PNE V BORO
Saturday 29th October 2022
Deepdale Stadium k.o. 3:00 pm
After a thoroughly miserable performance on Saturday against Huddersfield, the Boro find themselves just above the relegation trap door again in 21st place, with 17 points. They are just above Coventry who are in 22nd place and have 16 points, but have played 3 games less than the Boro.
As I write this the managerial post is still in limbo. The will he, won’t he? Carrickature of our next manager is still to make an appearance or even visit the Boro to sit in the Directors Box.
Carrick is apparently having difficulties getting his back room team together. The latest name to enter the race to join him is the Leicester City first-team coach Adam Sadler aged 42, who was a youth goalkeeper with the likes of Newcastle United and Manchester United, He started coaching at the age of just 21. He’s since held positions at Newcastle United, Norwich City, Plymouth Argyle, Manchester City and briefly in Ukraine too – Sadler is also a part of the current Northern Ireland set up.
I quite frankly don’t see why more and more managers, or lead coaches seem to be turning to assistant coaches who were goalkeepers, why not strikers? I know Peter Taylor was a goalkeeper and ably assisted Brian Clough, but there seems to be a distinct preference for former players who were between the sticks to act as assistants.
Hopefully all will be revealed this week and finalised before the Boro make their trip to Preston North End at Deepdale on Saturday. There will have to be some hard decisions made regarding team selection before the game as a lot of players seem to be underperforming or have simply lost their way.
Jones has seemed somewhat listless at times in his more forward role. Always looking for a free kick but often delivering a deadly ball into the centre waiting for a non existent Boro striker to get on the end of it. Rumours are that he is being closely monitored by Crystal Palace as a potential signing and perhaps words have been whispered in his ear by his agent of lucrative wages to be had?
The Boro midfield is the dysfunctional part of the Boro team and has not performed well all season. Perhaps this is due to the rapid transfer just before the beginning of the season of Tavernier to Bournemouth. We have certainly missed his running and enthusiasm and he has not been replaced.
The influx of players like Mowatt, McGree and Luongo (who?)into the squad have not made an impact or caused the fans any excitement with their playing skills.
Howson is often running on empty and also looks like he needs a rest. Perhaps the role of captain wears heavy on him as well and he needs to relinquish this to Lenihan who is starting to form a decent partnership with Fry.
McNair has not performed well all season neither has Crooks. As both players had decent seasons previously, one could ask if either or both are carrying injuries or have they simply fell out of love for the Boro and are wanting away?
I expected Dijksteel to start on Saturday and was surprised to see him benched. It will be interesting to see what the new manager brings to the team regarding shape and style. Wingbacks or full backs? Three at the back or four?
Turning to Preston North End, our opponents on Saturday they sit in a loftier 11th position with 22 points. They were however put to the sword of Saturday losing by 4 goals to 2 against Blackpool despite largely having the better part of the game.
Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe bemoaned ‘slack’ moments that cost his side the game in Saturday’s derby
Blackpool opened the scoring against the run of play as Jerry Yates headed them into the lead with Ben Whitemen drawing PNE level from the spot. Charlie Patino put the Seasiders ahead, again out of nothing, before they managed to get more of a grip of the game. Yates added a second extending Blackpool’s lead to two goals and a Callum Connolly own goal gave PNE hope before CJ Hamilton scored on the break with Freddie Woodman out of his goal having come forward for a corner
Lowe said: “There are slack moments. Giving the ball away is one, if we don't give the ball away then they can't attack, jumping out of your slots when you don't need to jump out of your slots and then not getting rolled.
"Tracking runners at the edge of the box for shots and then tracking runners for headers. We see it.
The forecasting for Saturdays game by the bookmakers is pretty even at the moment and it seems that a draw is the most likely outcome.
With regard to their statistics, the data shows that their strength in Aerial duels is very strong and also in protecting once in the lead is also very strong
Attacking down the wings
Strong
Stealing the ball from the opposition
Strong
-
Preston Weaknesses
Finishing scoring chances
Very Weak
Preston's Style of Play
They tend to play a style which means that they are constantly attacking down the left hand side of the pitch.
They also have an aggressive style of confrontation which may not suit the Boro as sometimes I feel our players meekly submit in the middle of the park. Oh for a Leadbitter or Souness !!
So let’s have your forecasts Diasborians. Will we have a new manager by then? Will we win ? Will we lose?
Me?
I’m going for the 👀 eyeballs in the sky………
OFB
Nice one OFB.
I Agree, we seem to have a few players who are happy to take the money and run, metaphorically run that is, because they don't do it on the pitch in front of the fans.
Then our 'new manager' is very conspicuous by his absence, does anyone know what is going on?
It's all a bit pathetic really and the last thing I thought about at the beginning of the season was a relegation battle. At the moment it feels as if there's no purpose or cause to get behind and I'm sure the players feel the same.
Anyway it's nothing new new just different version of a crappy situation. Typical Boro you could say.
As always,
UTB,
John
Carrick's appointment announced by the club in the last 2 minutes....
...in other news, Rishi Sunak has won the Leadership election in the Conservative Party and therefore will become the next Prime Minister of the UK.
Thanks for getting the ball rolling, Bob. Greatly appreciated.
The delays over Carrick's appointment continue.
I have no inside information about what is happening, but the current vacuum encourages all of us to have a guess or two.
So here are some of mine.
I guess that Carrick will have done his due diligence on the Boro, just as much as the Boro will have done it on him.
It will scarcely have needed very much digging to discover the problems that will certainly await him unless there are major structural changes. Warnock has gone public on the uselessness of the players recruited for him and the fact that the Director of Football was ignoring him during his final days. And the situation was disarmingly similar for Wilder. A simple phone call to either former boss would have provided any amount of gory detail.
So he will have been forewarned and thus forearmed.
I guess too that the club's stated preference for a younger track-suited coach (ie someone deferential enough to allow the suits to continue to make all of the major decisions without demur) underscores the message coming out of the club that most of the club's previous problems were caused by stubborn old-timers who were unable to accept the club's preferred model (ie managers with long and successful experience who wouldn't pick recent signings whom they deemed to be not good enough).
Carrick seems like a thoroughly likeable and competent coach, and (crucially) less publicly assertive than previous holders of the post. Someone whom the club feel that they will be able to manage rather than the other way around.
My own final guess is that Carrick is proving to be no such soft touch. He will have sought the guidance of older heads, including those he wished to bring on board with him, and is holding out for more power over transfers and insisting on support staff of his own rather than the club's choosing.
The fact that negotiations, no doubt along these sticking points, have continued for so long suggests that the the structural issues which have beset the club for the past year are far from being resolved.
Indeed it is far from clear how they ever can be without some significant movement by and within the club itself.
Thanks for the opener, OFB. Not the faintest idea what will happen against PNE but really hoping for that fabled "new manager bounce" to make an appearance on our behalf.
Apologies for my post which became redundant as I was typing it.
It will be interesting to see who Carrick brings in with him, how the issues causing the delay were finally resolved, and how the relationship with Scott ultimately plays out.
Of course I wish the young man every success and hope that the club will be able to serve him better than they did the previous incumbents.
I did not think Woodgate would make an appearance
I did not think Woodgate would make an appearance
More detail from the Beeb:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63297825
It includes this statement:
The club has also confirmed that Percovich will now take up a role as the club's head of player pathway and development.
Nor did I and I can’t say I’m ecstatic about it.
Oh Dear, the jobs for the boys continues. Woodgate of all people. No thanks.
My reading of the situation (and it is long running) is the following Mr Gibson decided to improve the buying model, which was much needed. But, and it is a big but. Buying, and selling, is not only important, it is the only way that you can progress in the game. And the entire business is shrouded in secrecy and quite rightly, because one false step can set you back a couple of seasons. One further condition the, owner, chairman, or extremely rich benefactor, must be all the following things, nosy, nasty, inquisitive, unpleasant, greedy, demanding. Dealing in the market is dealing with extremely unpleasant people. We , as a club have no idea just what a club friendly contract looks like, we also have no idea what a player who will make money and improve the team might look like. It is obviously a forlorn hope that they might one day pick up a gem from the non league system by some wild fluke. So we are forced to the conclusion that the very idea that a couple of Young men searching the soccer World might turn up a jewel now and then, or ever, is forlorn. As an example of our general incompetence, and lack of knowledge of the game, consider the following. Jones is very good, period! So, we play him at fullback, hhhm! Then we play him further forward, but wide, with no striker on the pitch, hhhm! Throughout this period he has beaten his man, or men, by which time the opposition has realised that he had better not reach the box, so they grass him. Why do we not play him up front, if he gets the ball in the box he can beat his man and is fast in thought and movement, and would score a decent number of goals.
Nor did I and I can’t say I’m ecstatic about it.
To be honest, I don't think that the Woodgate appointment is necessarily that bad. He didn't cut it as the main man, but he had been doing good coaching work with us prior to that unsuccessful promotion. He was an impeccable centre back who knows this league well and I think he could be an inspired choice to get our back four/five sorted out. I would also imagine that he will feel he has unfinished business to prove (to us all if no one else!) that he is a good coach.
I am behind them both and sincerely hope they will be able to turn our fortunes around and we will be able to say that this was one of SG'd better decisions !
Glad to see Leo is retained on staff.
Henry Winter has just (well, at about 3.15pm) Tweeted:
"Once spent 45 minutes listening to Michael Carrick and his brother Graeme, a respected coach, debating tactics in depth. @carras16 has prepared for this permanent chance @Boro. His teams will be organised & attractive. Doesn't guarantee success but worth watching. Good luck to him."
Henry talks a lot more sense about football than most others both in the Press and those employed as football professionals. I like what I hear so I will cross my fingers (and toes) that Henry is correct here.
@powmillnaemore I take your point about Woodgate but who appointed him Gibson/Scott or Carrick?
Woodgate reinstated; Leo retained; the new coach surrounded by the old guard and the same recruitment structure which has delivered failure, the threat of relegation and our third manager inside twelve months.
So no great change and a shuffling of the deck chairs in the hope that things will get better.
There isn't the slightest evidence that it will, but, as with Woodgate's tenure, I will not be critical of the head coach as he gives his all in attempting to deal with the poisoned chalice he has been handed.
I wish for the best for Michael and Jonathan, but really fear the worst.
Many thanks Bob for the opener. Just in time for the news today.
Best of luck to Carrick. I hope he does brilliantly.
I wonder where this leaves Kieran Scott, however. The appointment of Carrick feels very much a Gibson-style decision. The appointment of Woodgate as coach all but confirms it.
Has Scott been given a taste of his own medicine in not being in charge of recruitment?
@lenmasterman Same here Len
@andy-r I would like to hope you are right Andy but what I am reading Scott is still in the same position.
Just got back from golf to see the news of Carrick’s appointment and then flabbergasted to see Woodgate as his assistant!
Why all the delay, where are all the back room team that had been mentioned? This appointment has shades of when Woodgate was first appointed and we know how that turned out.
I wish MC well but, like Len, I have grave reservations that this is another disaster in the making.
Thanks OFB for your preview and for providing the new management team with the low down on Preston’s strengths and weaknesses; I just hope they take note. 😎
I home I am wrong but I fear the worst. Will Carrick do a Lis Truss after 6 weeks. 😀 😀
Sounds to me as if the thank you to Leo has resulted in him being moved further down the hierarchy and no longer involved with the first team on a day to day basis!😎
Most managerial appointments (apart from a select few) are gambles and end in strops or tears so I will give him a chance, there is noway he can be as robotic and odd as liz truss those tory Party members know how to pick them.
Much, much more exceted about Michael Carrick than Pulis or Warnock. Some fresh ideas and a man who likes to be a head coach and bring in young players.
Absolutely delighted that Woody is back. He loves the club, knows it inside out and share the same ideas for young players and academy.
I hope they still bring in a more experienced coach. I am sure one will arrive in due course.
Above all, I hope Michael Carrick will bring winning mentality. Up the Boro!
I already bought Carrick's autobiography when I was in Middlesbrough on Saturday. Have to start reading it later today. Up the Boro!
Firstly, thank you to OFB for another great opener. The appointment of Carrick as the new manager, has finally been made but the assistant appointment of Woodgate came as a shock to me also. To be fair although he bombed at Boro, he was the manager who brought in Dijksteel, Bola among others and after leaving Boro he went as assistant coach at Bournemouth, then two days later manager Tindall was sacked and Woodgate was appointed temporary manager, after 6 wins out of 7 matches he guided Bournemouth to the playoffs where they lost to Brentford 3-2 on aggregate. If I remember correctly when he started doing well at Bournemouth some people on here started to question whether we were too quick in releasing him 🤔.
I also read a report that Man Utd would not stand in of Mike Phelan, if he wants to join Boro, so maybe he is the experienced coach to still come in. So the decision’s have been made, now let us get behind our new coaching team (at least 1 more to come) and give them time to work with what they have got until changes can be made, bearing mind January transfer window is very hard to find anyone of quality for a fair price.
Come on BORO.
Thanks OFB for the PNE preview. If you had left it for about 2 1/2 hours your wondering about the manager/coach would have been answered but, as I expect Carrick will soon find out, until the match is underway neither the manager nor the players have any idea whether the team will show their best abilities and look like promotion candidates or a few or more will passively let the game pass them by leaving us as relegation favourites.
I hope Carrick gets us away from the relegation positions this season and up near the top next season but I expect he will decide that the present squad is not good enough and will be looking for replacements in January.
Looking back at Woodgate's almost disastrous introduction to management with the Boro I am shocked and disappointed that he is back and as 1st team coach. SG seems to have confirmed that the Boro is his toy and he can bring in friends without caring about the supporters' views. My initial reaction was to question whether I should continue to go to matches at all but I suppose I can give it a bit of time and see how things go.
Also bear in mind he was the manager who brought Leo back to the club as one of his coaches.
Come on BORO.
Same here too.
Quote from Carrick and I'm not convinced!
"In his interview on the club website, the new Boro head coach said: “Bringing Jonathan in was a no-brainer for me. I’ve known Jonathan for a long time and we get on really well. We’ve had a lot of conversations over the last week or two and we’re both really looking forward to getting to work.
"He’s immensely passionate about the football club and absolutely loves his football. He’s very knowledgeable and detailed about how he goes about his work. I’m really excited to work with him, learn from him, pick his brains, and hopefully together we can bring this club forward."
Sounds to me he is relying a lot on JW. Not healthy in my opinion.