Doncaster vs Middlesbrough 26/1/10

Doncaster 1 - Boro 4

Johnson 30, 90+1
Franks 45+2
Lita 66

Well if you saw my apology on MFC Facebook you will know this already, but yes I missed the game, was going to go, was going to listen, but for some reason ended up doing neither... and what a game to miss.

Boro had been threatening a result like this for the past few matches, especially last week against Swansea, but as usual we were ruing missed chances, sloppy goals conceded etc - but not against Donny.

For the match report, as I have no knowledge of the game, I'll have to link you to the official MFC.co.uk's match report, and I'll list the fans player ratings from Sky Sports.

I'm sorry for such a weak write up, will do better for Boro's upcoming fixture against Bristol City.


Player Ratings

Coyne - 8
Grounds – 7
Wheater –7
Hoyte – 7
McMahon – 7
Flood – 8
Johnson – 9
Arca – 6
O'Neil – 7
Franks – 8
Killen – 8

Subs
Taylor - 6
Bennett - 6
Lita - 8


Boro Man of the Match - Adam Johnson
Attendance - 10,794
Game Highlight - Adam Johnson's brace, showing us all what we'll be missing if he goes in search of the big bucks at Manchester City...


Thanks for reading, and as always comments (good or bad) are always appreciated. Keep a look out on Twitter (@MFCFacebook) and check the links section of this blog for the Facebook MFC Fanpage.

Middlesbrough vs Swansea 23/1/10

Boro 1 - Swansea 1

Flood 58

An overcast and chilly day at the Riverside stadium was to be the setting for Boro's lowest league attendance of the 2009/10 Championship season. A mere 16,516 Boro fans held tickets for the first of a long list of 'must win' games in a push to propel the team up the league, and back into the Premiership.

Boro started the game with all the available senior players on the pitch, not all match fit, and a bench made up of youngsters. Despite this Boro made a positive start to the game, with home débutante Willo Flood looking lively down the right wing. Leroy Lita came close to opening the scoring on a couple of occasions whilst the other home débutante Chris Killen was a little quieter.

Half time came with polite applause from the home crowd as Boro went back to the dressing room, ruing the missed earlier chances, and believing that they had done enough to be leading at this point.

As we have seen so many times this season after the interval Boro started sluggishly, and this led to Pintado taking the lead for the visitors after 47 minutes. The crowd fell silent, especially in the knowledge that in the last 100 games Boro have only come from behind to win once.

Boro began to work their way back into the game, when in the 58th minute a miss hit Willo Flood cross flew into the back of the net, bemusing the fans and players alike. As the game wore on it opened up slightly, with both teams unlucky not to get a winner, but in the end the result stayed the same and Boro strode off the field unbeaten in the last two league home games, and possibly showed signs that the ship is steadying, despite the injury crisis.

It was good to see Joe Bennett come on at left back, and he did seem to make a positive impact when he was introduced, which left me wondering if it was time to stick him in the starting eleven and begin games with a more attacking mentality at home.

The anti-Strachanites will have left the ground unhappy, and no doubt calling for his head down the pub later that night, but for me the performance showed signs of improvement, and for the first time in a while give me the belief that with a proven Championship striker up front alongside Lita we might have a chance at putting a bit of a run together.


Player Ratings

Coyne - 7
Riggott – 7
Wheater – 6
Hoyte – 6
McMahon – 5
Flood – 7
Johnson – 6
Arca – 6
O'Neil – 7
Lita – 6
Killen – 5

Subs
L Williams - 6
Bennett - 6
Grounds - 6


Boro Man of the Match - Willo Flood
Attendance - 16,847
Game Highlight - Flood made a positive start in first half and rounded off his day with a goal, even if it was a fluke. Also Killen despite not doing much did show signs that he can hold the ball up which is something we have been lacking for some time.


Thanks for reading, and as always comments (good or bad) are always appreciated. Keep a look out on Twitter (@MFCFacebook) and check the links section of this blog for the Facebook MFC Fanpage.

Boro - Just a One Man Team

As I sat in the stadium yesterday I wondered 'has our recent decline really been due to Gordon Strachan, or is there another reason' and then it hit me. Adam Johnson.

I mentioned this to my mate sat next to me, and we both wondered how what the results have been when he has played well, and what they have been when he's not directly contributed, so I set about collating a few statistics to see what the answer was.

Now unfortunately I can't find a site with his player rating out of ten for each game (and this blog doesn't go back that far) so I had to go with the games he played, missed, scored and assisted in, and it makes shocking reading:

Includes two cup games where points have not been counted

When Johnson plays, and contributes with a goal or assist, we win 64% of our games, compared to 12% without a contribution. 23 points with a Adam Johnson contribution, and only 10 without.

Has Johnson's contribution flattered Southgate?

Now here is the interesting thing, Boro have now played 28 games in all competitions this season, and also each manager has managed for 14 games each, so its a good time to look at the 'Johnson Effect' for each manager. Now something you hear quite a bit is that we should never have got rid of Southgate as we were one point off top... but how much of this had to do with Southgate's managerial ability, or just that Adam Johnson was in a patch of good form?

In Gareth Southgate's 14 games in charge, Johnson contributed a goal or assist in 8 out of 14 games (57%), and in Strachan's first this figure is 3 out of 14 games (21%).

Now it could have been that Southgate got the best out of Adam Johnson, but there was signs there that his form was ebbing away - in the last six games Southgate had in charge Johnson only contributed in two games, leading to three losses in the same period, so I'm not convinced that it was this. We all know Johnson couldn't keep his Ronaldo like form up all season, and I believe that his drop in form had started prior Strachan taking over, not because he took over.

I'll leave you to make your own conclusions, you might still think that Southgate should never have got sacked, or that we should cash in on Johnson now, or even that Strachan is the answer, but whatever your opinion, the figures speak for themselves and go to show that Adam Johnson is the most influential player at Middlesbrough Football Club by far...

Steve Gibson has talked the talk...

Steve Gibson has talked the talk, now he needs to walk the walk

Since we were relegated Steve Gibson has been telling us all that promotion is his aim, and that we must not fail in achieving this. First it was by automatic promotion, then as our form dived the talk from the club has switched to the playoffs, but with the end of the transfer window closing in on us fast is Middlesbrough Football Club’s aim just consolidation this season?

I am disappointed, and somewhat concerned with the lack of players coming in to improve the team, and bolster squad numbers. Currently we have let Mohammed Shawky, Didier Digard and Mark Yeates leave, with Marcus Bent also leaving having finished his loan spell – and the additions are Chris Killen, Willo Flood and Barry Robson. Four players out, three in, with a net loss of a midfield player - and now there is talk of Gary O’Neil leaving.

We still are dreadfully short up front, and we need to replace Yeates as soon as possible. We still lack creativity in midfield and any sort of goal threat from our strikers. I personally wouldn’t like to rely on Lita, Aliadiere and Killen for the rest of the season.

What I would like to see is Steve Gibson getting serious about signing some strikers with proven records. Jermaine Beckford, David Healy and Kris Boyd are all names that have been doing the rounds, but its money that seems to be the problem. So, come on Steve, show us you mean business and get your hand in your pocket.

I think the consequences of staying in the Championship are horrific for a club like Middlesbrough. If the Manchester City game was anything to go by we could be looking at 10,000 home fans being the average next season, and overall support for the manager, chairman and team being at an all time low. Something needs to be done, and it needs to be done before the 31st January 2010.

Sheff Utd v Middlesbrough 16/01/10

Sheff Utd 1 - Boro 0

By Steven Byrne

Despite three signings from Celtic in one week there wasn’t as much optimism in the air as there probably should have been.

Barry Robson, Willo Flood and Chris Killen all made their Boro debuts in the trip to Bramall Lane - where the Blades had only lost once in twelve and not conceded a goal in over eight hours prior to this match. Jeremie Aliadiere and Isiah Osbourne also returned to a Boro side which for the first time in a while looked as though it had a bit of balance and some much needed bite in midfield. Adam Johnson was also on to the bench after a hamstring injury.

It was a fairly uneventful first half with referee Andy D’Urso waving away the Blades appeals for a penalty after the ball appeared to hit Robson’s hand. Boro’s best chance came from Isiah Osbourne after he intercepted a clearance, wriggled his way into the area but could only manage a tame shot straight at Mark Bunn in the Sheffield United net. Moments later Chris Riggott’s tame header from a Robson free kick was gathered easily by Bunn.

Despite the home side having lost just one of their last eleven the home fans weren’t impressed with their team’s first half performance and the players left the field to a chorus of boos. The three Boro debutants impressed in the first half, all three putting themselves about, but it was clear to see that something was still missing. Unfortunately that something was getting the ball into the back of the net.

The second half began with the same 22 players taking to the field again and there was a sense that one goal would win it – hopefully it would be scored by a player in ‘Transporter Blue’.

Boro started brightly with captain Gary O’Neil forcing a good save from Bunn from a 25 yard free kick. It was a little disappointing that Robson’s ‘sweet left foot’ didn’t get a chance moments later when O’Neil then sent another free kick from a similar distance well over the top. Boro were starting to control the game but it was Sheffield united who got the decisive goal on 55 minutes. Andrew Taylor (no, not that one) whipped in a good cross from the left hand side which was met by Richard Cresswell after David Wheater was once again second best. Danny Coyne managed to get a hand to it but was unable to keep it out.

Not long after, the returning Aliadiere chased a long ball into the box and went down under a challenge from Chris Morgan in what looked like it a blatant penalty. Referee D’Urso didn’t think so and awarded a goal kick. That was it, you knew it wasn’t going to be our day, and I think the players did too. Their heads all seemed to drop at once, and even substitute Adam Johnson, on just after the hour for the once again injured Aliadiere, couldn’t impose himself on the game.

The game was petering out and Jonathan Franks replaced the hard working Flood with 15 minutes to go, but it was United substitute Henri Camara who had the best chance late on forcing a fine save from Danny Coyne tipping a low shot onto the post.

It was same old story for Boro, who have now lost 3 consecutive away games. There are signs that we are starting to turn things around and I feel that with the addition of someone who knows where the goal is we could have a good second half of the season. Oh, and someone also needs to give Wheater a kick up the backside!


Player Ratings

Coyne - 7
McMahon - 6
Riggott - 7
Wheater - 4
Hoyte - 6
Flood - 7
Robson - 8
Osbourne - 6
O’Neil - 7
Aliadiere - 5
Killen – 6

Subs
Johnson – 5
Franks - 5


Boro Man of the Match - Barry Robson
Attendance - 23,974
Game Highlight - Finally seeing some new signings

Thanks for reading, and as always comments (good or bad) are always appreciated. Keep a look out on Twitter (@MFCFacebook) and check the links section of this blog for the Facebook MFC Fanpage.

Learning from Southgate

The majority of fans could learn a thing or two from Gareth Southgate, including myself... He said on the BBC last night that he'd moved forward, and I think our support needs to move forward as well. We need to stop calling for Southgate to be reinstated, stop calling for Strachan's head, stop blaming Gibson for errors in the past and commit to the Boro until the end of the season!

Everyone wants the same thing - PROMOTION. Steve Gibson wants it, Gordon Strachan wants it, the players want it, and the fans want it. We can play our part as well - we need to have all the fans behind the team, the attendances about 25,000 and no boos at the end of the game and we'll have a much better chance of succeeding this season.


Late Kick Off, featuring the interview with Gareth Southgate is available on the BBC iPlayer until 12:04am on Tuesday 24 January 2010. Click here to watch...

January Transfer Window

So the window has opened, and as I write we are 9 days into it, and no new additions, although today it has come to light that Celtic have accepted bids for Gary Caldwell and Barry Robson. In the Mail online it also reported that we have also offered Kris Boyd £250,000 a year more than Rangers to come down to Teesside, but it remains to be seen if Boyd signs for us, signs for Birmingham, or stays at Rangers.

So it would appear that we are staying away from European players in this window, with Srachan mainly going for the Scottish players which he 'knows and trusts', that are 'leaders'. I for one are pleased with this policy, especially in the position in the league that we find ourselves in. We do need grafters, players who lead from the front - not Afonso Alves' and Lee Dong Gook's - promising so much and never delivering. We need some grit, steel and determination - that is what is going to get us winning games and climbing up the table.

On a positive note it has also been reported that Didier Digard has been loaned to Nice, with a view to becoming a permanent deal. I for one think that this is a great move - freeing up wages for new signings, and also freeing up a space on the Physio's table. Digard is a good player, but has never stayed fit long enough to impose himself. I think any manager in the Championship would love a fully fit Didier Digard, but he is simply made of glass.

Another positive is Mohammed Shawky reportedly coming back from the dead, making an appearence on the Boro bench, then been linked with a move away from the Riverside. With any luck he'll be on his way out, ending one of the most dissapointing spells at the club in recent times.

With these players moving on it is a little worrying that none have come in yet, but hopefully Gordon Strachan in the next few weeks will have bolstered our side for the promotion challenge... (I hope).

Middlesbrough v Man City 02/01/10 (FA Cup 3rd Rnd)

Boro 0 - Man City 1

No match report due to Christmas holidays

Player Ratings

Coyne - 6
Riggott – 6
Wheater – 6
Hoyte – 6
McMahon – 6
R Williams – 5
Johnson – 5
Arca – 6
O'Neil – 7
Franks – 6
Bent – 5

Subs
Emnes - 4
Yeates - 6
L Williams - 6


Boro Man of the Match - Gary O'Neil
Attendance - 12,474
Game Highlight - Boro persevered, and maybe with a decent striker might have done better. Not a bad performance at all.

Thanks for reading, and as always comments (good or bad) are always appreciated. Keep a look out on Twitter (@MFCFacebook) and check the links section of this blog for the Facebook MFC Fanpage.

Should We Worry..?

I though I might try and work using averages of points scored, and previous league final standings to see if we have any chance of going up without divine intervention...

Averages...

Looking at a few stats from last two seasons in The Championship and our current performance we firstly, to gain automatic promotion in 2007/08 would have needed 76 points, and a play-off place would be 70 points... And for the 2008/09 season it was 81 and 74 respectively. Now what will be required this year? Well West Brom have played 23 and have 45 points, but not knowing how they will play for their remaining 23 games I'll just have to average out their points over 46 games, that figure being a massive 90 points. So we are looking at quite a tall order to get up there, probably requiring 80-90 for automatic promotion, and 70-80 for a play-off position.

So, how are we doing on our current form? Well we are currently on 32 points from 24 games, at an average of 1.3 points per game. Now that averaged out over the season would put us on 60 points, someway short of our target. Interestingly for the games that Gareth Southgate was in charge of (23 points from 13 games - average 1.8 ppg) the points gained averaged out over the course of the season would have us on 83 points - pretty much guaranteed in the play-offs...

What do we need...

Well for the play-offs we need say 75, which would be an extra 43 points over 22 games which equates to nearly 2 points per game, and promotion at say, 85 points would leave us requiring 53 points from 22 games at 2.4 points per game.

Strachan's points per game ratio is 9 points from 11 games at a rate of 0.8 points per game...

So, it will take us to get double the points under Strachan for the last 22 games if we are to come anywhere near, and obviously we will be taking points from the teams above us, so that will help... but its looking very unlikely that without a miraculous turn around in form that we can come near to the play-off positions. More worryingly still, if we continue at the same rate of points scored we will have 50 points come the end of the season, which last year would have placed us 21st (fourth from bottom) and only 4 points above relegation.

Can Strachan do it..?

I believe he can get near, if he brings in the right sort of players in January, and we shouldn't be in danger of going down. But, and its a big but, it is imperative that Steve Gibson backs him in January and we start picking up points against Swansea on the 9th Jan, at home.

What do you think..?

Barnsley v Middlesbrough 28/12/09

Boro 1 - Barnsley 2

Hoyte 23

No match report due to Christmas holidays

Player Ratings

Coyne - 6
Riggott – 8
Wheater – 7
Hoyte – 6
McMahon – 6
R Williams – 7
Johnson – 6
Arca – 5
O'Neil – 6
Franks – 4
Bent – 4

Subs
L Williams - 6


Boro Man of the Match - Chris Riggott
Attendance - 18,001 (4,446 Boro)
Game Highlight - Amazing away following again - well done!

Thanks for reading, and as always comments (good or bad) are always appreciated. Keep a look out on Twitter (@MFCFacebook) and check the links section of this blog for the Facebook MFC Fanpage.