Ipswich Town v Middlesbrough
Tuesday 2nd October 2018 – 19:45
Portman Road
Pre Match Thoughts - Mike
Progress Or Not ?
In the grand scheme of things a draw at Birmingham after being Two goals ahead doesn't seem like much to crow about, however are there positives to take from it ? Finally picking up an away point, scoring Two goals and climbing another place up the table are small crumbs of comfort but is it progress or should the alarm bells be ringing even louder ? Some see it as another step to sure fire relegation while others see it as a decent effort and a step in the right direction. For me it will only be a good point if we win win at home to Middlesbrough Tuesday evening, at the time I felt it was Two points lost and nothing has changed as far as that goes but the point will become even more valuable if we back it up with Three against Boro.
I definitely think there were positives to take from the game, the performance of Dean gerken was excellent and confirms Paul Hurst was right to switch keepers, Gerks has been superb since coming back into the team and the gloves are now his to be lost. The efforts of Trevoh Chalobah impressed me too, so often he has been hot and cold with his passing especially suspect but this time he was very impressive, as was the first half showing of Matt Pennington, it's just a shame he blotted his copybook with the Red card. The player that really pleased me though was Kayden Jackson, so often left to plough a lone furrow the young striker got through a mountain of work, often isolated and unsupported he gave it his all and for me had his best game in a Town shirt, with injuries again biting hard he is now a crucial player for us and he needs to produce if we are to score sufficient goals to win points.
Paul Hurst
Opinion is very much divided where Paul Hurst is concerned, most still seem prepared to give him time while acknowledging things need to improve and soon, while others are already sticking the knife and twisting it, claiming he is out of his depth etc, I get some didn't want him in the first place but is it really good reason to already be hurling abuse in his direction ? I am sure he didn't take the job with the intention of things failing or that he wanted to do a poor job, quite the opposite in fact, the fact is he is our manager and needs our support, comments such as those I have read on here in the last day or so are way OTT and definitely out of order, it may not be going to plan right now but being branded " a useles c**t" goes way overboard in my book.
It is really quite amusing that some who were part of the hounding out of Mick McCarthy and the loudest voices while he was in office are now the self same fans using Micks relative success here as a yardstick to beat Paul Hurst with, quite rich really and a bit ignorant, very much a case of double standards, but then again I stated at the time of PH's appointment it would be the self same fans that turned on Mick first that would turn on Paul Hurst first, it was hardly rocket science because it's what they do and it will be what they do with the next manager and the next and the next.
Please Let This Be It
I have no idea why but not only do I not rate Middlesbrough but I feel this is going to be our first win of the season, mad I may be but I am very hopeful of Three points in this one. Yes they currently sit in Third place just a point off top spot but I feel they will do well to maintain that position. Away from home they have already failed to win at Norwich, Millwall & Hull who are no great shakes so they do not appear to be great travellers, Brit Assombalonga is clearly the danger man and will need to be watched while Johnny Howson & Stewart Downing have pedigree in Midfield, most neutrals will have this down as an away banker but for me this is where we could well break our winless run and buy the boss some much needed time. COYB'S.
The Opposition - Middlesbrough
The club turned professional in 1889, but reverted to amateur status in 1892. They turned professional permanently in 1899 and after three seasons, they won promotion to the First Division, where they would remain for the next 22 years.
In 1903, the club moved to Ayresome Park, their home for the next 92 years.
Over the next few years, their form fluctuated greatly, rising to sixth in 1907–08 before dropping to seventeenth two seasons later. The club rose to their highest league finish to date, third, in 1913–14. The First World War soon intervened and football was suspended. Before league football resumed, Middlesbrough won the Northern Victory League, but the team were unable to maintain their previous form and finished the 1919–20 season in mid-table. They remained in the First Division for the next few seasons, but were relegated in 1923–24 after finishing bottom, ten points adrift of their nearest rivals.
Three seasons later, they won the Division Two title. Their tenure back in the top flight lasted only one season, and the club were relegated. They were promoted at the first attempt in 1928–29, winning another Second Division title. The club remained in the First Division until 1954.
Middlesbrough climbed to fourth in the last full season before the Second World War and were expected to challenge for the title next season, but the war intervened. After the war, the club was unable to recover the form of the previous seasons and hovered around mid-table and exited in the early rounds of the FA Cup. Soon afterwards the team began to falter, eventually suffering relegation in 1953–54. This was the start of a 20-year spell outside the top division.
Over that period, Middlesbrough maintained reasonable progress in the Second Division but were never serious contenders for promotion. After a fourth place finish in 1962–63, the club endured a steady decline and were relegated to the Third Division for the first time in their history in 1966.
New manager Stan Anderson returned the club to the second flight at the first attempt. Middlesbrough would not finish below ninth during the next eight seasons. By 1974, Jack Charlton had taken over as manager and guided the team back to the top flight.
The club experienced severe financial difficulties during the mid-1980s. In the 1984–85 season. In April 1986 the club had to borrow £30,000 from the PFA to pay wages. The final game of the season saw Middlesbrough relegated to the Third Division once more. That summer, the club called in the Provisional Liquidator and shortly afterwards, the club was wound up and the gates to Ayresome Park were padlocked. Without the £350,000 capital required for Football League registration, a new rule, it seemed inevitable that the club would fold permanently. However, Steve Gibson, a member of the board at the time, brought together a consortium and with ten minutes to spare before the deadline, they completed their registration with the Football League for the 1986–87 season. Following the registration came both a change of club crest and a change of the official company name to Middlesbrough Football and Athletic Club (1986) Ltd.
Over the next two seasons, Middlesbrough gained successive promotions into Division Two and then into Division One. The next season though, they came straight back down to Division Two. Despite constant promotion and relegation, Middlesbrough were founding members of the FA Premier League for the 1992–93 season.
The 1996–97 season was compounded by a deduction of three points imposed just after Christmas, as punishment for the club's failure to fulfil a fixture against Blackburn, which ultimately resulted in relegation. At the same time, the club managed to reach both the League and FA Cup finals for the first time, but lost out in both. Despite being in the second tier they were again runners up in the League Cup final the next year.
Middlesbrough were promoted back to the Premiership at the first attempt in 1998. They continued to stay secure in mid-table the following season.
Bryan Robson left the club before the start of 2001–02 season, having served as manager for 7 years, and was replaced by Manchester United assistant coach Steve McClaren. The following seasons saw Premiership security maintained as Middlesbrough slowly improved and were seen as a tough side to beat when playing at the Riverside Stadium. During McClaren's reign, Middlesbrough achieved their highest Premier league placing of 7th in the 2004–05 season.
The 2003–04 season was the most successful in the club's history as they finally won a major trophy after beating Bolton in the League Cup final.
Middlesbrough reached the 2006 UEFA Cup Final in Eindhoven, following two comebacks in the rounds preceding it, but lost to Sevilla. Following the cup final, McClaren left to head up the England team, and captain Gareth Southgate took over, despite not having the coaching qualifications, but he was allowed to continue after receiving special dispensation. Southgate's first two seasons saw the club finish in 12th and 13th places. He oversaw the club reaching the quarter finals of the FA Cup for three seasons, but the club was relegated to the Football League Championship on the last day of the 2008–09 season.
Despite starting the 2010–11 campaign as promotion favourites, the club endured a disappointing start to the season securing only 1-point in 5 away games. Having slipped to 20th in the Championship following a home defeat to rivals Leeds, Gordon Strachan resigned on 18 October. A week later, Tony Mowbray was confirmed as the new manager. Having staved off the threat of relegation, Mowbray successfully transformed Boro's fortunes, eventually guiding them to a top-half finish.
Following a poor run of form of 2 wins in 12 games in the 2013–14 campaign, on 21 October 2013, nearly 3 years after his arrival, Tony Mowbray left the club with immediate effect. Aitor Karanka, a former Spanish defender and assistant coach at Real Madrid became the new Middlesbrough manager on 13 November 2013, signing a two-year contract. He became the first non-British manager at the club.
Boro had a good 2014/15 season finishing in 4th place. After beating Brentford in the playoff semi-finals they meet Norwich in the Championship promotion final …. Sadly the budgies coming out on top on the day.
The next season, Middlesbrough were promoted back to the Premier League after finishing second in the Championship in 2015–16, drawing 1–1 with Brighton & Hove Albion on the final day of the season.
Last season Boro struggled in the EPL, only managing 5 wins which ultimately saw them relegated back to the Championship after only one season.
The club appointed former Leeds United manager Garry Monk as manager in the off-season. Expectations at the club were high, having spent close to £50 million in the transfer window on player purchases, in order to mount an immediate promotion challenge back to the Premier League. Such a promotion challenge did not materialise under Monk's management, as on 23 December 2017, it was announced that Monk had left the club, with Middlesbrough ninth in the Championship and underachieving. They appointed Tony Pulis as manager three days later on Boxing Day, who himself had been sacked by West Bromwich Albion a month earlier.
Last season Boro finished in 5th place but failed in their promotion bid at the Play Off’s.
The Manager – Tony Pulis
Past Match - Video Highlights - Trev
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Form Guide
Ipswich Last 5 Matches currently in 22nd place with 6 points
2 Sep Ipswich Town 1 - 1 Norwich City
15 Sep Hull City 2 - 0 Ipswich Town
18 Sep Ipswich Town 1 - 1 Brentford
22 Sep Ipswich Town 0 - 0 Bolton
29 Sep Birmingham City 2 - 2 Ipswich Town
Middlesbrough Last 5 Matches currently in 3rd place with 19 points
31 Aug Leeds Utd 0 - 0 Middlesbrough
15 Sep Norwich City 1 - 0 Middlesbrough
19 Sep Middlesbrough 2 - 0 Bolton
22 Sep Middlesbrough 0 - 0 Swansea City
29 Sep Hull City 1 - 1 Middlesbrough
Match Referee – Andrew Madley
IPSWICH TOWN 1 MIDDLESBROUGH 1
