High hopes knocked
WE can all appreciate where Middlesbrough are right now in terms of their squad. With certain players still building fitness and most likely five new players still to come into the group, it’s clear this isn’t where they want to be right now.
And despite plenty of positives to take from the West Brom draw on the opening weekend, now taken in context with Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at QPR, it makes the start to the season an underwhelming one in relation to pre-season hopes and expectations.
Perhaps we’re guilty - and I include myself in that - of, as Chris Wilder pointed out after the game at Loftus Road, taking historical factors into consideration too much in judging Boro so highly in terms of the season aspirations. We all know that’s where they want to be, and of course the season is a marathon, not a sprint.
Where they are in the table at the end of August when the transfer window closes won’t determine their season, but keeping apace with that top six will make their task easier so we’re not faced with a run-in like last term where Boro are trying to play catch up. Worryingly though, with difficult games ahead, Wilder described his side as ‘miles off’ in comparison to the other hotly tipped sides in the division.
On the evidence of the first 40 minutes at QPR on Saturday though, it has to be said it’s hard to argue. Boro were the masters of their own downfall as they fell three goals behind in the 38th minute. What’s most frustrating about that is that the Boro boss had warned his players of exactly what could happen if they weren’t on it from the off.
Loftus Road is notoriously congested. There’s not much space between the terraces and the pitch and that can create a hostile atmosphere for visiting teams. This was their first game of the season, first home game for their new manager Michael Beale, and also saw home fans celebrate the renaming of a stand after club legend Stan Bowles, and the return of England Lionesses goal hero Chloe Kelly, pictured far right.
To say it was a party atmosphere on the sunny summer afternoon in West London would be an understatement and Wilder made the challenge of his players clear prematch as he said they had to go into the lion’s den, chests out, get to grips and dominate the game, thus puncturing that raucous crowd. The reality was very much the opposite.
A sloppy start from Boro saw plenty guilty of giving the ball away as they struggled to assert themselves, thus encouraging their opponents and adding to the enthusiasm of the supporters. It all took its toll, as, starting in the 13th minute and culminating in the 38th, Boro selfdestructed, conceded three goals all coming from their own mistakes, and ultimately left themselves with too much to do in their later attempts to get back into the game.
The first goal saw Isaiah Jones too casual with his pass in his own half, gifting the ball to Chris Willock who shook off the challenge of Anfernee Dijksteel too easily before hammering the ball into the top corner. The second one came from what appeared a mistake from Zack Steffen as he missed a punch from a corner, though replays show that just as the Boro keeper leaves the ground, an arm in the back from a QPR defender pushes him forward thus resulting in him missing the ball and giving Jimmy Dunne a header into an empty net.
Some, including the referee, have
suggested that the American should be stronger. In his defence, as Wilder pointed out after, he can’t be stronger against a push that comes in his back because he can’t see it coming. On top of that, the arm comes as he’s leaving the ground, making any contact likely to easily knock him off balance.
More frustrating in that second goal is that the corner was so easily preventable. Jones gave the ball away initially down by Boro’s own corner flag. They managed to win a throw to rescue the situation, but then surrendered possession again to QPR, with Lyndon Dykes then turning Jonny Howson too easily before seeing his effort tipped behind by the diving Steffen.
Then came the third. Jones again, forced infield under pressure with the ball at his feet, he held on too long, was hustled off the ball, and then conceded a cheap free-kick in a dangerous position. From the resulting indirect set-piece, quite how the biggest man on the pitch in Dykes managed to escape the attention of the
Boro defence, in particular, it seemed, Dijksteel, to have a close-range free header is anyone’s guess, but summed up the opening 40 minutes for Wilder’s shell-shocked side.
There would be a fightback, but not quite a comeback. One goal and another chance before the interval at least offered some hope, which increased more when in the 56th minute Marcus Forss marked his full debut with a goal. Chuba Akpom came off the bench and added a focal point up top which gave Boro more control and someone to play off. They could have quite easily left with a point.
The need for reinforcements was evident once again when they lost their momentum for the last 20 minutes as Forss ran out of gas and had to be withdrawn. But it can’t be ignored that two games in and the Jekyll and Hyde inconsistency of last season has crept in this term too. Two games gone, two varying performances half to half which, as ruthless as it might sound so early, has already cost them five points.
Reinforcements could help, as could building the fitness levels of certain players. But there needs to be big improvements from more regular players too in terms of consistency of performances because Boro cannot afford to give any side a
three-goal advantage.