Jarrko 

The word Kismet first came to my attention when Alexander Bordin’s music was used in the film called Kismet. In English I guess it means fate or destiny. The most famous song from the show was “And this is my beloved” sung by Howard Keel in the Broadway show, and maybe by Mario Lanza in the film version taken I believe from one of his 3 symphonies. 

Ken, it's also been put forward that Lord Nelson said "Kismet Hardy", and not "Kiss me Hardy" as has been portrayed in History.  I was going to say 'oh to have been there and witnessed the scene, but in hindsight I reckon that the carnage on that day would have more than any person could take in and remain sane.  Sadly we don't seem to be listening to history as events in Eastern Europe unfold, out of despots and dictators I'll take Scott Morrison any day, I would have said Boris but that's stretching the truth.

Posted by: @peasepudinperth

Jarkko, to add to your history education and to slightly adjust what Powmill outlined in an earlier blog, I think that you'll find that when the thrones of England and Scotland were brought together, in the 1600's we then became known as the United Kingdom.  It was only later in 1800 with the Act of Union, that we then became to be known as the United Kingdom and Ireland, Great Britain, the Welsh are in there somewhere but I think that they were too busy perfecting their art of rugby to be bothered who was in charge.

I'm there to be shot at, fire at will, poor will.

@peasepudinperth, I think it was Forever Dormo that was providing the history lesson. However, seems as Wales was being left out of the timeline, so here is a bit more information :

So, as you can see Scotland is quite definitely the senior partner in this arrangement, so no idea how all the shots seem to get called by us English ! 😉   

The history of all four nations is enormous and there is only a limit to what we really know about the ancient kingdoms and tribes of these isles, but all the same, this is probably as close to the timeline of how our modern state came about as you can capture in less than 10 rows.

Back to more pressing matters. I have that small feeling of trepidation or anxious expectation in the pit of my stomach.  Sticking to my Exmil prediction of a draw, but desperate to see that we can do a convincing job away from home.

CoB.

Sorry to have put you in the frame for the history lesson Powmill, I really do apologise.  Regardless, the time line you've produced is certainly an excellent guide as to how we became to be where we are today.  As for England calling the shots in the union, it simply boils down to the fact that we had more boys to put on the playing field for fisticuffs, and more money than the Scots could cobble together for a scrap (unless the French decided to chip in), or being Scots is that more than they were willing to spend?  The English crown was always the holy grail for numerous contenders throughout Europe, again because the coffers of the realm seemed to give the owner of the vault endless riches, they weren't wrong.

One of the best books I've ever read is called 'Empire' by Niall Ferguson, the opening introduction states, "The British Empire was the biggest Empire ever, bar none.  How an archipelago of rainy islands off the north-west coast of Europe came to rule the world is one of the fundamental questions not just of British but of world history".  The book just gets better after that and I honestly couldn't put it down as my knowledge of my countries (England, Wales and Ireland) was broadened beyond belief.  I'm now right in to The Anarchy by William Dalrymple, I'm having the same problem in putting it down.

Sorry to blab on, but I've been too long reading instead of writing on this blog but (who at the back said yippee?), as Powmill says about more pressing matters, I'm sticking with the boys to prevail tonight and stamp their authority on the run in race.  We've got the skills, the tools and the man to administrate them accordingly to do the job, and hopefully I've wasted my draw forecast in my Exmil Callenge. 

Regarding the outcome of tonight’s battle against the Blades, will Boro be sharp enough from the outset to start positively?

Will our strikers have a cutting edge? Will we have a rapier point to dull our opponents? Or, as we played against Barnsley recently in the first half will our swords still be in our scabbards until we suffer a killer blow?

Sir Christopher De Wilde will surely rally his troops aided by Lorde Afefernee Dijksteel and the noble Lord Dael of Fry accompanied by the Irish Nobleman Earl Patrick of McNair. They will surely put themselves in the way of shots raining down on the keeper of the Goal Joseph Le Lumley. Defence of our realm and position in the championship never to be yielded to those who have previously wronged our noble leader.

Our Captain of the guard Lord Jonathan de Howson will surely be fleet of foot and guile of thought to outflank our opponents and be involved with the cut and thrust of the battle against our steely opponents.

Our young hotspurs Marcus De Tavernier and Duke Isiaih Jones will utilise their energies to overcome any resistance and rout our enemy.

We are also blessed with our mercenary knights who have come to our aid the Slovenian Duke Andraz Sporar and the young Irish nobleman Aaron of Connolly.

Perhaps riding to our rescue will be the Giant Crooks and his diminutive sidekick Lord Duncan (what more we ask?) Getting the winner at the end of the game!

Joust in time !

OFB

@Original Fat Bob

A princely tale ye relate there Squire Bob.

No doubt in our alternate garb on this quest we will appear playinG away'n the Green t'Knight.

Powmill-Naemore - thanks for that!  You have saved me some work putting the dates together.

After the annexation of Wales and subsequent conquest in the 1280's resulting in the building of a ring of castles in Wales during the reign of Edward I (1272-1307) in order to deter any uprisings, and after Henry VIII's  Laws in Wales Acts in the 1530s and 40s, Wales was effectively subsumed as a part of England.  Those statutes confirmed English Law was to be in force in Wales.  There was a successful uprising led by Owain Glyndwr who held a number of those castles between 1400 and 1415-16 when he "went missing" from the records - maybe killed or maybe hiding somewhere during his later years - but, apart from that brief period, England & Wales have been treated as being effectively one country for over 700 years.

When England (& Wales) joined with Scotland to create Great Britain after the Acts of Union in 1707, the English cross of St George and the Scots cross of St Andrew were combined to make the flag without any contribution from St David or the Dragon from Wales. Since the Union of the English and Scots Crowns in 1603 almost 420 years have passed and since the union of the countries and the Parliaments in Westminster & Edinburgh in 1707, more than 300 years.  In European terms this is a very long time and the countries are ancient in a world where most countries are very modern creations - Germany was unified only in 1871, as finally was Italy, let alone the countries appearing on the map after World War II, or more recently as in the Balkans. 

History is usually written from the point of view of the winner in a war.  Not all commentators who may later be treated as historical sources are entirely free of bias (to put it mildly). Many countries have myths of their origins, which normally suggest the country concerned is populated by a unique/special people, or that their country has been wronged and those wrongs cannot be forgiven or forgotten.  We may be seeing some extemes from that played out in Eastern Europe as I type these words.  Depressing is too weak a word to describe what is going on. 

ANYWAY..... the footie tonight.  Are there any streams likely to be available?  I am hoping the football will put a smile back on my face.  I am certain it will be a tense affair.  I am nervous but full of aniticipation.

Something must be wrong with my remote as I thought I had tuned in to a football channel dedicated to Middlesbrough Football Club but I have ended up on the History channel 😱

Come on BORO.

Team News: Well it's Sporar and Connolly starting up front tonight with Peltier in for Dijksteel plus Bola also replacing Taylor...

Just a reminder for those based in the UK that they can pay to watch the game on MFC Live...

https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/watch-sheffield-united-v-boro-with-matchday-live

Two defensive errors in two minutes and it’s Sheff Utd 2-0 Boro.

Bugger.

Another “typical” away performance! 😎

Bola at fault for both goals Sporar missed a sitter 

OFB

A bad night to be without Djiksteel’s pace at the back. We can’t recover when Gibbs-White breaks.

Posted by: @original-fat-bob

Bola at fault for both goals Sporar missed a sitter 

 

OFB

Howson caught in possession was the problem for the second goal.

Sporar had to score though.

Boro easily second best all over the pitch in that first half - Sheff Utd have bullied the game and left Boro looking short on ideas with little time on the ball to think what to do next. Can't see Sporar coming out for the second half as he's been terrible plus Bola looking off the pace and not an improvement on Taylor. Perhaps we need both Watmore and Coburn on the pitch but we look short in midfield and there's no midfielder on the bench. Boro need a goal to get back in this game but with the Blades only conceding three in their last ten games it doesn't look like this game is winnable!

Barnsley mark 2: we just can't cope with a high press. 

That performance from Sporar was as bad as anything from Assombalonga. Fry is being monstered by Sharp. Our best player has been Lumley though Tav and Jones can hold their heads up.

We're being bullied and out-fought across the field and the ref is no help. The two forwards haven't the physical presence. Is it time for Coburn to have a go with his extra size and Watmore for his speed?

UTB

Two poor goals, first Fry and Peltier got nowhere near Sharp for the cross, Bola asleep.

Second, Howson doing what he has done most of the season, dwelling on the ball in the wrong area. 
Sheff Utd have 36 year old Sharp, we have Sporar, Collony and Balogun.

We have brought in a number of loanees including three forwards. Whoever choose them needs their ears clipping and that includes CW. 

When we get an injury it is difficult as we have very little back up.

2 nil down and in my opinion, not down to Lumley.

Blackburn, Bristol City, Barnsley and now Sheffield Utd have all shown that if they press us high up the pitch and contest ever ball then we have no answer.

We lose our composure, play aimless long balls and make basic mistakes; I can’t see this being addressed in the short term and expect we will face similar games against Millwall and Birmingham as our top six hopes fade and die sadly.  😎

KP, in truth we just do not have the right mix of players. The majority do not have sufficient physical presence for the rigours of the Championship.

Naturally there will be much said about Boro’s below par performance tonight but I have to say I think Sheffield United were superb all over the pitch - probably the best we’ve faced all season including a couple of Premier League teams.

Well organised at the back, pressing superbly in midfield and up front and very lively link up play from the front two. We couldn’t live then them for most of the game.

Coming up against such a side, we couldn’t afford the errors for the goals or the terrible miss from Sporar - moments that might have affected the game.

We huffed and puffed and chased but were second best everywhere tonight and as disappointing as it was, you have to say well played to the Blades.

Let’s hope for a big reaction next time out. I don’t think we’ll face a better team performance for the rest of the season.

Well that's been a bad night.. and the game isn't even over yet.

We have had no answer to the speed at which they have pressed every Boro player on the ball. We have failed to make any useful movement off the ball and so never able to move it quickly enough as they close in.

So. Put it behind us and take the game to Millwall on Saturday.

Blades far superior tonight.

It was more of the same in the second half and only that gift from their keeper gave us any joy - Boro simply had no answers to Sheff Utd's physicality, pressing, power and even ability. Boro looking lightweight up top and too timid in midfield with what looked like a lack of pace in defence. Perhaps the games have caught up with some Boro players and we could do with McGree's energetic midfield presence - plus perhaps we missed both Dijksteel and Taylor too.

Still our away form is starting to look like it could be our undoing this season - just one point on the road in our last five games with 12 goals conceded - not nearly good enough for a side seeking promotion!

In the rare moments when we played our football tonight we looked quite dangerous, but far too often we played aimless long balls from the back that little Connolly and ineffective Sporar got nowhere near as Blades’ monster defenders gobbled up everything. Where’s Uche when you need him? Were we forced into this approach by Sheffield’s incessant, nagging pressing? Probably, but the side has to be able to find a way round this pressure. We didn’t. Instead, we kept giving the ball away cheaply, often in threatening positions. It was incredibly frustrating to watch. 

A few weeks ago, in a mad rush of blood to the head, I suggested Boro might get a hatful of points and could even finish third. I’m starting to think now we’ll miss out on the play-offs. I like Andy’s optimism above, and agree that the Blades were exceptional tonight, but our current away form is terrible. We have 6 away games left, including challenging ones at Bournemouth, Millwall, Swansea and Preston. If we continue playing as we have in the last 2 away games we won’t pick up many points in those games. Our 5 home games should produce 4 home wins, but Fulham will be extremely difficult. So, if we’re going to maintain our challenge, something has to change quickly on the road, starting at Millwall on Saturday. 

Clive

Defeat at Millwall will probably keep us in the Championship for another season so we can concentrate on the FA Cup, and in the meantime Jonny Bairstow has brought some cheer for our cricket fans.

Yet to see any of the match, listened to some of the Tees commentary  and might give the lowlights a miss. CW has a big job on as there are only minimal changes of personnel. Only missing were Dijksteel and McGree from what might be the best XI. Howson now one booking away from a 2 game ban. Not sure where the next  away win might come Birmingham?

I didn't see the start of the match and it was already 2-0 when I joined in. But there was a good spell in the end of first half. But the second half was terrible. I think Clive summed it up well above.

I am afraid there is a trend in our away form:

Man Utd 1 - 1 Middlesbrough (7-8 pen)

QPR 2 - 2 Middlesbrough

Bristol City 2 - 1 Middlesbrough

Barnsley 3 - 2 Middlesbrough

Sheffield United 4 - 1 Middlesbrough

We looked sloppy and tired. We went for a long ball insted that is useless but Sheffield United  played so much better that that was our only option. I hope we were just tired (both physically and mentally). It was like Boro under Warnock yesterday. 

We will need to find a way of getting points away from home. It is just 1.5 points per match in current form if we win at home.

Up the Boro!

Posted by: @clive-hurren

…I like Andy’s optimism above, and agree that the Blades were exceptional tonight, but our current away form is terrible. We have 6 away games left, including challenging ones at Bournemouth, Millwall, Swansea and Preston. If we continue playing as we have in the last 2 away games we won’t pick up many points in those games. 

I don’t think I’m particularly optimistic to be honest, Clive. In the Exmil Challenge I had Boro finishing part one on just 60pts - a few less than most. I’m hopeful but not especially optimistic I think.

I think last night showed where we are. The three best teams right now are Fulham, Huddersfield and Sheffield Utd and we’re in a large group below that level. Ourselves and Forest might just be the better sides in that second group but we had an indifferent start to the season and Forest had a shocker so we’re both playing catch up.

We can’t afford to be even fractionally off the pace against the best sides though and you could see Premier League quality in the Blades last night.

I’m still quite amazed at how quickly we’ve gone from midtable plodders to playoff contenders though, so can’t be too down about being beaten by a very good side.

Well that was very disappointing, top of the league home form bottom of the league away form equates to mid table, it reminded me of the spurs Everton match on Monday night, as an ex manager was wont to say "it is what it is".