THE AWAY END
PRESTON v MIDDLESBROUGH
John Powls, 27 Oct 2009
The Build Up To The Game
Did something happen this week? Oh, yes, that.
Trying to recapture or summarise the content of a 'new media gone critical' this week would have had all the intellectual challenge of Monty Python's 'Summarise Proust' sketch with the volume (both sound and size) turned up to eleven!
I'm not even going to try. The battle lines are still as entrenched on all sides as they ever were and, just as importantly, Boro had a big game to play.
I will, though, allow myself just one topic for comment.
One of the reasons that Gibbo took the action he did, was the damaging schism that has grown between MFC and Boro fans. Despite his evident failings, that isn't all Gareth Southgate's fault, nor is it all just to do with the football itself. But Southgate became a 'lightning rod' for it and, ultimately, a victim of it.
Column Continues Below...
The Chairman has recognised that that schism exists - actually a chasm - and his hopes that the appointment of a new manager will see the start of a turn around are to be applauded.
But, on its own, this one significant action won't be anywhere near enough. If Gibbo really wants Boro fans to fall back in love with MFC in the way they all love Boro, there will need to be a programme of review and action. This must start with listening, consulting and then involving Boro fans in the turn round.
As the game approached, the announcement of the announcement - that it would happen before the weekend - didn't happen. The websites were alive with the 'has it fallen through?' stuff. But when has any Boro transfer in not had a delay?
Given everything that had transpired since Tuesday evening, there had been enough distractions for the Boro players and the remaining coaches to come to terms with. But, as ever, football life moves on and the process of The Championship is relentless.
Something as immediate, pressing and important as a game against top six rivals to focus on may have been something that Coops, Steve Agnew, Stephen Pears and their temporary charges have had reason to be grateful for.
With their future boss's representative and coach, Gary Pendry, allegedly watching their efforts from the stand and the 'six-pointer' nature of the fixture itself, professionalism would be necessary. Boro eyes needed to be 'on the ball' - in all senses - and they would surely want to hit the Preston ground running.
The well above average Deepdale crowd of 16,000 was swollen by a Parmo Army of more than three thousand in The Away End. The fans were in their usual good voice, despite the good soaking and dreadful conditions many had endured had en route.
The Game
Fortunately the monsoon had abated to be replaced by 'bright and breezy' for both the ritual gristleburgers with cheese and onion and for kick off. The Boro players completed the now obligatory Away End signed ball distribution.
For what was likely to be his only game in charge, Coops had gone, virtually, the same again. The only change was a forced one with Emnes replacing the yet again injured, Femmer Frenchie, Aliadiere.
Bright and breezy might have represented Boro's first half performance too as The Red wind threatened to blow Preston away.
Let's get it right, though - when I talked with Phil and 'Talking Tactics' Ian Gill before this game I predicted a 'scoring draw and a decent performance from both sides in a reasonable game' - and that's what we got.
But, if that's what many would have settled for in advance, it was much more difficult for The Away End to swallow, when Preston played so poorly in the first half, that Boro should have been out of sight but were only one up.
Worse than that, Boro got ahead after Preston's equaliser only to concede yet another silly injury time free-kick and then disappeared to leave the Preston Jones the freedom of the six yard box to equalise with a header from Ross Wallace's cross.
'Coventry' was the word on The Away Enders lips! Well, that's the only printable one anyway.
Ian Gill summed it up like this: "Having seen the second equaliser it reminded of a comment I made about Liverpool after Boro had scored against them.
"It was along the lines of that they had been struggling over whether to play zonal or man to man marking but had come up with no marking at all.
"Preston's Jones must have rushed off the pitch to check the deodorant under his arms, he probably has his own area of the changing room. The markers just ran away from him, I thought it was the attacker who was supposed to make runs to try to lose the marker not the other way round."
Yet again, before the Red Zone denouement, Johnno and Gary O'Neil were the pick of the Boro team - and, not surprisingly, their scorers.
It was beginning to look like one of those occasions when a side doesn't get a goal when they're on top and pays the price as The Reds dominated a one sided first half but couldn't make their pressure tell.
But, as the break approached, Gary O'Neil bought a free-kick through a collision with a Preston defender on the edge of the box. He stepped up to drive a daisy cutter past the white wall and into the part of the goal that Lonergan was covering.
The goalie's feeble attempt to save belied his earlier performance and, unaccountably, he allowed the ball to squirm under his dive for Boro's opener. But it should have been one of several by that time.
Lita's deflected effort, Johnno's attempt at a right foot curler and Digard's left peg fizzer were probably the pick of the attempts.
Though Lita and Emnes used their pace, they showed - and highlighted by contrast with Johnno - that being quick, on it's own, is a limited virtue.
A rally from Preston might have been expected after the break - The Away Enders discussed it during half time - and it duly came.
It was a more even second half and Preston put some pressure on Boro. On the hour, Boro's defenders confused themselves - not for the last time - and The Reds were Parry-ed as Paul of that ilk levelled with a neat finish from a tight angle after Brad Jones had parried Jon Parkin's header.
The outstanding Adam Johnson restored Boro's lead just six minutes later with a low shot into the bottom corner that, in approach and execution, was not unlike his strike against Derby in the last game.
How The Tee-Tee-Teessiders loved that - and loved Johnno's 'touch hands' celebratory run behind the goal and past where the Parmo Army's front ranks pressed the barriers.
Rhys Williams then had the best chance to make the game safe - or safer, this is Boro! - but hit Lonergan's post with his effort.
As the half wore on - and particularly as the game got into the last few minutes and someone said that Boro were looking like they were going to see this one out - you just knew that the 'Typical Boro' fates had been tempted.
The stadium announcer was just relaying a minimum of three minutes added time over the public address and it was just as though Joe Bennett took it as a signal to give away a daft free kick out on Preston's left wing - just in the right spot to drop one into the Boro danger area.
The Away Ender's heads just had to bow to the seemingly inevitable and two more points dropped.
Later
In his post-match comments caretaker Coops' 'tribute band' act stretched beyond the game itself and was as pure a Karaoke Gate as you could get - altogether now, sing along:-
"Unfortunately it comes a bit too much of a coincidence when you concede two to three late goals. We should be sitting fairly close to the top of the table with the points that have gone begging.
"Hopefully we will learn and not make mistakes in a game that we should have won comfortably."
On the BBC Football League show, Manoj Bhasin and Leroy Rosenior pointed out what we all know, that if Boro had seen those games out they would have been head and shoulders atop the league by now.
It is interesting - but far from unexpected - that the Sunday newspaper' reports of yesterday's draw at Preston have been accompanied by Mr. Southgate's version of events surrounding his sacking.
You can choose the spin you'd like depending on your Sunday newspaper of choice - from the 'cute and cuddly' family man demeaned in The Mail to the analysis of the anatomy of failure with Southgate as the hapless fall guy for others' mistakes in The Sunday Times.
For different reasons, none of the dramatis personnae most closely involved - primarily Mr. Southgate, Gibbo and The Count - comes out of 'GateGate' with their reputations enhanced.
You can't help feeling that Coops' 'I'm Gate's best mate, me' may be a career limiting approach - at least with Boro.
Steve Agnew kept his own counsel but, ultimately, that may not secure his place any better.
Still, it all gives the successor plenty to work on - and, to be fair, plenty - if not yet enough - to work with. No-one seems sure whether Gary Pendry was actually in the Deepdale stands running the rule over this 'Typical Boro' performance but there was surely much to make a note of.
'Must get the strikers to score - or get strikers that can score' and 'pace without product is just doing nowt faster' may well feature as could 'Boro's defenders confused themselves - the Wheater/St. Ledger partnership still requires attention'.
And that's before you get to the 'Red Zone-itis!
The memo might also reflect the presence of the likes of David Moyes, doubtless running the rule over Gary O'Neil and Johnno - more 'top of the in-tray' business for Mr. Strachan.
The Away End will return after the Palace game on 7 November.
