Bristol City v Middlesbrough
Ashton Gate, Friday 21 February. KO 19.45
Find yourselves a suitable place to hide behind your sofa from where you can just about watch the game between your fingers. Keep a supply of strong ale and Valium to hand. With four consecutive defeats, and five in six, there has probably never been a worse time to play one of our main bogey teams of recent years. Taking an arbitrary cut off point of 2019, you won’t wish to know that we’ve lost 7 of our last 12 games against The Robins and have won only 2. We last got a point off them in April 2023. City beat us 2-0 at the Riverside in October, despite Boro having 69% possession and 20 shots to Bristol’s 9. It was an early indicator of what was to become the oh-too-familiar tale of missed chances and weak defending.
It’s a bit surprising that one of England’s biggest and most vibrant cities has never had a Premiership team. City had a brief spell in the old First Division from 1976-80, but nothing since. They’ve been back in the Championship since 2015, and while they have often threatened early on to push on to the playoffs, their seasons usually fizzle out to end in disappointing mid-lower half finishes. This season might be different: Liam Manning is doing a good job and his side are building up their momentum towards a strong finish at just the right time. Perhaps this could be their breakthrough year?
They are on a reasonable run, having won two and drawn two of their last five games. They’re currently in 8th, two points behind WBA in 6th. They have 46 points from 33 games, winning 11 and drawing 13. They’ve scored 41 and conceded 37. So their overall record is not drastically different from our own. Left winger Anis Mehmeti is top scorer with 11 (start with Dijksteel, I suggest), evergreen Nakhi Wells is still banging them in with 7 and midfielder Scott Twine has 6.
Ashton Gate is never an easy place to go and Boro often struggle there. City’s home record is quite strong, with 8 wins and 5 draws from 16 games. Nonetheless, they’re not world beaters, and if Boro play as we know we can and cut out the defensive errors, then we have a chance of getting something from the game.
But we all know that Boro’s main problem this season, and indeed for much of last, was the inability to keep clean sheets and the tendency to shoot ourselves in the foot with kamikaze or comic defending. So why didn’t we strengthen the defence in January? Bringing Edmondson in permanently was okay (though not necessarily a decision with a future in the Premier League in mind), but not replacing Clarke’s glistening noggin and rugged left foot - or perhaps letting him go in the first place - was a serious error.
Meanwhile, on the right flank Ayling is ailing. Defensively we look as watertight as a broken sieve. We compounded the Clarke situation by bringing back Giles. Left back has been a problem area for yonks; none of Thomas, Engel, Bangura or Borges have solved it. Somehow, Michael Carrick chose to ignore Giles’s well known defensive frailties. He didn’t make the grade at Luton, nor even at lowly Hull, for goodness’ sake! Carrick obviously hoped that Giles’s attacking prowess would create lots of goals, as he did with Akpom and Archer, which would counterbalance his obvious defensive bloopers.
But that, of course, would depend on us having a dynamic forward line that would score goals for fun. Losing Latte Lath and replacing him with three players who are currently struggling to make an impact means that we have been seriously weakened as an attacking force. Whittaker may ultimately prove his worth, but again, probably doesn’t have Premier League potential. You may say it’s early days and we need to give them time (time we haven’t got), but I have not so far been impressed by either Iling-Junior or Iheanacho. I do think the offer for ELL was too good to turn down given our well-publicised financial situation, and he was always going to be difficult to replace with similar quality, but what we have ended up with is a dog’s breakfast. And it’s more Winalot (Hah! The irony!) than Butternut Box.
Add to all this the fact that our main playmaker, Azaz, is going through a nightmare spell where nothing he tries comes off, McGree remains sidelined, while Conway is an obvious talent but leading the line is probably not his strength. Forss has so far disappointed after his long layoff. Burgzorg is our only shining light going forward at the moment.
Another key factor surrounds the mysterious black hole that is the Crockcliffe treatment room. Once our players arrive there, they somehow disappear for many weeks, some of them never to be seen again. Some must surely have been spirited away by aliens. Then, one day, in a galaxy far, far away, Carrick will announce, ‘He’s back on the grass. He’s not training with us yet, that could be a few weeks, and it probably won’t be before Christmas’ (which Christmas, we’re never actually told.) Players who have experienced this timeless, endless descent into the dark recesses of outer space include Smith, Lenihan, Howson, McGree, Fry, Dijksteel, Doak, Dieng, Clarke, Forss, Engel, Bangura. I’m sure you can name more. Is that gypsy’s curse still hanging over our heads? Is it time we replaced the tea lady?
I do think that Carrick will struggle to turn this leaking, creaking tub of a ship round. First and foremost, he has to find a solution to our defensive woes, but has so far shown no sign that he has the answer. I think he has to go to a back three as he did last season. I have a degree of sympathy with him because he’s lost ELL and inherited inferior quality, but the Giles situation is entirely of his own making, it seems.
As it stands, few Boro fans expect us to get anything from Ashton Gate. And yet we must. I see our erstwhile heroes springing a surprise! We score an early breakaway goal (Conway, obviously!) and the defence holds out against all-out Robins attacking for nigh on 70 minutes! It’s a magnificent backs-to-the wall, bodies-on-the line, no-quarter-given team effort! We keep a clean sheet! Boro players, confidence flowing through their veins, leave the pitch with the cheers of our fans ringing in their ears! This could be the spark that finally sets our resurgent playoff charge alight!
Oh sorry everyone, silly me, that was a wild dream I was having. I must stop drinking that Old Peculier. Much more likely, I fear, is the recurring nightmare of yet another defeat, probably involving a defensive error or two, and which would leave Carrick still very vulnerable, despite Gibson’s reported wish to stick with him. Personally, I’d settle for a point, as that would at least halt the run of losses and might perhaps settle a few nerves. Meanwhile, I’ve reserved my place behind the sofa.
Come on then, you optimists, give me some grounds for hope and good cheer!
Top draw Clive. Well done.Loved the play on Winalot.
Time for the gods to get behind us... I will be optimistic the slide stops here.
Whatever thec outcome, we will learn a lot about this squad and this management team by the manner in which we go about this fixture.
Nice one Clive. Spot on. You sum the 'crisis', (what crisis?), up beautifully. I'm with you on the first goal being for Boro but Bristol will get an equaliser in the 47th minute and all we'll hear is the sound of air escaping from the newly inflated balloon like a wet whoopee cushion. Have we been practising 'parking the bus' all week? I doubt it. If we have it seems provident to hope that it hasn't ended up like the team bus that Gazza redesigned!
Seriously I hope there has been some intensive defensive coaching and confidence building and we get the little and obvious things right. Is that too much to ask? Probably.
On the subject of the manager I feel he must stay and finally turn things around, perhaps he should have a chat with Sir Alex to clear his head and absorb some advice although it always comes back to the players on the day.
The back of the couch and some strong IPA calls.
Thank s again for the preview.
UTB,
John
Good work, Clive - a comprehensive summary of where we are and what we can expect on Friday. Trying to predict a result at that the moment is virtually impossible, but I’ll settle for a win, any win will do.
Never mind Crisis? What Crisis?, I will be happy for the Crime of the Century if Boro snatch a one goal victory against the run of play and leaving the Ashton Gate faithful wondering how, Even in the Quietest Moment.
... either that or I'm just a dreamer, a stupid little dreamer 😉@powmillnaemore A Supertramp Fan!!
UTB,
John
@powmillnaemore But can you put your hands in your head?
Oh no! 😱@powmillnaemore But can you put your hands in your head?
Win a lot, (had me in stitches) not currently but one lives in hope.
I am out to dinner on Friday so that may be a blessing in disguise. I don’t expect to be rushing home to catch the last half hour which probably explains how I am feeling and gone are the days when I would have swapped our evening out so I could watch the game!
I will still probably watch the whole game, whatever the result, once it becomes available on the website; come what may I still need my Boro fix.
Thanks Clive for the preview and whilst we really need a win I will take anything other than another defeat and a defensive nightmare, we have all had enough of those to last a lifetime. 😎
Clive
Great stuff I enjoyed that so much that we renewed our season tickets today !
loved the winalot Iams thinking we should walkies all over them !
Boro3 returns !
OFB
To think that my depressing drivel inspired you to go out and renew! I am deeply humbled! Or did you take my dream rather too literally?
Top drawer again, Clive, in your own fluent and inimitable style.
I always appreciate your great good humour even in the context of a situation that isn't much fun for Boro supporters.
I thought we were absolutely brilliant when we played Bristol earlier this season. For about half an hour, that is. Really some of the most compelling football with crisp passing and movement that I've seen from a Boro side in many a long day.
The lesson of that day was that you have to make those periods of complete dominance count. We could and perhaps should have been two or three goals up, but a slip by Edmondson and another goal for Bristol before half -time meant that we went in, amazingly, 0-2 down.
Disappointing, of course, but I couldn't get my head around the boos that greeted the half-time whistle. Hadn't anyone seen how good we had been? Did all of that great football count for nothing? Is the score the only criterion that counts for most fans?
In the event we came out in the second half trying to force the game, lost all of our composure, confidence and fluency, so that ultimately Bristol had no difficulty in hanging on for the win
It's a safe bet that we won't play with anything like the same flair that we did in the first game. That seems to have completely disappeared. So I don't give much for our chances.
City are playing out from the back confidently and well. Perhaps we can do a reverse ferret, get a breakaway goal, and steal a fortunate win
A brilliant and funny Headliner to put me in a relaxing state of mind before I try and go to sleep. Hopefully without the nightmares I have been having these last few weeks.
I just cannot see us getting a result down at Bristol. We will fall further down the table and the pressure of the sack for Carrick, real or not, will raise it head once more.
Or against all the odds, Carrick and his rabbits in the headlights, may be pulled out of the hat to great applause.
Thank you Clive super piece.
I reckon Boro have the Pedigree and our Chum OFB has called it - 0-3 Boro it is!
Josh Coburn got 30 mins for Millwall last night in the 1:1draw with Preston which is good news for him and perhaps us next season. 😎
@k-p-in-spain I do think the problem with Josh is keeping him fit. Especially whilst training at Rockcliffe. 😊
Thanks Clive for another stylish enjoyable opener that was more upbeat than I was expecting plus some good intel on the opposition. I think at the moment some of the players are only adding insult to injury with some of their errors. However, when Carrick says some players were back on the grass I'm beginning to wonder if he meant they were smoking it - not so much turned on or tuned in but have definitely decided to drop out!
So when Carrick said they were on the grass and getting into the groove did he mean “groovy man?”
I must admit we haven’t seen many spliffing performances have we ?
After recent games I’m mainly on a downer not an upper !
I suppose we must take purple heart and support our team even as a toke gesture !
OFB
It was either renew our season tickets or go out shopping every home fixture !
One choice would be boring the other ?????
OFB
Well done, again Clive, on the Match Preview. It highlights the fact that, for me in recent months, reading the posts on this Blog has been more enjoyable than watching the football in the Boro games. It hasn't even been close when weighing up the two.
For the avoidance of doubt I am NOT manning the barricades waving a flag saying "Carrick Out!" There are times when the football on offer has fallen well short of promotion-seeking form. There are times when I've wondered how so many players can be injured for so long, though if I paid more attention to other clubs I might discover several find themselves in the same boat if we could only see it through our red-and-white spectacles. I get frustrated sometimes at the lack of any changes from the substitutes' bench until the statutory 75th minute even though the player(s) coming on could benefit from more than a brief cameo if their addition to the fray is to have any positive impact. I bemoan the bad decisions made on the pitch, the failure to transfer possession into chances and then into goals, and the mistakes made at the back that somehow enables the opposition to demonstrate what lethal finishing looks like. Even more so do I bemoan the fact that teams in a terrible run of form, or at the wrong end of the table, can suddenly transform themselves into winning outfits when they play Boro.
I think Carrick may turn out to be a decent manager and it would be good if that were at Boro. Despite the fact that I have pulled out my hair at his constant straight-bat played to innocuous questions posed to him (let's be honest, Jeremy Paxman or Andrew Neill wouldn't be feeling their role under threat by the gentle dollies thrown up to Michael Carrick by the assembled masses of The Press), and despite the obvious inability of the players to hold an advantage on many of the occasions in which they find themselves in the lead, I WANT Boro to win every match and the manager to get credit for his role in setting up his players to play winning football.
Now is not the time to change managers. There may still be time to get things right, even THIS season, as the clubs in places 5+6 seem happy to tread water whilst the teams behind them get their ducks in a row. However the time to show that improvement has been running out for a while now and very soon it will only be the loony fringe that holds on to hope of promotion this season. But I hope that improvement CAN come and that it will start this weekend at Bristol. If the season carried on as it has done so far then clearly in May there will be the need for the Annual Appraisal Meeting after which a decision can be made for the future. But at this stage, who would be available to manage anway? The change wrought in Everton by the return of Moyes there shows that a manager can make a difference - that given the same players, if the manager is a good one, he can improve those players individually and as a team.
Positive change may be unlikely in time for this weekend as Bristol City seems to have a knack of beating Boro in recent seasons. OFB's "Boro3" would be a welcome dream-come-true. Reading it made me think "I'll have what he's having!" I'd love it to be the case but I wouldn't put money on it happening. I suspect a draw (1-1?) might be the result but I might be being unduly optimistic.
This morning I realised I'd received yesterday the email from MFC inviting me to renew my WSU ST by the Early Bird Deadline of 5pm on 2nd April. For people of my vintage that amounts to £524 for the privilege, going up to £578 after the EB Window closes. They are the "renewal prices" for very aged supporters. I have no idea what the "non-EB" price would be for an adult of working age wishing to buy a ST for the WSU, for the first time, say at the start of August. Maybe £900?
I have put the date in the diary. The day after April Fools' Day.
This FRIDAY evening, live on TV, Bristol City v BORO. A weekend of fun and frivolity if Boro should win; a bad start to the weekend otherwise.
@OFB
It was either renew our season tickets or go out shopping every home fixture !
One choice would be boring the other ?????
OFB
🫣My brother and I share the opinion that for people to go shopping when Boro are at home should be a criminal offence! Don’t these folk know there’s a game on?!!
Mind, with the way things have been going recently the shopping does start to appear a trifle more attractive!
Thinking of the team Friday, I prefer 352 but obviously Carrick won't change to that.
So I propose we tweet the line up a little , I'd push RVB into midfield alongside Morris both playing defensive midfield rolls ,one sitting in front of the back four, Hackney at a 10 .
Travers
Dykesteel, Fry, Edmondson, Giles
RVB , Morris
Whittaker, Hackney, Burzhog
Conway
Should have decent bench, hopefully a little more tactical defence
We are as bad as Manchester City. Terrible to watch. Up the Boro!