'Doom, Gloom and Christmas Cheer'

By Steve Goldby
December 30 2004

So far and despite Sunday's shocker against Birmingham, this has been Boro's best Christmas for several years, results wise. And yet how the doom mongers came out in force on the eve of the St. Andrews' clash.

Losing George Boateng was a bitter blow and let's make no mistake about it. However some of the comments associated with the most unfortunate injuries to George and Mark Viduka were beyond belief:

'Defeat is now unavoidable. Prepare for mediocrity.'
'That's it, it was nice while it lasted but it's all over now.'
'We haven't got a chance of winning another game now...'

And there are plenty more where that lot came from. Some are even more outrageous than the ones that I have quoted above.



We have two games to go to complete our festive programme. Should we gather four points from those remaining two fixtures, we should remain in fifth place, having achieved our most successful Christmas in living memory.

This Christmas we have taken six points from a possible nine. A win against United and a draw with Chelsea will give us ten from fifteen and who wouldn't have settled for that at the beginning of the month?

But we should be going into both games confident of winning them, even without key players because how many times have we been proved wrong about the youngsters so far this season?

I remember watching the home game against Chelsea and turning to face my friend as Mark Viduka was taken off. We both asked the same question at the same time. 'Why is a proven Premiership goalscorer being taken off for an unknown teenager?'

That unknown teenager was James Morrison and whilst he didn't really light anybody's fire that day, he has made his mark since in no uncertain terms.

The same thing will happen again before this season is out. An unknown teenager will take the field, we will all criticise the decision and then be ultimately proven wrong as the next Teesside starlet announces himself with a string of acclaimed performances.

And that is why we should not be overly dramatic about our injury list. The replacements for the regular first teamers are there. We just don't know their names yet.


The team to play United?

It was said on the radio today that we should buy a striker because Mark Viduka is out for three weeks. That doesn't make sense to me and if it were to happen, it would be a panic measure and panic is exactly what we do not need to do right now.

Yes, the football is not pretty at the moment but the results are there most of the time and that is the single most important thing. I would choose having the winning habit over being entertained on any given any day of the week.

And in the meantime, we stay fifth and on course for our most successful Christmas period since three blokes with towels on their heads followed a moving star. Fly Emirates executives checking out the form of Didier Drogba? I think not.

We can beat Manchester United and Chelsea but if the doom mongers don't start looking at the wider screen and writing off our chances because we lose a player or three, then we have no chance.

As supporters, we transmit our positive or negative energy on to the team. Could that be the reason why we were beaten by Birmingham?

If that was the case, then let it also be the reason for our victories against Manchester United and Chelsea.

Until next week.

Steve