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THE ROCKLIFFE FILES - SAVAGE: WORST TACKLE IN THE LEAGUE 26-9-06
Toby Higgins
If the pen is mightier than the sword, but actions speak louder than words, then clearly we have a decision to make: pen or sword? If a tree falls in the woods, but nobody is around, does it make a sound? Do good things really come to those who wait? Does Ronseal do exactly what it says on the tin?
I know what you're thinking. I've lost in the plot. But, alas, if you're thinking that, you're (probably) wrong. Indeed, on Saturday night, I would have willingly talked at length about any of the philosophies, rumours, or theories, mentioned above. No matter how trivial the debate was I would have engaged in a discussion about it - anything that meant I didn't have to talk Boro.
Saturday was a disaster. In many, many ways, it was much worse than the Portsmouth shambles. The mistakes being made are schoolboy errors, made by men who are paid handsomely to get at least the basics right. Out of the 24,000 or so people inside the ground, how many would have started with James Morrison on the left of a five-man midfield? Probably just one - Gareth Southgate.
As I'm sure you've gathered by now, I wasn't a huge fan of the decision to appoint Southgate as manager because there were too many issues that didn't rest easy. Why appoint a man with no experience at any level, to a club whose last game was the UEFA Cup final? We don't have time to make the basic mistakes a manager learning the game is bound to make as we are a club on the up. More than anything though, why give the job to a man who didn't even apply for it?
When Gibson appointed Southgate, he told us that he made the decision because of Southgate's ".judgement, judgement in players, judgement in tactics, judgement in man management". It's safe to say that we haven't seen a lot of good judgement from Southgate so far in his managerial reign. Did I say reign? I meant shower.
In fact, judgement is precisely what was lacking on Wednesday night against Notts County Reserves. Given the fact we only had two competitions to worry about until Christmas, the League and the Carling Cup, resting players from games at this stage of the season is unnecessary, as well as unbelievably naïve, especially because a win for the first Xi would have injected some much needed confidence going into the next league match.
Had we faced a gruelling UEFA Cup run too, the eight changes would have been more understandable. I won't hear anything being said about 'hindsight being a wonderful thing', because surely this was obvious before the match even kicked off. If Aston Villa's starting Xi was good enough for Martin O'Neill, whose team are in round three, then why wasn't ours good enough for Southgate? Poor judgment, methinks.
As for Saturday...
As mentioned, Morrison on the left of midfield was probably the pick of a whole host of contenders for the most 'puzzling decision of the day award' ain the defeat to Blackburn, though it was run a close second by Parnaby as a right winger and also Mendieta's inclusion in the sixteen, let alone the starting line-up.
But it was more than the personnel. It was the whole ambience of the team. Euell, Mendieta and Fabulous Rochemback looked unsure of their roles, as they sauntered aimlessly through midfield, and not one player showed the passion that a club like Middlesbrough Football Club deserve. They didn't want it half as much as Blackburn.
In fact, they loudest cheer of the game came when Robbie Savage was forced to change both his shirt and shorts on the touchline, much to the amusement of onlooking fans. Moments later I received a text message that read, "Savage - worst tackle in the League". It was to be the only time I smiled for the duration of the ninety minutes.
Consistency was another promise made by Gibson when he appointed Southgate, but the rapid changes in formation and players suggest this too has yet to be seen. Such changes could account for our lack of goals, just one in the last five matches, which is the reason we haven't won any of them. Yakubu needs help.
The one thing we lack more than anything in our first team squad at the moment is, in this writer's opinion, experience; experience of managing, playing, winning and losing. The decision to allow Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Franck Queudrue and Doriva all leave meant that with them went bags of experience and winner's medals. They are players who know how to win games, which is something our current squad doesn't appear to be sure of.
The average age of the starting Xi on Saturday was a mere 25.18 years old, which is nearly two years younger than the Chelsea side who took on Fulham at the weekend (27.09 years old) Experience is crucial. For an example of how so, look no further than Arsenal, who without Pires, Bergkamp, Campbell and Vieria, struggled to win games they would have breezed through last season. It's the same at the Boro.
Maybe there is too much pressure on the youngsters at the club at the moment. It's easy to forget that Yakubu is only 23, and Rochemback only 24, yet the expectation placed upon them is massive. Players who have been there, seen it and done it are vital in the development of youngsters, so including players like Ray Parlour, Ugo Ehiogu and Colin Cooper in the match day process will only be good for the youngsters in the squad, surely?
Just to make it clear how dire the situation is at the Boro at this moment, you need only look as far as our next fixture. Sheffield United are rock bottom of the Premiership, but how many of us think we'll even score at Bramall Lane, let alone get a result?
And on that note.
Same time next week.
Up the Boro
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