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The Middlesbrough FC 2019-20 "Woodgate's Gone - Warnock's In" thread

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Post by dyrewolfe Fri 02 Aug 2019, 10:40 pm

Well its been another pre-season of change for Middlesbrough (henceforth known as Boro).

Tony Pulis departed, having steered Boro to 7th last season (though we spent most of the season in the play-off places). But apparently he did his job of keeping the club comfortably in the Championship, on a shoestring budget, to counter the previous big spending during Garry Monk's reign and Steve Gibson's ill-fated quote that we were going to "smash the league".

In keeping with our track record of never hiring the same kind of manager twice in a row, (and giving people their first managerial jobs), in came local legend Jonathan Woodgate - former Newcastle, Spurs and England defender, (the less said about his stint at Real Madrid the better). He also spent 2 spells at Boro, the first on loan from Madrid, the second as a full signing.

We've not done too much in the transfer market since Pulis' departure. A few high profile players have left, including Martin Braithwaite and Stewart Downing, while only two new faces have come in - defender Marc Bola from Blackpool and midfielder Marcus Browne from West Ham.

Seems we are still operating on a pretty tight budget. Still, we've retained the core of the squad that performed reasonably well last season and Woody's playing philosophy is quite different to his predecessor's, with more emphasis on passing & movement, pressing and attacking.


Just witnessed the first game of the new regime tonight, with Boro visiting Luton Town and...wow...we could be in for quite a season.

Lots of things were very familiar. Boro started brightly and got the opening goal after a little over 6 minutes. However by the 15 minute mark, Luton were noticeably tightening their grip on the game, with more possession and showing more of a threat on the Boro goal. The inevitable equaliser soon came and before the half hour mark they were 2-1 up.

So far, so very Boro. A few good flashes but generally out-played by their opponents and deservedly behind.

Second half was quite a different story. Woody's half time team talk evidently had an effect, as Boro were decidedly sharper and more purposeful.

Luton can count themselves unlucky as they had a good penalty shout turned away (i.e. completely missed by the ref and his assistants). Basically 2 players scrapping for the ball, got their legs tangled and both went down in a heap just inside the corner of the area.

Not long after, more pressure from Boro resulted in a great chance for Assombalonga. I groaned at first as his shot seemed quite tame, but the Luton keeper chose to sink awkwardly to his knees with his hands out in front of him, leaving just enough room for the ball to sneak past him. If he'd done a full-blooded dive, he'd have saved it...not that I'm complaining. Anyway, Boro were back on level terms.

More out of character for Boro, we continued to attack, although the game was fairly even overall, as the home side continued to get forward and threaten when they could. With just over 20 minutes left, a bit of pinball in the Luton area resulted in the ball falling to Lewis Wing, who had time & space to unleash a perfectly positioned rocket into the top corner...Boro back in front!

Still Boro pressed for a 4th to kill the game off...and should have had it when Coulson was brought down in the host's area. Up steps Assombalonga...unfortunately his penalty was something Owen Farrell would have been proud of. More heads in hands as normal service was resumed.

More normal service occurred in the closing stages as Boro predictably got rather panicky in defence and some crappy defending allowed the hosts to equalise with 5 minutes to go. Final score: Luton 3 - 3 Boro.

If I'm honest, a draw was a fair result. Don't think either side deserved 3 points...but still a bit gutted nonetheless.

I think I can see what Woody is trying to do, with regards to playing style, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. We seem alarmingly leaky at the back, considering JW is a former defender. Then again, we said the same about our play under Tony Mowbray.

Still...it was thrill-a-minute stuff compared to the tedium we endured under Pulis. Don't think we need to concern ourselves with the promotion race this season, but we can still look forward to a lot of entertainment, if this is anything to go by.


Last edited by dyrewolfe on Mon 29 Jun 2020, 3:37 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Post by westisbest Sat 03 Aug 2019, 8:06 am

Think Boro should be around the play offs.
Will be interesting to see how Woodgate and Keane do this coming season.

Least you’ve started with a point at least. Away to the league 1 champions. Smaller ground. Be tricky for some teams.

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Post by dyrewolfe Mon 19 Aug 2019, 2:14 pm

Well its early days still, but I have a bad feeling that the template for this season has already been set...and its not looking good.

After the opening day ding-dong at Luton, we've since seen a (mostly) second string Boro lose at home to Crewe in the League Cup. We were 2-0 down until the last 15 minutes or so, after Woody made some subs. Pulled it back to 2-2 to take the game to penalties...only to lose 4-2, thanks to Browne having his shot saved and Britt missing the target...again!

FFS Woody take Assombalonga off penalty duty as he's shockingly bad!  mad


Following that was a home defeat by Brentford...against the run of play, some would argue. Boro had the better of the game in all respects...more possession, more shots on target, more corners...yet we failed to convert them into goals. Well, Fletcher put the ball in the net twice in the first half, but both efforts were ruled out...first for handball and the second for offside. Britt also hit the post, but that was a good as it got for us.


And on Saturday was a dismal, lethargic, toothless performance at Blackburn (who were hardly great themselves). Game was settled by a 1st half penalty, conceded by Dijksteel, pulling a player down in the area. Just 2 shots on target all game. Absolutely pathetic.

So just 1 point from our first 3 games and dumped out of the League Cup in the 1st round, by a League 2 side. I'll still give Woody and the team the standard 10-game period before I start trashing them in earnest (or praising, should they turn things around) but its not looking good so far.

Our defence is a shambles, our midfield static and lacking any creativity and our forwards are barely getting any service. Sad  If Woody and the coaching staff can't get some semblance of organisation & discipline instilled into the team, we are in for a long and depressing season. Hard to believe its mostly the same squad that Pulis guided to 7th place last season.
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Post by dyrewolfe Mon 23 Sep 2019, 9:18 am

Well, we're 8 games in and its still looking like a potential relegation scrap season.

Got our first win of the season at home to a pretty poor Wigan. Just managed the 1 goal and 3 shots on target all game - Assombalonga scoring mid-way through the first half.

Followed that up with a dour draw at home to Millwall. McNair getting on the scoresheet for the Boro with 20 minutes to go. Our defence promptly went to sleep and the visitors got the equaliser just 4 minutes later. We had just 2 shots on target all game...Millwall managed 4...

Would have taken a draw away at Bristol City and overall not too disappointed we got one. Hosts took the lead in the first half, with Boro benefitting from an own goal, not long after the hour mark. Britt then struck just 4 minutes later to put us ahead...only for Bristol to grab an equaliser inside the last 10 minutes. We actually largely outplayed Bristol...had more possession, created more chances & corners, so we could also be proud of the performance.

Just when we were thinking the Bristol game might signal signs of growth and improvement, we were brought back to Earth pretty swiftly with a dire performance at home to Reading. Johnson scored on the hour to give us the win...but bloody hell was it painful to watch and we owed a big debt to Darren Randolph for keeping a clean sheet. Boro were largely outplayed by the visitors, who had more possession and created more chances.

Just followed that with a miserable trip to Cardiff, where Boro were sunk by a Fletcher own goal after just 2 minutes. Headed a corner kick into his own net under no pressure whatsoever. Though we had more possession and won more corners, we failed to muster a single shot on target all game. Absolutely abysmal performance.

So, still no real signs of improvement. Still playing like a collection of individuals, rather than a team. A defence that still has no clue how to do its job and midfielders who still fail to create many chances for our forwards.

We've averaging just over a point a game, which would be just enough to keep us safe...hardly inspires confidence. Still time for things to change, but its gonna have to happen fairly soon.
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Post by dyrewolfe Mon 07 Oct 2019, 12:23 pm

Right, I'm calling it now...WOODGATE OUT!

11 games into the season...basically a quarter of the way through...and Boro are sitting just 2 points above the relegation zone.

Following the dismal showing at Cardiff, Boro hosted Sheffield Wednesday (led by former Boro Manager Garry Monk). To call it a disaster is putting it nicely.

Boro were 0-2 down inside the first 6 minutes (one of them yet ANOTHER own goal).

Boro pulled a goal back after 20 minutes, but Wednesday restored the 2-goal cushion just 3 minutes later (courtesy of former Boro player Adam Reach).

The visitors made the score 1-4 with 10 minutes of the first half still to play...and thats how it stayed (not sure how...it could have been a cricket score).

More abject, clueless defending, coupled with equally clueless forward play and utter lack of threat in attack (just 2 shots on target all game).


That was followed by a pretty lacklustre home draw against Preston - both goals coming within a couple of minutes of each other at the end of the first half.

Then on Friday, Boro travelled to Birmingham for a predictably tough game. Brum took a deserved lead midway through the 1st half and dominated for most of the match. One of Boro's few passages of good play resulted in a late equaliser - the 87th minute! You might think that would have been enough to salvage a lucky point...but no...Boro had switched off yet again and let the hosts score again just 2 minutes later. mad Rolling Eyes furious

Far from improving, our players are looking more clueless and less interested with every passing game. I suspect Woodgate has lost the dressing room already, because god knows the players look like they don't give a damn when they're out on the pitch.

I sincerely hope Gibson has been taking note and is already on the lookout for potential replacements, because based on performances so far, Woodgate needs to be gone in time for the January transfer window. The club also needs to make a SERIOUS effort to bring in some QUALITY replacements for the bunch of Muppets currently masquerading as professional footballers.
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Post by dyrewolfe Thu 12 Dec 2019, 4:15 pm

Well, since the last post, it seems there may just be a glimmer of light at the end of a very long tunnel.

Although Boro went on a run of 4 games without scoring, including 2 draws and 2 defeats, which saw the club enter November in the relegation zone, they went on to lose just 1 of their next 6 (a 4-0 thrashing at Leeds).

While that was truly abysmal and depressing to watch, we picked up nervy wins at home to Barnsley and Charlton, while also getting points against QPR, Hull and Forest.

Mostly, the football is still poor, but Boro have been showing some genuinely good attacking play in limited spells.

Most impressively, they managed to grind out a draw away at a top 6 side in their last game...which does make me wonder if we have finally turned a corner.

While we have plenty more tough games to come, it does seem as though Boro have finally discovered some fighting spirit, which will go at least some way to offsetting the frequently terrible football.

At the moment, it looks like we may just survive after all.
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Post by dyrewolfe Sun 15 Dec 2019, 10:01 am

Lol!

Well, so much for turning a corner. After 6 games where it looked like we were finally getting our act together, we go off to Swansea and concede a daft penalty in the first half.

We rally in the second half and grab an equaliser...then implode spectacularly, with Browne and McNair getting themselves sent off for a dangerous tackle and violent conduct respectively, in the space of 14 minutes.

In between the red cards we concede 2 goals, gifting the hosts a comfortable win, when for over an hour it had looked like a close contest and that Boro would come away with a deserved draw.

There is a serious discipline problem at the club and morale seems to have hit rock bottom.

We have 2 supposedly easy home games coming up, against Stoke and Huddersfield. If we don't pick up maximum points from those, we could be back in the relegation zone, as after that we have to face West Brom and Preston away.
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Post by dyrewolfe Sat 15 Feb 2020, 11:53 am

Well Boro did indeed pick up maximum points from Stoke & Huddersfield...which, to be honest, was expected, even for a club doing as badly as we are.

Those wins seemed to give us a boost, as we then went on to win our next 2 games (both away)...against promotion contenders West Brom and high-flying Preston!

4 wins on the bounce...unheard of!!! Shocked

Did this mean our season was finally about to take off?

Of course not - don't be daft!

Although Boro then fought out a hard-earned draw at home to Derby, the general feeling was it was 2 points dropped, rather than 1 earned.

Since then, our season has limped along, with an unsurprising defeat at Fulham...a game we were never really in.

This was followed by 2 lacklustre home draws against Birmingham and Blackburn...both games we ought to have been looking to win. In both games we conceded first and needed late equalisers to rescue a point.

On to high-fliers Brentford...a game we didn't have high hopes for. To just about everyone's surprise, following a slow start, Boro came to life in the second half, twice coming back from a goal down. But...typical Boro...we conceded a third with just 3 minutes of normal time to play.

Another away trip to Wigan should have provided another springboard to get our season going again. But yet again we started slowly and conceded first. It was over an hour before Boro got going and Wigan had a player sent off for a 2nd yellow card. Lewis Wing pulled Boro level with a brilliant free-kick, then 4 minutes later edged us ahead with a trademark long-range screamer.

A man advantage and 2-1 up...surely this was 3 points in the bag? But no...More abysmal Boro defending saw on-loan defender Moukoudi head into his own net with 15 minutes to play. Points shared once again.

You just wonder how many different ways Boro are going to find to sabotage themselves. Even though we are managing to play well in short spells and score goals, you feel every time the opposition gets near our penalty area, they will score.

Woodgate keeps chopping and changing the starting 11 and formations, from game to game. No discernible tactics and zero organisation. We rely far too much on wing-backs Coulson and Spence, as well as midfielders such as Wing and Tavernier to make something happen. Still a long way from playing as a team.

I think he's pretty much proven he's incapable of managing a team and if it wasn't for the fact we'd be hard-pressed to bring in a good replacement, I'd expect him to be gone at the end of the season. Sadly, we can't afford the wages for a good manager and certainly can't offer then much of a transfer kitty. So it looks like we're stuck with this clown for the foreseeable future.

Wonder what Gibson will do if we're in serious danger of relegation next season. Still not completely out of the woods now as it is.
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Post by Good Golly I'm Olly Tue 25 Feb 2020, 11:54 am

Some big big games coming up Dyre - teams below picking up pace too
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Post by owen10ozzy Wed 26 Feb 2020, 9:39 pm

Got to go....if others werent picking up points it would be a little easier to stomach. But Barnsley and Wigan have both picked up results yet again and look far better equipped to put up a fight.

Woodgate stumbled on success over xmas...for all the talk of how he has been unfortunate with injuries, he has only once had a lineup which has played the type of football he wanted and got results and that was during the spell over december where his hand was forced both in terms of personnel and tactics.

Soon as the experienced players returned to fitness, the status quo resumed and results have spiralled since. Over the last two weeks he has got his selection horribly wrong and worst still his explanation for leaving out players who had been performing better than others (effort and attitude on training ground) beggars belief. You can have that stand point if your not in a relegation fight needing every point...but when 2 or 3 of your best players in terms of form are being dropped because the attitude away from match day may not be right your cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Id have loved to have seen him succeed and by no means did i expect us to be anywhere near the top 10....i didnt expect this horrific season and the silver lining of intense...pressing and exciting football hasnt come to fruition either (not even close)...1 shot on target in last 270 mins of football..115 in total all season!! Believe thats one of the 15 lowest across the whole football pyramid. Add in one of the fewest amounts of goals scored out of the 90 football league sides and it paints a pretty horrendous picture!

Local and loyal lad with all the good intention in the world....plenty of the correct soundbites coming out of him in the media throughout....but out of his depth everywhere else. Thank you but goodbye for me!

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Post by dyrewolfe Fri 28 Feb 2020, 6:57 pm

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Some big big games coming up Dyre - teams below picking up pace too

Quite honestly I don't see where our next point is coming from, after 3 games without as goal and only 2 shots on target in those. Think Stoke and Hull represent our best chances of a win...possibly also Wednesday, if they continue their current struggles. Right now though I don't think we could beat a National League team.

Out of the drop zone on goal difference only. Seriously worrying times now.


owen10ozzy wrote:
Local and loyal lad with all the good intention in the world....plenty of the correct soundbites coming out of him in the media throughout....but out of his depth everywhere else. Thank you but goodbye for me!

I dunno about "correct" sound bites. He's trying so hard to sound positive, its coming across as positively deluded. His words are so at odds with what we're seeing on the pitch, its beyond farcical.

Sadly its got to the point that, even if we sacked him now and brought in someone like Warnock, it might not be enough to keep us up. That said, at least we could look forward to next season with the hope that things would improve. No chance of that happening while Woody remains.

The Barnsley, Wigan and Luton games were absolutely soul-destroying to watch. We were utterly clueless (both manager and players) with some looking very much like they've jacked it in for the season.

Leeds, we at least made an effort...not that we looked much more effective. Hit the woodwork a couple of times. Honestly, I think we are staring at League 1 next season, unless some drastic changes are made.
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Post by dyrewolfe Mon 29 Jun 2020, 3:49 pm

DING DONG...THE WOODGATE'S DEAD!  Yahoo

Well, not dead (wouldn't wish that on him) but he is most definitely gone. Following a shambolic restart to the season that saw us humiliated at home by Swansea...0-3 down at half time, Gibson FINALLY decided enough was enough.

I reckon they either took pity on us or just took it easy 2nd half to conserve energy, as that was the full time result. Worth noting that this weekend LUTON of all teams managed to beat them away.

Anyway, after that debacle, Woody was told to clear his desk and make like a tree.

Steve made an emergency call to his old mate Neil and a couple of days later he was taking training at the Riverside, tasked with keeping Boro in the Championship.

I have no idea what he's done, or said to the lads, but we turned out in a 4-3-3 formation away at Stoke (a potentially tough game) and had a pretty decent 15-minute spell in an otherwise scrappy 1st half. Created a few good chances and could have been 3-0 up at the break, with better finishing (or worse Stoke defending). Settled instead for just the 1 goal lead, courtesy of Fletcher, following some very nice build-up play.

The home side came at us with more intent 2nd half and could have had 2-3 of their own in the first 10 minutes or so. Boro were hanging on until around the hour mark when Tavernier settled our nerves with a lovely strike, which pretty much sealed the result. Credit also goes to new keeper Dejan Stojanovic, who pulled off some crucial saves to ensure Boro recorded their first clean sheet in god knows how long.

We still looked pretty rusty, but at least we resembled a professional football team...which is better than we've managed for most of the season.

Next up, a very winnable tie at Hull. 3 points against the Tigers would all but guarantee survival. So nice to finally see some light at the end of what has been a very dark season...
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Post by owen10ozzy Thu 02 Jul 2020, 7:03 pm

Useless....absolutely fing useless!!

Friend must have a dirty dossier on Gibson because how on earth he gets in the team let alone captains them is beyond. 2nd goal all came from his absolutely pathetic cross field ball.

Then the defence is like the usual sinking ship....completely rudderless....not a slither of organisation at the back with 4 Hull players free....and if that wasnt enough Marvin decides he doesnt fancy throwing his body in front of the ball to try and stop it...instead turns away from it.

The 3 points in Warnocks first game flattered us, had moments but they dominated possession, controlled around 65 mins of the match and we for the first time in probably a decade managed to be clinical putting our only two shots at goal away.

Today was no different watching Boro to what we endured under Woodgate.

Sorry to say but the tide is firmly against us and no matter how hard we swim we are going under. Not enough fight...not enough intelligence...not enough guile in the team or seemingly around the club atm...the fact that likes of Luton...Barnsley etc are winning just makes it that much more inevitable.

Hull!!! Bloody Hull.....not won a game of football since New Years Day. Teams will be licking their chops more than ever coming up against us now.


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Post by westisbest Thu 02 Jul 2020, 9:04 pm

I though Boro would have been in top 8 this season.

Surprised to see them fighting for their championship lives.

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Post by dyrewolfe Sat 04 Jul 2020, 10:36 am

westisbest wrote:I though Boro would have been in top 8 this season.

Surprised to see them fighting for their championship lives.

Seriously? With a rookie manager and a squad composed of average or sub-par journeymen, with a handful of "big name" high earners who aren't interested & coming to the end of their contracts?  Shocked Our squad is horribly unbalanced, with too many central midfielders, only 2 wide players. Our strikers get little to no service and our defence makes the Iraqi Republican Guard look competent.

@owen10ozzy: mercifully I missed the Hull game, but from what I've read we were truly awful. Crying or Very sad  If we don't get something against QPR I reckon we are down...even with Wigan's impending 12 point deduction.
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Post by owen10ozzy Sun 05 Jul 2020, 4:14 pm

And thats us down...

Absolutely attrocious. Disgusting performance from 90% of that team. Didnt look bothered in the slightest that they are heading for League 1. Without doubt the worst Boro side i have ever seen....the lack of quality is forgivable...the lack of fight is not.

I wouldnt want to see almost every single one of those players in a Boro shirt next season. Shambles and they should hang their heads in shame....dont often condone abuse but i hope they get an absolute tongue lashing if they step foot in the streets after that.

Its been coming for the last few years...even with the playoff fight recently. The quality in the squad has dwindled year in year out...the biggest mistake however has been keeping hold of loyal/homegrown players too long...Downing should have left two years earlier....Friend should be no where near the side (absolutely attrocious player)..and the recruitment has been terrible...Ryan Shotton? One of the poorest players i have seen grace a championship field..can take any number of our striker purchases in last 3 years and say the same..

We had one chance at staying up this season and that was to retain the faith in the youngsters who turned the season around at Xmas....Woodgate failed to do that (club hero but naive and cant be forgiven for that mistake)..

We will obviously need to cut costs massively next season...and the first place to start is by dumping almost every single player on the books of the first team atm (if we can find teams stupid enough to take them).

Build the team around likes of Fry..Wood..Spence..Wing...Tavenier...Coulsen.

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Post by Good Golly I'm Olly Mon 06 Jul 2020, 8:41 am

I mean to be fair at the moment, providing Wigan's 12 point deduction holds (which I would think it would), then you are still 3 points clear of safety, so you are very much not down.

Not trending in the right direction though - QPR are exactly the sort of mid table team with nothing to play for you want to be facing at this time of the season, and to not even score must be worrying.

Why is Howson playing RB? And Friend CB? Seems odd to an outside observer...

Also while I appreciate you want rid of the deadwood, clubs aren't likely to be in for them - they'll be in for the good youngsters you have like Spence and Fry, so I'd prepare to lose them (similar to how I am prepared for us to lose Cantwell, Aarons et al and not be able to shift Josip Drmic)

I think you'll just about scrape survival in the end, probably mainly due to Wigan's points deduction. Albeit might not be the *worst* thing to go down, and regroup for a season in league one, providing Warnock stayed to help you get back up that is
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Post by Good Golly I'm Olly Wed 08 Jul 2020, 4:56 pm

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:I mean to be fair at the moment, providing Wigan's 12 point deduction holds (which I would think it would), then you are still 3 points clear of safety, so you are very much not down.

Not trending in the right direction though - QPR are exactly the sort of mid table team with nothing to play for you want to be facing at this time of the season, and to not even score must be worrying.

Why is Howson playing RB? And Friend CB? Seems odd to an outside observer...

Also while I appreciate you want rid of the deadwood, clubs aren't likely to be in for them - they'll be in for the good youngsters you have like Spence and Fry, so I'd prepare to lose them (similar to how I am prepared for us to lose Cantwell, Aarons et al and not be able to shift Josip Drmic)

I think you'll just about scrape survival in the end, probably mainly due to Wigan's points deduction. Albeit might not be the *worst* thing to go down, and regroup for a season in league one, providing Warnock stayed to help you get back up that is

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Post by Dolphin Ziggler Wed 08 Jul 2020, 5:28 pm

owen10ozzy wrote:And thats us down...

No, Olly, they’re down. It was confirmed

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Post by owen10ozzy Thu 09 Jul 2020, 9:58 am

Haha....well still 4 games to go so we shall see..

Hope your as quick to come back and call me a prophet as you are to jump on and make sarcastic remarks Dolph Wink

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Post by dyrewolfe Fri 10 Jul 2020, 10:33 am

Well the Millwall game certainly gave me some hope. For once the players actually looked like they cared and wanted to win. Still a mostly scrappy game, but we defended well most of the time. Put together some nice passages of play and created a few decent chances. Took 1 and forced a penalty for a fairly comfortable win in the end.

Despite Dirty Millwall trying to KO Shotton off the ball and generally acting like Leeds. Should have finished the game with 10 men.

Bristol have had a horrible restart, losing 4 out of 5 games. Beat Hull last time out, but they have a pretty leaky defence and we're at home.

Head says we will find a way to blow this, but heart says we can make this 2 wins in a row and virtually guarantee survival.
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Post by dyrewolfe Fri 10 Jul 2020, 10:41 am

owen10ozzy wrote:Haha....well still 4 games to go so we shall see..

Hope your as quick to come back and call me a prophet as you are to jump on and make sarcastic remarks Dolph Wink

You'll have to make some allowances for Dolph...he's just a grumpy Hammers fan... Laugh
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Post by dyrewolfe Wed 15 Jul 2020, 1:31 pm

Wow...just wow!

Warnock may just have done it again...

Following a truly abysmal home showing against Bristol City...3-0 down at half time and just a late consolation from Assombalonga to show for our slightly improved efforts, Boro once again showed how contrary they can be.

A scrappy, but hard-fought encounter at the "Mad Stad" saw Boro fall behind early in the first half, but equalise just before half time. We had to hang on for large parts of the second half, as Reading did their best to retake the lead, but Boro were by no means overwhelmed. We managed to string together some good passages of play, fashioning a number of chances.

But as each one went begging, Boro hearts sank further and further...until the 82nd minute when a barnstorming Tavernier run down the wing, saw him ping in a cross to Patrick Roberts, who redeemed himself after missing an earlier (and easier) chance.

It was a nerve-wracking final 8 minutes (plus 5 minutes of stoppage time) but Boro held on for the win. With other results going in our favour, we're 5 points clear of the drop zone, with only 6 to play for.

It would have to take something pretty disastrous for us to be relegated now.

Still don't see us getting any joy from our home game against Cardiff - we're at home and they're still shooting for the play-offs. But we might get more points at Sheffield Wednesday - another mid-table team with nothing to play for, other than pride.
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Post by dyrewolfe Thu 23 Jul 2020, 11:42 am

Warnock you absolute legend! You only went and did it again!

As predicted, a miserable performance at home against Cardiff, where Boro conceded early on in each half, with Cardiff wrapping up a comfortable win with a third goal 10 minutes from time. The only contributions Boro made to the game were a consolation goal from Assombalonga with 5 minutes to go and a double-yellow sending off for Howson in the last minute of normal time.

However, the omens for our final game of the season at Sheffield Wednesday, were good. Firstly, Boro's recent away record - 3 wins out of 3. Secondly, the Owls' home record - not good.

A scrappy, end to end game saw the hosts take a somewhat flukey lead early in the first half - an attempted shot hit a Boro player and took big deflection, looping high over Stojanovic in the Boro goal. Cue jitters and nervous glances at the league table.

But the visitors' heads did not go down. Boro kept pushing forward and just over 10 minutes later equalised with a well-executed build-up that allowed McNair to slot in from close range. Cue nervous, muted celebrations.

More nerves early in the second half as the hosts tried to re-establish a lead. Big shout out to Stojanovic who made a number of good saves and cemented his case to be our 1st choice keeper next season. Another scrappy back and forth 45 minutes, with neither team ever really dominating.

Everyone was settling for a draw, until in the dying minutes of stoppage time, Boro resorted to some old-school route one football. A long punt downfield found Assombalonga, who managed to beat his defender and slot home the winner. Cue ecstatic celebrations as Championship survival was secured.

So, during Warnock's rescue job, we've played 8, won 4 (all away) and lost 4 (all home). A strange time indeed. Hopefully, if he decides to stay on next season, he can start rebuilding the squad and turning Boro into a solid, competitive team.
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Post by Dolphin Ziggler Thu 23 Jul 2020, 2:37 pm

Sad to see you relegated, but Owen called it

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Post by dyrewolfe Thu 23 Jul 2020, 4:44 pm

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Sad to see you relegated, but Owen called it

Um...17th and 5 points clear... Laugh

Why are you such a grumpy little Hammer? Wet Spam did okay in the end, didn't they?
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Post by Good Golly I'm Olly Thu 23 Jul 2020, 6:54 pm

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Sad to see you relegated, but Owen called it

Correct again, we must bow to his knowledge
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Post by owen10ozzy Sat 25 Jul 2020, 5:23 pm

Yep down we go.....

I imagine neither of you have ever made a prediction with absolute certainity in it before Rolling Eyes

And Dyre....keep Warnock on do you think?

Deserves a shot given he kept us up...though his interview the other day regards Friend concerned me. Talk of a new contract coming his way and for me been one of our worse players for past 2 seasons.

Think whoever is manager next year has a heck of a lot of work to do. Despite the belief that quality is throughout this side, think we are woefully short of it. Would say only a handful of players are of the required level needed for a promotion push.

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Post by dyrewolfe Sun 26 Jul 2020, 9:38 am

Oh, so Ziggy was having a dig at you for predicting we'd go down? I thought he was just being a troll. Apologies Dolph!

To be fair, if Gibson hadn't finally pulled the plug on Woodgate, your prediction would have come true. I had a bad feeling myself at the start of the season.

Warnock definitely deserves to be given a shot next season...and word on the grapevine Oneboro forum is that its already done and dusted.

That said, given his age and numerous "one more season" statements at other clubs, he can't be seen as a long-term appointment. I'd be surprised if he sticks around for more than a couple of seasons at most. Hope Gibson is keeping one eye on possible replacements.

Agree our squad needs a complete overhaul, starting with our defence. Good news is that with some of the big earners' contracts now ended, we'll have some extra money to spend.

Quite honestly I would settle for a squad that can achieve mid-table / top 10 respectability. I don't mind if we take a season or two before mounting a real promotion push. Financial stability has to take precedence. Trying to rush back to the PL is one of the reasons the club got into a financial mess...Gibson giving Monk millions to spend to "smash the league".

I'd rather we built the squad organically and gradually got ourselves into a position to get promoted.
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