Saturday, October 15, 2005
Boro 1 Portsmouth 1
After another busy international break the question was whether Boro could keep the momentum of some good results going or fall back into a loop of inconsistency. The answer has to be the latter - We were at home, facing a poor team that will almost certainly finish in the bottom 6 and almost the full squad was fit, so to drop 2 more points has to be seen as disappointing.Yakubu faced his former club for the first time and always looked hungry for the goal that eventually came in the 53rd minute, and were it not for a lack of defensive concentration just after the break the result might have been different. But the finger points at the boss somewhat, as you sense that were a more attacking formation selected from the start, as we were forced to adopt after conceding a goal, we would have steamrolled the opposition no problem. As it was it was another case of what might have been...
The strikers didn't do a lot wrong - both Viduka and Hasselbaink looked good on their arrivals in the second half and Maccarone again looked the best player on the pitch in the first - It is the supply from midfield that is the problem, together with a lack of total focus at the back. Steve McClaren has to be questioned again in trying to accommodate both Pogatetz and Queudrue on the left instead of making a clear choice, and in allowing Fabio Rochemback a free role that only seems to confuse those around him. Once these organisational problems are sorted out you can believe there is a very good team here, but until then it is ultimately frustrating!
My MOTM: Yakubu, great game against his old team, but it could have been Maccarone if allowed the full 90.
