@paulinboro I know what you mean, although Mrs B is a closet Arsenal fan. It may possibly date back to the days of Thierry Henry or maybe when she ran a pub in Islington.
Recently I think we've had the right to voice our concerns,about were this club was heading , it was there for all of us to see.
So I thought are there any positives going forward , and looking at things , I now see why we bought Whittiker, if teams are going to man mark Aziz , we bring Whittiker in to float alongside him, now who do they mark, Doak out, Illing jr ,can play wide left or right , he's struggling now, but hopefully things will click, Travers I would sign permanent, I think Morris is a little tired after his long season he will be back, this Dede must be decent straight in the squad, Fry looking himself again, Borges starting to look the part, Tommy getting his fair share of goals.
So basically, the inconsistency as been our downfall, going forward into next season, we need a couple of young Johnny Howsons, who push the other players to keep going , let's hope
COB
I'm with you. I think that we have been buying young quality. It may not all work out but it's not a bad strategy to follow.
Incidentally, regarding your young Johnny Howsons, we seem to have a number of very highly rated young midfield players and even some defenders as well. I sometimes wonder if Carrick is missing a trick when when you see the success of very young players at other successful clubs.
Whatever he thinks, with the way that injuries are going we could be seeing some of them sooner rather than later.
UTB
Have everyone listened to the video of Borges at mfc.co.uk? A very good interview, where he tells about the problems he had after his transfer to Boro. It took him about six months to be himself on the field. But he was forced to play, because of injuries.... Borges starting to look the part, Tommy getting his fair share of goals.
COB
He had some problems with the local accent, too and it even took him some weeks to learn how his team mates called him.
Here is the link: https://www.mfc.co.uk/videos/a7a7e367-f436-4310-ab38-f7e35694f9c8
Borges looks happy now and playing up to his potential. Up the Boro!
Thanks for the intro FD. Interesting referee tomorrow Ruebyn Ricardo refereeing only his third Championship game ever. He averages 5 yellows per game. He did a game earlier this season where he was mic'd up.
Jarkko I watched the Neto Borges interview he seemed a very articulate young man with excellent English.
@gt we might need to replace Hackney in the summer as well:-
UTB
WARNING: that link took me to the Mail Online - not a place I ever want to be.
@martin-bellamy Apologies. I will endeavour not to trouble you again with a link to that publication.
@gt - Have you ever thought of an alternative career as a Life Coach, or hypnotherapist...?
Bravo Oxford. One result goes our way this weekend...
@martin-bellamy Apologies. I will endeavour not to trouble you again with a link to that publication.
Phew - it nearly blew my champagne socialist cover. 😉
🤣🍾@martin-bellamy Apologies. I will endeavour not to trouble you again with a link to that publication.
Phew - it nearly blew my champagne socialist cover. 😉
@gt we might need to replace Hackney in the summer as well:-
UTB
WARNING: that link took me to the Mail Online - not a place I ever want to be.
I couldn't read it, as it demanded payment of a subscription, which I wasn't prepared to authorise. 😡
Good morning, fellow Diasborians and thank you for the various kind comments.
I was able to dip into the Blog just before bed last night, after a day visiting Inverness, Nairn and Elgin as well as having a look at Tornagrain (a new town of 10,000 being built, I suspect with upwardly mobile commuters in mind, near to Inverness airport and which is planned to be completed by 2030). Don't worry, I haven't become an American tourist - "The sites of London will be Friday morning followed by a trip to Stonehenge in the afternoon then having dinner in Bath after dumping our cases at the Airbnb..." - I have been to all but Tornagrain before and therefore knew where I was going.
A trip into Ullapool is planned today (forecast for sunny intervals like yesterday) then it just might be the Six Nations Rugby on TV as I try to keep up to date with Swansea v Boro via the BBC Sport App. It's a busy life!
Swansea managed a goal-less graw at PNE after I typed the Match Preview. That doesn't give me the jolt of electricity I might have suffered from a 3-0 away win in that fixture so I might suggest a 1-1 draw in South Wales for our red-and-white heroes today.
News about Doak's lack of availability during most of the rest of The Championship campaign dampens the spirits more than little as he was Boro's trick card for much of the season's first half. It will make Boro's upwards mobility this season rather more difficult to imagine. Fingers crossed though for today...
@forever-dormo Doak, who?
We have the Finnish Flash fit now - Forss!
A 0-2 win, Whittaker and Fry. Up the Boro!
Giles in for Ayling:
I see that Big Josh put Millwall 1-2 up at Watford a few minutes ago...
From the Beeb's live match commentary:
Great header! Ra'ees Bangura-Williams has all the time in the world to pass out to Tristan Crama, whose cross into the box is inch perfect for Josh Coburn - and his header curls beautifully beyond Egil Selvik into the corner. A fine finish.
It's probably the striker's final action as Mihailo Ivanovic is ready to come on.
Watford 1 Millwall 2 (thanks Josh) unfortunately Coventry go 3-2 up in the 97th minute to win the game after Stoke fought back from 2-0 down, what a bummer.
Come on BORO.
Former Stoke City, Burnley & West Brom Defender Erik Pieters is Currently Training With Middlesbrough (The Northern Echo)
OFB
@original-fat-bob Middlesbrough are to consider offering the 36-year-old free agent a short-term contract. He has played eight years in the Premier League with Stoke and Burnley. He has played well over 200 matches at the highest level in England.
He is a full International with the Netherlands, having 18 caps. His last game for the Dutch was played in September 2014.
His last senior appearance for anyone came just under a year ago when he played the first half of West Brom’s 2-0 win over Bristol City in March 2024.
He was on the books of Luton Town in December 2024, but did not play a game for them.
Predominantly a left-back during most of a career, Pieters can also play at centre-half. Up the Boro!
Very belated thanks for a superb Headliner Dormo.
I have been quite busy this week and have not really had too much time to think about the game today. As I type this, I do not even know the team.
I just hope that they give a good account of themselves this afternoon. Unfortunately dropped points will possibly make it very, very difficult to make sixth place. If we win, well the agony of hope will continue.
25 minutes gone and nothing to write about. I wish I had a pound for every Boro misplaced pass. Fortunately at the moment, Swanseas are as bad, put have had the better of the play.
Poor game with Boro playing terrible - can't pass the ball - Whittaker needs to come off as he's probably given the ball away 7 or 8 times already - including for the goal.
Make that 10 times 🙄
Boro lose the ball again, ref plays the advantage after a Boro foul and an excellent goal from the Swansea number 10.
Azaz and Whittaker anonymous. I don’t see Boro scoring two.
I wish Whittaker was anonymous...
Well Swansea were poor but we have been appalling!
Time after time the ball has been given away, passing has been diabolical, with Whittaker and Azaz the main culprits. Giles is a liability at left back, poor defending and offering nothing in attack. We are lucky to be only one down.
Anyone think we are still capable of top six after watching this display must be the most optimistic person on earth. ☹️😎
Boro were a disjointed mess in that first half and failed to pass the ball or keep hold of it - Whittaker the worst offender and if he stays on the pitch then it means Carrick has no faith in his bench - surely Burgzorg has to come on!
btw the ref looks like he's a student on a work placement...
We have had some poor games this season but that must set the bar to a new low.
Want to beat boro, just get in our faces and we fall to pieces
You think the ref is young because you are getting old