THE AWAY END
NOTTINGHAM FOREST v MIDDLESBROUGH
John Powls; 26 Aug 2009
The Build Up To The Game
The website message board postings revealed that many Boro fans saw this game as a distraction from the league campaign. How welcome a distraction was distinctly varied but it was, at least, a game to talk about whilst the transfer window fate of Boro's squad - and, some felt, season - was contemplated.
Whilst Boro fans are, understandably attached to this competition, most agreed that it's not the priority this season. This games' only relevance was to work on or maintain form, keep the winning habit and the run of clean sheets and, maybe, to rotate some squad members - despite some players' stated preference for games over training!
Its threat - other than failing to do the aforementioned - was to disrupt Boro's Championship flow with more injuries or energy sapping extra time with a testing away fixture at Ashton Gate coming up at the weekend.
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It came hard on the heels of Boro's welcome, 'win when you're not at your best' two nil defeat of Donnie at The Riverside that took them to the top of The Championship until Cardiff beat Bristol City the following day. Also, Leroy Lita got off the mark.
This cup-tie was also played out against the backdrop of the final frantic week of the transfer window, with some players that Boro would like to retain on others' wanted lists and some that they want to let go not so - or not enough so, apparently.
Behind the posted entreaties to make sure the right players stayed and went, you could almost hear the e-breath being held in Cyber Boro-space!
Forest, under Billy Davies - a manager who now seems to have a great future behind him - had started their league season with an uninspiring two points from a possible twelve.
The Sven phenomenon and the Meadow Lane 'money-bubble' can't have helped either. It may have been that their priority was to use this game to try to turn their form around against a league leader and give their crowd something to cheer.
Gate may have been able to offer empathy but no solutions to his opposite number in how to deal with a gifted striker, over-enamoured of Greggs' delicacies as Davies recently took his newly acquired scorer, McGoldrick to task for his excess timber.
On their sites, Forest fans saw their side as having attacking potential from strikers who had not yet got enough service from a promising midfield. They also see their team as distinctly dodgy at the back, compounded by a lot of injuries, though Lee Camp is rated in goal.
Forest's cavernous looking - but only thirty thousand capacity - City Ground is a haunting reminder of names, times and triumphs past that has frequently echoed to much less than sell-out crowds in recent years. The turn out for this one - even with some seventeen hundred of the 'Boro Boys In Town' and in The Away End - was on the thin side too, being less than nine thousand.
The Game
A quick scan of the players warming up revealed that Gate had fielded a strong side with just three changes - Hoyte and Taylor getting their chance at full back and Jezza replacing Lethal Leroy Lita up front.
Boro's new, all Cyan, away kit made its debut too. Not one of my favourites, I have to admit.
Boro got The Away End in good voice as they created the better early chances. Paul Smith produced a good early save to keep out Jeremie Aliadiere's low shot before Julio Arca's follow-up was deflected wide.
Johnno worked Smith again with a shot from the right side of the box and Jezza outfoxed two defenders on the opposite side but dragged his shot into the side-netting.
The Frenchman seemed determined to retain his goalscoring virginity for as long as possible again this season.
Forest's first real chance arrived after half an hour when Dexter Blackstock and Robert Earnshaw combined but the latter drilled his shot wide.
Marvin Emnes' mild concussion from the full blooded assault by Neil Sullivan in the last game hadn't kept him out for this one and the Dutch U21 forward linked the move towards the end of the first half that set up Johnno coming in from the right wing to pass the ball into the net for his fourth of the season.
Both Huth and Wheats were solid again at the back with the reliable Danny Coyne. At the break The Away end thought that Boro had just about deserved their lead as The Tee-Tee-Teessiders had enjoyed the balance of play and chances.
In the second half, though, The Cyans failed to build on their advantage and gradually ceded the initiative to Forest.
Just about on the hour, the home side broke through. What looked a fairly routine, low corner should have been dealt with better. As it crossed the six yard box, Luke Chambers - with his back to goal produced a neat heel flick and Danny Coyne's despairing dive could only push the ball into the net.
Leroy Lita almost got on the end of a teasing Johnson cross midway through the second half but the ball skidded off the greasy surface and just beyond his outstretched leg.
As the half went on, Forest began to show the greater appetite - if not a little 'gung ho' - as manager Billy Davies took a leaf out the 'Boro UEFA Cup Come Back Tactics' book by putting on all the strikers he had on the bench!
Despite more chances at either end - but the bulk for the home side - the goals survived the rest of the half and a nervy six minutes of injury time.
Lita had a chance to win it in the fifth of those six added minutes. Yelled on by the baying Away End, Boro broke on the counter-attack but Forest defenders managed to get back and one saved their day with a superb block.
Extra time was largely Forest's province, though Boro did have chances on the break. The home side created the better chances, though, with Dele Adebola and Blackstock going close with headers in the first period.
Polish international Radoslaw Majewski, who has made an impressive start to a season long loan from Legia Warsaw, struck the winner. His crisp shot towards the end of the first period of extra time followed some good wing play from Dele Adebola.
Only a superb save from Coyne denied the Pole another goal at the start of the second period as Forest continued to sweep forward, restricting The Reds to playing on the break.
A tired looking Boro did press for an equaliser that would have taken the tie to the dreaded penalties but the closest they came was a tame shot from Arca that bobbled just wide.
As The Away Enders streamed out of the ground to start the journey home they may have reflected that recently, Robert Huth - probably Boro's MotM in this game - echoed his manager's 'feet on the ground' sentiments when he said that how Boro bounced back from a setback would give a good indication of just how good a side they are this season.
We'll have a chance to find out in The Away End at Ashton Gate where Boro's recovery and fitness levels will be tested
Later
Despite the fact Boro's three match winning streak and four game clean sheet run came to an end at The City Ground, you had to agree with Gate's post match interviews that, if it had to happen - and, of course, it did sometime - better in this game than in the league next Saturday.
Gate was left to reflect on a decent performance - especially in the first hour - but to rue chances missed.
He turned his attention to Saturday's game against Bristol City - likely to be there or thereabouts at season end. He was right to point out that, though Boro could have done without extra time, they have an extra day to recover.
If Boro get something at Ashton Gate, then last night will be quickly forgotten and an early exit from this lower priority competition rated a possible plus.
Gate could also go back to worrying - like the rest of us - quite what squad he'd have by then with the transfer window activity hotting up. Tuncay was absent last night and Gate reported some renewed interest in The Turk.
On the journey's home many Away Enders will have been appalled to hear of the Neanderthal behaviour of West Ham and Millwall fans in and around their second round Carling Cup tie at The Boleyn Ground.
Just when you thought that all of that had gone away, two clubs with a 'pedigree' for this sort of violent stupidity produced a throwback to their bad old days. All of us who travel to watch games must hope that the repercussions for clubs and individuals are swift and sure and that any copycatting elsewhere is swiftly stamped on too.
Later, at home, we watched the Boro goals on Sky Sports News. The irony didn't escape Phil and I that, in the advert breaks, the headlines of mayhem in East London were interspersed with trailers for the latest flick glorifying - yes, you've guessed it - East End football violence!
The Away End will return after the Bristol City game on 29 August.
Martin, August 26, 2009 at 3:51 pm A decent review, but.....oh dear. You may care to glance at our average attendances over the last few years -then compare them to a similar sized club in the premiership...... A club like Boro for example.
You\'ll find we aren\'t exactly struggling to fill the ground. I saw a lot of empty seats at the riverside last season or two.......
Boro look a good side in this league though. Good luck for the season
