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DEEP IN MY HEART
PETERBOROUGH UNITED v MIDDLESBROUGH
James Keen, 28 Nov 2009
Can we look upon the point gained against Forest as the start?
I think we have to, it's something to build upon.
The techniques that Strachan is using with his squad are obviously a little alien to the players. It will take time for him to stamp his impression in the minds of the players, but slowly he will make a difference.
When you consider the impact of three years of mismanagement, it was always going to take longer than three games for the club to transform back into a title challenging side.
Column Continues Below...
Much has been made of our poor second half against Forest, and rightly so. It's performances like this which are going to cost us our place back in the top flight. But, considering our poor showing, it was nice to see that we didn't concede from open play.
The manner of the equaliser was disappointing. A floated free-kick in the tickling zone should have been caught comfortably by Jones, but his poor positioning gave Earnshaw an easy task.
It's small steps though, and a point is obviously a better return than the previous two games, particularly as Forest are unbeaten away from home for around nine months.
This weekend's game will provide us with a great chance to break the poor run, as bottom placed Peterborough host the 'proper' Boro.
With a disappointing start to the season weighing heavily on the mind of Posh Gaffer, and Ferguson Junior's replacement, Mark Cooper, it will be a game he will have his players fired up for. But if we match them for effort, we will come out on top.
They do however have some good players. Mackail-Smith will be a threat.
But the Posh's threat should not match up to our own. Players like Kitson (who was impressive on his debut), Lita, O'Neil, Johnson and Bent should enjoy this game. These are the games you have to enjoy in football, they're the games where you prove your quality.
Prior to Gareth Southgate's departure, our away record was keeping us in the hunt. Since then, a draw and a defeat have seen us slip down to mid-table and a position we are not happy with as a club in any way.
But the response is coming, you can feel it. At least, I think that's what I can feel.
I expect our form to improve before the January window opens, but I cannot imagine we'll be back in the promotion places.
It is going to take some serious investment by Gibson to allow us to challenge. He must back his manager with the same faith he showed in Southgate, McClaren and Robson.
He owes Strachan that much. At the end of the day, he must be judged on his own decisions and not those made by a previous regime; a regime which ripped the heart from the club.
A regime that Strachan is fighting hard to eradicate the effects of.
Strachan explained how he had punished some of the players on the club's official site, and I'd be interested to see which players were given extra running this week. I'm sure some of us could guess! It is a nice way of punishing bad performances, as the players who didn't disappoint got to indulge in a casual chat while the others ran their socks off!
It is this kind of discipline that needs drumming into our players. Strachan has obviously noticed that there is a void of discipline and effort in the squad, particularly with the younger players, and has begun to do something about it.
The unseating of David Wheater as captain was an important move, as it will allow the youngster time to develop his rapidly worsening game! It will also give new captain, Gary O'Neil, a renewed vigour, and hopefully give him cause to stay with us beyond January.
Strachan has not been scared to send players like Andrew Taylor, Marvin Emnes and Justin Hoyte to the reserves.
And it's nice to see that our manager isn't scared of his players.
We will look to play on the break against Peterborough and rightly so. However, we must ensure that when we do break, we must take our chances. Somebody is due a hiding from us, and I have a feeling it may be coming soon.
History would suggest it won't come against this weekend's opponents however. In eleven games between the two sides, there has been a total of just eighteen goals. The biggest win was 3-0 in the League Cup in 1975. John Hickton, Stuart Boam and David Armstrong got on the scoresheet that day.
A repeat of that would be nice, and would add to our solitary victory at London Road in our history.
With a chance to pick up our first win under Gordon firmly in our sights, we must perform. Whichever team is picked must give a good account of themselves.
It has been notable that Adam Johnson is looking a tad distracted of late. His looming transfer is obviously playing on his mind and we need to look to our other stars for a few goals.
Players like St. Ledger against a former club of his, Dave Kitson looking for his 99th and 100th career goals, Marcus Bent looking to reignite his season, and Leroy Lita, should be desperate for goals to overhaul Adam Johnson's tally.
We need everyone to stand up and be counted. The players must do it for us, for Strachan, for Gibson and for themselves. They owe it to us all.
What side we choose is anybody's guess. I just hope it's one that can win the game.
In Gord we must trust!!
C'mon Boro!
The Verdict: My head thinks we will battle to a 2-1 victory. My heart, however, thinks we should come away with a 3-1 win.
Probable Team: Jones, McMahon, Pogatetz, Wheater, St. Ledger, O'Neil, Osbourne, Arca, Johnson, Lita, Kitson
Man to Watch: Craig Mackail-Smith
Look on the bright side: Peterborough have a player called Exodus!
Jim's Fact of the Week: The last time we played Peterborough was the season following our first Premiership relegation, and we only mustered a draw and a defeat from our games then. More noteable is the fact that Peterborough went on to be relegated in 23rd position whilst Boro missed out on the play-offs, despite a strong start!
Ask Gordon: "Poggy is still the club captain but Gary is the captain on the field. Some people are better organisers off the pitch, some are better on the pitch, but as a midfielder, Gary is in the ideal position to be captain. The captain has to be someone who plays regularly, who doesn't get injured very often, who knows the game, and who communicates well with team-mates."
Boro's Form: LWDLLD
League Placingg
11th Middlesbrough 25 points
24th Peterborough 11 points
Head to Head - Last Six
12/2/94 Peterborough 1-0 Middlesbrough, Division 1
30/10/93 Middlesbrough 1-1 Peterborough, Division 1
12/2/92 Middlesbrough 1-0 Peterborough, League Cup
8/1/92 Peterborough 0-0 Middlesbrough, League Cup
5/9/78 Peterborough 1-0 Middlesbrough, League Cup
29/8/78 Middlesbrough 0-0 Peterborough, League Cup
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