STEW'S PREVIEWS
MIDDLESBROUGH v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
Stewart Flaherty, 30 Oct 2009
BORO EYE VIEW
So despite the excitement about Gordon Strachan in the days before Preston, this is our
first chance to see a Boro side with Strachan in the dugout.
And what a good game to start!!
23rd placed opposition and what could be a bumper crowd may see
the visitors swept aside on a wave of emotion and the Boro kicking on in the
promotion push.
Column Continues Below...
Of course, football is not always that easy!
For what it is worth, I believe Colin Cooper and Steve Agnew did a very good job at Preston,
picking up an important point.
While the manner of the draw was disappointing and
depressingly familiar, it should not be forgotten that the highest place team we
have beaten this year is Swansea and they are 12th.
This is some perspective for
the challenge that lies ahead between now and May.
It is possible that the work ethic
and energy provided by the new manager could have us producing a significant upturn
in performance.
One quote Stoke manager Tony Pulis made regarding the two Boro
players he signed may be very telling as to how things were behind the scenes under
the previous regime:
"Huthy and Tuncay will have to learn the way we do things and our work ethic, but it
was nice to get them on the field at the end there."
On a personal note, I am very excited.
I am a Strachan fan and Plymouth Argyle were
also the opposition for my first ever game as a Boro fan.
On April 30 1988, my Uncle Lol took me to watch a 3-1 home win for Bruce Rioch's team.
On the field, my
memory does not stretch much beyond a goal scored by Gary Hamilton, but the noise,
occasion and excitement made an impact that lit a fire with regards to my love for
this game.
The fact that you are reading this shows I now follow it through
semi-journalism, and I also have made a living for the last five years coaching
football with relative success. All of this was sparked by the excitement of that
day.
I do not think he fully realises what he started. Thanks Lol!
Players will be excited to show their worth to Strachan and any comfort they had
will be blown away as the new man will bring little sentiment with him. Performance
counts and this is the first impression Strachan will have made on them.
I imagine that even the
players who have been out of the squad such as Josh Walker will have a little extra
bite in training as they are given a fresh chance to prove their worth.
I wonder whether Gaizka
Mendieta is tearing up a five-a-side league somewhere near you and has his agent on the
phone ;-)
If you want a gauge on what players think of Gordon Strachan, the quotes
coming from Stoke defender Andy Griffin this week were positive.
When he was revealed as a loan target, he said:
It's something I'd really have to consider, playing for a manager of his calibre,
it's a good club.
"If I get a phone call, which I haven't yet, then we'll have to wait and see."
All in all, a new dawn has arrived. The naysayers will be there, but it will
always be that way. Some fans are impossible to please.
Anthony Vickers touched on this in hysterical fashion:
"If the Second Coming happened in Teesside you could just see it: 'He's done nowt for
2000 years...and last time it ended in a right mess...he only got the last
job because of his dad...and he couldn't man manage mavericks like Judas...Booo! Jesus out!'"
Boro will look to get off to a good start and win in some style, kicking on for the
promotion campaign.
Honeymoon periods last until the first defeat for
new managers, but it will not come here.
The size of the crowd will be very telling. It will show
how many of the recent stay aways were anti-Southgate and how many were staying away
for other reasons.
PLYMOUTH EYE VIEW
While Boro throw their efforts into getting out of the Championship, Plymouth live
on the other end of the scale and will be focusing their efforts on trying to stay in it!
They currently lie in the relegation zone and it is a very difficult ask for them
to turn over Boro on their home ground. They will look at a
point as being a good result. They will defend doggedly, I imagine. They are big underdogs here.
While Boro's coaching change grabbed all the headlines, Plymouth made a fairly
significant one themselves in the last few weeks.
Manager Paul Sturrock brought in
former Argyle player Paul Mariner as head coach after a very successful spell in the
USA. Mariner has spent the last 20 years coaching in the States and was most recently
assistant to Liverpool legend Steve Nicol.
Together they finished runners-up in
Major League Soccer for three years and in 2007, they won the American equivalent of the FA
Cup (US Open Cup).
The following interview with Sturrock from the BBC website
suggests that his arrival has had an uplifting effect:
"Paul's a fresh face, a fresh voice and he's very up and at the players. He's got a
bit of zest for life and he's brought in a lot of routines that the boys have
enjoyed. It's been a while since I've got my teeth into things like I have over the
last ten days, so I've really enjoyed it. Him and I have worked hand in hand as far
as the training is concerned and I've enjoyed myself as well."
Sturrock is also expecting a good atmosphere at the Riverside and is hoping to ruin it!
"With a new manager and new players all having to impress, a big crowd will turn up,
so let's hope that we can spoil the party."
OVERVIEW
The home crowd will be large and expectant. Plymouth are huge underdogs and may not
have the ability to quieten the crowd.
The home team have ability and emotion on
their side, and could run away with a three or four goal win here.
HEAD TO HEAD
Goalkeepers
Boro - Okay, so it wasn't just Gareth, as some fans suspected. Cooper apparently
picked the Preston team and Jones was between the sticks again.
The Plymouth game will be an
indicator as to who Strachan's keeper will be - the more experienced Coyne or the
younger more athletic Jones?
Or will he be looking elsewhere for a keeper? This is something that I think may be the answer long term.
Plymouth - Frenchman Romain Larrieu is club captain and is in his ninth season at the
club. He has been a mainstay this season but has conceded a lot of goals behind a
mediocre back line.
Edge: Boro. Both keepers are of a higher standard than Plymouth's.
Boro Defence v Plymouth Attack
Boro - It appears Wheater and St Ledger were set as centre-backs and I hope that continues.
We have seen a number of full-backs over the season, with McMahon,
Hoyte, Bennett and Grounds all seeing action. I imagine there are spots up for
grabs under the new regime.
Plymouth - 6'2" New Zealander Rory Fallon leads the Argyle attack. His size
makes him dangerous in the air and he has two goals to his name so far this season.
He is joined in attack by Jamie Mackie, who leads the club scoring charts with three
goals.
The attack is filled out by Scotland B international Alan Gow, who has also
netted twice.
Steven MacLean is Plymouth's record signing and had prolific spells
with both Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday, alongside a playing spell at Glasgow
Rangers. However, he has been limited to three appearances this season and is yet to
score.
Edge: Boro. With both forwards over six feet tall, Plymouth will possess an aerial
threat, but Wheater and St Ledger should be more than a match for it.
Midfield
Boro - Gordon certainly has the tools here; a match-winning winger in Adam Johnson
and two midfield battlers who can pass in O'Neil and Digard. I think big things could
come from this unit and the promotion push will hinge on their success.
Plymouth - Wales international Carl Fletcher is an ever-present in midfield and has
played in an FA Cup final for West Ham.
Winger Alan Judge is on a season long loan
from Premiership Blackburn. He is also a Republic of Ireland Under-21 international
and has two goals to his name already this term.
Karl Duguid has a world of lower
league experience after 14 years with Colchester. This is his second season with
Plymouth, with the highlight of his first being an FA Cup goal against Arsenal.
Speedy winger Bradley Wright-Phillips, brother of England international Shaun, will likely be on
the bench.
Edge: Boro. More ability and a real strong unit for Strachan to begin moulding.
Boro Attack v Plymouth Defence
Boro - After his Celtic history, Jeremie Aliadiere's days at the club may be
numbered, and there may be more than meets the eye to him being replaced by Rhys
Williams at a public appearance this week.
Leroy Lita appears to be the best
striker at the club lately and should again be joined by the speedy Marvin Emnes.
Strachan
has already made it public that a striker is top of his wish list. I can see
why. Emnes is quick and promising, but is he really any more reliable than Alves was
when it comes to getting regular goals?
Plymouth - Hungarian international Krisztian Timar features at the back and has
previous UEFA Cup experience with Ferencvaros.
Shane Lowry is apparently an
Australian Republic of Ireland Under-21 international (you figure it out!) according
to the Plymouth website, and is on loan from Premiership Aston Villa.
Fellow
Premiership loanee David Gray (not the singer) rounds out the backline, along with
Gary Sawyer.
Edge: Boro. Lita has been looking strong lately and this is one of the more fragile
defensive units in the league. Boro could net three or four here.
Fans
I think this will be a very telling game for the Boro fan base. Just how big is it?
And was the reason for the low gates Gareth Southgate? Now that that variable
has been removed, we are about to find out!
I cannot help but express
admiration for Leeds fans with regards to their number of supporters!
We see our fall
as drastic but they went from the Champions League semi-finals to the league
below us in a very short space of time. Yet a gate of 30,000 appeared for their
recent League One fixture against Charlton.
Can Boro touch that fanbase in a lower
league?
Those who do show up should produce a united wall of sound and look
for a fired up team to blow Plymouth away.
With regards to Plymouth, it is a long old road trip and I would expect a small yet
loyal following. This video makes me wonder if Paul Whitehouse is making the trip,
'int Plymouth brilliant!'
al corber, October 30, 2009 at 8:09 pm wll what can i say boro going to roll argyle over by 4 goals to nil mm as a proud plymothian and lifelong argyle fan i say in your dreams matey we might be shite this season under luggy but you will have to fight hard to get 3pts tomorrow Stewart Flaherty, November 2, 2009 at 7:59 pm Fair play Al.
Feel free to comment at any time in the future with an \"I told you so\" ;-)
