Is the magic of the Cup now just an illusion

by werdermouth, posted in Uncategorized

It’s the moment all football fans look forward to – the magic of the third round of the FA Cup – all the thrills and spills unfolding as the big boys enter the fray and take on the plucky underdogs…or do they?

[insert own personal recollection of needle scratching across a vinyl record here]

Well maybe that sentiment belonged to the era that pre-dates the internet. To paraphrase a recently departed famous Teesside magician – I like the FA Cup, but not a lot. Maybe I’m wrong, but I now get the impression that as clubs have long shown indifference to what was once the Wembley dream, the fans have joined in and seem to dismiss a Cup run as being a bit of a distraction. Well unless you’re one of the lucky supporters who follow clubs hoping to finish in the top four then believe me you need a distraction every now and then.

This indifference initially started with a few big clubs putting out a second string team as their priorities were with winning the Title or qualifying once again for the big money of the Champions League – but as the top four generally had big squads of top players it was only slightly frowned upon and they usually won anyway – though if they unexpectedly lost there was always a trip to AC Milan next week to console the fans.

But what didn’t make sense was when other ‘lesser’ PL clubs followed suit and stopped fielding their first XI – they puffed out their chests,  straightened their jacket collars and announced “we’re a big club now and the FA Cup is not our priority” – confident that their fans will be more than happy if they secure 14th spot in the table, pragmatism became the order of the day as glut of unused trophy cabinets started appearing on ebay.

OK I understand that everyone has now become fearful of dropping out of the PL but it’s now even spread to Championship teams (and beyond) as clubs look to rest key players ahead of more important league games.

But for clubs like Middlesbrough, the FA Cup is something we need to take seriously – Boro have got a whole week before their next game at Watford and a home tie against a Championship side (who will no doubt probably field a weakened side as they bid for promotion to the promised land) offers a good opportunity to kick off a decent cup run and a bit of relief from our daily grind of staying up.

It only takes a few back-to-back Cup victories and the energy of supporters is lifted and the hope (albeit of the kind that kills you) spreads through the town and beyond.

I remember a few years back when a group of us from Untypical Boro met for a discussion with Steve Gibson – Mogga was still manager then and the Boro Chairman’s ambition was to get promoted, hold our own in Premier League and perhaps win a Trophy every four or five years.

Well Steve Gibson was speaking as a Boro fan – the question on Sunday is will Aitor Karanka be pragmatic and select a team with either one or two eyes on Watford – or will he have his eyes closed with a mental image of both hands lifting the trophy as a the defeated Jose looks up from the pitch with a tear in his eye.

So call me an old-fashioned lover of black plastic discs, but I’d like to see our best team on the pitch and Boro give the paying public a good display and move safely through into the hat (or whatever hyped-up vessel they now use to allow Ian Wright to draw Arsenal at home). There’s no point holding back and playing a one-upmanship game of bench envy instead – we know our best players can sit down for 90 minutes, so I’d rather see them play.

So usually drill, make your predictions of team selection, result, attendance and anything else you might fancy a flutter on.

Let the Wembley dream begin!

128 thoughts on “Is the magic of the Cup now just an illusion”

  1. Looks like I’m No.1 so here goes. I think, feel and see a 3-2 win. I’ll check the goose entrails tomorrow and see what shows up there. As AV was fond of saying ‘the football inevitability drive’ means a certain ex-Boro player will score two with outside the penalty area screamers and people will be telling, nay berating, AK for selling him. But if it is two weakened sides 1-1.

    I look forward to following AV’s Twitter feed on the right.

    I need a beer.

    UTB,

    John

  2. I like the FA cup, well who doesn’t if your team reaches round 5 on?

    Its true that a lot of the magic has been taken away by clubs striving to maximise cash either by qualifying for the champions league, avoiding relegation or aiming for promotion.

    Anyway, the Wednesday match is an opportunity for AK to field a strong side with the aim of winning, he could even tweak his tactics a little and aim to entertain the fans with some attacking football perhaps?

    I suppose team selection will give us an idea of who might leave in January, I don’t expect to see Ayala, Nugent or Rhodes in the team.

    Interesting ‘rumour’ from ofb on the previous thread about Bamford. I thought his day with Boro and been and gone, but maybe not.
    He’s a different type of player to Negredo so would give a genuine plan B as opposed to Gestede who I believe is cover for Negredo.

    If Bamford does come to Boro its going to be a while before hes up to speed though, sitting around the Burnley training ground twiddling his thumbs must have left him pretty ring rusty. Buying him would be a gamble, but if its a loan until the end of the season it gives us a chance to see how he shapes up.

    3-0 Boro on Sunday.

  3. Having read AK’s pre match comments and the fact that we appear to have a number of players with injuries then a changed/weakened team is inevitable. Much as I would like to see us score 3 goals I think it unlikely and am going for a tight 1-0 to us.
    Team is anyone’s guess but I do not see AK changing his usual method of settling new players In before they are blooded so expect RG to be on the bench at best. I think Guzan will get another game and we may see Nsue and Espinosa in the defence with DA & GF. JR may get a run out and no doubt SD and CS will feature. If GL is unavailable then the midfield may pick itself.

    Crowd 27, 331

    CoB

  4. I posted 4-1 to us when I thought it was Friday on Thursday. No real reason to change that. Whatever the starting line up I think we will play without so much fear about losing as we seem to in the league and we will be split too strong for the Owls. Agree about the inevitability of an Adam Reach goal though.

    My only concern will be if (as I expect) Guzan starts in goal.

    As for the cup. I still have that little bit of excitement about it… But I am from the era when with only 2 channels to choose from on the TV, they both broadcast day long specials following the teams from breakfast in their hotels to the team coaches inching their way forward on Wembley Way as the two lucky teams made their way to fulfill many a childhood dream.

    It’s not been the same in the Sky TV era for sure, and now BT as well.

    Still, as Nigel said, get to the 5th round and you start to believe something is possible.

    COB

  5. I used to like the FA Cup, a good run, a few wins against bigger clubs, great to watch. Still remember my first FA Cup game against West Ham with Bobby Moore et al.

    Sure, the magic has gone although a good cup run can’t be ignored and I hope we put up a decent team. Who knows what it will be, almost given up predicting but here goes

    Dimi

    Fabio Chambers Gibson Friend

    Adama De Roon Leadbitter Clayton Downing

    Rhodes

    A scrappy 1 0 with a nervy last 20 as we hang on and AK makes some strange substitutions at 75′, 88 and 90 minutes!

    Crowd will be 25005

    I could dream of 8 0 but as I have seen Boro score 8 twice, then that won’t happen again with AK.

    Going back to my promenade on last blog, I was one who thought we had been out of the top flight more often than not so thanks to Pomwill Naemore for checking the stats. Glad to be proved wrong and for “a small town in Europe” then thanks to SG we have punched above our weight. Long may that continue.

    We all know this season wil be a hard slog to stay up and much as I enjoyed the last two seasons in the Ch….., I do worry what would happen if we were to go down. We must consolidate and maybe, just maybe, we can do a Leicester!

    Yes, I am a dreamer and was brought up on “there’s always next season” for both Boro and Yorkshire in the C word but as Yorkshire are doing great now, so can the mighty Boro!

    UTB

    1. BBD – that West Ham game you mention…… was it the one we won 2-0 at Ayresome? As I recall, all 3 of West Ham’s World Cup winners played – Moore, Hurst and Peters. I also have a vague recollection of Derek Downing (no relation!) scoring with a low diving header. Ancient and decrepit fellow bloggers will correct me if I’m wrong.

      My biggest memory of that game was that my Dad, who had given up going to see Boro several years before, got us both seating tickets in the old South stand upper. So for the first time, I vacated my place on the Holgate and got to look down on the chicken run where later I stood (and moaned!) for many years!

      By the way, I hope you’re right about the size of the crowd on Sunday. Somehow, I can’t see it. Wednesday will bring a lot, as usual, but I suspect we will struggle to break 18000.

  7. BBD – I thought promenade was a lovely use of the word.

    I love the cups. I don’t mind the absence of replays and I don’t mind the big clubs putting out a weakened team as it increases our chances of winning against them. Playing the semi’s at Wembley is abhorrent.

    Surely it was clinging to the memory of Cardiff which kept us all going during the dark days of the Championship? What is football without glory? The point of being in the Prem is not to win it, though that would be nice. The point is it affords us a strong enough squad to challenge for the cups and/or sneak into Europe.

    What would a Portsmouth or Wigan fan choose if they would substitute their Cup win for a life of endless grind in the Prem? Well, I did ask a Pompey supporting colleague. He laughed and looked at me as if I were stupid. ‘I saw my team win the cup. They can’t take that away from me.’

    An all out assault on Sunday is unlikely but it would do wonders for morale around the ground. I won’t hold my breath. The longer it goes on the greater Wednesday will believe they can win it.

    One nil to us.

  8. I think that deep down every chairman, manager, player and supporter would love to win the cup, any cup. Think of our own cup win. However only 1 team can win it and we then enter the realm of managing expectations. ‘The league is more important’. ‘We need to rest players’. ‘We need to give squad players a chance. ‘ and with that, it is a self defeating prophecy that a team gets knocked out only for everyone to say that it’s now best we concentrate on the league. It would be refreshing, especially for those who pay to go to the game to see us make this a priority and go for it 100%. Winning is a habit and a good cup run can result in improved league form.

    Congratulations to everyone on the new home for the blog. As a lurker it would have been a shame for everyone to have the attitude of, ‘what’s the point, the big boys always win.’ Diasboro has shown the way.

  10. The fact of the matter is that the FA destroyed their own competition by selling its soul; once the PL deal was established and the FA Cup Final was no longer the climax of the English season, it was on life-support…the Champions League weakened its pulse yet further and the frankly heinous decision to play both semis at Wembley then finished it as a worthwhile competition in my eyes. These days no-one knows when the final is, what time it starts, and would struggle to recall who even won the thing last year, let alone who scored. The League Cup – retaining proudly its USP of two-legged semi finals – has been much the better of the domestic cup comps for some years now. Shame Boro didn’t do better with that this season. I hope they win on Sun but can’t honestly say I’m bothered either way.

  11. For the first time for a long time I am not sure. We need to stay in the PL this season and the FA Cup might be a distraction. Might be.

    Next year we must go fully for the FA Cup. I am thinking the same way as Gibbo (Sir). We must try to win a trophy in the next three years. Absolutely.

    But this year? Well, I am old enough to have dreamed for Boro to play at Wembley in a May afternoon. So I would still say go for it!

    So full strength team on Sunday. And a 4-1 win with Gibbo (Jr.) and a Rhodes hat-trick. And Reachy for the Owls.

    Up the Boro!

    PS. Who was the last Boro player to score a hat-trick? Was it in Mogga’s time, perhaps?

      1. Clive, you are teesing me, right? AK is never that attacking minded, he would have substituted BamBam with a defending midfielder in the first half, like. Surely?

        Jelle Vossen did blast a first-half hat-trick as Middlesbrough hammer Millwall 5-1 away from home on December 6th 2014.

        Up the Boro!

  12. I grew up with the FA Cup being the focal point of the season.

    In my view the biggest blow was the when the FA almost ‘forced’ Manu to play a competition on the other side of the world to try and gain the World Cup disrupting the teams season for FA’s hoped gain. Manu didn’t play in the cup and we didn’t get the World Cup.

    Many blamed ManU for not entering the FA Cup but it was all the FA’s doing. When ManU were criticised the FA blazers sat on their hands, looked the other way and whistled tunelessly.

    Shameful behaviour, toadying up for their own benefit and letting someone else take the blame.

    Apart from that I like us to do well, the team will be a good pointer to who is staying and a chance of game time for fringe players. A good performance is essential because even if the second string do poorly it will affect team dynamics.

  13. Growing up the FA Cup was probably more exciting than the League itself for me but as James has said the FA sold their soul and as a consequence it is now an irritating distraction filed up there with the International breaks but probably in fairness one shelf down.

    Of course if we were to win it it would be great but the likelihood of that is virtually restricted to the top 6 so why bother. Survival has to be the solitary goal this season and so far that is just about holding its head above water. A distraction of the FA Cup is exactly that, extra games, potential injuries picked up, fatigue and false hope.

    I suspect Wednesday will have a similar view of it. All of our injuries suddenly appearing makes me think that if it were a league game there would be no talk of tired and aching limbs. Both sides have far more important games to focus on so I suspect both teams to be somewhat different to the “norm”.

    We also have likely exiting players whose value could be compromised where they to be cup tied so it will be interesting to see who is picked. Of course conversely it may in a twisted logic kind of way be an opportunity to give them game time putting them in the shop window but can you imagine if Rhodes scored a hat trick?

    1. I’m dreaming of a silver trophy, RR . Just dreaming.

      I also used think the FA Cup final was the biggest thing in football as a kid. They were all shown live on TV over here in the 1970’s and 1980’s before the commercial channels came in. So internationally it was as big as in the UK.

      Up the Boro!

  14. Redcar Red

    I listened to an interview with Cresswell who said he could only get a cup medal, forget premier league or Europe. This was important to him.

    Fair play to Man Citeh, de Bruyne, Sterling, Silva and Aguero all played so they are taking it seriously but maybe they need some form.

  15. Will be a different team on Sunday we have a few out injured. Don’t be surprised if Dimi gets a run out. Friend Espinosa Gibson ensue Clayton Forshaw Downing Traore Rhodes Gestede

    2 0 crowd 17644

  17. Werder, the blog is looking excellent now. Well done, mate in just a few days.

    I think the “blog” page looks more attractive than the “home” page as you can see how many posts there are and so on. So perhaps it would be better looking for a occational visitor.

    Parhaps you could make the blog page as the home page, Werder? Just saying, like.

    I love the Diasboro, me. Up the Boro!

    1. Thanks Jarkko – Yes I agree my original intention has been superseded by going live so quickly – the site is based on a WordPress template with a separate Home page and Blog page – which I initially chose when I created the Diasboro site so that I could leave a general message about the blog.

      Apparently I can override the template structure and make the Blog page the home page but I got a little nervous about risking losing something as it needs to be done carefully and is not reversible – I plan to look into it in the coming week.

      1. Werdermouth,

        I am trying to sort out WordPress as another blog for my prints, I use Google Blogspot for my West Norfolk blog, and I fully understand your caution, if the instructions on WordPress were in everyday language it would help considerably.

        I am amazed how quickly you got this blog up and running. Slowly, slowly, mistakes are mistakes on WordPress and if it goes wrong you have to start again.

        UTB,

        John

        🔴 Thanks John, yes you have to be careful as the whole site could get deleted if you start crashing around – plus there are three types of WordPress: WordPress.com in standard and premium versions (paid extras) plus WordPress.org that you host on your own URL instead – which all have different features and finding solutions to fit your own template can take time – Werdermouth

  18. Clive
    The West Ham match was a 3-1 win. west Ham ran us ragged for 25 minutes, Clyde Best was quick and terrifying, I think he had a couple ruled out for offside. Then we took over for a comfortable win in the end.

    Listened to a discussion about ‘knocks’ keeping players out of the cup games, the same players would be fit for a Prem match. The same discussion included the idea of playing the cup in midweek.

    Looking at ticket map we will struggle to get much above upper teens.

  19. I do not mind the manager making a decision about the cup and sticking to it, but be aware that the toughest draw a prem, team can get is a top six champ. side at home, and Wednesday are certainly that. They specialise in being bloody minded and keeping on keeping on. What could possibly go wrong.
    Looking forward to it.

  20. The F.A. Cup was the most important trophy in football. It was the first national club
    trophy. That’s why it’s simply known as the F.A. cup. Every other national cup competition has the nation in the moniker e.g. scottish cup, german cup (DFB Pokal) etc.
    When he Bill Shankly retired as Liverpool manager in 1974 he gave winning the cup as one of the reasons. He’d just won the most important trophy in football and wanted to go out at the top.
    Third round day used to be one of the biggest dates in the football calender. The cup final was the only club game that was ever shown live, all season. It used to be on both channels at the same time, and all day long, starting with it’s a cup final knockout and going on well into the evening with the aftermath.
    For years it was the only club game played at wembley. The only way to play at wembley was the cup final or to play for or against england there in an international. There were many football greats that never had the opportunity to play there. Nowadays it’s hard to find a pro that hasn’t played there. Cup final, League cup final, Cup semis, playoffs.

    All that made the cup special.

    I agree it was devalued when Manu withdrew one year. But the real devaluation happened when it became more important ,finacially, to finish in the top 4 to qualify for the champions’ league. And now it’s more important to stay in the premiership than win the cup.

    I agree with the portsmouth fan. Winning the cup is something they can’t take away from you.

  21. Ian – the West ham game was 2-0 to the Boro as I recall, I’m sure Becky’s dad would confirm. You don’t forget your first FA cup tie.

    The goals were magnificent still burned permanently into my memory.

    Hughie jumping 20 feet into the air to head from a corner and late in the second half Derek Downing’s horizontal diving header at least the length of the penalty box . . .

    Youre right about Clyde Best he got the ball into the net a few times. The highlight was the booking of Bobby Moore who lost his captaincy of England as a result.

    That was a great season . . .

  22. A little bit on our previous existence and it is a mini gripe.

    Because of the way the gazette site covers a story, they break it down in to mini stories covering each aspect.

    To get the full story you have to navigate the shark infested waters dodging pop ups, listening to sponsors adverts to piece together what is going on from several links.

    I understand totally their need for revenue, frustrating though it is, I am afraid it is our lot. Proper discussion seems to take place here.

    1. Ian

      I think it is the way of “modern” media. Sky News used to be a news service now its a bunch of z list celeb no marks sat around a table in a corridor with the “newscasters” (and I use that term very lightly) standing up with an iPad reading the news such as it is. Their content seems to be ten minutes of actual news, 3 minutes of sport then just recycle ad nauseum for 24 hours unless or until there is a spectacular story breaking somewhere that they can’t ignore.

      The times I have watched Al Jazeera or even RT (and therein lies another can of wriggly worms) covering stories of mass deaths and destruction perhaps in Yemen, Iraq or say the plight of Venezuelans after the oil collapse and then switch over to see Sky headline with “Parents putting Mars/Twix/Milky Way bars in kids lunch boxes” or Prince Harry’s latest girlfriend.

      The BBC try manfully to attempt to keep news as a serious subject but then have presenters dressed like aunt sally or worse still look like they have been dragged through a hedge backwards. Don’t start me on ITV, I don’t ever go there its become so bad despite their highly overpaid “stars” with ego’s to match. Maybe some people like it all sugar coated and syrupy but I prefer news, knowledge and information to be delivered on a nice clean palette.

      Our local paper has been altered from an Evening paper to a Morning paper with the first few front and back pages containing local news and the rest just standardised Trinity Mirror junk. Their “news” is now 24 hours later due to being printed far far away and being delivered in the Morning which in reality is the morning after what would have been in the old previous Evening editions.

      As a consequence I now get my news fix elsewhere and ironically not from TV stations or websites littered with videos, ads and trite stories let alone spin. There seems to be a growing fixation with bling rather than quality which probably reflects the shallow values of our youth of today. Fake and plastic, Carcrashian style.

    2. Absolutely Ian – the Geeezette site has gradually degenerated into a full page Exchange and Mart, like those multi-sponsored racing motorcyclist leathers. Pages regularly crash on my iPad due to the volume of Active X or whatever.

      Afraid to say the journalism has gone the same way. They have more people covering Boro than you can shake a stick at and they spend their column inches regurgitating sanitised copy, often taken from other sources and often with little intrinsic value. Of course, this is not the sole domain of the EG; lazy sports journalism is now endemic in the industry – for example, ‘3/5/10 things we learned’ or slideshow predictions are two forms of this that really get my goat.

      There is a saying that goes, ‘if there’s nothing to say, better to say nothing’. Now I realise that MGN needs to have copy to sell but saturation football coverage column feet could be better used for say…more adverts…

  23. Allan and Clive

    The three of us were nearly right. Just checked the book I bought my son in 2003 – Who’s that team they call the Boro?

    The final score was 2-1

  24. As a kid, the FA cup was somehow massive, bigger than anything and i agree with our blogmeister that changed when teams began to field under strength teams.

    As a nipper, FA Cup final day was by far the best day of the year, the build up of the match to the teams walking out on the hallowed turf was incedible.

    Today, I would play a strong attacking third, Negredo up front, Stewie left and Traore right with the intention of grabbing a confidence boosting few goals and also the intent that we do take this competition seriously. Perhaps even 4231 formation with Forshaw pulling the number 10 strings.

    The Bam Bam link seems get stronger, 4 million quid, but he would be third choice or even 4th choice. I am forever grateful of his 2014 2015 contribution, but i cannot see where he fits in AK’s Premiership plans.

  25. I have used Twitter for news stories the past year and also for gazette articles. It is up to date and you don’t get news personalities putting their spin on the news

    Everyone deserves credit for how seamless this transition to the new blog has been

  26. Looks like Rhodes could play tomorrow AK has said Gestede won’t play and don’t know if he will rest the beast.

    Interesting to hear that Forshaw hasn’t trained all week due to exhaustion so he won’t play

    No matter what anyone says about the cup I’m really looking forward to it and I’ll be there

  27. Thanks Ian- my memory plays tricks – I remember Bobby Moore getting booked (it had to be bad in those days!) and them having goals disallowed along with the goals.

    Please put me out of misery and tell me what year it actually was.

  29. The West Ham game was fabulous with two top class goals. One from McIlmoyle and a wonderful late diving header from Derek Downing.

    Another of my abiding memories is of Bobby Moore committing a bad foul over by the Clive Road terrace, and the ref striding over, book out, and yelling in a stentorian voice for everyone to hear, “What’s your name?”

  30. Just to concur with OFB the transition to the new blog has been as smooth as a smooth thing and we’ve also got some new posters which is great.

    So, I wonder what MGN/Gazette management have gained?

    1. Nigel

      To be fair to the EG the blog wasn’t bringing in any revenue and taking a staff members time to manage and contribute to it

      They have to follow company corporate policy and the strategy now is to use the video clips and they are trialling new software called PRESS PASS which as I have said before will be a subscription based site

      Overall the input that we bloggers provided did represent the groundswell of opinion and was a useful tool for interaction between the media and consumer

      Our new blog will be read by AV and others and for us really there will be no change

      We should be grateful that AV left the door ajar so we could sneak out one by one and that was a great gesture.

      It was obvious as I think Len said that his body language on the videos showed his disquiet at the decision . But as we all know sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and get on with it.

      Finally we are so grateful that within our group that we had sufficiently professional people to set up a new blog and to instantly populate it with interesting discussion as usual

      Up The Boro and long live
      DiasBoro

  31. Boro team that day: Whigham, Smith (R), Jones, Smith (G), Gates, Spraggon, Downing, Laidlaw, McIlmoyle, Hickton, Maddren. Crowd 32,585 (info from Harry Glasper’s book).

  32. Always amazes me watching the film of the 1975 4th round win over Sunderland. Just shy of 40,000 in the ground, the pitch a sea of mud, both teams playing in their away colours, and Alan Weeks on commentary. Proper football!

  33. Thanks James, I wasn’t sure if it was 69 or 70 – I was 9 and we had come up from London where we lived for New Year.

    I remember the Downing goal and the photo in the sports Gazette. In fact I may still have it as I did a scrapbook one season of all the match reports etc. From the Pink un that my Grandma used to post to my Dad along with Shoot for me!

    Those were the days or were they? Now that’s a close season discussion if ever there was one.

  34. Thanks for the correction – I don’t remember the West ham Goal at all – must be getting old. 1970? good god where did the years go?

  35. 1970’s – dont get me started!

    Do you know where you were the evening of the 26th of November 1975?I do, and although I could swear there were more there with me that night, apparently there were only 15 000 in attendance.

    The following summer was the hotteston record – you could burn yer bare feet on the sands at Redcar, and we got water from a bowser parked in the street.

    Happy days

    1. Spartak
      Yea I remember that summer the ground under our bay window dried up and shrunk and the front of the house slipped and had to be underpinned!

      Luckily I was working in building construction then so got the lads out PDQ

      A long time ago in a galaxy far far away…….

    2. Spartak, my memory is not what it was, but I think it was the first leg of the Anglo-Scottish Cup Final against Fulham which the Boro won 1-0. I can’t remember who scored. I think the second leg was a 0-0 draw and so a rare trophy winged its way to Teesside.

  37. And another thing…I love this blog and Werdermouth deserves a medal as big as the Riverside centre circle for his efforts. Somehow this feels more liberated that the previous incarnation..a bunch of virtual mates able to express views through humour and passion for a common cause…

    🔴 Thanks Cassandra, At least I now have something to reveal when people ask ‘show me your medals’ but I fear it’s size may not help my bad posture – Werdermouth

  38. I see Eddie Howe has cleared the decks for Bournemouth’s Premiership survival. Sunderland and Burnley are now stuck with a replay, oh dear.

    Looks like Hull have put Swansea out failing a last minute equaliser and de Sart has made a decent start with Derby.

  39. The Gazette started being more open with it’s Boro Banter articles where people like us contributed but the articles became smaller and smaller and infrequent. Sometimes they were not used.

    That is now history, you will get more debate on here than on the videos elsewhere but they are paid by the Gazette, they have relationships to maintain.

    AV professes to be a tub thumping journalist, they have probably done a risk assessment and put sound deadening inside the tub and limited the power he can put in to thumping it.

    They probably have a word limit on each article if I may use that term for something ten lines or less.

  40. Afternoon everyone,

    Back from baby duty and I would like to go back to the discussion on which division we see as the norm for Boro. This may in fact be more important than I first thought in determining one’s attitude to current results and performance.

    I was born in summer of 1953 which, as historians will know, was exactly the start of the season when Boro were relegated after being in the old first division since the late 1920s. Thus, apart from 66/67 when we were even lower, my experiences are all from the old second division from when I first went to Ayresome Park in the late 1950s right through to 1974/75. Thus, I grew up without any experience of us playing at the top level except for the odd cup tie and watching our players in occasional internationals.

    Because of this, all of the later time in the top tier still seems a bit of a fairy tale and I find it hard to be disappointed no matter what happens. I sense that people who came in later have a different expectation and a different response. Maybe it makes me less critical when things go wrong.

    Thinking back to my early days, all of my memories were of being behind the goal at the Linthorpe Road end, sat on those big thick concrete barriers. I don’t remember ever sitting in the seats at Ayresome Park.

    Anyway, back to today, it would be good to get a view from Derby about De Sart. There’s been a lot of positiive comment but now we can actually see him in competitive action.

    For tomorrow, I think that we will see the defenders rotated a bit but am not sure how midfield will line up, particularly with the injuries. Psychologically, it is probably more important for us to do well than it is for Wednesday. A premiership team at home doesn’t want to lose against a lower division side. It’s bad for morale. I’m hoping for a solid win and then on to the big three games to follow.

    UTB

    DiasBoro rules

  42. My memory of that West Ham game was surprise at how much whingeing these Superstars did (even the great Bobby Moore), although the disallowed goals fuelled their fury, as the lower tier side didn’t let them stroll around in their usual manner. Although commonplace now, it was my first experience of “prima donna” behaviour. Having admired West Ham as a great advert for Football, it shatttered my image of the “gentleman footballer”.
    As others have said, the magic of the FA Cup disappeared long ago but I would still like us to give it a go, whilst accepting that, for us, PL survival is, in reality, more important in this money driven modern era.

  43. Well, it is time for your predictions, Gents and Ladies. I said 4-1 home win earlier. I am always dreaming when the third round comes around …

    Up the Boro!

  44. Ooh! Jarkko off on an early Finnish!

    Very difficult to judge without knowing the line ups. Interesting chat onFinal score between Dion Dublin and Matt Upson. They couldn’t believe that Bournemouth had made 11 changes. They look to be safe and the cup is a chance for glory.

    Their view was play the strongest team in this round, avoid a shock. Get some game time together, get a chance to play without the pressure for points. The danger with playing a seriously weakened side is that giving a chance to the squad isn’t a chance at all. They are on a hiding to nothing, lose and that affects the whole squad and puts a damper on the training ground.

    The latter point is valid. Changing two, three, even five can work because you can do that within the structure, there is something to fall back on. The whole team is just a gamble.

    So having sat on the fence I will go for 2-0 in an iffy match.

  47. I will stick with scrappy 1 0 to us.

    Clearly, there are a fair few of us oldies around who can remember 1970 and even before that. And we can even use the new fangled interWeb thingy!

  48. I’ll stick with my 2 0 by the way although everyone was saying it will be a poor crowd the ticket office was over run today so it may be higher than we thought plus Sheffield wed are bringing 3000

  50. It’s a crying shame the FA Cup competition is now not what it was,I used to look forward to it with huge excitement,Leeds v Chelsea final was my earliest memory.,every round was exciting and remember listening to the cup draw on a Monday lunchtime at school everyone crammed around a small portable radio waiting to see who Boro would draw.

    Cup Final day,excited for the all day TV coverage starting with the cameras popping into the players hotel bedrooms to wake them up,imagine it these days Rooney Costa Giroud Aguero being woken up with a camera shoved in their faces

    Onto Boro Think it will be a tough close game tomorrow and hoping for a win by the odd goal 1.0 or 2.1, what we don’t need though is a draw and a replay.

    We can’t guess AK’s lineup for a league game so goodness knows what the cup line up will be.

    Late flurry of ticket office activity will be due to the tenner deal expired at 4pm today and fifteen quid after that. My crowd prediction is 24,562

    Well done on the new blog Werder

  53. Were it not for avoiding injuries to potentially outgoing players, I would be tempted to select a Chanpionship-style team for the game against Championship opposition. Dimi, Nsue, Ayala, Rhodes, possibly Nugent too all know what to expect from Sheff We’d where Chambers, Espinosa and others may not.

    However, I suspect it will be a side designed to get the job done whilst resting key players for the league and keeping those expected to leave free of complications.

    On the flip side, Sheff Wed are also likely to rest a few and I therefore hope it will be a straightforward win.

    Boro 3-0 Sheff Wed.

  54. No idea what team either side will put out but I suspect there will be quite a few changes. I’m going for a 0-2 defeat and us joining Bournemouth in the Premiership survival stakes.

    Crowd of 18,346 watching an error strewn game and much frustration at tactics, selection and subs from both sets of supporters. one for the purists to forget. So long as its not a draw can’t say I’m overly bothered either way, sorry but the Cup lost its shine for me over two decades ago.

  58. Actually we are much better than would appear from the comments on here as our expectations are higher. I will go for a clean sheet and hopefully 3 goals as our fitness and organisation takes hold and strangles them in the final 30 minutes. Goals from unexpected places.

    Team selection is anyones guess – all positions are up for grabs – 9 changes from last weeks starting 11 for me.

  59. Few years back I was invited to take over a youth coaching programme from the ‘professionals’ at Cambridge United, who had done a bunk, the reason givin being they had pre-season training to attend to (as if they didn’t know that beforehand).
    Well things went pretty well and I even got a round of applause from my young charges for demonstrating how to take a free kick 20 or so yrds outside the box (the ball went sweet as a nut inside the top right angle of the goal much to my relief).
    As an extra curriculum activity I took them to see the ground at Cambridge United and then into London to look around Highbury – a stark comparative, as I’m sure you know. What’s that gotta do with the FA Cup, Spartak? Well, Sportsfans, I’m glad you asked! So, the season before The Goonars had won the very same cup and they had it not only on display but you could pay a small sum and have yer photo taken with it. Can you imagine, that same lump of old tin whose handles had been handled by many if not all the greats of English (and Scottish/Welsh/Internationals) football – names like Ossie Ardilles spring to mind for some reason. Also I recall watchin the Doc (still with us I believe) dancing around with the lid on his head.
    So, what a delight, my charges insisted on paying and there was me with same tin lid in hand smilin like a daft en amongst young faces from around the globe – I’ve still got the photo.
    I even got to stand beside the blackboard in the Goonars dressing room, that which managers, Wenger included, who used it to instruct all the Arsenal teams throughout the decades. The stadium guide saw my expression and asked me ‘You think you could do it?’ Be manager that is – I nodded confidently. He replied ‘You have to prove it first!’
    Well, the young lad from the single parent family from the NE council estate got a few bites at small cherries but its something of a closed shop, the game of professional footie management & I never got the big match day experience. Still, I got for a moment an FA Cup manager’s match day buzz – it was fleeting but by all the gods, it was one hell of a trip.

    Boro 2 v 0 Wednesday

    17777

    1. Who is the only Tressider to have lifted the FA Cup?

      Anyone else than Spartak? Woodgate lifted the League Cup I think, but there must be someone else?

      Up the Boro!

  60. I am with RR in that the FACup losr it’s sparkle many years ago. Infact I have not watch some of the last few.

    May be a few surprise with the team selection, then may be not. A win would be nice and not a draw. So nil all then with a crowd of 17200.

    Nice to de Sart play in all of Derbys win.

  61. Got a text from the Rams man about de Sart, the lad can play.

    Coming from Andrew that is praise indeed, if Giroud had scored his scorpion kick against Derby he would have described it as a tap in.
    I will get more of an update on Monday.

  62. My first Boro match was in the 3rd round of the Cup (Everton, 1990, 0-0 in case you were wondering…) and it clearly has lost some of its sparkle but I still look forward to the 3rd round. It’s a shame to see a lot of the empty seats in the games yesterday though (and presumably today).

    I don’t think this game is a problem for AK, it’s potentially the next one I think we have a Tuesday home game in the league after the 4th round. He played a reasonably strong team this time last year v Burnley (was it the last time we saw De Pena) so I’d expect him to do the same today. We have a chance of winning this, or at least getting far so I’d be disappointed if we got knocked out.

    My team prediction

    Guzan

    Nsue
    Ayala
    Bernardo
    Friend

    Clayton
    Leadbitter
    De Roon

    Stuani
    Downing

    Rhodes

    Will be good to (hopefully) see Adam Reach back as well.

  63. Great story on Sunday Supplement talking about refs and twitter storms sport, it was prompted by something about Mike Dean.

    Martin Samuels dished social media – fine chap, and recalled a story about the Chelsea captain many years ago, Peter Sillett. Chelsea were playing poorly at the time and after the match he was stood at the bus stop waiting to go home.

    He was in the middle of half a dozen fans Chelsea really laying in to the team and himself in particular. He was asked what did you do? ‘turned my overcoat collar up and joined in.’

  64. Have anyone popped into the shed and seen GHW? He was not even around when we hit the first ton? I hope he is well.

    I have reminded Dormo to pop in. His wife has gone up to the North of Scotland, so he should have time to visit here. But most propably he is in the local, Cutted Throat. I hope he makes to the Riverside in time!

    Up the Boro!

  65. I think we will win, although I hate making predictions without seeing the team sheet.

    As regards the magic of the cup, I’m all for a cup run, and I don’t care too much about fixture congestion, it doesn’t really happen in the early rounds anymore and in the later rounds one can always dream about Wembley and what might be.

    Let’s have a clean sheet, and can Mr Traore please find his crossing and shooting boots please.

  67. I think Grant will play unless he is properly injured – some of the regulars he might not risk but in Grant’s case both he and AK will want him to have game time if possible.

    Personally, I’d rather we went back to the 4-2-3-1 and played Traore (along with Downing and Stuani – perhaps with Downing or even Traore through the middle) but I doubt he will change it, even for ‘lesser’ opposition. I’d also play Negredo to give him the chance to get some more goals.

  68. Two points

    Grant Leadbitter put his health & career on the line 4 AK & Boro in the last game of the promo season. I believe he’s played a part in 1 game this season. He is sorely missed for his passion to win.

    Are fans now simply a tool to ensure EPL gravey train keeps pumpin out the dosh for the few? Fulham fans expected to travel to Cardiff 4 11.30 morn kick off.

    Seems to me the ‘professional’ football admin managers are havin a plate full of volly vonts and a great big larf at the unwashed’s expense.

    Just sayin like

    1. Enjoyed your anecdote about the Arsenal visit it struck a chord with me as I used to referee at local level but sometimes acted as driver for football league officials . Everywhere we went we met some nice people who were genuine and loved football for the sport and not the money.

      As for the FA CUP I remember the days when we were in the old second division and eagerly awaited the draw to get hopefully a Man Utd or similar at home. Then it was our only chance to see a big club. So I will enjoy my day out today to see a cup game whatever the team AL puts out it will still be my Boro

  69. I do hope AK puts out a strong team and I fancy we’ll get through by a single goal – I’ll go with my prediction I used when testing the Match Report graphic I put together in Photoshop yesterday – I went 2-1 to Boro with Reach opening the scoring for them, Gibson equalizing and Rhodes getting an 89th minute winner (couldn’t risk an earlier goal from Jordan as he’s never gets on that much earlier).

    BTW, I decided to occasionally add a comment at the end of a post but it’s only generally to acknowledge someone, a admin point or answer a general non-football point – I’ve no intention to be presumptuous enough to directly address your opinions on matters Boro or general football points.

    I’ll post my football opinions and thoughts like everyone else but if I posted a reply to everything that may need one I’ll just end up cluttering the recent posts list.

    🔴 This is what my comment looks like – Werdermouth

  70. First thing I’d like to say is well done to Werdermouth, take a bow, it was quick, seamless, professional and I love the banner on the home page . . . especially the tag ‘its in the blood’ It is so true. (I hate graffiti normally). And the title ‘Diasboro’ probably reflects more accurately what and who the blog is for, ie those Boro fans in all corners of the globe that can’t get to watch the game live and want the unsanitised account of the games.

    I didn’t realise how far down the scale of general interest the FA Cup has become? It still makes the news in many parts of the globe and the romance of giant killing teams are discussed among sports lovers. There was an interview in the EG recently with Schteve where he said SG had a go at him for fielding a weakened team in an FA cup game, SG had said Boro are (were) a cup team, and wanted him to make a go of it. Wonder if AK is aware of this part of his job description?

    I only have vague recollection of the West Ham FA cup game, My abiding memory is being worried about Clyde Best, he stood out in that game and seemed to be their most potent and dangerous forward. Did he ever play for England?

    OK, enough nostalgia, I’m going for a dour 1-0.

  71. I stick by my forecast on the first post on this thread. I love the FA cup, when I was kid the draw on the radio was exciting and very serious, almost religious in fact. You were wondering just who Boro would be drawn against. Usually Notts County or Bristol Rovers.

    I worked at Ayresome Park in the old scoreboard next to boys end putting up the half-time scores and when Boro were away ringing Exchange Telegraph on the hotline to update the score every fifteen minutes. One year, [1964?] we had Leicester at home in the FA Cup and some Leicester supporters were down below the scoreboard leaning on a barrier, probably drinking Bovril and eating a Newboulds pork pie, inevitably they were discussing the match to come in loud voices.

    Their synopsis? Middlesbrough? Second Division rubbish, we’ll win easily. And they did. I’ve hated Leicester City ever since.

    UTB,

    John

  72. Team selection

    Personally I would have selected a 3-5-2 formation with Rhodes + Gestede up front. Yes, I know AK is wedded to HIS style and preferred players but just for perhaps even the first half couldn’t he have tried something a little less obvious (Negredo up front again!).

    And on the bench the same old names can’t get a kick of the ball. You cross AK and be damn sure he won’t forget – lessons to all and sundry ‘conform or suffer!’

  73. Jarrko
    You missed the whole theme of the post. Remember I only got to lift the tin lid. Same with standing infront of the blackboard at Highbury – it was only five minutes. Still I would rather eat the crumbs fallen from the table once in my life than never have tasted them at all.

    UTB

  75. Can anyone enlighten me as to whether being selected as a substitute makes a player cup tied or does he have to take the field of play If the latter then as Rhodes is not selected to start today maybe he is on his way elsewhere in the transfer window.

    1. Enteresting question Boro Exile , I don’t know the answer but I do feel sorry for Rhodes , thought he might have started today. Does’t look like he will come on…probably Gestede will.

  76. Boroexile

    Me thinks Rhodes is going no where for the foreseeable future. His golden EPL player package cannot be matched by anyone in the lower leagues & few if any have the spondoolies to take a bet.

    I think AK has more chance of leaving – and that ain’t going to happen soon either.

  80. Braveheart – I am afraid not. We have seen Liverpool v. Plymouth, Chelsea v. P’boro and now Spurs v. Aston Villa. At least Adomah is starting.

    Boring at Riverside what I have heard from BBC commentary.

    Happy to get through now. Neither team earning a place in the 4th round.

    Up the Boro!

  81. Well there appear to be no streams of the game today – but it doesn’t sound like the first half was too thrilling a spectacle with no shots on target and nothing much to trouble the Live Text writers other than mainly fouls.

  82. And there you have it Sportsfans, just when you can’t get a goal to save yer life, just like those United buses, threecome along at once.

    Don’t you just wish we were back in the Championship (cue howls & protests from the Ultras)!

    UTB

  86. 10 men lurers the opposition into thunking they have a great chance of a ‘shock’ win, allowing much for expensive players space to play and bobs yer very own uncle, keeper makes a great clearence off the opposition striker and it’s focus on the Championship promo race bonus for them – who’d have thunk it?

    NEXT!!!!!!

    UTB

  87. It wasn’t all Hunky Dory for #Boro’s Heroes but AK could take a Bowie as his Changes put Wednesday Under Pressure.

    So Let’s Dance Tonight.

    #UTB

  88. Glad my score prediction was way off and, who knows, maybe a good cup run would rub off on league form.

    But what was the first half all about? It certainly did not appear to be a competitive football match in the FA Cup and the apparent lack of motivation on both sides was puzzling. I wonder what the managers said to their players before kick-off – “see how many sideways passes you can make in the first half”?

    Great to see Grant back in the side and pleased for him that he scored a cracker.

  89. Yes, in other news… Not-so-Simple Minded Grant Kicked It In to get Boro’s run to the Glittering Prize Alive And Kicking and remind us:

    Don’t You Forget About Me.

    #UTB

  90. Victory’s all in the Boro’s last ‘laughin genomes’ Simon. Looks like a winner for AK coz he rang the Changes, Ch Ch Changes! But hey, they weren’t really under pressure.

    🙂

  92. Dire first half, followed by an unexpectedly entertaining second. Traore did himself no favours, he looked lost in the 1st half. Stuani played well on the right, particularly in the 2nd half and was unlucky not to score. The red card seemed harsh but I was at the opposite end – it actually seemed to have a positive effect on us as it made Sheff Wed commit players forward, which even with a man down suited us.

    1. As I thought Borophil!

      But it also helps when their goalkeeper takes soooo long with a clearance that you think he’s simply waiting for the number 10 bus to arrive so he can hope on and go shoppin or somert, eh?

  93. I love a Boro win me like Simon. I accept them in whatever shape or form they may come. Feel sorry for the Wednesday fans mind – come all that way just to see yer team throw the game. Maybes they can console themselves with focusing on the bigger promo picture and the volumus pots of gold it brings when achieved, eh?

  95. Good tipping from Nigel, Allan and Andy R. Well done lads. Spot on.

    The general standard was pretty good all round btw. Most were there or thereabouts.

    A credit to the new blog’s first go.

  96. Glad to be pleased wrong in the forecast, a Boro win always good and hopefully will get the team jelling together better.

    Just need to put a run together now to ensure prem safety!

  97. Chalk this one up, I agree with BP.
    I also agree with Boroexile that neither team looked interested in winning in the first half. Thank God Grant found a way through. Sad that the sending off might be Ayala’s last act at Boro.
    Can we play with ten men every week? I know RR thinks we do anyway.
    Another home tie please.

  98. Having thanked Werdermouth and OFB for all of their work and initiative in setting up this wonderful successor to Untypical, may I also add my appreciation for their continued curation of the blog.

    There continues to be a lot of largely unseen labour and commitment behind the scenes. I particularly appreciate OFB’s ongoing asides and comments that are serving a similar function to AV’s curation, and providing invaluable continuity. Werdermouth has taken on an onerous task, and one that will be ongoing, that of editor and commissioner.

    I am a little concerned about what might happen if and when Werder and Bob feel that they have done enough. I raise this because, whilst I am an enormous fan of the new blog, weeks and months can go by when I have too many other commitments to be able to do anything other than read it. I suspect that this is what is happening to GHW, who often works abroad, and presumably can have his hands pretty full. And I assume that it may also apply to the vast majority of other contributors.

    I really like the additional sidebars that have been salvaged from Untypical.
    May I also raise the question of whether it may be possible to preserve the old Blogroll. It is an indispensable archive of AV’s past blogs, which I frequently referred to, not simply to re-read AV’s excellent leaders, but also, of course, to peruse the views of contributors.

    I would imagine that AV might not be averse to having his past work made generally available, though of course we would need to ask. But there is an additional issue. Every one of us owns the copyright of any material which we have authored. So we have a legal interest, as well as a sentimental one, in its future

    🔴 Thanks Len, yes it’s still early days and it’s been good that OFB has been excellent at encouraging everyone onto the new blog – there’s a lot of good will and determination to make it work from everyone and I think the administration bit is over the peak and I can now look at organising and tweaking to make Diasboro sustainable.

    I was also wondering about the ten years of historic blogging on Untypical Boro – hopefully there’s no reason why that can’t continue to exist but I don’t know AV’s overall plan for that – Werdermouth

    1. Len

      I’m happy to be one of the troops as a supporting act to the headliners.

      I intend to carry on helping h this blog to be a success not to take over it but to ensure that it is not too onerous a task for the author and our new Blogmeister

      I keep checking our old Untypical site but the tumbleweed and wind whistling causing the sand to blow up has made it difficult to see if we have left anyone behind.

      We have drawn our wagons into a circle and made our camp and have laid the foundations for a new settlement with a new sheriff in town who is supported by able deputies

      Carry on Cowboys

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