Championship 2018-19: Week 27
Thu 31 Jan – 23:00: Transfer Window Closes
Sat 2 Feb – 15:00: West Brom v Boro
When mathematician Dr Hannah Fry (no relation) was discussing the origin of numbers with Professor Brian Cox on Radio 4 this week, the whole tactical philosophy of Boro manager Tony Pulis appeared to be called into question when she put forward the hypothesis that perhaps the number zero doesn’t really exist in the universe. Whether the mostly unheard screams of frustration in the empty space of the Riverside stadium (or Ground Zero as it’s sometimes known) would agree with her argument that nothingness doesn’t actually exist is possibly open to conjecture – especially as footballing nothingness has become the underwhelming void into which many have been left to stare.
While Professor Cox’s statement that “even a vacuum is fizzing with activity” may possibly offer some comfort, keen Boro observers in the less rarefied atmosphere of the Riverside are still patiently waiting to detect signs of energetic movement on the pitch. Nevertheless, as supporters occupy themselves counting the ‘missing’ in the North Stand, many are starting to ponder over the presenter’s profound existential question that he so elegantly posed in his ‘Human Universe’ TV series – simply “Why are we here?”
Although, whether some Boro followers would agree with the sentiments of Brian Cox in his earlier work ‘Things can only get better’ will perhaps depend on how the strong their innate sense of pessimism is. The young physicist you may be aware played keyboards in the band D:Ream, whose feel-good hit became the anthem of choice for another much-loved Tony in order to persuade the masses that his vision of hope was authentic and not just another sound bite – sadly it was perhaps their follow-up single ‘Unforgiven’ that will more closely encapsulate Blair’s legacy following his ill-fated venture in Iraq. For many at the Riverside their only hope for a more positive approach is that the infamous ‘hand of history’ taps our own Tony on the shoulder before giving him a slap to bring him to his senses.
Coincidentally, the first recorded appearance of zero was almost 5,000 years ago in the ancient Sumerian culture of Mesopotamia, which now corresponds geographically to Iraq – along with parts of Iran, Syria and Turkey. While the Riverside is no stranger to the concept of zero, you may be interested to learn that Mesopotamia actually means ‘between two rivers’ in Greek – though the rivers in question are the Tigris and the Euphrates, with the land between them known by the Arabs as ‘Al-Jazirah’, or the island. With the great city of this region being Babylon, it’s name is claimed to stem from the Hebrew word for confusion (bavel), which is derived from the story in the Book of Genesis that describes how a Tower in Babel was being built to reach the heavens until God brought a halt to proceedings by causing the people to speak in different languages so they couldn’t understand each other.
Talking of towering confusion and failure to communicate, Tony Pulis’s team of giants once again proved largely ineffectively on the pitch as they played like proverbial strangers at that less ancient cradle of civilisation in the north-east of England. It’s not apparent how Boro contrived to be second best to a mid-table League Two side but it has become a familiar sight to watch the players become less than the sum of their parts as supposedly better quality individuals are still not gelling together in a meaningful way. As the season has progressed, the divide between expectations and what is being delivered appears to have got wider. Each negative display has seen the errors multiply and a change in fortune seems now to be dependent on the arrival of new additions.
However, many doubt whether new blood will ultimately create a radical change in the overall pattern of play or shift the focus towards becoming a more offensive team. There are also structural issues that are unlikely to to be addressed in this transfer window, such as in the full-back positions, and it seems many of the new signings already signed or rumoured to be close to signing are lacking match fitness. The patience of the Riverside crowd has been worn down by months of watching their ponderous team run out of ideas in their quest to add to their nine Championship Riverside goals since August – three of which were actually penalties and also include one own-goal. So with just five goals from open play in five months, it seems the supporters zero tolerance has begun to wear extremely thin.
Needless to say, the journey of that joyless zero from its conception to the cautious mind of the Boro manager has been long and arduous one. Having started life as a simple dot in the Hindu civilisation of India back in the middle of the fifth century, it then spread into what is now Cambodia in the seventh century. It then entered into China and the Islamic countries around a hundred years later, where it became represented by a circle, before making it’s way into Western Europe in the 12th century via Arab traders. How it eventually arrived to South Wales and the industrial landscape of Newport is not clearly described but we may assume a young Anthony Richard Pulis was introduced to the importance of giving nothing away at a very early age.
The failure of the players to be able to express themselves, other than with shrugs of shoulders and holding up of hands, has brought the role of the manager into question. There are charges that managers like Pulis like to keep a tight leash on how their players carry out their duties on the pitch. Whether the Boro manager believes that the solution to his problems is to find players who can better carry out his instructions has not been openly expressed – but he has been prone to pointing the blame at individuals in post-match briefings and only very occasionally claiming his tactics were at fault.
Perhaps the proliferation in the trend to measure players stats and the ability to model the whole game with individual heat maps and biometric data have convinced many coaches that the game of football is about the successful strategic execution of their plan rather than encouraging moments of collective interplay or individual brilliance – not to mention luck. Of course structure is important and players roles and responsibilities are all designed to make them work better as a team. However, at some point they need to play the game in real time and make their own judgements and use their experience to make decisions. A problem may arise if there is a conflict between what they think or what their manager thinks is the right course of action – does the fear of making the wrong decision ultimately outweigh the risk of attempting something off-message?
Interestingly, some managers or coaches are not particularly active on the touchline as responsibility is passed to their players once they cross the white line. Some even prefer to sit in the stands and get an overview of the pattern of play so that they can pass on observations at half-time. Tony Pulis is not that kind of manager and almost plays every ball as he stands in his technical area shouting out instructions, pointing and making all kinds of hand gestures.
The overestimation of a person’s ability to control events is known as the ‘illusion of control’ and was first identified by psychologist Ellen Langer. The illusion is more common in situations where the person knows what the desired outcome should be and is stronger when individuals have an emotional need to control the outcome. In Addition, feedback that emphasises success rather than failure can increase the effect and perhaps Tony Pulis has been conditioned over the years that he has played every ball on the touchline to save his clubs from relegation. Though the good news for those on Teesside feeling helpless as they watch their team underperform – the illusion is weaker for depressed individuals.
With the January transfer window due to close shortly at 11pm on Thursday, the clock is running down in the bid to address the team’s shortcomings. After the early arrival of a not yet match fit Rajiv van La Parra from Huddersfield, it was surprising that he remained an unused sub in the FA Cup tie against Newport as it should have been an ideal opportunity to get him further up to speed. One new recruit who did get a game though was John Obi Mikel, who arrived as a free agent last week and despite his rustiness showed he was still a class act with poise and precision of passing.
Pulis was instrumental in persuading Mikel to come to the Riverside after he apparently “snuck down” to his house and “had a good chat with him” – something that the Boro manager may need to do quite a lot this summer if he’s deployed to persuade Season Card renewals to also come back to the Riverside. As for the Nigerian, Pulis believes he can play anywhere on the pitch before the rather damning indictment of his squad that “There’s not a great deal of competition, in the position he holds himself.” Some supporters were initially worried that Mikel was an unneeded expensive trophy signing but Pulis declared “He’s come on a short-term deal and it isn’t fortunes, I’ll tell you that.” – though as to what “isn’t fortunes” in the magic money tree world of football is anybody’s guess.
Though as one classy defensive midfielder arrives, another has departed with club captain Grant Leadbitter making the move to the Sunderland club he supported as a boy and joined at the age of 16. After seven seasons in a Boro shirt, the 33 year-old Leadbitter paid tribute to everyone at the club for their support: “I couldn’t leave Middlesbrough Football Club without saying my heartfelt thanks to everyone for what has been such a wonderful and memorable part of my career”. It’s perhaps the right time for the fan’s favourite to leave the Riverside as it has become clear he was no longer foremost in Tony Pulis’s plans.
Whether he’ll be joined at the exit by Stewart Downing is still not clear but there is still no news on the situation surrounding his extension clause that prevents him starting Championship games. Though one surprise exit was Danny Batth, who despite his season-long loan at Boro, was still available to be sold by Wolves and Stoke City duly got their man. This has left Pulis with just three recognised central defenders in Ayala, Flint and Fry. While in theory both Friend and Shotton can cover, there is very little cover at full-back to regard them as such – perhaps it will be an opportunity for some academy boys to step up with the highly-rated Nathan Wood being elevated to the full squad. However, one academy player who won’t be getting his chance at Boro is Harry Chapman, who has joined Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn in a permanent move. All of which leaves the Boro recruitment team with plenty to do in the next 48 hours with the latest rumour being pacey striker Isaac Vassell of Birmingham is wanted but given he’s only 5′ 7” it may be as a wide player where he’ll fit into Pulis’s plans – he at least certainly fits the window profile of not being match fit after a recent lay-off due to injury.
So we should know by the weekend if the new-look Tony Pulis team is taking shape or whether he has once again been left frustrated by the failure to sign his targets. Nevertheless, he will need to focus on the first of a series of testing fixtures as he makes the trip to his most recent old club West Brom. When he was dismissed by the Baggies shortly before heading to Teesside, it may come as little surprise to many Boro supporters in how it was reported by the press – The Guardian wrote: “Fans who have long been bored witless by an unattractive brand of football that was no longer yielding the kind of results that led to finishes in 13th, 14th and 10th over the past three seasons have finally got what they wanted.” Before rather mischievously adding “The question now is whether they will regret the decision to sack the first man they would almost certainly approach with a view to extracting them from the current pickle if it was not he who had got them into it in the first place.”
Despite relegation, Pulis’s successor Darren Moore is still in charge at The Hawthorns and his team currently sit one place and three points above Boro. In theory this is probably a promotion six-pointer but I suspect it will be in the eyes of Tony an opportunity for a good away point – preferably a tight 0-0 to remind the ungrateful Baggies followers of what they are missing. OK, Darren Moore may have over compensated as West Brom have already scored 57 goals this season but have conceded 35 in the process. Although, this still leaves them with double the goal difference of Tony Pulis’s side, who have barely hit the net half as many times with 31 scored versus 20 conceded. Should the question be posed over which white-knuckle ride promotion-seeking supporters would prefer to be on board, then I dare say nullifying the opposition with the cult of zero would get nothing more than a shake of the head in the West Midlands – though perhaps a few choice words on Teesside.
So in effect what the fans want is a binary choice and not just the Duck Egg on offer….
I’m sure they’d even fancy seeing something that went beyond base 2 .
That just about sums things up Werder, top marks.
As Wittgenstein, famous for his philosophy of mathematics, put it, “I don’t know why we are here, but I’m pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves”, all tying in with your extension to the theory of zero tolerance that has once again become a mantra in Middlesbrough.
Thanks Powmill and that’s a great quote from Wittgenstein – perhaps it should be printed on the Riverside entrance…
“Five goals from open play in five months”
Wow!
And Clayts and a few others are shocked at why the fans are booing. I now wonder if Steve Gibson will be joining myself, Plato, John Richardson and OFB and many others in not renewing for next season after that statistic? Serious question by the way.
Tonights transfer rumours see us linked with an 18 year old from Leeds and Brizzle wanting Britt supposedly. The 18 year old will have to wait another 12 years at least and have one decent season in that time plus a serious knee injury or three before we would remotely consider signing him. The Britt story however may have legs especially if we can land that young Crouch lad who is only 38 years old as a replacement.
I had to check that stat three times as I thought I’d miscounted – I still do! Only 5 Championship goals scored at the Riverside from open play since August is pretty damning on what has been served up to supporters.
⚽️⚽️
OFB
Good to see you finally getting into the spirit of zero tolerance 🙂
Great intro for this week Werder!
I can see a big ZERO this week. ZERO new signings of any significance.
The talent and creativity has been sucked out of the squad over the last 12 months and we are still waiting for the replacements.
God help us if Britt is sold, where will the goals come from? he must remain until TP has left the building and we have a manager who knows how to play him.
I did not realise that “roots and branch” meant stripping the playing side of all personnel who dare to show any skill, creativity or prowess in front of goal. If that was his brief, I reckon his is over half way there.
How will the crowd be at the Leeds match if Britt is sold without a reasonable replacement.
Maybe the Juke is waiting in the wings for the space to be created in our squad.
Are we really that skint? the extra tickets allocated to the dirties suggest we are.
Thanks Old Billy and I’d be surprised if Britt is sold for anything approaching £15m – unless Burnley fancy another dip into our squad of course!
I’m going to tell you how it’s going to be.
With the season’s football from TP.
We’ll play like he wants both night and day.
Be really bored, and fade away.
Really bored, and fade away.
Really bored, and fade away…
https://youtu.be/g4rv81zxBGQ
(Just a joke. I hope…)
. . . come back another day..
Report that Blackburn are after Britt.
Having secured Harry and also been in for Leads, maybe Mogga thinks he can get more out of Boro’s players than TP can.
May I suggest swapping the managers instead.
Did I hear we want Mogga back? Sounds excellent. He knows a good player when he sees one.
Elsewhere, the Gazette reports that Boro face anxious wait in loan bid for Newcastle United winger Jacob Murphy
Boro were told they can take £11m young flanker on loan – but only after Newcastle bring in a replacement.
Up the Boro!
I hope we don’t lose Redcar Red’s match reports or OFB’s interviews if they don’t renew their season tickets for next season. I’m assuming their decisions are dependent on whether Boro attain promotion or not, or maybe in the event of Boro getting promotion they both can’t stomach a succession of more turgid performances probably worse than what they endured under Aitor Karanka, and no one can blame them for their decisions.
On a more pleasing note is the open letter from Grant Leadbitter to the Boro fans following his departure to Sunderland. His thanks to Tony Mowbray for bringing him to the Riverside, his praise of Aitor Karanka, Leo Percovich and Steve Agnew suggests that perhaps the behind the scenes wrangles might have been slightly exaggerated. At the time many Boro players remarked how much they enjoyed Karanka’s innovative training sessions, and let’s not forget that Steve Agnew was highly thought of as an excellent coach. Maybe being a manager though was a step too far.
Tony Mowbray was and still is a person who can marry the posts of managership and coaching, and that’s why Harry Chapman is so pleased to sign for Blackburn Rovers or also indicative of Tony Pulis’s man management as although Grant was fulsome of his praise for Middlesbrough FC, he didn’t mention Pulis in his farewell letter.
On another subject, I’m delighted, though a little surprised, that the Riverside Stadium has been picked as a venue for one of the matches in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. I wonder if I’ll still be around to see it, but Teesside has no affiliation with Rugby League and I’d be surprised if the Riverside Stadium would attract anywhere near a capacity crowd for a match not involving England, Australia or New Zealand so I can’t share Ben Houchen’s thoughts that it brings untold prestige to the region, but will be happy to be proved wrong. The South Sea Islanders of Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Papua New Guinea do play some attractive rugby, but none of them are likely to reach the Final. This may well become the best Rugby League World Cup ever in the number of countries participating, but outrageous scores of 50 plus points wins won’t do the sport any favours. I don’t foresee a surprise result like North Korea beating Italy in the 1966 Football World Cup, that just doesn’t happen in a sport dominated by only 3 countries. Nevertheless, it is some coup for Teesside to be chosen as one of the venues.
Grant didnt mention Monk either.
No sure his legs have gone, I am sure he could still do a job for us. We certainly miss his leadership
Underwhelmed.
That would be my single-word summary of our transfer business this window and of the proposed (rumoured) business in the remaining 36hrs or so left. JOM may yet turn out to be an inspired signing, but presumably only at improving our midfield solidity, rather than getting us forward quicker and with more menace.
The rest of the linked players are, as Werder states above, not match fit and unlikely to make a difference immediately. It feels like we are treading water and slowly sinking lower, but time will tell I suppose.
It does look like most of our recent signings won’t be firing on all cylinders until around March so it looks like automatic hopes are drifting – if they haven’t already become unrealistic.
So it seems to me that *if* there is fire beneath the smoke of Britt leaving and we really want Vassell this means something fairly straightforward: Gibson has entered consolidation mode. That implies that investing to smash the league under Monk followed by failure to compete for the automatic promotion places over the last few months risks financial implosion.
15 years ago, Gibson’s financial banking put us over the curve when it came to income. Now, it just about keeps us in the middle of the pack. With the parachute payments ending and crowds sinking, we probably have about the same financial resources as a Norwich or Sheffield United but the wage bill of them both combined.
If we buy Vassell, then he’s one for next season as I doubt he’ll be fit enough to make a difference for at least 2-3 months. Only reason to do that is if we’re expecting to be in the Championship. I guess if we sneak through via the play-offs then he’ll probably go out on loan.
All the rest of the rumoured signings except for Murphy are ones you make if you’re looking to stabilise in the middle of the Championship while asset stripping. Right now though it looks more and more like promotion via the playoffs is a hope rather than a plan.
Funnily enough it looks like Villa, us and Stoke have all followed a similar path over the last 3 years. Favourites for promotion after relegation, changed managers, spent a lot of money and got nowhere. It would have killed Villa last year if they hadn’t been bought out. Stoke are almost exactly following our path a year later. I think Gibson has looked at Villa and is trying to dodge that bullet before it is fired.
It may be Boro are open to offers on most of their top earners but I can’t see any pressing financial need to sell given the club have probably enjoyed small profits in recent seasons and even Pulis claimed a £30m profit since he arrived. It’s a choice by the club more than a necessity.
Delerid, I can agree more or less with what you have posted and in the end it may be correct.
However a couple of points. Yes Villa were certainly saved from possible financial ruin by their purchase and probably now have more money to spend than we do. Stoke will be probably OK for another push next season if they miss out this one, as they have a longer period of parachute payments because of their years in the Premier League.
May be Mr Gibson is cutting back having ultimately failed with AK and then with Gary Monk, the latter more expensively.
But baring us scraping through the play offs, I expect Mr Pulis will be off to save another bottom end EPL club.
If I was Mr Gibson and seeing what we have seen this season on the pitch and the probable promotion miss, then I would keep any money that I may have to spend in my pocket for the new Manager that arrives in June.
Stoke’s extra year will give them a bit of time to pull it around. The two teams that come to mind who went down and came straight back up are Burnley and Newcastle. Burnley stuck with their manager and almost seemed to plan for it. Newcastle appointed a new manager prior to relegation and stuck with him. I strongly suspect that Gibson planned to stick with AK through relegation but AK’s blow ups made it impossible. If Gibson had been able to find someone like a Benitez before relegation instead of — decent bloke but not up to the job — Agnew then maybe we could have gone straight back up last year. (Of course Newcastle fans have been complaining about Benitez being too negative all year.)
It almost feels like TP has been brought in as a consultant on an 18 month contract for the club as a whole with promotion a secondary goal. Everything we have heard in the last 12 months is to do with putting the club on a footing to survive on its own income.
I would say that you’re last paragraph is exactly correct.
That would mean a long-term plan then. Which I’m all for.
Me too.
My comment was in reply to GHW.
Simon – I would love to have a long term plan but wheneever we’ve hinted at one in the past, we’ve always seemed to abandon it at the first sign of trouble. I have little faith that we’re seeing a long-term plan now – I think we’re just seeing a period of adjustment/stock-taking.
I have never seen a long term plan which consisted of selling your best players, then buying very average players, for too much money.
Most long term plans include playing any young player who is very good every match, it’s strange how they take to it like a duck to water.
While we are on the subject of behaving in a rational manner, how could we take on loan an experienced, tall, strong, good in the air, and fit, centre back, play him into form, then have him sold from under us in a couple of days.
None of the above makes sense, none of it is the behaviour an organised management(forget the manager, he is a hired hand) as a club with some decent players I fear for the future, all the good ones must be thinking ” ****!”
Werder many thanks for a great read.
Just having a cup of tea when I came to one of your usual “laugh out loud” lines, which ended with tea all over the coffee table. Fortunately I am on the outside terrace so no harm done.
I really would like to be a fly on the wall in Mr Gibson’s office when he is having a private conversation with Mr Bauser. Just what does he really feel? All this money poured into the club and with ultimately very little to show for it and certainly at the Riverside this season. Even he must feel like throwing the towel in sometimes, surely?
I guess nothing will change this Saturday with the team selection if most players are available and why would it when we have been successful on the road.
However WBA are a different kettle of fish to those we have played so far, Leeds apart. They let some in true, but they certainly knock em in at the other end. Are the Boro really going match them. I just do not see us keeping a clean sheet, we have not of late, and so will it be down to TP keeping it tight and hoping to nick one from a set piece. May be Flint, he must be due one surely.
Thanks Pedro and sorry for causing the tea spillage 🙂 I declined to have my cuppa on our terrace this morning as it’s still covered in a bit of snow 🙁
Harping back to the booing at Boro’s home matches, maybe some of those fans were former Ayresome Angels in the late 1960’s. So perhaps instead of booing they should resurrect the chanting of ‘All we are saying is give us a goal’. Crumbs, was it really half a century ago?
Talking of transfers and lack of ambition, this article is interesting:
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/01/30/do-report-middlesbrough-want-brentford-duo-neal-maupay-and-ollie/
Come on BORO.
Another great read Werder, shame the fare on offer is nowhere near as good.
As we approach the window closing we are pretty much in the same pickle as in previous windows. Nothing much changes, it is a rare for a player bought from the Primark remnant box at the end of January sales gives much to the squad.
One that did, Gaston, got us promoted then torpedoed the good ship Boro the following January.
Generally, the January players clubs in our situation get are unfit, unwanted and lack game time or very expensive.
As we are told that money is tight it doesn’t leave much scope for incoming players of quality.
Lets see what the next couple of days brings.
Thanks Ian and you wonder if the club still have the ambition or indeed the inclination to find the kind of players who are in the bracket of almost being too good for the Championship – mind you, does it matter under Pulis what attacking players we end up with…
Werder, another new post another learning curve “ space “ all the black holes up there sucking the soul out of the riverside and all hopes of ever seeing a game to lift us all out of our low spirits seem long gone. Enough of the doom and gloom let’s see if we can pluck a loan deal to lift us all, and on to sat with a couple of zero’s for the score.
Bri. UTB
Thanks Bri, though I fear Boro are precariously positioned on the non-event horizon of the black hole that is another season in the Championship under extremely dense Pulis tactics…
Why aren’t Brentford top of the league , what with all of these brilliant footballers.
Buy Div 1 ,end up Div 1
Buy Championship end up Championship
Sound logic to me .
Buy Championship but at Premiership prices and wages “allegedly”!
Clearly there is no smoke without fire in the Britt rumours although Journalists saying he wants to move South may be more down to Geographical restrictions on the basis that Boro are the most Northerly Championship club so it does kind of limit his travel options, still don’t let that get in the way of a thinly veiled northern bashing storyline.
There are some very mixed messages coming out of the Riverside this season. We are broke, skint and can’t afford the wage bill and have spent too much money. We can’t afford the trigger (or more likely realise that it was a stupid and unnecessary clause) in Downing’s contract. Conversely we spent serious money on Flint, Saville and McNair and regardless of being “free” JOM I’m pretty sure isn’t playing on a charitable basis.
Come window closing time we could end up with another three or more out of the door by then and who knows “who” or more worryingly “what” will come in. Meantime we have a big game at the Hawthorns on Saturday, and could do without the drama I’m sure. Hopefully TP will be working with those who will definitely be here and has already selected his starting eleven (assuming he has eleven players left to work with).
I guess that JOM will be nailed on and VLP surely must be fit by now and can replace Downing. Randolph will be in goal (unless his wages and a late offer scuppers that one). The defence will likely be Shotton, Ayala, Flint and Friend. I would imagine Wing will be in alongside JOM and Besic with Howson right and VLP left leaving Hugill as the lone Striker. On the bench will be Dimi, Clayts, Saville, McNair, Fletcher, Fry and Tav or Downing if he is still here.
Regarding the scoreline it will be interesting. WBA score a darn sight more than we do so expect some pressure on our goal yet we could be back to our best defensive line up with perhaps the upgraded JOM in front of them. Wing could score a thirty yard cracker, VLP might have an end product and Flint might double his season’s tally from a set piece although my money would be more on Ayala.
The Baggies are also vulnerable at the back and as much as I despise the garbage I have to endure at the Riverside our away form is amongst the best in the Championship. A draw would be a reasonable result, a win not a huge surprise if we can keep a clean sheet and a defeat not unreasonable either so who knows or could predict the outcome. Before all that however comes the closing of the window and the effect that has not only on who lines up but on morale.
TP I’m guessing will be keen to get something from this match on his first return to his former employers who I’m sure will be anticipating a Typical Tony game. Who knows he may surprise us all.
I think Britt probably said if he continued as a lone striker he thought his career was going south…
” We are not here to enjoy ourselves ” what a great banner on the terraces that would be.
5 goals in 5 months this club is setting new standards in sheer boredom!
Where is our fearless leader surely something or some one needs a boot up the jacksie !
Sorry but this club has become a joke.
Good to see the Riverside selected for the World cup, a rare honour.
Do your selves a favour if you get a chance to see Tonga and the other pacific island nations grab the opportunity a rare treat indeed.
WBA (wizz bang attack) 3
BORO ( The new players need to gell and get match fitness , not my fault ) 0
I like Grant Leadbitter, and of course I wish him well.
And yet.
I thought in 2016 and 2017, and I think now, that transitioning Grant Leadbitter out of the side made perfect sense, logically.
It was quite fair, just and reasonable, I felt, to argue that Leadbitter would not last forever, that he was (and is) the wrong side of thirty, his engine wasn’t what it was and that it made perfect sense to bring in the likes of Adam Forshaw, Marten De Roon and later Jonny Howson for freshness and continuity.
Especially when Boro’s overdependence on Nigel Pearson and Gareth Southgate for that extra leadership lift, that presence and character which could take the team that step further, proved so difficult to replace.
There was something incredible about our dependence on Pearson in 1996-97. There was something similarly incredible about our dependence on Dani, Dani Ayala (so popular he became a cult), despite his injury proneness and erratic nature. Bringing in Calum Chambers and Bernardo Espinosa seemed sensible – one PL loanee to aid the transition of a “new man” finding his way back from injury. The former is plying his trade consistently for Fulham at the top level and scored a terrific goal recently, so clearly he’s got it. We made a big profit on the latter and he’s doing just fine at Girona, so clearly there’s something good there.
But expecting the supporters to wait for a logical transition, especially when results really aren’t going our way, is hard to sell. Len has previously illustrated the folly of defence of this method, even if it pays off – he beautifully deconstructed the “look at the result/s, he got it right” mantra that I used to defend Aime Jacquet from the fans and press who loathed him after he lifted the World Cup.
I think RR also once said that a manager has the duty to the short-term needs of fans as well as the long-term. I think that’s why a Burnley fan said that it was great that his club were “going for it” when the unexpected opportunity to qualify for Europe emerge.
Yes, sustained stability in the Premier League is better and more important for the club’s finances, and the Europa League is a drain on resources. But – and Leadbitter reflected this in many ways – football is about emotion. And to have the chance of doing something extraordinary is great.
“If you want to be sensible, give up the game and take up competitive accountancy.”
Good words.
In response to deleriad…
Burnley did plan. As GHW once pointed out, I think, they were clever enough to embrace the possibility of relegation and what they could learn from it upon being promoted. That didn’t stop them having a go, even though they were out of their depth in 2014-15.
They were, and still are, ahead of the Boro game in so, so many ways. After 2009 and later Owen Coyle’s walk out, they were in dire straits. Even a season in the top flight didn’t prevent them from selling star assets Jay Rodriguez and Charlie Austin.
Even as Dyche and the players were soldiering on following a surprise promotion, the TV money was spent on infrastructure, planning and paying off debts. Targets to replace Ings, Trippier and later Michael Keane were identified well in advance and the experience gave them an edge over the “best squad in the division” in 2015-16. More bottle. (Leadbitter, Nugent and Downing aside, how many of our players and coaching staff had played or managed in the Premier League?)
I have extra respect for how they incorporated and accepted big buys like Defour into the line-up, in a way that we wouldn’t with Negredo.
They had a plan. So did Swansea, their past success build on a succession of managers who believed in a club philosophy. WBA yo-yo’d because… well… they kept swapping manager.
In response to Andy.
I learned from Paul Clement at Derby, let alone Aitor, the risks that come from long-term planning.
In November 2015, Mel Morris publicly stated that PC could be Derby’s Fergie and they wouldn’t get rid of him that season, full stop, regardless of whether or not promotion was achieved.
Many, many people, me included, believed Clement was hard done by when dismissed. But I learned that results weren’t really the problem.
Clement was known to complain about the style of play in the Championship. Like our old Basque buddy, and like me at the time, I think he thought he could just copy and paste a methodology in a different football culture and train the players to accept it. It was less about finding a sustainable style of play for Derby and their players, and more faith and hard work for his principles, and his principles alone – he called Darren Bent “overweight” and “lazy” yet we know how clinical Bent can be in the right company.
Like Boro, you had the hierarchy (and some players) trying to do things their way and a manager wanting to do things his way.
Then again, Kevin Moran once said that if a methodology is successful – which the Spanish style was proven to be with time – every player learns to believe in it.
Wasn’t the Clement situation at Derby, if that was meant to be the start of a longer term plan, the exact sort of problem we’ve seen – plan abandoned and all change before the plans have had enough time to take hold?
That doesn’t strike me as an issue with long term planning per se, but a common problem of not having the resolve to stick by it, or worse, having a poor long term plan.
Exmil, I just cannot see how MFC could afford to pay even half the fees suggested of the two Brentford players that are being rumored to be available. Certainly not without offloading at a considerable loss our highest fee buys and wages earners.
Britt and Gestede are both available if the internet and gazette are to be believed. With the latter, I would guess there are no teams in the Championship that could afford his wages, not those that could be interested. That would mean subsidising his salary and getting no loan fee. Not much of a saving there. As for Britt, even if a more well off club like Villa were interested, there is no way they would offer anywhere near 15mil, more likely around half that.
So the “lack of ambition” is just pie in the sky, for me anyway. Given what has been going on of late, I would say no chance for either both or one player.
BBC also saying Jacob Murphey lined up for WBA. In his boots, that is the team I would choose.
Go play for an exciting team that scores goals or go play for a side that sends it fans to sleep and can’t score goals. Not a difficult choice unfortunately for a young player and his agent. With one club he would likely wither away and with the other his career could be resurrected and find a springboard.
A long-term plan is not possible if your plan is to get promoted from the Championship into the completely different universe that is the Premier League – you will basically need a new plan once you’re promoted – likewise if you’re are unfortunately relegated after one season. Then there’s the small matter of replacing your manager every year or so because they failed after six months to achieve your short-term goal of being in contention. Or the problem that any decent player who can play in the PL will be priced out of your budget if they perform well enough. We probably should accept a long-term plan in our position is 12 months – possibly 18 months if you’re on track for promotion.
Although your best chance of developing a team in the Championship is perhaps working around a core of promising young players and supplementing them with four or five decent experienced loanees who have played at the top level – though you’d probably need a decent academy for that plan…
On a positive note young Stephen Walker has signed a four and a half year deal today!
Another cracker Werder, thank you.
My car is ready and waiting to take Gestede and Downing away from the Riverside. No, you are ok Stewart, I will gladly pay for the petrol. It’s for the best to see you go.
Thanks Braveheart but you may need a fast car given that Boro generally leave things until the last minute…
2014/15 AK; spent £9m, sold £4.5m; balance; + £4.5m spent (lost in Playoffs)
2015/16 AK; spent £24m, sold £3.5m; balance; + £20.5m spent (Promoted)
2016/17 AK; spent £38m, sold £11.5m; balance; + £26.5m spent (Relegated)
# AK total balance over 3 seasons = £50m spent
2017/18 GM; spent £47m, sold £39m; balance; + £8m spent
2017/18 cont. TP; spent £0m, sold £8m; balance; – £8m saved (lost in Playoffs)
2018/19 TP; spent £18m, sold £42m; balance; – £24m saved
# TP total balance over 1.5 seasons to date = £32m saved
TP’s remit from the start as he’s pointed out on many occasions has been to claw back the money from the AK days, which he’s a long way to achieving as seen above. He also got us to the Playoffs early in his tenure and lost, as did AK. I don’t think getting promoted was as high on his remit, nice to have if it happens but to focus on improving foundations instead. I believe SG wants TP to steady the ship first, then decide if another PL promo push is financially feasible. If not I think he’ll sell-up, happy that he’s leaving the club on sounder footings for a new owner to take forward with a new manager and regime. I think he’s probably sounded out and lined up the new owner already.
Very astute thinking
Just to add to the PL season numbers, it was generally estimated that overall spending on transfers and wages was the same as prize money – so all other income of around £20-30m was probably profit. I’ve thought for a while now that Steve Gibson is possibly making selling the club (or part of it) an option if he contemplates it may be finally time to enjoy his retirement after over 30 years at the helm.
And spending £42 million on a new stately home
Billog
You also have to factor in the increased revenue from AK’s season. getting to the play offs then winning promotion followed by parachute payments brought in a fair amount of money.
It is what has happened to that money that is the issue.
Also wages.
Valdes and Negredo didn’t cost much if fees but still cost the club a lot of money in wages, perhaps as much as £8-£9m for a single season.
OFB
I couldn’t care less how much money Steve Gibson spends on his new house. It’s his, he earned it so he can spend it on whatever he wants. It’s not like he’s plough ex millions upon millions of his own money not the club is it. Oh hang on a minute…..
Yes the wages have probably been the killer and will continue to be so next season when we will have far less money.
Reason for the cuts after failing under Mr Monk and the buys with big wages. Also the residue from our season in the EPL.
SD on his 35K, Grant, Gestede, plus all the rest will be on high wages for the Championship,
Talking to my accountant yesterday, he is a foxes fan. He was listening to the radio 5 phone in a week or so ago.
A Leicester fan phoned in moaning about Puel and all things Leicester at the time. Robbie Savage asked where did he want and hope Leicester finish each season. 10th to 14th was the reply.
Savage said, so you want Puel to leave when he has the team in 8th position? The chap blustered and the end of the call soon followed.
Fans are miserable buggers, imagine if his season ticket was at the Riverside!
While people are trying to work out where the money has gone, including SG having the audacity to spend his own money on a stately home, don’t forget to work in the calculations how many months SG plowed £1m into MFC to keep the club going.
Come on BORO.
Exmil
I’m not complaining about how he spends his money I’m complaining about the dearth of entertainment and goals for that large investment I’ve made this season !
OFB
So why the comment of him spending £42 million of his own money on his new house.
My fault because I was sore and fed up with what we have been watching all season no goals no excitement and we haven’t bought anyone in three transfer windows to make a difference
So no more comments from me about SG and what he does or doesn’t do with his money
OFB
Exmil, I do not think anybody on here has complained about how Mr Gibson spends his money and as for buying a country estate and buildings small stately home…..good luck to him and enjoy it.
However as much as we are all greatful to him and others for 1986 and especially to him for the years up to AK, he still has an obligation I believe to try and produce the best he can with the money the club can afford.
The last three / four seasons have been poor to say the least in recruitement and how the available revenue has been spent.
Now if you want to start the ball rolling once more as far as what has gone on under Mr Pulis and especially at the Riverside and defend MFC, then I am more than happy to hear your side of the argument defending Mr Gibson and MFC.
You may be right in your assessment once we hear it.
OFB it was your post at 8:40 pm and it’s not the first time you have mentioned the stately home, to me it really has nothing to do with MFC and I am just grateful for the money he has poured into the club.
Come on BORO.
Spot on exmil.
I think most of us would accept a long term if we could work out what it was is.
But the boring negative tactics on offer do not inspire a spirited support from we the great unwashed.
The same old game plan when it’s obviously not working, the same players being picked when they need a rocket up them by being dropped instead of being rewarded by being picked every week.
We have some outstanding young players who need to be given a go, other teams have no problem picking the kids and celebrating their enthusiasm. We go out and get crocks and throw them straight in.
Pulis can’t even manage to send them out and kick off the same time as the other side.
5-0 what a shock to the system that was, wow we can score goals lets persevere with more up front, no that won’t work ! back to 1 on his lonesome. Why would anyone want to sign for this team , must be a hell of recruitment team who manage to snare anyone.
Another dismal transfer window.
Walks away singing “always look on the bright side of life ”
UTB
de dum…. de dum de dum de dum
MB
Actually when it comes to talking about the juniors I feel quite optimistic about our future as a middling championship side
There are quite a few of the young ins coming through and if the Boro don’t sell them ! We should be ok.
It seems to me that SG has lowered his expectations of where he wants his Boro to be and has settled for mediocrity
Strong rumour on Teesside today that Pulis might walk after lack of recruitment…
So it’s not all bad is it?
OFB
If he walks then we will end up with the Woodgate/Downing managerial dream team. Woody’s first job would be to start Downing, triggering the contract extension, and then we would be lost into a quagmire of old boys club mutual back patting. Granted, if your old boys club is of the Ole Gunnar Solksjaer level, then it might work out, but we aren’t quite there.
Anyway, could be an exciting day.
Dont tease me Bob
Pedro, you sound like Pulis in saying: “The last three / four seasons have been poor to say the least in recruitement and how the available revenue has been spent.”
I think this what TP has been saying since he was appointed. Just saying, like. UP the Boro!
With the amount of money that has been spent on this squad comes high expectations, and for whatever reason we are not achieving them, It doesn’t matter how much we spend, promotion just isn’t guaranteed.
The manager has certainly played his part in the fans displeasure, but I think the fans main problem is due to the fact we have spent (wasted) a truck load more cash than most of our main rivals and feel almost embarrassed among our piers that we cannot mount a credible top two challenge.
If we were a typical championship club that had never had parachute payments or not for a long time, then trying to reach the playoffs would be a target most would be happy with.
Sheff Utd, Bristol and Blackburn spring to mind.
Personally, I would much rather see a balanced squad of youth, triers and journeymen punching above their weight with a talented up and coming manager prepared to work on a reduced budget.
I am sure the supporters of the above mentioned teams are a lot happier that we are at the moment.
Throwing big money at players and then quickly losing patience with them is not a formula for success either for the club or the supporters. Our cost cutting would be far easier if we did not have to subsidies the wages of players that are now playing for other teams.
If by a fluke we do manage to get promoted I bet the Riverside euphoria will not be a patch on the promotion celebrations of the Charlton or Rioch teams, due to the money spent = expectation.
Maybe money is the root of all evil and cannot buy happiness.
Shhh… dont mention the “stately home” or more supporters may “stay at home”
The Northern Echo says Pulis may end up with noone, I started googling because I recognised the name, a winger for Cardiff, then I realised they meant Pulis may end up with no one.
Or nil – one
I hate the January transfer window, in fact I hate the August one too. Most of the time it just gives journalists and reporters something to write about; most of it just speculation and so boring. Why do we need transfer windows at all? The Northern Echo suggests that Boro may well not sign anybody, and I go along with that. At best any incoming transfers will be 3rd or 4th best of what we hoped for or what we need. I certainly won’t be wasting my time tuning into Sky Sports or the Gazette for news. After all Super League starts tonight with a cracking opener St Helens v Wigan, although it’s far too early a start for what is now supposed to be a Summer sport. Peter Smith the Rugby League reporter for the Yorkshire Evening Post suggests that the season should start in late March with clubs only playing each other twice in a season and I go along with that. As for the football transfer window, I’ll tune in tomorrow morning when all speculation has ceased and we have ‘faits accomplis’.
Today is like a chimp’s tea party already.
Murphy coming to Boro, “oh no he isn’t”, Grosicki coming in, “oh no he isn’t”, Bolassie back, “oh no he isn’t”, Gestede off to Millwall, “yes he is, oh no he isn’t”, Traore back in on loan, “oh no he isn’t”, Vassell at the Tontine, “oh no he isn’t”, McKenna in for £10M from Aberdeen, “yer jokin arn’t yer”.
Britt off to Villa, Palace, Bristol etc. “who knows”, Hugill on a permanent deal “mmm maybe”.
It looked like the Gestede to Millwall deal was a strong one yesterday but perhaps Rudy has figured that if Britt departs maybe he should stay and will now get more opportunity at Boro. Hull won’t part with Grosicki but maybe there is something that can be resurrected with their earlier Fletcher interest?
My only feelings on the whole thing is that there are Players who can be jettisoned that will make little to no difference which is fine but any incomings should be to walk straight into the first team or as an absolute minimum make it a 50/50 fight for the shirt with the current incumbent. If they don’t meet that obvious criteria then give them a miss. One final requirement please is no Billy big boots, we have had enough of them (and their historic medals).
Most of us in life like to have our little bits of fun be they trinkets, cars, holidays or whatever. “Keeping up with the Jones’s” didn’t become an everyday saying by accident. Whats the point of working and grafting if you can’t spend it on stuff that makes you happy, albeit the reality of that happiness is always a thin veneer and short-lived once the gloss has worn off.
Club owners have successful businesses, flash cars, big houses, private jets and as we are all sadly too aware of lately private helicopters. Most of us are content and rightly feel proud of a 3 bed semi detached mortgage free and a Mondeo (or more likely a 3 series Beemer nowadays) on the drive. It is all relative to whether you are a busman or business executive with vice president, corporate, global and other such image pandering titles on your business card.
Good luck to Steve and his home/s, cars, holiday villas or whatever else he chooses to spend his money on. He has earned it and hasn’t nicked it or made it off the misery of others (I’m assuming he doesn’t make any money on the back of MFC in which case I may like to revise that last bit). Some people like to perhaps stretch their outgoings to the max, to up that rush of feeling good, only to feel the polar opposite when the credit card bills start dropping on the doormat and reality kicks in.
The older we get the less likely we are to make impulsive purchases and those that we do make tend to be repaid quicker and at a manged rate of payments linked to what we can actually afford rather than what we might actually desire hence driving a Ford rather than a ten year old Ferrari over a ten year payment plan. I guess owning a football club is no different to wanting a new set of alloys for your car or some extra furry dice and a new “Trev and Sharon” sun shield. Some things add value, some are garish but most rarely improve the cars value long term or indeed its economy or insurance. It still doesn’t stop us indulging for that momentary buzz.
Buying flash players with huge monthly repayments are great at first but once the neighbours stop looking or more likely you realise once you own it that its actually not very practical that extreme pleasure you assumed would be yours is somewhat less than anticipated. Time to get rid and learn a lesson, sensible you says don’t do that again, no impulse buys and take a more reasoned and practical approach. Advancing years has its advantages as we become more prudent and then a shiny new play thing pops up on Football Trader. You know you shouldn’t, your accountant (or Missus) knows you shouldn’t, but just imagine that glinting in the Teesside sunshine or out on the Riverside pitch.
Boys and their toys, we never stop. Its just that the Toys become a little more extravagant over the years but the folly which is often behind them remains just as real and just as tempting. Put simply I think that is why we have ended up with Managers being given “gifts” that they perhaps didn’t want or even need and in the cold light of day can’t really afford. It would be a boring world if we couldn’t have some fun but counting the cost afterwards in the cold light of day can be a sobering experience and how many times have we all said “never again”?
RR
Good post
I don’t begrudge SG spending his money as you say he deserves it after taking risks in business to accumulate his wealth
The thing that is bugging me is that we do not appear to be investing in the club to sustain a promotion push and appear to be treading water.
Everyone when they purchase their season ticket always hopes for promotion or at the very least entertainment and the turgid displays do not make it an enjoyable experience at all
It is what it is we are still fifth and if we get to Wembley in the playoff final I’ll be there !
OFB
OFB
Neither do I begrudge SG spending his hard earned income as he wishes. As this is my first Winter at home since 1994 I’ve spent my money on TRIPLE glazing and so far it’s been wonderful.
Ken
I spent all my yearly budget money on the Boro
And it’s been a real PANE!
OFB
Crouch to Burnley. Phew!! Bullet dodged.
GHW
Confession time, as the leading blogger on the subject of aging wasters( and then some) I actually think that crouch is a rare exception, and for a very good reason, he is an extremely good player, hiding behind the image of a “big lad”, evidence for this? Oh, I don’t know, maybe about thirty England caps.
Downing has a similar number so that blows that theory out of the water or is it only applicable to non Boro players.
Does tumbleweed grow around Hurworth?
In the early days of the Riverside a Season Ticket was a necessity if you wanted to go to the match. Not so anymore.
The rallying cry from the club is, buy a ST and we will then know what our budget could be for the season. Increasingly ST sales are dropping as fans are easily able to get a ticket for any game, even “ glamour cup ties”.
In the PL attendance money pales compared to the TV money on offer. Fans are creatures of habit, and having a ST comes down to simple economics, if they can afford it they will keep renewing, when the fare on offer is poor then those who normally justify it as an acceptable expense start to question it.
How often is the cry around Teesside at 4:55, “ Right! That’s it . I’m never going again”. And at 2:30 the following week, “ I thought you said you were never going again”
Come the start of a new season the fans turn up and attendances increase or decrease dependent on results. It’s always results that affect the crowd. Always has been always will.
If the away form and home form were switched then attendances would be up and the fans would be happier.
GHW – in that case, wouldn’t it make sense for the club to knock £100 off each ST, or introduce some kind of flexible pricing? For the atmosphere and the revenue reliability it makes sense.
I recently saw a credit card company in Switzerland offer a seriously large of free air miles to everyone who signed up, IF they got 10,000 applicants. So, everyone I knew was asking if you would sign up and badgering you. They had a ticker on their website so you knew how close it was. Result? They were oversubscribed.
If MFC did something similar – i.e. if we get 20,000 renewals then everyone gets £50 off (or whatever) then I can imagine a lot of people would start trying to persuade their mates to renew, or come back.
Maybe someone at the club reads this and can introduce this as a brilliant new idea. They can get in touch directly, I will only charge a small commission 🙂
Smogg
I’m sure Hartlepool did something similar a couple of seasons ago and it was fairly successful in comparative numbers. You still should get a consultation fee though.
GHW
I’m not too sure about that as Boro have only gained one more point away than they have at home.
Yes that’s right Ken 24 points away versus 23 at home – though the home form is skewed by the fact Boro won their first four home games, before drawing 0-0 against Swansea and then losing the next against Forest (incidentally my visit to the Riverside).
So the last ten home games have only seen two wins and just 11 points with 5 draws and three defeats – plus Boro didn’t score in 5 of those ten games. In contrast the last ten away games have yielded 19 points with 5 wins, 4 draws and just one defeat.
I think Gestede to Millwall being off is probably less to do with the playing time at Boro and more to do with the finances. I know he would get the same wages, but on a short term move when he can trouser the same cash to lounge around Hurworth and occasionally have some balls ricochet off his head before he does a muscle injury and limps off? Easy decision. Millwall fans aren’t going to let you get away with slacking.
And on the finances side, if he moves down to Millwall his earning potential isn’t going up, but down, and therefore why would he?
It may also be a case of the reputation of the Club’s supporters and their implied “preferences” for certain types of players. I’m guessing that he will have sounded out George Saville on all things Millwall. It may very well be that he didn’t want his family sat in the stands listening to the disgusting bile that the Footballing Authorities have by their inactivity condoned for years over repeated “instances” with their support. Would you really want your wife and kids or parents sat in and around that sort of language and witnessing the scenes of violence that is seemingly all just a bit of a “Larf”?
Werdermouth
Point taken, though in effect that seems to be the story of our season, a point taken.
Thanks Werder for another enjoyable read.
5 Goals from open play since August beggars belief – it could only be the Boro!
Can’t see much of a change in personnel
/tactics this weekend with JOM in for AC and Besic/Howson back to a pedestrian midfield with one up front.
Our defense can’t keep bailing us out and sooner or later will have a real off day i.e. Saturday.
3-0 to the Baggies and Boro dropping out of the top six and debatable if we can make it back.
Sorry to be so negative but it is a culmination of events over the last three seasons.
I said it some years ago that we were destined to be a long term Championship side and it looks as if that is what is unfolding. 😎☹️
Thanks KP – our away form suggests Boro could get at least a point as we’ve only lost one of our last ten on the road – the problem is that WBA have scored 33 goals at home this season, which is more than we’ve managed altogether.
So no Britexit deal, we need a backstop!
Ian
I think our “Backstop” will be Leo Lacroix or perhaps Scott McKenna according to the transfer window rumours.
More sensibly in my mind Paddy McNair, Enes Mahmutovic or Nathan Wood. We need a RB and a LB as cover which in turn would allow Shotton or Friend to be drafted in as a CB if really needed. Less is more sometimes and in the case of McNair the lad needs some consistent game time somewhere in the side to give a fair assessment.Besides all that Lacroix could find himself in a refugee camp after March 29th if he comes here!
Recommended read:
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/leo-percovich-pays-glowing-tribute-15760682
What an incredible duo, Grant and Leo. We’ve been so lucky to have had both of them.
Interestingly, there hasn’t been much talk of the effect of Brexit on signing European players – once the UK is no longer part of the freedom of movement rules of the EU, in theory players from Europe will need to qualify for a work permit.
As FIFA rules currently stand it would mean European players will need to have played in a certain percentage of international games during the last two years (one year for players under 21).
The percentage of games is dependent on the ranking of the country:
FIFA rank 1-10 30% and above
FIFA rank 11-20 45% and above
FIFA rank 21-30 60% and above
FIFA rank 31-50 75% and above
On the basis of that Werder the value of Enes Mahmutovic could go up by a few million come April. Maybe the new Boro Business Model will be to scout and buy Low from Banana Republics and sell High. Just one problem in that theory the word “Scout”!
Thanks for the latest piece Werder up to your consistant high standards. Loved he history references (my bag) but I think I must be the only person in the world who doesn’t like Prof Brian Cox. Maybe it’s because every time hear “Things Can Only Get Better” I get a mental image of Blair and his smug face.
The January transfer window was, as far as I’m concerned, brought in to enable the then big four prem clubs get in additional players to keep them ahead of the also rans for sky purposes and to do the same Europe wide for the big clubs in the champions league.
Invariably clubs outside the big boys end up paying more for less which is further ammunition to fire at the club which ever one that may be.
On Saturday I see us able to come away with a point from The Hawthorns as our away form is pretty strong although as posted above we are only one point better off than our home results.
I’m notoriously crap at predictions so cue a defensive collapse and a good old battering. Hope not.
I remember the continual complaints before the transfer window came in. Rich clubs would buy themselves out of trouble towards the end of the season leaving no time for the poorer clubs to do anything about. Indeed, there were often suspicions that clubs would try to destabilise each other at key points by making bids for a player who was playing really well. There was still kind of a window because, if I remember, you couldn’t make purchases in the last month of the season or something like that.
The transfer window was meant to slightly level the playing field because it makes it more of a sellers’ market. As poorer clubs tend to be selling clubs, then they get more for their players and can also guarantee to keep their best players for most of the second half of the season if no one buys them. That’s why it’s always the clubs doing the buying (until recent years, that was us) that complain.
Thanks FAA and it’s true that deadlines seem now be used to extract the highest price from buyers or force though deals that people wouldn’t normally contemplate because they didn’t manage to sign the ones they were after.
Deleriad
If memory serves me right, there was a date in March after which you couldn’t buy a new player.
Working at home today with the TV on in the background. The second test is being played on a pitch with more green than a penalty area in March.
England 55-4.
That’s quite correct Ian, excepting goalkeepers in exceptional circumstances.
Two of my biggest smiles this season, well, three of them, came at the sight of Wing’s scorcher against Palace, Brahimi (where is he now?) running down the flank and Gestede’s flick into the path of Fletcher for a fine finish.
I don’t despair. There’s always hope. Pulis, Karanka, Mogga, Southgate, a system is concretely proven to work, even if only up to a point, given the right time and players.
My concern is that the demeanour of Pulis isn’t eliciting much sympathy at the moment – but I sense that’s the way he wants it. AK and Southgate were the kind to go openly looking for it.
Before the transfer window existed, Harry Redknapp was rather clever. (Were you being cynical, sneaky, even.)
Paolo Futre had picked up an injury and Florin Raducioiu had walked out mid-season. His plans were in tatters and his team slipped into the bottom three. Fans gave him grief and he openly stated in an interview that he had no forwards, really, and couldn’t see where he could buy a goal from.
The board stumped up the cash for Paul Kitson and John Hartson, and they stayed up – annoyingly, with an identical record to Boro in wins, draws, losses, points and goal difference.
Reflecting on the FA Cup results so far this season:-
3rd Round
Fulham 1 Oldham 2
Gillingham 1 Cardiff 0
Newport 2 Leicester 1
Sheffield Utd 0 Barnet (non-league) 1
Stoke 2 Shrewsbury 3
4th Round
AFC Wimbledon 4 West Ham 2
Millwall 3 Everton 2
Boro’ s home draw with Newport doesn’t sound too shabby now? I’ve just been recalling some of the shock results since the Second World War:-
1948 Arsenal 0 Bradford Park Avenue 1
1949 Yeovil (non-league) 2 Sunderland 1
1955 York 2 Tottenham 1
1958 Newcastle 1 Scunthorpe 3
1959 Worcester (non-league) 2 Liverpool 1
1961 Chelsea 1 Crewe 2
1964 Newcastle 1 Bedford (non-league) 2
1965 Peterborough 2 Arsenal 1
1971 Colchester 3 Leeds 2
1972 Hereford (non- league) 2 Newcastle 1
1973 Sunderland 1 Leeds 0 (Cup Final)
1975 Burnley 0 Wimbledon 1
1980 Chelsea 0 Wigan 1
1980 Halifax 1 Manchester City 0
1985 York 1 Arsenal 0
1986 Birmingham 1 Altrincham (non-league) 2
1989 Sutton (non-league) 2 Coventry (1987 winners) 1
1991 West Brom 2 Woking (non- league) 4
1992 Wrexham 2 Arsenal 1
1994 Birmingham 1 Kidderminster (non-league) 2
2001 Everton 0 Tranmere 3
2003 Shrewsbury 2 Everton 1
2005 Oldham 1 Manchester City 0
2008 Barnsley 1 Chelsea 0
2009 Histon (non-league) 1 Leeds 0
2011 Stevenage (non-league) 3 Newcastle 1
2013 Oldham 3 Liverpool 2
2013 Wigan 1 Manchester City 0 (Cup Final)
2014 Rochdale 2 Leeds 0
2015 Chelsea 2 Bradford City 4
2017 Burnley 0 Lincoln 1
2018 Wigan1 Manchester City 0
It’s got to be remembered that up to 1990 all teams took the FA Cup more seriously than they possibly do in the early rounds than they do today. One gratifying fact is that Boro don’t feature in a list of shock results, although the 0-1 defeat at Wrexham in 2000 and especially the 0-2 home defeat to Cardiff in the Quarterfinals still stings. Also gratifying is that Newcastle have lost 4 times to non-league opposition.
Now aside from the FA Cup, the Premier League has recently thrown up some surprise results, notably this week with Manchester City and Chelsea both losing, and Liverpool and Manchester United failing to win at home. We all know how mercurial Boro can be, but I’d give my vote at the moment to the Algarvean club of Portimonense who standing half way in the Portuguese Superliga managed to lose 0-1 at home to bottom team Grupo Desportivo de Chaves some 15 points behind them only 19 days after beating Benfiica 2-0 for the first time in their history. As Jimmy Greaves used to say “It’s a funny old game”.
Picking up on OFB’s earlier “suggestion” somewhere up above here about TP walking if he doesn’t get the right recruits in over the line by 11.00pm tonight it would be interesting to see what then actually happens. If there is a veiled threat then its not exactly conducive to things in terms of entente cordiale between himself and SG which would surprise me. If we don’t recruit “Pace and Power” and he does walk I can’t say I blame him but there does seem to be stories about our players departing today and if so then who is sanctioning the sale of say Britt to Cardiff or Palace or Bristol or wherever?
Surely it wouldn’t make sense to sell a player just now who doesn’t fit the mould of a Manager who is about to walk when he could be the ideal player for the next Manager? If say Britt does go that presumably would allow some cash to be spent elsewhere but I doubt Boro would want that particular sale made public until late on as it would likely create increases on existing targets. A new Manager may want to play with a strike partnership and if it is say Hugill and Assombalonga then thats about as good as you will get or dare hope for at this level surely?
The other thought is that its an ideal time to get out of a Management contract that has maybe lost some of its sheen lately and of course an ideal time to become “suddenly available” for a Premiership outfit slipping away and desperate to buy their way to survival via a lucrative Management contract. “X” pounds a week plus a hefty survival bonus? Now are there any lower Premiership clubs with an owner who doesn’t like to splash the cash who may for whatever reason suddenly lose their current Manager?
Whn manaer’s are sacked, they always seem to receive compensation. I wonder why clubs don’t get the same when a manager walks?
I don’t buy into TP leaving if we cannot recruit players on his wish list as he has already said that if we don’t recruit players that have been targeted then he will make do with what is available to him.
It does, however, say a lot about where the club is and how it is perceived if we cannot secure the likes of Murphy on loan when we are just down the road from his home and he prefers to go to a competitor in the midlands. I am, of course, assuming that we were at least matching the terms on offer from the Baggies and he does reside in the North East.
One of us – was it NikeBoro? – informed us that it was transfer policy which caused of the Charlton farce of 2016.
To borrow his words (paraphrasing, and some words of my own, included when necessary)…
Following Gordon Strachan and the Jockification debacle of 2010, Steve Gibson and Neil Bausor took control of transfers. Not just negotiations, but also to decide on who to buy and sell.
Managers would draw up their lists, but the executive had final say, and implemented it accordingly. In short, the Continental system – and it was anticipated that Karanka would fit into it smoothly.
That was the source of the clash – namely, the two big buys of 2015-16 who perhaps, not coincidentally, had a strong connection to the club: the pride of Pallister Park and Steve Agnew’s nephew.
During that season, a fan noted: “I’m telling you, Karanka doesn’t like Downing”, adding that AK’s face at the unveiling indicated a man being given a present he didn’t want. Regarding Rhodes, well, we all wondered why a manager wouldn’t want a goalscorer, but poachers like JR just do not fit into the fashionable football systems of the modern era, where coaches are obsessed with tactics, control and all rounders who can play anywhere, anywhen. (To be fair, the Italians have been using that system for many years and their results are much better…)
That, and Gibson had promised Downing he’d always have a job if he wanted to return. I would add that players like Downing need to be made the centre of things, to feel like they matter – to Karanka, I think he was just another cog in a machine.
So there you have it. Karanka didn’t want Downing or Rhodes. He objected and, as a matter of principle, said he would not continue under those terms.
It’s presumed that Gibson made concessions.
That explains why Downing never became a regular and, even more, why Rhodes was frozen out.
Re: Bamford, well… how can a player go from Karanka’s most important forward to being frozen out himself? I can only conclude that the Bamford who joined us in 2017 was not the Bamford of two years before – *that* Bamford was yet to recall himself from a loan at Crystal Palace and be mocked (cruelly) for crying in his car. Still, if even Dyche calls him out for his attitude, you know something’s not right.
Thats the problem with Strikers, much better to get a stable, dependable “one goal in ten” no mark than a flighty one that scores goals.
I mean who would want Le sulk, sorry Anelka or a Suarez or a Ravanelli or a Drogba or a Balotelli or a Tevez or a even a sick note (sorry Boksic) or a Viduka? Yep give me the stroong silent types that Boro have mastered of late.
The Boro History Of Expensive Strikers That Don’t Deliver is a long one.
Is it because of TP that some players who we have targeted are going elsewhere ?
Braveheart,
You beat me to it. I don’t think it is the area that is unattractive it may be the manager and his, er, style of play.
UTB,
John
I blame Diasboro because all the players and their agents will come on here and read what is really going on with the Boro and then head for the hills (or the other side of the Pennines at least). Its all the fans fault!
It seems a no-brainer for a forward. It was Murphy’s law that a move to Boro wouldn’t end well. His choice was simple – go on loan to a team that plays in the conservative Pulis way that has managed just 31 goals (with almost a third of those scored way back in August) or opt for a team who plays on the front foot and has scored 57 goals this season. It may explain why Boro are struggling to recruit offensive players – especially if they are no longer prepared to splash the cash.
Eston or Cleveland Hills?
UTB,
John
Forget managers or tactics, ask even a regular person where in the UK they would like to live and work.
Yes, we all know it can be a great place to live but for those less informed it would be their last choice of destination. The only way MFC can get players is by offering more, in contract and money levels than others.
A simple fact of life.
I dare say in the case of Murphy he could have commuted from Newcastle but I agree that Boro have historically got their man by paying a premium and we are seeing what happens when the club stick to their budget.
Murphy originally comes from Wembley so I’d guess that is were he may still have friends and family. If so Birmingham is a lot nearer to London than Middlesbrough in that respect.
His parents have a Restaurant in Downham Market and its about an hour’s less driving time from Birmingham than from Teesside which adds up to two hours on a round trip. Ultimately of course as a young attacker do you want to play for a progressive Manager and club or one that has a very high propensity on the risk scale to leave you hung out to dry?
I’m thinking a young player with ambition essentially goes on loan to impress potential employers not necessarily for the convenience of the journey to meet up with his old friends back home or pop in for a meal at his parents – at least I’d like to hope so but who knows 😉
What about the young ones I say. Not those of Cliff Richard either!
UTB,
John
Homesickness be it full blown or just a mild form can play on the minds of many sportsmen (and women). One Eric McMordie and indeed George Best who was with him at Old Trafford both suffered from it and went home. George returned to Manchester with a reasonable degree of success in his career and Eric of course eventually plucked up the courage to try Boro three years later.
Ian Rush left Juventus due to homesickness as did Jimmy Greaves many years previously. Drogba and Tevez both referenced it in their careers. Murphy’s twin Brother is at Cardiff so to me everything points to being given the choice the further south he went the more likelihood of him being more settled.
Jesus Navas suffered so badly his lesser abled (“barely able” was probably a better description) brother Marco signed for Bury (where he made only two appearances) plying his trade only ten miles from his brother at Man City. So bad was his homesickness it was blamed as the cause for serious anxiety attacks and even seizures for the poor bloke. Navas dropped out of tournaments and even struggled to make some away games and it wasn’t until he was 27 years old that he left his home town for Manchester but big Bro had to come too.
I recall a Rugby League player only a few years ago suffering from the same problem down under, no doubt Ken can probably elaborate far more than myself. There have been quite a few Boro players who have seemingly had a homesickness problem with some even rumored to coincidentally collect yellow cards (and injuries) at specific times to go home. Bernie Slaven said ‘I was homesick at Boro but my late dad said “You ain’t coming back here, be a man and stick it out”‘.
I don’t know why the Murphy lad hasn’t cut the mustard at Newcastle. Given the choice today I would have opted for WBA over boring Boro but being half way between his parents and twin brother I’m sure played a part in his thinking even if it was at the back of his mind.
In the case of Murphy and possibly for only five months, Teeside would be no hardship. Team, system and Manager would be the biggest consideration Iwould think. Plus WBA look capable of winning more matches than us.
GHW
At this very moment in time a club which was in the precise position that we are currently in( and I am talking about Wolves) are saying publicly, that they certainly will not win the prem. this season, but they very much expect to be there or thereabouts in future seasons.
The business of crying poverty never has been attractive, and to offer the excuse that you live in a sink of iniquity, so awful that no footballer would ever come to play for you, is beyond belief.
Our problem is simply that we have no idea of how to work the transfer market.
Most of the players that we have “pursued” have been a higher price than Baath, so explain to me how we liked him and played him, realised that his club would like to close the deal (this saving money on his loan) and did nothing.
He came from a club that is on the rise, therefore he was already imbued with the will to win, was not frightened of physical opponents, and already a part of a pretty solid defence.
What were we thinking of?
Lots of similar examples, we are building a team? We are stripping out all good players. We will rue the giving away of Chapman, he was the best young player I have seen when he was 17, yes, he has had injuries, but young players do grow out of them as they mature. I shall watch his progress with interest.
It has been painful to watch our fellow teams, most pleading poverty, signing good players, a lot out of contract.
Meanwhile we continue to spread despair with our ham-fisted, shambolic, pitiful, on our knees approach to simply buying a decent young player that we like.
First of all we tell the world the we are going to approach his club, then three other clubs tell the world that they have spoken to “the lad” and he is definitely not joining Boro, then the press tell the world that he is too good to be joining us. We are living in the world of about 1950.
Get real, approach the player first, tell him the deal, when you will make your offer and so forth. Yes, yes, I know it is strictly forbidden, but no serious club would ever do business without first talking to the player, it would be disrespectful.
Plato
We have placed a priority on our young players to obtain experience by trying to place them with lower league clubs
Harry was out of contract in the summer and the club made a decision which they thought was in their own and the players interest
Look at young Steven Walker who not so long ago used to play against my grandson and who is fired up with a new contract and gone out on loan to MK Dons
We currently have three young juniors in the first team squad and not many other teams can say that
A few of the Boro Academy coaches follow the blog and they’ve told me that we have an excellent crop of young players coming through so let’s hope the future is bright ?
An optimistic
OFB
This is part of the strategy that Tony Pulis has been involved with and also ensure the youngsters train with the first team squad
“to offer the excuse that you live in a sink of iniquity, so awful that no footballer would ever come to play for you, is beyond belief.”
Not my personal view, but the one habitually put out by the media. It doesn’t help when some folk tend to wear it as some kind of Badge of Honour, rather than extolling the virtues of the area.
GHW has brought to mind something I read years ago. In relation to Southgate’s recruitment.
“Attracting new faces to Middlesbrough is never easy, despite home boy Jonathan Woodgate’s keenness. Luke Young seems to have bailed out to the first Premier League club that needs a right-back; £2 million for Jeremie Aliadiere seems like good business, albeit for Arsenal.”
Aliadiere. Hmm. Someone who really turned it on against…. Arsenal. Hassled their defence all game and won a penalty in the 2-1 win, then scored in successive 1-1 draws. It was said that along with Henry and Anelka he was regarded as one of the best graduates of Clairefontaine.
And then you have players who allegedly won’t move to the North East because their wives want to live in London. But I would think the buzz of the capital is a lure for them too.
Maybe we need a sexy manager if the buzz of Middlesbrough’s shopping centres are not luring the player’s wives…
It’s increasingly beginning to look like no major business will be done today – though hopefully by making such a statement it will be the catalyst for a major breakthrough. It seems neither Gestede, Fletcher or Britt are leaving and the mythical pacey wide man has not materialised – the club had pinned their hopes on Murphy but he wasn’t playing ball. Will we see a few late ‘squad’ players arriving again as the club just slink off into the night with the statement that we’ve managed to hang on to our best players and Stewie has agreed to play until the end of the season on £35 grand a week.
Marvellous news. Does that class as a wage cut?
UTB,
John
Braveheart – better fill up your petrol tank and make some sandwiches as there’s a late rumour Bologna are interested in Gestede…
The days of young kids playing for the school team and the county and then being signed up by the local club are long gone. The current generation seem to be manufactured footballers.
I’m not sure if there are even school teams anymore. Most kids play for age specific organised local teams and it’s from here were young players are picked out at a young age, some as young as 7/8 and in some extreme cases even younger. This means that unfortunately only children with parents who can afford to indulge their offspring get the chance to play on a regular basis. There are fees to consider plus the cost of travelling to games, usually in the family car, which excludes the less fortunate. Sadly a simple fact of life.
The privileged ones may be picked up by the local club and then go through the system with the ultimate reward being a place in the Academy. The main driver for many parents and to perhaps a lesser extent with the players themselves is to have a lucrative career in football, with the financial aspect being the main prize.
Once a player makes it in to the professional ranks they will be fortunate enough to be paid quite handsomely compared to youths of a similar age in jobs in more mundane professions. We all know the vast amounts of money available in the top flight and it is this which has become the main driver.
I doubt if a player looks at the manager and tactics of clubs that are available to them, and therefore goes for the highest bidder. This can be deemed as shortsighted and is probably correct, plus they are advised by an agent who is also more intent on getting a good deal for himself as well as his client.
Historically MFC have had to pay a premium to attract quality players, but that applies to all unfashionable clubs. The future for us has to be in producing homegrown players, and when the bigger clubs come calling with lucrative contracts then inevitably they will move on, so it is imperative we have ready made replacements in the youth system.
Of course if promotion to the PL can be achieved you then are in a different situation altogether. The advent of truly mind boggling amounts of money paid for broadcasting rights means that it is much more of a level playing field in the top flight. This means unfashionable clubs like say, Bournemouth, Watford, Crystal Palace and Leicester etc are able to compete, with the larger established clubs.
This just reinforces the fact that once you get there it is imperative you are on a firm financial footing and have a management team in place able to take the best advantage of it. We seem to be establishing solid foundations and moving in a positive direction albeit not reflected in style of play. Football fans are not noted for their patience but in today’s football climate I think it is indeed a virtue. It’s not a computer game where you can quit so far into the season and reload the game.
Fans and management need to be in it for the long haul. With regard to SG perhaps trying to get the club on a firm financial footing in preparation for departing his tenure of the club, wouldn’t it be fabulous if he could find some way of leaving it in the hands of the fans?
Truly that would indeed be a wonderful testament to the absolutely fantastic job he has done for the club in his time in charge and a legacy to be proud of.
BREAKING NEWS!
T.Umbleweed has been spotted getting out of a black Range Rover outside of Rockcliffe. Tony Pulis is a known admirer, describing him as light on his feet for a big lad, and someone who isn’t afraid to put himself about a bit, even when the conditions aren’t the best. Currently plying his trade in Austria at AFC Vasteland, some fans have complained that T. Umbleweed can be very on and off, switching quickly from running the channels to seemingly hanging around the opposition penalty area with little or no movement off the ball.
Barry from Eston Hills, interviewed outside the Riverside this evening, said that the barrel-chested T.Umbleweed was nothing more than a “huff and puff” sort of player, but ultimately beggars can’t be choosers, and right now he’s just hoping that this rumour doesn’t turn out to be more hot air.
According to the Gazette just now, there will be no further incomers !
Shame they weren’t told that last weekend. Could have saved us all a lot of wasted time, dreaming and speculating, its the hope that does for you in the end. A bit like waiting for a Boro goal at the Riverside.
New website http://www.NoNews.co.uk.
If I go to bed and close my eyes, go to sleep and promise not to get up will it be like Christmas?
Will I find some presents next morning? I wont hold my breath just in case.
So it looks like back to business as usual when the window closes with none of the glaring gaps in the team filled. The failure to fill these gaps will do nothing to improve the spirits of the majority of the supporters and if performances continue to be negative and uninspiring the atmosphere at The Riverside is likely to turn very toxic indeed.
Another glorious chapter in the history of the MFC recruitment department.
Nothing?
Well, I very much fear that “Nothing will come of nothing” but, as ever, we battle on.
It should be a cracker of a press conference.
UTB
Once again a shambles from MFC, what is really going on behind the scenes. The fans to need to know. Obviously we have an inept recruitment team but what about SG and TP time to hear answers from them. Heads need to roll and that is well before Easter. Are Boro hanging on with what we have got now and hoping for a miracle. The football will be even more boring as TP will try to avoid defeat at any cost with boring defensive tactics.
It would appear from the outside looking in that either as a directive or financial necessity Boro couldn’t or wouldn’t buy unless they sold. In reality VLP, JOM and George Saville all came in during this window albeit Saville was already here but the cash on him was reportedly splashed this month. Perhaps the reality of that has curtailed any willingness to spend much if indeed any more this window.
You know over the years when I’ve been Boro daft and wouldn’t let anyone say anything bad about my Boro there was always some miserable old buzzer who would whinge and say you’ll learn they’ll disappoint you and let you down you’ll see!
I look now and see that miserable old buzzer is me !!!
UTB
OFB
OFB,
I know the feeling. Welcome to the land of the ‘grumpy gadgie’. The trouble is we now we’re as right as they were!
UTB,
John
Wow,
As I predicted ZERO incoming. I am not happy that my prediction was correct especially as most of our promotion rivals have strengthened.
Even tight ar$e Ashley has splashed cash and our Div 1 neighbors (Grants lot) up the road have spent big.
After a very busy time, at least our recruitment team can relax until the next debacle in July/August (do they get paid for the next 7 months, if so what do they do?)
Today finally marks the realization that the promotion dream is in tatters.
I only hope that Bobs prediction is also true and TP walks away and finds himself a club in “free fall” where 0-0 at home is deemed a good result.
Please no Woodgate Downing combo. Lets get a younger manager, a fresh new face that has no favorites and has the hunger and drive to mount a challenge next season. Now would be the perfect time as he could assess what he has and build a squad for the next campaign.
I am not sure who it should be, there are so many contenders, you could throw a dart at the board blindfolded to pick someone able to get more out of the current squad than the current manager.
Grant and Leo, now that would be an interesting managerial combo!!
So after all that, I thought I would relax and listen to some music on the radio, the first two songs that came on where.
The Party’s Over. By Shirley Basset then
Moneys too tight to mention. By Simply Red.
I turned it off just in case
The Impossible Dream came on.
At least they managed to secure decent loan deals for some of their youngsters, that may bear fruit in the future. Playing in the lower leagues will give them invaluable experience.
If you look at all the completed deals that were made, how many would you like to have seen come to Middlesbrough. It would appear that there were just not many players available. Clubs have become wise to the sham that transfer deadline day has become and won’t be held to ransom over fees and wages.
The biggest losers have become the agents, so no tears will be shed there.
Good point GHW when you look at how many deals have actually been done and of them how many would you want to splash serious cash and wages on for another three plus years minimum. Looking at what we already have there are quite a few that are probably on wages way above the Championship norm which is why we are stuck with them and look where thats got us.
It will be interesting to see how the land lies once the dust has settled. Will Downing just be a Sub between now and the Summer. Will TP stay. Will some who were clearly excess to requirements put any effort in or indeed even be selected. Its very similar to when we played WBA at the Hawthorns last time in the Premiership when TP had a shortage on the bench because the Directors hadn’t backed him in the market and I think a 16 year old came on as Sub for them. Deja vu, coincidence or a case of fooling some of the people some of the time?
I recall that match RR. In his pre match interview TP was moaning that he didn’t have enough players, about six short if I remember correctly. And the result 0-0.
It all sounds very familiar, TP playing turgid football, fans not amused, chairman not too chuffed, chairman refusing to back him in the market. We now wait for the final piece of the jigsaw, chairman sacks him.
Agree to a point with RR and GHW. Not much quality in the deals done although the lad from Newcastle could have been useful.
Best news of this window is we kept Britt for the next manager.
Worst news of the window we kept Besic for the current manager.
See the greedy Baggies helped themselves to two wingers
Was this because they needed them or just to spite Pulis.
No doubt they will unleash them on Saturday but I am sure our square pegged/over the hill full backs will have them in their pockets.
Yes, I expected a bit more. A speedy young winger and a full back as a minimum. Perhaps the thing that Downing is still here or no compromise on his contract was reached, we were not willing to match the offer from WBA for the Newcastle and former Norwich winger.
But really surprised we did not found a defender on loan from the PL, for example. We lost Batth and needed also cover at full back positions. That was a surprise.
Well, generally I cannot remember that the January window has been a success over the years. Even if we have got about five late arrivals in January, hardly anyone made it to the first team as a regular.
Cannot remember another than Ramiretz that was any good after arriving in January. Anyone remembering who came a year ago?
Up the Boro!
Jordan Rhodes scored some vital goals on the way to promotion
Just had another look at the team that played Brighton on promotion day.
I only see 1 square peg, Stuani but he did get the important goal. The rest of the team was balanced without the need for a 7ft target man.
Somehow this team seems a lot stronger than what we have now, no wonder we got promoted even after Charltongate.
1 Dimitrios Konstantopoulos
24 Emilio Nsue
4 Daniel Ayala
6 Ben Gibson
3 George Friend
8 Adam Clayton
7 Grant Leadbitter (c)
18 Christian Stuani 19′
21 Gaston Ramirez 63′
27 Albert Adomah
35 David Nugent 80′
Subs
5 Ritchie de Laet
9 Jordan Rhodes 80′
16 Julien De Sart
19 Stewart Downing 63′
25 Michael Agazzi
26 Tomas Kalas
34 Adam Forshaw
Just Besic on loan wasn’t it? TP said something about not wanting to spend the Chairman’s money.
That appears to generally have been stuck to. Yes we signed Flint, McNair and Saville but the sale of Traore alone more or less covered those three.
So it’s as you were then. At least we didn’t sell anyone so we’re not worse off than the start of the window. Every cloud and all that.
Seriously we look short of numbers at the back, have a dearth of creativity in midfield and up front our forwards are more miss than hit. The issue with the forwards though is as much to do with the style of play and formation TP likes to play. If we were more attack minded who knows what their goal record would be?
To be honest I’d rather we didn’t just panic buy and throw money about in an attempt to buy someone, anyone. We tried that before under Monk and it didn’t work.
As mentioned in previous posts, as much as it pains me to say it, Middlesbrough just isn’t sexy enough for the vast majority of players. And I don’t mean now under Pulis. It’s always been like that. Certainly over the last 25 years when money started to make a difference Boro have had to pay well over the odds to attract all those big names as they didn’t, with a couple of honourable exceptions, come to further their careers on the footballing front.
The jury is out on VLP and although Mikel looked like “he still has it” against Newport it may take a while to get up to the rough and tumble of the championship week in week out.
The lack of transfer activity comes as no great surprise. Trying to bring in better than what you have, on a budget, in a seller’s market, is very difficult indeed.
I just wish we’d have accepted that in the summer and gone with youth throughout.
I don’t believe we’ve got one of the best squads in the division – I’d put us behind Leeds, West Brom and Stoke for certain and I don’t think there’s much in it with Derby and Forest, possibly Swansea as well – but with a positive approach we can fight for promotion via the playoffs.
Can we have that positive approach now, Tony?
Villa would be another one.
Looking at all of the outs,
Conservatively , we might be saving £100,000 a week in salaries, that should cover Assombolongo, Gestede ,Fletcher and Downing or close to , the next four months.
We are at the crossroads ,
No promotion will mean a massive drop in season cards,
Pulis will either leave or change rolls.
The squad will be culled, and needs it.
Well I am reasonably pleased that we did not spend any more money even though it would of been on loanees.
I also do not think they would have made much difference to our future style of play and results.
For TP he now has the excuse that you cannot make a silk purse out of a pigs ear when he leaves.
Mr Gibson now has four months to formulate a plan for next season and the future, if indeed he is to continue owning the club..
He has major issues with players on high wages and consequently no resale value, others on high wages and reduced market value meaning continued write offs.
There probably is little left in the pot and may be Mr Gibson is getting a little disillusioned with it all.
This all reminds me of the high wages problem Tony Mowbray faced. Who says that lightning doesn’t strike twice. Now Mr Pulis please try some of the fringe players. No it won’t happen.
Wearily,
UTB,
John
Well I have calmed down a bit since my last post. As TM would say ” it is what it is “.
I did as I promised I would do but when I got up there were no new goodies to unwrap.
I cant say I am surprised, there wasn’t much activity all round.
Same manager, same playing staff, different result?
Well, miracles do happen I suppose.
Same manager, same playing staff, different result = play-offs, then!
Miracle = automatic or outside of play-offs in May. Up the Boro!
I’m not surprised that Boro didn’t manage to buy any players, bring in players on loan, or get rid of unwanted players whose wages are a drain on our resources. The whole charade of a January transfer window, especially the last day, is one of the biggest turnoffs in any sport.
It has been said wait until Tony Pulis gets the players he wants before judging the team. The fact is most targets wouldn’t want to play for a club whose tactics at home mirror the tactics in away matches. We all know that home tactics must change, and unless Pulis can’t or won’t change he must be sacked. We persistently hear from other managers how they envy Boro’s squad in depth, so it’s now up to Pulis to make do with that squad and stop selecting square pegs into round holes.
We still have a good team for a fight for a top six finish. And with luck, possibly top two. I don’t think our squad is worse than Leeds or Norwich but West Brom, Stoke and Aston Villa might have a slightly better squad.
Away we are good enough as we have seen.
At home I would go for a team like below:
Britt & Hugill
RvLP, Wing, Saville & Downing (from 2nd min)
Obi Mikel
Friend, Ayala, Fry/Flint & Shotton
Randolph
We really need to solve the Downing situation. I think TP said today that the extra year will be on higher (!) salary than the current one – strange.
I am waiting to see a 1-1 draw on Saturday. Hugill penalty on 42 min.
Up the Boro!
Dear me, please delete Downing from the above – or we could play with wing back and then drop Friend. . They are never going to get us play with 12 men on the pitch, I am afraid. UTB!
Not a bad line up Jarkko
No Besic in sight, I would swap Downing for Tav, he needs a run of games
Any news on Flint, OFB? Is he back to training yet. Non of the reporters asked that from TP …
UTB!
Yes he’s fine he played last week against Newport
Just about to post the same Bob, for a split second I paused thinking “Did I see him play last week, was it really that bad that I have started to imagine things?”
Flint definitely played and for the full 90 minutes.
Oh well we have just got to get on with it then. In many respects I’m pleased we didn’t do what we have often done and waste millions on other clubs misfits and paying a fortune in wages to get them here then get lumbered with them for years because everyone else knows they are donkeys and even if they were desperate themselves fall on the floor laughing when they hear the wages. If the prevention of that has been the result then for MFC and Boro it is a positive one although it may not feel like watching other clubs unwrap their presents. Just wait until Easter when they find the batteries ran out, has a dodgy switch or the wheels snapped off before they even had a chance to play with it properly.
We can guess who we are stuck with because of salaries and/or contractual complications but lets hope we utilise those who are chomping at the bit for some game time and not those who are checking their on-line statements. That they are here on such fat cushions is entirely our own fault, nobody else is to blame. Let them sit out their contracts as we have no other option and if they want to play and put in 100% then great but if their driving force isn’t football then I’m not sure I would have them anywhere near the first team squad. Nothing personal but I’d want players who have my back if I was picking them not ones checking their cosmetic mirrors and sticking knives in the clubs back.
Now that we are were we are its perhaps time for the scouting and recruitment department to start looking in Lidl and Aldi instead of Fortnum and Mason. That they haven’t been screams even more that either they haven’t a clue or there is a total disconnect inside the club. Financial department planning for the next 18 to 24 months wants to cut costs and reduce the wages, Playing department wants Players that can make a difference whilst the scouts appear to be targeting Players from Clubs who will only sell at extortionate prices and Players who will only come at ridiculous salaries.
Norwich have had to reduce their outlays in bringing in players and are doing OK likewise Sheffield United, it can be done at this level and on a much lower budget but the club has to have some joined up thinking on the subject otherwise we will just keep on repeating the same mistakes. Hopefully yesterday was a wake up call and at the same time made the importance of the likes of Fry, Wing and Tavernier all the more important and all the more relevant..
Having had a moment of pause and reflection, it is clear from TP’s comments today that we are back to the post-Strachonian belt tightening days, except obviously on a larger scale than before. I think a lot of people can accept that, and I can understand why the club didn’t want to say that when the window was open, even though it frustrated me and many others.
So in that respect, turning Saville’s loan permanent could mean we have a good option for next season, and if Mikel can “do a job” and keep us in the play-offs then you never know where things could go from there. We didn’t manage to grind out a 1-0 aggregate win last time out, maybe we would second time around?
I would say then that I am pleased that we didn’t throw big money at a loanee or permanent transfer that would saddle the club with high costs, but as RR says above, I would be happier still if that means that TP focuses some more on the players that are likely to be the backbone of the new austerity-era Boro. Fry, Wing, Tavernier – they could all become very important players for us if they are played regularly and given game time.
I don’t expect miracles though.
Regarding our “creativity” achilles heel at present, consider AK’s promotion side from three years ago. It had Downing or Reach and Adomah or Stuani out wide, with Gaston behind a choice of Rhodes, Nugent or Kike. As an attacking threat that side is miles ahead of our present one. Even the team from last season could count on Bamford and Adama for invention, with the addition of Fabio and Christie bombing on at full back in Monks early side. I can see why TP is saying this squad is weaker now in certain areas.
Before we descend into a moratorium we need to take a step back and look at what we do have rather than what we think we needed.
Goalkeeping is absolutely fine, Randolph is the best in the division and Dimi is like a St. Bernard, maybe not the most agile but loyal, dependable, trustworthy and gets the job done. Lonergan has bags of experience and if called upon is hardly likely to freeze.
Defence looks bare with Batth gone but if we put MacNair back in there as a reserve CB then it looks little diiferent. Shotton hopefully will be back up to speed and Friend is like the Duracell bunny albeit a very old and much loved Bunny. Ayala, Flint and Fry give us options and remember if we go with three at the back Howson proved he can operate as a right wing back and its not as if we will struggle in midfield for bodies by “borrowing” him.
LB back up has been a problem since McQueen got crocked but its been that way most of the season and should the worst happen we will just need to play with three and go for a concerted left wing back from one of the midfielders. Downing is the most obvious candidate if he can agree a contract if not then its an opportunity for someone else. lets be honest back in August we wouldn’t have dreamt of Wing and Tavernier making the step up now TP gets pelters for leaving them out.
Midfield has a wealth of competition and with JOM in there we can all hope that his experience can get another 5% out of those around him. We also have VLP who adds something in terms of pace and skill so lets hope that additional skill set can make a difference. He certainly couldn’t be slower or any more pedestrian. Saville can score goals along with Wing, if he is the future Boro captain at some point then he has to be played now. Wing and Saville both have a shot in them, JOM can tidy up behind them meaning that Besic, Tav, VLP, Howson, Clayts and company can keep the pressure on for a shirt.
Up front is the problem but lets face it thats no different to the last four or five years or more. We just don’t score enough goals. Hugill has done OK at this level and Assombalonga’s record speaks for itself. Its not exactly a disaster but its up to TP to make the best out of what he has, not try and make something he has into something it’s not! I still think Fletcher is better than what we have seen and remain optimistic that the lad could come good if played in the right role within the right infrastructure.
I still think this squad is good enough for automatic promotion. The Manager however is the bit that worries me if he can maximise what he’s actually got, build belief and confidence instead of instilling a negative, jittery, safety first, paranoid mindset.
Redcar Red,
I agree with you, it’s up to Mr Pulis to change his mind-set. Think outside the box a little and utilise what he has fully and with some coherence to make a team not a seemingly random selection of parts and hope it works.
As for Saturday, well a point would be a good result but I’m going for:
Thrushes 3 – 1 Lions.
If we don’t start like an oil tanker a point could be there. On the other hand I’m rubbish at predictions.
UTB,
John
A very good post, RR. Totally agree. I just hope the club can agree a new contract with Downing (at a lower costs next season). Up the Boro!
I’d agree that Boro’s squad on paper would be a match for most in the Championship – so I’m glad we didn’t just waste the cash on unneeded bench-warmers. Though whether it means continuing with the same tactics in the absence of the ‘much needed pace’ then we can only look forward to more of the same. Incidentally, Pulis said in his press conference that both VLP and JOM “will help us at the back end of the season” – so I guess that means they will need another month to get fit and bed in.
RR
I normally agree word for word with your posts but I cannot see McNair as a makeshift centre back. He was scoring goals at the end of last season in a poor Sunderland side destined for relegation.
The lad needs a run in his natural position not square pegged.
The rest of your post was spot on as usual.
I’m still scratching my head at the various statements from Tony Pulis in his press conference this morning where he’s claiming that the club are essentially back to financial difficulties like when Tony Mowbray was in charge.
He made the argument that it’s all because of the spending in the summer of 2017. Pulis said: “I think Steve spent over £50-odd million. The wages and everything else that comes with that is extraordinary.”
OK, maybe the wages are unsustainable but as we know the net spend in the summer of 2017 was only £5-8m. We also know that Boro received £47m in parachute payments and from our PL season it was estimated that the club probably made a profit of around £20m. So if you add other income to that then that’s somewhere between £20-30m – in essence almost £100m income generated for 2017-18.
We also know that Boro will have made £43m from the sales of Gibson, Traore and Bamford in the summer and received another £35m parachute payment – plus other income of at least £20m – Again, we’re talking almost £100m generated in income.
So have the club blown £200m in the last two seasons? I suspect not and the only real issue is therefore deciding what the wage bill should be next season if Boro are in the Championship and whether or not any of that £200m is still in reserve.
I also find it odd that everyone in the press conference let Pulis get away with quoting the “£50-odd million” figure without putting him right on the net spend.
TP’S comments about Mogga are an insult.
Tp inhereted a squad worth millions and decided to pull it apart.
Britt 15m
Braithwaite 10m
Paddy Bamford 6m
Gibbo 15m
Adoma 18m
Fleatcher 6.5m
Christie 2.5m
Downing 7m
Howson 5m
Gestede 6m
Forshaw 5m
This is 96m worth of talent whether you agree or not with the prices paid or received.
Mogga must be fuming with TP’s comments. He really rummaged in the bargain bin and pulled out a couple of plums.
Granted that some of the above are no longer with us but if TP is as good as he thinks he is then surely he can get the remainers promoted or is it all hot air
RR
An unusually positive post amongst a sea of angst, mine included. Your final paragraph sums up how I feel at present under TP and the sum of all parts is, imo, far better than what is being served up particularly at the Riverside.
Werder
Those figures are pretty striking and it does appear that Steve Gibson may be holding back the cheque book until he knows which division we will be playing in next season and doesn’t want to put the club at a greater financial risk. I know financial risk isn’t a very sexy term but that is where we are as a club.
Lack of faith in the manager or prudent business sense. A bit of both maybe?
I suspect that the finances for the club may be subject to requiring a healthy glow to match the following:
“A promising well established soccer club which with some astute investment has excellent prospects for promotion into the Premiership. Comes complete with a modern all seater stadium and the possibility of a world class training facility, hotel and conference centre to be included subject to separate negotiation”.
You forgot to add ‘one careful owner’…
Werder
No one at the press conference would dream of putting Pulis right on his quoted figures due to the risk of being naughty stepped. Especially the Gazette!
Reporter A: “Tony who did you take for dinner and a pint yesterday at 4.00pm”
TP: “Just a few of the lads here when we were told to stand down”
Reporter B: “Tony, Tony did you try the Steak and Ale Pie”
TP: “Sorry but it was bacon sarnies all round as we didn’t want to overspend on poor Steve Gibson’s money”
Reporter A: “Did you enjoy the sarnies and tell us did you use Brown sauce, Fruity or Ketchup”
TP: “We couldn’t afford sauce when I was growing up so I always go without, we used to have four to a sarnie in our house”
Reporter C: “Tony what did you say to NB and SG when they left you high and dry with neither Pace nor Power”………………………………………………..Microphone goes dead, electricity failure and everyone is asked to leave the building, unfortunately Reporter C seems to have lost his press card in the melee.
Footnote: Reporter C is now working as Advanced Content Writer for Crochet and Darning Weekly!
Far better to swallow the propaganda – it’s the culture of bullying that prevents anyone in the press from asking a pertinent question or seeking to clarify the actual position. Sounds almost Trump-like.
While I wouldn’t want to see someone potentially losing their job by asking a pertinent question how often have the media, tv in particular, skated round issues with managers and basically toadied up to clubs.
If I was in the media I think I’d last about one interview tbh. I don’t think calling them a liar and a cheat wouldn’t go down to well🤔
They did go against the control once and look where it got them?
Mind you had their loose lips it tipped off other Clubs to some of those signings it may have saved SG a fortune and done us all a favour in the process, Karma eh!
FAA
We could do with Jeremy Paxton attending Pulis’s press conferences.
I would have asked the question will you still be here next season Tony….probably I would have got thrown out !
Just thinking, what if Boro have indeed spent £200m in the last two seasons and all they have to show for it is the kind of dull uninspiring football currently on offer that teams on very low budgets sometimes resort to.
I don’t think its that good 🙂
Probably that’s why Tony Pulis always stands at his press conferences so that he can make a quick getaway if an awkward question is asked or he is put under pressure from a persistent reporter.
Interesting comments from the Chelsea manager…..
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jan/31/maurizio-sarri-chelsea-my-fault-motivate
Maybe one of the “ journo’s” could have asked TP for his view on those comments?
It’s been a week of wasted journalism not only by the Gazette, but probably throughout the country. That is except for one club, Dundee United. Apparently they brought in 11 new players yesterday, although as I’m not au fait with what happens at Tannadice I’m not sure whether it’s a player for each position.
WBA struggle to keep clean sheets. Boro seem to be the Leagues best. If we take one of our chances I can see…..
Baggies 0 Ziplocks 1
Werder. How is Stefanie Bolzen viewed in the German Media. Recently she keeps popping up on Politics shows here on UK tv as the expert on the European view on Brexit.
I don’t really know of her but think she writes for Die Welt newspaper – she’s just another talking head among the myriad of people with an opinion. Although, if hacks like Camilla Tominey from the Telegraph is given a platform on Question Time to spout her ‘belief’ rather than anything based on actual knowledge then basically anybody can just say “I think blah” and it’s just as valid. Brexit has now become a belief for many and most dismiss anything approaching a fact as another scare story and prefer to ignore possible problems and don’t wish to hear from anyone who claims to have knowledge of the EU.
Also I think I’ll scream if I hear from another barely literate member of the public say we voted for Brexit so we just have to get on with it and leave regardless – before adding ‘we’ managed during the war – especially as they themselves clearly weren’t even born during the war and are probably part of the same angry mob who rang the police when KFC ran out of chicken for two days. I’m not even sure they could manage a week with being told they can’t buy what they want let alone deal with actual rationing.
If the UK is determined to leave the EU then fine but at least leave in a managed and controlled way as the 29 March is just an artificial deadline plucked from Theresa May’s head – why create a whole set of new problems to appease the masses who don’t have an attention span long enough to consider the implications. Isn’t that why we have a civil service to make plans and execute policy decisions? This isn’t Lord of the Flies – though not much sign of any adults either.
Went down like the proverbial lead balloon ……..
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jan/30/historian-berates-billionaires-at-davos-over-tax-avoidance
It’s not really about higher taxes, just pay what you are due and stop employing experts to avoid it.
Yes Tax avoidance by wealthy companies is perhaps the real issue of why the government can’t fund spending adequately but the EU got the blame instead. Incidentally, I believe many of the leading Brexiteers have money in offshore accounts and part of the motivation of leaving the EU is perhaps driven by their dislike that the EU wants to clamp down on offshore secrecy so people and companies can’t hide their wealth – plus the city of London has become the centre for attracting shady money from Russia and the middle east. The kind of Brexit that involves reducing regulations is not something many of the struggling people will find is in their interest. The Brexiteer elite want a low-corporation tax country that will make finding the tax shortfall even harder. So rather perversely, those most likely to be exploited have voted in favour of the wishes of those who will most likely exploit them.
Redcar Red your post at 12:57 was very good but missing one important ingredient, the supporters !
What you say is correct, what we have is what we have until the end of this season, including the manager and nothing is going to change that.
If the team is struggling at home, getting on their backs is not going to help them, in fact it will have the opposite effect. I was stationed abroad in 86 but I heard, and often heard/read about it since, how when MFC was on its knees how the owner, manager, players and supporters pulled together and the rest is history.
Financially we appear to be back to how we were when Mowbray arrived and people are asking where has all the Premiership money gone ? In 2014/15 MFC made a loss of 9m, 2015/16 a loss of 31.9m (promotion year), so we are at minus 41m going into the Premiership. The income from the Premiership year was 121m but the profit from that year was 6.8m see below:
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/finer-details-middlesbrough-fc-annual-14507477
So by my reckoning after relegation with only the parachute payments to come, MFC started in the championship with a loss over the 3 previous seasons about 34m in the red. So in reality the pot of gold from the Premiership has long been spent even before we were relegated. MFC made huge financial mistakes in getting to and while in the Premiership, Negrado was 5m a year in wages alone but that is water under the bridge.
If at the end of the season TP has got us back into the Premiership via automatic or the playoffs, would everyone on Diasboro still want him sacked or for him to stay and establish us in the Premiership.
Come on BORO.
As a struggling side clinging to survival in the Premiership TP is as good as anyone could possibly wish for and in that scenario is a great shout for a Manager.
The problem we have right here and now is the opportunity being spurned week after week in trying to get back there. Then there is the aftertaste of that shameful meek surrender to Villa in both legs of the Play Offs (not to mention an even meeker and spineless outing against the same side at the Riverside just a few weeks back).
Supporting a gutsy, defiant backs to the wall, never say die side is one thing. Enduring hopeless, abject negativity is a completely different scenario. True supporters know when their club is fighting and when its being slowly strangled. TP’s performances at the Riverside are toxic to the heart and soul of Football in general and to MFC in particular. When supporters (many with over 50 years attendance) have had enough of the heartless indifference on display they won’t stand idly by watching it being destroyed and humiliated in the process.
When Jacob Murphy was asked today why he chose West Brom he answered “They’re scoring goals for fun and for a winger this is an amazing team to be able to be a part of. I’m looking forward to helping the team score more goals. As a forward player, you want to score goals and get assists, you want to be part of that. I’m excited, and hopefully, I can chip in with a lot of goals”.
I wonder why he didn’t come to Boro?
ExMil
Is that a rhetorical question?
Our home game against Norwich has been selected for TV coverage with the KO now pushed back to 5.30pm. That is very convenient for the travelling Canaries who I am sure will be delighted to set off back South after 7.00pm getting home after midnight!
Once again it shows a total disregard for Football Fans but it could be a massive advantage to Boro as I would guess the time and live coverage could understandably persuade some of those away supporters to stay at home. Of course there is the small problem of us actually getting into their 18 yard box and scoring but that was always going to be a challenge.
Exmil – fair point on the PL season profit being quoted at around £7m but Pulis quoted the reason for the financial problems being the spending in the summer of 2017 under Monk of £50 odd million.
Though the same article points to a wage bill of £57m in the PL and £28m in the season before in the Championship. We don’t know what the wage bill was last year or this year but we could assume it must be easily under £50m – if not then I’ve got no sympathy with the club if they are paying PL wages to Chamionship players.
In which case given parachute payments were £47m and net spending was around £5-8m (not over £50m as Pulis claimed) then Boro will still have been well in profit. Likewise in this season, unless wages have spiralled out of control Boro have made sales of over £40m and had parachute payments of £35m to add to general income of around £20m.
My point is the club are not in financial crisis but it’s a choice by the club to spend less so they should spare us the spin and perhaps say what the real reasons are. BTW I also seem to recall that the reason for building Rockcliffe Hall was so that it could generate revenue to be injected into the club – or was that just spin too.
I take what TP has said on board but i think he is laying it on too thick because we may be heading for having to cover big contracts but we are still fighting promotion with a good squad
and still backed by parachute payments. It is not like he has a transfer embargo or doesnt have options, he has 4 multi million pound strikers to choose from and a cracking academy that he can utilise if he chooses to. As barrels go, we are nowhere near the bottom where he has to be scraping.
We know from the likes of Lewis Wing that there are players out there that can add something extra to the squad and wont cost millions but i dont get the impression that we are looking too hard into lower leagues and non leagues because Pulis wouldnt work with them without the benefit of a pre season.
Given that we are up there fighting to go up, it has a distinctly different feel to our challenges under AK and i dont think TP’s viewpoints help with instilling confidence that this squad has enough to achieve the goal.
Werder it is difficult and very nearly impossible I believe to get anywhere near to the truth as to MFC`s financial status over the last number of seasons.
I am not trying to be clever here (I apologise if you do) but as an example you said we received 43mil for Gibson, Bamford and Traore. My take was that is 15 plus 6 plus 18 less 20% for Villa = 35mil. And there lays the problem. 8 mil difference and who knows the truth, only Mr Gibson and Mr Bauser. It is all smoke and mirrors, so we all can only hazard a guess.
I think there is still money available, unfortunately as I posted previously, when you have Gestede on 20K a week?? and no resale value because of it, Britt probably on 30/40K with a small (remember Burnley offered (mil) resale value and it goes on and on. How much are the likes of Randolf, Ayala, Friend, Clayton etc etc on??
Many on contracts for at least another couple of years and all to be catered for.
A possible nightmare scenario to come.
As for Rockcliffe Hall, it has not posted a profit in all its years I believe, so no income from that.
Jarrko….As to Mr Downing, .IMO, see above, we should draw a line under that contract and move on. Not worth it.
I think think you make valid points – sales are always reported at their headline figure but yes the Bamford deal is only could rise to £10m and not sure what we’ll get – if Villa’s cut on Adama was 20% then that’s only £15m to Boro. So we can downgrade the sums a little but they still don’t add up to anything approaching a financial crisis – unless of course the wage bill is of PL proportions but that would be crazy. Though I haven’t included other minor transfers like £2m for Fabio or the undisclosed fee for Christie for example so not sure what the overall figures are.
There may be external factors influencing the new thrift style of management at MFC. I’m thinking Brexit and Bulkhaul may not be a match made in heaven and whilst some may claim they should be separate from the Club it was the Gibson O’Neil business that kept Boro afloat for many years plus of course SG may want a few bob for his snagging at Gibson Towers. Its not unreasonable given the Political and Economic mess that the country currently finds itself in that anything in the bank is being kept there for a very likely rainy day ahead.
Indeed, it may be prudent at this current uncertain point to plan for worse case scenarios. I’m perfectly fine with that but what I don’t like is the spin by Tony Pulis, which makes me wonder why say that when it blatantly isn’t credible.
I believe Bulkhaul are very strong in the far east. They moved manufacturing from Teesside to the far east in the early 2000’s. That was before Gibbo started wearing ‘Save our Steel’ on his shirt and long after the Riverside was built with German steel.
Werder,
Shout it long enough and loud enough and people begin to believe it. Try politicians as an example conning the sound bite masses.
UTB,
John
Yes very difficult. I was also surprised that the “Hull Gazette” equivalent quoted Grosolik, wrong spelling, was on a reported 24K a week. Hence my asking, what are the EX EPL players getting. Possibly more??
Throw in that Hull were supposedly asking £8M for a player soon to be 31 was madness. Fair play to Hull after Adkins appointment they look like Play Off party spoilers and keeping him could see them do a Fulham this year. Its a gamble that they hope will pay off for them especially with hanging onto Bowen as well.
Going back to the link that Exmil posted from the Gazette that showed the financial figures for our PL season, one thing in the article that has puzzled me is when it states “Boro’s tilt at the top was expensive. The cost of promotion was a £31.9m loss in the previous year “.
Given that our promotion year was 2015-16, the loss quoted was well above the £13m allowed under FFP and as far as I’m aware the club wasn’t sanctioned. From what I’ve read, It was only in 2016-17 that there was a switch to FFP rules that allowed a loss of £39m over three years. See link below
http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/financial-fair-play-explained.php
So did we get away with it or did the Football League get confused and miss that we’d apparently exceeded the limit by £18.9m? Or have I missed something?
Shhhhhhh!!!
I think the only way to know the true facts is to get a copy of MFC accounts for the past 4/5 seasons, although 17/18 season is not due to be submitted until April 2019, and I would imagine that you would need to be an accountant to understand them fully.
I cannot believe that MFC would plead poverty when there are funds available to bring in 2/3 players required to reach the goal of promotion. My thoughts are that MFC have truly set sustainable wage parameters and are trying to work in that budget until the large wage earners are off their books, including players who have left and MFC are still paying part wages (Braithwaite and Leadbitter, possibly more). In the accounts it does not give you individual wages, possibly all clumped together including the tea lady. It could be as Redcar Red suggested they are holding back until they know where they are going to be next season and what is required. Maybe they are expecting a drop in season ticket sales (I personally do not think it is going to be as low as some are predicting). The early bird sales will give them a good indication.
Maybe I am too trusting in MFC but what ever the truth is, we are all in it until the end of the season, whether we are in it together or against each other is up to the individual. I know I will be still there until I am unable to get to the Riverside.
Come on BORO.
Did anyone hear any glimmer of positivity in the Pulis press conference today? It seemed to me to be a perfect example on how to demotivate people. He in effect told the squad of players that they are not good enough and he depressed me as a supporter first by not quitting and then by claiming that the club is in cost cutting mode.
Things may not be all hunky-dory at the club but if the team manager can’t find anything positive to say that offers the supporters even a glimmer of hope then God help us.
Perhaps he read Werder’s articke and is hoping…….Things Can Only Get Better.
We can all D-Ream
We need Professor Brian Cox to shed some light on particle physics for our attack.
The next goal could be light years away, even if the game is on Sky at Night
I think that it’s time that we as supporters stopped viewing the club as some kind of Football Manager exploit and lived in the real world. The club is a business which hasn’t been profitable for years but has got by more recently on money from the owners and parachute payments.
If there was money available, then there is no reason, either emotional or financial for it not to be spent at this point. Promotion would be worth another fortune and maybe we wouldn’t blow it on a mixed bag of allsorts as we did last time. Thus I believe that TP is telling us the situation as it has been presented to him by his bosses at MFC. Personally, I’m guessing that the wage bill is still pretty frightening , even if reduced somewhat by relegation clauses.
If the club has decided to spend the next twelve to eighteen months putting the financial house in order, then we have to give them the space to do it and accept that we have a pretty good squad to see things through. There are obvious weaknesses going forward at pace but other than that there is plenty of quality and if I decide to look forward to some surprising successes from unexpected performances rather than anticipate the worst, then that’s my choice.
Regarding the window, there was a lot if rubbish out there and I’m glad that we didn’t waste what money we have. Regarding the Newcastle lad, I’d like to look back in a few months and see what playing time he actually gets. With West Brom scoring goals for fun, why does he expect to get a better chance than he would have had at another solid club who clearly needed him for the first team. Strange logic.
On the field, I look forward to a solid defensive away display against WBA which suits our group and believe that we will do well against the other top teams. What we are signally failing to do is dominate weaker teams and I just wish somebody would have the balls to ask TP why we don’t play in a more attacking style in games where we are the stronger team.
Looking ahead, my heart of course says automatic promotion but my head is nowhere near that. I’d settle for us ending where we are now and a playoff battle.
UTB
Good post Selwynoz
Good post in reality
Though what happens if there is money available and you spend it but don’t get promotion – then there is no payback. Also you may receive more money in the PL but the wage bill doubles and the transfer fees also increase too. So if you are just talking business terms it may mean less profit. Although I’d agree that it seems few owners make money through directly owning a football club.
Interestingly, Pulis said he’s only bought three players since he arrived at Boro – McNair, Flint and Saville and I’d expect they were low on the list in terms of wages compared to others. It seems his main achievement has been to reduce the structural wage bill but I’d be surprised if it was currently anything like the size of our PL campaign as all the big hitters were sold after relegation.
The message is clear – the club are downsizing and reducing costs and failing promotion the operating budget will be around £30m next season – although much may depend on whether the current assets (players) retain their value and who can be sold to finance new players.
Good post Selwynoz and gives a realistic position of where we find ourselves.
Looks like Downing won’t budge on his contract dispute. He is supposed to be in love with his hometown club yet wants more than £35,000 if he starts a game. All I can say and I will be polite he is a greedy so and so. The chant ‘ he’s one of our own ‘ leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. Every club that employed him he has spat his dummy out. I want him rid.
If he is a truly Boro fan then his attitude at the moment is disgraceful.
I am not looking forward to tomorrow afternoon/evening.
Boro at the Baggies, England at Ireland, England in West Indies. I am not rushing to the Bookies to place a bet on success on those three.
I suspect three singles, three doubles and treble a will provide an OFB return. In technical terms, 10% of chuff all. But it is sport and who knows?
Away from home and at a Club that are going to come at us is as ideal a fixture as TP’s Boro can get. Our away form is good its our home form that has ruined our season. Take the last five games home and away for both clubs. Boro have won two, lost one and drawn two, West Brom on the other hand despite their prolific scoring run have exactly the same set of results, won two, lost one and drawn two.
There is hardly a Rizla paper between the two sides apart from the current three points separating us. WBA have won two more games than us but have lost one more game than us. We have drawn 11 games to their 8. TP won’t want to lose face down there, Darren Moore has already warned their fans to get behind the team and to not lose focus on the return of TP. They have brought in a lot of players but we all know how that works out in this league, just ask their near neighbours Villa!
I fancy a draw being worst case scenario but I wouldn’t be surprised if we sneaked it with a Wing wonder or a late set piece delivery into the Baggie hearts.
Just noticed that WBA have now got 6 players on loan so one has to miss out each week as you can only have 5 loanees in the matchday squad. Also saw that Conor Ripley can’t get in the Preston first team having moved to play regularly.
Decent interview with Martin de Roon.
I liked him and is showing his ability as a defensive midfielder. Not the box to box attacking midfielder where Karanka played him but he still scored 5 goals in 36 games. Head and shoulders above anything we have at the moment in that position (Mikel isn’t match fit yet so I’ll reserve judgement on him).
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47046889
And his goal v Citeh that was a glimmer of hope in a pathetic attempt by Karanka to stay up by not trying to win games. Cross of the season from George!
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2282092672023905&id=386636354690970&refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&_rdr
RR
“plus of course SG may want a few bob for his snagging at Gibson Towers.”
How dare he spend his own money on something that isn’t related to MFC!
Werder
Why is my post awaiting moderation? Is it because of the links attached?
Yes, more than one link per post automatically gets held for approval by the system.
Maybe I should’ve just slagged off the club, manager and certain players then no doubt it would’ve gone straight through. Silly me for trying to share something positive about a former player.
Despite rumours, positive posts don’t get held for approval 🙂
Thanks for the swift reply Werder👍
I’ve just been reading various financial articles over breakfast and while next season Boro won’t be toast it seems the club are planning for the reality of having to rely on normal revenue streams. In their previous promotion year, Boro had revenue of around £22m, which broke down as follows
£2.3m Football League Rights Payment
£2.3m Solidarity Payment
£0.8m TV Appearance Money
£4.9m Sponsorship and Commercial Income
£3.1m Merchandising
£7.2m Gate Receipts
£1.2m Cup Income
Solidarity payments have increased to £4.5m and a club will get £100k every time they are chose for TV coverage (home games). The gate receipts in 2015-16 was based on an average attendance of nearly 25,000 so not sure if we’ll be seeing that next season under Pulis.
So the club are currently looking at a budget of around £25m for next season and hopefully Boro have kept a bit in reserve to spend next season. Though much will depend on whether they can sell unwanted and fringe players at decent prices. Players like Braithwaite, Fletcher, McNair, Gestede and even Britt cost the club around £50m and that amount of cash (plus their wages and Downing’s) is barely being used on the pitch by Pulis – just how much Boro will get back on that investment may determine if they can mount another promotion challenge.
One thing I’ve learnt about supporting the Boro is that history shows that they rarely have a successful period of either being exceptionally good or exceptionally bad. It has always been peaks and troughs, and I don’t expect it to change. At the moment in some quarters there is dismay at a lack of incoming players, but since the maximum wage was abolished Boro have usually had to pay excessive fees and wages to attract players to come here. I don’t expect Boro to spend another 3 seasons in the Championship, nor when promoted spend more than 5 years in the Premier League. As someone on this forum mentioned we are not ‘jazzy’ enough, and we should accept it is what it is.
Werder
I take it the gate receipts were net of expenses. Working it out based on 46 gates of 25,000 that is about £6.25 per person.
Don’t forget to half the games as there are only 23 games at home and then there are concessions and various season cards – but those were the figures quoted.
Strangely for a top six clash it doesn’t seem to be televised. Hopefully Werder May come up with a link close to KO.
It’s unlikely for 3 o clock game on a Saturday to have an unofficial stream if it’s not televised – I’ll be watching through my Matchday Live season pass with MFC and it’s also available for viewing though a match pass with either with MFC or WBA – OK I should have added for overseas viewers only!
Had a quick shuffty around the un-official web sites and nothing shown for our match. Just paid my 6 euros to watch.
Not sure what to expect from today’s game but it will most likely be the 4-1-4-1 formation with Hugill up top on his own and Mikel in front of a back four of Shotton, Ayala, Flint and Friend. That probably leaves a midfield four of Howson, Besic, Wing and Saville. Whether we’ll see van La Parra and Downing get off the bench at some point may depend on how effective/ineffecive Boro are before Britt replaces a battered Hugill with 20 minutes to go.
I think I’ll go for 1-1 with Ayala scoring again against the Baggies from a corner – hopefully without using his hand!
TP Has been quoted as saying that he is going to sit down with Downing but leaving the contract negotiations to others
What he’s done on the training ground is to set up a number of groups of players to work on different things and he’s put Downing in charge of one of the groups
Are we seing the start of the managerial succession with Downing and Woody and Curtis?
OFB
OFB, bar of soap, in mouth, now, then rinse well!
I’m only stating what has happened in the training set up !
That’s a fact !
Don’t want soap I’d rather wash my mouth out with a pint 🍺
And it’s not my round !
OFB
OFB,
Are you sure I distinctly saw Braveheart at the bar last time.
UTB,
John
Oh yes that’s not right he’s a good bloke !
OFB
OFB, when making statements like that soap is the only substance that will remove such dirty words from your vocabulary, with the exception of acid, your call. If you even start to think such thoughts, I’d be forced to floss your head from ear to ear until they are removed, the floss would be barbed wire!
Wheres the Diasboro spirit ?
Oh it’s still in the bottle !
OFB
TP may be at the bar as he likes to frequent the pub when thing’s are not going his way.
Go on Bob, tell him to get them in
You tell him he’s got woody stood next to him !
Werder
Just trawling Twitter and some bright spark has set up a user name Diasboro hope it doesn’t impact on us with their tweets !
OFB
I did notice that after we first set up Diasboro when I was thinking of using Twitter to advertise articles but as far as I can see they’ve only got 5 Tweets in six years. I guess someone used it as it was originally AV who coined the phrase. I set up a Twitter account under Werdermouth just in case but have never used it.
Could be Spartak
Spark….. Spartak, its got to be
Oh Dear , I quote a comment from TP ref to Downing.
” Pulis is confident he will be hailed a Middlesbrough legend when he eventually retires.
“When Stewart was playing for England, people appreciated him, and I think they’ll probably build a statue for him when he’s retired,” said the Boro boss. “He’ll become one of the great players for Middlesbrough.”
Well TP you definitely are on a different planet. Statue ? Now that is taking the preverbial. Bruce Rioch / Juninho yes but Downing never never.
Could it be that eventually MFC will offer him a job within the club leading to a Woodgate and Downing partnership. Sadly if that happened then my interest in MFC would stop.
Braveheart, was that ‘legend’ or ‘leg end’? As for a statue, looking at the UK weather forecasts from sunny Perth, he might get the odd snowman or two, but that’s all. He’s been a good Boro player but always had the heart of a pea in a fight IMHO, when it gets tough he becomes the invisible man, imagine him in charge with backs to the wall at the major stadiums, nah, thought not.
As I said previously, “earth calling Pulis, do you read me?” Translations in Welsh also available.
So today’s team looks like a back five and a midfield four with Fry coming in for Howson – looks like Pulis is going for it (the 0-0) 🙂 :
Randolph, Shotton, Ayala, Flint, Friend, Fry, Mikel, Wing, Besic, Saville, Hugill
Subs:
Dimi, McNair, Clayton, Howson, van La Parra, Downing, Assombalonga
No place for Tav even on the bench !
OFB
I fear for us today with Besic in the middle. Only hope is that Mikel does the work of two.
Go on Mo, prove me wrong
First League match I believe that TP has not started Howson. As much I have moaned about him, I would rather him than Besic.
I would prefer Tav over both of them even if he was only on the bench, but I don’t even think that a physiologist could fathom the way TP thinks, in fact I don’t think that TP himself could analyse his own thoughts and actions. Roll on May and a new start.
The problem for Tav at the moment is that Pulis has big earner Downing on the bench along with a not yet match-fit big signing VLP – therefore Tav has got little chance of getting on.
Very pleased that he’s gone for Wing over one of Besic or Howson though. Progress.
As it appears that Downing is not going to accept any variation to his contract, as, of course, he is perfectly entitled to do, I would like to see him dropped from the match day squad and Tavernier picked in his place.
Nice to see Ian McKinley come on for Italy this afternoon…..
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/behind-the-lines/2016/sep/09/rugby-ian-mckinley-blind-one-eye-treviso-leinster
I won’t post any Rugby or Cricket scores, just in case others are waiting to watch highlight shows later……
I’ve no idea if Stewart Downing or Jonathan Woodgate are manager material. I seem to be very much in the minority though.
What does everyone else know?
Andy R, neither of them could run a bath!
How do you know?
Pity we couldn’t have tempted Bradley Dack away from Blackburn: he scored their first away at Brentford & a certain Danny Graham has added a second.
Meanwhile back at The Hawthorns, none other than George Saville has put Boro one up! *prays*
Shouldn’t that be “preys?”
https://streamable.com/gsr2o
Thanks GHW
Come on BORO.
This app gives goal alerts and goal clips when (if) they go in……
https://forzafootball.com/forza-football/
PPP,
Till you turn the tap on we will not know.
Borobrie, turning taps on or off takes a certain amount of engineering ability, despite those two being very good footballers, they couldn’t engineer a thought between them never mind identify the said tap.
Boro playing well, cosigning WBA in long punts into our box. Saville took his chance well. Their goal I thought was from a defensive lapse on our part.
Good team performance upto HT although I think Besic has been a little poor.
After a quiet opening Boro nearly caught West Brom on the break but Besic delayed his pass too long with a 3 on 2 situation and Friend was caught offside. Shortly after Saville broke with the ball from midfield and drove towards the box before unleashing a low drive to the right of the keeper. Indeed a rare sight of a Boro midfielder driving forward. After that Boro seemed to sit back for a good 15 minutes being content to defend their box. Then some niggly challenges from Boro got their crowd heated but the equaliser came just before half-time after Boro failed to stop another cross into the box from the right, half cleared it before a wayward shot heading wide was deflected by the knee of Rodriguez past Randolph. Hugill also got the crowd excited after going down theatrically in the box after claiming a push in the box – but the ref wasn’t buying it. So evenly poised after 45 minutes – Mikel looked composed but appeared tired coming off at HT with his socks rolled down – Wing hasn’t really been in the game much.
Yes, Another great finish from Britt!
And again from Britt, pouncing on a defensive error to fire home and 3-2!!
Werder, is this you making a play for RR’s spot as match reporter?
Unfortunately one paragraph is my limit in terms of match reporting 🙂
Well that was unbelievable, end to end football, well mainly our end, but when we got the chances there was super Britt with two well taken left footers.
TP will be unhappy with their second goal as well as their first, but the WBA defence was poor and they did play to our strengths lumping fat too many high diagonal balls into our box. Great win.
Once Britt and the other fella came on we moved up a gear – even started to enjoy the game – still too many unforced errors under pressure though but a result in the end. 3 points is 6 points
The final whistle was once more greeted by boos by the disgruntled home fans – but thankfully we were playing away as Boro came back to grab all three points with two smart goals from super sub Assombalonga.
Strange how when Pulis switched to 4-4-2 and brought on some pace Boro looked quite a threat. Anyway, well done to the team for putting in a good energetic performance and credit to Pulis for making the switch to a different formation rather than going for Clayton to replace the tiring Mikel.
werdermouth, on the other hand maybe TP got his tactics spot on, starting with a strong defensive side then as WBA tired switch to more attacking side, especially as he knew JOM wouldn’t last the full match. Either way an excellent 3 points, coming from behind and scoring 3 goals.
Come on BORO.
I’m not arguing on the tactics or the performance in both halves – Boro played with energy and purpose for most of the game. I was just glad Pulis didn’t make like-for-like swap when Mikel came off with Clayton like he did against Newport and also didn’t put Britt up front on his own as he finds it harder.
Also great goal from Saville, which he made himself after taking the ball off Barry.
Come on BORO.
Exmil, enjoy the victory as we all are at present, but please don’t see this as TP’s epiphany, let’s just call it a blip in the greater picture. Trust me, I’m all for him if he can do what he was employed to do, but I feel that both luck and his charges unwillingness to adhere to type are the reason we are where we are.
It would have been interesting to see who would have replaced Mikel if the score had been 1-1 – I suspect we wouldn’t have gone 4-4-2 to chase the game.
Yes 5th (still) in the table. Absolutely shocking.
Hands up anyone who saw that scoreline coming. Well I certainly didn’t, and yet it’s the 5th time that Boro have scored 3 or more goals in wins at the Hawthorns:-
1949/50 3-0
1950/51 3-2
1951/52 3-2
1973/74 4-0
Wish I’d known that before! A Leeds victory over Norwich tonight will make things very interesting.
Ken
Ahem!
“a late set piece delivery into the Baggie hearts”.
TP’s first visit to The Hawthorns since he was sacked. I think the result dispels any thoughts that the players are not behind their manager.
Now why didn’t I see that post coming, TP’s love child posts with gusto, as much as I admire your loyalty GHW, read above in regards to my sentiments.
Give over, I’m just saying the. players are behind him. Don’t let your own bias cloud your perception of what’s written.
It’s strange but no matter how important we say this result is. It is far more important than that.
We are now in a position to challenge for the top, and should we choose to go for it we have the players to play an attacking game. Wing plus Tav. From the kick off, can supply Britt. Who is a revelation with some through balls to run on to, and Hugill as the hold up man.
We now are at least in the mix, and I did not think I would be saying that at this time.
Not a good stream today, missed both the Albion goals plus our equaliser due to the video freezing but at least saw the winner.
Can’t fault the team for their energy and commitment albeit they were lacking in quality at times.
Very good result which they need to capitalise on by beating Leeds next week.
Only the second time we have scored three goals in a league game the first being against the blades in August – is this a turning point! 😎😀
Plato, before you start getting damp in the nether regions, this was “Away Boro”, “Home Boro” are a total different entity.
As I have posted a great Team performance and especially from Britt, two chances, two goals, especially after complaints on here he needs too many chances.
Exmil, whilst credit to TP, remember we were getting beat 2-1 when he brought on Britt and then VLP.
Pedro which is exactly when you need to change things, not when you are winning or drawing at a higher placed team.
Come on BORO.
When you are losing and have subs left, what are going to do, ……nothing? No your only option is to change things.
Ooh, touch a raw nerve there did I GHW? My bias is towards the Boro and everything Boro related, always has been and always will be. You, like me, like the manger, like the chairman are temporary, hopefully MFC is permanent.
Hardly, my stance is always about the club.
Now, are we talking stance or bias here?
You obviously don’t like the manager, that’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it. I think he has been good for the club ( look at the league table). It’s churlish to decry an away win because it doesn’t fit with your view.
Why are you being antagonistic, PPP?
I’ve found people with an entrenched agenda don’t like to give praise to something that is the opposite to what they believe. Politicians do it on a daily basis.
Hats off to Britt.
And to RR. In spite of his trenchant criticisms of our home form, he tipped on here last night that we would just sneak it today with a late goal. Long odds against that happening I would have thought, so full credit to our star reporter.
Any odds you like against us sneaking a couple.
A statue for Downing would be an accurate representation of many of his appearances for us since his signing from West Ham.
Ouch!
Perhaps it’s down to the Medusa vision of Tony Pulis who has induced more statuesque play than Gorgon Strachan did…
Werder Persues the puns
Or Janus.
In reply to KP in Spain – all the goals here:
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/11626071/west-brom-2-3-middlesbrough
which is probably all the footage we’ll get to see on Quest this evening! 🙁
Thanks Stircrazy
Stir crazy
Thank you for that
OFB
Britt Assombalonga has scored 11 goals in 28 games for Middlesbrough this season. Wonder how many of the matches he has started?
I think it might be good that we did not have too many new arrivals. They seem to take two to three months bedding in to a new team.
Just solve the Downing dialemma and home form. Then we will be OK. Up the Boro!
I think solving the “Downing dilemma” may have been staring TP in the face this afternoon! Now all he has to do is solve the “Besic dilemma” at the same time.
Yes send on VLP and not SD
That was a surprise! I was so sure Boro would lose that I opened a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc to drown my sorrows before the kick off and I still have half a bottle while I follow the cricket, Well done TP and the team. Please start scoring more goals at home.
What about us ? I fancied a nice chilled glass or two as well…..
OFB
PS. I have no problems with the stream on Riverside live. Not a single need to go to the computer since 5 min before KO until after the match ended. Excellent (also the result was OK by MFC). UTB!
The stream was OK for me until the last 5 minutes when just kept freezing so it was a nervous finish not knowing what was happening.
Mine also.
A thouroughly enjoyable game in which both teams played their part. MFC stream was good for the full 95 odd minutes it’s just a shame Brit spoilt it for some, by scoring two cracking goals to give us a hard fought victory. Savilles was a good finish too in what was by far and away his best game in a Boro shirt.
The only downside was Besic who was absolutely bloody awful. Today it looked like he couldn’t pass water never mind a football to a team mate. In the first 45 he must’ve set 3 or 4 West Brom attacks going with his attempts at finding a team mate.
I was confident we could get a point because of the way we set up away from home but 3 is a nice Brucie bonus.
Now please Tony let them be more attack minded at home as today showed when you made two attack minded substitutions, three really as Howson was much, much, much better than Besic, that attack is a good form of defence.
Mikel looked good and I’m more than happy to admit I may have been a bit premature in judging his ability because it’s in the interest of the club and us supporters for him to play well. VLP made some good runs and could be that elusive pacey wide man we’ve been looking for to go with Tavernier. If only he could get on the bench.
Think I’ll crack another Diet Coke!
I’ve been pretty impressed by Britt in recent weeks – he’s scored some cracking goals and looks as sharp as he’s ever done in a Boro shirt. He seems to be getting better service and has looked better when not playing up on his own. Also Saville is starting to look the part too but I’d agree Besic has been a big disappointment and I’d perhaps prefer to see McNair given a chance in his preferred position as he has made some decent brief cameos in midfield. A midfield of Mikel, Wing, Saville and McNair (or a match-fit VLP) may prove a potent mix with Britt playing off Hugill.
Werder,
But what do we know?
UTB,
John
I totally agree with Tony Pulis’s post-match comments: “We just have to play with a bit more confidence and a bit more freedom.” – don’t know what the players have been thinking…
I see Tav’s big bruv, James, scored two penalties & missed a third in Rangers’ 4-0 win over St Mirren. He’s Rangers’ captain…
And Curtis Main scored for a rejuvenated Motherwell who’ve now
won 3 in a row
Well hot off the press it’s Redcar Red’s match report, where he’s been put in the strange position of describing a five-goal Boro thriller…
https://diasboro.club/2019/02/02/west-brom-2-3-boro/
The Downing Version
Stewart Downing is a footballer at an English football club. After playing for years in the Premiership and currently in the Championship, today is his last chance to secure a lucrative contract or move on to a position at another club.
The fans speculate on why he may be leaving, but do not much care since despite being technically gifted he is generally described as being past his best.
They have nicknamed him “One of Our Own”, and the club management treat him well by paying him much more than he is worth. A young pupil named Tavernier gives him a copy of Aeschylus play Agamemnon, but Downing throws it back at him claiming “ it’s all Greek to me”.
This sets in to motion a series of consecutive seats on the bench, with the only way off it being, relenting on his contract. Whilst Headmaster Pulis acknowledges his past efforts, the school custodian Governor Gibson insists on cutbacks.
An absorbing one act play, well received by the critics.
Brilliant !
And to add
But given the thumbs down by the crowd …..
OFB
Another good Rattigan play.
My apologies to Terence Ratigan of course.
RR
Thanks for a great report as usual and its much appreciated by all of us.
Is sounded like the red had a bias against us and the radio commentary team were incredulous at a couple of decisions that went against us and couldn’t believe that 5 minutes were added on.
It looks like TP has acknowledged finally that Wing is the player who makes the team tick with his forward passing
I wonder if we will ever see two up front again? Especially at home !
The club rang me on Friday to say I had won a bottle of bubbly for correctly guessing the goal of the month. I don’t know if it was the one we scored in November December or January but it was one of the three we have scored.
Thanks again
OFB
Ref …..
OFB
Just wondering how much time is added on for each substitute. Would rather see the clock stopped for these as well as treatment for injuries.
Ken
Is 30 seconds added on for each substitution?
As a rule of thumb, yes. But if a player is doddering, meandering, then extra time can be added. And it’s the same for red cards, yellow cards as well.
OFB
Is Spartak back ? seems to be a bit of sniping going on, Gentlemen we are better than that.
Great win after a disappointing week, lets hope we do change our home form.
Thanks for your report RR as good as ever but I have to disagree with your comments on Besic. I thought his passing, decision making, movement and overall contribution was shockingly poor.
He kept turning into trouble and getting caught in possession and when he did try and pass to a red shirt, other than a five yard square pass, rarely did he find his man.
In the first half he had the ball in our half near the centre circle he looked up, Hugill was 10 to 15 yards in front of him moving across the pitch into space. Besic then proceeded to hit the ball into the space Hugill had vacated and West Brom were on the front foot and attacking again.
That summed him up for me today.
OFB
Watching yesterday the “red” did make a few decisions that seemed to be because of the crowds reaction and every time Hugill was near Dawson said centre half fell over and got a free kick. However he didn’t book Hugill for a rediculous dive which he should have done. When he did book Hugill it was for totting up fouls, mainly against Dawson that I didn’t think we’re fouls. Poor ref imo.
Surprised how quiet it is on here considering we had a very god win yesterday or is everyone still in shock that we scored 3 goals in a league game.
I’ll admit I was surprised to say the least.
Ah but those of us who are in UK are still snuggled up in bed whilst the cold and snow are outside !
Brrrrrrrr
OFB
Redcar Red,
Thanks for the report, as good and honest as always and full marks to the travelling fans, that must have been grim journey back it was bitter here in Norfolk.
Got the score wrong, as usual, I could hear my phone pinging as I walked the terriers late afternoon and I didn’t dare look. A cause for celebration when I got back and maybe, just maybe, Mr Pulis will will play the same team for the next home game? Scoring goals at the Riverside may just help ticket sales a little, oh and thank goodness Britt never departed. With some service he scores goals.
A happy Sunday and down to the local for dinner. Excellent.
UTB,
John
Cheers for the report, RR. Nice to read one of a game full of goals and must have been more fun to write too.
I thought all five goals were sloppy but – biased perhaps – I felt we were a touch unlucky with both their strikes whilst ours were all well taken.
A couple of interesting selections from Pulis I thought. Firstly that Clayton was benched when I think most expected him to play as well as Mikel in an ultra defensive midfield. Secondly that TP stuck with Wing at the expense of Howson. I was as pleased as I was surprised with that one.
What can we learn? Not much really. We showed again that when we’re at it and when the opposition give us a bit of space we are a good Championship side.
The questions remain how can we become more consistently at it and how can we overcome sides that are happy to doggedly defend deep, playing us at our own game?
Though with Leeds, Sheff Utd and Blackburn (away) up next in the league, the questions can probably wait until the end of the month.
It would be a good time to hit some form.
If I had placed my bet on Boro at the Baggies, England in Ireland and England in the Windies I would have made a couple of quid but two out of three made it a good weekend.
I agree with Andy R about four of the goals, I thought Britt’s first was well worked.
The key thing for me was what was the major factor in our comeback? Not watching the match but listening it is hard to say but you can hazard a few guesses.
The obvious one is support for our striker. I stick by my view that it doesn’t have to be an out and out striker, someone like Gaston can do the job for example but they must be prepared to have a pop.
Could it be taking Besic off for Howson or putting Wing in the holding role.
Likely to be the blend of the three coupled with some attitude.
Besic does seem to slow us down.
Yes Ian, and as much as I like Clayton he also has that tendency, were as Mikel tried to make more forward passing. I do not think Mikel is quite as good as Clayton yet in the defensive role, but he is certainly better going forward. Fitness will be the key.
Ian
As one who has always thought Wing was special, I do hope that we avoid playing him in the holding role, yes of course he will be effective, he is one those players who can be counted on where ever he is played, but no team should willingly give up his scoring power.
Britt is scoring simply because he has a hold up player on the pitch and a supply of through balls via the Wing influence.
It is ominous that Wing is collecting lots of admirers on this blog, he really is an influence on what happens on the field, and long may it continue.
Ian
Yesterday in particular but most of the season Besic has been slowing us down but it was his total lack of virtually anything positive that struck me. Where the Besic of this time last year has gone is anybody’s guess.
Thanks to Redcar Red for his alternative match report which I believe more or less summed things up.
However I have to agree with FAA that Besic was rather poor throughout and was lucky to last as long as he did. Unfortuanately for the lad himself and the team he is a shadow of when he arrived last season. Howson did provide more energy and made far less mistakes when he came on.
The biggest positive was that the team kept on going when we lost our lead and went 2-1 down. I have to say though IMO in the second half we were poor until Britt and then VLP came on to inject more energy, pace and joined up football though WBA still had their moments until the end. But one has to acknowledge Brum are a very good attacking team and I still believe they can make one of the autos especially if they can tighten up a little.
So a very good result that now that has now to be taken to the Riverside against a strong side in Leeds. Not forgetting we have to play Newport on Tuesday and that will unfortuanately give TP a bit of a headache with the team selection. Who gets the nod, who gets a rest. SD a nailed on starter of course, Dimi, McNair, Fry, Flint, Clayton, Besic, then benched for Saturday, Fletcher, VLP, Tav. I guess George and may be Howson.
We could have a sweep on the lineup, could be difficult to predict that one.
Also thought Wing deserved a mention once more, best passing in the game and although his is not a tackler in the Clayton sense, he “nicks” more balls off opposition toes than anybody else in the team. Wonder how many more points we may have had if he had started more games?
Finally is there any chance our game on Tuesday could be streamed?
Pedro
No it is an FA cup game and is being shown live on BT Sport so unless some one can find an unofficial stream then it will be a case of audio commentary.
Thanks RR for another excellent report and glad that you had something positive to report for a change.
Not a classic by any means and I agree with Ian that apart from Britt’s first, the rest were scruffy goals with an element of poor defending.
It had shades of the Millwall game, with us looking out of it until the substitutions and change in formation, helped by the baggies being much more open in the second half.
I thought Shotton, Ayala, Friend and Fry were generally solid at the back but Flint back to his Millwall form at times!
Besic for me needs to be benched and replaced in midfield by Howson who was much more mobile and assured in what he does. Wing had a better second half and was always looking to provide balls for Britt to run onto.
JOM looked relaible and dependable and distributed the ball more quickly and accurately than Clayton, who may well struggle to get a starting berth again (cup games apart should we progress any further).
I am not convinced by Hugill who seems to spend more time wrestling/fighting with defenders and falling over than actually playing football and doing anything meaningful, albeit I accept he held the ball up well and laid it into Britt’s path for the equaliser.
A good battling performance and a far better outcome than I imagined; which was that it would be a game that signalled the start of the end to our season.
I just hope that this is a turning point and not another false dawn.
KP
If we want Britt to score and be a threat then Hugill must do the hold up job, plus he can score. On the same subject, Hugill is very strong, it needs two defenders every time to subdue him, which gives our other forwards a bit of slack.
we cannot play Wing in the holding role, he is very important to the side now, and should play behind the strikers.
One trick is, when you’re 2-1 down, don’t be intimidated by the scoreline. Keep believing in your ability to win and you’ll get there.
Portugal 3-2 England, circa 2000, is a great example of this, as is Bournemouth 4-2 Birmingham circa 2015. Either patiently control the flow of the game, trust in the attacking abilities of your players, or both.
I think Besic is a good player but struggling, he was always willing and showing for the ball yesterday but unfortunately he was often found wanting when he did get it. His arrival did spark us last season but he went AWOL against Villa in both games and hasn’t recovered that pre Play Off form since. The positive is that we can send him back but fear getting him in in the first place may have involved a clause where he has to play when fit.
The slow build up methodology seems to suit him presumably because it gives him more time on the ball. At the moment there does seem to be an attempt to move the ball quicker/positively hence his dithering is becoming more exposed. JOM seems to still have some of that class player syndrome whose fitness is getting there. He is more creative with his passing and eye to pick a ball than Clayts. Wing as we have been screaming is also quick to play forwards and to take the game to the opposition.
Saville if he gets a run in the side looks to be on the same wavelength as Wing. Howson I think can adapt his game to suit whatever is required. Downing I think has a role to play but I wouldn’t be overly concerned with his contract complications, Tav and VLP are both more creative and play on the front foot. Stewy can be used to see games out with his experience if needed.
I can’t remember us getting beat with lewis Wing in the side (but happy to stand corrected as I haven’t researched). Apart from his footballing ability he may have talismanic skills that we/he are unaware of?
Regardless of the midfield now having a little more drive our Home form has now got to get close (and preferably match) the away form. Solve that conundrum and we could comfortably get automatic. To me the key is to play with both Britt and Hugill at the Riverside. Give the fans some reason to believe. Bring back the passion and get the Home support back onside instead of waiting for the usual negativity repeatedly leading to despair.
Good observation about Besic, RR. Sounds like he’s got a bit of an AK/De Roon mentality.
In that, “I *would* succeed, if only you’d give me the right time and opportunity to work it out…”
You don’t get that time and opportunity, especially not in the Championship.
Thanks RR for your report of the match. I was busy yesterday so just had to keep looking at Flash Scores on my phone. Great write up again.
Redcar Red
Lewis Wing did play the full 90 minutes against Burton, but I imagine you were only referring to League matches so you’re quite right. He did however come on as a substitute in the 78th minute in the home defeat against Sheffield Wednesday and in the 64th minute in the away defeat against QPR but I think those two matches should be discarded.
RR, l love that: “Our Home form has now got to get close (and preferably match) the away form. Solve that conundrum and we could comfortably get automatic.” Been thinking that way for a while now. if only …
Up the Boro!
I hate saying this Jarkko, but despite the slow start Boro always seem to start at home I think the crowd could be more proactive instead of reactive. I know it’s easy for me to say not having to sit there in the cold, but roaring Boro on from the first minute as seems to happen with Boro fans at away matches would surely give the players more confidence.
Ken
The fans would love to get upbeat and get behind the side at home but it is made extremely difficult when there is little to get excited about, in fact the exact opposite has often been the case too many times. Recycling the ball, sitting back and having one player totally isolated up front as the sole source of a thrill is a surefire way to kill any enthusiasm.
I can’t remember if it was the last home game or the one before (the blandness of it says it all really as one game morphs seamlessly into another) when a long punt upfield from Dael I think after about 20 minutes was collected by Hugill who spun around and beat two defenders out on the right flank to put in a great cross but the problem was there was not a single red shirt in the opposition half let alone in the opposition box.
The fact that the above is the prominent lingering thought and the first thing that comes to my mind instead of a goal or even the Penalty that got us out of jail in one of those games speaks volumes. The Home fans have on many occasions got behind the side and stuck with them to the bitter end but if they don’t show any fight or spirit then the only thing the fans can do is either stay silent or start becoming vocal, letting their annoyance be heard which is what has now become the norm.
It’s impossible to get a crowd up for a fight when there isn’t any fight, just a meek surrender.
Redcar Red
I totally agree with you in your post.
I have never seen such dire unattractive football since Strachan was the manager
In my view the fans have been very patient at home. They’ve thought well we’re fifth in the league heading for a cup semi final (hah that’s another story) got some of the youngsters coming through and we’ve tried to be patient.
Playing one up front at home was bad enough under Karanka but we don’t have. CF whose capable of doing it.
Clayton has gone backwards and sideways as a player he is not as good as he thinks is. Combine him with Howson and Besic andtheir is not a forward pass anywhere on the field.
We have begun to improve because TP has started to play Wing coupled with the return of Shotton and there are now more forward passes and chances.
Everyone is crying out for the team to play two up front at home but I doubt it will happen
When Long standing and fervent supporters like you and I start complaining hopefully the other bloggers will see that we are now one of many who go to home matches who feel this way
Season card holders have stopped going and hopefully after Saturday we can go on to beat Leeds and gain momentum
UTB
OFB
Good report, RR. The highlights show a messy game full of poor positional sense and defensive howlers, but coming from behind to win 3-2 is a massive deal.
I personally think the two wins over WBA meant a lot to Pulis, more than most. His own ideals fly in the face of what Mogga, Di Matteo and now Darren Moore want the team to play. When he arrived at the Hawthorns, he set out not to copy previous managers who played “tippy-tappy football, and not winning football”.
For all the praise Mogga’s and Moore’s teams have received, Pulis teams have done the double over both, with Stoke in 2008-09 and now this season. Once again, the point will be raised to WBA and their ilk: do you want press plaudits, or points? Do you want to play football “the right way” or do you want to win games?
There is, alas, a downside to making this point.
That is, it’s very reliant on the “look at the result, he got it right” mentality that some – me included – have unfortunately used to take a swipe at those who dislike a starting line-up and the tactics before the game is played.
Take Britt, for example. Many were annoyed that he didn’t start yesterday. Including, no doubt, the player himself. Some may think that Pulis took a chance with a player he doesn’t like – because he had no choice if he wanted to win the game – and got lucky.
Others may call it a tactical masterstroke. Several managers have benched a player who believes he should have started in order to “fire him up”. To make him extra eager to prove the manager wrong.
It’s only a theory, but maybe… Alan Pardew did this with Jason Puncheon. On he came, and scored. Steve Coppell did it with Ian Wright. On he came, and scored twice. AK did it (twice) with Albert Adomah. On he came, and Boro won 3-1 on two occasions. Mogga did it with Scott McDonald, who netted the winner at Watford after coming on as a substitute following weeks on the naughty step.
It’s all a maybe. But it’s not impossible. It’s a proven tactic.
The simpler alternative is, start with Hugill the workhorse, who gives the WBA centre-backs the runaround, tiring them, and then bring on Britt when there’s more space for the goalscorer to enjoy.
But, again… such theories can only really be raised with hindsight. If we’d drawn, or lost, would I be as eager to point them out?
Simon
I thought that Hugill held up the ball and shoved it to Britt to score?
I only say this because I think it is now apparent that Britt cannot do the hold up bit, but he sure can do the running on to a pass and scoring.
I do not think we can ever ask him to do the hold up again.
Oh he did. I’m just saying, after Hugill has worn the defenders down, that leaves more space for Britt.
In defence of Mo Besic I have a theory regarding him. When he arrived last season everyone agreed he was like a breath of fresh air and just what we had been missing. He practically came straight in to the side and played his natural game. It seemed to be the spark the side had been missing.
Fast forward to now and he’s being asked to forsake his normal game and fit into a team pattern that may not be conducive to his playing style. This brings us back to players being asked to perform in roles they are not familiar with. Howson being another example.
TP will arguably say that it is for the good of the team, which is more important than just individual performances and designed to produce results. WBA’s equaliser was fortuitous to say the least, and the second poor defending. This contributed to the manager having a rethink and the subsequent changes helped to change the direction the team were playing in.
We have a fairly decent squad of players but not necessarily cover in every position. The transfer window did us no favours but hopefully they can put that behind them and get on with it.
Newport is a distraction, so I can see some changes in the side for that tie, the big game is against Leeds. If they can win that then the boost to their confidence would be massive. A loss wouldn’t be the end of the season but given their home record and the mood of the fans it would be a major setback.
I’m sure the fans of WBA and Leeds are bemoaning their results yesterday, it sums up the way this league is.
Strange decision of Macca to take off both Dack and Graham early in the second half yesterday. They had both scored in the first 7 minutes of the first half, but once substituted Brentford equalised within 5 minutes and then went on to win 5-2. Macca said both players were struggling and that’s why he substituted them. Whether they were both recovering from a flu virus I’m not sure, but the substitutions certainly backfired on him.
For Macca read Mogga of course.
Macca sounds good to me. Yesterday. But I love Mogga, too. UTB!
Pretty much agree with RR and GHW re Besic.
I believe there’s a good player in there – he was excellent at times last season – but something has changed. I’m not sure if it’s confidence, they way we play, the loss of important teammates from last season affecting his game but he hasn’t been the same player and needs to be benched.
I’d be surprised if there was a must-play clause as he’s not a youngster learning the game but it would explain why he keeps getting picked.
I’d be very interested to see if, over a period a time, we scored a lot more goals without Clayton, Downing or Besic in the side. I think all three have plenty to offer at Championship level but equally all three do slow the game down and it doesn’t suit the way TP is trying to get us to play (I think).
Great report RR.
I too was unimpressed with Besic but its a minor complaint.
I am pleased for the lads and for TP.
I have been as critical as most of TP but must give credit where due.
Now he has to do it at the Riverside.
At 2-1 down I worried that we were going to loose our impressive run of not losing after scoring the first goal.
Does anybody know how many matches since the last defeat after scoring first.
Ken, do you have the answer?
Old Billy
I can’t say for certain but think it might have been on the 5th April 2017 away to Hull City in the Premier League which we lost 2-4 I am sure though that we took the lead through Grant Leadbitter on the 31st December at Old Trafford but lost to Manchester United 1-2.
Thanks Ken,
I did hear somewhere that it was over sixty games since. So the united game makes sense.
That was a game we should never have lost.
Can now confirm it was against Hull City. Alvaro Negrado put Boro ahead after 5 minutes, but goals from Lazar Markovic, Oumar Niasse and Abel Hernandez put City 3-1 up before Marten de Roon pulled one back in first half injury time. Harry McGuire scored City’s 4th goal in the second half.
Just hope the momentum is carried into Tuesdays game. I’d play a strong lineup and include some who played, those who didn’t play yesterday plus some who didn’t play 90 minutes. Something along the lines of-
Randolph
Friend, Fry , Ayala or Flint and McNair
Van la para, Downing, Clayton and Besic( in the hope he can’t be as bad as yesterday)
Fletcher and Assombalonga sharing with Hugill
1st sub would be Tavernier- as an aside I think he is being built up to be better than he is. He shows promise but has a lot to learn particularly when he hasn’t the ball. I’d have the young winger from Leeds, Jack Clarke every time.
Is the League opening up for us ?
I.e. beat Leeds and win the game in hand and therefore be only one point behind them. If only it was so simple!!
Philip
Winning the game in hand against an in form Bristol wont be easy.
Philip
Two points about your team.
If you are going to start without Wing, then you are going back to the dark days when we had no player of his sheer quality, plus of course a goal scorer.
There is no question of Britt or Hugill. Britt is scoring because of two things, one is Hugill’s hold up play, and Wings through balls, with a bit of luck he might get even more goals as we move on.
The other point is Tav. Should be in the team, he is fine young player so it follows that he should play, he will learn nothing on the bench, and even less digging the garden.
Besic?
Part of his problem could be the blend. He isn’t quick and playing him alongside the likes of Howson, Clayton and Downing wont help any of them. However we slice it we still have the same old problem lack of pace and guile.
Just looked at the BBC table.
Bristol City have broken in to the top six after their fifth win in a row. The points from five games for the top 5 – the BBC table only shows the last five results. other form tables are available.
Norwich 9
Leeds 6
SheffU 10
Baggies 5
Boro 11
Amazing. As I said, other form tables are available but I would not describe what we have dished out as form!
I’d play the second string against Newport for three reasons:
1. Leeds at the weekend is much more important
2. Defeat isn’t the end of the world given that it’s a cup we’re highly unlikely to win and Man City await in the next round
3. With all due respect, our second XI ought to be able to win this one in any case.
I’d maybe go for the old 4-2-3-1 if the players can still remember it:
Dimi
Any four from Shotton, Fry, Ayala, Flint and Friend (I’d porobably rest Yal or Shotton)
Clayton McNair
Downing Tav VLP
Fletcher
Andy, that is more or less the team I posted early, although I had Besic and Howson, no Shotton.
Andy R
That should be a good enough line up and very mobile up front..
Precisely – and a lot of starters for Leeds rested.
Andy, I have defended Besic a number of times in the past and I am sure there is a good player (at our level) in there. But he is playing far too deep and continues to hold tha ball fr too long, thus getting caught in position or making a hasty (poor) pass.
Is this his fault, where he plays that is or team orders from TP. What ever is the problem if it could be resolved it would be like getting a new player.
For Stircrazy, KP in Spain and anyone else interested, as an alternative to Quest why not watch ‘EFL Championship Goals’ on Sky. It’s usually broadcast at 9pm on Sky’s Football Channel the same time as Quest and repeated several times on Sunday. Also West Brom v Boro was the first match reviewed last night with 7 and a half minutes of highlights, fans interviews, and in-depth analysis by Liam Rosenior and presented by David Prutton. Much better in my opinion than the prattling of Colin Murray on Quest.
RR
I too think that the key to our home form is as simple as setting up the team with a more attacking structure.
I’d pick the team from the front backwards. Hugill is a top class hold up player but he needs two or three options round him not one person somewhere twenty metres away. That means Assombalonga right up there with him and two out of Saville, Wing and Howson steaming forward at speed. One wide player – VLP or Tav, most likely – leaves room for JOM to patrol the middle ahead of the back four.
The actual formation can be fluid but is probably a 4-1-3-2 or a 4-4-2 with a midfield diamond.
I’d like to see this against Leeds. Newport should be those people who need a game and a rest for JOM.
UTB
Excellent commentary
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/47108649
Indeed.
Worth a read …..
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-6661473/Emiliano-Sala-pawn-sordid-transfer-shames-football.html
Good read GHW
I must admit to being baffled by the out pouring of grief at Cardiff for a player that had never played for them. I read an earlier report that he was allegedly reluctant to sign, but Cardiff was the best offer he had so not a lot of loyalty there. He had been told there were other “bigger” clubs interested, this didn’t eventuate and he reluctantly agreed to the Cardiff move that would increase his salary four fold.
The greed of the agents has been exposed and it will be interesting to see if anything is done about it.
Obviously respect and dignity should be shown for such a tragic loss of young life in awful circumstances, his family and friends must be devastated, but the “Diana like” floral tributes at the Cardiff Stadium did seem strange for a player most fans had never met, never seen play and probably never new existed before the transfer saga.
Like you I find this spontaneous show of grief rather strange. Of course for Sala’s family and friends it’s tragic and they have my condolences but this social media fuelled reaction is to me alien.
I recall the ridiculous situation when Les Marseillaise was played before every Premier League game after the tradgedy in Paris. We are slowly moving to the time when social media influences our everyday lives, where the politically correct with the loudest voice get their way., regardless of the fact that they are in the minority.
I realise this can be an emotive subject, but I find it a worrying trend. My thoughts are summed up by Stewart Lee’s excellent take on the Diana reaction. I won’t post a link as some may disagree with his view, but it is easily found on You Tube by searching with his name and Diana.
GHW, I couldn’t agree more.
Footballers now appear to be commodity items who are used, sold and abused by their Pimps, sorry Agents for their own personal gain with no regard for the Player or the Clubs involved. If their transactions were conducted down alleyways and dodgy street corners the authorities would be all over it so like their allied industry it is now conducted in high class respectable Hotels ensuring they get the best bang for their buck.
I am sure there are good agents out there. albeit difficult to think of one. It perhaps explains why some Footballers have Dad represent them rather than a Del boy wheeler dealer. Fair play to Steve Gibson for limiting his interaction with them as much as possible, they are nothing more than blood sucking leeches adding zero value but taking vast amounts out of the game and in this tragic case not just money.
Saville drew the short straw and was the media guy after the win on Saturday.
I though he had a good game and his recent performances have improved. Maybe he is taking time to settle in and adapt to TP’s “methods”.
I know his price tag has been an issue for many including me.
Considering we got 5m for Forshaw who was OK but nothing special, Saville’s recent performances suggest he may be an upgrade on Forshaw if he can stay consistent and maybe in today’s market 7m is close to his true value.
I know its the jump in value from when Millwall bought him that sticks in the throat but they took a chance on him and gave him the opportunity to perform we didn’t.
Considering Hull wanted 8m for Grosicki who is 30 and would have no future value after a 3 year contract (see Downing), at least Saville at 25 offers a chance to recoup something.
I would be interested to hear if others think he is/will be better that Forshaw and eventually justify the fee we paid.
I think he will have to go some to justify the fee paid but given a straight choice between the two I’d prefer Saville but only if he is played in his best position as a forward thinking Midfielder. He can score goals and has proven it already both here and at Millwall.
Three goals in his 19 appearances puts a few other Boro Midfielders to shame. If we combine his fee and salary together and then divide it out monthly over the length of his contract it may put into perspective his real comparative cost contrasted with others “contracts”.
Old Billy, couldn’t agree more.
I think Forshaw has a little more quality on the ball but Saville is more athletic and will score more goals. For what we need right now, I prefer Saville.
I actually think Forshaw and Besic is a closer comparision in terms of playing style.
Agree
He was the only CM we have recieved a fee for recently so not much to compare.
I am sure he played more advanced for Brentford but AK turned him into a metronome as he did with Clayts.
Interestingly he was touted for an England call when we were in the premier league until he was found out like the rest of the team.
Old billy
I think that we have not yet got the team and the attitude at home right, and until we do there will be a certain level of disappointment.
There is no great mystery, play at formation standing about (which we did as West Brom stuck two goals in and took the lead) and every moderate team (and some who are not even moderate)will have a good day out when they come here. Ring any bells?
Now down to your point, several players are doing well as a result of a certain Mr Wing being a paid up member of the team, but it took us at least three months of persecuting the manager to reach that happy situation, and it is looking as though he has moved him too far back towards his own goal, because he has certainly cut down his goals and shots.
I noticed one small incident in the first half, one of our players was put through with a chance of a goal by Wing, and quietly thanked him afterwards. I am not surprised that the players like and appreciate Wing as he is the lubrication the oils the wheels, and the sooner we get Tav. settled in the team the better.
Looking forward to the cup tie, it will be no place for the faint hearted, plenty of blood and thunder, and a case of hope for the best whilst fearing the worst.
Final point Wing should be rested, far too valuable a player to lose at this stage of the season.
Actually, we could find out at the weekend!
GHW, thanks for the links to two different football stories.
One that had you laughing, the other sordid and very sad.
Saville reminds me a little of a second tier De Roon, the difference being Saville has experience at this level.
Like George S, MDR could be a good finisher. I loved his goals against Swansea, Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland, and of course at City. All taken with the elan of a striker. A bit like Saville’s beautifully opportunistic strike. And you could say that they’re both busy, and useful, players.
Their price tag, however – a relatively high one in Boro terms – brings greater expectation. It all goes back to Millwall fan Rod Liddle’s words, for me. Let’s repeat them.
“He had a good season for us, but £8 million? Are you kidding?”
It’s not their fault, but it’s a problem nonetheless. Like Negredo’s £100,000 per week wages.
It appears that Lewis Wing is a doubt for tomorrow night with a “tight groin”. For me its a no brainer, rest him and most of the others for tomorrow night. let Dimi, Fletcher, Clayts, Downing, Gestede, McNair, Besic, Tav, Wood and Co. have a run out and wrap the rest up in cotton wool.
Wing – Boro’s latest exciting great hope. Every game is more fun when he starts.
Would love to see Brahimi in action again.
More on tactics.
I’m all for the “put two up front only when it’s logical” approach. When the opposition are tiring and there for the taking, get the poacher or the pacy winger on to expose the exhausted opposition defence. Or failing that, give the poacher more support if he’s already there. Etc.
Sometimes it takes a goal to change the manager’s train of thought. I’m inclined to think AK was about to bring Rhodes off for Nugent at Bolton until Rhodes netted the equaliser. With the opposition on the ropes, Nuge came on to support Rhodes up front and we created a handful of chances in the closing minutes before making the crucial breakthrough.
Having that extra man to pick up the pieces if you’re in the box and can’t score yourself helps. This is what we missed last season, and in 2014-15, when Bamford was too often isolated. Either that, or like his former Spanish manager, he’s the sort who likes to do things his way. Goalscorers are selfish, that’s how it is.
I think I was told, also, that TP was ready to bring on Britt for Hugill until Gayle’s goal changed his mind and demanded he be more urgent. Going back many more years, Alan Kernaghan was ready to come on for Paul McGrath in Orlando against Mexico until conceding a second convinced Jack to bring on McAteer and Aldridge, and go for it. As if on cue, McAteer crossed for Aldridge to score the goal that effectively took Ireland to the last sixteen.
All that said. Going back to another point I made in the past – if a manager and his analytics team get too obsessed with the stats they forget how effective a player can be. Everyone’s frustration about Adama Traore not playing enough in 2016-17 is understandable. Yes, he wasn’t ready. Yes, his first touch was… er… not the best. But he still had the pace and strength to frighten defenders and distract them, opening up space for others. If one says a player is ineffective or useless because didn’t score or assist any goals, they may be missing the point.
Neil Harris has said he cannot understand players not coming on loan when they cannot get a game for their parent club.
Guessing he was talking about Gestede.
I agree, I was never good enough to be payed for playing but wanted to play every match and played vets until recently at 55.
Why are these pros happy to not play when it is such a short carrier.
Surely its not all about the money.
Tp says Britt has to play as he did against WBA from the start of matches.
How can he do that if he doesn’t start?
Surely one of the reporters present should have asked the question
Agree Old Billy. Pulis now saying Britt’s an important member of the squad, but should have scored a hat trick. That would be some going for a player who spent less than half an hour on the pitch. Why does Pulis always appear to reluctantly give false instead of fulsome praise to some of his players? It happens with Wing, Tavernier and Fry, yet never about Downing. Most people know Britt isn’t as effective as a lone striker, and yet Pulis was about to bring him on and take Hugill off. When Pulis does play two strikers from the start, he invariably plays one of them on the wing. It might work away from home, but I reckon Britt and Hugill should start as a partnership every time when playing at home.
it would seem Besic is also immune from criticism, or may be TP forgets that he is playing,
This two up front debate reminds me of a similar one which went on at Newcastle while Rafa was leading them to the Championship title – many still wanted to see the extra man up top even as Rafa’s win percentage was the highest in the country.
Always two sides to every story. On one hand, it’s nice to see more urgency up front. Of course. On the other, and the manager will say this: if the tactics are working, so what?
If the tactics are working its not a problem so long as the three points are delivered. It only becomes a major focus and an issue when the tactics aren’t working like they haven’t at the Riverside since August.
RR
It’s nice to see that we sing from the same Boro hymn sheet
The problem is we have too many hod carriers in the squad and not enough potent attackers.
When we were playing well under AK we would have Albert, Tomlin, Paddy and Fossen as the front four. The team that got us promoted had two out of Nugent/Rhodes/Stuani plus Gaston and Albert.
Both were good blends with pace and guile. We haven’t got that in the squad at the moment.
Make that Vossen!
Compared to those names, neither Hugill nor Britt have you turning cartwheels do they?
AV has pointed out on Twitter that Pulis said Britt should have had a hat-trick with a knowing chuckle, implying that it was definitely a joke and that people shouldn’t get in such a rage over it.
I always take press conferences with a pinch of salt, but nonetheless there are certain lines managers have to not cross. In March 2015, AK openly admitted that it “suited” Boro to be slightly off the title pace because the team couldn’t handle the pressure when top of the league.
The problem wasn’t that he didn’t have a point – it’s common for teams to play much better when they’re not under pressure, especially Boro. We’ve learned this under Southgate, McClaren, Mogga, Robbo, etc. Likely, then, and Mike Holden backs him up, that he was trying to spin the situation into a positive context – in other words, when the pressure’s off, we’re likely to get more points. No, the problem was that such words could, and would, come back to bite him in the proverbial – like at Wembley. It’s the same with Mick McCarthy at Wolves, when he publicly said his players weren’t good enough – how do you expect them to feel, even if you are being honest?
Whatever Pulis meant doesn’t matter, whatever people interpret from it does – hence the negative reaction.
No Downing, Howsen, Clayton on Saturday?,
As KP confirmed tomorrow’s game is on BT Sport 2….so I will be watching.
However for those without that channel, It is being shown live extensively around Europe, Africa and on ESPN, so a good chance of an unofficial stream for those interested. VIPLEAGUE is a good start.
I thought the first part last week was excellent, this second part is even better. Irrespective of your political views, well worth watching………..
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0002fgg/inside-europe-ten-years-of-turmoil-series-1-2-going-for-broke
As Boro’s away form continues to confound the Riverside critics, Tony Pulis is hoping to turn the home form around by trying to give the impression to the players that they’re playing away. OK, the tight away tactics at home haven’t seemingly worked but he thinks he’s discovered the missing ingredient – the atmosphere of the away fans appears to be missing. With a FA Cup replay and a trip to his home town up first, the Boro manager will be hoping the momentum continues on Saturday as his team host promotion rivals Leeds. So here’s my take with this week’s discussion blog article…
https://diasboro.club/2019/02/05/2018-19-week-28-antithesis-of-a-home-from-home/
Rr