middlesbroughfcblog.com » SPL

Championship Picks For Round Thirteen

BA — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 05:41:34 +0000

A wealth of prime Championship stock this weekend (and beyond): Boro v Derby, Ipswich entertaining Palace, Reading hosting Southampton, West Ham venturing to Brighton

Round 12 results: 6 correct – 1 perfect scoreline

22 Oct 11

12.00p

Peterborough v Leeds – London Road

Lil Ferg is ahead of the pace to reach the magical 50-ish points plateau that should ensure Peterborough finish the season quite anticlimactically; no promotion or relegation.

Andy Lonergan’s fucked finger is the latest injury obstacle for Leeds. Paul Rachubka deputises for a few weeks – good thing this lot have got goals in them…Posh 2-2 Dirty Leeds

3.00p

Blackpool v Nottingham Forest – Bloomfield Road

Impressive abbreviated shift for Paul Ince’s boy Tom – the midfielder came on in the 57th minute against Doncaster and scored a pair to blag the win. Sod the Charlie Adam sale, this could be the best bit of business the club ever did with Liverpool.

Forest got an injection of hope with the appointment of Steve Cotterill. It paid off immediately during a comfortable win over Middlesbrough on Tuesday. Gone is the continental 4-3-3 favoured by the erstwhile gaffer, replaced with a 4-4-2 that seems to represent the pedigree of the club a bit better…Blackpool 2-1 Forest

Cardiff v Barnsley – Cardiff City Stadium

Keith Hill is banging on about what a star Danny Drinkwater will be, keeping his tongue firmly in Manchester United’s arse for as long as allowed while Cam Park rots on the fucking bench. Discriminatory. End of.

The hosts are still hosing off after the monster goal load dumped on them at London Road. Lately Malky Mackay’s defence is as leaky as a cheap prophylactic. Shouldn’t matter this week though…Cardiff 2-0 Barnsley

Coventry v Burnley – Ricoh Arena

Richard Wood made the coach ride back infinitely more enjoyable with his stoppage time equaliser at Elland Road, netting Andy Thorn a much-needed point. The expectation will be to push on and build against an injury-riddled Burnley side.

Consecutive losses to Reading and at Barnsley make the big win at Millwall seem distant, and the upcoming fixtures suggest the spectre of only a few positive results until the competition eases in early December…Coventry 1-0 Burnley

Hull v Watford – KC Stadium

Nigel Pearson has his charges gloriously grinding out results – any match exceeding two total goals is a rare, and frankly unwanted, occurrence these days. The goalless draw netted at Brighton on Tuesday is a testament to their voluntary austerity programme.

Worrying run for Watford: nil scored, eight conceded in the their last three as they appear to ready to commence a hellacious relegation dogfight…Hull 1-0 Watford

Ipswich v Crystal Palace – Portman Road

Could be the match of the round. Ipswich are flying atop the form table with four wins and two draws in their last six, adept at both ends with ten scored and only three conceded during the spell.

Palace have won the last two away from Selhurst Park, putting them ahead of their opponents on goals in fifth place currently. Simply put, Dougie Freedman is doing the best job that absolutely nobody outside of south London is talking about…Ipswich 2-2 Palace

Leicester v Millwall – King Power Stadium

Seeing Jermaine Beckford and David Nugent score in the victory over Watford surely comforts Sven like a coquettish brunette. The fastidious preseason expectations haven’t been met just yet, though one gets the feeling the Foxes are positioning themselves well to pounce on a playoff position.

Draws at Boro and in the New Den against Brighton? It shows an ethic and passion instilled by the gaffer during some uncertain times. Though meagre, the goals procured in the latest results may provide a boost to push on and bulge the opposition’s net a bit more…Leicester 3-1 Millwall

Middlesbrough v Derby – The Riverside

A historic run to open the season has regressed into a quasi-panic on Teesside: no wins in five, a dearth of goals, and the disarming of Dreadlocked Dynamite Marvin Emnes, scoreless since Selhurst Park…in the league.

Derby arrive as a curiosity: chopped and changed radically in the summer, and astonishingly effective as they hang around the automatic promotion spots. Let’s hope their gaffer doesn’t get a supernatural slice of fortune back in the town of his old man’s childhood home…Boro 3-2 Derby

Portsmouth v Doncaster – Fratton Park

The fug has been lifted says erudite, journo-friendly Dave Kitson. A new freedom has enveloped Fratton Park since the manager bounced for the East Midlands. Whoever gets the vacant job will inherit a group bent on relaxing and enjoying their football, something not associated with Portsmouth F.C. for quite some time.

The Chris Kirkland experiment lasted one wretched performance against Leeds. A persistent back injury sends him back to Wigan way, paving a return for the ageless Crazy Gang remnant Neil Sullivan. Some winnable fixtures over the next few weeks spark hope that Rovers can escape away to lower mid-table pseudo-safety…Pompey 1-1 Doncaster

5.20p

Reading v Southampton – Madejski Stadium

Resurgent Reading roll in to this match on the type of form many expected in the summer. The road has been more welcoming of late for the hosts, however a scalp off of table-toppers Southampton will go a long way to restoring respectability.Saints have proven earthlier away from St. Mary’s with an even 2W 2D 2L road record. The results are immaterial as Adkins and crew have sufficiently alerted the league of their lofty ambitions…Reading 1-2 Southampton

23 Oct 11

3.00p

Bristol City v Birmingham – Ashton GateDerek McInnes arrives at Ashton Gate amid a wave of optimism and contentment, cos he’s not Mark Robins or Dave Jones. The former St Johnstone supremo is tasked with arresting a woeful slide that sees City bottom. Let’s see if he gets a bit of dosh to make his own splash on the squad come January.Birmingham continue their European pillage after Chris Wood pocketed all three points in Brugges during Europa League group play. Fixtures are starting to pile up, presenting a potential issue for Chris Hughton. Eventually he’ll have to rely on Marlon King…City 0-1 Brummies

24 Oct 11

7.45p

Brighton v West Ham – Falmer

Hammers were just on the south coast and got done. Despite the setback Big Sam still commands second position, somewhat astoundingly given their recent spotty form. Profiting from others’ misfortune, that’s what this lot are all about.

Gus Poyet and his distinctive brand of progressive football have encountered some resistance. No wins in six, letting in almost two a contest, and generally bereft of creativity and invention. Isn’t that what Vicente was for? Brighton 2-3 West Sam

26 Oct 11

7.45p

Birmingham v Leeds – St Andrew’s

Catch up match for the fabulous supporters who braved Belgium en masse…fixture backlog and all…Brummies 2-1 Dirty Leeds

Post-Match Fag – Doncaster 2-1 Boro

BA — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 04:15:22 +0000

The lager-fuelled trains descended south for the leisurely journey, armed with supporters impervious to the adverse conditions. We stuck to the superphone for the latest updates, frankly astounded that this perilous fixture was never really in peril. In the end Doncasters Rovers hosted Boro at the frozen wasteland masquerading as the Keepmoat Stadium…here are the frost-kissed notes/observations/plagiarisms that just thawed out as a result of the Siberian affair…

Boro have won the last six versus Rovers…last Donny result was 1957 at Belle Vue – 17th meeting in the series – Boro leads all-time 12W 2D 3L

In the fetching blue away kit, Boro line up in a 4-4-2 – Marvin Emnes on the left…Julio Arca/ Kevin Thomson in the middle…Gary O’Neil right… Wheats – who had a spell at Donny under Dave Penney – is back, forcing Seb Hines to the bench…Justin Hoyte remains favoured at right back and Nicky Bailey is out ill…the training facilities at Hurworth remain as salubrious as the intimate booths down the local gentleman’s arcade

Fantastic start, redolent of Scunthorpe! A few telling attacks early, then Emnes does the creation for Scott McDonald to tap in after 4 mins: Donny 0-1 Boro – 6th goal for Mac

Narrow midfield 3 by Donny – the flanks are there for the Boro taking

Hosts seize control after the bright Boro start…increased possession led to the equalizer from James Hayter, his firm header placed past Jason Steele to level things after 22 minutes

Concrete surface at the Keepmoat – no undersoil heating – ball doesn’t roll with any integrity

Ref: Carl Boyeson…presided over Mogga’s first match against Bristol City…very liberal that day as no cards were brandished…he’s letting the footy flow here too…that or the cards are frozen to his breast

HT Donny 1-1 Boro

Before retreating to the warm dressing room the referee holds a quick pitch inspection with his cohort and the Keepmoat groundskeepers – after a cursory glance and a bit of stomping and forking, we get the thumbs up to carry on, despite a tangible risk of injury to the players

Boro are gifting possession too easily, allowing John Oster, Brian Stock and company to exert control and probe for openings…after a promising opening the visitors need to regroup and ally the work rate with a better end product

Current away form: 1W 1D 8L…beyond relegation fodder

Emnes needs to exploit his newfound fervency with more direct runs at defenders…force them to commit and make a mistake

Attendance: 9543 (approx 1800 Boro)

Kris Boyd, on for the ineffective Leroy Lita, is still craving service of any kind – Hoyte is giving a good effort with the usual poor end quality, unable to spoon-feed the SPL’s all-time leading scorer the way he’s accustomed to

Barry Robson imposing himself w/ some good, telling passes from his attacking position on the left…this is a good sub appearance so far…it’s still unclear if Mogga rates him…perhaps he can evolve into a regular, reliable alternative off the bench?

Gary Gill MOM – Matthew Bates…no one has really stood out, but his lively tussles with striker Billy Sharp have kept him active and involved

Boyd blows a chance to wrap this up – terrific work by Bennett and the, ahem, SPL all-time leading poacher cannot get a beak or drumstick to it from 7-8 yards…off to Ewood Park you go to help Venky’s crack the cutthroat Scottish poultry market

Sickening end to proceedings – deep into stoppage time Donny press and Brian Stock provides the hammer blow…effort mishandled by Steele and bobbles over the line…3 points chucked away…you’d say it’s an astonishing finish, however this is Boro…we’ve been here all too frequently

Tunnel reaction from Gary O’Neil: massively disappointed, should have gotten something – same old story really – next 2 matches crucial versus Forest and PNE in a pivotal Christmas programme

Final word from Gilly: let’s draw a few of these matches – 3 in 22 – we need something to arrest this vile run of away form…

Join Our Club – Boro Sew Up Scottish Swoop

BA — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:21:46 +0000

So Gary Caldwell isn’t coming? Okay, fair enough, Premier League certainty outstrips mere remote possibilities of it. No matter, cos Gordo has a list of targets who want to play for Boro as long as his arm – or a bigger blokes arm. The former Celtic gaffer was able to successfully trap three quarters of his dream Old Firm quarry: Barry Robson is in to solidify the midfield; Willo Flood the same, although in more of a peripheral role; and Chris Killen provides a beacon up front – not a terrible scoring record in England either, and there’s the impetus of getting recognized for the New Zealand squad that will make their second appearance at a World Cup this summer in South Africa.

With midseason transfer business usually dragging until the end of the term, the club endeavour to continue vetting targets. Lately we’ve heard Leon Best from Coventry – scorer of a wonder goal v Pompey in their FA Cup replay earlier this week – and Wes Hoolahan of Norwich, an assiduous winger, ideal as a replacement for Adam Johnson should he naff off to Sunderland or Everton. Throw in a spot of QPR’s Wayne Routledge and you have enough chum to hold the baying mob, temporarily at least. Though descriptions of old Wayne as a ‘combo midfielder who can play upfront’ invoke inherent hatred derived from similar failed experiments – see exhibits Aliadiere, Emnes, and/or Tuncay.

Collectively, it’s enough to stimulate hope. There’s a distinct outline in the new vision – more spine, steel, focus, and discipline – less faffing about w/ pretty passing and precision movement, because we simply haven’t the resources or personnel to implement it. And Gordon Strachan keeps getting managerial work not just for his acerbic wit, but because his austere system that emphasises grinding and plodding and fighting really does work.