BACK TO ARCHIVE INDEX © All written site content is copyright ComeOnBoro.com 2004-2007, unless otherwise stated, and is not to be used without prior permission.	MIDDLESBROUGH 2 CHARLTON ATHLETIC 0, Premier League, Saturday 23 December 2006 Middlesbrough went into this relegation six-pointer against Charlton in the bottom three after West Ham managed to pick up a point at Craven Cottage in the lunchtime kick-off. Jonathan Woodgate and Emmanuel Pogatetz reformed their partnership at the centre of defence after returning from injury and suspension respectively. This meant that Andrew Davies was moved back to his natural right-back position with Andrew Taylor on the left whilst Chris Riggott and Stewart Parnaby were dropped. Julio Arca started the game in the centre of midfield despite being substituted for Lee Cattermole for the second half at Fulham. The Academy youngster did not even earn a place on the bench, a decision that was questioned by many fans due to Boro's need to be combative in this crucial game. The rest of the team remained unchanged - with a 4-4-2 formation once again being adopted. This gave Mark Viduka a third straight game up front with Yakubu whilst Stewart Downing and Andrew Morrison were on the left and right wings respectively. George Boateng was captain once more. Charlton, who humiliatingly lost in the Carling Cup against Wycombe Wanderers mid-week placed former Boro striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink on the bench. Atmosphere was high and both teams were charged - hopefully the Boro could get a result. Schwarzer, Davies, Pogatetz, Woodgate, Taylor, Morrison (Parnaby 88), Boateng, Arca, Downing, Viduka (Christie 74), Yakubu, Jones, Rochemback, Johnson THE FIRST HALF For such a crunch clash the opening was more tepid than I would expect Julius Caesar's bathwater to be now. Boro had a slight edge in the opening exchanges but all they had to show for it was a Downing free-kick that was comfortably cleared and a Julio Arca shot that was so poor Southgate was probably considering asking him to resign for Sunderland. The game was scrappier than a South Bank fishery at this stage but some rare graceful play between Morrison and Yakubu fed Arca on the edge of the box. Eighteen yards out, inside left but unfortunately he could not get the ball off the ground. That contract from Sunderland was in the post. On eleven the same disease reared its ugly head as Downing crossed a perfect ball into the box and Mark Viduka failed to capitalise. Indeed he was slower to the pounce than an obese arthritic wolf in shackles and the chance went begging. The Boro were applying pressure, Mark Viduka cushioning a header down from a Andrew Davies cross. The ball broke to Morrison but like a hyperactive eight year old hurtling towards you, it was at an awkward height and the Boro player could not convert. Like the classiest of escort girls the Boro were stroking balls around expertly. Downing chipped the ball into the Charlton box and Andrew Davies anticipated the intelligent ball. The ball calculated its trajectory using three-dimensional trigonometric functions and, distracting the young right-back, put Davies off his header, which was comfortably cleared. 0-0 in a relegation battle so it was time for showboating! And no the Boateng family weren't brought on to the pitch. A strong cross from Downing once more allowed Yakubu to control the ball before performing an expert overhead kick that, erm, went wide. A minute later and a great ball from Arca fed in Downing but he wasn't full-blooded enough so all that was secured was a corner when a shot could have resulted. The ball was comfortably cleared by the visitors from the set-play but a Davies ball back into the box caused confusion in the away area and they scrambled it away like it was an egg, whisking it out for a throw-in. On twenty-nine Boro's 86% possession finally paid dividends. Arca won the ball in the midfield and passed to Morrison. He passed it to Viduka, who passed back to Morrison who threaded a perfectly weighted ball (to FIFA and UEFA specifications) to Yakubu. The Nigerian stole the keeper and trailing defender a dummy and made no mistake from twelve yards. It was no less than what Boro deserved. Middlesbrough 1 (Yakubu, 29) Charlton 0 Instead of a Charlton backlash, the Boro grouped once more and tried to forge through their opponent's backline again. But all that was to show from this was an Andrew Davies shot on thirty-four that was comfortably saved by Scott Carson. Charlton's first corner came on thirty-five but this was cleared by Boateng. Charlton's second and third corners came and their first effort on goal was a lucky hit of Talal El-Karkouri's backside and drifted harmlessly past the right-hand post. Charlton were coming back into the game, with the Boro having a mere 76% of the possession instead of the previous 86. But that didn't stop the home side as Charlton found the ball in the back of their net after a Yakubu strike. Unfortunately the offside flag was up as well but it was some good link-up play between Yakubu and Viduka that allowed the assistant to indulge in his weekly exercise. Boro's possession had only produced one clear cut effort on goal and Charlton showed that this may not be enough. Their first shot came on forty-three and it floated dangerously closely beyond the right-hand post by Djimi Traore. Into stoppage time and Boro's poker face cracked once more as Morrison left the Charlton backline for dead and bounded on to the ball. His pass to Yakubu may have been slightly over-hit but the Nigerian perhaps should have slid in. Carson saved it comfortably and with that the whistle blew. Boro had dominated, Charlton were woeful but we still only had one goal. We needed more to be sure. FIRST HALF FAN REACTION "Could have done with another one but one will do for now" Datsun THE SECOND HALF Unsurprisingly there were no changes for the Boro coming into the second half of the game. After seventeen seconds Yakubu tried to run on to an errant ball but failed to reach it and the chance went begging. Boro won their first corner of the second half after forty-seven minutes when James Morrison fed in Mark Viduka and his shot took a deflection. The corner was delivered left-footed and wormed its way to Jonathan Woodgate who scuffed his shot from six yards out - with the goal wide in his eyes like the headlights in a frightened bunny-rabbit. Let's hope this rabbit wasn't using ordinary zinc-carbon batteries otherwise we could be in trouble towards the end. On fifty-one Arca opened his Boro account as Mark Viduka threaded the ball through to him. The Argentinan scuffed his shot but as it bobbled through the crowded penalty area, it beat Scott Carson and Boro had doubled their advantage. That contract from Sunderland was subsequently torn up. Middlesbrough 2 (Arca, 51) Charlton 0 This time Charlton did come out of the traps, like greyhounds chasing a quickly moving Jonathan Woodgate on a rail. In hungry yet lethargic abandon they snapped a shot at the defender, claiming a penalty as it struck his paw. Rob Styles, the referee, remained unmoved. On fifty-seven Viduka's touch deserted him after more creative play from Morrison. The ball went out for a corner, from which nothing resulted. The ball then cannoned off the bunny and a Charlton defender, earning the home side another corner. A third corner ensued as a Pogatetz header deflected off a ragged Charlton defence. The pressure on the Londoners was increasing some more as Downing and Morrison were torturing their backline. Confidence was oozing from the side like stuffing from a freshly plucked turkey. It was to be hoped that Charlton would be providing the turkey. Another corner, another clearance, another ball into the box and the crowd whooped their belief that Jonathan Woodgate was fouled in the box. No penalty was given, largely because it wasn't one. Downing dinked the ball into the box on sixty-two teeing up a fruity chest-down from young James Morrison. But the offside flag also beat the youngster which was an image I immediately tried to erase from my mind. Arca was growing in confidence and on sixty-three he accepted the ball from a Downing corner and blasted it goalwards. Carson saved. On sixty-six Yakubu accepted a square ball from Morrison and blasted a shot towards goal as he was falling. It went well wide, much to the frustration of Downing who was unmarked, in space, and raring to go. No zinc-carbon batteries for him. Boro were now even more in the ascendancy as Morrison stroked the ball gently to Viduka. After all would you like being kicked? Apparently it was crying. Viduka was beaten by the offside flag and I was introduced to an even more disturbing image. On sixty-nine Arca got behind the defence and flicked it to Mark Viudka who could not convert. A Downing corner later saw a stumble from Davies and another miscued shot as Boro were playing as if they were on an ice-rink. Charlton were shot of confidence as Darren Bent was deceived by a woeful ball. After this Malcolm Christie came on for Mark Viduka in a like-for-like swap that even Noel Edmunds would have approved of. It was definitely a Deal. A Yakubu shot on seventy-five was the next piece of action and El Karkouri, Charlton's only decent player today, blocked it once more. A corner ensued and Boro's backline pushed forward into the box. On seventy-eight Julio had a vision - a vision where all races, creeds and nationalities could hold hands together and embrace each other in eternal love. He also passed the ball to Malcolm Christie whose excellent run was found. Carson read it however, rushing out faster than a teenager's ejaculate to thwart Christie's efforts. Charlton then got a nosebleed as they spent more than ten seconds in Boro's box but Boateng's blocking allowed the Boro to maintain their integrity. Boro then maintained the status quo instead of smashing up Mark Page's CD collection. Still, another Christie effort that was thwarted by the offside flag followed as Charlton's defence once more found themselves under pressure. With six minutes left Charlton came forward again, getting behind the Boro backline. From a cross Schwarzer completely fluffed his catch and the ball was launched towards the Boro goal with the goalkeeper miles from his post. Thankfully Emmanuel Pogatetz read the danger and cleared the ball off the line, thwarting Charlton's attempts to reduce the arrears. Charlton were growing in confidence towards the end, which means to say that they actually put another cross into the Boro box. This time, Schwarzer made no mistake, comfortably gathering and earning his wages. It had been a quiet 400th game for the Australian. On eighty-eight, probably as a time-wasting measure, manager Gareth Southgate replaced James Morrison with Stuart Parnaby. Charlton won a corner towards the end and a Hermann Hreidarsson volley failed to find its target. A minute later a Schwarzer fumble from a Marcus Bent shot almost let in the Charlton striker again but Schwarzer made another brave save to deny him. Since going to 4-4-2 Charlton looked more threatening and a Matt Holland shot drew another save from Schwarzer into stoppage time. But it was not going to be enough for the London side who were to be sent home with their tails between their legs. This was a game the Boro dominated and a clean sheet to boot will instil confidence. The only negative was Boro's lack of threat in front of goal - it should have been more than just the two but beggars can't be choosers. With Charlton, Watford, Blackburn and Sheffield United all losing - and West Ham picking up a mere point - today was very much Boro's day. Let's hope we can get our season back on track and pull away from the drop zone. FULL TIME FAN REACTION "A much needed and deserved win" Smoggy_In_OZ SEND THIS TO A FRIEND BACK TO CHARLTON MATCH PROGRAMME INDEX
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