Thursday, September 29, 2005
FC Xanthi 0 Boro 0
Mission Accomplished - was the phrase being bandied around at the end of a satisfactory 90 minutes in Greece. Two clean sheets over 2 legs is what the doctor ordered after the weekend (let's never mention that again, OK?), a feat only a handful of clubs around Europe could boast. We should have won the game tonight, and would have done if the linesman ruling out Massimo Maccarone's first half strike was a little more sharp eyed. Jimmy came close a few times too, as did James Morrison, who had another good game for us. But the pitch was very bad and the ball didn't run for us in the end - however, it was always about the clean sheet so no complaints.And through to the group stage again, which will take much the same format as last season, with 40 teams being split into 8 groups of 5, the top three of which will meet the 8 3rd place Champions League teams in the last 32 after Christmas. Got that? Teams that won't be there are Everton (ahem), Feyenoord, Galatasaray and most surprisingly, last years runners up and our own nemesis Sporting Lisbon, out on away goals to Halmstad! Bolton made a comeback to be the only other British club through, together with most of the other tournament favourites - Roma strolled through, for example; now a tie against them would be sweet...
Boro now rank 14th in the competition according to Uefa, a stat that may have some effect on Tuesdays draw. You have to be confident of progression into 2006 with some of the teams still out there, but lets wait and see who we get.
My MOTM: Gareth Southgate, for a captain's clean sheet - going forward, Morrison was best.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Boro 0 Sunderland 2
If the defeat against Charlton was embarrasing then this was just tragic! At least Charlton are a decent team... OK, they got a perfect start and spoiled any pre-match plans we might have had, but there was almost a full 90 minutes to sort it out and it just didn't happen.Ugo was injured and despite a far superior shot rate Sunderland got a second to cap a dismal afternoon. Going forward we looked disorganised and less than passionate - 50/50 balls were going in the visitors favour all afternoon and we looked like we expected to win instead of actually putting the work in to acheive that goal. Bernie Slaven was right again on Century FM stating that if a team is on the back of a bad losing run then we are the team most likely to give them 3 points. It's almost as if we play better against tougher teams when we have to concentrate or are sure of defeat (anyone remember Arsenal!). What can be done? Already we have dropped 7 points that should have been in the bag, according to pre-season expectation! Not good enough and a terrifying, though slightly realistic thought that it may become the norm... A dark day.
My MOTM: Chris Riggott (yeah, he played in the reserves, exactly)
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
700 up!
No, he doesn't play for Boro, nor has he ever played for any other team than Grimsby Town FC - but John McDermott was born in Middlesbrough and deserves a quick nod for an amazing achievement in today's game: Tuesday night's fixture against Spurs marked the 36 year old defender's 700th game! All of them for one team, Grimsby Town!! And what a way to celebrate - causing the shock defeat of the night in the Carling cup 2nd round by beating a dismal Tottenham side 1-0. JM himself described it as the greatest victory in his time at the club, and that goes back to 1987! Great that in a time when Chelsea can pay over £50m for two players that characters like John are still around. Well done, sir! And maybe a tie against the Boro to look forward to next round as a reward... Tuesday, September 20, 2005
5 Back in Action
Five key squad players returned to full training this week after varying amounts of time on the treatment table. And nothing could be more timely, ahead of the first Tees - Wear derby in 3 years! Parnaby, Riggott, Mendieta, Nemeth and Hasselbaink have all been passed as fit. Although it is unlikely any of them will do better than the subs bench come Sunday it is still good news.Jimmy Floyd and Gaizka may be the star names and the big wage earners but I am of the opinion that Chris Riggott is the most significant returnee. Ugo Ehiogu is getting on in years and has not looked too solid at times in recent games, so Chris would be an invaluable stand-in long term, eventually perhaps replacing him altogether...
On the down side, both Mark Schwarzer and James Morrison picked up knocks at Wigan (both from Lee McCulloch!) and are 50/50 for the weekend. Morrison especially was looking good in the first half and would be much preferred to Mendieta on the right, also in my opinion. Either way we are sure to stuff our neighbours by a good margin - bring it on...!
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Wigan 1 Boro 1
A point away from home is never to be sneezed at, but you have to consider this as 2 points dropped. Wigan are the kind of team we should be eating up and spitting out 3 or 4 nil - and for the first 20 minutes it looked like we might. But whether you can blame the euro hangover for a little fatigue I just don't know...
Yakubu's 14th minute goal was the highlight of the afternoon and put Boro in control in the first half. Pogatetz then came closest to a second before the break, firing a powerful header off the crossbar. After the interval, though, we just didn't perform - the discipline was sloppy, especially Fabio Rochemback who wandered all over the park leaving gaps for Wigan to exploit. And exploit they did, when Henri Camara equalised mid way through the second half.
Disappointing; although the point keeps us in the top half of the table it is not the consistency that Steve McClaren called for and not the form of a team challenging for Champion's League. Work still to be done on that training pitch, I feel...
My MOTM:
Yakubu for another great goal and for being one of the few to battle in the 2nd half, Southgate just behind with a solid game and faultless in the equaliser.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Boro 2 FC Xanthi 0
Well, it was a win in Europe and a clean sheet and that's all that matters. 2-0 was probably the minimum expected from tonight's game and that's what we got in a mostly professional display on a breezy night at The Riverside. Patience and Possession were the watchwords in the first half, eventually paying off with George Boateng's tap in for the first goal before half time. We looked to be cruising, but the Greeks caused us significant problems at the back in the second half and should have equalised on more than one occasion - Emerson, the ex-Boro midfielder looking most likely to bring something about. But the storm again was weathered and when Mark Viduka's shot took a deflection to make the scoreline 2-0 with about ten minutes to go it was job done and a decent cushion for a fortnight's time.Not a classic, but when you see that Bolton struggled to come out 2-1 up at home and Everton, who were in the champion's league this time a few weeks ago, collapsed away to Dinamo Bucharest 5-1, you have to be relieved to at least have got the result - Easy games in Europe is something of a myth, but I'm confident we will make it to the group stages again without too much stress.
My MOTM:
George Boateng, for pushing forward and a rare goal - with Massimo Maccarone next best after another solid hour before being subbed.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Uefa Cup Preview
In a little more than 48 hours Boro will kick off their second Euro campaign in as many seasons at The Riverside. Their 1st round opponents are little known Skoda Xanthi from Thrace in Greece. Click their name to see their website, which does have an English version, and learn that in a poll over 50% of their fans think Boro will walk it; that their stadium only seats 7500 for the return leg; and that, yes, ex Boro player (in the loosest sense sometimes) Emerson will be playing. Overconfidence is a dangerous thing, though, and Steve McClaren will want to ensure a healthy lead of at least 2 goals to take over there.In the competition as a whole, Ladbrokes rate Boro 3rd favourites behind Roma and Seville at 14/1 - that's six points ahead of Everton at 20/1 and less than half the odds of Bolton at 33/1! And judging on their performance against The Arse, who can say they are wrong? Nice to know that we are tipped for at least a semi-final, but it might not be that easy...
As we learnt the hard way last season, keeping a fit squad is crucial to success. As of writing this, 9 squad players are on the injury list, including Stewart Downing, of course, Mendieta, Hasselbaink, Nemeth and Chris Riggot - of the nine only James Morrison is listed as 50/50 for Thursday. Although we can and do win without these players, this is a situation which must get better if there is to be a realistic chance of long term glory.
Saying that, it is a cup and anything can and will happen! I really enjoyed the run to the last 16 last season and hope for at least the same again - it's fun not only cheering on the Boro but also every underdog in every other game to increase our chances of silverware. Silverware? Now wouldn't that be nice!
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Boro 2 Arsenal 1
The boss had gone on record in the press conference that served as the official unveiling of Fabio Rochemback and Abel Xavier, stating that this game was the proper start to Boro's season - the transfer window was closed, there had been enough matches to get everyone up to full fitness and it was time to see what we had! The answer to that was a very different looking team - a new left back, with a hairstyle not of this planet, a new midfielder with flair and industry, another breakthrough debut from 18 year old Adam Johnson and a first start in 18 months for Massimo Maccarone, back from the void of 2nd division Italian football.With the nightmare of Charlton hanging over them, facing one of the so-called Big Three was always going to be a big ask, and in the opening 20 minutes it didn't look good, with Jose Reyes terrorising the penalty area in the absence of Thierry Henry and Ugo Egiogu looking less than up for it at the back. But the storm was weathered and towards the half hour momentum was building.
On forty minutes the Yak passed his first in a Boro shirt into the back of the net to make it one nil - a scoreline it was crucial to hang on to till half-time, which we did. After the break it was more Boro than the Gunners, with Rochemback and Parlour bossing the midfield and giving Maccarone the chance to make it two on the hour! The Italian was playing like a completely new player and could have had a hat-trick on another day. Fitting then that he was named man of the match, despite his substitution before the end for a fit again Danny Graham.
Manu Pogatetz also made an appearance in the 2nd half, looking very much the part, to add a little icing to what was becoming a memorable afternoon. Only Reyes' injury time consolation, preventing a deserved clean sheet, dampened the mood slightly. But all in all a magnificent display, beyond many fans expectations...
The thought to focus on now is what a great squad we have got if everyone can stay fit!! Especially in the striking department, with 3 in form men and the old head of Jimmy Floyd and the young legs of Danny Graham to fall back on. 7 points and ahead of Arsenal after five games - that's OK; a platform to build on and a terrific confidence booster ahead of Xanthi on Thursday.
My MOTM:
Massimo Maccarone, closely followed by an increasingly consistent Franck Queudrue.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
The Season So Far
2005 / 2006 senior squad - click image to enlargeSo here we are in September, four games in and only one win so far. It started well with a fighting draw against a match fit Liverpool squad that included an in-form Steven Gerrard, who was thwarted at every corner by a solid defense and a bit of luck. Next came Spurs and a 2-0 defeat - luck was against us that day, but no excuses as Spurs look like early contenders for most improved team this season. Then there was the evening fixture at St. Andrews and a 3-0 drubbing of Birmingham, including two glorious goals from Mark Viduka and a typically opportunistic headed goal from Franck Queudrue. Great things were expected then for the next home fixture against Charlton, but fortunes were totally reversed and it was Boro who suffered the 3-0 drubbing...
Since then Michael Reiziger has gone for good, Joseph Job has been loaned to an obscure Saudi Arabian side and new signing Fabio Rochemback has arrived for training from Sporting Lisbon (not pictured above). News also that Stewart Downing is out for 3 months and requires more surgery on that knee, means there's more to moan about than smile at. The boss has been on International duty, as have many of the players, so not so much of a rest or a chance to train together before the next game against Arsenal on the 10th. Fans will be wondering which team will step onto the pitch that day, the slick and confident side that faced Brum or the lackluster outfit that limped out against Charlton...
All eyes will be on the new boy in midfield, in hope he can create chances to get 7.5m signing Yakubu off the mark, or to continue the form of Mark Viduka (who scored a few for Australia in the break). Emanuel Pogatetz should figure in the line-up and also has something to prove. But the big question for me is what will Steve McClaren do to compensate for Stewie's absence? All will be revealed...
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Welcome to The Red Lion Roars
Welcome to my new blog - an offshoot of The Wasteland specifically for topics relating to my home team, Middlesbrough Football Club: The Boro!
All previous Boro posts have been removed from The Wasteland and have been unceremoniously binned - A new season deserves a new start I say!
As ever, all comments are welcome, but please stick to the subject.
