Hull clinging to a draw yesterday PM with a last gasp penalty save seemed a tipping point perhaps. Although it was only a single solitary point with games running out fast Boro would now appear to require snookers to have any chance of overhauling a seven point gap at this stage of the season. Meanwhile our NE Neighbours had confirmed for certain what they had known for months that next season their football would be in the Championship.
Apart from the Barcodes (HMRC investigation aside) football fate has been very cruel for the North East this season, very cruel indeed. Darlington’s long climb back has been barred because of what now looks like an ill-advised or poorly planned move back into the town preventing them from taking part in the play-offs. Pools look to be finally about to drop through the League trapdoor after decades of dancing around it apart from a singular short lived purple patch in the mid noughties when they lost the League 1 play-off final to Boro’s possible Premiership play off replacements Sheffield Wednesday. York continued their slide with a second successive relegation which serves as a warning that once you lose your grip on a slope the slide downwards can gather momentum very quickly. Gloomy backdrop or what!
At this time of the season some strange results do occur as nerves, injuries and desperation start to take hold. While from a North east perspective relatively speaking City’s situation was far from desperate Pep Guardiola has had a massively disappointing season by Sultan Standards. Failure to achieve Champions League status is unthinkable and likely sackable so the pressure was on both sides come 2.00pm.
The team announcements indicated that City would go with three at the back and two up front. Agnew reverted to a typical Karanka set up with a playing away from home at home set up. The first 90 seconds looked ominous as City bizarrely dressed in black showed their intent and tore into us from the off and an Aguero cross flew across the Boro six yard box with Guzan and the Boro back line terrified to touch it as the merest flick could have sent it into the net. Fortunately there were no other Black shirts close enough in the Boro box and the ball continued its trajectory across the pitch out of harms way.
Stuani wide right again had a few of us bemoaning the lack of pace and credible tracking back. The lad done his best but it was clear throughout that he never has been and never will be a wide player; his selection was more likely down to trust and predictability rather than ability in the role. Aggers had clearly decided that only those upon whom he could depend would be starting. As the first half progressed City as expected had the bulk of possession, passed and moved very quickly causing us all sorts of problems. It was anxious watching but as fifteen then twenty minutes passed Boro were growing in stature and the Karankaesque composure and defensive solidity caused great frustration for City and their Manager. This was the opportunity to put some breathing space between themselves and their neighbours but Boro hadn’t read the script.
Not only were Boro defending stoically we were also breaking out, creating chances and causing consternation in the City box. As much as Stuani and Fabio had to fend off assaults on their flank George looked to be back to his former self and along with Stewy were making progress and sending balls into the box. Negredo was battling and scrapping but again isolated as Stuani struggled to perform attack and defensive duties. De Roon however looked like he was up for repeating his Sunderland heroics and had a few forward looking forays one of which resulted in a 25 yard rocket that went wide but showed that City were in a game and made a statement. Meanwhile as the half progressed Clayts and Forshaw let de Bruyne and co. know they were in a game, snapping at expensive yellow socked heels. Fernadinho should have seen a straight Red for a forearm smash across Claytons face as he danced past three black shirts but Ref Friend seemed to think it was an accidental forearm smash. Unbelievable!
At the back Chambers and Gibson were in top form, the whole Boro team were unrecognisable from the one that meandered through against Sunderland midweek. As the half was entering its final phase I found myself hoping for the whistle to blow soon and get in 0-0 at half time then George made an interception on the edge of the Boro box, passed it up to de Roon who then set Stewy free with George now galloping down the flank who got involved again in deflecting the ball to Negredo who turned and put the ball past Caballero, 1-0 up and the Boro dream was alive and deservedly so. The Riverside roof nearly lifted off and the travelling City fans who had been extremely quiet suddenly became mute.
The second half started with no changes made from either Manager but Guardiola soon changed things after only five minutes bringing on Sane and Sterling for Clichy and the ineffective Garcia. This livened City up a little and gave our defence a little more to think about. The pressure was building and if there is one criticism of SA today it was that he left his decision to bring Traore on about ten minutes too late. As the pressure mounted we needed an outlet that would take some pressure off and give City some cause for concern.
Pretty much camped in our own half it was clear that something was going to break and it was courtesy of a piece of cheating gamesmanship from City (made worse by the fact that Aguero shouldn’t even be on the pitch after cheating on Thursday night). Sane went down in the box as de Roon was backing off him, a blatant cheating instinct seems to be how City have been drilled these days and the man with the whistle incredibly blew for a penalty. Just about the entire Boro side went apoplectic at the gross miscarriage of justice. The other aforementioned cheat Aguero then converted said Penalty but not after a booking for Fabio and a lot of pushing and shoving. Robbed, conned, cheated or a victim of an Official who was too afraid of upsetting the glamour side and any consequential media storm? I had made my mind up.
With the sense of injustice came an increase in Boro voices who started the afternoon quietly and raised the noise to way beyond levels MMP could only dream about. Traore then came on and immediately started to cause City some problems as he ran and chased at them being brought down for his troubles for what like as not would have been a Red had it been at the other end of the pitch but as it was a yellow was produced once again letting cheating win out. Stewy’s resultant free kick was cleared away by Caballero only for Negredo to pick up the loose ball, hang onto it, swivel, twist and turn with three black shirts in attendance, back heel it and somehow Chambers managed to poke home. It was scrappy, chaotic and bodies were all over the place so a clear view was difficult but the net bulged and Boro were now 2-1 up, thirteen minutes from time against a side that had made cheating an art form.
The Riverside noise had now had become a cauldron of hate and boos, whistles and jeers were directed at Sane every time he touched or came near the ball. The pressure was back on us but we had stood firm so far but it wasn’t to be and a quickly taken free kick caught tired minds and legs out as Jesus rose and headed City’s morally undeserved equaliser to finish the game 2-2.
Today seen a fair few plastic seats appearing again which for a home Premiership tie on a Bank Holiday weekend would have been unthinkable just a few weeks back. Reality is now hitting home as the fair-weather fans have started deserting which was a shame as they missed an honourable and thoroughly decent Boro performance, all the guile of a Karanka like defensive masterclass but with two goals against Champions League regulars. The late Traore Substitution aside Agnew and the bench got this about as well as any of us could have expected and indeed should have got more were it not for poor officiating and blatant cheating.
Negredo ran his heart and soul out (as they all did in fairness) and had to be replaced by Gestede on 82 minutes due to sheer exhaustion. At one point when we were under the cosh he was in the LB position winning a tackle, fending off challenges and pinged a cross field inch perfect ball to Fabio who then charged forward into the City half out of defence. Using Stuani to dummy City defenders Fabio continued his run and crossed for who else but Negredo to be on the end of it, that summed him up today.
Everyone was MOM especially the fans but for me one person just slightly nudged ahead and for the second time in a week it has to be Alvaro. The atmosphere was by far the best in 2017. Our fate still looks sealed but despite or perhaps because of the cheating it seemed a moral victory. I stayed until every last Boro player (Clayts) left the field of play to applaud them off the pitch. They had given their all and absolutely nobody could have asked or expected anything more from any of them.
A fine report of a fine Boro performance, RR. Thank you.
I do think that players retrospectively proven guilty of diving to win a penalty, as Sane surely would be, should be given a 3 game ban. That would be some sort of justice, even if too late to right today’s dreadful decision and consequent equaliser.
I enjoyed today. And I agree that Agnew got just about everything right. Apart from Stuani, that is.
Loved the report.
One point however, when a great team effort is coming to the end of play, with one team being frustrated, it is very dangerous to make a substitution, all the tired players are in the moment and have made the right calls for the entire match. It is best to let them finish it. Taking off Negredo (a monster display) was a major error, he was great defending balls into the box, and would have surely cleared the equaliser.(we did the same thing against united, and it proved ort to be the break they needed) what good was a forward to us, we were not going to try for a third goal?
Sounds like it was a good show which serves to demonstrate how much of a crying shame it is that an intervention wasn’t made earlier to give us a fighting chance of survival…
Another top classs report RR.
As you say a committed and decent performance today at last and we gave a side that has cost hundreds of millions a run for their money. But for a piece of blatant cheating and a very poor refereeing decision we would have won the game.
The stakes are so huge these days that referees must get critical decisions right and it is time that technology was used for adjudication on penalty claims and any players seen to be cheating should be banned retrospectively for at least ten games.
Agnew did a better job with the team today (although I agree with RR that Traore was brought on too late) but I still think he is not the right man to take charge next season.
The sad thing is that today’s performance, much better though it was, is too little too late. If the team had played like today from the start of the season we would not be where we are in the table and would have enough points to be certain of another season in the EPL. As it is we are going to be relegated for not giving it a go.
Re : cheats should be banned retrospectively for at least ten games : AGREE TOTALLY.
There’s going to
Be little signs of a resurrection to stay up
A great report again RR so thank you. And can belated well done to Weders for the pre match view.
Was out today buthat came in at 2 1 and was pacing and a loud frustrated Bugger was heard!
It is a travesty that cheating and diabolical ref saw us with only 1 point rather than 3 which would have given me hope that I might get a return on my daft fiver that we stay up.
Stranger things have happened but not this season but the positive performance is typical Boro, too late to make a difference.
I have seen it before and no doubt will see it again but will be there next year when I can,
UTB
Just watched the Fernandinho forearm smash on Clayton on MOTD. Clayton’s face actually distorts the impact was so severe. That act was clear deliberate intent and it was right in front of Kevin Friend.
I find it incredible that he couldn’t see that straight Red Card offence yet could deduce that a ball moving in the opposite direction and a player throwing himself into another player all going on behind a player stood in his direct line of sight was a penalty.
The Sane “incident” that wasn’t was bad enough but to see the Clayton assault up close and the nearest person on the pitch and with the best view of it just ignoring it begs serious questions to be asked.Had City gone down to 10 men, the penalty not given and Sane booked there would have been an entirely different outcome to that game.
I’ll refrain from putting my concluding thought in print.
Re : Just watched the Fernandinho forearm smash on Clayton on MOTD. Clayton’s face actually distorts the impact was so severe. That act was clear deliberate intent and it was right in front of Kevin Friend.
This ref should be hauled before a jury, banned from refereeing & convicted of being blind.
I’ve just watched the match again on TV and I’m still incensed at thenpoor decisions that went against us
2 points robbed could make all the difference to us like the 3 points that were robbed from us all those years ago
This is from myself on Untypical Boro on our opening Premiership game against Stoke:
“The rest of the half was fairly open and both sides showed intent but the Referee, Kevin Friend seemed intent on being a tad biased or incompetent in favour of Stoke, shame that as an otherwise good game was being spoilt by Official standards that wouldn’t look out of place in the Championship. The MOTD highlights will be interesting to see why he couldn’t spot a goal kick from a corner, a 50/50 challenge from a punch in the face and why he let the game go on, eventually fizzle yet blow for a free kick for a non event incident that occurred a few minutes previously. Clearly we have some gamesmanship lessons to learn in this league.”
Draw your own conclusions!
OFB
Match of the day had to give proper coverage of the great dive, and did, ( Ian Wright said It like it was, these blunders never even themselves out, how would you ever get another idiot as a referee)
The rest of them looked the other way, do not get involved, it’s not one of the top clubs, do not criticise the Ref. But he said we needed that win, and that blunder gave them the draw.
We could have helped ourself by highlighting the disputed penalties he has given against us on earlier occasions , and asked the refs. Union to change him before the match. This is a good tactic because it puts him on notice that he is under observation.
Just a point, match of the day was careful not to highlight the elbow in the face on George, and the free kick which brought the equaliser was another dive out on the touchline. I think it should be reported to the disciplinary committee, they are pretty good on elbows in the face, so it should collect him three of the best..
I’ve had it with the company line, that it’s hard for the refs?
NO I’m sorry but it’s the only job they have to do,and if they can’t do it they should be fired,it’s absolute in competence,
Are you telling me they can’t read the play, or expect maybe the attacking player might go down,
You know if they werent so bent on being in charge and let the game flow ,and realise every tackle isnt a foul, and every foul isn’t a yellow card, we might see better games.
Rielly the head of referees was useless himself half the time.
Once again enough of this pretecting poor referees.
Couldn’t see the match because of family commitments but I followed the results. Hugely disappointed with the result.
But we can only blame ourselves as we left it so late. Not a single win for almost four months. Horrible.
I think we are down now. A victory would have given us a fighting chance. But now the ship has sailed me thinks.
A sad result. A sad day. But always a red. Up the Boro!
The older amongst may remember Frannie Lee. His nickname was Lee Wun Pen.
He pushed the ball past the defender then ran in to him and went to ground. He played for Man City.
The only thing I can see is that de Roon planted himself, Sane stuck his foot behind de Roons leg and Friend added 2+2 but got 5.
He will be embarrassed when he watches it back.
The punishment? If you deny a clear goal scoring offence it is a red card offence. The logic is if you create one then the same should apply even if retrospectively
The Sane incident was worse than the Rashford penalty because the keeper made a silly challenge and pulled his arms back. He didn’t get the ball and from the ref’s viewpoint made contact.
Good performance but once again cheating prevails and we were robbed of two vital points which most likely won’t make a difference to the outcome of our season but it could have rattled Hull and Swansea abit and made the last three games more interesting!
I also think that post match if it is proven a player has dived in the case of Sane and Rashford yesterday then automatic bans should be given. Won’t change the result but banning them may make them think twice.
I also thought the free kick Sane won which resulted in Citys second goal was soft too.
Agree with RR that Traore should have been on ten or fifteen minutes earlier,we were penned in our own half and we needed him to run the ball out and give our defence a breather. I was surprised to see Stuani starting after his poor game against Sunderland and there was nothing in his game yesterday to make me think any different.
So now we need three wins and hope Hull don’t pick up more than three points and Swansea more than five points,very unlikely especially as both play Sunderland but those two extra points yesterday would have helped us,
As I texted earlier it used to be said that a good referee was one that was never noticed.
Amidst all the understandable anger over the pen, I’m not sure it will make so much difference whether we won or drew. Everyone knows that the reality of so many truly abysmal displays would catch up with us, and even with two extra points out of the game, is there anyone who seriously thinks we can win at Chelsea and Liverpool?
Blaming refs is almost always a convenient distraction from focusing on what the team can control – like defending balls into the box better in the last minutes of a game you are winning. Like not missing easy chances (Gestede at Swansea) etc.
Fernandinho was indeed lucky to stay on the pitch – but so was Forshaw.
And we all know that at various times in the season those two awful Spanish defenders, and Ayala, have been extremely fortunate to have got away with blatant fouls that should have been pens. De Roon was clearly offside at Hull yet I don’t recall Boro fans slating the official for allowing the goal.
More often than not it does even itself out, and frustration over a bad decision yesterday’s should not deflect from the fact ultimately this was a performance in vain. ‘Payday someday’ as the saying goes – and all the wretched, goal-starved fare this season, poor leadership off the pitch, and the dire transfers both in and out were always going to catch up. This reality will be the abiding memory of this briefest possible return to the Prem, not a bad penalty decision when it was all too late anyway.
Absolutely, a whole season of abject performances with a ‘head coach’ who I honestly think didn’t believe we had a prayer of survival and simply tried to get his team to hang on sealed our fate, not one crappy penalty decision. That and the failure of the club management to intervene at a sufficiently early stage when the writing was writ large on the walls of the Riverside is what done us…
Sadly, from Sunday’s showing, we could have stayed up, not without a squeaky bum or two but at least a well as Burnley have, so I have to question what the plan was? Go down and reap the benefit of the parachute money to stay comfy in the Championship? Did the club really want Premiership football? It doesn’t look like it…disappointing in the extreme….or maybe they just don’t know what they’re doing…
Unfortunately, I have to agree with your last sentence, Casandra – and I have been sayin so for sometime, to the constenation of others.
Recall back in the era of GS1 when SG when asked about relegation said ‘We didn’t see that coming!’
Spartak holds shakin head in hands,whilst dark cloud hovers overhead.
🙁
Thank you for the alternative view on the game RR. Not sure what we are going to do next season without the television to help with our comments.
Agree with most that has been said….Mr Friend appears to make the practice of making regular mistakes an easy one. As has been also said, if a player can be punished retrospectively, which I agree with, then this line should also be increased to include diving. A few bans would soon sharpen the mind of the perpetrators.
The Fernandinho forearm smash should have been a red card, Mr Friend knows all about him, he has had three red cards this season already. I also thought to be fair that Forshaw was lucky to stay on after his second (yellow card) tackle.
Some great performances, though you have to ask why only yesterday and not before. If we had of played like that in a few more games I think we would of stayed up.
However the Gibson / Chambers CB pairing has been sorely missed coupled with a return to something like with Friend and Fabio. If i had one criticism it would be that the CB´s did not get anywhere near Jesus for his header…a free one at that.
Also agree with RR. that Alvaro was MOM. He will be sadly missed next season, with a decent team and support he would have doubled his tally.
Also thought that if Bamford had played instead of Stuani (who worked hard) then we may have created more chances going forward.
Sorry but still no to Aggers as Coach next season.
Werder when you get a moment can you dip into the spam box and retrieve my recent post, Again not sure why. It appears to happen if it is longer than usual,with more players names shown. However it is no different to others,,,,,RR?
Unfortunately, the rogue algorithm that is the WordPress Spam Filter is riddled with inconsistencies wrapped up in a 21st century enigma machine.
That was a brilliant match report RR. There’s so much more in there than just the bare facts. It’s almost like being there.You catch the atmosphere and the emotions. Thankyou.
Agreed. Excellent report. Thanks RR.
And continuing brilliance from Werder in his flagship pieces. These are so consistently excellent that it’s a bit repetitive to keep on saying how much they are appreciated. But they are. Great stuff.
And thanks to Bob for the heads up on the Klinsmann rumour. That would be a typically bold and imaginative step by Steve Gibson.
General discussion continues to be of a very high standard. The blog remains essential reading. Thanks to all contributors.
Many thanks as ever Len for your generous comments!
Jürgen Klinsman is not a good manager/trainer. He has never been successful wherever he has been. He is just what we don’t need. I’m sure there’s nothing in the rumour. If he became our manager it would end in disasater.
I can only echo the sentiments of other posters in thanking Redcar Red for producing yet again another excellent match report – I may add that was his 16th match report since we started in January, always delivered reliably within a few hours of the game finishing and of a consistent high-quality professional-standard with a distinctive style, which have been a major contribution in Diasboro’s success.
I only saw the game on MOTD and but from what I saw Boro were extremely unfortunate to not come away with all three points. Was it just finally achieving that win over Sunderland that suddenly gave the players belief again? We can now only wonder what might have been and whether with a rub of the green back in January or February we’d be looking at a completely different end-of-season scenario.
OK Boro must go to Chelsea with the same belief and hope to pull off a major shock – whilst at the same time hoping Hull and Swansea slip up in their gimme’s against the Black Cats. Agnew has no choice but to keep positive and see what unfolds.
Regarding the blatant dives yesterday against us and Swansea – I doubt they would have been awarded by refs against the big clubs to ‘lower’ opposition as many fear the wrath of the likes of Mourinho and Guardiola, who appear adept to be able to use the media as their tools to hound some officials and put them under pressure to comply. Of course the media love to call them ‘Jose’ and ‘Pep’ in the same way you’d refer to your mates and are fearful of exclusion should they have the temerity to upset them.
I don’t know whether retrospective action will follow for Sane or Rashford but the charge of ‘bringing the game into disrepute’ must be a possible avenue if the FA are keen on taking any kind of stand – though I suspect they’ll keep their heads down as the like of Boro are just collateral damage in big money ratings war.
In theory ‘cheating’ is still classed as ungentlemanly conduct so perhaps they should simply be labelled as ‘rotters’ and fined – as apparently according to etiquette ‘a gentleman always offers to pay’…
Having calmed down, I can agree with semajemm in the views. The extra 2 points won’t make a difference now although had performances like we saw yesterday been available earlier on, then we would be more certain on staying up. There was actually some attacking intent with players into the box.
Will SG regret not changing horses earlier as whilst SA is not the long term solution, he does appear to have changed something as I don’t think an AK Boro will have performed in that way.
Anyway ticket purchased for the last home game and in some respects I hope that out fate is sealed by then as this old heart might not stand the tension!
I remember a referee after retirement (Halsey ?) wrote an article in which he disclosed that at the beginning of a season, all referees were instructed by the FA “not to be harsh in their decisions against certain clubs and players”. Although it caused a bit of a stir at the time, it was never denied by the FA and surprisingly never followed up by the media.
Come on BORO.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/mark-halsey-referee-pgmol-fa-claims-accusations-lie-sergio-aguero-manchester-city-united-a7224916.html
I think this it it…
Echoing others’ comments about RR’s damn fine match report – I’m loving these erudite yet honest assessments. More of the same please.
Taking a positive spin to what happened during the match it was nice to see the players getting angry over the decision because they had carved out an unlikely winning position. It’s a lot more than I expected to happen (genuinely I thought an ‘up for it’ City would carve us open with ease), and the fight and desire – missing for swathes of the season – were plain to see, and most welcome.
As for the opposition, while they remain lethal in attack – that last goal of theirs was pretty classy stuff – their defensive woes were yet again on display against us. Our first might as well have had City defenders standing back, applauding, go on son give it a go, etc. The second, their inability to clear or shut Negredo down, well that speaks volumes for the Beast at his beastliest, but also the failings of a unit that has had millions lavished on it. Otamendi alone must have cost almost as much as our entire squad, but it didn’t show.
Still can’t believe what I witnessed yesterday. As the punchline from Bullseye went “here’s what you could have won”. If only.
I know he gets a sackload of money but I believe Negredo has done all that could be expected of him.
Shame he won’t be around next season.
It is maybe noteworthy that one of the better (if not the best) best performance of the season came without Ramirez in the match day squad. Perhaps the players were delighted not to have him anywhere near them yesterday.
Ok sportsfans, what did Klinsmann’s relatives do to you, burn yer old favorite chippy to the ground or what?
He’s rubbish and has never won a thing? He’ll be a disaster?
I reckon he must have been amongst yer wives when you forgot to lock them up!
He took a novice German national team to third in a World Cup when Eng-ger-lund couldn’t find the semi-finals except on one occasion after 1966. He’s got an overall managerial win percentage of over 50 percent. What’s our current prospect on? For that matter anyone of our previous managers able to match that? No! Then is it coz he’s German?
Gut gott mein Herren!
Don’t worry mind coz he ain’t NEVER coming to the Boro. We’ve got Aggers after all – so much better than yer average Klinsmann, Boo Boo!
You couldn’t make it up!
Additional g to the plaudits for RR. Thanks for another excellent match report.
Just want to add my thoughts about cheating. To me there is limited value in punishing the individual for cheating, especially retrospectively. Football is a team game and if any one player cheats he does so to gain advantage for the whole team. Ergo, any sanction had to be against the team, not against the individual.
Cheating that is noticed by the ref should trigger a straight red card. If it is missed by the ref, retrospective punishment is to the team and should be to dock 1 point as well as giving the individual player the ban he would have had for the red card.
I guarantee that punishment on those lines will very very quickly change the behaviour of players.
“Was it just finally achieving that win over Sunderland that suddenly gave the players belief again?”
That may well have been it, Werder. Memories of how we (to my memory) fluked a win at freefalling Leeds to end a run of thirteen games without a win (three points from 39 with a mere six goals scored, to be exact) came to mind… with a new found momentum, of sorts, in place, we then beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 on a lovely Good Friday evening. Chris Freestone scored on his debut. What happened to him?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvE6qksxdlo
Many thanks for all the appreciative words, very humbling. Just scribing observations and what goes through my head before during and after games, warts and all and hopefully as per yesterday some positive perspective.
It’s a premium service and priceless!!
Well done RR and Werder and Simon et all
Just think, the efforts of Werder, RR and Simon could have had a much wider audience should the Gazette not been Trinity Mirrored. To some extent they did use fans words when they ran the Boro Banter column where several Boro fans penned pieces.
They reduced the amount and frequency then let it wither on the fan. Living away I don’t know what the actual paper is like but Vic was able to give us some decent stuff via untypical Boro.
To get any sort of linked together information you need to read several article articles, dodging pops ups and sponsor messages to piece together some idea.
Their loss is our gain with the excellent contributions from Werder, RR and Simon. The difficulty is keeping up the standard and quality week in and week out.
We can only prefer our grateful thanks. Little did the Gazette know that leaving that vine to wither would result in a Grand Cru vintage.
A vintage that has to be quaffed and used to ensure that more production is needed to slake the thirst of the consumers!
I too would like to congratulate Redcar Red on his Boro match reports. I find them much more informative and interesting than those of the Gazette reporters and on a par with Cliff Mitchell in the fifties/sixties and more comprehensive than T o’ T’s in the old North Eastern Weekly News of the fourties. Yes I’m that old!
Cliff Mitchell used to br my favourite, too. Back then the nrwspaper cuttings were posted to me. Back then the “internet” had a two weeks delay. The results came live via the wireless by BBC World Service.
I remember when Eric Paylor took over at The Gazette. And now he has retired. I am feeling old by that info and by knowing we will have Championship football again.
Up the Boro!
Thanks to RR for another well written, informative and fair report which I always enjoy reading.
Good to see the team putting in a better performance albeit too late to save us from the drop which will no doubt take place at the bridge on Monday night on live TV!
Hope OFB’s rumour about a certain German is without foundation as I do not believe him to be the answer as he has no experience of one of the most difficult leagues to escape from.
I just hope we can manage to hang onto the core of the team and bolster it with some pace and creativity in mid field coupled with a decent goal scorer – all not easy to come by or attract.
I love RR’s reports because he’s always watched the same game as me and tells it like it is.
Now Negredo has some support up front, we’re offered a vision of what this season could have offered.
If we want to be promoted next season, we could do worse than invest our parachutes payments in his salary.
Could we keep Ben and Chambers? Perhaps we could make a deal: if we’re not in an auto promotion spot at Xmas we’ll sell him.
It’ll be cheaper to keep him than replace him with a player of similar quality should we return to the Prem in a years time.
Presumably Fabio and Friend will stay.
Clayts, Forshaw and Dirono as well.
And isn’t Rhodes out on loan? Will he return?
Of course, we may yet stay up..
A lot will depend on what SG does or wants to do Chris.
A few weeks a go a home win followed by a home draw against City would have been as an excellent week’s work, now its too little too late.
However ending the season in good form is important as it sets the tone for the beginning of next season.
I spent the afternoon walking the dog with my son discussing who would leave in the summer and hoping we can hang on to some of the obvious contenders to depart.
The dog didn’t have much to say on the subject , he’s past caring I think!
Nigel
The problem with consulting the dog is that you could go barking up the wrong tree.
I wonder which dogs represent which players.
Grant is probably a Jack Russell.
Clayts a Yorkshire Terrier.
Ramirez a Shi(h) T(zu).
Adama a greyhound
De Roon a great Dane.
Bamford a Cocker Spaniel
Friend an Irish Wolfhound
Gibbo an Alsation
Negredo a Pit Bull.
Dimi a St Bernard.
Ramirez Is a cock a poo!!
Since Agnew took over Downing, de Roon and Negredo have all looked far better players than under Karanka. I think we all know the reasons for that just one simple word “expression” tells a tale. Had they been allowed to express themselves a few months earlier then I would think our Premiership foray could have had a far better outcome. Its not over yet and who knows what can happen between now and the end of the Season, crazy impossible escapes have happened before even though ours looks daunting beyond belief.
Should our fate find us in the Championship then I would like to hope that we would give it a real go and try to hang onto the nucleus of the side. keeping Ben and Negredo would be great as would trying to entice Chambers but I doubt any of that will happen. Whilst it may seem daunting we should also be mindful that the Barcodes didn’t hang onto their squad in its entireity much as we seem to recollect. Wijnaldum went for £25m to Liverpool, Sissoko joined Spurs for £30m and they also sold Andros Townsend and Daryl Janmaat to Palace and Watford.
Will Wednesday still want Rhodes? Meanwhile I can’t see many offers coming in for Stunai, Bamford or Gestede all of whom can do a job at Championship level. I would like de Roon to stay but accept if the right offer comes in then it may mean him departing and that lad at Huddersfield Aaron Mooy on loan from Man City arriving or similar. Centrally we would have Fry and Ayala with Baptiste perhaps as a steady back up and should Espinosa stay I think at Championship level he would be more comfortable. In goal Valdes would likely look to pastures new but appointing a steady reliable keeper whilst offering Dimi perhaps a years extension may be workable.
Not forgetting Connor Ripley of course who is 24 now the same age as Ben Gibson and earning rave reviews at Carlisle. Then there is Harry Chapman, a young lad with great potenbtial who has impressed at Sheffield United and may just be ready for the Championship. If Gibson and say de Roon do depart for fees that brings serious money into the club (parachute payments aside) that should allow for top level Championship replacements. £5m buys a lot of footballer in the Championship and £10m would cover the cost of the handful of the elite few.
My wish would be to try and keep de Roon who is now settling into English football and Negredo as I think he would destroy the Championship with a 25+ goal season but accept that would likely be a huge gamble but perhaps less of a one than bringing in say a Ross McCormack?
If the lads deliver three cup final miracles from now until the end of the season, who knows it may all be an irrelevancy!
I meant to add in the above that Negredos’ alleged/rumoured salay is around £5m a year. Valencia can’t afford him and therefore would need to off load him somehow. For another years loan which would solve a Valencia problem £5m is say half a Jordan Rhodes in terms of Transfer fee. Should we go straight back up it would be an astute piece of business and at £5m for a Striker albeit one season only a gamble I think worth considering.
Chris re your post 2nd May 9.20
I agree entirely with your comments re the team and keeping Negredo and Gibson would in my view be money well invested. Your suggestion of an escape clause may also be acceptable to the player.
I would like JR back but the EG reported that it was a loan with permanent deal at the end of the loan period. They stated it was only a loan because MFC/SW could not process the paperwork in time to make the deal permanent before the deadline.
If I was MFC i would be making noises that if SW are not promoted then we would wish to discuss the possibility of having him back even if we have to pay a modest fee/compensation payment.
PS
Very much like your Film/Video review column in the Daily Mirror – Are you Barry Norman in disguise!
I see AK is being linked to the non vacant Sunderland job!
Redcar Red
McCormack has trouble unlocking gates, maybe his days of unlocking defences are over, he seems to in some strife at the moment.
I’m just bracing myself for a £15m offer from our recruitment department in the Summer for MacCormack as he is from Villa so ticks a lot of the boxes for them and of course would generate much debate on here. If only Villa had a Striker named Julio Donkeyo aged 47 with a goal every 23 game ratio then he would be a perfect profile match and shoot straight to the top of the Rockliffe databse.
Think I might just google Julio Donkeyo and see if he has an agent!
Redcar Red
Maybe we could swap right wingers with Villa?
ian
I think we should steer clear of politics on the site where possible as the talk of right wingers in a Labour heartland may not go down as well as Sane!
Redcar Red
True, when they voted to leave they thought it was Brexitt not Prexitt!
At least we could all agree that AK left the club and the team in much better shape than what he inherented.
Up the Boro!
Jarkko
You wont get away with that, came here with us just above the drop zone with 12 points from 12 Games.
Got us up to 12th in the table by the end of that season. Then finished third, then promotion in second place.
Then the cycle turned down.
Ian, I meant finacically. We will be as well equipped as anyone in the Championship next season.
We must be clever to spend the parachute payments. I am sure Gibbo the senior will support the manager as ever.
I would like to see the junior to stay until Christmas, too.
Up the Boro!
Ian
We have been spoiled by having a good defence since AK arrived.
Any club which gats him will at least stop being hammered on a regular basis.
No one on here seems to think that the club management are remiss in any way.
With a cast iron defence, they could have discussed with him the possibility of bringing in an attacking coach.
Or perhaps they could have arranged for him to become fluent in English, a big point in his being isolated within the community, the ability to talk football with all and sundry is an absolute must in my opinion.
Final point, just remember the golden run of matches against the six? top Clubs, the joy and enjoyment we all had, that has been thrown away, because we do not have a proactive management structure. They had the makings of a top manager, and slept on the job.
I believe his mate mourino will get to work on him with regard to the attacking side of things, and we will see what happens.
We may yet envy whoever gets him.
Ian – I think you’re barking…..
I agree that keeping Negredo would be a fantastic bit of work by MFC if it were possible. At first I thought it was a ludicrous idea given his rumoured salary, but then I thought otherwise.
If he stays on loan, it will cost Boro £5 million. If he goes we’ll need a new striker who will cost £5m+ plus salary, so keeping him is financially a better option
I think Negredo would be fantastic in the championship, the question is I suppose, does he fancy it?
I also agree that keeping both de Roon and Gibson would be a big plus, I think there’s a fair to middling chance of that happening.
Valdes being at the wrong end of his career may be looking to play for a team playing in Europe, maybe a top French team, but there some good goalies out there including Conor Ripley.
If we can keep 90% of this squad together we’ll be well placed next season, the difficult question is who will the manager be?
Well if Karanka goes to the Mackems perhaps we’ll get Moyes!
Shudder !
No
It s Juergen Klinsmann
This is on the Official Boro website today!
http://www.mfc.co.uk/news/article/2016/middlesbrough-fc-boro-connor-ripley-3702401.aspx
I would guess its about as good an end of term report card anyone, anywhere is likely to see. Maybe the answer (assuming Valdes goes) is Connor with Dimi as back up plus a.n.other?
Jared Browne (a former football trainee turned solicitor/football writer from Kerry who I frequently quote) once told me Sunderland are TNT for a manager’s career.
With a few exceptions, he’s not far wrong.
Klinsmann’s a character. He could work.
The presence of someone who has achieved considerable things at international and club level as a player, and mostly at international level as a manager, may give everyone an invaluable lift. It worked for Dr. R. Keane and Sunderland.
I think whoever is appointed will draw some praise, criticism and sarcasm in equal measure.
There are those who will see the only way back is a tried and tested Championship old head like a Warnock, those who will want an up and coming Monk type, those who will expect a big name Hiddink type, those who haven’t a clue but will moan regardless of who is appointed. So long as they get us promoted (assuming the worst does happen) ultimately nobody will care.
Play good football, get us promoted and be equipped to deal with managing in the Premiership would be the holy grail. I’m sure Steve Gibson (or Hank Texan the third) have a long list of CV’s sent in to plead their case as to why they should be next Boro Manager, not many of them will fall under the latter category. Win his last 3 games and it would be hard not to give Aggers a go.
Whoever the new Manager is they first need to review the recruitment department before they attempt anything.
“Hi its Jurgen here, I’m wondering if you could fly into Teesside International Airport to have a chat about maybe joining us here at Middlesbrough?”
That unsurprisingly is probably going to result in either a “yes”, “no” or “maybe”.
The same phone call from a list of other “rumoured” candidates would undoubtedly elicit a “who, from where?” response, worth thinking about perhaps!
Klinsmann? Don’t we need a good manager rather than a personality?
Nigel
Check out JK’s previous managerial pedigree, the stats might surprise you and others.
Meanwhile, I’ll repeat ‘Jùrgen Klinsmann is NEVER coming to MFC!’
There that’s settled it!
I would doubt Klinnsman would move his family from California’s beaches to Redcar or Saltburn. There again he has given an incredible amount of his wealth to childrens charities so he may see it as broadening his offsprings horizons but I would doubt it very much despite his philanthropic nature. Its much more likely he is working in a consultancy or as an advisory role (or even investor) in any rumored proceedings. A “Director of Football” role may be as close as it gets to him actually managing Boro.
Nigel
Where’s Mr Parkers Dog when you need him?
It would be nice to keep those players but you somehow doubt it.
Spartak – I know Klinsmann did well with the German national team at the world cup, but my granny could do that and she died in 1965!
Personally, I’d like a manager with success at Championship level on his cv. (Karanka excluded!)
Nigel
Seriously!!!
U think yer granny could do that job? (God rest her soul)
Ok, just tell me simples – give me the name of any past or previous British manager that HAS accomplished the same feat OR one in your opinion that could. Anyone now & please dont include yer granny, although I’m sure she would be better than some of the sorry crop who do get to give it a go!
Some interesting posts here with regards the coming season and what the team will look like.
I think Valdes could move, but his choices will be limited. Chambers will be picked up by a premier club if he does not stay at Arsenal. De Roon has come a full circle almost, especially after getting “bigged up” by Mourinho…so a premier club may just take a gamble at 12mil. N
Negrado, 5mil wages plus a season long loan fee, if he was up for staying. Too expensive for Boro. Remember we have Stuani, Bamford and the plank. Who would pay money for them?
I know nothing of Ripley except he has had a good season and is not so young anymore. Friend and Fabio are good enough, but are Bernardo and Barragan? Clayton and Forshaw are good enough but unfortunately not Grant.
Will somebody take a punt on Adama? What about SD? And most important we have NO creativity at all.
I see we are getting under fire Ref Craig Pawson for our Stamford Bridge visit. Just what we need, a Referee under the cosh with Sky cameras analysing everything he does in infinite detail.
Pawson got stick for his handling of the Arsenal Man City semi final last week and then last night both Watford and Liverpool fans slated him. The “good” news is that Lee Mason is the 4th Official, the gift that just keeps on giving!
I will make a prediction of being robbed by a Ref too terrified to upset the Status Quo.
Jürgen Klinsman, the man that achieved the almost impossible. He managed Bayern Munich and did not win a trophy. He was sacked after less than a year as the serial Bundesliga champions were in danger of not qualifying for the champions’ league. Everybody in Germany knows that most of the credit for the host nation finishing 3rd in 2006 goes to his “assistant” Jogi Löw who did all the tactical work. Klinsman was just a figurehead and a motivator. Löw took over the reigns immediately after the world cup finished.
Managing the USA is not too difficult either. They are a major power in their contintental block.
So Klinsman is like Pepe at Man City?
Anyway, interesting to see who – if any – takes over from Aggers. I personally think we have money in the bank and should be competitive in the Championship next season. And there is a fair chance that Gibbo (Jr) stays until Christmas to see if we can push for promotion again. I think he wants to be a captain at Boro.
The biggest regret for me is that I cannot see every match on TV as it is the PL. But they do show a match or two per week from Championship. So fingers crossed if we are near the top all season, I mingt get to see a few matches on TV next season, too.
Up the Boro!
UTB!
Jarkko
Fear not we will stay up And you can watch Premiership football with the Boro next season to you hearts content
Fear not
Spartak – my slightly flippant remark about managing Germany was a reference to the fact that they are so good managing them successfully isn’t necessarily a good measure of a managers skill.
Look at Pep at City, he’s treated as a football god because he managed Barcelona to champions league success and Bayern to Bundesliga success, Barcelona play in a two team league and Bayern in a one team league as far as I can see. City on the other hand play in a more competitive league and Pep will fail to get them into next seasons champions league, which for City is failure.
So managers win ratios may be misleading.
A bit harsh on Spain to suggest it is a 2 team league, by which I guess you mean Barcelona and Real Madrid. I acknowledge Real brushed aside Atletico Madrid 3-0 on Tuesday but this is a Champions League semi-final (which is further than any English team managed), and Atletico were beaten finalists in recent years (2 out of the last 3??). Real, and Ronaldo, were outstanding. So at least a 3-team league. AND if we take into account the efforts of Seville in the Europa League/UEFA Cup (regular winners when how many English teams have won it in recent years?)….I would say at least a FOUR team league.
I would be tempted to say the better teams in Spain are better than the better teams in England, but the lower teams here are better than the lower teams in Spain. Then I remembered I support Middlesbrough, and that our only league win since mid December was against lowly Sunderland…..and I wonder whether, with the best will in the world, even that crumb of comfort applies!
Sundays performance was both encouraging and entertaining,however not to pour water on
The situation, City are a team that will give you space and opportunities and because they are so intent on attacking, you should take some advantage.
Our problem have been the West.Broms and Stokes, Watfords were we couldn’t get behind them, now you may say tactics however I can’t believe played are not told to get up and support or run in behind.
My point is don’t compare Sundays opposition with the new Boro.
This close season is BIG , what the chairman has to say could be historical, not who leaves but who comes in, will the intent be the ambition of getting back or just competing on par with the rest.
BIG
Pedro – yes it depends onSG’s inclination. I hope he has the energy for another promotion push.
KP – thank you most kindly. If I were he in disguise, I’d probably be being paid more. And why not.
Will Sunderland do us a favour and win at Hull on Saturday?
I see that in the Gazette Agnew has praised Ben Gibson’s qualities as a player and as a captain. I have to agree, but what impressed me was the way during the furore following the penalty award, although being as incensed as his colleagues, he shepherded them away from the referee which probably averted some red cards. I am reminded of Rudyard Kipling “if you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty second’s worth of distance run, yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, and, which is more, you’ll be a man, my son.” He is certainly a mature young man; only hope we can keep him for at least another season!
Something to get the collective blood boiling (link below), a hall of shame series apparently, which I mistakenly took to be a reference to this season or AK maybe.
But it is the usual guff, written by ‘a freelance journalist who supports Nottingham Forest, and without any of the positives that surround the club and area. One eyed, and written pie-eyed by the look of it. Read it and wind yourselves up, a rallying point for the Boro faithful
http://www.football365.com/news/premier-league-hall-of-shame-middlesbrough
Yea I read that article there was quite a lot on twitter about it and the journo got really hammered by the Boro fans quite deservedly so.
It’s ignorant self postulating and ill informed articles like this that get journalists like this a bad name
Perhaps our own in house journo Simon can write a reposte about how poorly researched and postulating articles does the profession a lot of harm!
FatBob
A mean- spirited piece that isn’t worth responding to, let alone getting wound up about. Says far more about the smugness and limitations of its writer than it does about its ostensible subject.
My sentiments too Len
And by the way, Forest’s glory days were entirely dependent upon the qualities of someone whose character, personality, wisdom and humour were forged in the Boro and are entirely typical of the town. There are statues of and memorials to him all over the East Midlands.
Lest we forget Len.
Exactly Len.
Have to agree with Lenmasterman. Ignoring it makes you stronger; sticks and stones, etc.
I see out not so friendly referee has been dropped by the premier league for the rest of the season !
Does that mean he will referee in the championship next season ?
Oh nooooh
We’ll learn the lessons, run tests and analyze.
We’ll crunch the numbers, ’cause the numbers never lie.
Maybe this regression is a blessing in disguise.
We can build a much much bigger bubble the next time.
And leave the rest to clean our mess up…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt6M6ggQbZQ
Just caught up with the article.
Comments about it are spot on, small minded just about sums it up. Many Forest fans live in a delusional world and cannot come to grips with where they are now in the pecking order.
What separates us from them is we can laugh at ourselves.
Rolls the ball across the six yard box.
Ian, only one touch is allowed. No passong to oneself.
The article abova was very small minded. Didn’t even bother to read till end. So rubbish.
Up the Boro!
I wouldn’t worry too much what nonsense other people spout about Boro – anyway, shall we instead look at what some of our humble posters said about Boro back in August as they gave their views ahead of the season?
So for the mid-week post, I’ve selected and extracted the comments from our blog jury about how they thought the season would unfold – were they innocent remarks or were some just guilty of blatant foam-fueled optimism?
https://diasboro.club/2017/05/03/pre-season-deliberations/
I spend the winter in the Algarve nowadays and a journalist from the Colne Gazette once posted this on the notice board in reception. The Belgians have a taste for chocolates. The Dutch have a taste for herrings. The French have a taste for frog’s legs. The Germans have a taste for sauerkraut. The Greeks have a taste for moussaka. The Italians have a taste for spaghetti. The Portuguese have a taste for sardines. The Spanish have a taste for paella. The Swiss have a taste for cheese. But the English – well, they have no taste at all. Most of our continental friends thought it was hilarious for somebody to write such disparaging remarks about the English but the response was “Well, we also think it funny. But then we have a sense of humour.” Perhaps we should adopt the same stance regarding the article!
Jarkko
A superb Finnish?
And 8nly one touch. Thans for assist, Ian.
UTB!