Well, it has finally happened, Boro are officially in the relegation zone and we can't complain. We fully deserve to be where we are in the league and at this point we absolutely deserve to be relegated.
Believe me it pains me to type that.
There have been many games where decisions have gone against us (including Digard's sending off yesterday) but overall, as a team, we simply haven't performed to any where near the top level for far too long.
I do not want us to get relegated. That should go without saying but there is a growing number of Boro fans who think it that a) it is inevitable and b) it would be more interesting than Boro's struggle to survive season after season. The trouble is if we do go down I find it very hard to see us achieving promotion.
So what do we do? Southgate has stopped saying he has Gibson's backing and the fans are calling for his head. At this point I say fair enough. While I like Southgate and think he has the makings of a very good manager I am no longer sure we can wait.
Whether his absence would help or hinder a group of individuals who are no longer a team is debatable. Perhaps his resignation would be the final nail in Boro's coffin as the players already look resigned to Championship football, or perhaps a new manager would breathe new life into these lacklustre, overpaid, dispirited drab bunch of 'footballers' and I am using the term loosely.
Yesterday, we actually created chances but we did not score. Not even once. West Brom are in the relegation zone for a reason and yet they thumped us 3-0.
And while the buck always stops at the manager, it is high time the players took responsibility.
Alves, far from going on the run we were promised after he scored against Barrow and Sunderland, missed four glorious opportunities. Close-range, long-range, mid-range, headers, free-kicks, penalties...is there no opportunity Alves is capable of not scoring? I realise that that is a double negative but as Boro are drowning in negativity anyway I really don't think it matters!
Downing was both clapped and booed as he left the field, Turnbull was applauded but "You're getting sacked in the morning" rang out loudly in Southgate's direction.
Do we have any players left who are both busting a gut for Boro and in form? Well we did have, until our French midfielder got himself sent off.
Didier Digard, the glue that was holding us together will now miss the next three matches after receiving a straight red card for a 'dangerous two footed challenge' except that it was neither.
And once again as soon as Digard left the field, the team deflated.
Next we have Chelsea, Blackburn and a cup match against Wolves to er look forward to.
Whether Southgate will still be at the helm come Monday remains to be seen, but some new faces amongst the Boro squad seems to be the only logical next step. We need to do some deals, bring players in on loan, we need to do something!
The season is not over but Boro's season has been an unmitigated disaster so far.
The players, the manager and the Chairman have all been negligent this season and they all have something to answer for, it may already be too late for some of them but we have to see them try.
First published on www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/fanzone - Jan 09
No comments:
Post a Comment