Warnock Weekly 22-8-07 || Middlesbrough F.C. news, reviews and comment

WARNOCK WEEKLY 22-8-07
Tom Warnock

Why does it always feel that the season's never really begun until around October. The league table bares little relevance at this stage, the transfer window is still open, players are coming and going and the Riverside is half empty, and unless we get Manchester United in a cup quarter-final, it's going to stay that way.

There's no doubt in my mind that the proposed departure of Yakubu has had an adverse effect on our preparations for the season and the first few games. There's a stark contrast between someone like the Yak and the new boy Tuncay. The latter has expressed a desire to play, and play to win. Yakubu on the other hand is already packing his bags and buying a few spare sets of wheel trims before he heads to Merseyside.

It's extremely bad for team morale having arguably our best goal scorer haggling for an exit. Players like Cattermole and Downing will view the fact that Yak doesn't want to be here as an insult. Gareth will have learned that once a player has made up his mind and his head has been turned by an agent, there's almost no chance of changing their mind.

And Yak's 'replacement' did everything right on Saturday. Maybe it was a lucky goal but who's complaining? Mido looked hungry for the ball, he held it up well, won headers and wasn't afraid to shoot, something which Aliadiare should try next time he's one-on-one. Boro fans were singing Mido's name, but everyone is anxiously wondering if he will perform to his optimum for the duration of his contract.

All the noise coming out of Spurs says he has a bright start and tails off after his first season. His record of eight clubs in as many years and just fourteen goals in fourty-eight games for Spurs makes for worrying reading. Mido has a reputation for falling out with team-mates and coaches and I don't believe Gareth has the authority to control Mido on a bad day.

Although we've fielded similar line-ups in all of our first three games, it seems as if Gareth is still unsure where and when each individual will play. Tuncay was subbed against Wigan, yet was one of our best players. When he was subbed at Fulham, the decision was just. Perhaps a lack of a second front man stopped him playing as he wanted.

It looks as if Tuncay will be moved about more than any other player, which I don't believe will get the best of out him. So far he's shown the skill and timing to orchestrate our attacks and he would be better suited to a central role, similar to how Juninho played. Juno was frozen out by McClaren's insistence on playing 4-4-2 and Gareth musn't allow this to happen with Tuncay.

I can see where Gareth was coming from by packing out the midfield, but I was under the impression that this was the new attacking Boro, and scoring two goals after the half time changes proved that we should have been attacking from the go.

It was a massive relief to get the three points against Fulham. The first three can often be the hardest and to do it away from home after trailing a game made it even more satisfying. We needed that lift ahead of the Newcastle game, and we could do with Luke Young making his debut - provided he's fit enough.

Woody is in training but we can't expect him to play a part, and Huth and Pogatetz are still ruled out. However despite Newcastle's acclaimed strike force, they look like struggling up front this season.

And I wonder - will their indifferent front men really be up for the battle against a defence of local lads, for whom this fixture means everything? Bring on the Geordies, let's get above them and stay there.

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