After Good Friday’s fraught, frustrating but ultimately fruitful 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle, Boro next challenge is away to Sheffield Wednesday on Easter Monday, kick-off 3pm.
At this time of year it’s traditional to be killed off on the Friday only to resurrect on the Monday and ultimately ascend to a better place and until the 94th minute against Argyle, it looked like Boro would need a Hail Mary to repeat that particular storyline. However a late, late penalty from the tetchy Tommy Conway kept Boro’s playoff hopes alive.
Plymouth may be sponsored by Classic Builders but they threatened to do more of a demolition job on Boro’s season having capitalised on a typical Boro possession error at the back to equalise Finn Azaz’s follow-up opener, before sitting deep and holding an increasingly desperate Boro at bay.
Indeed, it could have been worse as, for all Boro’s passing and probing throughout, it was Plymouth who created the clearest chances on the break. These were not exactly the sort of “green shoots” we were looking for in a game that Boro simply had to win. With playoff rivals Coventry and Bristol City bagging their respective points, the pressure was on and The Riverside was emptying.
In the end, and at the very end, Boro finally found some space behind the Plymouth defence as the maligned Kelechi Iheanacho found a little dink over the top to release Conway, who threw himself to the floor in the box after a hand in the back then heroically held his nerve to send keeper Hazard the wrong way and slide the winner home. It was the latest twist of a season in which Boro have oscillated between playoff contenders, chasers and hopefuls, and another in which latest Boro boo-boy Iheanacho made a lowkey telling contribution to add to his previous goal and two assists. More on him to come.
For now, however, let’s turn our attentions to Easter Monday’s opposition: Sheffield Wednesday.
Whenever The Owls appear on this blog, the conversation soon turns to our famous 8-0 victory under Jack Charlton in 1974. I’m afraid I don’t go back that far but I will opine that the 3-3 draw played out at The Riverside on Boxing Day was the most telling match of the season for both teams.
Boro roared into a 3-0 lead by half-time courtesy of the much missed Ben Doak before a double from Finn Azaz. A rampant performance from a Boro side in 6th place up against an in-form Wednesday who’d won four and lost just one of their previous six.
Quarter of an hour after the restart, it was 3-3 and Boro were down to ten men.
The game finished that way with Wednesday’s momentum intact and Boro wondering how it had gone so wrong, so quickly. The ups and downs of that ninety minutes for both sides encapsulating the head spinning inconsistency that would blight their seasons as a whole.
Now, Wednesday find themselves out of the picture in 15th place, their 2-0 defeat at Stoke on Friday being the latest in a seven match winless run that stretches back to the start of March, when they beat our Easter bunnies, Plymouth. And that is the least of their worries…
There is turmoil at Hillsborough. It is reported that the players were not paid in March, with the club stating that there have been “payment delays” due to debts owed to club owner Dejphon Chansiri. Indeed, this is the latest in a series of financial challenges the club has endured since Chansiri bought the club.
In July 2019, Wednesday sold their stadium to the owner for about £60m in a bid to ensure that they did not breach spending rules. However, in October 2023, Chansiri then asked fans to raise £2m to help the club pay an outstanding debt to HM Revenue and Customs. Then, last November, The Owls were placed under a registration embargo by the EFL over further amounts owed to HMRC.
Fans, players and manager Danny Rohl, are understandably frustrated, indeed angry in many cases, and there have been growing calls for Chansiri to sell the club. It’s fair to say that the summer break can’t come soon enough for them, with many hoping that it will be a break in more ways than one.
Good news for Boro perhaps? It has to be, as Wednesday sit rock bottom of the form table over the last six and second bottom over the last ten. In fact, they haven’t won at home since New Years Day (!) – a run of eight games featuring five defeats and three draws. If Plymouth at home was an opportunity too good to miss, Sheffield Wednesday away surely fits the same category right now.
In terms of Boro team news, little has changed since Friday though it was good to see Dael Fry make a return from the bench. If he has recovered from his cameo well enough he may be in line to start, with one of Jonny Howson or Anfernee Dijksteel missing out. The short turnaround and the fact that he played the full 97+ on Friday might tip the balance towards a rest for Jonny, though he has been excellent as a makeshift defender of late.
Hackney and Morris – commonly referred to on the Boro Breakdown podcast as “Hayden and Aiden” – pick themselves in central midfield, as does Conway up top so it is perhaps in the attacking midfield areas that some thought is needed.
Morgan Whittaker and Marcus Forss both got surprise starts against Plymouth and did ok without cementing a place but with McGree sidelined yet again and Burgzorg seemingly out of favour, they may get another chance. The other option is the aforementioned Kelechi Iheanacho.
It’s clear (to me at least) that Iheanacho was loaned to reprise Chuba Akpom. A striker with pedigree (Akpom from Arsenal, Iheanacho from Manchester City), technical ability most keenly seen around his first touch - and the upper body strength to play with his back to goal - seemed a solid bet for Carrick’s flavour of Boro.
Since Akpom left we’ve tried several different options in the 10 role but all - McGree, Azaz, Whittaker, Conway - have not been the type to hold the ball up and create play around – Iheanacho, in theory, is.
I could argue that his first touch and back-to-goal ability has been a success at times but no-one would listen because his goal return has been the polar opposite of Chuba’s. His finishing has been awful in truth and an increasing lack of confidence has drained his contribution and marred his spell with us.
Call me the latest correspondent to sit in Kieron Scott’s pocket but for me this has been a case of the recruitment outcome not matching the recruitment thought process, and a real shame for Boro’s promotion hopes, which may well have left with Emmanuel Latte Lath.
Who else should play the No. 10 role then? Azaz has been the most common choice but most would concede that he’s been a horribly inconsistent performer. McGree is the opposite of Azaz - he’s a wonderfully consistent performer but his injury troubles have meant he is unable to perform consistently. In truth, no-one else has convinced either, so who knows?
What we do know is that Boro have three games left in the “regular” season and Michael Carrick needs to get it right each and every time if Boro’s Hail Mary is to lead to a remarkable resurrection.
Up the Boro? Well, it’s not over yet.
PS All the best to OFB. I hope we get another 8-0 for you.
Andy, A very fine starter, many thanks and it perfectly encapsulates what Boro are and where they might be. Now we can all sit back and wait for the defensive clanger, the appalling miss or long range shooting prompting the RSPB to complain about the danger to flying or roosting pigeons on the stand roof.
Never mind, it's all part of being a Boro supporter and in a way you begin to enjoy the footballing diversity that is served up no matter how perverse that may seem.
to find the result. Boro 3 anyone? Nothing less than a win, any kind of win? All right please yourselves.
Take care OFB,
UTB,
John
Congratulations Andy on a stylish and intelligent opener. In terms of both content and style it is in a different class to the journeyman prose of our local journalists. The first sentence of your second paragraph alone is more finely crafted than anything I have seen in the Gazette over the past year.
It's an excellent summation, too, of where both teams are at the moment, and it does seem to be the very best of times for us to be playing the Owls. As with our recent Blackburn game we need to fly out of the traps, take the game to the opposition, and foment as much unrest and dissatisfaction amongst their supporters with the club's owner as we possibly can. We also have to avoid turning the crowd either by antagonising them or encouraging them by making easily avoidable mistakes.
So it's take control, keep your heads , take your chances and the result should take care of itself.
1-3 to the Boro
Thanks again Andy for such an enjoyable and readable piece.
Thank you Andy that is a brilliant piece of writing and I am in awe of your skills; the theme around Easter and builders is truly inspirational and journalism of the highest order.
I thought I might miss the game tomorrow or at least the first half as we have a late morning tee time. Fortunately the Caddymaster is a Blackburn Rovers supporter and having had a quiet word he has managed to find us a slot just after 9:00am, so should be home in plenty of time; hopefully Boro don’t disappoint!
MC has often talked about the need to learn from mistakes and from previous experiences. Well Barry Bannon has frequently pulled the strings when playing for Wednesday against us, especially if he is allowed to do so. I just hope that MC does something tactically to ensure that doesn’t happen but I am not convinced he will and we could end up paying the price.
After getting out of jail on Friday can we capitalise on our good fortune or will we see another let down, I do hope not as we need a good finish to this season even if we don’t secure promotion to give us hope going into the next one.
CoB, give us all and in particular OFB something to smile about. 😎
Well, at least there is one thing we have been more certain of this season than Boro's form, and that is the standard of writing we have all been able to enjoy in the opening pieces for each thread. Here is yet another of the highest standard. Thank you @AndyR. That is a very clever intertwining of the religeous season with Boro's season.
What will happen on Monday is anyone's guess. Of course we all hope that Boro will not passover this opportunity, but as we all know, its the hope that kills us. Such a shame that we can't have the faith in this team to deliver what is required. Just the hope that they don't have charity on their minds and gift the Robins and the Sky Blues just the result they are sure to be looking out for from Hillsborough.
I really have no idea... except perhaps to say keep Howson in the centre of defence and play Fry as a centre forward. Certainly we couldn't do any worse and perhaps Conway can feed off the big feller winning some ball in the opposition penalty area.
Who knows? I certainly don't. I just hope we are still in the mix come tea time on Monday.
CoB and CoB (Bob and Boro respectively)
@AndyR - I’ve just come in from tidying my shed (every man’s Easter dream, surely), to find you’ve posted your starter, and what a starter it is - just when you think standards can’t get any higher, up you pop with this masterpiece.
The sun’s shining in Sherburn today and I’m putting off cutting the grass by perusing the Blog. So far today, I’ve advertised some items in the village FB Group to go to a new home, and received a small donation in return, which I’ll give to a good cause. I’ve repaired Mrs B’s 90 year old father’s tool box (which I think, may in turn, have been his father’s) which surprised her when she returned from walking Ralf and I’ve organised the ingredients for tonight’s tea (Beetroot, Mint, Feta and Bulgur Wheat salad, since you ask - it’s honestly better than it sounds!).
This time next week, we’ll be beside Kentra Bay on Ardnamurchan, with no tv and limited WiFi, so catching up with Boro news may be sporadic.
Suffice to say, retirement is going well at the moment.
Prediction wise - I’ll go for a 0-2 win tomorrow. Fingers crossed that the players can give @Jarkko a good day.
PS - keep smiling OFB, we’re all rooting for you.
Absolute belter of a Headliner Andy. Well written with a number of different pieces in the article including your take on Iheanacho.
The number 10 role you highlighted, does give concern, and as you wrote, we have now tried a number of players there, and really, none have come close to emulating what Akpom achieved.
I just do not mean in comparison to his goals, but his strength in receiving the ball, being able to hold and protect it and then laying it off.
A proper number 10. A difficult role to fill in truth.
So which Boro will turn up. Will Carrick go for the same plan A, given that Wednesday most probably will not park the bus, as they are now playing for pride and a win for their fans.
I will be beyond disappointed if Fry does not start. However Mr dependable does not really have the pace to play a RB, but then Dijksteel did not have a very good game.
Up front, I assume it will be the same four, unless someone has suffered a knock in training today. I would start with Burgzorg on the left, Azaz at 10 and probably Forss on the right, and see if he can do better than Friday.
So, another must win, this time for OFB.
I know we are all desperate to see the mighty boro 😉 get promoted but here is some sobering stats
The 3 teams that got promoted last season are coming down and 2 of those teams were by a country mile the best teams in the championship, between them they have played 99 games and won 10.
The foxes have lost 9 home games on the bounce and scored 0 goals, Ipswich have won 1 home game all season and between them the 3 teams have a goal difference of -140.
In all probability it will be the same next season
Thanks for the intro Andy R. Hopefully we will start as we did at Ewood and put them under early pressure. As others have mentioned no home win since January that's 8 games and they haven't scored at home for 3 and only 3 in six. KP mentioned Barry Bannon often playing well against us and interestingly he started on the bench on Friday and only played the last 30 minutes. They were probably saving him to play a blinder against us.
As everyone has said, Andy, it’s a wonderful opener. I love it! I have to write the Norwich one for Saturday. I rather think that will be a case of ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show!’ Prepare yourselves for a resounding clunk as the standard drops, playmates!
There are three very good reasons why Boro MUST win tomorrow:
1) We need to keep Bob’s spirits up. Hope you’re ok, OFB?
2) We need to keep the season alive and put pressure back on Bristol City and Coventry.
3) I’ve bought a ticket for Coventry. I’ve taken a huge leap of faith. I guess I can just about cope with the disappointment if Boro miss out on the playoffs in the last game, but it will feel like a real let-down if we go down there with nothing left to fight for already.
Wednesday’s form is terrible. Boro must start favourites tomorrow. But we all know that form is temporary and bad runs must come to an end sometime. They’re probably thinking there’s no better side to play against than Boro when it comes to causing an upset! Everyone knows that our form is so frustratingly hit-and-miss. We rarely string two consecutive wins together. We’re often weak under pressure and horribly prone to giving away stupid goals. Danny Röhl is no mug and will probably urge his side to get at us from the off.
Here’s hoping positive Boro turn up. Hesitantly, and without any degree of confidence, I’m predicting a Boro win. Everything crossed. 🤞🤞🐈⬛🐈⬛🐈⬛🧲🧲🧲🧲
Well done AndyR for the starter piece, the quality of which is no surprise.
Reading about Sheffield Wednesday's form would make fans of other football teams very confident ahead of playing Wednesday. The three points would have been already metaphorically mounted in a golden frame for display. However those who study Middlesbrough FC to PhD level know better. We ALL know it would just be TYPICAL for Boro, knowing how vital it would be to win the game, to huff and puff against a struggling Wednesday and then make an unforgiveable mistake at the back to gift a goal to our opponents in order to bring depression down upon us all.
I know that could easily happen. But I can still hope it doesn't.
The things I don't want to hear after the game include:
Our opponents came out of the traps at full speed whereas it took Boro a long time to get into the game. (It's not rocket science. Games are 90 minutes plus time added on for injuries/other delays. Every minute is important - the first minutes are as important as the last. Boro's players need to be "up" for the game from the starting whistle).
They had a game plan and it's difficult to break down teams who pack the defence after stealing a goal. (Can Boro please have a plan? You can't expect other teams to make it easy for Boro so let's work on the assumption that they will, instead, try their best to thwart Boro's ambitions. And plan accordingly?).
We had plenty of possession but just couldn't break through. (You don't win the lottery unless you buy a ticket. So can we please have some crosses into the penalty area and some shots when there is a sight on goal? Obviously following up the shots and/or looking for deflections from those crosses would be a good idea, too).
There are lessons to learn. (Surely the coaching staff and players must have learned the lessons by now - the season is almost over! I want Boro to be putting those learned lessons to good effect rather than simply re-learning them - again?).
Jarkko would love three points. We all would. He''ll be there at Hillsborough. I will be on the end of a BBC Tees commentary. Come on Boro!
ANY win will do! (And a big thumbs up to OFB).
I know we are all desperate to see the mighty boro 😉 get promoted but here is some sobering stats
The 3 teams that got promoted last season are coming down and 2 of those teams were by a country mile the best teams in the championship, between them they have played 99 games and won 10.
The foxes have lost 9 home games on the bounce and scored 0 goals, Ipswich have won 1 home game all season and between them the 3 teams have a goal difference of -140.
In all probability it will be the same next season
I think that we have to accept this reality and come to terms with the fact that we may well struggle if we go up. However, it is inconceivable to contest a season in the Championship without wanting to get promotion or at least reach the playoffs. Would people prefer for us to be playing Sheff Wed with nothing but 'Yorkshire pride' or 'payback for the 3-3 draw' at stake.
The one thing that I would put as a positive is my view that Carrick actually coaches 'Premier League' football and we might find that our possession based game stands up better against mid-range Premiership sides than it does against low block, play-it-long, Championship teams.
Imagine promotion with the addition of a top class winger (Doak?), a top class number 10, a top class right back, a solid goal-scorer and a top class midfield player.
UTB
@selwynoz Not wanting to be the party pooper, bur Ipswich and Kieran McKenna also play the Carrick way.
Obviously they were better at it than Boro last season. They then spent 100 million this season, all to no avail.
However, I do whole heartedly agree you, that it is inconceivable not to want to obtain a top six place and ultimately promotion.
We must do better then, than the last two sesons (probably)
You are right, it just shows how football has changed from the late 90's where boro were buying a striker who had just scored the winning goal in European cup to now. Billionaires and Petro States have left us way behind, it is a gap that we will never bridge, but do I want to be like the Mags, No.
Like everyone on here I want the team to do well get/fight for promotion and would like Carrick to succeed, he might be a better PL manager, will we find out I now seriously doubt it will be with the boro.
It is what it is
Many thanks Andy for another top flowing preview that was a cleverly executed and enjoyable read - unfortunately I'm going to miss this one as Mrs Werder forgot to consult my people (well just me really) on the timing of arranging an Easter weekend gathering, of which we're are hosting this afternoon.
Anyway, I'll be probably consulting my phone from time to time to check the score but it's another game that's there to be won against a struggling side - though if they get behind the ball then it could be another long afternoon and I suspect 8-0 will be more likely to be Boro's shots off target versus on!
As for arguing who could play that number ten role of holding the ball up and chipping in with goals? I think we sent him to Millwall didn't we...
Hoping for three points and slip-ups for Coventry and Bristol at the relegation-threatened hosts!
Ipswich did spend big but they didn't buy any players with Premier League experience. Nearly all of their transfers were from the top end of the Championship, Greaves from Hull, Szmodics from Blackburn, Jack Clarke from Sunderland amongst many. They should be well set up for the Championship next season especially with their premier league prize money and parachute payments. If we do go up we need to get some players with premier League experience, but will we spend what is needed. Yesterday Ipswich , against Arsenal, had 4 shots none on target in a game they had to win.
Today's starting XI - no changes, though Lenihan's on the bench:
Lenihan? If he walked into your local pub, would you recognise him after all this time? Well, Good Luck to him and the rest of the team/squad. Absolutely nothing should be left in the tank at the final whistle. No point holding anything back.
I was going into more stuff but, what the heck. The game starts in a little over 30 minutes. Come on Boro!
Thanks for the intro Andy R. Hopefully we will start as we did at Ewood and put them under early pressure. As others have mentioned no home win since January that's 8 games and they haven't scored at home for 3 and only 3 in six. KP mentioned Barry Bannon often playing well against us and interestingly he started on the bench on Friday and only played the last 30 minutes. They were probably saving him to play a blinder against us.
Bannan starts for the Owls...
Well, I got that truly wrong, when I posted Fry would be a definite starter.
I still believe that is a wrong choice by Carrick. However, three CB’s on the bench, two with no recent game time.
For me that just says what many of us have said on here. Where are the Academy players that we are supposed to be developing. The additional costs incurred do not appear to be worth it. Carrick talks the talk, but there is little to no proof that progress is getting made towards a first team inclusion for any of them. Disappointing.
Lenihan? If he walked into your local pub, would you recognise him after all this time? Well, Good Luck to him and the rest of the team/squad. Absolutely nothing should be left in the tank at the final whistle. No point holding anything back.
😉
According to CJ:
It's the defender's first time in a competitive match-day squad since September 2023. No doubt a big moment for him personally after months of frustration and turmoil.
Azaz gives Boro the lead in the 11th minute with HH's assistance!
Azaz gives Boro the lead in the 11th minute with HH's assistance!
CJ:
Boro lead! Having very nearly gone behind at one end, Boro work it well up the other and score a lovely team goal. Whittaker into Conway's feet on the egde. He lays it off for Hackney, who then slides Azaz in behind from the wide angle. He finishes really well with a dink over the GK.
TC faiis to add a second through a penalty in the 22nd minute - saved by the Wendies' keeper. 🙁
Considering how much is at stake for us in this game, this is one of the sloppiest, most lackadaisical performances I’ve seen this season! Shocking.
Coventry are losing though! Let’s hope Carrick gets that message through to them and gets into them at half time. We really need to get stuck into Wednesday much more second half, and must stop giving the ball away.
Coventry are losing though! Let’s hope Carrick gets that message through to them and gets into them at half time. We really need to get stuck into Wednesday much more second half, and must stop giving the ball away.
That means that Coventry & Boro swap places - both on 66 points, but Boro with the better GD.
CJ:
Boro lead at the break, have been the better side, but should have been more ruthless. Missed penalty, plus two good chances to score not taken. Sheff Wed have had their fair share of moments, which must serve as a warning. This one's far from over.
@clive-hurren. Agree entirely with you Clive. We are making really hard work of this against another poor side. We look likely to shoot ourselves in the foot the way we have been playing.
This is far from over and MC needs to have some strong words at half time about tightening up our passing and ball retention.
Poor penalty by Conway! 😎
Agree with Clive, a poor, slapdash performance so far, even though we should be 0-2 up.
Dijksteel is a liability defensively and I would go with Pedro's sentiments and bring Fry on immediately and pull Howson over to right back.
But we have to move the ball more quickly and stop trying to play in tight corners.