| Play-off Semi-Final Second Leg… Aston Villa 0 – 0 Boro | |||
| Aston Villa | Middlesbrough | ||
| Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
46% 15 5 7 8 |
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
54% 9 0 (zero) 4 18 |
Puzzling Pulis punished
Not much preamble to tonight’s game at all, it was just simply time to get on with it. A positive for Boro to cling to was that we had won four and lost just one of our last eight away trips to Villa in all competitions having drawn three of them.
The likelihood was that Ayala wouldn’t be fit for Boro and that Elmohamady was struggling with a strain suffered in the dying moments of the Riverside match just before John Terry had a delayed reactive head injury seconds later. Other than that everyone knew what was at stake and what the challenge was ahead and the big question was if TP could reshuffle his pack in an effective manner to overcome the goal deficit and hopefully grab a few more over the 90 minutes.
Villa rightfully were in a very positive and optimistic mood. They had just watched their side take one step towards Wembley around 72 hours previously and watched Boro huff and puff in the process but never looking likely to score in a month of Sundays. Boro fans were hoping that Tony Pulis would try something different as tactically he and Dave Kemp had been out thought and out fought by Steve’s Bruce and Agnew. Nothing to lose so from a Boro perspective we were hoping to see a do or die performance with everyone up for the fight and no repeat of the inept performances from so many on Saturday. Irony is that if we went up some may not be playing for Boro next season but so poor was the spectacle from many on Saturday that if we remain in the Championship there are a few that will not deserve to be here next season either.
Bree came in for the genuinely injured Elmohamady and Fry for Ayala with surprisingly Gestede on the bench clearly as a last ten minute desperate hoof and hope tactic. After another poignant pre kick off tribute to J Lloyd Samuel who was tragically killed in a car accident earlier today Villa kicked off to restart the second leg. Boro’s first foray saw George Friend dribbling sideways on the edge of the Villa 18 yard box with no one to pass to before being predictably dispossessed as was often the case on Saturday evening. Meanwhile Snodgrass was complaining to Ref Mike Dean with an early knock and needed the magic sponge treatment.
The first corner went to Villa on five minutes courtesy of Albert and Grabban troubling our right side. Grealish took the corner which went out to Bree who blazed it Clayton style and the ball probably ending up in Tamworth. A Downing cross was then over hit to nobody and then began a spell of nervy Boro defending with Randolph almost scoring an own goal off an incoming Hourihane. Adama was being marked out of the game in exactly the same manner which considering our tactics and line up was hardly surprising. Our defending was overly anxious and just a repeat of Saturday. Then we broke via George again who beat two defenders and managed to find himself cutting along the byline but with nobody to pick out simply kept on going and eventually clattered into Johnstone at the near post and picked up a yellow card for his endeavours.
The first 15 minutes were once again Villa closing down quickly and Boro stroking the ball around about as quick as a Post Office queue on Pension day. Shotton intercepted a loose ball between Grealish and Adoma but ended up somehow either standing on it or having it nicked from under his feet by Grealish when he looked to have beaten both of them. Boro had more of the ball and but once again were passing themselves into awkward areas of possession rather than dominate the game. Many passes were too short or more likely hit too hard requiring a great deal of ball control rather than moving it on quick and slick. Every time we received the ball we paused, rolled it forward, closed down and then run in to nowhere. Besic was anonymous and really struggled with the intensity and energy in the game. Howson deliberated too long on occasions as was Downing and Adama was still being effectively crowded out and Britt cut a forlorn figure. Albert cut loose down our flank and fired a ball past Shotton and Traore towards Hourihane who was about to unleash a rocket from 6 yards out only for George to slide in and block a certain goal. In the ensuing chaos Besic tried to beat four players and lost possession on the edge of his own box, thankfully Clayts cleaned up the mess with Snodgrass collecting a Yellow for a late challenge on him.
The game then momentarily opened up with Boro breaking out and Downing hitting a cross too hard for Adama to eventually reach and control it and done well to win a free kick off Albert. The resultant free kick was of course wasted, floated in by Downing for Johnstone to collect easily mid-flight. Four minutes before half time Besic was dithering again in circles in the Villa half, lost possession, Albert broke and turned Shotton who manhandled him to the floor giving away a free kick which fortunately was over hit from which Britt broke free and took on four defenders on a slalom run before running eventually out of wind.
In the final minute of the half Adama skinned Hutton who earned a Yellow for hauling the wide man back dragging his shirt off his shoulder. The Free Kick was cleared out to Downing who dithered as was now seemingly the game plan and had his pocket picked as he took too long to react. The first half had been a carbon copy of the Riverside; Boro with plenty of the ball but took far too long to think and couldn’t spring a break or carve out an opportunity. Howson, Besic and Downing were busy running and chasing but wasteful in possession slowing everything down and Besic in particular was a major disappointment compared to his performances in the previous few weeks.
No changes from either side at half time with both Managers sticking to what they had. Pulis probably feeling that they had contained Villa and just needed a lucky break, Bruce likely feeling that holding their own was working and that in fairness had the better of the scoring opportunities. A Downing corner was aimed to the far side of the box but before it reached the intended target the whistle had gone for a Gibson drag back on Terry. Hoping for lucky breaks is one thing but setting out a game plan around it was frankly shocking under the circumstances.
As Boro were forced to play it back to Randolph his clearance found Shotton who nodded it forward, Assombalonga won another duel and the ball finally broke to Besic who drove forward and smashed a daisy cutter well wide across Johnstone’s goal. A similar break moments later saw Besic play a poor pass which was easily read and Villa were on the attack again with a series of blocked crosses and clearances from Boro. One of those clearances fell to Grealish who was closed down by Besic and by clattering him gave away a dangerous free kick unnecessarily twenty yards out. Boro calmed things down and started to build again but a cross field ball from Besic to Shotton was far too high and went out for a Villa throw in. Adomah broke again and pinged a ball in to the Boro box leaving Clayton and Shotton in his wake and only last ditch near post defending on Grabban saved us. The game was opening up again swinging down the opposite end and as Adama chased a ball Grealish picked up a Yellow for wiping the former Villa man out.
Fabio and Bamford were warming up with just over twenty five minutes remaining but to this observer it was too little too late. Despite Boro running and chasing lost causes Johnstone hadn’t a save to make all game which again was a re-run of Saturday evening’s failed tactics. Villa were building pressure as Boro were looking fatigued, Grabban broke free after an up and under from Hutton which Randolph was equal to but the flag went up in any case. Paddy then came on for Britt on sixty seven minutes which considering we were now chasing the game desperate for a goal didn’t make a lot of sense. As Villa broke free Snodgrass was felled by Clayts but Grabban played on and shot from thirty five yards out forcing Randolph to tip it over and concede a corner. Boro were looking tired and weary with little left in the tank.
Despite the Bamford substitution Villa were in the ascendency, pressure was building and now a surprise substitution from TP saw Gestede come on for Howson with eighteen minutes remaining and Paddy went out wide just behind. How Besic remained on the pitch was unbelievable as he was completely out of his depth all evening, his performance took up where Shotton had left off on Saturday. Another slip by Besic permitted Grealish a rasping long range effort which required a stretching Randolph to again pull off a great save.
A tired Downing challenge on Snodgrass gave away yet another dangerous free kick which the wall did well to block but the ball then went out for a corner that was desperately scrambled clear eventually going out for a goal kick affording Boro some breathing space. Steve Bruce brought Kodjia on for Grabban to keep the pressure on Boro who were now looking vulnerable. Another foul by Besic on seventy nine minutes gave away yet another free kick half way into the Boro half near the touchline. By now Boro had lost all shape and tactics and the introduction of Gestede had effectively dropped us down to ten very tired and aching men. That substitution was looking like a major mistake by TP. We desperately needed some energy, drive and pace. Instead he gave us an unfit and like as not still injured Gestede bravely struggling to get up to speed. Even when fit Gestede doesn’t change games and that decision for me threw the towel in. Balls were now being hoofed clear with fatigue rather than passed around as there was nobody with the legs to make a run.
Fabio came on as the final throw of TP’s dice with nine minutes remaining, around eighty one minutes too late for my liking. Another tired Hourihane shot fell easily to his Irish Team mate Randolph but the rolling out of the ball from Darren to tired Boro players was tantamount to being criminal at this stage. A Besic cross to Bamford this time was over hit and over height again and it sailed in to the stand. Six minutes remaining and Boro were yet to trouble Johnstone in two games worth of football. A Fabio move when he cut in saw a deftly lofted ball sail past Bamford and an outstretched Gestede as the clock ran down. Traore on the left now hooked a cross into a box bereft of any white Boro shirts. A ball up field then caught Johnstone out and as Traore shot the Villa Keeper handled outside his box and was lucky to only pick up a Yellow. Stewy lined up the resulting free kick and with two precious minutes remaining hit the crossbar and that was the closest we came to breaking Villa hearts tonight.
Albert went off with Bjarnason coming on to wind the clock down as four additional minutes went up from the fourth official. Boro were pretty much out on their feet as Villa kept possession near the Boro corner flag while the last seconds of Boro’s smashing Championship campaign ticked away. As Adama hit a last ditch despairing shot against the Villa backline the final whistle went and Boro’s season was finished. Truth be told it was finished as soon as tonight’s line up was announced and the knife put in when an unfit Gestede was sent on when we were desperate for pace. As we failed to register a single shot on target tonight was a tactical disaster the type of which I had hoped we had seen the last of when we stopped recruiting rookie managers. There was plenty of effort from Boro tonight but the tactics were so wrong it was a major blemish on TP’s otherwise decent Boro copybook. Tonight those tactics were suitable for a relegation survival scrap, it worked to a degree as we recorded a draw away from home but just a shame it was a knock out competition that we needed to win. A mention for Dael Fry who slotted in well alongside Ben and the two of them looked solid and augurs well for Dael getting more game time next season. MOM for me was a three way split between Friend, Clayts and Randolph.
Well that’s the final match report of this season. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster with lots of shocks and surprises along the way and one that certainly didn’t pan out the way SG or the rest of us had hoped for but one that ended with some hope just a shame it finished on a bum note. A few months now to rebuild, regroup and refocus.
| Play-off Semi-Final First Leg… Boro 0 – 1 Aston Villa | |||
| Middlesbrough | Aston Villa | ||
| Jedinak | 15′ | ||
| Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
62% 16 2 10 9 |
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
38% 11 4 2 11 |
“Shotten” defending costs Boro
Normally I start these reports with a bit of a preamble regarding who is fit and who may struggle to make the side. With Boro nowadays injuries (apart from major ones) seem to be a thing of the past so much so that TP has saved me a paragraph or two by announcing his line up yesterday at the press conference. In fairness it’s probably the side that 99% of us would have picked anyway barring a possible split decision over Paddy or Britt. It was interesting that the papers this morning focused on a 30 mile bike ride from Hurworth to Saltburn rather than the Boro Team that would be taking to the immaculate Riverside pitch this evening.
Villa on the other hand seem to have spent the build-up fretting over every aspect of Boro or at least that is how it appeared judging by the sheer volume of lamentable lame articles in the Birmingham Mail this week. Despite resting most of their first eleven against Millwall they had injury concerns with Taylor out along with Tuanzebe and a few question marks over a couple of others like Bjarnason who as we all knew like as not would be selectable.
Villa and Boro had faced each other three times this season with a single victory apiece and a draw the outcomes indicating just how close the two sides are. The daunting news for Boro fans was that Villa had lost just one of their last eight away games against Boro and none of the last five having won 4 and drew 1. A positive however was that Villa had lost three of their last five Championship away games and having won only once.
A mild dry early summer’s evening provided the perfect backdrop to the forthcoming event. The atmosphere was charged with the Red Faction coming up with yet another impressive display this time with cards spelling out “BORO” covering the entire South Stand. Thousands of Teessider’s in fine voice, adorned in red, up for the battle but all was poignantly brought into perspective by the arrival of Leo and those Riverside decibels reached another level with hairs literally standing and tingling on the back of necks. The return of our favourite Uruguayan you would have thought would have galvanised and lifted the Boro Players about to run onto the pitch but if anything it was Villa’s players who looked steely focussed and charged up.
Villa clattered into some early challenges and made their intent well known and well felt as some of the tackles were not for the faint hearted. There wasn’t much between the two sides apart from Albert causing all sorts of problems for Ryan Shotton and clearly the experience was unsettling as every touch was either too heavy or too light from the ex Brummie with several unpressured suicide passes in the opening ten minutes putting his team mates repeatedly on the back foot. Bruce had clearly identified Shotton as the back door through the Boro defence and Albert had the key. A corner conceded by him was swung in by Grealish and the predictability of what was going to happen was so obvious it was futile or at least should have been as soon as the jostling amongst the big lads saw Jedinak break out and run towards the incoming corner. It was as telegraphed as a set piece could be yet Jedinak ran clear of his marker leaving Shotton chasing his shadow three yards off him and deftly glanced an unopposed header well clear of Randolph to open the scoring in the most simplest and basic of manners.
The Boro bubble well and truly burst at that point, the annoying thing was how poor and predictable the goal was as the away fans finally found themselves heard, in what had been up until then a rocking Riverside. It was noticeable that for about ten minutes afterwards Ayala avoided passing to Shotton either as a genuine cause for concern that the ball would be immediately recycled to the Villains or he perhaps realised his team mate needed taking out of the firing line and some breathing space. After that Villa sat deep, absorbed Boro possession and simply picked the pockets of our labouring midfield. We repeatedly held on to the ball for far too long, finding ourselves outnumbered and dispossessed as we struggled to find a killer pass up to Britt who was available but relatively immobile which must have been a joy for the ageing and creaking John Terry.
Boro dominated proceedings but in reality they looked like they could play until Christmas and still struggle to register a serious attempt on target. Besic who dallied more than most had an effort that sailed wide, Clayton had a shot that was headed for North Ormesby Market and everything else was just slow and lacked energy. Adama was being shackled by Hutton and even switching flanks to the left with Stewy going in front of Shotton only resulted in a few more dribbles and a blocked shot for his troubles. The positive from this was that I suspect Pulis had wanted to give Traore more opportunity on the other flank but the side benefit was that Stewy afforded Shotton more protection as he finally settled down a little and regained some albeit not much composure.
The first half whistle went and the players trounced off but with a rousing round of clapping and cheers from the home fans realising that the game was only a quarter over and there was still plenty to play for. The fact that spirits were still high was perhaps more due to the welcome and positivity afforded to Leo than what had been witnessed on the pitch. Britt did stoop to meet a low cross and troubled Johnstone but that was it in terms of real first half chances.
Steve Bruce was the happier manager knowing that hanging on to what they had was more than acceptable and decided to operate Grabban more as a midfielder to bolster the middle stifling Besic, Clayts and Howson and helping to snuff out the slow, ponderous build up as time and time again Boro just paused, deliberated and passed themselves into slow motion trouble. Adama had a few spirited runs but Villa dealt with him by simply crowding him out and eventually his runs petered out through sheer weight of numbers. That Boro had neither the savvy, tactical or technical ability to release other players roaming free because of the preoccupation with Adama was testimony to their own undoing. Pressure and build up play are great but there was no end product coming any time soon as Downing spread balls around trying to open the game up but inevitably the receiver just held on to it for far too long trying to beat one player too many, and repeat!
No energy and no pace meant that endeavour alone wasn’t going to unlock the Villa defence.The battle between Friend and Snodgrass was looking feisty but George still managed to get crosses over as did Adama but it was bread and butter for the likes of Terry, Jedinak, Elmohamady and Johnstone in goal who rarely looked troubled or threatened. Bizarrely Boro’s worst nightmare almost turned the game by default. A breakaway attack led to a desperate brave last ditch act of defending by Ayala to prevent the tie going beyond Boro’s reach but when he struggled to get up it was clear he was injured and badly injured at that. Despite trying to carry on after treatment he struggled to walk let alone run and so TP’s hand was forced and whilst we all thought Cranie or more likely Fry would enter the fray it was the diminutive Fabio who came on and Shotton shifted over to CB alongside Ben where he looked more comfortable after what can only be described as a torrid evening.
Fabio almost immediately lit up the Riverside, pace, drive, passion and a willingness and ability to take the game to Villa after staid, slow, fruitless door knocking. Suddenly Downing had another outlet for his passes and Besic had support and options. Britt was then replaced by Paddy and once again the immediacy and urgency increased as Paddy’s guile and running was a different proposition for the Villa defence and with Fabio stretching them on the right flank Howson now started to find space and linked up well with Paddy and suddenly we looked like we might get something out of the game as Villa looked more vulnerable than at any time during the evening. Too little, too late as it turned out but it all started with a South American stealing the show and finished with another South American earning the plaudits.
We need to remind ourselves that it’s only half time and that we are far from out of this two leg tie. But for a shaky opening and terrible set piece defending I suspect that this game could have had a happier ending for Boro. Still plenty to play for and our performances against Villa seem to be better at Villa Park than at the Riverside but there are two big decision for TP to make before naming his side on Tuesday. Bamford’s resurrection via an injury to Gestede might mean that Fabio similarly has his own renaissance under Pulis. Even Shotton will probably live to give the ball away another day thanks to Dani’s misfortune. Up front I’m afraid that Britt just didn’t put himself about enough. He wasn’t the worst player on the pitch but minutes after coming on Paddy was scrapping in the Villa box and when the move broke down ended up back defending, supporting George and won the ball back. In these sorts of games Britt’s style just isn’t what’s needed, poor finishing luxury strikers hanging around waiting for the perfect pass is too much of a burden.
Of course credit has to be given to Steve Bruce and to the Villa players in particular who showed the required intensity and desire as well as composure which was lacking in a few areas for Boro. Grealish was a thorn in our sides all evening and Traore was effectively marshalled out of the game, dancing and twisting in safe areas. Snodgrass was as usual feigning fouls and Elmohamady and Terry both used their experience to run the clock down at the end assisted by Bobby Madley who seemed to get a few decisions wrong on the night and was being stitched up like a Kipper in the dying minutes by the “injury” antics.
MOM was Fabio. He played less than half the game yet created more chances than anyone and even had Johnstone scrambling to clear a close range header when he outjumped his marker. Fabio also had a late shot deflected for a corner, just seeing a shot on target was a joy to behold after what we had been subjected to previously. A special mention goes to Randolph who had to save from Jedinak again and also finger tipped on to the upright a long range Snodgrass strike which kept us in the game when we were rocking just before half time. Nothing to lose now and everything to gain, we can and have won at Villa Park before but TP has to seriously consider his personnel and tactics for the 2nd leg. Adama stood isolated on the touchline and offered nothing of merit. Britt was immobile and Shotton was frightening in the first half. Our midfield had no drive until Fabio and Bamford came on. Overall we wanted far too much time on the ball, less thinking and more movement is needed.
Boro’s superheroes ready to flex their
play-off muscles to defeat Villains
As the uncontrollable play-offs come hurtling towards us, threatening to either crush our dreams or blast us into stratospheric joy, the only thing that can now prevent the world of the supporters being destroyed by the evil Villains plot of wreaking havoc by making Wembley disappear are the resurgent powers of Boro’s almost forgotten superheroes. Saturday sees the first instalment of this battle between the two strongest squads that anyone could ever imagine being assembled in the history of the Championship before a ball was kicked in anger. A tale of two teams, who opted to forego the less exciting route of automatic promotion and instead chose the amazing journey that offered a deadly duel of sudden death knockout, with the opportunity of experiencing a cliched trip over the moon and a burning sense of pride during re-entry to the upper tier.
Coincidentally, Aston Villa were the first opponents of Tony Pulis when he took over at Boro and at the time both clubs were locked on 38 points just outside the play-offs – with Boro one place higher in seventh spot thanks to a single goal advantage. Hopefully the omens of that 1-0 defeat won’t carry much sway in the play-offs and it was the first time Steve Bruce had won a game at the Riverside. It was not the new manager bounce many had expected and Boro rarely threatened with just one shot on target – after the game Pulis remarked “I just thought we were very, very slow at times. We needed to move the ball quicker and Adama Traore when he came on livened it up.” The good news is that Boro finished the season sitting second in the six-game form table, level on points with Wolves, Fulham and Preston – with Villa three points behind in seventh.
Boro followers will be hoping that Steve Bruce’s men arrive at the Riverside with all the complacency displayed this week by a man in India, who after spotting a bear in the wild while answering an impromptu call of nature, decide it would be the perfect opportunity for a selfie with the ferocious beast – unfortunately and unsurprisingly he came to a grizzly end after he was mauled to death when he got up close and personal with the camera-shy animal. This Darwinian evolutionary act of failing to pass on his genes was also filmed by his fellow passengers of the SUV they were travelling in – it seems the power of narcissism outweighs the voice of common sense when it comes to selfies in India and the death toll, where the phone is considerably smarter than the owner, has now reached 76 in the last two years.
Trying to remain in the frame is what Tony Pulis will be hoping that his team manage to achieve after the first leg on Saturday and it will be important that Boro make home advantage count. It’s arguable that playing the first game at home is actually an advantage as the odds of taking a lead into the second game should favour the team playing on their own patch. You would imagine given the choice that most clubs would rather start the second half of a match ahead rather than needing to come from behind – plus with away goals not counting as double, there is no tangible advantage of needing to score for Villa and they may be more keen to keep the game tight instead. Nevertheless, having something to defend or even extend will be the ambition, as I imagine neither team will be planning to go into Tuesday with the disadvantage of needing to score more than one goal.
| Middlesbrough | Aston Villa | ||
| Tony Pulis | Steve Bruce | ||
| P46 – W22 – D10 – L14 – F67 – A45 | P46 – W24 – D11 – L11 – F72 – A42 | ||
| Final Position Total Points Recent Form Recent Points |
5th 76 2nd 13/18 (F11 A6) |
Position Points Recent Form Recent Points |
4th 83 7th 10/18 (F7 A5) |
| Last 6 Games Ipswich (A) Millwall (H) Derby (A) Bristol City (H) Sheff Utd (A) Nottm Forest (H) |
F-T (H-T) 2:2 (0:1) D 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 |
Last 6 Games Millwall (A) Derby (H) Ipswich (A) Leeds (H) Cardiff (H) Norwich (A) |
F-T (H-T) 0:1 (0:1) L 1:1 (0:1) D 4:0 (1:0) W 1:0 (1:0) W 1:0 (0:0) W 1:3 (0:1) L |
As we wonder at how Boro have found themselves back in promotion contention, the story of how our superheroes regained their seemingly lost powers is one to marvel at for most supporters. The campaign was once again masterminded by the daredevil chairman and chief exponent of blind faith Steve Gibson, who in a series of freak recruitment accidents last summer lost his vision of Championship domination and was left with nobody to guide him through the darkness, as he sensed that ‘The Monk’ had lost his powers. With his new heightened sensitivity and acute awareness of the possibility of failure, the man from Bulkhaul could now hear the penny dropping from a great distance and subsequently recruited someone considered as the greatest escape artist in the universe in Tony ‘Mr Miracle’ Pulis.
The new man quickly put on his famous white anti-gravity football trainers and donned his trademark cap of old-school invincibility, before quickly assessing what he had at his disposal as he began discovering who had the special attributes needed to make Boro a force in his task of finishing in the top six. First to be brought back into the team was Adama ‘The Flash’ Traore, as Pulis successfully harnessed his power to run at near light speed and utilise his ability to phase through objects, such as defenders. Opponents soon began to fear the blurred outline of the unstoppable force of nature that had also discovered the vision and accuracy to hurt them too – something which had previously eluded all his former coaches and managers.
Also added to the team was Rudy ‘Giant-Man’ Gestede with his not-so-super power of having a random deflecting head that caused mayhem and confusion all around him – which was serviced by the incredible one-trick ponytailed Ryan ‘The Mighty Throw’ Shotton, who could launch a ball as far as any man with the help of his army of little invisible towel bearers. Although, he should not be confused with the amazing Antonio ‘Chucky’ Barragán, who could probably only launch a tirade of incredulity with his throwing ability – indeed some have suggested he may have modelled himself on one of the lesser-known comic superheroes in Arm-Fall-Off-Boy.
As Boro’s superheroes gather their powers to fight the Villains, wasArm-Fall-Off-Boy the inspiration behind Barragan’s throw-in technique?
Then there are the mind-controlling powers of our own Stewie ‘Captain Indispensable’ Downing, who despite the waning potency of his extraordinary left foot, he was able to control the thoughts of his managers to subconsciously persuade them he was undroppable. However, after a long battle with Meltdown Man, who was so focussed on doing everything in his own methodical way that our local hero was becoming sidelined after being unable to penetrate his brain with his deadly Teesside-grudge death stare – despite using his power of telekinesis to reportedly send chairs flying in the direction of the man anointed with powers from the Special-One himself, he couldn’t break his gaffer’s ‘amazing’ concentration.
Though the demise of The Monk saw the return of many of those defenders of the methodology from Meltdown Man, with the former agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. back to protect the unusually less than fantastic back four – The Claytonator had previously struggled to impress with his pin-point accurate sideways passing and his unerring power as a yellow-card magnet had become under-appreciated. After transforming taking one for the team into an art-form, ageing club captain, Grant ‘Mr Fantastic’ Leadbitter, had been trying to stretch himself all over the pitch as he still attempted to cover every blade of grass – though he had also been stretching his career at Boro far longer than many had imagined possible and their were signs that his legs had started to go a bit rubbery towards the end of games.
The arrival of perpetual Mo Besic in January added the power of forward motion to the previously ponderous Boro team as the former Toffeeman gave the manager something to chew over as his non-stop movement and drive started to change the dynamic of the other midfield duo. With the aerial powers of Daniel Ayala once more restored, he became the solid cornerstone of the defence and the return of his reputation as ‘Goal-Anytime-Man’ had the supporters banking on him at the other end too. However, the defensive rock that was Benjamin ‘Grimm’ Gibson had not looked happy all season after he had committed his future to Boro instead of moving on in an attempt to become just the Thing that England were looking for. Being the nephew of the club owner had no doubt help develop his thick skin, but a few cracks had started to appear in the former £30m target and he had looked a shadow of his solid best at times as he struggled to regain his immense strength and coolness under pressure.
While Patrick Bamford may have sometimes felt like he had the power of invisibility in recent years when trying to catch the eye of his managers, his ability to arrive unseen in the box at crucial times has proved to be an important factor in Boro’s fifth-place finish. His secret identity as a footballer has been preserved thanks to him being a master of disguise, which after emerging out of the changing room without his Boro costume, he turned into the mild-mannered articulate well-spoken young man that many mistook for an interpreter for posh kids in search of prawn sandwiches and Beluga caviar after straying too far north for their quest of a complimentary round of golf at Rockliffe Hall.
The protector of the Boro goal is Darren ‘The Watchman’ Randolph, who learned the valuable time-wasting power of bouncing a ball in his area for longer than should be allowed from his US basketball playing father, plus even went on to represent Ireland at basketball himself, before swapping the hoop for an altogether bigger net. His special power of being able to stare towards the sun without wearing a cap has gained him great admiration from his manager – albeit on those rare days the sun actually shines through those gloomy grey skies. Completing the line-up of our superheroes is George ‘Iron Horse’ Friend, who when Tony Pulis arrived was out-of-favour and looking a little bit lame and rusty – thankfully with his confidence restored, he is now able to gallop up and down the left wing like a the proverbial steam train and manages to occasionally hoof the ball into the box before raising his arm in apologetic manner. Also known for having a fierce shot (against QPR in case you’ve forgot), his other main power is to trick defenders into thinking he will cross the ball before knocking it past them and frequently himself. Friend is also a master of deception as he carefully dries a wet ball to give the appearance that a long throw is about to be delivered before lobbing it just a short distance instead.
Though not all of the players flourished under the new man and some even saw their super-powers decline with Britt ‘Human Torch’ Assombalonga rarely on fire as he was left to smoulder on the bench instead. However, there have been some flickers of improvement in recent weeks – though hopefully he won’t be part of a fire sale in the summer as the club look to avoid getting their fingers burnt on last summer’s signings. Nevertheless, Mr Miracle has prepared and assembled his avengers for one last battle against the injustice of having to prove the chairman didn’t actually say Boro would smash the league – the question is whether they will now smash the play-offs!
So will the Boro superheroes come to the rescue of planet Boro and prove their powers are far greater than we all imagined? Or will the Villains succeed in their plan to banish the people of Teesside to wander once more among the lost souls of the Championship? As usual your predictions for scores, scorers and team selection – plus will anyone risk contemplating a selfie with Steve Bruce as he begins to turn a odd shade of red before he explodes?
⚽️⚽️
OFB
But hopefully not
⚽️⚽️
OFB
We need at least a two goal margin
OFB
Super Hero’s 0 Arch Villains 0
As long as we’re still in it for the second leg.
It’s only half time.
This tie is a long way from over.
We can’t be fooled into thinking the jobs done.
If they think it’s over they’ve another think coming.
Zzzzzzzx……..
A wonderful preview Werdermouth and only a couple of games to go before a well earned rest.
Optimism, I think that’s what is needed so that it rubs of on the team as Mr Tony Pulis reads them DiasBoro in the changing room as his pre-match pep talk. Consequently I’m going to get it all wrong by say that the score will be:
Ironopulis 3 – 1 Villainous
Right, that’s probably wrecked the first leg so the changing room reading of DiasBoro had better be as inspirational as ‘Once more unto the breach…’
UTB,
John
Another beauty Werder.
The Dandy’s ”boro” 2 the Beano’s ” villa” 1
A super post quite marvellous!
OFB
Well I shall be there tomorrow with Mrs OFB who may have to wear dark glasses after an eye 👁 operation this week. They will match my rose 🌹 tinted glasses so we will look a handsome couple together.
I have also arranged to watch the Villa game on 📺 at the Riverside on Tuesday
So one way or another I’ll either be celebrating or drowning my sorrows!
As everyone knows we usually start slow and if we can score an early goal then we should go on to win
OFB
Werder
Another great read, lets hope there a few more to come before you put up shop for the summer.
Thanks Ian, but hopefully just one more to come as this was the match preview for the tie as a whole with a combined two-legged header graphic.
Also many thanks to John, Borobrie, OFB and GHW too, much appreciated
Three nil to the mighty reds!!!
A marvellous read as always Werder!
I will be watching the match on Sky and expect it to be a tight and tense affair with neither team wanting to concede. I expect Villa to pack the mid field and defend in numbers whilst looking to hit us on the break.
I hope we can score and put on a better performance than we did last time at home against Villa but feel it has the hallmarks of a ⚽️-⚽️.
Whatever happens, I hope that we are still in with a chance come the second leg.
CoB carpe diem 😎
Thanks KP, You suspect that Villa will be looking to avoid conceding at the Riverside but if Boro can score their usual two then it would make the tie at their place pretty nervous for them.
What a sporting day tomorrow? Well it is for me. Cas v Saints on BBC in a Rugby League Challenge Cup tie at 2.15 pm (obviously hoping for a win, but can’t see it happening with such a depleted squad), Polish Speedway Grand Prix on BT Sport at 5 pm (hoping for a Tai Woffinden victory) but will have to record it because at 5.15 Boro v Villa on Sky Sports (expecting a 1-1 draw, but obviously hoping for a win).
As I mentioned earlier I reckon the tie will be decided in the second leg on Tuesday. A 2-0 win would be nice, but the tie might still not be settled. Similarly a 0-1 defeat wouldn’t settle it either. I’ve not got a good record at forecasting, but having reached a philosophical time in my life, have a feeling that whatever happens tomorrow, Boro will still go through on aggregate without needing a penalty shootout.
Weder, you really keeping up the excellent standards. A fantastic piece indeed, I really don’t know how you do it. There must be some marvel super hero in you as well! Unless you eat kryptoniteof course!
The demands of Sky and the fact that there can’t be live football on tv on a Saturday afternoon means that I will only be watch via Now TV although probably from behind the sofa. Just hoping that Boro don’t put up a comic book performance and come out all guns blazing.
TP coming out with the team now is an act of genius and shows his confidence, let’s hope that the players have listened to him.
It will be a tight game with neither side wanting to give anything away, Although Villa more so than Boro.
Besic and Adama will be key to get them on the break so I am going for 2 0 to Boro.
UTB – to infinity and beyond!
Many thanks BBD, I usually change into my lycra and don my cape before sitting down to write the previews and hope Mrs Werder doesn’t come home early 🙂
Another excellent piece from Werder!
Here is a very moving interview with Leo who like many of us will be at the Riverside tomorrow evening.
https://www.facebook.com/MFCofficial/videos/1847274481960476/
Thanks RR, I suspect it will be a very emotional moment at the Riverside when Leo steps out and still is an unimaginable tragedy for anyone to face up to.
It certainly transcends football which after all is only a game
OFB
Tears to my eyes, a lovely man with Teesside blood and DNA.
UTB,
John
If they can’t do it for Leo we have no chance.
UTB,
John
Just played that to my wife and son and we all three had tears in our eyes. What can anyone say? I hope Leo and his family take a lot more strength from the reception they will be given tomorrow. I pray that the Villains in the crowd will share the respect of that moment.
WOW! So elequent in what is not his mother tongue.
Thanks RR.
I know from personal tragedy that life goes on. Nevertheless for someone who was only at our football club a relatively short time to come back to see ‘his’ team after such a bereavement shows great character, and dare I say it, Teesside steel and Yorkshire grit. Middlesbrough FC must be doing something right when people like Leo and Juninho love our club so much.
Teesside steel, Yorkshire grit… and Derry’s shirts. And Belfast’s teenage kicks. I like to think we all have a lot in common.
The usual Werder. KERPOW!
Going to be difficult holding back the tears on Leo’s return.
Thank you Mr Werder for another super article.
As for the two games coming up against Villa, the nerves have already started and I really am the worlds worst forecaster ! But hope and pray we get the right result.
A massive thank you to Leo and his family under sad circumstances to come a long way and show their love for the club. That alone is a super incentive for the fans / club and players to come together and get the result we desire.
Great stuff, Werder, one of your best I think.
The Leo interview was heart wrenching but inspirational too. He seems have a genuine affection for the club and, presumably, for the area and people as well. He deserves to see us win tomorrow with a performance of Teesside steel.
What a great interview with Leo, what a great bloke he is.
Some have not been appreciative of him, I think his words should make us all look inwardly and think about what we have said in the past.
He is not Ali but he is clearly part of the Boro family, he is as an adopted son as is Jarkko.
I had a quiet weep.
Incredibly moving. I felt a strange mixture of my heart being lifted and crushed at the same time.
He is one of our own, one of our own, Leo Percovich is one of our own (Honorary).
Thanks Werder, gut wrenching and heart warming at the same time.
Here here
Indeed a very poignant interview and says a lot about the man,
He is a top man. No theatre just honesty and an appreciation and love for the people of Middlesbrough, Teesside and the area. Definitely an honorary citizen. I hope and pray that the stadium erupts when he walks out onto the pitch.
Come on Leo and UTB,
John
An absolute belter Werder, one of your best yet. Just sat in bed and getting told off for laughing so much.
Turn off the light and get to sleep.
Cannot see a nil all, the defence has been poor of late especially Ben. So it is down to the forwards to score more than them.
Thanks Pedro, although I hadn’t necessarily written it as a bedtime story otherwise I would have probaby ended the piece with ‘…and they all lived happily ever after’ 🙂
Plus thanks to Steely, Braveheart and Martin for their earlier comments, much appreciated.
Still crying after hearing Leo please let’s do it for him and his family.
Leo Percovich is a personal friend of my partners son and as been to her house for a bbq with all his family, so it will be a very emotional meeting for him and Leo. He was due to drive one of Leo’s cars to Spain before the fateful offer for Leo to be Brazil national goalkeeping coach which led to the tragedy. How we could wish to turn the clock back to change our decisions, he has always had his heart on his chest of a Boro shirt and he is truly “one of our own”.
Come on BORO.
Fantastic piece Werdermouth and thanks for all of the effort. All that I can add is to say is that I really hope that you have one more to write.
The Leo interview was incredibly moving. A man living with tragedy who is reaching out to a group of people who took him into their hearts. I hope that the club and supporters can help him find some comfort.
I watched the Derby v Fulham game this morning and it was fascinating to see how it played out. It was almost as if Derby played rope-a-dope. Despite being the home team, They let Fulham come at them and kept an excellent structure and, apart from a period at the start of the second half, Fulham never really looked like scoring. Their sole attacking tactic seemed to be to play the ball up to Mitrovic who would control it and then feed one the midfield running towards him. Sessegnon was barely present in the game and seems to have run out of speed.
Fulham hit the bar and had two other good chances but Derby were good on the counter and, towards the end, should probably have scored the second goal that might have made the tie safe (and given me the right result). However, having said that, I see no reason for the second leg to be any different from the first. Fulham will have the same amount of possession and Derby will play on the counter.
The key to Derby is Huddlestone. He is a beautiful passer of the ball with great vision and most of the play out of defence seemed to go through him. However, he isn’t the fastest of movers. When we played them he was watched carefully and never seemed to have an impact. If Fulham make a point of one of the midfield staying close to him, they can cut off a lot of Derby’s counter-attack before it starts and may turn things round.
Anyway, on to tonight – or more specifically 2.15 am. I actually have a small feeling that Boro may turn on something special but my play-off pick of 2-1 Boro would still be a good result. I’d love to see Traore score but, frankly, will take goals off Ayala’s backside or any other way.
To everyone going, have a great evening.
UTB
Thanks Selwynoz and hopefully there will be one more preview to cap the season off!
I also watched the Derby v Fulham game and my impression was it looked like Derby wanted it more with Fulham looking a little subdued. Having said that, I wonder if a 1-0 lead to take to the Cottage will be enough as Fulham may look more lively in front of their own supporters. At least both teams looked beatable on that showing and all we need now is for Boro to start the game on the front foot and not make any stupid errors at the back.
TP on a bike ride.
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/16220260.Pulis_on_Teesside_life__play-offs_and_bitter_memory_of_losing_to_Man_City_at_Wembley/?ref=rss
Made the Nationals as well.
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/championship-play-offs-middlesbrough-vs-aston-villa-tony-pulis-first-leg-a8347026.html
Interesting that there were just over 27,000 at Derby last night. That surprised me, it looks like we will have a much bigger crowd as Villa will sell a lot more than Fulham did.
I heard a Derby fan talking about the play offs on the radio, they are in a good run of form and were narrowly beaten by Boro. Mmmm! I quote Derby’s matchday commentators ‘Boro were a cut above Derby all over the pitch, they scored 8’s across the board’.
Maybe time affects recollection of events.
It will be a tough game tonight, a win would be great.
Crazy busy this last couple of weeks, so apologies not to have acknowledged more great writing from Werder, RR and Si… A long with some intelligent and thought provoking discussion. So thanks to all he contributors, I didn’t miss anything even if I didn’t post.
And Exmil congratulations on winning you very own challenge. Gratified to have topped stage 3 to achieve some mid table respectability.
Good luck to the playoff contenders.
Feeling bright about today and expecting an entertaining finale at the Riverside.
COB… We can do this
Two one to us.
Really enjoyed that preview.
Thank you very much all the contributors that make this blog such good reading.
Today I think we will go someway towards booking a day at wembley
Many thanks Albert and welcome to the blog!
Ditto
Hope you enjoy the Banter Albert welcome
OFB
Another belter Werder. Hopefully one more after the upcoming double header.
As for the Leo interview, watched that with a lump the size of a grapefruit in my throat. In what must’ve been the darkest of hours I’m glad that we Boro fans, in a small way, helped Leo and his family come through that awful time. Certainly puts any gripes and moans I’ve had lately into perspective.
The usual pre game thoughts from me. Start on the front foot we will win. Start slowly then we’ll have our work cut out in the second leg.
Tears here after Leo’s incredibly moving interview. I wish I could be there today to cheer him back. I was never the greatest fan of his approach to the politics of the touchline,but he has an emotional depth and commitment to the club that is a true measure of the man.
Appreciations, as ever, to RR, Werder, Simon and Bob for brilliant contributions, and to exmil for not only organising but showing us all the way home in his excellent challenge.
I haven’t seen any reference to one surprising aspect of our play-off games. We have lost all of our home games to our play-off rivals,but haven’t lost to any of them on their own middens. Some consolation if things don’t go entirely to plan this evening.
“Tears here after Leo’s incredibly moving interview. I wish I could be there today to cheer him back. I was never the greatest fan of his approach to the politics of the touchline,but he has an emotional depth and commitment to the club that is a true measure of the man.”
I couldn’t say it better than that. Well put, Len.
Today I’ll be joining a small group of Belfast-based Boro fans in Lavery’s Bar for the game. A win without conceding a goal will keep me very happy indeed.
Best play-off memory? The 3-0 win over Brentford and #Believe.
Some, not unreasonably, questioned the pitch invasion, especially considering we’d achieved nothing yet, and sadly wouldn’t.
Personally, I loved it. I saw it as an overwhelming but poignant sign of appreciation for a clinical, controlled and powerful display in the last home game of a memorable journey.
We hadn’t reached a major final or credibly sustained a promotion campaign for years. Furthermore, cuts were digging particularly deeply in North East England – and Northern Ireland.
These “moments” transcend football. I know that I, at least, don’t want to give them up. Because if you do, then you’re admitting they’re over for good.
Werder, so good that I read it twice while eating my Kryptonite toastie, thank you.
For all the expats the game’s on BeinSport tonight, I’m primed and ready. No forecast as usual but, as usual just get out there and do one. I’m not watching Leo’s interview for two reasons, firstly the moving sentiments on here had me filling up without even opening the link and secondly, I’ve had a few sherbets and I know that if I watch it there would be waterworks, now that just wouldn’t do for a roughy, tough Teessider now would it.
Maybe the team talk before we go out on to the pitch should be Leo’s interview, if it’s stirred you lot up on here imagine what it would do to an adrenaline filled footballer bursting to get out there and in to it. After all, most of the lads have known him and his family for years.
Well starting to feel the excitement now and just about half-an-hour to go before it all kicks off. Hopefully everyone will be fired up from the off – especially after the emotionally charged atmosphere from Leo’s presence too.
Also thanks to Powmill, FAA, Len, PPP and everyone for the comments on the preview – all very much appreciated in what hopefully is the penultimate preview for this season. It was actually still a blank screen at 10pm on Thursday evening as I sat down to think of something to write – so glad many of you enjoyed the piece!
I can hear it now, in the Werder househpd., “Woman, where did you put my supersuit?!”
Just watched Leo on the pitch very emotional
Cas have played very well but soundly beaten but the main difference between them and St Helens has been the brilliance of the Saints full back Ben Barba. For those of us who love Traore, Usain Bolt or indeed any sportsmen with speed just watch The Super League show next week and Barba’s third try. I make no judgement but that try was a thing of beauty, and as a supporter of the opposition I have to say one word – WOW!
Now, come on Boro.
Ken
Just talking about cricxxt for a minute
Sat next to the great Boycott this afternoon
His comment on the game ?
I could hit more balls into the net than Boro forwards could !
OFB
OFB
Wonder why Sir Geoffrey was watching the Boro? I know he’s a Man United fan but don’t know whether he’s a season ticket holder, but he was quite pally with Cloughy so maybe wanted to see his statue in Albert Park. He was born in Fitzwilliam near Barnsley, but lives in Carlton near Pontefract, and although playing with Dickie Bird for Barnsley CC, later in his career if Yorkshire hadn’t a fixture he frequently played for Castleford CC. I’m not sure whether he’s a Rugby League fan though, as if he were he’d probably have been at Cas v Saints yesterday instead.
Incidentally, when Jack Charlton played for Leeds I often saw him at Castleford’s matches on a Friday night, but when he lived in Great Ayton I never heard that he watched any local cricket. Perhaps he wasn’t a cricket fan though – he had other sporting interests such as angling and shooting.
Off topic though, I think it’s becoming difficult for referees now regarding injuries. The ref has to be careful regarding the possibility of head injuries, and perhaps some players are conning the referee by going down holding their head just to waste time. I know it has now become a tactic in Rugby League to slow the game down when the opposition has the momentum. It’s a form of cheating just like diving, but harder to spot.
I think Boycott was just enjoying a day out he didn’t seem to be a Boro fan !
There was not much enjoyment yesterday!
Feigning head injuries Villa did it 3 times yesterday
OFB
So, where was the man on the back stick? Shocking needs shooting, he’s caused us nowt but bother giving the ball away, won’t happen though.
Oh, and by the way, where was Shocking marking the Aussie for his header, you couldn’t have got a sheet of paper under his feet?
At the moment Boro are poor and being outplayed.
Boro have suddenly woken up after a deadful start !
Braveheart, sorry to disagree my friend, but far from being outplayed we’re controlling the game. Our problem? We have a muppet playing right back who’s constantly creating problems, but at the wrong end of the pitch!
Shocking yet again, where’s me gun!
He is having a mare !
When doesn’t he, he’s a complete liability! Every time I look for him he’s stood alongside Ayala, get where you’re supposed to be man, right back! As for the goal, well, Jedinak had time to roll a fag and read the pink before Shocking would have got anywhere near him, which he didn’t.
Playing well but a poor goal to concede. Brilliant save from Randolph just before half time me could be a key moment. Worth a goal at the other end.
We can still do this.
UTB
I’m going to put some black tape across the bottom of my telly screen for the second half now we’re going to be kicking left to right, that way I can block Shocking out. I wonder why we were the only ones in the queue to pay stupid money for a very average player, then to sign him on the deadline and be pleased with the business, it beggars belief.
Not looking good. Only not 2-0 down cos of Randolph save just before half time.
Villa got tactics right ensuring , eg, Gibson is bringing the ball into midfield and his eye for a forward pass is not good.
We look disjointed, passing not sharp enough, all too slow. When a midfielder has the ball he has usually only 2 or 3 teammates in front of him and faced by 2 banks of 4 and so a safe ball is played whereas Villa are breaking with more players and look dangerous on the break.
How many chances does Britt need to score ? He is not in the game enough.Villa doing a good job on Traore. Besic too intent on running with the ball and losing it.
Can only hope the the second half is an improvement
Well Boro never make it easy for us – apparently they have to do what no team has managed in play-off history and that is to get to the final after losing the home tie. Then again there’s only one goal in it but Boro will need to find their shooting boots as just two on target from 16 attempts. I’d certainly retain Fabio as right-back even if Ayala was fit and also Friend offered little in terms of providing service.
So down but not out and we definitely need to score first on Tuesday!
That was poor to say the least. Especially our final delivery and finishing which reached a new level of ineptitude. They could play all night and not score.
Massive improvement required for Tuesday night on what was offered tonight. Disappointing.
Agree there Weder. It won’t be easy on Tuesday but it can be done. Needs an attacking set up and Fabio gives us something that Shotton doesn’t. I would be inclined to play 3 across the back, Howson and Clayton with Besic, Downing and Adama supporting Bamford and Britt.
Britt should have scored at least one and agree that Besic kept the ball too long at times. Randolph kept us in the tie and we must hope that the players can energise themselves to beat the villains with all the super powers that they possess!
Perhaps our superheroes lost their powers due to the lump of kraptonite…or whatever it’s called again.
Aston Villa today were more agrresive/organised/got into Boro straight from the kick off and sadly seemed to want it more. We were very poor.
Fabio and Bamford need to start on Tuesday and TP needs to kick a few up the backside. You never can tell with our team and there has to be a performance off the season to get anything out of tuesday.
Flat Boro lacked Bucks Fizz after an early Waterloo.
But we’re not down the Lulu yet and if we show the right Eurovision and throw All Kinds Of Everything at Villa, there can still be Boom Bang A Bang at Wembley.
If not, and the team hasn’t Wogan up, then… What’s Another Year?
Time for Making Your Mind Up Tony.
The only good thing about this afternoon was that I won the dream team choice and won a bottle of fizz!
Coming in handy now I’m home
OFB
Villa had Adama Traore tied up this afternoon
He was just like a puppet on a string!
Boom bang a bang!
OFB
From the villa point of view …
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-fans-saying-same-14650082
I can’t fault Boro for effort, but Villa much more composed. Our passing though was too slow and often inaccurate, but the shooting has been a problem all season. Two shots on target from 16 attempts is pretty abysmal. As for individual performances, only Randolph was worthy of a score above 6. In fact I had Shotton on 3 and Friend, Besic and Assombalonga all on 4. How TP said that Boro didn’t deserve to lose I don’t know. A vast improvement is required on Tuesday, but although I can’t see Boro winning by two goals, an early goal and we still have a chance of taking the tie to penalties, so I haven’t quite given up on them yet.
Not all bad news today after both Cas and Boro lost, because at last Redcar will have a team in the Northern League next season, albeit in Division 2. This afternoon Redcar Athletic beat Gateshead Leam Rangers 7-0 to win the Wearside League, so congratulations to them.
Just to say Happy Birthday to Philip of Huddersfield tomorrow. Hope you and Val enjoy your Baltic cruise.
Have to agree with your summary Ken. A fair few under par performers out there today. Oh well, we’ll just have to go there and get at them and hope for the best.
Bugger.
I felt today’s game really highlighted our weakness at fullback (both sides). Whatever happens in the return leg (and beyond?) those positions need addressing in the summer, though Fabio may the answer on one side and should start at Villa Park.
I’m afraid Downing has had his day too. Whilst neat and tidy, rarely giving the ball away and usually working hard enough, he simply doesn’t contribute enough where it matters and is largely ineffective.
Besic didn’t have his best game today but remains a vital cog in the midfield. Though little cane off for him, he tried throughout to get the team moving forwards and, even when below par, we’d be considerably worse without him.
So that’s my three summer signings then: Besic, a left back and a left winger (unless Tav or Chapman have made strides).
First the second leg though. I can’t see is turning it around but it’s far from impossible.
Bamford has to start. Whenever he doesn’t play, we miss his guile.
Spot on Andy.
Fabio and Bamford must start on Tuesday to give us a fighting chance.
My heart says we can do it but my head says different.
Not quite good enough sums up this season really.
Like many have said, a real reminder of an importance of a football match compared to what Leo has been through. Great reception to show the feeling of teesside and it certainly brought tears to my eyes. To see him bouncing with the red faction for the second half was something to behold and he is undoubtedly one of our own.
A lot of pointers for what needs to be reviewed for next season whatever the division but dont want to be finding fault, just hoping for a more positive approach in and around the box.
UTB
Just not good enough tonight but I have four suggestions on team selection and tactics that might get us a result on Tuesday:-
1. Keep Fabio in the team at right back.
2. If Ayala is crocked and Shotton is to play put him at centre back. Personally in that scenario I would prefer Fry.
3. Play Bamford instead of Britt.
4. Play Traore in the middle and make forward passes beyond the opposition’s defenders for him to run onto. He was shackled tonight as soon as he received the ball but if he was running onto through balls he would be devastating. Playing that way just imagine what he could have done to John Terry. He is wasted being given the ball on the half way line with three defenders in front of him but he would leave them all for dead if the pass was played in behind them.
Hopefully TP will agree with me and then there might be a glimmer of hope. Otherwise I think we are consigned to another year in what will be a much tougher Championship.
We shall see.
UTB
Trouble is boroexile we do not have anybody who can play a ball forward by-passing the defenders
Maybe because they are not encouraged to play those passes. I refuse to accept that skilled highly paid professional Championship footballers are incapable of playing a through ball.
Exactly, Pedro.
Bamford must start on Tuesday.
AND Fabio
I thought Villa were excellent defensively, they made us look poor. It’ll be a different game on Tuesday, Villa will have to attack. The game will be more open, we have a chance, a slim one, but a chance nevertheless.
There’s still hope…………..
Nigel
I am not sure that “Villa will have to attack”. Yes the home crowd will expect them to be on the front foot but they are leading and only need to play as they did at the Riverside and job done.
Just about to head off to bed for hopefully that recurring Wembley dream – but before I do here is Redcar Red’s match report on that first wobbly leg of the play-off semi-final…
https://diasboro.club/2018/05/11/play-off-boro-vs-aston-villa/#MatchReport
Great Match Report RR
Exactly as it says on the tin !
Well done 👍
OFB
The main positive that I can take is that we created three or four good chances but didn’t take them and nothing is likely to happen in the second leg to change that. In fact, it will be very interesting to see what stance Villa take for the second leg because by opening up more they could actually create the space that will give us the opportunities that we need. It’s stating the obvious but if we score first, they will then have much more of a problem in front of their own fans.
In a game that we need to score, I expect Fabio to take the right back spot and it’s an interesting question who to play up front. I would have preferred Bamford for the home leg because it was always going to need his technical skill to unpick a packed defence.
Assombalonga didn’t contribute when the ball was played to feet but his running into the channels gave him two good opportunities and the second leg might be more of that kind of counter-attacking game.
For me, the most frustrating moment was when he headed Traore’s cross against the keeper. The camera was right in line with the cross and If he’d missed the ball it would have gone straight in with the keeper not knowing where to go. Small margins indeed.
Bamford has much more quality but I can’t see how to play both unless he sacrifices Howson who had a quiet game.
I’m less negative than some writers about Downing, Besic and Clayton who formed a solid midfield triangle. I agree that Besic needed to release earlier but the second leg might be different
.
Still hoping.
UTB
Seems to me that Traore should have given the tee shirts to his team mates last week at Ipswich
Randolph 7
Shotton 3 Ayala 6 Gibson 4 Friend1
Clayton 6 Besic 3
Traoria 5 Howsen 1 Downing 6
Assombolonga 2
Subs
Bamford 6 Fabio 6
Awfull!
And Villa were no better.
I’m convinced we have players that are interested in their own carreers ,and know promotion is bad for them.
Would not disagree with those scores gt, athough I would not give Shocking more than George.
Fine margins indeed. A moment of sloppiness punished by a side that is as parsimonious as a Scotsman 2 days before pay day.
I read on the Guardian that Boro will need to do what has never been done before – progress after losing the first home leg. That will make things interesting if we can do it and will add another stat to the archives.
Can we do it? I’m surprised we didn’t start with Bamford to be honest. I think he could have earned us more chances and seems to do more to link up with our other dangerous players. As for Villa, I don’t expect them to attack us as Boroexile states. Perhaps they will for the first 30mins or so, if they assume that we are as toothless as we were last night, but if that stays goalless I expect them to retreat and let us come onto them, which is where I think we need Bamford. A goal from us in the first 20mins would really make things interesting. It can be done and we’re not out of it yet.
Disappointing and typical Boro. If Boro do get the goals and don’t concede that will have done it the hard way. If they play as they played yesterday they are doing it the hard way. Typical Boro really. This script has been pulled off the shelf too often.
UTB,
John
PS Optimism now fully dissipated
Never laid a finger on them. Why did Adama spend so mych time on the left?
The suggestion of playing Adama through the middle to run on to through balls is fine but has shown little inclination to run on to balls. He stands still and waits for the ball to come to him.
It is a huge task at villa park. We must score first and get them to come on to us.
Small margins. Villa played well and especially defended well. We made one mistake and they scored when their scorer had plenty of space and put the ball to the bottom corner.
I agree with TP that we should have got a draw out of this game. We did not play well but credit to Villa. They did not let us play well. Apart from Shotton, there were nobody who deserved less than a six – but there were none to get an eight, either.
I think Downing was one of the best, Basic was not up to his normal but as said the margins were small. Villa deserved a minimum of a draw and we could have had a goal with a bit of luck, too.
Well, we need an early goal at Villa Park. We need to play better for sure and need a bit of more luck than today. But still with a chance – we can play better than today.
Up the Boro!
PS. We lost our best defender and a constant threat at corners, too. Ayala will have a scan today but it does not sound promising as the next game is already on Tuesday.
Sorry Jarkko, I can’t agree that no player excepting Shotton deserved less than a 6. Apart from Randolph and Ayala I wouldn’t have given anyone else more than a 5. We’re far too slow in thought and deed, and a big improvement is required on Tuesday. Like most others I would play Bamford and Fabio, but if Ayala isn’t fit the prospect of Shotton as his replacement fills me with dread. I’d rather play a back three system but how that is conceivable without Ayala I shudder to think.
I still think we’re in this tie, but playing at a quicker pace and having a lot more shots on target are essential to that. Concede first and the games over, scoring first and we can still do it, but play like we did yesterday and I wouldn’t give us much hope for next season either.
Don’t get me wrong on Downing, I don’t think he was especially poor yesterday. My comment was on his overall contribution, which I feel lacks cutting edge. He’s like a continuity player but playing in an advanced position. I think he would be more use as a central midfielder if only he had a tackle in him. He should be a player to bring on when you’re protecting a lead and want to maintain possession.
I agree that Villa won’t come at us in the return leg. They have a lead and John Terry at the back – not good reasons to push up. Even if Traore was inclined to make runs in behind, there will be little space to run into.
All the more reason to play Bamford then. Yes, he will lose the physical battle with their centre halves, but intelligent movement and good footwork will count for more.
Great report as ever RR.
As Ian says, Adama tends to spend too much time stood still but when he’s got the ball and crowded out there’s never a tem mate around to pick up the loose ball.
Got it all to do on Tuesday.
I’ve had time overnight to absorb the disappointment now and accept the result.
Question marks remain. Where was the cover? Who was tracking the movement of a lone figure finding himself unchallenged on the left to make his mark. No despite all of that we were never going to win with that song.
So, what did we learn from last night then? Well, just like Netta, you have to be brave enough to be different to win. So, just the same as other posters on here, I agree that Bamford and Fabio have to be in from the start. We need to start to take advantage that Traore ties up not two, but sometimes three of the opposition. Part of the problem for us was less holding on to the ball too long, but the players not on the ball not making the space or the position to receive the ball.
I fancy we are in with a good chance at their place. COB
Ps. Sorry RR, forgot to say thanks for the match report. As always, you reported well on what we witnessed.
It was also remiss of me in not congratulating RR on his excellent report. Sorry, but sometimes I seem to take his output for granted, though that isn’t intentional.
Well it’s not over till the proverbial larger lady sings so Boro still have a chance of avoiding the dreaded ‘nil points’ in the play-offs – anyway, let’s hope they Netta goal at Villa, plus will Boro be singing to Steve Gibson “I’m not your toy” as everything gets thrown out of the pram?
Great report RR on a disappointing if not surprising result given our previous against sides above us.
I think Villa will play the same way on Tuesday and if they do I just do not see how we will break them down.
Game over for me and another season in the Championship but there again this is the Boro………
KP
We needed to at least draw to give ourselves a chance at their place.
Like you, I feel it’s game over, unless you believe in miracles .
Villa will not be looking to defend a one goal lead on Tuesday night, playing for a 0-0 would be madness. They’d have the whole of Villa Park on their backs and the pressure in the last 30 minutes would be immense.
They can afford to be circumspect, but for sure we’ll have more space to attack than we did yesterday.
Whether we can take advantage is another matter entirely.
If Ayala was fit, I think TP would pick Shotton at full back, but being a goal down and assuming Ayala isn’t fit he might ‘gamble’ by playing Fabio at full back. It certainly gave us impetus when he came on, but by then Villa were sitting deep and not too concerned about attacking. Tuesday night will be different, to start with at least.
As for Bamford, he has to start surely, his finishing is more clinical than Britt’s is and he brings more to the party in general play.
I, for one, do not think it is all over. I believe we can be the first team to go to the final after losing the first leg.
Look at the last paragraph of lenmasterman post at 2:52 yesterday.
Come on BORO.
Exmil
Yes but on how many of our promotion rivals grounds have we won in the league – I can only think of one, Derby and we need to win.
I think we draw at Villa earlier in the season – and we had just ten men on after Traore got red-carded on the 3rd minute or something like that. But over 80 min, though.
Then we won at Villa Park in the Cup. So the margins are very small in between the two clubs. We need to be playing just five per cent better than on Saturday. This tie is not over yet.
Of course neither team cannot make radical changes as there is not much time to practice anything before Tuesday. I cannot see us playing any worse so it will be as much luck and determation on the day who wins the game. And both team are as good at it.
So let’s enjoy the season as long as it lasts. And support the team as ever. Up the Boro!
The usual great report from RR – far better than what the Sunday Times Came up with. Just a shame that the result was accurate.
As others have said, it is still all to play for on Tuesday although Villa have the advantage and TP will have to prove he is a tactical genius for us to win.
The issue seems to be that we couldn’t break down their defence and when we did, failed to capitalise and score. Whilst Villa will be defensively minded, they will still want to be on the front foot so Boro need to be careful defending.
That said, the team selection does need to be attack focused, might as well go down 2 0 rather than a 0 0 draw!
Whilst it may be heresy to say it, I still feel that we are fortunate to be in the play offs and that we are not quite good enough to go up this year but the table doesn’t lie and the play offs are there to give hope.
I would rather see TP take charge of recruiting a good squad for next season to truly smash the league.
However, should we get to the final, then I will be there hoping to see Boro win at Wembley!
I tend to agree BBD that being in the Play Offs was an unexpected but welcome bonus to a very poor and underwhelming season. Should we manage to go up of course I will happily take it but something inside is niggling at me thinking that longer term if TP reshapes the squad to what he wants this Summer I have enough belief and confidence that we would do a Wolves next Season under his tutelage.
Building on a successful Championship team to fight and survive in the Premiership will be more effective than trying to build on what we have currently. Many of us agree that too many changes was partly to blame last promotion but I can’t see anything other than major changes to this team as it stands.
There were a few points to offer encouragement for Tuesday.
We fielded the wrong team, just for starters, Britt was never the choice for a back line with Terry in it, he was there to give instructions, not to run around, and that meant Bamford.
With him and Traore in the side we are dangerous in and around the box.
With Britt we are not, ( he, yet again went for the near post when given a real chance) plus he does not possess a touch worth talking about.
When faced with a dogged defence, it was foolish to leave out our very fast fullback Fabio.
In my opinion they were gone in the last twenty, nothing left to give, and we waited too long to bring on Bamford( halftime was right)
They at all times gave it the boot out of defence( very sensible)
I would go for it on Tuesday, play Fry( it’s time he was allowed to get on with it) Fabio, take care of Albert, Bamford, combines well with Traore.
Watched Bruce interview,( the air of a man who had got away with it)
Have my doubts that Terry can go again on Tuesday, so all in all, i have not given up hope, we need one goal, is all, no more,
In football as in life too, you rarely get second chances. Tuesday is one of those rare occasions. TP knows exactly what worked and what didn’t.
I can’t see us drawing a blank again, so it’s important not to concede. If we can be level going in to the last knocking of the tie I think our experience will carry us over the line.
One word of warning over the clamour for Fabio. He came on with a licence to bomb forward and was absolved of defensive duties. He couldn’t have the same latitude for 90 or possibly 120 minutes.
Grove
The situation is serious, the speed of Albert caused us angst, Fabio is a no brainer.
The sheer slowness and lack of speed in the box of Britt means that just having lots of bodies in there is enough to get the defensive job done.
We had something going with Bamford and Traore goal wise ( was it really 8 in three games?) his quick feet and sure touch in the box make him a must for Tuesday. If Ayala is crocked then I would unhesitatingly pick Fry( it’s time)
I think that a static centre back will give us a serious chance of turning it round.
If we do play Fabio at right back, should Downing also play on the right? With Downing coming inside, that would creat space for Fabio whilst Downing also offers a bit more defensive protection for the attacking fullback. I do feel that right wing is actually Stewie’s best position these days. He doesn’t have the ability/inclination to go past his fullback on the outside.
Problem with that is of course, Traore, who is less effective when dribbling into traffic from the left as well as the fact that he and Friend make a questionable defensive pairing.
Maybe the answer is 4231 with Howson missing out and Traore playing centrally behind Bamford, but then who plays wide? Clearly, the squad has some gaps.
Haven’t read the comments yet but I was disappointed we didn’t get a draw out of the game.
Villas tactics were spot on and the did a proper job on us. Doubled and trebled up on Traore and kepthim quiet whereas we gave Grealish the freedom to do what he liked.
All our forward play was going through George and there lies the problem,his runs rarely lead to scoring opportunities. Him and Shotton were poor and I would say regardless of which division we are in next season two full backs will be top of the shopping list.
Britt was his usual wasteful self. For me it’s Bamford on the team sheet every time! Far more intelligent footballer,thinks about what to do with the ball, better decision making and a better eye for goal. It was unfortunate his concussion cost him his place when he had scored in six or seven consecutive games.
Fabio has the heart of a lion,wins headers chases lost causes and has the ability to make things happen. Looks like he will now be playing Tuesday due to the huge loss of Ayala!
We arnt out of it yet but will have to score early on to give ourselves a chance of victory. I expect us to start with Bamford and Fabio and play our usual shape until the second half when if we are still chasing the game I expect to see both Britt and Harrison on and maybe Leadbitter at the death of it looks like going to pens!
A word on Leo,what can you say about this man,so brave in his interview and on the pitch yesterday after all him and his family have been through. You couldn’t fail to be moved by him. I just remember the last time he did the lap of honour he had all three of his children with him,so sad now to see just his son there with him. The only member of Karankas staff that didn’t want to jump ship,he loved it here and I suspect he didn’t want to leave when Monk arrived. He’ll always have a place in the Boro fans hearts
Many thanks to RR for another spot on report – yesterday was probably a combination of Boro not performing to their recent standards and Bruce successfully identifying both our limited strengths and working out how to nullify them and also identifying our main defensive weaknesses and trying to exploiting them.
Losing Ayala is probably going to be a major loss for the second leg and whether Pulis will address it by shifting from his normal game plan is hard to say but I wouldn’t be surprised if Fry comes in as a straight replacement. Ideally he’ll come in and Fabio gets the deserved nod a right-back – given he’ll be up against Adomah, his dogged pace and ability to turn quickly should on the face of it seem a better defensive option anyway.
This long throw tactic hasn’t really amounted to anything as far as I can remember anyway – seems more theatrical and slows the game down rather than being a genuine threat – plus the Villa defence is pretty decent in the air and besides the likely missing Ayala is usually the target.
On a personal point, I found it quite amusing given my parody of George’s throw-ins in my preview, that early in the game he spent around 30 seconds carefully drying the ball with a towel before making a short 10m throw to the nearest team-mate – plus his other attempts at long throws were seemingly high lobs that didn’t travel that much further than normal.
I suppose given how below par Boro looked yesterday then only being 1-0 down is not the worst that could have happened – whether they will fare any better in the return leg is hard to say – Pulis appears to have limited options and you wonder if it will need something like a switch to 3-5-2 to upset Villa – maybe with Fabio and Downing as the wing-backs, as they at least are capable of delivering a few crosses, with Adama playing behind Bamford up front it might give their defence more to think about.
I was wondering if I was to replay the Cas match and the Boro match whether both results would still be the same. No, I think I’ll settle down to watch the Polish Speedway Grand Prix which I recorded yesterday. At least they tend to show some photos of the city, and I did enjoy my stay in Warsaw last year.
Never give up
Leo made it abundantly clear how much he loves our club. He even joined our friends in the South Stand. A truly remarkable man.
When the dust settles, attention will turn to recruitment again. I hope this is an area that TP has looked at. For example, £15m for Britt or £6m for Paddy, which has been best value? We must sort this department out, once and for all. I live in hope that TP will do this.
Great report RR and a true reflection as to what was witnessed by all but, I must be the 1% that didn’t agree with the initial line up because, as I’ve said previously that if Shocking was in my team, he wouldn’t be. He surely must be dropped for Tuesday, hopefully dropped from the South Stand roof. How he can get a game purely because he can throw stuff further than anyone else in the squad is baffling. He gave the ball away in the first place to put us under pressure, for him to block a cross to give Villa a corner, he then totally lost his mark to allow him to head in to our far post, I’m still trying to work out why GT gave him a 3 and George a 1. If anything I’d give him a minus score, but the only single thing in his defence for the goal, was our defence for the goal, where was the man on the back stick?
Trust me, he wasn’t the only one to score low for the game as there were many, but unlike everyone else he can’t raise his game to another level to get better. He is what he is, Kraptonite (quote Werder).
Pease
I probably should have given Shotton a 2 ,but he looked more comfortable when he moved to centre back.
George was just all over the place, he looked like someone on trial and hadn’t played with the team before.
Being moved to CB gives Shocking a get out clause and an improvement opportunity for a dire performance at RB, poor (in more terms the one) George was stuck at LB, his only get out was the hook.
It’s reassuring to see most views concur with my own. we are 1-0 down at half time thats all and if we pull through so be it. If not then I am not going to cry about it.
Compared to other blogs which no doubt are full of young mens angst and lots of weeping and wailing and gnashing etc etc this is quite a quiet and sensisble reflection on typical Boro.
Great reports and write ups as usual and of course I am very greatful for the technical insights into what I though was just a poor game.
Anyway I will not be so relaxed come Tuesday night but then as they say hope,hope then die human!!
In the meantime come on Boro – we can do it….. I think.
Of course Terry may not be available in the next game.
Didn’t he sustain a head injury in extra time?
Or not!
OFB
I was sat 20 yards away and when he saw the ball was cleared out he immediately collapsed holding his head like the seasoned pro he is and like Elmohamady had done seconds earlier taking the sting out of the Boro impetus and winding the clock down in the process.
Ken, I don’t think we played well but either it was not the worst game of the season. We have to remember Villa played well – at least in the beginning. We bossed the game but they defended brilliantly.
Had Britt scored one of his three good chances or Fabio when he came on, the result would have been different.
But if we think our players mainly deserved just five or lower, I have to disagree. We have played much, much worse this season and now we played Villa.
Did Villa look tired in the end? Will Terry be able to play two matches in four days? Interesting to see. We just need to play five percent better and have some normal luck. Yesterday every time we shooted the ball floated somewhere else than where it was intended.
Small margins. We can still get through. Up the Boro!
GHW has highlighted, perfectly, the difference between full back as impact sub and as starter. It’s safe to assume Fabio won’t be able to transform the tempo of the game in the same way he did on Saturday were he to start on Tuesday.
That said I’m inclined to go with him at RB anyway. One of his crosses could easily end up on Paddy’s head early on, like it did on Nuge’s at Fulham in the cup in 2016. And who knows?
Also agree with Ken. I don’t believe we played well enough to warrant a draw even after Fabio and Paddy gave us extra edge. There was a marked improvement in our possession play in the second half but, except when Fabio got involved, it was almost all plod, plod, plod.
So despite warnings not to get overexcited the clamour for Fabio is understandable. Any kind of extra edge helps.
Simon, I fully agree and understand the difference between an impact sub and a ninety minuter, but I’d sooner have someone, anyone at full back that has more than the ability to throw things further than anyone else. Being able to pass to a team mate could be an asset.
Agree with you, and that’s why, although I’ve nothing against Shotton, I want Fabio to start next time.
A Right Back that can pass to his own side would be a 500% improvement.
We talked a couple of blogs ago about Shotton’s part in Traore’s rise. Problem was, Traore spent most of the game on the left.
Shotton doesn’t have a lot to offer when asked to do anything more than be solid and simple.
He’s had some criticism for their goal but I think some of that might have been because he was closest when Jedinak connected. I wasn’t sure if Shotton was man-marking and lost him.
Either way, painful as it was, it was a brilliant header from the Aussie.
Reminded me of the play off match against Notts County at Ayresome all those years ago. Boro were probably outfought and out manoeuvred in a flat atmosphere. On that occasion we were lucky to scramble an equaliser in the 87th minute. We were never really looked like winning the 2nd leg though. That season was similar to this one as we stumbled into the play offs despite probably not being good enough.
The tie isn’t over, we tend to do quite well at Villa park. However, would putting our chance of getting to Wembley at 20% be optimistic. Worth highlighting after our previous two play off failures we came up automatically the following season. Lets hope history repeats itself.
Roll on August.
Well for me the only positive thing I could take from the game and will stay with me far longer than this season and yesterday was the sight of Leo…………he was unbelievable and how he could control his emotions is too much to comprehend. A lovely man.
A big thank you to RR for his alternative take and report. Excellent.
As to the match itself and some of the comments……….my belief is that TP got the one major selection wrong in choosing Brit over Patrick…..he would I am certain have made more of the few opportunities that came along.
A number of posters have called for Bamford and Fabio to be included on Tuesday. May be TP will, may be he won’t. In fact it would not surprise me to see Cranie in at RB and Shocking at CB if Dani does not recover. Both Patrick and Fabio are default players forced upon TP by circumstances. If he does stay next season and I would not be surprised to see him go, neither would be first choice players.
As PPinP said about Shocking Shotton, he offers little and I find it hard to think that we paid 3mil for a journeyman player. Mind you George was not that much better.
Ben is looking like an ordinary Championship player these days with Ayala the key pin along with Randolf in keeping the defence at a reasonable level. We do not keep many clean sheets against the better teams (and some of the worse) and will not do so on Tuesday night. Can we score three to win…..no chance.
Villa shackled the mid-field and Adama with Grealish running the show, making Besic our only real MF carry the ball for longer than he should have looking for players in space.As Powmill pointed out we did not have those players available and Patrick is the best we have at that.
I think Bruce will go for more of the same, keep it tight, suck us on to them chasing the game somewhat and hit us on the counter. We continually leave gaps at the back and as much as Fabio is good at going forward he will leave gaps for Albert.
Looking forward to next season in the Championship, unless you believe in miracles, and Mr Pulis does decide to stay, you would assume he would want the type of squad that suits his style of play. I think that RR is being rather optimistic to think we could “do a Wolves”.
How we going to create the fund large enough to purchase some quality players to make even the play offs a possibility never mind automatic promotion.
We do not anywhere near sufficient creative or very good players to go forward.
Can we believe that Shocking, George, Clayton, Howson, Downing, Britt and even Ben at times could get us to be like Wolves and also compete with the teams that will miss out in the play offs, plus the relegation sides with all that loot.
We would probably need to sell Adama even if he wanted to stay and possibly Ben to fund a realistic promotion challenge as we are going to be saddled with players we have bought or are on longish contracts that we will find difficult to move on.
For TP to stay and go for the one off throw of the dice possibly he would want I think a better Gestede for starters plus possible one from Patrick, Britt and Rudy himself. How do you move two of those on without incurring big losses. And that is only for starters.
Of course I may have it all wrong and Mr Gibson, Mr Pulis and other posters may have a better game plan than me.
George seems to be getting some flak in a few places not just here. He was up against Snodgrass and for me gave as good as he got against him and accounted himself well. Had his teammates been as effective against their opposite numbers we would have got something from the game.
With regards to a summer overhaul we broke even more or less last summer in our spending so there should be something still under SG’s King Size mattress. I would additionally sell Ben for whatever we can get, we have seen plenty of CB’s in this division to realise we can get someone as effective but like as not for half his fee. Likewise I would take silly money for Adama if its offered. Last night just highlighted why many of us have said he doesn’t have a footballing brain. Harsh but I fear very true, standing waiting for a pass is something that is coached out with thirteen year olds.
Premiership cash plus parachute payments and selling those two plus getting rid of about 6 to 8 others will both free up spaces and generate income.
Whilst I can agree with your thoughts RR, my concern is still the high wage bill we will have for the Championship. We may have broken even on sales and buys but we have a number of players on high wages and long-ish contracts who will not fit into TP’s thoughts. He will of course as ever have to compromise.
I just cannot see him wanting to retain Britt and I forgot about Braithwaite. KP mentions Gestede being his number one pick up front but as he said unless there is someone else to get us a good number of goals we will fail as Gestede will not get the amount of goals required.
Just how will we move on those type of players. Then if we are serious about challenging can we really believe George and Shocking will make that possible. Ben I would sell for the right price but that may be difficult, first to get a club to offer up to 15mil and also one that he would be happy to join. Possibly Leicester would be an option….decent club and they are going to need CB’s.
I think if TP stays he will stick with too many of the current squad that have failed us this season. Another Manager/Coach would have to make big changes to progress and the gamble to it brings…..aka Monk
As for Gestede being a long term option, well I wonder if Peter Crouch will be available now that Stoke have been relegated – he is certainly a pretty decent finisher and has a much better all round game. Wouldn’t mind having him next season if Boro are looking for the typical Tony Pulis big man.
Totally agree.
Excellent post Pedro. As you say, if TP does stay he has still got a major job on his hands to put together a team able to challenge for automatic promotion.
I think we will have difficulty in hanging onto or acquiring Besic which we need to do as we lack creativity in midfield. That being said, Howson did play two excellent defence splitting passes to put Assombalonga through on goal but unfortunately he missed.
Given the lack of game time TP has afforded Baker and Harrison I would be surprised if they or their clubs would be happy to let us have them for another season.
As we have seen under TP, AT has upped his game but he is still well short of the finished article and I still have doubts that he will ever learn how to read a game.
If it was just about running fast, crossing balls or shooting then he would be fine but their is a lot more to it than that. It is also clear that the better teams are able to cope with him and minimise his impact. So if he is having an off day or has been negated where else is the creativity coming from?
I have said for a long while that SD offers very little in the way of positive impact going forward and do not believe we can continue to play him as a first pick. Snodgrass and Grealish to my mind showed exactly what you need as part of your midfield.
I believe that once fit RG will be TP’s first choice to lead the line but without a proven scorer in support (akin to a Jordan Rhodes) then we will struggle to score with just one up front.
All in all, TP has another major re-build on his hands and even if the funds are available we all know what has happened previously when there has been a large turnover of players.
An interesting summer ahead.
Funny isn’t it,
What happened to long ball Tony?
It goes to show how the media can manipulate the narrative.
Boro Becky Dad, its not heresy, as Redcar said its been an under whelming season. I’m not too sure how we made the top six, given that our form was all over the place until the last six games or so.
There has to be a first time for a team losing the first leg to go through to the final, it could be Boro, there’s always hope……
For TP the game at Villa is now a one off cup tie. Knowing he is a goal down before we Kick Off will test his managerial savvy. Going at it in the same old way will result in getting nothing from the game. He will have witnessed what Fabio brought to the game along with Paddy’s energy and movement compared to Britt’s statuesque offering by comparison.
With Ayala injured I would be inclined to go with three at the back. I don’t think TP will but I’d go with Shotton, Fry and Gibson as a back three. As dire as Shotton was he looked more stable as a CB later on and besides we don’t have much choice. From what I have seen of Cranie I’d rather have Barragan so lets hope thats not even in TP’s thinking.
I’d play Fabio and Friend as Wing Backs with Clayts and Besic central, Downing in the middle and Paddy up front. That leaves Adama who I would leave in a free role, madness? Maybe but it would it cause confusion in disrupting who picks Adama up and prevent their organised blockade of him last night.
Pedro, bloggers may think the I have an axe to grind with Shocking, nowt could be further from the truth, the lad’s been played in a position that he was never bought to play in. The position he was bought to play in, however, I’m sorry but I would never have put my hand in my pocket to the tune of 3 million for a player who has zero confidence and football nouse. Fair play to him for being able to hold on to his spot for this long, but surely that has to be his final farewell.
As for Tuesday, I honestly think that we can nick it, providing team is right, heads are screwed on and Lady Luck has a red smile on her face. I’m not screaming for Fabio or Bamford, but after watching Britt yesterday, he couldn’t unlock his hair never mind a defence, I’ll say no more regarding my posts on the RB spot. If we’re going for three at the back, why not Fry? The lad as far as I’m concerned made one mistake a while back and has never been seen again. He definitely isn’t worse than my best pal at CB and cost us 3 million less, let’s start to promote our kids, from our area and for our team, they deserve a chance.
I’m not even thinking about next term because this one hasn’t finished yet, I saw nothing from Villa yesterday to scare me. After watching them play teams off the park this season in televised games, makes me realise that, actually, they’re not that good, neither’s Fulham or Derby. Talk of the mighty PL failures coming down and giving us all a damn good slap, what happened this year? The Mackems are playing at Accrington next season, Hull were almost there with them (and until they get their ownership issues sorted may well do next season) and we did a smash and grab to get to sneak in to the playoffs. Can anyone on here honestly tell me that the bottom six of the PL are light years above the top six of the Championship, I doubt it.
Let’s get Tuesday out of the way, hopefully followed by Wembley then we can concentrate on what’s what, until then the focus is on Villa Park and the must win situation, do one!
Redcar Red
Now I have proper internet access and Man Flu I say thanks for the report.
I think George was hampered by Adam coming to stand near him and taking his space.
It reminded me of a game England played with Gerrard playing right sided midfield, Cole and Dowing were developing some forward play and Gerrard outside them on the left flank bring the whole midfield over to their side of the pitch,
I don’t think it is over yet, as Nigel rightly pointed out Villa sitting back would heap pressure on the team from the stands. If we score first then anything can happen whether the goal is after 6 or 66 minutes.
I don’t expect us to go through but I wont throw the towel in yet.
From a psychological point of view if we were 1-0 up the pressure on us to try and hold on would be extreme to put it mildly. At 0-0 it would still be seen as a heck of a task to try and win away. As it is at 0-1 there is simply nothing to lose, no pressure, no expectations so just go for it.
The only time I’ve had a cold even since I retired from work was on a cruise ship. Too hot on deck, but too cold indoors with the air conditioning and breathing in everyone’s germs. Why don’t people nowadays have a handkerchief or tissue on hand instead of spewing their sneezes for all to inhale?
If Boro play on Tuesday like they did at Burton, they’ll get thrashed, if they play like they did yesterday the result will be the same as yesterday, but if they play like they did at Derby then it’s ‘Wembley, here we come’. It’s the inconsistency that kills us; which Boro will turn up? There’s no reason that what happened in the past with a completely different set of players should affect how Boro play today. But how does one reconcile that with these three historical examples?
1930/31 Away to Leeds United 0-7, Home to Leeds 5-0
1954/55 Home to West Ham 6-0, seven days later lose away to Blackburn Rovers 0-9,
2005/06 Home Aston Villa 0-4, seven days later Home Chelsea 3-0.
Results like these have not been infrequent, but ‘how and why’ defies logic. It now all depends which Boro turn up so nil desperandum.
Almost as incredible as Celtic losing at home to Aberdeen allowing the Dons to finish second pushing Rangers down into third albeit requiring a 93rd minute fifth goal for Hibs to make certain!
Are you suggesting that Celtic deliberately lost so that Rangers wouldn’t qualify? Stranger things have happened in the past.
My totally agree comment earlier was a reply to RR. It appeared in the wrong place.
You got Man Flu too Ian? It delayed my Talking Point. Get well soon.
Taking time to look back at one of my favourite play-off second leg memories… the whole of this game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKG4eaiYGXc
Billog72 once told me something about this team. I’ll hand you over to him.
“The 2014-15 team played some fantastic stuff at times.
“The slick interplay between Tomlin, Vossen, Adomah and Bamford was often sublime. There’s some great one-touch counter-attack goals in the highlights package of that season and those particular players cost us peanuts in today’s terms.
“They played with a smile, a swagger and a dollop of arrogance until the pressure of possible promotion started to choke the creativity.”
When we were good – as Adomah and Bamford’s goals against Millwall and Ipswich, and the latter were no slouches, proved – we were good.
But the primary intent was to protect rather than create. Not surprising with the money involved in the game today, but still.
I can only conclude that what frustrated and annoyed so many is that for AKBoro the absolute surety of the result – any result – was always far more important than the beauty and spontaneity of the game.
Moving on to Albert.
I found his performance intriguing. Playing on his less favourite left, he showed some fine footwork from time to time, but what stood out more was how thoughtful and imposing he seemed in what appeared to be a more physical, organised role.
As if “Brucie” had given him a job to do, and he stuck to it. And stuck to it well.
Keep that in mind and his contribution to our success in 2014-16 should not be underestimated. I understand say, RR’s hurt, because (a) he didn’t get the proper send-off his service warranted* and (b) for all his all-around improvement, his spontaneity and edge was blunted.
But to focus on that alone would be to ignore the bigger picture, although in the heart’s desire for entertainment – mine included – it’s very easy to do.
*There’s probably no such thing as a good way to leave a club.
I suspect if Villa get past Boro (hopefully not) and then win the play-off final, Adomah will most likely be looking for a new club as he seems to be in the Nugent bracket of not quite good enough for the PL – although, he’s still only 30 in comparison to Downing at 34 for example and you would think in terms of a potential championship campaign he would still be a pretty decent player to have.
Nugent and Albert are great characters to have around when you’re chasing promotion. Very useful. Neither scored a great deal in that promotion season – sixteen between them? Yep – but their contribution was invaluable.
I’d have Albert and Stuani back in a heartbeat except I’d play them both with Stuani as a Striker of course and not a defensive wide player!
I think some of the most enjoyable football from Boro recently was in the season we reached the playoff final. Just a pity an unfit Bamford derailed our season at Wembley.
TP announced his line up well before Saturdays game as he believes it’s his best eleven. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the same starters on Tuesday.
My gut feeling is that Pulis must know that Bruce had worked out how to play against our usual XI – it may be that Boro will need to provide Villa with something more to think about in the return leg if they are to gain the upper hand. Although Boro didn’t play their best game, it may be a mistake to give them the same task as what was on offer at the Riverside. Something along the 3-5-2 formation will at least have Bruce and his team on the back foot – we can always switch back to the the usually formation later in the game if it has proved successful in catching them out and getting us back in the tie and we need to consolidate.
On another night Assombalonga could have slotted his chances in and a full back on the post could have cleared Jedinak’s header. I don’t think Villa outplayed us. That eleven are perfectly capable of winning on Tuesday.
I think our usual XI are both capable and incapable in equal measures – it’s probably a case of how much did Villa nullify our threat and can Britt be more clinical if selected to start. The Villa goal would probably nine times out of ten not find that perfect spot but it didn’t excuse the bad marking. We shouldn’t forget that they probably had two chances that but for a fantastic save and a bad miss could have ended the tie. Boro need to avoid conceding an early goal and indeed score one themselves to make it game on.
Number one training routines from now until kick off must be, shift the ball quicker. We were like a boxer telegraphing a punch. Villa has more than enough to time to consolidate and regain their shape when they lost possession.
Reflecting on the game and looking ahead to Tuesday I realised today that I have somehow managed to arrange to be on a flight from London to Zurich for the entire duration of the second leg!
I’m not sure now whether I will be more relaxed, knowing that I can’t follow minute-by-minute, or more tense having no clue whatsoever what the game is doing. It will be heart-pounding to turn off airplane mode and wait for the Swiss 4G to kick in and tell me what the result is. The air of the taxiing plane will either turn blue or be filled with a hearty “GERRRIN THERE!!!”.
RR’s match report will of course be my first source of depth, which I hope will show a good result and a good performance!
As there is practically no time to train except on Monday, I wouldn’t expect more than one change. And that will be most probably Ayala.
So we will start with same personnel and formation. If there is slightly more space Traore and Besic can be much more effective.
Of course the score and performance of our cup match at Villa Park will do-It was 0-2. Remember?
Up the Boro!
You’re probably right that time is against anything too different being attempted – but Pulis has switched to a back three during games, so it’s not completely alien to the players.
They were training today Sunday Jarkko!
I certainly don’t think Villa outplayed us but until Fabio came on we very rarely hurt them. That was the catch.
That is a good way of putting it Simon! It sums up the game and tomorrow as my old school reports said “must try harder and concentrate more”
We will have to find a way to break Villa down and create spaces or failing that get balls into a crowded box and hope that someone can a head on the ball or they mess up. Not a great game plan but not sure what else can be done.
At the risk of being shot down, “Attack Atttack Attack”!
Sat on the M40 yesterday for half an whilst the emergency services dealt with a car on fire so listened to Radio 5.
A lot was about Wenger and his 22 years in charge and the way clubs have grown. He had mentioned the fact the club employed 80 people when joined and it was now 700. Some one quipped ‘ surely he could have found a place for a top class centreback amongst that lot’.
Made me chuckle, even with ManFlu.
The problem is well illustrated by the stats for Saturdays game. Boro had 62% possession, 16 shots of which two were on target, and 10 corners. Villa had 38% possession, 11 shots of which four were on target, and 2 corners. We had plenty of possession but like Boro of old we couldn’t make it count. We had 1.5 times the attempts on goal to Villa but only 50% of Villa’s on target ratio.
We have a problem in that several first team players despite being professionals for well over a decade in most cases couldn’t hit a cows backside with a banjo. Downing’s goals return is woeful, Besic creates but lacks composure and as for Clayton and George well poor doesn’t begin to describe it.
I am astonished how these players train for years yet hit balls that skew everywhere and anywhere once it leaves their boot laces. I know that occasionally they will register a strike on target and heaven forbid even score a goal but for the amount of chances they have presented the return is pitiful.
Assombalonga arguably falls into the same category as the above. Despite his 15 goals to date, he misses far easier chances than he scores. Its taken until the last few months for Adama to finally find his shooting boots which means the only other regulars not mentioned apart from Randolph are Howson, Shotton, Gibson and Ayala and as we know know Ayala is a Boro goal machine comparatively speaking. Howson’s return has been disappointing and I’d rather Shotton just concentrated on putting his boots on the right feet.
I have deliberately left Paddy out of the analysis as I believe he is probably the only one that recognises the tangible difference between a net and a floodlight or a corner flag in our first team squad. Goals win games,its a pretty simple philosophy yet one which seems to have escaped a succession of Boro Coaches and Players.
I could just leave it at that but when you consider how many “to you, to me, back to you, to me” passes that frustrates the heck out of us when building up an attempt it maybe explains why so many are looking to pass and so few are willing to shoot.
And that was the main problem on Saturday…..to you, to me and start all over again. And so it will continue until we have players who know when to run off the ball, like Bamford, and probably more important, a Ramirez. Sorry to bring up that name. How’s he doing by the way??
EXMIL CHALLENGE PLAYOFFS
First Leg scores
Redcar Red (4 + 5, 3 + 5) = 17 v Ian Gill (4 + 4, 3 + 4) = 15
selwynoz (4 + 5, 3 + 5) = 17 v originalfatbob (5 + 4, 3 + 5) = 17
All to play for.
Come on BORO.
Ayala could be our Alan Kernaghan or Tony McAndrew.
If in doubt, throw him up front, and reap the rewards.
Simon
I think he would be more effective than Gestede but what I don’t want to see in “Typical Boro” fashion is either Gestede or Ayala anywhere near the squad for tomorrow nights game.
Playing crocked players in key games seems to be a Boro trait which has always backfired. Bamford playing half fit at Wembley in the Play Off Final then of course whilst we are on the topic of Wembley there was Rav, that’s just two that intermediately spring to mind. Anymore anyone can recall?
“Intermediately”? where on earth did that come from? Should be “immediately”
I must have been subliminally thinking of having someone “in between” the posts defending on the line at set pieces!
Just reading elsewhere Villa fans praising Hutton for keeping Traore well shackled. In fairness he did so I can’t disagree but tactically the lad stands and waits, and stands and waits and stands absolutely stationary until eventually the ball is played to him which a very experienced albeit geriatric defender can read easily.
Between the player himself and the coaching staff someone should have been screaming at Adama to make runs and stop playing a game of freaking statues. His pace running at Hutton or anyone else would have destroyed him. This standing still on the touchline malarkey played straight into their hands and will again tomorrow night unless it is addressed.
Redcar Red
Even worse on the left touchline because he is cramping George as well.
When people say play him through middle so he can run on to balls, my standard response is there is little evidence he will do so.
This criticism of Traore is in my opinion a little bit unwarranted. It’s obvious he is just doing as he is told. Perhaps they are hoping he can turn the defender and leave him in his wake?
Either way he is acting under orders and there are plenty of others on the pitch to tell him, otherwise he would have been taken off for not following the managers instructions.
Sorry GHW, I know you are a big fan of AT but even you must be aware that his penchant for standing still is not down to playing to instruction but is something within his own DNA.
He has clearly improved under TP as opposed to the previous two managers but he is still flawed. His inability to read the game and move into or run into space is something which is lacking as part of his game and until he develops and masters that then he will not become the real deal.
The better teams in the division are now well aware of his attributes and also his deficiencies and are now quickly finding ways, some legal, to minimise his impact on a game.
I do not think that we will get anywhere near the money some people have been suggesting until such time as his movement or lack of movement off the ball is improved, if ever.
Any player, or manager, that is more successful or looks greater than so many others sets higher standards for himself, which, I suppose, is why criticism seems so heightened.
David Healy scored 13 goals for NI in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign and never reached those heights again. If some of the GAWA are still hurting at Mohamed Al Fayed picking up the phone and dangling a too-good-to-turn-down offer in front of Lawrie Sanchez right in the middle of the qualifying series, should we be surprised?
I think we all feared it: while bigger nations with more durable systems in place can bounce back and rebuild, that generation of NI players, and that goalscorer, wouldn’t be back. And we were right.
Congratulations to Mohamed Salah on scoring 32 league goals for Liverpool in a 38 match season. At least it stops Alan Shearer from sharing that ‘lofty’ position, but let’s not forget that William Ralph “Dixie” Dean scored almost double that number for Everton in 1927/28 with 60 in 39 matches and our own George Camsell 59 in 37 matches the season before albeit in the Second Division. Also after missing a penalty he didn’t take any of the further six that Boro scored afterwards in that season. What’s more Dean’s career total for Everton alone was 349 goals in 399 matches, and Camsell’s 325 in 418 matches.
Am I alone in thinking that the likes of Harry Kane and Alan Shearer seemed to place a lot more emphasis on claiming the most tentative of goals and the award of the Golden Boot?Dixie Dean would have won a pair, one for each foot, in 1927/28. It’s as if some journalists imagine that top grade football didn’t begin until the advent of the Premier League. Let’s see if today’s strikers can maintain their scoring records for all their careers. Somehow I doubt it.
251 league goals in 274 games. For Boro and Sunderland.
Even if almost all were in the second tier.
Who did he think he was?
Brian Clough. Brian Howard Clough.
The problem is comparing players from different era’s.
I think it would be fair to say the best in each era would excel in a different era.
Dixie Dean and George Camsell wouldn’t score the numbers they did but they would be towards the top of the current scoring charts.
If Harry Kane and Mo Saleh went back to the 20’s and 30’s the same would apply.
The game is different but the cream always floats to the top.
I’d like to see Dele Alli or Harry Kane kick a good old fashioned Casey ball of the type Camsell and Dean played with and headed. They’d be out for 6 months injured!
Talking about old players new neighbours moving in found out I love the Boro
Turns out that she is Wilf Mannions niece and has one of his England caps on display in the home
OFB
If Kane and Salah could go back in time and reproduce the skill, pace and athleticism they possess in today’s game, I think they would rewrite the record books.
Nevertheless records have been set and nobody can calculate a mathematical coefficient to devalue them, and that applies to other sports like cricket and rugby.
As everyone saw on TV there were many old boys of Boro present on Saturday. And also my favourite manager: https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/tony-mowbray-boro-can-play-without-fear
Up the Boro!
Furthermore I only counted the goals scored by Dean and Camsell for Everton and Boro respectively, discounting those scored by the former for Tranmere Rovers, etc and the latter for Durham City. It is very rare today for players to spend 90% of their career with one club.
Well tomorrow night I’m gokng to celebrate at He Riverside either a win or drown my sorrows at a loss !
I’ve taken a box for 10 at the Riverside quite Informal it’s jeans 👖 amd Boro tops pie and peas for a fiver a head !
If any of you bloggers are there pop in for a beer and a chat 💭
Love to see you with my beer 🍺 goggles on!!!!
I’m going for a Boro 2 0 win let’s see if I’m right !!
Come on Boro let’s show everyone who we really are!
OFB
I see that it is the fault of Traore, again.
Have we no coaches at the club, don’t the players even suggest that they set up to put him in the box with the ball at his feet.
We had him shooting and scoring, then we went back to giving him the ball with four men round him and many a mile away from goal.
His partnership with Patrick was wonderfully productive, then they were split up again.
We do not help ourselves.
Whatever our opinions, our opponents always take special care to stop him.
As for someone saying that player x took care of him, dream on.
It is no surprise that Villa had as many men as it took to hold him, and it varied from two to four, all fouling him of course
I watched Bruce after the match, in my opinion they are not sure of going through.
I believe that Terry will not make it, and Grealish came back from injury to play,
So he is not certain to turn out.
Fans tend to be more critical of their own Players than opponents as we analyse the machinations of our own side in far more detail than the opposition. Before the match I was relishing the thought of Adama running at and flying past Hutton, it was a no brainer but one major problem we had was that he had Shotton behind him who couldn’t handle Albert so that side of the pitch became vulnerable very early on. It was for that reason that Downing was switched over to shield Shotton.
Villa fans are very critical of Hutton generally but they all saw something which very begrudgingly I agree with.
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-fans-middlesbrough-playoffs-14650082
Adama standing still allowing Hutton to be on top of him just played into their hands effectively keeping him in safe zones to dribble around three or four Villa players before losing possession. Contrast with Grealish who when he ran at our midfield they simply couldn’t keep up with him. Traore in my opinion has far more skill and pace than Grealish but its not so much what you do as where you do it that gets results. Standing motionless out on the touchline didn’t work and I blame Kemp/Fleming/Pulis for that far more than Adama.
Adama wasn’t to blame for the defeat, there were too many others that were well below par, one of whom had an absolute stinker and in my opinion should have been hooked after the opening twenty minutes. Randolph, Fabio, Bamford and Downing apart there was little to choose between them.
BEN wasn’t great and didn’t cover the back post for the goal
OFB
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuKhvqiAhvI
That is all.
Simon
Is interesting looking at that video and contrasting with the slow passive, overpassing, build up on Saturday against Villa. No good having Traore in the side and playing him with carthorses. Bamford and Fabio (and probably Harrison) have the energy and pace to get at teams and hurt them but to play to their strengths it has to be quick and slick.
Watching Randolph rolling the ball out to Ben who rolled it forwards to Clayts to knock it back to Ayala who knocked it wide to Shotton (who then passed to an opponent) done my head in on Saturday. At least with Friend there was a bit of an outlet but like a few others time waits for no man. Age and injuries have taken their toll on the George of old. Villa have a few ancient limbs of their own and yet tactically we played right into their hands.
In reference to what RR was saying about shooting boots, here is how it should be done!
https://t.co/VErs0vyQ
Emmerson at his best!
Sorry try this https://t.co/VErs0vyQ6q
BBD
Loved watching that, it seems such a long time ago when anyone in a Boro shirt shot instead of trying to pass the ball into the net. The closest we had to that in a decade was Grant who seems to have lost his shooting boots a few years back.
I would imagine Adama would have some strength in his shot if leg muscle is anything to go by. Howson and Downing you would think are capable or at least used to be of taking a shot outside the box but why do that when you can pass it out wide. Why is it that Emmerson could hit a ball on target whilst Clayts and co. are lucky if they hit the stand they are facing?
Last time we played at Villa Park in September, Dimi kept a clean sheet, Bamford had a brace and hit the woodwork with a header : https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/highlights-aston-villa-0-boro-2-0
The same result will do for me tomorrow, too. We can do it. Up the Boro!
Plato
Not sure people are blaming Traore for the defeat. Just the way he regressed back into his standing around waiting for the ball, basically allowing Hutton to close him down almost immediately.
For what it’s worth, my opinion is the main reason we lost was mainly down to our abject finishing. 16 attempts at goal with 2 on target. 2!! That is a disgraceful stat no matter how anyone trys to dress it up.
I thought Besic was the worst offender last night and aside from his goal at Derby, most of his efforts haven’t bothered too many opposition keepers since he joined in January. Improve that side to his game and he won’t be at championship level again.
Now I’ve been a supporter of Shotten and have defended (unlike him at that corner on Saturday) him on occaisions but that was without doubt the worst display I have seen by a Boro player this season. And what a game to pick to do it in.
Having had a few days to mull it over I’m in the camp of its definitely all to play for on Tuesday. That’s the third game I’ve seen against Villa this season and I haven’t been over awed by any of their performances.
If we do go through and beat the Wembley hoo doo then a cheeky bid for young Mr Grealish wouldn’t be a bad bit of business for me. But it’s all ifs buts and maybes at the moment. Tuesday night will give us a definite answer.
Last but not least another tip of the cap to RR for pretty much reporting how I saw the game pan out.
And another thing!!
Our build up play was snail like to say the least. Faster passing of the ball instead of holding on to it for far too long will go a long way to giving us a real chance tomorrow.
And that’s being kind to snails!
Re- Bob’s new neighbour.
Reminds me of the oldest Boro – related joke I know. Told to me, aged 7, by my mother, circa 1946.
A Protestant woman plans to marry her Catholic boy-friend, and goes to seek approval from her vicar.
“That’s fine’, says the Rev, “as long as you and any children you have remain Protestant.
Some years later the vicar visits the woman’s home, and says to her, ” I see that you have become a Catholic then.”
“Certainly not “, says she. “Why would you think that?”
“Well, you have a photograph of the Pope hanging on the wall.”
“The Pope? I’ll skin my husband when he gets home. He told me it was a picture of Wilfie Mannion in his international cap.”
To a little boy, a joke, somewhat sacrilegious, and featuring my Boro hero, was irresistible, and accounts for the fact that I can recall it clearly over 70 years later, in spite of never having heard it repeated since.
Len
It made me laugh 😂
OFB
Very good – the old ones are the best
I posted a little quiz but it has disappeared.
Q1 Where would you play Adama
A Wide Left
B Wide right
Q2 Will Adama run on to through balls
A Yes
B No
My view is let him do what he does well, don’t expect him to do what he isn’t good at. That is what TP has done well with him so far, why he changed on Saturday is beyond my ken.
And Ken wou’nt like it…!!!
A comment from my Rams colleague before he set off for Fulham.
Tp got us in to the play offs, they way he sets us up cost us the match on Saturday. His view as we should have played Britt and Paady and gone for it.
A bit hindsight’ish to me. I would tend to look at the players on the pitch and how they performed. You can add in who played where as in my quiz above.
Oddly enough I think we are better with Downing paired with George on the left and Shotton with Adama on the right. George and Stewie can mix and match. Adama does what he does and shotton defends.
That does not want alter my view I would like Fabio in the team.
So it is Fulham vs …..
You have to say that Fulham deserve to be in the Play Off final. They were third in the table.
Let us see what tomorrow’s game brings, unexpected results from unexpected sources,
In the words of Neil Grainger ‘I’ve got a feeling’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7MZCa37yOo
If we cant hope don’t watch or listen. Just give it a damn good go, leave nothing behind.
If they are better so be it but don’t wimp out.
COB
Fulham through deservedly. 20 shots, 10 on target. If only Boro could do that. I’ll be happy with 2 on target resulting in goals and Villa can have as many as they like, as long as they don’t score. Anyone can dream.
Boro shots on target?
Apparently Birmingham and East Midlands Airport traffic control have made a special request that TP names his Boro team early again so they can divert flights away from Villa Park airspace in plenty of time in case Clayts is playing!
It is difficult to play any other way than the way we do as we do not have the players to do it differently.
Pass, pass, pass and very rarely forwards. Gives the opposition all the time in the world to line in banks.
It is only against the less organised teams, as of late, that Adama can create havoc and a forward gets the benefit. Patrick is IMO the best we have to make the most of him including Gestede. Why TP has picked Britt ahead of him who knows.
But then we know if Gestede had been fit he would be first choice ahead of both.
Tomorrow night will be no different.
As Boro start their next big push
To try to win promotion
A win at full packed Villa Park
Would stir up a commotion.
To score a priceless early goal
Would certainly be handy,
Especially as our strong defence
Relies so much on Randy.
His goalkeeping is very sound,
His positional sense quite canny,
Though he’s protected quite a lot
By Ben and his pal Danni.
With Fabio de Silva
And full back Georgie Friend
Our back four are quite suitable
To attack or to defend.
With such midfielders stout and true
Like Howson, Clayts and Mo
We should be able to succeed
To keep Boro on the go.
But Adama Traore is
The key to much of our success;
His pace is quite sensational
Which makes it hard to guess —
Which way he will accelerate
To centre for our Britt,
Although at times his final ball
Might be a miss or hit.
But all the fans adore him
And hope he finds the holes
For Britt or Patrick Bamford
To score those vital goals.
COME ON BORO, YOU CAN DO IT.
That verse about the final ball for Britt had me worried for a second 🙂
Tomorrow night is no different to going a goal down in the first minute. There are 90 minutes to play and every chance of getting back in the game. The advantage is that in a game an early goal sickens the team and knocks confidence, taking a few minutes to get heads cleared and focussed again.
There has been almost three days to clear heads, take stock, refocus and galvanise the side to get something out of the game. We saw tonight that trying to hang onto a one goal lead isn’t easy in these competitions albeit it was the away side clinging on. The amount of gamesmanship going on tonight was shall we say “unfortunate” and spoilt the game for me. I wish Officials would take a far more punitive view of it. Kamara’s dive was disgusting as was Bettinelli’s time wasting (for which they did at least get booked) along with Targett and Cairney taking a lengthy summer stroll off the pitch. Maybe if a yellow card was issued for a Player blatantly taking too long to leave the pitch and then the Subs introduction consequently delayed for five minutes leaving the side down to ten men it might cut out the nonsense.
Anyway getting back to our game as Ian said above we have to go out and give it a damn good go, anything less is unacceptable, death or glory as the Queen’s own Lancers would say. .
We are not the favourites tonight and all the pressure is on Villa to perform. But we like to be the underdogs – as always.
Let’s hope we will get the all important first goal and play well. If we give our all, we can say we tried. If that was not enough against the big favourites, then let it be so.
But there is still hope that we might have one match more this season. We have won once at Villa Park already this season. Let’s hope the history repeats it. But we must play better than we did on Saturday.
We can do it. Believe. Up the Boro!
So, I am out an about today with little chance to read the blog until nearly kick off time. I am sure that Weders piece will be the usual well crafted article and full of motivational phrases.
However, I will kick it off with the following
Once more into the breach dear friends, once more
Or close up the walls with our Boro dead
Finishing with
Straining at the start, the game is afoot
Follow your spirit and upon this charge
Cry God for Boro, England and St Ali!
UTB
Ps – it’s the hope that kills you in the end!
Ditto. No chance to follow the blog today and will be driving home to Scotland from Telford when the match is on. … We can do this..COB
Sorry to slightly disappoint you BBD but I decided on just a preview for the tie as a whole – if you look closely at the header graphic you will notice it’s a little bit different than usual. Hopefully, I’ll be writing one for Wembley though…
Time for cool heads methinks. The last thing we need is to concede early doors.
So Boro will be playing Fulham in the final at Wembley once they’ve sorted out the small matter of winning tonight at Villa Park. I think if we score the first then we have a decent chance, if we also score the second then we’ll have an even better chance and if we manage the third then it’s almost time to prepare for a day out in London.
Despite his swollen knee, Pulis still hasn’t ruled out Ayala last time I checked, though I would be very surprised to see him play. Still it would have to be Fabio for me at right-back in any case and Bamford should surely have the edge over Britt, who hasn’t kicked on from scoring against Millwall and still looks more likely to miss chances than score them.
It’s perhaps the main problem for Boro that not many players look like they have the composure when shooting – despite all the millions thrown at the problem in the summer, it’s still our main weakness. Contrast that with Fulham yesterday, who had 20 shots with 10 on target – pity we couldn’t land Mitrovic in January as he would have probably fired us to promotion. I would not be confident if Pulis opts to start with Britt, that Boro would get the two goals needed but while there’s only one goal in it then we have a chance – I’d probably only rate our chances as around 30% though as a draw or Villa win would see the season end.
As far as Ayala or the team selection is concerned, I don’t think we will hear anything before 1845 tonight. Announcing the team for the first leg the day before allowed Bruce to set his plan A to great effect. Besides that, I really hope that TP is still our manager next season, no matter which league we are in.
After his arrival in December, you could see the gradual change and improvement in the team and tactics. We can only imagine where we would be now if TP had been employed instead of Gary Monk, I think our squad would have a different look to it now.
Come on BORO.
I cant see us getting a 10 attempts let alone 10 on target. With Britt he will need six attempts minimum to score and will undoubtedly hit posts, straight at the Keeper or send them wide in the meantime. He is too immobile to play as a lone Striker and needs service, granted he has and always will score golas but the opposition has generally been at a poor level and against the likes of Terry he hasn’t got enough in his locker to worry better defenders. Besides its what Boro do, buy decent strikers and watch them shrivel up and wilt.
Paddy is a different proposition, not outstanding but decent in the air, probably more intelligent than the entire back four he faces each week which gives him the guile to outhink and outsmart them plus crucially he has the skills to do what his brain asks of him. Add a bit of energy and vibrancy around him and you have a potent cocktail. The challenge for TP is who will add that energy and vibrancy?
Fabio certainly adds some pace and skill plus Adama we know can create mayhem but we need a.n.other to add to the mix be it Besic, Harrison or even Lewis Baker, someone who can think at the same speed and intuitively read his team mates body language and movements. Playing a quick fast ball, making the ball do the work rather than passing short 3 yard passes allowing defenders to regroup and pick up Boro players.
Tonight I feel is our last game of the season as I don’t think we will be adventurous or creative enough as Bruce will have his Villa set up to grind out a result. I do hope to see some fight and spirit however and what I cant accept is the type of display where it takes 20 minutes to get going especially from certain individuals. If they are not up for the job, lock away their Tena for men pants and give someone a go who will at least spill blood and bust a gut.
Should we go through then great but its going to need something entirely different, something special and something unexpected. With Ayala crocked and Shotton likely to play CB (personally I would go with Fry) that scuppers the long throw tactic as Shotton sometimes struggles to be in one place at a time let alone two. Is Harrison now match fit? Is he the wonder Kid that Patrick Vieira and Co. have been raving about? Or is he just another Jaime Moreno or Carlos de Pena?
I would go with three at the back and then Fabio and George providing the width and penetration. Should we take the initiative there are five there in a back line to stubbornly hold out. A front three of Harrison, Paddy and Adama should cause some headaches for ageing defenders so long as we release the ball and play them through rather than constantly recycle until eventually losing possession. I’d stick Besic and Downing in the middle to create and set up the attacks. It would either spectacularly implode or catch Bruce and Agnew totally unaware, nothing to lose for me.
I would like Harrison to be given a chance, even as a sub.
He’ll have something different to offer.
De Pena at least has the chipped pass that led to Fabbrini’s goal vs. Burnley and the three “assists” vs. Wolves in his locker.
Moreno? There’ll always be this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6KZeIRLDqo
His well taken winner kicked off a run of five league wins in six to take us three points clear.
Every dog has his day. Heck, look at Michael Ricketts vs. Spurs.
Wouldn’t be surprised if we save our boldest display of the season for tonight.
It’s quite possible that we were subsumed by nerves in the first leg, what with the pressure of the big occasion amplified by a newly expectant home crowd. There’s also the “fear of concession at home” factor, away goals and all that.
Knowing the result required, that it’s do-or-die, that a cautious approach is simply not an option and that we’re not really expected to turn it around might help us to play above ourselves.
I can see Pulis telling the lads, “Whatever happens, I don’t want you coming back into the dressing room at the end not knowing you’ve given it your best shot.”
At least I would hope he has that in mind.
Here’s an alternative view on the first leg. The Villa goal was a header from a bloke not even looking where he was aiming, a speculative flick-on in the general direction of the goal that relied heavily on luck to nestle it where it did. They had another shot that our international class keeper saved onto the post, that’s why we paid 5 mill for him, and one more tame effort that Grabban that failed to trouble us . . that was it for Villa, nothing else of significant note from Albert or Grealish or anyone else.
We had four very decent chances. Two defence splitting through balls from Howson onto Britt’s very good runs behind their defence, he should have hit the target with both. A great whipped-in ball from Adama where Britt out-muscled Terry to plant a point blank header at the fortunate keeper on the line, a yard either side and it was in. Then, a brilliant defence splitting through ball from Besic to Fabio, if he pings it square instead of pulling it back then Britt’s great run, on the blind side of their defence, results in a tap-in into an empty net.
Two months ago this same Villa side, buzzing after thumping leaders Wolves three days earlier and 3rd in the table, played lowly mid-table QPR at home . . they lost 1-3, it’s not impossible.
Can I have some that optimism please…. it seems to be working for you!!!!! Im a bundle of typical Boro dread.
Boro have won all of their last six two legged ties on aggregate whether home or away first. Xanthi, Stuttgart, Roma, Basel, Steaua, Brentford.
OFB
If we could bottle that Billog you’d be a multi millionaire 🙂
So that means another successful run comes to an end! 😎🙁
OOOH!
Let’s not be cynical this is the Boro we are talking about!
We never do anything easy!
OFB
I’m working till 9pm and will be incommunicado, so hope we’re still in with a chance when I get to the pub for the second half.
I have a bad feeling about this.
Chris
Don’t worry, the pub will be fine though it depends on the beer.
I am looking forward to the match and the result will be what is, as long as we give it a go that is fine by me.
Ian, exactly my thoughts, too. Let’s play well and hope the Villa side do not play as well as on Saturday. Let the better team win. Up the Boro!
Ian
For convenience the pub will have to be a TV friendly boozer in Leicester Square. Quality of beer not guaranteed. Not is the football.
I totally agree, as long as the players give their all, start on the front foot and win their one-to-one battles, then I will be OK with that.
Just an aside
Has anyone else noticed that the Gazette seems to have dropped their premium service for the Boro articles these days?
Or is it me just being cautious about our own performance?
OFB
Chris
Don’t forget that all of us at Diasboro will be with you tonight in spirit
Just keep posted
OFB
RR….I don’t think TP thinks outside the box to the degree you are advocating though I agree with you.
What have we got to lose, we are already 1-nil down.
I expect a Aitor moment from TP, only one goal difference, keep it tight and sneak a draw. Win on penalties.
Starting to get proper excited about this now. Granted, as I said above, I will be airborne and without any possibility of knowing the score, but before the first leg I sort of convinced myself that we would get to the final, not that it was possible, but that we simply would win. This, as my colleagues or long-suffering wife would tell anyone, flies in the face of my ingrained and ever-ready pessimism.
The first leg defeat was just Part 1. It’s what happens at the end of Part 2 that makes the difference, and I for some reason think we’ll do it. Like Fulham last night I even think we’ll do it with a no-frills, no-fuss 2-0 win. I’m not sure whether this optimism comes from, but I’m quite convinced about it.
Granted, if I turn on the internet after my flight and we have lost 3-0 with 2 sent off then I’ll be the first to say BLOODY-EFFIN-TYPICAL-BORO, but you never know. Maybe wily old Tony will outfox Brucey.
Jlloyd Samuel aged 37, ex Villa player was killed today in a car crash, Villa will all wear black armbands as a mark of respect .
Come on BORO..
Such sad news and taken at much to young an age. Thoughts are with his family and friends.
I was talking to Andy Campbell last night about Jlloyd Samuel
Andy knew him quite well as they had played for England together right up to U21 level
Andy said he was a great bloke and a true family man
We both agreed that there are more things to life than football.
RIP
Like everyone else, I’d like to see Fabio back,and it’s hard to see how he could be left out after Saturday’s performance. But there is a worry. He was given an absolute run-around by Albert in the League game at Villa Park. Couldn’t fathom him at all. Anything like a repeat, and Albert could prove to be the game’s key player. Bamford for Britt is a must. I’m far from optimistic. Just hoping for the best.
And btw,can anyone come up with a plausible explanation as to why TP, with all of his experience, gave Bruce three days notice of what his team would be for the first leg? Seemed like he was handing Villa a distinct advantage to my untutored eye.
It seems to me that the first goal is crucial. If Villa score it then I believe it is game over as being 2 goals in front with the opposition needing 3 goals will allow them to relax and play cautiously plus the sellout crowd will be behind them.
If we score first then it puts us in the game- no more, no less.
To succeed the team needs its best performance of the season. Can they do it ?
I have my doubts particularly if Ayala is not fit to play.
Having watched the other 2 games I believe the quality of performance was better than tonight’s teams.
I also believe that AT ‘s promotion team was superior to the current team eg I would have put money on his team not conceding and being able to nick a goal or two.
So my thoughts are starting to move to next season and lots of new players
Pessimist ?! Yes!!
OFB
I made the comment about the ‘Premium’ service months ago. Why pay extra to read articles from people who don’t talk to the club.
The, errr, ‘exclusivity’, evaporated some time ago.
Can’t believe that he has gone with the same team with the exception of Ayala – unbelievable!
I can’t believe it either. No Bamford, no Fabio, no hope….!!!
Absolutely stunned with that team selection, staggered, bewildered and despondent. I hope TP has the last laugh and proves me wrong but that line up has left me flat and dejected.
Shotton at RB after his calamitous and disastrous performance on Saturday? Seriously? The lad had stunk the Riverside out after only ten minutes and then their goal just put the cap on it. He improved only marginally when Downing was sent over to protect him and then again when he filled in at CB but selected at RB again? I’m absolutely staggered in the extreme.
Fabio on the bench when we need to get at them and Britt plodding up front again in splendid isolation and needing 6 chances to convert 1 when Paddy had them feigning injury as the pressure mounted towards the end?
Wow all I can say is one huge big freakin WOW!
And Gestede on the Bench!
Not surprised to see the same team ( with the exception of Ayala) I expected it.
I’m not surprised either that I’m surprised to see that Tony Pulis has given us no surprises in terms of team selection. Perhaps it’s a case of start with Plan A to avoid conceding an early goal before shifting up the gears to Plan B then Plan C before going for Plan for another season in the Championship!
Still it’s only 0-1 at H-T so no need to panic until the ref blows his whistle to strt the game…
If he wins he’s a genius and it doesn’t matter how it worked. If it implodes then there will be a huge long list of “I told you so’s” lining up.
With some petard hoisting for good measure – I suspect we’ll see changes as the game progresses if Boro continue where they left off on Saturday. Maybe he can’t risk calling out some of the players in case we do actually win!
Totally gobsmacked. Have we settled for another season in the Championship or is TP the ultimate master tactician?
Just stopped on the M74 for a comfort break and caught up with the posts and the news….
In the world’s if one immortal, “It will be what it will be.”
I should be home for most of the 2nd half. I’m hoping we are still it by then.
Nervous now.
COB
World’s if = words of
Well without stating the obvious I did say that I would not be surprised if he went with the same team even to include Craine. I got that wrong, at least Fry is a proper CH.
No Partrick beggers belief……when we are chasing the game, which we are, he will bring on the plank.
My thoughts on Mr Pulis are well known, this just confirms them.
All I can hope now is that in 90 minutes of whatever I am eating lots of humble pie. I very much doubt it.
Tomorrow he will announce his resignation.
Hello everyone,
Sydney is with you at 4,39am. Who have we got from round the world? Anyway, good luck to Boro and the whole Diasboro. Clearly TP thinks that the same game plan will produce a different result this time. Let’s hope that he’s right.
UTB
Hello – Switzerland here too. In London at the moment where it is a balmy 20C and sunshine and lollipops all day. Hoping for a history-defying performance and win from Boro.
Why I am not surprised at the team? Do I not like that! Unless something dramatic happens then it is plan C for Championship!
UTB
Paddy Bamford must spend the weekly training sessions jogging down the touch line and having a cheeky cig if he can’t get a start tonight.
TP has put his balls on the block there. Let’s hope they aren’t turned to mush.
“Now you know why Traore is so highly rated, he’s turned this tie on it’s head in the space of 10 minutes”
Wake Up! The games about to start….
I am not surprised that, apart from Ayala, it is same again.
Will it work is another matter.
Well this is terrible so far. My flight was delayed so I’ve read a third of the game and so far no goals and almost no chances! I really hope TP brings on Fabio and Bamford at HT.
Anyway, I’ll be turning back on at full time and hoping it goes our way. To those of you who have to suffer the full 90mins – god help you all.
Tight nervy first half. Not great to watch. We look the better side but, to be honest, Villa are playing for a 0-0 draw and will presumably stick with that unless we score which isn’t looking likely. We need a second target man in the box. Howson and Besic not making much impression on the game. Does he sacrifice one of them for Bamford?
UTB
All to do – see what TP has up his sleeve for the second half.
From what i have seen we are not good enough. Too slow and wasteful passing.
To be said in a french accent s la allo allo, Boro are passing it about!
Bahrain here…. game is hotting up now cant wait for 2nd half
Not a lot in it. Both teams not creating clear chances.
We are too slow bringing the ball out of defence, high balls to Britt surely can’t be a tactic – he can’t win them plus he has no support, players seem nervous – lot of giving the ball away, no fluency, midfield not got a grip on the game, is Howson playing ? – just not in the game.
Have a feeling that sooner or later Albert will create something against Shotton.
Having said that it only needs a goal.
Like to see Bamford given at least half an hour and the longer it stays like this then Fabio should come on to attack.
Don’t favour Gestede coming on simply because he has been out too long .
Back to the TV and fingers crossed.
having watched nearly every minute of the play off games, Fulham are streets ahead of the other three teams. Whoever gets through tonight I think it would be fair if Fulham went up.
However, should we get to Wembley, fair doesn’t matter.
Still a big ask, but……….
Spain calling, where is KP when you need him.
Most of the possession just like Saturday, but creating little. Too too slow. Villa not looking anything to worry about. Problem is neither do Boro.
KP here watching the same old same old and just waiting/expecting Villa to score because at this rate we won’t!
So it’s the Paddy and Rudy show. Come on Boro
We could be here til doomsday and not score
The stats speak for themselves, only three shots and none on target so far.
Maybe we are just not good enough. It really does ask some questions of recruitment. None of us were upset about who left, for several windows we have looked for more creativity.
Here we are, still with the same problems. Not the players faults, they are what they are.
Well
I will be supporting Fulham at Wembley.
Me too!
“… not with a bang but a whimper.”
Not one single effort on target in 90+ minutes by professional footballers. Pathetic
Thank goodness this season is over. 85 minutes of boredom tonight, 5 or 6 minutes of excitement. Why play for a goalless draw when a goal down – Karanka type of display. Maybe football matches should be reduced to 10 minutes each way.
We got what we deserved – zero shots on target in a game we needed to score. Still at least we got a glimpse of what we would expect to see in the Premier League under Pulis with almost a Karanka in spades type meek performance in terms of troubling the opposition – at least we should get a bit more excitement in the Championship but overall a poor display given what was at stake or even there for the taking.
The manager’s selections,the timing of his substitutions, indeed his whole approach to the game, takes some understanding. Our most creative players were sitting on the bench for a match almost entirely devoid of skill and imagination.
Pretty well complete rubbish in terms of quality from two teams, of which we were the poorer
Only saw 2nd half. But have to say Villa did a good job on us in both matches. Why Gestede…? no way he would be up to speed after a long layoff… Same as Saturday for me with no one trying to make space, no effective running off the ball, allowing Villa to keep those two rigid lines of 4.
Ah well, as one esteemed gentleman in here would tell us, the table doesn’t lie. We were clearly the weakest of the 4 playoff contenders and it is only right that Villa get to play Fulham for promotion. Villa will have to up their game though because Fulham have what we haven’t got, the nouse and the ability to get through a rigid defence.
I hope TP has the right targets lined up for some summer spending.
Nowhere near brave enough, 4 games against Villa in the league and no goals scored. You cant stick with the same plan and hope for “that little bit of luck” that Pulis wanted. If you can create some sort of pressure then that lucky break might come but not just doing the same old samd old sideways, crosses to nobody stuff.
Some urgency in last 5 minutes but too little too late and Villa too comfortable by then.
Why put Bamford on up front and give him 5 minutes there? He was the striker in form and yet he got a half of football over 2 legs. If Pulis defends that decision then i hope someone points out the facts of no shots on target where we had to score.
1 bit of business i would like to see. Kodija in for Assombalonga. He did far more in 15 minutes. Far better holding it up and with some pace to mix in too.
Disappointed with Pulis at the end of the season. Would have been nice for him to surprise us and show us something we werent expecting but he stuck with the tried and tested and gave us what we expected. Big lads brought in at the back. Big lad up front. Pace and flair was what was promised – dont think we ever really offered that except in patches and from only one source.
Time for some freshening up. Downing for me doesnt offer value for the shirt and stats wise doesnt compare with a number of what would be classed as journeyman champo midfielders. I may be in the minority here but Besic is just slightly improved on Forshaw for me, looks neat and tidy and does look forward on occasions but no real creativity and i would think we can find better.
Agree with the last few comments. We didn’t deserve to win even if Downing got the closest he has all season! We were not good enough on the two games and over the whole season to be fair.
When TP was appointed, I didn’t expect to be in the play offs although having somehow contrived to get there, I had hoped for a bit more excitement, drive, commitment or even ability from the players.
I will reserve further comments until later on when we start the post Mortimer and reflect on a season that promised so much but in the end failed to deliver. Probably due to a combination of the players inability and Mr Pullis’ ultimate lack of tactical awareness to change the game.
Hey ho, it is only a game when put into context of the death of children, players and the young rugby players, it does pale into complete insignicance.
As my late Dad always said, there is always next season!
Post mortum even! Bob Mortimer won’t be laughing either.
We got exactly what we deserved. No shots on target says it all.
A negative team selection and tactics for a game where we had to score twice with no Bamford and Traore, no ambition, no pace, no flair, substitutions too late and to cap it all Gestede brought on. We only looked an attacking threat for the last five minutes and what an inditement that is of the manager’s game plan and tactics.
As I said when he was appointed I didn’t want Pulis as manager and after the last four months I want him even less. His style of play is stultifyingly dull and slow and as demonstrated over the last two games doesn’t produce results when it matters.
I would like to see him out of my club and he can take Shotton and Gestede with him. God knows what we will get next season if he stays but I’m pretty sure it won’t be entertaining at all and is unlikely to get us promoted.
My overall feeling is of sadness that this season has been a huge disappointment and the future looks dark. It will be harder to get out of the Championship next year and the following year the parachute payments stop.
The Chairman and management of the club are responsible for this season’s failure and they need to explain to the fans what went wrong and what they are going to do to put it right – if they are capable of doing it.
A black day for MFC.
But it’s all right!
Steve Gibson has just taken delivery of two Aston Martins …
OFB
The worst case of mismanagement in my experience for many seasons.
Anyone who watched the first leg figured that we had the winning side on the pitch for the last twenty minutes, and the meant no Britt, no Shotton,
It meant starting with Bamford, and Fabio, it meant playing Traore up close to an immobile Terry.
It also meant shooting, a lot, it meant attacking throughout the match, because they were nothing, not only nothing, but they were observably gone for the last twenty on Saturday, nothing more to give, two crocks on the pitch.
They were not going to present too much trouble tonight
In my view they provided nothing tonight, there for the taking, but you must move the ball like lightening and you must shoot, on target, very hard, and follow in all the time.
The willfull failure to give the ball to Traore when they were just sitting there like a fairground shooting gallery was silly, because when you wish to sit back for ninety minutes , what you do not want is some one who will suck you in to numerous wrestling matches and sap your energy.
This was a far worse display than people think at the moment, a very big match, a wounded opponent, a few very quick players, nothing to lose, and what we could do wrong we did ( with bells on)
Our manager knew who failed at five p m on Saturday( plus every one in the crowd) so can we be told please why the finishing eleven was not started tonight.
Still it saves us a disappointing trip to Wembley!
My sentiments entirely – not unexpected
Couldn’t break down a very solid Villa team.
After struggling under GM it was a bonus getting into the play-offs. Unfortunately the players just aren’t good enough. Can’t see Pulis wanting to spend a season in the Championship.
Agreed, especially with the travel. What contract did our esteemed Chairman give him? Was it 18 months – should have been until the end of the season only to be re negotiated if he had got us promoted.
Maybe TP will falll on his sword although I am not sure who I would want to appoint.
No doubt about it Boro have mastered the anti-climax.
Very, very disappointing display. Never mind sunnier climes call for a month then lets see what happened.
One question though, why, oh why, no Bamford? And Gestede? What was he going to do? He could not have been match fit by any stretch of the imagination.
Roll on next season?
Bizarre.
UTB,
John
“I thought we played really, really well” (Tony Pulis).
Says it all really. A hopeless verdict on a hopeless performance.
Abandon hope all ye who enter here! That is what next season will be like if SG persists with him.
Beggars belief – what match was he watching?
Pulis tells Sky he thinks we played well. No, Tony, we didn’t. Paul Merson has it right – we were very poor.
A fitting end to a disappointing season.
Things can only get better, or can they?
In Tony Pulis’s post-match interview he said we didn’t take out chances – the Sky pundits were then asked what chances was he talking about – answer: “I’ve no idea”…
Though Pulis seemed to indicate that he will be dusting himself down and getting ready for next season in charge of Boro – so let’s hope he knows what is missing and can make a team capable of winning, but given the selection today we may be looking at a team being created more like Villa than Fulham I suspect.
Well it’s 11.30pm over here and time for bed without the ‘they all lived happily ever after story’ we were hoping for – I’ll post up RR’s match report in the morning as I suspect he’ll be up late editing out all the swear words after that performance he anticipated from the team selection. It was a case of nothing ventured, nothing gained – it may be a long summer…
Thanks Weder for all your dedication to the cause. Shame the team let us down.
Still, we have the World Cup to look forward to where England will fail to deliver………
Desperately disappointing. Villa really were nothing special, but had a good game plan and stuck to it well. Did we have a game plan at all tonight? If it was to play for 0-0 till 55 minutes or so, then really have a go for it, then I could understand it. But no, we continued to play at the same stultifying pace and playing the same aimless balls into space or back to claret shirts. We displayed no creativity and no ideas on how to breech a solid defence. Not once did we work their keeper tonight, except when he handled outside his area.
So, why no Bamford or Fabio on from the start? Why wait till 65 minutes to change it? Why Gestede? Surely giving Harrison a few minutes might have paid better dividends? Bonkers, mystifying selection.
Shotton had another awful game. Besic and Howson were anonymous, so much so in Howson’s case that I forgot he was playing. I wouldn’t have either of them in my first eleven next season, as they’re just too inconsistent. Howson plays one good game in three, it seems to me. Traore did what he did on Saturday, running aimlessly into blind alleys, or frustratingly, making the wrong decision. Britt got no service whatsoever, but he’s not a Mitrovic who can play up front on his own with no support. He was completely ineffective, but it wasn’t entirely his fault: Boro didn’t get another player close to Britt all game.
So disappointing. We could have beaten Villa over two legs. Now, it’s back to another 46 game grind next season. It’s not very appealing just at this moment.
I made it to the pub in time to catch the last thirty minutes.
I was disappointed but not surprised to find Bamford still on the bench.
Though we huffed and puffed, the game was ragged, we had little shape and less composure.
I’m not sure why the Villa fans looked so anxious, they must have less faith in their team than we do in ours.
As for next season, well.
Traore may well be sacrificed to fund new signings. Bamford may be allowed to leave.
There is a logic in the former, though it would disappoint.
The latter would be divisive and unless replaced by a better player, which is unlikely, would be the starting pistol on terrace divisiveness, unrest and the beginning of the end of TP’s tenure.
Chris
I think your post could prove to be very prophetic so much so that I suspect Simon will have it stored in his encyclopaedic memory banks already!
If the Summer sees Bamford going and Gestede remaining then I may as well take up the “C” word. I’m ambivalent towards Traore, exciting yes but functional and practical? I’m not so sure, if we get a serious offer I would cash my chips in.
The idea of Bamford going when the partnership between him and Adama was one of the few elements that really clicked…
(clenches fists in anger and frustration)
Well that was a good away point. Oh no wait a minute we had to win, obviously no one got the memo about trying to win. They probably looked at the stats from Saturday and said we aren’t very good at shooting so we won’t bother trying. Very frustrating as has the whole season. This is what we should do:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5-iJUuPWis
Well after sleeping on the disappointing display I’m still feeling disappointed this morning on what feels like an opportunity missed. Anyway, Redcar Red’s final match report of the season arrived in the early hours, so here is his take on last night’s encounter…
https://diasboro.club/2018/05/11/play-off-boro-vs-aston-villa/#MatchReport2
Ultinately we were not good enough in the final third of the pitch. Simple as that.
We matched Villa elsewhere and the tie was decided on one marking error. Otherwise the two teams would still be playing now without scoring.
Yesterday, Randoph was best, Clayton was good and Fry was decent. But we misssed Ayala’s precence when we had a corner and needed a goal.
Small margins but Villa deserved it more than us. Up the Boro!
Can’t argue with any of the post match posts after that most ineffective of displays. That lot couldn’t score in the proverbial.
The game plan appeared to be hold out for a nil nil with 15 to go and see what happens. Very adventurous. After Saturday’s game Fabio and Paddy should have started but no TP went with the same, apart from Fry for the injured Ayala, and surprise surprise we got an almost identical performance. Except our attempts on goal was even worse, something I didn’t think was possible!
Apart from Randolph who was my motm and kept us in the game and Clayton who did a sterling job imo, no one else had a game of any influence or impact and in most cases were downright poor.
Where was the all action Besic of a month ago? He appeared to be running in treacle all game compared to the Villa midfielders and made a bad decision virtually every time he had the ball. As Clive pointed out Howson had another totally anonymous game. The best run he made was when he went off when subbed. Shotton started where he left off on Saturday as unfortunately did Traore.
For all that I’m not a particular fan of Brit, I personally think he’s quite wasteful with the chances that come his way, last night watching him up front by himself with no Boro player within 20 yards of him in support was painful to watch and definitely not his fault.
Overall I think Lens post at 1020 last night summed it up nicely. Pathetic.
Gestede on the pitch sums it up, plus no shots on goal what were we trying to do send them to sleep. They were the better team unfortunately, just sad players couldn’t raise their game.
Players couldn’t raise their game because they were hamstrung by an ineffective game plan. We didn’t deserve to go up and as fans we knew it would have been daylight robbery if we had achieved it but that performance last night was shall we say inappropriate.
As soon as I saw the team sheet and Gestede on the bench I knew what was about to unfold. As one of Pulis’s greatest advocates I have to say that last night has put a massive question mark in my mind. I don’t rate Gestede, never have and never will but the lad didn’t deserve to thrown in to that. To even countenance it raises some very worrying questions.
Another spot on match report from RR. Especially the part where the game was lost when the team sheet went up. How very true.
If only the team had put in the effort and commitment over the last 2 games that yourself and Werder have done over the season we’d be booking our hotels in London today.
I have to disagree with you there FAA. Had the team’s commitment and effort over the season been anything near as great as that of Werder and RR we would have smashed this league.
I echo what FAA has just said. RRs report was its usual standard, just a shame that the footballers couldn’t raise their game to the same level.
Some of the lines are sublime – however, the pension queue in my part of the world moves pretty quick!
I too was frustrated by the team selection and substitutes and much as it pains me to admit it, By the last 10 minutes I was hoping that we didn’t score as we didn’t deserve too and I had no desire for a trip to Wembley to watch the same again.
I tried the Weder reverse phychology for Downings free kick as I was willing him to score knowing that he would be miles over the bar. How wrong was I!
Anyway, it’s summer and time for the World Cup, more disappointment forecasted!
I’m probably just a grumpy old man but I’m filing the World Cup in the same place as that Wedding and the FA “sold their soul” Cup Final.
All an irrelevance to me and no more than a mere distraction at best. That said I will watch some of the World Cup because its a form of football and the summer will be very long until the season kicks off again. I do however wish Gareth all the best.
The Premiership, the FA, FIFA and UEFA etc. to me all represent the very worst of the game. Mind you putting on a crocked Striker in a match with £170M at stake rates pretty highly up there as well.
A big summer ahead with a lot of soul searching needed at the club. We can ill afford another poor transfer window.
Who will be there to oversee it?
“Who will be there to oversee it?”…. World cup will be over for England soon enough, so how about Gareth Southgate anyone?
Mogga for me. But Pulis will do. Especially so if he can keep Traore at Riverside. That is my dream. Up the Boro!
Whether we like it or not the best team advanced to Wembley. To read some of the comments on here you’d think there had been some kind of upset.
We have struggled all season against top half teams, so why should the semi final prove any different? For all the huffing and puffing, we were a team going around in circles.
Where were the shots on target and incisive through balls people ask? Who exactly was going to provide them I ask? There seems to be an inflated opinion about some players and their worth is inflated by omission.
This is a mediocre championship team with some very mediocre players. Once again it has come down to recruitment, and the club have been found wanting. (again).
🔴 At least you’ve bagged the consolations prize as I’ve just noticed that was comment 25,000 on Diasboro! – Werder
GHW
I agree totally, each window has gone by without bringing in the guile we need.
We all remember AK’s eruption at the end of the January window as unacceptable behaviour. Forget the behaviour and remember the message. Once Gaston had gone in the head so had our season because we did not bring in another similar player.
Gaston gone AWOL, welcome Gestede, Bamford and Guediwho?. We lacked a player to unlock defences and just withered.
I am not criticising the players, they are what they are. I may chunter at TP at times. Basically we are not good enough and we deserve to be where we are, in the Championship.
It puts it in to perspective when you realise how averagely Villa had to play to beat us. There was no lack of effort on our part, just a lack of quality.
Many thanks RR for all the excellent and accurate match reports.
Big thanks to Werder, OFB, Simon and all contributors to this wonderful forum.
If only MFC could produce the same excellent standard.
There’s a little bit of me that’s relieved it’s all over. Last night’s team wouldn’t have a hope in hell of competing in the PL – at least in the Championship we’ll win a few games.
Will TP stay? Who knows – if I was him I’d be looking at opportunities closer to home.
A disappointing and whimpering end to a season that was, in a way, just the same. I can’t console myself with ‘we got to the play-offs’ if people don’t remember those teams that lose the Cup Final they won’t remember those two games that extended the torture. Secretly I think we all knew how it would end.
Now the search starts for the magic catalyst with the guile, skill and forethought to unlock defences. The one nobody else has spotted yet. Meantime can we please see what we have in the untried talent department and start checking them out before pre-season friendlies. On top of that who will depart?
Order, Redcar Red, Simon, OFB and everyone else thank you for your sterling work on the blog. Can we give the team a talent transplant? I hope there are some stimulating articles to help us over the close season. No pressure then.
Now it’s England and the World Cup. Yawns.
UTB,
John
PS First on the wish list no more international breaks. I know, it will never happen.
That should have said Werder not Order
UTB,
John
I never wanted Pulis as our manager and said at the time that I wouldn’t want to watch a team under his command even if the club gave me a free season ticket and provided me with a chauffeur driven car to and from the Riverside for every game. Having read this morning some of the comments on the BBC web-site from impartial supporters rejoicing in the fact that Boro along with other former Pulis managed teams won’t be in the Premier League next season is really embarrassing. However, I have to say I agree with them.
Like a few bloggers on this forum I foresee Pulis continuing with a policy of height being a prerequisite for his team over skill which doesn’t augur well for the likes of Bamford and Fabio. Whether that will be successful only time will tell, but I hate to hear remarks from some quarters on ‘Boro’ being a shortened version of ‘boring’ but if Pulis is retained I think that such remarks will be justified.
I admire those Boro fans who steadfastly continue to support the team, but I’m glad that the season is over as the only thing I’ll miss this Summer are the inputs from the devoted bloggers on this forum, especially the outstanding work done by Werdermouth and Redcar Red. If only Boro had players on the field with the skill of those two off the field, perhaps we might justifiably we called a Premier League club.
What I can’t understand is, it wasn’t like if we lost ,we got relegated .
Pulis can put his success down to getting the best out of average Premiership players. Ask the supporters of W.B.A. And Stoke if they would like him back.
Football is now a results orientated game, fantasies about clubs like us playing free flowing attractive football are just that.
Fabulous end to a fantastic season.
Thanks RR for all of your irreplaceable match reports and brilliant posts, and to Werder for all of his previews. Their humour, literacy and intelligence have been consistently inspirational. Bob’s insider comments on what people are saying, and what is really going on, as well as his interviews, make him deserving of the nom-de-plume of “Scoop”.
I have never met any of these gentlemen, but consider them all to be (wierdly) pretty close friends. What they have all demonstrated is a week-by-week dedication to the team and to this blog which goes beyond their undoubted skill and talent. It’s their sheer hard work and commitment that I admire most. Without those really tough qualities this blog, entirely a product of voluntarism, could hardly survive.
Thanks, too, to Simon for his exceptionally well researched leaders, and all of the links, quotes, video references and insights from his encyclopaedic mind and reference banks. Another virtual mate. Another guest at my ideal dinner party.
And what of my fellow bloggers? Exceptional. There isn’t a single contributor on here who isn’t worth listening and paying close attention to. The level of thoughtfulness, literacy, civility, good sense and good humour exemplified by quite literally every contributor on here I don’t see replicated anywhere else on the internet.
And may I pay tribute to AV. Without his original inspiration, the quality of his writing, his belief that there is more to football and to the Boro than their latest result, and above all his conviction that supporters might have something useful to contribute, we would not exist at all. His skill and dedication is the mantle we have taken up. I hope he feels, amidst the travails of life at Gazette Towers, that we have made a decent fist of it.
A great season. Thanks to you all.
Many thanks Len for those kind words and it’s been a great effort from all those who have contributed to the blog this season – especially to Redcar Red for his dedication in providing excellent match reports week in week out, plus OFB for his hard work in giving us some great interviews and insights, plus to Simon too for his interesting Talking Points. Not to mention everyone else (far to numerous to mention) for their regular insights and comments.
Also a quick thanks to BBD, FAA, Powmill, Steely, John and Ken for their generous comments too – as always very much appreciated.
I’ll be busy working through my list before the school holidays start in what is little under six weeks now before heading off on a month break down through southern Germany and Northern Italy. OFB will no doubt have a few articles and snippets to keep you going through the summer – plus it’s also the World Cup, which I forgot about when booking our trip away and will miss the second half!
So once again many thanks to all the bloggers for their continued support of the Diasboro project!
Many thanks for all your hard work Werder it’s appreciated by all of us
OFB
The Piave, Trentino. I’m jealous, well jealous-ish. We’re spending the summer looking for a VW van and if I finally get a discharge from the hospital we are, in the words of Canned Heat ‘on the road again’.
Meanwhile the experiment that is Boro continues.
UTB,
John
Len
Thanks for those kind words and I would like to add my thanks to Werder, Redcar Red, Si and all our fellow bloggers for an amazing season of Diasboro.
SCOOP
One snippet of news I picked up last night at the club was that George Friend has been suffering from a hernia this season
He is due to have an operation shortly
OFB
Hear, hear, Len
Standing close to events it is impossible to get a focussed view.
So we watched a home match that was, in effect a free pass into the playoff final at Wembly.
Villa were a club in a hole of monumental size, having no prospects of winning away from home, their only game changer still recovering from a long injury, their famous and experienced central defender crocked (and finished).
They played them both, packed their defence for the ninety and prayed.
We played a striker who has no touch whatever around the box, and left out a striker who has a good touch and has scored a few playing with Traore as partner.
We knew Adoma, but we left out our very fast ( good in the air ) Fabio. These were not intelligent actions, and were duly punished.
We repeated these actions in the match at Villa, plus of course bringing on a striker who was a crock to finish the job( and he sure did that)
Disscuss
Nothing to discuss there. Sadly, only to agree.
So Big Sam has left Everton.
There was an article in my morning paper a few days ago talking about the old lags, managers such as Allardyce, Moyes, Pardew, Lambert who do the rounds and keep popping up when jobs become available. I suppose we can add in the likes of Pulis and Hughes. Hodgson was described as an honourable exception.
The idea was for these to be put out to grass and let younger managers with modern thinking take over. Bright and enthusiastic with innovative ideas.
Lets see what we do this summer. One thing we have to remember is that there are other clubs trying to get promoted, there are a limited number of players, managers, coaches.
How about TP out and Big Sam in?
Maybe not.
Old Lags like Neil Warnock?
Fat Sam would be a step too far for me, I’m afraid.
There is no gratitude from the Everton fans though. Without Sam they could have been I the Championship playing Boro. What have I said?
UTB,
John
I don’t think things were that bad though.
Lee Johnson perhaps?
I haven’t hd the opportunity to read comments posted after the game, my initial thoughts are Villa deserved to win because quite simply we weren’t quite good enough, which sums up the season.
The Gazette comment is that at least six new 1st team players needed this summer. I wouldn’t disagree with that.
More later.
Plenty of time now to enjoy some cricket, tennis, sunshine and chew over where we go from here.
We played the playoff games as if we did not want to win it but do not loses by many, so as we look as if we were unlucky to lose. The games leading up to the playoffs were a different beast to what we saw when it really mattered. The die was set in the winter transfer window when Pullis said he will not waste SG money we knew then we were set for another season in the championship so he could have a full season to mould a new set of players into a team with winning mentality. But he also had to find out who to keep so he set up a winning run up to playoffs so to get us on his side then plan B came into play but who can blame him with what he had to mould into a team…!!! Still looking forward to next season and as everyone on this blog says it’s the hope kills you.
Bri. UTB
Nigel
The recruitment will have to start with who the manager is followed by who will do the recruitment.
Then, who do we keep. The likes of Braithwaite and Fletcher are on the books but out on loan.
Who to bring in?
An awful lot to do.
EXMIL CHALLENGE PLAYOFFS
SEMI FINAL RESULTS
Scores in order of the matches played
D v F, B v V, F v D, V v B = Total
Redcar Red 9,8,6,8 = 31
Ian Gill 8,7,10,7 = 32
Ian Gill progresses to the final
selwynoz 9,8,8,8 = 33
originalfatbob 9,8,10,8 = 35
originalfatbob progresses to the final
Come on BORO.
At least Ian managed to do what Boro couldn’t and come back from being behind in the first leg. Congratulations to Ian and “Scoop Bob” in the Final.
Redcar Red
Sorry about that, I had actually missed the results, I had given up!
Will you do a match report on the exmill final. There would be more excitement than the two games Boro played. At least a Derby fan I know said it would be difficult to play against a blanket defence Villa team.
So be it
Two shots on goal in both matches. Even if Villa defended exceptionally well, we can see where the problem is. As RR have said many times this season. We all should believe what he says.
Having said that, we did score in 14 games in succession before the Villa matches. So where did that ability go? Or perhaps Terry is still a decent defender.
Well, it will be a long close season. I hope Si and OFB do write something during the summer. Perhaps Werder, too.
Special thanks must go to RR, too for the reports and comments on this blog. The following of Boro wouldn’t be the same without this blog anymore.
I also challenge all readers of the blog to write something to Werder during the close season. It could be about you as a fan, about new signings, Teesside, Yorkshire, history or statistics. I will promise to read anything published on here!
Up the Boro!
In an ideal world? Randolph, Ayala, Besic, Adama and Bamford would hang around and we could begin to build a new team around them.
But this is the real world.
I also just noticed that we just had the 25,000th comment on Diasboro this morning and it may come as no surprise to see that a certain GHW has bagged that one! So congratulations on that milestone – OK, let’s see who get’s the 50,000…
Ireland legend Tony Cascarino on Tony Pulis’ tactics and style of play: “If I was a Boro fan, I’d be horrified”.
I have a confession to make – I didn’t watch the second leg until the very end. I was asked to come and take photos at a musical theatre showcase (the president of the group is a friend of mine). It was a good show.
Wishing, from what I heard and from what RR had said, that Boro had shown anywhere near the same degree of kinetic creativity. I happened to be on my way to the arts centre when the starting line-up popped up on my phone and I looked at it with resignation.
You might say we needed Ironopulis, but we got a load of Pu.
Tony Cascarino! He makes Gestede look cultured!
I am a Boro fan and I am horrified.
The Gazette today suggests that there will be a big clear out of players at the club this summer and Pulis will build a team “in his own image”.
God help us.
Bugger. To quote AV.
UTB,
John
Allardyce and Moyes latest casualties in the management merry go round.
Come on BORO.
I would also like to offer my thanks and congratulations to our regular blog posters (Werder, RR, Simon, OFB) for providing what is definitely essential viewing for any passionate, thinking Boro fan. And even for those who don’t want to think! I also want to congratulate Diasboro on our first full season! Having came into being half way through our abortive smash the PL campaign, we’ve now got our first season syndrome out of the way too!
As for Boro, well a massive rebuilding job is needed again. I’d like to make a suggestion for another article, although given the commitments of our regular contributors so far perhaps it’s a bit of cheek to suggest it, but I would be very excited to read an end of season review from any of our regular contributors. I think there are some bubbles that need to be firmly burst, everything from ranking/reviewing the players to the backroom staff, recruitment etc. etc.
As for the rebuilding job, well, what is our core? Randolph and Ayala won’t be going anywhere, and Clayton will probably stay too. Beyond that? Gibson may be sold if we can get a decent bid, and I would be surprised if there isn’t already a sort of informal deal that a decent bid from a PL team will be accepted to allow him to move on and re-ignite England ambitions. Otherwise, I presume he stays and is a key fixture.
Shotton and Friend fall into the category of players who really should be moved out, due to their lack of pace and composure, but who are definitely “TP” players, so presuming he stays in charge will be expected to be our first choice full backs. Fabio doesn’t strike me as a TP player and I expect him to be moved on, even though I would make him my first choice RB of our current players.
Leadbitter will move on, probably back to Sunderland, and Howson is probably 50:50 whether he stays or goes. I actually think he could be good for us next season under a steady manager and system, but there is no guarantee we will get either. Downing should be moved on, but like Shotton/Friend is a TP player and under TP would presumably be retained (maybe he finally realises his ambition of being a number 10 under TP?). Traore will either leave for £20M or realise that he could benefit from another season under a manager who believes in him and perhaps become the breakout star of next seasons’ Championship (only to leave in January 2019). I fully expect Besic to return to Everton never to be seen again, although I would retain him too.
Now, as for our strikers. Assombalonga is not really a TP player, although he seems to be ahead of Bamford in the pecking order which is madness, but there you go. He may stay with TP, and if we get another manager he may also stay, but I would rate him 50:50 to leave if we can sort of match our outlay. Gestede really should be moved on, but again, unless TP could replace him with Crouch (please help us all should that be talked about) then I can see TP building his team around the angular-headed beanpole. Braithwaite I assume will only come back to pick up his laundry and then disappear again.
Which leaves Paddy. TP doesn’t seem to fancy him, and I wouldn’t be surprised if TP tries to move him on. Personally, I don’t think that there are any better strikers at this level, genuinely, and I would build my team around him. He has proven again and again that played centrally he will score goals. I only hope we have a manager who sees that.
What does that mean in summary? It means we need a lot of players unless we want to toil away with the same set of underachievers from this year. I also don’t see a lot of depth, despite our reputed “strongest squad” tag.
Sorry to be so pessimistic.
Smoggy, Good post.
Ah well, not to be. Considering we did very well to actually make it into the playoffs at all my honest feeling is that we were edged out be a better team, and in that sense did ourselves a bit of credit. For me, Villa were well drilled and their off the ball movement (especially at the Riverside) was either brilliant, or enough to remove any sense of comfort we might have developed in our game, certainly the lack of space offered to Traore looked like exactly the right tactic to use against him. Some enviably capable veterans in that Villa line-up, and Grealish might have ‘that kind of face’ but at this level looked like a handful all the time.
A season that at least offered some promise and hope towards the end – not one I will especially miss though, and it’s a shame to think that yet again it’s going to be a case of ripping everything up and starting anew in the summer.
All the best with the site – still reading, commenting hardly ever and apologies for that, but always interesting and the smart, intelligent and inciteful things you say on these pages are refreshing and important. I’m up for doing a piece if you really need to fill some space over the long off-season…
All contributions welcome Mike, the more views, opinions, styles and topics the better the blog will become.
I totally agree let’s encourage everyone to have a story on the blog
OFB
Nice sentiment but I suspect that may not be feasible in practice 🙂
Thanks for the offer of writing an article Mike, you’re more than welcome to put a piece together over the summer and I can post it up on the blog – if you decide to give it a go then send it to diasboro@outlook.com.
Also I haven’t made any firm plans for next season but having gone through an entire Championship season, my experience tells me writing midweek match previews is quite a stretch as it probably takes me around a day to put the whole article together – so two in a week usually involves a few late shifts and some fancy footwork! So when the fixtures come out for next season I will most likely be seeking some offers of midweek previews.
I doubt that Steve Gibson will want to make another managerial change in the summer after having made so many above par in the past 15 months or so. Therefore, unless Pulis gets sick of the traveling from the south coast, Boro fans can expect more of the same of what they have endured this year. Now I suppose I have no right to complain as I haven’t been to a Boro match since 1997 and only seen the occasional match on TV when I’ve been at home. Of course I’ve seen match highlights on TV and on the internet but never watch replays of the whole match as I now have a low concentration level for anything that runs for over an hour so don’t even watch films.
I record those TV shows that interest me, even most live sporting events so if I do watch a live sporting event it has to be exciting to hold my interest. Now I could put a lot of my low concentration level down to the fact that my prostate cancer problems mean my bedtime sleep is interrupted 3 or 4 times every night for toiletry functions which means my falling asleep watching television, but truth to tell I’m easily bored. Nevertheless somehow I managed to keep awake during last night’s debacle but on reflection wished I hadn’t. To put on such an abject display in front of the TV cameras and then hear Pulis say we played quite well in the first half was quite frankly embarrassing. I’ve only just watched the Paul Merson comments this morning and have to agree with him.
As I don’t see anywhere near as much of Boro as most on this forum, maybe any suggestions that I make haven’t got much merit. However I would like to see Steve Gibson make an approach to reinstate Tony Mowbray as manager. When he was appointed manager in 2010 it was the wrong time, but considering the financial restraints on the club at that time I don’t think he did such a bad job. His teams try to play attractive football and he did particularly well at Hibernian and initially at West Brom. Celtic was probably too big a club for him with their high expectancy levels, and Coventry was a no win situation. He’s had almost similar problems at Blackburn as he had at Boro but has been successful in getting them promoted. Of course he maybe wouldn’t want to return to Boro, but with a better financial situation now to when he was previously at here, maybe he could be tempted. I think Jarkko might be happy with that.
Regular viewers may probably have a more knowledgeable background of today’s football, and disagree with my opinions for I may rightfully regarded as a dinosaur in today’s world. But in my opinion the likes of Pulis, Allardyce and Warnock despite their recent successes do not encourage the type of football I would want to see on a regular basis.
Tony Mowbray still lives in Teesside at Nunthorpe and can be regularly seen around the village or at the local football field.
They say never go back but stranger things happen!
For myself I have gone back to one firm twice and another firm once where I actually finished my career!
It’s obvious that he loves the club but come back?
Mmmm doubtful!
OFB
With you 100% Ken.
Dinosaurs unite!
It all sounds like an ‘end of term report’ or is it a post mortem.
Just a thought, Based on our points per game average had TP been at the Boro since the beginning of the season would we have made 2nd place? If so, then we should wait another season before passing judgement.
Thers always going to be another season!!!!
From recollection after doing the Villa play-off preview, Pulis’s first game was against Villa when we were both tied on 38 points in 7th and 8th respectively, which meant his 22 games also yielded 38 points as we finished on 76 – Monk had managed 35 points from 23 games and there was that one game against bottom club Bolton with our caretaker manager, which we won. The reality was that there was practically no difference between the points accumulated by Monk and Pulis. All of which points to either the players not really being up to standard or both managers just being average.
I should add, since Villa finshed 7 points ahead of us and both Fulham and Millwall were in the bottom half when Pulis arrived then Boro wouldn’t have finished in the top two for sure.
I haven’t ‘endured’ watching Boro play since Tony Pulis took over. I haven’t seen long ball football, hoofed up to the big lad. As far as I can see the belief that Pulis plays ‘anti-football’ is a tired myth.
I’m also surprised that there’s a debate on here as to who our manager will be next season. I went on to the Gazette website to see if i’d missed something.
Pulis joined on an 18 month contract I believe, he has also. That doesn’t sound like a short term position to me.
Boro fell short this season because the squad wasn’t good enough and because Monk wasn’t good enough. Pulis has made improvements already, now he has chance to recruit and make some more improvement ready for a top two push next season.
He’s got my support, why wouldn’t he have?
Nigel
Excellent post and one i totally agree with
OFB
He had (and still does) have my full support and long term he will get more right than wrong but that Team selection for that particular match stunned me. It stunned me so much I had to get it in print on here before a ball was kicked as to bemoan afterwards would have rightly been considered as hindsight. I wish I had been wrong but TP got last night very badly wrong.
A major concern for me revolves around why he sees Gestede as the answer? Had he not got crocked we like as not wouldn’t have seen what Paddy can do and likewise Britt after Paddy was concussed. That is a niggling worry that concerns me greatly and to the extent that I may even go out on a limb here and predict that come October we may all be collectively tearing our hair out. I hope I’m wrong but throwing on an unfit Gestede in a game we needed to win was the stuff nightmares are made of.
I’m still in TP’s camp but after last nights insight into his logic I am now very concerned that his view of a summer rebuild and mine may conflict greatly.
Assombalonga and Bamford won zero against Terry and Co. A 15 minute cameo from Gestede, based on his heading ability alone was worth a shout. Particularly in the nervous dying embers of the game.
Nigel, do you think his team selection, tactics and substitutions were right for last night’s game nearing in mind the context?
Nigel
I wouldn’t call TP’s football anti-football exactly, but from what I’ve seen a large part of TP’s sides goals have come from headers from dead ball situations. I’m not knocking that per se for it’s one of the main forms of attack on which he’s built his reputation, a form of head tennis if you like. The trouble is the lack of any other outlet.
It’s all well and good saying that he didn’t inherit players with flair, but he had plenty of time at Stoke and West Bromwich to find that type of player. Both those clubs maybe were successful under his tenure, but at what cost? Boring football in my opinion. If and when he departs from the Boro we will have inherited a team of probably ageing players without flair or pace and sink without trace like those two former clubs. Fans will be happy for a while as long as Boro are winning enough matches especially at home, but most also want to be entertained and that won’t happen without a change of direction and an influx of more exciting players.
If Gestede hadn’t been injured I doubt that Bamford would’ve increased his scoring record during this season because if selected he would probably have been in a position behind the main striker. I fear that Bamford may be sacrificed next season and that TP will be looking for someone like Peter Crouch to lead the attack. Steve Gibson promised us pace and flair this season, and to some extent we have had the former although rarely used to good effect, but if we lose Traore I can’t see where we’re likely to find either under this manager next season.
Marcelo Vieira’s son may be grateful that Rudy Gestede (along with his random heading) is not part of the Real Madrid dressing room if you check out this video…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZttbPcSPPc?rel=0
Werder,
Brilliant.
Well , another season over, so the attention now must be the future with an aim aspiring to the level of Wolves and Fulham or develop a way of playing which wins matches as Cardiff did.
Nothing less will be good enough, especially as it may be tougher next season with the 3 relegated teams aiming to bounce back to the Premiership with the pots of money they will be given.
Unfortunately, with the present players we are a long way off.
Quite a number of players are not good enough or past their sell by date to retain – in fact probably half the squad need moving out, but because of contracts will not be easy.
I would like to see players who are “hungry” and not eg players recruited from the relegated Premiership teams who may be coming for their last decent contract.
But above all we need players and a team which is capable of creating chances so that whoever the strikers are, have a chance of scoring ( although I despair of TP ‘s favourite , Gestede, whose movement in the penalty area in particular, and lack of being a natural goal scorer is so obvious.) Talking of players I would like to see Fry being a regular next season as he looks to be a natural defender.
Whilst we have the World Cup to look forward to (don’t expect England to over achieve ) I will miss the tremendous contributions from our two pre and post match experts. It is something I really look forward to, plus the comments of other bloggers.
Enjoy the close season – it’s probably only about 12 weeks to it starting all over again !!
None of the relagated teams from the PL in 2016/17 were promoted this season. And Boro were the only one even reaching the play-offs. And I don’t want to mention Sunderland …
Yes, some more teams will have parashute payments again next season, but as Cardiff showed, you need to built a team and winning mentality. Who would have thought that Cardiff would finish above Sunderland BEFORE the season started?
And there lays a piece of hope. Perhaps TP can built a team and not just a collection of talented players. Up the Boro!
Redcar – The Gestede conundrum also concerns me a little, but as GHW points out he was worth a punt for 15 minutes. Although that said in the time he was on I don’t think we put a high ball into their box.
As for the team selection, I wasn’t that surprised. Not only did TP have to set the team up to score he had to set it up not to concede. If we’d gone 1-0 down on the night with Fabio at the wrong end of the pitch, nowhere to be seen, there would have been hell to pay. Fabio isn’t anything special, he’s just more agile and attack minded than Shotton.
As for Bamford, that did surprise me, but I’m not sure Paddy for Britt is a game changer, its just a different style.
I thought Villa produced a defensive masterclass over two legs, they were lucky enough to score one goal and they made the most of it.
There was very little between the teams, if I was a Fulham supporter I’d be happy playing either of Villa or Boro.
As for the summer, I think we need to ship out a number of slow, cumbersome players who have limited creative ability and replace them with players who are hungry, dynamic, pacey and with some creative talent. Easy to say of course.
Just one request to TP while he contemplates next season on the sun lounger, please, please no Gestede at centre forward!
What a disappointment. As has been pointed out several times above, we really had everything to gain and nothing to lose by going at it for the last 20 minutes at least.
I think TP has carried out a good job in getting us organised, but we are light years away from being a good side. The team/squad needs a massive overall, and with our recent recruitment record, I struggle to imagine to see how we can be successful with that. Who of our squad would be in demand? Not many.
I hope the summer will see some changes in the personnel that will trigger some excitement for next season. I will await the new fixtures with interest of course, but we will need to see something very different next year if it is going to be enjoyable.
Albert
Good Post but if we are looking at turning things around just look at Cardiff!
Relegation candidate last year promotion this with little change or money spent
Similar old school style of management
OFB
Exmill
What are the rules for the final? Can OFB and I share the trophy? Do we carry points forward or is it start afresh? Is there a play off for Selwyn and RR?
Thanks to Werder and RR for a great season and to all our friends on DiasBoro
I agree totally with RR on the team selection for last night. It was bewildering to say the least. I was looking forward to the game with some changes and tactics and when I learned of the team I sort of lost a little bit of interest and as for Gestede I hope he is one of the first out the door. I still support TP for next season and hope that he can with his own players get us up into the top two. It will be another interesting summer from Boros point of view and I would like to see at least 6 players brought in. Out the door for me would be Gestede / Downing / Friend / Shotton / Leadbitter / Howson / Fletcher and that is just a start !
I certainly would not sell Adama / Ben Gibson and Patrick.
In the general angst over the incredible selection and tactics in both matches,( a rare example of virtually all contributors in agreement) it seems to have been missed by all that the team selected kept rigidly to slow passing, which must have been lovely for Villa with their team of crocks.
Any smoothing over the disaster by hinting that Villa were the better team is simply an oxymoron, no childish blunder at the corner( no one on the far post, come on) no goal ( and no sign of a goal over two matches)
If we had won with that display we would have been scorched by the popular press, as it was we were scorched anyway, and Villa were given a free pass hhhm! Strange that.
It always comes down to players, and there can be no question that for one series of matches we became a free scoring team. There was no mystery about it, a combination of Bamford and Traore in and around the box with clever short passes and flicks at speed made the goals flow, I know, even i blink when we talk about eight in three matches, ( that was one man) the sort of thing any manager would grasp with both hands and develop further.
Apparently, loyalty to one player overrode any benefits the club might derive from their partnership.
But this manager seems to have no control over his players, a player comes onto the pitch and grabs the ball and takes a penalty which was none of his business.( over the bar, since you ask)
A player in sparkling form, takes over the dead ball duties ( yes we started scoring from corners, frequently)
And suddenly he is no longer taking the dead balls.
Last night at the last gasp he is stopped from scoring by a sending off offence ( no, he stayed on the pitch, the ref though it would be unfair to villa to dismiss him?
A lovely position for the free kick, but our expert insisted on taking it, yes, yes, i know, he’s not called ” over the bar Downing” for nothing.
Final word, i believe that poor old Villa will collect three million as lucky losers, i would prefer that they took Fulham apart, it would make us look better, but i did see them play, and that is not going to happen.
Some interesting stats on here from last night and maybe one that think Friend is past it need to digest!
https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1278723/LiveStatistics/England-Championship-2017-2018-Aston-Villa-Middlesbrough
“maybe one that think ” should read “maybe one that those that think”, I blame the Red Vino!
Credit to Downing that his free kick hit the bar. Paul Merson said that it was almost impossible to score from that distance. He reckoned that maybe only half a dozen players in the World could get the ball to dip from there, a lot easier if it was five yards further back especially if hit at that pace.
I sympathise with those who don’t look forward to a future under Tony Pulis building a team in his own image – whilst that image may be somewhat a stereotype of anti-football, I suspect there is an element of truth at the heart of a typical Pulis team with functional physicality favoured over perhaps expression and individuality. I may be wrong and the football is not lacking a bit of flair or entertainment – but the worry of what to expect in the Premier League under Pulis was almost played out last night with not losing and playing the percentage game appearing favoured over taking calculated risks and setting out to win and be creative.
I admit I wasn’t a Karanka fan, which was no secret I imagine and I would probably say at heart I’m an admirer of creative football over the functional grind out the result type – it’s why I got interested in football and probably why in recent years I’ve been less inclined to watch as much. It may be a bit romantic but I like being entertained and want to see something different, which is probably why I write articles that have a similar aim I guess.
For me it’s the concept that good football is only available to the rich clubs, who have the money to buy the best players with the skill and ability that leaves me thinking that this is the easy, almost lazy view, which allows the idea that the rest of us don’t somehow deserve or even should expect to have anything but a no frills low thrills brand of football for our clubs. I think it was Glen Hoddle who commented last season at another Karanka-style 0-0 display that stopping the opposition from scoring was the easy bit but you also have to ask questions of the opposition too.
I still believe it’s possible to win and entertain and give the supporters something that they won’t forget rather than something they won’t want to remember in a few days time. The glimmer of hope is that the likes of Pep and Klopp have shown this season that football isn’t about just stopping the opposition and teams can win with a swagger – the methodical mundane Mourinho has been shown that he’s now in danger of becoming the dinosaur and is no longer anything as special as he thinks he is.
Which reminds me of something I read this morning that cheered me up a little when I read one amusing comment in the Guardian after someone complained that Boro and Villa had spent £100m to serve up such a game of uninspiring dross (he used stronger language) – the reply was: “To be fair Mourinho would need to spend at least £300m to even get close to being this boring” – so thanks to EzyRider for that observation 🙂
We shouldn’t settle for mediocrity otherwise that is what will be served up on the premise that it’s not possible to do any better because of all kinds of excuses and disclaimers. There are people out there who know what they are doing – the hard part is finding them but often the fear of failing stops people trying to make things better. Hopefully Boro will not go down the safest of safe paths and we’ll all be forced to stay on message and pretend that football was not meant to be enjoyed!
Werder,
Excellent post and sentiments.
I am no fan of Pulis and do not like Wimbledon style football.
What I would say is judge him on what he does. I was disappointed with his line up last night but I have been even more critical of some of the Southgate, Mogga, Strachan, AK or Monk line ups.
We were bothered that he started Assombalonga instead of Paddy. Britt got his place because Paddy was injured, Paddy previously got his place ahead of Britt and Gestede due to injury/form. Monk had Paddy working at the Navi collecting glasses.
Traore was clearing tables at McDonalds.
The problem I have is the way forward, how are we to become more creative? From fans I have spoken to Pulis likes his teams to play quickly, how do we do that if he stays?
The squad were experts in sideways passing when he arrived. Nothing really changed other than Traore and Bamford getting game time. To be fair, Besic came in and looked good at times.
As I posted earlier, the first decision is who will be the manager?
Don’t dispose of TP because you fundamentally dislike him. Bring someone in who is an improvement. We all thought Garry Monk was that man, he was Mavis more than Mavis was.
I see the 400 is nigh….
Is it ungentlemanly to go on a solo run….
EXMIL CHALLENGE PLAYOFF FINAL
As in the Championship, there is no other match for the losing semi finalists. The rules for the Final between Ian Gill and originalfatbob are quite simple:
Fulham v Aston Villa
1. Predict the score at halftime.
2. Predict the score at the end of the match (including extra time) penalty shootouts do not count.
3. Tie breaker – Predict the time of the first goal.
For 1 and 2, for the correct score for each team earns 5 points, for every goal +/- deduct 1 point. For 3, if needed, the closest to the time wins.
Good luck to both of our playoff finalists.
Come on BORO.
Well, that’s it for another season. We can file it away and get ready for the boundless optimism that seems magically to arrive with every new season. However, I do think that there are a few lessons to be learned, particularly about our manager who, I’m pretty sure will be with is next season and I am happy to admit, I for one will be happy to see him.
I don’t think that he’s perfect but I do think that he is highly intelligent,a decent guy and has a good football brain. Do I think that he’s perfect? No, particularly when it comes to changing what he has decided is the right formation for a particular game. At half-time on Tuesday night, it was clear to a blind man that we needed more people in the box and that Villa had no interest in throwing people forward so going with three at the back would have made perfect sense. We needed Bamford and Assombalonga together up front with Fabio adding attacking instinct down one side. It’s water under the bridge now but that change could have made a big difference. It was also a touch of desperation throwing on Gestede.
I would also like to add that, in my opinion, Pulis was badly let down by some of the team on Tuesday. Howson and Besic in particular had shocking games. Over the last month Pulis has said a lot about striking forward quickly – which doesn’t mean long balls in the air – and, if you think about the Derby game, you can remember how our midfield cut gaps through the opposition to create shooting opportunities. They used the space created by the double and triple marking of Traore. This just didn’t happen enough against Villa, hence no shots on target. Needless to say but I’ll say it anyway, running forward with the ball is a lot easier if you have two targets in front of you rather than one.
Elsewhere, apart from the excellent Randolph who is a quality keeper, Clayton was clearly our best player. He looked as good as anything in the Championship and has to stay. In front of him Downing was positive and neat and almost never gave the ball away and I wouldn’t mind him staying. Besic, for all that he seemed like the new Messiah, turned out to be a very poor imitation. For whatever reason he lost his bottle in the play-offs and we went down with him.
As for the defence,it just wasn’t a problem and I don’t understand why everyone is obsessing about a few errors and the odd cross coming in. It would be nice to upgrade the attacking skills of the full backs but, defensively, I understand where Pulis is coming from. Also, if someone is a great defensive player who is brilliant going forward, he would be in the Premiership. Regarding Shotton, yes he had a poor game in the first leg but in the second leg, he did fine. Against Adomah with no support from anyone else, he did as well as or better than Hutton did against Traore with two other players helping him out. As for Friend, maybe time has caught up with him and maybe he needs surgery but we’re not conceding goals.
Quite what Pulis will do in building a team is a good question. Assombalonga cannot do it on his own but he looks good enough as a second striker? Bamford has that touch of class and, because of that, I long for him to succeed but whether he is really good enough, I just don’t know. Gestede is the type of player that either of them could play off but he’s not really good enough either. We need someone like mitrovic who is superb with his back to goal. My guess is that Traore will go and we may get Pds 25 million or more. If someone offers that kind of money, we have to take it and move on.
What we do have is a large group of younger players who have gone out and done well on loan in lower leagues. We have seen Tavernier, Wing and Fry. We know about Chapman and there are others. Do we have a player ready to break through? If not, then the whole programme isn’t delivering what it should.
Anyway, it’s a great chance for Pulis to actually build a team to win rather than to survive and I’m interested to see how it pans out.
Thanks immeasurably to the blogmesiter , our reporter in chief and all the uber-contributors who make this such an enjoyable experience. Congratulations to OFB who turned me over good and proper in the semi-final.
All the best to everyone
UTB
Many thanks RR for the end of the line report, summed up my feelings also.
I did say that TP would probably change nothing apart from Ayala and so it came to pass, an AK style game from him and if Downings free kick had gone in?
My stance on Mr Pulis is well known, nothing has changed and if he stays we will be in for I believe a turgid season.
Where Mr Gibson will start heaven only knows. I just hope he has some type of achievable plan in his mind. He continues to get it wrong more times than right and I am not hopeful that the next shout will be any different to this season.
There are lots of non TP type players at the club who you would probably not be able to give away. Lots who we paid big money for (in Championship terms) that will need moving on.
How will we achieve that and assemble a team good enough to challenge for the top six. We you trust your money with that lot at MFC?
Just read what AV had to say over on the Gazette about a summer revamp. Couldn’t agree more.
If his assessment is on the money, which I suspect is what many will agree with, then it essentially means a complete squad overhaul is needed once more with very few survivors. It does for me raise the question of needing to also prepare for the Pulis succession unless he’s prepared to extend his contract beyond the further 12 months he signed up for.
I suspect moving on many of those who I seem to recall are on pretty decent contracts will be problematic unless the club is willing to take a hit – I remember we were told in the media that quite a few were made offers that they couldn’t refuse.
The question will be whether the club can recruit and move on those no longer deemed the right kind of players – I guess it will be easy to shift a decent non-Pulis type players like Bamford but others may still be around come September.
We shall see – one to keep an eye on over the summer…
It’s interesting to look at Villa’s recent journey as it bears some comparison to ours. Relegated from the Prem two seasons ago they spent £70m of their parachute payments on new recruits, we spent £47m and were lauded huge spenders . . not so in comparison. That first season in the Champ they were awful, flirted with relegation and were a lowly 17th in Feb, they changed their manager, picked up a bit and finished a very disappointing 13th . . nowhere near the play-offs.
Onto this season, they didn’t spend much but used the loan system very well, four of their first choice eleven and best performers are all on loan from the Prem, unlike us who have one (Besic). They went on a bad run in Dec, going five games without a win, so brought in Grabban, a Prem league striker. He propelled them to six wins in a row in Jan, kick started their ascendancy and ended with eight goals in fifteen.
There’s a comparison to be made; a spending spree that didn’t achieve its aims, a change to a more experienced manager and a much better promotion charge in the second season down. I suppose if we want to emulate that we should be cheering for Villa at Wembley.
billog,
Good post and interesting comparison. However Villa remain a poor side. Not much better than us. I don’t fancy them to go up,and if they do manage to win1-0 or on penalties against Fulham (could there be any other way) they would be short odds to come straight back down again. Same applies to Cardiff. You rightly leave it as an open question as to whether this is a model we would be wise to follow.
Both Wolves and Fulham, on the other hand, would grace the Premier League, and I’d back them both to hold their own there. Just as teams like Bournemouth and Watford have done in recent seasons. Going up by playing decent progressive football that people are happy to pay good money to watch.
Yes Len, with a decent Manager or system and Managers in Watford´s case whatchable football is achievable.
Almost to a man, contributors on here believe that Paddy B is a class act who should have had more game time this season and I’m certainly not disagreeing with that sentiment. Except…
He’s had a lot of clubs over the past few years and none of their managers seem to have felt that he can cut it. Are we seeing something that they can’t see? Or is there a flaw in his character that we’re unaware of?
He seems like an extremely articulate, intelligent young man, but is he hungry enough for success? Having ability isn’t always enough at this level – you need to want it more than your rivals and I’m not sure he does.
I’ve not managed to catch a single match live as a spectator this year (maybe I don’t want it enough as well!) but this Blog has been a great source of entertainment for me. I’d really like to add my thanks and appreciation to everyone who’s written article and comments – I check in every day as I drink my morning coffee and look forward to gettting my daily link to my roots, via the Diasboro family.
In a crazy world of fake news and hyperbole, the typical earthy, honest views of fellow Teessiders are a good grounding for the day ahead.
UTB
I’m not a fan of Bamford, I feel he is too lightweight. He’s had chances at a higher level and hasn’t come through.
Bamford can come over as arrogant at times and I know a couple of the Boro staff have told me so.
My own opinion is that he is articulate and has a sense of humour which can be misinterpreted and that is possibly why he fell foul of the other managers
When I have spoken to him he has always been ready to talk and been friendly
He stands for a good 30 minutes at the front of the Riverside after each home game signing autographs and having photos taken
If you haven’t heard it listen to his recent interview on BBC Tees Sport on catch up it’s well worth a listen
OFB
The trouble is, nice guys don’t necessarily make good players.
The problem with Paddy and Boro is that when he gets a decent run in the team he keeps scoring and since Cloughie Boro Strikers just don’t do that so no wonder he comes across as arrogant coming onto our pitch and scoring goals I mean who does he think he is?
Stick him out on the wing I say covering for a crap RB or let him rot on the bench so that we can play an immobile Neanderthal that can’t head the ball or trap a bag of cement let alone score goals. Yep lets crucify the lad for scoring the same as we do for Friend who provides what little attacking prowess we do have apart from Traore yet gets back, blocks certain goals and has more headed clearances than our CB’s, yet he’s crap as well, too old and past it despite playing with a hernia.
Paddy may not be some Managers cup of tea but with what we have left at the club in terms of a squad I would retain only five of six definites to build around and that includes Paddy. Given a full season as a main Striker he will be nailed on to score 20 plus goals, what other club wouldn’t want a Striker of his calibre in this league? A guaranteed 20 goals plus yet because his IQ is higher than your average footballer he doesn’t fit in? We have a first hand example of a brilliant footballer to contrast him with who seemingly struggles with footballing intelligence and has to date limited end product. George Friend comes across as nice and polite, it doesn’t stop him clattering people or picking up yellow cards or shirking tackles unlike some with a broad Boro accent!
Do we want a team full of Joey Barton’s or Duncan Ferguson’s? If TP thinks Gestede is the answer then he sure as heck as like doesn’t have a clue what the question is. Only a few games back Paddy was being accused by opponents as dishing it out and elbowing players. Defenders at this level can’t handle him which is why he should have started both Play Off games and why we aren’t at Wembley.
I like Paddy too!
RR – I’m not criticising PB, just trying to understand why he’s not nailed on for a team somewhere. He’s had plenty of clubs – why have none had confidence in him? There must be a reason. Crikey, our manager even prefers RG to him!
Be careful the players you castigate for the other nights woefully inept performance.
Do not blame the striker (top scorer) who was so isolated that he had only six touches in 45 minutes. Remember only two seasons ago when Negredo was running a lone furrow up front and had no support.
Do not blame Traore, who people were moaning about and whom comments were made about such as “he’s back to his old self running into cul de sacs”. Villa rightly knew he was our only creative outlet and as a result expended all their energy on snuffing his threat. It worked!
Instead question the manager who after going a goal down after 15 minutes in an 180 minute match decided the best approach was to keep it tight for another 150 minutes and then have a go with fifteen minutes to go, with one of your strikers being a player who hasn’t kicked a ball for four months.
In terms of who to keep and who to let go of, think not of how they have performed in one/two or even three games and look at their potential ability.
For me Boro have some serious flaws. Look at the difference Besic has made, highlighting how a midfielder should be up and down the pitch rather than our table football esque midfielders who move from side to side. For me we need to sign Besic and two possibly three central midfielders. My heart was in my mouth everytime Clayton had the ball and it would have been the same with Howson if he’d actually touched it!!
Central defence is really strong. The two fullbacks aren’t good enough offensively but are ok defensively. We could probably make do provided that we improve our attacking prowess.
Offensively, we need someone to replace Downing. Look at Adomah’s and Snodgrass’ stats this season compared to Downings and the evidence is staring you in the face.
I would try and play two up top, Bamford and Asombalonga purely because I think they will both score goals at this level. If not two strikers then one of our three central midfielders needs to be getting 15 goals a season from midfield.
So in essence, I would be getting rid of Gestede, Fletcher, Braithwaite (possibly as I feel the talent is there and we didn’t see the best of him) Clayton, Leadbitter, Howson, Downing, possibly George and Shotton. I would be trying to sign one/two attacking midfielders and 2 central midfielders and possibly two full backs.
As a caveat to this I would say that one of Monk’s main flaws was behaving like a kiddy in a sweetie shop and going crazy, buying players for every position, even for positions he didn’t need. He’d have been better having a clear system in mind and buying players to match the system rather than shoehorning Bamford on to the left wing and signing Braithwaite and not knowing where to play him, buying Fletcher when we were top heavy with strikers. etc.
Good post Paul
Bamford: Starts: 23 Goals: 11
Britt: Starts: 34 Goals 15
I don’t have the stats for how many of those games Paddy was played out of position on the left wing. Also, the famously reluctant trainer Gary Lineker was never considered too nice to succeed. And he was only ever played on the wing at Barcelona.
All of our centre forwards for the last five years have my sympathy. As pointed out above, the fundamental problem is one of their being abandoned with precious little support from midfield.
Absolutely spot on. The bigger problem is not that our strikers cannot score, but we persist in playing them in a system that does not suit them.
Gestede had his best goalscoring season alongside Rhodes in a classic 2 striker formation (how very 90s). Britt looked deadly at Forest with someone alongside him (or at least close). Paddy is the only one who looks remotely close enough to being able to be the one up top, although the famous revisionist AK insisted that actually that was 2 strikers (Vossen/Tomlin being the second).
Our biggest problem is the lack of a Vossen/Tomlin. A creative player, who carries a goal threat, who can play close to the center forward. Someone with an engine. I think it all went downhill when we missed out on Snodgrass. He would be perfect for us, but he went to West Ham and then downwards from there..
If we have the same personnel next season but with a Vossen or first-season Ramirez I think we would be significantly improved. However we also need to add some creativity in wide positions, as Downing simply doesn’t offer any threat. We already have Clayton and Howson to be nice and tidy and recycle possession – we need someone who can tear down the wing and cross the ball, especially if we are going for a big man up top.
Anyway, the summer is bound to be interesting. The issue of course is that it’s a World Cup year, which means we will probably need to wait a while before business even starts.
Smoggy
How can lots of people discuss our talent for goals, at length, with particular reference to paddy whilst ignoring his partnership with Traore which brought him eight goals in three matches.
There was no mystery about their method of operation, it consisted of fast interpassing in and around the ( crowded ) box.
They were parted by an injury, but were effectively then forgotten in some vain attempt to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.
With them playing as partners in both play off matches i would have fancied us to go all the way to the Prem.
Our metronomic Midfield has been our problem for some time. This season they have been well below the required standard in terms of support both to the Strikers and in contributions of their own with assists and goals.
Wolves Midfielders chipped in with 45 goals and 29 assists between them.
Cardiff’s 34 goals and 27 assists.
Fulham’s 47 goals and 32 assists.
Villa’s 45 goals and 24 assists
Average 43 goals and 28 assists
Boro’s Midfield managed 22 goals and 27 assists including Braithwaite who is arguably a Striker.
Doesn’t take a genius to work out where TP’s spending and rebuild needs to start in the summer. If Pulis only replaced and improved in that one area of the pitch to achieve the above average and kept all his existing defenders and strikers we should be in with a serious shout of smashing the league next season. Even Warnock’s Cardiff who arguably could be benchmarked as perhaps similar in style to TP scored twice as many goals as our midfield, just imagine our potential points tally had we scored 12 more goals!
“Given a full season as a main Striker he will be nailed on to score 20 plus goals, what other club wouldn’t want a Striker of his calibre in this league?”
I didn’t see a queue to buy him.
I don’t see a queue to buy any of our players including his fellow strikers Assombalonga, Gestede, Braithwaite and Fletcher?
Bamford has proved himself in 2014/15, scoring 21 goals for Boro including 19 in the Championship and winning the league’s Player of the Year award. Reckless mismanagement from Karanka at Carrow Road saw the lad seriously injured which took him a while to recover from. A series of loans didn’t work out for him but he’s not the first player to have a similar quiet spell, Beardsley for one and that bloke Vardy eventually come good.
Again this season when given the opportunity he delivered until he was carried off the pitch wearing an oxygen mask. I don’t see what more he could have done to prove himself at Boro?
Nick Pope was out on loan at Harrow, Welling, Cambridge, Aldershot, York and Bury from 2011 until 2016 when Burnley signed him for an undisclosed fee from Bury just as back Up to Tom Heaton, the lads now on his way to Russia.
No, there are no queues, and Traore and Ayala aside, I can’t see many forming.
I could cherry pick a few Roy of the Rovers stories too, but the facts are that in January every player on the books was available for loan or transfer.
I don’t think it was a fact that every player on the books were available for loan or transfer in January. That the squad was going to be culled was an open secret but if it was the case then I’m pretty sure that there would have been a few takers on more than the likes of Braithwaite and Fletcher or are they our best assets?.
The Boro squad clearly needs a clear out, Braithwaite etc need to be gone. But what of the current first XI?
My thinking is we need a new right back (nothing contentious in that!), left back I’m not sure, maybe the fact George has needed a hernia op has meant he’s been performing at 80%. If he’s the starting left back next season, I could live with that. We seem good for centre backs, Gibson, Ayala and Fry plus A N Other, so one new ‘squad’ centre back, but maybe TP will stick with Shotton?
Midfield is the area where we need a major cull, Clayton is too slow, too slow across the ground, too slow to recycle the ball, too slow to get forward. His passing is poor. Leadbitter appears to be past his peak, Howson has been fair to middling, maybe in his second season we’ll see better things? Besic has been good, but will he want to play in the championship next season? So at least two, if not three quality midfielders required.
Downing, I’ve always been a fan, but I think he’s coming to the end of his career, maybe okay as a squad player next season, but if TP wants powerful and dynamic then we need to look elsewhere.
Traore, here’s the contentious one, if someone offers £20 million I’d sell him, that sort of cash buys a lot of quality championship footballer. He’s too inconsistent for me and flawed.
Gestede – taxi!!
Britt & Paddy, I’d keep them both.
We’ve got a committed Chairman, an experienced manager and plenty of cash which can be added to with a few sales.
We should be in good shape come August.
Fully agree with all of that Nigel with the possible exception that I think that Ben Gibson may take an opportunity to move on if one comes along but I think with the £45m in Parachute payments plus whatever fee we get for him he can be adequately replaced.
Finance isn’t the problem. Identifying and recruiting the right players is.
With a £1m plus house getting built just outside Nunthorpe I couldn’t see Gibson moving within this transfer window unless it was to a top 4 club which is unlikely the way he has been playing this season
OFB
He could make the £1M up in his transfer fee cut and new wages, loose change to a Premiership Footballer.
Some good points Nigel
Excellent post, Nigel. I agree totally.
TP has said he won’t spent (too) much of Gibbo’s money in the summer so I don’t see as big changes as AV is predicting. I had a few tweets about this with AV on Twitter today.
Also TP said that we were fifth in the league and we were not that bad. So I hope we buy some quality midfielders (Besic and one or two others) and some minor tweaks. At least we have two good strikers (plus Gestede) at the club already.
Well, the transfer window is already open and will close early August. So with the World Cup coming, it will be an interesting summer. Up the Boro!
And tweet s with me !
Great post RR. I agree entirely on Bamford and Friend. Yes they both have flaws but they are much better than most of the others in the side.
It is the likes of them, coupled with Randolph, Gibson, Ayala, Fry, Howson, Clayton and Traore that TP should be looking to build his own team around and injecting some creativity and pace through acquisitions.
We can’t afford wholesale changes again and need to build on the core of the squad with the aim of improving on what we already have. 4/5 changes to the team should be enough and a maximum.
As Chris points out, we cannot keep ruining strikers through lack of creativity and support, it has gone on for far too long.
I think Howson has underwhelmed and at 29 I can’t see him improving. Those goals from Midfield just haven’t materialised or even looked close to coming. I’d take a hit on him and put him on the same list as Fletcher, Braithwaite, Leadbitter, Downing, Gestede etc. just not good enough for varying reasons for what is required next season.
Agree with RR, but we are going to have to take some big hits.
One interesting question that could be asked of TP….
“ If you were a manager elsewhere, would you still be willing to pay a large fee for Ben Gibson, and how large?
Perhaps its just as well the Gazette lads are banned/boycotting the Riverside I doubt they would be well received after asking that. Then again TP would probably have replied that had he known what a great footballer he is he would have doubled his offer for the lad and probably kept WBA up in doing so!
“Nice and tidy”
I’ve never heard that phrase used about Grealish, Neves, Cairney or Maddison.
Where are the words “dynamic, creative, dominant, a goalscorer”
If you were to do a job spec for a central midfielder you would realise that our central midfielders have very few of the essential criteria.
Why do you think Besic looked so good?
If people genuinely think a midfield two of Howson and Clayton are good enough to get us promoted because they are “nice and tidy” then I hang my head in my hands!
I think I described them as tidy, however that was with reference to the fact that those words were used to describe Downing’s contribution, and my point was that if tidying up and recycling possession is what you’re looking for then we already have two players through the middle who can do that.
I might be old fashioned but I like my wide players to be the flashy ones who get the ball forward quickly. I fondly remember the days where we had Paddy, Albert, Jelle and Tomlin as the front 4 – they were quite quick, had tricks up their sleeves and got forward quickly with or without the ball. They were also supported by two tidy midfielders.
This seasons version was Gestede, Downing, Traore, Howson. Costing around 25m, do you think they represent an upgrade? I don’t. I would be happy with Clayton staying as the defensive half of a midfield two if we have a very dynamic (Besic?) partner for him and a proper tricky, Neves style number 10. Otherwise I agree, tidy doesn’t cut it.
RR
It’s the same in any job/work place. If you’re different you don’t fit in apparently. Especially if you’re perceived as more intelligent/better read than your contempories. Given the choice between Paddy and Brit its Paddy every ime for me.
Both are proven at championship level just that I think Paddy is more proven.
As for Clayton needing to be moved that’s on a big no from me. He’s the “water carrier” type of player you need in the attritional grind of the championship. Not a glamorous role but an important one in my opinion and one he carries out to good effect. Yes he’s not he fastest or the best passer but that’s where the manager and scouting network identify and sign those players that do fit that criteria.
The invisible man that is Howson should be out the door as far as I’m concerned. Besic? Started like a house on fire but when it really mattered that fire had well and truly gone out.
As for Downing, as big a fan as I am I don’t think another season of championship grind would be good for either him or the team. Rumor of interest from north of the border from Rangers may not be a bad move.
So in the middle of the park big changes are needed, play you’re best striker and as for the back 5, a tweak of Fabio for Shotton is what’s needed there, then hopefully we can compete for promotion next season. All just my opinion of course.
FAA….not so sure of Fabio as a Defender?
More like a Evoque, me thinks.
Land Rover man. UTB!
Fabio
Is a sports man
An SUV
A Sports Utility Veteran
OFB
Shotton is more like a Defender, Fabio is like a Latino SUV – perhaps Fiat 500X. It is small and compact. UTB!
Have to disagree gentlemen, to me Fabio is more Alfa Romeo!
Cuore Sportivo personified!
Some good and interesting posts above.
Whilst I favour Bamford and GHW does not, and he favours Gestede and I do not, one point I would make when comments are made about the formers “failure”….it was in the Premier League that he “failed” if not getting picked was the failure.
We are in the Championship next season and Bamford has proven his worth and ability at this level. With the type of mid-fielders that Paul and others have suggested I believe Patrick would score us plenty of goals. His overall play has even improved under TP.
However I do not expect TP to retain him if a reasonable bid comes in. No he would rather stick with Gestede who has very limited ability. The guy is a target man and he cannot even head straight.
It was interesting to hear that George is to have a hernia operation. I hope that it goes well as I think Grant suffered for a while after his a season or so ago. I may have been a little hard on George because he has not been anywhere near his old Championship levels….possible this is like carrying a injury. Could of tried Fabio though, but then he is not the best defensively!!.
The other point that Werder brought up and is very valid……is that of continuity. If Mr Pulis does stay, reforms the squad, spends a fair bit of dosh and then does not get us promoted then I think he will leave at the end of his 18 month contract. Then what, we start all over again?
I see the first links with transfer targets are coming through, looks like the word “giant “ is going to be used a lot this off season
Arrived late to the proceedings but, as far as PB is concerned, I’ll repeat my comment from last week. £6m for Paddy or £15m for Britt. Which is the best value. I believe there are clubs out there who would happily pay £6m for Paddy. Not sure anyone would pay £15m for Britt.
I’m with RR on his assessment of the current squad.
Another interesting close season to look forward to.
Pedro
If not a defender, where do you see Fabio fitting in.
There is alot of blame to go around after this season,
A season were most clubs would consider it a success ,considering a play off place.
But we started with somewhat of an advantage,we had money, players who had done it before,all it needed was the right manager and the right signings.
I wasn’t in favour of Monk ,but even he could have got us promoted with the right plan ,and the players to fit it.
But either he was totally clueless or people above him or those with influence regarding recruitment are seriously misguided.
If he allowed others to decide the transfer narrative,he deserved the sack.
If he was 100% in control of team structure, then we could see ,it was disfunctional, from the system to the picking of the team from one week to the next.
In his defence if there is one, a coach sometimes has to rely on the players to take responsibility during the game,and leaders change things if they have to,this lot even now have a soft underbelly, too many running scared ,and not willing to get at it,take chances and dominate their marker.
In came Pulis, I was all in for Tony,someone the players couldnt BS, he new the score ,and could get back to basics ,organise and Chase out underachievers, he did that, and almost got the job done.
Next season will be harder, I can’t see the relagated teams doing a Hull or Sunderland ,
And that’s the question , how do we prepare , is Tony the man? ,A Pulis team will be pragmatic , as Cardiff were,but for me ,teams with attackers especially the high five with speed guile ,talent will usually overcome, yes they are out there but everyone wants them,but I look at Bournmouth a team who are not afraid to take chances, they Chase but when they attack they don’t stop and go back to start again ,the get forward and play on the front foot, so I’d like to see a similar system, get players in who are fit, quick and get after it.
I can’t see TP doing it,but he also didn’t play long ball,was that because no Gestede, we’ll see.
I guess the jury is out untill we see signings out and in.
First of all despite my not being a fan of Tony Pulis I don’t think Steve Gibson will make another managerial change in the near future, so the likes of Boroexile, Jarsue159, KP in Spain, Pedro de Espana and myself will just have to put up with the current incumbent. My big concern on reading Anthony Vickers article is how are Boro going to finance the wholesale changes suggested if Pulis is not going to raid Steve Gibson’s coffers. AV suggested that several Boro players may not fit into the Pulis style and might be discarded but didn’t evaluate any of them, so I thought I’d have a stab at estimating what Boro would likely expect.
1. I think Leadbitter would likely go to Sunderland, possibly on a free transfer or a nominal sum taking into consideration his wages, possibly the same with Konstantopoulos and Mejias. Will Connor Ripley be ready as a number 2 or will we need a new replacement?
2. If George Friend is deemed surplus to requirements and sold I’d guess he’d go for no more than £2M and for Downing maybe £2.5M although personally I’d keep Friend as cover.
3. I can’t see Rudi Gestede or Fabio de Silva being retained, although I’d retain Fabio possibly as a winger. If sold, Gestede £1.5M and Fabio if he wants to return to Brazil £2M.
3. I don’t think either Assombalonga or Bamford are the type of players to suit TP’s style as he has only selected them by default. The most we could expect for Britt would be £7M (a large loss) and Bamford £5M as there were no takers before Boro bought him. Personally I’d keep them both as a strike partnership, but I doubt TP would see it that way.
4. I think TP might retain Howson and certainly Clayton. The former wanted to move further north, so that might put a restriction on possible suitors, but if he’s sold I reckon about £4.5M.
5. De Laet, Braithwaite and Barragán, all loanees. I’ve no idea how to evaluate De Laet, but Boro must sell Braithwaite £6M (another loss) and Barragán £2M if we can find takers.
6. Ben Gibson and Adama Traore are the only 2 players likely to attract interest from Premier League clubs. I think it’s inevitable that both will be sold, or how else are we to finance the purchase of new players if Pulis isn’t going to spend any more of SG’s money, or am I missing something here, does he not intend to delve into the parachute payments either?
Ben’s valuation is probably no more than £18M now unless one of the top six become interested. Adama’s valuation has increased but not to the ridiculous figures that some fans expect, £16M in my opinion.
Some may think I’ve undervalued some of our players, but I guess most of them are on much higher wages than other Championship clubs and that will be a big consideration in trying to offload them.
Personally speaking I think I’d look for a midfielder better than Besic – too greedy in possession, unpredictable and too volatile in my opinion, also we need a goal scoring midfielder which Besic certainly is not. I would retain many of the players who are probably not TP type players, because I fear that Boro might become too stereotyped with aggressive players if and when TP leaves. Of course the main concern will be offloading the players that TP doesn’t fancy, and then persuading his targets that Boro are the club for them. Not as easy as it seems without dipping into the parachute payments chest.
Bearing in mind their contracts and wages I think that you have overvalued the players mentioned Ken.
4.5mil for Howson….not a chance. 2.5 for Downing, we could not give him to Harry for free. Even Bamford who is a favourite of mine….no more than 4mil.
And although that is only my opinion, how are we going to fund the large turnover in players needed to suit Mr Pulis. Can’t see it to be honest.
Then there is Fletcher, Johnson and a few others with longish contracts. SD would not move, why would they??
I agree that Besic did not play as well as before in his last few matches. He was our best players before the resent blip.
I just wonder if he had a little niggle or injury towards the end. I hope OFB could ask about that from his sources.
Still hoping we will sign him but now that Everton will have a new manager, that won’t be easy as the new boss would like to see Besic first before selling him.
Up the Boro!
PS. Excellent discussions on here!
The other problem with Besic was he was on an extremely high wage structure which wouldn’t fit in the Boro grades
OFB
FAA….definitely as a squad player on the bench. Attacking mid-field possibly.
Quote
Boro will be awarded a total of £41,571,016 as their second and final instalment.
So plenty of money there plus the outgoings adds up to another potential investment but as it is the last payment, they have to get the procurement of players spot on.
What does TP mean if he says he’s not going to spend any of SG’s money?
Does he mean SG wont need to put any of his personal cash into the club? That still leaves a very big lump of parachute payment.
Or is TP simply putting the standard message out to the market, ‘we’re skint, so don’t ask for big fees’?
I’d be very surprised if we don’t spend significant sums this summer, I don’t see how we can rebuild the squad with quality players otherwise.
Its possible of course that a significant part of the outgoing cash is offset by sales.
SG & TP are both ambitious, to succeed in football money needs to be spent.
As for the Downing rumour ….He won’t go anywhere. He will dig his heels in like he did with Monk when he tried to get him off the wage bill.
He has it cosy here and nobody will pay the ridiculous amount we have to pay him for the next 2 years.
Spot on braveheart
I wouldn’t pay much heed to any sentiments that Pulis won’t spend any of Gibson’s money – Boro will be spending as much as it takes to build the squad for promotion next season as it could be our last chance to be one of the better resourced teams.
As well as the £42m parachute payment, don’t forget that Financial Fair Play (FFP) is now spread over three years and it allows £39m for a previous season in the PL and £13m for each Championship seasons – which allows for a £65m debt over three years.
Boro probably made a small profit in their PL season and I think last season we more or less balanced outgoing and incoming transfer fees plus had around £50m in parachute payments. Money will not be an issue this season – spending it wisely will be the hard bit.
I suspect Pulis won’t be sold short by Steve Gibson in terms of getting the players he wants – whether he can end up with his preference for a tight 18-man squad consisting of ‘his’ players is going to be the hard bit,
As for Downing – who is to say Pulis doesn’t want to retain him – having someone who can retain possession may be the ideal sub to introduce in order to see out games. Also Fabio is another player who offers something different on the bench if he is not deemed a starter.
I think it would be naive for Boro imagine they can shift everyone in one window – the job of the club is to replace the ones who leave with better players while retaining balance in the squad – giving the impression of a fire sale won’t do anything but lose money and reduce the war chest for incoming players.
As someone mention earlier – the key business will be who Boro can bring in through the loan market. This was what our promotion winning squad under Karanka did quite well in terms of recruitment. It’s probably the only way to bring in hungry Premier League standard players who would otherwise not contemplate coming to Boro.
The club actually did quite well last summer in getting value from those players we knew wanted to leave – they weren’t letting them leave on the cheap just to clear the decks with even want away Gaston having his value realised as well as de Roon and Fischer. Let’s hope we see something similar this summer – the problem may well be their contracts may not be matched in the second tier and most are well below the standard required for the deeper pockets of PL clubs.
Financial Fair Play is a bit of a joke. £7.6 million fine for Bournemouth. Seems cheap at twice the price …..
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/afc-bournemouth-hit-76million-fine-7889767.amp
Werder
You beat me to it, whilst the headline was how much we had spent in the window, I believe the net spend was around £8m.
The big ticket items Britt, Braithwaite and Fletcher , have not been an overall success, Britt brought some goals, the other two disappointed.
It is how to get some of them off the books but we probably depreciate them across their contracts – that is financially as well as turning silk purses in to sow’s ears.
Looking at our present set up, if we put a ‘Tomlin’ or ‘Gaston’ in to the team we would become much more potent. Replace say, Downing with a 10 years younger version and you would see a huge difference.
TP took Mathew Etherington and |Charlie Adam to Stoke. Similar signings wouldn’t go amiss.
Agree with Jarkko. Excellent discussion, with many different viewpoints very well expressed. The narrative twists and turns over the next few months will probably be even more suspenseful, unpredictable and infuriating than anything we have seen on the pitch this season, and will certainly keep me glued to the Brains Trust on this blog throughout the close season. What you get from the totality of the 400+ views so eloquently expressed here is a real sense of the complexity, tensions and contradictions inherent in our current situation, and a deeper understanding of what is at stake that benefits us all, whatever our current views.
Just to give my point on the dispute between Boro and the Gazette
I have spoken to senior management of both sides involved and they are in agreement that they would like to it resolved
It is not the MFC press office that is releasing antagonist pieces for publication it is downbapparently to our chairman’s strategy.
I don’t know what caused the initial upset but there seems little signs of resolving the dispute
Let us be clear on one thing
The Gazette are not banned from press conferences. Boro advised that two journalists were not welcome to attend and one of whom has now left their employment
The Gazette said it was reacting to the restriction of freedom of the press and chose not to attend any press conferences by any of their reporters
Of course all the press conferences are now screened live on Facebook and apart from the Gazette posing any questions other than their “what we would have asked!”
So there you have it as far as I am aware and I hope it gets resolved soon as Steve Gibson has always seen the long term view and must have been extremely upset with the tone of the Gazette reporting
OFB
Anthony Vickers end of season report and marks for individual players can’t be taken seriously surely. Eleven players given a mark of 7 or more for a whole season! Maybe a score for a particular match, but for a whole season about a team that finished 23 points behind Wolves? One wonders what marks he would have given the Wolves players. As a team that has failed this season the whole team score would likely be no higher than 6. Has AV lost all credulity or his he ingratiating himself with Middlesbrough FC? I’m actually staggered; I thought more of his opinions.
It’s possible that AV may have inadvertently been downwind from the end-of-season bonfire of all the ‘Smash the League’ foam hands when he was compiling the marks – a season rating of 8 for Assombalonga sounds generous to say the least, 7.5 for Howson seems to indicate he was the box-to-box midfielder we had hoped for instead of the mostly anonymous player he was. Granted Adama had is moments after Pulis arrived but a 9 should be reserved for being a regular match-winner rather than offering cameo performances and being guilty of lacking a final ball or awareness. Gibson at 7.5 may be pushing it too, especially if Ayala is just one point ahead.
Not sure what the scoring system was but normally 4 is poor, 5 is below average, 6 is average, 7 is good, 8 is very good, 9 is excellent and 10 is probably Ronaldo-esque and a £100m+ value.
On that system there would be mainly 6’s and quite a few 5’s with perhaps one or two making 7 and perhaps an 8 for Randolph and possibly Ayala.
I always thought seven was average. Six was below average and eight good, nine very good and ten excellent.
As this was just among the players in the Champioship, ten is possible.
I remember I got two ten’s at school: mathematics and drawing. And I did not felt I was out of this world in either. Especially so in drawing pictures even I won a competition for my age group in my home town.
Up the Boro!
The problem of any scale is that do the numbers represent anything tangible? If you place average at 7 then what is a 4? or even a 3? I think at school a 4.5 was even a pass, so I guess it all depends on what comparison you are making. I’m sure most, if not all Boro players are a 10 in comparison to my footballing ability – So a meaningful scale should be relative to something we can either relate to or compare. I suppose marking high may make those being assessed feel better but then you have to cramp everyone between 3-4 points.
Just had a look Ken and I have to say that some of them surprised me to say the least, Randolph, Ayala etc. I’m OK with but the Midfield scores seem totally detached from what I witnessed this season. I may have given Besic a 6.5 but he was only here for a part of the season and took a few games to get going and then imploded in the two final games. The rest of the midfield were no more than 5.5 or scraping a 6.
I’m not sure what the point was in even grading the likes of Harrison and Dimi, seemed that a N/A would have been more applicable. I guess its down to what your benchmark is.
Over the season nobody is above a 6. With a few below that!
I suppose if only one Boro made the recent top 50 Championship players then maybe I’ve been a little generous – but it was essentially an average season that fell short and Boro struggled against the top ten sides, which does seem to indicate the players were not much better than average over 46 games – especially given their supposed pedigree and price tags.
I think that maybe succinctly sums up our season GHW. We were a team full of mediocre 5’s and 6’s with a few 4’s in there as well. I think Randolph and Ayala were better than than a 6 but I can also accept the arguments about Randolph and his clearances both in terms of accuracy and of his timing which at times was buttock clenching and then there’s always Ayala’s howler away to Wolves on the opening day plus his sending off against Derby.
If we were the fifth in the final table, our palyers must have been on average between seven and eight, me thinks.
If our players would have been ranked only 5’s and 6’s, how would you rate the players at Leeds on average? And then Sunderland players would have been minus something.
As AV said in the beginning of the article, the Boro players were rated against the rest of the Championship palyers. Not versus Messi.
So I would imagine the Wolves average to be around nine and Sunderland rock bottom. In Finland the worst was four in school, so I don’t where you start from in the UK. For me ten is best, four is worst (=you get relagated).
But I agree our midfielders were six’es mainly, Traore nine and Clayton seven with Stewie. But we can argue about these forever if we want to.
Up the Boro!
PS. What is six in plural?
Why shouldn’t a player dig his heels in if he’s happy where he is and doesn’t want an enforced move to somewhere they don’t want to go? Would anyone else be happy with that? If your employer is daft enough to offer a rediculous wage package to do the same job would you turn it down?
Throughout his time here since coming back Downing, and in the games I attended before coming out to Saudi and since watched on the tv, at least he puts the effort in. Yes his goals and assists have been poor, no question, but if you think he’s in his “cosy” bubble then I have to disagree on that one.
Downing’s return coincided with a Management mindset and tactical enforcement that was anathema to Stewy’s abilities and I suspect the opposite of what he thought was going to happen. Our procurement lately has been somewhat eclectic at best and thats being kind. A bit like going to the shops and coming back with Fresh Apples, Beef Dripping, Onions, Ice Cream and Washing up liquid. All top brand products but what on earth are you supposed to make for tea with that lot? You couldn’t even rustle up a dogs dinner with it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G08pqAaJi5k&feature=share
Wages, wages, wages. All the fault of the greedy players in accepting what they’re offered.Sigh.
It is 24 years since Bryan Robson arrived at the Boro, seems incredible that it is so long ago.
There will be many young season card fans in the South Stand (and some richer ones in the North Stand) who weren’t even thought of at the time. When you look back at the ride we have had since then with some terrific highs and some very low lows it has been an experience and here we are now finding ourselves back exactly where we were when he arrived.
0900 hrs 21 June is when we will find out our fixture list for 2018/19 season.
Come on BORO.
Redcar Red
Well spotted, same as this season 23 points behind the Champions – Crystal Palace 90, Boro 67. Strangely though Boro 82 and Sunderland 83 as Champions in the following two seasons were the only two teams to finish as Champions with less than 90 points from 1993 to 2006, and two of the three lowest ever since 1993.
Before people speculate on ins and outs during this transfer window it is worth looking at players end of contact dates:
2018
Harrison, Besic and Baker 31/5
Leadbitter,Mejias and Dimi 30/6
2019
Downing, Fabio 30/6
30/06/2020
Traore,Gestede,Howson,Shotton,Ayala,Johnson and Friend
30/06/2021
Assombalonga,Randolph,Bamford,Clayton and Fry
30/06/2022
Gibson
Come on BORO.
I see it still continues!
https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/mfc-clarification-of-premier-league-payments
That’s fair comment from the club, at least they should get their facts right.
” Futher to clarify …” Why did the club not contach the paper first and let the paper to correct the info?
Sounds like they are really fed up with the Gazette. But I suppose the club does not supply figures to the Gazette and they need to rely on other sources.
The club and the paper should be best friends as both need each other. As well as the public. Strange!
Up the Boro!
I notice the original story had AV’s byline. Is he due for the naughty step too?
I’d be happy to see both Stewie and Fabio stay, but I would see them both as squad players next season. Although I suspect Stewie’s pass completion ratio is very high, so if you want to retain possession he’s your man.
But, didn’t Fabio ask to leave the club at Christmas because he wanted to return home to South America, or did I dream that?
Clearly the cold war continues.
On to average scores, I can see where the different viewpoints are coming from.
The problem is a lot of the fare was distinctly average (in the other use of the word)
Putting that aside, finishing 5th in the Championship is clearly above average, the goals scored, goal difference and number of wins all point to above average performance.
Maybe the team gets a 7 because of its position in the table. In that case you could expect a normal distribution of marks throughout the squad.
The above was written before looking at AV’s numbers and that looks to be largely the case.
I think 9 was a bit high for Adama even he did well at times, at a score of nine he should have dominated a lot more games.
It is all a bit of fun.
Surely if one collated all the match awards and divided the total score per person by the number of appearances, no one could possibly get a final average of 9. A player would have to score several 10s to reach that and I don’t recall AV giving any player a 10 during the season. As for 5th in the table being the criterion for high scores doesn’t wash with me. I accept that one can’t mark scores to compare with the likes of Messi, but we were in competition with Wolves players and 22 other teams, not with the top Spanish clubs and even the most biased of Wolves fans couldn’t justify all their players scoring 9 for every match. It’s not as if Boro ran close to Wolves; they actually scored one point more than Boro after every second match.
Werdermouth is correct in his assumption that 6 is rated an average performance and also that a pass mark for school exams was 4.5. I know it’s a long time ago, but I was given 46% in French and a pass for my GCE exam, and 40% and a fail in Latin.
Ref; Werdermouth (May 16th, 8.35pm)
Werdermouth commented that he is “an admirer of creative football over the functional grind out the result type” and that he “likes being entertained and wants to see something different”. He pondered the question of whether this concept of good entertaining football is only available to rich clubs who have the money to buy the best players.
Having thought about this I can recall seeing two “non-rich” Championship sides in recent years who met the criteria of being entertaining to watch and “different” in style. One being the Bournemouth promotion side who played high tempo, attractive, positive football with a scoring end product, the other being a more left-field one in Brentford. The Bournemouth promotion side were full of players I’d never heard of, who probably cost nothing, yet produced football that took my breath away. They had players who possessed a good touch, movement, eye for a pass and fearsome accurate shooting. The Brentford play-off side for much of that campaign were of a similar vein, again with players I’d never heard of they played lovely attractive attacking football but maybe lacked a bit of discipline and defensive nous and were actually killed off by us. I caught a couple of Brentford games this season and despite not hitting the same heights they still surprised me with how good they were to watch.
Does anyone else recall any sides of recent years who fit the bill, or is the concept an increasingly rare one as alluded to by Werder.
How very childish from the club – will they also be reprimanding most of the nationals and all the other media as the Gazette figures are pretty close to those that have been widely reported in the Guardian for example, who quoted £47m for last season. Indeed, I’ve read quite extensively on what the figures were estimated to be last season and it appears the they may even be derived from the Premier League itself from over-hyped estimates of what they expected to get in TV rights.
Of course there is probably no way of knowing exactly [although shortly after writing that I actually found a way to correctly calculate it – see reply below] as only the clubs can tell us what they have received. I even emailed someone who was an accountant who specialised in sports revenues and they calculated very similar figures based on what was thought to be the share of the Premier League fund. Incidentally, it’s possible the Gazette may have also added in the £4.3m solidarity payment which all Championship clubs receive now to get to their figure.
Either way the figures provided by the club are quite lower than those being mentioned when I researched the issue last March as Boro were facing relegation – it was widely judged that the breakdown would be based on a new formula for Parachute Payments is that relegated clubs get a percentage of the equal share TV money paid to Premier League members (which doesn’t include place money or TV appearance money). I wrote the following…
From the figures I’ve seen published, that share represents £38m domestic rights plus £47m overseas rights – giving a base total of £85m. This share represents the following Parachute sums:
Year 1: 55% (£85m) = £47m
Year 2: 45% (£85m) = £38m
Year 3: 20% (£85m) = £17m
It seems most in the media also used these figures so the club can’t just single out the Gazette and I guess the main problem is that they are not talking to the Gazette so how were they able to get their figures verified? I think the club are acting like bullies in this instance and don’t come across well by publishing an article of such tone.
Having checked what the official 2017-18 final payments were made to Premier League clubs it looks like the £85m base figure was over-estimated by around £9m – the domestic TV rights yielded £34.8m per club (instead of the estimated £38m) and the Overseas element yielded £40.8m (instead of the estimated £47m), which gave a base figure of £75.6m (instead of £85m). I think the parachute payment formula when applied to that gives the figures pretty close to what the club have said they received rather than what I reported last March as the potential figure being widely quoted.
i.e. £41.6m for Year 1 parachute payments (which is exactly 55% of the published £75.6m base figure)
The club claim next year will be £34.9m for their final Year 2 payment – which appears slightly higher than the projected £34m calculated on 45% of £75.6m, but perhaps the base figure will be slightly different.
If anyone is interested at looking at the Premier League figures in closer detail then check out this following link:
https://www.totalsportek.com/money/premier-league-prize-money/
BTW I just noticed the Gazette have amended the article online to include the figures stated by the club
Or more to the point Steve Gibson. He is the club, and nothing happens without his say so. Before you know it he’ll be picking up his ball and going home.
@GibsonSirSteve #fakenewsGazette. Getting it wrong again. My#editorpen is bigger than theirs!
It is all a bit sad that the club and the Gazette have a stand off made even more ironic that they are now across the way from each other.
It just seems odd that Steve Gibson would allow this to continue, is there more to it than we are aware of?
The spat does seem more personal than I would have imagined being acceptable for what should be a mutual business arrangement but I have grown tired of listening to something, which for probably only a handful of people in the know has any meaning – unless the club can spell out the nature of the problem then they just come across a bullies hounding journalists in a Trump-style attack.
It’s that good old Teesside Grudge.
Have I mentioned Mascherano and Aliadiere lately……
Found this very amusing on Facebook lol…
I see Sunderland have started
interviews for their new manager
Come on BORO.
That put a smile on my face. Thanks Exmil.
Thanks werdermouth for posting my picture joke.
Come on BORO.
What on earth does the Press Officer at the Riverside do all day long, since the most significant press relationship- with the local paper- doesn’t actually exist?
It’s absurd for the club to get huffy. The ‘problem’ of the Gazette producing questionable information is a product of the club’s own policies. And the solution lies entirely in the club’s own hands.
Not for the first time the club’s PR outfit, which exists solely to burnish the club’s image, has succeeded only in revealing it to be a ramshackle outfit.
The tone of offended superiority of the club’s latest statement could not be more misplaced.
Totally agree Len.
We must assume that SG approves of the stance but God knows what is really behind it. A sad state of affairs.
It’s as if some people would rather Steve Gibson sold up and moved on.
FAA
I wasn’t suggesting SG sell up. Just seems so strange that whatever has happened can’t be resolved with dialogue.
The EG is now known as the “Tony Mowbray preference Library ”
They still haven’t got over his sacking, and consequently have lost their reason for being so called fact based , unbiased, informative media outlet.
There I’ve said it?
Len
The thing that baffles me is that whatever has happened Uncle Eric and Gibbo have been on speaking terms for years, I cannot understand why the situation hasn’t been resolved.
If some really sensitive information has been released or off the record information confidentiality breached both parties know what has happened.
Maybe the club have been intransigent and the Gazette disingenuous but I cant recall any devastating revelations in the Gazette.
It is all very disappointing and sadly for me it has occurred when the Trinity Mirror Group coverage is at a low ebb.
Furthermore Gibbo is no Mlike Ashley.
And MGN have dispensed within the last few weeks
The M.D. for the North East which includes the Gazette
The Gazette Editor
The print and publishing mnager
All Boro lads and Boro supporters
I’m led to believe the lack of discussion and reconciliation is not down to any lack of effort on behalf of Gazette to resolve this problem
OFB
I can’t wait to watch Gibbo v. the Gazette on the Jeremy Kyle show. Chav TV will reach new lows!
TP says that Boro are a marvellous club with everyone wanting to get involved and do their best for the success of the football team. So Tony, can you not broker a deal between SG and the Gazette to break the deadlock and have everyone focussed for next season which will be a very hard campaign. We really can’t continue with another impasse between Club and Gazette. Time for hasty negotiations before the season starts.
FAA… I do not think anybody on here has suggested that Mr Gibson sells up and moves on.
However as much as he has the Boro at heart he is not and should not be beyond criticism or questionable.as to actions taken.
MFC are behaving like schoolground bullies and Len is correct with his post.
It would appear that its not just the Gazette that needs a new Calculator. I’m guessing that the below is either the source or from the same source as the Gazette’s figures. Either way it would appear that the payments both in terms of amounts and in timing (instalments?) seems to be less than clear.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5740325/Premier-League-clubs-split-staggering-2-42BILLION-Man-United-home-most.html
Some further background information follows on here:
https://twitter.com/sportingintel/status/997546508630331392
And then the Sun seemingly have totally different figures to the above:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/6238874/parachute-payments-how-much-relegated-premier-league/
And then Talksport seem to have the same figures as the Gazette:
https://talksport.com/football/premier-league-201718-how-much-championship-clubs-got-parachute-payments-180517283130?p=4
From what I can see all those figures are broadly correct, though the Sun is using 40% instead of 45% for Year 2 – I did the calculation yesterday in an earlier post using the now official published Premier League TV deal base figure that was finalised a few months ago for 2017-18. The problem seems to have been that the Gazette were probably still working on the provisional figures that gave a base figure of £85m rather than the £75.6m it turned out to be – as mentioned earlier, they have since amended their article to the correct figures.
Calling that “wildly inaccurate” by the club was probably overdoing it as the sums were only 12.5% overstated by the Gazette. I suspect the club are trying to build the narrative that they are on a tight budget and will not be an easy touch on transfers and wages – something it seems Tony Pulis has also stated by claiming he won’t be spending any of the chairman’s money. It is essential saying Boro won’t be spending more than what they’ve got and the club seem keen to ensure that figure is not deemed higher than necessary.
BTW I noticed in one of those links that Southampton are interested in the £20m rated Ben Gibson – it seems the club have just lost another £10m if that is now the devalued price-tag on the Boro defender.
I think the club have missed the Elephant in the room about these Parachute Payments and an opportunity to inform and educate and in doing so manage expectations which I think is at the base of yesterday’s immature unprofessional outburst.
Like any business MFC have overheads and wages to pay out and I would guess that their current squad of Playing staff, Managers, Coaches, Physio’s etc would probably be costing the Club the thick end of £30M a year. Add in other costs for Security, Policing, Catering, Admin, Utilities, Grounds and General maintenance, Travelling, Academy, Rockliffe and other assorted overheads and that Parachute payment may just about cover that at a push.
Now of course the Club does have income streams elsewhere from Ticket sales, club shop, sponsorship, etc. but that is very small fry in comparison to Premiership clubs riches hence “getting the club we can afford”. We saw what happened last time we went down when jobs around the club went and the Stadium started to look a little more jaded and faded. Once the Premiership cash dries up and assuming we are still in the Championship there will have to be a cull just to keep the club afloat in 24 months time.
Blowing thirty, forty or fifty million on transfer fees (and the substantial wages that will bring) now is a huge gamble with the very real risk that we might not get promoted. Should we not go up next season the club should be financially sound but should we falter the season after then it will be a return to when Mogga had to clear up Strachan’s excesses. No doubt the club will have learnt a lesson from then and would control things to prevent a repeat which is I suspect why they are so sensitive about the numbers now being bandied around.
Last Summer we somehow largely recouped what we spent in transfers but still splashed another estimated £10M or £12M. Wages for the reasons above will be a major factor in who we can afford so I don’t expect us signing the Morrisons and Brunts etc as they will be at the top end of salary expectations and as we know to our cost do not necessarily represent good value for money. This summer I would be amazed if we recouped half of what we splashed last summer on transfers unless we sell the likes of Gibson and Traore which I suspect we will. This brings it all back round to TP not wanting to splash Steve Gibson’s cash. The loan market for the likes of Besic and Harrison is a much more likely path the club will be treading along with a few sub £10m signings to replace any outgoings.
The paper talk on proposed transfers has already started. I wonder what percentage of these rumours come to fruition.. My ears prick up only when incoming and outgoing transfers are confirmed. Bit of a bore really when there are summer sports to enjoy, but wonder if others agree with me.
I’m not a great fan now of the FA Cup Final with its later kickoff time. It used to be the highlight of the season with the build up starting some five hours before kickoff. Surely it can’t be overshadowed by some wedding in Windsor!
Nice touch though from the FA to give Ray Wilkins’ widow the honour of presenting the trophy to the winning captain as he played for both teams. It shows that the FA has some heart, although it will probably be a difficult occasion for Mrs Wilkins so soon after her husband’s demise. God bless her!
Redcar Red
It wasn’t just Strachan’s follies that were cleared up by Mogga, the Jockification pales in to small change by the lead up to relegation. Don’t forget Stricken’s spend was two thirds of an Alves!
The real damage to our financial situation was the disastrous running of the club up to our actual relegation. Most of Stricken’s buys were better than Dong Gook, Caleb Folan and The Donkey St Ledger.
Sorry to keep bringing it up but our problems didn’t start with Stricken, he was merely an after shock following the Unholy Trinity managed earthquake and subsequent tsunami that engulfed us.
We can lay lots at Stricken’s door but the previous mismanagement was the root of the problem.
Ian
I agree with all that, the real root cause was McClaren buying success (and being allowed to) via over the hill footballers and then SG being left with said ageing players no longer fit for purpose on huge salaries. The money saving budget appointment of Scapegoat and the disastrous recruitment which ensued all prior to Strachan’s arrival started the tailspin and irretrievable fall from grace. Strachan just spent what little was left on overweight, under skilled and over paid no marks. Enter one Anthony Mark Mowbray who trimmed the wages and built the foundations of the squad even today.
Shades of David O’Leary given a free rein by Ridsdale at Leeds? Look how quickly they fell from grace after going into administration. Hope Boro tread with caution.
Yes, Mowbray back. I like that. UTB!
Redcar Red
It was discussed on the relevant blogs preceding this one. At the time of season ticketgate my view was that McClaren was here until the summer, we were getting a point a game but that was masked by the ‘glory’ of the cup runs.
At the end of that season he left and we had what I called last of the summer wine footballers, wandering about with nothing to do but draw their money.
I have said it before and in this thread. Mr Gibson, as much as we “love” him, has made many mistakes.
As the 100% Owner, of course he has not (or does not need to) answer or disclose what went wrong in the past.
We got it badly wrong in the Premiership. To put that right,without saying what went wrong, he stated we would TRY and smash the league.
But once again after splashing the cash it has all gone wrong and ultimately at a huge cash write down.
What makes it so disturbing is that comments on here (and previously on Untypical) and on other social media sites about our recruitment from its structure down to who we have actually signed (usually before they have even kicked a ball for us) for years now seem to be far more accurate in their predictions than those charged with and paid for the task.
I won’t make a list of those who have been called out for being less than the sum of their fees over the preceding seasons as it serves no purpose but the fact that it is many should be a concern. Despite my concerns about the “type” or should that perhaps be “stereotype” of player TP likes hopefully he won’t be as easily persuaded or accepting of ageing Southern Europeans or the next wonder kid from far flung shores courtesy of well paid agents.
This season we suffered from the naïveté of a Chairman who is ostensibly a fan with money, a relatively rookie manager who didn’t do much before he came and a poor recruitment team, all who thought in order to try and smash the league you just needed to spend a lot of money.
Sadly this turned out not to be the case. And as RR pointed out above several of us on here would have warned against some of the signings.
I have managed to get caught up after a busy week.
Ignoring the spat between the club and the Gazette, I see that thoughts are turning to what should happen next season! And May isn’t over yet!
As Pedro says, it is Mr Gibson’s money in the club and only he makes the ultimate decisions as to how he chooses to spend it. In some ways that is a good thing but if there is nobody to sanity check his decisions, mistakes are bound to happen.
I have seen it happen in many businesses over the years where a head strong owner goes his or her own way to diastorous results. And often despite advice from others who question and say “ are you sure” to be met with, “it’s my money and business and I will do what I think best”
Now SG has been a good benefactor for the club and saved us from going bust and has funded the various projects we have been through from the Robson Revolution to the Jockification, with mixed results.
However, in my view, the financial commitment to eat at the top table now is extremely onerous and I am still not convinced that SG has the appetite to do so. I accept that other clubs have done it on a budget, Huddersfield and Bournemouth to name two although they had consistent management who knew how to get the best from players.
Does TP have the required ability? I would say yes although with his choice of players and not some of the overpaid and under performing ones that are still in the squad following GM going mad in the sweet shop last year.
Maybe the football won’t be pretty, which upsets me but if we want to play with the big boys, then that’s what will be required I guess.
Personally, whilst I want Boroto be successful, I am not sure that I can put up with struggling on playing dull football AND losing. Losing and playing decent football, I can live with as it is entertainment which is what we pay for surely?
I always try to put myself into Others shoes to get a feel as to what maybe best. If I were SG, I would be weighing up the benefits of spending a lot of money and guving TP the tools to get us promoted and then stay up versus not spending at minimal levels to see what happens, accepting that we may be a Championship team for a long time. Failing that, the third way would be sell up to some one has the financial clout to do a Wolves.
None of those are easy ones to call as we do not know the full extent of SGs wealth/commitment although maybe what we do this close season will give us a clue!
Anyway, the sun is shining and I am struggling to see the iPad so another beer calls!
UTB
Blimey there’s a lot of experienced football chairmen and managers suddenly appearing on this thread regarding who Steve Gibson should/should not have spent his money on. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
As for the club being “bullies” for releasing a statement correcting the Gazettes incorrect figures regarding Premier League Parachute Payments? You couldn’t make it up! Unlike the Gazette.
FAA
The point GHW and myself are making is that none of it is hindsight!
I won’t speak for others but in my own case I challenged the sense in signing Barragan, Guzan and Valdes last year to name three let alone the crocked Columbian Espinosa and that was before we kicked off the season. I slated the signings of Guedioura and Gestede at the time in the January again before they pulled the shirt on. I know others raised their concerns elsewhere and on here about these and other players but thats six new players out of a supposed Premiership squad being assembled that were called out and subsequent events just proved me right.
On Tuesday night I put my neck on the block and called TP out because of that team selection and the futility of sticking an unfit Gestede on the bench. I put that in print on here before kick off as its all too easy to be wise after the event. The outcome was exactly as I (and a few more on here) feared. That said Hindsight isn’t all bad, we can at least learn from it except that MFC seem immune to that possibility.
Without wanting to argue too much about how you perceived the ‘correction’, I would certainly disagree with your second point that the tone didn’t come across as somewhat bullying in nature – the statement “the club would like to clarify a number of wild inaccuracies within the report” to me overplayed the error of what was only 12.5% overstatement – which to put in context, imagine if Boro had bought a player for say £8m and a newspaper claimed that the player cost £9m instead – would you call that ‘wildly inaccurate’? If you were being fair then you would say it was only a slight exaggeration – unfortunately the feud between the club and Gazette appears to have clouded the judgement of MFC and it tried to give the impression the Gazette was clueless.
Plus it even added “The club understands that the article also contains a number of substantial inaccuracies in relation to monies received by other clubs, but it’s not MFC’s position to clarify the income received by these clubs.” – again it sounded to me that it wanted to give a further impression that the Gazette is not up to the job.
I just don’t like the tone and as it comes on top of banning two journalists without reason, which I also find unfair as it offers no right to reply and put the Gazette in a position of either accepting that the club chooses who works for the Gazette or forces them into making a stand. As I understand the club will not discuss the matter with the paper either. All of which sounds to me like a classic case of bullying – others are free to disagree with that view but those are my reasons for calling it thus.
Looking elsewhere on this Parachute Payment saga it is interesting that there are many other sources and not just the Gazette in isolation which have all quoted that same £41M figure in addition to the Mail and Talksport who I referenced and linked to above.
Phil Buckingham from the Hull Daily Mail quoted the same figure for Hull City as did Stuart Jamieson from the Chronicle for Sunderland, Joel Sked from the Sunderland Echo and even an article in the Birmingham Mail from Mat Kendrick referenced Villa’s parachute payments as being more than £34M whilst Boro, Hull and Sunderland are receiving that magical £41,571,016 figure that keeps popping up.
Whatever the actual figure is it would appear that a large proportion of the UK Media are also quoting incorrect figures, if the £41,571,016 number is indeed incorrect. An impartial take on that would be that everyone and not just the Gazette are using incorrect figures or there is considerable confusion and misinformation nationwide on the topic including in Sunderland and Hull. Of course it may be that Trinity Mirror are deliberately trying to sabotage and undermine Sunderland and Hull as well as MFC but then that still leaves the Mail and Talksport not to mention the Premier League themselves which would indicate a similar figure. Perhaps Boro been diddled out of some cash by the Premier League?
Whatever the reason for the difference in numbers the “clarification” from MFC looks to me very petty and more out of spite than a genuine difference. Perhaps they could “clarify” their “clarification” and in doing so explain their calculations and remove all confusion and also point out the error to the other publications around Wearside and Humberside?
That would be a fair question to asked of the club RR. However as my previous post, Mr Gibson as the Chairman and Owner does not need / want to speak about or clarify any issues that have been rumbling on for some time.
Will there be a interview sometime before the new season with the Northern Echo about the aims for this coming 46 games?
Now that the dust has settled on our 2017/18 season and our disappointing showing in the play-offs, I just wanted to say a belated thank you to RR for his final match report of the season. As always, it was in my view, a fully accurate representation of events, tactics and performances, or lack of, that unfolded at Villa Park.
As Ian has often reminded us, the table never lies and the team are where they are, and justifiable so. Whilst they did not achieve the stated objective at the outset (automatic promotion), I believe they faired marginally better under TP than they would have done if GM had been left in charge.
I was initially an advocate for TP’s appointment but have since had serious reservations given his selection policy and what appears to be a dogmatic playing style. I do, however, accept that he has not had the benefit of a pre-season or a summer transfer window to change the team fully to his requirements and I think it only fair that he is supported in doing so. I believe that within the next seven months we will know if SG has made the correct appointment or not.
One aspect is abundantly clear, TP and the recruitment department need to get it right this time and ensure that the midfield is pacey and creative. I believe that there is still a core of players within the existing squad on which TP can build and produce a team capable of challenging for automatic promotion. We may, however, have to accept that to achieve it that some of our existing prime assets eg Gibson & Traore may have to move on if acceptable offers are received.
On the non-playing side, I hope that MFC get their act together and resolve the issues with the EG and that MFC also either join IFOLLOW or establish MFCTV so that those of us overseas can more easily watch our beloved team at a realistic price.
Finally, best wishes for a relaxing summer to our editorial team of Werdermouth, RR, OFB, Simon and our Historian Ken.
Thank you all for all your hard work and the information, entertainment, and amusement that you all contribute toward which is highly valued by me and I suspect also by others who are spread far and wide across the globe but still regard Teesside and MFC as home.
Thanks for those kind words it’s appreciated
OFB
Thanks KP for your comments. History, and Boro History, is often the province of the elderly. One of my favourite sayings used to be ‘Nostalgia is wasted on the young’, but I’m glad that doesn’t appear to be the case for a lot of Boro fans on this forum.
KP
I’ll drink to that but, as I’ve said many times, I’ll drink to anything!
I’ll drink to that too steely
KP
I have my historic reservations about TP but there are a couple of rays of light.
At Stoke he did bring in the likes of Etherington, Pennant and Charlie Adam. All players with pace and/or a pass, in Adam;s case a fearsome shot.
The other is the fact he got more out of Adama than anyone previously. He also gave Bamford plenty of pitch time.
He has a ‘style’ but according to Derby fans we didn’t play in that style.
Lets see what happens in the summer, inject some pace into the side so that we play four attackers whatever the formation. It doesn’t mean headless chicken but players who look forward and play with pace.
No projects who get a couple of appearances unless they come out of own academy.
A nearly final thought on ‘Spatgate’. I am just baffled.
Nice post KP and one which we all on this Blog would applaud.
It has been a remarkable season on here with the journalism (sorry I cannot think of a better word) within the Headliners, Match Reports, In2views and Talking Points of the highest calibre and as often has been said, would not disgrace some of the better written football sections in those newspapers.
I just hope that all four can find the time and energy needed to continue next season even if it is in a more contained way. I do not dive into other blogs, but just occasionally seeing some of the replies that are written to some of the reasonable Gazette articles makes one appreciate the articulate and humorous posters that we have on here.
If it is to be Mr Pulis then I hope he chooses his new players well and give all of us something positive to write about.
Many thanks for all the nice comments from my fellow bloggera
OFB
Werder
Without being facetious it wasn’t 12.5% of of £8 million though. According to the club press release the difference is £34.9 million (MFC figure) as opposed to £41 million (Gazette figure) for the coming season and £41.6 million (MFC figure) and £48 million (Gazette figure) for last season.
To put it into a context I can relate to imagine your employer told the tax man you had been paid an additional 12.5% in wages, you are then taxed on this additional income even though you haven’t actually received it. Not to worry though because it’s only an overstatement.
Not trying to be obnoxious gents, just a different take on the situation.
I do agree that both Gibson and the Gazette need to be on the same side so hopefully common sense, and some pride swallowing from the chairman will prevail. I won’t mention it again.
On a different topic as I’m hom for a couple of weeks, I’ve decided doing some weeding in the garden and reorganizing some shed shelves is infinitely more interesting than the FAs annual self congratulatory pat on the back and beano at the home of the beautiful game.
“reorganising shed shelves…”
Now there’s a man after my own heart!
“reorganising some shed shelves…”
Now there’s a man after my own heart!
I would only add that the point of the £8m versus £9m analogy was only to describe that the phrase ‘wildly inaccurate’ in my view is wildly exaggerated – Though my main view is that I can see no benefit to anyone in this feud and it will only persist indefinitely with such use of language.
Good luck with the gardening as it can be heavy duty stuff, I’ve been on such duties for around two weeks now – plus I knacked my wrist digging out the remnants of three laurel bushes yesterday after my spade hit something immovable! I’ll be having a root and branch inquiry tomorrow…
Not the dreaded Taproot Enquiry. I used to hate them. Another American invention to waste peoples time.
Watching the FA Cup final – cant bring myself to want Chelsea to win however I would say that the gulf between that match and our recent outing says it all.
We can but dream,,,,,,
Watching United and Chelsea break out of defence and into attack, passing it whilst running and passing quickly is a joy to watch. Contrasted with rolling it out, taking two stationary touches followed by a predictable two metre sideways or backwards pass 20 yards out from our own goalmouth, then descend into a scrap in the middle of the park whilst we try and find Adama stood on the touchline illustrates just what is wrong with what we have and what they do.
I must admit the content from our contributors has been better then the football, I wont even mention the Gazette.
Go on then, as you insist. I don’t know what the paper is like but the MGN driven website is very poor. I guess the remaining Gazette boys are fairly frustrated.
So I am giving 10’s for our contributors for being way above average and a good read. I don’t agree with everything they write but I defend their right to write it.
I am also giving 10’s to all who agree with me. 🙂
Doesn’t that mean I get a 20?
I think its only right to point out that everyone on here is a contributor and that this blog wouldn’t be what it is without everyones time spent reading it, combined with your muses and inputs.
Hear hear RR I totally agree with that
OFB
Read Army, Read Army.
Have to admit “Read Army” had me spraying lager all over my keyboard!
That is very democratic Ian and it works for me.
UTB,
John
Having a salad post shelf sorting and I’ve had to wipe piccalilli off the screen after that one GHW!
Round 2 in the garden tomorrow Werder. Hopefully no horticultural related injuries to put me off my first home cooked Sunday dinner by Mrs FAA for over 4 months. She really does a good un!
Mrs G was very good, we didn’t have a BBQ because of the FA Cup Final.
Despite my protestations she said we would have a stir fry. One consolation is that I had to drink beer, I haven’t told her I channel hopped.
Sshhh!
Deffo BBQ tomorrow, shame about the gardening beforehand.
I saw a little at the end, the ride through the streets and the crowds all out on a sunny day.
Despite all the talk about the modern wedding and the “diversity’ it took my East European wife to point out in her classic communistic way that the ethnic mix of the crowd didnt look that diverse to her.
Reminds of when the Queen came to Stockton . . . .
Didn’t know she liked Mackems.
We are not all Mackems! 😎😀
I haven’t watched yesterday’s FA Cup Final yet (might watch the highlights tomorrow despite knowing the result), nor have I watched the Windsor wedding (definitely won’t be watching the highlights even though I can guess the result), but have been engrossed in a 39 tryfest in the four Rugby League ‘magic weekend’ matches at St James Park, with another three matches scheduled for today.
However despite another Speedway Grand Prix from Prague to look forward to next Saturday, and the European PGA flagship event taking place at Wentworth next weekend, my thoughts will also turn to Wembley and the FA Vase Final where Stockton Town will hold centre stage for our region (yes, the football season is not yet over for us Teessiders).
The FA Vase was established in 1975 for purely amateur clubs after the FA abolished the distinction between professionalism and amateurism the year before because some so-called amateur clubs were paying their players in kind, if not in cash. The FA Amateur Cup was abolished and the FA Vase replaced it for clubs below tier eight in the English football league system. The Northern League (the second oldest surviving football league in the World) had a proud record of success in the FA Amateur Cup with Bishop Auckland winning it 10 times, Crook Town 5 times, Stockton 3 times (once against Eston United), Middlesbrough twice, and West Hartlepool, South Bank, Willington and West Auckland all solo winners.
Northern League clubs initially didn’t have the same success in the FA Vase (Guisborough Town being the only club to even reach the final in the first 20 years). Whitby Town became the first club from the Northern League to win it in 1997 followed by Whitley Bay five years later. However this season will be the tenth year in succession that a Northern League club has reached the final and the previous nine finals has produced seven winners – Whitley Bay 3 successive wins (the only club to have done so), and wins for Spennymoor, North Shields, Morpeth and South Shields with West Auckland twice being beaten finalists in 2012 and 2014.
Admittedly no Teesside club has won the FA Vase but nevertheless the Northern League has a fine record in this competition so Stockton Town has a lot to live up to. I wish them every success on Saturday, but whatever the result they have to be congratulated on two successive promotions, being Champions of the Wearside League two years ago, then Champions of the Northern League Second Division last season. Here’s hoping for some Teesside football success this season!
Ken, what year was it, when Gisborough Town were in the final? If I remember correctly, it was in the early 1980’s as I was that week on Teesside and used a friend’s season ticket as he went to Wembley. And what was the result?
Up the Boro!
Ken
I believe the FA Vase final is today with a 12:15 kick off as part of a double header with the FA Trophy
http://www.thefa.com/sitecore/content/the-fa/www-clubwembley-com/home/events/2018/fa-vase-and-trophy-finals-day
https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/44163326
As we head wildly if not inaccurately towards the 600th comment, it’s probably about time to publish an In2views piece from OFB – this week it’s Royston Vasey, who I’m sure most will know as the more famous veteran Middlesbrough comedian Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown – with dare I say a local interview for local people…
https://diasboro.club/2018/05/20/in2views-royston-vasey/
Stockton sadly lost 1-0 to a 23rd minute penalty.
Just one minute later than Man Utd succumbed to the same fate less than 24 hours earlier in a Wembley final, at least they are in good company!
Oh dear, mea culpa, and a defeat to boot!