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WEST BROM v MIDDLESBROUGH ANALYSIS AND PLAYER RATINGS 1-3-07
Udayan Mukherjee
They did it the hard way, but Boro are in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the second year in a row. As is obligatory for this year's cup run, Boro made us supporters sweat until the very last moment before progressing, but lets face it; if we can do the same in the next match against the best team in the country, then we can surely go all the way.
As was expected of a team facing promotion and to paraphrase Gareth Southgate, a Premiership team in all but status, West Bromwich Albion put together a committed and skilful performance that made them such a difficult proposition for Middlesbrough over 210 minutes and penalties.
At a vibrant Hawthorns, in front of a bumper crowd, Tony Mowbray's side started off the game in bullish mood, making Premiership Middlesbrough look very ordinary in the first fourty-five minutes.
Although Middlesbrough looked to be positive, there was a lack of cutting edge, and it was the home side that looked to have greater penetrance. Boro's much vaunted frontline was utterly devoid of service, with Stewart Downing also struggling due to having to drift inside because of Yakubu's penchant for occupying a wide position.
After bossing possession and holding a monopoly on shots, it was no surprise when the Baggies took the lead through Darren Carter on twenty-six minutes. Falling behind failed to galvanise the Teessiders and all that was managed was a long range effort by captain George Boateng after some good play by the Boro. This was the only meaningful effort on goal in the first half, and it was clear to all that Middlesbrough would need to be much more positive and use the ball in a much more clever way to test the West Brom defence.
Middlesbrough brought on James Morrison for Lee Cattermole after the break, presumably with the words of Gareth Southgate still ringing in their ears. The move brought about a change of personnel and tactics, which was to ultimately change the face of the game.
But West Brom remained in the ascendancy so Gareth Southgate changed the team further by bringing on Stuart Parnaby for Andrew Davies. The change to a diamond midfield formation for Boro made the Teessiders much more fluid going forward, something that was sadly lacking in the first half.
Although they had been much better since the break it took until around the hour mark when Middlesbrough began to assert true authority on the match, and it was to be a trio of wayward strikes by Stewart Downing that brought about a change in the tide.
Before long, Middlesbrough had pegged back West Bromwich Albion and when a ball into the centre by substitute Parnaby was met by a weak volley from Viduka, Boro had equalised, albeit via a large deflection off Curtis Davies. Some felt it was an unlucky way to concede for Albion, but perhaps they were forgetting the goal scored by rat-face himself for a West Brom equaliser in the original match at the Riverside. One thing was for certain: The sizable contingent from Teesside was happier than some gadgie called Larry, whoever he is.
Boro began to assert authority and from then on it was always going to be the Teessiders that were going to score, although no one was taking anything for granted. West Brom were initially haphazard following the Middlesbrough equaliser, and remained so until top scorer Diomansy Kamara came on.
At this point it was even in terms of possession and chances, although the home side went close twice with efforts by Ellington and Robinson. Boro grew in stature as the game went on, with our best spell coming in the last ten minutes of normal time with Yakubu and Lee Dong Gook coming close with the former stinging the fingertips of Kiely (no relation to a certain diminutive Australian pop star, but rather a man who looks like he wears dungarees and says things like "You look real Purrty boy" at the drop of a hat), and the latter stroking it agonisingly wide after good work by James Morrison.
The pace of the match, which had thus far been frantic in true FA Cup fashion, slowed down considerably as the game progressed into extra time, with Middlesbrough still looking like the team likely to progress. Indeed the likelihood seemed quite high when in the third minute of extra time, Nathan Ellington clattered into a horrible challenge on Stuart Parnaby and was quite rightly given his marching orders.
However, the Boro's relative dominance did not materialise into goals and it was to be penalties that decided the game for the second Middlesbrough FA Cup tie in a row. In the event the penalties went to sudden death, and when Dutch striker MacDonald blasted over the bar, even the most conservative Middlesbrough supporters indulged in a sneaky EIO.
Say it to yourself and have a little dream of Wembley: Middlesbrough are in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. And that is just peachy.
Player Ratings
Brad Jones: Made a few decent saves, and came close to a couple of Albion's penalties, but was at fault for their goal when he bizarrely failed to make any sort of movement whatsoever. 6
Andrew Davies: The youngster has put in some very decent performances at right back this year, but was poor in this game. Brought off for Parnaby early in the first half. 5
Andrew Taylor: Highly polished, competent performance. Back to his best. 8
Emmanuel Pogatetz: Not the Austrian's best game by a country mile. Average. 6
Jonathan Woodgate: Beaten for pace and lacked his usual authority in the first half, but gradually got better as the game went on. 7
Julio Arca: Played well, showed nice touches, link up play again exemplary. 8
George Boateng: Personal performance much like the Boro's: decidedly average in the first half, but grew in stature as the game went on. Had a decent effort at goal in the first half and scored the winning penalty in the shoot-out. 7
Stewart Downing: Beat his man whenever required and sent over several decent crosses. Less effective when having to cover for Yakubu in the centre. 8
Ayegbeni Yakubu: Not a good game at all for the big man: he looked disinterested bar a run in the first two minutes and a shot towards the end of normal time, apart from which he was anonymous. Seemed to drift over to the left far too often. 5
Mark Viduka: Bags of effort from the talismanic forward who scored the equaliser. He was taken off towards the end of normal time due to being exhausted however, which is perhaps telling of his fitness levels. 7
Substitutes
Stuart Parnaby: The much maligned right back was an inspired substitution. His defensive and attacking play was very good, and he even found time to provide the assist for the Boro equaliser. 8
Lee Dong Gook: Lots and lots of effort from our new signing, although his performance possibly suffered from trying too hard to impress. One gets the feeling that when the first goal goes in, and he dispenses of his annoying habit of hitting the post, we will have a very good player on our hands. Although some said that about Jason Euell. 7
James Morrison: The introduction of Morrison into a position behind the strikers at the top of a midfield diamond was an inspired move by the manager, and Morrison produced a very good performance. His introduction was a significant turning point in the change of the flow of the game. 8
Sign him on
West Brom players showed themselves to be technically very good, and several will surely be accomplished Premiership players. Honourable mentions go out to John Greening, Kamara (mainly from his first leg display) and Jason Koumas. Good luck to the Baggies and Tony Mowbray for the rest of the season.
So there we have it - a Middlesbrough victory and a date with Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. It is a tough proposition, but we have a very good record against them, and there is every possibility that we could cause an 'upset' and go through to the semi-finals. This is especially desirable so as to piss off the embarrassingly big four centric national media.
Up The Boro
That's all folks
Udayan Mukherjee
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