So this week it’s back to the distraction of the FA Cup – a chance to see Boro score goals (can they top Downing’s beauty from the last round) and do that thing which doesn’t involving losing or drawing – I think ‘win’ is the word we’re looking for.
The metaphorical hat has been kind to Boro again and we are once more at home to lower league opponents – though in my book any team that dispatches Newcastle by putting three past them should be regarded as welcome guests rather than opponents.
At yesterday’s press conference Karanka seemed relaxed but determined and won’t be taking Oxford lightly – ‘I’ll definitely be putting out my best XI’ the boss announced – though with the usual disclaimer ‘I trust all my players in my 25-man squad’ that leaves the interpretation of what ‘Best XI’ means when it comes to picking the team.
It’s a great opportunity for Boro to progress and as Karanka put it ‘If we win on Saturday then Boro are only 90 minutes away from Wembley’ – or if you’re not wanting to get too carried away then Boro are two wins away from a place in the semi-final – putting it in those terms probably just made the guy prematurely eyeing up the roof of the Boro double-decker bus with an angle-grinder in his hand stop in his tracks.
So let’s focus on the team we’re up against on Saturday – they seem to be in pretty decent form at the moment, they’ve won 8 of their last ten games in all competitions scoring 20 goals and conceding 9 – they currently sit seven points short of the play-offs in their first season in League One. Since we’re up against a distinguished academic name – and I know some of you are expecting research these days – I’ve had a quick look at the Oxford story.
Oxford United actually started out in 1893 as Headington United, which was formed for the purpose of keeping the players of Headington Cricket Club fit during the winter (possibly a fact that wouldn’t have been allowed to be mentioned in the previous blog). Though it wasn’t until 1960 that the name was changed to Oxford United as a way of raising the club’s profile, which culminated in them gaining election to the football league two years later after winning the Southern Division – which rather interestingly in some kind of neat FA Cup Symmetry they replaced our previous opponents Accrington Stanley who had gone out of business the previous season.
Incidentally, I actually wonder if the name change was undertaken with being elected to the League in mind – it may seem arcane now but there was no promotion to the football league until 1986 and clubs wanting to join had to plead their case at the League’s AGM along with the bottom four of Division Four, who had to resign and then seek re-election. The member clubs then cast their votes and the four clubs with the highest number votes were members for the next season. Critics of the system claimed it was a bit of a stitch-up as the chairmen of each club were quite pally with each other and it was notoriously difficult to become a member. (here’s a link to the history of Football League admission if you’re interested)
In 1982, Oxford United nearly went out of business and they were saved by media mogul Robert ‘Captain Bob’ Maxwell – back in the days when megalomaniacs were content to own a football club rather than run entire countries. His agenda turned out to be a merger with Reading in order to create a new club called Thames Valley Royals – this was averted thanks to protests from both sets of fans despite Maxwell threatening to fold the club if it didn’t go ahead.
After the failed merger, Jim Smith took over as manager and made excellent use of the Mirror Group pension fund by gaining promotion from the Third to the First Division in successive seasons to make Oxford a top-flight club – they even won the League Cup in their first season whilst narrowly avoiding relegation. Then in 1987 Maxwell resigned as chairman to take over at Derby County and his son Kevin took over instead. The following campaign saw the football pundit Mark Lawrenson take the manager’s job as they languished at the bottom of the table – but it was perhaps a Lawro challenge too far for him and they were duly relegated – incidentally, he was sacked three-months into the next season following a disagreement with the chairman over the sale Dean Saunders to his father’s club Derby.
Then following Captain Bob’s mysterious death after a failed attempt to swim across the Atlantic from his luxury yacht moored off the Canary Islands, the collapse of his business empire sent Oxford United into insolvency – new owners in the form of a biomass company were eventually unearthed though they were unable to sow the seeds of recovery and the club suffered a slow decline back down the divisions until in 2006 they dropped back out of the Football League. After a four-year absence they returned to League Two with former Blackburn manager Michael Appleton taking charge in July 2014 and last season saw them promoted to League One, as well as making the final of the EFL Cup.
So on to the game tomorrow, despite Karanka’s coded ‘Best XI’ remark – and that he’s said he’ll not even be thinking about Crystal Palace until Monday – I expect changes. Everyone is fit except for Barragan, including George Friend, though given that he limped off in the last round it may be tempting fate to include him tomorrow. Perhaps Ayala will get a game and maybe Gibson will be better suited to a cup-tie than Bernado.
Again, hopefully we’ll go for just the two defensive midfielders and maybe Downing will get another shot at midfield given that Guedioura is cup-tied. Bamford didn’t even make the bench last week so perhaps he’ll be rewarded with a start along with Gestede too. Ramirez hasn’t had much game-time recently so he may play an hour – but is it the kind of game where a silly challenge risks a suspension with a red?
OK, surely Boro will not slip up on Saturday – it would be a crime to waste this opportunity and one which even Oxford’s Inspector Morse will struggle to find a motive for. So will Karanka push the boat out in the Cup and leave Oxford oar-struck or will Boro make a complete cox-up and be left with the blues. As usually feel free to make your predictions, score, scorers and at what time will the crowd burst into ‘Que sera sera, whatever will be will be, we’re going to Wembley [in 90 minutes or so].
Great read Werder as always. I hope that tomorrow we play at a high tempo and take the game to Oxford. We also need some round pegs in round holes. I see George getting a run out and also Gaston with perhaps Gestede leading the line.
Crowd of 23221
Boro 2-0
CoB
Looks like Oxford are bringing over 3,500
It’s got to be at least 5 or 6 changes but I expect George and Gaston to start to get some match fitness
Possibly Ayala and Espinosa and Barragan
With Ben and Fabio on the bench.
A run out for Bamford and Gestede?
And perhaps a thunderbastaxd from our Club Team Captain Grant Leadbitter
A lot of changes but isn’t that what a big squad is for?
Whatever’s happened to husband ? Has he been divorced from mother Boro?
Is he ever going to get back into the fold?
Is it going to
Be a final farewell to Dave from Hartlepool as he is affectionately known by the Boro players or as we know him Dimi!
Who is going to fit into the left wing?
Is it Downing or our young Scandinavian dapper man?
All will be revealed tomorrow and I’ll be there as the last and final free game of my season ticket which included cup games up to this point.
The question is ….if we win and get through to the next round it could get very interesting with regards to team selection then.
Boro for the Cup
Woop woop
Interesting
I’ve just tweeted this latet post on twitter and it’s immediately been picked up by and retweeted by Oxford blog with 1453 followers so we are spreading the word !!
Interesting thoughts by Gary Lineker …
“The former England striker also said wholesale changes in the FA Cup had backfired on clubs and accused managers of buying into “absolute myth” that their players were tired.
He added: “You look at teams like Bournemouth. Suddenly, they play their reserves in an FA Cup tie, and since then, they’ve been awful.
“You saw Liverpool, when they played a really weakened side against Plymouth. They got a draw, then they got a bloody replay that they didn’t want, and then he’s resting players, and then they’ve been hopeless since.
“There’s nothing like playing regularly. Three games a week is nothing hard – 90 minutes. You get a rest in the middle.”
This reminded me of our last season. We went into the game in the 3rd round on a run of 7 wins and a draw in our last 8 games, including victories over rivals Brighton, Burnley and Derby. We then made wholesale changes and were beaten at home by Burnley. After that we won only one of our next 6 games.
Winning is a habit. We should field our strongest team and go for the victory.
Immaculately written and researched, Werder. You’re really spoiling us with the quality of your input. Very interesting intro to the game.
My own footballing memories of Oxford are all positive.
I remember that Headington had their own Cup triumphs as a non-league team in the 50s, and there were many subsequent Cup triumphs under Jim Smith. I recall going to see the Boro play at Oxford and having the unusual experience of walking to the ground through a rather prosperous suburban middle-class estate, a unique experience at a time when most grounds were situated in rather run down urban areas. Added to which we have generally done very well against them, including some of our own great nights to remember. They are playing well at the moment, will be up for the game and are sure to give a good account of themselves. Not, by any means a game we can take for granted.
Len
You have cheered me up, I cant remember Headington!
I may as well be happy now because tomorrow we are darn sarf helping my son move. It is from a second floor flat in an Edwardian town house to the second floor of an Edwardian Town House.
The major difference is that we can park in front of his current property for free. The new flat has parking at £2.60 for two hours followed by £1.30 per hour thereafter. As the young ones would say 24/7.
I would expect a few players to get a run but no big surprises, I listened to Arry Kneecap on Radio 5 and he said that beware of 11 changes, lose against a lower league team and it can demotivate the squad. He blamed Bournemouth’s slide on losing at the New Den.
I would expect, no hope and believe, that Boro with a defensively biased all-out attacking formation will win, uncomfortably, 2 – 1.
But I’ll go for a 1 – 1 draw after an early Oxford goal when we throw one man up into attack.
UTB,
John
Terrific post as ever Werder.
I remember as though it was yesterday standing right behind the goal at the Holgate End at Ayresome and watching John O’Rourke power in a header during the 4-1 win against Oxford that saw us promoted. What an atmosphere that night and what a game!
I don’t see us scoring 4 tomorrow but on the basis that there is no point at all in playing for a draw I think we might get close. 3-1 to Boro.
Robbo’s men completed an 8-2 aggregate over Oxford in 1997-98, the latter exceptionally memorable because of what it represented – like John O’Rourke’s big moment in 1967 it was a 4-1 win that took us up.
It was also Big Nige’s final game for Boro. Ditto Higgy’s. Actually if you take Higgy’s history under Robbo:
– is dropped to accommodate Juninho
– is reinstated later in 1996 only when Robbo realises five at the back isn’t working
– misses a place in the League Cup final at Gazza’s expense despite his efforts in getting there
– scores the goals that secure promotion before being packed off to Aberdeen
…and add it to post-match events at Blackburn, he seems to have gotten a raw deal from Boro in general!
A friend told me, “I guess in a team of stars his face just didn’t fit.”
And I guess, in Boro’s all new 21st century continental set-up, he didn’t fit either.
‘Face didn’t fit!’
What a horribly bland phrase to use for an event where ‘Truth spoke to power!’ with the usual result ie. Higgy found himself outside in par cark clutchin in his sweaty paw a stum agreement with a financial bandage just to stop the wound from bleeding -another infamous chapter in Boro’s history glossed over, where image is seen by many to be more important than tellin it how it really is.
Woe unto the peoples of the earth when twisted tongues are considered higher than truth herself.
Getting ready to drive off so I am expecting you lot to generate a good result, a comfortable 3-0 in front of 24236 fans.
As an aside something I forgot to post last week, caught a clip of the footie programme on Sky last Saturday morning, the one with Helen Chambelian, Soccer am?
It showed a clip of a goal attempt even Dong Gook would be ashamed of, it actually went behind the striker. It was a La Liga game featuring Las Palmas and the culprit was Jese. Get in! Or out as the case may be.
If we won’t concede a goal – and we are good at it – it can mean only one thing in our cup run…
Just saying, like. Up the Boro!
Many thanks to KP, Len and Boroexile for your responses – glad you are enjoying the articles as much as I am in discovering lots of interesting stuff about other clubs and managers. I’d actually forgotten a lot of the Oxford story before looking into it for the match preview. Though it’s great that we have Len to give us his personal experience of the game’s history it gives it a touch of reality.
Imagine being a fan of Headington and then seeing the whole roller-coaster unfold before you and then ending up back in non-league football. We worry about the effects of dropping back down to the Championship, even with massive parachute payments, but imagine seeing your club drop all the way out of the league.
BTW Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the Oxford boat if you’re heading to the Riverside today 🙂
It’s a pity Guedioura isn’t eligible as today is a chance to play the attacking midfield we intend to use to spark us in the games we need to win in the Prem. We need to get Ramirez and Adama playing together, creating chances and hopefully scoring to set us up for the crucial games to come. Ramirez needs game time and Adama needs to get end product, to really hurt a defence as opposed to just scaring them.
There might even be a case for Negredo to start so that he can have the opportunity to get on the end of some chances and for the three of them to gel further. However, we also badly need to get Patrick Bamford match fit and firing, his level of finishing ability could make the difference for us this season.
In defence it would be desirable for both Callum Chambers and Big Ben to be rested, but AK may feel that is too risky, and there is no obvious way to rest Fabio with Barragan still injured. George should return and hopefully build his fitness for the vital games to come.
Yes, I would very much like us to progress in the FA Cup, and we can well do without steppping on the banana skin which is clearly there in front of us, but the game today has also to be seen in the context of helping to set us up for Premiership survival.
I don’t think he’ll make too many changes today with the next game in a week. Though he’ll also want to give game time to as many of the players on the bench at the moment as possible.
I think he will go with:
Guzan
Fabio
Bernardo
Gibson
Friend
Clayton
Leadbitter
Downing
Ramirez
Traore
Negredo
I had a vision ,we will be two down after eleven minutes, And go onto win 4 – 3,
In the same vision, I was brought on for the last ten minutes,and bent a thirty yard free kick into the top corner,for the winner.
So if it is 3 -3 with ten minutes to go ,look for me coming on. I will be S O Else ,mystery man?
BTW, have anyone seen somebody steppping on the banana skin in real life? Except the Magpies, that is.
Must been coming from a well-known cartoon or something as it is the same in our language, too.
Just mondering, me. I hope AK will miss the skin and win by 3-1.
Up the Boro!
Jarkko
AK IS the banana skin!
Werder you are a champion, your research skills are deserving of a bigger but not necessarily a more appreciative audience than you have here. We had better make sure we hang on to you because your articles make the Gazette look even more pathetic.
Would be nice to see us score some goals today to cheer up the crowd and put a smile on Karankas face because lately he looks like he is at a funeral.
Just had a cruise around New Caledonia and gave a Boro shirt to one of the locals on Lifou, another outpost for the Boro Empire.
Cheers Michael – I think the nature of online sports reporting has changed and it needs a quick turn-around of content – there’s probably not the time or resources to look too much in depth at a subject. It’s not the journalists fault as I’m sure they’d prefer the time to get their teeth into a story but the model now requires more short pieces that advertising can be strapped onto that generates plenty of clicks.
One nil, to us lot.
It’s going to be dull, but we’ll win 2-0.
Things we learned from today’s match
Fischer is not ready for the premier league and made some wrong decisions when trying to involve his teammates
Traore is still a wild player and gave away needless free kicks in dangerous places but still excites the crowd
Guzan was at fault for their second goal as he didn’t push the ball away and as per previous conceded goals we were second to the ball and it was swept in.
Ayala is a better CH than Espinoza and won most of his aerial duels
Fabio has tremendous jumping ability and he goes from strength to strength
Gestede scored a good athletic and agile goal but the team ethic changed when Negredo came on and Stuani scored from an athletic overhead kick by Negredo
Downing had an excellent game and was unlucky not to score in the first half on several occasions
Chambers in my opinion had a good game but he is not a full back
Gaston tried to influence the game but he needed a full run out in the team not just a cameo performance
Agree with all that Bob!
Werder,
I didn’t find the time to comment on the last piece before this new one came up but what a great write up. I can’t tell you enough how impressed I am with this blog.
The reading of other managers traits and positions I found quite reassuring in a way. It will be close but we have a decent chance to survive if we can build in the Everton performance.
I expect a few scary moments today and for Oxford to make life difficult for us but we should prevail even with a few changes.
Boro 2-0 Oxford (Gestede, Bamford)
Thanks Andy, yes the manager’s piece wasn’t up too long, I’d normally prefer to post up a new Blog on a Tuesday after the dust has settled after the weekend game but it took a bit longer than I thought to put together.
But looking at the those managers I would be more concerned if I was Moyes, Allardyce, Ranieri and Howe as they’re not seeing much of a response from their teams at the moment – whereas Swansea and Hull look different propositions since a change in management. Boro under Karanka are at least competing in each game and doing what they are supposed to do – i.e. be hard to score against – these next run of fixtures will determine in what direction we’ll be traveling.
Like others, I have fond memories of Boro milestones vs Oxford: Stan Anderson’s promotion and Big Jack’s, along with a few other notable wins.
There’s scope to rest Valdes and I like to see Ayala, Leadbitter, Bamford and Gestede get a run out. I’m a bit wary of George’s vulnerability but there must ba case for him playing 60-70 minutes to increase his fitness. Those changes would see half the usual team rested so, to avoid excessive changes, I’d othwise play the regulars.
Chambers is a better CB than RB, Guzan and Espinosa are liabilities, and I would have preferred Bamford to Gestede up front.
Having said that, we’ll still win.
For those interested…Jarrko?…..there looks as though there may be a stream on Firstrow and VIPleague.
Listened to the match on Boro+ and having been comfortable in the first half we tried to conjure up another “typical Boro” second half with some poor defending.
Well were in the hat for the next round but it hasn’t done anything for my confidence that we can secure at least a point at palace.
Anyone know why George was not in the squad?
We really need to get him back and put Fabio at right back as Chambers is not the answer.
KP
I was talking to George after the match and he has been training all week back with the first team.
He thought he was going to get a run out today and was suprised he didn’t make even the bench
What was that all about? Comfortable first half then they pushed the self destruct button.
Some ordinary performances today against a determined, but remember League 1 opposition. Lots of wayward passing and where was Guzan for the free kick???
Once again, Chambers struggles at RB and Bernardo is no Gibson. Grant scored a great penalty so credit there, but otherwise a poor game. Same for Clayton.
AK will have to change to mental attitude even with changes to get anything from the Palace game-
Well, that was unexpectedly fun. Great game and result, especially seeing what has happened elsewhere. Please can the people who booed Stuani on never return to the Riverside again though. Absolute morons.
BP were they booing Stuani or the decision to take Adams off?
The demanding opinions of the unwashed masses, eh BP? Some folk are simply brutes!
🙂
UTB
At this rate we could bumble & boo our way to an unexpected final AND relegation – dont laugh its happened before.
I think we might miss relegation on GD & then we can laud AK as a foorballing management genius better than 1000 Guardiolas or even a bunch of magnolias, before Valencia snap him up for next season.
Ah, the transitory nature of professional foorie 😉
Should read Adama.
it was both. Traore going off was booed, then there was a gap, Stuani’s name was read out and he was booed as well. Followed by a loud cheer for Ramirez.
I found a pub showing the match live here in Fuertoventura. There were two couples watching the match – and we both supported the Boro.
Yeah, the first half was excellent by Boro. We should have been up by 3-0 at half time. I thought the line up was as expected. Resting some first-teamers and playing some who needed some game time.
The second half was not great but we did up the play and scored a winner when needed. Stuani is our best goal-poacher.
I think Ayala and Fisher were rusty. As was Ramirez, too.
But an exciting cup game. In the end our quality was there to see. We deserved to win.
At least were were not Burnley today. Let”s hope we get a home draw in the next round.
Up the Boro!
The best result for us today was Leicester’s defeat, that will be another blow to their confidence.
I’ve just posted up details of all the thrills and spills at the Riverside today described by Redcar Red in his match report for you all to enjoy and discuss…
https://diasboro.club/2017/02/18/boro-v-oxford-match-report/