Championship 2019-20: Weeks 7-8
Sat 14 Sep – 15:00: Boro v Reading Sat 21 Sep – 15:00: Cardiff v Boro
After the pregnant pause of the eerily silent international break, those who appreciate good timing on Teesside will be hoping that it will be followed by the significant sound of a second victory being greeted at the Riverside this weekend. Indeed, many of the expectant supporters will be hoping that the team can reproduce the promising display shown at Ashton Gate and make a push to deliver that overdue bundle of joy that is three rather than just the one point.
Boro’s rebirth under Jonathan Woodgate has not been without pain and much of what has been witnessed at home has looked more than a little laboured at times. OK, the recruitment issues arising from budgetary contractions have induced the new head coach to rely on more inexperienced players than he may have wished. While that may have been born of necessity, the rather youthful defence has been breached far too easily at times and is proving costly.
Complications arising from injuries have further exacerbated the problem, with news this week that both George Friend and Jonny Howson have needed operations with promising left-back Hayden Coulson also suffering a setback with his hamstring injury that may keep him sidelined until November. At least Howson’s “bog standard” hernia (according to chief consultant Woodgate’s diagnosis) will only strain the squad for a few weeks as he explained “Gone are the days where you push mesh in, now it’s just a quick clip of the right nerve and you’re OK” – though it’s possible that leading Harley Street practitioners may describe their work in more expansive terms when sending the invoice. Indeed, given the apparent simplicity of such techniques, we could soon see the day when the trainer runs onto the field of play and performs the procedure there and then, before finishing off with the magic sponge. The operation may even be displayed on the big screen for those who can’t wait until the evening for their Casualty fix.
While that all sounds not too serious, the extent of George’s condition is not so clear after he also underwent an operation this week – once again Woodgate got technical as he explained “I’m waiting to hear off the doc what they found when they opened George up”. If the Boro head coach is lucky perhaps they discovered a 20-goal a season striker or even some cash for January – though feel free to insert your own jokes about finding no change! Nevertheless, despite seemingly displaying what appeared little more than just a basic knowledge of general anatomical issues, Woodgate suddenly surpassed his pay grade when he went on to describe Coulson condition “There’s a slight tendon issue with the rectus femoris which isn’t ideal.” I suspect many would have to concur that any issue involving the rectus doesn’t sound ideal – although, such detailed knowledge of the condition did surprise many but that was soon cleared up when the injury-blighted gaffer added somewhat ominously “I know because I’ve had the same injury.” Still, it wasn’t all bad news on the injury front, it’s been announced Rudy Gestede should be returning after Reading – though it’s not exactly clear what it was he’d been reading to keep him sidelined.
One player who seemed to have been reborn after his showing against Bristol was Britt Assombalonga, who arguably put in one of his best displays in recent months – possibly nine. Apparently, it wasn’t down to anything Robbie Keane had been involved in (hopefully) but rather the misfiring striker had been re-energised and sharpened up following the birth of his second child shortly before the Saturday lunchtime game. Woodgate had allowed Assombalonga to remain in London until just a few hours before the game and it seemed to have worked well.
The Boro boss said after the game that “His wife should have babies more often to be honest with you because I thought he was really good.” Whether his wife would contemplate such an idea to improve her husband’s potency in front of goal is possibly a subject that is probably best avoided until she’s at least recovered from the ordeal of giving birth. Although, having said that, we shouldn’t read too much into the fact that they’ve named their baby boy ‘August’ as ‘September’ is probably not to be expected in the next few weeks – not unless the club have secretly embarked on the kind of surrogacy programme that would provide the academy team with a glut of Assombalongas in years to come.
Perhaps Britt’s form was not down to being lifted by the actually birth but it instead may have proved to be the end of his suffering from Couvade Syndrome. Many may know the condition instead as that of men who experience pregnancy symptoms out of sympathy. OK, anecdotal evidence of such sympathy on Teesside is often only fleeting but researchers (predominantly by men seeking attention one presumes) has shown that some fathers-to-be endure cramps, back pain, mood swings, food cravings, morning sickness, extreme tiredness, depression, irritability, fainting and toothache. In fact some even develop swollen stomachs that look like a ‘baby bump’ one study found – with symptoms becoming worse the longer the pregnancy went on. Although, it’s not clear whether the men in the study spent an inordinate amount of time standing around in the pub drinking beer and complaining.
One father-to-be told researchers that he actually experience contractions and they started mild and then got stronger and stronger and stronger. Another claimed “I think I was in more pain than she was. It seemed like my pain was worse.” – hopefully for his long-term health he didn’t mention this out loud to his wife at the time. Others purported to have had cravings, with a man explaining “I was constantly hungry and had an unstoppable craving for chicken kormas and poppadams – even in the early hours of the morning.” – which was presumably shortly after he’d dragged himself out of the pub. In all, eleven of the men from the study sought help from their GPs and even underwent tests but no physical causes were found.
But before the cynical among you dismiss such a condition as unlikely, the evidence in Britt’s case appears overwhelming. It would certainly explain that penalty that went sailing over the bar as he no doubt experienced the baby kicking at such a crucial moment – although it’s possibly debatable whether any child of Assombalonga would be able to kick with such precision and timing. Nevertheless, the lack of energy has been apparent for some weeks now and that look of depression may not have been down to playing as the lone striker under Tony Pulis after all.
Anyway, enough of this baby talk – football is apparently a man’s game as one former old-school Welsh manager would say (even if women are now playing it pretty well) and he’d be more than willing to provide any players who under-perform with more than sympathy pains. Woodgate is actually looking for leaders on the pitch, particularly talkers now that both Friend and Howson are sidelined. He explained “I need voices on the training ground, at times you can’t hear anyone talk. You have to talk. You can help the game so much if you talk a little, even the odd word.” Whether those odd words included “Please don’t dribble on the edge of your box Ryan” was not made clear but it seems the main man for talking is Clayton. The Boro boss informed us that “Clayts is constantly talking to players out there, looking for a reaction. He has little reminders for the players of what they need to do. If you don’t have anyone shouting you will be running round in circles.” Some supporters may have thought the Boro midfielders specialised in running around in circles last season so hopefully Clayton will resist the temptation to instruct his team-mates to keep passing it sideways.
Dael Fry has emerged as the new Boro captain after returning from injury against Bristol and it’s perhaps his vocal contribution on the pitch that has impressed Woodgate. Fry himself was quite surprised to be named captain, which he was informed of just before stepping on the coach for the journey south. Hopefully the responsibility won’t distract him from his own game as he appeared to have some culpability in both of Bristol’s goals. Ayala is fit again and may yet get the armband but it’s perhaps something that may keep Fry at the club if further offers arrive in January – on that basis perhaps it’s not too late to make Gestede club captain to encourage another bid from Turkey!
Despite a promising display last time out, Woodgate needs to start winning games if the season is not going to become a difficult baptism for life as a head coach. Averaging a point a game is not going to keep the supporters happy for much longer and even though he’s had to deal with a small squad and injuries to key players, he’ll be keen to put a few wins on the board in the next few weeks. While players like McNair, Fletcher and Johnson have upped their game, a few of the players are yet to show their form of last season – most notably Lewis Wing. The new signings have blown hot and cold at times but Woodgate will be hoping his players can soon find some consistency if he’s to avoid being the one left holding the baby when it’s time for a change.
Brilliant Werder. Haven’t laughed so much in ages. Absolutely first class my friend.
I’m going to read it over and over again.
If the Carry On films were still around you would make a fantastic script writer for them.
I love Dias Boro. Far far better than our local rag. Werder you are amazing. Still laughing, thank you.
Cheers Malcolm, after two days seething over a school issue I wasn’t really in any kind of mood to write anything this week but got up this morning and decided to try and channel the energy into something creative to take my mind off it – so glad it worked out in the end.
Carry on up the Boro 🙂
Werder
Thank you for the article I really enjoyed it.
Pleased you got up early to write as you are the glue that holds this blog together and it’s much appreciated by all of us
OFB
Cheers OFB, although I may sometimes end up flogging a dead horse with some of the articles but I’m just part of the glue factory along with the Redcar Red’s pitch perfect match reports that stick in the memory!
That’s the funniest prologue I’ve read or heard since Frankie Howerd’s in ‘Up Pompeii’. Maybe it should be titled ‘Up the Boro’, had me in stitches, no pun intended. Well done, Werder.
Thanks Ken, though I’m not sure I can in any way be compared with the genius Frankie – although given the circumstances of this week it’s often said many of those creative writers were tortured souls driven by depression – not that I’m ever prone to that but spent the week extremely annoyed by the ridiculous decisions of my son’s school over an issue that made no logical sense.
Werder,
Great stuff, made me laugh out loud and read it out to the Boss in the kitchen.
Those phantom pregnancy symptoms that some men get sound surprisingly like they were caused by supporting Boro. Was the sample taken all Boro supporters? I have a lot of those on Saturday nights. Anyway, well done that man!
UTB,
John
Thanks John and I suspect if it were men who became pregnant they’d either be boasting about ow big their bellies were or would be busy exchanging the best route to the local maternity ward…
A top read, I needed gas and air for the stitches.
I have only, one ever so tiny quibble with the entire piece. I cant quite get my head round good news on the injury front in the same sentence as Rudy being fit.
Thanks Ian, though I never said Rudy was fit but only that he may be fit next week!
Thanks again Werder, as others have said you are the best out there. That was the funniest blog I have read in a long long time hope Woody’s team appreciate your efforts to keep our spirits up during the breaks in the football Internationals and give us something to smile about on Saturday,
UTB.
Cheers Borobrie, only three weeks until the other Gate takes the stage again!
Werder
My first “the usual” of the season. I’ve been very late coming to the party on previous threads. Will try to up my game. Hope Boro can do so tomorrow.
Thanks Steely, it’s all about the after party these days 🙂
Speaking of “the usual”, Smith is still giving us grief. Let’s hope he runs out of partners sooner rather than later.
Smith has had a little bit of luck. Dropped by Root and a couple of top edges dropping safe. It is what happens when you are in form.
Werder that was brilliant, just brilliant…..you have wrote some “good uns” but this could be possibly be your best to date.
Too many laugh out loud lines to pick one, but the Trainer really started the ball rolling.
As for tomorrow, still in the UK for two more home matches and we really do need 6 points from them or JW will start getting some stick, regardless of saying all the right things in his various interviews. You cannot talk the Team up the table.
Guess it will be the same line-up as there it hardly any choices to make a change apart from Ayala. I think JW will stick with Shotton and put Dani on the bench.
Reading have spent big and will cause us problems in our defensive half. Cannot see a clean sheet, so just hoping we score more than them.
Many thanks Pedro, I’m glad you liked it. If Boro can score goals and keep clean sheets then I suspect they may win!
Werder, that was just brilliant. Many great lines, but love the observation that outbreaks of sympathy from Teesside men folk could only be fleeting.
It’s Friday of course and our heroes take up again tomorrow. The good humour you have put me in, plus the sun shining down from a blue sky as my bus home hurtles up the motorway at the end of another week of honest graft (well, sitting around in the office if I’m really honest), has me feeling strangely optimistic. Hard fought but convincing win for the boys in red 2-0 .
COB
Thanks Powmill, I suspect the men on Teesside just do the tea without too much of the sympathy on the side…
Ayala, would be the first name on the team sheet for me. He has been a great servant for Boro.
🐍 🐍
And if you believe that I’m quackers!
OFB
I hope you’ll forgive me for just saying a big quick thanks for all your comments on the article but after finishing work I’m literally just about to head out the door as we going out to a greek restaurant to relax after a testing week. So many thanks to Malcolm, Ken, John, Ian, Borobrie, Steely, Pedro, Powmill and GHW – all much appreciated!
Enjoy your evening out a la greque …sounds well earned.
Let’s hope there’s no Post Natal Depression on Teesside tomorrow and the Bouncing Boro Baby mews and gurgles it’s way to three points. Of course there are still lots of teething problems to come, but once potty training is complete hopefully we can toddle our way up the table. I can only hope the paediatric qualities of JW are equal to his recent orthopaedic musings.
Boro to wet the baby’s head with a comprehensive 2-0 win.
PS. Has anyone ever seen Werder and Harry Pearson in the same room together………..
I’ve never been in a room with Harry 🙂
Exactly!
I have been missing in action for a while. Been wasting too much time on this Brexit thing – hoping for a typical Boro moment to come when in front of an open goal, Brexit misses the target and gets relegated!
Anyway, onto better things, an absolute corker Weder, I don’t know now you do it, had me laughing out loud as usual.
I think all the puns have been done and dilated so I won’t have one more push!
Hoping for a win tomorrow, especially as yet again, I am travelling up north!
My prediction is 2 0 to Boro with Britt having twins!
UTB
Thanks BBD, While Britt may have twins, I suspect most on the terraces will probably be having kittens!
Not sure what to expect from Reading today as they opened the campaign with two defeats against Wednesday and Hull but then beat Cardiff 3-0, drew at West Brom and won at another struggling relegated club Huddersfield, before losing before the break against high-flyers Charlton.
They’ve scored 8 and conceded 8, compared to Boro scoring 7 and conceding 8, which may indicate we’ll see goals at both ends.
In terms of team selection, the only defensive decision would be whether Ayala returns for Shotton. Can’t see any surprises in midfield with McNair, Clayton and Wing likely and the only other issue would probably be Johnson or Browne, with the former looking a better bet.
On that basis I’ll predict a 2-1 win with goals for McNair and Fletcher after Britt’s baby bounce starts to wear off and the sleepless nights kick in.
Werder
Do the kids support Boro, have they got replica shirts? Even more intriguing, does Mrs Werder support Boro or even understand the nature of the affliction?
My son has almost no interest in football whatsoever let alone Boro, Mrs Werder even less!
Almost perfect credentials to be a Boro supporter then…..
The real problem is that they don’t play football or any other team sports in schools over here. If you want to play football as a kid then you have to join an after-school club. We live in a village of only a few thousand people and these clubs are just a big clique where the parents who have known each other all their lives run the show – I know from some other parents that go is that they just get ignored.
Incidentally, the school also said it was pointless trying to organise team sports as almost half the kids are overweight and unfit. They only do one hour of sport in the school, which generally involves running around a bit and throwing balls at targets or hoops. Schools have just become exam factories where there’s a test every other week and they are given a grade – if you don’t average a three over the year then you have to repeat the year. In my son’s class who’s just turned 9 in the summer there are quite a few kids that are already 11 and they are almost behaving like teenagers, whereas my son is still a boy who’s oblivious to the thought of trying to be cool and talk of girls. It’s a daft system in my opinion and very little to do with education.
btw My son is a bit lazy but generally gets good grades in the tests with 1’s or 2’s but usually gets 5’s for his application and contribution in the class. The marks between the tests and class grades are averaged and he ends up with just scraping a pass with 3’s. To get a grade 1 in a test you need over 95% and a 2 is generally 80-85% but his school report just shows he’s average along with the kids who maybe get a grade 4 in the test (50-60%) but contribute more in the lessons to bring them up also to grade 3. This was a new system that was introduced in Germany three years ago to raise standards – not sure what the point is to be honest as the kids (and their parents) spend most of the year stressed out with learning for tests and homework every day.
So things like football have fallen by the wayside in pursuit of academic excellence – if you can’t measure it then it doesn’t matter!
Thanks for another amusing preview Werder. It’s nice to have a laugh before the fear hits when following the actual match. I am not going today as part of my attempt to cut back my spending but couldn’t resist booking hotels for the next four home games! Hope we have a good win as I would prefer to be wishing I had gone rather than thinking I haven’t missed much.
Cheers David and hopefully your next four games will be just as entertaining as the Reading game that just finished 🙂
A beautiful day in Norfolk, full of optimism so I’m going for Boro 3 – 2 Reading on the other hand it could be Boro 2 – 3 Reading. What will be will be and I don’t see an OFB eyes in the sky.
Right, now to air the darkened room after the ‘International break’.
UTB,
John
A great and amusing read as ever thank you Werder.
Your theme was aptly timed for me as my eldest son presented us with our first grandchild in May. A Pompey supporter unfortunately but we all have our crosses to bear!
Just had our second meeting with Freddie in the last few days whilst we were back in UK.
Youngest son give us the good news that a second grandchild is due in March so a great end to our trip which was slightly marred by the news that Karon’s father, who has Alzheimers, can no longer be managed at home and will need to go into a care home.
Arrived back in Spain last night after a delayed flight but pleased that the property had suffered little by way of damage following the recent thunderstorms and torrential rain which the area suffered in our absence. Hit by a tornado and storm in the early hours of this morning but again little damage.
Just hoping that the Boro can blow Reading away this afternoon and that I can watch uninterrupted via Riverside Live.
CoB 3-2 to us. 😎
Thanks Grandad 😉 and glad the tornado didn’t do too much damage!
Grandpa please and Ya Ya. 😉
Not happy !!! Ayala on the bench.
Well that was some game – full-blooded non-stop end-to-end thrills and spills with plenty of tension at the end. A tick in the box next to entertainment and more importantly a joyful bundle of three points!
That was amazing to watch sitting alone in front of the TV. What it must have been like in the ground I can hardly imagine. Another world class save from Randolph. It could have been 4-3 to either side and hats off to Reading. They looked like a very good side going forward.
Three much needed points and I believe that we can stand up to most teams in this division.
Personally, I am ready to get fully behind Woodgate and his team. Everybody seems so emotionally invested in the club and all the interviews from him and the players suggest that it’s a good place to work. He also made sensible substitutions and an appropriate change of shape to cope with the last stages of the game
Are the less easily convinced of our fellow bloggers ready to climb on board th train.
UTB
Not quite ready to change my name to Casey Jones yet. Whether or not it will be The Cannonball Express or Stephensons Rocket still remains to be seen. However at least the fans are going home happy for a change.
Boro won. That works for me. Now for Redcar Red’s a game dissected pathologist’s report.
I’m happy.
UTB,
John
Three points are most welcome, keep putting points on the board and things will improve.
Were we lucky? I wasn’t there but what I listened to I feared a mugging. You could argue there was a mugging and we won.
Back home now after a long day but the drive home worth it for 3 much needed points. Kept in the game by 2great saves from Randolph towards the end.
Still a work in progress but based on my 3 live games, signs of improvement. At times the midfield were a bit slow in getting forward and At the back we still looked vulnerable. Shotton nearly gifted them a goal early in the first half.
Ayala when he came on was his usual penalty waiting to happen at corners but we actually looked better when moved to 3 at the back.
The ref had a good game too and kept the game moving even though there were some interesting challenges that others would have given.
Britt looked a bit sluggish at times. It looked to me that he was taking a second or two to decide to start running which left him behind.
At the end, the players looked like the win was very important to them so not sure what may have been said……..
Still 3 points towards the 45 ish we need to be safe from relegation and that will do me for this season, providing we see incremental improvements.
The champagne is calling since it was actually our wedding anniversary today and Mrs BBD was happy for me to go. Mind you, she does have the pleasure of my presence everyday now that I am a man of leisure!
UTB
Happy Anniversary BBD. We had our 23rd last Saturday (we were both late starters!) I hope you had as good a time as we did, simply enjoying being together as much together now as we did all those years ago.
Thanks Powmill – only 6 for us – 2nd time arounders and it took us 9 years together before we made it official. As I said in my speech, it was only for the pensions!
So Boro gained Royal ascent today for their plan to ask for an extension to their unbeaten run. But was it a majority view that they deserved to win or was it simply down to the sheer will of the people in a Boro shirt? Here’s one man who always gets the people’s vote with his verdict on what was a tight contest – it’s Redcar Red’s match report…
https://diasboro.club/2019/09/14/boro-1-0-reading/
Redcar Red,
A tense early morning read, thank goodness I knew the result but I still need another cup of tea. We won and a clean sheet, wonderful, and Randolph continues to amaze. Is this new look, new approach, new philosophy beginning to work? here’s hoping some of the players begin to find their lost form and play like we know they are able. Maybe they’ll need an ultrasound to find it?
Time for another brew of tea.
UTB
John
We won, kept a clean sheet, and had a thoroughly entertaining time doing it.
All good with me 😀
That was my view as well. Long may it continue.
A good game and a decent performance. Could have gone either way, but we were probably due some good fortune.
On the offiside goal, I thought it was Fry who was offside when he nodded it over for Britt and not Britt – do we know definitely which play the offside was given for?
If it was Fry, it was pretty close. If it was Britt, it was a shocking decision.
Woodgate showed some good tactical nous in switching to five at the back (it looked like he did before Ayala came on as well) so they must be working on that in training. They also had a few different free kick/corner routines (with limited success it has to be said) so clearly a lot of hard work is going on behind the scenes.
One big difference this season is the driving from midfield, McNair in particular, but also Wing and even Clayton (which led to the free kick for the goal), opposition players just don’t like it and I’m sure they’d much prefer sideways passing in front of them.
And Randolph again was superb although Woody could have given him slightly more credit than “that’s what he’s paid to do”, two outstanding saves. Our star player by some distance. That aside though, another entertaining interview from Woody on Tees. Continues to impress.
At the time I thought it was Britt but in hindsight it could have been Fry. The Linesman had his flag up immediately so it was probably early on in the build up indicating that it was more likely Fry. It felt harsh at the time but Johnson’s cheeky effort soon made up for it.
I mentioned the fear during Boro matches and this was a hard one to listen to but we won and the fans there will have gone home happy (and relieved). As RR’s report and the brief Sky highlights showed it took some good saves by Randolph and a lot of fight from the team. The 3 points make a big difference to our position and hopefully this will continue.
We are four points off a Play Off place but also four points off a relegation spot. Reading were a decent side and were unlucky to come away with nothing yesterday. They edged the first half and if it wasn’t for a breath-taking Roy of the Rovers performance from Randolph at the end they could have walked away from the Riverside with all three.
Defensively we looked for the first time this season like a really credible solid unit when Ayala came on and we switched to three at the back. That said anything would have been an improvement over Bola who had a very poor afternoon. The lad seemed to be on a different wavelength to what was going on around him. His reading of the game and anticipation was non existent and struggled with the task. I’m expecting a line to come out abut him being unwell on the morning but as the Clubs only recognisable LB he bravely volunteered for duty when he should have been in a sick bed.
He wasn’t the only one. Britt reverted back to type, running into everyone else’s phase of play instead of peeling off and creating then ambling back in a huff instead of keeping up the pressure by chasing and closing from the front. Fletcher was lightweight and ineffective going forward and as has been said before needs to toughen up and become more aggressive in his game. He also needs to learn to keep his hands off a struggling defender who is running out of options, just inviting a hand on the shoulder to go down earning a free kick in the process. To their credit they both done very well defensively in winning headers and helping clear their lines but ultimately they are judged on what they do at the opposite end and Johnson has laid down the gauntlet for individual improvement.
Wing hasn’t hit the heights of last season, he was functional yesterday at best but certainly by no means offering a nailed on starting performance. A win is always welcome but the celebrations on and off the pitch at the final whistle told a story of how grateful and relieved everyone was rather than the burgeoning confidence of a team in the ascendency. Four games undefeated however does help in building momentum along with the average of two points a game achieved in those last four.
Open end to end games are exciting but had Reading nicked a goal or even two the landscape and prognosis would look very different this morning. There are glaring weaknesses and indeed massive improvements required in some areas. Of course Howson, Friend and Coulson being fit will be a boost but as yet I’m not convinced that we have turned any corners just yet.
Excellent summary of the team and individual performances. Thanks also for your report RR which was how I saw events unfold on a perfect Riverside Live broadcast.
Good to get the three points, a clean sheet and four games without losing. All steps in the right direction but still plenty of work to do as continuing to play as open as we did yesterday we may end up losing more than winning.
I am still not convinced that 433 is for us and whilst JW has talked about playing on the front foot and scoring more goals, we are still only on a goal a game and of the 8 scored, three were in the first game.
Still, onwards and upwards and another test next week at Cardiff. 😎
Thank you RR. I loved your endorsement of my friend Ayala. He should start in next weeks game.
Just read RR’s match report after a late morning coffee break – I didn’t get much chance yesterday evening as I’d fallen asleep on sofa watching TV (again) and woke up to see RR’s email but just managed to post it up before heading off to bed.
It definitely captured the relentless nature of the game and it was certainly a game that could have gone either way. I enjoyed the Matrix reference towards Randolph for his stunning reflex saves – he certainly is ‘the one’ or at least our very own Morpheus. You can decide yourselves who Tank and Dozer are though 😉
I think the main plus for me in the last two games is the energy the players have shown with some signs that the coaching team have been working on the link-up play. If McNair, Wing and Clayton continue to grow into the season then we could have one of the better midfields of the Championship.
Defensively, it’s still looks iffy in the full-back (or even occasional wing-back) positions – though given the generally bare-bones nature of what is at Woodgate’s disposal then it is something that probably won’t improve significantly. Likewise in attack as there appears to be few credible options for him other than Britt, Fletcher and Johnson.
Hopefully Boro continue to pick up the points and gain in confidence and can keep relatively in touch until January when I hope we’ll see some reinforcements arrive. Still it’s been mostly entertaining to watch Boro this season and that for me is just as important if it looks like it won’t be a promotion season. I suspect mid-table boring football would be a big switch off for many.
First of all Joe Nicholson’s report in the Hartlepool Mail and Scott Wilson’s in the Northern Echo are way ahead of Philip Tallentire’s attempt in the Gazette, but it takes an ‘amateur’ like Redcar Red to tell us all what really happened so eloquently. I don’t mean ‘amateur’ in a derogatory sense, but someone who isn’t paid for his efforts. How RR is able to quickly type the proceedings before him is as invaluable to this forum as Darren Randolph is to the Boro team. Well done to both these gentlemen.
Boro had no right to win this match on a shot count of 18-10 against, but more alarmingly 7-2 against for shots on target. Some of his reflexes were that of a feline and reminded me of our 1950’s goalkeeper Rolando Ugolini. Boro won because of some woeful finishing by the much vaunted Reading attack plus Randolph’s sensational agility. Whilst I realise that Boro are a work in progress, and that their attacking is more pleasing on the eye, their inability to test opposing goalkeepers doesn’t augur too well for the future.
At the moment Boro have only played one team that might challenge for a playoff place. The only consolation is that the standard of football in this Division is even lower than it was last season in my opinion, and that was bad enough. As Boro Becky’s Dad commented at least it was 3 more points to the 45 we may need to avoid relegation. I don’t expect us to be challenging for a top 6 finish, but wouldn’t expect a relegation battle either, but unless we can score more goals, that is a now a distinct possibility.
Hope that doesn’t seem too harsh. I’m pleased we won yesterday, but I don’t see any improvement in our goalscoring abililty, and can’t rely on ‘man of the match’ performances from our goalkeeper every week despite how good he is. God help us if he gets injured, or worse still we lose him in the January transfer window.
Spot on Ken.
A good summary of where we are Ken and I am very much of the same opinion. 😎
Thank you Redcar Red for, as Ken Said, a very good match report that puts to shame those that emanate from the Gazette.
However as much I agreed with your report, I thought you were a little hard on Bola. He did not get the help from Fletcher, who I thought had a very poor game, in the tracking back that Dijksteel got from Johnson. Also as much as Shotton had a steady game he constantly has a “lack of concentration” mistake in him. He had at least four yesterday that could have resulted in problems.
I have to agree though with three CB’s we looked somewhat tighter and hopefully it is something JW has thought of to use on a more regular basis. Previously at times the back four looked somewhat shaky and Reading will feel a little the deserved a point at least. Still if you do not stick the ball into the back of the net.
From a Team performance, Randolph obviously saved the day, Dijksteel has the strength to hold off a man and will improve I believe, Fry looked comfortable most of the time, but playing 433 I think we lose out in midfield at times. First half Wing was too deep and was a different player in the second half. For all he has not hit the heights of last season, he is still arguably our most creative player and can make things happen.
Britt looked frustrated at the lack of support he received, too many long balls to him and virtually nothing from the wings into the box to run onto to. As I said previously Fletcher was poor had very impact on the game.
Once more in defence of JW, he has very little to work with, a threadbare bench most of the time and not much better when the injured return.
All we can hope is that we keep picking up sufficient points to keep us out of the bottom 7 or 8. I do not think we will get much in the way of players in January as we will still be stuck with those players on higher than average wages coming to the end of their contract
Until then we can only hope that Britt stays fit, starts getting some better service and we get the rub of the green when we start playing the better teams than we have to date. The games are more entertaining to watch but the fans need to see wins at home also.
I thought in the first half that Shotton was constantly being dragged out to the left to bail Bola out hence he sometimes looked culpable. Totally agree about Fletcher in front of Bola offering little defensively making it a very lightweight flank and easily exploited. Considering their athletic ability they offered very little in terms of creativity and little to no threat. Dijksteel wasn’t outstanding but he can stand on his own two feet, hold a man off and also had some nifty footwork in his locker.
Personally I would (as I have kept banging on about) play with a back three, Shotton, Ayala, Fry as we finished with yesterday and play with two up top Fletcher/Assombalonga. That may be a better set up for Bola but I don’t think it would play to Dijksteel’s strengths. With a back three I would however be inclined to go with Howson and Johnson as the Wing Backs. McNair, Clayts and Wing in the engine room.
It may be a slight worry that five of the seven teams who Boro have so far played are currently below them in the table with Blackburn just one place above us in 12th. It means Bristol City are the only top half team we’ve played this campaign so Boro will need to up their game.
Interestingly, there are currently 8 clubs who are either performing at the magic two points per game or are at least just one point short of that target, which equates to over 85 points over a season. Boro are currently on course for 59 points in case anyone was wondering.
Though with just two 1-0 wins this season against Reading and Wigan where in both games the team only mustered 5 shots on target it doesn’t appear that we either have the firepower or defensive solidity that will see Woodgate’s team mount a challenge – especially with a thin squad and few game-changing options.
btw it made me laugh when watching MOTD that the commentator remarked that Man City started with £260m worth of talent on the bench – all pretty ridiculous really but they in the end lost to a depleted Norwich side who proved a more effective side. This is the hope with the Woodgate project in that if you can pass the ball and play with energy and trouble the opposition keeper then you always have a chance.
It was this time last season at game 7 that Norwich beat Boro 1-0 to end our unbeaten start as we sat joint top – that was only the Canaries second victory of the campaign after previously conceding 12 goals in their opening 6 games. It moved Norwich from just above the relegation zone to 16th with 8 points and as they say the rest is history.
Sadly Boro don’t have a Teemu Pukki so it’s hard to see the win over Reading leading to a similar story but a few more wins and maybe the passing, shooting and defending will improve. Norwich’s strength was that they always thought they could out-score the opposition and they actually conceded 57 times last season – 16 more than Boro. It was ultimately the 93 goals that they scored that got them promoted, which was nearly a goal a game more than Boro managed with just 49.
So in conclusion, I think we’re on the right road but at this point it’s not clear how long the road is going to be and if there will be too many potholes along the way to make the journey comfortable.
I felt yesterday that we had a few opportunities that needed to be hit first time but took two or even three touches and the moment was lost. A few of those flying towards the goal may have rattled Reading and one may even have went in. The original template of high pressing, high energy that we saw at Luton, was as most of us thought at the time naïve and unsustainable albeit entertaining.
Without doubt the entertainment factor is 100 times greater than under Pulis but defensively we look very susceptible. The last ten to fifteen minutes yesterday was as good as anything Karanka or Pulis delivered topped off by Randolph’s solo exhibition of top class Keeping. That is a formidable, impressive solid foundation from which to build. It doesn’t have to be negative or dull, in fact with two galloping Wing Backs it can be a means of getting an extra Player further forward but it also permits an immediate switch to a tight defensive unit without necessitating a potentially confusing or destabilising reshuffle with everyone aware of duties and responsibilities.
Having creative midfielders like Wing and McNair are still creative Midfielders. The big choice is whether you would want a battler like Clayton or another more creative element like say a Tav or Browne. The biggest problem for the management is in creating the type of opportunity Assombalonga thrives on and how to get the best out of Fletcher who definitely has something that I feel could be sensational at this level and could even be our Pukki but still blows hot and cold. Is the problem playing Britt and Ashley instead of either/or?
I’ve got nothing against a back three and maybe 3-4-3 is the better option – though like you say that would probably mean losing the specialist defensive midfielder in Clayton. With possibly Tavernier or Coulson in the left wing-back role and Howson taking on the right wing-back. The new recruits have looked like the step up is gong to take time and against some of the better teams we would struggle if it was Bola and Dijksteel as full-backs. I don’t know what is the best combination for a front three is but the options so far have not looked like they quite fit together – though the options are limited with only Browne and his look-alike Gestede in reserve.
Really good article here:
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/revolution-not-televised-teessider-john-16915226
Some interesting ideas and as I mentioned earlier Man City actually having players worth £260m on their bench just makes the idea the Premier League actually has any meaning as a league just ridiculous.
As to whether football has any chance of being nationalised as part of a cultural move is perhaps fantasy – though having heard Peter Hitchens advocate nationalising the railways on the Radio yesterday then anything is possible – not to mention saying a soft Brexit compromise of the Norway option is the best way to go even though he’s been a leaver for 40 years.
Though all that would happen if there was a meaningful salary cap in one country is that all the players who could earn much more would just move abroad. Nothing will happen unless it’s done on a global basis and that means something lead by FIFA – which means nothing will happen. Whether cancelling a subscription would stop TV companies bidding is another matter but they were always something of a loss leader to get people to sign up to wider packages.
I would certainly start with salary capping, but unless it’s done globally the best players wouldn’t be playing in England. The game has been ruined by FIFA and EUFA. How can there be
any justification in having more than 24 teams qualifiying for the World Cup Finals when only 8 countries have won it and probably no more than 10 have a chance of doing so?
Furthermore prior to1993 only European League Champions were eligible to compete in what is now ridiculously called the Champions League. Champions of what? Also domestic Cup Winners had there own competition. We now have far too many matches in the qualifying stages of the EUFA Cup made more ridiculous by including 3rd placed teams from those teams that failed to qualify in the group stages of the Champions League.
All this for the benefit of satellite companies, certainly not for the fans. The media thought it was wonderful that both the major European Competitions involved 4 English clubs when in fact the average fan would rather see his club play one of the giants of Europe instead, and certainly not in Baku or some other outlandish venue. John Nicholson is right in his views. Football is no longer the people’s game; it belongs to the TV Companies who are willing to pay the highest fee.
Ken,
I couldn’t agree more. The European Cup only had Champions playing on a knock-out basis. The Champions league, with has a lot of teams who aren’t champions and has mini leagues to drag it out and then some get a second chance. Ridiculous. It’s as bad as those pseudo biblical ads for it on Sky.
It won’t be long before we have a ‘Champions League Break’ along with International Breaks. Football has nothing to do with fans or the supporter now. Just the money men.
UTB,
John
WordPress aren’t letting me into my WordPress blog and have changed my Gravatar back to the old one. I despair.
UTB,
John
Another accurate account of proceedings as usual from RR. I also agree with his subsequent assessments of where we’re at with our transition. Hopefully, a settled team with Howson and Friend/Coulson, when available, will see us make progress.
Has anyone else noticed that the “professionals” at the Gazette can’t even remember our results correctly, stating in two reports that we beat Millwall? We drew the match that I was at!
I guess the Gazette must have subliminally implanted that Millwall ‘win’ in my head as I actually started typing in my earlier post that Boro have won 1-0 against Reading and Millwall before suddenly remembering it was Wigan instead.
Yes Steely, I read that they reported that yesterday’s win was Boro’s first home win of the season under Jonathan Woodgate.
Yes Steely, the Gazette reported that Boro had won their first home win yesterday under Jonathan Woodgate.
Yes, they should have their salaries capped. Money for old rope comes to mind.
I think in fairness that Wigan game was forgettable and best consigned to the top shelf with the rest of the “X” rated material.
I was just contemplating the idea from John Nicholson that somehow the government could essentially take control of TV Rights of football and whether that would be possible.
I’m not sure they could actually legally do so unless they out-bidded the current players in the market and offered more money. Most of the top clubs are now indeed massive businesses with big turnovers and even bigger valuations who would no doubt challenge the government in court if they tried to interfere in the market.
Many of these clubs have invested hundreds of millions on new stadia based on potential income projections and besides the government would be powerless to do anything about Champions League prize money so the disparity in wealth would probably only get bigger if the rest of the PL had their income radically cut.
To give an idea of the size of these ‘businesses’ now, the big six clubs of Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Spurs are listed by Forbes as having a combined value of just over $15 billion. Things have certainly moved on from the time Michael Knighton strode onto the old Trafford pitch playing ‘keepie uppie’ and almost bought Man Utd for £20m back in 1989.
While I’d agree with the sentiments of returning football to something resembling a more level playing field, I suspect it’s impossible to put the genie back in the bottle as many clubs would probably go out of business now if their TV income decreased significantly. All these players on massive lengthy contracts would first need to be phased out and football clubs gradually weaned off their TV money.
Anything radical will probably take at least 10-20 years and would need co-operation from the world’s governing bodies – which given the influence of big business, powerful rich owners and sponsors nothing will be agreed unless there’s a financial collapse in the football market.
I think the Media companies could very well be putting their collective knives into their own coffins. When the Premiership took off you needed a Sky Subscription to avail yourself of the wonder of it all, granted it was by no means cheap but reasonably affordable for many in the days before bankers greed and austerity.
Fast forward to today and to be able to watch the Premiership you now need several subscriptions with the most notable being Sky and BT but others like Amazon and Netflix etc. are gathering pace. To be able to have access to all the televised games I read over the weekend that it racks up to around £90 a month. There is of course a confusing myriad of complex deals that all work out a bit less or a bit more depending if you go through Talk Talk or Virgin or Sky etc. as your Broadband/TV package provider. Other options like Now TV just muddy the picture even further.
The problem for a Football fan is who do you choose? Imagine being a Boro fan, if we were back up there in the land of greed and gluttony and you wanted to see as many games as possible. One week we could be on Sky versus Liverpool but next week its Amazon or BT against Spurs. Its just not feasible or viable to pick one provider and stick with them because inevitably that game when you can’t get to the Riverside or can’t get a ticket for Anfield or Old Trafford as Murphy’s Law will decree will be via the other providers broadcast.
The more that is carved up and sold off in different packages the more unaffordable and more unreachable it becomes for the many (lets not even bring up £1,000+ Season Ticket prices). It may help in a small way for Pubs to bring punters back but tech savvy individuals are now finding alternative streams to view games albeit with a few frozen seconds or lost minutes through refreshing and certainly not in glorious 4K upscaled optimised LED splendour but good enough when compared with the alternative cost.
Internet Service Providers (ironically like Sky, BT and Virgin) have been desperately trying to close access to streaming sites but its a bit like King Canute holding back the tide. As soon as they jump on one or block its content another pops up or VPN’s undo all their efforts. Technology unfortunately for them as it advances works both ways. The more fractured and lottery type nature of subscribing from a single provider it becomes the more likely subscribers are to realise that its like a hamster on a wheel and begin to give up. As John Nicholson suggests if we all stopped pandering and paying (and the consequential drop in advertising revenue) things will become interesting.
We are sadly seeing what happens to Clubs who over extend themselves, I wonder who will be the first Media casualty of their own shark infested frenzy? More interestingly is what will then happen to the Clubs who have based their entire corporate existence around that line of income when it splutters? As my old grandmother used to say “give them enough rope……”
Given how easy it is to get an unofficial stream for any PL game on the internet I’m surprised anyone tight with cash would pay for one of these subscriptions. Feeling sorry for these big media corporations is like feeling sorry for the banks as it’s been easy pickings for a long time now. Football has been used as leverage since it went from the terrestrial channels to persuade people to buy various packages. I stopped following the Champions league when it left the free-to-air channels and to be honest haven’t missed it – it’s no longer of any significance to me.
That’s what happened to cricket and all the other sports that went for the money over audience figures – the difference with football is that you still have MOTD and some cup games plus the internationals to keep its profile. Having said that I think the younger audience has diminished as it becomes expensive to follow and maybe that will be football’s ultimate downfall if in 10 years there will be a lot fewer adult football fans who are bothered enough to pay money to watch it on TV.
Weirder
You hit the nail on the head as ever.
The Genie can’t be returned to the bottle in football any more than other aspects of modern life such as the misuse of social media, divisions caused by Brexit, etc.
I’m only glad that I’m old enough to remember when football did still belong to the supporters.
Werder
Just re-read my post. Apologies for the predictive text version of you’re monicker. Weird you are not.
Don’t worry Steely, weirder things have happened with predictive text…
btw I deleted the duplicate 🙂
Though I’d agree that it’s almost impossible to fix some things once the genie is out of the bottle and Brexit is one of those in spades – Leave or Remain it’s not going to go away for years and years and years. The UK is still at the first stage of trying to organise just the withdrawal agreement even a no deal essentially means more negotiations over all the trading arrangements, citizens rights, payments due etc. What a waste of money, time and energy just to take back control from the EU elite and give it to Eton-educated elite instead! The UK will exist in a permanent state of 50-50 entrenched argument until everyone forgot what it was all about.
Werder,
It’s just like Jarndyce and Jarndyce in Bleak House. The simple gets ever more complicated and the usual suspects make the money I do however like the idea of a lawyer called Mr Tangle and Sir Leicester Deadlock. Dickens was genius. I don’t think he was the sponsor on the Boro shirts though!
UTB,
John
What a waste of money, time and energy just to take back control from the EU elite and give it to Eton-educated elite instead!
Werder, just about summed the whole sorry farce in that sentence
Indeed Deggsie, where’s Brian Rix when you need him? Though the political parties are an even bigger farce considering the positions they’ve arrived at…
– The Tory party called the referendum to avoid losing seats to the Brexit party and have now turned themselves into the Brexit party and are willing to risk a no deal exit that only has a minority following in the country.
– The Labour party claims it will negotiate a better deal and then put it to the people but then campaign against the ‘better’ deal they had negotiated in favour of remain – so good luck in persuading the EU to give them a better deal on that basis
– The Lib Dems have now decided that if they win the next election they will just cancel Brexit without another referendum to check it’s what the people want – which is neither liberal or democratic
– The SNP claim the chaos caused by a no deal Brexit will give them a mandate to call for the even more chaotic exit from the UK with another Scottish independence referendum
– The parties of Northern Ireland still can’t agree to actually return to their Northern Irish assembly but may end up staying in the EU or having a referendum to see if they want to.
– Not sure what the Monster Raving Loony party’s position is but it surely can’t make any less sense!
PS just checked their Brexit policies and it appears I was right…
– Germany to pay for all treatment of German Measles, and Spain ditto for Spanish Flu.
– France must give us back Brittany.
– All Europeans to pay to use the English Channel
– All Creme Anglais to be made in Britain.
“Give us back our football” is a laudable plea, but as Werder states, one can never put the genie back in the bottle. I’m one of the few on this forum who can remember the immediate post war years when many of us didn’t even possess a wireless never mind a television. When my father bought a television set with a 12inch screen there was only the one channel, BBC. If I remember correctly it only started broadcasting in the afternoon, each programme in black and white was introduced by either Sylvia Peters, Mary Malcolm or MacDonald Hobley who was always attired in evening dress with a black bow tie, and closed down at 11pm with the playing of the National Anthem, a different world than today.
The first sporting event I can remember being televised was the 1953 FA Cup Final between Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers, dubbed the Matthews Final. Then the Final Ashes Test from The Oval when England regained the Ashes last held in 1934. Prior to that we used to listen to FA Cup Finals on the radio, the first one I can remember being the 1948 Final when Manchester United beat Blackpool. Test Match Cricket wasn’t even broadcast in toto on the radio, mainly the odd half hour here and there. The first one I can recall was Brian Close as an 18 year old making his debut for England against New Zealand in 1949. I can even recall Freddie Mills beating Gus Lesnevich for the World light heavyweight World title, and Randy Turpin beating Archie Moore for possibly the same title all on the radio for a licence fee of 10 shillings (50 pence) even though I had no interest in Boxing but my father did. When television came there were the Snooker World Championships always won by Joe Davis. It seems incongruous nowadays to think of watching snooker in black and white.
When I got married in 1961 I couldn’t afford a television set for the first two years, but did have a radio/gramophone music centre and an old fashioned tape recorder which I used to record our favourite songs from Sunday’s two-way Family Favourites, and listened to the week’s hit parade on Radio Luxembourg where the sound was forever crackling. I used to buy sheet music of the hits of the time even though I didn’t own a piano. Regularly I also bought the Melody Maker which listed the top hits. Holidays consisted of buying a ‘roundabout’ 7 day railway ticket to visit Scarborough, Whitby, Richmond and Seaton Carew. Season tickets for Ayresome Park were a rarity for most people, but watching football was relatively cheap, 2 shillings (10 pence). I remember my take-home pay from Redcar Corporation was £38 per month, and my wife earned £6 per week as a shop assistant, yet our mortgage was £12 10shillings per month for a house which cost £2,200, and also borrowing a £100 tweve month bank loan to demolish an outside toilet to enlarge our kitchen and re-tile it. Monday nights were washing nights with a gas boiler and mangle. Our first holiday abroad was a fortnight’s tour of Austria which cost us £79 for the pair of us on 1970.
Now I relate all these facts just to demonstrate what life was like up to the early 1960s. They were happy times, and the Football belonged to the people. Replica football shirts hadn’t been invented; I used to visit Ayresome Park wearing a jacket and tie, and wore a red and white scarf plus a rosette for Cup matches. But it was Football for the working classes then, and on reflection for me the best time to be a Boro fan.
Sadly those times will never return.
Ken,
I remember those Railway tickets and we had our first ‘holiday’ in a Camping Coach at Ruswarp.
Even the Children’s Television knocked of at six o’clock and all the local kids went round to watch a neighbour’s TV on a Friday afternoon to watch The Lone Ranger, The Range Rider or Cisco Kid, then nothing until seven o’clock. Then an aunt and uncle who lived on Harrogate Crescent bought a TV, she worked at Binns, and Saturday night was a regular visit for In Town Tonight and wonder of wonders Sportsview.
An innocent time by comparison.
UTB,
John
Hi Ken,
The 1960’s must have been exciting times when all started to change! I was born the year you were married but I can remember some of the things you mentioned. I remember when we got the first colour TV, too.
We had two channels on TV in the 1970’s. But we already got a live match from the English league on Saturdays back then. Our own football season is in the summer so we had the English League on the pools coupons for most of the year as our season was short because of the winter and snow.
Hence the English League is so popular and I started to support Boro, too. My first visit to abroad was in 1980. And I am proud to say my first visit was to Teesside (or Cleveland as we said back then).
How the times have changed, indeed. If Boro was on the pools coupon, the correct results were given in the sports programme on the Finnish TV that followed the main news on Saturday evening. If not – and usually I wanted to know the result earlier – I listened to BBC World Service and James Alexander Gordon.
Now I can watch most matches live through Riverside Live on the internet. Also if travelling, I can listen live to BBC Tees Boro commentary via an application on my phone. And even while I am driving here in Finland.
I used to get all the newspaper cuttings from the two local papers incl. Spoers Gazette a week or usually two weeks later – sent to me by my late friend Austin Marsay who lived in Great Ayton. Now I can watch the aftermatch press conference just a couple of hours later.
So for me the following of Boro is radically different. And I can debate anything about Boro in here, Diasboro. But I do miss the letters from Austin, though. He was a superb fan and a friend. I still have some of the paper cuttings in my attic. Every year my wife asks me to throw them away but I cannot!
They were nostalgic times. It was before 1986, Steve Gibson and The League Cup win. Up the Boro!
Ken
You always manage to unearth gems from my childhood years which I’d forgotten.
Like you, our “holidays” were centred around the “runabout ” Railway Ticket.
The train journey from Middlelsbrough to Scarborough was an epic. Whilst the Esk Valley section was picturesque, my favourites were crossing the Larpool Viaduct at Whitby and emerging from a tunnel high up above Ravenscar (I think I’ve remembered that correctly).
Happy times indeed.
Loved Ken’s reminiscing there. I don’t quite go as far back as Ken but do remember the TV only coming on for a few hours, Snooker in black and white along with the fluttering black and white Union Jack at 11.00 pm with the national anthem playing. I also recall top loader washing machines that would dance across quarry tiled kitchen floors and mangles that would take an arm off if you were not careful. Simple but very happy days. Today’s society could (and should if our Politicians were intelligent enough) learn a lot from them.
I’m not sure if my maths is accurate but here goes; at Ken’s take home income of £38 a month the two shillings (or 10p to the younger ones) entrance fee to watch the Boro at Ayresome Park was about 0.263 per cent of his earnings. I’m going to suggest a typical Teesside monthly take home pay packet today of £2,200 would equate to £5.81 at the same 0.263 per cent.
Today’s minimum walk up price of £31 is 1.4 per cent of that £2,200 take home pay packet. At five times greater the 1.4 per cent isn’t a huge amount but it is a far cry from the loose change that it used to be in the days of black and white and £sd.
Its not Steve Gibson’s fault that the game has become more expensive and that Players and Agents wages are bleeding the game dry but it does put into perspective the sacrifice many with a young family and home to support have to make to try and attend. For the nine months of a football season excluding any cup runs, at around 2.5 home games a month that’s the equivalent of the monthly Gas or Electric bill.
Just seen that this Saturdays game is live here in Oz on BeIn so probably not available through the Boro website.
You’re right MW, just checked the MFC site and they’re not streaming video for the Cardiff game – looks like it will have to be an unofficial source!
https://www.mfc.co.uk/supporter-services/matchdaylive/upcoming-fixtures
No problem for me as will see the Cardiff game on Via Play Finland. Starts just 5 min before kick-off, though. I prefer Riverside Live as the I can hear Maddo and co on BBC Tees. Up the Boro!
Dr Beeching ruined trips out to Scarborough by rail especially for the cricket. I believe one has now to travel to Leeds to get to Scarborough. As a child the Scarborough Cricket Festival was always a great attraction especially matches against the tourists. Not only saw Len Hutton and Freddie Trueman there, but also Dennis Compton and the most graceful of batsmen, Tom Graveney always a big favourite of mine.
One other Cricket memory on the radio was Don Bradman’s Final Test match at The Oval in 1948. The England players formed a Guard of Honour for him as he walked to the wicket and my Dad said wouldn’t it be odd if he was out first ball. Well he was out second ball clean bowled by spinner Eric Hollies. I didn’t realise the significance of that at the time as Australia won the match by an innings to win the series 4-0. Nor was I aware that if Bradman had just scored 4 runs, he would have finished with a Test batting average of exactly 100. I remember though that England had been bowled out for 52 in the first innings with some of the press claiming that perhaps another urn should be made to signify the ‘cremation’ of English Cricket. It’s strange how things that happened over 70 years ago are still in my memory, whilst many recent events I have quite forgotten.
As for Boxing connoisseurs my memory has played tricks with me on that one about Randolph Turpin. After posting it I knew instinctively that he hadn’t fought Archie Moore. It was in fact his bouts with Sugar Ray Robinson which were broadcast on the radio. I might be wrong but I don’t think Robinson was his real name, Walker-Smith comes to mind, but as I mentioned I wasn’t really a Boxing fan but my father certainly was.
Ken, the last time I went to Scarborough
I went via York that was in 1998.
Bri
Borobrie
Thanks, I stand corrected.
Glad t be back for the ton.
I was just looking at the Premier League table and it’s pretty amazing that while Liverpool have won all 5 of their games and Man City have won 3, no other team has won more than 2 games. Brighton for example are just one point and two places above the bottom three, yet they are only 3 points behind Spurs in third. In fact Tottenham are one of ten teams separated by just a single point. At this stage last season, 8 teams had won 3 or more games – maybe the concept of big six is starting to fade with the likes of Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs becoming just part of the inconsistent pack.
Boring Liverpool. They win the league always. Just like 30 years ago 😜
I guess it will be Forest next. Up the Boro!
Werder
At least in the Premier League, Championship and Division 2 every club has played the same number of matches 5,7and 9. I don’t know what to make of Division 1 though, because of postponement of matches during the international break and the expulsion of Bury, Portsmouth have only played 6 matches, Bolton, Doncaster and Rotherham have played 7, and the rest 8 or 9 matches. It does throw up an imbalance rather like what occurs in the Scottish Highland League once Winter sets in.
Test
ODI
20-20
I laughed aloud at Werdermouth’s summary of Brexit, and agree that it could well fit in nicely as a Brian Rix farce, But by putting it all into music and verse Gilbert and Sullivan would have probably had another major operatic hit.
Maybe the Gilbert and Sullivan song entitled ‘Oh False One You Have Deceived Me’ would be appropriate…
“Brexit” the Musical!
Can we copyright that I wonder?
A few soundtracks are already entering my head as I type.
“EU are the one that I want”
“Let It Go”
“ I Want to be with America”
“Superfarageilisticbrexitsnotatrocious”
And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going
Although I wonder if the ‘EU the one that I want’ should technically be reserved for Grexit given it’s origins…
I too noticed that we are on TV here in Oz on Saturday (midnight Sydney time). They obviously get the right to pick one of the 3pm games which may not be available in the UK. I’m sorry for people internationally who wont get access but it made me realise how incredibly lucky we are as sports fans.
For example, this coming Saturday for example, we can sit at home in Oz and watch three or four games in the Rugby World Cup live from Japan, playoff games in the local rugby league comp (brutal) and a preliminary final in the Local Aussie Rules competition (if you’ve never watched the game, have a look. It’s legalised mayhem and a fantastic game to watch). Then there is EPL live, EFL live, Grand Prix practice, American football, baseball and golf as long as someone is playing and anything else you can think of. Last week, i was flipping between the Solheim Cup, Moto GP, The Test match and then Boro on iFollow.
I too remember the days when the most we got about Boro was a score in the paper and once in a while an article in a soccer magazine.
Cardiff wont be easy. They could sell tickets to Ayala vs Flint.
UTB
Well, Arthur Sullivan has already supplied us with the music from ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ it only remains for a lyricist to give us the words, so by incorporating those of William Gilbert with some of my own, how about this for a starter:-
When an MP’s not engaged in his vocation (his vocation)
He’s probably engaged in little plans (little plans)
His capacity for fooling half the Nation (half the Nation)
Is just as great as any other man’s (other man’s).
Our feelings he will often try to smother (try to smother)
With Parliamentiary duties to be done (to be done),
So taking one consideration with another (with another)
An MP’s lot is not an easy one (easy one).
When it comes to sorting out a deal to exit Europe (exit Europe)
They’ve brought the Country to a rightful mess (rightful mess)
So taking one consideration with another (with another)
How it will end is anybody’s guess (-body’s guess).
So let’s hope when they at last reach a conclusion (a conclusion)
It benefits us all and we can look ahead (look ahead)
Cos the way it’s heading at this moment (at this moment)
It’s likely some of us may well be dead (well be dead).
But in the meantime we still have our Diasboro (Diasboro)
Cos our forum is a happy one (happy one).
So taking one consideration with another (with another)
It’ll still be here well after I have gone.
Ken
Just brilliant 🎼🎼🎼
Well done Ken, very clever!
Nice one Ken. You beat me to it. I have many happy memories of playing in and also choreographing Pirates of Penzance . TThere are so many of the songs out of this operetta that just lend themselves so well to covering the current political impasse in the country. I had several ideas in my head, but here’s one to add into the growing libtretto in here….
Boris:
Oh better far to live and die
Under the Union Jack I fly
Than play a sanctimonious part
With an honest head and an honest heart
Away to cheating world I go
Where power corrupting inflates ego
But I’ll be true to the song I rhyme
And live and die as Minister Prime
For I am the Minister Prime
Tory MPs:
(He is hurrah for the Minister Prime)
Boris:
And it is, it is a glorious thing to be the Minister Prime
Tory MPs:
(It is, hurrah for the Minister Prime, hurrah for the Minister Prime)
Boris:
When I sally forth to lead and rule
I please myself with the Royal tools
I tell a few more fibs its true
Than a well bred minister ought to do
But many a Brit on the first class throne
When he wants to call this land his own
Must manage somehow to push laws through
With more dirty work the way I do
For I am the Minister Prime
Tory MPs:
(He is hurrah for the Minister Prime)
Boris:
And it is, it is a glorious thing to be the Minister Prime
Tory MPs:
(It is, hurrah for the Minister Prime, hurrah for the Minister Prime)
Nice one Powmill, I recall many years ago attending some party in Notting Hill thrown by some chief exec in BA who was a friend of a previous girl friend where they put on an amateur production of the Pirates of Penzance – I declined the offer to play a part on the grounds that I rarely sing in tune!
I can still see the contorted pained expression on the audience’s faces from that karaoke night in Ibiza when I decided to demolish Oasis’s Wonderwall – some things just never leave you!
Powmill-Naemore
I concede, it’s far better than my effort. I was trying to keep The Policeman’s Song in mind and occasionally got lost in the scansion and obviously used some of Gilbert’s words. Nevertheless I hope one can follow the gist of what I was trying to convey.
I actually started using a different song from ‘The Mikado’ :-
Now someday it will happen to us victims I’ll be bound,
I’ve got a little list, I’ve got a little list
Of Parliamentary offenders who might well go underground
And who never would be missed, I’ve got them on my list.
There’s the electoral candidates who canvass for your votes
But never come to visit you once the votings closed, etc.
And then I got stuck, but would certainly have them on my list.
However it proved too difficult unless someone else can finish it off. But it was fun trying to guess how Ko-Ko would have added Boris on his list.
Thanks for that Ken. You do what my Dad did when he was alive and that I have inherited from him. Just enjoying what you can do with words deployed in verse. I thank him for that and thank you for reminding me of that in him. I’m the bane of my wife’s life, automatically spinning almost any quote into a rewrite of some well known song or another.
As for G&S. Well although I am not a fan of the D’Oyly Carte insistence that everything should be performed as originally staged, I love that so much of their work really does apply to life and situation today. Their satire shines through and you can do wonderful things theatrically with it.
You mentioned the Little List song from Mikado. Did you ever see Jonathan Miller’s production a way back in the 80s I think. Eric Idle was famous in that for often amending the lyrics of that piece to be topical to the audience of the day. Long may the Kens and the Erics and the Powmill’s Dads of the world carry on a worthy tradition.
Despite my best efforts to approach life in a youthful manner, I think I’m starting to hear the siren voices of middle age. A couple of days ago I fell asleep watching TV on the sofa and woke up with a painful twisted neck. The next day I had to go for two booster injections for tetanus and tick-borne encephalitis (it’s prevalent in Germany), one in each shoulder and now both are extremely sore. Yesterday, I strained my lower back lifting our bulky sofa so Mrs Werder could hoover behind it (apparently that’s what women do) and then when cycling to school with my son strained my achilles as I wasn’t warmed up and it was quite chilly. Today I managed to pull a tendon in my thigh getting down from a ladder and now have tendonitis. The good news is that my left leg feels great but just about everything else is complaining like hell – I think I better retire to the sofa shortly with a glass of wine as befits a man of my age and hope I’ll be match fit by the weekend.
Owch!
Sofa and wine… very befitting whatever the age
And very deserved by the sounds of things.
Life is a marathn not a sprint, spo make sure to pace yourself well Werder !!!
Thanks Powmill, though every day seems to be a marathon for me – but I did win the school sprint when I was 11 😉
Now you are just showing off 😉
Poor Werdermouth is in the wars
As Middle Age is on the way
But hopes he’s fit to follow
The Boro this Saturday.
He’s pulled a tendon in his thigh
So now not so fast and nifty,
But for now he must remember
He’s probably nearer sixty years than fifty.
Hope you’re not ready to join the pipe and slippers brigade just yet.
Cheers Ken for that verse, whilst I may no longer be poetry in motion I’m still only half way at 55 so sixty is not a word I recognise 🙂
These days I’m not really into politics nor music for that matter as I used to be ten years ago. I recall the European Championships 3 years ago and the match against Russia. I was on a Danube river cruise with Titan and the ship had a members bar at the rear which was showing the match on TV. The following morning the Tour Manager informed me that we were out of Europe. I was quite puzzled by that as although it had been a rough match on and off the field, there was some speculation that Russia might be expelled, but not England. In all innocence I remarked that I was surprised, then the Tour Manager retorted “Get a grip, Ken. I’m talking about Brexit”. There was laughter at my innocence, but Brexit had completely passed me by.
As for music I used to buy the Melody Maker in my youth and as I mentioned before was au fait with the top singers and groups of the time right up to Abba. Still am a big fan of Bing, Sinatra and Neil Diamond as well as the English contingent of Pet Clarke, the late David Whitfield and Ronnie Hilton, but don’t know West Life from McFly. However I’ve always loved classical music from Beethoven to Chopin, and although having not listened to Gilbert and Sullivan for years I’ve enjoyed the last couple of days remembering how brilliantly they made the ‘establishment’ sound so ridiculous. I find Boris so funny as a buffoon, but certainly not as a politician never mind as the Minister Prime as Powmill so brilliantly portrayed him yesterday.
But now it’s time for Football and the Boro especially. As both the Speedway season and Rugby League season both reach their climax (Cas may well finish their season tonight with defeat at Warrington, but I live in hope) and apart from the last few weeks of the European Golf season, Boro will now have my undivided attention. As I say, it’s been great to chat about other subjects other than Football these last couple of days, especially for someone like me living alone, and praise must go to Werdermouth for allowing Diasboro to be an outlet for other topics which were probably not envisaged when this forum was formed. It’s been a lovely diversion.
But as Autumn approaches next week and the clocks go back at the end of next month, let’s hope that Boro can adapt to their new style of playing. I’m quite happy with what I’ve seen in patches so far this season, but consistency is what we need. A mid-table finish this season, a shot at the playoffs next season, and promotion the following season may not be as far-fetched as some of us might think. But time is ticking, especially for me, so come on Boro give us the success we all crave for.
Up the Boro.
In truth, there’s really not much to debate regarding Boro at the moment – can’t see any controversial team selection issues regarding who isn’t getting a game that has made a case to be picked? Saville? Browne? Gestede? Tavernier? It’s a thin squad where the first team almost picks itself now. Even the managerial or head coach situation is settled and I can’t see Woodgate’s position being under threat in the near future.
Any transfer speculation won’t really arise for about three months so it’s really only about the games and it seems the last two performances have seen an improvement but the underlying issues of taking chances and defensive solidity remain a work in progress. So at this moment we are essentially observers of the Woodgate project that sees us in mid-table as we await to see if Boro will excite or exercise us by either heading towards being potential play-off contenders or face the risk of dropping into a possible relegation battle. At the moment neither looks that likely so it’s a case of seeing how each game proceeds.
It’s a mood of apathy and few people feel they have too many Boro issues on their mind.
Werder, is apathy meaning that Boro are playing well? Or did you mean Brexit.
Up the Boro!
I think Boro have played quite well in the last two games and I’ve enjoyed the games but they’ve looked vulnerable at the back and are still not testing the opposition keeper enough. I think if Boro remain in mid table when most people’s expectations this season are not much beyond that then it will be a level mood of neither promotion excitement or relegation worries.
The apathy comes from knowing there is nothing to do but wait to see what happens next as we don’t have any players who many think should be playing other than perhaps Ayala. There’s probably nothing controversial that is exercising people and until Boro climb the table and look like being part of the playoff contenders then there’s nothing to dash hopes or get overly excited about.
Who are you suggesting we put on?
Werder
Surely we are not seriously saying that we can go on playing Britt as the person who is going to score goals.
I mean, come on, to leave him on as you try to close out the last twenty is a triumph of hope over experience, three subs, and still he is trying to, a, hold the ball up, b, run with the ball into the corners, c, win the ball in the air and torment the defenders by holding the ball in their half.
Hand up anyone who has seen him do any of the same this season? Thought not, me too.
See question above
Hearts and Minds.
MFC will always have the hearts of the fans, their minds of course are a totally different kettle of fish.
JW is at the moment winning that particular battle by playing adventurous football. However, before long results and position on the league table will come in to play. That’s when he will face his true test.
One thing you can say about having a cult manager, which Woody doesn’t feel like, is this – there’s never a dull moment and you do feel like you’re part of something special. We know it’s not healthy, but those feelings at the best of times – who wants to let them go? Until reality ultimately hits us in the face, the kind the dissenters claim they saw well in advance.
“The matter with human beans is that they is absolutely refusing to believe in anything unless they is actually seeing it right in front of their own schnozzles.”
Too right, RD.
Strachan was a cult manager wasn’t he?
OFB
OFB,
Sort of.
UTB,
John
Did you mean Celt and not cult? Just saying, like. Up the Boro!
Jarkko
It’s how you say cult in a Teesside Accent that really puts it into perspective!
OFB
O.F.B.
I think your pronunciation is a bit off.
Or my spelling ?
OFB
Well done Si nice to see you back!
I never could understand the meaning of cult?
But perhaps it’s the way I spell it !
OFB
If the cult’s taking you somewhere, though – which Strachan’s didn’t at any point, but down – that’s different.
A question often raised by a cultist, which, to be fair, is also raised by me when the cult is still succeeding, or seems close to succeeding, is this…
“I have successfully applied my principles to the club. Why on earth should anyone possibly want to criticise the means to comparatively wealthy and glorious ends?”
In other words:
“So what? It works. Lighten up and enjoy the ride, dissenters.”
None of the last 24 league meetings – all in the second-tier – have ended as a draw between Cardiff and Middlesbrough (12 wins each).
So if we won’t see a draw tomorrow, I will predict a surprise 0-1 win for Boro. Assombalonga.
We have never won away when Warnock has been the manager in the opposition dug-oit.
Up the Boro!
Can’t see anything changing to be honest Jarrko, apart from Flint doing something tomorrow he did not do with the Boro.
There may be a small chance of the match being available on the web somewhere, as it is being shown widely in Australasia and in parts of Europe.
Pedro
I agree, we could end up with an old boy’s nightmare! Flint, Bennett and Tomlin to score albeit the latter is doubtful following his car accident.
Seriously, I think it is more likely to be one or two nil to them and the guy who scored a pre-season hat trick against us will no doubt make his mark again.
If anyone finds a stream do tell please otherwise it will be a radio commentary Saturday.
CoB prove me wrong! 😎
I’m blaming Werder and Ken that I ended up penning this piece of “infernal nonsense” as the Major General might have it:
We’re playing Cardiff City away in the Principality
The game is in the afternoon tomorrow that is Saturday
We hope to score more freely than at times we have done latterly
And end the day with all the Boro singing songs so happily
The other team will do it’s best to make sure we don’t have our way
But if we win three points it’s them not us with feelings of dismay
Let’s hope Assombalonga has both feet inside his scoring shoes
To cheerfully score goals that mean the Reds go on to sink the Blues
(To cheerfully score goals that mean the Reds go on to sink the Blues
To cheerfully score goals that mean the Reds go on to sink the Blues
To cheerfully score goals that mean the Reds go on to sink, to sink the Blues)
We’re very good at winning when that fact can seem improbable
At other times we lose the games and all the fans shout “Typical!”
In short in matters tactical, strategical and fanciful
We are the very model of a team that can be magical
(In short in matters tactical, strategical and fanciful
We are the very model of a team that can be magical!)
So after all that I have to keep inhaling the foam and predict an unexpected 2-1 win for the boys.
COB
Well Done Gilbert
Whilst in a Gilbert and Sullivan mode I thought maybe I could turn Ko-Ko’s song of his list in ‘The Mikado’ but in a more positive mood especially if he was a Boro fan, so here goes:-
I just knew that it would happen, ‘twas certain it would seem
I’ve made a little list, I’ve made a little list
Of players of our Football Club that has made up our great team
Who’ve certainly I’ve missed, I’ve got THEM on my list.
There’s firstly our George Camsell who did score so many goals
I’m sure that if we’d seen him, he’d be top of all our polls.
Then little Wilfie Mannion with all his England caps
Who had such a natural talent of finding all those gaps.
George Hardwick was our cap-it-an and made the ladies swoon
When he stepped on the field of play on Sat’day afternoon.
I’ve got them on my list, I’ve got THEM on my list.
We can’t forget ‘old big head’ with the name of Brian Clough,
To score so many goals for us was clearly not enough.
We won’t forget the Scottish lad, Graeme Souness was his name,
And defender Willie Maddren when he was on his game,
And later Tony Mowbray, our cap-it-an supreme
Was the one we knew as Mogga and the leader of our team.
I’ve got them on my list, I’ve got THEM on my list.
As time went by John Hickton came, a man with quite a shot,
Especially with his run up as he approached the penalty spot.
We must include John Hendrie, a wee man and a Scot.
He too was quite a fast man with quite a superb shot.
But then came the Brazilian, Juninho was his name.
As good as Wilfie Mannion when he was on his game???
But I’ve got him on my list, they’d ALL be on my list.
But there have been some others I suggest would not be really missed;
Martin Braithwaite is one who comes to mind. He would NOT be on my list.
Gestede is just another one I’d sooner we got rid;
I’m hoping that it won’t be long we get some kind of bid.
And finally a manager who seems no matter what the rule is,
Often had a different viewpoint, his name was Tony Pulis.
So none of those three I’ve missed, they’re on a DIFFERENT list.
Yes they would not be missed, Yes they have not been missed.
Brilliant Ken. Loved it. That list ( the good ones not the turnips) could have almost endless variations for us all, but I reckon most I not all the ones in your list would feature in everyone’s.
Absolutely fantastic Ken – got me singing along!
Hope you are keeping well – can’t be doing too bad to come up with that ditty!
Yes, Powmill, but I don’t know about you, but I’ve enjoyed being reminded of Gilbert and Sullivan. It’s been quite cathartic. Well done by the way on your last attempt.
Infernal nonsense it may be, but very entertaining both to read (well, sing in my head) and to write.
Just had a thought. Between us all in here we could probably write the lyrics for Boro, The Musical,😉
Sure to be a smash hit !!!!
Cleveland hills are alive with the sound of music 🎵
OFB
Always look on the Bright Side of Life is ripe for new lyrics I feel!
Redcar Red
I apologise I’ve checked my posts and haven’t thanked you for your excellent match report last week
I must admit I’ve been busy with doctors and blood count checks for three days but that’s no excuse when Ken can still post during his bouts of incapacity
I really enjoyed the match report and without doubt it was the best written report of the game anywhere
Thanks for taking the effort it’s very much appreciated by us all.
As an afterthought
Did you know the Boro have a special season card deal on at the moment 🙏
OFB
Does anybody listen to the Gazettes tripe supper. I haven’t but think it must be a load of tripe.
I’ve never listened to one completely Macolm, I have clicked on a few but lost interest very quickly. I just can’t get Hale and Pace out of my head when seeing them at the top of the Gazette pages.
You have trouble with your spelling as well!
OFB
There’s always one clever dick or OFB! 🤣😎
On a more serious note, I don’t know what RR is doing if he hasn’t bought a season ticket to enable him to continue producing the quality reports that he does.
One of the first things I do mid morning on a Sunday is to settle down with a coffee and read RR’s match report.
Despite having watched or listened to the match my self I still very much look forward to a “friends” take on the game, particularly from one who in my view pulls no punches and tells it as he saw it.
He puts many of our current local reporters to shame and is my version of the Sports Gazette (Cliff Mitchell) which I used to get mailed to me in various parts of the country for many years.
In my much younger days, aged 13/14, I used to sell the Sports Gazette on a Saturday evening in the high street in Stockton, being one of Micky Fenton’s paper boys.
Thank you RR, I hope that you will continue with your valued reports, however you manage to achieve them, for many years to come. 😎
Agreed – in response to KP – how is Mrs KP doing?
And on a follow up to the Gilbert and Sullivan inspired pieces from Ken and PNM ( both brilliant by the way) I can’t get the Policeman’s ditty from Pirates of Penzance out of my head!
The best I can come up with is
When football supporting duties are to be done
A Boro supporters lot is not a happy one
Happy one
Poor I know
Onto tomorrow I predict a 2 2 draw
BBD
Thank you so much for your thoughtful enquiry.
I am pleased to report that Mrs P is progressing well. Gradually doing more and more tasks around the house albeit not bending, lifting heavy items or driving yet.
Karon was well enough to get back to UK for our nieces wedding at the beginning of September which we were so pleased to be able to do. Unfortunately it was during the international break so not able to fit in a match!
Still waiting for results of tumour examination, hopefully to be received in the next couple of weeks as Spain catches up from its August holiday.
Thanks again. 😎
Now some very sad news. I love Rugby League but am always mindful how dangerous it can be as a contact sport, especially with head injuries. I still wince when I see cricketers hit on the head by fast bowlers and when Speedway riders are in collisions, but at least they have head protection as do American Footballers. But it is impractical for rugby players to wear no more than a rather flimsy head-guard, so the tragic death of 25 year old Senior Aircraftman Scott Stevenson dying last Monday following a head injury two days earlier playing for the RAF against the Army has hit the sport of Rugby League very badly.
As in all sport there is a six day concussion assessment period before a player is allowed to return to the field of play, but sadly for Scott his head injuries were too severe. On both of the two Rugby League matches at Warrington and Wigan last night there was a minute’s silence in memory of the lad and it was noticeable how one Cas player was moved to tears and consoled by one of his teammates. Scott was born in Harrogate and had connections with Championship Club York City Knights who have a playoff match against Featherstone Rovers this afternoon when a minute’s silence will I’m sure be impeccably observed, so much more poignant and respectful than a minute’s applause.
I’d never heard of Scott, but like all Rugby League fans my heart goes out to his family and friends at this sad time.
RIP, Scott.
Don’t worry about those three ex-Boro players at Cardiff, we’ve got Gestede to even it out…
Difficult game today. Cardiff haven’t been great overall this year but are strong at home.
Cardiff 2-1 Boro 😔
Cardiff 0 Boro 1
0 1 to Boro
I think I’ll go with that !
OFB
As the Boro have gone down to play at Cardiff (play at Cardiff)
A game I think they’ll lose by 2 to 1 (2 to 1)
With another 7 matches played so quickly (played so quickly)
A Boro player’s life’s a busy one (busy one).
So here’s hoping that we win so many more gamesmanship (many more games),
Cos we must do that when all is said and done (said and done)
If we want to climb this season’s bloomin’ table (bloomin’ table)
Yes, a Boro player’s life’s a busy one (busy one).
So let all of us support our team, the Boro (team the Boro)
For the matches in October could be won (could be won),
So taking one consideration with another (with another),
Supporting our own team just might be fun (might be fun).
Sorry, for the repetition at the end of each line, but I just can’t get that bloomin’ Gilbert and Sullivan tune out of my head.
Sorry for the word ‘gamesmanship’ appearing, should just be ‘games’. Hate this predictive text.
Has anyone got a link to watch the match for someone In Mexico, because it has been chosen for international coverage it is not available on MFC website.
Come on BORO.
Two all today. I’ll happily take a point at their place.
Team: Randolph, Dijksteel, Fry, Shotton, Ayala, Johnson, Clayton, Saville, McNair, Fletcher, Assombalonga.
Come on BORO.
Looks like a 3-5-2. Good call JW. Tempted to change my prediction to Cardiff 1-2 Boro…. 😊
My friend Ayala back as Captain. Great stuff. But Saville instead of Wing….mmmm
I’ve just found this unofficial link if anyone needs one…
Though Boro have just gone behind 🙁
Thanks Werder. Much appreciated asI lost the commentary for a while and missed the goal! 😎
Not sure what Saville is doing playing instead of Wing. 8 shots, none on target. Sorry forgot Fletcher.
Well that was a waste of a nice sunny afternoon – didn’t really understand the tactic of playing a back three with essentially two defensive midfielders in Clayton and Saville with Dijksteel who’s not a wing-back. It seems Woodgate’s trip to Wales was haunted by the ghost of Pulis – unsurprisingly, Boro managed no shots on target and indeed Cardiff had just one. Little entertainment and not sure where Woodgate was heading with that. Poor Game with little quality on display.
Well no surprises, no points and no shots on goal. A very poor match contested by two very poor teams.
It doesn’t matter what system you play or who is chosen to play as the same old failings which have been present for a number of seasons are ever present. A lack of creativity, composure and ability in the final third.
Work in progress = a lack of progress at present and if JW and his players cannot get the basics right then their is little hope. Corners, throw ins and free kicks were again abysmal.
Difficult to pick a MOTM, it is easier to pick a number who just did not perform, BA and GS being the star non performers.
It is sad to say it but it is what it is, an average club, with an average team and average management who will be spending more time looking over their shoulders at the teams below them than at those above them. 😎
No surprises today then.
While this afternoon’s encounter with Cardiff may have been just like Boro’s delayed flight to South Wales in that it never seemed like it would ever take off, it’s once again time for the entertaining part of today’s game. While I can’t promise there will be any more goals it will at least prove to be coherent and have more energy and purpose – it’s Redcar Red’s match report…
https://diasboro.club/2019/09/21/cardiff-1-0-boro/
Thanks RR for a quality report on a game conspicuously lacking it. Very, very much appreciated.
A very disappointing watch. Fully agree with RR’s assessment. We did play some nice stuff at times but it all faded away when we reached their box. We had obviously been working on some corner routines but obviously those involved today must have missed that session. Also did anyone else notice what we were doing when we had a goal kick? We had two outfield players who stayed in the penalty area. It is obviously a plan as just before half time Woodgate was seen telling them to move up as there was only 2 minutes to go.
Because of this seasons new goal kick rule ( it doesn’t have to leave the penalty area) teams are taking advantage of it to give the goalkeeper an easy out either side.
On the Fletcher OG, I have never been a fan of strikers defending in the box. The more Boro players in the box the more the opposition can commit in there.
And as for throw-ins, words fail me!
“A very unflattering performance overall from both sides.”
“A dour Championship game that Boro never really looked like getting anything out of.”
These could have been copy pasted from the meeting between Boro and Cardiff the season when the Bluebirds got promoted. But they were from the RR report above.
The Warnock team is even worse to follow than Pullis’, me thinks. We did not deserve to lose but we did. Credit to Warnock then.
And credit for RR for the report, too but it was not a great watch from either side.
I don’t think we were the worst team on the field and a 0-0 result would have been fair.
Up the Boro!
Thanks RR for another down to earth report.
As for Boro could it be the song Down Down by Status Quo that we fear.
Surely Saville will be sold in January to try and recoup some of the extortionate fee we paid for him. Down the road you go soon.
RR
Many thanks your superlative standard is much appreciated
OFB
Thanks RR for another excellent report which accurately reflected on a poor game played by two poor teams.
For much of yesterday, I felt I was watching a GM team of a few seasons ago. No identity, shape or idea.
This was light years away from playing attacking football at pace and on the front foot scoring goals as JW has preached! 😎
In fairness I think Woodgate has realised the folly of his dream football and now realises he will need to play with what resources he has available. Evolution not revolution id required. His admirable defence, support and praise for his charges hasn’t been reciprocated by a few of them unfortunately for him.
Reading elsewhere there is a bit of a knee jerk anti Manager reaction this morning in some quarters. Putting aside my own misgivings from the off and looking at things objectively I actually think that Woodgate’s tactics made sense and as the game itself would have probably worked. Had we come away with a 0-0 draw down there everyone would have hailed it as a tactical masterclass from the apprentice over the master.
There was only that own goal over the entire 90 minutes between the two sides. Cardiff had a few attempts at us but we stood strong and the defence worked apart from nobody was marking Fletcher at the corner for which I don’t think we can realistically apportion blame. No having said that the rest of the tactics were very lacking and the midfield dysfunctional and clunky. The restrictions and added responsibilities placed on Dijksteel and Johnson meant that they were less able to provide attacking support.
With those changes to the defensive set up the midfield really needed to be more assertive and attack minded. Clayts was still in defensive mode which away from home was maybe tactical but McNair was left with nobody to interact with and so was far less effective. The less said about Saville’s contribution the better. Fletcher was lively but nothing was joined up and as he proved at the wrong end he needs to repeat that feat at the other end and get in amongst it.
Britt can’t sit and wait for the ball away from home when playing with five at the back. He needs to be fighting for it and dragging opposition CB’s wide, causing confusion and to do that needs mobility, energy and determination. As I mentioned in my report Yakou Meite last week and Omar Bogle yesterday showed how to get in amongst it and create problems at this level. Bogle is a former England C international and at a reported fee of £700K shouldn’t be anywhere near Britt’s standards if money has anything to do with it. Its as much attitude as it is ability at this level which is why Dijksteel caught my eye yesterday (and for the exact opposite reasons why Bola did last week against Reading).
Watching Man City last night and seeing City players (already 5 or 6 goals up) still fighting, battling and scrapping for balls near the Watford Corner Flag just illustrates the work levels and attitude required to succeed. Some sportsmen are born fighters and winners, others have to learn and acquire those traits whilst for many they just go along with things and are happy to do so. Some like Cream will rise to the top whilst many will just be part of the contents. Not having the skill is forgivable but not having the attitude isn’t as the Team of ’86 illustrated.
Going back to the Manager. He doesn’t have a lot to work with but its far better to have three of four additional poorly skilled fighters out there than three or four passengers.
Agreed, RR it’s about putting in a shift as a team and we haven’t done that for a long while.
Additionally, if you don’t do the basics right then you are not going to achieve anything. Execution at corners, free kicks and throw ins was poor as was the ability to pick a pass or control the ball first time.
I know this is supposed to be work in progress but I just don’t see it coming good anytime soon with this bunch of players. 😎
Thankfully for Redcar Red, all those games reporting on Tony Pulis displays has enabled him to produce a very good match report of a game that had little of interest to be commented on – so full marks for the Cardiff coverage!
Personally, I’m at a loss to see where Woodgate was going with those tactics as surely the object of his appointment was to move the team forward from seeing how many defensive players it was possible to select with the emphasis on keeping a clean sheet and maybe nicking a goal.
The fear for me is that he was trying to accommodate all his available talkers on the pitch and essentially focus on being hard to break down. The problem is once you remove a few progressive minded players in favour of functional stoppers, those creative players who are left have less chance to be creative themselves and forwards don’t expect much service. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy and no coincidence that McNair had one of least effective games of the season.
I actually thought Assombalonga showed some good strength and touches during the first half of the game but he seemed to withdraw as the game went on and it became more disjointed. Also without Howson, there are few players in a Boro shirt prepared to put in crosses – Dijksteel is not a wing-back and rarely takes his man on. Strangely, Bola looks more of a wing-back than a full-back but was dropped for a bad performance last week – despite that, I would have rather seen Johnson on the right and Bola on the left and certainly not both Clayton and Saville together. Wing may not be as consistent this season but he’s still the only real creative passing midfielder.
Anyway, definitely several steps back yesterday and perhaps a sign that Woodgate may be less wedded to his pressing game than he initially claimed in his job interview – What was that again that he said about needing to score goals to win games…
Surprisingly there have only been five goalless draws in the Championship this season so far in 96 matches. The one between Wigan and Barnsley produced 7 shots on target, three others produced 6 shots on target, and yesterday’s between Bristol City and Swansea 4 on target, yet Cardiff v Boro should tell you all you need to know about the standard of this Division when both teams could only muster one on target between them. 18 matches have finished with a single goal, and 16 have ended with a 1-1 draw. That’s 39 matches out of 96 (40.26%). Last season goalless and 1-1 draws plus single goal wins totalled 197 out of 552 matches (35.69%).
This season’s statistics show that the likelihood of any team scoring more than one goal in a match seems less likely this season, so what can one conclude from these statistics? That the Karanka and Pulis methods are the most successful, or that the standard in this league is dropping season by season, or that maybe any one of 18 clubs could reach the playoffs?
A mere 8 goals from 8 matches is on a par with last season, but 9 goals conceded is more than last season’s average, and at the moment we have played only two teams in the top half of the league.
Unless a club has midfielders and strikers of above average talent who fit into Woodgate’s preferred system, then we have no chance of improving. Play to our strengths not our weaknesses, and until we can replace players programmed and brainwashed into old habits, stick to what we’re good at no matter how unattractive that might be. Practically every match in this league is winnable, but also loseable. Should we persist with Woodgate’s preferred system however laudable and risk a relegation dog fight, or do we abandon that idea and make ourselves hard to beat? What a dilemma! Who’d be a manager?
Is it just me or is this a replay of last season.
Tav unable to make it onto the pitch, ( forget the three minutes spells) Wing removed from the pitch by the simple expedient of playing him in defensive areas, then dropping him, then bringing him in late on (very) as we sink to another defeat (aimless) oh! I forgot to mention, the remarks about him being ‘ disappointing’
I thought that it was the fool Pulis, but it looks now as though it was Woodgate pulling the strings.
Our big big problem is that we have no one on our books who likes scoring goals, is good at scoring goals, and wants to score goals. This is shown on a regular basis by Britt.
I should have said we have no player who cost a lot of money.
Wing scored 37 goals in one season, so common sense would suggest playing him in a forward position where any chances might fall to him, the addition of Tav might lead to some serious goal scoring.
Remember, scoring goals is an art quite separate from the rest of the game, like goalkeeping, anyone who can put it in the net can do it at any level.
So, could we have a complete rethink on our path forward, you know it makes sense
and it might even save your career?
If he dropped Bola and Wing (deservedly in my opinion in both cases) then Britt needs a spell on the bench (just for those penalties alone) along with one or two others.
Thankfully Howson seems back to nearing full fitness and I would go with the same three at the back but with Howson as the RWB. Dijksteel I think may make a better Midfield player (as I believe he once was) as he has good upper body strength and tackling ability along with a bit of close control and a willingness to get a shot off. Maybe he is a more attacking replacement for Clayton with Wing and McNair alongside him to gel with?
I think Johnson has been offering more than many of the others so deserves to be slotted in somewhere but perhaps not LWB which I think Coulson could be the ideal one for that. Bola unfortunately just looked out of his depth and not particularly looking to impress against Reading. A spell on the sidelines may improve his hunger. So that leaves one other spot up for grabs which I would let Tav and Browne fight it out. As for the others despite their huge price tags they need to prove their worth.
Randolph
Fry, Ayala, Shotton
Dijksteel
Howson, McNair, Coulson
Wing
Johnson, Browne (or Tav)
Good news story:
https://www.nottheoldfirm.com/analysis/middlesbrough-loanee-stubbs-hamilton/
perhaps timely considering that other news stories today are linking/touting Fry to Man City for £20m in January. Sell and loan back in January until the end of this season and then Stubbs starting next season?
Thanks for the match report RR. It was more exciting reading than listening to it on Radio Tees although you confirmed that Boro failed to make any worthwhile attack. I am travelling over next weekend and am looking forward to visiting the moors railway on Friday. If we show the same lack of attacking ability against Sheffield Wednesday I will be wishing I had just gone to the rail gala. The next few games look like being bigger tests than we have had so far (apart from Bristol City) and we could be in serious trouble by the end of October. (Huddersfield are probably wishing our game came up sooner.)
Thank you Redcar Red for your nail on the head alternative match report that put our local paper to shame with their damage limitation blind reports.
I did pen a longer diatribe, but probably thankfully it has disappeared in a black hole somewhere.
I have to say though that I agreed with Werder that Woodgate got his-selection wrong against a very poor Cardiff side that has high expectations.
Wing for all his under par displays (compared to last season) is still a far better option and automatic starter than a number of alternatives. Saville…..really???
He is the only player that has that creativity we are missing. Britt, yes he does have that languid style, but we know what he is and his service has been abysmal. High lumped forward balls, with a seven foot CB alongside him……really???
Where were the through balls, crosses into the box from wide…….none existent. Play to his strengths not his weaknesses. He is all we have got. I would drop Fletcher, he just is not making any real progress and try somebody else.
It is going to be a long season, trying to pick up one + something points on average to keep us out of a relegation battle.
Thanks to RR for another quality report on a poor quality game. What is it about these infernal two week international interludes that we always seem to come back from weakly.
We know that on form Wing and Tab have a goal in them, so maybe RR is right to suggest dropping Assombalonga and Fletcher to the bench might be the right thing to do even if we don’t have any other designated “strikers” in the squad.
Tab =Tav of course !
I see Bolton only had 12,000 at the game against Sunderland at the weekend, ( a large chunk of which would probably been away fans).
A poor show from Bolton fans who were full of angst when the club almost folded. Newcastle and Sunderland fans by and large stuck with their clubs after relegation. I wonder what the reactions of Boro fans would be if the club were to suffer the same fate?
Sadly GHW, very much the same.
I think we are going to see probably a season by season drop in crowds at the Riverside as Mr Gibson ever tightens the pursestrings.
So unless Mr Woodgate can stave off relegation and make a silk purse out of a sows ear with his 433 attacking brand of football it could be all downhill from here on. The only plus at the moment is that the football fare is slightly more entertaining.
I would also consider dropping Clayton. Although he has done OK, he still slows the game down ever so much.
Given that the consensus has been that we would be better with 3 at the back, that Bola hasn’t really made progress yet and Howson was injured the team selection was probably endorsed by 99% of the fans before the game started. The one dubious selection being Saville over Wing. I personally suspect that Wing is carrying some sort of injury that is taking the edge off his game so it was not a bad call to try and give Saville a chance to prove himself. He failed but so did most the rest of the team.
To be honest, despite the money we’ve spent (Britt, Fletcher, Saville, McNair, Howson, Randolph, Shotton – somewhere around £40 million) it looks like a mid-table squad at best.
The one thing that encourages me is that Woodgate seems to have realised that his early tactics were naive and that you can’t suddenly switch styles. Building a culture of how to play takes years. For all the results have been poor I’ve been more impressed by Woodgate than I expected. I still think we would have been better off with a management team that is experienced in getting players to play this way.
I’m not too worried about the Cardiff game. Average teams do that kind of thing; turn up and just don’t play to their standards. It’s why we are where we are.
What does worry me is that the players who you hope to provide some sort of spark and creativity—Tav, Wing, Browne, Saville—all seem to be off form. Fletcher blows hot and cold. Only McNair and (to an extent) Johnson seem to be on form at the moment.
Good assessment deleriad, although it does not make good reading. A long and probably difficult season ahead.
Deleriad a good post and summary of what we have at present. 😎
There is a core of a side evolving even if it is by default.
Randolph, Shotton, Ayala, McNair and Fry are pretty much nailed on starters. Johnson through sheer endeavour, application, willingness and drive should have staked his claim successfully, Howson when fit likewise. That’s a core of seven players, leaving a wing back, midfielder and striking positions up for grabs. After Saturday I would guess a midfield position is now Lewis Wing’s to lose so possibly a core of eight.
I think Dijksteel is improving game by game with the added benefit of having the physicality for this League. Browne will either be a basket case or a genius if he can be mentored and controlled. Tav and Wing seem to have telepathic synergy which is of great value in itself and Tav hasn’t yet had a run despite the underwhelming evidence from others. Clayton has been a mainstay around the Club for a while and has a right to expect himself to be included in that above core but the constant pack shuffling and enforced injury problems with others hasn’t helped his game.
Fry has been out injured, Ayala out, Howson out (don’t forget Friend) so its only now that Woodgate is close to having a choice at the back rather than a roll call of the walking wounded. If he can settle and bed them in then build around that core I think results should improve but that side (in fact his available squad) are not equipped to play a Liverpool light style of football any time soon. Stick to the basics, keep a solid unit and togetherness and synergies will build along with understanding and confidence. We have seen enough now to know who is up for it, who wants it and who will fight for a place. The rest can sit on the bench and grab their opportunity if and when it arises.
I am still of the view that in this league and with the squad we have we need to play 442.
Randolph
Dijksteel Fry Ayala and one from Shotton, Coulson or Friend
Johnson Howson Wing & McNair
Fletcher and Assombalonga.
I believe it makes us stronger in midfield, provides more options to interchange places and found out balls from the back to the front.
Whilst Howson has made a good fist of the Wing back role it is not his true position and I believe if we are to gain the most from him then he should be played in the position for which he is renowned and for which he was purchased; no more square pegs in round holes please.
That in my view on paper is our strongest current eleven but unfortunately even if JW were to play them there is no guarantee they would perform as a team given past performances.
In this world of the premiership elitist league is the only ones that exist according to media and the powers that be.
A club now like Boro is either to some how gain promotion ,( you don’t really have to be the best or a fantastic team) or buy potential , bring on youth , with exceptional talent and sell them for massive fees.
I think its time for Boro fans to understand this, and support the club its manager and players, going through this fundamental change .
I don’t think Boro fans would or did have a problem with that philosophy, heaven knows we were all sick to the back teeth of paying ridiculous fees for less than average players and even worse in too many cases.
The “problem” or “issue” was the way the Club went about the appointment of the Management team in the Summer and straight faced declaring that they had appointed the best man for the job. Treating your customers like Mushrooms isn’t clever in any line of business. Piling spin on top of spin with the local previously dismissed and discredited paper as pom-pom waving, rah-rahing cheerleaders was another “Typical Boro” moment which unfortunately is one of the few things the Club actually does excel at.
Putting all that aside, successful teams attract crowds and support even if the football is of the Mourinho variety rather than the Klopp or Guardiola type. Middling teams languish with withering support until only a hard core of long suffering masochists remain as those clubs ultimately return from whence they came.
Exciting, swashbuckling football whilst getting relegated never endears Coaches or Managers to fans and never will. As the late Joe Mercer said, “you are only as good as your last result”. In contrast Arsene Wenger once said “My job is to give people who work hard all week something to enjoy on Saturdays and Wednesdays”, Mourinho however once said of Wenger “He is a specialist in failure” so I guess its down to perspective. Bottom line is that winning Managers are rarely sacked whilst losing Managers are nearly always sacked.
GT
The fans do not need to ‘understand’ what amounts to ‘learn yourself how to run a club’
This is basic stuff, which is and has been so miss managed that it is slowly driving us all round the bend.
At present we have no idea, and show no signs of such.
We at this moment, are pursuing a programme of selling anything and anyone of value to the club. While at the same time allowing very costly and highly paid failures to wait out their contracts, Even playing them in the team, against all evidence of their abject lack of any idea as to what is required of them on Saturday afternoon.
We will draw a veil over our attempts to make anything of, in order, dead ball situations, corners, free kicks in range of the goal, tactical fouls ( er! What are they?) oh! I almost forgot, penalties, we seem to think that they are an act of God, if they go in great, if not, so what.
Any perusal of the press will tell you that the sublime teams at the top, are searching for players with promise on a daily basis, hunting them down where ever they surface. And I am talking young lads.
Compare and contrast with our heroes, I would doubt if they give it a thought, and certainly not on the word of a scout, god forbid, he is there to fill a quota and certainly not to disturb the silence of our planning department
Still in Turkey at the moment and fortunately with Jet 2. Fly back next Monday. But have holidays booked with Thomas Cook for November and February. Nightmare
So Boro try and cheer me up this week.
I bet Neil Bausor and Gary Gill had a hand in those holidays Malcolm 🙂
Malcolm
Hope you get your money back or holidays re-arranged without too much problem. 😎
Malcolm, the advice I heard this morning to get in contact with ABTA as soon as possible as then you should receive your refund sooner rather than later and should be able to book an alternative.
Here’s the link https://www.abta.com/news/thomas-cook-group
Thomas Cook holidays will be ATOL protected. I have friends who work for Thomas Cook, always very helpful even when I’ve booked just flights with them as I usually used to travel independently. I’ve always taken a tin of biscuits for them at Christmas, so sad for them now.
Watching SKY you’d be forgiven for thinking it was another “Dunkirk” I don’t remember this fuss when Monarch went bust. More political posturing from the media. It’s starting to get old now.
I was listening to a piece on the radio with a boy who had recently recovered from cancer treatment and his mother, who explained that they’d lost his dream holiday to Disney World after Thomas Cook collapsed. After several minutes of discussion on how devastated he was as he’d been really looking forward to the trip, the presenter wrapped up the piece by asking boy if there was anywhere else he would want to go instead – as the boy pondered without answering the presenter interjected to say “I guess it’s only Disney World you had your heart set on” – but just as they were about to end the boy suddenly blurted out “Mexico”. It seemed to catch everyone by surprise as the point of the piece was a inconsolable child that wasn’t going to Disney World – unfortunately we didn’t get to hear why he wanted to go to Mexico – maybe he wanted to see he wall…
Heard over the weekend that Mr Maddison had been told by the powers that be at MFC……to tone down his Radio Tees commentary and not be overly critical of “the Team”.
So long as Maddo remembers “Four legs good, two legs better” and avoids any Donkey analogies he may get to keep his job and BBC Tees may get to keep the commentary. If not well we can guess how that one plays out.
Just to follow up on my last comment ,and where I’m coming from , and my concern at this moment in time , regarding the club and its pull regarding those fans who may or may not go to games,
One of my pet peeves as always been MOTD to me it gives a deservice to the football league , it always as.
Showing only high lights , in small segments ,hyping individual moments, no game for ninety minutes is continuously like this.
My point, when those fans expecting end to end entertainment at games ,don’t see it ,they walk away mumbling , and questioning whether to return.ï
MOTD has been blamed since its inception back in the 60’s of ruining the game and whether it was Wolstenholme, Coleman, Hill or Lineker taking flak the fans kept attending. Their grainy black and white snippets perhaps whetted the appetites of many as much as artificially raising expectations.
The difference nowadays is the overwhelming blanket coverage thanks to Sky and BT etc. showing games in their entirety which is much more damaging. Anyone anywhere can now watch top class football in warmth and comfort instead of freezing ones nether regions off enduring lower league offerings whilst sipping scalding hot, watered down, Bovril like concoctions. The big clubs pocket the TV money with the poorer clubs losing out while the cost of actually attending has sadly soared beyond the means of many now resulting in swathes of half or even three quarter empty stadiums.
A generation have grown up tarnished, spoilt by indulgent footballing expectations in an era where celebrity status is more of a pull than actual footballing ability. Sadly some scouts seem to be equally affected and blinkered by the same limited mindset.
All this Proroguing of Parliament stuff is just the warm up act for the return to the Riverside of Garry Monk on Saturday with his Wednesday side followed by Boro v. the EFL.
The trouble is that the Boro are likely to be on the wrong end of decisions in both instances. 😎
There’s nothing like a bit of confidence KP, and that last post was nothing like a bit of confidence !!
Btw. Glad to hear Mrs KP was getting on well in one of your recent posts.
I think that SG actually has hit on something and I think there is a fair bit of nervy squirming going on in Derby, Sheffiled, Reading and not to mention at EFL HQ.
What they have done is a short term fix to avoid the punishment that Birmingham endured. If they don’t go up shortly or drastically slash their operating costs meanwhile then it is only delaying the inevitable. Its not good for the sake of the game generally and for the fans of those clubs but in essence the bottom line is that it is deliberately getting around the rules imposed by the EFL and trying to gain an advantage over rivals.
Unfortunately the massive unequal distribution of wealth in the game where lower clubs once benefited from transfers to bigger clubs or big cup games would swell empty coffers has all but dried up. Premiership sides effectively run talent farms and actually charge for loaning players to lower sides whilst creaming off all the TV money for themselves. If you starve someone don’t be surprised if they resort to fiddling or even stealing to eat and survive. FIFA, UEFA, the various FA’s and the EFL have created the monster.
They are gambling that they get to the Premiership before any punishment kicks in and they have their hands on the TV money. The fines then amount to very little.
( see Leicester and Bournemouth)
https://the72.co.uk/145421/ex-middlesbrough-midfielder-says-he-wouldnt-have-re-signed-if-former-club-had-offered-new-contract/………I rest my case about Downing….never liked him …all about himself…one of our own…what a laugh…he couldn’t give a toss.
I think the situation with Downing is like a lot of our recent Players. Good players and then played in a system that didn’t suit them or worse still played in positions that limited their ability like Stuani.
RR
My view re the case against the EFL is that there appears to be a loophole which SG/MFC are unable to take advantage of.
They clearly do not want other clubs using the same route to gain an advantage and appearing to comply with FFP, thereby leaving MFC as one of the poorer clubs in the division.
I am aware that a sale and lease back is a legal and allowable business transaction provided it is undertaken on commercial terms and at market rates.
So unless there is anything in the EFL rules prohibiting it, and given they are aware of these transactions and have not taken action, then I do not see the clubs who have used this route to generate funds facing any penalties.
It may, however, cause the EFL to have a re-think and close the loophole which is probably SG/MFC’s prime objective in bringing the action. 😎
I agree. I think had the Ground/s been sold for normal Market value/s then whilst it is arguably putting the Club in a slightly more precarious position it probably falls into an Accountant’s viewpoint about leasing rather than buying Company Cars. The reason however as everyone knows was simply to avoid punishment, fines and points deduction.
As an example lets take Huddersfield and Stoke who look to be in serious trouble on the pitch. Huddersfield will have Parachute payments to keep them safe for a while longer whilst Stoke are running out of time and are still stuck with a few mercenaries. The temptation to artificially inflate the value of an asset and then rent it back (the rental costs should also be under investigation) to buy time could see them try something similar to “comply”.
Its a slippery slope and whilst some owners have the finances it is about rules and no longer about how much money they can afford to pump in. The rules were intended to prevent situations like Bolton and Bury forcing clubs to live within their means. The problem however is not unlike Politics, there is the fear of that wall being built and as a consequence there is a scramble to try and get over the Premiership border before it is metaphorically closed off for good leading to some sad scenes of desperation.
Enjoyed the interview with Franck Queudrue on the MFC website. What a lovely charming man he is, but we all know that anyway, don’t we. What a telling remark also about his wife crying when he signed for Boro as she spoke no English and probably when she saw the town, because let’s face it Middlesbrough is not an attractive town. But she also cried when he left Boro even though the prospect of playing for a London club presented itself. A great camaraderie at the time amongst the players, and Franck himself still a big Boro fan. Happy days!
Just read the article in the EG which claims that in the case of the SW sale and lease back of their stadium there is a mismatch between the dates of the transaction appearing in the financial accounts and at the Land Registry.
Clearly an investigation required and some questions to be answered. 😎
Its looking very much like the EFL have been sleeping on the job so it will be interesting to see where the blame lies and with it accountability. Of course what they do about it (nothing probably except fudge it) will be interesting. It will likely lead to a tightening up of existing rules and more stringent examination of accounts going forward thereby closing the door on similar scams sorry “schemes”.
Yesterdays court decision with Boris may also have made them uncomfortable if they feel that SG won’t let the matter rest.
RR
Re. The constant fiddling around ‘selling’ your ground to your owner, and many other fiddles which sadly we have not yet heard about.
We as Boro supporters must pray that we never attempt any such scheme. Because we would assuredly get it horribly wrong.
The very thought of this bunch being told we had some ‘funny money’ ‘so, go to it boys, sort out a few good buys and off we jolly well go’
Yea! That should pan out well. See past history.
Several clubs have had a very good financial result out of our horrific attempts to strengthen our team.
Scouting? Don’t think so, ask the sellers for an opinion on their player, After all they know more about him than anyone, certainly more than any scout could ever know.
Why has he not played for two months.?
Why the stories that his career was over recently?
Unnecessary doubts dear boy, we are trying a new style of play and cannot fit him in,
He’s a snip at ten mil.
Oh right then, we had better close the deal if that’s the case.
We’ve been there (with a Scottish accent)
We’ve been there with Allardice’s voice selling us as complete a donkey as I personally have ever seen, complete with England cap (one)
Redcar Red,
Scams? Schemes? We all know that in the land of ‘jobs for the boys’ they’re called strategies or re-structuring and at the end of it all they’ll probably buy it back for £1.00 and start all over again. After a period drastic re-structuring to implement a new fiscal strategy to make sure the club is there for years to come. And they’ll use their money that wasn’t theirs to start with. Some people will get rich. I wonder who they’ll be?
UTB,
John
I see Rick Parry takes over as EFL chairman tomorrow and he has a bit of an history with Boro, see article below.
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/new-efl-chairman-rick-parry-16977927
Do we think it is good or bad news for MFC and Steve Gibson.
Come on BORO.
I laughed when I heard it was Rick Parry. The footballing powers that be have the same level of imagination as ITV programming Chiefs.
“I have a great idea for a new Saturday night TV show!”
“Is it a contest?”
“How did you guess?”
“Does it involve poorly written scripts, inane banter and lots of cheeky smiles to get over the fact that it is a pile of steaming garbage using cheap unpaid members of the public?”
“That’s incredible, how did you know?”
“Does it involve Phil and that Holly lass or the vertically challenged Geordie duo, or that camp one who nobody remembers his name but allegedly does magic tricks?”
“Unbelievable, you must be psychic?”
“No just sick, pig sick of the same old predictable, nauseating bull served up time and again and getting away with it”.
Jobs for the boys comes to mind and the gravy train continues for one of their own. I’m sure it just gives SG added zest to welcome Parry into his new role with a bloody nose.
RR
Good Post I enjoyed it so what do you say to Parry to close the loophole?
“Shut that Door!”
OFB
Reminds me of an Alan Partridge episode when meeting with new Head of Programming at the BBC:
AP: Taggart, Spender, Bergerac, Morse. What does that say to you about regional detective series?
TH: There’s too many of them?
AP. That’s one way of looking at it. Another is, “people like them, let’s make more of them”.
Rick Parry, oh dear , how the hell did he get the job. So come on SG sort him out and put him in his place.
After the Gordon Strachan era does anyone think that the recruitment team have stopped looking at Scottish players ? There seems to be quite a lot of youngsters at the moment from Scotland that are being recruited by clubs in English leagues.
Didn’t we win once at Cardiff in the past? About in 2004…
I can live with the defeat on last Satuday because of 2004. I never expected us to win a trophy during my life time.
Up the Boro!
Indeed we did Jarkko, indeed we did.
Really interesting article from AV which apart from the topic itself Frankie Hunter is a revealing insight into what goes on behind the scenes at the club.
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/head-hunted-koeman-trusted-woodgate-16980703
Just to point out that the petty and disparaging comment from a namesake at the bottom of the article is not myself!
I always thought it was you lmao 😂
Come on BORO.
Not guilty!
RR, I think you can blame me for the article. I contacted AV (we still keep in touch via Twitter and when I am at Riverside) a couple of months ago about FH as I have seen her on the pitch before the games. But did not know her role or name,
AV gave me her name and I insisted him to write a long article about the interesting lady at Boro. So my hope was not in vain. I thank AV for that!
But RR, do not blame me for the comments. Just the article. Up the Boro!
OK, it’s been a quite distracting week as the Brexit mess plays out on the small screen reaches new lows – or highs depending on your view of car crashes. Anyway, there’s another important judgement that will be reached next week as Jonathan Woodgate approaches his first ten games in charge. While the pleading from the Boro faithful may be more about winning some more games, it will no doubt prove to be a crucial week for the Boro head coach. Anyway, here’s my take on matters with this week’s discussion blog article…
https://diasboro.club/2019/09/26/2019-20-weeks-9-10-head-coach-prepares-for-judgement/
Great read Werder, and will the uproar you alluded to in Parliament bubble over into the Riverside this coming few days?
Will the words spoken vehemently in the House, be echoed in the Riverside if the results are not what were promised?
It is true that Woodgate’s hands have been tied somewhat, but saying that he has to loosen those strings by reverting to playing on the front foot, especially as we are at home for the next two games.
To do that he may have to be really bold and a little courageous. He would have to drop one of the three CB’s and for me Clayton as well.
Unfortuanately I think he will stick with “Pulis Style” as the safer option and hope that somebody actually passes the ball, more than once, to Britt in the Box.
Get beaten and he will be in a pickle and shouting “Humbug” won’t help or his team selection for Tuesday night.
Thanks Pedro, just noticed your comment as it was posted on the previous blog. I’m hoping Woodgate does indeed revert back to playing on the front foot in the next two games and agree if he opts for a back three then the midfield will need to be more dynamic with Howson as the other wing-back.