I’ll admit, I wasn’t looking forward to tonight’s game and it took a huge effort to motivate myself to get there. The display of respect to Ugo and the thought that young Bradley would have loved to have been there rather than in a hospital ward convinced me that I should drag myself along.
With a heavy heart and a cynical viewpoint when I saw the Team selection my mood was darkening faster than the sun setting over Billingham in the distance. A cold night wasn’t about to get much warmer as Boro started the game as though they were still on the South Coast. Straight from the whistle Sunderland pushed high up the pitch whilst we were pretty passing it hurriedly like a hot potato and the inevitable surely had to happen. It nearly did but fortunately Gibson’s uncharacteristic dithering was eventually cleared and we survived the scare.
Anichebe was trying to hustle and bustle Chambers and was getting the better of the Arsenal loanee but in fairness he fought and battled back and by the exclamations and howls of derision on the Makem bench not always within the rule book. From what I saw it was a good six and two threes and I suspect the Lino and Mike Dean thought the same which probably benefitted Chambers more than it did Anichebe.
About eight minutes in and our fortunes looked bleak as Sunderland continued to apply pressure, any hope of Aggers first Victory looked to have gone down with the Sun now disappeared well behind the East Stand. Then a long through ball (or a carefully weighted pass depending upon your mindset) from Clayts set de Roon free and his long legs seen him burst clear into the huge gap behind O’Shea and Denayer to just beat the onrushing Pickford with a toe poke into the net. Nine minutes gone and against the run of play we were undeservedly one up. Who cares we’ll take it because let’s face it how many goals have we seen this season?
That goal seemed to deflate Sunderland and their 3,000 followers as Boro relaxed, became more measured and controlled and passed the ball better with a few probing passes and Sunderland suddenly looked very jittery and exposed with a second goal surely imminent. Stewy started running the show with darting runs infield from the left cutting past the Black Cats excuse for a defence with relative ease. For some reason we had the game well within our grasp and they were well and truly rocking like a heavyweight who had just dragged himself off the canvas for the third time in the last few rounds. One sucker punch had them reeling but instead of landing an uppercut, we danced around, passing it intricately in small squares and backwards towards Guzan who would welly it upfield and then nothing of any note would result.
Stuani wide right was largely anonymous leaving Chambers to deal with Anichebe whilst Negredo fought, tackled, headed, scrapped, chased down and bust a gut getting forward. Forshaw was buzzing but his deft flicks were causing as many problems in losing possession as they were productive. Clayts was clattering into tackles as was Friend and both picked up yellows for their “eagerness”. Gibson had settled down alongside Ayala who himself endured a nervy opening few minutes but just as things were looking better Ayala went down with what looked like an ankle injury.
After the thirty minute mark Sunderland came back into it as they realised to put it mildly we were garbage, not as rank as them perhaps but tactically clueless. Passing paralysis once again became the norm in the Riverside as we reverted to being on the back foot. The half time whistle went just after a 44th minute Ugo tribute from the fans but thankfully we went in unconvincingly 1-0 up.
The second half commenced, clearly Moyes had instructed his charges to get at us which they duly did, pushing even further up the pitch forcing errors in our own half and it was our turn now to rock. Ayala went down again and being honest after his first half treatment he didn’t look 100% and eventually had to succumb to being subbed as he sat looking fed up on the turf. Ominously though Ben was also laid out as Fabio came on to replace our adopted Spaniard with Chambers moving central. Ben picked himself up with the help of the Physio and rallied himself to continue which was just as well because moments later Clayton went down on a couple of occasions and looked like he needed to go off.
The second half continued to be totally one sided with the fans in the North stand feeling very left out of proceedings as Sunderland piled on the pressure and we just passed ourselves into trouble in front of the Red Faction who had managed to disgrace the club before KO with a Flare being set off in the upper tier to which Stewards responded almost as quickly as one of Karanka’s substitutions.
Fast forward thirty more minutes of camping in our own 18 yard box with Negredo continuing to fight and battle for everything and anything that rarely came upfield aided only by a bit of support from de Roon. We weren’t just poor; it was simply abysmal to watch and not made any better by watching a Sunderland side that were so wasteful if we played till dawn they still wouldn’t have scored which was the only thing that saved our blushes.
We desperately needed an outlet, Negredo was doing a great job but Stewy was almost playing as a second left back and Stuani was almost superfluous out wide right only occasionally picking up odd balls and linking up with Fabio but then seemingly unable to move into free areas and stood waiting and watching Traore like. Surely Aggers, Woody and Jordan saw the same thing. Get someone on with a bit of pace and stick him up top with Negredo to ease the pressure on the wall of one way white shirts camped in the Boro half. Traore and Bamford continued to warm up, finally far too late the board eventually went up with us wondering who Agnew would remove, Stuani most likely due to his ineffectiveness or maybe a midfielder especially as Clayts had been struggling.
There was a stunned silence as people around me rubbed their eyes and double checked, it was Negredo, the one player offering any relief and battled more for the cause than anyone. I don’t think I have ever heard so many disbelieving blasphemous words all around me expressed simultaneously. What made matters worse was it was Gestede who was coming on. So here we have a skilful intelligent player who can tackle, hold the ball up, rough up defenders giving his all to be replaced by the most one dimensional footballer ever to put on a Boro shirt since Maximillian Haas. Boos rang out towards the idiots masquerading as Coaches on the Boro bench as Negredo with disbelief in his face trudged towards the dug outs. I don’t think I have ever witnessed a more dislocated Substitution evidencing a complete inability to remotely grasp what was happening on a football pitch in my life and I saw most of Trashcans games.
I won’t even bother to pass comment on what ensued afterwards as headers were won and predictably nothing happened as there was nobody anywhere remotely near Gestede but more worrying anything that wasn’t eight or nine feet in the air was shinned, stumbled or tripped over. Don’t think Sunderland had it all their own way in the second half, George did put a cross come shot in that sailed well wide of Pickfords post and Stewy did have a shot about two minutes into injury time that went wide.
As a game it was a great advert for Cricket only nowhere near as exciting and exhilarating. Three points finally for the new Coaching team and if ever there was a reason for SG to decide that Aggers maybe isn’t the man for the job tonight was it. Plain awful, just plain goddamn awful, a dreadful game that will scar rather than linger on the memory. Anyone who thought it couldn’t be more painful after AK left (me especially) were proved wrong tonight. We won but it was dire and clueless suffering with zero redeeming features, absolutely none whatsoever. My MOM was Negredo for his selflessness and battling but de Roon probably also deserves it for scrapping and never say die running plus his well taken goal, our solitary opportunity!
Any more of this and my next Season’s Season Card will be going on ebay with no reserve and free delivery, how can a win feel so bad?
Redcar Red
Mercifully I only got to listen to the last 11 minutes due to some problem with the Boro- feed, they don’t deserve a +.
Trying to read between the lines to get a clue on whether you think Agnew should be the manager next season, could you be a bit more explicit.
🙂
From what I have read and heard it appeared to be very poor fare.
Thanks for your report, does writing it re open bad memories of the match? From my viewpoint I can ignore it and read the result.
Agnew had a difficult task but it looks like he has gone from tinkering with the idle screw to now taking the head off along with all the valves, stripped the carb down and is now trying to put it all back together and not sure what his TDC is, forgot to paint his timing marks plus has a load of spare parts left on the bench trying to figure out why its coughing and running rough, backfiring with black smoke belching out the exhaust.
RR
Yea just like me after watching the Boro and having a few glasses of Red
Piston Broke
Showing such athleticism proves there’s no elephant in de Roon.
So the Agnewy, sorry the agony, continues !
And the last time I saw flares at a Boro game was 1970 something.
I must be getting inured to poor football because I actually enjoyed it.
Guzan made two great saves one from a free kick but his distribution was poor and a lot of his kicking went to the Sunderland players instead of hos Boro teammates
I did wonder if Ben was suffering from a few nerves as there were a couple of times last night he made some mistakes which we are not used to seeing
George doesn’t look fit at all and Sunderland realised that and put Adnuzai on that wing to try and pressure him but to no avail
The whole team looks shorn of belief and our passing was woeful at times
Why did Ayala go straight down the tunnel after being subbed? Injured or not you should stay on the bench and support your team mates.
Negredo on the other hand was throwing bottles around and nearly pulled out one of the fancy seats on the bench he was so hacked off that he had been subbed. A poor decision to take him off.
So would I like Agnew to get the job on a permanent basis?
NO THANK YOU !
At least, against all hope, Agnew has won a game by the proverbial fine margin but as RR says they were worse than us(!) and also probably more luck than good judgement on SA’s part.
Why did they take Negredo off? Will they explain that at the press conference? No Bamford again too. Mystifying, obviously handling substitutes is a black art and the Boro coaches haven’t read the book.
Mr Gibson, Sir, please don’t give Mr Agnew the job.
UTB,
John
A win, something of a novelty.
I completely forgot that Boro were playing last night until about 10:00 when I checked the result, speaks volumes really.
I suppose if Boro were going to score one double this season a lot of us would have voted for it to be against Sunderland, but if that’s the best the season can give us its time to wrap up for the summer.
As for a new/permanent manager, Steve Agnew was handed a poisoned chalice by Steve Gibson and clearly hasn’t found the antidote.
It may be true that Agnew could be a good manager but he needs to get a managers job at a smaller lower league club and work his way up from there, as in my opinion should all players/coaches with managerial aspirations.
There is a major overhaul required at Boro this summer but more importantly a resetting of the mental attitude of the players who will be with us next season to one of single minded determination to get promoted immediately. That mind set isn’t easy to achieve at a relegated club, it needs a man with strong leadership skills to create that mind-set and someone who is in no way tainted by association with Karanka’s regime.
Only four comments so far, that is poor after such a momentous night!
It wasn’t momentous. It was pointless. The damage has already been done.
Ian
Yes but supporters who were there and travelled wouldn’t get back until late
I didn’t get home until 11 and I live local!
It wasn’t that we didn’t care it was we were probably tired and still shell shocked that we won..,
I’m ok I put a win for the exmil challenge so I’m on my way citeh next ?????
RR
Many thanks for a depressing task of writing upbeats for a downbeat performance.
Is last night’s performance that which could be due to a large dollop of incestuous sychophancy by appointing a smiley yes man and his motely crew?
It would appear we have a series of a repetition of the ‘Charltongate’ game, yet now no AK in sight. But who to blame? Of course, Corbyn. That old reactionary must have been in the crowd – lol.
If SG, Bausor & Kenyon actually do find some sap to replace Aggers, I reckon we may well either groan or with one voice say ‘Who?’
It’s a bit of a circus at the moment with elephants in the room watching the clowns in charge.
Pretty desperate stuff by all accounts (I had the same problems with Boro+ as Ian and got told off by Tees on Twitter when I begged them to sort it), and thanks to Redcar for an honest assessment of what happened. This match was a gift and we at least managed to accept it, but as before clear signs the team needs a fresh impetus, which will come when they appoint a new manager. I panicked when I clicked on Sky Bet and was informed they were no longer taking bets, which made me think SG had handed Agnew the job based on last night’s work. Thankfully not the case, and the way we are playing – and given the matches remaining – I’m struggling to see where the next point will come from.
I posted earlier, but it seems to have evaporated, anyway of little consequence really.
In summary, winning is a bit of a novelty, highlight of season is beating Sunderland twice, lowlight better description?
As for the manager for next season, it needs to be a leader who can motivate and inspire, its no easy task resetting the mind set of a relegated club whose players have lost their self belief.
Steve Agnew if he wants to be a manger needs to get his first experience at a smaller lower league club as in my opinion all new managers should.
Could this season have been any worse?
Yet there lies the moot point, Nigel as it seems as though he didn’t pick them all and the individual responsible has not come forth with a mea culpa!
Might have been Jeremy Corbyn- lol
Nigel
Yes it could have been worse, I think of the seasons where Sunderland and Derby got teens of points.
It is likely to end in relegation but that is not the end of the world. It is only football.
There is a steady and growing number of contributors to this blog who are noting with surprise that a certain AK must have been pretty good to get this clueless bunch into the prem. Me amongst them.
As the person who is now so far out of his depth the he could do with a divers helmet is displaying his limitations at every opportunity, one can look forward to a rush for AK’s service’s and it will be good to see him get a good job.
I watched the match last night and concur – nearly fell asleep in the second half. If the PL introduce no points for either team then for sure that gamae was a no pointer.
Even our goal wasn’t a real goal more an accident. Didnt even cheer when it wnet in only shook my head in disbelief.
Having drank all my own red at the weekend, I was expecting it to be a sober affair but as luck would have it a colleague gave me 50 bottles [yes 50!!] of his stock of old Austrailian wines he had hoarded over the past 25 years in the middle east. He was leaving to Dubai and couldnt pack them in his luggage. In his honour I opened a 97 Merlot which helped.
I will do a list of the names for our antipodean diasboro and they can tell me if any are any good!! For that I am extremely grateful.
Never mind on to next season where we will be injected full of hope and aspiration – in the meantime the merlot was so nice I forgot to enter the challenge but then like the match I couldn’t really see the point anymore, just want this season to end…quickly!!
Nigel
We could let Hartlepool have first option on Aggers, Woodgate and Co.
If they succeeded there, you might take them seriously as management material.
All great blokes I’m sure but definitely not the men to engineer our escape from the Championship.
Giggs name keeps coming up,if he gets it I’m done,he’s the last one I’d hire,
I’d rather have Roy Keane ,he has got a team promoted at least!
Steely – agreed, I haven’t got anything against any of them and as you say probably all top blokes, but Boro need a new face who is experienced.
plato – I disagree, in my mind responsibility sits squarely at Karanka’s door, the failures are his players. He chose them, he picked them, his responsibility.
Nigel
The last thing that has happened at this club is the manager picking his own buys. Witness players being bought and sold without ever playing.
Witness the manager getting a non performing team to feature in a string of very high profile games against the very best of the premier league with very high praise from the media. That team was ready to move on, big time.
That was a brutal failure by the higher management, witness the buying of whole bunches of players all of whom were lookalike in size, ability and general unsuitability for playing in the premiership at mid table or better.
Silly point I know, but it is symptomatic of higher management that they didn’t provide and insist on top tuition in spoken English for AK.(an absolute must for anyone in top football) if you cannot communicate you will be misrepresented at will by old uncle tom Cobley and all(and he was)
He will get a decent job, and he will not be let down by his employers.
RR
Many thanks for your report – i think!
I too like Ian and Mike had Boro+ problems and when I emailed EDL to advise they responded to advise they were aware and were trying to rectify, which they did with about 15 mins left!
Seems rather strange that I have not had a problem in the past but did so on the day they advised me that MFC would no longer be using them for their digital services – funny that!
Well what a good win – o bugger that’s put a hole in my Exmil challenge!
Ola all!
Still on a Spanish island, so was reduced to text updates from an intermittently slow wifi. Not impressed with the team announcement, very negative. Could have been SA’s way of realising that his idea were garbage and that AK was onto something with his 3 stoppers across the middle. Either way, it had desperation sown right through it. Having said that, vs Man City I’m not sure we can finess it much further (Fabio for Ayala, Chambers to CB?).
I’m also mystified at the lack of Bamford. He nearly got a man sent off vs. Burnley (should have!) and is the only one of the strikers with enough pace to play off the last man, which I suspect we may need vs. city. Then again, Agnew will probably go for Gestede and just bang balls into the box (a la Arsenal tactic) all game long.
I would have one mitigating factor that I would like to give to Agnew – I think last night was the first game he’s taken charge of where we haven’t lost someone to injury in the first half. Can someone confirm? Either way, we know how AK felt that messed up his planning, but it would test even Big Sam to work his magic if you’re losing players within 30mins of each game. Even last night we had Ayala crocked first half and struggling on until early in the 2nd.
So, not the best platform from which to launch your bid for safety, but Agnew has not done himself any favours. He has simply repeated the mistakes AK created, which is taking a tactically well drilled team, changing their default formation and modus operandi mid season and causing havoc. I think the change from 4231 to 4321 was the biggest mistake AK made. He had drilled that through the team and he should have instead carried that on and trusted himself. Instead, he tinkered and weakened our one strength. Admittedly, 4231 was not pretty and wasn’t going to see us score vast amounts of goals, but with the right personnel we could have been competitive with at least 10-12 teams in the PL. Agnew has destroyed any sense of comprehension or clarity with his constant tactical flip flopping. A good coach would not need to go through so many formations to work out how to get the best out of his charges. Indeed, look at Big Sam, post international break Palace have been a radically different proposition. He had time to mound them and play the way he wanted and knew how. Agnew created more indecision and chaos.
Back to my earlier point about 4231 and the right personnel. Well, many others have said it far mor elegantly, but the recruitment has been an absolute mess. We have bought far too many players who didn’t fit in our system, and many who the manager didn’t want at all. That is no way to run anything, even a charity tea sale. “Doris has bought fondant fancies again, even after the Zimmer frame incident of ’96”.
I’m probably going to speak an unspeakable truth here, but the recruitment side has been poor since Keith “The Count” Lamb left. I’m not sure Bausor has the experience or gravitas to take that role, which may explain the presence of Kenyon. Either way, the whole club, from Chief Exec down needs a shake up. New advisors, new football men brought in, new manager, new coaches. All of which means that anyone who backs us for an immediate return to the PL is probably onto a hiding. We are in Aston Villa levels of disarray, not Newcastle levels of anger and pulling in the right direction.
A word on the Geordies. That is twice now that they have been relegated since our last relegation and each time they have angrily trounced their way through the Championship with their big club PL-entitlement and fury at suffering relegation. Do we have that mentality? Do our fans? I think too many people see Division 2 as our level. And if that is where you see yourself, then it’s where you’ll end up.
Love the idea of big Sam “mounding” people
Freudian slip of the best order!
Should have course said “mould”
You would imagine anyone interested in the managers job,or have been called in for an interview ,would be at some of the games.
Anyone see anybody of interest?
Well I’ve been tramping the corridors of power for the past season as an interested observer and have seen quite a few well known managers and explayers but none that would be classed as a potential next Boro Manager
Redknapp was on everyone’s lips a few weeks ago but we ended up with Smokin Joe Jordan who looked up for the fight last night with the Sunderland Bench and had to be separated by the fourth official !
Talk last night was about Pearson which dismayed me somewhat as I don’t think he’s the right man for the job!
There was also criticism of Bausor last night which I’ve never heard before and people thought he wasn’t up to the job and should go! Interesting
Chinese whispers ?
Spartakboro in reply to your post:
Someone said (no names mentioned) that he’d keep De Roon for next sessons travails 😉
Shock! Horror! Breaking Newts!
SPARTAKBORO RECOMMENDS SIGNING LEE CATTERMOLE NEXT SEASON AND MAKING HIM CAPTAIN!
It was I and I still stand by that statement, to me in his first year in English football (in the Premiership as well) I don’t think he has done too bad. To add fuel to the fire I would also keep de Sart and Fischer.
Come on BORO.
I also suggested the same exmil.
🙂
The season due to conflicting parties of self interest (continuing on from last season), has been a shambles in the making, a circus, a dire tired mismanagement mistake and a hodgepodge supreme.
We lost one manager, recruited another with zero direct experience & spent and lost millions unnecessarily.
Damn good job it wasn’t my money goin to waste.
Further, I would suggest that the people offering advise to SG are simply charletons, bumpkins, pumpkins, losers in trusers, and lesser beings of a lower class.
I have no hessitation in saying that he’d easily find more words of wisdom & better advise here on this blog.
And yes that includes you too Ian, even though it pains me to write such.
🙂
This sport is infested with those of self and/or conflicting interests. It must be difficult for SG to know who to trust and whose advice to depend on. Some of our recent signings have a lot of us scratching heads not least of all our former Manager and that is before the fees are considered!
Spartak
Thanks for the kind words, I will treasure them.
The mess is not just down to a moody Spanish manager. He doesn’t sign the cheques, he doesn’t run recruitment. He had huge involvement so takes a huge share of the blame.
But, in any organisation there have to be checks and balances, someone has to oversee proceedings.
This is a collective failure.
Correct!
And a Gazette Towers spin job.
I’d keep de Roon next season without question, the more pertinent question is would he want to stay or would he prefer another crack at the prem with Everton for example?
I actually think his energetic style could suit Klopp’s pressing.
Has he got the quality? It would help having better players around him.
I’d keep him but money talks.
Nigel
I agree about de Roon, for all the criticism of him being a bit of a headless chicken at times at least he has scored some goals. He does get forward and is the only mate Billy one mate has up front
I think he has great scope to improve
As the season has gone on he seems to be getting to grips with things plus he likes having a pop at getting a goal and heaven knows we need them. That said he isn’t £12m worth of improvement at least not yet anyway but he is at least energetic and seems to be determined to put the effort in. I think we miss him when he isn’t in the team.
Agreed Ian, de Roon could well be one of those players who takes off in season two.
A clean sheet and a win. We on the up with a run. One win run. What a change for us a fans.
The sad thing that Sunderland got relegated last night. I feel sorry for them.
Up the Boro!
Jarkko
You are like a beacon of light on a stormy sea, don’t ever change!
Where is BP?
If you want you can check his twitter feed (@PhiliusBoro) but he seems to be concentrating on politics and supporting Corbyn ahead of the election – though his last Boro-related tweet was during the Bournemouth match “this sounds absolutely pathetic. #borolive” – which probably means he’s now resigned to Boro’s fate.
I’ve often been called a twit but I know nowt about Twitter or Facebook, etc.
It’s all I can do to keep up with this blog!
As Spartak observes, even BP has accepted defeat.
All optimism is officially on hold until August, although it’s not compulsory.
Locked in the cupboard under the stairs at Rockcliffe until the start of next season 😉
The Gazette hav even stopped postin his tweets on the live blog each game
Maybees he’s made the early switch to cricket at YCCC?
🙂
Annoyed at Agnews starting 11 then baffled with his use of subs.
Was convinced Gestede would replace ineffective Stuani but no,Negrados reaction was an angry one when he saw his number was up.
Poor Bamford had been warming up all second half and had ran more than some of the the players playing. Just as you think he might be the next to come on Traore strips and starts warming up but even he realised after five minutes he wasn’t going to be used and ending up standing still and watching as a spectator.
Forshaw was dead on his feet,Clayton had taken a knock,George and Chambers arnt fully fit you would have expected one of them to be replaced luckily Agnew got away with it.
Strange reaction after that rare win,normally I’d be buzzing after a victory especially a Derby one but I felt nothing same goes for the atmosphere it was very flat,both sets of fans resigned to their fate!!
RR, yet another perfect description of the game last night.
While it is great to get a win, especially over a local rival, the paucity of quality on display (management and players) made it a turgid and depressing experience.
For all the reasons mentioned in RR’s match report that were on display last night it must NOT be Agnew in charge of the team next season.
Lots of Head scratching over substitutions again. No wonder Negredo was angry.
Also, Not sure what Bamford has to do to be given a chance.
Poor Borophil, supporting Boro and Corbyn, the combined odds on both being in premier positions come July must be a great bet.
There again Leicester were 500/1 to win the title.
Carter Mike is exactly the sort of experienced battle hardened Prem player we should have signed at the beginning of this season.
All our woes started when he was sold by the inexperienced Gate, leaving us without a midfield. Hey ho.
A goal, a win and a clean sheet. The flame of hope of survival flickers, if only until the next match. A match which I expect to see is well and truly burned.
Carter Mike? Cattermole obvs. Mind you, we may well have signed Carter Mike as well.
I think about that sale – that of James Morrison too, two academy lads who were sold cheaply and have developed into Premiership regulars. As i remember it, Carter Mike was shown the door because he couldn’t be controlled off the pitch rather than on it, the usual Southgate tactic of getting rid rather than deal with the issues head on.
Last night’s win was enormously welcome. After that scintillating performance, I’m now expecting us to win all of our last 4 games and to stay up by the skin of our teeth. City have just failed to break down an incredibly boring, very Karanka-esque Man United, so we’ll beat them easily. Oh, there goes a flying pig……..
Actually, our game was a steaming load of horse manure, as RR’s splendid report makes clear. I thought we would go and get 2 or 3 once we scored, but after 10 minutes of good, attacking football, we reverted to type. Incredibly poor passing all game thereafter, 10 men behind the ball and camped in our own half against the worst team in the league. Unbelievable tactics. Dreadfully poor. And don’t get me started on the substitutions. Unbelievable and dreadfully poor!
I thought the Bournemouth shambles must have finally killed off Agnew’s hopes of getting the job on a full-time basis. I just hope Steve Gibson doesn’t think that last night”s win makes everything alright again. It’s very clear that we were merely papering over the cracks. Did I say cracks? I meant to say yawning chasms.
I was able to watch the whole game in Australia and, other than a short period after the first goal, it was pretty turgid stuff by Boro. What strikes me the most is how little things have changed since the Karanka days. This seems to be an indictment of the decision to appoint Agnew who was a very involved member of the AK team. Unlike Shakespeare at Leicester who seems to have re-ignited some missing fire, Agnew’s big change has been to play Downing, ask the midfield to get forward and hit a few longer balls. Everything else has been almost unchanged and, unsurprisingly, it hasn’t had a big impact. Having he said that, he hasn’t had much luck with injuries which has limited his use of subs and small turning points such as Ayala’s chance to put us 2-1 up against Arsenal haven’t gone his way.
As it now stands, we have to assume that the Man City game will see Boro defending because we don’t have the players to hold the ball. I admire Redcar Red’s analyses but do feel that he is a little harsh on Gestede. Every time that he plays, he wins the ball in the air. Taking that pressure off Negredo and allowing him to feed off the knockdowns may actually give us a chance of creating some goal-scoring opportunities. At the same time, Negredo himself will be available with his superior skills for balls played to feet. I would have really liked to see the two of them together for the last fifteen or twenty minutes against Sunderland. Stuani was the obvious person to take off. As for Bamford, yes, playing him off Negredo would be another way to try and maintain pressure on the City defence. Either way we all seem to think that two up front is needed.
Other than that, I seem to have created a Cattermole supporters club with my comments on the end of the last blog. He’d be a great option to help us battle out of the Championship. However, Sunderland probably think exactly the same thing.
Anyway, here’s hoping that Hull lose and Man U remember how to attack against Swansea. It would add some interest.
UTB
On a different tack does anyone know how the term “referee” was instigated? To me the word seems to suggest that players would control the match and only refer to an “official” if they had some dispute which needed guidance. Utter chaos? Perhaps, but it used to be said that a good referee was one who was hardly ever noticed.
Ken
Some clarification on the word referee
Originally the team captains would consult with each other in order to resolve any dispute on the pitch. Eventually this role was delegated to an umpire. Each team would bring their own partisan umpire allowing the team captains to concentrate on the game. Later, the referee, a third “neutral” official was added; this referee would be “referred to” if the umpires could not resolve a dispute. The referee did not take his place on the pitch until 1891, when the umpires became linesmen (now assistant referees).
I refereed for quite a few years and did some in Holland for a year and two in Spain and was called an Arbitro which is where we get Arbitrator in English from.
I was also called quite a few other words as well but we won’t go into that.
Nothing used to give me greater pleasure than to finish a game knowing you’ve had a “good un” and both sets of players congratulate you on a good game
The worst games were “friendlies” where you had players who hadn’t played football for a while and tried to kick their best friends off the park!
Thank you for your match report RR,…..having to go and watch that drivel was bad enough, but then to have to come home and relive the whole horrible episode and put into print…..you are a star!!!!!!
Two absolutely rubbish teams, and the Boro as much as I do not want to say, have got worse since AK has left. I am sorry Aggers, nice man and all that, but to manage the team next season and try and instigate a promotion push, well I just cannot see it happening under him and his assistants Jordan, Woodgate and ……..Leo. Him and SA seemed to getting on rather well on the touchline. That one is a surprise to me, I thought that given Leo´s affection for AK he would have left with the others.
What an absolute mess the season is ending in.
The win against Sunderland, even though an unconvincing struggle, was a very important result for us. Yes, the warm glow of the double over them (though dimmed by our otherwise fatal spiral downwards), and every sentient being on the planet must feel some twinge of relief for Rudy Gestede getting the albatross off his back.
But it also leaves us free to go into next season without the burden of the ‘haven’t won since December’ tag which was getting very irksome and deflating. The stats for the season will be mainly awful, but not totally humiliating.
As Selwynoz says, it is interesting that apart from Stewy, who has become an important player again, Agnew’s team selections have settled back into very much the same patterns of selection as AK. Having a different manager calling the shots has resulted in pretty much the same judgements. For example, Traore and Bamford are not trusted in spite of the lack of goals, Fischer and Husband are again on the fringe, and Forshaw is back in favour. Barragan can start ahead of Fabio, Guzan starts ahead of Dimi. Gestede and Stuani flicker in and out of contention. Agnew worked for AK, but he is free to think for himself and take advice from Jordan and Woodgate, who didn’t.
I think we are in real danger of struggling next season, for reasons to do with the weaknesses in the squad, and who will leave. One thing I certainly think we need to do right now is to get Bamford involved, and see if he can get a goal or two – not for this season, but to give him some sort of boost going into next, because I suspect he will need to put 20 goals on the board for us, or we are mid-table.
Unless Orta and Gill have some excellent targets up their sleeve…
Mark W
Re the term “rerefee” I should have said that originally they were called umpires as in cricket. To abbreviate the official to “ump” does sound odd, but how many times has the ref given spectators the ‘ump?
To the sound of a couple of drum beats and the crashing of a cymbol.
🙂
Talking of Referees I just watched the Fellaini sending off last night. Its hard enough being a Ref without the sort of gamesmanship Aguero conducted last night. I don’t know if its considered dealt with by the Ref so end of story but the FA should consider retrospective action against Aguero, preferably before Sunday please 🙂
Plato
You’ll get yer leg smacked critising top management like that ( Ian are you there?)
Dont you know how difficult the job is and how little they are paid?
‘Yes, boss!’
Lol –
I agree with Boronurk that we should now be giving game time to the players we expect to still be here next season.
We need to have the nucleus of the team as ready as possible if we expect to be challenging for promotion.
There’s a case for team selection concentrating on players who will be here next season, there’s also a strong case for selecting the best players with the aim of getting the best result, especially while we still have a theoretical chance of survival.
Maybe Barragan was selected ahead of Fabio because Fabio isn’t 100%, Guzan ahead of Dimi, easy, Guzan’s a better keeper. No Traore? Well that’s easy, he contributes nothing, no assists, no goals and is a liability when we aren’t in possession. Bamford’s non-selection is a trickier one to understand, it may well be that currently Boro’s style of play doesn’t suit him. We’ll see that change next season, no doubt.
As for the overall selection and tactics being similar to AK’s, surely that is to be expected, the squad has been drilled to play in a certain style for two seasons now, to change mid-season as Agnew has in fact tried is suicide as the Hull and Bournemouth results proved.
The only selection decision I’d like to see confirmed is the non-selection of Ramirez for the remainder of the season, followed by a swift exit from the club in May.
Players who deliberately under perform because they want to be somewhere else bemuse me, surely you play out of your skin to attract the best possible suitors in the close season, just like Viduka did.
Re referees. Thanks Originalfatbob, I had some recollection of umpires being involved but didn’t realise that captains were involved. Of course in cricket and rugby we have video refs. Incidentally Gareth Southgate was an invited guest by Leeds Rhinos at their Super League match last night apparently, according to Eddie Hemings, to observe the use of video technology. Wonder if his role of England Team Manager now extends to include being an FA delegate.
Ken
It would be more likely that because Southgate lives in Harrogate it is local md he gets home at night rather than working in FA headquarters
Maybe, but that’s what the commentator said. Mind, if I lived in Harrogate I’d rather watch Castleford play – the Spurs of Super League!
Redcar Red
Gary Neville had it right when he said Aguero played Fellaini perfectly. Because Aquero is so short he stuck his head in Fellaini’s chest!
If trout rose as easily to the fly it would be called fly catching rather than fishing. Fellaini gave the ref a decision to make which he duly did, if he didn’t send him off he would have been pilloried.
It is a fine line between gamesmanship and cheating
And now for something completely different.
Will Ramirez be back in the fold for the game against Citeh? I don’t think it would be a popular choice!
Funny you should mention that as I’m proposing a solution in my City pre-match piece which I started on this morning – together with a suitable graphical representation… I’ll try to complete it for later today.
!an
I’d have sent them both off but it was very clear that Aguero was the one who started the incident so if it had to be one then it should have been him rather than Fellaini (whom I can’t stand at the best of times).
Then there’s the Sanchez incident when the ball was thrown at him and it hit his shoulder and went down 4 seconds later clutching his face. I would love it (as wor Kev would probably say) if the FA disciplined all three by fining them a months wages and a six game ban. I hate poor officiating but if I want good Refereeing then its fair and reasonable to expect some standards from the playing personnel.
FIFA should circulate videos to clubs stating that next season those incidents will be red cards, retrospectively if necessary with a one months salary fine and 6 game ban. Some tough action needs to be taken for the sake of the game.
On the subject of Ramirez I wouldn’t deem it wise of Agnew or MFC to have him anywhere near the Riverside again. If he comes on as a Sub he will be roundly booed, jeered and whistled and most likely every time he touches the ball after that. He was literally worshipped by the fans who dearly wanted him back here yet for absolutely no reason he betrayed them beyond belief. He has walked off the pitch on numerous occasions ignoring the supporters.
I get that he wanted away which is treachery in itself but it happens but to ignore the fans is absolutely unforgivable and the act of an individual with zero moral values and decency. Against Arsenal when he was subbed at the Riverside the fans cheered him off to once again let him know how much he means to them and that they still supported him yet he walked off head down and totally ignoring them. Fast forward to Bournemouth and his behaviour then was a disgrace. His behaviour was in part (along with other things going on at the Club) the start of our downfall.
The only option for Agnew would be to start him (a risk not even remotely worth contemplating in my view) but if he gets himself red carded then I suggest the club can expect repercussions, to think otherwise is naive in the extreme. You can take the proverbial only so many times and his goodwill has expired and now seriously overdrawn. If he does start he better put on the show of his life and show the fans a bit of appreciation without whom he would be playing in a no mark South American League for relative peanuts with his European big money career finished.
Ian, I don’t care what is popular or not. We need to win at all costs now. So I can accept Gaston playing if he is at his (near) best.
I didn’t see the Sunderland match on TV as on a business trip. But it looks like Boro did not play well according to the reports (Thanks, RR). But Guzan looked good on the highlights. But Rudy Gestede finished the game on a winning side finally!
I think the result was something we have’t had for a while – we had some luck. I think we are better than Sunderland and close to the some other PL teams. Had we won one or two matches more during the past three and half months we could survive …
Anyway, we must hope there will be an uptypical Boro moment on Sunday. I have enjoyed the Boro matches on TV this season and I feel terrible if they are not on TV anymore next season. So I keep on hoping for a miracle – starting against City on Sunday.
Up the Boro!
Are the Tories & Theresa May about to lose the certainty of an epoch?
Will the Mugwump be havin the last laugh?
You could not make it up!
Lol 🙂
And now readers, back to the football!
OFB
thanks for your insight into the world of refs and their history.
With both Spanish and English using the same noun, I thought I’d check the etymology. It was no surprise to learn those gadabout Romans were responsible.
(My Dad’s a long standing member of the Hadrianic Society, he’ll be pleased to know our family holidays traipsing the Wall were not wasted.)
From http://www.etymonline.com/
Arbiter. ‘late 14c., “person who has power of judging absolutely according to his own pleasure in a dispute or issue,” from Old French arbitre “arbiter, judge” (13c.) and directly from Latin arbiter “one who goes somewhere (as witness or judge),” in classical Latin used of spectators and eye-witnesses; specifically in law, “he who hears and decides a case, a judge, umpire, mediator;” from ad “to” (see ad-) + baetere “to come, go.” ‘
All together, now: ‘ What have the..’
Or
“Who’s the bar steward in the black?”
Gaston Ramirez should be nowhere near a Boro team ever again.
He doesn’t care, isn’t bothered and so hasn’t come close to playing anywhere near his best for months.
Why pick someone in the hope he might suddenly fancy it again and so play to his potential?
This season has shown us that the Boro squad isn’t good enough for the premiership, we have to accept that, the very least we can demand from the players on the pitch though is commitment.
I see the transfer rumours are starting already. We have been linked with Canadian Cyle Larin who plays for Orlando in the MLS, a German 2nd division Keeper Marvin Schwabe anda 19 year old Utrecht RB Giovanni Troupee. Meanwhile Negredo is being linked with the Baggies as its unlikely that Valencia want him nor afford him. Personally I would like to see us try and negotiate something with Alvaro perhaps with a big promotion bonus as a means of reaching a compromise.
RR
Don’t you mean champions league qualification bonus ?
We will finish 17th this season and 4th next season !!
Damn this being sober is it gin o clock yet ?
It is always gin o’clock somewhere, part of being a global economy, hic!
Thats the spirit after a rare win, Bob. 😉
Up the Boro!
You just wonder what the players think about Gaston, is he a divisive influence in the dressing?
The other thought that springs to mind is whether his current malaise the reason why he didn’t make it at the Saints and Hull?
It is a tough call but I have seen and read little that leads me to think he will contribute to the cause. We will need patience and work ethic on Sunday, does he do either?
Redcar – I agree, keeping Negredo would be great, he’d be a fantastic asset in the championship. I’d like to see Ben stay to.
If anyone is wondering if Gaston will be returning from his untimely suspension this weekend or will be hung out dry by Agnew – I’ve just posted up my take on matters in my Man City match preview…
https://diasboro.club/2017/04/28/boro-v-man-city-match-preview/
I probably didn’t express myself very clearly, Nigel. My attempted drift was that if a different boss with new advisors selected pretty much the same players as AK, it suggests that the judgements on our players’ abilities and the strongest eleven are just about right.
For example, Fisher and Traore are not irresistable matchwinners being denied the chance to save the season, in different ways they just do not offer enough compared with the alternatives. Although if football is entertainment, I do enjoy Traore’s slaloming runs past multiple opponents when our attacking game is otherwise on life support.
I see Bamford as an exception to the rule of playing the (perceived) strongest team, because of my view that he will be central to any hopes we have of promotion next season. Stuani did not set the game alight against Sunderland, and I suspect he will not be interested in another tilt at the Championship, so me might as well try to get Bamford’s career back on an upwards track.
I don’t think Negredo will stay unless he wants to take a huge wage cut. I’d be delighted if he did stay.
We only got promoted through the goals scored by Ramirez and Rhodes from January onwards, and with a key creative influence from Albert. Fabbrini was key early season. All gone or going. Who will create the goals next year? Who will score them?
Do Orta and Gill have the answer?
“Do Orta and Gill have the answer?”
I’m sure that they do but the problem is would they understand the question?
42 that’s the answer
Now what’s the question?
The Question surely has to be:
“How many of Steve Gibson’s millions have you relieved up the wall?”