Wasn't sure whether to post this link here or on the Wilder thread, but the fact that the latter bears CW's moniker persuaded me to plump for this one. Interesting (I thought) article from The Times which will appear in tomorrow's Sunday Times describing Arsenal's scouting & recruitment policy since Mikel Arteta took over as manager:
Pity Tom Allnutt couldn't get Ben White's previous club right!
it’s Wednesday 19th home to Hull not repeat not Tuesday just for information but many thanks for posting the fixtures it’s appreciated
OFB
I was impressed with Mowatt played all the right notes and all in the right order.
Hackney’s move to left midfield to accommodate the Mowatt substitution was an inspired tactical decision by Carrick. HH had his best game in a Boro first team shirt to date.
OFB
Nice see MC putting up with the rain unlike a certain Steve Mclaren who was fond of a brolly! 😉
Nice see MC putting up with the rain unlike a certain Steve Mclaren who was fond of a brolly! 😉
I’ve never understood what the problem was with SM using an umbrella. I suppose it gave the gutter press something to rhyme with Wally.
Re the fixture changes: I’m sure you know this, but the Rotherham and Coventry games weren’t moved because of Sky. The Millers are having to play a Thursday night game (I think) because of fixture congestion, so our game was moved to Monday, while the Coventry game has moved (as have all EFL games) because somebody is getting crowned. Just for the record.
@original-fat-bob - SORRY, SORRY, SORRY... I have it in my calendar as Wednesday 19th April for the Hull game (ko 8pm). I KNEW it was that date but typed it wrongly! GRRRR!
@clive-hurren - In some ways it really has not been my day, today. But only in some ways...
@stircrazy -Thanks for that link to Arsenal's method of assessing possible transfer targets. Very interesting.
One win and we are in the play-offs. Two wins and we are in top four with a home advance in play-offs. Or even less needed if our competitors will lose a match or draw games.
So it looks more and more we have still six games left. And at least we have a chance to play even a sevent game somewhere in London.
And finally, just a reminder where we were when a certain Mr. Michael Carrick came. So attached the position after 16 games. 35% of season gone. Trips to MK Dons and Bristol Rovers looking likely.
In Carrick we trust. Up the Boro!
@original-fat-bob - SORRY, SORRY, SORRY... I have it in my calendar as Wednesday 19th April for the Hull game (ko 8pm). I KNEW it was that date but typed it wrongly! GRRRR!
We all know the feeling. Our fingers get bigger when we get older or it is just we ger older, mate. Up the Boro!
@jarkko it is interesting to see that Coventry City were one place below us in that table and they too have recovered if not quite as well as we have.
WBA were also just below Coventry back then as well.
Perhaps it goes to show that fans shouldn't get overly anxious so early into a season.
@powmillnaemore Mind that Coventry had three games in hand over Boro after the pitch problems at home. The only reason we were not in a relegation position.
And QPR were on top - now fighting against relagation. Up the Boro!
@jarkko - I was just about to make that point, Jarkko. Thank goodness we are not QPR. They must have had such high hopes, and now they will be gnawing their finger nails...
interesting story about Jones. He is quoted as saying he has had problems both on and off the pitch these last few months.
OFB
I was just planning some possible weekend visits and trips with Mrs Werder and quite amazing to think that Boro's last weekend game of the season was on 1st April against Huddersfield with the remaining 7 after that being on Friday (2), Monday (4) and Wednesday (1).
Though the first leg of the play-offs is pencilled in for the weekend 13-14 May and have also just raised the question of a veto on a trip to Berlin on the Whitsun weekend (as Saturday 27 May it's the play-off final) - the response was 'OK you can stay at home on your own then' - which I've taken as a yes 😉
EXMIL CHALLENGE 2023 - Part 3
Sorry about the delay but I have my grandson and girlfriend who came up from Portsmouth, for the Norwich game and are due to head back after taking them for Sunday dinner today.
Burnley (91) Roth’m (A) QPR (H) B’burn (A) Bristol (A) Cardiff (H)
Shef Utd (79) Bristol (H) WBA (H) Preston (H) Hudd’d (A) Birmingham (A)
Luton (74) Reading (A) Boro (H) B’burn (A) Hull (H)
Boro (71) Hull (H) Luton (A) Roth’m (A) Coventry (H)
Millwall (65) Birm’m (H) Wigan (A) B’pool (A) Blackburn (H)
Blackburn (63) Coventry (H) Preston (A) Burnley (H) Luton (H) Millwall (A)
Coventry (62) Blackburn (A) Reading (H) Birm’m (H) Boro (A)
Preston (62) Swansea (A) Blackburn (H) Shef Utd (A) Sun’d (H)
Sunderland (61) Hudd’d (H) WBA (A) Watford (H) Preston (A)
Norwich (61) QPR (A) Swansea (H) WBA (A) B’pool (H)
WBA (60) B’pool (A) Sun’d (H) Shef Utd (A) Norwich (H) Swansea (A)
If anyone notices any mistakes please let me know, as I have tried to post this before heading to the Park Hotel, Redcar for lunch. There could be a couple more teams outside this eleven who could break into the top 6 but it could go on for ever.
The deadline for Part 3 is 18:30 on Tuesday 18 April, sorry for the short notice but I had to wait for yesterday results, good luck to everyone, especially the Boro.
Come on BORO.
This is my stab at round 3.
Burnley (91) LDWWW (101)
Shef Utd (79) WWWLD (89)
Luton (74) DDDW (80)
Boro (71) WDDW (79)
Millwall (65) WDWD (73)
Blackburn (63) DWDDD (70)
Coventry (62) DWWL (69)
Preston (62) WDLD (67)
Sunderland (61) DDWD (67)
Norwich (61) DWDW (69)
WBA (60) WDLDW (68)
Thanks again Exmil.
@Exmil Thanks for all the hard work.
Here's my final set of predictions to send me to the foot of the table !!
Burnley (91) WWLDW (101)
SheffU (79) WDLLD (84)
Luton (74) WLLW (80)
BORO (71) WWWW (83)
Millwall (65) WWDD (73)
Blackburn 63) WLWWD 73)
Coventry (62) LWWL (68)
PNE (62) DWWW (72)
Sunderland (61) WLWL (67)
Norwich (61) WWLW (70)
WBA (60) WWDWW (73)
@exmil? Thanks Exmil here are my latest stabs in the dark!
Burnley (91) WWDWW (104)
Shef Utd (79) WDWWD (90)
Luton (74) WDDW (82)
Boro (71) WDWD (79)
Millwall (65) WWDW (75)
Blackburn (63) DDDDL (67)
Coventry (62) DWWD (70)
Preston (62) DDLD (65)
Sunderland (61) WDWD (69)
Norwich (61) WWDW (71)
WBA (60) WDLDW (68)
😎
Norwich made the mistake like Preston , Sheff U to take us on, having a go , teams that pack the defence give us kittens , I'll be surprised if we see any more teams having a go unless we score early and they have to , Millwall in the PO looks like
My entry below:
Burnley (91) WWLDW (101)
Sheff Utd (79) WDLLD (84)
Luton (74) WDLW (81)
Boro (71) WDWW (81)
Millwall (65) WWDD (73)
Blackburn 63) WLWWD 73)
Coventry (62) LWWL (68)
Preston (62) DWWW (72)
Sunderland (61) WLWL (67)
Norwich (61) WWLW (70)
WBA (60) WWDWW (73)
Thanks exmil
Final guesses
Burnley DWDWW 102
Sheff U WDWLD 87
Luton DWLW 81
Boro WLWD 78
Millwall WWDD 73
B'burn DLDWD 69
C'try DWWD 70
Preston LWLD 66
S'land WDDD 67
Norwich WDLW 68
WBA WDDWL 68
Exmil
Here‘s my selection. Many thanks for all your efforts.
Burnley (91) W W W D W (104)
Shef Utd (79) W W D D W (90)
Luton (74) W W W W (86)
Boro (71) W L W W (80)
Millwall (65) W W W D (75)
Blackburn (63) D L L D (65)
Coventry (62) D W W L (69)
Preston (62) D W D D (68)
Sunderland (61) L D W D (66)
Norwich (61) W W L W (70)
WBA (60) D D L W L (65)
Finger in the wind. The fourth play-off spot should be pretty insane.
Burnley (91) DWDWW (102)
Sheff Utd (79) WWWLD (87)
Luton (74) WDWW (84)
Boro (71) WDWD (79)
Millwall (65) WDWW (75)
Blackburn (63) DLDLL (65)
Coventry (62) DWWD (70)
Preston (62) WWLD (69)
Sunderland (61) WDWD (69)
Norwich (61) WWLW (70)
WBA (60) WDLWD (68)
UTB
Elsewhere, Darlington has lost the momentum in gaining promotion. Quakers have won one of their last 14 matches, their season having deteriorated since the January sale of top scorer Mark Beck to Solihull Moors.
After being top of the league for a quite a while, their form has nosedived. A defeat on Saturday saw them stumble out of the play-off positions, dropping to eighth. And still three games to go.
Hartlepool dropped back to the relagation zone after a defeat. It was a disappointing afternoon for John Askey as he suffered his first defeat as Hartlepool United manager against Newport County. During the reign of their third manager this season, the Pools have drawn six matches, won two and now lost for the first time in eight matches.
With four matches to go, the Pools have 39 points, and are just below Crawley (41 points) and Harrogate (42) who both are just above the relagation zone. The good thing is that Hartlepool will play Crawley still at home - but they now need to win that game. A draw is not necessary enough to stay in football league.
At least Boro is back in form. Even if the other two local clubs are suffering. Up the Boro!
Unusual contrasts in the Bundesliga and French Championet this weekend. Only 3 positive results in the former with 6 drawn matches, yet not a single draw in France. First time in 8 weeks that I’ve had a look at all English and Scottish League tables, although well aware of Boro’s position.
In cricket Yorkshire now bottom of Second Division whilst at the US Masters very unseasonal weather in Augusta for me ruined the first major golf tournament of the year especially for Sandy Lyle in the last major tournament of his career.
And what has happened to St Helens, world club rugby league champions but have already lost 4 Super League matches? Less said about England’s Rugby Union side the better!
On a personal note I’ve watched very little sport this year because of bowel incontinence, but at least it hasn’t interrupted my love of music too much. I can always replay music during my better periods!
Unusual contrasts in the Bundesliga and French Championet this weekend. Only 3 positive results in the former with 6 drawn matches, yet not a single draw in France. First time in 8 weeks that I’ve had a look at all English and Scottish League tables, although well aware of Boro’s position.
In cricket Yorkshire now bottom of Second Division whilst at the US Masters very unseasonal weather in Augusta for me ruined the first major golf tournament of the year especially for Sandy Lyle in his last major tournament of the year.
And what has happened to St Helens, world club rugby league champions but have already lost 4 matches, and the less said about England’s Rugby Union team the better!
I’ve not watched much sport on television this year because of this wretched bowel incontinence, but at least music has been my salvation as I can always replay it during my better moments!
Sorry about the double posts, but have just learned how to enlarge my iPad keyboard.