Championship 2019-20: Weeks 3-4
Tue 13 Aug – 19:45: Boro v Crewe (EFL Cup)
Sat 17 Aug – 15:00: Blackburn v Boro
Tue 20 Aug – 19:45: Boro v Wigan
Sat 24 Aug – 15:00: Boro v Millwall
Jonathan Woodgate had proclaimed before the season started it was going to be an exciting time to be a Boro supporter as he promised to bring back entertainment to the Riverside. Indeed, the first home game against Brentford started as advertised with more energy and action on display in the first 45 minutes than most had witnessed since the introduction of the free pre-match pint, which most had presumed was normally designed to numb the senses before the football had. However, when it comes to describing entertainment, perhaps that angry influential retro Modfather himself, Mr P Weller, summed it up rather succinctly in his early eighties single with the line “Lights going out and a kick in the balls – I say that’s entertainment.” While that rather dark and painful view of entertainment may not fit most sane individual’s aspirations, it certainly summed up the narrative of Boro faithful at the final whistle on Saturday.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Pavlovian boos instinctively rang out from the terraces as a one-nil home defeat was not what many had been expecting after the goal-fest at Luton. It was as the Jam classic had intimated, a low blow in the tender regions. Some maybe saw it as confirmation of their fears that an inexperienced head coach with fairly inexperienced squad were going to struggle to deliver. It perhaps always was going to be the preserve of a significant section at the Riverside who had always believed Woodgate’s appointment represented down-sizing dressed up as a new way forward – the promise of jam tomorrow is never going to please the impatient who believe losing is poor entertainment in whatever form it manifests itself.
Nevertheless, patience is what will be required and it may be time the Boro faithful accept that Woodgate’s attempt to introduce a new philosophy of high energy football will not be without its risks and setbacks. In truth, it’s a work in progress and the new coaching team will be learning on the job as they discover what the players and indeed themselves are capable of – or even incapable. Although, the transfer window demonstrated that the plan to switch to young hungry players wasn’t necessarily by design but in reality a plan that financial restraints have forced upon the club.
As the summer business concluded without any significant expenditure – under £2.5m was spent on just four players Mejias (Free), Bola (around £100k), Browne (around £250k) and Dijksteel (£2m). That was more than easily balanced by the sales of Flint (£4m) and Braithwaite (around £5m) with Shotton almost departing on deadline day for £1.6m too. Players are still essentially being sold to lower the wage bill and probably help raise funds to pay for it now that parachute payments have ended. The pig has been let out of the bag as the worst kept secret on Teesside has revealed Boro have run out of funds to blow on players.
A reality which can be neatly summarised by the dour stock phrase of one local former central defender and former manager, which has this week been rebooted by another local former central defender and the newly appointed head coach: “it is what it is”. The articulation of acceptance that Teesside’s famous sons are powerless to resist invoking, which will no doubt become a post-match sound-bite contest between the two as they pick over the bones of contention after this weekend’s encounter between Mogga’s Rovers and Woody’s young pups.
The heady days of Steve Gibson blowing the big boys out of the water with his big-name captures belong to a different age – this is now a chairman of financial compliance who now points the finger at those who try to spend more than they are allowed. The aspiration to join the elite has become a lot harder to finesse as the world of football continues to reward players with higher and more ridiculous contracts and pay transfer fees that seemingly make no financial sense. At the top end, these deals are often financed on ambitiously extrapolated image rights earnings that simply hand more and more power to the ‘superstar’ players and their poker-faced smug agents. At some point clubs will realise a model based on shifting a plethora of globally merchandised shirts bearing their prized asset’s name on the back just increases the power of the player at their expense. Even fickle supporters won’t buy a shirt with the name of someone who has declared they don’t want to play for the club any longer. They have them over barrel and there will be few laughs from bank manager – not if you were planning to sell merchandise to pay the bills.
Still, despite the less than frenetic transfer activity, which appeared to fall short of what Woodgate had been expecting his recruitment team were going to deliver, Boro have almost discovered three new signings by default. Few would have thought Marvin Johnson would have re-emerged as a first choice attacking threat after looking favourite for a summer exit, the peripheral Paddy McNair has also finally been given a chance to prove he is the dynamic midfielder that the club apparently signed before versatility consigned him to the bench and youngster Hayden Coulsen has forced his way into the team with displays of energy and determination.
Woodgate admitted his squad looked thin but he still hasn’t given much pitch time to the new recruits of Bola, Browne and Dijksteel. With Fry and Friend set to return from injury too, he will soon have around 18 players to choose from for his starting eleven. Fry will no doubt return in defence but it’s hard to see where club captain Friend will find a starting place – perhaps he will take on the role that Leadbitter did and mainly be an influence in the dressing room. Number one target Dijksteel has actually only played a handful of games at right-back – probably less than Howson – so it will be interested to see how he fares in the role at Championship level. Likewise, Bola is an unknown quantity after stepping up a division – they will join their Boro academy counterparts in vying for pitch time.
The aim of the new management team is to develop the players through new coaching techniques and not just the young players. We learned in a recent interview to the press that Robbie Keane is man who gained an advantage as a striker by being able to visualise his surroundings and then holding this image in his head. OK, some techniques work better than others with players and he may need to tweak any advice he perhaps gave for penalties in imagining the goal was bigger and the keeper smaller. It seems the goal was not quite as big as Britt had visualised after he attempted to blast the ball under the crossbar of one with unfeasibly large dimensions.
Undeterred by this setback, no doubt Keane as we speak is persisting in teaching the Boro strikers how to hold a mental image of their surroundings. “OK, now try to visualise who’s behind you Britt” – “I can’t imagine there’s anyone behind me boss.” Robbie impatiently responded: “No that was last season we’ve changed the fecking system now – so who’s behind you?” Britt ponders the question: “Is it the crowd?” “Now steady on big fella, I tink you fecking getting way ahead of yer self. OK, one last time, who’s behind you?” Britt squints hard and makes a guess: “Is it Clayts?” A rather exasperated Keane explodes: “No it’s not fecking Clayts – he’s still in front of defence! Anyway, training’s over now and there’s nobody fecking behind you Eejit. Get off the pitch.” Note: Robbie Keane is available for pantomime bookings in December.
While it may be this kind of passing on of knowledge that could improve the performances of the more experienced players – it will be the ability to bring through youngsters that will determine whether the Woodgate project ultimately succeeds. Getting down with the kids, or should I say ‘kidz’, is what Boro will hopefully be all about as they aim to supersede the older, more expensive players on Boro’s books. Clearly if you want to relate to the youth then you will need to speak their language. The older supporters among you will be occasionally baffled by the words and indeed the gratuitous ignoring of spelling that the social media generation communicate with. Thankfully, there are some easy shortcuts that can get you by and this can be demonstrated through how some young artists name their tunes.
Now some may be thinking that simply swapping the letter ‘s’ for a ‘z’ wouldn’t fool many but I was reassured to discover that’s all there is to it. Miley Cyrus, her of transition from innocent family entertainment as Hannah Montana to wannabe bad girl of pop, infamous ‘twerker’ and singer of the hit ‘Wrecking Ball’ (incidentally, no relation to the earlier Paul Weller line referenced) made the headlines in the summer with some rather sad news. She announced on Instagram with a video of her herself holding her pet pig over her shoulder as it was fed an apple that it had died. “Very sad to say… my dear friend Pig Pig [as she rather imaginatively named it] has passed away…. I will miss u always.” She apparently adopted Pig Pig in August 2014 following the death of her pet dog Floyd (possibly also known as Dog Dog), which inspired her 2015 album ‘Miley Cyrus and Her Dead Petz’ – can you see what she did there with the spelling? The album contained a special written tribute entitled ‘The Floyd Song (Sunrise)’, which she wrote while on the ‘Bangerz Tour’ (did you notice that spelling again) and closed with ‘Twinkle Song’, dedicated to her friend’s dead cat.
While such creativity is something most can only aspire to, those of you that have not already been moved to download her album may be wondering what ‘Bangerz’ means. Thankfully, her Atlanta-bred hip-hop producer, Mike Will (also known rather surprising as Michael Williams) can explain. “The whole album was bangers, and that’s actually how she came up with the title,” Williams says. “Everybody was like, ‘Yo, so how’s your album sounding?’ And we were just saying, ‘We got all bangers.’ ” – hopefully that has cleared up the mystery. Incidentally, it was perhaps a little insensitive by the Independent online newspaper to run the story of the death of Pig Pig alongside their lifestyle piece with the headline ‘How to prepare your BBQ for a sizzling summer’ – still I suppose all pigs eventually become Bangerz in the end. Maybe we should reflect the next time we hear Pig Pig Bag.
Anyway, talking of hungry players, Boro’s new signings will get a chance to show their appetite for the club in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday – with expected starts for Bola, Browne and Dijksteel, plus likely season bows for Tavernier and Wood and some game time for George Friend, Saville and Gestede. While big Rudy will be surrounded by youngsters, he should remember that getting down with the kids shouldn’t involve getting into any rowz – when it comes to mixing misplaced shooting and trendy spellíng, row-z is still row-z in any language.
Hopefully the Woodgate project will see some more energetic games in the next few weeks – the Carabao Cup encounter with Crewe is quickly followed with a trip to Mogga’s Blackburn and then come back-to-back home games against Wigan and Millwall. I suspect Boro will need to deliver a couple of wins to take the pressure off and then we’ll be up and running. It’s still too early to decide if this will be a season that sees the club competing at the top end of the table and preferably not languishing too close to our current 18th spot. As Woodgate and his team go in search of footballing Nirvana, at least the faithful should expect an exciting journey with a more youthful blend that certainly smells like teen spirit – Teesside awaits “Here we are now, entertain us!”
Thanks for taking time to this Werder
OFB
I’d like to see Woodgate play his first choice team tonight. The more game time to increase on pitch understanding the better.
A win is more important for team and terrace morale than having realistic designs on winning the cup.
I’m all for playing two attacking fullbacks, and I especially like the cut of Agent Coulson’s jib, but isn’t the golden rule when a full back pushes up, the other three defenders hold back and shuffle across to cover/ a midfielder drops in, rather than both fullbacks bombing on at once.
Apologies if this isn’t what was happening, as I didn’t see the Brentford game.
Chris you are absolutely bang on the money. Defensively everyone chased the bloke with the ball (think year 11 in the old school yard). Moving across one with a midfielder dropping back to cover the middle or opposite side flank just wasn’t happening at either Luton or against Brentford. As for the men in the middle picking up runners, forget it, it was just disorganised chaos. I have no doubt that it wasn’t planned like that at Rockliffe but this high intensity pressing game doesn’t exactly inspire someone to bust a gut chasing back when one lung is already on the verge of collapse.
Everything you say makes perfect sense, but, and here we go again.
When we, laughed, cried, screamed, abused, Pulis for the following (just a real quick run through, honest).
Playing Britt as a striker? Continually, determinedly, not allowing Tav onto the pitch, even giving him three minutes (three times) bringing Gestede on when it was situation desperate, to save the day.
We laughed, knowing that our chairman was running out of road, that Pulis was no more come the end of the season.
Well laugh at this if you can, we go away and slaughter Luton, Britt intervenes and it’s a draw. The left back is as good an impersonation of an open door as you will see, and Luton enjoyed playing against him.
We buy a young and upwardly mobile left back on the Monday, honest! Play Brentford on the Saturday, and leave him out. My head hurts.
We fail to score in the first half. They score at the start of the second half, could of had three, our manager stands and watches it until late in the game (pure Pulis) we start taking six passes (slow) to reach their halt. We bring on three separate subs, each time leaving Britt on, the final sub was awesome, Gestede, to save the game, with Britt still trying to score at the near post, thank god we did not get a penalty.
We are forced to the conclusion that our head coach was in full agreement with the deadly Pulis all last season regarding his weird selections and weirder theories.
Hard luck on Tav I must say.
If Tavernier was any good he’d be in the side, his omission speaks volumes.
GHW
Like the logic, last season Wing was left out, even told he had a long way to go to get into this team. One assumes that was because he was not good enough.
If Tav is not good enough the Liverpool talent spotters must be rubbish.
The truth is this coach is replicating the dreaded Pulis, everything that he did, every player that he blanked, every favourite that he had is still there making the same blunders on a weekly basis.
For us to suffer Gestede is simply not doable, why is he still here?
As for Britt, grabs the ball for any penalty, a clear victory for hope over talent.
We said after the Luton two points dropped that any half competent Coach would remove him from Penalty duties, period! So why was he allowed to do it again. By the way, let’s not talk about luck, he has no idea how to take a penalty.
The irritating thing, is that Tav. Is a perfect fit for our new method of play, in that he runs off the ball, can beat a defender, and is not afraid to get in the box and score.
How did “ Tav” do last night?
Tav was poor last night but tactically the entire team was poor and looked clueless. I don’t know what formation and tactics they were supposed to be playing but eleven of us lot on here could have given them a game last night, that’s how disorganised they were.
Tav’s best games for me where was when Wing was playing, the two seem to have an understanding of each others game that enabled synergy to bring the best out of them.
Djksteel, Bola and Browne were understandably virtual strangers to their team mates and Gestede was for ornamental effect at best with no quality crosses coming in to him thereby restricting him to trying to play with the ball at his feet. Considering that Woodgate has been at the club for years now I find it a worry that he clearly doesn’t understand what Gestede can and can’t do let alone Tav and a few others.
Thanks Werder for a very melodic and whimsical piece. I can relate to Paul Weller but not so much Miles Cirus so clearly showing my age.
I am with Chris on tonight, we need if possible to get our first team on the park with a view to building cohesion and a winning mindset.
They only have to play 8 games before they have a rest so fatigue and needing to rotate should not be an issue.
JW needs to identify 14 players as being his first team and utilise them week in and week out with 3/4 others on the fringe for when injuries and suspensions kick in.
The teams who gained promotion last season tended to do it with tight knit squads and by making as few changes as possible. Keep it simple should be the mantra.
I still wonder if JW is looking to play three at the back and that’s where I see Friend eventually alongside Ayala and Fry.
I agree that at long last we are seeing McNair in his best position and supposedly why he was TP’s first purchase but lord alone knows why he was not played in midfield.
As far as Johnson and Coulsen are concerned, the jury is still out for me. The former needs to display consistency and the ability to last and contribute over 90 mins+ whilst the latter is still fairly naive at this level and may be found out against the better sides this season. He also can’t be first choice week in week out as why else buy Bola.
Tonight is a must win to build confidence as anything else is likely to fuel an undercurrent of discontent.
3-0 to us.
CoB cheer up OFB and Mrs P!
Or even Miley Cyrus!😎
Cheers Werder. A fun read as ever!
As for tonight, well I think JW has decided, Karanka-style, what formation he is going to play come hell or high water – 433. We’re very much still bedding that shape – and more importantly, the tempo and pressing – in so I don’t see any way he’ll go with anything else but we’ll see. I want him to stick to his guns.
I can see the argument for going with a strong team but there are also reasons to change it up and I think that’s what he’ll do. I think we’ll see the three new lads start plus Friend as well as Mejías or Pears. I expect Britt will be rested while Tav and Saville get starts.
My guess then:
Pears
Dijksteel Ayala Friend Bola
McNair Clayton Saville
Browne Fletcher Tavernier
Boro 4-1 Crewe
Werder,
As always a fine headline article to join all the otherz, I’m gettin’ de hang of dis speak Werderman. Enough of this stupidity.
Tonight I hope we are going to be a football team whatever the selection, I also hope Crewe haven’t got any seasoned and wise old professionals to spot the aertex effect in our defence. You know the type of old pro, crepe bandage on the left knee, going bald and not a tattoo to be seen and still drives an Austin Maxi. A car ahead of its time I might add.
Anyway I’ll go for Boro 2 – 1 Crewe, it’ll be that or we’ll smash them. Let’s hope that the work in progress continues to progress, quickly and comprehensively.
UTB,
John
My first car was an Austin Maxi 1750HL
Registration MPK 51P
Can’t remember any other registrations, in fact struggle to remember the current one! 😎
Great read Werder, especially the Robbie Keane take on alternative spelling. Is “fecking” in the English / Irish dictionary?
I am all with Chris and KP in that we need to start winning and scoring some goals. I would expect Crewe to field a strong side hoping to cause an upset.
I would go with Pears, the new lad, Ayala, Friend/Shotton, Bola.
McNair, Howson, Wing.
Britt, Browne, Tav.
.
We need a win to boost confidence in the system and take us to Blackburn in good spirits. Anything other than six points from our next three league games will cause early unrest on the terraces and also bring doubt into the fans minds of what Mr Gibson really wants to achieve.
MFC are not really doing well in most things at the moment.
A really top read,, loved Keane coaching Britt!
A thanks to KP, Alex rang earlier and made some suggestions – the key one was turning Adobe Flash Player off. I never recalled switching it on.
I have bought a sub for tonight, lets see how it goes. If I get the commentary and the game goes belly up take a leaf out of the Gill family and blame me. Broad shoulders, they need to be because I am a lot of space to be a waste off.
Good blog Werder, almost chuckling aloud on the train from KingsX back to Scotland, especially imagining Robbie Keane as the pantomime dame. Also appreciate the comprehensive language course you included. Maybe not quite Parliarmo Glasgow, but enough to convince me I’ll pass for being 16 again instead of 60 😉
Agree with others here. A convincing win is what we need tonight. Ideally, BA and Fletcher both bagging a brace to give them some self belief before the weekend. I’ll stick my neck right out and predict a 5-0 to Boro, regardless of his selection.
BTW I had a lift in an Austin Maxi once.
Looks as if JW has completely ignored my team advice. *Sigh*.
Can’t see tonight’s selections being much of an improvement on Saturday. If he insists on going 4-3-3 I can see Crewe getting a result.
0-0
Crewe on penalties.
Now that is a better prediction GHW.
Mind you, may be you have turned a corner and get one right.
Cause for concern.☹️
A connection for you Jarkko, the son of Jussi Jaaskelainen is on the bench for Crewe tonight.
A busy afternoon and still on kitchen duties so a quick thanks for all the comments on the article and glad to hear John is gettin down with the kidz – way to go dude (sorry I think that is sixties speak) and Benjamin ‘Powmill’ Button is regressing with every mile (or Miley as KP discovered) on his train journey.
There appears to be no chance of any streams for tonight’s game OFB so I guess we’ll have to make do with Robbie’s fecking (for the benefit of Pedro’s language course) visualisation techniques! At least Ian has been recommended to stop flashing while listening to the commentary 🙂
While Woody didn’t take Chris’s advice on team selection, it seems all eight of my potential starters (and Andy’s) made the grade. I suspect it’s nothing personal but purely down to playing four high-intensity games in two weeks.
Pig Pig Bag has already started so my prediction will be Boro Boyz 3 Motley Crewe 2.
Sky Sports News showing goals as they go in.
The good news is the suggestion by Alex ahs worked and I am able to listen to the match. The bad news is that I can listen to the commentary.
It is hardly a good listen, losing 1-0.
Alex at MFC offered a refund if it didn’t work, Does a miserable performance count?
Well I’ve missed all of this !
I was
Discharged from hospital yesterday and I’ve slept from 8 o’clock last night until 8am this morning!!
So my worst fears realised about the Boro
OFB
Bugger
Just seen the latest score on twitter….so much for my misplaced optimism..😕
Getting worse. 2-0 down.
Another great article Weder and had me chuckling! In old parlance, it was right on man! Or even groovy!
I still feel that there is hope in the season but as tonight is showing, it is going to be a long old haul filled with more downers than uppers I suspect.
Boro need to Start! Well every game and continue until the end and avoid Going Underground. But with Absolute Beginners in charge, that is to be expected and we can get ready for the Bitterest Pill and the Funeral Pyre!
Maybe at 2 0 down at half time, I should now just drown my sorrows.
UTB
And enjoy the Dreams of Children
Thanks BBD, it’s not looking great at HT but maybe too soon to beat surrender…
Werder
Surrender is often after valiant effort. Lets see, at the moment there are several concerns, or rather 22!
Did you say 2 2 there Ian?
Let’s see if we can put up a fight then? Only need two more goals now………
2-2 at full time – goals from Ashley Fletcher (75 mins) & one of the new boys, Bola (90 mins). Penalties…
Two missed by Boro: Assombalonga the first (surprise, surprise), Fletcher & Paddy convert, Browne misses, down & out by 2-4… 🙁
Oh dear, Britt missed a penalty, then Tav. Not a good situation with the second string given the run around by Crewe.
I ‘look’ forward to views of those who went, I hope Karon and OFB didn’t suffer too much.
Browne Ian, not Tav,
Thanks Ian just catching up now after sleeping through it all !
OFB
Thanks again Werder,
Really funny article as per usual pity the Boro made us laugh on our other side of our face 4-2 on pens😱😱
Surely JW can see 4-3-3, Died In His Arms Tonight, courtesy of Cutting Crewe.
If he hasn’t GHW, then that’s the season possibly finished before it has started.
Cannot believe how bad the defence was again. Different personnel, same result.
This could be the shortest honeymoon period in history. If it’s a bad result on Saturday at Blackburn whilst playing a 4-3-3, then SG should bite the bullet and dispense with the services of Woodgate. Either that or get an experienced director of football in.
If JW can’t ( or won’t ) see the fundamental flaws in playing 4-3-3 with the players at his disposal, then he deserves to be shown the door.
All I will say in JW’s defence is that he has been shafted in terms of new incoming players.
The squad was short last season. Now with all those that have departed and the minimal replacements, he is a harding to nothing.
Mr Gibson must of been rubbing his hands in glee at the thought of this promised attacking football at very little cost when he appointed JW & Co.
Patience, GHW. It is just three games to the season. Remember how McClaren started his career at Boro and he was our most successful manager ever. Up the Boro!
Here’s where tonight went wrong, courtesy of a quote from Dominic Shaw’s Gazette report: ‘the players coming into the side – of which there was 10′ {which} included five players making their first starts for the club’.
Choosing to start a game with an arm and a leg tied behind your back, means you don’t deserve to win. Our penalty taking, such as it is, is an entirely different matter, best addressed by our fecking attacking coach, ASAP.
Absolutely, Chris. I think you said the same beforehand. I agreed then and now. We should have made just two to three changes and tried to give our new style more time to bed in.
Listened the first 45 min, was terrible. But at least we were not getting a hammering as feared at half time.
The substitutions were correct at half time even thought I would have bought Fletcher on earlier.
Still work in progress. And Woody learned a lot about his players.
Up the Boro!
Well it does mean that we can concentrate on the league until January I guess! And we came back from 2 down……..
Shame that we can’t penalties thought
Trying to find a positive spin on it.
How long before the fans turn on JW? Although it should be against SG, he appointed the manager and compounded it by not allowing him any money to buy in.
Pay peanuts and you get ………..
A further thought, Robson was inexperienced but had money to spend, Southgate inexperienced but to start with had an experienced team to work with.
JW inexperienced and a squad that needs work, what could possibly go wrong!?
I blame pears for not saving any of the goals or penalties.
And that is about as crazy as blaming Woodgate , were was that world class player everyone raves about Tavernier , or Saville or Georgyboy , Wood, Gestede , Browne ,
Where were they?
Pulis new their limitations ,but oh no no one wanted to listen ,
All the moaners wanted change , well we got it, and that’s OK, everyone has the right to their opinion, but as things get harder and it will I hope they still remember what they wanted.
Have we been infiltrated by Geordie fans lately ,seems like it?
Oi!
Well the Carabao Cup early rounds have seemingly become a pseudo friendly game and a chance for some of Boro’s new signings and fringe players to stake a claim for a league start. However, in the end, the second string of a much thinner squad proved to be not quite a match for League Two opposition. Did anyone impress or was it a case of no-hands-on-deck against a better Crewe – here’s Redcar Red’s match report of Boro’s ‘concentrate on the league’ performance at the Riverside…
https://diasboro.club/2019/08/14/boro-2-2-crewe/
Thanks RR
That sounds like a pretty depressing display until McNair and Fletcher came on and added a touch of class. How was Friend? Would you pick him or Shotton to partner Ayala on Saturday. The only positive note that I can draw is that we seem to just about have a first XI that can play but the reserves seem to be pretty dodgy. Maybe a couple of seasoned free agents wouldn’t be such a bad short term solution. I’d love to know when Fry will be available.
I was a little shocked to hear about huge chunks of the ground being closed and it’s made we wonder just how bad out financial situation is. The economies that are being put in place smack of desperation. Many clubs work with a deficit knowing that the owners can come to their rescue if necessary. What is that is no longer the case. Are Bulkhaul also having problems? Does anyone know the true numbers?
UTB
Friend looked like he was easing his way back in after a long lay off so I guess his performance was as expected and steady without being remarkable but I would have him in over Shotton as a left sided CB.
Before I read the report I am sending a snotty email to MFC. They sorted out the issues and I was able to listen to the match, damn!
Welcome to our world Ian!
Still trying to work my way through all the posts !
Don’t realise how many there are unless you’ve been out of it a few days so sorry if I haven’t replied to anyone I’m not being boorish just tardy !!
I decided to watch Woody give his press conference live at 1:00 today and it seemed to be going ok a few prickly questions and then the live feed was pulled.
I went back to the recording an hour later and then am out later still and you can only see a presser with an abrupt end !
So what happened ?
Did woody spit his dummy out ?
Anyone else see it ?
Rumour on Twitter was he had a spat with a female journo but I confirmed…
Am I the only one to see this or am I still in my dreamlike existence where I’ve been since Sunday ??
Messages on a postcard please to:
OFB
Thanks RR for your report on a dismal night at the Riverside which did nothing to aid Karon’s recovery.
Many have said it is likely to be a long hard season and so it is already proving to be.
My concern so far is that we have seen little to give us encouragement that things will eventually come right. Still a long way to go but………. 😎
Thanks RR for your dedication to the cause in turning out to watch that and putting into words what the rest of us can’t get to see.
It certainly won’t be aiding the recovery of OFB or Mrs KP but it is only a game of football after all.
I had forgotten that Crewe were the Railwaymen (obvious really) so whilst they steam off into the next round, we are shunted off into the sidings and JW and team will have to have a rethink to keep us on track and avoid hitting the buffers!
Enough of the puns, I am not going to blame anybody at this junction, (sorry), let’s give everybody time to settle down _ Rome wasn’t built in a day – and in truth, from last season we have witnessed a downgrade in the team.
Thus, my expectations are set at a realistic level of a top 10 finish with ups and downs along the way. It is just disappointing that the weakness is shown up so early in the season.
Now what was that song, “ Things can only get better”
UTB – even if it is Typical Boro!
BBD
I like your optimism of a top ten finish.
The majority of the first team have been there for a number of seasons now and failed to deliver. The new recruits whilst bringing youth and pace are inexperienced at this level and are unlikely to set the world alight, certainly this season. If you can’t rely on your top men to deliver then who will?
Unfortunately we are now weaker than we have been and I do not see JW having the man Management skills to make a weaker team produce more than the the sum of its parts.
As a player he often talked the talk but didn’t always walk the walk. I will be delighted if he proves me wrong. 😎
Well Boro certainly hit the buffers in that game !
OFB
I am going to take a positive out of proceedings so far.
Ashley Fletcher has scored two and had two chalked off. Those who see more can verify or not my view that maybe he could prove a real asset. Of course it is easier from afar with the benefit of highlights rather than multiple 90 minutes.
Ian
When he first arrived had Fletcher been playing (or perhaps been given the opportunity) the way he is now nobody would have questioned his fee.
I would drop Britt (despite his fee) and play Fletcher up top. He has more pace, guile, hunger and desire than our even bigger price tag marque signing. Britt’s penalty last night was either a deliberate urine sampler or a true indication of his technical ability, it also indicates what hasn’t happened during training or coaching sessions that should have since his last one.
Not good and not clever and perhaps illustrates just how naïve our Coaching set up is. The positive is however that Fletcher does now look to have the bit between his teeth and is going for it and may actually make his price tag look a steal come the end of the season. The same can be said for McNair. Although he wasn’t playing last night Johnson has looked at the worst reasonable and at the best very good this season so fingers crossed he may be another that steps up and grasps his opportunity.
I used to like watching Fletch remember those films ?
Mrs OFB is going to represent me at the next Boro home game with her sister !
Now that’s dedication to the cause.
OFB
It’s still early days but it is starting to look like Agnew mark 2. Well-meaning intentions but naive and out of their depth. Thing is, this was a completely self-inflicted defeat. We have a mid-table Championship squad in the process of being taught to learn a totally different way to play that hasn’t won a game yet. If you switch out 10 players for a game then you don’t develop the ability to play the new system. if you happen to win anyway you haven’t developed the first team and the result doesn’t carry through. If you lose, like we did, you just add to the tension of needing a first win.
Now we have to play Blackburn away with a team that has played Luton, Brentford and Crewe Alexander, conceded 6 goals, lost 2 and drawn 1. If we don’t win that game, an experienced manager would have their hands full. We can only hope that painful lessons like yesterday actually do some good.
It doesn’t help that there is still a hangover from last season with fans then compounded by the farcical summer spin underpinning Woodgate’s appointment.
Pulis went six games and still clung on so I would expect Gibson to be relatively unmoved and to jettison Woodgate would be an admission of his own ineptness which is something we know will not come easy to him. Fans will ultimately judge Woodgate by results and by his press comments just the same as his predecessors.
Those interviews have stuck indelible phrases on the character of all our previous Managers from “quality players” to “it is what it is”. I think however that one of Karanka’s most famous and stinging rants has a ghostly air to it :
“We need to improve the team, and the club knew a month-and-a-half ago the players that I wanted. Teams in our position are signing players for £14million – we are signing players that didn’t play in the Championship.”
The Karanka words were a nail hammered home with one tap, clean as a whistle.
The only window as bad as that, possibly worse, was the one pre Gate’s relegation season.
Ian
“pre Gate’s relegation season”
Hope that was historic rather than prophetic!
Don’t panic Don’t panic they don’t like it up em!
OFB
Belated thanks to RR for the report.
Thank you Werder and RR.
Last night wasn’t a surprise for me, worrying times ahead I’m sure. But it is Boro and you never know. Forecast against Blackburn, I haven’t got a clue !
One thing JW, stop talking about Britt still being the penalty taker. Time to let someone else take a chance.
What the hell are we going to do about Gestede. Surely when January comes we will give him to either Darlington or Hartlepool. Even my favourite team in Scotland Cowdenbeath.
Malcolm what exactly have Darlo, Pools and the Miners done to you?
Do you think it is right the manager should say this in public ?
Quote JW (Jonathan Woodgate called the attitude of some of his players into question)
Ah, the Blue Brazil…….
Many thanks to RR for embellishing my Robbie Keane style visualisation of the live text of the game last night – it appeared far worse than it had in my imagination.
Though looking at the team it was no surprise given it was an inexperienced back four of strangers, a less than creative midfield of Clayton and Saville plus an out of sorts Tav – plus an attack that was spearheaded by Gestede, academy debutant Walker and new signing Browne.
Not sure if Woodgate learned anything from the game other than he’s got a limited squad and an out-of-form main striker in Britt. I think I’d agree with RR that it’s maybe time to make Fletcher the main man and maybe play Browne and Johnson either side of him.
Gestede is still at Boro because presumably no other club was prepared to match his high wages for a rarely scoring injury-prone 30-something and Rudy is perfectly entitled to see out his contract rather than take a pay cut. With Britt looking short on confidence and probably in need of a rest after his involvement in the African Cup of Nations over the summer, it really only leaves Fletcher to lead the line.
It seems the summer signings of Bola and Dijksteel are not an obvious improvement on what we currently have and Browne needs more pitch time. That is probably the problem with an early EFL Cup exit in that there’s no game in two weeks to give fringe players a run out. Incidentally, it would have been a home game against Villa so probably the second-string was spared a thrashing.
Still, it’s early days and to go back to the drawing board now would totally undermine the new regime – three Championship games in a week will tell us more and it will be interesting if the players have the fitness to execute the high energy tactics. Perhaps having Friend on the pitch alongside Ayala would offer some leadership but not sure if I’d start Dijksteel just yet. Most of the First XI look safe and the squad has no obvious players who deserve to start instead.
“Back to the drawing board”
Therein lies the problem. This is not FIFA football where you can press escape and start over again. JW got his selection wrong and then tried to deflect it by blaming the players ( that he selected) and then compounded it by singling out a couple of individuals for praise.
Very poor management, yes he is inexperienced but these are fundamental basics of being a manager that he is getting wrong.
I’m sure there are many on here who are familiar with the process of “ change management “ and how that should be implemented. It can’t be achieved overnight and requires a structured plan. I accept he is hindered by expectation and in an ideal world should be given more time, but if he can’t see the obvious flaws in his tactics then his days will be numbered.
I don’t get a feeling that MFC as a Club are “au fait” with management processes or techniques generally. If they were then many of their preventable foot shooting incidents wouldn’t have occurred over the years be it Badges, Red Faction, White Bands or even Recruitment etc. etc. let alone the process of change management itself.
As we know when you change things they inevitably get worse for a short while and doubts creep in before they get better as the new system beds in and people and machinery adapt along with attitudes etc. but it is planned. The key word in that sentence being “planned” and therein lies the root of our concerns. I wonder how much planning and thought has gone into the processes, roles and deliverables? The transfer window perhaps provides a clue as does the Southgate era previously.
I do believe that they believe in their Summer rebirth, its just that the skills and abilities required to effect such a seismic shift haven’t been to the fore previously. If they did there would be a DOF. There are times when you can and do put a Rookie in charge (usually when processes and systems are bedded in and functioning as expected) and there are most definitely times when you don’t (massive overhauls, changes, disruptions, delays, obstacles and challenges).
I suppose the main difference from one year ago when Pulis also rested players and made 10 changes for the EFL tie that Boro drew 3-3 with Notts County and then won on penalties was that he could start with Fry, Ayala, Leadbitter, McNair, Fletcher and Johnson – which is almost half the current first team now. The reality is that Woodgate’s second eleven is very much weaker and all his new signings are not exactly ready for the first team.
His job is very much harder with the players at his disposal and it’s not clear if it can work – so far we’ve seen three decent halves of football in the Championship but not much to show for it in terms of points. Woodgate needs a win and sooner rather than later.
Yes but in change management you have “what if “ scenarios and we have no plan B C D E F and sometimes not even a plan A !
OFB
Just a thought but maybe Woodgate got his excuses in early to SG with last night and it was deliberate including Gestede and of course yet another Britt penalty. “Look at what I’m left with and have to work with” type thinking?
In which case he proved his point!
Of course the drawing board brings us to a moot point. Is there a drawing board?
What is the modern equivalent of the drawing board?
And never mind the drawing board, is there a pen?
Last night was very poor; I wasn’t really sure the players understood their roles particularly well and as a result we looked pretty clueless.
However, I was impressed with the Luton game and while I was away for the Brentford game by all accounts we were very good first half and could be easily sat here with 6 points.
This is a transition season so results aren’t the only factor for me (assuming we don’t inexplicably get dragged into a relegation battle) – and as long performances are promising I’m satisfied for the moment. Two league games is far too early to write anything off. Big week coming up though.
The Luton game was fun and enjoyable and a huge relief from Pulis, had Britt scored we would have come away with all three points and happy to have scored four even if it meant conceding two. The first half against Brentford was more of the same except one Linesman was determined to preserve Brentford’s clean sheet. It should have been two nil at half time and had it been I doubt Brentford would have found a way back. Fine margins!
That would have put a totally different perspective on things albeit a bit manic and not very measured from a tactical perspective. The fall out means that Britt shouldn’t be anywhere near penalties ever again for Boro. I see that AV is trying to make the point that his overall penalty record is OK but fails to ring fence his Boro Penalty record which is all Boro fans care about which is abysmal made worse by the identikit nature of his errors. If he takes another one and misses then he will be crucified by his own fans and so will Woodgate. Its a brave call and one that right here and now I would deem unnecessary, a great leader knows when and where to fight his battles and now isn’t the time to make a stand.
A few wins and things will settle down but more a few more defeats in August followed by more booing and whatever the Plan was it will be difficult for the Club, Manager and Players to carry on regardless. Even Pulis got a half a season and the Villa Play Off debacle before the rumblings on the terraces started. I’m not in favour of Woodgate but even I’m surprised that the discontent has surfaced so quickly. I put it down to confidence and general belief in the Club, Bausor, Bevington and SG himself rather than just Woodgate alone that has suffered and as a consequence some of that Pulis toxicity has carried over. I did say before Woodgate’s appointment that SG had to get it right and that it had to have a unifying effect, unfortunately the manner in which it appeared to have been done just made poor matters far worse and presented Woodgate with an uphill task before a ball was even kicked.
I had and still have reservations over Woodgate ever being the right candidate for a multitude of reasons and regardless it is too early to kneejerk but already that universal support is questionable. Not a great start to anyone’s managerial career. If results don’t improve the support required to carry him and the Club through this transition phase fans will turn sour (as ultimately they always do at all clubs big and small). If the fans turned on Mogga then they will turn on Woodgate and I fear this time maybe SG along with him. To add insult to injury that Woodgate wasn’t seemingly supported as per that PR Press Conference had insinuated at the time of his appointment hasn’t gone unnoticed along with unhelpful theories.
RR
It is worrying if the local journo has to attempt a defence of the dreaded Britt this early in the season.
There is no defence of Britt. To allow any player to grab the ball when a penalty is awarded is a clear sign of the lack of control exercised by the club.
Forget the tired clichés about finding someone with the nerve to take them.
A penalty is a very important part of the game, a very serious part of the game, and, of course, very controllable, you practice the correct way to take them, observe who finds them easy and stress free, then concentrate on your top three, with constant practice, and discussion about the mental side of it, you have a goalkeeper who can tell you about it from his point of view, what gives him the greatest difficulty.
You can decide on the three most important factors in getting the best results over a season of penalties.
Anyone who really thinks a penalty is a free goal, just point your body in the general direction of the keeper close your eyes take two strides and bobs your uncle, Should study the great Shearer, a tried and tested method, never tried to fool the keeper, in fact treated him with contempt, but, my god, did he deliver when it came to penalties.
By the way, sorry for my disclosure of Britts method above, totally unfair, it may stop him converting penalties from now on?
When I mentioned the heavy cost of missed penalties in an earlier blog , I really did not believe it could come home to roost so quickly.
To date, two points, plus the damage to moral, a home game against Aston Villa, plus the manager making statements like,” brits still taking them”.
As his loyalty to his useless striker mounts, so his own credibility goes down the chute.
This will not end happily.
If you want go to utube and check out a guy named Si Ferry Scottish guy who interviews ex players .
Look for two one with Willo Flood , the other Dean Windass , interesting and funny, both mentioned time at Boro ,
Both mentioned crazy money given to certain players , Flood said some were on eight times more than him, he did say though it was a good dressing room, Deano mentioned Boxic and his money, I won’t spoil the rest,
Just to say you have to wonder , how the chairman as allowed the club to struggle on the field considering the investment , you would think he would want the clubs profile and value to continually expand .
It now looks like a serious reset is underway ,and maybe its about time, the fans won’t like it , but a whole new project could be what we need.
Interesting Bevington at Woody’s announcement talked about a Boro way a way were others see the kind of exciting football we play , a Boro DNA.
Have we lost out on players because of how we played in the past, or overpaid because they had doubts ,if it suited them?
Interesting times ,I hope we don’t get too down,yes bad results always spoil your day, but its going to take a lot longer than you think to change, and considering too many signings in the past have been disasters, we can all name them, its cruel to start slagging off the new regime ,if anything they need more support.
That there is something fundamentally wrong at MFC goes without saying, and despite all the tangibles and employment structure in place, ultimately the buck has to stop with the Chairman.
He has presided over the club as custodian since the dark days of the 80’s and has to be commended for that, but at some point he has to address the problem the club currently face. I get the feeling that the current management hierarchy are simply filling a role at the behest of SG but are toothless tigers with no real authority in how the club is run. Everything seems to stem from decision’s he makes and him alone.
The club found themselves facing oblivion when SG stepped in, but I would venture that a major influence alongside Gibson was Keith Lamb. He was a no nonsense hard nosed Chief Executive who took no prisoners and certainly didn’t come across as a Yes Man to SG. I often think that as he was a much maligned character during his reign that he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves for the role he played in bringing the club from near extinction to Eindhoven.
When Tony Pulis arrived he couldn’t believe some of the things he saw happening, and was given the task of trying to sort it out to some semblance of football normalcy. Things that had happened I might add in the absence of a strong CE. It has never really been revealed why Keith Lamb left his post but the club have never really advanced since his departure.
From that point anything and everything has been done with the Chairman being the sole decision maker, but unfortunately he has got more right than wrong. He is the owner and I’m sure he has the best intentions but his business sense doesn’t always transpose to his football decisions.
It’s rightly said that in these times football is a business and no longer a pastime for the fans to partake in as a social activity, and that is right, but football is a business like no other and has to be run with a different set of rules and that’s where a strong Chief Executive comes in. I don’t know how badly the bridges between Lamb and Gibson have been burned but the situation at the moment is crying out for someone like him with his experience and acumen.
My personal opinion is that the Chairman should have stuck with TP and let him finish the job he had started but unfortunately he was swayed by the influence of the fans, and bums on seats are the lifeblood of a club at this level without large sums of TV money.
It has become alarmingly quickly obvious that JW doesn’t have the necessary experience to oversee the changes required at MFC and a DOF is now a position that must be filled as soon as possible. Coupled with a strong CE with the power to initiate what is needed.
I’m not suggesting that SG should relinquish control, rather he should clear out the current club management he has in place. In order to successfully change a management structure you have to start at the top and work down, transferring the process all the way down to the very bottom.
I know Keith Lamb is still active within the FA and might I suggest that SG gives him a call. If nothing else but for some much needed advice. A call to someone like Sam Allardyce wouldn’t be a bad idea either. The club is on the slide both metaphorically and literary.
It’s time for Mr Gibson to put the brakes on.
Interesting post GHW – and certainly food for thought.
There has been a disconnect for a while and if My memory is right, I am sure that folk have said that SG has not been at games on a regular basis for a while.
If correct, then that is slightly concerning, especially as SG is touted as being a big fan and it’s not about the money. Why hasn’t he been attending as much? Has his interest waned?
We all know that to be successful, vast amounts of money is required and whilst FFP rules are there, some owners are clearly quite happy to flaunt them to gain access to the promised land of the top flights and the riches that it brings.
So why is SG sticking to the rules, cutting back and trying to balance the books? Just something to think about I guess.
MFC is unlikely to ever become a Man U or Liverpool although one mustn’t forget that before rich owners cane in, Man City were in the old division 3 and Chelsea were beaten to go into division 2! So what has changed, money and lots of it.
Now I am not saying that SG has not invested into the club as clearly he has done so in a big way and without his cash, then we would not be here today and in a Bury or Bolton situation. But to my mind, he is taking a more pragmatic business type approach. However, he needs to have strong management in place, especially to manage the change that we appear to be going through.
Not sure that is in place and as a football club is different to a haulage business, different skills are needed. Communication of the new strategy (if there is one) would help us fans understand and get the buy in required without the sniping that is always likely when results don’t go well.
This season will be a long haul but if we can see what the end game is, then the supporters are more likely to stay onside and accept the position.
Sorry, a long rambling post although in conclusion, as a long suffering supporter, I would still rather be where we are, trying to make the best of our limited resources, rather than having a distant foreign owner spending money for fun!
GHW
Keith Lamb, aka The Prince of Darkness or the Count, was part of the Unholy Trinity of Steve Gibson, Gate and himself. He and Gibson said they had the experience necessary for Gate to progress.
They were at the heart of that awful window that saw us rip the heart out of the midfield and not replace it other than a one legged Frenchman who hadn’t played for 6 months, they were on the bridge when we struck the iceberg they never saw coming.
Boat, Rochembach, Clattermole all gone and Mendi sidelined. Throw in Luke Young leaving as the window closed.
Keith Lamb was also involved in the purchase of Midough and Alves, Bent, Marlon King, Dong Gook, Caleb Folan, Aliadiere etc.
He also brought in Strachan but that is another story.
Southgate?
Whatever happened to him?
Another story? More like a tragedy.
UTB,
John
John
I stand by my view, the problem was created by the Unholy Trinity not Strachan. He tried to put it right but our premiership status was squandered by the three amigos, Strachan failed but Barry Robson and Scott McDonald were far superior to Midough and Shawky or Digard and Dong Gook.
Posters wont like it but that is the case.
Ian,
Couldn’t agree more but it was a tragedy orchestrated by the Teflon coated ones yet again, then there’s the money spent on wages and salaries. No planning I suppose simply just a belief that ‘they’ were right and nobody vetting or approving what was being done or spent on players and no link to a strategy.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing really. Let’s all hope the club have learned from previous mistakes…
UTB,
John
Redcar Red,
Thanks for that, you are saint for sitting through it although martyr might be a better description. I’ve just read the report having been to a friends funeral, pouring rain there and all the way back so the report kind of suited my mood. I’ve just poured a pint of Adnams Ghost Ship and it hasn’t really improved my mood.
I think Chris might have touched on this point but why is it that a team trying to develop some understanding has wholesale changes inflicted on it?
This is going to be a long and hard season for everyone. Pity Redcar Red reporting on the triumphs and disasters, probably more of the latter than the former.
Never mind, remember Norwich’s start last season. On that basis it’s a pity we can’t play ourselves to start a winning run just like we kick-started Norwich’s season last year. We’d probably lose anyway.
Before I forget can someone give Assombalonga lines so that every time a penalty is upper grabs he has to sit down and write ‘I must not take penalties. Ever.’
UTB,
John
Is something really fundamentally wrong though, or are we just going through the usual cycle of relegated clubs who don’t go straight back up? And we haven’t had the issues of clubs like Hull or Sunderland who came down with us so it hasn’t been that badly managed in comparison.
It’s just way too early for me to be writing Woodgate off. And the only time we should ever consider parting ways with him this season is if we end up adrift in the bottom 3.
Borophil
I believe there are fundamental problems throughout the club.
In addition to the problems on the field, many of us can quote examples of issues they have had with the club from ticket collection, Riverside Live issues, coomnication and recruitment issues etc.
It seems to me, having undertaken a senior management role for a major bank’s audit function for many years, there is a lack of hands on management and proper oversight of day to day activities. There would also appear to be a lack of accountability from those at the top.
Things will not improve unless there are fundamental changes. I accept that this is based upon events from afar and without the benefit of an in depth root and branch review. I do however have enough experience to know when there are major problems within an organisation.
To suggest that this is only part of a cycle that relegated club’s go through and that we are better managed than some other basket cases is a tad delusional and if that is how the management view it then it is a recipe for disaster.
I take no pleasure whatsoever in saying that about a team I love and have supported for over 55 years. 😎
I’m really not sure what you expect. We got relegated, we had a good go at trying to spend our way back up (which I’m sure most fans would have supported) but we haven’t bankrupted ourselves doing so and are now adopting a different approach.
We’ve made recruitment mistakes but who hasn’t in the Championship. We certainly don’t have some of the millstones some other clubs have. We have an excellently run Academy, one of the top in the country, the club doesn’t get everything right communications-wise but has developed the family zone very well over the past few years and new innovations like the fan zone are welcome. I have never had any ticket issues with the club.
Also, our finances seem in reasonable shape and would only be so with the continued support of Gibson so when people question his commitment I do wonder what they base that on. Strangely enough, I also work in audit and I’m not sure I could arrive at a conclusion of ‘fundamental [or major] problems’ without seeing a bit more of what actually goes on behind the scenes. Looking at the club from the outside however, we seem reasonably well run and better than a lot of other teams in the division.
What would you have done differently since relegation?
I think for quite some time a number of fans, particularly several posters on this blog (myself included), have been calling for longer term strategic thinking at the club and, crucially, the guts and determination to stick with it when the results aren’t coming.
It seems to me that we’re in one of those periods already and I think we need to have that determination.
The plan is the right one as far as I’m concerned. Whether we have the ability to execute it is open to debate – goodness knows it won’t be quick or easy – but a change of tack already would be ridiculous in my view.
It took Jurgen Klopp two to three years to get Liverpool where they are now with far greater resources and pulling power. Our ceiling is lower but so is our ability to fast track.
Stick with it. The ideas are the right ones.
Thanks to Redcar Red for the fortitude shown in producing a readable report from a debacle of a Boro performance.
Putting my own view on the appointment of JW to one side, I think we all believed (on DiasBoro anyway) that it would possibly be a tough season depending on out goings and incomings.
The former were many and the latter it would appear at the moment to be project top ups of the Tav type? I thought we should be looking at a top eight place, but now I believe that has gone given that Mr Gibson has let JW down very badly with any significant reinvestment in players.
How much is SG really interested now? Maybe his new house is taking up his time, along with Bulkhaul and the continual losses at Rockcliffe. May be his past optimistic and extravagant hopes have just finally come to a stop.
Pedro – that is what I have been thinking for a while. I have said it before that I don’t think SG has the stomach for the eye watering sums involved to be truly competitive, even in the Championship.
The strategy looks like it is, reduce costs in every area, including manager and players. Then see what happens, as long as we don’t get relegated! I can’t think of any other reason why what has gone on has occurred.
We don’t what JW’s brief from SG is or what his KPI’s are so hard to judge what goes on.
Despite all our good times in the Premier, cup victory and the European final, we are a small town in Europe with limited resources and a poor catchment area.
Mind you Burnley must be doing something right and I would say they are in a similar position.
Bring on the youth, get promoted in 3 seasons may be the plan?
That would work for me.
BBD
Don’t forget Bournemouth and Brighton as well. Watford, Wolves and Huddersfield have all managed more than one season in the PL having gained promotion. 😎
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Woodgate finds himself in almost identical waters to those of one of Teesside’s favourite sons, Tony Mowbray.
Operating in new low cost environment – check
Bringing in hitherto unknown/cheap Championship-level players – check (Ledesma vs Browne?)
Legacy financing issues from cavalier spending of previous management – check
They say that history repeats, but the most galling thing for SG must be to find himself in exactly the same position that Mowbray was in less than 10 years. We were lead to believe that we were seeking to emulate other clubs at that time (Swansea being held up as the example), now we have another set of benchmark spendthrifts to assess ourselves against.
I personally don’t expect miracles this year. I hope that we have the tenacity to stick with the philosophy of trying to play decent football and scoring some ruddy goals along the way. Maybe if things steady off we have funds next year, or the year after, to plough into a promotion campaign. Maybe we don’t. Maybe we achieve promotion ahead of schedule…
Either way, I think we all need to think back to Pulisball and ask ourselves whether turning up to watch that for 90mins with a higher win ratio is preferable to seeing goals and chances but some rough results. Hand on heart, I think football is a piece of escapism and should entertain – give me goals and Steaua-style moments every week please.
Works for me too!
My genuine worry is that those Steaua-style moments could become Stockport-style moments sometime very soon and with it Boro virtually broke or worse. Once you are on the slide its very difficult to slow down the descent let alone brake and climb back up.
Boro has been a huge money pit that has absorbed millions, Rockliffe isn’t seemingly (at least as yet) performing as was hoped and then there is Brexit and the potential impact on Bulkhaul. If you were planning for your twilight years would you be keen to throw everything at one last roll of the dice?
Smoggy
History always repeats itself, the second time as comedy.
GWH, I checked the mfc.co.uk and as I thought, Keith Lamb is still at the club. He is nowadays a Non-Executive Director on the board.
Just saying, like. Up the Boro!
I agree with a number of folk that the new strategy expounded by JW has to be the way forward, and that we have to give him time to embed the changes, even if that means a season or two of treading water. Results thus far, and especially the confirmation from the Crewe game regarding a lack of squad strength in depth, have suggested this season might well be a struggle. I agree with fellow bloggers, however, that we shouldn’t be getting shot of Woody this season unless there’s a serious risk of relegation. I hope that people will understand that he’s been dealt a weak hand and has little room for manoeuvre, (exactly as Mogga was, as someone mentioned), but I’m not sure the fan base as a whole would accept that view for too long if results don’t improve.
And so to Blackburn. I never know what to expect from this game. In all the many times I have been there – it’s only 10 miles from where I live – I can only recall three wins: a 4-0 thrashing when Jimmy-Floyd got a hat-trick, a 2-1 when Juke got a couple, and last season’s win. Mostly, we end up on the end of a poor defeat. Who knows this time, as both clubs are struggling. And of course, 6 of Rovers’ squad are our former players who will want to do well against us: ( Mogga, of course, Stewy, Harry Chapman, Danny Graham, Richie Smallwood, Jason Leutwiler).
However, one thing we can be pretty sure about is the weather. It almost always rains cats, dogs and dolphins when we go to Blackburn. In the NW, it has rained almost incessantly this summer, and Saturday’s forecast looks to be a trifle damp ( which, even so, is better than a damp trifle, I always think.) I’ve got my aqualung and flippers ready in the car. For those of you who are going, take anything waterproof you can lay your hands on!!
Clive, and you only tell us now about the animals it is raining down there!
A few years back, I and my wife took a flight from Helsinki to Manchester. It was Xmas time and we rented a car and drove directly to Blackburn for the Boro match. We had no time to listen to radio nor brownse the internet.
When we arrived to the Ewood Park, it was quiet, too quiet. The match was postponed because of rain.
And I had asked our dear AV to bring us a pair of tickets as the away end was sold out. Quite a story to return the tickets, too as naturally we couldn’t go to the replay.
Lucikly we did see two other Boro games that week. But there was not much to do in Blackburn on Christmas time. We stayed overnight in Preston, I think. And all roads full of water.
Up the Boro!
I remember that game, or rather non game, too! Staying not too far away with relatives, woke up to the rain and said that the game would not be on.
Also been to another Blackburn game where the pitch was really unplayable and I was sure the ref would abandon it at half time.
So for me I have renamed the ground Ewood Baths!
I am forecasting a wet game and Boro to come away with a point, though not sure how many goals there will be.
Not sure will be able to keep up as going camping with family so hope it stays dry near Whitby!
My weather app is predicting it will be wet in Whitby on Friday, but sunny/cloudy on Saturday with no rain.
For Blackburn it is predicting very wet on Friday, but again cloudy/sunny on Saturday with no rain.
Well that’s Lancashire for you, Jarkko! I remember that game that was called off. Mind, I can also recall another that was called off for entirely different reasons(!). Boro were docked three points as a result, and were then relegated! I hate Blackburn!!!
Clife, I had forgotten that earlier match already. On purpose. Do not turn a knife any more, please.
BTW, I think Middlesbrough is evolving and looks a bit more beatiful place than Blackburn. Or perhaps I know the former better.
Up the Boro!
Just had an interesting read over lunch time and quite pertinent to Werder’s opener this week, referring to how language is changing with lots of evolving wordz…
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/aug/15/why-its-time-to-stop-worrying-about-the-decline-of-the-english-language
It certainly puts my pedantry int its place !
Thanks Powmill it was a good article – I guess a language that doesn’t evolve is a dead language that ends up being quoted by blustering old Etonians to pretend that they’re cleverer than the rest of us. I think I once read an article that suggested English would ultimately morph into the Chinese-Asian variant because that is where the vast majority of speakers would take it. New words become increasing prevalent and older ones become archaic as nobody speaks like Shakespeare anymore and that’s only 500 years ago – I’m sure the speed of modern life and technology will see English evolve far more rapidly. Perhaps we’ll even return to expressing ourselves in the new Hieroglyphic symbols as everyone eventually turns to speaking in Emoji 🙁
RR
Just read your report this afternoon (Thursday) been asleep all the time and slept through the match didn’t know the score until next morning
As usual your report is more professional and entertaining than the football and for that I thank you
OFB
Thanks Powmill – how reliable is your weather app? Is it one that is linked to pine cones!
It’s the feeling I have my joints you know 🤫
I think JW ‘s position is different to Mogga’s.
The big problem for Mogga was the fitness of the squad when he came in. O’Neill Rhys Williams, Matt Bates, Tony McMahon were just a few of the treatment room tenants.
I remember looking at the appearance stats towards the end of the season Mogga took over. The top six teams had half a dozen players with 40+ appearances. We had a few with just over 30 games.
We went on a good run in the latter part of the season including the memorable 3-0 away win to prick Cardiff’s balloon.
The Gazette interviewed Barry Robson and asked why we were playing better and he put it down to having players available.
The coming seasons saw Mogga de jocking the squad as he trimmed the wage bill.
Not in the least surprised by Tuesday’s result. Our youngsters hardly excelled in the Checkatrade Trophy against 1st and 2nd Division teams in the last few years, did they.
Some good news next.
Jonathan Woodgate has revealed that Dael Fry will play for Boro Under-23s against Stoke City at Bishop Auckland tomorrow night (7pm).
Woodgate said: “He’ll play 60 minutes on Friday night and then hopefully he’ll be back with us.”
Really looking forward to see him soon. Up the Boro!
Good news there.
* looking forward to seeing Fry*
My broblem is that I change the idea midway during the sentance too often. And partly as it is not my mother language. Bear with me, though.
Up the Boro!
Clive, whilst I agree with your sentiment of not getting rid of JW and persevering with the chosen system, it is only 2 league matches in, ableit part of an easy-ish first ten games.
The problem will come if JW cannot change around our fortunes and we continue not picking up sufficient points to keep us out of the bottom 4/5.
Although the football on offer may be better than the past 18 months, the fans unfortunately will probably not be very understanding, certainly of where we could be and also of Mr Gibson not backing JW.
I discovered Opera hasn’t released a recent update to it must be a WordPress template change that has caused the problem.
Borophil re your post at 6.59 and the question you pose in your final paragraph.
I would have excercised closer control over the funds we amassed during our PL year.
Whilst I had no problem with the ambition to smash the league I have been very uncomfortable with the way in which money wad clearly wasted on recruitment and the vast salaries paid to poor performers some of whom we clearly have had difficulty in unloading.
As a consequence the drain on cash resources now sees us having to recruit at a much lower level. TP said when he arrived that he could not believe some of the contracts that were in place and the money spent on transfers despite which he then spent over the odds in my view on some recruits.
All this indicates to me a lack of a clearly defined recruitment process and oversight from those at the top.
As far as other problems are concerned MFC introduced Riverside Live which as a supporter now based overseas I was delighted with when it was announced. The first season was however beset with problems and even this year having announced that commentary would by synchronised with BBC Tees, it isn’t fully in synch. Why can they not get it right?
I am pleased that you haven’t had problems with tickets but hundreds of supporters did at the Brentford game and some didn’t get into the ground until 30+ mins after kick off.
There are too many things which are not right to my mind to suggest that this is a well run organisation and that those at the top have their fingers on the pulse and are on top of matters as much as they should be.
While the signings these past few weeks have been bottom rung, they do seem born of financial expediency. And as Woodgate feels we are short on numbers, it is understandable he will want to bring some people in.
But given that Marcus Browne, for example, was not trusted to play even one game for West Ham, isn’t there a solid case to just not bother with boosting the numbers for the sake of it, but to instead draw as many players from the Academy as we can?
There seems little long term point in recruiting players who have not made the cut elsewhere. They probably won’t make it here either.
The paradox though, is that Woodgate must feel the Academy players are not good enough or ready, in which case it questions the validity and purpose of the Academy.
All of us I suspect would love a first team made up mostly of players coming through the ranks but we don’t seem to be able to produce enough good, young players.
That is not JW’s fault at all but is damning of the club and a strong and steady flow through from the Academy is arguably the single most important facet of club admin, but it’s not really happening.
There’s a lot to fix.
Richard
A lot of West Ham fans were upset that Browne was allowed to leave to the Boro
Based on the little I have seen I think he shows promise
OFB
Don’t know if anyone uses the Opera browser but WordPress hasn’t been functioning properly when using it since yesterday – I couldn’t post a comment or reply with it and even tried reinstalling Opera and then reverted Windows 10 to a previous restore point. I have subsequently switched to Firefox and it functions OK but have since discovered on the Opera forum that somebody else has posted problems with their WordPress site when using the browser.
Werder,
My iMac works fine with my WordPress blog on Safari but we do fall foul of BT Open Reach working on the boxes or whatever they do, but maybe that is just living in a rural area. If I preview a post sometimes WordPress tells me it can’t find the page I’ve just been working on.
I had an email from someone looking at my blog and they had overlap issues on Opera so who knows. I certainly don’t!
UTB,
John
There’s so many variables these days with operating systems, screens size from mobiles to large monitors, different browsers and versions plus add-ons and extensions, I’m just glad I no longer work in website design. There are bound to be problems and usually they get sorted within a few days. Maybe WordPress made some minor changes to their stylesheet that doesn’t work in Opera for whatever reason. Browser standards vary slightly between companies and new ones are constantly being introduced.
Haven’t been to the Opera and my Firefox is down!
I don’t know if I thanked you Werder for the match previews you recently posted but please accept my thanks now much appreciated
OFB
You already did OFB but thanks again 🙂
Werder
I am no expert but the increase in browsers hasn’t helped users of sundry platform. As far as I am aware all the platforms I use for work are based on Windows, I do believe one or two were still based on Windows Explorer a couple of years ago.
A few want Explorer rather than Edge..
I generally use my iPad with Chrome. Can’t say I have had any problems
I can remember when browsing was what our other half’s did on a Saturday afternoon on the High Street!
Has been fine on my IPad which is Safari – I didn’t realize there are so many different browsers nowadays. Mind you, my first experience of a computer was the one at Hull University which I visited whilst at school. It took up a very large room, and think used punch tape to input the programme!
I don’t want to sound old fashioned, but nowadays one needs more than one browser to enter ALL possible sites. The problem is that my employer has accepted only two browsers to be used because of security reasons.
The computers often create more problems than solve them.
But no problems with Diasboro with Chrome. UTB!
I like safari, mainly for the option of being able to read a page without all the ads, links and pics
I will give it a go GHW, some of the ads now just take over the page so that it is just not worth reading. I have a ad-blocker, but I still get blank boxes instead of ads.
In the left of the address window, you will see horizontal lines. Click them and the page turns in to text only.
Did Andy Lonergan play a single game for Boro in the league? He went on an emergency loan to somewhere last season. But for Boro?
He is set for his Liverpool debut at Southampton tomorrow. I am pleased for the lad and it shows anything can happen in football.
Up the Boro!
The Opera browser issue has thankfully now resolved itself – though as to whether this was done by Opera or WordPress is something nobody is taking the credit for – I guess to do so would of course admit blame 🙂
Tell me do you have to wear Opera Glasses to use the browser ?
I’ll get my coat 🧥….
OFB
If you wear a mask and coat you could be phantom of the opera.
Tuesday’s match could see the Marx Brothers in charge of a Night at the Opera.
God we get worse don’t we ?
Typical Boro fans laughing in the face of adversity !
OFB
On footballing matters, I wonder how many points most are expecting from these next three games. I would say four must be an absolute minimum though I suspect seven would steady the ship and take the pressure off Woodgate and the players. A draw at Blackburn and then a win at home to Wigan wouldn’t be bad!
Not being greedy I would like 6 points!
So a win tomorrow 2 1
And a win on Tuesday
2 0
Unfortunately I won’t see either unless a stream is posted up
Good job I’m in the cheaper seats now so it doesn’t feel too bad missing the odd home game !
OFB
If he continues with his current tactics and style of play, I expect Blackburn to win and we’ll be lucky to get a point each from Wigan and Millwall.
Bristol City away on the last day of August should be a home banker by then.
I don’t think Woodgate is going to change his tactics after just two Championship games so your prediction of a maximum of three points after five games could see many Boro supporters in meltdown after Millwall.
I agree with GHW. I think what Woodgate’s trying to do is laudable but I don’t see that the team has the players to do it and I don’t see the ability in the coaching team to achieve those goals. I think we have an ok mid-Championship squad and Woodgate and co may grow into top rate managers but in the meantime the home fans just feel mutinous. I can easily see us getting 6 games into the season without a win at which point there is going to be a full-blown crisis.
I really hope it works because if it doesn’t I don’t see where we go from here. Looking from the outside, there is no sign of a realistic plan to achieve the goals. It just looks like crossing the fingers and hoping.
It feels to me that fans are just angry about everything and anything to do with the club. Right now it’s a sort of simmering unrest with no concrete target. A few more games without a win and it’ll turn into either staying away and apathy or aggressive demonstrations against Gibson and the club.
Well RR and I made our protests
RR not renewing his season card and me and Mrs OFB getting cheap oap Seats !
OFB
Deleriad
I think that the problem is highlighted by the complete lack of coaching, seen at every match.
The set out of the team is full of flaws, and has been since forever.
I am speaking of the very basics of learn yeself football.
If we, the ignorant fans, watch us get corners (lots of corners) and watch us hurl the ball into a giant group of giants, who are very eager to head the ball for miles for as long as you like.
And we keep doing it, match after match. We even sink to using our one gifted player taking corners, when he would be usefully employed receiving the ball (on the ground) about 20-30 mtrs from the corner flag, it is entirely likely that he would have several options perhaps putting it in the box to feet, or shooting.
We observably have no routine for handling penalties, you know, picking your best taker, coaching him, talking to your keeper re. His penalty nightmare.
We have no firm ranking of our employees, which means Mr. No hoper comes on in a crisis, and of course, is useless. We never tell them they will never play.
We have no routine for showing the door to very bad buys, they stick around, keeping our youngsters off the bench, stopping their development.
Finally, our absolute reluctance to change the team, even subs, is crippling us, when you have put out the wrong team, face the fact and use the hook, early.
We certainly need some points on the board in the near future or the pressure will start eating away at confidence of fans and staff.
I wonder what odds of Downing scoring tomorrow? He is 10-1 to score first and 4-1 to score anytime.
Probably a good bet at those odds Ian and doing something he could not do for us.
He is certainly in the news at the moment, what with the Karanka stories and now JW defending him.
What JW could really do with in the next couple of games is a bit of luck. Had he had some so far we could very well have six points and a similar number of goals scored.
I’m not suggesting that we haven’t got six points because of bad luck but nevertheless it wouldn’t have taken much for us to have been there. Fine margins, as ever.
We’ll have a better idea after twelve league games or so but a bit of momentum goes a long way in football, perhaps even more so with a younger, more naive side.
Andy R
We made our own bad luck, Great start, fall behind, no problem, go in front, get Penalty, game over!
Hello who is this grabbing the ball? Its Britt, the original person who regards Penalties as free goals, no one stops him, no one seems to realise that this is not a free goal, this is three points, and needs absolute concentration, determination, and some idea of how to take a penalty, because they matter, boy do they matter, as we found out to our cost. The Manager then (accidentally) tells us our fate for the rest of the season by bouncing into the press room with a smile on his face and announcing that Britt would carry on taking our penalties. So we can deduce from this, there will be no coaching on Penalties, no instructions on who will take the penalties, no coaching on any aspects of the game of football.
That attitude ended well in the penalty shootout, and now we have Gestede to worry about, who would have tipped him to be at our club, never mind getting on the pitch, twice!
At the moment we are staring down the barrel of a gun, and I do mean the shortest reign in the clubs history, because they do look like two rabbits caught in the headlights of a forty ton truck.
So first managerial casualty of the season after Huddersfield sacked their manager following yesterday’s 2-1 defeat against fellow relegated side Fulham. Pretty ridiculous as if you’re only prepared to give your manager three games then you should have perhaps dismissed him in the summer. Boro head to bottom-place Blackburn with both managers looking for their first win – hopefully no sackings after that game!
Dear me, football is becoming a farce. I don’t like Huddersfield anymore and nearly hope they will return to the fouth tier where they started from. Up the Boro!
Speaking to a Terriers fan they wanted him gone in the summer. The fans didn’t rate him and although they were reluctantly accepting of their inevitable fate he didn’t help himself. He alienated half the camp and in doing so caused divisions from which they haven’t been able to push on from. How they wish they had kept Wagner.
Werder asked what points haul we imagine from the next three fixtures.
I see us drawing today, maybe 1 apiece, but turning the corner with back to back wins against the Latics And the Lions. So 7 in total.
I would settle for being unbeaten in the next three games, whether that happens is a another matter.
Some luck would be welcome, it often prompts a good run of form.
Well, I am going to say that the next 3 games will bring us 5 points, 2 draws and a win on Tuesday when I am there to witness it!
Setting my expectations low so as not to be disappointed although it goes without saying that I would prefer to get 9 points of course.
Football has gone truly mad when a manager is sacked so early.
UTB
Watford have had about seven in five seasons, it is difficult to be accurate because it happens so quickly, and the names are difficult to pronounce.
It has of course lifted them from well deserved obscurity to wealth and status in the football World.
So perhaps the cult of loyalty is just another means of keeping us in our station in life.
I’m going for one loss and two draws, so two points in the bin. We’re playing too many old boys today for my liking.
In all honesty I have to say that with the tactics anything could happen if players are used to their full potential and Britt doesn’t take any penalties we are awarded.
Blackburn 2 – 1 Boro.
Really I haven’t an inkling what will happen, not even a hunch or half a hunch.
UTB,
John
I see that JW has come out again and backed Assombalonga as his penalty taker and saying that nothing special had happened in training as he believes in him. Whilst laudable and commendable its worrying that they haven’t picked up that Britt has no composure, no accuracy and only one piece of Penalty methodology which is hugely flawed and isn’t working.
0-0 this afternoon and Britt takes a penalty in the 88th minute and blasts it over the Ewood stands and it will turn vitriolic. Not a good scenario or place for either Manager or Player. That next penalty when it happens cannot be missed, the pressure of taking one is huge, the pressure of Britt taking one is beyond gigantic. Its the stuff that gets rehashed if the season goes pear shaped and pressure builds on the management team, much in the same way as those gutless play offs against Villa did for Pulis.
An astute Manager would take Britt off penalty duties for both their sakes. Even if he scores he’s on a hiding to nothing, “about time” will be as good as it gets. As he lines up to take it a chorus of “what’s that coming over the bar is it a Britt pen, is it a Britt pen” probably won’t help either. As I have repeated on here before a wise older Director of mine once told my immediate Manager many years ago in my youth “you don’t get yourself into those situations”.
So this week the Gazette and JW has made me angry! I would call it the Stewart Downing love in.
He has gone now. Forget him. Lets move on. Should have never come back to the club. Cost an absolute fortune in wages.
Can’t wait for Karanka’s version of the truth of what happened in the dressing room with Downing.
All week SD has portrayed himself as perfect.
Most of the fans and me know the truth.
Karanka completely blanked him in the corridor at the Riverside when he was Nottingham Forest manager. If looks could kill ! Rant over for now !
Malcolm
I have heard first hand stories about Karanka from people who were involved with him.
That’s all I’m saying
OFB
Whilst you may be correct OFB, JW should not of got himself involved in history. The fans are divide on SD, and so JW cannot win either way.
Learn to keep your owns thoughts to yourself at times.
Absolutely and incontrovertibly correct, RR.
And Britt doesn’t merely miss penalties, he gets them nowhere near the goal. He did it at Forest, too, and in vital games. It’s a sorry record and it will be inexplicable to the fans that Woodgate is continuing to put his trust in him in this regard.
Boro Rejects 3 The Chosen Ones 1
I go to Blackburn with no great hopes. This feels like a false dawn movie that I have seen too many times before, one of them incidentally at Blackburn. It was the second game of Mark Venus’s short-lived reign in which he promised progressive attacking football. We lost 1-0 owing to a shocking substitution. The player who scored had been marked by the guy who was subbed. We never looked like scoring.
Venus, I believe, is now on Blackburn’s coaching staff
The naïveté of MFC never fails to leave me shaking my head ( it’s no longer surprising).
They take an unproven manager and give him free rein to oversee the latest incarnation of the club. It seems very easy in his mind, just play free flowing 4-3-3 and we’ll all be laughing and enjoy the surge up the table. Well, I’m afraid it’s not as easy as that, if it were every club in the league would be doing it.
They could just as easily have picked a fan from any of the four sides of the ground and gone that route. Throw in one of his mates to help him with the cones and bibs, and there you have it, a new management team. A lot cheaper too.
No lessons learned today and 2-0 to Blackburn. Which should result in, Rover and Out.
I’m not feeling particularly pessimistic with Boro’s chances today at Blackburn – they’ve shown in three-quarters of their Championship game-time that they can trouble the opposition and play with energy.
The Carabao Cup was a second-string team of strangers that don’t appear to offer the current First XI much competition – that will likely become a problem come December but right now we have a fit First XI.
Personally, I’d drop Britt to the bench as he looks a little jaded after his summer in the African Cup of Nations – I’d play Browne on the left with Fletcher down the middle. Though I suspect Woodgate will persist with Britt for a few games yet.
I’d like to see Friend in for Shotton but otherwise an unchanged team. Mogga’s Blackburn I think are ideal opponents for Boro and if we score early then I think we’ll end up as easy winners today. I’m going for a surprising 3-0 win – yes a clean sheet to boot.
Now time to finish my pre-match pint of coffee before GHW thinks I’m holding the cup with foam hands…
Are there any streams today ?
It’s highly unlikely that non-televised Championship games have unofficial streams – just the iFollow streams for non-UK based supporters I’d suspect
I’d forgotten what a negative bunch you lot were!!
Happy to have a wager with anyone that there won’t be ‘aggressive demonstrations’ against Gibson anytime soon.
ghw – you are right, it isn’t easy. but I swear lots of people said ‘well we don’t care about results as long as we are having a go and it is entertaining’. now we are doing that and suddenly it’s ‘oh hang on, you need to be more tactically astute than that lads’
as always, they can’t win.
You’re correct, I can’t see any situation that would result in any demonstrations against Steve Gibson. The majority of fans realise MFC’s place in the football fraternity and the inherent problems they will always face.
It’s The Chairman’s record of loyalty to his managers that has often been his undoing, it would take Banksy to put the writing on the wall before he sees what others see long before him.
Team news is a bit surprising – Friend returns but for Coulson (who’s not even on the bench) and Dijksteel comes in a right-back for Howson who replaces Clayton.
Randolph, Dijksteel, Ayala, Shotton, Friend, Howson, Wing, McNair, Fletcher, Britt, Johnson
Coulson is injured, according to Vic’s Twitter page.
That would explain why he’s not on the bench – hopefully it’s nothing serious. Can’t say that I thought Dijksteel looked quite ready yet and he didn’t have a good game against Crewe either.
Looks to be 433 and hopefully front foot.
Two all today.
Johnson to score.
After a lively start Boro gradually got pushed back by Blackburn and then Dijksteel gave away a needless penalty. Boro’s passing has not been good and the final ball generally poor. Friend has probably been our best player but nobody has really stood out – not that there’s anybody on the bench to change things. Would settle for a draw at this point but few signs of a Luton-style away performance as yet.
Sorry to say it starts and ends with the manager.
A young manager complete with his mate as assistant should be full of ideas correcting all the mistakes he has seen during his career, and applying all the great things he has seen at the top clubs he has played for.
That is the only reason you would appoint a Newby , no other reason.
Quite often it works, the burning desire to win matches, and reach the top of the game is sufficient to inspire your players to great things.
He has played for the greats, but he is certainly not copying any of their tricks of the trade.
The only person he is copying is the great Pulis, lifeless timid performances, the great idea that Gestede might be the very player to turn to in a crisis, the utter lack of confidence shown at all times and all circumstances, the unerring choice of the wrong players in the wrong positions.
In response to Werer’s post ar 14.51:
And Dijksteel it was who, again according to Vic, tugged back Danny Graham (*shakes head*) to concede a penalty, which Graham duly converted to give Blackburn the lead in the 25th minute. 🙁 “Self-inflicted”, in Vic’s word. Naive…
Apologies for the two typos at the beginning! *red face*
Off topic, after 75 minutes: Pukki 3 Toon 0…
Blackburn winning the yellow card count, too, by 5-3…
A few problems with the commentary and on the pitch.
A rather disjointed performances with no real quality on the ball or with our passing and shooting. Blackburn didn’t look much better either but were gifted the penalty by Dijksteel. It looks like Boro need a lot more work on the training pitch and the squad is looking short on options.
Looks like there is more to come from Browne but Johnston hasn’t hit the heights of Luton again. McNair looks like he’ll be good in midfield and Wing needs to be the playmaker that adds the urgency. I suspect Howson will return to right-back and no doubt Clayton will return in midfield. Up front there was not much from Britt and Fletcher didn’t shoot enough.
Defensively we need Fry back as while Shotton did some good tackles he got caught in possession too many times bringing out the ball from defence.
Woodgate needs a win on Tuesday otherwise we’ll be stuck in the bottom three and the pressure will start to mount. On the positive side – we’re only 6 points off the top 🙂
Two sides who put on a poor display and who should have played out a 0-0 but for a silly mistake. Work in progress but we need to start seeing the progress soon! 😎
I see Paddy B scored the two goals that gave the Dirties an away win at Wigan. Talk about rubbing salt in the wound! 🙁
I can never understand why they sold PB.
Malcolm,
Me and you plus every other fan.
Presumably because we didn’t get promoted and he was the only player we got a viable offer for. At the time we had Bamford, Britt, Braithwaite, Gestede and Fletcher all on Premier league wages. There was no sign of any interest in any of the others.
You may say, well why not give Gestede away for nothing? It appears that no Championship club would be willing to pay him the wages he’s on with us so Gestede simply refuses to move. What about selling Britt for 8m and taking a loss in order to keep Bamford. Then you get screwed by the financial fair play rules. Britt has a value we paid for him; by taking a loss of say £5 million we have to balance that out by saving £5m somewhere else. On the other hand we seem to have sold Bamford for roughly what we paid for him.
Bamford also seems to have been pretty keen to get out and you can’t blame him for that. Bielsa seemed to actually want him as a player; not something you can say about TP. That said, TP seemed to actively dislike 80% of the squad.
Just outside the bottom 3 though same points, goal difference and goals scored as Huddersfield so joint fourth bottom.
Need some points on the board or the pressure will build.
Ian,
I fear that the pressure is building.
UTB,
John
If Reading win, bottom three.
Technically, Boro are 21st= although they have an identical record in terms of goal difference and goals scored as Huddersfield who are being shown by the BBC and Sky as placed in the bottom three in 22nd. Others, such as the Northern Echo are showing Boro in 22nd due to alphabetical order so not sure on which basis the other two show us in 21st – I suspect their algorithm kept Boro above them because we didn’t have a worse record.
Here’s my match report from Blackburn.
We were woeful.
Our passing was woeful. Did the players realise we were playing in red?
Our crossing was woeful. Not a single cross was won by a Boro player.
Our free kicks were woeful. Do we practise them at all?
Our creativity was woeful. Apart from two shots from distance and Browne’s effort that hit the post, we never troubled their keeper.
Our ‘pressing’ was woeful. What pressing? Rovers did it much more effectively than we did, forcing Shotton, especially, into a number of mistakes and hurried back passes.
And finally, what was Dijksteel thinking about when he grabbed Danny Graham’s shirt? Obvious penalty.
We really must do better than this.
But Blackburn were not much better, either. Of course Downing was classy as ever (we could have made to the play-offs had we had money to play him in spring).
Fine margins again, without the stupid penalty we would have got a point. So both Mogga and Woody have work to do.
So still work in progress at Boro. I am looking forward to the next two home matches, though.
Up the Boro!
That’s what I Iike to see Clive
A Boro supporter full of woe!
And thrice woe!
OFB
Clive
Get off the fence, do yo think there are aspects where we could have done better?
Well Jonathan Woodgate seemed determined to make his point as a head coach and having done so it would be nice if he could now make three fairly soon. Was the game against Mogga’s Blackburn what it was or is Woodgate’s budget Boro just what it is – here’s Redcar Red’s match report to tell us whether it is what it isn’t…
https://diasboro.club/2019/08/18/blackburn-1-0-boro/
Cheers RR. Another fine report on another disappointing result and performance.
I wonder if we missed Coulson from an attacking point of view yesterday?
I suspect JW will have to reshuffle his defence a number of times in these early weeks as Dijksteel is integrated as well as Coulson and/or Bola and then we’ll have Fry to return. Friend is obviously in the mix too. The sooner we can get to a settled defence the better really.
I’m in agreement that a back three suits the squad much better – we’ve been saying that since Monk was here – but I think JW will stick to his guns while he’s still making his mark. The best side I think we can put out at the moment is:
3-4-1-2
Randolph
Shotton Ayala Friend
Howson McNair Wing Coulson
Browne
Assombalonga Fletcher
As I say though, I think it will be a 4-3-3 with a few changes at the back.
Tuesday isn’t a must win for Boro but it feels like it is for JW.
Though I’ve just read that Coulson is out for a couple of weeks more and Friend is also doubtful.
Thanks to RR for his honest assessment of what was a performance that could easily have been one from last season. I’d have to agree that there was very little evidence of the new high intensity football after the opening 15 minutes – which is a worry after the second-half at Brentford that was very similar in lacking energy.
It doesn’t bode well if the players are already slipping into old habits – perhaps it’s a case of them losing confidence after failing to either score or win in the last two games. If Boro are having problems scoring under this new more attacking approach then it will require some changes. Although, ultimately the squad has not got the players who can explode and put away chances – the team will need to play without fear but many are confidence players who struggle when it gets tough.
News that Coulson probably won’t be back until after the international break has robbed the team of one player who seemed to play without fear. Dijksteel has had a bad start to his Boro career and has looked off the pace – haven’t seen much of Bola yet to judge but he is technically third choice at left-back given Friend got the nod ahead of him. However, while Friend played quite well he looks short on pace now and surely will be more a central defensive option.
In truth, Woodgate hasn’t got much of a pack to shuffle – Walker was on the bench even though he didn’t impress in the Carabao Cup and with Britt looking not at his best and Fletcher a little shot shy, it’s not clear who will be scoring the goals to fire us up the table.
A lot to ponder over for Woodgate and Keane but they will be unlikely to ditch their philosophy after just three games – it would be a huge admission of failure. Hopefully they can rally in the next home games to prevent an actual failure as it’s not clear where that would leave the new coaching team both with their players and the supporters.
Sorry to introduce a sore subject, but have you noticed the number of interviews of managers after a great win etc. They are all Europeans explaining how they do it. Just a thought,
Thinking about promotion play offs and promotions, and beating Man City away.
I believe Jonathan Woodgate is European and even if Brexit happens, the laws of geography decree that all Britains will still be Europeans 😉
I thought he was from Nunthorpe?
Does that still count 🙂
He still is from Nunthorpe
OFB
Werder
JW is a Teeside lad, and having produced two of the greatest managers in the game, there is no reason for JW to despair.
But that is not the way the smart money is betting.
We wanted him to show us how to run a decent group of players, with sparkling play, Great heart, and buzzing energy.
Which would bring large crowds, the chance to attract rising young players, which would in turn improve the team, which would lead to him being poached by a giant, leaving us in the prem. And with a few quid in the bank.
Hands up those who fancy our chances?
Apart from us Teessiders that is !
OFB
Redcar Red,
Another scrupulously honest report, do you think anyone at the club reads the blog? It would certainly do them some good if they did dip in occasionally and see what some articulate fans are thinking.
But at least we’ve got new version of typical Boro. Boro predictably wrecked Saturday and as soon as I heard they were a goal down I couldn’t see them getting one back. Call that Teesside fatalism. Then reading the report didn’t do anything for Sunday but that’s not RR’s fault and from the sound of it the game was awful.
The next two matches are going to be a tipping point I think, lofty ideals that will be shot down by Britt’s lofty penalties. Boro may have come close, hitting posts and missing penalties but surely a little ship steadying is needed or we will be joining Ipswich and Sunderland through the trapdoor.
I really feel quite depressed because Boro don’t seem to be able to compete for ninety minutes. Two home games to come and I feel we will do really well to get two points, opposition managers will be looking to pick Boro off like a sniper.
Time for another terrier walk.
UTB,
John
Cheers RR for another down to earth report. The way it’s going at the moment I think your future reports will be more or less the same.
RR – it says a great deal about the game that Jack Walker received applause for his passing, but none of the players did.
AV said Wing was playing in front of the defence. This seems a curious place to put a forward thinking player, when he’s needed 20 yards further up the pitch.
I would have thought Howson would have been better played there, or more logically, Clayton.
When you have a defence with a rick or two in them the most sensible thing to do you would think is to play a dull, boring, negative, defensive, enforcing midfielder in front of them to cover their sorry backside, especially away from home.
Apparently he needed a rest after the exhaustive season. Probably as much truth in that as the Braithwaite with the squits one. I’m wondering if perhaps there were a few differences of opinions exchanged after Tuesday night. It looked to all intents and purposes yesterday that whatever the plan was the players either weren’t buying into it or couldn’t make it work.
Thanks RR for your report depressing as it is! I was at the Crewe match and was surprised JW made 10 changes as he said after the Brentford game that he wouldn’t make many changes and I thought that was best as the team needed to practice the new way he wanted to play. When I heard the team I bought a programme so that I could recognise the players and it would have been good idea if each player had been handed a team sheet showing numbers and positions so that they would have known what was expected of them to avoid one of the most inept performances I can remember. I paid £23 rail fare, £44 for the hotel and had an evening meal and I was not in a good mood travelling home on Wednesday! I will be at the Wigan match but the cost and the disruption to my life of so many nights away from home have made me decide to reduce the number of matches I will go to this season.
RR said that Blackburn dissected our defence and that seems a good description of what happened even last season when the opposition took the game to us. I suspected that TP had the midfield playing so deep to try to protect the defence which wasn’t as solid as in AK’s Championship days though that did mean more periods of pressure. I am worried that the new “attacking” style will leave the defence even more open to dissection unless the team can play this style a lot better than they have shown so far.
Whatever changes take place in any business in any walk of life it is done by evolution not revolution to maintain the integrity of the business during the period of change. To suddenly abandon everything that worked in favour of a complete new approach illustrates the inexperience of the Coaching team and the ongoing ineptness of the senior Management team.
MacDonald’s didn’t shut all their restaurants when they had a rebranding exercise a few years back, just a few at a time shut in strategic areas so that there were still others open nearby to minimise the impact on turnover while the changes took effect before moving onto the next area.
We needed more positivity that’s all. We needed to try and win some games that’s all. A couple of attacking wing backs and a few more creative players to boost the attack would have sufficed, adding a few more goals (or at least attacks), creating more opportunities whilst entertaining the fans. That Luton game reminded me of 8 year olds playing Subbuteo when Hartlepool beat Brazill 16-5 to win the World Cup.
Pulis had killed the support stone dead and in comparative hindsight Karanka’s football was positively exciting to watch! I wouldn’t want a return to Karanka football either but nor do I want to witness schoolboy playground tactics especially when we don’t remotely have the players to play that way. I’m not sure anybody else does either because Liverpool and Man City certainly don’t play that way despite the misconception. They are organised, drilled, disciplined and well recruited squads of players designed to be a good fit.
You can’t just flick a switch, that’s stupid and naïve in the extreme. Those sat at the top table during the launch of spin should know better (as should have the onlookers) but its clear (as has been their collective recent history) that they don’t and that’s why the club has squandered over £200M over the last few years most of it on misfits.
There was a large proportion of fans who didn’t want Woodgate as the Manager/Coach even to the extent that on the FMTTM site they had a disingenuous “ABW” group in the fear that it would become reality when names like Slavisa Jokanovic and Chris Hughton were being debated. Putting aside whatever side of the appointment you were on at the time it wasn’t universally popular and was never likely to be for various reasons. He was never going to turn down managing Boro (none of us would lets be honest) but he was the lowest cost option, a cheap gamble that SG might get lucky with. To then not back him though is shameful and disgraceful. The growing feeling is that he has been hung out to dry.
The Trinity at the top were all espousing this great new era and how fantastic it was going to be and it has to be said a lot of very gullible people sucked it all up and bought into it, mainly the local media. Apparently Dijksteel and Bola were two names already on Woodgate’s presentation that convinced Steve Gibson that he was the one, the one that stood out from all the other Management candidates. Browne was apparently as a result of a tip off from Rio Ferdinand and Mejias wasn’t exactly a dynamic nod to this exciting future.
This new vision had this senior team of top table people all involved in the recruitment process (as we were led to believe at the time) including the much lamented Gary Gill presumably so forgive the fans when we ask the question who else was scouting and recruiting to help this fantastic exciting new era become reality or at least have a dogs chance? The above four signings certainly didn’t indicate that what was spun is what is going on. I have no problem if SG had come out and said its been a great ride but I no longer want to commit financially and we now go with what we have got or as Keith Lamb may have put it what we deserve. That’s fine, as Mogga and now Woody would say “it is what it is” but at least we aren’t being played for fools.
There is already a growing level of discontent after only four games in and most of it sadly is being squarely aimed at the one who hitherto had been untouchable. Fans under 40 years old have no recollection of what happened back in 1986 and how if it wasn’t for the group that rescued Boro of which SG was a major part we wouldn’t even exist today (ironically maybe Darlo and/or Pools may be in the Championship as a consequence). My son and his mates just reckons he is another one of those “rich gadgee’s” who happens to own the Boro, nothing more nothing less. He and all those under 40 years old have whetted their footballing appetites on Clubs being bought and sold and owners (mostly foreign) coming and going.
That OFB and myself have had reservations shows that even those of a more mature vintage are becoming slightly uncomfortable and less than impressed at what has happened since that European Final and the subsequent decline ever since. We all owe a huge, in fact massive debt of gratitude to SG for what he has done for MFC under his stewardship but his universal credit isn’t what it once used to be by and large entirely down to his own decision making.
Hopefully something will click and we will see two home wins this week and things do settle or at least buys some time until January but the Pulis hangover still hasn’t cleared and the summer spin circus hasn’t help matters. There was a reason why travelling snake oil salesmen never returned to the same town. All that hype is now in danger of seriously backfiring with the fans fully aware that Woodgate isn’t to blame.
RR
A great post that echoes my sentiments exactly.
A few years ago. I would have dragged myself down to watch the Boro no matter what physical state of health I was in! Now I’m more pragmatic and take the easy way out…..
A lot of cuts have been made all through the club including the scouting team so perhaps future signings may be hard to identify ?
Great Post loved it
OFB
At halftime Reading 2 nil up against Cardiff, so definitely in the bottom 3 unless Cardiff get 3 in the second half without reply. Looks like Reading found a very good striker called George Puscas but market value of £2.7m, Reading paid £7.5m.
Come on BORO.
Where did they get 7.5mil from, even paid in stages???
Excellent match report thank you RR. Your final paragraph sums up our current situation precisely.
I watched via Riverside Live and the synchronisation with BBC Tees was much improved until the 70th minute, at which point the commentary failed and was replaced by a high pitch squealing sound!
Thankfully some one pulled the plug on that until eventually commentary was restored with about 5 mins to go. With 3 mins of added time played the broadcast then ceased. Not that I expected us to score!
Unfortunately we again saw yesterday much of what we have seen in previous seasons, players who are not composed and all too often fail to execute in the final third of the pitch. No amount of coaching or change to systems or philosophy is likely to improve that.
We are looking what we are at the moment, a bottom half of the table team who might get dragged into a relegation scrap. 😎
Agree, especially your comments on Riverside live. I think the commentary problems were also on the radio side if I understood correctly.
The really dissapointment was not seeing the last few minutes, of course. But defeat was a defeat and we have to move on 🤐
Up the Boro!
So let’s see
Game 1 : Brit decides for a three pointer so instead of playing the game out at 4-2 heads are turned and we end up drawing.
Game 2 : The linesman decides to change the rules and instead of 2-0 up and on the front foot, heads shake and lose momentum
Game 3 : Comeback from 2-0 down, lose on farcical penalties.
Game 4 : Get bogged down in a game were both teams at the same level, fullback instead of asking for opponents shirt after the game, wants it now.
Pointing the finger at The manager is somewhat disingenuous, and its obvious some fans no matter what cannot hide their bias. I will be happy if we survive this season because what’s been happening at this club for too long is no long-term vision whatsoever. It’s been hit and miss with comings and goings, big wages and long contracts. Not only that but the mediocre players brought in, some with ability but didn’t care.
Woody maybe a little naive and he hasn’t learned the manager’s BS credo just yet, with the proviso from above and the restrictions he believes he can change it. A more experienced manager like a Pulis had his way and couldn’t have worked under those new obstacles. So those fans who expect promotion, along with a 100 goals for with this squad, your kidding me. The likes of Ayala and Shotton are going downhill fast, forwards who are inconsistent beyond believe and average midfielders who rarely dominate games. So what are we expecting please? Support the manager, he needs it.
Just a note on vision, if you build a team over a period when we had Calum Chambers, we should have signed him permanent, gave him and Ben Gibson 6 year contracts and said right you’re together in the heart of the back and build around them, adding two solid fullbacks, two central midfielders who are comfortable with ball and don’t panic and forwards with at least a good first touch. Its simple but you need to know what you want and where to look.
Forecast from me Villa will go down as they are a mess on the field.
The only criticism of Woodgate is of his inexperience and unsuitability at this stage of his career which isn’t his fault but considering all the above was it wise to throw a rookie into this massive overhaul scenario?
Any pointed fingers are very firmly being pointed at the holy trinity and in particular at SG himself. After all someone somewhere amongst them signed off on all those ridiculous transfers and are still in-situ. That they are still seemingly making continual poor decisions is very definitely of their own doing. In fact the club is in this state because of them.There again maybe like Woodgate they are simply fall guys, well paid buffers from criticism.
Still, in spite of being figuratively kicked in the spheroids by them in the Transfer window Woodgate and Keane may suddenly turn things round and soar up the league (for the record and the sake of MFC I hope he does). Then they can collectively light cigars, break out the champers and congratulate themselves for backing their man and all those great signings they made for him. Or maybe with nowhere left to hide the chickens will come back home to roost and we end up back where we were having completed the full circle from ’86.
Nothing being said that I haven’t already put forward. At the moment all we have is Pulis with the organisation and tactics taken out.
It’s all going to end in tears.
Plus around £35m taken out of the budget too!
Basically the only difference in playing staff is Braithwaite ( who wasn’t featuring) and Flint missing.
Have you already forgotten Mikel, Besic, Downing and Hugill – the downsizing may have already begun under Pulis but his Carabao Cup second string has now become half the first team. Anyway, I still think three games is too soon to write off a manager in essentially what has been probably 50% as advertised and 50% failed to deliver. He’s not got much to play with but it’s generally about confidence and if Boro get a result and a few goals then we may see some improvement.
Remember it took Pulis quite a while to decide on a back three after his initial tactics didn’t work and it’s probably too soon for Woodgate to decide his tactics have failed after just three games – no manager would ever do that regardless of experience. He doesn’t really have a forward in goal-scoring form and has started without his main central defender and the club captain. He also only got three outfield signings who are mainly inexperienced bargains with potential.
It’s a tough job this season and it will be a lot harder if he doesn’t win at least one of the next two games – don’t envy him really.
I should add that Pulis lost his first two home games in charge (Villa and Fulham) and narrowly won a game 3-2 at an out of form Preston – Pulis’s first ten games were won four, lost four and drew 2 – scored 14 but conceded 11 so not defensively that tight.
Mikel started off well then just went off the boil, Downing was absent after Christmas when it was clear nobody knew (or was at least alerted to it) about his contract clause and came back too late. Hugill never got off his backside and was a waste of even more money and Besic was a twisting turning liability.
Then there’s Paddy McNair who had been covered in dust after supposedly being coveted and then ignored after Besic and Saville arrived. McNair if anything has been like a new signing by accident and already looks to offer far more than Saville and Besic combined. In fairness if Besic had someone ahead of him to pass to all season he may not have looked so dire.
Mikel was always just a stop gap and a stepping stone to a lucrative contract elsewhere. As for Besic, Downing and Hugill, hardly a loss. I don’t think they would be on any supporters retain list. Big earners who didn’t perform and well shot of.
I appreciate that he is short on players, all the more reason to play a more compact formation.
Of course Flint, Mikel, Besic and Hugill were all Pulis signings and he was also a big fan of Downing who was generally ever-present until his contract dispute. Not to mention Saville and the leg-beater from Huddersfield who got sent back out of the back door. Woodgate doesn’t have that kind of money to spend and has to manage on a few punts but would a return to Pulis-style tactics on the cheap necessarily improve on what old Tony achieved?
That’s the gamble this season – Woodgate wants to try something different and if he believes in it then he’s obliged to see it through if he’s got any credibility as a head coach. Whether it works is another matter but I’m waiting a little longer to see what happens.
Nothing would please me more than for JW to be a success, as this means MFC would also benefit. Unfortunately I just can’t see it based on the evidence I’ve seen so far.
Admittedly, things look pretty bleak at the moment but I, the ultimate pessimist, feel it’s too early to judge. A flukey win could change things. It doesn’t help when we’re pinning goalscoring hopes on a clearly out of form striker and defensively we are still trying to find our feet, particularly Shotton. Hopefully Fry will steady things at the back but we are still in that familiar position of wondering where the goals are going to come from.
A miss-hit Assombalonga penalty with the ball consequently being on target and going in on Tuesday night for a scrawny 1-0 win would do for starters.
I shudder to think however if we did get one and he steps up to take it.
RR
Thank you for the match report which was enjoyed by me and Mrs OFB
Her comment was “ he doesn’t pull any punches does he ? He tells it how it is !”
There can be no better praise for an journalist!
Sorry for the delay in posting I’ve been tired and sleeping past few days
OFB
Belated thanks from me also, Redcar Red for an expansive report on a dire match from two poor teams.
Not sure what to say at the moment or where we will go from here, although I do I agree with GHW somewhat.
JW is being commendable in his chosen style of play, but I think he is being naive as people have said. Given that he does not have a large squad to choose from or that it looks like the players to play 433, he is on a slippy path.
Three cheap gamble purchases and as much as I do not rate him, Shotton could of been sold at the death. If Mr Gibson believes he is being fair with JW and backing him in the transfer market as he said he would……well, make your own judgement as the fans will certainly do.
Inexperienced and badly let down. This week could prove pivotal even at such an early juncture in the season.
It’s hard to know exactly how much money Steve Gibson will have to pump into the club this season to offset the loss of £35m in parachute payments – we know from reports earlier in the year that club income is basically the same as their running costs. That in theory only leaves £4.5m in Championship prize money to pay for the players wages and transfer fees – plus any money raised in sales.
To put that in context, £4.5m would represent an average weekly wage of just £4,000 a week for a 22 man squad. I suspect if Britt, Gestede and Fletcher are on around £25-30 grand a week then that also equates to £4.5m. If you add to the equation that Financial Fair Play rules mean an owner can only legally pump in £5m per season plus the club is allowed to post an additional loss of £8m, then there is not much room for manoeuvre even if Gibson went for the maximum £13m allowed.
However, new sustainability rules mean a club must demonstrate that they will be able to manage that debt. The club made a loss of £6.5m in 2018 when they had parachute payments of £41m and we don’t know yet what the situation will be for 2019 with the sales of Gibson, Adama and Bamford being claimed as necessary to comply with FFP rules.
Just how much the wage bill has been reduced for this season is the other unknown as it was claimed to be well over £30m last season – I presume the players in the squad who got pay rises after promotion like Ayala, Friend and Clayton – plus all the new purchases still at the club during the ‘smash the league’ transfer window will be on a decent whack for Championship level.
While I suspect Woodgate may have been expecting a few more signings in the summer, it seems the club can probably only manage with a wage bill of around £15m this season. So the reality is we’re in a down-sizing phase with probably players like Ayala in their last season for the club. Gibson will be dipping into his pocket to pay for the shortfall – though in some ways it’s the price for making the decision to offer players lucrative 3-4 year contracts that haven’t deliver promotion.
Werder
What we dont know is what element of the packages were promotion linked though I suspect you are right about certain players being on very big contracts in Championship terms.
Hopefully someone will shown some common sense and put relegation clauses in to the contracts for those who got us promoted.
Common sense, OFB – can I borrow your coat.
Ian – Boro’s wage bill in our first season back in the Championship in 2017-18 was quoted at £48.7m so I suspect there weren’t too many relegation clauses inserted into contracts. Plus the market in the Championship has become devoid of common sense as you put it.
It is still early but the table does not make good reading. We could easily have had more points but we haven’t,
The two home games will be crucial, we dont want to go in to the break in the bottom three. That would make for a miserable two weeks for people to stew in.
Six points would be great, four would be ok, anything less would be of concern.
How to get the six points is another matter altogether.
Anyway, let’s hope Woody’s transformation of Boro goes a lot better than Philip Tallentire’s transformation of Stewart Downing’s sister in his article this morning…
“There were divided loyalties in the Downing camp, though, because his sister Natalie is Jonathan Woodgate’s husband.“
We know who wears the trousers then in that relationship!
Going purely from memory but didn’t we suffer previously when we came down from the Premiership because there were no relegation clauses in Players contracts?
We supposedly learned from that and if I’m not mistaken it was “supposedly” corrected and amended for the future so that in theory if we went up then down again contracts would have defaulted presumably back to what they were (within reason)?
I remember that was the plan when the issue was discussed at our Untypical Boro meeting with Steve Gibson a while back. Although with the increase in parachute payments to £42m in the first year, £35m in the second it may be difficult to persuade a player’s agent that the club need to insert the clause – especially in what has become an inflationary market in the Championship that almost matches the lower end of the PL.
If the 2017-18 wage bill quoted as £48.7m in the ‘Price of Football’ article is accurate then that would equate to an average wage for a 22 man squad of £42.5 grand a week. That doesn’t appear like relegation clauses are in play and it sounds like almost Premier League style contracts were being awarded to new players signed after relegation for Championship-level players.
“it sounds like almost Premier League style contracts were being awarded to new players signed after relegation”…
I think we all strongly suspect that was the case. All the evidence is that new signings Britt, Braithwaite and (possibly) Randolph were signed on Premier league wages. A lot of the rest (e.g. Christie, Fletcher) look to be on top rate for Championship players.
It is also highly possible that players like Gibson, Bamford, Traore stayed on in part because they had any relegation clauses cancelled or delayed. Downing seems to have had a relegation clause. If Gestede had one, it was probably only enough to make him a top-earning Championship player rather than low-earning Premier league one.
I suspect that the problem was not so much fees paid as wages promised to get the players in.
Deleriad – That wage bill of £48.7m would have meant quite a few players were probably on £50 grand a week – if you recall Monk told Downing he wasn’t in his plans and could find a new club but other than a brief show of interest from Harry at Birmingham, nobody could match his Boro wages so he stayed. Also Slaven Bilic was quoted as saying that Boro had made Fletcher an offer he couldn’t really turn down – no doubt Britt’s £15m transfer came with appropriately matching wages and Braithwaite’s contract was described as PL level by Pulis.
Bamford, Traore and Gestede were all signed late in the January window when Boro were a PL club, which usually means lucrative contracts were offered to persuade them. Gestede simply can’t be offloaded as nobody will pay him remotely what he’s getting at Boro otherwise he would have left a long time ago rather than rarely playing.
And you’d be right to assume Randolph is well paid otherwise he wouldn’t be at Boro and who knows whether Gibson, Friend, Leadbitter, Clayton and Ayala were rewarded with keeping their improved contracts after promotion. All that money has to be distributed somehow 😉
ghw (or anyone else) – what would you class as success this season? what do you think is a par position?
To be honest, success at the moment would be to avoid a relegation battle.
I think at present this is a mid-table squad that has the potential to either compete for the play-offs if things go well or get dragged into a relegation battle if the players and coaching team don’t perform.
I wouldn’t necessarily measure success as avoiding relegation as that’s more of an avoiding failure measure. I think success would be to demonstrate that Woodgate can impose a new playing style and see 2 or 3 young players make the step up to first-team regulars. I think Fry and Wing did it last year and it would be good if the likes of Coulson, Tavernier, Fletcher and maybe Dijksteel make the leap this year. If that happens we’ll have a good nucleus for next season’s squad and then a few decent signing would see next year as a platform to build on this season.
All of that and avoid relegation. 😎
BP
A mid table finish after transitioning to the new playing style would also be my measure of success. Not losing to Leeds would save some dignity with family.
On the evidence so far, a top half placing would be a decent season
Agreed, Ian.
Following on from Werdermouth and as posted pre-season, the goals for the season for me are:
1. Stay out of relegation trouble
2. See the new playing style take shape
3. See a handful of youngsters make their mark and gain experience
4. Show progress and finish the season with more hope for next year
What would be success for me. Starting from minimum:
Not being relegated
2-3 new players coming through and making their mark
10-12 games where we play bright, attacking football at pace and win.
5-6 games where the coaching team make substitutions that turn a game around (which is to say, signs that the coaching team are getting a handle on what is needed to win in the Championship)
Ending the season strongly.
If we take exciting, attacking football as a +10, Karanka style as a -5 and Pulis ball as a -10 I think when fans wanted more entertainment they would have been very happy with a mid point 0 or maybe a +1 or +2. To go from where we where to where Woodgate wants us to be needs to be a gradual evolvement or at least should have been and I suspect from here on in may well be.
The current first team should be capable of a top eight finish with a sniff perhaps of the play offs but I would settle for just staying up and grinding out results given the state of the club at the moment. Survival wasn’t what any of us had in mind when we wanted rid of Pulis but there again nobody wanted Woodgate either.
SG in his time here seems to go from boom to bust in cycles. Lawrence working with a moderate budget then shed loads of cash for Robbo when he arrived and McClaren then nowt for Southgate, then a fair whack for Strachan then less than nowt for Mogga then the magic money tree blossomed again with cash for Karanka then effectively weed killed in that Premiership January with dross and then a huge wad was given to Monk along with a not inconsiderate Championship amount for Pulis despite his protestations and here we are now, back again to beggar all.
Strange that when its ex players its always a Ebenezer Scrooge fiscal policy. No doubt when the current farce plays out Woodgate will be allowed to quit and the next incumbent will be showered with lavish “gifts” most of which he probably won’t want anyway but that’s another story.
Agree, RR. But you can also look at Reading for example. Woody has more money available than his counterpart at Reading.
This brilliantly named Romanian, Puskas, is their record buy at half the price we paid Assombalonga for.
We just need to spend the money more carecully. But it looks like SG goes from one extreme to another with every manager. Also playing style. And a lot of money lost that way.
Up the Boro !
Jarrko, how can you say JW has more money, or had more money available than the Reading Manager? 7.5 mil for one forward against 2.3 mil for JW.
Of course, Reading may have sold big, I do not know. It certainly looks like our sales are needed to pay the extravagant Boro Player wages.
Pedro, if we look player by player, we still have one of the most expensive squads in the Champioship. And even more so if we look at the salaries.
So we are not skint even we spend less now. We just do not use the money wisely – look at Norwich or Sheffield United last season.
I read somewhere that the amount Norwich spent this summer was less than 2 million. But that sounds quite a little, the same source said Man United spent over 140 million. If true, we spent more than Norwich this summer, too.
So we have a lot to learn. Of course Norwich were lucky with Pukki – a free tranfer and now four goals in the PL. That happens only once in a life time.
Up the Boro,
Thanks to lads and lasses above for your informative analysis of the financial picture. It’s very illuminating, but also very scary. For the foreseeable future, it seems, any manager we get in is going to have to cut his cloth accordingly and manage without major signings. Still, over the years, there are plenty of managers who have done just that, particularly if we consider leagues one and two. I’m thinking especially of clubs like. Lincoln and Forest Green. But other examples also abound:- even last season, Chris Wilder and Daniel Farke achieved miracles with very small budgets.
Despite my less than enthusiastic match report from Blackburn, I do think that we can look at some positives overall. Fletcher, for instance, has hit the net four times in four games, even if two were disallowed against Brentford. With improved service from the wings and the midfield, I can see him and Britt striking up an effective partnership, especially if Wingy is played in his proper position as the advanced midfielder and not as a ‘holding’ player as happened at Blackburn. Johnson and Browne might give us some attacking impetus. Paddy McNair is already much improved this season and is starting to look like the player we thought we’d bought. The return of Dael Fry will be a boost, and surely the two new young full-backs will soon grow into their roles.
A couple of wins under our belts should give us momentum, hopefully this week. I still think that success this season would be a top half finish, however.
I just read an article about what a fantastic pairing Lindelof and Maguire will be for United. And to think that we could have come close to both of them.
Didn’t we have Matic on trial as well?
Indeed we did Andy:
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/chelsea/transfer-talk/news/matic-reveals-middlesbrough-trial_143678.html
It makes you wonder what on earth goes on behind those Teflon doors!
I’m pretty sure Man U fans are saying the same about us having Shotton. The one that got away…
Yet a year ago, Lindelof was available for transfer or looking to be replaced.
I was optimistic that we could be a top 8 team with a few decent signings.
Now I would be happy to go with Deleriad and his thoughts. We need a couple of wins this week and that would boost confidence in the team and JW and his assistants.
The thought of minimal points from the next 3 games before the break does not bear thinking about.
Interesting, MFC.co.uk says that the match vs. Wigan can be seen in the UK via Riverside Live, too.
“Our MatchdayLIVE video streaming will be available domestically and overseas for tomorrow’s game.
The video stream includes four-camera coverage, complete with graphics, replays and synced commentary from BBC Radio Tees.
Single video stream match passes are priced at £5 for overseas supporters or £10 for fans in the UK and Ireland.”
Up the Boro!
RR
“The current first team should be capable of a top eight finish with a sniff perhaps of the play offs”
The significant words here are “should be capable” but we have been saying that for a few seasons.
One of our major problems is composure and execution in the final third. How many times did TP say we should have had 3/4/5 today.
Yet here we are with largely the same midfield and strikers who have consistently missed more than they score.
We have added one new recruit who is untried at this level and have brought in a coach who was a prolific striker in his own right but it remains to be seen if his ability will transfer to the players. 😎
Why was Woodgate given the managers job, is what a lot of folks are asking but also ask yourself the obvious question, how many experienced managers would have took the job to work under our current financial parameters.
My thoughts are that Woodgate’s primary target this season is to keep us in the Championship, 4th from bottom will do, anything else is a bonus. At the same time developing the management teams skills and experience, the footballing philosophy while bringing younger players on.
At the end of this season another 4/5 players contracts finish, again reducing the wage bill, we might even move on 1 or 2 in January. We have played 3 competitive league games and shock/horror it isn’t all running smoothly, trying to change the mindset of players that have been “programmed” under Karanka/Pulis is not going to happen overnight, when during a game they become under pressure or it is not going well, they are going to switch back into default mode. I think that is what Woodgate meant with his comment “players are going have to be brave” by which he means they have to keep playing the tactics and game that they have trained all week. I believe last season the Norwich manager, when asked “how did it all suddenly turn around, what did you change” replied “ we changed nothing we just kept believing in what we were doing”.
What is success this season, my answer is staying in the Championship and developing the team and identity.
Come on BORO.
I’ve sort of switched off for a little, and I feel sad that I have.
Woody’s got a mammoth task on his hands, and it’s not simply about results – it’s about making us fall in love with Boro again. Something Mogga took just a few months to achieve.
We were still losing, but were playing some fine football and – stop me if you’ve heard this before – only a handful of missed sitters, wrong offsides, easily avoidable defensive mistakes, dodgy penalties, lack of money, you name it, prevented us from further progress. Boro looked and felt different from stodgy Strachan, but this was really a return to what Boro used to be, which is what we needed at the time.
Alas, Mogga, like Aitor, instilled belief before being shown up as a lesser manager.
A top manager (Dyche? Farke? Wilder?) will make do with what he has. A lesser manager always needs more money (which also equates to time), more players, or more money to buy players.
Whilst we wallow in our present state poor Bolton have been “forced” to call off their midweek game with Doncaster Rovers due to medical concerns that their youngsters are having to play too many games in quick succession.
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/17846693.bolton-postpone-doncaster-clash-youth-welfare-concerns/
I’m guessing that is going to mean another 3 points docked on top of the twelve points already docked this season. With Bury also docked twelve points its going to be hard to think beyond those two sides plus another two being relegated this season.
Elsewhere I read that Huddersfield look to be punished for their pre season Paddy Power sash gag on their shirts winding their fans up. The game really is going to hell in a hand cart at this rate.
I’d also just read about that in the independent and I thought it was a joke at first – I’ve no idea what Bolton are thinking of but what nonsense to claim that after consulting medical staff they concluded that it would be detrimental to the welfare and development of their young players.
OK, so they lost 5-0 to Tranmere at the weekend but does that mean any team losing 5-0 should be excused playing in case they suffer another defeat that they can’t cope with. This must be the definition of the snowflake generation – surely their young players should be chomping at the bit to get another chance to play a League One game. For me it’s the club themselves that have undermined the confidence of their young players by deeming they are not mentally up to playing another game.
I suppose they could always borrow Boro’s fax machine to inform the Football League if they really want to suffer further points deductions…
Perhaps in the light of all the above our aspirations for the season should be tempered to staying in the EFL. 😎
A lot of fans are complaining and blaming Steve Gibson for taking the cheapest route at the moment and that they feel sorry for JW. I don’t agree.
Remember 1986. Bruce Rioch had nothing.
But what a great manager. In the circumstances, he was the best ever for MFC.
A belated thanks to RR for the report – warts and all!
After a weekend camping with relatives in Whitby, I am making the trip up the A1 again tomorrow for the match. Glutton for punishment I know but I hoping that I will see a win now that our new signings will have settled in!!
Interesting reading everybody’s take on the situation and for me, it is still early days in the season and in the new improved Rebooted Boro Version 10.
It’s a bit like Microsoft and their new Operating Systems, they ask some users to trial it and once it’s released, still keep upgrading to iron out those little niggles that they hadn’t bothered to sort out earlier on!
As long as we start seeing some improvements, then I will be happier and who knows, we may even get to the point where we can play for 90 minutes like we did for the first half against Brentford.
JW has been dealt a challenging hand that is for sure and unless he makes an absolute mess of the season and we get relegated, then won’t be blaming him. Likewise I can see what SG is doing and it kinda makes sense in a business way but if he loses the support, then it backfires big style. It is a risk which he feels is worth taking to cut costs etc. but should we get relegated( hopefully not) then he would have really put the club in the smelly stuff and I would fear for our future Under his ownership at that point.
Anyway, that is the future and it is what it is right now so ever the optimist I am going for a 1 0 scrappy win tomorrow! A win will make my long round trip worth it although the plus is that I don’t have to get up for work in the morning.
UTB
PS – how are our hospitalized folk doing – hope all good for OFB and Mrs KP
BBD
Very kind of you to enquire. Mrs P is doing very well having left hospital last Wednesday. Each day is seeing a gradual improvement with Karon increasing the amount she is walking and carrying out light tasks to help her head cook, bottle washer, nurse and general dogsbody. Off to see the nurse tonight to remove her staples. Seeing the consultant next week to get the full low down on Alfred and if any further monitoring/treatment required.
Have a safe journey to and from the Riverside and we hope it’s a good game with a much needed win for all of us to celebrate. I will be watching via Riverside Live. CoB 😎
Excellent news KP – just don’t let her work too hard- my wife would be chomping at the bit to do more stuff!
BBD
Thanks for the mention
Still recuperating sat at home tonight listening to radio. Unless there’s a stream?
Mrs OFB gone to see the Boro with her sister in my place !
Hopefully I can get there on Saturday
Cheers
OFB
As the saying goes, tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life. It is only football, I am sure Karon, Ken and OFB amongst others will vouch for that.
Tuesday night is another match, three points would lift the spirits across Diasboro, local fans and the squad.
Here’s hoping.
I am not paying £10 as I can get the game on Sky red button. I do have my commentary so will do both.
Totally agree Ian- my mantra, especially after both my parents died young is that Life is too short and you only get one go!
Make the most of it and if it ever push came to shove, football and even Boro would take a lesser place to health and happiness.
Never mind not paying £10, you were lucky – I am possibly stupidly paying £30 for a ticket, £35 for fuel and then some food for the pleasure! Luckily Mrs BBD understands my illness! Well, I say that although when she says things like, “why do you still support them? Can’t you support a better team?” I do wonder!!
BBD
I know what you mean, in my late sixties I dont go to many home games anymore, If my son still lived nearby that would be different.
I think we will see many matches like we did during the Monk era. Trying to adapt to a new style but (luckily) we do not have that many new players to bed in as Monk had.
Of course Monk had more money than Woody and had better players on paper
I have often said that about four new players per a transfer window is OK, anything more you will have to be patient to bed the new players in.
What I try to say is that these changes take time to bed in. Half a season is nothing, we might need a season and half. It took that time for Norwich, for example.
So I will be happy with a mid table finnish this season but I am sure Woody and his players are targeting higher. So I am happy with Boro finishing 14th. But I can also see us in the top ten as I think that or play-offs must be Woody’s target in his heart.
Remember, there are many teams that do not have our resources and we are still a big club (in the Champioship). We have a decent squad.
Se expecting to finish at 14th but hoping for 9th. Let’s see. Up the Boro!
Good post Jarkko especially your comment about many matches being like the Monk era as that is what Saturday reminded me of.
We lost our shape at times and looked like a kids team rather than an organised and drilled squad which all teams needed to be if they are going to survive let alone have aspirations of making top six.
At the moment your aspirations of where we finish, 14th is looking more likely than 9th but even 14th will be optimistic if we don’t start putting some consistency together.
All too often we are guilty of saying there are plenty of games to go and time to put things right and before you know it a problem has turned into a crisis. Fingers crossed that doesn’t happen.
I will be happy with a scrappy win tonight accompanied by signs that we are beginning to display a style and system which will see us climb the table.
CoB 😎
Boro 2
Syrups 0
Jarkko rhyming slang In English
Syrup of fig = wig
OFB
Hard to make a fair assessment on Woodgate until the prerequisite ten games but just out of interest here’s how Boro’s other recent Championship managers have done in their first ten games in charge and are shown below placed in a mini-league table.
W D L F A Pts Karanka 5 2 3 15 9 17 Monk 4 3 3 11 7 15 Pulis 4 2 4 14 11 14 Mowbray 4 1 5 12 11 13 Strachan 2 2 6 12 14 8Incidentally, table-topping Karanka only won one of his first five games, losing three of them.
Interesting mini table Weder – the goals conceded quite interesting. For me, I will take 4 wins and only 2 defeats!
Interesting indeed. Most wins, most goals scored, best goal difference. What went wrong? Don’t answer that.
I’d accept BBD’s 4 wins and 2 defeats to ease current concerns. Over to you JW.
That was just Karanka’s first ten games before he got the players on message with his methods. You may be interested to see what his next ten games produced…
W D L F A Pts Karanka 2 5 3 4 5 11Those next ten games included the infamous sequence of seven successive games without Boro scoring a goal 🙁
I’m indecisive, undecided, not sure and worried about how ‘The Woodgate Press’ will fare. There’ll be goals, Boro will hit the woodwork and Britt may well get his hat-trick of missed penalties so I’ll go for Us 2 – 2 Them.
I think Leo needs to get motivating now underachievement and lack of goals can’t go on, well it but what I mean is it has to stop.
UTB,
John
If I was Manager I would be kicking off big style before matches about Referee’s Assistants not being alert enough on the Offside rule. Because we are playing this quick pressing game the ball is often being played quickly upfield and our Strikers are anticipating this ball and as a consequence get a split second thinking advantage. They are remaining onside but because the ball has been played from the other half of the pitch by the time the Assistant looks to its intended target he is already two strides ahead of the defender and the assumption was that he had to be offside rather than actually being onside when the ball is played.
Keep moaning about it the way Fergie, Mourinho, Wenger et al did and eventually the Assistants will be nervy about close calls. Probably get a few complaints and even warnings from the brass about attitude etc. but who gives a stuff, it worked for the best in management and if it gets you four or five decisions over the season it could make a huge difference. No point in being bitter about being robbed against Brentford, it will happen again and again if it isn’t highlighted and made a huge issue of if that is how we are going to play.
Britt has already had his consecutive hat trick of missed penalties so the next thing is to keep BA well away from penalties. Helping Britt get his goals tally up is great for him personally but not if we are in a relegation mess as a consequence. We are not a rehabilitation home and if there is no specialist coaching or developmental improvement going on during the week with him as e are led to believe then tough. This is a competitive sport and the ethos has to be on winning, full stop.
There are far more worthy attitudes out there on the pitch with the required Penalty mindset (Paddy McNair would probably be my choice). If Britt doesn’t like it then tell him about the Craig Johnston story and come back when he can take Penalties seriously and even then he would have to wait in line. Being a Striker shouldn’t automatically mean you get to take Penalties, less so when you stink at them.
The last two games and the second 45 against Brentford have been well below any standard required. A few smashed teacups maybe wouldn’t go amiss, never mind the cosy huddles on the pitch.
Redcar Red,
I didn’t realise he’d missed three already. Gawd. The Carabao Cup can’t count, it was only the League Cup after all!
I feel depressed now, three missed already? Unbelievable Jeff.
Give him some Yakubu videos to watch or Leadbitter. Better still don’t let him take them. Please.
UTB,
John
Elsewhere, Steve Smith will miss the next test at Headingley after concussion.
What I found odd was that he wasn’t wearing the additional protection on his helmet recommended after the sad loss of Hughes from a blow to the side of his head. Apparently it is not compulsory. He doesn’t wear an arm guard either and was struck a fierce blow on his left arm.
I watched the spell where Archer was bowling to him and when you watch the replay the was very close to the back of his ear, I dread to think of the consequences if he was hit there.
I couldn’t believe it when he came back out, he didn’t look entirely with it.
Cricket does not have the same stringent rules that other sport has for concussion injuries. Lets hope some sense is applied. Hopefully Smith will make a full recovery and wear the correct protective clothing.
The difference being recommended and not mandatory. In F1 the cockpit HALO was made compulsory despite the objections of the majority of drivers.
If I was going out to face Jofra Archer I suspect a suit of armour would be my personal choice of protection.
Topical……..
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49402589
Glad to see its not just me then that gets irked about opportunities that can define entire seasons and ultimately even Manager’s careers.
I suppose the main difference is that Britt is designated as our penalty taker by head coach Woodgate – perhaps we need a bit of anarchy from his team-mates 🙂 As for Pogba’s miss – well what do you expect from a £100m-rated player these days…
Britt’s next Penalty will result in the build up atmosphere being so tense that even the best of Penalty takers could bottle it. Miss and both he and Woodgate will be shot to pieces psychologically and verbally so why put both of you in that position when it is both predictable and totally and completely avoidable?
Personally, I can’t see how any player who has not only twice in succession failed to convert a penalty but actually missed the target altogether on both occasions be designated a penalty taker. At least Pogba struck it quite well and it was actually a good save. I’d have more faith in Clayton taking our penalties than Britt – though he’d probably pass it sideways for a team-mate to strike it instead…
Werder
Interesting that after the Pogba miss the fans and the media were on to him like a lynch mob.
Strange thing! They collectively made perfect sense.
It went as follows, a penalty is very important, if two players are wanting the ball they are creating extra stress, and more chance of it being missed.
The manager should always make sure that the penalty taker is nominated before they go on the pitch, there should be no deviation from this rule.
Penalties are not there as cheap goals for poor strikers.
Penalties should be practiced, a lot!
We score non out of the above.
Badly managed? You can say that again.
I see that the Man Utd Manager has told the press and fans that he has given Pogba a serious dressing down and told him that he is not to take any more penalties.
If only we had a manager with the requisite guts to deal with Britt.
Let’s hope we first get the penalty before we shoot the taker.
But I think we will get more pennas when we will gett the team playing high press game as at Luton.
I am OK for Britt to take the next one. He has the mentality to take them. If he wants that is.
Up the Boro!
I think if we continue with the high pressing game it will force teams into panicking and making some very nervy rash challenges at the back and therefore like as not more decisions being made in the opposition box leading to penalties.
Now someone convince me that there is nothing wrong with Britt’s technique, just saunter up and then blast it over the crossbar and repeat!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZYmMjBQci0
Jarkko
Penalties are so important in the game today that it is madness to let anyone who is suspect in his method carry on in the job.
His feelings do not enter into the decision, he is merely a player who has proved not good enough. He should have been given the chop last season. Our failure to act has cost us, big time.
Just another failure of management, it was foreseen, it what do the fans matter.
“What’s that flying over the Bar is it a Britt Pen?, is it a Britt Pen?”
Britt can be the designated penalty taker. Being designated does not mean he is any good at it.
There are 630 designated MP’s to look after our interests, they are worse than Britt. At least his penalties were towards the end where the goal is, 630 MP’s are all over the place.
Going back to Britt, he doesn’t inspire any confidence.
On penalties
Having been a sometimes goaly many years ago ,I can say its harder to read a left footed player than a right footed , the run up and body swerve is different.
Could get ugly tonight hope not
GT
If you’re facing Britt you don’t need to read him as he will not be coming anywhere near you unless you are stood in row Z! 😎
Tonight’s attendance could be a major worry for the club tonight. I still can’t see anything other than a, 0-0.
I fear the biggest threat to JW will not be fans anger, more likely it will be apathy.
Very difficult to predict tonight’s score. It always is but seems harder than ever now. I’ll go for home win though. Wigan at home is just about as good an opportunity as you’ll get (gulp).
Boro 3-1 Wigan (Britt, Britt, Fletcher)
A prediction for tonight is tricky – it all depends on whether the players got a kick up the backside for their less than energetic display at Ewood Park. We’ve seen three halves of high energy attacking football and three halves of not much in particular.
I would hope the players will be coming out of the blocks tonight determined to get their first win – so as usual it may all depend on getting an early goal and then seeing the confidence return. It could be hard if Wigan were to score first and the crowd became restless.
Nevertheless, I still think Boro should beat Wigan – as they normally do. I would like to see Browne and Johnson playing either side of Fletcher with Wing and McNair ahead of Clayton doing what he does best in stopping the opposition. I’d also prefer Howson at right-back over Dijksteel and the only option in defence is probably still Ayala and Shotton with Friend at left-back if fit.
Anyway, I think Boro will be up for this one and if that early goal goes in then we may see something like 4-1 and Woodgate up and running. Failure is not an option tonight, we need a win and preferably a convincing one!
Agree with all of that Werder. First goal so important.
I’ve been hopeless in my predictions so far this year, but something has to go for us sooner than than later. I would leave Britt out and set us up as Werder has. Fletcher is the man mist likely to convert a chance for us.
I expect we will shoot out of the blocks, but maybe only putting 2 chances away. 2-1 Boro, but one of those typical agonising stretches near the end as Wigan push on for an equaliser.
But 3 points for us in the end …
Off topic, interesting interview with Alan Moore in today’s Times:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/alan-moore-interview-breakfast-was-ibuprofen-and-red-bull-6nj5tkwcc
More on the trials & tribulations of being a footballer. Warning: behind a paywall.
I used to play an occasional game of five-a-side with the journo, Charles, who wrote this.
Top bloke, Boro through and through, always at the Boro games in London.
So team news is that Friend is not fit so Bola starts at left-back and Howson replaces Dijksteel at right-back – that means Clayton returns in midfield and Browne has replaced Johnson with Britt and Fletcher also in attack.
Team: Randolph, Howson, Ayala, Shotton, Bola, Clayton, Wing, McNair, Browne, Fletcher, Britt
Interesting line up, looks quite attacking.
I guess that’s the plan and hope Wigan don’t try to focus on our left side of defence with Bola and Shotton getting caught in possession – we may actually need to score 4!
Good to see Clayts back in the side, much better to have Wing further up the pitch.
3. 1. to us.
Werder
We have been very poor and 1 0 up. How on earth baffles me, our passing has been atrocious.
Certainly was some of the worst passing I’ve seen Boro make in a while – the players almost seemed to be trying to give the ball away. Thought Fletcher looked good though and Howson much better at right-back too. Hopefully Browne will be subbed at half-time as he’ll be off after the next foul. McNair has been sharp too and glad Bola has been better than expected. Also good that Britt has scored as it may give him confidence.
I accept that Assombalonga scores goals but its the ones that he doesn’t score that annoy me. He had a wonderful chance for a second goal which could have been really key and he just leathers it straight at the keeper. A good striker should have just popped it either side of him.
We’re really lucky to be one up and we’ll be lucky to end up with 11 men on the field if someone doesn’t control Browne. Johnson on for Browne?
Fingers very firmly crossed.
UTB
Werder
Worst passing in a while? Clearly you are much younger than me – you do technology and word craft much better than myself.
Having watched since 1963 I am struggling to think of a poorer display of passing out of defence. Hoof ball would give you a chance.
But we are winning, sometimes a shocking display gets 3 points and away you go. Norwich last season for example beat us in a shocker.
Good to see Browne off before he was offered a chance of an early bath by the ref.
So what has happened to the high tempo, high pressing, high speed passing game then?
Answers on a postcard and in the suggestion box.
UTB,
John
It’s hard to tell what the pattern of play is supposed to be today – an hour gone and it all seems on the hoof with no relationships on the pitch. Also no evidence of a high press. Anyway Boro have now just gone with a back three and wing-backs – what does that mean?
Probably he wants to cling on to the three points they have at the moment.
A win and three points were vital for Woodgate tonight. It doesn’t matter how it was achieved.
I’ll take that.
Well it was a much needed win but it wasn’t anything else – Boro literally hanging on against ten-man Wigan with what in the end was a profound three points without any sign of philosophy – either new or old!
Very pleased with a first win and hope the team can gain some confidence and momentum and start to play better.
But what I saw were two poor teams, giving the ball away, little individual skill, a very ‘ bitty’ game.
I thought Boro’s best player was Ayala .
If this sounds over critical then I can’t help but compare both teams to Fulham who recently beat Huddersfield and who were miles better than both these teams in terms of passing, keeping the ball, individual skill, movement off the ball etc.
Indeed , Fulham looked a good bet for returning to the Premiership. You heard it here first !!
Philip
Philip
Yes, it’s interesting to see Fulham repeating their tactics of two seasons ago.
Hire a very good young player for the season, one who is so good that you will never be allowed to buy him, his Club ( Chelsea?) get a serious sum, and no doubt the young man gets a big bonus if successful.
He was head and shoulders above the rest and Millwall took the hit.
However it is clearly cheating, a club gets into the Prem who have no pretentions to play at that level, but they still collect the 150 million, exit stage left and repeat the trick, no doubt with the same result. That will be 300 million, with more to come. It is a trick being played by and with the connivance of the big London clubs. I wonder when the inglorious authorities will take action.
Well Boro are now up and running after Woodgate’s first victory as head coach – though in truth it was more of a limp over the line than a high-tempo sprint to victory. Still, was it relief all round at the Riverside? Here’s Redcar Red and his view of proceedings with his match report…
https://diasboro.club/2019/08/21/boro-1-0-wigan/
Thanks for a another great report RR.
Still too early for me to get too alarmed. Maybe we we were a little lucky overall, but we have been unlucky previously this season. With Coulson still out, and Fry and Friend we haven’t had a first choice back line to depend on and have missed Coulson’s instinct to get things moving forward.
I agree it is a very welcome 3 points, lifting some of the pressure.
Let’s hope against Millwall all three of those (Coulson, Fry and Friend) will be involved.
I would be happy enough if it is another scrappy 3 points, just to begin to instill some confidence.
Even the best and most fluid of teams has to win ugly more than once in a season.
I think Coulson was a result of scarce resources rather than a planned LB. Bola was purchased with that intention in mind so arguably Coulson is second, maybe even third choice at LB (accepting that he may actually be the vest one however). Personally I think he would be a perfect left wing back as part of a back three/five. I think what is alarming however is that last night nobody seemed to be totally clear on any positional sense.
Maybe Coulson has a vested interest in the position?
OFB
I feel happiness. Finally we had some luck and it does not matter how we got the first win.
I missed the first 30 minutes as I was playing football with my friends, so did not see the first minutes when Wigan had chances I understand. And missed Britt’s goal, too.
It was not classic but as said I feel happy for the team and Woody. This gives confidence and now the ape is off the backs.
Up the Boro, as ever!
RR, thanks for the report again. And especially so by confirming the Windass situation that Josh is the son of ex Boro striker Dean. Up the Boro!
Redcar Red
The report reflects the game, as I read it I kept looking to see how much there was left to read hoping for the final full stop to secure the point. You cant get more accurate than that!
Redcar Red,
Thank you for a comprehensive and detailed report of what seemed a truly dreadful game.
The typical cynical Teessider in me sums it up with ‘we won’. A clean sheet too.
We’ve got the grandsons staying with us and were out for a meal last night. The Boss asked why I wasn’t checking on the score. The reply? ‘I left it at home so I didn’t spoil the evening’.
UTB,
John
Thanks to RR for the match report and while it was certainly substance over style as his headline concluded, it was probably closer to substance abuse. This was a far worse performance than Blackburn and not even close to the Brentford one – plus I’m not even sure what was supposed to be the planned method of play as it was so randomly disjointed in execution.
OK, Boro needed to win but they didn’t win because they stuck to Woodgate’s vision of a high energy pressing game, they won because of two main reasons – Wigan offered little threat and managed just one shot on target and the players clung onto the one goal lead that was earned by the only real decent passage of play. They essentially won by a ground out 1-0 that was basically reminiscent of a poor Pulis display.
On the evidence of the last two games, Boro have a lot of work to do on the training pitch as Woodgate’s planned new approach has become less visible with every game played. It almost feels like most of the players have returned to their default mode and what has happened to the notion of a high press – was it ditched after the second half against Brentford indicated the players weren’t fit enough to execute that approach?
Woodgate said after the press conference “I see them in training knocking the ball about, but on a matchday we play sloppy passes. But it’s pressure, and that’s the difference between the top players.” So does that mean that only top players can play the way he wants to?
Anyway, he added “I’ll tell the fans, this is going to be rocky, we’re in a transitional phase so you will have to be patient.” OK, I’ll be patient but I’d like to see some more of the transition rather than what has looked pretty similar to what we’ve got used to – a team short on ideas and quality when it comes to attacking the opposition.
Woodgate might think we are in a transitional phase but its clear that the team last night had little shape, structure, confidence or belief in whatever it was they were trying to achieve. That was as bad as the worst of Pulis and indeed was more reminiscent of a Manager on his way out when they have lost the plot.
We haven’t got the DNA of playing staff required to play this high tempo pressing game and in simple terms we haven’t got the levels of fitness or athleticism let alone the skill sets. We won last night because we were the side that managed a goal but against a better side like Leeds, West Brom, Fulham etc. we would have been ripped to shreds. Abysmal doesn’t even begin to describe how bad it was.
Sticking go faster stripes on a Cortina didn’t make them go any faster despite the appearance. Woodgate can dress it up any way he wants but if he doesn’t snap out of this delusional vision that has been dreamt up and get back to reality things will end very sourly and very quickly despite backroom promises and reassurances.
Millwall on Saturday and a good litmus test against a limited but functional side. Play like we did last night with idealistic playground tactics with three or four players chasing the same man and we will pay the price. Woodgate, Coyne, Keane and Percovich need to realise that you can’t make a silk purse out of a pigs ear. They need to maximise what they have got and plan to evolve over several transfer windows and meantime subtle tactical tweaks over time.
I still like it better than Pulis who blamed everyone but himself!
OFB
JW has firmly put all of the blame on the players.
Thanks to RR and I agree with Werder’s point above as well as RR’s report. This was a most welcome three points but a shocking performance with no evidence of progression towards the new way. If we were a touch unlucky against Brentford then last night evened things up – I think we have more or less the points we’ve deserved now, even if we could have had more.
I still think that we need to stick with it, though. I suspect JW is right that the main issue is a mental one. It’s to be expected that when the pressure is on the player’s instincts kick-in and those instincts have been shaped by long periods of defensive football. It will take a lot of work, essentially undoing Pulis’ famed repetition in training, to get where JW wants to be.
It’s worrying that we’ve seen less and less of the high tempo/high press as the games have gone on so far – in evidence against Luton, again for the first half against Brentford, not seen since – but that, perhaps, also tallies with the players feeling the heat as results have not come in. Maybe the Wigan result will help relieve some of that tension but, again, it will be vital to score first against Millwall (maybe the North Stand will see a goal against Millwall again!) or else we will likely see panic quickly set back in.
Another win on Saturday and we might just get a bit of momentum and confidence going. Perform like last night though, and it’s hard to see us getting anything.
I go back to basics. If you cannot pass to one of your own players any idealistic approach is doomed to failure. I lost count of the number of times our defenders passed to the opposition.
You cant harry the opposition high up the pitch if you keep passing to them in your own half. You cant build up any sustained pressure if the first or second pass surrenders possession 30 yards out – that is from our goal not theirs!
We are not giving a chance for our more skilful players to impart any influence on the match. As I posted last night you may as well play hoof ball then press in their half.
The problem is we are all waiting for Fry to come back but it is unfair to load expectations on one young defender.
Totally agree Ian that Fry on his own is not going to solve the many inherent problems we are currently displaying.
It is also no good trying to play the ball out from the back if you consistently lose it to an on rushing forward as every man in the defence managed to do last night or when making a pass from out of defence fail to find a teammate.
I agree, it would be better to play hoof ball and look to win the ball in the opposition half from the knock down or secondary ball.
If we play as we did last night against the better sides I can see us conceding 4/5 goals on a regular basis.😎
Spot on, Ian.
For me, whilst there is some mitigation, the players have to shoulder the responsibility for the abysmal passing, JW can’t pass it for them. It’s not like they’re not capable – even I can pass a ball ten yards to a teammate!. It’s the pressure of not getting results and the knowing there is tension in the air.
They need to get over it pretty quickly in my view as momentum goes both ways. I fear what will happen if we concede first against Millwall, take a side low on confidence to Ashton Gate then stew on it over the International Break.
Should say I don’t agree on hoof ball. The “philosophy” is right in my view but the players need to be strong to enough to do the basics well.
You are right, Ian. Let’s hope we will see Fry back on Saturday. The ball playing CB we are crying for! The team needs him and George F back a.s.a.p.
Mind, I think Shotton has defended very well in the last three matches – in two of them he was chosen one of the best Boro players by the Echo! – but his passing and decision making has been poor.
Also, please support all the players we have on the field playing for Boro. Gestede and Shotton need all the support possible. They won’t deserve any moaning from the stands. We must get behind every player wearing the red of Boro! Every time.
Up the Boro!
Having watched about half of the full 90 now it is pretty clear that we have no system for playing it out from the back. It’s basically a car crash every single time we try. It’s not the world-class 20 yard passes that are the problem, it’s the players not making the angles to receive the simple 5 yard passes. No one knows where to move to and the player with the ball doesn’t know where to look for a free player.
Without a simple pass being available the player with the ball has to either keep hold of it and risk being closed down or go for a world-class pass and fail.
Thing is I can see why this is happening. They’ve been told no more sideways or windscreen wiper passes. But if you can’t pass sideways and the people in front are closed down then you are left with booting it or dribbling out of defence.
It’s not that the players are bad but that the system is half-baked. Easiest way to make anyone look incompetent is too put them in a system that they can’t work with.
Hopefully this will change and they will gradually master the new system but I haven’t seen any evidence of this happening yet.
Still, a win is a win. Another win against Millwall and there’ll be some self-belief to latch on to.
Good post Ian
Which one was Harry playing for the opposite team?
OFB
Andy R
I dont like hoof ball but it is pointless passing to opposition players in our final third of the pitch.
Agreed – but the answer to that has to be to pass it better. I don’t accept that the players are not capable of playing 10 – 15 yard passes. Don’t change tack, just concentrate on doing the basics right.
I think quite a few players were guilty of attempting ambitious threaded passes of 20-30 yards to team-mates in very little space. Hopefully, a professional player can pass a ball 10-15 yards but they have to do that while being closed down and at a pace that doesn’t telegraph it.
Did Woodgate inadvertently stumbled on the problem he faces when he said that the difference between top players is that they can perform such tasks under pressure. Most of Boro’s players couldn’t be classed as top players and subsequent purchases will be at the bargain end too. Can he and Keane actually coach the existing players into ones that are capable of playing to such a standard?
Also, if Fry is our only ball-playing centre-back, should McNair be returned to central defence to add quality – plus do we have forwards who can retain possession? I guess the problem with the Championship is there is very little time between games to do much on the training pitch. The last two games have shown the players regressing rather than progressing and that may simply be down to very few hours on the training pitch since pre-season with two games per week.
The international break may offer a chance to regroup but of course some players will be away – it will be interesting to see the performance against Millwall and whether it has more coherence.
Reasonable questions, Werder.
If you’re right – and I think you are – about the ambitious 20-30 yard passes then I think that could be a problem with decision making (related, again, to instincts), rather than quality or attempted playing style. The answer has to be repetition in training: pass, move, pass, move and be patient. We want to play quickly and open teams up but forcing it with the wrong pass is counterproductive.
I think that game can be played without elite players in this division. Bournemouth did it, Swansea also had a short-passing style. In both those cases however, it took several seasons (and several promotions – real momentum) to get there.
I would resist moving McNair back to defence. He’s probably been our best player in midfield so far this season. Perhaps Friend can help as a better ball player than Shotton but the better solution must be for at least one of McNair of Wing to drop a little deeper when our back line has the ball to offer an obvious simple pass.
Overall, I think it can work but it will take time – a lot of time. My concern is that if we fail to pick up enough results in this transitional phase then the fans and players will lose confidence in the direction which JW is trying to take us, and then it becomes impossible. And I think we’re already on the edge on that front – I think Millwall might be a must-not-lose. In fact, I think confidence in the “project” is so fragile – and I mean players as well as fans – that conceding first could be fatal.
Andy R
I agree with that as well, the trick is getting the balance right as you try and progress.
RR
many thanks for your report which filed in the gaps for an armchair supporter!
Mrs OFB enjoyed the game and said although the Boro were poor it was a must win and win ugly game.
It sounds as if Wing is a bit off pace this season compared to last and perhaps the changing around of his position is affecting his game
On the Radio Maddo was apoplectic about Browne and his hot headed stupidity which could have resulted in him being sent off and causing us to lose the game.
Dijksteel cost us the game last Saturday and I suppose Woodgate will have to read the riot act for them to instil some self discipline for the sake of the team.
Maddo like you RR was very critical of the referee and bias against Boro.
Thanks
OFB
It’s beginning to sound like young Fry wasn’t injured, but was in fact transported to a secret facility in Bavaria where he has been given daily injections of Franz Beckenbauer DNA and the transformation is now almost complete.
Fry ing tonight in the best spirits of the carry on films 🎥
OFB
Thanks RR for another warts and all report albeit more warts than anything else but an ugly win at least.
JW has pleaded that we stick with it but it is becoming less clear what it is we are sticking with as each game goes by. The only consistency is Boro’s inconsistency!
To me we looked more effective when we switched to three at the back and I just wonder if that is the route to go. JH seems to be nailing down the RB slot which is a shame as I believe he adds more to the midfield.
We have benefitted from PM’s new lease of life in midfield but that has been set against an underperforming LW in comparison to last season.
It will be interesting to see who and what Boro turns up on Saturday and I agree that a similar passing performance against a functional Lions will see us undone.
CoB let’s have a performance which gives a glimmer of progress and not just a mish mash of individual performances both good and bad.
No more Browne until he can get his attitude right and temper under control. 😎
Based on the personnel available I think Woodgate needs to go with three at the back (perm three from Shotton, Ayala, Fry, Friend) and then Howson as RWB and Coulson/Bola as LWB.
Its not an admission of defeat its admission that its all he has to work with and playing attractive attacking football can still be achieved with three and attacking Wing Backs. He has plenty of Midfielders to dabble with and the likes of Tav and Browne who we seem uncertain what to do with. I would say that McNair, Fletcher and Britt are now nailed on for one reason or another.
That means that nine positions are pre determined, say for arguments sake Randolph, Howson, Shotton, Ayala, Fry, Bola, McNair, Fletcher and Assombalonga (assuming that Friend and Coulson etc. are out injured) to become the nucleus. That leaves just two more places open in the team for Wing, Clayts, Saville, Browne, Tavernier, Johnson etc. to stake a claim and suddenly it becomes far more settled and clearer as to who plays where and who is supposed to be doing what and exactly where.
Stick to your strengths and grow and develop from that. Having five/three at the back doesn’t have to be Pulis style, it depends on how much freedom and energy your Wing Backs have.
I agree with that, RR.
I want JW to stick with his principles regarding style of play but the formation needs to suit the personnel I agree that wingbacks and a back three best suits the current squad,.
Great Post RR sums up our situation perfectly
OFB
Just as an aside, it seems Ian Holloway maybe hoping that the new handball rule will soon be revoked if there’s a no-deal Brexit at the end of October. Clearly the EU is to blame for this new law that England doesn’t want as Holloway explained on Sky with his expert analysis:
“I don’t think that’s our boys making up that new change of law, I think that’s people telling us what we should do with our game. Now, they should stop doing that. I hope we get out of Brexit, because that’s what we all voted for, and sort that out, because you cannot have someone telling us how to do our own game.”
And don’t get him started on the Germans and penalties or 11 metres as we call them over here…
Anyway, here’s a link to the Guardian article if you don’t believe that no goal is better than a bad goal…
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/aug/21/eu-to-blame-football-new-handball-rule-ian-holloway
Glad to see the penny regarding 4-3-3 is beginning to drop.
I think most people liked the wingbacks last season. I recall myself and Werder agreed it was a good way to go under Monk if memory serves!
There’s nothing wrong with 4-3-3 it’s just that it takes good players to be effective
If you want to play 4-3-3 with attacking full backs then you also need two mobile centre backs to cover the space left behind. Sadly Ayala and Shotton don’t fit that particular description. A problem that is plain to see if you take a look at the goal conceded against Brentford.
You also need a strong defensive midfielder to drop back into the space vacated by the CB’s ( possibly McNair). The front three need to learn to play as a unit, much like a back four do in moving together, to maintain pressure.
If you play an expansive game it means the players are spread out across the pitch which requires high levels of fitness and stamina. I’d rather see JW play a more compact formation. This is his first season and he’s only four games in, patience should be his byword.
Just managed to get on the internet to find that Boro lost at Blackburn and beat Wigan so have missed all the angst. First step was to get last Saturday’s results, then Sunday’s Rugby League results, and now last night’s results in one fell stoop. I must say though that I found it easier than expected not to keep up with football or Rugby League, but have just had time to read Redcar Red’s reports and it would seem that nothing much has changed since last season, but thanks to him anyway for keeping me informed.
Off piste a little, but wondered if you were aware Ken, that Bradford Bulls (ne Northern) will play their last fixture at Odsal on 1st September, before heading to temporary digs at Dewsbury for the next two seasons and in the hope the club can develop a new, smaller and less expensive (to run) stadium to call home in Bradford.
Sheffield Eagles will have the honour of visiting for that last fixture. Shame it won’t be Leeds, and shame it has to happen at all. But I’d they don’t quit Odsal they would surely not survive.
I think there are lots of different ways to play any formation. I think of Mourinho’s 4-3-3s with Chelsea (including a not terribly mobile John Terry at CB – though they did have a certain Claude Makelele telepathically covering everything, everywhere) as compared with Guardiola’s 4-3-3 at Barcelona. Chalk and cheese. These are obviously examples that both include brilliant players but I’m afraid I’m not as well versed in lower league football.
I don’t think that formation is the be-all and end-all, more how its applied with what you’ve got. I would agree that we’ve got doesn’t fit particularly well. My concern is less about the defence and more about the quality and depth of wingers we’ve got. I think it’s fair to say that Tav, Browne and Johnson all have plenty to prove whilst Fletcher is really a centre forward.
A 3-4-1-2 looks the best fit to me. With plenty of bodies in central areas it should provide short-passing options, particularly for the centre backs who are clearly struggling to find a simple pass. I think in Tav, Browne and Wing we have 3 players who look like they could all play behind the strikers, whilst I think Britt looks more comfortable with a partner. My first choice in that shape would be:
Randolph
Fry Ayala Friend/Shotton
Howson McNair Clayton Coulson/Bola
Wing
Assombalonga Fletcher
If the plan is to have a high press, then I think 3-4-3 could work as you probably need three forwards to close the defenders down. Also if you have that extra centre-back then playing Clayton as a defensive midfielder may be excessive – especially if you’ve essentially got wing-backs either side – so I’d probably partner McNair with Wing and then have the usual options for the front three.
Thanks for your report RR. It was a relief to see someone was watching the same match as me, unlike the Express and Sun reporters. When I was talking to a Boro supporter after the match I said it was a dreadful performance but your description of it as atrocious was better. If Randolph had not made his save in the 2nd minute I think we would have collapsed against the mighty Wigan! Our goal however came from a good early cross and Britt’s powerful header. If only we tried that more often. (I listen to Radio Tees during the match and they were saying that JW was shouting to the players that that was what he wanted us to do.)
We have so far played against teams in the lower part of the league and unless there is a big improvement we will get hammered by even a mid-table team – Millwall?
Have you noticed that, without George Friend playing, most of the team head for the tunnel without going to appIaud the supporters who have stayed back?
I am not going to the Millwall game (expense and aches and pains old age) but will follow it on Radio Tees with a bottle of Malbec ready for drowning my sorrows.
Interestingly Britt has scored two goals in four mathes this season. And in a team not really yet functioning well. But he has done that – two goals a season – all his professional career.
And with VAR, Fletcher would have three goals in four games. I think he is gonna be an important player for us for this and hopefully a few following seasons.
Looking forward to seeing the Millwall game. We could only improve but it takes time.
Up the Boro!
The Problem with Britt is that he scores against the lower Championship sides and not against the big boys hence the term “flat track bully”.
noun
“a sportsperson who dominates inferior opposition, but who cannot beat top-level opponents”
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Redcar Red,
How many did he score against Boro? Sorry couldn’t resist that. I’ll go now…
UTB,
John
As usual the report from Redcar Red was pretty much what I had the “pleasure” to watch! It was not pretty at all and I do fear for our performances against better teams.
As others have said, the high pressing game wasn’t evident and the inability to complete passes with any degree of accuracy to another player in red was worrying to say the least. Maybe they thought they were still playing in blue!
I said after the game that I think Britt must shoot with one of his eyes closed and the only reason the header went in was that both eyes were closed!
JW has his work cut out to get the team playing better, the phrase “can’t turn a sows ear into a silk purse” comes to mind.
The sooner that Fry and Friend come back the better as Shotton in the centre is a recipe for disaster and in the first half I was dreading him having the ball.
Still, it was 3 much needed points and an average of a point per game. That should see us safe from relegation this season which for me is the minimum expectation.
From the two games I have seen, then unless JW can work some miracles, then that is the best to hope for.
I will have to take some brave pills to psyche myself up to make the trip north again on 14 September.
It’s only football…………… but it is bloody frustrating at times!
Hi friends, just arrived in the Turkish town of Dalyan for a few weeks….so in advance I will say a big thank you to all of you for your contributions. I will try to keep up with what’s going on etc….utb
Malcolm
Have a great time. 😎
I don’t think that we need to get hung up on the actual system. Playing with wingbacks is only a variation of 4-3-3 with the central midfield player sitting deeper between the two centre halves. We should be able to create that structure using Clayton or someone else, particularly at home when we should be more in control. It is also an inherently more defensive structure and would be even worse if, as Pulis did, you pick a defensive midfield player to sit in front of the back three. That removes another player from the attacking mix.
I think that we have to realise what we have and accept that we cant change what we don’t have. Ayala and Shotton are very good centre backs when the opposition has the ball. They are good in the air, tackle well and read the play and have got out of their habit of giving away too many fouls. What they are not good at is passing the ball out of defence and neither has a strong left foot although Shotton’s is better than Ayala. Friend is left footed but Shotton is probably stronger defensively. Thus, the system has to be set up so that they can give the first pass either vertically or to the full backs and be there in support if necessary. If they are then in danger of being closed down, they should be instructed to hit the front men to remove the danger.
The interesting question is to ask what we will do when Fry returns. Does Fry take over the Clayton role and leave Shotton and Ayala behind him or does he just slot into a back three. Is there any real difference between the two formations. Alternatively, he replaces one of Ayala and Shotton and we see if that creates a better functioning 4-3-3.
Other than that, I think our real concern is with Wing. He just isn’t finding the space that he found last year. Is he still injured. On his game, he and McNair look very good with Fletcher and Assombalonga up front and a permutation of other players around them.
Finally, if JW spends so much time complaining about his thin squad, why isn’t He looking at one or two of the experienced free agents who are available in the market place.
Millwall will be a good test and I hope that we raise our game to match it. Quite why the spark that was displayed for the first game and a half has gone out is anybody’s guess and it may be all about confidence.
UTB
A good post, Selwynoz. As ever.
Yes, I was thinking the same about free agents, too. There should be plenty to choose from who would take a one year contract.
Up the Boro!
Who are these free agents that would really improve the squad, apart from numbers.
Would Hutton really be a choice?
I don’t think we can afford them on the wage bill.
I think that ultimately the reason Woodgate “wasn’t backed” in the window was because we failed to shift out one or two players who had either high wages and/or high resale value. Had Gestede gone that would have freed up wages, had say Britt gone that would have freed up wages and brought vital cash in to spend.
Selwynoz, I’d agree that ultimately a particular formation only really determines what type of players are chosen – though I think Pulis tried having Clayton dropping in between the two centre-backs before he switched to a back three. The main difference with a back three is that wing-backs are supposed to play along the line of a defensive midfielder and it’s one of the three centre-backs that shifts into the defensive position of a full-back.
Though the real problem is, as you and others have identified, our current centre-backs weren’t signed as ball-playing ones and particularly Ayala and Shotton don’t look like this is what they do best – or are at least not confident with the ball at their feet. I recall Ayala used to manage the odd surging run but he demonstrated on Tuesday his ability to spray passes to his team-mates was more than a little suspect.
My main worry is there is little time with two games per week for coaching and working on teaching players new techniques. So it’s a question of whether Woodgate believes he can transform some players to be better at what they are currently not executing very well.
I believe Karanka thought repetitions and drills would ultimately create a well oiled machine – though creativity is not normally something that can be drilled into players. I suspect the high-press can be fine-tuned into the players but we’ll be stuck with their overall standard of passing and shooting whatever system or method we choose. Plus you probably can’t coach players to be faster or significantly improve their first touch and speed of thought – at least not the older ones!
Fulham 4-0 Millwall. Beware the wounded Lion! 😎
Werder
Don’t disagree with your post but I think what can be worked on is positioning and movement. Clearly the current centre backs are not “ballers” as the kids say – we knew that – but the midfield can work on movement and positioning to offer them simpler passes out from the back.
Maybe I’m being overly simplistic but I think we can train for when the right CB has the ball, the holding midfielder should in position Y, the right centre midfielder moves into position X, the left centre midfielder moves to position Z etc – a plan to try and ensure tat the man in possession has a couple of short passing options with a hoof if nothing is on.
I think that at the moment, whilst accepting that Ayala and Shotton are not great with the ball, we’re not making life easy for them either with showing for the ball in midfield. Often both McNair and Wing just want to go forwards when sometimes you need to drop in and offer a pass, then build forwards. Ayala and Shotton are then trying a difficult pass. We need to help them.
No doubt the team are trained to make themselves available for a pass (I would hope) but the problems of playing it too casually out from the back is once the opposition know you’re going to do that then they perform the aforementioned high-press, close down the passing options and then players like Shotton start to panic and turn back to the keeper or pass it to nobody in general. We saw both Blackburn and Wigan do that rather than Boro and that put pressure on Shotton and Ayala. There’s nothing wrong in a long ball now and then when passing isn’t a good option.
OK, some Boro players may not have a good first touch, especially in attack, though there is a way to score without needing any kind of touch at all as Sporting Lisbon’s u17 team demonstrated by ‘scoring’ after just 13 seconds…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0fpY5KniII
I used to think Ayala was brilliant on the ball. I watched him away to Norwich in that backs-to-the-wall, get-the-right-result-or-die-trying 1-0 win that filled me with pride, Bamford injury or not. The erratic figure of the past was a tower of strength to me, commanding and composed in positional sense and with the ball at his feet. Maybe I was going overboard, maybe I was seeing what I wanted to see, I don’t know. But then I noticed Fry and Kalas, and later Chambers, playing the same way.
Defending is an art form as well as attacking – and there to be appreciated.
Si did you see Mowbray and Pallister play together in their prime or Boam and Maddren
They were great pairings of defenders
OFB
Sadly, Bob, I wasn’t old enough! I grew up on Bruce & Pallister, and Baresi & Maldini. And then Vickers & Pearson.
I vaguely remember what Roy Keane penned about Pally in his first autobiography. “Pally is amazing. A terrific pro. He looks knackered in the warm up, you think he’ll never last ninety minutes.” Yet he added that when match day came he was out on the pitch, commanding his area, heading balls away, and forming the perfect defensive triangle with Bruce and Schmeichel.
Baresi, and Paul McGrath, were phenomenal despite the onset of age. One had undergone a knee operation less than a month before the World Cup final in 1994, the other had a shoulder problem before the Irish played Italy in the Giants Stadium.
They were incredible in each game.
I enjoyed this piece.
https://thewayweplayblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/24/the-way-we-played-nick-barmby-the-riverside-revolution/
I loved Barmby, I loved Juninho, but they weren’t really compatible as a pair and I do feel we were onto something better with the original Midget Gem trio.
That’s not having it both ways. That’s being open-minded, considering both sides of a coin and recognising that, as with life, there’s pros and cons in everything.
With regards to “Free players”, yes we would not have to pay a transfer fee but what wage would they want to command, what length of contract would they want, what “signing on fee” would they cost, what “bonuses” would they want in the contract and I have not even thought about their agent and why has no one else signed them.
Remember the old saying “There is no such thing as a free supper”.
Come on BORO.
Try asking my son that, Exmil …. he knows where to get fed at his Mam and Dad’s house !!!
Wasn’t it lunch? Unless of course it was one of Jesus’s throwaway lines or possibly sounds like one of Trump’s dodgy chat-up lines…
Anyway, I’d agree that we probably can’t afford one of the so-called free agents – unless of course there’s 25-goal a season striker going for a song who will also sing for his supper!
If we could find a Striker who could hit a target 8 feet high, 24 feet wide from a standing start at a distance of 36 feet it would be well worth the expense.
Belated thanks to Redcar Red for his “alternative view” on the Wigan game.
How you remember all the dross that has gone before your eyes is frankly amazing, I have to blank it out and forget. Do you take notes or use a dictaphone or is that a secret?
I know the Championship is only 4 games in, but the pattern of Fulham and Leeds leading the way is forming already.
And as for the Boro, well there does not appear a pattern forming with our team, as much as JW says otherwise.
4 games into a relatively easy start and we are looking decidedly “dodgy”. If we cannot beat the likes of Millwall, up next, then JW will have to give Mr Pulis a call and ask to borrow his excuses book.
I don’t use my dictophone I use my finger like everyone else !
You can tell I’m getting better!
I’ll get Ian’s coat ….
OFB
I hope Mrs OFB doesn’t read that!!
Key crib notes (wing pass howson cross britt goal 23 or browne forearm card lucky) during lulls and then recall bits in between that stand out. Once you have some bare bones plus memory and impressions it all pads out and one thing triggers another in your mind. You might make a mental note of a dodgy back pass and then you recall the following rollicking for someone say from Randolph or Ayala etc pointing fingers ad being told to push up etc.
Not sure about the bits that stand out RR, from a Boro perspective!! 😊
I find once you’ve experienced the game at the stadium you’re in a better position to judge a player or team’s impact from memory.
By contrast when I watched on TV and was blogging for the Gazette I was taking notes, treating it very seriously, like a science or measured art form – and that, while it may be impressive, also robs football of the numerous voices and contradictions that make it what it is.
Simon
Just a thought, but there was one moment against Wigan.
Someone? Placed the ball in front of wing as he was about to enter the box (front and centre) he did not score but that is the way forward. Both Wing and Tav. should be attacking the front of the box on a regular basis and we would get more goals. We shall see on Saturday?
And more balls into the box from the bye-lines. Turning defenders.
Simon
On the Barmby piece
I think Robbo made too many wrong signings , great players but not what was needed ,for me Juninhio was a wrong signing , the team was flying at the time and the forwards were cllicking ,
We needed premiership midfield and defenders to establish a solid foundation ,
Its all history now ,but some would say the ride was worth it.
I would agree with that gt. Mr Rodson forgot about beefing up the defence until it was too late.
When you look Bach at some of the defenders we operated with? No disrespect to them, but!!
Those defenders certainly lacked harmony and at times were strung out all over the place whilst collectively they were less than orchestrated.
It took the points deduction to wake us up. To galvanise a sleepwalk and/or an embarrassment of a season from October to January. If you don’t count the cups.
RR
Quick off the mark there picking up on what was probably a predictive text problem in Pedro’s post.
Lucky it didn’t substitute an alternative to orchestrated in yours, although some of our defenders at that time perhaps should have been (work that one out for yourselves).
Good to see that OFB is back on song.
🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹
One of my more descriptive posts
OFB
‘Nicely Out of Tune’ there OFB
JUst like Woodgate
Play all the right players but not necessarily in the right order !
OFB
Kind of hoping that come the end of the season ‘We Can Swing Together’ rather than heading ‘Down’ on the ‘Road to Kingdom Come’ as we all ‘Turn a Deaf Ear’ to JW bemoaning ‘The Things I Should Have Said’.
Just for now I still believe a ‘Clear White Light…’ is going to guide us on into ‘…Part 2’ of the season.
Pedro, RR, Steely, PN, OFB
Just returned from our first night out since Mrs P was released from hospital, to celebrate her birthday.
Upon our return and nursing a glass of the Famous Black Grouse, I looked at the blog to see a series of posts from you which had me in stitches. Good old Teesside humour, you can’t beat it!
Thanks guys for a lovely end to an evening which some eight months ago I was not sure we would be celebrating.
PS
Hope OFB is making a return to full fitness and able to take his place at the Riverside on Saturday. 😎
Many Thanks for your thoughts
Doctor said to take it quiet and not have any excitement so that means I have to go to see the Boro on Saturday !
Pleased you’re getting your life back together again
OFB
Excellent news!
Great to read that KP …well done Mrs KP
As long as we “don’t turn a deaf ear” although at some point we may see “The Clear White Light”
Powmill – as long as we “ Don’t turn a deaf ear” although at some point JW May see “The Clear White Light”
Or are we “on the Road to Kingdom Come”
I was still typing my playlist as you posted that first. Glad I’m not the only one that remembered Lindisfarne. Alan Hull was a fine songsmith and another that died far too young.
It will be “Alright on the Night” although on Tuesday Boro wehpre “Passing Ghosts” and “Court in the Act” . They also need to Get Wise and Run for Home to give us a Warm Feeling!
Apologies to all non Lindisfarne fans!
Agreed – a great band live and I once met ALan Hull in the gents at a gig at Dingwalls at Camden Lock, many many years ago!
Never better than on their own home turf, the City Hall in the toon, especially the annual Christmas Concerts.
Been there done that !
..sitting in a sleazy snack bar sucking sickly sausage rolls… One of the great lines. I could listen to them all day and then follow up with Chris Rea.
Great combination Selwyn, a sickly sausage roll at the Blue Cafe !
Our region has certainly produced quite some talent in all our years.
Let’s hope our team might show some talent on Saturday!
BTW. Does anyone know how Chris Rea doing health wise? I’ve not really heard much about him since his stroke.
I see his ex manager John McCoy now and again when he comes to my creative writing class
John is working on his Autobiography and says that Chris is very private about his health condition
As far as I’m aware he’s ok
OFB
Send my best wishes to Chris through John if you can OFB, not that he needs it from a total stranger but it’s always good to hear people are thinking of you.
Happy Birthday to Karon and many more of them.
KP
Thanks for your kind acknowledgement of my feeble efforts at Teesside humour.
Glad that you’re all able to celebrate at last.
OFB
You’re definitely back to your best.
UTB
Selwynoz
Good memories of listening to Lindisfarne, despite them coming from “enemy” territory.
Went to School with Chris Rea and was shocked last time I saw him on TV, some time ago.
A true Teesside legend.
Lovely to read the match report on Wolves / Torino glowing write up for Traore now playing Wing back. He was nominated the man of the match
As a side issue the Manager said he was the reason they dominated the second half against United at the weekend.
Lovely character, a credit to the person who bought him, A K I think. We will not speak of the person who sold him, because it is the story of our club, pitiful in the market, as witness our intention to keep Gestede, in his final season, never made it into the team, 30, on big money, yes, it all adds up, yet another project, hhhm!
You could not invent this stuff. He has trouble kicking the ball, so why we would employ good players to feed him chances in the box defeats me.
We shall. see.
Which part of the sale of Traore don’t you understand? It was nothing to do with Tony Pulis. This constant refusal to accept the facts has become tiresome now.
For all Pulis’s faults, he was the only manager who got Adama playing to his potential and was the only reason any club came in for him to meet his £18m release clause – without Tony Traore would probably still be a Gestede-style player seeing out his contract on the bench.
GHW
Where on earth did you get the idea that the manager makes decisions of that importance. That was a club decision, and all the talk of “it was out of our hands” is beneath contempt. What was pitiful were the Crocodile tears of Pulis. ” I have just lost my best mate”
Any contract written by the club is their responsibility, their problem, it is we the fans suffer.
You will of course have been reading all the flack which is going the clubs way, about that very subject, the nuts and bolts of running a football club.
They have already been foolish enough to put a price on Fry, and this was to one of the bottom fishers in the Prem.
They wanted to snag him, enjoy him for two seasons and cash in big time.
Meanwhile we are trying to rehabilitate Gestede, hands up those who think that will end happily?
Plato
At the start of the season people were offering to drive Adama anywhere to anyone would have him.
After half a season under TP he had the chance to showcase his talents to the extent a premiership club came along and invoked the release clause in his contract.
The club had no choice.
I can only assume that you mean someone other than Tony Pulis because he was at Palace at the time the contract was written.
66 for 8, Root a double pair, surely time for him to do a Botham and relieved of the captaincy. Bring back Alistair Cook?
And it gets worse – will be all over by Saturday!
Official GHW warning, expect incoming talking about sports before highlights have been viewed though I know it is difficult not to comment.
Sorry – forgot about that one!
Need to go back to the shed!
BBD
That is what our batsmen, sorry players in the top half the order who dont bowl but field do. Back in the shed.
The good news is they will all have arrived in GHW’s shed so he will have guessed already.
The BBC podcast about cricket has a great deal of bearing on football though many wont agree.
The basics are the key thing. be able to defend and do the key things. Once you can do that you can move on.
Players are starting wanting to be T20 players when they would be better suited learning basic skills then moving on from there.
The same goes for football, learn the basics and move on. Trap the ball and pass. Tackle and move.
if the players have the basic skills it is up to the players to up their skills. In cricket they should leave the ball that creates risk, outside their eyeline for example, then take options that work.
In football, the threaded needle pass from a centre back just outside their own box is barmy.
Keep it simple, stupid.
I have no problem with trying to progress things, when to do it is another matter.
Ian
Anything which prospers in life is based on solid foundations or a strong root system. As you say KISS has to come first and only then can the build and growth phase follow.
Worrying about our best players being sold is pointless. We have limited finances and so we are, by definition, a selling club and we have to come to terms with that. If we want a model, look at Southampton who have sold a long list of top players. The trick is to try and keep players long enough to establish ourselves in the bottom half of the Premiership and the only necessity is to have the intelligence to hold out for a good price.
After this season Fry should be worth 30 million or maybe even a lot more. That kind of figure can shore up the club and you hope to have players such a Woods and Stubbs coming along behind to take over.
This logic can be applied to a range of positions and we should be keeping a close eye on our U18s and U23s to see who else is coming through.
This season could be difficult but nothing will be gained by booing players who are trying their best. Let’s get behind the club and support this new direction. The alternative is for the club to be sold to some adventurer or foreign group who don’t understand the area and don’t care about the history.
UTB
Sel
Good post and it ties in with the club’s strategy
It is no coincidence that Boro have recruited an additional coach from Leeds this week to work with the u21 players
The Southampton model is the only way forward for our club and I for one would accept it
OFB
Selwynoz
Everything you say is correct.
What is not good is the fact that we have no idea of dealing in the market.
Several clubs have tried to extract Fry from the club (with good reason)
We behave like a chicken in the headlights. A simple reply is along the lines of “don’t ring us we will ring you”
We of course, when asked a price, immediately quote one, without the least thought to getting our price, and only that price.
If we look at the attempts to buy the defender from Leicester at below the asking price, arrogance, insults, getting help from the press in an attempt to lower the price.
Leicester stood firm and got their price.
All of a sudden, he was worth every penny of his price. Strange, that.
Well done the selling club, pity we are not as skilled in dealing.
We wouldn’t pay the asking price for the same player just to add some logs to the fire.
A huge part of being a Football fan is about passion and emotions, unreasoned and unbridled love for the team you support which apart from the top five or six teams in the Premiership is a roller coaster at best. It isn’t a rational attachment.
Unfortunately it can also bring out extremes in people because of that mob mentality, be it the leanings of a particular player’s rumoured love interest (or even position), country of origin, their religious beliefs, the colour of their complexion or even the irony of having the freedom of choice to wear a poppy or not. Failure to conform and or excel will result in the lynch mob looking for something to vent their spleen. Made worse sadly by many of whom attending matches are under the influence of more than just alcohol.
The upbringing, societal norms and level of IQ of some is also a feature. Granted probably not so much in the West Stand but certainly in other parts of the ground. I hear things that make me laugh because of their crass stupidity but also make me sick that such mentality and beliefs exist in todays society. On more than one occasion overhearing conversations I have thought that perhaps World Wars and cannon fodder was nature’s way of culling mankind.
I have booed my team when their collective efforts deserved it falling well below par but never an individual from the side I support. I do boo and jeer opposition individuals when they have cleaned a Boro player out and lucky to stay on the pitch for example or in my eyes cheated somehow. Of course the officials also fall into that category of fair game in an effort to exert what little influence a fan can on the game. What does separate me slightly from the mob is that my reactions are based solely on my personal perceived interpretation of ability only as the sole deciding factor.
After “that” Blackburn game myself and many thousands of others were apoplectic with rage, anger (admittedly disappointment was the fuelling catalyst) all made worse by both the timing and the alleged fouled nature of the late goal and the poor refereeing (biased view of course). The celebrations after the whistle with the travelling fans was over the top from the Blackburn players but they were caught up in the emotions of it all as well having grabbed something undeservedly from the game and clearly wanted to share in that motion with their fans.
The vitriol from the home fans was still raw off the scale at the officials for allowing it and made a hundred times worse by the sight of the Blackburn players jubilant celebrations which were also seen as a goading by many in red albeit probably no more than just a wind up in today’s parlance rather than malice aforethought.
There was the notorious fall out in the form of one fan having his reputation destroyed because of being called a racist (backed up by ignorance on the part of a particular Police Officer in local tradition and culture). Forgetting the fact that if it was as believed then he must have been a one armed Simian which totally goes against the sad traditional portrayal of that particular form of abuse seen around football stadia globally. Compounding matters there was also fall out in the tunnel with Boro’s own coaching staff as well with it ultimately costing Higgy his job. To think that it was just another match or that it wasn’t significant would be a staggering understatement.
That game wasn’t just one of many that gets forgotten about, the fall out was far too great and the emotions far too high even for the more reasonable Boro supporters. The national reporting about the court case, the unsavoury topic and the subsequently squashed conviction of a Season Card holding Pensioner left more than a mere bad taste with many against Millionaire footballers, the Police, Club Stewarding and MFC itself. That the above collectively acted as a mob themselves wanting blood and vengeance without establishing truth just seeking vitriolic justice themselves created heightened emotions and a huge degree of dislike and disdain to put it mildly.
Fast forward and the Club “gifting” the major proponent of that incident to a struggling Manager who nether rated nor wanted him was way beyond staggering on so many levels and for so many reasons. That the same individual was willing to come was probably even more staggering and distasteful. The insensitivities, total disregard and alarming disconnect from all parties was palpably nauseating. The elite treating fans like mushrooms.
Now add in the alleged numbers involved in the ridiculous transfer fee (and totally wasted), the alleged salary, the woeful return, the injury record and that night of repute down in Newport (again allegedly) and there is a lot of water travelled under that particular bridge in question. On the very few occasions where he did score my euphoria was immediately quashed and my celebration quickly terminated upon realising the scorer. I didn’t agree with him coming here and haven’t changed my opinion and I’m sure that off field he as an individual may be a smashing bloke and a nice character but this is football and it was a situation that I believe all parties should not have got themselves involved in.
Had the player returned twenty goals a season since his arrival and indeed single handedly kept us in the Premiership even I’m sure opinions and stand points would have softened with many at least to a degree (myself excluded). He hasn’t delivered remotely near any of that and has been a drain on resources and one that we can’t seemingly rid ourselves of despite having seemingly come close to a loan deal with today’s opponents last season.
Some things are simply not a good fit, the wrong player at the wrong club at the wrong time. That someone at the club thought it OK and even worse sanctioned it was disappointing in the extreme, personally I can’t say I’m surprised sadly. Clearly the deal offered to the Player was such that any personal sensitivities were discounted and the soul was sold (as probably most of us would have also). Leaving individual playing attributes like that header at Swansea aside the Club and the Player have created this maelstrom not the fans. That nether of those parties even to this day seem to realise the error of their ways and reached an early solution to their mutual problem is their own fault not the fans. The fans didn’t create the backdrop, I don’t nor haven’t booed him but fully understand those who do, it is the culmination of many things.
Putting all the above into context booing is probably the lest that could be expected. As I have repeated on here often “you don’t get yourself into those situations”. It was obvious to a partially sighted individual on a galloping horse what was going to happen and yet another classic example of the fitness for purpose of our recruitment individuals and another example of MFC at its very finest.
By the way if any one wants to pay me 50% of the alleged weekly wage of said Player I am available every Saturday afternoon and Tuesday evening to groups or individuals to boo and jeer me for a full 90 minutes at locations around the country. Heck for that amount I’d even do weddings and bar mitzvahs on the side. Five thousand, ten thousand, fifteen thousand…………….
RR, well said. I couldn’t even begin to put down so eloquently the case against Gestede’s recruitment. I could not agree more with everything you have written.
Well there certainly hasn’t been much of return on the £6m transfer fee and probably at least the same again in wages before his contract ends next June. It may not seem a lot by today’s standards but to put that in context each season, it’s equivalent to almost half of the money paid by ticket-holding supporters. Not his fault but given other non-performers, then probably all the money paid by supporters to watch Boro is basically thrown away on players and deals that make almost no difference to the outcome.
Nice to see the good old Teesside grudge is alive and well and positively thriving. It reminded me to get my Don Masson out and give it a loving stroke.
( sit down at the back Gill and OFB, it’s not a euphemism)
If you think its merely a grudge then you are very much mistaken GHW. The impact on one individual and his family was much more than that just for starters.
Of course I realise it had an impact on the individual concerned but I would have hoped you would have taken it in the spirit in which I replied.
Not really a grudge GHW. I think just facts. Has Mr Gestede ever made a sincere apology to the poor man he accused? I suspect not.vlost opportunity by MFC again to have orchestrated some big public event that he could have done so… Again just a further example if how naive MFC is when it comes to public relations.
As it is we have a great example of an individual who is only in it for his self and really wasn’t(isn’t) concerned about the fans…
Now, just read that you had been in spirit when you posted! That explains it, imbibing too much hard liqueur in the shed is not good for your health you know 😉
The good thing is we are in a better position today than we were before kick off on Tuesday. Another step forward would be welcome.
Well today’s game is going to be a hard one to call – the last two games have left me feeling less than confident that we’ll see the kind of entertaining performances that I thought was going to be shape of things under Woodgate.
I suspect it will be about getting the three points today and keeping on an even keel – I only hope it’s a far better game than the Wigan non-event. Will we see the high press re-appear or will it be Monk-lite or junior-Pulis-ball again.
It sounds like Fry might get a start but perhaps it’s too soon for Friend – Bola didn’t play too badly and on the whole did OK. As for seeing Browne again it may be wise to bring him on as sub once the game has calmed down.
I think if Friend play then Dijksteel may return with Howson replacing Clayton as Woodgate won’t risk too many inexperienced youngsters in defence. Johnson will probably start so no major changes expected.
Hopefully we’ll win but it will probably be a tight 2-1 victory and hanging on at the end again. Goals from McNair and Fletcher.
A very well written post by RR and there are many things in there that I can agree with.
The mob mentality is one that often concerns me and not just in football. Without getting into politics, the whole Brexit thing comes down to mob type mentality, aided and abetted by the media I am afraid to say.
Anyway onto a football match today- difficult to predict as usual. There was not a lot on Tuesday to give me too much hope and having been slaughtered last time out, the Lions will be wanting to restore some pride.
A lot will depend on what the back 4 is available. We need Fry back and also Friend. Howson is better in midfield that right back.
So, I am going for Boro 2 Millwall 1 and England to have lost the ashes by the time the football has finished!
Could have lost the ashes before half time given the start we have made! 😎
I have a feeling JW will play a more compact patient game today and judging by Millwall’s performances lately I think it will be a comfortable 2-0 in the Riverside sunshine.
If the weather is anything like it is today in northern Germany (currently 31C and sweltering) then we could do with a few Brazilians performing with the sun on their backs – failing that then perhaps just Claytons tattoos melting and Ayala having a siesta…
Not sure that comfortable and Riverside go together in the same sentence unless you are talking about the opposition! 😂😎
GHW, your predictions have not improved one iota.
Saville in for Wing, Browne starts, Fry on the bench:
Randolph, Howson, Ayala, Shotton, Bola, Clayton, Saville, McNair, Browne, Fletcher, Britt
That selection doesn’t seem to shout out a new transition to attacking football – more a whisper of don’t lose this one lads…
Bench:
Fry, as already mentioned, Pears, Wing, Tavernier, Johnson. Walker & (bloody) Gestede
Not trying to be clever after the event but i wondered if he would try Saville against his former club. Browne is a brave call.
UTB
Maybe two red cards waiting to happen 😉
I can understand Saville against his old club I just hope he plays better against them than he did last time. 😎
OK then. My predictions have been all well off the mark so far this season. I must be due something to go right for me sooner than later, so I expect it will be a nervry start, but we will get the break with a goal for Fletcher after 10 minutes or so, that will calm the team who go on to dominate and run out worthy winners 3 -0
Rubbish predictions here so I am going, belatedly, for
Rampant Lion 1 – 1 Jumping Lion
UTB,
John
Anyone know why Ayala has sudddenly become sanchez Ayala????
Under Spanish naming customs, his full name is Daniel Sánchez Ayala, Sánchez being his father’s surname & Ayala his mother’s, the latter being the one that can e safely be dropped. There are two possible explanations:
1) “Sánchez” is as common a surname in the Spanish-speaking world as “Smith” or “Jones” in the English-speaking world, so he opted to be known by his mother’s name.
2) Monumental monolingual Brit ignorance, i.e. when he first started playing in this country, journos, few of whom seem to have any knowledge of other countries’ practices (or care about them!), didn’t bother to check & automatically assumed that the second surname MUST be the one to use & it stuck because no one else knew enough to call them out on their mistake. 😉
I think your last reason is probably true as English people tend to assume a double-surname is usually hyphenated as in Jacob Rees-Mogg, David Lloyd-George or even Shaun Wright-Philips – I know quite a few Spanish people and they often get called just by their second surname.
Boro have continued where they left off against Wigan – wayward passing, not much understanding and little creativity – only two shots on goal. Not sure what the second half will bring but it has to better than this.
Dissapointed in Saville and McNair.
Millwall seem to win all loose balls.
No hi press from Boro at all.
Best attack when Randolf stepped out if goal.
Should he play as our number 10?
Much better second-half performance with 9 shots on goal as opposed to just 2 in the first half – although only the goal was on target. It was a good goal though from McNair who ran onto a well-weighted pass from Fletcher. Maybe we could have had a couple of pens but Smith also headed an open goal wide to have maybe won the game for Millwall. Johnson made a difference when he came on and was much better than Browne and Wing didn’t get much time to make an impact but showed he’s still our best passer of the ball. Fletcher probably MOM and has looked a clever sharp player this season – Britt was pretty anonymous though. A work in progress – albeit without the progress after more points dropped.
The late warm August meant that the rest of the Riverside got to join Woodgate in the hot seat today as they hoped to see the Lions getting caught snoozing in the sun. So did Boro show their teeth and go for the kill? or was it another slow burner waiting for the transformation to happen? Here’s a rather tanned Redcar Red’s without his shades with his view on proceedings with his match report…
https://diasboro.club/2019/08/24/2019-20-boro-1-1-millwall/
A much better second half performance, though we dominated and were unfortunate not to win in the end. First half was a different story however, and we were indebted to Randolph for keeping us in it. Their corners caused us problems all afternoon though, so not surprising they scored from one.
Promising signs though – McNair showing we can get forward from midfield and a very well deserved goal. Bola looked better going forward. And we were clearly having a go and going for it at the end – you wouldn’t have seen a Tony Pulis side sending Ayala forward in open play in the latter stages or getting Shotton from centre half to take a long throw.
Quite impressed with Woody’s start overall. With a bit of extra luck, we’d have a few more points. Something to build on.
A good post, phil. Just like I saw this game and agree with you on the start we have made. There is hope.
Up the Boro!
Thanks for your report, RR.
You said Shotton was MOM. I think it proves that competion for places is good. With Fry waiting ion the bench e needs to play well to keep his place.
I agree that Shotton has played better the more he has had games under his belt. Same for Ayala.
Up the Boro!
Redcar Red,
Thanks for the report, a good read as always, well as good as any Boro report is these days. Total, high pressing football replaced by total chaos football that fools Boro and the opposition. Presumably Fry will play in the next game?
I got the score prediction right, amazingly, so all I can say is at least Boro didn’t lose and it seemed a fair result with Milwall the happier team.
At least I’ve got MotoGP to watch today.
UTB,
John
Thanks for the report RR. Another accurate picture to what I saw as well.
I don’t disagree with Shotton as MOM as I think it was his best game this season by far but I would also give a shout out to Fletcher who played an important role in the goal in particular by showing some positivity in getting forward quickly.
As for the officials what can you say? Whilst one of the handballs I don’t think the defender could’ve got out of the way of there was another where it looked like a goalkeeper save!!
Hopefully, we’ll start to see some of these decisions coming our way as the season progresses.
UTB
A game of two halves, shame we couldn’t have seen the game out but that is four points from two games.
Tough game up next.
Murpy04
I think that you will wait a long time for the standard of reffing to improve in the Champ. We get the dross, it’s been going on for a long while, and will continue to do so.
I sometimes think that it is deliberate policy to give very few penalties, maybe because the players are so unskilled that they commit offences many times in every match.
In four home matches I believe the Ref has been booed off at half time on three occasions, which probably proves something or other.
Plato
What adds insult to injury is the fact that if a premiership referee has a shocker he is stood down for a match and officiates in the Championship.
RR talked about the Blackburn game when they got a controversial late equaliser. We tend to forget that Clattenburg was the referee. He was stood down from the Premiership because he allowed a goal after the keeper was barged in to the net at QPR.
Lo and behold, he showed the same Wenger like ophthalmic limitations as Dimi was barged and the rest is history.
In anything I do in life I try to learn from my mistakes, in football, referee mistakes are cascaded donw the league.
We have played 6 games now, 5 of them in the Championship. Those opponents are probably as easy a run as any side could have possibly wished for even for a Manager who wanted to tinker.
I didn’t buy the summer hype then and I’m definitely not buying the current “transition” hype now, there have been zero signs of any transition since the first 45 minutes against Brentford. We just look like a rank bad side with little structure or organisation, very reminiscent of the Monk era except that his dysfunctional outfit had us spluttering at the top end of the table. Eight points behind Leeds at the top and two points above the drop zone now in 17th is the reality.
Played 6, W1, D2, L3 and that win was a very poor performance against a Wigan side who are in the bottom three. What concerns me is that this side and Management team haven’t played any decent teams yet and when they do I fear a really damaging score line and being ripped apart. Having two or three decent individual performances gracing the turf is fine but we had Ravanelli and Juninho doing that and unless it all knits together we know what happens. Still we could be Stoke or Huddersfield who as long as they keep imploding should keep our Championship status safe, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
It will take 18 months minimum.
Good report thank you RR on a game played, as you quite rightly say, by two functional teams. Millwall seemed to have a bit more to their functionality than Boro, particularly in the first half.
I watched via Riverside Live and am pleased to be able to report that there were not any interruptions to the transmission and the sound was in sync. In fact, at times particularly in the first half, the commentary was more interesting than the match!
I agree that Shotton had a much better game and probably edged Fletcher to MOTM award. I still shudder however at the attempted cross field pass with his left foot which went straight to a Millwall player when he had all the time in the world to switch it to his right. Fortunately the resulting attack came to naught.
Britt was non existent and needs to up his game contribution and Saville again disappointed against his former club.
Browne looks to me if he is sulking because he is being asked to play on the left as opposed to the right which I believe he prefers.
Johnson offered far more from both sides of the pitch albeit, in common with many Boro players, often runs out of ideas or makes the wrong decision in the final third.
The positives were that at least we didn’t lose and McNair has opened his scoring account and from a flowing Boro move the like of which have been in short supply.
Away to an in form Bristol side next week and if we play in a similar fashion as we have been doing then there will be only one outcome, a comfortable win for Bristol and a bigger dent in our negative goal difference. 😎
It is a bit of a cliche, but there aren’t any easy games in the division. I imagine Fulham and Brentford expected to win their ‘easier’ games yesterday and didn’t. As long as we show the effort and desire we’ve shown so far and work on improving that quality of pass and final ball, we can have a go at the so-called bigger teams. Absolutely nothing to fear.
RR
Thanks for the report hot stuff !
It was absolutely baking hot in the Riverside yesterday and we had to move our spot to the shade
Bold move nomination of Shotton as mom and I admit he had a great game but I thought Fletcher is getting better game by game and deserved it
I thought That McNair is now playing in his best position and he was watched by his International Manager Michael ONeill
Unfortunately his International teammate Saville looked lost again and is certainly not a £7m player or whatever large fee we paid
The officials were dreadful and the handball incidents clearly seen from the stands and Boro should be making their views made loudly to the FA at the standard of officials at the Riverside
Thanks again RR it’s appreciated
OFB
RR hits the mark when he states at the end of another excellent report that JW needs to adopt pragmatism rather than his current idealism. My hunch is that in reality he’ll get caught between the 2 with disastrous consequences.
JW is out of his depth and has no wise head to call on. The Boro version 2.0 vision spelled out in the summer was welcome but you need to get an experienced coaching team in to execute it. We didn’t & Gibson’s cronyism looks likely to have disastrous consequences yet again. Contrast this with Swansea who with their last 2 managers appointed little known yet very experienced and accomplished coaches.
Steve Round was mentioned as DoF in the summer but obviously didn’t fancy it. Why the club didn’t look for another candidate given that JW and Robbie Keane are both novices is baffling.
Perhaps JW will prove me wrong. I hope that he does. Sadly the signs on the pitch look ominous already. Talking the talk in a press conference is cheap, walking the walk is proving to be much more difficult.
Amazing England win third test.
Come on BORO.
Just goes to show that anything can happen if you keep the faith.
Come on BORO.
I thought Willis & Botham’s achievement in an ashes test would never be eclipsed but Ben Stokes and Jack Leach did that today! Brilliant. 😎
Thank you Redcar Red for your (unfortuanately) accurate match report.
The first half Boro where all over the place, disjointed, off the pace and devoid of any real idea as to what the are supposed to be trying to achieve. Shotton as KP pointed out is a accident waiting to happen, but credit due that was his best game to date. Howson is absolutely wasted at RB and is the new lad good enough yet?
Randolf was excellent in the first half and equally as bad in the second. Still to be fair,that is probably the first poor period for a large number of games.
Britt was very poor throughout but in his defence, with non existent service.
Fry must of being warming up all the match, I assume JW was hoping for a 2 goal lead and then give him some game time? Again JW waited far too long in bringing on Wing, our only real passer of the ball, although Fletchers to McNair was a beauty. Saville had a stinker and could of been subbed at anytime during the game and I assume JW did not want to destroy what little confidence he has. Clayton is a conundrum, does he really contribute sufficient.
So when BoroPhil say there is nothing to fear, well I am somewhat afraid. An easy start, irrespective that there are no easy matches. Playing like we did in the first 45 and as we did in in the other matches to date, sometime soon against one of the better sides we are going to get tanked.
Given our limitations, I like a few others now, feel that three CB’s could give us an edge that we do not have at the moment. And if JW is trying to keep faith or face, try it away from home or in a behind closed doors game.
Pedro
We still lack serious coaching in all aspects of managing a game.
We gave them the run around in the second half, scored a good goal and all was well, then we decide that we would let them hoist High balls into our defensive area, which was bad.
We then decided to keep out of their area and wait for full time(whilst giving away cheap corners, and free kicks)
When they got yet another corner, and they all formed a wall outside the far post, we had three men standing in front of our keeper looking bewildered. Sure enough the corner went over our defence and straight to their massed ranks, who scored.
No coaching! It’s endemic.
Unfortunately I think it will take a few good thrashings and being cut well adrift before the reality of what many of us knew in the Summer of hype finally sinks in. SG seems to have detached himself somewhat from the fans and even the club itself, instead happy to have incestuous Teesside sycophants marching us back down the hill.
I fear that League One hasn’t been ruled out of the deliberate downsizing and so we may have to be content to watch ourselves and Sunderland swap places. Expectations have already been well dumbed down with great help from the Gazette lads and BBC Tees in their commercial desperation to ingratiate themselves. Its just a question of how far do we have to drop before the penny does?
The incredibly obvious question is why we have to drop at all? If its considered to be the only alternative to Pulisball then the lunatics truly have taken over the asylum. Signings and salaries like the Gestede’s, Downing’s and Saville’s were never and still are totally unnecessary at this level. That those responsible are still running the asylum will be the cause of history writing SG’s final chapter. It doesn’t and shouldn’t have to end this way.
Sadly this season is shaping up to be one of Gerald Ratner proportions. Its almost unthinkable to recall the journey SG had taken MFC on and to where it is now headed with seemingly complicit acquiescence from those too terrified to stick their head above the parapet.
To have the level of intellect running a business that thinks going from Karanka then dragged down to Pulis levels of negative despair that can only be rectified by suddenly becoming 1970’s Brazil is staggering. Right now Burnley or Brighton would be considered an upgrade and a four fold increase on excitement and entertainment from what we have endured. Being relegated from the Championship (or maybe just surviving) playing high tempo pressing football versus promotion (or play offs) playing to our strengths? Evolution not Revolution.
What are you afraid of though? Do you think we are in danger of being relegated? If so, I’d politely disagree – and I don’t think relegation is an option so if we are going that way time will be up for Woody.
I posed the question on the last blog, what would be a success, and the consensus was pretty much mid-table, improvements in the football and bring some young players through.
Well, we are currently mid-table, the football is certainly a work in progress but Woody has only had 6 games, and we are seeing signs of bringing young players through. So seems on track to me. Or at least far too early to get the life jackets out and abandon ship.
(@ Pedro)
I agree with you
OFB
When a message is sent out that we don’t expect to challenge, just to merely exist for 18 to 36 months while we recalibrate the business then it won’t end well. The psychology of Players and Fans are either accepting of the mediocrity at best in the meantime or they recoil from it.
What Fans do has minimum impact but if we have Players who are just happy to collect a wage and be grateful for it without aspirations then we will get the Team we deserve. The good ones will want away and the ones who are ending their careers will hang around on what’s left of their contracts with a running it down mentality and the ones just happy to be here stealing a salary will just sit out what is left of their paperwork and keep taking the cash. Next Summer we lose a swathe of the most experienced players and the backbone of the current side. Freed up salaries will be great but Woodgate then has to chuck in more untried and untested from League One and consequently we will have the basis for a very good League One side that needs bedding in all over again.
Without ambition what is left for the better players? Just hang around for two years hoping that the “project” comes good or move elsewhere to a well managed and well organised outfit? We can then of course say that the project is working as a selling club, counting the cash for Tav, Wing and Fry. Meanwhile this Footballing Nirvana ideology will never take off. Why? Because we have the same people who dragged us into this mess suddenly believing that they are going to unearth the next Ronaldo and Messi’s for Boro when previously they collectively struggled to pick their own noses.
If this project was done with a professional consultant the first thing they would say is to reorganise the Senior Management structure, getting rid of those who brought in overpriced dross and replacing them with Managers with a suitable profile and matching track record of achievement in the areas you need most to improve in. Then and only then do you start pull the plan together in detail and bring in your next level of Management (or Coaches in this case).
We have some seriously deluded individuals who had a dream one night and honestly believe that they are going to undo everything with zero consideration of the consequences and its all going to come good somehow, someday. Its like watching a Disney movie except that this is real life. The competition doesn’t stand still, they move forward and they will not wait for MFC to catch up.
Meanwhile what will the support do? Will they all stick around watching confused mixed up football clinging onto the hope that Officials will one day help the Boro with an offside or a penalty because that seems to be our only hope right now. When the league position drops the crowd drops, when the league position improves the crowd improves. The further the drop in league placings the greater the attendances will drop along with income. Success breeds success, mediocrity breeds indifference.
I don’t know of any struggling football club playing great football proclaiming that their waiting list for season cards was growing. The importance of the crowd is pivotal right now to the success and survivability of the club going forward both in financials and in general atmospheric support (and already the atmosphere has been questionable). No doubt many will blame the fans for booing as being the root cause conveniently ignoring the Elephant in the room. Football is escapism for many fans, watching negative football killed off many already, watching negative results will have the same effect especially with the high cost of attending involved.
Karanka’s negative football brought crowds in, it was hard to watch at times but getting on a promotion bandwagon succeeded in boosting attendances not swashbuckling free flowing football. It went pear shaped when the heart was ripped out by recruiting overpaid mercenaries and crocks in the Premiership compounded by that January window by the same senior management and recruitment team that presides over the current proceedings.
The attendance has already dwindled by around four thousand, without success it will dwindle further (helped by the ridiculous ticketing for 18-21 year olds). That the Cub can’t even see that their ticketing policy is inept and damaging does anyone seriously have confidence that the scouting and recruitment is going to have some miraculous makeover? This is the same club that cant even organise its ball boys for heavens sake.
To deliberately downplay expectations and willingly accept mediocrity with all the great risk associated is a massive decision of seismic proportions. To do it with weakening the playing structure whilst relying on repeatedly below par underperforming individuals to suddenly become ahead of the curve in their roles after years of failure is flawed. To put inexperienced coaches in charge of the playing side not only compounds it, but much worse just about confirms the outcome. If the basic foundations are wrong everything else falls down around it.
Good post RR
It was interesting to hear from Howson on the radio yesterday
He was asked if the club were happy to finish in mid table. He replied
“ no I want to win football matches”
So that ties in with your statement about senior players who want success and not content to sit around for a couple of years treading water
OFB
BoroPhil – we look more like relegation battle fodder than anything else at the minute and that is after a gentle start in terms of fixtures. Work in progress? We look pretty dysfunctional so it is difficult for me to see any progress.
Rather than wait for JW to potentially fall on his sword in a few months I’d like Gibson to go all out to find an experienced head to mentor him from a DoF role. Steve McClaren is currently out of work and lives locally…
I hate to Dis the current efforts from the players, but……disoriented, dysfunctional, [sic] disconnected, disjointed, disunited, discontinuous, disorganised, and any other words that might spring to mind, would be a good description of the situation at the moment.
That JW still doesn’t know which is his best midfield selection yet makes him look very inexperienced or inept, take your pick. It’s all very well having a vision of how you want to play but if your players aren’t 100% committed to it, then you’re on a hiding to nothing. Too many players look as if they’re just going through the motions until the inevitable moment when the manager is relieved of his duties and is replaced by someone who actually knows what he is doing.
We have played very defensively for a few – we all said too long – years now. And we want to change. But it takes a season, possibly more. So patience.
We played well occationally in the second half vs. Millwall. I really enjoyed that period. Better than anything seen during Pulis era. Exactly what we all hoped.
To summarize, we will see performances warying like when Monk was here. We just have to accept that this season. The change is not complete yet.
Let’s see where we are after 12 matches and around Chrismas. If we are mid table, all is fine.
Up the Boro!
And with better refereeing, we could have five points more now. So fine margins. Up the Boro!
Jarkko, Luton were denied a certain pen against us, Smith had one cleared off the line and should have scored with another. Fine margins work both ways.
Didn’t Mr Gibson once say that McLaren told him the grass was green he would go and check before believing him. If this is true cant see that happening
My sporting headline, came to me after our BBQ so if it is elsewhere I apologise. Ben Stokes the Ashes.
As for Boro, wait and see, I am willing to give JW time because there is no other option without huge disruption. Not much of a positive but give it time, October is a way off and who is the alternative?
Got to agree, having seen the photo on the Gazette site, the first a blatant hand bajll and therefore a penalty. The second, I would say not.
Pedro,
The trouble is Britt would have taken it/them so maybe the officials were sparing him more embarrassment, spectators in the higher seats injury and the ball being lost! There’s humour in everything, well maybe not. I do like a conspiracy theory though…
UTB,
John
As an opposing point of view, we are not mid table we are 17th and as Ian so often points out the table never lies.
If any one can beat anyone in the Championship then by the same logic anyone can be promoted or relegated.
I don’t think we are at that point yet (relegation candidates) but unless we start putting some performances together over 90 mins and winning more matches then that prospect could soon become a distinct possibility.
It is what it is as far as JW’s appointment is concerned so he now needs to be given a bit more time and support to see if he can deliver before we start calling for his head.
Remember what happened to GM when we were outside the top six just before Christmas, if the opposite happens and we are in or around the bottom three at the same time this year then SG will, in my view, have a decision to make. 😎
A very good post at 10.14 RR. Unfortunately and sadly, things may have to get worse before they get better and before those in charge realise the error of their ways. 😎
KP mentioned “remember Monk” just above. It does look like three different things were going on with Monk. One was the performances and league position, one was issues around the agent he used and the third was Pulis being available. I think it took all three for Gibson to act when he did.
I really don’t see him firing Woodgate unless a really good manager is prepared to work for peanuts and we’re in the bottom 3. Otherwise I strongly suspect that Gibson will stick with him unless we get relegated. If we get relegated, all bets are off.
Like most here, I like the idea of what we’re being told about the new plan but it’s hard to see how they’re going to pull it off. Now though, there doesn’t seem to be anything else left to say other than it’s time to hope for the best.
SG does have previous with this after the high point of the UEFA Final. Cost cutting with a rookie Manager and a culling of highly paid players. Then a spending spree on the like of Alves, Emnes, Mido, Digard, O’Neil and many other “forgettables”.
Our established Premiership status was gambled with (and lost followed by years of languishing in the Championship) with the selling off of the best of the rest. What followed was replacing the rookie with an “experienced” manager in Strachan who was a terrible fit and being given the last of the back of the sofa money to waste. The signs to me look to have striking parallels.
Yes agreed, the difference this time is the financial landscape has changed with the introduction of FFP.
It is much more difficult to finance a promotion push if you were inclined or able to do so and it appears SG is not. 😎
I don’t think we do look like relegation fodder. We’ve had 5 competitive games and could have won or drawn all of them. You make your own luck though, so I wouldn’t necessarily say we deserve any more but we don’t look like a team that will be battling relegation.
I also don’t think accepting that this is a transition year is accepting mediocrity either; it’s about being realistic and accepting that we’ve had our go at smashing the league (as most teams try to when they come down – or not, in Huddersfield’s case) and it failed. So, now we have to try something different. If we end up challenging this year with a late playoff run then great, but it’s next season or the year after when we can really start to think about promotion again.
I just don’t believe this is vastly different to any relegated team who don’t go straight back up.
Its only a “transition” year because the club and in particular the present Manager has made it one. There was absolutely nothing wrong with playing to the strengths of the squad and tweaking a few things offensively.
The depressing tactics were solely down to Pulis. Even Karanka’s set up was more entertaining. Three at the back with two wing backs can be tight defensively and also rip teams apart offensively. If the wing backs are pushed up we could even play a pressing game, Coulson certainly fits that bill and Dijksteel presumably is athletic and Howson can make a good go of it.
Getting out of the Championship can take decades if indeed if it ever happens again in a lifetime. Being more attack minded and scoring a few more goals did not and does need a transition. The Club is deliberately going backwards out of choice not out of necessity. Future signings can of course be better ball playing CB’s or more attack minded midfielders although Saville, McNair and even Clayton scored goals before they came here.
Next season will be even worse as our senior core players contracts are up and that means more low cost, budget, untried, untested and unproven at this level incomings to replace them. Throw in the time needed to acclimatise and make it or not (just look at Dijksteel, Bole and Browne who are requiring a learning curve) at this level and optimism for next season is totally misplaced.
I sincerely hope that I am wrong and that we do make a late surge scoring in excess of 100 goals on the way with a victorious Play Off final at Wembley but my hard cold unemotive observations say otherwise. I haven’t heard anything from the Club that convinces me otherwise, what are they going to do that will result in a significant positive outcome apart from cheap talk, spin and hype and then true to historic form not backing a rookie Manager and not for the first time.
Thanks to Redcar Red for his report, but after catching up with reports of Boro’s last three matches at home whilst with no internet on a river cruise, I was unable to find a cyber cafe until last Wednesday to catch up with results if not reports so decided to watch the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final instead on Saturday which seemed to have more appeal and excitement than what Boro had apparently provided in my absence.
It’s strange when away enjoying a holiday that one sometimes forgets or cares what is happening back home. On a brief stop at a motorway cafe on Friday, Sky had the Test Match showing and to see that England were 66 for 8 had me wishing I was still on the river cruise despite being sat with 2 other widowers from Spennymoor and Crook. The 82 year old man from Spennymoor no longer bought a season ticket for Newcastle this season but has one for Spennymoor Town. The man from Crook has a Sunderland season ticket but like his ex Newcastle season ticket holder thinks the Mackems are rubbish and can’t see them gaining promotion this season. I wonder if they have changed their views after, like me, have now been able to catch up with the results so far. I must say that after reading Redcar Red’s reports I now feel that Boro will have a relegation battle on their hands, but a spell in the First Division once thought unimaginable might give Boro a chance to recover with their young players, but not of course guaranteed.
On returning home the last thing on my mind after doing the shopping, washing and ironing was to check on the cricket so was somewhat surprised that the Test Match hadn’t finished on Saturday with another resounding defeat. I didn’t watch any of it till I saw that England were 9 wickets down with 60 odd runs required for victory. Then I became interested and began to watch what I anticipated to be the last rites and the loss of the Ashes, but what excitement it provided. I then had the feeling that life was going to be cruel and that England would lose by a few runs.
But what Ben Stokes did yesterday was unbelievable. He apparently played defensively with a mere 2 runs from his first 50 odd balls to probably delay the inevitable until Jonny Bairstow decided to entertain his home crowd with a plethora of boundaries. Stokes then decided to take risks and deserved to get away with it. What is it about Headingley and Yorkshire/England cricket fans that can produce such an atmosphere? Ben Stokes was absolutely amazing and has saved a Test series that was fading into oblivion, and already a certainty for BBC Personality of the Year. As for the Headingley crowd, wouldn’t it be magnificent if the Riverside Roar could be sustained for 90 plus minutes every match even when things are going badly. It could make all the difference to the players, performances and possibly the results.
Actually the introduction of the Profitability and Sustainability rules mean that SG couldn’t inject large sums into the club even if he wanted to.
Several clubs have played and fast and loose with the new system and “ creative” accounting is the new thing. Perhaps with their abysmal recent record with investing the clubs money, it’s been a godsend and will stop them from wasting even more.
This back to basics way of running the club may be an unpleasant thing for supporters to swallow but may avoid inevitable financial ruin. However putting the future fortunes of the club into the hands of an inexperienced manager could lead to their downfall. All the more reason to bring an experienced figure into help Woodgate. There are plenty of candidates out there.
I have no problem with back to basics (especially considering those entrusted to waste more of SG’s millions). I’d much rather have more Lewis Wings and George Friends than many (far too many) others I could mention.
Bringing in the Bola’s, Browne’s and Dijksteel’s are in line with that policy and they may indeed be the George Friends of the future but why destabilise everything tactically when the squad isn’t remotely fit for 433 purpose and won’t be for like as not several windows (assuming players are actually bought) and in doing so setting the club backwards. Playing in the Championship is hard enough as we have found out for the bet part of a decade.
Declining support and bottom six in October and any Manager will be feeling the pressure and the Players losing confidence and belief in him not to mention vitriol from the fans. Those DOF candidates as GHW suggests may need to be lined up and sooner rather than later.
Gibson brought in Venables to help Bryan Robson and stopped an alarming slide.
GHW
Sorry if I did not make myself clear. I totally agree that FFP makes it more difficult to inject money into clubs even if you have it and wanted to.
Unlike Derby, I believe that the club do not own the Riverside but have a long lease on it so cannot sell it to Gibson O’Neill or SG so as to be able to “legally” inject a large amount of funds into the club. Consequently MFC have to try and live within their means.
See Randolph was glued to his line again on the cross for their goal.
Teams know now he is petrified of balls into his box.
Never mind the odd save he makes looking like its spectacular.
He doesn’t help his defence, and I think they panic around him.
so RR, what would you have tweaked in the Summer? Presumably you think we should be challenging for the top 2 this season (and not a transition season) had we done what you think we should have?
And why aren’t we suited for 4-3-3?
He is missing Pulis, isn’t he?
Just joking, RR. But I believe in the more attacking mission and will be ready to wait a season. This season will be like the Monk era results and especially performance wise.
The change takes a season or more. And JW needs three windows to have all the palyers he needs as the Millwall manger said.
Up the Boro!
BP
I think any business in any walk of life needs to be building and consolidating not sending out negative messages. When that happens signals are not good and once that tail spin starts it is extremely difficult to pull out of both from an internal and external perspective.
My little “tweaks” would have been to lose the ones that we knew were inevitable like JOM and Downing plus the expensive loans like Besic and Hugill which is exactly what happened due to contracts and loan deals ending so no matter who or what was in charge that was always going to happen. Selling Flint was fine if it freed up some wages plus at his age his value going forwards was always going to go South so cutting losses now made a degree of sense and his ability was limited in whatever set up we settled on. No problem with any of that.
We needed a new Manager and the dragged out pantomime which followed was handled very badly but I guess they knew it was going to be a tough sell. Consequently they delayed it for as long as possible, tried to put a good spin on it and even got buy-in from the local media who lets face it didn’t ask any challenging or difficult questions which was a huge giveaway. For a variety of reasons Woodgate would not have been my choice and there was even a groundswell of opinion elsewhere on social media with ABW in fear of it becoming reality. Just for the record I observed but had no involvement in the ABW posts as I don’t engage elsewhere, only on here. It is what it is now but that DOF would have been a useful addition.
We needed a RB a LB and creative players, be they central (the famous No.10) players or wide players but we have been stating all that for several transfer windows now without it being addressed. We also needed a back up Keeper and Mejias was probably a very low cost option which arguably made sense if Randolph is an ever present being kind.
The 433 has been an upheaval which has seen players who are not best fits being played in a manner alien to them. That is based purely on how previous managers utilised them and as an example Christie being bombed out at the first opportunity by Pulis as a poor fit. Over time they can be reprogrammed and relearn but by that time many will be leaving at the end of next season. The side missed the Play Offs by a solitary point. That ridiculous 6 game stretch finished our hopes and arguably the subbing of Assombalonga at home to Brentford or the Ayala sending off against Preston could have been the difference, fine margins.
Maybe we were not quite good enough or maybe just about good enough but we were not disastrous and with a less conservative mindset from the Manager could have at least been in the top 6. Why would anyone rip all that up now to start again? The core of that same team was/is still present. JOM made a good start then badly faded so in truth even for a budget fee I wouldn’t have wanted him back again this season. Downing never replicated his ability from years ago and was largely absent for half the season. Hugill spent most of his playing time on his backside so no great loss. Flint was suspect defensively and never provided the attacking threat and goals we thought he would offer. Yet in spite of that end of term report the team wasn’t far off what was required for another push at this level.
My preference would have been to stick with the same set up but gently “tweaked”. Three at the back along with two Wing Backs basically. The replacements however I would have wanted to be able to step in and hit the ground running rather than League One projects. Financially maybe we couldn’t afford that so perhaps Bola and Dijksteel was the best of what we could afford. All the more reason then when blooding new and perhaps a little less than desired recruits to integrate them into an established and settled side with a known methodology.
You don’t throw youngsters into a side that is confused and struggling with its own identity. Say we played with the 3 CB’s that meant that Bola would have been the new kid on the block which was bad enough considering the sale of Flint and Fry and Friend both injured. To me an obvious reason to not rehash everything with the additional risk entailed. Not saying we can’t or shouldn’t ever but not right here right now bearing in mind the life cycle of a Championship Manager.
McNair and Saville both scored goals previously, how, why and where did they play and how were they utilised at their previous clubs in midfield to achieve that? Tweaking the middle with as an example those two to be a little more progressive whilst keeping a tight rear guard as above doesn’t disrupt by relearning all over the pitch. They may judging by past history just add a few more goals which is what we all wanted to see. Pulis killed Saville’s goal scoring instinct and ignored McNair altogether. There is already something there to tweak at low cost without throwing the baby out with the bath water.
JOM and Downing along with Besic were all gone. Besic drove the fans crazy by running in circles and going backwards and side wards and quite often getting himself in trouble of his own making. McNair or Saville certainly on paper at least should not do any worse. Clayts is OK for the level we require and have achieved previously at this level (Play Offs twice and Auto promotion once). Then keep in mind our great start last season was what kept us up at the top until the International Break. Wing and Tav were then dropped so Pulis could play his “men”. We still have those young lads who won the points in those opening few weeks (and saved our blushes at the Den on the opening day).
Up front Assombalonga still remains and Fletcher who seemed to have matured and improved as last season went on and continuing with the start of this. The squad is weaker in depth admittedly but there is still enough to mount a serious promotion challenge but by keeping things simple and gently tweaking.
Over time the long term aim can be the identification and gradual introduction of new strategies along with the type of ideal player/s targeted during subsequent transfer windows. I do have my doubts if our scouting and recruitment are up to that task however which is all the more reason not to be reliant upon them. Just in itself that is another reason not to radically change what you have to work with because the reality is you probably won’t be getting anything better anytime soon.
So getting straight to the playing points and “tweaks”, we have three Keepers but hopefully we will only need Randolph so its a no brainer. For my preferred three CB’s we have Shotton, Fry, Ayala, Friend, Wood and even if needed McNair. Wood is young but there was also Stubbs and Mahmutovic to draft in if so preferred and sending Wood out on loan. Presumably Wood is considered either more capable or better retained for developmental reasons, we would only require three in any case.
For Right Wing Back we needed incoming and we got him, possibly less experienced than preferred but we go with what we have. Howson, Shotton and Dijksteel can all cover that role (and I know that I have also mentioned Shotton also as a CB). On the Left Wing Back role there is Friend (ditto also mentioned as a CB), Bola and Coulson. That’s 10 defensive players to cover 5 roles.
For the midfield there is Clayton, Saville, McNair (also as a stand in CB), Wing Tavernier, Browne, Howson (also as a RWB) and Johnson (possible Wing Back?). That’s eight of them, more than enough to shape an enterprising Midfield or keep it tight with Clayts doing his CDM role. That Pulis didn’t decide to play adventurous football was down to him more than the personnel. Unshackling the Wings, McNairs and Savilles etc. and even Tav rather than playing two CDM with the onus on not conceding is something Woodgate could tweak with threeCB’s behind and two wing backs. Defensively tight and solid when needed and proven but offensively plenty still in there.
Up front there is Assombalonga, Fletcher and Gestede (maybe Walker in time). We are short of desirable options up there so just playing the one up front as Pulis and Karanka instilled but with more support from a more attack minded midfield would add to the goals and entertainment. Not a huge transformation then required from Pulis’s or Karanka’s set up but with a few tweaks in an effort to win games rather than draw them and hope for a set piece or lucky break. Most importantly it also keeps the synergistic thinking and intuitive understanding of roles and responsibilities ingrained with the majority of them.
RR
A great post and one with which with I totally agree.
But !
As the saying goes
“It is what it is”
Unfortunately!
OFB
Good post, RR.
Now that the decisions have been made, I think we need to stick at it and be patient but I can’t disagree with you on what would essentially have been a more sensible tactical approach.
Great response, RR.
The combination of clear strategic thinking alongside the detail of how this could and should be implemented was precisely what has been conspicuously lacking from the Boro’s senior management since that notorious unveiling of JW, which amounted to nothing more than PR fluff and delusional aspirations without a hint of how those flights of fancy might be realised. As though you could summon creativity, pace, goals, high pressing, passing skills and ball retention into a squad, deliberately de-skilled of those qualities by the previous incumbent, simply by wishing for them. And by appointing a manager with no previous record in the difficult and highly technical task of inculcating those skills and approaches.
At the time of that PR debacle the nearest parallel I could recall was a few years ago with Tranmere Rovers, a team local to me. They, like Boro, had finished just outside their divisional play-off places. They needed a final push for promotion the following season and to achieve it appointed the high profile and superficially glamorous team of John Barnes and Jason McAteer. The pair arrived in a blaze of publicity promising to play fast, attractive football. The template wasn’t merely Liverpool or Arsenal. It was nothing less than Brazil and France, with flying wing-backs and an emphasis on attacking and goals.
After a dozen games and a single victory, Tranmere found themselves at the foot of the table, and the management team, referred to by the players as Dumb and Dumber, were relieved of their duties. They were replaced by the distinctly unglamorous long-serving bucket-and -sponge man, Les Parry, under whom performances immediately improved.
What Les seemed to have that the high -profile pair lacked were three qualities. First of all he knew his squad. He had brought most of them through the youth system, so he knew what they were capable of. Secondly, he was realistic. That is he knew what his players could not do. And amongst the things they could not manage to do was to play like Brazil or France. Thirdly he had experience, and specifically the experience to know what he was and was not capable of coaching the players to do. So Les managed to steer the club clear of relegation. But the miscalculations of that season signalled the beginning of a long-term decline, which eventually saw Tranmere fall out of the Football League for the first time.
In pointing to what he calls the “synergistic thinking and intuitive understanding” of the Boro squad, RR makes a typically incisive point. Under Karanka and Pulis, these were of an entirely different order from the direction in which Woodgate is now being instructed to take the team. Our emphasis over the past five years has been more upon stopping the opposition from playing rather than in honing our own passing skills. We’ve been good without the ball, but pretty pathetic with it.
Indeed under Pulis, with his emphasis upon repeated drills on shape, the ball was frequently an irrelevance, and some exponents of this method have even advocated what they called “shadow football”, training exercises in which the ball plays no part. This kind of training regime may explain why in some matches, Boro’s pass completion rate was not significantly higher than random.
Synergistic thinking – the ability to get from combinations of players a result greater than the sum of their individual parts- has also, historically, been given too little attention. Nsue and Adomah, for example, always seemed to be on the same wavelength, to like playing together, and to combine to great effect. But it always seemed to happen by chance or an accident of selection rather than by design. And to a lesser degree the same could be said of Britt and Bamford, and, for a brief flickering period, of Ramirez and Negredo. Only Leadbitter and Clayton ever really developed the kind of longstanding mutual understanding that runs throughout the most successful teams.
In our present squad one of the few sources for hope so far has been the combination play that we have seen between Howson, Johnson and McNair down our right flank. As ever it seems to be more intuitive and off- the -cuff than planned, but it is precisely this kind of combination play that needs to be developed and extended throughout the team. But who on the staff has a history of doing this? Who, in other words, has the experience, knowledge and expertise to carry out the kind of transformations which the club says it is aiming for?
As I have said before, I am disinclined to be critical of Woodgate and his coaching team, a team itself assembled without any apparent concern for its own lack of historical synergy. They are caught at the sharp end. The point at which the PR collides with reality, the unrealistic vision with the practical detail. What I’m inclined to call the Brexit point.
Very good post RR, and it would be relatively easy to carry out with a more experienced Coach.
Having missed all the happenings of sport and indeed oblivious to what was happening back home during my recent holiday I decided yesterday to watch the recorded highlights of all four days of the Headingley Test to see what all the fuss was about. I’ve watched sport now either live or on television for over 70 years and have to conclude that this was the greatest sporting event I’ve ever witnessed.
1. Who can forget the 1966 Football World Cup Final when If VAR had been invented England might possibly not have won the match against West Germany, but who cares now.
2. The Third Ashes Cricket Test at Headingley in 1981 when Ian Botham and Bob Willis provided the biggest comeback in cricket history at the time to turn the series on its head.
3. The 2003 Rugby Union World Cup Final when Jonny Wilkinson scored a drop goal in extra time to defeat Australia 30-17.
4. The 2005 Cricket Series of 2005 when at last England regained the Ashes after 24 years.
5. The 2017 Rugby League Cup Semifinal in Auckland when England beat Tonga 20-18 with the Tongan supporters singing hymns throughout the match which at the time was the most amazing atmosphere I had ever experienced at a sporting venue.
6. This year’s Cricket World Cup when England beat New Zealand to win the Cup with a one over single wicket playoff.
In golf there have been so many moments of history especially in the Ryder Cup, but on a player perspective Nick Faldo with a 4 shot lead in the Open Championship at Muirfield in 1992 almost losing until a 2 birdie finish, then in the 1996 US Masters coming back from a 6 stroke deficit going into the Final Round to beat Greg Norman by 5 shots.
In Snooker a tearful Alex Higgins beating Ray Reardon 18-15 in the World Championship Final at the Crucible, and then Dennis Taylor beating Steve Davis three years later 18-17 in the Final about 1 o’clock in the morning.
Parochially the celebrations of Boro’s promotions in 1967, 1974, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1998 and especially 2016, and the winning of a major trophy in 2004 at the Millennium Stadium by beating Bolton Wanderers 2-1.
Cas almost winning the double having beaten Salford 11-6 at Wembley on my first visit there in 1969 and then cruelly losing to Leeds 14-16 a week later at Odsal in the League Championship Final, thrashing the great Wigan team at the time 33-2 in the 1994 Regal Trophy Final, and then the amazing match against St. Helens in the playoff Semifinal when Luke Gale, having recovered from an appendix operation only a fortnight ago, kicked a last minute goal to take the match into extra time and subsequently scoring a drop goal to take Cas to the Grand Final.
All these sporting memories I’ll take to the grave, but I have to admit that the Cricket Test win on Sunday in my opinion was the greatest achievement in a sporting contest I have ever witnessed. Ben Stokes, not quite single handedly, has invigorated a Test Series that was almost lost. I was also impressed with Tim Paine’s sportsmanship and that of his team. He along with Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting were quick to say that it was the greatest Test Match they’d ever seen, and for that reason I have to agree with them. Of course Australia need only to win one of the two remaining Tests to retain the Ashes, but I don’t expect to see a greater sports spectacle again in my lifetime.
Finally for an appraisal of Sunday’s events Paul Edwards’ article on the Yorkshire CCC website is worthy of the best in sports journalism I’ve ever read, on a par with Neville Cardus and John Arlott. I can give him more praise than that.
Sorry, the Rugby Union Final should have read 20-17.
Ken
It was compelling viewing. I had followed a good part on the radio until lunch.
We were out and about and every time I started the car another wicket had fallen. I got back to the house to see Archer depart closely followed by Broad. I sat and watched the last wicket stand with amazement.
Talking of amazement I am going to give some praise to the Aussies, their behaviour has improved most noticeably Warner. Earlier in the series he was fielding near the fence and was getting stick for what was in his pocket. Fair play to him he had a laugh and pulled his pockets to show an absence of abrasive products.
He cant undo what he did but he could get rid of his boorish edge. He seems to have done so and the game is the better for it.
Firm, with an edge but in good spirit.
Ian
I wholeheartedly agree with your comments about Warner and Ken’s about the way in which the aussies have conducted themselves in general. It has been good to see the way in which they have dealt with the abuse and banter after a deplorable incident of their making.
My impressions of aussies have been very much altered for the better since our trip down under last year. I had an opinion of them as being opinionated, arrogant and brash based mainly on their cricketers over the years.
On our travels we found them to be nothing of the sort. They were friendly, helpful and prepared to spend time genuinely engaging with us.
It was a delight to be in their company in a beautiful country of which they are rightfully very proud. 😎
KP
I was asked a question by a South African I met on Reading Station, he had been to watch a match at Twickenham, I had met up with JP to watch us in at Reading!!
‘What is the difference between a jet engine and an Australian?’
‘The jet engine stops whining when it lands at Sydney!’
I must admit I have never been there but I have never been over impressed by the attitude of their sportsmen but there appears to have been a change since sandpaper gate.
Even the journalists who gloated and gave us stick seem more subdued. I do chuckle when they say Warner and Smith shouldn’t be booed after the way they treated Broad for not walking.
Hopefully that is all in the past, the growth of T20 leagues has led to players knowing each other and showing respect, long may it continue.
A lot more to this than meets the eye I think.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49451896
The “fit and proper person” test should be applied to the footballing authorities themselves, UEFA, FIFA, EFL and the FA and no doubt to the other National Associations. The Septic Bladder case, World Cup awards and other questionables illustrates just how poor and how high up those entrusted with the sport can rise with little to no accountability.
The Bury story sounds very similar to other Clubs who have recently massaged their cash flow by selling off what assets they have to either compete “unfairly” (compared to those that run a responsible financially prudent model) or simply just to survive, postponing the inevitable. Bolton now look to be staring over the same precipice sadly. Looking at the figures coming out of Bury and the interest rates alone are staggering by any reasonably sane benchmark.
The blame of course is with those individuals who in some cases are morally questionable and many who are simply inept, in roles where their underperformance is not so directly measurable as it would be in a normal commercial operation. They can get away with it for extended periods because success in Football is measured by the thin veneer of what happens on the pitch rather than off it.
Unequal distribution of wealth is not unique to Football, it exists in all walks of life but the deliberate, planned and orchestrated creation of elitist Leagues and Cup Competitions has ensured that those who rely on a trickle down effect have less and less to scramble around for. Its all well and good imposing controls, checks and measures on clubs but when those charged with not only running clubs but actually running the game itself pay scant regard to their own mantra its little wonder the state the game is in.
I remember when League One Clubs (todays Premiership) would buy Players from the likes of Bury ensuring that smaller clubs down the chain received a good fee for their better players and in doing so benefitted from those financial windfalls to help with running the club. The glass ceiling from the Premiership today means that marketing deals secured on the back of the sports popularity has been fully exploited but retained at the expense of the heart and soul of the game.
The ridiculous farming of young talent by elitist clubs and then the “benevolence” of loaning these players to lower clubs has meant that a major cash supply has been cut off and indeed even reversed with these clubs (including Boro) now having to actually pay fees to “hire” these loaned players. That the top clubs blatantly have a surplus of talent whilst others struggle to pay the tea lady (or tea men) is obscene.
The scramble to try and make it up the pyramid to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow has created desperation with many owners, some with genuine intent and some with even bigger ego’s needing to be massaged. Bolton now look to be next after Eddie Davies departed and stopped pumping his millions into an unsustainable business model a few years back. Where Villa would have been had they not reached their goal last season would have been interseting. Derby presumably are OK for as long as Mel Morris is around (not unlike Bolton) but there are many more clubs in the Championship (Wednesday, Birmingham?) let alone further down the Leagues that are just a few months away from catching a severe cold and possibly sailing close to that precipice.
Boro traditionally have always been a selling club (Mills, Johnston, Pallister, Downing etc.) as the cream was skimmed off by bigger clubs offering money that was too much to turn down and wages that watered players eyes. Now we have the pariah of agents skimming off huge amounts and player contracts running down all added to the farming methodology of the mighty. TV and marketing fees are heavily biased in favour of the top table and badly negotiated (Red Button) by those same individuals charged with running the game, knowingly perpetuating a massive imbalance in favour of the mighty at the blatant expense of the weak.
There is worse to come I fear as the controls and regulations have failed almost as miserably as those entrusted with them. Hopefully SG’s new budget Boro era is an indication of sanity to avoid similar scenes at the Riverside as we are witnessing in the North West.
Ian and KP
The definition of Sport and Sportsmanship is ‘to be fair and generous to one’s competitors in a contest.’ When I was young it was the expected duty of the Captain of the winning team to ask his players to give three cheers to their beaten opponents. Maybe a little old fashioned nowadays, but Football has led the way with each player shaking hands with their opponents before each match. Test and County Cricket has generally wavered from such sportsmanship in the past with fielders and bowlers sledging their opponents’ batsmen. Strange then that such bad behaviour in any walk of life is referred to as “it’s not Cricket you know”. But I haven’t noticed any sledging in this Test Series, so maybe lessons have been learnt. There may be the occasional banter, but sledging seems to have been eradicated for the good of the sport.
Maybe it ended when Freddie Flintoff consoled Brett Lee when England won the 2nd Test at Edgbaston in 2005 by 2 runs. Or perhaps in golf when Nick Faldo, not particularly liked by his opponents, hugged Greg Norman after the 1996 US Masters, the latter inexplicably letting a six stroke lead evaporate. Their are many instances of sportsmen showing respect for their opponents in football, Pele and Gordon Banks, Franz Beckenbauer and Bobby Charlton, also in cricket Ian Botham and Viv Richards, Keith Miller and Dennis Compton. Maybe we now have resurrected such sportsmanship within the game of Cricket starting with Kane Williamson and now Tim Paine, two Captains disappointed to lose recent matches against England but showing humility and respect for their opponents.
Let’s hope this trend continues for the good of Sport in general. In the words of Rudyard Kipling “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, and treat those two imposters just the same, You’ll be a Man, my son!’
Sad to see Bury lose their EFL status.
And talking of such and our incumbent Mr Gibson.
I was told at the weekend by somebody not prone to exaggeration that our said owner is open to selling MFC. The biggest problem is in finding a suitable buyer who would take care of the club in the same manner as he has done in the past, in the future. A big ask!!
May be there was something after all in thar supposed interest from those Chinese investors?
Excellent eloquent post from Len.
Bolton have a first class Stadium and with theoretical decent potential for the right investor yet can’t find any takers for much of the reasons I highlighted above. It was fairly common knowledge that Everton was available at the right price for years in the Premiership.
A new owner of any club would need to walk in with their eyes wide open in that only a few make any money from it and if they don’t pour it back in sensibly (in terms of recruitment and wages) then losses will mount very quickly. For 95% of owners its usually a vanity project, a marketing exercise for their primary business or an act of benevolence and local pride in the case of Steve Gibson. The problem is how do you sell something that you have an irrational emotional attachment with to new owners who just see it as an entry on a balance sheet let alone actually finding a buyer with the financial ability to survive and prosper.
Thanks to the governing bodies Football as we once knew it has changed, the fun has now been taken out of it. I know that I probably watch highlights of no more than half a dozen Premiership games a season (if that) and long ago cancelled my Sky subscription simply through lack of interest and the increasing cost not being value for money. The acceleration of competing subscription sites all wanting even more cash to feed the filthy and obscenely rich who’s wealth was gained off the back of the sport means that the chances are the game you will actually want to see will like as not be on another site and not the one you pay for making it either ridiculously expensive or just not worth the investment. Truth is that when the outcome of a contest is totally predictable (and even blatantly biased) its no longer entertainment, it just morphs into a monotonous re-run of long standing repeats.
Football Clubs were a sense of local pride with fans looking forward to the Saturday afternoons after a hard working week often alongside those playing in some cases and attracted thousands. Those same clubs no longer have that pool of working men piling out of Shipyards, Factories, Mines or Mills. 100 year old crumbling stadiums with capacities that will never again be utilised unless they get that once in thirty years plum Cup tie (assuming they have survived the previous rounds) against a multi Billionaire backed, sponsored to the blue moon and back mega club.
Catchment areas for Clubs are now far larger than their origins, just locally we have seen the demise of Pools and Darlo. The target audiences have other alternative activities some perhaps deemed more exciting and the next generations are as a consequence being watered down and also priced out as costs rise and attendances drop.
Today more than ever clubs outside of the Premiership need to seriously understand how they will attract the fans of the future. Our own club for me is failing badly when a mad idiot like myself has seen one son bored away from attending before hitting his teens and another 18 year old who was priced out of the North Stand and has now found other things to do with his ex-attending mates on a Saturday.
Who in a modern, disposable, vain, vanity centric culture wants to watch the Burys, Rochdales, Stockports, or Oldhams when super stadia exist with celebrity status superstars performing in front of a live worldwide television audience 30 minutes away? Reality is that today many Football Clubs have reached or are quickly reaching the end of their previously estimated useful life.
As the line goes, how do you make a small fortune out of football club? Start with a large one.
Sad news about Bury and possibly Bolton
So sad to hear of the demise of Bury FC once a great team in the early 1900s. They twice won the FA Cup beating Southampton 4-0 in 1900 and Derby County 6-0 three years later, still the record score for a Cup winning club. Ironically one of their local derbies used to be against Bolton Wanderers, another club in financial trouble. I always associate Bury with Black Pudding, one of my favourite additives to any Sunday dinner and immortalised by Stanley Holloway in his monologue ‘Three ha’ppence a foot’.
RIP, there but for the grace of God it might well have been Middlesbrough FC in 1986.
Len
You prompted a thought, what would have happened to us if our situation in 86 was moved forward to 2019?
OK, I’ve been taking a break from the blog to make further progress on my projects, which is not been made easier as we’re now into the 5th day where temperatures have exceed 33C.
Whether Boro will be just as hot this weekend will remain to be seen but I’m sure Woodgate will be looking for positives in the lunchtime kick-off at Bristol ahead of the international break. Anyway, here is this week’s discussion blog…
https://diasboro.club/2019/08/28/2019-20-weeks-5-6-woodgate-remaining-positive/
I’ve never been to Gigg Lane, nor indeed to Bury at all, so why do I feel so sad for Bury FC? I’ve never knowingly met any contributors to Diasboro either except Philip from Huddersfield, but I would be equally sad or even more so if one of our band of brothers died. I guess Football Clubs are also a band of brothers and we don’t want any of them to pass away. When a loved one dies we usually have a wake with beer and sandwiches, etc, and reminisce often with the words ‘Do you remember when?’ but how does one mourn the passing of a Football Club.
My abiding memory of Bury FC was Boro’s first season following relegation in 1954. Boro had drawn their first match but lost their next eight matches. They broke their duck by beating Lincoln City, but a week later won their first away match of the season 1-0 against Bury. Boro’s last home match of the season was also against the Shakers and I remember thinking at the time that Boro had never ever gone through a whole season without a home draw, but the match didn’t break that sequence and a paltry crowd of less than 8,000 saw the match finish all square 1-1. Incidentally Boro have never been through a season without a home draw since either.
I can’t even recall any notable footballers who have played for Bury. The Neville brothers were born in the town but neither played for their home town club, but I do recall that one of my favourite snooker players was born there, John Spencer.
I recently stated that Stanley Holloway mentioned Bury in one of his monologues. It always struck me as unusual that a fine Cockney character actor of many Ealing films and the man that played Eliza Doolittle’s father in ‘My Fair Lady’ should recite most of his monologues with a Lancashire accent. In my youth our family and friends were expected to do a ‘turn’ on New Years Day and monologues was my forte. I guess most of us have heard about Albert Ramsbottom and his stick with its horses head handle, and further stories of his comeback.
One of my favourites was ‘Runcorn Ferry’ where after a dispute over the fare with the boatman, Mr, Ramsbottom decided that he, his wife and Albert would wade across to Widnes over the Mersey instead. The further they walked the deeper it got till Albert couldn’t be seen, but Mrs. Ramsbottom remarked ‘I’ve got ‘old of ‘is ‘and, ‘e’s all right’. However I also recall the stubborness of Lancashire folk who didn’t like to be cheated, and the following monologue ‘Three ‘Ha’pence a Foot’ about Noah building an Ark written by Marriott Edgar in 1933 but beautifully recorded by Stanley Holloway encapsulates that:-
In a shop on the banks of the Irwell.
Old Sam used to follow ‘is trade,
In a place you’ll ‘ave ‘eard of called Bury;
You know, where black puddin’s is made.
One day, Sam were filling a knot ‘ole wi putty
When old man came knocking on doah;
He was fair wreathed wi’ many a whisker
T’old chap said ‘Good morning, I’m Noah’.
Sam asked Noah what was ‘s business,
‘And t’old chap went on to remark,
That not liking the look of the weather.
‘E were thinkin’ of building an Ark.
‘E gotten the wood for the bulwarks,
And all t’other shipbuilding junk,
But wanted some nice Bird’s Eye Maple
To panel the side of ‘is bunk.
Now Maple was Sam’s mon-o-poly,
That meant it were all ‘is to cut,
And nobody’s else ‘adnt got none,
So ‘e asked Noah three ha’apence a foot.
‘An ha’pence too much’, replied Noah,
‘Penny a foot’s more the mark;
A penny a foot, and when rain comes,
I’ll give thee a ride in me Ark’.
But neither would budge in the bargain;
The whole daft thing were kind of a jam,
So Sam put ‘is tongue out at Noah,
And Noah made ‘Long Bacon’ at Sam.
In wrath and ill-feeling they parted,
Not knowing when they’d meet if again,
And Sam ‘d forgot all about it,
Till one day it started to rain.
It rained and it rained for a fortneet,
And flooded the ‘ole countryside.
It rained and indeed kept on raining,
Till the Irwell were fifty miles wide.
The ‘ouses were soon under watter
And folks to their roofs ‘ad to climb.
They said t’was the rottenest summer
That Bury ‘d ‘d for some time.
The rain showed no sign of abating,
As watter rose hour by hour,
Till the only dry land were at Blackpool,
And that were on top of the Tower.
So Sam started swimming to Blackpool;
It took ‘im the best part of a week.
‘Is clothes were wet thru when he got there,
And ‘is boots were beginning to leak.
‘E stood to ‘is watch-chain in watter
On Tower top, just before dark,
When who should come sailing towards ‘im
But Old Noah steering ‘is Ark.
They stared at each other in silence
Till Ark were alongside all but.
Then Noah said ‘What price now for yer Maple?’
Sam answered ‘Three ha’pence a foot’.
Noah said ‘Nay, I’ll make thee an offer,
The same as I did t’other day.
A penny a foot and a free ride,
Now come on lad, what does tha’ say?’
‘Three ha’pence a foot ‘ came the answer.
So Noah ‘is sail ‘ad to hoist,
And sailed off again in high dudgeon,
Whilst Sam stood determined, but moist.
Noah cruised around flying ‘is pigeons,
Till fortieth day of the wet,
And on ‘is way back passing Blackpool,
‘E saw Old Sam standing there yet.
‘Is chin just stuck out of the watter;
A comical figure ‘e cut.
Noah said ‘Now what’s the price of yer Maple?’
Sam mumbled ‘Three ha’pence a foot’.
Said Noah ‘You’d best take me offer;
‘Tis last time I’ll be hereabout,
And if watter comes ‘alf an inch higher,
I’ll happen get Maple fer nowt’.
‘Three ha’pence a foot it’ll cost thee,
And as fer me’ Sam said ‘don’t fret,
The sky’s took a turn since this morning;
I think it’ll brighten up yet’,
Ken…….My first football match was at Ayresome Park against Bury.
It was also a draw 2-2 if my memory serves me well. I thought possibly 1954, but as you pointed out that match ended 1-1. I also believe Bury were only in Division 2, for two years. 1953 or 1955 Ken. Did we draw at home then 2-2?.
Pedro
The following season Boro lost at home to Bury 1-3, but the next season was indeed a 2-2 draw on Wednesday 29th August with Delapenha and Clough scoring for Boro. I missed that match, but remember the date well as I had to report to RAF Cardington to start my National Service that day. I never saw Boro play again until 10th November when on leave I travelled to Nottingham and saw Clough score a 🎩 in a 4-0 win. Bury were relegated at the end of that season.
Ken,
How strange, we drove past Cardigton today and it’s massive airship hangars and the first thing I see mentioned on DiasBoro is Cardington. That’s synchronicity for you. I would imagine that it’s changed a little since you reported for duty.
UTB,
John
I’ve never been back there but have revisited Credinhill, Hereford which was my first posting. Happy days, one always remembers the best parts like almost getting drunk on draught cider.