Very best wishes John on your operation day. All the very best.
I must pay more attention, I actually thought it was a Sunday fixture. I may remember dates from the past, but recently thought that this year was only 2020, but because of being housebound I was unable to buy a diary for 2022. How on earth I haven’t missed any hospital appointments I’ll never know. I’ve also been surprised when I’ve received district nurses visiting me on what I thought was the wrong day.
I hope that Boro players keep off Rockliffe Golf Course following Jonny Bairstow’s leg injury after a fall at Pannal GC near Harrogate has resulted in his missing out on the T20 World Cup in Australia later this month. Apparently it was a serious injury requiring an operation too.
@original-fat-bob. Hopefully then we might win one of them. 🤣🤣😎
Or maybe all three.
Malcolm,
Many thanks for your kind words, well received and much appreciated.
UTB,
John
Ken, Selwyn and Andy,
Yet again many thanks for all your support, truly overwhelming. Thank you.
UTB,
John
Best of luck, John. Hope all goes as well as possible next week.
On the Boro, how come all of the pressure is upon Wilder to get us out of the hole that the recruitment team have dug for him? We were all promised a marqee striker. What Wilder has been given is two bivouacs and a tepee. Three strikers, two of whom are scarcely worthy of a place in the squad. To change the analogy, it's like giving a builder a bag of nails and blaming him ("Go on. You're supposed to be the professional") for not producing a 5 bedroom detached.
Writ large, this kind of power without responsibility has been government policy for the past decade. Strip public services of resources, put pressure on its workers and then blame them for any shortcomings.
The Boro's recruitment failures have been even more evident over the past 18 months than they were before with a succession of 'hidden gems' that were best left below the ground. Shouldn't Bauser and Scott be the ones to be held to account if and when the coach is left short of resources?
As it stands Wilder will do well to produce a mid-table side with what he has at his disposal. And even that will require a squad that remains clear of major injuries.
For my part Wilder has given us more progressive and enjoyable football than we have experienced since Mogga departed. It will be a challenge to maintain that if his positive approach is drowned out by the siren voices of premature pessimism, worrying about the league table after a handful of matches.
Gibson apart, our coach is currently the club's biggest asset and, as a supporter, I'll be aiming to give him my full backing. I'd rather hoped that the club could have done the same during the latest transfer window.
Boro now I’m bottom three !
True, Bob. And if we beat Sunderland we will be only 3 points outside of a play-off place.
many thanks Len, as with all of the good wishes sent in by the DiasBoro many thanks, there certainly is a caring bond running right through this site and I for one greatly appreciate the human side of all of you. Many, many thanks to you and everyone else on here.
UTB,
John
john
we will have to have that get together we’ve been promising ourselves these past two years before COVID intervened.
Really because there is so much common ground with the Diasborians in a variety of subjects we do not necessarily have to meet at a Boro game
Its nice to know John that your fellow compatriots have your well being at heart and for each other.
UP THE BORO
OFB
Evening everyone. My head’s in a much better place, partly because we’ve exchanged on our house and we’re moving out on 12th, although the house we’re buying won’t be ready until mid-October.
In any event, reading John’s post puts my issues into perspective. Best wishes for your recovery, John - our thoughts are with you.
As always Martin, many thanks for your comment, so much concern and positive thoughts from people I've never met but know through the DiasBoro is a huge support and help.
I hope you house move goes well and builders, estate agents and solicitors keep to their promises and work to the schedule.
UTB,
John
Pleased to hear you’re feeling better Martin welcome back to the fold we’ve missed you.
OFB
Welcome back Martin.
Some great posts above as ever and on the other forums regarding finances.
Boro could really do with a win tomorrow night couldn't they?
No doubt, we've been leaky at the back although I'm not sure that's so much about the goalkeepers as both look a step up from last season's options.
Our expected goals conceded (xGC) after 7 Championship games is 1.31/game = approx. 9 whereas in reality we've conceded 12 so you can that we've underperformed / other teams have scored from one or two from lower percentage opportunities. Up front we've scored 10 from an xG of 1.5/game = approx. 10 so pretty much on track there.
However, overall, we're 20 for xGC and 10th for xG so nothing really to shout about either on the pitch or from the stats - we've been slightly better than our results but not by much and not nearly enough for a team with promotion ambitions.
You can't disguise that its been a really disappointing start when expectations were higher than normal going into the season.
Still, I won't be writing off our chances this season any time soon. With (to my mind), a number of solid new recruits bedding in, I think the only way is up for this team and I do expect us to go on a good run at some stage. In Giles, Jones and McGree I think there's creativity in the midfield whilst Muniz looked a real all rounder and a handful at this level. He and Akpom, when fit, could be as good a Championship partnership as we've had for quite some time.
The only thing to stop an upward trend in my view is our lack of quality cover in midfield where injuries and suspensions will hurt us.
As far as Sunderland are concerned, they've slightly overperformed so far this season. They've scored 11 from an expected 9.45 and conceded just 8 from an expected 10. As these things tend to even out over the season, Monday night would be a great time for the variance to reduce!
Great stats Andy it puts everything into perspective and makes it look not too bad (I think!)
OFB
Thanks Bob, although I don’t think the stats make good reading!
With the way we play, I would expect our xGC to be below average but not right down at the bottom and our xG to be right up at the top so quite a way off on both fronts.
As I say though, the team is still bedding in and I do think that Clarke and Muniz in particular are key cogs that will improve us.
Nice to see photographs of the unveiling of George Camsell’s statue outside the Ayersome gates as well as the children with their parents there to witness the event of a great man that none of us has ever seen play, yet obviously made aware of by the press. How we could do with a player who could score a third of his goals today which actually Billy Pease did from the wing in that same season of 1926/27.
I wonder how history might have been re-written if Middlesbrough Ironopolis had survived. It was founded to represent the boom of the Victorian era of the iron and steel industry on Teesside but spent only one season in the Second Division of of the football league after having won 3 Northern League titles during which they beat the current MFC five times in six encounters (the other match being drawn) and whom they were expected to amalgamate to form a strong team on Teesside. They were known as the Nops or the Washers but MFC eventually welshed on the term ‘Ironopolis’ being used in the new name and decided to retain their amateur status, and what’s more until having been accepted into the Football League were known as the Scabs.
The amalgamation had originally been accepted as the town wasn’t capable financially of having two clubs being accepted into the Football League, but at the eleventh hour Ironopolis had to go it alone and became one of only two clubs to resign from the Football League after only one season having finished 11th out of 15 in that season which spelt the deathknell of the club. The shirt colours were maroon with a white sash, and eventually blue before changing to red and white stripes with black nicker bottoms.
Meanwhile MFC now known as the Boro were promoted to the First Division within three years in 1902 and as they say the rest is history.
Evening everyone. My head’s in a much better place, partly because we’ve exchanged on our house and we’re moving out on 12th, although the house we’re buying won’t be ready until mid-October.
In any event, reading John’s post puts my issues into perspective. Best wishes for your recovery, John - our thoughts are with you.
I understand that you won't publish your address in here for security reasons - and rightly so. As we know your real name, it does not make sence to give the location too exactly.
But please tell us where about you plan to move to. Near Boro?
Up the Boro!
Evening everyone. My head’s in a much better place, partly because we’ve exchanged on our house and we’re moving out on 12th, although the house we’re buying won’t be ready until mid-October.
In any event, reading John’s post puts my issues into perspective. Best wishes for your recovery, John - our thoughts are with you.
I understand that you won't publish your address in here for security reasons - and rightly so. As we know your real name, it does not make sence to give the location too exactly.
But please tell us where about you plan to move to. Near Boro?
Up the Boro!
Hi Jarkko - we’re moving a bit further from the Boro than I’d originally planned as we were messed about by a chap selling a house in Staithes. We made an offer in June and he’s still hasn’t decided whether he’s moving or not, despite his house remaining on the market.
We’re going to be halfway between Malton and Scarborough, so there’s still an opportunity to get to the odd home match. I’m not sure who the villagers will support, although I’ve got a sneaky feeling it’s more likely to be Dirty Leeds than Scarborough or York City. 😉
Now that the transfer window has closed my records show that, excluding guest and wartime appearances that Rodrigo Muniz is the 1,000th footballer to play for Middlesbrough FC including substitutes, but have not seen any recognition of that fact.
I wonder if anybody has seen that statistic mentioned, as with most clubs each player is registered with a hashtag #️⃣ on their website?
Hi Jarkko - we’re moving a bit further from the Boro than I’d originally planned as we were messed about by a chap selling a house in Staithes. We made an offer in June and he’s still hasn’t decided whether he’s moving or not, despite his house remaining on the market.
We’re going to be halfway between Malton and Scarborough, so there’s still an opportunity to get to the odd home match. I’m not sure who the villagers will support, although I’ve got a sneaky feeling it’s more likely to be Dirty Leeds than Scarborough or York City. 😉
Hull City would be my guess, certainly not Leeds. Many Bridlingtonians do already.
I see no reason to be surprised at our recruitment, it has been quite awful for a long time now. Our selling has been the same, any talent and they are gone (for washers). This club is in a slow decline and amazingly the fans seem to take it for granted. Everyone was quite happy when, well before Xmas, the players combined to get rid of the Manager who had kept us scrapping at the top of the Championship for two seasons, before taking us into the Prem. Whatever his faults he could handle the Championship just fine. Since then we have had Managers who find the Champ. too much to handle, and that includes this one. If you wish to depress yourself consider Brentford, one of the clubs who tussled with us at the top of the Champ. for a couple of seasons, they kept improving, both their buying and selling, now they are a fully paid up member of the Prem. And frightened of nobody. Us? At this moment we are frightened of a team promoted from the third, and we are right to be frightened, because they look a better team than us. We shall see! I'm not holding my breath.
I think the Sunderland game will define our season with the players we have at the moment. I hope I am wrong but I believe Sunderland are more equipped that we are. They have a great centre forward who actually scores goals.
@malcolm. I am not sure it will define our season but it could certainly have a big impact one way or the other.
This is a very unusual season in that it has started earlier than usual and we are going to have a one month break for the World Cup.
We do not know how teams will cope with that break. Will they hit the ground running when they start playing again or will it be a bit like the start of a new season.
Only time will tell and let’s hope that Boro are one of those who restart on the front foot; ideally we need to be in or very close to the top six when the enforced break starts. 😎
@martin-bellamy I hope you fined a nice house. I know Pickering but not Malton. But it is in North York Moors or similar area.
I never been to Scarborough even I have been to Teesside for over 20 holidays. Pity the railway to Scarborough is not there anymore.
Staithes would have been my dream town - really beatiful but noisy with all the seaguls. I trust you found your dream house anyway now.
Up the Boro!
Hi Jarkko - we’re moving a bit further from the Boro than I’d originally planned as we were messed about by a chap selling a house in Staithes. We made an offer in June and he’s still hasn’t decided whether he’s moving or not, despite his house remaining on the market.
We’re going to be halfway between Malton and Scarborough, so there’s still an opportunity to get to the odd home match. I’m not sure who the villagers will support, although I’ve got a sneaky feeling it’s more likely to be Dirty Leeds than Scarborough or York City. 😉
Hull City would be my guess, certainly not Leeds. Many Bridlingtonians do already.
I hadn’t given Hull a thought, Ken. You may be correct - I’ll report back when we’ve been there for a while.
I think Wilder is a good manager and will finallly get Boro to the promised land.
But like OFB, I would take Tony Mowbray back any day. To me he is the greatest of managers who had no money available when he was at Boro. He certainly knows a good player when he sees one.
But above all I like him as a person and a football person.
I certaily will be following Sunderland's result now. And I will hope them all the best after Monday.
Mogga has been very successful with his teams against Boro. He must know us too well as he lives locally.
Perhaps Ken will ask his "neighbour" to pass Monday's result to Boro? Up the Boro!