Pulis wants antithesis of a home from home to lift team

by Diasboro, posted in Uncategorized

Championship 2018-19: Week 28

Tue 5 Feb – 19:45: Newport v Boro (FA Cup)
Sat 9 Feb – 13:00: Boro v Leeds

Werdermouth looks ahead to having a pivotal week of cheer…

There often comes a time in a relationship, where perhaps the side who is not feeling the love and thinks the other is looking a little bored, decides it may be time to let them down gently with those carefully designed feeling-sparing immortal words “It’s not you, it’s me.” However that’s not the Boro manager style as it would be unfair to take on all the blame. He knows there are a few relationship issues that he wants to get off his chest, way down deep inside that special place just below where certain players like to kiss their one true beloved club badge – or indeed any badge they’d ever fleetingly worn.

Yes, Tony Pulis has concluded it’s time to issue some home truths as he searches for answers as to why his team’s Riverside form hasn’t reached the heights of their remarkable away performances. Something is missing, perhaps that little show of affection has gone, or that constant picking of faults for no reason has become an irritating habit and booing in that unnecessary aggressive tone hasn’t helped matters in the slightest. Therefore rather bravely, Tony has decided it’s time to deliver a new twist to that ever so gentle let-down phrase with “Sorry, it’s not me, it’s you!”

Following the victory at West Brom, Tony Pulis now wants Middlesbrough’s supporters to recreate the away atmosphere at the Riverside as he looks to get his team firing at home. Whether he meant in particular the general atmosphere witnessed at The Hawthorns is unclear but I suspect emulating the somewhat nostalgic non-stop chorus (sung to the tune of he’s one of our own) with the less than cryptic chant: “Your football is shit, your football is shit, Tony Pulis your football is shit” is possibly not quite what he had in mind – though it seemed from the enthusiasm and coordination in which the Baggies sung the chant it’s possibly wasn’t the first time they’d delivered that sentiment.

Perhaps Pulis will wear it as an unlikely badge of honour in much the same way Gunners enthusiastically replicated the “Boring Boring Arsenal” chant that was aimed at their team under George Graham. I think it’s known by sociologists as re-appropriation and there may come a time for the Riverside to take back ownership and begin a trademark terrace chant of “Our football is shit” – though I suspect traditional pavlovian booing rather than double-bluff sarcasm will remain the weapon of choice on Teesside if matter don’t improve. OK, to avoid upsetting the players maybe the supporters need less audible methods of showing displeasure – there’s always the Poznań if they can’t bear to look or they could even try a slow Jazz Hands and silently wave away their impatient frustration.

Pulis has also declared that he wants to make the Riverside a difficult place to come, though not necessarily for the Boro faithful but rather instead for the opposition team. Nevertheless, the Boro manager wants the home crowd to up their game in the months ahead as he issued the rallying cry “I want the supporters to get behind the team now and really give it the best they can until the end of the season.” before adding “The away support was magnificent… Let’s transform that section today into the home crowd and make our players feel really at home.” I fear the Boro manager may have underestimated overall Teesside cynicism and grudge mentality – though the place could look a tad empty with just an approving select couple of thousand vocal supporters in it.

As the positive energy oozes almost out of control, there’s nothing like a victory over a promotion rival to get players in the mood for bold statements and George Saville didn’t disappoint as he declared: “The window is done now, we’ve got this set of boys now, there are 18 games left and we’ve got the squad and the quality to go and get promoted.” I’m sure Boro supporters will hope he’s right but many will be reserving judgement until after the upcoming games against two more contenders – with a few maybe pedantically wondering how he’s planning to sneak in an extra game into the remaining 17.

Although Saville thinks the squad are up for the challenge: “Of course we can get in the top two and close that gap down, the next two games Leeds and Sheffield United, teams around us, it’s a great chance.” However, the enthusiastic midfielder continued to mathematically confound his critics as the adrenaline rush of victory seemed to make him look forwards and backwards simultaneously “This was a big one at West Brom as well. They are the three big ones coming up. We’ve done one and we’ve got the other two.” The former Millwall player almost seemed in need of a calming arm round his shoulder “It’s over George, it’s over, you can let West Brom go now it’s behind us”.

Interestingly, Saville was also asked about Tony Pulis’s perceived negative footballing tactics but it wasn’t something he was concerned about: “He has his style and everyone has their opinions and that’s what it is but for me, you win football games. They [West Brom] have played nice football but at five o’clock you want three points and that’s what we’ve got so we are happy with that.” As for the abuse that his manager received from the Baggies supporters he simply brushed it aside: “You are going to get that in football. When I go back to my former clubs, I get dogs abuse. It’s the way football works.” Hopefully Tony Pulis won’t find himself in the Riverside dog house at the weekend if his barked instructions fail to unleash the players against Leeds or neglect to chase after the ball and play with bite.

Although, there is now a very real chance that the Boro faithful could soon be witnessing some rather fetching football at the Riverside – but they must first win the replay down at Rodney Parade to ensure that Pep Guardiola brings his sumptuous team with their sublime skills for the delectation of the Teesside public. So as Boro continue with their FA Cup odyssey, Tony Pulis is preparing to start zippin’ up his boots and going back to his roots as the Newport exile returns “To the place of my birth, Back down to earth”. Hopefully his Boro team will be back in the groove on Tuesday night – let’s just hope it’s not down to earth with a bang or even a whimper.

Of course the real prize that awaits both clubs is the high-profile televised visit of Manchester City in the next round. It may be seen as something of an unwanted distraction for the promotion-seeking Boro manager but being the centre of attention for Teesside is a rare occurrence these days – plus who knows we may even catch the Sky Blues on another bad trip to the North-East after they lost at Newcastle last week. Plus it’s surely a valid excuse to place that famous 8-1 video on loop again. Still, we must avoid complacency as to lose to lower-league opposition once and miss out on playing Citeh could be seen as a misfortune – but twice would give the appearance of being rather careless. Boro will most likely be punished if they don’t match the energy and enthusiasm of Newport on their own patch – as Leicester City discovered to their peril in the last round.

However, with two potentially pivotal league games coming up in the next week, it’s likely that Tony Pulis will make changes and try to utilise his squad. Although, defence-wise there aren’t a lot of options left to play with unless some academy players are blooded, which probably means a back four to reduce the risk of losing a central defender. At least he has plenty of central midfielders to rotate and Tavernier and Downing are fresh from having any league exertions – though Lewis Wing reportedly has a niggle and will be likely rested. Up front, the January window remainers Fletcher and Gestede are underemployed and Assombalonga’s brief match-winning cameo will not have tired him much either.

The next week may determine whether Boro still have any hopes of being an automatic promotion contender as they bid to close the seven-point gap. With Norwich at home to bottom club Ipswich in the Norfolk derby, defeat against Leeds would likely see that gap stretch to a massive ten points. It would essentially mean Tony Pulis’s team would need to win four more than the pace-setters from their remaining 16 games in order to overtake them. OK, Boro have a game in hand but that is against form team Bristol City, who haven’t lost for 12 games since defeat at Elland Road back in November and have now won their last five.

Given Boro’s meagre home form, premature talk of a top two finish could be regarded as perhaps a little delusional by some supporters. Although recent research commissioned by an events company has shown nearly three-quarters of British men are actually prone to being delusional – particularly with regard to football. Indeed, it found many men in their late twenties secretly believe they could make it as a professional footballer, with an incredible 5 per cent of men in their 30s still thinking they have what it takes to become a professional player. While it’s not known if Middlesbrough has ever signed any of these delusional over-30s, it does serve as a warning to the recruitment department – especially if tempted to insert lucrative clauses in contracts. Incidentally, the research also found that nine per cent of British pensioners still believe they have got what it takes to be famous. It wasn’t clear if that was based on a life of dedication and training or just a grudging plan to gain infamy by wreaking havoc after being pushed to breaking point by the reprimanding voice of another unidentified item in the bagging area at their local Sainsbury’s.

Nevertheless, victory over Leeds on Saturday will almost bring Boro within touching distance of their West Yorkshire rivals and give them further momentum. Despite recent Riverside rumblings of missed opportunities after being thrown by the Lions and looking like they didn’t give a hoot against the Owls, Boro have still gathered 11 useful points from their last five games. In contrast, Marcelo Bielsa team have lost four of their last six games with just the ‘Spygate’ win over Derby and a late victory at Rotherham to show for all his careful match preparation. Strange that the Mighty Whites have not been so effective since that little ruse was rumbled – just coincidence perhaps.

Whether Bielsa has despatched an undercover agent to Hurworth to discover which expansive cunning plan Tony Pulis is hatching to dish it out to the Dirties is as yet still a secret. Unless of course the sleeping agent is awoken from his soporific surveillance by the noise of the most expensive cone collector in the Championship, Stewart Downing, getting measured up for his much deserved bronze statue – which is still considerably cheaper than the real thing and could be a striking resemblance of the Pallister Park player sitting tight on the bench. It’s not clear if the offer of a statue by Pulis will break the impasse on Downing’s contract talks but rumours that the player will accept nothing smaller than the Angel of the North are said to risk casting a huge shadow over proceedings – besides a legacy planning Steve Gibson is possibly still contemplating where his burial mound should be positioned after the car park was ruled out due to logistical reasons.

One player who will be hoping to play at the Riverside will be former crowd-favourite Patrick Bamford, who has being restricted to a handful of appearances due to knee problems since his move – still at least he’s got the number nine shirt and has joined a club who he claimed wanted to make him their main man. Also making a return to Teesside is Adam Forshaw, who never really broke through from behind the Leadbitter-Clayton partnership for most of his spell at Boro. Although, he shone briefly in the Premier League and was even touted for an England call-up before once again slipping quietly out of favour again. Both will be joined by last season’s late loan arrival, Jack Harrison, whose barely noticeable impact will not linger long in the memories of Teesside folk.

Tony Pulis will be hoping the week starts with an X-Factor style homecoming down in Newport and a successful gig for his team that secures a lucrative high-profile tie against the glamorous opponents of Manchester City – before ending with a crucial victory over promotion rivals Leeds that is greeted by a once again happy and cheering Riverside. However, should the next few days not quite go as planned then I fear Tony and Teesside may be heading for relationship counselling with arguments over who really owns the Riverside poor record collection.

443 thoughts on “Pulis wants antithesis of a home from home to lift team”

  1. An interesting perspective of life generally. I myself never expected to reach my ninth decade, but the longer I live I reflect on whether I have fulfilled my true potential in life. Have I made any impact in this world? Will I be remembered after I reach the pearly gates? And the answer is usually in the negative. It’s not a melancholic thought, because I’ve enjoyed my life, but there’s always that nagging doubt in my mind – have I reached my full potential?

    Now I don’t expect people a lot younger than myself to question themselves, it comes with old age. But it does lead me to football and the question of whether footballers and Middlesbrough FC itself contemplate whether they’ve reached their full potential or underachieved. There are very few Boro stars who can be treated as legends, because as time goes by, unless there are statues of them or stands named after them, there names will be forgotten by people who’ve never seen them play.

    These next few weeks are not about the past, or even the future. It’s about the present and the old adage of taking one game at a time. By all logic Boro should beat Newport, even without utilising many of our regular star players. But Leeds and Leicester probably thought that also, so it has the potential of being a banana skin. Newport only survived relegation into the National League a couple of seasons ago at the expense of Hartlepool and their current league form is amongst the worst of any team in all four divisions. One major advantage Boro have over Leeds and Leicester is that we know what Newport are capable of having played them once already. One disadvantage might be that Rodney Parade is used for Rugby Union, may have more grass on it than usual football pitches, or may have suffered more with the recent snowfalls and rain is expected there for most of the day.

    If Boro fail to win I wonder if the players will contemplate whether they have underachieved, or is that that the reserve of people like me in their dotage? For the moment Boro must forget about the forthcoming fixture with Leeds or the possibility of entertaining Manchester City in the next round. It’s all about the present. Rather like me really. At my age I don’t want to think of what the future beholds, I take each day as it comes. Maybe Boro should think that way also, take one game at a time, because the future is always open to doubt and speculation.

    1. Interesting post Ken – Perhaps most successful sportsman are able to live in the now and not remember that earlier missed chance or worry about the consequences of not scoring or making an error. Although experience generally helps so in theory it should get easier as you become older – but obviously negative experiences may create doubts and perhaps it’s success that leads to success as long as you still want it enough.

    2. I think the majority of today’s footballers look at their Bank statements to work out if they have underachieved or not. Sad but true. Not of course in all cases, there are still those that play with passion and commitment regardless but they are becoming few and far between.

  2. Ken

    Very few Boro players would spring to mind to the general public. Brian Clough is probably the most famous but his managerial career mask his background.

    My dad’s favourite was Mannion but most non Boro fans would think of Mathews. We had Camsell but everyone remembers Dixie Dean.

    It is BRUCE and Pallister.

    Downing has done well but is more likely to suffer derision than be lauded. I still think he carried a lot of deflected flack from the rest of the England squad. His best games were when Gerrard and Lampard didn’t play. I still remember when Cole and Downing were trying to link up on the left and the nominally right sided Gerrard appeared on the left wing dragging the whole of the opposition over.

    1. Ian
      Mathews was an outstanding person, as well as a sportsman.
      To play for thirty plus years made him memorable, plus the fact that he was a highly intelligent person.
      He ensured that his son became a leading Tennis player, by having him coached professionally, unheard of for any working class child then, (And not easy now) he toured Africa, meeting and coaching young children, in spite of the great division in society then.
      So, an intelligent man (oh! He also made a lot of money)not, I think, normal among footballers at that time.
      Mannion in contrast, lost six years of his career fighting as an infantryman in various parts of the world, the western desert, cisilly, Italy, not forgetting Dunkirk, (came out on the last night).
      That he became a leading member of the great English team that is remembered still as it toured Europe after the war, winning by 8 and 10 goals, whilst playing great stuff in all the European Capitals.
      When playing for Great Britain v Europe, Hamden Park, 110,000 crowd, only one club had two players in the team, (guess who?) that would be Mannion and Hardwick, 4-2 Mannion scored two goals, George was Captain.
      So, a great career which had already started when he joined the Green Howards in ’39. They must have had some Battalion team.

  4. Werder
    Another great intro. Not sure what to expect tonight. I can see their might be a sending off and penalties. The referee tonight is Stuart Atwell he likes a red card sent off the two Wolves players last season. He also disallowed Adomah’s overhead kick at Leeds a few seasons back.

  5. Brilliant Werder. Yet another “One of your best”.

    The wit and elegance of what is a very astute analysis is a wonderful antidote to the humourless platitudes of what pass for press conferences down at the Riverside Politburo these days. Tightly controlled PR exercises before a couple of blokes from the club’s own press office are evidence of a siege mentality in which the enemy is the long-suffering supporter, who must be fed horse manure rather than honesty and openness.

    Once again it’s clear that if Boro supporters want creative expression with more than a dash of intelligence, honesty and humour then they should head for Diasboro rather than the Riverside.

    Nice post too, Ken. You have certainly made a significant impact on everyone who has read your irreplaceable work.

    1. Many thanks Len, appreciated as ever. It did amuse me that Pulis appears to have flipped the blame for the home form on the fact they don’t feel at home at the Riverside and seemingly because of a frustrated crowd.

      1. Werder

        Great post you couldn’t make it up could you ?
        how Pulis is blaming the fans for the poor performances at home

        Perhaps if he played forward passes and support for a lone striker then he might get some support

        A hard week and we’ll see where we are going by Saturday night !

        OFB

  6. Don’t have BT sport and so can’t watch tonight’s game.
    Thought it might be on hesgoal.com but it’s not. Are there any other sites showing it ( free) ?, otherwise I can listen to the commentary on five live. I struggle to get radio tees in this part of the world
    Philip

    3. Philip….see my post at the of the last thread.

      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 copied into your post to make it easier – Werdermouth

  7. Great piece Werder. Especially liked the Odessy reference which reminded me of under age drinking and boogieing at Philmores in Saltburn.

    As has been posted numerous times a more attack minded game plan at home would have us with a few more points on the board and it would have given TP a bit of a buffer against most supporters if results were poor. As it is he’s kept up the safety first mantra and lost a lot more of the home crowd as results and performances has been awful.

    A Boro win for me tonight by how many or how few I couldn’t guess.

  9. An interesting point about the crowd Werder. There are many things to like about modern football stadia. Excellent facilities, safer environment, female friendly etc etc. But the one thing from the past that seems to have been lost is atmosphere.

    Now this can be down to the different demographics of the crowd, we know the traditional football supporter is in the process of being priced out of going to the game. Clubs are more focused on attracting those with the most disposable income. Groups like The Twelfth Man and Red Faction are now welcome at The Riverside but initially the club were very much against them.

    Saturday sees the visit of Leeds and gives the club a golden chance for the crowd to unite against what should be a vociferous and hostile away following. This brings me to my main point about what has been lost from today’s grounds versus the old ones.

    Call me a grumpy old git, or an old stick in the mud, but I blame it on the modern PA system and it’s operator. Yes, Me, Mark Page, I’m looking at you! It used to be that in the ten minutes before kick off that the crowd generated its own anticipation and the noise that slowly rose up was almost organic. Aside from a few birthday messages and the announcement of the teams that was all we heard from the depths of the main stand. With the advent of putting an individual with a microphone on the pitch and giving him a stage to perform on it has taken the onus from the crowd to build up the atmosphere.

    My solution is to close the concession stands at 2:50, lock Mark Page in a broom cupboard along with his record collection. Take the clubs copy of Pig Bag and skim it into the Tees behind the ground. Let’s go back to old school where the crowd drives the team. Players are like anyone else, they react well to encouragement, if they want the fans to support them then let’s get rid of all the pre kick off distractions and let the supporters do their part.

    1. I’m all for placing MMP in a locked room somewhere deep in the Riverside basement – it doesn’t have to be for the whole year as I’ve nothing against him being let out for the summer.

      Perhaps one of reasons for a lack of atmosphere and chanting is the all-seater stadiums, as I always feel when sitting down I’m a passive spectator in an audience rather than being part of a pro-active crowd. Also you don’t seem to get many groups of young men arriving in good voice after two or three pints at the pub.

    2. GMW, I used to like watching the pre-match entertainment when it was provided by local brass and silver bands. I recall one match against Blackpool when we even had the Coldstream Guards marching and playing, it almost felt like Wembley.

  10. How about The Power Game instead of Pig Bag? I think Mogga brought it back and it seemed to work.

    On the other hand, Pig Bag has its fans. I think Mendieta was on record as saying he loved it so much that he bought a mix of it for friends and family in Spain.

    2. I am a fan of the power game too. It belongs to Boro. Keep pig bag for goal celebrations, but the Boro team coming onto the pitch…always the power game for.

      But then again maybe I am just one of those old geezers or stick in the midst like GHW!

  11. Werder,

    Another great leader, loved the Angel of the North image. Excellent stuff. The score tonight, well Boro should win shouldn’t they? With their away form they must be favourites.

    I must say that I’m with everyone else on that dreadful and appalling PA din, it’s just someone assuming an importance he doesn’t have and the fans don’t want. Let the crowd generate the atmosphere, I’m actually surprised that fans sit and listen to that ear-bleed inducing din and don’t stay in the bar until the last possible minute.

    Is it a full-time job operating that equipment? If it is there’s a saving begging to be made and spare the crowd tinnitus.

    Newport 1 – 2 Boro AET

    Good to see OFB coming off the fence

    UTB,

    John

    1. What fence ? I was sitting in the bar like I do every game just to get away from the loud music and MMP on the blaring loudspeakers !

      Actually I’m quite lucky as our seats are positioned so we are not directly near any of the loudspeakers !

      I can still hear the booos though which seem to come mainly from the east stand …..

      I can’t blame them as the football has been dreadful although now they do it they are very quick to start even after the slightest mistake

      OFB

  12. Pig Bag. After a couple of crushing defeats of Derby it became my ringtone to irritate the Derby fans at work. They started twitching in the end.

    At one match they had travelled up independently because we were visiting friends. We were meeting after the match so after 75 minutes I text my colleague to see where they were – just passing Thirsk was the answer.

  13. Many thanks to Old Billy,Werdermouth and Pedro for the info – a 5 star service!
    Just hope that tonight is a 5 star performance.
    Philip

  14. Thanks Werder for another classic.

    With ref to MMP. Many moons ago when I had a season ticket at Ayresome park he took over from the delightfull Bernard Gent. Page annoyed me so much I wrote a long letter to the Gazette about him being unprofessional and childish. They printed it in full. Then when having a season ticket at the Riverside he annoyed me even more to the point I would stay out of my seat until the last minute before the game not wanting to listen to his churlish voice and loud loud music. We want someone low key who will inform the home and away fans information about teams and other announcements that need to be made. Plus music that is kind to the ears. I gave up my season ticket at the end of the Bryan Robson era and the sound system then was awful.
    It is all about professional presentation to the public at the Riverside and MMP has no idea. He may have had Radio Shows in the past but he didn’t last long. Time for a change to make the matchday experience much much better.
    All his mates will be writing in ( like they did in the Gazette article ) saying how brilliant he is. He isn’t.

  15. Tried the VIPLEAGUE linked mentioned above and it brought up a message telling me my phone was infected with a virus and that I needed to click on a link to download a programme to clear. It all looked a bit strange so I closed everything down and cleared my history etc.

    Not sure if this is a safe link or if I am being overly cautious?

    If any one can provide further information/clarity I would much appreciate as I would like to watch the match if possible. If not I will listen to the audio commentary via MFC.

    1. It is just another window that has opened, just close it without trying any links. The main VIP window will stay open. It may take several attempts and extra windows will keep opening. You just keep closing them.

  16. KP

    Virus warnings are generally scams encouraging you to click on to another site, often against a spurious time limit. Sounds like you did the right thing. You might want to run your malware programme to make doubly sure.

      1. The key to using the unofficial sites is not to click on any match streams until around 5 minutes before kick-off as the links don’t normally work and you’ll just get the kind of bogus ads you came across.

        I’ll post up a link once I’ve checked it’s working OK.

  17. Another great article thanks Werder.

    We should be good enough to beat Newport if we play in our usual away style but it will not be easy.

    Saturday is clearly more important so I would expect to see midfielders and forwards rested tonight. As other have said, the likes of Dimi, Clayton, VLP Tavernier, Fletcher, Downing and Gestede are likely to be called upon.

    0-1 after extra time.

    CoB 😎

  18. At times I thought I had bought a MMP Season Ticket and those blokes kicking a ball around in between was the actual interval of the main event!

    Look at meee everybodeee, I said look at MEEEEEE, Everyone LOOK and LISTEN NOW OR ELSE THE VOLUME GETS IT!

    YOU WILL NOT TALK TO THE BLOKE SAT BESIDE YOU WHILE I AM BASKING IN THE 80’S. In fairness he has updated his eight track collection lately to encompass some 90’s tunes. Sadly thats the overall impression I get rather than some background music and important announcements. Its like John Barrowman on speed most games.

    And as for the paying public expressing their displeasure, better get the ear muffs out as that volume is going straight to Max and a few Amps blown into the bargain even if its the Officials that are getting pressurised for some dubious decisions. The biggest problem for me with that is that he clearly cannot distinguish between booing displeasure with the football and displeasure for some rank bad and perceived unfair Refereeing. It leads me to believe he either doesn’t watch the matches at all or just doesn’t get whats going on in front of his eyes at all.

  19. So. Been very hectic for me lately, but time to take part in here now 🙂. Enjoyed the leader article again Werder. I too liked the imagery of a Downing of the North statue. Where would such an edifice be located I wonder, just by the A19 at the Tontine I suggest.

    We should be too good for Newport tonight, but I am a bit concerned that that is typical Boro territory, we should be too good, but get mugged.
    I’ll be in the air till 5 past 9, so hoping to see us at least 2 goals to the good once I get a signal on my phone.
    Final score , 3-1 Boro after going a goal down in the first half.

    Cue lots of pigs in bags…

  23. Not quite the team expected with ‘unfit’ Wing starting and Britt and Hugill up front – No start for Downing, Tav or VLP – it looks like a back five but it may be a ruse with McNair listed first. Otherwise it would be 5-3-2 or could easily be switched to 4-4-2 if McNair goes into midfield.

    Dimi
    McNair
    Fry
    Ayala
    Flint
    Friend
    Clayton
    Wing
    Howson
    Britt
    Hugill

    Subs:
    Lonergan
    Besic
    Downing
    Tavernier
    van La Parra
    Fletcher
    Gestede

  24. Thanks once again, Werder. Amusing as ever.

    Just seen the team sheet. Blimey – TP has gone pretty strong. I certainly wouldn’t have risked that many important players with Leeds to come on Saturday but let’s hope we come through comfortably and unscathed.

    Surprised, a little worried, but fingers crossed.

    1. Thanks Andy – interesting that Pulis has opted against starting any of his wide players and I’d be surprised if it’s just Clayton, Wing and Howson in midfield as Britt and Hugill will need supply.

  25. I had a nostalgic moment as I read through the comments above. It took me straight back to walking up into Ayresome Park with the big concrete barriers that I could sit on and Telstar playing.

    Surprised to see Wing playing and having two up front is a bold statement. I hope that it pays off.

    UTB

  26. Belated thanks Werder for the new Headliner. Let’s hope the game and result is as good as your article.
    Pundits smell an upset in the spoiling conditions.

  30. Werder

    I think you are being generous about the pitch. If it keeps raining it masy be called off.

    As an aside I have sorted the commentary about but keep forgetting to say how. After my refusal to use Chrome following MFC’s recommendation I missed a couple of games.

    Then I thought, use my tablet and it works.

    The key point is that if MFC provide a service you pay for you should be able to use any platform.

  36. Well so much for our prowess away from home that was a nightmare half and lucky to be 0-0 at half time. After Saturday a typical boro performance so far!

    Thanks to Philip of Huddersfield for the Hesgoal.com link which I have been watching on with Radio Tees commentary.

  37. Boro have struggled to get into the game and have been second best – Newport had 12 attempts on goal to Boro’s 2. Pulis moved McNair into midfield from his initial back five to try and get a grip in the middle. Clearly the first half performance was the fault of the away fans – they really need to up their game 😉

  38. Well that was terrible from us, slow to start and two isolated forwards miles apart from each other.
    Newport using the bylines to great effect, despite the conditions, Boro using the big hoof up to no one in particular. Surely we cannot be as bad second half?????????

  39. Boro players should be pleased with the score at halftime. Newport looked dangerous and most of the football has come from them.

    Our tactic is to boot the ball upfield in the air in the direction of the 2 forwards.
    Assombalonga , on 3 occasions, has waved midfielders forward but most of the time they are playing too deep. Little passing the ball or even holding the ball and Newport picking up the second ball.

    Far too often Newport are being allowed to get crosses in which was the problem in the closing part of the first game and proved costly.
    Need a change of players who are capable of passing the ball.

    Big improvement required in the second half.
    Philip

  46. Anybody else want to say how strong the squad Is? The display confirms my view there are weaknesses through out the squad.

    It galls me that we have been beaten by a Welsh team – I suffered living in Wales for a time.

    1. In reality Ian they should be good enough to beat Newport. Nothing to do with depth of squad on this occasion, something far more serious, from Manager to number 37.

  48. Well 90 minutes into most of the first team’s legs while Leeds have their feet up, Hugill limped off and any momentum from the West Brom win thoroughly blown away.

    Even for us, that’s some night’s work.

      1. Hmm. I don’t think Pulis actually said that to be fair to him (unless I’ve missed something).

        Everyone knows that – as with most clubs – the away support is more vociferous than the home support. It would be good for the team if the home support matched it, of course it would.

        I don’t think Pulis is blaming the home form solely on the atmosphere nor is he saying it’s the main factor in my opinion. I think he’s saying, quite rightly, that it is a contributor to some degree.

        To my mind a bigger reason is an age old one for Boro – we can’t deliver when we’re expected to.

        In further fairness to Pulis, he put a strong side out last night. He was as let down as anyone I think.

  49. Out played, out fought, out thought. TP and team were appalling.

    Well played Newport, enjoy yourselves and the money deservedly earned against city.

  53. Well there’s nothing much to say about that performance – just a Fletcher mis-hit in the 84th minute representing the only shot on target. Boro started on the back foot and never got into the game. Newport thoroughly deserved winners and outplayed Boro all over the pitch. As the commentator said “Boro never looked a threat going forward and lacked passion” – nobody to blame for Tony Pulis but I’m sure he’ll find someone. Anything like that display against Leeds and he’ll be getting an earful from the Riverside crowd.

  54. Didn’t see it…but got the radio on in time to hear the radio 5 pundit saying “Middlesbrough were awful”.
    Nothing to say, but good luck to Newport. Hope you earn a replay at least and lots of cash from the tie with Citeh.

    Flynn for Boro anyone?

  56. Woeful.

    I am glad we won’t have another league game rescheduled (Blackburn away is the day after Newport/Man City), but that is pretty much the only positive I can take from the evening.

  57. As I mentioned in the article Tony Pulis was Zippin’ up his boots and going back to his roots, to the place of his birth, back down to earth

    So before I head off to bed I shall leave you with the rather appropriate next few lines from the Odyssey’s song…

    I’ve been standing in the rain
    Drenched and soaked with pain
    Tired of short time benefits
    And being exposed to the elements
    I’m homeward bound
    Got my head turned around

    Have a pleasant flight back to Teesside Tony!

    1. Other relevant Odyssey songs:
      “Native Newporter”
      His team got turned Ïnside Out”
      SG will ask him tomorrow if he is “Looking for a way out”

  59. Well that wasn’t worth getting up early to listen to. Feel sorry for any one who traveled down from Teesside and won’t get home until around 5 am.
    Sounded like the players didn’t want to put in any effort. Pulis said the same in his post match interview. TP only made 5 changes from Saturday’s starting line up including one who nobody wants in the team -Besic. That team should be good enough to beat a team from League 2. Also looks like Hughill and Britt may be out for Saturday, so Rudi up front against Leeds.
    You couldn’t make it up

  60. I was absolutely buzzing after Saturday’s tremendous win at the Baggies, where I thought we were great. A really battling, bodies on the line performance and three good goals to boot.

    Followed by tonight’s shambles. Did they play so badly deliberately, to fool Bielsa and his spies into a false sense of security? Shambolic and pathetic. I don’t think any player played well, and certainly no-one deserved a pay packet. So, now, against lower league opposition each time, we have twice blown the chance of facing Manchester City. Unbelievable.

    After his match winning performance on Saturday, I thought Britt would be on fire tonight. How wrong could I be? He barely gave 30%, as if he just couldn’t be bothered. Have TP’s unwise, clumsy words that, ‘Britt is very much part of the squad now’ struck a chord with Britt? Damned with faint praise. He’s been slagged off often enough by Pulis. It looked to me tonight as if he’d decided he wasn’t going to try for the manager.

    We’d bloody well better turn up as a team on Saturday against the dirties, or there’ll be hell on.

  61. Dreadful performance. How can a well paid team fighting for promotion to the Premier League get overrun by a struggling Div 2 team that is prepared to take the game to us? The first goal we backed off to let a player run from his own half until he was close enough to shoot and the second was yet another unmarked player in our penalty area. We just had one shot on target in the 85th minute. The only good thing was we avoid humiliation by Man City as I dread to think of how many goals we would concede if their players were left unmarked near our goal.
    I had already decided not to go to the Leeds match as the kick off time was awkward for my rail travel and with 4500 Leeds supporters there is quite a risk of trouble to/from the station. Not looking forward to following the commentaries for the Leeds and Sheffield Utd games.

  62. Oh dear. Just in from work and logged onto BBC football website for the result. From what Pulis has said post match it appears they couldn’t be arsed.

    A Sunday afternoon in Blackburn it is then when I’m back home.

  63. There ends the “two up front” experiment.
    Expect TP to return to 1 up top and 5 across the middle.
    “just to get a feel for how Leeds will set up”
    The disappointment is that the majority of the first team have now been tainted by this result. Had he played mainly a second string side then the result may not have had the same impact on the minds of the players.
    At least Saville Mikel and Shotton were spared the embarrassment of being part of the squad.
    Interesting that Stewie didn’t get a run, maybe TP’s “talk” with him did not go so well.

    1. Oh, and well done to Newport, I didn’t see the game but reports suggest they easily deserved it.
      Seems like Boro will do anything to avoid playing Man City.

      2. I don’t think TP racing over to the fans tonight will be tomorrows main talking point unfortunately. If certain allegations are true there could be some very serious discussions tomorrow within the club.

  64. I’ve witnessed some shambolic performances over the years, but that debacle is the worst ever. The manager can’t even be blamed for that one, it’s 100% down to the players. An absolute disgrace, compounded by the fact that it was witnessed live on TV.

    If the players have even a shred of integrity they should reach into their fat bank accounts and recompense the poor unfortunate fans who spent their hard earned cash on a round trip to Newport. No excuses, get tippied up you shower of of absolute prima donnas.

    1. This was from facebook . I assume this is what RR is referring to
      [delete]
      Don’t know if you need to be on Facebook to see it

      🔴 Sorry but I deleted that Facebook Link. Call me old fashioned but I don’t regard comments posted on Facebook as a reliable source of news and is potentially libellous – plus it contained several ‘f’ and ‘c’ words – Werdermouth

      2. Sorry Old Billy but unless someone has got a source from someone who they can vouch for, I don’t regard a Facebook comment grabbed from the internet as anything that is either fact or fiction. Do a search in Google and you’ll probably find all kinds of truths or untruths – someone may have just posted mischief because they were upset and wanted to stir things up.

  66. The excuses have started, this from the Northern Echo:

    “You can make excuses, I could stand here and talk about the delay (Boro’s morning flight was delayed), wind, rain, pitch, but they get paid good money to play a game of football.

    So is he blaming the airport, the pilot, God, the ground staff or the overpaid players.
    Another interesting comment was:

    Pep Guardiola will be hoping and praying the conditions are not like this when they turn up.”

    I really doubt that Pep is bothered. Sounds like he is blaming the weather (we never get wind and rain at the Riverside) he said it was “men against boys” which brings to mind another song “its raining men”
    Hallelujah

  68. It’s just dawned on me. We went out in white last night to see what it’s like to be Leeds on the receiving end of beating when a team plays at you on the front foot from kick off. Clearly the team will now know exactly how to destroy Leeds on Saturday….

  70. Even I cannot blame Mr Pulis forthat performence last night. It was a strong side compared to Newport, two up front but there it ended somewhat.

    The tactics, were there any? just did not work at all. Newport had spent 15 minutes in the rain before kick off winding themselves up and how it worked for them. They played football in atrocious conditions, we played hoof ball to two isolated forwards as though meeting for the first time. Midfield was garbage and evenWing had a poor game.

    By the way, why did TP play him when he has a niggle and has done for awhile.

    Forget who posted but yes George is and has been poor for some time. And do not get me going about donkey Flint. Turning his back for the first goal.

    Enough!!

    1. Interesting that Pulis continues to claim that he is operating within a financial straight jacket yet has spent the best part of £20m on three players, a sizeable amount of which went on the aforementioned Flint, who Bristol City replaced with the superior Webster for a fraction of the price. So much for Pulis’ shrewd transfer model!

  71. The Manager is responsible for the team selection and tactics, can you imagine Fergies response at half time, sort it out or I will sort you out !
    No use barking instructions on the sideline all game. Sorry but this guy has lost the plot.
    We need a serious injection of enthusiasm into this club.

  73. Awful game – unfortunately it was shown live on TV over here, too. And I watched the whole match. Terrible.

    The pitch was terrible, too and it was raining all the time. But the reason we lost was that they were better – far better than us.

    I hear someone saying that TP must go now. Because he played two up-front against the minnows? As GHW said, I would blame the players more. They were shambolic. Not only Friend and Clayton, but all.

    Did you see Clayts receiving some instruction in a letter from TP half way into the first half? At least he finally started to pass forward in the second half when we were chasing the game. Perhaps a banner next time?

    Bring on Leeds. Up the Boro!

  75. Thanks to RR for a far more entertaining match report than the game deserved and whilst we could blame the conditions, I’d agree that it didn’t seem to bother the Newport players that much. I wonder if that is part of the problem of playing at a higher level with more ‘complex’ match instructions to carry out from their manager – not that it seemed they carried out anything. Perhaps the problem is when you play in terrible conditions on a muddy pitch it’s all down to getting stuck in and playing as a team. It appeared playing with two strikers was just another excuse to launch long hopeful balls on the premise that the odds on finding one of them had now been doubled. I also wonder what it said on Clayton’s piece of paper? Maybe “Now do you understand why I brought in John Obi Mikel”…

  76. After the draw at home to Newport I did say I’d be surprised if Boro won the replay. I was hopeful when I saw the team selection, but was wary of a rugby pitch being used for football especially with rain forecast and the fact that the pitch had been already used 57 times before this season. It was almost a throw back to the Baseball Groound or Stoke’s Victoria Ground. The trouble is though that 6 feet tall players will usually struggle on those type of surfaces and today’s players aren’t used to those type of conditions. It often rains in Wales and the Newport players are so much used to those type of conditions. Most of today’s players have been pampered with playing on well manicured lawns, and I doubt they fancy playing on quagmires. Nevertheless, that’s no excuse for Boro putting on one of the most abject display I’ve ever witnessed. Full marks to Newport though as Boro were flattered by the scoreline. Manchester City awaits now, and their plethora of continental stars won’t have played in conditions like we saw last night so might well be glad to come away unscathed and happy for a replay. I’ve seen worse though with puddles all over the pitch which today would have been postponed. As for Boro I don’t think any of the players came out with praise, it appeared that they couldn’t wait to get back to the sanctuary of the dressing room and a nice warm bath. Pampered to the core!

  78. How can you excuse the manager for that car crash of a performance?
    He selected the team and the tactics, he watched the first half, which amounted to formation standing around. He must have noticed that they kept the ball in the air at all times, no matter what. He must have known that standing in our penalty area amounted to giving them 45 Minutes of putting the ball into our goalmouth and seeing what happened. At half time we could and should have been two down.
    So, the plan was more of the same, play the ball along the ground ( obviously yet another cunning plan from Baldric). Straight from the off we dribbled the ball up to their goal mouth (no shot of course) we actually passed it back towards our own goal before they got it and raced towards our goal, our defenders backed off until he could shoot, which he did, and how.
    Couple of questions for our manager? Why play our hold up man and our striker when they were never going to be near Newport’s box, two extra defenders could and should have been employed.
    Why play Wing when we will need him for Leeds?
    Why is Wing being played further back, we are losing his goals and shots, and assists, and we need them, desperately.
    Clayton is finished, passing to the opposition on a regular basis, never near his man when it mattered.
    What has Tav. done to the manager, killed his pet rabbit? We need to get it sorted and quick because it is becoming obvious that something is wrong, somewhere in the system.
    Final question, why take off our striker and hold up man when they were ahead and were going to pack their box, letting us put high balls in to them for a change? just a thought.

    1. I think Hugil was injured Plato. Britt, well he had done sweet nothing. But once again the service to them just did not exist.
      How many crosses did we put in?

    2. That was not the managers fault. He played two up front just as posters had been wanting, if the players just fold then he can’t be blamed.

      The Newport winger had the freedom of the wing to cross the ball unopposed all night. We can’t take throw ins, we can’t take corners, they couldn’t even put more than two passes together. As ever they were out muscled in every 50/50, in fact even in 60/40’s.

      This was a League 2 team who should have been brushed aside. The blame lies firmly with the players.

      1. When did our manager, or any manager, start picking the team based on what the fans want? If you are going to use that to let Pulis off the hook why not do away with a manager altogether & use a fan poll to pick the team. Diasboro would then be centred around debates on how the latest loss is the fault of Jarko & Werdermouth (no axe to grind with you two, named you for illustrative purposes only!) for selecting Saville over Howson in the team selection poll! If Pulis does pick the team on the wants of fans wouldn’t Tav be a fixture in the team?

        I would also add that it is called MANagement for a reason, a big part of it is man management. The players aren’t blameless but I’m sure that Pulis would have recognised that complacency might creep in given the circumstances and it’s his job to stamp that out. He failed.

      3. I would like the Umans to get involved with our transfers.
        So when the RD identify a player the Umans can veto the player or more importantly set a realistic market value, length of contract and remuneration.

  80. I honestly don’t think that the blame should lie firmly with anyone. It’s all collective. I step forward to say this after tiring of scapegoats.

    Players could adapt, managers could adapt, hierarchy could adapt – it’s a matter of compromise which no one seems to reach.

  81. Pulis, to his credit, hasn’t come out and stated “everyone will be happy because we played two up front”, or something like that. That’s an irritating managerial trait – even if what the supporters want doesn’t work, rubbing it in with an “I told you so” manner is alienating.

    At least I *think* he hasn’t.

      1. I know! That’s why he rubbed people wrong. The more I reflect on his reign, the more every game is less about the right result and more about proving a point. I fear that his autobiography will be full of swipes at the journalists, fans, hierarchy and players who questioned or slammed him.

  82. He played two up front which is what most of us wanted. Wing started as most want him to start every game. How is it the managers fault if the players on the pitch don’t perform anywhere near their capability? But no it’s all the managers fault.

    Players have to be held responsible for their actions on the pitch no matter how much blame is layed at the managers door.

  83. I wouldn’t know where to begin in the blame stakes last night. Tactically we had no shape and the two strikers were totally isolated with no support or being fed from out wide. Our wing backs were pegged back and our midfield never imposed themselves or got a grip on the game. Defensively we were shambolic with even Ayala looking off the pace.

    The set up and formation seemed totally alien to all of them. Personally I wouldn’t have played most of them and started with the reserves and bench players but not starting Downing seemed a strange decision and I suspect had he started Willmott would have had a far tougher game up against he and Friend.

    TP’s tactics were poor, organisation was poor, leadership was none existent and every individual played well below par which is either very suspicious or incredibly bad luck. They collectively didn’t want the game and it showed. No hunger, no fight and no passion to the point where its questionable.

    To me the problem is rooted in the first leg when it should have been all over and done with but for more poor tactics at home. Last night could prove to be very costly for morale, cinfidence and seems to have built another barrier with the fans.

    1. Simon
      This is the second time he has lost the plot with a big game lying in wait, in neither case did he go for it, he should not be let off the hook, he picked the team, that would be Clayton( completely gone, passing to their attackers on a regular basis, never up with the pace of the game) he has now nullified Wing by turning him into a defensive midfielder, we all said when Wing showed his talents and forced him to play him, that Pulis would find a way to hide him, and he has, quite shocking. As for him being a big mate of Steve Gibson, that will not save his job, competence is a prerequisite of management, there is no substitute.
      The irritating thing is that we could have had a freeby by letting the kids have a shot at glory. Strangely enough he did the same thing for the last cup disaster. Making the same mistakes is not a good sign, I fear for him after Saturdays game, his time could be up.

    2. RR
      Amidst all the anger(justified) it’s the little things that irritate, such as our never ending habit of, when confronted with a team who plonked the ball up to our box an incredible number of times, we carefully cleared it to the halfway line where they were waiting to plonk it right back at us. I reckon they took nothing out of themselves in that half. Surely it would have run some of the legs off them if we had relentlessly planted the ball over their heads near the touchline, causing them to turn and chase the ball. A shocking display, which has changed the climate for the match with Leeds.

  86. I’m not angry, nor even disappointed, just consumed by overwhelming apathy. If the players can’t be bothered, I’m not inclined to either, and only Dimi should be spared our opprobrium. I saw most of the match on TV, and Newport thoroughly deserved their win. I feel extraordinarily sorry for any of our supporters who made the trip in such filthy conditions.

  87. Apathy is worse than discontent in a way. Discontent can fire the team up to prove people wrong, the famous “everyone’s against us” siege mentality.

    Apathy is just one slog after another.

    1. Simon,

      Apathy is I don’t want to go to work. I can’t be bothered. I hate work so I’ll get through the day. Basically I couldn’t care less about the outcome of the collective or my individual action.

      I watched the ‘game’ last night and from a Boro supporters’ view it was truly grim. I’d give them all three goes to spell the word commitment and define the word.

      I’m going to walk the terriers now and then with a beer poured I’m going to read Redcar Red’s match report. I’m sure that he will have put more into it than the team did into the game.

      UTB,

      John

  88. I think what Mr Misanthrope may be implying – though I could be wrong – is that there seems to be one rule for one manager and another for the rest.

    Call me disheartened but it seems that only at Boro could our most successful managers of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s be slaughtered to the extent that they were, when the failings weren’t concretely all their fault either.

    But it’s not Boro exclusive. Big Jack’s Ireland reign is being picked apart by tons of purist revisionists to this day. Although I suppose a reason for this is resentment at the myth that built around him rather than the team he built. It all comes back to the cult.

    1. That is a part of it. The other part is that to claim that it’s not the managers fault is ridiculous. Does that mean that when we win that it is nothing to do with the manager? The manager is responsible for team performance, so although not exclusively down to the manager, results and performances are largely the responsibility of the manager. Otherwise why even bother having a manager?

      2. GHW
        The manager will always be the fall guy as we all know. It may be unfair but it will always be the preffered option as its easier, quicker and cheaper.

  90. When I was in full time employment if I had ever done my job as poorly as the players did yesterday I would have been fired. These players are supposedly professional footballers who are paid large amounts of money to do their job. Last night both singly and collectively they failed miserably to do their jobs and as a result let the club and the fans down.

    The problem is that there will be no sanction applied to them except criticism at their performance and maybe deselection of some of them from the first eleven. Whether such feeble repercussions on an appalling display will bother them or not is debatable. I would hope that every one of them feels ashamed at what they produced last night but no doubt they will soon get over it when this month’s salary goes into their bank account.

    In today’s game it seems almost impossible to sack a footballer for poor performance unlike what happens in most other areas of the commercial world. Maybe if a footballer was found guilty of serious criminal charges or drug taking then his club could terminate his contract but it is never going to happen in the case where a player turned up for a match but didn’t fancy it and therefore failed to perform. There is too much money at stake these days and that in effect gives players a lot of power and protection from serious sanction for their actions.

    Why then should players bother if they don’t feel like it? They can just shrug off the criticism and turn up for the next game as though nothing had happened. Maybe it’s time for a footballer to be sacked for poor performance and, who knows, that might just “encourager les autres”.

    As for the manager’s contribution (or lack of) to last night’s total shambles, that is for sure a sacking offence.

  91. I think a Leicester fan named Tommy, who felt terrible for Ranieri on his sacking, summed it up when he said that even if it isn’t the manager’s fault, the reality is that you can’t sack the players.

    Re: managers losing games, I would point to a shift in football in the noughties, in the Iberian Influence of young Mourinho and Rafa taking hold in England.

    The duo studied opposition sides in greater depth.

    They emphasised defensive shape.

    They attempted to dominate midfield with the 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formations we got used to for most of this decade. (Boro, it seems, are always late.)

    More importantly they built from the top down rather than the bottom up. United and Arsenal in the nineties were largely about players (hence, perhaps, Robbo’s quote) but the influential Chelsea and Liverpool teams of the mid noughties generally reflected the boss’s strategic vision. For the first time, managerial philosophy really took precedence over style of players.

    (Source: Michael Cox.)

  92. Thanks RR for another match report which accurately reflects how bad we were last night.

    A bunch of headless chickens comes to mind and a team which is bereft of a strong on field leader amongst many other things.

    I posted last week that I had expected that our season would start to come to an end at West Brom but now feel that I was one match early with my prediction!

    If the team start on Saturday and play like they did last night then the called for unity will quickly dissipate and the atmosphere will be highly toxic.

  93. Simon
    This is not a Comment on your post, but a statement from a football fan over the years who has noticed that, whatever or whoever the team or club may be, they will have their time in the spotlight only when, by luck or reason they find and hire a good manager.
    It is always the manager, quite simply because when they lose him, the magic goes even if the people who hired him are still in position.
    We could fill a page with our choices of these managers.
    The obverse of this coin is that if you saddle yourself with one of the bad managers then you must part with him a.s.a.p. There is no other cure for the problem, he will carry on doing what he has always done ad infinitum, after all, he has repeated this particular dose within about two months. Quite unbelievable, we would have done better if we had told the team to run as hard as they could and kick the ball towards the oposition goal as hard as they could.

  94. Some of the gazzette bloggers are claiming allegedly that Gestede aimed swear words to the Boro fans.
    Two words, first word beginning with F, second word beginning with O.
    Also, allegedly, TP had a go at Boro fans after the game.
    Anyone know what really happened?

    1. Old Billy – From briefly looking into the matter, from what I can gather from the comments in the Gazette, others on the FMTTM message board and the Facebook link posted by MW (since deleted) they all refer to the same tweet and retweets by one individual. Until it can be verified by further independent witnesses, then anything that actually took place or not is therefore dependent on the credibility of that individual – I looked at his Twitter feed and many of the posts were often insulting with plenty of industrial language.

      On that basis I’ve personally dismissed the allegations as unreliable and perhaps coincidentally they have been aimed at a couple of unpopular players and another player who recently spoke out against the unhelpful attitude of some fans. If other reports emerge or the club were to discipline any of the players then I may reconsider. But as it stands it’s just a social media angry mob.

      1. The lack of any video or pictures seems remarkable in this day and age. It neither proves nor disproves but the lack of any supporting evidence does make the degree or at least the interpretation of it questionable.

  95. Stayed up late and watched it, – once again I wish I had gone to bed.

    For my part I think I can sum up the game as follows

    With the possiblity of a demoralising drumming in the next round the Boro very nearly came unstuck in the first half when they hit the post.

    However after the break they were rewarded with a well taken goal which should have guaranteed them safely avoiding Man City next month.

    However Newport were starting to to tire so to ensure MAn city were well and truly avoided the Boro made sure of safety by conceding a corner and then allowing a spectacular goal from Newport to warm up the crowd.

    Everyone went home happy and Boro supporters were once more pleased that their expectations had been fulfilled.

    We all knew it would happen so why are we surprised.

  96. In a riveting episode of the Jeremy Kyle show Boro striker Rudi Gestede was left looking forlorn when with a flourish, the host whipped out the results of the DNA test revealing his parents to be; King Edward and Maris Piper.

  97. Redcar Red,

    An ironic thank you for a report that matched the silky fare delivered by Boro on TV. I’ve opened a second beer but I need something stronger, like morphine, to ease the pain.

    It was horrible watch and read about because of the PTSD flashbacks I was having and I liked your allusion to deliberately lobbing the ball to the keeper in one paragraph. I don’t think you could be that bad deliberately without a trained reflex taking over, kicking in and over-riding the cock-up. Hang on it is Boro we are talking about so it is supremely possible.

    Enough torture and self-flagellation. There’s Leeds to look forward to. Perhaps the man with the PA system can unhinge them before kick-off with his din so Boro can blow the whistle and march towards their lines kicking a football while they writhe on the Riverside pitch with their hands over their ears.

    Yours, grasping at straws.

    UTB,

    John

  98. RR

    Thank you for a great report on possibly the worst performance ever by a Boro team.

    Saturday is another day and if we don’t perform then I can see the relations with the fans being really toxic

    OFB

    1. Crucial game with local rivalries at stake, away allocation ridiculously and unnecessarily upped (despite Police already moving the game forward to minimise trouble), appalling Home form for months, home fans grumbling at TP’s tactical negativity, shocking debacle down at Newport mid week, Travelling support now allegedly turning against Players what could possibly go wrong?

      Lets hope for an “Untypical Boro” performance on Saturday, the alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.

      1. Anthony Vickers writes that last night’s performance although bad was probably not as bad as the FA Cup defeats to Leyton Orient in 1978, Wolves in 1981, Grimsby in 1989 and Cardiff in 2008. The Grimsby one was a third round tie when expectations of a Wembley Final were non-existent, similar to last night’s match in all honesty, but the other three were huge disappointments with Boro on the verge of a Wembley appearance. However as I recall in none of those matches were Boro accused of not trying. Last night was different as the players as well as being incompetent just didn’t have the stomach for the match. It was comparable to the 1952 defeat at home to Doncaster which had been postponed due to a frozen pitch on the Saturday and played on the following Wednesday afternoon before a crowd of over 40,000. Rovers had only won one of their 15 away matches in the Second Division at the time they faced Boro and had only scored 14 goals, yet they led Boro 4-0 until Geoff Walker scored a consolation goal in the 89th minute by which time the crowd was probably down to 10,000. When you consider that Boro fielded 7 of the players including Mannion that had topped the league 14 months earlier it went down as a terrific shock. Until last night that was the only time I can recall of a Boro team not relishing the conditions and not trying. Maybe some of you can think of other occasions.

      2. The fateful image of Juninho sat crying on the Elland Road turf still haunts me to this day.

        Also the day when the overhead kick was outlawed, with Adomah having a perfectly good goal ruled out for a ‘high foot ‘! I believe that was the game that spelled the end of Meijas after he palmed a routine trickler straight into the feet of Billy Sharp.

  100. Further to RR’s reference to “blame stakes” at 13.01 today & his relatively lenient treament of Dimi in his excellent match analysis, according to Gary Jacob in today’s Times, Dimi was actually at fault for the first Newport goal:

    Dimi Konstantinopoulos, the 40-year-old Middlesbrough goalkeeper, made three saves to deny Amond from close range in the first half and made an almighty mess for the opening goal. Willmott picked up the ball in midfield and ran towards goal. He dropped his shoulder and unleashed a shot from the edge of the area that Konstantinopoulos got his hand to and should have saved. Willmott instigated the second goal from a set-piece routine. He delivered a near-post corner and Amond sprinted to the near post to turn hom.

    It’s been impossible to avoid comment on that bloody Willmott goal in the media today! 🙁

    In response to Ken’s advice about where to watch Champo highlights on the previous thread yesterday, Sky’s a non-starter for me: many thanks, but I refuse to subscribe to ANY cable or satellite service, so I’m stuck with Quest whenever I feel it’s worth watching so-called highlights…

  101. Do our FA Cup exiteers “deserve a special place in hell” for not having a sketch of a plan, or knowing how to carry it out before they flew to Wales ?

  102. Our manager cannot have trusted the youngsters to lose the match, otherwise it was a no brainer to field them, after all they were far more familiar with playing in front of small crowds, on flooded middens, against players who run forever, and generally towards your goal.
    But then this man is full of strange decisions, studying his statements over time is an art form in itself, and he has produced some beauties.
    This match has produced a few, I liked the following.
    “Wing has been playing with a tight thigh muscle”, conclusion, he will not play in the cup tie, wing plays in the cup tie.
    ” Mr Pulis why did Wing play in the cup tie?”
    ” wing was very keen to play”
    I’m afraid it does not compute, he is either the iron man who does it his way, or the players do what they want, which is it?
    Second point, if you were trying to win the match, why would you play Clayton, from a very good midfielder ( defensive) he has degenerated alarmingly and is now a distinct liability, and his howlers are not minor ones, they involve passing to the opposition twenty yards from goal, and always being off the pace.
    Pulis has, single handedly wrecked our credibility as a club, wrecked moral, and rebuilt confidence in a Leeds outfit that was approaching meltdown. Three out of three ain’t bad, the frightening thing is, all magicians have a show stopper to end with, so be afraid, be very afraid.

  104. Interesting article Braveheart – So Boro’s plane had engine problems as it taxied along the runway and never got going so the flight was aborted. Sounds like a suitable metaphor for the evening!

    Besides, I guess it was karma that the Boro players had to face a long journey home just like the fans had to – it’s just a pity they couldn’t have borrowed the open-top Wembley bus given the weather conditions. 😉

    The article also states that both Britt and Hugill were withdrawn because of hamstring problems – which could mean Gestede and Fletcher heading the Boro attack against Leeds.

    The article also mentions that the Boro supporters left inside Rodney Parade at the final whistle “let rip at manager Tony Pulis and his team”. Plus it mentioned the social media allegations of “an angry verbal exchange between certain members of the Boro camp” before adding “although those are unconfirmed at this stage”

    1. It all sounds like Chinese Whispers which is fitting considering it was Chinese New Year on Tuesday and we enter the year of the Pig and by heck TP and his charges certainly made a Pig’s ear of Newport.

      There was undoubtedly anger and annoyance at such an inept performance plus the manner of it and there were some unsavoury opinions being aired loudly but I doubt very much if as ridiculously claimed that one player was actually waving a pay slip at the fans. I’m sure all players check their wage slips at half time and then tuck it in their sock to take another look at it during throw ins or free kicks.

      A few heated exchanges possibly did occur but the lack of any substantiation at all would indicate that a bit of verbals that was responded to (not unreasonably in the heat of the moment) in a compact ground was the height of it. Not great but it won’t be the first time or the last time its happened especially those of us who remember the Chicken Run at Ayresome Park. The long Coach journey back? Well Karma comes to mind.

      2. RR
        Conspiracy theory number 1.
        TP gave the payslip to Clayts to remind him how much he is paid.
        This was the note passed to him on the side of the pitch beside the grassy knoll.
        After reading the row of zeros, he carefully placed it in his sock.
        After the game ended and he was getting a serve of a die hard smoggie he produce the said payslip and waved it in smogs face.
        Was he working alone or was there a second waver?

  105. There are many problems afoot now facing Middlesbrough FC after Tuesday night’s debacle.

    1. It seems that the team may now have lost the goodwill of their away fans which could well affect not only their support in future away matches, but could increase the number of dissidents at home matches also.

    2. The fact that such an insipid performance was televised nationally has made Boro a laughing stock, and every team Boro have to play in future will fancy beating them either home or away,

    3. There might also be a groundswell of players not happy with Tony Pulis’s somewhat autocratic style of management. It happened under Aitor Karanka, is it likely to happen again?

    4. Boro look like being underprepared for Saturday’s match with Leeds United with the possibility of losing Hugill and Assombalonga through injury, and confidence low among many of the squad.

    5. We don’t know what was in the note that Pulis gave to Clayton on Tuesday night, but it seemed to single out a player who seems to take criticism from the manager and fans personally.

    6. Boro can expect not only a taunting from a large contingent of Leeds United fans, but even their own fans if there home form mirrors past performances. Have they got the character to overcome such taunts, or will it lead to an even lower loss of confidence than some of them have now? Since Ben Gibson left and Grant Leadbitter was no longer a first team player, there doesn’t appear to be any leadership on the field.

    It’s going to take a mighty turnaround to avoid defeats to Leeds and Sheffield United. Boro surprised us at West Brom, but Tuesday’s defeat may take some getting over with. I’m not at all confident now that Boro can even reach the playoffs, but they have often surprised us in the past. What is now required is more white hot iron and red hot steel, the terminology quoted by Anthony Vickers a few years ago. Since then we’ve lost our steelworks; I hope we’re not about to lose our iron will also.

    1. Re point 5. A key part of management in any profession is knowing who needs an arm around then & who needs a kick up the backside (acknowleging that this is a simplistic approach but makes the point well.

      Our manager only seems capable of the kick approach. Brit thrived under Monk, but Pulis soon ruined his confidence with talk of missed chances. He also seems to be making the same misjudgement of Clayton’s character, who was once a very effective operator at this level. The stick treatment is only ever effective in short doses if it is effective at all.

      1. Re: point 5.

        As Newport was rallying all over us by then I think Pulis wanted to change the team tactics rather than write a note to Clayton reading: “You are fired” . TP is not Trump – at least not yet.

        Point 3. Not sure about Tony Pulis’s autocratic style of management. We do not know what happens at Rockcliffe but there are a lot of players who want to play for him. We hear hardly ever something else from his ex-players. Pulis playing type might be criticized but seldomly his man-management.

        Up the Boro!

      2. I diasgree mrmisanthropeblog Pulis has put an arm around both Ayala and Traore in my opinion.

        I think he may have misjudged one or two others though. The cynic in me thinks that might be deliberate in order to annoy one or two high earners that the club wants rid of.

      3. Yes, mrmisanthropeblog. Not saying it’s the right thing to do, just cynically speculating.

        The opposite – the “arm around the shoulder” got Traore sold for pretty big money

  106. An excellent post Ken and summary of the current state of play.

    I posted yesterday that we lacked an on field leader and as a consequence had a team who were running around like headless chickens. What price a Boam/Souness/Pearson.

    One of TP’s comments pre game would be that as part of the management deliberations they would consider the weather and ground conditions. With possible injuries to BA and JH it appears little consideration was given to this aspect if they are now both sidelined.

    Is so, at least we will have Gestede up front on Saturday to play hoof ball to, similar to Tuesday when he came on!

    1. We have bought in John Obi Mikel for that reason, I think. Let’s see how we play when he is on board vs. Leeds.

      I like to Clayts replaced by Obi Mikel for the time being.

      Up The Boro!

  108. Lets hope that Clayts has undergone some Supporter Guidance Counselling before Saturday afternoon. He has been a star performer all season and has literally gone to pieces these last few weeks for whatever reason.

    We need him back to his best if we are to continue with a Promotion push. If he is upset by some negative comments then he needs to borrow Stewy’s outerwear and let it all run off him.

    1. It seemed to start with the reaction to his comments about the negativity of the home support.
      I dont think what he said was that bad but it didnt go down well.
      It may be praying on his mind and affecting his performance.
      Then again he may have just given up.

      1. If a player gives up his and the team’s dream of playing in the PL, TP would send the player training with the reserves, me thinks. Really not propable as the players are very much winning minded. Alleays will. Up the Boro!

  109. Eric Paylor’s Gazette article about the signing of Juninho must bring back happy memories for most fans, it’s just a pity he was with us for a short time. If it hadn’t been for the 3 points deduction for failing to fulfil the fixture at Blackburn he might have spent 10 or more seasons with Boro. The vast majority of fans are of the opinion that we shall never see the like of those days again. Well I certainly won’t, but who is to say that those days may never return?

    Just think back to 1988 when Boro relegated Chelsea to the Second Division in the playoffs, or indeed to 1995 when Boro beat them in the first match played at the Riverside Stadium. Chelsea weren’t that much better than Boro that season finishing 11th one place above Boro.

    What about Manchester City who in 1999 were 0-2 down into the final minute against Gillingham in the Second Division playoff final, but then scored twice to take the match into extra time and subsequently won the penalty shootout to gain promotion, or indeed the final match against the Boro in 2008 when they were thrashed 1-8.

    Just look at what Chelsea and Manchester City have achieved since, all because of being taken over through foreign investment. It is likely that Steve Gibson will sell up, if not this summer, sometime in the future. That may not be easy, as Mike Ashley is finding out at Newcastle, but it could happen. Boro may not have such a high profile as Chelsea or Manchester City, but if those two clubs were able to rise like a Phoenix from the ashes who is to say that Middlesbrough can’t in the next 10 or 20 years?

    1. Rather than becoming a rich person’s plaything, were the danger is you could end up like a Sunderland or QPR when interest is lost, I’d rather we focus on creating a playing style and prioritise players from the academy. Results may suffer buy I’d have more pride in the team and get behind them more than I can under the present regime. I wrote about this here:

      https://mrmisanthropeblog.wordpress.com/2019/02/01/friend-fry-worth-a-try/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

    2. I think the biggest obstacle to Steve Gibson selling Boro (if he indeed would ever contemplate doing so) is that essentially the club owes him almost £100m as his investment over the years is still technically a loan to the club.

      It was reported a few years ago that this loan is ‘repayable on demand’ but it was said the accounts have usually included a signed letter of support that the loans “will not be recalled within 12 months”.

      It essentially means legally the club owe him the money that he has put in over the years but he’s not currently asking for that money to be paid back. It’s therefore likely if he ever were to sell the club he would look to have that sum included in any price negotiated for MFC.

      Of course whether a buyer would be prepared to pay anything of that £100m is debatable as the value of the club would be determined by it’s assets, projected income and debts (i.e. loans to Steve Gibson). I suspect the price in the end would be based on what Steve Gibson would be willing to accept.

  110. We always say “if it hadn’t been for the points deduction.”

    The alternative theory is that if the points hadn’t been deducted we wouldn’t have been so fired up to put things right. Just four defeats in sixteen after it happened.

    Charlton, and Saipan for Ireland, had a similar effect – the team were geed up, psyched up and got a string of results thanks to the “Everyone’s Against Us or The Manager” mentality,

    Yet all three ended in tears. There will always be a sadness to that, club and managers (McCarthy and Karanka) having a bad taste in their mouths that they will never get rid of. One club’s needs coming across as bigger than those of the rest of the PL, intentions be damned. One man coming across as bigger than the squad all along.

    Football can be a fickle, unforgiving beast.

  111. Everybody on this blog (including me) has had his say on the debacle at Newport, and I think we are all barking up the wrong tree.
    Nothing that has happened to us this season, could possibly be down to who played or who did well, we have suffered such unimaginable malfunctions that were out of the blue, during matches, that we are forced into thinking the unthinkable.
    That our manager is out of control, out of his depth, and quite frankly has lost the plot.
    It is important to remember that we actually went in at half time level. This meant that in the real world they had missed their chance of glory, because no senior team was going to repeat the complete no show, no effort, no talent, moreover the team that had blown it was going to be fed up knowing what was coming their way.
    The fact that they did repeat the dose, with bells on. No heart, no clue, no running, on or off the ball, I’m very much afraid puts a very big target on Pulis’s back.
    There has been no indication that he possesses anything between his ears with which to put things right.
    So it looks like by by, and don’t ring me I’ll ring you.

    1. I think the club decided that a realisable tilt (especially after last weekends results) at promotion was more likely than making the Cup Final especially with City up next. Even a Play Off final would yield more than the Man City tie so that to me is the only explanation why it looked like they didn’t give a stuff against Newport.

      That theory would be fine until you then look at the selection of Wing carrying an injury and Downing sat on the bench when he could have started without affecting his contract. Then there’s the option to have given Fletcher, Gestede, Tavernier and even VLP an outing for fitness reasons. Bizarre, all very bizarre indeed, or just sheer incompetent stupidity.

      Anyway on a brighter note during a Leeds Presser today I see that Paddy came out and said about facing Boro “I’ve got a lot of love for that club and I enjoyed my time there. I haven’t got a bad word to say.”

  112. Like his former manager, there is ongoing debate about Bamford’s Boro legacy.

    Statistically, at least, there should be no debate for either. 32 goals in two Championship seasons, and 85 and 89 points respectably for the manager, should settle the score.

    Unmatched this decade.

    I’ve no qualms with Assombalonga, either. Despite irregular starts he’s seven away from beating Bamford’s second tier Boro tally.

    Statistically is one thing, however…

  113. I have a piece on Mental Health In Football planned – and that goes for the fans who watch and debate it as well as those who play it and manage.

    A little bit of time to listen, and a little bit of acknowledging the difference that context and a period of reflection can make, can go a very long way.

    1. Simon
      It is very difficult to be rational when talking about the team that you support, but you have kindly supplied two stats. Which show the collective madness of both the fans and the board during the AK lunacy.
      One was Bamford’s stats. Quite bewildering that we or the board should have countenanced his omission from the team for any match, never mind the big matches.
      The second was AK’s stats over two seasons. 85 and 88 is a very big comfort blanket for the chairman, not forgetting the 105 million for promotion, so tell me m’lud why the hysterical screaming and dismissal of said AK because a couple of time expired players were unhappy with him as their manager?
      As the old joke goes, they were pretty easy to slap, and the saving on the wage bill would have been all profit?

  115. I admire those who make an eloquent case for standing up for footballers. Their enormous wage packets make them such an easy target, but we know they’re only part of the story.

  116. Redcar, I also could not really understand TP’s choice of starting team against lowly Newport.

    Wing suffering from a continuing niggle, Hugill needing a rest, same for Ayala.

    Downing to start to earn some of his 35K a week, Besic to try and discover last seasons form, VLP and McNair (in MF) to get some match fitness and prove their worth. Fletcher to show he just might make it.

    No Mr Pulis wanted to just take one game at a time and not think about potential injuries to important players and Leeds in the all important game (at home) to date this season.

    As GHW said you cannot possibly blame the Manager for the players diabolical display, but you can blame him for the team line up and tactics.

    He got that all wrong and as Plato said, he could not even gee them up at half time when miraculously it was still nil all.

    No, an abject failure from our Leader. Can he do better on Saturday? At this moment in time, it is hard to believe that he and the players can raise their game,

  117. Bizarrely I think we might just win. Bielsa’s Leeds are the darlings of the second tier and we are coming off the back of a humiliation – so expect us to up our game. Two of the best performances of 2007-08 came after the Cardiff surrender.

    1. As the saying goes its always darkest before the Dawn, lets hope that we see an upturn in Boro’s fate at the Riverside sometime soon, preferably tomorrow at 1.00 pm.

  119. I am beginning to question my sanity as I booked hotels for next month’s Preston and Norwich games as soon as I finished watching the Newport horror show.

    1. David

      If you start to display any other eccentric behavioural patterns please seek professional help immediately and remember if you need to talk we are all here for you to share in your darkest Boro supporting moments.

    1. I’m with you on that Jarkko, that I’d be happy with that result even if it was an own goal that separated us. However, for me to even begin to believe that that happiness is likely to be repeated in the next fixture and the one after that and all to the end of the season, then more than just the result, we need to see the Boro playing on the front foot from kick off, especially at home and against weaker opposition.
      Till that happens while wanting and cheering every victory I am going to remain with a nagging doubt that we are capable of delivering enough of those results to achieve promotion.

      1. We need a performance that unites the fans, the players, the club and the manager. We need to see intent from the off with some passion, blood and guts and intent on display. A few crunching tackles and the fans will be behind them. The usual limp, wimpy negative slow start and maybe falling behind made even worse by passing sidewards and backwards showing little endeavour will turn things Toxic.

  121. Elsewhere, the sad news that the body of Sala has been recovered from the channel will hopefully bring some closure for his family. Sadly no news of the pilot but our wishes go out to his family as well.

    In a bitter twist Cardiff receive an invoice for the first part of his transfer payment.

    I dont know what to think.

  122. In terms of keeping alive any automatic hopes, I think the game against Leeds is a must win. I mentioned in the article that defeat would most likely leave Boro ten points behind Leeds and ten points behind Norwich if they win at home to bottom club Ipswich.

    Clawing back ten points in the remaining third of the season is an extremely tall order – not impossible but it would require a stunning run of form by Boro or a collapse in form by one of the other two.

    So far in the first two-thirds of the season, Leeds and Norwich have won just over half their games, drawn about a third and lost a sixth – Boro in the event of not winning on Saturday will have won just 13 games from 30.

    If Boro match the top two’s season form they will manage around 9 wins and 5 draws and lose 2 of their remaining games – or 32 points. It leaves those top two clubs needing only 22 points from 15 games – something like 6 wins and 4 draws.

    However, if the top two maintain their current points rate, then Boro would need around 42 points from the remaining 48 on offer – which is perhaps too much of a stretch even for the most optimistic.

    Granted Leeds have had a wobble in recent weeks with 4 losses from the last 6 games – so a win on Saturday for Boro will take the club within 4 points and continue the momentum – especially if they can follow it up next week against Sheff Utd.

    Though I feel it has to be a win to keep our automatic chances on the table – defeat will surely put that option out of reach and then the danger is losing momentum with the Riverside faithful venting their anger with another home defeat. After that it may be a struggle to hang in for a top six position – especially with Bristol City and Derby possibly drawing level on points.

  123. mrmisanthropeblog – Just had time to read the “Friend & Fry’ worth a try” blog article and it was a good read. I would probably agree with much of what you wrote and think the club is probably preparing for a post-Pulis era.

    I suspect the fan-base has not really warmed to Pulis – I don’t recall hearing his name chanted at the Riverside and don’t feel there is much of a connection. Even with Aitor Karanka’s less than exciting fare, the supporters used to sing his name (when they weren’t chanting “attack, attack, attack”).

    Whether it’s a conscious decision not to give Pulis any more money because the club have decided it’s no longer worth the gamble of pushing for an automatic slot and instead hope Pulis will make the play-offs again but somehow succeed.

    I suspect the club hierarchy who also watch the games may even be aware that Pulis-style football is not an easy watch for the supporters at the Riverside – just how would that look under a smaller low frills budget may not be worth the experiment.

    If Boro start next season in the Championship under Pulis and the home displays are more of the same then he most likely won’t be around to see the clocks go back. If Boro want to go down the route of promoting youth and buying young promising players then Tony Pulis is probably not your man.

      1. I would agree with that OFB but as is his want he can also be stubborn and wear blinkers to the blindingly obvious. Perhaps if he had some cash to spend at the time and not be encumbered by other managers unwanted baggage then it may have turned out better but “it was what it was” and those last six months were as bad as any I can recall from a Boro manager. It would be great if the Club could have a new manager and a clean slate, able to pick and choose his perfect 25 man squad in his own image but that will never happen anywhere, any-time and at any club.

        Managers have a short (and increasingly shorter) shelf life and that means playing the hand you have been dealt with and getting the most out of them whilst adding and tweaking here and there but they will never reach that Nirvana of an ideal state. Dealing with styles and skills you don’t particularly admire is a challenge let alone dealing with players whom you dislike and vice versa. Management skills are tested to the limit just dealing with that and that is before they start meticulously absorbing the next opponents scouting file along with your own tactical master-plan. Assombalonga, Rhodes, Bamford and dare I say it Scott McDonald are just a few examples of players who Boro Managers seemingly shoehorned rather than appreciated instead preferring others with characteristics and traits more harmonious with their own ideals regardless of effectiveness.

        For me in a Manager selection interview I would send them the squad list first and ask them to prepare their proposal on who, what, were, why and when they would utilise what they would have to work with. Then ask their plan on their proposed methodology and changes including tactics, sales and possible targeted incomings. Hopefully those carrying out the interviews already know the bad eggs, the donkeys and the poor performers as well as the “gaps”, the under achieving, even the over achieving and everyone else in between. My guess is that it would illustrate very quickly who will be destabilising everything, who is a space cadet with far reached ideas and who has a sensible pragmatic, organised approach that can build without ripping asunder the foundations. Reality is that they probably look at what has been done in an entirely different set of circumstances and background and then wonder why it isn’t working six months in. That applies to all clubs, not a swipe just at Boro and maybe lends some credence to the Watford model perhaps?

      2. Agree RR that mogga could be stubborn in his team selections but he did not have a lot to choose from.
        Right manager, wrong time.
        The questions you would pose at interview are valid but I am not convinced that the interviewer, whowever he may be, would know the answers.
        That, I fear is the problem with non footballing exceutives recruiting managers.

    2. Werder,

      Pulis has already put the clocks back 70 years.

      And that’s being kind.

      I don’t recall the Boro resorting to such primitive methods even in the 1940s- the era of midden pitches, heavy boots, rain-sodden casies, and beer-bellied players.
      We have always at least tried to play football

      Brilliant handling of the Newport rumours by the way. A model that everyone should seek to follow, and laying down a principle that should be part of everyone’s basic education in the digital age.

    3. Thanks for the read werder. I do wonder what is going through Steve Gibson’s mind with regards to Boro at the minute. The Karanka regime ended in acrimony. He respected Agnew who was a disaster. Monk lasted barely 5 minutes & I think he made a faustian pact with Pulis in selling the soul of our football club in exchange for a return to the PL. The problem is it looks unlikley that Pulis will deliver on his end of the bargain. Should Pulis be true to form & keep his team in the same division that it started the season in it will be interesting to see where Gibson goes from here. Just carrying on as we are doesn’t seem a viable option.

      1. I think that Gibson had seemingly been after Pulis for a long time so he’s going to stick by him – especially as Boro are in the top six. The question is how long will Pulis commit to being on Teesside living from essentially his hotel room and what will Gibson do if the crowd becomes hostile to the manager. Neither position is probably sustainable over a long period – though if promotion is achieved then it’s a different ball game.

    2. Boro have hung out their dirty washing in public this week.
      Hoping for some home comfort.
      The spin cycle has finished so lets peg up the red shirts and leave the dirties in the wash basket.
      This week has been nothing but a soap opera.

    3. OH NO, GHW that definitely means a bad result (respectfully) your predictions have been as bad as the Boro.
      Still one continues to hope that things will change

  125. Just watched Tony Pulis’s press conference but not a lot said as usual. He didn’t really want to talk about Tuesday as “they’ve moved on”. He briefly responded to the social media allegations but said they’ve discussed the incident among themselves and reminded players to not react to provocation. He only said one player might have reacted but it was nothing remotely as described on social media – or ‘fake news’ as he more or less called it.

    The press conference reminds me of PMQ’a where backbench Tory MPs ask nice easy questions and nobody pressed him on what actually happened with the Cup game.

    If you want to watch it – here’s the link
    https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/watch-tony-pulis-pre-match-media-conference-42

    1. Link Headline: Boro fans left furious after players mock them following Newport defeat

      🔴 Sorry OFB, your post actually went into the spam folder but the link you posted is again just referring to “claims made on social media” and appear to be just based on that single unsubstantiated Tweet by one individual. In that respect, I agree with Tony Pulis that the social media storm is not based on ‘truth’ or at least verifiable truth. The problem is the article is then followed by abusive comments that start making wild claims.

      OK, I suspect from the press conference that a player has reacted to something that was said by some of the travelling supporters but until we get something more substantial than a reference beyond that single tweet then it’s just a libellous rumour.

      btw: Just added the headline of the article to give the context but I noticed several of the Tweets that follow the article are the same ones that I saw on the original Twitter feed. Incidentally many of the Tweets are just reactions to the other Tweets.

      Werdermouth

      2. Werder
        I do appreciate your attempts to moderate the alledged skirmish between fans and players but I do feel that it is in the public interest and should be up for debate amongst consenting adults.
        I do not know the contents of OFB’s post as it has been sensored and the link removed.
        Surely the object of this blog is to encoutage debate on all things Boro, however unpalatable, as long as it is done respectfully and without swearwords or risk of legal action.
        I would like to choose weather or not to click on Bobs link.
        Please dont shut down debate unless totally necessary, this is the best blog and the only social media I am involved in and I appreciate all your efforts in making this blog the success it is.

        1. There was no text in OFBs post just a link, which I have instead replaced with the headline of the article instead. The site is football betting site with lots of ads to claim free bets and the article is based on “claims” in several foul-mouth tweets that are listed below the article under the heading ‘Boro fans fight back on social media’.

          I suspect this is not the level of debate you seek but feel free to Google the headline and check it out but it’s not what I’d label reliable information. As I mentioned in the press conference link, Tony Pulis has admitted one player has reacted to abuse from supporters and if it’s like any of the self-righteous abusive tirades being expressed in some of those Tweets then I personally don’t hold it against him – I probably would have done the same.

          We could debate in our reasonable manner whether it is OK or not for a player to react to crowd abuse – which I think is the only real piece of information that has been verified by anyone outside the Twitter angry mob.

          I should add that I personally don’t want to give any more publicity to these particular individuals who are just little more than internet trolls in my book.

      3. Thanks for the reply Werder.
        My concern is not the details of the alleged slanging match but the closing down of debate on an issue that is relevant to our team, true or not.
        I understand that social media is a pain and deleting links may be necessary but there does seem to be a reluctance from you to deabate this issue.

        1. I have actually posted quite a bit on the allegations but my position is that unless these claims that seem to based mainly on one Tweet are verified by a reliable source of information then what is it that you are saying we should debate?

          Although, anyone is free to post and discuss what they like providing it’s not making or repeating unfounded claims that I will ultimately be responsible for legally (as the site owner) if they ultimately prove to be libellous. Tony Pulis said today that what has been posted on social media was fiction and as yet no player has been named as the one who had reacted to the crowd abuse.

        2. Old Billy / Werder

          It was not my intention to cause any disruption or problems other than to post something which I read and shared

          It was an incident which has troubled me after a poor performance and after a series of poor performances which has Boro support in turmoil

          I would not comment on the incident because everyone can make their own mind up although Pulis has confirmed that one player definitely responded to the crowd

          Hopefullly a 30k plus crowd will get things back to normality on Saturday and we can move on

          OFB

      4. OFB – I didn’t doubt for a minute your intentions were as always only to help share what you had thought was going on – I’m just not clear as to whether what has occurred is as what is being claimed by a few Tweets and also that article was purely based on a few unsavoury Tweets.

    2. Werder,

      Thanks for the link. I don’t know what that was but it certainly wasn’t a press conference. More like a pre-arranged choreographed chat between mates, carefully avoiding any serious questions, and concentrating on dated diversionary issues such as Spygate.

      We know from past pressers that Pulis is uneasy when faced with direct questions. He avoids eye contact, shifts uneasily and gives the impression that he can’t wait to get away.

      Here he was all smiles- inappropriate in the circumstances – and giving the impression that he had all morning to spare. The characteristic body rock I’ll leave for the psychologists and body language experts to decipher. A childhood self-comforting device perhaps?

      Your PMQs analogy is all too accurate. Only by ridiculing such obvious attempts to manage public perceptions can we hope to undermine them. Stopping them, since it’s now a multi-billion pound industry, seems impossible.

      1. Given that all the journalists had all week been writing in their respective publications that Tuesday was one of the worst performances by a Boro team in a cup tie that they could recall, it was odd that nobody even ventured towards prising an explanation from Tony Pulis. We learned more about the journey home than the actual game and everyone seemed to settle for ‘we’ve moved on’. At least Pulis did offer his sympathy to the supporters that had made the 12-hour round trip but we’re still none the wiser – all we had in the post-match press conference was that “It was men against boys”. A game that will never again be spoken of – it didn’t happen!

  126. For all Mogga’s promotion of youth there wasn’t as much of it as we thought. It was a forerunner to the AK reign with loanees like Hammill, Bikey and McEachran coming in, and later Dyer and Sammy Ameobi. By early 2013 the clamours to play Reach, L. Williams and possibly Smallwood were pretty large. I remember writing in August 2013 that all of them were in their twenties and it would soon be time to stop saying that they were “about” to come good.

    AK didn’t destroy the academy. He just amplified a modern football trend. The loss aversion is too strong at the top, which is why clubs prefer to shop ‘til they drop. And it’s worth noting that Reach got a lot of games under him. Gibson developed too, and Fry began his development.

    1. Simon

      At the time and since I highlighted the game time the ‘kids’ got under Mogga. In his first full season I think there were a handful of appearances by our Academy graduates.

      In his Baggies two there were no academy graduates ( unless you include Brunt and Morrison!!)

      After Southgate there were complaints about Strachan not playing homegrown players – Anlov was forever posting but I did the research and they played the same number in the matchday squads under both managers. Luke Williams got his debut under Strachan at Barnsley, Smallwood came in to the squad from. (I did wonder whether Anlov was actually Gates very lovely wife, Alison)

      In some ways Strachan did better because Bates, Rhys Williams and McMahon had long spells in the treatment room, months not weeks.

      The difficulty can be when the narrative doesn’t quite fit.

      Pulis fancies Gestede – which is why he tried to offload him in Januar! Pulis brought on Gestede instead of Bamford in the playoff second leg because he didn’t fancy Bamford. The reality could quite well be that we had tried passing through Villa’s massed ranks with no effect so Pulis tried Hoof ball.

      Pulis has enough on his charge sheet as did Strachan and AK to be quilty as charged

  127. Andrew Glover circa mid 2013…

    “There was… poison thrown in the manager’s direction.

    “Luke Williams was transformed into Juan Mata and Adam Reach became the next Ryan Giggs. That sounds silly? That’s more or less how it played out.

    “The youngsters – and not just Williams and Reach – were another of the season’s biggest bugbears. They did get their chances and more often than not they fluffed them.

    “There has to be a concern that many of them have landed mid-to-long term deals before they deserve them. Where’s their hunger? What have they got to prove? There no danger of other clubs raiding Rockliffe for players yet to show they can compete consistently in the Championship.”

    1. A similar claim has been made for Tav and Wing this season. Wing seems to be proving himself to be of some merit while Tav hasn’t had a long enough run to prove or disprove but every game he misses he becomes better and better.

      In all these cases however it has to be taken in the context of the here and now and not with hindsight. Tavernier for example is our highest scoring midfielder despite probably having the least amount of minutes on the pitch. He isn’t without his frailties however as we know and he may in ten years time have carved out an illustrious career at the likes of Gateshead, Grimsby and Lincoln but right here and right now he does seemingly offer something just as Reach and Co. did back then that the present incumbents don’t or won’t.

      The fact that Downing couldn’t hit a cows backside with a banjo (or Clayts, Howson or Besic come to that) just amplifies Tav’s “skills” and in doing so polarises opinion whether actual or perceived.

  128. Some interesting fixtures this weekend.

    Tonight sees Villa at home to the Blades, a win for the Blades would see them level on points with Leeds and Norwich but on top with a better GD (albeit with an extra game played). Psychologically that would put great pressure on the Dirties against us tomorrow and for the Canaries in their Tractor Derby on Sunday (admittedly I can’t see Ipswich getting anything other than mauled at Carrow Road).

    Should Villa win tonight then a win for us tomorrow would leave us a point behind Sheffield with that Bristol Home game in hand. West Brom meanwhile have a tricky away tie at Stoke at 5.30 pm tomorrow tea time. The staggering of all the Kick Off times could make things interesting as the Championship scenery fluctuates over the weekend.

  130. For what it may be worth, I have to support Werder in his censoring of uncorroborated news, fake or not. Social media in many ways is terrible with its vile comments and abuse of people, all without course to justification. One cannot argue that it needs more control.

    May be it was Gestede and possibly that did not help. However (if it was and that has not been proven yet) as much as I do not like him as a footballer, he, as do all persons deserve respect, until through their actions they lose it.

    1. OK, it’s not necessarily my plan to censor or verify news before links can be posted but since OFB’s link was picked up by the spam filter (sometimes because the site is possibly blacklisted on some database) – so I had to check it out and approve the link.

      I’m not a Twitter user or into social media but I’m of the view that we need to be careful on how much credence we give Tweets or social media posts that make claims. I’m not saying something didn’t occur but it sounds like it’s all been wildly exaggerated and twisted by those who want to believe certain players should be kicked out of the club.

    2. Censoring is not the answer Pedro.
      We are adults and unless the subject is illegal or libelous then as consenting adults we must be able to make our own minds up.
      Who knows what happened, but please dont sweep it under the carpet as TP did and dont shut down debate

      1. And at this moment Old Billy, we do not know what the truth is or really what has been alleged.

        I am not for censorship and believe in the “free press” as long as it conducts itself correctly. Investigative journalism should never be lost.

        Social Media is quite something else, in my opinion.

  131. Thanks Werder
    Not suggesting anyone should be kicked out of the club.
    My beif is censorship and closing of debate because for some it is unpalatable

    2. Unfortunately Werder is responsible for what appears on this blog, therefore His stance is perfectly understandable. I agree that social media and sites like Twitter are a blight on modern day life.

      What used to be curtain twitchers have suddenly found a platform to anonymously write anything they want to without any way of being held to account. Usually after imbibing “ finger looseners”.

      If any readers didn’t see the original link a simple google search will turn it up.

  132. Old Billy,

    I’m not in favour of censorship either. But with respect I do not believe that any meaningful debate is being stifled if what is being suggested for debate comes from a dubious uncorroborated source.

    Just have a quick glance at the other sites which are purporting to “debate” this issue. They largely consist of unnecessary bile which invariably begins with the words,”If it is true that…”,

    To which there is only one answer.

    “If”.

    Any other comment is pointless, because fact-free debate is pointless. It’s not debate. It’s just gossip.

    Werder is 100% right in defending this admirable blog from the trollery, rumour- mongering and pointless fact-free arguments that pollute just about every other internet blog.

    Don’t criticise him for taking a principled stand that is not at all about censorship but about maintaining the integrity of this blog, which I am sure, as a valued contributor, that you fully appreciate.

    We are incredibly lucky to have such a perceptive curator. Long may the little miracle that is this blog continue. But it will not do so without continued vigilance of the kind that Werder has shown here.

    1. Thanks Len and you seem to have made the point I was trying to make of debating social media gossip is just essentially joining in the gossip – but when the gossip is mainly bile comment based on ‘ifs’ then what is there to add unless some verified facts emerge.

    1. OK so if TP said nothing happened thats fine by me. I will accept his version of events over the Boro fans. He never lies, he is so sincere and I hang on his every word.
      What I cannot believe is suddenly TP has become judge and most accept his word and want to forget that anything ever happened, if it happened, allegedly.
      As it is all now in the past I look forward to the match today, forcasting a score draw 1-1 Paddy puts them in front and Hugill scores a late penalty,

      1. It’s clear something happened and Tony Pulis didn’t say nothing happened, he did mention in his press conference that there was an incident with supporters at the end of the game and one player reacted to being abused – just nothing of the level claimed on social media.

        Anyway, here’s how the Northern Echo reported what he said in the press conference if you’re still worried it’s being hushed up…

        https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/17420403.tony-pulis-ive-had-a-chat-with-the-players-and-sorted-things-out/

  134. Very worried about tomorrow. Have just come back from Jury’s Inn where the Dirties squad could be heard openly discussing our tactics.
    “One up front”, “lack of pace”, “narrow, static midfield” and even “slow, nervous start” were all mentioned.
    Obviously Bielsa has been up to his old tricks because there is no way he could have gotten hold of such red hot inside information by fair means.
    The cunning swine.

    1. Wiggy’s mate,

      Man with a limp wearing a leather trench coat and wire-rimmed spectacles seen at Rockliffe? Don’t know why, it’s common knowledge but very ‘The 39 Steps’ or more likely ‘The riddle of Redcar Sands’.

      UTB,

      John

    3. As Gatekeeper you must always ask three questions of posters but if they get one wrong then they will be cast into the Gorge of Internet Peril…

      1. What is your name?
      2. What is your quest?
      3. What is a Tweet?

  137. Well that must have been a match to watch. Super Utd
    on a very limited budget showing everybody how to do it, and an ageing centre forward proving everybody wrong.

    Then three goals in 8 minutes and it’s all square. Unbelievable. Probably the best result for us.

  138. Do not be surprised if this is the starting eleven tomorrow:

    Randolph
    Fry
    Flint
    Ayala
    Shotton
    Friend
    Obi Mikel
    Howson
    Wing
    Saville
    Hugill

    Just my best guess.

    Come on BORO.

  139. A glorious opportunity today to get within 2 points of SheffU and 4 of LeedsU and still with a game in hand on both. The added bonus of victory over the dirties is that each goal we win by will reduce the goal difference difference with them by 2. So victory by 2 goals will put us on equal goal difference.

    Hoping that the crowd is vociferous in support as the kick off approaches and the team react to that with a fervour, taking the I initiave from the off.
    The team selection and the way they are lined up will have a lot to do with both of those things.

    I can’t believe we will be as bad again as reported on Tuesday. Leeds have repeatedly showed their frailties, especially when they are closed down on the ball quickly.

    I’m expecting the Boro will come out having something they want to prove so will be right into Leeds. If we do, I can see some of the Leeds players getting stuck back in a little too feistily and one of them getting an early bath. So I am anxiously optimistic we will have the beating of them 2-0.
    COB

  140. If we are to get anything from today’s game then I believe we need to display the drive, commitment, intensity and team spirit that we did when we played Leeds at Elland Road. That for me has been one of, if not, the best performance of the season.

    We pressed high as a team, closed Leeds down and fought and harried them into a game of possession which resulted in them showing little in the way of an attacking threat. We moved the ball quickly once possession was regained and with a little more composure/luck could have come away with the three points.

    I really thought after that display the team had reached a new level and would kick on and really boss the league. Instead it appears that all the pre-season conditioning was all dissipated in that match and the team has been a shadow of that performance since.

    I think Exmil has made a good stab at today’s team selection albeit much will depend upon injuries; TP was playing it coy, as he often does, in his press conference so we will have to wait and see. If we are depleted as a result of Tuesday night then that is clearly an issue to lay at his door. If fit, I think that Besic may get the nod over Howson.

    Whilst many have said that we can’t play as badly again as Tuesday and one would hope not, there is still the “typical Boro” factor to consider and the fact that our home form has been so dire. The booing during the game has not helped and I believe the players are no longer confident at home and come out fearing the worst from the off which plays into opposition hands.

    It is now crunch time and the team need to man up and give the crowd something to get behind as not to do so could turn things very ugly and very quickly.

    I hope I am wrong but I fear it will be a case of at best 0-0 but more likely;

    False Hope (after West Brom) 0 – 2 Dirties (Bamford & Harrison).

    CoB prove me wrong 😎😒

  142. Despite not liking Tony Pulis’s style of play I think he has handled the situation after the Newport debacle exemplarily. He’s reminded a player that the fans have every right to criticise, and that we move on. I’m also sure that Werdermouth has better things to do than explain his reluctance to comment on unestablished rumours, so full marks from me in his tactful way of saying ‘let’s move on’.

    I agree that it was unwise for Tony Pulis to select such a strong team for the Cup tie, but knowing his love for the FA Cup it was probably not such a surprise. The real fault was that Boro should have put the tie to bed at the Riverside. Cup results often don’t go to form, so Boro’s win at West Brom and Leeds’s defeat to Norwich should be considered as a true guide to form. Leeds have scored in every away match this season, so are due a blank today. Boro to win 1-0.

  143. To go along with Ken, Leeds have conceded 10 goals in 2019, only Bolton have conceded more and we have kept 4 clean sheets in the past 5 games. Also Britt has most goals as a sub in the Championship and Patrick Bamford has had two shots on target this season and scored twice.

  144. The midweek travelling and exertions (not a lot on the pitch), niggles from standing still in cold wet conditions may well have taken their toll.

    I know we say they are professionals and it shouldn’t matter but it does have an effect. How much we wil see.

    Cold logic should favour Leeds but we are Boro after all.

    Head says Dirties, heart says Boro, daft quid says a draw.

  146. I can’t imagine what the game is going to be like today. If Boro start off like an oil tanker and take the first half to get up a head of steam they’ll be out of it by half-time. If they get in amongst them and don’t make daft mistakes it could go the other way. The trouble is that there really is nothing that is predictable about them. Can they be as bad as Tuesday? Most say no but remember who we are talking about and Boro are at home.

    I don’t feel optimistic but then I didn’t last Saturday but did on Tuesday.

    Boro not United 1 – 2 Leeds United

    Who knows, I’ve got more chance of winning the lottery.

    UTB,

    John

    1. I’m convinced Leeds will start all out on the front foot knowing that if they hole Boro below the waterline in the opening twenty minutes the tension in the Riverside will be at breaking point.

      It also means that is when they could be most vulnerable!

  147. If it was an away game I would be a little bit more confident than I am at present. Leeds score but they also concede. Tuesday aside we can defend but can’t score.

    Common sense would say its got a draw written all over it. Key will be how we approach the game, get the fans up for it and the atmosphere will be electric. If we have a typical Tony home performance however then if things go wrong it could be a no return turning point with the fans. Equally true however is that if they go well it could also be a positive turning point. We are long overdue a decisive home performance, as fans we haven’t seen anything of merit at the Riverside since August.

    I’m optimistic that TP and the players will want to redeem themselves for their own professional pride if nothing else. If they don’t put a shift in today they fully deserve all they get. Despite that I’m going for a Boro win by two clear goals.

  149. Somehow I expect Boro to lose as surely the Leeds players will know that they only have to start reasonably ok to have most possession and be in the driving seat.

    On the other hand ! if we win it could be the turning point for the season .
    Would most of us settle for a decent performance and a draw?
    Philip

  150. So it’s the Exmil XI starting so no real pace on the pitch and a lone striker – Boro need to start with intensity and not hand the initiative to Leeds from the off. I think if we concede early we will lose but if we score first then who knows…

    Prediction: 1-0

  154. The wind spoiling the game a little, may be that is why Boro choose the way they did to kick off.

    Slow to get into the game once more, but finally they did and although Leeds have had a fair number of attacks and balls into our box, it really should be Boro in the lead.
    We bought Flint and paid the extra money for his goals but he has failed on that account so far this season and did so today, missing a relatively easy chance, in fact he did not even hit the target.

    All to plat for though

  155. From the Beeb’s text commentary on the match (13.28):

    Aden Flint doesn’t miss many from inside the area – but he’s just wasted two decent opportunities in the space of about three minutes here.

    This time he’s about six yards from goal, trying to convert Ryan Shotton’s decent cross, but his connection is poor and the chance goes begging.

    Boro are on top.

    Charitable comment on Flint, methinks!

  157. Wingy put us one up:

    Does nobody fancy going top of the Championship this weekend?!

    It’s the perfect start to the second half for Middlesbrough, who go in front through Lewis Wing’s shot from George Friend’s cut-back.

    Marcelo Bielsa’s side have it all to do.

    Now, keep up the good work, lads! *runs to break out prayer mat*

  161. I thought generally Boro did rather well today but Wing going off showed how much we rely on him and his positive forward play.

    Also thought Mr Pulis got it wrong bringing on Besic in his place adding nothing to take away any pressure and compounding it by then bringing on Clayton. Not good substitutions in my opinion. Two lost points really.

  162. Disappointing, but you’ve got to hand it to Leeds. How many times have they and Norwich scored late goals? Seems as if Pulis got his substitutes wrote bringing on Besic instead of Saville. Shotton on his feet towards the end, but Boro pretty poor in the second half. I look forward to Redcar Red’s take on proceedings.

  163. I had a few problems with the stream in both halves but able to see the goals, regrettably the equaliser looked like it was coming for a while.

    Gutted, feels like a loss rather than a deserved point.

    Shame we could not make significant progress on the leaders and this adds more pressure to the Sheffield game where we need another point at least.

    CoB

  164. Disappointed. It will be interesting to hear what those who saw it thought, especially after we had scored. The Guardian had Leeds with 70% possession overall which makes it sound like we were not really at the races. Poor statistic for a home performance if it is accurate.

  165. We had 37% possession against Brentford at home in the play-off second leg, yet it didn’t matter. We were compact, organised, soaked it all up and what we did, we did very well – Tomlin, Kike and Albert’s goals were beautifully taken. Even Mark Warburton admitted that the Bees weren’t the best team on the night, and future Burnley man Andre Gray didn’t get the service he needed.

    In short – you can control games without having so much of the ball. Just be in the position to not allow the other team to be truly effective with it.

  166. Before anyone else has chance to devalue Boro’s performance, in my opinion we were the better side even with less possession but we ran out of steam in the last 15 minutes. Not impressed with the officials throughout the game, I think the events of Tuesday took their toll in the end, the crowd around me in the east upper applauded the team off, well deserved.

    Come on BORO.

  167. Disappointed. It may seem bizarre but had we held on we’d have been four points off second, albeit with an inferior goal difference, and with Norwich still to come to the Riverside. Credit to Pulis where it’s due, our record against our top six brethren is pretty impressive – W3 D4 L1, though not quite on par with Aitor’s W6 D3 L1 from 2015-16.

    The problem’s similar – a cautious, reactive, contain-and-strike approach is perfect against top teams who want to come out and control the game themselves, but more spontaneity is needed to break down the lesser sides.

  168. Had a good afternoon watching a game that gripped from the off. They got their goal by the law of averages, an awful lot of crosses from the same player (and corners)
    until our foolish midweek efforts caught up with us, we were cruising it, at one nil of course, any chance could go in the net, and did.
    Yet again the fans proved right when they called for Wing to be played further forward. A delightful game, causing all sorts of trouble for the opposition, and the goal was top top notch. Good ball into the box, chance to shoot at once, not a bit of it ,he calmly took a touch, and slotted it in the bottom corner, while all about him were lost. This young man is clearly better than the management think.
    Can we now have Tavernier in the team.
    Hugill was exhausted, I mean completely shot, and should have been replaced earlier than he was.

    As the last period of the match proved to be Leeds slinging high balls into our box we could have at least man marked him with a fresh player, because they depended on him absolutely for all the crosses, it would have made it very difficult for them without his service from out wide.
    Still, we can put it down to Newport.

  169. Listened to the commentary so not as good as watching but some thoughts. Wing and Saville replaced by Besic and Clayton.

    Something from the commentary made me chuckle about Besic playing so deep ‘he is going to get his feet wet’.

    My instinct is that it helped Leeds push us back. At least Downing or la Parra as one of the subs might have kept a full back honest.

  170. First “live” game since September and overall I thought a draw was a fair result. Don’t let the 69% possession stat for Leeds fool you Boro were good value for their lead and until the last 10 plus the rediculous amount of added time looked on course for the win.

    Wing took his goal beautifully and before the break should’ve been one up if it wasn’t for Flint and his inability to head the ball straight. An absolute stinker of a miss. 7-8 yards out, fairly central and no one anywhere near him yet he managed to totally miss the goal when it must’ve been easier to get it on target. It was very reminiscent of Billy Ashcroft v Orient in the cup at Brisbane Road.

    The ref was absolute garbage as far as I’m concerned and he was abley assisted by both the linesmen, in particular the one running the line by the East stand who appeared to be scared of making a decision, looking at the ref like a puppy dog for which way to wave his flag for even the most obvious of throw ins.

    When the ref blew to stop the game when the Leeds player became “ill” the scoreboard clock said 80 minutes and some seconds. When he blew to restart I read 87 minutes and some seconds. Fair enough but where he conjured up an additional 5 minutes from only he knows. Not once did he have to chivvy the Boro players on for time wasting.

    There was an air of inevitability about the equaliser which given the way the whole team had defended set pieces during the proceeding 100 minutes was a real sickner.

    I will state here and now that I was wrong to be so pessimistic when we signed Mikel. He looks to be on a totally different level than those we have at the club in that position.

    Also a big shout out for Howson and Saville today. They both picked up from where I saw them last against West Brom. Howson looked to have added a little bit of (controlled) aggression to his game today and as for Saville, he may not be worth £7 million on his previous performances but if he progresses like he has done in the last couple of league games it may turn out to be not quite as bad a buy as most (me included) thought.

    A bit of praise for TP as well. Tactically I think he got it spot on from the start for once.

    Off to York and staying over with Mrs FAA on Tuesday for her birthday and she’s even suggested we go to Bramhall Lane on the Wednesday to watch the Boro, the first time in the 24 years we’ve been together she’s ever suggested going to a game. I’ve checked my car and there’s no damage so I’m at a loss to think what she’s done!

  171. Ian

    Both Besic (surprisingly) and Clayton did fine when they came on. I agree a forward thinking winger would have helped us defend from the front a bit more and been an outlet to help relive the pressure.

  173. Well it was a case of almost but not quite as Boro had kept a clean sheet for 100 minutes and looked like closing the gap on Leeds to just 4 points – sadly it was not to be and instead Boro are now looking over their shoulder as both the Robins and Rams won to leave us just a single point above 7th place. Although was it a worthy point or two vital points dropped – here’s Redcar Red with his match report…

    https://diasboro.club/2019/02/09/boro-1-1-leeds/

  175. After reading on here today about the subs being wrong and we should have put on attacking players VLP and Downing mentioned. The team was tiring rapidly, after Tuesday’s events while Leeds had the week to train, therefore putting defending midfielders on to see out the game was imho the correct tactic. If I had a pound for every time I have read on this site (and others) when we have drawn or lost a game from a winning position, people saying why didn’t we manage the game instead of going for another goal, so a manager is damned if he does or damned if he doesn’t.

    Come on BORO.

    1. In this case the Manager was damned when he didn’t play VLP and Downing (and others) on Tuesday night let alone bringing them on as Subs this afternoon. Playing Wing with an injury on Tuesday cost us today. Sitting deep, trying to absorb pressure against a side with a reputation for scoring late goals was both predictable and foreseeable. That Clayton and Besic have both been highly questionable of late in their consistency in defending didn’t make sense. Pushing players forward, catching them on the break was the most effective form of defence against a side playing open football. Leeds could pile bodies forward towards the end with impunity because they had nothing to deal with apart from an isolated Britt.

      1. Agree with that RR. Poor team selection on Tuesday did not help yesterday’s situation and especially Wing when the warning signs had been there for a number of games by TP’s own admission.

  176. It was disappointing losing late on, but I thought the team did really well on balance – they worked hard and showed attacking intent when they had the ball at their feet. The crowd was great too, a really good atmosphere. I thought Wing coming off injured changed the game a little, and Hugill getting tired meant they had less to worry about at the back – I’m not sure if attacking subs instead of defensive ones would have been better, but a draw isn’t a bad return and there were plenty of positives.

    I hope for a win on Wednesday, and don’t see why we can’t get it. A lot of the top 6 still have each other to play, but we have only Bristol and Norwich at home after Sheff Utd, so let’s keep looking up towards the top of the table.

  177. Everyone could see the pressure building for the final 30mins. Britt was the obvious choice to try to hold up the ball up front, but we needed someone in midfield to help him. We started to sit deeper and deeper with the inevitable result.
    The difference in the side once Lewis goes off is worrying as he appears to be our ‘driving force’ and shows up some of our more ‘experienced’ players,
    A good point, but two thrown away due to a lack of ambition.

  178. Thanks for your match report RR a very accurate and to the point account of what happened today

    I think it was the best home game this season and if we hadn’t had all those extra minutes of extra time we may have won

    Thanks again

    OFB

  179. Great report RR.
    I think a like to for like substitution should have been made for Wing as we had the momentum at that time.
    I agree VLP seemed the most obvious.
    The effort today was top class and all played their part.
    The equaliser was inevitable as we sat deeper and deeper, shame we couldnt clear one last cross as we had done routinely all game.
    Where the ref got 12 minutes from is beyond me.
    There were no other stoppages that I can recall, 6 subs at 30 seconds each ( one came on at start of secongd half so shouldn’t really be counted).
    So 6.5 minutes for the Clarke incident and 2.5 minutes for subs. Minimum 9 but in reality probably 10.
    Overall a draw was a fair result.
    Hope Wings injury does not keep him out of the team as he is the link and was badly missed after he went off.

  180. A draw which feels like a loss for us and a win for them, but one more point for us than I expected or hoped for.

    Re: the subs. When bringing on fresh legs, the important aspect is what you tell them to do.
    They should have been give. orders to get the ball and drive through the middle of the park, daring the opposition to win the ball and draw fouls, thus eating up the time.
    With a goal up we could afford to take the ball to the corner flag, in fact anywhere in their half would do. Besic has the ability to do this but SWNS to lack the nous, VPL may be too attacking minded and probably would have gifted the ball back, Downing probably had the brains and control to do that job.
    Great to see the Riverside rocking, and the team put in a decent performance.

  181. One big plus to be taken today was that the crowd were with the players. Hopefully the fans and team will take that forward and capitalise on it for the upcoming games.

    Still sixteen games to go yet, as we have seen a lot can happen in this league before the season is over.

  182. The crowd were with the players today for two reasons.
    The first was the fact that they all played well and showed commitment and passion.
    The second reason was the Boro were deemed the underdog and this resinated with the crowd.
    It will be different if they continue to play negative against a struggling side.
    I hope they have learnt that negative football is not necessary in this league with the squad they have.

  183. Old Billy, Wing was sat on the pitch for I would guess two minutes, as he was assessed as to whether he could carry on.

    The added on 12 minutes? that seems quite a lot is only contentious because of the timing of Leeds goal.

    For me Downing would have been a better choice for one of the subs. To finish with Mikel, Clayton and Besic did open the door to more Leeds pressure.

  184. Redcar Red,

    Thank you for your usual well written report, very informative and fair-minded too. Sounds like two points lost but I was sure Boro wouldn’t win this one, so a point offered pre-match would have been taken. By me anyway!

    If ever there was a time for Boro to start a run of serious form this is it. However we all know Boro and even if they get to the play-offs the tradition of freezing in the headlights, transport problems and weird tactics could still land us in the ‘what if’ zone.

    I hope the Leeds player is OK, a young man as fit as he obviously is collapsing really is a source for worry. Best wishes to him.

    UTB,

    John

  185. An excellent report as always thank you RR. It mirrors what I watched and as I posted yesterday the equaliser looked to be coming for a long time.

    The loss of Wing clearly did not help and at that stage, although I am not a fan, Downing would have been a better option than Besic.

    As regards the additional time, I agree with Pedro that there was a long delay before Wing went off and Besic came on, so with that, the other substitutions and the incident with the Leeds player, it was probably about right.

    Overall it was probably a fair result albeit hash on the Boro to concede so late on, so near yet so far.

    The positives are that it was a much better team performance at home and keeps an unbeaten league run going. Another point at Sheffield and a win against Bristol could change the landscape again. Could we go unbeaten to the end of the season?

    CoB 😎

  186. Thanks RR another great report,
    It was my first match since the end of November as I have had gout then straight after sciatica so unable to walk without a lot of pain. The game it self was a lot better than of late which I have watched on the links from the likes of Werder and GHW and others many thanks for that. Anyway onwards and upwards from now on.
    UTB
    Bri.

    1. Borobrie, I can sympathise with you, particularly sciatica. I thought I might have sciatica, but X-rays showed it to be arthritis from my lumber region, thigh, calf right down to my ankle. Not as bad as sciatica but no treatment can alleviate it, it’s permanent. At the moment it’s not painful, more just a nagging ache, but it does mean having to use a walking stick. I suppose it comes with old age.

  187. Whilst the performance against Leeds, particularly the first half, was much improved on what has been witnessed at the Riverside in the last 4 or 5 months, it wasn’t one that would have got me claiming Boro are now genuine top two contenders – as the Gazette headline yesterday stated.

    Instead, I’m inclined to agree with Redcar Red’s match report headline that Boro’s failure to pick up three points was down to sitting back and trying to hang on to a 1-0 lead. Wing’s 47th minute goal was actually Boro’s last shot on target and indeed there were only two further attempts on goal until the final whistle blew on the 102nd minute – a George Friend narrow angle wide effort and Britt’s snapshot when he just came on.

    Boro’s overall possession stats were quite low at just 31 per cent but if you consider the stats after the first half were in the late 30s, then the second half possession must have been around just 25% – quite extraordinary for a home side that wasn’t playing Barcelona. OK, some may suggest Boro were sitting back and playing on the counter attack but just doing the sitting back is not the complete remit for a counter-attacking game.

    Boro had little outlet for the last 25 minutes and simply invited Leeds to try and score against them – Leeds had 10 attempts on goal and 5 corners during this period. It doesn’t strike me tactically as the best way of seeing a game out and for all the talk of Boro missing the pace of Adama at home, Pulis decided against putting on VLP to at least give Leeds something to think about or even Downing who he has previously regarded as the perfect choice for seeing a game out.

    So despite good energy from the players in the first hour it was left with Boro trying to hang on – whether it was an excuse that Boro were tired from their midweek exertions may depend on your view of whether any of the players actually exerted themselves on that Tuesday that never happened.

    Still at least the Boro players put in the effort on Saturday and showed they wanted to play for the team and for that we should be grateful after the Newport debacle. A point before the game would probably have satisfied most but three would have given us further momentum.

    1. Werder

      And yet with all that overwhelming possession they managed a single goal in 102 minutes of football. As the saying goes “there are lies, damn lies and statistics.”

      For me up until the enforced break Leeds were a busted flush. What they threw at the Boro was dealt with, admittedly at times with some last ditch defending. I replied to Ian that a more attack minded sub rather than Clayton would’ve been my preferred option but TP couldn’t have foreseen a Leeds player being taken ill. If not for that I’m fairly sure we would have held out for the win.

      Before the West Brom game we were assured that Boro would get nothing apart from a hammering from these two games. As it is we got a return of four points.

      1. I agree in that I didn’t think Leeds were that great and perhaps may explain why they’d lost four of their previous six games – but if you allow any team 10 shots on your goal in the closing stages one of them may always find its way into the net even with bad luck. Allowing them to dictate the last 25 minutes will have only given them momentum and to be fair they had already hit the post and gone close before the eventual goal. Playing more of the game in their half would have been better in avoiding an equaliser.

        I suspect the break in play and the raising of 12 minutes of added time would psychologically favour the team needing time to equalise rather than the team wanting to hear the final whistle. So it perhaps played a part.

        I think I went for a draw at West Brom and a narrow victory over Leeds, so Boro got the four point I had hoped for – but a point at the Hawthorns and three against Leeds would have been better for automatic promotion hopes.

        All I’m really saying about Saturday is it was a welcome improvement in performance but in the context of a home performance that puts down a marker – it was still not of the magnitude of what most of our promotion rivals display on a far more regular basis. Boro managed just three shots in the second half with the only one on target being Wing’s goal in the 47th minute. So better but still not good enough if the name of the game is promotion or indeed a top two finish.

  188. Thanks Redcar rad for your alternative match report and also a belated thanks to Werder for his Headliner.

    i think we now have just got to move on from yesterday’s disappointment and opportunity to make up lost ground on the teams above. Possibly still a worry though is how close the pack is behind us, a couple of slip ups and we could fall out of the play off places.

    What has been a real surprise to me is the teams that most would not have tipped for promotion contention. Many teams have a purple patch but Norwich, Sheff Utd, Bristol and even Birmingham have continued their form, Norwich more so and serious promotion contenders and Sheffield continuing to keep in touch, all four teams doing so with limited resources but making the most of what they have along with one or two decent cheap buys.

    Wednesday is going to be tough and a point would be a good result as of now, especially given the available team selection with possibly Wing and Shotton missing. Good to have an extra days rest and preparation.

  189. Good post and analysis Werder, echoes my thoughts somewhat.

    Those at the match “live”, how bad was the wind in terms of making it diffcult to pass the ball around, as Leeds seemed to play that part better than us.

    Werder could you dip into the naughty bin please and dig out my last post.

    1. Pedro

      The wind had died down and didn’t affect the game at all.

      I enjoyed the game and the atmosphere of a large crowd.

      I thought the ref did the right thing in stopping the game as there were around 8 paramedics and ambulance personnel around the young Leeds player who had collapsed and obviously it was distracting the players on the pitch

      So it was a good day I won two bottles of fizz for correct goal time and dream team so opened one at home to celebrate my birthday

      If only every home game could be like that !

      Leeds supporter talking to Big John Hickton before the game about his golf.

      Q – so what do you play off John?

      A- Grass usually !

      The reply causing great laughter in the room.

      He’s still as sharp as ever and a great supporter of the Boro. He said he watches as many games as he can and it’s the first score he looks for on a Saturday.

      OFB

      2. OFB, Happy birthday. I think the fairer sex usually make more or sometimes less of their age. Young girls of 13/14 always seem to add years to their age, can’t wait to be 18 and grown up. Then when they reach their 40s or 50s they become coy about their age and deduct a few years. They then go full circle at 90 and proud to tell everyone how old they are. Strange creatures, but where would we have been without them. It’s nearly 10 years since my wife died, but I still find myself talking to her as if she was here, my way of coping I guess.

        I liked John Hickton’s retort about his golf. I know few Boro fans liked Gordon Strachan, but I was amused when some reporter asked him for a quick word, and he replied ‘velocity’.

  190. Thanks for the report RR.

    I thought you were a bit harsh on Shotton re Alioski until further on you highlighted he was, as I would say “a dirty little get”, that the garbage referee just let foul Shotton every time they jumped for the ball. If I was up against a bigger, stronger opponent and was allowed to push him away and put my arm across his face when challenging for the ball I dare say I’d win a lot of headers as well.

    I’ve re read your report twice and I can’t see anything about the awful miss by Flint. It really was a shocker! Since his move from Brizzle he seems to have acquired a head the shape of a threepenny bit (50p to the younger bloggers).

    1. FAA

      Good point about the Flint miss. From where I was sat it looked like the Leeds Keeper actually punched him rather than the ball hence the blood pouring from his nose afterwards.

        1. #RIP former #Boro Mick Kennedy who has passed away at the age of just 57. Hard as nails midfielder Mick scored 5 goals in 79 Boro games 1982-84 under Bobby Murdoch and Malcolm Allison.

          OFB

  191. Did notice on watching the game on TV that just before we scored, Friend put a really good ball across the goalmouth which Shotton? Just failed to connect with(open goal).
    If he had made a different decision, Wing was in the perfect position, fully ready to receive the ball and all the attention elsewhere, as said here before he is some player, and it will be a blow he is injured.
    On the same point I think that we are slowly getting a team together, and a fast and skilful wide player who is not afraid to score goals, will complete a decent attacking force. That would be Wing, Hugill, Britt, and Tav. It’s more than time that we faced that fact

    1. Saville and Wing roll their sleeves up and get stuck in which TP likes but they also like to shoot which the fans like.

      For some reason we have midfielders like Clayton,Downing, Besic and Howson who have all lost the ability to hit a target 8 feet high and 24 feet wide. Tav can hit that same sizeable target but the grafting, scrapping and tackling aspect isn’t part of his game hence being benched or ignored by TP. I sense that VLP is maybe classed as similar in style which questions why he was brought in.

      JOM has already nailed that central role as its clear already that he is way ahead in thinking, skill, vision, consistency and ability to anything at the club at present. Our Midfield from now until the season’s end I think will be Mikel, Saville, Wing and a.n. other, probably Howson. For the middle of the park that’s a strong and solid midfield at this level and with a few more goals in it than with all the previous incumbents. It is also more attack minded without being too Cavalier and reckless for TP.

  192. The current league table of the top 7 Championship clubs matches against each other makes fascinating reading :-

    Leeds P9 W5 D2 L2 F15 A9 Pts17 62.96%
    Boro. P9 W4 D4 L1 F12 A6 Pts 16 59.26%
    W.Brom P8 W4 D1 L3 F18 A16 Pts13 54.17%
    Derby P10 W3 D4 L3 F16 A18 Pts 13 43.33%
    Norch P10 W2 D4 L4 F17 A20 Pts10 33.33%
    SheffU P8 W2 D1 L5 F9 A13 Pts7 29.17%
    Bristol P6 W1 D2 L3 F6 A11 Pts5 27.78%

    Leeds have played 4 at home, 5 away
    Boro have played 4 at home, 5 away
    W.Brom have played 5 at home, 3 away
    Derby have played 5 at home, 5 away
    Norch have played 5 at home, 5 away
    SheffU have played 4 at home, 4 away
    Bristol have played 3 at home, 3 away

    Norwich current overall % is 64.52 (60/93 available)
    Leeds % is 62.37 (58/93)
    SheffU % is 59.14 (55/93)
    W.Brom % is 58.89 (53/90)
    Boro % is 56.67 (51/90)
    Derby % is 55.56 (50/90)
    Bristol City % is 55.56 (50/90)

    What these statistics show is that Norwich, Sheffield United, Derby and Bristol City have poor records against teams in the top 7 compared with their overall performances whilst Boro have poor overall records against teams in the bottom 17 compared to their matches against teams in the top 7.

    Of course these are the top 7 clubs at the moment, others may come into consideration later, but for the sake of argument 30 matches have been played against each other so there are only another 12 more to be played by teams against each other.

    I’m not sure what this means, except probably that at home Boro must perform better against the other 17 teams, but I guess we all know that.

    1. Ken,

      Interesting and then you throw in the enigma or conundrum that is Boro who struggle with home ‘advantage’ and you never know how they are going to perform.

      Obviously some of those other ‘threat’ teams perform as badly or unpredictably as Boro do. There’s nothing simple or predictable in the Championship unlike a lot of the Premiership.

      Boro need a steady winning run with more wins than draws, obvious I know, but is it to Boro?

      Answers on the proverbial postcard.

      UTB,

      John

  193. I’m sure supporters of other clubs tear their hair out at times over their inconsistencies. It’s only alleviated by long winning runs that Leeds had before their poor run of only 7 points from their last 7 matches, and then doubts recur. Similar with Bristol City with a winning run of 8 matces in all competitions, once they lose doubts may occur as it did last season. Most teams have been like Boro, excellent wins followed by surprising defeats. Only Norwich have shown that winning habit, and yet before they played Boro their fans were worried about relegation. Funny old game!

  197. I think VDP is not match fit and that is why he’s not playing

    Getting back to Tuesday he looked lethargic and not in it

    Also when Clayton came on the midfield immediately looked slow and short of ideas

    I don’t want to criticise players but the obvious is there to see

    Hopefully wing is fit for Wednesday don’t know if there is a link for the Sheff United game

    Sunday it’s a 12 o’clock ko live on sky against Blackburn

    4 points would be welcome !

    OFB

  200. So if I understood correctly we play United on Wednesday.

    We are above them in the form table but let’s look at it a bit more closely. Their home form is good – they have won the last four home matches and in their last eight home matches they have won five, drawn one and lost two.

    Our away form is good. In the last four away matches we have won three and drawn once. In the last eight away matches, won 4, drawn 3 and lost only once.

    So it will be an interesting match. Perhaps we should ask OFB for a result. I would go for a 1-1 draw now. Up the Boro!

    1. JARKKO

      Well I’ve carefully considered it and taking my observations and evaluations into a meaningful result I’m going for …………….

      ⚽️⚽️

      OFB

      1. I think most of us will settle for that even if it means dropping out of the top 6 with Bristol City fancied to beat QPR at home and Derby visiting Ipswich. So to be on the safe side I’d prefer a scrappy 1-0 win. It’s worth remembering though that no team in the Championship has lost fewer league matches this season than Boro; it’s the draws that are holding us back, only Birmingham and Villa having more than Boro’s dozen.

        Being mischievously facetious here, but if only wins counted 2 points as in days of yore, Boro would be level on points in 3rd position, albeit 5th on goal difference, and only 3 points below Leeds with a game in hand. Maybe Tony Pulis still thinks it’s only 2 points for a win that’s why he plays defensively, or perhaps it’s a 6 pointer, in which case we’d only be a point behind Leeds.

  202. Wednesday against United is going to be a hard game especially after the last 9 days, fortunately it is not 3 games in a week. But the unavailable players may decide if we can get a result at Bramhall Lane.
    Mikel having ice packs and only 70 % match fit, can Wing really recover in time or could it be more serious and need a lay off, I would be annoyed if that happens. Shotton finished looking somewhat in distress.

    Mr Pulis has all this to think about and as much as Managers talk about one game at a time, you cannot in reality ignore Sunday’s game. Some tough decisions possibly, some possibly made for him. Sheffield score plenty of goals and Sharp is on fire at the moment. It will need a high energy effort to match them I think.

  203. Noticed an ominous quote from Mikel,”I don’t know Wing, or how old he is, but he is going to have a career at the very top of the game”.
    Just think of the games when he was digging his garden, together with Tav. and you must wonder whether we have the people at the club who can evaluate talent when it is in front of them.
    Oh! Just a thought, have we upped his contract both in rewards and length.

  204. Top Tip for all posters here. Buy up as many blankets as you can, then on March 29th when all Continental Quilts stop working, you can make a killing……..

  205. Its going to be a tough Roll Call tomorrow at Rockliffe when TP has to decide who is fit and who is walking wounded. I wouldn’t risk Wing for this one and would prefer to keep him fit for the rest of the season. Shotton hopefully was just struggling for fitness on Saturday but the reality was that he was out on his feet with twenty minutes still remaining.

    I’d go with three at the back and let Howson operate as right wing back as he has the fitness and energy levels for it. Lets face it Alioski was a make shift LB and caused us a headache all afternoon. If Wing is out then Saville has to start (if fit because he had a problem before Saturday’s game) as the only midfielder capable of scoring and supporting the lone Striker.

  206. Can agree with all of that RR.

    Also along with a number of other Posters, George Saville is starting to look the part more and more. As Exmil said he had a very good game on Saturday. If he can continue to settle, improve and importantly be consistent, we may have bought ourselves a decent player at the right age. (25?).
    In fact as much as we have all bemoaned the fee paid, which I still have to say was a nonsense, but put against Howson @ 5M (with little or no resale value now), McNair @ 5M, Besic whom we were happy to pay 6M for and our non scoring CB Flint @7M, he may just become a steal.
    Only joking of course, non of the are worth, however if we compare other Championship teams purchases!!!

  207. Its was a shame that after the applause observed by both sets of fans and then the genuine concern over the young Leeds player during Saturday’s game that some imbeciles had to behave the way they did after the match.

    That is was sadly predictable seemingly sailed over the heads of those involved in the ticket allocation, crowd control and dispersal after the match. Thankfully there wasn’t a serious tragedy other than a few loose teeth and bloodied noses. That was down more to good luck and the efforts of individual Bobbies putting themselves in the firing line, dealing with the scum and detritus of both clubs rather than good management at decision making level.

    Nothing can excuse adults behaving in the manner which they did but to naively expect it to all go off without incident after being brought forward two hours before an extra 1,500 tickets were allocated raises some very serious competence issues somewhere in my opinion.

    1. Agreed RR

      Couldn’t believe that they let both sets of fans out at the same time

      I remember being locked in for an hour after the game had finished for our own safety

      OFB

  208. The so called organisation of post match crowd safety at the Riverside for “high risk” games really is nothing short of a disgrace, and has been for as long as it’s been open.

    Allowing away supporters who have taken a big allocation, out at the same time is always asking for trouble, more so when it’s the likes of Leeds, Sunderland or Newcastle.

    There is always trouble with both Boro and Leeds supporting cretins so which bright spark thought it a good idea to give Leeds an extra 1500 tickets, generating approx £40-45k, after the police made it a one o’clock kick off because of the known high risk? You really couldn’t make it up! But there again money is involved so I suppose so I’ve probably answered the why.

    Do the powers that be at MFC really take the attitude that once the fans are clear of the immediate area of the stadium they are totally absolved of any responsibility? Because that is how it appears to me.

    Between the club, the council safety group that issues the stadium safety certificate and the police, these three couldn’t organise the proverbial in a brewery. I include the council group as the safety certificate takes in issues in the area surrounding the stadium as well as in it.

    Obviously in an ideal world these morons would be doing other things on a match day but unfortunately this is real life and these problems need to be sorted as best they can. I’m not tarring all Leeds supporters with the same brush but letting 4500 away supporters out at he same time as home supporters is just asking for trouble imo.

    Add in the cars that are allowed to come out of the car park opposite the subway unhindered and I’m surprised that no one has been seriously injured or worse.

  209. As I’m going to be tied up with 2 appointments to James Cook Hospital and also a Doctors appointment in the next 2 weeks and as I now need airport wheelchair assistance having been given permission by the Civilian Airport Authority to fly to the Algarve for the three weeks afterwards, I thought this might be an opportune time to continue my historical journey of Middlesbrough FC.

    Boro had been relegated after just one season in the First Division. They recruited Trevor Putney from Norwich City, Alan Comfort from Leyton Orient and after Gary Pallister’s transfer to Manchester United, Simon Coleman from Mansfield Town. The season started with an entertaining 4-2 home win over Wolves, but Boro then lost their first two away wins 1-2 to Leeds United and Sunderland, the latter after leading at halftime. This was also Gary Pallister’s last game for Boro until being re-recruited by Bryan Robson in 1998.

    Boro struggled for much of the season, their highest position being 15th towards the end of September after beating Hull City 1-0. Gates also tumbled from the initial 21,727 against Wolves to 11,428 by the time they played Leicester in mid-December, a pity because that gave Boro a 4-1 win, their biggest league win of the season at that point. Progress in the League Cup was halted by Wimbledon in the Third Round, but one bright moment was a 4-2 win at Blackburn when central defender Alan Kernaghan scored a first half 🎩 in an experimental role as a twin striker with Bernie Slaven. By then Alan Comfort had played his last game for Boro in a creditable 2-2 draw at Newcastle after which he had to retire from football altogether after a bad injury.

    Boro entered the Zenith Data Systems Cup in late November with no great expectations by beating Port Vale 3-1 at home in front of a meagre crowd of 6,691 and three weeks later disposed of First Division Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 in front of another low crowd of 8,716. Bernie Slaven scored a 🎩 in that match, but it was the League form that was causing great concern. In the FA Cup it took Everton three matches to dispose or Boro, but Boro had dropped to 20th place before the home league meeting with Sunderland in mid-January which Boro won 3-0. Nine days later Boro took care of Newcastle United 1-0 in their third home tie of the Zenith Data Systems Cup, and suddenly fans were thinking of Wembley as they were drawn against First Division Aston Villa in the Semifinal. Boro won the away leg 2-1, but found themselves 0-1 down after 90 minutes in the home leg. As away goals didn’t count double in drawn matches, the game went into extra time where Boro settled it with goals from Bernie Slaven and Paul Kerr in the first period of extra time before an ecstatic crowd of 20,806. Boro to reach Wembley, who could have imagined it?

    Unfortunately Boro’s League form got worse with only 2 points gained from the next 7 matches, after which Bruce Rioch was relieved of his managerial duties. Fans were divided over his sacking, after all he could have resigned after liquidation but stayed and steadfastly marshalled a young team to two promotions with his strict discipline, but maybe once Boro stopped winning the young team now three years older didn’t take kindly to his disciplinarian control. However Bernie Slaven and Tony Mowbray were two players who especially always had kind words to say about Rioch, and that was reciprocated by him in stating that if he were on a moon flight he’d want Mowbray beside him. Maybe Rioch was inspired by Frank Sinatra’s 1954 hit of ‘Fly me to the Moon’, but it was some accolade and became the name of a Boro fanzine and later a website.

    Boro brought forward their home match against Plymouth Argyle to free them to concentrate on their Wembley appearance, a bold move in the circumstances, but it paid off as Boro won at last 2-1 before another pitiful attendance of only 7,185, but a Wembley attendance of 76,369 greeted Chelsea and Boro five days later, how many were Boro fans I don’t know. The injured Boro captain was graciously awarded the privilege by Colin Todd of leading Boro out on the hallowed turf, and put up a creditable performance in a fairly drab match, but try telling that to those Boro fans who witnessed it. It was Boro’s first visit to Wembley and their fans revelled in it despite losing 0-1 to a Tony Dorigo free kick.

    Boro though were still perilously close to relegation, but won 1-0 at Oldham six days later, drew at West Brom, then at home to Port Vale let a 2-0 lead slip by into a 2-3 defeat. A 2-0 win at home to Bradford City afforded some relief with the recently acquired Ian Baird two months earlier from Leeds United scoring only his second goal for the team. But then Boro hit the rocks again with only one point from the next 4 matches meaning everything hinged on the last match of the season. Newcastle United were already assured of third place in the league but needed to win and hope that Leeds would lose to Bournemouth to gain automatic promotion. A Leeds draw and a Newcastle win would ensure the Magpies of promotion, Leeds would finish 3rd, Bournemouth would be safe, and Boro would be relegated. Fortunately Leeds won 1-0 to take the title and Boro after a goalless first half won 4-1 with Slaven and Baird each scoring a brace. I’m not sure when Leeds scored their winning goal as I was on holiday in Majorca at the time, but I reckon it was the first time for many Boro fans to also support Leeds that day, as if Bournemouth should have scored a late equaliser, Boro would have been doomed. Naturally Bernie Slaven was leading goalscorer with 21 from his full 46 appearances, but he also scored 11 more in 13 Cup appearances, the first player to score 30 goals in a season since John Hickton’s haul 30 in League and Cup matches in the 1969/70 season.

    The Second Division playoffs saw 6th place Sunderland beating 3rd place Newcastle 2-0 on aggregate, but lost to Swindon Town in the Final seemingly giving Boro another season of 4 local derbies. However Sunderland were promoted following a successful prosecution against Swindon and the clubs’s chairman Brian Hiller after he admitted 36 breaches of League rules, all but one of them relating to illegal payments. Swindon were relegated to the Third Division, but on appeal retained their Second Divisions status.

    The 1990/91 season was to be Colin Todd’s first and only full season as Boro manager. After a couple of draws Boro won their third match 1-0 at home to Notts County and then came back from a goal down against the aforesaid Swindon to win 3-1 with two goals in the last six minutes. Defeats at Port Vale and at home to Oldham Athletic saw Boro dropping to 15th but ten points from their next four matches had Boro up to 6th. One of those matches included a terrific 6-0 walloping of Leicester City and a 3-0 win at Watford. Boro had also disposed of Tranmere Rovers and Newcastle United in the League Cup before a couple of defeats to Bristol Rovers and Wolves plus a 4-2 win at Brighton with another Slaven 🎩 precluded a visit from First Division Norwich City in the 3rd Round of the League Cup which Boro won 2-0. With 1-0 wins at home to Barnsley and away to West Brom, Boro suddenly had shot up to 4th.

    Boro started their Zenith Data Systems Cup matches with a win at Hull after extra time, but subsequently lost 1-2 away to Manchester City in the next round. However they continued their good League form with three successive wins, a 3-0 win at Portsmouth, a 5-2 win at Oxford and a 3-0 home win against Hull City. Boro had won 6 league matches out of 7 and were now in 3rd position. Unfortunately the 4th Round League Cup tie away to Aston Villa ended in a 2-3 defeat, but Boro were now serious promotion contenders especially after another away win at Ipswich on Boxing Day.

    Boro beat Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup after a replay, but as often happens with Boro, January proved to be a poor month with just one point from 4 matches and a humiliating 0-2 away defeat in the FA Cup to Cambridge United. Typically for Boro they won their first 3 matches in February before losing 1-2 at home to Portsmouth. A 3-0 home win over Newcastle United buoyed the fans but a collapse at Leicester in the next match dissipated the buoyancy. Boro led 2-0 at half time, but managed to lose the match 3-4 and all hope of automatic promotion seemed a pipe dream. Up to that time their home form had let Boro down, only 8 wins and 7 defeats being what might be expected from a team fighting relegation. Their away form had been reasonable at the time with 8 wins and 5 defeats, but all that was to change in the final nine matches. Boro went on to win all 4 of their remaining home matches, but contrived to lose all 5 of their remaining away matches but still managed to reach the playoffs albeit in 7th position.

    The reason for that was that the First Division was to be extended from 20 clubs to 22. Two teams, Sunderland and Derby County were relegated, whilst Oldham Athletic as Champions plus 2nd and 3rd teams West Ham United and Sheffield Wednesday were also automatically promoted. The playoffs between the 4th to 7th would determine the other promoted team. Fortuitously Boro had finished 7th over Barnsley on goal difference and were to play Notts County over two legs to decide one of the playoff finalists. A crowd of 22,343 watched Boro struggle in the home leg and were 0-1 down at halftime. Boro had won the home league meeting but were indebted to Jimmy Phillips getting a late equaliser before losing the second leg 0-1 at Meadow Lane.

    Nevertheless, although the early season form had deserted them, they only conceded 47 goals and scored 66 of which Bernie Slaven had scored 16, only 2 short then of a century of league goals, and Ian Baird had scored 14. There had been much speculation of Alan Kernaghan being transferred to Charlton Athletic, but when Colin Todd surprisingly resigned in the following summer and the Charlton manager Lennie Lawrence was appointed in his stead, Kernaghan remained a Boro player.

    So next up was Lennie Lawrence and he was to get Boro promoted to the inaugural Premier League in his first season as manager which I’ll review later in the Spring.

    2. Thanks for the latest edition Ken. Looking foreward to reminiscing the Lennie Lawrence years with you in speing. Hoping all goes well with the medical appointments and I hope you enjoy your trip to Portugal, which I am sure will be a sight warmer than here for you.

    4. Great stuff Ken, enjoy your break to the full. Relax and recharge your energy and batteries. Keep this super history, stats and insights coming. I’m sure there’s a link between some of OFB’s interviews and your research. Either way enjoy your break and come back refreshed for another instalment.

      UTB,

      John

      PS Don’t drink too much, just sufficient. OFB owes you one!

    5. Thanks Ken that’s another great bit of Boro history brought back to live.
      Enjoy your break in the sun and all the best with your next medical s
      Bri UTB

      3. For those wanting to know about the In2Views just to let you know

        We have had generally 2 games per week and Werder has performed admirably in getting a preview ready each week

        He does have his German Citizenship exams and he is spending time on this

        He also has a full time job and a family and house to run

        So hopefully there will be one or two which are on the back burner will be trotted out when things calm down

        Many thanks to Werder for your input to the blog it’s much appreciated

        OFB

  210. Two posts for you tonight.

    Goal of the day – but in words only – the opener against Brighton at the Amex, a classic piece of teamwork.

    Gibson strides forward and plays a sideways pass to Friend – said sideways pass has the intended effect of drawing the whole Brighton team towards him. Friend then pauses to consider his options and, despite being surrounded by three Brighton defenders, takes them out of the game after a one-two with Adomah. Another sideways pass to Kike G, who struggles to control, but ultimately does so and passes back to Clayton. With so many Brighton players committed centrally, Clayton has the vision and the time to spot an unmarked Albert – on his less favoured left! – who has both the space and time to take on his man while Stuani, Kike G and Friend queue up inside the area for the incoming cross. On Kike G’s head it lands, 1-0, and the decisive foundation for forthcoming control is established.

    Watching this, and some of my other favourite goals from that era, I do wonder if that team ever got the credit it fully deserved.

    1. The problem with that team Simon was that you can count those moments on one hand sadly. Had that been the norm they would have gone down in Teesside Folklore, talked about for generations to come.

      1. ‘Tis the way, I guess, when control and a need-to-know strategy is prioritised over spontaneity and excitement. Personally I liked that need-to-know approach but I understand why people didn’t.

  211. To the present day, and… George Saville.

    I’m happy that he seems to have found himself at Boro. Of course, here in NI it’s nice to see a GAWA lad, and Boys In Green (like Randolph) do well, so that’s one thing. Nevertheless he has a monkey on his back… that fee.

    I’ve, rather unfairly perhaps, lumped him in with the likes of Gary O’Neil and Marten De Roon – very busy players who score a handful of goals but lack the imposing influence needed to inspire, the kind that their fee demands. Fees, wages… they intervene in one’s judgement of a player, whether we like it or not. They’re not the fault of the players but they won’t go away either.

    If he’s going to transcend the tag of the “meh” player, the new George simply needs to keep performing. It’s asking a lot of him to inspire in the manner Besic did last season before he kind of (sigh) “switched off” on extension of his loan – comfort zone, perhaps? – but he’s a good trier, and he’s scored goals for Millwall, so there’s that.

    When I think midfield presence, with the occasional dash of creativity, I think of the Leads-Clayton axis – a genuine case where two heads were better than one. When they weren’t shielding the back four, the duo popped up with crucial match-winning moments, be it from the penalty spot or with an incisive pass (Leads v Derby at home, Clayts v Brighton away). Synergy’s the word – something I don’t quite see in this current line-up.

  212. I’m on a roll, so…

    There’s an unwelcome pattern with Boro. Even when we do the job – 1997-98, Carling Cup, 2000-01, 2004-05, 2015-16 of course – we contrive to almost throw away an achievement that at one stage looked much easier.

    In 1997-98, after we’d gone three points clear following a 1-0 win over Crewe at home, Schwarzer ended up on the treatment table. Hello, Andy Dibble. 0-4, 0-5, goodbye. Around a Gazza circus and a disappointing cup final we took just one point and one goal from our next three away matches to be four points adrift of second place, and the ever-improving Black Cats – who somehow contrived to drop four points themselves, although our “goals scored” (for some reason, it wasn’t goal difference back then) tally was inferior. We could but keep winning and hope that Sunderland cracked – fortunately they did, Mogga’s Ipswich beating them 2-0 to ensure a win and a draw would be enough for us. Didn’t stop us leaving it ’til the final 45 minutes of the season, though…

    2000-01? The El Tel revolution stuttered after a great start. We needed Merson, for Villa, and Ipswich (again) to do us favours, both coming from behind to beat Coventry and Man. City (yes!) respectively and hand us survival on the spot. The 2-1 final day win over West Ham (on my birthday) ensured we finished a very flattering 14th.

    2004-05? We looked on course for a Champions League place, but a combination of over-relying on thirtysomethings, Europe, a thin squad and injuries to important players, most notably Boateng, put a huge dent in our hopes. By the time Boateng came back we had put a good run of results together, but Man. City under Stuart Pearce were even better, and that crazy David James substitution – something which no opposition manager could have possibly prepared for – played its part in nearly derailing everything. Let alone Downing’s miss, and Queudrue’s handball. Luckily we had the greatest Australian hero since Ned Kelly to help.

    1. I’d assumed Leeds must have won the toss. I couldn’t see as I was stood up trying to peer through a group of lads who hadn’t a clue what Row they were in let alone what seat as with everyone sat down and the stadium fairly full all the seat numbers were covered. In the end I asked to see their tickets and told them where to go (to find their seats of course). Anyway after that the teams had changed ends and kicked off and I’d assumed that it was a Leeds decision to rattle things probably via Paddy giving inside information. My only guess is that George felt the sun was shining very brightly towards the NE corner and the North stand goal with it being two hours before normal KO time and may have been a slight advantage in terms of their Keeper having to shield his eyes.

  214. I’m sure Anthony Vickers pops into Diasboro. The day after I produced a League table of matches between the top 7 clubs he produces one featuring the top 8 which of course now includes Birmingham City. As Boro have beaten the Brummies twice this season, he probably wanted to put Boro top of this mini-league, whereas my mini-league excluding Birmingham had Boro 2nd. Dangerous ground Vic, if you bring in the top 10 that would include Forest and Villa, two teams that have beaten Boro and would send us slipping out of the top two in the mini-league. I excluded Birmingham because they are 4 points behind both Bristol City and Derby, and having played a game more than these 2 teams I don’t really consider them as potential playoff material. However in Vic’s defence he did go into each team’s detail of results against each other, but as OFB once mentioned Diasboro are usually one step ahead of the Gazette reporters.

  215. At last, an entertaining game under Pulis!

    I was very impressed with how we played. Positive, pressing Leeds high up the pitch, forcing them into errors. The only negative is at times the ball fell to Shotton or Friend in advanced positions who lack the attacking quality to make anything from it. If our team selection had been more ambitious, perhaps we could have had more than the 1 goal.

    That said, perhaps not. The negativity shown by the manager when we went a goal up was astounding. Give Leeds time to play & they’ll pick you apart. That’s what happened. I could understand the thinking with 10 minutes to go but to attempt it with 40+ minutes left was inviting the inevitable.

    We went from forcing Leeds back and not giving them time to play to retreating into our own half & handing them the initiative. The equaliser was inevitable and deserved. It could have been even worse were it not for the post, Randolph and a miss by agent Bamford.

    This was a real self inflicted wound by Pulis. Continue in the same manner as we had up until the goal and he’d have won over the biggest crowd of the season. Instead he reverted to type and we are now looking nervously over our shoulders at Bristol City & Derby rather than trying to close what could have been just a 4 point gap to the automatics. This is Pulis showing again that he may be skilled in avoiding defeat, but promotion requires aspiring to victories & he does not seem to have that mentality.

  216. I posted after listening to the match that subbing of Besic and Clayton for the injured Wing plus the more forward looking Saville would not have helped our cause. So it proved. The substitution of Wing was unavoidable, Saville I dont know enough about his fitness.

    Looking at the BBC report, Wing was injured and Besic replaced him. Then followed the period of several Leeds chances, Randolph, saves, blocks, post hitting and shots missing target. Clayton replaced Saville after that.

    From those who were there, was it a case of losing Wing, gaining Besic and losing momentum or did Leeds just step up a gear and give us a torrid time. Was it a case of the ball not sticking or poor options.

    There are always two sides on a pitch, both teams generally have their moments. It is not always just blame the manager.

    1. I was there and to me it was noticeable that the instructions coming from the dug out, particularly when Clayton was introduced, visibly changed how Boro played. We dropped deeper and stopped pressing.

      Even before Wing got injured the tide was starting to turn. There are two teams on the pitch but the change in how Boro approached the game before and after our opener was stark.

      1. That is why I elicited the views of those who were there. The Radio Tees comment that Besic was going to get his feet wet made me shudder and chuckle in equal part.

    2. Ian,

      You’re right, it’s not always the manager’s fault.

      But, given Pulis’s astonishing historical record of producing binary scorelines, on this issue he has form. Or rather the lack of it.

    3. Ian

      I really think that Wing going off changed the dynamic of the game and we sat back and Leeds saw their advantage and pursued it

      Also Mikel and Shotton tired which meant we needed more running and fresh legs

      OFB

  219. RIP Gordon
    The greatest goalkeeper I’ve ever seen,
    Today goalie’s use their six foot five frame to help them , I don’t know the figures but I’d bet ,in Gordon’s time their was more shots, crosses ,goalmouth scrambles ,muddy goalmouths to deal with, and he certainly was the best at it, making fantastic saves, and keeping his team in the game.

    1. gt, I was fortunate to see Frank Swift who along with Ted Sagar and Sam Bertram I thought were the best 3 goalkeepers I’d ever seen. I’ve only seen Gordon Banks on television, but I have to agree with you, the best of the lot.
      RIP Gordon.

      1. Ken

        I saw Banks play after he’d lost his eye in a car crash but still looked good

        Jim Montgomery quite often comes down to the Boro and I see him and he is still a fit looking guy. I thought his save for Sunderland against Leeds in the 1973 cup final was the equal of Banks save.

        OFB

  221. There is an awful lot of justification work going on to shield Pulis from the embarrassment of Wing, when your club are the lucky recipient of a gift of this magnitude, it is useful if your manager can recognise class when he sees it, and it is pretty bad when he drops one of the great no no’s of all time by excluding him from the entire kit and caboodle of the first team.
    Amidst the gnashing of teeth by the fans who, wouldn’t you know it, spotted him immediately he stepped on the pitch, there was some laughter, as Pulis talked of teaching him how to play the game. Hmm! I’ll think about that, there’s at least fifteen things the top players do which would be outside Pulis’s remit, or for that matter talents.
    He still remains oblivious of the talents of Tavernier, how many points we would have had with him combining with Wing is unknowable, but will be a stain on Pulis’s record until he leaves.

  222. I have immense respect for the late, great Gordon Banks and his goalkeeping brethren. I’d say that respect goes beyond respect itself.

    Because… goalkeepers are nuts. Unless you’re Kasper Schmeichel, and the madness is in your blood, would you want to be a ‘keeper? There is a theory that a ‘keeper is a wannabe outfield player thrown between the sticks against his own free will. So their option basically is: quit the game, or be a goalkeeper.

    They’re taken away from every other player very early on. They do their own training. They’re taught not to flinch even if a bullet is headed in their direction. Flexibility, resilience and even insanity (look at the barking mad Thomas Ravelli, let alone Peter Schmeichel – Si) are their watchwords. Coaches? They tell them they’re great at goalkeeping, just to keep them happy. (A coach once told a ‘keeper, you’re allowed to let in five goals and no more. – Si)

    Goalkeepers learn to stand in front of hostile crowds, often their own. They may end up listening to abuse for ninety minutes. If the crowd aren’t being hostile, their teammates are, and their only relief is the odd save.

    Then, the crowd applauds. Routine saves, grabbing the ball, commanding the area, even Hollywood saves (dislike them though some of the DiasBoro understandably do – Si)… if ‘keepers do them enough times, both the crowd and the team will trust them. Or even like them.

    Goalkeepers aren’t ordinary footballers. They get into the team later, but they last longer. If you’re an outfield player, being 29 is when the end looks in sight. If you’re a ‘keeper, it can be only the beginning.

    Perhaps they’re driven to madness? They are, after all, the only players whose mistakes get punished nearly all the time. The pressure on them, at least psychologically, is different from the rest. The penalty for their failure is higher. Maybe they channel all this craziness into success – and those who do it best are the most fondly remembered, and respected.

    (Source: TSF.)

Leave a Reply