| Middlesbrough | Sunderland | ||
| Tavernier | 6′ | ||
| Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
47% 6 4 1 13 |
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
53% 10 3 5 17 |
Tav earns precious play-off points
The dirties getting beat in West London last night saw us jump over them on GD as bar one or two results games largely went our way in the top half yesterday afternoon. A an almost perfect build up then to a game that as a consequence of those same set of results now saw the Mackem’s anchored rock bottom of the Championship and facing a localish “derby” or at least the only “derby” they will likely be having in the near future.
An odds on home win would see effigies of Ellis Short replacing Guy Fawkes on pyres 30 miles North of the Tees this evening. One of our own Robbie Stockdale and Billy McKinlay were sat in the away dug out and being fair they didn’t have an awful lot to play with. For them to consider anything other than a defensive masterclass with a few long hoofs would be seen as suicide tactics given their clubs current predicament. That said whilst getting a point would be seen as a great result, a win would lift them out of the bottom three on GD so with nothing to lose would they spring a surprise and try and get all three points?
Boro fans making their way from the Town centre towards the Riverside would have been greeted by the new Ali Brownlee wall graffiti or artwork depending on perspective adorning the Shepherdson Way Bridge. Whilst personally not to my taste in terms of presentation the sentiment is what counts and all that inspirational talk of the infant Hercules born from the river, the Iron ore from Eston Hills to a Parmo party could not possibly fail to inspire the spirit of even the most sceptical Boro fan pre KO.
Arriving inside the ground the air was pensive but exciting, almost unrecognisable from the previous few weeks were doom-laden clouds had descended over the Riverside before the travelling army witnessed GM’s damascene moment on the road to Reading then to Hull and back. Ten minutes before KO the atmosphere was building, hope was high and the away section filled with those whose predicament was the source of much merriment on the home concourses. TV Cameras in place being beamed live around the world, a building atmosphere the anxiousness of which you could almost inhale with adrenaline coursing around the ground.
Rather poignantly just as the atmosphere was building with the crowd taking over from MMP updated 90’s collection it all fell silent for one solemn, solitary minute. Petty rivalries and hostilities temporarily put aside with the common ground of respect and humility silently rippling in the flags above the East Stand momentarily perforated by one or two idiots immediately invited to shut it by both sets of fans as a bugler played the last post.
Sunderland adorned in a dull funereal charcoal and black ensemble looked the part for what was hopefully about to unfold as an unchanged Boro bar Friend for Fabio kicked off in their traditional Red with their half of the Riverside bathed in blinding winter sunshine. A few of us remarked how strong the sun was as we struggled to see through the glare, hands held across foreheads peering onto the proceedings. Surprisingly and not for the first time a Boro keeper had no cap to assist with his vision and Randolph clearly had the same problem as those in the East Stand Lower and North stands. After warm-ups like today I struggle to see how the Keepers and the Goalkeeping coaches cannot realise that a Cap is not a luxury or a fashion faux pas but an absolute necessity.
Randolph nearly paid the price for going capless in the second minute as Sunderland broke, Ndong fired in a long range shot, Grabban following up burst into the Boro box facing a blinded Randolph who squinted and squirmed Ndong’s shot only to pull off a blinding (literally) follow-up reflex save from Grabban. A standing ovation ensued but it could and should have been 0-1 to the Mackems.
That was an early wake-up call for Boro who responded by putting some pressure of their own on the packed Sunderland midfield and backline. In the 6th minute Downing fed Braithwaite who ran to the touchline cutting the ball back into the path of the onrushing Tavernier who shot slipped his shot into the net to put Boro one up. The celebrations began as we sat back expecting an avalanche. Now it is one thing for fans to sit back but unfortunately Boro did exactly that or at least they did until around fifty minutes or so later.
For whatever reason Boro looked disjointed struggling to find anything but a Sunderland player with their passing and clearances. Sunderland to their credit came back at deep-seated Boro and a McGeady free kick on 11 minutes saw a Jones header force Randolph into another world-class save. Just a minute earlier Ndong again cut in feeding Cattermole who let fly forcing Randolph into a another brilliant diving save. In all seriousness had the 12th minute ticked over with Sunderland 3-1 up there could have been no complaints.
The best Boro could muster apart from the goal in the opening quarter hour was a curling Howson attempt that went wide of the top corner sailing into the South Stand. For a Derby match the atmosphere in the Stadium was quietening down with both sets of fans unimpressed by what was on offer. My thoughts and sympathy was for those neutrals watching on in pubs around the world because it didn’t make for great viewing. A break for the previously booked and now hobbling Jones saw the arrival of Matthews coming on for Sunderland.
Just before the substitution Grant had unleashed a 40-yarder that went well wide and when I say well wide I mean 20 yards wide! McGeady then copied the former Sunderland star with a similar effort at the other end. That summed up the game, after a frantic opening ten minutes that saw three Sunderland chances and a Boro goal it was impossible to now tell which side was sitting in a play-off place and which were propping up the division. Inevitably Cattermole just had to add his name in the Referee’s book with a ridiculous two footed lunge at young Tavernier in front of the Technical area just as the half ended.
The second half commenced with Boro fans hoping a half-time GM team talk will have fired a rocket up them, unfortunately the malaise that saw shuffling, hurried, misplaced passes at the back continued and we looked distinctly edgy despite being a goal to the good. There was some appallingly bad examples of passing which inexplicably put us on the back foot on a number of occasions. Only Downing and Braithwaite seemed to be functioning on a higher level but were not without fault themselves.
An Oviedo cross found Grabban whose header went wide as he outfought Gibson not for the first time. A couple of minutes later Ndong went off injured which was a relief for Boro as he had been far more creative than anyone in a Red shirt. Just as a few mumbles of frustration were audible in the North Stand Cyrus Christie surged through to the edge of the box, played it across to Britt in a packed box whose effort (pass?) deflected to Braithwaite who hammered straight down the throat of Ruiter who got down to save. That was Boro’s sole serious effort of note in the entire second half.
Christie broke again a few minutes later trying to replicate his earlier cross but was scythed down by McGeady who earned a yellow for his troubles. The resulting free kick from Stewy ended up in the North Stand, woefully mishit summing up how dire Boro were on the day. Christie was next to go into the Ref’s book this time for getting to grips with the lively Grabban. That was the cue for GM to make his first Sub with Johnson coming on for Tavernier.
The cards continued as Sunderland’s Wilson collected his yellow for hauling down Braithwaite on the edge of the box with optimistic chants of “off, off, off” coming from the North Stand. Downing’s clever low shot was palmed away but there was nobody running in to follow up allowing Ruiter to regain the ball with ease. As Sunderland went for it the totally knackered McNair went off for Williams with Fletcher coming on for Britt to try and create an outlet with ten minutes to go. With five minutes of normal time remaining Grant left the field to applause from both sets of fans to be replaced by Forshaw who immediately upended an opponent giving away a careless free kick but his eagerness and passion at least was to be applauded.
Four more minutes of purgatory was signalled by the Fourth Official as Boro repelled without totally convincingly holding firm against statistically at least, the worst side in the division. I said before hand that I would settle for a 1-0 win but deep down it felt a little flat to be relieved at the result, even more so considering that this was a Derby of sorts that was more of a damp squib.
Tellingly my MOM was Randolph but Braithwaite is looking something special in a side that otherwise flattered to deceive on the day. Winning ugly is something we have been used to but regardless, my overall view is that if Boro want to seriously push for promotion then a lot of work needs to be done especially with careless unnecessary backline passing which created more problems than opportunities. Still three wins in three is reason enough to be cheerful.
Boro hope to add to Wearsiders woes
It’s often said that a week is a long time in politics, but seven days in the Championship feels considerably longer. Last Saturday, as Garry Monk’s team pulled out of Hurworth on the coach to Reading, it was probably with slight trepidation as they started to glance over their shoulders like a nervous bus driver wondering if a late Adama Traore was about to overtake him. Boro had gone five games without a win and were beginning to ominously slide down the table, which had left many supporters doubting the manager’s ability to find the right blend of players and tactics. A good solid but scrappy away performance against The Royals gave Boro three much needed points, which was duly followed up three days later by a more convincing win at fellow relegated side Hull. All of a sudden Garry Monk’s men now find themselves back in touching distance of the play-off pack with a home game against a struggling Sunderland team there for the taking as they’ve hopelessly continued where they left off last season.
Football is often about the ‘ifs’ and the insecurity of those in charge, which could be described by slightly misquoting that lesser-known football pundit ‘Rudders’ “If you can keep your head while all about you others are losing theirs… then you’ll be a manager my son” – though keeping your job is another matter. Last week ahead of the visit of Boro, Jaap Stam contemplated whether it was possible that there was maybe a better man out there to take his under-performing Reading side forward. Then after losing to Monk’s men, Leonid Slutsky told the Hull board that they had a decision to make and almost implied they had every right to sack him for his failure. However, Sunderland were not going to wait around to see how their man fared against Boro and promptly dismissed Simon Grayson on Tuesday evening before he’s had a chance to raise the issue – presumably to avoid the indignation of their manager prompting them to show him the exit too. Sunderland didn’t get where they are today by allowing their managers to call the shots – though then again that might actually be the problem.
It may well be that the Sunderland chairman had become alarmed at the number of goals Grayson’s team were conceding – with 16 in their last six games it was approaching an average of 3 per game, which surely makes winning near on impossible. In addition, Sunderland have achieved the lowest points total after the first 15 games than any other club previously relegated from the Premier League. If that fact wasn’t grim enough, the club set a new record on Tuesday of 19 for the number of consecutive home games without a victory. What the Black Cats need now is a manager who can come in, organise the players and tighten up the defence – I believe there’s a certain out of work manager from Bilbao who may fit that description.
| Middlesbrough | Sunderland | ||
| Gary Monk | Billy and Robbie Caretaker | ||
| P15 – W6 – D5 – L4 – F20 – A13 | P15 – W1 – D7 – L7 – F20 – A30 | ||
| Position Points Points per game Projected points |
8th 23 1.5 70 |
Position Points Points per game Projected points |
22nd 10 0.67 31 |
| Last 6 Games Hull (A) Reading (A) Cardiff (H) Barnsley (A) Brentford (H) Norwich (H) |
(H-T) 3:1 (2:0) W 2:0 (1:0) W 0:1 (0:0) L 2:2 (1:2) D 2:2 (0:1) D 0:1 (0:1) L |
Last 6 Games Bolton (H) Bristol City (H) Brentford (A) QPR (H) Preston (A) Ipswich (A) |
F-T (H-T) 3:3 (1:1) D 1:2 (1:1) L 3:3 (3:1) D 1:1 (0:1) D 2:2 (1:0) D 2:5 (1:2) L |
Such has been the plight of Sunderland supporters that there’s almost a feeling of pity on Teesside rather than the usual schadenfreude. Whilst taking pleasure in others misfortune is not normally an attractive characteristic in a person, it’s pretty much the currency of local rivalry in football and if the roles had been reversed, I’m sure the sentiments would be quickly reciprocated from the banks of the Wear all the way down to Stockton. Though the sentiments uttered by many a relegation battle-weary Wearsider shortly after their fate was sealed last season was that they were actually looking forward to the Championship so that they could have a break from season after season of just escaping relegation. They’d seen neighbours Newcastle winning regularly last season and many quite fancied the idea of enjoying their weekends again and regrouping – I’m sure it wasn’t in their worst nightmares that they’d continue in the same vein in the second tier. From such sentiments complacency is born.
It’s been long since suspected that when they built the Stadium of Light they specified a requirement to install a panic room, though how it ended up being used as a boardroom is still unclear. However, reports that Ellis Short sits at meetings stroking a black cat on his knee like a bad footballing pastiche of a Bond villain in ‘You only win twice’, while the manager stands on a trapdoor above pool of red and white striped piranhas is probably just the product of an over-stimulated imagination.
Although, if ever you wanted to look for an example of impatience in football then you’d do well to find a better example than Sunderland. A manager’s tenure is often precarious but that particular position has become one of the least secure jobs on Wearside in recent years since Ellis Short arrived on the scene. The story of how he came to preside over Sunderland is perhaps one of unfulfilled ambition coupled with a group of over-ambitious businessmen used to making quick returns. Following 20 years at the helm, former owner Bob Murray and the man behind the move from Roker Park to the Stadium of Light, sold his stake to the Drumaville Consortium for the seemingly bargain price of just £10m in the summer of 2006. Named after a village in Donegal, this was a consortium of seven predominantly Irish businessmen plus former player Niall Quinn, who was the public face and fans favourite.
Each man in the consortium held an equal amount of shares except for Paddy Kelly (I’m guessing he’s probably one of the Irish members) who received a double portion. Some reports suggest that this extra share was on behalf silent partner Sean Mulryan, who had previously tried to take-over the club and is a wealthy property developer and CEO of the Ballymore Group – who for his sins is good friends with both Seb Coe and U2’s Bono, along with former-stadium fillers Blondie who dropped in to sing at his 50th Birthday party – though I suspect their iconic black and white striped cover on Parallel Lines prevented many a purchase among Sunderland fans. Incidentally, the consortium also included publican Charlie Chawkes who was once shot in the leg during an armed robbery at one of his pubs – at least they spared shooting him in the foot as no self-respecting Sunderland owner would want someone to take that particular pleasure away from them – though perhaps his loyalty to the cause was questionable as he also attempted an unsuccessful takeover of Newcastle in 2010.
So Murray reluctantly sold his stake for relatively small amount on the condition that the consortium invested in the club, however, in 2008 a 30 per cent stake in the group was bought by Irish-American businessman Ellis Short, who ran a private equity fund that focused on investments in European distressed property assets – which I’m sure is just a coincidence in him being attracted to the Stadium of Light, where distressed assets are normally the ones pulling on the red and white striped shirt.
Following the take-over, one group of Sunderland supporters were rumoured to have been asked by the local media how they felt that their club was now owned by someone who was brought up in Missouri – they apparently showed unexpected empathy and nodded in a knowing manner – it later transpired that they thought the reporter had said ‘misery’. A mistake easily made, though perhaps the long-suffering Mackem supporters could identify with Missouri as it’s also known as the ‘Show Me State’, which is a phrase that is purported to represent the sceptical nature of those born there since they are people not easily convinced – something that may help explain the managerial carnage at the club during the last decade.
The Wearside club have employed quite a comprehensive who’s who list of managers under Short and his first casualty was Roy Keane who was given an early Christmas present in December 2008. He was replaced by former Man Utd coach Ricky Sbragia who lasted until the end of the season in what was his only managerial role. Next up was Steve Bruce who enjoyed nearly two-and-a-half years in charge and completely reshaped the squad before a prolonged bad run saw his team slip to 16th which resulted in his exit that he then shamelessly blamed on being a Newcastle lad. Bruce was replaced in December 2011 by boyhood Sunderland supporter Martin O’Neill, who’s promising start faded as the season ended on an 8-game winless run, a repeat of which gained him the sack the following season with the club dropping to one place above the relegation zone with seven to play. Former Labour Party leading light David Milliband resigned as vice-chairman when the Mussolini-admiring self-confessed fascist Paolo Di Canio was brought in to save Sunderland from relegation, which he duly achieved. Then despite signing 14 players in the summer he was sacked after only 5 games when he managed just one point.
Short then turned to rising star Gus Poyet, who presided over a great escape at the end of the season despite being 7 points adrift of safety by accumulating 13 points from the last 15. Though he was sacked the following season as Sunderland dropped to 17th following a 4-0 home defeat to Villa that sparked a mass walk-out by fans. Short then appointed experienced Dutch coach and Steve McClaren sound-alike Dick Advocaat to save the club from relegation, which he did with one game to spare – he initially left but was persuaded to return and lasted until just early October before he resigned as Sunderland sat in second-bottom with only 3 points from 8 games. In came former Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce to rescue them from relegation, which he did with a few late end-of-season wins that had the added bonus of relegating the Magpies instead – he then resigned in the summer to take the England job for a game.
Big Sam was replaced by another high profile name in David Moyes, who was looking to restore his reputation after his failures at Man Utd and Real Sociedad, sadly his reputation suffered further as Sunderland ended up finally dropping out of the Premier League after ten years of flirting with relegation – Moyes resigned after deciding the funds for a promotion challenge were unlikely to be forthcoming as the club had accumulated debts of £130m. Simon Grayson was then appointed on a three-year contract to mastermind the return to the top-flight – although he started he did not finish after failing to get a pass as Short dismissed the former Preston boss stating “results have not been good enough for a club of this stature”. So ten managers in nine years and another relegation battle lined-up for the next man to be offered a three-year contract that on average probably won’t last one. What’s interesting is that this collective group of high profile managers perhaps had 15-20 years worth of contracts for them and their staff that needed paying off – a sum that could easily amount to at least a quarter of that massive debt.
All of which means Boro will be facing a Sunderland club in crisis for this televised north-east derby on Sunday. With Boro back to winning ways and Sunderland managerless and conceding two goals per game, the exponents of ‘typical Boro’ are already no doubt getting worried that the game has been set-up to deliver an unexpected defeat for the home side. They may have some legitimate causes for concern as Boro’s home displays have been much less convincing than their away form recently – you have to go back to that topsy-turvy game against QPR to find the last victory at the Riverside and since then Garry Monk’s men have struggled in front of their own crowd. However, Sunderland have only won 2 of their last 24 league visits to Middlesbrough, which depending on your state of mind either means nailed on home victory or the Black Cats are overdue a win. Though in temporary charge of Sunderland is a return to Boro for former player Robbie Stockdale to add to the occasion – with not to mention Lee Cattemole expected to put his foot into the Boro midfield to add further spice.
Garry Monk may be tempted to stick to a winning side, Fabio is apparently fit to play after he went off for an ankle knock early in the midweek victory – though natural left-footer George Friend appeared to bring out a better performance in young Marcus Tavernier. The Riverside faithful will be hoping Grant Leadbitter is fresh enough to continue running the midfield and it may well be Adam Clayton is once again overlooked in favour of the improving Howson. Britt Assombalonga has shown in recent games that if the team plays to his strengths he’ll likely bag you a goal – hopefully he’ll repeat his feat against the other clubs in the bottom three and score another brace. It would be a welcome relief if Boro make it three wins in a row to go into the international break full of confidence – though the final game before the previous two breaks saw Boro put in disappointing performances against Preston and Brentford as Monk made some odd team selections.
So will Boro’s luck be in as the Black Cats cross their path at the Riverside? Or will the cornered feline failures show their claws and leave Garry Monk’s men licking their wounds? As usual your predictions for score, scorers and team selection – plus will Aitor Karanka be at the Riverside to take a look at the players of his next employers?
It’s always tricky when your team have a will not and cannot lose game at home when on a dream run.
If it’s of any use, The very good teams are just as wary when in the same position.
They seem to adopt the tactic of playing very hard, challenge for everything and expecting the worst.
Looking forward to seeing Tavernier, and hope it is an unchanged team(hard on Bamford).
Another excellent article Werder, just hope work doesn’t get in the way of Diasboro things too much!
Thats some list of Managers, many of them decent or at least half proven which tells a tale that it cannot all be the Managers fault. Whoever takes over there needs to be strong and more importantly need the Board to accept the mess is of their making and over many years. Coming in and fixing it is not and cannot be a 6 month task, in fact when something so broken needs repairing often it gets worse and in Sunderland’s specific case probably a lot worse before it gets any better.
They need to stick with whoever they appoint and sit down with a long term plan and vision and that includes the possibility of dropping down a division again. There is nothing in that squad of Players who you would say is an absolute “must keep”, Grabban perhaps but he is on loan so who are you left with? Boro’s second eleven (now that it looks like GM knows what his first eleven is finally) would be a far better side than the incoming Manager has to work with. Clubs that have come up from League 1 have often continued momentum, storming the Championship and that I think is where they may well end up. Merely surviving with no stability or foundation to the playing side isn’t much of a plan, its exactly the cause of why they are where they are today.
If AK could be persuaded he has a far bigger task on his hands than when he took over at the Riverside. We were struggling but he was at least left with the framework of a decent side in Friend, Ayala, Grant, Gibson, Dimi etc.that he could build around. I don’t mind seeing our neighbours struggling from time to time but we are all football fans and nobody wants to see their club in that state. I do genuinely feel sorry for the supporters of SAFC, so sorry in fact if I had the requisite Blue Peter badges I might even apply for the post myself, OK perhaps not that sorry then!
AK has a problem in looking for a new job ,he’s already had the best chairman.
Thanks RR, I try to get my priorities right 🙂 though the last 24 hours was all about squeezing everything in – starting writing article yesterday at 9.30pm until midnight – then up at 6am and preparing breakfasts and the school run, a bit more writing then off to the gym for my twice weekly workout that’s undoing 30 years being hunched over a computer (that’s now over 50 sessions since April so am almost match fit) – finishing off writing article before picking up my lad from school, then quick edit, graphics and pre-match stats and done. Then onto projects as Mrs Werder arrives home at 2pm with some sanding and plastering before cooking dinner and then more kitchen duties. 20 minutes on the guitar before finally sit down with glass of wine at 9.30pm and checking out the blog.
Can I have a Blue Peter badge too…
Thanks Werdermouth for another great article. I was staggered when you listed all of the managers who have passed through the revolving doors at SAFC.
I tended to think we have a rapid turnover of managers but your list puts things into perspective.
Well Sunday’s game is the proverbial banana skin just waiting for a typical Boro performance. I hope not and that we do not throw away all the hard work of the last two games.
We need to build on the platform that has been established and only three more points will ease the concerns of those of us that had begun to doubt GM’s management skills.
I hope he keeps the same starting 11 with the exception that he swaps Friend for Fabio.
Given SAFC’s current woes I think they will come for a point and pack the midfield and defence. It will probably be a tight and tense affair and I hope that we can shade it – 1-0 to the Boro.
Crowd 29,657 and Braithwaite to score!
CoB 😎
Werder, another very, very good headline article, well done.
The Sunderland situation is quite depressing really, some of the fans must be suicidal and that tendency isn’t sudden the idiocy in the club seems to have gathered a momentum of its own whirling around and sucking people in like one of those black whirling clouds you see in the movies. However much as I would like to see revival in their fortunes it can wait until after the pyrotechnics of November 5.
Personally I think AK would be mad to take the job on but ego is a strange concept.
As for the result I’m sticking with my pessimism and feel that a draw will be the result. Boro 2 – 2 Sunderland but as always I’d be delighted to be wrong.
RR it’s the directors who have the Blue Peter badges up at the Stadium of Light. For the Sunderland fans that must sound like Cockney rhyming slang.
UTB,
John
This is a job for Super Traore!
Straight down the middle like a bullet from a gun- the Sunderland defence will either all jump on his back (if they can catch him) and try to bring him down rugby league fashion or faint left right and centre like a virgin bridegroom on his wedding night stravaganza.
Excellent heading post, Werder! Wasn’t the cat white?
Just sayin like zzz zzz 😉
Spartak,
Yes, a white Persian.
UTB,
John
And we hav photographic evidence!
https://www.google.sk/search?q=blowfell+with+white+cat&prmd=ivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwie2_HS8aLXAhXLPFAKHQ5LAH4Q_AUIEigB&biw=640&bih=319&dpr=2#imgrc=4eIfu7Lm0x6eoM:
Da darrrrr!
But it’s the black cats we are talking about … Hence the poetic irony
Thanks Powmill, you saved me explaining – In my imaginary world the Sunderland ‘Bond’ villain is always going to have a black cat and not the white persian.
No, artistic licence. Michelle Pfeiffer would have been better in a black cat suit. I know time for my medication.
UTB,
John
Hoping for an Untypical Boro win by 2-0. Ayala and Assombalonga scoring in front of 31 122 people. There is hope for the there points.
Good waiting, Werder. Up the Boro!
Alrighty 4-0 to the Boro with Britt gettin a hat trick in the palour with a candle stick.
I laughed out loud at “….experienced Dutch coach and Steve McLaren soundalike Dick Advocaat…”
The previews just get better each time Werder. Congratulations.
My bus had just got me to the park and ride so no time to predict now. I’ll get back on here in the morning for that.
A great article, one of the best.
Mackems I know have basically given up on the club.
Still wouldn’t be surprised at a draw but when I said to one of them they will come to park the bus his reply was they didn’t have a bus to park.
Looking forward to Sunday, even with the rediculous kick off time.
Another top notch preview Werder with some proper chuckling moments in there.The number of managers they’ve had through the doors is quite astonishing. Do I have any sympathy for the fans or club? Naa not from me.
Back to the important stuff then. An near unchanged starting 11 from the Hull game for me, with George stepping into left back for an ill Fabio. I watched the game on the MFC website yesterday and overall was fairly impressed. All 3 goals were taken/struck well and the cross from Christie for Brits goal was an absolute peach. And how cool was Grant in the prolonged build up to his penalty strike! All sorts of malarkey going on around him and he was the coolest man in the ground.
Now I’m an advocate of PB but fair play to Fletch who took his opportunity with both feet as it were, and made a really positive contribution to the proceedings when he came on. Not just the penalty either. But, and there’s always one, I’d still have Paddy ahead of him off the bench or in a starting berth, only I wouldn’t change a winning team at present.
And the reason I wouldn’t change a winning team for PB is the form of Downing, Braithwaite and young Tavernier. All 3 looked a real threat and until any of them have a downturn in form I’m afraid it’s the bench for him. So by my logic the longer Paddy is on the bench, the longer the Boro are on a good run. Even as a Bamford fan it is a trade off I will take.
Now my score predictions are notoriously rubbish so I’ll just go for a home win by a couple of clear goals.
And if you’re going on Sunday don’t forget to take a look at the new mural on the Shepherdson Way bridge. It’s the brilliant and emotive quote from the late, great and much missed Ali Brownlee at the final whistle of the Steua game. Makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up thinking about it.
I always found my quote of the day – “It still saddens me. I still think I should be the manager of Sunderland. I liked the club, and I liked the people” – a little misleading.
That was Roy Keane, and in a way, I felt, could apply to AK and Boro. But was it out of a genuine love for the club or more because at the end of both managers’ tenures, the players and hierarchy would no longer let them play the management game the way they wanted? In other words, they didn’t get to go out in the blaze of glory they wanted to go out in.
I think I know what I believe.
Great chronological revue of Sunderland’s recent history, Werdermouth. I particularly liked the way you embraced the “poetical/playwright/lyricist” theme from Kipling to Fleming to Irving Gordon (Missouri/misery from What did Delaware?) – well, why wouldn’t I?
I too feel sorry for the Sunderland fans (after all they are our neighbours) and I genuinely hope that the Mackems turn things round (after Sunday of course) and that they avoid relegation.
Boro to win 2-0, attendance 27,272.
Liked the attendance palindrome Ken, nice one.
Thanks KP
“Marge lets Norah see Sharon’s telegram”
I’ve just realised that any bloggers under the age of 60 may not have a clue what on earth I’m talking about – What did Delaware? Actually it was a song written by Irving Gordon embracing several States of the USA and a hit for Perry Como in the early 1960s, some of the questions as follows :-
What did Delaware? She wore a brand New Jersey.
Why did California? She called to say Hawaii.
What did Mississipp? She sipped a Minnesota.
Where has Oregon? If you want Alaska, she went to pay her Texas.
How did Wisconsin? She stole a Newbraskee.
Too bad that Arkansas, and so did Tennessee,
It made poor Floridie, who died in MISSOURI.
I’m sure we probably have one or two posters under 60 Ken – thanks for the earlier comment and good of you to post the lyrics – though I must admit I came to the Missouri misery connection without the reference to Irving Gordon.
Delaware? I knew exactly what you meant Ken – which tells you all you need to know.
Spartak got there first, but I’m going for a 4-0 Boro win too.
Braithwaite 2, Downing 1 , Assombalonga 1
Big Dogs 2 Black Cats 0
Hot Dogs 2 Black Jacks 0.
UTB,
Thanks Werder , for another classic report.
Seems like a lot of people have some sympathy including AV towards the Sunderland fans and the club. I totally agree with that view. But I have to say if it was Newcastle then I have no love whatsoever for that football club and their fans. I had 3 bad experiences when Boro played them at St James park.
Sundays game , well hopefully not a typical Boro moment but it is a derby and you never know what might happen. So no slow starts for this game please , lets get at them right from the off.
Sympathy for Sunderland?
That’s fighting talk where I come from. To be fair I now live down south.
I thought Miliband’s exit from Sunderland’s board was more to do with throwing his toys out of the pram and taking a well paying job in the US after his divine right to lead the Labour Party failed to materialise. It had unsurprisingly little to do with a principled stand against a new managerial appointment.
Apropos of little, at a works ‘meet the bosses’ kind of event, I was able to ask Kevin Maguire, Mirror journo and all round Mackem supporter the following question in front of a packed meeting room:
‘As David Miliband voted for compulsory ID cards, does that make him a more committed facsist than Paolo Di Canio?’
It made me chuckle, anyway. The response was an extended splutter and waffle.
Three one on Sunday, Clattrmole to see red.
It may well be the case that David Milliband was simply posturing to portrait himself in a good light – though I’m sure few supporters would want to see a man managing their club who was photographed making fascist salutes in 2010 at the funeral of Paolo Signorelli, who was convicted of involvement in a neo-fascist terrorist attack which killed 85 people and wounded more than 200.
Just a quick post to thank everyone once again for their kind comments on the article, they are very much appreciated and give me encouragement for the next one – thankfully the ideas keep on coming once I sit down to start trying to weave all the threads together. The Sunderland story was something that is almost hard to believe has continued for almost a decade of what is clearly short-term fire fighting where a series of proven managers continue to fail. If I was a Sunderland fan I wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry – I’d certainly be asking questions of those running the club!
I’ll go for a 1 1 draw with both teams ending up with 10 men
Werder
Certainly DiCanio needs to be condemned for his beliefs and actions.
Great post – love the panic room joke and 007 riff.
Same here Werder don’t know how you think of them
Another brilliant post well done
I see Bailey Wright the Bristol City Captain player has been banned for two games for “simulation” against Fulham. Having watched the incident it is pretty pathetic but nowhere near as bad as some of the gamesmanship I witnessed last season in the Premiership. Leroy Sane just for starters comes to mind, one rule for the minnows and another entirely different set of rules for Manchelskiarsepool United!
https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/bristol-city-fc-statement-bailey-wright/
Just read an article in the Guardian from Louise Taylor where a delusional Ellis Short believes Sunderland’s natural position is 7th in the PL. Something they would have achieved if they can learn the lesson of why it went wrong: “I think the most important thing is that going forward we don’t repeat all the mistakes we made in the past of paying a lot of money for players which didn’t get us to where we wanted to be.” So nothing he’s done then – but I don’t think he’s quite put his finger on the reason as that could be said of nearly every team in the top two divisions…
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/nov/03/sunderland-natual-position-seventh-premier-league-ellis-short
I blame the scouts, if only they had spotted Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar when they were kids they could have been the best in Europe!
The long and short of it Werder is the incompetence of executive management, the flooding of the game at the top with cash and a toxic culture of alcohol abuse amongst too many.
‘This sport needs an enema!’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Tpe-dbPQI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
The only possible escape for football would either be a genuine spending cap or a method of allocating players – as long as there is a market players will be valued according to their rank and performance. FFP for top clubs is just something to negotiate around and now we are even seeing £200m+ players on ridiculous contracts because some clubs are practically owned by states with unlimited budgets.
Once you have 5 or 6 mega-rich clubs in a league or competition the concept of a league is actually meaningless as the rest just compete to stay in it and end up spending more than they receive to be there and make up the numbers. We want Boro to get promoted but we all know what is waiting when we get there – win rates of 30% at best before hoping to avoid the drop and needing to sell the players we can no longer afford.
I’m not saying that Ellis Short has been misquoted, but as far as the number of Championships in the Premier League/Old First Division are concerned the records are as follows:-
1st Manchester United 20
2nd Liverpool 18
3rd Arsenal 13
4th Everton 9
5th Aston Villa 7
6th=Chelsea 6
6th=Sunderland 6
Now if he was talking historically he might have a point, but he was talking about the current squad. But then he is American!
On a slice of digression.
What say you to AK as new Everton manager? Yes, a touch fantastical but in today’s world of shocks and surprises. Maybe even Aggers could draw the short straw for a couple of months sojourn at a stadium filled with light and dark.
Just pondering like- zzz zzz!
Aggers for Sunderland would be an interesting one and it wouldn’t totally surprise me but I can’t see Everton going for AK plus I think their fans would see it as a somewhat retrograde step (to put it politely). I think the Makems could struggle to attract any manager who wishes to keep his reputation. Aggers would be a gamble for both parties so just might work.
Can’t see AK going to Everton don’t forget players need to have respect for their manager and he has done nothing in the Premiership
Possibly Sunderland for 1/2 a season
If David Prutton’s Championship predictions this season had been accurate, Boro would be top of the league by now according to the Gazette. I guess that if a consensus of fans predictions had been collated, that also would have had Boro top. In my opinion the Gazette, and Jonno in particular, have just published the most inane article of the season.
Braveheart
On my many trips to Sid James Park over the years I’ve never had any problems personally. Couple of pints in any pub you want without any hassle, and a bit of a chat with the locals, where they confirm that they really are deluded about their status in the footballing world.which is always good for a laugh.
Going to Blunderland is always like a military operation with the boys in blue acting more like a paramilitary force. Got trod on by a policehorse at Joker Park once as the idiot astride the big beast pushed compliant Boro fans towards a wall opposite the turnstiles for no apparent reason than he could. We had the last laugh though as we won 0-1 with Boskos deft back heel flick.
And the fans ( not all) really are stuck in the 70s and 80s, and will have a go at anyone regardless of age or gender. We do unfortunately have our own morons who just won’t grow up.
RR
The footballing authorities come down hard on, as they see it, some lower league no mark as opposed to the billy big boots superstars of the premier league. Surprised? Absolutely not! It’s like I’ve said to my long suffering mates, since the money went silly, those self same authorities would never want to implement any laws or initiatives which level the playing field whereby the “big clubs” suffer equal punishment as the rest of us. Cheating is endemic in the game and as long as you’re a big tv draw the authorities couldn’t give a toss.
As an example, Mr Potato Head should have been sent off in every game he played. Now I don’t mind a bit of industrial language, but when it’s constantly aimed at officials in an aggressive manner then off you go sonny. When you’ve got the then captain of England using language we can all lip read every time he doesn’t get a decision and officials doing nothing about it, then those officials are nothing more than complicit in perpetuating this behaviour.
I don’t think officials are corrupt per say, brown envelopes passing through hands, but I’m sure that officials are “told” to keep it in favour of the big boys. I’m sure OFB will disagree with me on this point, but I’ve witnessed enough of it going on over the years to think there’s something going on.
I would be amazed if any premier league players get banned for diving this season unless they play for likes of Stoke, West Brom or any other less fashionable or newly promoted club. The obvious exception is Mr Smarmy and his gravitationally challenged lot at Bournemouth.
Early morning rant over time to tackle the ironing befor Mrs FAA gets in from work.
Yes I do disagree!
If we start doubting referees for every game then we really are in trouble.
Referees start out because they love the game and want to put something back into it.
However they are human and not all perform to the highest standards all the time and of course make mistakes.
The best referees are the ones you don’t notice !
Its not ALL games, OFB!
The danger is to tar all officials and games with the same feather – yet, the problem is there in ‘the game’ & always has been. I refer you to the Boro’s own dodgy defence in the era of Cloughie.
The only way to eliminate it is from the very top. Fat chance with incompetent suits in the FA. The bigger the money the bigger the problems.
OFB
As Spartak points out it isn’t all games. Only from my perspective those involving the so called big clubs.
I don’t doubt the overwhelming majority of officials, without whose dedication the game of football would not exist, do it for the enjoyment of the game. Those are not who my post was aimed at. It is thse who are the alleged elite in their trade. These groups of officials are the ones who come into contact with the top clubs on a weekly basis and imo there is a culture of familiarity which doesn’t sit well with me.
We have had some officiating at the Riverside which must have raised the eyebrows of even the most objective of supporters. As for making mistakes, well we are all human and we all make mistakes. But when it’s a deliberate and conscious decision then I don’t see that as a mistake.
I’ve often wondered why they are called “referees”. A referee is surely someone to whom a player “refers” to adjudicate a decision. The person who makes a decision without reference from a player should be called an “umpire”. Pedantic maybe, but I see that as the proper use of the English language. However, I agree with OFB here that the best referees are those that are hardly noticed.
Well done, Werder. I must say that it was a surprise, when going through the list of recent Sunderland managers, to see just how many of them there are in there. That is a club with problems going right down to the roots. I might have a little smile, sometimes, when seeing our neighbours suffer, but there comes a time when it has gone too far to be amusing any more. I wish them well – AFTER tomorrow.
How much did AK spend whilst at Boro?
And how much did we re coup in sales from players he brought in?
AK spent nothing- SG in practice was very highly involved. And still is. He spent HIS money and recupted what he did. The signing of Downing is a prime example
IMHO
Great read Werder, and as many have said…..did Sunderland really have all those Managers, or whatever they are called today.
I will be at the match tomorrow and hope beyond hope that there are no banana skins around on the pitch, because if there are, Boro being “the Boro” they could easily will find one and go…… well you know the saying.
Another win for Wolves last night making them look favourites at this moment to go up. I think Aston Villa will also finally creep into the top two. Which leaves the Boro scrabbling for a play off place and the lottery that they are.
Still who can tell what is going to happen in the Championship? Just keep winning and picking up the points and see where we are at the turn of the New Year.
Cardiff beaten, Derby and Villa both 2 – 0 down half way through the first half.
Come on BORO.
Good to see Jordan Rhodes scoring again , that 2 in a week so far…
Norwich 2 – 0 down at Bolton
Come on BORO.
Well just shows what I know tipping Aston Villa. Also two Sheff Wed goals by ex Boro players, ridiculed by more than poster on here.
I think we need you to predict a rare Sunderland win tomorrow Pedro !!
Good day for Boro so far with Cardiff, Villa, Norwich and Derby all losing.
Come on BORO.
Bolton and Burton both win which puts Sunderland bottom.
Come on BORO.
Mackems rock bottom. A win puts us back in top six. What could possibly go wrong?
Classic “Typical Boro” scenario in the making!
Yes, absolutely.
It is a very big game for Monk and the team today. Win and the feel good factor continues. Lose, especially in a derby, and all the questions about Monk and the players will resurface more forcibly than before. Draw and the disappointment will be acute. They have to win and win well.
For some reason I don’t have a good feeling about the game. I fear that disappointment will be the order of the day with the score 1-1 after a poor display. Ayala the scorer.
Another great article, I really don’t know how you do it Weder and fit in everything else! I struggle just to put the odd comment on the blog.
As Steely has said, what could possibly go wrong tomorrow? It is typical Boro after all………
I would hope that an unchanged side starts although still feel that Bamford should be able to find a place. We certainly have the potential to score freely and defensive picks itself unless any injuries.
Traore may be worth a game or coming on as a sub to put the fear into Sunderland and cause some mayhem – only if he is kept well always from defensive duties of course!
My realistic head says that it will be 2 0 Boro with attendance of 28765 and a red card to their keeper. Scorers Downing and Braithwaite in each half.
Come on Boro!
I’m not in full agreement with all of GM’s starters for the last two games but 9 out of 10 ain’t bad and so long as they deliver I’m happy and that must make GM even happier by default 🙂 As Clint Eastwood once said at the Stadium of Light (or maybe it was the Dead Pool) “Opinions are like a$$holes, everyone’s got one”.
The key is keeping it consistent and not having wholesale changes. If Fabio is injured then Friend comes in but that should be it unless injuries and suspensions dictate otherwise. Stability, consistency and understanding all create understanding and strong foundations.
As the 46 game season progresses Championship squads will pick up injuries and suspension (its already creeping in). At that point the squad which GM has at his disposal should start to give him a massive advantage by being able to replace with top class reserves. Contrast that with Villa having to stick Samba up front (plus John Terry now out with a suspected broken Metatarsal). I’m not knocking Samba and he has done it before for Blackburn but lets be honest if we had to say put Shotton up front then serious questions would be asked. Right now GM has like for like replacements in all areas of the pitch with the biggest headache until now (hopefully) in deciding who is the best one to start.
Last season at Forest Britt was out for a long time but we have Paddy, Fletcher and Gestede (when he gets back in contention) waiting in the wings. If Stewy picks up an injury then there is the likes of Johnson, Baker, Tavernier or Traore. Grant or Howson affords us Clayts or Forshaw, Randolph out? then there is the record clean sheet stopper Dimi. All these luxuries are what should make the difference to GM but only so long as he keeps his teams consistent.
Rotation or trying to bed in five or six players is asking for trouble on a game to game basis (not all in the same game for clarity purposes). Taking one or two out and replacing them with similar or only slightly different but the team playing to a consistent formula and system is what will see us climb the table to where SG’s cheque book originally indicated (or as Ken reminded us above David Prutton’s forecast). Consistency, consistency, consistency is the key.
Bottom club Sunderland (and a possible Play Off spot) next then the slow motion implosion that is Leeds United coming along after the break (all about timing). From zero to hero potentially for GM, but consistency and stability pleaseeeeeeee!
Consistency certainly is the name of the game. Derby have just won 4 in a row but lose at home to Reading who were dreadful against Boro but have now won twice since. QPR have beaten Wolves and Sheffield United in a week, but are thrashed 4-0 by Forest who were the other team that Reading beat. Wednesday lost at Bolton last month, but won away to Villa who were on an unbeaten run. Norwich have just lost 3 in a row after away wins at Boro and Ipswich. However the two most consistent sides, Sheffield United and Wolves following their defeats at QPR win their next games. Leeds have lost 3 in a row since winning 3-0 away to a now resurgent Bristol City.
As Mick McCarthy said a couple of seasons ago, this is a “bonkers” league, but surely Boro will beat Sunderland! Well their only away win was at Norwich, and they should have beaten both Preston and Brentford away after having led, so who knows? Squeaky bum time tomorrow?
So not a bad day overall results wise and depending on what the dirties manage tonight we may be 5th or 6th at full time tomorrow. So please let’s not have a “typical Boro” game tomorrow. Positive start, on the front foot and let them do the worrying, which we haven’t done at home so far in the league this season.
As an addendum to the Forest v QPR match these two clubs first met in January 1934 and in 34 matches between them QPR have never won there in any competition, 20 wins to the home side and 14 draws, so maybe the 4-0 win today maybe not unexpected. I very much doubt however that any club has failed to win away against the same opposition in more than 30 matches!
Pedro
I don’t think anyone has ridiculed Reach or Rhodes on here.
It has been pointed out that they are not world beaters and are playing for a Championship club rather than in the top flight. Neither have been prolific since leaving Boro.
That is fair comment.
Maybe not prolific but consider this, Carlos de Pena makes his debut 22nd September 2015 and Adam Reach loaned out never to return on the 26th September 2015. World beater? perhaps not but playing in the Championship and that is exactly where we now find ourselves.
I for one would be happy to have Adam back in the squad (oh and Albert as well, I might have mentioned that before). I wouldn’t say no to Rhodes either especially now we seem capable of providing some service to our strikers.
Adam Reach scored what might be the goal of the season in 18 seconds, and also set up an open goal that was missed. I definitely think he was one player that should not have been sold because of his versatility.
Sorry Ian but a poster had a pop at Rhodes just this last week…..but obviously would not put a name to the comment.
I have always liked Reach, Rhodes and Bamford and so I guess I am a little biased when they do well. Especially Reach.
On here?
Anyway, good results marred by Sheff Utd coming back to win.
That riot inducing “equaliser that wasn’t” at the Riverside may come back to haunt them later in the season. Couldn’t happen to a nicer set of fans if it does!
Redcar Red
I agree more or less but the point I was making was that I cant remember them being ridiculed.
Some of the transfer dealings as they left didnt exactly set the world alight, including Traore for Albert.
Leeds beaten by Brentford 3 – 1, so Boro move above Leeds without playing and fifth spot beckons. Today’s top teams getting bloody noses should be the incentive for it not to happen to us tomorrow.
Come on BORO.
Don’t know why but feeling very nervous about tomorrow, typically Boro and all that sort of fear. We need to get a goal quickly to settle our nerves.
Agree.
In ways that we probably wouldn’t have thought this Sunderland match now becomes a huge psychological one. Win and we go into 5th place and into the play off zone. Win convincingly by at least three clear goals and we are only four points off Bristol in fourth with the same GD. Win and its three on the trot and momentum building which is never good for your opponents looking at the league table and seeing all those green squared “W’s” to the right of the table or when checking form tables.
A bit like being sat at the traffic lights and seeing a Juggernaut coming up behind you in your rear view mirror at full pelt with no sign of the brakes being applied, it does tend to unsettle the nerve! Now reality says that Reading, Hull and Sunderland isn’t a great benchmark but these are the games which irrefutably we have to win if we are going anywhere.
I’d take 1-0 right now but a few more goals would be nice and lift spirits even higher. As much as I’d love to see a goal fest there is that part of me that is thinking if we do hammer Sunderland then as true as the above about Boro may be, the reverse is also true and as a club it may seal the Makem’s fate for the season with confidence levels and unity lower than a snakes belly propping up a league yet again, not nice for any fan.
Excited, anxious, looking forward to the game? Nah I’m always wide awake at 5.00am!
RR
It’s funny the older I get the more excited I get about the Boro.
Excited or concerned or worried or do o I fret?
I’m like a kid at Xmas. Will I get what I want? A nice big shiny toy? Or will I get sackcloth and ashes ?
You got up at 5, I went to bed at 2am and still couldn’t sleep.
I’m getting worse instead of better!
I suppose that’s what the Boro have done to us all over the past years supporting Boro!
UTB
OFB
Me too!
Lol
🙂
Prediction, I’m going for:
Randolph
Christie, Ayala, Gibson, Friend
Leadbitter, Howson
Downing, Braithwaite, Tavernier
Assombalonga
Dimi, Roberts, Forshaw, Fry, Fletcher, Johnson, Traore
I’m assuming that Fabio hasn’t been well of late and if it is a virus the club have had the sense to keep him away from Rockliffe. Also assuming that Forshaw seems to have been preferred over Clayts but I’m happy with either. Bamford and Fletcher is a well discussed conundrum, not my personal order of preference but as I said in a previous post above if GM keeps winning he can pick who he likes. Tavernier was my main doubt but figured he seems to be on a continual improvement path and dropping him now may cause him more harm than good. Besides he is playing against the worst side in the League at home, its a perfect opportunity to grow.
Attendance? I think will be 30,468 allowing for segregation.
Score? I’m going for a Britt hat trick (would make him top scorer in the Championship over Bonatini) and a Tavernier treat to make it 4-0 but so long as it isn’t Typical Boro I’ll be happy.
Always look on the bright side of life De do, de do,’de do de do de do
I suspect GM will play Boro is a slightly different mode than away. There is not possibly as much space to run into as Sunderland will come defending to Riverside. We will have much more possesion than at Reading, for example. So it is not just counter attacking for us. We have to be clever with all the possesion we will have.
So not expecting a lot of changes in personnel but the attitude must be correct. It is all about how we use the ball.
Still we should have the ability to score. So hoping for a 2-0 home win. But still nervous. Very nervous – it is a derby match and the form book often goes out of the window.
Up the Boro!
After yesterday’s results, form seemed to have gone out of the window for a lot of teams, and not only those near the top.
Another silly a.m. on a Sunday here too.
I’d be happy to see the team line up as RR had just posted. Perhaps I have a feeling I would prefer a Clayton in for Howson, on the basis I am expecting a crunching opening 20 minute from our neighbours and I think Leadbitter with Clayton is our most solid combination in centre of midfield. However, If GM did not have him in the bench, there is perhaps something we are unawares of.
If we haven’t managed to break them down after 55 minutes, I would unleash Traore on them.
I think I am probably in the camp of not caring for Sunderland’s current plight and would love to see us harvesting a hatful of goals today. Should we play them off the park and register 3, 4 or even 5 goals, you can see the media now: columns and hours of debate and analysis of Sunderland and no attention to the Boro. So for me, I do hope we take full advantage of a club in disarray and run out convincing winners by at least 3 clear goals.
Just looked at the ticket map and we may be well over the 30,000 as long as the Mackems sell their allocation.
A full house, on TV, having won two in a row away from home and now against a team in disarray.
What could possibly go wrong?
A draw is often the result in these games but as long as well keep solid I think we will find a way through and win a tight game.
I understand the Makems had a reduced allocation of around 2,600 tickets which they have sold out. if we have allegedly 24,000 Season card holders then I would reckon circa 3,000 to 4,000 tickets for the pay and go portion in the home section despite it being on the box. Should be a good atmosphere!
But only if we win.
Good to see all you early risers warming up for the game – not long to wait now! I’ve been thinking about the prediction for today’s game and in theory Boro should get a few goals given that Sunderland have conceded 10 in their last three away games. The unknown factor is that the Mackems are now under caretaker management and a lot will depend on whether they will adopt a different game plan.
Yesterday’s results have given Boro a great opportunity to go into the international break sitting in 5th spot – I’m sure not many would have been predicting that just over a week ago, which as I said in my pre-match introduction, seven days and three games in the Championship seems an awful long time. However, the table is incredibly tight with Boro only two points ahead of QPR down in 15th!
Though the danger is that we start counting the points before they’ve been hatched – there will be a lot of expectation at the Riverside today and if Sunderland happen to score first the murmurs will start. It’s back to playing with pressure and expectation for the players – something that seemed to phase a few of them earlier in the season. Hopefully, our solidity will continue and we see off any early Sunderland pressure – as despite their woeful defending the visitors have scored on average two goals per game during the last six.
So on that basis I’m tempted to go 3-2 to Boro but I think our defence is functioning better and we have actually conceded the fewest goals in the Championship with 13. Also despite our home form being less than impressive, you’d hope the last two wins and stable selection will see an improvement on the pitch.
So prediction time 3-1 to Boro with Assombalonga getting his usual bottom-three brace and perhaps one for Gibson, who’s come close a few times recently. I should add I expect an unchanged team if Fabio is fit otherwise Friend will get a chance to cement his place again.
If we ignore all but the last few games then Boro should win this 3 or 4 nil or 3 or 4 -1.
If they do that then the we got what we asked for – a miracle [ or as some would say what we deserved considering the squad.] Client meeting today so will miss the game, but will follw the media pages and of course our very own blog.
Happy game for all who are going and enjoy it…..
Hoping for an untypical Boro today and a good solid professional performance with a Boro win. Even if it was 1-0 win with an own goal off Jason Steele’s backside I would take that! Simon Grayson went one game too early for my liking.
Attendance 30,898
Just caught a few bits of Kevin de Bruyne speaking to Jamie Redknap.
One comment I picked up was about one of the goals City scored from de Bruyne’s pass. He saw the space and a player making a run so played the ball in to that space. The player ran on and scored. Sounds easy but needs skill but the pass was made by the run.
Another was about when the full back makes a run, an attacker drops back a touch and de Bruyne tucks in to stop the counter attacker.
So what is the point of this? The answer is not to change how we are playing just do it better. Do the right the right things that got us the wins at Reading and Hull.
Start on the front foot and don’t let Sunderland settle in to the game. The chances will come, don’t get anxious and depart from the game plan.
Easier typed than done.
So Friend in for Fabio, otherwise an unchanged team – glad to see Monk hasn’t done a pre-break experiment – So no complaints on team selection.
Shotton on the bench for Fry only surprise.
Interestingly, Fabio is on the bench so is fit to play – though no Clayton, Fry or Bamford in the squad.
Subs: Dimi, Fabio, Shotton, Forshaw, Johnson, Adama and Fletcher
I think most of us will be more or less satisfied with that team sheet. Let’s hope they start the game with some intent.
COB
Or even committed determination and a commitment to be determined…
Or an intention to have some committed determination 😊
Powmill
to notch the 100.
I have no argument with the line up, a quick start and take it from there.
Why isn’t Randolph wearing a cap?
Ken
I said that we won the toss and elected to kick to the south stand with the sun shining in goalkeepers amd defenders eyes
Randolph amd Ben we’re comstantly shading their eyes
Don’t understand it
Also lack of ball boys or girls again
At last a cap.
He has a few. But they are in his Irish home. Lol.
UTB!
But not wearing it.
We are lcky
We are lucky not to be 3 – 1 down… Letting SAFC have far too much possession
Not a classic, take the points and move on.
Thank you Darren Randolph…
They all did their jobs, particularly Randolph and we should have had a another goal at least. Now I’m waiting for Redcar Red’s write-up so no pressure RR.
Three points in the bag and nine from three and I thought we’d be lucky to get one from that run of games. It’s great to be wrong.
UTB,
John
I do apologise for my negativity 3 games back. Well done for good mini run.
Was it Brian Clough who said that “a good goalkeeper is worth ten goals a season with his saves?” I paraphrase that by the way but Randolph seems to be developing into that kind of keeper.
UTB,
John
That was a hard-fought game with a pretty tense last 15 minutes and Sunderland never made it easy for Boro. A second goal would have probably made the job much easier but in the end three points and up to 5th with two weeks to feed off the confidence that being on a winning run gives.
John
I agree with you it was a hard won three points. Workman like performance and could have been much different had it not been for DR early on.
Whilst it pains me to say it, SAFC were one of the best teams in my view that we have played and on today’s performance do not deserve to be bottom of the league.
If we can continue playing as solidly as we have done in the last three games then we will be there or there abouts come April.
Looking forward to my visit to the Riverside later in the month to see us play Brum and then the Rams.
CoB 😎😀
I agree, after that display Sunderland should soon climb up the table. Boro got the job done, but I don’t think the late ragtime composer/pianist Scott Joplin, would have dedicated his greatest hit to the Boro if he’d been alive to see this match.
Powmill
Randolph gets paid a good salary to keep the ball out of the net, certainly well done but that is his job.
A good result, if not a brilliant performance. Sunderland played a lot better than I expected them to today and Boro weren’t on top form, but nine points in a week and up to 5th feels good going into the international break.
Ian, I think you do Randolph an injustice with the phrase ‘ but that is his job’ I’ve never heard anyone say that of Ronaldo when he puts in a brilliant performance.
Randolph made some very good saves today and that should be acknowledged.
I agree with him getting the man of the match award.
It could be argued that we’ve played some average/poor teams this week, but its worth noting that we’ve conceded once in three games including against Hull who are the leagues second top scorers and Sunderland who have scored one less than Boro.
Roll on Leeds in two weeks, a team apparently in free fall , no easy game but certainly another opportunity.
Boro did it the hard way this time, there was no swagger and it’s a good job that Sunderland are so poor, any decent team would have beaten us today.
Happy for young Marcus and Stewy’s pass was sublime.
I don’t expect RR to make a silk purse out of this.
A real sows ear of a performance.
Still 3 points is 3 points.
Doesn’t matter how you get them
I watched the game on Sky and, as others have already said, we could easily have been behind very early on. Randolph looks like a major asset to me and gives a good deal of confidence to our defence.
Whilst Stewie didn’t have his best game, he still looks worth his place to me. His pass in the build up to the goal was brilliant. Do those of you who get to go to most of games agree that he’s fully rehabilitated back into the team now? Has he been forgiven by the fans for something he almost certainly didn’t do?
General consensus of the fans where I sit is Stewy is worth his place in the team
Agree with others, less than convincing but 3 points is all that matters. Mackems had enough chances to win. Randolph my MOTM for those saves early doors.
321
Randolf MOM
Great saves and some good handling from crosses
Ayala
Some towering headers, especially from the 3 throw ins at the end. He is growing in stature
Braithwaite
Some lovely touches and great cross for the goal.
I thought Ben looked a bit shaky at times. And we over hit too many crosses, corners and free kicks.
I would have taken 1-0 before the start so can’t really complain.
Gazette refusing to print GM ‘s after match comments.
Dear oh dear, can someone bang their heads together.
Sunderland had scored as many as we had at the start of the match, it is at the back they are porous.
Their keeper made as many saves as Randolph, it was an even game, one goal decided it. We got that goal with a rare bit of quality in the match and in the BBC table it shows a big green W at the end of the results column.
Good luck to Redcar Red in reporting the match.
I will take the win although the writing was on the wall for a possible defeat early doors and Randolf was certainly man of the match to my eyes. That first double save was impressive and whilst that is his job, how many times have we all seen keepers make howlers. Likewise strikers who miss open goals.
For me he is the reason we managed victory against a Sunderland team who were up for the game and caused some concerns. The last 15 minutes had me pacing the room watching the IPad in hand and I was expecting the typical Boro punch in the stomach at the end to be honest!
If GM sticks with that team and no injuries, then it is staring to look better (although Christie misses Leeds game) and I take back my concerns after Cardiff. That said, we are not the finished article and still a work in progress.
You could say Randolph played a blinder and the MOTM award capped a fine performance – though I agree with old Billy that Ayala was immense and won nearly everything in the air – plus Braithwaite was excellent in his movement and interplay up front.
BTW Assombalonga displayed an amazing piece of skill when he brought a high ball down and killed with his first touch, then tried to lay it off to Stewy with his next touch but unfortunately the ball went out for a throwing – almost brilliant but not quite. I thought George looked a bit erratic in the first half and often bombed on too early and made a few desperate lunges – though A for effort as he never stopped running and trying all game.
Sunderland didn’t look that bad to be honest and don’t look anywhere near the worst team in the league – in fact they looked better than Cardiff when they visited and they are third in the league.
Very poor Boro performance only highlight was the goal
MOTM has to go to Randolph who made three outstanding saves and spared our blushes
Leadbitter was not at his best Friend has lost any ability to perform at this level amd Assambalonga didn’t get a sniff
To be honest it was difficult at times to see which team was bottom of the league
Look forward to seeing RR views
OFB
And now for the cold soggy sponge in the face comment-
£40 million quid spent and we can only aspire to score 1 goal against a team bottom of the league with a caretaker manager, whose defence has more holes than a collendar.
Was it the Stranglers who sang ‘Something’s better change!’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UBtVZWyIo0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Too many people more interested in points than aesthetic.
Points mean prizes but I agree it wasn’t a very convincing performance.
In fact I’m struggling to think of a performance so far this season that has been convincing, one where Boro have dominated a team for ninety minutes, looked the part as serious promotion candidates and won well. But I suppose winning when playing poorly is a good habit to get into although it would be nice to see the team play to its undoubted full potential and hammer someone soon.
Ayala was our MoM, Randolph a close second. Downing was decent and Britt was asked to do too much far too far from the opposition’s penalty area.
Despite Randolph’s generally confident and competent performance, h the keepers double save in the first half came about as a result of gaps in our midfield, then Randolph made a schoolboy error and spilled the ball at the feet of the oncoming forward.
Both sides showed plenty of effort but not much quality and served to cancel each other.
Three points, a clean sheet and fifth place means I’m happy.
Happiness is transient. True bliss lies in ongoing contentment.
Are you truly comment with the product this season, Chris?
Hmmmm!
Spartak
I want points and aesthetics, if we have been struggling for both, I will settle for points then aesthetics.
It is a bit like job satisfaction, it is great to have job satisfaction but you cant spread it on bread.
Many teams have got to Christmas playing scrappy football and being in the mix only to kick on in the second half of the season.
It may not happen but I would rather have the points than not. Still loads of issues to sort out.
I’ve just posted up RR’s match report for your evening’s apparative…
https://diasboro.club/2017/11/03/championship-boro-vs-sunderland/#MatchReport
It seems to me that our recovery is down to the reinstallation of our golden defence.
They have been back in place for the three matches which we have won.
Lovely to see Ayala dominating the centre of the defensive zone.
Love the way he likes to mix it, in the last thrash of Sunderland ( crashing the ball into the box, period) he was the main man, missed nothing in the air, and seemed to be loving it.
Combined with the better keeper we have signed I think that we will get a few shut outs.
Well, I’m certainly happy because Sunderland up to 1973 were Boro’s bogey team. In fact I’ve just checked over Boro’s league record for the first 46 seasons’ meetings against the Mackems:-
Home Played 46, Won 18, Drew 11, Lost 17
Away Played 46, Won 3, Drew 14, Lost 29
Total Played 92, Won 21, Drew 25, Lost 46
In fact Boro only won AWAY on their 15th, 29th and 37th visits to Roker Park, but since 1974 Boro’s record is:-
Home Played 20, Won 12, Drew 6, Lost 2
Away Played 19, Won 9, Drew 2, Lost 8
Total Played 39, Won 21, Drew 8, Lost 10
Perhaps now Boro are Sunderland’s bogey team!
Oh, thou lowly points scratcher grubbing your rubbings in the trash of souless statistics.
Perhance once thou may raise your eyes to the skies and see the hawk in flight.
Doth it not seem like a symbol of pure beauty as its wings as if by some supernatural force guide on nought.
Consider the fluidity of an attacking display of sportsmen, All Blackesque. Imagine the flowing movement swift of arm strong of leg, as they slice pristine like through their opposition defence-touch down and euphoria.
Where now your cold digitial condolences.
🙂
Soulless? Maybe. Effective? Definitely. So long as they’re not all the manager has to offer over the course of his tenure, and it’s still early days.
A truly accurate report from Redcar Red. Boro’s performance matched some of the turgid ones we saw last season, and although I’m happy with the three points, in such a congested top half of the league table, a big improvement is required to remain in a playoff position. In my opinion we can forget about automatic promotion.
Ken
Any hope of auto promo can only be based on winning all our home games.
That means not conceding.
Or, scoring for fun and not minding the other team scoring a few.
Manchester City, anyone?
Great Report RR
Managed to find a stream to watch the game.I thought Ayala was brilliant , back to his best.
I know it wasn’t a classic Boro performance but what the hell we got three points.
plato – I think you’re right re the defence although the form of Braithwaite and Downing is helping too.
Today’s Boro performance was below par I think, but as the saying goes its a sign of a good team when a poor performance produces a win.
Fifth place with second place just about in sight isn’t bad considering where we were a couple of weeks ago.
3 points and a playoff place can’t be bad. Much more important, 3 wins on the trot give much-needed impetus and belief. Most people now sound like they have faith we can do something this season.
Agreed, it was a mediocre performance and many would consider us lucky not have dropped points. It’s all well and good being pragmatic but the lack of style and panache is frustrating and is disappointing after the big summer spend. Even though we’ve been winning, I still think the Boro total is currently less than the sum of our parts.
Mind you, I was often similarly dissatisfied with AK’s Boro – and he took us to promotion! If I have to have disgruntlement all the way to the Promised Land, then so be it.
But, BUT – can’t we please have a team playing fluid, cohesive, exciting footer that catches the eye. Pretty please. After 56 years of supporting Boro I can think of only 3 or 4 times when I’ve glowed with pride for months at our performances.
Nike
The first requirement for a good win is a very well constructed early goal.
Oops!
Another theory shot to pieces.
Many thanks to Redcar Red for his usual top-quality match report, which was far more interesting to read than the actual match it portrayed. It wasn’t as they say one for the purists but today it was important to get those three points – any other result would have had a huge negative impact on the mood of both the players and supporters. We now go into the break on the back of three consecutive wins and all panic buttons have been safely locked away for another dark rainy day.
Sitting pretty in the table by winning ugly will add belief to continue the run – even if the performance was not to the aesthetic tastes of the discerning viewer or fan, it offers a chance that increased confidence will lead to more flowing football in the near future. You have to start somewhere if you’re going to move forward and Garry Monk has settled on a team that have started to cut out making crucial mistakes at the wrong time.
So Boro now have the best defensive record in the Championship despite gifting several goals to the opposition – if the Gibson-Ayala-Randolph axis continues in this recent run of form then we’ve got a good chance of ending the season that way also. The next step is to get our £50m+ worth of attacking talent firing on all cylinders – or will we require a tweak or two in January?
As RR points out, our forward passing was weak. Far too many played behind the man instead of into space in front of him. Too many crosses over hit.
Spartak – I’m happy, yet far from content.
And no Bamford Clayton in the squad
Being harsh I couldn’t detect much in the way of attacking movement in that we had the ball at the back and there was no idea or openings being created as to how to get the ball forward other than Christie. Ben Gibson in particular was the most guilty of dithering which asks the question yet again as to why our stand out player at Premiership level now looks a shadow of his former confident self.
As has been suggested by many Ayala had his finest game since breaking back into the side and was dominant especially in the last ten minutes of backs to the wall defending. Again the question is how on earth do we end up backs to the wall desperation defending against a side that is bottom? Maybe they aren’t as bad as their position suggests or maybe we aren’t as good as ours? The truth as always is probably somewhere in the middle.
Taking a half full perspective we are at least trying to be hard to beat and keeping it tight but we look nowhere near as believable and confident as under AK at this, quite the reverse in fact. Maybe its a start from which better things will follow as the side finally gels? Worryingly I don’t think the Subs made one iota of a difference, just more of the same.
Maybe a week off to build on a decent run will help to settle some rough edges and build understanding.
The substitutions bothered me. Why take off Grant for the last five minutes?
The game was far from secure.
Plus, if he was tired, he has two weeks recovery time.
Grant looked to me to be blowing out of his backside and had started to misplace passes (more than was normal for the afternoon as most from Boro on the day were misplaced) and was looking a bit of a liability.
The Forshaw option was probably the one Sub that maybe made the most sense under the circumstances but it put us under more pressure and we sat back even deeper, camped in our own 18 yard box. We survived and took all the three points but it was far from convincing.
I hope GM and the Players think the same otherwise their ascent will become a descent just as quickly. Three wins out of three is great but they were against 18th, 20th and 24th and none of them truly comfortable wins. So the wins are great but now we just have to win better 🙂
I didn’t think Grant was effective and was certainly not very mobile in this game
In a result based business, the three points are all that matter.
Football stopped being entertainment a long time ago.
Three things to take from that game: all 3 points.
And the bragging rights for the next half a season, mate.
And the table looks better now. I would imagine we can only improve performance wise and as someone said, we have depth in the squad to cover for injuries and heavy grounds as the winter looms. So we should be relatively stronger later in the season when compared to our rivals.
Let’s hope we have been the lowest for this season. Up the Boro.
I watched the series, the manageress, many moons ago and one quote from that has always stuck with me about supporters. It goes “fans say they want entertainment, but in reality they want edge”. Now i would say thats what we got under Karanka in the champo. We always knew we would be in games and that at home we would usually have that edge over other teams. Today was edgy, there is no doubt about that but it felt very different. This was one more disjointed performance upon many others and we are far from being an attacking team blessed with pace and flair.
To be blunt, i was bored today. Even stood in the south stand close enough to the away support where things were getting spiky. I agree that Braithwaite looked good and showed some obvious signs of class but most of it was 20 yards away from where it needed to be. I dont see that there is a growing combination between him and Assombalonga. Monk has gone back to the tried and trusted of old that he didnt trust to start with and its paying off because we definitely look more like a team, but its not a team that he has built or improved upon in my view.
Points are vital so job done and credit to the players for getting the winning feeling back. What is missing is the quality because some entertainment is expected.
This. Points are always a concrete, explicit step in the right direction but they are never the be all and end all. To make one totally happy Monk has to positively build on the momentum and belief from a good run.
On one hand, in the moment Boro’s current football may not make for pretty watching. At all. Having watched the whole game today I certainly felt it.
But I’ve now cooled down. So, on the other hand, when you’re looking to put the game behind you and move on while there’s still plenty of time to do so, results are results are results and as long as we get the right one/s there’s no need for a great deal of woe.
We are fifth ,with the most expensive team ever,in the worst championship league in decades.
Why?
Great match report RR that’s exactly how I saw it
Including a goalkeeper with no cap !
I don’t know why when we won the toss we decided to kick that way it could have cost us the game
once GM decided to go to his bench the options were go for the killer goal or to stick with what he had. I think he decided on the latter and I can understand why.
It worked and the points are in the bag.I dont have an issue with the changes he made as I would have probably done the same.
The recent swapping and changing every week meant everybody got some game time even if they played bad, and some were dropped/hooked even when playing well.
No real incentive to impress, results and team morale in decline.
Now he appears to have a settled team, those who dont make the squad will have to make an extra effort if they want to be involved. Small tweaks and changes can now be made with minimum disruption.
The standard of opposition will go up a notch after the break and we need to be ready for them.
Redcar Red
The article was a far better read than the match was to watch.
Winning ugly etc. Everything counts – after the break nobody remembers the performance but we have the points in the bag. Untypical Boro.
UTB!
The general consensus seems to be we won unconvincingly, three points in the bag and a good run though despite the position of the teams we played. I would have thought that in the last ten minutes GM would have put Traore on and told him to sit near the halfway line. That one ploy would probably have pulled two or three players away from the edge of our penalty area reduced the discomfort a little.
Why did we kick into the sun? Why no cap? Simple because we’re Boro, sod the common sense easy way far to obvious.
The next two weeks should be no new tattoos, no personal stereos, just learning how to do the simple things right; crisply, accurately and quickly.
Never mind we won.
UTB,
John
A couple of weeks to work on the system, they did have all pre season to work on it before it appeared to us non professional we meandered for a couple months with sundry formations and permutations.
Moving forward it looks like we will be Karanka like but hopefully the front four will be more threatening.
The key is likely to be Braithwaite who looks to be very talented. The break will give the older plays like Grant and Stewie time for a breather.
In the post-match interview when Randolph was give the MOM award he was asked about the cap and said he didn’t like wearing them in games and didn’t see the point of them. He may be right as they are probably of little help when the sun is quite low, especially when you have to look up to get a high ball – plus they interfere with you general peripheral vision. Maybe keepers could wear something like Edgar Davids famous glasses with sun protection lens instead?
Though obviously a far easier method is to not play with your keeper facing the sun if you have the choice…
Werdermouth,
That’s a far to obvious and simple solution! Perhaps we need some basic battlefield tactics in training.
UTB,
John
I don’t necessarily disagree with his cap theory but he spent the first 35 minutes with one hand shielding his eyes so surely with a cap it would have at least provided some comfort. I think its probably 60/40, with the 60 being in favour of the cap.
As Bob pointed out when they won the toss why didn’t they switch ends, they had been out on the pitch warming up in that goalmouth so knew the angle of the sun and its glare. Darren is not the first Boro Keeper to go capless in a game but it almost put us a goal behind after two minutes. The vertically challenged one last season used to go sans cap regularly but I put that down to being knee height so the West Stand roof may have shielded the glare.
Cruel but funny !
Looks like West Ham have swapped one effective international goalkeeper for a showboating ineffective international keeper !
RR and OFB
Yes Grant wasn’t moving freely, but taking him off sacrifices his nous, leadership and rhythm such as it was of the team.
And as you say, we immediately sat even further back, inviting increased pressure.
The other two subs seemed to be less for like.
Yes Clayton wasn’t on the bench, I’m not sure I’m happy or content with that situation, either.
Regarding Clayton, Bamford and to a lesser extent Baker i would tend to have them in my starting 11 let alone in the squad. However their omission has coincided with 3 wins on the trot so you have got to say Monk has called it correctly. My thoughts/hopes are that when we get into the depths of winter around the turn of the year the size and quality of our squad will start to pay off against some of the teams around us. However, keeping those players happy in the meantime could be a tough task.
Reading the various Boro related news sites on the web this morning I saw this quote from the HITC site on our forthcoming trip to the dirties:
“Leeds have serious problems at present, with many of the signings made by sporting director Victor Orta in the summer failing to perform”.
I don’t particularly hold HITC as being at the forefront of breaking news but it made me smile.
We’ve never really replaced Grant, which is why we’ve continued to rely on him for arguably longer than we should have.
Here’s my puntastic match report from yesterday…
An early spark from our young firestarter sent the Black Cats up in smoke, but for Fawkes sake Boro, more flare next time please.
And Anthony McCarthy’s…
Boro rocket up to fifth but, honestly Fawkes, it was no cracker, as we failed to sparkle after early fireworks from the young Guy.
Crackers !
Now Boro are fifth in the table but just with 1.63 points per match. So 26 points after 16 matches.
If (!) we win the next six matches in row, we have 44 points after 22 matches. And then we have two points per match average exactly.
Wolves have an average of 2.19 points per game at the moment and Sheffield Utd have 2.06 per game. United have lost one game more than Boro, though.
So we have been drawing far too many matches this season. Let’s start winning in a big time if we want automatic P.
Up the Boro!
Absolutely right Jarkko its the draws that are killing us. Just noting your numbers above though even if we do make the magic two points per game Sheffield and Wolves are both achieving more than that so we do need some help with fate to haul them back down probably injuries and suspensions to kick in.
I note that John Terry will be out until mid January due to his metatarsal break. Thats a big hit for Villa just as they were getting their act together. Contrast that with Boro and Christie being suspended for the Leeds game. We have Fabio who could fill in or Roberts who I have to say has impressed me in the Cup games and I reckon should be given his chance.
Leaving Friend in situ as GM did with Ayala to see him regain match sharpness I think is the best solution long term. That would mean Fabio on the bench again but for me a good shout because he can fill in on either flank if needed and has looked a bit injury prone or struggling for whatever reason of late so let him get back to full health if we can afford the luxury which with Friend and Roberts I think we can.
Jarkko
An ode to optimism. 🙂 Well said.
Darren cant have had problems with the sun, all national reports start with ‘under the brooding grey skies with views of heavy industry on the skyline….., whippets, cloth caps, gas lamps, clogs etc etc.
Good point Ian, its a well known fact that there is no sun on Teesside due to the permo pollution cloud which hangs over the area……….
I’m not sure we need to replace Grant he’s only 31/32, he should be at his peak for another two/three seasons if he can keep fit.
I agree that Braithwaite may well be the key to our attacking success but I’d add Downing into that who is starting to look like the player I expect to see, his vision and passing can be brilliant.
Reflecting on yesterdays game, its easy to forget there were two teams on the field, Sunderland set out to make it a difficult day for us so its not a huge surprise that there wasn’t too much attacking action from Boro, but we had a chance took it and didn’t concede.
Reflecting on the game yesterday up front we looked a little disconnected for some reason. Downing is definitely looking a far better player and the one we expected originally, Braithwaite is starting to look a class above but I’m not sure Britt is a good fit with them in terms of maybe not conflicting exactly but not contrasting either, if that makes some sort of disjointed logic?
Tavernier seems to have the mobility and energy to keep up and read the game. He is by no means the finished article but there is undoubted potential. Britt’s 8 goals are undeniable but Nugent ended the promotion season as our top scorer with 8 goals for the season in total. We have had the debate that “all Britt does is score goals” as Werder pointed out but yesterday especially in the second half he ran and chased and put 100% effort in but when we needed something to unlock it just wasn’t there and nor did it come from Fletcher but we have done that discussion previously as well.
My gut instinct that Bamford’s movements and skills along with Brathwaite and Downing (and Tavernier) would see more pace and interchanging fluidity making it very difficult for opposition defences to pick up and keep tabs. Would I gamble by dropping our top scorer? Not sure I would be that brave but my hunch is nibbling away at me. Maybe the “tweak” is to get Downing and Braithwaite to play to Britt’s strengths rather than their own game or maybe it was just one of those days at the office and don’t read too much into it.
I see Bilic has bit the bullet at West Ham this morning and Schteeeve is being linked with the “Gers”
Great read Redcar and nice follow up comments from Werder and others.
For all the recent 9 points, I have to agree with RR in that the Boro continued to look disjointed, with the passing at times abysmal. The midfield yesterday was out numbered and although Howson showed at times his qualities, both him and Grants passing was poor. In fact as Simon said we have not really replaced Grant. Was it to have been Howson, and although he still has some wonderful attributes, especially his leadership, his legs just do not get him around as they did.
When you also play with two wide men alongside the midfield two, your full backs can suffer. The enigma that is George was once again evident yesterday and more so with young Tavierner in front of him. Unlike SD he does not tackle or shield his man nearly as well so leaves his full back vulnerable, especially the way George is playing at the moment. As RR said Ben did not have of his better games, although I thought Dani was immense and possibly MotM for me.
If we are in contention at Christmas, should a new left back considered?
Up front as Smoggy in the Heed said, Britt and Braithwaite are normally too far apart, with Britt spending to much time chasing balls out wide which where the wide men should be, he being in the penalty area when we attack. Braithwaite is the only really creative player we have and to have 6 shots, 4 on target and only 1 corner shows our weakness for all the money spent on upfront players.
For all we are now 5th, albeit two teams below have a game in hand and the pack is like a tin of sardines, are we really good enough to continue on the upward curve and mount a serious promotion challenge? To do that in my opinion we would have to really up the ante with regards to creating and scoring more goals. Yesterday I think one of the better teams would have punished us. There is still something fundamentally wrong with the setup that does not create those opportunities to score the extra goals that would win the matches where we drop points.
At the moment Mr Monk has slipped off the hook. However the upcoming games will be a harder challenge to maintain the impetus of the last three.
Play Downing or Johnson at left back?
Johnson can tackle better than SD
Bilic and Schteve were an interesting contrast at Wembley a decade ago.
The former looked like the passionate, animated magician we all want our coaches to be, defying the elements to direct his beloved Croatia to the Euros.
The latter… well, he just didn’t want to get wet.
The international break, 3 wins, 9 points were most on here were predicting 3/4 points at best 8 days ago. Oh yes, let’s look at he opposition we played, then ask N Forest and Derby how much a pushover Reading are ! Oh yes, the other two teams were the teams that were relegated with Boro from the Premiership.
I agree yesterday’s match wasn’t a classic, playing a team that had just moved to the bottom of the championship and had sacked their manager a couple of days before (what could possibly go wrong, as many on here said before the game). Sunderland were not as bad as their position suggests and I for one do not think they will be in the bottom 3 come May.
Am I happy after being at the match yesterday, you bet I am ! In a week were we have not only stopped the slide down the table but got ourselves into a playoff position, how many on here saw this week coming so you won’t find me complaining.
Interesting video on the Gazette website were AV discusses the match with his Sunderland counterpart.
Come on BORO.
I agree with RR that we should stick with Friend for the time being and try to play him into form in the same way that Ayala appears to have done. We haven’t seen George at his best for some time but it’s not so long ago that he was the division’s best. At 30 years old and with the attitude he has, I think he has plenty left to offer and is worth standing by.
Grant’s reintegration (along with Ayala) has been crucial in giving the team some steel and fight and in cutting down on silly errors. However, the balance is still not quite there. We are more perspiration than inspiration at the moment; more graft than craft.
I wouldn’t change much at the moment but the medium-term solution might be to play Downing in central midfield. He has enough in his legs and the footballing brain to not be too much of a risk, whilst he’s probably our best passer and more far more likely to create openings than any of Leadbitter, Clayton, Forshaw or Howson. To do that we’d need someone to emerge to take Downing’s place on the right, however.
If only Traore could realise a fraction of his potential.
A neutral view of the match. After the early chance Sunderland were never going to score, we were too well organised and had a barbed wire fence 30 yards out.
If it has taken several matches for Ayala and Gibson to gel again, you have to give the four attackers the same options.
The match was rubbish and we only beat Sunderland but they had scored as many as us before Saturday. Reading were picked off by Boro and tanked Derby – won four in a row, Hull were doing well at the Blades then suffered a meltdown in the last 15 minutes. Cardiff lost at Bristol City, Wednesday won at Villa, Leeds lost at Brentford.
We have to improve all over the pitch, the low possession stats are not just about our intentions but the result of poor possession. My son’s summary was that we wasted numerous opportunities due to poor passing.
We shouldn’t forget that Sunderland’s caretaker management duo started with four central midfielders on the pitch in attempt to protect their defence and try to reduce the number of goals they were shipping. Boro seemed a little overrun at the beginning of the game but got the early goal and decided to play on the counter after that. Though we didn’t really break with any real purpose and often the ball went backwards once someone had received it in Sunderland’s half.
You can’t really counter-attack if you then attempt to play possession football halfway through the move and concentrate on retaining the ball – It’s one or the other. I think Monk wants to play possession football but unless you move the ball quickly and also retain possession and not lose the ball with misplaced passes, then the opposition can defend quite easily.
Boro’s goal came from a lot of movement off the ball and a well executed pass from Downing to catch Braithwaite making a well-timed run, followed by Tavernier anticipating the cutback. That’s four things that needed to happen and be executed to get that goal – most of the time that would probably fail at one of the stages.
We also saw when Assombalonga is playing wide, then either Braithwaite, Downing or Tavernier have to become the centre-forward – otherwise there’s nobody to pass to in the box. Though given Assombalonga’s heading ability compared to someone like Downing, and Stewy’s passing ability compared to Britt – I’d prefer them to stick to their strengths and not over-complicate matters. Movement and interchange is all very well to fool the opposition but unless your own players are capable of then executing those different roles it’s a pretty fruitless exercise.
On Match of the Day last night Ian Wright and Alan Shearer were discussing the reasons why Lukaku was not getting many goalscoring opportunities. They both agreed that the natural inclination when this happens is for a striker to stray away from the natural centre forward position to look for the ball. However, they concurred that he should be selfish and stay centrally in the 18 yard area, and that it was up to the midfielders, wingers, etc to provide that service as otherwise it devalues a striker’s predatory instincts.
Brian Clough used to say the same thing, so for Lukaku’s problem, substitute Assombalonga. Have Boro got the required players to do that, possibly Braithwaite? Or would we need to change the formation again? Just asking, like.
We still seem to be in a rut where we cannot get our decision making sorted out.
Plenty of times we had possession with all the play on one side of the pitch, and one of ours all alone on the other side.
With the crowd screaming at him to sling it out there, he would laboriously turn his body the wrong way and pass to a well marked man (after signalling that he was going to do so)
This is endemic in the club, together with wild shooting over the top.
I laugh at Conte throwing a wobbler when Chelsea do such things, but is he the clever one
About 10 comments and we up to 200. That is well done after not getting beaten. Boringly we have won the last three.
Keep on commenting, lassies and lads. Well done. Up the Boro!
Lots of great observations by my illustrious fellow bloggers.
Agree that Ayala seems to be back to his best, so maybe more game time will, as suggested above, do the same for George. Having fixed the defensive frailty, GM has got to now get the best out of his midfield and attacking options. I’m with Werder’s suggestion that they play to their strengths and keep it simple. After all, it’s a long standing saying that Football is a simple game, so why complicate it?
Ken
Didn’t Cloughie say to Teddy Sheringham ‘Edward, get in to the box’ when he went to take a corner. Or words to that effect.
Well it certainly wasn’t pretty, but effective it certainly was. First 5 minutes aside Sunderland could’ve played for another 90 minutes and they wouldn’t have scored. It’s good to see our best, imo, centre half pairing starting to get back that understanding they had over the last couple of seasons.
Braithwaite is looking the type of player that has the skill and ability to be a big player in this league and Stewie looks like he’s getting near the player we all hope he can be, the more game time he has under his belt
I agree with the comment about Sunderland not being the worst side at the Riverside so far. I thought QPR were even more disorganised than us on the day, Cardiff tried not to win the game but got a lucky win due to an appalling team display by the Boro and a rediculous challenge in particular by Traore. If they tighten up at the back they may avoid relegation, though hopefully not!
GHW is in my opinion correct, in as much that football is no longer an entertainment business, just another business. If you want entertainment then maybe try the pictures or the theatre for a night out.
Boring 1-0 wins will do me just fine at the moment, maybe I’m easily pleased or a little more pragmatic than some. A foam handed flag waver I certainly am not but I’ve paid me money so I’ll make me choice. And at the moment I’ll take substance over style.
Boring 1 nil wins will do me too…..I don’t care how we play as long as we get the points….the league is a rat race / dog eat dog etc we have to be ugly / ruthless / passionate with a will to win at all costs . We don’t need to be pretty.
There is a big difference between the good team, playing with confidence, that achieves more positive results than negative, but at times has to grind out some ugly 1-0 victories because of that dip in form, or an opposition that has seriously raised its game; and a team that is not convincing, but has managed to string a good few results together.
So, while 1-0 wins against the bottom feeders are welcome, there is still a long way for this team to go before it starts to convince it is in the former category. We all hope that the boost that a few good results will give will be a spur. But, without Randolph having played a blinder on Sunday, or if Sunderland just had that little better quality (or just better luck) up front, there would be many calls for GM’s head now.
It is there for the Boro now to go on after the break to prove they will be serious contenders. For me the jury is still out as I do not think that we look at all convincing, despite getting three wins on the spin.
I am delighted we have those 9 points. I hope against hope that we will begin to take more control in our future fixtures and play like we expect to win, even when we lose.
Burnley have made an art form of 35% possession and winning 1-0. In their case they convert a ridiculously high percentage of chances.
You may recall the stats I posted about conversion of ‘big’ chances (whatever that means) for last season. ManU were converting 30%, we were midldle of the road with 49%, Burnley were way ahead with upper 70%.
They also had the best shot stopper in the league.
Would we swap places with them now?
Personally, I like to see us play with some style but you have to earn the right to play that way. We don’t have thequality to play like City or Barcelona but we have decent players for this level.
Keep playing to the plan and we should get more attacking as we become more effective. We will have to do that to make up some of the gap and rely on the odd favour.
It is conviction that I want to see. A team that looks like it knows what it is doing and believes in it.
Powmill
Randolph didn’t player a blinder other than staring in to the sun. Sunderland had three shots on target in 90 minutes. After the few early efforts from the Mackems he was catching crosses.
I am certainly not foam handed, I thought that attacking wise we were wasteful, solid defensively and that was it.
I almost put the sun blind pun in too Ian 😉, ….
Tees you up nicely
Too slow !!
I was making a decoy run to the near post followed by a stepover.
Powmill, don’t you dream of Boro playing nice and attractive football if you need three touches (comments) to try to get to the ton. And more worryingly, missing the target and letting an old fart like Ian to score 😉!!
Just saying, like. Up the Boro!
Hi Jarkko. I was benefiting from Ian’s largess and good team spirit that he skillfully tripped and (accidentally?) stepped over the ball for it to collide with my arthritic knees as I gratefully bundled it into the net.
As for dreaming of Boro playing attractive football,,, you know, if i think about it, I stick by my previous comment. I want to see them playing with conviction and belief in the way they play more than anything else.
Attractive tippy-tappy football has no value unless there is conviction and belief. I would much rather have my team play like Wimbledon of old than try to be a Barca-lite or Arsenal-lite but without the ability to pull it off. Every team should play to its strengths and not to try and conform to what pundits think the beautiful game is. It is the belief in your own strengths and the way you present that on the field of play that is exciting to watch. Of course, victories without that are welcome in the context of a full season, but without the zeal and the audacity of a team that knows it is in control, then such victories are a little hollow for me.
Jarkko
Replays clearly show that Powmill knocked the ball in to the net. It did go in Foggon style off his knee but they all count.
The timeline of posts to the right of the blog is technology introduced to show when the post crosses the line and avoid the dubious posts committee which did seem a bit arbitrary at times. One had the feeling it was used for the benefit of the few rather than the whole of the blog.
We have had more opportunities for the 100’s due to the WIFI being down in GHW’s shed
But still three touches, Powmil. Three.
BTW, I think the goal scored by Boro on Sunday was like Barcelona at best. Not one individual but three world class passes. Downing and Breithwaite were superb as was the finishing by Tav.
One of the best goals I have seen for a while (Messi & Barcelona including). Up the Boro!
Except we are more like messy !
Having played a little bit,and done some coaching, and watched a lot of football,
I can’t for the life of me understand , why so many managers ,don’t seem to be able to adjust their game plan within a game.
It may be the fact they assemble a squad too same for same.
Isn’t it about winning the game in front of you.
If you are playing a team that bogs you down in midfielders, you should have in your squad two tall mobile centre forwards,so you can bypass the midfield, and force them to turn, today the Elite’s on the media turn their noses up to that type of play , however it worked in the past see. , Hughie Mclmoyle, Alan Peacock, would destroy some centre backs today.
It’s ok possesion ,but their has to be an end result, you could bring a Traori high up the middle and knock the ball through for him to run on to,instead of to feet facing his own goal. Lukaku is struggling because he likes to run onto the ball rather than facing his own team.
Maybe I’m not seeing the big picture, but I think if you assemble the right kind of squad,that can be used to it’s avantage ,you have a better chance of being successful ,
This league is very poor right now, and a canny manager will get you up.
Couldn’t have put it better
Let’s see what happens when Gestede is fit !
A year ago I visited Dorman’s Museum to view an exhibition entitled “From the Bob End”. As most of you will know the Bob End was the name affectionately given to the uncovered East End of Ayresome Park where the admission cost a bob or a shilling (10 pence in today’s currency) prior to the Second World War and well into the 1950’s. This exhibition ran for about ten weeks leading up to Christmas and was sub-titled “The Camsell Years”. It was packed with features of the Boro’s history including three football shirts given to Camsell, a red Wales shirt given to him by Welsh international Tom Griffiths, a white international one worn by Camsell, and a rare blue one worn by him in the controversial international against Germany in 1935 when the home team gave the Nazi salute, a game which many people wanted stopped. However, it passed without any further incident and England won 3-0 with Camsell scoring twice and thus maintaining his amazing record of 18 goals for England in 9 matches.
Of course the main feature was the 1926/27 season when Camsell scored 59 league goals in 37 matches and the lead up to that amazing season when he had been greatly helped by an alteration in the offside law which suited his quick acceleration and brilliant opportunism. The George Camsell actually began in the previous season when Boro, having made a good start and being top of the Second Division table after the first 13 matches with 20 points and with centre-forward Jimmy McClelland having scored 14 goals. Herbert Bamlett, the manager, decided to supplement the attack by signing George Camsell for £600 from Third Division Durham City. Suddenly McClelland hit a barren goal scoring spell, which sometimes happens to the best of strikers, and Boro lost 6 successive matches, although he recovered towards the end of the season finishing with 32 goals in 38 league appearances, but Boro still dropped down the league and only finished 9th, yet Camsell only played in 4 matches when McClelland was injured and never in the same team as him. Strangely, because Camsell hadn’t been able to usurp McClelland, Boro decided to place him on the transfer list for a cut price fee of £200. Barnsley appeared to be the only club interested in signing him but were unable to raise the finance, so when the retained list was compiled at the end of the season, Camsell’s name was on it.
Boro started the 1926/27 season badly, losing the first 3 matches and drawing the next one, what’s more McClelland didn’t score in any of them, so Camsell was selected for the 5th match which Boro won, although Camsell didn’t score. However, Boro then went on a winning streak of 9 of the next 10 matches with Camsell scoring 14 goals. After losing to Oldham Athletic in mid-November, Boro then went unbeaten for 21 matches (although typically, they lost away to Third Division Millwall in the 5th round of the FA Cup), and eventually accumulated 62 points, 8 more than runners-up Portsmouth, and scored 122 goals (still a record for the Second Division), Camsell scoring 59 of them in only 37 matches, including 4 against Swansea on 18th December and all 5 away to Manchester City on Christmas Day. The return fixture against City on Boxing Day saw Boro win 2-1 before a then record crowd of 43,754. Boro scored 5 or more goals in 10 league matches during that season and expectations were high for a good season back in the First Division.
1927/28 was the tightest season of all time; Everton were Champions with 53 points, Derby County finished 4th on 46 points, but Tottenham and Boro were both relegated with 38 and 37 points respectively. Boro went into the last match of the season at home to Sunderland who were bottom, needing a draw to avoid relegation, a draw which would also relegate Sunderland for the first time in their history. Boro had never been in the bottom two all season, but lost 0-3, went down, and Sunderland were safe. Camsell had scored 33 of Boro’s 81 goals.
Boro didn’t start the 1928/29 too badly, winning the first 2 matches, but had dropped to 7th place by early December, before losing only one of their next 13 matches which took them top, and that’s where they stayed. Going into the last match of the season and already assured of promotion, they were on equal points with Grimsby Town but had a superior goal average, so again a draw was needed to win the League. This time there was to be no mistake; Boro won 3-0 and Camsell scored twice bringing his league total to 30. Billy Pease scored 27 goals out of Boro’s total of 92.
Back in the First Division, Boro finished 16th in 1929/30, but the were never in danger of relegation. Camsell retired at the end of the 1938/39 season having lost his place to Mickey Fenton, with a total of 325 goals in 418 league appearances, and after missing his first penalty, never took one again. He later worked on the coaching and administration staff until retiring in 1963. He died three years later.
It’s amazing to think he might have been transferred less than a year after first signing for Boro, and at a third of the sum paid for him. It would seem that the then manager, having bought him, then decided he wasn’t going to make it, and that, after only 4 appearances. Shades of Karanka’s treatment of Jordan Rhodes? Or even Garry Monk’s of Patrick Bamford? Obviously nobody today has ever seen George Camsell play, but having heard so much about him from my grandfather, and also after visiting the “From the Bob End” exhibition last year, I am a great fan of his, and as November was the month of his birth, I felt obligated to share some of my thoughts of him on this forum during this international break.
For anyone interested in Boro’s history, past results, and League Tables visit https://www.11v11.com.
Thank you for that Ken.
Thanks for another jewel Ken. Just to note, a shilling’s modern equivalence is actually 5p in today’s money.
I was just thinking this morn about the calibur or not of British managers. Then Moyes gets the job at West Ham and we can’t identify a decent replacement if needed. Is it because they all go to the same FA coaching school and do the same badges in the same classrooms or is it coz they’re thick?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-sQSp5jbSQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Thanks to Pedro and Powmill. I originally had a bob as 5 pence, then altered it to 10. Of course, Powmill, you’re quite correct; my brain was completely addled.
Penny for them Ken ?
GT
I was always told to have the defenders facing their own net.
The goal from young Tavernier was a classic. We got a runner past their back four who pulled a ball back to our runner who could cut across their defender and poke it in.
It was as well worked gaol as you will see. If Man City had scored it with de Buyne, Aguerro and Silva involved MOTD would devote half an hour to it.
I devoted an hour and a half to it waiting for another one !
Just seen a replay of the goal for the first time and now appreciate even more the quality of the build and execution by Tavernier. Also true what Ian said.
Talking to a Mackem about the appointment of David Moyes as manager of West Ham.
He shares the confidence of Gold, Sullivan and Brady that Moyes will get West Ham out of the bottom three by the end of the season The sting in the tail was that it would be downward into the Championship.
Rather unkind methinks
My particular favourite came in the Guardian’s comment section by one particular poster who I think may have hit the nail on the head for many a Hammer: “Awesome decision, takes the uncertainty out of relegation.”
There’s more!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_2lGkEU4Xs&feature=youtube_gdata_player
And finally
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUwUp-D_VV0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
British managers – awesome!
I suppose you are getting at ticky tacky football and not tippy tappy then 🙄then
In reply to Ken’s point about the discussion by Shearer and Wright on MOTD about strikers not staying in their centre-forward position and instead coming to look for the ball – it may say more about how the coaches thinking has moved on since those two particular strikers were last playing. I don’t think centre-forwards would make the decision themselves to move into different positions if their manager insisted they stayed where their position deemed they should play.
It’s now the trend that the main striker is more than a player to get in the box and wait for service – perhaps this multi-tasking idea was born out of the necessity to outwit top-quality organised defences, but I suspect unless you have a top-quality striker with the versatility and ball skills to match then you end up diminishing the effectiveness of the player.
Since we see teams in the Championship regularly knocking in 3 or 4 goals, I suspect the defenders at this level are not equivalent to those we see in Champions League games where often the trends in top-level coaching filter down from. How many times do we hear that coaches of teams at a lower level are not satisfied that their players know how to play the system that the new breed of über-coaches have decided is the way forward.
My view is that unless you have the kind of players that normally don’t consider playing outside Champions League teams then you will always be disappointed that they can’t do the things that these fluid systems require. It’s fine if you have a front 3 or 4 who all have a great touch, pace, athleticism, movement and coolness in front of goal – they can interchange positions and break forward pretty seamlessly but that is not what the majority of forwards can do.
OK, it may come off occasionally, but the norm will be a centre-forward who rarely gets a decent chance during a game. We’ve seen Assombalonga will score if he gets a decent cross into the six-yard box but if he’s out wide he won’t deliver a decent cross for Downing to rise above the central defender to head home – it’s not going to happen so why persist with the myth that we have these players who can interchange and look comfortable in any of the forward positions.
I suspect keeping it simple is enough to get the desired results if you have good players for defined positions at the level we find ourselves at the moment.
Surely the best managers are the ones that know how to get the best out of the resources they have available to them; not the ones that try to force their ill-equipped resources to play to a one size fits all formation of the times.
For that which you are suggesting you require a certain level of independent thinking- not easy when you dont have a brain!
Think Psycho and his 12 player first team list that his Mrs had to question him over- duh!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSZxmZmBfnU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
And there’s more…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nauLgZISozs&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Leave it to the professionals!
You mean you need a brain to have the courage of your convictions to appear like iron man to your collection of little munchkins (players) and please the great wizard (SG) himself ….
When I mentioned earlier about big centre forwards, I didn’t mean like for like.
I meant having two big mobile , units playing at the same time on the field, knocking it up to them ,and others playing off them,the opposition would be frantic because one or the other would provide openings.
On another note,watching the game ,again we are in my opinion a lazy team,I say that because we are jogging five yards off , I would demand my team press tight and force mistakes, if you can’t ,you don’t play,
We have better players ,and if we have the ball more than the opposition, we should win most games.
Even the best teams in Europe are at it 100% of the time.
It is up to the man in charge to make it happen.
Ken, absolutely a belter about Camsel. Keep them coming, like.
Up the Boro!
GT
One of the charges levelled against Bilic was that his players didn’t work hard enough. They covered the lowest distance of teams in the top flight and made fewest intense sprints. There were questions about the training they were doing as well
The match after Ranieri left Leicester the players ran 15% further and made 20% more intensive sprints.
It takes two to tango so is it the players or the coaching team?
Irrelevant question, Ian. Because its ALWAYS about money.
Team unerperforming? Sack the coach and his coaching team coz its cheaper and easier to replace them than 11 players costing oodles of squillions. Bring in fresh managent crew and spin that wheel again.
Never the executives fault-they keep plush offices and quality volly vonts.
Wonder if AV & the Gazette posse are missing their previous arrangement with ‘benefits’!
🙂
Spartak
I was going to add another comment but the internet was cut off and is just back on.
I believe the comments about Bilic were released by West Ham, that begs the question of why they didn’t act earlier.
You are right, it is easier and cheaper to sack the manager, it always irks me when the players come out say they are to blame then bust a gut in the next couple of matches
Matchday Programmes, 2001/2, 2002/3 2003/4
When I first came back from Northern Ireland after retiring from the army and was finally able to have a season ticket (and will always keep) I used to buy a matchday programme for every home game until the 2003/4 season.
I have got the complete set for seasons 2001/2, 2002/3 and a handful of season 2003/4. Before I dispose of them would anyone like them or maybe some of them to complete their collection. They are in pristine condition, 2001/2, 2002/3 are in their own MFC binder.
Come on BORO.
Our next 4 games I think will confirm whether new Monk Boro are the real deal or if it was just a lucky run of fixtures at the right time in the right place. Leeds away then Birmingham at home are arguably following on in the same vein as those three wins on a bounce but if we won those two it would make 5 in a row and that despite the lowly opposition placings and Leeds being in turmoil creates momentum and growing belief.
The two following games however would then have real meaning and hopefully facing an in-form Boro bristling with confidence. Derby at home (who presently have a in hand) then Bristol away. Normally I would be of the opinion that if we drew at Leeds and Bristol they would be classed as good results (and in fairness they probably would be) but we need to make up for lost time so I’m hoping for more but also recognise that Boro going on a streak of 7 straight wins is probably unrealistic. If we did however it could have a Steam train effect on the Championship.
Very interesting and possibly a season defining next few weeks!
Following on from Ken’s fine article + his trip to the Dorman Museum, here’s an interesting site I stumbled upon :
http://www.riverteesrediscovered.org
There’s a piece in there about acoustic mirrors ~ there’s one in Redcar.
Could it be utilised to get inside information on the Boro ? Might take the heat off a certain ‘Original’ person digging around, or did he mean he was buying a round ? 🍺
WAKEY!WAKEY!
One of the most poignant reads of 2017 if not the last decade IMHO
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/nov/08/graham-potter-ostersund–europa-league-premier-league-clubs
Very interesting read Spartak, thank you. Not unlike the story of Wimbledon in the 80’s ?
An excellent read Spartak and very interesting, thank you. Someone who tales a risk appointing the man and doesn’t grab one of the usual unemployed hands waving from the whirlpool of unemployed managers.
Good for him I hope he makes the final.
UTB,
John
Re. The talk about managers(and strikers)
I think that having a very good striker does not mean that the manager can leave him to it.
He ( the manager) should know his scoring positions, and lay it on the line that he occupy that position when attacking.
What I mean by the above is the following.
If his stats show that ninety per cent of his goals come from the right hand corner of the six yard box, then that is where he should position himself every time.
It is not unknown for a striker to try to prove that he can score from any position even when the evidence shows the opposite.
We will not even mention the fool who grabs the ball for a penalty when he is more likely to injure a ball boy than score from the spot(this is a habit of dodgy strikers who desperately need the penalties to get their scoring averages up)
How many days left before Boro will play Leeds?
I feel bored already now. And there well over a week left. Up the Boro!
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/15649564.MIDDLESBROUGH___Adam_Clayton_will_be_needed__after_losing_his_place_says_Garry_Monk/
Redcar, I think you’re right, the next four games will give us a good idea whether or not we now have genuine momentum. Leeds and Birmingham are clearly opportunities for wins, but I concur that a point at Leeds is usually regarded as a good one.
If we win the next two games then the following two will look a little less challenging.
Nigel they are good tests. As you say Leeds and Birmingham are opportunities to keep the momentum and close the gap with those above us. The Derby and Bristol encounters are 6 pointers if such a thing can be claimed this early in the season!
Sitting 5th right now is great but Wednesday in 11th are only 3 points behind us so these next four games for me are really a defining point as to whether we really will mount a challenge or are just another top half Championship club hoping to sneak into the play offs.
These international breaks, are interesting ,what with all the crying for a winter shutdown,because the players are tired?
We hear of players jetting off on holiday to Dubia or wherever into the sun .
Now imagine you’ve booked up for this away to paradise, the day you leave to play in the game before the misses reminds you , not to be getting injured , or there’s hell on.
How much are some going to put in, now I’m not suggesting like?
Bottom line with big squads,if you lose one or two players,it shouldn’t effect.
International breaks should be scrapped and go back to how it used to be when clubs only had one sub yet managed full fixture lists on a Saturday. These days clubs have huge squads and it gives other players in the squad opportunities. The best clubs will of course complain because they have the best players and most of whom will be on International duty but they also correspondingly have the biggest and most expensive squads so should be able to cope.
Internationals can also be cut down by having the Peoples Republic of (insert Morovia/Mauritania/Uzbekistan etc.etc.) playing Lichtenstein in pre qualifiers to reduce the number of games and the amount of pointless dross fixtures much the same way as the FA Cup is today. It still gives minnows an opportunity but when you see Internationals being played with 8-0 score lines it becomes a farce.
Same applies to the Europa Cup and Champions League where the amount of games is just ridiculous and a complete turn off for me now. Once upon a time I used to get excited when the games were two leg affairs with only one club progressing now I can’t be bothered and as for clubs dropping into the Europa Cup well its just all wrong.
RR,
Remember when it was the European Cup and one team from each country, the Champions, entered. Now four teams from a country can get in and it’s called the Champions League. Oxymoron or what?
Cynical money grabbing and of no interest at all. Who instituted it all?
UTB,
John
For some reason I believe Mrs Werder has become a recent convert of international breaks – not sure why because she’s not overly interested in the national team. Anyway, got to go she’s passing me another to do list and it appears to be quite long…
Used to be great when after finishing the Saturday game , players were whisked away to their countries then they played on a Wednesday and back to their clubs on Thursday ready for the Saturday game. So no break !
Hamstrings and Metatarsals weren’t even invented in those days!
Dedication!
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41922973
I will look for flight tickets today if we can get reasonable priced tickets to Manchester in March. Me and my wife are planning to see three matches in a week’s holiday in Teesside.
At least something Boro related to do this week. Up the Boro!
Flights booked to and back from Manchester now. We will try to see the matches at Riverside against Leeds United and Barnsley during the week starting with Sunday March 4th. And Birmingham away midweek at 19:45.
Have to think about the away match – shall we stay overnight in Birmingham as on holiday or late arrival back in Boro. At this age overnight stay is more attractive, me thinks. I know what me wife thinks anyway.
We have never been to Birmingham before. Definitely much to see down there but we have only a week in the UK and we love Yorkshire, too. Perhaps a nice village with a B&B near Birmingham. We’ll rent a car anyway as the train is more expensive from and to Manchester. But let’s see.
Any proposals for a nice village near Birmingham? Or a must go to place in the city center? We like arts and museums but love country side. Cycling and photography our interests, too. But we will visit St. Andrew’s in the city center anyway …
The season is getting more exiting now when a visit to look forward to. Perhaps we have not been promoted yet in Match. Up the Boro!
Jarkko
I would stay in Warwick, plenty to do and see including a Castle and about 45 minutes drive to Birmingham’s ground. Arrive in the morning and spend the day looking around the place and then go to the game on the evening. Next day you can decide to explore further or head back north. The City of Birmingham itself is a bit soulless (in my opinion anyway).
Jarkko, I would suggest Stratford-on Avon is a good place to visit. Birth place of Shakespeare and all thta.
PS. Where can we rent decent bikes in Boro or Yarm if we choose to take the direct train from Manchester Airport to Teesside? Hybrids or mountain bikes with some gears – one for a lady and one for me.
The train stops at Yarm. If we need to rent the bikes from Boro, we can put them on a train to the B&B in Yarm.
Boring International break. So I try to motivate you to think 🙂 Up the Boro.
jarkko – I would stay in the centre of Birmingham, its a great city, plenty to see and do. Go to the Sea Life centre its fantastic.
Jarkko, I was at university in Birmingham many, many years ago. It was a great city then (despite what was said at the time in the press) and as Nigel says it remains great or perhaps greater today.
Good or Bad?
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41598153
Jarkko,
If staying in Birmingham, surely it has to be Woodgate Valley Country Park: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/wvcp
We’re in the last international break of the year and folks seem to be getting restless and bored. Well not me actually, as because I’m in serious need of R&R I’m off to Malta for a week, but back late on Saturday night so in time for the Leeds match, plus a week’s recording of the Road to Dubai season’s end to the European Golf Circuit to catch up with on my return. Sad, ain’t it, but I do also like my golf!
Anyway, following the two promotion seasons in the 1930’s during the Camsell era, I thought I’d skip almost half a century, and review the start of the Jack Charlton era which most of you will remember well. Stan Anderson had resigned in January 1972 following a shock FA Cup defeat against Plymouth Argyle with Boro in mid-table. Harold Shepherdson acted as caretaker manager for the rest of the season, and a flurry of late results when Boro won their final 4 matches saw Boro finish in 4th position, but 15 and 14 points respectively behind Champions Burnley and runners-up QPR. The highest home gate of the season had been 24,145 in the first match in August when Boro had beaten Sunderland 2-1 with a brace from Malcolm Smith, but gates had deteriorated to less than 8,000 by the season’s end.
Leeds United had been a very successful club in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, so when Jack Charlton was appointed manager there was a wave of optimism from most supporters. Before the players departed for their holidays, Charlton introduced himself, and before the 1973/74 start he assembled all the squad at Marton Country Club, and having viewed the last four matches of the previous season, he seemed unimpressed. He analysed each player’s strengths and weaknesses, and told them that he was starting with a clean slate.
The season started well with a win away to Portsmouth, but the following Saturday Boro lost at home to Fulham, but that was the last time they lost a home league match all season. Jack built his teams on defensive strength, but after beating Carlisle at home 1-0, they were finding goals hard to come by, and the next three matches were all goalless draws (shades of Karanka?). The 2-0 win over Bristol City, not only saw the home debut of Bobby Murdoch, but also Boro head the league table, a position they never relinquished for the rest of the season. The first 14 games of the season only produced 14 goals, but with only 7 conceded Boro had accumulated 29 points and crowds had risen to the dizzy heights of 22,000 plus.
Suddenly Boro started scoring goals, not in great quantities, but 14 in the next 6 matches. They were by now becoming very difficult to beat, even when facing First Division teams in the League Cup when they won away 1-0 to Manchester United (their first win at Old Trafford since January 1930) and when only losing in extra time in a home replay to Stoke City 1-2. Back in the League 23,980 attended an evening fixture with Preston North-End, not only in the hope of witnessing another win, but intrigued to compare the managing styles of the Charlton boys, Preston now being managed by Jack’s younger brother Bobby. Boro won 3-0, and Bobby resigned before the season’s end as Preston were relegated.
On Boxing Day, Boro’s largest league attendance for nearly seven years (37,030) saw Boro beat Sunderland 2-1 with a late winner from central defender Stuart Boam. Boro went on their merry way until surprisingly losing to Third Division Wrexham in the 4th Round of the FA Cup. Seven days later Boro lost their unbeaten league run of 24 matches to 6th placed Nottingham Forest 1-5. If the defeat was not quite a shock, the score line certainly was, and when Boro could only draw 0-0 at home to Blackpool a week later, some doubting Thomases might have had concerns that Boro would let their large points advantage over their challengers become minimal. No need to worry though, as Boro won their next 7 matches including successive 4-0 away wins at West Brom and Fulham, before securing the Championship on 30th March at 2nd place Luton Town. A week later Boro extended their winning sequence to 9 when a crowd of 27,823 welcomed home their conquering heroes as they beat Notts County 4-0, but a goalless home draw to Bolton followed by successive away defeats at Easter threatened to give the final two matches an anticlimactic feeling. Well, as we all now know Boro reserved their best result of the season by demolishing Sheffield Wednesday 8-0 which included a Souness hat-trick, and finally won away at Preston North-End 4-2.
Boro had only dropped 6 points at home, the defeat by Fulham and 4 draws, and until Easter had only lost once away, the 1-5 defeat at Forest. They only conceded 30 goals having kept 25 clean sheets, but three players scored more than ten league goals – Alan Foggon 19, David Mills and John Hickton 11 each. Stan Anderson had bought most of that Boro squad, and it was Jack Charlton that fine-tuned it, but the purchase of Bobby Murdoch from Celtic with his precise passing was the catalyst for the team’s increased scoring potential.
After promotion the two main criticisms were Charlton’s reluctance to spend money on new players, and the one that he himself admitted later, that he should have stayed a couple of more seasons, because with some fine acquisitions, Boro might have won some silverware.
Thanks for more memories Ken. That last Stan Anderson season was the first season ticket I had. To be precise it was half a season ticket that I shared with my younger brother. The following season, under Jackie Charlton I was a regular in the Holgate. Great, great memories of that season, and for me at least, the best Boro team of my years. It is sad that there was no one capable of building on the foundations that Charlton layed down.
Have a safe trip and enjoy your sojourn on Malta.
Ken
Thank you for a lovely reminder of a great season. In my view it was and still is Boro’s best as we really did dominate the league after many seasons of promising but failing to deliver.
The win at Fulham when the late great Bobby Moore made his debut along side Alan Mullery is one I still remember.
I also remember waiting outside Luton’s ground with masses of Boro supporters when a cab pulled up and out stepped Eric Morecambe. Eric was very gracious, happy to chat with us and wished us well and that what ever the outcome it was a good game, which of course it was for the thousands supporting the Boro.
The first season inthe first division was like a dream come true as we visited places like Anfield and White Hart lane and gave a good account of ourselves.
If my memory serves me correctly we finished seventh.
After that it was all down hill as we struggled to score and earned the tag of boring boring Boro. The team needed new blood but Jack could not or would not spend the money required. The only big name I can remember Jack purchasing was Phil Boersma from Liverpool but he failed to make an impact.
Nevertheless, a wonderful season for which I still believe the Boro did not receive the accolades it should have done as the media was very much biased toward the southern teams.
Jarkko
St Andrews is a bit of a hoof from the City Centre and it is not in the nicest part of the city.
A lot depends on what you want to do over here. If you are travelling by train, stay in Brum for the night, there is plenty to see during the day and wherever you stay you wont get chance to mooch about after the match in any case.
If you are renting a car that is a different matter, Warwick is easy to get to from the North East and is sort of on the way back to base the next day.
If you want to travel round on the way back there are loads of places to visit on the way such as a small diversion to Chatsworth near Bakewell or Hardwick Hall just off the M1 at junction 29.
GHW
Good or bad? Good in that some of the decisions would be put right.
The ‘offside’ goal for Sheffield United would have been shown to be correctly called offside ( I suspect some posters keep calling it suspect so they can knock the Boro). That would have stopped protests by SheffU fans but there again some Boro fans wont accept the officials got it right so may be not
A big grumble appears to be slowing the game down but as it is to be used where the game stops anyway it wont take any longer than the current surrounding of the ref.
Simon is probably chuntering away about the goal NI conceded last night.
I remember going to the QF match at Birmingham, just after those terrible bombings, great atmosphere at the game,but we all drank outside the pubs rather than inside.
Troubled times and a bad result after wupping them twice previous.
Jarkko,
Don’t rent a bike in Boro, it’s to far to peddle to Birmingham.
But seriously, I would stay in Stratford on Avon. Havnt been since I was a kid but it was a beautiful place.
City centre was a bit rough last I was there, it was 1979. And the first time I ever saw a black copper.
How times have changed. He wanted a “word” as we were street drinking.
Fortunately he let us off.
So behave yourself while your there.
I trust me wife will behave down there, OB. UTB!
To be or not to be?
That is the question ?
Old Billy
Stratford is very scenic near the river and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Last time I was there we went to watch a comedy which meant we left to drive back to Derby and got back just in time for the televised match against Sheffield United so I didn’t get chance to look around the rest of the town.
The problem is that it is the wrong side of Brum from St Andrews, Warwick is better from that point of view but is still the wrong way.
Personally, if I was Jarkko, I would be tempted to go down by train and have a gander round Brum, some lovely walks along the canals with eating places. Watch the match, stay over and come up the next morning. You could even drive and stop off at some of the places en route I mentioned earlier and park up overnight.
I doubt that I’ll be watching, but I hope the moronic booing of the oppositions national anthem by certain sections of the In-ger-lund support is put to one side, on this weekend of Remembrance. It’s become the norm I’m afraid, and it’s something I find particularly cringeworthy.
I see both sides are wearing black armbands with a poppy emblem as a mark of respect, but no doubt that won’t register with some idiots and the “10 German Bombers” chant will be to the fore once again. Hilarious!
By all means vent your spleen during the game, I certainly do, but show some respect before a ball is kicked.
FAA
I hope you watched because it was truly moving.
Members of both armed armed forces laying wreaths, both sets of fans behaving with due decorum, poppies displayed on both sides.
Ian
I didn’t see it, was out and about doing “stuff”. Very happy to hear it was observed with the respect that the occasion deserves. Well done to those in attendance.
Thank you very much for all the suggestions concerning our visit to B’ham. I will copy and paste them for the planning period during the long dark winter nights. Planning is part of the trip already!
Ken, we all love the Charlton era. I still keep in touch with Jim Platt and it was quite recently that he commented about the time in the first division while Big Jack was around. ” If only he had invested in a good goal scorer …” Well, we all know that now.
A great team and era. Up the Boro!
Jarkko,
When you are in Birmingham and if you have time The Black Country Museum in Dudley is well worth a visit too.
UTB,
John
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41902664 Bit about ex Boro lad in Sweden.
Very moving poem written by schoolchildren on the Boro website in memory of Private Duckworth who was killed in the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917. To the other 15 soldiers buried in military graves in Eston Cemetery –
R.I.P. Lest we forget, at the going down of the sun we will remember them.
In this morose like International break where real football has seemingly fallen into a black hole of indeterminable length and depth of sensory deprivation (to be replaced only by faux friendlies whose meaningless and total lack of interest extends beyond anything a legal prescription could remotely alleviate from) it was good to see Randolph looking world class and Christie having a decent game last night for the ROI in Copenhagen.
Whilst Hammer fans must have managed a chuckle or three at getting serious money for Fletcher out of SG’s pocket, watching Randolph and knowing they switched him for Joe Hart must bring tears of despair to their eyes in their present plight. Two Keepers, one over-hyped for most of his career whilst the other seemingly under the radar for some bizarre reason but if I thought Boro would swap Randolph for Hart it would literally induce a heart attack. Only three weeks separates them in age but I see Randolph’s stock likely increasing whilst Hart’s career seems to be on a sad, slow decline.
Didn’t realise there was only three weeks between Randolph amd Hart in age.
Randolph was born 12 May 1987 and Hart 19 Apr 1987 (both age 30) so we have the slightly newer (but much better) model 🙂
How times fly by! During my first visits down the years I met TC at Ayresome Park. Terry Cochrane looked much older than me (he is eight years older than me). Then some of the players started to be my age exactly. Then they become a bit younger – then more and more younger.
Even the manager now is nearly 20 years younger than me. So just an inexperienced lad!
Now RR tells me that our experienced goalkeeper is only just a year older than my oldest daughter. In the past three matches we have had a chap playing in the first team who was born seven years later than the youngest of my three children.
When this will end up? I know Ken has gone all through these and more.
I just wonder how can I wait until Sunday and the match at Leeds.
Up the Boro!
In a few weeks I’m getting taken to Battersea. Any suggestions as to where I should go ? 🐾🐾🐕
Kennelworth?
Balldock?
Smallbone?
Dishforth?
Barking?
I’d take OFB’s lead, go walkies down to the bus station to catch the last greyhound to Houndsditch and I’m sure you will come home well at heel and with a good tail to tell.
As I’m in serious need of R&R after not too good a year health wise, I’ve spent the day sitting in the warm sunshine here in St. Julian’s Bay in Malta reading and contemplating about the Boro and reliving, or should I say revising, on the subject of the Boro and goals, goals and more goals. Several records exist about the Boro and its players, some direct and some with a more tenuous connection, some of which most of you know, but some perhaps you don’t. So here is a pot-pourri of goal records.
I recently wrote about George Camsell, and as a final thought about his career let me unearth his achievements. We all know that he scored 59 league goals during the 1926/27 season, but that included 9 hat tricks, a record that has never been equalled in English football, and is never likely to be either.
Much was made of Jamie Vardy’s record of scoring in 11 Premier League matches two seasons ago, but George Camsell scored in 12 consecutive matches in the 1926/27 season only to be beaten by Tom Phillipson for Wolves later that same season with 13. Camsell actually scored 82 goals in all matches in that record breaking season, which unfortunately was broken by Dixie Dean the following season with a total of 95 including 60 in league matches.
In total Camsell scored 348 league goals in his career (22 for Durham City, 326 for Boro), just behind Boro’s Steve Bloomer (1892 to 1914) with 352 (291 in two spells with Derby County, 61 for Boro), although a long way behind Arthur Rowley’s record of 434 league goals from 1947 to 1965.
Incidentally, Boro’s haul of 122 league goals in 1926/27 broke the record for league goals scored in a season by any club at that time.
Another record that Boro held was that of being the first English club to have three players recording hat tricks in the same match – Jackie Carr, George Elliott and Walter Tinsley in a 9-3 FA Cup win against Goole Town in 1915. This record was not broken until 1960 when Les Allen with 5, Lingdale’s own Bobby Smith 4, and Cliff Jones all scored for Spurs in a 13-2 FA Cup replay against Crewe Alexandra.
What about Brian Clough? Well, he held a record of being the only player to be the Second Division’s leading scorer in three consecutive seasons (40 in 1957/58, 42 in 1958/59, and 39 in 1959/60). During that time he also scored all 5 goals whilst playing in the Football League’s 5-0 win against the Irish League in Belfast on 23rd September, 1959.
John Hickton also deserves a mention for being the Second Division’s leading scorer three seasons in four (24 in 1967/68, 24 in 1969/70, and 25 in 1970/71).
Nick Barmby has the distinction of scoring for 6 different Premier League clubs – Spurs, Boro, Everton, Liverpool, Leeds and Hull City. Only Craig Bellamy can beat that by scoring for 7 Premier League clubs.
Now for a record we don’t want; Bobby Stuart, who I have actually seen play, holds the record for the number of own goals in a season – 5 in 1934/35.
Now some records with a tenuous Boro connection; Charlie Wayman who played for Boro in 1954/55 was one of only twelve players to have scored in every Round of the FA Cup including the Final, for Preston in the previous season. And Bryan Robson holds the record for the quickest World Cup goal for England in 27 seconds against France in Bilbao on 16th July 1982; the great Tommy Lawton is reputed to have scored in 17 seconds for England in its first match against Portugal, a 10-0 win in Lisbon in 1947.
Straying away from the Boro, our near neighbours Hartlepool hold several scoring records, for and against. In the old 4th Division they hold the record for the joint highest scores – Hartlepool 10-1 against Barrow on 4th April 1959, and Wrexham 10-1 against Hartlepool on 3rd April 1962. They also share the new 2nd Division record for the highest scores – Hartlepool 1-8 at home to Plymouth Argyle on 7th May 1994, and Hartlepool 8-1 against Grimsby Town on 12th September 2003. Hartlepool also hold the longest non scoring record of 11 successive matches in 1992/93.
Some other scoring records I have unearthed :-
The highest away win in the old First Division is Newcastle 1, Sunderland 9 (lncluding 8 goals in 28 minutes). That occurred on 5th December 1908, and incredibly Newcastle went on to be Champions with 53 points, Sunderland finishing third with 44.
Len Shackleton scored 6 for Newcastle on his debut in a 13-4 win against Newport County on 4th October 1946. He later played for Sunderland.
I remember Dennis Law scoring 6 for Manchester City in a FA Cup match away to Luton Town on 28th January 1961, but the match was abandoned after 69 minutes with City leading 6-2 because of a waterlogged pitch and the scoring feat extinguished from the records. What was galling for Law and his club, was that despite his scoring when the match was played again, City lost 3-1.
Writing about Manchester City, I also remember that they are the only club to have scored and conceded a century of goals in the same season. That was 1957/58 when they finished 5th having scored 104 but conceded 100.
Finally, many of you may recall the story of 149 own goals as recently as 31st October 2002. The Champions of Malagasy (formerly Madagascar) won a league match 149-0, all own goals scored by their opponents Stade Olympique De L’Emryne who repeatedly put the ball into their own net in protest at a referee decision. I wonder whether OFB would have abandoned the match in his refereeing days?
This is getting me down , the international break again , something has to be done , it’s ridiculous . Here we are for two bloody weeks , twiddling our thumbs , scouring the media for Boro news but getting same old same old. Surely the management and fit players must be bored as well. The big wigs of FIFA really need to to consider alternatives to this most boring time. It is so frustrating . Boro were on a roll and now it is wait wait wait….grr..grr…but of course it is the same for other clubs..in the world of football time for a massive rethink.
I’m afraid it is what it is, accept it because it will only change if Boro are relegated, then international breaks may not affect us. But surely you wouldn’t want relegation, would you?
Hi Ken , thanks for your comment and your many great posts. You are correct in what you say , we will have to accept what it is. Which is a shame. But yes , no way do I want relegation for the club. Looking forward to next Sunday against Leeds . Hurry up please !
Ken – thanks for more great stats and stuff.
Jarkko – head to Warwick Castle if you get the chance. As well as being an interesting day out in its own right, they do ice skating there in the winter.
Had Big Jack signed a striker at the key moment in the 1970s, does anyone know whom would have been the best bet? Who was playing at the time who would have best fitted in with our way of playing and would have tolerated Jack’s management style?
Who did the fans want us to sign? There may be two very different answers to these questions..
He wanted to sign Malcolm McDonald from Newcastle
If Big Jack was after Malcolm – didn’t he end up in Arsenal instead of – wasn’t there plan a plan B? Typical Boro and all that!
So there years under Big Jack and Karanka were more similar in a way than we think of. Typical Boro. Still, up the Boro!
He also tried for Paul Mariner who played for Ipswich
Boro wanted to spend more money on the social club apparently rather than players
Would MacDonald have been a good fit with the way we played?
Yes he would have replaced John Hickton amd we still had Armstrong and Souness to provide through balls
Murdoch had retired and Mills went to Sheffield a Wednesday for £500k+ which was a record transfer fee
Newcastle has signed McDonald for £180k from Luton so we had the money to buy him
A prolific scorer who couldn’t be knocked off the ball
Big Jack also had the opportunity to sign Paul Mariner at the time and didn’t go for it. Mariner went to Ipswich.
The missing piece that may have won us the title passed up!!
And had Karanka signed a proper player for the nr 10 slot and if Ayala had been fit.
Perhaps we need to look at the club and not the managers? UTB!
OFB
I thought Mills went to West Brom
Yes my mistake he went to WBA them Newcastle them Sheff Wed
His son went to school with my lads and when I talked to him I know he had a huge place at Sheffield which threw me !
I still see him at Boro for a chat now and then he’s Leicester’s chief scout
Big Jack was with us in 1973–1977.
As Ian said, in 1979, Ron Atkinson paid £516,000 to take Mills to West Bromwich Albion, breaking the English transfer record and making Mills Britain’s first half million pound footballer.
So seeing Mariner or McDonald alongside Mills would have been mouth watering with had Armstrong and Souness to provide through balls as OFB said.
Still gutted. Up the Boro!
OFB
The 300 is yours, well done.
Italy out of World Cup finals
Come on BORO.
With eight no shows from Gareth’s original England squad you would hope that the suits at the FA would hear the sound of the singular penny dropping at Lancaster Gate. An International break for what exactly? A two week midweek cessation of domestic games is all that is required to allow Internationals to be played on Tuesday/Wednesday’s surely. The qualifications are regionalised to reduce ridiculous travelling distances and as for these “get togethers” helping International Managers they are not of much use if your Internationals are at home with their feet up supposedly receiving “treatment”.
Now I haven’t got a gripe about players pulling out of squads for pointless meaningless friendlies as lets face it there are enough games at Championship level alone. If your club is in Europe we know from our own brief sojourn a decade ago what effect that can have on your domestic form. Throw in qualifiers against sheep farmers and mass whale bludgeoners from the North Atlantic or newly discovered/created tinpot regimes from the bowels of Central Eastern Europe and you have the perfect recipe for overload.
Those of us from a certain vintage can remember an era when you could virtually pick the England team with say 13 or 14 Players nailed on and that included the reserve Keeper (same goes for Scotland, Wales and Norn Iron). Replacements where few and far between and any that were was mainly down to “temporary” loss of form (more than likely induced by 72 hour binges with booze and Playboy bunnies) yet Gareth’s brief stint has already seen him give 13 debut’s in as many games!
If the “capacity” (the obligatory ITV comment despite swathes of red plastic on display in the upper echelons) Wembley crowd tonight start singing “who are you” its like as not to be not aimed at the visiting Brazil side but the England team. The exclusive sarcasm normally reserved for the chant removed by genuine confusion over who exactly are the England Players and who the heck do they play for (or more likely loaned out to), or sit on the bench for.
None of the above is a reflection on Gareth and is merely the situation that greed at the top of the game has dragged the sport down to. What was once considered the pinnacle of your footballing career is now derided as an inconvenience by players and a nuisance by the fans. After JT’s departure I read last week that Chelsea’s longest-serving professional player is now Goalkeeper Matej Delac. He has been loaned out nine times and has never yet made a competitive appearance for the Club, his first start will likely be his testimonial. The game we love is spiralling into becoming a farce with tonight’s supposed “International” against “The Selecao” plumbing new depths.
Gareth not for the first time in his relatively short managerial career can only work with the hand that he has been dealt. In fairness to him he is boldly and bravely pushing ahead with youth. Who knows, after 50 plus years of abject failure perhaps hungry enthusiasm may achieve more than celebrity ladened egos did or didn’t more to the point?
RR, I see your point. But the situation is totally different in ice hockey. There are the big teams like Canada, USA, Russia, Sweden, Finland and Czech Republic. Then some minor countries like Germany, Switzerland, France, Slovakia etc.
The best players play in the National Hockey League in USA and Canada. Canada is like Brazil – the country everyone wants to play against.
When they have the World Champioships annually, the NHL is still in the play-off stage. So the situation is that all the best players are away from the World Champioship and especially USA and Canada come with B teams.
Traditionally the NHL is stopped for the Olympics and winning the Olympic Gold medal is the biggest thing a player can win in ice hockey. But not in Korea next year – the NHL has now refused to release the players for the tournamet. So the USA and Canada come with B teams and Finland won’t get their top players from NHL, either.
I additions to above our Finnish hockey league is still closed this week for a friendly tournaments when various national teams are preparing for the Olympics. So the sport has the international breaks in the domestic leagues but won’t see any quolifiers nor the top players at the Olympics nor World Championships.
I think both the club football and national football are needed. But I don’t think the national team is not seen so negatively versus club football in the rest of the Europe. Here we also want to give the national team coach some time to develop his team.
Personally I prefer Boro over international football, but I think I am an exception. Up the Boro!
There is certainly a case when playoff stages are reached for World Cup qualification, and indeed for European Nations Cup playoff qualification, that at least Championship fixtures should be scheduled leaving clubs affected having the option to postpone matches if 2 or more of their squad are selected. I’m not sure how this would affect the Boro though; would we be prepared to fulfill a League fixture in those circumstances?
I doubt Boro would fancy a game without Christie, Randolph and Braithwaite being present and as fans I think we would be outraged at the thought. Why do we have all these “Play Offs”? What was wrong previously when we had groups of 5 or six nations and the top two went through full stop? The draw for the groups are seeded so in theory the top sides should qualify with the likes of a ROI, Wales, Denmark, Iceland or Norway just as examples of maybe spoiling the party because of a batch of decent players all coming through at the same time.
It would be better to have a knock out pre qualification for teams that are seeded below a certain level to weed out the excessive games and then just get on with the group games. Top two qualify with Goal Difference splitting them and then Goals Scored. Why oh why did the powers that be have to complicate something.
In a simple word
MONEY
TV
Advertising
Sponsorship Marketing
Punters
Redcar Red, think of the revenue that these playoff games generate and you have the answer to your last sentence.
Come on BORO.
Sadly absolutely right Exmil but at what cost elsewhere? When we play Birmingham on Tuesday night instead of say last Saturday afternoon how many travelling fans will Birmingham bring versus what they would have brought on a Weekend fixture. Likewise for the home fans, school nights and kids missing out then multiply that across the various leagues and divisions right across Europe.
I won’t speculate as to how much the play offs actually bring in with TV, sponsorship etc. and where it all goes to and how much reaches the Clubs who ultimately are the bread and butter of footballs very existence but I think its a myopic fiscal policy. At least the big wigs are consistent, I’ll give them that!
I will fly in to the Tuesday match at Birmingham! But mainly to see three matches inside 8 days in the UK and just five days off work.
But I agree about play-offs. In ice hockey (again, I hear you say), they play about 100 matches first and the team at top can finish last in play-offs. Like the play-offs in the Championship promotions race – except they play for National championship. Not fair I say.
Up the Boro!
Do I want Braithwaite to play tonight ?
1. Yes, because I would like him to get some game time, get a cap and feel he is back in the international squad. Which, in turn, would want him to play better more consistently to be in Denmark’s starting 11.
2. No, because of the risk of injury, especially if it came about by one of our own players.
Who would I like to win tonight ? Normally I would not be bothered but tonight I want Ireland to go through, as I would prefer two players being elated and spending the rest of this season trying to earn their place in the World Cup finals and Braithwaite out to show his international manager “look what you could have had”.
Come on BORO.
I don’t want any of the three of them to get beat but more importantly I don’t want any of them injured.
Best outcome I think is for the ROI to win (more British teams players so greater interest come the finals) and Braithwaite not playing tonight so at least he can feel aggrieved at not being given an opportunity and then goes on to rip this League apart starting at Elland Road on Sunday. Besides Braithwaite is just feeling his way back after a long lay off so Cotton Wool is my preference for tonight.
Christie is suspended for us on Sunday so these two testing games will have been a more than adequate run out for his fitness levels. Hope Randolph puts in another spectacular performance as it will boost his confidence (and that of our back line no doubt watching on), Boro fans and make forthcoming opposition Managers and players wince. If Randolph performs heroics again that is a massive psychological boost for us and himself of course.
So Randolph saves two certain goals then a penalty, with Christie bursting through in the 92nd minute to score the winner with poor Braithwaite sat in the stands watching on.
Jarkko
We play Birmingham a week tomorrow (22nd Nov) at the Riverside. The game in Birmingham is 6th March. I’m sure you know that but I wouldn’t want you booking flights and hotels only to find you are at the wrong ground 😉
Its just that the recent talk of Warwick Castle etc. and the proximity of the following three fixtures got me thinking that maybe you had made a mistake. I’m sure you haven’t and it is indeed the March fixtures you are planning for but just in case I thought I had better point out the obvious!
No worry, we fly in in March 2018 when Boro play first Leeds at home, then at Brum on Tue and next Barnsley at Riverside.
Up the Boro!
Like everyone else I miss football news, and in particularly Boro news, during these international breaks. That’s why I tend to delve into statistics and historical seasons on this forum to give some bloggers something to muse over. I realise that most Boro fans have little interest in Boro’s history, but as long as one or two appreciate my contributions, I am happy to do so when time permits, and as I’m more or less stuck indoors in my hotel because of the rain here in Malta I find it helps pass the time.
As you all know I’ve been a Boro fan for over 70 years, but my second favourite club have been our near neighbours Hartlepool United, who were formerly known in the plural as Hartlepools United presumably because it embraced the regions of Hart, Hartlepool and West Hartlepool, once referred to amusingly during the Second World War by the BBC after a bombing raid as British West Hartlepool. The football club have had a chequered career holding the unenviable record of having had to apply for reelection to the Football League 14 times after finishing bottom of the old Third Division North. This system was discontinued in 1987.
Since the Second World War Hartlepool’s highest position in the league had been 9th in the 1951/52 season, but suddenly with Fred Westgarth as manager, they started to be actually winning more matches than losing in the mid 1950’s. They finished 5th in 1954/55 with 55 points admittedly 10 points behind Champions Barnsley, and 4th in 1955/56 with 57 points, but 11 points behind Champions Grimsby Town. However, this was almost untold territory for Pools. Remember in those days only the Champions of the Third Divisions North and South were promoted to the Second Division, so when the following season they won 10 and drew one of their first 12 matches and had reached 1st position, hopes were high that they might join Boro in the Second Division the following season. The two clubs had never met in a competitive match at that time, and in fact have only done so since in the Football League Cup two-legged tie in 1986.
Pools lost the 13th match, but won the next 3 including a home win over Derby County 2-1 on 6th October and were still top, but eventually they finished the season in 2nd place with 59 points and only 4 behind Derby. Their home record was quite impressive, losing only once to Halifax Town, drawing 4 times and winning 18 matches, but taking only 19 points from their 23 away matches had been their downfall. However, the highlight of the season was the 3rd Round FA Cup match against the Busby Babes of Manchester United on 5th January when 17,264 filled the Victoria Ground. In those days the First Division teams didn’t rest their star players for Cup matches and the United team that day included 7 England international players and one from the Republic of Ireland, viz:- Ray Wood; Bill Foulkes, Roger Byrne; Eddie Colman, Mark Jones, Duncan Edwards; Johnny Berry, Liam Whelan, Tommy Taylor, Dennis Viollet, David Pegg.
Pools were two goals down after ten minutes through Whelan and Berry, and when Taylor added a third before the 30th minute, the expected rout was on the cards. However, by the 65th minute Pools had drawn level with goals from Frank Stamper, Ken Johnson and Jackie Newton, and should have taken the lead soon afterwards. Unfortunately Liam Whelan scored the winner with 11 minutes remaining to win the match 4-3. United fans would say that they eased off after taking a 3-0 lead, but try telling that to the home fans!
If there is such a thing as a glorious defeat, then that was it. United reached the FA Cup Final that season eventually losing to Aston Villa 2-1; they also reached the semifinal of the European Cup losing to Real Madrid 5-3 on aggregate. Sadly seven of that team that beat Pools lost their lives the following year in the Munich Air Disaster.
Hartlepool reverted to type the next season finishing 17th. They did gain promotion in 1967/68 but were relegated the next season, and were promoted again along with Darlington in 1990/91 and enjoyed several years in the third tier, almost getting to the Championship in 2005 when they led Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at the Millennium Stadium with eight minutes remaining, only to concede a penalty and eventually lose 4-2 in extra time.
It is sad to see Pools now in the National League, but wouldn’t it be great to see a double promotion celebration for them and Boro at the end of this season!
I still hear people refer to British West Hartlepool, in 2017.
Ken
I also looked for the results of Darlo as well, another team with a history of struggling.
As we have talked about scheduling football matches I thought it a good time to mention cricket. The first Ashes test looms and the England management team have got something right.
The first test in Australia is held in hot and sticky Brisbane up in Queensland . The Australian cricket board likes visiting teams to play their warm up matches several hours flight to the south, Ideally in Tasmania. There is nearly a three hour flight difference and normally at least two pullovers difference in temperature.
The England management team ‘arranged the final warm up to the north of Brisbane in Townsville.
Historiically, if England prepare in suitable conditions, they stand a chance of a draw. If they don’t they lose.
Funnily enough Ian, I was talking to three Australians only yesterday on holiday here in Malta and discussed the Ashes Tests. They actually happened to be from Brisbane but wouldn’t be home for the 1st Test. They seemed to think the series would be fairly tight, but I had my doubts without Ben Stokes being available.
Ken, I did not know there were three. Hart, Hartlepool and West Hartlepool – I have visited only the last two places. Fist time in 1986 when Boro played their home match over there and last year on holiday. But I never realized there was a place called Hart, too. Now I understand the new crest better (note for Dormo!).
My second favourite club is Darlo as I paid a visit to a match in 1980 with my pen pal who was living in Darlington but supporting Boro. Since 1986 I have started to follow Pools, too as well. I don’t see them as rivals because of the (minimum) two divisions there has been between Boro and the two now non-league clubs during my memory time. I even checked their results on Saturday night the last time.
Thank you, Ken. Appreciated. But how can you have all this info away in Malta – you cannot remember all these numbers! Up the Boro!
I can remember the events and when they occurred, but have to refer sometimes to my Annual Nationwide Football Annual for details. In its different guises from being the Empire News Annual, and then The News of the World Annual, I have this handbook for every season from 1956/57 to date where I record all English and Scottish League results every week. I remember the Hartlepool v Manchester United match so well as if it was only ten years ago, but the league results I got from Wikipedia, although I do remember a lot of the Pools players, such as the goalscorers and the likes of Watty Moore, Ken Waugh, Tommy McGuigan, Eric Wildon and George Luke.
I have a short photographic memory where football results (and Rugby League results) are concerned, for once I have recorded them in my pocket annual, I can remember all the results (not the scorers though) for a couple of days. For some strange reason, I can still remember the names of the 1948 Manchester United FA Cup winning team (possibly because I was allocated them as my team in the Redcar Subbuteo Table Soccer League when I was young), but sadly sometimes I can’t remember what I was doing last week. I lack a short time memory, though not a long term one.
The 1940s and 1950s was my era I suppose, because as a child I was more fanatical about football in general than I am now. In those days when Boro were playing away, I would watch whichever Redcar teams were playing at home, be it Albion, Crusaders or Park Rangers. I do watch Match of the Day, but rarely any live matches on television unless it’s Boro or Pools, but still have this fondness for results and statistics. I suppose that makes me an anorakic geek. Sad really!
Maybe the answer for World Cup qualification is to have a continental knock-out competition in the blank summer before.
If Europe has 8 places for the World Cup, maybe 8 knockout competitions could be held with the seeded team as hosts for each competition. I’m not sure how many nations in Europe have a national team but presumably you could take the highest ranked 32 teams, put them in 8 competitions with a semi and final win needed to qualify. Boom – qualifiers competed in a week.
Or maybe just make the Euro’s a into qualifiers for the World Cup: Euro quarter-finalists qualify for the World Cup.
Having said that, I think Europe gets more than 8 World Cup places. Nevertheless, if there was a real appetite for removing international breaks and cutting down on meaningless games, it’s wouldn’t be difficult.
As only eight teams have ever won the World Cup in almost 90 years we could cut it down even quicker by simply inviting Brazil, Italy, Germany, Argentina, Uruguay, France, Spain and England to a host Country somewhere with acceptable infrastructure, security, stadia and climate.
Give the host country a free place then hold a preliminary knock out competition for another 5 sides to join them, one from the Far East, one from the Americas, two from Europe and one from Africa/Mid East. If the Finals are hosted in Europe for example then only give Europe one place and the Americas two spots and vice versa.
Thereby the “Finals” would consist of eight games, down to four games then the Semis and the Final itself. The likelihood is of course that one of the first four above named countries will win it in any case, Italy excepted of course this time around meaning perm one from three. The most games any country would play is 4 games including the Final (preliminary knock out stages aside) so kick off on a Saturday, play again Tuesday, Semi’s on Friday and Final on the Sunday, one week and its sorted done and dusted.
Same format could be done for the Champions League, the Premiership, the FA Cup the Scottish…..oh hang on a minute may as well throw the Baseball world series in where everyone has to play to meet the Yankees in the final and same for Ice Hockey and Canada.
Level playing fields, yer jokin arn’t yer, in fact the Championship is probably one of the few sporting competitions where even the Bookies don’t have a clue who will win. Just a shame it has to be disrupted every few months for the greed is good brigade.
Actually as the English Championship can now be regarded as one of the major European Leagues, should it now be reduced to 20 clubs, or even more radically the Premier League and Championship to 18 each the same as Germany and with perhaps a winter break? I can already hear the reaction from bloggers on this forum!
Sadly FIFA nor EUAFA would allow it. There are now 54 National teams in Europe plus Israel for political reasons. Yugoslavia is now broken into 6 separate countries plus Kosovo, the former USSR is now split into 8 separate countries, Czechoslovakia into 2 countries, plus we now have Gibraltar affiliated. That is at least 14 more European Affiliated Associations in the past 20 years or so. If Spain becomes fragmented we may have new National Associations for Andalucia, Basque, Catalonia and Galicia to contend with, and even Greenland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man; future European Nations Championships could involve up to 60 National teams, who knows where it will end!
The only solution I can see would be to have a separate World Cup for say about 16 smaller affiliated nations, thus giving one of these minnows the glory of winning some silverware, but I doubt it will ever happen.
At the moment there will be 32 countries participating in the 2018 World Cup, including 13 (plus Russia as the Home Country) from Europe, 4 or 5 from South America (Peru face a playoff match against New Zealand), 5 from Africa, 4 or 5 from Asia depending on playoffs, and 4 from CONCAF (North America, Central America and the Caribbean). There even is a suggestion that might increase to 48 by 2022.
Jarkko
Re your trip to UK 2018. I am sure you have already factored into your planning the possibility that the matches you are intending to attend could be switched if Sky schedule them for live TV games.
Sky now appear to be giving at least a month’s notice as to which matches have been chosen for TV so you should be able to adjust your plans in the event that it impacts any of the Boro games you will be attending.
KP, good point. If I pay an extra 50 € I can change my flight. Of course I pray for no changes in dates like Boro vs. Leeds on Friday. Or Boro vs. Barnsley moved to Sunday.
The latter one is quite unlikely but of course the Leeds match is the tricky one. Friday not very welcome but an early kick-off Saturday will do.
The TV companies do not care if somebody needs to apply for a holiday and buy flight tickets well in advance, do they?
Up the Boro!
It looks like England will be the only one of the home countries in the World Cup (I include Eire in that because so many play in England). A real shame because the fans add so much to a tournament
A question, England start their campaign, go in to a pub in Glasgow, Dublin, Belfast or Cardiff, how many will be supporting England?
Er, less than one?
Ken
Can you be more specific?
🙂
I wouldn’t pick any of our players who’ve been away on international,this game, especially the Irish lads,
They need to recover fully! And get their heads focused again.
…… are we there yet?
Or dear, Christie scoring an own goal and Randolph conceding five at home. I never saw that coming. Really sorry for the two lads.
Let’s hope Breithwaith will get in to World Cup team by playing well for Boro. A promotion will be a nice on his CV before the tournament!
Up the Boro!
Christie was unfortunate last night as he cleared the ball off his goal line then it rebounded off his other leg and post into the net. Had he been out in the RB slot defending instead of on the goal line he possibly would have done a better job defending than Harry Arter did who failed to stop the cross in the first instance.
Denmark where by far the better team and the Irish team looked disorganised, tired and disjointed and that was only after fifteen minutes. Truth is the Irish were too old in many cases and just not good enough generally, they had no talismanic player, someone who could beat a man and change the game. Fischer and Braithwaite didn’t get a game for the Danes and both of them would have walked into the Irish side. Christie was the only player in green who had any confident ability to beat a man and it showed.
Christie aside the rest of the Irish defence was atrocious and shambolic, the midfield were totally disconnected from both the defence and attack. Tactically it was awful and MON looked on bereft of any ideas on how to switch things. His introduction at half time of McGeady and Hoolihan for the equally poor Arter and Meyler backfired badly and instead created mayhem and was the turning point in the game as McGeady kept giving the ball away to the Danes rather than playing a simple possession retaining pass. As bad as he was arguably Ward at the back was even worse. Based on that I wouldn’t have MON anywhere near the Riverside, tactically out dated and out thought. Stood in the technical area he reminded me of that bloke that turns up at a wedding reception in a brown check suit, huge wide lapels, flares, mustard shirt with a kipper tie and a perm (probably most of us on here to be fair).
Randolph had pulled off some brilliant saves to keep the Irish in it but could do nothing with the goals that were conceded due to awful incompetent defending in front of him allowing the Danes to run straight through and shoot without pressure. The Irish parted quicker than the Red Sea. For a few of the goals the Irish just stood back and gave them Bob Geldof’s recently returned the freedom of Dublin. The fifth was a stupid frustrated penalty due to a reckless challenge.
Letting in five goals looks bad yet Randolph was the Irish Man of the Match. Most of that Irish side won’t be seen again on the International stage and I doubt O’Neil will stick around either. Time for the ROI to bring in youth and build for the future in much the same way Gareth is now seemingly doing for England. On the positive Randolph and Christie will be part of that Irish future, in fact its likely to be built around them.
On a side note I thought the Danes Hummel shirts looked smart, hint, hint!
I did not see our ex-player Viktor Fischer in the Danish team sheet last night. When he signed from Ajax, I really hoped he could become our own Eriksen. How wrong I was, this project never even reached the level of Emnes.
I know Viktor plays as an attacking midfielder for German club Mainz 05. Does anyone know if he has played there regularly? Up the Boro!
2 appearances
Boro supporter emerges from a long sleep in a cave, scratches stomach and strokes long beard growth. Then he realises he’s slept almost right through the ‘International Break’ whatever that is.
The real world will soon return.
UTB,
John
Are we there yet!
Sheeeeesh this International break is dragging on for eternity. Meantime I wonder if Braithwaite, Randolph and Christie travelled back together? Tumbleweed blows cross the Diasboro car park and every other media site, the poor Gazette lads have done sterling work in dragging up non stories from somewhere and fashioning them into a piece to fill columns over the last fortnight. I worry what happens when they interview Shay Given’s Hamster about his recollections of the Boro.
Q. “How was your time at the Boro?
A. “It was fun at first, plenty of exercise and fresh water but the Manager was a bit moody and didn’t speak to me much. I was no different to any of the rest of the lads in that respect I suppose. Biggest problem for me was being dropped, no not from the squad, I mean literally dropped thats why they partnered me with Shay as he had a safe pair of hands”.
Q. “Did you have regrets when Shay left”
A. “Too true, it was three days before someone remembered to feed me but it never got as bad as it did for Alvaro Negredo. That poor lad went months without being fed”
Q. “What was training like”
A. “Got to admit I found it tough, the harder I trained the faster that flippin wheel went but I can’t complain the rub downs and the sauna’s at Rockliffe more than made up for the tough regime”
Q. “What was your fondest memory of your time at the Boro”
A. “has to be the fans, I received dozens of letters from the younger ones and all the adulation was a bit strange at first for me considering where I had came from. Nobody at Pets R us prepared me for the constant media speculation and paps hanging outside my cage. It got a lot worse when Shay went back, my bessie mate had gone and there was a load of crap to clean up and nobody was remotely interested”
Q. “Given the chance would you ever come back”
A. “Brilliant I see what you done there “Given”, classic, real tummy tickler that one! Speaking of which I wouldn’t if I was you, tummy tickle me that is. A couple of other Journo’s were once seen tickling my tummy with the cage door open and all hell let loose. Carrots and straw everywhere there was! Cleaners afterwards went dead mental and straight to the gaffers office, apparently as a result they’ve been banned from the Riverside and everyfink, never been seen on match days since. After that I don’t think I could face the place again after the humiliation, too many drips out of the bottle and all that”
Next week vote for your best ever Boro Hamster starting eleven:
Gary Hamsterton, Mohamster Shawky just a few to get you started!
That’s not an easy task RR. I have only found 9 Boro players that have a genuine ham in their name. Being creative I’ve added a couple of non-hams to make an 11, but it is a very lop-sided formation!
GKP Willihamster Whigham
DEF Abrahamster Jones
DEF Willihamster Maddren
MID Gary Hamstilton
MID Grahamster Kavanagh
MID Mark Barhamster
MID Mohamster Shawkey
WNG Adam Hamstill
FWD Willie Hamstilton
FWD Danny Grahamster
FWD Hamstilton Ricard
I have a mass of Willihamsters that I have found, 36 in all, that could make up 3 teams with 1 sub each. However, Willihamster Whigham is the only bona-fide goalkeeper in the whole lot, so two of the teams would be drawing lots to choose who went between the sticks.
Here’s the full set:
DEF Abrahamster Jones
MID Gary Hamstilton
MID Grahamster Kavanagh
MID Mark Barhamster
MID Mohamster Shawkey
WNG Adam Hamstill
FWD Willie Hamstilton
FWD Danny Grahamster
FWD Hamstilton Ricard
GLK Willihamster Whigham
DEF Willihamster Agnew
DEF Willihamster Ellerington Snr
DEF Willihamster Fairhurst
DEF Willihamster Victor Fox
DEF Willihamster Horner
DEF Willihamster Lavery
DEF Willihamster Maddren
DEF Willihamster O’Brien
DEF Willihamster Whitaker
MID Willihamster Askew
MID Willihamster Dixon
MID Williehamster Flood
MID Williehamster Forrest
MID Willihamster Glasper
MID Willihamster Harris
WNG Willihamster Brawn
WNG Williamster Day
WNG Willihamster Linacre
WNG Willihamster Povey
FWD Williamster Ashcroft
FWD Willihamster Birrell
FWD Willihamster Campbell
FWD Willihamster Bottrill
FWD Willihamster Falcolner
FWD Willihamster Fernie
FWD Willihamster Godley
FWD Willihamster McAulay
FWD Willihamster Millar
FWD Willihamster Oxley
FWD Willihamster Pease
FWD Willihamster Scott
FWD Willihamster Stage
FWD Willihamster Thompson
FWD Willihamster Watkin
FWD Willihamster White
Dog. Willie Whigham is a Ham I his own right of course… A double hamster if you like Willihamster Whighamster !!!
Aaarghhhh now fallen foul of auto corrected text… “Dog” should have read “Doh”
RR, what is the playing at the London Olympic Stadium? Hamsters? West Hamster United or something.
Up the Boro!
I think they could be playing Southamster at the weekend!
Seeing as Italy are now out of the World Cup and back home, I wonder if they got a similar reception like their team when “Us” beat them at Ayresome Park in 1966. For the uninitiated “Us” was the name that the Boro fans gave to their favourite team, North Korea, (played in red, see) who we all know later put up a tremendous fight at Goodison Park against Portugal – led 3-0, I seem to recall, before Eusebio turned it around with 4 goals in a 5-3 win.
Well of course the locals here in Malta don’t like the Italians since the time when Mussolini changed sides during the Second World War and annexed himself with Nazi Germany, because the day after Mussolini’s “free transfer” he bombed Valletta. Mind, they still watch the Italian TV channels. Anyway they do like to take the Mickey out of them as this story relays:-
An Italian on his first visit to Malta booked into a Valletta hotel and decided to eat in the restaurant.
“I wannna pissa” he demanded. The waiter queried “You want a pissa?”
“Si, I wanna pissa on the table” said the Italian.
“You want to p–s on the table, you son of a bitch?” the waiter asked incredulously.
“No, you no understanda, I wanna pissa, and I wanna fawk on the plata” said the Italian.
“You want to p–s on the table, and then f–k on the plate? You dirty son of a bitch!” replied the waiter.
At this the Italian said “Forgetta the meals, have you gotta rooma for the nighta?”
The waiter summoned a chambermaid to show the Italian the room, but there were no sheets on the bed, so he said “I need a sheeta on the beda”
The chambermaid replied “You nasty old man, you can’t s–t on the bed, I will call the manager.
When the manager came he asked the Italian to repeat what he had said to the chambermaid.
“She noa understanda, I only wanna one s–t on the bed” said the Italian.
Eventually completely flummoxed, the Italian gave up and said “Dis country itsa no gooda, they noa understanda mi Inglisha, I thinka returna to Roma”
Speaking of receptions the general consensus among the dirties is that GM will get a warm welcome at Elland Road come Sunday. The warmth however may be nearer boiling or indeed scalding temperature. I doubt it will bother him in the slightest, should the fans of the club he nearly got back to the promised land choose to hurl abuse surely revenge will taste that much sweeter.
The Leeds players or should that be Orta’s players? in the main won’t have a clue about what and why and I’m wondering if it will have an effect on a side who are already feeling the pressure. Conversely most of Boro’s side will comprise of combatants well used to Championship life and abuse. One of the main charges against Orta is that his signings look more potential than actual and that none have hit the ground running. Indeed none have experience of this division, including their Manager.
A hostile derby type atmosphere may unsettle the Whites more than it does the likes of Grant and Co. Indeed where does Howson fit in with the jeers and boos, how will we know which boos are for who. Winding the opposition up is not always the best idea especially when the opposition look to be in form whilst your own side are in freefall. There again maybe by now the dawning and realisation with regards to Orta’s appointment and Monk’s departure may just be seeping through even the thickest skinned Leeds fan leaving room for doubt. Had Monk stayed he would have been expected to accept that the Players are not his but Orta’s. That is not a condition that any self respecting manager would work under especially after his questionable buys on Teesside which is now resonating across West Yorkshire.
I’m sure GM will find it disappointing but knows that in time and probably before this season is out that the Leeds faithful will realise what happened to their club and that the problem wasn’t Garry Monk but rather the problem is the same one that drove him up the A1 and why they are now in freefall. Will the hostile atmosphere suit Boro more or the Whites? I suspect the mentality and Championship experience of Boro could prove telling and the surreal atmosphere will work in our favour versus the raggle taggle multi lingual bunch assembled from the four corners at knock down prices.
I see people are beginning to wake from the international break slumber and starting to think of the game at the weekend. I spent some time over the break researching for a Leeds match preview, which ended up becoming a feature article instead that looked at how Leeds went in search of the dream of past glories and ended up almost sending the club into liquidation. What happened after that demonstrated how club ownership in football leaves many supporters at the mercy of their egos and whims. Anyway, it’s not a match preview but quite an amazing story of how the pursuit of money left Leeds struggling for much of the last 20 years.
https://diasboro.club/2017/11/15/championship-leeds-v-boro/