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SEASON OVER? 5-4-07
Tom Warnock
On Saturday the Boro suffered their third consecutive defeat in all competitions. Not that you needed reminding. However I'm sure you'll all need reminding that we do actually play a game this weekend, and it is not in fact the end of the season.
Well it's the end of the season for the players and fans, but until the games played column reads 38, the club must still put eleven men on the pitch and pretend we still have pride to play for.
On a more sombre note, it is a sad end to a season which promised more (not much, but more). I suppose a top-half finish is now the target, however would anyone be surprised if like all the previous targets (win the FA Cup, qualify for Europe), we fail to achieve it.
McClaren's penultimate season in charge was the only time we've achieved a top-half finish. It looks like being a cameo appearance if we continue the trend next season.
Ever since I can remember being a Boro fan we've only ever had enough huff and puff in us for a small section of the season. It's always been a stark contrast of success and failure. We reached the FA Cup final and were relegated (3 points! 3 points!), we won the Carling Cup and finished eleventh, and last season we marched all the way to Eindhoven and only managed a measly fourteenth.
The point is, Boro teams of past and present have been unable to deliver over the course of 38 games, and this season has been no different. Until we manage to master the art of consistency this club will never have the success it deserves.
The West Ham defeat was no real surprise; we could all see it coming. But even Gareth Southgate seemed surprised at the lack of any kind of fight. Defensive errors, toothless up front and the timing of the goals pointed towards a complete absence of concentration.
It's difficult to show an interest in the remaining results, and I daren't speculate what the attendance will be against Watford. Many fans would sooner spend the money on an Easter weekend with the wife, and that's saying something about what's on offer at The Riverside.
If I was Gareth Southgate, I would start looking at next season as of now. Look at potential signings, observe our latest academy graduates, and push on negotiations with Viduka and Woodgate.
The future is now for this football club because we simply have nothing to play for; if it wasn't for the ever so slight threat of relegation I'm sure the team would be coasting until May, not to say some of them aren't anyway.
Gareth is adamant that he wants the best possible finish to the season, and I'm sure he is sincere when he says that, but he needs to motivate the team to win as many points as possible because against West Ham it seemed as if some of the team were experiencing a bout of self-pity after the cup exit.
From a personal point of view Gareth will want to finish higher in his first season than McClaren's 12th place. Oh, and Gareth, we wouldn't mind finishing above the Geordies as well please.
TALK ABOUT IT IN THE NEW HOLGATE MESSAGE BOARD
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