It feels to me that 4 of the last 5 games have been identical
Win 2-0 against Peterborough and Barnsley
Lose 2-0 against Hull and Brum
In all games we played ok in parts and badly in parts. In the games we won we got lucky breaks. In the games we lost we got unlucky. The games were basically coin tosses played against poor sides.
The one game where we played basically well for most of the match was against Cardiff.
It's easy to say that it's just one game lost in the last 4 and not to read too much into it but if you look back to the games in September, we played 5, won 2 lost 3. Of those there was one mostly ok performance against Sheffield Utd. Our win against Forest was due to them playing like us; they didn't take their chances and gifted us a second goal.
That's 10 games, won 5 lost 5. Of the 5 games we have won, only one (Sheffield Utd) was against a team in any sort of form. Of the 5 we lost, only Coventry were in any sort of good form.
I just don't see any sign of progress. It's not relegation form but unless we improve when start playing better teams we are going to be looking down rather than up.
@werdermouth: I will refrain from commenting about the match at this "early" stage in case I disgrace myself (like the team did). But, Werder, I saw that immersive Van Gogh exhibition this summer in York. I guess there might be a few of them touring Europe or maybe the one in York has already moved on. But it was really good (the VG exhibition, not the football). Especially the "magic spectacles" taking you on a walk into VG's world and paintings and the Rhone in starlight, tyher cornfields etc. I'd recommend anyone to go to it if you get the chance.
@deleriad. "I just don't see any sign of progress". Exactly what I have been saying for a while now, that whilst NW stopped us from being relegated he has not been able to improve overall results since, and we stumble along.
Whilst we were all pleased with the run of wins which catapulted us up the table, many of us were concerned that, as you say, it was against inferior opposition where we still needed a degree of luck to come out on top; the fear was that against stronger more organised teams who would battle away, we would come unstuck and particularly when we have a tendency to make defensive errors, and so it proved on Saturday.
Once the face of it, it is what it is, and nothing will change until such time as either NW throws in the towel or SG is forced into making a decision but that may only be at the end of the season when SG/NW may feel that the time is right for a change. 😎
Werder - just been to the kitchen to collect a mug of tea now it has brewed. She tells me that the VG exhibition is also showing in Leicester and London and it must still be in York as my neice and her boyfirend have booked to visit it in York next weekend. So I must be correct - there are quite a few versions of the exhibition touring Europe at the moment. As Mrs Dormo said, once you have set up the computer programme you can put up the projectors and the loudspeakers in any suitable building ( the one in York is in an old church).
Finally, in another attempt to avoid thinking about the football, I wnet with my wife and neice this afternoon to visit Mount Grace Priory maybe about 16 miles down the A19 from Teesside. I've been with my wife many times but my neice who is staying with us for a few months whilst studying to be an educational psychologist, hasn't been before. Since yesterday evening the weather here has been VERY windy, VERY grey and VERY wet. But the Sun came out for the time we were outside in the gardens and walking the ruins and the remodelled Carthusian Monk's Cell. Now I'm home, the weather has returned to what has been normal for the last few days - save only the few hours around yesterday's match which at least allowed a pleasant walk to and from the ground, and a couple of hours this afternoon.
If I went to the Ploated Pheasant tonight (I won't, but plan to go tomorrow evening when Wolves v Everton will be on Sky TV), and if I carried out a quick vox pop, I am fairly sure a majority would vote for a bit of global warming in light of recent conditions here.
@martin-bellamy: No, Martin! I've just "rejoined" so it would be unfortunate for you now to leave, even briefly. Have a couple of beers or a nice bottle of red, or maybe another visit to The Parkers Arms and the world will seem a much better place. The Blog is much the better with you in it.
Martin and Bob
You are both invaluable and indeed irreplaceable contributors to this excellent blog, which is not so prolific in numbers that we can afford to lose either of you without a definite diminution of both quality and quantity.
Indeed it is a general concern that in spite of the quality of its offerings and the exceptional work of Werder the blog has not been as successful as we might have hoped in attracting new (and particularly younger) contributors. It's very comforting to meet up virtually with so many old friends, but without a process of constant recruitment and renewal the blog surely has a limited future.
I don't have the expertise to know whether the blog could be easier for outsiders to get into and navigate, but the question of why new voices are in such short supply seems to me to be a rather urgent one.
I recall that a few years ago Untypical Boro was accused of being elitist. AV responded bullishly by saying that its participants were indeed an elite: a critical mass of perceptive and literate supporters in a forum not replicated, in his experience, in any other club. Steve Gibson seemed to agree and a number of contributors were invited to a consultative meeting with the Chairman at that time.
For my own part Diasboro is essential reading. I log into it several times every day and rarely fail to be entertained, informed and amused by what I read, or impressed by the wide range of experience and intelligence of its contributors, not only on the Boro, but on a wide variety of other subjects. It's a real brains' trust seemingly on any and every topic.
Like many other contributors, both Martin and Bob have been stalwarts of the blog for many years. I appreciate the time and effort both have contributed to the pleasure and illumination the blog has given me and many others. Long may it continue, for the blog would be much the poorer without either one of these much valued individuals.
My plea to both, which I know will be widely shared, is that in spite of any recently ruffled feathers both gentlemen will continue to contribute to the blog so that we can enjoy the wisdom, experience and humour that they invariably bring to the subjects they address.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion which in my view makes Diasboro one of the best Boro blogs as we don’t resort to foul mouth ranting about the Boro and more importantly we never play the man.
Redcar Red has been one of the major contributors of this blog and due to pressures of work after COVID has not posted as much as he usually does. His comments like all those on the blog should be respected as we all have our own points to make which make for a well reasoned argument.
My own views on Warnock have been made frequently and yes whilst I accept that he saved the club from certain relegation, I believe that time has come for him to depart with his head held high into retirement.
We appreciate your own input into the blog with your EXMIL CHALLENGE and cut to the chase posts but all our views should be critical only of the Boro, team and management.
OFB
About that not playing the man thing…
Oops 🤫
As you rightly know it wasn’t about football your post and you rightly know it !
Why not just leave it alone and concentrate on the football instead of scoring points off fellow bloggers which was what I was saying!
OFB
Quite right. We all need to make sure we all play in the spirit of the game and acknowledge when we have over stepped the mark...and most of us do so (over step the mark) occasionally, whether we mean to or not.
As it says in the scriptures, "...let him without sin cast the first stone..", a quote we all should keep in mind when typing 😉
Thank you Len for those wise words.
Martin
Apologies for upsetting you and I’m sorry.
A virtual handshake 🤝 in the ether.
OFB
@martin-bellamy: No, Martin! I've just "rejoined" so it would be unfortunate for you now to leave, even briefly. Have a couple of beers or a nice bottle of red, or maybe another visit to The Parkers Arms and the world will seem a much better place. The Blog is much the better with you in it.
Ditto
Martin and Bob
You are both invaluable and indeed irreplaceable contributors to this excellent blog, which is not so prolific in numbers that we can afford to lose either of you without a definite diminution of both quality and quantity.
Indeed it is a general concern that in spite of the quality of its offerings and the exceptional work of Werder the blog has not been as successful as we might have hoped in attracting new (and particularly younger) contributors. It's very comforting to meet up virtually with so many old friends, but without a process of constant recruitment and renewal the blog surely has a limited future.
I don't have the expertise to know whether the blog could be easier for outsiders to get into and navigate, but the question of why new voices are in such short supply seems to me to be a rather urgent one.
I recall that a few years ago Untypical Boro was accused of being elitist. AV responded bullishly by saying that its participants were indeed an elite: a critical mass of perceptive and literate supporters in a forum not replicated, in his experience, in any other club. Steve Gibson seemed to agree and a number of contributors were invited to a consultative meeting with the Chairman at that time.
For my own part Diasboro is essential reading. I log into it several times every day and rarely fail to be entertained, informed and amused by what I read, or impressed by the wide range of experience and intelligence of its contributors, not only on the Boro, but on a wide variety of other subjects. It's a real brains' trust seemingly on any and every topic.
Like many other contributors, both Martin and Bob have been stalwarts of the blog for many years. I appreciate the time and effort both have contributed to the pleasure and illumination the blog has given me and many others. Long may it continue, for the blog would be much the poorer without either one of these much valued individuals.
My plea to both, which I know will be widely shared, is that in spite of any recently ruffled feathers both gentlemen will continue to contribute to the blog so that we can enjoy the wisdom, experience and humour that they invariably bring to the subjects they address.
And...ditto
This blog benefits from as many contributors as possible. For what it's worth the contributions which originally AV then Werder, Myself, OFB and Andy (and others) compile took/take several hours out of our daily schedules and are also the result of damned hard work.
It may only appear to be a fairly lengthy post on the surface but the pre match introductions, Werders witty pieces (and then the match reports themselves when I done them) demand many hours of someone's voluntary time and effort. Fatigue and stress eventually sets in and is very draining.
If you are reading this, it is as much your blog as mine or anyone else's, nobody "owns" it (apart from Werder obviously who kindly takes the time, trouble and indeed personal cost to keep it going for our collective benefit never mind his legal accountability). A pattern is developing where firstly AV then Werder then Myself have all needed to take a step back from the hectic schedule and workload. Andy and OFB have now picked up the baton to keep things going and from personal experience I know it is far from easy.
Nobody on here is a professional getting paid for their work, I think that perhaps some people forget that. None of us are perfect and we all have different views and opinions on games, tactics, selections, players and results, if we didn't nobody would be on here discussing anything Boro and it would all be very bland.
Unfortunately over time posters have left here for whatever reason, some had to be banned sadly and some clearly took the hump or became bored for whatever reason rather than merely accepting differences of opinion. I miss many of them, Ian Gill in particular comes to mind, it's great when posters like Forever Dormo resurface from their slumber (how I miss his brilliant posts) but if posters take their bat and ball home permanently just because they hold an opposing view then before long this site won't exist.
Exmil and I differ on just about everything Boro yet we both want exactly the same thing, cut us in two and we both bleed red and white. I know when I post something negative or indeed anyone else posts something negative about MFC he will respond in a defiant and totally loyal committed manner. I actually respect that and enjoy the "banter" even though I disagree. I suspect his military background taints his view as anyone who is not fully loyal and committed is a traitor and treacherous, I fully get that, I just don't agree with it but if push came to shove I know who I would want covering my back!
I suspect there are a wide range of academic and social abilities on here as there are in life generally and on every Internet site. Some of us have better communication abilities than others in the form of the written word and emotions (I doff my cap to Len on this) and sensitivity levels amongst us vary enormously. Words and views exchanged in a conversation over a pint in a Pub can take on an entirely different meaning/interpretation when put in black and white print.
I have skin like a Rhino, (I had to have to get through my personal life experiences) but I also realise that there are many others who are very easily upset at something be it because of their own life experiences or sensitivity levels. Please respect everyone and just think before you post. In the infancy of email a wise man once said to me to type out my angry and volatile response then leave it until tomorrow before sending. I would temper my reply having slept on it, calmed a bit and removed the more "blunt" terminology. The result was a more credible professional email, ultimately more productive and inevitably maintaining the high ground in the process.
Express your views as you feel necessary but please step back from trying to win an argument. None of us have any idea what the other person has experienced or is going or gone through in their lives be respectful and embrace the differences. In my pains over Bamford's sale many have told me many times to let it go, it's hard even now but I gain nothing from being right over it.
I just posted the above diatribe which took me the best part of an hour and after I posted it I saw the previous recent posts and I could have just said "what Len said"!
Caveat however is that Exmil and I can still hurl Clemmies, I couldn't stand it if we became bessie mates and agreed on everything, where's the fun in that!
Thank you Len for those wise words.
Martin
Apologies for upsetting you and I’m sorry.
A virtual handshake 🤝 in the ether.
OFB
Apology gratefully accepted. I’ve just come back from the Ben Nevis Inn where we had dinner to celebrate my eldest daughter’s 40th Birthday and the posts that have been written since we went out make excellent sense.
I’m normally an easy going chap but occasionally I err on the wrong side of sensitive. I realise that I’d miss this Forum far too much to leave now, so, as Tukka Suliman rarely says, “I’m in”.
Thank you Len for those wise words.
Martin
Apologies for upsetting you and I’m sorry.
A virtual handshake 🤝 in the ether.
OFB
Apology gratefully accepted. I’ve just come back from the Ben Nevis Inn where we had dinner to celebrate my eldest daughter’s 40th Birthday and the posts that have been written since we went out make excellent sense.
I’m normally an easy going chap but occasionally I err on the wrong side of sensitive. I realise that I’d miss this Forum far too much to leave now, so, as Tukka Suliman rarely says, “I’m in”.
🙌
Pleased we’ve sorted it 🤝
This blog and the people involved with it mean too much for me to not be involved anymore
OFB
Interesting to note that our former captain Grant Leadbitter was at the game as a guest of Boro on Saturday.
I would love him and George Friend to return in some coaching capacity.
OFB
Like PaulinBoro I enjoyed my half time chocolate bar (Double Decker). I enjoyed my free pre-match pint of Fosters and at 6pm the Premier Inn Meal Deal - Garlic King Prawns, Chilli non Carne with a glass of Merlot followed by a much needed 250ml Rioja and large Americano. I also treated myself to a full cooked breakfast (which I am not in a mood to do on a morning at home) before going for the Sunday train back to Carlisle.
I wasn't surprised by the defeat. When was the last time we won 4 consecutive matches? While it might have seemed a harsh and early match changing sending off if Sanderson had been shown a 2nd yellow card, I thought the second foul was worse than the first and the referee just bottled it (which seems to happen quite often in matches when there is an early booking). Birmingham were successful by quickly pressing us and not giving the time and space we needed to construct good attacking moves. If it hadn't been for our 2 defensive mistakes we would probably got away with a boring 0 - 0 point. I thought Hernandez was doing ok on the left though losing Ikpeazu would have removed the benefit of any high crosses and he would have had to start sending low hard crosses. However, when we are mostly relying on one way of attacking, teams soon learn to double (or treble) up and block the all attempts at crosses, as had happened when Jones was last playing on the left wing. While appreciating NW's problem in picking a team with the injury problems I still think Tav playing higher up the field is needed for our attacking success. I suspect that Tav has become so frustrated by having to concentrate on defensive wing back duties that when he now gets the chance to to attack he is over eager to impress and his passes and shots have got worse.
I see from the table that only the top 3 teams and Derby(!) have conceded less than Boro though only 8 have scored less and we have lost more than any other top half team. I can't see us doing better than finishing in mid-table and suspect will have rebuild the team again for next season.
As an additional comment about refereeing in the Championship I follow the posts of Keith Hackett the former FIFA referee.
There were a few contentious issues in the championship on Saturday and he is now calling for the same video analysis used in the Premiership to be used in this league. His argument is that as a lot of clubs are trying to get to the Premiership and the standard has improved significantly the last few years then the refereeing has to improve as well. This means using all the tools available to ensure that correct decisions are made.
OFB
Interesting to note that our former captain Grant Leadbitter was at the game as a guest of Boro on Saturday.
I would love him and George Friend to return in some coaching capacity.
OFB
I agree, but if Grant does become a future coach I think it will be at the Stadium of Light.
I must admit that I’m finding it difficult to keep up with the football at the moment with so much World T20 Cricket on Sky at the moment. With the Rugby League and Speedway seasons now finished I thought I’d have more time to devote to football and Boro in particular, but with increasing bad health now a worry rather than a concern I’m trying to see as much sport as I can whilst I’m able.
" I can't see us doing better than finishing in mid-table and suspect will have rebuild the team again for next season. "
One of the things for me is, why this constant need to rebuild the team? This group seems to have been assembled with some degree of forward thinking. They have shown that they can play well together. They have shown they can create and score quality goals. Unfortunately they have also shown that they can fail to create and take chances; that they succumb too easily; that they have absolutely no consistency.
Rebuilding does not in itself address the failings. You have to ask what were the situations when things in the team gelled and those where the wheels appeared to drop off the bus. Tactics and set up are clearly related to the successes, but also to the failures. The players have demonstrated they can play well and get results when set up to play to strengths. The coaching/management team have not been able to capitalise on the successful setup and performances for the players to be able to carry on that form.
For sure, if the funds are available the squad can be improved, but unless you are able to establish what works for the group of players you have and to get that to be repeated more times than it is not, it doesn't matter if you change/add one player or twelve. You will be no better off.
It's a little like an orchestra. Multiple individual musicians, some may the best at their instrument, others might just be competent. Left to play by themselves they perhaps could play several symphonies, but for every good performance there will be many more ragged, even poor performances. Rebuilding with different musicians will not really change anything. However, put a conductor in charge of the orchestra and all of a sudden there is a degree of quality control in place. A conductor directs how the orchestra plays as a single entity, not as a collection of individuals. Different conductors will have different impacts, each imposing their own style to a performance and consistency across performances. Changing musicians for better ones MAY improve things a bit here and there, but changing the conductor for a better one WILL improve things, even without changing any musicians.
So mid-table it might be, but I do think we have an outside chance of reaching the play offs as there are not too many outstanding contenders this season and I want to believe that our conductor is capable of orchestrating enough good performances to achieve that
The onus is very definitely on him not to be the poor workman that can only blame the tools.
@powmillnaemore Excellent post there, like. Cannot say any better myself. No repeating rebuilts, please. Up the Boro!
Yes, those vitual reality headsets in the immersive van Gogh exhibition were amazing - I did several rounds in the van Gogh virtual world, which felt like I existed in his surreal world - though that floating off the cliff at the end made my stomach leap into my throat a bit!
Anyway, I look forward to a time when 'Matchday Live' is upgraded to virtual reality headsets so it actually feels like you're at the ground. Indeed, why bother with reality bit - maybe they could just create a world where Boro play scintillating football and always win in the end. Fantasy football that feels like it's real, where the Matrix Revolution meets the Riverside Revolution - though I think most of us on here have long since taken the red pill in preference to the blue one!
btw The terms "red pill" and "blue pill" refer to a scene in the matrix where a choice between the willingness to learn a potentially unsettling or life-changing truth by taking the red pill or remaining in contented ignorance with the blue pill.
Still, if we lived in a fantasy world where Boro played well and always won that would give us nothing to have a moan about...
@Powmill-Naemore
Excellent prognosis of the situation at Boro, although I still think Boro have a reasonable chance of reaching the playoffs if they can just get their house in order. But after that what next? In my opinion only Bournemouth and Fulham look certain to get automatic promotion. That third promotion place can be won by any number of clubs, as much as a dozen or even more.
However Boro’s problems pale into insignificance to those facing Yorkshire CCC over the Azeem Rafiq affair of alleged racism. Chairman Roger Hutton appointed a so-called independent panels into Rafiq’s claims of racism. But how can that be an independent inquiry when Hutton was a former employee of the firm of solicitors appointed? Many of the allegations have been swept under the carpet and now the England and Wales Cricket Board are to hold their own investigation. Quite rightly too! Yorkshire members want answers as to why most of these allegations have not been substantiated or not. The club are facing their gravest crisis in their 158 year history and I wouldn’t discount sanctions, even relegation as happened to our neighbours Durham CCC a few years back albeit their problem was financial irregularities.
I've finally watched the lowlights of the Birmingham game, and the two goals? Oh dear me.
The first was appalling, if the keeper had been leaning on the post lighting a Woodbine he may have caught it or punched it over and the second was just as bad in a different way, perhaps the cause was muddled thinking or muddled perceptions of who was meant to do what or just a lack of concentration. Either way not pretty and if the team wasn't playing well to begin with there was no chance of Boro scoring two goals in fighting draw.
I read somewhere that Mr Warnock changed the team set-up to nullify their set-up. Why? Bizarre decision making for me, if it ain't broke and all that, just let them worry about us. Anyway it's over and the management simply cocked it up I suppose.
Luton next then. How is everybody's optimism?
UTB,
John
I read somewhere that Mr Warnock changed the team set-up to nullify their set-up. Why? Bizarre decision making for me, if it ain't broke and all that, just let them worry about us. Anyway it's over and the management simply cocked it up I suppose.
Facing the mighty Birmelona NW was obviously concerned that we would be on the receiving end of a cricket score. Heaven knows what he would do if we faced a decent side.
All that belief and confidence built up totally undermined by his own insecurities. Clean sheets with solid functional defending, a midfield that was looking creative and a Striker that actually looked like the real deal. Totally thrown away instead of being built upon. It just shows that those few positive results were more in spite of rather than because of to me.