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WE DESERVED OUR GOOD LUCK AGAINST FULHAM 22-8-07
Udayan Mukherjee
Well, that was a bit better wasn't it? After having my (possibly erroneous) early season optimism shat on from a great height by a performance of such extraordinary ineptitude against Wigan Pie-eaters Ltd, my Boro related mood descended into one that caused the only noises to be either of the chunter or the grumble variety.
Middlesborean chuntering levels had elevated to almost toxic levels, but what a difference a game makes. Despite being rather lucky to come away with a victory, the performance against Fulham was full of grit and determination. Indeed, there was also a lot of skill on show, especially in the second half.
Boro's new centre forward was the chief exponent of this skill and determination. Despite being only 24, the Egyptian cajoled and encouraged those around him while he himself held the ball up in an exemplary fashion. His goal, although fortuitous to say the least, was no more than he deserved.
His demeanour and will to win however was possibly highlighted by his off the pitch actions just as much as his on the pitch ones. Despite going off as a substitute, Mido, with his leg in ice after a gruelling workout having not played competitively for months, remained on the bench shouting encouragement and showing palpable annoyance when Jeremie Aliardiere failed to convert a gilt-edged opportunity.
The vocal nature of our new Egyptian striker is a million miles away from our erstwhile Nigerian Yakubu, who despite an impressive goal scoring record in England seems to get bored incredibly easily at clubs.
Yakubu is bored at Middlesbrough now, and despite it meaning that we would lose 15-20 goals a season, cashing in is probably the best option, just like Portsmouth did when selling him to us. Harry Redknapp's comment that Andy Johnson 'may have to do all of the running' was only half tongue in cheek. Although 'half tongue in cheek' would imply his tongue was outside his mouth and thus making him a dribbling idiot.
Generally, when players want away there is still some semblance of effort to their game. Alas, despite being paid a sizeable amount, Yakubu seems to feel the whole professional aspect of professional football to be beneath him. For this, there is no excuse.
It is even more galling for a columnist who has backed him in the past and questioned the reasoning behind selling a proven goalscorer. Unfortunately, there comes a time when you have to cut your losses and say good riddance to bad rubbish - his attitude is among the worst I have seen at our club and his so called 'peformance' at Wigan was anything but.
We want players of quality and commitment for the Boro cause. It is understandable that a player from a foreign land will lack the same sort of visceral passion for a club that it's die-hard supporters have, but pride in one's performance and a wish to better one's self is surely a mandatory requirement?
In this respect, Mido's vocal nature is something that we have lacked for a while. The team spirit that is often alluded to is admirable at times, but the lack of someone to ruffle feathers has been apparent for a few years, with the way we seem to lose high proportions of our games away from home, or the way that we seem to lose games against those with a less than average pedigee.
Players that speak on the pitch are imperative for a team that needs encouragement. The fact that Mido is a very accomplished player while remaining young only adds to the quality of this particular signing.
With the window not being closed as yet, we still have the chance to make some more signings - with another striker and the right hand side of midfield being particular requirements.
Indeed, at the time of writing, the Boro are chasing Alfonso Alves, a player who scored a quite magnificent thirty-four goals in thirty-one league games for Herenveen in the Dutch Premier Division, a feat that betters Ruud van Nistelrooy's tally for PVC Eindhoven when he played for them.
If this signing goes through, and the player himself was quoted as saying that he would jump at the chance of joining, then we will have replaced the whole strike force in just over a year with one that is younger and undoubtedly hungrier. Two other Egyptians are also on the verge of joining, subject to successful trials.
It wasn't just up front that Middlesbrough improved greatly upon the Wigan match. The whole team looked like it cared and battled hard, none more so than local youngsters Wheater and Cattermole. Although Cattermole is not a right sided midfielder in a million years, his goal was taken superbly, and he generally played well. Wheater was immense in the air and looked like he had been a regular at the heart of the defence for years.
It is important to note that despite the increased amounts of optimism among the supporters that the Fulham match wasn't all sweetness and light. Perhaps it was nervousness spilling over from the previous debacle, but the Cottagers (snigger) were all over Boro for most of the first half.
The passing at times was diabolical with long hoofed clearances from the back and Fulham looking like adding to the early goal that they scored. Indeed had it not been for injuries to the experienced McBride and the explosive Bouazza, Middlesbrough may have struggled to get a hold on a game against a team that are average at best.
The second half performance and indeed certain aspects of the first meant we
deserved our luck in the match, although Fulham fans will be rightfully disgusted at having a goal wrongly disallowed.
The post match inquest into the goal prompted another debate as to the merits about goal-line technology in the way that it has been incorporated into rugby and cricket. On first inspection it seems like a good idea, but surely the problem would be in keeping a lid on what is an important decision or not and whether we want to sanitise football and remove these errors from the game.
Being a multi million pound business, there are understandably calls for decisions that unfairly change the score of a match, and possibly change the outcome of a season, but the question to ask is; is a disallowed goal that crossed the line any different to one that was not given for a foul that was non existent or a stone wall penalty that was not given? Would we want video replays deciding whether a certain player should have been sent off or not? How about dodgy offsides or alleged dives?
It is certainly frustrating that officials cock up decisions, and indeed it is true that teams like Boro often lose out in these decisions, while the bigger clubs tend to benefit, but do we want to lose the feelings of righteous indignation when something goes against us or the feelings of joy and relief when we benefit from a situation? We would have not been in our only FA Cup Final in '97 if this was the case and would be two points worse off at present.
Seasons are often determined by key moments and games. I remember a season several years ago when Christian 'soft spotty German' Zeige used to play for us. We had got off to a barnstorming start, and sitting high near the top of the Premiership and were leading Derby County 3-0. A Malcolm Christie inspired Derby came back to draw 3-3, scoring in the last minute. We sank to our customary twelfth place with hardly a whimper coming from us thereafter.
Aston Villa at home a couple of season ago was the absolute rock bottom that we could have sunk to. A not particularly good Villa side had scored four, and there was an atmosphere that positively spewed bile.
Despite fans confronting Gibson and Viduka and throwing away season tickets, it represented a changing of the tide. A particularly passionate rendition of 'You are my Boro' emanated from the stands, and an impassioned meeting among the players following the game inspired us on to an FA Cup semi-final and a UEFA Cup Final.
Maybe the turning point after a low key summer (despite several major signings) and a disappointing opening two games may have been turned around by a decent performance and an admittedly large stroke of luck.
There are still problems to address, but we could well go on to do well, hopefully starting against the Skunks on Sunday.
Up the Boro
Udayan Mukherjee
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