Backwards Boro Getting Left Behind...

[Ariff Ahmad]

Here some good article to read..

Middlesbrough 3 Chelsea 0 (February 2006)
Schwarzer; Parnaby, Riggott, Southgate, Pogatetz; Morrison, Mendieta, Rochemback, Doriva, Downing; Yakubu.

Middlesbrough 0 Chelsea 2 (January 2009)
Turnbull; McMahon, Wheater, Riggott, Pogatetz; Johnson, O'Neil, Shawky, Bates, Downing; King.

We live in a dynamic society in which things are constantly changing.

Things are ever-evolving in politics, culture and technology, but most importantly (for us anyway) in football.

These changes are positive - every season, life in the Premier League just gets better and better, standards are constantly being raised, teams are consistently rising to the challenge. And then there's Middlesbrough.

Don't get me wrong, Middlesbrough have fantastic backing with a great chairman in Steve Gibson and a likeable manager in Gareth Southgate.

However, few teams in the English leagues have taken such a giant leap backwards in the last three years - while teams all around them are improving - than Middlesbrough.

Okay, there's the odd exception in clubs like Leeds United and Charlton, where the financial s*** has hit the fan, but that's not what's happened at Middlesbrough. They simply seem to have got left behind.

Take a look at this week's team in comparison with the one that beat Chelsea 3-0 at the Riverside three years ago and later that season reach the final of the UEFA Cup.

Mark Schwarzer was in goal that day but has since been replaced by Ross Turnbull. He has made some good saves for Middlesbrough this season, but he's not at the standard Premier League goalkeepers need to be today to stop the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Robin Van Persie.

I was going to say Middlesbrough's defence isn't too bad, but then how can you defend a back four that can't even defend their own goal and have not kept a clean sheet since November? Two of that back four had loan spells at Championship clubs last year. Southgate replaced himself with Jonathan Woodgate and then failed to replace Woodgate himself.

Southgate's midfield is a massive problem in itself. He stuck to the five in midfield tactic they used to defeat Chelsea three years ago, but it proved much less succesful this time.

Their midfield on Wednesday night consisted of an inexperienced defender in Matthew Bates and a massively underwhelming midfielder in Mohamed Shawky as well as Gary O'Neil, Stewart Downing and Adam Johnson, two of which don't even want to be there.

Compare that midfield to the one that beat Chelsea with Fabio Rochemback - who was always an attack-minded player - Gaizka Mendieta, who was having a golden spell prior to injury ruining his Boro career, and Doriva, who although a bit-part player, always put in a performance worthy enough for the red shirt.

It's not right to see a good team fall down the ranks so miserably right under your nose. But the sympathy disappears when you see the manager's involvement in the transfer market. He has spent money - most notably on a weighty, unmotivated striker who can't last 90 minutes. But he's also bought such luminaries as Justin Hoyte, Didier Digard and Marvin Emnes.

So what can you do when your team looks favourites for the drop...bring in a Championship-class striker to prepare for next season, of course. Step forward Marlon King. He was a consistent scorer in the lower leagues but then proved the step up to the Premier League was just to much as he scored just one goal for Wigan in 15 appearances.

What on earth Southgate was thinking, leaving Marlon King up front on his own? He can't partner another striker in the Premier League let alone play as a lone man. Yakubu might have been lazy, but he had a real touch of class. It's worth noting that Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka were also in the Boro squad that season.

Look no further for evidence of a club gone backwards. And quite possibly going down in May.

William (Work Experience) Boye

[boro84]

somehow this article is soooo true...

i thought GS's reign for 1st few year was about consolidation... but no.. it is in fact decline! and we need to take some serious action before it is too late!