Andy Gray - Sky Sports Expert

Sensible Southgate

Posted: 01st February 2008 17:40

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Southgate: learning his trade

Gareth Southagte's two top goalscorers left him in the lurch and I think Middlesbrough have done really well to hang on in there so far this season.

Andy Gray
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The sale of Jonathan Woodgate may have come as a surprise to some, but it suggests to me that Gareth Southgate actually knows what he's doing.

He's looked at the situation and recognised that despite Middlesbrough's defensive stability, their problem lies at the other end of the park.

And they are very weak in the final third. They have only scored 21 goals in 24 Premier League games this season.

They just don't have a goalscorer. So Gareth needed to raise the money in order to fund his new £12million striker, Afonso Alves, and the only way to do that was by having to sell one of his best players.

But he knew they were strong enough in that area of the pitch to cope with selling Woodgate. They are probably stronger at the centre of the defence than they are anywhere else.

They've got Robert Huth and young David Wheater playing well, plus they have Chris Riggott and Emanuel Pogatetz, so I think Gareth sold Woodgate reluctantly but confident that it won't weaken the team too much.

He has brought in a goalscorer and if Alves does as his reputation suggests he can do he could maybe just transform Middlesbrough's season. Good astute business in my view.

Gareth realises that they are still looking to fill the void left by Yakubu and Mark Viduka. If Manchester United lost Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez they may struggle to replace them as well.

But that's what Gareth has had to face up to - his two top goalscorers left them in the lurch and I think Middlesbrough have done really well to hang on in there so far this season.

Impressed

I saw them at the beginning of the season and they were awful, I thought they would really struggle but Gareth has pulled them together and I'm really impressed with what he's trying to achieve up there.

The three strikers brought in during the summer - Mido, Jeremie Aliadiere and Tuncay - have not exactly hit the ground running but it's still relatively early doors for them.

Mido needs to get fit. He's a bit of a nomad and that always worries me when a player moves from club to club and never sets any roots down. He looks over-weight but I'll give him until the end of the season before I pass judgement.

Aliadiere is what he is: a real honest player who will work his socks off, but I don't see him as a goalscorer, that's my worry.

Tuncay has done well in spells, I think he's one that they'll be happy with and with a Premier League season under his belt he'll be a lot better for it next season.

Overall it's an area that they needed to strengthen and if Alves does the job, Tuncay continues to impress, Mido gets himself fit and Aliadiere can contribute they will have a quartet of decent strikers to choose from.

Tough

I think Gareth has done remarkably well during what has been a tough, tough year for him. He's a young manager learning his trade and he would have learned an awful lot about himself and his players in the past six months

Any manager that has been at Middlesbrough under Steve Gibson has been lucky as not only has he backed them with his loyalty, he's backed them with his cash as well.

That's a credit to Steve, and Gareth will know that in the fickle world of football, looking at the plight of Jose Mourinho and Sam Allardyce in particular, he is fortunate that he has a patient chairman.

Gareth has done enough so far to suggest that he can improve and he has the backing of his chairman to do that.

They could have done without the situation with Stewart Downing. Sometimes I wish agents would just keep shut and let their players get on with it.

If the lad doesn't want to sign then fair enough, but he has two years of a contract to run and the last thing Boro fans want to hear is that Downing wants to run out that contract and then leave for nothing.

This sitiuation may make the fans feel that he is not committed but I'm sure Downing will still perform as hard and as honestly as he has done, his agent hasn't done him any favours though.

With the signing of Alves and their current form that has seen them edging away from the relegation zone things are looking up for Middlesbrough.

If they win at the weekend against their rivals Newcastle - and I say if - they would leapfrog Kevin Keegan's side and sit comfortably in mid-table.

Gareth has got his team moving in the right direction and the fact that they're quite strong defensively will help them, but they need to start scoring and if Alves can chip in with half a dozen goals from now until the end of the season that might just be enough to keep them well clear of danger.

Comments

Matt Mcguinness (Middlesbrough fan) says...

I think that the secret behind the Boro's rise from the relegation zone is down to Steve Gibson. Not only has he highlighted the ambition of the club with the signings of Alves and also the summer signings but he kept a level head when some quaters of the teeside public were calling for the gaffers head. Stability is what clubs need, Look at the demise of Newcastle. Not only are we stable off the park but now we are stable on it, We have a great centre-half partnership and a very strong defence and if we start to hit the net more we could find ourselves in the top half of the table

Posted 13:32 11th February 2008

Omar Elseedawy (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

i think alves will do very well. Here is a good omen for him as well...wenever mido moves to a new club. he always has a decent start and then out of nowhere a world class striker appears an causes mido to move on. He was at ajax...Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a sub for him for a long time and suddenly he can walk into any club in the world. At marseille, drogba appeared from the french second division and now possibly the best striker in the world. Finally at spurs....berbatov happened, possibly th best all round striker in the premiership and could walk into any team. Alves to be top scorer in the next world cup and sign for AC milan? who knows...

Posted 23:35 6th February 2008

Matt James (Arsenal fan) says...

I agree with Andy. Gareth Southgate was a great player. Not fancy, read the game and did his job in a very professional manner. And unusually for an English player, He is intelligent and has a good command of the English language ! All that is coming through in his first management job. He has great dignity and shows that He can make tough decisions when he needs to, like the Woodgate situation. Boro were very very good against Newcastle last week-end and deserve succes

Posted 11:21 6th February 2008

Pompey Blue (Portsmouth fan) says...

I'm a massive Pompey fan but i have to admit that what Andy Gray just said is true to it's word. I think Southgate deserves more credit than what he gets. He did lose his star strikers last summer yet he is still keeping the boys away from any real relagation dog fight. He does use young guns from the academy aswell which i have hugh respect for. I wish i could say the same about Pompey. Don't get me wrong i think Harry is god for what he has acheived at Fratton Park but i would love to see more home grown talent. Well done Southgate, keep up the good work.

Posted 08:09 6th February 2008

Carlo Manavella (Middlesbrough fan) says...

Fair comment from Andy Gray, Southgate is a new manager cutting his teeth in what has been a difficult season for Boro, it is a credit to him and the team that they have started to turn things around. Steve Gibson also deserves credit for sticking by his manager, if it had been another club he might have been shown the door by now. Middlesbroughs youth policy should soon pay dividends as we have a talented bunch of local lads ready to break into the first team, something which cannot be said of many premiership sides. I believe that Southgate will improve as a manager, he seems to me to be intelligent & focused, and most of his descisions this season are to be applauded. Personally I do not rate Woodgate as highly as the likes of Weater & Huth whose defensive partnership has been fantastic in our last few games, the midfield also looks strong, Downing & Rochenbach are displaying more consistency & Gary O Neal looks to be an inspired buy. Hopefully if Alves can convert the chances we have into goals, the future looks bright...the future is BORO !

Posted 17:31 5th February 2008

Jamie Jamie (Middlesbrough fan) says...

I think Andy's right in everything he said. I was a bit unsure of Southgate's appointment at first but the one key factor about him is that he can attract players. Alves said he was impressed by GS, as did Huth and Woody and above all, he impresses Gibbo. Gareth is a really intelligent bloke and could have a career in any field but i think if we stick with him, we will go far and there is no doubt that the public of teesside are behind him. Gareth is honest and articulate and talks sense, so unlike McClaren who made excuses so often. Gareth's knowledge of his players, tactics and management seem to be improving all the time and i really do hope that boro stick with, even if through relegation, and that Gibbo continues to display the unquestionable loyalty he always does. C'MON BORO!

Posted 15:59 5th February 2008

Kenny Beckett (Middlesbrough fan) says...

Great to hear Andy Gray speak so positive about the boro. it make's me proud again. with Garath and gibson we will go far.

Posted 11:18 5th February 2008

Jamie Gilbey (middlesbrough fan) (Middlesbrough fan) says...

Cant fault Andy Gray there. I think like many foreign players, Alves will need time to settle into the english game (aka Shevchenko, Ronaldo didnt hit the ground running either).. Now they are both class players with the service. With us keeping argueably the best crosser of Capello's (what was) 30 man squad, besides Ashley Young, Downing to Alves. Goals all around. Up the Boro!

Posted 09:55 5th February 2008

Gavin Parry (Manchester United fan) says...

I think Gareth Southgate is going to be a top manager and it is fantastic to see a chairman back his manager. Tuncay looks to be a good signing and next year may flourish. They need to get shut of Mido he is there for one thing MONEY!! they have some good young players coming through and i wonder how many top clubs will be sniffing round Wheater come the end of season? To finish on a negative note and i hope this doesnt come back to haunt Gareth Southgate but this Alves bloke to me has MACCARONE written all over it!!

Posted 06:06 5th February 2008

Steve Form (Middlesbrough fan) says...

Thank you Andy Gray . At last we get a positive perspective of the Boro. Southgate promised the fans entertainment and he is delivering. How many other Premiership clubs can say that they regulary field a team with at least four players from their own academy.

Posted 13:46 4th February 2008

John Iddler (Middlesbrough fan) says...

Kind words from a high profile pundit................rare indeed!. I wish people would see Middlesbrough for what they are a bit more in the media. We never will be superstars in the top 4 of the league but as has been proven in recent times, we no longer entertain financial mercenaries, an do give local youth a chance, unlike most top level clubs in England. If we can consistently remain in the top tier with this policy this must surely be given credit when much of the media was licking our collective wound with the national sides recent failure and the appointment of a foreign manager. That said I have watched you score a goal in a cup quarter final against us for wolves, the losing of which, which was a tie which older fans blame for starting Middlesbroughs decline to almost extinction in the 80's. So really its all your fault we aren't the supepower we'd like to be..............that and the fact that we arent good enough as well!

Posted 13:41 4th February 2008

James Cook (Middlesbrough fan) says...

Well done Andy, Great to see you giving Boro and Gareth some credit we so rarely get in the National media. I thought you, like many of your colleagues, were ignorant to Boro and were always happier to concentrate on the so called big 4 and the hapless geordies and their plight. My opinion of you has changed massively after reading that. Keep the postive Boro opinions coming !

Posted 12:46 4th February 2008

William Spratt (Middlesbrough fan) says...

You are correct Andy. He sold Woodgate knowing that the money would be there for a big name striker which is what we desperately need. Though i do think sometimes we should go for the game more and not be content to let teams come at us. We have players in forward areas who can hurt teams e.g. Downing, Rochemback, Tuncay, Aliadiere, O'Neill. All of these players have good attacking qualities. Gareth is doing a good job under the circumstances of losing the two money grabbers in Viduka and Yakubu.

Posted 00:03 4th February 2008

Denis Butler (Middlesbrough fan) says...

Sorry Andy, but you are wrong, Gareth didn't have to sell Woodgate to finance Alfonso, if that was the case then how were they also very close to completiing a deal with Wanger Love, he'd agree to come to Boro, unfortunately a work permit couldn't have been granted in time. You are right in saying GS is an astute manager, he is also an unintelligent Manager in the mould of Wenger, no one player is bigger than the club, if the player is not wanting to be part of it then he can leave, just like Viera and Henry, Woodgate thought he was bigger than the club.

Posted 13:29 3rd February 2008

Chris Blowes (Middlesbrough fan) says...

I doff my hat to you Andy Gray. It makes a refreshing change to see a pundit waxing lyrical about our beloved Boro. Your comments are sensible and balanced. Not the usual National media tosh. Well done....

Posted 12:15 3rd February 2008

Mark Green (Middlesbrough fan) says...

It is nice to hear a pundit say anything positive about the Boro. The Teessiders always seem to get a rough deal in the media in the shadow of our so called bigger neighbours. It is a fact though that we have the best chairman in the league and the most productive academy in the land! Gareth is doing OK and we stand or fall on his vision of trying to play a cultured style of football. We may have a way to go but signings like Alves and Alliadiere show how we wnt to play and that is breath of fresh air after the stagnant negativity of Maclarens reign. Come on the Boro!!

Posted 12:01 3rd February 2008

Chris Bray (Middlesbrough fan) says...

You missed out a key play for us... Dong Gook Lee. Ha Ha, I have no idea why we bought him, hes the new Maccarone, only worse. He's had a full year now and has only scored 2 goals both against teams from league 2. We should be loaning him out like we did with Massimo to get his strength up or just get rid of him. The loss of Downing would be regrettable but I think Adam Johnson will be well suited for the Premiership in a few years time. He seems to play like Downing used to play when he burst into the first team, loads of confidence to pass full backs and get the crosses in. But Downing ,in the main, has lost his confidence. As a season ticket holder i see when he has the confidence he is the best player on the park, without it and he tries to rush things and doesn't attempt to take the full back on. If we can get Downings confidence up everygame we need to keep him, if not Johnson is more then capable to step in.

Posted 11:59 3rd February 2008

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