Wanted: Goal-Machine At Boro

January 11, 2013 / / No comments

Image of wanted poster for Middlesbrough FC

The next two league games are very important to our season. Watford at home
tomorrow and then a trip to Leicester next Friday evening will make it a crucial
six days for Middlesbrough. With teams below Boro looking to capture a Play-Off
spot, as we head into the business end of the season, the next two games could
see us either open a gap on the chasing pack whilst edging closer to Cardiff, or
to get dragged away from the automatic promotion spots and enter the Play-Off
dogfight.

With the amount of players hitting the treatment table in recent weeks rising,
it is no wonder that a few Boro fans are speculating about what Mowbray and
Gibson have in store during the transfer window to rectify and strengthen the
situation. Injuries are a worry, especially if it’s to key players who have been
performing week-in and week-out for the Boro. The squad has been stretched, and
players that have come in have performed admirably but we need to have at least
eight or nine key players in the starting line-up if we want to gain promotion
this season.

If you were to analyse the first-half of the season and see where games were
drawn or lost, more often than not it will be a case of not putting the ball in
the back of the net after dominating teams with possession and chances on goal.
A couple of examples are key games against Cardiff City where we outplayed our
promotion rivals for large parts of the game and had several clear-cut chances
but were not deadly enough in the final third.

Another game which saw Mowbray’s side look down and dejected as they walked off
the pitch was the game at St Andrew’s. A dominant Boro side raced out of the
blocks against a struggling Birmingham team and deservedly took the lead, but a
combination of poor finishing and taking our foot off the pedal resulted in a
the opposition clawing their way back into the game and eventually winning 3-2.

The two games mentioned above are an examples of where Mowbray needs to
strengthen if he has the means to bring in a player, either on loan or permanently
sign. It is easy to suggest that a goal-scorer would be the main target for
Mowbray. Dropped points this season have been down to that ball not going in the
back of the net. It’s a simple statement, but if the Boro boss can get a player
in or to fix one of our misfiring strikers, then that simple statement could be
one that will get this team promoted to the Premier League this season.

Who would you like to see Boro grab in the January transfer window?

Follow The Boro Brick Road…

Category: Transfer News / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Stewart Downing Can Lift Boro To Next Level

November 21, 2012 / / No comments

Image of Stewart Downing at Middlesbrough

At 28, Stewart Downing should be enjoying his football, playing week in week out. He’s at his ‘peak’ in football terms and when you see that he’s not been utilised by his current manager, Brendan Rodgers, who has a few player ahead of the former Boro and Villa midfielder – it’s a sad scenario that appears to be unfolding on Merseyside.

To make things even harder for Downing – Raheem Sterling and Suso have been playing well – reducing Downing’s playing time this season for Liverpool to just a handful of games, keeping the left-footer on the bench and in some cases exiled from the the first team squad altogether.

Life at the start of his Liverpool career must have been a dream come true for Downing – playing alongside the likes of Gerrard and Luis Suárez, but now that dream could become a nightmare if he doesn’t get out soon.

The paths of Middlesbrough and Downing were not meant to cross again for a few more years yet, especially in Stewart’s career plans since he left Teesside back in 2009, but when situations change and interests come together once again – it all seems to be the right thing to happen.

Tony Mowbray’s Boro side are enjoying a great run of results which has seen the team climb into the top three of the Championship – on course for a promotion push to the next level. We are playing well and the fans are enjoying the team’s performances once again. If it wasn’t for some thick painted woodwork in Cardiff last Saturday, we would be on an even higher high, but we will settle for our current situation.

But, what would make our season that little bit better? It would be seeing Stewart Downing in a Middlesbrough shirt this season – whether that be from this Saturday against Bristol City or in January when the transfer window opens.

It makes sense to speculate about the Downing situation because it would benefit both parties. Liverpool offload a player to a club who will play him every week, keeping some value in him when they come to selling – Boro get an England international to strengthen the side and Downing has the chance to resurrect his career whilst also helping Middlesbrough get into the Premier League.

We wait with anticipation to see if the Stewart Downing move comes to anything in the next 48 hours. It’s always good to have a little optimism – just think about the extra fans that would snap-up tickets for the next two home games at the Riverside?! The stadium will be rocking if they saw Downing playing in his back yard again.

Follow The Boro Brick Road…

Category: Stewart Downing / Tags: , , , , , ,

Confidence Grows As More Boro Fans Head Back To The Riverside

November 9, 2012 / / No comments

 

Image of the Riverside Stadium - Middlesbrough AFC

Tony Mowbray will be hoping his in-form Boro side will be sitting top of the Championship table later on tonight as Middlesbrough take on Sheffield Wednesday in the Friday night game in front of the cameras.

Boro are back at the Riverside after three games on the road which has seen us dump our neighbours out of the League Cup, head to the capital and put four past Charlton Athletic, before earning a hard-fought point at the City Ground on Tuesday night.

There is a real buzz around the club and on Teesside, it’s amazing what a good run of results can do for a team and their following. The Middlesbrough team is growing in confidence with every game, as is the fans confidence in the boys in red – we are looking solid at the back for the first time this season which is a real relief after seeing the amount of painful goals conceded early on.

Our style of play has been more pleasing to the eye in this recent good form as well – long periods of possession in games as we look to probe the opposition defence has been fruitful for us.  This has eased the dilemma for Mowbray a little, with injuries to strikers it’s been hard to get a balanced pairing up top. Now we have Juke back, the team can be more direct when needed which should see us create more chances in games.

The game, if we win tonight  should be a great platform for the remainder of the season for a couple of reasons. First, the team will take a lot of confidence from being top of the league, especially after completing a third of the season – competing and beating some tough opposition. And secondly, we should have a good atmosphere inside the Riverside Stadium. Cheaper seat prices has seen ticket sales hit the 20,000 mark with that total looking to rise up until kick-off. If the boys put on a good show and we go top of the league – it will be a job well done all round because it will only breed confidence in the fans to return in their numbers for forthcoming fixtures at home.

So, it’s up to the players to do their bit and put in a good performance for the extra bums on seats tonight – fingers crossed we can get the points needed to go top and put some pressure on Palace and Cardiff.

Follow The Boro Brick Road..

Category: Match Preview/Prediction / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Mogga Not Counting Chickens Just Yet

November 4, 2012 / / One comment

 

Image of Middlesbrough Manager Tony Mowbray

Boro made it five wins on the bounce in the Championship yesterday, with the 4-1 win at the Valley seeing Middlesbrough go second in the table. The win makes it four games in-a-row on the road which we have picked up maximum points – making us the current inform team in the league away from home.

Our fortunes have changed since the defeat at home to Leicester City at the end of September. Since that day, which saw us concede two very sloppy goals on the way to our first home defeat, we have gone on to win 5 games in the league, draw one and defeat Sunderland in the League Cup. It’s been a very successful five weeks for Tony Mowbray and his Boro players – let’s hope this run can continue for another week with games against Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday coming up this week.

The 4-1 defeat of Charlton Athletic was our biggest win of the season so far placing us in an automatic promotion position for the first time this season. Our 28 points haul has also seen us move 5 points ahead of the last Play-Off position, but who’s counting – there is a long way to go before we can start thinking of promotion. But, as we prepare for our 15th and 16th league fixtures we can safely say it is good to be a Boro fan right now!

What The Boss Is Saying:

“We got confidence by coming from behind against Bolton last week and I thought we finished the game really strongly but it was a bit harsh on Charlton,” Tony Mowbray talking to the BBC.

“As we know from last season, when you don’t win at home for a time it becomes more difficult – the team feel that.

“We’ve got stronger in depth, when you consider we’ve got half a team not playing, and when you think last year we won two of our last 12 and missed out on the Play-Offs. We can’t count our chickens.”

What The Players Are Tweeting:

“Great win today! Buzzin!” – Josh McEachran.

“Fantastic victory. Congratulations to the team and our great #Boro fans that pushed us to victory! #UTB.” – Faris Haroun.

“All I’m saying is we are a big big problem! 2nd in the table #UTB.” – Mustapha Carayol.

“Great win again, some effort from the fans too!! Onto the next one.” – Jason Steele.

Follow The Boro Brick Road..

Category: Match Report, Middlesbrough, Players Tweet / Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Super Mac Takes On The Mackems

October 30, 2012 / / No comments

Image of Middlesbrough striker Scott McDonald

At the end of September we had seen our 100% home record wrecked by Leicester City with Mowbray’s boys beaten 2-1 at the Riverside. Four days later, as we headed into a tough month of fixtures, we followed that defeat at home with a frustrating draw against Derby and we all feared the worst as we slipped down the table due to the team’s performances, which were lacking spirit and cutting edge.

Winning four games on the bounce made it a month to remember in the league as the Boro claimed 13 points with wins against Brighton, Watford, Hull and Bolton which saw us climb to third in the Championship table. Whilst we are looking good in the league, we can look forward to the Sunderland game in the League Cup tonight which could provide the Boro players with a welcomed boost knowing that a win against the Mackems will keep the momentum rolling and keep our season on track.

Boro’s fortunes have turned around in recent games due to some inspiring performances at home and on the road. The highlight of which were the last two home games against Hull and Bolton and the tremendous win at Brighton. Resilient defending, work-rate in midfield and some fine goal-poaching has seen us start to take control of games in the Championship.

Tony Mowbray could make a few changes to the Boro side that won 2-1 against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday. Mogga might go for a youthful looking team to take on the enemy at The Stadium of Light, giving some of the less experienced lads a taste of a Tees-Wear derby.

As always, this fixture will be highly charged and should come with the expected grit and fight. Players like Bailey and Leadbitter will relish playing – especially with the later returning to his former stomping ground. The Boro faithful will be hoping that Scott McDonald will be starting, to add a goal threat against Sunderland, whilst Marvin Emnes will be eager to continue his good work in recent games to help Boro reach the last eight. Good luck to Tony Mowbray and the Middlesbrough players!

Follow The Boro Brick Road..

Category: Match Preview/Prediction / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Signs Of Strength From Boro Squad

September 28, 2012 / / No comments

 

There are a few more smiles on Teesside this week after two successful games on the road, which saw the Boro claim three points at Ewood Park followed by a 3-1 win at Deepdale on Tuesday evening in the League Cup.

Tony Mowbray came under heavy criticism after the loss to Blackpool ten days ago and was questioned about his team’s preparations in recent matches, but Mogga shrugged the questions off in fine style by taking his side to the then league leaders a few days later and grabbing a well deserved win. The highlight of the evening was seeing the return of our main striker, Lukas Jutkiewicz, who scored a double in the 2-1 win.

Whilst many Boro fans will be focused on our Championship progress – our journey back to the promise land – we were given an insight to a new Middlesbrough on Tuesday night in the League Cup. Mowbray was bold to select a second string side against Preston which saw 11 new faces from the previous match at Blackburn. On paper the Boro line-up looked like a team that would be rolled over by the League 1 side, which just a week earlier had battered our neighbors, Hartlepool 5-0, but the team Mogga put out turned in a great performance – a sign that we have a good squad with a little more depth.

It was good to see Nicky Bailey back in the centre of the park, getting some much needed minutes under his belt. He was a big miss in the games which saw us lose consecutive away games at Millwall and Blackpool. Hopefully our midfield general has proved he has enough in the tank to take on Leicester City on Saturday at the Riverside and help us grab a fourth straight win on the bounce in front of home support.

We have a great chance now to push on and gain some momentum going into another tough month of fixtures, which begins with a home game against Derby County and ends with a trip to the Stadium of Light in the Fourth Round of the League Cup. It could be a great month for us. I’ve said that before.

For us to have a good month we will need some big performances and for the spine of the team to avoid injuries. Talking of injuries – it was another blow to hear that Boro will be without Mustapha Carayol for a few months. The Gambian born winger will need knee surgery after picking up the injury in the League Cup tie against Gillingham earlier this month. We wish him a speedy recovery because he has shown quality in his first few appearances in a Middlesbrough shirt.

So, the big spenders come to town tomorrow hoping to spoil our 100% record at the Riverside, but we will be more than ready to send their unsettled side back home with no points. Fingers crossed we can show the same commitment we have seen in our last two outings.

Follow The Boro Brick Road..

Category: Lukas Jutkiewicz, Middlesbrough / Tags: , , , , , ,

Boro Looking To Extend Winning Run

September 1, 2012 / / No comments

As Boro fans across the land sit-down to read this – some will be on their way to the capital, setting off very early hoping to beat the traffic, others will be working, a bunch of us will be looking forward to Soccer Saturday and those unlucky few will be forced to do some Saturday shopping with the Mrs.

Boro go into today’s lunchtime kick-off at Millwall on the back of two wins in the Championship, looking for three-in-a-row – a feat last achieved in December 2011 when Boro beat Bristol City, Brighton and Cardiff. If they are to get a win at the New Den today they will have to be a little more ruthless in front of goal.

The Boro boys made hard work of the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace last Saturday, let’s hope it’s not a case of ‘parking the bus’ if we do take the lead against Millwall. There was no end product in our play against Palace – with numerous chances going begging, but we finally went ahead just before half-time through Seb Hines. Merouane Zemmama, our Moroccan free-kick specialist, made it 2-0 just after the break before the visitors pulled one back with a penalty to make it very uncomfortable for the Boro players as we looked to see the game out.

To rectify the worry of not finishing teams off – Marvin Emnes could be the man to turn those chances into goals as we look to cement our place in the Championship’s early leading group. The arrival of Miller on loan will give Emnes a target man to play with – it’s a combination that Tony Mowbray has obviously been dreaming about all summer – wink, wink.

We are looking more pleasing to the eye this season especially our attacking football in the last two league games, with the arrival of Josh McEachran being the main reason we are more intelligent in the final third. The Chelsea midfielder has already made a huge impact in the two league games he has played in and will relish the chance to play in front of friends and family in London today.

Injuries have once again hit the spine of the Boro side with Rhys Williams joining Nicky Bailey on the sidelines. The Australian international looks like he will need surgery on an ankle injury picked up in the midweek win over Gillingham in the League Cup. We hope our captain makes a speedy recovery because we need his grit and determination to maintain a promotion push to the Premier League.

With injuries to players within the side – it means that others get their chance to shine today and in the coming weeks. Seb Hines came in for Woodgate in our last league match against Palace and stood firm in the back four, even scoring a goal. The injury to Williams will see Hines get another chance to grab a permanent place in the side – good luck to him.

Despite our mini injury crisis, the Boro boys have a great opportunity today to get more points on the board, hopefully three which will see us climb further towards the top of the table putting us in good shape ahead of the home game against Ipswich Town two weeks today. With our 100% home record still intact it could be the start of a great month of football for Tony Mowbray and the Middlesbrough players. #UTB

Follow The Boro Brick Road..

Category: Match Preview/Prediction / Tags: , , , , , ,

It’s Miller Time For Mowbray

August 25, 2012 / / 2 comments

At the start of the week Boro welcomed Chelsea starlet Josh McEachran to the team, who made an immediate impact – contributing, on his debut, to the thrilling 3-2 win over Burnley on Tuesday evening. After the doom and gloom from the opening game of the season against Barnsley last weekend, we are now at the end of an eventful week with the focus firmly set on the home game against Crystal Palace this afternoon.

We grabbed our first three points of the season midweek which has given the players and fans a big boost ahead of today’s clash at the Riverside, and with the type of goals scored against Burnley we might just see a few more supporters at the game hoping to see more of the same.

Crystal Palace have had a terrible start to the season and come to the Riverside on the back of two defeats, which has seen them concede seven goals. Boro fans are licking their lips at the potential scoreline we must all be imagining. The likely scoreline however will be a stalemate as Palace boss, Dougie Freedman looks to plug the gaps in his leaking defence.

Tony Mowbray will also be looking for a defensive performance today from his back four as we look for our first clean-sheet of the season. Woodgate wants consistency throughout the team – so do we Woody – hopefully that consistency starts today and continues for the rest of the season.

At the other end of the team we have yet to record a goal from our forward runners which is a worry but we can’t complain too much if we continue to win games. In an ideal world Emnes would have been off the mark already but it hasn’t happened for him just yet. Today might be the day we see our Dutch pace-man spark into life.

Mogga has been quick to act on our no show of goals from Boro strikers in the opening exchanges by adding Ishmael Miller to the squad. The former Manchester City striker who is under contract with Nottingham Forest has arrived on a loan-deal which sees him reunited with his former boss at West Brom.

The Boro boss obviously felt it was right to bring in another big lad up top especially whilst Lukas Jutkiewicz recovers from injury. Boro fans had been crying out for big lump up top for years and now we have two at the club – time to celebrate because it’s world domination from now on in. The big lad goes straight into the squad for today’s game so we can expect an appearance at some point in the game.

We should be on six points by 5pm tonight which will put us in a healthy position in the table going into some very difficult games in September. If the team can iron out the few creases which have been evident from the first two games, then we can see our Boro team head in the right direction. Unfortunately we will be without the influential Nicky Bailey in midfield for a while after he picked up a hamstring injury midweek. It’s a big blow but hopefully whoever comes in to replace the former Charlton Athletic man will take their chance to shine.

Jonathan Woodgate was right in his latest interview this week – it’s all about consistency and if we can continue to play the good football we saw on Tuesday then we can expect to see some good results next to our name in the coming weeks.

A final note before we enjoy football Saturday. It was good to see the Boro players huddle together after the Burnley win, not only for recognition of a great battling performance but also to show respect for each other. It was a special moment for our two youngsters too, Luke Williams and Adam Reach, who scored those spectacular goals. We’ve missed this solidarity in recent years – long may it continue.

Follow The Boro Brick Road..

Category: Match Preview/Prediction / Tags: , , , , ,

Neymar Inspires Brazil To Victory Over Team GB

July 21, 2012 / / No comments

A Sandro header and a penalty from Neymar was enough to see Brazil claim victory against Great Britain in the Olympic warm-up match at the Riverside Stadium last night.

On an evening which should have seen David Beckham lead out Team GB on Teesside against the boys from Brazil, the game started cautiously for the South Americans with the Chelsea-bound Oscar misplacing an easy 5-yard pass early on to the amusement of the fans. It must have been the cold air coming off the North Sea that startled the Samba stars, but soon after, they did find their feet and linked up well causing the Team GB defence all sorts of problems.

Manchester City defender Micah Richards and West Ham central defender James Tomkins were given the task of marshalling the back four but had no joy as Santos play-maker Neymar teased Team GB – skipping through them on a couple of occasions. It was the quick thinking of Neymar that got the Brazilians on the score sheet. The 20-year-old curled a right-footed cross from a free-kick which found the head of Sandro, who then guided the ball past the helpless Jason Steele in the Team GB goal.

Great Britain sparked into life briefly with the ageless Ryan Giggs showing control and poise on the ball but lacking that final ball that was needed to unlock the Brazilian defence – it was another moment again when we are all thinking: why is Beckham not playing?!

There was plenty of talk about Neymar ahead of the game – a very bright star in the making. Back in Brazil though, playing for Santos, he has already gained superhero status. You could see why after last night’s showing. He has pace, energy and the compulsory Mary Poppins style bag-of-tricks which is the recipe for success in world football. He can finish as well, 42 goals in 88 appearances for his club over three seasons – not bad for a player who doesn’t turn 21 until February next year.

Another Brazilian superhero playing last night was Hulk – yes that’s his name. Well, it’s his nickname – his father gave it him because he was a fan of the television series, The Incredible Hulk. It’s actually quite an apt name for this 25-year-old striker who plays for Porto. Showing glimpses of what he capable of, he has close-control, a great turn of speed which Richards knew about leading to the second goal from the penalty spot and a thunderous shot. He’s our tip for top scorer at the Olympics.

So Richards gave away a penalty, bringing down Hulk in the box which Neymar dispatched clinically from 12-yards into the bottom corner of the goal – again Steele with no chance. Despite conceding two goals on the night, Jason can be proud of his efforts, facing some world class players and didn’t look overwhelmed by the fixture. On another night he would have been a busier goalkeeper and would have shown us that he is capable of producing some great saves. Unfortunately for him, his replacement, Butland had a super second half and will probably be the number one choice for the opening game against Senegal next Thursday.

Brazil continued to show us why they are the favourites to grab gold at the Olympics with their intricate one-two football in the second half, which looked delightful to watch. Even the fresh legs they brought on looked as if they had played international football for years. If you have the chance to go and watch Brazil during the Olympics then you will not be disappointed. Take your kids, take your younger brother or sister – take anyone. Watching this kind of football will make any youngster throw away their Xbox or PlayStation and grab a football and start juggling the ball and playing 5-a-side from morning until it gets dark throughout the summer. This young Brazilian side are destined for greatness – where have we heard that before?

Just as we love to see the Brazilians play their football anywhere in the world, we really do appreciate it when they come to town – once in a blue moon that is. One particular Brazilian turned-up in 1995 and the whole town went crazy for a few years and some people even go bright-eyed today when you mention the name Juninho. Despite a crowd last night of nearly 25,000 – this Olympic warm-up game reached nowhere near the hype it deserved. People kept saying in the weeks leading up to this game that it would be a ‘historic moment’ for men’s football and for Great Britain. If that were true, then why was the stadium short of 10,000 fans. If organisers can’t even fill a English second division club stadium with an exciting fixture against the most entertaining football nation in the world, then how on earth will 90,000 seats be filled at Wembley Stadium for Team GB’s Olympic game against UAE.

David Beckham should have been in last night’s Team GB side. Maybe that crazy summer of 1995 would have been felt again on Teesside if Becks had graced the pristine pitch of the Riverside. The stadium would have been packed, a first in many years that is, a spectacle that Boro fans would have enjoyed, not just for the football they would have witnessed but also for the buzz for the forthcoming new season. Team GB now go on their Olympic journey without David Beckham and without the packed stadiums but still have a chance of progressing through to the knock-out stage, even with a chance of winning a Bronze medal.

We will leave you with a bit of fun. Whilst gathering some stats about the Brazilian players on show last night we discovered the fascinating names and nicknames given to the current crop of boys from Brazil, but we have started the list with a couple of legends you may already be familiar with.

Edison Arantes do Nascimento – Pele
Osvaldo Giroldo Júnior – Juninho
Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior – Ronaldo
Juan Guilherme Nunes Jesus – Juan
Givanildo Vieira de Souza – Hulk
Marcelo Vieira da Silva Júnior – Marcelo
David Robert Joseph Beckham – Golden Balls
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior – Neymar
Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior – Oscar

Follow The Boro Brick Road…

Category: Olympics, Team GB / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Starve The Marv And Put Mac In Attack?

April 7, 2012 / / No comments

Image of Scott McDonald playing for Middlesbrough

Scott McDonald returned to action last weekend as Boro picked up yet another draw in the Championship against Brighton, which saw us fall out of the Play-Off positions. The striker’s inclusion in last weeks squad must have been a welcome boost for Tony Mowbray as he looks for goals in the last remaining fixtures of the season to cement one of those Play-Off spots.

With the Australian international out of action for 12 games, Mowbray has had to rely on the services of Lukas Jutkiewicz and Marvin Emnes for the baulk of those games with returning figures of 2 goals for Jukes and 5 for Marvs – the Dutchman being more profitable in that period.

With only six games to go for Middlesbrough to secure a spot in the Play-Offs, Mowbray has some big decisions to make in such a short period of time. Does he stick with Jutkiewicz and Marvin Emnes for the next couple of games and see the returns or does he play McDonald up top with the big man? A few equations for Mowbray to ponder over!

One option is to keep Emnes fresh for our travels as he is more prolific away from home and start McDonald today against Cardiff City. Scott scored in the 3-2 win at the Cardiff City Stadium back in December and caused many problems for Malky Mackay’s side that day so Mowbray will be tempted by that.

Another option, depending on how positive Mowbray is feeling, could be to play all three together to try and create as much as possible in the final third. It would be a bold move and one that will come with dangers but with a prospect of a fifth straight draw it will certainly be a welcome move by the fans.

Follow The Boro Brick Road…

Category: Emnes, Lukas Jutkiewicz, Scott McDonald / Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Entries  
Wordpress Theme by ThemeZee