Just diverting for a wee bit.....MICHAEL BEALE admits his first game as Sunderland boss “could not have gone any worse”, but accepted the fact that a significant section of the home support at the Stadium of Light was chanting the name of his predecessor, Tony Mowbray.
Mogga was apparently at the Riverside today:
A good game and a super win today - well done Boro!
Lots of good performances... what I will say is that Rav van den Berg is already a good player and is going to be a top top one in the years to come. Both he and Engel had excellent games. As already mentioned, the ref's decision to give the WBA defender a mere yellow was absolutely mystifying. It was almost as if he was thinking it was too early to send off a player when the offence was as clear a red as I have seen this season. That could have made the difference but thankfully, it didn't. Happy days and Happy Christmas to all Diasborians!
@original-fat-bob. In my view yes.
He is an integral part of the squad and often makes Jones look a better player than he is. We have benefitted from his goals and assists this season and would be in a worse position without them.
He has looked leggy for a few games now and his passing has been off but he gives his all and probably needs a rest which he got in part today.
He may struggle to start once McGree and Forss are fully fit but I don’t believe we can do without him.
There again what do I know, I thought we would do well to get a point today when instead we deservedly won.
I just hope that we can continue to play as we have been doing of late and improve with returning players; today will be a waste if we don’t take a minimum of four points from the next two games and ideally seven from the next three. Cob. 😎
@k-p-in-spain KP, one could say, that Jones had arguably his best game for awhile, this afternoon, without Crooks in the side.
@martin-bellamy - I have done BBQs on Christmas Day before, and I suppose as the temperature outside was 11C on WBA matchday (23rd December), that is BBQ weather. It won't be a BBQ on Monday this time as the plan was to do the stuffed turkey crown and the pork roast with crackling in the oven. However I was reading on Saturday about Tom Kerridge doing one joint in the kitchen oven whilst a bird is on the BBQ outside. Maybe next year.
Thanks for the link to the Grauniad article. You'll be too famous for us here on this blog if this carries on!
@forever-dormo Hopefully the wind will die down by Monday because it’s blowing a hooley here today. As for the Guardian - I’m pretty sure that a lot of the writing on Diasboro is a massive improvement, although the G remains my newspaper of choice. Now that the Campervan has gone I can’t write articles for the VW magazines so I’ve have to get my fix somewhere.
Just spotted your Guardian link - nice one - hope you enjoy your festive soup and sandwiches plus sounds like the cobwebs will most certainly be blown away on Christmas Day! As I've probably mentioned, Christmas is celebrated this evening over here in Germany with Mrs Werder's parents coming over for Christmas dinner and as always I'll be dong the cooking - you may have gathered I'm not much of a traditionalist and have never cooked a turkey. We'll be having a Pork joint that is stuffed with plums in individual pockets - we do have Brussel Sprouts but I finely chop them and fry them in butter with onions. Though the locals also insist on red cabbage that is cooked with apple and of course Kartoffelklöße, which are dumplings made from mashed potato and potato starch flour.
Anyway, hope you enjoy your Christmas everyone whether it be traditional or otherwise!
@werdermouth We actually love brussel sprouts. Our Christmas day sprouts are sliced and cooked in a frying pan with stock? and garlic. However, I do like the sound of your version.
@werdermouth That all sounds perfect.
@pedro Mrs B is a huge fan of sprouts (as am I) but I couldn’t really think of a way of incorporating them into our Xmas Day sandwiches (maybe I should have made a sprout slaw).
The chestnut soup is made for tomorrow and Alison has spent today making sausage rolls and mince pies for Boxing Day at her sister’s house. I’ll be doing a fondue later and the first cocktail (a gin and passion fruit Collins) has been consumed.
Have a great Xmas everyone from us three at Pigeon Pie Barn.
Interesting report in BirminghamLive:
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/west-brom-left-buck-unwanted-28343891 😎