question does he need it?
Yes he did, the stats you showed included the tremendous run we have been on at the end of last season and start of this. Take that good run out and I suspect it wouldnt paint a pretty picture.
But there were few mutterings, the general view was keep us up and that would do nicely and we will start rebuilding.
Things turned out far better than we hoped for and we ended the season wishing it could go on.
We comment on his use of subs (or not) against Cov and Brum but there is no strident criticism. We didnt bring a striker in but there are no calls for heads to roll.
There will be spells during the season when things wont go well but there will be no calls for his head. We may find we struggle to get beyond a certain level as the club lives within its means.
He will still get the time and leniency as one of us. I hope he doesnt need it but I am not going to hold him to hostage if he does.
So it is two trips to the Palace, I notice Ambrose scored again and Zaha looked useful.
Did someone announce the death of quality 'English' football or did I miss it? What's he on about?
Well just look at last nights Champions League action and not to my shock or horror the two 'English' teams had approximately 32 players combined, with bench sitters, and out of that total I could count the number of English players on one hand.
Points-
1. These teams pro-port at being English, they're not. Can we have some regulations to put that in order instead of the International United coming along and carrying everything off.
2. When do English players who play for English clubs get the opportunity to play Champions League football?
3. Is English football shooting itself in the foot/boot by allowing so many foreign players to ply their trade at our expense?
No doubt there are many opinions about the advantages of plurality but just seems to me that the balance has tipped too far to one side.
If Arsenal or Chelski had played two or three more English players would it have wrecked their chances of beating their opposition?
I believe in a number of fields there is a policy of positive discrimination. Seems like a good idea to me both in management and players on the field.
I for one am mighty glad we (the Boro) don't have swillions washing around in the bank account to spend because it gives our local lads the chance to play and show we can be successful.
UTB
Lee Miller, four goals in four games for Carlisle. Classic!
Meanwhile, that other ex Boro Cumbrian Danny Graham can't buy a goal for Swansea.
It's clearly not easy finding a striker. Glad it's not my job.
No way in the world would I wish to stick up for Gordon Trashcan but as stated Mogga hasn't spent any money - but he has had at his service the likes of McManus, Robson, Thomson (well perhaps not Thomson) and Bailey.
You would have to agree that they were good buys, even if they weren't doing it previously, especially Bailey.
You could argue that Mogga could and probably would have, brought in better players at less cost but we have to be thankful that the above named players have turned out to be ok.
I would have to add that they are performing far better for the new manager than the old which to me says everything about Mogga's ability and man managament.
Take Bailey for example; the difference in his performances since being given a new role has been startling.
But again you have to give a little credit to the previous manager for seeing something in him in the first place.
There you go, the first and last time I'll say something positive of the man.
We could look for a striker from lower leagues as well. There is a prolific scorer banging them in at Carlisle. Loan him soon or buy latest in January!
And he is Scottish too so should fit in nicely at Boro.
Up the Boro!
Spartak Boro -
Seven or eight years ago I popped to my local for a pint and they had Arsenal v Chelsea on TV. Both were fielding basically reserve teams in the League Cup.
Between both teams and the benches you could not have fielded a five a side team of British qualified players.
Not so long ago Keegan was talking of his time as England manager. He went to a match at Arsenal in Europe, he ended up as a neutral fan watching the football. He was sat next to the French national manager who was there to check on the form of his international players.
I give the Scots, Irish and Welsh all the support they give us when it comes to sport. I have a little chuckle when they come unstuck against giants like Faroe Islands. Despite that they have been hit by overseas imports as much as we have.
I think one Liverpool team was all British when winning the European Cup but they were nearly all internationals from the other home countries.
Most English teams had a sprinkling of tricky or beligerent Celts - occasionally both! That has changed and so have the fortunes of the Celtic nations.
Sad
Fully agree with you AV over the myth of Rockliffe's hoodoo.
Of course it doesnt help when the club decides it cant fulfill a fixture due to injuries and illnesses like happened a few years ago.
Certainly explains the lack of sympathy from other clubs and their fans though.
Jiffy -
For goodness sake, I have just got AV to admit that having most of your players fit and available does actually help the team.
As for the myth of Rockcliffe's hoodoo, it makes damn good blogging material. Myth's and voodoo's are like the Loch Ness Monster and Ghosts, difficult to prove or disprove.
Maybe we should get the Most Haunted crew to spend a night at that suspicious place in Hurworth.
You may think me sad knowing of such a programme (probably think I am sad and this just confirms it) but I know one of its former presenters, Richard Felix - his son went to the same school as my lad, he is quite well known in these parts.
Ian -
Seems to me the 'professional' administrators at the FA don't know their heads from their elbows.
Your quite right in saying that international managers come to England the assess the talents of their players for international duty.
Looks like the thick FA doesn't realise that not only is the Premier League a cash machine for foreign interests but also an ongoing professional development facility for opposition national sides.
FA.... LISTEN UP-
England's become a golden goose laying the eggs for others...
WAKEY, WAKEY!!!!
Isn't it their job to ensure that England have the best chance possible to compete for and win the World Cup? Fat chance. Meanwhile they lap up the boardroom salaries and fringe benefits whilst telling us they're going to have yet another inquiry into what went wrong.
Please bring back Homer Simpson for CEO FA, Duurrhhh!!!!
UTB
Sat at work in central London in a large media company, listening to a couple of Chelski fans whinge about anti-Chelsea media bias..
Apparently Man U have a much easier ride.. My hollow laughter fell on deaf ears.
SpartakBoro -
I find it very easy to ignore the Euro competitions when we're not involved in them. However EUFA have recently introduced a regulation specifying a minimum number of homegrown talent.
It underpins Liverpool's recent purchases; Henderson, Carroll, Downing, even Brad Jones who is deemed to be English under the rule.
Mohammad Abdullah - agree totally.
Richard -
excellent piece on management. We used to have one of those leader types but he buggered off to the opposition due to upper management machinations.
Ian Gill said:
"My view about the appointment of Mogga was that we would give him time and you rightly pose the question does he need it? Yes he did, the stats you showed included the tremendous run we have been on at the end of last season and start of this. Take that good run out and I suspect it wouldnt paint a pretty picture".
The run started in in the middle of March I think, when Mowbray had been in the job just four and a half months. I'd like to think we'd give any new manager that amount of time, so in that sense he didn't need time - he was getting results very quickly.
I suppose it depends on what your definition of giving a manager time is, or how long that period is. I would say about eighteen months is about right unless so long as form hasn't been an absolute disaster.
I also think that the light criticism about Mowbray's substitutions and the lack of a striker are less because it's Mogga, and more because results have been so good generally.
I agree however, that there will be times in the future when we will need to be patient. More injuries, suspensions and possibly player sales will come to test the already wafer-thin squad and that is perhaps where we will see how much patience Mowbray being "one of us" generates. I don't think he's needed it so far.
Chris -
Thanks for you too generous comments, and your kind offer of a freebie lift to Palace. I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I am not a disabled and indigent pensioner who gets to matches on a scooter. That is the avatar created for me by AV in a moment of satirical invention, and upon which I have felt obliged to elaborate.
Accordingly I will not actually be jogging down to the Smoke this weekend. I am actually a hard tackling right-half and George Clooney lookalike, who likes to get forward and have a shot at goal.
It would be great to get together with you and Pete before a game sometime this season, but I'm not sure of the next match I'll be able to attend. I'll keep in touch via this blog.
**AV writes: Boro matchday mates introductions. Another fantastic and free Untypical Boro service for you the reader.
Yes!!! The champions league is back. Brilliant. A competition we will never win, compete in, or be bothered about.
The sooner these bigger clubs bugger of and have their euro super league that has to be played in Asia the better. How can you possibly support a team from TV alone. The buzz from Saturday is still with me.
Lee Miller: Finally got to see him. An early goal- a simple toe poke- inspired and motivated him to do not very much. He reminded me of those farmers who make a good living through getting subsidies not to grow a particular crop. He diligently didn't work hard, didn't lay the ball off, didn't create anything and didn't have another shot. Still, he makes a decent living.
So why did Strachan sign him? And having signed him, why did he not play him? Answers on a postcard.
A little piece of mischief from Jarkko at 10.40am?
And if he's not careful, Bailey could find Zenden's song being sung in his honour. He must be near the top of any "most improved player" list at the Boro. Mind you, Emnes now compared to a year ago....when he was an outcast...
According to many reports from my mates both Robson and Bailey have improved a lot from last season. I am only worried that Thomson has difficulties to fit in...
But seriously we need competition in the squad and it would be interesting to see if Mogga plays some 'fringe' players in the cup now. After all he could surprise Palace in the second match, too.
Hoping for a win but a draw will do nicely thank you on Saturday. Up the Boro!
Jarkko -
I think the only regular player who doesn't seem to have improved from last season is Joe Bennett, and that is partly because he was such a revelation. Still, he did pretty well on Saturday.
Almost everyone has improved. Some through being fit and playing regularly, some through the confidence the manager has given them, some through the much improved style of play that Tony Mowbray has introduced and encouraged, and all through the greater togetherness.
The thing that has improved most about the Boro this season is the increased enjoyment in watching them play. A year ago it was like sitting in the dentist's chair as the whining drill approached the mouth. Going to the match is now something anticipated with pleasure.
Mrs Dormo would like to thank Mogga for reducing her domestic workload. She no longer has to hide all the sharp cutlery when hearing the garden gate open on my return home after the match, only to get it out again after a couple of days or so when the immediacy of the pain has reduced.
I was sick of eating fish and chips out of the paper wrappings, and there is only so much soup you can drink in one lifetime. So the family diet has improved as well. It's all looking onwards and upwards!
And as a brilliant three-quarters moon casts shadows on a sleeping North Yorkshire, the stars twinkling brightly around it, correspondents from abroad switch on their computers....
They are not looking for Facebook, or the latest financial news. They are not intending to e-mail their mates and loved ones back in Blighty.
Across different time zones a host of Boro exiles, those working temporarily abroad, and a small selection of Boro fans who might not have any birth-connection with Teesside at all, but who still share the same supporters' compulsion, wonder how near it might have got to 100 on the current thread in AV's blog.
If sending e-mails was more like a Harry Potter film, the Moon looking down on Middlesbrough would be obscured by a cloud of owls, all aiming for Gazette Towers. There'll be mail from abroad, all hoping to arrive as number 100.
Maybe sometime soon, Paddy Power will be advertising the availability of a new "App" giving instant access to the current odds for who would get to 100. GHw at 7/4, Tim from SA 8/1, BrisbanePhil 11/1, any assorted Caucasus oil driller/engineers 15/1 ....?
There could be a spread betting frenzy: Len Masterman via a server in a country where his vast pension income is not assessible to income tax in the UK, whose par number of messages in a shameful attempt to ensure the ton would be between seven and nine e-mails between 1.15am and 1.30am.
Do you want to put money on his sending more than nine? Or Simon in the USA sending at least two within the following 30 minutes (well - he's still out and about over there!).
Essentially, running this blog presents a number of financial opportunities to the budding entrepreneur. The sponsorship deals that could be written in BIG numbers, the flashing ads that could appear between each post.
AV in his response at 6.06pm yesterday did give pause for thought. "The Boro Blog Dating Agency": Curmudgeonly Woolly-Back Boro fan, meet your specially selected 19 year-old Lifelong Boro fan from Phuket; Biilingham Bob, meet Ivanka from St Petersburg who has always wanted to put her roubles where they seemed most comfortable. Reasonable fees charged for a lifetime of happiness.
I see a future here. It is not orange but it looks red and I can see a white band across its chest, with a flash of green to reflect the money that will be flowing our way.
And NO, I have NOT been anywhere near a bottle or a Foam Hand. And this post is now so long that 100 will have gone ages ago. Curses again! Still, back to those money making ideas.....
Following on from Richard's brilliantly simple leader/manager lesson, it really is clear that in Mogga, we have a leader and not the lesser strand manager.
In my time following the Boro only Charlton and Rioch stand as leaders, both different, and are adored still by the faithful. Remember, Rioch was referred to as 'God' in FMTTM for ages.
They had that something different, Rioch brought such a flush of unexpected joy and belief in players, fans and the area, that we all I think, never imagined we'd feel again post mid 80s gloom.
Mogga is more than a manager as were Clough, Shankly, Revie and Ferguson. He is our leader.
In the film 'Looking for Eric' , Monsieur Cantona delivers the immortal line, "I am not a man, I am Cantona".
The same with Mogga. And he’s ours.
AndyR -
I agree that many would give a manager time but there are many who make decisions much more quickly than that.
A run of 20 plus matches at a point a game which started and ended with us 20th and beaten at Burton Albion in the cup would have tested many fans patience elsewhere. It would have seen off managers at many other clubs.
Fans down by the Trent are muttering though they are split about McClaren and the management decisions above him.
Nigel Clough was under pressure from the fans at Derby in his early months. He had the support of the board to help him through the tricky period plus the fact he was the son of his Dad.
No chance of any of that for Mogga. It did help that he followed a truly dreadful period as we slithered down the pyramid.
Dormo -
if you go to the bottom of this page you see pictures tagged with "Middlesbrough". One of many there were pics of moon this morning. Like www.flickr.com/photos/bolckow/6149547412/
I cannot see the mogganaut or Smogon there in these pics. Where are they?
No, I am not that keen on posting the 100th post, do I? Up the Boro!
Any news on a loan striker yet?
**AV writes: They are working on a few but Mogga would rather take time to get one that fits in (technically and in terms of mentality) rather than rush to bring in a player who may upset the delicate balance.
Dormo- What do you mean, "shameless"?
Boro Trivia- A quiz in six parts....
AV - What do you mean, this message has been rejected, because of too many shameless contributions?
Come on Nigel, let me get the hat-trick, and I will retire shamelessly.
No GHW? Or has he ghosted in, Martin Peters style, yet again?
**AV writes: Blimey, you've scored! Three threads in a row! You are the Emnes of the blog. If anyone sees a bloke with dreads in a souped up motobility Hummer....
richard evans said this morning that “In the film 'Looking for Eric' , Monsieur Cantona delivers the immortal line, "I am not a man, I am Cantona". The same with Mogga”
What … Mogga is not man, but Mogga is Cantona …… Shurely the accent is all wrong
This has been a good blog, with lots of really good and thoughtful posts. The best “managers” in football have always been the ones that combine good tactical understanding and organisation allied with the innate ability to continually inspire the best out of the players in their charge. There are not that many of these people around.
It could be that TM will go on to be one of the best English “managers” of his generation. For Boro’s sake, I hope the call to a bigger club or the FA doesn’t happen for a long, long time into the future.
About the injuries: there is a little bit of truth in most of the positions posted. AV is probably right, there is a perception among the fans that our injury situation is habitually worse than anyone else’s, when the available evidence is really that we are no better or worse off than most teams.
There’s also a lot to be said for having a settled team, so fewer injuries lead to more consistent performances and (hopefully) good results.
I’m not sure that one aspect of a team’s injury situation has been considered. Overall in a season, most teams have similar rates of injury. However, the timing of injuries and especially concurrent injuries is the thing that can adversely affect the performance of any team.
So, it is not that one team in a season finishes in the middle of the injuries league table, it is when the injuries all happened, spread evenly through the season, or clustered into two or three spells in a season.
Chance has a lot to do with that, without taking anything away from the arguments posted about style of play and the beneficial medicinal effects of being near the top of the league rather than the bottom.
And the EG’s prediction results are out … pleased with my 22points, but I don’t see Messers Slaven, Winter and Vickers in the league table? How did you all do AV?
**AV Writes: I'm well behind. I was very conservative in my punting and included a defeat. I think Jeff is well up there.
stooping nearpost header, Lee Miller style.
What's this? Is Len Masterman trying to morph into GHW ?
Shamelss behaviour young man !!
So here is the moral dilemna.
If we could beat Palace in the League, or in the Cup and you can only choose one. Which one would you choose ?
I would rather go for the win in the cup if I had to choose.
I have just had a tuna sandwich for my lunch,
Not Boro related but I can smell a ton up approaching.
Do I win five pounds?
**AV writes: No. And if you paid top dollar for the sarnie you may even be out of pocket.
I had a tomato with it as well.
I liken Len Masterman to Marvelous Marvin this season due to his transformation. Conversely, GHW is having a mare but I fully expect him to come good and not be loaned out to rediscover his touch.
Keenog - a league win at Palace if I had to choose.
len - I've never seen a motobility scooter move so fast, especially in a crowded penalty area!
I think I got four points in the predicition thingy. I somehow managed to get every result incorrect which takes some doing. Think I had us for two home wins but not the Birmingham one and no away wins.
Defence Counsel says:
"Your Honour, my client is a person of low intelligence, who has been too easily lead. Lead by many who have chosen to hide their own heinous and equally culpable behaviour under the cloak of psuedo-anonymity.
"My client is thoroughly ashamed, as well he might be. It is a sad end to a long teaching career at Marton Grove Secondary Modern School for Boys, a career in which he has helped countless boys to live up to the school's motto: They Shall Not Pass.
"I seek a custodial sentence for his own safety. "
Colin - Good to see you're going for your five-a-day!
Congrats again to Mr Masterman. Showed all his experience there.
Given the choice, I'd take a point against Palace in the league and a win in the cup, but mostly because I'll be there on Tuesday night but not Saturday afternoon.
Careful Len, you could be given a life sentance of a Sunderland season ticket.
Daily Mirror wrote that Blackpool boss Ian Holloway is making a shock bid to sign free agent El Hadji Diouf on a deal that could be worth around £14,000-a-week.
I hope he goes there not Boro.
Secondly what can we offer for a striker per week, AV? Of course we could ask a PL club to pay most of the salary when we loan somebody in. At least Boro used to do that when we loaned someone out (as recently as last season, Digard).
Anyway hope to hear some good news soon from Riverside. Up the Boro!
Len - or even a season ticket to the circus that's going on at St James’ Park!
Andy R - I hope you are right and we go undefeated the two Palace games.
Up the Boro!
Nigel Reeve said:
"Colin - Good to see you're going for your five-a-day!"
Omega three intake as well, it's a cunning plan to eat healthy Whilst I am abroad, then when I am in the Boro of a match day I can hammer the Good Food Joint.
As if a more quality pig out place ever existed ANYWHERE.
I was once in there and a mini-bus load of Arsenal fans stopped off on their way to the Stadium of light, they had taken a not substantial detour to get stuck into the pork dinner's, having remembered it from earlier in the season.
Two weeks till I am home, what shall it be? Mince and onion pie with roasties and mushy peas? or a massive Pork dinner with Roasties mushy peas and gravy?
My mouth is salivating at the thought.
Tuna Pasta Bake tonight,and a diet coke.(sigh)
Agree settle for a draw on Saturday but could win due to them having played a hard game in mid week.
A win in the cup would surly give a home draw for a change. A big club and a big crowd would be nice.
On the injury topic I think the length of some of our injuries have been poor, ie Digard, Thomson, Williams, Bates to name few.
We seemed to have more long term injuries in the past. Yes we now have Steel and Thomson and now Franks but they will be back and play a part in this season where as the other were out for all or most of a season which touch wood hasnt happened so far.
Andy R
Three points in the league please.
Don't say you don't get a nudge towards an interest in astronomy on this Blog. I mention it and, as if by magic, the photos appear in order to prove the point. You can understand why (some of) our ancestors worshipped the Moon when it shines so boldly... not to mention being the major cause of the tides.
There is a debate as to whether we should move on to GEOLOGY (the craggy face hewn out of Redcar bedrock aeons - well decades -ago); PHYSICS (the bend on that shot showed the spin imparted on impact from the left boot...); MATHEMATICS (if we can win all our away games and either win or draw our home games, how likely are we to be promoted at the end of the season..?), or maybe LITERATURE ("A crisis of this magnitude required an Arthur, a leader with magnetism and one whose decisions always seemed lucky and right. Out of the fog appeared one whose roots dug deep into the soil..").
In the past we've had POETRY, with various HAIKU offerings, and MUSIC (if you call Punk or two-tone music....). As long as it's not the economics of the football madhouse (again).
The blog that hides its erudition behind a sense of humour......or sneaks out of the room to see if there's any of that Pinotage left....
**AV writes: I've just got back from watching the world premiere of the new symphony inspired by mightby Middlesbrough's epic 1996/97 season performed by the Northern Sinfonia at the Town Hall. I'm part of Teesside's chatteratti and cultural elite.
Proud of you, Vic. I suppose you'll be moving on to Beethoven and Wagner next.
Your public expects a full critical analysis of the concert in this (or the next) thread. Maybe a big spread in the Gazette?
The performance, the music (let's be basic here - were there any good "tunes"?), any raw emotions sparked by the music? What did it FEEL like? Did you wear your dinner suit or was it a jeans and T-shirt job? Scran at the interval? Should be good for 2,000 words, and you might get promotion to be *cough* Arts Correspondent.
Spread the word...music doesn't only mean a scruffy group playing a few guitars and a set of drums!
**AV writes: It was OK. They played with a flat (or possibly sharp) back four brass section and there was some superb timing, team-work and intricate movement between the various departments but I struggled to connect the symphony with any internal narrative that suggested the emotional dynamics of a match.
There is a Shostakovich "football" symphony from the 1930s that portrays the struggle between the Stalinist Soviet Union and global capitalism as the ultimate knockout match. That really captures the dramatic tension of a dialectical unity of opposing forces, the contradiction of bitter polar rivals locked into a total war by all means neccessary but embraced within the agreed context of the rules of "the game". Well, this wasn't in the same league as that.
Now I'm going to listen to very loud dubstep to claw back some credibility with the kids.
Dormo and AV: Have you two been at the Dandelion and Burdock again.
A recent interview with Scott McDonald throws an interesting light on the Cup v League debate. He reckons that both of his hamstring problems arose during the third match he played in seven days.
Given that our chances of promotion are going to be almost entirely dependant upon wrapping up our strikers in cotton wool between games, this rather strengthens the case of those of us who believe that the Cup games should be used to give the younger and currently more peripheral members of the squad a run out.
(See BBC Football website under Championship for the full interview)
Do I take it they served drinkies at the interval Vic?
Time gentleman please (remember that?)!
This thread is descending into a distinct form of jibber jabber led by some of our more illustrious members. Time to keep yer eye on the ball and out of the orchestra pit (although the style of writing is first class).
I heard whispers that the FA committee was secretly eyeing Mogga up for the next England manager's job.
UTB
AV -
You are not going to turn into one of those glory hunters off to the Proms rather than Boro Town Hall and pretending Land Of Hope and Glory and Rule Brittania have always been your favourite songs.
Being old I dug out my vinyl copy of Five Bridges by Nice. One of all time favourites even though it is about Newcastle. For those who dont know it is a blend of rock, jazz and classical music, go on to YouTube and have a listen.
Nice were a three piece band largely designed to showcase the keyboard talents of Keith Emerson. Excellent stage act who featured at Redcar Jazz Club along with many top bands of the time such as Free, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall.
Ayresome Park on saturday, Sunday nights at the Jazz Club were the highlights of the week.
**AV writes: I can't see me switching my music of choice from heavy dub reggae and the Sex Pistols anytime soon but I do know where Radio 3 is on the dial.
Ian Gill -
Nice. I recall seeing them in the late 60's I think on the Isle of Wight. They recorded a great version of America (West Side Story) Keith Emmerson went on to be part of the magical Emmerson, Lake and Palmer. Brilliant musicians.
Again from Memory, I think another Nice member went on to form Python Lee Jackson,who featured Rod Stewart on vocals. Lee Jackson was (according to my Newcastle born wife) a Geordie.
Very much looking forward to my first Boro match of the season at Palace tomorrow. It'll be nice (not the group) to be able to judge for myself at last how far the team has come under Mogga.
AV -
Totally appreciate that music tastes reflect the time you grew up.
I obviously grew up in the best era because of the influence of Blues and Jazz that percolated down to the bands of the time influencing the likes of the Stones. I would rate John Mayall as the most influential British musician because his bands trained the likes of Clapton, McVie, Peter Green etc that spread throughout the British rock scene.
But is he more important than three points at Palace. I have many recordings of him and have seen him live several times but a win at Palace would be something new and you have to look to the future.
I agee with Len Masterman, get the result then tuck everyone in cotton wool. The danger is that injuries can occur at anytime.
Golf buggies, treadmills, TV remotes seem as likely as during a match. Same goes for training. How often do the pre match pressers talk about so and so got a knock in training or tweaked a hammie.
When Gazza talked about foreign players not liking to play twice a week wasnt it Festa who said he would rather play than train.
When I was at school we would play rugby Sat and Wednesday plus practising Monday nights. I hated PE but would happily fill every spare minute playing football or rugby. I must admit I was not a highly tuned athlete and was never designed for speed, teaking a hamstring was highly unlikely.
Tchuimeni-Nimely: I believe it's pronounced Chumley.
If you insist on talking music, you would be hard pushed to beat two world class Boro lads. (No not the kid who used to serve us coffee in Rea"s), the late Ron Asprey, whose group Back Door went from the Kirk and Blakey Ridge to top billing at Ronnie Scotts'. And Steve Gray, playing piano at the Kirk,aged 16, to become Quincey Jones's chief arranger.
How far away are we from starting to think seriously about promotion?
Already there? Another few unbeaten? Wait until we're 12 games in? Not until after the January window? More? Has this cursed it?
A few big games coming up including Palace, Reading and an improving Forest away, with Leicester the toughest looking of the home games. Maybe it'll be the home form that will be the key.
Twelve points from our next six league games (massive ask) and that will plenty enough for me to start sniffing the foamy fumes again.
I am no gambler. But I am a serious investor,and I think it may be a good time to consider the Boro on the spreads.
Currently we are quoted as finishing with 72-74 points. Over the past eight seasons teams finishing sixth have reached an average of 74 points. So if, like me, you have recently re-calibrated where you think the lads might finish, and believe they have an excellent chance of being at least sixth, then the current moment (before tomorrow's game) may be a good time to invest.
It goes without saying that you need to understand spread betting and the considerable risks it involves. There are large downside risks, and you should only invest what you can comfortably lose.
Here the downside risks are that the Boro's form collapses, or we have a spate of injuries, or we lose some of our best players in January.
On the upside, it seems sensible to profit from our consistently good form until there is evidence that it cannot be sustained. At the point at which this happens the investment can be cashed in.
It is the fact that it is our organisation, rather than the form of individual players, which has brought us success which makes me optimistic that we can continue it.
Forthcoming fixtures which looked tough a few weeks ago ( Leicester, Forest), now seem less so. And I can't remember a season when I ever feared the likes of Brighton or Southampton. We are the Boro after all.
I would not wish to encourage anyone to gamble. It's a mug's game. For myself I have never played the lottery, or had a regular bet. But we all know more about the Boro than investors tend to about the companies they invest in. The stock market has been toxic for the past eleven years, and would have lost you your shirt.
So I reckon that a sensible investment in something we do know about and can monitor on a weekly basis should be fun and may well be profitable. At any rate I am personally encouraged by last year's investment, when, under Strachan the spread was also, at this point in the season, 72-74. I sold at 72, and upon seeing an immediate improvement under Mogga closed the bet at 54 points, thus netting 18 times my stake. Enough to pay for a couple of decent holidays.
That kind of opportunity was a rare event. This is not of the same order, but the whole idea of taking advantage of situations in which we do have a certain expertise may be worth considering.
If anyone wishes to take a vicarious interest in this Boro investment, I would be happy to report on progress periodically.
Vic
Any news of a presser unveiling some Striker gadgy from Man Citeh?
Three month loan deal apparently.
Palace made five changes for their mid-week game against Wigan. This was sensible, and I hope Mogga does something similar next Tuesday. Somehow I doubt it.
This is a really important issue, however. Everything else fades into insignificance compared with the goal of promotion. And the way things are going, it looks as though we may be in with a significant shout.
The two cup competitions constitute significant distractions from the main event. I hope that we win on Saturday. On Tuesday I rather hope that we lose, and can "concentrate on the league".
That old cliche this time has the ring of a philosophical truth. The cup- tie should be used to give Thommo, Hines, Chumley & co., a run out. But a good result could turn out to be counter-productive in the long run. And a promotion push is a very long game in which every point will count.
Borobythesea -
Nice also recorded Intermezzo from the Karelia Suite and Brandenburg.
You are right about Lee Jackson being a Geordie, a neat link to Five Bridges (commissioned by Toon Arts Festival) He formed Jackson Heights but I remember an interview he gave complaing about keith Emerson writing such tricky music for him to play AND having to sing.
Looks like Thommo may be back for tomorrow, yet another midfielder. I wonder if we returned to seven subs Mogga would have the bench filled with midfielders?
The Kinks, Beatles plus some of the Beach Boys and (let's get a bit poncey here) Moody Blues, Fleetwood Mac and even Yes. And as soon as I press "send" I'll think of someone else. But more, much more than these, and in a different genre, Joni Mitchell.
Do I have to leave the Blog now I've made the disclosure?
I can't begin to pronounce that new fellas name.
what rhymes with Nimely for a song?
How about.....Oh Tony that signing was timely !
We've got Alex Toomany Nimely!
Cor Blimey! etc etc,
It's not a new record, Boro have won 5 consecutive away league games before. The final 5 away games of season 1986-1987 were wins against Blackpool, Carlisle, Bolton, Chester and Doncaster. I appreciate the point about including the end of last season, but my point is that the 5-in-a-row is not a new record.
"Dubstep", AV? What the hell's that? *baffled*
**AV writes: Dubstep is bass heavy, minimalist digitally manipulated dance music formed from samples, drum loops and whoooossssy bleepy bits best heard loud enough to make your ribcage vibrate.
It evolved from garage and drum&bass. Now, as once intimidating technology is simplified (you can download a mixing desk good enough for a Pink Floyd album on your phone now) bedroom cultural pirates are using techniques similar in a lot of ways to reggae dub to remix and subvert the classics from lots of genres and give them an edgy contemporary feel. It's a kind of Banksy approach to music. It's officially the soundtrack to the riots.
Bed time, you lot, or you'll miss the early morning Rugby games.
AV -
Saw the headline "Boro to sign Manchester City striker" Who could that be I wondered? Tevez, Villa. Aquillo, Ballioteri? No it is er. Alex Tchuimeni - Nimely.
Ah well sign of the times. Love to hear Alistair Brownlea pronounce that name!
But do you know what I am really enjoying this season, I'll be following the game on BBC Sport web page, almost as bad as Ceefax, tonight.
UTB
**AV writes: If you are following on-line don't forget to open a window for twitter and follow via me (@untypicalboro) and join the crowd-sourcing fun by searching for #borolive
I guess AV is somewhere on the M1 at the moment so good luck and bring back the points. Worry about the cup on Sunday.
Mentions of Banksy its getty all very cosmo and in crowd in here! The mild mild west.