Championship 2018-19: Week 25
Sat 19 Jan – 15:00: Boro v Millwall
As we approach the latest anti-climatic milestone on the road to nowhere, there has been much talk of unicorns in the media of late. While tales of mythical beasts that roam in a land far far away may have become the metaphor of choice for those who seek to ridicule their opponents – it appears for those who have been blessed by the footballing gods, there were also stories of other mythical beasts that graze in the forgotten lands of the Championship. In the press conference that followed the first-leg crushing of Burton, Pep Guardiola paid tribute to his opponents by declaring: “I wanted to congratulate them for an incredible tournament. They beat mythical teams – like Aston Villa and Middlesbrough.”
What kind of sky-blue thinking is this from the City manager? Can it be true that Boro only exist in our collective imaginations? Perhaps he was possibly just taking the proverbial or was left grasping for a suitable adjective to describe two clubs who mysteriously failed to turn up against their semi-final opponents – though it seems Burnley and Forest, who were also slain by Burton on their quest for the treasured trophy, managed to escape mythical tag. The Brewers looked decidedly punch drunk after their 9-0 lashing at the Etihad Stadium and suddenly many on Teesside gave a collective sigh of relief with the revisionist view on Boro’s meek exit in the Carabao Cup was perhaps a good result in hindsight.
Nevertheless, despite their new-found mythical status, the narrative for Boro this season has been one of missed opportunity at the Riverside and a lack of belief that Tony Pulis is prepared to unleash his team against Championship opposition. It’s become clear to most observer that what is hindering Boro’s promotion campaign is their inability to collect points at home. Boro currently sit in 21st place in the eight-game home form table with just six goals scored and two wins chalked up against bottom-club Ipswich and strugglers Wigan – who are incidentally joint-bottom of the 8-game away form table with just 2 points.
Tony Pulis may have saddled up his own particular unicorn and has so far ridden out a series of ineffective blunt single-striker performances at the Riverside, which have often proved to be little more than a fantasy in terms of delivering those magic goals to beat the opposition. Although, we recently caught a glimpse of what is possible with a unicorn-culling line-up in the FA Cup where any accusations of dinosaur tactics were laid to rest with an unexpected Triceratops-inspired three-pronged striker attack. OK, Pulis may have over-compensated on that particular over-crowded arrangement but giving the opposition defence multiple problems is perhaps the way to go at home – particularly if he can continue to get his only recognised playmaker in Wing to orchestrate the attack and play to his forwards strengths. The question is whether the Boro manager has seen the light and is ready to illuminate the Riverside with much brighter way forward.
However, the fear for the Boro faithful is that the outlook at the Riverside will remain gloomy if an over-cautious Tony Pulis continues to decide against gambling to achieve victory. In truth we’re still in the dark on whether the Boro manager is ready to change tack but the question is how long will they be prepared to endure the darkness if business as usual fails to make Boro shine? Perhaps we could draw on the experience of professional poker player, Rich Alati, who was posed a similar dilemma by fellow player, Rory Young, and whether he could last 30 days in isolation in a completely darkened room. After an hour of discussion, a bet of $100,000 was agreed between the men, which would be paid to the other depending on whether Alati stayed the course or not.
At the beginning of November last year, Alati entered a soundproofed bathroom with no light or access to the outside world and would receive four randomly spaced meals each day so that he couldn’t judge the passing of time. All he had to pass the time was a yoga mat, a resistance band and a massage ball, plus of course a bath with some lavender oils and sugar soap – though no Tony Pulis flannel or the froth of Boro bubble bath apparently.
While the risk of going crazy in such a situation must be high, Boro fans usually find that lying down in a darkened room with the hands over their ears is what normally keeps most of them sane following a disappointing game. Young was banking on the fact that studies found that prisoners placed in solitary confinement usually started to crack after 15 days and indeed United Nations has declared keeping someone for more than two weeks in isolation constitutes torture – something Tony Pulis may need to be made aware if he plans to continue with a lone striker. While the definition of torture may be different on Teesside, symptoms of anxiety, anger and despair would likely manifest themselves – though that’s in isolation not the Riverside in case any were wondering.
Despite experiencing hallucinations of white balls floating around – perhaps in a similar way that Boro’s isolated lone strikers sometimes speak of – Rich Alati passed the 15-day mark in good mental shape thanks to his meditation skills. It was at this point that Rory Young realised he was probably going to lose the bet and offered Alati a deal to come out, which eventually after several days of haggling was agreed at $62,400 and he emerged on Day 20 wearing very dark glasses to protect his eyes. Whether some of the Boro faithful would have chosen to remain in a darkened room for longer is not known – though it may be dependent on expectations that Tony Pulis is preparing to move towards more positive tactics.
Incidentally, not all bets among competitive associates always end amicably – especially if alcohol is involved. The cautionary tale of four golfing buddies, who were indulging in a few beers in the clubhouse may serve to act as a warning of the dangers of gambling more than you’re prepared to lose. One of the group, Everitt Sanchez, took up the rather unusual wager that involved a somewhat unintended personal hygiene use of a golf ball washer that had been installed at the club. Keen to win the bet, Sanchez had managed to precariously straddle the ball washer and successfully lowered his rather delicate dangly bits into the machine – though before he could collect his winnings, one of the group mischievously decided to crank up the speed on machine, which consequently wedged Sanchez’s scrotum into the mechanism. As Sanchez passed out with pain, he then unfortunately fell, detaching himself from the more tender parts of his anatomy that were still trapped in the machine. I’ll spare you some of the more graphic details but this episode earned Sanchez the accolade of being the first surviving person to be nominated for a Darwin Award – normally awarded to those who died due to gross acts of stupidity that prevented them from passing on their genes to the rest of humanity. So as our friend Ray Winstone would say “Please gamble responsibly.”
While those on Teesside may have been traumatised after witnessed their fair share of eye-watering displays this season, there is hope that the manager can soon find a team that makes the Riverside a more daunting prospect for visiting sides. Britt Assombalonga had shown in recent weeks that he can score goals if Boro play to his strengths – including the top-corner curling effort against Blackburn, that coolly slotted finish in the Cup when played in on goal and that great chipped effort last week against Birmingham. The £15m man has been feeding off scraps under Pulis’s preference to play with a lone striker with his back to goal and it’s clearly not his game. Those three goals mentioned earlier were the culmination of him running towards goal after the ball was delivered to his feet – it highlights how getting the best out of players can be achieved.
Boro arguably have the players to hurt teams and it will be hard to think that Tony Pulis hasn’t noticed what has worked better. From the vantage point of supporters, it appears players such as Wing, Tavernier, Saville, Assombalonga and new arrival Rajiv van La Parra could form quite a dynamic attacking force – plus most of them have proved they can score goals. The Boro manager has so far persisted with Howson, Downing and Besic in the hope they deliver the kind of threat that it seems has eluded them for quite some considerable time.
This Saturday sees the visit of Millwall to the Riverside and it is the return fixture of the opening day of the season in which Boro made that very late comeback to draw 2-2. You may recall that Tony Pulis’s side had for the first hour at the Den been lacklustre and it was the introduction of Wing and Tavernier that swung the game in their favour. Perhaps the Boro manager will consider starting with both of them this time from the off rather than risking the need for another late rescue operation. While Wagner may have heard the fat lady sing his demise down the road at Huddersfield, it’s possible that we’ll see a performance of the Flying Dutchman that he loaned to us if van La Parra makes his Riverside bow. Also I’m sure George Saville will be keen to prove he’s worth the £7m fee that his club agreed on so he could join Boro – though that may be more aimed at the supporters of his new club.
After beating Ipswich 3-0 at the end of October, Millwall then went eight games without a win and dropped into the bottom three, which seemed to act as a wake-up call as they then won three on the spin before the defeat last week at home to Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn. Manager Neil Harris has been unable to build on the good second half to last season that saw his team narrowly lose out on a play-off place after showing automatic promotion form with 46 points from 23 games. The Lions are currently down in 20th spot and 15 points outside the top six and I suspect they will be more concerned with not getting dragged into a relegation battle – though having said that, they were 12 points outside the play-offs at this stage last term.
Boro have a chance to continue to close the gap on the teams above them with both Norwich and West Brom failing to win any of their last three games – in fact the Canaries have only won one of their last six after an amazing run of 25 points from 27 saw them hit top spot. This has allowed Sheffield United to make a move into the automatic promotion spot after a run of four victories on the bounce has seen the Blades cut to the promotion chase.
Meanwhile, Leeds recovered from their mini-festive wobble after a win over Derby that was played with the controversy of ‘Spygate’ still lurking in the background. The Leeds manager, Marcelo Bielsa, admitted openly to sending a camouflaged employee with binoculars to the Derby training ground to gain helpful information on Frank Lampard’s tactics – something he claimed was a perfectly acceptable practice back in Argentina. Whether Tony Pulis has been inspired to deploy agent Flemming behind enemy lines in East London is something we may never know but let’s hope Millwall don’t find out about our top secret plan of starting on Saturday with a lone strike!
Why change ?
⚽️⚽️
OFB
Gadgies 3 Diamond Geezers 1
I’ll be happy with a two goal win. With a bit more attacking freedom, the kind Vossen (2015), Traore (2018) and Bamford (both years) gave us, we could win by more. How about some time for Fletcher?
Addendum.
It’s been another one of those mornings where I found myself reflecting on how I see Boro. As something of an outsider, someone from Northern Ireland who attached himself to the area when he first saw how much this unjustly sneered at “little” club wanted to burst the big boys’ bubble.
We erred, many times, during 1995-97. We know that. But we erred in trying to do the right thing. That’s what fans remember. Emotion, excitement, entertainment.
As time went by I came to appreciate consistency and stability more, appreciating what I learned about tactics from repeated readings of football autobiographies and books. It gave me a newer perception on the game, a different way of enjoying it, which has continued to this day.
It goes a little beyond that. Back in 2015 there was a new found excitement amongst the NI Boro Supporters’ Group (yes, we have one) that we hadn’t had for years, and neutral fans who spoke to us kind of shared it too. I think, as a certain Tees Exile implied back then, that we were happy to have a solid defence, a strong squad, a manager who seemed like he was going places (and was ultimately found out, but it happens to nearly every manager anyway, so… so what?) and a club that frequently picked up points and consistently hovered around the top of the table all season. We hadn’t had that for years. So we were happy.
More than that, we, and neutrals, watched us batter Derby and Ipswich at home on TV. We saw passion, pressing, and in the latter game, a handful of beautifully taken goals which we can still marvel over to this day, thanks to YouTube. We also saw, on video and in print, an 8-1 aggregate scoreline against Millwall featuring one of the best Boro team goals of the decade, finished off by Bamford.
Concrete, explicit proof of progress and success. We, in NI, saw this and those who were lucky enough to make it to home matches told me they really enjoyed the experience too. I wasn’t so lucky – I hadn’t the funds! – but I watched the Boro as many times as I could in those days and was impressed beyond words.
Near the end of 2014-15 we were two points off the top going into the final few games. Decently placed with the best chance of going up in years.
It therefore astonished neutrals, and fans, when I told them that the Boro-based forums did not convey the same message. The level of unease reflected online after the 2-0 win over Rotherham, which took us 4th, was an understatement. What was it Paul from UntypicalBoro & DiasBoro said? “Reading some of the comments here, you would think we were fourth bottom. We really do like to beat ourselves up.”
* * * *
What brought this whole post on? A sense of understanding, really. Yet another realisation that I, watching the games on TV, may take much value in a team’s all-around improvement, off the ball movement, organisational skills, new found tactical knowledge and so on, but not everyone, including players who were perfectly happy doing their thing before a coach tried to “correct” them, for better or worse, shares, can share or will want to share that view.
I feel a Talking Point coming on.
Simon, you’ll never be an outsider, you’re one of our own.
Sat in the lounge at Wellington awaiting a flight to HK via Sydney.
Thanks Werder for another great read; as a golfer your story relating to the ball washer brought tears to my eyes!
I feel that Saturday is an opportunity for TP and the team to make a real statement of intent by showing that as well as defensive ability we are also able to comprehensively put teams to the sword.
It is, however, likely to be more of the same with the usual suspects in midfield, Wing apart, and one up front.
Another tight game and hopefully three points but OFB could be correct for once!
CoB 😎
Harrumph!
I’ll let you know sir that I have been correct on more than one occasion …….
OFB
Is HK a stop over KP or just passing through, I used to live there?
I spent two wonderful years in Sek Kong in the Army 85 – 87, took part in the Maclehose Trail race (100 km running race) in 86 and 87, also the Honk Kong International marathon in 87.
Come on BORO.
PPP
We are on the home leg of our tour and arrived in HK late Thursday night. Depart for Gatwick via Dubai stop over on Monday and then connecting flight onto Spain and due home Tuesday afternoon.
Had a wonderful trip and loved every minute of it.
Got loads of recommendations of things to see/do in HK but just won’t have the time to fit them all in. Have to make a return visit if and when funds allow.
Perhaps I should place a bet on Boro winning the league to supplement income to pay for a return trip ……… might be waiting a few years to collect!
😎😀
Thanks KP – I suspect it didn’t do much for his handicap either…
Continuing the history of Middlesbrough FC up to liquidation, the appointment of Malcolm Allison as Boro manager was perceived as rather a coup at the time. As a player he made most of his appearances for West Ham United, but became more prominent as a coach and assistant manager to Joe Mercer with Manchester City eventually taking over as manager in 1972. He often wore a fur lined coat and a fedora hat with a cigar in his mouth. He was dismissed by City after two years and then became manager of Crystal Palace which proved to be his most productive season. However he rarely stayed at a club very long and when he returned to manage Manchester City was given a huge transfer kitty. What worried me was why would he want to come to Boro who had no money to spend. He was certainly a good coach, one of the best in the country, but I had doubts about how he would fit in as a manager of a team skint and on the slide. True Boro had some young talent at the time and his coaching capabilities were unquestionable, but as a manager I had my doubts.
I did meet him once at Redcar’s Coatham Bowl. Redcar had been quite an entertainment centre in the late 1950s and well into the 1960s. The New Pavilion provided a Variety Show called ‘Radio Tymes’ in the Summer months where Larry Grayson made his mark, although he went under the name of Billy Breen at the time, and during the Winter months various repertory companies played. The Coatham Hotel was the venue for Redcar Jazz Club with such star bands as Kenny Ball, Alex Welsh, Terry Lightfoot, Johnny Dankworth and Acker Bilk playing to full houses, and the Council owned Pier Ballroom was regularly a sell out at weekends. At the time I was working as an Audit Clerk with Redcar Corporation and one of my duties was checking the ticket sales and cash income on Mondays.
Redcar Bowl was built as a 10 pin bowling alley, but initially became a Langbaurgh Council owned venue principally used as a ballroom/disco centre at weekends following the demise of the storm-ravaged Pier Ballroom, but eventually also as a concert hall. By that time I had become Finance Officer in the Council’s Recreation and Amenities Department monitoring the budget, although engaging and ticket pricing was done by the Chief Entertainments Officer who was also in overall control of the bars which usually determined whether any event broke even or not. You win some and you lose some, for example income from appearances of Moira Anderson, Suzi Quatro and Tony Capstick were full houses, and for Paul Daniels we could have doubled our sales. But lectures were rarely successful and the explorer Ranulf Fiennes and particularly Fred Trueman were very poorly attended especially the latter where less than 30 people turned up. Mindful of those disasters, I asked the Chief Entertainments Officer how much was this going to cost. Nothing was the reply except for his petrol money, it’s a Boro publicity show where Allison will talk about his career, his aspirations for Middlesbrough FC with a question and answer session to follow, and that’s how I met him. He seemed quite personable and of course like all Boro fans, I hoped he could turn things around for the Boro.
As it happened he couldn’t work under the budgetary constraints of the Boro Board of Directors, and I knew it wouldn’t be a long term appointment, but those words “It’s better for the club to die” soured any feelings I had for him. Little did I realise though that his words might be a premonition and almost come to fruition two years later.
Willie Maddren was hamstrung from the beginning. If we thought that Tony Mowbray was given a difficult job in 2010, it paled into insignificance to what Willie had to put up with. Initially Willie acted as an assistant to Jack Charlton who had taken over as caretaker Manager, but after taking over as Manager before the 1984/85 season his remit was to cut costs wherever possible. With no cash signings there had also to be strict salary limits implemented. First of all Mick Baxter, one of the highest earners was given a free transfer, Mick Kennedy was transferred to Portsmouth for £100,000 and Darren Wood a month into the season for £40,000 plus the return of Tony McAndrew in part exchange. Maddren brought in Mick Buckley on a free transfer and also their former striker David Mills as a player/coach. One little anecdote I learned was that ‘coach’ had another meaning as well, because David’s first job was to drive the first-team coach on a pre-season tour of Scotland.
The season started badly with only one point from the first 6 matches and Boro rock bottom of the league. Boro then won their next 3 matches including an away match 3-0 to Sheffield United. The preceding home fixture against Charlton Athletic had produced an all-time low for a League match of 4,172, but perhaps buoyed by 2 successive wins, the next match against Manchester City attracted 7,735 customers. David Mills had started well with 7 goals in the first 11 matches and Boro had reached a position of 16th. However the next 9 matches produced only one win away at Brighton and 3 draws, so Boro were back in the mire third from bottom. A 3-0 win at Carlisle on Boxing Day gave some hope of a revival, but that was short lived as Boro won only one more match by early April and with just 6 more matches remaining were esconced in 19th position and with David Mills out injured for the rest of the season things were bleaker than ever. Even worse the match against Notts County in February produced a new record low attendance of 3,364 spectators. Two home wins against Brighton and Fulham kept Boro just above the relegation mark, but a goalless draw in Boro’s last home game shoved them into 20th and Boro needed to win at Shrewsbury in their last game to be safe. They managed that 2-0 with a healthy support of away fans. David Mills had scored 14 goals in his 31 appearances before his injury terminated his playing career, whilst David Currie scored 11.
The 1985/86 season saw the debuts of Gary Pallister (although he was injured in his first match and missed the next 14), Donal O’Riordan, Gary Rowell, Tim Heard and more tellingly Bernie Slaven in October. Boro won their first home game 1-0 against Fulham, but apart from a 1-0 win away to Sheffield United that was to be the only other win until mid-November when Boro defeated Oldham Athletic 3-2 with a late goal from Gary Rowell.
In early December Mike McCullagh and fellow director Peter Cook resigned with Alf Duffield taking over as Chairman and following a 1-3 defeat at Charlton, Maddren was dismissed even after winning a relegation match 3-0 at Fulham and a home match against Sunderland 2-0 in December before a crowd of 19,701. Boro were still just outside the bottom three when Bruce Rioch who had just recently taken over as coach was appointed as Manager. However the long sequence of matches where Boro could only win one match at home to Grimsby Town in 11 matches continued. Away wins 3-0 at Huddersfield and 1-0 at Blackburn plus a surprising 1-0 home win against Portsmouth at last took Boro out of the bottom 3. Then two successive away defeats to Oldham and Bradford City put them now in the bottom 2. Boro won their final home match with an emphatic 3-0 victory against Millwall meaning nothing short of a win at Shrewsbury could give them a chance of escaping relegation. Boro lost 1-2, but it was academic because Blackburn also won so Boro finished 21st, one point behind Carlisle but 4 behind Rovers. Gary Rowell was top scorer with 10 goals and Bernie Slaven scored 8.
I don’t intend to write in detail about what followed with liquidation, as it is well documented and I guess everyone knows what happened during the Summer months of 1986, but sometimes I may recall the post-liquidation years if there is any interest. But as those seasons are still vivid in the memory of most bloggers, it may well not be needed, but will certainly continue if there is an interest. Nevertheless I’ve enjoyed researching the history of our great club, and although most people are not particularly interested in the past, it has always been a passion of mine. So it’s not particularly my swansong and I hope to still be a contributor on this forum, and I’m always willing to give any historical facts when requested. I thank everyone for their indulgence at some of my ramblings, and like everyone else hope that this season ends in promotion by whatever means.
Keep on writing Ken. I love your Boro histories, and always have.
Thanks for all the history you have shared. It has been a fabulous read. Like Simon said, don’t stop. Even though lots of us can remember these times well, many others can’t and there are many others to come that might find your record of events of great interest.
Bob meets Mal
It wasn’t the first time I’d had a job interview in a Pub, but they’d usually been held in a private room or even a bedroom. This interview was going to be in the public area where everyone around could hear me and would know what was going on. I’d entered the lounge of the Baltimore in Middlesbrough looking round to see if I could spot the men I was going to meet. These guys had come up from London to see me and then decide if I was to have a local job with British Offshore Gas for the next two years.
The expensively decorated and stylishly furnished room in black and silver looked more like an upmarket night club than a pub. Not surprisingly, the owner had two nightclubs and had obviously used the same designer for them all. Although it was an early Monday lunchtime and the start of the week, it was already quite busy and lots of men and women were sat with glasses in hand, dotted around the room. Either a lot of meetings were going on, or it was an adulterer’s paradise!
A tall man, aged in his mid- thirties with longish dark hair, smartly dressed in a grey suit and brown brogues, got up from a corner table and approached me.
“Hi, are you Bob?”
I nodded, trying to look calm and collected. He shook my hand with an extra firm grip. Ouch, I tried hard not to wince!
“I’m Mike Dobson, I’m going to be the Lead on the site, come and have a seat.”
I followed him to the table where a small tubby man, aged around forty, sat at a table peering at me through round rimless glasses. Aged around forty, his wispy blonde thinning hair was combed over his balding pate Bobby Charlton style to hide his lack of hair. He also had a Mexican style droopy moustache with wet ends, where they had strayed into his lager.
“Afternoon Bob, I’m Chris, we’ve spoken on the Phone a few times.”
He pronounced his name as Kwis. I always felt sorry for people who had a lisp and especially those whose own names caused them so much trouble during their lives. I sat down next to Kwis and Mike still standing said.
“What’ll you have to drink Bob?”
Picking up the empty glasses from the table. I looked at the table and even though it was only one o clock, there were four empty pint glasses on the table and they were just finishing another. These lads liked a pint I thought to myself. Should I have a mineral water as I had planned, or be one of the lads and join them? Oh, what the hell I thought, if I got drunk and showed myself up, I could always go for another job.
“I’ll have the same as you lads please.”
“Right that’s three pints of lager then.”
Mike came back a few minutes later and handed round the Lager.
“What do you know about the job?”
Mike was putting his glass down carefully, so he wouldn’t spill it after filling it to the brim
“Just what Chris has told me about it on the phone over the past couple of weeks.”
I replied, picking my own pint up for a gulp or two.
“Right, I’ll give you the rundown on what it’s all about.”
He then proceeded to tell me for the next ten minutes about what he’d done in London, setting things up for the commercial control. Now it’s a funny thing about interviews, if you say nothing for a while, the guy asking the questions will start answering them as well. They’ll tell you how the job should be done and what they have done. It’s quite easy to do really and a good tip for anyone who is looking for a start in a promising career position. Mike looked at his empty glass almost wistfully.
“I’ll get them”
I said, standing up and making my way over to the Bar. At the bar, a guy was sat on a chrome and black bar stool. Immaculate in a cream linen suit with a blonde girl in her late twenties, dressed in a blue mini skirt hanging on his shoulder. He was smoking a huge cigar and had a glass of champagne in his hand, next to an ice bucket on the bar counter with an empty bottle in it. I reached over to signal the barmaid to order some drinks and accidentally nudged his elbow causing him to spill some champagne on his trousers.
“I’m so sorry, I’m such a clumsy sod.”
I said, wondering if I should try and mop it up, then thinking better of it.
“No problem son, there’s plenty more in the fridge.”
He turned around to face me and bloody hell! It was Malcolm Allison the manager of Middlesbrough Football Club, Big Mal himself. I had actually met him once in a business meeting with Alf Duffield who owned an offshore heavy lifting company and was also the Chairman of the Boro.
“Are you a Boro fan?”
I nodded, he obviously didn’t recognise me.
“Come and have a glass of champagne and keep me and Fiona Company.”
The blonde girl smiled and sighed, which made her ample chest heave.
“Well thanks for that, the invitation that is, but I’m having a job interview with those two guys over there.”
“Well tell them to come and join us as well.”
It wasn’t a request it was an order, a voice used to command and obviously he always got everyone to do what he said.
“Could you do me a great favour?”
I asked.
“Of course, you want an autograph?”
“No, it’s not that, sorry, I mean yes, later please, but could you pretend to be a friend of mine and that’s why you’ve invited us all over.”
He grinned and winked at me,
“You’d better let me know your name is in that case”
“It’s Bob”
“Fine Bob let’s have a party”
He then ordered another bottle of champagne from the bar just by raising one finger. Good job he wasn’t ordering two I thought as I made my way back to my table to speak to the guys.
“I’ve just been talking to a friend of mine, Malcolm Allison the football manager and he would like us to go over and have some champagne with him.”
Little Chrissy looked at me all glassy eyed, pushed his chair back and was off like a shot. I didn’t know he was a West Ham United fan and Big Mal was his hero when he used to play for them. Mike put down his glass and looked at me thoughtfully.
“How do you know him?”
“I know the Chairman of the Boro pretty well and he introduced us”
Lying through my teeth and any way, how was he going to find out it was a pack of lies?
“Right that’s fine by me.”
He said and we went over to join Big Mal and started what turned out to be a hell of a session.
“What time is it?”
Said Mike some hours later, trying to make his eyes focus on his wristwatch, I looked at the clock on the wall in front of him.
“Just after five I said.”
“Hells Bells, our London train goes at six from Darlington.”
“Catching hold of Little Chrissy, who was tottering all over the place and pausing only to pick up a small case from under his table. He ran for the door where his taxi ordered two hours ago was still waiting, clocking up the Company bill.
“What about my interview?”
I asked, thinking I must have blown my chances after getting drunk at the interview.
“Did I get the job?”
“Can you start next Monday?
He shouted back over his shoulder as he dashed through the door.
“Yes great!”
I said, slurring my words and thinking what a great interview it had been. I started looking for a phone to ring for my wife to come and get me, before Big Mal drank me under the table.
So that’s it my Diasboro friends, a true story? of how Bob met Mal.
I was at the Shrewsbury game, an all time low for me.
I’d love to hear a definitive version of the part Henry Moszkowic
played in it. It seems to be shrouded in mystery.
He of the envelope fame?
He replied to an ad in the Times Classified columns apparently and pitched up with a briefcase full of money. Has to be a story in there somewhere.
Just thought of this for you Ken, on my way home on the bus…
One day the poet turned his mind to chronicle the years,
To share the facts and fortunes of the Boro he holds dear,
For all who’ve read and still to read a treasure chest of stats,
And tales and memories regaled in writing now to last,
So don’t stop Ken the jobs not done until you’re up to date,
With every ghost that ever entered Ayresome’s famous gate.
There are a lot of great poets on this blog !
They must spend a lot of time on the jog!
OFB
Do I need to apply for a Visa to see a Boro match live in the future? What is going on in the UK?
In rest of the Europe I do not need to stop at a border. Soon it might be more difficult to visit Teesside than visiting Russia. Dear me.
I am really worried about Boro and other companies in the UK. Up the Boro!
PS. I make a living selling goods made in Dumfries, Scotland. Not looking good and might even affect my family, too. UTB!
Jarkko
All applications for a visa to watch future Boro exit games shall be made in writing (in triplicate) with a suitably endorsed bankers draft made out to Original Fat Bob. I only accept pounds not euros or any other currency but a few cream cakes might sweeten the deal!
Please confirm that you are willing to enter this transaction and that you wish to remain and not be a Boro exiteeer.
OFB
Another great read Werder as usual. It might just be me but when clubs employ statisticians and tech boffins scouring, analysing videos and inputting opponent data on games and tactics and how many metres are ran etc. surely watching an upcoming opponents public training session is a no brainer. It’s not very gentlemany granted but intense information gathering and digestion is how the game is these days. Don’t know what all the fuss is over spygate, Bielsa won’t have been the first and certainly not the last.
On Saturday I do hope lessons have been learnt as our home performances have been bleedin awful to endure despite Peterborough.
Werder, it’s amazing where you find these little stories in your weekly previews. The one about the golfer made me wince and certainly put my concerns into having a fresh catheter inserted into perspective.
I’ve recently got into the habit of bookmarking stories I come across that catch my eye – though the golfing story was one I remembered from an article on the Darwin Awards. As for inserting a fresh catheter – I think it definitely sounds like wincing territory!
Thanks RR – I suppose with Spygate it’s about where you draw the line, using available data is one thing but I guess once a manager starts believing everything is permissible then what about getting your hands on the teamsheet, eavesdropping on conversations or even like some Asian bookmakers did with cricket – paying players for information. Having said that, I wonder how much info is shared between players on social media these days. Though at the end of the day we have become cynical and are no longer shocked that sportsmanship is something we no longer expect – what is the standard practice of simulation if it’s not blatant cheating.
Me too RR its been a pain going to the games !
I enjoyed the Pboro game and ??????????/ hard to think of another really!
Hope you get home ok tonight after being delayed
Cheers
OFB
I find it hard to believe that football commentators and pundits still don’t know the rules of VAR. watching Southampton and Derby it’s painfully obvious they don’t.
They also failed to pick up that Shane Longs injury was a gash on the knee caused by accidental contact with an opponents studs.
Great read Werder. The thought of mythical (though not to some) unicorns and TP together in the same piece was a little strange. Not as strange as Peps comment mind , but suffice to say his English is way way better than my Spanish!
Going to be a hard fought game on Saturday. From the Brum game I’d go with VLP in for Besic, Brit for Howson and play 442. Tav as a replacement for VLP if/when he tires due to lack of match fitness. It won’t happen but you can dream.
Thanks FAA, I suspect something got lost in translation with Pep – unless he knows something he’s not letting on. As for unicorns – I think they’re very old school indeed…
I think you’re right, Werder: the Spanish adjective “mítico” also means “legendary”, which I imagine is what he actually meant, but he chose to go with the “faux ami” (“false friend”) instead. That said, Boro legendary?!!!
Great introductory piece, by the way. 🙂
Thanks – No doubt Guardiola has probably been told about the legendary team that beat City 8-0 rather than the mythical scorers under Pulis that has only scored eight goals in their last ten home games.
If a Unicorn creeps up on you from behind is that a PIA?
OFB
I’ve been thinking about formations as well and have been trying to work out whether 4-4-2 or three at the back actually frees up more players to go forward. Both of them can accommodate two forwards and i think that the mood of the blog is that we want to see Hugill and Assombalonga starting up front together.
Looking at 4-4-2, it seems to me to depend a bit on whether we keep Clayton’s role as a defensive midfield cover. It then really becomes 4-1-3-2. The attraction of either version of this system is that we can position Wing and Saville behind the front two and then support them with the full backs and even another wide player such as VLP/Tav.
Playing three at the back looks to be more defensive but could be played without the defensive midfield role. It could also be played with very attacking wing-backs which is one of the ways that a new fast player could fit into the team.
UTB
Random words of wisdom from the past, which Ken is so brilliant at looking into.
We’ve heard Ken, now it’s almost time to hear Len. Last Christmas I named The MAC’s production of The Elves And The Shoemaker my favourite show of the holiday season. It was Hans Christian Andersen given a contemporary slant, adapted to align with the unpopular proposed development of part of Belfast’s much loved Cathedral Quarter, otherwise known as Tribeca. (Last week it was reported that the Tribeca name was rejected, but the proposals still remain.)
But anyway. The problem here, and I think many at Boro will relate to this, is that the developments are not in tandem with what the community in the CQ wish to identify with. In Elves you have a socialite landlady, Ms. Perkins, who would love to get the local shoemaking couple off their property so she can redevelop it herself. She expects them, as more than one player or coach was expected under Aitor (and other authoritarian types too), to become very large sponges – do as they’re told and conform. They don’t, and they keep paying the rent, so she takes her win-at-all-costs-and-to-heck-with-what-everyone-else-says mentality out on them and secretly robs the property. This leaves them facing a much tougher challenge of paying her in time – needless to say that, with the help of three elves, they’re up to it, and Perkins even gets an earned redemption after being put through the wringer herself.
It’s hilarious and quite brilliant. But where was I? Ah yes. In reviewing the show my mind went back to one of Len’s best comments.
“The only guarantee that we have lived, that we are individuals, is that we have effected some form of change, made a difference. Human beings should have higher aspirations than to emulate a sponge. Whatever your boss says.”
Money and sticking-to-the-rules wins things, sure, but what is the game without emotion and romanticism? We need our Valdanos as much as we need our Rafas.
To borrow Valdano’s words. “We want calculations to be proven correct before the game has even started. Big data and mathematical projections are making their way on to the field of play to tell us things I don’t want to know. We love football for its imprecision, its moments of genius and its mistakes, when the ball bounces badly and the left-back plays terribly… And there’s no equation that can explain that.”
There’s something to be said for that.
Great contributions from Werder and Ken.
I would like to hear a lot more of the Boro history Ken.
Although we all lived through it, there are bits of the history that escape my memory and I wonder why. Then I consider that maybe I had other important things going on in my life at that time and football took a back seat for a while. Or was it loss of interest as Boro headed toward relegation without a whimper. I dont remember the gates being as low as 4000, I thought they had bottomed around 5500. I do remember being at the Carlisle away game that season.
Does anyone know if Boro are streaming the Millwall game live to us overseas pass holders?
Or has it been selected for TV?
It’s screening in Oz on BeIn and i see on a Millwall forum that it’s not available on iFollow. There may be a stream floating about or you may have BeIn available.
I have bein through Foxtel but only 1,2 and 3 and its not showing up on their tv guide.is it on a bein channel not shown on Foxtel?
Selwyn,
I have bein 1,2 and 3 through foxtel but is not listed in their tv guide.
Is it on a higher bein channel that is not on foxtel?
Now that he’s been given the boot by Ole, does anyone else agree that Fellaini could be the ultimate Tony Pulis midfield player. He’d be a monster in the Championship in midfield and is superb in the air. It makes me laugh to think how a side could defend free kicks and corners from Wing against Flint, Ayala, Fry, Friend, Hugill, Shotton and Fellaini with Assombalonga picking up the pieces.
He’s turned 31 and a stint in the Championship could be just right for him.
What do people think?
Nice call Selwyn, he would be a handful.
However I fear that his wages and agents fee may not sit comfortably with SG’s accountant
Selwynoz
Come on Selwyn. You are a Boro supporter.
We are not wealthy enough to sign anyone who is thirty, not under any circumstances.
Clubs which are well run, move on all thirty year olds, whatever the deal, if it moves on the veteran, it gets done.
No club has suffered more than us through signing veterans, we have had loads of them, and it does not matter if they hit a rich seam of form, they are hard to move on.
We are at present enjoying the benefits of a splendid young man who came for nothing, together with a couple of youngsters we made ourselves, with another couple in the wings who will make it big in due course.
In those circumstances I think we should call time on all the vets that we are being offered. You know it makes sense.
When he played for Everton against us I hated Fellaini but then I used to hate Robbo when he played for Man U against us!
OFB
Subject to who is fit I would go with the following:
Randolph
Fry Baath Ayala (three at the back)
George and VLP as wing backs (Tav as sub)
Clayton (enforcer and to recycle)
Saville and wing (pulling the strings with forward momentum)
Hugill and Britt (nodding them down and knocking them in)
We have nothing to fear from Millwall and need to be on the front foot from the off. an early goal and their heads will drop.
Howson and Downing can have a rest.
I have one last wish Mr Pulis, please do not be tempted to include Besic or Gestede as neither should be anywhere near the match day squad.
Crystal ball says that the above team will beat the pussycats from the den 3-0.
We can ramble on until the cows come home in regards to formations and who should fill what shirt and where, but when you’re told before the game, and constantly screamed at during it to cross the halfway line at your peril, then any formation TP puts out is there purely to defend with. Mind you, I do like a surprise now and then.
That works for me Old Billy. You can also always push VLP/Tav further forward and play 4-3-3
I would play the wing backs so far forward they would get their boots wet in the river. Well for one half at least
As some of you know I’m also a Castleford Tigers fan and regularly dip into its ‘All things Tiger’ forum which apparently has been going for 13 years. Now because of all the name calling and bickering as well as social media outlets the moderator is considering closing down the forum. Here on Teesside the Gazette forum might be growing in numbers, but a lot of that is repetitive name-calling with swearing merely disguised by the use of asterisks etc. and to me seems to be going completely out of control without any intervention from the moderator or whoever is in charge.
Meanwhile Diasboro goes from strength to strength with different views tolerated or even discussed without intervention from Werdermouth rarely needed, and for that we should all appreciate how lucky we are to have him spend so much of his time in not only giving us interesting articles, but keeping the forum in order. For people like me who live alone it is a lifeline. I may not always agree with everyone’s views as I’m sure people don’t always agree with mine, but all views are worthy of consideration and long may that continue.
I can’t remember exactly when Werdermouth started this forum, but it must be approaching its second anniversary, or maybe just past it. So on my own 81st birthday I raise a glass in congratulations to him, Redcar Red, OFB, Simon, Len and all other contributors here and abroad in saying Happy Anniversary, good health to all, keeeeeeep blogging, and of course Up the Boro!
Happy Birthday Ken,
Hoping to hear more of your posts for a long time to come.
I agree that Werders time and efforts are above and beyond and he saved the blog “Rioch style” from certain liquidation but lets also remember that all contributors have played their part by not playing the man and the blog would not exist without you all.
Happy birthday Ken and here’s to many more of them. You realise, though, that I’ve got to now go and rip the scab off a cold one for a toast to you, damn!
Many thanks Ken and many happy returns on your 81st birthday! Yes Diasboro’s second anniversary was a couple of weeks ago (3 January I think) so we’ve got a long way to go to catch you up 🙂
Also thanks to everyone for continuing to contribute and making my job of moderation practically obsolete these days – particularly as January is a very busy month for me work wise, plus not to mention the time needed to prepare for my German citizenship exam.
Happy Birthday Ken, that’s you me and Michelle Obama.
Happy Birthday GHW and I noticed I’m the same age Michelle Obama who will no doubt be celebrating my birthday in the summer on the 4th July – I also now seem to recall posting last year that you and Ken also shared a birthday with Al Capone 🙂
Happy Birthday to you too GHW.
GHW
Same to you. Muhammed Ali was also born 77 years ago today.
Happy birthday, Ken. And to GHW and rest.
Nice that someone has seen the whole career of Mohammed Ali. I love your stories about Boro in the past, Ken. Mostly I have seen the facts but often forgotten them. And you make the years gone very facinating and living memories.
Thanks again, Ken. All the best and Up the Boro!
Happy Birthday GHW!
Belated birthday wishes GHW and Ken Been in bed with man flu trying to get fit for the game !
All the best bloggers
OFB
I second that ken, and your articles are the icing on the cake before Werder puts the cherry on the top. The rest of the bloggers make this the best fansite out there by a country mile so well done every one.
Happy Birtjday Ken my sentiments about the blog and bloggers entirely
OFB
Happy Birthday Ken!
Talking of needing to study for German citizenship, I think I’ve just spotted the inspiration behind Theresa May’s Plan B…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRJby3PCfbo
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i97FkO3d_lU
Very Good! Though I thought it was Cameron who had his Trotters up…
Selwyn, Old Billy, the game is being shown on telly in Oz, it’s on Bein2 but at 06:30 on the Sunday morning. Looks like an early night and not look at the scores updates on Sky so I don’t know the score.
i was just about to put in the same info. Your timing is for Perth. It starts at 9.30 am in Sydney and so I’ll watch it ‘live’ without having looked at any scores.
Many happy returns Ken!
peasepudinperth
I also live in Hong Kong, I spent two wonderful years in Sek Kong in the Army 85 – 87, took part in the Maclehose Trail race (100 km running race) in 86 and 87, also the Honk Kong International marathon in 87.
Come on BORO.
Ken,
Many happy returns and keep up the good work about Boro, full of information and always an absolute joy to read. Thank you for the virtual Boro encyclopaedia.
Really it’s a bit to early for the forecasting of Boro results but because the ‘eyes in the sky’ have cast their runes and the ‘oracle in the shed’ has spoken I’m going for another Boro win.
Lion 3 – 0 Lions.
And no I’m not taking the myth.
UTB,
John
Thanks for all the congratulations, but I’ve just been thinking of Lewis Carroll’s poem I learnt at school but can’t remember all the verses:-
“You are old, Father William. The young man said,
“And your head has become very white.
And yet you incessantly stand on your head,
Do you think at your age it is right?”
“In my youth” Father William replied to his son
“I feared it might injure the brain
But now that I’m perfectly sure I have none,
I do it again and again”.
etc
Well I couldn’t stand on my head when I was young, but sometimes do brainless things.
Don’t we all Ken! And I have a good few years to catch you up too. Given that my MIL is in a care home with dementia and can’t remember a thing aged 78, all power to your brain I say!
I’ve started to write things down. My GP reckons it’s because I have too much going on up there with work etc but I reckon the marbles have started rolling.
PS, Forgot the terms and conditions.
Straight onto the front foot. Attacking with energy and pace. Creativity in the midfield. Fortress-like back four. Etc., etc.
UTB,
John
Just catching up on the blog after spending probably too much time (for my mental health) on following the other Unicorn drama that is going on at the moment! Enough said and let’s not go there, my own swear filters have been put to the test!
Another belter from Weder and also thanks to Ken for the continued history. This blog is such a good read and all views are welcomed without malice. Long may we continue to play the ball and not the man! Mind you the golf story had me wincing somewhat.
Happy birthday to Ken and GHW, May you both have many more to come with a promotion as well!
Onto Saturday, the formation that Old Billy outlined would work for me too and we need to be on the front foot from the start and really tame the Lions.
The lion puns have been used before, so tempting as it is, I will refrain from biting!
Forecast is for Roary 3, the toothless Lions 0.
UTB
Exmil,
Not too familiar with Sek Kong as I spent most of my time in HK on the island or over in Shekou on mainland China. Favourite haunts were always around Wan Chai frequenting the Old China Hand whilst trying (and proudly always succeeding) in avoiding the charms of the Mama Sans and their very lovely assistants trying to entice you in to their webs. Favourite has to be up in Soho pub hopping off and on the escalator that went up and down the peak. The Yorkshire pudding was my all time favourite pub, but there again the name pudding and the fact that the beer was always as good as what you got back home, Middlesbrough that it and not here.
The best and most exciting airport ever built was Kai Tak stretching out in to the harbour, where you had to fly at yet another peak then bank around between the high rise flats to land, not forgetting to apply maximum brakes when you touched tarmac to save having to swim to the terminal, brilliant. That pleasure has now long gone as they’ve moved the airport out to Lantau Island, cracking airport but the usual boring straight approach and take off you seem to get everywhere these days.
Not too fussed on Kowloon and I hated Nathan Road, same applies to the New Territories I’m afraid, but HK is still one of, if not the best place to visit on the planet.
PPP, I haven’t been back since 87 my favourite bar was Ned Kelly’s on Kowloon side. I flew into Kia Tak twice and out twice and I sure people living at the top of the high rise could see the pilots as the came in and out of the airport. I also remember the bamboo “scaffolding” tied together with reed going up 10/20 floors or even higher and the workers up and down them with no safety harness and I’m sure no boots either.
Come on BORO.
Happy Birthday to GHW and Ken. Many of ’em. And thanks to Ken for his unsurpassable history.
Thanks too to Werder for another hilarious and beautifully crafted intro to the week.
And, as ever, to Simon for his combination of scholarship and generosity of spirit.
The blog remains the best available source of perceptive and civilised discussion of all things Boro. It’s my first port of call every day, and I turn to it 3 or 4 times thereafter. For which I thank all contributors. It matters not whether I agree with individual contributions or not. They are invariably well and thoughtfully expressed, and that matters more to me than their specific content.
Belated birthday wishes to Ken and GHW.
Also many thanks to Werder for this weeks headliner, another great read with the funny lines.
Just checked the MFC web page and it does not appear to have the Millwall match as a video purchase option for overseas. Any ideas, especially as our OZ posters have said it is on BEIN over there?
PPP
I spent quite a lot of time moving around the New Territories at various speeds, mainly on foot, pretending to be a soldier, and we new Nathan Road very well, it used to be the location of a large transit camp.
We used to spend time at nineteen mile beach, not used much by the locals, but an actual tropical beach with golden sand, water the temperature of warm soup, and lots of very Green islands just off shore, oh, and you could wade out about a hundred yards and be waist deep, not bad, compared to Seaton sluice.
Many happy returns Ken and GHW and many more to come I hope. Been to a funeral today so it was heartening to come home and read happy news like that.
Thanks to Werder as well for his mythical tales … Another well written and entertaining piece.
While we’re at it, thanks to everyone…I can only echo what everyone has said. It is genuinely a pleasure to read this blog not once, not twice but many times a day.
Millwall on Saturday. I would like to think it is about time we made a serious statement of intent and give someone a good hiding in the league. 4-1 I will predict.
Proving TP selects the team to do so and gives them instructions on those lines!
But of course 😉
Happy Birthday Ken. I’m in awe of your Boro knowledge and hope you continue my education for many years to come.
Allegedly…….
ST: 15:00
Arena Sport 1 / HD Slovakia
beIN MAX 9 HD (france)
Nova Sport (bulgaria) / HD
Nova Sports 3 HD (hellas)
Sportdigital TV / HD
Telekanal Futbol
TV3 Sport HD (sweden)
ViaSport 2 HD (norge)
| DAZN Deutsch [$] (geo/R)
| DAZN Italia [$] (geo/R)
| ESPN+ USA [$] (geo/R)
| SportKlub 6 (croatia) Cable
| SportKlub 6 (serbia) Cable
| SportKlub 6 (slovenia) Cable
| ViaPlay (denmark) / HD
| ViaPlay (finland)
| ViaPlay (norway) / HD
| ViaPlay (sweden) / HD
Brilliant writing Werder / Ken / Simon / Redcar Red / and of course many others in this excellent DiasBoro which surely must win an award at some point.
Ref to Middlesbrough managers from the past, for me the best under the circumstances was Bruce Rioch.
One of the old timers in the club who was a caretaker told me that he had his bike loaded onto a van by the receivers, fortunately after explaining to them, they returned his bike. He also mentioned to me he had been at the club many many years and that Bruce Rioch was the best manager / person he had ever met.
Plato
From a longer time viewpoint, you’re absolutely right but i stil think that he could do a job for us. In business terms, buying him is dubious because he is definitely a wasting asset. How about a loan through to the end of the playoffs?
UTB
I heard that just before Brucie sold Keith O’Neill to Robbo, he made the Irishman go for a long run. Or something. Because Brucie just wanted to give O’Neill something to remember him by.
What I remember is a player who had one impressive season at wing back in 1999-2000, never scored for Boro and was never picked for Ireland again (I think) after he slipped at a corner from which Macedonia scored a late, late equaliser to condemn the Boys In Green to the play-offs for Euro 2000.
He also retired at 27.
I remember O’Neill for his attire and not much else sadly.
Too much time in the Black Bull Yarm. Very few can be a **** head and a professional footballer.
PeasePud, Plato, Exmil (and others I’m sure)
Thanks for bringing back some great memories of HK in the 80s. From 83-86, I used to cover the Far East, Oz and NZ out of London and always remember flying into Kai Tak and waving at the people in the apartment blocks. Our local manager used to enjoy ordering strange things without telling me and so I had my first piece of snake…….tasted like chicken and that’s when i fell in love with Chinese roast duck. The place was a brilliant mixture of British giovernment and Chinese business. Great fun.
I used to compare Singapore to HK and always found Singapore a bit antiseptic and HK full of life. I much preferred HK in those days.
Mrs SelwynOz and I just spent a few days in Singapore on the way back from holiday and this time i found it clean, safe and very easy to enjoy the different cultures. Maybe that’s the difference that 30 years maskes. We’re perhaps not as adventurous as we were then.
UTB
Exmil,
Ned Kelly’s is still there on Ashley Road, and when I was last there in 2017 the buildings across the road were covered in the aforementioned bamboo scaffolding, some things never change. I used to get the MTR over to Kowloon, get off at Tsim Sha Tsui and walk round for a few beers, then I’d stop off at Delaney’s on Peking Road for a few more on the way back over to Wan Chai. The other two places over in Kowloon that me and Mrs. PPP used to go to was the Mong Kok markets, she loaded up with all of the M&S/Next (all other major UK outlets as well) stuff that somehow didn’t quite make the container for shipment. Knutsford Terrace was a good place too, authentic Chinese and not a knife and fork in sight, I had to feed the missus because she’s useless with chop sticks. As for the people in the high rise seeing the pilots landing at Kai Tak, if I’d had a remote control I could have changed the channels on their telly’s for them as we went passed, we were literally that close.
Plato,
Unlike your good self and Exmil, I rode the O&G train in to HK. We liked Lamma Island, fresh seafood restaurants, well, holes in the wall with a row of plastic chairs and tables out front, with the food still slapping around trying not to go in the pan to end up as an accompaniment to a few bottles of ice cold Tsingtao beers. The waters were, as you say, lovely and warm and extremely clean for a harbour as busy as that place is. HK is so busy and with so much to see and do, that we haven’t even scratched the surface in our descriptions of the place, very happy memories.
I don’t know, you’d think that this was football blog about the Boro wouldn’t you.
PPP who needs football when you and others are making my mouth salivate and my mind meandering around the waterfront and alleyways of the orient!
“Only joking about the football”
UTB
Bri
The one place I never got to in my 33 years in the RN, that was a real disappointment. We were due to go alongside for the hand over in 97 when I was on HMS Illustrious working on Sea Harriers but for some reason the politicians thought the idea of 1200 British matelots having a chance to sample the delights of Hong Kong for the last time might not have been a good idea!
Can’t imagine for the life of me why😉
Selwyn,
I’ve lived and actually owned an apartment in Singapore, I loved that place as well, but found that they’re clearing away their culture to be replaced by modern, clean and a clinically manicured environment. I’d take HK any day over Singapore, if you’re not living there then 5 days is easily enough time to see and do the island, I could go back to HK now and still find new and different things to do.
I very rarely asked what was on the plate, any way, after a few “Ganbei’s” with the rice wine it all begins to look and taste the same. Talking of snakes, did you try the spirit from the bottle with the snake still in it? I quite liked it to be honest.
To be honest I found Singapore interesting as a fascinating example of a unit that is driving towards the future with incredible intensity and single-mindedness. However, i understand what you say about a few days being enough. The past doesn’t mean much to them and I suppose that’s there choice. I haven’t been back to Hong Kong for about four or five years. Must put it back on the list.
No, I never did drink the snake spirit.
I enjoy and am fascinated by all the contributions from ExMii, Peasepudin, Plato, Selwynoz, Borobrie, et al. Never been to Hong Kong though Paul Daniels did his National Service there in the Army whilst I was a brylcream boy at the same time in Changi, Singapore. We later swapped anecdotes about life in the two peninsulas. I was on parade at the RAF 40th anniversary celebrations, and to think we’ve just experienced the centenary celebrations just makes me wonder where all those years have gone. I like nothing better than to reminisce whether it be football, or any sport for that matter, as well as listen to folk’s visits long ago.
And all this on a football forum! Where else would one get such nostalgia?
Fascinating reading from ExMil, Peasepudin, Plato, Selwynox, et al of their experiences in the Far East. Never been to Hong Kong, tough I knew Paul Daniels was there about the same time I was in Singapore. I was on parade at the 40th anniversary of the RAF at Changi and to think we’ve only recently watched the centenary celebrations in London makes me realise how quickly time passes us by. I love nostalgia, be it football, most sports really, and people’s reminiscences of times gone by.
Well done lads, and where else would one here such stories than from an eclectic mixture of Boro fans than on a football forum? It’s now become what one comes to expect when nothing much is happening at Middlesbrough FC. As I wrote before, keep ‘em coming.
Sorry to repeat posts, but it seemed as if the first one had got lost in Space.
If it’s worth saying, it’s worth saying twice I say 😉
Wednesday night was profitable for former players, I found this report:
“Cristhian Stuani, who has been linked with Barcelona of late by Goal, scored for the 13th time in 18 games this season in Genoa’s thrilling 3-3 draw away at Atletico Madrid, a result that knocked Diego Simeone’s side out of the Copa Del Rey on away goals.
And, before the day was out, Martin Braithwaite went one better. On only his third appearance for Leganes, the Denmark international scored the winner as the underdogs beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the Spanish cup”.
Braithwaite obviously finds it easier to score against Real Madrid than Rotherham.
You couldn’t make it up!
Typical Boro
I think the key in all this is actually being played as Strikers rather than out wide or tucked away somewhere else. Strange that Strikers score when played in that role!
And they tend to score less when sat on the bench
Quick thanks for the comments on the article as the writing of which is one of the few things I seem to have any control over these days. Just found out my German citizenship exam has now been rescheduled for the beginning of March so it only leaves me four weeks to get everything sorted before Brexit. Hopefully won’t forget all the random facts that I’ve already learned – though I’m usually good at connecting random stuff together 🙂
German bureaucracy is certainly a complicated process and I’m currently working my way through an ever-growing list of required paperwork that demands official documents to be no older than six months. I therefore need to have things like my birth certificate and marriage certificate re-issued and since we got married in neutral Denmark and I am of course from England, I’m now dealing with the bureaucracy of three countries with everything being charged for issuing. Plus although I’m self-employed, I also apparently have to provide a full CV in German too as it seems whoever devised the citizenship application procedure seemingly listed every document they could think of.
In Addition, we’re also getting the paperwork together for my son’s British passport application – though thankfully no CV or marriage certificate needed for him. Perhaps I should lobby to have Article 50 extended – though I think the UK’s finest politicians are doing a good job of making that happen on their own
If all that wasn’t enough disruption, the main motorway flyover in Bremen has recently been closed due to discovering it was structurally unsafe and all traffic has been diverted along the main road that Mrs Werder uses to get to work – for at least the next two years while it’s repaired! It means that to avoid major traffic jams that triple the commute time to work from 25 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes she has to leave the house no later than 6:00am to avoid the gridlock. It has meant we’ve re-adjusted our day so we now have to get up at 5:00am.
OK all minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of life but nevertheless more things to juggle. Anyway, time to get back to the January programming work and relax in the logical world of computing!
btw Looking forward to watching the football tomorrow – hopefully the MFC live feed will be working at least…
Apparently no live feed Werder
I’ve just been checking the MFC website and you’re right the game is not being streamed tomorrow – it’s always hard to find the right page to discover if a game is being streamed or not but the following page states just audio:
https://www.mfc.co.uk/supporter-services/live-audio-and-streaming/upcoming-live-streaming-fixtures
I think if I’d known how many games were not being streamed I probably wouldn’t have paid for a season pass as I’m lucky if I’ve seen one Riverside Live game a month.
I’ve sent werder an email with photo showing all links for the game as Ican’t post it on here myself
🔴 Just uploaded the graphic for you and added to your post – Werdermouth
See E mail with links
So no BR(emen) Exit for two years in germany?
Werder
Many thanks for the pre match review quite marvellous as usual. Sorry for late response but its down to man flu!
OFB
Thanks and hope your Y Chromosomes recover soon!
Y
The question of why many a striker underwhelms or fails at Boro won’t go away.
Seeing Braithwaite score super goals for his country and other clubs… (sighs) Stuani, well, he played on the right for Uruguay and Espanyol, but even so.
The pace of the game is different in Spain, that’s one thing. Possession and shape based tactics aren’t wholly in tune with a culture raised on direct, fast and physical football. That could be one reason, also, why Forlan flopped in England but not Spain, but there was another factor – Van Nistelrooy wanted no one else stepping on his goalscoring toes. Like Scott McDonald, if you pinched a goal away from RVN he’d make his displeasure quite clear.
Another factor, maybe, is that Boro didn’t build their attack around either Braithwaite or Stuani. The recruitment team gets a poacher for the No. 9 role when the manager would rather have a workhorse.
Derby County are in talks to sign Ashley Cole.
The 38-year-old ex-Arsenal and Roma left-back is a free agent after being released by Los Angeles Galaxy in November last year.
Perhaps we should join in as we also need cover for left back. No, really, a 38-year-old signing!
Up the Boro!
I would rather we signed Cheryl!
Typically Teesside that the DiasBoro punctuate their reminiscing with Bars around the world.
Mamma Lulu’s in Escravos, Safari Club in Point Noire, Bar 7 in Abidjan, James Bond in Esbjerg, Blue Pelican in Warri, to name but a few. All on a par with our very own, Club Bongo International.
All places where you need to keep your wits about you. And they are just the legal ones!
PErhaps we should change the name of the blog to
DIAS BAR O !
OFB
OK
Your round Bob
What again ?
I got the last two rounds in!
It must be your turn ?
OFB
Or is that Deeasshhbra
It’s your Dias bar o so should be on the house.
Can I have some pickled onion crisps with mine
and a couple of pickled eggs!
According to the Mail online, Boro are targetting Lucas Jukiewiecz for a return to the Riverside, I wonder if we can do a swop for Gestede.
Come on BORO.
That will be right.
One good half season, sold him for peanuts, buy him back for 6mil with no resale value.
Brum get to pay down their debt.
If we are shopping in Birmingham I would prefer Che Adams
Still like Jota.
He hasn’t had the impact at Birmingham that he had at Brentford but at least he gets them moving forward.
Don’t need another centre forward, just need someone, apart from Wing, to supply Britt and Hugill.
Old Billy
You are spot on with your remarks about players like Jukiewiecz.
We thought we had cleaned up our team, decided that we had persuaded the club to stop signing old dead beats.
We have not, they are still capable of acts of lunacy, such as re-signing Jukeiwiecz
Or signing some American striker (in his thirties?) who has never played in Europe.
That should be interesting, listening to his tales about how strange it is to play in England as we wait for him to score some (any) goals. He will ,of course take the place of a decent player.
Same subject, why are we being linked to so called good midfielders, we have Wing, infinitely superior to anyone in this league, or are they preparing to sell him, because they certainly cannot drop him, the crowd would be seriously upset.
Best of luck Werder with all your future exams.
Sorry about the early start for your wife, but after telling us about the poor German railways, now we have poor construction work. Just shows not everything you read about German quality is true.
Also remember I have a ST that I hardly use, but then although somebody suggested buying an annual MFC expats video ST, I thought I would wait and see.
I believe MFC should be refunding some of the subscription fee.
Hope we all find a link tomorrow?
Thanks and there are quite a lot of rather technical German words to learn so will need it. As for the motorway bridge – to be fair it’s 70 years old and subject to heavy traffic but far better to spot the structural problems now than suffer the same fate as the one in Genoa in Italy.
BTW I think it was RR who wasn’t keen on the German railways but I’m not an expert on how they compare to other countries – I mainly use our local network of double-decker trains, which are probably much cheaper than the ones I used to catch when I lived in London and not as packed or creaky. Though overall Germany’s image of super efficiency and being organised is somewhat a bit of a myth – some things work well but others could be better.
As for MFC’s streaming service – unfortunately it’s out of their control as to which games are chosen for TV coverage and am sure they didn’t expect so many to be unavailable. Not sure if there is a maximum number of games that a club can be selected for TV coverage under EFL rules.
It was indeed myself who was less than euphoric about the German Rail system, having used it again this afternoon I have to say that it worked this time, train on time and arrived at my destination on time without so much as a fuss, it was indeed a rare treat.
Anyway I’m dutifully back in the Boro tonight courtesy of Manchester Airport for tomorrows game. It would have been nice to have a local Airport that I could have used and spent my money on (and in) but it appears our local councillors think otherwise in their infinite wisdom and if they have their way I will have to continue making nigh on five hour round trips for a long time to come. Still thats a battle for another day and meanwhile I’m busy grinding my axe waiting for the 24th when the Luddites get to vote and show their true colours rather than just for once be true Teessiders.
Imagine explaining to a Global VP or CEO in their hectic schedule that a two plus hour car journey to Teesside there and then back again will be worth it (traffic jams, accidents and lane closures permitting) once they see the opportunities Teesside has to offer. My guess is that they would persevere for twenty five minutes or maybe half an hour at most and order the car to be turned around but I’m sure our local leaders are all well versed in big corporate culture and how the wheels turn. At least other competing deprived areas in the UK like Hull, Sunderland, Tyneside, Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham, Bradford and South Wales etc. don’t have any handy nearby Airports either so nothing to worry about then is there, silly me. Its almost like my £20 bet and Stuani all over again!
The upside of the cancellation of streaming is a 5 star coverage on Bein if you get it so I found a way not to complain too much
All football tv coverage can be found here………
https://liveonsat.com/uk-england-all-football.php
Quite a selection GHW, unfortuanately I think we will still be relying on someone like VIPLEAGUE or FIRSTROW for our chance stream.
I mentioned Kamara at Fulham a while back ,I see he’s having trouble there . I would be straight in for him, fast,direct, has some tricks, different to what we have,and would be too good for defenders in this league
Yes,he can be frustrating but Tomlin and Ramirez where.
Back after a break in the far east, just shaken off the travel weariness.
So Millwall at home but will commentary work. Before I left I emailed MFC to say I could get all the content bar the commentary from my subscription. On my return I had received an email suggesting I try Google Chrome, Sadly that can cause problems with work related content so isn’t an option – every thing is based on Windows operating systems..
A couple of points to note. If I can get everything else why cant I get commentary? Secondly, I pay for my subscription, it is not up to me to provide the service.
Let’s see how we get on this afternoon.
Just a quick comment on the visits of us on here to pubs worldwide, as I remember when giving directions back home there was always a reference to the nearest pub to the destination required, they were landmarks that everyone knew.
On my travels I’ve yet to reach my project and not find another Boro lad either on site or living at the location, and that includes the Russian Arctic Circle and the remote deserts of Iraq and the Yemen to the highlands of Malaysia and the back of beyond in China.
I was actually on a project in a place called Emerald, it’s a coal mining/cotton/citrus town an hour and a half’s flight out of Brisbane over in Queensland, right in the middle of nowhere and with a population of around 15,000 souls, I was told that I’d never find another Boro lad anywhere near it. I joined the local golf club, but only as a social member seeing as it was next door to my apartment, plus it had the cheapest beer in town, old habits die hard. One of my doubters in meeting up with a Boro lad met me over there for a sunny afternoon beer one Saturday, and we were sat out watching the returning golfers as they completed their rounds. You could have knocked my work mate down with a feather when a golf cart with a Rolls Royce grill on the front, resplendent with the flying lady pulled up in front of me, one of the local residents got out and came up to me and said: “Now then, are you the Boro gadgie that the members have been talking about?” He was from Grove Hill and me a Park End lad, we drank a lot, and reminisced well until late, I never did find out where he got the RR grill from.
Interesting commnet by someone called Connor of Southampton on the Beeb’ live text commentary on the Wolves-Leicester match (Wolves leading by 2-0, apparently somewhat fortunately on balance):
“I see Claude Puel as the next Tony Pulis. On paper he’ll get you a respectable place in the league but at the cost of some dire football.”
P.S. Werder: been meaning to ask for a while – how do you italicise text on this here board?
To italicise text you need to place it inside the ’em’ html tag (emphasize) using the html brackets
Cheers, Werder. 🙂
Tell Wolves this long ball is archaic ,played it all game up to now,
Its called man open pass it over defence run on and score.
Seems like TP has gone with the same starting line up that needed a few subs in the last two games. Amazed that Besic made the bench let alone starting again unless he has had an almighty Pulis rocket up him. Even so for me he would be nowhere near the side, he just hasn’t delivered since his return. I’d have had Britt on in place of him.
Yes I didn’t expect the same team after Britt’s good performance and Besic’s average one – knowing Pulis he’s probably thought up a new formation to trick Millwall…
Randolph, Fry, Ayala, Batth, Friend, Clayton, Besic, Wing, Howson, Saville, Hugill
Subs
Dimi, Flint, McNair, Downing, van La Parra, Fletcher, Assombalonga
Yes indeed.
Three questions for me:-
1. Why Besic?
2. Why only two strikers when we are at home to a team down the bottom?
3. Where’s Tav?
Not sure what happened to Tav but he didn’t make the squad – which is a pity given he had scored three important goals in those Championship games he managed to get on the pitch.
4-1-4-1 with four attack minded midfielders, I’m quite confident in an emphatic win today.
Much may depend on how adventurous Millwall are and whether we need a bit of width to get behind them. Boro didn’t create much in the first half and it was Fry beating his man on the right touchline to make the cross that Wing scored that got us going. I’m surprised van La Parra didn’t get the nod today though I expect he may come off the bench.
Agree and with Friend able to get forward too, could almost be 3 at the back in a 3 1 5 1 formation.
Let’s hooe for a goal fest to leave the lions caged in!
Commentary up and running. hope I dont jinx things.
Disappointing line up fro me and no Tav on the bench. who says TP does not have his favourites when Besic is starting once more after numerous poor performances. Not even sure Howson deserves his place and certainly Britt does.
Just hope Hugill is not as isolated as last time out.
Also hope you are correct GHW, still think you and your predictions are partly to blame.
OK here is a link for an unofficial stream
Usual rules of ignore and close any popup tabs or windows, you may see the typical one of ‘you have a virus’ that makes a beep but it’s just an advert. Also any problems maximizing the window can usually be overcome by clicking on the screen a few times.
Here is a a non-HD stream link if you have a slower connection
The first one was excellent in quality. Many thanks for help, Werder. Appreciated. UP the Boro!
Shame the game wasn’t!
Vip league…good….boro off to a dreadfull start again….
O dear me, typical Boro!
Or even from Boro Beckys Dad! Wish I could type better and that Boro could avoid conceding!
Sorry, my fault for listening.
Thought to myself before I check the BBC website ” Bet we get the same negative team and we are due for a typical Boro performance” and voila there you have it 28 mins gone and 1-0 down.
The joys of supporting Boro !
That was another first half performance to forget – we started on the back foot and rarely got off it – another ponderous error-strewn midfield performance that became contagious. The usual over-hit or misplaced long balls and in truth going in 1-0 down was a bit of a result. I expect to see changes at HT – van La Parra for Howson and support for Hugill with probably Britt. Surely can only get better!
I blame GHW
I’ll take one too, predicting 3 – 0. I should know better.
500 lines, ‘I should know better after all it’s typical Boro’.
And saying ‘starting aggressive on the front foot… etc., etc.’
UTB,
John
Ouch!
Unfortunately I can’t take the blame when several players collectively underperform. It seems like Millwall played in football boots and we played in diving boots.
If you give a team who came for a point a gift goal then it’s always going to be uphill. Looking at players body language they seemed to reflect the crowds thoughts. No excuses today, if you can’t even kick the ball accurately then there’s something fundamentally wrong. Credit to Millwall who obviously did their homework and were unlucky not to get all three points.
This slow and ponderous play is becoming endemic. We still desperately need a leader in midfield.
I will also take one for the team in the blame game, predicted 3 0 and was watching a stream for a change. I wont watch the second half and hopefully that will mean that we can claw it back!
UTB
Well that was a very poor display all through the team and the late penalty was more than they deserved – I actually felt sorry for Millwall as a point for Boro means little and they didn’t deserve one. No intensity from the off and you’d have to agree with the commentator that Boro were far too slow going forward and then ran out of ideas once they reached the final third. We shouldn’t be surprised as today was just a repeat of much of what has gone before at the Riverside.
The commentator was spot on with everything he said.
Middlesbrough didn’t deserve a point. What a really poor performance again. Howson / Besic / were awful just to name two. Thought Ayala was top man.
We didn’t deserve the point – honestly thought that until the final whistle they would score and regain the lead. Typical Boro, typical rubbish….
I don’t predict and never have, therefore I’m not taking one for the team, I reckon that Pulis should take one for us all and walk away. I mean, we’re playing a cellar dweller that couldn’t win an argument, and we start with one up front and pack the midfield with also rans and vastly overpriced journeymen. I’m sorry, but everyone with the exception of the muppet in the baseball cap can see what we need to do and the players that we have to do it with, walk mate and save us any more excuses and player baiting at pressers for your failings.
The commentator on the stream was very derisory in or efforts, he’s maybe not exactly qualified and how his opinions resonate in the football world, but virtually word for word his comments reflected what is aired on here week after week, we just don’t cut the mustard with the formations and players starting the games each week.
GHW, any chance that you can have a word with your biological father and tell him that life’s better on the south coast? Talking of life/live, I actually had a little laugh to myself when thinking that I was on a “live” stream. Live to me usually infers that there’s actually life present at the time, the Boro didn’t even possess a pulse and Frankenstein on the line didn’t have a single clue as to how to make his monster come to life, praying for lightening and jumper leads perhaps?
Time to go digging around the cemetery’s again for body parts until the moon of the 31st of January calls time on the body snatching, or in our case a finger here, a toe there and an eye in an old box, okay it’s a glass one but we’re desperate, how much do you want, £7m, £8m? Okay, £15m and that’s our last offer, can we swap it from left to right or is it blind on both sides?
I’m sorry, but I need to go to bed, disappointed once more and after promising myself that I wouldn’t peek at the score, sadly I can’t resist my Boro!
I had thought that there were signs of hope after the last 2 games although it would appear that I was sadly mistaken!
The fact that we only get a draw with a penalty in the 90th minute kinda says it all. The first half was poor and I didn’t see the second half so will have to rely on Redcar Reds report which I will read tomorrow after our guests have left.
The fact that we are still 5th and 6 points (really 7 allowing for goal difference) says more about the quality of the other teams. However, the worry is that Bristol are only 3 points behind us.
A lot may depend on what happens in the rest of the window, perhaps nothing, and whether TP will ever see that something is not working quite right!
UTB
Was this a game of monopoly? well Boro used their “get out of jail free card” in the 90 minute.
As I said in a earlier post, Besic should not even be on the bench. I only listened to the commentary (fortunately) but the commentators did not seem pleased with his performance.
I only hope Tav’s absence was due to injury.
Well now TP has the daunting task of trying to beat Sheff Utd and West Brom away from home.
I would send Gill on spying duties with his bolt cutters and trench coat, he could take Besic with him to watch real midfielders playing the ball forward and learn the basics of a football game.
So pleased that he had a greedy agent or we could have been stuck with him for three years.
It was expected today that Saville showed Millwall what they had lost. Instead Wallace showed Boro what they could have had.
Did we choose the wrong Lion?
Did we get the kitten instead of the tom cat?
We know which one of them got the cream today.
Expect Gill and Co are coughing up fur balls after today’s display?
Time for SG to stop pusseyfooting around and put TP out of his misery.
I listened to the Radio Tees commentary and at halftime thought that was enough, Boro never win after going behind under Pulis so decided to watch the golf instead. I don’t know when the home game against Bristol City is to be played, but if it’s midweek after the Cup match I can seriously envisage Boro losing all four of their next four fixtures.
Meow
Sorry but I have to say this.
A manager with such “respect” throughout the championship cannot get his tactics right or pick the players most suited for the job, play timid defensive football against teams that normally rollover at the first sign of pressure, cannot see his best starting eleven even after they have showed him in cup games so many times, plays only his favorites or his signings, wants to spend SG’s money on journeymen or veterans with no resale value, blames his current squad “they are not good enough for promotion”, slags his players to the press, brings in a loan player with a party trick of multiple step overs.
I think that his days are up and other managers know this and humor him (p1ss down his back and tell him its raining) knowing that they have a real chance of getting points out of his ” dont lose philosophy”
Steve, please pull the trigger before its too late.
Old Billy, I agree with what you say 1000% and you have summarised the current position perfectly. Today was desperately poor but I suspect that everyone feared it would be as soon as the team sheet was published. Setting up as though we were facing Manchester City rather than Millwall was asking for trouble and it duly arrived. We were the home team for God’s sake and we should be playing like the home team not like a team looking to avoid defeat.
Today was by no means the first time that home games have gone much the same way. Most people have learned that if you keep doing the same things you get the same result but apparently this truism has passed Pulis by. While he remains the manager I’m afraid that we can all expect more of the same and as a result we can kiss goodbye to promotion.
for those of a classical persuasion (i like the sex pistols me like)
Wagner is available, he can bring his orchestra with him.
Time for bed, I am Brahms and List
Clayts is treading a tricky path having a go at the fans for booing. Although, I agree that it doesn’t help (I’ve never resorted to booing), if he’d had to watch what we’ve endured at home this season, I wonder how he would react.
TP says that they’ve got to give us something to shout about but he also needs to accept his responsibility for the lack lustre home fare.
It can only get better, I hope.
Steely
Clayton had his worst ever match in. Boro shirt yesterday
He was slow predictable no pace and his dithering on the half way line led him to be robbed of the ball and we lost a goal due to the breakaway
It was no surprise that he wasn’t on for the second half and the team did improve by having an outlet on the left wing with VLP
Poor team poor selection poor players and poor management
Ayala Flint good not great but better than rest.
We’ve missed Shotton
OFB
Wing not Flint
I am going to complain to MFC that I could get the commentary. Disappointing.
I’m going to complain that I was exposed to it and having seen it now can’t unsee it and consequently scared for life!
“Scarred” even but both equally applicable!
RR
There are a lot of angry supporters in the ground
As you and I know it’s time for change no matter what Mr Pulis thinks
OFB
I’ve just posted up Redcar Red’s unsurprisingly scathing if not seething match report as he tries to calm down by beginning his record-breaking attempt to lie down in a darkened room with his fingers in his ears for at least a month – possibly longer…
https://diasboro.club/2019/01/19/boro-1-1-millwall/
So RR, apart from the points you make in your report, was everything else OK?
Old Billy’s earlier posting did it for me and you have also perfectly encapsulated all that is wrong with the Pulis regime. Your last word sums it up – garbage
Redcar Red’s report is another disappointment. What happened to the late goals we scored as we ran out 4-1 winners?
Werder,
I’ll Redcar red’s report tomorrow. After several bottles of Speckled Hen and one of Crafty He, 6.5 ABV, I don’t need to read two reports at once and double the pain. After the terrier walk in the freezing dawn that will sharpen my, well something, I’m not sure what
UTB,
John
Clicked onto hes goal .com thinking I’d watch a Premiership match and pleasantly surprised I could watch Boro. What a mistake. Very poor performance, poor passing, little movement off the ball and no passion, apart from Ayala who at least won a penalty.
Millwall , by comparison passed the ball much quicker.
Is it me but when I watch other Championships teams who are at the top end of the table , they play much more fluently, eg Last night Norwich, Derby and tonight , Sheffield United who seemed to play better despite losing.
Looking at the other results was a real opportunity to make up ground.
At least , next week is a ‘ doesn’t really matter match ‘ , followed by 3 defining games which may well determine the season.
Currently watching Liverpool, yes they are top of the Premiership , but are on another planet in football terms. Even the local team, Huddersfield , are significantly better than the top half a dozen Championships teams.
Philip
Only sorry that you had to rush all the way back from Germany, RR, in order to witness that. You especially deserve much better. Nevertheless, thanks as ever for your comprehensive report in spite of the most trying of circumstances.
We’ve come to expect very little in terms of skill, creativity and fluent passing under Pulis. But I’d have appreciated your comments on the one aspect of the game that the team is coached in ad nauseam.
What was the shape like?
More importantly than my comments above , a belated happy birthday Ken.
Interesting comment about David Wagner who did an incredible job at Huddersfield, so much so, that the local newspaper did a 12 page tribute to him and when he waved goodbye at his last game at Cardiff some of the Town supporters were in tears.
He will be a top appointment for some Club.
Philip
Once again RR spot on with your truthful and tell it like it is report.
Last night I met up with an ex colleague of mine who has gone to Boro home games for 52 years. She told me that at the moment this is the worst football she has seen in all her time. Very scathing about TP, so much so that she won’t even attend the cup games. Now that is a damming indictment of the state of the club at the moment.
Whilst I appreciate that when a team is playing badly it is difficult to get behind them, but the negative atmosphere ( admittedly self inflicted) isn’t helping. When the crowd aren’t up for it, ( yes I know), then it’s hard for the team to get going. I’m not advocating blind faith, however the crowd too have a part to play.
Sometimes the fans can drag the team forward. I know I’m beating a lonely drum here but until they can get some kind of connect with the team then this slow tentative play is destined to continue.
Might as well go Gung Ho and lose by the odd goal in several than stick with this soul destroying style. The Riverside faithful have my sympathy but I suppose that’s part of being a fan.
GHW, Whilst I can agree and sympathise with your comments, the lead has to be taken by the Manager and team.
Mr Pulis has failed time and again in his role. He has to look at what is wrong and be man enough to accept his mistakes.
But he won’t.
Yes of course, but until such time as something changes it seems to be the only option. If a team is struggling against relegation the crowd can play a huge part. I realise the position we are in is hardly that, but often the fans can carry a team over the line.
The supporters can throw a gauntlet down to the manager, and players. Give us something to cheer and by god we’ll get behind you.
GHW, it’s very tough for the crowd to be up for it when what they see is excruciatingly dull football that’s a perfect cure for acute insomnia. It’s a bit like being up for going to the dentist. You just aren’t.
If the team served up something decent the crowd would be more than up for it.
Yes, I did say that.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/01/20/stewart-downing-heading-middlesbrough-exit-bizarre-contract/?fbclid=IwAR232yZcqqCclZgKjxT4qa7J0YtHYvrNAX9kblA_O_XsSNwfsdtmHwM7sZg
We can live in hope…..
Thanks for the report RR a very disappointing game and performance
OFB
Thanks RR for your usual accurate (and disappointing) report. My feeling as the match went on was that I was bored. I cannot see why we have to start at home with a lone (very alone) striker no matter who the opposition is, it results in us starting off on the backfoot. Today it was especially surprising how often players failed to control the ball and allowed Millwall to get at our out of position defence. Is this a result of them being nervous as TP always warns how good the opposition is even if, like Millwall, they have only won once away?
I don’t expect to see Tav play another league game this season now we have brought in a loan winger. Sad and a waste of talent.
After watching EFL Championship Goals on Sky, what a great goal from Millwall. After Clayton lost the ball to Lee Gregory, Jed Wallace was nowhere to be seen in the picture, but what a sprint he made from his own half with not a Boro player in sight of him to take the pass and score easily. It’s akin to the ltries one sees week in and week out in Super League, but very rarely see a Boro player sprint from his own half. Boro seem to be the only team that starts matches so slowly when playing at home as if to much time is taken to weigh up the opposition. Far too tentative, why is this especially against what one would consider inferior opponents?
Thank you for that report RR. Another good read.
Now a few insights. Feel free to agree or disagree, of course.
I think that’s W2 D4 L3 at home since the start of October. Away form, by contrast, reads W5 D3 L1. Just checking… yep. That’s how it is, and that, I believe, is why we are so glum.
Good, even great, away form didn’t save Robbo and it didn’t save Southgate. Our home form in the Robbo-Venables campaign was W4 D7 L8, with three of those wins coming over the Christmas period as the El Tel “bounce” kicked in. Either side of a pair of 3-0 wins at Arsenal and Leicester we were getting outplayed at home by Ipswich. Southgate? Four away wins out of six at the time of his sacking, with some lovely football played… and but for fine margins it may have been six out of six. At home though, after two straight wins, it was a case of 0-5, 0-1, 0-1 before the seismic win against Derby. One point off the top, the pressure was off… “Can you pop into the boardroom for a moment, please, Gareth?”
After that we won just one home game until February. Trashcan indeed. But then, some of us are never happy. 10 wins out of 13 for AK by January 2, 2016, and still grumbles. A 100% record at home in Europe prior and after Litex Lovech, and… an almost empty Riverside during it.
Saville. Another in a long line of very busy Boro midfield buys who seem ineffective, superfluous even, and are expensive for what they are. What was it Rod Liddle said again… “He had a good season for us, but £8 million? Are you kidding?” I’m still asking the same question, though there’s a goalscoring midfielder there who sadly, along with Besic and Howson, seems to have beiged into a bland midfield wallpaper.
Next we have chief wallpaperer Clayton speaking out against the first half boos, and calling for “excitement and togetherness” at the Riverside.
Oh dear. In theory, it *would* be nicer to have a better atmosphere at home, and the team *does* need a lift on the hard days and nights, when things aren’t going so well for them, but this is troubling ground. To put it mildly.
Because this is reality, not theory. We’ve learned from the recent past that even if a player, or manager, genuinely feels that the home support are letting him down, supporters still pay a lot, and they expect a lot. They want value for money. What comes across as honesty, or a call of encouragement, to some can come across as an insult to others.
It’s only easy to defend Clayton and his point-of-view if (a) you’re earning as much as he is, or (b) you’re sitting at home watching the games and can wait until the team get it right. Telling paying fans what to do is a seriously dodgy move.
I’m sure Clayton’s intentions are honourable, and I think that in an ideal world one would see them rationally, but football is an emotional sport.
Good post Si
There was an error in there – the 1-2 reverse at Ipswich was sandwiched in between the 3-0 wins.
Apologies.
Diabolical my commiserations to those who suffered that live, noticed the poor kids in the crowd who looked like ” What did I do to my parents to deserve this ”
Is this classified as child abuse ?
Did anyone else notice all the empty seats next to Gibbo his daughter and NB can’t even get people into the posh section.
The atmosphere is getting more toxic each game…mind numbingly garbage,(great report Redcar Red, you deserve a free season ticket )
Spoilt my weekend thanks Pulis !
Yes Michael, it looked as though the must of had the plague and were in isolation.
In my working life any criticism I received would be analysed and taken on board though if I thought it unjustified then I would prove that person wrong.
Question to Clayts, how hard is it for a professional footballer to pass to your own teammate ?
That was terrible.
I woke up early and kept myself busy until 9.30 when the delayed telecast of the game came on. We were poor at first but it looked as if once again Randolph had rescued us. Then Baath decided to cover Ayala when there was another player steaming through the middle unmarked. Result a deserved goal for Millwall.
The rest of the first half was drab except for one moment of class but Howson couldn’t convert Clayton’s exquisite chip – about the only thing he did right in a surprisingly poor performance.
Why are we so obsessed about defending that as soon as any team gets the ball we pull ten men back into our own half. It stops other people scoring but it makes it impossible for us to attack with any speed. That might work away to Derby or Leeds but at home to Reading or Millwall? It was ridiculous.
The second half was a bit better with VLP showing some promise but there was very little else. It was crying out for a second forward and, of course, after Assombalonga came on we pretty much dominated territory even if we didn’t create much. Are we the only ones who can see that starting with two up front and VLP to support will change the whole structure of the game and force the away team- whoever they are – to defend in greater numbers.
We have an immense centre half in Ayala and the rest of the back four is good enough for us to play without the whole of the midfield being. more concerned about defending than attacking. Besic has lost all of his creative drive. Saville seemed totally on edge playing against his old team and Howson did almost nothing. Again and again you can see the player on the ball thinking “do I risk a forward pass when we might lose possession or do I keep it safe”. Every time it’s the safe option.
I’ve been a big supporter of what TP seems to be doing to the club in general but someone needs to get alongside him and be our attacking coach.
We desperately need a bit more pace in the midfield but it won’t make any difference if we keep on playing with poor Hugill on his own up front and nobody else within cooee of him.
The other annoying thing is that Leeds and Sheffield United both lost and we actually appear to have picked up a point on the top of the division when we’ve really thrown away two more.
UTB (more in hope than expectation)
Both lost to two other supposed weak teams. We sometimes forget there’s another team out there.
selwynoz, Shef Utd didn’t play Saturday, they are away to Swansea on Sunday.
Come on BORO.
Ahem….
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46847227
Thanks again RR for another good report and bringing me up to date.
This was the first match during our trip down under where I felt that I would be able to watch the live stream as the time difference is only +8 hours. I discovered via the blog that there wasn’t one so thought I would listen to the commentary. Unfortunately after a sightseeing session of over eight hours I was beginning to nod off by 9.30pm and just couldn’t stay awake to listen.
A blessing in disguise given RR’s report and the comments of those who were also there or watched/listened. I dodged a bullet and am not sure if I will watch the video when sat at the airport.
Not much more to say as it is what it is and I am not sure it is going to improve. A few wins in the cup against mainly lower league teams and a few away wins are not going to appease those of us who believe this team of both players and management are grossly underperforming.
😎☹️
Reading and listening to fans after the game, and they have every right to their opinion ,they have every right to vent, and be absolutely disgusted at times , most blame Pulis.
But I think everyone is forgetting these players are just not capable of raising their game up a level,
This is basically the same squad that scraped into the play offs last season ,and were totally laughed out , never laid a finger on an average Villa team.
Pulis has his ways and they are not always for everyone ,but I think he is getting what he can out of this team.
An example if you want to play a more fluid progressive game ,you need players with speed on the ball ,and can retain possession, take Assombolonga ,he is basically an eighteen yard box striker outside of that area he as a touch like an elephant ,so when he is making runs wide or coming short etc,he fllups it up and the attack brakes down.
Clayton wins the ball but hesitates to pass ,slowing things,
Besic too many times hold on to it,
Downing going through the motions, clever at hiding
Both fullbacks try their socks off , but really they are Div1 ,or lower Championship standard, can do some defending ,but don’t do clever runs,and are not really dangerous going forward.
So having said that and its only my opinion , we are actually doing well ,
Like I said the team could finish third or ninth that’s their level,another manager I don’t think could all of a sudden turn them into anything other than what they are.
It is a poor league though?
GT,
Another manager might get them playing with a different and more fluid attitude rather than a mindset. He might also play some of those we crave in the team on a regular basis. But then the mindset would have to change. That’s not going to happen though.
I follow Lincoln City, don’t ask me why, perhaps because I remember them playing Boro years ago at Ayresome Park. Their manager seems to play his team without inhibitions and they are a good side to watch, it’s all down to Pulis’ dogma, mindset or attitude. Or maybe all three.
I’m walking the two terriers now then I’m reading Redcar Red’s report…
UTB,
John
GT
I have to disagree with your assessment of some of the players and also that TP is getting the best from them.
In my view he has had more resources at his disposal than the majority of managers in the division e.g. Norwich, Sheffield Utd etc.
One of the qualities of a good manager, and I speak with some experience of both managing individuals and teams, is that you exploit their strengths and hide their weaknesses if you are to get them best from them.
I agree with your comments about Assombalonga, and in fact I have posted previously about his control and that a supertanker can stop and turn in a shorter distance than he can.
Given however these shortcomings why continue to play him in a position where he is asked to play with his back to goal and without any support.
Play him up front with a partner to feed off and a midfield who provide balls for him to run onto and he will score goals. Admittedly less than he misses but that is why he is playing in the Championship and not the PL as Bernie Slaven has pointed out.
As I posted earlier this team including the management is underperforming and a lot is to do with TP’s management style.
Why prepare a group of professionals to go out and perform and then continually shout at them from the touch line.
To my mind this is very old school and cannot instill confidence in the players if they are being constantly shouted at.
Very reasonable GT, but I agree with Jarsue.
A coach/manager can achieve success by adhering to a particular formula he or she believes in. No one could argue, for example, that Mourinho has not had success. However, along the way he has also had the luxury of having access to some of the best players available anywhere in the world, that are able to play according to his formula.
The trick is knowing how to adjust the formula to be able to get the best out of the collection of talent that is available to you at any particular point in time. See JM’s tenure at ManU to see how badly even the best players perform as a team when the formula they are made to use is inappropriate for their collective talents. You only have to look at what has happened without any change to that squad, other than someone giving them a different formula to follow; one that is in tune with the individual talents available in the squad and capitalises on them.
It is ludicrous to adhere to your one size fits all formula if it is not working for the talent at your disposal. I’m not a footballing expert, but it strikes me this is not a footballing issue, it is an issue of management in general: you have to adjust your cut to suit the cloth.
Now, TP may well have a wider remit than just getting the team promoted and he may well be doing fantastic work towards many of the objectives he has been given. However, none of the changes in the background will count for anything if the key market is destroyed. How many more hundreds have been lost from the walk up support after yesterday? How many more season ticket holders are thinking of not renewing next time after yesterday?
To many watching events it seems obvious that the reason the team (and individuals within that team) appear to be underperforming is because the individual and collective talents of the available players is not being optimised. Optimally they are not good enough to play the way they are being asked to. But is that really their fault?
Sadly, it appears to many (quite reasonably) that TP is either unable or unwilling to find what is the optimal way for this collection of players to play.
I don’t expect him to have to explain or to justify his decisions. He is not there to do that. The only justification comes with team performances and overall results. Quite frankly, neither of these is consistently justifying his formula at the moment.
I’ve said before in here and on Untypical Boro in the past, the supporters can take a bad result, even a string of bad results if the team is clearly trying to the best of the collective ability of the players to achieve the right result. This team is failing in that because it is rarely if ever being empowered to do that, and that is a management failing, not a player failing.
P.S. thanks RR for another brilliant, but unpleasant read …. ( Not a criticism of you or your excellent report, but of what it is that you have had to endure twice over to witness and then to write about so eloquently! 😉)
Powmill
It wasn’t that eloquent in the first draft. Werder had to edit out a few things to avoid offence to sensitive readers and minors and possible legal proceedings!
Maybe I should take some of the blame for yesterday’s abject performance for concluding my history of Middlesbrough FC last week on reporting what I had always considered to be the two worst seasons in Boro’s long history – those before the club went into liquidation. Perhaps by recalling the melancholic mood of 1986 I had somehow manifested that into the present time.
I suppose to make amends I should reprise the two seasons following liquidation as soon as possible to exorcise such melancholy in the hope that it will by some fanciful chance lead Tony Pulis to instil in his players more proactive performances in the future. Mind having said that, I don’t really believe in witchcraft nor am I Paul Daniels, but nevertheless I’ll see if I can lighten the mood sometime next week if that will help.
I’ve put myself through the pain barrier of watching that tripe a second time, and I have to agree with Len in that any adventure or creativity has been coached out the players, you will play the Pulis way or you won’t play at all, as Wing and Tavernier found out to their peril. Thankfully Wing took his opportunity with both hands and, although not being a bullet proof certainty to play each week, I reckon that if Pulis even thought about benching him he’d find his way out of the Riverside a very tricky prospect, unless of course that it was in a hardwood box with brass fittings. Tavernier is very unfortunate in that the excuse now is that VLP has been slotted in to the space that Tavernier should have filled months ago, but why not play both considering that there’s a dearth of pace and creativity on both flanks? Oh, silly me, I’ve used the ‘creativity’ word haven’t I, that’s the reason why. The man is a dinosaur who won’t listen, won’t change but saddest of all, won’t leave.
I watched with gritted teeth and puzzled my tiny brain in to thinking as to who exactly put those last three noughts on the end of Saville’s transfer fee and why. I had the same thoughts in regards to McNair, but I couldn’t think of the reason for any noughts at all on his transfer fee, other than the two after the colon to indicate how many pence accompanied the single figure pounds sterling. All I could come up with was, have the transfer fees been paid in to a bank account of a certain newly formed company call SILUPA REFLECTIVE ENTERPRISES, which is very conveniently situated in the Cayman Islands? Has anyone else got any bright ideas, because I’m struggling get their collective net worth values in to six figures, and once again that’s including the two figures after the colon indicating the pennies.
I’m not going there in the other uses of the word ‘colon’ to describe TP’s slant on how the beautiful game should be played, they’re just cheap shots.
Phew! Had to double check there to make sure that my last word was spelled “shots!”
Redcar Red,
Thank you for the dubious pleasure of reading about what was obviously a real, good old-fashioned load of ordure.
A biblical quote for Sunday too, way more creative than Boro that’s for sure. Anyway to keep us in the mood here’s another marginally amended.
Appropriately it’s from Job.14.10.
“For Boro dieth for want of creativity and wasteth away yea, Boro giveth up the Ghost, and where are they”.
I suppose the answer to that is in the play-off pack, but how I don’t know however I know what would happen in the play-off.
Perhaps we should appoint that old comforter Job as manager.
Time for a coffee.
UTB,
John
What can I say about yesterday, the fans have every right to be disgruntled because that display was pathetic as somebody has said playing like the away team when you are at home is poor.
No wonder we have only won two of our last ten home games don’t loose at all costs is not good viewing.
Players coming out and complaining about the fans will only put the fans backs up, I tell you what try and attack the opposition and generate a bit of atmosphere.
Why do we need four denfensive midfielders there is no spark in the team, I would send Besic back to Everton what is he adding to the team at the moment.
Yesterday the lions goalkeeper only had one real save and that was from Howsans header and we should have been two down in the first half Randolf made a good save before the lions scored.
Not going to th FA cup match to watch try and contain Newport at home. Unfortunately Pullis is not going to change the way we play, Wagner anyone ?
Welcome back Paul!
Simon thanks I keep reading the opinions, but generally refrain from commenting bust yesterday was beyond the pale. The comments by clayton are not helpful, the poor souls don’t like the great unwashed booing them, well sorry I don’t care.
Paul
Good post and it echos my sentiments exactly
I’ve kept quiet because the pain of watching my team now disintegrated into a defensive mish mash of sterile and boring football is beyond anything I’ve seen since Strachan
I agree with you that something has to change and if Man U and Forest can bite the bullet then ao can we
Pulis seems to think that he has such an overpowering role at the club with a root and branch philosophy that the fans are being ignored in their desire to watch what is supposed to be an enjoyable entertaining game.
I nearly didn’t go on Saturday and it takes a lot to stop me from going and I know other friends who are corporate-members and struggling to get guests to attend games
I accept players will get upset at being boood by home supporters but how else can the fans let management know how they feel.
If RR and I are typical of fervent supporters who are sick of what we are seeing then he’s right and we could lose 10k supporters !
We need a Boroexit and it needs to be done now !
Yes Paul id have Wagner too!
On the bright side apparently Traore could be back next week on loan !
Believe it when I see it
OFB
Well I will start with a big thank you Redcar Red for once more having to go home and write up a match report within a short time of watching what was dire and the first half especially one of the worst displays this season.
We obviously signed the wrong player from Millwall and although he is not worth anything like 7mil. he is certainly looks more useful than the one we bought in Mr Saville. It also obvious that although we have not conceded many goals that is only down to defensive overload. There is very little pace at the back and when we get caught in a situation like yesterday we are goosed. It was sad watching huffing and puffing George trying to catch up. I do agree though that Batth should of done better and at this time prefer him to Flint.
Whether gt is right with his opinion of the squad not being good enough and I personally do not agree with that, it is a fact that some Managers can make a team better than their individual parts. Sheff Utd and Norwich are good examples, even lowly Millwall looked far better than us in a few departments and certainly overall as a Team.
So is it Mr Pulis that is to blame for the continuing poor form at home and its non entertainment value. He and the team, as Si pointed out, have done good as they say away from home, but at the Riverside where the Teesside Public pay their hard earned coin TP just cannot pick the right team or get them motivated. He just cannot make the sum of the parts either equal, or as possibly better Managers do, even greater than the sum of the parts.
Playing Clayton and Besic in the same Team, certainly at home, adds nothing to the search for quicker forward play up to the forwards. Both just recycle the ball and when besic actually does move forward with it it generally is too late to find a red shirt.
Once more only Wing tried the harder ball and not the safe option. Even when VLP came on nothing really changed as hard as he tried. ( early days I know, but he certainly does not look any better than Tav). How many times did we hit the by line and put in a hard cross into the 18 yard box for Britt to run onto. All we got and it increased as the minutes ran out were long hoofed up balls for Millwall to hoof back out. At times it also looked as though they were all playing head tennis. Desperate play by desperate players.
This sits firmly at Mr Pulis´ door. He picks the squad and starting 11, he chooses the formation and he is getting it totally wrong at home. i am not for booing but i can understand the frustration from the terraces, even Mr Gibson in his isolation must have been tempted to boo.
I just cannot see how things will change even if we managed to bring in a couple of new players and they would have to have pace and creativity. We probably will just get a LB to cover for George.
As I have said in the past, there is never a black and white answer to any situation.
Have the players got the skill sets we need? I doubt it, the same wish list for recruitment exists as it did during AK’s tenure, the same problems are evident within the squad.
Is TP getting the best out of the squad? It doesn’t look like it to me.
Going back to AK’s departure, we all hoped that the squad would be liberated when he left but it got no better.
Monk couldn’t get the best out of the squad, were they good enough? TP got us in to the play offs but that was about it.
The squad is possibly weaker than last season, if TP left would things improve? We dont know but suspect it would.
Whatever we think it is Steve Gibson’s decision that counts.
PS
Redcar Red deserves a medal for his reports, it is a bit like Yes, Prime Minister. He could save himself a lot of time and just write dross, full stop, but takes the time and effort to provide a great read.
Ian
Believe me I have been sorely tempted to write “dross” along with a few other choice words.
Things are so bad at the moment that it is no longer boring at the Riverside it is now beyond that, painful and a real chore to muster the enthusiasm to be bothered to drag myself there to watch the dullest ditch water known to man.
AK’s football was positively electric and pulsating in comparison to the despondent soulless, lifeless negativity we now endure. What works very well away from home isn’t working at all at the Riverside. In our last ten home games we have seen two wins and an underwhelming seven goals scored by us. Of those seven goals three were penalties and one of them an own goal. And Mr Clayton wonders why the fans are booing, I wouldn’t worry about the booing at the minute son because that is just the start if this garbage continues unabated. The fans will be getting a lot more vocal and a lot more vitriolic, scathing and abusive with it.
TP is losing the home fans at an alarming rate, arguments are now breaking out in the stands and it isn’t a pleasant atmosphere. Even if we make the Play Offs I wouldn’t buy a ticket for them as I know what his tactics would be and what the ultimate end result will be. I’d rather stick pins in my eyes than watch more negative non football.
Nauseating beyond belief and if that is what it takes to win promotion then quite frankly I’d rather go and watch a macramé championship somewhere far far away from the Riverside. Problem is next season myself and ten thousand plus might have exactly the same idea. When fans start booing and cheering sarcastically before thirty minutes have even passed it isn’t the fans that are the problem.
AKBall was a joy for writers and statisticians keen to learn about effective Eurocrat tactics. Less so for the hearts of paying fans.
Have to agree with every word
RR
Not much more to say I’m afraid. I rely on the views of regular attendees such as yourself for in depth views, sadly it reflects the commentary I was unfortunate to receive yesterday.
I have no answers.
Read it and weep!
This is the reality of the delusional Mr Pulis’s tactics at the Riverside.
https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/middlesbrough/form-guide/home/ten
On the other hand…..
https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/middlesbrough/form-guide/away/ten
Maybe it’s his evil twin, as the away form is opposite.
As you say GHW the contrast is almost unbelievable!
https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/middlesbrough/form-guide/away/ten
I think the Euro vote is an absolute disgrace and a huge insult to the great British public and therefore demand a new vote for the following years….
Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson (1959), Bryan Johnson (1960), The Allisons (1961), Matt Monro (1964), Kathy Kirby (1965), Cliff Richard (1968), Mary Hopkin (1970), The New Seekers(1972), The Shadows (1975), Lynsey de Paul Mike Moran (1977), Scott Fitzgerald (1988), Live Report (1989), Michael Ball (1992), Sonia (1993) and Imaani (1998).
What must be done? Well…
To put it simply, dear ladies and gentlemen of the DiasBoro, certain informal discussions need to take place involving a full and frank exchange of views out of which there ought to arise a series of proposals, which on examination may prove to indicate certain promising lines of inquiry, which, when pursued, shall lead to the realisation that the current courses of action directed by one A. R. Pulis might, in fact, in certain areas and every possible circumstance, demand blatant modification, leading to an absolutely necessary reappraisal of original areas of difference and pointing the way to encouraging possibilities of compromise and cooperation, which, if bilaterally implemented with appropriate give and take on both sides might, if the climate could right, have a reasonable probability at the end of the day of leading, rightly or wrongly, to a mutually satisfactory resolution.
We need to do a deal. For more creativity.
The problem is Simon many of us do not believe he knows or understands the meaning of the word .
We need a Boro people’s vote
Excellent Simon. My thoughts entirely, give or take a few peripheral issues and hypothetical caveats.
Thank you sir.
Adapted from the Yes, Prime Minister episode “Power To The People”.
Needless to say that Hacker’s reaction to that very similar Sir Humphreyspeech was “What the hell are you talking about?”
First of all a big well done to RR who keeps going beyond the call of duty to write, what are imo, match reports of the highest order especially given the dross ( don’t want to get naughty stepped) Boro are turning out at home.
I had no stream yesterday so it was Tees commentary for me and I can’t remember a more down beat, depressed and resigned commentary that I’ve ever listened to. God only knows what it was like watching from the stands.
I won’t comment on individual performances I didn’t see but I will comment/para phrase on what Mark and Maddo were saying in commentary and what Matty was saying on the touchline.
Pulis kept shouting for the players to move the ball quicker and forward rather than sideways or backwards. Is this for effect as he’s already given instructions on how he wants the game played?
We weren’t getting any players in support of or breaking beyond the lone striker. Why play a lone striker then?
Dael Fry is not a right back. Potentially a great centre half imo.
Virtually every time Besic, Saville, Howson and Clayton had the ball they passed it either backwards or side ways. I’d fly home and drive Besic back to Everton at my own expense.
Most attempts at a cross hit the first man as they usually do.
Set piece deliverys were almost all floaty efforts easily dealt with mostly by Saville. Why wasn’t Wing on set piece delivery duties as he’s put in some cracking corners this season?
Never mind that we are still in the promotion mix playing such abject football at home, I’d be ****** off if we were playing like this and we were in a relegation fight!
Two of my long time (AP days) season ticket holder mates don’t even bother going to the ground now. Meet up with the lads as usual but stay in the pub. That’s how fed up people are watching that garbage served up at home, so if Clayton is a little upset by a bit of booing now I suggest he takes a couple of weeks off as if there isn’t a marked improvement in the home form he’s in for a rough ride the precious little snowflake!
Messaging said mates I said Pulis is like Karanka in as much as he appears to have no “plan B” when things don’t go the way he envisaged, especially at home. Away is no problem for me as our points return shows. At home is a totally different matter.
Often in football, as in life, you don’t get what you deserve. Yesterday we got what we didn’t deserve.
Got a great stream through Reddit – wish I’d hadn’t..
Just read Redcar Reds report and thank you for your dedication in having to relive the experience in your excellent report. It had me laughing but I guess you weren’t yesterday.
It really sounded very poor indeed and I may be regretting getting my ticket for the Leeds game when I return from a two week holiday to warmer climes. I will be jet lagged which will probably be a good thing if yesterday’s performance is repeated!
I di think that there was some hope with the initial selection, although there is a lack of pace evident and it is no good having VLP getting forward if the midfield plod ponderously in the vague direction of the opposition penalty area!
As others have said, one would have thought that TP is experienced enough to get it right although it is not looking that he is. Whilst he wouldn’t have been my first choice, at first, I did feel that he could adapt to a different style of playing with the way he brought on Adama. However, that faith appears to have been misguided.
As Ian says, the table does not lie and we are still in 5th so in theory, not too bad. That said, the stats indicate something else and if we continue in this way, then we will be soon out of contention.
You would almost think that there is a cunning plan to mirror Brexit, in that we crash out without a plan! Certainly reducing attendances is never good and worse if those masacists who do turn up, start revolting.
Anyway, enough doom and gloom, and in keeping with a vague political theme, all together now, “ Things can only get better”!
UTB
BBD
I’m home for 3 weeks in Feb and Leeds is my first game since Bolton in September. If we are still churning out the same dross as we currently are I’m not looking forward to that game. And that’s the first time I’ve thought that about a home game against the Dirties.
FAA
I know what you mean.
Having said that, it depends on what the Leeds spies see at training! It’s football Jim but not as we know it!!
If Sir Humphrey – my favourite fictional bureaucrat, bar none! – really existed, how would he answer the following question: “Do *you* think we have too many similarly-minded central midfielders?”
“Well Simon, if you ask me for a straight answer, then I shall say that, as far as I can see, looking at it by and large, taking one thing with another in terms of the quality of the centrally minded football players which Middlesbrough Football Club have managed to blood and recruit, then in the final analysis, it is probably true to say, that at the end of the day, in general terms, you would probably find that, not to put too fine a point on it, that there probably isn’t a great deal of difference between George Saville, Muhamed Besic, Jonathan Howson and Adam Clayton, at least not as far as anyone can possibly see at this stage.”
Looks like we’re on a Wing and a prayer.
After reading the report by RR could I just say that it was an exact and brutal dissection of a failed manager and his methods, and not only his methods, but his judgement of players, his very observation of one player against another, his insistence on bringing in inferior, aged players with, of course, nil sell on value.
We as fans will pay dearly for his incompetence long after he has gone (which, of course, will be very soon)
Having said that, I had better give an example or two, hands up those who think that VLP will take the place of Tav. Perhaps in some other world, never in this one. So why pay good money for him? More damage to the financial strength of the club.
Why are we buying midfielders right left and centre, the day one of these beauties displaced Wing is the day we can all give up.
As an experiment, defending like dogs(particularly slow dogs) for the first half of every home match, has crashed and burned a long time ago.
The idea that we have a good defence is at best mistaken, at worst a delusion, probably brought on by an out of mind experience (match,anyone).
Keep on doing what you did ( That would be Pulis) And boy are we getting what we got.
VLP was not getting a kick in a poor team (ring any bells) and it was pretty obvious why, let the defender get very close to then beat him with ease, then repeat, then repeat, then repeat, then lose the ball, having made no progress whatsoever.
It is of course the only trick he knows.
Clayton turned towards his own goal to pass the ball back to the keeper, completely missed his kick and falls over, and got away with it, twice, he did not get away with it a third time. Two defenders were between the forward and our penalty area, both within five yards of him, forty yards from goal. They both backed off him as he advanced, they were still backing off him as he passed infield for his mate to help himself.
Back to RR, I, and many others, have been thinking what you have written, for a long time, so it gave me great pleasure to read it from your pen.
This club is heading in the wrong direction, under the wrong manager. to spot talent when in front of your eyes is the very least of your responsibilities, to instantly put that talent on the field is your duty, to refrain from spending money on undistinguished players, then playing them because you must as a matter of your ego. Should be a given, and even if you wanted to, you should be restrained by your employer as a duty.
I am glad to get this off my chest, as you may gather.
The Telegraph report that Downing May have played his last game for Boro (his 149th) because of a bizarre clause in his 2015 contract, in that if he plays 150 games he will be entitled to an increase on his £35,000 a week wages. It is reported that he has had a meeting with the board and all have agreed if a club can be found that will meet his wags demands, he can leave.
Come on BORO.
I’m no Downing fan, but I have to admit I would have thought he was on more than that. Never wanted him back in the first place, I think he’s been toxic for the club.
I wish we could shift Woodgate too.
This “Old Boys” mentality is what anchors us to eternal mediocrity.
There is an old but very true saying “You can’t go forwards looking backwards”.
Same here Grove……can’t stand him….been a waste of money….get rid soon…
What club will match his wages?
Emil
Sorry, that tiny detail means that he will not be leaving.
How long before (shudders) the Woody-Downing “dream team” becomes a reality in the dugout? (shudders again)
If that happened Simon, I think most of us would take a backseat for a long time !
Our home form is relegation form, that is the stark reality of it. Home fans are watching a team put in performances that would see us relegated if bizarrely it wasn’t for the away points keeping us up there. With the resources TP has had available to him that is completely, totally and utterly unacceptable.
Chris Wilder has cobbled a team full of over the hill ageing crocks and rejects and has somehow moulded them into an effective unit on a shoestring budget.His squad includes Boro “rejects” Martin Cranie and Marvin Johnson which alone puts things into perspective.
Listening to TP he appears to have some elevated position of importance overseeing the entire Football Club and perhaps he has indeed been given that broad and all encompassing remit. He no doubt has a vast wealth of experience and I am certain he can improve on several areas needing attention within the club but the buck stops with what is ultimately presented as the finished article out on the pitch.
Meanwhile in the real world I am afraid that for those Season Card paying Home fans this present fayre is not remotely acceptable. If thats the best he can muster then he should go and take a few of his ridiculous overpriced signings with him along with any other faint hearted disillusioned snowflakes.
RR
If we are being asked to accept Pulis, because he is somehow putting right a damaged club, then consider the following.
He shows not the slightest idea of what makes a young player desirable, both as a member of his first team and a big plus for the club.
I refuse to accept that it was clever tactics above the understanding of thick supporters, to dismiss from the (top of the table) team, completely, even the bench.
Both Wing, Tav. And Fry That was a sacking offense, in any league in Europe. We failed to collect six easy points at home, and their lack has been a chasm staring at us since that offense. He repeated the dose twice more with the same result( at home).
Saturday was the fourth offense, and the same punishment for us the fans.
Now for the gravest charge, his purported putting right of the club? You do not help any club by filling it with time expired has been’s, and I do not forget their cost, which is as damaging as any single cause for any club. We are an easy mark, any club with dross to unload is on to us like a shot. Even the dreadfull football blogs never stop proposing that we buy some complete waster (only 6-7 mill, a steal guv)
I will believe he is finally frightened of the sack when he plays both Tav and Wing from the start, with Fry at centre back.
Three more points before I wind down for the day.
Downing. Still asking myself why he has shone only fitfully throughout not only his return but his entire spell at Boro. I get the feeling that, like most Boro confidence players, he simply needs to be in the right company and just the right position. Either that or the team needs to be built around him.
Maybe he has to be the Big Fish in the small pond, otherwise he will not thrive. Big Sam accommodated him in a way that none of his other managers seemed to, although he liked Houllier. He claimed England under McClaren was a closed shop, handed in a transfer request when we really didn’t need him to under Southgate, and resented Rodgers’ public criticism of him… though we have to look at it from his point-of-view too.
My view is that he is no Scholes and at 34 he is unlikely to offer much in the way of reliable creativity. Does he feel threatened at having the likes of Wing steal his spotlight? He could hang around and be a mentor to them. He’s played at the highest level multiple times. So he *can* be useful – it’s just up to him to decide whether or not he still wants to be.
Hi Simon, I would show him out the door.
I think Downing like Assombalonga (and even Gestede) need to be played to their strengths. We haven’t done that with either of them in their time here despite who the Manager has been at the time. It seems to be something of an art form in the truest of “Typical Boro” mantras, buy something, pay a lot of Steve Gibson’s money for it and then under appreciate it and square peg it by shoehorning it into something it isn’t, never was and never will be.
RR,
You are nearly a Boro manager. A grasp of philosophy, player management, tactics and all to dumbfound the opposition manager. Nothing to do with your team.
Now, we don’t attack from the off, we lull them into a false sense of security, you two get the deckchairs out, midfield play bowls and forward wonder why you are here. I know you need the ball to your feet but it’s coming over your head. Get a job at Fylingdales then if you can’t see it coming. On second thoughts you look like a defensive midfielder. I’m brilliant me.
And so on and so forth.
Depressing really.
UTB,
John
Simon
As a long time watcher of Downing, could I give you my verdict(plus assessment of )Downing.
Never forget that to see him for the first time, is to feel at ease with oneself, he does everything smoothly, rhythmically, and it is difficult to find fault with him. This has earned him a very good income, and indeed a good career in the game.
However, the Liverpool fans, whilst liking him as a person, had a song for him, and the refrain was “stew Downing, he scores when he likes”
As ever, fans who had seen it all, knew what they were watching, no end product.
We had two very decent results when he was out of the team. Because he will not go for the ball, he will not enter the box, he will never mix it, not ever.
I believe that he regards a rocket shot as vulgar, far preferring a nice floater, so much better than the crude stuff.
If any manager had the bottle to order him to get sent off for rough play, we might have a shock because he would realise what a talent he has wasted all these seasons.
When I think Downing, I also think wages – and how £35,000 a week (I believe he’s being paid that) is a lot in the second tier for a thirty-four year old.
Wages. The easiest stick in the world to beat a player with. Especially for the manager, who is earning a lot less than them. Big Bully Player with his invincible bank account snapping back at the Poor Under Pressure Coach who’s doing a good job, all things considered… maybe the former deserves his place on the naughty step?
It’s not that simple. Some have praised the naughty step as a means of giving the player a kick up the proverbial, reminding him that just because, for example, he is the highest-paid and highest-scoring forward, he can’t take his place for granted. He has to earn it. This can have the effect of firing him up to prove a point and go on a long scoring run, at least until he doesn’t feel challenged again.
A short-term fillip… but how damaging is this method in the long-term?
There’s another way. I heard that Steve Coppell left Ian Wright out of the starting line-up in the 1990 FA Cup Final. When Coppell finally sent Wright on he was seething with anger – Wright thought he’d done enough to be involved and was waiting, waiting, waiting for when he’d be unleashed into action again. On he went, and he scored two goals which almost won the cup for Palace. For a Boro example, think of Albert’s return against Brentford – on he came, clearly upset by a combination of the naughty step and being benched, to score and set up the vital goals.
Again, though, you have to wonder if such a method is that much more beneficial than a short-term fillip.
It all comes back to not playing to the combined strengths of the personnel you have. We could and should have got more from Downing than we have done.
As for him and Woodgate in charge… It would be wrong to prejudge. If they were in charge and results and overall performance were good, none of us would be unhappy.
So let’s not be unhappy unecessarily before an imaginary event, let’s content ourselves with being unhappy at the actual events taking place now!
Finally… another classic TSF anecdote on How Not To Manage. Paraphrased in parts.
A manager, allegedly, used football to distract him from feeling so worthless. He was jealous of every player earning more than him. So he’d shout at them every week and ask if they were just there to pick up the cash.
Hmmmm.
He made the mistake of putting together a team of names after assuming football is played on paper. It didn’t work, so he became resentful of the very wages he’d handed to the players. It got to him. So at half-time, when the team were losing at Pride Park, he let rip…
“You earn twice as much as these *censored*s but they care ten times more than you!”
He didn’t see, as TSF pointed out, that he was simply working with a poor team. Yes, the team was full of names, but they were winding down. They were just not as hungry as a team who had nothing might be – unlike Derby, who had nothing, but played like a team. It is likely TSF’s team would have thrived as individuals in other teams, but not as a unit.
“You’ve been *censored* *censored*”, said the manager to TSF. And so on. “What the *censored* am I supposed to do? I’ve tried everything with you lot.”
Time to… oh dear… speak up. TSF suggests to the manager that they work on shape and style of play during the week rather than playing five-a-sides every day, because the club, unlike TSF’s previous clubs, doesn’t seem to have a style full stop.
Cue a face to face stand off, with the rest of the players pulling them apart. And that wasn’t the worst of it.
So what had the manager done wrong? Apart from the criticism over wages? Well… what I learned from TSF was that the manager had put together a group of names that he wanted to be part of. He wanted to please them, and then, I suppose, he expected that they’d take care of business themselves.
That’s the catch. As I implied during Monk’s final days at Boro, the manager has to “do all the boring stuff”. He has to find a voice for the team. He can’t just be like them.
I was in Middlesbrough on Saturday on family business and could easily have gone to the game. But I had not the slightest intention of handing over money to watch football played like we are doing, and listening in the warm to the Tees commentary, I didn’t know whether to focus more on my own prudence or marvel at the dedication of those that keep turning up.
Setting off for the north west in the early evening I went via Colin’s Chinese at Marton shops (other purveyors of fine oriental food are available) for some chips on the journey home. While I was waiting Bernie Slaven walked in, all smiles (his video with Alistair Brownlee is an all time classic) and got talking with a guy who had been at the match and was lamenting with Bernie the turgid nature of it all. The guy said that when Hugill equalised, he didn’t feel at all inclined to celebrate – and that summed it up really, the incredible paradox the Pulis reign has become. Decent away from home, but deadly dull – dare I day pusillanimous, or pulis-animous – at the Riverside.
Perhaps TP has missed his vocation and should have become a driving instructor. His pupils would never get out of second gear and have extreme proficiency in going backwards.
There’s a shorter word for it, James.
Pu.
Nice one James welcome to Diasboro !
OFB
RR
All players need to be played to their strengths, the only player who TP can consistently claim to have been played in their correct position, is Randolph.
Discussion on Sunday Supplement about Sarri at Chelsea. Has he come in saying my way or the highway?
He is playing Kante out of his best role, same with Hazard and they dont look as effective.
Square pegs and round holes springs to mind. There is a view that professional footballers should be able to play in any position. I accept they can be wont be as effective.
Some interesting points from The Special One…….
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46934706
The upturn in results under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are either pure luck and coincidental or maybe its simply down to man management and selecting tactics that the players not only are comfortable with but suit their skill sets and importantly that they believe and buy into. Incredibly OGS has achieved all that at the very same club as the chosen one and therefore presumably also without that backing that Klopp and Guardiola have supposedly had.
Not to mention a run against poor opposition, I think that Mourinho was sacked with one eye on upcoming fixtures to help the incoming manager and justify the sacking.
Thanks for that, GHW.
As an aside, you’ve inspired me to share another TSF anecdote – about Mourinho.
Can public criticism of a player – miraculously – actually work? Some believe that Mourinho’s openly harsh remarks about the Belgian playmaker contributed to discontent and lack of form. Mourinho’s final six months at Chelsea back up that theory – no goals in twenty-four appearances, Chelsea 16th, Mourinho sacked over Christmas dinner.
But when was the criticism made?
Not 2015-16, the year that saw Mourinho leave the Blues, but at the end of 2013-14, the year before he led them to the title.
According to TSF, Mourinho analysed the games in which he felt Hazard was below par. He noted that Hazard was waiting for the ball to come to him instead of going to get it. He was aware, as we are, that Hazard’s game is about using his movement, skill, pace and guile to control matches in the final third. But why wasn’t Hazard doing it?
I read that it has to do with personality. Unlike, say, Ibrahimovic, Hazard didn’t boast about his greatness. He was a diffident, sensitive sort. And when his football began suffering, his confidence on the pitch seeped away.
So in stepped Mourinho with that line: “he’s not the kind of player to sacrifice himself for the team.”
A risk. A massive one. But his intention was to lay down the gauntlet for Hazard. Prove me wrong. Show everyone how good you are in the spotlight. And he thrived on the pressure. Everyone focused on him again. He *was* the story. It stirred him up and he scored 19 goals in Chelsea’s title-winning season, also winning the PFA Player Of The Year Award.
By April 2015, Mourinho called him: “one of the top three players in the world.”
Three months ago, Hazard said he was keen to work with Mourinho again.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45851960
So why, TSF, did Mourinho ruin everything at Chelsea?
“By using the same techniques on his medical staff… a rare and costly miscalculation.”
From the Echo….talk about greed …
.https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/17371845.stewart-downing-not-starting-for-middlesbrough-because-club-want-to-avoid-automatic-contract-extension/?ref=rss
The Downing contract situation is a strange one in that it seems to be triggered on the amount of appearances which in turn it would appear guarantees him a 12 month extension on his contract rather than a pay rise as such but there again maybe its both?
I can’t understand the logic of it but probably it was a way of getting him to agree terms and wages at the time. In hindsight as it is with a lot of things it wasn’t worth the money and certainly isn’t going forwards. Its unlikely that we would get much of a fee for him but it would represent £1.8M off the wage bill annually and for that we could afford the wages of two decent Championship players.
With OGS in charge of United, I’m enjoying watching them again.
My belief is that he’s given everyone, fans and players, an immediate lift with his connection to the “good old days” – he spent fifteen years at the club as a player and coach under Ferguson.
That’s also a concern. You can’t face the long-term future looking backwards.
If Downing wants to continue playing for Boro then he will be prepared to forgo the 12 month contract extension, complete his contract in June and then negotiate a new contract on reduced terms. He would of course be free to walk away to a new club.
Simple.
Unless greed is getting in the way.
See MB is scoring again, after his goal against Real Madrid he now scores against Barcelona.
So was he square pegged at Boro or was he just sulking.
Or is it just a massive coincidence that he has found form in the last two weeks.
The whole MB saga, the Downing contract cock up and Clayts emotion plea to the fans has me wondering if there is an “atmosphere” in the dressing room.
Regarding contracts and wages I don’t see the issue with what a player and his agent can get out of a club. If clubs are prepared to offer/meet a certain price then why shouldn’t a player accept it? Do I think wages are over inflated in football? Absolutely I do but greed, do me a favour.
If anyone of us were offered rediculous money to do our jobs whatever they may be would we be turning it down or say we’d do it for less. Absolute rubbish imo.
By all means berate and slag players off for not being good enough or giving “value for money” but harping on about their wages smacks of the green eyed monster to me.
No green eyed monster from me!
I respect your view FAA however:
I always say that if the idiots (clubs and their supporters) are prepared to pay it then the players must deserve it.
It is my opinion that SD has for the most part under performed since his return.
I dont envy him the money, I question his morals.
This has not totally played out yet so anything could happen.
By all means take the contract when offered back in 2015.
We are now in 2019 and not where we had hoped to be, the club are having to balance the books and SD has been benched to avoid triggering another six months of unsustainable wages.
If he is deemed worthy of the money by MFC then he would not have been benched and the club would gladly offer the extension.
We may well see SD sitting out the remaining months of his contract on the bench and this is what is wrong.
I would have thought morally (his home town club), in this situation, SD may have agreed to wave his right to the extension especially if he intends to play and remain at the club in some capacity once his player days are over.
Some may think he has been worth every penny of the 14.28 million pounds of the clubs money (my calculation of fee and wages). I dont and its nothing to do with envy.
When faced with a money related moral dilemma a certain Mr Strachen walked without a penny! It can be done.
Did Strachen walk away without a penny? I’ve read pieces that state he did, others that say he didn’t.
Why should SD or any other player who is the employee of a club walk away without what is their legal recompense?
Others may find that hard to take but I lay the blame fairly and squarely on the clubs for offering and agreeing to rediculous wages.
And yes I do think players, some certainly not all, are overpaid including SD. But I wouldn’t blame him for taking what was offered
Thanks to RR for the match report. Reflected what I saw on TV over here very poor and I felt sorry for Milwall as they deserved to win. Agree with RR about the ref a couple of excellent tackles by Saville and Besic penalised when they clearly won the ball. Also when Howson had his diving header it only got to him because Hughill was rugby tackled in the box.
Think TP has to go but not sure about Wagner. When Huddersfield got promoted they had a negative goal difference and in there three playoff games, two of which went to extra time they had 4 shots on target. I think his greatest achievement was keeping Huddersfield up last season.
I’m not sure about Wagner either although coming from the Klopp stable you would think that he has the ability and nous to play attractive football. Perhaps with Huddersfield he has done what most of us on here are saying and that is play to players strengths and employ tactics that are relevant to achieving the desired outcome.
I don’t like negative football but can at least appreciate the tactical planning, discipline and organisation behind it, a bit like watching a chess master. It may not be fast paced and edge of the seat excitement but you can at least accept however reluctantly the strategy. Watching the turgid dross since August at the Riverside is just painful and and an endurance to even be bothered to attend. When the Red Faction are comatose then the message couldn’t get any louder.
Something has to change, what that is is up to TP and SG but if it continues “as is” then Season card renewals will bomb and with it the diminishing chance to mount a challenge next season. Before that the boos and jeers will continue and be the sole source of any atmosphere at the Riverside which has now been all but sucked out by TP-Tech (other vacuum cleaners are available).
Redcar Red
Such as Direson?
I must admit I have my doubts about Wagner for the same reasons but you never know about a manager until he is in charge.
I suspect he will go back to Germany but he is well respected amongst the people of Huddersfield and not just the fans.
I wish that Tony Pulis would read this forum and take notice of the fans. He would learn that the booing at home matches is not only against the players, but him also in selecting a team with only one forward with little support. Having said that, he would probably ignore that or indeed any advice given to him by some of the ex-players who can see what’s going on. In that case it’s up to Steve Gibson to make a decision. The players at his disposal are far better than the performances they are giving. The incessant barking of instructors from the side lines must be counterproductive; by all means encourage the players, but I believe he is the cause of their lack of confidence. Perhaps a change of manager is the answer. It doesn’t always work of course, but it’s certainly working at Hull City and possibly at Stoke City too. Some change is called for immediately, either a change in tactics in home matches, or a new manager, because at the moment this club is drifting to oblivion. Automatic promotion looks out of the equation at the moment, and a playoff place also in doubt. But even if we reach a playoff position, I’m not confident that Tony Pulis’s present tactics would get Boro promotion especially based on last season’s performances against Villa.
Had a couple of hours to spare before leaving for HK airport.
Against my better judgement I decided to watch the full match video of the Millwall game!
Not a lot to say as it has already been said by everyone else on the blog. Felt sorry for Millwall as they were the far better side and deserved all three points.
On the Downing situation, I now wonder if GM was aware of the extension clause and hence his reason for attempting to
Unload last January thereby reducing the salary bill and assisting recruitment?
Just noticed on the club website there is a video of the highlights of the Millwall game!
I missed those in RR’s report.
Do you think the club could be/should be prosecuted for misrepresentation!
Some good writing in the Echo today.
Middlesbrough have spent all bar the opening three days of the season in a top-six position in the table, and currently find themselves just six points adrift of the automatic promotion places after Jordan Hugill’s last-gasp penalty against Millwall extended their unbeaten run to five games in all competitions.
Yet sitting in the Riverside, listening to the boos cascade down from the stands during the opening half-hour of Saturday’s game, promotion to the Premier League could hardly have felt further away.
Also they wrote:
Further up the field, Hugill continues to plough a lone furrow in attack, and while his successful penalty means he has now scored three goals in his last four league games, he is not a natural finisher. Britt Assombalonga is, but Boro’s record signing continues to be something of an outcast, having been consigned to the bench for the last four Championship matches.
All I can add that even Wing had a reasonable quiet game. And Tav missing from the squad altogether. The atmosphere seems to affect all players now. We need a quick goal at Riverside to get the team rocking. Up the Boro!
I see there is another hopefully spurious link to another Birmingham striker this time its Isaac Vassell. Why is the overriding thought that comes to mind surely?
He is 25 years old played at lower league level all his career without ever being spectacular or remarkable. No goals in 10 games for Plymouth, 28 goals in 94 games in the Conference South, Southern League and National League South for both Truro and Weymouth, 16 goals in 55 games in league two for Luton and 1 goal in 12 games for Birmingham.
Throw in that he has been out for a while with a ruptured ACL and lets hope that this is just column filler for internet websites. The last thing we need is a squad being fattened with more bench warmers who after being paid a ridiculous salary will then be offloaded at a loss in the future. Ashley Fletcher is younger and has as much if not more potential than this lad.
If they are not better than what we have and go straight into the starting eleven then no thanks with the exception being cover at LB and cover or indeed a RB. On the positive at least he isn’t a defensive midfielder, can never have too many of those now can we!
He was enthusiastically applauded when he came on against Boro.
Seems the longer he was out the better he got
Not for me but Che Evans may be worth shout
I agree about Che Evans but again he plays as part of a pairing so what would be the point in then playing him in a totally alien set up, one in which he would fail spectacularly after having our eyes poked out in signing him. I see we are also linked with Nelson Oliveira from Norwich, we don’t need strikers, our strikers need support instead of being isolated.
Ian
Dire was one of the words used by Mark Drury in Saturdays commentary.
Probably because the four letter word or its five letter derivative he wanted to use would probably have gotten him the sack.
Let’s keep Assombalonga as he is settled already and his goalscoring record is as good as Slaven’s. And keep also Fletcher rather than Gestede. No need for extra strikers me thinks.
As Downing is one of the best passers of the Boro and the Championship, the club must keep him, too. Let’s hope they strike a deal this week. He is the favourite of Mrs Jarkko as for his passing ability.
So Downing, Tavanier and Rajiv van La Parra are all needed. And Let’s add one winger more and – importantly – play a couple of them.
So a left back and a winger needed. One of the midfielders can go who just play windscreen vipers football. Leads or Clayton?
Up the Boro!
Or Besic
Vipers Jarkko?
More like Boa Constrictors strangling the life out of the game
Some may have seen this, but here is confirmation of what most have been saying about Boro and Mr Pulis’ tactics.
Eloquently put by their sports writer Scott Wilson.
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/17371532.boros-promotion-push-stalls-as-mood-darkens/
Yes I read that Pedro, an accurate report on the state of the club.
My first thought was RR maybe moonlighting
Pedro, I tried to post a link to that article. It got lost and when I tried to resend, it said already posted.
But good read anyway. UTB!
Yes I read it nearly good enough to have been written by RR
Jarrko, I have to disagree with you unfortuanately as regards to SD. He certainly is not our best passer of the ball, not in the sense of defence spitting passes, I would give that to Wing.
Yes he can hit a 30 yard cross field ball, but then that does not take us forward. His dead ball kicks have generally been poor.
So what value have we got in return for the money paid in fee and wages. Not very much in my opinion. I do no lay any blame at all at SD’s door for what is going on now.
That mistake is one of many by Mr Gibson.
I do agree we do not need another CF. Play a system and their strengths and I think what we have will score you goals. Let’s be honest we would not be signing a ready made slot straight in player anyway.
Look at VLP.
Yes, Wing is a good player and my favourite. But I have to agree with my missus as she has also seen most Boro matches this season. And the statics are there to defend Downing. Still class. UP the Boro!
I’m not sure what fills me with more excitement (or incredulity), Theresa May’s Brexit Plan “B” this afternoon or TP’s team selection to contain the mighty Newport on Saturday.
In fairness at least Theresa has a Plan “B” albeit a hastily arranged and flying by the seat of her pants one!
It is anticipated that in line with this Government’s policy to leak bad news out when there is an attention grabbing headline elsewhere Health Secretary Matt Hancock will this afternoon during Theresa May’s last stand attempt to save the NHS £millions. This will be done by suspending all NHS prescriptions for Insomnia. Instead patients who insist on needing medication for these and similar disorders including hyper activity will be given an MFC half season ticket.
A leading medical Consultant has said that this is far less invasive than medication but three times more effective than the most powerful sleeping tablets currently available. It has also been suggested that consequently Tony Pulis is now in line for an OBE in the next Queen’s Birthday Honours list for his services to Homeopathic medicine.
Exhaustive research and testing has apparently been carried out over several months with impressive results and finally concluded on Saturday when as part of the trial the Medical Board’s Chief Research Officer had to be admitted to James Cook Hospital after attending the Middlesbrough versus Millwall game at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium. Medical staff on duty at the Hospital’s A&E would only confirm that thankfully they were able to administer adrenalin injections directly into his bloodstream immediately upon arrival warning that had extra time been played then he may have slumped into an irreversible coma. In future all MFC tickets will now carry a Government health warning not to exceed the stated dose of 90 minutes every two weeks to avoid irreparable damage.
Redcar Red, Brilliant!
Old Billy, there’s nothing in that report that hasn’t been said on here since September, and knowing TP’s modus operandi both ourselves and the Journo’s will continue to blow off steam on the same old, same old until he buggers off, which sadly doesn’t seem like any time soon. He’s totally lost the crowd by what I witnessed and heard on Saturday night, when you’ve reached that point there’s no getting them back. Every die hard that attends from now until he goes, will be there to witness him finally holding up the white flag in surrender, but for me it will never happen from someone with a neck as brass as his is.
On that note, RR, you deserve a medal the size of a bin lid mate for what you have to go through on our behalf, and it really is appreciated I can tell you that by the way. I tell you what pal, next home game don’t bother going and stay at home, or go to the pub, or do something less painful, then just post this report again but change the names of the opposing team and players, no one would ever notice the difference in our performance, we haven’t over the last ten home games!
I read this morning that a certain Andy Carroll is out of contract in June, and seemingly out of favour at West Ham (despite the impending departure of Arnoutivic (I’m not even bothering to spell check that).
Surely he is the archetypal Pulis CF, a big massive bully with a header like heavy artillery. Considering Pulisball has us putting in 127+ crosses each game, surely it’s a matter of time before a mutual attraction develops.
How many days until the window closes?
Andy Carroll is certainly the Pulis centre forward personified but he’d probably make even Big Rudy look like he wasn’t injury prone – not sure he’d come to Boro but after seeing him sky a ball over the bar from point blank range yesterday he certainly ticks all the boxes…
Smoggy
Please, please, what is it with our very own fans, it’s bad enough that failing managers have a compulsion to buy old stagers, (Several clubs, vast amounts of time as a crock, huge wages, average games per season, oh, I should think about sixteen) that would be four sets of four.
Carrol is the perfect model of the above, but in addition, he positively encourages injuries by sailing into trouble at top speed.
I am saying that he will be crocked soon, so we may be able to buy him as an injured player, colossal wages, but hey who cares, certainly not those running our club
A thought on Clayton and Besic.
Besic needs to be around their box rather than ours, he can make a pass better than Clayton but does want to dilly dally.
At the other end Clayton is more secure and moves the ball to someone who can pass better than he can.
Having said that, it was Claytons dallying that led to the goal and, if I am correct, it was his chip for the Howson header!
And your point is?
Just a general comment.
I suppose you could say, dont play both in the same part of the field. If you drop Clayton dont play Besic in the role.
Ian
I get your drift, Besic is certainly the fancier footballer and more likely to dribble around the opponents 18 yard box attracting fouls and maybe find a through ball to Britt. Clayts has been brilliant at breaking up and spoiling opposition onslaughts and thats his strength.
Saturday was a nightmare for just about all of them out there bar Randolph and Ayala. What we don’t need at home is both of them sweeping up in front of the CB’s. What we do need is Tav and VLP out wide with Wing central and either another Striker or another midfielder alongside Wing pushing up in support. What we don’t want is Randolph and nine men in our own half dropping deep.
No point needed to be made Ian. A good comment on Besic playing far too deep to be of any use as I saw it.
And yet another midfield player
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/john-obi-mikel-deal-moves-15715575
OFB
Besic needs to be at Goodison Park
Ian
I have been commenting for months that Besic should not be allowed in our half of the pitch.
He has frustrated me and I dare say others at the numerous times he collects the ball off the toes of one of our defenders on the edge of our box. By the time he has twisted and turned on the same circle the opposition has regrouped and are defensively set leaving limited opportunities to pick a pass.
Why can’t TP see this and insist he plays in the opposition half when you me and hundreds of others can!
I did write on this forum when Tony Pulis was appointed “I wouldn’t go to watch a Boro team under Tony Pulis even if they gave me a season ticket for the best seat and a chauffeur driven car there and back to the stadium”. However I didn’t think at the time that the football would be as bad as it is now. Wise BEFORE the event? You might think that, but as Francis Urquhart would say, I can’t possibly comment.
I was away all yesterday after being persuaded by Mrs Werder to make a trip to Dortmund to see a man about a budgie – turned out to be something of a wild goose chase but we returned with a couple to replace her favourite that sadly took flight from this mortal coil last week. Got back late only to find another sick bird (not quite as a parrot) but he was not looking a pretty boy – early trip to the vet this morning (the budgie not me) and then had to buy a separate cage for the new ones to avoid risk of anything contagious being passed on.
I thought initially birds would be less work than getting a dog but it’s turning out to a marginal gain – incidentally, I had to make a budgie coffin last week for the one that passed as my son wanted to bury it in the garden. I only had nearly inch-thick wood so it was probably the most grand over-engineered solid budgie coffin ever built and will probably be unearthed one day in the distant future still intact when we’re all gone and some archaeologist will claim that budgies were once worshipped as gods or something.
Anyway, just noticed a few posts were hanging around in the spam folder for no apparent reason other than it was there – including a rather interesting one from James about a post-match encounter with Bernie – in case anyone missed it here’s a link to the post…
https://diasboro.club/2019/01/16/2018-19-week-25-mythical-middlesbrough/comment-page-3/#comment-35728
Also a longish post from Jarkko too…
https://diasboro.club/2019/01/16/2018-19-week-25-mythical-middlesbrough/comment-page-3/#comment-35749
Tweetenkamuhn……
Werder
It amazes me that you find time to run this blog.
Can believe that you can fit in manufacturing budgie coffins as well
Werder
Can you make one to fit a short Welshman?
I am sure that you would find plenty of people willing to help you bury it once said individual is encased in it! 😎😂
Ian, I suppose you could say don’t play both in the same field, don’t drop Clayton and don’t play Besic, I think you’ll find that situation would please a lot on here.
It transpires that the referee who sent off James Milner was his PE master 20 years ago.
I am not making a point it was a sort of useless fact that I felt compelled to share. Certainly more interesting than the football at MFC.
Off you go Milner, right, I’ll be Bobby Charlton!
Alan Durban may have said that if you want entertainment, go and watch a bunch of clowns. Some tell me they see the same clowns in the dugout every week and it’s neither entertaining nor amusing.
Harsh or fair? Take your pick.
Apparently ‘Send in the Clowns’ is what peacemakers do to diffuse an ugly situation. I hope it won’t be necessary if things get uglier at the Riverside Stadium.
Honks to the left…Noses to the right.
I can just imagine TP in the technical area wearing the big shoes, orange wig and a big red nose hastily shaping them long thin balloons into a creative No 10 while the 4th official holds up the subs board.
The rumours on Jon Obi Mikel still keep rumbling on. Just what we desperately need, another over the hill ageing midfielder who doesn’t score goals.
He will of course require a huge wage and no doubt underwhelm with his lack of hunger, spark and desire and eventually go down as “Typical Boro” (soon to be overtaken by a wider encompassing “Typical Cleveland” perhaps)! Lets hope its just gossip as it flies totally in the face of the new reforms TP is introducing on recruitment and wages surely?
I’m not sure if even Jon Obi Wan Kenobi could make us a force in the promotion race as Tony Pulis appears to have moved Boro over to the darkest of dark sides…
This is not the midfielder you’re looking for………
Move along.
Ian, more than once I have said that Besic if playing should not be allowed in our own half. Up the pitch and no sideways passing.
Alongside Clayton, as of late, double windscreen wipers.
I warmed to Besic in his first spell up until the play offs.
Since his return he has been more of a liability and doesn’t seem to be playing the same role.
Not sure if it is the player or the manager that is the issue.
Of all TP’s favorites, he is the one that makes me shudder when his name is on the team sheet. Certainly not worth retaining after this loan spell.
As we are all being so cheerful here is a story about ‘fans’.
A week and a half ago we were overnight in the cruise port for Bangkok. The ship we were on had a theatre for 800+. Normally they had two shows a night but that night was one show by ‘Lady Boys of Bangkok’
Our daughter had seen the show before in the UK and said it was very good. We were a bit tardy and the doors shut as we got there. Not a huge deal because it was shown on the cinema screen on deck. We enjoyed the show but there was table of about 8 people to our left who were noisy.
They clearly came from the North West, north of Chester, West of Manchester and South of Blackpool. Anyway, after chattering noisily away they went quiet.
At this point the Lady Boys started another song and one of the noisy group started tapping his feet and slapping his thigh in tune with the music.
Nothing wrong with that but the rest of the group shushed and shut him up. Once he stopped being involved in the show they started chattering over it again.
Weird.
Ian
I thought you were going to say they were called Gary, David, Phil and Paul when I was reading that!
There’s lots of talk ,about playing to a players strength, I think what’s more important is hiding their weakness’s, and not putting them in the position of hurting the team.
Its obvious players have some abilities otherwise why sign them in the first place, you hope their strengths out way their weakness’s. But you can’t coach speed, or football intelligence, or desire, or consistency.
To many players its just a job, to others ,they play because of their competitive spirit ,and enjoy winning, its finding more of the right kind than the ones who you can’t trust over the long term.
Would Andy Carroll be willing to take a pay cut *and* swap the pubs of Canary Wharf for those of Yarm? One might offset the cost of the other.
I don’t believe our existing squad isn’t good enough to at least make the play-offs, and given the paucity of quality and consistency in the league, an automatic place could be secured.
But to play two up front and no holding player at home would require a radical, almost quantum leap, in TP’s mindset.
According to reports John Obi Mikel was at Rockcliffe for his second visit today, the 31 yr old midfielder is a free agent.
Come on BORO.
Fits the new recruitment and wage lowering cash strapped business model perfectly. Young, great potential and with a profitable sell on value plus no chance of a divided “we’re all in this together” dressing room split.
This one has a rather pungent and distinct whiff of Bulls excrement all over all those previous “what a great job I’m doing for SG from the Academy to the Tea lady in sorting this club out”.
It has Ray Parlour and Victor Valdes stamped all over it. At least it fills one of those glaring midfield gaps that we desperately need! That’ll be Lewis Wing out of the way now and out on loan to a Southern league outfit to “man up”.
Could be worse……Ashley Cole anyone?
Hopefully just on a sightseeing tour and no more!
I am sure there are lots of young talented players in the lower reaches of the Championship or the top of League 1 who would give their right arm to come and play for us. Maybe a gamble but lower wages, low risk. Mikel would be a huge gamble and high risk, no guarantee of success. Other teams like Brentford can do it so why cant we.
Millwall managed to mug us with a player they picked up for peanuts.
Is it that our recruitment team cannot spot them or are they just lazy.
Middlesbrough summer target Yannick Bolasie has returned to Everton after his Aston Villa loan deal was scrapped.
I wonder if TP will be tempted, he is six months more mature now.
Just a thought, if TP wants to play Downing he can bring him on after 1 minute for all the remaining games sacrificing one of his subs.
I read from somewhere tha Villa paid all his £ 75 000 a week salary while he was at Villa. Cannot see that happening at Boro if the salary is true. Really? UTB.
A good insight on what Boro can spent in tranfers in today’s Echo.
It is relatively easy to to calculate the transfer fees in and out. But it is more difficult for us outsiders to see the affect to the wage bill of the new arrivals. And the wages usually make a bigger hole in the club’s well being.
I think we could put some money on the transfer fees now but we have to be carefully about the salary paggage. Just like we see the situation with Downing and his possible contract extension. And we have to prepare to the possibility that we won’t get promoted this season.
Here is the link:
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/17373603.financial-constraints-making-it-hard-for-boro-boss-to-recruit/
Hopefully we will get a wide player and a left back. And can shift a couple out as well. Up the Boro!
And a Right Back!
Shifting out a couple out Jarrko will be the most difficult part.
As has been said and in the NE today, we have too many high wage earners that are not in TP’s default plan. Nobody is going to take them on unless subsidised.
It would be interesting to know the MB deal. I doubt they have paid a loan fee and all his wages?
Old Billy
Aston Villa just did what you are suggesting we do. and
they gave him the push.
So tell me, why on earth would we repeat the experiment.
We should find our own young players, for nothing or very little.
Exactly, I am not suggesting we should sign him. I am worried that TP still admires him.
And to think back in the summer Mr Pulis was desperate to sign Bolasie’ and pay his 70K wages.
Now he is telling us we have to buy cheap, of low wages and sell high.
What a revelation. And What with SD’s situation, you just could not make it up.
Typical Boro.
Pedro
The Downing situation is easily solved, move him on, the pension stops here.
That’s the problem, he can’t be easily moved on.
When one gets to my age one expects to have a few health problems, my latest being arthritis of the lumber region. But it puzzles me how a 9 year old youngster like Boro’s Head Physio Chris Moseley’s nephew can develop a rare bone cancer at such an early age. Chris is running 15km every day this month to earn sponsorship for the lad. Good for him, but sometimes for young Georgy who has had extensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy life isn’t fair. Good luck to the lad, and his Uncle Chris. I hope the story has a happy conclusion.
I’m surprised that a respected journalist like Anthony Vickers should get his facts wrong about Boro’s FA Cup opponents Newport County. He writes in the Gazette that they ended their run of away defeats by beating Exeter City last weekend. In fact Newport beat Exeter 1-0 at home. Sorry to be pedantic, but it does spoil the content of his article.
My friend, who has been going to Boro games for 52 years has just told me she is not buying a cup ticket and will not give mfc any more money unless Pulis goes. That my friends sums up the current state of the club.
Only shift a couple out Jarkko, I could give you a wish list of at least half a dozen, probably a lot more.
That NE piece was in my eyes just a column filler, I got nothing out of that other than TP’s talking tripe. Can anyone tell me how the hell we’re in profit this transfer window, because he’s lost me. VLP in at our cost and MB out, but we’re still paying MB’s wages, or have I missed something.
Also, can someone please tell me why we’re so desperate for another wide player with pace when we already have two, VLP and Tavernier, or is TP looking to concrete Tavernier’s entrance to the squad by buying in another?
Further, all this waffle about TP looking at all aspects of the club, why? Since when has he been a finance wizard, a head of catering, a groundsman, a contract negotiator, a transportation guru, a scheduler, a consumables purchaser or a ground staff manager? I’m certain that I’ve missed loads of roles that run the day to day activities of a club and I apologise to those that I have, but does this idiot think that he can streamline the whole shebang? He’s a salesman and he’s sold SG a full set of Encyclopaedia Brittanica in gold leaf covers, and I reckon that he just might have thrown in the odd vacuum cleaner as well for good measure.
I bet if he’s got a suit somewhere in his wardrobe amongst his shell suits and caps, I’d put a tenner on it having a shiny bum, and I bet that there’s leather patches on its elbows, all the hall marks of a sales representative, and no I haven’t got one, a suit that is.
peasepudinperth, I take it that your not a fan of TP lol, you also think that more than a couple of players should be shifted out of Boro, would that be half the squad or more ?
Come on BORO.
It sounded to me that Steve Gibson was desperate to get Pulis and sold him the club and “the project” rather than the other way around. On that basis I doubt TP wll be getting his marching orders before his contract expires in the summer.
It will be interesting to see what happens then. If there’s a lot of cost-cutting going on then I can’t imagine tht TP came cheap. Maybe the conersations with Stewart Downing this week will include a non-playing role in the liely vent that we are managerless come July….
Andy R, I sincerely hope that some sort of manager pairing of Woodgate/Downing never comes to fruition as I would like to see both out of the club, that is my own personal opinion. I cannot see TP leaving at the earliest before the end of the season and that will depend on where we finish.
It has been reported that Burnley are interested in Downing but I have also heard this morning that Derby are talking to Downing. All will be revealed in the next 10 days.
Come on BORO.
Exmil, my beef with anyone very rarely resonates from anything personal, he might be the nicest bloke you or I, or anyone else for that matter, has ever met, but being Welsh I doubt it, my problems with anyone is 99% about your professional ability. By the way, my predecessors on me mam’s side are from Wales, so before anyone of a sheep loving persuasion out there decides to rearrange the front of my house, my blood line allows me to deride my own.
If you want a list of parachute candidates, let’s start with the below:
Stewart Downing
Gestede
Saville
McNair
Besic
Shotton
Flint
Howson
Note I didn’t include Braithwaite, purely and simply because at present he’s sort of off the pay roll, but as soon as he isn’t, he’s on the list. The front three despite a constant battering from the faithful as well as on here, and I’ll put me hand up for throwing brick bats meself, are capable of producing the goods, given the right supply and set up. Thing is, this bloke won’t give them either unless pushed in to a corner, and boy would I like to push him in to a corner, preferably the corner of a sound proof room with no doors or windows, that way we can take out the constant 90 minute scream fest every game.
He has to go, but not, I’m afraid, before his contract runs out. Knowing the way 2019 has started for me, like Downing he’ll get a contract extension as well.
Shudders and locks oneself in to a very dark room at the thought.
I would pay good money to hear Pulis explaining to a large crowd of supporters precisely why he comes out in a rash when ever he sees Wing, Tav and Fry (at centre back) he seems to specialise in giving them the chop when we are at home to trash.
As a rational human being he must have a reason, quite what it is, is at best a mystery, and at worst a serious blot on his supposed talents as a manager.
Just heard on Tees that Obi Mikkel is close to signing. Just what we need another slow non scoring midfielder as if we haven’t got enough of those already. The worry is that Tees only report transfers when they’re about to happen. Absolutely fuming if this is true would be an understatement!
I wrote a little while back , that I could see a reset regarding financial obligations clubs were willing to partake in.
At the time Boro were the only ones who were really spending a lot, and I wondered when this would stop,it wasn’t sustainable unless promotion was achieved.
Even Premiership clubs now are watching the pennies, they try to sell before buying.
So when we hear of Boro must sell,and Tony talking essentially wasted buys . its obvious it has started,and that is value for money.
Promotion maybe a hope rather than an absolute need going forward,
Interesting times?
Mikel is having a medical at Boro now.
Come on BORO.
I’ll reserve fair and proper judgement on Mikel until I see what he can do for us, though he doesn’t sound to me like the kind of player we need, as he’s entering an already overloaded area. As Rod Liddle once said, after Saville joined there’s been more midfielders on Teesside than chicken parmos.
More on Mikel with the help of Michael Cox, circa 2017.
A gloriously talented attacking midfielder in his younger days, he led Nigeria to the U20 World Cup Final in 2005, and was voted the tournament’s second best player behind a certain Lionel Messi. Most will know about the Man. United vs. Chelsea tug-of-war for his services, which the Blues of course won. (I read that he preferred Chelsea because there were more of his fellow countrymen there, which seems logical. – Si)
At Chelsea Mikel played the Claude Makelele role when the Frenchman was rested, and when Makelele returned to France he succeeded him permanently. He was transformed into a scrappy, aggressive defensive midfielder, consistently getting in referees’ bad books for poor tackles. Supporters didn’t like his square passes either. And his goalscoring record? 1 – one – in nearly 250 appearances.
Samson Siasia (who I fondly remember for scoring a delightful lob against Argentina at the 1994 World Cup – Si) managed Mikel as an U20 player and a full international, and was not happy at all about his “improvement”: “Mikel has lost the creativity that catapulted him onto the world stage. Chelsea destroyed the player (he) once was.” Yet Mikel, while acknowledging that, didn’t seem so bitter about it: “I have always said in my time at Chelsea that I am a team player. I’ve gone out of my way to do things to limit my game for the good of the team.”
The consequence of this was that top tier managers realised how important one Makelele, and later two Makeleles, were, but as Cox said, they effective turning potentially exciting playmakers into pure scrappers. Human shields, if you will.
It’s at times like these you admire the Leadbitter-Clayton axis but also lament it.
That should have been, “they were effectively turning” in the penultimate paragraph. My bad.
peasepudinperth, I have noted your list of players to get rid of, presumably because they are no up to standard for our team,which accounts for 50% (if not more) of our first team squad. It leaves me with a bit of a problem, as I know you think TP is a dreadful manager, on what you see as being wrong at MFC as:
A. How can TP be so bad if, as you say, more than 50%of the first team squad are not up to standard yet we are 5th in the league, only 6 points from automatic promotion and 7 points from the top.
or
B. The manager is dreadful and the players are well up to standard but being mismanaged.
Given our season so far, I don’t think you can have both or we would be below Ipswich. I, personally think it is either the standard of players or their attitude/commitment during games, yes there has been games that I would have selected other starting players than TP picked but as I have said on other occasions, I am not privy to lots of facts affecting selection, so I leave it to TP who is an experienced football manager and has the information about every player at hand to make his team selection.
Prior to kick off at Millwall, very few people had us down for the playoffs, let alone automatic promotion so are we over achieving at the moment !
In no way am I saying I am right and you (or anyone else) are wrong, it is just my thoughts.
Come on BORO.
I don’t think anyone’s doubting the success, it’s just… not all that inspiring.
At least under AK I had a good education in Eurocrat tactics. That was also the problem. AK was nirvana for writers, but for paying customers who see football as a pastime…
John Obi Mikel. Finally the missing piece of the jigsaw, we can play the 4-6-0 formation with the six being entirely composed of central midfielders. If TP was French I would suspect this to be some sort of existential experiment.
Simon, you keep drawing this distinction between the perceptions of writers and the paying customers. It might come as a surprise to you that being a supporter and understanding the game are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Some supporters may even have also read a little on the subject. You seem to be presenting the proposition that the supporter has an entirely different emotional experience to that of the dispassionate analytical writer and therefore is blinded to the complexities.
In the words of the song, it ain’t necessarily so.
It wasn’t a failure to understand Aitor’s (or TP’s) tactics that causes the discontent.
Si
The football served up at home this season makes AK Boro look positively exciting. That’s how bad I think it is.
When he stuck to a plan, when it went well, and when everyone was on his wavelength, there were few better.
We were undone by differences from all three sides – he wanted to do things his way, certain players wanted to do things their way, the hierarchy wanted to keep at least part of the club rooted in the identity, hence, in a way, the recruitment of Hignett, Downing and Rhodes (a descendant of George Camsell as well as Aggers).
The old parochial family club vs. Eurocracy for the sake of progress thing. There needed to be a compromise. And there wasn’t. Cue divisions and meltdowns which could so easily have been avoided.
Premier League inexperience (Leadbitter, Downing and Nugent aside) was also a factor. Chris Hughton had taken Newcastle and Norwich up before joining Brighton, Rafa Benitez’s top tier experience speaks for itself. Wagner’s experience with Klopp, whose methods are more in tune with today’s success stories (look at Liverpool now) than Mourinho’s and Del Bosque’s (tiki-taka began to look passe by 2014), also helped.
I’ll reserve judgement on Obi-Mikel. Here is a player with vast premiership experience and was originally an attacking midfielder. If the club do sign him there will be no fee involved, so it’s just a matter of wages.
Who knows he could be a Bobby Murdoch for a new generation. Let’s give the lad a chance to see what he can do before we write him off.
I look back with regret at 2014-15 and even 2015-16 for a handful of reasons.
Patrick Bamford, as typical an AK player as I can think of. When he was in the right mood, the right frame of mind, and surrounded by the right players, all was well. Two spells defined him that season – six goals in seven games before Christmas, culminating in the great 2-0 win over Schteve’s Derby. Then, when up top with Vossen doing the spoiling behind him, he found another lease of life, seven goals in nine games (but only one away from home, though what a goal it was). When a forward enjoys form like that, with a “gem” like Paddy up front, you feel that so much, if not anything, is possible.
Away we went to Norwich, and though my biggest memory of the game is the brave rearguard action near the end, we were doing anything *but* defend near the start. We’d our promotion rivals pinned in their own half and I began to think we’d comfortably see them off. Then Bamford did his ankle in.
From that moment on our hopes of promotion were irreparably damaged. Of course, the situation was not helped by a manager who tried to keep on playing his talisman as if nothing had happened. Even so, we won two more games that season and scored eight more goals, but the momentum had stalled.
What was controlled and confident became desperate. It was expected that Brighton would take points off Watford before we played Fulham and when Vydra netted Watford’s second at the death it was like a dagger through the heart.
It was little surprise, then, to hear that the team were 3-1 down to Fulham and a man down. Yet Boro suddenly seemed to find something of the spirit of Steaua in them when they completed a comeback to 3-3. Then Dimi was sent up for a corner, and you know the rest. Though to be fair, Albert could have passed to an unmarked Tomlin instead of firing back in immediately, and Dimi was already back in his box when McCormack dealt the final blow. That, however, ignores the bigger issues – desperation, naivete, misguided objectives, from everyone involved.
How painful it was to see events kind of repeat themselves for the meltdown triggering 1-0 loss at Rotherham. You know, the one where we had more than 60% of the ball and fourteen shots on goal yet contrived to miss sitters, hit the post and fatally fail to cut out a cross.
But again, I suppose it wasn’t really about individual errors – more mentality and objectives. Even drawing with Fulham and Rotherham would have kept promotion hopes alive, albeit very slimly in the former case. We could have done with the win in each case but it wouldn’t have been the end of the world if we didn’t win either game – yet we still desperately attempted to. A reversion to a calmer, more controlling style – like the kind that saw us swagger to a controlled and confident 3-0 win at Brighton – would have been far more logical, even if we didn’t have the momentum to win.
But then we never think rationally and logically in the heat of the moment. Football is football.
Bamford was deliberately nobbled in that game and then Karanka finished the job instead of subbing him.
(sob)
There seems to be an air of gloom and despondency around Middlesbrough FC at the moment, not only with what is happening at the Riverside Stadium but also behind the scenes with Tony Pulis now saying that the club might not have enough finance to buy the desired players unless they can offload some of the high wage earners. As I reported in my last historical blog, things were worse, much worse, in the two seasons before the club went into liquidation. For the visit of Notts County on the 9th February 1985 a new low of 3,364 for a League match certainly since the Second World War was recorded for yet another home defeat. Boro survived relegation by the skin of their teeth in the last game of the season with a 2-0 win at Shrewsbury. As fate would have it the following season Boro’s last game of the season was again at Shrewsbury where Boro needed to win again to save their skins and send the home team down on goal difference. This time of course Boro lost 1-2. Those two seasons were probably the worst in the history of Middlesbrough FC.
What transpired afterwards has been well documented, players’ wages unpaid, the official receiver locking the gates of Ayresome Park, the players having to use some of their clobber as goalposts on any spare land they could find to train on, etc. I don’t intend to write about the consortium led by Colin Henderson to try to save the club, suffice to say that the club had made an application to join the Conference League if the club had to fold. I imagine when the Yorkshire ballad singer David Whitfield recorded one of his hits in 1955, he hadn’t Football in mind although I can amend some of the lyrics:-
If you lose the Club you love
How lonely life will be
Those happy Charlton years
Now bring you close to tears
If you lose the Club you love.
In other words you don’t appreciate what you have, until you’re close to losing it.
I had originally intended that those last two seasons before liquidation would be my last historical output as most of the contributors to Diasboro remember well the ensuing years, but apparently some of you wish to relive those years, so I’m happy to oblige.
Boro were given a deadline to play their opening home fixture against Port Vale on the 23rd August 1986. As far as I’m aware they weren’t even given the option of rescheduling the home match to February when they would be due to play Vale at Burslem and bringing it forward to August. It seemed that the powers that be were determined to set an example with Boro, it had to be played on a suitable stadium on the 23rd August. But where? Hartlepool United were scheduled to play Cardiff City at home that afternoon, but generously allowed Boro to play Port Vale in the evening. It has been recorded by so many Boro fans that they attended that match, one wonders why the crowd didn’t break the Pools ground record. However 3,690 was the official attendance as Archie Stephens scored twice in the first half to give Boro a 2-0 lead, but probably due to the lack of fitness Boro tired and had to settle for a 2-2 draw. With such a limited playing staff there were probably no great expectations of Boro having too much of a successful season, but like a Phoenix from the ashes Boro were to exceed all expectations.
By a quirk of the fixtures Boro were due to return to the Victoria Park only 3 days later in the first leg of the League Cup against Hartlepool, the first time the two clubs had met in a competitive fixture. The game finished all square with Bernie Slaven scoring Boro’s goal. The next Saturday Boro won 2-0 away to Wigan Athletic and I sensed that maybe Boro could actually have a successful season providing the meagre squad could avoid injuries. Boro duly won the second leg 2-0 against Hartlepool on the reopening of Ayresome Park before a reasonable crowd of 7,735. Boro then beat Bury 3-1 at home, drew at Gillingham and won 2-1 at Bristol Rovers, and followed that up with a 2-0 home win over Chesterfield all of which meant that suddenly were top of the League with 14 points from their opening 6 matches.
One wondered how they would cope against higher opposition as they were drawn to play against Birmingham City in the Second Round of the League Cup. Rather well in fact as a late Stuart Ripley goal earned them a replay at St. Andrews where they took the 2nd Division side to extra time before losing 2-3. Of course the League was Boro’s priority and Boro were unbeaten when they entertained second placed Blackpool in early October. Unfortunately a healthy crowd of 11,470 saw Boro lose 1-3 although they remained top of the League. Boro lost their unbeaten away record to Notts County, but although not prolific goalscorers they did go on to beat 3rd placed Bournemouth 4-0. Soon after Boro had another local derby to contend with, a visit to Feethams for the first time in 60 years. An Archie Stephens goal there ensured a 1-0 win against a Darlington before a crowd approaching 10,000. The following week Boro had their revenge over Blackpool in the FA Cup when a Bernie Slaven 🎩 before a crowd of over 11,000 gave Boro a home Second Round tie at Notts County which they duly won 1-0.
Boro had started the Freight Rover Trophy campaign with a win against Doncaster Rovers and a defeat at Chesterfield in preliminary matches but nevertheless reached the last 32 to be played in the new year. In the League though they never obtained any long unbeaten run until later in the season. A 1-3 defeat at York on New Years Day was a disappointment, yet Boro were still top. A thaw following heavy snowfall meant that the FA Cup match at home to Preston could go ahead, but surprisingly Boro lost 0-1 to their 4th Division opponents before the best crowd of the season so far, 15,458. The Freight Rover Trophy meanwhile saw Boro progress to the Semifinals with wins against Halifax Town and Rochdale, the latter albeit after a penalty shootout.
By now Boro had dropped to 3rd in the League following 3 defeats in 4 matches and followed that up by losing 0-1 at home to Mansfield Town in the North Area Semifinal of the Freight Rover Trophy before an expectant crowd of 11,754. However maybe the two Cup defeats were a blessing in disguise as Boro at last went on a long unbeaten run of 13 matches ten of which were won as promotion was confirmed around Easter when Boro had to play 4 matches in the space of 7 days. They won 2-1 at Chester on the penultimate Saturday of the season, beat Mansfield 1-0 with a Gary Hamilton penalty on the Monday before a crowd of over 13,000, then needed to avoid defeat at home to Wigan Athletic on the Wednesday night which they did with a goalless draw before the highest crowd of the season 18,523. For good measure they won at Doncaster 3-0 on the following Saturday to finish 2nd behind Bournemouth. Maybe they should have won the league, but they did have the satisfaction of beating the Champions 4-0 earlier in the season to inflict manager Harry Redknapp’s heaviest defeat.
the Boro finished with 94 points 3 behind Bournemouth and lost only 2 home games against Blackpool and Chester. They had been fairly lucky with injuries. Five players, Stephen Pears, Colin Cooper, Tony Mowbray, Gary Parkinson and Bernie Slaven played in every League match. Gary Pallister and Archie Stephens missed only 2 each, Stuart Ripley missed only 3 and Gary Hamilton missed only 5. That’s 9 players with over 40 League appearances. Gary Gill played in 33 matches, Brian Laws in 26 and Paul Kerr who was only signed in January played in 20 matches. That’s without doubt the most settled team in the history of Middlesbrough FC and was certainly a contributory factor in gaining promotion. Bernie Slaven was top scorer with 17, Archie Stephens scored 16 – the wisdom of playing 2 strikers. Brian Laws chipped in with 8, and both Tony Mowbray and Gary Hamilton scored 7 each. That’s 55 goals out of the 67 scored that season.
The following season Boro were back in the Second Division and only signed three more players – Dean Glover, Mark Burke half way through the season, and Trevor Senior towards the end. The season didn’t start particularly well with only 4 points gained from the first 5 matches and Boro in 20th position. The most gratifying result had probably been a 2-0 home win over Sunderland in the League Cup, thus going through to the next round 2-1 on aggregate. However their progress in that competition was short lived as they lost 0-1 both home and away to Aston Villa in the next round despite beating Villa away by the same score earlier in the League encounter which happened to be the first of 4 successive League wins without conceding a goal – Bournemouth 3-0 and Leeds United 2-0 both at home followed by a 2-0 win at Blackburn. Suddenly Boro had jumped up to 4th in the League. They then lost to surprise League leaders Bradford City 0-1 in their next match which meant dropping down to 9th in an early tightly congested League table.
What followed next though was quite extraordinary for a young and only recently promoted team. Boro went unbeaten for 14 matches, 9 of which they won, culminating in a 1-1 draw at home to Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day before an almost capacity crowd of 23,536. Looking back, it was possibly seen as a disappointing result as Boro had won their previous 6 home matches. Such was the expectancy of a team that had by then stormed to the top of the table. Boro then wobbled with 3 successive defeats all away from home and had great difficulty in disposing of non-league Sutton United in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup. They managed to secure a replay after a 1-1 away draw, but it required extra time and a goal from Paul Kerr for Boro to advance to the next round.
By now Boro had dropped to 5th in the League but a 2-1 home win over Crystal Palace stopped the rot as Boro entered the fray of facing a First Division side away from home in the FA Cup. That match was against Everton and Boro managed a very credible replay draw to earn a replay which was to take place four days later at Ayresome Park before the TV cameras, and what a match it turned out to be! Boro were 0-1 down with only injury time remaining when captain Tony Mowbray headed a spectacular goal to take the tie into extra time, and when Alan Kernaghan put Boro ahead in the first period of extra time the capacity crowd of 25,235 erupted. Unfortunately Boro couldn’t hang on and a third meeting was needed to settle the tie, no penalty shootouts for FA Cup matches in those days. Boro lost the toss for the choice of venue and 6 days later had to travel to Goodison again where unfortunately they lost 1-2.
One wondered if having to play those 3 Cup ties with a League match at Swindon in between might derail Boro’s season as the top of the table home clash against Aston Villa approached on St. Valentines Day. Boro were a goal down at halftime and that was still the situation as play entered the final 10 minutes. But after Alan Kernaghan had equalised, Tony Mowbray scored the winning goal with about 6 minutes remaining. The scoring duo against Everton had done it again, and that was possibly the time when manager Bruce Rioch stated that if he were to fly to the moon, he would want the Boro captain beside him.
Boro lost their 2nd home match of the season two weeks later to Bradford City but then put together a 7 match unbeaten run which included a 6-0 walloping of Sheffield United and a 2-0 home win over Manchester City to keep them in 2nd place. But then came a 0-4 trouncing at Ipswich with only 3 games remaining and Boro had dropped to 4th. They recovered by beating Plymouth Argyle 3-1 at home and Barnsley 3-0 at Oakwell and went into the final match against mid-table Leicester needing probably a win to join Millwall in the First Division. The scenario going into the final match was that Boro had 78 points, one more than both Villa and Bradford City. Villa managed only a goalless draw at Swindon, whilst City lost 2-3 at home to Ipswich, so in effect a draw for Boro would have sufficed. But Boro gave a nervous display and before a stunned crowd of 27,645 Boro lost the match 1-2 to finish level on points with Villa but finishing 3rd on goals scored.
I didn’t want Villa to be promoted. In my mind I believed that the football public’s sympathy had been with Bradford City following the fire tragedy of the previous season when 56 people lost their lives and another 256 injured in the last game of the previous season, and also with Middlesbrough who had survived liquidation two years previously and had gained promotion with a threadbare squad the following year. Of course that could not now happen as Bradford and Boro had to meet each other, whilst 5th placed Blackburn Rovers were to meet Chelsea the 4th from bottom placed team in the First Division.
As expected Chelsea easily accounted for Blackburn 6-1 on aggregate, but Boro’s match was harder to call. After all Bradford had defeated Boro twice in the League, the only team to do so. But playing the second leg was considered an advantage as long as the first leg wasn’t lost by more than one goal. As it happened that’s what transpired. Boro lost at Valley Parade 1-2 with recently signed Trevor Senior scoring Boro’s goal, but as away goals don’t count double in playoff matches, Boro needed to win the home leg by more than one goal if extra time and a penalty shootout out was to be avoided. As it happened Boro could only lead 1-0 with a Bernie Slaven goal after 90 minutes. The crowd didn’t have long to wait for Boro’s second goal though as Gary Hamilton scored in the 1st minute of extra time, and Boro hung on to win 2-1 on aggregate. Surprisingly the crowd was some 1,800 fewer than the attendance at the Leicester match, but perhaps that was because City didn’t take up their full allocation of tickets.
As the lower ranked team in the Final, Boro had to play Chelsea at home first. Goals from Trevor Senior and one in the final 10 minutes from Bernie Slaven gave Boro a good lead, although maybe not a comfortable one to take to Stamford Bridge 3 days later. The original Battle of Stamford Bridge had taken place in near York in 1066, but this might well be classed as the second one albeit with different opponents. If Boro could avoid conceding an early goal one felt they had a chance. They only managed to hold out until the 18th minute before Gordon Durie scored for Chelsea. Boro did have chances to equalise with a Bernie Slaven header, but by and large it was a fantastic backs-to-the-wall display as Boro held out. The second Battle of Stamford Bridge then took place with seats, bottles,etc thrown at the Boro fans, and it was some time before order was restored to allow the Boro fans to join in with the celebrations as the players re-entered the stadium.
Bernie Slaven had scored 24 goals, 21 of which were in the League and Stuart Ripley chipped in with 8 League goals. Boro had won two successive promotions, a rarity at any time, and were to become a First Division club for the first time in 7 years. Sadly they were to be relegated the next season having never been in the bottom 3 all season after their penultimate match at home to Arsenal. I’ll review the remaining Bruce Rioch and Colin Todd years when time permits. But hopefully recording those two promotion years might help lift some of the gloom which seems prevalent at the moment.
Quote of the day. What in fact is History? According to the Yorkshire playwright Alan Bennett it’s just one thing after another.
In response to Wiggy’s Mate, above.
I get the feeling I may have come across as condescending. Even though I didn’t intend it. So I’ll try and explain myself.
The whole writer vs. paying customer thing came from Nick Hornby in Fever Pitch. It was my way of getting to the bottom of what differentiated their point of view. With that, and with Ian’s help, I understood why goals and wins change one’s perceptions of games regardless of the quality of the defending or attacking.
Len, and Rob Smyth, helped me further with their posts on Liverpool v Newcastle. I learned how an experience like that is hard to top in the moment, at the ground, why managers hate games like that (blood pressure, poor foundations for success, etc.), and so on.
During 2013-16, I enjoyed watching Bamford’s, and sometimes Negredo’s, goals. I enjoyed watching Tomlin, Vossen, Gaston, Fabbrini, Adomah and Adama. I took great pride in watching and learning how we adapted zonal marking, and backwards and sideways passing could subtly reshape the opposition pattern and create an opening – at least until they sat back, kept their shape and picked us off. I loved the dramatic finales with Rhodes and Nugent. I loved Stuani and Kike G proving the doubters wrong. I love how our confidence grew to the point where we dismantled unbeaten Brighton on their patch.
I hate how it all unravelled. I couldn’t understand, as Tees Exile couldn’t, why the mood would be so uneasy and fragile at times despite rampant statistical evidence to the contrary. I didn’t get why one coach’s dismissal, the absence of one player, the loss of a solitary game and one substitution caused so much uproar. As recently as the first half of the PL season it so often seemed to be a tale of fine margins – one more goal or one less mistake.
That was why the last three months was a real kicker. It was a period where a regime was finally guilty of everything it had been accused of. I didn’t agree with every charge, but I did understand it. It mirrored Jack Charlton’s final six months in charge of Ireland – the flaws were laid bare for all to see, and the pundits who had been critical all along couldn’t simply see it as a case of the cycle of football, fitter, savvier, more motivated players putting a natural end to a regime. I wanted it to be as simple as that. But I knew not everyone could get with it even during the best of times.
The passion I unquestionably felt for all that drove me to dissect posts and say things I still regret to this day.
I apologised. No forgiveness. I tried to draw a veil over it with a friendlier post and got called condescending for my troubles. I was accused of disappearing in later months when I was actually only off the forum for five days while I was genuinely busy with family. I received abrupt responses to Talking Points I put a lot of effort into. And a solitary word in my most recent piece was ripped right out of context. It was indeed a strong word, and I do regret using it. Now. But worse ones were being tossed around during those deadly few months at the start of 2017. Everyone was hurting during a toxic split in the camp. I should have understood. I should have known better. I didn’t.
The way I see it, you can be critical of a manager while still appreciating him. Saying that he backed away from the difficult questions when the times got really tough is different from praising his team’s playing style – which, if only to a point, worked for me.
But why did it work for me in the Championship and trigger so much unease in others? I could only conclude it was down to Len’s reasoning – “From half way across the world seeing Boro top the table and frequently pick up points is hunky dory. Going to the games is a much more nuanced experience.”
The time to rationalise and reflect away from that emotional prism has changed things. Would that everyone could be so understanding.
Apologies for the personal nature of the post. But I had to get it out.
Good post, Simon. And excellent research from both you and Ken.
Been away for a few days and have thoroughly enjoyed catching up this evening on so many high quality posts. Werder on the mortality of budgies and the comments which followed were a high spot, but the intelligence and perceptiveness of so many contributions contradict TP’s working assumption that supporters know nowt.
I despair. Mikel will bring nothing to the team. Watch his last season at Chelsea and tell me that he is going to be any better than the many pedestrian midfielders already on the books. Another recruitment howler.
Worse, I wouodn’t be surprised if Pulis is planning to play him instead of Wing in which case, if I were Wing, I would give up and ask for a move. With Tavernier out of the match day squad he is probably considering his future too and if Pulis continues to play Fry out of position then he could also be thinking that his future lies elsewhere.
It would be quite an achievement to drive the best three home grown prospects we have had for years away from the club.
Si
Like you, I actually enjoyed much of the AK era with those players you named. Shame it all unravelled but it seems the nature of the reign of most managers.
Was there any reason given to explain Tavernier’s absence from Saturdays match day squad?
I think we are getting to the point where we are picking holes in things because.
I am not saying that is wrong but the prevailing atmosphere is making us pick up on every nuance, every phrase that is uttered is being dissected.
Lines have been drawn and stances entrenched, there will be no changing peoples views. Any new players are like aunt sally’s, existing squad members will suffer from old prejudices. Every incident is being analysed for the negatives.
I am not blaming anyone, I am not pointing fingers, it is what it is.
Wiggy’s Mate said –
‘If TP was French I would suspect this to be some sort of existential experiment.’
I wish I’d written this.
Genuinely flattered, from one St Edward’s old boy to another.
That was truly genius.
Whilst I can agree with GHW about giving Mikel a chance or any signing come to that, what it does say to me, is that Mr Gibson, Mr Pulis and the recruitement team whoever they are, have made serious blunders in previously signing, (Howson) McNair, Besic and Saville.
Has TP just realised that these are not really what he wants, are not good enough or what.
I realise TP did not sign Howson or SD for that matter, but he certainly is love with both of them.
What a shambles we are witnessing unravel down at the Riverside.
If he come I hope Mikel becomes our new Merson but after two years playing in a Mickey Mouse league it could take him 3 months just to get match fit. I’m hoping its just a pay as you play deal and he can train and get fit with us with the simple option of being able to play if needed. I can’t help that its a serious distraction from what MFC should be focussed on however.
RR I hope so too but in my opinion Mikel is no Merson, not even close.
Wiggy’s Mate –
All the best people etc etc..
You weren’t there with any of my siblings (or nephew and nieces) were you?
I was in the same year as Stephanie and remember Peter. I think we overlapped too. Please pass on my anonymised regards.
In that case you overlapped with six of us. I would have been in very short shorts tho’. Pete and Steph are still season ticket holders, bless them, and Pete came down for the Millwall and QPR games. I’ll certainly pass on your best!
Exmil, let’s dissect the list that I posted shall we.
Gestede, McNair, Shotton and Flint, have been all season, or very much of late, either peripheral or training all week to be told they’re getting the match day off.
Saville is, and always will be, a complete waste of £7m in anyone’s eyes, he’s a journeyman.
Howson has flattered to deceive since day one, and maybe it’s just me, but any time he’s been subbed we actually appear to play better.
Downing has divided everyone’s opinion since his return, but I’ve yet to see him hit the headlines in his time back.
Besic, well, he’s been offered more lifts back to Everton than I’ve had hot dinners.
IMHO, you could get rid of that drain on finances and not suffer on the pitch, and as I’ve pointed out, most of them haven’t used much ink up having their names printed on the team sheet so far this season.
Also, there’s two ways of thinking on the 50% not performing, maybe, just maybe, the other 50% are taking up the slack than those slackers aren’t doing, but as I’ve already stated, the players I’ve pointed out either can’t get a game or have been universally panned by all except TP, they don’t account for 50% of the usual team.
As for the standard of players we have, one look at the league and the teams in it explains why these journeymen are allowed to get away with being sub standard, this has to be one of the worst seasons I’ve ever seen in the championship, they’re all as bad as each other, but with the right players or organisation with the right ones we have, we could be better.
while it is difficult to imagine that Mikel will be the missing link, I am prepared to give him a chance to show if he still has it and is more motivated than MB.
I am still puzzled as to what the clubs recruitment policy is. I thought we were going for cheaper options with potential, you know the type, young, keen and eager to show what they can do, low risk, cheaper wages, lots of drive and enthusiasm, potential to improve, good enough to go straight into the team, possible big return on investment.
They are out there, in fact they already belong to us, Wing and Tav.
They will be pushed further away from the match day squad as new recruits come in.
Wing and Tav are not experiments, we know what they are capable of and we should build our attacking philosophy around them.
Unless outgoings equals in comings I fear for both of them.
Give your head a shake Mr Pulis and have both in your starting line up for the next league game before they are compelled to look elsewhere for regular football.
Apart from when out injured Shotton has started every league game and up to his injury Flint started every league game. But don’t let facts get in the way of your reasoned argument PPinP.
FAA, I could have started every game as well, but it doesn’t mean to say that I’m good enough to be picked. If you read what I said I pointed out in my first paragraph “all season or very much of late”, my response was against losing 50% of the squad and being holed below the water line, losing that lot wouldn’t create a ripple.
As for Downing ‘not hitting the headlines’, come to that I’ve yet to see him hit anything.
PPinP
You wrote that Shotton and Flint were “peripheral” which just isn’t the case. If they are fit they will play.
Being good enough is a different matter
Still on the fence.
Having sold our best goalscorer in Bamford, our most dangerous creative player – maybe the division’s most dangerous creative player – in Traore and a fantastic leader and Premier League standard centre-half in Ben Gibson, to be where we are is pretty good. I would have had Leeds, West Brom, Stoke, Swansea, Derby and Forest all ahead of us by now at least.
That said, we’ve still managed to shoot ourselves in the foot with poor recruitment and highly questionable team selections and tactics.
I have no doubt that Saville and McNair can become important players for us somewhere down the line but at the prices paid – for a Chanpionship club – we should be getting the real deal right now, not projects. Flint is decent but wasn’t necessary when we had a ready made replacement in Fry already here. A better use of the Gibson money would have been a specialist right back or, better still, convincing Fabio to stay.
I don’t have a problem with the signing of Besic who was excellent for a good portion of last season. I do have a problem with continually picking him this season though as he’s been consistently bang average. The same goes for Howson.
So, in summary of all that, I think we’ve somehow managed to both overachieve and frustrate in almost equal measure, hence being on the fence.
With Pulis’ contract up in the summer, I wonder if that uncertainty is/will have any affect.
Just when you might expect Aston Villa to surface at the last moment and steal our signing, nothing.
There must be a reason, John Terry knows Obi Mikel well but apparently has no interest. Ditto Frank at Derby.
It points to another dud signing – that said part of me thinks he might be a decent deal – but the bigger picture is that Saville, McNair, Howson are presumably deemed not up to it if the need for a replacement (and it cannot be alongside surely) is there.
Then there’s Bolasie, was there any Boro fan who was other than wholly relieved when that deal fell apart?
It is another step along the way of a directionless club, grasping anything that offers hope or mere possibility. It’s not where we should be, where any football club should be.
I cannot believe there another Championship club with more good players than us, yet we flail and fail continually.
We need to start again, ship out the expensive incomers and, more pertinently, maybe ship out Steve Gibson too. He has been appalling, albeit as financially munificent as ever, for some time.
It’s time for a new direction. The club is sadly sterile, just awful.
We won’t go up and we won’t go down, so play the kids. We all know it, surely the club does too. And if not, why not..
Aristotle stated ‘The whole is greater than the sum of its parts’.
In our case maybe Eric Morecombe is closer ‘I’m playing all the right notes – but not necessarily in the right order’
As always the truth is probably a blend of factors.
At Manu under the unemployed one they played like Morecombe’s scenario. Under OSG the are now like Andrew Previews Grieg concerto.
The players are probably better than we currently think they are. Cardiff were promoted because the collective was greater than the sum of its parts.
It doesn’t take much for the team to look ineffective A few misplaced passes, a loss of a bit of confidence, a bit of uncertainty and the opposition will sense it. Even the poorest team can work hard on key aspects of the game to nullify the opposition.
Add in the lack of a key player or two and the blend may be wrong.
The difficult part is what to do about.it. You cant sack all the squad so the manager gets it in the neck and hope for the dead cat bounce.
It worked at Leicester the season after they won the title and it kept them up when the caretaker kept them up. All the stats improved by 15% such as yards covered, challenges made, forward runs.
It didn’t work for us when AK left and Agnew took over. Maybe it was too late, maybe the squad were not good enough or together.
It is a tough call.
Is the problem having a cor anglais, when perhaps a french horn might be more appropriate, but then its no good having a tuba smarties on the pitch if they are all playing like a rabble of bassoons. And where are all those famous triangles on the pitch when there are more wood blocks forced into tubular bells all over…
I am trying to think of a good signing since Karanka left (and his record wasn’t the best)
Randolf – has been steady
Flint – has been steady but goals have dried up
Shotton – has been at times our best supplier though I hate to admit it
Christie – gone, face didn’t fit
Britt – scored goals but not worth 15m
Now I am struggling, can anyone help there must be more.
The poor ones are easier to reel off
Howson – flattered to deceive
Braithwaite – nothing to be said
Besic – see Howson
Johnson – Why??
Fletcher – to easily cast aside, there may be a player in there
Mcnair – confidence shot
Saville – will never live up to his fee
McQueen – certainly not an improvement on what we have
Baker – didn’t seem committed
Harrison – not given a decent run
I am sure there are more but this is poor recruitment surely they cant get that many wrong.
Ian
Our problem is TP insists on playing the same note on all the instruments at the same time all the time.
TP tries to play the Trombone and Drums in the string section of his Orchestra.
The flute and the piccalo are drowned out by the timps land the symbols.
Less “flight of the humble bee”
More like the death March.
Wagner was a good composer
More like the big base drum!
FAA, I didn’t say that Shotton or Flint were peripheral, read my post again and you will see that I said that “they (amongst a list of others) were either peripheral or training all week to be told that they’re getting the match day off”, please don’t misquote me.
Oh, and by the way, one of them is fit and isn’t playing, what did you say earlier about facts? Get yours straight before you start throwing stones.
Gestede, McNair, Shotton and Flint, have been all season, or very much of late, either peripheral or training all week to be told they’re getting the match day off.
Looks like peripheral to me.
The trouble with entrenched agendas is the lack of flexibility when others disagree or point out inconsistencies.
I don’t have an entrenched agenda and I’m not inflexible and never have been, but stating that it “Looks like peripheral to me” is purely your opinion, which you’re quite rightly are at liberty to post, but don’t misquote what I said to reinforce that opinion.
Maybe ship out Steve Gibson? Ah, Richard, but that’s sacrilege.
Ideally I would prefer it if Gibson took a leaf from Burnley and their owners, as I’ve been saying for some time.
Dyche told them at his interview for the job that he wouldn’t move his family because he knew what would happen to them if he got sacked in a year’s time – and family come first. Clearly they appreciated his honesty and understood it.
The best way to work hand in hand with a talented football manager is accept that he will not be a puppet on the hierarchy’s strings. As Len once implied, we should have higher aspirations than to turn ourselves into giant sponges.
It’s the future don’t you know…..
http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/non-league/281245/non-league-wingate-finchley-to-allow-ai-coach-to-pick-team-formation-and-in-game-strategies-for-upcoming-match.html
I’m staggered that anyone could even contemplate wanting SG out as chairman. In this period of investors scooping up football clubs purely for financial reasons and the subsequent upheaval and turmoil it causes that would be a backward step.
SG has often said he is the custodian of the club and I for one am glad that he is.
Totally agree.
I will have a go at the players, the manager, the recruitment team, the tactics, the weather.
SG has made many mistakes as we all know, mainly honest mistakes as he tries to do his best for the club. He has given years of excitement and invested heavily in the club,
What we achieved from 86 to Eindhoven was phenomenal.
Ask Bernie what it was like training at synners and hoping your wages went into the bank.
Yes Ken, I was one of the 3000 at Hartlepool with my young nephew who turned 40 yesterday and I am eternally grateful for the continued support our chairman gives.
History will show how important he was for MFC and the area in general.
Some should be very careful what they wish for.
Totally agree with that GHW.
GIbbo has certainly made mistakes over the year but that’s where, imo, his business head has taken a back seat to his fans head.
Would love an overseas investment corporation or a member of the Russian mafia in charge. Not!
John Obi Mikel has completed his Boro medical and agreed personal terms to join Middlesbrough FC, with the deal expected to be wrapped up today.
The deal is likely to be a short-term, pay as you play deal until the end of the season.
If the above report is true, then I think it is a good bit of business for MFC, may also contain an option to sign a more permanent deal if he proves successful.
Come on BORO.
I’d be very interested to know the process behind this signing.
Obviously his agent will have circulated his availability in the football world and I would imagine he won’t have been without suitors. The recruitment department will have a template of the kind of player they are interested in and it would appear that Obi-Mikel fits that.
I wonder if any other clubs were interested?
Tony Pulis will probably see that we must be careful with him as he hasn’t played for several weeks.
Perhaps he could play the first minute Ken. Then subbed for Downing.
That would keep the manager and the accountant happy.
I would imagine even coming on in the fourth minute of injury time would count as an appearance and trigger any clause.
Allegedly Mikel had talks with Villa and Derby before deciding to join Boro.
Come on BORO.
I don’t have to reiterate my respect for Gibson. I don’t want him to leave the club at all. Without him I wouldn’t even be a Boro fan.
But rather than view this positively or negatively, see it open-mindedly. Think, as RR has thought, that you can’t face the future looking backwards. And I understand the itchy feet of supporters, for Gibson’s money means a lot, lot less in today’s financial stratosphere.
The £25 million for promotion in 2015-16? Most top tier clubs would wipe their proverbial with that. Sad but true.
Two extracts.
First, from Boro fan Mathew Evans in early 2015…
“(Would failure leave Boro) devastated? Disheartened? Distraught? Down and out?
“Absolutely not.
“…How many times have you seen promotion ‘certainties’ fall at the last hurdle and (get it right) the next season?
“Leicester. Cardiff. Derby. There are precedents abound the recent annals of Championship history.
“…Yes, the squad may require building. A successful loan network is in place and can be called up on again next season.
“Top flight clubs will be begging Boro to take their best talent given the success of players building experience in the second tier of English football.
“The transfer and wage budget may be tighter. It might not.
“The FFP limits have been relaxed and there’s no doubting Gibson will squeeze every last penny he can to get his beloved Boro back in the promised land.
“That thought sounds very depressing right now and flies in the face of the (unusual) optimism washing over Teesside, but if it doesn’t happen it’s not the end of the world… We’ll be back.
Myself, after Wembley…
“…It is time for Boro to appreciate their achievements and push on rather than lament on a ‘near-miss’.
“For appreciation encourages improvement, and the chance for Boro to expand the methods that have served them so well recently into something more expressive.
“That way, the season will not be thought of as a missed opportunity, but a learning experience.”
Conclusions?
A near-miss never counts for nothing if you learn from it.
Why are we never capable of appreciating what is? Why must we always lament what isn’t, or once wasn’t? Many of our managers have tried to answer that question…
Simon
Keeping calm when suffering a near miss for promotion, makes sense, every time.
We kept calm when AK missed it, and next season we scored.
Unfortunately, when we did not lodge ourselves in the middle of the Prem, we all threw a hissy fit.
Then, from a hissy fit, on realising that it was the players who were not happy(and not trying) we decided that if they were unhappy, then we would jettison the manager (who had singlehandedly got us to playoffs, promotion, and in the prem.)
Not the brightest of ideas( considering that at least half of them would be gone in one season, not being good enough for the champ. Never mind the prem).
As there was at least 16-17 matches to play(eight of them against the dross), leaving him in place would have done better than the strange group of people who’s attempts at managing a team were hilarious.
Strange that the bunch of buffoons who wanted rid of AK did not suddenly shoot the lights out in a great escape?
They were, of course, not even good enough for the champ, never mind the prem.
They are still at our club.
Some interesting posts and dialogue today. Good shouts from Andy, Richard and Billy. As always questions to be answered from GHW.
Apparently GHW, with SD, it is only KICK OFF starts that trigger the additional 12 month contract extension. 35K a week is will be impossible to pay next season assuming we are in the Championship.
I would also assume there will be lots more on high wages that will be released if MFC can sort out a reasonable financial hit and release for them. Our wage bill will not be sustainable after losing the Parachute Payments.
To me the obvious solution to SD is start Tav and have Stewy on the bench if needed. Alternatively we can bring in a couple of ageing crocks on as much if not more than SD and then hope that their injuries hold off until the Summer and also discover the form of their youth from years back. Meantime we could then let Tav rot in the reserves and let SD sit in the stands on his alleged £35K a week. We can then proclaim how much more of SG’s money is going to be saved.
I’m surprised at that one, as it’s such an easy one to get around.
Plato,
Players are too easy a target. If the manager blames them, or worse, the owner, he is deemed to be using them as an excuse.
Never forget the Lego Headed one who showed us up, along with his hierarchy. With time and security, he survived a relegation, took that group of players back into the PL, kept them up, made a £37 million profit on two of the best and guided the rest into Europe.
A strong manager makes do with what he has. A lesser manager, I have found, always needs more money, more players, or more money to buy players.
I’m surprised that Boro haven’t rearranged the Bristol City match for next Tuesday. If we beat Newport either at home or in a replay the away match at Blackburn scheduled for the 16th February will have to be postponed. If we draw with Newport the replay will have to be played during the week commencing 4th February. We already have to meet Sheffield United on the 13th February, therefore the earliest date we could meet either Bristol City or Blackburn would be the 19th February. Perhaps Boro don’t want to play Bristol City whilst we’re playing poorly at home and City are on an unbeaten run, but further advancement beyond the 5th Round of the FA Cup could find Boro with a congested set of fixtures into March and April. Could it be that Boro are running scared?
Ken
Take a look at the Robins recent form. Then compare it with our Home form, good reason to be scared. Also maybe useful to have a game in hand later in the season when we have a side full of ageing, creaking “men” with dodgy backs thanks to the size of their pay packets.
Ken,
I would be very wary of not showing up at Blackburn!
Ken, both teams have to agree a rearrangement and since both are involved in the FA cup this weekend, I guess they both are waiting to see if a replay is necessary. Apart from next week the following weeks are available:
4-8 Feb
11-15 Feb
18-22 Feb
25-1 Mar
4-8 Mar
18-22 Mar
25-29 Mar
1-5 Apr
It may suit Boro to wait until after Saturday to plan rearrangement.
Come on BORO.
Exmill, that seems logical although I don’t think it will be played during 4th and 8th Feb. Nowadays League matches don’t appear to be rescheduled during the week of potential FA Cup replay dates. If Boro draw on Saturday, which I’m sure Boro wouldn’t want, I suppose there’s a good chance the replay might be televised unless of course Arsenal v Man Utd or possibly Swansea v Gillingham require replays also.
Sorry 11-15 Feb not available.
Come on BORO.
SUNDERLAND SET TO RE-SIGN LEADBITTER
Sunderland are hopeful of bringing Grant Leadbitter back to Wearside.
The Middlesbrough club captain is set to take a large pay cut to return to his boyhood club.
The two North-East clubs are in talks over a permanent transfer for the midfielder.
Come on BORO.
Downing next, fingers crossed.
Exmil, For that to happen and fullfil Grant’s wish of a regular team start, I would assume that MFC would have to give him a Golden Goodbye, as I had not realised he was contracted until 2020.
How long will Sunderland offer him and on less wages. They could very well be playing us in the Championship next season and IMO Grant would not be able to play week in and week out.
Saying that I would prefer him in the Boro team at the moment in place of one or two of the current MF favourites. If only he were 3/4 years younger.
We need to clear out our thirty something midfielders so we can make room on the wage bill for newer thirty something midfielders on even more money!
Grant’s contract with Boro finishes on 30 June 2019.
Come on BORO.
If TP ever leaves the club, how about Steve Clarke manager of Kilmarnock.
Braveheart,
He may be doing OK up there but…
The last flirtation with all things Scottish didn’t end too well.
I would be tempted to leave that one alone.
“A lot happens. The speed and intensity played are not comparable with any other competition. But I missed the tactical discipline. Everything is about power. Outside the top 6, tactical ingenuity fell. I like to think about football to (win).“
That was Marten De Roon on the PL. Neither brilliant nor terrible – a nice guy, committed, scored some goals and ran around a lot but that is the very least you’d expect for his fee.
Culture was another problem. Clearly AK and Aggers liked him – his dedication to the job on the pitch and manner with fans off it made him easy to like – but what *was* he? He certainly wasn’t a playmaker, he didn’t exert enough influence to be an action man and I don’t think he was disciplined enough to be a human shield. Who knew his best position? As I said earlier he ran around a lot and scored the odd goal but was rarely decisive. And you do expect more than that for the money we paid. He wasn’t influential at all – he was dispensable. And it’s no surprise, judging by his comment, that he’s far happier with the slower paced game in Italy.
Simon
When De roon is talking about ingenuity, he is on about obvious game situations and making the proper decisions.
A player does not want to look foolish in front of 40000 spectators , so if he makes a run into attacking areas or even defensive areas , expecting to receive the ball in the correct manner , because he is the best option but the player with the ball doesn’t see it and turns another way leaving the other guy exposed it causes a lack of trust, after awhile the smart player stops doing what comes naturally , and it effects team play.
The good teams have flow to their game because they don’t second guess and get on with it , players run,receive,run on ,and create chances.
This is why recruitment is important, and coaching at the academy level is Paramount, the right kind of course.
Good and more important smart players will only stick around if they are complemented by the same.
Well another busy week and some juggling of priorities but unbelievably it’s already Thursday morning so as the weekend fast approaches it’s time to start thinking of Cup glory as Tony Pulis looks to put on a show and entertain his guests from his home town. Hopefully he’ll also inadvertently entertain the Riverside crowd too as he ponders on how many forwards to start the game with or will it be midfield madness again with the drawing of straws to see who gets the lone striker role and a chance to be clattered. So with the transfer rumours starting to surface (or re-surface) and some deals almost over the line, here’s my take with this week’s discussion blog…
https://diasboro.club/2019/01/24/2018-19-week-26-fans-await-guilty-pleasures/