Boro Must Keep Bubbling At West Ham
BORO face a tricky test of their embryonic attacking zeal and 'work for the shirt' steel in the Smoke. There has been much talk of renewed optimism following a gritty derby display against Newcastle and a sizzling show against Birmingham City but if that upturn in the ambient temperature is to be turned into the bums-on-seats support that the club's big hitters have appealed for then Boro must keep the pot of positivity bubbling.
And despite Keith Lamb' s invitation to take sides over the Pied Piper of Doom Bernie Slaven which prompted the pessimists to articulate their opposition, there has been an upsurge of optimism. A string of decent home displays, some good results and a generally warm welcome for Gareth Southgate's transfer dealings have outweighed the gloom prompted by the exit of Viduka, the saga of millstone marksman Yakubu and the dire display at Wigan - although you get the distinct impression that the fledgling recovery is fragile so it is politically important that Boro keep getting results and start getting wins where maybe they would not have in the past.
And Boro have a perfect chance to show there is substance to the spin about a new mentality as they will have to turn back the tide of history if they are to beat West Ham. We don't have a have a great record against the Hammers. Boro have lost seven games out of nine at Upton Park in the Premiership (and lost away in the FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park, a result that may well have knocked the stuffing out of the team before Eindhoven) although we have won eight of nine at the Riverside.
And Boro have a perfect chance to strike a righteous blow for justice. Given the way the Hammers weaseled off the hook over the 'third party' registration of Carlos Tevez and the subsequent chicanery in the unedifying red tape row that followed - plus West Ham's self destructive dressing room gamble of signing Dyer and Bellamy to add to Bowyer - it is the moral duty of all who care for the integrity of the game to seek West Ham's defeat in every match. Plus, last season's 2-0 defeat in March was engineered by Tevez, a player who should be rights have been deemed ineligible. At Upton Park Boro have truth and light on their side.
Older/Newer
« Boro Graduates Point To Bright Future | West Ham Wobble Raises Doubts »
26 Comments
Leave a comment
Profile
Anthony Vickers
Keep up to date
Follow Untypical Boro on
First real test of the season. will southgate be tempted to go 451 with mido up on his own?
**AV writes: The early indications are that it will be an unchanged team with O'Neil on the bench.
i had in mind this team:-
schwarzer
young wheater woodgate taylor
o'neill rocky boateng arca downing
mido
**AV writes: It is a possible effective shape for future away games and one I personally like but Southgate hinted heavily yesterday that he would start with the same that played Birmingham.
who wil be on the bench do you think. I feel cattermole will miss out which will be a shame with him being a local lad
**AV writes: Looks like it is just us two today alf.
We think it will be Jones, Davies, O'Neil, Tuncay and Lee.
i think you are right that it is fragile. just look at all the whingers on the lambie thread. there are still a lot not convinced about southgates new approach all just waiting up to put the boot in if the lose.
Whilst we did well against a very poor side in birmingham I think we will struggle against West Ham.
Its obvious as its one of the 2 games of the season where our attendence comes under scrutiny, if we played tomorrow it would be 28,000 by the time we get beat off of West Ham it will be 24,000 with the extra 4,000 being mackems. We cant win against West Ham as it will make us look good which is against Boros traditions.
Etherington v Boateng, Parker and Bowyer v Rochemback and Arca and Bellemy in general scare me.
Alf
I have to say that I'm with you on your selection for tomorrow.
I'd have Tuncay and Aliadiere on the bench for a bit of variety and pace later in the game as they are tiring but we have to win the battle first before we can take it to them and this looks like the sort of side to do just that.
Lawro has backed us to lose (huzzah!) but I'm on for a battling point or even a sneak winner in injury time!
I think it is important to stress again that I dont consider MFC and the Boro are necessarily the same thing.
My grumble has been with the clubs handling of its affairs, I think Gate is going in the right direction and things are certainly looking up in terms of attitude and entertainment.
I also believe there will be highs and lows but can cope as long as we show passion and dont revert to some of the pitiful displays or silly formations of the past.
So a good performance plus some points would be most welcome tomorrow and perfect preparation for the Mackems.
Its time for a really good away win and what better place than the 'orrible 'ammers.I've always thought Curbishley a lucky chancer. Cmon Boro
"embryonic attacking zeal"
Mehheheehehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I'll have two bottles of whatever you've had please Mr Vic!
I would stick with the same team, although he aint no winger, Boateng is doing a good job there at the minute and anyone who is calling for Aliadiare to be dropped just because its an away game is stupid.
With his pace and skill he is the ideal person we should be playing in away games. I was probably his biggest critic before we signed him as i always saw him as a panic buy but after watching him play for us he has won me over big time, i can see why southgate was so keen to get him.
He needs a goal tho and west ham is a good a place as any to get one.
My prediction is a 3-1 victory. Hopefully Mido, Alidiare & i think a rocky special is on the cards again.
I wouldnt worry about bellamy as he will get sent off as wheater will have him all game so much so that bellamy will react to the close attention and be off.
Henri Camara to come off bench and get theirs, the reason, i never back boro to keep a clean sheet away from home.
Come on boro !!!!!
Mainy
To call anyone stupid for suggesting Tuncay instead of Aliadiere is a tad discourteous. It is a close call but Tuncay has a history of scoring goals and with the best will in the world it is not a sin that could be levelled against Aliadiere.
Aliadiere ha never scored in a top flight league.
Whereas Tuncay has scored planty at international and champions league level..I know which one i would prefer to play upfront
I don't believe that Tuncay or Aliadiare will be in the starting 11, in fact I favour the one up front scenario as put forward by Alf, with the the two aforementioned on the bench.
Albeit that type of formation has a defensive look to it, there are still attacking options in midfield if they can get forward enough to support Mido.
For all of us that live on tradition, me included, this is a new Boro so I am looking for us to break the hoodoo of losing 7 out of the last 9 at the 'orrible 'ammers.
C'mon lads.
I hope we do get to see a display out of O'Neil today even if that does mean either leaving out or subbing early Boatang, who I must admit hasnt looked as strong as some of his midfield companions.
On another note I see that bloody keeper of ours is working himself, again, bloody Australians.....
If Tuncay, Lee Dong Gook, and Jeremy Ardlyeverthere = "embryonic attacking zeal" Boro are in a lot of trouble.
I really cant see those 3 scoring more than half a dozen premier league goals between them this season. We need a very high scoring midfield or we will be knee deep in the brown stuff.
Same old inconsistent Boro, now you know why a lot of fans dont bother anymore Mr Gibson/Mr Lamb.
Well the Bubble certainly Burst!
However the lad's certainly did not disgrace themselves. There was a passion and "fire in their bellies" - 3 points between top 6 and bottom 3 - no alarm bells yet.
...and Charlie Nicholas (expert!!!!!!!!! Sky pundit) reckons Hammers top 7 Boro relegation fodder - yeah righto Charlie - Boro WILL finish above Hammers on today's display - no probs.
it is worrying! play well and get hammered by the hammers 3-0 even with the hammers having a few injuries. Its embarassing with Carlton Cole playing. What happens when we don't play well. We need some strikers in.
Don't be too discouraged! We had lots of possession...it just wasn't our day. That game could have easily finished 4-3 to us. It didn't...but lets not get too negative. We kept playing right up until the end and there were plenty of good runs and movement. Lets take it on the chin and stuff the Mackems.
After conceding 3 sloppy goals i think there is more evidence that southgate needs to tighten things up and go 451 away from home like i said at the beginning.
We were pushing too many players forward and so got caught out on the break. Poor defending from our full backs.
At half time west ham had sussed out that our weakness is on the flanks and they would get behind our defenders and cross the ball in.
We are going to be in trouble unless our strikers learn to finish. Aliadiere has missed plenty of chances recently and needs to do better. Tuncay had some good opportunities yesterday too. We can't just rely on Mido for goals.
Maybe Gareth could stretch training to two hours a day and work on getting the ball in the net.
'Mainy To call anyone stupid for suggesting Tuncay instead of Aliadiere is a tad discourteous'
I agree if id have done that but i never, I suggested it was stupid to be calling for him to be dropped in favour of a 5 man midfield which didnt included tuncay (the first few posts) as i felt that his pace and skill would have been good for hitting them on the break (and the fact he is forming a good partnership with mido)
Unfortunatly he is now injured, hopefully not for to long as again he looked dangerous yesterday and was unlucky when hitting the post.
However at the same time if he is out for a few weeks this will give tuncay his chance to progress on his performance yesterday, although we got beat, the good thing was we created chances and eventually they will go in. Tuncay was unlucky on a few occasions and is now starting to look like a decent player.
My only grip about yeserday (apart from getting beat) was the fact when we bought O'Neill on, we put him on the left and moved Downing to the right. They may aswell have just moved everyone along one and put Arca on the left.
We have been crying out for a rightsided player for years and when we finally get one, we put him on the left on his debut. It makes me laugh.
I just hope we can stuff the mackems next week. Come on boro!!
Mainy
Fair cop, misread your post.
The match was a disappointment, at least Gate got it right in his interview, nothing to pleased about when beaten 3-0.
Mainy
Amongst other things you've got it right on the ridiculous waste of O'Neil yesterday; brought on when we were 3 down and then played out of position whilst Stewie was too. Back to the very worst days of The Ex.
I have to say that I agree with Charlie Nicholas after being there yesterday. You can't have 60% of the possession away from home, have your goalie not have to make a save until injury time, have the lions share of the chances and attempts on and off target and still lose 3-0. They gave us a lesson in finishing.
That's the sort of form that gets you relegated - being beaten soundly when at your best.
We can't afford Arca & Rocky in the same side unless we're playing Brum at home. We can't afford The Boat on the right wing when we've got a right winger on the bench, we need him in the centre and the right winger should play on the right with Stewie on the left.
And we've also replaced 30 plus goals a season with 3 out of 4 of our new strike force without a Prem goal to their names - and it shows. Missing a hatful isn't unlucky, it's unprofessional.
I know it was inevitable, eventually, that they left but with the chances that Aliadiere and Tuncay wasted yesterday Veruka and The Yak would have netted at least 3.
Very poor and we have to remedy the team selection and the shooting practice before next Saturday which is a must win 6 pointer for all sorts of reasons.
I was surprised at the application of square peg syndrome, it must be the first lesson they learn when they take their coaching badges. If they dont operate the policy it must be a major fault that bars them from achieving the licence.
Sadly this will only reinforce the 'same old Boro' attitude.
All the good work in trying to be more positive, playing more attacking football, is to no avail without results.
I must admit I dont think Arca and Rocky together have enough pace to operate away. At home the opposition give you more time to play so they are not as exposed.
Alf's wish for 451 could work if we played with width and pace, possibly better as 4411 with ONeill and Downing on the flanks and Tuncay in the middle just behind Mido. Certainly not with both Arca and Rocky centre mid.
SAME OLD SAME OLD UP AND DOWN RUBBISH.
viduka and Yakubu gone and we are left with what???? mido is it? pathetic. where are the goals going to come when he doesnt score????
what was the point in bringing o neil on like that???? rocky or elvis is way too slow. the defence has too many calamity academy players in it. boeteng as a right winger - hahahahaha. will we ever buy a proper right winger???? why did we ever sell morrison????? ahmed
Ahmed, I agree in part that it's the same old up and down Boro, but I don't agree that it's rubbish. I think we have some good players but are lacking in other areas.
It's laughable that Boeteng ever plays as a right winger and for the life of me I still haven't understood why we got rid of Morrisson given that we never replaced like for like.
Sunderland is a MASSIVE game that we must win given the ferocity of the upcoming fixtures. But as you rightly say, if not Mido, then who will score ?
Given the missed chances on Saturday I think it's clear that we shot ourselves in both feet by getting rid of both Viduka and Yakubu. Ok, Viduka wanted too much cash but I wouldn't have let Yakubu go given that we never then replaced him either with like for like. He may have sulked for a while like he did in his last game but he would have come round eventually after it sank in that he was going nowhere and so the choice would have been to play and to perform or to sit and rot on the bench.
I don't know what GS and Coops are thinking about or what exactly they see in training, but none of the people they brought in are able to replace one of the two strikers we sold, leaving us only with Mido, in my opinion, and this for me is a serious error of judgement.
That's how I see it anyway.
TB