Ominously Arsenal had scored in 85% of their last 20 away games and also kept a clean sheet in 25% of those last 20 away games, Boro can’t score so on paper Boro were lambs to the slaughter. All the pre-game media hype was about Arsene and the Arsenal fall from grace. Board meetings coming up and decisions to be made about Henry returning and Arsene exiting along with a few of his playing personnel no doubt as a Summer overhaul is predicted.
Four away defeats on the trot, a fifth at the Riverside would set a record going back to December 1984 and Don Howe. Who would Arsene drop after their Palace no show and whether Koscielny would get the nod after a layoff. Would the away fans get another opportunity to boo Bellerin in between chanting Wenger out?
Would Boro keep it tight and frustrate relying on Traore’s pace and set pieces or would they get stuck into them and ruffle midfield feathers whose plumage has looked distinctly leucistic of late. Would Aggers throw Gestede in from the off giving the supposedly suspect Gunners CB’s something to worry about or rely on craft and guile to get in behind them which could mean a return for Ramirez should his head be in the right place. Surely he and his agent could see the fantastic shop window opportunity to turn it on in front of a global audience? There again maybe Aggers and Woody had had enough of his attitudinal challenges?
Come the team announcements and Boro fans felt that our line up perhaps was a little more conservative than hoped for albeit understandable given the talent opposing them whilst Arsene surprised us all probably by anticipating that we would go 3-5-2 so went with three at the back himself in a very unarsenelike formation. As it turned out Boro went with 4 at the back settling for an Ayala/Gibson combo with Fabio and Barragan to the right and left. The big surprise was the absence of Valdes who had apparently hurt a rib in training. Fabio started well with a quick break forcing a lunge from Oxlade Chamberlain who received a yellow for his “professionalism” and the intent the home fans had wanted to see was in evidence.
In contrast we were then treated to a ridiculous headless Grant challenge in the middle of the park for a lost ball that was both late and reckless and ended up damaging himself in the process. I think it may have been a tweaked hamstring but it took a fair bit of stretching from the physio’s to get him up and running again (albeit I thought mainly on three cylinders for the rest of the game despite his big heart). Fortunately nothing came from the resulting free kick and his nonsensical yellow card. Unfortunately worse was to come when Fabio then went into a challenge and inexplicably went down and looking in some discomfort. Not sure I it was a leg injury but he looked dazed or at the very least disconsolate as he trudged off around the edge of the pitch as George entered the fray in his place. Hopes were that Fabio hadn’t had a relapse of his concussion from a few weeks back.
Friend looked a little rusty understandably with some glimpses of his old runs but some of his passes and runs seemed a little disconnected from his teammates with a few stray balls to go with his forays down the flanks as he linked up with Ramirez. Downing seemed pretty well occupied in defending in the first half, not surprisingly as with 3 at the back Arsenal had their wing-backs pushed high up the pitch. Barragan again had a decent game and whisper it quietly but he appears a more complete player under Agnew.
Whilst Arsenal undoubtedly had class Boro more than matched them with sheer hard work and graft and there was little to separate the two sides as half time approached. Unfortunately for Boro another reckless challenge from Clayton this time on Xhaka presented Sanchez with the exact opportunity Arsenal relish 20 yards out. After a lot of pushing and shoving in the Boro wall Sanchez got the ball up over the wall and under the crossbar leaving Guzan motionless.
1-0 to the Arsenal as the away fans reminded us. Boro however went straight back up the pitch and with Ramirez seemingly intent on providing his agent with some decent video clips we looked like we were still not out of it. Boro had adopted a tactic of launching balls into the Arsenal box from set pieces putting Ayala and Gibson up alongside Negredo and it appeared to be causing some consternation with the returning Koscielny and the relatively inexperienced Holding.
Almost from the restart after the Sanchez opener Boro won a free kick on the corner of the Arsenal 18 yard box. The big Boro lads piled forward from the back and Grant unleashed a Powderpuff, yep a Powderpuff! He had ushered Ramirez away and we were expecting a Thunderbastard but nope. WTF was the united exclamation from the North stand as our disbelief at just how bad the free kick actually was sunk in. I’m pretty sure the South stand were equally perplexed as the kids in the East stand covered their ears and tartan rugs, sandwiches and flasks went flying in the West.
The half time whistle went and Boro trudged off disappointed to be a goal down after matching Arsenal in making a spirited game of it and also having a goal of their own struck off for offside. The general impression of the Officials throughout the game was one of being nervous of giving any contentious decisions against one of the Premierships glamour clubs with the world’s media in close observance looking for a story. Consequently any 50/50 decisions seemed very softly biased towards the yellow and grey shirted Gooners as frustrations and whistles grew from the home fans especially towards the assistant running the East touchline.
The second half commenced and apart from Friend for Fabio the line ups were as they were on 45. The Boro fans were giving plenty of vocal support despite the southerners in the corner suddenly finding their voices, amazing what a goal can do after their collective fears of a Boro upset looking distinctly possible until that free kick. Boro though had restarted focussed and determined and just five minutes into the second half Downing operating on the right was fed through by Barragan and delivered a brilliant curling cross into the box to tease the effervescent Negredo to wrong side his defender and squeeze an outstretched leg to toe poke it past Cech, 1-1 and the Riverside erupted!
It was well deserved and the Boro were now looking likely to add to Arsene’s woes especially when we broke out of defence with Ramirez finding himself running onto a cleared ball with two Arsenal defenders desperately chasing him. Tired legs seen Gaston caught and the chance was gone but the hope had lifted the decibels and a chorus of “Arsene Wenger, we want you to stay” reverberated from the back of the North stand. The leggy Gaston was shortly replaced by Traore who immediately went on a trademark run and pinged a cross in. Minutes later he drove into the Arsenal box leaving three or four yellow shirts in his wake but instead of unleashing a shot he frustratingly tried to take an extra touch creating the chance for it to be nicked off his foot and then forlornly fall to the ground hoping for the unlikeliest of penalties.
That unfortunately was pretty much it for Adama as he then ghosted around the pitch neither, closing, chasing or anticipating for the rest of the game. I’m at a loss as to whether he is the most talented but laziest player ever to wear a Boro shirt in my lifetime or just plain challenged in the IQ department. Either way it meant Barragan was more exposed as Stewy had switched over to the left to accommodate his arrival and Arsenal broke down our right with a ball played into the unmarked Ramsey who got in behind the encumbered looking Grant to chest the ball down for Ozil who had ran behind Ayala to slot home. 2-1 and try as we might, battle and scrap and go for it, it just wasn’t to be.
Gestede came on for de Roon who had worked tirelessly and almost immediately fed Negredo who shot from the edge of the box but without much power and Cech was able to get down and smother the attempt. With only ten minutes remaining, tired limbs and heavy hearts Boro kept going but it wasn’t to be and in fact we were lucky not to concede a third as Arsenal broke on the counter attack for Guzan to save our blushes. MOM was probably a toss between Ayala now looking back to his old self and Negredo who at times was winning his own knock downs and chasing, closing, running and tackling when out of possession. Someone needs to sit down with Adama and show the lad Alvaro’s work rate in the game tonight to show what is expected when out of possession.
Ironically there were some positives to take from the match were it not for the fact that games are fast running out and we are now back to relying on other teams to screw up to give us a chink of light. No doubt there will be many sharpening knives for Aggers but I’m not sure how much more he could achieve with the hand he has been dealt and the circumstances and time constraints in which to do it in. It’s not over just yet and each game seems to see an improving facet to Boro yet the returns just aren’t materialising. Had we been in November or December things would feel a lot more hopeful but all we can do now is face each game as if it were a cup tie and slug it out until the end. Swansea and Hull will also drop points and a result away to wobbly Bournemouth and a slip elsewhere could see our hopes elevated once again.
I agree with your view except to add that we did have a great chance at 1-1 to go up 2-1 up when Ayala’s point blank header from Friend’s knockdown was saved on the line by Cech. If that had gone in …….who knows. I was also surprised that he took off DeRoon and not the struggling Leadbitter.
Traore is a pain in the backside. Is he allowed to wear a headset so that someone can tell him what to do because he seems to have no power of independent thought. He is programmed to dribble and occasionally tackle and that’s that.
No point dwelling on the frustration of yet another ‘pretty good’ performance. Barring some cataclysm, we’re going down. This was Last Chance Saloon and the door came back and hot us in the face.
UTB
I feel the same as after our week of destiny recenty – highly dissapointed.
We are given the chance to stay in this division, but we are not taking it. I think this is the longest run without a win since about 1920’s or something. Not even the team of Southgate were so unfortunate the last time we were in the Premier League.
Yesterday no luck was there again. Ayala had a decent game but he did not score when he had the chance as selwynoz said above.
Secondly he went missing when Arsensl scored the second goal, too.
I am not blaming Ayala for the defeat but want to say it is small margins. But we should see a win every now and then. Even the law of average should mean we get a win but no. No luck at all.
I don’t think the Boro are that bad – or are they?
Up the Boro!
Yes they are Jarrko, that is why we are second bottom.
All the promises of giving it a go….well lets see what SG says about what we are going to do in the championship?
A good summary from the Gazette today:
“Again, as has so often been the case this season, Boro were by no means outclassed but came up just slightly short. Yet those accumulated fine margins have done the damage over the course of 32 games.”
Just slightly short. And that is the most disappointing that we are there or thereabouts but do not get any points. Like we would not have any luck.
But it cannot be bad luck over 32 games. Up the Boro!
It looked like Grant pulled up lame but carried on, the worry is long tern damage.
The match summed us up, nard working but lacking class. AK was criticised for playing Traore on the flank nearest the bench, he seems to have no awareness at all and reacts when the ball comes to him. Once he started playing Maddo suggested they will be working on him to get on his bike when we had the ball so our players could put him in dangerous positions.
I am sure Maddo is right but his default position is standing with the game going on around him. The penny must drop surely.
Ian
Sometime ago, someone (no names shall be mentioned) suggested Adama was suffering from Early Developmental Neurological Deficit Syndrome (I paraphrase). This syndrome leads to the well established condition of being ‘clueless’. However, the upside is he’s built like a rock, opposing midfielders and defenders bounce off him or bring him down with deliberate fouls and when in full dribbling flight he can excite the worst of all football supporting cynics. Unfortunately, without some form of direct surgical intervention he’s not going to produce any substantial positive end product and thus his departure should ineffect be already pencilled onto the non-recruitment departments to do list.
As for the Boro at least we may be relegated with a flourish rather than with knashings of teeth, howls of anguish, general consternation and violent despair. Which will of course save SG many a tongue lashing, deserved or not.
I’m sceptical of most of what passes for post-match analysis on TV, but the Neville- Carragher discussion of the Arsenal goals last night was very well done.
We are very familiar with Barragan’s inability to execute a simple throw-in, but far more significant has been his repeated reluctance to get back and defend when he is caught upfield. It happens pretty much every match, and was glaringly obvious in the part he played in Payet’s “wonder” goal for West Ham. He was skinned on the touchline, and showed not the slightest urgency in getting back. Payet took a circuitous route to goal but was still yards ahead of our full- back when the ball went in. The TV evidence last night was even more damning. But given our now critical full-back crisis what other alternatives do we have for the right -back spot?
The mess-up over the free-kick wall, in which Guzan had no sight of the player kicking the ball was equally damning.
Much to ponder there for our defensive reputation.
Barragan’s “awol” wasn’t helped by him trying to push forward being caught out but previously he had Downing who covered for him on a few occasions. Traore looked totally disinterested and I mean “Totally” unless he had the ball at his feet. He just wandered around liken a 3 year old at the fair looking at all the flashing lights and the big wheel. He was so bad out of possession that it was astonishing to see it on a field of professional sport. Absolutely zero concept of when to make a run or read the next phase of play.
Now that doesn’t excuse Barragan’s lack of intent in getting back but he had headed one off the line (or slightly in front of it) in the first half and had played a decent role up to that point in providing width and getting the ball forwards. My constant beef about Stuani playing in front of him was similar in that Stuani knew Aitor’s requirements (which shouldn’t have changed) for his wide players getting back and defending but he can’t tackle.
For their 2nd goal Ayala was stretched last night because of Barragan being out of position which left Ozil unmarked but Grant was equally poor at getting back picking up Ramsey’s advance and of course it all started from Traore’s lack of a simple football brain. Fans around me have started calling him Forest Gump, mildly amusing on some level but frighteningly true on another.
Ramirez was running on empty so something had to be done, Traore offered pace and an outlet but then switching Downing over just unbalanced us and that was just one reason I feel that Barragan was caught out. On the subject of Downing he gets a lot of stick but he was the consummate professional last night and while he maybe hasn’t the speed and pace of Traore he has a footballing brain which his cross to Negredo exemplified. Sometimes a cool head is better than all action running and dribbling then tripping over sulking with hands on hips.
We came close but the limitations of the squads ability was highlighted last night thanks to our recruitment. That one area will be the main reason the club falls from grace much more than whether Agnew is manager next season. Worrying for me is that after all the comings and goings of late it appears to be the one department within the club untouched yet the one which has underachieved more than any other and that includes AK.
For the first time since ’86 there appears to be growing “disenchantment” with our hitherto untouchable “Best Chairman in the League”. Not all out “sack the board” tantrum throwing thankfully but mature, reflected genuine concern that perhaps he is no longer interested, capable or up for the job any more. His “give it a go” was well intentioned but he has been failed badly by those charged with acquiring the assets to give it a go. His seeming failure to act or address that one glaring failure yet praising the 18,000 renewals was commented upon a few times in conversations around me when the hoardings and screen flashed up his “thanks”.
I see we have had our recruitment team in Monte Carlo on Saturday for Monaco’s match against Dijon apparently watching Dijon’s attacking midfielder Lees Melou. Nice work if you can get it, especially as no doubt if the lad if he signs will be mustard!
Len, even before you saw the replays, you could see the Borro wall was all wrong and Guzan knowing, or having a good idea where the left footed Sanchez would put the ball, was positioned far much to his left.
May be OFB or someone else can tell me…..in that situation. why no players on the posts?
Len
Our defending, and our attacking are shameful, particularly in the dead ball situations.
That we are not being coached is obvious, for the second time our keeper made an utter mess of a free kick situation, in order, he hugged the post(at length) jumped up and down(boy, did he) then he moved about on the goal line like a jack in the box(waving and shouting like a lunatic) all this time he was always going to give the taker two thirds of the goal to have a go at, it was actually unpleasant to see the taker laughing at these antics. The end result was simple, an easy shot into the gaping net with our hero doing an imitation of a well planted oak tree.
This is not the first time, and obviously, nothing has been said about it.
Now to our own efforts in the free kick department, Gaston, downing, and not many others can produce a goal now and again, so why? When it came to it were these two shoved aside, and the worlds worst free kick followed.
Any ability this team once possessed has long since gone with the wind(after all, only thirty per cent of goals come from dead balls)
I have seen enough of this regime, in my opinion, the present incumbent is and was an adherent of AK, and is still trying to prove to the world that a mistake was made when he was moved on.
We need a manager, like now, like a big experienced name, the team needs remodelling, and coaching, and invigorating, and some rational behaviour and thinking, now, before the end of the season, for this team has no intention of having a revival, they are looking forward to going down(far more comfortable in the Champ.
They will of course do no good in that league either.
Len
I suppose Traore and Barragan are not the most defensively sound combination I have seen on a flank in the 50+ years of supporting Boro.
I have been scratching my head to think of an analogy to suitably describe Adama and it suddenly came to me.
There is a species of fish that lives in tropical and sub tropical seas called the Tripletail (such as those around Florida). It’s modus operandi is to lie still on its side in the surface layers, in effect acting like some flotsam. Small fish like some structure to provide cover and the Tripletail lies in wait.
Once food comes within range it comes alive and devours the fish with powerful surges. Then it goes back to inaction again, it doesn’t hunt, it just waits for the food to come to it.
Results haven’t gone for us but I have enjoyed the games since Agnew has been in charge more than the Karanka games this season
We are improving,we are better to watch and had Karanka gone in January we would have had a chance of staying up.
As soon as the team sheet was announced yesterday social media was slating Agnew for not playing an all out attack team.
Agnew is a coach not a magician,they are expecting Agnew to turn us into a cavalier Kevin Keegan Newcastle team. A lot of this squad have had three years plus of defensive safety first negative football drilled into them. But slowly it’s changing. Even our free kicks are now positive,nine players up and around the box challenging instead of nine behind the ball with a three foot sideways pass.
Ayalas looking more like last seasons player and has been unfairly criticised. People forget this season started eight months late for him in March not August. He wasn’t at fault for the second goal,Barragan had gone missing leaving him to cover.
Personally I think we would be better off not playing Traore,he’s too disruptive to the shape and the way we play. All he has going for him is pace and his flashy runs flatter to deceive. He either runs with the ball until he loses possession or runs with it until he runs out of pitch then attempts 95% of the time a bad cross. Prime example yesterday when he ran into the box,everyone expected him to shoot and he just tried to run it into the net. He hasn’t a football brain at all and annoys his team mates who are forever bawling at him to get into position and covering for him which means they can’t do their own jobs properly.
I wasn’t thrilled with Bamford coming back but I think he would do a better job,he has a football brain and makes intelligent runs,can cross a ball and can score!
Although we keep saying it the next two games really are winnable,I think Agnew will opt for two attackers in these games and I do think we can score in both. Survival was briefly in our own hands before KO win the next two and there may be a glimmer of hope
Never GU
If Agnew is a coach, I’m Cassius clay,
To finally have our two fast attacking fullbacks fit, and not to play them in a must win game, yea, that would be a good plan, for our reward we got poor Fabio crocked, and still brought on Friend, he has been here as this team has slid down in skills tactics and effort(except against the top teams, no wins of course) no idea at free kicks, no idea at defending free kicks, no idea at corners, no idea at defending corners.
Fact, without Barragan at fullback we would have at least four more points than we have.
we are missing the chance to give Fry the remaining games in the Prem, he could not cost us points we are not getting.
As you may have gathered by now, we are all noticing that we are the only team not to get a new manager bounce(actually a slump)
In spite of all the flannel about results, we have missed at least three chances to collect wins recently, and Arsenal were certainly one.
Despite the attempt to actually attack opposition teams, which is nice to see, and I mean really nice, all it’s really done is expose our limitations for what they are. AK might have really irritated people with his defence first mantra, but there was definitely method in his madness – sadly, neither philosophy has worked, and it’s shown up what we all know – that the team, ultimately, sadly, unfairly even, isn’t good enough.
I like the Board’s decision to promote Steve Agnew, perhaps thinking along the lines that if it worked at Leicester with Mr Shakespeare… Forgetting the inconvenient truth, of course, that he’s in charge of a side that, Kante aside, is filled with Premiership champions plus some expensive additions, and while they might not be the best team in the world they are definitely better than where they were heading under Ranieri. Not so tough to get results out of that lot, I feel, whereas at Boro there’s an air of continually hurtling headlong into a brick wall.
As mentioned above all this raises doubts about the Board, doubts that might have felt like heresy a short time ago but are beginning to be more realistic. Something’s not right. I would have felt that we’d have given the division a much more forceful attempt based on how long it took us to get back here. Perhaps we did and our definition of ‘forceful’ just isn’t sufficient anymore. I keep thinking back to the close of the summer transfer window, when club records elsewhere were being routinely broken, and thinking it was going to be one hell of a fight. Sure we spent a lot of money on De Roon, but clearly it needed more than that, a lot more. I had and continue to have no problem with any of the players sold. Quite honestly I didn’t think they were good enough for this level, but I think that also about certain players who are still in the side, some of them sacred cows with the faithful, and I think we should have been more ruthless. I’m not even suggesting going for broke, because we know where that can lead, but definitely giving it more of a go. Fortune favours the bold. We haven’t been. Not enough.
Breaking Newts Sportsfans!!!
PM Theresa May calls GE 8th of June
Jeremy ‘I’m yer man’ Corbyn says Labour Party agrees.
Meanwhile, blue/red MP Tom Blenkinsop says he wont stand. Is this the opportunity for our very own Chairman to grasp with steely determination? Has this been amongst the runes all along – a ‘major’ distraction?
All will be revealed soon no doubt.
Pedro, no men on the posts for a free kick because if you do the offside ‘line’ becomes the goal line virtually. That allows strikers to stand in the six yard box in front of the keeper hindering his ability to move as the free kick comes in.
The idea is to hold the defensive line as high as possible to give the keeper as much room as possible, so he can see and react.
Doesn’t always work of course………….
Is it the cricket season yet?
Thanks Nigel, simple explanation really. Still thought, although it was a super free kick, Guzan was partly at fault, but then maybe Sanchez would still have scored.
Nigel
No one could make this keeper more immobile than he already is.
Loved Redcar Red’s comment about Traore “he just wandered around like a 3 year old at the fair looking at all the lights and the big wheel”. This sarcastic wit made me laugh; just sums him up, absolutely brilliant!
Yes, a bit more descriptive than my ‘headless chicken’ comment.
Ken
RR’s description does sum up Traore in a nutshell so, whilst being amusing, it’s also alarming that nobody realised his shortcomings before his arrival.
Along with RR, Len and one or two others, I’ve been expressing concern at our much vaunted Recruitment team since last August.
SG has to take a serious look at the results of their scouting efforts and think maybe OFB, RR, Werder and a few more of our regulars could do better than them.
Nigel
The cricket season is under way but Yorkshire have recorded a defeat and a resounding victory to date, so who knows whether or not they can lift the gloom surrounding our underwhelming PL adventure.
Steely, very good point. I am not sure who has “much vaunted” the recruitment team (except maybe the Gazette and the club management team) because nobody on this forum seems to be impressed.
On reflection it seems to me that a large part of the responsibility for the shambles of this season must lie with the recruitment team. Admittedly the Karanka tactics maybe didn’t help in terms of results but it is now abundantly clear that the team is just not good enough to compete in the EPL.
Perhaps the amount of money spent on players last summer and in the January window wasn’t as much as other clubs shelled out but it was still a decent amount and a lot for a club like ours. Whether it was well spent on the type of players that were needed to give the club a good chance of staying up is the question. The evidence says not and so I would hope that the current recruitment team is shipped out and replacements brought in who can find the most suitable players to get us out of the Championship.
Questions also need to be asked of the Chairman and his apparent endorsement of the management team assembled by Karanka and its activities in the recruitment and selling of players. Was he happy with what was going on or was he too hands-off to notice? Whichever, he has presided over a season of massive disappointment and blown a great opportunity. He owes the fans an explanation and his appraisal of the failure because the opportunity won’t come round again any time soon.
Spartak
If Gibbo became MP would he campaign to return manufacturing for Bulkhaul to Teesside?
Just wondering like.
🙂
You mischievous little imp Ian.
How could you call into question the integrity of Sir Steve?
Ian
Personal integrity & common shared values are somewhat distant in the minds of so many latter day politicans of whatever persuasion.
Diane Abbot sends her kids to private schooling whilst supposedly championing socialist principals.
At least with Conservatives you know you’ll get a self serving bastard and they won’t fool you about it – however, they do say we are all in it together!
Contradictions, contradictions!
Perceptions, perceptions. Oh, and beliefs Spartak. Just remember they are all stuffed up with massaging their collective egos for smallest amount given to the public.
If they mention millions, well it’s because it sounds a lot to the electorate because we almost deserve the minimum wage and don’t really understands numbers. If ‘they’ don’t mention a figure well we know they are spending huge sums on us all whatever the figure. Basically they are all self-serving crooks.
Tell you what, let’s get a round in at thew cheapest subsidised bar in the UK. That’ll be Westminster then. Damn right old chap. You should see the bar in Brussels.
UTB,
Kohn
Sparta
I think you do the poor old cons a disservice, they are positively brilliant at lying, look no further than three days ago, May said,” there is not the slightest chance of an election before 2020″
Now that is not to important to us oiks, but one of their big supporters in the national press said that only a fool would expect an election before 2020, unfortunately the poor fool said it the day before the great announcement, bad luck, or what?
Didn’t you mis-spell bar steward ?…
Anyone fed up already with all this election talk!
KP
Yes!!!
Ian/Spartak
A number of us regulars have first hand experience of the unseemly practices of the business world but even they are nothing compared to the skulduggery perpetrated by the “honourable” gentlemen/women at Westminster.
KP
Sorry, just one observation on the election. How ironic would it be for an anti Brexit government to come to power, as most elections are won on far less than 50 per cent of the electorate. Democracy eh?
Sorry folks, you cant blame me for knocking in a chance with everyone looking away.
At least I didn’t mention German steel and the Riverside, As Hagrid would say ‘I shouldn’t have told you that!’
At least if Jeremy loses his seat he can sit on the floor and blame Richard Branson. There again Spartak said it was valid to make a point. I was brought up to say it was telling fibs.
Hey ho, enough of politics! I will now avoid the subject. Until next time.
🙂
The best performer on the night ?
The Boro fans
I was hoping to catch the Arsenal game on the overnight ferry from Hull – though much to my dismay the person in charge of P&O entertainment had decided to show a dutch-TV loop of PL highlights on the big screen instead. I was just in the process of taking my run-up to abandon ship when I noticed the Boro game on one of the five small soundless TV in the corner of the lounge.
So I watched the first-half sat in front of this TV, which was placed at a ridiculous height suitable for people with seasoned plane-spotter necks – complete with the backing track of Coronation Street blaring out from the TV next in line. I considered ordering a pint but they didn’t have the required length of straws needed to watch the game and simultaneously drink without serious spillage.
Anyway, I thought Boro looked well up for this one and passed it quite sharply and were playing with a good intensity from the off. It was a shame to lose Fabio as he seemed to be linking up quite well with an interested Gaston. I thought Friend looked pretty rusty for most of the game and looks like he needed more match time.
I couldn’t really work out why the Arsenal free kick was so simply dispatched – it seemed to be almost like one of those that are chipped in before the ref blows his whistle – it was that easy!
Thankfully half-time arrived as cramp began to inflict my now permanently crooked neck – I managed to order a pint from the bar whilst looking at the ceiling and admiring the air-conditioning, then paying by attempting to feel for change in my pockets. It was a this point I noticed off the reflection of some shiny chrome fittings on the ceiling that the game had been deemed interesting enough to be switched to the big screen for the second half.
Overall the match was quite open and had a cup-tie feel to it as it was probably a must-win for both teams – and Boro appeared to responded quite well to the setback. The goal was a sublime cross for Downing and the finish from a player in a striker’s position for a change. I think Agnew has got more out of Downing in one month than Karanka did in two years – man-management shouldn’t be an underestimated skill-set when Steve Gibson eventually decides to draw up the next shortlist.
As the game wore on I was convinced we were going to win it and Arsenal were there for the taking – their second goal again was far too easy and should have been prevented. I don’t think the arrival of Gestede or Adama actually improved our performance as it became less guile and more the aimless brute force of Traore’s power and pace and trying to pick out Rudy in the sky – sadly however without any cutting-edge diamonds. Though Cech made a great save from Ayala that had it of gone in we may have seen a different outcome.
So in the end a glorious defeat but a very creditable performance – perhaps if we’d seen that kind of energetic display a couple of months ago Boro could be in a less thread-hanging position. I returned to my cabin dejected with my head bowed in disappointment to a normal level. So are we going down? well I’d stick my neck out but unfortunately I’m still undergoing physio from Monday’s game…
Werdermouth, An excellent take on the game from an unusual angle. Good one.
UTB,
John
Thanks John – I see what you did there 🙂
Werder
It will get you ready for agricultural football next season.
We’ll need to separate the wheat from chaff first I guess…
Or the flotsam from the jetsam
UTB,
John
Typical Boro strike again.
The omens were bad. It was back in our hands. Arsenal were on a 4 game losing run away from home, their worst run post-decimalisation or something. A home game, playing after all of the other teams. On the TV.
Yes, all the ingredients were there for peak-typical Boro. When have Boro ever been able to dig themselves out of a hole? The last relegation, the flirted play off places under Mowbray, each and every time our opponents were falling over themselves to give us one more chance, and each and every time we bottle it. It’s part of the Teesside psyche, we don’t like pity, we don’t like charity.
Unfortunately for us, this time around we are not in a position of strength and slowly, agonisingly falling lower. We are already cast adrift and needing snookers. The outlook will change of course if we win our next two (Bournemouth and Sunderland) as we will probably move to within 3 points of escape by then. The Foamers will cling to the lifeboat of our goal difference, where as the Realists will point to our 4 (perhaps soon to be 6?) wins all season, which is fast becoming a mantra for the disaffected.
On which side of the line will we fall? Who knows. All I do know is that Boro will not cross that dotted line of doom on their own steam. They won’t do it by their own hands. They will do it arse-achingly and by the collapse of one of their fellow number, a fall from grace to spectacular that we couldn’t avoid overtaking the stricken team(s) and finding ourselves basking in the warm glow of 17th.
Knowing Boro we’ll get there by drawing all of our remaining games whilst two other teams implode. I suppose we should try and win a couple of games to give ourselves a chance ey?
I watched AV and Phil T video post the Arsenal match and you sensed the acceptance that maybe we are just not quite good enough.
Time will tell but the time is getting ever shorter.
Ian we are not good enough that is a fact, irrespective of bad luck, bad buys, black cats or even the Gypsy’s curse from Ayresome park, that is we why we are second from bottom.
You have commented yourself, as have many others over the recruitment. AV was telling us all that we had got our new lads in early back in late July and early August. Eleven was it or Twelve, I forget only that it included two two goalies.
Then come the January window, three new buys for 15mil+ and not one of them a first teamer. In fact the Watford lads appears to have disappeared.
Now we all have our own ideas of the recruitment squad of Orta, Gill, et al, but I think the vast majority think that they have done a rubbish job. Will SG tell us what has gone wrong…..do not bet your last pound on it. AK must also take a great part of the blame as he certainly will have had a big input into the signing of the Spanish speaking contingent.
The others…..De Roon i think did have a good season with Atalanta, but 12mil?? I bet they were laughing all the way to the bank with that. Traore was really a swap in real terms with Albert. Get shot of him and OK a project to go with de Pena, Fischer, de Sart, just what we need to try and give it a go in the EPL.
Personally I do think anything will come out over the buys made and sanctioned by whoever. If heads roll then that may point to laying the blame somewhere, but SG will as ever step into the background.
Then the big problem of recruitment for “giving it a go” once more to gain promotion to the promised land will rear its head. Would you feel confident letting this current lot and set up deal with putting together a team that could compete at the top end of the Championship.?
That is of course if SG decides that gambling the parachute payments and any fee he gets from Ben is what he wants to do.
If the Elephant in the room that is “Recruitment” is ignored by the Club and no explanations or actions are evident then the fans will (as they pretty much already have) draw their own conclusions (and likely to be far worse than reality).
My guess is that nothing will happen, we have had a root and branch summer investigation previously that produced and confirmed nada, null, nil, nowt, zilch, diddly squat. What will happen in the event of a non event is that every single incoming will be diagnosed and examined in minute detail in an effort to spot which Donkey to pin the tail on. Expect a lot of outgoings for “undisclosed fees” to spare blushes and fudge things, de Roon and Traore spring to mind whilst Ben’s transfer will be headline news to the last penny.
The likely expectation is that fans will once again be gullible and accepting, after all 18,000 have invested in blind faith already (including myself). A great start to the Season (Premiership or more likely Championship) will ease a lot of pressure. A poor Villa/Norwich style “readjustment” and come the end of September there could be 18,000 very disgruntled customers which isn’t good for any business let alone the resulting disenchantment and fractures.
This season isn’t finished yet and while there are games to play the fans will rally behind the players. If as may be likely there are games to go with no hope of survival then as AK found out cynicism about attacking tactics may be transferred to cynicism about recruitment and transfers. Football fans can be a fickle lot when the chips are down especially when the perceived cause is very evident. How the Season ends will affect how next season starts. Some hangovers like reputations last a while and can be very difficult to shake off. How many of the incoming dirty dozen or so will be here come August? I look forward to that spin story!
RR
When we started on this particular journey we all thought we were on am incredible journey.
Gradually clearing out the free transfer players the reject players from Darlington and the misfits with problems we started to believe.
We had a manager who imposed disciplinary procedures on players who turned up late or unfit for training and with money from the chairman gradually changed the team
We became used to being at the top of the division and not conceding goals got to Wembley and started again where we left off the following season
I didn’t expect that we would stay up this season but apart from Liverpool amd Spurs we were never really taken apart amd o thought up until Xmas we would be ok
Yes we’ve made some bad signings but went with the flow regarding the players who went
Reach was hit and miss Albert was sometimes erratic and the players were generally coached and improved beyond recognition
The coaches deserved the credit for their hard work and things were good
Things went wrong behind the scenes not enough money spent in January frustration spilling out and manifesting In the manager blaming the fans the players and more pertinently the recruitment teams.
So we are all resigned to going down I cannot believe we will stay up.
It’s next season that worries me now !
We all know that a lot of players will go amd who will we replace them with.
No rumours of who will be in charge next season things very quiet on that front which could mean that our existing coaches stay in situ which does not inspire me or would attract quality players
Also rumours of selling the club which we’ve never heard before. The Chinese. Visiting the Riverside but not the disclosure that they were at Rockliffe for weeks doing due diligence! Rumour of an offer for half the club to be bought but refused because the sale for all the club was required .
Is it true ? It would make sense regarding the lack of expenditure in January. The repayment of loan notes to the owner with Sky money .
So where do we go now ???
For the first time in three years I feel lost and not aware of any plan.
I’ve done my bit and renewed my season tickets which aren’t cheap
Talking to the corporate management on Monday they were relieved that over 18k have renewed amd the corporate sales have renewed as well so we have money for next season
But are we going to spend it ??
I don’t really know,,,,,,,,,
Werder…a number of my posts now go into the spam box?? I think. Am I doing something wrong?
I wish I could work out what the spam filter decides is spam – it tends to affect longer posts and sometimes it’s simply down to perhaps using quite a few names in the post, which means the spam filter doesn’t recognise them – occasionally it’s a few grammatical oddities as a lot of spammers seem to use mis-spelled words or random grammar.
Sometimes it may be the IP address as there are dozens of databases that hold IP addresses that companies like WordPress use to look up – they may be listed from when a previous person held your IP address.
You can check if your IP address is blacklisted anywhere (if you don’t know it type ‘my IP address’ into Google and it will display) by entering it into the following site http://whatismyipaddress.com/blacklist-check.
Though if only some of your comments get picked up it probably means it’s something in the content that got the filter interested.
I wish I had an option to create a whilte-list of IP addresses that I can verify are not spam as there are probably usually only 5 or 6 posters who normally get affected – as it means I need to keep a regular eye on the spam folder.
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/could-middlesbrough–north-east-12911784
OFB
I read that article as well, without rereading I think it quoted Gary Neville and it also referred to the north in general.
What does bother me is that academies produce a rather bland product. Technically ok, fit in to patterns of play etc. But are we producing game changers and good strikers?
Some are but we produce defenders and workhorses for midfield but the attackers are the most difficult. Your grandson is on the fringes, what does he think?
I posted about recruitment back in the autumn, it looked short up front. Not just in strikers but in creative spark and sadly that has been borne out.
With Gaston throwing a tantrum the situation became worse and January didn’t provider any glimmer.
We are where we are and that is end of story. We watched finding Dory as a family and that is another analogy for Traore.
Well there’s something fishy going on !
Thank you as always Werder.
Is Steve Agnew the Right Man?
The next two matches are ‘no excuse’ games for Steve Agnew. He has to show that he can take the team forwards as manager, in games where he will have reasonably close to his strongest squad to pick from, and is not up against an elite team.
He has to show that he can put out a team that is solid and resilient at Bournemouth, yet carry a significant threat going forward, and get at least a point. He has to lead us to beating Sunderland with a convincing performance. (Assuming no terrible refereeing decision or very unlucky incident which robs us in either match.)
I have nothing against Agnew, he seems a solid and sensible guy and I would like him to succeed, but we have to start next season with a very strong and effective leader who is capable of getting us out of the Championship first time – we need to know if he is that man.
Over the last seven games, I think a record of 3-1-3 would be excellent, or 2-2-3 would be a strong performance and would guarantee Agnew the job. 2-1-4 or 1-3-3 would leave the issue in doubt, but I think SG would probably see it as enough to keep Agnew. Anything less and I think SG will take the hard decision. Personally I think 8 points should be the minimum, below that the balance has to tip towards recruiting a proven manager.
Mark W
Sorry, I have calculated seven games left, when in fact we only have six. But hopefully my point is clear in spite of being mathematically challenged…
How about:
Excellent = 3-1-2, Very good = 2-2-2, Good = 2-1-3, doubts begin = 1-2-3?
Obviously none of these outcomes suggest survival unless Hull and Swansea both suffer total meltdown, but that’s where we are I’m afraid.
Good post, Bob. It wouldn’t surprise me if Steve Gibson were to be considering cashing in at least some of his chips. I know that if I were him and I had put in the kind of money and commitment that he has over the past 30 odd years only to be rewarded by insults and threats from social media inadequates, as well as a bulk-haul of criticism from more seasoned supporters, then I would be doing the same thing. He would be leaving the business in a better financial state than it has ever been in its long history, and it would also account for the holding appointment of Steve Agnew, rather than someone on a longer contract.
I consider our Chairman to be, as he has been throughout his association with the club, our strongest asset. I hope he recognises how much his contribution over the years has been appreciated and valued by the vast majority of supporters, and that he continues his long association with the club. If he decides to go then it will be a sad day indeed for the club. And much, much worse is likely to follow
Len
I pretty much agree with all of those sentiments apart from the “much, much worse” bit.
It very well may do if we end up with a rich playboy nut job at the helm but surely its more likely that anyone who invests in a Football Club does so with the intention of enjoying the purchase and in seeking pleasure that would hopefully mean success of a sort just as SG has tried to achieve. Admittedly it rarely works out that way, we can all think of our near neighbours Sunderland and Newcastle, and of course Leeds. Even the Man United’s, Villa’s and Liverpool’s have found out that rich new owners doesn’t guarantee anything but equally true are those clubs whose owners historically retained possession for too long and took their clubs as far as they financially and emotionally could. There are others like City and Chelsea who have bought success, whilst both Clubs are “bigger” than Boro most of us on here can recall not so long ago (relatively speaking) they were in the Championship themselves and worse!
I would imagine SG has derived much pleasure from his ownership at times but probably far more anxious moments when his Accountants have walked out of his office shaking their heads in disbelief. If he does sell the new owners may be corporate buffoons or a megalomaniac but could be sensible, realistic, astute, caring, passionate people. Lets hope its the latter and in fairness to SG I don’t believe he would sell to just anyone. He is entitled to get as much for the club as possible but there again over the years hard, cold, sensible financial logic (thankfully) hasn’t always prevailed in his heartfelt investment.
A new broom may sweep away some of the cobwebs along with well intentioned, loyal but perhaps below par individuals in certain areas of the business that have underwhelmed at times. What is certain is that one of three things will happen, it will get better, stay the same or get worse. Right now the general consensus is that we could and should have done better of late so if change does occur then that is maybe what is required.
On the way in to work our plight was summed up on TalkSport. There was no actual criticism of us.
They were discussing Michael Keane probably leaving Burnley and likely clubs who would want him.
Harry Maguire was also mentioned as a target.
The throw away line was that if Michael Keane left Burnley that would pave the way for Ben Gibson to replace him.
I know it was only chat on a radio programme but following on from links to Leicester, our prized asset was just a make weight. Even saying Gibson to Burnley leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
Thankfully it was just talk.
Agnew is toast. I can’t believe that Steve Gibson would even consider him as a long term replacement for Karanka. There’s been no improvement in results since he took over and any marginal improvement in attacking play has been undone by an increasing lack of defensive discipline and bizarre team selections.
Negredo is not everybody’s idea of a great centre forward but to score 9 goals for this most impotent of teams is some achievement. He’d have bagged 20 plus for a top 6 team who actually put the ball into the box now and again or passed the ball forward occasionally. To not start him against Burnley was beyond belief, the most baffling of omissions.
His well taken goal against Arsenal came from an excellent left footed cross from Downing who was enjoying plenty of success on the right against their hapless wing back Monreal. Agnew’s response? To bring on circus act Adama and switch Downing to the left where he posed much less of a threat. A bad call, as was the later decision to go with two up front thus conceding the centre of midfield. An error compounded by keeping on the tiring/injured Leadbitter and hooking off the limited but at least fully mobile De Roon. There are other examples of his coaching limitations not least the self-confessed tactical set up that cost us at Hull.
Altering the system and personnel on a game by game basis is not evidence of enlightened thinking. Rather, it’s an understandable but ineffective response to our lack of quality players. The coaching equivalent of rearranging a set of chocolate teaspoons in the cutlery draw.
If not Agnew than who? Gibson has an interesting decision to make. If you accept the claim that we’re now a Eurocentric, modern, progressive football club with an established scouting network and access to Peter Kenyon and his now legendary book of contacts then the natural fit would be an up and coming European coach in the Karanka mould. But I’m not so sure we’ve bought into the Euro model in quite the way we claim. I don’t think we’re quite ready to commit. OK, we’ll hitch around Andalucia and discover the real Spain for a week as long as Stewy and Woody can have their time in Marbs with a daily full English and Worthy creamflow on tap.
I predict that soon after our relegation is confirmed an experienced Championship manager will be revealed as our new boss and he’ll bring in his own trusted advisors and scouts. With their Armada scuttled Orta, and our other Iberian friends, will slowly but surely find their way back home to similar but lesser paid roles finding useless footballers whose surnames start with De.
Len
I have long been baffled by those who believe Gibson has ever had anything but the clubs interests at heart. The bafflement turns to astonishment when some claim he didn’t want promotion.
As Redcar Red says things can get better, stay the same or get worse. We do know we will be financially much better off than in recent seasons but the difficulty is what to do if we do go down.
Those are problems for another day, first of all we have to give staying up a real go but how to mould an effective team out of this squad is proving a tough ask. It shows how important Ramirez was when he was on song and interested.
A devastating analysis, Anthony. Yes, Agnew has been fire-fighting from a difficult starting position and with a defensive injury crisis, and I think there are some positives in his man-management, but it is hard to argue with your conclusions. I could also add that the organisational basics involving Sanchez’ free kick were disappointing.
If SG does sell up, then Agnew will no doubt go, but if he can achieve a decent record in the remaining games I think SG would retain him. A big ‘if’, realistically we are at the point where the players know the game is up and it is hard to play with optimism, and some will be thinking about where they will be next season.
Mark W
Good post, Anthony, and I expect RR and others will weigh in on the pros and cons of Agnew’s stewardship so far.
My objection is more fundamental. The Boro job is too important and prestigious to be filled on the basis of Buggin’s turn. Even a small Primary school would think about an appropriate job description, make the availability of the post generally known both by advertising and through less formal channels, draw up a short list, conduct interviews etc before making the best possible selection. It may well be after all of the appropriate steps have been taken that Steve Agnew emerges as the outstanding candidate. With the whole world of available talent to choose from and given Steve’s background and experience this seems highly unlikely to me. But that is the context within which the appropriateness of Agnew should be discussed.
I think its all about timing, availability and suitability. AK’s departure was unplanned but brought about by ever decreasing circles both on and off the pitch. The farcical January transfer window was the tipping point for AK. He was not for changing and steadfastly believed in his tactics but as was clear to all of us he did not have the required creative pacy players to make the damn thing work at this level.
Traore was brought in but as a project when it should have been a definite nailed on steady upgrade on Adomah. Fischer was bought as a Category C write off that had been repaired, welded, resprayed and put back on the road but some of the parts just didn’t look right from certain angles and with Reach sold and de Pena depleted it didn’t leave AK with the required calibre. Frustration, anger and probable disbelief at what was then brought into the club (I’m convinced his comments on Gestede was sarcasm) in January I’m guessing led to relationships being strained to breaking point (and I’m on AK’s side on that one).
Managerless Boro had to sort a solution quickly. Unlike Hull and Swansea who it would appear had at least been planning, sniffing around and doing some research SG was caught with his britches around his ankles. Remarkable considering that Hull had sold players, seemingly disinterested in competing in the Premiership, content to go down yet are still better off than where we are now. How and when did that happen?
What was available Manager wise for Boro wasn’t best fit or like as not a contractually expensive gamble that was knee jerk, not guaranteed to work but with a legacy of another two and a half year millstone. Aggers was always likely to be given his chance at some point given the nature and cost of him leaving Hull. Clearly it was felt that SA was the lesser of all evils, certainly the cheapest option and judging by our “giving it a go” expenditure and consequential wastefulness followed a 2016/17 theme.
It could be that the club is already well advanced in discussions with a respected and vastly experienced Manager but that current contractual and/or moral obligations means that it will have to stay under wraps until the Summer. Personally I doubt it very much, WYSIWYG comes to mind. I don’t disagree with Paulista’s piece but in mitigation for Agnew its a frickin mess that he has inherited. Things festered for far too long and it was clear that the club was either unable or unwilling to support AK in the Transfer window and instead of reaching that decision months previously (heaven knows there was enough angst and doubt posted on here alone) SG dallied in the hope of AK making a silk purse out of a pigs ear but rather than a silk purse AK created a unique form of Riverside sleep apnea. Narcolepsy and Season Ticket sales clearly didn’t make for a good combination but links and talk of Hiddink etc did.
Agnew was in the right place at the wrong time if that makes sense. Rather than judge him on his coaching and tactical savvy just yet (and as Paulista highlighted there have been some appalling decisions) he is on a sinking ship and desperately trying to bail out the water whilst trying to get fuel to the pumps. Stop bailing and it sinks, if the pumps don’t kick into life soon we are sunk anyway, not entirely fair to judge someone’s organisational skills under that backdrop especially as he wasn’t the one that ran it onto the rocks. As Never Give Up said previously I too have at least enjoyed the matches far more under Agnew than under AK despite no upturn in results.
Is SA the answer? I don’t know, no more than in reality that Leicester do under Shakespeare long term once the novelty wears off. AK and Mac before him didn’t start off with stunning results, indeed much the opposite, the difference was they didn’t have a few weeks left to prove themselves and being instantly judged. Fat Sam would have probably been the unpopular but nailed on achiever in staying up had SG acted sooner but there were no suitable Fat Sam’s available in February. In truth the cracks were showing this time last year and were just compounded by buying damaged goods.
It is interesting to think ‘Arry has gone to Brum for three matches.
Redcar Red
There were clearly the problems highlighted by yourself after the summer window, no great surprise I agree with what you say.
It appears AK did know the problems, the work he was doing with Traore such as keeping him within shouting range for example. I thought it a strange thing to say and do but having watched Traore post AK it is clear something hasn’t clicked with Adama yet.
The January window was an unmitigated disaster and the subsequent implosion no great surprise.
My view was that moving AK on wouldn’t solve our problems, he was just one of them. It did lance a boil but did nothing for the underlying cause.
Ian
The fact that AK was reduced to playing a player at the world’s highest league level by switching the team around to keep him on the dug out side speaks volumes about whoever signed off that deal. Barcelona gave up apparently so did Villa despite their desperation last season.
The lad has speed, he has ball skills and trickery but so do those blokes who do juggling tricks with the ball in Car Parks, Fairgrounds or on various Saturday Morning Football shows. As fantastic and impressive their skills are there is obviously a reason they are not Messi or Ronaldo. With Adama I am slowly coming to the conclusion that the poor lad may have some sort of learning disorder which prevents him from being the complete package. If so its a great shame and would go part way to explaining some of his eccentricities in seemingly unable to read and anticipate the game. He wouldn’t be the first creative artist to have a similar flaw.
I refer the learned gentleman to my previous post on ‘Neurological’ issues.
🙂
I feel like that sometimes.
UTB,
John
Cannot get my head around the story that Agnew has done what he could with the squad. Any analysis will show that he is a continuation of AK by other means,
The bizarre team selections, the first team he picked(at home against a beatable team) was a Karanka special, played the same and was dispatched in the same way, so no new manager bounce. The running sore at right back has cost us draws and wins without the least mention of the problem and certainly no attempt to cure it(that’s short hand for dropping Barragan)
The mystery reappearance of Ayala after a season of “no news but he is injured”
The money spent on the young striker from Chelsea(ninteen goals in his season with us in the Champ) not played by this particular ” new broom”
The non starting of our desperately needed pair of fullbacks(pure Karanka )
The overall colour and shape of our team, too small, too slow, not enough muscle, too much of a sameness about it(at least twelve points have been taken from us by muscle play)
We have sold with gay abandon players who have proven to be foundation players for other clubs(for peanuts, obviously)
Huth, anybody,
And you can add Reach to that list, he is settling in nicely at sheff. Wed. Nice big lad, no one will shove him around(washers again)
I look forward to us receiving about .hmm?, perhaps twelve million for Gibson, that seems about our size, and if he isn’t careful he will land at someone like Burnley, or perhaps Stoke. Time to call in a top Agent Ben.
Plato
The right back conundrum couldn’t be fixed by Agnew, he had Fabio crocked early doors, Chambers allegedly played in a MIckey Mouse Cup Tie with a broken foot and has been out ever since and Friend has been uncharacteristically injured more often than fit this season. Ayala hadn’t played for whatever rumour/reason all season and I don’t think Bernardo would be in anyone’s team given the choice although he may be more than capable in the Championship ironically.
Our best defensive unit is arguably, Chambers/Ayala, Gibson and Friend. Aggers hasn’t had the luxury of playing that defensive unit yet whilst trying to be more offensive. Little wonder the back line looks porous as we now have to win games rather than draw them. I have no idea if Aggers will make a Manager or not but Redknapp, Pearson, Pardew or Hiddink couldn’t do anything with the defence he has had to path together.
nb. Our best defensive unit should read “Fabio, Chambers/Ayala, Gibson and Friend”, (missed off Fabio, must have been injured again).
Redcar Red
If the defence is path together it must be cray paving where all the broken bits are somehow stuck together.
The path is clear, though no eyes can see,
The course laid down long before.
The defence was meant to be “Patch” together but as it stands that probably opens up comparisons to a Cabbage Patch! Other vegetables are available when declared fit!
RR
Maybe we are going to have a Turnip in our results ?
FatBob
Just about to take in Man U v Anderlecht & thought occured to me with all the shocks & surprises we’ve had this last 12 months or so, that SG IS looking for a buyer for the Boro havin concluded he’s taken it as far as either he can or is willing.*
Just sayin like like like!
*Was the plan to get into the EPL to make the Boro more of an attractive buying option for a potential suitor?
Spartak
That sounds like close to the truth doesn’t it?
Rumours all round the office staff that he is going to sell …
FatBob
I think he also saved himself a couple of million by not taking Appy Arry on as he dos hold talks with him allegedly
OFB
That would need a rad(ish)cal turnaround in results, Crap rotation would be essential.
And we leeked two goals lettuce pray for beetroot results in the old Onion bag
OFB
Concentation on career options politikal perchance?
Applications to stand for Labour Party in GE 2017 (Middlesbrough South & Cleveland wotsit) close tomorrow night.
We await announcements!!!
He wouldn’t want to drop his income that much !
Look at the abuse he gets trying to run the Boro being an MP is a thankless job !
The Gibbo selling option runs in to a problem, we are not likely to be in the top flight next season.
Unless we get the Venky’s who were supposed not to know a team could be relegated Gibbo would be selling damaged goods.
The converse is that the buyers were impressed by the model and were in for the longer term.
Lets wait and see.
Maybe he is going to sell Bulkhaul in it’s entirety. They do have a Far East presence, they did relocate manufacture out there whether we like it or not, or whether we shouldn’t mention it for sensibility.
Ian
Have you forgotten the benefits of Britian in a Global economy?
Conservative mantra – are we not an island of entreperneurs all.
‘Vote Conservative & watch yer job disappear over the blue horizon!’
Good job I’m retired then!
On twitter tonight Ryan Giggs rumoured for next Boro manager !
Lock up your wives !!!
Another, slit my wrists scenario Bob.
The Alternative Being : Now’s your chance & let your wives out 😉
Now there is a thought Spartak. Certainly the Chinese gentlemen did not come to Rockclffe just to play golf.
Interesting that one of Boro’s main sponsors is a Chinese betting group
What’s the odds ?
Missing person alert!
Does anyone know the whereabouts of a certain Viktor Fischer, last seen playing football, oh, about 6 months ago?
Next Boro manager? I’ll settle for David Wagner at Huddersfield, if he doesn’t get them promoted.
Failing that, how about Martin O’Neill?
Can we agree anyone taking up a managers job at a club for the first time. Is going to make alot of mistakes, and needs time to experience them in order to grow and become better at it.
Does it have to be us all the time?
Gt
Yes it does because we are the Boro and never do anything the easy way, it’s in our blood!
I rather have both Schteve McClaren and Aitor Akaranka, than an experienced Strachan. I loved Mogga as a person and his experience, too but he wasn’t a success. Robbo wasn’t that bad even he was inexperienced.
So the person is more important than the age or experience. Up the Boro!
Our Chinese visitors could be here for a numbers of reasons, they could well be looking for inward investment, Bulkhaul/Rockcliffe/MFC may be involved for all we know. Don’t forget Steve Gibson is involved in efforts to attract business to the area.
RIP
UGO a great player always remembered and too young to go at only 44
Agree with that- very sad indeed
Shocking news about a player who played at Riverside for seven years. On of the best CP we ever had. RIP. UTB!
Alternatives to Agnew? Ambitious managers with a track record of success at Championship level should be considered if their team is not promoted – David Wagner, Jaap Stam, and Slaviša Jokanović have all done excellent work this season.
Are Boro attractive? Managers will come to clubs where they can expect spending power in the transfer market, with support and loyalty from the owner – Steve Gibson is our strongest asset. (If SG sells up, any Chinese buyer would presumably be equally determined to get back into the Prem.)
Shocked to hear of Ugo’s death.
Once again, it puts things in perspective.
Very, very sad to hear of Ugo Ehiogu’s death. He was a player who always seemed cheerful and had a smile on his face.
UTB,
John
Never mind the football
What an awful thing to happen to one of our heroes, never to be forgotten moments in our lives, playing in Europe, In cup finals, great player but more important, a great Gentleman.
Shocked that a young person can die of a heart attack when caught very quickly, with the things that they can do today one would have hoped that they could have saved him.
He, of course, never caused us a moment of trouble or embarrassment, a model player and a rising star in the running of a team with a great future ahead of him.
RIP
Dreadful news about Ugo. I read yesterday about him being taken to hospital and just figured that he would be out by the weekend and back to work in a week or two. Couldn’t believe the news when I read it this morning, I had to do a double take to check I hadn’t misread the headline. Condolences to his family and friends he was a great guy and a giant literally in our Boro memories.
He and Southgate were the best Centre Back pairing that I have seen for Boro, even marginally better than Maddren and Boam. The pair of them complimented each other brilliantly and despite his colossus size he was agile and nimble with it and would often get in last ditch saving tackles. He will be truly missed in the game but his legacy at the Riverside will live on in our hearts. RIP.
Sad news about Ugo, I was about to post then read that he had passed away.
I’m very saddened and shocked to hear about Ugo’s tragic death at such an early age, he was a great player for us and always seemed like a great guy as well. He will not be forgotten.
Puts everything else in perspective really.
Mark w
Shocking and sad news about Ugo Ehiogu, 44 is no age.
He was part of a great centre back pairing with Gareth in Boro’s most successful ever team. Sad, very sad.
As boronurk says, it puts everything into perspective.
As I was posting the Bournemouth match preview, I just saw the sad news of Ugo Ehiogu’s extremely premature passing – a life cut short out of the blue without warning certainly puts the day-to-day trivial worries of relegation into context.
https://diasboro.club/2017/04/21/bournemouth-v-boro-match-preview/