Barnsley vs Middlesbrough preview
By: Jack Sargeant |
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Introduction
Tomorrow evening Barnsley welcome the Boro to Oakwell. Boro will travel to Barnsley on the back of a 3-0 success against Scunthorpe yesterday, whereas Barnsley’s last game against Preston was called off due to the surrounding areas around Deepdale being deemed unsafe.
Boro now sit 10th in the league on 32 points whereas Barnsley sit 7 places behind on 27 points.
Boro have been successful on the road this season, but Oakwell is proving a tough ground for visitors, having lost only once at home since Mark Robins took over as manager in September.
Gordon Strachan has said that all Boro needed was that one win to set the ball rolling, and with beating Scunthorpe yesterday, could this be the kick we needed?
The last time Boro and Barnsley met was way back in 1995 when the honours were even at 1-1.
Boro team news
• Leroy Lita is unavailable for the next 3 games due to suspension after getting sent off against Scunny for a reason no one except the linesman knows.
• We are unsure as to whether Emmanuel Pogatetz is available for selection – he hobbled off clutching his hamstring yesterday.
• Dave Kitson was unwell for the game yesterday, so he is doubful.
Category: Match Previews
Boro triumph over the Iron
By: Jack Sargeant | Add Comments
In his programme notes, Boro manager Gordon Strachan said that in this fixture against Scunthorpe, he wanted his side give us supporters some ’Christmas cheer’ and that they sure did tonight as Boro beat 10-man Scunthorpe 3-0. It is Strachan’s first home win since taking charge at the Riverside.
Match recap
Boro opened the scoring just 11 minutes in following a positive start for the Riverside crowd courtesy of an Adam Johnson penalty after Scunthorpe’s Cliff Byrne was sent off for hauling down Jeremie Aliadiere inside the box.
The advantage was doubled seconds before the half-time break thanks to a drilled shot from central midfielder Rhys Williams after numerous Boro chances hit the post.
Just moments after the players re-emerged from the break, a fluffed Jeremie Aliadiere shot somehow managed to crawl past the Scunthorpe ‘keeper Joe Murphy.
There was controversy 7 minutes from time as Boro on-loan striker Leroy Lita was sent off for an off-the-ball incident, with varying reports that it was either foul and abusive language or for aiming a punch at a Scunthorpe player.
My thoughts
One factor which certainly aided our cause today was the fact that Danny Coyne was placed in goal in favour of Brad Jones – something which the Boro fans including myself have been calling for for a long while. Boro’s last clean sheet prior to this match was on the 20th of October when we beat Derby 2-0. That game also happens to be the last time Danny Coyne took to the field. Surely this is not coincidence. He looks more confident than Jones and is a talker – he bosses the defence about and lets them know exactly what to do – something Jones rarely, if ever did.
Although they never had much to do, David Wheater and Emmanuel Pogatetz looked strong at the back before 8 minutes from time when Pog’ left the field with a hamstring problem. Hopefully it isn’t too serious as he is a player important to Boro.
Nextly, Adam Johnson was outstanding. He put in an amazing performance, not forgetting the fact he has just returned from injury. He was energetic and really lifted the Riverside fans. We will have a very, very hard job keeping him at the end of the season and realistically, I think we at best have to hope that he stays past January.
There were other players to impress – Jeremie Aliadiere had a good game and his energy and work-rate aided the cause.
Leroy Lita. Hmm, I still remain unsure of Lita. He seems to go about moaning a lot and being a general pain in the backside, hence the sending-off, and there was very little shown in the way of footballing ability today.
The closing words
At risk of sounding like a party-pooper, this game was against Scunthorpe, a team who will most likely at the bottom end of the table, and could even be in a relegation scrap, so how we would have played against another side is something we wait to find out.
However, we are 10th, only 2 points off the promotion spots and anything can yet happen, especially with the transfer market coming up where we can really strengthen our weak points – provided Strachan has money, of course! Roll on Barnsley!
Category: Match ReportsMiddlesbrough vs Scunthorpe preview
By: Jack Sargeant | 2 Comments
Introduction
On boxing day the Boro welcome Scunthorpe United or ‘The Iron’ to the Riverside and we are massive favourites for the game – according to the bookies!
The Iron are currently 5 places behind Boro in 19th, and are on 23 points – 6 points off our 29.
Scunthorpe are billing this game as a “Christmas cracker”. I wish I was so optimistic about the level of football to be played. Oh well, can’t be as bad as the last boxing day fixture I went to last year against Everton, where a typical goalmouth scramble lead to a typical Tim Cahill goal in the freezing cold, as we hurtled ever closer to relegation.
Scunthorpe are 4 games unbeaten in stark contrast to the Boro who have only won 1 in the 8 games that Gordon Strachan has been in charge.
Team News
Boro
• Adam Johnson is still out but is nearing a return – Strachan say’s that he doesn’t want to play him until he is back to full fitness.
• Chris Riggott and forward Jeremie Aliadiere are both back in full training after lengthy absences.
• Sean St Ledger is once again unavailable for selection as his loan has expired and the deal is yet to be made permanent.
• Seb Hines could still face up to 8 weeks on the sidelines after ankle surgery.
• Midfielder Didier Digard is another player unavailable through injury.
Scunthorpe
• ‘Keeper Joe Murphy returns from suspension to play Boro.
• Defender Cliff Byrne and midfielder Martyn Woolford return from injuries.
• Despite nearing a return, striker Ben May is still out alongside defender Kenny Milne who did well during his recent three week-long rehabilitation in Colorado, and he should be back playing in the reserves soon.
Category: Match PreviewsMiserable Middlesbrough lose Tyne-Tees derby 2-0
By: Jack Sargeant | 2 Comments
It wasn’t just the fact that we lost a huge derby game against the Geordies which has wound me up, it is the manner in which we lost it.
Just a quick game recap:
Just a side note – Sean St Ledger’s loan is over so he was unavailable for selection.
Marlon Harewood opened the scoring just 16 mins in with a tap-in after a goal-mouth scramble in controversial circumstances. A free kick curled in from the edge of the Boro box was misjudged badly by keeper Brad Jones who missed the ball after coming off his line to punch it. Shola Ameobi then headed the ball across the empty goalmouth, appearing to shove Emmanuel Pogatetz to the ground in the process, before Marlon Harewood slotted into an empty net.
The advantage was then doubled on the hour when a stunning ball from the right was floated in by Guthrie before Shola Ameobi beat the only defender to the header past the flailing dive of Jones.
Now then, on to my game rants:
Brad Jones in goal was, as per usual poor and I would much rather see Coyne who is an experienced keeper who’s been around the block a few times guard our net. Could be just a confidence issue with Jones however.
Arca instead of Yeates? Why? Arca should not be in the side. As simple as that, he is too slow and is ineffective when he tootles up and down the wing. Yeates is a player who looks like he puts in a good shift and will do ok at this level of football.
While Leroy Lita puts a shift in, he doesn’t seem to have any great football nous about him, and we still lack a cutting-edge striker.
Hoyte and McMahon were dreadful with Hoyte’s aimless passing and McMahon’s aimless hoofing down the wing.
The closing words
So then, another defeat, only 1 win in 8 now for Strachan and while I am not totally with the decision to hire him, he needs time. This game has really highlighted our weaknesses and until January, maybe until the end of the season we have to be prepared to suffer poor performances – until Strachan has time to mould the squad to how he wants it, and in the time until then it will be a case of finding the best balance we can.
Category: Match ReportsWrite for Middlesbrough Offside
By: CJH | Add Comments
Rough season for Middlesbrough. Not only are they about to be relegated from the Premier League, but their Offside blogger abandoned ship after just two posts.
For legal reasons I can’t claim that those two events are related, even though the evidence is pretty conclusive if you ask me.
If you’re a ‘Boro fan interested in writing about your team for a website with a sizeable audience, then you could be exactly who we’re looking.
It’s not a paid position, but writing for The Offside can be a lot of fun, and a chance to be part of an intelligent football loving community.
If you want to write for ‘Boro Offsde the have a read of our blogging guidelines and then send an email to: daryl[at]theoffside[dot]com
Category: Middlesbrough Team NewsMiddlesbrough 2 – 1 Tottenham, Mido’s Revenge
By: Conor | 1 Comment
How ironic it is that Spurs who are looking for a new striker to solve their striking crisis were to be beaten by a goal from a former striker deemed not good enough for The Lane. How fitting it was for Mido, who is now looking much slimmer, to silence the spurs faithful and kick start his and boro’s season.
After such a poor start last season it was vital this new look boro team got off to a winning start. Also the boro fans got a great boost before kick off as new signing Justin Hoyte was unveiled. This helped massively as the atmosphere throughout the game was great and did really spur on the team.
With players such as Alves, Tuncay, Downing and Wheater starting it looked a very strong line up with a bench full of stars such as Digard, Mido, Emnes and Johnson.
For me Middlesbrough deserved the 3 points as they looked the far more creative team with the ball and created the clearer chances. Also a stupid decision from Martin Atkinson to disallow a clearly perfect Wheater goal for pushing on Dawson, when it both players with arms over each other.
But it wasn’t long before the defensive goal machine Wheater got his goal tapping in before super sub Mido slid in a Digard cross shot. Only a late own goal from Huth, to give spurs a consolation would be the only downer on a perfect day for the boro.
Category: Middlesbrough Team NewsNew Recruits
By: Conor | 3 Comments
It’s fairly early in this summers transfer market but boss Gareth Southgate has already dipped into the market to bring in two young talents from France and Holland. The two young stars are French U21 international Didier Digard from PSG and Netherland U17 international Marvin Emnes from Sparta Rotterdam. These two signings should add creativity and pace to the Boro team and push Boro on to better things for the coming season.
French U21 international Didier Digard joins for a fee of around £4 million and comes highly rated from his time in France. He has represented his country 4 times at U21 level. Digard started his career at Le Harve and spent 8 years there making 72 appearances and scoring 3 goals in his time with the club. Last summer he was linked with a host of Premiership clubs but chose to stay in France,signing a 3 year deal with Paris Saint- Germain. In his one season at PSG he made 16 appearances impressing, but could not stop PSG finishing in a lowly 16th. There was also some controversy surrounding the move to Boro as there was a hold up with the deal, and Digard expressed his frustration branding the PSG board “incompetent”.This must raise some question marks over the players character and will be intresting to watch if any trouble comes out of him during the season. PSG rejected this claim blaming Middlesbrough for the hold up and suspended Digard for his public outburst, but days later the move was wrapped up and Digard got his wish and both parties were left happy with the outcome.
Marvin Emnes who has represented The Netherlands at U17 level has joined the Teesiders from Dutch outfit Sparta Rotterdam for a fee of around £3.2 million. Emnes who is a speedy winger came through the youth ranks at Sparta Rotterdam and made his debut for them in the 2005/06 season though his breakthrough year came in the 2007/08 season scoring 8 goals which in turn bought him to the attention of Southgate and got him his move to the Premier league. Overall for Sparta Rotterdam he made 56 appearances scoring a total of 9 goals but it will be intresting to see if he can make the transition from Dutch football to the English Premier league where palyers such as Dirk Kuyt have struggled.
These two signings are sure to have got the Boro faithful dreaming of better days for the club next season, but they have still got to replace fans favourite Mark Schwarcher who has left to join Fulham on a free transfer. Boro fans will want a top keeper in to replace him and I believe that Thomas Sorensen would be a great replacement as he is top keeper with vast experience of the Premier league and is available for next to nothing. Also with Lee Cattermole on the brink of joining Wigan it is looking more and more likely that Southgate will splash the cash on long term target James Harper who can hopefully be Middlesbrough’s goal scoring midfielder they have been crying out for.
Category: Middlesbrough Team News
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