Alves on his way?

BORO transfer target Afonso Alves is understood to be close to sealing a move to BORO after a visit to The Riverside to meet with manager Gareth Southgate.

It is understood that Alves' team, Heerenveen, are asking for around £15 million for the super-striker who netted more than 30 goals last season and it is thought that BORO are close to agreeing a deal with the player.

However the deal is set to hit turmoil as Heerenveen's rivals AZ Alkmaar claim they have a 'pre-agreement' with the player, which stated that he would join the club at the beginning of January.

Whilst BORO are close to a deal with Heerenveen, if the Dutch FA rule that Alves is officially an AZ player then BORO would have to begin negotiations with AZ over a deal for the player and it is likely that AZ would demand a higher price for the player who has insisted that his future does not lie in Holland, as he hopes to move to England.

Alves' visit to The Riverside, at the weekend, enraged AZ officials who are convinced that Alves should be their player after agreeing to join them at the end of 2007 and the club have called for the Dutch FA to step in and rule on the whole saga.

The Evening Gazette have also reported that French side Monaco are showing interest in BORO's inconsistent Brazilian midfielder Fabio Rochemback, who has long been the subject to speculation suggesting that he is unhappy at The Riverside and wishes to leave. Reports last year claimed that Fabio's father was pleading with other continental clubs to make an approach for the player.

Photos courtesy of MFC Official Website (www.mfc.co.uk) & Google UK image Search (www.google.co.uk)

A Brighter Week

BORO 1 - 1 Liverpool

BORO followed last week's 2-1 FA Cup away win at Bristol City with a well deserved and vital 1-1 home draw against giants Liverpool.

Gareth Southgate was delighted last week as he saw his weakened side come from behind to bag a 2-1 away win against Bristol City with goals from top scorer Stewart Downing and a surprisingly cool finish from defender David Wheater.

But yesterday BORO were up against former European Champions Liverpool at the Riverside, a team that have, in fact, failed to win in any of their last 5 visits to the Riverside.

BORO started, as they have in recent weeks, by absorbing the pressure and defending comfortably, despite some early chances when, first, Gerrard saw his angled drive palmed away by Schwarzer, then Sami Hyypia's header flew just over the bar.

Liverpool were, once again, looking uncomfortable at the Riverside and it was BORO who took the lead on 26 minutes. George Boateng, back in the side and wearing the captain armband, took possession on half way before playing the ball to the obvious choice, Stewart Downing, who played a pin-point cross to O'Neil, who then headed the ball across goal where Aliadiere headed the ball back across goal again for George Boateng to follow up and flick it into the net. The perfect way to mark his return to the squad.

Andriy Voronin made a desperate penalty claim early in the second half as he was shrugged over by Robert Huth, but referee Andre Marriner waved away the appeals.

As they usually do, BORO appeared on top against their higher rated opposition and nearly took advantage of some simply awful play from Liverpool as Tuncay turned to find Downing inside the the box and he lashed a powerful left foot shot, which smashed off the inside of the post after Jose Reina managed to get the faintest touch with his fingertips and Gary O'Neil lofted the rebound over the bar.

Liverpool mounted a late comeback in the last twenty minutes of the game and on 71 minutes Fernando Torres took advantage of some sloppy defending and rocketed a 20-yard shot past Mark Schwarzer, yet another contender for 'goal of the season' scored past BORO.

Liverpool then mounted a late charge and Ryan Babel saw his long range drive flash past the BORO goal, but it was not enough to salvage a win and BORO held on for a vital point.

"I am really pleased with the performance we gave." - Gareth Southgate.

Attendance: 33, 035
BORO Blog BORO Man of the Match: Stewart Downing

Photos & Quotes courtesy of BBC Sport (www.bbc.co.uk/sport)

Bad Start to the Year

BORO 0 - 2 Everton

BORO kicked off 2008 with yet another home defeat, this time losing 2-0 to Everton in a less than attractive game hammered by driving rain.

Despite the determined start from both sides, few chances were created and a series of no-nonsense challenges in soggy conditions showed each side's willingness to grab a result.

Former BORO striker, Yakubu, was given a tough time from the home crowd and, indeed, from the BORO deffence with some good hard challenges from BORO's Robert Huth, who gave one of the best performances in a BORO shirt.

With both Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta missing for Everton, Gareth Southgate was feeling confident that his team could grind out a result. However it wasn't going to be easy against a side that have lost twice in their last sixteen games.

BORO, filled with confidence from their 1-0 win against Portsmouth showed courage and invention going forward, but few solid chances were presented before Stewart Downing saw his effort cleared off the line by Phil Jagielka.

BORO still looked favourite to score in the second half and would have taken the lead if not for a great save from Tim Howard to deny Gary O'Neil from close range.

Then in the 67th minute Everton made BORO pay for their lack of finishing quality as Andy Johnson found himself open inside the box to knock the ball past keeper Mark Schwarzer.

Just five minutes later Everton struck again as Johnson combined with McFadden to set up the Scot for Everton's second and to give BORO no way back.

Attendance: 27, 028
BORO Blog BORO Man of the Match: Luke Young

Photos courtesy of BBC Sport (www.bbc.co.uk/sport)

Not all Doom and Gloom

Portsmouth 0 - 1 BORO

BORO's Christmas schedule had, until today, been filled with disappointment after defeats against West Ham and Birmingham City. But a rallied performance and another Tuncay goal handed BORO a shock three points away to Portsmouth.

BORO were down to the bare bones regarding fit players and Gareth Southgate found that his team picked itself with just 16 fit senior players to chose from. This meant that Mohamed Shawky, Robert Huth and Dong Gook Lee found themselves in the starting line up.

BORO went into the game looking for their first win of the Christmas period after losing 2-1 to West Ham and 3-0 away to Birmingham on Boxing day, whilst Portsmouth were looking to end a run of 450 minutes without scoring at Fratton Park, on the back of their goalless draw to Arsenal in mid-week

Many would have thought, therefore, that the game was poised to be a cracker and Pompey started fast, determined to put an instant end to their unimpressive goalscoring record. However wayward passing and even more wayward shooting explained a lot about why Portsmouth have struggled to score in recent weeks.

BORO showed that they weren't prepared to rush into the game and started to play the sort of composed football that Gareth Southgate has aimed for. With the mighty Robert Huth back in defence, BORO were happy to absorb the Portsmouth pressure and release Stewart Downing and former Pompey star Gary O'Neil down the wings in attack.

Both Downing and O'Neil were involved in the opening goal as Downing crossed to the far post where O'Neil volleyed the ball across David James leaving Tuncay to tap in his fourth goal in six games.

BORO then turned the game their way as a series of near misses with O'Neil, determined to score against his old club, narrowly hitting a free-kick over the bar and then Robert Huth missing a rare chance by the post.

Portsmouth continued to look unconvincing in their efforts and really gave Harry Redknapp a reason to add to that January shopping list of his, with pass after pass going astray and embarrassingly wayward shooting, Papa Bouba Diop with a real contender for miss of the season as he lobbed his effort, from less than ten yards, over the bar.

Matthew Taylor replaced Hermann Hreidarsson at half-time and seemed to make an instant impact as his early second half free-kick picked out Kanu who agonisingly struck the post. A sign, perhaps, that it wasn't going to be Portsmouth's day.

Dong Gook Lee looked on good form, deputising for the injured Jeremie Aliadiere, and he seemed fitter and stronger than previously this season, holding off Sol Campbell time after time and was presented with several early second half chances, which he failed to convert. But by far showing his determination to prove himself at BORO and certainly giving his best BORO performance since signing nearly a year ago.

Both sides seemed to drift from the early quality they had shown and the game withered out to desperation as BORO tried to increase their lead and Pompey fought for an equaliser.

BORO saw four players booked as they defended hard to hang on to their one goal lead and they battled to the final whistle to record a vital and, quite honestly, unexpected three points on the road and a win against a side that they have failed to beat at Fratton Park in the top-flight for over half of a century.

"People probably looked at us and thought we'd be rolled over at a place like Portsmouth but I was delighted by the attitude we showed." - BORO Boss Gareth Southgate

Attendance: 20, 089
BORO Blog BORO Man of the Match: Gary O'Neil

Photos & Quotes courtesy of BBC Sport (www.bbc.co.uk/sport) & SkySports (www.skysports.com/football)