Boro Build up Questions

[Smogchat]

Hey guys im back again this season after your views on a few things as part of our build up for our game on saturday.

• What do you think of the Ramos/Jol saga?
• Are you happy with your chairman?
• Is it possible to have a 'six pointer' so early in the season?
• The best teams are better than the sum of their individual parts - at the moment Spurs are the opposite, how do you think Ramos will turn this around?
• Has your opinion of berbatov changed this season ?
• Mido was fantastic for his first couple of games then hasnt looked interested since he picked up a knock. Was this the same when playing for you ?
• Who is the boro player that will be the biggest threat to you on Saturday?
• What is a realistic final league position for you this year ?
• Is your academy going to deliver the next premiership star? If so who?
• What will the score be on Saturday ?

Thanks

JK
www.smogchat.com

 

[yiddotilidie]

Hi mate,

A quick summary of questions i can be bothered to answer.

1. Feel incredibly sorry for Jol, loved him, but feel we have stepped another level in terms of manager. Early days but he seems to have a big presence about him.

2. Levy is a businessman first (a very good one. look at our financial results. For a club to have never been in the champs league its quite amazing really). As a PLC chairman he's great, but his apparent support of the club has decreased and i think he has lost alot of respect from the fans. Coommoli is the problem in my opinion, he's the snake.

3. I dont think its a 6-pointer. We wont go down and nor will you. Its just that we have to get back to winning ways.

4. Sort out our goals against column - simple as that.

5. Yes. His attitude is a disgrace. Ramos will sort it tho, whether its by sticking him in the ressies or getting the best out of him again. Either way, he'll be off in the summer.

6. Ha ha ha. Yea, Mido's debut for us was one of the best ive seen - then he gets attracted to the cafe and pies. Glad to get rid to be honest.

7. Stewart Downing if he's on song. And Cattermole looks decent.

8. Realistic position - top 8 if we get back to winning ways soon. Theres so much football left to be played.

9. If we can get him injury free - Terry Dixon.

10. 2-1 Spurs!!

 

[eddiebailey]

1.By undermining Jol's position before the season had really started the Board ensured he had no prospect of turning results around and made his sacking inevitable. It effectively wrote off our season. Appointing a new manager also means we are back at sqaure one. Jol knew what he was trying to achieve and just needed the Board to back him by signing the players to complete the jigsaw. Ramos has a different football philosophy so it will mean tearing up the blueprint and starting again.

2.The Chairman keeps a tight rein over transfers, and this is the root of our problems. He looks at individual players as invesment decsions rather than addresssing the immediate needs of the team. He has also so far failed to deliver on ground capacity improvement and on the new training facility. Given the resources ENIC have made available his record is unimpressive, and the general impression is of a young man who is not as clever as he thinks he is. He also appears too easily swayed by other Board members, and this together with his shyness and over-sensitivity when dealing with the media, suggest an absence of backbone.

3. Both teams are destined to finish mid-table, so, in this case, not really.

4. Ramos will need to buy. The question is how willing the Board will be to fork out for the experienced, unglamorous players needed to supply our team a spine.

5. Not really. Berbatov is an icing on the cake player. He can make a team that is playing well look great, but he is not the player you want when results are going against you.

6. Yup, that sounds like Mido.

7. We envy you Downing.

8. I was hoping for new manager bounce, but based on the performace against Blackpol our problems may be too deep seated for that, in which case there is not much hope of improvement before the window. Having said that if King returns and is able to play a significant part that could make a huge difference. Otherwise qualification for Europe through the Inter-Toto is probably the best we can hope for.

9. I still have hopes for our young rightback Phil Ifil, currently on loan at Southampton.

10. 3:3

 

[tRiKS]

Boro players to fear - I always fear old players coming back and as our defenders are woeful at marking players for headers in open play and set peices i'd fear Mido if fit. Anyone with connections to Arsenal too so that little rat Aliadiare makes me nervous. It hink though you're goalie and Woodgate will be the most owrked players and they've have to be your match winners.

Mido - His fittness and weight is a struggle. He needs to be playing all the time to keep his waist line in check but is always picking up little knocks so gets into a vicious circle. i think he gets a tad too much bad press on his attitude. i simply think injury wise he'll alwasy have issues.

league finish - with 27 games left you still have to be confident of going on a good enough run to sneak into UEFA cup places. It would need to be near a 2pt average though... hummm top 9th is my bet

acadamy player - A young spanish full back called Berchiche. talented boy and had a good chance anyway but now with a spanish head coach you have to recon his chances have improved. Terry Dixon if his kneees ever get strong enough.

 

[Stoof]

Hey guys im back again this season after your views on a few things as part of our build up for our game on saturday.

Welcome back, fella.

What do you think of the Ramos/Jol saga?

Thank God it's playing out it's final days. It'd come to the point where I'd dread picking up the paper in the morning just to read more about Spurs being dragged through the media spin machines. Hopefully we can look ahead to rosier times, and get our names in the back pages for the right reasons.

Are you happy with your chairman?

This will vary between supporters, I'm not happy with the way he conducted himself through this whole thing. I think he's been quite weak but in other ways he's been coldly strong. He obviously wanted Ramos in; he's always wanted that Big Name manager and he's got one and after all it is for the overall good of Spurs to improve ourselves. It's just a shame Jol wasn't given a bit more of a chance to make himself a Big Name.

Is it possible to have a 'six pointer' so early in the season?

Someone described Middlesbrough as "Sleepwalking into relegation". I think there are worse teams out there and I certainly think you've been the worst hit club for injuries, that said the table is not lying at the moment and given the recent history (us finishing 5th and you being in the UEFA final) it's not exactly our clubs' big plans. But to answer your question, no it's not too early. And yes, one of us could be looking back to this game in the future whilst thinking "if only we'd picked up a result".

The best teams are better than the sum of their individual parts - at the moment Spurs are the opposite, how do you think Ramos will turn this around?

That's the nail on the head right there. On paper, our team is quality. Every individual is an International or on the verge of. But we're not a team yet. Ramos just needs to keep them injury free, get their fitness up and get them passing the ball to each other, moving together, attacking and defending together.

It takes time to make a team, which is definitely something we need from something we don't have a lot of - team and time.

Has your opinion of berbatov changed this season ?

The man is still quality through and through. Scored a good goal against Fulham too. I think he's been found out a bit this season and defenders seem to be more aware of what he is a capable of. Is it classic Second Season Syndrome? I don't know about that, he started off slowly last time, and only really started scoring in the UEFA competitions. So hopefully he'll do the same this year and get going soon. He has come across as a bit stroppier which is understandable given the team around him sometimes, but he has to pull his finger out and get stuck in. You can't just play when things are going well, you've got to muck in and play for the crest. So surprised by the strops, still the same class underneath and I'm convinced he'll show that too.

Mido was fantastic for his first couple of games then hasnt looked interested since he picked up a knock. Was this the same when playing for you ?

Ah Mido. An electric debut where he scored 2 goals for us. He then goes a bit quiet and can seem like he's not interested. No doubt you've been inundated with 'Mido' fans on your messageboard, an unfortunate by-product. But he will do well for you if he plays every week. He always needed 4/5 games to get into the swing of things again, so if he gets a knock he won't be good for a couple of games and then he'll surprise you. Good player to have, mind, when on form.

Who is the boro player that will be the biggest threat to you on Saturday?

Many people disagree with me personally on this, but I get worried about Downing. Until he did his gesture at the Park Lane end last year, I thought we were still gonna pinch him, he went down in my estimations then - but he's got a helluva left foot and is a proven danger that we need to snuff out.

And with Mido playing against his old club - well how many times does that happen that the old player comes back to haunt? So I'd say those two.

What is a realistic final league position for you this year ?

6th is not out of the question if things go well. But it'll be tough and we'll need a good run - but it's still early on in the season. 6th-10th. We'll be in there somewhere.

Is your academy going to deliver the next premiership star? If so who?

There's great hope of Terry Dixon, but he seems to be permanently injured. Tomas Pekhart too - the 'Czech' Rooney who has just been given a new deal. I don't know much about the kids to be honest, but those are two strikers that have potential.

What will the score be on Saturday ?

I hate to say it, but I think we'll sneak a 2-1 win against ya. Viva la Ramos Revolucion!

COYS! :wink:

 

[PLTuck]

acadamy player - A young spanish full back called Berniache.

Sorry to be pedantic but it's Berchiche.:grin:

 

[tRiKS]

Sorry to be pedantic but it's Berchiche.:grin:

I'm not a greater spoller. thanks.

edited

 

[Kendall]

Hey guys im back again this season after your views on a few things as part of our build up for our game on saturday.

• What do you think of the Ramos/Jol saga?

Annoyed that the press have made it into a huuuge slagfest on the club, and basically given everybody a chance to stick the boot in on Tottenham, but ultimately I feel a change needed to be made and Ramos is a great, proven coach.

• Are you happy with your chairman?

Yes and no, Levy is a legend and if not for him, we wouldn't be having conversations about Ramos, we'd probably have poached megson from Leicester instead! So I'm not happy with the way the board made everything so obvious, but i can forgive because levy has done so much for us.

• Is it possible to have a 'six pointer' so early in the season?

It can be a 'six-pointer' as far as early season confidence goes, but I think most people see it as just a matter of time before we're back in the top half, and not being nasty or having a dig, but a lot of people expected Boro to be down there with the likes of Fulham even before the season started.

• The best teams are better than the sum of their individual parts - at the moment Spurs are the opposite, how do you think Ramos will turn this around?

Ramos firstly can bring an air of confidence, he can then look at what we need to do in defence and midfield. I believe he has the quality to sure us up slightly in the short term and then hopefully he can coach us into a 'unit'. he has proven able to do this with lesser players in the past.

• Has your opinion of berbatov changed this season ?

Yes, I'm not impressed at all. I don't rate defoe, but he always tries hard, Berbatov needs dropping, basically.

• Mido was fantastic for his first couple of games then hasnt looked interested since he picked up a knock. Was this the same when playing for you ?

No, Mido is exceptional, but he needs to play consistently, he will do well for Boro playing week in, week out, but he suffered as a bit-part player. I have a feeling a lot of his 'injuries' last season were actually back room politics.

• Who is the boro player that will be the biggest threat to you on Saturday?

Downing. As much as people slate him, he's a busy player and often seems to cause us a few problems. Your filthy ex-goon striker could cause some problems too

• What is a realistic final league position for you this year ?

Before Ramos came? I'd have said top 10 if we're lucky. Now? I think 6th/7th.

• Is your academy going to deliver the next premiership star? If so who?

Pekhart is progressing well and his U-21 Czech Republic record is looking good. As far as 'home grown' academy though, I'm not sure, the most promising was probably Dixon, but he's struggled for over a year with an injury.

• What will the score be on Saturday ?

2-1 to the mighty Spurs.

:stupid:

 

[PLTuck]

I'm not a greater spoller.

:grin:

 

[sloth]

• What do you think of the Ramos/Jol saga? Very poorly handled by the board, even though I agree with their analysis of Jol's faults. I'm delighted however that we have Ramos in and believe it will turn out our biggest signing of the ENIC (the company which own Spurs) era.
  

• Are you happy with your chairman? Before this season I couldn't have been happier. We have mid-sized ground and no Champions League football and yet we come around tenth in the league of the world's richest clubs. Chelsea, Villa, West Ham, Newcastle and Man City have had to be bailed out by billionaires otherwise they'd be struggling. Leeds almost went the to the wall trying to compete with the big four. Of the rest no one comes close to punching our weight. We have the muscle to compete with all the aforementioned (excepting Chelsea) and indeed out-compete. The investment in playing staff is exceptional and yet despite this we still turned a £27m profit and that's before this year's jump in TV money is counted. this is all down to the board and Levy in particular.

• Is it possible to have a 'six pointer' so early in the season? No, I think we'll finish around 9th. I'd be less optimistic if I supported Boro however.
  

• The best teams are better than the sum of their individual parts - at the moment Spurs are the opposite, how do you think Ramos will turn this around? The important thing is he has a track record and a clear idea of what he wants to do. Believe it or not we've played pretty well in the majority of our games this season, but we've been undermined by our defence. This is why Jol had to go.We're lacking a bit of confidence at the moment so I think we'll need a bit of luck initially, starting with the game against your boys.

• Has your opinion of berbatov changed this season ? Yes. I've been disappointed by his demeanour. I think he'll go in the summer.

• Mido was fantastic for his first couple of games then hasnt looked interested since he picked up a knock. Was this the same when playing for you ? That's Mido for you lol. He really split opinion during his time with us. I think he's the knack of scoring goals but whether that makes up for his faults I don't know. In fact I do. It doesn't.

• Who is the boro player that will be the biggest threat to you on Saturday? You tell me. Downing's the one everyone talks about, but I'm not convinced. I've always seen Boro more in terms of a team than individuals. I think you've been on a bit of a decline the last couple of years.

• What is a realistic final league position for you this year ? 8th or 9th. To repeat last years points total we'd need Champions League form between now and the end of the season and I don't think that's going to happen. I'd be happy just to keep a few clean sheets to be honest.

• Is your academy going to deliver the next premiership star? If so who? More our buying policy. We've been snaffling loads of young talent. The next breakthroughs will be Taraabt and Boatang. In the longer term you're looking at Rose, Dixon, Parrot and Pekhart.

• What will the score be on Saturday ? I've no idea, but I've my fingers crossed for a clean sheet. If that happens I'm confident we'll win.
  

 

[sweetness]

• Is your academy going to deliver the next premiership star? If so who? More our buying policy. We've been snaffling loads of young talent. The next breakthroughs will be Taraabt and Boatang. In the longer term you're looking at Rose, Dixon, Parrot and Pekhart.

Blimey. There is a parrot in our midst :razz:

 

[longdistancespursfan]

Hey guys im back again this season after your views on a few things as part of our build up for our game on saturday.

• What do you think of the Ramos/Jol saga?
• A MESS
• Are you happy with your chairman?
• YES
• Is it possible to have a 'six pointer' so early in the season?
• NO
• The best teams are better than the sum of their individual parts - at the moment Spurs are the opposite, how do you think Ramos will turn this around?

TIGHTEN UP THE DEFENCE AND BUY WELL IN JANUARY.

• Has your opinion of berbatov changed this season ?
• NO HE IS STILL CLASS
• Mido was fantastic for his first couple of games then hasnt looked interested since he picked up a knock. Was this the same when playing for you ?
• YES
• Who is the boro player that will be the biggest threat to you on Saturday?
• DOWNING , ONEIL
• What is a realistic final league position for you this year ?
• 10TH
• Is your academy going to deliver the next premiership star? If so who?
• NO
• What will the score be on Saturday ?
• 1-1

Thanks

JK
www.smogchat.comhttp://www.smogchat.comhttp://www.smogchat.com

CHEERS

 

[SpurSince57]

What do you think of the Ramos/Jol saga?

A total shambles which has left a very sour taste in the mouth. Other than Mourinho, Ramos is the one coach I can think of who might do a better job than Jol, and everyone's rooting for him now he's finally here. I just wish he'd been here in July, or that the board had given Jol unconditional backing for another season. Instead they panicked, then fatally dithered, and we've fallen between two stools as a result.

Are you happy with your chairman?
In most respects, yes, absolutely, but his hiring and firing record leaves something to be desired.

Is it possible to have a 'six pointer' so early in the season?
Six-pointers are always possible.

The best teams are better than the sum of their individual parts - at the moment Spurs are the opposite, how do you think Ramos will turn this around?

By cutting out the dumb mistakes which have cost us so dearly. We've actually played better in several games this season than the corresponding fixtures last year, but a failure to take chances, a bit of bad luck and, above all, defenders going walkabout at crucial moments have cost us dearly. And there's been a lack of leadership. As a unit, the team seems to have lost self-belief. If Ramos can get that back we're on to a winner.

Has your opinion of berbatov changed this season ? Not really. He was frustrating last season and has been the same this.

Mido was fantastic for his first couple of games then hasnt looked interested since he picked up a knock. Was this the same when playing for you ?

Yup. I was one of his biggest supporters on SC, but there's no doubt he can be a Grade A pain in the arse. He seems incapable of staying match-fit unless he's playing regularly, and many of us were wondering how many of his injuries were actually in his head. Can be very good indeed, but fantastically frustrating. But I guess you're used to that with Viduka and 'Shit after Christmas' Yakubu.

Who is the boro player that will be the biggest threat to you on Saturday? Downing and Mido (assuming he's fit).

What is a realistic final league position for you this year ? Dunno. It all depends on how quickly Ramos succeeds in galvanising the team. Interestingly, he's taken over the reins at the same point in the season that Jol did, but we're six points worse off than we were three years ago. If he does as well as Jol from now on (1.56 PPG) we'll end up mid-table. If he does better, who knows? Over the last third of last season we pulled a sensational run from nowhere. I still believe a top six place is very much on, but I'm an incurable optimist.

Is your academy going to deliver the next premiership star?If so who? No idea.

What will the score be on Saturday? Historically, we don't have a great record at your place. The realist in me says a 2-2 draw, the optimist says a 2-1 win for us. The optimist always wins.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Hey guys im back again this season after your views on a few things as part of our build up for our game on saturday.

• What do you think of the Ramos/Jol saga?

Very impressed that we managed to persaude Ramos.

• Are you happy with your chairman?

Pretty much

• Is it possible to have a 'six pointer' so early in the season?

Every game's one really.

• The best teams are better than the sum of their individual
• parts - at the moment Spurs are the opposite, how do you think Ramos will turn this around?

It is a fan's remit to always expect the worst, yet live in secret hope.

• Has your opinion of berbatov changed this season ?

No - for better or worse

• Mido was fantastic for his first couple of games then hasnt looked interested since he picked up a knock. Was this the same when playing for you ?

Least you got two games. That's one morethan us.

• Who is the boro player that will be the biggest threat to you on Saturday?

Who ever takes your free kicks

• What is a realistic final league position for you this year ?

Fuck knows

• Is your academy going to deliver the next premiership star? If so who?

As above

• What will the score be on Saturday ?

As above


Thanks

Your welcome

JK
www.smogchat.com

www.yourtownisabitshitbutn17isnotmuchbetter.com

 

[Bus-Conductor]

SS

Looks like Berbatov is one of the 60% areas of agreement then huh ?

 

[SpurSince57]

:grin:

 

[Real_madyidd]

Bad,
Ish,
Yes,
Luck,
No,
yes,
anyone who can head the ball,
9th,
No,
3-1 to boro.

 

[hybridsoldier]

Bad,
Ish,
Yes,
Luck,
No,
yes,
anyone who can head the ball,
9th,
No,
3-1 to boro.

wholeheartedly agree

 

[LSUY]

1. Total shambles, it managed to turn the club into a laughing stock again. Hopefully it's all over now.

2. As a businessman Levy is fine. But as SS57 has said, Levy's hiring and firing isn't that great. He repeats his mistakes - the main one being the director of football/ manager conflict. We had it with Pleat and Hoddle, Santini and Arnesen and now with Jol and Comolli. He is obsessed with a system that obviously doesn't work here.

3. It is a 6 pointer because whoever loses will struggle to regain confidence for a while.

4. Bring in some experience. Our defence look like they couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery. When a team like Blackpool are causing your defence problems then there is something seriously wrong.

5. The guy is still great but it's starting to look like he doesn't want to be here anymore. If that is the case then he should be sold in January because keeping an unhappy player isn't going to help us or Berbatov.

6. Mido is a strange one. When he gets a run of games under his belt he can be a very good player. I think he will be a very good player for 'Boro.

7. It's got to be Downing. Anyone that can cross the ball is a danger to us. I just hope to God you don't get a free kick near our box or a corner otherwise we are in trouble.

8. 6th. I can't see anyone other than the top four managing to string long winning streaks together and Everton look a little too strong for us at the moment.

9. Danny Rose and Dean Parrett are going to be brilliant apparently. Every Leeds and QPR fan I've spoke to have been ranting and raving about how great they are going to be.

10. 2-1 Tottenham.

 

[davros]

• What do you think of the Ramos/Jol saga?

It was a bit of a mess really, and I'm sure everyone agrees that it could and should have been handled better. It was very embarassing. Now we should put it behind us and look forward to and exciting future with the new man in charge.
A lot of people say that we are "back to square one", but I don't believe this is quite true. Our squad now is pretty much the same as the one that finished 5th last season, with a few additions here and there. I am sure there will be personnel changes in the next couple of transfer windows, but I doubt we will see an overhaul like the one when Santini came in. A new man with a different vision, but certainly a better squad to work with than in the past. A younger squad, too, so more malleable.

• Are you happy with your chairman?

Jol was a popular manager who did a great job for us and the way he was treated was very poor. Overall, however, Levy has been very good for the club. He got in a succesful high profile manager and paid a lot for his services, which indicates that he wants the best for us, and is willing and able to do what he can to achieve it. The Jol thing snowballed, but it's over now. It was a bad patch, but lets move on.

• Is it possible to have a 'six pointer' so early in the season?

There is certainly more than just 3 points to play for. Both teams look short of confidence adn need a good result to lift their spirits as well as their league position.

• The best teams are better than the sum of their individual parts - at the moment Spurs are the opposite, how do you think Ramos will turn this around?

A few good results in the league will turn this around, starting with beating the pants off your lads. Ramos will need to work on organising the defence and our overall defensive strategy as a team. I don't mean making us a defensive-minded team, but learning how to defend as one. I hope he works one on one with players and eally picks apart their individual games, and I would like to see more experienced players learning to take responsibility and really become positive role models for our promising youngsters. He will go shopping in January, but I'd love to see the players we have really prove their true worth.

• Has your opinion of berbatov changed this season ?

It hasn't. He is a top player, but just one man. Last season he had a number of very frustrating games, the same is happening now. If his attitude is a real problem, or he fails to perform then he should accept the concequences like anyone else, but he is one of those players with the ability to win games with a bit of magic.

• Mido was fantastic for his first couple of games then hasnt looked interested since he picked up a knock. Was this the same when playing for you ?

Sometimes. Give him a run of games and he will do well, though. He can be a very useful player to have and was a vital part of our 2005/06 team. Got some harsh criticism last season in my opinion, but couldn't replace Berbatov in the side. You don't have anyone better but he should be good enough.

• Who is the boro player that will be the biggest threat to you on Saturday?

Mido. I can see him really geting stuck in and if Downing is allowed to put in a few crosses Mido will be a threat.

• What is a realistic final league position for you this year ?

At the moment we should be confident of a top half finish, but as an optimist I can see us sneaking into the top 6/7 and making Europe again.

• Is your academy going to deliver the next premiership star? If so who?

Peckhart seems to be very good. Who knows, though. Also that Danny Rose sounds like he as potential. Maybe Taraabt.

• What will the score be on Saturday ?

We'll win 2-0. I think we will see a more diciplined defensive display, and Lennon will tear you apart. But like I said before, I think if you score then Mido will be the man.