| Middlesbrough | Wolves | ||
| Bamford | 90′ +4 | Costa Cavaleiro ▮ Neves ▮ Doherty |
58′ 37′ 56′ 71′ |
| Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
55% 17 3 6 10 |
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
45% 7 6 2 13 |
Pack mentality frustrates Boro
This was the ultimate test for a resurgent Boro with the League Leaders arriving at the Riverside this evening to see if Boro could shake off the hoodoo of being unable to beat teams around them let alone one twenty points ahead of them! TP confirmed in his press conference that there were no injury concerns apart from Rudy Gestede so hopefully that meant Ayala was back to full fitness, Besic had come through his International travels without a recurrence of his earlier Hamstring problems and Paddy was fit and raring to go. The biggest selection dilemma for TP presumably was a straight choice between Grant or Clayts.
Wolves Manager Nuno Espirito Santo would likely be missing Diogo Jota with an ankle problem but that was his only fitness concern with danger man Afobe very much likely to start. Boro have an impressive record against Wolves stretching back to 1951 for the last time the visitors took away all three points from Teesside or two as it was back then. Wolves had never completed a double over Boro and depending on your perspective it would be unlikely that Wolves would break the habit of a lifetime or it was inevitable that tonight was the night that that record would be broken “Typical Boro” fashion with Wolves not losing back to back away games since March last year.
Boro’s team was as expected by many with Grant being recalled but surprisingly Howson left out so we had Clayts and Grant playing alongside Besic in a somewhat unadventurous looking Boro midfield that was to be totally bossed by Neves. The game started with both sides probing and testing their opponents but the wing backs from Wolves were opening up the game and stretching Boro’s backline and causing us problems. Shotton and Traore struggled to cope on the right whilst Friend and Downing had an easier time on the opposite flank with George having one of his better games in a while. In the first half Downing struggled to create anything of real merit whilst Traore seemed a little lost and confused at times apart from three cameo runs which highlighted both his value to the team and the futility of being unable to get him on the ball in dangerous places.
Boro started to gain a bit of control and started playing with some confidence but ironically just when we settled we were hit by a sucker punch clearance out and Grant took one for the team as he scythed into a challenge on Cavaleiro for which he was lucky to receive just a yellow. Despite that Boro still exerted their influence in the game although it has to be said it petered out in the final third due to a lack of a cutting edge pass, momentum, continuity, pace and bodies supporting Bamford who battled very well considering it was often 3 to 1 in the favour of those in gold.
Wolves took the lead against the run of play after some scrappy last ditch defending which had a hint of a hand ball in the build up to the goal but neither the Ref or his Assistant had the same view as the North Stand. Cavaleiro managed to get to a Randolph saved ball first and managing to keep it in play it fell to boo boy Douglas whose chipped effort was volleyed past Randolph by Costa. One-nil against the run of play or not it was a warning or it should have been but minutes later Wolves doubled their lead with an awkward ball floated in from a corner that forced another brilliant tipped save from Randolph but nobody in Red was covering the right hand post and a simple knock in from Cavaleiro was the price paid for our defence going awol.
Frustrating in the extreme at the manner in which we failed to clear our lines and also that we just couldn’t get Adama firing and Paddy supported at the other end. For all our “dominance” at that point which fate was tempted by choruses previously of “Top of the league you’re having a laugh” our persistent passing was a throwback to former times of windscreen wiper vintage. Half time came with a small amount of boo’s ringing round more out of that word “frustration” again than bile at the players efforts.
Thankfully the half time break would give Pulis the opportunity to shuffle his pack and inject some pace and drive centrally. To the surprise of most we came out with the same eleven lining up and almost instantly were on the back foot as Wolves looked to put the game to bed early on. Boro steadied themselves but couldn’t break open the men from Molineux. Things were becoming a bit feisty with a few choice challenges from Boro in the first half now being matched but the ante now upped from Wolves and Stuart Attwell started dishing out yellow cards to those in Gold in addition to the one he had issued in the first half to Ruddy for timewasting.
TP had switched Adama over to the left at half time to continue to keep him in earshot and as George continued his forays but now feeding Adama his magic drew the unwanted attention of Wolves as they entered a period of serial fouling and increasing their card count on the way. Paddy had a great chance set up by Adama that he worked well but slipped at the vital time when he was one on one with Ruddy. Adama had also slipped previously as questions were impolitely muttered around me about stud selection and pitch watering activity.
Most annoying on the night was that Boly looked like an accident waiting to happen and Ruddy was less than confident in his handling and distribution yet we never tested him, instead continuing to play this slow predictable passing retention game without any end product. Grant as great as he is and Clayts just didn’t possess the magic to match Neves and Stewy seems to getting worse with his decision making and shooting which was highlighted when he had the chance to pull things level in the dying seconds but again missed the big white target while earlier scooping a shot well over the crossbar by several feet.
As envious as our glances were towards Neves he managed to get himself booked for arguing with Attwell and then went flying into George in a ridiculous lunge which had the North Stand screaming for him to be sent off which was duly obliged when he received his second Yellow and then Red. Down to ten men Boro now surely would go for it and bombard Wolves to try and pull back the deficit. The sending off was controversial from an away perspective as seconds earlier George looked to have brought Costa down from behind when clean through on Randolph but Attwell had adjudged the fall to be theatrical or the coming together accidental which seemed very fortuitous to those in the South East Corner and therefore George had remained on the pitch.
George again was linking up well with Adama to have a terrifying effect on the ten men of Wolves and a high ball that looked to be going out for a Goal Kick was contested by George and Doherty who already booked looked to have led with an elbow to pick up another Yellow and Wolves second Red of the evening. By this time Wolves were now in total disarray, down to nine men yet Boro were still content to pass the ball around the edge of the box instead of driving shots at force from a distance looking to take advantage from ricochets’. No quick unlocking pass and play movements from Boro and despite having a two man advantage we still made hard work of it and tactically things weren’t improved by introducing Crainey for Shotton when the opposition had their backs to the wall.
Shotton had just picked up a Yellow and had been fortunate to avoid one earlier so there was some methodology behind the decision. Assombalonga had also been introduced and he battled well inside the box fending off defenders but the build up to him was slow predictable and ponderous and therefore easily read and defended against. Six minutes of added time seemed scant reward for the amount of stoppages and time wasting but Paddy managed to cleverly toe poke an effort in with two of the six minutes remaining to provide false hope, too little too late.
Wolves are not top of the League by luck and showed their unity, undoubted skills and understanding but three shots on target was a very poor return especially against nine men for a large chunk of the second half. Downing looks to have lost creativity out wide and slowed things down on too many occasions, Clayts and Grant likewise struggled to inject any va va voom and as a consequence we just ground things out by passing out wide or back centrally again when we needed a Ramirez to unlock the defence or in his absence some power pressing with pace and passing instead of slow Chess moves. Howson was brought on to try and remedy that one dimensional aspect but he had the touch of a baby elephant unfortunately and failed to make any impact.
Besic had been quiet in the first half but had a lot more influence on things in the second as did Adama who was also incidentally our best ball boy as he vaulted the advertising hoardings like a hurdler on several occasions to retrieve the ball. Randolph was great in goal and wasn’t to blame for either goal and indeed kept the scoreline down but MOM for me was George, whilst Adama caught the eye in the second 45 George was consistent for the full 90 minutes.
To end on a positive despite numerous sections of the ground emptying before the final whistle those remaining stayed loyal and gave a generous round of applause at the final whistle which despite the disappointments and frustrations echoed the wider sentiment of this still isn’t over and the fans are still believing that a Play Off place is there for the taking.
Boro hoping to have another
good Friday in front of the cameras
After a two-week break in proceedings so that Gareth Southgate’s England team can practice some essential phrases in Russian like “Sorry, I’ve never heard of Boris Johnson” and “No thanks, I don’t want a McMafia Unhappy Meal” – it’s time once again to stop pretending you’re remotely interested that some unknown Australian secretly stuck a yellow piece of plastic into some round piece of leather because he was so bored of standing around and wanted an early tea. Yes, football is back and it’s still winter even though the clocks are all wrong and the lambs are refusing to frolic until they see written proof that it’s officially spring.
Boro welcome table-topping Wolves to the Riverside, who continue to lead the promotion pack and show the hunger needed to properly smash the league. Tony Pulis will be hoping to uphold the unusual but good Friday agreement that they are normally allowed to win when they play in front of the cameras as they attempt to at least temporarily halt the team in orange from their inevitable march towards the Premier League. Though rather appropriately for Good Friday, the Holy Spirit will be present at the Riverside – but before Boro followers start to anticipate having a religious experience (other than the usual raptures in time added on) it should made clear that this unearthly presence is merely the Wolves manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, whose surname literally translates as ‘Holy Spirit’. Just to add to the Easter symbolism, the Wolves manager was also born on the Portuguese island of São Tomé, which translates as Saint Thomas, who was according to the famous book, the doubting disciple of Jesus after his resurrection following the crucifixion.
On the subject of doubters, Boro opened their season as the bookies promotion favourites with a visit to Molineux and suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat in game of few clear-cut chances as the teams shared possession. There was little to suggest back then that there would be the massive gulf in points accumulated by both teams and with just 8 games left to play Wolves are an unassailable 20 points ahead of Boro. The Defensive record of both teams is pretty similar but it is at the sharp end where Nuno Espirito Santo’s team have out-performed the Teessiders with 15 extra goals. Nevertheless, Boro have out-performed the leaders in that department during the last six games with an impressive 14 goals to their 12 – which has left many wondering what might have been this season. For all the talk of Wolves having an unfair advantage over other clubs in the league, Boro can’t really point their finger, as let’s face it, the club squandered their massive budgetary advantage on too many attacking players that just weren’t fit for purpose. It may prove to be the most costly of mistakes if Boro miss out this season but the team have scored three goals in their last three Riverside outings and Wolves may still be mindful that their last trip away to Villa ended in a 4-1 defeat.
| Middlesbrough | Wolves | ||
| Tony Pulis | Nuno Espirito Santo | ||
| P38 – W18 – D8 – L12 – F54 – A36 | P38 – W25 – D7 – L6 – F69 – A33 | ||
| Position Points Points per game Projected points |
6th 62 1.6 75 |
Position Points Points per game Projected points |
1st 82 2.2 99 |
| Last 6 Games Brentford (A) Barnsley (H) Birmingham (A) Leeds (H) Sunderland (A) Hull (H) |
F-T (H-T) 1:1 (1:1) D 3:1 (2:0) W 1:0 (1:0) W 3:0 (2:0) W 3:3 (0:1) D 3:1 (2:1) W |
Last 6 Games Burton (H) Reading (H) Aston Villa (A) Leeds (A) Fulham (A) Norwich (H) |
F-T (H-T) 3:1 (2:1) W 3:0 (1:0) W 1:4 (1:1) L 3:0 (2:0) W 0:2 (0:1) L 2:2 (2:1) D |
The big bad Wolves have been facing howls of protest from some quarters, mainly in West Yorkshire area, over claims that they’ve blown the house down when it comes to fair competition. Following their 3-0 home defeat to the leaders at the beginning of March, Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani sent a frustrated post-match Donald-style Tweet that questioned the legality of the link-up between Wolves and so-called super-agent Jorge Mendes. He complained: “Not legal and fair to let one team owned by a fund whom has shares in the biggest players’ agency with evident benefits (top European clubs giving players with options to buy… why the other 23 teams can’t have the same treatment?)”.
The Leeds owner has not been alone in raising the issue of the complex arrangement between the Wolves owners, Jorge Mendes, their manager and some of the players. In the summer of 2016, Chinese investment group Fosun International acquired Wolves via a British Virgin Islands-registered holding company for an estimated £45m, with Fosun’s chairman Guo Guangchang having an estimated personal fortune of over $6bn. It was reported in The Independent newspaper that a few months earlier Mendes had sold a 20 per cent stake in his world-famous Gestifute agency, through which he operates, to a company called Foyo Culture and Entertainment – which is in fact a subsidiary of Fosun and this deal was announced as part of a major partnership between Mendes and Fosun.
After Wolves was acquired, Mendes was brought in as an “adviser on transfer dealings” and the subsequent view on the deal by the FA was that the formal ties between Fosun and Gestifute were considered to be so minor that they were not enough to represent a ‘conflict of interest’ under their rules. Incidentally, those FA regulations in the section relating to conflicts of interest state that intermediary organisations “shall not have an interest in a club”, and that a club “shall not have any interest in the business or affairs of an intermediary’s organisation.” – so hard to make much sense of that ruling.
In addition, current Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has been represented by Mendes for over 20 years since his playing days, as too were many of the players signed, including £15.8m record signing Ruben Neves and on-loan Atletico Madrid forward Diogo Jota. David Conn wrote in the Guardian about the transfer dealings last season after the takeover by Fosun that Mendes influence was clearly evident in some of those signings, including a then club record £7m paid to Monaco, for the Portugal midfielder Ivan Cavaleiro. He also observed that the FA now publish an annual list of ‘intermediaries’ involved in transfer deals and it stated Carlos Osório de Castro, a lawyer based in Portugal acted for the player, with Valdir Cardoso, a Portuguese agent understood to work for Gestifute, representing the club. In January, Wolves then paid Monaco £13m for the Portuguese midfield player Helder Costa, which listed the same two intermediaries Osório de Castro and Costa on the deal.
David Conn added that Carlos Osório de Castro is believed to have acted as Gestifute’s lawyer for many years, though the Guardian were told by them that they don’t comment on business undertaken for their clients. The subsequent arrival of fellow Portuguese player, João Teixeira was listed as having no agent but Wolves had Andy Quinn, a director of Gestifute International based in Ireland, acting for them. However, the Portuguese defender Silvio, who signed from Atlético Madrid, was not listed in the FA document so the agents on that deal have not been publicly disclosed. In all 12 players were brought in 2016-17 and Wolves finished in 15th place under Paul Lambert, who subsequently left the club. Wolves stated that they only paid £1.25m in agents fees last season and that was below the average. They also claimed Mendes was an adviser to the owners, in the same way as many other agents and influential figures within football are – the club have signed players within his portfolio as well as players from other intermediaries.
Of course there is a danger that people can get drawn into the hype that if you want to be successful then you need to enlist the services of the likes of Jorge Mendes. Perhaps the Leeds United owner was simply trying to deflect criticism from his club’s own short-comings, which have seen Leeds season take a nose-dive after looking like possible promotion contenders. Granted Wolves may have some good players that are only at the club thanks to their spending power and contacts to Mendes, but let’s not build them up into some kind of ‘Invincibles’. Having good players is certainly not a hindrance, but they got where they are by also playing as a team and forming a winning mentality – this is also the task of Tony Pulis and he has 8 games left to prove Boro can have a shot at the play-offs. After that it will be down to who performs on the day and Boro’s cause will be greatly improved if they manage to see off the current leaders to continue the recent momentum with their six-game unbeaten run.
So will Boro silence the doubting Thomases who are still unsure that their season has been resurrected by new saviour Tony Pulis? Or will the presence of the ‘Espirito Santo’ and his team of actual league smashers prove to be a heavy cross to bear as Boro are left feeling stigmatised by their own failure? As usual your predictions on score, scorers and team selection – plus will Boro continue their three-game record of scoring three goals at the Riverside?
So who is Jorge Mendes?
Mendes was a budding professional footballer who had to abandon his dream in his early twenties after being rejected by several Portuguese clubs. He was looking for a new career and after the less than glamorous job of running a video rental shop, tried his hand at being a DJ before opening a nightclub in the small town of Caminha on the north-west border of Portugal, which was famous for hosting one of the country’s oldest rock festivals. Then in 1996 Mendes apparently had a chance meeting at a bar in the historic town of Guimarães with a goalkeeper who played for the local club Vitória and he agreed to let Mendes become his agent.
That player was none other than current Wolves manager Nuno Espírito Santo and Mendes brokered his first deal in football as Nuno joined Spanish side Deportivo de La Coruña on a five-year contract, although he only actually made 4 appearances and spent much of his time out on loan. Incidentally, the town of Guimarães where they met was known as the birthplace of the Portuguese nationality as it is believed that Portugal’s first King, Afonso Henriques, was born there in the beginning of the 12th century – rather appropriate for a man who was to become king of all agents.
Perhaps the key to Mendes success was that he quite early made the decision to target young promising players and has been hailed as someone with a brilliant eye for talented players, who scouts players and is quick to sign up those who catch his eye. He was a frequent visitor to the soccer schools and youth teams and spotted a young Cristiano Ronaldo and quickly signed him up. Mendes also reportedly learned the importance of being straight-forward and loyal to his clients when he witnessed the fall of the number one agent in Portugal, Jose Veiga, who’s influence waned after he fell out with Porto over the sale of midfielder Sergio Conceicao to Lazio, leaving him out in the cold with the most lucrative Portuguese club to do business with.
The decline of Veiga left Mendes as the go-to agent in Portugal and seemingly nobody left the country without Mendes having a hand in the deal. Mendes’s first major international deal was Hugo Viana’s move from Sporting Lisbon to Newcastle for around £8.5m in 2002 and a year later he brokered the £12m move of the teenage Ronaldo to Man Utd. His next big deal came in 2004, when he stepped in and negotiated José Mourinho’s move from Porto to manage Chelsea – Mourinho’s agent had lined up a move Liverpool but Mendes cut a deal with the Israeli super-agent Pini Zahavi, who was acting for Chelsea to try and bring the Special One to Stamford Bridge instead. This deal established Mendes’s importance and every Portuguese player that followed Mourinho to Chelsea became a client of Mendes – including Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Tiago and Maniche. with Mendes being paid by Chelsea to act for the player and for the club.
Those who are represented by Mendes argue that he offers a very personalised service and goes that extra mile to take care of their needs – though no doubt what they are also getting is his leverage in being able to squeeze out the maximum return on deals. When Mourinho left Chelsea for Inter Milan in 2008 it made him the highest paid coach in the world and his subsequent move to Real Madrid netted Jose a four-year contract worth £40m. Mendes also secured the deal that saw Scolari to move to Chelsea on a three-year contract worth around £6m – which was also rewarded by Scolari by allowing Mendes privileged access to the Portugal national team’s hotel during the Euro 2008 tournament so he could plot his players next moves.
In 2009, Mendes handled the £80m record transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo from Man Utd to Real Madrid and then in 2011 brokered three deals to Monaco worth £120m for James Rodríguez, Falcao and Moutinho. Mendes then ‘earned’ himself around £30m in 2014 when he saw through four big money deals for James Rodríguez again who went to Real Madrid, Ángel Di María who left Madrid for Man Utd, Diego Costa from Atlético Madrid to Chelsea and Porto defender Mangala who joined Man City. The figures involved in those 8 deals add up to around £400m and those are just but a few – in addition, it’s been assessed that Mendes was responsible for nearly 70 per cent of all players transferred from Portugal over a ten year period between 2001-2010 with deals from the big three of Porto, Benfica and Sporting Lisbon amounting to nearly €550m alone.
It seems if you want to get ahead then it helps to have Jorge Mendes behind you and it’s probably no coincidence that England has seen a recent influx of Portuguese managers with contacts to the super-agent. Marco Silva, who recently managed both Hull and Watford is represented by Mendes, with fellow Portuguese manager Carlos Carvalhal also enlisting the help of Mendes in the January transfer window to bolster his squad, though despite agreeing fees for some Mendes’s clients it appears the players themselves weren’t too keen on joining the relegation threatened club.
Third-Party Ownership
Getting paid for doing transfers was just one aspect of the business but Mendes had set up a company, GestiFute, that was also involved in part-owning the economic rights of many of his players. The name GestiFute is the short version of Gestão de Carreiras de Profissionais Desportivos, which translates as Management of Careers of Professional Sportsman – and basically did what it says on the tin. Though when we talk about ‘economic rights’ we essentially mean third-party ownership and although the FA made this illegal in 2008 following the less than transparent ownership that surrounded the Tevez and Mascherano deals to West Ham, though it was still allowed by the Portuguese Football Association, as well as in South America and some other countries.
GestiFute was also involved in part-owning the economic rights of a number of their players and part of these were sometimes sold on. For example, Porto bought 20 per cent of Brazilian-born Portuguese professional footballer Deco’s rights from GestiFute in exchange for €2.25m million, plus 5 per cent of the economic rights for Ricardo Carvalho, 10 per cent of Benni McCarthy’s rights and then a further 15 per cent of Deco’s economic rights €1.25m. It meant that Mendes could generate cash from his players without even selling them, which is especially useful if clubs had players that were on long contracts.
In addition, Mendes also bought the economic rights off his clients too and this proved particularly lucrative in the case of Bebé in a move to Man Utd Mendes received in addition to his nearly €1m agent’s fee, €2.7m from the €9m deal as part of the economic rights. Again, David Conn had also investigated this deal and discovered Bebé was playing in the Portugues third tier until his agent got him a free transfer move to Primeira Liga club Vitória de Guimarães. Before the season has even began, Bebé sacked his agent and joined Mendes, who also puchased 30 per cent of his economic rights for just €100,000 and reportedly inserted a €9m release clause in his contract.
Stories appeared in the Spanish press that Mourinho was keen on buying Bebé, which then apparently forced Ferguson into a quick decision to buy – just two days after Bebé had joined Mendes. In fact Bebé only actually made two league appearances for Man Utd before being sent out on loan and Alex Ferguson admitted he had never seen him play but reportedly bought him on the recommendation of his former Portuguese assistant Carlos Queiroz, who was also a client of Mendes and at that time was coach of the Portugal national team. Incidentally, Queiroz’s relationship with United had been important in the transfers of Anderson and Nani in 2007. Indeed, unspecified aspects of the deal were investigated by the Lisbon anti-corruption unit but ultimately nothing ever came from it.
Nevertheless, third-party ownership allows investors to receive part or all of the financial rights owed to the player from transfer fees or contract negotiation fees. These investors can be anyone from a football agent, company or even hedge-fund. We’ve seen in the past that clubs often don’t receive the lion’s share of big transfers as others get their slice of the action. The concept was often used in countries like Brazil and Argentina to encourage investors to pay for the training and accommodation of young players on the promise of getting a return in future transfer deals. However the problem then becomes that players are moved around or parked until their value increases so that the ‘investors’ get a bigger return on their investment and often the player becomes just a commodity, who is encouraged move around and doesn’t personally financially benefit from the moves.
Our man David Conn also did an investigative piece in 2014 for the Guardian on plans by Mendes and Peter Kenyon to raise €85m to buy stakes in footballers via a Gibraltar tax haven for a fund registered in the tax haven of Jersey. The Guardian were shown a prospectus in which Mendes’s Gestifute agency and Kenyon’s company, Opto, are described as advisers to the fund, helping to identify players and make “partnerships” with “development clubs” in Spain and Portugal, and using their “relationships” with clubs in the “Big 10”. All sounds none specific, but it suggests the fund will do substantial business with them, buying stakes in players who will then be sold on, at a substantial profit to the investors. The plan is for the fund to advance the money to an Irish-registered company, which will buy the stakes in players.
The document says of Mendes and Kenyon that they have “developed many relationships throughout the football community. By leveraging these relationships, Peter Kenyon and Jorge Mendes have demonstrated a proven track record in brokering football Transfers” – Conn was unsure what ‘leveraging’ meant but it seemed to imply they would be able exert some kind of influence on which players were bought and sold. In addition, the article claims the document lists four other funds investing in third-party ownership of players which it says Kenyon and Mendes have advised – the Guardian claimed these were Jersey-listed partnerships and that Chelsea strongly appear to be involved in one of these funds. The document also claimed that Mendes may act as the player’s agent and may be remunerated independently in that capacity.
Conn argued that was likely in breach of FIFA regulations on agents, which stated: “Players’ agents shall avoid all conflicts of interest in the course of their activity.” and that FIFA “…imposes an obligation on clubs not to pay any part of a transfer fee to a player’s agent, and specifically prohibits the agent “owning any interest in any transfer compensation or future transfer value of a player”. The Guardian raised their concerns with FIFA but a spokeswoman only said: “We cannot provide comments based on a hypothetical situation. The disciplinary committee decides on a matter after analysis of all the specific circumstances pertaining to a case.” David Conn noted that FIFA has never brought any proceedings against any club or person in relation to third-party ownership funds.
In May 2015, FIFA banned third-party ownership, and specifically prohibited either clubs or players from entering into economic rights agreements with third-party investors. The European Parliament also announced a similar ban in sports, after raising concerns over the integrity of competitions as there was a risk players could be encouraged into criminal activities such as match fixing by unscrupulous third-party owners.
So is this the end of investors and third-party ownership? You would think so, but cast your mind back to England’s most successful manager (on paper) with a 100 per cent record. Yes, Big Sam Allardyce, who after one game and one win was shown the door by the FA after he was caught on camera by undercover reporters boasting to a bogus Far East business consortium how they could circumvent FA rules which prohibit third parties “owning” players. Over the course of two meetings Allardyce told the fictitious businessmen that it was “not a problem” to bypass the rules introduced by his employers. Big Sam added he knew of certain agents who were “doing it all the time” and claimed “You can still get around it. I mean obviously the big money’s here.”
So is it common knowledge in the game that players are still owned by third-parties? Perhaps the regulators are just not able to follow the money in a world where clubs, agents and players are often paid and operate through offshore holding companies – though like most things finding the proof is another matter and anyone making unsubstantiated claims will no doubt receive a letter from the expensive lawyers acting on behalf of their clients. It seems from what has happened in the past there is little will on behalf of the various footballing regulators, or perhaps even expertise, to investigate such matters.
An Agent for Owners too?
As well as representing an ever-growing list of the best players and top managers, Mendes has been also been involved in finding new super-rich owners for clubs too. In 2014, Mendes was instrumental in the takeover by Singapore businessman Peter Lim of a Valencia club struggling with €350m debts. Lim was the son of a fishmonger who grew up in a cramped two-bedroom apartment with six siblings, who went on to study accountancy at the University of Western Australia. He made his money after investing in an Indonesian Palm Oil start-up company that he eventually ended up taking over with a $10m loan before selling his stake for a staggering $1.5bn after the demand for palm oil in US food products rocketed. Lim had previously tried to buy Liverpool but failed and his preference was to invest in English football but was brought instead to Valencia by Mendes.
Mendes then brought in his old client Nuno Espirito Santo as manager, which had apparently been a condition of the takeover and the club were soon signing players from Mendes’s portfolio. Interestingly, Lim also acquired the image rights for Cristiano Ronaldo and then bought a 50 per cent stake in Salford City, which is co-owned by Giggs, Scholes, Butt and the Neville brothers. After a poor start to the 2015-16 season Nuno was dismissed and Lim’s co-owner of Salford, Gary Neville, was surprisingly installed as manager but was sacked just four months later after recording the lowest ever number of wins for a Valencia manager with 3 from 16 games. Valencia under Lim initially struggled and even flirted with relegation amid rumours that the new owner wished to sell the club – though six managers appointed in a little over two years with unrest behind the scenes can’t have helped the club.
It was claimed in Spanish newspaper El Pais that it used to be that “shambolic Valencia were regarded by some as a clearing house for players on the books of agent Jorge Mendes” – with one journalist, Aitor Lagunas, who writes for a Spanish football magazine saying “Valencia was seen as one of the showrooms for Jorge Mendes in European football. The way of Valencia used to be accept any kind of player with a Jorge Mendes profile.” He added that last summer was the other way around with new manager Marcelino sending the club’s owner Peter Lim to PSG and telling him: “Don’t come back without Goncalo Guedes. From all the players of Jorge Mendes, I want him.” And that is what happened – Guedes has been regarded by many as the player of the season in Spain and now Valencia are currently in fourth place, just one point behind Real Madrid.
Mendes also has had a long-standing influence at Monaco, where one of his clients the Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim has been the manager since 2014. Monaco were taken over by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev in late 2011, who appointed Jose Mourinho’s former technical scout at Real Madrid, Luis Campos, as Sporting Director in 2013. Campos was also a client of Mendes and it was he who appointed Jardim and Monaco were soon signing players from Mendes’s portfolio too – including James Rodríguez, Falcao and Moutinho. Another club where Mendes has influence is Zenit St Petersburg through his relationship with another Russian, Suleiman Kerimov, who was a major stakeholder in Gazprom, which bought Zenit in 2005 and both had good links with Roman Abramovich at Chelsea. In 2014, one of Mendes’s clients and a Mourinho former technical scout at Chelsea, Andre Villas-Boas, was installed as manager at Zenit – with more players from his Gestifute agency soon following such as Bruno Alves.
Opening Doors
Clearly Mendes now has influence at many clubs and he has many of his clients either operating as managers or directors of football, who are subsequently signing players from the portfolio of his Gestifute agency. Indeed, he now even has business links with the billionaire owners of some clubs, with Wolves being the obvious example who are quite open in having invested in his agency. When an individual is involved all the way down the chain from owner, manager and player you would think that the footballing regulators would see that as a conflict of interest but they seemingly have little interest in pursuing the matter. It’s quite possible that Mendes may in the future or already has been involved in a deal where both clubs and both managers, along with the player are all his clients. In such a case, what is the point in any of them being represented by someone who is supposed to act in the best interests of them as a client?
Perhaps it’s a case of nobody complaining because in the end everybody wins, one club gets the player they sought, the manager strengthens his team and the player gets a good contract – the other side offload a player and get paid a good return. Even when Mel Stein, chairman of the Association of Football Agents in England, who argued that agents can represent a player and be a broker in his transfer if efforts are made to avoid a conflict, he also declared “What is not acceptable is seeking to earn money from both ends of a transfer without ensuring that there is no conflict” – though Just how you can ensure there is no conflict of interest in such deals is hard to imagine. Of course the main winner is probably the man in the middle who gets another slice of the action for simply moving one of his assets from one of his clients to another and often banks a seven figure sum for ‘brokering’ the deal. In the end it’s not clear who is representing who – do the ‘clients’ represent the agency or does the agent still represent his clients?
The other issue that the Leeds owner alluded to was that it was not a level playing field because Wolves had access to an agency that controlled some of the top players at bigger clubs that were perhaps available at ‘mates rates’ and were out of reach for clubs who were not in the exclusive circle. It’s perhaps possible that if such agencies control a large group of players then for others to gain access to them may depend on accepting conditions dictated on the terms of these powerful operators. We shouldn’t forget that Steve Gibson also forged a relationship with Peter Kenyon in 2013 and gave the reason that “I’ve known Peter for almost 20 years… It’s of huge benefit that everyone in football takes Peter Kenyon’s call.” before adding “His contact book is extensive and he has given us a route to the most powerful agent in world football in Jorge Mendes”.
It was through those contacts that Boro appointed Aitor Karanka, who was one of Mendes’s clients and Gibson also announced “We’ve got two Academy teams in Madrid as we speak and we’ve built up other links that we’re not able to announce. We see ourselves being part of a three or four-club group that will help each other.” There has been little to suggest Boro’s relationship with Mendes proved to be of major benefit in terms of transfer deals and perhaps the most notable deal signed from his portfolio was goalkeeper Victor Valdes. Negredo was a player who arrived from Valencia, where Mendes had a strong influence, but was not represented by him and had subsequently fallen out of favour at the Spanish club after questioning Nuno’s tactics – his £28m signing from Man City was triggered before Mendes’s time and the club were keen to offload his hefty wage packet.
Perhaps Boro are not big enough fish for the likes of Mendes who seems more keen on keeping company with the billionaires of Asia and Russia, along with their deep-pocketed clubs. Having asked Peter Kenyon as a “very successful man” to give his “outsider’s view” and “come and look at everything and say where he thought we could improve”, Gibson seems to have now asked a similar question of Tony Pulis, who will no doubt have given his no-nonsense opinion on what Boro need to do if they want to compete in a football world where money now talks in much louder numbers than Steve Gibson’s northern dulcet tones.
Money is Power
In conclusion, Jorge Mendes has been at the centre of many of the big money deals in football for over 15 years and has an ever-growing list of clients that either own, manage, sanction transfers or play for some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Football has long since become a big-money industry where transfer deals are now being measured in the hundred million pound bracket and new owners and investors are frequently billionaires. Indeed, many of those involved in football ownership often appear to let their hearts rule their heads and regularly make poor, sometimes foolish decisions in the fear of missing out or possibly let their vanity get the better of them. It’s probably easy to exploit such people and it may be no surprise that FIFA have not shown much interest in ensuring that everything is seen to operate as transparently as we may expect, after all their record in matters such as integrity is not exactly setting an example.
We’ve also seen in recent years that those who regulate the game are also busy trying to extract large amounts of cash from very rich people – The Football League have themselves been courting the same billionaires businessmen of Asia in search of investors, such as Mr Caraboa and the subsequent bizarre EFL Cup draws aimed at courting rich Asian businessmen. The FA have also deemed that billionaire owners of clubs, such as Wolves, have no conflict of interest by investing in a football agency that controls the players they are buying. Even the PFA Chief Executive, Gordon Taylor, awarded himself a £2.2m pay rise last year to reflect the belief that you’re nobody in football unless you can demonstrate your credentials through the size of your wedge. Football is probably just a more public face of what is happening in the wider world of business – very rich and powerful people now control all aspects of our lives with governments and regulators appearing either unable or unwilling to intervene.
Mendes is probably just the equivalent of a multinational company like Google or Facebook, which gradually become more powerful by giving everyone what they want until eventually they control a huge chunk of the market. So we shouldn’t be surprised that men like Jorge Mendes exist, it’s just the inevitable consequence of a super-heated market that only has light-touch regulation where ultimately the powerful just become richer and more powerful as they operate on the edge of the rules. Mendes may even be a nice guy, as many of his clients profess, who is just able to do things better than others in the same way Mark Zuckerberg apparently is. The problems come when others start to see opportunities to go a step too far as we have seen with Cambridge Analytica – by which time it’s too late for the regulators as the consequences have already happened.
Anglo-Portuguese relations: the story
of the oldest alliance in the world
As an added bonus this week after some tangential research – here is a short historical meandering look at how the start of Anglo-Portuguese relations helped to ensure that Portugal is not just a region of Spain and whether there are any tenuous parallels to be scribbled between that and the UK’s exit from the European Union.
While you’ve already heard that the surname of Nuno Espirito Santa translates as ‘Holy Spirit’, his first name Nuno is quite a popular name given to boys in Portugal as it is likely derived from the important historical figure of General Nuno Álvares Pereira, who played a pivotal role in the country’s history. General Nuno was instrumental in seeing off the Kingdom of Castile (the precursor to what is now Spain) who invaded in 1385 during the battle between the rival camps for the contested Portuguese throne. It was a struggle that divided a country between those who wanted to join the wider alliance of an Iberian Kingdom and those who wanted to remain an independent country – unfortunately there were no referendums back then and sword was mightier than the pen when it came to making decisions.
The Portuguese struggle for independence is a somewhat complicated story that almost makes Brexit sound civilised. It involved a battle between the southern regions who wanted to remain independent of Castile and those to the north that sought to have Portugal annexed into a greater Iberian power. The situation arose after King Fernando heard the drums calling him to leave this mortal coil and left Portugal without a male heir – he’d earlier married off his only daughter Beatrice to King John I of Castile, which was viewed as an attempt to make Portugal a protectorate and deter the English from invading the Iberian peninsula. However, the prospect of being swallowed up into a greater Castile lead to an uprising in Lisbon, who backed Fernando’s step-brother John for the throne instead.
To add to the confusion both pretenders to the throne were called John – John, Duke of Valencia (who we are also confusingly told should not be confused with John of Castile, Lord of Valencia) and Fernando’s step-brother John, Great Master of Aviz (not an early horse rental organisation but a monastic military order that emulated the Knights Templar). Aviz John was the great hope for those who wanted to remain independent and is often referred to in Portugal as ‘the Good’, ‘the Great’ or even by the rather unforgettable catchy title ‘of Happy Memory’ – though to add balance he’s sometimes also referred to as ‘the Bastard’ instead, especially in Spain. I suspect that latter title is where similarities with Nigel Farage end, who I presume has been called far worse both in Europe and the UK, but nevertheless John was someone who was definitely in the ‘We want our country back’ tradition.
The story took another twist with the arrival of another John – this time it was John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and father of the future King Henry IV – who landed in Galicia to stake his claim to crown of Castile (his second wife Constance was heir apparent) with help from Portugual but failed to get the backing of Castilian nobility and instead returned to England after being paid off by a rival claimant. Although he did leave his daughter behind, not in the absent-minded David Cameron sense after a decent Sunday lunchtime session, but in order to seal the Anglo-Portuguese alliance with a marriage to the newly crowned John I of Portugal and the Algarve (who was formerly known as the Great Master of Aviz).
It’s probably worth noting that John of Gaunt (or Ghent as it’s now known) is perhaps responsible for many of the Royal houses in Europe through the descendants of his children. Although he was the third son of the Plantagenet King Edward III and never became king himself his children led to the three houses of Lancaster, York and Tudor and all subsequent monarchs of England since 1603. In addition his daughter Catherine married into the Castile Royal House, from which all monarchs of Castile and Spain are descended, plus all subsequent monarchs of Portugal are descended through his daughter Philippa – in addition, so too is the House of Habsburg descended from his children.
This union between John of Gaunt’s daughter and King John I spawned a generation of highly educated princes known as the “Illustrious Generation”, who led Portugal into its golden era of great explorers and the ‘Age of Discovery’ as the lands from Africa, South America, India and China were successfully navigated by a succession of great sailors such as Vasco da Gama who circumnavigated Africa and reached India. Incidentally, this Anglo-Portuguese Alliance that was ratified as the Treaty of Windsor in 1386 is the oldest alliance in the World and still exists today with neither country ever fighting on opposing sides – even when Portugal was absorbed into the Iberian Union in the late 16th century many of the deposed Portuguese Royal House fought with the UK in the Anglo-Spanish war.
Although, it’s mainly thanks to Nuno Álvares Pereira that Portugal remains a separate country and is not just a western province of Spain – for his efforts, Nuno was bestowed many titles and had great wealth but went on to build numerous churches and monasteries before giving his wealth away and joining the Carmelite order of monks following the death of his wife. He actually died on Easter Sunday in 1431 and was later beatified in 1918 by Pope Benedict XV.
Whether any parallels can be drawn between the quest for Portuguese independence and Brexit is another matter entirely. Whilst Lisbon survived a siege early in the conflict thanks to England sending four ships laden with food (though only one got through), the current British Government appears to have been under siege since it triggered Article 50. The country is still divided on the issue and neither side on the Brexit argument has subsequently been convinced by the other that they made the right decision.
It seems the argument will continue to be conducted by attempting to scare the other side into submission or just hoping it will go away in order to return to a quiet life. The latest surreal stunt of throwing dead fish into the Thames by the Ukipper who shall not be named as proof that the final deal will ultimately be a stitch-up is just one in long line of Red Herrings. Perhaps the parting words of the EU in the yet to be written ‘A Hitchhikers Guide to Brexit‘ will just be unerringly similar to the Douglas Adams classic ‘So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish’ as the UK is cast adrift towards Trump’s America to make way for a European bypass…
I should add, particularly with regard to the Jorge Mendes article, I’ve been careful not to make any unsubstantiated claims about any individuals and much of what I have highlighted derives from investigative journalism and previously published articles in newspapers that were carefully sourced. So just to remind everyone that any comments on specific individuals shouldn’t be based on hearsay or rumour.
Quite inspirational Werder I honestly don’t know how you think of it all.
OFB
Maybe surprising to some, but Portuguese is the fourth most spoken language in the World. But when one considers the size and population of Brazil, the Portuguese former colonies of Angola and Mozambique, the far eastern connection and discovery of Macao, and the Indian island of Goa, perhaps not so surprising after all. Anyone who has visited the Tower of Belem just outside of Lisbon, will have been impressed about The Age of Discoverers column. Finally, the patron saint of Portugal is St George as one is well made aware of on visiting Castelo de Sao Jorge which affords spectacular views of Lisbon and the Rio Tejo, the Tagus.
⚽️⚽️
Thanks for this Werder – some interesting background and quality writing!
Exmil That was just eye-opening I loved every sentence.
Thanks but I am confused lol
Come on BORO.
Sorry, Exmil. Thought the Mendes story eye-opening and loved the history lesson.
borobrie, so did I but credit should go to werdermouth.
Come on BORO.
EXMIL CHALLENGE 2018 Part 2
Just a gentle reminder that entries are to be posted before 1300 on Friday 30 March, so far 11 out of 18 received.
Come on BORO.
Great read Werder, and having just found out that the game is on the telly, what a wonderful start to the big match bild up.
I think we will win and it will be a high scoring game so 3-2 to us .
Wow. What a lot to take in. Loved the discourse on Portugal and making some parallels with Brexit, very interesting.
Anyway, Friday is almost upon us and we are back to football…
Following your lead about the Holy Spirit and St Thomas, isn’t our chairman an old boy of St. Thomas’ (once on Highfield Road) – I know I am, So maybe that’s another good omen for the game … 3-1 to Boro on the day.
Good old Saint Thommo’s
Wow I had to go for a lie down after reading all that Werder!
Excelled yourself again!
Werder that was great and hope I get it right this time.
No disrespect Exmil
I only hope I have not sent my Emill challenge to Gazette Towers…!!!
No it’s safe with me lol.
Come on BORO.
Impressive is an understatement Werder. Great work.
I can’t imagine how tough that must have been for you. Stringing two or three seemingly alien articles together – the match preview, Mendes and England v Portugal – yet making them relate to one another is quite the achievement.
It’s the biggest challenge I face in my own writing. I tend to come up with a series of random ideas – the challenge, as such, is to find a beginning, an end, a structure, a flow, and to ditch anything that, however much I love it, doesn’t fit. It’s a very loose style which has made a few of my Talking Points more difficult to write than they ought to have been.
Essentially, I always try to avoid what you yourself have managed to avoid – the Father Ted Christmas Special trap. That is to say, the fundamental flaw in that very episode, highlighted by writer Arthur Mathews: that it felt like two episodes strung together without a proper, convincing connection. I think he’s right in saying that the arrival of Todd Unctious didn’t seem to belong in the same show as the priests getting lost in the department store.
Simon
That Todd Unctious reference reminded me of Boro’s midfield and strikers under Garry Monk as in not seeming to belong in the same side together!
He wasn’t strong enough a coach to find a voice for his Boro side, as one of my previous Talking Points suggested. GHW was on to something when he said it was part of the cycle of football, but the best coaches and managers still bring something to the team that makes it uniquely theirs.
Even that, however, is just a point of view. If Tony Mowbray has signed more than half the promotion winning XI, and Gibson has provided not just the money but also his own signings, is it wholly an Aitor Karanka Promotion? Certainly not, but being as desperate for attention and recognition as he was (see my last Talking Point) made the Basque man so divisive. Some loved the foundations, the results, the nice guy image (if you were nice to him, and if you weren’t, his fans would say you didn’t have to trigger him in the first place) and the progressive elements (Tomlinho, Bamford, Gaston pre Gasgone, Adama). Others vehemently disliked his manner and the football itself.
It could be a Basque thing – in that part of Spain, “faith” and “hard work”, trumped all else, as Javier Clemente proved. If you disliked his manner – and many did – he’d surely do an Aitor and jab his finger at a 58% win rate for the national team.
We need to go unbeaten until the end of the season. So Tony Pulis have something to prove here. And especially do the players.
I will go for a narrow 2-1 win for the mighty Boro. Ayala and Traore to score.
Up the Boro!
Pulis must be plural. Or I got mixed up somehow. Sorry for typos. UTB!
A marathon read Werder but well worth it. As Simon pointed out putting those three pieces together is some effort. Especially liked the Anglo-Portugese alliance one as history is my bag as it were.
The piece on Mendes highlights what has gone wrong with the finances of the modern game. I’ll leave it at that as I’ve taken heed of your warning post above Werder.
Onto Friday and as much as it pains me to admit I’m pretty confident of a Boro win so expect one of those Typical Boro performances that rear up and bite us on the backside😕.
While checking out the Friday Championship fixtures I’ve just found out the kick off time is 17:30 UK time as opposed to my originally thinking it was 19:45. With the clocks going forward last weekend as well it means kick off is a very sociable 19:30 here in the land of sand. Hopefully that isn’t the only good thing about Friday’s game.
Its on Bein so you should be able to watch it.
Great read Werder. How ever do you find the time. Must have a very understanding Mrs W!
Unfortunately, as far as Friday is concerned, I am not feeling confident at all as I think the day is ideally set up for a “typical boro” outcome.
All the other teams will have completed their games before we kick off and we will know the results. It is an opportunity to cement our spot in sixth place and also an opportunity to beat the league leaders and send a message to the rest of the division. What could possibly go wrong!!
On a more serious note, I am conscious that so far we have failed to beat any of the teams above us, and whilst we are now more effective and organised under TP we have, with the exception of the Leeds game, failed to perform for a full ninety minutes and totally dominated the opposition in my view.
Despite the improvements seen, I am not convinced that we have the wherewithal to outplay and beat some of the better teams unless both Traore and Besic make major contributions. If they do not then where is the creativity going to come from?
My heart says Boro can do it but I will have to go with my head and my Exmil challenge prediction – Boro 0-1 Wolves. I hope I am wrong as I will be seeing my Wolves supporting golfing buddy on Monday and really don’t want to hear him gloating even more!
CoB prove me wrong please and make it a good start to Easter.
Haven’t had time to contribute over the past few weeks but have greatly enjoyed all of the many high-quality contributions that make this the best blog around.
So special thanks to Bob for his last two excellent interviews, to Simon for his very interesting and stimulating piece ( and for his very generous name checks. Thanks Si), and to Werder for international- class research and writing. His current three linked articles constitute as impressive a piece of reporting as can be found anywhere.
Indeed the blog as a whole continues to be my first port of call every day for all sport, football and Boro related issues.
And can I give a shout for Werder’s piece which gave a brilliant and prophetic account of the background issues which illuminate the current Cambridge Analytica scandal, and which he made available here over a year ago. Click on to his name on the sidebars to see it.
Quality writing and analysis on this blog wherever you look.
Many thanks.
2-1’s a fair scoreline to predict. It is typical of Boro to pull a performance out of the hat that you don’t expect, be it getting tanked by Villa or giving Chelsea a bashing.
Looking back at the reverse fixture, it was a massive opportunity missed. Wolves were still finding themselves. So were we, admittedly, but it could have gone either way.
It was a typical AKBoro, or even MoggaBoro, “sucker punch away defeat”. That is to say, shade or dominate possession, while creating not a lot of clear cut chances, but enough to fill the highlights and convince many a fan that had those chances gone in, the result would have been very different indeed.
Shades of Doncaster A just after Mogga took charge, where a Steele howler gifted Donny the win seconds after Kris Boyd missed a sitter. Rotherham A under AK, where Nuge missed two chances you’d expect him to score and Gaston’s free kick hit the inside of the post, before Fry failed to cut out the ball and… you know.
Wolves A under Monk? An Ayala howler gifts them their winner while Braithwaite misses what looks like a sitter and Britt blows a one-on-one.
Bad luck, though? No, more an inability to score. If you don’t score you’re a hostage to fortune.
Lambs 0 Wolves 2
Keith Lamb? UTB!
This is a tough test for Wolves.
I think that Traore is a strong lad and will show his class in a very good display by the team in which the usual suspects will star i.e. Traore Bamford Downing, Besic etc.
Thank you kindly, Len!
Just to let you know, there were at least two references to your writings. The second was to Ferguson, the first to the “gilt-edged” chances.
I actually wrote “Guilt-edged” originally, before editing it. Because I think I remembered, all too well, the “guilt-edged” chances that forward-thinking players missed under AK that supposedly could have changed games.
As Len wisely pointed out, rather than being encouraged for creating, they were being slated for missing.
For AK, and in fairness, for many big shot managers, the surety of the result has always trumped the beauty of the game, and we ourselves witnessed the consequences when things didn’t go according to plan. (See also: Mourinho, Ferguson and their tantrums.)
Alas, since Boro and consistency don’t usually go together, I was all too happy to embrace this, thinking not of the limits for expression in our system but more of how the tactics were always one chance taken or one fewer slip away from working.
Even at Wembley… what if Vossen’s shot had gone in, or Dimi and Ayala hadn’t gotten in a muddle? But the pattern of the game afterwards merely showed up our failure to adapt.
As time goes by, it’s become increasingly clear that AK was more obsessed about proving that his methodology worked than the fortunes of the team.
Ties in nicely with the selfish element of football, really.
Just catching up, so belated thanks to Werder for a cleverly linked triple. We all keep saying it time and again: how do you find the time and the inspiration?
Plato
I think we need all 11 (or14) to be at their best, otherwise I fear GHW’s prediction will be right.
It’s crunch time now.
Steely
It’s a given that everyone will have to bring their best game to the party, but I have never seen a decent team that did not have two or three who were simply better than their team mates.
This is true even in great teams now, De Bruine anyone.
Having said that, I take your point, that we want no one cruising in the hope that Traore will win the match for us.
Werder
Absolutely brilliant and Premiership quality.
You have taken the writing on this blog to new standards of the highest quality and for that I thank you.
OFB
So what do I think about dancing with Wolves ?
Well talking to a lot of our current coaches and past coaches and past players last night they are all supremely confident.
All are enthusiastic about the role that Tony Pulis has played in getting Adama Traore to play to the highest quality.
Woody said that TP must shout Adamah at least 50 Times a day during training sessions but that the lad seems to be taking it all on board.
Both Curtis and Woody had a lot of praise for TP amd said he was the best manager they had ever worked with. The difference was how every day he worked on the shape of the team. Some managers only spent two days on shape but TP works on it constantly to the players know instinctively what they have to do.
It’s fair to say that we can see that In the style of play that is performed on the pitch these days.
I’ll go for a nervy 2-1 and will be sat on the edge of my seat !
OFB
Top article, lets see the Gazette boys pick the bones out of that!
Last night during our tour of the Riverside, we were treated to a talk from the Deputy Head of the Sports Academy Peter Hood, who has been with the club for 19 years and spoke about the important points of junior football and the MFC Academy.
He also shared a few anecdotes, although he was a bit cautious in what he said as two of the coaches that he most respected were also in attendance namely; Mark Proctor and Curtis Fleming. He rated Proctor as one of the best coaches he had ever worked with.
In answer to a question that Boro don’t appear to have many youngsters coming through he was quite emphatic in his response.
“We are a Premiership Academy and work at the highest of levels and it’s also about the youngsters we’ve had in here. We are an OFSTED regulated operation and we pass all the stringent rules and requirements that are placed on us. We encourage youngsters and sometimes they don’t make it at MFC, but I’m pleased to say that one of the lads we had with us is going to Wembley with Stockton Town F.C.
We work hard with our lads and that historically comes from the talent that we’ve got; the Ben Gibson’s and the Stewart Downing’s, the local talent that has come through. Sometimes they don’t make it because they don’t have the heart or have had their mind taken elsewhere. We had one of our lads who left us and went to Scotland. He realised he needed to get away from the area and even sold his car so he couldn’t get home from Scotland. He is now on the verge of joining Rangers and looks to have made the grade and we are so proud of him.
Our own Stuart Downing was brilliant on the ball but would never make a tackle to get it. We had to bully him and provoke him to get a result and in my opinion is the finest graduate of our Academy.
We love helping and making footballers locally. That’s a passion that is echoed from the Chairman and our academy’s statement, about giving the people of Teesside the opportunity.”
I asked Peter one of the questions that has been mooted on Diasboro previously, namely do the Juniors, U18, U21& U23 teams play in the formation and style of the first team. He shook his head and said,
“We can’t do that because we have players here who will never play for the first team. Also when we have a change of manager who dictates what style of play the first team plays we would have to keep changing and we can’t really do that in the time we have during their development.”
“We also send players out on loan to other clubs to help with their development and to try to make men out of them and ready for the rigours of the first team squad.”
It was an interesting talk and hopefully we will see some of these youngsters in the first team soon. Hope you all enjoyed this report.
OFB
OFB
Great feedback, really interesting back ground information.
Were there any Gazette lads there. I suppose not.
No doubt we will get suitable ‘if we could ask’ questions’ such as
‘Is it possible to have another bun with the soup?
‘Can we have roasts as well as mash?’
‘Can we have ice cream as well as custard?’
‘Can we have pudding and cheese and biscuits?’
‘Where are the toilets?”
This would of course be split over several days and articles. It may even be a tripe supper. How appropriate.
🙂
Keep it up OFB, and Werder, and RR and Simon.
Absolute pleasure to have a critical’ fair minded forum. Now where is my sand paper? Anyone know what grit the Aussies used?
I know one thing Ian, it certainly wasn’t any of that true Yorkshire grit. Maybe it was some of that distinctive local whin(ge)stone peculiar to the Antipodes. Whatever it was you can be assured it was most certainly coarse grade.
Werder,
An encyclopaedic report and an encyclopaedic read. Brilliant. A lot of threads to pull together, should that be Pulis together, and I will read it all again. Excellent. Challenging stuff on DiasBoro like.
Seriously excellent work. But where are the five things we should know about Wolves? And where are the bullet points?
Sorry.
UTB,
John
A little off topic, maybe. But.
Derry-Londonderry and Middlesbrough.
A small city and town, very, very proud of their local identity, whether it be built on shirt factories or steel.
We treasure our moments in the limelight, as a city of culture, as a small town in Europe, as the centre of an enormously popular recent sitcom. And much more.
“We Shall Overcome” is a very important song to us.
And I hear there’s a pub called The Derry in Stockton.
Perhaps, just perhaps, my long association with Boro isn’t such a surprise after all.
There is, of course, also Londonderry, near Leeming and Bedale which is in the catchment area for the Boro I think.
The lady I sit next to is from the Leeming area and she comes with a coach load full of people in the surrounding area who sit in the east stand.
Radio 5 is coming live from Middlesbrough this morning.
Werder, your most brilliant article yet, a Triple Header you might say.
Also love history so enjoyed the England / Portugal take.
Unfortunately I am with KP in that I do not feel too confident in getting a result against the League leaders so no prediction from me again.
I think it will be all down to how the mid- field performs. A display from them like last time out and we will get rolled over, so I expect Grant to be back to hopefully give a little more bite in that area. Howson will also have to up his game if he is picked. We might see Clayton instead?
So let’s hope for a stormer from Adama and Paddy back to scoring ways. Also hope Ayala is fit and well.
The Semana Santa procession week is well under way here in the south and Friday is austere out in las Calles, hopefully not in the Riverside.
EXMIL CHALLENGE 2018 Part 2
For the 4 who are to still post their predictions for Part 2, my girlfriend is taking me somewhere for the day and night, as my birthday treat (mystery tour or St Lukes) so don’t worry if I don’t post “Recorded” as long as your entry is post marked before 1300 hrs tomorrow. I will of course be back for the match but I may not have time to check posts. Hoping Boro give me a belated birthday gift of 3 points tomorrow.
Come on BORO.
Many happy returns Exmil
Enjoy the day (and the night !)
Have a good one Exmil!
exmil,
Happy Birthday. Hope you have a great time.
I second Len’s comments. Have a great birthday.
And I third them! Have a great day.
Happy Birthday Exmil!
Werder, thanks for excellent stuff you wrote for us to enjoy. I have not yet read all – I will save two parts for my return flight mhome tomorrow morning.
I try to do the challenge tomorrow, Exmill. And congratulations for your birthday. I hope the team gives you three points tomorrow!
And what can possibly go wrong tomorrow? Wolves haven’t won on Teesside since 1951 – a run of 25 matches…
Up the Boro!
Superb mini book Werder. So much information, I had two cups of tea while reading your great article. Brilliant !
Exmil
Many happy returns, have you started taking a year off your age yet?
A year or two off your age ?
I’ve stsrted taking a blooming decade off mine !
OFB
No, I am 67 years young and still enjoy going for a run, although at the moment I am only doing 3 miles.
Come on BORO.
Important as the Wolves game is, I think it will be our away form that will determine our fate come the end of the season.
A heartening, confidence boosting win tomorrow will count for little if we can’t beat Burton. That is surely a must-win game. And we have to get something out of the Sheffield U game. Derby follows in close order. Our recent away form doesn’t have me brimming with confidence for those games, and unless there is a marked improvement I don’t see us finishing any higher than eighth.
The Forest game is squeezed between these fixtures. Aitor will be keen to shut us out, and it will surprise few Boro fans if he manages to do so.
If I’m erring on the side of caution it’s because I find it infinitely sad that a team like Brentford, decimated by injuries to key players, with a fraction of our budget, and with a mixture of home-grown and lower league players can play us off the park in terms of positive, progressive and creative football, whilst we have to rely on discipline, muscle, the long ball, and loads of luck. Oh, and the hope of a bit of individual inspiration from either Traore or Bamford.
I can take that if we’re playing Man City or Liverpool. But Brentford? Surely we are entitled to expect, given the amount spent on this team, that we can out-football rather than simply out-muscle teams at this level.
That’s why i find the Burton fixture so fascinating. Young Cloughie, like his Dad, clearly still believes in fairies, That you can continue to play a positive passing game in spite of playing opponents who have infinitely greater resources than you have. I not only fancy the Boro to win there. They have to win there. But it will be an ironic, and perhaps even shameless spectacle to see a relatively big club like the Boro set out to stop comparative minnows from playing the game in the proper way.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Boro rise to the occasion, play well tomorrow, and get something out of the game. I tipped us to lose in the exmil challenge, so I’ll stick with that and go along with GHW’s 0-2.
But whatever happens, it’s those away fixtures which will hold the key to the season.
Spot on about Brentford Len and our game against them. It makes you wonder what they have and we don’t?
Great post Len and the points you make are spot on. Like you, given what we have seen under both GM and TP then eighth place is about right. Can they prove us wrong!!
It goes without saying that Boro’s record this season against the current top 5 clubs is pretty appalling with only 2 points gained from 24 on offer to date. Even with wins against Wolves at home tomorrow and away to Derby next month would only make a total of 8 points out of 30 against the other top 5 clubs. Contrast that with the 21 out of 30 against the other top 5 clubs in our promotion season, or even the 17 out of 30 in the season before, and it’s obvious that with similar results this season we’d have probably been in 2nd place at this time of the season. Strangely in our promotion season though we lost at Blackburn, Charlton and Rotherham and only drew at MK Dons, all clubs subsequently relegated, yet have had little trouble with the bottom teams this season.
I had tomorrow’s match down as a draw in the Exmill Challenge, but the fact that Wolves have so far won eleven away matches this season and have only 4 defeats, plus the fact that they must be due a win on Teesside soon has me a little concerned that Boro might lose that unbeaten run tomorrow.
Ken
The fact that Wolves haven’t won here since I was a child has me worried too. It’s Friday and on TV, Pulis has a good record against them. Just the right scenario for “typical” Boro to turn up. I hope I’m wrong.
I also go along with Len’s thinking.
I’m with the OFB’s eyes in the sky for a draw. A perishing Boro 1 – 1 Wolves but a bit of brilliance from Bamford or Traore… and who knows, but the midfield and defence will have to be on absolute top form from the start.
Goes without saying really and the whole team will have to be at them, intimidating them and in their faces.
UTB,
John
Ken
Cas won at Trinity, is that an omen.
A double would be nice.
I went for a Boro win in the exmil challenge to try and invoke the gods of fair play.
We have seen Australian cricket implode due in no small part from their belief that the were RIGHT whatever the right may be.
We started the season without a settled team up or formation. Wolves scored and were comfortable.
Lets see what tomorrow brings.
I have heard that the team today is normal back 5 with Besic, Leadbitter, Clayton, Downing, Bamford and Traore.
Come on BORO.
Werder, yet another history lesson (my favourite subject) along with an in depth piece on the shady dealings that are endemic in the game today, sadly. Well done that man and cap off in respect, in my humble opinion I reckon that this blog is even better than its predecessor and very much more informative, we even get the chance to throw the ‘C’ word in every now and then.
Any way, as usual no prediction from me, just an expectation to ‘do one’ on the opposition. Spoilt for choice today down under, BeIn are broadcasting the mighty Oxford taking on Sunny Scunny in the early game, followed by a decent fixture with Brentford v Sheff Utd, so hopefully Len we’ll get to see what Brentford are about and with a bit of luck take all three points.
The big one, I’m afraid, will have to be taped and watched when I arise first thing tomorrow morning seeing as the kick off is an ungodly hour of the morning, warnings will be posted pointing out that anyone revealing the result will be stood against the wall and dispatched. There again, I might be pushing my luck watching three football matches on the trot and hogging the telly (well, at least one of them), it could be me up against the wall!
I agree, far better forum than under AV. Big sporting day for me also following attritional Wakey v Cas game last night. Consecutive RL matches of Hull derby, Saints v Wigan, then Boro v Wolves. Don’t know how Martin Bellamy and I will cope!
Ken, how the hell do we cope, it’s such a tough life!
Boro live pn telly also in Finland. Happy days 😀
Up the Boro!
FINAL WARNING
Less than 2 hours until the book closes, jarkko and werdermouth yours are the only entries not received.
Come on BORO.
Does Jarkko watching the game live in Finland kind of count as him being present? Its just that we could do with the good luck he brought over with him continuing for a few more games.
Would like to think so RR
Nice read with my favourite point being the comparison of Mendes and Zuckerberg.
I would also add historically this distribution of wealth is nothing new other than the fact that we are actually living through this era. In fact it is statistically flatter than ever but that’s another matter.
Scratching my balding head on today. Absolutely no idea which way it’ll go. Heavy defeat or heavy win?!
3-0
UTB
I’ve been busy travelling since Wednesday and then yesterday mainly visiting various family members – plus even managed a few hours in Whitby. After a trip to the woods at Pinchinthorpe this mornings just managed to boot up the laptop and check out the blog and quickly do my Exmil Challenge.
So many thanks for all the comments on the articles and glad many of you enjoyed them – they are all very much appreciated! I’d only planned to write a match preview and thought I’d start early but after looking into Jorge Mendes and reading many articles about related issues it grew into a separate entity – as did some initial research into the origins of the name ‘Nuno’ and the rather interesting story of 14th century Portuguese succession. Hopefully it will make up for the fact that I’ll only have time to post up a brief Burton match preview as we’re heading back to Germany on Sunday afternoon.
Lots of interesting comments to catch up on and I’ll try to reply to some of them later – will be off to the Riverside today with some family members to catch the game before heading quickly back for more gatherings so hopefully the game will leave me in suitably good mood this evening. Apparently I should be lucky today as I was crapped on by a seagull at Whitby yesterday – though still uncertain as to why that was deemed lucky, but at least it missed my fish and chips 🙂
I think I’ll go for a 3-2 win today, even though I’ve erred on the side of caution in the Exmil challenge with a draw. Goals from Ayala, Besic and Adama.
Hope you enjoy it !
OFB, what you meant by it? The hit by the seagul, perhaps.
UTB!
It’s just ssssssshhhhhh
Jarkko
Oletko varma, että lokki jätti jonkin verran paskaa?
OFB
Weirder
You think it missed your fish and chips.
OFB, where has you learned Finnish? I know Len has lived a while in Finland but you, too?
UTB!
I’m a man of many talents all of them useless !
OFB
Olen monien kykyjen mies, kaikki heistä hyödytöntä!
OFB
Werder
I was similarly dealt with by a Seagull in Scarborough years ago and I have had lots of luck since, all of it bad.
As usual, expecting the worst today but hoping for better.
Apparently the game is over and we won 3-2 according to this website, may be subject to change I suspect but I will happily take the omen!
http://www.livesoccertv.com/match/2519435/middlesbrough-vs-wolverhampton-wanderers/
I see that Millwall are doing rather well against AK’s mob, the form team is now only one point below us in the table, hopefully it will be at least four by the close of play if we get a Forest comeback.
Werder, like yourself and Steely, me and Mrs. PP were subjected to an offload by a Whitby gull (NO, not Gill!) whilst sat on a bench. We immediately went off to buy lottery tickets along with lots and lots of water to wash away the mess. Trust me, you can wash away the mess but, the smell sticks for days despite numerous showers per day. Not only did the water not do the trick, neither did the deposit from the gull in improving our luck in the lottery. You honestly wouldn’t think that so much stuff could come from such a small orifice, I’m not even going there with comparisons!
I hope that you enjoy your afternoon and that you get a Jaarko return for your money. Belated birthday wishes Exmil and fingers crossed that you get the same result as Werder from today’s game, I’m 63 and the only way I cover three miles is in the car.
RR, who were the scorers in the 3-2 win, I want to put a bet on?
There’s plenty of meat on a seagull. I wonder what they taste like. Has anyone tried to BBQ one?
If at some stage it stops raining this weekend, I will be stoking up the BBQ in deepest Leyburn but, no, not to cook seagull. What a thought! Almost enough to make one a vegetarian. Almost……..
Well if Exmil is correct with his inside info, I did predict this possibly, then it looks like TP is going to play it tight, clog up the middle and rely on Adama to sprint forward, beat ten players and then play in Paddy for a one on one. Will he put it wide of the Goalkeeper or the post?
Two one to us lot.
Happy birthday, Exmil.
Apologies OFB for being late with thanks for your night out comments.
Interesting and informative. I was also going to ask what happened to Peter Kenyon and assistance to MFC. Bigger fish to fry may be?
Thank you, Peter who ?
Results of teams below us have generally favoured us so we need at least a point but ideally three to start opening up a gap on those chasing us.
CoB it’s in your hands! 😎
Well true to form against one of the top teams, well I accept top by a margin.
Boro just not at the races, midfield once again woeful with the full backs looking ponderous.
My oh my, what will TP do with this poor bunch when the summer comes.
Well what a let down so far after a fairly bright start.
I predicted a “typical boro” outcome and unless we have a miracle in the second half then that’s what it will be.
Bamford isolated and little impact from Besic, Traore and Downing!
So, 11-man Boro can’t even salvage a draw against 9-man Wolves with 30 minutes to go. I give up. *shakes head* Typical Boro…
I must say I enjoyed the excitement of the last 15 minutes of the match if only for the excellent defending by Wolves, almost on a par with Cas last night against Wakefield. But didn’t Boro make it a little easy for Wolves with wayward shooting and missed goalscoring opportunities.
One thing for certain after today’s performance and that is we will still be in the championship next season. A few players found wanting today. Grant / Stewart / Adam / George .
And add a few more to them BraveHeart
Hit the wrong button, so to continue.
1. Wolves were a very good team, but lacked discipline when they perceived that decisions went against them.
2. I can’t understand why Pulis dropped Howson because it left Bamford too isolated.
3. Traore was magnificent especially on the left wing, but didn’t see enough of the ball in the first half.
4. Boro, not only can’t beat the better teams in this division, but can’t score against them either as 2 goals scored in 9 matches against the current top five would indicate. If we are to reach the playoffs, how are we going to beat them? Maybe like Huddersfield did last season by penalty shootouts?
5. I think we will be saying goodbye to Traore at the end of the season as he’s too good for a Championship team.
6. In the event that miracles do happen and we get promoted, how many of the current players would be first team players? Maybe 3 or 4? Because in my opinion most of them would be an embarrassment.
I think you are being generous Ken…..there or four. Adama if he continues to progress, Randolf at a push. Not even Ben on this seasons performances.
Unbelievably SAFC 2-0 up against a Derby going through their annual promotion implosion
Make that 1-2 at half-time, with Ashley Fletcher bagging one of the Mackems’ goals! *fingers crossed*
Yes KP, as we forecast, Typical Boro are still alive and kicking, sideways of course!
The Huffing and Puffing was done by Boro but couldn’t blow Wolves defence down …
The frustrating thing was that in the last minutes they finally started playing short passes and little chips into the box and they looked like scoring every time. Before that it was pretty thoughtless. In the end we could have sneaked a point. Downing has to be able to get that shot on target after Bamford’s drive was blocked.
Traore looked top quality throughout the game even if his first half was a bit quiet.
Bamford got better with hmore service and his finish was top drawer.
Thanks to Sunderland! MILLWALL was the only side to win from the whole bunch of teams chasing 5th and 6th spot.
Monday is a must win, I feel but, to be honest, are we good enough.
I spoke to Patrick Bamford after the game who said he was off to Rockliffe to soak in the warm spa. He wasn’t bragging as he was in a lot of pain with his scraped side and bruised ribs. This happened in the first half when he was fouled and didn’t get the free kick.
He was annoyed with himself for slipping and not scoring a second goal in the second half.
OFB
A damp squib. The fatal flaw is still there of lack of points against top teams.
Redcar Red has just posted his match report of Boro’s defeat to the Championship leaders – despite the invoking of the two-player handicap rule to try and even the contest…
https://diasboro.club/2018/03/28/championship-boro-vs-wolves/#MatchReport
RR
Great match report as usual and how I saw it as well.
I didn’t like the way that wolves surrounded the ref with 3-4 players demanding a card be given instead of just a free kick for a foul .
Our formation was all wrong and the midfield unbalanced and no support for Bamford
I’ve said it before but I’m afraid Leadbitter has lost pace and cannot sustain his place in the side
Besic had his poorest game for us so far and Downing was guilty of wild shots on goal to no effect
It says something when we can’t beat 9 men when playing them for nearly thirty minutes !
A nasty nasty team with an even nastier manager who wildly celebrated T the end and made gestures to the fans in the west stand when he left the pitch
The referee Stuart Attwell had a great game
So we need 3 points on Monday and another 3 next Saturday and so on
We are a poor side and the sooner this season is finished the better
OFB
OFB
A good summary and my sentiments exactly.
Agree with Redcar Red’s analysis and most of the comments elsewhere. But Wolves a nasty team, really? They’re much higher than Boro in the ‘fair play’ league. I just think that having seen some decisions go against them, they lost their heads. Leadbitter should have been red-carded in the first half for his cynical tackle and that set the tone for Wolves second half retribution (how I hate the expression ‘taking one for the team’). I’m not condoning any team taking retribution, but Boro are certainly no shrinking violets either. For instance, if Traore was a Wolves player, I bet that Boro would have adopted the same tactics as most teams do in stopping him. What can’t be disputed though is that Boro are light years behind Wolves in technique and that Boro certainly do not deserve promotion ahead of the likes of Fulham or Villa either, but I very much doubt we’ll make the playoffs anyway.
Ken
4-5 players surrounding the referee and 6 coaches and players surrounding the 4th official demanding bookings and sending offs and obscene gestures to the crowd and coaches tussling with Boro fans does not smack of fair play.
I was there close to it all and I say it again a Nasty team and a really nasty manager
OFB
Couldn’t agree more Bob. They will not be out of place in the Premier League with their hounding of referees and the whole bench leaping up and rushing the technical area when one of their players go down. Also the time wasting, pleased that the ref booked the keeper in the first half but it didn’t seem to quicken him up.
We had no guile or way to pick our way past the defence, and our shooting is abysmal, Stewie in particular.
Well we agree I’m off to bed it’s 2 am and I’ve just watched the whole match again
Believe it or not we still got beat !
OFB
I was going to have a rant and rave ,but really there isn’t any point, I’m in my sixth decade of watching , and today was up there with the worst performances, I’ve seen us get an hammering and play better, and I say this because today i saw what I can only describe as utter incompetence,
Can someone tell me what was going on? Passing to knowhere, nine men behind the ball, l cant go on,just give the ball to Traore and the rest can basically just watch.
I hope Pulis sees today as an audition,for next season ,and if he sees what I saw, a major cull is in the works.
I didn’t want to rant, but when you rely on your fullbacks to assist in getting forward and supplying amunition,and the pair of them are absolutely out of their depth,
Big Problem.
Till next time,
I was not happy when we appointed Mr Pulis and still feel the same. I just cannot see how next season in the Championship will be any better.
Pedro
Will TP still want to be in charge next season after this season’s experiences? If he does then he has major surgery to perform and that does not bode well for getting out of this league.
I fear, as I did at the start of the season, that if we did not gain promotion this season then we would be back to square one and destined for quite a few years in the Championship.
Pedro
To be fair they are not his players and although the team selection was wrong at least there is shape and formation not what we saw under Monk
This season is going to be a write off but we can’t blame him
All the players I have spoken to and Woody and Curtis say he is the best manager they have ever worked with..
OFB
OFB
Don’t players and coaches all say that about new managers?
Everyone was waxing lyrical about AK when he first arrived and then look what happened.
I just wonder if TP will want another season in charge given his domestic circumstances. He may, however, need the money falling his court case.
The players didn’t say that about AK or Monk they were quite scathing at times and that was well before either of them left Boro
I like Pulis and I hope he’s successful because when we took over we were a collection of individuals and not a team
One thing we learned yesterday is that Clayton amd Leadbitter can’t play in the same team as a pair they are too similar in style. It worked before when Clayton played just in front of the back 4 but the midfield under performed yesterday with wayward passes and poor performances from them and Besic worst game for Boro.
They are off today and some light training at Rockliffe Sunday Morning then lunch then travel Sunday afternoon to Burton
We need to either play another striker with Bamford or find a way to get players closer to him that he can interpass with and get chances to score. The lad is still scoring and his confidence is high.
It was interesting when leaving the club last night that the Sunderland result was coming through and that Fletcher had scored. The Boro players were really pleased for him and they said he’s a great lad to have in the squad.
OFB
OFB…..whilst I appreciate that they are not his players, he did have the January window to improve the overall squad.
His additions as difficult as it is, have not improved the area were we are really lacking. That of creativity. Yes he has improved Adama to be a possible 15 mil sale in the summer, but Besic is only an upgrade on what we have and the other two???
Did TP really believe he could get into the playoff with this lot?
No I don’t really believe he thought he had the right players in the squad
January is a difficult time to bit players and always pay over the odds
It also takes time to evaluate what you have
I still think he’s the man for the job
Next season is the decider
OFB
Thanks to Redcar Red for another interesting and absorbing match report, which accurately highlighted what was almost a return to previous unadventurous midfield tactics of old with an isolated forward laying-off the ball to invisible supporting team-mates. OK, Wolves were a solid team with some seriously solid-looking players but Boro couldn’t find a way to trouble them with Adama seemingly waiting on the touchline for a pass that rarely arrived in the first-45.
Too many players were not at their best with Besic well below par and Downing looking like he’ll never hit a shot on target again. Though by far the most disappointing aspect was the lack of nous displayed by the team when playing Wolves for 25 minutes. Instead of utilising their advantage by overloading out wide or finding the space to move into, much of the time was spent either tapping it sideways amongst themselves or attempting extravagant long passes to team-mates on their own. Their goal should have been peppered but Boro appeared confused as to what to do – also just as bad was that when Boro gifted Wolves the ball, their nine men were able to pass it among themselves often unchallenged and in space.
So a missed opportunity yesterday in what should probably have been a point minimum and perhaps more – the only saving grace was that the other teams (bar my tip for the play-offs many weeks ago, Millwall) all failed to win. Saw the second half of Derby getting thrashed at home by Sunderland and it should have been at least a 6-goal drubbing, which for me puts them out of the picture as they’re off-form and have many games against top 8 teams to play.
My other complaint was that being in the East stand meant Traore spent the whole game as a distant figure as he was only deployed dugout side for the entire match – in my previous game against Brentford I think Adama was subbed at half-time after also playing dugout side too. So yet to see him up-close and personal!
RR
Thanks for the report. I watched the match with my son, in attendance were Mrs G , our daughter and Alex’s girlfriend.
Pre match texts from John Powls talked of a negative approach. It was back to windscreen passing but the worst part was my wife, who has little knowledge of football, asking silly questions.
I will outline a few.
‘why is that player all by himself?’
‘Why aren’t there more red shirts in the box?’
‘If they only have nine men, why don’t we kick it in to the goal area?’
‘If they are so well paid and train so much why cant they pass to each other or shoot?’
‘Don’t they work on tactics?’
Stunning simplicity.
Great match report again RR.
I can only echo what others have already said.
If we finish in the play offs, it will be by default and not that we are a good team.
Very disappointing but no surprise. When I saw the starting 11 I thought that’s a forward thinking 433 formation. How wrong was I. It was a rehash of last season but replace Negrado with Paddy as there wasn’t a Boro player anywhere near PB to help and support him for at least the first hour.
Once again, as in the top flight, lack of concentration cost us dearly. Not covering our left and right back positions gave Wolves the time and space to work the ball into the box for their first. Good finish though. For the second just rank bad marking and letting their player get a free nod in at the back post.
Our shooting throughout was absolutely shocking with Downing being the main culprit from what we’re very good positions.
As for the substitutions by TP well 2 of them were just garbage. Wolves 2 up and down to 10 men and he takes off Grant and brought on Howson when surely that was the time to introduce Brit. On Howson, I thought he was the worst of a bad bunch with his poor passing, tackling and just lack of contribution of anything positive. How bad would he have been if he’d actually started the game? After a poor start at Boro I thought he’d turned into the player we had seen at Leeds and Norwich but I’m afraid he’s regressed back into that poor player we saw earlier this season. And what on earth he thinks Cranie was going to do to get us back in the game I’ve no idea.
A great finish by PB for his goal but all too little too late.
As for Wolves, you can see why they’re top. Very solid defensively, Neves looked a class act until he lost the plot and going forward they were pretty much everything, Traore apart, we aren’t.
But my god their histryonics and downright dirty and cynical play by both players and management has been taken to another level. When, not if, they get promoted and they carry on like that in the premier league they won’t finish any game with 11 players on the pitch or the coaching staff on the touchline.
Yes we had Leo thumping his chest when he was here but this was deliberately orchestrated by their bench, including the manager, to try and bully the 4th official and get a reaction from the Boro dugout.
Wolves players were surrounding the ref every time a foul was committed. It was like the Durso/ Man U incident with Stewart Atwell having to step back every time he gave a free kick our way or theirs. I’m fairly(!) critical of officials but I thought he handled the Wolves bully boy tactics very well last night. Just disappointed that having booked Ruddy for time wasting in the first half he let him carry on in the same vein for the rest of the game. Just because they had 2 sent off, quite correctly, shouldn’t let the keeper get away with deliberate time wasting.
Maybe we were a bit fortunate with the George/Costa incident but not all accidental contact is a foul and that must have been the way the ref and his linesman saw it.
Onto Burton on Monday and only a win will do. 5th place Derby down to 10th place Preston separated by just 2 points means it really is squeeky bum time and goal difference may well be a factor.
One thing I didn’t mention was the man handling of the Boro stewards by the Wolves coaching staff. One coach and I term that loosely thought he would join his manager and three other coaches on the pitch over at the east stand where they were wildly celebrating. He was prevented by a burly steward who quite calmly was not having any of it but firmly led him to the tunnel and pointed down it for the coach to go down. After making three attempts more to get on the pitch he then went down.
Talking behind the scenes after the match there was a bit of a bust up In the tunnel between players amd coaches which was hardly surprising due to their attitude throughout the game.
I just fervently wish we do get promoted and play them in the Premiership amd take 6 points off them and relegate them.
They really got under my skin and hopefully the referee who I thought had an excellent game puts a report in that wolves failed to control their players and coaching staff and they get fined (and three points deducted ?)
Rant over !
OFB
FAA
I think the Friend clip of Costa’s heel would have been hard to spot for the officials especially as he was nowhere near George when he started tumbling.
With two ex Wolves players in the studio and one as match summariser I am afraid the ‘what else could he have gone for?’ is a spurious argument. It was hard enough to spot the accidental clip in slow motion replays.
Nor did Costa dive.
RR
Apologies for not saying thank you for another spot on report. At least I was able to watch last nights game.
Steely
If we end up in a play off spot it will be because our results have been better than the other teams involved. If we don’t it means they weren’t.
Imo Cardiff aren’t a “good” team footballing wise, others opinions are welcome, but they are looking like going up automatically. Brentford play a far more attractive style of football but, barring a miracle, aren’t going to reach the play offs never mind filling one of the top 2 spots.
Good can be subjective.
I don’t believe Costa dived either Ian. It was as I think the replays showed an accidental coming together. As for the 3 amigos, biased doesn’t do them justice! When Doherty got his second yellow for elbowing George in the head Goodman was pulling out all the stops to try and justify his assault on Gorgeous.
He got the second yellow for making a dissentive gesture to the referee after being booked for a forearm smash on George.
As you rightly say if it had been any other panel they would have roundly criticised wolves tactics
OFB
I thought his first yellow was for screaming in the refs face after he’d chopped Adamah down in the same incident Neves was booked. Second for the elbow on Georges head.
Yes you’re right and as a former referee it pains me to say it I GOT IT WRONG !
Cheers
OFB
Agree with the general consensus.
After the first touches of Traore ( complete panic, ball on dead ball line, in possession of Traore, wild scramble to get it clear)
Why then, did Traore have to spend most of the half standing unmarked and ignored, as his team mates scrambled and scuffled to stay in the game?
Switched yet again to the other wing in the second half, he proved yet again to be far too good for the opposition, they organised themselves to take him out of the game by three man teams hitting him in turn, the ref. Booked two of the three, but the third man hit him just as hard as the other two,
: They were serious offenders, two other players should have been sent off ( elbow in face) clearly caught on screen, we will ignore the habit of running into opponents.
As for the hassling of the ref, started early and kept on doing it.
When they were down to nine men they were out on their feet, Traore should have been moved to front centre of the box and given the ball a lot.
They were scared of him, they couldn’t foul him and he could find a pass or a shot, and he is incredibly strong.
It was from front centre that he made the best goal of the match
We cannot ignore his goal scoring by making him provide chances for other players.
His true position is centre behind the strikers, and coming in from the right he will score plenty
I’m just hugely disappointed and cannot add much to what has already been said apart from how did their coaching staff get away with everything? Amazing really and quite objectionable behaviour, I’m quite looking forward. to them getting found out next season.
OFB, was the bust-up between Boro players and their coaches?
I’ll watch the game tomorrow when I’ve calmed down.
UTB,
John
Apparently between all coaches and players had to be separated by stewards.
Pulis not involved don’t know if the ref saw it but it’s on cctv.
Just handbags at dawn !
OFB
Curtis and Woody were right up for a rumble all through the game. A lot of finger pointing !
There was an incident in the second half with Ruddy when he meandered to the hoardings to collect the ball for a goal kick taking his time and some kids were screaming at him to get a move on. Most experienced keepers are just oblivious and ignore the crowd inwardly smiling knowing they are winding people up but he decided to “verbally engage” with them which was greeted by some idiot responding by throwing a paper cup half full of drinking chocolate at him.
Two wrongs don’t make a right but like Sheffield United earlier in the season its surprising how one game can completely change your opinion of a club and not for the better. later on Coady threw the ball over the hoardings to waste time in full view of the Ref who decided to ignore it as at that point they would have been down to 8 men and in all honesty how Ruddy didn’t receive a second yellow is incredible for his time wasting antics. That said I thought Stuart Attwell had a decent game in what was very difficult circumstances for him and his three other officials.
Tactically last night was very poor made worse by it not being addressed at half time. It wasn’t working and tactically the only change was switching Adama over. When they went down to nine men our build up was slow and lacking inventiveness and belief with far too many sterile passes in passive areas. Downing and Howson were very poor, Clayts too agricultural, Grant looked to be chasing shadows and but for Randolph it could have been 1-4.
A wake up call and a reality check for the Manager and some “untouchables” who are well off the pace in more ways than one. Questions now have to be asked about Harrison, is he a wonder kid or another Carlos de Pena? I would stick Stewy in the No.10 role with Harrison or Johnson out wide with Traore on the other side. At least centrally he can pick out passes because he can’t rip teams apart on the flanks and simply getting wide and hitting in hopeless crosses isn’t adding any value when we have a lone Striker. His corner kicks and shooting are worse than woeful so use what little he has left to the best of his ability and introduce some pace in the side.
Having Adama as the sole attacking threat isn’t enough, when we win possession and break Adama aside it is a slow meandering sideways build up which is like watching paint dry. It’s fine against the bottom feeders but the reason we have failed all season to make an impression against any side in the top half. Is there a role for Fabio to play as a wide player in front of George with Adama Right?
RR
Spot on I agree with all of that. Fabio playing higher up i like that idea
I spoke to Fabio after the game and he said he’s got and ready to play !
OFB
The one redeeming factor after the game, was TP pointing out ,we lacked quality, and if anything else at least he gets it,
We are nothing more than an average championship team that could finish ,sixth or eleventh?
The scary thing is, we can’t induce those players you need that make the difference anymore ,no Premiership player at the top of his game will come, even from a midtable club.
You need three players who are above championship level ,they make the difference?
Can I mention, Ramirez, Stuani, Gibson promotion season.
I imagine that all the Wolves coaching staff are of a Latin temperament and as such show their feelings more than the more stoic Anglo-Saxon would, especially if they feel they have a grievance. I thought the referee was weak and too lenient in allowing incidents to fester. Leadbitter should have been shown a red card early on; he hasn’t the skill nor pace to get the ball from a pacy opponent so he cynically takes the players legs. I bet this sort of treatment has happened to Wolves players most of this season (it regularly happens to Traore as well) and when it happens time and time again, the Latin temperament becomes over theatrical. I’m not condoning it but can see why they show such histrionics. We know well that Leo had such tendencies at times; he was a passionate man and we loved him for it, but sometimes passion needs to be controlled.
Nevertheless we are usually fair minded people, and whatever Pulis or any of our staff may or may not have said to Nuno or his staff during the match should not stop handshakes at the final whistle. I’ve always found the Portuguese to have a ‘piadistical’ approach to life especially at Carnaval, but sometimes a melancholy outlook when things don’t go their way so am somewhat surprised how things unfolded yesterday.
Nasty piece of work who had instructed 4 of his coaches to surround linesman and fourth official protesting at every decision they didn’t agree with.
I’ve worked in Spain for two years and Argentina for two years so I understand amd like the Latin temperament.
Yesterday was cynical amd then his coaches turned on the Boro fans sat
Next to them and also tussled with the stewards and then continued scuffling in the tunnel
That isn’t Latin passion it’s thuggery and I saw it live
Sorry Ken but I don’t accept any remarks to make their actions appear acceptable because they weren’t
OFB
Totally agree with you on this Bob.
Passion is one thing and yes Leo did over step the mark occasionally, but bullying of officials and goading the opposition coaching staff and manager are separate things entirely. Neither is it professionalism nor gamesmanship.
What part of the world you hail from certainly shouldn’t be used to try and excuse such appalling behavior.
Ken
There is no player as good as Traore in this entire league.
They planned his treatment, three men one behind the other, each hit him as he left them for dead. Non of them are that good.
The ref booked the first two, but the last thug got away with it by laying on the ground and hoping to get the foul.
Ofb
Every thing you say about the open thuggery of the wolves team is correct, it started at the kick off and got more open as the match progressed.
The ref. Did very well in the sending off of two players and the booking of, who knows how many of them?
Two others escaped sending off ( elbowing) . They used the elbow in the face all the match( I think that they call it ” jumping for the ball” )
It’s a mistake anyone could make i suppose, after all not every one has had lectures on the human anatomy.
What was more disturbing was their open aggression towards the ref. Fully supported by their equally unpleasant backroom team.
The ref could and should have sent them to the stand instantly.
The open defiance of the ref. By the goalkeeper after being booked for time wasting, was ugly. Hard on the ref, but he should have sent him off after a second warning.
The punishment panel should be made to watch the entirety of that game
I liked TP’s remark that Nuno was not his best mate so it’s not like he’s lost a friend.
Nice one.
Different subject, but can we talk about downing?
He is the most underperforming class player i have ever seen.
Why must he be stylish, all the time.
We were hammering in shots as time ran out, they were blocking like crazy.
Every other player was trying to meet a block and drive it back into the goal, he, in perfect position to volley one back where it came from, leans back and drifts one well over the bar. Extremely elegant, but useless I’m afraid.
Maybe time to think about a solution to that particular problem? l
As RR said put Downing into the middle and being someone into the left flank
Fabio ?
I know where I’d put Downing but it certainly wouldn’t be in the first team!
OFB
He has been played there by both AK, GM and TP and whilst he sees more of the ball in that position he has in the majority of games still failed to have a major influence on proceedings.
At present, he is a passenger and not worthy of his place but is being picked as there are little other options. Not sure what is going on with Harrison who might be an alternative.
I don’t know if Derby’s latest implosion merely highlights the way Mel Morris is running the club. He claims to have clashed with Paul Clement on how exactly to win promotion just over two years ago. Here are his words from the time…
“Paul’s horizon was shorter term than ours. With all good intent I think Paul had a slightly different view.
“He was the one who wanted promotion this season.
“We wanted to build on the squad, develop them, get on a rising tide of performance and let that carry us through into the Premier League – whether that was this season, next season or beyond. I think, for Paul, that was too long a view.”
Why do I detect more than a hint of disingenuousness in those words? Words that Morris is probably using to siphon the blame away from himself? Or to thinly gloss over his own disappointment at losing control?
The alternative argument, that Clement *was* slowly building the foundations for long-term success and that Morris was exercising too much interference, is more believable, especially when Morris entered the dressing room in January 2016 to tick off the players himself. Furthermore, it’s not common for a club to spend over £25 million and be content with “almost” getting there.
There’s also a case for the argument that Clement’s departure coincided with Ancelotti taking over at Bayern Munich – and his head was turned by the prospect of working alongside his former employer. Derby had been through that before with Steve McClaren and Newcastle.
Let’s be honest, Wolves beat us with two hands tied behind their backs.
I’m drifting towards the idea of not making the playoffs to avoid embarrassment, but the way other teams are performing we may get there by default.
Take a look at Downing just prior to, and when the first goal goes in. Lazy! Time he was dropped.
The marking for that first goal was appalling full stop.
I, like GT, was going to have a right royal rant, but again like GT, what ‘is’ the point? That was an absolute disgrace and please, can we stop banging the play off drum right now, stop it, because I for one do not want my dirty washing being aired on national television for all to see again this season. We’re not good enough, we don’t have the players to get us back to the promised land and as far as I can see, the team’s heart just isn’t in it.
Traore’s going to a bigger club come the summer for lots of cash, note I said ‘bigger club’, because finding a better club on that display really isn’t very hard to do. The rest, I’m afraid, are either past their use by dates or aren’t skilled enough to possess one, it’s going to be a garage sale to clear out the dross. Can anyone please tell me what, if anything, does Cranie bring to the team? He’s slow, doesn’t seem to know where he should be on the park and as for his passing ability, well, he’s as good as the rest of the team, absolutely dreadful. I think that I should apologise to Martin Cranie for being singled out for persecution, but it’s the first time I’ve seen his level of incompetence as against the other player’s incompetence that I’ve witnessed before this season, but I won’t.
As I watched the whole of the second half unfold, I was of the opinion that we wouldn’t have scored even if Wolves had been on the game, never mind playing in one. We wouldn’t have been dangerous or threatening even if we’d been armed with Kalashnikov’s.
OFB, I’m with you all the way and Ken, I couldn’t disagree with you more. Wolves in all departments were a complete disgrace to the game regardless of race, creed or culture, not just this game but the game of football in general. This isn’t sour grapes, but an abhorrence of watching gamesmanship being taken to the limit then past it. They maybe could have had four goals, but come ninety minutes that should have been as many players as they should have had on the pitch.
I think that counts as a rant, but for once I’m far from apologetic, more apoplectic. We seriously need a clear out, but how far up and how far down do we go in the club’s hierarchy?
Back to the Boro.
Disappointed after last night, but not devastated. Wolves’ antics at the final whistle and their tackling during the second half – especially – left a bad taste, but there’s a reason why they’re top of the league and we’re struggling to keep ourselves in the play-off places.
What else did I note? That the defending for both Wolves’ goals was appalling. As if we were almost in awe of their league position, giving them a head start from which we could never recover.
Say what you want about the 0-0 draw with Bournemouth in late 2014 and how it created a lot of doom and gloom on message boards (not without reason – more on that later) but there’s a reason good teams are built from the back. The right foundations are a strength to be embraced, not devalued and sneered at. Had Wolves not conceded last night, that would have been their twentieth clean sheet in the league.
The lack of proper leadership is a second worry. For the first time in a while last night, I noticed some legitimately strong criticisms of our hitherto untouchable leader Grant Leadbitter.
When a fan called him “woeful”, I put forward the argument that he showed true heart in his celebrations, scored lost of goals and lead us to promotion. All were swiftly debunked by that fan as the sign of a “faux tough man”, a tally enhanced by penalties and an absence of leadership when Gasgone Ramirez went off the rails.
Were you to take that point of view, you could put Leads in the same category as Ayala, or in terms of managers, AK – a fragile temperament easily cowed, or dominated, by certain types of pressure. What’s frustrating is how impressive and imperious all can be – but only with the right belief, the right momentum and the right players around them.
In short, all’s wonderful when it’s going well, but unravels pretty fast when it isn’t. People were saying this about Boro as far back as 1996-97 – a team that only plays to its full potential when in the mood.
Good Post Si
Continued…
We’re lacking true game changing quality outside the starting XI. Britt’s not really much good to us if he’s not “in the mood” or “in the zone” – like all natural goalscorers. What we need is width and pace, and M. Johnson definitely doesn’t look up to it. Braithwaite, had he actually wanted to stay, would have been very useful indeed. He had pace and vision.
And the Bournemouth game? In hindsight, and compared to yesterday’s match, it looks a lot better than how we perceived it at the time. If there was an outbreak of online disappointment at the final whistle, which manager, players and certain fans tried desperately to play down, it is because we had taken our aspirations to another level.
Those of us who still cling on to the hopes of making and winning the play-offs this season will have hence felt the pain more yesterday than those who have shrugged their shoulders and thought, “whatever happens, happens. Maybe we’re just not good enough”. Because it’s the hope that kills you.
As RR said in February 2015 (paraphrased a little)…
“The reality, for some of us, is that we may never see Boro back in the top flight. Those of us who have been around a while know only too well what it’s like for Boro to flirt for decades with the top of the second tier, only to fall short. Stan Anderson perfected the art of nearly but not quite.
“…Blackpool and Birmingham were in the play-off places in 2012. After so much hope look where (they) are now.
“Simply sitting back and enjoying our best season in years isn’t good enough for me, and never will be. In a season where we have our greatest hope since dropping out of the Premier League, dropping points is not something we should take lightly, shrug our shoulders at or just put down to a bad day at the office.
“The day I merely accept it as being ‘it is what it is’ I may as well turn my back on Teesside and just regard the Boro as a passionless passing interest, accepting of whatever fate hands us.”
Profound.
Once again we are coming down to the reason why we have been unsuccessful this season.
Recruitment!
If you have the intention to “smash” the league, then you buy Premiership experienced players, not Championship players. Look at the quality of Besic compared to his midfield teammates, imagine another two or three of his level.
Simon, not accepting it as being ‘it is what it is’, is the reason why I will never, ever turn my back on Teesside. It gave my parents my birth place, it educated me, it cared for me when I was sick, it gave me space and time to grow up, it trained me to be a professional, it gave me a wife, it gave me a place for our children to be born and (partially) raised, today it gives me ultimate pride to tell everyone and anyone that Teesside is where I’m from and bloody proud of it. And you know what, I don’t think I’m alone in this speaking as an expat Smoggie.
I’m not the first Teessider to leave home for the dream of a better life elsewhere on this earth, and I can guarantee that I’ll be far from the last. More seriously, I can also guarantee that the area, the people and the glue that brings us all together, the team, the Boro, are engraved so deep in my DNA, that a genealogist could find a link back to my starting point from where I was actually born in Park End.
I’ve got a lump in my throat as I write this because it’s coming straight from the heart, so when I see the display that was played out in front of me last night (this morning for us in the colonies), it hits hard, bloody hard. There never should be an ‘it is what it is’ attitude towards our fortune, it should be ‘it is what we can make it’, if it isn’t then you’re not a bloody Teessider.
Apologies for the French, time for bed I think.
Good post, Pudding. You speak for a lot of us on this blog, I suspect. Where we were born and brought up will always be an ineradicable part of who we are, and something we should all value and be proud of. That’s the essence of supporting the Boro for me, and whenever I go back to see a game, or even when I’m mixing with Boro fans away from home, I always feel that I’m going back in time and re-connecting with my roots. And the older I get, the more I value and appreciate that connection. It’s a vital part of what, hopefully, grounds me as an individual.
That’s basically why I want my team to play skilful progressive football, rather seeking to get results, whatever the cost. It’s about what the Boro actually means to me as a long-standing supporter, over and above their league position.
Great Post it made me feel homesick and I live here !!
Try and get back for the playoff final at Wembley this year !
I know what you mean about being proud and fiercely protective I’ve had to do it for years whilst living and working overseas (and in Scotland ???)
You never forget your roots and that is why this blog is so important bringing everyone closer together and fighting together
We shall overcome UTB
OFB
Indeed GHW.
My favourite players?
Adama. Top tier experience with Barca, Villa and ourselves.
Bamford. Limited PL experience, but has trained with top notch players at Chelsea, and a proven Championship goalscorer.
Besic. PL experience, despite his injuries. Once called a “very complete footballer” by Roberto Martinez.
Shotton, Howson and Downing all have PL experience too. As does Gestede. Rudy will never be accused of over-stretching his limitations, but what he can do, he can do well, and it was gutting to see him pick up that injury having just netted his first double for us.
When I say Premier experienced players I mean good ones. Every squad member from last season has Premier League experience.
Shotton is a Centre Half filling in at RB. Howson has failed to do what he was brought in for. Downing should have been let go last season, and Friend has been found wanting. Randolph is the only good close season buy. I venture without him our position in the league would be much lower.
In fact, if we had him instead of Valdes, we may well have stayed up.
Spot on GHW, as obvious as the nose on your face.
Passionate, PP in P. I like.
I think after years of trying to be patient with “the laying of the foundations” and the “please, please, one step at a time, let’s be hard to beat” mentality, I’ve become more alert, or in tune, with other fans’ concerns. Months of reading and thinking has done that.
As (yes) Roy Keane put it, changes can’t take too long, even if transition is necessary. Because fans don’t want to wait until next year. And if they still see the quality out there, and feel it’s not producing enough, they’ll demand me.
The difference this time is, we really haven’t got much quality beyond the starting XI.
Heavens, did I say “me”? Terrible typo. I meant “they’ll demand more”. Of course.
Some really good posts following on from RR´s very explicit match report, although for once I had a different view on some things…..but then that is what this blog is all about.
As I previously posted TP would not of been my choice but also have to say that at the time there was a limited line of people to interview. As I posted to OFB, yes these are not his choice of players, but Adama apart and a lot of credit to TP for increasing his dropping value to one that will probably top 15 mil in the summer.
But Craine and Harrison, what were they all about. Besic I can understand and on his day is a good addition, but still playing Grant and Clayton and Howson, no wonder we play as we do. I will not criticise Grant like some, he has been a very good acquisition, but his days as a first teamer are gone, likewise Adam. Howson has to be the most disappointing of the summer buys as it was he that in my opinion was to replace Grant. What we have not replaced his Grant´s passion and drive and few in the squad have it or could be considered to be a Captain and Leader of the Team.
We have no creativity and wonder why, Adama apart we do not create anything. Patrick has shown he can score goals and good ones at that. Yesterday was brilliantly executed from AT´s delightful flick on. But come the summer TP will reject him for probably a better version of Gestede (in TP´s eyes anyway)
Come the summer we will have to start all over from scratch if we have any real thoughts of “Smashing the League”, although that will be probably be downgraded to achieving the “Play Offs.
GHW is so correct in his condemnation of SD and especially for their first goal when he stood and watched from a distance as it all unfolded before him. He did not move one inch to track Costa especially a Friend had gone missing once more. He is on big money and gives very little back to the team in terms of creativity and PRODUCING OPPORTUNITIES. How many games has he played, how many assists has he got and with his woeful shooting I am not surprised he has, what one goal is it?
Is TP going to be the right man to change things in a way that will need to be dramatic in the close season. Or will he just tinker around the edges, show respect to Mr Gibson and be frugal with his money. And as PPinP said, how far does one go within the Hierarchy to get the results we all crave. There have been some glaring mistakes made and nobody has been held accountable. For starters if the recruitment are not scattered to the four winds we will just end up….as is.
Sorry about the rant, grammar and typos. That’s what happens when the Boro have performed as they did last night.
Clearly we’re all hurting and rightly so, as that performance was embarrassing.
My comment about us finishing in the play offs by default was my way of summing up what most posts have highlighted, that is, we lack quality.
The recruitment process must be improved but there is a difficulty in doing so as we don’t seem to know how we want to set up, this being the Manager’s preference. It’s Chicken and Egg stuff.
Hope SG can get it sorted next time because we’re in for more disappointment if he doesn’t .
Rather than trying Fabio wide left, I’d be much tempted to play him as right wing back with Traore, as Plato says, central behind a front two:
Randolph
Shotton Ayala Gibson
Fabio Besic Clayton Friend
Traore
Bamford Assombalonga
I’m clearly in the minority but I didn’t think yesterday was an absolute diasaster. Wolves are a quality side with half a dozen players playing a level below their true ability. I thought we made a spirited start but once Wolves scored, they showed their true class and it was significantly more than ours. They started the game twenty points clear of us so I wasn’t surprised really.
The focus is naturally on how poor we were but I saw it more of how good they are to be honest.
Too many players who we needed to bring their “A” game were bloody awful. Downing stood and watched as mentioned above for the first goal. He lost possession and chased back in the first half and pushed the Wolves player over two yards from the Linesman (or Referee’s assistant to be PC) giving away a very dangerous free kick out of sheer petulance. His dithering in the second half where he was robbed of the ball while he wanted everything slowed to his speed of thinking and reaction time was pitiful. Of more concern though is that it was from that moment of senility that directly led to George almost being sent off and Wolves scoring a third.
In the second half he took a corner and it was floated in with the perfect speed, trajectory and accuracy for a half time training warm up for the Goalkeeper. Ruddy came out, jumped and collected it with so much ease it was infuriating. Then there were his two shots masquerading as attempts at goal the first of which was high wide and not so very handsome made all the worse by better choices to simply pass to others in the box unopposed and the second wasn’t on target which seems to be a familiar theme all season. For a senior pro his game of late has fallen way below acceptable levels of keeping his place in the team and looks like a player suddenly well past his best so much so that he reminded me last night of Ray Parlour who came for the money and delivered beggar all.
As for Grant well one question sums it up for me “when did we last see a Thunderbastard”? No doubt if selected both Grant and Stewy will be outstanding against Burton, but therein lies both the problem and the reality.
Answered below with some videos.
I see the knives are out for Downing again on the back of a poor all round team performance. Apart from Randolph who made some good saves, Bamford who had a thankless task for over an hour and maybe Traore who absolutely scared the pants off them.
The way I saw the first goal George was so far out of position it was criminal. Could Downing have really got back to cover for our walk about left back is doubtful. By the time he or anyone, apart from Traore at full tilt, had gotten to Costa the ball had already been spread to their left wing where both Traore and Shotton as a partnership as well as our 3 central midfielders failed to snuff out any threat.
And when the cross came in where was George we should be asking? Nowhere near the man he should’ve been marking in the left back position is the answer.
I think we’ve all been disappointed, and as a self confessed Downing fan I include myself, with his lack of goals and assists since he rejoined from W Ham. I agree he had a poor game overall and his shooting in particular was pretty woeful but don’t berate him for something which, imo, in this instance isn’t deserved.
I have been a huge Downing supporter but have to admit to being underwhelmed at times of late. For the goal Wolves had pushed bodies forward, our CB’s had drifted across to the right and Friend moved in as is the game plan when defending with the wide man be it Stewy, Adama or even Stuani or Albert for that matter in days of yore to pick up the spare player on their flank. Sorry but for me Stewy went AWOL for that first goal, he could see that George had 2v1 yet stood motionless on the edge of the box.
I’m afraid SD goes missing too often for my liking and, although he has improved of late, George regularly gets caught out.
Maybe, the emerging consensus is right that some of our stars of the promotion campaigns and SD are no longer up to the task.
RR. I know it’s difficukt to dig a player out when you are one of his supporters, but what you saw on Friday was exactly what I have been seeing since he came back to the club.
RR……edge of box, you are being kind there, more like 25+ stood disbelieving as it all unfolded infront of him.
Remember Mr Gibson signed him for 7mil ??? and many years contract at many K per week. He has not, I repeat not at any time got anywhere near repaying any of that outlay. Big money outlay with very very little return. To save time can somebody let me know how many games, goals and assists he has provided??
Divide that into his transfer fee, salary and other add one.
RR, I think Downing was one of our best in the first half. But he was just watching what was happening in our penalty box when Wolves scored their first. Terrible.
Up the Boro!
FAA. Downing isn’t the only scapegoat for the defeat, but for the inflated salary he is receiving the least he can do is show some effort to track back.
Ahh so it’s because he’s on an “inflated salary”. Understood.
Salary or fees are irrelevant for me, if a player comes through the academy, costs a hundred thousand or a hundred million he will still be subject to the same scrutiny.
Play well and receive the plaudits, have a stinker and deal with the pelters. Bamford, Traore, Britt and Fletcher etc. all cost substantial amounts and I’m sure are not starving as are any of the entire squad and have all had indifferent periods. The majority of them earn in a week what probably 60% of the supporters earn in a year.
FAA
I accept all the reasons why the goals were conceded, and it is pointless blaming Downing for not blocking both goals.
But the truth is we invested all our efforts in putting over crosses which we were never going to convert, worse, we used one of our chief scorers to put over the crosses.
Early doors Traore terrified them from the right with the added bonus of having the chance of entering the box and scoring. Then we ignored him for the rest of the half. Stupid, or what.
Then we switched him to the left, this giving the defenders who had been tortured a nice rest, and obliterating his goals he might had scored.
He made a beauty when he came into front centre position.
Some one on this blog said he is a fifteen milion player,
No wonder we are permanently skint.
Meanwhile someone in the Midlands is thinking of starting a football-themed blog about their beloved Derby County and their regular-as-clockwork fold-quicker-than-a-hospital-bed sheet slide down the table come spring time.
Now what would you call a blog about how your team typically does the same things as nauseum?
Untypical Rams – coming to the internet soon…
To answer your question, RR?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uH6sjE6i4E
And two more memorable ones from the season before:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WS19D73eIM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cye2jXroI5Q
Strike that, two seasons before. Think all four of his goals in 2015-16 were penalties.
What can you say….
https://youtu.be/FruVZvtByH0
Just scanning through the weekend’s European football league results this morning, a ritual I usually do on a Monday morning, but as today is Easter Day the Latin countries played their matches yesterday. I now discover that the Algarvean team of Portimonense won their home Primeira League match against relegation threatened Moreirense 4-3 after being 0-3 behind in the second half, the last two winning goals coming in eight minutes of injury time. Both these goals were penalties during which the away side had three players given straight red cards ♦️.
Now not having the benefit of reading the Portuguese Sports paper ‘A Bola’ I haven’t read a report of the match, but I would imagine that the red cards were given to the players protesting at what they might perceive as a couple of unjust decisions made by the referee. It might seem a strange coincidence that this should happen following our discussions about the Wolves players and coaching staff on Good Friday, but it does reiterate the comments I previously made about the temperament of people brought up in Latin countries.
I did stress that I don’t condone such behaviour and at no time did I state that such behaviour is acceptable, but it enforces my views that the passion of Latin based players can be irrational, unpredictable and sometimes oversteps the mark. Maybe, just maybe, the outrageous antics of the Wolves contingent in a highly charged match was a one-off scenario, but I agree that we don’t need such uncontrolled passion exhibited on a football field or anywhere else really.
How many red cards before the match is abandoned?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZDsjY3uFdE&feature=share
There is no limit to the number of red cards that a referee can give, though the game would be stopped as soon as there are less than 7 players of a team remaining legally on the pitch.
OFB
There is no limit to the number of red cards that a referee can give, though the game would be stopped as soon as there are less than 7 players of a team remaining legally on the pitch.
OFB
Sorry Ken that’s not the point we are making
Wolves manager and coaches and team right from the outset cynically and thuggishly set out to surround the ref Lino and 4th official.
Every free kick awarded against Boro had 4 Wolves players brandishing imaginary cards whilst up to 6 Wolves coaches were protesting to the 4th official and if within earshot the lino.
Every free kick was taken and the ball moved forward before taking and the same for throw ins weren’t taken at the correct place
Wolves Players were guilty of dropping the ball behind advertising hoardings if the kick didn’t go their way
Nuno actually gestured to Adama who had gone to retrieve the ball even when it was a wolves throw as no wolves player made an effort to get it. Adama gave the Wolves manager the ball expecting him to hand it to one of his players. He didn’t he just stood their with the ball cynically letting the time run out. He didn’t do this with arms waving about or jumping up and down frantically with passion. He did it deliberately coldly with contempt for our players coaches and fans. Adama had to take the ball off him again and go and deliver it to a Wolves player
THUGGISH NOT LATIN TEMPERAMENT
OFB
That’s not thuggish behaviour though. It’s like sledging, trying to wind up the opposition. It didn’t seem to work though as Pulis said he hadn’t a problem with Nuno. It did however wind up the crowd, not gentlemanly tactics, but used often enough by many managers, Sir Alex amongst them. And don’t tell me that Boro players and coaching staff haven’t tried to wind up their opponents in the past, though maybe not as blatantly.
KEN
Were the elbows in the face just a bit of the Latin temperament?
Remember, they could and should have had at least two more sent off for the old elbow
We will forget the keeper boldly wasting time after a booking for same.
I do not blame the ref. He did not want to go into the record books.
We will forget the habit of running into players, it saves a booking you know.
Plato
The game obviously struck a nerve with you too!
If there is any justice please please please let us be Promoted this season and take six points off them with the final game at their ground and is sending them back down to the championship !
Who said refs weren’t vindictive ???
OFB
In the pickle we find ourselves would Fabio as Andy R suggests, offer any less than some who appear to be first team regulars at the moment.
He has good attributes going forward and could no worse and probably better than some. However not in defence please.
My only concern with that is do we really want to pick a player who has already told the manager he wants away? Probably why it will never happen.
I think Fabio’s reasons for wanting away is a little different to some others like Ramirez or Yakubu for instance. I don’t see him as a troublemaker with a bad attitude and I’m sure if started he would give 100%. As I said above there were too many that didn’t bring their “A” game on Friday night and for me that warrants Fabio, Baker, Harrison, Johnson and others to be given an opportunity.
Some Managers would take the view of playing the same 11 tomorrow and tell them to get it out of their system and take it out on Burton and other Managers would ring the changes firing warning shots across overly comfortable bows. Personally I would drop a few based on Friday and give the bench warmers a chance but TP deep down will know if it was tactics, fitness/injuries or attitudes that was the problem.
I would agree there with you RR.
There are players now getting selected who should not be. That of course results from getting rid of too many players in the January window and not getting some suitable players in to fill the obvious positions that we all know were needed.
Besic yes has been an improvement on what we have in that area, but why oh why did we not try and bring in somebody that could create something with a forward pass through the middle for as it has turned out Patrick. He thrives on that service. It is only by a little luck and credit to TP, I am not forgetting him, that we now have Adama providing assists, but nobody else. Nobody.
Against Wolves, even in the last 20 minutes against 9 men, we played in long hopeful punts hoping for a lucky break that did not happen because they were meat and drink to their back four, especially Boly.
Just getting back to the Latin temperament. Sorry I’m like a dog with a bone on this but I’m still mad at Wolves! Can dogs win against wolves? Never mind here’s another point.
I was talking to Higgy a few weeks ago and out of the blue without prompting he started to recount what happened between him and AK.
AK he of the mean and moody and masterful disposition compared to Higgy’s happy chappy and smiley countenance.
AK apparently appointed Higgy as the main protaganist to lobby and to whinge at the fourth official and linesman at every opportunity and to be in their face for every decision that went against Boro.
Higgy admitted to me that it wasn’t in his nature to be confrontational and he didn’t like doing it. So it came to the final match when Karanka wanted Higgy to confront the 4th official and Higgy refused. He was out of the club the next day. Now is that fiery Latin temperament or thuggish behaviour ?
Interestingly I saw Higgy on Friday night at the match and he said that although the current Hartlepool owners were changing the rules a little bit the deal and acquisition was due to be finalised on Tuesday. He said he was busy moving house as well as negotiating for the Hartlepool deal but he looked well.
OFB
Just back from a rather bracing walk along Saltburn beach, which felt even colder than the 3 degrees when watching a group of surfers enter the North Sea. Anyway, just about to head out for a Sunday lunch before hitting the road for the journey back to Germany this afternoon. I should just make it back in time for the Burton game if all goes well so here is a slightly briefer match preview than normal for tomorrow’s trip to the Trent…
https://diasboro.club/2018/04/01/championship-burton-vs-boro/
⚽️⚽️
Werder If that’s your mini effort it still outperforms all the old bangers printed in the press by other “professional journalists”
Well done again and I’m response to your post
“Always look on the bright side of life de do de do dedodedodedoooo”
Have a safe journey back
OFB
Werder, not read your Match Preview yet. Just wanted to say thank you and have a safe and uneventful journey back home.
Sorry about this, but could we have a little bit of self preservation from the club before the season ends.
We need urgently to test Traore playing in the middle, clubs will want to buy him, and we need the very best price we can extort from some giant club.
Therefore, we cannot leave the question of playing in the middle alone.
Any examination of his goals shows that he is very good in the middle, plenty of muscular oafs lashing out wildly in the box is meat and drink to him.
Note his effort against Wolves, a most delightful dink right in the path of Bamford, who scored.
Wolves showed all the signs of being vulnerable to a very quick quality player, and in my opinion had a let off by us not plastering Traore with plenty of ball near their box. Bamford would have had a very good day as well.
The problem on Friday was Bamford was isolated against a giant centre half Traore wa under-utilised the first half
OFB