Swans ache
Next up in the hectic Championship schedule is Swansea. No doubts wounds will have been licked at Rockliffe since Saturday after the Terriers sunk their teeth into Boro’s soft derriere on Saturday. With two defeats in their last three fixtures, Boro will not be relishing facing the fourth placed Swans as they try and regain their previous form.
NW had a few selection questions after Saturday's below-par performance from so many. Dijksteel looked to be struggling with a suspected injury while four or five others looked to be struggling full stop. Yesterday the news that Grant Hall was effectively out for all but the last few weeks of the season will have been a blow just as rotation was being speculated for tired bodies.
The Swans were unbeaten in their last five outings with Boro, winning the last three of them so surely something was due to break in Boro’s favour? To make things worse Swansea had scored at least three goals against Boro in their last three meetings.
NW made three changes to his side with Morsy, Watmore and Akpom all coming into the starting line up for the injured Dijksteel and rested Saville and Britt who were both on the bench. Of note also on that Boro subs bench was promising youngster Isaiah Jones. Steve Cooper had also made three changes to his Swansea line up with Cabango, Manning and Palmer in for Naughton, Bidwell and Grimes.
Keith Stroud took charge of tonight's proceedings as Swansea in blue got the game underway. An early free-kick for Boro in the third minute saw Akpom and Spence cause a bit of uncertainty in the Swansea box. Tav had sent it into the box where it deflected off Akpom and had Spence been just a little stronger he might have nicked an early goal.
Ten minutes in and Ayew seemed to be getting a little bit of the ball but so far nothing serious to deal with for Boro. Tavernier won the ball but was on the receiving end of a poor challenge from Fulton earning a free-kick to the home side on the halfway line. The ball was launched into the Swans box but Woodman in the Swansea goal collected with ease. Apart from that early Spence half chance, there was nothing of note in the game as we entered the fourteenth minute. Interestingly Bola seemed to be very tight on Ayew, determined not to give him any space.
Another free-kick to Boro on the halfway line was taken by McNair to Fry in the opposition box then dropped to Ayew clearing, Boro sent the ball back in but it was another easy cath for Woodman. Howson then intercepted the ball, rattling the Swansea defence with a block from Roberts ending the move. So far Watmore had been very mobile and created a chance with Akpom but he hesitated for a moment and the chance was gone on fifteen minutes.
Lowe had a chance for the visitors after a slipping Fry was beaten by Palmer but Tav was on hand to block after Betinelli initially saved the first shot in what was the first real threat from Swansea on nineteen minutes. Kasey Palmer had a good run down their right wing, skipping past Howson but Johnson had got back to defend snuffing out the threat.
Johnson was in the action again as he set up Watmore with a great ball to put Boro one up on twenty seven minutes. Out wide, Duncan ran at the Swansea defence and hit it from twenty yards out and a deflection gave the Keeper Woodman no chance. One-nil and so far Boro had been looking their usual composed self that is until a double penalty claim from Swansea after Morsy lost possession and then Howson compounded things. Both claims were weak with a handball shout s the ball came off Morys’s arm and then Ayew going down. Worryingly it was around the same thirty minute mark on Saturday that our game had started to came off the rails. NW had been less than impressed with those last few minutes.
A Roberts free kick on thirty five minutes was aimed in at Palmer but fortunately for Boro, he sent it well over Bettinelli’s bar. McNair then had to concede a corner after Boro over complicated things, a near-post corner came in and was cleared. Spence then broke finding Tav to Morsy but Roberts cut out the danger and Palmer once again attacked his pass hit Ayew on the back. Either Boro were living dangerously or Swansea were becoming a more potent attacking threat depending upon your viewpoint.
Spence nearly put Tav in as Djed had got in behind the Swansea defence but the ball went behind Tav on thirty eight minutes. A cross from Watmore found Morys allowing the Egyptian to meet it, cleared initially it then came back again with a second effort, this time from McNair who hit it hard, squirming through Woodman and out for a Boro corner on forty three minutes. Boro were probably just relieved to keep the ball up at the Swansea end of the pitch after a spell of Swansea pressure that had been dangerously building momentum.
Johnson then conceded a silly and dangerous free-kick and in doing so collected a yellow card for reacting badly to the close attention of ex-Boro loanee Connor Roberts. It could have easily been a Red card instead of a yellow.
The resultant free-kick came towards the back post with Bettinelli punching clear but Lowe and Fulton collected it before Spence robbed them and despite being pulled back managed to clear the danger. Spence then was the architect in winning a late free-kick. Frustratingly Tavernier sent the effort into orbit adding to his already poor accuracy stats for the season in the second and final minute of the two added minutes. That ended the first half which saw good performances from Johnson and Watmore, Spence looked a threat and Bola had kept Ayew quiet. Howson and Morsy were blowing hot and cold with some positive and negative moments from each of them.
Swansea had put the pressure on after the opening goal but we held out and NW will have been happy with the clean sheet and a goal to the good at the whistle. Defensively we had missed the strength of Dijksteel. More importantly, we were lucky to finish the half with eleven men after that late Johnson assault on Roberts. On the positive Watmore looked like a Player who really wants an extended contract with his voracious appetite for chasing and running.
Boro kicked off the second half with Cooper making three changes Cabango, Lowe and Fulton all off with Grimes, Gyökeres and Routledge coming on. Cooper was clearly unimpressed by what he witnessed during the first forty five minutes. Bettinelli had Boro hearts in mouths as he missed the ball hitting off his arm playing the Swede Gyökeres back in but it eventually went over and out.
Spence then replied with a peach of a ball into the box at speed but it was just missed by the advancing Watmore. A free-kick sent in from McNair saw Fry chasing the ball but it went out for a goal kick. Growing ever more into the game, Spence then picked up a loose ball but it went out for a goal kick under a challenge. The hectic opening stages of the second half were in complete contrast to the first half.
Fifty five minutes had now elapsed and the three Swansea changes had definitely made an impression but Boro still possessed a threat as Morsy and Spence combined to win a throw-in. From the throw, Watmore took another shot which deflected forcing Woodman to put it out for a Boro corner. Tav took the corner towards the back post where Gyökeres put it out for another Boro corner. Somewhere in the ensuing melee between corners, Akpom picked up a yellow card. McNair then took the Gyökeres conceded corner short to Bola and in turn to Johnson who then hit a long-range shot which Woodman turned away for yet another corner which this time arrived into the six-yard box where Morsy took a shot but again it was the sub Gyökeres turning it out for yet another corner which this time came in from McNair only for the backpedalling and somewhat nervy looking Woodman to put it out for, yes you guessed it, another corner!
A short one was taken this time again between Tav and Johnson but as the shot came in Woodman was relieved to get down and collect the ball. A good bit of pressure there from Boro.
A good, in fact, stylish challenge on Routledge from Bola saw the ball go out for a goal kick as the ever-improving Boro Left Back just kept getting better. A good break from Swansea then saw Palmer cross to Ayew but Tav read it and got a boot to it. Bola then had to react to the follow up play as Swansea were seriously pushing for that elusive equaliser.
Swansea looked to be warming up more subs but NW still wasn’t blinking. Gyökeres found Routledge who played in Smith who managed to foul McNair for a Boro free-kick easing the pressure momentarily. Strangely, the very effective Palmer was taken off for Dhanda to come on for Swansea on sixty five minutes. Two minutes later and a break from Boro against the run of play saw Watmore closing in on Woodman after McNair had intercepted and sent the perfect ball through to the ex-Sunderland man to put Boro two up. Duncan Watmore’s reward for his second of the evening was to be hooked for George Saville to come on, presumably to tighten things up and give Duncan an extremely well earned break. In fairness, I think the Substitution had been planned in any case so as not to overexert Watmore who is easing his way back into the game.
That second goal had visibly knocked Swansea who had momentarily dropped their previous intensity levels. Boro were keeping calm and taking little risk entering into an almost Karanka-like state at this stage. A Manning cross was headed clear by Spence and Ayew was getting himself worked up as Boro delayed taking a resultant free-kick. Further Boro subs were readied as Wing and Coulson waited by the fourth official. Heads cleared, Swansea were now back knocking the ball about but Boro were content to concede possession, picking off loose balls and keeping things tight.
Ayew was pickpocketed by Bola and Boro launched an attack via Saville finding Spence who put a good ball in but there was nobody in a Red shirt to meet it now Watmore had gone off. Akpom possibly could have or indeed should have been there or thereabouts but he hadn't much influence on the game all evening.
With a fresh head of steam, Swansea then pulled one back, Dhanda hit a ball which came off Dael Fry to make it two-one and squeaky backside time. Eleven minutes now remained and Morsy who was questionable in the build-up to that goal and Marvin Johnson who looked just a sneeze away from a Yellow card made way for Wing and Coulson to come on and add some fresh energy.
In a last throw of the dice, Smith then went off for Garrick as Cooper went for the all-important second goal. On arriving, Garrick won an immediate free-kick. Roberts launched it towards the Boro box, headed clear by Fry, landing at Dhanda only for Howson to put his body on the line clearing it out for a corner. Grimes sent it in as Bettinelli was cleaned out by Routledge but had managed to get a fist to it. Laid prostrate on the ground, the Boro Keeper milked a few precious seconds getting to his feet.
Another Manning cross was cut out by Spence and clever pressing forced the Swans back into their own half with seven minutes to go. Grimes then went into Keith Stroud’s book for a pullback on Saville with Boro were happy to take the break in play and their time. Paddy McNair sent the free-kick out to the right wing and committed the defender to clear it out for a Boro throw which went straight back out for another Boro throw-in. Saville then found Wing who lost control but the ball fortuitously spun off a Swansea player and anther throw-in. Djed Spence was adjudged to have taken a foul throw with it thus conceding the ball to Swansea who after a bit of confusion eventually won a free kick in their own half. From the kick, they launched an attack which was cleared and ended up straight back to Woodman who cleared up field, collecting the ball Garrick broke but the Boro line held straight and the offside flag went up.
Three minutes now remained and Ayew had just hit a cross off Fry for a Swansea Corner. It was swung in, cleared and then back in again, Grimes fluffed his lines and as Gyökeres put it in again it went out for a deep breath inducing Boro Goal Kick. Bettinelli took his time as five added minutes now came up on the fourth officials' board.
Boro managed to peg the Swans back for a minute necessitating Roberts to take a throw-in near his own byline. The visitors, advancing, lost Tavernier as Dhanda then won another late corner. Dhanda readied himself to take the corner, in it came, Howson cleared out to Wing, Swansea then recycled the ball but Boro regained possession as Spence found Wing and then Tavernier inexcusably gave away the ball with nerves and nails fully shredded on Teesside.
Ayew then won another corner with Woodman abandoning his Goalkeeping duties, coming up into the Boro box. Fry headed it clear with Bettinelli under pressure from Garrick. Back in it came, this time McNair headed clear, then back in and off another Red shirt in a packed box for another corner to the Swans. Dhanda sent it near post this time and as Roberts unleashed a shot the final whistle went in what was a very untidy, scrappy but satisfactory ending for Boro. Two-one and three points.
MOM could and possibly should have been Watmore for his two goals but Bola was the one who impressed throughout the full ninety minutes. A special mention for Spence who showed growing maturity and also Fry and McNair.
Many thanks RR for another excellent report appreciated as ever
I agree that sometimes a misplaced pass or a sloppy piece of play by Tavernier or Spence can irritate but these players are still young and learning their craft.
It’s hard to believe Bola and Dijksteel are the same players as last season and credit has to go to the coaching staff at Boro who have transformed them.
Hopefully we can get some additions in the new year to bulk the squad up but the core of the team is as good as anything in the Championship and that is not something everyone thought last season with the same group of players.
Thanks RR and to Werder for another great piece of work for Diasboro
OFB
Redcar Red, thank you for the in-depth report and a real pleasure to read. Is Duncan Whatmore going to be the find of the season? He certainly seems to know where the goal is, I pray that he stays fit and injury free. ASsOFB says about Bola and Dijksteel you can scarcely believe the difference from last season but what a difference a bit of confidence from good management makes.
The games will continue to come thick and fast so I hope Werder on the bridge and Redcar Red can cope. I can already hear Redcar Red saying 'I canna write any faster' and Werder asking for 'Warp Speed writing'.
Hope you're feeling better OFB.
Stay safe everyone.
UTB,
John
Was just wondering if this is a trend, but we have now scored three, two and two goals in our last three matches. Even I was expecting a 0-0 draw yesterday. So a big surprice there.
I hope it is a trend that will continue. It is good to have a couple of goals in the locker now 😉.
Up the Boro!
The games will continue to come thick and fast so I hope Werder on the bridge and Redcar Red can cope. I can already hear Redcar Red saying 'I canna write any faster' and Werder asking for 'Warp Speed writing'.
I think my writing is probably more warped than warp speed but hopefully my medication of dilithium crystals will see me through until Christmas...
I just checked and no team in the Championship have scored more goals than Boro in their last three games - I guess not many would have imagined that after going the three previous games without scoring!
Terrific report, RR, both detailed and accurate. I agree with every word.
On Tav's free-kick on the half-time whistle, I was pleased that the decision was made to have a shot at goal. Even though the kick was awarded 30 yards out, it was directly in front of goal and was going to be the last kick of the half. Time was already up.
The fact that the kick was poorly executed seemed to me to be less important than the fact that, though quite literally a long-shot, the right decision had been made.
I've just watched some of the highlights from last nights game and in the passage of play where the keeper saves from Morsey the second time a Boro player's arm is being held right in front of the ref in the middle of the penalty area. Still, nothing changes.
UTB,
John
Great report RR as ever thank you. A battling performance and a well deserved win against a team who will be there or there abouts during the run in.
It also put to bed the fears I had that our bubble may have burst and that we had run out of steam. Clearly last Saturday's game was just a blip.
I believe Watmore brings something to the side we have been missing for a while and it was good to see him bearing down on goal and finishing; all too often we see others who fail to deliver in similar situations.
The defence was immense again last night albeit we rode our luck on a few occasions. Saturday will be another stern test and hopefully we can pick up a point. 😎
This is for Ken.
When we played against Swansea on 8 Feb 1964, they were called Swansea Town. When did the club become City in their name?
And for others (I hope Dormo will read this), did they build a cathedral in Swansea or are they just favourites with the Queen?
Just wondering as Boro are just a small town in Europe, like. Up the Boro!
A very good all round team performance against a good championship team.
I particularly liked Bolas man marking of Ayew and Fry gobbled up everything in the air.
The secret is they all play with a togetherness for each other. There wasn’t a weak link unless you say Akpom but to be fair he worked hard for the team.
I don’t see how Robert’s can fit into the mold of this team and expect his appearances will be coming off the bench when the team is losing in the hope he might create something.
When NW talks he makes managing sound easy - he misses nothing during a game and I suspect nothing during training.
Is he the best man manager for Boro since Venables?
ps This result offsets the defeat v Huddersfield and quietens my Huddersfield friends as they got walloped 3-0 by Cardiff
Philip of Huddersfield
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Terrific report, RR, both detailed and accurate. I agree with every word.
On Tav's free-kick on the half-time whistle, I was pleased that the decision was made to have a shot at goal. Even though the kick was awarded 30 yards out, it was directly in front of goal and was going to be the last kick of the half. Time was already up.
The fact that the kick was poorly executed seemed to me to be less important than the fact that, though quite literally a long-shot, the right decision had been made.
My frustration of Tav is more for the fact that his goals return do not match the amount of efforts he takes. Either he is shooting when he shouldn't and therefore its poor decision making or he is a poor finisher. Don't get me wrong I still want him in the team because of his energy, running and defensive support (he made several key blocks and tackles last night) but if he could just improve the below stats he would be the real deal.
@jarkko: OF COURSE I'D READ THAT, Jarkko!
You are right. Swansea's club was always called Swansea Town. Swansea only became a city in 1969 and, filled with civic pride, the football team was re-named City.
Traditionally, towns in England and Wales were only cities if they had a cathedral and therefore a Bishop with his Seat in that large church. More recently, however, large towns grew up without cathedrals and there was a growth of such towns in the Industrial Revolution and particularly in the 1800s. Some of those towns were in places near to very much smaller cities where there had been long-established cathedrals/bishops etc but the older cities may by then have been dwarfed by the juvenile settlements exploding into life as a result of commerce and industry. Places like Manchester and Leeds (and Newcastle) only became cities in the 1800s.
More recently therefore, whilst a large number of cities may well have their ancient cathedrals, towns have become cities by reason of the Monarch making them into cities by issuing "Letters Patent" (effectively the city's birth certificate or change of name deed). Swansea became a city because the Queen issued Letters Patent for it to celebrate the investiture of her eldest son, Charles, as Prince of Wales in 1969. Swansea had been petitioning for city status for some time.
There are plenty of really SMALL cities in the UK, so it is not a question of size. Ripon is a city and so is St David's in Wales (and that really is a tiny place). Sunderland (with a population not very far from 300,000) only became a city in 1992. On the Queen's Jubilee (60 years from becoming Queen) in 2012, she made Perth in Scotland - which HAD been regarded as a city in the past and had actually once been one of the many places there to be regarded as its Capital - into a city; St Asaph in Wales - a tiny place, little more than a village but which had a cathedral and a bishop for centuries - and Chelmsford in Essex were also "promoted".
It was amusing that when Sunderland was made into a city, some of the loal Press announced "Middlesbrough snubbed". Interestingly Middlesbrough has a Roman Catholic (but not Church of England) Cathedral. Also many of the footballers who have the joined the club from abroad, refer to to it as a city when talking about Middlesbrough, but it remains a large town. Like Sunderland was, and like Newcaste was until the later 1800s.
Hope that helps.
Beam me up Scotty to the Premiership and beyond !
I cannae go on Captain we have a blockage in our main thruster I think we may have to perform a BRITEXIT !
I’ll let Admiral Gibbo know we need to have a change out in the meantime work with what you’ve got.....
Going where we have been before........
Thanks John feeling very sore but hopefully on the mend Should feel better when I get all wired up in 6 weeks time.
OFB
Here are a few examples though not a complete list of clubs changing their names or suffices:-
Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic to AFC Bournemouth so that they would be the first alphabetically, but of course are no longer as Accrington Stanley have been since they gained promotion in 2006.
Woolwich Arsenal to Arsenal so that they would be the first alphabetically.
Small Heath to Birmingham City.
South Shieds to Gateshead, although a new club of South Shields was formed.
Hartlepools United to plain Hartlepool United.
Leicester Fosse to Leicester City.
Clapton Orient to Leyton Orient.
Ardwick to Manchester City.
Newton Heath to Manchester United.
Millwall Athletic to plain Millwall.
Burslem Port Vale to Port Vale.
Scunthorpe and Lindsey United to Scunthorpe United.
The Wednesday to Sheffield Wednesday.
Southampton St Mary’s to Southampton.
Stevenage Borough to plain Stevenage.
Swansea Town to Swansea City.
Wimbledon relocated north to be known as Milton Keynes Dons, although a new club established as AFC Wimbledon launched in 2002.
Workington Town to Workington AFC so as not to be confused with the Rugby League Club.
Clubs with United as a suffix such as Newcastle, although granted city status, tend to retain their original name and heritage as it was the amalgamation of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End. There used to be a club called Sunderland Albion as well as Sunderland , though I’m not sure whether they amalgamated. Also Burton Swifts in the Second Division from 1899 but I don’t think they have any association with Burton Albion. Hartlepools United were an amalgamation of three clubs Hartlepool, Hart and West Hartlepool, now only Hartlepool remain so the plural name was dropped. As for bBoro it was initially proposed to name the club as Middlesbrough and Ironopolis FC, but I remember a hoarding outside Ayresome Park referring to them as Middlesbrough Football and Athletic Club. Finally clubs who were reformed after liquidation had to change their name if only slightly. Scarborough became Scarborough Athletic whilst Darlington became Darlington 1883 and now Darlington FC.
Werdermouth
Yesterday I completed an article about the life of Ralph Vaughan Williams on the classical music page but it didn’t appear as after completing it I discovered that I wasn’t logged in although I was when I started and when I made a few amendments. Is it retrievable or lost forever? I did ask the question yesterday on the classical music page but with you being busy with Boro’s match you probably haven’t had time to answer my question.
@forever-dormo Preston was made into a City in 2000 I think. It now has the honour of being England’s wettest city and don’t I know it!
Sorry Ken, I've had a look in the database and I couldn't find anything on Vaughan Williams.
Incidentally, I know it's really annoying to lose a large post and was just looking into whether there was an online word processor that does automatic backups as you write. You could then copy and paste the text into a Diasboro post once you've finished
I found this one and signed up for their free option, which only requires an email address and password with no advertising either. Here's the link...
https://writer.bighugelabs.com
The default colour is green text on a black background but you can change that by clicking on the setting cog at the bottom.
I went for blue text on white background (which you either select or enter a six-digit value e.g. blue 4433ee and white ffffff. I also changed the font to 'system sans serif' and used the font-size slider to make it bigger.
Anyway, it seems simple to use and I'll probably give it try myself.
Hello my friend. Thanks for a complete answer. As facinating as ever. I an me wife have been to Ripon and it was a surprise to find it being a city.
I think most people outside the UK (like some Boro players) think that the word city means a bigger place than a town. I think my English teacher at school made the same mistake. I learned the difference only after visiting the UK a few times.
How is the thing in the States? In American English, do they use the word city similarly to the UK?
Anyway, it is nice to hear from you, Dormo again. How many days left? And I do not mean to Christmas now 😇.
Up the Boro!
@forever-dormo Preston was made into a City in 2000 I think. It now has the honour of being England’s wettest city and don’t I know it!
I went to see the Blackburn vs Boro match one Christmas time a few years ago. We flew to Manchester, rented a car and drove directly to Ewood Park. I had made an appoinment with AV to collect out tickets from him.
We were in a hurry all the time so that we found out only at Ewood Park that the match was called off.
We stayed the following night in Preston. It was the wettest Christmas time I have ever experienced. What was there to do in Christmas time when we could no nothing when it was raining or poring all the time. There were floods everywhere.
I do not envy you, Martin 🙄.Up the Boro!
Am I right in thinking you use an iPad for posting here? If that is correct, then it might be an idea to write all your posts in the “Notes” part of it.
If you close it before finishing what you are writing, it automatically saves it. You can then come back to it as you wish. Once you are happy with what you have written, you can “ Copy and Paste” it into Diasboro.
Werdermouth and GHW
Thanks. Fortunately I had written the script roughly in longhand so can copy it, but just wondered why suddenly having logged in at the beginning of the script I find that before I’d finished it I’m required to log in again a couple of hours later. Is there a time limit on being logged in? I have used the ‘Notes ‘ before but don’t know how to ‘Copy and Paste’.
Great win last night against a very good Swansea side. Normal service was resumed. Apart from Akpom, who had a mediocre game, I gave everyone really high marks. Interesting to read the EG analysis today showing that Akpom’s movement created space for Watmore. I’ll let him off!
As has been said before, it’s the spirit and the togetherness NW has engendered in this squad that are really impressive. We’re a bloody-minded, never-say-die, they-shall-not-pass bunch of characters, with nobody afraid to mix it or throw bodies on the line, and we’re bloody difficult to play against. I can’t imagine there’s a more dynamic, resilient and challenging midfield foursome than Saville, Howson, Morsy and Tavernier anywhere in the Championship. Echoes of Graeme Souness and Indestructible George Boateng!! And much the same can be said
about the back four (with either Spence or Dijksteel), all of whom were immense last night.
As Phillip said above, I do think it will be hard for Patrick Roberts to get into this side as a starter, especially now Watmore is showing real form, which we all hope will be sustained. I raised the question in my recent post about Patrick: is he a luxury player we can’t really afford to include? NW is going to have to improve his all round game and contribution if he is to start regularly, and while we have obviously seen how effective NW can be in improving players, we haven’t yet seen evidence of that with Patrick. Ditto Lewis Wing.
Whatever, I must say I’m really enjoying this season and enjoying watching our Boro prove a competitive match for anybody! It’s a long time since I’ve been able to affirm both of those aspects together. Can’t wait to get back into the stadium to show my appreciation of Neil and the lads. Please let it be soon.
Copy and Paste is easy, and simple once you know how to do it. I would suggest you just ask someone you know to show you. Here’s a quick video....