| Middlesbrough | Barnsley | ||
| Ayala Adama Bamford |
1′ 18′ 53′ |
Moore | 58′ |
| Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
46% 9 5 3 7 |
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
54% 9 3 5 9 |
Game of two halves
Having finally achieved a Play Off position the pressure was now on Tony Pulis to maintain that spot this afternoon against a struggling Barnsley outfit who have never kept a clean sheet at the Riverside. In fact their last recorded victory on Boro soil was back in April 1992 with a 1-0 win. Barnsley hadn’t won any of their matches against sides in the top 10 in the Championship having drawn five and lost 10 of the fifteen games played. On paper at least games didn’t fall much kinder than this one but of course this is the Championship and Boro we are talking about!
Boro were having a few injury concerns before the game as apart from Fabio’s thigh, Gestede’s ankle and the injured/suspended Leadbitter Tony Pulis was sweating over the fitness of new midfield maestro Muhamed Besic and stalwart George Friend. On Tuesday night we saw Adama take a knock and Paddy Bamford limping adding to the worry list!
A positive for Pulis was that after today’s game Captain Grant’s ban was up although whether his Hamstring knows that is another matter. For Barnsley another protégé from the Mourinho stable was in charge after Paul Heckingbottom departed for Leeds. Jose Morais could call upon the services of returning ex Boro trainee defender Adam Jackson after missing Tuesday night’s 2-1 defeat at Cardiff as a result of being stretchered off with concussion at the end of February against Hull.
Matt Mills has missed the last three games with an ankle problem for the Tykes but was close to returning to action although it was 50/50 if he would make the squad for this afternoons clash. Club Captain Andy Yiadom started against Cardiff mid-week after only being a sub against Hull previously so there were indications that the Barnsley back line didn’t exactly pick itself and knocks and niggles were in abundance. All encouraging signs for Adama Traore and marksman extraordinaire Paddy if fit.
The real area of interest was the duel of the Championship’s two in-form Strikers. Since his loan debut from Swansea in February, Oli McBurnie has scored five Championship goals and only Bamford has scored more in that time with seven goals to his name. Boro took to the field with our current “preferred” line up with Clayts in for Grant. Besic was declared fit enough to start as was George, Adama and Paddy. Barnsley had made five changes from their last outing in an effort to rescue their faltering season.
The game kicked off with Boro repeating their Leeds Kick Off only this time getting it right and Adama immediately had the men from South Yorkshire under the cosh. An ensuing throw in for Boro saw Shotton launch one of his long throws and Townsend in the Barnsley goal seemed to flap and slip simultaneously in a farcical fashion allowing Dani to stick out a leg to deflect the ball into the Barnsley net past the hapless keeper. It was one nil to Boro and a minute hadn’t even ticked over on the clock. As starts go this was as good as they get.
The expectation was that Barnsley now knew they had to come out and attack Boro having gone behind so early on but such was Boro’s dominance and stranglehold on the game that resistance from the Tykes was futile. As Adama started another foray ripping into the Barnsley midfield en route to their back line Gardner unceremoniously upended him to go into the book with less than five minutes gone. A couple of minutes later Paddy was clattered in the 18 yard box which looked a nailed on Penalty but the Ref waved claims away. Boro were strutting their stuff, passing the ball around with aplomb and ease as the Tykes looked to be in for a very difficult afternoon.
As organised the whole of the Riverside stood up on the 17th minute to pay respects to the two young Boro fans George Turner and Mason Pearson who tragically lost their lives this week. As if rehearsed Adama picked up a loose ball on the left side of the Barnsley box, cut back inside with gusto and unleashed a shot which went well past the once again despairing Townsend to make it 2-0 in the middle of the one minute applause which the Barnsley fans joined in, a poignant moment with a fitting tribute from the wing wizard the timing of which was impeccable.
The game was all but over and thoughts around the Riverside were being focussed now on how many goals we could score in an effort to leap frog Derby rather than if we could win this one. The passing between Red shirts was sublime and Barnsley looked a spent force, depleted with nervy clearances and passes that at times were pure comedy gold. The only anxiety for Boro was the sight of George limping after taking a clattering on his right thigh; perhaps TP’s press conference concerns were genuine after all. Just before the half time whistle a screaming cross came in from Adama down the right flank but Downing fluffed his lines as he tried to spectacularly connect and the golden opportunity was gone to make it a deserved 3-0 and the scoreline remained 2-0.
The whistle went to end the first half and the home fans stood up to give a standing ovation whilst the despondent away fans dismayed at what they had just witnessed roundly booed their team whose dark navy/grey shirts matched the mood of those who had travelled North. The half time team talk for TP would have been simple, just more of the same whilst in the opposite changies the talk would have been more about saving face and do or die.
Morais made a sub at half time with the more creative Thiam coming on for the largely ineffective Hedges. TP unsurprisingly kept things the same and just after the restart Stewy came close with a daisy cutter which went past Townsends right hand post which was just as well as the Barnsley shot stopper must have had industrial strength thread holding those “neat” shorts together and getting down could have proved both uncomfortable and embarrassing. It didn’t take long for the inevitable third to happen albeit in the most sublime and embarrassing manner.
Stewy looped a corner in which Townsend once again flapped at and whilst the big lads had been jostling and pushing to try an gain a height advantage the ball sailed over all of them with Townsend once again flailing and with Paddy instinctively on the far post the ball hit him on the knee and hit the back of the net. Paddy’s expression was priceless, a momentary look of surprise and embarrassment quickly replaced by oh well I’ll take it anyway who cares and sailed around to salute his 8th goal in five games, 3-0 and the floodgates were surely likely to open. In stark contrast the Tykes equivalent in Oli McBurnie had been well marshalled and kept out of the game by Shotton up until this point.
At this point the game swivelled on its axis and either Boro sat too deep or Barnsley figured they had nothing to lose. Either way what ensued was fairly remarkable as Barnsley who up until this point had been by far the worst side to grace the Riverside all season suddenly looked like Brazil as they tore into Boro and within 5 minutes they had remarkably pulled one back as Randolph pushed a fierce long range shot straight back at Moore instead of pushing it upwards and out of danger. 3-1 and the very nerve of the Tykes to upset the status quo was clearly overwhelming for the rest of the afternoon as Boro quickly switched form dominant superiority to scrambling, panicking and clinging on for dear life.
Such was the shock of the Barnsley goal with their first effort on target the away fans indulged in a verse of self-deprecating “We’ve scored a goal” to which the Boro fans responded with a round of applause. The only problem was that a goal is all it was but now the Tykes clearly had ideas above their station and felt that a second could be on the cards. Sensing the same Morais sent Isgrove on for Knasmuller to bolster their offensive options and TP decided to withdraw the up until then Boro MOM Besic who really had been carrying a knock all week but had left an impression on Townsend seconds earlier with a decent drive.
Lewis Baker came on for Besic and whilst clearly a little game rusty did get stuck in and escaped in a burst up field with Traore played in by Bamford on the half way line who should have put the game beyond reach but unfortunately Adama didn’t see the Chelsea loanee and instead saw Townsend clear his solo effort with his head taking the impact as Baker remonstrated in a not so subtle manner and I have to say with good reason. Morais made his final switch between Williams and Mallan as the pressure was building considerably on Randolph’s goal with scorer Moore now hitting the post.
TP brought Stewy off for Cranie in an effort to shut up shop with seven minutes remaining. Since action man Besic came off Boro looked susceptible and dropping far too deep which has been a regular feature lately. In the final minute a penalty appeal this time it was McBurnie going down fortunately like the previous claim the Ref dismissed it. A second Barnsley goal then would have made for a very uncomfortable four minutes of added time especially as Moore had just headed on to the upright moments before. TP replaced Paddy with Britt to run the clock down and gave the crowd the opportunity to show their appreciation for their new goal machine. The few remaining minutes ticked away anxiously in a bizarre about turn in what had started off as a footballing masterclass from Boro ended up clinging on for dear life.
The result was three points which is the important message to take away from today along with the pleasure that other results by and large went Boro’s way as they drew level on points with Derby for tonight at least and put more daylight between themselves and the chasing pack. Overall Bamford and Clayts were my men of the match for totally opposite reasons. Clayts was effective and efficient in cleaning and tidying up in front of his defenders (who had a few squeaky moments in the last half hour whilst Paddy led the line brilliantly. Paddy had chased and harried, got back defending at set pieces and also putting a few telling tackles in, never giving up the cause. His goal was fortuitous to put it mildly but you make your own luck in this game and Paddy made his.
There was a moment of note in the first half when Ben made a mess of a clearance with George pushing up anticipating launching an attack but the ball ended up being gifted to Barnsley with three players chasing into the Boro box. Shotton came across behind Ben to cover, Besic ran in between the pair of them closing down the danger and Stewy had chased back and harried the Barnsley attacker with the ball going out of play. George and Stewy high fived with Besic who fist pumped Shotton who then gave Ben a consolatory hug in a moment of togetherness. I recall being told and it being reported ad nausea about “Team Spirit” in the Boro dressing room over the last few years but never really bought it. Those few seconds showed more genuine team spirit than any spin I have heard for a long time at the Riverside.
Will Boro capitalise on improved form
as business end of the season arrives
With just ten games left to play, Boro have officially arrived at the business end of the season and they will look to capitalise on the visit of Barnsley to the Riverside in order to bank another three precious points. The long-awaited back-to-back victories against Leeds and Birmingham have decrypted the mental block chain of fixtures under Tony Pulis that saw their currency as promotion contenders fluctuate just below the much valued sixth spot. To his credit, the Boro manager has finally started to appreciate some of the assets in his squad with the stock of Patrick Bamford soaring after seven goals in his last four outings.
It’s taken some time to find the right combination for Tony Pulis and perhaps everyone shouldn’t be surprised that a new manager can’t walk through the door and fix long-standing problems without set-backs and false starts. Though one thing he can take pride in is the that Adama was named as Championship player of the month – perhaps the award should be shared between player and manager for while many have tried to unlock the explosive enigma that is Adama Traore only Pulis has succeeded. Indeed, regardless of what happens this season the investment by Pulis on this project will be almost equivalent to an extra parachute payment if the anticipated value of the player is realised in the summer – though hopefully if he is playing Premier League football next season it will be with Boro.
After Paul Heckingbottom was poached by Yorkshire rivals Leeds, Barnsley have appointed Jose Mourinho’s former assistant, José Manuel Ferreira de Morais, who has worked alongside the Special One at Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea – though it’s not quite the Karanka model where Boro gave him his first head coach job in football as the 52-year old has already had spells as a number one in Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Greece. After a year out of the game he’s signed up to the Tykes for 18 months and declared “I’m a coach with vision about not only a way to play, but a way to live and a way to believe and a way to make things greater, bigger, better. That’s the coach I am” – though I’m not sure if they found a way to believe in him at his last club, AEK Athens, where after taking the hot seat in October 2016 he was soon looking for a different way to live after he was dismissed following only 3 wins from 14 league games.
| Middlesbrough | Barnsley | ||
| Tony Pulis | José Morais | ||
| P36 – W17 – D7 – L12 – F50 – A34 | P35 – W7 – D11 – L17 – F35 – A50 | ||
| Position Points Points per game Projected points |
6th 58 1.6 74 |
Position Points Points per game Projected points |
21st 32 0.9 42 |
| Last 6 Games Birmingham (A) Leeds (H) Sunderland (A) Hull (H) Cardiff (A) Reading (H) |
F-T (H-T) 1:0 (1:0) W 3:0 (2:0) W 3:3 (0:1) D 3:1 (2:1) W 0:1 (0:1) L 2:1 (1:0) W |
Last 6 Games Cardiff (A) Hull (A) Birmingham (A) Burton (H) Sheff Wed (H) QPR (A) |
F-T (H-T) 1:2 (0:1) L 1:1 (1:0) D 2:0 (2:0) W 1:2 (0:2) L 1:1 (1:1) D 0:1 (0:0) L |
Whilst at first glance, some viewing the Barnsley club crest may be wondering why it depicts two members of the Village People holding a shield, it actually on closer inspection shows a coal miner rather than a hard-hatted construction worker and incidentally the chap on the left is not in fact drinking his beer through an incredibly long straw (perhaps soon to be the latest trend among the vaping hipsters in the laid-back South Yorkshire pub scene) but he is in fact a glass-blower. Although aficionados of the 80s American disco scene, or indeed observers of ill-conceived military recruitment campaigns, may have been struggling to place the glass-blower in the Village People – no doubt the idea failed to make the final cut in the auditions due to concerns it may be deemed too suggestive and he was instead overlooked in favour of the less controversial ‘leatherman’.
Nevertheless, these once proud working class traditions of the Barnsley folk have been gradually eroded as it’s now over 20 years since the last mine in the area closed. For many, the name of the town was synonymous with coal and it was from where dogmatic class warrior King Arthur Scargill ruled the NUM, with many a night around the table spent plotting his battles before his downfall was eventually secured by his nemesis Mordred Thatcher. Faced with a future without its traditional industrial heritage, the local council launched a consultation in 2002 entitled ‘Rethinking Barnsley’ – perhaps more an admission that the past wasn’t returning than an existential question – though the great British decline in manufacturing is probably represented by the fact the town now provides the energy for the masses by instead boasting the largest cake bakery in Europe – which has no doubt attracted the displaced northern workers from as far afield as Pontefract to Eccles.
Football has long since lost its identity as primarily the quintessential sport of working class men with the gentrified all-seater stadiums creating a high ticket priced repackaged product that was marketed at the expanding middle classes who could easily afford the several hundred pound season-ticket membership to join the club. The arrival of the executive boxes to lure the so-called prawn cocktail brigade of businessmen keen to entertain clients in the hope of persuading them to make the deal was a further signal that football was now a wider socially acceptable entertainment ‘event’. Furthermore, it has almost become mandatory in public life that coming out as a football fan is now a prerequisite to demonstrate you are in touch with the public.
Even privileged Eton-educated Prime Ministers now felt the urge, or were indeed urged by their spin doctors, to ‘pick’ a soccer team in an attempt to flag-up their man of the people credentials on the mast of convenience that football offered. Although the credibility of their random fandom sometimes unravelled in spectacular fashion as the carefully constructed fabrication collapsed as they fluffed their lines by instead becoming the accidental supporter of a team with similar colours. When long-time Villan David Cameron was giving a speech on the multicultural identities of the British, he’d just argued it was possible to be both a Man Utd fan and West Indies cricket supporter before joking that he rather wished people would support West Ham instead.
A few days later he apologise to his fellow Villa faithful for confusing them with the Hammers by explaining “I went past the West Ham stadium the day before and I had just said the word West Indies in my speech and I was making a point about the cricket Test and all the rest of it – I meant to say Aston Villa and I am profoundly embarrassed.” Pretty feeble for a genuine football fan to imagine forgetting which team they supported and the prosecution may cite a speech Cameron gave in 2001 during a debate in the Commons about banning orders for English football hooligans: “Many of those who have spoken in the debate or have written about the subject are either lawyers or football fans, but I have to confess I am neither.” – no further questions your honour!
Though its no surprise that football lost its working class identity as indeed workers have also lost their greater sense of collective identity as a class of people whose labour directly related to the wealth of the nation. The cultural norm that the working week was punctuated by the Saturday afternoon pilgrimage to cheer on their local heroes who represented their proud communities has all but become the preserve of a bygone era. Not only have many of their own jobs been lost to the market forces of globalisation, so too has the notion of a local team being represented as primarily a locally-owned entity.
In the modern world almost everything tangible becomes viewed as an asset, in the same way a house is no longer just deemed a place to live, neither is a club just about playing a game of football but is often viewed as a potential brand waiting to be exploited beyond its geographical boundaries. Football clubs are now commodities, available to be purchased by a random oligarch or traded as a disposable asset to the investors, who all play by the same market forces rules as the ones who facilitated the removal of the traditional industries from the towns where the clubs were originally founded by the workers.
However, this redefining of identity between supporters and their football club is simply a reflection of how society has become less interested in who brings the money just as long as it arrives. The individualisation of cultural experiences and geographic displacement have been combined through the explosion of technological innovation to create the virtual worlds that most now inhabit without a second thought of whether it is still real. What football still offers is that collective experience of everyone simultaneously witnessing an event that unfolds in real time with the added benefit of them still having a genuine emotional attachment to the outcome instead of being the dispassionate observer of someone else’s narrative.
Although many of the gathered masses still struggle to resist the urge to live in the moment as they collectively raise their smart phones to record the mandatory selfie to post on their social media as proof that they were there. The predilection to record life with an individual time-line has meant an event didn’t happen unless ‘I was there’ – however, how this sits in the world of typical Boro, where many are conditioned to the experience that it’s probably not going to happen if they are indeed there, is uncertain. Whilst much of our cultural identity may have been formed by our actual shared experiences of the past, it’s not clear if what we will relate to in the future as disconnected individuals will prove to be as deeply ingrained without that shared reference point of physically being there – for instance what will technology find to replace the smell of Bovril in triggering those memories to transport you back to the terraces of Ayresome Park…
So will Tony Pulis manufacture a third successive victory with an industrious display from his team at the Riverside? or will Boro make it hard work as they struggle to show their class as their promotion charge is undermined by Barnsley? As usual your predictions on score, scorers and team selection – plus will José Morais be ‘rethinking’ Barnsley if they drop into the bottom three?
⚽️⚽️
The eyeballs in the sky return again !
OFB
Great stuff Werder.
Hard to see past a home win, if we have pretensions of walking the Wembley Way come May, but Barnsley will be a tough prospect. They look much tighter at the back under the new man (the influence – or should that be effluence – of Mourinho spreads far and wide it seems) and we will have to be on our game to take home the points.
Hopefully Paddy will remain alive in the box to toe poke home another deadlock breaker, or Shotton will fire in some useful throw-in crosses to become the Dreadlocked taker! As long as we stop the rise of the Yorkshire bakers then however we do it is irrelevant to me.
I normally don’t do predictions, so in the time-honoured way of the football fan I have now adopted this into a superstition that cannot be broken, ergo I won’t. But I would really like it, Kevin Keegan style “love it” even, if we got a home win and solidified our play off position.
Thanks Smoggy, it’s difficult to decide if Jose Morais has just mainly picked up Mourinho’s penchant for bigging himself up rather than his managerial ability as one wonders if his Greek tragedy at AEK Athens reflected that his high opinion of himself wasn’t matched by those who worked under him. On the face of it Barnsley is not necessarily a career progression but I expect we may see a team that’s hard to break down.
Middlesbrough 3 – Barnsley 0
I am also aware this is my first ever prediction so I hope I’m not a Jonah.. As my Granddad used to say.
Welcome to the blog Boro Inspector and I suspect your prediction will be largely in tune with our talismanic Finnish couple so you should be OK 🙂
Thank you Werder for another beauty.
Went to Barnsley once in Bruce Rioch days and won 3 nil. Same again tomorrow please !
Also when I think of Barnsley I am reminded of the film masterpiece ‘ Kes ‘ directed by Ken Loach. Classic !
Cheers Braveheart – I remember we read Kes for English at school but I wasn’t much into books as a child so watched the Ken Loach film instead before the exam. 🙂
Remember the ref sketch in Kes where he scored a headed goal ??
Boroinspector predicts 3-0, it would be rude of me to disagree but I have crossed my fingers just in case.
Has anyone seen our fabulous Finns? It has been quiet on here without him. Mrs J must me making him be ultra touristy.
Ian,
I think they’re being kept under close security somewhere on Teesside in case of a kidnapping attempt.
UTB,
John
And also I don’t recall hearing from Spartak this year either. Hope he’s not caught in a Carpathian snowdrift!
I think Spartak is hibernating. I’m not saying he’s hanging from the rafters but Spartak I miss you even if nobody else does. Roll on Spring-time and milder weather.
Spartak’s Lonely Hearts Club band.
UTB,
\
\John
Top again as ever, Werder. We are treated every, or even twice, a week with these continually excellent openers to the Boro match day experience, whether we’re there or not.
Boro 2-1 Barnsley (Howson, Besic)
Barnsley to provide stubborn opposition and a scare when they score but Boro to grit our teeth and get through the game for three more valuable points.
Many thanks Andy, twice a week is tricky and I wasn’t even sure of managing a preview for Barnsley as I was a bit brain dead from a busy week – but thankfully while putting the header graphic together I got inspired by the Barnsley club badge and then one thing lead to another and managed to get the most of the piece written in a late shift yesterday evening.
BTW thanks to KP and John for their comments too – much appreciated!
Werder
I do hope you’re not feeling under pressure and over burdened with all this. I for one, and I’m sure everyone else, would completely understand if took a week or two off. Besides, that bathroom won’t decorate itself you know.
Thanks Andy but pressure and deadlines are both essential parts of the creative process for me as without the first I’d probably never start an article and without the second I’d probably wouldn’t stop writing or rewriting. As for the bathroom… well I’m on schedule after completing the ceiling yesterday and did the weekend shop today so I can fit in a stint tomorrow before the match 🙂
Werder, yet another excellent leader article, thank you.
Despite OFB’s ‘eyes in the sky’ I’m going Boro 2 – 0 Barnsley. They’ll park the bus then when Boro score they’ll have to break ranks and we’ll get another. Maybe three, no definitely 2 – 0. Sorry Werder more optimism.
UTB ,
John
I have a feeling this will continue our winning run and that it will be a high scoring affair so 4-0, another hat trick for Pattrick
As ever, another excellent piece thank you Werder.
Same team as Tuesday unless Besic and Friend are sidelined due to injury.
I think this game could be tougher than Tuesday.
Will stick with a 0-0 and hope that I am again wrong in the correct way.
Crowd 26,262
CoB prove me wrong again and consolidate that sixth spot! 😎
After my 4-0 prediction on Tuesday night I think I will just settle for three points and whatever positive effect it will have on our GD will be gratefully accepted.
With Sheffield away at Ipswich, Preston home to Fulham and I suppose forlornly, Villa entertaining Wolves there is good reason for optimism that should we look after ourselves events elsewhere could well add an additional bonus.
Not forgetting of course that all that comes before the Midlands derby on Sunday when AK’s Tree’s take on the stuttering Rams!
Crowd will be 23,463!
Two nil to us lot, Ayala & Hatrick. So four nil then. Eh? No, two nil.
Please may we have a definitive spelling of Paddy’s new nickname? Is it Hatrick as in Patrick, or Hattrick, or Hat-trick?
Bam. Bam, Bam, Bamford
Chris
Most definitely “Hatrick as in Patrick”.
Thank you. Now I can fail to relax and enjoy the football.
Let’s hope Barnsley are ” Brassed Off” on Saturday werder
Werder, what can I say, but that’s another one of Your Masterfully Crafted Articles. You had me chuckling on the bus about the glass blowers and their PC omission in favour of a bit of leather.
Of course Geoffrey Boycott is another of Barnsley’s favoured sons and we might just need some of his patience at the crease to break them down on Saturday afternoon. A little Dickie Bird told me it is not going to be as Parky at the Riverside as it was last Friday, so hoping to see a good turn out to watch us make it three on the trot. 2-1 us.
Powmill
Liked the way you introduced the cricketing trio into your blog.
Werdermouth
Nice of you to mention me in the Ken Roach film; you did know my initials are KES, didn’t you! It used to be also a car registration for Perthshire – a bit of useless information. But seriously though, another good prelude, or should that be overture, to tomorrow’s match; you never disappoint us and I hope Boro don’t either.
A narrow victory (hopefully) before a palindromic attendance of 24,242.
Thanks Ken and with those initials I’m surprised you didn’t follow the Newcastle Falcons…
Thanks Powmill, glad it helped with your bus journey – though it must have been a long meandering journey as you seem to have slipped into cricket references 🙂
It was your fault Werder, you brought back memories of when I worked the bar at the Anchor Inn in Gargrave and all the Village People would come out on a Sunday afternoon to watch the cricket on the green
Continued first class Headliners Werder. And you did not know where the inspiration was going to come from until you looked at their badge. If I had looked at the badge I would not of been given any thoughts at all!!
Forecasted weather could make things tricky and accident prone. Boro need to be strong in mid-field and get the ball into the box for Patrick, who will hopefully be fit.
On the offensive from the off, no defensive malarky and a win, any win, will do.
Thanks Pedro, but for a club badge it’s quite a detailed picture – though probably could have done with a motorcycle cop and a native American to keep the others company…
Ian, we had two nights in Brum. Because of the weather, our English and no car we did not go to Stafford.
Actually Birmingham is wast compared to Boro. The Waterstone was eight times bigger, a lot of museums etc
And they were building a lot of new houses in the center beside the new New Street Railway station. Quite a conttast to Middlesbrough.
I was feeling the cold yesterday, so I stayed in all day except for dinner.
Was feeling better today, so we took a local coach to Whitby. Don’t tell anyone but we had lunch at the Magpie Cafe. I did not know but it burnt down last May and was re-opened only December 14th.
We took a train back from Whitby. It was sunny in there until we entered the train. All the hills around Great Ayton were white. Felt home.
Tomorrow is the last day in Boro. We dedicate the day seeing some friends and then the match.
Because of my flu, we will skip Boro U23 match tonight. Have to be ready for the Barnsley match for sure.
I will go for a 3-0 win tomorrow. I know I sound greedy but I think TP will see it the same way.
Up the Boro!
jarkko
I prefer the Magpie to the other big name – Trenchers I think it is called opposite the station. It used to have more atmosphere. How well was the restoration done?
My daughter went to Uni at Brum and loved it with it’s mixture of student life and a vibrant city centre.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay, Diasboro depend on yourselves to get us the points we need.
Have a great day, are you off to the Navi? If so pass on my best wishes.
There’s a new kid in town in Whitby
The Star
It’s opposite trenchers and is owned by the Star at Harome near Hemsley now that’s a place Jarkko should go to Helmsley
Werder: the usual.
No prediction from me just fingers crossed.
OFB
It was the way the Magpie was laid out that attracted us, the fish and chips were good as well.
When my kids were younger they used to go to Wackers on Gillygate in York – wiyh an address like that it must be great. My daughter is adamant they are the best fish and chips in the world. We beg to differ but her perfect day in York is lunch at Wackers, meandering round York then Coupe Matterhorn at Little Bettys.
I would be fat if I did that, oh, I am fat! She is slim.
Ian
I must be the only person on Teesside who doesn’t care for fish and chips or parmos. Mind I also hate chocolate, and when my late wife used to bake a chocolate cake I had to stay out of the kitchen as the smell would make me puke.
And I’m still on my diet 4 kilos off and still no wine or beer !
Hope the Boro win or I might have to drown my sorrows !!!
Good work, OFB.
Keep it up and we’ll have to rename you NSB (New Slim Bob).
OFB,
Well done, the incredible shrinking Bob,
UTB,
John
Great still doing it thanks !
ONSFB
ORIGINAL NOT SO FAT BOB
Maybe Jarkko can be mascot at Wembley in May?
Better start saving up mate.
Well done on another great read Werder. Only next weeks game at Brentford then you can have a well earned rest as after that there’s a free weekend due to an international break. Or a weekend of tedium as I like to think of them.
Onto tomorrow then. Heard on Tees that George, Mo and Paddy are injury doubts. Pulis spreading disinformation to the opposition I hope.
Barnsley may offer a tougher task than either Brum or Leeds so to make it 3 wins in a row I think a performance of the standard against Leeds as opposed to the Brum game will be in order.
Many thanks FAA and I’m getting ready for the international break (though no call up) but it also coincides with the school holidays so the chances of a rest are remote!
What another fantastic article Weder. I am running out of superlatives.
The smell of Bovril is not the only one I remember unfortunately , who can forget, open air gents!
Powmill beat me to the Parky and Bird references which were very good.
Given that the lucky charm that is Jarkko will be attending, I am going for 3 0 to Boro and hope that the curse of the player/manager of the month doesn’t strike Adama down with the accolade going to his head so that he sees the fairground lights again………..
Same starting team for me with match attendance of 24,457. I had been trying to see if I could get the logistics to work so I could make it up although Mrs BBD has plans…….
UTB
Cheers BBD and it wasn’t just restricted to the open air gents as I seem to recall the terraces were the first stop for those supporters who weren’t yet house trained!
Thanks Werder.
I’m very fond of Barnsley people. Principled and salt of the earth. I appreciated the Kes reference since I was fortunate enough to be good mates with both Brian Glover and Barry Hines, great talents, who are no longer with us. Both were great football fans and I had the pleasure of taking each of them to Boro matches on different occasions. Brian’s made one of cinema’s greatest debuts when he exploded on to the screen as the PE teacher who thought he was Bobby Charlton. It remains to this day cinema’s funniest football sequence. He told me that he actually based his portrayal on Hines himself, who was a PE teacher in the same school in which Glover taught English.
Binary Boro tomorrow. Boro 1 Tykes 0
Glover played God, too. One of my favourite actors.
Let’s be honest, we were all Bobby Charlton in that scene in Kes, weren’t we? In fact I think Bobby Charlton himself became that teacher. Some years later, long after our hero retired, there was a coaching series on TV with Ryan Giggs as the star, with help from the great World Cup winner. I remember Bobby hitting a volley at goal, I think directly from a Giggs corner, SIR Bobby was commentating on himself “sotto voce” as he did so: – “And it’s Charlton….!”
Seriously, if Bobby Charlton were 18 years old now, how much would be be worth?
I met and shook the hand of Bobby Charlton in 1983, whilst serving in NI (no not tea n biscuits). Couldn’t say a word to him coz I was completely overawed.
🙂
WElcome back we’ve missed your banter !
It’s your round not mine!
And Stuani notches his 15th (I think – I’m open to being corrected) goal in the first half for Girona this evening in the Primera Liga match against Deportivo La Coruña…
Another goal for Stuani in Gironas win tonight, following a blocked header from old Boro boy Bernardo.
If only AK had listened to the lads on this blog!!
“If only” indeed!
Sighs
I have heard the three doubts are fit so unchanged team.
Come on BORO.
Good news if true though I sometimes take TP’s press conferences with a pinch of salt. I think he uses them to create a bit of false security or fake news for the opposition.
That’s good news
With Andy Campbell and Craig Harrison at the game today so will try and get some words from Craig to put by for an empty slot
OFB
That’s very good news Exmil.
Len
Whenever I see the football scene from Kes I can’t help but have a good laugh. A frustrated teacher trying to live out his dream of being Bobby Charlton by taking on a bunch of kids, a brilliant scene with the late great Brian Glover centre stage.
Just had to check out theat scene on YouTube and I did laugh out loud again. Thanks for the reminder Len.
Yes thanks Len for that reminder of that football scene from Kes – I’ve also just been watching it on YouTube and it’s absolutely brilliantly played by Brian Glover – Here it is …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9nDHupVqVw?rel=0
There are some parallels with Paddy and Stuani.
Both want to play through the middle, both score goals, both often played on the flank.
You could say the difference is that Paddy is a better suited to that role, his touch, technique and reading of the game are better. It is all supposition.
We are at the sons in London for mothers day tomorrow – daughters last week but was a Friday night match . May struggle to keep up with the match so I am relying on you lot to do the business.
No slacking!
You got it !
Yer joking aren’t you 3
Ee by gum 0
I’ll be surprised but delighted if it is another 3-0.
Werder
Fascinating piece with some very thought-provoking comments on the nature of entertainment and people’s relationship to experience. As well as the rather amusing ‘selfie culture’ – as if one’s attendance wasn’t real if you haven’t photographed it and posted it somewhere – so much now is actually being experienced through the filter of other people’s opinions rather than personal attendance. This is true in football but also in the cinema where I’ve worked for so many years. It is getting harder to get people to come and see anything but the biggest films and then the first whiff of negative comment can rapidly become the perceived view.
When you add on top of this the increasing ease with which one can observe events from home it’s gratifying to see crowds continuing to actually turn up for a live game. I wonder whether it’s a coincidence that most of the correspondents on this blog seem to be of more advanced years and absorbed their passion for Boro from an earlier time when ‘being there’ was everything. I wonder whether the crowd demographics have changed in recent years. Are there still the same number of young kids going along to become tomorrow’s stalwarts?
Anyway, coming back to Barnsley, I admit to having a few nerves. Boro can never do things the easy way. I had actually tipped a draw at Birmingham and so we are ahead of my forecast. I hope that this doesn’t turn into a slip-up today. Which Boro team is going to turn up. If it’s the marauders who hammered Leeds, then we should be OK. It’s quite telling the number of times that TP talks about ‘front-foot football’. Clearly he believes in his teams trying to dictate the shape of the game.
Fingers crossed that we have all our players fit. If so, I can see 2-0 with Bam Bam getting one of them and our flying Finnish vistors pulling off a hat-trick of their own. Three wins on the trot.
UTB
Many thanks Selwynoz, I actually think live events like football are still popular for the reasons I mentioned and there is that dynamic of interaction and feedback. Interestingly music gigs and festivals are perhaps now even more popular for probably the same reasons. Cinema is perhaps a bit more passive as it is not a live event and is usually just watched rather than commented on as the film unfolds. The whole generational thing probably has some influence but much of the behaviour for the under-30s and those who embrace the social media experience will ultimately become the new normal I guess.
JARKKO – I have sent you a message. Peter Cawley wants you to contact him as he and his wife will be at the Barnsley game. Unfortunately I didn’t see his message to me until a short while ago.
There is a chance (only a chance as I have not been in touch with him apart from sending a couple of messages which I hope he has received) that Jarkko and Eija will be somewhere inside the Navigation before the match. If anyone sees him there – and I will NOT be able to get there today – could they mention the above message to Jarkko, who can see it on the Blog.
Good to have confirmed via MFC that it is an unchanged team. CoB 😎
Another great article Werder. Always look forward to them as a concourse read before the event!!
I think Barnsley might be more difficult than a lot of people think but I will be happy to be proved very wrong!!
UTB
Thanks Murphy, being a concourse read is probably a first for me – though looking forward to the main event now!
Werder, top class as usual. I’m getting my non-forecast in five minutes before kick off, by non-forecast I mean just get in there and do a job like we expect, anything other than a win is a failure in my simple eyes.
Will be on again later but until then, I’m sat in a darkened room watching SSP updates as we go through the evening, sorry, afternoon where you are.
Hang on, just found Millwall v Brentford on Beinsport, aren’t I the lucky one!
What, a goal in a minute, Millwall haven’t even kicked off yet, C’mon!
Hang on, so have Millwall, but who cares.
Well, there you go, two up before you know it.
….. and then there was three!
…. and then there was a faux pas, bugger!
Right, 3-1 with ten to go and I’m tired, both from needing sleep and talking to myself, g’night folks and see you anon.
Welcome back Spartak (1.39pm today). Hope you are well and your absence hasn’t been for anything to worry about.
Good win today. Momentum is building at the right time.
A good win and so pleased that Jarkko has been rewarded with 3 victories- can we have a whip round to keep him in the country or st least come back to the games!
Even if Sheffield United win their game in hand we are still 2 points clear in 6th so it is in our own hands. What could possibly go wrong……….
If a Bam Bam Bam can keep scoring and A T plays, we can make it which is not something I thought would be possible a few months ago.
Come on Boro!
And Uncle Albert chalks up his fifteenth goal of the season to give Villa a 1-0 lead over Wolves….
Gave us the usual nail biting finale but a good win and, hopefully, building momentum.
Besic my MOM.
Besic was carrying an injury and Boro seemed to lose shape after he went off
Bamford my mom
Talking to George after the game and he said that everything Paddy touches at the moment seems to go in the net like a knee for his goal today !
OFB
It may have gone in off his knee but he timed his run to perfection to get to the ball. Paddy was just behind Mo as my MOM. I think Besic has made a big difference in midfield. Hope he can stay fit.
Great result and performance again, sets us up for a couple of tougher games to come.
Boro played some good stuff in periods today and there was some good link-up play in many areas of the pitch. This new formation, which is kind of 4-1-4-1 seems to suit the team much better and I thought Bamford played as good as anyone has as the lone striker, running the line and competing for the ball in a very busy performance – he deserved a goal for his effort and another where he was in the right place at the right time.
Adama’s pace was terrifying when he got the opportunity and that run late in the game in which he gave the defender a massive head start but blew him away before his shot was saved by the keeper was amazing – glad he got another goal and a pretty decent one too.
Strange that Boro looked almost to be hanging on in the end as it shouldn’t have even been in doubt but the second half was quite frenetic and Boro let Barnsley dictate the last 20-25 minutes and their goal from nothing and almost getting another but hitting the post could have made the last ten minutes pretty nervy. Though a mention for Shotton too, who I thought had a good game and was much better than midweek and probably his best going forward as right-back – plus another eye-catching display from Besic who is making a difference.
Still good to see we’ve consolidated our play-off position and are now three points clear – just a case of keeping that gap and playing ourselves into form for the end of season party!
A good win indeed. Adama’s goal was a beaut. Though I wish Adama had chipped it in or squared it for Baker late on. A 4-1, how I’d have loved that.
Good post about Barry Hines and Brian Glover, Len. At school we studied Kes for GCSE English, then saw the film of Kes. I later read A Kestrel For A Knave. Have fond memories of all that.
I especially enjoyed the scene where Mr Farthing (Colin Welland, the writer of Chariots Of Fire) watched Billy and the bird. Made the finale even more devastating… disproportionate retribution of the highest degree.
As for Glover? Well, I have more memories of him than just Kes. I loved the Allinson ads (“Bread with nowt tekken out!”), and his performance as Bottom in the BBC’s televised version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (which featured Helen Mirren as Titania). And this…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XobWdVdHXLM
Brian Glover. Raconteur.
https://youtu.be/cugEX6xgDPk
The Slaughtered Lamb…..precurser of so many establishments in which the fruits of the Brewer’s Arts are so very well displayed: the Tortured Toad, the Battered Badger, the Flayed Frog and his deceased friend the Flattened Frog, the Squashed Squirrel, the Ploated Pheasant and so many more. A warm fire, a few decent real ales, maybe the odd bit of pub grub, but deviate from acceptable areas of discussion might be dangerous……..
Forever Dormo,
And a line for a few Boro centre forwards and strikers, “you made miss”. Brilliant.
UTB,
John
Don’t forget Brian’s part in Porridge also !
Not forgetting he started out as a wrestler. Leon Arras. “Ask him ref, ask him”
Simon
Probably before your time but Colin Welland (a Rugby League fanatic by the way) starred in ‘Z Cars’ as a police driver, and Brian Glover as a German sergeant in one episode of ‘Secret Army’.
Stir Crazy
Nice to see you posting (mines a pint thanks!)
I usually get all the beer in but I’ve got the last three rounds in!
OFB
Just before I head off to bed I’ve just spotted Redcar Red’s match report in my inbox, which despite losing his wifi connection earlier, he has managed to put the laces through it and reboot it over…
https://diasboro.club/2018/03/09/championship-boro-vs-barnsley/#MatchReport
It’s strange how football reporters see players performances in a different light. The Yorkshire Post’s Ricky Charlesworth gave his players ratings for Boro 73 in total for the eleven players who started the match with Besic a mere 6 – Barnsley’s total 53. However Anthony Vickers in the Gazette gave his ratings for Boro as 81 including a 9 for Besic. It made me wonder whether the Gazette ratings were given for a 60 minute performance instead of for the whole match, or whether the Gazette reporters are being over exuberant over Boro’s performances in general as AV has occasionally awarded a 9 for individual performances recently. The difference in the Besic awards does seem odd but I doubt any Boro player could be awarded a 9; that would suggest an almost perfect performance.
It begs the question are we getting a bit over enthusiastic about Boro’s performances? Not wishing to dampen that enthusiasm, but Fulham and Villa seem to be blitzing all before them whilst Boro seem to either struggle to beat the minnows or, having scored first, seem to think ‘job done’. As I’m only going on what I’ve read and not having seen even recorded highlights of recent matches, I’m merely giving an observation. Are we and the Gazette reporters a little biased? Or are the Gazette reports a fair reflection? Just asking like!
Ken
I think you are spot on in this regard. For me a 9 is sensational display with a 10 reserved for maybe once or twice in a season at best. An 8 would be a MOM outstanding performance and a 7 very good and better than the norm on the day. Besic and Bamford were 7’s for me but its all subjective and I could understand an 8 perhaps being given elsewhere at a stretch. Adama was great but went missing in parts so whilst his bursts and runs were eye catching his overall contribution was somewhat less.
Despite the scoreline there was definitely no 9’s on display yesterday, even Besic was guilty of losing possession by hanging on to the ball for too long. There was a very exciting cavalier but butt clenching dribble along his own goalmouth which was eventually cleared to safety but one toe poke challenge and it could have been very different. His composure and belief in his ability is growing game by game but as good as he was I’m sure TP would have a different view of that dribble. It is what makes Besic Besic I suspect and with the good you get the odd eccentricity but I would far rather watch that than the metronomes we have endured for the last few seasons.
For what it’s worth, The Sunday Times today features a proper match report as opposed to a sentence or two in the “Short shorts” section. The journo, Ron Clarke, gives Traoré an 8 & Shotton, Dani, Besic, Hatrick & Stewie all 7s.
Oh, & belated thanks to Werder & RR for their excellent lead-in & match action pieces. 🙂
Me to RR
Maybe AV’s marks would have different if he could have asked……
Posted from from London. Sadly I forget to bring some foreign currency. At a market where a trader was communicating in English then broke in to some strange patois ‘too fer a parnd’
Any clues?
Thanks for the report RR. Puts some meat on the bones of the Tees commentary as it were.
In a pre match post I wondered what type of performance we would get. A Leeds type or a Brum type. Well going on what I have heard and read I think we got both! Shutting up shop is one thing, conceding possession and territory because you think it’s job done is another.
But let’s not get too downbeat as its now 11 points from 15, (Sunderland equaliser grrr), having scored 13 goals in the process and in sixth place by 3 clear points and a better goal difference than Brizzle City. It’s in our own hands now.
A favour from Aitors Forest would be most welcome today. Just hope he’s not one to hold a grudge.
FAA
Your summary is bang on. The first half was actually better than Leeds the second half was a retrenched Birmingham duplicate, a desperate “clinging on” performance.
TP needs to hammer home that had that Barnsley header which hit the post been just 3 inches to the left inside the post and the penalty appeal given they would have blown it exactly as they did away to Sunderland and at home to Fulham. They are just two examples of what happens when you drop too deep. As great as it is to have three straight wins there are many aspects within the team that still fall well below what is required.
The sendings off’s with Gestede and Traore were avoidable and cost us dearly. Randolph’s distribution isn’t always the best and yesterday late on he had Adama screaming and jumping for him to lamp the ball down the pitch for him to run at the two defenders marking him on the half way line. Darren held onto it for far too long and meaninglessly passed elsewhere. To me having probably the fastest player in world football and one of the trickiest would be an obvious outlet turning defence quickly into attack and after corners and set pieces should be instinctive.
Stewy and George worked well together but there were many instances when they passed themselves into tight spaces and smothered their own good build up play by being overly cautious instead of taking someone on or passing the ball around them quickly linking up. That said Stewy also delivered some excellent balls and if he finds his shooting boots could influence games a lot more than at present.
Reasons to be cheerful but plenty of room for improvement yet.
RR,
As always a fine report. The team do seem to be improving in all areas but why do we always seem to have a bum squeaking, twitching last twenty minutes or so? I think we could be winning 6 – 0 and Boro would still manage to have a panic-filled, hack it away, formulaic last twenty minutes or so playing feet in front of the advertising hoardings.
Never mind it wouldn’t be Boro if we didn’t have something to have a grizzle about.
We won, played some good stuff and induced increasing and heightened blood pressure on the terraces. Perfect.
UTB,
John
Ken
Most journalists be they local or national have some sort of bias when it comes to sports reporting. Regarding AV and the Yorkshire Post gadge I suspect the numbers are somewhere in between.
Speaking of the Yorkshire Post I had to disable my adblocker to try and read an article. After what seemed like an eternity I had to give up as ads all over the page and in the background loaded up in what was a seemingly unstoppable assault. I realise that it has to be paid for but their site has become and advertising hoarding with a tiny speck of news hidden somewhere on there eventually (I’m guessing as I didn’t wait for the actual article to load). A shame for the Journalist whose article I was trying to read but also to the paper as the very thing they are relying on for its lifeblood is the very thing that will smother it ultimately.
While having a whine I see that my favourite East London Club along with their lovely supporters have been at it again. Had the roles been reversed and Burnley fans had behaved in such a manner and not for the first time after last season’s disgusting scenes on numerous occasions inside and outside the stadium which we bought for them plus the previous attack on the Man Utd Coach I wonder how many points would be deducted?
The Teflon Hammers will no doubt be excused once again by the FA or probably fined £100K as severe punishment. A Club going into administration gets far more severe penalties than the continual stream of offences coming from that club and don’t start me on the Tevez fudge!
If you’re reading with an iPhone, there is a way to view a page without the pics and ads. Just press on the horizontal lines in the top left hand corner next to the address.
Finally safe in the aircraft in Manchester. Been worried to see some lurking smoggies all the time since the win yesterday. We were feared to be kidnapped!
Well, I have done my part this season. Came trought the snowstorm and supported Boro to three wins. Is it always as fun to go and see Boro play?
Knowing the Boro people, I am sure they wanted to be polite and win for us. But it was great – I have to wait until next season but hope that to be in the EPL, though.
Thank you for all nice messages. Yes, I saw HalifaxP yesterday before the match yesterday.
So please try to support Boro to many good results. Let’s go unbeaten until the end of the seadon. If we do, you know what that means:-D.
Up the Boro!
PS. Also some other footballing persons on this flight. A European footballer of the year who nearly signed for Boro.
Jari Litmanen is travelling with his two sons. In the tourist class as other supporters.
Up the Boro!
Safe home Jarkko. Let’s hope the trend you started the team on will continue
Just reading Redcar Red’s excellent match report sitting outside on the terrace having a coffee break in what is promised to be a 17 degree spring-like day here. There certainly appears to be some sign of the odd Boro swallow with 13 points and 13 goals from the last 5 games but it’s probably too early to say whether a summer of celebration awaits. It was indeed a game of two halves or maybe two-thirds and a third (not really an expression I’ve come across) but Boro are gradually gaining momentum – and points next week at Brentford should also make for a relaxing international break too as Tony Pulis gets ready for the final push to the play-offs! Talking of final pushes, it’s time to get back to painting…
Thanks for another great report RR.
It is a concern that we haven’t yet demonstrated that degree of self assurance that will see us press the opposition to the final whistle. Your final paragraph speaks a lot to me though. It is the togetherness that that demonstrates which is evident in a team playing with self belief. The more games that we win, the more that belief should grow and I expect the tendancy to drop too deep as the game wears on will begin to diminish.
Repeated success on the pitch breeds confidence and growing confidence leads to repeated success on the pitch.
Perhaps just now we are beginning to see a team beginning to believe in itself. A few more good results and we might just yet see the Boro properly demolish the opposition some time this season.
I’m wondering if some of the nauseating propaganda emanating from the Gazette football reporters is an attempt to get into favour with Middlesbrough FC. Now if some of that wording sounds a bit strong, I’m sorry. but I expect our local newspaper to give an honest appraisal of the performances of our football team, not to exaggerate with some of the superlatives it tends to portray. The late Cliff Mitchell always told it how it was warts and all, and that’s why my first port of call is to read Redcar Red’s report because he tells it like it is, the good, the bad and the ugly.
Thanks for another great report RR.
Yesterday’s match was like my iFollow stream, good in parts but not consistent enough. Certainly we played very well in the first half. I thought we had more players than Barnsley but that may just have been my picture pixelating!
Another three points and sixth place consolidation which is all good news.
I remain concerned that we have still, in my view, only produced one 90 minute display where we looked fully in control.
If we continue to produce second half displays like yesterday when we play the likes of Derby, Sheffield Utd and Bristol City then all the hard work and progress in the last five games could be undone. So still work in progress and more to be done.
That being said, if you had said to me three months ago that we would be where we are now then I would have said you were having a laugh.
Like him or loath him, TP has clearly made a positive impact and given us hope which I did not feel we had under GM.
So smoggie masks and suits on to protect us against being stung by the Bees 🐝 and we can then go into the international break and prepare for a final play off push.
😎😊
Good post KP. You at least will have enjoyed the first 53 minutes. After that is another story.
I see our Finnish super fan has done a Hardy Kruger on us. Hopefully Boro can continue in the same vein without our Scandanavin lucky charm. Safe journey for you and your good lady and get back soon Jarrko .
RR
No doubt the powers that be will go from indignant outrage to absolute indifference with those morons at West Ham as they did when innocent Boro supporters, including women and kids, were attacked at the Taxpayers National Stadium last season. The charge sheet keeps growing but nothing ever gets done about it and as you said if it had been Burnley fans that carried on like a bunch of spoiled morons they would be facing an FA/Premier League charge as I write. Get the ground closed and deduct points.
Loved the Hardy Kruger comment. The one that got away, good film that.
I’ve been watching some of the Old Firm game from Ibrox before I toddle off to work and I must say the atmosphere is like no other game in Britain or possibly Europe. A pity it’s based on religious sectarianism and bigotry. Good game though.
Mohammed Besic an upgrade on Lee Cattermole – outstanding and the final piece in the puzzle.
Boro, complete, fear no one.
Where’s Plato? The blog laurel wreath belongs to him IMHO 🙂
I agree Spartak and what was nice to see was all the forward passes he made.
No windscreen wiper football under TP
OFB
Yes we can’t say that Plato wasn’t anything but adamant that Traore would eventually come good…
Spart
Been out of the circuit (visiting daughter and family) no control of the tv, no control of the computer, what can you do? I knows my place.
But, ( here we go again)
Terrified to read that, yet again, we ended up kicking for touch at the end.
We possess the best player by far in this division, and the fastest.
The keeper does not have the gumption to kick it up to him on the half way line when the opposition are all up field, a complete no brainer in my opinion, besides being great fun for our fans.
Downing has gone into ” there is no need for me to score as we are playing so well mode”
Yes there is, the cheap goals are there and you, of all people should be cashing in
Will some one tell Traore to just dribble the keeper when he is one on one with him, the poor keeper will have no chance.
Now at home. Sauna is already heated up. Nice to go there as I am suffering from a flu, still.
It has been around -20 degrees over here for a week but now + 3. So the spring is here soon – but we have some 30 cm – a foot – of snow left. Don’t expect it to go for a few weeks yet.
So next to sauna. Up the Boro!
RR
I have to say another masterclass in reporting a football match how it was without foam hands and sycophantic cosying up. Well done!
I thought we should have had a stone wall penalty in the first half on Bamford who’s link up play and holding capability has improved out of all recognition the past few games. Is this down to our coaching staff? Or has the penny just dropped for Bamford and we are seeing the player that we all hoped was there but had been lost after his disastrous loan moves. Either way he produced in my view hisnbest performance of the season as a team player and not just a goal grabber.
Randolph should not have gifted them a goal and some of his handling was very sloppy.
George looked unfit and we all thought he would have been subbed at half time.
Still don’t see why Baker gets a game….
Signing Besic has to be a master stroke by TP and whether it was him or our maligned scouting department who highlighted his availability it could just be the signing the tips the balance in the promotion stakes.
Great Read thank you
OFB
Bob, agree entirely about Patrick and also about Besic, class act. Can we keep him fit, that is the question?
Personally I thought George had a stinker and Randolf has been off the pace for a few matches now.
I agree with your comments as well but I think George was carrying an injury.
George is such a nice guy talking to everyone after the game and he was with Fabio who was there as well.
Randolph has looked shaky for some time now and his handling and distribution leaves a lot to be desired.
OFB
Thanks for the 9 points Jarrko. Are you sure you can’t come back for the remaining games?
Sat watching Aitor’s new reds against the Rams, nothing to fear from either team if I’m honest and I hope that the reds get across the line with a handsome margin to help our cause, I just can’t see it happening somehow.
Any how, seeing as the managerial new cat bounce has failed to materialise at Birmingham, my hopes of them stripping points from BC, SU and the like are not likely to appear on the horizon, so we need to do our own dirty work ourselves, which is just how I like it.
If I had a preference in the play off’s, which I’m now pinning these colours to my mast at least, I’d like us to finish sixth. My logic is that if the likes of Wolves, Villa, Cardiff or Fulham finish third, I’d sooner take my chances against them in a two legger as opposed to a one off final, it’s called momentum. There again, I’d like to think that we would have built up enough momentum getting to the play off’s in the first place, but we are talking Boro here. Take out the big man then go for the little fella’s, I’m open to criticism as always.
Spartak, welcome back black beauty (a dark horse), you know we love you!
Steely, if Jarkko’s not available I can be on the next flight out of Perth at a moment’s notice., business class flights as always and booked in advance of course. I can’t guarantee wins every game, but I’ve yet to be in attendance at a Boro loss and my air miles need a boost. Any offers?
Only if you’re going to buy the beer !
Perhaps we could “crowd fund” you and Jarkko.
I am afraid I have to go to work on Monday morning. I would love to see Boro much more often but by working I can atleast get to seeing a few matches a season.
The season is looking good. Up the Boro!
It was great to see you at the Riverside come back soon!
Play off semi final second leg at home sounds good to me !
OFB
OFB, it’s a deal, you’re off it so my rounds are quids in!
Errr let me just think about that ?
Who are you?
What are you talking about ?
Oh dear I think it’s my memory loss coming back .
I’ll jusy have to go and lie down in a darkened room !
OFB
Times up, I’m PP in P and I’m talking about alcohol, you know, that enticing carrot that is dangled in front of your dial every hour of the day, you may resist, but if you take up my offer you may crack!
Let’s make it the Tap Room instead of a darkened room, that way I can see how clear the beer is, you only serve home brew in a darkened room!
Shades of Deja Vu, all over again, OFB’s gone off in to a darkened room and everyone else is looking for Spartak, I hope you find him. Too quiet so I’m off to slumber.
Reds v Rams came in at 0-0 and I’d have taken that from the off, our destiny is in our own hands we soapy palmed people that we are!
I can see Sir Steve buying a pint to a certain Spanish guy in Nottingham now. Up the Boro!
Thanks for the report, RR. Great stuff as ever.
Another game where there were clear areas for improvement but another three goals and another three points. We can’t ask for too much more though we’ll need to keep improving to maintain our top six position with some tougher looking fixtures ahead.
Speaking of the playoffs, can anyone confirm if Besic would be still with us for then? Bamford was three years ago but we’ve seen other deals where the player returns earlier. I assume Besic would be with us but I’d be more comfortable with a confirmation!
However, for now we can concentrate on getting there. If we beat Brentford I’ll certainly be #believing but I’d take a draw and no injuries right now if offered.
John Hendrie asked me on Saturday if we had shown his Interview on the blog.
I told him we had and he asked for a copy which I sent him the link to the In2Views and said he would be welcome to join us.
Just got this back from John
Quote “Very good read..well done buddy.” Unquote
A nice guy
OFB
Well this Saturday Boro will play its third consecutive match against a club beginning with the letter B and we’re all hoping for a B hat trick against Brentford. Now I may be one of a rare breed who can remember the Bees playing in the First Division although I never actually saw Boro play them. The season was 1946/47 and Boro helped to relegate them along with Leeds United with a 2-0 home win and a goalless away draw.
This got me thinking about former clubs beginning with the letter B who have fallen from grace. Brentford spent 5 successive seasons in the top league having been promoted in 1935 and actually finished a lofty 6th in their second season 1936/37 the year Manchester City became Champions for the first time.
We all remember yesterday’s opponents Barnsley’s one season in the Premier League in season 1997/98 because they were relegated and swapped places with Boro as we gained automatic promotion to the Premier League along with Nottingham Forest that season. Barnsley also have the distinction of winning the FA Cup as a 2nd Division team in 1912.
Blackpool have also won the FA Cup the one time in 1953 (the so-callled Matthews Final) and have spent several seasons in the First Division (1930/33), ten successive seasons (1937/54) and the one season in the Premier League in 2010/11. Their Lancashire neighbours Bury were once a force as a First Division club spending 10 successive seasons there between 1902 and 1912, not only finishing 5th, 7th and 8th in three successive seasons, but winning the FA Cup twice, the second time recording the biggest FA Cup Final win in 1903 by beating Derby County 6-0.
Bristol City have spent 9 seasons in the First Division (1906/11 and 1976/80), but did you know that the two Bradford clubs spent 3 successive seasons together in the First Division 1914 (Park Avenue finishing 9th and City 10th), then the two seasons following the First World War? Bradford City actually spent 10 successive seasons in the top tier including winning the FA Cup in 1911, the year that the Titanic sank. I actually visited Park Avenue in 1956 for an FA Cup third round tie which Boro won 4-0; I wonder if any fellow bloggers saw that match!
I love nostalgia me.
Yup, Ken, I was there. A good day out at an old and somewhat decaying stadium, but you could get a sense of its history,indeed of the history of the game, just as you still can when you go to Villa Park.
Good post, btw.
Just catching up,so thanks to RR for a great match report, and to Werder, Chris, Simon and many others for the materials on and memories of Brian Glover. Brian was a great friend and in the 70s lived with us for a few years in Nottingham, where he was part of the repertory at the Playhouse. He would have been chuffed to have seen all of the generous comments on here.
I still find the Kes clip not only funny, but very moving too. There is a lot of attention given to Billy’s plight, but what about the obese kid, who’s the one left after the teams get picked. He’s the only kid who isn’t even given the dignity of a name. And nobody picks him. He just goes to one of the teams. The other understated tragedy is that whilst the whole ‘Games’ experience is hell for Billy ,he’s actually a good little gymnast, who draws a spontaneous round of applause from his classmates when he makes an elegant descent from the crossbar.
Me too. We should also include Blackburn who, before Leicester, were the only team to break the Premier League closed shop. They also won the old Division One in 1912 and 1914 and won the FA Cup five times between 1884 and 1891 and then again in 1928. One of the early great teams.
Thinking of Brentford, I remember my brothers – a fair bit older than me – telling me a story of going to see BORO at Brentford, having a lively verbal altercation with the locals which ended in a rapid strategic withdrawal towards Gunnersbury station. It must have been at least forty years ago, I would guess.
Anyway, we’re now at the stage of the season where there are no more ‘good time to play them’ games or ‘must-win’ games. It’s just foot to the floor from here to the end. I haven’t worked out whether winning at home and drawing away will get us there. Is the international break coming at a good time as we seem to carrying a few walking wounded?
Looking at the form table, Cardiff are top with 15 out of 15 followed by BORO, Villa and Millwall with 13 out of 15. Then come Brentford with 9 out of 15. As for the other top clubs. Wolves have 5 out of 15, Derby 4 out of 15, Bristol City 5 out of 15, Preston and Sheffield United both 7 out of 15. It shows how quickly positions can change. The midweek games could also adjust things a bit. Will Cardiff carry on with an away win at Brentford? Will Sheffield United slip up at home to Burton (unlikely).
UTB
Now that things have settled down in the championship we are nailed on to end up with 75 points. Will that be enough and who is likely to exceed that from the chasing pack?
Already thinking about a second mortgage and a trip to London end of May
Me too. I didn’t fly there for the Norwich game but I don”t want to miss another one.
Last time a colleague of mine, unable to get a ticket through MFC managed to go hospitality and it was available and easy [although expensive] We are thinking of doing that agian and having a family table – compared to the cost of travelling air fares hotels and meals car hire etc on the day it isnt that bad an uplift. It will be a nice first live match for my youngest straggler – 8 years old, Get the Boro in his blood!!
Allan
It would’ve a great day and one to remember.
As long as the Boro remember to turn up as well!
OFB
Can someone tell me how Cardiff can be up there? Mind, I have seen them play only twice this season against Boro but they did not look any better than us, did they?
But what do I know about football. Boro is flying now but still I wonder if we create enough. I mean that there are not So many chances created by Boro but we seem to be converting those chances well into goals at the moment. The results show that.
All I can say is that Tony Pulis and Neil Warnock must know something about making results that I do not know. Football seems to be opinion game.
Up the Boro!
Jarkko
Cardiff are up there because they have a wily old fox for a manager!
Andy Campbell said to me he rates him as one of the best managers to get clubs promoted from the championship.
OFB
It would seem that Cas Tigers have caught the Boro disease taking a foot off the pedal in the second half of matches. Cas led Salford 20-0 at halftime but couldn’t score a try afterwards only winning 22-8. Wigan at home next, improvement needed.
Cas don’t seem to have hit last year’s heights, Ken. Maybe they’re missing a key player. Wigan are playing well but I still can’t see us doing it this year although they look entertaining so far.
Jarkko and Bob
Like him or loathe him, we can’t deny that Warnock has the knack of getting the best out of a bunch of average players. If Cardiff end up in the play offs, I would not fancy our chances of beating them.
I don’t have anything against Warnock but my point is that sometimes the results do not follow the performances. I don’t see a big difference how we play now compared to earlier this season except we concede less.
And I still cannot see that Cardiff has a better team than Boro. But the table is not lying – Cardiff is just three points from the top.
Perhaps the word is consistency. Boro has been bad in there earlier.
But pretty consistent in winning lately. Let’s hope we can continue the run. Everything is possible now. We can.
Up the Boro!
I dont think any of the other potential play off sides will fancy coming up against Boro. Two of Villa, Fulham and Cardiff will be devastated to have missed auto promotion. Thats a big psychological hangover. Boro on the other hand still have this “big spending best squad in the championship” image who have underperformed but will come good.
How people outside of Teesside view us is very different to our own over analysed criticism and focus. They will want to avoid Pulis’s Boro as much as we may believe how good Fulham, Villa and Cardiff are.. We are breaking into the play offs on a high, they will like as not be deflated and not looking forward to a two legged cup tie and a Wembley do or die winner takes it all high pressure game.
Of course we may fall from grace and slip back out as silently as we slipped into the Play offs.
RR
The way Fulham have been playing I think they’ll go up automatically.
That leaves Cardiff amd Villa and we underachieved against them both this season.
So let the run down begin…
OFB
Redcar Red said…….of course we may fall from grace and slip back out as silently as we slipped into the play offs.
Now is the time to prove we have indeed gone forward and stepped up a gear so to speak. Apart from the slipping chain on the gear cog occasionally.
Yes we seem to have found our (scoring) feet, but there are still concerns at times with the mid-field and defence which the better teams could I believe punish as they have the better forwards. On Saturday where was the mid-field when Barnsley broke through to score? Randolf should have done better and has been making a few more than normal mistakes these last number of games. So has the defence which may be unsettling him or the other way round. George has got better and in his defence may have been carrying an injury, but was poor and more worrying there is no replacement. In fact apart from Britt the bench looks decidedly weak. This could turn out to be an Achilles Heal.
Will the last 5/6/7 matches have been a false dawn? We now have to play the “better teams” and now need to up for it for the whole of the 90 minutes, not just the first half and 60 minutes as on Saturday, When one on the teams we have to play soon would may have got something from the game when we went into defensive mode.
I just hope TP can gee them up a little more and keep the mid-field pushing the ball forward. This will require Besic to be fit, Howson (or may be Grant) to be more involved and Adama to be on the ball (excuse the pun) getting those passes into the box for Hatrick.
If not, RR’s statement will come true and we will all be saving ourselves some money. Mind you I have just renewed my ST this morning
Why doesn’t anyone consider Wolves slipping back in to the mix, after all they’ve only won one of their last five games and are riding the crest of a slump. They also have to come to the Riverside, they have to travel to Cardiff and they have to entertain Derby County, anything’s possible in this league. Who’s to say that it won’t be Cardiff and Villa in the automatic slots, and as I’ve already stated, I’d take the third placed team in a two legger and have either fourth or fifth in a shoot out at Wembley. There again, I could be jumping the gun here because I’ve also previously stated that with our destiny in our own hands, we are the perennial soapy palmed world catching champions!
PPP
I think that Fulham and Aston Villa are nailed on top two.
I also think that we will beat any top ten that we have to play.
So we should try to finish sixth and play the third over two legs( and beat them)
which would leave a final between us and the fifth team( job done) how difficult can it be?
Tomorrow night has some interesting fixtures, Villa v QPR, Shef Utd v Burton and Wolves v Reading all easy 3 points or banana skins waiting to happen.
The game I will be more interested in, which I will be watching live on Sky is Brentford v Cardiff, not that I would want Brentford to suffer any injuries or straight red cards.
Come on BORO.
ppinp, I have thought over the past few weeks that Wolves could end up in the playoffs. The two teams (apart from Boro) that I would prefer to get automatic promotion and therefore avoid in the playoffs (on present form) are Fulham and Villa, do others think the same or have they other teams they would prefer to avoid.
Come on BORO.
Exmil, I watched the Villa Wolves game live, Villa ripped them a new one. I’m with you in that I’d sooner see Fulham and Villa out of the way in the automatic places, plus if Wolves do drop in to the play off’s, imagine their confidence after having been so far out there in top spot for most of the season, then being dragged back in to the shoot out, I know that I’d be totally gutted.
I also noted that in a previous post, someone mentioned Uncle Albert scoring Villa’s opener and that its was his fifteenth of the season, so what? He didn’t want to be at the Boro so can we please let him go and be done with it, after all which player would you prefer to be in your side today, Albert or Adoma? I know who I’d sooner have and he currently wears a red shirt and wants to be at the Boro.
Further, after the furore of Rhodes departure, he currently isn’t on anyone’s radar to fall off it, so can we permanently bury that one along with the Reach conundrum please. We have what we have, decisions were made on players or made for us by players preferences on where they wanted to continue their careers, so let’s look forward and not in to the recent history books.
Ken and Len, that doesn’t include the trips down memory lane that you both deliver to us so eloquently every so often for us to wonder at, that history I can live with.
Albert and AK didn’t exactly enjoy a comfortable relationship which I think was the main catalyst for Albert allegedly “wanting to go”. Why would a Player “want” to leave a Club that has just been promoted in to the Premiership to drop back into the Championship? MFC were unlikely to say that Albert loved the Club but couldn’t stick a certain Senor and it was naughty stepping mutual?
We don’t know the detailed ins and outs of what went on in the dressing room but it certainly wasn’t what certain players being trotted out PR style spewed out on a regular basis. The incomings that summer caused even more strife and bad feeling. Albert is a happy go lucky chilled out character who like all flair players loves to play the game his way, that was in direct conflict to AK’s mantra.
Unfortunately what came in wasn’t fit to lace Albert’s boots and a two month cameo 18 months later doesn’t go remotely close to justifying the blinkered bloody mindedness. In time financially we may triple or quadruple our outgoings on that deal but at what true cost? Steve Bruce doesn’t strike me as the type to sign or be bothered pandering to trouble makers or difficult players, remind me what was the name of that prolific ex Fulham and Leeds Scottish goal machine?
AK had a style and system which worked but only to a degree and only up to a point. Albert likewise has a style which works for him, the two were conflicting and at odds. I’m pretty sure that if TP had Albert here right now he would be embracing his talents rather than trying to make him into a poor makeshift defensive wide player. TP realised what Adama is and what he isn’t, making use of his positives rather than focussing on the negatives and with it sucking the lifeblood out of him.
Going on to Jarrko’s well made point about Besic I can understand the reasoning in bringing a creative midfielder on like Baker as it was the nearest like for like on the bench and with a smaller squad TP needs to get all of his squad up to speed and match sharp for the run in. I thought Lewis looked a little rusty understandably but I also thought he looked committed and bust a gut to get up with Adama for the pass that never came. Had Adama passed and Baker bust the net it would have been hailed as a genius substitution. Hopefully TP judges the lad more on that than his few rusty touches. Somewhere in there I believe is another Bamford story good player.
The Cranie substitutions I don’t get at all, the lad seems a steady solid journeyman footballer but I don’t think he looks particularly great at anything specific. TP himself has said that a few lack confidence and that is why we are struggling in the last 20 minutes of games but I would have thought putting on Harrison or even Johnson for Stewy as an outlet to relieve pressure would have a better and more stabilising effect. Still overall more pluses than minuses and hopefully things will continue to gradually improve.
RR, I also think that there could be more to come from Baker and what pleased me more and with him, was his response and interaction with Bamford and the Boro players when Patrick scored and Lewis was stood on the by-line just before he came on.
As for Albert and Adama, as much as PeasePudin is correct in that we have to move on, I would of rather had the first than the latter this season.
Mo Besic was brilliant but is nursing a tight hamstring. So when we went drippling to the edge of the Barnsley penalty box and shot timely, he was just in front of us and signaled twice to the bench with his hand.
So he wanted to be subbed and at three up you can see the logic of taking him off .
Bo is a good player. I hope his injury will be gone by next Saturday. Up the Boro!
Bo went drippling – not me and my missus. UTB!
Final call for Brian Glover. I can’t believe I forgot his role as Flint in the England F episode of Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads.
Enjoy your afternoon!
https://youtu.be/ty81_fvmV4s
I think I will save that episode for later but it is a classic. Especially the “driver less” car going up the street to avoid our heroes reading the headline on the newspaper stand. England F……four, five? England F…… fail, flop?
And on occasions in the series the writers referenced Redcar, too: as in things like “First prize was a week’s holiday in Redcar – second prize was 2 weeks there…..!”
There are many classic episodes of this series. If Bolam had allowed repeats it would be regarded as highly as the other two finest British sitcoms, Porridge, and Yes, Minister.
All three are essentially two or three-handers with each main character arguing their personal philosophy. They were the television equivalent of Waiting For Godot, only with more cynicism and with better jokes.
A good result in the end and the Boro bandwagon rolls on, perhaps disjointedly and with a couple of loose wheelnuts, but on we roll.
To take up Exmil’s comments, Fulham are the one team I would absolutely want to avoid. They are far and away the best footballing side in the division, and whilst Mr Gill may say the table doesn’t lie, it is extremely deceitful in this case. They are also rocketing up the table, and whilst they would undoubtedly have nerves if they had to settle for the play offs after what happened last year, I still think they would be the toughest test we have.
Cardiff would probably be next on my list to avoid, because, well Warnock. Nothing more needs to be said there. Villa I would be keen to avoid too, but if I had to choose one from Fulham, Cardiff and Villa then I’d go for them. As for the rest (Derby, Wolves, Bristol etc) I don’t think we need fear them. I can’t see Wolves as being so much better than us, and I think if they end up in the playoffs the nerves will get the better of them.
We on the other hand should feel confident. We’re on the way up and we have a much more settled team and tactics. I’m looking forward to seeing the reverse fixtures against Wolves and Derby, I think we might be able to get some points out of those.
Hi RR.
Your words about Albert reminded me of extracts from this piece, which has inspired much of my own writing.
It’s our old friend Eamon Dunphy again, writing for the Independent after Ireland suffered their first competitive home defeat under Jack Charlton, to Spain. That left them needing a result in Windsor Park – no safe place to go – to qualify for USA 94.
“At the beginning of this season, Jack Charlton decided that he could afford to leave Kevin Moran out of the Republic of Ireland squad. Alan Kernaghan had arrived. Moran was deemed surplus to requirements except in the event of injuries.
“In football terms, this decision made no sense. Moran is playing as well as ever for Blackburn Rovers, who are one of the better sides in the Premiership. Throughout last season, this great footballer was faultless whenever called upon by Charlton.
“Quite apart from services rendered as a central defender, Moran has presence, the unique strength of character that is felt in the dressing-room and on the field, a quality most managers would pay a fortune for if it could be bottled. Kenny Dalglish would testify to that last observation. Blackburn Rovers are not the same side sans Moran.
“The above is indisputable. No informed observer would deny that Moran is a much more accomplished footballer than Kernaghan. You could argue that Moran will not last forever, that, aged 37, time is not on his side and this being the case blooding Kernaghan was a reasonable hedge against the day when Moran packed it in. But as far back as last autumn, Charlton appears to have concluded that Kernaghan would be preferred to Moran.
“At the time I described that decision as crazy. I refer to the past not to underline my wisdom, rather to point out that no great foresight was required to anticipate that one day Charlton would pay for this error of judgement. Wednesday was the day… (when) Kernaghan’s inexperience was ruthlessly punished by Julio Salinas of Barcelona.
“In the absence of hard evidence, it is impossible to be definitive as to why Charlton prefers Kernaghan to Moran. My guess is that given the choice between a raw, willing young player and somebody like Moran who is undoubtedly his own man, Charlton will always opt for the former. Jack likes to get his own way, which is always more likely with an eager young apprentice than with a mature professional.
“The team reflect the character of the man who leads them… (and) Charlton has regularly defied conventional wisdom when choosing Irish teams. A willingness to challenge the prevailing consensus could, arguably, be Charlton’s greatest asset as an international manager. Better to be your own man than to be, like Graham Taylor, impressionable to the point of lacking any real conviction.
“Alas, in Charlton’s case, success and national heroism may have induced a feeling of irritability. It is in that context that the preference of Kernaghan over Moran in defiance of football logic is the key to last Wednesday’s game.
“(It should be recorded that Charlton was honest and gracious as he publicly accepted responsibility for this defeat. He quite properly defended Kernaghan. The dressing-room is the place for recriminations.)
“…The Republic have a marvellous squad of players and the manager is, in most respects, unimpeachably professional. But beyond the football issues, at the core of Charlton’s character, there has always been a streak of darkness, some ghost of past times, who brooks no dissent, who must have his own way, who is contemptuous of those who differ.”
The prose is marvellous, and highlights some of our former managers’ strengths and weakness quite marvellously too. Except Aitor publicly criticised his players, and much more.
The piece also has one serious flaw in that Moran and Kernaghan partnered each other for that Spain game and were doing so until a groin injury forced Moran off. At 2-0 down, John Sheridan replaced Moran, Kernaghan was partnered by Paul McGrath and the rest of the game played out like a 1-1 scoreline.
As good as he is, Dunphy has missed this in an obsession with making his point about Kernaghan. Which, in fairness, could quite logically apply to most games which Kernaghan played instead of Moran.
Although personally, when Dunphy’s preferred first choice centre-back pairing has a combined age of seventy, as it did then, I think blooding a newcomer isn’t a bad idea.
If Sky don’t sack Jamie Carragher, then something is seriously wrong.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43376262
Having poked my nose in to the blog over the weekend I have been thinking about our current situation.
The problem under Monk was that we got few points against top half teams but plenty against those in the bottom half.
We have 13 points from 5 games, four of the games were against teams in relegation trouble, the fifth was against a team in mid table patchy form.
Those 13 points were not a huge surprise but you can only beat who is front of you. It is a confidence boosting run.
We play
Team (home/away) (current position) (form table – Boro in 5th)
Brentford away 11th 6th
Wolves home 1st 12th
Burton away 23rd 15th
Forest home 15th 7th
SheffU away 9th 9th
Bristol home 7th 14th
Derby away 5th 21st
Millwall home 10th 3rd
Ipswich away 12th 10th
A lot depends on form at the time but taking our performances so far this season – including under TP, 2 points a game from that lot would be a great return and we would deserve a place in the play offs.
Our form over the season against teams in similar positions would point to around a dozen points as being a decent return.
Come the international break we will know a little more, no counting chickens yet.
Luckily football is played on grass not on statistics, we are winning which is a great habit whoever it is against.
While we’ve been talking about Yorkshire… time for a shameless plug!
My interview with the award-winning Yorkshire choreographer Gary Clarke on his COAL, which makes its NI debut in nine days.
http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/features/dance/dance-theatre-smash-coal-comes-blazing-belfast
Watched the last half of the first half of Stoke v Citeh, Citeh already one nil up and dominating possession.
Then we had some incidents that interested me.
Jack Butland came out to clear a poor back pass and de Bruyne inadvertently trod on his ankle. Free kick to Stoke where Shaquiri went for a quick one only for a Citeh player inadvertently put two hands on the back of Shaquiri as he ran back to cover. The Citeh keeper ran out to clear a ball in to touch, as he ran back he carried the ball towards his own goal, realised his own error and dropped it nowhere hear a Stoke player.
Pure coincidence that Barca had Puyol and Masherano in Pepe’s team and Pep has recently been lambasting the FA.
Must be coincidence that I watched that I watched that 20 minutes of football. And it genuinely could be coincidence.
Now. Building on the Albert conundrum.
Adama > Adomah for me. No question. I’ve been more excited by the latter on fire this season than I ever was by Albert.
What I miss from Albert, incidentally, is not just his personality – we all miss that – but what he offered to the team. His finishing was still there, it was just much less frequent. Under AK I fondly recall the improvement of his final ball as well as his tackling and tracking back – an Albert pass or cross would often lead to a chance or a goal.
And he was still capable of magic, like the overhead kick that should have stood, but didn’t, his match-winning return at home to Brentford, his well taken double in the cup against Wolves and the lovely chip which broke the Derby resistance and helped send us five points clear.
What happened to him is not an indictment of AK. It is more a reflection of what all “big” clubs, or managers wanting to be “big”, do. Manchester United, as I’ve illustrated, had no time for goalpoachers in the modern era – Chicharito was shut out by a style that played the ball through the middle and demanded No. 9s that linked up with attack.
Once first choice No. 9 David Villa was ruled out, just about every Spanish player in the Euro 2012 Champions’ squad surrendered their individuality and beiged into a tiki-takanaccio collective. Statistically they were better than anyone in the tournament. Yet individually, they were holding back, to a point where pundits were pondering what they could be achieving even as they were doing more than most. (Does that sound familiar?)
With them, and with AK and Albert, the system and/or the coach injects too much of itself/himself into the player. Almost as if the coach wants us to say, “Look how thought-provoking and intelligent the manager is. He’s giving an opportunistic, hot-and-cold winger consistent, all-around assisting and defensive dimensions!”
Which provide all the more for the writer, pundit and statistician to praise and admire, but the fan is more likely to be sitting there, twiddling his thumbs, thinking: give us some goals please. Where’s the fun? And an individual wanting to enjoy the fans’ attention is bound to get more than a little stroppy when the manager keeps demanding the limelight for himself. (See also: Mourinho.)
Even so, as evidenced by his start and his part in the goal against Stoke, I feel AK still saw Albert as a vital cog in the Boro machine. A still regular starter while new arrival Adama got up to speed – AK saw, as we all did, that Adama wasn’t ready. I mean, Albert actually had a reliable final ball then. And still does.
I can understand Albert not being satisfied with the terms offered to him. I can understand Albert feeling a little put out by the fancy new project who was once at Barcelona. The ranting from his “brother” on Instagram and the unforgivable performance against Sunderland (he was woeful beyond words!) are something else entirely. It can’t have been far from Yakubu’s “get me out of here” at Wigan.
We could have done with Albert in 2016-17 as Adama found his way, no question. But it certainly wasn’t all AK’s fault that his time at the club came to an abrupt and sad end. In Big Jack’s day, if a manager criticised you for not doing something you’d be expected to take it like a man. Because you are.
I imagine that, with that last post, I’ve dropped a hint over what the next Talking Point of mine will be about: the selfish beast that lies beneath the number of public phrases that eulogise the team ethic in football.
It is what it is… as the great actress Lois Smith once put it, “when the chips are down, when the pressure is on, every creature on the face of the earth is interested in one thing, and one thing only: its own survival.”
Simon
Beware, you have now invoked the god of fiction over fact.
Albert didn’t start against Stoke, he came on and played a blinder against Sunderland and the brother is fictional and a creation of media people at MFC.
At the end of the match against Bristol City he ignored the Bristol City fans and applauded all the areas with Boro fans. After the match he signed autographs for young Boro fans and posed for selfies with all of them.
Or it is all in the past and why on earth cant we move on. Facts are irritating and get in the way of the story.
Simon Dunphy, ‘you stand indicted of something, how do you plead?’
Simon Dunphy… ha ha!
You know, in the midst of all this, I don’t blame Albert, nor AK. They were merely acting how their cultures had shaped them to act. A culture clash.
Bit like James in this clip from, yes, Derry Girls.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chYmCfPgHgE
Brought up in what can only be considered a posh English suburb, he has no idea how to act in a Derry chippy.
So while his reaction may be out-of-order, it’s understandable.
I don’t understand why everyone is getting so excited about Albert Adomah. He seems to have been a really nice guy and was a solid player who did his best to fit into the side and play his role. Maybe the structure didn’t suit him that well and he could have done more but, equally, I don’t remember him ever actually beating that many players one on one.
We sold him for a fair price….full stop.
Traore was the ultimate project and for a long time nobody knew what to do with him. TP has done a much better job of harnessing that skill and he is now worth a lot of money. However, even more importantly, if we need someone to create an opportunity over the next nine games and, hopefully, the playoffs, I would have him every time over Adomah.
UTB
I think it might be that people like players or staff they can relate to. Negredo, Chambers and even Adama, with their big club history, aren’t those. Adomah, Rhodes and Hignett (as a coach) all made a step up to join Boro, or were local lads, or adopted Teessiders.
Simon
I’ll raise you Ravanelli, TLF, Merson and that bloke who used to be S#i!£ but ended up alright! Arguably Southgate, Ehiogu and the Boat all came from a bigger club yet were worshipped.
I do agree though that people generally like players they can relate to which is why TLF for instance and Mendieta were popular. Gaizka settled here on Teesside and used to have kickabouts with the kids on the street where he lived. A few imports last season certainly did not exactly win over the sceptics in the audience.
Adomah was voted in a Gazette (?) Poll as the one Player the fans wanted Boro to sign that summer and Gibbo dug deep down the back of the settee and found the brass when we were skint thereby walking into instant adulation and affection for many. With Chambers for example after he settled down he was liked but we knew that he was only borrowed much in the same way that Besic has instantly made himself a hit.
Local lads are usually liked in all clubs but Mogga’s likeability factor was in the end stretched to the extreme and Stewy hasn’t exactly enjoyed the likeability factor by a large section unlike our favourite “localish” Greek. Our recent managerial list is an interesting analytical piece on the likeness factor alone. TP seems to understand the area and its people, AK tried and largely succeeded until the meltdowns, GM was likeability neutral. Strachan however was largely dissed and even our most successful Manager ever is derided by many to this day. The older apostles of that same “many” recall Big Jack’s “Boring Boro” with a band of fondness despite his Geordie roots and “Dirties” associations.
Speaking of the dirties the Leeds fans were singing Forshaw’s praises after only two games and even insisting the club captaincy to be handed to him until a week gone last Friday night and his perceived “socialising” with Boro players and applauding of the home fans.
Likeability and/or relateability is a difficult and complex measurement, French Franck was loved and even Mad Dog was greatly “appreciated” for his tenacity. Massimo never really reached the heights anticipated but is forever enshrined in Boro folklore and nobody will ever forget the one solitary Job on Teesside.
I never warmed to Mad Dog because the Gazette plugged the story (perhaps fed by the club) that he would become the next fan favourite, replacing the man he replaced (Franck). Franck then took the role of the underdog in my mind and I didn’t want Pog to replace him.
Job and Ricard on the other hand will be fondly remembered. I remember being out at a bar in Stockton when Ricard scored THAT goal against Bradford and being utterly amazed. I couldn’t decide if it was the beer talking or if what I was seeing was true!
Nice post RR. Memories!!!
Great post RR. Can’t argue with any of it.
Loved Ugo (RIP – sob), Gate and George.
RR, in regards to Albert, I didn’t go in to detail because I couldn’t see the point in labouring a subject I’d rather forget about, and not have it repeatedly hung out on the Diasboro washing line to be aired. I never said that Albert was a trouble maker and I never questioned his character, all I said was that he didn’t want to be here, regardless of the factors that pushed him to the edge, and with that in mind I was happy to see him happy to leave.
AK’s temple was a series of round holes, and he either had players that were round enough to fit to his template or, had players that were happy to be whittled in to a shape roughly round enough to suit the same. Albert wasn’t happy having his square corners whittled away to fit a round hole template that he didn’t want to be fitted in to, fair play to him for sticking to his guns in not wanting to play any other way that makes him satisfied with his shift on the field or in training.
I think that it’s unfair to call Adama’s current form a two month cameo, the talent has always been there and recognised by all on here and whoever made the call to buy him, we just didn’t have a manager with the wherewithal or willingness to bring that talent to the fore. Now that TP has finally unleashed the beast, I can’t get enough of watching him rip defences apart for fun, there’s a buzz whenever he gets the ball and sets off on one. To compare the two doesn’t sit well with me, because they are in effect two different types of player operating in the same area of the pitch. One goes from A to B in a direct line scattering bodies around him, whilst the other sometimes had a wander off to C going around the same bodies twice.
Albert has gone, long live Albert, now let’s move on to Adama who’s finally been shown how to wear the crown cast off by his predecessor, and boy in my mind does it fit.
AK’s temple? He wishes, but it should have been “template”, don’t you just love pre-emptive text!
I don’t think AK’s temple is far off actually! He demanded that you worship at the altar of the defensive collective and provide offerings to the deity “Mou”, who otherwise could smite you with his public pronouncements.
AK ran a tight ship, and enjoyed success, and it is true – he had a template and he stuck to it. It’s just a pity that in the end the recruitment department seem to have been working from a beta version of the template, judging by who we recruited during that fateful last season.
Smoggy, I purposely avoided last season’s recruitment campaigns to enable me to get to sleep tonight, there still hasn’t been anyone brought to account over them, we all know who happens when you paper over cracks.
I should have just left the description as AK’s temple, but shouldn’t that be the deity “Moi”, as in AK himself?
“Mou” is Mourinho, AK’s mentir
Spot on Simon – I was referring to AK’s mentor, the Head of SPECTRE (Special Executive for Crafty-Tactical Removal of Entertainment) of Football – Mr Jose Mourinho himself.
AK is but an acolyte who feels he channels the deity himself.
Ack, that posted too soon! I meant “mentor” of course.
Mourinho is AK’s menhir, the large immovable rock he’s chained too. Similar to the chains Jacob Marley’s ghost had to endure for all eternity.
The giant, useless objects that only Obelix The Gaul was strong enough to carry.
My final thought, until the next final thought on Albert.
It is part of two what ifs, if he had stayed and Gaston hadn’t shown his true colours, I think we would have stayed up.
Life as a Boro fan isn’t that straightforward. Probably most fans think the same about their clubs.
I agree with that, Ian.
Traore has superstar potential but was too raw for a relegation campaign at the time and didn’t have a manager willing to let him make mistakes and learn. He’s a great piece of business now but probably not at the time.
Albert has gone and wanted to go. That said, I would very much like to have him on our left wing right now with Traore on the right. Downing, I’m convinced, could play centrally a la Zenden.
Who knows, maybe one for next summer (I know, never go back…).
Andy
All teams that are in a relegation fight must not panic.
That is the only rule, there are no others.
The vast majority who go down are two wins short.
We were two wins short.
The vast majority flung their dummies out of the pram by Xmass.
Result, a great shambles, we were without a plan, whether cunning or not.
We decended at once to bizarre selections, players not trying, no idea where our major effort should be put forth.
Beaten by the rubbish at the bottom with monotonous regularity.
With hind sight Traore should have been the first on the sheet, never mind mistakes, he only had to come good three times,
We might have even played the ball to him near the oppositions box and asked him to shoot, often.
You never know, we might have beaten a couple of the cross.
I’m loving this debate though. So I’ll chip in with one more thought.
The difference between Adama and Adomah is the same difference that AK saw between Tomlin, Fabbrini, Gaston, Vossen & Bamford and Downing – Albert and Stewie were not trusted to be the focal points of the attack as Albert certainly was under Mogga and Stewie was under Big Sam.
The disappointment is at Albert’s improvement into a more useful and professional player rather than an exciting and spontaneous one he initially seemed to be.
He certainly wasn’t poor under AK, nor was he wholly defensive, but he was no longer the frequent instigator of dreams we imagined he’d be after that fabulous goal against Doncaster. Whether he erred, or was up to it or not was irrelevant – he was erring in trying to do the right thing. That’s what we missed.
The long-distance fan who sits back and comfortably watches the matches at home can admire the steps a Basque manager (for example) is taking to slowly build underachievers into a force. He or she can wax lyrical about good teams being built from the back, discipline, leadership, passes completed, chance conversion rate and so on.
But, as AV once implied, fans who go to the games need excitement. They want goals. They want players who fearlessly give it a go.
And the siphoning away of that instinct from Albert at Boro has surely left many a fan hurting.
Brings back to mind Mike Baker’s opinion of 1996-97 – we may have been not good enough. We may have even been ripe for ridicule and being a laughing stock. But back then it was all about dreaming the dream, and how we dreamed.
Sadly, when promoted again, Robbo was hugely fearful of further trouble and started playing it safe. Glamour signings were eschewed in favour of players who could be trusted to “do a job”, Ricard being the exception.
I think the biggest difference between Adama and Adomah is still end product.
Adama has a truly unbelievable ability to get his team into a position, sometimes from nowhere, where a chance is there to be created. Adomah showed better finishing touches, be they a pass, cross or actual finish.
The times, however, they are a-changing. Whilst there is still a long way to go with him, Traore is adding decision-making/a final ball to his armoury almost as quickly as he can run.
Andy R
My son always thought Adomah sometimes lacked the final ball.
The truth is that if Albert and Adama were that good they would be in the top flight not in a promotion battle.
I would have loved Albert to stay, if he had played in the top flight he would have improved to the point a move to a better club would have ensued instead of a wasted season at Villa.
He is having a good season but wasted a year of his career by not playing in the top flight.
That is another couple of final thoughts!
Anyway, my rams supporting colleague thinks they need four wins to get in to the play offs.
I think the round of matches tonight where teams play their game in hand will tell us a lot.
Ian
I do not think you can compare Traore and Adoma.
One is at the start and the other is at his best? Age( 27?)
As for playing at the top of the game being in question for Traore, I wish.
All the top teams want to employ blinding speed. It was not always so, they used to speak of lovely casual talented players who were a pleasure to watch. Not now.
We are still failing to get the best out of Traore,( moving him to the left when the match is won and we could be improving our goal difference) cue three players who haven’t had a kick all match suddenly storm forward and torture us.
Note, on Saturday, the Traore late breakaway was from the left.
From the right, he would have buried it.
We must let him know how good he is, try to get him to be a greedy goal machine.
He is the key to our games against the top three in the run in.
Oh, and let’s not forget, he must be stationed on the half way line whenever the opposition are attacking.
You get the players you can afford
Ian,
I think your son was right – Adomah did lack a final ball too often (hence a Championship player). But we are comparing him with Adama who, until fairly recently, thought “end product” was something you put in your hair!
A final ball to who though?
Finding an accurate final ball to an isolated solitary Striker surrounded by three defenders was always going to be a tough ask for anyone.
The Albert/Adama thing for me was like moving house. You have a very nice 3 bed semi in a sought after area but have sighted a 4 bed detached which is available for not much more than your asking price, bit of a fixer upper but with great potential. You haven’t got an offer at your asking price for your 3 bed semi but the couple in the 4 bed detached have announced that they have a potential interested buyer.
Desperate not to lose the 4 bed and the long term potential that it offers your family you arrange a bridging loan and perhaps drop your asking price on your 3 bed semi to try and speed up the process so the transaction can eventually go through. The problem was that the bridging loan was required for a lot longer than originally planned or anticipated.
Albert was the really good 3 bed semi, not Premiership flash perhaps but damn good, fully refurbished and with nothing needed doing to it. Arguably in hindsight it may have made more sense to stay there. Adama was the 4 bed detached with a long list of repairs and improvements required but in the long term will yield dividends.
The problem as I see it for Boro was the lack of a “bridging loan”, between the sale of Albert and the habitable state of Adama. The gap in time of Albert departing and Adama being anywhere near ready wasn’t plugged.
Your last sentence is exactly what I was implying, or seeking to imply, RR. Ideally AK would have held on to Albert for longer, too, but Sunderland A and the contract issue played its part in that not happening.
I just didn’t think it fair, at the time, that AK should solely carry the can for his departure while Albert, effectively, came out of the whole thing smelling like roses. Maybe I was unfair myself, but that was how I felt.
I remember Fergie discarded Beckham when C. Ronaldo was nowhere near ready enough to replace him. Ditto Stam… Laurent Blanc had to be brought in as a stop gap while a real long-term replacement was found. But, as I tell myself often, it is what it is at big clubs, and Stam’s book and Beckham’s limelight-hogging did them no favours whatsoever.
By the time Beckham asked his “good friend Tom” (Cruise) for advice on a football move instead of a professional within the game, he’d lost me entirely.
RR, the problem with your three bedroom semi, was when it was realised that it wasn’t a three bedroomed semi after all, but it was in fact a mobile home that was hitched up and ready to move south whether your bridging loan was in place or not.
Oops, I think that I’ve just replied to the wrong link, never mind see below on Simon’s link to see my response.
Not so good news about our big money buy at Sunderland !
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/03/13/chris-coleman-admits-sunderland-striker-ashley-fletcher-has-lost/
Adomah was my favourite player. But so was Rhys and many more since Terry Cochrane. Gone what was gone.
Just a remark, how many goals Albert had at Villa last season? In the 2nd tier…
Up the Boro!
Jarkko
The answer was 3 in 38 league appearances though he has been on fire with 12 so far this season but he has played a lot up front due to injuries.
Ian, exacly. How many games or goals he would have got in the PL? We never now.
But I loved the lad, though. UTB!
RR
Totally agree with your view on Albert. Especially the trying to find a lone striker surrounded by opposition defenders and how AT wasn’t ready to take on that mantle of ammunition provider. Mind if GM was still here he wouldn’t be ready now due to not getting a decent uninterrupted run in the team.
Whether Albert was offered a deal he wasn’t happy with or didn’t like Aitors methods we’ll probably never know. What I do know is that as far as I’m concerned they are both the type of player that gets you off your seat when they’re in full flow. And as supporters isn’t that what we want to see?
RR
I’m not sure of the Adomah/Adama timelines but my view was that Adomah rejected a contract so Boro decided to cash in before he became worthless. Adama only came into the picture once Alberts fate was sealed.
Had Adomah signed an extension, I’m not sure that Traore would have been brought in at all. Is it coincidence that they swapped clubs?
So I don’t think Boro we’re looking to upgrade from a comfy 3-bed semi to a 4-bed detached. I think the landlord put us on notice and we decided to take his other new-to-the-market fixer upper as some kind of teplacement, all the whole knowing we had Stuani as first choice anyway (who of course was a fully detached luxury home forced to be an end terrace!).
I thought Stuani was turned more into a lean-to on the gable end
Andy, hence my analogy to the three bedroomed semi being nothing more than a mobile home being hitched up and heading south, that household was off without a moments thought as to what was going to be bedded down in its place.
The club will have had a copy of his then contract and knew the expiry dates well in advance, probably three years in advance at a guess. Contract negotiations are often long drawn out and complicated affairs. An experienced negotiator knows when someone is playing brinkmanship or is keen to sign but just needs a few carrots dangled. To me the Traore/Adomah “swap” didn’t appear to be part of a planned agreement and looked desperate knee jerk on the part of all the concerned parties. Whatever happened behind the scenes considering that it was our Premiership Season it wasn’t the most strategic of decisions.
That said there weren’t many Transfers that Summer that had the hallmarks of “giving it a go” and I don’t say that as a derogatory comment aimed at SG more at those who were charged with the discussions, negotiations and scouting. The fact that most arrivals were cleared out along with Orta I guess indicates that SG’s opinions were little different to the fans come May.
From relegated or finished Keepers to a crocked Columbian and everything in between the Adomah/Traore episode to me was indicative of a wider problem within the club. The Club seemed to have excelled at buying disharmony rather than quality the reasons for which we can only guess, Albert to me was just the tip of the iceberg of a bigger picture behind the scenes.
Andy R
As I have posted my final thoughts I couldn’t possibly comment.
OK, I will make an exception for you. The bit I didn’t like, and have never liked when it happens elsewhere, is the brother/agent going public over the contract offer. That smacks of agitating for a move.
I cant see him being offered worse terms than anyone else was on, he certainly was a starter in the team. The club had little option but to sell.
It is a real shame because it was a messy ending for a player I liked watching if infuriating at times.
IAN
I agree totally with your comment and I’ve always said if a player is agitating for a move then move him on.
All we want for our club are players who want to play football for us.
I wouldn’t have Adomah back because of the way that he and his brother agitated for more money so let’s move on from Adomah he like Aitor Karanka is in the past.
OFB
OFB
That’s it, really. Messy. As with Stam and Roy Keane.
With Stam, he wrote that when he played the opening game against Fulham “the thought of leaving United had never entered my head”. By the end of that month, I believe, he was a Lazio player.
Keane? MUTVgate is well documented. We thrash United, he “plays the pundit”, the interview is pulled after he publicly criticises his teammates, and Fergie tells him “Look, Roy, I think we’ve come to the end.” Just like that.
With ourselves, there is, of course, Ziege. And Merson. Commits himself to Boro for life then is tapped up and off to Villa before you know it. In one of his books, I think, he wrote after the Derby game at home that he didn’t know he’d played his last game for Middlesbrough. (Neither did we.)
Really, a lot of people have left clubs on bad terms – leading me to conclude that there probably isn’t a good way to leave a club.
Simon, a bit like sport imitating real life, has anyone here ever felt good or secure in handing in their notice to move on to a new post, when your brain is screaming “why the hell are you leaving a secure position for the unknown”?
I definitely have, I’ve always known when it was time to move on. Only one blemish on my career when I got it wrong, but ultimately, things worked out fine.
“For me he was brilliant and that time in my career I had a really bad injury where I broke my leg and he stood by me along with Stoke – they honoured the contract that was only a handshake and from that moment on I would have done anything for him and the club.
“I can’t speak highly enough of him, but I think his biggest strength is knowing people and getting the best out of people.
“He does his homework on the players he signs, he goes into more depth than anyone I’ve ever worked with and that goes to show in the results, performances and success that he’s had as a manager.”
Comments by Rory Delap on Tony Pulis,
Aitor and Albert may be “in the past” but I’ve learned a lot about the workings of football by studying the trajectories of their Boro careers.
I’m grateful for that.
Getting a bit quiet for me now. I have been sitting in a foreign airport for well over three hours waiting for the next connecting flight. I hoped there would have been more to read on the blog.
But Boro has played too well to irritate a flock of posts recently. But I can only blame myself for the results.
Question: will it be Talking Point or Inter2view week this week? I am betting on the latter but Werder decide.
Still a lot of time to wait. And I only have my boss as a company. At least he bought me a beer.
Up the Boro!
It’s the In2View Jarkko about the award winning journalist Doug Weatherall
You won’t lmow him but I hope you enjoy it
OFB
Been pretty much non-stop today (also Mrs Werder’s birthday) but just grabbed 40 minutes to publish OFB’s latest In2views piece – this week is the former north-east sports correspondent and award-winning journalist Doug Weatherall…
https://diasboro.club/2018/03/13/in2views-doug-weatherall/