Where Do They Go From Here?

BORO 0 - 3 Aston Villa

BORO were, tonight, spared from falling into the relegation zone after local rivals, Sunderland, were humiliated in a 7-1 away drumming to Everton, dropping below BORO on goal difference.

BORO again failed to entertain as home fans could be seen leaving The Riverside as early as the 58th minute when Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor planted Villa's third goal past BORO keeper Mark Schwarzer.

BORO opened with few chances, but were determined to test Scott Carson's confidence after his midweek shambles for England. His nerves did come to show early on as his first touch of the ball was a sliced clearance and an early shot was allowed to squirm under him, fortunately for Villa it rolled just wide.

Gareth Southgate might have been pleased with the first 30 minutes or so, as BORO managed not to concede, as they have done so many times in recent weeks. But it was Villa who ended the first half on top of the game and it was John Carew who gave the visitors the lead on the stroke of half time. Controlling Gareth Barry's cross with a knee, before lashing the ball past Mark Schwarzer. Not the end to the first half that Southgate was looking for.

Unlike in recent games, BORO did not seem to come out for the second half fired up and determined to get back into the game and it just three minutes were played, before BORO youngster Lee Cattermole made a hash of his clearance, which looped into the BORO box and into the path of Villa defender Olof Mellberg who struck home for Villa's second goal of the game.

The BORO fans were clearly frustrated, yet still they tried to get behind the players; "C' Mon BORO" ringing around the Riverside.

Gareth Southgate introduced Fabio Rochemback to a smattering of applause in the 53rd minute as he replaced Lee Cattermole.

But Fabio's introduction did little to add fire to the game, despite some good link up play with Aliadiere and Downing.

BORO were down and out just 10 minutes later when Scott Carson earned himself an assist, as his long goal kick bounced to Gabriel Agbonlahor who pushed his way past Jonathan Woodgate to score past a seemingly wrong footed Mark Schwarzer.

Agbonlahor then had a chance to make it four as his shot narrowly missed, agonisingly ricocheting off the post.

But the BORO fans had seen enough and The Riverside's second lowest attendance of the season petered away as the game wound down to yet another disappointing result and to a team who have won four of the last five games at the Riverside.

Attendance: 23,900
BORO Blog BORO Man of the Match: Gary O'Neil

Red Barron Makes Move to the Toon

BORO have confirmed that first team goalkeeping coach, Paul Barron, has followed Mark Viduka up the road to rivals Newcastle.

Barron has been with BORO since Steve McLaren brought him to the Riverside in 2001 and has worked closely with BORO number 1 one Mark Schwarzer as well as Brad Jones, Mark Crossley, Ross Turnbull and others during his 6 years at the club.

BORO have also confirmed that academy keeper coach and former BORO star Stephen Pears has taken over from Barron as senior coach. Pears was a fan favourite during his 12 years as BORO's number one in the eighties and nineties and even managed to set a club record of seven consecutive clean sheets, making over 400 appearances and even earning a call up to the England squad whilst with BORO in 1992. Pears was also the last person to score a goal at BORO's former home, Ayresome Park, where he was allowed to take a penalty in his sell-out testimonial game in 1995.


In other news, BORO have been linked with a number of strikers ahead of the January transfer window. The latest, Saudi Arabian striker Yasser Al-Qahtani, is yet another player who is a firm fan favourite in his homeland, just like recent flops Lee Dong-Gook and Tuncay.


25-year-old Al-Qahtani has a prolific international record with 44 goals in 54 games, earning him the nickname 'Sniper'.

The player is also a close friend of BORO striker Mido, who is said to be trying to persuade his bosses that a move for Yasser Al-Qahtani would be the right move for BORO.

However, BORO have stated, through their official site, that reports of such a move for Al-Qahtani were far from accurate.

Robbo Says "No!"

Former BORO boss, Bryan Robson has said that, despite speculation, James Beattie will not be leaving Sheffield United in January.

Beattie has been on superb form in the Championship, scoring 11 goals in 16 appearances and it's easy to see why Robbo is keen to keep hold of him.

"I haven't been contacted by anyone about James or any other of my players for that matter,

"And there isn't anyone I want to let go either."

BORO are beginning to be linked with a number of goalscorers ahead of the January transfer window, after the likes of Mido, Tuncay, Aliadiere and Dong Gook Lee have failed to set the stage alight so far this season with just 6 goals between them.

BORO were earlier linked with a move for Rangers' striker Daniel Cousin, 30. But, again, the speculation was quashed as a supposed clause in the player's contract that would allow him to leave for a set fee in January emerged as inaccurate tabloid speculation. Rangers claim that the player could leave for a fee of £3 million, but not until the end of the season.

However, this could simply be haggling on the part of Rangers as they look to make a handsome profit on the striker that cost them just £1 million in the summer, when he moved from French side Lens. Further speculation has arisen that if BORO were to offer £4 million for Cousin, in January, then Rangers could be prepared to let him go.

A Well Fought Point

Bolton Wanderers 0 - 0 BORO

BORO put in a battling performance, today, in their scrappy away clash against a Bolton side who surprised most in midweek as they drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich, in Germany.

BORO are staring down the barrel of relegation after they could only drill out a goalless draw away to a Bolton side who had to face a tough test, midweek, against Bayern Munich. BORO's hopes weren't helped, today, as fellow strugglers Spurs ran riot in a 4-0 win over Wigan leaving BORO hovering over the relegation zone.

BORO faced early pressure from Bolton and created very few chances themselves. The Wanderers faithful thought that Gary Speed had opened the scoring just half of an hour into the game, as his free-kick bounced off the outside of the post and rattled the side netting.

Then striker, Kevin Davies, saw his 20-yard effort slide agonisingly past both keeper and goal post.

BORO faced more injury woes as, ironically, Emanuel Pogatetz saw his return to action as he replaced Andrew Taylor who had suffered a foot injury in the 30th minute.

Yet again, BORO mounted a second half revival as Jeremie Aliadiere showed why Gareth Southgate had signed him; linking in, once again, with Tuncay and creating chances with bursts of pace.

But it was Gary O'Neil who was BORO's best player as he worked tirelessly along the right hand side, both attacking and getting back to help in deffence.

Bolton Keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen kept his team in the game, pulling off a series of great saves. First stopping Aliaidere, then denying Stewart Downing from 20-yards out.

BORO were, by far, the stronger team in the dying minutes and could have walked away with a win. But the teams had to settle for a point and a goalless draw.

Attendance: 17,624
BORO Blog BORO Man of the Match: Gary O'Neil

A Point Will Do

BORO1 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur

BORO boss Gareth Southgate has said that the point his team earned at home to Spurs can be a platform to build upon and turn round their lousy start to the season.

BORO started Brightly with Garry O'Neil coming closest in the opening minutes, as his driven cross cut across the face of goal whilst Stewart Downing nearly latched onto it as he slid in at the far post.

BORO, who had started without Jonathan Woodgate at the back, through injury, continued mounting pressure with Tuncay and Aliadiere linking up well as they did last week at Old Trafford.

But BORO, once again, conceded the first goal in front of a mere 25, 000 fans as they looked to turn their season around. Spurs' new boss, Juande Ramos, opted to drop Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov from the starting line up in favour of Jermaine Defoe and Darren Bent, and it was Bent who opened the scoring just 10 minutes before half time after some superb link-up play with Defoe, slicing the BORO deffence wide open and slotting the ball past Schwarzer at the near post.

Moments later, Defoe and Bent combined again and nearly scored a second. This time Bent's flick just narrowly skewed wide of the far post.

BORO had to start the second half the same way they did the first and they did, with new vigour and determination. Aliadiere saw his header palmed away by Paul Robinson before, 7 minutes into the second half, right-back Luke Young was presented with the ball from Gary O'Neil and, from 25 yards out, he smashed the ball into the top corner of the net, with a first time shot.

The goal revived the players and the fans and quite fitting that such a goal should come from a player who, just last week, spoke of how he was sick of seeing opposition teams scoring 'wonder goals' past BORO.

Aliadiere had a late penalty shout turned down as his cross clearly hit Michael Dawson on the hand and so the game seemed to just wind down from then, as both teams played for the draw and were reluctant to break for fear of getting caught out defensively.

"We know what we need to do in games but it's not happening - we keep conceding the first goal and that never makes things easy.

"But we scored a fantastic goal to draw level and that was deserved after a nice spell of possession. A draw was probably fair". - BORO boss, Gareth Southgate.

Attendance: 25, 625
BORO Blog BORO Man of the Match: Gary O'Neil (captain)

Lee in Disgrace!

Boro's South Korean striker Dong Gook Lee has been, today, banned from international duty for 2 years after disgracing himself in a late night drinking session during the Asia Cup.

Dong Gook Lee gets 2 year ban for drunken disgrace

Lee, along with others from the South Korean team including Captain and goalkeeper Lee Woon-Jae, abandoned the team base during the competition earlier this year following their 2-1 defeat by Bahrain.

Captain, Lee Woon-Jae, offered an emotional plea before the KFA (Korea Football Association) hearing, but it did little to influence the decision as the board opted to come down heavy on the players; issuing a 3 year ban and 80 hours of community service to Woon-Jae and 2 year bans along with 40 hours of community service to the others involved.

The ban will surely see the end to the international career of 34-year-old captain, Woon Jae who had been dealt a harsher penalty after leaving the Korea team hotel 2 nights before the game to meet up with friends at a local bar as well as taking the others to a karaoke bar the day after the 2-1 defeat.

Lee's disgrace comes at a time when he is desperately trying to fit in and prove himself at BORO as he has failed to score a Premiership goal since joining in January this year.