Saturday 13 September 2014

A Continental, Chelsified Charge: Boro's Season At A Crossroads

New faces have arrived, fans' expectations have risen, but can Aitor Karanka survive the previously unforeseen cracks in his steely facade to deliver the goods?



I've been there. So, surely, have you fellow football writers.

As the days, even weeks, go by, we compile one great thought or one tantalising insight after another on our beloved Boro, only to realise, after a period of time, that the article we originally intended to write now represents a crazy collage of random thoughts rather than a complete, concise, clear article.

It's like signing a collection of potentially exciting players to solve a problem before being faced with the bigger problem of building a team: the very issues that Aitor Karanka faces at his latest Boro crossroads. He has survived the opening jitters. He has survived the painful Boro Nil period. But can he survive his latest challenges?

Recently, the patient, passing probing of AK's delightfully untypical New Boro felt jettisoned in a painful regression to Typical Old Boro. Two home games, two damaging defeats, the first against a team who until last season had never secured even a point at the Riverside Stadium in six attempts. It was a bitter reminder that no matter who's in charge, when Boro expect, the opposition tend to deliver.

It goes beyond that for Karanka. Regardless of the quality of new arrivals Jamal Blackman, Yanic Wildschutt, Ryan Fredericks, Patrick Bamford and even Jelle Vossen, not everyone has bought into the Continental Chelsification that has enveloped the club since Peter Kenyon, Jorge Mendes and Karanka became associated with Boro. AK's OK in my book: he has brought degrees of experience, class and balance to Boro. Chelseaesque or not, these are undeniably commendable qualities.

But where does that leave the famed academy of Dave Parnaby? For every Ben Gibson and, to a point, Adam Reach (I think we are now realising, resignedly, that Reach isn't quite cut out to dazzle for the full ninety minutes on a regular basis), there's a Jason Steele.

Some understand that for all Steele's shot stopping prowess, AK felt he couldn't depend on him. Others have been all too willing to dub him an unfortunate, hapless castaway of a dastardly regime seeking to do away with Boro's youth.

This creates a peculiar kind of player-fan power, the sort that demonizes a Tomas Mejias and lionizes a Jason Steele. Criticism of a player is valuable if it encourages him to improve his game, but not if it irreparably diminishes his confidence.

Additionally, the longer the player he "usurped" remains absent, the stronger the myth surrounding the absent player becomes. The Mejias's of this world are labelled scapegoats while the Steeles become martyrs. It is an atmosphere that is equally harmful for a Steele as it creates expectations surrounding him that are impossible to match. Maybe some fans prefer to view Steele as a what if, a mythological one that got away rather than a human who makes mistakes.

How easy it is to forget that Steele's early months under Tony Mowbray were error ridden, yet we offered him the sort of patience that we aren't offering to Mejias. I know, I know. Mejias isn't an academy product. But did we initially bat as much of an eyelid when Chris Brunt, James Morrison and Lee Cattermole all moved on?

This isn't a serious attack on anyone. Rather, it is a call to get behind the manager. He has enough on his plate without having to worry about what the fans may think of Steele's exit.

Like, the starting line up against Huddersfield tomorrow. It's not so simple as 4-2-3-1 anymore. The new arrivals, particularly in attack, have seen to that. So what should AK do?

First, defence. Not many amendments are required here. With Ben Gibson's return, the back four of Damia Abella, Ken Omeruo, Gibson and George Friend speaks for itself. However, Mejias's confidence is clearly shot. He needs a break. And, with Blackman not yet ready to start, the return of Dimi should provide it.

Further on up the pitch, AK could go for a Brendan Rodgers-esque 4-1-3-2. Grant Leadbitter can play the holding role with Adam Clayton, Lee Tomlin and Albert Adomah the men of action behind Patrick Bamford and Kike. As "game changers" he has Wildschutt or Reach and Vossen. Alternatively there's always good old 4-4-2 with Adomah and Wildschutt as wingers either side of Leadbitter and Clayton. Tomlin, then, can be an impact substitute.

With Muzzy Carayol still to return, and the prospect of Emilio Nsue as an attacking wing back, this squad appears laden with options and excitement. And yet, there's still the fear that AK is over-complicating things. As Werdermouth (what a name) has rightly pointed out on Anthony Vickers' blog, it's the Championship, not the Champions League. Maybe it'd be best to pick the best players for a 4-4-2 and leave it at that, even as we doubt that's going to happen?

Whatever happens, I'm optimistic again. Here's to tomorrow and beyond.

(Originally published at GazetteLive on Friday September 12 2014.)

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