On Saturday 28th September, Boro take on Stoke City at Riverside 15:00 BST
I was not able to remember the last time we played Stoke City in any competition. But I googled and found out that we played them just less than four weeks ago at home. Funny I couldn’t remember that even when I saw the match on TV.
One to go
The result was 0-5 – and after three weeks the winning team’s manager lost his job. Strange, me thinks.
It was not Michael Carrick who was ordered to go after witnessing his home team to be beaten heavily at home. On Monday morning, 16th of September 23, Stoke sacked head coach Steven Schumacher following previous Saturday's Championship defeat by Oxford United.
The 1-0 loss was the Potters' third league defeat of the season to leave them 13th in the table with just two wins from their five games. It brings 40-year-old Schumacher’s tenure as Stoke boss to an end after just nine months, having left Plymouth Argyle to take the job in December.
Speaking after Saturday's defeat to Oxford, Schumacher said: "I felt there were too many people who were not on top of their game. There are a few exceptions who can come away with their head held high but there are a few who can look back at this and say they didn't play up to the standard we have been seeing. We got what we deserved.
"We've got to do better in the games. Sometimes a team can surprise you and you have to adjust, and you can understand how they might have got the better of you. But today was exactly what we prepared for and still in the second half Oxford landed on second balls better than we did, played with more energy, the goal changed the game, gave them something to hold onto. When we attacked, we didn't show enough quality, and we ran out of ideas in the end."
In the club statement to announce Schumacher's shock exit, Jon Walters said: “My role as Sporting Director is to make tough decisions that serve the long-term interests of Stoke City. After ongoing discussions with (chairman) John Coates, we feel the time is right for a change in direction to bring success to the club.
“We have a young, dynamic squad that is eager to develop and a clear vision of how to achieve success, and we hope to announce a new appointment shortly. We will need the fans, staff, and players united in support to achieve our goals. As always in football, these decisions are difficult, and we wish Steven and his staff all the best for the future.”
Stoke City was 13th on table after five games and three defeats, when the axe came. And only two points behind Boro at the time. So, it was not only results, but I think the new technical director in Jonathan Walters wanted to have his stamp on the team. He was only appointed on 8th April 2024 – he was not at the club when Schumacher was appointed nine months ago.
On joining Stoke, Walters said: "It's hard to articulate the drive inside of me to help get this club back to where I believe it belongs," said Walters. "The first priority is to retain our Championship status this season. After that, it's a case of building brick-by-brick towards a long-term ambition of being better than we've ever been before."
Stoke, relegated from the Premier League in 2018, have since finished 16th, 15th, 14th, 14th, 16th in five successive seasons in the Championship.
Who is the new manager?
Managerless Stoke City were made to work hard for a penalty shootout third-round Carabao Cup win over League Two side Fleetwood in front of potential new manager Narcis Pelach. The 36-year-old is reportedly in line to replace Steven Schumacher and saw goalkeeper Viktor Johansson save two penalties to send the Potters through.
On 18th September Stoke City appointed Norwich City coach Narcis Pelach as their new manager on a three-year contract. The 36-year-old Catalan succeeds Steven Schumacher following his shock sacking on Monday after just nine months in charge.
Pelach, from Girona, has worked in English football for four years, first under fellow Spaniard Carlos Corberan at Huddersfield Town and then for the past 16 months under David Wagner and his replacement Johannes Hoff Thorup at Carrow Road.
He will be joined by three new backroom men, coaches Dean Whitehead and Paul Clements, as well as performance analyst Harrison Glew. Former Stoke and Boro midfielder Whitehead, 42, has left Barnsley after just two months at the League One club to return to the Potteries.
First match in charge
Stoke City have now played the first much under the new manager. They were at home to Hull City on Friday. They started the game in a familiar 4-4-2 formation – and brightly. Leading 1-0 at half time. Hull City produced an astonishing second-half turnaround as they ruined Stoke City boss Narcis Pelach's first game in charge by earning a first win at the seventh attempt for Tigers boss Tim Walter. It looked like Stoke were on course for a comfortable victory when they led 1-0 at the break thanks to Ben Wilmot's 30th-minute header.
New Stoke City boss Narcis Pelach told BBC Sport after the match:
"I was happy with the first half hour. We scored a nice goal from a set play. But we have to make the most of our chances and then we made mistakes.
"The first goal should not have been allowed. It was offside before the penalty was given. The second goal was our mistake.
"But I did not think it was that bad. Our heads went down after the third goal went in."
The fans verdicts were expected after the first game of the new manager:
Paul said: “Pretty soon the club’s hierarchy will run out of scapegoats and the real problem will become clear. Schumacher should have been given longer.” And Steve agreed: “ Very surprised to hear Schumacher was sacked, so early in the season. Thought he was doing okay. Now I am just hoping the new coach can sort this squad out, time will tell assuming he is given enough time.”
And Mrs. M added: “Lots of unanswered questions from Stoke regarding the sacking of Schumacher. Are there too many chiefs? You can’t manage a team if you’re getting interference from back room staff. This is not our Stoke anymore.”
From the outside it looks like many things are on the move at Stoke. And the managers come and go quickly. It reminds me a bit like Boro did after the relegations – we seemed to have a new man in charge every season – and the change happening in the middle of a season.
Star man
Our Ben Gibson has been captaining Stoke recently with Ben Wilmot, both central defenders. Ben was the captain in Schumacher’s last game in charge. And he was also captaining the team when his former Norwich coach was in charge for the first time. Ben is now 31-year-old and he signed a three year contract with Stoke in Summer 2024. It looks highly unlikely, that the nephew of Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson will ever return to his beloved Boro as a plyer again.
Ben was born in Nunthorpe and joined Boro from Marton at the age of twelve. He played a total of 185 games for Boro between 2010–2018 before joining Burnley. He was loaned out to Norwich before signing permanently for the Canaries in 2021.
A Stoke great
Tony Pulis had been out of work for two years, before the resignation of Stoke City's manager Steve Cotterill early into the 2002–03 season led to Pulis being given the job that November. Pulis immediately found himself in a relegation battle and it looked likely that the club would be relegated back to the Second Division only a year after being promoted. Pulis, however, completed the signings of striker Ade Akinbiyi and goalkeeper Mark Crossley on loan from Crystal Palace and Boro respectively, who helped turn around the club's bad run. Stoke avoided relegation on the final day of the 2002–03 season. Pulis rates Stoke's survival in 2002–03 as one of his best achievements in management.
In the following season, 2003–04, Pulis guided the club to an 11th-place finish. But tensions grew between the manager and chairman, Gunnar Gíslason, in the 2004–05 season. Pulis was frustrated with his lack of transfer funds. The disagreement between Pulis and the club's Icelandic ownership culminated with Pulis parting company with the club on 28 June 2005. He was sacked for "failing to exploit the foreign transfer market" by then chairman Gíslason.
After a stint at Plymouth, Pulis was back at Stoke. In May 2006, Pulis was the subject of an approach from his former club Stoke who had recently parted company with manager Johan Boskamp, following Peter Coates' takeover of the club. On 14 June 2006, finally, it was announced that Pulis would be returning.
Pulis was named Manager of the Month for April 2007 after Stoke picked up 11 points from 5 league games. Finally, he led Stoke to finish eighth in the Championship.
Next Pulis sold several key players prior to the 2007–08 season. Pulis, however, utilized the loan market again, signing five players on loan, with a few of these loan signings joining on a permanent deal in the January transfer window. But Pulis did a minor miracle, and he guided Stoke City to promotion to the Premier League on the final matchday of the season, to be Stoke's first top flight campaign in 23 years.
During the Premier League days, Pulis became the first manager to guide Stoke to an FA Cup Final. Stoke, however, lost the final 1–0 to Manchester City. By reaching the final, Stoke qualified for the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League, after Manchester City confirmed a place in the UEFA Champions League. Club chairman Peter Coates said in May 2011 that Pulis is Stoke's greatest ever manager.
After some wonderful years at Stoke, the 2012/13 was a season of little progress at Stoke, and Pulis left the club on 21 May 2013 after a meeting with club chairman Peter Coates. Speaking after his departure, Pulis revealed that he was disappointed by Coates' decision but accepted his reasons. He was replaced by another Welsh manager, Mark Hughes.
It might sound strange to the Boro fans, but Pulis was nearly as successful at the Potters than Steve McClaren was at Boro – but we of course won a cup at least.
Boro-Stoke on Saturday KO 17:00
So, we do not know much about the playing style of Stoke. Let’s hope they are in shambles at least until Saturday. But we know – like the Stoke fans – that the problems must be somewhere else than in a manager. There will be a season or two to go, before we see Stoke challenging for trophies or promotion.
But we know Michael Carrick. He won’t be changing anything before the next match. And I quite agree with him. Do what you are best and try not to change the team and style too much after a defeat at Sunderland. Personally I think we were the better team – or at least as good - than the Black Cats last weekend.
As far as Boro’s start is concerned, asked if Carrick felt his side should have more points at this stage, he said: "Definitely. Performance-wise, when you judge it on how the games have gone, that's pretty obvious. Over a period of time, I like to think if we keep doing the right things we'll get the benefits."
Michael Carrick rules out changes to Middlesbrough's playing style, though. Boro could not overcome Sunderland’s defensive low block, but while Stoke City could well adopt similar tactics when they visit the Riverside on Saturday, Carrick insists he will not be changing his side’s approach.
“There’s a way of playing,” said the Boro boss. “We bring players in to play a certain way and play to their strengths so we're not going to flip that on its head so early in the season.
“We can do things better, the way we were around the box with our movements and ideas. We can definitely improve.
“But it's not rip up and start again by any stretch, we've lost three games in 19. It's time to take a deep breath and keep doing what we're doing.”
Despite Boro having failed to beat Derby, Portsmouth, Preston and Sunderland already this season, I think we should keep on improving and not make hasty changes. I hope we finally see a result that will please OFB. So, I will go for a 3-1 win against Stoke City.
Thanks for the excellent starter Jarkko - full of info and much more erudite than most of us could be in our non-native language.
We’ve got to win on Saturday - we’re meeting family in Stokesley for a meal in the evening and I’ve been trying to find a way of going to the game and still meeting up. I’m struggling to sort it but who knows, perhaps I’ll get there!
I'm in awe of your smashing opener, Jarkko, with so much well researched background. It sets us up nicely for Saturday's game. Congratulations on a great effort. You would never guess that English is not your mother tongue. I'm proud to know and have met you..
Well done Jarkko. Delivering such an informed and comprehensive opener in your second language (or is third or fourth???) is really quite amazing 👏 👏 👏
Jarkko,
Thanks for the wonderful and encyclopaedic opener. Excellent. I think Boro have to win this one so I'll have to consult the Marton Oracle for a definitive answer and it looks like behind the couch again... Once again, well done.
UTB,
John
Thank you Jarkko, I enjoyed reading your intro. I hope McGree will get a game this week. Here is another "Wonder from Down Under" :
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm28xk7gvpko
Chris
Thank you, Jarkko, for an amazing opener, which is full of interesting detail. As others have said, how you manage to operate at such a very high level in a foreign language is truly awesome. Very well done!
I was particularly struck by the detail about Stoke’s finishing positions in the Championship since their relegation in 2018 - never higher than 14th. For a club that spent so long under Pulis in the top flight and which was notoriously very hard to beat, that’s an awful record, and puts Boro’s travails in this division into perspective. Frankly, I can’t see them improving much on that record this season, new manager notwithstanding.
Over recent years Stoke have earned a reputation for playing dour, unimaginative football, hard to beat but boring as hell. It’s the style often linked to Pulis’s time in charge, whether that is a fair condemnation or not. So, I’d normally be looking forward to the Stoke game like I would a visit to the dentist’s. Will Boro make us suffer another bore-fest as we once again fail to break down a stubborn, unambitious outfit with 10 men behind the ball? Will we ever score from open play?
But it was a huge surprise when Stoke came to Boro in the Carabao and attacked with verve, scoring a mere 5 goals in the process. Admittedly, both sides played a number of younger players that night, making it more akin to an U-21 game. So it’s a bit difficult to predict what will happen on Saturday. Will they come and attack again and throw caution to the winds? Is this what the new manager will expect? Presumably, after their poor home defeat to previously winless Hull last time out, he’ll want to make amends. Or will they copy PNE and the Mackems and simply shut up shop as the best way to take something from the game?
Ben Gibson says Pelach is a machine, very intense, blitzing the squad with wagon-loads of information. It rather sounds as if they’re struggling to cope with all the new demands. Let’s hope that’s still the case. For one thing is certain - if we want to keep pace with the division’s leading pack, we have to win this game.
Super Headliner Jarkko, I wish my written Spanish was half as good.
Lots of information in the article, about a club I know little about, even in recent years.
As you said Jarkko, Carrick is not for changing. I only hope therefore that he puts players in positions where they can complete at their best.
So no Azaz on the left, but possibly Doak on the right. Will McGree get a start or even some minutes. Or, maybe it will be more of the same. One is certain though, we need a decent win to lift the spirits, nothing else will be acceptable.
Cheers everybody for the comments.
I was not so happy with my piece as I run out of time. I had planned to do the writing on Monday and Tuesday, but were forced to do it mainly on Wednesday.
On Monday, the elderly lady living alone next to us, rang my bell. She was out walking with her dog on a pavement (a kind of footpath), when a car was driving on it, too. She complained to the driver, that he cannot drive on there. In the end the man driving the car hit her three times with a metal bar.
So when she rang my door bell, I and my wife needed to take care of her, call the ambulance and police. Luckily she had "only" bruises, a cut in the forehead and a broken nose, and she was back home the same day. We also suspected a broken arm. For the next two days we took her dog for its walks.
The following day my central heating broke down and needed a repairer. Now it is temporarily fixed and a bigger repair is needed next week.
Luckily enough, I was also able to play an official match in the over-sixty-year-olds' League on Monday, too. Our last match of the season, we are top of the league now, but one team has a game in hand and are just two poinst behind us. Tight.
And now I am preparing a work visit to Barcelona, where our company has a factory near by, so I will fly out this afternoon and returning on Saturday. So I won't follow the blog at all as I have ten customers to travel with. And I am the host.
If the flight back is on time, I will just catch the Boro match on TV or Riverside Live. Where ever it is.
Take care. Up the Boro!
This article may be of interest to some...
Higher or lower: Boro, Bristol City, Norwich, Northampton, Salford & Tranmere (ntt20.com)
@jarkko. Thank you for a very well produced and detailed opener which was an informative read and especially so given English is not your first language.
I am embarrassed to say I would struggle to put together a written sentence in Spanish. My spoken Spanish is little better and amounts to being able to order the beer, wine and ask for the bill!
As for Saturday, we need a change in a few personnel as some are clearly under performing; a win and a good performance are a must else I fear the natives may start to vent their views. Boro 2-1 Stoke. CoB 😎
Thanks for the excellent link Andy.
I'm not a stats man myself but it is a very well researched piece which actually suggests that we shouldn't panic or change what we are doing too radically.
What it leaves out of the equation is the quality of the teams we have played so far. It's that which gives me the most cause for concern.
Jarkko
Excellent piece written in language that is not even your first, I doff my cap
@andy-r. Thanks Andy, I found that very interesting and illuminating.
I am in the Len camp, in that we are struggling against poor opposition and whilst I am not anti the MC methodology, it’s the application and execution which is the problem.
There is a lack of intensity to our play and too many players are not performing. The answer for me at this stage is play the ball quicker and get a few players into the side who can open up the opposition and hit the net.
I think Saturday is a big day for all concerned and another game where missing out on another three points could see widespread discontent. 😎
@jarkko - Well done on your Starter piece. A very good effort, filled with useful information, whatever the language! You put most of us on here to shame. My guess is that you have fluent Finnish & English (I can vouch for your spoken English being vitually native speaker level) but I suspect that your Swedish, German and Spanish are good, too. Much more than simply being able to order a meal in a restaurant or ask for directions to the railway station. I have a suspicion you have some words of Estonian as well.
Very sorry to hear about your elderly neighbour. I'm amazed that sort of thing would happen where you live. How many locals go driving around with an iron bar handy as a weapon in their car?
No idea what will happen for Boro this weekend. Despite a creeping sense of cynicism seeping in, I will probably build myself into a feeling of hope by Saturday. But even if Stoke turns out to be a team in disarray, and even if Boro had 75% possession, i would find it difficult to follow the old-style OFB prediction of 3-0. A win by any score would be great.
There are a few comments on here about the fact that we’ve played fairly unambitious teams so far, but I wonder if we’ll perform better against teams who genuinely expect to beat us. Hopefully they’ll be more attack minded and might leave some space behind for our forwards to exploit that space. Yours, as ever hopeful…
Adding my thanks and praise for a superb opening piece @Jarkko, congratulations.
It seems we are coming up to another fixture when many of us will have no idea at all what to expect.
A win would be a relief. A good win would be a tonic. That's me then. I'll have a win and tonic, thank you. Boro3 for me.
@martin-bellamy. I thought that last Saturday, Sunderland being second in the table.
However their Coach out thought Carrick tactically, with his, let Boro have the ball decision and defend deep.
Thinking plan B , maybe a big physical CF late in games when needed, a player who could ruffle some feathers, when a CB as had an easy game, I don't mean long ball in hope , where are these players , oh for a Hughie Mclmoyle
Many thanks for the excellent preview Jarkko packed full of information about Stoke - I had completely missed that Stoke had sacked Steven Schumacher already and sounds like another gamble that a new man will solve what seems are long-standing problems in getting the team to perform in the Championship and finish in the top half of the table.
Let's face it, Boro really need to win this game and Michael Carrick's theories on paper sound good but he hasn't really managed to get the team on the pitch performing as planned so far. Probably down to having a lot of change and getting the new players to find their role in the team while trying to ignite several players into finding their form.
I think I read somewhere that statistically Boro should be top of the league as they have had the highest expected goals and lowest expected goals conceded - plus they've had 50 more touches in the opponents box than any other team this season. What does that tell us then of why we are not top of the league - perhaps the players are taking too many touches and not shooting instead or at least not accurately while being punished for individual errors at the other end.
It will be interesting to see if Carrick makes any significant changes for Saturday or whether he'll be persevering with the same players in the hope they've learnt to be better. Either way, we can only hope it's three points this time as a midweek trip to West Brom doesn't sound like the time or place to regroup!
I think that article gives all the detail as to why Boro are not top of the league - as I just mentioned reading somewhere else. Looks like everything that could have gone wrong has done so far - as the author said a good reason to be annoyed 🙂
John after a splendid opener by Jarkko how can the Marton Oracle go against his forecast ?
its
BORO3 Stoke 1
Of course
OFB
Thanks jarkko for a very interesting and informative article, I am looking forward to being at the Riversideon Saturday for a live match, before going into James Cook on Thursday to have my left lung removed on Friday morning, I will also get to watch the away game at WBA on Tuesday on the tv but I will miss the Watford match on Saturday. I did ask the surgeon if he could fit my surgery in the International break, to be fair, he almost did 😂, but I expect to be back at the Riverside on the 19th October for the game against Bristol City.
As far as Boro’s medical issues (injuries) I would be very surprised to see any of VDB, McGree, Forss, Gilbert or even Howson before the next International break for two reasons:
1. It would give their injuries more time to strengthen, why risk aggravating the injuries for a couple of games, then they would have 2/3 weeks training to sort out any tweaks needed.
2. It is unlikely that any International manager would select/play a player that hasn’t kicked a competitive ball in months 🤔.
Come on BORO.
I always liked the song we used to sing about Gordon Strachan
🎵So doff your cap so doff your cap
with the refrain
SOD OFF SOD OFF SOD OFF 🎵
and he did !
OFB
@exmil. All the very best next week for you and the family. Hope all goes well and wishing you a speedy recovery. 😎