Stage Set For Jinky's Return
BREAKING NEWS... JOHNNO IS BACK... BREAKING NEWS... JOHNNO IS BACK...
FULL STORY IN THE GAZETTE TODAY...
MY BID to rehabilitate Gaizka Mendieta in the forlorn hope of creating some options on the bench - described cruelly but possibly correctly in the pub as "a sad last act of madness by a desperate man" - has been given short shrift at Hurworth.
Pressed on the possibility of a return Gareth Southgate dismissed it curtly. "At this moment in time I don't see him being involved with the first team," Southgate told the Gazette. "His attitude to training is fantastic and his training has been brilliant. But I've discussed his situation with him and I think it is best he moves on." In fairness, Mendieta has accepted his internal exile with good grace, says he will keep plugging away in limbo and remains unimpressed with the suggestion that he should find an "exit strategy" detrimental to his bank balance.
But we still need something to inject a spark, offer the possibility of tactical changes within the game and an ability to switch styles and tempos on the pitch in a way that will create space, opportunities and those elusive goals. And we need it NOW. January may be too late - and we have an appalling record spending then anyway! We need that spark now and that leaves us with little choice but to shaft Watford and BRING BACK JOHNNO!
Home grown hero Adam Johnson is on fire at Watford. He is ripping defences apart in a competitive league, playing in a table topping team and getting his share of goals. He is winning plaudits from seasoned team-mates and bright young boss Aidey Boothroyd has tipped the wing wizard as a future England player.
We all know the compelling arguments for sending Jinky out on loan. Giving an exciting talent the chance to blossom with valuable regular first team experience in a competitive environment rather than be restricted to 15 minute cameos off the bench and often out of position is an effective way of honing the final product.
It offers an opportunity to learn the ropes at a lower level, get precious pitch minutes and crucially make their mistakes well away from the pressure cooker of the Premiership where not only could errors be costly to Boro on the pitch but they could also help store future animosities from an unforgiving and judgemental audience.
Outward loans have proved effective for Boro in the past. David Whaeater, Matthew Bates and Andrew Davies were steeled ready for first team action away from the Riverside and Ross Turnbull came back from Cardiff to take up a position of readiness one knock away from taking his place between the sticks. And as we know Stewart Downing - the player who most would see as being rightly under pressure to perform from Johnson's return - really cut his teeth in a successful spell playing at a lower standard.
But the point of loans is to prepare players for Boro and the rave reviews from all quarters suggest he is ready. It is time to bring him back. Boro are crying out for pace and penetration, invention and zest going forward and for options in midfield and Johnson offers those in spades.
As has been suggested on this blog he could be played on the left allowing Downing to slot inside in an echo of his own assent to stardom when he squeezed Bolo Zenden into the central creative role to solve a crisis. It would help plug the yawning gap there left by Julio Arca for now and add some legs bursting through the middle.
Likewise he could play on the right, or alternate with Downing between the two, allowing Gary O'Neil to move his all action presence inside. That would allow him to dictate pace more and add a bit of steel in what has at times been a very porous area of the pitch. Having two specialist flankers may give Boro an extra dimension, and as we saw in Johnson's occasional outings last year, it takes the pressure to create - and often the extra marker - off Downing giving a bit of balance to the side and increasing outlets when moving forward.
There is another reason Boro should move too. Watford are flying and already look a show-in for Premiership football and are playing a brand of attacking football that clearly suits Johnson. We shoudl bring him back before he gets too attached or is infected by the euphoria of the promotion glory and starts to think of himself as a Hornets' player.
With the parachute payments from last season's Premiership relegation and next term's windfall if they go up there is no doubt Watford could to make a move for him and given the impact he has had on their side it is clear they would want him so Boro should brace themselves for a January bid and be prepared to turn it down - even if it seems a generous one that will push the Academy into profit.
Johnno wants to play in the Premiership and has the ability to do it. We must make sure that when he does it is with the Boro. Boro are desperate for quality, pace and hunger and they are qualities he can add in a way that the rest of the benchwarmers can not. We need him.
The best chance of ensuring his long term presence at the Riverside is getting him back and getting him involved - and quickly. He must be shown he can be as big a part of the team here as at Vicarage Road and that like Stewy before him he can return to be an instant hero.
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Anthony Vickers
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It is going to be intersting to see what future he has while downing is at the club.
Wonder if Johnson has a taste for 1st team football and will want to move on if downing is in his way?
Or wil the club think about cashing in on downing to finance some strikers?
Or wil southgate move downing to the right to accommodate johnson?
Basically how can the team fit in downing and johnson
AV, I agree 100% with everything you have said – it’s a complete no-brainer – in fact I just can’t understand why Johnson is not back already.
I asked a couple of weeks ago if you’d heard any statement from Boro on the situation but I’ve still seen no reports in the Gazette.
Add to that the fact that Johnson is due to play 6 games in 3 weeks after the international break, in which he’ll no doubt play a couple of games for England U21 as well, then if he’s not recalled soon he’ll probably be returning knackered or injured before his scheduled return in mid-December.
who says downing has a divine right to play week in and week out? johnson is better at this moment in time therefore should play ahead of downing.
It might give him the break he needs and to come back rejuvinated and ready for the battle.
We have a great squad and can compensate for virtually any player on the park (except up front). SG shouldnt be scared to drop players, he is the manager and he is there to make huge decisions. Downing is a good player but has lost his edge and neads a break.
AV
Absoultely agree on getting Jinky back - being saying it for weeks.
Pleased to see that my response - 'Yerjokin'aren'ya' to various suggestions about the return of Mendi is shared by Gate.
And lastly - didn't I also say in my rant the other day about not refreshing our coaching staff that - right or wrong - Pearsy would get the goalie coaching role to replace Barron without testing the market? See today's Gazette.
Sadly predictable.
in the short term pearsy will be a good addition but come on, we need to get coaches with a track record who have travelled around and seen different types of football and can come up with new ideas and methods.
We are static and have a 2d think pattern. Let's open our eyes and search for some new talented coaches from
around the world.
Hmmm, As Goalkeeping coach I thought Ugo Ehiogu as he is a defender and also played alongside Southgate of course he was a Boro player and we don't want to upset the status quo ,although our strikers are playin a bit like Status Quo.
Cant get 'down down deeper and down' out of my head as we cant make an attacking substitution.
Sadly, downing has been off the boil for quite a long time.
Does anyone remember his debut season? his first game he scored against the Barcodes. He also went on to score 4 more league goals. He took on players, beat players, assisted and scored.
He went off the boil well and truly in the latter half of that season and he hasn't been the same player since.
Hes become so slow and predictable. Anybody seen him taking on players the past 2 years? where he just knocks the ball to the left to try and beat players with pace that he no longer has, or wants to use? how terribly predictable, its embarassing watching it.
We should of sold Downing when we had the chance, and it annoys me with all these fans who think hes 'mint'. He hasnt done anything worthwhile for the team, he gets caught in possession way too often and he just gets read like a book... and im sure its a crap read!
Fair enough he's had a goalscoring start to the season but other than that i dont see anything to rant and rave about.
GS, grow some testicular fortitude and bring back Johnno, and drop Downing to the bench where he deserves to be. And if he doesnt like it, sell him!
The truth hurts but it needs to be said.
Thoughts on Mendieta!! Does Boateng really rate higher or is it that he is G.S's mate? The Boat leaves a lot to be desired and when not playing, the team performs 50% better.
Give Mendy a go Southgate.
Let's be honest, the lad would be mad to come back to Boro if can avoid it. At Watford he is a crowd hero, playing in a winning team every week and catching the eye of bigger clubs. If he moves full time he will be in the Prem next year and probably get a big pay rise.
At Boro he would be on the bench, played out of position and probably be getting booed within a few weeks plus he will be one of the hardest working but lowest paid players in a poor team.
What worries me more is that I think the club are cutting costs and cashing in their chips so I think if Watford offer a few million Boro will sell and try to spin it as a good thing that he is only a fringe player and that the Academy is starting to show a profit.
For me things are starting to smell a bit like the early eighties with Eindhoven being a bit like the Wolves FA Cup QF, a high-point from where we could have pushed on but in fact we slipped right back and started selling off the better players and not replacing them.
I am not a boo-boy in the slightest nor even one of them fainthearts who wet their pants every time we have a bad run but I am seriously worried about some of the things that seem to happening behind the scenes without any explanation.
Agree totally. I've always liked him and think he deserves his shot in the top flight, but only if he doesn't get messed about and is given a proper run of games in order to settle and shine.
I'm all for bringing him back and I think it's a mistake to just right off Mendi given that it looks like he's willing to just sit out his contract.
The guy's been working hard in training and the people I know who went to the recent reserve game are all raving about him.
He may well not be a long term solution, but in the position we are in I think that this is yet another mistake from a rookie manager.
Keep him on the bench and throw him on at some point to see if what he can do. What have we got to lose ?
Downing - Johnson - Mendi - O'Neil
Johnson - Downing - Mendi - O'Neil
or a combination there of.
Sounds good to me, at least it's worth a go at some point.
On another note... From BBC Sport
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has denied newspaper reports about his future and that striker Mido had disappeared without the club's consent.
"I don't need any public backing because I know what's said to me in private and that's good enough for me," Southgate told the club's website.
"There have been stories about Mido going back to Egypt without permission which is nonsense.
"He had an injection into an injury and we told him to go home to rest."
I don't need public backing? Well Gareth, you'd better hope that the fans don't turn on you and really start on you like they did with Mcclaren when that fan threw his season ticket book in his face. His fate was only saved in large part by a certain Italian super sub.
You don't have this kind of luck on your side because your bench is pretty empty and you can't count on a good European run to keep you going whilst you falter so badly in the league.
So you'd better start to get fans on board because if you keep this arrogance up you will see that it will come back to bite you where you will really feel it the most.
God has given you his 100% backing, but if the results continue as they have been and the fans go for you on mass then EVEN God won't be able to save you, no matter how much backing he offers you.
TB
I'm just reminiscing. How good was Mendy when he was at Valencia??? He was inspirational. But he's been really disappointing at Boro.
I thought he'd be used as a central midfield player - he's never been blessed with great pace but he had a decent burst on him - but Boro mostly played him on the right side of midfield.
What amazed me about Mendy was how much he gave the ball away. It was like he couldn't even do the simple things - Rocky was the same, but he seems to on the road to recovery.
At the moment we dont have a proper striker (assuming Mido is unfit) so have to play a fluid situation.
We can play Cat in the holding role, Jinky on the left with Downing just inside, Tuncay on the right with O'Neill just inside him, Aliadiere as the front man.
That would provide plenty of movement and basically is how Arsenal play (sadly we dont have the quality of players they possess). There is no reason why they cant interchange positions, they are not fastened to a piece of wood like a table football machine.
Whatever people say about Downing he is the best striker of the ball in the team, he works the goalkeeper more often than others and he can pass. And he has scored more goals than anyone else. When John Powls floated the idea of Downing tucking in I wasnt fully convinced but I think the time is ripe.
One word of warning about Jinky, he made an immediate impact when he started playing (as did Downing) because players didnt know him. Later games he was less effective as teams wised up.
He is doing well in a team in the Championship who play with target men for him to hit. He will be in the same pickle as Downing if he comes back, no one to cross to. The impact he has will depend on the rest of the team.
AV: like most I agree with everything you say on this one... don't know what we're waiting for
Downing is still a quality player in a struggling team and we need them both wide with o'neill more central and directing things from there
What really worries me is the insular 'small-town' thinking - we play in the worlds most televised and popular league but can't look above our boot straps.
Steve Gibson is putting out a lot of spin about our ambitions but it's clear that he knows a different reality - to cite gate revenues as a limiting factor is weak: these account for an increasingly small percentage of a PL football clubs revenues.
The PL is no place to learn your trade although I think Steve Gibson knew that relegation could be a possibility when he appointed Gareth - if he didn't then he must do know, yet it seems he's prepared to accept this rather than change things
Whatever, things are looking pretty bleak so far as the future is concerned
Excellent News AV - Praise to the power of the Blog!
By-the-way: I'm not sure that your breaking news banner competes with Sky's - more bells and whistles needed.
I think this clamour to get Johnson back from Watford was to be expected, but is not entirely without risk.
True he is playing well - in the Championship. The Premiership is a different kettle of fish. People should stop pressing the panic button and let him carry on learning his trade with Aidy Boothroyd.
Downing is our top scorer and main source of goals. Okay he had a bad game against Spurs, but the forwards have been poor all season and I don't hear them getting booed.
I hope that if Adam Johnson comes back that Southgate doesn't stop his momentum by playing him in fits and starts, that is if we dont sell him to Watford. We need Downing and Jinky in the squad which is too light by half.
It appears that we are tightening up financially . It could be to buy a Good striker- we need a big man so our wingers can hit him? Or Gibbo is bracing for the drop.
It seems Lambo has told gate Mendi must go as he is expensive. Ivan Campo is the same age as Mendi and played the full 90 minutes against us and even cropped up to have a couple of good chances which he missed.
A fit Mendi would have put one away .Are you not following his movements in the reserves? Allardyce would be getting the best out of Mendi if he were at the wheel.
Playing Mendi is an intelligent option in the last half an hour once we have run out of ideas.Go to a 5 in midfeild playing to Mendi's strength [ he got to 2 champions league finals in this role] and keeping good midfeilders on rather than bringing on Dong Gook Lee
Southgate, if Mendi plays well in the prem its like a shop window before January.Are you worried he might prove you and Lamb wrong and fans would know too much?
Gary Watson ,to get the Mendietta[at his peak] from Valencia it would have cost us €48 million.plus he was playing in a 3-5-2 formation alongside better players than we have got in their prime.
Players like- Pablo Aimar ,Didier Deschamps ,John Carew, David Albelda and Fabio Aurelio to name a few ,they also had a half decent manager in Héctor Cúper who got them to 2 champions league finals as mentioned above -back to back 2000/2001.
Anthony - Agreed it's clear that Johnson should come back ASAP we need all the help we can get.
The list of subs at Bolton was limiting in that they didn't allow us to change our approach.
What fans seem to miss regarding Downing is that he's seen as the Boro's only threat - keep him quiet and the Boro are impotent.
The emergence of Arca reduced the burden on Stewart but as Jeff Winter said a few months ago "opposing teams double up on Downing because of his threat". The Boro have not been able to exploit the fact that teams do that.
The main reason for recalling Johnson is that Downing will almost certainly leave at the end of the season. He has probably lost respect for the Boro fans and who can blame him?
Football fans in the UK are 'schizophrenic' when it comes to home gown talent. They say they love to see local boys making it, but they always 'pick on' the Academy lads if things go wrong. They expect them to be on top form all the time, play for less wages, try harder than the imports.
It's not just Boro fans who behave in this way. I'm sure eveyone can remember Ashley Cole at Arsenal ? Viera held the club to ransom every year until he was moved on (and he's done nothing since except tell Arsenal/Wenger how to run Arsenal).
But It was "Cashley" Cole who was called greedy for agreeing a wage 40% less than the French players.
Downing hasn't asked for more money or sought a move but he's being driven out by Boro fans, the same ones who clamour for increased wages for Viduka, urge the Boro to keep the human dynamo and goal machine Yakubu, yearn for the return of Zenden, Hasslebaink ..
That's the sad aspect to Johnson's return it won't allow us to have two terrific homegrown forwards on the pitch it will mark the exit for Stewart. And good luck to him if he goes. I see him replacing Giggs at Man Utd I sense Rooney rates him even if the Boro fans don't.
gary watson. if mendi plays well in centre midfield and doesn't out the wing, what does that tell you???
Boro always threw him out there and he looked out of place where as in the centre he looked the mendieta we know. remember utd 04 and 03 and blackburn 04 and every match he played there?
southgate reads this blog so all i say is IF A PLAYER OF HIS CLASS SHOWS REAL HUNGER TO PLAY, HE SHOULD BE GIVEN A CHANCE.
I HOPE MENDI READS THIS ALSO BECAUSE SOME OF US ARE HERE TO HOLD UP HIS GOOD NAME.
for me it's simple, downing will play on the right with o'neil in the centre.
ppl need to get off downings back, he is a home grown player, we paid nothing for him and he had a sharp rise into the premiership and his rise was always going to level out at some point as he will be comfortable and as a professional I honestly believe downing will work on taking himself that step further.
Also mendi - sign of a deperate man to bring him back? excuse me if im wrong but 4th bottom in the league is desperate & i would give every player including mendi the chance to show they can do better on the pitch than the guys currently out there.
Jinky on the left wing, Stewie left midfield, Catt centre midfield, O,Neill right midfield, Tuncay up front with Aliadiere/Mido. Or O'Neill centre midfield with Aliadiere right midfield.
The future is young, dynamic,and largely English and Boro!!
Pears as the goalkeeping coach, as others have said its a predictable decision, but just how much difference do coaches make to the performance of a team? Clearly they are important but are they crucial?
Rightly or wrongly Steve Gibson is trying to create a 'Boro culture' which gives the team continuity, he has achieved part of this with the brilliant output from the academy I hope he achieves success with his philosophy on the management/coaches.
He's a brave man, time will tell, he has my support.
SCOREDRAW about time I read some sense in these columns.Very well put.
The Riverside still has the urge for the super foreigner, MENDI don't make me laugh! "4th bottom is a time for risks" We are one win away from 12th and one win away from relegation zone.
The recall of "JINKY" is much needed if not for numbers and options on the bench. I like to look at it similar to Gareth Barry in the middle for England with Gerrard, the balance that two left footers brings.
Why move ONEILL away from the right when he is performing well. I still think a question mark exists in the roll of ROCKY in the team especially at this moment in time. So for me it has to be JINKY, STEWIE, THE BOAT and ONEILL. The true test is approaching with the injuries lessening.
No excuses with the return of ARCA, who for me holds the key to our season. POGGY and WOODGATE back as our rocks, Young getting better as he had no pre-season, the real weak link last season. As I read it WIGAN and DERBY look deadwood so its one from 6.
Give the GATE a chance and as for the GIBSON batterers "YOU'VE NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD", just remember Leeds, sheff wed, sheff utd, coventry, southampton, notts forest, charlton, need I go on?
C'MON THE BORO!!
so johnson is coming back, he should never have gone in the first place, same as downing should never have gone to sunderland on loan,
both playing well for boro with limited chances then put out on loan and given a run in the team then being recalled.
as for downings form at present, yes he has suffered a dip in form but he would still be the first name on my team sheet, he is by far our best player, head and shoulders above the majority of the team and should be given an arm around the shoulder approach,
he is classy and if we lose him he will blossom in another team and will be a great loss to the club.
as for mendieta, i am a big believer that the manager of the club should make all the decisions about team selection, the team should be picked on merit the best players in the best positions irrespective of race, colour, religion or orientation, not being told that however hard you work and well you perform there is no chance of you ever playing in the first team again,
after all said and done if his performance warrants a first team place then mendieta or any other player should be in the team, but only GS should make that decision
it was after all the management who gave mendieta a contract as long as they did so it is mendieta's perogative to honour his contract till the end
would anybody reading this like to be told by there employer your not wanted you should move on to another employer for less wages?
i remember SG telling martin o'neill and other prospective managers that he wants continuity at the club so you cant bring in your own backroom staff, GS gets the job, round, beswick were soon ousted, so much for continuity
did maclaren not get rid of anderson, mcqueen who were robsons backroom staff, so this continuity is well and truly blown out of the water.
when GS goes then next time we are looking for a manager i hope we look for an experienced proven manager, not a trainee,
has a top team ever employed three managers in a row who have never managed or been assistant managers at the club before?
i now feel now an admission reduction would not go wrong as we now need fans to rally round, attendances will drop unless prices are dropped and dropped substantially, after all how many of the prawn sandwich brigade will be here next year if we go down.
i don't blame any fans for not going anymore, prices too high, terrible access, excessive catering prices, over zealous stewarding, lack of information from the club/ attitude of hierachy ohhh and of course the most important one the lack of passion and quality of the eleven men representing our town.
Anyone who has a problem with Mendi's wages needs to wake up as most class players who come to Boro only do so if the package is right for them.
I have not got a problem with that! Paying somebody like Mendi and failing to utilise them when we are short of options is what I have a problem with!
Mendi is doing the biz in the reserves and if its about his age then look at-
Ryan Giggs -Man U -1.5yrs older
Tugay KerimoÄŸlu -Blackburn -4 yrs older
Scholes- Man U- same age
Robbie Savage- Blackburn - same age
I could go on as there are more in teams doing better than us.....
John Sully - nobody's doubting Mendy's good name, but you seem to admit yourself that he only played a handful of really good games for Boro.
I know he's trying his socks off in the reserves, but I still wouldn't pick him. I don't think he's got the pace any more to hurt sides. Time to move on and look to the future - both for Mendy and Boro as a whole.
not before time weve brought a proper left winger in in stead of a rather jaded and ineffective downing, lets hope the manager plays him in the correct position.
the midfield should be: johnson.. cattermole .. rochenbach... o'neil.. which has both balance and aggression
never mind this accomodating players just because they have done it in the past,if they are off form they are out of the team,simple as that.i ts going to be a battle from now on,and we need players who are totally commited and can contribute for 90 minutes.
team for next week... schwartzer..young.. wheater.. pogatetz.. taylor...o'neil... rochenbach.. cattermole..
johnson..alliadiere...mido - that is if they are all fit.
Taking "Ignorant" of boroland's comments further we currently have Sol Campbell enjoying his England recall and giving valuable experience to his Portsmouth club who are outperfroming Boro by a country mile this season.
It seems an experienced Harry Redknapp and even our erstwhile manager currently trying to hang onto his England position himself realises the value experience has over youth when you are up against it. Clearly Mendy who is the same age as Sol has no experience or skill of merit to a struggling Boro team.
Still Boro know best and questioning only shows your disloyalty to "New Boro"
I'm reminded of the following extract "Who controls the past", ran the Party slogan, "controls the future: who controls the present controls the past." Part 1, Chapter 3, pg. 37 George Owell's 1984.
The Riverside is becoming a very souless place at the moment, I just hope somebody has the bravery to "rebel" and turn the tide and quickly!
As a number of you and AV know, I am am rightly or wrongly a believer in the fact that Mendi could be doing a job for us, if only for the short term, and possibly only in certain games.
There is no doubt he is not the player he was, age affects all of us, but he still has class, which currently Boro are short of.
He wasn't given a squad number at the start of the season because MFC, and some of us, saw him as a crock and a liability. He was told to find a new club.
The club were banking on getting something sorted if only to get him off the wage bill. It didn't happen. Mendi then went on to confound everyone by working hard, getting fit, and by all accounts producing outstanding form on the park of late (albeit in the reserves). All of this by the way was admitted by Southgate only this week.
But think about it. If they now give him a squad number, and he plays in the first team and god forbid he actually plays well, what will they do then? Offer him a change of heart, support his new found position in the squad? No. This is all about finance, reducing the wage bill, and paying another little slice off MFC's debts, or maybe investing in a much needed striker (although I doubt that one).
Giving Mendi the chance to prove himself again in the Premier League could raise new unwanted commercial issues for MFC, because if he does the business on the park, there is more reason for him to stay and see out his contract. There is no doubt in my mind that he is being given the cold shoulder treatment by MFC, simply to make him leave, but they didn't take into account the professionalism of the man, which has shone through.
Southgate has now found himself with a player who is straining at the leash to help the Boro cause, but because MFC have made their stand early in the season, is he now willing to cut his nose off just to prove that MFC were right to do what they did?
If they had shown as much faith in Mendi as they have shown for the other "crock" Huth, we may all have been surprised. The difference being, it was Southgate who signed Huth, so he HAS to prove he did the right thing there, otherwise it's £6m down the pan.
Now on to Andrew Johnson:
There's been a clamour from all quarters to get Jinky back from Watford. However we have not heard from Fortress Rockcliffe yet on why exactly they have brought him back?
Now don't jump down my throat here, but we need to look at this with a little caution, so let's analyse what we have.
Downing, for whatever reasons, has not been performing well for weeks now, by his own admission, so is Jinky back to give Stewy Boy a rest? Is Soutgate going to play two wingers, if so who get's binned? O'Neill from the right? Boat from the middle to move O'Neill over? Will he replace Tuncay? Surely not Aliadierre?
But whatever the reason, Jinky Jonno is going to add very little to our game plan unless we have a fit Mido back to get on the end of things, and the rest of our hapless strikers start being just that, strikers.
I am sure we are all intelligent enough to recognise that Johnson has been playing in the Championship, where it is almost a given that most teams play with at least one big lad up front, and it's worked well for him and Watford. He's even scored a few himself but what class of defenders was he up against?
So let's not get carried away, this is not Rooney coming back, or Joe Cole or Ryan Giggs, this is a young U21 future startlet still learning his trade, so let's not expect miracles.
Deka, there is nothing wrong with Mendi's commitment, go and see a reserves match!
I agree with you that-'its going to be a battle from now on and we need players who are totally commited and can contribute for 90 minutes.
However my point is that the last 3 games, Man U, Spurs and Bolton, are proof that after the hour mark the team cant keep that level up and substitutions are made that are not even maintaining the level of play that the first half offered.
Clive Hurren , Mendi's game was never about pace. Have you never seen a pass split a defence before?. Arca was doing it before he got crocked.
It is a reflection of our current situation that we are discussing the merits or demerits of a 33 year old midfield player who has performed fitfully for Boro over the last few years when available.
Most of the time the game has passed him by, the last good game against ManU in a five man midfield before serious injury laid him low.
Time to move on
Ian,
As much as I look forward to reading your usual balanced posts, I'm afraid on the Mendi issue we will just have to remain at odds.
And this will be my last interjection on the subject, honest.
Now I'm off to the wailing wall in Baku (no it's not a bar) for some inspirational head banging, wringing of hands and counting of beads, up front of the Isreal v Russia game this evening.
I had a dream that if Russia win, England go out and McClaren comes back to Boro!!
Now if you thought a Mendi return was bad enough, think about that one!
Sorry I said last word didn't I?
clive hurren.
what i am saying is when mendi is put in his correct position of centre midfield, he is a class act. and mendis game isn't about pace. it's about his vision and intelligent play. he deserves a chance to prove the believers or disbelievers right or wrong.
Neil [Baku] SPOT ON!!!!
MFC Make these hard line comments and continue to stick by them even if proved wrong again and again. Why?
Cant they say regarding issues-"we believe this is a good idea to go forward now but we will be aware and adjust if necessary as things change so we can progress"?
Southgate scored an own goal with his contradictory comments regarding two senior Boro players.
He said: “George has been a terrific servant for the club. Everybody has looked at his situation and assumed that he wouldn’t be involved but he still has a big part to play,� said Southgate.
“His response to being left out of the side recently has been first class. He has still had a real positive influence around the place, his attitude to training has been good and he wants the team to do well.�
“When times are difficult you need good professionals in your club and he is. He has still got a big part to play at the club, as you saw on Sunday.
“Everybody in the squad has a big part to play but especially the experienced ones.
“I have a relationship with all of the players in that I speak to them a lot as individuals, get a feeling of how they are.
“He wants to play, of course he wants to play but he has never complained about the decision and his attitude has been first class.�
But to Mendi he said: “At this moment in time I don’t see him being involved with the first team. His attitude to training is fantastic and his training has been brilliant. But it would be best if moved on"
Gareth if PLAN A doesn't work ,having a plan B might be an idea?
Since Arca got crocked we haven't been prepared for a full 90 minutes of football due to lack of options.
Good blog AV - we do need to switch things in the 90 mins we have to WIN a football match... and I quote you "But we still need something to inject a spark, offer the possibility of tactical changes within the game and an ability to switch styles and tempos on the pitch in a way that will create space, opportunities and those elusive goals. And we need it NOW."... but how?
Poor Gareth just ain't got the foresight to see the ability in his players to get the maximum performances out of them... you know how often I have posted that Wheats (the new Hickton) should start up front given a fit first choice back four... and I really believe that we can accomodate Catts, Johno and Stewy in the equation.
These are young "hungry" kids who will give 100% unlike some of the overpaid foreign demigods we have imported into the club.
So my message to GS is "swallow your pride and your ££££millions that you have wasted on the French and Turks whose goal scoring record before they came to the club was to say the least - BELOW AVERAGE!!!!!!!!
PS to last post
Even the Sky commentator on the England U21 game against Bulgaria said that one of the attempts on goal by Wheats was more akin to a "centre forward than a centre half"!!!!!!!
Hi AV
Never mind Untypical Boro but how about untypical Russia and untypical Croatia?
Call me cynical but... don't you think that foreign Rubles and the Commercialism of Sky are ruling the "beautiful game"?
So Southgate let's us know the reasons why he brought Jonno back:
“Long-term it would have been better for Adam to stay there but I felt it was time for him to come back to us because I need more options in our squad.
“With our injury situation, we need as much strength in the squad as we can. “
You know sometime I wonder if he is reading these blogs and the Gazette Forum to get ideas on how to manage MFC.
Didn't we need "more options" when our whole (non)strike force was injured, and has it taken him this long to see that Stewy Boy is self destructing??
The only sensible thing he has said in weeks is not to expect Johnson to perform miracles.
The man defies belief at times, he really does.
Neil
I would rather play Mendi than have Mac back, I think Mendis best days are behind him, knows what he is doing but cant do it as he did in the past.
Macmoses on the other hand doesnt know what he is doing and continues to do so to the best of his abilities.
I will be pleased when the Croatia game is over and England know their fate. Then we can concentrate and getting out of our own predicament.
Lets start looking forward to Saturday.
As recent events for England have proved things can turn round quickly. A few weeks ago England were comfortable in Russia and likely to qualify when Gerrard missed a chance. In no time at all Russia were 2-1 up and England in trouble.
On Saturday things looked fine as Isreal took the lead but Russia came back. Right at the end Russia hit the post and Israel do up the field and score, England on the brink of going out to then having control of their own destiny.
The same applies to us, we have contol of our own destiny but must take events into our own hands.
The clubs around us seem determined to be at least as bad as us, we must take the game to both Villa and Reading, we need the points to move us up the table. If we keep drawing other clubs will pick up points at some stage and we will slither into the bottom three.
Going back to Johnson I hope that people are not getting too excited at his return! He is only a young lad and despite being very skillful he is still rough round the edges.
Against Northampton in the cup this season he was brilliant in the first half and then poor in the second. He tends to try and do too much himself rather than pick out a better placed team-mate.
Hopefully a few monmths down at Watford might have sorted that out! I feel he will be a good replacement rather than a certain starter.
I also applaud Southgate for trying to take the heat off him before he kicks a ball so the expectant fans are not on his back if he does not score and set up two goals against Vlla this Saturday.
It's clinically depressing to hear the latest reports from the Gazette that Gareth Southgate is "chasing" Shola Ameobe. He'll have to fight Norwich City for his attentions, so be prepared to throw millions at him!!
Is he really the sort of player he wants in a Boro shirt ?? He's recovering from a serious injury and he's not exactly special in any sense. Personally I don't think he's premiership class, he doesn't have the balance, pace or technique.
As for Sorensen he'd be an improvement on Schwarzer but who wouldn't be ? I'd sooner have Danny Devito.
It's the rationale for our interest in Sorensen that has me weeping, gnashing my teeth and reaching for my revolver.
It seems the 'Aussie Ironman' won't sign an extension because we are not demonstrating enough love and commitment to him in the form extended contracts and improved offers. GOD HELP US ALL !
Apparently we don't know how to take care of our stars at Middlesbrough and that's why Viduka, Yakubu, Ziege, Zenden left.
I will be very interested to see how the gentle folk of Middlesbrough (worst place in the galaxy) welcome the ultra sensitive Aussie. Don't expect a bouquet Mark.
I don't think he'll show up.
Surely a joke that Boro are looking to sign Shola Ameobi?
28 goals in 166 games spread over seven seasons for the Skunks.
Does this represent Boro's ambitions? If so we are in more trouble than I thought.
No wonder SG choose GS as the manager, what 'top manager' would come to the Boro if he could only afford to sign players of Ameobi's calibre?
**AV writes: But, and it is an important but, is he better than what we have got? His 28 goals is far more than all the current strike force all added together in English football. That is where we are right now.
Score Draw
When I saw Gate was chasing Ameobi I thought he had seen him outside Hurworth and sent him packing.
There again he has all the ingredients we need - a non scoring injured striker with no control or pace.
We would be better off with a shoal of amoeba, close enough for an anagram!
A few short points:
I like many fans DO NOT want Stewie replaced, he IS our main creative force despite being double marked, ID'ed and targetted - Boro Should use this to their advantage.
Lets get behind the LOCAL LADS and be thankful that we have them and lets not be so quick to criticise or boys - we have something to be proud of.
Surely Mendi could have a role to play, he game NEVER relied on pace and I don't follow this modern obsession that players MUST have pace to be top quality esp. in centre-mid.
I am for the internal coach and manager set-up created by Gibbo - ok it may be cheaper but as long as we keep signing quality players and keeping them then it may just work (may need a few supplements along the way).
The club should not be held to ransom by players and that is why we "lost" the likes of Zeige and Viduka - also remember that all these players went to bigger clubs who can afford a higher wage structure.
Finally, there are many GK's out there who could do an equally good job as Schwarzer - we've had his best years time for a change.
Gilly, your comment about that non scoring injured striker is spot on. Southgate's budget must be non existant!
Oh yeh and the comment 'We would be better off with a shoal of amoeba'... I am still in tears laughing!
AV - Fair enough response.
However just because he has scored more goals than our current strike force does not make him a good player.
It just reflects on how poor GS's signings have been since becoming manager. The only signing that can hold his head up high is O'Neill and he was a proven PL player.
Although Ameobi has acored goals in the PL it will be a sad day on Teesside if Boro have to resort to signing Skunk reserve strikers.
Do you think he would be a good signing?
shoal of amoeba!!!!
don't do it Gareth, my Nan only lives down the road in Pool and she has a wicked shot on her!
I can just imagine the fans at the Library sorry Riverside singing 'You put yer left leg in , yer left leg out,in out, in out blah blah ,OOh Shola Ameobi, ooh Shola Ameobi.
No bleedin thanks!!
Please AV tell me it ain't true!
Shola Ameobi - well, you can have your view but no one could argue that he didn't fall within the realms of sensible consideration.
But several sites are now carrying stories linking us with Saudi striker who goes by the nickname of 'The Sniper' - his experience is all in Saudi.
Have we learned nothing from the Simba experience. We may also have been bitten on the Shawky front too.
Can't you try to get Gate to deny this out of hand? Please!!
Even if he were to be any good when stepping up from something that's about Unibond standard then, forgive me I should know this, but aren't the Saudi's in African Cup of Nations, so how would that help with Mido?
And, either way, how long exactly would it take him to get up to speed?
**AV writes: The Gate has asked about Ameobi several times and while Newcastle are open to the idea they don't want to leave themselves short (Martins will be at the African Nations Cup too) so any deal would depend on Owen and Viduka staying fit until January and/or Newcastle bringing a new face in.
As to "the Sniper" it is just speculation. With two Egyptians in the squad Boro are now high profile in the Middle-East and having proved they are willing to sign Arabic players they are now the first stop for agents who think they may sign more. Any player who expresses an interest in playing in the big leagues will be linked here first.
Anthony - If he (Ameobe) is better than we have already what does that say about our recent purchases?
Please tell me this is a rare but successful 'wind up' by some shirtless, geordie bottler, with the obligatory eating disorder who for once has the upper hand over us.
My advice to Gareth is not to try a spin this one into reality - "he's been a long term target" , "I've always been an admirer" , "he's very underrated"
In Grangetown that's called "feeding us crap and calling it chocolate cake"
**AV writes: Sorry but our understanding is that there is definitely something concrete in this.
Ameoba, Saudi Arabians, Dean Windass.
I stick by my view that our fate is in the hands of who we have already. As I posted some time ago it will be a while before we can get anyone into the club unless they are unattached and in that case we may as well look at the scrawls in telephone booths from 'lonely of Clapham' looking for a soulmate.
If we dont get points on the board soon it will be a real struggle until the end of the season and it may be that anyway.
The thought we are looking at a striker who has scored 28 in 166 matches shows the problems we have.
And finally, any news on Mido? Don't rely on MFC.
Vic, your words that we won;t be signing "The Sniper" are reassuring. God, how I wish you could dismiss the link with Ameobi as thoroughly. He's a 6-10 goal a seson man at best.
Good news the press have finally cottoned on to the fact Sorensen is a tailor-made for us. He's a great keeper and will give us 5-years service. It will be a relief to get rid of that dreadful Aussie finally.
**AV writes: A 6-10 goal a season man? Don't dismiss him... he could be our top scorer!
At first I reckoned it might be good to see Stewie in a left midfield role, but, thinking about it, I can't imagine him working well in that position.
He's reluctant these days to take players on going forward, he doesn't seem to have the same ability to create time and space for himself the way Arca can, and defensively he'd provide about the same cover for the defense as a damp kleenex.
More importantly: hey, don't knock Shoal of Amoeba! They really rate him back home in North Protozoa, he's got a sweet left pseudopod, and he plays well in a 4-5-1,000,000 formation. And, often found in decaying animals, he'd fit right in at the Boro.
Shola Ameobi? I would rather us go and get Hamilton Ricard back than him! The fact half of Tyneside are in fits of laughter at the mere hint of him joining us should give Southgate an idea of how poor he is!
Also the fact this Saudi lad has a nickname called the 'Sniper' is warning signs enough. We've had a Gladiator, a Lion King and a Braveheart and they have not done it.