DERBY DAY started badly for Boro as they lost 3-0 away at high-flying Warbury in 'Striker', the Sun's soccer soap comic strip. Omens abounded as the Yak failed to get past a back line marshalled by an old school agricultural free-kick machine of a defender, a constipated looking Woodgate was twice caught out as Boro leaked goals on the break and Mark Schwarzer flapped at a shot and could only parry it to an opposition player's feet in an hard to argue against 'art imitates life' kind of moment. Usually when Boro lose to Warbury they get battered in real life too. Three years running. Yes, I know. I am bidding for a life on eBay.
The day could have got a worse too. But for two far more generously scripted saves from Schwarzer and a few story board close shaves Boro could have headed back down the A19 empty-handed. As it was, despite being blunt up front and under the cosh for long spells at the back, Boro will be the happier. They have taken four points from the Geordies, can claim the crucial North-east bragging rights and left the pitch with the home fans that remained booing their own side heartily for a failure to make their territorial advantage count.
Here's a few observations:
WOODGATE is immense. He has telescopic legs. He reads the game so well and his positioning is so perfect that he rarely needs to make a tackle. He nonchalently stretches an anticipatory foot in front of a striker and casually collects, then comfortably strokes the ball with understated precision to a team-mate. He wins balls in the air. His anticipation gives him six yards start against even the fastest opponent. He makes average players around him 20% better and it is frightening to think how Boro's season would have shaped up without him (think about the home game against Portsmouth and how the Woodyless defence disintegrated).
It is almost inconceivable that far bigger clubs - and Newcastle - are not watching his every game jealously and plotting their Summer swoop. It has counted againt Boro that he has not been injured. A few spells out would leave the jaundiced press telling the world he was a crock and leave the path clear for Boro to sign him. As it is we can only hope for the best.
MAD DOG had a mare. Maybe he was mentally still tied to the physio's chair. His positioning was poor. His heading was weak. He missed tackles. He was turned and beaten for pace. He gave away free kicks in dangerous areas. On the plus side he crunched Martins. Andrew Taylor struggled too. In the first half he was tortured by the pace and trickery of first Milner then Dyer although neither made that count. And he did improve in the second half. He had an electric start to the season but has faded in recent weeks and has at times looked vulnerable. He could do with a chance to recharge his batteries but with few options at left back is unlikely to get it.
VIDUKA may have been immortalised by Boro barmy tunesmith Alistair Griffin this week but he and Yakubu were not on song. Boro's only efforts on target were harmless long range effort straight at Given. Boro were on the back foot for long spells and forced into speculative long balls forward and the pair's timing was out. Between them they put in a post-Slaven record of eight offsides then Dong-Gook came on (to much animated gesticulation and furious keyboard bashing from the sizeable Korean contingent in the pressbox ) and not only immediately wandered offside but never even made amends with his mandatory effort against the post.
In truth Boro never threatened. You don't really play the long ball do ya? Well, not effectively anyway. And the odd crisp passing move petered out before it got into the box. Deadballs were wasted too: the best placed free-kick was blasted into the wall by Stewy Downing and not many expected it do a much else, except maybe fizz over. Boro don't really have a dead ball specialist do they? Not one that scares people.
BORO fans made a right racket. The away end wasn't full at kick-off but that is mainly because many Teessiders misjudged the time needed to travel from Base Camp One to the summit of Mount Leazes. The majority arrived red-faced and wheezing with the game underway but did the lads proud with a non-stop, battling performance over the full 90. Newcastle fans, despite their side doing most of the attacking created the mandatory Premiership home side morgue atmosphere and only awoke from their catatonic state to boo at the end.
Given the tough midweek game and extra-time - no, they are not pansies and yes, they can play twice a week when they are paid that much but however you look at it the fatigue, lack of preparation and shorter recovery time compared to a side that have not played in midweek must be a factor - it was a good result for Boro. Not a great performnace, but a good result.
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