Well Diasboreans Micah Hamilton has actually signed. Brilliant. The coming season gets more interesting!
UTB,
John
Hello everybody and thank you to Len for starting us off with a predictably superb piece of writing.
I am only just logging onto Diasboro for the first time in a couple of months now. Just when I was about to put the finishing touches to the piece I had written to accompany the results from last seasons COTS challenge, I took ill. Nothing as serious as the time lapse suggests, and nothing to do with having had my new knee installed in May, but enough to knock me sideways for a while. So my apologies that I have not published the results and I have not coordinated anything or this season yet. I will try and catch up on all the summer posts over the next two or three weeks.
I have really not been keeping up with things Boro at all and so nothing to contribute in that respect. Having read though the posts in this thread I detect a degree of cautious optimism, so I'll go along with that and keep my fingers crossed for an opening win on Saturday.
I hope I am not too late to throw my hat in to contribute a few more thread openers this season. I will scour the summer posts to find what has been arranged so far and I will muscle in if I may.
I'll put up a separate thread with the COTS results from last year in and I don't think it is too late to do the same again for this season - perhaps setting a deadline of the end of this month.
P.S. I have just found that AndyR has prepared the roster for the thread openers and he had included me. Thanks Andy.
Glad to hear you're match fit again as I was a bit worried that you'd had complications from your knee replacement after you stopped posting and didn't manage to post your COTS Challenge results the following week.
Anyway, welcome back after what sounds like a less than ideal summer break - btw I'm still waiting for my achilles to heal (heel?) after doing something to it on our summer walking holiday - apparently the prognosis is 6 weeks before the pain goes and can walk properly again but at least it wasn't a tear. My GP is Chinese and always talks in riddles - "don't talk to me talk to your body" was his latest advice as I limped out of his surgery - as yet my body has said nothing as profound...
A warm welcome back, powmill. You have been sorely missed, so it is good to know that you are recovering from your set back.
Look forward to your contributions for this season.
Yes, glad you’re back with us, Powmill. I hope your knee is getting stronger and that you’re out of pain.
Well, here are, a football fan's best day of the year. The real action starts tomorrow, the night before always feels a bit like Christmas Eve for me and it's been like that for as long as I can remember. The walk down Tollesby Road, round The Prospect, along Roman Road past the shops and school and finally past Burlam Road and the turn into St Barnabas Road then left into that road that led up to the seemingly massive South Stand where I'd meet my Dad and he'd put me at the from of the stand above to south Terrace and that magic first glimpse of the lush green pitch. I can still feel that excitement even now tempered obviously by the ghost of 'Typical Boro'. It just shows how your home town team can absolutely grip you even when you are 79! Then there are the names but that is for another day1
OFB, I'd love a 3-0 but as I think Len said a nervous 2-1 with Boro giving us all a few clenching moments but I'll happy and delighted to be wrong.
All the best everyone and Exmil, I hope you are improving and feeling OK and a little better.
UTB,
John
PS I'm whispering this but I feel worryingly optimistic... I've probably put the hex on them now.
I was with you every step of the way on that particular walk
Len,
Excuse my bad manners for not commenting but that was a superb headliner. Thank you. That really sets the atmosphere up nicely.
Just to show how well my pre-season preparations have gone I've cleaned behind the couch where I hoped to find the odd coin of the realm but there were just dusty Pontefract Cakes and Licquorice Allsorts, washed my glass and Boro mug and safely stored the tin of Oxo cubes in the kitchen cupboard for half-time refreshment. I'm ready. The Boss has merely groaned saying it can't be the football season already.
UTB,
John
No Howson today Ayling Captain and Morris is Middlesbrough FC player number 1000. Surprised that Glover is on bench and not Brynn
From the Echo:
Dieng, Ayling, VDB, Clarke, Engel; Hackney, Morris; Jones, Azaz, McGree, Latte Lath
Subs: Glover, Barlaser, Burgzorg, Gilbert, Dijksteel, Howson, Hamilton, Coburn, McCormick
Ayling takes the captain's armband in Jonny H's absence from the starting XI. Sensible choice.
CJ in the 11th minute:
Azaz corner swing right in under Vigouroux's bar, under pressure from Clarke, he spills into his own net, but referee Sam Allison give the GK the benefit of the doubt and gives a FK 🙁
ELL bags his first of the season from the penalty spot in the 25th minute following a foul on Izzy. 🙂
CJ:
Latte Lath now the first Boro player since Brian Clough to score in seven consecutive league games for the club...
Off topic, the swanky new graphics in Bet 365's live score page are taking some getting used to! The Beeb's live text commentary has had a bit of a facelift, too.
CJ's verdict on the first half:
Really solid first half from Boro that. Looked really on it from the off, settling much quicker than their opponents and looking good value for the HT lead. One late scare from their own error late on could be a blessing as a warning to not get complacent after largely coasting that first 45 minutes.
The scare he mentions:
Playing out from the back, Morris in his own box gets a first-time pass completely wrong and very nearly plays Swansea in. Clarke does well to cause a nuisance before Dieng dives down well to avert the danger. Clarke back to his feet not happy with Van den Berg's positioning during the sequence.
Engel booked in the 39th minute.
Also from CJ:
Half-time presentations
On the day Aidan Morris became Boro's 1,000th player, the club today celebrating more players from the past and presenting them with their legacy numbers.
Receiving a great welcome at the break here are Mike Proctor, Bernie Slaven and Tony Mowbray!
(my bold for Mogga's name)
Mike Proctor?!! Mark Procter, surely?
Well that was definitely a ‘Phew’ in the end as Boro looked a bit tired and started playing too deep for what seemed the last 30 minutes.
Anyway, good to get our first opening day win for 10 years but Boro had more than enough decent chances to seal the game and make it more comfortable viewing.
I expect the sharpness and fitness to improve in the coming weeks so getting the points was the main thing - overall it was good to see Hackney and McGree looking back to their best with the center backs also on their game. Morris also looked decent apart from his defensive blunder and Latte Lath looked full of energy.
Would have preferred to see some earlier substitutions to freshen up the tired legs but it appears Carrick was calculating those on the pitch were in the mental zone to see the game out but a few scary moments before the end.
A dominant, energetic and controlled first half seemed to dwindle into a nervy and tired looking second but great to get a win on the opening day.
Lots to be positive about -Dieng, RvdB and Clarke looking pretty composed, the experience of Ayling alongside picking up from where he left off. Morris slotted in very well and added some legs to the centre whilst Jones was very dangerous in the first half and ELL got his goal.
Hackney, McGree and Engel were all fine without catching the eye. Unfortunately Azaz had a bit of a stinker, fluffing his lines with two excellent chances, missing another couple of presentable ones and also giving away a very dangerous free-kick.
The subs came a little late but we dug in and got over the line, with the feeling that we’ll get better as fitness levels and synergies improve.
Overall, pretty satisfied.
Well good to see a win and three points for a change on the opening day of the season.
I felt overall it was a little frustrating as it should have been a much easier win against a very average Swansea side.
Boro were too sloppy at both ends of the pitch at times and on another day this could have gone badly awry. At least they battled until the end and probably just about deserved the win.
Given this was the first game of the season then things should gradually improve.
We need, however, to be more clinical and finish off teams who will likely be at the lower end of the table as this was our Achilles heel last season.
Solid performances from Dieng RvDB, Clarke, Hackney, McGree and Latte Lath. Morris looks as if he could be a very good foil/replacement for Howson, whilst Jones was at his frustratingly best! 😎
Seems strange that Boro seemed to 'tire' maybe it was simply the pressure to get that first win chalked up but as a layman I wonder if the pre-season matches and all their substitutions don't bring the 'game' fitness levels up to scratch.
Anyway a great first half and Boro didn't disappoint in providing a 'squeaky' end to the game for the fans. Three points on the board and the usual surprises at the top of the league after one game. Didn't the tables used to only appear after three games?
UTB,
John
I eventually managed to watch the game on Sky+ although the commentary was a bit naff. A win’s a win though and that’s three points banked, but we could easily have thrown two of them away. IJ’s final pass decisions continue to frustrate and we’ll have to improve our finishing if we’re going to make the Riverside a fortress, but I’m still feeling positive. Bring on the next game.
Opening day win, clean sheet, Lath opening his account, that will do for me.
Come on BORO.
Also from CJ:
Half-time presentations
On the day Aidan Morris became Boro's 1,000th player, the club today celebrating more players from the past and presenting them with their legacy numbers.
Receiving a great welcome at the break here are Mike Proctor, Bernie Slaven and Tony Mowbray!
(my bold for Mogga's name)
Mike Proctor?!! Mark Procter, surely?
A bit more on the subject of Mogga: