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KARL WATSON'S
BIG MOUTH - THE SAME OLD STORY 6-10-08
Karl Watson
After my attack on the club in last week’s column, it would be terribly hypocritical of me to suggest that we have ‘turned a corner’.
Of course, I think we all know we haven’t.
I suggested the club needed to make it a priority that fans cut terms such as ‘typical Boro’ and ‘inconsistency’ out of their vocabulary.
Column continues below...
However, Saturday's result ultimately led us back to these utterances and did nothing to send out messages that maybe we will finish higher than thirteenth this season.
I wasn’t surprised we pulled a result out the bag because invariably, it was ‘typical Boro’. We have seen this all before but realistically, the only thing it did was to erase the home defeat to West Brom.
The three points weren’t an away day bonus, they were simply the points we should have collected a week earlier.
However, if we had beaten West Brom, we probably would have been beaten at the JJB because that’s how things work at Boro.
It’s good to get the three points because it means that we have not lost too much ground to the rivals we hope to compete with this season. However, ultimately, I don’t think the result leaves us in a better position than before the ninety minutes at Wigan.
The performance only highlighted what Gareth Southgate told us his wife believes - that football "is just a game of luck".
We got lucky on the day. We created one clear cut chance – if you could even call it that – and took it. It only highlighted that in our previous games where our performances merited more, we simply didn’t get the rub of the green.
Therefore I do not feel there is anything the management and coaching staff can predominantly take from the game. There is not one thing they can turn to that was drastically different from our previous performances this season.
The formation was no different, there wasn’t a new look forward line and there were no players who had returned from injury.
Yes, we can take heart from a gutsy performance by our back five but it seemed that things just didn’t happen for Wigan on the day, just like things hadn’t happened for us against West Brom.
Although we can be pleased with the result, I do not want it to appear that I am going to spin a negative on every result we get this season.
If we go to Stamford Bridge and end Chelsea’s staggering home record then we have to give credit where it's due.
However, I know it is only a matter of time before a team like Hull arrives at the Riverside and turns us over. That’s why I’d like to see us play a side like Newcastle at home to really see what we are made of.
Although this may sound bizarre, I would much prefer to see us pick up points at home against the likes of West Brom, than Chelsea.
Although some results will give the players and staff greater confidence, surely battering the mediocrity around us will give the players consistent confidence, rather than the odd dose of confidence after a one-off win against a top side.
The fans are the twelfth man, no question about it, but results such as the one against West Brom will only send fans away. Any side should fill their stadium when the big sides arrive, however, how can our players perform when only 20000 turn up?
We have to start getting things right against the likes of Wigan. We need to go to places like the JJB confidently expecting something rather than just hoping for it.
Admittedly, when filling out my Sky Sports ‘Super Six’ this week I put down a 2-0 home win for Wigan. Why, because our away record speaks for itself.
Results are what football is all about and the win at Wigan was a good one. But for it to be our only away win in 2008 is nothing short of a disgrace. It just seems that on the merits of this, and our general away form, we will be waiting until October next year to win again on the road.
But, once again we have all been here before. We are a bad side away from the Riverside and this has been the case for a number of years. And to be honest, I do not see this changing.
I was very thankful to turn over another page in my annual calendar as my other half kindly reminded me of the curse of the Manager of the Month award. I was thankful it would go to some other manager in the Premier League. Although I am not terribly superstitious, the four losses in September spoke for themselves, especially as our results had been okay before then.
Although I cannot stand international breaks, I am thankful for this one. This is simply because it allows me to gather my thoughts about Boro and at least I know I won’t be getting angry at five o'clock on a Saturday afternoon.
At this moment in time I am finding it hard to get excited over Boro. I still don’t see us heading anywhere apart from thirteenth.
I admit that my articles in the past had become robotic, mentioning the same things week upon week, being too positive only to get knocked back by Boro’s results and performances.
However, I am in danger of my future articles verging on the same lines. Why? Because no matter how good or bad a result or performance may be, I cannot see us being anything other than inconsistent this season.
If we had a fully fit squad to choose from week-in week-out then maybe things could be different but our squad is too thin and we are already struggling to adapt when our better players are lying on the injury table once again.
Football is all about ifs and buts but when Aston Villa – a top eight side – replace their injured players with those who already have years upon years of Premier League quality and still get outplayed and outclassed by Chelsea, it unbelievably highlights that we are a bottom half side.
If Chelsea can replace their injured players with those who have years upon years of international and Champions League quality, then how can we even get close to the top ten when we are replacing our better players with ‘kids’?
I am in favour of us progressing players from our academy as it’s the only thing that separates us from a nothing side. But it won't propel us into a top ten side for another two to three years. The club will therefore have to change its policy on transfers.
If Alves bangs in twenty goals this season and a bid in excess of £13million comes in for him, the club will sell.
I am convinced no bids have been tabled for Stewart Downing because if they had been, he would have been sold. We all know why Luke Young was sold.
We need to keep the same squad for a good few years now and develop them as a bunch of players. They will fight for each other and fight for their manager.
Manchester United do not change things drastically every season, therefore continuity works. Newcastle United proves the converse of that.
We’ve all heard the quote "you win nothing with kids" and although Arsene Wenger proved it was possible, they have started to adjust their side quite a lot lately and they have slipped behind Manchester United and Chelsea.
However, we need to make sure we don’t slip behind Wigan, Bolton and Fulham. If we believe in continuity then one day we may be a top half side.
It may seem a little drastic but I am already looking forward to the 2009/10 season.
BACK TO THE KARL WATSON'S
BIG MOUTH INDEX
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