Blitzed At Coventry.
BUGGER. Tonked by the side cut adrift at the bottom. Carved up by Alex bloody Nimely. No points from nine in January with eight goals leaked, just one scored and a string of poor performances - and now a self-inflicted midfield crisis for the Mackem match.
That was a nightmare.
Boro's promotion bandwagon, spluttering for weeks, conked out at Coventry as the problems of recent weeks came home to roost: the failure to score was costly, the creaky defence was costly and the cheap card collecting was costly as a ragged side finished with nine men and a major midfield headache for the Sunderland game.
Yes, the ref was poor. He started very liberal and let a lot of go to help set a robust tone to the game then suddenly adopted a far more draconian approach and clamped down in fussy spell that led to a rising sense of frustration. And yes, at goal down with ten men it was always going to be a difficult task to claw back. Difficult but not impossible.
But let's not look at excuses. Boro lost because they failed in every department individually and collectively and were comprehensively out-played and out-fought by a team that kicked off seven points adrift for a reason.
And for the first 20 minutes it patently obvious why City are bottom. Boro won every loose ball in midfield, passed crisply and swept forward in numbers with Emnes having a free run down the left. In a one-sided opening spell they created four decent chances, three falling to McDonald, none of them sitters but certainly good enough to expect that at least one of them should have been tucked away. They were well on top.
After that Boro quickly fell to bits. The problems had already surfaced before Coventry's opener and before the sending off. After a rocky start they realised that man mountain Clive Platt was running riot in the box as what until a few weeks ago was the tightest defence in the league failed completely to get to grips with an archetypal Championship front man while Nimely - totally anonymous at Boro - and McSheffrey found acres down the flanks as they repeatedly burst past unchallenged. Their goal looked inevitable.
Boro managed to make ponderous Platt look an unstoppable powerhouse and Nimely a world-beater. Fans of football's Inevitability Drive and students of "typical Boro" no doubt had their daft quid on Nimely's nailed on goal but would be staggered at the thought that he would also have a hand in two more, bring a couple of good saves from DD Coyne and cut past Boro with embarrassing ease. Rhys Williams had his weakest game of the season and lost his man for the opener and gave away the free-kick that led indirectly to the third after being easily skinned (although you could argue he should have been in midfield anyway) and sluggish Matthew Bates popped home his second oggie of the season to cap a poor day at the office.
Incredibly the Gazette may have to name Nimely as the pick of the opposition as the regular "sign him on" candidate just a few weeks after his departure was marked with the same low key one paragraph shrug as the exit of Jay O'Shea and Caleb Folan.
Boro's midfield was disjointed again and without linchpin Nicky Bailey looks alarmingly bereft of composure, energy, steel, cohesion and time. Kevin Thomson was woeful. Not ring rusty but poor in distribution and decision making and while he may feel hard done by with his first yellow the second was crazy, a pointless tackle in a harmless area of the field when already walking the line. It dropped Boro right in it, not just in this game but also next week at the Stadium of Light. Faris Haroun ran around a lot but rarely had any impact on the game and Arca was pedestrian and ineffective then rounded the game off with a rash tackle that was a red card before contact was made.
Robson was Boro's best outfield player if only for drive and determination but even he was ragged and undisciplined as the game wore on. At the back Joe Bennett can also at least claim to have tried to get forward and he had a cracking shot well saved in the first half that may have changed the shape of the game. Coyne too is exempt from the worst of the criticism. He made a few good saves and was left largely unprotected for the goals.
Maybe we should have expected a disaster. The cameras were there. Plus Mogga won the December manager of the month award: since then we have lost three league games and been battered in them all plus squeezed past Shrewsbury in the cup, collapsed into the void left by Bailey and been ravaged by suspensions and injuries. Jutkiewisz must have wondered what the hell he had done.
On the plus side... er ... I'll get back to you on that.
Older/Newer
« Stand Up To Big Match Passion Killers | Battling Boro Show Steel In Derby Draw »
107 Comments
Leave a comment
Profile
Anthony Vickers
Latest Football League video
Keep up to date
Follow Untypical Boro on
I went to the game and for the first time since i saw the Boro beaten 7-1 at Highbury against a rampant Arsenal i left after 60 mins....i actually missed Skippy's goal.
A awful performance against a even worse side. I am no sore loser but for 20 mins i have not seen a worse side than Coventry and would have bet my life savings on a Boro win.
That said it was so 'scripted' we dominated position and creating 2-3 more than half chances then went behind to Coventry s first attack....gutted is not the word!!!
No excuses, we were playing a side bottom for a reason and low on confidence yet we still got turned over.
Things i noticed were once again devoid of ideas in the final third of the pitch with a 'mono-paced' midfield. I am struggling to find any positives from the 60 mins a watched.
Thomson was once again so far off the pace it was frighting and to be fair his sending off made little difference. I find it amazing that people rate this guy as I just do not see what he brings to the team?? He slows the game down and seem to have nothing but a square ball in his locker. I would stick Rhys Williams in CM as he is at least 'dynamic' and bring back McManus alongside Bates.
How is Hoyte getting in ahead of Tony McMahon? He offers no attacking threat yet we play a wing back system. We are struggling to score goals so why did Emnes drift permanently out to the left leaving only Skippy as a actual centre forward?
We have no runners from midfield and no 'width' and no one who can actually beat a man one on one.
One other observation is as we were after a target man we may have bought the wrong one. Ok not slating the 'Jukebox' but Clive Platt destroyed us and gave Bates a real 'going over'.
Shocker....Nimley scored and had a blinder and showed quality's we are missing in that he showed good dribbling and a willingness to actually take a man on.
So yet another bad day at he office as they say. We are still 4th but we have to start winning and fast. I went to the Southampton game when they beat us 3-0 and hats off they were a very good side and we were well beaten. Today though we were turned over by a really poor side and that makes it more worrying.
oh i said no 'positives'.....Thomson and Arca are now suspended so not all bad eh:-)?
UTB!!!
What is going on AV?
McDonald has missed some chances that has cost us dearly this season. Why did Mogga forfeit Judkewitz for today's game for the sake of playing him for less than half a game last week?
We need a keeper. I have no idea how Coyne played today but I think we need to do better than him, Ripley and Steele. Can't they look to brink Ikeme back until the end of the season?
The fragility of the midfield has been exposed; later than it should have been to be honest. It all hangs on Bailey, and to a lesser extent, Robson. Arca's legs have gone, and speaking to a Rangers fan last week about their sale of Thompson being the best piece of business they had done in recent years, I am inclined to agree with him from what I've seen. From perpetual injury, he is now banned. He will undoubtedly become injured again by the time he is scheduled to return.
With Arca banned as well, will Mogga now think to move Williams into midfield and shore-up the back four with McManus or Hines?
The gap we opened between us and the playoffs has now gone and the top two have left us standing. To think, we were joint top before the inevitable sucker punch equaliser against Peterborough as recently as three weeks ago.
We now need to get Mr Miyagi flown over, and sent down to Rockliffe to work on Nicky Bailey.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzO7Eo0xeQ0
Typical Boro, With such a small squad and suspensions and injuries upon us, YET again we flatter to decieve. Come on , as Boro fans how many times over the years have we seen this happen? However it's getting boring now.
Nimely was bound to score and we cant play our new signing . We have made great strides under Mowbray, but we must now go on a winning run , as the good work early in the season will be undone. I really believed we were going to push on and be certainties for a play off spot after beating Cardiff and Hull.
Now I'm not so sure. Over to you Tony and the PLAYERS !! Do you want success? If so get out there and prove it over the next 4/5 matches !!. UTB
As an exile, I see very few home games and mainly see aways. I was there today. Damn. What a waste of time and money.
We have known the limitations of this squad since last season and those chickens are coming home to roost. They have been so poor lately that it brings home just how well Mogga and the players have done to achieve what they have with so little to work with.
I've been saying for some time that, although our record says we have a good defence, that is different to having good defenders. That weakness has been cruelly exposed by the absence of Bailey.
It's also no secret that we have a one-paced, one-dimensional MF that lacks width, pace and creativity. When their defensive attributes are removed, there is little left.
We know full well that we have nobody of physique up front - but we have no poacher either. For me, the lack of goal prowess was the biggest failing today. With several decent chances in the first 20 minutes, we should certainly have been one up. Dominating a poor Coventry, we could possibly have been two ahead.
As we habitually fail to convert, that asks more of a pedestrian MF and places far more strain on a porous defence. And so it proved. It was obvious that it was a surprise to Coventry how much success they subsequently achieved. As Boro capitulated, the Sky Blues started to look world-beaters.
I've watched a lot of second tier football and I judge this Championship to be one of the poorest I've seen. Despite that, I can't see Boro achieving automatic promotion. Pre-season I tipped them to finish a comfortable eighth. I've doubted that for most of the season but I might not be too far away in the end.
Somebody hide the razor blades.
The game is finally up! Mogga has been found out - his efforts with a poor squad have been sterling but by now every team in this pedestrian, clogging league knows exactly what to do against what is undoubtedly now one of the smaller fish in an inaptly named 'Championship' sea of mediocrity. Nothing much 'champion' about it as far as I can see...
The most depressing aspect of all this is that I am ambivalent about a possible Boro promotion. When I look at the Premier league, I couldn't see us competing with Wigan, never mind anyone above them.
Prepare for a prolonged stay in the lower reaches of the pyramid Boro fans, there's no way we're getting out this Championship limbo anytime soon - unless a benevolent oligarch happens along...
Spot on AV, can't really add to your analysis. Boro are in freefall, and look set to take a trouncing in a distracting FA Cup match.
The squad remains paperthin, and for the first time I'm beginning to think that we should have cashed in on one of our prized assets and brought in some quality in numbers to shore up the weak squad.
Final thought, only Boro could pay money for a player then sign a "gentlemans agreement" to not play him against his old club. Words fail me.
Not sure I trust myself to comment on the outcome of today's match other than to say that Boro appears "blessed" with a toothless, threadbare squad incapable of capitalising on apparent early domination of a match when a SINGLE key player is missing through injury.
And to point out, as I mentioned in my reply to John Powls' most recent Boro Banter post, that the red cards for Tommo & Arca may well prove to be the silver lining to the very black cloud which descended on the Ricoh, as Mogga will now be unable to select either for the next two/three (how long is the ban for a two-yellow sending-off & a straight red?) matches & forced to consider other options.
Here's hoping the "Jukebox" can do something to redress the balance once he's no longer the subject of a gentlemen's bloody agreement...!
Totally off topic, but in connection with the "only five subs" rule, can anyone explain to me why there appears to be one rule for the Prem & another for everybody else, as Prem teams appear to be able still to name SEVEN subs...?!! *mad*
Im sorry am not having it. No not at all
Yes weve been praising Mogga and his staff and rightly so, we all know some of the players are just not good enough,and we have been up there all season
But please what tactics are we using now? Which other teams so called strikers actually run away from the opponents net when they get the ball? WE DO,
They had a 47 year old left back playing (Hriedeson). Why didnt we have Emnes play right wing and take him on? We scored when he did.)
They have Lurch at Centre Forward,why not play Mcmanus? at least he can compete in the air. Bennett? Forget it
Mogga has frozen certain players out,and we are crying out for a winger or some guile in midfield,no chance for Kink, Park, Williams and Im told there are other kids not getting a chance.
Im sorry but wake up Mogga,teams have sussed us,just play deep,because we cant get around you,and then hit long balls or wait for set pieces.
And by the way whats this Harlem Globetrotter thing ,where everyone gets to touch the ball before we do anything else
NO AM NOT HAVING IT.
It is fairly obvious we are missing Nicky Bailey. Does anyone agree with me that Tony McMahon could do a good job in that position, breaking up attacks and protecting the back four?
It was inevitable that Nimely who couldn't hit a barn door sitting on the latch and who looked at odds with a football during his loan spell would be the catalyst for this latest capitulation.
However this current crisis runs much deeper than Coventry, we have been a disaster waiting to happen with such a threadbare squad as indicated by many throughout last year. We lose kingpins Bailey and Robson and we have no engine room, furthermore with little up front which with no midfield places tremendous pressure on the defence - result Boro crack wide open.
Even with Baily and Robson playing we score one and then hang on to dig out a win. Lucas is a welcome addition, however he must be thinking OMG what have I done
A frightening thought: after Coventry's win they are now 8 points from safety.
London based Boro fan -
I believe the five sub rule was to help save money. Dont ask me how though may Vic may have more detail behind the thinking.
Mogga keeps keep on doing the same old things in the same old way but clearly expects a different outcome for some reason.
I'm now starting to wonder if there is something untoward going on in the Camp. Strange "injuries", strange free kicks, Tarmo's bizarre performance etc. It makes me think that there is a serious lack of belief for some reason either with tactics, selection or other "behind closed doors" dressing room issues.
The suspensions will at least break up the slow monotonous, ponderous and predictable midfield catastrophe of the last few weeks. It hasn't worked evenly remotely yet has been blindly adhered to almost in a destructive self harming mindset.
Bailey is a massive miss but a team cannot be built around one Man. Williams will have to step into the middle alongside Robbo and it will be interesting to see who else gets the nod. I suspect Mac will return at the back and Hoyte pushed up the pitch leaving either Haroun or Martin for the remaining slot. Conversely Smallwood might get a chance to stake a claim for the Bailey role and even the likes of Reach might be brought into the reckoning for a bit of spark.
Sunderland is shaping up to be a very painful lesson but there again there is always the "Typical Boro" tag to live up to.
An utter waste of time and hard earned money going to coventry yesterday to see yet another toothless roll over and die performance from Boro.
Since we convincingly beat Cardiff I think the players thought we were already promoted.
And since Bailey went off injured at half time against Hull we have fallen apart. What does it say about the rest of our players if they cant play without him?
The players love to take the plaudits when things are going well but as soon as they get a bit of criticism from the fans you get them bleating in the press about how unjust it is. Well it isnt not from where we are sitting.
About time they stood up and played with some pride and passion especially the likes of Williams, Bates and co who wont sign new contracts until they see what division we are in next season. They have short memories. Both have had long term injuries when the club has stood by them and given them new contracts. They have had alot of money out of the club for not kicking a ball and need to remember how lucky they are.
Yesterday Mowbray would have wished he could have made 9 substitutions, apart from Robson and Coyne you could have taken off any 9 from 11. Wouldnt have made any difference if Thompson hadnt have been sent off we would have still huffed and puffed all afternoon with no end result.
The pressure is on poor Juke now to score the goals to stop our season falling apart.
It's the same old problem with Boro and it's plagued us all season, especially at home, but now beginning to affect away results as well. GOALS!!
Can you recall when we scored more than one goal in a match? It's been a while. Then we sign this striker from Coventry, sign him mind, not bring him on loan. Yet we concede a gentleman's agreement not to play him against his former club!
How many times have players scored against their former club? Think we missed an opportunity there! I was flabbergasted when I heard that news!! Coventry must have been laughing their way to three points!
Agree with all of that AV - and there's more as you'll see from my post match Boro Banter piece where I've also agreed with London Based's 'silver lining' comments.
Time to get a grip.
I've witnessed some abysmal Boro performances but that display yesterday has to be near the top of the pile. I'm not into writing long pieces, the posters above have just about said it all.
One question, I am not a tactical supremo so can someone please explain why Emnes spent most of his time on the wing against a team like Coventry?
Looking for things on the plus side AV? I can think of three - a free lift in a mates company car, only £16 for my ticket and the magnificent performance by the Boro travelling support. (Although a few did leave after the second goal you can't really blame them, they were probably dashing into the adjacent casino to put a few quid on Nimely getting a second goal)
OK, I was trying not to panic after last week, but the rot appears to have set in. And unfortunately, it runs a lot deeper than missing Robbo and Bailey.
Mogga seems to have lost faith or confidence in changing the system to suit the opposition. What happened to our successful 352 formation away from home? A back three of McMahon, Bates & Williams, with Bennett and Hoyte higher up the field? That system seemed to be working very well, but we appear to have had a regression in this regard.
I will go one further than those above - it is an absolute God-send that Thomson and Arca are now suspended. They are both passengers in the largely high octane games of the championship.
Hopefully Mogga will revert to his three man defence for the Sunderland game. Ideally those three men would be Bates, McMahon and McManus - with Williams pushed into the Bailey role, and Robbo and Haroun through the middle. Jukebox supported by either Emnes or McDonald.
We definitely need some more dynamism in the middle, and the removal of both Arca and Thomson will hopefully provide it.
Andy said:'Prepare for a prolonged stay in the lower reaches of the pyramid Boro fans ...' I agree with everything that Andy said apart from this final paragraph.
For a long time I thought the Boro were doomed to a long stay at the second tier. My fear was that, with the umbrella payments greatly extended, very few hard-up clubs were going to be able to compete with the resources of relegated clubs. However various factors have changed my mind during this season.
1. Even with their extra resources, not every relegated club can do a Newcastle/W. Ham. The momentum of the drop is hard to stop and needs a massive adjustment in a very short time.
2. I've watched a lot of second tier football spanning six decades and, unless the dementia is getting a hold, this league strikes me as notably poor. That doesn't mean it will be the same next year but my impression is that it doesn't need a lot to get promoted. Any of the Boro teams I've seen promoted to the top flight would be top by now.
3. Most significantly, we are on the right track and season-on-season improvement inevitably produces promotion. Even if we ultimately miss promotion this season, TM has shown what he can do with limited resources. There is the prospect of further strengthening in the summer, even if one or two have to go first. Even if we fall short now (and I've come full circle to again thinking we will miss out), I'm confident we will make it before long.
The late great American comedian W.C.Fields uttered the immortal phrase 'Never give a sucker an even break'
In the fifty odd years of supporting Boro, my dad and uncles used that phrase repeatedly to describe the generosity and ineptitude the Boro have shown to teams and yesterday was right up there in that tradition of giving a poor, struggling team a helping hand.
In fact it was a banquet of giving, from the easy goal we conceded,to Thomson, knowing full well that the referee was not to be trusted, is sent off.
This player is fast becoming a liability, then we have the second half collapse headed literally by Nimely who never looked as if he could score whilst with us, an own goal by Bates and an incomprehensible decision by Arca to fling himself into a two footed tackle in the dying embers of the game.
All this amounts to is a lack of self discipline, bad judgement, poor decision making, culminating in the demoralising effects of McDonald having already wasted more chances to score.
What do we do? As supporters we stick with the team and see them through this period of bad form, better now than if it happened with four games to go.
At this time, we may need McManus back in defence if Mogga is complaining about our inability to deal with physical threats, move Williams to midfield to take advantage of his mobility.
Finally to remove McDonald from the team, give us all break from seeing him missing chances.That familiar feeling of despondency I felt on a Saturday evening has returned- but let us hope not for too long
Continuing from last week, when was the last time we had two players sent off in a game, at least I'll remember this one as I was there. Won't be going to Leicester though, my lads have refused to go.
I thought the huge lad up front for Coventry was called Pratt because that's what he made Bates and Williamslook with their decision after five minutes not to contest the ball in the air when it was 'heading' for him.
Where was Mogga yesterday, everytime I looked at his area, there was only Messers Venus and Proctor. Had he like the team given up after the second goal went in?
All I could see was players with their heads down and hands on their hips, no leadership shown from any quarter with the exception of Robson who was possibly the only one to come out of this match with any credit although to be fair Skippy did also try.
I'll state again that Williams is no centre half (McManus would have started for me yesterday) and if we receive offers for him and/or Emnes they should be snapped up.
Will disagree with you AV regarding Thompson, from the first minute when he hit a lovely through ball to put Emnes in to the time he went off I thought he was one of our better players.
I don't wish to go over old ground as we all know where the problems lie but as my lad said yesterday after about our twelth corner in the first twenty minutes, West Ham and Southampton would be four up by now.
It's now up to Mogga/Gibbo to come up with a couple of inspired signings to prevent us sliding out of the play off places altogether.
One more point before I finish this rant... Justin Hoyte. Why? If I was McMahon I'd hang my boots up.
Mowbray's pathetic bleating around the refereeing in the post-match interview fails to paper over the tragic reality that his team, shorn of one, yes ONE, midfield enforcer is simply nowhere near good enough to mount a promotion challenge.
In fact, on this form and without Bailey's return you wouldn't bet against a bottom six finish. It smacks to me Mogga has finally run out of excuses for his third rate charges...
Anyone notice that nimely was deployed as a central striker by Coventry
A game of ironies. WE get cut up by a guy who we have just let go who doesn't do a thing for us. The why oh why do we allow Coventry to successfully request that Jukebox not to be played. He is our player not on loan. That's tantamount to saying please play weakened side against us. By the way we'll wup you if you do.
Oh no, trying to stay positive but i'm just not feeling it now. Is it it a coincidence that the players have switched off in January, could their heads have been turned by thoughts of a move elsewhere?
I can't believe they are missing Nicky Bailey that much, I know he has improved but I saw him last season and he looked like a Sunday league player.
I think most Boro fans saw this result coming as it has happened many times before. Looking at the league table it's not too depressing but I'm not convinced we can get back to winning ways quickly and consistently.....
Gentlemen ! Gentlemen ! Yes the seas are rough and yes this is an creaky ship, but let us not yet run to the life boats.
On average we expected a 6 - 8 place finish, and that is what we will get. On the roller coaster ride that is a season we are now experiencing the g forces of a trip into a deep curve in the track, but that is all it is.
I expect nothing at Leicester but I anticipate that by the time we each Crystal Palace the track will once again slope up. Just hang on to the bar in front and wait - Wembley here we come !
Interesting point from grove hill wallah about putting Macmahon in Baileys' position. It could work although I prefer him to Hoyte at right back.
Next week is an opportunity for Mogga to try something else like bring on the young guns. They cant' be any worse than what we have seen recently. The last time we played well at home was the Derby game and how long ago was that? This slump has been on the cards for about 2 months,we got good results in December through good luck.
Mogga may have to cash in on Bates,Emnes,or Williams to bring in new blood,and he would have my blessing as i think they all are a bit overrated. We certainly need more goals from all over the team and the likes of Arca, Emnes, Haroun etc,etc aint gonna get you them.
Very much wishing to be controversial, I would suggest that getting a good fee for Williams would be excellent business. He, is without doubt, the most overrated Middlesbrough player since Michael Ricketts...
Nimely looked like he could have played a whole season for us and never scored. But it only takes him 57 mins to score against us.
Until Bailey returns (any update?), we need Williams (or Bates) in midfield, and Big Mick back at centre half (he would have had Clive Platt in his back pocket).
I would say Robson and Haroun/Smallwood in centre midfield, alongside Bates or Williams, and then Emnes and McDonald either side of Jutkiewicz.
And if we can get hold of LuaLua (most dangerous looking striker I've seen in Championship so far this season - ask Tony McMahon if you don't believe me), I would have him in instead of McDonald.
Lets not give up on the lads yet. We'd all have taken fourth at this stage before the season started.
Finally, had we not made gentleman's agreement about not playing Jutkiewicz, Coventry would have delayed the transfer until tomorrow. At least we have had him for 10 days in training.
The table says we can still get automatic promotion, everything else says otherwise.
Plays offs? Well, the last refuge of the desperate and deluded. Plays offs are a target to aim for but the importance is vastly overplayed on this blog and elsewhere.
A play off slot is the equivalent of getting to a cup semi-final, and no more. How many times have we gone all the way beyond this stage. Twice, in Cardiff and Chelsea in 1988.
If you’re not going to win the play-offs there is just no point in getting there. We remember Eindhoven and Wembley(s) dearly and they remain a badge of pride. A play off defeat just screws up next season’s planning as you’re three weeks behind everyone else to start with. And wounded.
If Mogga takes us up, this will be a promotion team like no other Boro outfit. We’ll have to replace players wholesale and remodel and I’m not sure that’s of any medium, or even short term, benefit.
I’d much prefer Mogga takes his time, brings through younger players and plots for next season, a season built on a more sustainable foundation.
McDonald, Mcmanus and Thomson have to go regardless, they do nothing for a lot of money. The club is still suffering greatly from the madness of Strachan and it will take Mogga time to clear the club completely of this folly.
But generally, it’ still very much upwards and while we’re down at present, the future is still looking good. But it is the future, not present, and we shouldn’t forget that.
Come on chaps, why all the gloom and doom? We're going through a sticky patch and the first thing Boro fans do en mass is raise a white flag when what is really needed is for us all to reach inside for that all-important inner resolve that we can overcome these rough patches.
Otherwise, it's a self-prophesied accident waiting to happen. Come on, jump back on the rocket and restore your belief in the manager to continue with his incredible miracle!
Sheesh.
Well the wheels have well and truly come off at the moment.
I cannot believe this is all down to Bailey being out as good has he has been there is still the big no goals problem. There are things that can be tried which I have mentioned before and many others are also saying now. The fact that big Mick not getting in when we are shipping goals must mean he is well out of favour.
If a Prem club comes in where will they be intending to play Williams? Where do you think he feels his best position is? All questions that need to be answered and could be playing a big part in whats unfolding at the moment.
Also Emmes seems to be under instruction to stay wide. Its going to be very hard to stay in the top six the way we are playing now while all around us a winning.
But will follow every move from afar. Is this typical or untypical Boro?
Smallwood for Bailey or moving Williams forward would give us largely the same building blocks of earler in the season.
The debate has been about why play Tommo and Arca together. Clearly that debate didnt include Mogga and co.
The squad is not that threadbare that we couldnt have coped without Bailey, he missed a good part of the end of season run that set up this seasons push. That is when Smallwood pushed in to the squad.
Bizarre but at least as season follows season we welcome back Post Xmas Slump
The Gazette haedline is that Mogga wants rid of the transfer window, more pertinently is that we clearly need rid of the manager of the month award!
Lets hope that over the next two weeks we can get the wheels put back on the Mogganaut and resume normal business!
Percypieblocks said: "... we all know where the problems lie but as my lad said yesterday after about our twelth corner in the first twenty minutes, West Ham and Southampton would be four up by now."
Agree totally. But let's hope we can play better with the Juke!
RedAyresomeAngel -
please note that Coventry was going to keep the Juke until after the game against us. At least we was not playing for them (we could have lost 5-1!) and now he has trained two weeks with us before the Blunderland game.
Up the Boro!
OK as most of know I don't get to see Boro games so I can't really comment on the players performances - but a few questions
Was the unbeaten run in December and the 2012 slump really only down to the presence of Bailey?
Has Thomson ever been match fit since he joined us? an engine room containing him and Arca sounds in need of a mechanic.
Do Boro have any width? you'd have thought buying a big man up front will also needs some service - What happened to Franks and young Williams? still injured?
Basically, the promotion chase is resting on a knife edge - Cardiff are looking their usual self and now Birmingham are looking a form team and the Saints and Hammers are back to winning ways plus there's Hull, Blackpool and Burnley looking to revive recent PL memories.
So what next? Perhaps some selling of prize assets before they go anyway to fund a bit of pace and energy.
BTW. AV if you were looking for a positive - Robson managed to avoid being sent off!
Well that was a miserable and humiliating afternoon.
John Powls gets to the point - time to get a grip.
Time will tell if this is an alarming dip or a serious slump, but it's up to us to get a hold of the situation.
We need some impetus from somewhere or a shake-up. The new striker and, oddly, the suspensions to Arca and Thomson might provide it.
AV, I lost a longish post today. Most probably I forget to add a sender as there is no automatics anymore (the one I sent later went trough - but that missed the sender, too at first).
I said that I totally agree with your writing, AV - a horrible result and mainly self-inflicted! But that's past now. On Saturday Thomson was our best player until his yellows according to Higgs at the BBC - so we need him back after the Sunderland match as Bailey is injured.
Arca is not back to his best after the summer operation on his angle and we do need somebody on the left (after Taylor opted for Cardiff). We need cover there even though Robson can play there during Arca's suspension (three matches). I hope Zemmama is fit for the hole on Sunday, though.
So luckily, the FA Cup tie will void Thommo's one game suspension and he is available for the following league match. We have bodies in the midfield - so the biggest problem is up front. And now we have the Juke over there. And we can be more optimistic about the front line than EVER this season - starting at Sunderland on Sunday:)
Even though we have had a batch of terrible results in January, it is no worse than what Southampton had in December. Let's trust Mogga - we had the best run of results in whole year 2011 and especially December 2011. So I have full trust on Mogga and his players still - even we can (just) go out of the cup next Sunday.
So it's still to Wembley at the least in May. And with the Juke on board we could - just - catch up Southampton for a automatic spot. There is plenty to play for.
Up the Boro!
What the hell is Mogga seeing on the pitch that the rest of us aren't? Third consecutive league game with no pace or width in midfield and no surprises we get stuffed again. When is he going to put a bit of pace into this team? If it means bringing the kids in so be it . I've seen Sunday league teams who could outrun our midfield. how could he pick Hoyte in front of Mcmahon after the Burnley match,
As far as the Jutkiewicz " gentlemens agreement " situation what the hell was Mogga thinking of? Why didn't he start him against Burnley and put Emnes or McDonald wide. By the time we play the Mackems he' ll have been at the club 15 days and played 20 mins of football.
Even jeff stelling was baffled by Jutkiewicz deal on soccer saturday . If Mogga wants to be charitble he should go and work for a charity not MFC
**AV writes: What's not to understand about the Juke arrangement?
We were wrangling over the financial structure of the deal when Cov asked us not to let him play. If we had said 'no' they could easily have delayed the deal until after the game anyway - in fact he may have played for them. Plus you then run the risk of other clubs seeing a hold-up and trying to hi-jack the move.
As it happened we sealed the deal quickly (ie, not on deadline day) and have had him training with the team for two weeks before the Sunderland game. Result.
John Powls said: "Time to get a grip"
Indeed John, How about getting to grips with the fact that the manager, who like previous incumbents you clearly don't rate, has managed to take a team from the brink of relegation to a play off spot on virtualy zero resources in 12 months time.
Honestly, what a load of bed wetters boro fans are. Nothing like a defeat to stick the no. of posts up.
On the plus side AV, we're 4th, well in the mix and we've got a decent centre forward to deploy.
Is the Gazette headline 'Zemmama joins list of absentees...' meant to be ironic? Has he ever been anything other than an 'absentee'?
On the Ballotteli so called stamp I dont see it as an intentional action,looking at his momentem in real time hes off balance, But once again the elitists at Sky are judge and jury over everything.
We know what its about,London teams are jealous of what Man C are doing,(bringing in,top exciting players,that fans love to see). God forbid a team from the North might want to infiltrate there little clique, maybe they will deduct points from City because theyre just too good.
I know this is the last thing you guys want to know but please hear me out.....
As a sky blues season ticket holder I've seen Jukebox for nearly two years and I think if you guys think he will bang goals in for fun you havent got a clue.
Last season he played with Marlon (Judas) King and he carried him to be honest. Lukas cannot come deep and get the ball and skin players and bang the ball in he back of the net.
He will however win balls in the air and hold the ball up and he will give it 110%. He will though fall over a lot and he won't pass or lay the ball off. His nerves get the better of him and sometimes if he trys too hard he will bottle it. I recall Cov vs Reading and he missed his 1st pen ever because we needed him to score for us to get a point.
Don't get me wrong, I've met Lukas loads of times and had the pleasure of having a few long chats with him and he's a real top lad with a lot to come and a heart of gold who wants to better himself and I wish him all the best as a Cov fan.
But please Boro fans if you think he's your knight in shining armour think again. Don't expect over the odds from him. 18 goals in 69 appearances isn't brilliant. We will miss him a lot but I hope we can stay up.
**AV writes: Interesting. Thanks for your contribution. An outside perspective is always useful. Winning the ball in the air and holding the ball up - two of things you say he can do - are exactly two of the things we are currently missing and Mowbray was very keen and very persistent in getting this transfer through and invested all our money in it (and we didn't have much) so he must be convinced.
I'm totally with Masham Wiggy on this. It's those among us who find it all too easy to stick the knife in who desperately need to get a grip! Sheesh!
Mowbray has done an incredible job in the most difficult of circumstances and he deserves a medal, not all this ridiculous bed-wetting when things aren't going our way.
Success isn't a given and it's our job as fans to unite behind Mowbray just as much when the going gets tough as when things are all honky dory and we're sailing along on the crest of the wave.
Really, get a grip you lot! I reckon bed-wetters should be forced to become surfers. That way they can really understand what it means to get back on board each and every time you wipe out.
At least the Southampton defeat by our next opponents (Leicester City) means we have not lost any further ground from an automatic promotion place.
And now back to reality...
We are struggling at the moment. For a while, it looked as though we might even be one of the top two in this division, and then looking forward to the Premier League and its riches. In fact that is still possible, though we will have to improve and start winning games NOW.
But how many of us, at the start of this season, believed we would be promoted? It was always a very difficult "ask" (as sports broadcasters are wont to say these days). What we wanted was improvement over the previous season, and a feeling that we were at least moving in the right direction. It would have been a bonus if the odd game was at least mildly "interesting". Surely all of us can agree we are doing that?
Basically we are a club that was facing absolute disaster when the previous manager ("He Who Shall Not Be Named") left the club. Had he stayed, we would almost certainly have been relegated last season, and the crowds would have dropped through the floor.
Very many, including even the most committed to the cause, had lost the appetite for the poor fare on offer. No-one seemed remotely keen to go to the game. Entertainment was nowhere to be seen and hope had disappeared a long time before. We were a club in terminal decline.
We might have been a Darlington, but with bigger overheads. The future didn't look bleak. It was as if we didn't have a future at all.
Look at us now. A club in a play-off position and it is still not ridiculous to dream of better. We might achieve it this year, we might not. But at least we have a chance, and on a budget that has been slashed to reflect the new economic realities of our status in the game.
If we do not achieve it this year, and some players have to leave, or want to leave, then all is not disaster. I would not be surprised if Mogga finds some purchases over the summer that cost a lot less and are paid a lot less, than some we can sell. Hopefully, few of the "incomers" will be as injury prone as those we are currently paying not to play.
Anything received from outgoing players, and the reduced wage bill from bringing to an end some of the previous contracts, will assist the finances further. I am sure we will be in a better position in a year or so, when Mogga has had the chance to sort out his squad, to get rid of those who are paid but rarely play, and to draw a distinction between those who are highly paid and who deserve it, and those who do not.
Remarkably, it is still possible for us to win an automatic promotion spot. It might not say much about the quality of teams in the Championship, but we should lose no sleep over that - just take advantage of whatever situation fate hands us. If it is a poor league, then let's win it, or at least secure promotion. If we can't go up, let's get as near as we can and strengthen for next season, when we might again go up.
Let's not feel sorry for ourselves. If teams/players want glory, it is rarely presented on a plate. It must be WON.
Let's get out there and give it our best. I believe Mogga knows what he is doing. There is just a chance that the bloke in a seat near you, knows a good deal less about the realities of football than Mogga does. The odd criticism of him might be a tad unfair.
We are in a bad patch. I hope we come out of it soon. But if we don't, I hope we can all acknowledge the improvement that has been shown this season, and that shouting abuse on the terraces (or on Blogs) doesn't help anyone on our team/squad/coaching groups. We may have come some distance but there is still further to travel.
It is possible and I believe it will be achieved. It just might take another year or so. Honestly...we were living in a cave, and some people are shocked when Mogga hasn't built Rome, with all its fine buildings, in a day.
Mourinho would have stuggled with our suicidal finances. Mogga will do much better for the club than we have the right to expect, he'll bring on some of "the Youth" and will save money on those who do produce the goods. I am OK with that.
It's just a little bit of a surprise that, with all he has achieved so far, there are people out there who might be voicing an opinion that Mogga should go, or that he is failing. On that basis there would be no safe jobs in football management.
**AV writes: We are just having a blip. It was always going to happen at some point and it is far from a disaster. Boro are not Barcelona and it is unfair and unrealistic to expect them to win every game or to see every set back as a crisis.
As Boro fans we tend to have a tunnel vision focus on our team, our results, our form and not see the bigger picture - which is that this is a tough and attritional but poor quality division jammed with limited sides who are flawed and inconsistent and who will all have wobbles. Southampton look to be just starting theirs now with three defeats out of four and the last two at home. We are on ours and have lost three on the bounce but remain fourth. Fourth! As disasters go that's small beer.
There is a lot of mileage to to go yet. We remain what we were in August, a limited and thin squad but one who with the best XI available, fit and organised are more than a match for anyone in this division. I see no reason just yet to cancel the North London hotel reservations for May 18th.
Well said Masham Wiggy. Some of the posts on here are embarrassing.
Masham Wiggy -
Actually, I do rate Mogga. I just don't think he's a saint or infallible and some things he does or doesn't do perplex me.
I'm not saying - and never have - that we're not still (just) ahead of the curve but just that things could have been even better had some repeated errors - both acts of omission and commission - been addressed rather than just carrying on doing (or not doing) the same things and expecting it to turn out OK.
Addressing those things now before we get behind the curve again is what I meant about getting a grip.
Masham Wiggy -
John is right about the need to sort out what we are doing. I know we are not privvy to what goes on in training but fans do understand the game.
Even if you dont see a match you can make comments on what you hear and what you read. If you looked at the line up, as before the Soton game, you would say that you didnt fancy it.
If you just looked at the substitutions you would be hard pressed to fathom what was trying to be achieved.
Just because of where we were 12 months ago doesnt mean we shouldnt look at what is going on. A good example is Justin Hoyte. He didnt do well at left back under Gate and Strachan and they got criticism for that. Mogga playing him at left back was never going to work so why should he be exempt from comment?
Wenger has done a lot for Arsenal but the pundits and fans alike couldnt see why he brought Oxlade off for Arshavin. The results were there for anyone to see.
Commenting on what we see and hear doesnt stop us being pleased at where we are.
Criticising managers or anyone else for that matter for what are perceived as individual 'errors', players played 'out of position', subs made at the 'wrong' time etc is pointless and counter productive.
Anyone, including football managers should be judged on overall performance and not individual decisions. Everyone makes mistakes, the good ones make less mistakes and more correct decisions.
Mogga has put in an outstanding performance since he joined Boro, criticising him for playing the 'wrong' man in any given position for one or two games is crass.
I keep saying it, but keep your eyes on Birmingham....
I wasn't at the Coventry game but it sounded as bad as the Burnley game and Shrewsbury, (the first time I've seen a Boro side win and still get booed at the final whistle!).
The Boro have been found out, they are a one-dimensional side with nobody on the bench capable of making an impact and changing things when it's not working out. The midfield is slow and pondering and seemingly incapable of stringing two passes together.
The opposition has found it's easy to stop us scoring, simply push the lightweight and ineffectual Emnes off the ball. Even more worrying is the once solid defence has completely lost the plot and would prefer to attempt to pass the ball around the edge of the 18 yard box when under pressure rather than make a simple clearance.
On the plus side i still think Mowbray is doing a marvelous job, condidering what he has to work with!
Good to see some not-so-mixed doubles going on here:
BoroPhil/Masham-Wiggy (The Red Diehards) vs John Powls/ Ian Gill (The Tippy Tippex Twins)
Interestingly, (taking license to really mix up the sports), with both in the Red corner, it's difficult to know which is best.
Hmmm! There's only one way to find out…………… Fiiiiiight !!
Judging from the commentary on BBC Coventry & Warwickshire they were surprised to go a goal up and extremely nervous about our ability to get back into the game until the last 10 minutes.
Until this match Platt had taken a lot of stick from Coventry fans. Even the praise he got was mitigated "he is a forward not a striker".
We all know that goals change games. If we had put one of our string of early chances away we would be having a different discussion.
Let's not get too downhearted about this sequence of defeats, (including the next match), the long-term trend is one of improvement. This only confirms what we already know, this team is a work in progress.
Tony Mowbray knows what he needs to do to get our team out of this division. He has earned the time and the opportunity to achieve that.
I was really disappointed on Saturday - with the performance, the managers post-match comments, and the fans.
The performance was very poor, the starting formation was confusing (was Robson really playing as the target man in a three man front line?) It was like they'd practised all week with Jukebox and then remembered that he couldn't play.
Thomson looked like he would be sent off from the word go, his touch was awful which led to him flying in for challenges with his second touch. I don't know how people can say he was unlucky the first challenge was bad and the second was stupid.
Mowbray's post-match comments seemed to focus far more on the referees decisions rather than the awful performance or the decision to not name a striker on the bench (which I felt was an arrogant decision, almost as if the thought that we'd be chasing the game hadn't even crossed anyones mind).
Finally the reception for Justin Hoyte was disgraceful. He may not be the best player in the world but he didn't have an awful game at the weekend, not that he was even given the chance to. Before he'd even receive a pass "fans" were up out of their seats abusing him.
The lowest point of the day was hearing racial abuse towards him. I didn't know who it was as it came from behind me but needless to say I'd have been straight to a steward had i seen who it was. Abusing your're own player because you don't rate them is bad enough but racially abusing anyone is disgusting.
Hope for a much better performance at the weekend and hopefully see some players with more drive in the midfield than Thomson and Arca.
I didnt know my mucker was posting at the same time I was but we do agree on most things.
I will be at Leicester City next week cheering the lads on, my support is unconditional. Every goal conceded and point dropped is a kick the proverbials but that doesnt stop me thinking what if?
I think Mogga has done a great job and I think we are well placed for the play offs, to have a mini run like we are on and still be fourth is a vast improvement on where we were after the Burton game.
I will continue to post after good results and bad results, I will continue to look at areas where we could improve. My glass is half full and I am looking to top it up wherever and however possible because being full is better.
Dont want half empty.
**AV writes: What's not to understand about the Juke arrangement?
Simple
Juke DID NOT START against Burnley. Ok he came on as a sub but had we had earlier injuries at the back or keeper sent off etc then he conceivably might not have had chance to get on at all because we had to use all three other subs. So where is the benefit in that?
And as for anyone gazumping the deal that is ludicrous. No body else would pay £2m for a championship striker who doesnt score goals only idiots like Boro. That fee is way over the top for Juke and has left us incapable of doing any other deals.
Oh dear, looks like I've upset John and therefore Ian.
Next thing JP will turn up at my house shouting 'squarepegging' through my letter box whilst IG sprays 'tippy tappy twins' on my garden wall.
There's a lot of Geordieism on here lately.
Come on lads, theres a long way to go yet. Let's not burn the scarfs just yet.
The Foamies v Bedwetters battle is back on (if it ever truly went away). Does anyone know the score?
Forever Dormo's post-it-note post (by his verbose standards) is right. We've done fantastically well since Mowbray took charge and we shouldn't let a dodgy run of results mask that.
The squad is still a work-in-progress. There are still players who do not offer value for money and that is unlikely to be rectified until their contracts run out. We need to be patient and recognise that despite our league position the rebuilding is still in it's infancy.
Unfortunately I think the naysayers’ views will only be reinforced in the Sunderland and Leicester games.
Masham Wiggy at 1:03pm - childish but funny!
"On the plus side..." Well, the blog is far more lively..
At season's beginning I thought we were doomed to be Play-off finalist losers.. and I still feel we will be.
As a team we need to do what we did when Mogga took over. Right now we need to stop shipping goals. Then we can use those clean sheets to rebuild morale and start turning them scoreless draws into wins. We did it twelve months ago; it will be quicker to do again second time around. Oh and now we have a half decent forward to start scoring with.
Don't panic.
It's still a poor league, there are still a great number of points to play for. Bailey will return. Thomson and Arca surely won't be with us next season.
As for Sunderland, I imagine we will lose. The manner of defeat is far more important than the defeat itself. A decent, organised, committed, hard fought defeat by the odd goal against Prem opposition away is no disaster. Fingers crossed we don't suffer any injuries or suspensions. I'll take a win if it's offered tho..
Andy R, unfortunately life in the Championship will always be a work in progress as you will never be able to hold on to players capable of playing in the PL for more than a couple of seasons at best.
Also the longer you're out of the top flight the harder it gets to finance building a team (as we are constantly being told). So this season is probably Boro's best chance of escaping the obscurity of the second tier.
What's more of general concern is the lack of academy players providing options for the creaking thread-bare squad.
If we don't get promoted this season we'll probably be losing a fair few players and it's then that we'll need some academy graduates with at least some experience.
Still, lets not panic yet as the Boro barometer could change back to favourable with clouds lifting after a couple of lucky victories.
If someone has the time can they check if the blog has a relationship with any natural phenomena. Posts seem to come and go at will so I wondered if it was linked to tides, sunspot activity or the Northern Lights.
Maybe it is down to electrical demand.
We always suspected there was a dark force who took an intense interest in the blog. I often wondered if the missing fans from the Riverside were abducted by some form of evil being who didnt like the light and who had removed the mirrors from the board room.
Any thoughts?
**AV writes: Are you having problems? What? I'm keeping a diary for the techies.
No body here is a doomsayer but I think we all understand you have to strike while the Iron is hot
Next season could be a lot different. Look at Forest and Watford, Leeds: the season before in the promotion push, relegation threat the next.
So we are all hoping the good work that has been done by everyone is not in vain. Can you imagine finishing seventh on goal difference? Our hope is the club recognise (I'm sure they do) our frailties and try to address them
By the way if we did go up because of the bigger parachute payment we wouldnt have to worry so much as the last time if we got relagated. We could maybe bring in 3 or 4 players ,be as competitive as we could and see what happens.
On the BBC at halftime as League Cup winners.
Memories! Great.
Werdermouth said "... unfortunately life in the Championship will always be a work in progress as you will never be able to hold on to players capable of playing in the PL for more than a couple of seasons at best."
Do you need PL players to get promoted from the Championship? How many have Southampton got? Or Cardiff? Or judging by last season, West Ham?
To get promoted we need to worry about getting a squad capable of consistently winning Championship games. Nothing more.
Any side bar the best in the world will feel that to some extent it is a work in progress. The key is to be fit for purpose. Without pace, width, height and goals we are not, yet we are still competing above expectations.
Recognising that should give us a sense of perspective about this season as well as real hope for the near future.
One for the techies AV -
The "recent comments" column on the RHS of the blog used to contain live links to the blog comment entries they referred. Not any more. The links are live but don't go where they should/ used to go. It means that to navigate to the latest comments, we have to scroll down all the way to the bottom, rather than click on the latest in that RH column and scroll up a little. When there are a lot of comments, it becomes tedious to have to scroll down to the entry you last read.
Instead, what seems to happen is that we are zoomed across into an earlier dimension/edition where the latest comments are missing altogether and even then we don't find THAT out until we scroll unproductively to where the latest comments ought to be...... but aren't! They go missing - just like Boro's midfield at Coventry.
Ian Gill -
Did you notice the theme was "Unlikely winners" - or somesuch condescending Manchelarsepool-centric title? Given that "our" winning final was against Bolton, it was probably a BBC title of convenience, rather than one implying giant-killing. However, we did have to beat Arsenal to get there. Boronoia - it's never far from the surface! (Oh and you failed to mention the Leicester clip that they showed, with Steve Claridge scoring! That wasn't so pleasurable!)
Good game tonight, I thought. Palace's Zaha stood out a mile! He's an exciting prospect.
**AV writes: Thanks for the feedback on the comments thing.
I am not aware of these things because I am on the inside looking out. Given the jittery nature of our system (which is being replaced completely in the summer and currently held together by gigatape, chuddy and old MySpace pages) I am wary of asking for them to mess about doing repairs on anything so long as the blog seems to be working. And for me right now it is. But if there is anything that affects functionality shout out and I'll stick it on my little list.
AV -
The number of posts varies with posts disappearing only to return later, that is why I mentioned tides.
Masham Wiggy -
Tippy Tappy is very much John's invention and I wouldnt dream of defacing your wall. By your name I guess you live in Masham si I would rather share some of the local product with you and check the volumes of the glasses.
So Cardiff made it to the League cup final, good luck to them I hope they can perform a miracle and win.
Is Cardiff being in the League cup final a good thing for Boro, you know distracted by the cup so eye off the Championship ball. Or is it a bad thing for Boro because getting to a cup final will give Cardiff a boost and hence they'll raise their game in the league matches?
**AV writes: For me it is a good thing. It will be a distraction for them and their fans. And they will get battered in the final and suffer a massive hangover too.
I'm pleased to see Cardiff get to the final. For me it can only help our cause.
Looking to the weekend and I'm not sure that the "crisis" in midfield is that big a deal. We still have options.
One option is a 442 with Williams in midfield alongside Smallwood, Robson and Haroun. Another is a 352 in which Williams could still play at the back. Or we could go 433 with Williams and Smallwood holding, Haroun breaking forward and Emnes and Robson wide.
Personally I like the 433 option, though it would probably mean dropping Scott McDonald who, despite the misses, is scoring more than anyone else at the moment.
With the 352 I would be concerned about being exposed down the flanks by Richardson and Larsson.
AV: The bugger's back to "normal" this morning! The written warning had its effect or somebody shouted "42"!
I still have to scroll to the bottom and click on Preview to see all of the posts.
(Remember personal info? Thingy is still not working)
The team has over acheived, so cut them some slack.
I'm anticipating two defeats in the next week, but I've always thought we will do really well to reach the play-offs.
Interesting comments at the bottom of the Curtis Main piece today, particularly that Mogga is keen to stress that the lad isn't part of his first team plans. Forgive an obvious question - but why not?
Clearly it's a log step up from reserves to first team football, clearly the competition in that league are not top drawer, but the lad is 19 years of age, he's easily old enough if he's good enough. You see with Palace how good Scannel and Zaha are, because they get a run out.
Mogga's comments are even stranger when you consider that we're proper brassic, and that we're always struggling to score goals. I remember Danny Graham coming through and getting games in the Premier League (or at least time from the bench) - and it hasn't done him any harm.
Just curious why Mogga would be so dismissive, unless it's a secret ploy to unleash him in the second half of the season?
**AV writes: He is trying to take the heat off a lad who has a bandwagon starting to push for him to go into the first team because he has scored a lot of goals against Gateshead, Huddersfield reserves. People who are rightly anxious about the lack of goals are calling for him to go in even though they haven't seen him play.
There has been a long list of second string goal machines who have not been ready to step up - Ian Arnold, Andy Fletcher, Charlie Agiadis, Chris Freestone - and throwing them in too early can be a big set back and leave them demoralised.
People point to Danny Graham as one who came good but he was never ready for the first team when he was here. He was about fifth choice.
peterboroangel said:
"The team has over acheived, so cut them some slack. I'm anticipating two defeats in the next week, but I've always thought we will do really well to reach the play-offs."
Until recently I thought the same. With a number of obvious flaws in the side it seemed incredible that we were one game away from going top and I also felt that 8th was where we'd be come May.
That might still be true, but I've come to the realisation that we might be giving our opponents too much credit.
What if we haven't overachieved - what if the rest of the league is also greatly flawed and not much, if at all, better than us? West Ham have lost only one fewer game than us, Southampton and Birmingham the same and Hull more.
We may not be great but we're just about as good as anyone else.
peterboroangel -
I said I would be happier doing better than last season and I am happy with where we are.
A play off position is the form we finished with last season so I dont think we have overachieved. Mogga just raised the bar, the measure of how far is that we can debate dropped points that could have seen us in an even better position.
We are just in a mini run of poor results, it can turn round just as quickly.
Glass is definitely half full, I am being positive looking at ways to do better so I just cant understand why the foam handers dont stop moaning about how weak we are and accept we can get more out of what we have.
It's gone again AV - same as before. Clicked on a recent comment (one of 70 total comments) and ended up at the top of an earlier version of the blog showing 66 total comments. Hmm.
Looking at our remaining fixtures, does anyone still think we can:
A) win automatic promotion
B) win a playoff place.
Just a thought. My thought? Could sneak a top 6....
Isn't MacDonald scoring at a rate of 1 in 3 for the club? It might not be prolific, but it's not too bad either. Who else at the club since Hasselbank and Viduka has come even close to that kind of return?
Going further back, my guess is even The great man Hickton wouldn't have been much better than that...some statistician might be able to help out.
**AV writes: Big John got 192 in 473... which is one in 2.46. Not bad. I can feel a graphic coming on.
If you are having problems seeing updated comments
at the bottom of AV blog,click on where it says comments (75) or whatever
Hello AV, not nice to see more and more posts on here - that means Boro have played badly recently. We can even reach the feared ton if we lose at Sunderland. But Typical Boro - we will be in the hat for the 5th round draw then!
It is also the time to think about the annual Beano at the Navi, gentlemen. I am planning my annual pilgrim to the Riverside around the Easter time.
Last time around I was traveling with my wife who supports me trough thick and thin (she joined me already to the match at Hartlepool in 1986 and before). This time I will be traveling with my son aged 20 - a Boro fan, too. His first ever visit to the Riverside and Rockcliffe was at 11 yrs. Why that late? Well I have three children and the closest we have ever lived to Middlesbrough is some 1000 miles! So I need to pay more per one game than some pay for a season card I am afraid.
So minimum we try to see the home match against Cardiff and Hull away (as last season, Halifaxp!). Might consider the match at Derby, too but I need to discuss that with the wife still - meaning can I use a whole week of my holidays to support Boro? But that would be quality time with my son, too. So it could be possible.
All I hope Boro are there fighting for top 6 finish in April. Personally I think we could still go for a top two finish if can keep Thommo fit until Bailey is back. Please remember also that we have just signed a £2m striker, too. So the long term future look good as long as we have Gigson and Mowbray at the helm. We will get promoted this or latest next season. Don't worry.
Up the Boro and Beano!
I can't remember the last time the Blog was actually functioning properly - it's in the months.
So OK AV I'll give you the benefit of my debugging experience so you can pass it on to those who should know what to do to rectify the situation.
----------
On your home page the latest article is stating that there are 75 comments
In the right column the Recent Comments are listed as:
75 - kev B
74 - Richard
73 - Ian Gill
72 - Andy R
71 - Smoggy In Exile
70 - peterboroangel
69 - Grove Hill wallah
etc...
If I click on 'kev B' it shows the link as:
..blitzed-at-cove.html#comment-7233491
This takes me to the article page but at the top and it is stating that there are only 70 Comments
----------
So if I go back to the Home page and click on Comment 70 (peterboroangel) it has the link
..blitzed-at-cove.html#comment-7233428
This also takes me correctly to the bottom of the page where Comment 70 is
----------
Then if from the home page I click on 'Continue Reading' it takes me to the article page with the following link
..blitzed-at-cove.html#more
This page is also only stating only 70 Comments and true enough the last comment is from peterboroangel
----------
However, if from the Home page I click on 'Comments (75)' it opens the article page in a new browser tab (using firefox) with the following link
..blitzed-at-cove.html?492#comments
But It takes you to the top of the page and it is stating 75 comments and if you scroll down 'kev B' is indeed the last comment - which probably mean the link is wrong.
----------
My conclusion is that when you upload new comments either your system is not updating all the necessary data or the coding in some of the pages is simply incorrect.
In addition other problems still exist as mentioned by others - i.e. not saving your login details which is annoying
**AV writes: Thanks for that, I'll add it to the diary. I appreciate that there are quirky bits about the blog but as I've said before, the system is obsolete and right at the edge of capacity and at speed bits fall off. We are getting an entire shiny new national network in the summer so this system is just being patched up as we go for now. When we fix one bit, another rivet pops somewhere else so I am wary of asking for them to start tinkering with quirks if it runs the risk of a major malfunction.
I know it is frustrating (and believe me I do know) but so long as the main bits are working - I can write and publish, you can see, read and respond - I think we need to grin and bear it for now. How very English.
BTW - I should have added the previously known fact of when you click on the preview button before submiting a comment it shows extra comments (in this case 76-78) that are not normally visible from anywhere else.
78 - Jarkko
77 - Bob
76 - gt
75 - kev B
74 - Richard
etc..
**AV writes: They are like the hidden bonus tracks on the CD.
Mogga is right, he needs to keep Main well away from th first team, hopefully he'll send him on loan well away from the spotlight, maybe Jarkko could recommend a good team in Finalnd?
Gulp! Do you believe a new more complex national computer system will actually be delivered on time without any problems? - remember that NHS one that got written off?
Also 'Summer' sounds like an IT guy's suitably vague promise of a delivery date far enough in the future to keep you at bay - did they mention a year? or did they actually say after Boro were promoted?
OK, I'll shut up now as I'm beginning to sound like one of those negative Boro fans - So virtual fingers crossed for Blog II
BTW Comment 78 has now seemingly escaped from all methods of discovering it - sound the alarm!
Ian -
I don't think anyone can argue with people coming up with suggestions as to how we could improve things, I think it's the panic-stricken language and over-reaction that annoys some people.
From this blog:
"The fragility of the midfield has been exposed"
"Typical Boro, , YET again we flatter to decieve"
"The game is finally up! Mogga has been found out "
"Im sorry but wake up Mogga,teams have sussed us"
"we have been a disaster waiting to happen "
"yet another toothless roll over and die performance from Boro"
"Time to get a grip."
"the rot appears to have set in"
"you wouldn't bet against a bottom six finish"
Need I continue? Did we have the opposite reaction in December after beating Cardiff at their place? Of course we didn't. Half of the posters on this blog weren't posting then and some who have been conspicuous by their absence when we have been doing well have suddenly turned up again as we hit our FIRST sticky patch of the season - FIVE months in for God's sake.
Further to Werdermouths posts above, I can confirm that when you click Ctrl alt delete whilst looking at the home page, then F3, a meat and potato pie comes out of the DVD drawer.
Albeit a bit squashed, but a shortcrust pastry delight all the same.
Ah, yes... the possibility of a pint or two at the Navi before an Easter game. A quiet chat about the Boro's progress as, by then we might be safely tucked up in the top two, or maybe secure in a play-off position with a gap between us and the following pack, or....
Of course, Mrs Dormo might have decided we are to go on another trek to the far north over the Easter period, and there is no chance of a quick trip back from there to watch a game (800 mile round trip, 9-10 hours each way with reasonable conditions and no delays en route, and a big fuel bill, as against a restful period in a beautiful part of the country watching the ferry for Stornoway come in as a quiet pint of Deuchars says goodbye to the last it will see of the sun).
We will see how the land lies as we get nearer to Easter. Of course, that could be a busy time of year for the Boro, with an FA Cup semi-final during the school holidays on Saturday 4th April.
Only joking....
Great to hear you are returning soon, Jarkko. You are, of course, very welcome to use us as a base for your trip again!
kev B -
Whatever the fixtures a play off place is up for grabs.
Talking to a Leicester City fan this morning and very interesting. Sven got a bit of stick for bringing in players on short term contracts. He prefers Pearson as manager. In this league no way in the world you can have two equal players for every position. You will have kids on the bench and as back up players in the squad.
The key was getting the right blend on the pitch and on the bench. Replace like for like wherever possible. He is bothered about playing us because a run can end as quickly as it can start. Daft results abound.
The Big One approaches...(no, not Michael Ricketts!).
Actually, on this Blog we should spare a thought for teams that haven't won anything since the year we won a Cup. Take a bow, Arsene! Must be awful being an Arsenal fan, and their fans' Blog must have thousands of replies to every entry.
Vic, since you are "in the know", where does this Boro blog feature when compared to similar blogs for other clubs? Are we Premier League for contributions and articles written, people visiting the site etc? Or are there the Manchester Evening News (United Blog) Site, and similar versions for Liverpool, Chelsea etc, who have hundreds of thousands of users from all over the globe? In the latter case, we'd be in the Local Pub Sunday League!
**AV writes: I'm not there are aggregated tables like that but Trinity Mirror covers big cities like LIverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle and includes a lot of 'big' clubs within their umbrella and they are all lightyears behind.
Not many places have a blog like this at all. On most papers the main football writer is dragooned into doing one and would usually just stick a six paragraph sketch up once a fortnight and the relutance radiates through. Tumbleweed. Why would anyone want to read something that the writer didn't want to write? You need to want to do it and have a passion for it. That is why most of the best blogs are done by fans as a real labour of love.
Also most sports writers *looks over shoulder* don't really think that supporters have an informed or objective view and that the opinion from the cheap seats don't count and to them pompous types the idea of a blog - which implies dialogue and people having differing articulate view actually responding as equals - is a myth exploding anathema. Whereas I think it is only think that counts. Who cares what pampered players say or self important sports reporters think?
For many sports reporters it is only today's 'news' story that counts and once it is written they forget and move on. For us on here it is more about continuity, th ebig picture, context, perspective, how the new bits fit into the unfolding jigsaw of our history and the on-going narrative of the club. They don't get that.
BoroPhil
I was pleased to see none of my posts in that list!!!
Work to do....can't be hanging round here all day looking for a hundred. Cue the retired, the resting, the readers abroad whose timezones allow a rare opportunity for glory.
If Mowbray's rebuilding project is to deliver on it's early promise then excellent player recruitment is key.
He has been quick to relieve the pressure on Lukas Jutkiewicz but Mowbray will recognise that this is his first signing to come under real scrutiny.
To date, the half dozen or so players that Mowbray has brought in have all been cheap, opportunistic signings designed to plug gaps whilst the cost cutting took hold. There have been mixed results.
The loan signings of Smith and Ikeme were successful and Haroun has justified his capture. Others have had less, if any, impact but all of that has been forgiveable in that none were budget-busting, regime defining, key signings.
Jutkiewicz is different. Not only is it the first time serious money has been spent but Jutkiewicz is also the first player that Mowbray has chased hard - the first signing he has really wanted to make.
He has plenty going for him: he is young, physically strong and tall with no history of bad injuries. His career goalscoring record is inconspicuous but he is a developing player who has scored goals in a struggling side this season. His attributes make him a good fit for our squad.
On paper it looks a good deal and if Mowbray's rebuild is to be a successful, it needs to be.
PS For fairytale hopefuls Jutkiewicz to be first goalscorer and Boro to win 1-0 this weekend pays around 55-1.
Just got round to reading this - I went so had to get head straight before could read it - and once again agree - that is all.
That's about right Jarkko (8.28 Jan 26) a bad result, followed by another and the blog bursts to life again. Like they say, it is only bad news that makes good news.
Having this forum I suppose provides the opportunity to get things off the chest quickly. Perspective is needed when looking at our current situation and that is something I suspect is easier for most people the longer they have been on God's earth. So I think it is a good thing really that so many want to post when things are bad because it clearly demonstrates a lot of youthful enthusiasm and passion for wanting it to be (even) better.
As for the gamne on Sunday, bl**dy STV aren't showing it, aaaarrghh!! 2-1 for the Boro with Juke grabbing a brace on his full debiut. Ah, the smell of foam........
Black Cats Scattered!
Come on, lads! You can't be trying very hard! A big, juicy 100 winking at you, and you can't be bothered to hit the keyboard?
This is serious, you know, not idle Facebook gossip or BBMessenger stuff.
I just can't believe GHw or a few of our mates from the good ol' USA, let alone Aus, haven't been bombarding the site with quick one-liners, to grab the glory. A bit like a Jimmy Greaves toe-poke from all of two feet, but still a goal.
No doubt the avalanche is coming... apparently Siberian snow is on its way here. So the weathermen say.
Maybe a little dram of Ardmore, as a nightcap? The first to touch the lips since Burns Night. (Mind you, that was only Wednesday).
Come on! Put me out of my agony someone. Hit that ton.
**AV writes: I've got Talisker. Peatastic.
And before the whisky takes effect, I should mention my "thing" about the blog.
When I press the send button, it takes a while for the system to operate. Then a message comes up on screen telling me that the webpage cannot be found. So I then close that page and go back to the blog article itself, showing the original piece and all the responses. Or I could go elsewhere and surf like a Beach Boy.
However when I later go back to the Blog, and if AV has by that time intervened, my response is there to be seen. The message gets through, presumably just before the webpage is "lost". The miracle of technology.
Now, where's that whisky I poured?
(speculative long range effort in last few seconds)
Why have Northumbria police brought in a 7ft metal wall to fence us off? Why the advice to use a convoy of escorted coaches if you are travelling to the match? Are the Sunderland fans that bad that we need armed protection? If the club can't guarantee the safety of travelling fans they shouldn't be allowed to stage the match and shouldn't be allowed to enter the competition.
We go all over the place to grounds that used to have 'reputations' for trouble without a shred of trouble. West Ham, Millwall, Cardiff, Leeds. Even at Newcastle (same police force) you see loads of Boro walking through the town and from the station and car-parks and around outside the ground in colours and shirts without any bother whatsoever.
What does this all this faff on say about Sunderland?
I have just checked after sending the last little missive. The message shown after pressing the "send" button on my laptop is, in fact, "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage". Well, I wasn't far out was I?
Of course I could go back to Firefox.
Unless it happens after I send this one, I have noticed a recent change for the better. Previously if I sent a second message within, say, 20 minutes, the reply would come up telling me my message had been rejected as I had sent too many in too short a time!
(Perish the thought, as he hopes to snick one to the boundary just out of second slip's reach ).
**AV writes: Good work from the nightwatchman. Are we there yet?
As a poster through good and bad I am disappointed tha we get more posts when things go badly than well. We are supporters when all is said and done, if this is the 100 I want it being held back by AV
**AV writes: Elaborate double bluff dummy in the box and reluctant tap in.
Ghosts in behind the last defender and..
You've got to be joking! Surely there by now?
Andy R -
You are absolutely right that the rest of this league are no better than us.
But at the same time a lot of the teams are no worse.
Conclusion, what is the difference between lets say Ipswich 4th from bottom and ourselves 4th from top? In my opinion, not a lot.
That's why anything is possible between now and the end of the season, but I still think a play off place will be worth celebrating as a successful season.
Sheepishly takes impromtu speech out of pocket.......
Not expecting very much tomorrow but it will be interesting to see who players and what formation, looking forward to seeing what the new bloke can do.
All I ask is that we show a lot more commitment and passion that what was (wasn't) shown last week at Coventry. We don't ask much but playing for the shirt is a given.The majority of the players could take a leaf out of Robbo's book, I know he's a moaning beggar but he gives his all and that should be the least that's expected from players, irrespective of whether they play well or not.
Well, chaps. Whatever Boro come up with tomorrow, it couldn't possibly be worse than the England cricket performance in the second innings of the 2nd Test match agaisnt Pakistan. And it will result in fewer column inches.
A win would be marvellous (and might help put some money in the club's coffers). A replay would also put a smile on the bank manager's face. A defeat would not be the end of the world. So long as the lads put up a performance. Losing, having played well, away to a Premier League team is not a crisis.
The game is a diversion from the main event of the season.
It would be nice if it went well. But if it doesn't, let's hope there's no crowd trouble. Wouldn't reflect too well on the police if it did: the Boro fans will be heavily outnumbered.
Mind you the away team at Agincourt, tired after having triumphed following a lengthy seige at Harfleur, having marched in unfriendly country for weeks, unfed and heavily outnumbered, came away with a good result. Not a lot changes in 597 years - a good away win, whether in 1415 or 2012, is still a good away win.
..and slow runs to a halt in the manner of a man on whom it is gradually dawning he isn't about to catch the bus after all