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THE BOAT IS SINKING WITHOUT A TRACE 23-10-06
Stuart Ward
I know, this will not be a popular article with most Boro fans, but it is becoming plainly clear that our once immense central midfielder is fast becoming a liability to the team.
For many a year, George Boateng has been a rock in the heart of our team. He was a defensive midfielder that people looked upon with envy. Someone opponents feared playing against. His tough tackling and seemingly endless energy let him rule the midfield. There was talk of him moving to big clubs, Manchester United reportedly showing their interest. This was until this season. Unfortunately, our Boat is sinking.
I can hear you all coughing coffee out of your noses in sheer indignation at the fact someone could possibly suggest such a thing. But if you will hear me out I will explain my thinking.
You only have to look back as far as the Newcastle match to see the dramatic fall of our once indestructible midfield general. He looked lost in central midfield, chasing the ball around like a young kid on the playground while the older lads knocked it around him.
He only put about two meaningful tackles in the WHOLE match. What is more worrying is the fact that he seems to have lost that engine and drive that set him out from many other defensive midfielders. His legs have gone.
It was really quite embarrassing, not maybe seeing Scott Parker go past him as if he was stood still, but certainly when Nicky Butt took the same liberty. He just did not have the ability to get back at players who got past him like he did in the past. He was arriving so late for tackles that he didn't bother to put his foot in. That was left to young Lee Cattermole, which is something I will come to shortly.
Another sign of his fading abilities is the fact that he is possibly one of the worst passers of a football in the Premiership. For a long while, his failings on the ball, his shooting and passing mainly, have been made up for by his dominance of opposition players when THEY had the ball. He genuinely panics when he has the ball. It is like he can't see more than ten yards when the ball is at his feet.
Whereas when Rochembach or Cattermole have the ball they seem to be able to spot people AND make a pass to them, George simply gives it away, or plays his teammates into trouble. He is a notoriously bad striker of a ball, as his goal scoring record suggests.
The argument that he is a defensive midfielder doesn't wash with me. Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira were defensive midfielders but they still scored goals. In the Premiership today Papa Bouba Diop for Fulham is a defensive midfielder and he still lashes the ball home from 25 yards out with something approaching regularity.
Finally, we have the fact that George Boateng is captain. This is a farce. He no longer has the ability to inspire the players around him. Whilst his desire is evident, the way he lambasts the younger players around him is ridiculous. As some guy pointed out in the east stand on Sunday, he needs to get his own game in order before he has a go at Lee Cattermole for example.
I for one also find it very difficult to understand the man in his interviews. If he can't be understood when talking calmly in front of a TV camera, how the hell can people understand him when he is on the pitch with 30,000 people screaming in the background. He should have been stripped of the captaincy when Woodgate took over during Boateng's injury earlier in the season.
We have a young player in Lee Cattermole who is rated by many to be one of the finest young talents in the Premier League. He is the second youngest member of the Under-21 squad at the minute. Being picked for the U-21 squad at the age of 18 shows just how much talent this lad has. He LOVES to put his foot in. He has so much pride in wearing the shirt and he loves the club.
Having ALREADY captained the first team, the argument that he "isn't ready" to replace the Boat is complete tosh. The boy is now a first team regular (having played in all but one game this season) and in my opinion now is the perfect time to say to him, "Go on son, establish yourself as a defensive midfielder".
He likes the tackle, he has got good pace and seemingly endless stamina. He is absolutely fearless, he loves being out there with the chance of putting his foot in against the best players in the world and he raises the energy levels of his teammates and the crowd. He has got decent ability on the ball and he can certainly pass and shoot to a fair level. Now is the time to get this lad running our game in the centre of midfield. He really can't do any worse then Boateng can he?
All of the above has led me to believe that it is time we moved George on with all of our thanks and best wishes for the future. It is always sad to see a once great player struggling to keep up with his contemporaries, however there can be no room for sentiment.
He has had his day, and now it is time for our Boat to set sail off into the sunset.
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