Down By The Riverside....And Possibly Beyond

[BiggieD]

Watford 1 - 1 Middlesbrough

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My defence totally ruined today's match, live on TV.

Both teams scored penalties. Emmanuel Ledesma getting ours, but we couldn't hold on as defender Ben Gibson conceded a penalty for Watford to equalise.

Centre back Daniel Ayala was sent off after 68 minutes for his second booking, with a ridiculous foul which was totally unnecessary. He is now banned for 1 match.

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We travelled to Old Trafford with the hope of getting something other than a thrashing off a poor Manchester Utd side which we sitting in 12th place.

Manchester Utd 3 - 0 Middlesbrough

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We did get a pasting live on TV, but I can't fault my players as they did play well.

 

[BiggieD]

After 25 Premier League games we sit 9th, with 34 points.

I'd hoped to collect 7 points this month, and that is exactly what we achieved.

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[BiggieD]

I am just delighted you didnt take the Palace job, make Boro Champions of Europe! lol

I must admit, I was very tempted to take the Palace job.

I'll certainly try to do something good with them. I need a prolific striker because mine have struggled. I'm eyeing up Huddersfield's Nakhi Wells. He's scored 22 already and they are in and out of the relegation zone, but I need money from the board to do so.

 

[BiggieD]

February 2016 Fixtures

6th - Burnley (Home)
9th - Arsenal (Home)
21st - Everton (Away)
27th - Queens Park Rangers (Away)

I'd like us to pick up 6 points this month, with Burnley routed to the bottom of the table, and QPR hovering above the drop zone.
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[BiggieD]

Middlesbrough 4 - 1 Burnley

Burnley took the lead through Tomer Hemed with a powerful header, however Raul De Tomas managed to get us an equaliser soon after with a scrappy goal mouth strike. Kike put us 2-1 up after a lovely volley from a Matt Lowton cross. Midfielder Sergio Alvarez put us 3-1 up with an astonishing 30 yard strike which went in off the post. Raul De Tomas got his second as he slotted it through the goalkeeper's legs.
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Arsenal beat us 5-1 at Highbury earlier in the season, so I was hoping to keep their scoring to a minumum. It would be tough though as Arsenal were top of the Premier League.

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Middlesbrough 1 - 4 Arsenal

We were railroaded by again. Boro keeper Fernando Pacheco was at fault for the first two goals, as routine saves were too much for him, letting in two very soft goals.

Kike got our goal making it 1-3, but it was a mountain to climb and we couldn't keep out Arsenal's fourth goal, as we went all out attacking to try to get our second.

Alexis Sanchez and Danny Wellbeck both grabbing a brace.
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[BiggieD]

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On the 21st February 2016, Middlesbrough Football Club's Goalkeeper Dimitris Konstantopoulos has announced his decision to retire from professional football at the end of the season. He is currently 37 years old.

 

[BiggieD]

Everton 1 - 2 Middlesbrough

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Such an important win for us at Goodison Park live on TV. It puts us 19 points away from the danger zone, and within 9 points of a European place with 10 games to go.

Kike opened our scorng after a scrappy clearance fell to his feet. Everton equalised as Darron Gibson scored a header from a corner. Our new(ish) signing Jose Holebas got his first Boro goal and the winner today, as he drilled in a shot from just inside the area.

 

[BiggieD]

On the 24th February 2016, Kike sustained a thigh strain after mis-kicking the ball during training. He's out for 2 weeks.

 

[BiggieD]

Queens Park Rangers 3 - 3 Middlesbrough

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A very entertaining match for both sets of supporters today, but it's getting more evident to me that we need to improve our defence in the summer, as it was was woeful today.

Thankfully a Raul De Tomas brace and a late Jose Holebas goal was enough to get us a point.

 

[BiggieD]

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On the 1st March 2016, Raul De Tomas was named Young Player of the Month, after scoring 4 goals in 4 games.

 

[BiggieD]

After 29 games we sit 9th in the Premier League, with 41 points.
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I'd hoped for 6 points this month and we achieved 7 points.

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[BiggieD]

March 2016 Fixtures

1st - Newcastle United (Home)
12th - Crystal Palace (Home)
19th - Huddersfield Town (Away)
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Of these 3 matches I'd expect us to collect 6 points.

 

[BiggieD]

In a packed sold out Riverside Stadium I steadied the players nerves....in fact it was probably them that helped settle mine. It was an evening kick off and I hoped it wasn't going to be marred by trouble on and/or off it.

Middlesbrough 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd

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What a superb Boro performance. I thought we'd struggle to get a point, let alone a win.

Erwin Hoffer scoring after a goal mouth scramble was enough to get us a well deserved win.

It was nice to get one up on the Newcastle Utd board after they'd snubbed me for Chris Powell as manager.

 

[BiggieD]

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On the 2nd March 2016, Swansea City Football Club announced the sacking of manager Garry Monk. Swansea currently sit 18th in the Premier League with 23 points, 3 points off 17th placed West Ham Utd.

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[BiggieD]

We now play ther team I turned down to stay at Middlesbrough Football Club, Crystal Palace. Palace sit 19th in the table with 22 points, 4 points off safety. Former Boro manager Steve McLaren is manager at Palace now.

Middlesbrough 3 - 0 Crystal Palace

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Boro goals came very early today as Kike scored after only 45 seconds, and we were 2-0 up after 5 minutes thanks to a Daniel Ayala header. Emmanuel Ledesma secured the 3 points in the 2nd half.

 

[BiggieD]

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On the 13th March 2016, Italian giants Inter Milan sacked manager Edoardo Reja. Inter are currently 5th in Serie A.

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Reports are surfacing that Middlesbrough Football Club manager Parker might be interested in the vacant position.

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[BiggieD]

On the 16th March 2016, Inter Milan acknowledged my interest in their vacant managerial post, and said they'd be interested if I was willing to enter discussions.

I therefore applied for the Inter Milan managers position.

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[BiggieD]

On the 19th March 2016, Right back Matt Lowton sustained a chest injury in the weights room. He's out for 2 weeks.

 

[BiggieD]

On the 19th March 2016, Swansea City appointed former Blackburn Rovers manager Gary Bowyer as their new manager. Blackburn are now looking for a new manager.

 

[BiggieD]

Huddersfield Town 1 - 4 Middlesbrough

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2 amazing goals scored by Boro as they ran rampant over Huddersfield live on TV.

Boro target Nakhi Wells opened the scoring with his 27th of the season. Adam Forshaw equalised with a 20 yard chipped shot over the keeper. Erwin Hoffer grabbed a brace, followed by a 25 yard wonder strike by Emmanuel Ledesma.