Middlesbrough - A fan's view
Wednesday, 23 May 2007 18:13
Good, bad or just the same old, same old. What the fans made of the 2006/07 season.
Consistently inconsistent. Just like last season we went toe-to-toe with the big boys one week only to follow it up with performances as limp as week-old lettuce the next.
Manchester United relied on a dazzling Ronaldo and a replay to get past us in the FA Cup while Liverpool and Arsenal were easily held at the Riverside. Chelsea weren't so fortunate as a storming last ten minutes saw them overturned 2-1 and the first cracks appeared in Jose's empire. Perhaps most importantly another late goal, this time from Yakubu, punctured some of the Toon Army's delusions sending them to a 1-0 defeat.
But that same squad also conspired to lose away to all three newly-promoted sides, duck out of the Carling Cup to the might of Notts County and get "doubled" by the worst Manchester City side for a blue moon. If they want to start a new National Lottery game, guessing the standard of our performance is as random and unpredictable as what balls that machine is going to spit out.
Gareth Southgate seemed as frustrated as the fans so hopefully over the summer he can solve the mystery of how the team works and then we could really be onto a winner.
Grade: B
High Point
At the beginning of the season, Chelsea – back-to-back champions strengthened by the addition of world superstars Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack – seemed poised to sweep all before them.
To be the first team to upset those expectations with a 2-1 win in August was an unexpected, giddy delight.
Low Point
The 2-0 loss away to Watford was unexpected in a wholly less pleasant way.
Fan's Player of the Year
- Jonathan Woodgate -
It's a long way from Madrid to Middlesbrough, but Woody has thrown his heart into the cause for his home-town club and any regrets over his injuries and missed opportunities at the Bernabeu seem to have been discarded on the way.
A series of imperious performances at the back reminded everyone why, despite seemingly being held together by blu-tac, he has commanded combined transfer fees of £30 million. Tying him down to a contract before the big clubs inevitably come hunting in the summer was perhaps Southgate's best move yet as a manager.
Add into the mix the fact his two years in Spain seem to have produced an intelligent, witty character where once they was a youngster who chose Lee Bowyer as evening company and we have a clear winner.
Needs for Next Season
It would be nice if Mark Viduka could just get on with it and leave, rather than pretend that astral alignment instead of a burning desire for more readies has prevented him signing a new deal.
Then we can start having a look around for someone whose presence might restore Yakubu to former glories.
Mike Henson
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