Ipswich 2 – 2 Boro

Ipswich Town Middlesbrough
Sears
Waghorn
 8′
83′ (pen)
Downing
Bamford
71′
90′ +6
Possession
Shots
On target
Corners
Fouls
39%
16
 8
 6
 7
Possession
Shots
On target
Corners
Fouls
61%
28
 6
11
12

Bamford bulldozes late leveller

Redcar Red reports on the draw at Ipswich…

Boro needed a point to definitely secure fifth place in the Play Offs against Managerless Ipswich at Portman Road in the lunch time KO today. Coming into the game the Tractor boys could literally be boys such was the extent of their injury crisis. Ten of their squad including ex Boro man Muzzy Carayol were all side-lined with a range of symptoms. Boro on the other hand were up to full strength apart from long termer Rudy.

Ipswich had demolished Reading 4-0 last week who under Dave Clement’s reign at the Royals may as well be Managerless themselves. Whilst Boro needed a point to face Villa and avoid play off favourites Fulham, Ipswich only had local “Pride of Anglia” bragging rights to play for needing to better the Canaries away day at Wednesday. Ipswich celebrated their 1978 FA Cup 40th anniversary with their “old boys” (or “touts” to those of a yellow persuasion) present including former Boro players John Wark and Kevin Beattie (although Beattie is tenuous in the extreme). While some of those blue pensioners were in danger of getting a game today TP had merely expressed doubts about Mo Besic, Stewart Downing and Dani Ayala but was expected to go with his strongest side to keep momentum going into the play off semis. As anticipated TP started with his strongest eleven clearly believing momentum is crucial at this stage with Britt retaining his starting spot in place of Paddy.

Ipswich started positively with Waghorn having a few early half chances in the opening five minutes in the summer sunshine. The pre-game carnival atmosphere had now given way to Boro focussing on getting a point as a minimum to hang on to fifth place. The lack of any pressure seemed to be benefitting the Tractor boys in the opening exchanges and in the eighth minute Freddie Sears shoved Ben Gibson off the ball to run into the Boro box and with Ayala standing off him he fired into the far corner to open the scoring and a warning to the visitors to waken up.

Ipswich looked by far the livelier; Boro seemed very pedestrian and we were struggling to get into the game. Skuse clattered into Adama as he was leaving the Tractor boys in his wake picking up a yellow card for his despairing effort. The resulting free kick saw an Ayala header go well wide. Fifteen minutes gone and Boro were still looking disconnected, struggling to get them themselves functioning as a unit. Traore once again went on a run and was brought down for his troubles, the free kick led to a period of Boro possession and an eventual attempt that was well worked from Besic that went over. That seemed to signal that Boro had finally cleared their heads as they started to impose themselves a little more in the game as news trickled through that Derby were one up on Barnsley whilst Fulham were one down to Garry Monk’s Birmingham courtesy of old Boro boy Jutkiewicz.

Traore put a great ball into Assombalonga which saw a coming together with Bialkowski in the Ipswich goal. Immediately after Shotton received a one two from Traore and fired a ball in to go out for a corner as Boro were upping the ante. As if to emphasise the strange nature of these final day fixtures Sunderland had taken the lead over Champions Wolves not that it made any difference to either clubs season. George cut into the box and fired a ball in towards Britt but failed to reach the intended recipient. After a poor start Boro were now settling and looked in control of the game with Traore terrorising the Ipswich defence at will. Elsewhere Millwall had scored a penalty to go one up against Villa which considering Steve Bruce had rested eight of his first teamers was perhaps unsurprising.

A Traore corner led to the ball being cleared off the line as momentarily the travelling army thought we had drew level. Ref David Coote decided the ball hadn’t crossed the line but did decide that the sunshine was taking its toll and took the opportunity for a drinks break. Upon the restart Britt fired a shot but couldn’t get his effort on target. The match then dipped and struggled to live up to the tempo pre drinks break. The game became messy as players were struggling for grip so much so that Mo Besic had previously deemed it necessary to change his footwear.

As the half drew to its conclusion goal scorer Freddie Sears once again troubled the Boro backline requiring Ayala to clear his cross after rounding George Friend. Boro had slipped back into their early match form, guilty of switching off and lacking intent. Waghorn this time beat Friend firing a cross in resulting in a series of bagatelle attack and defend leading to Traore bursting free to be rugby tackled by Nydom who took a yellow for his team and then seconds later Sears earned another Ipswich yellow for kicking the ball away. Meanwhile Ashley Fletcher had added a second for Sunderland against Wolves emulating Birmingham’s score line against Fulham. The half time whistle went and despite over all dominance and a purple patch in the middle of the half Boro just couldn’t get back in to the game.

We kicked off the second half with no changes knowing that despite Derby winning at home to Barnsley Boro were still somehow clinging to fifth spot by a single solitary goal difference. A Traore dribble saw him run through the Ipswich defence into the box only to see his effort blocked. The Tractor boys were now sitting deep and playing on the break as Boro probed for the equaliser. A corner from Traore swung in and Ayala attacked it to send it over the bar with George behind screaming for him to leave it. Traore again flew forward and sent the ball in but nobody in a Red shirt was keeping up with him. Crucially however Matej Vydra had scored a second for Derby against Barnsley sending Boro down to sixth. The news obviously filtered through to the Boro bench as Paddy Bamford was being readied Ipswich broke, Waghorn tested Randolph and the resulting corner saw Skues this time requiring Randolph once again in quick succession to save Boro blushes.

Jonny Howson made way for Bamford as TP shuffled his pack in search of that elusive goal. An immediate Bamford break from defending a corner came to nothing after going wide and over hitting the final ball to Britt. Instantly Ipswich then broke with Sears again going close at the opposite end against the run of play. A Downing shot forced a block and a desperate Ipswich clearance up field. Meanwhile Derby had gone three up against Barnsley who were heading towards League one with the Makems as Boro now had to get a goal from somewhere to finish in fifth spot. Boro were increasingly desperate as Britt and Adama construed to tackle each other and just as the frustration was starting to take its toll Stewy in the “D” switched the ball to his right foot and hit a daisy cutter right through the crowded box and into the Blues net to make it 1-1 and put us back into fifth spot. Instantly Derby had put a fourth past the despondent Tykes but its points that matter and that Stewy goal kept a point separating us. The game now let loose and a fierce strike from Britt was followed up with a corner which Traore sent in but Bialkowski plucked the ball out of the air from Bamford.

During the games second drinks break, under pressure the Ipswich bench brought on Hyam for Connolly as Boro had continued to dominate. A frantic end to end period ensued with a foul throw by Shotton setting up a ridiculous series of defensive calamities leading to Gibson conceding a Penalty for Ipswich with Waghorn calmly blasting the ball past Randolph to make it 2-1 and us back down to sixth despite Barnsley having pulled one back against Derby. Defensively Boro were looking vulnerable as Ipswich tried to finish their season on a high. Ben had struggled along with Friend and Shotton and its difficult to argue that with the standard of defensive work in evidence that second goal hadn’t been inevitable. Meanwhile in response to the goal Ipswich replaced Spence with Woolfenden at the back and Clayts came off for Boro with Jack Harrison on for a late Boro cameo.

A Traore corner in the 89th minute saw Paddy flick the ball over the goal. Five minutes of added time was all that was left for Boro to claw their way back up to fifth. Harrison fed double block opportunities with first Britt and then Paddy. Traore was next to try his chance which led to a corner that he took himself which Stewy fed Besic for the ball to hit the back of the neck only for Ayala to be adjudged offside. Tempers and annoyance levels grew and Gibson was booked for an “off the ball” incident with Waghorn as the seconds ticked down with Derby now having finished their game 4-1 sitting in fifth.

A last ditch outswinging corner after some clever build up play from Besic was taken by Harrison and as David Coote was about to blow Paddy arrived in the middle of the six yard box with a perfect header to claim fifth spot in the sixth minute of added time. Despite the afternoon being nervy and certainly less than polished at times somehow thanks to the two subs Harrison and Bamford we sneaked back into fifth with milliseconds left on the season’s clock!

A very strange emotional afternoon witnessed woeful inept defending, periods of total dominance, equalising, throwing it away and then clawing our way back again. Not the greatest performance from a Tony Pulis side but sometimes the result is more important than the methodology. MOM was Traore first half and Besic second half but that Boro defence needs a good talking to before we face those Villains.

Boro aim to make a point of avoiding
Championship form team in play-offs

Werdermouth previews the trip to Portman Road…

Tony Pulis and his team head to Ipswich for the final league fixture of the season with the manager perhaps feeling that it’s already job done after Boro secured a play-off place last week with a comfortable win over Millwall. It’s hard to assess whether the players will be intent on giving it everything on Sunday, but there is a risk that they know the real business starts next week and may at least subliminally hold back from those 50-50s. However, there is a small matter of securing one more point at Portman Road if Boro are to pass on the opportunity to prove any earlier than necessary that they can be the first team to beat Fulham in over 23 games. Some may argue that beating the Cottagers over two games may be easier than trying to do it at Wembley – but attempting to beat Villa over two games may prove a less daunting task and who knows what ghosts are lurking in the well-oiled machine of a team that lost to Reading in the play-offs last season.

While Boro will no doubt be keen to get that point and ideally win the game to keep the momentum that has been gathered in recent weeks, Pulis has suggested that maybe some players would be rested in order to ensure they are in the best condition to achieve that goal of reaching the play-off final. That may mean seats on the bench for key men such as Besic and Traore for a game that may ultimately not matter unless Derby chalk up a victory themselves, though the manager will not want to entertain the prospect of either of those picking up a knock that rules them out for next week’s crucial games.

On the face of it, The Rams appear to have a tough game at home to a Barnsley side who may need all three points to avoid keeping Sunderland company in League One – although, the Tykes have only won once on their travels in 2018 and that was back in early February at QPR. Boro will hopefully have taken notice that an Ipswich team in beach mode, with the holiday brochures being passed around on the team bus on their way to Reading, ended up thumping their hosts 4-0 – so complacency will not be the best policy if they want to impress Tony Pulis.

As for the game itself on Sunday – well this fixture was originally pencilled in to be Mick McCarthy’s farewell and many Boro followers had long ago eyed this game as a potential banana skin as the home team ended in party mode, before giving their long-term manager a good send-off after nearly six years in charge at the club. However, following a negative reaction by the Portman Road crowd after he made a substitution against Barnsley, booing was directed at McCarthy and he had decided that was enough and subsequently announced after the game “It was a disgraceful reaction, I won’t have to listen to that again, that’s my last game – I’m out of here.”

The season had actually started well for Ipswich as they won their first four games to be joint top with Neil Warnock’s Cardiff, which prompted McCarthy to comment on the early standings of the table in usual chipper fashion “Two old farts who know f*** all about the game, hey?” Warnock himself remarked that McCarthy was a “great guy” and that he recalled when they first met Big Mick was an teenage apprentice at Barnsley and had cleaned his boots – he declared that the former Ipswich manager was “the biggest 16 year old ever, I think he was shaving at 12”. Though McCarthy is renowned for his miserable outlook on life and when he received a standing ovation from the Ipswich faithful after going joint top he simply commented “I’ll treat it with the same contempt as the boos” – with such an absence of a sunny attitude and lust for gloom, he should be a shoe-in for a return as the next Sunderland manager!

Ipswich Town Middlesbrough
Bryan Klug (caretaker) Tony Pulis
P45 – W17 – D8 – L20 – F55 – A58 P45 – W22 – D9 – L14 – F65 – A43
Position
Points
Points per game
Projected points
13th
59
1.3
60
Position
Points
Points per game
Projected points
5th
75
1.7
76
Last 6 Games
Reading (A)
Aston Villa (H)
Nottm Forest (A)
Barnsley (H)
Brentford (A)
Millwall (H)
F-T (H-T)
4:0 (1:0) W
0:4 (0:0) L
1:2 (1:0) L
1:0 (0:0) W
0:1 (0:0) L
2:2 (0:1) D
Last 6 Games
Millwall (H)
Derby (A)
Bristol City (H)
Sheff Utd (A)
Nottm Forest (H)
Burton (A)
F-T (H-T)
2:0 (1:0) W
2:1 (1:0) W
2:1 (1:1) W
1:2 (0:2) L
2:0 (2:0) W
1:1 (0:1) D

If Boro do succeed in their promotion bid through the play-offs, then I wonder if Steve Gibson will be tempted to emulate Sainsbury’s chief executive, Mike Coupe, and break into song at the prospect of more Premier League lucre heading his way. The Sainsbury boss was this week famously caught on camera singing “we’re in the money” ahead of a TV interview to discuss the agreed merger with ASDA. As the share price rose on the news, he may have been unable to contain his joy at his anticipated windfall from the ever-growing bumper bonus he was due. His somewhat restrained rendition of the tune from the musical, 42 Street (also known as “The Gold Diggers’ Song”), was no doubt an improvement on his previously planned pre-interview warm-up routine of fist-pumping and cries of “Yes!” and “Back of the net!” as the wincing sound engineers of various networks were forced to re-adjust their volume levels.

However, the Boro chairman will be well aware that the inflationary cost of maintaining a place in the top flight has meant it’s unlikely he’ll be banking much from the Premier League prize money on offer – especially given the club’s record this season on gaining value for money in the transfer market. Indeed, Gibson could consider drawing possible comparisons of life in the second tier by reworking Sainsbury’s former long-term marketing slogan to “Good football costs less in the Championship” – though he may choose to shop elsewhere this summer as there has been little evidence to suggest that much of the football this term was either good or even cost effective. It’s perhaps more appropriate that with Steve Gibson’s recent impatience with his managers, then he may in fact be more receptive to Sainsbury’s latest slogan of ‘Try Something New Today’.

The apparent subliminal influence between supermarket slogans and those involved in football has perhaps been overlooked by the casual observer, but clearly ASDA’s slogan from 1987 of ‘One trip and you’re laughing’ has been taken to new levels as many a top player attempt to win a penalty by honing their simulation skills as they go down like a sack of reasonably priced potatoes in the box. Even armchair critics who regularly spotted pundits heading for ‘Dele’ counter (that’s short for Alli not delicatessen) as they totted up the Spurs midfielder’s less than delicious array of exotic dives were left feeling it was not quite to their taste. Although, with results usually boiling down to a few decisions, games are often decided by fine margins and forcing the rub of the green has become an important element of the game – often players will simply shrug their shoulders at all the fuss as they utter the immortal words from Tesco ‘Every little helps’.

ASDA also appears to be a campaign favourite of the well-heeled, so-money-supermarket football agents strutting their stuff on the big stage and the 1992 marketing slogan of ‘Pocket the difference’ has almost become their mission statement, before they tap the newly arrived wad in their back pockets. The clubs were caught between asking them what it was they actually did to justify trousering such large amounts of their cash as they instead invoked the store’s 2005 slogan of ‘More for you for less’ – whilst at the same time perhaps doubting their sanity with the sentiments of the 2007 rhetorical marketing question of ‘why pay more?’ However, some of ASDA’s slogans appear to have been a touch misleading as the 1996 campaign of ‘Permanently low prices – Forever’ didn’t last as long as advertised when it ended after just six years rather than continuing until the end of existence as promised.

Whether the former Sunderland owner, Ellis Short was also inspired to sell his interest in the club by one of ASDA’s slightly misquoted slogans ‘You’re better off out of it’ is uncertain. After nine years in charge of the Black Cats, Short used up all his annual lives and his luck finally ran out as he appeared to cross the path of the unfortunate supporters once too often with his penchant for sacking managers. Chris Coleman has recently joined the list of Bruce, O’Neill, Di Canio, Poyet, Advocaat, Allardyce, Moyes and Grayson – who all carried the can as it was kicked down the road by an owner looking to put his finger on the blindingly obvious reason for instability at the under-achieving club.

The last act of Short was to sack the sometimes off-message Chris Coleman as it apparently became a condition of the sale rather than a desire to settle any minor irritations at his latest under-performing coach. In just a few months, Coleman has gone from well-regarded manager responsible for the Wales national team reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2016, to the discarded manager of the team who was responsible for the wails on Wearside being heard as the club reached League One – with his desire to manage a big club now seemingly confined to the driving ranges on the golf course.

It’s possible the American owner couldn’t face the thought of competing with the likes of Aldi and Lidl from the football world in League One, so decided relegation was the right time to write off the £140m debt and sell the club on to a consortium headed by non-League Eastleigh owner Stuart Donald. Donald’s personal fortune is reportedly only around the £10m mark in comparison to the billionaire Short and he is famous for counting the pennies and keeping a tight control on spending at Eastleigh. As a hater of waste, Donald claims to have banned the bottles of mineral water given to players on the grounds that they never finished them and it apparently saved the club £500 – which by my calculations is probably only ten bottles of Evian a week that the barely thirsty squad were not quite consuming. Recent reports are that Chris Wilder of Sheffield United is being lined up by the new owners to be the man tasked with reviving Sunderland’s fortunes. He at least comes well qualified for the job and is very familiar with getting players in red and white striped shirts to run around looking like they know what they’re doing – though maybe he will first wait to see if the familiar striped shirts of Stoke or Southampton come calling when they are relegated from the Premier League.

As football seemingly drifts inevitably towards the hands of big business and wealthy owners, it’s perhaps only a matter of time before clubs start to introduce their own corporate marketing straplines. While selling the dream is what marketeers live for and attempting to convince any potential floating international supporters that their club is offering the perfect product for them may help to stretch their imaginations – plus no doubt being locked in a room for countless brainstorming sessions until they come up with something so meaningless and inoffensive that everyone can agree on it. We could easily borrow some of the more well known inevitably bland brand slogans and already apply them to the big football clubs to give us Manchester City: “What a Difference a Shake Makes” – Chelsea: “You Either Love It or Hate It” – Arsenal: “Why Try Harder?” or Manchester United: “The Power of Dreams” in the theatre apparently built for them. Although, telling it straight is part of our Teesside DNA and our own club should simply go with: Middlesbrough – Killing You with Hope Since 1876. Anyway, I’m sure everyone is still hoping this promised promotion season does exactly what it says on the tin and as Boro finally deliver at Wembley, it will leave more than the odd fan to proclaim “I’m Lovin’ It”

So will Boro reach the end-of-season checkout by delivering the goods at Portman Road and make a point of finishing fifth? Or will Ipswich prove to be an unknown item in the bagging area as Tony Pulis goes off his trolley as his players sell him short? As usual your predictions on score, scorers and team selection – plus will Garry Monk take one for his former team and lose to Fulham?

167 thoughts on “Ipswich 2 – 2 Boro

  1. I don’t even mind if he plays a team of reserves squad players but don’t think he will

    3 players didn’t train this week

    OFB

  2. Last league preview of the season Werder and it’s a belter

    Great thank you for doing such a great job this season it’s appreciated

    OFB

  3. Yes Werder, just echoing OFB. Thank you so much for entertaining us, educating us, and generally just setting the perfect tone for the ensuing discussions. This one is up there with your best.
    Got a feeling Ipswich at home on the last day will turn it on for their fans. 2:1 to the tractor boys in an entertaining finale (at least for them).

  4. The usual standard attained Werder. Absolute class. Sniggering away to myself at all those supermarket marketing slogans none of which were shoehorned in. Genius.

    As for Sunday, a good performance to keep the nice little run we are on going, no injuries or silly red cards (any type to be honest) and at least a point would be a good day all round for me.

    Re the digital accounts we all have to sign up for, I tried, (unsuccessfully surprise surprise) to activate mine and my granddaughters cards for the semi final home leg. As my blog name suggests I’m not even in the UK let alone Teesside so Mrs FAA will have to spend her time off work to either try to get through on the phone or queue up on Monday.

    Absolute garbage Middlesbrough!

  5. What’s this? “The usual” is copyrighted to me FAA. Be careful, I might have to take Legal Action.
    Anyway Werder: The usual.

    I’ll settle for OFB’s favourite scoreline, given our track record at Ipswich.

  6. I’d like to say the result is irrelevant, but the away fans (and home!) who paid for tickets will want their money’s worth.

    High scoring? Free flowing? Open? Perhaps. The kind of game you’re unlikely to see when the pressure’s on. I think we’ll edge it.

    In other news, Hartlepool have appointed Matthew Bates as their manager. I see also that Higgy is their Director Of Football, Nathan Porritt the kit manager and Ross Turnbull the goalkeeping coach.

    The very definition of a family club or close-to-home club that doesn’t need or want to be broken up.

    Yet if a club like that ever flirts with the top tier, many think that’s exactly what it needs.

  7. Gerald Ratner’s quotes may have been more appropriate earlier this season, but in the Supermarket Sweep of the Play Offs, you’ve got to be “In it, to win it.”

    I’ll stick with TP’s corner shop mentality that’s got us in the raffle. Let’s hope he can pull out a winning ticket.

  8. As always a megastore of an article thank you Werder.

    We need to keep the positive impetus going and I expect TP, having watched his pre game interview, to name an unchanged team from the Millwall game.

    A draw would be a good result and as we have not had an nil/nil for some time I will go for a 0-0.

    Already paid to watch via iFOLLOW and hope it is the last time I need to do so.

    Next season I would prefer to be watching Boro playing in the PL on Sky but if not then Championship games via MFC tv.

    CoB let’s see you keep the “not losing” run going. 😎😊

  9. OK Arkwright. Ipswich to turn it on? Boro never win there? A jinx ground? Now if it was at the Riverside I’d go for an Ipswich win but with Boro going to Portman Road I’ll go for another Ipswich win.

    Ipswich 2 – 1 Boro and we save it for the play-offs.

    I would have been there but mother-in-law has her 100th birthday so there is no escape. However a draw or a win would maintain the psychological momentum. I’m also designated taxi driver so I will listen, in true cabby tradition, on the radio.

    UTB,

    John

  10. Harrison to start with Traore on the bench. Baker to start with Besic on the bench. Fry to start with one of Ayala or Gibson rested.

    An open cheerful game and a 1-1 result with Assombalonga scoring.

    UTB

  11. Second thought. Besic has had a niggle recently. Give him the week off. Leadbitter can cover. Maybe Friend as well with Fabio playing. No need to risk people who aren’t 100%.

    UTB

    1. I’d go along with that as well

      Keep Besic fit is the key to our midfield working together

      Leadbitter would be a good fit against his old club

      I don’t know who didn’t train this week but would also agree that George needs a rest and also Traore

      We need to start with purpose and not sit back and be complacent

      I wouldn’t make too many changes and Pulis is experienced enough to know what it takes to balance the result with giving certaint players a rest

      It was interesting that at his last press conference that he said that he was here for the long term and not for a quick fix

      Talk at the club last week was if Boro didn’t go up that he could be released from his contract. I hope that was just a rumour as his demeanour at the press conference said otherwise

      OFB

  12. I have just signed up for i-follow on the Ipswich site, first time I have done an i-follow as the times are not great here. How do I access the match tomorrow?

  13. An Interesting story about the Tony Pulis management style I heard last week from one of the Boro staff.

    TP had been at the club a week and walked into the players canteen at Rockliffe before training and there was George behind the counter with a pile of Oranges and the fresh juicer machine.

    TP “ what’s going on here then George”

    GF giving his usual smile “ Oh it’s a little ritual I have to start the day. I squeeze fresh orange juice for the staff”

    TP “ I’ll have one please”
    Seeing Adam Clayton walking in he says “ Adam, fresh orange juice? George is making some for everyone.

    AC Grins and says “Yes please gaffer.”

    Everyone who then comes into the canteen is invited by TP to have a fresh orange juice and no one refuses and apparently there were over 40 glasses made until all the oranges were used up.

    George was quite flustered by this time after making so many orange juices.

    TP just looked at him and said “ Everyone has their own job to do here don’t they George?” and then walked off.

    George hasn’t made any freshly squeezed orange juice at the club since !!

    OFB

  14. I’ll shall have another go at fixing my laptop later so while I’m on-line a quick thanks to OFB, Powmill, FAA, Steely, KP and GHW for the comments on the preview. It will be interesting to see who gets rested for Sunday but Pulis has not used much of his squad so far – maybe Leadbitter, Baker, Fabio, Fry and Harrison will get a game but the fact that they’ve hardly played much football probably tells the story of just how tight the First XI is.

    1. I don’t think Pulis will make any major changes on Sunday.

      Hope you get your laptop fixed soon!

      Just had an email from Doug Weatherall at 6am! He really enjoys our blog !

      So professional approval !

      Werder seriously look at putting it forward for an award as I believe it to be one of the best available

      OFB

  15. “Like a mosquito in a nudist colony”. What a great quote from Chris Waters in the Yorkshire Post. One wonders how so many wickets can fall in less than 100 overs in a County Cricket match on an innocuous wicket, but humidity or whatever can make a ball do strange things through the air. Now surely this sort of thing couldn’t happen in a football match, could it? A goalless draw wouldn’t be considered unusual tomorrow at Ipswich, but a 6-6 draw certainly would be. No I’ll go for a 1-0 win for Boro. But hang on! Ipswich won away 4-0 last week after losing at home by the same score the week before, so what do I know?

  16. Werder,

    I have just sat and re-read your intro/overview whilst consuming my morning coffee. Your intro is excellent and the coffee was excellent. Well done an absolute cracker.
    Will Ipswich be toast.

    UTB,

    John

  17. How on Earth do footballers need a rest? They used to have to play 3 matches in 4 days over Christmas and Easter. In fact there are instances of playing two matches in a day, once for their club and once for their national team. There are also instances of playing County Cricket before being rushed to play a football match in the evening. If given a choice most footballers would hate to be rested. No, unless players are carrying a niggle, they should play. I’m not having it that tomorrow’s match doesn’t matter. In my opinion a defeat could have an adverse effect on the next match. Boro have at last got some momentum, so why jeopardise that with a defeat or even a draw. Go for it, as holding back is a sure way of losing that momentum, or getting injured. Be positive!

    1. Ken

      The game is faster more athletic and demanding of the body than it was all those years ago

      Sports science medicals show how the footballers are having wear and tear on their body so it’s preventative to mitigate injuries

      No comparison between football years ago and now

      OFB

  18. Werder, that got the usual Coop divvy stamp of approval, “nuff” said.

    For all expats, tomorrow sees Birmingham v Fulham and Cardiff v Reading both live on two separate Beinsport channels, so for us lot it’s either I-Follow or BBC/Skysports updates.

    As for a forecast, c’mon, you know me better than that. Cotton wool wraps for the bruised and tender, but no change otherwise please. We’re in the position that we’re in and they’re in the position they’re in, because of how good we are and how good they aren’t. I really don’t care who we meet in two legs or the one off, TP has finally got this lot ticking over and finally looking like real contenders, who would have thought that I’d be writing that a month ago.

  19. Maybe, but it’s not a mid-week fixture, they’ve had eight days to recover. Football might be faster than in days of yore but it’s not as demanding or as brutal as Rugby League for example where often there is only a five day turnaround, three at Easter. Admittedly some forwards are tactically substituted during a match, but the backs and halves rarely and they certainly have more input and pace than most footballers.
    My main point is though, why change a winning team if all the players are fit? Wins breed confidence, and any result other than a win tomorrow might not only dent that, but also give Villa extra confidence especially as they beat Ipswich 4-0 away from home only a fortnight ago.

    1. Ken
      There is 170 million at stake.
      It’s a moving ball game.
      In the most dull and slow game a chance slip or trip can remove your star, it happens.
      So common sense says remove your three or four must have players from the fray.

  20. Just how much can a coach achieve ? Looking at the top 4 teams in the Premiership I tend to think that an above average coach would probably achieve similar results, as they have and are able, to buy the best players from around the world.

    But outside the top 4 the Burnley manager has proved what can be achieved with limited resources and without spending mega money on new players. A little lower in the table shows that the Bournemouth manager has also been successful.

    Perhaps the best example is the Cardiff manager who inherited a team facing relegation last season and this season they are unrecognisable and on the verge of being promoted and by spending very little.

    The same can be said for the Millwall manager who has found a way of playing which suits his players and wins matches.
    Another pleasing success story is Tony Mowbray who inherited a team going down and this season has turned it round by achieving promotion , again with little investment.

    A manager who receives little acclaim is the Sheffield Utd. manager who has served his apprenticeship at the likes of Halifax and Northampton and has had a lot of success .

    So what do these managers have in common ? Motivation , organisation abilities, ruthlessness at times, a vision and perhaps many more talents. Perhaps , even a bit of luck.

    So where does Tony Pulis figure in this and how successful has he been ?
    If he loses the 2 leg play off then no doubt the jury will be out.
    If he wins the 2 leg play off he will be considered as “ done quite well “. If he can go one better and win the play off final then he can be quite rightly regarded as very successful in his time a MFC

    I will finish by answering my original question!!
    I believe a good coach can achieve almost anything and so without doubt he is the most important signing for any team.

  21. Phil, a slight disagreement here, in that any manager can have untold wealth to buy any player he wants to formulate a dream team, but can he get them to play together and can he change things around when other, just as cash and player rich coaches, suss him out and counter his moves? Look at the wealth of riches Monk had and blew it, I could add Robson as well along with Moyes and any manager you like to name that managed the skunks up the road.

    If you can’t stitch together the component parts, then your most important signing, isn’t.

  22. Amazing crowds for Le tour de Yorkshire at Richmond, Leyburn, Bedale, Thirsk, but especially on Sutton Bank. These cyclists are tough, but so are the folks who hike up one of the steepest banks in Britain to watch these titans. Lovely aerial views of Rievaulx Abbey as the riders rode through Helmsley and great views of Pickering Castle on the way to Scarborough. Wonderful tourist travelogue helped by glorious weather, and educational history lesson for those unfamiliar with the region.

    1. Ken, but I thought that we were a pox ridden, overweight, jobless area that reflected Blade Runner, you must be watching a different broadcast to anyone else.

    2. I was watching the riders go by at Helmsley, having had a couple of thirst quenchers from the brewery there, which fronts onto the road the cyclists used. Great spectacle. Good crowds.

  23. Pease Pudding
    I think the rating of managers is only possible if strict conditions are applied.
    1. The amount of money involved, give your (inexperienced) manager your only 40 million to buy five players, quick as you like, then in all probability, goodbye 40 million.
    2. Hire the most newsworthy young and successful manager, with the most clear cut instructions to achieve big success, tell him he has a place on the committee which has the final word on every signing, have at least four unbreakable rules which must be met before any signing. Talk to a few lifelong fans of the selling club, check out his social life.
    All this is elementary, no club which is not rich, should ever buy anyone on the fly, no matter what your level, buying is all important, get it wrong and repent at leasure, with the added punishment that his presence on your wage bill is stopping you landing that totally unexpected young hero ( Traore, anyone?)

  24. Could not agree more Plato. Just look at Stoke. Their record signing is out on loan in France (18cmillion) and have 30 million pounds of “talent ” in their U-23’s, including Berahino signed for 12 mill who hasn’t scored a first team goal in two years. They were signed by an experienced manager but it doesn’t lokk as if due diligence was paid and they are relegated.

  25. Surely the classic case of a manager adding value is potentially unfolding at West Brom. Darren Moore has turned things round with exactly the same players and has a small chance of pulling off the most unlikely escape act. It’s still unlikely as firstly, Swansea and Southampton have to draw on Tuesday, then WBA need to win at Crystal Palace at the same time as Southampton lose badly vs Man City and Swansea lose at home to Stoke. I wouldn’t put my house on it but nobody would have given them a chance of being alive at this stage.

    Incidentally, here is an oddball item for anyone who enjoys a flutter or fancies them to escape, SkyBet has WBA at 33/1 to stay up. However, if you look at their relegation trebles market, Stoke/Southampton/Swansea is at 150/1. Given that this is the only way that WBA can stay up, why are the odds different. Even odder, the exact position of Stoke bottom, Swansea next and then Southampton – which is pretty much what would have to happen – is actually 250/1.

    Anyway, whether or not it happens, congrats to Darren Moore.

    As a final question on the Ipswich game, surely risk has to be taken into account as well. How would anyone feel if Traore gets taken out and is forced to miss the playoffs. Is that a risk worth taking? Momentum and all that’s is good but I for one would like to see what Harrison can do if given a chance from the start.

    UTB

  26. I would rest Besic as he has a niggle, been having them for a while now. He is our most needed player – he makes our midfield tick. Or play him only 30 to 60 min – perhaps from the bench?

    I will go for 1-1 draw, even I see Ipswich’s home form is terrible. They have won just one of their past eight league games at Portman Road (D3 L4).

    Up the Boro!

  27. Great stuff, Werder. As ever.

    If we are to rest players (which I’m not sure we will) I would rest Traore, Besic, Ayala and, because we don’t have an genuine alternative at left back. Friend.

    It is probably too much of a risk to change the shape as well but if Traore is rested, I’d go to three at the back with wingbacks allowing Fabio to play in his natural position.

    3421

    Randolph
    Shotton Fry Gibson
    Fabio Clayton Leadbitter Johnson
    Baker Downing
    Bamford/Assombalonga

    1. Thanks Andy, I think your back three option is not a bad suggestion – though I’ve long since thought Boro moving to a back three is ultimately the way to go rather than have one full-back that mainly defends in Shotton. I wouldn’t risk either Besic or Adama as the chance of injury or even a red card doesn’t outweigh losing them for the play-off first round.

  28. Werder thank you again for the Headliner, another brilliant article, there is not much one can say without repeating oneself.

    Also thank you to OFB for his excellent Int2view with one of my all time favourites. Can Ken tell me when he took his first penalty for the Boro. I wonder how many he took and scored. If I remember correctly, his run up started at the halfway line.

    As for today….finally got my iFollow subscription after much searching. Will TP kid us all by sticking to the same team or rest the ones with niggles?

    The problem is does he want to keep the momentum going with a result and a semi with Villa or is he prepared to finish sixth and play Fulham. If I am being honest I cannot see us beating either team over the two legs. But to give us any chance we would need Besic and Traore fit and playing to their full potential. I am not even thinking of Wembley. Mind you I have just bought my ticket for next weekend.

    We normally do not do very well at Ipswich and its a long drive back. A draw would suffice and if achieved with the above rested would be a good result.

    .

  29. Interesting how a story from Trinity Mirror’s Neil Moxley goes out at 10.30 last night and has suddenly grown legs all over the internet that Chelsea are “closing in” to sign Adama for £30m.

    That MFC would consider negotiating with anyone at this stage of the season doesn’t hold water especially if we get promoted. Unfortunately this journalistic genius doesn’t support or back up his story with a scrap of evidence be it circumstantial or otherwise. No doubt all club scouts across Europe are constantly monitoring players with the intention of potentially recruiting its what they get paid to do after all but I’m pretty sure Adama and the likes of Sessignon from Fulham will be on a lot of radars. Making up stories alleging Player “A” is interesting Club “B” is the lowest form of journalism and indicative of the depths Trinity Mirror is dragging its Journalists down to in an effort to create stories on quiet news days.

    Real Madrid meanwhile have been allegedly scouting Adama Traore from Middlesbrough and an inside “source” close to the Tees claimed that they are willing to double Chelsea’s offer and throw in a free subscription to the Beano!

    Why would Adama consider going to Chelsea to be farmed out to a succession of clubs for the next five years? If we don’t go up its probably fairly likely if not inevitable that we may be tempted to cash in at the top of his value but if and when that happens I suspect the highest bidder will win out not a club currently “leading” the chase in early May.

    1. It’s extremely unlikely that Boro would do a deal before they even knew what league they would be playing in next season – the only possible £30m deal would perhaps include him being loaned back next season with a sell-on clause. Far more likely is that the whole story has been invented like nearly all transfer rumour stories!

      1. You are all playing the game of ” sell him cheap”
        Say nothing, got that, nothing,
        When the first bargain hunter comes a calling, just say no, do not argue, do not discuss.
        Do not talk to the press. They are already bought and paid for( by a big club)
        When they get all of a flutter( as they surely will)
        Tell them that you have no interest in the subject, and they are starting to bore you.
        Remember, you are in charge, not them.
        Forget the sell on clause, we want his value right now, and that starts with fifty, and let the bidding begin.
        Note today his supplying of chances is brilliant and improving.
        Yet again they had no idea how to handle him.
        I think, on balance he is better than Chelsea.

  30. well, now we know. its the A-team. I’ll have my fingers over my eyes for every tackle and every booking is a potential nightmare waiting to happen.

    with that team, i hope for a 2-0 win, no injuries and no red cards. Goals for Assombalonga and Traore.

    UTB

  31. So no changes then, hopefully the plan is to get a 2-0 lead then make a couple of strategic subs at half-time – I’m sure there will be some fears every time Besic and Adama go in for challenges – let’s hope for no typical Boro injuries or red cards!

    Haven’t been able to register for a Match Pass yet – the first time it wouldn’t recognise my password and made me reset it but the required email hasn’t arrived. Then I set up a new account but then the button to buy a Match Pass has disappeared from the site! Why does it have to be so complicated? I just hope the link appears shortly before kick-off, otherwise I’m going to be annoyed…

      1. The ‘Watch Live Now’ button appeared 5 minutes ago, which when clicked took me to the Match Pass purchase page and I finally managed to buy one with my new account. Incidentally, when I emailed iFollow with the password reset problem they replied with “please use the ‘Live Chat’ bubble a the bottom right of the Ipswich site page” – which of course didn’t exist! I sometimes wonder how these companies get away with being so poor at producing a site that’s not user-friendly and fit for purpose – and I’m someone who is pretty up-to-speed on technical issues.

  32. Just signed in on the Ipswich site and iFOLLOW up and running. Hope Werder and Pedro do not have any problems.

    Team news no surprise as TP intimated as such in his pre match interview.

    I think it is the correct decision and no doubt the players who have not trained during the week are all raring to play. Hopefully we can get a result and make tactical substitutions at the appropriate time.

    Fingers and everything else crossed that we remain injury and red card free.

    CoB 😎

  33. Just a moment away from Boro. I would like to wish the greatest manager Sir Alex Ferguson, very best wishes on his recovery. My thoughts also with his family.

  34. Great piece, as usual, Werder, but “Easliegh” (second reference)?!!

    Have my fingers firmly crossed & the prayer mat out for at least a draw & no injuries or red cards! That said, the Tractor Boys have just gone a goal up! 🙂

    Off topic, the Tykes have just beaten Essex by 91 runs! *hat* *jig* Six wickets for Steve Patterson, three for Ben Coad. *big grin* Tim Bresnan took the last one to fall.

      1. Boro exile
        The batting was also poor last year in the County Championship but excellent in the white ball matches. Initially I was as scathing as anyone after Yorkshire’s first innings debacle, but although we have an excellent set of seam and pace bowlers, this win must also be credited to the ‘one day cricket’ perspective of Johnny Bairstow and Harry Brook. Without their attacking instinct we would have been well beaten as Essex also found runs difficult on a seaming wicket.

  35. No penatration from Boro, just going round in circles at the moment.

    If we do not pull our socks up it could be Fulham on Friday.

  36. Poor performance in the first half. Seem to have forgotten all the good things we did in the last three games!

    Unless there is a major change in the second half we may not finish fifth.

    Based on this display, we will struggle in the play offs ☹️

  37. awful website. Boro in charge but not a lot of clear-cut chances. Do we care. I’m also watching Fulham losing to B’ham and they are getting well beaten.

    Traore getting kicked a bit. i’d take him off at 60.

  38. Braveheart, as much as I don’t like Sralex, his methods and his win at all costs ideology, I still wish him all the best in a full and speedy recovery but, to call him “the greatest manager”, then I do have an axe to grind. The man that constantly walked on the Trent on an afternoon stroll would leave him dead in the water (no pun intended) but, the man that makes them all look up in admiration, surely, has to be (Sir) Robert paisley, not knighted but should be, even if posthumously. Just check his record over six years in service against twenty odd years for the thug, then compare trophies won and friends and admiration won, he doesn’t even come close.

    Still, I wish him all the best, a full recovery and please get back to me not liking you even more, with someone like you to not like makes me appreciate the ones that I do, we all need a litmus test.

    Incoming?

    1. Braveheart, that was a post 1-0 current scoreline and not being happy, but my Bob Paisley sentiments remain along with my hopes of a Sralex recovery, the crusty old get!

      Opinions, as I was always lead to believe, are like human being’s waste pipes, everyone’s got one.

  39. We are now sixth, so what. Before the statisticians start with the, if this, if that occurs, then this, then that might happen, who cares? We are in the play off’s regardless as to what happens today. The most important things that everyone else has to think about is, you have to beat us, we’ve already got you in the bag.

    Mindset.

  40. I’ll tell you what, as an appendix to my “bring it on” post, skipping between the Fulham and Cardiff games, bring on Fulham because they look as though they’ve got the breaking strip of a Kit-Kat so far!

    1. Werder, I’ll reiterate what I’ve been preaching for a while, I really don’t care who we take on in the play off’s, at one point we didn’t even deserve to be here. Plus, I’ll reiterate again, the opposition have to look at beating us and, the team with really good form at present are Derby, see you at Wembley.

  41. That’ll do nicely! Great to be the team that pops up with the last minute game changer. Hope Peasepud is right and Fulham are shot. Just a little matter of disposing of Villa now.

    1. Steely, Fulham looked a cooked goose tonight mate, they we’re awful. Still, it’s totally irrelevant as we now draw Villa, and I’m still not worried. Bring it on, the whole thing please.

  42. Not a good performance by any means, the only redeeming thing was that they kept going until the end and got the equaliser. However if we turn up and play like that against any of the teams we will get beat. Some poor individual games out there today.

    One of the problems with a small and limited squad. Keep fit and you are in the team. Only Patrick and Britt competing the others are shoe-ins. MOM has to be Randolf, he saved us from defeat in reality.

  43. One of these days we might learn to do it the easy way!

    Pleased with the result but the performance was akin to early season GM days with a poor performance against a mid table team with nothing to play for.

    Mrs P was not best pleased when I told her we were losing 2-1 and that the semi-final first leg match would now be on Friday evening so we would need to cancel the table we had booked for dinner! 96th minute equaliser has got me out of hot water thank goodness.

  44. Well, not sure if that was the ideal warm-up for the play-offs but it at least showed the team have spirit and desire.

    Also not exactly sure what Pulis will have made at the comedy of errors that saw Ipswich get a penalty out of nowhere – a passage of play that saw Adama rush to give the ball to an Ipswich player, when all we needed was a draw, followed by a Shotton foul throw, then as Boro broke their necks to keep a ball in play around the halfway line and then contrived to pass to team-mates under pressure who lost the ball before we made a poorly-timed challenge in the box to give away the spot-kick.

    Actually, wasn’t sure if their first goal was actually a blatant push in the back during the build-up – plus the disallowed Ayala goal looked tight too after it came back off the bar.

    I thought Boro were easily the better side but looked a bit sloppy at times and will need to do better – but that 96th minute leveler by Bamford will seem like a victory and keep the momentum going – job done indeed!

  45. A master class in doing it the hard way. Boro are brilliant at that. Now it’s just the finger nail pulling, fag burns, water boarding play-offs. They sure know how to treat a fan.

    Always look on the bright side of life…

    UTB,

    John

    PS, a point at Ipswich, us?

  46. Sorry to say it but Britt. Seems to be the sort of striker who will get the ball in the six yard box, with the keeper on his line and just about score ( oh, about 15-16 goals a season)
    He seemed to spend today setting up Ipswich attacks.
    We now have, Traore, Bamford, Besic, Downing, with Friend, Ayala, Gibson in the defence.
    The attackers have some talent, the defenders have some authority. And plenty of speed.
    I think that they will create enough chances to see us through the playoffs.
    We simply cannot carry on hoping that Britt will be the fox in the box, too static, too slow, going for the near post with the goal at his mercy? I do not think so.

  47. Great Report RR thank you. You amaze me at how you put together such an accurate and illuminating report so quickly. You put some of the professional hacks to shame.

    Not a great game to watch from a quality perspective and we seemed intent on shooting ourselves in the foot at times defensively. I too felt that BG was eased of the ball for their first, whilst the second was was just suicide on our part and hopefully those involved will get a rollicking from TP.

    It will be interesting to see the highlights again for the one cleared off the line and also the one that was disallowed albeit it matters not as we are safe in fifth.

    I just wonder if Fulham are beginning to unravel and it might have been better had we had to play them on a two legged basis?

    We clearly need to up our game based upon today’s performance if we are to get past Villa, but the determination and willingness to keep going is a good sign.

    1. It will be two Cup matches next. The form goes out of the window and previous results mean nothing now.

      We are underdogs but we will have a chance if we just play as We did vs. Millwall or Bristol City. Interesting.

      Up the Boro!

  48. Great report RR, as always, my job as designated driver for the 100th birthday is over and I am enjoying a celebratory beer followed by a glass of wine.

    Now is the big test for Mr Pulis…

    UTB,

    John

  49. Back after the adventure with Exmil about. Great break until the flight back, don’t ask but if you want to know….

    Anyway we finished 5th, that is where we deserve to be, the play offs will show if we deserve to go up.

    I don’t like them but those are the rules.

  50. Welcome back Ian (and Exmil).
    The season goes on. As you say, the play offs will show if we’re good enough to go up, despite all the disappointments.

  51. Thanks to RR for the usual excellent report and to Weder for the starter for 10! Both great reads.

    I was subject to radio silence today, well apart from half time and then full time so pleased that we finished 5th on a football basis but not so happy that the demands of Sky mean that i wont be able to make the game. I could for Friday or even a 3pm kick-off on Saturday but………

    Still we are in the play off which i did not expect earlier on this season and after Sheffield United so am thankful for small mercies!

    We will need to be at our best now and TP will have to ensure all the stops are pulled out to give us a chance. My view is that we need to win by 2 goals to give us a chance in the second leg, easier said than done.

    As this is Boro and we dont make things easy, then it will go to penalties next Tuesday!

    It really is the hope that kills you!

  52. As in life, you don’t always get what you deserve. It’s not always the best team that perseveres in the play-offs.

    A large slice of good fortune and the stars aligning are as much a recipe for success. One bonus for us is the vast experience of the manager.

  53. I see that TP has started the mind games, describing Villa as the strongest squad in the Championship. They rested eight and we rested nobody.

    Anyway, it looks as if we have come through the game with no injuries and, thankfully, no red cards and so we can look forward to the first game. Let’s hope that Traore manages more than a handful of minutes and gets the chance to show Villa what they let go.

    Looking at the Premier League, i came up with a paragraph that amused me.

    The top form team at the moment is Chelsea with 13 points out of fifteen and one would expect them to make it five wins out of five against Huddersfield in midweek as they drive for a Champions League spot. Not in action until next Saturday are the next two form sides, two teams with eleven points out of fifteen who meet on Saturday in a game of great significance to at least one of them.

    Anyway care to add in the two teams and suggest whether this would have seemed likely two months ago.

    UTB

  54. Didn’t see the game but by all reports that’s two games in a row the defence got nervous?
    I do have concern with our two fullbacks ,not in their commitment but , Shotton is a centre back and tends to drift in and actually smother Ayala ,I’ve never been a big fan of George as far as his ability to read things ,no question he gives his all ,but his decision making is poor, Tony should tell him to just play his position and forget these tearing away with his head down resulting in more than often giving the ball away.
    I think we are underdogs , but we have Adama ,and I hope we have a strong ref, who sees the desperate fouls on him and punishes the players doing it .
    Bag a nerves all ready .

  55. Time will tell whether rotation would have been the best policy, depending on how sharp we start against Villa. If we are up for it from the off then great, but any sluggishness may be attributed to fatigue which could have been avoided by resting players, like Steve Bruce did. Interesting sub-plot with the return of Agnew too, although thankfully the two danger players for us (Adama and Besic – you could also add Paddy) were either not here or not fancied during his tenure so hopefully he won’t know too much about stopping them.

    5th against Villa is what I wanted before play, but after Fulham’s capitulation and realising that it would have been a Friday game (which we never lose) part of me is wondering whether 6th would have been better! It is what it is – we can consider ourselves fortunate to be here after our season and promotion a welcome bonus.

  56. First things first. Pedro de Espana asked about John Hickton’s penalties and if his run sometimes started from the half way line. Unfortunately I can’t confirm or rebut the latter, but I can state for certain that his first penalty was actually in the 37th minute of his debut on 24th September 1966 at home to Workington when Boro were already 0-2 behind. OFB alluded to this match as Boro came back to win 3-2. I have not been able to see any reference to how many penalties he scored, so after perusing all his appearances for Boro I have counted 32 including one in an Anglo-Italian match at home to Lanerossi Vicenza in 1970. From my records I make out that his last penalty was in the 9th minute of the FA Cup replay away to Bury on 6th January 1976 to put Boro 2-0 up, but unfortunately we eventually lost 2-3. I have no record of Hickton having missed a penalty, but maybe someone might be able to throw some light on that.

    As for yesterday’s match I didn’t hear the commentary and in fact didn’t know the score till about 3.30 pm as I was busy planting flowers in my garden. I’m afraid that sometimes work transcends sport and in fact I didn’t even sit down to watch a recording of Le Tour de Yorkshire until 8 pm. However, thanks to Redcar Red for his report on the match.

    It certainly was a weekend of surprise results starting with Brighton beating Manchester United on Friday, West Bromwich Albion beating Spurs on Saturday, and Huddersfield gaining a point at Manchester City yesterday. The Championship also had three surprises with Sunderland not only beating Wolves, but stifling their attempt to accumulate a century of points, and Cardiff failing to beat Reading but still winning promotion as Fulham lost to Gary Monk’s Birmingham. Perhaps we should enlist his help if we meet them at Wembley? (takes cover to avoid the flak). Seriously though, although TP’s decision not to change a winning team was vindicated by at least keeping the momentum going and avoiding defeat at Ipswich, I personally would have preferred for Boro to be playing Fulham in the semifinal playoff. I think the disappointment of not obtaining automatic promotion will affect them and I fully expect Derby County to overcome them over two legs. I don’t think TP is playing mind games in stating that Villa will start strong favourites to beat Boro, because they will be. Boro will have to start much better against Villa if they are to succeed, and I hope I’m wrong, but it looks like a Derby v Villa final to me.

    Back to surprise results over the weekend, the lower leagues also had their fair share with Rochdale beating Charlton Athletic, and Shrewsbury Town losing at home to already relegated MK Dons (maybe not too surprising as Charlton and Shrewsbury had already cemented their playoff positions), similarly Coventry in Division 2 against a Morecambe team fighting for its EFL existence. However, my greatest surprise and delight was Redcar Athletic winning in Cumbria to league leaders Cleator Moor Celtic and now needing just four points from their final two fixtures to win their first league title since changing their name from Tees Wanderers. If they do win the Wearside League, will they then be considered for elevation to the Second Division of the Northern League, or is their ground up to standard? One thing perhaps in their favour could be the fact that at the moment there are an odd number of clubs in that league so another club would make fixtures easier to compile.

    Finally, I must mention Yorkshire’s comeback to beat Essex. It might have been a surprise at tea time on the first day, but not at close of play as I always thought that Yorkshire had the edge thereafter.

  57. A good result at Ipswich. I only saw the highlights and looked like defending was poor but we have chances, too. The desisions by the ref were a bit arguable, too.

    Aston Villa will be a tough opponent. They invested a lot to the players last season. But they had a even worse season a year ago than Boro had this season. They must have been the favourites last season and have invested more again this season.

    Aston Villa are a big club. Their average matchday crowd of more than 31,500 is also a Championship best. They had 41,233 turnout for the Second City Derby against Birmingham City in February is the Championship’s highest attended match of 2017/18.

    So it won’t be easy. But like in the Cup, the results can be a surprise and Boro have a chance even we are the underdogs.

    Let’s just enjoy the run. Up the Boro!

  58. Smoggy

    I have mentioned this before but resting players sometimes doesn’t work. In the NFL the Cots had run away with the regular season then season then started resting players.

    They ended up playing a team who had been fighting to get in to the ply offs and were surprisingly beaten.

    Sometimes rotation works, sometimes it doesn’t. Many a weakened selection in a cup has led to a poor run in the league.

    You pays your money and takes your chance.

  59. EXMIL CHALLENGE 2018 FINAL TABLE

    Thanks to everyone who took part, the final placing are below with some very high scores in the last part. Apologies if I have made errors but I didn’t get to bed until 0330 hrs this morning due to an hour delay at the airport on departure, please raise any mistake that you think I have made. If a number final scores were the same, I counted 10’s, 9’s, 8’s etc over the 3 parts until I was able to separate them.

    I will say, at this point, over the last two weeks I have had the pleasure to meet Ian Gill and his good lady and we enjoyed a few glasses of refreshment while we discussed the Boro among other things. I certainly hope to enjoy their company again.

    Congratulations to myself (shock, horror) at being this years champion and borobrie on securing the second automatic promotion spot. Still to fight on in the playoffs are Redcar Red, originalfatbob,selwynoz and Ian Gill for the last promotion place. When I have had a nights sleep, I will post the format and rules for the playoffs, so if anyone thinks I have made an error, please let me know soonest.

    Congratulations also to Powmill-Naemore, who with the highest score of Part 3, moved from the bottom of the league into the top half. I wonder if our 3 relegated teams, Forever Dormo, jarkko and Andy R will ponder where they may have finished if they had got their Part 3 entries in before the deadline but I do understand about internet provider problems as when I switched to BT from Sky, I had delay after delay from BT but they did give me £30 off my first bill as a goodwill gesture (hint hint).

    FINAL TABLE

    Scores as W,F,C,V,D,M,Boro,BC,S,B,P
    In brackets after name score after Part 2

    1. exmil 2017 (167) 7,7,9,10,10,10,10,8,8,7,6 = 92 = 259
    2. borobrie (161) 6,7,9,9,9,9,10,7,9,8,8 = 91 = 252
    3. Redcar Red (157) 9,7,9,10,10,9,8,7,7,8,9 = 93 = 250
    4. originalfatbob (161) 5,7,10,8,9,9,10,7,7,8,7 = 87 = 248
    5. selwynoz (149) 10,7,9,10,9,7,8,7,9,9,7 = 92 = 241
    6. Ian Gill (154) 6,9,9,10,7,8,7,7,8,8,8 = 87 = 241
    7. Suffolk’n’Boro (149) 10,9,9,9,9,8,8,7,9,8,5 = 91 = 240
    8. Pedro de Espana (162) 7,7,9,10,7,4,4,5,10,10,4 =77 = 239
    9. Powmill-Naemore (144) 10,9,7,10,9,9,8,7,10,9,6 = 94 = 238
    10. werdermouth (153) 9,7,7,7,10,9,10,7,6,9,4 = 85 = 238
    11. Martin Bellamy (150) 6,7,9,9,9,9,7,7,9,6,7 = 85 = 235
    12. KP in Spain (161) 9,9,8,8,7,6,2,7,10,9,6 = 71 = 232
    13. MW in Darwin (162) 6,7,9,9,6,6,1,4,9,6,7 = 70 = 232
    14. Ken Smith (149) 5,7,7,10,7,6,5,9,9,10,7 = 82 = 231
    15. lenmasterman (149) 5,7,9,10,7,9,7,3,7,8,4 = 76 = 225
    16. Andy R (152) No entry into Part 3 = 152
    17. jarkko (147) No entry into Part 3 = 147
    18. Forever Dormo (145) No entry into Part 3 = 145

    Once again thanks to everyone who took part and good luck to all four in the playoffs.

    Come on BORO.

    1. Sorry for not taking part in the part 3. So I was Burton but I really feel sorry for Dormo as he is Sunderland! Must be tough. At least I have Clough for company …

      Up the Boro!

  60. Happy to have climbed back up to a playoff spot after a nightmare in part 2. In fact, finishing fifth makes me Boro – don’t know if that’s good or bad – and I have to take on the mighty OFB.

    Bring it on 😊😊

    UTB

  61. I DON’T BELIEVE IT…!!! the first time I have ever done anything like a fantasy league and I come second.! Exmil thanks for all your time in putting a challenge up for all of us to participate in.

  62. Well done to exmil and of course all particiapnats. I regret not entering now, but predicting the results in this nailbiting finish would have put a jinx on it I fear. We finished on 77 points which was 2 more than my spread sheet predicted as a result of the game against Millwall although 75 points would have been enough.

    As far as the paly offs are concerned I will sit back and enjoy the ride. If we get past AV then a trip to London will be on the cards.

    How many on here intend to go and maybe we should all meet up for a glass of the good stuff.

  63. I see that the press have very kindly set Traore’s price at thirty million.
    It’s lovely that they are worried we might be ripped off, but the player he is and the talents he possesses,( fastest man on the pitch, any pitch, brilliant dribbler is a better goal scorer than the people he is feeding, does not dive, in fact, gets up and carries on,( very annoying for the defender, who is praying for the whistle) lays the ball off beautifully, and never complains to the ref about the hacking he gets on a regular basis.
    When the approach comes, be ready to hit them straight between the eyes, I would suggest a hundred mill, yes they will call for the doctor, but that has nothing to do with you, he who wishes to play the big shot must learn to take it on the chin.

  64. This is where Peter Kenton and his “ contacts” should play a part.

    We know it’s a matter of time before Traore moves on, we just need to ensure we get the maximum amount possible for him.

  65. We couldn’t hold on to Hodgson, Armstrong, Proctor, Johnston, Pallister, Mills etc. But we got top dollar at the time for them.

    1. Grovehill
      Pallister was the longest loan in the history of the league.
      Got 2.5 mill for him
      Gave them the 2.5 mill back ten seasons later,( and he was crocked with a bad back)
      When it comes to dealing in the market, your sins will find you out.
      When Liverpool bought Souness, every Boro supporter new they were buying a player who would be the difference between winning big, and not.
      Liverpool thought that they improved him( they could not improve one side of him)
      At the moment we are being sold a story, that we ( the humble owners of a much wanted player) will be glad to get Thirty mill for him.
      Looked at from the other side of the deal.
      The club that gets him for that, can look forward to a big improvement in their form, and offers of 100 mill from the giants after two seasons of his services.
      So the message is, quote them a 100 mill. And if they persist tout him round the giants.

  66. I wouldn’t be surprised if Adama stays another season if we get promoted. He would be put in to a tactical straight jacket if he went somewhere in the top flight and would end up as he was at Villa.

    1. Ian
      He would fit right in at City, and improve them.
      Speed and the ability to beat anyone, very strong, fearless, he is also a goal scorer.

  67. Thanks ex-mil. The challenge has been a lot of fun over the last few crucial months, and I appreciate, as everyone else does, all of the effort and hard work that has gone into it. It’s that kind of commitment, like RR’s reports, Werder’s pieces and editorial work, Bob’s interviews and reports from the front, Simon’s leaders, Ken’s statistical and historical work, GHW’s links, …. I could go on…that makes the blog the invaluable resource that it is, and the only thing on the internet that i try to see every day. Thanks again.

    1. Many thanks Len it’s a labour of love 💗

      Thanks to Exmil for the challenge another different thing that this blog offers.

      As well as Rixby Crockedt and other funny named sports

      OFB

  68. Recent history with sales suggests that we’ve become much better at selling, if not buying. At this stage I ponder the players who we signed on big wages in the latter halves of the Robson and McClaren years, and how long it took us to shift them (namely Maccarone, Mendieta, Riggott and Parlour).

    This continued into later years with Gary O’Neil and how we had to “buy out” the appearance-triggering extra payment we were in danger of owing to Pompey after the damage of the Strachan splurge. Then came Scott McDonald and his recruitment-hampering presence on the wage bill.

    I could be wrong, but it does seem that we effectively broke even or made a profit on Adomah, Reach, Nsue, Rhodes, Espinosa, Stuani, De Roon and Fischer. At least. That, and we sold Forshaw to Leeds for £4.5 m when he originally cost us £2.3 m. I think.

    Every little step in the right direction helps.

    1. Simon
      I agree with that, all of it.
      But with the Monk disgrace, the buying of aged players, who could not cut it, but are still here. The utter blindness to Traore.( I see someone challenged him on Traore)
      His answer was a beauty. ” he was late for the bus, there is no comeback from that, the ultimate crime”
      So, lesser club lands potentially great player, and hires the world’s worst manager.
      Looks like we had a lucky escape,(could have been a very expensive one)

  69. The Birmingham Mail seem to have an unhealthy fixation on TP, Boro and Adama at the moment. I’m no psychologist but it looks like they are talking themselves into expecting a defeat to soften the blow. If the Gazette lads came up with so many “hand wringing worrying” stories there would be lynch parties outside Gazette Towers!

    The Boat opined that if Villa didn’t go up they could be stuck down in the Championship for a long time and I suspect he is right. Conversely I think us Boro fans feel that TP has settled in, has settled the side and albeit with a few hiccups like Burton away the bigger picture is that we are in an upward trajectory. Should we not go up via the Play Offs this time I suspect that most of us would feel more confident of a top two finish next year under TP than we did at the start of this Season.

  70. It’s funny you mention that, RR – my next Talking Point, which I hope to finally pen tomorrow morning (I’ve been covering arts festivals either side of making up for a lack of sleep, which has led to headaches – time to reduce my coffee intake too, methinks!) will be on long-term planning. And how Pulis fits in.

  71. Sorry I’ve been more or less dawn till dusk on heavy duty gardening for the last few days, so have just noticed Exmil’s back with first mate Gill and the final standings of this year’s challenge.

    So many thanks to Exmil and congratulations on showing us all how it (the predictions) should be done – a worthy successor to Anthony McCarthy (Paulista Park). Also well done to Borobrie for making the automatic promotion slot and good luck to RR, OFB, Selwynoz and Ian in the play-offs.

    Sadly my late surge only got me to tenth spot but that was just three tiny points outside the play-offs. Fine margins as they say, which was most certainly down to Preston winning at Sheff Utd as I had that as a nailed-on home win – That would have actually given me 6 (six!) extra points as I had the Blades down for a total of 8 and they ended with 4, plus Preston down for 4 and the ended up with 10 – i.e. they both would have then had 7 points each.

    Still I can console myself (just about) with the fact I got the crucial Boro and Derby’s totals spot on and just one point out on Millwall – only one other person did better on those three, yes you’ve guessed it – Exmil got three perfect tens.

    Anyway, I know it was all just meant to be a bit of fun and I’m not going to go on more than I need to – btw Are we going to use VAR next year? Also did I mention what happened in the first round that lost me precious points…

  72. Werder

    First mate!! I have been promoted from shovelling coal in to the boilers.

    Exmil was on his first cruise and took to it like a duck to water, as it was all inclusive it was more like a duck to John Smiths.

  73. EXMIL CHALLENGE 2018 – THE PLAYOFFS

    This seasons playoffs will see the following semi finals:

    Redcar Red v Ian Gill

    originalfatbob v selwynoz

    Each player will have to predict the correct score, at full time (including extra time) for each of the following matches:

    Fri 11/5 1945 Derby v Fulham

    Sat 12/5 1715 Boro v Villa

    Mon 14/5 1945 Fulham v Derby

    Tue 15/5 1945 Villa v Boro

    Penalty shootouts do not count.

    Each player will score 5 points for the correct amount of goals per team, per match but will lose a point for each goal +/-.

    GOLDEN GOAL

    Each player is to predict the time of the first goal in the opening match (Derby v Fulham) to be used as a tie breaker, in the event of a tied total at the end of the four matches. The nearest to the actual time will go through to the final.

    Example: predicted score 3 – 2
    Actual score 1 – 2

    Points scored (3+5) = 8

    Good luck to all our four semi finalists but especially Boro.

    Come on BORO.

    1. EXMIL CHALLENGE 2018 – THE PLAYOFFS

      Fri 11/5 1945 Derby v Fulham 2-0 first goal 18 mins

      Sat 12/5 1715 Boro v Villa 2-1 first goal 34 mins

      Mon 14/5 1945 Fulham v Derby 4-2 first goal 9 mins

      Tue 15/5 1945 Villa v Boro 1-1 first goal 13 mins

      1. Thanks Redcar Red, recorded but I only required the first goal of the first match Derby v Fulham, I have noted your time of 18 mins.

        Come on BORO.

  74. Allan in Bahrain
    I’m definitely thinking about a trip to the playoffs should we get there and it would be a real pleasure to catch up with some of the community of ancients who frequent this blog and also the younger crowd who come along for the wisdom 🙂 I stayed in Sydney for the Norwich game and that was pretty miserable although I’m not sure that being there would have been any better. Was it to those who attended?

    Big question is to ask how we can guarantee tickets. I’ll try first through my brother in London but as he’s no longer a regular visitor to the Riverside, I’m not sure how it will work out. Does anyone think that the club will have pity on people who make a long distance trip? Would Yvonne Ferguson be the person to contact if other avenues fail?

    Exmill
    I must ad to the thanks from everyone else for all the work that you have done on the challenge. Now that I’ve taken Boro’s place in the ranking, I feel a lot of pressure to make it through to the final….along with MFC! I’m torn about how to view Fulham. Having suggested before the last games that they might be ripe for plucking, I’m not sure whether they can take Derby who have hit goal-scoring form. Anyway, here are my picks

    Derby 2 Fulham 0 First goal 23rd minute
    BORO 2 Villa 1
    Fulham 2 Derby 2
    Villa 1- BORO 1 (Maybe after extra time)

    Werdermouth
    I hear your pain. I think that most of us were caught out by the Preston result. I also had Fulham down for a win at Birmingham which would have given me a 10 for them and overturned the whole Championship. Fulham must still be kicking themselves and it will require a lot to come back from that.

    Finally, West Brom were hit by the Manager of the Month curse and they weren’t even playing. That’s some powerful ju-ju. I’d like to see Huddersfield stay up but I can’t see them getting much from Chelsea. It would then come down to them needing a point from their last home game against Arsenal.

    UTB

    1. Selwynoz

      Let’s see of we can get
      Past Villa first before dreaming of a later game !

      If we do I’ll pass on some tel no’s and email contacts to Werder to forward to you

      These contacts may be able to help but can’t promise

      OFB

      1. OFB, you should be in bed at 4:45 am. I hope you not getting too nervous about the Villa match on Saturday. We will win, do not worry. If we have Traore and Besic and they are fit. UTB!

  75. When I see all the Blackburn videos celebrating our Tony Mowbray, I cannot help but feel we must have him back one day. I think he bought many of the stars of the Karanka era like George, Ayala, etc. Even Adomah who should never have been sold.

    I would like to see his style of football – Borocelona – and what he would do with the money we have now.

    And finally, what a person he is. I don’t know about the others, but I would prefer Mogga when we have no Pulis one day. Mogga is a proper football man and Boro through and through. Up the Boro!

    1. Just a point

      Ayala was signed by Mark Venus or rather the club did

      Mowbray has left the Boro by the time he arrived from Norwich

      OFB

      1. From memory it was literally just days after Mogga had left so I would assume it wasn’t some fanciful knee jerk reaction and had been already planned under Mogga.

  76. Exmil Playoffs

    Fri 11/5 1945 Derby v Fulham 2-1 first goal 48 mins
    Sat 12/5 1715 Boro v Villa 2-0
    Mon 14/5 1945 Fulham v Derby 2-0
    Tue 15/5 1945 Villa v Boro 2-1

    I take it the final part will be the final itself.

  77. I see we have Robert “Bobby” Madley as the Ref on Saturday against Villa a with Mike Dean taking charge of the second leg at Villa Park.

  78. As folks are aware by now, I’m a statistics and historical facts person regarding football and most sports (thanks by the way to Len for giving me a mention). However statistics and historical facts have no bearing on what might happen in the future so I was quite surprised that a journalist of Anthony Vickers’s stature should write an article about percentages of previous playoff positions perhaps having a bearing on which club is likely to gain promotion this season. The only guides to forecasting what might happen in the near future are form and momentum, and even they are tenuous at best.

    I often hear people say ‘Oh, Boro never win at Ipswich, or Sheffield Wednesday, or Nottingham Forest, etc’ as if it is a curse and the best we can hope for against such teams is avoiding defeat. Some grounds, even Wembley, are considered bogey grounds because we’ve never won there. In fact we’ve only actually played at the current Wembley stadium once, so if one believed in superstitions that wouldn’t be a good guide anyway. Conversely, Wolves hadn’t won on Teesside since April 1951, as if that would have any bearing on this season’s fixture. Similarly, both the BBC and Sky Sports websites publish OPTA statistics for every match – interesting, but completely irrelevant. If on the toss of a coin heads comes out 8 times out of 10, it is still only an even bet that heads will turn up on the eleventh toss.

    Now I could tell you that Boro have been relegated from the Premier League or Old First Division nine times, but have only twice been promoted in the following season. That’s a fact – in 1929 and 1998. However that doesn’t mean that it’s unlikely to happen for a third time this year, does it? I guess most people have some superstitions, but these superstitions seem to manifest themselves in a lot of us where the Boro are concerned. The fact is that playoff fixtures particularly are very difficult to forecast. A week ago most punters might have had Fulham as favourites; after last weekend’s results, many of them are doubting their abilities to overcome Derby County.

    All of a sudden Aston Villa seem to be favourites among some of the pundits because they rested eight players on Sunday. Meanwhile some Boro fans are saying we must win the home leg against Villa preferably by two goals to get to Wembley. I can see the logic in that, but one shouldn’t write off Boro; even overturning a one goal defeat at home going to Villa Park and winning would be difficult, but certainly not impossible. Nearly all semifinal playoff matches are decided on the second leg; it’s very rare for a team to have it relatively sown up after the first leg.

    But a word of caution. Supposing Boro do reach Wembley, and have to play Derby County in the Final. I can hear it now ‘Oh Derby, we nearly always beat them, and after all we outplayed them only recently’. Harold Wilson once said that a week in politics is a long time. I would suggest that a month in football is also a long time, as a good win against Derby a month ago would have no bearing on a match played later this month. In my opinion there should be no favourite among the four particating teams, they are so evenly matched. May the best team win, but let it be the Boro!

  79. As recently as a month ago some seasoned observers had TP firmly in their sights, suggesting there were serious question marks against his competence, that he wasn’t setting our side up to win, his selections and tactics were all wrong and that there must be problems behind the scenes.
    Well, credit where credit is due for TP. He stuck to his guns and showed he was mature enough to handle the criticism. He didn’t ditch the old guard as was suggested by some, he’s beaten our play-off rivals and given us a fighting chance towards the promised land. The players have shown they believe in him and the recent results reflect as much. He took the criticism when results were poor and he should be given praise when they improve . . but this balance that should be equal, is rarely so.

      1. I think he got the plaudits when and where deserved like thinning the squad in January, not splashing Gibbo’s cash, bringing on Adama leaps and bounds, Ayala improving, George restored, bringing in Besic and praise for the away performance at Derby a few weeks back but he also deservedly got the brickbats for the Wolves 9 man failure and the incredibly inept away performance at Burton. He has also been largely afforded the courtesy of the benefit of the doubt over the restoration of Bamford over Gestede’s injury.

        Reaching the Play Offs was the only target he could have hoped to have achieved when he took over with the top two spots way over the horizon and he has achieved that. Anything more than that will be a bonus and a very unexpected one. There are still those who stereotype him but those are mainly sheep like opposition camp views. Despite changing our sideways midfield, support to our strikers and actually recording significant attempts on goal we still have some home fans entrenched on what legendary folklore has created around TP over the last decade rather than what their eyes are telling them.

        Should TP somehow achieve the remarkable and actually go and win the Play Offs then I have no doubt there will be less open and expansive football in the Premiership next season as we aim to survive but that is then and this is now.

  80. Interesting article in todays Guardian with the below extract on the Play Offs since their commencement in 1992:

    “In those 26 seasons, the team that finished third has won promotion on nine occasions (35%), fourth, four times (15%), fifth, eight times (31%) and sixth, five times (19%). In the past 10 seasons, the third-placed side has won promotion on four occasions, most recently Norwich City in 2015”.

    As Ken has pointed out it means nothing and we all know that all four sides in reality have an equal chance. It illustrates that being the third best team is an indication that they are slightly better but that theory is thrown out when the fifth placed team is the second most successful side historically. I’ll just take it that the winner of Villa/Boro will go up. There again we beat Norwich away just a few weeks before the Play Off final at Carrow Road and then look at what happened, besides whats the chances of Derby at Wembley? “Its happened again, its happened again” question is to whom?

  81. Oh dear, I had forgotten we are due at my daughters for the weekend.

    She lives near a lot of pubs, there must be hundreds of Boro fans live in Abingdon.

  82. Simon,

    Thanks for that lovely earlier video link. It brought tears to my eyes a few times, and especially in seeing a young and athletic Willie Maddren scoring a goal. And a smile in seeing Jackie puffing on a fag from the touchline.

    I clicked on to your later link to have yet another look at the legendary Clough- Motson encounter. It encapsulates in a few minutes exactly why Cloughie was, for me, greater than any of his managerial contemporaries or successors. What he had to say about the pillorying of referees demonstrated that he cared more about the game as a whole than the mere fortunes of a single club. The truth of the matter is that football is far bigger than Manchester United, or Chelsea or Arsenal. It belongs, most importantly of all, to the world’s kids. They are the ones who are playing it most, and learning the most from it in the back streets and on the scrub land of towns and cities around the world. And what they are learning about sport, and about life, and how to conduct themselves with civility and generosity- or otherwise- is crucially influenced by the behaviour they witness from those, the stars and managers, with the most influence in the game. Cloughie always had these wider perspectives. He always insisted,wherever he managed, that his teams played the game in the right way, and he would never tolerate any on-field dissent against referees. Many much- adulated managers never appeared to give their wider responsibilities to the game even a passing thought. Weighed in the balance against their club’s last result they counted for nothing.

    The whole interview is worth watching again for Clough’s facial expression from 6:13 at the mention of the name of Bob Wilson. Wilson it was who, week after week, appeared on television during Forest’s first historic title- winning season predicting, every Saturday lunch-time, that this would be the game when Forest’s bubble would burst. It never did, of course, and Clough’s contempt for the media pundit’s schoolmasterly “expertise” is expressed more eloquently in a facial nuance than it could have been in a thousand words.

    1. Two dads watching a game…

      ‘Which one is your lad?’
      ‘Why?’
      ‘Wanted to tell him how rubbish he is’
      ‘You can’t say that, he is only a kid, how would you like it if I said it to your lad?’
      ‘You have done all game’
      ‘Why who’s your lad?’

      THE REFEREE – think before you speak!

  83. Thank you Exmi for your super challenge. I thought I was going great guns lying second, then as always the wheels fells off and down to a poor eighth.
    Still there is always next season where ever we will be???

    1. Thanks Pedro, it is worth it as it adds a bit of extra interst to the end of the season. I hope next season we won’t need a challenge as either Boro are safe from Premiership relegation or have secured automatic promotion but knowing Boro, one way or another there will be a need for EXMIL CHALLENGE 2019 lol.

      Come on BORO.

  84. All 4 entries for the playoffs have been recorded and I will post “halftime” scores in the respective matches on Sunday.

    Come on BORO.

  85. At least AV has confirmed that Mo Besic is here until the start of the next transfer window.

    Likewise we won’t be able to use the Sunderland goal-getter anymore this season. Pity for Ashley Fletcher.

    Up the Boro!

    1. I think thats a huge positive in not being able to select Fletcher, Tavernier, Braithwaite and Co. Nothing against any of the “Returnees” but the squad and more importantly the team is just about settled now. The peripheral players like Fabio, Cranie, Harrsion, Fry and even Grant all know they are just a tactical switch, injury or suspension away from getting on the pitch.

      That nothing is going to change or alter that dynamic is good for these last few games. As well intentioned as I’m sure they would all be everyone knowing exactly where they stand and with nobody’s nose being put out of joint is a good thing. Most importantly of course is that we can retain Mo Besic for these last few games which is great for both his parent Club and Boro but most importantly for Mo himself. The only problem there is that the better he gets the less likely Everton are to sell him to us in the summer. Still back in January i think all concerned would have been happy to have that problem.

      1. Should we go up any financial hit will be loose change by Premiership money standards. I think Fletcher will be loaned out again with the hope that he will develop and improve (my hunch is Sunderland or Barnsley in League 1) and after Traore this season at Ashley’s age its not beyond impossible.

        Braithwaite is a different problem entirely, he is better than we have seen I suspect and is certainly better than Bordeaux have seen (I hope). Dilemma is does he want to come back and does TP see a good fit for Braithwaite which I suspect is a resounding “No” from both parties so he will likely be touted around the Continent for a discounted fee.

        The only other “overpayment” is possibly Britt who currently stands at £1 Million per goal but should he get us through the Play Offs and into the Premiership it is then arguable that he has repaid in full exactly what his original outlay was gambled on. In fairness to TP I also suspect that his attitude to Paddy and Britt is possibly very different to January which again is testimony to the bloke as he did say he wanted to see what he already had before he spent any more of SG’s money. Having seen Paddy and Britt (and of course Adama) I suspect he now has a longer term view of them.

        Mejias, Johnson, de Sart and Barragan will all likely move on and the likes of Leadbitter, Fabio, Dimi, Cranie, Gestede and maybe one or two others like Friend, Shotton and even Downing may have question marks over them. Then of course there is the now devalued Ben and our fastest growing asset Adama who may also be regarded as having a “rebuild” value. The two of them could realise £30 to £40M in total depending on the buying club and of course Trinity Mirror group speculation. Of course all of the above could have a very different complexion depending upon what division we are actually playing in. Regardless I think there will be at least ten outgoings and probably around six or seven incoming.

      2. RR, I agree with you that some changes must be done but I hope that we keep it to the minimum each window. No more ten out and ten in as was the norm for the past summers. We saw what happened.

        Like I said before, maximum four in at a time. And not squad players but real improvements. Fine tune as major overhaul gets up to six months to gel.

        But I am sure TP knows what to do next. Up the Boro!

  86. A belated thank you to Exmil for the Exmil challenge and congratulations on your win and to those making the play offs.

    Looks like my second place last year was a flash in the pan as I ended up this season in mid table mediocrity!

    May have to search out a new crystal ball for next year! 😎☹️

  87. I wish to thank exmil2017 for his hard work in preparing his Challenge, and to send in equal measure a huge raspberry to BT for the lack of internet services for a month (now restored, hopefully permanently this time) which prevented me from joining in the 3rd part. Probably saved me from further punishment!

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