Championship 2019-20: Weeks 20-21
Fri 20 Dec – 19:45: Boro v Stoke
Tue 26 Dec – 15:00: Boro v Huddersfield
Sun 29 Dec – 15:00: West Brom v Boro
Wed 1 Jan – 15:00: Preston v Boro
As we get ready to start a new decade, it’s normally a time to both look back and wonder how it defined our lives, while also looking to the future with a vision of how to move forward. However, the problem of visions is that they come in many guises and we just can’t tell whether the latest one to emerge from Boro is going to be true, blurred, short-sighted or was even induced by some kind of delerium caused possibly by the shock of wasting large amounts of cash. It’s also been observed that some people’s visions were even triggered by taking mind-altering drugs, which can sometimes risk a condition known as hallucinogenic persisting perception disorder (HPPD) – though there’s no suggestion the chairman was on a trip when he had the idea to install Jonthan Woodgate to lead the club into the future. However, the acid test for Boro will be whether the new plan under the new regime can turn themselves into team that can compete at the other end of the table.
Boro have now spent almost a decade as primarily a Championship club having previously spent over a decade as an established Premier League club before exiting that grand stage left just over ten years ago in 2009. Since that bow from the big time it’s been a case of searching for an encore by changing the actors and trying to improvise our way through a mixture of low budget B-movies or throwing money at potential A-listers only to discover they had bad scripts without happy endings.
It was just over ten years ago that the club appointed Gordon Strachan to replace the dismissed Gareth Southgate – whatever happened to him? Looking back, it doesn’t seem like the temperamental Scot was the consequence of a carefully planned vision – especially if there’s any truth in the rumour that it was the result of a chance encounter with Keith Lamb at a service station toilet. OK, it doesn’t sound like it was a cunning plan to approach someone at a service station but Boro just got lucky it was Gordon – perhaps lucky is not the correct phrase. Anyway, it’s interesting to look at who was in that Boro team ten years ago for the last game of the previous decade under Strachan before he raided the Old Firm and blew the budget after Hogmanay. That game was away at Barnsley on 28 December 2009 and the starting XI was: Danny Coyne, Justin Hoyte, Chris Riggot, Rhys Williams, David Wheater, Tony McMahon, Gary O’Neil, Adam Johnson, Julio Arca, Marcus Bent, Jonathan Franks. Quite a lot of academy graduates in that team and almost similar to where we are now – though hopefully the club won’t be raiding the Scottish leagues in January!
Strachan, you no doubt recall turned out to be a disaster and Gibson turned to local legend Tony Mowbray, who was appointed to pick up the pieces but couldn’t find a way back to the big time once the money had run out. The question is how long do you need to be away before the notion of getting back is still makes sense? Of course, we shouldn’t overlook our brief return to rubbing shoulders with the stars, when the protégé of the Special One finally gained the prize of promotion despite his method acting and momentarily losing the plot with that meltdown mishap. It seemed Boro were back in the limelight but sadly there were too few best bits and too many dull performances and the show was cancelled after just one season.
At least Boro left with a big pay cheque in their pocket and the compensation of having Premier League royalties in the form of parachute payments. Luckily the club’s new vision had a need for plenty of cash but unfortunately they mistook the appearance of being wealthy with all the lavish spending to actually being wealthy. It was a gamble that never paid off – except for Garry Monk and his staff who were all handsomely paid off! Another cunning plan had failed and it now it’s once again time to start cutting back on the spending before the credit runs out. The latest plan is not so much a vision but a necessity that many on Teesside saw it coming before it became the new way forward.
Back in the busy Christmas present, Boro will hopefully encourage a bit of festive cheer from the terraces, where seasonal goodwill has so far been lacking. It’s felt like a long journey of discovery for the new management team and the consensus has been more than clear for some time that there will be no room at the Premier Inn for this weary-looking Boro. Perhaps the three far from wise men of Woodgate, Keane and Leo initially took a wrong turning along the way or were possibly gazing at the wrong stars when they followed the path to the less than stable birth of their infant coaching careers.
Nevertheless, with four games in twelve days there is no time to dwell on who was in charge of direction as Boro need points – the first two of which are both crucial six-pointer battles at the Riverside against relegation rivals. Stoke arrive for the Friday evening televised game and with the Potters just three points behind sitting third from bottom, a defeat would likely drag Woodgate’s team back into the drop zone before the partridge appears in a metaphorical pear-shaped Christmas trees on Teessside.
However, a win would put serious daylight between Boro and Michael O’Neil’s men and give us a head start before the traditional post-Christmas slump kicks in. Stoke’s new boss had got off to a good start when he was appointed in early November, winning his first two in charge against fellow strugglers Barnsley and Wigan. However, he lost his next three to cast doubts on the prospects of making a quick escape but have recently returned to winning ways after beating another relegation-troubled team in Luton and then drew 0-0 with the lowly Royals. Let’s hope they don’t continue the trend of taking points off the teams around them when they head to Teesside. Incidentally, the game against Stoke takes us to the halfway point of the season and only a win will take Boro above the one point per game average, which by anyone’s measure is still well below average.
Boro will be of course without Paddy McNair after his red-card appeal was, like the player himself, dismissed – though no signs of stamping or elbows from the adjudicating panel on that decision. Missing the Stoke game could be crucial as he’s looked a driving force in midfield, particularly at the Riverside. It’s made even worse by him also missing the equally crucial Boxing Day fixture against Huddersfield, who are currently just one point and one place above Boro. Woodgate will also be without Marcus Browne after he also received his marching orders at Swansea but given he’s hardly made much impact since his arrival (other than with some lunging tackles) it doesn’t seem like a major blow that he’s once again unavailable. At least Lewis Wing’s return from injury will help to fill the gap in the midfield and there’s hope Britt may be fit again to return up front – though Ashley Fletcher’s belief that “Gestede can still shine for Middlesbrough” may be not the brightest prediction he’s made given the gloomy evidence of the previous three years.
So the game against Huddersfield is the first reverse fixture of the season despite it only being late October when we played them at their place. While you could be forgiven if it didn’t stick in your memory, as it was a largely forgettable goal-less draw – however, it did see Aynsley Pears make his debut between the sticks. The Terriers had seemed on the up again after the arrival of the Cowley brothers but they’ve now only managed one win in their last seven games, which was against the poor Charlton side that even Boro achieved victory over. So both side could see Boxing Day as another chance to bank three points – though most wouldn’t be surprised to see a repeat of the John Smith’s score and perhaps some will even be glad for a chance to doze off after over-indulging the day before.
We can only hope that Boro capitalise on those two home festive fixtures against their relegation rivals as the next two games look decidedly tricky. The last game of 2019 is at leaders West Brom and they haven’t lost for three months and that was a narrow 1-0 defeat at Leeds – in fact it’s their only defeat of the season. Indeed, in their last two home games the goals have been flying in after grabbing nine goals against the Swans and the Robins – so let’s pray that Boro’s visit is not a turkey shoot as we could be in for another stuffing away from home with all the trimmings to our goal difference that would entail.
Boro’s first-footing of 2020 takes them over the Deepdale threshold and Preston is a place where few return with any luck. Alex Neil’s side have won 9 of their 12 games on home soil with just one defeat against those aforementioned Baggies. Unsurprisingly, Preston top the home league table with 29 points and a nicely symmetrical 29 goals – incidentally, in case anyone was wondering Boro are third bottom of the away table with just five points, ten goals and no wins. Statistically it doesn’t look too promising that Jonathan Woodgate will be associating new year with happy – though if he’s into shopping at least the January sales start and the transfer window opens!
And so begins another decade for the club where it seems the emphasis will be on youth as the cash appears to be too tight to bring in the experienced or the tried and tested. It seems the responsibility will be placed on our young players to take us forward in the next decade. I’m reminded of the song entitled ‘Decades’ from the post-punk band Joy Division (not named after the Championship) that opened with the lyrics “Here are the young men, the weight on their shoulders. Here are the young men, well where have they been?” Those lines perhaps sum up where we are in 2020 as we wait to see if the young men graduating from the Boro academy will surprise and deal with the pressure that will be inevitably placed on them. I suspect it probably won’t improve your optimism if I mentioned the person who wrote those lyrics, Ian Curtis, suffered from depression and killed himself before the album with that song on it was released. However, I should add that haunting tune from 1980 still remains one of my favourite songs – albeit a sombre reflective one.
Anyway, I will try to end the decade on a more positive note and as we wonder whether Boro as a club can find a new vision to move forward. Obviously, to have a vision it probably helps to have visionary thinking and this is what Steve Gibson had when he first became chairman as he embarked on a plan to put Boro on the footballing map. Bringing in Bryan Robson gave the club the pulling power to sign players we would have never dreamed would arrive on Teesside. It also gave us our first taste of getting to a major cup final and eventually it led to winning one and even getting to a European cup final. Perhaps it’s unlikely to be a vision that could work now in the age of billionaire owners but it was still a vision that came to fruition.
Some have started to think that maybe the chairman is getting too old to be looking forward with new visions for Boro and he’s now content to just think of his legacy as he keeps the club ticking over without taking risks. Interestingly, I listened to an interview this week with a scientist called James Lovelock, who I first knew about probably 30 years ago when reading a book of his. He’s most famous for developing the Gaia hypothesis, which argues that the Earth is essentially a self-regulating organism and was also recruited by Nasa in the early 1960s to work on projects that were searching for life on Mars and other planets. He also developed the sensor that detected the hole in the ozone layer and another bizarre claim to fame was that he held Stephen Hawking as a baby when working with his father at the National Institute of Medical Research. For his 90th Birthday he was flown into space by Richard Branson and in July of this year he celebrated his 100th year on Earth. Amazingly, he still sounds as sharp and enthusiastic as he did 30 years ago and continues to write books and work on ideas. As James Lovelock looked back on his career at 100 he said: “My life has been one mass of visions.” So perhaps he can be an inspiration to Steve Gibson and indeed to us all. You’re never too old to have a vision to move things forward, you just need to keep young at heart, keep an active mind and be capable of thinking things through – that is the challenge for those who run Boro for the next decade…
Superb Werder.
But just one thing with reference to Strachan, it would be worth a mention that he walked away from the club without a payment cheque. How many managers would do that.
Cheers Malcolm and you’re right about Strachan walking away without a payoff – so credit where it’s due and we certainly needed credit when he left the Old Firm bill behind…
Thanks you, Werder for the above. Goog as always 🙂
The Echo is claiming that Woodgate has revealed goalkeeper Randolph could figure over the festive period. That and Britt will be a nice bonus.
I think we could go back to the formation before the Swansea game, hence my line-up:
Pears
Spence Howson Ayala Fry Coulson
Wing
Tavernier Saville
Asonbalonga Fletcher
Subs: Randoph, Wood, Gestede, Johnson, Clayton & Walker
I will predict a 2-1 victory for the Boro. A Britt brace. Up the Boro!
Thanks Jarkko, it would be good to have Randolph back though I thought Pears hasn’t done badly at all and he seems to have good hands but just lacks experience.
Werdermouth
Another belter from you in prefacing Boro’s Christmas matches, but I hope you won’t mind my correcting you that Preston’s ground is Deepdale not Prenton Park which is in Birkenhead and the home of Tranmere Rovers. Maybe you were thinking Preston Park. I see that the bookmakers are making Stoke slight favourites tonight which is strange considering Boro are at home. The odds may have been affected by Paddy McNairs ban but hopefully Britt will be fit and raring to go.
On a sombre note, I have just read the news that Rob Burrow aged 37 and a former Leeds Rhinos player has just been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease for which there is no cure. I watched the BBC Personality of the Year show last Sunday where Doddie Weir a former Scottish Rugby Union international who also has MND is doing great charitable work and has already met with Rob. It’s truly gratifying that whatever sport we follow there is a camaraderie among sports players that transcends rivalries. At Christmas time my thoughts are with the Maddren family who lost a husband and a father to this terrible disease. Also for Gary Parkinson with his locked-in paralysis.
I’m sorry to bring this to your attention on a football forum, but whilst everyone is enjoying the festive season, I always reflect on the sadness of those people who I’ve watched play the sport that they love and are less fortunate than me. Nevertheless a merry Christmas to all our Band of Brothers on Diasboro.
I am in the same mindset as yourself Ken. Whilst for a lot of people its all about the joy and festivities (nothing wrong with that) for me as I have become older I tend to reflect on the people that we have lost and are no longer with us and of course especially those who were once sat around the table (in body at least as I believe their spirit is with us on the day). The stories they used to tell, the smiles on their faces all as vivid as ever.
There is usually a news article at the end of the year where they reflect on the stars who have passed away in the last twelve months and each year it never ceases to be astounding and we usually think its the worst year ever until of course we get to the end of the coming year. All the more reason to make the most of the here and now I suppose which bringing it back to a football theme is why watching the lowest scorers in the Championship has been particularly heartbreaking. 2019 is a year that will long be remembered by Boro fans for all the wrong reasons.
Thanks Ken and thanks for spotting Deepdale I’ve made the correction – It was late and I probably muddled my Prestons and Prentons in my head 🙂
MND is a horrible disease. It Claimed my best friend and business partner last year, less than 12 months after we’d sold the business and he was looking forward to a long and active retirement. He was only 61, much too young to be taken. How Rob Burrow will deal with it at only 37, I’ve no idea. He was such a tremendous player for the Rhinos & GB.
Carpe diem everyone…
Excellent read as ever Werder. I suppose we should be grateful that it was Gordon Strachan that Keith Lamb met in the gents and not George Michael although he may have been forgiven if he was serenading him with “I knew you were waiting”. I just hope the sun doesn’t go down on us this season or that after the Huddersfield game we have fans asking wake me up before you go go. He may have been able to heal the pain or at least give us some patience while Steve Gibson gives it one more try.
Watching the news this morning and the BBC suddenly broke off to go live to Sajid Javid announcing the new Governor of the Bank of England and when he launched into “one clear front runner and outstanding candidate” I thought Oh my, they have made Jonathon Woodgate the new Governor. I have to admit for that one millisecond I was euphoric but immediately deflated after he announced it was Andrew Bailey taking over from Mark Carney.
I’m just wondering about the Scientist James Lovelock. He may be 100 years old but I’m guessing he could be brought in under freedom of contract and would have far more vision than most of our current Strikers possess and a hell of a lot fitter than one of them!
Thanks RR, maybe it was the careless whispers that made Karanka have his meltdown. At least James Lovelock would bring a holistic approach to the role!
Time does fly, is it really ten years since we were an established Premiership team.
As we approach the end of another year might I suggest that it is only football and there are much more important things in life. No doubt someone will refer to the famous quote attributed to the late Bill Shankly, but I’m afraid I don’t share that view.
However, I do look forward to the traditional Christmas fixtures, Boxing Day being my favourite. A crowd full of folk sporting their new jumpers and puffing on Hamlet cigars whilst passing around packets of sweets purloined from Xmas tables.
Some prefer the New Year’s Day fixture, particularly if it is away from home, often beginning the journey straight from whichever hostelry the previous evening’s celebrations took place.
Whatever you’re favourite may be and wherever you watch it, be it live or on TV I hope we don’t take it too seriously. Football is cyclical and eventually MFC will have their day in the future.
Might I take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Enjoy the things you can and don’t worry about the things you can’t.
This time next year Rodders………..
Meanwhile I wish Gibson, Bausor and Bevington would stop fiddling with that Chandelier!
A good read Werder as Christmas approaches, I had thought about the Stoke match. They drew 0-0 with Reading in a real rarity, a match with nary a shot on target.
Maybe OFB will be right.
Werder,
Some philosophical thoughts and thinking in that article. Well written and a good read. I feel that Boro are in need of some unknown single catalyst to strike a spark in their collective brain.
A manager? That would help.
A proper experienced coach? That would help too.
A little luck? Same again.
Creative unpredictability? Sorry two oxymorons there.
Personally I think it is a little more abstract, somewhere in the self-belief, confidence and no fear zone. It won’t come from the coach but from the players but not if they have to be told in a very precise manner what they have to do and then not know what to do when it goes wrong. Boro just don’t keep the opposition guessing.
UTB,
John
Cheers Werder. A great read as ever.
It feels like a long ten years in the Championship to me. Really, there have only been two of those seasons when we’ve been a major Championship force. The days of whinging about Karanka’s defensive tactics seem very strange now!
Anyway, whilst Woodgate has made mistakes – all managers including the experienced ones,do by the way; did someone say Gordon Strachan? – I don’t believe him to be the root cause of our current problems any more than the growing list of Stoke managers are theirs. We look an improved side since moving to three centre backs and would be safely(ish) higher up the table but for some extended injury problems and shocking indiscipline. No-one except Steve Gibson thought JW was the right choice but he’s here and I don’t think he’s doing anywhere near as badly as most others it seems, given the circumstances. Unfortunately the circumstances are pretty bad.
I hope he sticks with the 3-5-2 shape tonight and, like Jarkko, I hope that means the pace and enthusiasm of Coulson and Spence. I also want to see two strikers regardless of Britt’s fitness. If that means Walker, that’s fine with me. Fletcher (or Britt) up front on his own isn’t an option for me. I’d even play Gestede with Fletcher if it means playing two. Hopefully Britt is fit:
Pears
Spence Howson Ayala Fry Coulson
Wing Clayton Tavernier
Assombalonga (if fit) Fletcher
Boro 1-0 Stoke
Gestede with Fletcher? I thought you said that Fletcher couldn’t play up front on his own? 🙂
I fancy a comfortable 2-0 tonight, with hopefully a return to the team we had prior to the two red cards.
Hope you mean goals and not card count!
Great article again thanks Werder on a decade of the pantomime activities at our beloved MFC!
Sticking to our Friday night out for dinner with Mrs P and friends so will record the match.
Two teams who find it easier to miss than to score. Given we will be without PM, then unless LW is restored to the team and suddenly discovers last season’s form, I see us drawing another blank.
A game with 0-0 written all over it and Stoke happy to take a point but I fear they may nick all three as we seem to have a knack recently of shooting ourselves in the foot. I am sure we can come up with another novel way of doing so! 😎
Boro have a goal in them, and red and yellow cards.
So pessimistically as ever Boro 1- 2 Potters. Please don’t square peg Mr Woodgate use your assets wisely in their best positions.
UTB,
John
Team news: so no Britt after all but it’s not Gestede but Walker who partners Fletcher. Spence returns so it looks like 5-3-2 with a back three of Howson, Ayala and Fry – although it could also be 4-4-2 if Spence plays further forward. Wing on the bench so it’s a midfield trio of Clayton, Saville and Tav. Surprisingly Johnson also on the bench too.
Starting XI: Pears, Spence, Howson, Ayala, Fry, Coulson, Clayton, Saville, Tavernier, Walker, Fletcher.
Subs: Mejias, Wood, Liddle, Wing, Johnson. O’Neill, Gestede
Well looking forward to watching the game this evening as the only time I’ve not been working this week is when I’m eating and sleeping. I’m not too concerned over the result as I’m just hoping it’s an entertaining game otherwise I may drop off as I’ve been managing on 5-6 hours sleep this week.
A quick thanks to everyone for their comments as I’m currently eating dinner before heading for kitchen duties before the game – they are as ever much appreciated! (that’s the comments not the kitchen duties)
Anyway, I’m going for a 3-1 win with a double for Fletcher and a rare goal for Clayton.
Thanks again Werder, for another great read, I realise I do not contribute much to this blog but I read and appreciate every word our great wordsmiths write for us, eg the best sportswriter out there RR the best MFC historian Ken plus a MFC mole OFB and the rest of the best and astute blog contributors there is. So thanks again and a merry Christmas to all on diasboro.
UTB
We’ve been missing a midfielder who is comfortable running with the ball. I’ve wondered if it would be worth a try to play Coulson in that role. Tonight’s choices are much of a muchness, I don’t see much creativity there. Looks very much indeed safety first to me, but I still think they have enough to secure the three points.
Surely Tav is our ball-carrying midfielder?
Assuming Wing isn’t fit enough, it’s the right team for me. Pleased for Walker.
If anyone needs an unofficial link for the game…
Absolutely Clueless!
What an abysmal first half performance that was from Boro – they had no idea what to do with the ball other than try long punts or pass it backwards – though their favourite option was to give it back to Stoke. In the absence of McNair there’s nobody in a Boro shirt driving the team forward. Luckily Stoke have no confidence up front otherwise we’d probably have already lost the game. Changes at half-time required with both Johnson and Wing on the pitch for Clayton or Saville or anybody else!
It’s almost like this is the first time they’ve ever played together. The worst I’ve seen in a long time. There doesn’t seem to be any kind of game plan. No player seems to want the ball, and in their haste to get rid of it they just gift the ball to the opposition.
Can the second half get better? I doubt it can get any worse.
I hope it’s considerably better otherwise I may drop off and miss the last minute penalty…
I wonder how many neutrals will still be watching the game on TV?
This team and this first half performance has relegation written all over it. We’ll be lucky to get away with a point unless there is a marked improvement. But where is that improvement going to come from ?
Heaven knows what the game has to offer the few non-partisan viewers watching it. I’m finding it excruciating, and I’m a fan.
If Stoke get an early second half goal it could be 3-0.
The solution? We move on to the next game. That should solve things.
I think Stoke’s goal woke Boro up but that first half was looking like two relegated sides.
Well, two goals in a few minutes and it is 1-1.
Werder, I have some good news, Mrs G has a hidden list of projects and I have been informed most have been completed!! There is hope.
On to hope, Gestede has come on. Is that offset by Wing on for Clayton?
Discuss.
2-1 up at the moment and the local lads are doing themselves proud.
We only started to play when Clayton was taken off. He seems to be slowing the tempo down and he is not very quick anymore.
Fry had a difficult match.
Coming back from 0-1 down and winning is good. Wing and Fletcher scored some nice goals. Loved the second half.
Three home wins in a row. Fouth on Boxing day? Unbelievable. Up the Boro!
2 1, another three points.
Gestede was poor when he came on, no lack of effort but skill set lacking, Some of that could be down to fitness. I am a generous soul.
Over to Bluecar Red for his views.
RR, what is the colour of your car in reality? And what model?
I drive a yellow Focus ST. Up the Boro!
There’s no ‘t’ in finesse and you missed the ‘e’ off the end…
Well Boro scored two goals at the Riverside for only the second time this season – which you would never of thought from the first half performance. Also Boro come from behind to win a game since I can’t remember (OK just checked it was that 3-2 win at West Brom last February and that was the only time last season).
The Stoke goal woke Boro up and it was a good goal from Fletcher to beat the offside and head it in – but a vintage Lewis Wing strike gained all three points to put us six clear of Stoke. Pity none of the neutrals will have seen it as only the chair-bound with dud batteries in their remotes will have continued watching after that first 45 minutes. So up to 18th with a six-point cushion from the drop zone!
Never doubted them.
What a team!
Bit like the Forest game. No ambition, no control, no desire to get forward. Excruciating first half.
Until they scored.
Then came the transformation. The team having to attack, to take the game to the opposition and doing so with energy, enthusiasm, and no little skill. You could see the confidence generated by getting forward and going about their business with some purpose. At Forest they could have gone on to win the game. Tonight they did just that.
But at home we have to play with positive purpose from the start. This win will have done wonders for this young team’s confidence, and we need to capitalise on that from the kick off against Huddersfield.
Special mention for Tav’s second half performance. Skilful and courageous, and
M-o-M for me.
I’d agree with Tav as MOM and he seems to always play better with Wing on the pitch – they seem to have a good understanding and good personal relationship.
I agree with that, Len.
Let’s not be churlish. The first half was poor but Stoke didn’t create anything against a well organised defence. Then, hats off to Woodgate. The switch to 4-4-2 reduced Stoke’s danger down the wing. The goal was a big hoof that Fry miscalculated and Pears was unlucky. From that point Boro dug in and delivered a really good performance. The subs were positive. Gestede was no star but he kept the defence busy and it may just be that Wing has turned the corner.
There were plenty of positives elsewhere. Ayala was immense and we can’t let him go. Howson very good. Fry was OK except for the goal but he seems to be missing some confidence on the ball. Tavernier had a very good game and Coulson and Spence look like regular first team players, particularly in a 4-4-2. Fletcher worked hard but is no target man. Saville was a disappointment and Clayton seems to have lost the ability to pass the ball. Walker will be better for the chance but it will be good to see Britt back.
Anyway, everything suddenly looks a bit better. I wonder what the Huddersfield management team will have made of it. Which team will they be playing?.
Best wishes to everyone, everywhere.
UTB
When I look at the morning paper it will say we won 2-1 and as Werder rightly says up to 18th.
It is a case of clinging on to very point and advantage we have. A good result against Huddersfield and points from unexpected sources at the Baggies and Preston.
We have no choice as Boro fans.
Wow, what an Untypical Boro comeback! We haven’t seen this sort of thing too often lately!
I really feared the worst after that dire first half and Stoke going in front. Great credit to Woody for his change of shape and his substitutions. And great credit to the players for giving it a real go in the second half. With 6 academy products on the field from the start, it could have been a very challenging scenario. But all got stuck in and gave their all, showing strong team spirit. A word of praise for Coulson and Spence. Wing, too, was so much improved and his link up play with Tav was great. And two great goals, both at the North Stand end! I bet North Stand regulars (Is that you, RR?) are still rubbing their eyes in disbelief – I think you’ve only witnessed about three Boro goals at your end in the last two seasons!
Three home wins on the bounce! Let’s keep this momentum going against Huddersfield! Suddenly, the picture is looking brighter.
At half time I was ready to give a couple of players a scathing rant on them.
Trapanier was totally lost, he kept asking for the ball in poor areas of the field ,then running in to trouble, Saville was shocking his decisions were Sunday morning third division.
There were others standing around.
Second half
Totally different ,in their faces winning second and third balls, this is what wins you games win the battles, win the war.
On an another note a player I’ve questioned his commitment to the club and football in general really stood up and looked a footballer ,I’m talking young Fletcher ,my man of the match.
They are moaning penalty , technically the pull back of Tav by Baatt in the box could have been.
Its a step ,
COB
On another note
I believe we received £150,000 for the game on sky,
I guess with fewer walk ups , its a bonus for the accountants.
The equivalent to 5/6 thousand walk ups, depending whether adults, etc, etc.
NOT a great deal of money gt.
So last night was the first of two crucial battles against relegation rivals and everyone was hoping Boro would be up for it from the off. Unfortunately the players added ‘less’ to ‘hope’ bit with their first-half performance but somehow woke up in the second half after falling behind to secure a rare come-back victory and leave the crowd in festive cheer. One man who will now enjoy his Christmas was there to see the gift of three points finally delivered – it’s Redcar Red with his match report…
https://diasboro.club/2019/12/21/boro-2-1-stoke/
Interesting dilemma this afternoon between the Ground Sellers!
Reading at Home to Derby with Reading sat one point beneath Boro on 23 points and Derby two points ahead of Boro on 26 points. A draw or a Reading victory or do we want a Derby win to keep us above Reading?
I’d opt for keeping any clubs below us below us, we can worry about climbing above Derby after beating Huddersfield.
Just read this morning that West Ham have offered £3m for Randolph as they think it is a fair price but Boro don’t want to make a loss – Surely we should make a profit from someone who was voted the best keeper in the Championship and besides surely the reason a Premier League club want him is because they think he is good enough to play at the top level!
Before I head back to my painting a quick thanks for the match report it certainly brought to life the exasperation of that first-half performance but I particularly liked the description of Saville pirouetting and dispossessing himself in the second half. It certainly was a contrast between halves and an important victory from the jaws of defeat.
Well after being out and about during the day with Mrs BBD and then driving up the A1 and A 19 ( with the compulsory listening of Chris Reas festive ditty!) to the game, only just caught up.
Thanks to Weder for the Christmas Cracker of an intro and to Redcar Red for his present of reporting on the Miracle of a win and 2 goals for the North Stand to witness! Pretty much summed up my take and after the first half, I, like GT, was calling for several players to sort themselves out.
There was no impetus or forward movement, it was almost if the players were afraid of their shadows! Still the second half was better although still not consistent. Mind you, there may be signs that Boro star may be starting to shine a bit brighter. Just hope that the 3 wise men in the coaching team can continue to motivate the players to play in a stable way rather than some of the donkey like performances that have been seen!
Hopefully the win will encourage the faithful to come on Boxing Day to worship the new born Boro and keep the run going.
Another victory and a draw at Preston will see 7 points from 4 games which is much needed and to give us some breathing space.
Anyway, a good Christmas Present from Boro and May I take this opportunity of wishing all my fellow bloggers a Happy Christmas.
UTB
I love the comments on the Wing performance.
His performance has never been below his abilities, the fault was the coach playing him as a defender. This was generally known by the fans.
No team with our attacking strength (or lack of same) could ever afford to leave him out of the attack, and so it proved last night.
There really is no excuse for our coaching staff. To drop a young player who was man of the match on his debut was foolish in the extreme, as he proved last night.
The first half was more than enough to make up any minds about his suitability as our manager.
It was a nice touch to bring on Gestede as we tried to hang on to the points, what is our coach like at Russian Roulette?
Redcar Red,
As always many thanks for the report on the proverbial ‘game of two halves’ with Untypical Boro being completely typical. Have the coaches now worked out where Wing’s best position is yet? Oh for a manager who can utilise and develop him to the full, and a few of the other U23’s too.
Did he put Gestede on to make it feel as if we were playing with ten men or did he manage to contribute? Not to be too grumpy but at least Boro won and got three on the board.
At least this box on the Boro advent calendar was a surprise.
UTB,
John
It was like playing with ten men John.
Pedro,
Thanks for that, my worst fears confirmed. As Mr Woodgate said about Gestede ‘you don’t become a bad player overnight’. Overnight? We’ve had years of it but I’d love to be proved wrong in my sceptical, pessimistic cynicism.
UTB,
John
Thanks RR for your brilliant report. As Tina Turner would say “Simply the Best” .
You have to wonder why Boro were so bad in the first half. I would have thought that the manager and coaching staff would have them fired up.
Stoke were very poor. Huddersfield will be a much tougher game.
I will opt for a Derby win. We dont want Reading moving above us, even a draw would help them due to their goal difference.
Sadly both teams cant lose though the EFL could deduct three points each due to irregularities.
RR
Many thanks for the report appreciated as ever.
Also thanks to Werder for his pre match preview excising and exciting as ever !
If it wasn’t for you both we wouldn’t have a blog and the service that you perform for us at Diasboro is appreciated by us all.
Dashed back from the panto at The Forum Snow White and the 7 vertically challenged personnel !
Just in time to switch the tv on and see Stoke Score !
Nearly switched it off again but pleased I stuck with it and really enjoyed it.
Tav has his best game for us and Wing was a game changer.
Going to Boxing Day game which is the the first for over two and a half months !
Hopefully it will be a nice day and we will have a result of
⚽️⚽️
Merry Xmas everyone
OFB
Great report as always RR.
I watched the match following our return from a night out. I try to avoid learning the score before hand but having phoned for our taxi to bring us home, I was told by our taxi driver that he would be with us in 10 mins and that he had just watched the first half of the match with the score at 0-0 – thanks Bob!
Dreadful first half but made up for by two good goals, three points, an astute change of formation by JW and a team prepared to fight their way back into a game they could so easily have lost. Still a long way to go and we need to build on this on Thursday.
Seasons greetings to all of our editorial team, Werder, RR, Ken and OFB and to all my Diasboro friends across the world.
I hope you all have an enjoyable Christmas and Boro deliver a belated Christmas present of more goals and three points on Boxing Day. 😎
RR, another great report I missed the first half as I could not put my book down “ how lucky am I “
UTB.
Great result in the end but that match felt like a Sliding Doors scenario.
Stoke score and it looks like we could spending Christmas in the bottom three but 4 minutes later we equalise out of nowhere and carry on with a double substitution.
Then it’s sliding doors time.
Clucas goes between two defenders in the box, Howson cuts across him doing just enough for Clucas to go down and claim a legitimate penalty. As with so many times this season, we have dragged ourselves back into a match only to shoot ourselves in the foot. Howson is already on a yellow card and this ref reaches to give him his second. Down to 10 men, penalty scored, losing 2-1 and 2 subs already made. A brief moment of hope rubbed out and Stoke can’t believe their luck.
Only this time the ref was in the one place on the pitch from where it looked like a dive. Clucas is booked, no penalty is awarded, Howson stays on the pitch and a few minutes later we score again. Stoke can’t believe their luck and it’s them who spend Christmas in the bottom 3.
Sometimes whole lives change in a split second. That was one of those times.
At this point, with Huddersfield, Derby, and Birmingham all to come at home you feel that we should get at least 7 points from those matches and maybe scrape a draw from one of our next three away matches. That would be 8 points from our next 6 matches and although we wouldn’t be out of trouble we would be on our way out of it.
Couple of probably unpopular opinions. Clayton can be a key member of an attacking team that actually attacks. In the first half he kept trying to look forward but never had options so he recycled the ball rather than hoofing it. I would rather he stayed on than Saville who seems to spend the game hiding from responsibility. I also thought it was unfair to boo Gestede. Yes his time here has been a complete failure but he came on, worked hard, showed intelligent movement and actually linked up well which is pretty impressive seeing as he hasn’t played since Queen Victoria was on the throne. I also noticed him working back and literally heading the ball off one Stoke player’s foot. We should never have bought him but that’s not his fault and yesterday he came on and made a difference.
deleriad, very apt in your comparison of parallel events, too many that have gone against us to be fair.
Clayton or Saville, each as bad as the other in my opinion. Clayton has served us well @ 1.5 mil, Saville, well is there anybody that can defend him?
Did Gestede really add anything extra, not for me and I did not boo him.
It seems great minds think alike.* Just went to read Teesside online and I see sliding doors. In case anyone is wondering, I’m not Philip Tallentire.
*Or as my gran liked to say, small minds never differ.
Most of the scores today didn’t go Boros way. More pressure for Boxing Day.
The Form table makes interesting reading especially looking at Boro and Barnsley. Not so good however for Derby, Charlton, Wigan and Stoke!
This helps 🙂
https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/middlesbrough/form-guide
Whether it’s the last 4, 6, 8 or 10 matches, we’re not in relegation form.
I would say our form on all those measures roughly reflects the quality of the squad – somewhere between 9th and 15th.
Speaking with my Stoke supporting mate earlier this week he mentioned that the Stoke fans are never off Joe Allen’s back and constantly criticising and carping about him. He really rates him and reckons that their fans haven’t yet adjusted to and understand the rigours of the Championship.
They paid £13M for him (he made his debut against us at the Riverside in the opening Premiership game). Aged 29 now he has two years left of his contract with Stoke. I think he is just the sort of midfield dynamo that has experience and that driving spark. Problem of course no doubt would be his wages but we also have a problem midfielder that has never settled here but seems to play well for Stoke’s Manager so maybe a “deal” would suit both clubs.
Saville is three years younger so maybe the financials could balance out somehow between fees and wages etc. and solve a problem for all the parties involved. For me we have missed that experienced midfield driving force since Grant’s legs went.
Interesting. I was also thinking earlier about Leadbitter and how Clayton looks a shadow of his former self since Grant’s exit.
At 29 I wouldn’t go for Allen, though I can totally see your point and the benefits he would bring. If we somehow managed to get Saville out (Stoke and O’Neill makes sense) I would rather use the money for other areas of the squad such as a genuine no. 10 or a winger.
I’m thinking a three year contract to add stability while Coulson, Spence, Tav, Wing and McNair grow around him. Preferably with Howson and Ayala retained as well. We never realised how much we missed Grant’s drive and wisdom until we didn’t have him.
Redcar Red,
That is a sound philosophy however are Boro noted for doing just that. There are the beginnings there and they need action now and not later this season. Should I hold my breath?
UTB,
John
Would he really swop one possible relegation club for another. Plus EPL wages. Hypothetical, yes, Reality, no.
RR,
that should have said ‘Boro are not noted for doing that’. . .
UTB,
John
After the first half I think we can say with certainty that we desperately need a coach, yes, I know that our present trainee is, somehow, some way, by means not known to the intelligentsia of the football World, scrambling together a few points which are worrying the bottom three teams (because we might escape), but really, come on, you know that he will pursue his mission to rescue Gestede from the oblivion which is surely his destiny, he might succeed, (about three goals would be a triumph), but at what cost, both to us and the football World.
Meanwhile young players who should be following their chosen profession in our first team are wasting their careers.
I’ve been offline for a couple of days. Everything seemed fine at
first on Friday morning when suddenly every website crashed. Not only that but all my photographs disappeared, and even the Camara function stopped working. I rang Virgin Media and they did the routine tests, stating everything was fine from their end. The next step was to ring Apple Support as all I had was a black blank screen. I spent about an hour whilst they guided me through several options, one of which was to reinstall overnight on Friday with the power still on. Come Saturday morning there was still no difference, so I rang Apple Support again fearing that my iPad which I bought only 9 weeks ago was now kaput. Of course it is still under guarantee but I was anticipating a trip to PC World to exchange it, and also thinking I might be there for hours with people doing there Christmas shopping and the technical team having to restore my 700+ photographs which not only contained holiday photographs but also many of my late wife.
As you can imagine my iPad is my lifeline especially regarding photographs of my wife, my input to Diasboro and now also Casforum where I’m in the process of reporting on the History of Castleford RLFC from the time they became a professional club in 1926 (at the moment I’m up to 1959 on that project). Anyway this time a senior technician from Apple Support was able to restore my photographs and camara facility but as for Safari he tried different tests which he estimated might take an hour and asked if I wished him to stay on the phone whilst he completed the tests. He was Australian and on noticing some of my photos of Capetown he said it was one of his favourite locations. He also recognised one of the Bernabau stadium in Madrid, so we talked for almost an hour about football and holiday destinations whilst the tests were taking place. Eventually to my relief he managed to get me online again, and as you can see I’m back on Diasboro.
I’m going to the Algarve in a fortnight’s time for 8 weeks and the thought of no internet was beginning to haunt me. Happily all now seems OK, and I feel as if I’m back in the land of the living. I’m not au fait with computer technology and I wasn’t treated like an imbecile but like a caring medical consultant would treat his patient, so I now have a different aspect of Australians.
I then spent most of Saturday afternoon catching up with the Gazette website and of course Diasboro. Thanks to Redcar Red for for his insight of Friday’s match, although I agree with Selwynoz in nominating Danni Ayala as man of the match. The first half was very poor but Stoke had more intent that I felt that one of those dangerous crosses might have ruffled Boro’s defence, but Ayala headed away cross after cross, and without his input Boro might have been dead and buried before halftime. Stoke should have had a penalty, but luckily the referee’s view was impaired, but about time that luck was on Boro’s side for once. I have to disagree with Philip Tallentire’s assessmen of yesterday’s Championship results being one of surprises. There was only one in my opinion, and that was Barnsley’s win at Millwall. I think Boro will discover that Huddersfield will be a far more difficult proposition than Stoke, and I’d be satisfied with a draw.
Anyway it’s good to be back online, although only a couple of days has sounded like a month for me.
Glad to have you back with us Ken and refreshing to hear of a Customer Service that actually done what they were needed to do instead of just fobbing their Customers off which is all too often the norm these days.
My head said that Ayala was the MOM as he held us together at the back during the first half and was more than a match for anything that Stoke through at him. Tav had some errant passes in him including the one that earned Howson a yellow card in the first half but I wrote that half off in its entirety as it was a complete shambles.
When we came to life in the second half Tav was the spark and the catalyst that drove us forward and for me it was his best game (well half) for us. We desperately needed to get something from that game and it was his determination, energy and drive that changed the outcome and in doing so won my heart in deciding the award.
Howson was another that came close putting in another assured display and of course his pin point ball over the Stoke back line for Fletcher to arrive perfectly on time to get us back in the game. Coulson grew into the game after a difficult opening ten minutes or so to really influence things and nullify Ince which augurs well for the future.
Ken, for security of something so dear to your heart, If you do not mind me saying, you should really back up your photos / files.
Either to a portable USB stick and also to something like Google Drive that you can then access from anywhere.
Some interesting fixtures at our end of the table on Boxing day:
Stoke v. Wednesday
Charlton v. Bristol
Reading v. QPR
Wigan v. Derby
Barnsley v. West Brom
Luton v. Fulham
plus of course Boro v. Huddersfield!
Apologies for posting my thank yous to Werder and Redcar Red for their excellent “Headliner” and Match Report.
At this time of year we tend to reminisce and nostalgia generally is high on priority.
The last decade that Werder reminisced over unfortunately did not bring back many golden memories and at this time of year it was a case of more like “Ghosts of Christmas Past”. Even Scrooge was in there, with Mr Gibson and Tony Mowbray. I did notice though that Werder was being considerate when he dutifully missed out the era of Mr Pulis, as that would have been like the football and boring to read.
As for Friday’s match which I attended “live” that first half had to be one of the worst seen in recent memory, maybe even this decade?. The atmosphere was muted and I would be interested to know how many where there in reality, 14000?
Then we had the second period, well after Stoke’s goal, which was completely different again.The inspired substitutions, used in the Gazette and by Neil Madison I am told, was a last throw of the dice decision. Woodgate set up not to lose IMO and not having any functioning midfield we suffered for it. Even Tav looked lost.
The introduction of Wing was the catalyst for the change with Tav now becoming the player we all hope he will mature to be.
Ayala as RR said, held it all together at the back. I just do not know what has happened to Dael Fry, he is a shadow of what he was last season. However considering the team put out, it ended well. Three valuable points, although Huddersfield will be a sterner test than against a poor Stoke side. Another must win game as we have not done very well on the road to date and the results around us on Saturday went against our position.
Gary Monks Sheffield Wednesday up to 3rd in the table. Did we sack him too early ?
How much has he spent on players or loaned in since he arrived at Wednesday,
He might be with his second club to face a points deduction……
In fairness he rescued Birmingham from the points deduction after their previous excesses against the odds and the core of the current Wednesday side have been there a while.
A Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all Boro supporters! I would be very happy with three points on Boxing Day.
Up the Boro!
Without giving my age away, but it is my birthday after all, I asked my wife this morning if indeed she did, and she said she still did on both counts.
Can’t get that song out of my head this morning.
So it looks like I can watch the match on Boxing day with a clear conscience [by the pool of course with a G and T] – provided I get back from Saudi in time as we are off there to see the eclipse that morning.
Happy Christmas to everyone and hope Santa brings us 3 points.
Just a thought – doesn’t the decade end at the end of 2020?
Good question! Though if the new millennium began on 1st January 2000 then it must be a new decade next week 🙂
Very sad that this mornings news once again is about Racism once again rather than football after the events of the Spurs Chelsea game over the weekend. No doubt there will be a lot of shaking heads and tutting from the Suits and proclamations about no place for Racism with promises to seek those responsible etc. etc. All very laudable indeed but how about a very simple and effective remedy, deduct ten points from the club whose supporters are guilty of such abuse.
Imagine the reaction of fellow supporters around them (more likely the potential for a reaction) if an ignorant moron starts to make abusive chants or noises knowing that your club could be automatically deducted ten points. For Boro (just as an example) it could relegate us, for Liverpool (again just as an example) it could blow their great start to the Premiership and specifically in the case of Spurs a ten point deduction would leave them one point above the the relegation places with any hope of Champions League football gone. Man Utd a few weeks back after their derby game incident with City would now be in the relegation zone on fifteen points.
Obviously it would have to be established that the perpetrators are in fact supporters of that Club and not a deliberate mischief maker (e.g. a Man City fan turning up at Anfield).
Without punitive consequences “give Racism the red card” means nothing when in fact the “red card” should actually be wielded in the form of a ten point deduction. Its Tottenham this week but the reality is it could be any club anywhere, the real problem of course lies with society in general but you can only fix the part of it under your control. Doing nothing isn’t an option.
Redcar Red
You could start with three points deduction and seven suspended for a couple of seasons. Throw in a ban on live matches for a period and the resulting TV money.
That gives a penalty and a warning of future consequences, penalises the club and the fans.
In my opinion I think it’s anger and fear that often causes racism. When I was a child it was fear especially when walking through areas at night where black people outnumbered white people. It was fear that led to the crucifixion of Christ. It was fear that the Nazi Party were concerned that black people and Jews might eventually outnumber pure white Germans, even banning Jewish literature or the playing any music composed by Felix Mendelssohn because he was Jewish. It was fear during the time when Enoch Powell was a Cabinet Minister that too many black people were depriving white people of jobs. Of course as different ethnic people have integrated into our society most of us are tolerant of each other whether it’s the colour of one’s skin or different religious beliefs. Apartheid in South Africa was born out of fear.
Viv Richards was often racially abused at Headingley. Abuse of any sort is obnoxious. We still have sledging in cricket
as a form of winding up opposing batsmen. That may not be as bad as racial abuse in some people’s view, but any sort of abuse should not be tolerated. The English have often been referred to by the Scots as Sassenachs, by Americans as Limeys, and by Australians as Pommies. Is that also a form of abuse? In the Middle East wars are usually referred to as holy wars. The intolerance has often been inbred in different races from generation to generation.
What I’m trying to say is that all forms of abuse are inbred in past generations and in some cases part of the culture. Most of us now know better, but at football grounds the perpetrators of abuse feel safe in a crowd because sometimes they know that they can get away with it. I hope these people can be identified, but banning them from attending football matches doesn’t go far enough. It’s not only a football problem, but a problem in society as a whole. I haven’t got the answer, but many people have prejudices but daren’t speak out what they are thinking. I doubt that racial abuse or any other form of abuse will ever be eradicated. Like most of us I hardly realise that some people are black, but just that they are people and should be offered the courtesy that we’re all part of the human race.
Lovely if slightly sobering read. I always saw us as a second tier team due to my first games being in the mid 80s, then adjusting to us being a solid premier league team took time. Now there’s the hangover from our long stay in the top flight and not really wanting to believe it’s over. Hopefully in ten years this’ll be an extended blip.
Unfortunately no matter what the penalties may be you’ll never be able to control the actions of one individual.
I think if one individual was in the South Stand and about to cause Boro to be deducted ten points he may think twice or at least would do so after the first verbal utterances when the mob mentality would let them know in no uncertain terms.
It would be the right result but for all the wrong reasons admittedly but self policing in that the fans themselves know the potential for repercussions. It is the lack of punitive measures that heightens the ignorant bravado of those with a lack of social acceptance sadly not helped by the two buffoons who only a few weeks ago were running for PM. Leadership in Football has been woeful and spineless but considering the behaviour of a few at the top of the ruling bodies hardly surprising.
The vast majority of people attending a football match do not behave in racist manner. If individuals can be identified then they should be barred from attending any regulated football match for life. But what if they can’t be identified.
Well, the truth is that the perpetrators are surrounded by people who witness them. Unless these witnesses identify the perpetrators to the authorities, they are complicit in the act and so just as guilty.
Every ticket is sold to a named individual these days and so the punishment needs to be targeted at all the individuals named on tickets in the section of the ground where the offence occurs and all those people should be barred from attending matches for a predetermined period, unless the actual perpetrators are identified. I think that might make people identify the right people to the authorities.
There are already cameras in Football Stadia used for “crowd control” it would only take a minor investment to cover all parts of the ground for most clubs. I would be astonished if the newest Stadium in the country doesn’t already have them down at Spurs.
I have had an extensive tour of the security systems that are in place at modern stadiums and there are so many cameras and microphones located within the ground then the actions of those responsible are easily identified
OFB
ADRIAN BEVINGTON is to leave his role as Middlesbrough’s head of recruitment operations, it has been confirmed.
Middlesbrough have announced his departure this afternoon having been working with his hometown club since May 2018.
The club have issued a statement but are refusing to comment further on the matter at this stage.
A Middlesbrough statement read: “Middlesbrough can confirm that Head of Recruitment Operations Adrian Bevington will part company with the club at the end of the month.”
Neither Bevington nor the club have revealed the reasons for his departure.
He was driving the change of approach and direction of the club, having himself described how he wanted Middlesbrough to develop a golden thread and identity running through the Teesside club.
Bevington, the former managing director of club England with the FA, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with Steve Gibson, Neil Bausor and everyone at the club.
“I’d like to wish Jonathan Woodgate, his staff, the players and supporters every success in the future.”
Middlesbrough’s chief executive Neil Bausor said: “On behalf of everyone at the club I’d like to thank Adrian for his work
OFB
Thanks OFB. That is goods news.
Why was he was taken on in the first place. Old pals act again I suppose and now like many others he has been found out ?
I think there will be a few more follow him out the the door.
Malcom,
Don’t forget he recruited our attacking star, ‘the tea lady and her trolley’, Redcar Red was/is full of praise for her prowess. Don’t know how we’re going to get her title on the back of a shirt perhaps it will just be T’LADY.
UTB,
John
The First Goël
The first Goël the Boro did score
Was against Teesside Wanderers in a score draw
And ever since then has the faithful implored
If you do score a Goël then try to score more
Goël, Goël, Goël, Goël
Score one for us, all our worry dispel
As the years went by we uncovered a gem
George Camsell scored Goëls again and again
Then later on in time came a brace of proud men
(Clough and Peacock)’s accomplishments cheered the brethren
Goël, Goël, Goël, Goël
Go on and score one, anxiety quell
How the memory abides still in this bailiwick
Cheering on as John Hickton took penalty kicks
And McAndrew is the name if the record you pick
Our youngest of players to score a hat-trick
Goël, Goël, Goël, Goël
Please lord just score one, our fears to expel
Now the season is half gone, our Boxing Day game
Is against Yorkshire Terriers we have to tame
Come on Britt and Fletcher too, score Goëls to proclaim
“Hello Boro are back” as three points we acclaim
Goël, Goël, Goël, Goël
Score lots of Goëls, make Boro excel
Goël, Goël, Goël, Goël
Score lots of Goëls, and all will end well
A very merry Christmas to everyone in the Diasboro and especial thanks and greetings to Werdermouth and Redcar Red for all their literary efforts this year.
Here’s hoping for the right results so we can all have some festive cheer
PNM
Absolutely brilliant. Our own Boro Christmas carol. 😎🎅🏻☃️
Thank you KP. Christmas carol you say, well I covered the ghosts of Christmases past and present. Let’s just hope we have some Boro Christmases to keep looking forward to in the future.
Happy Christmas to you both.
Brilliant, Powmill, and of a quality that you have produced on this blog for many years now.
All praise to Werder, Redcar Red, OFB, Ken, and Simon for all of the heavy lifting they have done in producing so much quality material over this, as every other year.
And I agree with Bob that without Werder and RR’s mainstay contributions (and I would add Bob’s) we would scarcely have a blog at all.
But one of the real strengths of the blog is that the talent runs deep, and there is literally no one on here who does not produce thoughtful, high-quality material, which is well worth reading, on a regular basis.
So my thanks to one and all and a very Merry Christmas to everyone who has continued to make this blog one that I read with pleasure and enjoyment every day of the year.
UTB
Thank you Len for your kind words. Of course, you did fail to mention one who always manages to impart a level headed sense of proportion with his own words of wisdom into the dialogue in here. So thank you to you for your sage contributions.
Merry Christmas.
Powmill- Naemore
Brilliant. I now bequeath the post of Boro’s Poet Laureate which OFB once gave me to you. I know when I’m beaten.
It’s not a competition to me Ken, you are still laureate for me. Glad you enjoyed it.
Hope you have a lovely Christmas down in the Algarve… It’s dark and damp and cool here in Scotland!
Bevington leaving is interesting in terms of it seems a piece of the summer of spin “golden thread throughout the club” is looking even more frayed. Maybe he was the one that sanctioned some of our poorer signings and has paid the price for his foolhardiness or maybe he was the one that objected to them all from the off but was overruled every time, told to toe the line and could only go along with it for so long.
He may of course have been courted by a far more lucrative and higher profile role elsewhere or its a case of one of those type of “redundancies” where the Head of Recruitment Role (HOR) is deemed no longer necessary and then a few weeks later a Senior Recruitment Officer (SRO) takes up a “new” appointment.
We may even see the arrival of the long awaited DOF and this is part of the foundation work for that or it may just be a cost cutting exercise as the actual crowds decline faster than the Makems and with it revenues. For the sake of the club I hope its because he was responsible for the ineffective signings but as a club that isn’t a recent phenomena, it was evident well before he arrived.
My big concern is that just maybe he has seen who MFC (or SG) are targeting in January and if its more of the Old Boys network he perhaps has put his foot down exclaiming enough is enough. Objecting strongly to bringing back the likes of Ben Gibson and some others like Jelle Vossen (who has been mooted elsewhere) may have not been well received especially as if rumoured they are being brought in “Leo style” to blow smoke up the fans backsides to offset the sales of some who the fans (and perhaps Bevington) would rather be kept.
He may have declared that the Woodgate experiment is now too much of a gamble and that if the Club slips into League One commercially it would be disastrous and could see MFC end up in a Bolton/Bury situation. I can imagine that would not be well received in some quarters and could have been naughty stepped because of it and so decided that its best to shake hands and move on. Whatever the reasons are there will be more to it than just the headline of his departure, no doubt the Gazette will have the scoop on it!
Or…….if you’re not recruiting, then you don’t need a head of department.
That made me smile.
The problem is we will get a Doh! instead of a DOF>
Pleased with the 3 points against Stoke, Just a pity that the results of the lower teams weren’t all that helpful which puts the pressure back onto the next game.
Living in Huddersfield I can’t not follow their progress and it’s clear that the Cowley brothers are turning things round. The team aren’t conceding as many goals as they were and are now scoring goals which was a rarity last season.
The main reason is one of the bargains of the year- a 21 year old forward for £2m from a lower league ( Grant). He is not good at ‘holding the ball up’ and doesn’t have lightning pace but he has the knack of scoring goals out of nothing. It will be interesting to compare him to Assombalonga ( if he plays)
Another player to watch out for is another 21 year old- Bacuna- who scores from midfield.
I’m expecting an interesting game cos like Boro , Huddersfield have had to blood a number of young players due to injury.
Please bring Mogga back as a head of recruitment or DOF. I love Mogga, me.
Up the Boro!
That is one Old Boy that in that role would excel beyond all measure of doubt but his Blackburn side are three points off the Play Offs with a game in hand tonight versus Wigan. I doubt we could afford him and I doubt he would want to walk back into another mess not of his making. Been here, done that and it didn’t end well despite his signings being the core of successive Managers sides since.
Agree with you, RR. But it’s Christmas and I can dream 😊
But as you said, he signed some good players for peanuts while here.
Up the Boro!
It’s fair to say that Mowbray signed some rubbish as well but you get that when you’re taking a punt. Players that come cheap tend to come cheap for a reason but it’s a major credit to Mogga that he found several good ‘uns that made a lasting impression, particularly once Karanka added discipline and organisation.
The main lesson I would take from Mowbray’s successes is the importance of signing players with the right mentality. His best signings – Leadbitter, Friend, Dimi, Adomah? – all had fantastic attitudes and I think saw playing for Middlesbrough as a step forward in their careers. It seemed as if TM’s top priorities were mentality and technique.
You look at that criteria and wonder how many of the signings since would have fitted that mould. Without trawling through the list, I suspect the percentage isn’t great and particularly cringe at the money spent on strikers under Monk.
Its like panning for gold Andy, you get a lot of sludge and sediment in there you just have to have an eye for picking out the little flecks of gold which Mogga does. Inevitably some grit and sand will get through but the gold will always shine in the end. Presently we seem to be unable to see the gold and have more grit than Middlesbrough Council use on the A66 this winter.
The timing of the Bevington departure seems a little strange. He leaves at the end of December with the window opening in January? Regardless of his ability or otherwise its not an ideal scenario from a Business perspective. I know us fans have a less than enthusiastic view on his tenure and there are one or two more who if they left we wouldn’t be overly concerned. Was it a knee jerk thing or is it part of a significant change in structure coming? Is Kenyon involved again?
If it was cost cutting another few months salary surely wouldn’t have made that much difference, I doubt very much that he was on Assombalonga type wonga. Knowing SG he usually has a Plan B lined up and I’m wondering if its a new role for someone (apart from Gary Gill) who has as yet not joined the club. It may be ideal for an experienced retired or semi retired Manager (Warnock?) with vast contacts and knowledge of the game.
Bevington always seemed to me to be an admin person rather than a talent scout and the Job Description and his CV just didn’t fit at all. Even the three Summer signings were supposedly on Woodgates PowerPoint rather than scouted by our Recruitment team. Perhaps the nature of Friday nights abject first half, the clearly audible booing on Sky has hit a nerve and reality has hit home.
Yes, the timing of Bevington’s departure seems a little odd as do the very short statements with no reasoning provided. The lack of info creates exactly the sort of void that will be filled with guesswork, rumour and speculation and you wonder how helpful that is and therefore why a fuller explanation wasn’t provided.
By the way, Assombalonga-Wonga is a great term and should be the bi-word by which we judge any future signings.
I always felt that Mogga’s signings, even when not wholly successful, were bargain buys, who nevertheless had a bit of a creative spark and offered something over and above the qualities of a journeyman.
Apart from the undoubted successes mentioned by Andy (to which Ayala can be plausibly added) Carayol had us all out of our seats on a regular basis until Karanka decided that his failure to track back outweighed his attacking qualities. And the likes of Ledesma, Haroun, and even Zemamma and Martin all had their moments and offered good control of the ball and some creativity ( and in Haroun’s case over 50 appearances) at bargain basement prices.
Where Mogga was much less successful was in the loan market. Whilst Holloway at Blackpool was able to recruit promising youngsters like Johnjo Shelvey and Tom Ince, we recruited one dud after another, most of their names long and perhaps best forgotten.
What is beyond dispute is that Mogga’s eye for a bargain with that bit of extra spark has not been replicated within the club since he left.
Well it’s Christmas this evening over here (Heiligabend as us Germans say) and after the race to meet the project deadline with a shattering Sunday and a manic Monday we’ve finally taken back control of the living room and all that remains now is to Get Brexmas Done!
So before I head off to finish off setting up the TV, putting up the tree and preparing Christmas dinner before the arrival of the in-laws, I’d just like to wish everyone on Diasboro a great Christmas and good luck and good health for the new year.
Also thanks to everybody for their good wishes and comments on the blog and I’d echo the sentiments and thanks to all the contributors and especially Redcar Red for his dedication and excellence of both his reports and posts! And many thanks for all those who regularly post – much too many to mention individually in the few minutes I’ve got but a quick good luck to OFB on his return to the Riverside after ill-health and hope Ken enjoys his break in Portugal too.
Frohes Weihnachten!
Werder
Many thanks for all your hard work over the past year it’s really appreciated
Thank you for the mention I’m looking forward to Boxing Day it’s such a long time since I’ve been to the Riverside but I’m better now thank you.
Merry Xmas to you your family and all our Diasboro family worldwide
OFB
RR
Your dedication in going to watch games and report for Diasboro needs a special mention because those of us who are unable to attend games have relived the moments both good and bad through your words
Thank you
OFB
Thanks Werder for all your great articles. Have a Merry Brexmas with you and your family.
Merry Christmas to everyone, hope you all have a great Christmas day and an even better Boxing Day especially the Boro.
Come on BORO.
A Merry Christmas and many thanks to Werder, our Roving Reporter Redcar Red, Ken and Simon, you are the bedrock of the blog.
The same good wishes to every other blogger and contributor who make this blog a compulsive read despite the pain we all suffer supporting the Boro.
Up the Boro,
John
Wishing all on here a happy and peaceful Christmas and three points on Boxing day!
i’ll drink to that
Yes, Merry Christmas to all contributors (and any lurkers out there waiting to break their duck) and special thanks to Werder, RR, Simon and OFB. The blog remains essential reading and the without doubt the best place to talk Boro in a considered and thought-provoking way amongst friends. You all make it what it is.
Happiness and health. And three points on Boxing Day.
https://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/sport/football/middlesbrough-fc/14-players-who-signed-middlesbrough-while-adrian-bevington-was-head-recruitment-operations-1349075
Looks like one good one out of fourteen to me. May explain why he has gone! 😎
Which is a sad reflection of our recruitment!
Hope all is well with Mrs KP.
Malcolm,
A string of No.1 hits there.
UTB,
John
As we all head into Christmas Eve, I would also add my best wishes to all and sundry on this ever fantastic media get together we have between us.
I for one never take for granted it’s importance that has been driven from the off by Werder, RR, OFB and following up with Simon, Ken and Exmil. There are countless others that contribute.
I hope that as previously said, we all have importantly a healthy 2020. Luck as-well
would help, especially were the Boro and MFC are concerned.
I can only second that sentiment,
And I wish everyone on this blog a merry and happy Christmas.
In the words of young Mr Grace ‘You have all done very well’.
Well before I start on Christmas Eve drinks, I also echo the other comments regarding my thanks to Weder and Redcar Red for all their sterling work over the last 12 months in keeping this fantastic blog going and being what an ex contributor (Spartakboro) said was the best football blog!
He also said to tell RR that he was right – we were talking on a political blog- and that he would know what he meant.
A big thank you to Ken for all his research and history, a real labour of love for our football team who sadly can’t match the quality of writing on here. Mustn’t forget others whose contributions I enjoy, OFB, Simon and in fact everyone!
Hope that we all have a wonderful Christmas and that Boro bring us the best present of 3 points on Boxing Day and go into 2020 on a positive note.
UTB
Just looking at the 14 players signed under Bevington reign and I reckon , at best 4 were successful. Clearly no team gets 100% success but 30% is poor.
On a different issue I hope Wing is now restored to a more attacking role. He is wasted as a deeper midfielder and he seems to plat well with Tavernier.
Happy Christmas from a warm Gran Canaria.
Thanks to all for your kind remarks. All I can say as I spend Christmas alone but not lonely with so many friends on Diasboro Frohliche Weinachten und Danke Schoen to Werdermouth for his brilliant prologues of Boro’s matches each week, Feliz Navidad to all our Boro exiles in Spain, Hyvaa Joulua to Jarkko arguably Boro’s greatest fan, and Merry Christmas and thanks to our roving reporter Redcar Red who tells it like it is with no holds barred week in and week out, also to OFB, Simon, Len and many others who make this forum arguably the best in the Country, and finally to Powmill-naemore for taking over the mantle of Boro’s Poet Laureate. God bless you all and a Happy New Year everyone and to Middlesbrough Football Club our club since 1876 and hoping for a better 2020.
I’d also like to drink to absent friends especially the family of the never to be forgotten Ali Brownlee as Christmas is a difficult time for everyone who has lost their loved ones. Prost!
Hear hear Ken!
Merry Christmas to you Ken and to one and all and isn’t that just why we all gather together in here…. What a great excuse it is to be a Boro fan.
I’ve just come across a Brian Clough quotation which might rival Len Shackleton’s blank page. “Football hooligans? Well there are 92 club chairmen for a start”. Perhaps a bit harsh.
Another for Boro supporters.”As long as you can be disappointed, you are still young”
Finally, the definition of a Committee is a group of people who keep minutes and waste hours.
Well it’s already ten minutes into Christmas Day, so I’ll wish you all a very merry and peaceful Christmas. I’d like to add my thanks to all who contribute, but especially RR, Werder, OFB and Ken for magnificent service well beyond the call of duty. Amazing work, gentlemen ( I’m assuming you’re all male! I’m convinced Ken, OFB and Werder are, and I think you’ve mentioned Mrs Red in the past, RR! )
UTB!
Boxing Day sales tomorrow, probably get some good deals on Easter Eggs!
I wonder who the victors will be at The Riverside tomorrow?
Puddings 2-0 Turkeys
Boxing Day and the big match, I hope the squad have been enjoying energy drinks, plenty of celery and salad, not forgetting the raw steaks to get them in the mood.
Will it be a sensational season best home win? Who knows?
So it’s a 2 – 1 for me after going 2 – 0 up at half time and the second half being a typical Boro ‘squeaky bum chorus’ for the supporters.
UTB,
John
The BBC website has been selecting their alternative awards for 2019 and two come to mind and are worth repeating:-
1. Chris Wilder as manager of Sheffield United has suffered only 4 defeats in the calendar year and despite the fact that the majority of those matches were in the Championship is worthy of that award. However let’s not forget that Jack Charlton is the only other person outside the Premier League/ Old First Division to have officially won the Manager of the Year Award in 1974.
2. Leicester City’s 9-0 win at Southampton this year is the biggest away win in the 137 year history of the top tier of English football. In my lifetime this equals the 9-0 result attained by Manchester United against Ipswich Town in March 1995 although of course that was a home win for United. However I would award the accolade of the BEST away win in the top tier to our neighbours Sunderland who beat Newcastle United 9-1 away in December 1908 as the Magpies went on to win the League by a runaway 7 points that season. It’s also probably worth reminding folks that Boro are one of only a handful of clubs to score double figures in a top tier fixture when beating Sheffield United 10-3 in November 1933.
Although I don’t expect Boro to emulate that feat today I thought that it might give some post-Christmas cheer to fans on Diasboro. as I’m sure all of us would take any sort of win this afternoon.
Nice one Ken – I think Boro a due a big win, though 10-3 might be tricky – especially if Gestede is one of the strikers 🙂
Eyeballs in the sky today
⚽️⚽️
OFB
OFB, in Finland we would say a binoculars draw. Up the Boro!
Let’s hope that the players have kept off the Christmas Pudding yesterday and are raring to go with gusto.
If he keeps the same team and plays a 442 from the off, then I would hope that we will be victorious and grab a bargain in the sales!
I am predicting a 2 1 victory for Boro
UTB
Well I don’t know who the turkeys will be come 5 o’clock but hopefully Boro won’t be the ones getting stuffed! I dreamt Boro won 3-0 but that’s perhaps just my inner Freud getting mixed up with my inner child – though any win today will do.
Anyway, Boxing Day is the traditional day when we travel to visit Mrs Werder’s brother for yet another lunch so am just about to head off and won’t get to see the game today and won’t get back until later this evening. Hopefully it will be an enjoyable game for a bumper crowd and all the Diasboro attendees will have a memorable day (for good reasons).
Jurgen Klopp is complaining that some clubs have to play 2 matches in 3 days over Christmas. As Tosh Warwick reminds us on the Gazette website all clubs had to play on Christmas Day up to the mid-60s which sometimes entailed 3 matches in 4 days, and nearly also occurred at Easter with matches on Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Monday.
Let us not forget that both holiday periods included playing the same opponents on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, also on Good Friday and Easter Monday allowing sending-offs, etc to fester in the return fixtures. Also clubs hadn’t got the depth of players that some clubs have today and most players were involved in all 3 matches often played on snow-covered or quagmires with no substitutes allowed and with a ball that was often as heavy as lead.
Ok today’s footballers are fitter and some of those past matches often provided surprise results, it was an English tradition and football was in the entertainment business for customers rather than the players’ welfare and on a wage structure far removed from today’s. Yes some of the football was dire compared to today but it was a case of the show must go on. Maybe today’s players are more skilful, but not as tough as those of yore.
A win today would be a good Boxing Day treat and results elsewhere could put some more daylight between ourselves and the bottom three.
It would be a good game to win today, especially with some of the upcoming fixtures after this one.
I’m in a positive frame if mind after having had a lovely day with my best half and my kind and thoughtful son….. so I’m predicting 3 goëls to 1 to the Boro.
Narrow home win.
(I’m mostly saying that as I’ve said it for the past three home games and it’s worked! Haven’t worked out how to dictate away results yet I’m afraid)
I dare not even make a prediction. Just hoping for a win, but four on the bounce is a big ask, even home ones.
Probably a draw, possibly a defeat in front of the seasons biggest crowd.
Just back in time to see the match having played 13 holes of golf with Mrs P for the first time in nearly 12 months.
Clear blue sky, 24 degrees, golf was cr**p but it was just wonderful that the two of us could be out enjoying ourselves again after a difficult year.
Just need the Boro to win and that will be the perfect end to Christmas.
CoB 😎🎅
Glad to read that Mrs K P is well and truly on the mend. Here’s to a better 2020, and I say let’s start early with a win today.
That’s great to hear.
Fantastic KP – here’s to 2020 and in the great scheme of things, football is the least important thing! Health and happiness is far better.
At the ground hear Peter Kenyon involved again !
OFB
OFB
Not sure how to respond to that bit of news. I wonder what role he will be undertaking? 😎
Last time Peter Kenyon worked for us he was on a £2m bonus to get us promotion and he achieved that
Ayala won’t sign new contract as it was reduced significantly
Players unhappy McNair given Xmas off to go home. Thought he should have stayed and trained
Ditto Browne went back to London
Enjoyed the game after being missing for so long I don’t understand those that moaned after the match !
A lot of commitment from the lads
OFB
OFB,
Is he this box-to-box playmaker we’re all praying for?
KP in Spain it’s dull and pouring down in Norfolk but your news brightened my day. A real Christmas Boat for you both. Brilliant.
And Boro won.
UTB,
John
KP,
That should read ‘Box’, damned smart-arse spell-check.
UTB,
John
That ties in with my rumoured “question” on my post on Christmas Eve then about Kenyon, interesting!
It would certainly make far more sense than Bevington did in a recruitment role.
KP
As they say
Smell the flowers feel the breeze live every day
We are all so pleased for you both have a wonderful life together
OFB
Great news KP and good luck with improving the golf! – though whose idea was it to play 13 holes 🙂
Great news KP. Best Wishes.
Thanks for all your kind comments. It’s been a difficult year but we have been amazed by all the positivity and kindness shown by our Diasboro friends around the world.
Thanks to you all and our very best wishes for 2020 including the Boro. 😎☃️
KP
Add my best wishes to the list with the good news.
I just looked at the live table with us winning 1-0 and Derby drawing 0-0. We are above Derby on goals scored. Derby fans are shaking their heads over their performances and results.
Never mind the quality, ride the good luck (second game where opposition should have had a penalty) enjoy the win and three points! An excellent end to Christmas. 😎🎅🤶
Great to hear that you and Mrs KP had a great day.
Golf is only a good walk spoiled. Well that is what I say when I occasionally play. And always, the word you used.
And it was a little chilly at the Riverside.
Boro continue to do well in the mini league of teams in and around us in the table. Clean sheets are always welcome too.
Boro Wrap Up Three Points!
A really pleasing result especially for me as an exile living in Huddersfield. When I return to the UK after my Christmas holiday in the sunshine I’ll have a bit of friendly banter with my Huddersfield friends!
Meanwhile I know the wine will enjoyable tonight.
OFB….not great news if Ayala won’t sign, club should offer him more. He has been a very loyal player for the club unlike some.
Agree Malcolm,
Typically Boro can’t see the woods for the trees.
UTB
Well back home from my Boxing Day visiting and was pleased to see that Boro kept the festive fans in full cheer with yet another important win against one of our relegation rivals. As I didn’t see the game, I’ve no idea if it was a well-deserved win, a ground out victory or even an undeserved three points. Luckily Redcar Red was there and has filed his match report to enlighten those of us who missed out…
https://diasboro.club/2019/12/26/boro-1-0-huddersfield/
Thanks, RR, another one of your reports that stuck the right note of what was played out on the pitch today.
Thanks RR for another honest and in depth report. Always far superior to others including JW’s after match reaction’s which tend to be embarrassing.
RR
Thank you for the latest of your excellent match reports
Appreciated
OFB
Thanks for being the eyes on the ground again RR. You really do give a sense of a game for those of us not being able to see it.
That is a great brace of results for us. Let’s hope we get one or two of those unexpected bonus points from the next two games.
Thanks RR for an excellent match report. Truthfully, since the Hull game, the results have been as good as we could have hoped for. Although we’re not out of trouble, we have breathing space and a chance for Woodgate to show that he can take the team forward the next step. In January we have two more home games against struggling teams (Derby and Brum) and very tough away games. If we can scrape a point or two away from home and keep winning the home games then Woodgate will be starting to prove the doubters (me included) wrong.
I’ve got to say that Woodgate has shown amazing resilience. Regardless of what you think of him, to get a chance to manage your boyhood team and see it go so crushingly wrong but stick with it and start to turn it around takes a lot.
A win is a win even if we rode our luck sometimes, it looks like its going to be one of the tightest divisions ever, so every point counts.
On this FFP rules , is it an on going audit, or is it end of a season one, because where we are we don’t want a point deduction scenario, with a few games to go.
We might have to sell a couple in Jan, to balance any in comings?
Randolph certainly seems to be being wrapped up safe and ready for.a January sale.
Assombalonga reportedly fit and not playing in case of injury during transfer season !
OFB
Huddersfield certainly rode their luck when we played them at their place. Perhaps that score has evened itself out.
Thanks for the report, RR. Top work as ever.
Redcar Red,
Thank you for the report, as always excellent to report and read about a win and to detect a little optimism in there too. Many thanks, it went down well with my second mug of tea.
Onwards to the next game and hoping that Boro stay focussed as a team.
UTB,
John
Thanks RR for another excellent match report. Not a lot of quality on display but plenty of endeavour.
If we can keep taking points off the teams around us then it will ease the pressure but still a long second half of the season ahead.
Disappointing news from OFB that DA won’t sign a new contract. If the club allows the likes of DA and JH to leave in the summer along with the others whose contracts run out then I see next season being even grimmer than this.
I don’t see a lot of sales in January as most clubs in our league will struggle to meet or even better the wages our senior players and probably only Randolph is capable of holding their own in the PL hence the reported interest from the hammers.
I understand the need to reduce the wage bill and to adhere to FFP but if we don’t tale a few risks then the likelihood is a never ending downward spiral. We need to engineer the finances to enable us to keep these two players at least.
It was also surprising to learn that PM and MB were allowed time off. What happened to “we are all in this together”. It appears to be rewarding failure and is poor man management in my opinion and does not engender team spirit. 😎
Tale = take. Why do you always spot the typo the minute after you have posted! 😎
If true KP, it really shows Woodgate’s inexperience.
What to do with suspended players? I have heard of managers where if players were not involved in the squad for suspension they didn’t train with it – I think the Special One took that approach, I dont know if he still does.
Others have sent players away – I think Sir Alex has done that in the past.
It may work in that they have to stew about being away from the squad, most people like being with their mates so it could focus their minds.
I think the concern amongst Boro supporters is that historically we have had a few that seemed to “engineer” their absences at certain times of the years deliberately so they could be elsewhere over the holiday period. I’m not saying that was the case with these two but it does leave a door open for others should they so desire.
Ayala was fuming about it apparently
OFB
I did fear that McNair would be allowed to miss Christmas Day training and cynically wondered whether he manufactured his sending off. Not a decision to preserve team spirit. Belated sentiments of happiness for KP and his wife, also another excellent report from Redcar Red. Unfortunately I missed the commentary on Radio Tees as a friend rang me with a 45 minute phone call. Strange as she wanted someone to talk to as her husband was at the match. I hope I was courteous towards her, but she was my late wife’s best friend, but her timing could have been better.
One curiousity though what happened to the penalty that Boro were awarded just before Spence scored? The Gazette’s Boro Live mentioned it but didn’t say that it was presumably missed, or was this just another faux-pas by the Gazette reporters?
No penalty claim by us ken although they shouted for one
OFB
Heard also that Shotton nearing a clause in his contract similar to Downing’s which invokes monetary uplift.
Was told he’s on 99 starts made more appearances but only 99 starts and the 100 activates it.!
Are the appearances correct ??
Heard a lot of mutterings yesterday none positive !
OFB
Interesting snippets OFB.
No more getting ill – we need the insider info!
I’m not sure what to make of it but its interesting that whilst our most valuable assets (and new signings) have been “injured” we have had our best run of points collected with many of those with a transfer “value” absent.
https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/middlesbrough/form-guide/eight
Redcar Red
Thanks for the link and thanks for the report, much appreciated.
As far as Boro are concerned it is taking points as they come. The two fixtures coming up looked horrific at the start of December, we now have a little bit of room and a point or so would not go amiss before the cup tie.
An earlier poster mentioned JW and how he is handling the pressure well. I totally agree.
It’s been a real baptism of fire for him. This will stand him in good stead for his future career, and if SG holds his nerve, perhaps it will be MFC who benefit. Who knows what might have been if the chairman had kept faith with Southgate?
I’m not comparing the two as managers, just the relative scenarios. The S&P rules mean that Gibson’s hands are tied, so his options are fairly limited. So far, apart from the odd wobble, JW seems to be handling the pressure fairly well, I imagine playing at the highest level is aiding him there.
It’s inevitable he will make mistakes, particularly as he doesn’t have any experienced coaching staff around him. He has to play the hand that has been dealt to him, and perhaps he is starting to come to terms with the limitations his present squad has.
The form table shows results are improving. Hopefully it will continue, especially gaining points from the teams in and around them. I imagine the experience of the season so far has been eye opening to the manager and perhaps just as much for the supporters.
Realisim is starting to set in, but looking at the young players coming through maybe things aren’t as bad as some seem to think they are. Still a long way to go but a least for the time being the pressure may have eased slightly. It’s up to JW to make sure that everyone at the club stays focused and concentrated on keeping this mini run going.
Can he do it? That remains to be seen, but in the meantime he deserves all the support he can get.
Thanks for the report RR. I’m half expecting some time in the near future, to read this from you…….
“ In the 57th minute Saville was shown a Red Card, for a reckless two footed lunge on himself!”
Speaking to the press after the game, Woodgate said…..
“ We will definitely be appealing, George isn’t that type of player. Whilst it may have looked bad on the replays, I know he bought all the local kids Unicorns and Sweets for Christmas. Hopefully he will have learned a valuable lesson and know he can’t continue tackling himself like that.”
On MOTD , Alan Shearer commented…….
“ This play acting has to stop! Saville hardly touched himself and the four inch gash in his shin was merely superficial, and he conned the ref into giving him a red card”
WBA are ‘due’ a defeat, this could be a very good Christmas for Boro, fingers crossed.
So far Pears and Fletcher have proved we can afford to sell Randolph and Assombalonga, I hope they maintain tier form until May.
The various academy players who have made an impact in recent weeks have been a breath of fresh air. Still, new faces in January are a must.
Some positive news today:
https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/hayden-coulson-signs-new-boro-contract
Worryingly Djed Spence’s contract expires in the Summer!
RR…just need Ayala and Spence to renew.
And Howson! 😎
Maybe selling Britt and Randolph, coupled with a few more wins to ease relegation fears, will give the club the extra cash and stability to go back to any players they’d rather keep – presumably Ayala, Howson and perhaps Friend – with improved (but still reduced overall) offers.
I’d definitely want to keep Ayala and Howson. I think the longer time goes on a playing future for Friend is looking less likely but I would want to retain him in a transitional role from Playing to Coaching. I think like Southgate, Friend could one day go on to be a top Coach somewhere, hopefully here.
RR
I agree with you re Friend albeit given he has obtained a degree in Media Communication, I am not sure that he is looking to go down the coaching route when he hangs up his boots.
If he doesn’t want to coach, I would still keep him in a communications role as he is articulate and can’t do a worse job than the current incumbents. 😎
Yes, the upturn has been during the absence of those players who are giving us some anxious moments regarding their continuing presence at the club.
For myself, I would keep the young players in the team, as the mature players are not very good, or, for that matter very willing.
Of course it is also important that these youngsters show their quality now, not after they have left the club.
As a point of interest, was reading a piece about Leicester and their adventures in the transfer market, they say nothing, search very keenly, and act on their discoveries. The sums are eye watering, about 250 million as at now, with a few of their present staff worth maybe the same should it come to selling.
We of course should hang our heads in shame, entering every auction that comes into being, no idea of value, no idea of form, come to that.
By my reckoning we have blown about 200 million in the last several seasons, even losing money on players who were pretty talented ( because they insisted on getting out of the asylum a.s.a.p.).
If you think that I am unfair, I can only say that your performance in the scouting, and signing’s in the market place have a very direct effect on your performance on the field.
Which means big changes have to happen, I do not wish to hear about any approaches for any player. Just the photo in the paper as he arrives to sign.
Our Scouting has been 18 to 24 months out of date when signing players and even with that very poor in identifying the correct targets. I championed Harry Maguire on here years ago when at Hull (I highly rated him from his time at Brammall Lane) and also touted Maddison from Peterborough last season (and I’m fully employed elsewhere outside of the Football Industry). We signed Saville for £7M when Millwall had signed him the year before for £375K.
Maybe the emergence of Spence and Coulson heralds a change in that but the cynic within questions why someone thought that Dijksteel and Bola were better than what was right under their noses? Hopefully over time those latter two will come good but I suspect that in the case of both it will not be in the positions that they were originally signed for.
Changing tack slightly. Does anyone know why yesterday’s match and Sunday’s game are not available on the Sky red button?
I am not overly concerned whilst I can watch via Riverside Live but was surprised to find that both games are not available whilst the others are.
Only mid week games apparently are covered by red button !
OFB
6 games are listed as being available via the red button on Sunday on the Sky website of Championship games on Sky. 😎
Normally thats the case Bob but the Boxing Day fixtures and Sunday’s matches are listed as being on the Red Button but not either of the two holiday Boro games.
https://www.livesoccertv.com/competitions/england/championship/
For some reason Sky are not showing all the Championship games on the Red Button for those same two days. I was thinking that after the first half against Stoke we may have been blacklisted after a flood of complaints from Sky viewers who had tuned in to watch a football match.
Belated thanks RR for your great match report. I see to have never stopped having something to do since we landed back in the UK.
However six points from the two matches seen live at the Riverside. Not impressed by the quality, but certainly with the endeavour and effort from the younger players and Ayala and Howson.
We needed those wins and points from the sides around us. Now we need to nick a couple off those above us and also not lose when we play those around us in the away fixture. It’s no good winning those at home and then losing the corresponding fixture away.
Just in case folks think I’ve lost my marbles I’ve recounted the the Gazette’s heading ‘Recap and reaction as Boro make it four successive Riverside wins’ and at 15.35 it reports as follows ‘Saville just heads wide from a Spence cross but it takes a nick off a defender and Boro win their first penalty of the game’.
No wonder I was confused as Redcar Red never mentioned it in his report.
Ken
I’ve heard of typos but turning a corner into a penalty that’s just wishful thinking 🤔
OFB
Hi Ken
This is the extract from my report on the same event:
“Saville had to be alert to intercept quickly to prevent Bacuna getting a ball played into a pack of chasing Terriers.
Finding himself suddenly the centre of attention, Saville then set up Fletcher and after a series of passes it ended with Saville diving at a Spence-delivered ball to win our first corner. ”
Much as I would have loved a Penalty unfortunately it was only a corner. Reporters, just can’t believe a word they type these days 🙂
I must admit that OFB’s insider comments are disturbing. Perhaps ironically for Woodgate, I suspect that because the team has just about managed without Britt and Randolph means that Gibson will feel more confident about selling them in January. If so, that might free up enough cash to make Ayala an offer in January that he’ll accept.
Although scoring goals is our weak point, I do think we need at least one other experienced, high-quality CB in January because Ayala’s basically doing his job and covering for Fry at the moment.
If we sell Britt we need someone like Grabban (a proven Championship goal scorer) for less than we sold Britt for but I don’t see that happening because everyone wants the same. If not, then selling Britt will be a false economy because one injury to Fletcher and suddenly all our hopes rest on Gestede. We are by no means even close to safe right now.
Good assessment deleriad. We are only one injury from a major problem. Ayala.
Fry has been terrible since his return from injury and if we had another CB with a modicum of experience, would of been dropped. Obviously Woodgate does not have sufficient confidence in Wood and so another CB is required come January.
We are so light in the major positions that it is frightening. When you think that we have seven players out of contract in the summer and may not want to retain the majority and probably lose the ones would like to keep? Well one has to question the capability of the MFC senior management.
If we manage to escape relegation how o we replace those lost and also strengthen the overall squad? Jarrko has said many times, change only 4/5 players. We could be looking at a dozen. If we could afford it and we can’t.
You are absolutely right, RR.
I recall you touting Maguire when he was at Hull and at the time I had never heard of him. But you were correct, big time, and at a giveaway price. Same goes for your very early identification of Maddison, as you rightly say.
The one I banged on about was Antonio, in whom I took an interest from the time Mogga tried to sign him from Sheffield Wed. Mogga was dead right, but the club couldn’t stump up the money. Antonio went on improving and by the time he was ready to move on from Forest he was the Championship’s outstanding attacker. The club had a grandstand view of what he could do when he tore Fredericks and Kalas to shreds at the City Ground as Boro tumbled to what was essentially a defeat at the hands of a single player. When he became available at the end of that season at around £7 million I suggested that we should go for him. West Ham were interested, but hadn’t the money. What did we do? We handed the Hammers £7 million. We bought Downing; they bought Antonio, a deal that still raises my blood- pressure whenever I see him playing out of his skin on TV as West Ham’s most potent attacker and one of their best ever buys.
And I remember suggesting Tom Ince for £4 million in the January window during the season when we narrowly missed automatic promotion. Ince went on to score, from memory, 12 or 13 goals, plus assists to Bent, who scored even more in the remaining half-season. The Boro opted to go for Foreshaw at £2 million as ‘one for the future’ at a stage of the season when we needed one for the present. Adam’s potential was so far into the future that he scarcely got a game during the remainder of that season.
It might well have been because of the discussion on Untypical Boro that Anthony Vickers, extraordinarily, got an “explanation” from the club on why they had not bid for Ince, a player whose goals would almost certainly have guaranteed promotion.
He might have disrupted the whole basis of the club’s success : the established harmony of the dressing room. This always seemed fatuous to me. An excuse rather than an explanation. If a player who comes in, and scores a load of goals which gets the team into the promised land of the Premier League cannot be integrated successfully into the squad, then who can.?
That so called harmony was, of course, exposed for the myth it was a mere few months later at Charlton when the divisions and factionalism within the squad were exposed for all to see. It was a factionalism no doubt aggravated by the failures at the end the previous season.
I should say that I am no fan of Tom Ince. He has talent but it is accompanied by a petulance and sense of entitlement that make him an unattractive personality and no doubt a difficult team mate. The same, by the way, could also be said of Ramirez, whose performance at Stoke in our relegation season was unforgivable. He didn’t give a stuff and didn’t even pretend to put in any effort. Yet he had been one of my favourite players. He had sublime skills and was instrumental in our getting promotion. He was the right player for us at the right time. And that was precisely the case for Tom Ince.
More recently, who was it who looked at the Millwall midfield featuring Saville and Jed Wallace and concluded that, yes, Saville was our man and a snip at £7 million?
As for our three summer signings, the less said the better. I don’t see any of them having any kind of future with the club. And I’d be delighted for time to prove me wrong.
In general I find the suggestions from RR and numerous others on this blog for players in whom we might show an interest to be far more creative and interesting than the lemons we too often end up by signing.
Football is a relatively short term business. By all means plan for the future, its essential but if you don’t win games in the present tense the Manager won’t be around for long enough to appreciate any long term planning. A perfect example is that of Browne and Bola and arguably to a lesser extent Dijksteel.
As you say Len Ince is not particularly a character I would want to build my foundations upon but the right man (like Ramirez was) at the right time makes all the difference.
The problem with Antonio was that he wasn’t called Michael Anthony and from Berwick Hills. Besides who would want a Boro player smashing up his Lamborghini into peoples living rooms anyway, we have enough traffic problems on Teesside with the ridiculous “Throughabout” on the A66 at the minute at Cargo Fleet. £Millions being wasted to reduce delays that won’t be reduced but instead will create an accident black spot. Pity they didn’t think of it when the Council were sticking upended planks of wood in the ground just a few short years ago in the same spot and heralding it as a fantastic work of art.
It certainly is a concern that Ayala and possibly Shotton may not be with us next season as Fry is certainly not the player he was last season. I don’t think Ben Gibson’s return would be the answer either. It’s strange that two of our brightest prospects have gone backwards with Gibson not getting a look in at Burnley and Fry a shadow of the player he was last season. I realise his pre-season injury didn’t help but we’re now half way through the season and there’s been no improvement.
I certainly wouldn’t let Assombalonga go as disappointing as he has been at times, good strikers are hard to come by and where would Boro be able to find a replacement? In my lifetime Boro went on a desperate mission to replace the ageing Mickey Fenton with the signings of Andy Donaldson, Neil Mochan, Ken McPherson, Peter McKennan and Charlie Wayman before unearthing Brian Clough almost a decade later. Pre-war of course Boro always had a succession of good centre forwards, but between Fenton and Clough zilch.
On another matter why are the majority of Premier League clubs being asked to play matches today whilst all the Championship, Division 1 and 2 clubs all play tomorrow? Maybe Jurgen Klopp has a point in criticising the unfairness of it
all. I recently mentioned that up until the late fifties and early sixties that all clubs had to play 3 matches in 4 days over Christmas and Easter, but in the interests of fair play all clubs should have the same rest period between matches. The answer to my question is of course TV scheduling. Strange then that come Easter Premier League clubs at the moment are
scheduled to play only one match on the Saturday whilst the Football League clubs are scheduled to play 2 matches on Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Incidentally before New Year’s Day became a Public Holiday for the whole Country it was only a Public Holiday in Scotland and in England only as far south as Teesside. Not so in the rest of Yorkshire nor Lancashire, and Boro often brought forward a home fixture to be played on New Year’s Day.
Ken
I stayed on at school until Xmas to take more o levels and then started my full time employment as a trainee QS on 1st January New Years Day !
I was most upset as all my friends were still on holiday
OFB
OFB
A friend of mine since deceased, took up an appointment as Burgh Treasurer at Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre and was surprised that not only was Boxing Day a working day, but so was Christmas Day in his first year there in 1967 as it was in the Western Isles also. Of course even the 2nd of January is now a Public holiday in Scotland.
As a youngster I remember first-footing being a regular occurrence after the midnight church service, and at my parents home we always had a supper and a party afterwards playing ridiculous games like blindfolding unsuspecting guests having to search for a shilling in a receptacle containing water and chocolate cake which felt like putting one’s hand in a bowl of diarrhoea. I remember particularly New Year’s Day 1953 after not getting to bed until about 3am, then having to get up at 7am to deliver newspapers but determined to see Derek Dooley play for Sheffield Wednesday against Boro at Ayresome Park. He had been sensational the season before scoring 46 goals as the Owls were promoted. I must have been a fanatic, but I was not the only one as Boro had lost away to Spurs 1-7 on Christmas Day and 0-4 on Boxing Day with a paltry crowd of just over 23,000, yet 30,632 fans turned up on that very cold New Years Day not only to see the great man but Boro as well. The match ended in a 2-2 draw but it was the last time any of us were to see Dooley play again as six weeks later he received a double fracture of a leg in collision with the Preston goalkeeper, gangrene set in, and the leg had to be amputated. A really sad loss to English football.
Incidentally Good Friday has often been a working day in parts of Yorkshire with the day after Easter Monday being a Public holiday.
On the subject of Fry, I wonder if his limitations have come to light this season.
By that I mean that in previous seasons he has more often than not been part of a flat back four with one, if not two, holding players giving protection in front.
This season, it was 433 to begin with and then into a back three when the former did not work. I just wonder if he is not as comfortable and gets caught out more often when not playing the system he has been brought up on, particularly during the TP period. 😎
Before we start thinking that perhaps our recruitment team haven’t done so bad with the recruitment of the current influx of youngsters in our current first team then think again.
Most were signed by Ron Bone who retired last year (see my In2View) and honed from the ages of 13 by Dave Parnaby also now retired.
Ron used to scour all the Tyneside and Gateshead areas and Haydn Coulson was one of his finds
I hope we have still got a good recruitment team as i know we’ve let a lot of guys go this year ……
OFB
OFB,
A chilling thought and like you I hope our new scouts, is that the word, have as keen an eye and appreciation as those who have retired. No doubt one or two of those we have released will come back to haunt us, in fact if I worked for any of the opposition I’d be assessing some of those released for possible recruitment.
Finding players in Badger Land or Mackem Land does have a sweet taste to it.
UTB,
John
It seems to me Fry has been in the gym bulking up at the expense of reduced mobility?
I did mention on here sometime ago that Boro should look at John Mcginn who was at Hibs. Aston Villa got him at snip for £3million!
Ref to working at Christmas , when I left Berwickshire High school, in my first job I worked two Christmas days 1963 and 64 then it was later changed to a holiday. But we always had a week off at New Year to recover😂😂
I think in the case of both Maguire and McGinn Boro were in for them with bids I believe.
The Maguire bid was turned down (£4m and he went for £6m if memory serves) whilst I think we had a bid for McGinn accepted but the player chose Villa, no doubt for more favourable personal terms. I could be wrong but that’s my recollection.
I am probably in a minority of one but still think Monk made a number of sensible signings on paper – Britt, Howson, Randolph and Christie all made sense at the time. The problem was that we paid too much (far too much in some cases) in fees and wages, brought in too many at once with some being completely unnecessary and seemingly never considered the blend of how they would fit together. Then we changed managers and playing styles back and forth and ended up in a bit of a muddled mess. Well intentioned but not very clear planning and some poor execution too in failing to walk away from bad deals.
Perhaps not having money to burn will concentrate minds and make us more willing to walk away. The kids are certainly looking safer bets than big money signings and I’m happy to let them develop over the next couple of years so long as we stay out of relegation trouble. We could have a very settled, largely homegrown side that know one another well and are bonded together – a team! – in a few years time if we stick with it, add sensibly and be patient.
I hope we can keep a couple of the experienced players around to help guide the youngsters, give them players to look up to learn from and ensure they stay dedicated and professional. On that basis, Ayala, Howson and Friend are worth holding on to if we can. The other out of contract players could partly be judged on the readiness of the players in the Academy to replace them.
Can agree with that Andy. You certainly need older heads and experience n the team also. Ayala and Howson are the two mainstays at the moment.
Watching Norwich vs Spurs on NBCSN. and the commentator referred to Mourinho being back in management after a spell of being a TV pundit. His description was……”A Portuguese Robbie Mustoe”
Thanks for the report.
I thought the commitment of the players today was beyond reproach. They are playing for their manager for sure. Maybe because the team was stripped of the fancy Dans.
McNairs sending off was so ridiculously deliberate. Right in front of the Fourth official and benches. Surely he’ll be off and Randolph too. I’d be happy with that and say 3 new players in.
Here’s hoping for a point from the next 2 games and have a Top 2020!
UTB
By today I mean Boxing Day I hadn’t actually posted doh!!!
Hammers sack Pellegrini. I wonder what that means for the mooted deal for Randolph? 😎
End of the line probably for that deal and funding for our proposed buys??
They desperately need a Keeper regardless of who comes in as Manager. There are being linked with Etheridge from Cardiff as he is considered a cheaper option than Randolph.
I’m not sure that gambling with a Club’s Premiership survival by saving three or four million on a Keeper is a great idea. I get the concerns about not wasting money but if the worst happened they could offload their current No.1 Fabianski and still have the best Keeper in the Championship.
Seems to me like a sound Commercial decision for them to go for Randolph as a steady back up (and indeed a realistic first choice alternative) but as we know to our cost some football clubs find themselves in these spiralling situations because of a lack of Commercial common sense then wonder what happened and why.
Staying in the Premiership that new Watford Manager seems to be having an impact on them. I wonder where they got him from?
Interesting that despite their form last season Norwich are in serious trouble now and being cut adrift at the base of the Premiership. Villa look to be sliding back down again and it will be interesting how their finances pan out.
Looking forward to the game today after getting almost over the line with the ‘project’ I’m currently shooting not quite from from the hip with a Makita automatic mastic gun that I borrowed from the plasterer in order to seal off around 40m of window borders with acrylic sealant – a job for a patient steady hand and a keen eye 🙂
Anyway, interesting stat about today’s game is that should Boro somehow win at West Brom then it would mean no other team could better their six-game points total of 13 points from the last six games. Boro are currently 8th in the six-game form table but all the teams above them had won their first game of the six so can’t better their six-game points total – whereas Boro having lost the first of the sixth (against Leeds) would gain three points.
https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/middlesbrough/form-guide
So with only Brentford and Sheff Wed currently top of the six-game form table on 13 points it would be some achievement if Boro end the year as the form team – indeed it would probably mean Jonathan Woodgate getting the manager of the month award for December. That would be some turnaround for the under fire head coach if that were to happen and perhaps he deserves credit for getting though a difficult start – especially given the injury crisis and suspensions.
So just that small matter of winning at West Brom – who drew against Barnsley last time out and have won just one of their last four.
I love your positivity Werder and also the stats to support it.
I just can’t see us beating the baggies; a point would be a tremendous achievement in my view given what has gone before.
I fully expect us to lose the next three games (Spurs included in that trio) so any points gained in the league would be most welcome. Losing to Spurs would probably do us a favour in that we can then concentrate on the main task of achieving survival.
Then again with “typical boro” anything could happen. 😎
With our family stricken with what something like Norovirus over Christmas and good result today would not go amiss.
Unlikely but not impossible, there are always odd results in the holiday games be it Santa or Easter.
My head says they will be too good for us.
Oh bad had that last year the only benefit being on the post turkey waistline! GWS
OFB’s intel on the possible return of Peter Kenyon may indicate that Boro are planning a busy January window and are looking to maximise fees on outgoing players as well as looking to reinvest on better quality incoming players.
I’d argue that any player coming to the end of their contract who doesn’t want to resign would perhaps have a price that a club with reduced income would be daft not to bank. It would be interesting to see if the club could realise something over £20m from players like Randolph, Britt and McNair and see what offers were available for someone like Ayala if he will leave for nothing in a few months. There are probably plenty of promotion-seeking clubs looking to bolster their squads and January is usually a month that favours the selling club.
It may be that Kenyon’s contacts would help in sales and also help to secure some decent PL players on loan to fill the gaps and provide Woodgate with a war chest for the summer. This window could be the last chance for some time for Boro to acquire some income to rebuild a squad to compete in the Championship.
Would be ideal. Ben Gibson perhaps? Some slightly older heads on loan who aren’t playing and then the permanent signings can be younger.
In terms of poor signings, watching MOTD last night I was astounded that Bournemouths Solanke was 19m and has scored one in 27!!!!
Maybe he could do with a run-in a championship club
We did not deserve to lose against West Brom earlier this season. So I hope justuce will be done this afternoon.
So I will go for a 1-1 draw. Ayala the surprise leveller after about 63 min.
Up the Boro!
Despite the optimism shown in here I’m afraid I can’t see anything other than a comfortable home win today. WBA are top because they are a far better team than us and I expect that to be confirmed today.
Throstles 3 Throttled 0
Usual for me
⚽️⚽️🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵
OFB
OFB
I would be very happy with that score line especially against a team who are averaging very nearly two goals a game.
CoB do an OFB 😎
Heart is dreaming of a 2-1 win for us, but head is mocking my stupidity and so a 2-0 reverse is more likely for me.
I would be very happy with a point although somehow I feel that I will be sadly disappointed and a Kaiser Chiefs song title may be on the cards
Not even OFB level optimism, but for what it’s worth,
Brom 2 – 1 Boro
UTB,
John
Team news: The MFC twitter feed is a bit ambiguous with Clayton both starting and on the bench so it will be interesting to see if he goes off and then comes back on again.
Anyway, no real surprises and still no sign of Britt with what looks like a 5-3-2 with Tavernier playing alongside Fletcher. Spence retains his place after a good display against the Terriers.
Starting XI: Pears, Spence, Howson, Ayala, Fry, Coulson, Clayton (1), Saville, Wing, Tavernier, Fletcher.
Subs: Mejias, Bola, Wood, Liddle, Clayton (2), O’Neill, Gestede
Note: the teamsheet has now been amended with Clayton (2) being replaced by Marvin Johnson on the bench
Wonder if Kenyon has a buyer lined up for him. Keep him wrapped up in cotton wool until sold?
Brit is training and has told people he is fit to play
I think if they get a good offer he will go !
OFB
I shall go with an optimistic prediction of a shock 1-0 win for Boro with another goal for Lewis Wing!
RR, of all the teams that may come down, Villa would top my list along probably with Watford. However that certain man has started in the right vein and may be successful?
Werder whilst I can agree with your argument, the big problem is first letting those players go to bring some money in even for loanees. To get better than we have or let go would cost in wages and fees with no guarantees to performances. If we had been mid table, fine, but after the next two games we could be back in the mire with Derby a “must win game”
Can we really take a gamble in letting Ayala go and then need to bring in two CB’s. Ben Gibson should not be one of them. He was poor the season he left and will not be either match fit or will his concentration levels be high.
Of course saying that, all loanees normally have had little playing time and most do not fulfill the clubs hopes. Ramirez was an exception.
Damage limitation this afternoon probably.
BBC showing Clayton starting, so that is a damage limitation pick. Although saying that Johnson had his worst game for us against Huddersfield, so should of expected to be dropped and who else is there?
Just watched the Celtic Rangers game and SG’s side deserved to win the game. But what a spectacle, fantastic atmosphere and great exciting football. Would like both teams to head down south.
My concern is that West Brom are starting with 2 conventional wingers which will be a big test for our attacking wing backs. How they manage to cope could be the defining issue for the result.
Have to go for a straight forward home win based on the last outing against a top 2 team ( Leeds) we were lucky to get away with a 4-0 defeat.
As always hope I’m wrong.
Ayala scores get him signed up Mr Gibson !
Well what a first half, the best from the Boro in many a season. We looked to be the league leaders and not the baggies! Still a long way to go but CoB. 😎😊
I was going to say the same thing about Boro looking like the league leaders – a fantastic first half performance and easily the best this season and hopefully we can keep it up in the second half. Woodgate may need fresh legs on the pitch after 20 minutes or so as the players have pressed and ran all over the pitch. Very impressive so far!
Sack Woodgate! We are leading ONLY 0-1 at half time. We should be leading at least by two goals.
Seriously, our best 45 min this season. But I am sure the Baggies will come stronger after the half time.
Really enjoying it on Riverside live. Maddison using the word magnificent all the time. Great.
Up the Boro!
Well, what can I say or rather write.
Big second half coming up, no intention of writing off the Baggies.
Boro currently up to 16th, nine points clear of relegation and incidentally nine points off the play-offs…
Well seeing is believing, as they say. Hoping that Boro can dig in for the second half, because normally WBA score goals for fun.
As Werder said we may run out of steam towards the end. Hope to have egg on face at 5 o’clock.
Get in there! What a win and fully deserved too.
Brilliant.
When I predicted 2-0 I had it the other way round. How happy am I that I don’t know what on earth I am talking about !
Get in. What a result.
COB
What a goal from Fletcher. That will do.
15 shots to 11, 10 on target to 5, 12 corners to 5. Baggies had more possession second half but the morning paper will say Baggies 0 Boro 2 and seems well deserved
Great game, if this is what JW had in mind then why did it take so long to get his ducks in a row – interestingly all the old guard weren’t playing – in fact Just Dead looked Ok when he came on .
I really hope this is the turning point and we are now seeing green shoots of recovery.
Boro tv went off in 94 so missed the second goal. Never mind …
Best Boro performance for years. MoTM = all those that made it onto the pitch and also JW for his set up. I have been saying for ages that 4411 + 442 is the way to play in this league.
So glad to be proved wrong. Well done Boro! 😎😀
Maddo gave a 10 to practically all Boro players. What. A. Win as the Gazette wrote. Unbelievable and fully deserved.
Looking forward to reading RR report. Happy days. Up the Boro!
Well all I can say is that was a magnificent performance from Boro and a magnificent goal from Fletcher to seal a well deserved win at the leaders and a great way to end the decade. Who could have predicted a shock win at West Brom 😉 and incidentally with both Wednesday and Brentford failing to win it means Boro end December alone at the top of the six-game form table with Woodgate a shoe-in for manager of the month!
What a great result – finish the decade off in a bit of style and 9 points clear of relegation certainly looks better than before the last few games!
Even if we don’t get anything on NYD then 9 points from a possible 12 over the festive period is a lot better than any of us would have hoped for. A great present for the long suffering fans and maybe JW has found the players that can play his way.
Just have to hope that he sticks with a winning team when all are fit and able to play again.
Werder,
Not manager of the month, please not that. A real dead cat nailed on the Riverside gates.
Meanwhile, 2 – 0! Bloody hell.
Time for one of my San Miguel Selecta Christmas presents. Lovely. Still can’t believe that score and that goal! Wow.
UTB,
John
PS Reminder to club, please sort Ayala out. Don’t put it off. And some of those other youngsters too.
I’m sure Woodgate will be happy to risk the manager of the month curse 🙂
btw Here is the latest form table with Boro at the top!
https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/middlesbrough/form-guide
How good does that look !
16 points from the last 8 games. Promotion form 😀
PS
Looking forward Roving Reporter Redcar Red’s Report. When he’s stabilised and comes out of observation at the James Cook.
UTB,
John
Just back from the bathroom after washing the egg off my face.
It’s nine points to the play-offs – as well as nine points to relegation spots. Which way will we go?
I think JW said recently that this team will click soon. I wait to see if RR agrees. Up the Boro!
VAR have checked the form table and Woodie looks a shoe in with 6 games in December.
The BBC show the last five games which would have Reading in front but it is Manager of the Month, not the last 5 matches.
Curse of the MOM award, decorations coming down and post Christmas slump, What on earth can go wrong but that is all in 2020.
Lets enjoy the moment.
Great day for my friend Ayala. Gazette gave him a nine !
Get him round the table tomorrow and get his contract sorted asap.
Also a very good day for the Tavernier brothers. A win for Rangers and Boro.
Gerrard’s Rangers won, Lampard’s Chelsea won and Woodgate’s Boro won. All away from home. A good day for the “Golden Generation” turned young managers.
Ashley Fletcher, with that goal in the 90th minute +4 ,is now not a million miles away from knocking Britt off the top scorers’ top spot:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/middlesbrough/top-scorers
P.S. Absolutely cracking result! 🙂 What a way for the team to record its first away win of the season! *thumbs up*
Just seen the Fletcher goal on the distinctly miserly Sky “highlights” on News Now: what a peach! *hat*
To be fair, no-one is that far off!
To put that result into perspective, that was WBA second league defeat all season, the other was away to Leeds 1 nil on 1 Oct and it was their first league home defeat all season too.
Come on BORO.
Completely unexpected, yes, true.
But it is interesting to note that we are now fielding at least 5-6 of our young players, with the promise of more to come, those would be our young centre back and ditto young striker.
If it is by accident/injury then so be it, but now comes the difficult bit. Our manager must play the form card and declare that only a loss of form will get these kids out of the starting 11.
It was noticeable that the kids are sharper on the reaction and chasing lost causes and I believe that is making a great difference to the outcome of matches.
Just a point! Don’t look now, but Pears is looking extremely good, and I do mean reaching the very top of the game.
And that is the single most important position for collecting points at any level.
Well Boro wins this season have been like buses, you wait ages for one and suddenly three come along at once. The Championship leaders before kick-off didn’t know what hit them as the Boro bus not only ran them over but also had ‘three wins in a week’ written on the side to boast at the Baggies supporters. With Woodgate at the wheel, Boro have finally taken back control and are now driving away from the cliff edge that is relegation as they enjoyed their busman’s holiday over Christmas. One man who is always just the ticket is ready to conduct the post-match analysis – so here is Redcar Red with his match report…next stop the play-offs!
https://diasboro.club/2019/12/29/west-brom-0-2-boro/
EIO EIO
Bloody brilliant performance summed up perfectly in tune with Mad Maddo on the live feed!
Rome wasn’t built in a day Rodders!!!
UTB
Happy 2020
What a result!
You read it here first! LOL, 🙂
Thanks, RR. The best ever report. I really waited the report and the result was huge.
Well done, Boro. Up the Boro.!
Thanks RR. That is by far a d away the best reading of one your reports all season. Here’s to a few more of those !
RR
Great match report
Tell me why don’t you write them all like that ?
Only joking !
Appreciated as always
OFB
RR
A better report, just need that extra goal to make it 3-0. Keep it up but showing improvement.
Well done. B+
Excellent result and a great report.
I’m on record saying that I thought Woodgate’s appointment was a mistake but he’s gone a fair way to proving me wrong this month. I’ll be delighted if the improvement continues and he does prove me (and many others) wrong. I’ll also say he’s a young manager and, just like a young player, he will make mistakes so I don’t expect perfection.
This also means that we go into January in a much better position to recruit. I really hope Gibson supports him rather than selling a bunch of senior players to balance the books. The last thing we need now is a whole load of change and I think Woodgate’s earned a display of faith from Gibson.
Woodgate has been handed a massive task. The season we lost to Norwich in the play offs, AK’s team was based on a solid defence with creativity and pace going forwards. After Norwich, AK seemed to lose faith in creative players and the whole club started to fracture. Woodgate has to turn around 4 years of defensive sterility, mend the fault lines in the club and do it all with an ever-shrinking budget. If he manages that and gets us in contention for the play-offs next season then that’ll be one hell of an achievement.
Deleriad
If Bamford and Tomlin had stayed, Ramirez came in who knows what might have happened? As it was we went up and Ramirez proved to be the rat his history has shown he was – I didn’t know it at the time.
At the end of November my view was that Woodie needed points or he would be in trouble. The fact the kids have come in to the team is great news, there is an element of luck in the team you end up with.
A lot of credit probably goes to Ayala and Howson, even Fry. The biggest medal must go to Pears, he has done really well. Tav, Wing and Fletcher have helped immensely.
It is progress and Woodie has some breathing space, upwards and onwards.
Loved it RR, ” coughed loudly ” I guess there is a lot of it about this time of the year…!!!
UTB
Bloody hell Boro! Well, I said I thought Woodgate had had enough time and hadn’t proved himself capable of managing. I think I’ll be ordering a humble pie alongside my festive mince pies to see me through the rest of 2019!
Fantastic result, great to see the academy players staying involved and playing without fear (and with aggression!) and 3 wins in a row certainly helps!
Pushing Werder’s earlier form table from six games out to eight games and it still looks very healthy for Boro.
https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/middlesbrough/form-guide/eight
It also highlights just how dire the situation is at Derby and I can’t help but feel that the arrival of the washed up Scouser is just going to make matters worse. I don’t know if those drinking and car incidents earlier in the season was the cause or more likely symptomatic but something is very clearly wrong at Mel’s place.
Preston for us now is a free hit and if confidence, belief and morale is anything to go by I think I would fancy Boro to record a second away win in quick succession. With regards to the return of those injured or suspended well for me Woodgate needs to make them wait their turn. The turnaround has happened largely because they weren’t in the team which now looks far better balanced and also more coherent.
Whether its down to great Coaching or the Gods smiling down on us and forcing the Coaches hands is irrelevant, those who have played in December have achieved on merit something that those with price tags couldn’t do in almost four months. Synergy as we know produces far greater results than individualism. Steve Gibson has some major decisions to make in January, fortunately for him they have just got a lot easier but also a lot more focused.
Traditionally January is the month where Boro Managers are more often shafted than backed, having looked over the edge of the precipice of League One lets hope that January 2020 becomes one we look back on with surprise for all the right reasons. Just for clarity that doesn’t mean splashing £4M on a very mediocre one season wonder from Scottish football.
Very pleased to wake up to that very surprising result, as with a lot of others was expecting a battering. Just listened to Maddo and Marks commentary- available on the BBC Tees twitter page. It was just like listening to Ali back in the day.
Wishing all fellow bloggers a Happy New Year when it comes and more results like yesterday.
RR, still that Swansea game sticks out from the form table. We should have won or at least got a point in Wales. We played well until a certain point of the match …
Leeds was awful but other than that, it is a pleasure to watch that form table.
Up the Boro!
Posted by RR at 00.10:
“Just for clarity that doesn’t mean splashing £4M on a very mediocre one season wonder from Scottish football.”
I take it that you mean Sam Cosgrove (who was apparently born in Beverley!), RR? Someone, I forget who (it may even have been your good self), recently mentioned a player for another Scottish team who would be a better bet.
Slightly off topic, I see we’re now being reported as having expressed an interest in the Rangers ‘keeper, Wes Foderingham, who’s expected to leave Ibrox during next month’s transfer window, while we’ve been told we’ll have to stump up £2,5m, if we want to sign Marcus Maddison (born in Durham) from Posh (release clause in his contract, which expires at the end of the season).
Stir
It was indeed myself, its all about looking for the next one coming along not the obvious shiny overpriced one.
That was a great result and we’ll played Woody. It’s been a while since I have seen a Boro 4231 shackle key players and the attacking 3 were so effective and at the same time keeping Fletcher serviced.
I do hope McNair and Browne find them selves on the bench for the Preston game, as all concerned today deserve to go again.
Thank you also to Redcar Red for a great match report.
Great Report RR – especially winning the toss….. a true teessider and Boro supporter you are!
As my brother has just posted on FB 12 points to go and we are safe.
A great win but we need some new players in. Subs (not used) at West Brom were: Mejias (gk), Wood, Bola, O’Neill, Liddle.
Ok, we will have Browne and McNair back at Preston. And hopefully Fiend, Shotton and Randolph back soon.
But we will need to add a couple of new players in January. A loan from the PL and one or two from the League One could do nicely.
Our position now makes the signings easier. But we also need to sign Ayala, too.
Up the Boro!
Recar Red,
Great report. A great game and great result.
An enthralling read with my first mug of tea this morning and after a short while I realised I was holding my breath reading the report.
There seems to be a real bond developing in the team and the confidence is growing game by game. Please don’t re-jig this team to accommodate the returning stars.
Oh, and get some of those contracts sorted out because there are only two days until other clubs come sniffing, destabilising and wishing. It’s in your hands Boro. Just do it.
Thank you RR and Boro, what a way to end the year.
UTB,
John
Great report thank you RR which really does justice to an excellent team performance, including the coaching staff.
Three wishes:
Injuries/fatigue excepted, same team at Preston with returning players on the bench.
Get contracts for Ayala, Spence, Howson sorted PDQ. As has been said before, JW needs backing and not more cost cutting.
Show BA a video of AF’s performance.
I thought AF was immense in the way in which he led the line, bringing others into play and a constant threat to the baggies defenders. His goal was brilliant but his alround play was far better in my view and one which has been lacking from our centre forwards to date.
Great match, great performance and well deserved win. CoB let’s have more of the same please. 😎😁
We move on, Preston away next and that may be harder than the match at West Brom.
Preston’s good run came to an end as Reading beat them at home, Reading nicked two goals in four first half minutes and by the look of it were under the cosh for the rest of the match. Preston will look for a reaction in front of their own supporters and we can expect a backlash.
We go there full of confidence but there may also be a reaction as well after a draining match and another away game,
Whatever the result, we will have had a good festive period and have plenty to look forward to.
I agree Ian, lots of tired legs on display towards the end of Sunday’s game and with our thin squad a point would be a very good result but a defeat not unsurprising.
Given the unexpected three points at the baggies then a loss to Preston would not be a disaster. 😎😁 Still beaming after yesterday;s performance!
They head into 2020 with optimism renewed, pride restored and hope for what lies ahead.
They have won four league games in a row for the first time since April 2017
‘…..when Martin Gray was manager at Darlington.
I hope we could win the fourth game in a row on Wednesday. But as Ian said, it will be tough. But anything can happen in the Championship now.
Up the Boro!
Congratulations to Redcar Red on his report which I guess gave him as much pleasure in writing as it did for all of us to read it.. Also congratulations to Nigel Reeve for having the courage to write with conviction that this match had all the makings of an upset. Very few of us might have agreed with him, but it did cross my mind also though I was too intrepid to put my thoughts in writing as I’ve a distinctly poor record of forecasting Boro’s results. What wasn’t envisaged though was that the result wasn’t a fluke, as the statistics proved that Boro were the better team.
Like many others I wasn’t enamoured at the appointment of Jonathan Woodgate, but on reflection as a player he had a real football brain, so why should we be surprised that he’s now able to use that brain as a coach? Yes, he has made mistakes but he’s still young and still learning. Many observers have made the comment that it’s good to see young English coaches making a name for themselves, and who is to say that the likes of Woodgate, Lampard and Gerrard won’t follow in the steps of Gareth Southgate or Brian Clough? What I did find pleasing was that despite Woodgate’s ecstasy over yesterday’s win, that he didn’t overstate its importance as no more than another three points and that like any great General, the battle may be won but not the war yet by any means.
I do hope that when our walking wounded and suspended players are available that they don’t automatically get recalled into the first eleven, as none of yesterday’s players deserve to be relegated to the bench for the next match unless they are nursing injuries. So far Woodgate has been true to his word that players who have played well would retain their places. As has been well documented, the Championship can throw up some surprises especially at Christmas, with all of a sudden the likes of Boro, Barnsley and Reading on an upsurge, but suddenly teams like Derby, West Brom and Leeds suddenly finding the pressure, especially the two leaders. I’m not as convinced as most people that Leeds and West Brom are certainties for promotion, nor that Barnsley, Luton nor Wigan are certainties for relegation either. After all we’ve only just passed the half way stage.
Ten days ago Boro were fighting against relegation; this morning they’re as near to the top six as they are to the bottom three, so just take pleasure in Boro’s improved form and the hope that a winning run might have them nearer a playoff place than a relegation one. The old cliche of taking each match one at a time is as true today as it ever was. Nevertheless I have to admit that Boro’s prospects are now much brighter, so let’s just sit back and see what happens.
When we played Reading this season at the Riverside I was impressed by the quality of their Players abilities yet for some reason it just wasn’t clicking for them as a unit. Barnsley again impressed and their new Manager now seems to be getting the most out of them. I’m not surprised that both those sides are now slowly improving.
Stoke look to be in dire straits and Wigan seem to be really struggling. Luton keep getting sucked back down there and Derby look like they are spiralling out of control.
Just noticed Derby play Charlton tonight. Both sides desperately need to win this one to try and pull back from the brink.
I’m sure one Mr Gibson of Jersey will be hoping Derby’s slide continues
Mr Gibson of North Yorkshire please Clem!
OFB
“Congratulations and full marks to all of those involved”.
And to you, RR, for a wonderful report which lived up to and reflected the performance of the team. It made for great reading.
Your literally fantastic account (a fan’s description of a fantasy event) will help make a great occasion live even longer in the memory.
It’s especially pleasing to everyone who reads or contributes to this blog that after all of your sterling efforts in reporting on the dire football you have been subjected to over the past few years you have finally been rewarded with a performance worthy of your own hard work.
Congratulations to you, to JW and to the entire team. Top performances all round.
As I posted earlier, the emergence of the youth players into the team has produced two vital elements missing from earlier teams.
To no ones surprise, those two elements are speed and confidence, I deliberately exclude skill and talent as I have always rated Tav, Wing, plus Spence (an immediate impact, there is no dropping him) and Pears (and what a bonus a class goalkeeper is to any team).
The entire ethos of the team is transformed, and it is noticeable that the youngsters play the ball into space in front of the recipient at speed which is a must in todays football.
I have no idea what will be done when the lost and lonely return from their various knocks and bruises, but it would be very silly to indulge them.
If we ride the wave and tonk Preston, then we must just go for it, nine points is no challenge at all with the matches to play, and we deserve a bit of fun.
I totally agree Plato, we keep rolling the dice until we lose 4 in a row.!!
Thanks RR for your report filling in the gaps I missed when I had my fingers over my eyes at times during the second half.
As others have said a well deserved win and Ayala apart, the plaudits have to go the the younger players. What a breath of fresh air they have been and whilst we should not get carried away and they will have their down also (Stoke first half) as long as the continue getting their chances and the learning curve is positive and upward.
The one thing I will congratulate Woodgate on is his use of the youngsters. Whilst it may have been forced on him to a degree, he has stated they would get their chance. Let’s hope others get their chance also.
And like deleriad, I was dead set against his appointment. I am still on the fence, however he has learned from his mistakes, 4-3-3 being one. But playing 5 at the back or as yesterday’s set up, he has still tried to play more attractive football. It hasn’t always worked but he seems still committed to that when he can.
If we can retain those players that we need, Ayala and Howson and add a couple more in this window with pace a little skill, then Randolf and may I say McNair could be surplus for the right price. Nobody will take the other higher and still injured earners.
After we got tonked by Derby my colleague asked when Woodgate would be sacked.
My reply was that he needed points and players stop shooting them selves in their feet. Reckless, needless challenges in the middle of the pitch.
Now Derby are in trouble but they have some good players, I just wonder if the Keogh incident has created some unease.
Keep watching the Fletcher goal and it just gets better because it was not a lash but a deliberate effort. Some say from 40 yards some say from 30 but from the lines on the pitch it is six stripes out from the goal line so well over 36 yards on the angle.
Thanks once again to Redcar Red for allowing us to relive that stunning victory over West Brom – plus I’ve even watched the highlights on MFC for good measure! It’s interesting reading a point in RR’s subsequent posts about how we’ve ended up with the current Starting XI through essentially a mixture of having to reshuffle because of injuries and suspensions. Being forced to move Howson into defence and then plucking Djed Spence out of the development team (I don’t think he’d even been on the bench until he started).
Also with Britt out, Fletcher became the Number 9 and has looked better with every game to the point it would be an injustice or even foolish to replace him with Assombalonga. It’s also interesting that Wing has returned to midfield in a more forward role rather than trying to make him a deep-lying playmaker and has looked better for it. As does the pairing of Saville and Clayton in front of the back four and I was also particularly impressed by Clayton’s distribution against West Brom.
Nevertheless, whether the selections have been forced upon Woodgate it does appear he’s been very good with his tactics and shape in recent games and does seem now to have the kind of balanced team he was looking to play back in August with the ill-fated 4-3-3. It’s certainly appears to have been a learning curve that maybe he took too quickly and spun off early in his tenure. But you can’t deny that he is learning and has improved by working hard and sticking to his principles. If we see the kind of fast flowing football witnessed yesterday than I for one will be more than happy as a return to Pulis-style tactics would not have been the way forward.
Let’s see what happens next and as Andy and RR have said, we’re actually on 2 points per game over the last 8 games, which I think I mentioned in jest a few weeks back was what we now needed to make the play-offs. Should the run continue and we beat Preston then Boro would only be 6 points behind them and they are currently only outside the top six on goal difference. Then it would become interesting – especially with a few decent arrivals in January!
OK, better get back to the ‘project’ 🙁
Saville has had a few decent games now and has been improving over the last few weeks. Watching him and Clayts perform at the Hawthorns was the nearest to a Clayts and Leadbitter double act since Grant’s departure. It could be the renaissance of the pair of them.
It was also the best we have seen from Clayts for a long time. He seemed to slow down our play earlier this season, but yesterday he played forward and made some excellent passes, too.
Up the Boro!
Unfortunately RR, as much as I can agree with your post, neither can match Captain Leadbitter in his prime years. We do still need a “vocal force” in midfield.
Pedro, I think Tavanier is the best we have for “a vocal force” in our team nowadays. Up the Boro!
Rather than look backwards to the Form table, projecting forwards our next ten games (ignoring the Cup) are as follows:
Preston Away
Derby Home
Fulham Away
Birmingham Home
Blackburn Home
Brentford Away
Wigan Away
Luton Home
Barnsley Away
Leeds Home
Four tough ones (but not as tough as West Brom away) but Six winnable ones if we play with the same intent and mindset.
Correct RR, but without getting carried away and as I posted previously we need to win against Luton and garner points from Barnsley and Wigan. Then do the business against Brum and Blackburn and the trajectory is still upwards.
It has been a fantastic Christmas so far and perhaps a little patience is paying off. We probably weren’t getting the rub of the green earlier in the season but now other teams are missing sitters and we are smashing in ridiculous goals.
Woodgate can take a lot of credit, he has made some tactically astute decisions, brought the right players in and they do seem to be playing for him.
Interesting times. If we keep things going, who knows where we can end up.
One can only hope that Our coach goes with the flow, and I mean the good old
” same again” mentality. Let’s have no outbursts of creative team selection. When the cards fall for you, keep your head down and say nothing. Leave the injured and out of form to enjoy a long recovery, you know it’s better that way.
The first quarter of the season was a tough watch, the results just wouldn’t come, but the last ten games or so it has started to come together.
There have been moments of play from the Boro which have been a joy to watch. Yesterday those moments were put together into 95 minutes of joy.
JW has done remarkably well to date, not least because of the team spirit and harmony he has created as well as showing significant tactical nous. Injuries and suspensions have forced him to play younger players who have seized the moment with encouragement from the boss.
Who knows what the remainder of the season will bring, but hopefully the moments of joy will increase in number and magnitude.
JW is well on his way to consigning the Karanka and Pullis years to the dustbin of history.
Without trying to sound clever Nigel, I think there is a long way to go before JW can be compared to AK, certainly in getting promotion to the promised land.
Now Mr Pulis, that is another thing.
NIgel
Good post one point however during the first few games the home games in particular we seemed to be subjected to some horrendous referees decisions which went against us.
The last few games however we have been let off with some nailed on penalties against us !
They say things even themselves up well I hope the recent decisions go well for us
OFB
Elsewhere, officials are looking at toenail offside decisions and saying that many goals shouldn’t be ruled out unless it is a clear and obvious error. If you need multiple angles, replays, drawing lines across the pitch time and again then it isn’t a clear and obvious error. Stick with the decision on the pitch.
Hopefully it will be sorted out before we win the play offs in May.
I think we should not overlook the fact that both AK and TP instilled discipline and a strong defensive base into their sides which any good team needs; especially one that wants to win something.
What they both lacked was the players or ability to instil into the players the need to move quickly from defence to attack when in possession.
JW has recently discovered that the team can do that with the right personnel, partly as a consequence of a limited choice of players available to him.
I just wonder how much game time Spence and Coulson would have had if Friend and Shotten had not been injured.
Now that he has discovered a winning formula he needs build on it. 😎
KP,
The adoption of the ‘if it aint broke don’t fix it mentality’. Another test for a rookie manager when the ‘big boys’ want a slice of the current success and action.
Game time for Spence and Coulson? The last ten minutes if they were very, very lucky. Then they’d get fed-up and not sign new contracts and move on. This is an opportunity and I just hope Boro spot it and JW stands up to the entitled ones when they are ‘fit’.
UTB,
John
KP
Try none
Thanks for a fantastic report RR. Good to see no warts !
I didn’t see the game and I can’t stand listening to BBC Tees I’m afraid. So a big round of applause RR for your in depth reporting which gave me an insight to how the game was played. Fingers crossed for the same against Preston.
Malcolm, if you join MFC website you can see both edited highlights or the full match of every BORO game free, usually available a day or two afterwards.
Come on BORO.
Thanks Exmill.
Pedro – I make no comparison between Karanka’s ability as a manager and Woody’s, what I see is entertaining football from Woody’s team, something Karanka rarely produced. However i’d be confident to put a lot of money on Woody never throwing his toys out of the pram and walking out like Karanka did mid-season, so my guess is there is every chance JW will prove to be a better manager.
Karanka had a shed load of money to throw at promotion compared to where JW is now so comparisons are tricky.
KP – Surely the truth is neither Karanka or Pullis wanted creative players, they don’t suit a conservative low risk style of football they both believe in, which is what made their teams so hard to watch most of the time.
Nigel
Did we not have Tomlin, Ramirez and Adomah during part of AK’s reign. I appreciate that they all departed for one reason or another but I find it hard to believe it was all down to AK not wanting creativity within the side. 😎
Watched the Derby/Charlton game tonight and Charlton look absolutely washed up, totally bereft of any quality whatsoever. If they survive it will be a miracle based on that showing against ten man Derby who didn’t look much better.
RR
Wasn’t that us only a few weeks ago! Things can change so quickly in this league.
As much as I am still beaming from Sunday’s performance I am all too well aware that we are not safe yet and there is still half a season to go.
We now need to build on this performance and show that we can play with the same skill, speed and intensity week in and week out.
It’s a case of watch this space and fingers crossed it’s wasn’t a “typical Boro” blip.
CoB more of Sunday’s performance please.
Kevin, we are sixteenth, we should be euphoric!
Just shows how bad we have been when sixteenth feels like world beaters after one solitary away win albeit against the top side. Hopefully it is the start of a revival (and there are positive signs for optimism) but I’m open minded about whether it is down to great selection and coaching or injuries and suspensions forcing hands.
Bola and Dijksteel are a world away from Coulson and Spence. The scouting and selection etc. has to be questioned (perhaps with Bevington’s departure it has) when they were obviously considered to be better than what was under their collective noses all the time.
Right here and now we have reason to hope that we can avoid relegation but there is the danger that we sell some Players in January and not replace them in a further cost cutting exercise.
Since I last wrote a verse on this forum
Using the names of some folks on this blog
There have now been so many newcomers
Whose contributions I now wish to log.
But first let me praise those of long-standing
Such as Werdermouth, Redcar and Bob.
Not forgetting Simon, Pedro and KP in Spain,
Plus Grovehillwallah who all do a great job.
I must include Smoggy in Exile,
Clive Hurren, Peasepudin in Perth,
Borobrie, Powmill-naemore and Malcolm
And Len Masterman whose views are well worth—-
A good reading and so many truly welcomed
Along with Chris Hunnysett, Gt and Ex-Mill
And let’s not forget Dormo Forever,
Richard Evans, Andy R, Ian Gill.
But what about some of the new guys
Such as John Richardson, Stircrazy and Clem,
Deleriad, Mrmisanthop and Tim?
I can’t forget any of them.
Of course I can’t discount our Jarkko
And others I’ve missed (there must be plenty)
I hope you can all now look forward
To a prosperous year in 2020.
Finally, as my father used to toast at New Year:-
Here’s to those that I love, and here’s to those that love me, and here’s to those who love those that I love, and to all those that love those that love me.
Happy New Year to everyone.
That’s great ken thanks for the mention
Happy new year to you
OFB
Ken,
Thanks for the mention of my new identity, in a previous life I was Jarsue but don’t tell the other half! Best wishes for the New Year and keep on writing and producing Ken’s Chronicles. You are like ‘Les Welch the Memory Man’, for those of us who remember him!
Keep up the good, no great, work.
UTB,
John
Thanks for the mention Ken although it was unnecessary as I already feel privileged to be part of a wonderful Boro family.
Very best wishes to one and all for a healthy, happy and successful 2020. 😎
Nice one Ken and may I wish you a happy and healthy 2020 – and hope you enjoy your trip to Portugal!
Top scribing as ever Ken and a happy and healthy New Year to yourself and all the other Bloggers on here!
Many thanks Ken. You beat me to verse for Hogmony so I will simply add my hope and wishes they you, and everyone that stops by this place, enjoys better health than they expected, suffers no shortage of wealth to cause unnecessary anxiety, and finds great merriment and joy in every little thing that life brings us this coming year.
Thank you Ken for the mention. A happy and healthy New Year is wished for you.
RR: thanks again for a brilliant report. Your report seems to perfectly sum up the aura of disbelief surrounding Boro’s terrific performance and the way we put WBA to the sword. You seemed to be pinching yourself all the way through, as if you couldn’t quite believe what you were watching!!
And no wonder! I’m still in shock myself. An amazing win, and, it seems, very much deserved.
Like many others on here, I’d like to add my voice of support to Woody. Like many others, I had my doubts. On a number of occasions this season I’ve commented to friends that he seemed out of his depth. I don’t think that any longer. In recent games he has shown strong tactical awareness and a willingness to change according to the opposition. That’s very refreshing after months of Pulisball, and it’s now starting to pay dividends. I think he will keep us up, and we may even finish top half. I think he has earned the right to stay on as manager.
And great credit, too, to the youngsters, who have come in in difficult circumstances and done extremely well. This shows great promise for the future.
And I’ll save a special word of praise for Ashley Fletcher. Previously, I really didn’t rate him – too lightweight, in my view, and not enough aggression to face battle-hardened, wizened Championship centre-halves. Now, he seems a man transformed, in his new role as line-leader. Well done, Ashley! I’ve watched his West Brom goal over and over on the highlights- I’m 100% sure he meant it! I reckon that is not just goal of the season, but Boro’s goal of the decade!
Many reasons for optimism.
Happy New Year, one and all !
Clive
As a very severe critic of our coach, I think I should say that we are very safe from relegation at this moment, and furthermore we could, if we continue this ridicules run we are in, catch the top six pretty swiftly.
Our young players are causing our opponents all sorts of problems with their speed of both thought and action.
Had a very enjoyable time over Christmas at Gran Canaria and made especially enjoyable with three wins. Perhaps I should have extended my holiday with a few more days to include the Preston fixture!!
Talk is now moving to the January transfer window. In my opinion selling say three or four of the established players should only happen If the clubs finances are more important than performances on the pitch. This is because the replacements, particularly if younger, carry the risk of not all being successful and cannot be guaranteed to hit the ground running.
Specifically to sell Ayala would be foolish and damage morale given that he is the captain and , whilst not perfect, he is the best defender at the club.
Any weakening of the back three would probably mean switching McNair there when he has been the best midfielder.
There seems to be a growing acceptance of selling Assombalonga but I can’t see a club offering decent money of around £9m and any sale should be on the understanding of getting a decent replacement . But is one available for a much lower fee who can be just about guaranteed to score 15-20 goals a season as Britt has done. I doubt it.
Sadly, I think the time is right for Friend to leave as he is now injury prone and his best days are long gone but I don’t expect much interest . Of the rest, I’d get rid of Browne and Gestede ( anyone interested in either?) and perhaps Shotton if on big wages and the rumour is right that he has a ‘ Downing type clause’. Although he could be needed if and when the young full backs suffer a blip in performance as new young players often do.
Maybe we’ll have to crowd-fund an extension to your holiday to keep the run going 🙂
Boring Boro!
We seem to be the only North Eastern club without off-field drama with their owners. In 2018 it was Hartlepool, Newcatsle is a constant one, etc.
Now Four main supporters’ groups of Sunderland all united together to call for him to go on social media, with Roker Report, A Love Supreme, Wise Men Say and the Red and White Army all involved.
The groups all made the statement: “You said you’d sell when you’d outstayed your welcome. That time is now. #donaldout”
And we just keep on going with Steve Gibson. Our beloved Gibbo. Up the Boro!
Interesting article in the EG today regarding DA’s contract situation. Looks as if he wants to stay so fingers crossed that Boro can come up with a decent offer to keep him with us once negotiations get underway.
As I read it he is unlikely to move in January unless another club comes in and can better his current deal which makes sense as why take a pay cut now. 😎😁 Still beaming after Sunday.
Excellent, Ken. Thanks for the mention.
The Question of the Moment,I suppose, is whether we are on the cusp of a major revival, which will see us in contention for the play-offs; or whether this is just another Typical Boro moment, the memory of which will be entirely erased when we lose at Preston and fail to win at home against Derby.
Only time will tell, of course, but in the meantime perhaps I could share a personal anecdote that may have some relevance to Boro’s current situation.
Around seven years ago, I decided to take up crown green bowls as a sport appropriate to my time of life. I just played socially, and rather badly, when one day the club secretary rang me and said that I was playing for the C team. I refused, saying that I was nowhere near good enough to be playing competitively, but he persisted saying that however incompetent I might be, I was “better than nobody.” The team were a man short and would forfeit all 21 points for the game if I didn’t play.
So I played. Every bit as badly as I’d feared. I lost 21-3. But I got 3 points and we won the match. By 2 points. I was embarrassed, but everybody else seemed delighted.
I played 14 games that season- whenever they were a man short. I lost every game and finished stranded at the bottom of the averages at -11. In other words I scraped an average of 10 points per game and was soundly walloped in most of them.
The next season began in similar vein. First game I lost heavily. The next game, by some miracle, I managed to win. The roar from my team mates when I made the final point felt like I’d scored the winning goal in a cup final. Then I won my next game. Then a third.
At the end of that game my opponent congratulated me, as is the custom. He then said that I’d played very well, that he wasn’t used to losing on his home green, and that the last time he’d lost there was two seasons ago.
That game and those comments had a transformative effect upon me. Over the last few days I’ve been thinking of it as my West Brom moment. I’d won 3 games on the trot, the last of them against a top opponent on his own turf.
I went overnight from being a nervous beginner to feeling that if I were capable of beating my last opponent then I was well capable of beating anyone in the league. So I went into every subsequent game expecting to win. I found ways of winning games when I wasn’t playing well, won games playing in intense heat, won games in the pouring rain, and managed to win games when I was so far behind that I might well have given up. In short I didn’t lose another game all season. I was fortunate enough to finish top of the team averages and be the proud winner of a club cup.
I should make clear, at this point, that I am not claiming any great sporting achievement. I was playing for the club’s C team, and at no great standard. And I do recognise that any analogy between professional football and lower league amateur bowls is a bit of a stretch.
But in terms of transformative attitudes and psychology there may well be similarities. I’ve played sport all of my life, but have never experienced such a major shift in my own mental approach to a game ever before. I feel as though I have a tiny inkling into how Liverpool, for example, go about their games. They don’t contemplate defeat. Their heads don’t go down when they go a goal behind. They don’t panic when time is ticking away or when they are not playing particularly well. They know that they have beaten the best in the world, that they are the better side and that if their efforts do not slacken they will win the game.
The words that are usually trotted out on such occasions- “momentum”, “confidence”, “winning ways” etc- scarcely convey the complexity of what is going on here. Take the current crop of Boro kids, Pears,Spence and Coulsen. A couple of weeks ago they were nervous newbies, no doubt worrying and wondering whether they were competent enough to be even considered for selection at Championship level. And similarly, Tavernier, Fry and Wing were comparative youngsters of variable consistency playing in an apparently relegation-bound team.
Now all of these lads have been an integral part of a team that is on a winning run. They have deservedly beaten the best side in the division, and one that will probably be playing Premier League football next season. And on their own midden. They should feel well capable of getting a result against any other team in the division. Their heads shouldn’t drop if they go a goal down, and they should go into every remaining game without fear and expecting a positive result.
The same applies to Woodgate, another newbie who has just outwitted one of the most experienced managers in the game. His transformation from a much- derided figure who couldn’t buy a win at any price to a respected local lad who has moulded a motley array of kids and has-beens into what looks like an exciting team should produce immeasurable psychological benefits both for himself and for the team and club that he manages.
We need to keep hold of Ayala and Howson, the essential glue holding this young team together. And what an exciting and rewarding prospect that should be for those two pros at this stage of their careers. Senior respected mentors of the club’s young talent. With those important provisos we should be looking upwards, and I will hazard a small wager on the spreads that we’ll get close to making the play-offs.
That’s how the Boro’s prospects look to a pensioner in his 80s based upon his vast experience of playing third- team crown green bowls for his local village.
I shall be at Preston tomorrow, and delighted to see anyone from the blog for a pre- match chat/ pint/ tea/coffee.
Len, I have experienced the same with my local football team, too. I still play regularly even I am 58 now. We used to finish bottom of the league for years, then we got one or two new players and got better results first occationally. And once finished as the runner-ups in the league (lost on goal-difference).
I think this is more important in a team sports like football.
I am sorry I am not planning a visit to see Boro this season. So cannot join at Preston but will watch the match live on TV via Riverside Live.
I think it was ages ago when we met at Derby. Or the former players association meeting at Hotel Jurys Inn at Fry St, M’bro. Take care, mate.
Up the Boro!
Great story Len and maybe proof that a winning mentality is perhaps the most important attribute in competitive sport – let’s also hope Boro get the rub of the green in the coming weeks.
btw I’ve found that if I hadn’t played pool for quite some time I’m usually very good as I’ve forgotten how bad I was – I remember when I lived in London I went into a local pub one evening where it was winner stays on and after a few lucky wins I started playing like the world champion knocking in all kinds of ridiculous pots – I even started doing total clearances and after 3 hours on the table I retired undefeated with everyone in the pub thinking I was some kind of ringer 🙂 I also think other people started playing below their best as they thought one mistake and I’d beat them – so it probably works both ways in that you can out-psych your opponents by appearing confident of winning.
An excellent post, Len.
Great post Len. It teaches a lesson that most os us will have encountered during our lives.
When one is younger we tend to think differently and when one is older we have experiences to tell .
Good story Len. I recall in late 1979 when David Hodgson was pushing for a regular place up front – and not looking that impressive – he chased a few balls that were clearly a lost cause, to the extent that the crowd starting roaring him on whenever another opportunity came up.
He really wasn’t that good a player initially but the backing had a transformative impact and you could see him grow as a player. Hard running and effort and empathy with the crowd then became his USP and made him as a player. He is still one of my all time Boro favourites.
It is imperative we stick with this team while we are winning still. The pat on the back and uplift that brings is immeasurable. This is not a league of any great quality and togetherness and commitment will count for much.
I feel JW has stumbled onto this current team but, to his great credit, has stuck with and improved it vastly. Long may it continue.
We’re all agreed what a wonderful performance Boro displayed on Sunday, and I was trying to remember a similar occasion when Boro pulled out an out-of-the-blue win against the League leaders at Christmas time. It was in 1983 where Boro were almost in a similar position as today except that they hadn’t won
for 4 matches. They’d played 20 matches at that point, winning only 6, drawing 6 and losing 8, although they sat reasonably comfortable in 14th position out of 22 clubs. Christmas Day that year was on a Sunday and Boro had just lost the home Boxing Day fixture to Carlisle 0-1. The next day being a Bank Holiday Boro travelled to League leaders Sheffield Wednesday with the following team:- Kelham O’Hanlon, Darren Wood, Tony Mowbray, Paul Ward, Mick Baxter, Irving Nattrass, Garry Macdonald, Mike Kennedy, Heine Otto, Paul Sugrue and David Currie with Gary Hamilton as the substitute. Malcolm Allison was the manager and Boro surprised the Owls with a 2-0 win. Sugrue scored in the 4th minute and Currie scored from the penalty spot 20 minutes later.
That’s as far as my memory and knowledge goes about the match. Did Boro play well? Was it a fluke result? Perhaps some of you can enlighten me on that. However I do know that Boro lost 1-4 to Leeds at Elland Road 4 days later on New Year’s Eve with a late consolation penalty goal from David Currie again, so I’m obviously hoping that Boro’s match at Preston doesn’t follow the same pattern. Typically though Boro beat 2nd placed Chelsea 2 days later 2-1 at Ayresome Park with Hamilton and Currie scoring a late winner.
For the record Boro finished 17th as Allison was sacked in the following March and both Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday were promoted with 88 points each.
On another point Werdermouth jokingly remarked that perhaps we should crowd-fund an extension to Philip Wallker’s holiday in Gran Canaria to cover the Preston match. Sounds good to me, but having known Philip now as one of my closest friends for some 45 years I know that he and his wife Val don’t usually have holidays extending over 10 days.
When I wrote my verse about new bloggers on this forum I inadvertently missed out Philip or Phil as I’ve always called him because I’d already mentioned ExMil and Ian Gill in the rhyme. I hope Phil doesn’t mind my stating that he once was a Boro season ticket holder even after his move to Huddersfield and often drove to the Riverside Stadium and back on the notorious M62 motorway to follow the team he loves. Whenever we met he used to provide me with a plethora of Boro match day programmes to read prior to my internet days.
So to make up for my omission of Philip from my verse, I agree that if we could have kept Philip in Gran Canaria for a few more days it might indeed have been a ‘fillip’ to Boro’s chances of winning at Preston on New Year’s Day.
Happy New Year, Philip and Val.
Thanks Len for sharing your bowling exploits. Since I retired crown green bowls has become a passion and I have experienced what you have.
For those who don’t know much about the game, I should point out that all greens are different in , eg the height of the crown , the slopes to the edges, some have dips not visible to the naked eye, the speed of the green , the conditions on the day and so on.
Consequently as you get used to your own green you improve, develope an expertise on parts of the green and expect to win even when you are losing you have confidence that you can turn things round.
By comparison playing away is much more of a challenge as you may not be familiar with how the green plays and which parts of the green your opponent is good at playing. So you have to quickly work it out and particularly the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent. Some players , because of these challenges, do not expect to win and , as a result, are often beaten before they start.
So attitude, confidence, concentration and consistency are the essential elements to success. Just like football and , for that matter, all sports
Having nothing better to do before I taxi my son to meet his mates for his New Year festivities (in Newcastle) I decided to have a look how the ticket sales were going for the Spurs game and as at this moment there are 10,564 seats available so it could be close to a sellout.
Come on BORO.
Glancing through the various transfer rumours I came across an article stating that Celtic were looking for a £9m striker, now I wonder were they could find one. ? Especially as I have just read that Chelsea may make a move for Moussa Dembele (Celtic) in January. One day to go before the roller coaster ride, know as the Transfer window begins.
Come on BORO.
We must be careful not to assume that the lame and lazy will retire to the bench when Xmass is over and their aches and pains disappear.
Woodgate has a track record of falling in love with the most miserable specimens and playing them come what may. (see under Gestede)
Our more pleasurable and successful play is down to the forced inclusion of younger, faster, more imaginative players, and for once it can be spelt out in letters of fire, they believe in attack by forward passes into space, they believe in shooting at the opponent’s goal, they believe In aggression, getting in the opponent’s face and mixing it. Above all we have in Fletcher a very mobile striker on the same wavelength as Tav, Wing, and Spence.
Do not forget the goalkeeper Pears, his existence will allow us to sell our no 1 to West Ham thus making two players very happy, not to mention one accountant.
Plato
I think wide of the mark to say Woodgate has fallen in love with Gestede. To be fair no one has really used him since he was bought, occasional starts in a few appearances when fit.
A few games early on under Monk we started with a three of Britt, Gestede and Bamford. Other than that he has spent most of his time in the treatment room
Great post len I think your point/analogy is very relevant, my only fear for Boro is the risk that the Preston performance will be of the ‘after the Lord Mayors’ parade variety. However Woody seems to have a knack of keeping them fresh and motivated.
Also agree re the importance of signing Ayala and Howson on new contracts, hopefully there’s enough cash to make them an offer good enough for them to stay.
I (tongue in cheek) predicted the WBA win, so on the basis of quitting while I’m ahead I wouldn’t normally follow it up. But, I remember telling my wife during the Steau match that there was no chance of Boro coming back from such a deficit twice in succession, so my prediction for tomorrow is another Boro win.
You can only dream……….
Indeed you can Nigel.
I am still not allowing myself the luxury of that yet though. I think the one backlash will be too much for us. I will stick by my totally unreliable predictive skills and expect a 2-0 reverse for us. Hopefully I will be as accurate as I was for the WBA game.
COB
Predictive text typo
The one backlash should have said the PNE backlash…
Continuing with the reverse psychology theme. I predicted we would lose three in a row so will go for a Preston 1-0 Boro in the hope I am wrong.
A point would be a very good point. CoB 😎😁 Still beaming!
KP, Never mind the Boro Red Army with all this beaming going on we will have laid down enough Keels to have our own Red Navy 👨✈️👨✈️
Happy New Year Everyone
And Many More to come for our Diasboro Family Worldwide
OFB
And the same to you OFB and to our world wide family. 😎😁
Thanks to all the contributors to Diasboro who make this essential reading. Special thanks to Werder for watching over us and for the monthly reviews/previews and Redcar Red for the comprehensive and truthful post match reports whether the performances have been good or bad. The WBA report was a pleasure to read for the year end and I hope the New Year will start with similar good news from Preston.
Happy New Year to all followers of Diasboro.
It does seem like a month sometimes given the number of games but I’ve eased back to fortnightly previews 🙂
Happy new year to everyone from Sydney. This blog is a constant source of entertainment, amusement and long distance friendship with people that I have never met. i thank everyone for their contribution, rhyming or otherwise. Maybe we can all meet at the play-off final.
Living at the other end of the world the timing isn’t always easy and so, inevitably, I decided that a 2am kickoff to see us take on West Bromwich was a bit much. Needless to say I missed one of the great days but have been able to live it through the highlights and great reporting of our resident scribes. I’m staying up for Preston and looking forward to a great year in 2020.
I have been thinking about the selection for today’s game. If it was a normal seven day gap I’d say definitely no change. But both teams have had a tiring run of games and it may be that fitness and freshness should be considered. Will Preston go with the same team that lost at home or will they go for fresh legs and players out to prove a point. Do we need to match that or Let the same team start knowing that we have McNair and Assombalonga on the bench. My view is that Britt is a certainty for the bench but the choice of two between Saville, Clayton and McNair is less obvious.
Anyway, we have to respect not only what JW has achieved but also his forthright honest manner. It’s a real breath of fresh air.
UTB
Wishing everyone a very happy New Year , may the positives out way the negatives.
Can’t go without a football opinion, Patrick Roberts if true , coming in, I see him as a number 10 , reminds me of the Arsenal lad went to Juventus ,
Feliz Ano Nuevo para todos. Y los mejores deseos para un saludable 2020.
I’d like to wish everyone a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year, may all of your dreams come true.
DiasBoro,
A happy and above all healthy New Year to you everyone and their families wherever you are.
Now to prepare our normal New Year celebration:
the full English breakfast – toasted sourdough, two eggs, smoked bacon, a chippolata sausage, mushrooms, tomato and a slice of black pudding all with a glass of champagne. Then a fresh coffee.
My apologies if anyone has a hangover…
UTB,
John
A nice gap has now appeared in the relegation places where although only one point separates the bottom 4, a 7 point gap separates those 4 from the rest. After tomorrow except for the Forest v Reading game scheduled to be played in 3 weeks time, all clubs will have played 13 home and 13 away matches. A win today for Boro could possibly raise us to 14th, but a defeat could see us drop to 20th albeit with at least a 6 point advantage over the bottom 4. It just goes to show how important the win at West Brom was as today is really a freebie.
I would make no changes for today’s match, go for the win from the start, and with a tiring team at least have a stronger bench to call on to see us home. The time for resting some of the youngsters in my opinion is not today, but next Sunday against Spurs if some of our walking wounded are available.
Happy New Year one and all, my wife and I missed midnight as we recover from our daughters present – just remember, ‘Norovirus is not just for Christmas’!
Happy New Year to everyone who contributes or reads this wonderful blog. And many thanks for all of your typically generous responses to my anecdote.
And so to Preston. I shall pay my respects to the great Tom Finney, try to have a word with AV, the begetter of this blog, and hope for a point or three. Or failing that, a wholehearted display in keeping with our new-found spirit. I’ll go for 1-1 and a good game.
UTB
Firstly, I’d just like to wish everyone on Diasboro a healthy and enjoyable 2020 or as we say in Germany ‘Guten Rutsch’, which translates literally as ‘good slide’ – though hopefully not back down the table in Boro’s case!
I’d agree with Ken that three wins on the bounce has made today’s game at Preston something of a free hit as relegation worries have been eased with the nine-point cushion. I’d also agree with SelwynOz that tiredness may play a part with little time for recovery – however, Boro really don’t have that many options but I think McNair and Browne have now served their suspensions and Johnson is relatively fresh too – much may depend on who is being eyed-up for a January exit.
Although, a winning team probably feels less tired than a losing one and thankfully most of our Starting XI are quite young and fit – they probably will be raring to go again after that win at West Brom.
It would be nice to get another win and it will be interesting to see if they can repeat the intensity of the last performance.
I’m hoping for a win and an early goal will certainly help – so I’ll go for a 1-0 win for Boro with Fletcher bagging another – though perhaps not from 40 yards!
I’m no gambler. It’s a mug’s game. Still less an encourager of others to gamble. But very very occasionally you see odds that look generous. Currently on the spreads Boro are available to buy at 57 points for their season’s total. We currently have 30 points from 25 games.
This seems like an undemanding target to me. If you think we are capable of getting at least 27 points from our remaining 21 games then it’s well worth a look. An investment with little downside risk, but great upside potential for a healthy profit given our current position at the top of the recent form league.
Preston Panned by Resurgent Boro
Happy new decade to those all around the world. Let’s hope it’s a better one for the Boro.
Today will be another piece in the puzzle because Woodgate has a new challenge: how to build on success and how to re-integrate players. Depending on tiredness levels, whether anyone picked up a minor injury against the Baggies and the formation he plays, I hope he starts the same 11 against PNE with McNair on the bench. Not sure whether Browne should make the bench: it depends on whether he shows signs of controlling his temper.
If Britt is fit, that’s a whole other dilemma. Fletcher has done well in his absence but also plays well alongside him. It tends to be Wing who suffers if we play 2 up front.
Result today feels like a roll of the dice with almost every outcome equally likely. Top of the recent form table against best home record for the whole season. However PNE’s recent from has been average at best so I’ll go for a crazy 4-4 draw.
Prediction?
I have’t a clue but I’ll go for 2 – 2 but it could be anything knowing Boro. Maybe they’ll be desperate and leave gaps for Boro to exploit. I hope so but it could just as easily be an OFB.
UTB,
John
The busy festive fixtures with several games coming thick and fast can be a true test of a managers skills.
Who to play, who to rest, what tactics to employ and how to keep his team mentally focused. This will be as much a test for Woodgate as it is for his players. The learning curve continues and there are a lot of lessons to be learned by our fledgling boss.
A good performance to start with, adding a point would be great.
Three points? Mmmmmm.
An OFB would do. As I posted the other day I expect a response from Preston after losing to Reading even though Reading spent the match under the cosh for a lot of the time. It is a big task for Boro, probably harder than going to the Baggies because I am sure we caught them on the hop. Preston will be at us like a bull at a gate.
Preston Panned Plumbed Pinched Powerfully Party Poopers Peaking Panache Performance
OFB
A happy New Year to you everyone wherever you are. Let’s hope Boro will have a good season next.
Very difficult match today. A strong home team and we have won only once this season.
We might be tired but it is the same for Preston. Luckily we have two more options in McNair and Browne.
I will go for a 1-1 draw. Tavanier scoring. Up the Boro!
Preston North End have won only one of their last 15 league games against Middlesbrough.
Middlesbrough are unbeaten in their last seven away league visits to Preston, since a 1-0 defeat in April 1972.
This is the second time in the last three seasons Preston and Middlesbrough are facing in the Championship on New Year’s Day. Boro won 3-2 in 2018 at Deepdale.
Preston boss Alex Neil has not won any of his four home games against Middlesbrough across all competitions.
Home Banker then…….
Middlesbrough appear to be interested in a loan deal for Patrick Roberts from Man City. He certainly did very well when he was up at Celtic. Think he would be a great addition for the club and he is young !
Happy New Year to everyone near and far, hopefully we will see Boro’s gradual improvement continue and let’s not lose faith whenever the next defeat comes along.
Come on BORO.
Interesting lineup for today:
Pears, Spence, Howson, Fry, Ayala, Johnson, Clayton, Saville, Tavernier, Fletcher, Gestede.
Come on BORO.
Subs:
Mejias, Wood, Coulson, Wing, McNair, Walker, O’Neill.
Come on BORO.
Well, nobody saw that team coming. He must expect to be under the cosh and can’t risk enough attacking players to play through midfield. This way Gestede can be a target and Fletcher can play off him. Then he has McNair, Wing and Coulson as dynamic subs for the last half hour.
Big call.
We need to still be in touch at half time.
UTB
OFB
Peaking Panache Performance with Gestede leading the line? Not quite sure.
I can see why Johnson to give Coulson a blow, I think Spence has played less. Gestede for Wing is a bit of a head scratcher unless it is to give some bulk up front and Wing a rest.
We look a little short of pace in midfield but lets see.
PS
Anyone know we are one of the few matches not on the red button on Sky?
Looks like Woodgate has decided to rest a few players and it will be interesting to see how the formation is – possibly a back four again and we need a performance from Gestede. At least we have options on the bench but we will miss Coulson’s pace and Wing’s passing.
usa goals link 2
link is now off boo
Here’s another link that has just come on stream…
Always said he should be in the side 😉 Get in CoB! 😎
Scrappy game and should have scored a few more. Worrying that Ayala has gone off. CoB keep it going. 😎
Well well well, if Big Rudy is going to start scoring overhead kicks then maybe Boro really are on the up. Not the intensity of the West Brom game and a bit scrappy at times but Boro have kept at it, looked reasonably comfortable and have created opportunities but have fluffed their shooting. Though a blow to lose Ayala to injury and it’s hopefully not an injury that will keep him out for long. Let’s get the second and then who knows!
Cant fault Gestede for scoring on his return.
Looks like all streams are now off Werder. Spoilsports !
I was just about to pose the question anyone feeling as uncomfortable as me when low and behold get in!
Need to keep focused and stop Preston playing as it is far from done and dusted but so far so good. CoB 😎
Rudy playing today in what I believe is known as the “shop window” position.
In those immortal words unbelievable Jeff! Come on you little beauties.
Another win, three points and a clean sheet. 😎😁 Still beaming!
Well done boys. Another pick up for us all.
Well I never. Fantastic!!!!
When was the last time we won all our festive games over tha Xmas/New Year period?
Murphy04,
Probably when Pontius was a Pilate!
UTB,
John
Another magnificent three points to keep Boro moving up the table and now just 7 points off the play-offs. OK, it wasn’t as fluid as the performance at West Brom but Boro were once again solid and worked hard and caused Preston problems on the break. Some great performances with particularly Tavernier, Howson, Fletcher and Fry very impressive but perhaps the MOM today should go to hardworking Big Rudy Gestede, who did everything and more that anyone could have expected and maybe could have had at least a hat-trick with a bit more luck.
I should add well done to Jonathan Woodgate too for once again getting his tactics spot on.
Amazing, unbelievable, marvellous, wonderful.
Happy New Year everyone.
Well that very untypical Boro! Not that I am complaining of course. 4 wins and 12 points with a 100% win ratio in the last 4 games – all our Christmas’s have come at once.
I would have been happy with 6/7 points before but 12 is fantastic and now only 7 points from a play off position and 10 away from relegation.
If we can continue a decent run, then I may take back all I said about JW!
A Happy New Year to all fellow contributors and may 2020 be a good year for us all.
UTB
Oh my word. 12 out of a possible 12. Best 12 days of Boro Christmas for some time.
Brilliant.
Time to dream….
Spurs up next and common normal call for a cup match would be to play the kids!
Nope – play the oldies! The kids need a rest now!
Here’s a couple of statistics to savour. Only Boro and Reading from the top 4 Divisions have won all of their 4 matches over the Christmas period, and only Liverpool can join them if they win tonight. Also Boro are only 7 points (8 if one counts goal difference) from a playoff place.
Looks like Woodgate is the manager with the golden touch. Better start looking for recipes for humble pie. It will taste sweet.
Is he turning from being an unlucky General to a lucky one?
Interested in reading RR’s report.
For MOM, our ever-great AV gave it to Gestede: ” Rudy Gestede – 9
Put himself about, steered home bicycle kick for opener, flick on led to second, another shot flew just wide and a point blank header saved
Up the Boro!
I bet RR can’t wait to write a glowing report about his favourite player!! Superb win.
Good performance from him BoroPhil. However when he is available to be picked for a number of games and then performs in them.
12 mil in fee and wages. He has a lot to repay yet.
I think if he scored in every game from now until the end of the season he would still have a bit to repay.
Deleriad
I stick by my view that Woodgate needed points, he has got them. I also stick by the fact that the table never lies, we are clear of the relegation battle but not far enough to be comfortable yet. As soon as you think that you will be found out.
The Christmas decorations are still up so plenty of time for PXS but I am chuffed to bits and that is a gross understatement. My wife is in astonished silence!
In the amended words of Elton John, ‘I’m still smiling, yeah, yeah, yeah”
Even my Rams fans are sending congratulatory messages.
Well, well. The Nunthorpe Mourinho got it spot on again today. I would imagine the collective groan from Boro fans on hearing Gestede announced in the starting eleven could be heard back in Teesside.
Very pleased for Gestede, he’s been a whipping boy for sometime now, undeservedly in my opinion as he hasn’t played very much in the last two years, and has been very unfortunate with injuries. It must have been very sweet for him to score the opener today.
On to the FA Cup now. Spurs are in a bit of a slump at the moment and are ripe to figure in a cup upset. I’d like to see JW play a strong team, winning is a good mentality to be in and no reason to suggest it will end soon. Another clean sheet today which augers well.
Whilst it may be a bit too soon to start dishing up Humble Pie, I would imagine quite a few fans will be dusting off their Nannas recipe books at the moment.
With regards to Gestede, see my reply to BoroPhil.
As for JW, I had to wash the egg off my face after WBA, and would be over the moon if I had to look up Rick Steins recipe for humble pie. However let’s see where we are in May
GHW
Gestede has been an expensive player brought in to the club when we needed a number 10 who has showed little guile when he has managed to appear on the pitch. He has spent the vast majority of his time probably earning a salary we can only dream of annually never mine weekly. 39 games in two years and four goals.
I am pleased for him that he has had a good game and scored because whoever wears a Boro shirt is a Boro player.
I fully support Woodgate because I am a Boro fan, the current run of form is great but the kids doing well is a huge bonus because they come from a squad that is unlike the Busby or Fergie babes, nor are they as successful as the MFC youth team that Schteve inherited.
Just be pleased how things have turned round, I am over the moon.
The player can’t be blamed for MFC’s recruitment policy nor his injuries and certainly not for the salary the club offered him.
He hasn’t endeared himself to the fans in my opinion GHW.
It was definitely worth staying up for the 2.00am kickoff for that one.
Firstly, I have to apologise to the team for saying that the inclusion of Gestede would turn us into a long ball team. In fact, his aerial ability made that a useful option when needed but there were also plenty of occasions when we still played out with pace and accuracy.
In the second half particularly, Preston’s only idea seemed to be to throw crosses into our box, perhaps hoping that the absence of Ayala would see us crumble. Thankfully, Fry stood up and showed us exactly why he is such a good prospect. He, McNair and Howson shielded by Saville and Clayton did a tremendous job under quite a lot of pressure but were always looking for a quick forward ball to set us going.
The wingbacks were always ready to attack and both were strong in defence. In fact, Spence, whilst always ready to get forward looks very good defensively. He’s clearly super fit which perhaps explains him playing again whilst Coulson has a rest. Johnson had another good game. My only complaint is that he gives away some silly fouls and looks like a potential yellow and red card waiting to happen.
Tavernier had a tremendous game and he is looking like a top class player in the making. Fletcher has another impressive game and the partnership with Gestede was an inspired choice.
Finally Gestede who got better and better as the game wore on. We know that he’s a big unit and good in the air but there were plenty of good touches and he looked like a player reborn. Maybe he’s finally shaken off the injuries. If not for their keeper and a bit more accuracy, he could easily have had a hat trick.
However, what struck me most of all is the apparent strength of the collective spirit. They seem to have stuck together through a tough few months and keep on working at the new tactics. They are showing will and a lot of flexibility.
This must come down to coaching and is another example of how so many people may have underestimated JW. He and the rest of the team seem able to both inspire the team and make some astute choices with limited resources. I don’t see this as good luck but the sign of someone who knows what he is doing. We maybe all forgot how smart a player he was and not too far behind the rest of the group of international players emerging as managers.
This may be over-optimistic and written under the impact of four wins and not too much sleep but the future looks pretty bright. I also look forward to the next group of young stars to emerge from the Rockliff production line.
Other than that, fingers crossed for Ayala. He would be a big loss.
UTB
Well written, selwynoz. A good summary.
All that with the injury list we have had.
But perhaps the two midfielders as centre backs also helps to play the ball out of defence as JW wants to.
Up the Boro!
PS. A good report by RR – especially after a win 😊.
Well, there’s turn-up for the fairy tale. Gestede, mmm.
Anyway I’m over excited, over stimulated and in manager speak over the moon. With a parrot that isn’t sick. The choices get ever harder with every success, but it’s a great feeling.
What next DiasBoro? I’ll pass on complacency but well done Boro, in fact bloody Boro brilliant. Mind you the teams below are throwing up some strange results too. As my other half said, ‘when is the next international break?’ That’ll screw up the momentum. I hope not.
Redcar Red I await your discourse.
Well done Boro and the travelling fans.
UTB,
John
Well before the festive fixtures, Boro’s season was looking about as pear-shaped as the fruit of the tree that the proverbial partridge was sitting in. But after seeing off Stoke in what was then billed as a relegation decider, Woodgate’s team gained three welcome points that were rarer than the three French Hen’s teeth. It was increased, like the laying geese, to six after beating fellow strugglers Huddersfield on Boxing Day as the Boro goose appeared not to be cooked after all. Then a surprise win at the leaders West Brom made it nine but it wasn’t only those nine ladies who were dancing on Teesside. Finally (cue drum roll) it became the perfect 12 points of Christmas that has got the Boro drummers drumming as the men in red beat Preston at Deepdale!
One man who will probably be lauding the team’s improvement and leaping with joy along with the many Boro supporters who will no doubt be like the maids, milking this upturn in fortunes – It’s Redcar Red and his match report…
https://diasboro.club/2020/01/01/preston-0-2-boro/
Like it Weder, like it a lot.
Well done to the team and huge thanks to RR for his comprehensive report. It’s all alarmingly great fun at the moment.
Woodgate’s gambles are paying off, the players are responding to his methods, and I’m happier if somewhat discombobulated by each passing match.
For the misty-eyed nostalgists among us, having a team full of local youth players and a keeper called Pears causing merry mayhem in the second tier may well be causing flashbacks to the late 1980’s.
However I’m also reminded us of Mogga’s ill-fated managerial tenure, which if memory served, was at its best when he forced to improvise, and the wheels fell off when injuries to his favoured players healed and he was finally allowed to spend money on new players.
I wonder where the line between luck and judgement lies.
Throwing so many kids into the fray seems to have been forced upon JW rather than being the result of a positive decision making process. He seems very keen to switch players and formations, and I worry he may become too clever when he has more options, as seemingly happened to Mogga.
Napoleon wanted lucky generals and JW is certainly making his own luck. Long may it continue.
Great report, RR. Many thanks.
Slightly off topic, the second goal is no longer an OG: the ref’s report attirbuted it to Ashley Fletcher, so he now moves one ahead of Britt on seven.
I’m sure Ben Davies won’t be contesting that one and probably relieved to see his name erased from the score card. Better still for us is that Fletcher’s improvement gets another small boost!
Thanks for another great report RR. Now, all we need is for you to have started the year as you mean to go on and to keep reporting on Boro victories.
I agree with others in here that we have to be careful of getting too carried away with a stunning return from the festive fixtures. There is still a long way to go and it really will be interesting how JW manages the return to fitness of the seniors as well as any incoming players during the window, or keeping faith with the players that have turned things round.
Enjoying the moment and hoping there is more to come.
Happy New Year to everyone.
I don’t think there should be any issues regarding the return of the senior players. Had Britt put away those penalties earlier in the Season the League table would be looking a lot healthier. The goal awarded to Fletcher yesterday to me illustrates why Britt shouldn’t walk back into the team. Speed, determination, desire, intent all on display showing a want and willingness to win at all costs.
Randolph is for me the best Keeper in the Championship but Pears has done very well and growing in stature in each game. There would have been a strong argument for Randolph to walk back in but as each game passes that argument diminishes, a goof problem to have. That said I think if an acceptable offer came in he would be sold just to save on the wage bill if nothing else but in an ideal world he would be staying. Unfortunately we don’t live in an ideal world but Pears has surprised me and impresses more each game so I’m far more comfortable with the reality than a few weeks back.
Friend and Shotton are different issues I suspect but both would probably be sold if fit and an offer arrived, Friend I suspect won’t be going anywhere due to the longevity of his injury and the uncertainty now of if he can come back from it. I would definitely want to retain him if possible and then start him on his Coaching badges as I think he could be a top class Manager in the future. Shotton seems to be still “injured” although there are stories about his appearances or starts depending on the source which indicates that he would be sold and all the more so considering he was almost at Wigan on transfer deadline day. Both are missed and need to be replaced by at least one new arrival.
Should read “Good” not “Goof” above 🙂
Re: Patrick Roberts, the Manchester City winger currently on loan to Norwich City
According to the Echo, Middlesbrough officials have discussed a loan deal to the end of the campaign, with Woodgate a firm admirer of a player who impressed in three previous temporary spells with Scottish champions Celtic.
“He’s been linked, and he’s a very good player, a very, very talented player,” said Woodgate, who watched his side make it four wins out of four over the festive period as they claimed a 2-0 victory at Preston. “Let’s see if we can get something done.”
So nothing is done and agreed yet. I hope we get at least one defender and a winger/nr 10 in during January. If someone goes, we need more players naturally.
Up the Boro!
Roberts really impressed me when he was up at Celtic and I’m surprised he hasn’t been able to force his way into the Norwich side.
It may be that when you are rock bottom and struggling to claw your way out of trouble that Farke is looking for more experienced and defensively minded players to select. As we have seen from West Brom and Preston if you get at teams above you and hurt them your defensive frailties can be mitigated. I hope he comes here because I think at this level he could be a sensation.
Redcar Red,
Thank you and yet another fine report, away too. I’m beginning to feel a bit dizzy but as long as the points keep coming I can cope. Real team performances, quite incredible and hopefully like these will attract the fans back to the Riverside. Here’s hoping that Dani’s injury isn’t too serious.
Now we all pray that Boro’s form doesn’t come down with the decorations. Let these performances become the norm, that should be Boro’s New Year resolution.
UTB,
John
Maybe we should collectively keep the decorations up this year just to be on the safe side…
Werder,
A pub in Portsmouth did that a few years ago and look what happened there. I would add that I don’t remember the context of the decorations being kept up.
Anyway, any rune is worth casting.
UTB,
John
Thanks for the report, RR. The usual high standard account and incredible to read of a fourth straight win and a deserved one to boot. Been a difficult few days learning of the death of a friend (just 39) and being struck down with flu (though that barely matters in the circumstances) but the Boro and Diasboro have cheered me.
Huge credit to Woodgate. I don’t like the line that he’s got a bit lucky with the youngsters. He’s been clear that those players were always central to his plans and the only extra one to emerge during this current run has been Spence. Wing, Fry and Coulson have been first choice players all season, Tav has been in the side for some time now and we can discount Pears as I don’t think anyone sees him as an upgrade on Randolph – just delighted that he has been just about as good and we haven’t missed our no. 1. So when we talk about JW getting lucky, all that’s really happened is that Spence has come in and the bench got really, really light. More importantly though, that argument ignores the fact that JW is organising and motivating these young players. And how.
No getting carried away. We could just as easily lose four on the spin now and Ayala’s annual winter injury could be a huge loss if it’s his usual 6 weeks to 2 months. Fingers crossed it isn’t as having two centre mids (McNair and Howson) at centre back is not the ideal way to set about climbing the table (I can’t see much luck there). Players are less accountable when they’re filling in.
Anyway, huge congrats to JW, his staff and players for what they’ve achieved over the festive period. One game at a time and let’s see if we can have something to keep us interested as we get into the final months. It no longer looks like it will be a dogfight but we need to cement that with another 15 or so points.
RR
I must confess I think you’re getting rather good at these positive match reports definitely a huge improvement in your work.
Please keep it up at least until the playoff final at Wembley!
Seriously many Thanks appreciated as ever
OFB
Some interesting developments at Derby
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7843555/Rooneys-big-night-overshadowed-wages-row-Derby-club-failing-pay-players-time.html
I am sure that MM can be relied upon to find a creative accounting method to come up with the wages! 😎😉
As Lauri Cox tweeted
This is the first time we have 4 games out of 4 over Christmas since….
1926/1927 season.
Woody is the first manager in 93 years to win all four over Christmas 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
OFB
I knew I couldn’t remember the last time we did it, and there’s why, even me mam and dad were just infants at the time!
A tremendous effort and the praise JW and the team has been getting in here and on other media is merited.
Head still firmly on though, because unless he/we/the team build on that achievement, it could just as quickly become no more than an interesting piece of trivia.
So these results were for Ken, too. If he thought he had seen all with Boro. But four straight wins during Xmas/New Year break. UTB!
It was in 1926/27 when George Camsell ran riot and scored 14 goals in four victories as Boro marched towards promotion. UTB!
Great report as ever RR and so pleasing that you are now able to record positive outcomes for a change.
Without doubt the turnaround has been impressive and long may it continue.
I am not, like many of us on here, getting carried away with thoughts of play offs but will be happy if we can consolidate and build upon what has been achieved in recent games. If by some chance that takes us into the top six then so be it.
Concerned about Ayala’s injury which seems to be similar to previous seasons. If it is to be a matter of months then we need to bring some one in if JW is not comfortable with another youngster. Can the finances cover a short term loan for, say, BG and is he a viable option?
CoB 😎 Stopped beaming as my jaws were beginning to ache 🤣!
A big thanks to Redcar Red for his sterling work in somehow managing four match reports over the festive period and we’re lucky that he didn’t strain something – though it’s certainly easier on the eye to report victories. btw They were some great headlines among those four with ‘Rude Awakening! and ‘Boing Boing Boro’ but my favourite was the very clever ‘From Red bull to Wing.’
I think many teams have felt the strain of playing four games over such a short period and maybe it’s time the footballing authorities started to consider cutting one game out of the programme.
Boro look to be now onto their last defenders with Ayala out but perhaps now is the time to blood Nathan Wood and see if he can step up like all the other youngsters so far have. It will be interesting to see just how many potential starters arrive in January and how many are moved out. Of course the only problem of Boro’s return to form is that we may see a few bids for players we’d rather not lose – with Tav sure to have attracted the attentions of those clubs who had been keeping an eye on him.
It perhaps seems likely that Randolph may leave and it may also be that Britt’s extended lay-off has more to do with preventing him from not being fit to be sold. I suspect Gestede won’t be leaving for the simple reason no club would be prepared to match his wages or risk his injury record – so it’s good that he’s shown he can do a job for the team and a few more performances like yesterday will no doubt keep Boro supporters on his side too.
Three clean sheets and a historic run of four wins at the festival period. All under a rookie manager!
At Preston, after Ayala limped off, Boro had two attacking midfielders in their back three flanked by a winger at left-back and a youngster with just five games under his belt on the right.
And they are in front of a rookie keeper who was on loan at Gateshead last season.
Brilliant. So well done to the team and JW. Up the Boro!
I am hoping Ayala’s injury is a twisted ankle, very painful but a quickish recovery could be possible. Luckily it is only a cup match coming up.
Not surprising the local media are obsessed by the Rooney Rule, not the US sport system whereby minority groups are interviewed for jobs in NFL but the rule of Wayne Rooney at Derby.
I wish him and County well, I told a little fib there, I want Derby to beat Barnsley for selfish reasons.
A lot has been said about Gestede’s salary. Does anyone know what it is?
I doubt it! Various online sites suggest in the region of £35k/week. Totally unreliable but doesn’t seem unrealistic. I doubt we’re in danger of triggering any appearance clause.
Agree with Werder – I expect him to be with us on 1st Feb but I expect that from most. Randolph, Britt and maybe McNair I would say are the most likely to leave but I don’t expect them all too.
What do people think would be fair offers for Randolph and Britt?
£6 m RANDOLPH
£8M BRITT
OFB
Andy R, £5-6 mil for Randolph £8-9 mil for Brit going by other teams estimate for their own players. And I would like to say a big thank you to Redcar Red for another upbeat report of our latest match.
UTB
West Ham thought £3m was a fair price for Randolph but it was reported tht Boro didn’t want to make a loss. If he’s been widely regarded as the best keeper in the Championship then despite his age he should command minimum of £5m.
As for Britt, we should sell him at the best price possible and try to get £10m – though no doubt that will be with all the add-ons and clauses. Some players we just can’t afford to let their contracts run down and leave for nothing – my bottom price for Britt would be £7.5m in the summer as after that we’ll get very little as he enters the last year of his contract.
I’ve seen £30 grand a week mentioned in the past and that would equate to around £1.5m a year. Given Gestede was signed when Boro were a PL club and they also paid a £6m fee, then that sounds about right as most of the exisiting players who played in Championship got pay rises to £35-50k a week and that may be conservative if the quoted wage bill of £65m was correct.
The wage bill even under Pulis was reported to be £49m so most of those who were playing in the PL for Boro were still getting a decent wedge in the Championship. If you consider a yearly salary of £1.5m for a player, then that would only be a total of £33m for a squad of 22 players – so some players must have been on and still are on considerably more than that.
Another comprehensive report from Redcar Red. He appears to
report on every kick, every header, every shot, every miss, every save and every foul. I just don’t know how the man does it, his concentration levels seem extraordinary to most of us, he never seems to miss a trick and I can’t recall any reporter even going back to Cliff Mitchell reporting a match in such detail, so as I’ve said before we’re all lucky and grateful to have him on this forum.
Much has been made of the fact that the last time Boro won all 4 matches over the Christmas period was in the 1926/27 season when as Jarkko remarked George Camsell did indeed score 14 goals in those 4 wins:-
18 Dec Home Swansea 7-1 (Camsell 4)
25 Dec Away Man City 5-3 (Camsell 5)
27 Dec Home Man City 2-1 (Camsell 2)
1 Jan Home Port Vale 5-2 (Camsell 3)
However in the 1928/29 season Boro also won 4 matches but out of 5 over 11 days of the Christmas period:-
22 Dec Away Grimsby 4-1
25 Dec Home Port Vale 5-1
26 Dec Away Port Vale 3-2
29 Dec Home Reading 0-0
1 Jan Home Spurs 3-0
Werdermouth suggested that possibly the Christmas period should be reduced to only 3 matches, so I don’t know he would feel about the punishing schedule of the 1913/14 season when as a First Division side Boro won 5 matches out of 6 over 15 days of the Christmas period, 3 of those matches in successive days:-
20 Dec Home Villa 5-2
25 Dec Away Sheff Utd 1-3
26 Dec Away Spurs 1-0
27 Dec Home Man City 2-0
1 Jan Home Derby 3-2
3 Jan Away Bradford 3-2
Of course there are a couple of seasons when Boro lost all 4 matches over the Christmas period, both as a First Division side:-
1909/10
18 Dec Home Man Utd 1-2
25 Dec Home Bradford 3-7
27 Dec Away Bradford 1-4
1 Jan Away Sheff Utd 0-2
and of course the only one I can remember was in 1947/48
20 Dec Away Man Utd 1-2
25 Dec Away Charlton 0-1
27 Dec Home Charlton 1-2
1 Jan Home Wolves 2-4
but I prefer to dispose of those two Christmas seasons to Room 101.
Ken, I’ve no idea how teams managed to play three games in three days including travelling to and from London – I’m surprised they could walk nevermind run!
And with a heavy leather ball and job nailed boots 🥾
OFB
Werdermouth
Neither do I. No floodlights of course in those days so with 2pm starts and probably 3.45pm finishes it must have been straight out of the bath onto the coach, no time for training, all for £12 a week and often on mudbath or snow covered pitches. Of course many of those players also became War heroes a few years later if they survived, lest we forget.
Hob Hob Hob
Just the job Bob,
not a hob knob
Not a crusty cob Bob,
or getting fobbed off by an angry mob Bob,
Not a rob and cause to sob yob.
Oh, just remembered Fletcher’s tasty lob Bob,
bet he’d never score that in his hob hob hobs
I like that !
Bob
It’s not on message so whisper it quietly but I think we got Randolph for £1m -£2.5m less than he was worth. A few years older now, I would agree that £5m is a fair minimum price.
Britt’s price somewhat depends on his wages. If they are as high as feared we may be prepared to take a lower transfer fee but £8m – £9m seems about right to me. I think that was around the price that Burnley were willing to pay when we gazumped them ( / paid way over the odds!).
Maybe now we could swap him for Ben Gibson. I’d take it if it worked financially, Ben’s leadership at the back is so good, he cares deeply for the club and his partnership with Ayala was Championship gold for a couple of seasons.
Andy, I think your flu may have impaired your memory as he was reported as a £5m transfer by the club 🙂
https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/boro-complete-ps5m-signing-of-darren-randolph
Ha. No I mean he was probably worth £6m – £7.5m and we got him cheap at £5m. Now I would say £5m is about right.
Happy to report that the flu is just about gone now.
Sorry Andy, I just re-read your post – I read it the first time as we got him for £1m -£2.5m (minus £2.5m i.e. less) than he was worth! I think I’m getting a fever – though it’s not even Saturday yet…
Thank you RR for in depth report again.
Gestede, who would have thought it.😁
On the Derby situation, I wouldn’t pay Rooney in washers.
It was a bit like when Gazza came from Rangers to Boro. They let him go because he was finished. That was proved by his time at Middlesbrough. Another waste of money.
To be fair Malcolm, Gazza did quite well at Everton after us. We sure didn’t see anything like the best of him though. Typical.
Malcom
Although I do not disagree with your views, Gaza was a natural genius, with add on’s. He was uncontrollable, the stories about him and fellow professionals having a jolly good night out, with full details, are hair raising, there is no other word for it.
Rooney, on the other hand achieved a long career under the control of a manager who took no prisoners.
Man Ut’d unloaded him because he had lost 10 per cent. They thought that they would easily sign a replacement (which, to be fair one did, in those happier times)
They failed, and they are not the only giant to fail in the same fashion, (Spurs, anyone).
To return to Rooney. Even as a youth he was fixated with football, to the exclusion of everything else in life. Which is a good calling card for the job.
RR
Another good read, just caught up with it. I have decided to stop admonishing you for not reporting on 3-0 wins, I can put up with 2-0 as a score line as long as we get the 2!
Thanks Ian, I am trying but must work harder. One day I just might be able to reach the magic 3-0 mark!
EG reporting that Boro have completed the loan signing of Patrick Roberts until the end of the season.
Let’s hope that he has more impact than some of those from the past.
The only ones that come to my mind that were successful were Ramirez and Kalas. The others flattered to deceive or did not sustain their initial impacts. 😎
BAMFORD ?
BOLO ZENDEN ?
kP
Just thinking of them not wishing to be a Smarty Pants!
OFB
WOODGATE
AMD WHO COULD FORGET UVE AND GEREMI !
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/sport-opinion/listed-players-boro-ever-loan-8388504
OFB
Clearly OFB you have a better memory than me.
I had forgotten that whilst Bamford, Zenden and Woodgate were all eventually permanent players they started on loan. Well done you.
If he turns out to be as good as any of them then I will be happy. 😎
You certainly know how to hurt a person, and using the truth makes it worse.
Didn’t mean to I just thought of them then thought AV would know !
OFB
All right….. Bob….. all right… but apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order… what have the Romans done for us?
Hadrian’s wall?
OFB
So we have Patrick Roberts on loan, clearly a player with talents but like all loan players come with a health warning. He is 23 in February and has played 97 games and only 3 or4 for Norwich this season.
He is of course one of a myriad of City players out on loan and his best spell was at Celtic. A big plus is that he has gone out of his comfort zone by moving to Girona.
The question is how quickly can we get him up to speed and how will he integrate?He could be one of those players who blooms and that would be a good acquisition. Not everyone is a star at 17, Wing is in his mid twenties for example.
Good to see decisive, early action. Looks like he’s best playing on the right side of a three. Might struggle to fit in with wing backs but presumably good in a 4-2-3-1 Or 4-3-3.
https://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/sport/football/middlesbrough-fc/superb-signing-what-middlesbrough-and-celtic-fans-are-saying-after-patrick-roberts-riverside-arrival-1354158
Interesting comments from Woodgate after the game……
Middlesbrough boss Jonathan Woodgate:
“I thought the performance they put in was outstanding.
“It comes down to team spirit. Even when we were losing games, we had that team spirit, whether people believe me or not.
On Gestede: “I told Rudy Gestede he was playing two days before the West Brom game (on Sunday). I said that’s your game so go and get yourself set, you are going to play that game. I thought he was unplayable at times,” he added.
“It was the right decision to bring Rudy in. You have to look after players and, when other players do come in, they show a real will to work for the shirt and the team.”
Underfloor heating
Borobrie
A good signing if we believe the Celtic fans. And I remember RR to wrote earlier that he likes the winger, too.
And he is a right winger, one we have missed since Geremi. Also able to play on the left wing as well as nr 10.
Next we need a defender or two. I am presuming we won’t sell any players. Assombalonga, Fletcher and Gestede will do for me.
Who does know, how far away we are with Friend and Shotton returning? In January or February – there must be some idea in there.
Up the Boro!
Sorry, forgot we had Albert Adomah as a right winger. But certainly we have had more left wingers but seldomly a right winger at Boro. Up the Boro!
Mustn’t forget Adama either Jarkko.
Friend may not return from injury …..
OFB
Ignoring the Spurs game, which as much as I’d to see is win it, is basically another free hit, Rooney is being given a lot of credit for Derby’s win last night.
As he’s being played at the top of the midfield diamond, I suspect the best way to negate him is for Woodgate to deploy the same tactics as against West Brom, and have him shackled by the Clayts/Saville combo.
With any luck, Rooney’s pit bull nature and residual Man Utd arrogance will see him lash out and be carded.
In any case, I expect Rooney to be complaining to the referee a great deal.
OFB,
Is it that serious?
UTB,
John
It could be the end of his career at this level
OFB,
In amongst the overall team improvement that is quite depressing. I hope he carries on in some capacity with coaching badges and other involvement. He seems to be one of life’s nice guys.
UTB,
John
John
I’ve met George Friend quite a few times as he used the lounge facilities every game apart from when he was coaching Spence from the sidelines!
I don’t know if he would stay and do his coaching badges as he is a west country boy and said once that he would return home, but is very highly thought of at the club and if he was offered a job would probably stay here for a few more years.
He is always keen to chat and talk “Friend by name Friend by nature”
OFB
Friend may be approaching the end of his career by the sound of it. That would be a shame but is there a role for him at the club, I gather he is very popular.
Talking of any injuries, any news on Ayala yet? I may have missed it.
Boro sign another City player on loan Lucas Nmecha (forward/winger).
Come on BORO.
Where Lukas Nmecha stands in Man City career
Manchester City striker scored from the spot as the Blues began their Far East tour with a win over West Ham
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/lukas-nmecha-man-city-transfer-16606228
Lukas Nmecha (born 14 December 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for German club VfL Wolfsburg, on loan from Premier League club Manchester City. Lukas was born in Hamburg, Germany but relocated to England as a child with his family. He is a current Germany U21 international, despite being capped by England at the same level.
signed by Boro until the Summer
OFB
Good to see Boro doing their transfer (in) business early in January.
Hopefully they can make West Ham sweat on Randolph and get the price up or even better force West Ham to look elsewhere.
It will be a sad day if George Friend’s injury proves to be career ending, if that is the case I hope he stays on in a coaching role.
Chris – I thought Rooney was bang average and off the pace last night.
I didn’t see the game myself and I dare say you’re right, however he is the obvious line for the journalist to take on the match report. The Rams are now very much Wayne Rooney’s Derby County.
Mind you, I imagine he still has enough football nous and just about the legs to be a snarling irritant at this level.
Sorry to hear that Friend may not make it back as a player for us and that his injury could be career threatening.
Fingers crossed that he can get back playing.
A good servant of the club and role model. MFC should try and find him a role if he has to give up playing.😎
Good business getting players in early. Reading the info on them indicates that the ex Celtic player needs to get his career back on track after not featuring for Norwich in the first half of the season. Where does this leave Browne?
The second player has recent championship experience with Preston but around half of his games were from the bench and he only scored 4 goals. And his recent experience this season in Germany has not gone to plan.
So both these players are a bit of a gamble and won’t be walking into the team. I would have preferred a ‘ more successful this season player’ – there seems to be a couple at Peterborough but they would cost a fee.
Do these two forward signings indicate that maybe a max of one more forward/ attacking midfielder is the most to be expected?
And does this indicate Assombalonga will be sold particularly when not even on the bench and little info about his injury/ current level of fitness?
From Woodgate (Ayala we’re going to assess in next 72 hours, he won’t play against Spurs)
Well after the hectic festive fixtures, January looks to be a bit quieter and a chance to take stock and bask in all those victories. At least we get a break from worrying whether Boro can continue their winning run in the league as Woodagte’s men welcome the arrival of Spurs for the televised FA Cup game on Sunday. Anyway, here’s my take on the start of January with this week’s discussion blog article…
https://diasboro.club/2020/01/03/2019-20-weeks-22-23-joy-and-relief-with-return-to-winning-ways/
btw it’s also Diasboro’s third birthday today!
Happy Birthday everyone 🎂
Yes Werder RR and all our contributors should be proud of what has been achieved these past three years – well Done thank you ☺️
OFB
Woody’s injury update of today:
“Darren Randolph is ten days to two weeks.
“George Friend three weeks, Shotton two weeks. Dijksteel eight weeks.
“Marcus Browne slight hamstring injury but might be OK tomorrow.”
So Friend will be away for a futher three weeks at least. And it could be worce, too as OFB told us earlier. I hope not, though.
Up the Boro!
Think the action with Man City is a good indication that they like the progress that Fry is making (at present he is minding the shop as Ayala is crocked) if he is now showing his true colours as a leader, playmaker from the back, and all round Central defender, then we are obviously best friends.
But I would caution against any friendly price for him. That is not necessary, he is a valuable commodity, in football terms, and City are not poor, so please, if it turns up roses, set a new record for the position.
The record of these unicorns (Central defence) is very good, from our own Man.Utd. Hero, through a string of hero’s who all gave great and long service to their various clubs up to the present day Liverpool hero.
The record of their collective silverware would fill a oversize cabinet.
Rumours Jack Clarke Spurs having Boro Medical now for Loan to end of season
OFB
On SSN that Bournemouth are looking at Marcus Browne either to buy or take on loan.
Come on BORO.
Bournemouth Norwich Brighton interest in Marvin Johnson for4m
OFB
Find that hard to believe OFB. More than we paid for him and only six months left of contract.
Pedro
I didn’t post Marcus Browne I posted Marvin Johnson and it’s reported in news today.
Honestly I didn’t make it up !
OFB
They can have him for what we paid Exmil, 300k was it. May be they are looking for someone to add some bite to their squad.
It’s Marvin Johnson !
What on earth is going on at our club?
Ineffective Recruitment manager sacked!
Four sparkling wins over Christmas!
Bombing up the table!
Six goals in three of our last 4 games!
A plethora of good youngsters coming through!
Rudy Gestede!!!!!!
Two exciting young players signed almost as the window opens!!
Whatever happened to the inconsistent, incompetent, indecisive, inefficient, infuriating Boro we know and love? I’m not sure I can cope with this level of professionalism!
Another great Headliner Werder. Also thanks to RR for his PNE write up, hope the positivity continues.
I am a little concerned about the gamble with the two (similar) new City players. Little to shout home about of late, probably a little off match fit and worried we may now cash in on the likes of Johnson for a fee. May be Britt as-well?
Our first incoming player should of been a CB that we have been short of all season especially as Wood has been deemed too much of a gamble. Surely Clarke must be just that, a rumour, how many wide players do we need. Especially as Tav has excelled of late. Or is he a possible sell.
All I little unsettling these incomers!!
Hi Werder, a great write up as ever! I particularly liked the reference to politics as show business for ugly people, had enough of them lately and very apt.
Looking forward to today as anything can happen. However, a more sobering thought is that when being televised on BT Sport, to date, Boro have always lost!!!!
Thanks Murphy and I hope the BT omens don’t prove to be correct but it looks a tough game to win with the quality in their side.