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The latest in a series of profiles and interviews, Orginal Fat Bob gives his personal view on the life and career of a footballing guest before sitting down for a chat and asking a few questions. Our Diasboro special guest this week is Eric Paylor.

1. The Overview – the man and his career

Eric Paylor had his first introduction to Ayresome Park when he was a young reporter for the Hartlepool Mail. He was lucky enough to see a lot of Middlesbrough’s glory years under Jack Charlton. He later joined the Evening Gazette and subsequently progressed to chief sports writer until his retirement in 2011. He continues to write as a freelancer and I saw him in one of the Boro hospitality lounges, with a good friend of mine, the former Premiership referee Jeff Winter. Eric very kindly agreed to do this Interview and here are his responses to the Diasboro questions.

Eric Paylor’s name has been synonymous with reporting on Boro for over
40 years now and is still bringing Teesside his insights into the club.

2. The Interview – a quick chat

OFB: Did you play football before going to watch it as a spectator and what position did you play?

EP: I played Sunday football from the age of 17 right through until I was 34. I am a Hartlepool lad and started out with local team Expamet 67 in the South East Durham Sunday League, which involved teams from as far afield as Sunderland and Sedgefield. When the Hartlepool Mail formed a team and entered the Hartlepool Sunday League, I switched to the Mail. I was a striker/winger with Expamet and switched briefly to centre-back with the Mail. After that I was a full-back, playing either right or left. I also played five a side football with my Gazette colleagues until the age of 49.

OFB: What was the first football match you remember going to see?

EP: I discovered that Hartlepools United opened the gates ten minutes before the final whistle to let out the disgruntled fans. So, at the age of eight or nine, me and my chums used to time our return from a ship-spotting trips to Hartlepool docks to take in the end of the games. I’m not sure who were the first visitors I saw, but I have a feeling it was Stockport County or Southport. I first time I saw the start of a game was Pools against Peterborough United when Posh first were admitted to the Football League in 1960.

OFB: Why did you decide to be a journalist?

EP: I was a bank clerk with Barclays when I first left school. I had two very good pals at the Hartlepool Mail who told me there was a vacancy for a trainee journalist and that I must apply. I went for an interview and got the job. I took it, just to be working with my pals. It’s probably one of the best decisions I ever made.

OFB: Did you go to college at Darlington or learn “on the job”.

EP: I learned “on the job”, though I did attend two mandatory eight-week block release courses at Darlington college during my trainee years. I started in the Hartlepool Mail’s Peterlee office and one of my jobs was to report on Horden CW in the Wearside League.

OFB: Who was your favourite player when you started to report football matches and others that you have watched over the years?

EP: Most of my favourite players are from the Willie Maddren/Bruce Rioch era because I used to travel to games with them and considered myself “one of the lads”. The banter was great and there was a strong sense of camaraderie. I’ve always been very fond of guys such as Bernie Slaven, Tony Mowbray, Colin Cooper, Gary Pallister and Steve Pears. Later on I was quite friendly with Nigel Pearson and others during the Bryan Robson era. It’s great to see John Hendrie and Steve Vickers regularly at Boro matches while I bumped into Steve Baker and Tony McAndrew before the Luton game. In football terms, the best player I ever saw in a Boro shirt was Emerson, when he wanted to be! (I agree with that – OFB)

Eric’s most memorable game was the Carling Cup Final, the mental and physical effort he put into it actually left him ill for three days afterwards

OFB: What has been your most memorable game, your own individual piece of writing and your best experience with the fans?

EP: My most memorable game was the Carling Cup Final. I put so much mental and physical effort into it that I was ill for three days afterwards. As far as my writing was concerned, I was proud to write many exclusives for the Gazette over the years. I always had a top relationship with Steve Gibson and former chief executive Keith Lamb and they were very good to me in terms of giving me the inside stories. My best experience with the fans was probably after the win at Wolves in 1992 which secured promotion. Everybody was on the pitch and hugging each other.

OFB: Was your job as a sports reporter as glamorous as it sounds?

EP: It was great to watch the Boro home and away for 26 years. But the work was hard. I had to find an exclusive story every night, or at the very least put a new slant on an old one. I worked six days a week every week and made countless phone calls on an evening. I’ve had conversations with Steve Gibson at 11.30pm at night. You could never switch off. I’ve had horrendous run-ins with players, usually over misunderstandings. But hey, I could have been a bank clerk!

OFB: Did you travel to away matches with the Boro and stay at their hotels during your career.

EP: I travelled on the coach with the Boro in the early years and stayed in their hotels. On several occasions I’ve been up until 2am chatting in the hotel with Bruce Rioch on the night before the game. I didn’t dare go to bed before him in case I missed anything.

OFB: Did you travel with Boro to Europe and the rest of the world during your career.

EP: I attended virtually all the UEFA Cup games, though my friend and colleague Phil Tallentire reported on a couple of them in my absence. I didn’t go to Egaleo or AZ. However every season I accompanied the team on its pre-season training tours. I went on the same flight and stayed in the same hotel. I went to Italy, Spain, Holland and Ireland on many occasions.

OFB: Who were the jokers in the Boro team and can you recount some amusing episodes?

EP: The vast majority of them were jokers though fortunately they played very few tricks on me. Don O’Riordan caught me a few times with minor japes. John Hendrie is the obvious joker who springs to mind. He’s never lost that twinkle in his eyes. The well-known story is from an end-of-season trip to Spain when John fell asleep on his stomach around the pool. The other players pulled his shorts down while he slept, and he suffered such severe sunburn that he couldn’t sit down for the rest of the trip.

OFB: What was your worst football game or experience and why?

EP: Liquidation was the worst experience. I’d been covering the Boro for only 12 months. If the club went to the wall, then the Gazette would not need a “Boro man”. I had a mortgage to pay and a wife and two young kids to support. It was quite stressful.

OFB: What was it like during the dark days of Liquidation, did you think the Boro were doomed and were you kept informed of the developments?

EP: It was hard because the rest of the media were reporting that Boro were dead and buried. The Football League were insisting that all the old creditors had to be paid in full but there wasn’t the money initially to do so. I was fortunate that Steve Gibson got me on board from the start. When he was battling to save the club in 1986, he phoned me nearly every day to keep me informed of the developments. The information I was receiving from Steve meant the Gazette’s stories were not only written positively, but ultimately proved to be correct. The Gazette was the only media outlet which gave the fans real hope.

OFB: Who was in your opinion the best manager that the Boro has ever had and why?

EP: It’s a toughie. I don’t think we’ll ever see another era like the one we enjoyed under Steve McClaren, because the rich clubs are getting richer and the gap is ever widening. McClaren was 100 per cent focussed on being successful and in general his signings were spot on. It was a great time to be a Boro fan. But then I don’t think anybody else could have achieved what Bruce Rioch achieved from 1986 onwards. Without him we would have been in the third tier for years.

Eric rates the Steve McClaren era as the best the club had  and doesn’t think we’ll ever enjoy the like again as the gap between the wealthy just grows

OFB: Who was the greatest influence on your career and why?

EP: In journalist terms, I had a sports editor at the Gazette called Alan Berry who believed in me and supported me to the hilt. I’m sure he put in a positive word for me when I was interviewed for the Boro job. As daft as it may sound, Bruce Rioch helped me to become a better sports journalist. He talked regularly about achieving personal standards and how to maintain them. I learned a lot of life skills from him.

OFB: Which opposing team and which player did you fear the Boro playing against?

EP: I always hated playing Newcastle United. The rest of the North-east media seemed to put them on a pedestal. I disliked St James’s Park intensively. I could never understand why Alan Shearer was worshipped in the manner in which he was. Beating the Magpies was one of the game’s greatest pleasures. However, maybe I’ve mellowed with age. I wish all the North-east clubs all the best. The club which I really dislike now is Liverpool. All the old arrogance has returned.

OFB: Who is your current favourite player playing football today and why?

EP: I don’t really have favourite players any more. But as a fan I get a lot of enjoyment from seeing young players come through the Academy. I’m hopeful that Dael Fry will become a top player in the game – and playing for us in the Premier League.

OFB: Fans of a certain age (including myself) think that the days of our club under Jack Charlton were the best do you agree?

EP: No. I think the Steve McClaren era was better. (well that’s shot me down in flames – OFB!)

OFB:  How do you think the match day has changed, from the time that you started watching and being involved with writing and reporting on professional football, to the present day?

EP: It’s changed completely. In my time I was on the inside of the club. Now football reporters are kept on the outside. I’ve no sympathy when negative things are written about clubs. I found it difficult to write negative stories because I was fed information by the club on a daily basis, which in turn was passed on to the fans via the Gazette.

OFB:  Can you tell us of some episodes whilst travelling to away games in the Gazette Mobile?

EP: I think the story of the game at Brentford in 1986 is well catalogued. I left Teesside at 5am with Gordon Cox for an 11am Sunday morning kick off and the A1 was blanked out by a heavy snowfall. You couldn’t even make out where the road was. I had to get out on several occasions and help push the car back on to the road. But we made the kick off. Another hairy moment was running out of petrol on the M1 when Nigel Gibb was driving on the way back from Bournemouth. Fortunately we eventually flagged down an RAC van which just happened to have a gallon of petrol available. I once saw a dead body on the A1 after a guy had jumped off a bridge.

OFB: If you could be a fly on the wall, is there any dressing room you would have wished to eavesdrop on at any time during your writing career?

EP: One thing I would like to have heard is the time when Terry Venables sat down with Alen Boksic and told him to get his house in order. Venables was not a man to mess with!

OFB:  Do you have any regrets in your career, or missed opportunities?

EP: No, none. There were several occasions when people suggested that I might like to apply for other reporting jobs on other newspapers, occasionally nationals. But I couldn’t see past the Boro. I had a dream job.

OFB:  Who was the nicest person that you have interviewed and why?

EP: Nice is a strange word to use with regard to professional football. I’ve interviewed many honest and helpful people over the years. Bryan Robson, for example, went out of his way to give me his time when he often had other pressing matters to deal with.

OFB: Whereabouts do you live these days and what are you doing in your retirement?

EP: I live in Seaton Carew where I have lived ever since I was married. Believe it or not I can almost see the stadium from my house. I never actually fully retired in that I have continued to write columns, some of which appear in the Gazette and another in the Sunday Sun. Watching wildlife was always my passion away from the job. As soon as I left the Gazette, I started visiting RSPB Saltholme on a regular basis and now have a whole new batch of pals. I also write a weekly wildlife column for the Gazette.

Eric has many friends in the game but his biggest lifelong friend is radio  commentator Gordon Cox with whom he travelled to many Boro games

OFB: Whom have you made a lifelong friend through football?

EP: I can call on many former players as my friends but by far the biggest lifelong friend is Gordon Cox. I travelled with him for many years to Boro matches all over the country when he worked for local radio. Since he took up a role with the club I have remained in regular contact and we still go out for an occasional drink together.

OFB: Now this could be a controversial question, but it has to be asked. Could you name your greatest 11 Boro players for a first team? Go on then we’ll also allow you three substitutes!

EP: I’ll probably change my mind in a week’s time but my current team would be: Pears; Craggs, Southgate, Pearson, Ziege; Ripley, Emerson, Souness, Zenden; Viduka, Hasselbaink. Subs: Mowbray, Juninho, Merson. (Great choice –  OFB!)

OFB: Is it nice for you to think that you acted as an ambassador for the North East area and its people telling them about their football club and giving an insight?

EP: I never looked at it that way. I just wanted to get an exclusive story every day and make sure my employers knew I was doing my job properly!

OFB: Have you heard of our blog “Diasboro” and did you know that it evolved from Anthony Vickers blog “Untypical Boro?”

EP: I have to admit that I’d heard of Diasboro but never investigated it. I’ve always thought that Vic was an exceptionally talented writer (should have been political writer for the Daily Mirror). I see him at home games but the subject of Diasboro had never cropped up in conversation.

OFB: Finally, if you hadn’t had the career that you have had, what do you think you would have done as a profession?

EP: I’d probably have been an insignificant bank employee.

OFB: A huge thank you Eric for taking the time to talk to Diasboro and all our readers, posters and bloggers.

EP: Pleasure.

If you wish to leave a comment about OFB’s latest In2views article with Eric Paylor please return to the Week 31-32 discussion page

Wigan Athletic		Middlesbrough
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	49% 6 2 5 11	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	51% 15 1 7 14

Profligate Boro draw a blank

For a change there was no ex Boro Manager involved with this week’s opponents Wigan. Once upon a time these two sides used to meet in the Premiership in what seemed like an eternity for both sets of fans. I recall Jermie Ardlyeverthere once scoring in a victory and likewise even the Yak netting before he disgraced himself in 2007 in what was one of the most unsportsmanlike and shameful episodes of any Boro player.

Wigan only arrived into the Football League back in 1978 at the expense of another North West side Southport. The name Wigan apparently comes from the Ancient Briton term for Welshman in the days before they were pushed into Wales by the advancing Romans. The Boro travelling army were hoping that new look Boro could repeat a similar victorious feat this afternoon. Paul Cook the Wigan Manager had no serious injury concerns so had a full squad to select from as they hoped to add to their four match unbeaten record. TP had question marks over Flint and Friend, whose absences had forced the seemingly more dynamic and potent Boro set up.

Team news saw TP stick with the same side as the QPR game as most had thought or at least hoped while Cook made two changes to his starting eleven bringing in Kipre and Byrne in place of Jacobs and Pilkington from their draw against the Tractor boys.

Ref Stephen Martin’s whistle got proceedings underway as the Home side kicked off at a wet and overcast but unseasonably mild DW Stadium in front of a sizeable Boro travelling army amounting to almost a third of those in attendance. Initial excitement involved a great move between Howson and Fletcher as Boro came closest to breaking the deadlock. Early exchanges saw Boro look comfortable with Wigan looking slightly suspect with their unconventional back three. In the 9th minute Wing fed Fletcher whose effort was cleared to Howson whose “shot” should have been met by Britt who in fairness was surprised and stuck out a leg more in hope than anything but the best chance of the game thus far was gone.

Howson again charged forward unleashing a shot that was cleared as our right wing back was looking up for the game and sensing that the Home side were there for the taking. Boro were now zipping the ball about with confidence and next up was Lewis Wing who played Britt in but the effort went over but the pressure was building. Wigan however were settling into the match and on 20 minutes a cross was chested out by Saville for a Wigan corner which was played into the near post and fortunately cleared in what was the first real spell of pressure from Wigan.

A challenge between Windass and Ayala saw Dani add to his yellow card collection for what was presumably a push but it all looked fairly innocuous and a talking to at most. The pace of the game had now slowed which seemed to suit the pie eaters more and the weekly great save from Randolph from Morsy was a warning to Boro that they needed to get back into this. Seconds later Howson had to clear out for a corner which saw a shot that went wide of Randolph’s goal which had the Home fans booing for the Refs decision to award a goal kick when it looked to all intents and purposes like it took a deflection off a red shirt.

Shotton was perhaps fortunate not to follow Ayala into the book for a foul on the lively Morsy as Wigan now started to control the game. Assombalonga wide left found Howson who tried to place a shot that went out for a corner which in turn went out almost immediately for another corner  delivered by Wing but it was routinely cleared. A reckless challenge by Dunkley on Wing as he received the ball from Fletcher had the away fans looking anxious as he received treatment. The resultant free kick would have been ideal for Wing but he was on the touchline receiving treatment so we saw Saville take responsibility but he hit it low and harmlessly wide.

Boro had now started to get back into proceedings as the minutes ticked down towards the half time whistle. A long Ryan Shotton throw in found Ayala but James cleared and Windass was adjudged to have been blown over by Shotton as the Ref seemed incredibly sensitive to any sort of physical challenge, clearly influenced by the volume level of the Home fans. Another Boro throw in quickly found Mo Besic who rattled off a shot which was tipped around the upright by Jones for a corner which almost predictably ended up floating onto the top of his net.

A Besic dither losing possession saw Windass now trying to entice Ayala into a rash challenge, gamesmanship seemingly being a deliberate tactic now aware of the Referee’s suspect whistling habits. Fletcher had a good chance but passed instead of taking it on and the ball went harmlessly out of play just before the half time whistle sounded with Boro having the best of chances but so far just lacking that killer instinct. Paul Cook would have been by far the happier of the two managers hearing the whistle at 0-0. The half times elsewhere were all going well from a Boro perspective and if we could just nick a goal surely we could see this game out comfortably with a clean sheet and cement a Playoff place. News was that Bristol, Forest and Birmingham were all losing and that Frank Lampard’s Derby were being ripped apart by Villa. Even Norwich had been pegged back level at the Den.

Boro kicked off the second half with no changes from either side. Besic was cleaned out for a definite yellow which Ref Martin somehow ignored as his inconsistency continued. Wing fired in the free kick which was initially cleared by Morsy but was launched back in by Fry seeing Shotton win the header knocking it down to Ayala who swung his boot but was deemed to have fouled Dunkley in the process. Wing now seemed to be pushed further up with Besic sitting deeper after half time to try and get at and rattle the Wigan defence.

Dael Fry then put the ball out for a Wigan corner which immediately led to a second corner which was powered into the Boro box but the danger was cleared by Saville. Frustratingly we could almost taste the three points but we needed to take the next opportunity or else you sensed that Wigan could spoil things for the noisy travelling Teessiders. Another half chance once again set up by Howson ended in nothing then almost immediately at the opposite end Leon Clarke saw his glanced header go just wide of Randolph’s goal. TP now needed to think about changing things as the Besic/Mikel combo had looked awkward and our wasteful forwards needed feeding.

The game was see-sawing and could have gone either way. A Besic volley was hit well but too high which was now becoming the norm for the afternoon. Windass then led a Wigan break and in a quick move Evans fluffed his lines indicating just how edgy this game had become. Besic had yet another long range effort but again it was well off the target. Paul Cook blinked first and took off Naismith to bring on Jacobs.

Wing played the ball out to Howson who won a corner for his troubles as Boro searched desperately for that elusive goal but another poor Saville corner was easily collected by Jones. 65 minutes now gone and TP had his subs warming up clearly thinking about adding some verve in the form of Stewy, Tav or VLP. That sight of subs warming up seemed to momentarily spark things as another Boro shot was fired into the side netting.

Downing then came on for Besic to add a little more composure and predictability than Mo had offered despite his off target shot stats for the afternoon. Stewy went to left wing back with Saville now pushed up into the midfield. A cross was cleared out by Howson for a Wigan corner but the Ref bizarrely gave a Boro goal kick from which Britt broke feeding Fletcher who rounded the Keeper but hit the side netting when scoring looked easier. Next a fierce Saville cross was inviting but nobody could get on it as it went out for a throw in. Things were getting more and more frustrating from a Boro perspective. Cook took Windass off and Pilkington came on for Wigan with twenty minutes remaining.

The ball did end up in the net but Fletcher was penalised for out-muscling Kipre which for Boro fans seeing Fletcher supposedly foul was almost laughable as the Ref came up with yet another controversial interpretation of the laws. TP had Hugill warming up but if Fletcher was considered as too physical by the Ref then heaven knows what he would make of Hugill. Jonny Howson picked up a careless yellow card as Tav and Hugill were both readied to be brought on with ten minutes remaining. A weak Boro penalty claim was dismissed; Wigan then broke but sent the ball into the stands courtesy of Jacobs as both sides struggled to hit the intended target. Fletcher and Assombalonga were deemed to have had enough chances by Pulis and departed the field while Cook made his last change at the same time.

The bold double substitution almost saw immediate dividends as Tav closed down the Wigan defence and forced a Boro throw in as ominous dark clouds gathered prophetically over the DW Stadium. Tav and Downing tried to desperately feed Hugill but the balls were not of the required quality, desperation levels in the away stand were rising as Bristol had equalised and Norwich had gone 3-1 up at the Den.

Five minutes now left, Tav found Fry who played in Downing who was clearly fouled but not in the eyes of the Ref who continued his eccentric display. Mikel then played in Tav who set up Hugill but his first touch was like a welly wearing Hippo in a tutu and the ball went out for a Wigan goal kick. Time was running out as the fourth official programmed three minutes of added time on his board.

Tav left Morsy chasing his shadow, fed Howson who played it back to Tav who invited a tackle and won a corner for the effort. Downing took the corner but the delivery was woeful yet again as our set pieces had been all afternoon. It didn’t look like it was Boro’s day at all as sub Garner won a corner in the dying seconds off Fry. James delivered the ball in which came off Kipre and a free kick was yet again bizarrely awarded. As the game restarted the final whistle went. Boro had their chances but our finishing was woeful and not for the first time our Strikers needed far too many chances to convert. A point was a disappointment as reality sunk in that this result pretty much made any hopes of a top two spot now a forlorn hope.

MOM was undoubtedly Howson who was head and shoulders above everyone else in a Red shirt. We had spells of pressure in a scrappy game that we should have won but poor finishing was our Achilles heel as storm Freya was about to make the journey back across the A66 even more dramatic than our shots on target.

Championship 2018-19: Weeks 31-32

Sat 2 Mar – 15:00: Wigan v Boro
Sat 9 Mar – 15:00: Boro v Brentford

While some cruciverbalists sitting in the stands of the Riverside may wonder if histrionics could possibly sounds like it’s the study of over-reaction to past failures, the cross words among the Boro faithful would most likely be reserved for those who eventually become complicit in blowing another chance at promotion. However, there will likely be few tantrums at the supporter’s end of season conference should the shape of things to come in the remaining weeks be of the pear variety. The default position of expecting things will inevitably go wrong is an integral part of the local culture and I suspect that sentiment is usually expressed with a grudging acceptance, rather than anything approaching meltdown. Still, back-to-back victories and a couple of easy on the eye performances by Boro has at least reminded many that their team are still comfortably positioned in the top six.

Of course, the down-to-earth folk on Teesside are seldom impressed by divas (by which I don’t mean those who go down too easily in the box), but if pressed for an answer to the question posed in a song by one of the greatest as to who is ‘the greatest love of all’ – it would without a doubt be their beloved Boro. By coincidence, it seems someone at Hurworth, keen to impress on their manager that the academy graduates need to step in to fill the shortfall created by the financial constraints, may have possibly started piping that Whitney Houston classic of the same name into the office of Tony Pulis – well at least the opening few lines on loop.

It appears after several hundred loops of I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way… the message is starting to get through. OK, it’s unlikely the culprit would be Mark Page as there are no obvious signs that the Boro manager has been showing signs of severe deafness. However, the subliminal message has clearly been planted loud and proud in the deep subconscious of Tony Pulis as espousing the virtues of youth becomes his new mantra. This week, the former old-school lover of hardened pro’s emerged from the dark of the Rockliffe video suite with glazed eyes and Whitney seemingly still reverberating in his ears. After another session counting more crosses than Professor Van Helsing preparing to pack his luggage for a three-week business trip to Transylvania, he suddenly declared of the club’s youngsters: “If they’re good enough they play, it’s not about age.” – before adding “We’ve got a couple more that have joined in [training] as well over the past month who we’re really excited about.”

As welcome as this sounds to those who have advocated the inclusion of the youngsters, it almost sounds somewhat like a different man as he repositioning himself to a change in the financial landscape at the club. Although it now comes on the back of claiming Dael Fry was the best player on the pitch against QPR and giving a rare appearance to Marcus Tavernier, who many on Teesside had started to forget was still allowed to play. Of course, it’s been the youthful presence of Lewis Wing that has galvanised the team’s performance in recent months and it has vindicated calls by many supporters that he had looked ready to be in the side since August.

Critics had grown exasperated with the Boro manager for still not being convinced in seeing what looked obvious from the vantage point of the stands and that the young playmaker offered something the side was sadly missing. Although, it seems the Boro faithful have misjudged their manager as it turns out it was Tony himself who was instrumental in getting their new hero into the team. Pulis claimed that at the end of last season, after Wing returned from loan at Yeovil, he saw him on one of the training pitches and was impressed by what he saw: “It was just a freshness, his energy, his willingness to run forward, to pass forward.” It was then that he told his staff: “he’s not going out again, we’ll take him on pre-season” and after looking good in Austria offers for his services elsewhere were rejected as Pulis proclaimed on the start of the rise of Lewis Wing: “the rest is history.”

OK, it’s possible that history has become a little revisionist in the memory of the Boro manager as after some impressive performances in August, Lewis Wing was subsequently sidelined by Tony Pulis. The former Shildon player only reappeared at the end of September in a second-string team in the EFL Cup against Preston and his next competitive game was back with the youngster in the Football League Trophy at Walsall. Wing then made his mark by scoring a wonder goal to beat Palace in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on the last day of October. That goal at least impressed his manager enough to bring him off the bench for the the next three Championship games – albeit brief outings for the last 15 minutes and one seeing-out-the-game 87th minute appearance.

Then on the 27th November Lewis finally got another start at Preston but sadly a blow to the face saw him leave the field shortly after the second-half had resumed. Unfortunately, that saw the midfield playmaker return to the bench but he got an extended run out at the Riverside after a first-half Besic dismissal and a goal for Blackburn from the resulting free kick saw him enter the fray on the half-hour mark as Pulis was forced to reshuffle. Nevertheless, Wing once more returned to the bench to bide his time and then finally just two days before 2018 ended he got another start for the visit of the bottom club Ipswich. Lewis Wing took his chance and finally became a vital cog in the team and a  welcome antidote to a ponderous midfield that was struggling to create chances – so when Tony Pulis says “the rest is history” the player himself may have wondered if he indeed was. So, while Lewis is seemingly now appreciated he’s still kept on his toes by his gaffer: “Wingy is a good lad, I probably give him more bollockings than anyone else, but he’s a good lad.” – though one wonders what happens to the bad lads?

So clearly the Boro manager is a misunderstood man and he sees Lewis Wing as the kind of player who best suits his tactics, which he declared: “I’m a manager who wants to play forward. I prefer to play forward, that’s always what I’ve wanted.” The problem it seems for Pulis is the way in which young players are coached: “It’s very difficult today because kids are being brought up to play backwards, sideways, square – that’s the way the game has gone in the last ten years” – although some of the Boro faithful will swear they’ve witnessed some of that sideways and backwards stuff at the Riverside this season.

The Boro manager thought back to the days when he was a player and recalled: “When I played your first touch was always to look forward.” – which given he was a defender may account for the long balls that have often been seen floating over midfield. A point that seemed to be reiterated when he said “We were always told your best players were at the top end of the pitch so get them the ball as quickly as you possibly can”. Critics could be forgiven for thinking that definitely sounds like a justification for the long ball – however, the argument about having your best players up top appears to fall when that exists as a lone striker in the form of someone like Jordan Hugill or Rudy Gestede.

While it could be regarded as quibbling to complain when a manager ultimately ends up in the right place, it does sound like the art of spin may be at work. Perhaps we’ll hear in a few months time about how the Boro manager took the conscious decision to deploy Saville and Howson as wing-backs as the injury crisis that forced the decision slips from memory. History of course belongs to the victors and any manager who survives long enough to reap the rewards will no doubt rewrite it to prove that they were always heading in that direction.

Talking of victors, Boro are now officially on a winning run and while two games is not normally statistically significant it is just the second time since August that Teesside has enjoyed such a run. The optimists are now back in the ascendency and are busy extrapolating themselves into a frenzy of automatic promotion – meanwhile the pessimists are now somewhat depressed that it’s now possible to believe that all is not lost and have been forced out of their comfort zone by hope rearing it’s ugly head. Although, what is optimism and pessimism if it’s not two sides of the same coin where both attempt to ignore the evidence of a situation in order to think things are better or worse than they actually are.

Despite Leeds losing to serial defeatists QPR in midweek, the realists out there will tell you that the odds are still against automatic promotion but a play-off place is now looking more likely after Derby were defeated at Forest and Bristol City lost at home to Birmingham. Still it was a big thank you to the ex-Boro bosses of McClaren and Monk – with a special thanks to Karanka for his part in the timing of his exit from the City Ground. The business end of the season is now fast approaching and all Boro can do is keep trying to win games and hope some of their rivals falter under the pressure.

Tony Pulis takes his team to Wigan on Saturday for a game where they should be looking for all three points if a top two finish is still on the agenda. After promotion last season, Paul Cook has found life in the Championship harder going and his team are sitting just five points above the drop zone after only two victories in their last 14 games – one against QPR during their recent bad run and the other a surprise 3-0 win over Villa back in early January. The Lactics are actually currently four games unbeaten after drawing their last three following that victory over Steve McClaren’s Hoops – though those draws were against two of the bottom three clubs and Stoke, who sit just one place above them.

The following weekend, Boro welcome Brentford to the Riverside and it may be a further opportunity to bank another three points as the Bees have not been busy foraging on the road. The recent home form of Thomas Frank’s team has been excellent with 5-2 and 5-1 thrashings of Blackburn and Hull respectively, plus a 3-1 victory over Stoke and a 1-0 win against his former boss Dean Smith at Villa – as well as a draw against leaders Norwich. Frank was Smith’s assistant and took over when he left but was left reeling in November when his close friend Rob Rowan, Brentford’s technical director, suddenly died in his sleep of a heart attack at the age of just 28. It was a difficult time for the club and Frank was already struggling to adapt to life as a number one after losing eight of his first ten games.

Brentford have since recovered but they have only won once away from Griffin Park this season, with a 4-2 win at bottom-three club Rotherham. The Bees have lost their last two on the road at Wednesday and Forest since that victory, so it wasn’t the start of avoiding bumbling along away from home and getting stung. It will perhaps favour Boro that Brentford generally like to come out and play football as Tony Pulis’s side have sometimes struggled to break down teams at the Riverside. However, it is hoped that the new-look formation will continue to make Boro into a more potent outfit as two strikers seem to offer a lot more threat than one ever did.

So the next two games offer a reasonable chance for Tony Pulis and his team to apply further pressure on those above them. Can the players and the Boro manager write their own history as another former manager told his charges at the World Cup last year? Let’s hope Tony has done his homework and there is no need for some last-minute revision.

Middlesbrough		Queens Park Rangers
Howson Fletcher	2′ 32′
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	45% 10 4 4 13	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	55% 9 4 3 11

Stroll in the Sun

And so it came to pass (sideways no doubt) that yet another ex Boro Manager was to visit the side by the River. The masses assembled to pay homage “Teesside style” to the one who had once provided Silver in the desire that he would leave empty handed upon his return.

Prior to Kick Off it looked odds on that Mac would indeed be unlikely to garner any points from this afternoon as his star influencer and of course ex Boro target Luke Freeman would be missing with a hip problem. The injury to his talismanic midfielder could mean a return to the starting line-up for Ebre Eze after a lengthy spell out with injury himself. Others definitely missing would be Angel Rangel and Geoff Cameron but Grant Hall was expected to be back for the Hoops after being rested for their sixth straight defeat in midweek with a knee problem. There were some hopes in the Rangers camp come Saturday morning that perhaps Freeman may indeed be fit as the mind games started.

Tony Pulis still had a massive defensive headache despite the timely return from suspension of Dani Ayala. George Friend hobbled off last week, Flint was still out injured and there was a question mark over Ryan Shotton so for the second game running TP would have to shuffle his pack and that could mean retaining the services of Jonny Howson and George Saville as Wing Backs. The team news saw a back three of Ayala on the right, Shotton central and Fry on the left with Howson and Saville as the wing backs. The side was basically the same as the Blackburn game with Ayala back in for Friend.

The start of the game couldn’t have gone any better for Boro. The sun was shining and with many still balancing burgers and fries whilst shepherding errant kids to their seats Mo Besic played a long testing ball into the QPR box leaving Lumley stuck in two minds allowing Jonny Howson to sweep in from the right and score via a one two with himself as the ball cannoned off one shin into the path of his opposite boot, one nil with under two minutes completed. That goal killed the game stone dead as a contest literally, whatever slight hope QPR had was gone in just over sixty seconds. It was a sublime ball from the Bosnian who looked far better than he had of late and again the question has to be asked is whether having two strikers and overlapping wing backs was providing him forward options thereby limiting his need for those circular dribbles into trouble from earlier in the season.

Rangers had clearly come to sit back and absorb Boro pressure knowing that scoring wasn’t a strong point on Teesside but that plan was now gone and as a side they looked distinctly punch drunk as they restarted the game. Clearing their heads the visitors broke in a well worked move to warm up Randolph with a shot from Freeman’s replacement Eze. If Rangers were to get anything from the game it looked like Eze and Wszolek would be Steve McLaren’s best hopes. That half chance was the best this poor Hoops side could muster in the opening stages as Boro passed the ball around confidently. Mikel, Besic and Wing supported by Howson and Saville had a bit of polish with a few flicks and quick one two’s marking a departure from the more stoic type of Home displays that have held our progress back on far too many Saturday afternoons at the Riverside.

Besic collected the ball and drove at the frail Rangers defence and as they parted he unleashed a twenty five yard shot that went wide but was enough to release a few oohs and aahs from the South Stand. It didn’t take long for Mo to play another killer ball this time through to Fletcher who advanced into the box and unleashed a left footed rocket off the underside of Lumley’s crossbar leaving him helpless as the ball crossed the line to make it two nil and definitely game over this time with the half hour mark just passed. This was Besic seemingly getting back to his best although he did occasionally manage to get himself into trouble and also picked up a yellow for a rash challenge on Hemed on the half way line after waiting to receive a ball from Mikel instead of giving an option. The mercurial playmaker was a thorn in the Rangers midfield as he and Mikel snapped at everything allowing Wing the freedom to set up the wing backs as the Riverside faithful were looking forward to an inevitable goal fest.

Strangely that was as good as the afternoon got, those two early goals meant job done as Boro then played out a composed and controlled first half never breaking sweat although Britt had a great opportunity which he spurned, thankfully he chose a day when it didn’t really matter allowing Lumley an opportunity to finally make a save. It was a day where Boro had the veritable deck chairs out in a half that they will seldom have such comforts in again. The half time whistle went much to McClaren’s relief as he now had to try and figure out how to get something from a game they were never in as a contest.

The second half got under way with the anonymous Manning being replaced by Osayi-Samuel as McClaren decided to go offensive and throw caution to the wind. The early indications were that this shuffle of his pack was working as they looked a far more threatening and capable unit than the weak showing in the first half. Besic was again the focus of some attention as he had a little nibble and lucky not to receive a second yellow from Ref Madeley who seemed to be inconsistent all afternoon especially with regards to Britt being constantly barged and bundled into by the extremely limited Leistner who wouldn’t have looked out of place in a WWE ring.

TP obviously didn’t fancy going down to ten men and brought off the Bosnian for Downing. Within a minute the change seemed to wrong foot Rangers with Stewy going to the right of the midfield with Wing left and Saville coming through with a curling effort that kissed the top corner of Lumley’s crossbar, that third goal just wasn’t going to come. Then it finally arrived after a scramble in the Rangers box the ball broke out which Wing reacted to quickest and managed to poke it through for Britt to score but the Ref blew for a supposed foul by Wing on Cousins. It seemed soft as both players had their feet at knee height simultaneously and the bravest won the duel. It was chalked off for what seemed like a very unfair reason as the North Stand explained in unison the innocuousness of it all.

Mac then put on the big lad Matt Smith for Hemed while Pulis took off Fletcher for Tavernier. Ashley received a warm ovation as he left the pitch in what was probably his most personally fulfilling game since arriving at the Riverside. Tavernier livened things up immediately on his arrival and was quickly brought down for a free kick as he linked up well with both Wing and Saville making our left side come alive. Britt had another great chance as the ball spun out to him on the penalty spot courtesy of Tav but he placed his shot too gently straight at Lumley who gratefully collected the ball.

This was one of those Britt games where he could and should have had a hat trick but drew a blank. That last miss was enough for Pulis to swap Britt for Hugill who gave Leistner a taste of his own physicality when he came on and also done a good job holding the ball up in the dying minutes courtesy of his derriere and backing into defenders near the corner flag. Nahki Wells who was McClaren’s last throw of the dice tested Randolph after a slip up from Ayala but the big Bray man was equal to it. Wing had gone close earlier after a one two with Tav who also had an effort of his own which just missed the target. It ended two nil with Boro rarely looking to get out of second gear and almost disappointing after the swashbuckling start which had graduated into overcomplicating things but it’s a home win and three points are three points so job done.

MOM was difficult; there were no poor performances and indeed some very commendable ones across the pitch. Besic was much improved though not without a few of those special Mo moments, Howson was excellent as was Wing. Saville stuck to his task on the left; Shotton was a colossus in the middle of the back three but Dael Fry looked like a young Franz Beckenbauer winning aerial challenges with ease and dribbling the ball out of defence assuredly on numerous occasions and perhaps should consider having a go himself rather than passing it in the last twenty yards.

A special mention for the Stewards and First Aiders who came to the assistance of a fan in a North Stand stairwell just before the Kick Off and in also finding and looking after a little boy who I assume was with him. They get some well-deserved stick at times but today they were there when needed.

Championship 2018-19: Week 30

Wed 23 Feb – 15:00: Boro v QPR

The Riverside in recent months has been witnessing something of a footballing famine and the poor harvest of points at home has started to blight the club’s promotion prospects. The seeds of doubt planted in the minds of Boro followers has perhaps been bourne out of the frustration of witnessing another crop failure of ineffective tactics on the field. Nevertheless, Tony Pulis has continued to plough on with his low-yield subsistence formations and has grimly reaped what he has sown. However, with injuries and suspensions forcing the manager’s hand at Blackburn it demonstrated there is now a real prospect of cultivating some more effective displays with a switch to a less agricultural approach.

While Steve Gibson may firmly believe his manager is outstanding in his field, the same can also be said of a scarecrow – whether the Boro manager is the former or the latter may depend on whether he ultimately prevents the early-bird renewals from venturing back to the fallow piece of land that is the Riverside. Although, just as Tony Pulis has begun to be written off as a man of straw by many of the Boro faithful, they’ve been given a fleeting glimpse of a team that could play an exciting brand of football. The question being asked is whether Blackburn has become a turning point for the team as the manager has been serendipitously handed a spade to dig himself out of a hole and unearth a new positive way forward on the field.

It seems Tony Pulis is at his best when he has to improvise as it shifts his gaze away from his tried and tested defence-focused strategy and is perhaps an attempt to pose the opposition problems to distract them from a perceived weakness. The Boro manager may be stubborn but he’s not stupid and must have seen what nearly everyone else did at Ewood Park. However, the manager’s post-match comments seemed to indicate that he’s not necessarily convinced it’s the way to go. Pulis simply said “It was the right system to play against Blackburn, whether it is the right system to play against QPR, or in other games, but that system suited us today.”

While it may have convinced most of the onlookers, it will perhaps be much harder to convince Tony Pulis himself. Playing with two strikers has been muted by plenty of those who have grown tired of a lack of cutting edge. Indeed, many were starting to call for change as they lost their appetite for the unpalatable diet of watching wayward long balls floated in the general direction of a lone striker preoccupied with demonstrating his physical prowess with his back to goal in case he remembered why he was there. Although, the Boro manager appears primarily more impressed by work rate and commitment over invention and ability – he holds Hugill in high regard as he claimed: “Jordan has carried the team at times with his effort and commitment.”

OK, there’s no denying Hugill’s effort and commitment but at some point you have to take the overview that if you play a lone striker who rarely shoots then where do your goals come from? The West Ham loanee had 35 touches against the Blades but only one of them was a shot on goal. With Assombalonga and Fletcher playing as an attacking partnership they proved capable of providing more than just a target for long balls or a means to acquiring a free kick. What they did provide with their runs and movement were options for the midfield instead of a reason for defenders to launch a hopeful ball.

The other issue addressed against Blackburn has been a long-standing problem over the team’s lack of width. Boro have persisted with the idea that a full-back and essentially a converted central defender can be effective wing-backs but the level of service provided this season has been erratic at best. Ironically, it was possibly Pulis’s first act as manager in removing the wing-backs of Christie and Fabio from his team as his preference for a nice row of big units at the back was implemented. His admirable rehabilitation of Traore kept this switch from being a major handicap but the club have consistently failed to recruit the pacey wide players Pulis has seemingly demanded he needs. So in the absence of these missing wingers, Friend and Shotton have essentially become a permanent ‘makeshift’ solution that has not solved the problem. OK, what of Rajiv van La Parra you may ask? Yes you may ask but after two months without a start we can possibly brush that one under the same magic carpet that Carlos de Pena and the lad from Watford disappeared under – the so-called “leg beater” it seems doesn’t have legs.

If finding pacey players has proved problematic, Boro have been very good at recruiting central midfielders under Pulis and one wonders what formation that was meant to accommodate with so many high-ticket acquisitions. McNair, Besic, Saville and Mikel have been added to Howson, Clayton and the emergence of Lewis Wing. The defensive crisis has at least forced Pulis to consider the attributes of what is required at wing-back and while Howson has occasionally filled in on the right and Saville has sometimes ended up playing left-midfield, it appeared a very good fit at Blackburn. As well as supporting the strikers, both players can tackle, they have good engines to get up-and-down the pitch and have ability on the ball and can pass. It still leaves Pulis with five central midfielders for the remaining two or three slots. With the Mikel-Wing partnership in the centre looking as good as anything else in the division.

While American Jazz artist Gil Scott-Heron claimed in his 1970s song that “The revolution will not be televised”, the live broadcast of the game at Blackburn may turn out to have proved him wrong in the eyes of Boro supporters. The fear is that the revolution will simply be cancelled when Ayala returns from suspension and George recovers from his hamstring – not exactly the kind of mood music that will be greeted with much enthusiasm should that prevail at the weekend. Perhaps the only yellow vests we’re likely to see mobilised at the Riverside will be Adam Clayton and Paddy McNair warming up on the touchline as a cautious Tony Pulis prepares to protect a 1-0 lead on the hour mark.

It’s not even clear if the Boro manager sees a problem with business as usual as, when he spoke last week following the disappointing defeat at Sheffield United, Pulis declared of his team: “It’s a good group. It’s a very committed group and they give it their best, maybe just lack a bit of icing on the cake.” While many baked-off Boro followers may struggle to recall even seeing the cake, it’s a sign perhaps that the hunger of the entertainment-starved masses has gone unnoticed by the tactical absolutist ruling over them. At least a somewhat aloof-sounding Marie-Antionette Pulis stopped short of saying “let them eat cake” but that was mainly because he’d assumed that they’d already had their cake and all that was missing was the icing before they were prepared to eat it.

Despite the lack of a cutting edge this season, Tony Pulis has seemingly no intention of losing his head and is determined to keep calm and carry on as he still genuinely believes Boro are just “a couple of players short of being a very, very good team”. This was bold statement from the manager, especially on the back of the Newport no-show, the Leeds second-half retreat and the blunt Blades performance. This lead to many speculating as to which couple of players he was thinking of. As the debate raged, some Boro followers suggested Eden Hazard and Lionel Messi before realising they’d misread the quote as being we were “a couple of very short players from being a very good team” – a schoolboy error when it comes to the sizeist predilections of Mr Pulis.

If failing to win over the hearts, if not minds, of the Boro supporters has proved to be difficult for Tony Pulis, then he’ll be in good company this weekend as the Riverside welcomes back Steve ‘the magnificent’ McClaren. Despite winning the club’s only major trophy it was an uneasy relationship that regarded him as a man ambitious to advance his career on Teesside and he has failed to be given due credit for his achievements. In truth, despite being showered with money from Steve Gibson and barring those unbelievable UEFA Cup comebacks, he was often damned for producing mainly dull football and many were glad if not surprised to see their manager being snatched away by the FA . Though to be fair there was a very short list for the position of England manager and the job had become something of a poison chalice due to the tabloid hounding of Sven – McClaren got the post after Scolari had first turned it down, with Sam Allardyce and Martin O’Neill being viewed as loose canons by the suits.

Of course, the press almost destroyed McClaren and his career for taking on the thankless task of becoming national coach and after the infamous brolly departure he actually briefly coached Darlington before heading off to Holland to try and rebuild his career with Twente. As it turned out McClaren got lucky again and in his second season won the Eredivisie as Twente became Dutch champions for the first time in their history in 2010 – he had adapted so well to life in Holland that he even picked up the accent when speaking English and became the first Englishman since Bobby Robson to win a European league.

Sadly that was probably his high point and it’s been a familiar story of attempts to advance his career that have ended in disappointment before sheepish returns to the clubs he ditched. After winning the title with Twente he joined Wolfsburg in Germany but only survived six months – next came Forest but he resigned after just ten games – a misjudged return to Twente ended after just over a year as the ‘We love Steve McClaren’ T-shirts were discretely burned. After taking over at Derby he looked to be heading for promotion but his table-topping side suddenly nose-dived and as rumours of links with the Newcastle job emerged he was sacked. His stint with the Magpies began badly and never lasted a season but he surprisingly returned to Derby but it only lasted six months before once more being dismissed.

McClaren took up his latest and tenth managerial position at cash-struck QPR last summer after Ian Holloway was dismissed from the post. He got off to his usual bad start after losing his first four games, which included that 7-1 hammering at West Brom – but his team recovered and at were at one point one of the form teams in the Championship. The reverse fixture against Boro at Loftus road saw a rare defeat on the road for Tony Pulis’s team as the Hoops won 2-1. However, QPR have not won in the Championship since defeating Ipswich 3-0 on Boxing Day and Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat at the Hawthorns was their sixth successive defeat – so I’m sure Boro supporters will be hoping to pay homage to their former manager by making it a “magnificent” seven.

As to whether Tony Pulis will deem it suitable to play with two strikers at the Riverside against a team that has conceded 15 goals in their last five games is uncertain. We don’t know what videos or statistics have been compiled to justify whether or not Saville and Howson are suited to being his chosen wing-backs this Saturday. All the evidence and data will need to be weighed up before assessing whether the team should be set up as it was against Blackburn. My only advice to the Boro manager would be to Google the last time his Boro side had 26 attempts on goal and then try to imagine the mood at the Riverside if his team selection announces that the revolution has been cancelled.

Blackburn Rovers		Middlesbrough
[sent off] Williams	45′	Assombalonga	19′
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	49% 5 1 4 8	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	51% 26 7 5 9

Boro Renaissance at Rovers?

A Sunday morning trip across the Pennines in bright sunshine can be a very pleasant experience but when it’s with a depleted defence to face an ex-Manager plus a few ex-Players then TP may have been forgiven for having a few misgivings. Make do and mend would be the order of the day as Pulis was without both Ayala and Flint at the heart of his defence. Meanwhile Mowbray had supposedly rested Bradley Dack and Danny Graham in midweek for this one.

With the Season now well over the half way point the remaining downhill run of games until May are all becoming critical. West Brom aside the underwhelming nature of some performances of late meant that here we were now facing a “must win” game to ensure that we remain in that Play Off pack. TP looked to be going with a 442 based on the team announcement at mid-day with Howson at RB and Shotton partnering Fry in the middle of the defence and Friend as LB. Besic made a return to the starting line up as did surprise announcement Ashley Fletcher who presumably would be partnering Britt up top or maybe wide left with Wing on the right and Britt up on his own? There again would it be a back three of Shotton, Fry and Friend with Howson and Saville as the wing-backs? There was certainly more flexibility in this Boro line up than TP’s norm.

Mogga had restored Derrick Williams, Harrison Reed, Bradley Dack and Danny Graham in his side in an effort to stop the rot of a run of three straight defeats, eager to ensure this afternoon didn’t become a fourth. Harry Chapman didn’t make the Rovers squad which for me was a relief as I was in fear of the “Typical Boro” curse but both Jayson Leutwiler and Richie Smallwood were on the bench for Mogga.

Thanks to the rearranged time and live on Sky there was a much reduced Travelling Army than of late to Ewood Park which saw Bradley Dack kick off to get proceedings underway. Immediately the positioning on the pitch saw Howson and Saville as wing backs with a back three to answer the tactical conundrums pre kick off. A Shotton throw in in the second minute saw the central CB step out of the defence to launch a ball that was nodded on and looking dangerous but no Red shirt reacted at the far post. Blackburn cleared with Armstrong breaking dangerously up their left wing which ended with Besic marshalling the ball out for a goal kick.

A well worked sequence between Besic, Wing and Mikel saw Britt put though but the ball just had a little too much weight on it as Boro started positively. Another Shotton throw in on 6 minutes needed a strong punch from Raya which eventually came to Mikel who blasted the ball back in only to be blocked by what looked like a hand ball by Evans just outside the Rovers box but the Ref waved play on. A counter attack by Rovers was blocked by Mikel who in turn fed Wing and an inch perfect cross found Fletcher who rose to head it but it was straight at Raya who dealt with it comfortably.

Another Shotton long throw after Assombalonga had earned a throw in high up was cleared back out to Shotton who then put a cross in which was met by Britt but again the header was straight at Raya with perhaps a hint of offside in any case. In the opening fifteen minutes Boro had looked very comfortable, almost too comfortable in fact and you had the feeling that if we didn’t make this pressure count we could rue the cost later on.

A long clearance (or “hoof”) from Fry in the RB slot up field saw the ball bounce over Mulgrew and the alert Fletcher then latched onto the loose ball, unleashed a shot that was deflected off the same despairing Mulgrew’s boot to the far side of the box over his keeper where Britt powered a header home into an inviting net to put Boro deservedly one up. Three minutes later a well worked series of intricate tight passes on our left wing saw Lewis Wing swivel and take an audacious shot that went well wide and over Raya’s goal but the build-up play and move was an indication of the growing confidence levels in Boro.

On 27 minutes it was interesting to note that when Blackburn actually had their first set piece Fletcher was drafted back into the defence to add some height which was perhaps another reason for his inclusion as it happened he was the defender that cleared it. Things went a little quiet for Boro as Blackburn tried unconvincingly to apply some pressure over the next 5 minutes. A reckless Rodwell tackle in which he scythed through Britt saw him collect the game’s first yellow after a similar tackle on Saville in the opening stages went unpunished. A ball out of defence from Howson found Wing who drove forward with Britt asking for the ball to be played behind the defence but he opted for Fletcher who cut in but saw his shot hit the side netting.

A minute later another Boro foray saw Besic hit a low twenty yard shot for Raya to scramble down to it. Two off sides for Britt in almost as many seconds saw Rovers now living on the edge as Boro were looking good value for a second goal against a woeful Blackburn side. A warning however came in the form of a fiery cross in from Reid in the 39th minute which was the first bit of work that Randolph had to do in a half that Boro had totally dominated up until then.

The first serious “threat” from Blackburn came just two minutes before the break when Bennet put in a cross to Graham that saw Friend ghost in behind him and get his head to what looked like a certain goal. Assombalonga cleared the danger from the ensuing corner which was eventually given as a free kick to Boro but critically for Blackburn one from which Fletcher broke free and was brought down clumsily in the “D” to see Williams take an early bath and Rovers down to 10 men. The half ended as Boro’s first half’s so often do of late to a cacophony of boos but this time from those of a Blackburn persuasion as the travelling Army cheered and clapped their heroes off the pitch.

Injuries aside there was very little that Tony Pulis would want to change with his side after their first half performance in what was possibly the most measured, positive and entertaining of the season so far from Boro. Here we saw pace, movement off the ball, players running into spaces to receive and a fair bit of swagger for good measure. Mogga on the other hand already had a headache with Boro’s front two and now with a defender down and trying to get back into the game he had his work cut out. His response was to send Nyambe, Bell and Travis on for Rodwell, Brereton and Evans in what looked like either a statement of intent or annoyance with what had gone before.

Fletcher had an early shot at Raya after the restart then seconds later Wing rattled Raya’s crossbar from 25 yards out after a Fletcher knock down tee’ d him up. It was more of the same as Boro continued in the second half where they had left off in the first, in total dominance. Friend went flying down the wing but ran out of pitch despite playing as part of a back three and Howson done the same on the right. A break for Rovers by Sub by Bell needed Shotton to cut out the cross conceding a corner that was well defended. Interestingly Rovers had kept possession from the corner, passing and recycling but Boro defended, closed, chased and pressurised the Rovers players in their possession and eventually forcing them back to their keeper Raya.

Another effort from Fletcher was enthusiastically hit well over when in reality he should have played in a colleague but there was no doubting his desire and hunger. George Friend meanwhile went down worryingly needing some stretches with the Physio to sort himself as McNair warmed up. Right now Blackburn were enjoying their best spell and benefited strangely from Saville adjudged seemingly to have managed to up end an opponent from three yards away leading to a free kick in a similar position to the Blades one on Wednesday night but this one was headed wide.

McNair then came on for Friend going to the right of the three CB’s with Fry now going left. A clever ball from Wing played in across the 18 yard box found Saville whose shot was desperately blocked in the six yard box. The game was now getting scrappy which suited Rovers as they pushed for an equaliser with their man disadvantage seemingly irrelevant. What should have been comfortable for Boro was now looking dubious as Saville had a great chance but hit a poor shot on 65 minutes throwing away the opportunity to put the game to bed. We were sitting too deep again and needed to get the ball cleared with more control and composure to get Blackburn back under the cosh.

An impressive piece of well worked play between Saville, Besic and Britt eventually ended with Britt blasting the ball aimlessly over Raya’s goal. A cheeky Jonny Howson cross was dangerously dipping under the crossbar in the 70th minute requiring Raya to tip it over. From the corner Boro kept up the pressure leading to another corner before which Downing came on for Besic as Wing launched the corner straight into Raya’s grateful arms. Stewy had now taken took up the left wing back role as Saville was pushed forward. A long Boro clearance once again bounced and left Mulgrew lost for the second time but Britt fluffed his lines and just couldn’t get it under control and the moment was lost.

A repeat of Howson’s earlier cross come shot was repeated by Bell that had Randolph this time back pedalling. Another of those bouncing balls this time caught Shotton out allowing Danny Graham through in a one on one but thankfully the ball didn’t land kindly for him and his shot skewed well wide. Fletcher had another good chance but he shot meekly at Raya instead of squaring to Britt on 79 minutes. On eighty minutes Fletcher was replaced by Hugill more to add some fresh legs rather than a reflection on his overall game but we still did need that second goal.

A well worked set piece from Blackburn saw a free kick come across the Boro back line where Graham headed it back into the middle of the Boro box where Dack fired in a close range shot requiring Randolph to get down quickly preventing an equaliser with six minutes of normal time remaining. Things were slightly uncomfortable as Boro looked to close the game out knowing all too well that one slip would undo all the earlier good work.

Downing had a shot that went wide; Britt then had a chance but dallied too long allowing a covering defender to get in a block and all the time nerves in the away end were jangling. Seconds later a fast break saw Britt play a one two with Saville but Britt’s shot was again cleared in the 6 yard box going out for a corner. Mikel played Downing in with a precise through ball taking out three Blackburn defenders for Stewy to get a shot in but Elliot just done enough to put him off as the ninety minutes were almost up.

Boro played keep ball near the corner flag between Britt, Downing and Saville using up a minute of the three added on ones. A crazy Rovers back pass then saw Raya having to scramble to prevent a thirty yard own goal and his clearance found the lively Bell who forced a last second heart stopping corner. Was this to be it? Raya sprinted up and after some head tennis in the Boro box from said corner Randolph eventually claimed and calmed things as the final whistle went simultaneously.

One nil and all three points was a great result on a bright winter’s day in the North West but the second half saw us hanging in at times when we really should have put ten men Blackburn to the sword after a great first half and an optimistic opening ten minutes of the second. Twenty six efforts on the Blackburn goal yet only one goal to show for it were both great and disappointing in equal measure.

MOM was a tough one but thankfully for all the right reasons this time. There were some solid defensive performances from the three, Saville was full of tireless running and made things tick as did Wing along with Howson down the right. Fletcher done well despite his eagerness to score saw him make a few poor finishing decisions but there was no doubt his running led to both the goal and the sending off. Britt ran a lot more than usual, done some sterling defensive work and scored, Besic was calm and measured and done well but the one who shaded it for me was Mikel, he was majestic in the middle, routinely broke things up, shielded his defence and set up attacks.

Sheffield United		Middlesbrough
Stearman	61′	[Red Card] Ayala	64′
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	57% 15 5 4 6	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	43% 10 4 4 14

Blunt Boro fall to the Blades

A Fourth game in a hectic twelve days came for Boro as we travelled the relatively short distance (after Birmingham and Newport) down the A1 to Sheffield and Bramall Lane this evening. The Blades had the slight advantage of last playing Friday night in a frantic and frenetic game away to Villa in which they remarkably managed to squander a three goal lead after 82 minutes to draw 3-3. This game was crucial for both teams to retain both their Play Off positions and also hope for an Automatic spot. As despondent as Boro undoubtedly felt about conceding that 111th minute Leeds goal imagine letting in three with eight minutes remaining!

Chris Basham was definitely be unavailable for selection by Chris Wilder after picking up his tenth booking of the season against Villa last Friday night. His absence saw a familiar face in the Blades line up in the form or Martin Cranie who spent a few months at Boro last season. Marvin Johnson currently on loan at Bramall Lane was unavailable to face his employers conversely Scott Hogan on loan from Villa would be available after sitting out last Friday. TP went with the same side as started against Leeds with the surprise that Lewis Wing was deemed fit.

Boro in an unfamiliar Millwall look with Navy Shirt and socks with White shorts started lively enough with Fry having an early foray down the left wing. The first shot on goal of the evening had Randolph getting down comfortably in the third minute. Randolph however had to be at his best with a full stretch save from Duffy on five minutes from 25 yards out. Wing and Hugill worked a half chance between them but it ran out of steam out in the Blades 18 yard box. A good ball from Mikel to Friend ended with a lobbed cross easily collected by Henderson. On 11 minutes Saville went down in the middle of the park after a clash across the neck with McGoldrick. After a few rubs with the magic sponge he was able to continue his evening’s quest.

Both sides had started with three at the back as they lined up as a mirror image of one another. A wild clearance from Shotton gifted a Corner which was wasted fortunately with the ball ending up back in Henderson’s goalmouth after a few even worse examples of ball control by those in stripes. A dummy from Wing allowed Saville an early attempt but it went well wide. Shotton stood off Dowell instead of clearing the danger and allowed a dangerous cross in to Sharp who swivelled but missed inside the Boro 18 yard box. The opening 20 minutes had been a fairly low key affair with neither keeper being really troubled with as expected Sheffield United seeing most of the ball.

A Boro corner was played short and then sent across the box by Wing forcing Henderson to punch clear with Ayala in close attendance. In the clearance Mikel was fouled, Saville took the free kick across to Howson on the edge of the 18 yard box, heading it centrally towards Ayala who connected with his head but it went well wide as Boro started to enjoy a little bit of a purple patch approaching the half hour mark. A Shotton cross found Hugill who just couldn’t get it out from under his studs ending a lengthy spell of Mikel conducted control.

Flint went down with a hamstring he had collected earlier in the game when he tried to clear a ball and immediately felt the pain. There is the question that perhaps he hadn’t fully recovered from his injury a few weeks ago. Downing came on in his place and a shuffle was required with Friend going into the three at the back and Fry taking over Flints right sided CB role with Stewy operating as left wing back. Shotton immediately went into the book after the restart for a fairly mild challenge by Championship standards on Dowell. The interruption seemed to spark the Blades into life with ten minutes remaining to half time. A well worked ball from Howson took out three defenders to find Wing who sent a far post cross in that was headed out for a Boro Corner which was delivered by Wing himself but far too close to Henderson. It was now Norwood’s turn to collect a yellow for a challenge on Howson clearly frustrated by him outwitting him moments earlier. Again Wing found Howson who fed Hugill through but he wasn’t alert enough and the ball went wide with the Hammer loanee claiming a corner to spare his blushes. Wing had the ball again and this time was gesticulating for his statuesque team mates to move to receive a pass, frustrated it ended up back with Randolph who launched it hoof style and from the attack Hugill this time actually tested Henderson from long range.

An injury to Baldock saw him limp off with the experienced ex Wolves and Leicester defender Stearman taking his place with a minute left of the first half remaining. A quick break from the Blades saw them send the ball wide of Randolph’s goal after a spell in the second minute of added time. A slow pedestrian break out from Boro got messy in the centre of the pitch and again invited United to break with McGoldrick playing in Billy Sharp narrowly missing the opportunity with the final kick of the half.

A first half that had started steadily saw United have plenty of possession with Boro working their way into it and then dominate the last two thirds of the half but not really carving out any clear threats on goal. The injury to Flint caused a loss of momentum and worked in the Blades favour but with Baldock going off the injury tally and substitutions had balanced out. Wilder will have been the more frustrated at the half time whistle. That very early Duffy shot was probably the nearest we had to a goal in the half that had some measured football but nothing to get excited about. Neither side really looked like they wanted to win.

The second half saw Madine come on for the Blades for Duffy and Chris Wilder upping the stakes by declaring his hand and going to a front three. Shotton set up Dowell to commit an early foul on the right wing but Downing’s free kick was headed clear. Boro had restarted lively in an unconvincing dysfunctional manner with their attacks. There was little quality or joined up moves, just a series of scruffy Boro breaks with the ball seemingly spinning and squirming in their favour. A long Shotton throw saw Friends’ header cleared but then Downing launched an inviting 25 yard ball that caught Henderson and he fumbled it with Hugill closing in but it was hoofed clear by an alert defender.

A nervy penalty claim for a Shotton “tug” on Madine was adjudged to be little contact and certainly not enough for a spot kick but enough to allow Randolph to smother the chance and seconds later Friend had to intercept and nick the ball from Sharp’s toes just before he was about to pull the trigger as Sheffield had now seriously upped the pressure. Things were now getting feisty as Ayala and Madine engaged in an arm wrestle in the Boro box and then Hugill clattered into Fleck who went down like he had been shot. The Home fans were now fired up and getting on the Ref’s back claiming every Boro challenge as a foul and any trip as though it was murder in the first degree.

Inevitably a fast paced ball from McGoldrick left Ayala coming in with a late and rash challenge resulting in a yellow card and a free kick that was hit well over. A corner just a minute later wasn’t cleared and as the ball came back in Sharp poked it past Randolph but the flag went up correctly for off side. A warning shot if one was needed that the Blades were really going for this and Boro needed an outlet as sitting back absorbing this level of pressure wasn’t going to be an option.

With the pressure almost at bursting point the opener came seconds later with a free kick fired into a packed Boro box met by Stearman with his arm around Fry’s neck to head it home. It was coming and Boro only had themselves to blame for not making their first half dominance count. TP responded with Assombalonga being readied but meantime Ayala went lunging in recklessly on Everton loanee Dowell to give the Referee no chance but to issue a second yellow and then the red. Wilder had put three strikers on at half time and went for it and earned his just reward. Saville unluckily came off for Britt in an effort to get back into the game.

Boro were now being tortured and stretched all over and had to somehow stop the flow of the three out and out Strikers and mount attacks of their own with a man short. A Shotton long throw was bizarrely threw short to Howson who struggled with the first attempt and then managed a poor cross that was glanced on and out for a goal kick by Hugill. Seventy two gone and Boro looked absolutely bereft of any ideas with the Blades by far the more likely to get another. Belief and confidence looked to be in short supply for those in blue shirts and then a lucky break saw Wing win the ball and feed Hugill who put Britt through but his angled effort and Boro’s only real one of the night was cleared off Henderson’s legs. A and as the ball came out Fleck chased the ball and as Wing poked it back to Mikel Fleck slid in earning a yellow for the tackle but somehow the Ref then gave United the free kick after a mini ruckus on the touchline.

The game was now getting irritable with tempers a little frayed and ten minutes remaining. VLP then came on for Howson as TP desperately needed to find an outlet of some sort as Hugill was more interested in a scrap and feigning fouls and Britt simply wasn’t getting any supply from anywhere. United now started timewasting keeping Boro boxed in in Shotton’s corner, a break saw Downing get down the opposite flank but the ball was over hit to Hugill and went out harmlessly for a United throw in. With four minutes of normal time remaining Sharp was withdrawn for Paul Coutts as Wilder now went to smother the game. The contrast between Sharp’s contributions and indeed McGoldrick all evening to Hugill’s signified just why we offer very little as an attacking threat.

Four minutes added time went up but there was never any likelihood of Boro scoring as despite a few routine saves they hadn’t really troubled Henderson. Boro looked defeated as soon as the goal went in and then finished by Ayala’s sending off. The Boro subs were totally ineffective, Downing didn’t do half the work that George does down the flanks, Britt was starved and VLP looked an embarrassment. How the Terrier gets in the squad ahead of Tavernier is baffling in the extreme based on that poor showing, it did perhaps go some way to explain why his game time has been limited. It asks a huge question why our highest scoring midfielder can’t even get on Pulis’s bench.

The determined and bold attempt by Wilder by switching to three up front turned the game on its head from the first half where Boro had ended it looking comfortable. Those three Strikers roughed up and upset the Boro defence. The irony was that the goal came from a Pulis style set piece (remember them from August?). A disappointing evening for Boro that culminated with Flint crocked and Ayala now banned and any hopes of an automatic spot all but gone. The only positive tonight was that Derby failed to beat Ipswich and Boro somehow held on to that last Play Off spot on Goal Difference.

MOM for me was JOM for his first half showing, nobody for Boro put in any sort of performance of note at all in the second half. A real test now lies ahead for TP to rally his troops after two successive disappointments. Suspensions and injuries have now ravaged his back line and he will struggle to put out any sort of defence against Blackburn on Sunday. Those on the bench tonight won’t have made his selection dilemma any easier and indeed a few on the pitch didn’t cover themselves in glory either.

Championship 2018-19: Week 29

Wed 13 Feb – 19:45: Sheff Utd v Boro
Sun 17 Feb – 13:00: Blackburn v Boro

In the world of football, Robert Burns was perhaps only ever quoted in the time when supporters sung the celebratory “Alde Lang Syne” at cup finals – though there is still no definitive evidence on social media that he was the unintended originator of the much loved phrases “sick as a parrot” or “over the moon“. Nevertheless, many in the game would do well to heed the sentiments of his famous words: “The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry. And leave us nought but grief and pain, for promised joy“. Not that I recall Tony Pulis promising a lot of joy lately but the unintended consequences of ill-thought-out plans can perhaps act a warning to both supporters, managers and those in charge of running the club itself.

So as Boro begin to re-adjust to a more modest financial future, there was no doubt some sympathy on Teesside when they heard about the suffering of fellow austerity-hit Spurs supporters this week. The shock news following continued delays to their billion pound (and rising) stadium has led to the board having to pull plans for a ‘Cheese Room’ in order to prevent costs further escalating. It was enthusiastically reported in a January 2017 presentation for executive supporters that clients would be able “to select their own specially sourced half-time cheeses”. Indeed, it was set to solve one of the long-standing problems of going to watch football as not knowing whether they’d be decent selection of cheese in the interval had often proved to be a massive distraction for genuine fans.

While we don’t know if cheeses such as Wensleydale had already being sourced, it’s thought one irate Spurs supporter based in Wigan (known locally as Wallace) is now said to be consulting with his dog and considering his options. Although, for those in charge of financing the imaginatively named ‘Tottenham Hotspur Stadium’ they’d probably now regard the wrong trousers as anything that wasn’t coloured brown. Still, despite the loss of the Cheese Room, I’d expect there is still no desire to cancel the construction of the Baby Bell bunker, with it’s plush furnishings and array of emergency glass cases that hold a range of the finest single malts and loaded revolvers – just in case somebody foolishly brings a calculator into the next board meeting to try and ascertain whether humanity will still be in existence by the time the vanity project reaches break-even.

As to which half-time cheese is highly sought after at the Riverside is not clear but the industrial processed orange glowing plastic square that is carefully microwaved onto burgers comes highly recommended by the burger stand maître d‘. Though for any cheese connoisseurs on Teesside worthy of the title, they are no doubt still awaiting news on whether the Parmo Lounge will get the go ahead at the Riverside. However, other cheeses are available and it is thought Boro’s cautious Welsh manager is believed to favour anything that involves Caerphilly – either thought out or planned. Nevertheless, unlike Spurs supporters, at least the Boro faithful don’t have to worry that Steve Gibson has secretly blown all the club’s budget on some ridiculously over-priced vanity construction project instead of using the cash to buy decent players.

There was further good news this week for desperate Boro supporters who may have received Dignitas vouchers in their Christmas stocking from an understanding relative – the UK government has just announced a ‘Trade Continuity Agreement’ with Switzerland that will ensure that the reticent remainers will have at least one place to escape from a post-Brexit apocalypse. Whilst the prospects of fresh fruit and vegetable shortages may not deter many hardliners from pushing for a healthy break from the EU, it does at least mean that there will be no need for diabetics to stock-pile Toblerone as they look for one last hurrah before their supplies of insulin dry up. It will also come as a relief to branches of WH Smiths who will now still have their triangular confection of choice to entice the travelling public to purchase a Sunday Newspaper and keep them sustained through all its 28 sections as they embark on a long train journey back to the 1950s.

Whether Boro’s strikers will be inspired by the latest Government message issued by defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, that Brexit can enhance our “lethality” will remain to be seen. Troop-rallying rhetoric perhaps but news they are to be replaced by unmanned drones may not be mentioned in the latest recruitment campaign that instead appear to be aimed at “selfie-addicts” and “phone-zombies”. Although before Teesside is encouraged to go over the top for the final push it may be worth noting that the Scarborough-born MP has been referred to as “Private Pike” by even the most circumspect in MoD circles, while others have simply declared “The man is out of his mind” after he proposed converting old ferries into landing craft and mounting guns on the back of tractors to save money. It may also explain why the government are considering installing a Don’t Panic room as the 29th March approaches.

As to what our own minister of defence, Tony Pulis, will contemplate converting to increase the threat of his team is uncertain. Boro’s unconventional weapons of mass disruption appear to have largely remained hidden for much of the season and despite the presence of UN inspectors there has been no evidence that the club are stockpiling anything remotely lethal. The tradition among Boro strikers is that they will first bomb before being dropped and despite Pulis favouring a move towards stealth with an unseen attack a 20-goal a season forward is still not on the club’s radar.

At least Boro’s much improved performance at the Riverside against Leeds has managed to keep the peace as tensions between the supporters and team had threaten to reach flash point after the players went AWOL at Newport. The failure to stand to attention and pass inspection at Rodney Parade by Tony Pulis’s troops had prevented Boro from marching on in the FA Cup. Several players were caught in no-man’s land between the lines of what is an acceptable performance and unsurprisingly came under fire from the drenched supporters after their unconditional surrender.

Despite Adam ‘Neville’ Clayton declaring to the massed ranks of the Boro faithful that he had in his sock a piece of paper, many were in no mood to be appeased. It was clear that the players would get no peace with honour from the travelling army and Clayton’s speech ended before he could add “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” Though he wisely decided against finishing with “Go home and get a nice quiet sleep” as few would make it back to Teesside before dawn – including the players themselves after their planned flight home didn’t even get off the ground.

Instead, the Boro hypnotist was busy on the long coach journey home erasing the game from the memories of the manager and players. At his pre-match press conference before Leeds, Tony Pulis simply stared blankly when the subject was raised and kept repeating “What happened on Tuesday” – whether he’ll be having flashbacks in the future is too early to say but he remains under observation in case his selective amnesia condition deteriorates. The players on the other hand were busy appealing if anyone had any recollection of Tuesday evening they should kindly post it on social media – which as it turned out was not as helpful as they had hoped.

Coming on the back of that less than super Tuesday, expectations for the visit of Leeds to the Riverside were understandably subdued. The good work from the West Brom come-back victory had seemingly been undone and Tony Pulis needed a performance from his players. Thankfully, his team were unrecognisable from the sticks in the mud seen at Newport and played with the intensity and energy seldom seen at home this season. Although, just when it was safe to come out from behind  the proverbial sofa, typical Boro struck at the eleventh hour to crush hopes of a much-needed victory – or the eleventh minute of injury time to be precise.

On reflection it may have been a tactical mistake for Tony Pulis, to not only bring on Mo Besic, but to hand him a bugle as he kept sounding the retreat as Boro sat deeper and deeper in the hope of hanging on. I’m also not sure why the Boro manager didn’t send on another piece of paper for Adam Clayton – though what should he have written this time: “Dear Adam, I’ve been meaning to mention this for some time but I suspect this relationship isn’t really work and…” sadly before he could finish reading the note Clayton had lost his marker and Leeds had equalised. Perhaps Pulis needs to introduce a more efficient emoji system instead that he can hold up from the touchline, with perhaps a sad face, thumbs down or maybe he could even create his own given that this week a new empowering emoji for menstruation has now been released – though it’s probably only a matter of time before some men give it an alternative meaning. Still, I’m not sure what a squeaky bum emoji would look like.

So with Boro’s automatic promotion hopes hanging from a thread, Tony Pulis takes his team to Bramall Lane on Wednesday to take on Chris Wilder’s third place Blades, who are cutting a dash for the top two. It would have been hard to imagination after the 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture at the Riverside that Boro would find themselves trailing their opponents in a bid for a Premier League return. Sheffield United have built on last season’s tenth place finish following promotion from League One and have recovered well from losing their first two games of the current campaign. The Blades have won their last four at Bramall Lane but lost the previous two at home to West Brom and Leeds. Whether they will still be smarting from conceding three goals in the last ten minutes at Villa last Friday to snatch just a draw from a nailed-on victory is a possibility – although it’s unlikely if they find themselves 3-0 up in the 82nd minutes many would risk placing a daft quid on Boro repeating the feat.

As we know, Boro have proved to be an effective proposition on the road and that seems to have coincided with the good form shown by midfielders Lewis Wing and George Saville with John Obi Mikel now adding a bit of poise and experience. Whether Wing will be fit for Wednesday after his withdrawal on Saturday is perhaps a concern and a tiring Saville was also removed from the fray. Interestingly, after all the talk of needing pacey wide players, Pulis seems to have now settled on a back five with a midfield four and just the lone holding striker. After six weeks van La Parra is seemingly still not deemed match fit and just how he gets to that stage without playing remains a mystery. Also after being almost an ever-present starter it looks like Downing is not going to get much pitch time while his “situation” remains unresolved – plus Tavernier has not even made it into the matchday squad after looking like he’d broken through with three important goals.

It appears that to impress Tony Pulis, a player must show they’ve got the defensive aspects of their game well honed before their attacking worth is further examined. Hugill gets the nod for his general physical hold-up play and chasing, even though his shooting boots still required further polish. Although, Clayton and Besic have perhaps found themselves benched due to their below average distribution skills and both have recently shown that they are prone to losing possession in dangerous areas. The worry for Boro supporters is without Wing, the current formation may become a lot less effective and the question is whether Pulis will need to compensate with a shift in tactics or will he prefer to persevere in the hope of something happening.

With both Bristol and Derby just a point behind, there is a real danger of dropping out of the play-offs for the first time this season if 5th place Boro fail to win at Bramall Lane. While that is nothing more than a psychological setback with a third of the season left to play, it’s probably not something Tony Pulis would want to be forced into forgetting about at his next press conference. However, with both Derby and Bristol both involved in the FA Cup this weekend, Boro will have an opportunity to consolidate their position when they head to Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn on Sunday. Teesside will instead be able to put their feet up on Saturday and see if Pep Guardiola’s team will be able to cope any better on Newport’s tricky pitch – so let’s see if City find a way to score!

Blackburn under the other Tony have proved to be a model of inconsistency this season and no doubt “it is what it is” will have been suitably deployed across the airwaves of Lancashire by the former Boro legend. Following the 1-1 draw at the Riverside in early December, they drew at home to Garry Monk’s Birmingham before losing three on the spin – albeit against Norwich, Leeds and Sheff Utd. However, they then beat West Brom to start a run of four consecutive victories to take them within three points of the play-offs before getting thumped 5-2 at Brentford, which was then followed by a 1-0 defeat at home to in-form Bristol City that left them squarely in mid table in 13th place. They’ve tended to struggle against the better teams and have lost as many as they’ve won, which is maybe to be expected of a newly promoted side. Rovers weakness seems to be their defence and they’ve conceded more than double the goals Boro have with only three teams having let in more goals (Ipswich, Bolton and surprisingly Villa).

I suspect the big cheese at the Riverside will be hoping that his manager can show his maturity and his team will display the kind of away form that indicates they have promotion running through their veins. However, a couple of bad results would certainly grate on the supporters nerves and as they start to see any lingering hopes of an automatic spot melt away. So will Boro end the week looking ripe for promotion or will it be a case of hard cheese Tony as our chances of staying with the pack begin to look a little awry? Time for the team to show that they are indeed men and not the mice we saw exit meekly from the Cup.

Middlesbrough		Leeds United
Wing	47′	Philips	90′ +11
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	31% 9 3 2 11	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	69% 17 4 9 8

Sit back setback

Both sides had something to prove to their fans this afternoon after capitulation had become a byword to describe the last time both of them were in competitive action. I’m not so sure which was the most damaging, losing at Home to your nearest Promotion chasing rivals in the Automatic spots and being knocked off the top of the pile in the process or meekly exiting the FA Cup to a side two leagues below you. Either way both sets of players and managers had been on the receiving end of some scathing criticism over the last few days.

Injuries were a talking point in the build up to the game with Bielsa having the greater problems, one being whether to rush Paddy back quickly from a long layoff after his late scoring feat last weekend off the bench. Adam Forshaw and Mateusz Klich’s knees were causing them problems while Pablo Hernandez’s groin was receiving treatment, consequently all were suspect in terms of making this one. Gaetano Berardi and Stuart Dallas were both definite long term non-starters. 19-year-old Jamie Shackleton would likely make the Leeds squad with Bielsa claiming he was down to the bare bones. Another youngster Jack Clarke would likely be involved and Izzy Brown on loan from Chelsea was also tipped to make the squad and perhaps his first appearance after he recovered from a knee problem.

Tony Pulis had a full complement at WBA on Saturday but returned from Newport with his squad battered and bruised physically and emotionally and no doubt with a few additional aches and pains after being stuck in a Coach all Tuesday night. Hugill, Assombalonga and Wing were all doubts with Saville’s ankle also being questioned. Lewis Wing had been playing through the pain barrier apparently so would have to be considered doubtful as would Stewart Downing with a poorly contract.

The away end had the largest following all season with 4,500 Leeds Fans making the journey north ensuring the game would be played with an electric atmosphere. It was very noticeable from the North stand that the swathe of Leeds fans in the SE corner was actually bigger than the South Stand contingent a point not unnoticed by Leeds themselves as they opted to change ends when they won the toss. Klich had made the Leeds starting line-up as did Bamford but Forshaw was missing out on a Riverside return. Boro went with the usual three at the back with Shotton on the right and George on the left. JOM was as expected restored to the middle with Wing, Howson and Saville taking up the other berths leaving Hugill up front all on his own.

The game started predictably with Leeds going full out from the off applying pressure and bossing proceedings. This is routine for Bielsa’s sides and it did cause early consternation but Randolph was never seriously troubled despite their domination in the opening twenty minutes. A free kick was easily collected by Randolph, Bamford was always never far from our keeper trying to unsettle him and a break down the left ended with Klich sending his shot well wide of the target. Our midfield at this stage looked to be on the back foot and sitting deep as we struggled to deal with the pace and energy from the early Leeds pressure.

The storm which Leeds had clearly intended to create started to die out a little as energy levels sapped. A few challenges from Wing and Saville started to have an effect on the ease at which the visitors had been breaking forward. Howson also started to get to grips in anticipating some of the slick movements and cutting things out whilst Friend on the opposite side made a few man size early tackles. Shotton looked to be very short on fitness as the diminutive Alioski ran him ragged but also out jumped him on several occasions and sadly as the game went on it didn’t get any better. The sunlight was blinding those sat in the East stand and with Randolph constantly trying to find Shotton out there with his clearances it didn’t help Ryan in trying to find the trajectory of the ball in the full glare of that low winter sun. A burst from George Friend later in the half down the left and a low fired cross across the box was nearly met by Shotton in the first half as he slid in just a split second too late with the Leeds goal at his mercy.

Boro’s first attempt came on the quarter hour mark as Saville took a few touches and delivered a shot which was routinely dealt with by Cassila in the Leeds goal but at least it was on target. Six minutes later and it was Saville again who this time after being fed in by Friend had Cassila pushing the ball out from his left hand corner as Boro were seriously getting into the game having withstood the all-out assault from the Kick Off. A Minute later saw the entire Riverside rise to their feet in a minutes applause for Luke Jobson who lost his life under such tragic circumstances in Yarm two weeks ago with the Leeds fans respectfully joining in the united tribute.

That moment seemed to galvanise Boro and signalled the end of any Leeds domination and on the half hour mark Lewis Wing went close with a daisy cutter which went just wide. A few minutes later Friend went on one of his stumbling, uncoordinated, dribbling runs into the box which ended with a toe poke at the near post which Cassila smothered safely. Just five minutes later and Paddy got on the end of the type of ball we all hoped he wouldn’t from ex Boro loanee Jack Harrison but skewed his shot well wide to the left of Randolph’s upright. The half had now lost a lot of its early visitor induced momentum. Boro had started to get a stranglehold on the game with our progressive midfield coming out well on top of things and indeed bossing the flow of the game. The last bit of first half action saw a poorly hit Saville free kick for a foul on Hugill but it was never going to threaten Cassila’s goal.

So the half ended with honours even and even allowing for the vastly contrasting styles it was a fair reflection with both sets of fans applauding the players off the pitch. Boro came out for the second half unchanged whilst Bielsa removed the youngster Jack Clarke for Hernandez and Referee England got matters under way after a sometimes controversial interpretation of the rules in the first half. Hugill had been punished for several challenges presumably backing in and playing his opponent rather than the ball whilst Alioski had played Shotton all afternoon with zero intent on playing the ball much to the home fans annoyance.

Those officiating annoyances vanished when JOM found George Saville who played in George Friend racing down the left wing and cut the ball back to Lewis Wing who took his chance with a beautifully accurate side foot to break the deadlock putting Boro deservedly 1-0 up with just three minutes of the half gone. The volume suddenly ratcheted up several levels as the home fans finally had something to cheer about and truly get behind at the Riverside seeing their team take the lead. A rendition of “Leeds are falling apart again” was aimed at the large SE contingent who were now extremely quiet having just witnessed Wing’s strike up close and with it hopes of regaining the top spot.

Leeds rallied, tried to get back into it but Ayala and Flint were immense at the back winning everything and giving Bamford no room to operate or influence anything. Howson was running the show on the right side of midfield, JOM was majestic in the middle with Saville scrapping giving no mercy and still driving forward along with Wing and between them causing the Leeds defence all sorts of problems. Hugill was manfully battling but not really getting much joy other than a physical workout with Jansson and Cooper.

A nicely weighted lob for Wing to collect from JOM just wouldn’t come down for Lewis and he was eventually closed down by the time he could try and get his shot off. That effort seemed to be enough to tweak whatever was left of his troubling groin problem as he went down on the turf dejectedly just a minute later. Mo Besic was brought on in his place to replace Lewis who had given his all for the cause and wore his heart on his sleeve all afternoon.

Wing going off however destabilised what had been an excellent Boro engine room up to that point. His absence meant that Leeds came back into this and started to pressure us. George Friend got a boot to a ball that was destined for the net in a six yard box scramble to spare blushes then as Leeds upped the ante Randolph somehow got behind two more close efforts that sent alarm bells ringing.

Since Besic arrived we seemed to be sitting deeper, inviting pressure and struggling to break out. Saville and Howson were still carrying things forward but without Wing linking things up it had lost all semblance of shape. From dominating the middle we now looked susceptible to a Leeds come back with just twenty minutes remaining. Bamford then should have pulled back the deficit when he pounced on a Jansson header that had come back off the post with Randolph stranded but again Paddy spurned his chance putting it wide. Things were now getting very nervous, twitchy and uncomfortable.

Howson set up Besic who broke free and fired in a cross that was too much for Hugill but it looked like George sliding in would put us two up but the chance went begging and Leeds didn’t need a reminder that they needed to get something from this game. This game still had everything to play for and TP made a double sub presumably in an effort to shore things up with Assombalonga coming on for Hugill and Clayts for Saville. A fresh Britt for the tired and jaded Hugill made sense but unless Saville was injured it removed a threat from our Arsenal as Clayts was never going to be an unlikely goal scorer. There were some boos when Clayts came on but they were largely drowned out by applause and cheers with the forlorn hope that the majority of the booing had come from the Leeds corner for their ex player.

The game turned again at that point with the negativity of the decisions to replace both Wing and Saville who had both been excellent, with defensive central midfielders thereby removing both creativity and attacking intent when in reality what we needed was an outlet and support for the lone striker. With Downing or VLP left on the bench I felt an opportunity was being surrendered at the time. With only eight minutes remaining we were getting our heads around our midfield being dismantled and restructured with the instinctively deeper lying players when there was a corner awarded for Leeds that was delayed for a bizarre incident in the Leeds dug out. Initially there were jokes in the North Stand that someone had perhaps nicked Bielsa’s blue bucket but sadly it seemed that as we learned later it was young Jack Clarke who had suffered some sort of incident in the away dug out and had collapsed.

The game was stopped as the Ref waited until the paramedics attended to the young lad and managed to stretcher him off down the tunnel after giving him emergency first aid. That incident clearly affected the concentration of both sides, Boro cleared that initial corner but pressure was building as we were camped in our own half and offering little offensive threat. The clearances and scrappy battles as we stood firm rallied the home crowd and created a sense of unity for the first time in months as we were literally hanging on. The hope was that we looked to be capable of just seeing this out despite the added 12 minutes for the subs and the incident in the dugout.

Boro had a corner headed clear by Jansson and Harrison broke winning a corner which we in turn scrambled clear but the ball then came across to Alioski who brought it down with his arm but ignored by the Ref he drove to the corner of the Boro 18 yard box and fired a low shot which deflected off Howson’s outstretched arm. We had figured that the Ref just concluded that one arm cancelled out the other and as play went Darren England bizarrely brought the game back, awarded Leeds a free kick and yellow carded Howson. Just moments earlier Assombalonga had been “professionally collided” with by the same player who had spent his entire afternoon jumping into Shotton yet awarded us nothing much to the frustration of the home fans and the home bench.

The inevitable equaliser finally came as Shotton managed a tired headed clearance conceding a corner. He limped painfully into position and with everyone piling into the Boro box the ball was glanced back quickly from Cooper who lost his marker Ayala to an unmarked Phillips who headed it in past Randolph and Clayts and Assombalonga who had retreated onto the goal line to send the away fans wild and sink Boro hearts. The game restarted but the whistle went within seconds and those three points suddenly now reduced to one. In balance and in fairness Leeds were worthy of a point but I walked away feeling that if only we had been more positive in our substitutions it could have been a different story. MOM was Howson but had Wing stayed on it may have been a close call and indeed Saville and JOM were also worthy contenders.

A frustrating day but at least a decent game of football tinged with sadness and then concern over Jack Clarke but finished off by the inevitable trouble caused in the Town after the game with hordes of Police chasing around after Football Hooligans.

Newport County		Middlesbrough
Willmott Amond	47′ 67′
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	44% 16 4 6 4	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	56% 13 1 5 5

A Bridge too far

The repeat of the battle of the men from Pill took place tonight with the opportunity of a plum tie at home to Pep Guardiola’s Man City awaiting the Victor! For Boro at least it felt a bit like lose and you will get slaughtered, win and you will get murdered but one game at a time and all that. Leeds coming up on Saturday felt far more prescient than an away Cup Tie against Newport mid-week. The inconvenience factor aside the line-up for Boro would be interesting with most on Teesside expecting a second string and benchwarmer eleven against Michael Flynn’s eleven. Flynn himself had a few questions to answer having witnessed a very poor away performance against Grimsby at the weekend losing three nil. Despite their FA Cup heroics Newport have only won once in League Two over the last two months and haven’t managed to score since Matty Dolan’s late equaliser at the Riverside.

One thing for sure was that Antoine Semenyo would not be torturing Boro tonight as he was recalled by his parent Club Bristol City last week cutting short his season long loan and based on his Riverside performance it was easy to see why. That loss was a massive blow to the South Wales outfit and a bit of good news for the Boro defence whoever they may be tonight. There was also uncertainty if Joe Day would replace Nick Townsend in Goal for the Exiles as his wife was still keeping everyone waiting in the local Maternity Wing for the new arrivals.

Team selections saw just two changes for Newport from the Riverside encounter with Joe Day appearing in goal after all and Semenyo of course no longer at the club. TP surprised everyone by naming a no nonsense looking attack minded Boro side with both Britt and Hugill both starting. Wing was also a surprise inclusion in a midfield three comprising of Clayts and Howson. It was presumed it would be three at the back with Flint, Fry and Ayala with McNair and Friend operating as wing backs or would Fry be at RB and Friend LB with McNair operating in Midfield?

Lewis Wing got proceedings underway at Rodney Parade in the midst of a downpour on a pitch that was nothing more than a quagmire. The lack of a playing surface certainly suited the home side better as despite Boro having two strikers getting the ball played up to them was proving difficult. Boro did have two early efforts with a long range Howson strike and a Hugill effort from a rare break that hit the upright. That aside all the action was at the opposite end of the pitch and Dimi had to pull off a few saves to spare blushes. The Exiles continually launched balls into the Boro box a few of which had nerves jangling and for the want of better finishing Newport could have been two up in the opening twenty five minutes. There was a clear shout for a penalty for handball which would have made things even worse for Boro had it been given. Being honest it looked like a clear penalty to me for a Clayts hand ball and the home fans could consider themselves hard done to.

There was a total lack of any composure as County literally bossed and bullied Boro who looked like they were jetlagged from their delayed flight. Our Midfield was ineffective as the Amber coloured shirts piled forward outnumbering Boro creating a huge chasm between our retreated Midfield and Hugill and Assombalonga. It would have been more appropriate if the kit man had given Boro white hankies to wave to go with their all white kit (unlike the all red kit worn on Saturday this all white ensemble doesn’t have a happy track record).

Meanwhile Robbie WIllmott was ripping up our left side and in the thirty third minute he beat both Wing and Friend with embarrassing ease and fired in a powerful cross met by Amond forcing Dimi into a full stretch save to once again repel the Exiles. At some point those from Teesside were assuming that this was perhaps deliberate rope a dope tactics and Boro would come out roaring and firing on all cylinders ensnaring Newport into a false sense of security.

Watching Willmot you had to wonder why our scouts couldn’t spot and recruit from the lower leagues as the lad looked a class above his Championship foes on the night. On the fortieth minute Willmott put in another cross that was headed just over Dimi’s crossbar by Matt landing on the roof of the net. Newport were full of flicks and tricks while Boro looked leggy, weary and unable to hang onto the ball passing it around like a hand grenade as they were chased and harried. Had it been a boxing contest County were so far ahead on points the towel should have been thrown in to prevent any serious and lasting damage. As if to illustrate the calamitous nature of Boro on the night a harmless looking looped ball into the Boro box caused a series of panicked nervous headers which nearly ended up into the back of Dimi’s net but fortunately went out for a corner. Said corner ended the half when it was harmlessly over hit. It was about the only ball Newport did play badly in those opening forty five minutes.

Flynn would have been by far the happier of the two Managers, astounded by how his side hadn’t been able to take advantage of his side’s total domination and penalty robbery. Tony Pulis on the other hand had some thinking to do as it was clear his side were not coping with a pitch that was reminiscent of Derby’s Baseball ground from the early seventies. Actually the pitch was just one of a very long list of problems, I had a Cortina Mark II once with rust holes in the floor and a flat battery that needed push starting that was more reliable and dependable than that Boro set up.

When the sides came out for the second half Newport understandably didn’t make any changes. TP had brought VLP on for Paddy McNair (lucky Paddy) but apart from a bit of flustered rather than controlled activity in the opening seconds in the Newport box that was it from Boro for the nights efforts as Willmott then broke out from defence and crossed the half way line leaving Clayton in his wake and danced towards the Boro back line forcing a back stepping movement from Ayala to shoot from the edge of the box past a desperate outstretched Dimi to put the Exiles deservedly 1-0 up. It was coming all night and it was indeed fitting that it was Willmott who delivered the blow.

Four minutes after the restart Lewis Wing hit a dipping ball from the edge of the Newport box but it dropped down behind the net unfortunately summing up our endeavour for the evening. Dael Fry put a low cross in a few minutes after Wings dipper as Boro tried half-heartedly to find a response but it was cleared away. Boro were still struggling as they had all evening to find a white shirt on the swamp of a pitch due to a lack of pace and little to no movement or anticipation off the ball. It was like watching Statues play netball (actually statues would have had more perceived movement). Hugill limped off on 56 minutes for Gestede to make a rare appearance. Normally I would have said “worryingly Hugill limped off” but on that performance Jordan’s 80 year old Grandmother would have been more aggressive and mobile so to see him leave was exactly a worry or even a remote concern.

Rudy’s first involvement was to be flagged for offside as Boro continued their struggles to string any passes together. As it turned out I think that was Rudy’s only noticeable contribution for the remainder of the game. A couple of minutes later Fletcher came on for Assombalonga who had ran and chased but usually the ball got stuck between his feet in the mud and he ended up sat on his derriere. Fletcher’s first touch was a carbon copy of Gestede’s minutes previously earning the same response from the Lineman’s flag. Since his introduction at half time VLP had been spectacularly anonymous and hadn’t offered any outlet or threat whatsoever. I did wonder if he perhaps had been knitting Bootees out on the wing joining in with the anticipated arrivals. So poor was Boro’s showing had Joe Day’s wife actually gone into labour he could have nipped to the local maternity unit to welcome the arrival of his twins and popped back before the 90th minute and nobody would have noticed him missing. Actually he could have probably wet the babies heads as well and sank a few jars for all the difference it would have made, still at least had more than one reason now to have the cigars out.

Willmott who had drifted out of things just a little popped up with a luke warm shot which deflected out for a corner from a dejected Boro defender. Willmott himself took the same corner and in a clever well worked set piece, he saw Padraig Amond running from the far side of the Boro goal mouth to the near side of the Boro box to meet a perfectly weighted ball, he swivelled, he turned, he shot and despatched it into the top corner leaving Dimi rooted along with an entire box full of white shirted dummies. Our defending looked like those shop window displays during change over time when the mannequins have those white shrouds tied over them in various motionless poses. 2-0 and exactly what Boro deserved and exactly what Newport deserved. If there are any mannequins reading this I do apologise as I am sure you do a lot more than just stand there looking gormless. Our mobility was like the Post Office queue on pension day but with less communication going on.

A Wing corner was then headed clear, falling to Howson twenty yards out who inexplicably lobbed a soft ball straight into Day’s grateful arms. Come on now was this deliberate? I mean even we can’t be this bad surely? Another poor hopeful lob (rather than a cross) came in from Clayton but it was over hit and in truth Boro didn’t look like they were bothered any longer in any case with the remaining game time looking like a chore. A clever one two between Howson and Fletcher saw Howson running through to collect in the box but the return from Fletcher was so miscued that it missed Howson by several yards behind him when he was two foot away. At this stage I was really grateful that Demenyo hadn’t been available as it could have been really embarrassing by now. Plus the astonishment of all that low cost talent at this level could have resulted in out recruitment team causing a shortage of stents at Newport General. Not that there will have been any chance of any of them attending in case they spotted someone really useful that could be had for less than £200K and under £5K a week.

Anyway getting back to Boro’s rendition of that movie Cocoon (where those agile pensioners get up to all sorts of high jinks on beta blockers) Labadie had went off for Dolan as Michael Flynn gave the ex Boro lad yet another opportunity to embarrass his ex-employers. Fortunately Matty had some sympathy for the drenched travelling 500 or so from Teesside.

There was absolutely no zip or belief about Boro in fact they looked like they had spent the afternoons flight delay getting hammered in duty free because this was as disjointed and confused a showing that I have witnessed for a long time from any Boro side. Credit of course must go to Newport who despite the conditions were full of running and seemingly able to control the ball on the same heavy and sticky pitch. Since TP’s substitutions Boro looked even worse if that was possible. The three subs had been invisible whilst also displaying serious co-ordination problems as they seemingly lacked any control of their legs so bad was the hold-up play. A late Wing corner was wastefully hit low and easily cleared. The effort that went into that was a further indication of the lacklustre nature of tonight’s team performance. Then a short corner on the opposite side saw VLP dribble into the box but it rolled to Day’s near post and easily dealt with.

Willmott went off to a rapturous applause on the eighty fifth minute for Pipe to come on and take his place. As Day collected another lacklustre Boro cross the fourth Official held up three agonising minutes but the reality was that if this Boro side had another three years they wouldn’t have scored, collectively they would have set a Teesside record in the Bongo club. Boro didn’t turn up, didn’t look interested or remotely bothered to the extent that it made me think they genuinely didn’t want any more cup games and certainly not against Man City. Was it a case of more important fish to fry and they or TP at least would rather Newport get some glory and benefit than Boro get demoralised and battered next round? At least the FA can’t take three points off us on this occasion for not turning up.

MOM was 28 year old Robbie Willmott for Newport, there wasn’t a single Boro player worthy of any more than a 3/10 and that would be by far the most generous score. Let’s hope it was just a fitness training exercise with an eye on Saturday. The big worry is what Boro side will actually turn up against Leeds, the WBA side or the questionable showing tonight? The good news of the evening was that Joe Day’s wife was able to hang on until the final whistle as he sprinted off the pitch to be at her side which was more than Boro’s defence could manage.