Have Sands Shifted In Boro's Favour?
THE SHIFTING statistical sands of the struggle for survival have moved in Boro's favour once again. Hot on the heels of Sunderland and Hull helpfully opting to crash and burn, a demoralised Newcastle's failure to win against Portsmouth was a fantastic result.
Not just because it kept the Geordies firmly in the mire - but also because it has exposed the so called "Shearer factor" as a little more than a desperate and impotent PR stunt that has had negligible impact on what remains a poor and unbalanced team. He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy. And his vanity - and poor judgement - in taking the poisoned chalice has just added another layer of dressing room confusion on what was already a dysfunctional club. That can only help Boro.
Any hopes of Mr Creosote being able to act as an alchemist and turn base metal into goals are now in tatters, and predictably so: the notion that a collection of crocks, cloggers and clowns were suddenly going to be miraculous transformed into Barcelona by the very presence of a deity was a collective delusion. It would be like Boro appointing Juninho and expecting Shawky to start doing back-heel nut-megs and stepovers.
Newcastle must now go to Liverpool before the do-or-die derby clash. Boro face a tough one too, there's no avoiding that. But in the one that matters the pressure will all be on Newcastle: they are the eighth biggest club in the world, too big to go down, a team the Premiership need and the media adore they face a loser-goes-down clash at home in front of an emotional fuelled crowd. And this team who haven't won at home all year will be led by a gaggle of conflicting coaches fronted by a Magpie mascot with no experience whatsoever who is starting to realise it is far harder from the dug-out than it is from the red settee.
Boro will go there as underdogs and with appalling away form but you would still rather go to one of the worst sides in the league needing something than go to Everton, or Bolton or Stoke. And if Boro needed any motivation it will be the possibility of making history, because whatever happens, this game is going down in folklore.
Win - and put the Geordies down - and then go on to escape and suddenly this season will be right up there with 1990's final day derby delight as a cultural highpoint. The mutually assured destruction of the draw will take them down in a suicidal embrace that will at least offer some silver lining for the gallows humourists and a derby next year.
Meanwhile the pressure has moved again. Just as last weekend Boro fans were backing West Brom and Liverpool and last night they were all singing the Pompey chimes, this week it will be channelled into proxy passion for the Potters. Stoke go to Hull and we need them to win. Go on Rory, lob those grenades in there.
Given the way thingshave changed in the last week it may be worth revisiting the BBC Premiership predictor. For my part I dont' t think (crosses fingers) Hull will pick up more than two more points all season. That leaves Boro needing to find five points and hoping Newcastle (who also hame Fulham at home and Villa away) fall short of that. Tough, but it is not Mission Impossible. It is going to the final day. You'd take that now wouldn't you?
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Anthony Vickers
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Put your money on the game against NUFC being a draw, a result which will leave both teams in an almost impossible position to get out of.
Anyway, whats the big deal about staying in the Premier League these days. It is boring, predictable and "plastic", full of overpaid prima donnas and there are plenty of biggish teams and attractive fixtures in the Championship these days than there are in the EPL. On top of that Boro might actually start winning some games again.
PS - Hull play at Villa this week not Stoke
**AV writes: They do indeed. Good spot.
Oh dear Vic. You're sounding a bit like the players now. Is it four more wins and we can make the Europa cup? Nice thoughts though, but totally unrealistic me thinks.
**AV writes: People wrote Boro off and had consigned them to relegation with 13 games left - and third of the season - when I said that was ridiculous I was denounced as king ra-ra. With ten left people said we were already gone and after I predictied it was going down to the final day the realists wanted me sectioning.
Now look: four left, we are still in it, the sides around us have even worse form and have been too inept to kill us off and effectively we need to not lose to Newcastle and claw back three points and two goals on Hull, the poorest team in the league.
It is not a situation you would choose and no one is saying this is great team - it isn't, far from it - but neither is that situation beyond salvaging. We can get out of this just by being moderate.
ps It is unrealistic---ISNT IT?
We will beat the Geordies and they will tear themselves apart over the summer in a squabbling bankrupt mess. Can't wait.
The key will be to hold our nerve after this weekend. Given the timing of the Newcastle game, plus Boro's opposition this weekend, things could look a lot worse by the time we get to St James.
But beat Newcastle and beat Villa and there's a good chance we'll stay up.
I'd take the 'need a win at West Ham to stay up scenario' anytime but I fear that scenario is a forlorn hope. To be in that position we will need to not loose at Newcastle and beat Villa.
All the permutations will become irrelevant if Hull nick a win somewhere, if that happens both Boro and the Geordies are gone.
"We will beat the Geordies and they will tear themselves apart over the summer in a squabbling bankrupt mess. Can't wait. "
Your views are typical of the moronic simpletons that spend more time hating other clubs rather than supporting your own.
NEVER MIND WORRYING ABOUT ANY OTHER CLUBS, WE MAY HAVE OUR OWN SQUABBLING BANKRUPT MESS TO CLEAN UP!
**AV writes: I've made a few changes here that were clearly a provocation. I've no problem you having your say but I'm not getting bogged down in petty point scoring.
I revisited the BBC predicter and have Boro, Hull and Newcastle all around the 37-38 point mark.
I have a feeling Hull's goal difference could end up deciding our fate. Bolton play both Hull and Sunderland which also could be key games.
Way it is now both north east teams will be relegated. Hull will win 1 game, probably stoke.
Southgate out! He has to leave!
The only Boro win I can remember at St james was when Wilko ran 50 yards into a force 10 gale in his only ever one on one, sticking it past Tommy Wright, for a 1-0 il win in LL's promo season, so we must be due one.
Getting into the geordies and exposing the nervous tension in the crowd that we know to well at the Riverside could be crucial. If they start booing then we could force a result. A good result against Man U would help, as would an early goal or 2!
Flew home out of Teeside yesterday and guess who was lurking in the corner..... McClaren. Hope he wasn't back on Teeside sorting his second coming.... lol
**AV writes: Relax. His family still live in Yarm.