Second Best Boro Rocked By Blackpool
BLACKPOOL battered Boro. Again. It wasn't quite as bad a performance as the last dismal visit there under Gordon Strachan when the gap between Boro and the play-off contenders was ruthlessly exposed - but it was still pretty brutal.
And it was Boro's worst display of the season so far.
Against both Southampton and West Ham the team beavered away and were always within touching distance but just fell through the quality gap. Against Forest a combination of 'new manager syndrome' and an ancient hoodoo combined to make it a game too far but after an 11 game unbeaten start you could hardly complain.
At Blackpool though Boro were second best. They failed to perform in every department. Toothless up front and with no Plan B; in midfield they laboured hard enough (Robson was tenacious and Smallwood got in some crunching tackles on his first start of the season) but were out-paced and as the game wore on out-passed too; and at the back they were shaky and sluggish and failed to clear danger quickly and cleanly. All three goals resulted from avoidable mistakes at the back being punished ruthlessly.
It was a bad day at the office. A very bad day. It was frustrating and a harsh reality check and the team's inherent shortcomings were exposed. It was a major disappointment and another chance to go top missed. - but it wasn't a disaster. Losing to a good side who were better on the day stings a bit but it is a normal part of the Championship landscape.
This is a division where even the better teams suffer slip-ups. Ask West Ham and Southampton who have had far worse returns over the holidays than Boro.
In the past six games the top four's vital statistics look like this:
BORO W4 D1 L1 Pts 13
CARDIFF W3 D2 L1 Pts 11
WEST HAM W2 D1 L3 Pts 7
SOUTHAMPTON W1 D2 L3 Pts 5
Boro's run also includes three wins over play-off hopefuls. The bigger picture is that we are still well placed and in better form than the wobbling top two. We'll bounce back.
*****
MEANWHILE, some good number-crunching by the excellent Football League blog The Seventy Two has looked at tables past and present and reports that the current top of the table log-jam makes this the tightest second tier title race since 1992 - when Lennie's Lions burst out of the pack to snatch promotion.
Boro were in fourth and two points off the top at this stage, omen fans.
****
NUMBER-CRUNCHING 2: Ace anoraks Sporting Intelligence have compiled a league table of all the teams who spent 2011 in the Football League - and Boro finished fifth overall with a hefty 83 points and ahead off all the side who spent the year in the Championship.
The only sides to have racked up more points than Boro over the entire year were promoted League One duo Southampton and Brighton plus Huddersfield - unbeaten since the Beatles split - and MK Dons.
******
AND while we are still looking back over 2011, here Andrew Glover of the Ayresome Gates blog and Fly Me fanzine regular selects his best most important goals of the year.
Personally I would have found room for McDonald's quickfire equaliser away at Barnsley in August. It showed that this new look Boro had mental strength and could hit from behind plus it released a flood of self-confidence that had the side playing with incredible belief and swagger in a record breaking run.
And for similar reasons possibly Barry Robson's leveller at Doncaster dragged Boro back into a game against the weight of Billy Sharp's emotional opener and put Boro back on track to victory after two successive away-day defeats.
Any more?
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Anthony Vickers
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Well, what can you say? The run is well and truly over, but I’m not panicking just yet, if at all. A mini wobble still sees us only two points behind the pacesetters, which nobody thought that we could keep up with, plus there’s a healthy seven points between us and Blackpool in seventh.
We’re far from invincible and we were always in line for a reality slap every now and again, that’s football. Lord Mowbray of Zetland will, I’m certain, have the lads kicking the changie door down to get at Burnley a week on Saturday to make amends, he has to.
In between time, we have a nice visit from Shrewsbury to give the second stringers a chance to shine and to give the first choice boys a well earned rest. After this it’s full on until the end of the season, so we need to make the most of the last break in the fixtures to get second wind.
As for your threads from the last blog Nikeboro, I’m not a great advocate of bringing in a rake of new players even if (when) we do go up, I’d prefer to see a slow transformation as opposed to wholesale changes, continuity, blending in and all the other good stuff that maintains a team as a team is required and not a bunch of brand spanking very good individuals.
Onwards and upwards and a Happy New Year to everyone.
I vividly remember Big Jack's promotion team getting hammered 5-1 at Forest in 74. These things happen in football. Kipling put it well:
http://www.kipling.org.uk/poems_if.htm,
(that's the Kipling who has nothing to do with a cake factory near the Baggies ground)
Using my twisted sort of logic, this was a result waiting to happen particularly after Boro conceded so late against Peterborough. Would have accepted this defeat if we had beaten 'Posh' however losing against Blackpool is a bitter pill to swallow.
Looking at the positives, we are two points off the top in a pack of four teams with a gap between fourth and fifth. Lets face it, we all would have taken this at the start of the season.
Lets look forward to the absolutely essential signing of a bustling, never gets injured, puts himself about goalscoring centre forward - is there such a player around that will not empty the tea ladies bicci tin ???.
Blackpool 3 Donkeys 0
PeasepudinPerth said: 'I’m not a great advocate of bringing in a rake of new players even if (when) we do go up, I’d prefer to see a slow transformation ...'
In principle, I totally agree. The problem is this team wouldn't have time in the Premiership for a slow transformation - they risk doing a Derby. As yesterday amply illustrated, Boro aren't all that good even in a Championship that is notably mediocre this year.
History shows that many promoted teams gain two-thirds of their points in the first third of their Premiership season - Blackpool springs to mind. After that, they tend to get sussed out. Consequently it is vital that any new team can 'hit the deck running' to capitalise on that. I fear this Boro team would struggle.
As AV pointed out in the first place, even the better promoted sides tend to buy 10-11 new players in preparation for the top flight test - that's what I was prompted by.
In part, I was looking for a more gradual transformation by acknowledging that the likes of Steele would benefit from buying time. The acquisition of older players would give us a couple of good seasons while the youngsters mature.
We were always going to get tonked somewhere, its always disapointing to lose but its not a disaster and we are still serious contenders. To lose only one game out of Cardiff, Hull and Blackpool and indeed win the other two, shows we are a strong team.
Most important goal of the season? That's a tricky one, recently I would say the winner against Cardiff.
The Peterborough result was the sickener. How we didn't win that game is beyond me - I kept telling myself it was alright because we were 2nd but it didn't work. I imagine the players probably found it hard to forget about as well.
Time to regroup. We are in a fantastic position, we all know it could better (we should be 10pts clear at the top), but should be aiming to win this division now.
Untypical Boro fans! The blog used to be full of posts after a 3-0 defeat. And more so as we slipped two positions down to fourth!
Embarrassing - no-one asking for the sacking of Tony Mowbray even we have lost all matches this year! At least Grove Hill wallah keeps on trying.
Seriously, I was disappointed after the draw against the Posh. I was waiting for a reaction from this great squad. I am afraid we will murder Shrewsbury in the Cup now. Poor them!
As Geordie la Forge said, Boro did get hammered 5-1 at Forest in 74. So live goes on. But we could do with a new striker and a right winger. Halliday and Park could be tested, too.
Up the Boro!
NO FUN AT THE SEASIDE THEN
Such a bad loss that’s 5 points dropped in two games if you want to be negertive
Loss of opportunity to go top with the Saints predictably starting to falter as sides understand how to counter them as happens with many promoted sides
Then West Ham putting too many long balls in row z, that style big guys playing kick and rush football will work for sure.After all Big Jack used it with sucess for us, But that style is always unpridictable and the aggression used causes problems
Our loss of players through injury and suspension is a big worry however it will cost us now and then as expected. It’S a tough divisionL tough, tough, tough.
However, WE WILL STILL GO UP - in 1st or 2nd. I predicted before a ball was kicked. WE WILL GO UP. IT’S OUR YEAR OUR TIME
We all know we are light up front need a winger and lack ballence in midfield yet we have some excellent players. Bates, Williams, Bailey and Emnes would not be out of place in any Premier team on current form, there are several more who will easily hold their own in the Premier League.
We do have an excellent team for this division and an excellent manager and back room staff. The squad is strong enough if we don’t get bad injuries. Remember Big Jack Charlton only used 16 players all season in his record breaking season with heavy, heavy pitches
However I do hope Mowbray plays a few squad players next week. They need the game time and there are a few that need a rest from the team now. The FA Cup would be a distraction we don’t need this year, even if it brings in a couple of big games and the excitement that it generates for the players and fans as well as some much needed money to help the Chairman fund his spending.
But back to the league and hopefully with a big guy up front. We can and will do it, as I said. IT’S OUR YEAR.
Come on BORO
A very disappointing performance and result. I would have taken a point from this fixture, and whilst a defeat was not entirely unexpected it should have been close.
Defeats, however, hurt less these days. I think this is partly because we've bounced back well from poor performances this season and I trust the players and management to do the same again. We know there will be plenty of ups and downs to come.
I've just done the BBC predictor and had us finishing third with West Ham champions and Southampton runners-up but with only two points separating that top three.
The Blackpool result was disappointing but these things happen in football, Mackems beating Money City, Rovers beating Rudolph's lot at Old Trafford and then Villa beating Chelski and perversely then getting beat at home by Swansea not to mention Southampton imploding now every time they take to the pitch. Besides it just wouldn't be Boro if we were sitting top right now.
The bench puzzled me, no Tommo, no Mick, are they injured or recovering from Hogmany or are they perhaps being wrapped in cotton wool as part of am elaborate swap deal north of the border or destined to Barnsley with Vaz Te coming to the Riverside?
Good to see Reach, Hines and Richie figuring but a bit strange when you add Main to the mix and Danny, Danny Coyne amongst the Subs. Tarmo must have done something to upset "The Management" as his ability to change a game with a blistering effort seems to be largely ignored. And where was Martin? Have they all had extended holidays or were they having clandestine meetings with agents?
It appears that Anel (sp) Hadzic a Bosnian midfielder playing in Austria is packing his bags for the Teesside Riviera. Apart from being 6FT I'm not sure what he offers us but if true then lets hope its a bit of pace and trickery to go with his height.
If we do sign a big guy up front or a proven scorer or whatever, what concerns me is service. We wobble at defending set pieces but we also wobble when we progress into the last twenty yards of the pitch. Interminable passing allied to twists and turns and one/two's out wide lead to very little so any goalscorer will have to hope for a tactical renaissance at the sharp end if he is to succeed.
I think boro fans have over-reacted to this defeat. In a competitive league and a hectic schedule this happens. Blackpool are very good at home and we were struggling with injuries (this shows how key Bailey is). Now we have a quiet Jan which gives us time to regroup,recover and hopefully recruit.
Champions respond to defeat in a positive manner!
Like Jeffrey Wood's confidence. Can he record a tape and get it played to the players in the changing room to gee them up for games?
Back to Blackpool - it certainly was a bad day at the office, not for one or two players but for most of the team that played. It was disappointing, to put it mildy. But it doesn't have to de-rail our season.
Luckily the teams up there, and principally West Ham and Southampton who until very recently looked likely to stride away from the pack, are both having a very serious wobbly period. They will start winning again, even if they might not be quite so imperious in the second half of the campaign.
The thing is that we want to get back to winning ways before them, and definately not AFTER them, or a gap will have developed between us. If we get it right after the slap in the face that is represented by the P'bro and Blackpool games, we can still be in with a good shout of securing an automatic promotion spot.
I still say West Ham and Boro to go up automatically and Southampton to fall away slightly. Maybe Cardiff or Hull to go up via the play-offs? But we have to start NOW. Here is hoping!
That was a result/performance that was waiting to happen. It's how we react that counts. So far this season we've managed to bounce back when things started to go wrong. I'm sure we'll manage that again.
I wont dwell on the weekend however the squad needs extra bodies, that is obvious. A few Id like to pursue are another ball winner in midfield,a left sided player,and big man.
So some I can think of:
Ameobi Newcastle (Big Man)
Danny Rose Spurs (left wing/Left Back)
Big Zelic (Birmingham)
Hogg, ball winner (Pompey)
Happy New Year to everyone and looking forward to a successful promotion outcome.
Not the best start yesterday and with not been at the match will not pass comment on our performance. I was intrigued at the make up of the team and those who were conspicuous by their absence such as McManus, Martin and Kink. No explanation, no discussion on radio as to their absence.
I am not suggesting their inclusion would have altered the result but their experience and freshness might have helped the cause.Iam equally baffled at how delicate Zemmama and Thomson appear to be with both struggling to cope with the physical rigours of the Championship.
Both have been here long enough to suggest disappointment with the continued disruption to their careers. We still have to take on trust their quality because we do not have enough evidence of them playing to comment on what additional value they bring to the squad.
I was going to post a moral boosting ditty.
But I see you are all talking about thrashings by Forest!!!
So I will flounce off in a huff instead, by which I mean go to fmttm and come up with childish jokes for Anel Hadzic!
GHW said "Blackpool 3 Donkeys 0".
If we'd been talking about Strachan's Boro, GHW, then that would have been harsh on the donkeys. As it is, I think it's hard on Mogga's Boro. All of them worked their socks off but without much reward.
With a number of key midfielders missing (especially Bailey) we couldn't cope with the pace, directness and trickery of Blackpool (qualities we don't possess ourselves in abundance), and eventually the pressure told and mistakes started to happen. Blackpool were far and away the best side I've seeen this season, Boro apart, and they will definitely be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.
And as a number of bloggers have pointed out, we will bounce back from this. Your comment about donkeys is appropriate in one sense, though - at the end, when it was obvious we'd been stuffed, the Boro support started singing, "Home on your donkey, you're going home on your donkey!" to the Pool fans. Sheer genius that brightened up an otherwise glum afternoon.
And just to finish I'll repeat the question I asked after Boro's last defeat (W Ham):- Where's Kevin Thomson when you need him? After all, there's not much point in having the most cultured midfielder in the division in the squad if he only ever plays 20 minute cameos for a couple of games then has a rest for a week or two. I live in hopes of seeing him get a long, uninterrupted run in the side, but the odds on that appear to be lengthening.
The seemingly widespread optimism that we’ll bounce back, and all will be well, is understandable given the context of the past two years, but sadly, also marks a strong degree of self delusion creeping in.
Yes, we’ve bounced back before and yes I think we ill most likely do so again.
But the bottom line is that collectively we’re still not really as good as we might think. And results are showing it.
Blackpool were last year’s PL relegation fodder and in the recent matches against Pool and Peterborough we’ve picked up three point out of 12.
We were tonked by Southampton and thoroughly beaten by West Ham and Forest.
Most promotion seeking sides can accept this but they will also be able to boast a good few big wins of their own. Games where they’ve not only dominated but have destroyed teams in the goals for and against columns as well.
When have we won emphatically on paper this season? We haven’t.
Will we have to win emphatically to go up? Yes, we will.
This is not a diatribe against Mogga or the team. I think he is doing a wonderful job and is an absolute godsend to the club.
But his team is a work in progress and we’re in danger of becoming plastic Geordies if we start believing this side is something special.
Only Marvin, Scott and Barry have scored more than two goals this season and then not many each. This isn’t good enough. And we’re not quite good enough everywhere if truth be told.
We have a keeper with potential but who can flap. Longer term, great, but Ikeme for example is the type of player we need for a promotion push now.
The defence is decent, young and with potential. But leaks late goals still.
We have many potentially good midfielders but individually they need to do more. The excellent Robson is 33 and should not be the main man here, more a second in charge. We need someone to dominate as well and take the lead. And also score. Bailey, Arca, Thomson and Zemamma will likely contribute less than a handful of goals between them this season.
The forwards. Well they try hard always and are fluid, skillful players. But it’s not enough. McDonald cost millions and scores once every four games in the Championship. Forget the effort, he’s not really producing and don’t make excuses re his other contributions.
The promotion sides of 74, 88 and 92 all had big scorers. In 95 we pushed through with signing Fjortoft in March and we still had a good and experienced team with the 98 side, Merson outstanding. And lots of forwards.
It’s a bit different in 2012. This league is poor and Mogga has the ability and nous to take us up with just a few minor improvements. I suspect there’ll be five or six sides in with an automatic shout at the death.
But for us to do that we need to get real. And score.
I agree TM should play some of the fringe players against Shrewsbury - sounds like he might have no choice anyway. Recognising this risks defeat, I can't make up my mind whether that would be a bad thing.
Winning is a good habit to get into and a home draw and two defeats would be a very undesirable habit. Losing to a League 2 team would be embarassing and might also undermine confidence.
On the other hand, we're not going to win this competition anyway. If we did well in the Cup it would probably scupper any chance of promotion. A couple of league wins would soon eradicate the shame and it would be next week's fish & chip paper.
On balance, I think Mogga should take the risk. Rest a few of the regulars and give some of the squad a run out - we're going to need them eventually and they need to be up to speed.
Let Coyne have some playing time, give Hines an airing to get over his OG, let Martin and Kink have a start. Give Ogbeche another game and, if Thomson happens to be fit, seize the opportunity to stretch his legs (careful there Thommo - not too much). Also let's see the likes of Grounds, Reach, Park, Halliday, Luke Williams, Franks and/or Curtis Main come off the bench.
Apart from those already suspended or injured, frail players like Rhys Williams and Bates will benefit from a rest and McDonald must be ready for a breather.
Of course, if there are more injuries, all of this will be academic. He'll just have to select whichever 16 he has left!
Richard Evans -
A good, down-to-earth assessment. For the most part, our wins are by one goal margins. Our current strong league position is almost entirely due to defensive meanness. This isn't a bad thing of course, but it makes us too lop-sided in our approach to games.
We do need a more potent offensive capability that helps us convert a few more of the chances we create to give us that important cushion if we're a goal up and enable us to get back into it if we're a goal down.
It feels that this season, perhaps more than any other I can remember, clean sheets that do win matches will be more important. Because it's points that count more than goals.
As many have said, it's our attack and chance conversion that's our main weakness at the present time. I like what I've seen of Bart Ogbeche. He's a strong lad and chases/ wins balls in forward midfield positions and knows the direction to the opposition's goal. I'd like to see him get a few more starts because he seemed to benefit from the playing time he got when Marvin was side-lined. He's a brave boy too.
No Pleasure Beach for Boro.
Went to see Sleeping Beauty at Pitlochry on Monday after digging out of the snow in Aberfeldy. Watched the snow fall before the panto and came out at 4.30 for the trip down the A9 then along the Tay Valley.
It was a shocking journey made even worse as I tried to concentrate on the narrow wheel tracks in front with radio signal going in amd out.
I was the lead car in the queue with everyone playing 'let the idiot in front do the driving'. Luckily I had a guide aka Mrs Gill. Did you folks know that you turn the wheel when you approach bends, that black and white chevrons mean there is a bend ahead, that you dont go too fast in bad weather. Get my (snow) drift?
Then the announcement came over the radio that we were being soundly beaten. Seven miles to go with plentiful advice from the passenger seat.
Smashing, but at least the panto was good, there was no panto horse but I guess there were several on display elsewhere.
My mate at the Blackpool match is an athletics (and football) coach who ran at quite a high level for much of his youth. He doesn't get to see many games nowadays as he's busy on most Saturdays with his own young footie team.
During the Boro warm-ups he was horrified to observe so many of the team doing their stretches wrongly; he also made the point that the kinds of stretches they were doing were being done far too early in the warm-up.
This all set me wondering whether our fitness coaches are as au fait with modern practice as they should be. Perhaps Mr Gill's ideas about the phenomenon he has called "Crockcliffe" may have some kind of basis in fact? Anyway, without Bailey, Arca, Thomson and Zemmama, we ended up relying too much on Robbo, and his game was not at its best.
Our whole performance in the last 50 minutes was, truthfully, pretty poor. I did enjoy seeing Richie on the park, though, and he was one of the brighter spots. I wonder, did anyone else think that Robbo was tending to ignore Richie when he was making himself available for a safe and simple ball? It reminded me of Lampard/Cole ignoring Stewey when he played for England. You could argue that Robbo's refusal of the safe option Richie offered him on one particular occasion was partly responsible for one of their goals.
I do not feel too down about Monday's thumping, however, as I have never felt we have been impregnable at any point since Mogga came. Nothing's changed by this 0-3: we are where we are, two points off the lead, because we have a good team spirit led by intelligent management - one which is bent on getting the best from the limited resources we have.
At Bloomfield, Lua-Lua was too good for us in general and McMahon in particular; he mesmerised us time after time into letting him get to the edge of our box before we offered any kind of resistance (and it was panicky and half-hearted by that point).
Perhaps Zemmama may be able to do this to other defences now and then, but mostly our attack is predictable; even Emnes, despite his huge skill on the ball, tends to be predictable (he almost always takes a healthy slice of time when he receives the ball in promising attacking positions; you can almost see him weighing up his options for a few microseconds at the start of most of his runs, and mostly he will then decide to drift into his comfort zone, that is, into a winger's territory, while the defence re-group). Scott worked as well as ever on Monday, despite stumbling when through on goal, but he comes too deep for a striker when he gets starved of possession.
We still need the genuine goalscorer we mostly thought Boyd would be - a big lad who presents a real goalscoring threat and who stays mostly in the middle of our offensive line; we need someone the cumbersome central defenders of the Championship feel the need to stay close to: this would take some of the physical pressure off Emnes and/or Scott, improving either or both's chances of benefitting from their peregrinations, rather than just losing steam from them.
I hope Jutkiewitz is a) not too badly injured and b) is beginning to doubt that his home-town club can deliver him a career in the Premier League. He would do for me!
It sounds ungrateful to be complaining after a generally good Christmas and New Year. But this thrashing - and it was a thrashing - worried me for two reasons.
First because, not for the first time, Mowbray was slow to respond. A guy behind me was shrieking for Emnes to be given an earlier run at at Blackpool's large but pretty immobile central defenders. But we were two down before Mowbray changed things. Inexplicable when it was very clear from the start that Ogbeche was utterly out of his depth. I doubt he's championship standard.
My second worry and again, not for the first time, was about Bates. Where is his leadership when things go wrong? He was entitled to feel miserable, not least having gifted their first goal. But his job is to inspire, to cajole and to lead. There was none of that. It's time to give Robson the armband.
Finally, it was freezing. Is there any other commercial organisation that would offer such rotten facilities for 2,000 visitors spending some £50,000?
**AV writes: At least there was a roof this time. Two years ago it was the same weather but Boro fans were sat in open temporary seats on scaffolding. Basic.
Richard Evans - yes, a good analyses. And as usual a good post from Halifaxp, too.
As Man Ure got beaten again - this time 3-0 by Newcastle - I wonder should they press the panic button and sack the old man there?
Seriously this makes me think that the 3-0 trashing by B'pool wasn't that extra ordinary after a 1-1 draw against the Posh. Perhaps there is live after all.
Let's see which one of the Red teams reacts better next weekend? I bet it's the Mogganaut. Wonderful time still - I just wait for the striker signing by Mogga.
Up the Boro!
As SV Ried midfielder Anel Hadzic is not joining Boro according to Mogga (via AV in twitter), I was wondering if we could do with the midfielders we have? We are still to see the most cultivated MF in the division (as someone said previously). Also Smallwood is worth a starting place and we are yet to see a fully fit Zemmama regularly. OK we might do with a bit more pace in there so a speedy right winger could do, but at the left we have Park and Halliday if needed.
The defense is the best in the league by far (if you remember the season before Monday). And we have Hines and - especially - McManus in the reserves still.
What I am thinking here is that perhaps we need to put all the eggs in one bag. Perhaps we need just a striker to make this team great. I could do if Mogga puts all the money available in a big prolific centre forward - preferably in one already tested on this level like Jutkiewitz. I don't think any foreign striker will gel into the team quick enough this season.
Up the Boro!
On the Jutkiewicz thing, I just wondered whether the Saints interest in a Japanese striker means waning interest in the big lad from Coventry and a freer run for Boro?
Richard Eavns said: "This is not a diatribe against Mogga or the team. I think he is doing a wonderful job and is an absolute godsend to the club. But his team is a work in progress and we’re in danger of becoming plastic Geordies if we start believing this side is something special."
Does anyone actually believe that this team is "something special"? We know we lack pace, width, height, strength, finishers and strength in depth.
It's precisely because we recognise our weaknesses that we're so overjoyed at our season so far.
I also disagree that we will have to win emphatically to get promotion. 1-0 wins will do fine thank you.
Richard Evans -
We're not as good as we might think?
We're as good as our place in the table shows, fourth two points off the top. We're as good as the stats for 2011 show, ie the form team in the Championship. I dont recall anyone on this blog this season stating that promotion was a shoe in. We're having a great season, we may get promoted we might not. Enjoy the ride!
halifaxp -
I know a few well qualifed football and ahtletics coaches, they all have one thing in common a certainty that their peers are doing it wrong....
Ian -
He's behind you!!! You paint a good picture of your darkening mood driving along the A9 knowing Boro were getting well beaten and listening to your navigation consultant at the same time, I could feel your pain!
I also come from an athletics background and I agree with the above posters comments on how the squad and how footballers warm in general. Unfortunately my info may well be out of date, but I was appalled when doing the fitness for my sons team back in the mid 90's, at how badly they were advised and how lacking they were in any form of warm up!
I know theres a marked difference n the way the muscles of each discipline differ especially in the legs, footballers generally have short bulky muscles, the sports I have been involved in, athletics (field and track) Badminton and motorsport all benefit from long thin muscles. They are less injury prone and react quicker (in basic terms) how they cope with the rigours of football (impact etc) I dont know, so maybe thats why things are different, or maybe football is stuck in the dark ages?
Worth investigating isnt it, but Shumacher for instance is pretty good on the pitch with his motorsport muscles?
Bailey's injury will be a big miss but its also the opportunity for Smallwood to stake a claim and one which I think most of us on here thinks he merits. As one door closes another one opens as they say.
Bailey for us has the same effect that the Boat used to have and Clattermole started to make his mark (literally on most occasions) towards the end of Boats Teesside sojurn. I think Richie has better all round potential than Lee showed in the early days so it could be the making of the lad in becoming another local Hero.
Hopes for Zemmama and Tommo to step up to the mark are more optimistic. Both I'm sure are decent lads but they seem to manage 30 minutes pitch time then need three weeks rehab to recover. I think Martin and Kink are of more value long term even though they are entirely different players.
During Robbo's absence I would also consider pushing Scotty back into the middle behind Ogbeche and Emnes. He has battling and scrapping qualities (probably learned from his time in Old Firm derbies) plus like Robbo could still step forward and nick a goal. Another option would be to play Hoyte at RB and put McMahon in just in front of Bates and Rhys to "spoil" things Bailey style.
Lads like, Park, Pilatos, Williams and Reach are all worth giving a chance. With Reach, Bennett can be told to keep back as cover on the left or play Reach at LB leaving Joe the freedom of the left wing. I think we have enough options within the squad my concern is that not many of them have even been involved on match day but that may make their fervour and desire even stronger to impress.
Shrewsbury on Saturday gives Mogga the opportunity to try a few things in terms of personnel and tactics including giving Danny an airing between the sticks. After going for a Burton last year it would be disappointing to lose on Saturday but with the Premiership beckoning the value of the two competitions are a no brainer as far as I am concerned.
I suspect the Shrewsbury game will have the atmosphere of a pre season work out with the lads from the lower league getting stuck in its no place for the likes of Zemmama or Tommo.
Pity about Darlo. Obviously theres have been some very poor management (including from the top) decisions being made for years.
Only fourteen years ago at this time,the bottom six in division three where as follows:
Swansea
Rochdale
Cardiff
Hull
Brighton
Doncaster
Makes you think doesnt it. Bad management means? Good management means?
So Mac is back at FC Twente, are we going to hear anymore 'Allo Allo' moments I wonder? I certainly hope so!
Christmas cheer? And being top of your sport does not mix I'm afraid!
Blackpool had their stall set up, while Boro were still unpacking the van.
DONKEYS? NEIGH LAD!
An off day that’s all, a day when things went against us BADLY
Without Bailey it was too much to withstand. After all Blackpool are a very strong team at home and retain some Premier Quality
Bailey has been our player of the season so far, He has been in the main a colossus
He has adapted to the anchor role as if he had played it his entire career
He has stopped me whining on about the return of Lee Cattlemole my favorite BORO BOY CAPTAIN and TEAM ANCHORMAN
However Ritchie Smallwood is a young lad who can not only fill either players boots but is capable of surpassing both players and establishing himself into the team for years to come. This young Boro boy is a star of the future and can go on to great things. He will need a game or two to get up to speed but will excel for sure
Thank goodness we have two or three games relatively easy or unimportant to our main objective which is automatic promotion back to the Promised Land of the premiership.
THE TRANSFER WINDOW: Seems we are after the Coventry boy as the M,F.C. official site has got involved and also a Croatian midfielder who insists he is on his way to Middlesbrough,
Good we see some movement as we need that extra striker for sure. Big Sam is thinking big and going for some big players, well Championship big players that is.
Southampton have got a star Japanese striker. Let’s hope its Gooky or similar.
Personally I think we can better either side this season however the side that worries me more is Cardiff. We beat them them had two more wins a draw slipped up once and they are above us again. very disconcerning
So to the FA Cup. I do hope the lads that step up to the plate do well keep the momentum going and let Toney know that he can rest his stars and still win games this season as he must.
UP THE BORO
IT'S OUR SEASON, OUR YEAR
Come on, lads. We were stuffed in the last match. We should be up to at least 100 posts on here by now.....
Where is "Sack the manager...tactically naive"? Or "It's time the Chairman went. He's taken us as far as he can..."
An outbreak of utter reasonableness on the part of fellow bloggers is more than we can be expected to bear at this chilly time of year. Especially bearing in mind the recent form of league leading teams like Southampton, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea etc.
Surely some glasses must be more than half empty after the Christmas and New Year holidays.
That's it we're finished its all over, bankrupcy beckons! Another manager of the month award, I can't believe it! The Football League need their heads looking at, how can they justify such a shocking decision? They need to get that Rick Parry in charge to get them sorted out. We're bound to implode now, it happens every time Mogga gets an award. Next thing you know his rocket ship to the moon will fail its MOT then where will we be?
Back after a long drive into the low sun. Did you know Sat Navs can get a cold? Mine did so I had limited advice from it all the way down!
Stopped over at friends in Middleham and had to have several Black Sheep bitters.
Shows how bad the curse of manager of the month is, we lost before it had been announced.
The Shrews tomorrow so lets hope for a good result.
The Darlo news is very sad. I always look for news of Boro followed by Darlo and Pools. I remember the 3-0 away win at Feethams quickly followed by 4-0 at home over Xmas 1966.
SHREWS BURIED!
On the eve of what could be Darlington's last game, here is a post from a real fan.
http://www.darlofc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15733
Very sad about Darlo. Of all clubs, having come within minutes of extinction, we Smoggies can empathise with their position better than most.
The last Darlo game I watched was a (truly awful - still the worst game I ever saw) 0-0 against Workington. Where are they now? Let's hope the Qakers don't follow suit.
Everyone should follow the link given by Grove Hill wallah at 5.15pm. Try to keep a lump away from your throat, and think how much their club must mean to Darlo supporters.
I must be growing old. My eyes get damp a lot easier now than a couple of decades ago.
FIVE more goals for Jordan Rhodes in the League One match between Huddersfield & Wycombe in a 6-0 away romp for the Terriers. He might not be able to cut it at the higher level, but surely worth a punt - IF Boro could afford him...?
**AV writes: Non-starter. He's promised to stay at Huddersfield to help them get promoted then will leave in the summer and at least two Premier League sides have offered money for first option.