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Pos. 9th (39pts)	WEDNESDAY 1 JANUARY 2020			Pos. 16th (33pts)
Preston		0-2	Boro
	65% 11(2) 6 4	POSSESSION SHOTS (on target) CORNERS FOULS	35% 18(4) 3 18	Gestede (40) Davies (62 og)

Rude awakenings!

A trip across the Pennines for Boro after their heroics in Birmingham on Sunday had them facing Preston at Deepdale who like the Baggies had just suffered ignominy at the hands of a lower placed side. Losing 2-0 at home to Reading was definitely not something Alex Neil had planned as he plots to keep Preston in the play-off chase, especially after their credible one-all draw away to Leeds previously. Despite that Reading set back, Preston still had the best home record in the Championship having taken 29 points from their 13 home games and having lost only twice, albeit both coming in December. The last time Boro had lost at Deepdale was back in 1972 so there was the inevitability feel about today’s game.

Ex-Boro Striker David Nugent was rated doubtful after suffering a black eye with impaired vision. Darnell Fisher was available after returning from suspension to make the bench against Reading. Patrick Bauer had been down with the flu bug over Christmas so his fitness would be questionable especially over ninety minutes.

Boro meanwhile would be brimming with confidence and would also be “welcoming” back Browne and McNair after their thoughtless stupidity had for some raised questions about the real motives behind their sending-offs and Christmas suspensions. Their causes weren’t helped after another ex-Boro player Gary O’Neil espoused that he himself had once got himself deliberately carded so he could watch horse racing rather than be selected to play.

The Preston teamsheet revealed five changes after that Reading defeat with Darnell Fisher, Patrick Bauer and David Nugent all starting for the Lilywhites. Boro shuffled their pack too with Coulson and Wing on the bench alongside Paddy McNair and a surprise start for Gestede with Johnson also returning. Still no sign of Assombalonga, Shotton, Randolph or longer-term injury victims Friend and Dijksteel, there was no place for either Browne or Bola in the squad.

Boro started on fire with a Marvin Johnson cross evading Declan Rudd in the Preston goal and Spence nodding it on for someone to slot home but there were no red shirts available. Good solid early intent sending out all the right messages. Both sides looked to be steadily probing in what was a measured approach but it was Boro again who came close with Fletcher but he was adjudged to have fouled in the build-up. There was certainly nothing to suggest that Boro were facing this game with any trepidation of fear. The “free hit” mentality was maybe one explanation but in fairness Boro looked far more measured than that.

It was just short of ten minutes when Preston struck at Boro’s defence with Dani Ayala guilty of an error allowing Fisher in on Pears but the rapidly improving young keeper was more than a match as his confidence and reliability grows from game to game. Despite Boro’s early prowess the game was by no means a spectacle and at times untidy and very messy with neither side really getting a grip and controlling it. For a Boro side visiting the place of the best home Championship record it wasn’t up to them to put on a display to entertain neutrals, that said it was indeed Boro who were creating the better opportunities. It was once again the opponents with the lion’s share of the possession stats but with barely a quarter of an hour gone Fletcher had fed Johnson whose effort went wide and then Gestede and Tav had both come close to breaking the deadlock.

The lumbering injury prone and much derided Benin Striker looked to be hungry to make an impact in what was probably his best opening period in a Boro Shirt. The cynics of course would hold the view that he was now playing for his next contract but whatever the reason he was most certainly making a nuisance of himself.

On twenty minutes it was Fletcher again going close but it was just too tight to get his sights on target. As the game approached 30 minutes Pears had to be alert to save from Hughes but far worse was to follow when Dani Ayala went down and it didn’t look good. Clearly in some distress and discomfort he was helped up to his feet by the physio but struggled to put any weight on his ankle. Paddy McNair warmed up as the forlorn Spanish skipper was not going to be taking any further part. The returning Northern Ireland International slotted into the backline alongside Dael Fry with anxious looks from the Travelling Army, Dani didn’t look in a good way as he made his way off the pitch.

Preston sensed that this could be their moment to take advantage of the uncertainty and disruption in the Boro defence but McNair was steadfast while Fry stepped up to have his best game of the season repelling Gallagher and company on a few occasions to keep the scores level. Boro broke out of defence and won a free kick just over the half way line which McNair took charge off. He delivered an enticing ball into the Preston box which Fry nodded back under pressure from the edge of the six yard box where Saville managed an improvised half hooked challenge in the direction of Gestede who leaned back and hooked it himself overhead and into the net to open his account for the season and do the unthinkable, put Boro one up! Five minutes before half time and who would have put money on Boro going in front with Rudy Gestede scoring?

A minute later and the lively Djed Spence nearly doubled the lead but he just couldn’t get the ball to sit right. Preston raised their game and laid siege to the Boro half in the dying moments of the forty-five and the two added minutes but Ref Brooks’ whistle went to see Boro go down the tunnel with their lead intact and the home fans less than impressed, vociferous in letting their players know their frustrations for the second time in a few days.

Predictably Alex Neil made a change and flu sufferer Bauer was swapped for Huntingdon for the second half. Having already been forced into one substitution Woodgate stuck with those who had provided the slim advantage. Preston were determined to get back into the game and it was vital that Boro kept their shape and discipline, Spence showed he could defend as well as attack, Johnson was showing no nonsense and McNair was proving an able deputy but it was Fry who was marshalling and taking control in a return to the Dael we knew (or at least had hoped) was somewhere hiding within.

Ten minutes into the second half and it was Boro who came closest with Gestede again going close with another header from a well weighted Tav corner. The game was undoubtedly a scrappy affair and Preston had a header of their own sailing across the face of Pears’ net but he was unruffled and confident it was going wide. The game was dour in parts but not without the slick pacy moments of the West Brom match. Boro showed resilience but still retained that threat on the break as Preston struggled to break us down.

A darting run by Tav down the middle took him past three defenders with the ball breaking for Gestede who lashed in a shot only for Rudd to instinctively palm clear. A long goal kick from Pears travelled three-quarters of the length of the Deepdale pitch where it was nodded on by Gestede, out leaping the attentions of the Preston defender for Fletcher to chase and run onto it, harassing Davies forcing him to poke it back to Declan Rudd as Fletch closed him down but instead the panicked pass went past the helpless keeper and into the Preston goal. Two-nil up away from home for the second time in a few days and there was something very surreal but also very strangely convincing that Boro were about to grind out their second away victory of the season despite there being over twenty-five minutes of playing time remaining.

Two minutes after the restart Clayts picked up a yellow as the chance of bringing home all three points was becoming close to reality. Just before Boro’s second goal Browne had left the field for Jayden Stockley to join the fray and put a little more physicality into the Preston attack. Suffice to say yet again it hadn’t gone the way Alex Neil had planned. Just after the Clayts booking, Neil brought off Nugent and put on Josh Harrop to chase the game. A minute later it was Marvin Johnson earning a yellow as Boro looked determined to hold on to what they had deservedly earned.

Seventy minutes in and Coulson replaced Spence to conserve youthful energy levels and Howson had gone close as Boro were still threatening on the break with pace and guile. A mazy dribble by Fletcher with Tav acting as a decoy was headed back into the path of Gestede who lashed a left footed shot just wide. A clever corner routine between McNair and Clayts saw Paddy cut back a shot come cross towards the top left-hand corner of Rudd’s goal but he managed to tip it over the bar. An over-hit Howson cross was fed back in from the left by Tav retrieving the loose ball, met by Gestede rising above the defence to head straight at Rudd who again relied on reactionary instinct to punch clear at close range.

Preston kept testing but never looked like breaking us down and in contrast every time we attacked something happened and, on another day, we could have been four goals to the good. With five minutes of normal time remaining Gallagher sent a ball into the Boro box from a free-kick wide on the right, aimed at sub Stockley who won his duel in the middle of the Boro box but headed over, summing up the plight of Preston all afternoon.

With a minute of the ninety to go Preston had the ball over the line but the flag went up to save the turmoil of a nail biting final few minutes of added time. A minute into added time and Tav came off for Wing to run the clock down. The whistle finally went and Boro recorded a remarkable second straight away win, four wins in a row and impressively another clean sheet. MOM was Gestede who had his first start in however long and rewarded Woodgate’s trust in him by attacking everything thrown at him whilst also being dominant in his own box defending set pieces. Seven points from the play-off places and ten points clear of the relegation spots, are Boro about to make a late surge or will the curse of January come back to haunt us?

 

Pos. 2nd (51pts)	SUNDAY 29 DECEMBER 2019			Pos. 16th (30pts)
West Brom		0-2	Boro
	60% 11(5) 5 16	POSSESSION SHOTS (on target) CORNERS FOULS	40% 15(10) 12 12	Ayala (17) Fletcher (90+4)

Boing Boing Boro!

An away trip to Birmingham just before the new year comes to end the old with what many of us predicted would result in a good thumping. There was the odd hope that we may escape with a plucky, undeserved draw but the Baggies seem to be on a relentless mission to return to the Premiership this season after their reorganisation following Tony Pulis’ departure.

With scant resources it was expected that Woodgate would go again with what he had available to him. It would be an unlikely scenario that any of those being wrapped in cotton wool would emerge from their winter hibernation for fear of being damaged in the sales. They hadn’t been missed in all reality with the youngsters showing far more hunger and desire that more than made up for any lack of experience. The worry was that a good thumping could psychologically damage them but in fairness the Leeds mauling was swiftly put aside and after two home wins in a week even the suicidal Swansea showing didn’t have any long-term hangover.

After being held to a draw in their last outing to Barnsley maybe there was some hope for the Travelling Army that the Baggies could once again be caught in a festive spirit. Albion midfielder Filip Krovinovic had told Baggie fans that they would be going all out to give them a win this afternoon so we were expecting a backlash.

Kieron Gibbs had been forced to limp off the pitch at Oakwell so would be 50/50 for today’s encounter. Nathan Ferguson Kyle Bartley and Grady Diangana were all rated as doubtful as like Woodgate, Bilic had his own injury list to contend with. Bad boy Ahmed Hegazi was also likely to be in the squad again after a supposed training ground spat last week.

Team news saw Bilic make four changes from Barnsley bringing in wingers Phillips and Edwards sensing that Boro could be undone by attacking the inexperienced Spence and Coulson. West Brom hadn’t lost at home all season for 18 games pre kick-off so this was going to be a massive Herculean task. Woodgate made one change, Clayts came in for Johnson which would indicate Fletcher battling up top relying on support from the midfield.

Boro won the toss which many of us thought may be the only thing we would win this afternoon. Dani Ayala decided that the sides would change ends as today’s match official Geoff Eltringham got things underway with the Baggies kicking off. It looked like Clayts and Saville were keeping things tight in front of our defence with Wing and Tav further up with Spence which hinted at a 4-2-3-1 or possibly even a 4-4-1-1.

The opening five minutes were fairly uneventful with Boro looking extremely comfortable. Seven minutes in and a feigned foul by Kanu led to a Boro free kick which was quickly despatched up to Spence who fizzed in a shot winning our first corner and an immediate second corner delivered to the near post was hurriedly cleared by Livermore. As they went up the pitch a blocked cross by Ayala gave the Baggies a throw in near the corner flag but the threat was easily contained by Howson who cleared the danger.

Hegazi was fortunate that the Linesman didn’t agree with Fletcher when he seemed to be brought down. Had Fletch perhaps been a little stronger he may have remained on his feet and I suspect the Assistant thought the same. Fourteen minutes had gone with Boro still looking anything like a Boro side this season and Dael Fry conceded the Baggies first corner. It was a near post effort but Boro cleared, broke with Wing, playing in Fletcher but Livermore read the intent and was there to prevent the final ball to Tavernier.

Quarter of an hour in and Boro so far had looked composed and a stranger would be hard pushed to tell which side was at the top of the Championship and which side was fighting relegation. Woodgate had his organisation, tactics and structure right for this one so far. Another low cross in from Spence led to Gareth Barry slicing it out for Boro’s third corner. As the corner was delivered in by Wing to the near post, up rose Ayala to head home past a feeble attempt from Sam Johnstone to put Boro ahead and deservedly so. Seventeen minutes gone and Boro had defied the odds and all logic with it.

Johnstone spared West Brom blushes from further embarrassment after a great move from Boro saw Fletcher shoot and then Saville testing the Baggies Keeper in quick succession who had to save with his feet. Fletcher came close again but was flagged offside as this Boro team looked to be unrecognisable to the side that played without any belief for the major part of the first half of the season. Boro then hit Johnstone’s post as the ball went out of play and the Baggie looked vulnerable. Ferguson won a Baggies corner off Spence and again they delivered in another short one but it went out for a Boro goal kick which was well defended and shielded by Coulson. It was probably the first time Pears had touched the ball in the game with over twenty-five minutes gone. Furlong then had a diving header from a cross from Pereira just over Pears’ crossbar as they came the closest, they had been and seemingly just waking up.

Livermore was once more engaged in defending as we attacked and won yet another corner which was almost repeated by Ayala but this time it wasn’t to be. The Travelling Army had appealed for a penalty with Livermore claiming it was his chest rather than his arm that had made contact with the ball. The lively Pereira again went close for the Baggies with Ayala clearing the danger. West Brom were noticeably gaining a foothold now. Phillips beat Coulson and found Pereira who volleyed his shot but Pears was equal to the effort. A minute later and Phillips once again beat Coulson but his final ball was to an imaginary colleague fortunately for Boro.

A poor clearance from a hurried Pears after Fry had sold him short led to Kanu winning a Baggies corner. West Brom were in control at this stage but we still had an outlet with Wing, Fletcher, Tav and Spence should we clear it out quickly, something which Boro had been missing for a huge part of this season. The tension in the Hawthorns was inflating rapidly with the Home fans growing in frustration the longer the game went on. Thirty-seven minutes gone and Clayton fed Saville who tested Johnstone again. Despite the home side winning all the possession stats that Saville effort was a warning to a very perplexed and angry looking Bilic. Spence then robbed Barry, putting in another quality cross with the table toppers looking very uncharacteristically susceptible to these Boro forays.

A top corner effort from Kanu after a one-two had us drawing breath but it went wide of the target. Wing took a free kick for a foul on Fletcher and as it came in it was Fletcher who attacked it but missed his opportunity. Howson then hit a thirty-yard screamer but it didn’t trouble Johnstone but the very fact that we were getting at the Baggies keeper had the home fans starting to whistle and jeer in frustration, contesting and complaining about every decision. A Coulson cross after Fletcher headed the ball down to him was put out for yet another Boro corner in the dying seconds of the half. Ayala headed it down but Livermore cleared, Wing returned it with interest and vengeance in equal measure winning our sixth corner of the game.

A cross from Ferguson found Kanu but his header was aimless and Coulson collected with ease. Another Baggies attack was cleared out by Fry to Fletcher but the creaking Barry cleared his lines, Howson read it and set Tav away with Boro still looking comfortable and delivering by far the best half of football in 2019.

No doubt Bilic would ring the changes at half time but so far there was nothing Woodgate needed to do apart from a few pats on the back as his players departed back down the tunnel. At the restart the youngster Ferguson was taken off and Townsend put on in his place along with Edwards being hooked for Austin. The half kicked off with Ayala again making a nuisance of himself this time at the back post.

Howson earned a yellow for blocking off Phillips as he tried to link with his new strike partner Austin in the first card of the game. A good punch from Pears denied Phillips and as Tav mis-controlled the ball it came back in requiring Pears to come off his line to collect and take the sting out of the Baggies impetus much to the chagrin of the Home fans as he made somewhat of a meal of it and let’s just say it wasn’t a ready meal.

West Brom were going for this now and pushing us back, we needed to be strong as the front two pairing had given them fresh impetus. A Perreira cross to Livermore saw Pears tip it over for a corner as the pressure kept growing. The ball came in from the corner but Hegazi put it wide with the game now approaching the fifty-five minute mark. Spence was brought down by Townsend just on the corner of the 18-yard box. Tav hit the resultant free kick in with pace and as Fletcher pouncing it was put out for a corner. Tav delivered it deep but it was over-hit giving Howson no chance at the far side.

Things erupted when Geoff Eltringham pulled play back for Coulson being laid out injured resulting in Livermore going mental with the Ref and lucky to just get a yellow card for his frustrations. A drop ball saw Gareth Barry hit it out and the ageing midfielder who looked a shadow of his former self made way as Bilic threw on his third and last substitute Krovinovic. A Boro free kick then had sub Austin getting feisty with Fry and close to completely losing it as the home fans and those in striped shirts became increasing incensed with the Ref.

A deep cross from Furlong reached Austin but Pears collected it with ease. Aynsley once again had to be alert and react quickly to Phillips and of course wound the home fans up further with his generous use of time in putting the ball back into play. The Hawthorns now was bouncing with feelings of unjust decision making and Boro time wasting. A Philips cross was deflected but Pears once again was equal to it. Phew, hanging on but defending with steel and vigour.

Perrera launched another free kick into the Boro box but Pears again reached up and collected. A bad back pass nearly allowed Wing in but he went too wide and as he cut it back the header from Fletcher was tipped over by Johnstone earning another Boro corner which was hoofed clear by Hegazi. Seventy minutes gone and Boro were not only holding on but threatening.

A coming together between Spence and Phillips saw a yellow card for both as Phillips appeared to have struck out at Spence. An attack from Boro saw Fletcher break and test Johnstone again who was relieved to put it behind for a corner from a tight angle. Austin headed the corner clear from which the ball came back at them with Tav went down for a weak penalty shout. As West Brom cleared Saville had went down with the aggressor Austin collecting a yellow for his offence on whatever had gone on between them.

Things were heating up and a red card seemed to be tantalisingly in the offing. A free kick as Clayton was clattered by Perreira allowed Boro to take a few more delaying seconds for breath with some leggy looking red shirts out there. A quarter of an hour remained and Boro still clung to that slender binary lead. Marvin Johnson was readied and Djed Spence came off via the far touchline as Geoff Eltringham endeavoured to show he was unbiased by making the exchange a little quicker than permitting the usual far side of the pitch walk of appreciation.

Johnson’s first activity was to lose the ball as the Baggies came straight back at Boro but Pears once again collected the ball, dawdled a little more as twelve whole minutes remained. Next up a Phillips header caught by Pears who dropped to the floor to ensure it didn’t spill of course, coughs loudly. Ten long minutes now remained with West Brom passing and probing but Boro suddenly broke with Coulson on a thirty yard burst but Furlong took him out before he could play in Fletcher. Wing lined up the free kick with a strange Boro wall alongside the Baggies wall but the delivery dipped just too late and evaded Johnstone’s top corner. Six minutes now remaining and it was still 1-0 to the Boro. Come on BORO!

A Gordon Banks class save from Pears defied Austin and saw Boro rush out with Tav to Fletcher then back to Tav then Marvin Johnson and then requiring Sam Johnstone putting it out for a Boro corner (lost count now). Claims for a handball from Coulson then ended with him “readjusting” to take out a Baggie attacker as the pace was merciless and intensity growing. A yellow card for Coulson amidst frustrated late claims for that “hand ball” that wasn’t given. I think had the Ref given a penalty the Hawthorns would have spontaneously combusted.

Wing then went off for Gestede to come on with a only a few minutes remaining. A Phillips cross was cleared by Howson then after a frantic few seconds of defending it went out for a West Brom Corner. Pereira’s delivery came in, evading Pears but it went out for a goal kick which Pears once again took his time to collect, set up, digging the turf with his boot Jonny Wilkinson style and meticulously readying his kick.

A half-cleared attempt by Fry saw Phillips trip over himself as fatigue was clearly taking its toll. Five agonising minutes was held up by the fourth official as Pears launched it up to Gestede, it was cleared but then Clayts took a kick for his troubles and went down earning a respite inducing free kick, taking his time getting to his feet with sixty seconds of added time consumed. Yet again a Phillips cross was met by Howson but the danger continued requiring Marvin to slide in to concede a throw in. A tete-a-tete between angry Austin and Pears played into our hands as another sixty seconds ebbed away. A series of head tennis from Coulson to Saville to Fletcher saw a ludicrous thirty-five-yard lob over Johnstone in the Baggies box and nestle into the back of the net to seal all three points, ensure our first away win and the Baggies first home defeat of the season. Fletch turned, sprinted three quarters the length of the pitch to celebrate with the travelling army behind Pears’ goal in jubilation. West Brom 0-2 Middlesbrough!

MOM was all of them, Pears was brilliant, Ayala immense, Howson incredible, Fry was solid and dependable, Spence and Coulson fantastic, Wing, Tav and Fletcher unbelievable, Saville and Clayton battled and scrapped in the middle. What an end to the year that only a few weeks ago looked impossible. Preston up next who will not be looking forward to a resurgent Boro. Congratulations and full marks to all those involved.

Pos. 18th= (27 pts)	THURSDAY 26 DECEMBER 2019			Pos. 20th (25 pts)
Boro		1-0	Huddersfield
Spence (37)	37% 14(3) 5 12	POSSESSION SHOTS (on target) CORNERS FOULS	63% 8(3) 4 7

Pearl of the day from Spence

After his trip up to Teesside last Friday night for a spying mission, Danny Cowley returned this afternoon with his entire entourage to try and put some daylight between the Terriers and Boro in this survival dog fight. To boost his numbers, he was optimistic of maybe having all or some of Fraizer Campbell, Lewis O’Brien and Alex Pritchard back from injury. Having beaten Forest away in their last outing they arrived with an air of confidence as Cowley debated in his press conference about whether he would set up to face a Boro back four or a back five and a diamond. The diamond being Boro’s shape rather than that mercurial No.10 that we have all dreamt about and presumably Bevington failed to unearth.

Boro started the game just one point behind the visitors and two goals poorer on goal difference, so on paper this one had a draw written all over it. Woodgate still had Browne and McNair suspended and the seemingly endless injury doubts over Randolph, Assombalonga, Shotton, Dijksteel and Friend. Despite that, Boro were hoping to make it four wins on the bounce at the Riverside in front of their biggest crowd of the season in stark contrast to the probable but “officially” unconfirmed lowest turnout against Stoke. This was a big one for both sides but especially Boro who now face two tough away trips to Preston and West Brom after today’s encounter. A negative result could commence an unwanted Boro slide back down the Championship table.

Cowley understandably stuck with the same eleven that had won at Forest with only Lewis O’Brien fit enough to make the bench with Pritchard and Campbell still out. For Boro there were two changes with Wing starting instead of Clayts and Johnson instead of Walker but still no sign of Assombalonga.

Darren England’s whistle got the game underway with Boro starting assertively with Spence attacking, getting a low cross in and Boro showing with a bit of early enterprise. Spence again was the catalyst as he won a throw in with Boro pressing and a resultant free kick on the left just inside the Terriers half with the big lads going up for it. The set piece was poorly executed but the early tempo continued and the visitors were clearly under pressure.

An inviting ball in from Johnson was missed by Tav with Coulson following in behind but skewed his shot high into the darkening skies. All good stuff from Boro in the opening five minutes, especially from Djed Spence. Then it was Coulson’s turn to break down the opposite wing only to be taken out by Hogg with Tav sending the free kick deep towards Ayala but he was under it and the ball went over Grabara’s crossbar.

Ten minutes in and Huddersfield hadn’t seriously threatened at all with Boro starting well and looking comfortable so far. Cowley’s game plan seemed to be to contain and keep things tight looking to his wide men to create openings. On the quarter-hour mark Johnson conceded a foul bringing down Bacuna who took the kick himself and earned a corner as the Terriers floated the ball in over everyone, past Pears’ goal and eventually going out for a goal kick via Mounie’s head.

Boro’s early exuberance had subsided as Huddersfield now settled into the game. A gift from Fry with an under-hit pass to Wing led to screams for a penalty from the packed away corner as Chalobah played in Grant who went down in the box in a warning to Boro to guard against complacency. Their midfield general Hogg inexplicably went down and looking in serious pain as Boro players took the opportunity to assemble near the touchline with a few obvious finger gestures from the Boro dugout as to who should have been doing what and where. Meanwhile Lewis O’Brien came on for Teessider Hogg as Huddersfield were forced into an early change.

The game now entered a disjointed mid-half phase as both sides were hitting balls that were failing to find targets. Spence was still looking the most likely to create something with Howson solid behind him. Half an hour gone now and both sides were dancing around the ring, jabbing but not landing any serious punches. Saville had to be alert to intercept quickly to prevent Bacuna getting a ball played into a pack of chasing Terriers.

Finding himself suddenly the centre of attention, Saville then set up Fletcher and after a series of passes it ended with Saville diving at a Spence-delivered ball to win our first corner. A melee’ in front of Grabara ended up with Fletcher being ticked off by Ref England, which made a change from it being Ayala. Tav then sent in a near post cross come mis-kick which was cleared disappointingly for Boro. After that energetic start from Djed Spence Boro had now lost their impetus whilst Huddersfield seemed content to have possession, hold us at bay and then try to pick us off.

Just as the game was looking to be 0-0 at half time, Tav broke through the middle of the pitch finding Fletcher out on his left, who ran into the 18 yard box and played a low cross evading everyone along the Huddersfield six yard box with Spence being perfectly placed to unleash a calm controlled strike to open his Boro account and put us 1-0 up on thirty-seven minutes. He took his opportunity extremely well and nobody deserved a goal this afternoon more than the youngster.

Huddersfield now had to come out and get at us and in doing so Bacuna and Howson ended up rolling around on the pitch after they wrestled for the ball with Bacuna seemingly determined to keep hold of Howson like a three-year-old having a pass the parcel tantrum for which he earned a yellow. Boro responded by ending the half the way they had started it by getting at a now clearly rattled Huddersfield defence. Saville earned a free kick which was headed clear by Schindler then Tav delivered it back in which was going out for a throw in and ended with Johnson having one of his needless niggles at a Blue shirt. The whistle ended the half with a less than impressive eccentric sliced kick from Liverpool loanee Grabara in the Terriers goal to earn a few jeers.

The teams came out unchanged for the second half with the Terriers kicking off. Almost immediately a switched ball from one side of the pitch to the other allowed Spence to get forward ending up with a Boro corner after a ball to Fletcher was put out by Kachunga. It was taken short by Wing with the cross coming in towards Ayala but his header was wide as Boro had started with tempo once again. Huddersfield were struggling to launch an attack, O’Brien at one stage was forced to break out to the halfway line then with no options impersonate new Dad and ex-Terrier Clayts by recycling it back towards his defenders.

Spence dinked inside the box, found Wing who played it to the back post but Coulson was adjudged to be offside. You could perceptively sense the fear every time Spence got on the ball from the away fans as the youngster was running the show. Huddersfield without doubt had all the possession but thus far had rarely troubled the home side; however, another goal for Boro at this stage of proceedings would have made the Boxing Day entertainment a little less stressful. Caught in two minds Ayala put a ball played back to him out to concede a corner unnecessarily as the Terriers loaded the Boro box on the 60th minute. Grant fizzed it in but the ball went just wide as Stankovic should have drawn the sides level as his header went over.

That effort woke up both sets of supporters in a game which so far hadn’t produced many efforts on target. With thirty minutes remaining the visitors knew there was still something to play for and equally Boro knew they could mess this up. Just at that time a deflection from Howson broke for Mounie in the six-yard box who incredibly missed his golden moment by slicing it.

Fletcher was then booked for not getting back from a free kick as Huddersfield took it quickly, which went straight to Tav yet Ref England halted proceedings and booked Fletcher. This was the Terriers best spell now as they were now making their possession count and gaining the upper hand in the contest with twenty-five minutes remaining. Boro were looking like strangers, struggling to piece moves together with Ayala in particular uncharacteristically looking the most likely to commit a fatal mistake. A parried Pears save from Bacuna was then played back into the box with Boro looking very rattled conceding too much space and looked to be at sixes and sevens. Seventy minutes in and Boro were looking like they had taken a few body blows and a swift uppercut leaving them staggering on their feet with the home fans getting twitchy at the lacklustre spell from Boro.

A quick break from Boro saw Spence set up Coulson at the far post but he hit his effort well wide. The visitors resumed pressure with Boro holding out (or holding on depending on perspective). Another breakout from Boro ended with Fletcher’s effort being pushed away by Grabara for a Boro corner. Lewis Wing delivered it in to the back post but to no avail as the Ref blew for a foul on the eccentric keeper. Bizarrely, Grabara illustrated the Terriers growing frustrations as he tried to drag Saville up onto his feet earning a yellow card for his excesses.

Gestede then came on for Johnson to allow a Plan B outlet for Boro and a new threat to give Danny Cowley something to reconsider in his game plan. Chalabah went down like a deck of cards theatrically climbing up from the turf as though he had been hit by a double-decker bus named Coulson. Substitute O’Brien then flew in on Fry near the dugouts earning himself a yellow card in the process as discipline and focus was starting to slip with Huddersfield. At this stage it was now a case of every man for himself as the result was now far more important than the methodology for both teams in the dying moments.

A drive from Bacuna after he had lost Spence had Pears reacting to concede a corner. After the corner was recycled by the Terriers it was Bacuna again who had another effort as Pears stood upright, confident it was going wide. A run from Fletcher playing in Gestede found Tav who burst forward earning a corner off O’Brien. The ensuing corner ball was cleared but Tav had another attempt but he hit over from outside the box with three long minutes remaining.

Bacuna was causing problems as he had done all game and after he started off on yet another foray Saville unceremoniously dragged him down. The free kick was headed backwards by Gestede but Coulson let it go out for a corner instead of clearing it as Boro nerves and judgements were jangling more than Santa’s sleigh bells. Coulson however almost immediately retrieved himself from the corner with a tackle on Mounie and as Boro broke Grant earned a yellow for a cynical foul.

Four minutes added time came up. And with pantomime season in full swing Grabara made another wayward clearance that earned more ironic cheers and then continued the farce with Fletcher eventually netting after Grabara had saved it, spun up and eventually it being declared null and void and offside. The impressive Bacuna chased a late loose ball with Coulson trying to clear, the ball was now all over the place with players almost terrified of touching it but a late cross to Mounie was the final act of the game. The afternoon ended with Djed Spence being the decider and the Man of the Match. The game was far from great but the result was a massive one for Boro in their fight for survival as they now go on the road with two fixtures that will be a real test. The important thing today was winning one of their winnable games.

os. 18th (24 pts)	FRIDAY 20 DECEMBER 2019			Pos. 22nd (18 pts)
Boro		2-1	Stoke
Fletcher (57) Wing (71)	41% 7(4) 4 15	POSSESSION SHOTS (on target) CORNERS FOULS	59% 12(3) 2 15	Clucas (53)

From Red bull to Wing

After speaking yesterday to an old friend who is a Stoke season ticket holder it had me less than looking forward to this one. The woes he spoke of down in the Potteries were almost as bad as the suffering we have endured this season. He told me he wouldn’t be making the trip up North because his appetite for watching dross was at saturation point and watching a double helping of it was more than he could stomach. Have to agree that I couldn’t argue with his logic. What was sad though was he said he “might catch it on the box” having now lost the will to avidly follow the club he had been with for almost four decades.

Two clubs with similar plights, well intentioned owners but somehow, somewhere things came badly off the rails. For some reason Sky thought that in footballing terms providing a match of Ebenezer Scrooge proportions was fitting in the build up to the festive season. Or perhaps they figured get the worst one out of the way and by comparison the rest will seem great!

Unfortunately for Stoke their Manager was ill with the dreaded flu virus that seems to have wiped out half the nation. With that in mind their preparation and stuttering recovery since his appointment may be curtailed giving Boro a slight edge although the Bookies didn’t seem to think so. That Swansea feeling was like a flu virus in itself hanging over the club all week prolonged by the faint hope that McNair’s sending off might somehow be rescinded, then again maybe more adults believe in Santa Claus than I thought.

There were hopes that Britt might be fit again to lead the line and the likelihood was that Lewis Wing would return after a brief respite to replace McNair with the defensive midfield duties being left with Clayts. With McClean and Ince likely to be plying their trade down the flanks that would pose a question mark as to whether Djed Spence would be risked or conversely his speed and threat may negate some of the opposing threat. Michael O’Neill had a right-back selection headache himself having juggled the position between a few players since his arrival with no strong claimants.

A miserable, wet and two thirds empty Riverside light show greeted the hardy few who turned up hopefully none of whom suffered epilepsy problems. Team news saw the experience of Tommy Smith given the RB shirt for Stoke tonight with Djed Spence restored in the same role for Boro. No Britt again giving young Stephen Walker his first start with Gestede on the bench along with Wing and Johnson. George Saville replaced his fellow countryman in the middle. Danny Batth was making a return to the Riverside and how we could do with him right now.

Oliver Langford’s whistle got proceedings underway as Boro kicked off with six academy players in the line-up. A curling Tom Ince effort cutting into the Boro Box required Dael Fry to get a head on it to put it out for a corner in the opening minutes which was slowly cleared but the visitors kept the pressure up as Boro struggled to get the ball out of their own half with Ince the catalyst for Stoke’s early possession stats. A fifth minute ball through for Walker to run onto was overhit but was somehow irrelevant as the crowd provided a poignant tribute to Leo Percovich two years on from the tragedy that cost him the lives of his two daughters.

A seventh minute free kick for a foul on Howson near the dug outs was passed backwards until eventually surrendering possession in what looked like a totally thoughtless set piece. Coulson won a throw-in level with the Stoke 18-yard box but again it was recycled backwards with an eventual aimless punt upfield to the safety of Jack Butland. Stoke were playing with a high backline and pushing Boro back but there were a few signs, albeit overhit ones, that Boro could catch them on the break with Walker in particular testing Batth’s agility. The quarter hour was marked with Boro attacking but once again passing the ball back into their own half only to hoof it up and surrender possession. A crossfield ball to Coulson saw him set Tav up but the ball went backwards again and those moans and groans were now becoming audible.

A free kick to Boro twenty-five yards out was floated in by Tavernier but it went out in the West Stand though in a positive light is was the lower half of the stand to leave Fry, Fletcher and Ayala dumbfounded. A comedic series of back passes played ourselves into trouble (again) but a break from Spence was ended with Ward taking him out (to presumably prevent him from passing it backwards). The free kick for Boro ironically ended by setting Ince away and unleashing a daisy cutter which went wide of Pears upright in the most riveting piece of action so far in the game.

A Stoke free kick was comfortably dealt with in the air by Ayala but we lost the ball again and back came Stoke with twenty five minutes now gone. Boro were making very hard work of things, struggling to get out, relying on long balls and when we did have it fleetingly, we couldn’t hang onto it. Just as it looked like we would buckle it was Butland required to make the games first serious save from Fletcher. The resultant corner was blown up for a foul as Ayala had his arms around Batth’s neck surprisingly for the Spaniard. McClean was getting down our right side and getting away from the attentions of Spence and Howson with growing regularity.

Ten minutes of nothingness ensued and then a back pass to Pears on thirty-five minutes raised another chorus of moans with a few audible boos. A minute later a ball from the wing into Clucas should have saw Pears worked but as two red shirts stood off him the finishing of the Stoke strike force illustrated why they have been almost as woeful as Boro’s all season. A Stoke corner was hit to the far side of the Boro six-yard box which was met but went out feebly for a Boro goal kick. It was an horrendous spectacle to witness inside the miserably cold Stadium but it must have made Sky wonder why on Earth they picked a contest between two equally incompetent and inept clueless sides.

Jonny Howson tried to rescue another sideways ball played into danger ten yards outside of the “D” by Tavernier and earned a yellow for his late lunge. Fortunately, Ince tried a Ronaldo type free kick but with five per cent of the ability as it sailed harmlessly into the North Stand. The son of the ex-Boro midfielder managed a deflected shot a minute later through a packed Boro box with just half a minute of normal time remaining of the half. Ominously Clayts was down on all fours at this time needing some treatment but he was able to walk off and presumably it was only the sight of an attacking move that had him in a temporary state of paralysis. Thankfully the half-time whistle sounded to save our eyes from the horror show out on the pitch as Boro had produced the most ineffective, galling and dreary forty-five minutes of football in my memory of supporting them.

If there was a jury, they would have relegated both teams immediately for the sake of football. It wasn’t even bad or awful it was just pointless with zero skill, technique or tactics on show from either side although it has to be said that at least Stoke looked like they were trying to win it. Anyone considering a half season ticket would at least now be free to think about what else they could spend their Christmas money on. A game of guess the crowd was more of a talking point rather than any dubious refereeing decisions or the missed opportunities during the half time pints. Resigned indifference was rife. A few didn’t retake their seats after the break which was actually a positive because they could and probably should at this stage have vacated them after fifteen minutes.

What Woodgate would say to his players after that was anyone’s guess but the second half surely couldn’t be as bad as that first half footballing equivalent of diazepam.

No change in personnel for either side at the start of the second half but Boro looked to have changed to a back four. On forty-seven minutes a calamitous Stoke attack was only bettered by Boro’s efforts at defending in a very unconvincing manner, cue more boos. A break then by Spence left two Stoke players for dead and after being clattered by McLean we won a corner and then another in quick succession but that was it, all over just as were getting some hope. At least we actually had an attack and the ball did move in a forward trajectory. Obviously buoyed by attacking, Boro mounted another one and a deflected shot by Spence saw a claim for a penalty on Tav by Batth which the Ref waved away.

A long ball out of the Stoke defence down their right saw Dael Fry misjudge the bounce and allowed a cross to come in which was instinctively well saved by Pears with Howson trying to cut out the danger but the ball came out to Clucas who had sprinted from the half-way line leaving his marker Clayton in his wake with the goal at his mercy and couldn’t miss and didn’t. The deadlock was broken and Boro now trailed behind the visitors with the half now seven minutes old.

As Woodgate readied subs a simple lobbed ball from Howson over the back of the Stoke defence saw Fletcher read the intention and ghost in to head home unopposed and there it was 1-1. We were back on level terms out of nowhere. Wing then came on for Clayton and Getsede for Walker (to a chorus of more boos). A penalty claim by Clucas was dismissed as he went down between Howson and Saville earning a yellow for his trouble as the game now suddenly moved into first gear from neutral.

There were of course the predictable and obligatory boos for McClean throughout the game but I wasn’t counting those although the thought did cross my mind about what if McClean had a different skin tone rather than political persuasion, would the Ref be forced to take a different view?

Wing fed in Tav on sixty-two minutes as Boro now looked positively energetic after their setback (or kick up the backside). That quick response equaliser had clearly deflated Stoke’s brittle confidence and the arrival of Wing for Clayton saw a much more forward-thinking Player making an impact. Wing tried a rather adventurous volley on sixty-four minutes but he was under it instead of on top and sent it screaming into the North Stand night sky. O’Neill made a change on sixty-six minutes with McClean limping off and then remaining on the pitch (to more boos) and instead Ward went off for Nick Powell.

On sixty-eight minutes Saville managed to bring the ball out of defence, beat two Stoke players then pirouetted around himself instead of setting Spence free and managing to dispossess himself in a head scratching moment that won’t have impressed either of his two watching Managers. Pears did well to cleanly collect a cross from McClean and quickly setting up an attack by rolling the ball out to Tav who in turn left his marker, ran forwards instinctively finding Wing who took a few strides and then unleashed one of his long awaited rockets. Seventy minutes now gone and the atmosphere inside the Riverside had turned 180 degrees. Livelier, hungrier and sharper Boro now had Stoke reeling and an Ayala header from a free kick needed Butland at his best to prevent Boro from going three up.

Fifteen minutes remaining and O’Neill made a sub with the injured McClean going off for Vokes. As play recommenced Tavernier was dragged back by Smith as he had left Ince for dead with the Stoke defender entering the Ref’s book. Marvin Johnson came on for Spence in an effort to put a little more experience on out there to see the game out. A headed clearance by Fry repelled a Stoke onslaught as they mounted desperate attempt after attempt to pull themselves back into the game. A long cleared ball up to Gestede saw him flick it on but it was just too far for Fletcher to reach with ten minutes now remaining. Saville earned a yellow for dragging Ince back with Coulson caught upfield as the game evolved into defence versus attack.

An unchallenged Joe Allen run across the front of the Boro 18 yard box saw his shot just curling away from the intended target as the South Stand breathed a collective sigh of relief. Batth collided with Tavernier in a 50/50 leaving his mark on Boro’s MOM providing a few minutes breather. Two minutes later Cousins cynically took out Coulson as he caught the midfielder cold with his pace and started to sprint clear. In testimony to how well Coulson had done Ince was then subbed for Diouf as O’Neill threw down his last card with only three agonisingly long minutes remaining. Five minutes came up on the fourth officials board as Fletcher searingly ran back into his box reading Diouf’s cross and cutting out the danger with a determined hoofed clearance which fortuitously but deservedly found Johnson.

Bodies in red were now being thrown at the ball and at Stoke players generally just to hang on to that slender Wing wonder strike. Two minutes of added time remained and Boro were happy to let the ball go out for throw-ins and generally disrupt proceedings. Danny Batth went flying into Dael Fry to concede a foul in the dying seconds and as Pears despatched the resultant free kick down to the opposite end of the pitch the whistle sounded to end what was without doubt a game of two halves. That win was a massive psychological boost to Boro and a huge dent to Stoke with six points now separating the two sides. The second-half change in attitude and intent was nothing short of remarkable especially considering how many Academy products were still out there.

The first half was diabolical, easily and all too readily forgotten about but the second half saw Howson, Ayala and Coulson all put in great performances but for me Tav was the one that tipped it. He was the battler, the threat, the constant niggle and the provider for the winner. That quick equaliser sparked a complete mentality change in Boro who had gone from defeatists to believers in a few seconds. In fairness even Gestede won battles and made a nuisance of himself winning important duels when he came on.

These were two really bad sides but it was all about the result rather than the methodology. The tactical change at half time by Woodgate made a marked difference despite conceding as did the swapping of Clayton for Wing. As the saying goes its always darkest before the dawn and never truer than tonight.

Championship 2019-20: Weeks 20-21

Fri 20 Dec – 19:45: Boro v Stoke
Tue 26 Dec – 15:00: Boro v Huddersfield
Sun 29 Dec – 15:00: West Brom v Boro
Wed  1 Jan – 15:00: Preston v Boro

As we get ready to start a new decade, it’s normally a time to both look back and wonder how it defined our lives, while also looking to the future with a vision of how to move forward. However, the problem of visions is that they come in many guises and we just can’t tell whether the latest one to emerge from Boro is going to be true, blurred, short-sighted or was even induced by some kind of delerium caused possibly by the shock of wasting large amounts of cash. It’s also been observed that some people’s visions were even triggered by taking mind-altering drugs, which can sometimes risk a condition known as hallucinogenic persisting perception disorder (HPPD) – though there’s no suggestion the chairman was on a trip when he had the idea to install Jonthan Woodgate to lead the club into the future. However, the acid test for Boro will be whether the new plan under the new regime can turn themselves into team that can compete at the other end of the table.

Boro have now spent almost a decade as primarily a Championship club having previously spent over a decade as an established Premier League club before exiting that grand stage left just over ten years ago in 2009. Since that bow from the big time it’s been a case of searching for an encore by changing the actors and trying to improvise our way through a mixture of low budget B-movies or throwing money at potential A-listers only to discover they had bad scripts without happy endings.

It was just over ten years ago that the club appointed Gordon Strachan to replace the dismissed Gareth Southgate – whatever happened to him? Looking back, it doesn’t seem like the temperamental Scot was the consequence of a carefully planned vision – especially if there’s any truth in the rumour that it was the result of a chance encounter with Keith Lamb at a service station toilet. OK, it doesn’t sound like it was a cunning plan to approach someone at a service station but Boro just got lucky it was Gordon – perhaps lucky is not the correct phrase. Anyway, it’s interesting to look at who was in that Boro team ten years ago for the last game of the previous decade under Strachan before he raided the Old Firm and blew the budget after Hogmanay. That game was away at Barnsley on 28 December 2009 and the starting XI was: Danny Coyne, Justin Hoyte, Chris Riggot, Rhys Williams, David Wheater, Tony McMahon, Gary O’Neil, Adam Johnson, Julio Arca, Marcus Bent, Jonathan Franks. Quite a lot of academy graduates in that team and almost similar to where we are now – though hopefully the club won’t be raiding the Scottish leagues in January!

Strachan, you no doubt recall turned out to be a disaster and Gibson turned to local legend Tony Mowbray, who was appointed to pick up the pieces but couldn’t find a way back to the big time once the money had run out. The question is how long do you need to be away before the notion of getting back is still makes sense? Of course, we shouldn’t overlook our brief return to rubbing shoulders with the stars, when the protégé of the Special One finally gained the prize of promotion despite his method acting and momentarily losing the plot with that meltdown mishap. It seemed Boro were back in the limelight but sadly there were too few best bits and too many dull performances and the show was cancelled after just one season.

At least Boro left with a big pay cheque in their pocket and the compensation of having Premier League royalties in the form of parachute payments. Luckily the club’s new vision had a need for plenty of cash but unfortunately they mistook the appearance of being wealthy with all the lavish spending to actually being wealthy. It was a gamble that never paid off – except for Garry Monk and his staff who were all handsomely paid off! Another cunning plan had failed and it now it’s once again time to start cutting back on the spending before the credit runs out. The latest plan is not so much a vision but a necessity that many on Teesside saw it coming before it became the new way forward.

Back in the busy Christmas present, Boro will hopefully encourage a bit of festive cheer from the terraces, where seasonal goodwill has so far been lacking. It’s felt like a long journey of discovery for the new management team and the consensus has been more than clear for some time that there will be no room at the Premier Inn for this weary-looking Boro. Perhaps the three far from wise men of Woodgate, Keane and Leo initially took a wrong turning along the way or were possibly gazing at the wrong stars when they followed the path to the less than stable birth of their infant coaching careers.

Nevertheless, with four games in twelve days there is no time to dwell on who was in charge of direction as Boro need points – the first two of which are both crucial six-pointer battles at the Riverside against relegation rivals. Stoke arrive for the Friday evening televised game and with the Potters just three points behind sitting third from bottom, a defeat would likely drag Woodgate’s team back into the drop zone before the partridge appears in a metaphorical pear-shaped Christmas trees on Teessside.

However, a win would put serious daylight between Boro and Michael O’Neil’s men and give us a head start before the traditional post-Christmas slump kicks in. Stoke’s new boss had got off to a good start when he was appointed in early November, winning his first two in charge against fellow strugglers Barnsley and Wigan. However, he lost his next three to cast doubts on the prospects of making a quick escape but have recently returned to winning ways after beating another relegation-troubled team in Luton and then drew 0-0 with the lowly Royals. Let’s hope they don’t continue the trend of taking points off the teams around them when they head to Teesside. Incidentally, the game against Stoke takes us to the halfway point of the season and only a win will take Boro above the one point per game average, which by anyone’s measure is still well below average.

Boro will be of course without Paddy McNair after his red-card appeal was, like the player himself, dismissed – though no signs of stamping or elbows from the adjudicating panel on that decision. Missing the Stoke game could be crucial as he’s looked a driving force in midfield, particularly at the Riverside. It’s made even worse by him also missing the equally crucial Boxing Day fixture against Huddersfield, who are currently just one point and one place above Boro. Woodgate will also be without Marcus Browne after he also received his marching orders at Swansea but given he’s hardly made much impact since his arrival (other than with some lunging tackles) it doesn’t seem like a major blow that he’s once again unavailable. At least Lewis Wing’s return from injury will help to fill the gap in the midfield and there’s hope Britt may be fit again to return up front – though Ashley Fletcher’s belief that “Gestede can still shine for Middlesbrough” may be not the brightest prediction he’s made given the gloomy evidence of the previous three years.

So the game against Huddersfield is the first reverse fixture of the season despite it only being late October when we played them at their place. While you could be forgiven if it didn’t stick in your memory, as it was a largely forgettable goal-less draw – however, it did see Aynsley Pears make his debut between the sticks. The Terriers had seemed on the up again after the arrival of the Cowley brothers but they’ve now only managed one win in their last seven games, which was against the poor Charlton side that even Boro achieved victory over. So both side could see Boxing Day as another chance to bank three points – though most wouldn’t be surprised to see a repeat of the John Smith’s score and perhaps some will even be glad for a chance to doze off after over-indulging the day before.

We can only hope that Boro capitalise on those two home festive fixtures against their relegation rivals as the next two games look decidedly tricky. The last game of 2019 is at leaders West Brom and they haven’t lost for three months and that was a narrow 1-0 defeat at Leeds – in fact it’s their only defeat of the season. Indeed, in their last two home games the goals have been flying in after grabbing nine goals against the Swans and the Robins – so let’s pray that Boro’s visit is not a turkey shoot as we could be in for another stuffing away from home with all the trimmings to our goal difference that would entail.

Boro’s first-footing of 2020 takes them over the Deepdale threshold and Preston is a place where few return with any luck. Alex Neil’s side have won 9 of their 12 games on home soil with just one defeat against those aforementioned Baggies. Unsurprisingly, Preston top the home league table with 29 points and a nicely symmetrical 29 goals – incidentally, in case anyone was wondering Boro are third bottom of the away table with just five points, ten goals and no wins. Statistically it doesn’t look too promising that Jonathan Woodgate will be associating new year with happy – though if he’s into shopping at least the January sales start and the transfer window opens!

And so begins another decade for the club where it seems the emphasis will be on youth as the cash appears to be too tight to bring in the experienced or the tried and tested. It seems the responsibility will be placed on our young players to take us forward in the next decade. I’m reminded of the song entitled ‘Decades’ from the post-punk band Joy Division (not named after the Championship) that opened with the lyrics “Here are the young men, the weight on their shoulders. Here are the young men, well where have they been?” Those lines perhaps sum up where we are in 2020 as we wait to see if the young men graduating from the Boro academy will surprise and deal with the pressure that will be inevitably placed on them. I suspect it probably won’t improve your optimism if I mentioned the person who wrote those lyrics, Ian Curtis, suffered from depression and killed himself before the album with that song on it was released. However, I should add that haunting tune from 1980 still remains one of my favourite songs – albeit a sombre reflective one.

Anyway, I will try to end the decade on a more positive note and as we wonder whether Boro as a club can find a new vision to move forward. Obviously, to have a vision it probably helps to have visionary thinking and this is what Steve Gibson had when he first became chairman as he embarked on a plan to put Boro on the footballing map. Bringing in Bryan Robson gave the club the pulling power to sign players we would have never dreamed would arrive on Teesside. It also gave us our first taste of getting to a major cup final and eventually it led to winning one and even getting to a European cup final. Perhaps it’s unlikely to be a vision that could work now in the age of billionaire owners but it was still a vision that came to fruition.

Some have started to think that maybe the chairman is getting too old to be looking forward with new visions for Boro and he’s now content to just think of his legacy as he keeps the club ticking over without taking risks. Interestingly, I listened to an interview this week with a scientist called James Lovelock, who I first knew about probably 30 years ago when reading a book of his. He’s most famous for developing the Gaia hypothesis, which argues that the Earth is essentially a self-regulating organism and was also recruited by Nasa in the early 1960s to work on projects that were searching for life on Mars and other planets. He also developed the sensor that detected the hole in the ozone layer and another bizarre claim to fame was that he held Stephen Hawking as a baby when working with his father at the National Institute of Medical Research. For his 90th Birthday he was flown into space by Richard Branson and in July of this year he celebrated his 100th year on Earth. Amazingly, he still sounds as sharp and enthusiastic as he did 30 years ago and continues to write books and work on ideas. As James Lovelock looked back on his career at 100 he said: “My life has been one mass of visions.” So perhaps he can be an inspiration to Steve Gibson and indeed to us all. You’re never too old to have a vision to move things forward, you just need to keep young at heart, keep an active mind and be capable of thinking things through – that is the challenge for those who run Boro for the next decade…

Pos. 10th (34pts)	SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER 2019			Pos. 20th (21pts)
Swansea		3-1	Boro
Ayew (22 pen, 71) Surridge (73)	62% 10(7) 6 13	POSSESSION SHOTS (on target) CORNERS FOULS	38% 8(3) 6 19	Tavernier (59) ▮ Browne (63) ▮ McNair (77)

Liabilities at the Liberty

For a change it was a relatively confident Boro making their way down to South Wales after collecting four points from six in their last two games and climbing up the form table while their opponents were heading down the same form table making this afternoons encounter a less fearful task than of a few weeks back.

Boro were hopeful of Britt being fit whilst many Boro fans hoped he wouldn’t be risked especially with both McNair and Johnson back from suspension. The Swans however had a few absentees of their own to be concerned about in Tom Carroll who was suspended and Joe Rodon, Jordon Garrick and Wayne Routledge all injured.

Rudy Gestede was back fit and in contention and may make the bench for reasons of experience if nothing else. There are still painful memories of that glaring headed miss down here a few seasons back. Maybe this could be the day that he laid that ghost to rest should he get a chance?

Swansea hadn’t won in their last six Championship games whereas Boro had only lost once albeit the demolition by Leeds. The BBC website revealed that five of Swansea’s last six Championship goals have come from corners and that they have scored nine goals from corners this season, more than any other side in the Championship. We hoped that our band of Coaches and defenders have been doing their homework on them in training this week at set pieces.

On a bright sunny but freezing afternoon in South Wales the team news for Boro looked like a back four with Howson at RB, Clayton in front of the four and with Johnson staring in place of Spence. Britt as we had expected wasn’t deemed fit to start. Spence was on the bench with Browne, Gestede and Wing all back from injury. Swansea had made one change, Dhanda for the suspended Carroll.

The game commenced with an early Boro free kick which McNair put into the Swans box but it was routinely cleared with Ayew chasing the out ball on the right and played in Byers who fired in a long-range effort which gave Pears a chance to handle the ball without being remotely bothered. McNair replied for Boro with a run of his own down the right forking the Swans to concede a throw in in what looked to be a confident start from Boro in the opening six minutes.

Ten minutes in and Boro hadn’t been under any pressure and we were looking assured albeit neither Keeper had been troubled which reflected the pre-season friendly atmosphere in the Liberty Stadium which probably suited Boro. Another McNair free kick was headed clear, Boro came back with a half volley from Jonny Howson on the edge of the box as there seemed little appetite to break out from Swansea and challenge the Boro defence.

A ball into the Boro box was cleared by Fry to Fletcher who set up a swift Boro attack which ended with McNair winning a corner from which Tav’s delivery was met by Ayala but it just evaded him as Boro looked by far the more comfortable side so far. You got the feeling that the longer this continued the more despondent and frustrated the Home fans would become and the greater the confidence would grow in the Boro camp.

Clayts clattered Dhanda for the second time and Ref Whitestone made it clear that he wouldn’t be accepting any more. The frustrations grew as the Swans then played the ball back to their Keeper but they then broke upfield with Dhanda playing in Roberts requiring Ayala to clear for a corner. Pears punched the incoming ball from Grimes out for another corner as the home side showed some determination. The second corner was wasted and eventually Fletcher cleared it for Boro as the game neared the twenty-minute mark. Pears was called into action again as Andre Ayew let fly another long range shot which went wide.

Celina released Ayew who fired in a shot which Pears parried and when going in for the rebound Fry challenged and Ref Whitestone blew for a penalty in what had looked like a blatant dive. Ayew stepped up, hit it straight down the centre and totally against the run of play Swansea found themselves one up. Clayts was dispossessed as they were clearing their heads and dawdling let Ayew rob him allowing Surridge then Byers shots on Pears in quick succession. The Boro keeper did well with both efforts, meanwhile Boro needed to sort themselves out because from having control they now looked susceptible with the Swans now flying.

The Home fans chorused their opinion of Boro by singing their shock of actually “winning at home”. The reply from Boro was a back-post ball from a Tavernier free kick went out off Bidwell for a Boro corner which Tav took and sent it into the box which was collected by the Keeper Woodman but then nicked by Saville with the Ref then booking Saville for an alleged absurd foul on Woodman.

Roberts got into the box and but for a desperate Coulson block Byers was about to put the Swans two up. Amazing the difference, a goal can make on a game. Pears collected the corner and Boro won a free kick on the half way line which eventually allowed Boro to build up but the end ball across to Fletcher from Howson went out for a goal kick. Ten minutes to half time and Boro had lost their early confidence whilst the Swans were building and growing into the game sensing that they could grab a second before half time.

Impetus was desperately needed from Boro, we needed Tav, Coulson or McNair to make a run, something to strike fear or create a serious attempt. It was all far too comfortable for Swansea and despite our early confidence Woodman hadn’t a serious save to make. We looked flat and needed a leader out there to wind the red shirts up. Saville played out to Johnson forcing ex Boro loanee Roberts to put it out for a corner. The corner came in but was headed down by Fry and easily cleared in what was a very poor routine corner with no guile or creativity whatsoever. How we needed a Grant Leadbitter out there clapping his hands and geeing them up.

Coulson broke down the left and won a corner after beating Ayew and won a corner off Roberts again. McNair took this one which sailed straight out of play with nobody going to the far post and clearly no plan or intention. Not good enough and a rocket needed to be fired up the Red shirts to wake them from their somnolence. A late Swansea Free Kick flew into the Boro box but was dealt with by Pears. In the dying seconds of added time a great Howson ball to Fletcher came into Saville who swung a boot but it went well wide.

As both teams walked off Steve Cooper will have been relieved to be a goal up while Woodgate needed to raise the roof and fire his charges up after a very pedestrian lacklustre showing. Wing and Spence where perhaps some options to alter the pace of the game. Clayton and Saville were solid but unspectacular. Woodgate needed to make sure we started the second half on fire to ensure Woodman in the Swansea goal broke sweat or at least had some soil on his elbows and backside.

As the sides ran out unchanged as the travelling army hoped to see a lot more from those in red. A near post header from Fry cleared Boro’s lines but back they came with Cabango late in on McNair as Boro looked to be even more lethargic. The centre-half earned a yellow card for the challenge. Ayew broke down the flank and caused even more consternation as we needed to wake up. Woodgate had enough and Clayton was taken off and Browne came on. Browne went down after Fletcher played him in and earned a booking for a dive. So as one yellow-carded Boro player went off the one replacing him took just 120 seconds to pick up one of his own.

Swansea immediately went down the Boro end and after a few nervy half clearances the ball went out for a Swansea throw to come straight back into the Boro box and as Dhanda went to meet an Ayew challenge he went down Browne style earning himself a yellow for simulation. Ten minutes into the second half and a McNair Boro Corner was whistled for a bit of a niggle in the box when it was delivered.

Coulson broke and was then pulled back but the Ref seemingly ignored it as frustrations were growing with the away side who were yet to make Woodman earn this week pay check. Tavernier intercepted, broke from midfield playing a long daisy cutting pass to Fletcher who held it up, played it back in to Tavernier who made up ground and walloped it low into the corner of Woodman’s net. 1-1 and game on!

Byers went off for Fulton as Swansea made their first change of the afternoon. Another Boro effort soon followed and just as we looked to be getting the upper hand in the game Marcus Browne goes into a reckless two footed challenge taking out van der Hoorn earning a straight red and we were down to ten men yet again. Another ridiculous sending off for Boro indicating that there is clearly a discipline and control issue within the Boro Coaching set up. It’s too many and too often now for it to be mere coincidence.

Marvin Johnson was then pulled back for a Boro free kick, McNair fizzed it in and was cleared away by Surridge for a Boro corner. McNair delivered the ball into the Swansea box but headed away by van der Hoorn. Barry McKay then came on for Dhanda as Steve Cooper sensed all three points. Then ten-man Boro left Andre Ayew unmarked who smashed Swansea back into the lead and Boro two-one down. The only excuse for Ayew being unmarked was perhaps the switch from five at the back to four.

Indiscipline seriously costing Boro once again and to compound things Grimes put a deep cross into the Boro box, nodded down by Bidwell into the path of Surridge who swivelled and stroked it past Pears into the bottom corner to kill off the contest.

Ashley Fletcher got in behind van der Hoorn but his shot went wide as Woodgate brought on Rudy Gestede with 15 minutes left to play and George Saville making way. As Tavernier was mysteriously laid out on the pitch a frustrated McNair charged in on Grimes in front of the Swansea dugout and the reaction from the home bench sealed his fate. Something had clearly incensed them; the Northern Irishman was promptly red carded for the challenge as Boro went down to nine men with just over ten minutes left to play.

Just as Woodgate had managed to get a few players back in his squad two of them managed to get themselves straight reds and three-game bans. Unbelievable how we had gone from unflustered and cruising to an unfortunate goal down, two sending’s off after pulling level and eventually going three behind. Marvin Johnson then went off for Lewis Wing presumably to get ten minutes playing time.

Wing collected a ball from Coulson and got his effort away and Gestede managed to make contact of sorts with the ball but unsurprisingly there was no net bulge. Swansea had a few attempts themselves but the game was now effectively over when Browne was sent off and when McNair received his marching orders it was the signal to head home for the travelling army as the rain poured down adding more atmospheric misery on the afternoon.

Five added minutes came up on the fourth Officials board as Boro’s nine men battled now hard to save face and keep the defeat to just the three goals. The meaningless, nothingness of the remainder after Paddy’s departure was just made all the more ridiculous as Gestede bizarrely headed the ball out for a corner to the Swans. He did at least defend the corner by getting his head onto it and as Swansea toyed with us thankfully the final whistle went on an afternoon which could and possibly should have initially yielded three points but as a minimum one carelessly thrown away by petulant ill-discipline. Those three summer signings have all been highly questionable. One seems marginally capable at this level; one would look out of place in a Sunday Pub side and one has ability but is clearly an unhinged damaged loose cannon and no wonder the Hammers jettisoned him.

Once Browne was booked Woodgate should have subbed his sub, bizarre as that would seem. Clayton was taken off because his yellow had restricted his effectiveness previously and there is nothing in Browne’s profile to trust and believe that he could control his own game, in fact the polar opposite. A hot-headed liability who needs to be jettisoned in January and written off as a budget bad gamble. All these continual sending’s off put me in mind of another leader this week who paid a humiliating price for failing to control his charges despite being deluded to the contrary.

Down to ten men and two goals behind, would putting on someone with a bit of pace and energy instead of Gestede when you are forced to sit deeper have made more sense? Surely having a zestful threatening outlet instead of a lumbering, immobile, injury prone, unfit, non scoring striker had to be a more logical decision?

Stoke up next at the Riverside in a six pointer and let’s hope for some discipline and control. There are now too many Players in this squad walking a tightrope with the fans which isn’t a great foundation for a side battling to survive in the Championship.

Pos. 5th (34pts)	TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER 2019			Pos. 20th (21pts)
Nottm Forest		1-1	Boro
Yates (63)	62% 9(3) 10 13	POSSESSION SHOTS (on target) CORNERS FOULS	38% 9(3) 1 20	McNair (81 Pen)

Paddy stumps Forest

Resurgent after their second consecutive Home victory Boro travelled down to the Trent this evening to take on a side with serious play-off ambitions. Forest have been patchy and lacking consistency at times but sitting in fifth before Kick Off their fans were all too aware that they needed a win after drawing against Millwall and losing to Cardiff in their last two outings. If not, Bristol above could stretch the gap between them and fourth place to five points plus the chasing pack below had three teams that could leapfrog them. Boro on the other hand were now four points clear of the drop zone and knew that whatever happened they would still be clear of it come ten o’clock.

There was a degree of relief amongst the Trees fans that Bitt was crocked for this one with a fear of that returning old boy syndrome causing much anxiety. With a tendency to start slowly they have struggled to create first half chances which considering Boro’s patched up defence and the prospect of two youngsters on the flanks could offer some hope to those in the away dugout. Lewis Grabban is their main threat contributing ten of their twenty-six goals this season so if Ayala could stop him then Boro just may have a chance of getting something from this evenings encounter.

Team news saw just the one change with McNair coming in for Britt which meant that as we thought on here Tav would be pushed further up to work with Fletcher. The bench looked inexperienced to say the least with only Johnson having any “experience” at this level. Lewis Wing was once again absent.

Boro adorned in their white away kit got the game underway in wet and miserable wintry conditions. Grabban took on Ayala in the opening exchange but Spence was alert to put it out for a throw in. The resultant throw ended with a deflected cross going out for a corner to the Trees which in turn went out for another throw in off Clayts as Forest started with obvious intent.

McNair put Fletcher through on five minutes but his touch deserted him in what was Boro’s first serious threat of the evening. Joe Lolley responded for Forest and in an exchange with Silva he nearly exposed our defence but for Fry reading the move and clearing the danger. An in-swinging Forest corner in the tenth minute evaded Pears towards the back post but Ayala once again was equal to it and was fouled in the eyes of the Ref to ease some pressure. Back again came Forest as they were continually pushing our full-backs deep and earning another corner. In it came but Clayts cleared it this time as Woodgate surely needed to offer his full-backs a little more support to ease the onslaught.

Approaching the quarter-hour mark and another Forest corner was delivered this time into the near post, once again we cleared but Cash and Lolley came straight back at us with Lolley getting a shot off which Pears was thankfully equal to. Ameobi played in Cash who evaded Coulson and got a shot off with flashing warning signs growing that Boro needed to pick up players quicker and at the same time ease the pressure by attacking themselves.

As our struggles continued (or resilience depending on perspective) Lolley played in Grabban only for us to hold out again but this time Saville found a way to clear as the watch approached twenty minutes. Grabban again came close but the offside flag came to the rescue of the visiting white shirts. Ref Andy Woolmer had a word with Spence after he piled into Robinson and earned a soft yellow for his troubles which seemed a bit harsh considering it was the game’s first serious challenge. After the restart Ameobi and Yates nearly broke the deadlock as Boro’s defence creaked even further but somehow the home side made hard work of things to deny themselves. Up until this point Tav was a virtual spectator and Fletcher had been very limited, struggling with a lack of support or build up from his team mates.

McNair broke only to have Silva pull him back after Fletcher set him free for the Yellow card count to equalise at one apiece. Fletcher then had a header at Samba in goal for Forest which only poked the Trees with Grabban again coming close at the opposite end. Another rare Boro break with McNair was frustratingly pulled back by the Ref for a free kick who failed to see the opportunity in letting the game carry on. A speculative left-footed Howson drive from nearer the halfway line than the Forest box was dramatic but way off target.

A flurry of Boro activity ensued after a tactical switch with McNair and Tav now providing cover for the Full Backs saw Tav supported by Coulson ending up with a back post ball to Fletcher who met it putting it in the danger zone but there were no white shirts to take advantage. Ayala again had to be alert to block Grabban as Forest broke away conceding a corner which eventually went out for a goal kick as we entered the last ten minutes of the half. Throughout the game Forest seemed to be content sitting back and looking to pick Boro off down the flanks as we ventured forward.

Mejias then started warming up as worried glances were made in the direction of Pears who presumably had a niggle of some sort as the Boro injury curse seemingly was gathering momentum. Tavernier came more into the game after the switch and now started to influence a few moves and at the same time Coulson looked a little more comfortable. A Spence through pass led to Clayton going down just outside the Forest box after Fletcher played the ball into him with less than a minute of the forty five remaining.

Tav lined up the free kick as the Forest box was packed with bodies but his fiercely hit effort came off the wall for Boro’s first corner of the match. There was the usual pushing and shoving melee in the box as McNair floated the corner in but it was cleared all to easily but to his credit Spence recovered it and immediately delivered the ball back in for Ayala to put Dawson under pressure with the ball going out for another corner but the whistle went signalling the end of the half. It wasn’t a great half for Boro with Forest by far the better side but it was still 0-0 and that late Boro period of pressure may have altered the mindsets of both Managers during their respective team talks.

Lolley, Cash and Ameobi were causing us serious problems and Grabban had been a threat all through that half. Woodgate now had to find a way to stem the flow of Forest attacks and at the same time put them under some pressure. If the game continued in the same vein as the first half it would be a miracle if Boro managed to repel the attacks for another forty-five minutes. It would be an incredible feat but it was looking very unlikely. Somehow we needed to offer more of a threat in the second half but having already changed tactics and a sparse bench it was difficult to see how change could be made to any positive effect. Perhaps the only option would be to remove either Saville or Clayton in favour of Johnson to add a more attacking element and pushing Tav further up again.

Forest kicked off and started straight away attacking Boro with no changes in personal by either manager but another switch from Woodgate now saw a back four with Howson, Ayala, Fry and Coulson with Spence pushed up on the right and Tav on the left with McNair pushed up just behind Fletcher leaving Clayton and Saville centrally. Another Forest Corner was flicked on towards the back post but fortunately nobody picked up on the move in a red shirt and we collectively exhaled again. That corner count grew again courtesy of Ameobi firing in a left footed rocket which Pears done well to put around for the corner. Clayts then was fortunate to avoid a booking which perhaps balanced up the harsh one issued in the first half to Spence.

A clever bit of play from McNair saw him win a free kick but the delivery from Howson was clearly not something that was ever rehearsed at Rockliffe. Samba then had to be alert as he palmed away an effort from McNair after a quick Boro throw in. The next Forest corner came off Clayton as the deflected ball spun up and over Pears’s net. The Lolley delivered corner found an unmarked red shirt who tee’d up Yates who smashed the ball into the turf and up it spun hitting the crossbar forcing Pears to punch clear.

Thirty minutes remained and the Boro goal had led a charmed life so far. Lolley lined up another Forest corner which was half cleared by Tav but it came straight back and a cross from the right saw Yates this time head home unopposed. Three Forest Players were left free in the build up in a repeat of the Hull game when we retreated so deep, we allowed our opponents unopposed space and freedom and paid the price. Marvin Johnson was readied in response as Boro now had to come out and try and get something from this game. Djed Spence made way with Johnson taking up the right-wing position. Marvin’s first involvement earned him a lecture from the Ref as he needlessly fouled in the opposition half and the thought was had he not learned from his Hull experience?

A Pears clearance saw Fletcher floored after being clattered into by Dawson but after a few rubs on the back of his head he staggered to his feet and was able to continue without the aid of the magic sponge. Speaking of magic, it was notably absent in the interplay between Tav, Fletcher and Johnson up till now. Carvalho was then brought on for ex Boro temp Ameobi with Walker warming up for Boro to come on for Clayton with fifteen minutes remaining. McNair dropped deeper as Walker took up the supporting role for Fletcher.

A nervy mix up between Fry and Ayala saw them both miss headers allowing Grabban to nip in but thankfully Pears was alert to the danger. Semedo then came on for Silva as Forest looked to shore things up by swapping a playmaker for a more solid and robust character. An over-hit Tav cross summed up Boro’s evening and then a minute later McNair attacked a blocked Tav shot but sliced his effort well wide.

Incredibly as Boro hopes were fading Johnson was brought down by Robinson chasing a long timed ball from Paddy McNair and a Penalty was awarded to the visitors. Red booted McNair took responsibility for the kick and slammed it Grant style into the top left corner to make it 1-1 giving Samba no chance and silencing the City Ground with just under ten minutes remaining. Forest came back at us and in doing so Semedo earned another Yellow as he took out Fletcher. Albert Adomah then came on for Yates in a late bid to get their noses in front again. Fletcher then increased the yellow card count as he apparently caught Dawson with a raised arm.

Tav came close to undoing Samba as Forest now started to throw everything forward. A minute later and Worrall took Tavernier out to prevent a Boro breakout and earning yet another yellow with just under five minutes remaining. A bit of late pressure involving Saville, Johnson and McNair saw Fletcher send an effort wide as Boro very nearly nicked all three points.

Dawson won another free kick against Fletcher but the Ref insisted it be taken exactly where the “offence” was committed allowing vital seconds to seep away. Four minutes came up on the board as Johnson took a knock and slowly dragged himself back to his feet. Saville cut out a late attempt for a throw in and the resulting long throw saw a nervy few moments in the Boro box but Pears was equal to it all and caught the ball confidentially. Ayala then handled to give away a free kick in the last minute of stoppage time on the edge of the box. Carvalho sent the ball into Pears’ near post but the young Keeper stood strong and unflappable catching it cleanly.

The final whistle went to a background of boos but certainly not from the travelling army. This was a game of many phases, Woodgate changed tactics several times and after a first half of desperately holding on then going behind Johnson made a marked difference when he arrived. A draw away from home especially at the City Ground has to be recorded as a good result for any Boro side. My MOM was Ayala for his first half defensive performance but Pears was also solid when called upon. Marvin Johnson made a big difference and Paddy took his penalty with aplomb and had also set Johnson free for the penalty so there were a few contenders. Four points from the last two games was as good as anyone could have hoped for especially after the Leeds drubbing made all the more remarkable by the limitations imposed by the squad. By no means a great game or performance from Boro but a great point and a very unexpected one from a scrappy but dogged display which hopefully will be carried onto Swansea.

Pos. 19th (20 pts)	WEDNESDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2019			Pos. 17th (23 pts)
Boro		1-0	Charlton
Saville (1)	44% 23(3) 4 15	POSSESSION SHOTS (on target) CORNERS FOULS	56% 5(2) 5 20

Saville strike suits Boro

The Addicks arrived on Teesside with a few injury concerns of their own as two old mates went head to head in the dugout Championship survival stakes. Their list of sidelined players was as bad as Boro’s if not even worse but they did have some positive midweek news in that talismanic Striker Lyle Taylor and Chuks Aneke should both be available for this afternoons game if not as starters then certainly from the bench. Both are big 6ft plus lads so add a bit of height to the Addicks attack. Conor Gallagher would also be available for them after serving a suspension but they would still be without suspended Centre Back Tom Lockyer.

Boro’s injury list was eased slightly with the news that Browne and Gestede were close to being back and that Britt was sufficiently patched up to go again. There were however reports of several ill players after a virus had hit the Boro camp so the line up could have a very unfamiliar look to it or as some of the assembled in the concourses muttered, “getting the excuses in early”.

Despite being three places and six points ahead of Boro the Addicks were in terrible form prior to this afternoon’s game being bottom of the Championship Form table for the last ten games with just six points compared to Boro’s eight. This was a must win for Boro but also very winnable coming at an opportune time as the Club played down “fake” media speculation linking them with unemployed Managers.

The lunch time kick off saw Huddersfield lose to Leeds which was an early bonus for both these sides. Boro team news had a surprise with Clayts restored alongside Saville in midfield in place of McNair and Wing. Nineteen-year-old Djed Spence earned a debut for the injured Dijksteel and Coulson returned at the back with Bola making way. Wing presumably was suffering an illness as he wasn’t even on the bench. Five changes and a surprise debut for Charlton with the experienced Joe Ledley who had been without a club and only joined them this week.

The game commenced in a sparsely populated and quiet Riverside with very few Addicks travelling up for the game but that changed quickly when Clayton battled a series of midfield challenges to play in Spence who in turn fed Howson then after a deflected shot from Britt it came out to Fletcher whose follow up effort was smothered by Phillips with the ball breaking to Saville who struck calmly and cleanly to put Boro one up with less than a minute gone. The perfect start and probably far better than anyone had dared hope or wished for.

Charlton struggled for the next five minutes to clear their heads but Boro were looking lively with Spence now involved in a few good moves as Boro looked to put Charlton to the sword. Saville looked to add his second on eight minutes as he curled a low shot just wide of Phillips in the Charlton goal. A minute later and Fletcher played a ball across the goal mouth but there was nobody in a Red shirt to take advantage with Coulson conceding a free kick for his over exuberance on Ledley in trying to keep the move alive.

A very positive opening quarter of an hour from Boro with both Spence and Coulson very lively. Clayton was involved in the build up to the goal and the other boo boy Saville had put us in front. Britt and Fletcher were both looking hungry and over all we were good value for the lead. A cheeky shot from distance by Coulson just went over as Dillon Phillips was caught off his line. Boro were looking to keep pressing sensing that this Addicks defence looked vulnerable.

Ayala conceded a dubious free kick to Charlton which was sent into the Boro box by Ledley but sailed wide for a goal kick which Pears took his time over on twenty minutes. Spence again got down the flank and got his cross in towards Fletcher but Oshilaja went down in the Charlton box after a clash of heads. Coulson cut inside on twenty-six minutes and the ball spun to Clayts but he was adjudged to have handled as Charlton continued to look susceptible defensively. Spence once again turned Charlton defender Purrington as he robbed him to feed Britt. He got his shot off on twenty-eight minutes but was blocked and his follow up went flying over in typical Britt fashion. The half hour mark ticked over and Pears hadn’t a save to make as Boro looked comfortable and by far the more dominant side with both young wing backs having a great game.

Coulson played a ball into the danger zone but a challenge on Tavernier was just enough to put him off with his volleyed effort going wide. Seconds later Clayton crossed to Britt whose header missed the target as Boro were building momentum and looking dangerous. Saville went up for a header landing awkwardly on his back like a ton of bricks on the Riverside turf. Fortunately, he dusted himself down and got on with things after a few anxious moments.

A few minutes before half time there was a bit of concern again, this time for Clayts as he took a heavy knock from Gallagher but he wasn’t going to give up so easily after getting a start for the first time in ages. A handball from a prostrate Oshilaja was a nailed on yellow after first pulling Saville back but the Ref saw it differently and kept his cards in his pocket. Another run from Spence created an appreciative round of spontaneous applause, this time it was Doughty on the receiving end of the lively debutant. Applause broke out a minute later when Ref Stephen Martin’s whistle went for the end of the half which started well for Boro and continued in that vein but the margin despite being by far the better side was still just a solitary goal.

The half time team talk was probably the easiest one the Home dressing room had seen for a while after a better than average Boro display. Lee Bowyer on the other hand would have been extremely grateful that his side were still in this game after a very poor first half which illustrated clearly exactly why the visitors were sitting bottom of the form table.

Morgan and supposed ex Boro target Lyle Taylor came on for the Addicks at the restart giving Boro something different to worry about in the second half although “worry” was probably a tad generous as Charlton hadn’t remotely worried Boro at all in the first half. Joe Ledley had made way for Taylor and Purrington went off for Morgan. Taylor was instantly involved in the opening seconds clearly wanting to make his mark after an injury lay off. Spence won a throw in off Morgan who looked as though he was going to suffer just as difficult a second half as Purrington had endured in the first.

A Tavernier shot after Howson and Spence started a slick move via Saville went out for a corner four minutes into the half. Charlton responded by breaking down the left and won a corner of their own as Lee Bowyer had presumably rattled a few cages at half time. The early indication was that Charlton now looked far less lethargic. Advancing, Coulson skinned Pratley and crossed to Britt who was unlucky as his effort was deflected into the arms of Phillips. Ayala then had to concede a corner after an error from Fry allowed Taylor in. Coulson broke away from the clearance and was cynically taken out by Gallagher who blatantly blocked him off and in doing so earned the afternoon’s first yellow.

Britt was breaking clear and scythed down by Pratley to prevent Boro notching a second. Britt looked to be in serious pain and angry as he felt his ankle. Ref Stephen Martin reached for his second yellow and entered Pratley into his book. Tyrone O’Neill was asked to warm up as Britt received treatment, struggling to get back onto his feet and looking dejected as he hobbled off the pitch. Spence meanwhile sent a brilliant ball into Tavernier into the Charlton box who incredibly missed when scoring was easier. Britt made his way off the pitch giving an opinion to the Charlton bench en route as Stephen Walker came on to replace him.

Coulson won a free kick as he once again sizzled down the Charlton right flank. Tavernier delivered the kick in towards Ayala but Phillips caught the ball cleanly. Relentless Boro came back at Charlton as they tried in vain to clear their lines and it was Coulson again who was the object of some rough-house tactics from the visitors going down under the attentions of Leko who picked up the visitors third yellow.

The first real Charlton threat came from Gallagher whose shot went well wide on seventy minutes as Boro were reminded that their lead was a very slender one. That half time rollicking from Bowyer had an impact on the visitors as they were much more aggressive and looked to be trying to nick that elusive equaliser. A Boro free kick sent in towards Ayala was cleared but Boro recycled possession with Clayton and Coulson who won a corner on the left and after a scuffed effort it went out for a goal kick with fifteen minutes remaining and that second goal just wouldn’t come.

Another fee kick to Boro twenty yards out after Tavernier was brought down saw Tav take it himself but his effort cleared both the Charlton wall and Crossbar. Walker rescued a poor pass played behind him and then Saville and Fletcher combined well forcing Phillips into a save conceding a Boro corner. Fry met the corner but as Charlton cleared their lines Howson had to be alert to cut out the danger. Taylor then had a blocked shot from which Coulson set Boro away again on the attack with ten minutes remaining. Charlton won a corner after Leko hit the ball off Clayton as they mounted a late surge to rescue a point. Doughty’s corner was initially cleared by Ayala which came back straight in requiring Pears to be alert. Boro then broke away with Walker but with glory in his eyes he lost possession instead of feeding in the screaming Tavernier.

Seconds later it was Walker again who broke behind the Charlton defence after Saville played him in but he fluffed his lines by putting it over when he seemed nailed-on as incredibly Boro once again missed another great opportunity. Clayton played in Saville who nearly broke through as the game was ebbing and flowing as Charlton came back with Morgan unleashing a fierce shot from outside the box at the South Stand goal but Pears got down and parried it clear.

That Pears save meant that Boro hearts were momentarily removed from mouths with a few heavy looking legs in Red Shirts. Fletcher clumsily caught Morgan with two minutes of normal time remaining to collect Boro’s first yellow. Charlton took advantage of the resulting set piece with Pears punching clear but it came straight back at Boro and Pears this time had to save from Gallagher with a minute remaining. Boro were looking weary and Charlton now sensing that equaliser. Boro broke with Spence and Tavernier took the ball out wide to try and soak up some time. Four minutes was held up as Charlton now threw everything at Boro, Spence blocked then Howson tried to clear it and won a free kick to allow some more deep gulps of air.

Pears went long with the free kick which was cleared and came straight back at us. Clayton won then lost a midfield scrap with Tav cleaning up with things out on the pitch looking chaotic. Clayton went long to clear as Boro tried once again to hold the ball up. Saville then found himself grappled winning a free kick as Boro took their time with it. Tavernier then stupidly conceded a free kick for handling the ball and as Charlton looked to get up the pitch once more the whistle went to end the suffering and give all three points to Boro.

After such a brilliant start to the game it had ended with nails bitten to the quick. MOM for me was Djed Spence, to come into the side and perform like that was a fairy tale. Hayden Coulson was equal on the other side and was worthy of the award himself but for me Spence just edged it by the very finest of margins. He added much needed pace and zest on the right and in doing so provided both an outlet and kept his opposing number back. Coulson had done the same on the opposite side. The pair were both instrumental in keeping pressure off our defence whilst being a serious creative force.

There were some other good performances, notably from Clayton, Saville, Howson, Tavernier and Ayala. There were plenty of opportunities to score a few more goals and we should have had at least two more but three points are three points when you are scrapping for survival. Reality is that it was against a side that looked very poor in the first half and after that great start we failed to kill the game off as a contest as we should have done by half time but considering where we are perhaps we shouldn’t be too greedy plus we witnessed the birth of what looks like an enterprising pair of Wing Backs.

Championship 2019-20: Weeks 18-19

Sat  7 Dec – 15:00: Boro v Charlton
Tue 10 Dec – 19:45: Nottm Forest v Boro
Sat 14 Dec – 15:00: Swansea v Boro

While universal suffrage may at first sound like the inevitable painful life chosen by Boro supporters, it is of course the foundation of democracy and the means by which a club like Middlesbrough will make important decisions through the principal of one man one vote – with that man being Steve Gibson. As various national newspapers this week claimed the ‘exclusive’ that Neil Warnock was poised to be installed as Boro manager, it was surely the invitation for any self-respecting chairman to feel compelled to cast his non-binding vote of confidence. Although since such a public backing is often conversely viewed from the outside as the beginning of the end for those who receive it, that vote of confidence in the head coach was instead seemingly delivered by proxy through the obliging on-message local press.

Whether Jonathan Woodgate actually retains the confidence of his chairman will probably not just be assessed on how he has so far handled the current campaign but it could also depend on how his long-term leadership potential is still viewed. After inheriting what used to be regarded as one of the safest seats in football, it’s perhaps a sign of the club’s recent volatility that they’ve joined the ranks of the short-term appointers as they swing from one philosophy to another in an attempt to find a winning formula. Unbelievably, the seemingly unlucky Woodgate is now 13th longest serving manager in the Championship, which may or may not keep the chairman’s reputation intact as a man who gives his managers space and time – though he doesn’t need to be an Einstein to realise that in the world of football all time is relative.

This almost Watfordesque approach to management has left each chosen candidate struggling to reshuffle and square-peg talent at the club into a coherent unit that fits their requirements. Since relegation under Southgate, the chieftains at the club’s think tank appear to have brainstormed from one idea to the next. Strachan wanted a team of old firm tough men and the boat was pushed out to acquire them – Mowbray wanted to play open attacking football but was left without a paddle on rather murky looking Tees with a very modest budget to find players skillful enough – Karanka then arrived with his micro-management meltdown methodology based on building from the back and bolting on an array of match winners at the sharp end – Monk was indulged in buying high-ticket price attacking players to blow away the opposition – Pulis replaced him with his trademark tight austerity football and attempted to trim the bloated squad but was still seemingly hooked on acquiring big units and defensive midfielders – then Woodgate was appointed to transition to an apparently youthful exciting brand of football with just loose change left to fill the gaps.

The seldom posed question should have been if the failure was down to the philosophy or the execution, or indeed both – either way it always seems to be a case of ditching the plan and the next man trying a new plan with the players who were brought in for the previous plan and then failing. It has proved to be an expensive random process of trial and error, where the error was not spotted but repeated under the false assumption that a change in direction would correct the previous failure.

Woodgate came to power in the summer on a populist manifesto that offered to give the people what they wanted with a promise of exciting attacking football, goals and the promotion of young hungry players into the team. However, the problem with populist gestures is trying to fulfil them or indeed believing your own rhetoric. In some ways it echoed the populist hopes of Steve Gibson when he appointed Garry Monk and whipped up misplaced enthusiasm with a declaration of an ambition to smash the league after throwing money at the task of quickly returning to the top table – sadly the lessons of the Strachan era were long forgotten as Gibson has now seemingly attempted to revisit a hybrid of the Mowbray-Southgate model with a local-novice controlled enforced downsizing.

It’s not clear if the extravagant ex-manger had time to leave a note saying there was no money left but the departure of Monk has heralded a period of austerity that appears will still have a long way to run yet. Despite Tony Pulis claiming to have produced a £30m profit during his time at the club, there was no money available for Woodgate to spend and with the wage bill still well north of £20m, he will more than likely need to sell before he’s allowed to buy more bargains. Perhaps the maximum wage bill the club could support in the Championship is not even £15m and that means the higher earners will be jettisoned – though in order to provide a transfer kitty, Boro will also need to raise funds by cashing in the saleable assets rather than just running contracts down. It means the process of downsizing still needs another 18 months before the club can perhaps start to loosen the purse strings once again.

So it’s Woodgate’s willingness to toe the party line and work within a rather conservative budget that has probably made him the ideal candidate for Steve Gibson. It’s once again another local lad and former Boro player, who has been entrusted to do what is required to help balance the books without kicking up too much fuss. It also helps that cause when that person knows this is the only gig in town for someone of limited experience to work at this level. Both men must know that there are better qualified people out there who would fancy the job but Gibson’s belief that Woodgate accepts the club comes first ahead of his personal ambition was most likely the deciding factor in his appointment.

Meanwhile, as the will of the good people on Teesside is keenly expressed, the disenfranchised die-hards on the terraces have appeared unconvinced as they look at the coalition of chaos that regularly stumps up on the pitch. Despite the change in system, it seems Boro’s off-target forwards are still advocates of first past the post – or at least require the bar to be raised. The gerrymandering of the attendance figures have failed to disguise that many season ticket holders have been voting with their feet as abstaining is quickly proving to be more than a minority decision. If this lacklustre campaign continues to instil apathy then few will be expecting a high turnout any time soon at the Riverside and falling attendances are seldom viewed with comfort by cash-struck clubs.

The heavy defeat at Leeds will not have canvassed much support from waverers that Boro are heading for a better future but ultimately it’s how the team performs against their relegation rivals that will prove decisive. Woodgate next faces the team of his old friend and team-mate from better times at Elland Road as Lee Bowyer’s Charlton arrive at the Riverside on Saturday. The newly promoted Addicks had a great unbeaten start to the season and their supporters must have had visions of a double promotion as they sat in second place after six games at the end of August. However, Charlton are now dropping like the proverbial stone down the table as they have embarked on a run of Boro proportions – managing just one victory in their last ten games with six defeats and three draws. This is surely a game where Woodgate will be hoping he’ll add to his three victories and indeed most supporters won’t easily accept another missed opportunity for three points.

Still the problem for Boro is finding enough fit bodies to fill the holes left by an ever-increasing injury list. With McNair also suspended for picking up his fifth yellow of the season in that Leeds defeat and Johnson still having one more game of his three-match ban to serve means there are not many options left for Woodgate. He may be forced to select Nathan Wood in his back three if he doesn’t fancy Bola at right wing-back, though it’s possible that he’s been resisting picking the young centre-back in case he does something rash and the incident becomes known as Woodgate – surely the club don’t need any more confusion!

With another three games in a week then some of the youngsters may be given an opportunity to stake their claim with perhaps the 21-year-old Ben Liddle getting more pitch time. There’s an argument for resting Lewis Wing as he’s looked well short of his best in recent weeks and is probably only starting because there are few alternatives – or at least play him in his preferred position rather than hoping he’ll adapt to being a deep-lying playmaker.

Boro head to Forest on Tuesday and it’s a ground that few on Teesside ever expect to come away with much. The East Midlands club appointed the Frenchman Sabri Lamouchi in the summer to replace the rather brief tenure of Martin O’Neill, who only lasted five months. Lamouchi had started his managerial career in charge of the Ivory Coast and his arrival at the Tricky Trees got off to a good start and his team briefly claimed top spot at the end of September after beating Stoke in the Friday evening fixture. However, just like Boro, they’ve been struggling to score at home and have managed just five goals in the six games at the City Ground since August. That may be some cause for optimism for Woodgate but Forest are still firmly in the promotion mix as they sit in fourth place with 32 points – though they did lose their last home game against Cardiff.

The final game of the week sees Boro make the trip to South Wales to take on Swansea, which again doesn’t appear to be a great opportunity to pick up points. The Teessiders have a less than decent record at the Liberty Stadium and have only won twice there in nine visits – losing four, including the 3-1 defeat last season, which was the sixth successive defeat under Pulis that essentially threw away our play-off chances. The Swans were another team who appointed a young head coach in the summer as the 39-year-old Steve Cooper took charge. As a player, Cooper was a Welsh League defender before joining Liverpool’s coaching team and became their academy manager in 2011. He then joined the England youth set up three years later and eventually went on to win the FIFA under-17 World Cup in 2017. So despite not being 40, he’s already built up quite impressive coaching credentials before taking on his first League position.

Unlike Woodgate, Cooper’s career as head coach got off to great start as his team were top after six games with five wins and a draw – it was in fact the club’s best start to a season for over 40 years. Things have calmed down a little since then but Swansea are still just a point outside the play-off places in eighth spot. If we’re looking for some signs of optimism then perhaps rather surprisingly Cooper’s team have just recorded one victory at home since August (against local rivals Cardiff) but have lost five of their last seven games on their own turf.

So as one prime minister famously said, a week is a long time in politics but as far as football and particularly Jonathan Woodgate is concerned, every week appears to be passing by far too quickly and he has little time to ponder on how to get back on track. The Boro head coach said optimistically a few weeks ago that it was possible that his team could win five on the spin (with perhaps the key word in that sentence being spin) – now would be good time for him to make that become reality. Hard to imagine it happening but if Boro can take advantage of Charlton being on their bad run, Forest’s struggle to score at home and if Swansea can’t escape losing at the Liberty – then it’s just those festive fixtures at the Riverside against fellow strugglers Stoke and Huddersfield to come.

Sadly it’s looking more likely that Steve Gibson will lose his deposit if his head coach doesn’t turn out better performances soon. Unless Woodgate starts picking up points then he’ll quickly be facing a thumping majority of supporters lobbying for change. With still only three victories this campaign it will be no use demanding a recount when we pass the 23-game half-season mark. One way or another it’s time to get it done!

 

Pos. 1st (40pts)	SATURDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2019			Pos. 20th (17pts)
Leeds		4-0	Boro
Bamford (3) Klich (45+3,  73) Helder Costa (67)	69% 16(10) 4 11	POSSESSION SHOTS (on target) CORNERS FOULS	39% 7(1) 1 19

Boro battered back to the future

After the aquatic display on Wednesday night and a much-needed victory Boro took the relatively short trip down the A1 to Leeds in a non-Derby Derby. Unfortunately for Boro their list of wounded and walking wounded grew significantly this week with Randolph, Gestede, Friend, Shotton and Browne ruled out already and Dijksteel seemingly requiring a cartilage operation. There were also fears that McNair and Assombalonga may be added along with the suspended Johnson. The good news was that Saville had served his suspension and was back available and as much as that news would undoubtedly split Boro supporters views a two legged professional with experience is worth its weight in Gold for Woodgate right now albeit maybe not £7m worth of Gold.

Whites Manager Bielsa had a few concerns of his own as they hoped to leap frog West Brom this afternoon to go back to the top of the Championship. Tyler Roberts was definitely out for the Dirties but with Helder Costa his likely replacement it was hard to feel sympathy especially when contrasted with the squad resources Gibson has left Woodgate to work with. Eddie Nketiah was also likely to miss out as he was reportedly just short of match fitness after an abdominal injury along with ex Boro man Forshaw with an ongoing hip problem.

The Ref for this afternoon’s encounter was a certain Keith Stroud, he who sent off Ayala at home to Preston last year and effectively punctured our Play Off ambitions. I use the word “ambitions” creatively because with Pulis in charge it certainly wouldn’t have been ambitious had we made it but who knows what could have happened over three games.

It was a bright, sunny but freezing Saturday and that was the only ray of pre kick off sunshine for Woodgate as news that Coulson had been added to the injury or at least missing list. Bola resumed the role for which he was PowerPointed for at LB and looking like we were perhaps going to go with a back four with Patrick Reading included on the bench. Saville returned from his enforced absence while McNair and Assombalonga were both fit enough to start although many of us had a degree of scepticism regarding just how fit they really were. Leeds had brought in Costa as suspected with Eddie Nketiah making their bench.

Boro actually lined up with three at the back with McNair on the right alongside Ayala and Fry with Howson and Bola as wing backs. Ayling tested the Boro defence advancing from RB and unleashed a shot that went past Pears going wide as an early warning in the opening seconds. Leeds then went down the left with Harrison playing in Bamford, his effort palmed away by Pears and then despite Bola’s attempt to clear it went straight to a white shirt and a cut back cross ended with a horizontal Paddy diving low and as we know he doesn’t miss with those chances. Oh, the irony of Harrison skinning Howson and setting up Bamford to put Leeds one up. Leeds had started at 100mph and looked to continue where they had left off after the restart. A Bola backwards pass played into the path of Bamford who unleashed a volley at Aynsley Pears. Less than five minutes had gone and Bola had already displayed those awareness and positional issues from earlier in the season.

Another left footed Ayling shot nearly put Leeds two up with white shirts everywhere and anywhere, moving with freedom and energetic passing with high tempo. Boro looked shell shocked and devoid of confidence, belief, formation, shape and tactics. Ayala tried to play a ball out and had to concede possession as there was nobody in a Red Shirt moving, running or creating openings for him. Just ten minutes gone and Boro had looked totally out of their depth. Kalvin Phillips was pulling strings for Leeds with nothing in reply. Saville started the first Boro assault on twelve minutes with Britt for support and then Lewis Wing doing what he has done all season now and ending the sortie by forlornly blasted it well wide of the target.

On fifteen minutes Boro won a Free Kick which was an opportunity to catch breath and maybe clear heads but in all likelihood we were out of this as a competition already, had it been in a Boxing ring the Ref would have stopped it such was the humiliating pummelling we were receiving with two of our cast offs the architects of our downfall. It was like a group of robed Hari Krishna bell ringers against a well drilled division of German Stormtroopers backed up with Panzers. This was reminiscent of the Murdoch and Maddren eras.

Twenty minutes had gone and Paddy blatantly handled to get past Pears and it seemed obvious to everyone in the LS11 Post Code but not to Keith Stroud. Three minutes later and the Ref did actually book Bamford, whether he saw anything or he had a message in his ear piece is questionable as it seemed a very long delay but my confirmation bias against the Official had made my mind up already. Another big decision happened immediately afterwards when Phillips then wiped out Dael Fry in what looked like a clear straight red but Stroud only showed him a yellow. These bookings showed the intent that Leeds had started with but with twenty-five minutes now gone was there feint hope that maybe Boro could see some cracks developing in the Leeds make up?

Paddy McNair was next to enter the Refs book for a challenge on twenty-eight minutes. Boro were starting to get back into the game but Leeds looked ruthless every time they went forward. Fry drove forward from defence with Bamford in close attention and was felled by Costa for a pressure relieving free kick to Boro. Tavernier launched it into the Leeds box but was dealt with by Ayling and Harrison broke for Leeds and the Boro were back defending just as they had been all game. The initial frantic intensity may have eased off but only marginally as Leeds still dominated possession. Yet another Leeds break was started by Fletcher limply losing the ball and somehow Boro managed to keep the Leeds attack out with some very desperate defending. Boro broke out, counter attacked but McNair ended any real threat with a ball that was more suitable for the sport with the egg-shaped ball.

With five minutes remaining of the first half Bamford was rolling around claiming that Ayala had elbowed him in the face in a pantomime act that has seemingly become part of his game plan since he arrived at Elland Road. No doubt one day he will be elbowed and with full force if he keeps this behaviour going as the travelling army made their opinions known about what they thought of him. That early Leeds swagger and domination was becoming a bit ugly but Boro were too busy orchestrating their own downfall, McNair and Wing had been wasteful, Bola looked a liability and Fletcher was back to being lightweight. Bamford again got in behind Bola and was unlucky not to add a second for Leeds and it again went out for a corner which was momentarily cleared and just as the danger was building once more it was Fletcher who tackled to win back possession but his ball to Bola failed to remotely make the intended target.

A Boro attack late on in the half was wasted as Tav lost possession which was an ongoing feature of the game for the visitors, too lightweight and soft with little grit and no endeavour. A minute later Tav lost out to Jack Harrison who he then tugged back to concede a free kick on the edge of the Leeds box in injury time. Bamford broke quickly after the restart collecting the long ball Free Kick cleverly squaring it to Klich and with Ayala closing down it deflected off him into the back of Pears’s net. It was no more than Leeds had deserved as they had simply destroyed us in the early stages and whenever we started to make some inroads, we were wasteful and lacked bravery, pulling out of tackles and just far too soft and consequently lacking belief and impetus.

No changes at Half time mainly because Leeds were winning with ease and Woodgate’s cupboard was bare. Two nil down and Boro looked to be in damage limitation mode with scant resources to offer any kind of threat as Steve Gibson’s new vision was exposed on the Elland Road turf with its new transition pants around its ankles.

A half volley from Harrison was destined to make it three after a cross wasn’t cut out but Pears was equal to it fortunately. A second later a side footed shot from Klich just went over the Boro Crossbar and so the second half had started the way the first half had finished with Leeds dominant, keeping possession and Boro just making up the numbers. In the fifty first minute we managed to get the ball up the pitch and we actually won a corner, our first corner, imagine that, so in it came but it was volleyed into somewhere near Wakefield by Dani Ayala, sighs all round, Typical Boro! The Home fans chorused an enquiry as to what exactly was that effort supposed to be.

Wing then gifted Hernandez feeding Bamford which McNair managed to cut out, more powder puff football from Boro cheaply giving away possession yet again. The Elland Road atmosphere had now entered Festival levels of celebrations as the Home fans sensed that this Boro side were a spent force with absolutely nothing to offer. The hope amongst the travelling army was for either a miracle or at best avoiding a cricket score as Bamford broke through (stop me if you’ve read that before in this report) after a Dallas ball had found him but McNair once again saved Boro blushes.

It was humiliating to watch so what it must have felt like to play in or observe from the bench was anybody’s guess and yet there were still thirty-five minutes left to play out. It could only get worse, resembling the Alamo, men against boys, attack v. defence, organised structure v. clueless chaos. A Boro Free Kick won by Fletcher needed a top class delivery and with it an aggressive Boro assault. McNair sent it in and Ayala went up but Ayling cleared which was the story of the afternoon. Leeds were now lining up to take pot shots, Dallas, Bamford, Hernandez all teasing, toying and playing with what comprised of a shabby, bedraggled patched up defensive back line. Our defence was reminiscent of those old black and white news reels from WWI with troops trudging wearily through muddy roads, bandaged, exhausted, many with bandaged heads, crutches and limbless comrades in carts.

How it was still two nil was only down to profligate finishing by Leeds and an almost indifferent attitude towards putting Boro to the sword not unlike a cat toying with a mouse just before the kill comes. Lewis Wing cheaply lost possession again and an almost comedic attack from Leeds saw Costa dance through a series of confused feeble challenges which would have been an insult to biscuit selling Brownies to blast the ball past Pears to make it three nil. Apologies to any offended Brownies reading this, I know you are made of stronger stuff.

In response Woodgate brought Ben Liddle on for a debut for no other reason than to let him get some game time. It would have been beyond ridiculous to have expected the lad to make any difference but he had absolutely nothing to lose. A Free Kick on the corner of the Leeds 18 yard box was accompanied by the Leeds fans asking Woody to give them a wave. The Free Kick was delivered in low by Tav for Casillas to simply and too easily drop onto it and smother the “threat”. That may have counted as our first attempt on target so it wasn’t all bad and at least Mrs Casillas won’t have to wash his kit for next week.

Meantime Leeds had cleared it with Cooper back up the Boro end and in so doing, won a corner that was taken quickly and after a couple of unmarked one two’s, bang! It was four nil as Klich had laid out his beach towel, applied the sun lotion, placed the Ray Bans delicately on the end of his nose and teased the top far hand corner of the Boro net with a brilliant curved screamer from the edge of the Boro box. Howson took his frustrations out in a tackle to earn a yellow card but meanwhile Britt had seen enough and was sat Juninho style on the Leeds turf knowing his race was run and hobbled off for Tyrone O’Neil to make another Boro debut, from Darlo to Elland Road in just a few weeks.

Bamford then made way, his job truly and consummately done with just over ten minutes remaining for Nketiah to commence his injury comeback in the easiest of situations. The Leeds fans gave him a great ovation whilst the Travelling Army were more Pulisesque in their displeasure clearly siding with the spin of the time. Pears had to pull off a great save to limit the damage to a corner which ended with an Alioski (who had just come on for Costa) shot cleared by newbie Striker O’Neil back defending. Bielsa then made another Substitution which by now I had lost interest in who came on and who went off as the humiliation had now reached a level of total indifference not unlike that of our Chairman some time ago.

Five minutes remaining and it was difficult to watch, painful to bear and this time a George Saville shot earned three points or at least would have done had it been different shaped posts. Klich nearly added a fifth but for McNair getting in another desperate challenge. We, or at least some of us knew it was going to happen at some stage, the summer penny pinching with a cheap Coaching set up couldn’t compete at this level.

Woodgate brought on Walker for Fletcher with four minutes left just to run the clock down and I suspect a deliberate point aimed at his “supportive” Chairman and an anticipation of “Keyboard warrior” feedback. Finally, the purgatory was ended and the ritual stripping and exposure of Budget Boro was complete. Outclassed in every single department with very little to gain comfort or succour from. “It is what it is” as Mogga would have no doubt said as Steve Gibson now clearly marches us back from whence we came. There was no MOM, it was just a case of some were not as bad as others. There did however seem to be extra security around the Boro team bus in the car park I can only presume it was to ensure that Woodgate was not still under it.