Boro ride to Stamford Bridge as hopes hang by a thread

by werdermouth, posted in Uncategorized

The Battle of Stamford Bridge Society are in the process of producing a complementary tapestry to the Bayeux and Fulford ones to commemorate this historical event and have recently been sending test designs to ‘enthusiastic embroiderers’. Though Boro’s season has already been well and truly stitched up due to a prolonged lack of a cutting edge and no amount of embroidering will create a picture other than one of an opportunity missed. Though before they finalise their designs they may want to consider saving a corner of the canvas in anticipation of Monday evening’s epic encounter as our Premiership future hangs by a ever-fraying thread. But Steve Agnew’s men must soldier on – so as they march south for the potential king-maker skirmish at the Bridge they must try to be brave in their approach.

Following the demise of Aitor the Confessor earlier in the year (though admittedly he only confessed to not having a Plan B and wanting to weave a soporific tippy-tapestry spell over the opposition) a lack of a clear succession meant pretenders to the precarious Boro throne are now openly starting to stake their claim. News that waiting in the wings are Ryan from the House of Lancaster and Fabrizio of Perugia have hardly been met with much support, therefore Lord Gibson of Bulkhaul will do well to take wise council before presenting the crown to any of these young pretenders.

Boro followers have got used to having their weekends ruined this season and the potential of being relegated at Chelsea would more than eclipse the misery that has been endured previously. Thankfully those in charge have taken pity and come up with a rather ingenious solution – play the game on a Monday evening. Though I suspect that may fall under the category of cruel and unusual punishment for many as the agony of long-anticipated relegation is simply prolonged – with some bookies offering odds of more than 20-1 that Boro come away with all three desperately-needed points.

Indeed, the Italian three-piece-suited footballing fashion victim and Chelsea manager Antonio Conte had declared Monday’s encounter will be between two desperate teams who would both be desperate to win – though that was before Spurs not only ruined their supporters weekend but gave them a miserable Friday evening as an added bonus by losing to the Hammers. So instead the game will now feature only one desperate team and another with a free hit to all but clinch the title.

Incidentally, I think Steve Agnew should try not to be intimidated on the touchline by the over-dressed over-animated Italian as he repeatedly de-tousles his flowing mane in his technical catwalk in homage to yet another smart Chelsea move. Perhaps rather than turning up in his sensible fit-for-purpose SA-monogrammed tracksuit, the Boro boss should instead front up in top hat and tails, in fact maybe the whole coaching staff should too, in an attempt to usurp the opposition in the best-dressed stakes. Though there’s always a risk of appearing like a group of undertakers and sending a negative message to the players that they are anticipating attending the post-match funeral of Boro’s season. OK, maybe post-apocalyptic Matrix-style long leather coats would make a suitable statement instead as Boro try to dodge the slow-motion relegation bullet – it’s never an easy decision for the discerning up-and-coming coach to know what look to go for in a big game these days – perhaps the FA probably need to create a style badge.

To make matters worse, the Tigers are set to do battle with the already doomed Black Cats in what now looks like a feline mismatch that will attract condemnation of those opposed to cruel sports. Whether the announcement by David Moyes that he intends to be manager at Sunderland next season will slap his players out of their relegation-induced vacant trance is debatable – though speculation that Aitor Karanka is preparing to return to football at the Wearside club has been emanating from the Spanish media this week. Shall we expect future declarations from the former Boro boss if he’s under fire that “When I first came here there were only 38,000 in the ground, now we play in front of a full house”. He also may discover quite quickly that Ellis Short is not as patient as Steve Gibson when it comes to goal droughts.

If that wasn’t enough, the last day of the season is likely to see Hull now hosting the crest-fallen Spurs cockerels, who now look certain to miss out once again on the title they covet – while Boro travel to Anfield where Liverpool will probably be fully focused on needing something to secure a Champions League slot over one of the Manchester clubs.

The good news is that Steve Agnew may have identified a weakness in the Chelsea side – though he prefers to keep it a secret as Boro look to exploit the chink in the Blues flank. I suspect the Chelsea defensive lines may be vulnerable to charging cavalry and it’s possible Adama may be used as some form of battering ram – also as Boro lay siege to the Chelsea in the latter stages they may consider introducing the trebuchet to launch projectiles in the direction of Gestede as he stands behind enemy lines. Whether Conte has managed to identify any Boro weaknesses may have a greater impact on proceedings as he has far more weapons at his disposal than we could possibly dream of possessing.

As for team selection, Agnew is still without Viktor Valdes and Ayala and Leadbitter are doubtful – also after sitting out his one-match ban, Gaston Ramirez was left to hang by the Boro boss last week following his return to availability for selection. But it now seems the former king of the Riverside has developed a pelvic problem – though it’s possible he may still be all shook up from his Transporter Bridge bungee experience and is suffering a bit of whiplash – but those of suspicious minds who have observed his career shenanigans (as they say in Uruguay) may want to tell ‘the pelvis’ that ‘you ain’t nothin but a groundhog, cryin [wolf] all the time’ – no doubt return to sender is probably on the club’s end-of-season playlist.

I can’t see Boro playing anything other than keeping it tight as their best hope is not to need come from behind – and with a bit of luck having something to defend. The fact that Chelsea play with a back three may encourage Boro to follow suit – but a back four of Fabio, Chambers, Gibson and Friend with the three-man defensive shield of Clayton, de Roon and Forshaw is probably most likely – I think Downing, Negedo and Adama rather than Stuani is a better option as we need to give Chelsea’s wing-backs something to occupy their minds if we are to avoid being pinned in our own half.

So will our Premiership fate by sewn up on Monday evening or will Boro soldier on after a defiant act of regicide at Stamford Bridge – as usual make your predictions on team, score and scorers – plus how many players will battering-ram Adama skittle over as he’s launched at the Chelsea defensive lines?

112 thoughts on “Boro ride to Stamford Bridge as hopes hang by a thread”

  1. Werdermouth another great article. I like the way you have inter linked history with the present and referenced some iconic songs for the playlist- brilliant.

    I can’t disagree with your team selection which I think is entirely rational under the circumstances. We need again to play with composure and to harry and chase Chelsea high up the pitch and take whatever chances come our way.

    Whilst Boro have produced better results in the last two games than I forecast, I still cannot see us getting three points at the bridge. If we concede early then I fear a rout, particularly if our fate has all but been decided by Hull beating them up the road today.

    I fear the end is nigh but it is a funny old game!

    CoB

  2. Were we the Sky Soccer Saturday panel, I think we could all just say “Home win” and swiftly move on.

    It barely matters which team SA puts out. Whichever it is, it will be vastly inferior to Chelsea’s.

    So here’s hoping for a battling, courageous performance and a heavy dose of Lady Luck.

    What the heck. Chelsea 1-2 Boro.

  4. I wouldn’t be surprised if both Hull and Swansea drew to give us a glimmer of hope.

    0 0 at half time then we take a 70th minute lead. Chelsea score twice in the last five minutes.

  5. Sunderland to win Boro to win next two matches stay up then get 3 points deducted for not controlling the players and are relegated

    Cynical Bob

  6. CFB

    or

    Sunderland to win, Boro to win next two matches stay up then get 3 points deducted for controlling the players and not getting relegated automatically.

    Then we get relegated

  10. Is the miracle still on or are the Gods just teasing us and prolonging the agony.
    A final day relegation would just sum up this frustrating season.
    I’ll clutch at any straw but, deep down, I know we’re gone.

  13. Fantastic article again Weder and how you manage to come up with them all, I’ll never know. I doff my hat to you sir!

    I think that the death by a thousand cuts could finally be over with Swansea winning and losing on Monday will see us relegated, live on TV.

    Up until now, I was still stupidly hoping that we could create a Great Escape of our own and defy the odds but the realist in me says(and has been saying for a few weeks) that we will be fighting our battles in the championship next year and slinging our arrows at Leeds and Sheffield United.

    Typical Boro will now go and play The Saints and SCousers off the park and give us a taste of what could have been, if only………..(insert any one of many scenarios).

    For what it’s worth, my if only, would be too many squandered points when we should have been more creative rather than sit back, a la Watford at home or Leicester away. It is all very well having a strong defence but if you keep losing possession in midfield then the opposition are going to keep coming back at you and there many players in the EPL that can and did exploit our week spots ( which varied from game to game depending on where certain players were playing)

    The crux of the season is that the squad wasn’t good enough and AK (like Guy Fawkes) only had one plot which, mores the pity, didn’t involve gunpowder, just treason.

    Anyway, that is all history now, we will soon be put to the sword and then Summer can commence with hopes renewed about how we can keep Negrado and bounce straight back up with flowing football. Back to the wine now!

    Anyway Monday will be 2 1 to Chelski with a hotly disputed penalty in the last seconds!

    UTB

  14. My straw clutching didn’t last long.
    Swansea and Cardiff shouldn’t even be playing in the English leagues!
    Let’s hope YCC brighten our Summer as we await a new dawn with baited breath.

    1. BTW, I do understand that Scotland will want to get independence to stay in the EU (they cannot afford to exit as opposite to England), Northern Ireland will join Ireland for the same reason.

      But how about the Welsh? Will they still continue with England or separate to stay in the EU? Most propably they cannot afford to stay with England?

      The exit will cost a lot of money short term and then there is extra costs per every year as the economy do not have the advances of the EU market.

      But the original question is where does the Welsh people be long term? And not only football wise.

      Up the Boro!

      1. The Welsh (and those down in Cornwall) are probably the last of the “true” English Britons. The Scots would be a financial burden on the EU and would want more than they contribute financially so that wouldn’t go down too well with many existing nations who would either have to pay more or see “their share” diminished. The chances of Ireland being unified for the sake of the North remaining in the EU is about as likely as Boro winning the Champions League.

        What is left of the UK would see a “credit” to the tune of £10 billion a year which is the difference between the money paid out to Brussels and grants coming back in. Interestingly the EU haven’t produced audited accounts for over 20 years, any other business would be hauled over the coals by EU law and its Executives imprisoned. Rumour is that the reason is because of a “black hole” caused by unregulated spending and “personal expenses” which being cynical I would guess to be the £100 billion being threatened to the UK for the exit bill.

        The advances of the EU may be further seriously questioned depending on the outcome today in France (they should be questioned regardless). More worryingly the future of Europe is on the precipice of falling apart again all because of unelected incompetents in Brussels, and we think Boro had problems through being mismanaged this season!

      2. Oh, Jarkko. You have raised a number of points. The can of worms is open…..

        In the middle to the end of the 1st Millennium AD, parts of both England and Wales were ruled by their own local kings. Some English kingdoms were larger and more powerful and their kings had designs to be the “overlord” king of all England. There were regular invasions from the Scandinavian Norsemen between the late 8th and the early 11th centuries, and at different times, parts of England were under their control, particularly Danish warriors, especially in the north and on the east coast. (Meanwhile, Norwegian Norsemen regularly attacked Scotland, and controlled Orkney and Shetland). The history is one of ebb and flow and by the 800’s there were really only four 4 Saxon kingdoms in England: Wessex, Mercia, Northumbria and East Anglia. Different kings became more or less powerful, from the time Alfred The Great, of Wessex, had the only Saxon (English) kingdom in left a position to oppose the Vikings/Danes/Norseman (call them what you will) in the 870’s to 900AD, to the time when his grandson King Athelstan (Aethelstan) was on the English throne 924-939AD. He was king of all England and had invaded Scotland and had the Scots king, Constantine, acknowledge his overlordship.

        Athelstan has been called the first King of All Britain, but there were other kingdoms which (some briefly) accepted his overlordship, including the British (ie Welsh or Celtic speaking kingdoms – people who had been here before the Saxons arrived) such as the kingdoms in Strathclyde in Scotland and several kingdoms in different parts of Wales such as Gwynedd, Deheubarth and Gwent. In fact Hywel Dda (“Howell the Good”) of Deheubarth who lived about 880-950AD was a contemporary of Athelstan, witnessed a number of Athelstan’s treaties and charters and sometimes accompanied him on military/diplomatic “excursions”. He introduced a codified legal system to Wales which remained its basis for centuries but even if, at different times, local kings or princes in Wales accepted the overlordship of some English kings, they were still separate from England, with their own separate language and legal system. Welsh archers over the next few hundred years formed an important part of the “English” army until the 1500’s.

        When the Saxon King Ethelred died in 1016AD, the Danish King, Cnut took over and effectively he became the king of an empire spanning England (apart from Celtic Cornwall), Denmark and Norway. After a few of his successor kings, England was invaded successfully by William of Normandy (William I, or William the Bastard as he was not very affectionately known in much of England) who became King of all England in 1066, after which there were no further separate English kingdoms.

        By this time England (rather than separate kingdoms within England), Scotland and Wales were separate entities and probably looked much as they do today.

        Scotland and Wales remained separate from England at that time, with their own separate rulers. Cornwall, with its Celtic heritage and language never felt itself part of England until comparatively recently. Edward I of England invaded Wales twice and in 1282-84 it was really a war of conquest with many Welsh upset at Edward’s imposition of English laws after peace treaties following his earlier invasion. He caused massive defensive fortifications and castles to be built at places like Caernarfon, Beaumaris and Harlech to cement his military control and cow the local people. After that, Wales was regarded as a principality, but there were subsequent rebellions including the one by Owain Glyndwr (c1359 – c1415) who was the last native born Prince of Wales and was defeated by the “English” forces of Henry IV (a Plantaganet king whose dynasty and predecessors held properties and interests in France). Glyndwr set up a Parliament in Machynlleth in 1404, announced an intention to create 2 universities in Wales and a return to the Laws of Hywel Dda, before he was defeated and killed. Incidentally Glyndwr was related to the Tudors (see later….).

        Scotland, however, remained its own kingdom. Edward (“Hammer of the Scots”) also invaded Scotland and, over several centuries those wars saw invasions on both sides, with Berwick Upon Tweed (on the border) changing hands more times than Boro have been relegated and promoted in its history.

        So, to bring that more up to date, it was only by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 (when Henry VIII was on the English throne) that Wales was said formally to be incorporated “fully and equally” a part of the English Kingdom, and by which English Law and administration were incorporated. Henry VIII was, of course, a Tudor king, and the Tudor dynasty begun by his father Henry VII had roots in Wales but also in England.

        King James VI of Scotland, a member of the Scots Stuart Dynasty, had long been on the throne there when England’s Elizabeth I died. James was the nearest heir as Elizabeth had no children, so when James ascended the English throne in 1603, that had the effect of uniting the thrones, as King James I (of England) and VI (of Scotland). Although they had the same monarch wearing the 2 crowns, England and Scotland were still separate countries, with their separate Parliaments, until 1707 when the two countries were “United into One Kingdom under the name of Great Britain”.

        Although kings in England had for centuries been overlords in Ireland, it was only by the Act of Union 1800 (coming into effect in 1801) that Ireland was formally incorporated under the same crown, same nation and same Parliament.

        Unless in times of revolts, rebellions or weak rulers, England has been the overwhelmingly dominant of the “home countries” in terms of its size, its wealth and its economic strength. But, from the above, you will see that England and Wales, though separate nations, have been united under the same Crown and the same Parliament for many centuries, and have been formally consolidated into one for 475 years since 1542. Scotland and England have only been one since for 310 years since 1707 (though they shared the same monarchs for 104 years before that). Ireland was only incorporated in 1801 but southern Ireland is now its own sovereign state.

        In light of the above:

        1. There is no likely prospect of Wales separating from England in the foreseeable future. Time has welded them together, though there is always opportunity to air ancient grievances on the football but especially the rugby fields. That is very different from having a separate country.

        2. There is no appetite in Wales for independence from England. Independence is there is very much a minority interest. Scotland has its Parliament with some powers but Wales has only an Assembly with much less power.

        3. As for membership of the EU, the Welsh vote to Leave was similar to that in England – Wales did not vote to Remain. (England 53.4% Leave to 46.6% Remain: Wales 52.5% Leave, 47.5% Remain). In Scotland and to a lesser extent in Northern Ireland there were majorities in favour of Leave, but their populations are small in comparison to England so they do not sway the overall result – the population of Yorkshire alone is about the same as in Scotland.

        4. The Welsh economy is wedded to the English economy to the extend it is inconceivable that Wales would want to uncouple itself from England merely to maintain economic links to the EU. Even Scotland is estimated to do four times as much trade with England as with the whole of the EU combined.

        5. Scotland, though united with England & Wales in 1707, still retained its own Church, its own education system and its own legal system (they have different laws up there, apparently based on a Roman system rather than England Anglo-Saxon basis). So independence by Scotland from the rest of the UK could be seen as more likely than Welsh independence, but it may be an emotional and romantic dream more than a reality when faced with the political and economic landscape. Scotland receives more from the UK exchequer than it contributes and due to the “Barnett formula” people in Scotland get more money per head than people in England (which, by reason of its greater population and the wealth of its economy, contributes the most). If a separate Scotland wanted to join the EU it would have to embrace the Euro and yet it would find it impossible to meet the economic criteria to do so. It’s deficit would make that impossible. Scotland’s independence economic model relied on revenues from the oil industry and we know that oil prices halved in the last few years. Scotland’s current governing party, the SNP, has promoted government spending which the Scottish nation, if separated from the rest of the UK, could not finance. I love Scotland. My wife is Scots, but I cannot see Scottish independence happening any time soon. If the UK remained within the EU there might have been some possibility, but if the UK leaves the EU, Scotland is chained to the UK boat in economic terms much more than it could ever be attached to the EU.

        6. When you say Scotland cannot afford to exit the EU, the reality may be different. When the UK leaves, as the second largest contributor to the EU budget, if Scotland were to be allowed entry as an independent country, it may find that funding for EU projects will be rather differently considered than in the past. Scotland (as compared to, say Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and others) may be expected to be a net contributor, rather than a net beneficary of the EU. It may have to pay money IN not get money out.

        7. Berwick upon Tweed has its English football team (Berwick Rangers, founded in 1881) in the Scottish league. Swansea City (founded in 1912) and Cardiff City (founded in 1899) are both in Wales but compete in the English leagues. They are historical anomalies. Remember that FIFA was only founded in 1904 in order to regulate football between various EUROPEAN countries (not, then, in the UK) but the game’s rules have always been under the control of the International Football Associations Board, founded in 1886 by the Football Assocs of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. FIFA is now a member of IFAB with four places on the board, in addition to one each from England, Scotland, Wales and NI. When those clubs and the home leagues were founded, I suppose people took the attitude that “we made the rules so we will do as we see fit”. I guess if those clubs were founded NOW, Berwick would have to play in England and Cardiff and Swansea in Wales, but in view of tradition and history, they plough their archaic furrow. Berwick is equidistant from Newcastle and Edinburgh but there are many Scottish football clubs within easier reach from Berwick than if the club played in the English leagues. To add to the anomaly, the county of Berwickshire is in Scotland, and Berwick itself is on the north side of the River Tweed which is the normal boundary between England and Scotland on the eastern side.

        8. In summary – Wales will not be leaving England or the UK. Scotland MIGHT do so, but that is unlikely and in my view is LESS likely than if the UK were to remain in the EU. Scotland has been part of the EU for 40 (ish) years but has been part GB for centuries (and in the last Labour government, many of the chief cabinet ministers were Scots). If it is difficult to disentangle the UK from the EU, imagine how hard it would be to disentangle Scotland from the UK. And Berwick, Cardiff and Swansea will continue to play where they play now.

        (You can tell that it is a Sunday, can;t you?)/

  15. There will be a dawn for sure, unless Kim Jong Un intervenes, however, a new dawn for Boro is probably less likely. Agnew may be ok in the Champs but I have to question the ambition of our club.

    We have been a travesty of a Premier League side this season, our ‘head coach’ had us relegated after Christmas and the club management failed to see the writing on the wall until it was far too late. That smacks of incompetence to me and it’s difficult to reconcile incompetence and ambition…sadly, the club is a shambles from top to bottom…

    1. Cassandra
      Agree, it cannot be stated too often that the chairman loves his club too well.
      Like writers, a good chairman should be swift to kill his darlings.
      The statement that “it is bad to sack your manager” is at odds with the evidence which we see in the behaviour of the leading clubs (unchallenged by the press luvvies)
      No underperforming manager is suffered by any big club, not ever, they are gone in a flash, and there are no apologies.
      The strange thing is, failure is considered to be 1.7 points a match (approx. 60 points) and they have approx. Ten matches before the decision is made to give them the chop.
      So how come we do nothing as they average .5 points a match for thirty matches? Strange behaviour by those who have the power of hire and fire.

  16. Brilliant piece Werder, pity Boro could not come up with something even close to your consistent prose.

    Swanseas win sees us finally planning for the Championship. Now there is much debate to see us through the next three months.

    Sorry to see Pool finally fall to the drop. Not easy to return either.

  17. Once again many thanks for the appreciative remarks on the match preview – it gives me encouragement to try and write the next one – I can only add to BBD that when I woke up this morning I didn’t have any idea how to approach this week’s preview. Normally with a bit of luck a few hooks appear and after toying with possible images for the header graphic the ideas start to flow – plus Gaston at the moment has become the gift that keeps on giving.

    Just watching MOTD at the moment and it looks like while we were worrying about Hull, Swansea have sneaked back to safety – the worry is they only have Sunderland and West Brom left to play – OK unless Boro beat Chelsea it’s all a bit academic anyway I’m probably just fighting over the straws with Steely.

    Though imagine if we draw at Chelsea and end up going down because of those two stolen points against Man City – it won’t only be the players who’ll need controlling.

    Anyway, I’ll watch on Monday more in hope than expectation – I’d prefer at least a draw otherwise next week’s match preview against Southampton could be tricky to find inspiration for…

  18. Great read that Werdermouth, well done.

    So today’s results leave us with an ever so thin thread of the hope that kills you. Can we be victorious in the upcoming battle of Stamford Bridge? Will we get to go into the last match at Liverpool still with a ghost of a chance to save ourselves.

    No matter how much foam I can inhale this time I have to let my head keep my wildest dreams in check. I can’t honestly see us winning out on Monday night, no matter how brave a performance we will put in, Chelsea will be simply better than us … 2-1 to the blues to finally end the pointless expectation we can do it…an arrow through our collective heart if not in the eye.

  19. Well written piece and very topical to say the least. Keep it going Werdermouth.

    I am going for nil nil but will keep my eye out for a lucky Boro shot on target which of course would be one in the for eye for Harold……

  20. First Darlington (for not having a suitable stadium), then Whitby Town (after heading their League in September and just failing to reach the play-offs), followed by York City (thwarted by Guiseley scoring a last gasp equaliser against Solihull Moors last weekend) and now Hartlepool (after probably playing their best match all season against promoted Doncaster but being thwarted by a last gasp Newport winner against Notts County), this has been a season of woe for our region.

    Now will the Boro be the next to be relegated or will there be a late twist?

    A draw at Chelsea and a win against Southampton might take us to the last day of the season as I suspect that Sunderland will beat Swansea next week, and then of course Liverpool will then commit the coup-de-grace, so typical of last-day results for our regional teams!

    Typical Boro! Typical region!

  21. I have one bright spark, Berwick stayed up. I spent many hours in my childhood up there.

    In between them and us there is gloom and glee in the Tyne Wear conurbation.

    Will it be a bridge too far?

    A redeeming feature is that the blog emerged from the Gazette Ashes like a Phoenix. The great work by Werder aided and abetted by Redcar Reds reports, Si’s insights finishing with Exmils Challenge has been a highlight.

  22. The season will finally, mathematically be over on Monday. We’re incapable of winning our final three games. I would like to see fringe players given a go after Chelsea, to prepare for next season.

  25. Ken

    That was my personal viewpoint and to be fair I did mention gloom and glee up the A19.

    May be we can get Dianne Abbott to recalculate the points at season’s end, we may get in to Europe!

    1. I’m more worried about SG announcing Dianne Abbott as our next Boro Manager!

      As the inevitability quickens and time runs out the sheer frustration at what was highlighted back in late Autumn/early Winter on Untypical becomes more painful. Going back down is not such a surprise as the odds are stacked against promoted clubs as we well know (and that’s before the huge bias in both the running of the Premiership and the Officiating within it) but the fiddling whilst burning while having to endure the drudgery of non productive bore fests month after month will be the lasting legacy of a wasted season.

  26. Ian

    Quite understand. I also follow keenly the results of Hibernian, Inverness Caley (love the region), Forfar Athletic (no particular reason) and Glentoran (gain no particular reason).

    Abroad I’m pleased to see Portimonse SC got promoted to the Portuguese Superliga as I love the Algarve, and Eintracht Frankfurt (where my ancestors came from – sad to say I don’t speak German) and SC Freiburg as I’ve had fond memories of this University city in the Black Forest).

    However I’ve also always taken an interest in local football. Does anyone remember the Ellis Cup?

    2. Ken

      I used to referee in the Ellis Cup which used to be held at South Bank FC ground

      A great competition which used to attract a lot of players from the Northern League who wanted to get some medals at the end of the season. Although it was probably the pints in the club afterwards!! All the officials and managers and players used to join in the beery celebrations and all felt we were part of a sport !

      Talking about northern league my grandson is captain of shildon u17 who won the league yesterday so at least I feel like celebrating this weekend despite all the doom and gloom!

  27. As the curtain is about to fall, it’s interesting to note that we have something in common with Man Utd, Both clubs aspirations have been scuppered by too many drawn games.
    As has been stated on many occasions, if we had turned some of those draws into wins, we would be comfortably in mid table. As Vic always said “fine margins”.

  29. Perhaps it was the margin for error in Karanka’s game strategy that was too fine – if the opposition scored we were scuppered and basically Boro had to score with one of their very few chances created.

  30. Was it really 12 months ago when we were all assembled at the Riverside, hope in our hearts and experienced the ecstasy of another draw to cheer us on our way?

    Stuani’s goal was the most valuable in football worth an estimated £170m. Roll on one full year and who would have thought that so much of that money could literally have been wasted and along with it our chance of survival.

    1. I would NOT have been surprised if told so at the time!

      Sad but true

      How many owners of a corner shop would put their mate in charge, who has little or no experience and expect to be in business a year later?

      Shambles!

    1. Monies in the bank Steely – that IMHO means success for many. But as a true fan of the game, how can it ever be?

      There lies the paradox.

  32. A lot will depend on what we do in the summer. There enough examples of teams going down and getting back up again and building the experience.

    Last time we went down the teams who went with us were promoted. West Ham went straight back up, so did Burnley and Hull.

  33. Excellent piece yet again Werder. As said above, I don’t know how you do it!

    As for tomorrow, I would love to think otherwise but I can only see a heavy defeat. So 4-1 to Chelsea with Adam at last discovering what the goal is for…….

    At least the misery will end for this season!

  34. Spartak
    The game as we know it disappeared a long time ago, never to return I guess.
    We continue to support our team due to blind loyalty.
    I hope mine and the other 17,999 suckers’ advance payment is used wisely but I won’t hold my breath.

    1. Steely, Well I cannot say that I have spent my money wisely in buying another ST. I may get to see a few more matches at the Riverside, but now with the chance of the EFL being shown overseas, that may be another 110 pounds.

      Will we get any value and enjoyment for the outlay?

      New Manager or SA made permanent. Who can we hold onto and who can we bring in that would give some creadence to ” giving it a go”. Those famous words, will they be used again!!

  35. Tomorrow, I think that SA will choose the same team, if they are all fit. Playing for pride and a place in the team next year.

    I will go for a narrow defeat. But then on the tele and the Champions elect, could be played off the park.

    I would like to see Bamford given a go if fit and one or two of the younger ones, if not tomorrow the the last two games.

  36. Totally agree Steely, football is all about the money now, spoilt in my view by Sky. They have driven the wages and transfer fees to stupid levels that beggar belief.

    The number of footballers in the rich list says it all, Gareth Bale £18m a year after tax which no doubt his paymasters cover. How do you spend that much money?

    The expectations then come down a tier so that championship clubs have to pay stupid money too.

    Yet we continue to support our teams with the loyalty they don’t always deserve but never change that support.

    Although it has been shown that Boro have spent more time in the top flight and maybe better to stay there if we can compete, I kinda prefer being a yo yo underdog team – a small town in Europe( not for much longer!) with brief forays into the big time.

    Next season will be interesting and will depend on how Mr Gibson feels about things and how much of the parachute payment he decides to keep.

    On another note, I see Mogga managed to oversee two teams being relegated, is that a record?

  37. In fairness to Mogga both Clubs are basket cases in the extreme. He stepped in and saved Coventry last Season when they looked doomed but very little he could do to build on that this season as the Club is something of a joke even to their long suffering fans. With no resources the inevitable was always going to happen and don’t be surprised if they keep falling or even disappear.

    His record with Blackburn is very credible considering the state they were in and how he nearly saved them today but for a dodgy penalty being given to Forest to get them off the mark. He has another year of his 18 month contract there and my guess is their fans would rather keep him than face League one life with yet another new Manager.

  39. I said when we were promo’d that we celebrate joining others at the pig’s trough – the money market! It has indeed become something of a travesty and ALL clubs seem to have too great an eye on the cash.

    It has become a two tier system where the top half teams of the league challenge for further riches in the european compeditions, whilst the bottom half scrabble to maintain snouts in the EPL trough.

    There still remains a sense of club loyalty among some players but as for many its feels like a case of mercenary work – I have no doubt this is due to the way the transfer system operates and the vast sums that are concentrated at the top of the game.

    It seems to me that democracy as we know it is flat on it’s back in the UK & France. The proletraite are for the most part comatose due to fixed systems that have ignored the needs ofvthe indigenous masses. In football the problem is their addiction & instead of pressing for healthy change the powers that be are left to wallow in the wealth.

    I’d like to believe we could make more progressive steps by enacting a regime change at Boro, but the ownership may well switch to a Venky’s or a Cashly. As Ian said, we’re stuck with that which is far from perfect but it could be worse. Then, those afraid of change may always say so.

    Well, no doubt they’ll get out the tapaulin to cover the empty seats at the Riverside next season in the Championship & maybe even laud SG as ‘one of our own’ at season’s end.

  40. Great history piece Dormo only I think Jarrko will be as still confused as most Brits.

    Love history, there was a nice piece on BBC Travel about the angel roofs in Norwich and Norfolk. Worth a look for history lovers..

  41. The relegation of Blackburn Rovers to League One yesterday shows what happens when the governance of a football club Is dysfunctional. It is a cautionary tale and I hope Steve Gibson takes note and ensures that he gets the big decisions right for next season.

  42. Yes I really enjoyed reading what was a great Sunday-supplementesque historic post by Dormo yesterday in a very comprehensive reply to Jarkko’s earlier query about the constitutional link between Wales and England in the context of the increasingly less United Kingdom – if you missed it here’s a link to Dormo’s post as its well worth a read.

  43. Nice post Forever Dormo

    I would add that ‘Eng-ger-land became England in the 10thC and before that was ruled by Anglo-Saxons as you say in separate kingdoms. Both these sets of people were far from indigenous, the Angles and the Saxons being Germanic tribes.

    The Ancient Britons were Celts and from a period of 550AD to 650 they had their own Kings of the North. My family name originally can be found on the Rolls of the Ancient kings of Britian and were know to come from the Pebbles area which is as we know part of the Scottish Borders.

    Hen Ogledd

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hen_Ogledd

    By the way a Scottish nationalist colleague of old was much disturbed when I told him that Edinburgh was not established by the Scots or Picts (Celtic groups) but by an Anglo-Saxon king who ruled much of Northumbria at the time.

    Ultimately, England and the present day English are a bastard race with pretentions to grandeur. The irony is that all after the 5th C came from Europe, the same Europe that now many nationalists are hell bent on leaving.

    Aint life a blast!

  45. Boroexile there is nothing dysfunctional about the governance of MFC, as for getting the decision on the next manager right, that’s another matter.

    Tonight, I’m going for 2-0 to Boro , an assist and a goal from Traore (first of the season).

    Back to reality, I think tonight is when we say goodbye to the prem, but hopefully we’ll be back quicker than last time.

    Sparttak , where as your right on the Angles and Saxons I’m not sure such an argument cuts much ice with the Brexiteers. English culture has been forged, honed, tweaked for the good by successive waves of immigrants, whether they were African, Asian or European. Living in north London there are so many different cultures living happily amongst one another you don’t even notice who is/isn’t an immigrant, its simply not an issue. But then its also a prosperous part of the country.
    Go to Teesside, Stoke, Southend, Cornwall etc where the benefits of globalisation have yet to be felt and life is hard for many then the perception of immigration is very different.

    There are two ship repair yards operating on Teesside, the majority of the workers, welders fitters etc are Romanian, why? Because the skills required for such work no longer exist in sufficient numbers on Teesside, a damning indictment of a lack of a government industrial strategy over the last forty plus years.

    Sadly, those who feel threatened by immigration were well and truly conned by Boris and Farage promising an extra £350 million a week for the NHS and less migration etc, neither will happen.

    1. Anyone who based their decision on what Boris, Farage, Cameron or Corbyn and co. spouted probably shouldn’t have been allowed to vote in the first place. The level of incompetence illustrated by both camps makes Boro’s Recruitment department an outstanding success in comparison. There was zero detailed debate or any plans whatsoever in place from either side. There was no detailed Brexit strategy as there wasn’t sufficient time and thought gone into it let alone to whom the responsibility should that have fallen to? Certainly not the self elected Boris and Farage!

      The Remain camp had comfortably assumed that the result would be a resounding Yes to remain vote and hadn’t remotely considered the consequences of a No vote at all. The vote was just a paper exercise and the outcome was pre determined and that is where the fault lies. There was no middle ground rational “remain but reform” option for those people fed up and wanting change but preferred to remain in the EU why? Simple answer, arrogance in the extreme from Cameron and as a consequence the UK and the EU got what it deserved.

      Poor planning, a lack of leadership and misplaced arrogance from Brussels and Downing Street created Brexit not the ramblings of two unhinged eccentrics.

  46. Well tonight could see the end of a very short-lived and many would say short-sighted Boro fling with the Premiership. A victory would be lauded as incredible and with a nothing to lose mentality stranger things have happened as unlikely as the bookies seem to confidently think.

    This season should have been one of enjoyment and celebration for the Boro after seven long wilderness years. It started off badly with a cheap off the peg kit crudely defended by nonsense deflecting statements from the club. That tiny and seemingly inconsequential action was to underline the real level of astuteness, understanding and planning at the club.

    Cheap, available, it’ll do is one thing for a football kit but when it became exemplified by the January transfer window it was the proverbial house of cards. The detailed back room structure of analysts and fitness trainers so professionally built up was decimated within weeks. The highly professional recruitment department much lauded for Gary Gill’s leadership reinforced by none other than Victor Orta was soon the butt of self deprecating Teesside humour. Worse and much worse however has been the fall from grace of SG himself in all of this.

    Untouchable and teflon cloaked by those of us with a few grey hairs (if indeed any hair left at all) is now being questioned about appetite, ambition and drive by those too young to remember ’86. Those under 40 have understandably less endearment but were always steered in their emotions by their elders. Twelve months ago what seemed like the dawning of the rebirth of the Boro has hastened its demise far quicker than a Play Off final defeat. Everything that was carefully built has seemingly now been torn asunder and hastily patched up with rumours persisting of who long term will be the owner let alone the manager now gathering momentum.

    Its always darkest before the dawn so lets hope for a new dawning for Boro with clarity and vision to lead us out of this hiatus. There are many clubs whose downward spiral started with a similar sequence of unfortunate events. The result tonight is important but there are far greater internal results infinitely more important long term for the success of Middlesbrough Football Club.

    1. RR
      Totally agree, but you missed out one very foolish decision by the club,
      The sponsor, how we could install the kit for Sky to show our matches and then allow some silly little pawn shop to be emblazoned on our chest?
      It never added up, and never will.
      No other Prem side would ever do that.
      And it told the tale of our season before a ball was kicked.

  47. Brilliant piece of writing Werdermouth. Unthinkable to imagine anything other than the long-since predicted relegation – the only possible, possible chance Boro have is to score first. But it will in all probability be another embarrassment as we chase the ball wildly and are 2-0 down after 15 minutes.

  48. What a blog! Thanks for Dormo for the insight on the British history. I must owe you a beer next time I will be in the UK! As a foreigner I did not knew the details.

    Also RR summed up quite well the poll on Brexit. In Finland we have about eight different parties and minimum three parties in the government. We have only one “Nationalist” party and even they don’t want the voting for staying in the EU as they would lost it.

    Our country also pays EU more than we receive annually but we see the benefits are much higher. Last year our companies were shocked when Sweden put temporarily the borders in control. The papers were full of stories how the extra pass port control was costing the companies a lot of money daily.

    So we in the continent want to keep the borders open. In the Nordic countries (Scandinavia + Finland) we have not had any pass port control since late 1950´s. Nor have we needed to have any permission to work in the neighboring countries for half a centenary. So when I drive through the borders of the Baltic countries on business, I never need to stop at a border. Very convenient for business as well as travelling.

    So we are not 100 % happy with the EU but we see leaving would not make sense financially. Also we see that there has never been less wars in Èurope during the history than during the EU time. Perhaps the latter is not seen that important in the UK, but for us living next to Russia/Soviet Union, that is the most important part of the membership.

    BTW, I go with Len and predict a hugely unlikely win at Chelsea. But of course the 2-0 win won´t be enough to keep us in the PL next season. So probably last day drama.

    Up the Boro!

  49. Redcar Red

    It wasn’t just the government who thought there would be a remain vote. many sat back hoping the Tory party would implode as it was an internal Tory matter.

    I think I was in a minority of one on here who said Labour should ignore the vote at their peril. UKIP had built up over 5 million votes in a few years. As the general election had shown, Tory votes held up reasonably, the UKIP votes came from somewhere, they didn’t just come from Tories.

    To use a football analogy, Cameron was to blame for giving away the corner, that doesn’t mean you don’t mark up in the box.

    The French should be careful, just because two thirds voted for the centrist candidate doesn’t mean that represents the pro european vote. It means he defeated a far right candidate, I am no expert but I don’t think Le Pen is the type I would vote for. The polling figures before the first round showed around 53% for basically pro European candidates.

    1. He defeated the two main parties so the French had already registered their “protest” vote. That angry vote left Macron in the middle and the extremist nut job in a two horse race. As he doesn’t represent the two main parties by default doesn’t enjoy their full support plus a huge number of voters didn’t bother voting and another huge amount were “spoiled”. His actual support isn’t what it appears to be.

      His unity message may go so far until he gets embroiled in real world politics and the “undeliverables” hit home along with his populace disrupting their fellow Europeans travel plans by umpteen strikes.

      Its very disappointing that he is talking tough already on Brexit, an experienced politician would have kept his powder dry rather than boxing himself into a corner. I would have thought his Teacher would have told him that. I’m far from convinced that France will enjoy a rosy future, they simply ended up with the best of a bad lot which in fairness is sadly representative of world politics in general at the minute.

  50. Great Post RR it sums it up very well

    I shall be watching tonight with a laid back approach and what will be will be

    I’m just waiting to see what happens next season!!

    They have my money and i want value for it !

    Come on boro

  51. I think the Leave vote was, for some, a statement that, over many years, all efforts at reforming the EU have been largely frustrated so quitting seemed the only option. Misguided, perhaps, but understandable. The Remainers were too complacent and the scare tactics had the reverse effect to what was intended. Hence the current chaos and, unfortunately, the utterances from Juncke and senior EU politicians are only reinforcing the Bunker Mentality of Brexiteers.

  53. Steely

    Taking Brexit only delayed talking about Prexit. Sadly, unlike the alphabet, the P will probably come before the B.

    Skybet has us at 16/1 to win. Wonder if Vic has #daftquid on it?

  55. Before concluding that the EU Referendum was an act of the people in getting their democracy back from the unelected bureaucrats in Brussels – you might want to have a read of this long but interesting article in yesterday’s Guardian.

    The great British Brexit robbery: how our democracy was hijacked

    It’s an investigative piece on how a Cambridge data analysis company that is owned by a hedge-fund billionaire is using military psychological warfare techniques and mining vast amounts of social media data and linking it to the electoral register in order to influence a small but significant percentage of the voters into voting a particular way.

    This company was used by both the vote-leave campaigns and the Trump campaign team to essentially target swing voters with profiled messages in order to gain victory. It claims much of the funding was also done secretly to avoid breaking electoral rules.

    The implications if true are quite extraordinary and basically shows that use of technology can actually skew the democratic process in one particular direction. Anyway, have a read and then you will feel less worried about tonight’s game!

    1. A brilliant advertisement for the company’s services (which I’m sure are not cheap) there again others confidently lay it at the door of the Bilderberg group or maybe it was the Rothschild’s after all and I’m sure Putin won’t be happy having the glory stolen from him after all his alleged “tinkering”.

      There again just maybe those left with beggar all like those in the North American rust belt and here in Redcar just wanted to stick a two fingered salute up Jean Claude’s derriere whose EU rules allowed huge swathes of cheap subsidised Chinese steel into the EU market whilst preventing the UK Government from stepping in (like they wanted to, removes tongue from cheek).

      And then there is the Presidential family dynasty stranglehold that Billionaire Trump broke. Strange that all of these fresh new conspiracy claims appear after the Clinton’s, Bush’s and Kennedy’s etc. lose their grip on the world’s most powerful country. Even stranger the coincidence that a few Families had such a stranglehold on US politics for decades. Throughout history the elite few have always manipulated and screwed the many, the only difference now is its allegedly being done by technology instead of wars.

      And that brings me back to the democratically elected Jean Claude and his favoured Spitzenkandidat procedure. Conspiracy, its all a bleedin conspiracy including our three points!

  56. Brilliant pieces by both Werder and Dormo.

    On Anglo-Welsh- Scottish historical relationships, I think what Dormo said.

    You ask a question on this blog and an expert pops up and gives you an authoritative answer. What a resource.

    Tonight’s game is one of those occasions when I wish Aitor was still in charge. Unlike some, I have enjoyed a lot of the games this season, but my experience may have been untypical, because I have principally seen us playing away against quality opponents. We were great against Arsenal. and I have rarely been prouder of any Boro sides in the past as I was when we played in Manchester against City and United. The latter game was as recent as January, when we led with just a few minutes to go, and the lads gave their all. And a Spurs team, all-conquering on their own patch, required a needless penalty to dispose of us.

    For those reasons I would have had some optimism that, under Aitor, we might have got something from tonight’s game. But the way we shipped sloppy goals against Hull and Bournemouth suggests that the defensive memory- muscles from Aitor’s coaching may have atrophied beyond repair.

    I fear that it could all be over by half-time at 3-0, with Chelsea easing off to save themselves for the week-end and adding just one or two more goals

    4 or 5-0 I’m afraid, with the only hope resting in our defensive resilience, and the possibility that we might nick one. Go out to actively win it and we’ll get slaughtered.

  58. I won’t waste 2 hrs watching the match live as I DO have a life.
    Will watch highlights of our lambs to the slaughter, but like most, cling on to that impossible dream.

  59. If anyone has inside knowledge (OFB ?) I am beginning to wonder if Valdez is injured or he has an appearance clause in his contract that MFC don’t want to invoke until they know if he is staying or going.

    Just a thought.

    Come on BORO.

    1. Not heard anything I assume the injury is genuine to Valdez

      Sat watching the game in silence what a difference a year makes

  60. In recent weeks my friends and I have been using different turnstiles (I think there are 4 which we can use for our block of seats). We have used THIS turnstile, then THAT flight of stairs up to the first level and then THAT flight of stairs up to the concourse. We have got to the stage where underwear which really shouldn’t have survived quite so long has been pulled out of the darkest recesses of the chest of drawers, in order to perfect the spell. Secret oaths have been taken. The car has been parked in different spots. Really! The care that has been taken to propitiate the Gods knows no bounds.

    Of course this evening we are AWAY to Chelsea. Haven’t worked out what to do en route to the “Tortured Toad” where the game will be shown in full Sky vision. Hopefully the fire will be lit as it is grey and breezy outside. Maybe walking normally for 100 paces, then skipping for 10 paces, then walking normally again, until I get there. Probably better to ensure I don’t tread on any cracks in the paving. Mind you, with the state of road/pavement repair in my 3rd World Village, that might not be easy.

    Anyway, if at about 9.55pm you hear that the result was Chelsea 0 Boro 3 (Downing, Traore and Friend), you will know who to thank. It shouldn’t be down to me though. We are in a bit of a pickle. I think even Merlin himself might struggle with this one. Well, here goes…….

  61. Have to agree with Len that this is one game that would have been up AK’s street but, having moved on, we just have to give it our best. As I said at 5.21pm, our suffering should be over after tonight, unless …….,,,,,,,,,,,!!

  63. So far so bad, 33 minutes in and 2-0 down, left flank exposed time and again. Now cutting us to shreds at will.

    Listened to Claridge and Swarzer, they blamed a lot on the recruitment but thought we would come straight back up. Lets AK off lightly whilst he takes a big share of the blame we just are not god enough.

    Three more, we only need three more…

    🔴 BTW I think you lost your Gravatar because your email address was wrongly entered

    1. Shows what binman Claridge knows about football…come straight back up? Yer joking aren’t ya? Worst team ever in the PL for me..and it hurts as Vickers says. Very sorry to say that the Boro have little chance of immediate promotion. The club is a shambles and sadly, that includes the chairman. He has failed us. What comes next I don’t know, but I really fear for us in the Championship…

  64. Oh well 2-0 did we expect anything else, they are on a different plane. Still don’t know what forest gump gives to the team other than he can run fast. As has been said before he looks lost most of the time.
    Oh well in the words of some old song
    “Wheel meet again don’t know where don’t know when but we will meet some sunny day” or something to that effect.

  65. First 20 mins we were reasonable for a ten man team (Traore) defending against one of the best attacks in the league.

    Come on BORO.

  66. Still waiting to see SA’s plans to expose Chelsea weaknesses!

    As Ian has said they have been exposing our right side at will and yet no action taken to try and stop the left to right cross field ball.

    Noticed Ancelotti at the game, what are the chances he will be meeting with SG afterwards!

  67. Well it was probably the team that most were calling for, blind to the fact that Fabio is not the best at defending and loses his man regularly and then in front of him Adama who gives the RB almost no help at all. And so it was, SA got this one wrong

    Fabregas pulling the strings and not a Boro MF-er near him. Our players are working hard and have the right attitude,but unfortunately they do not have the prerequisite skills. Chelsea in fairness have been brilliant.

    SG is sat there in the posh seats thinking what. Time to call it a day. Give it another go. Get another Head Coach in or go with Aggers. Decisions, decisions. At least we now know our fate…..the Championship it is.

    1. Chelsea are in a different league but what is the difference in cost of the teams?
      I think SG may decide to call it a day and accept that the EPL is not for him. The spend required is far too much although other clubs have managed it.

      HEY HOW it’s only football

  70. Werder

    My gravatar disappeared because it was like our right side, absent! I was posting from the home computer rather than the lappie.

    A save, well nearly.

    All the comments from the preview and summarisers is about the lack of quality in our recruitment and people to come off the bench being poor.

    Been there, posted that, too late now.

    Lets look forward to the fixtures in June. We know we play Brnetford and Sunderland twice so that is twelve points. Just 78 more needed.

  74. 79th minute: Downing crosses the ball into the box.

    The sole attacking contribution in the game so far from the man whom Aggers is hoping to build his team around.

    1. The only thing Boro could do tonight Len was chase and harry. Unfortunately they were just too quick for us. SD never had a lot of pace but now he has none at all. He will be lost in the Championship.

  75. 3-0. And, as Ken said, the score flattered us. This was as close to humiliation as it gets. Under Aitor we had a solid defence, though little else. Under Aggers we don’t even have that. Our defence was shambolic and the inability of the coach to make the kind of obvious adjustments that were noted earlier in this blog were there for all to see. Chelsea didn’t need to break sweat; we didn’t give them any sort of game. Down with scarcely a whimper.

    1. Yes, we won’t ever know had we gained a win or two more had we kept Aitor till the end. At least we were organised under him.

      Of course we don’t know if we should have changed the manager earlier, either. Hartlepool changed the manager early with a very experienced alternative. And went from bad to worse.

      Finally it is the team that got us down. The players should take the blame.

      Up the Boro!

  76. That is it unless they FA deduct points from Hull and Swansea, at least they are not big clubs or from London.

    Len

    By the end of the match Friend was attacking and Downing at left back.

    Overall it was disappointing, I didn’t expect anything and got what I expected.

  80. Well so that’s the Premier League road trip over then – don’t remember getting too many kicks on the A66 though…

    Anyway, probably should still play the traditional anthemic song for such occasions…

    We’re in the Championship, my friends,
    And we kept on losing ’til the end.
    We’re in the Championship.
    We’re in the Championship.
    No time for losers
    ‘Cause we’re in the Championship of the world.

    Sorry have to go, it appears I’ve overdone it with the dry ice and the smoke alarm has gone off and woke up my six-year old…

  81. My records away to Chelsea now show Played 53 Won 5 Drawn 13 Lost 35 Goals for 37 against 102 making Chelsea the 11th team that we have conceded over a hundred goals against away from home.
    Mind that is 43 less than against Arsenal. What does that show? Well that we have an abysmal away record throughout our history, and only one away win all season re-enforces that.

  82. The fans were fantastic tonight as evidenced by the Chelsea manager making a point of applauding them. They have been great all season and deserved better – much, much better.

Leave a Reply