Third Time Unlucky?

HOW many goals do Boro need to score away from home before they can win a game? At Coventry, Preston and now rock bottom Peterborough they have thrown away precious points that should have been tidied away, wrapped up, stored away in the kit box and in the luggage hold of the team coach long before the whistle.
Three times now Boro have drawn 2-2 in away games that looked in the bag. Three times now they have wasted chances to seal victory and then contrived to throw away commanding positions through largely self-inflicted wounds. Grrrrrrrr. Gutted.

Slowly Does It As Strachan’s Changes Start To Show

THREE games in and Gordon Strachan is starting to slowly stamp his mark on the team.
Slowly. Too slowly for many supporters, true. Especially those that thought getting shot of Southgate was a magic bullet solution. And so slowly that any hopes of promotion are now precariously balanced against the swift expenditure of time and games. But the signs are there.

Tricky Trees Bamboozle Boro

VERY disappointing. Not that getting a point from a team above you and who are unbeaten away from home is a bad thing because in essence it isn’t.
What was disappointing was that once again Boro failed to press home an advantage. A golden goal after five minutes was a massive lift and they played the first half hour with real zest, tempo and spirit with the ball being passed around and tackles flying in.

Misquoted Mendi: Sorry For “Booze Culture” Southgate Stick

EXCITED anti-Southgate retro-vigilantes had a field day when Gaizka Mendieta unexpectedly handed them a stick to beat the bogey man with.
Now he is asking everyone to sheepishly turn in their weapons after being left red faced by a ‘lost in translation’ blunder back home.

Kitson: Red Heads This Way To Spice It Up

DAVE KITSON should be here tomorrow. Boro have agreed a two month loan with the henna hitman. Great. I’ve long argued that Boro’s central flaw is a distinct lack of gingeosity.
Seriously, it has been all downhill for Boro since the exit of ‘strawberry blond’ Steve McClaren and Ray Parlour. Duracell powered boss – Carling Cup success, highest ever Prem position and the UEFA Cup final. Coincidence? I think not.

Promotion Hopes Running On Half Empty

(***Boro honour fallen heroes today***)
MEANWHILE, with a damaging defeat at Crystal Palace, Boro’s stuttering promotion campaign is now running on half empty.
The shot-shy side squandered chances and were caught cold at the back on the break (again) , a serial self-inflicted twin design defect that has gradually blunted the bright start and ground down optimistic early hopes.
But more than that, it has crucially stacked the vital numbers against Boro as new boss Gordon Strachan starts his rebuilding on the hoof and under the cosh. Boro have now suffered six defeats – and that is too many at this stage for a team with promotion ambitions.

Boro Dogged By Palace Coup.

EVERY dog has his day. Or not. Gordon Strachan denied the defeat at Palace was down to bad luck. “When the ball is going in the net and a dog runs on the pitch and stops the ball, that is bad luck.” Boro failed to score. Again and again. Four decent chances went begging. It was ruff justice