| Home team | Score | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
Middlesbrough
|
8 - 1 |
Man City
|
By Graeme Bailey Last updated: 11th May 2008
Full time Final whistle goes and that is it. Boro hammer City here. Thanks for joining me and sorry I could not reply more to your mails but as you can tell has been a bit hectic here. Remember to stay logged on for all the news.
90 mins - GOAL Alves slots home his third after good work from Aliadiere.
89 mins - Trouble Sorry to report we have some crowd trouble at the City end - nothing major but looked nasty for a while.
88 mins - GOAL Do we have a game on our hands? Only joking but Elano fires home a nice effort into the top corner,
85 mins - GOALThis is getting embarrassing now. Aliadiere collects the ball in the box turns and fires home - wonderful finish.
83 mins - Consolation chance Real chance for Castillo as he breaks clesr but he fires over - should have done better.
80 - GOAL Well what did I say and it did - top corner. This really is potenial goal of the season stuff! Brilliant.
79 mins- Danger Boateng is brought down 35-yards out and Rochemback is over it - this could go anywhere!
77 mins - Elano trying The Brazilian has been bright since coming on and he tries his luck from the edge of the box but it is well wide.
75 mins - Boro Change Boro bring on Tony McMahon for a run-out with Young making way.
71 mins - Change Elano is on for City with Petrov making way.
70 mins - GOAL Rochemback won the ball brilliantly in midfield and Johnson picked it up and ran before shooting and effort deflectd off Ball and past a stranded Isaksson.
68 mins - Wonderful wing play Johnson breaks into box and lays it off to fellow winger Downing who is just inches from his hat-trick as it flys over the bar.
64 mins - Johnson action The England Under-21 star is anxious to get involved and after good work he wins a free-kick on the right. The ball comes in the box for Riggott who fires home but the linesman's flag is up to rule it out.
62 mins - Changes Boro make two changes with Aliadiere and Johnson coming on with Arca (who could have a hamstring injury) and Tuncay (who doesnt look happy) coming off - City take off Vassell and bring on Didi Hamann.
60 mins - GOAL Great ball from Arca picks out run of Alves and he breaks clear and scores althogh Isaksson is unlucky as the ball only just crossed the line - City sinking without a trace here.
58 mins - GOAL Wonderful goal by Downing. Rochemback put the ball back into the box - Alves challenged and it dropped for Downing who volleyed home brilliantly with the outside of his left foot - outstanding effort.
58 mins - Boro looking for third More Boro pressure this time as Tuncay wins corner off Corluka. Downing takes, but City clear their lines.
55 mins - Let off Boro almost score as the ball drops for David Wheater in the box but his shot is blocked, Tuncay then goes for rebound but the Swede blocks again and then Wheater fires over. Close for Boro.
54 mins - Sun block Another block from Sun on Downing - this time Phil Dowd books him. Dangerous free-kick given away which Rochemback takes but Ireland volleys clear.
Fair play hopesCity fan Chris in West Yorkshire is worried about Dunne's red card and their fair play route into the Uefa Cup. Well Chris reaction seeems to be that City will be fine as it stands.
51 mins - City sitter Great work from Ireland as he breaks into box and he almost goes around Schwarzer but he is forced wide. He crosses back into box for Vassell - who from five-yards heads wide from the centre of the goal. Shocking miss.
50 mins - City push City attack for the first time this half and win a free-kick. Petrov swings it in but Boro's defence clears well.
49 mins - Danger Boro free-kick on the edge of the box as Downing is blocked by Sun. Rochemback fizzes it into the box and Isaksson can only punch it but he manages to grab it at the second attempt.
Bad news Well for me anyway as it is getting colder here if anything. Carl Tilson and Daniel Cooper are not sure losing Sven would be such a huge blow for City.
46 mins - Bright Boro Good early possession from Boro and Rochemback almost plays in Downing but he is offside.
Kick-off City re-start the match here. Neither side has made a change at the interval.
Half-time Boro are leading here at the break and City have an uphill task to get back into this game. Please keep your feedbacks coming during the break.graemebailey@hotmail.com
45 mins - Turk turn Tuncay turns Ball brilliantly and breaks down field but Ireland is back well to snuff out the chance.
45 mins - Missed chances Nice play by Boateng sees Tuncay picked out in the box but he mis-controls the ball when he would have been clear. Then the ball breaks for Downing on the left he finds Tuncay, it comes off him and falls to Boateng in-front of goal but somehow Isaksson gets there to make a wonderful stop although the Dutchman should have scored.
44 mins - Confidence Boro are playing all the football now. They counter on City as Downing plays in Alves - he breaks into box and shoots but Isaksson claims it well.
42 mins - Good defending Corluka heads behind at the near post after good run from Young down the right. Nice play by the Croat. The resulting corner is just missed by Tuncay.
Feeback Well Lewis Easton of Boro thinks Alves' air-shot was pre-planned. Well Lewis it could have been but I dont think many strikers turn down a shot from 12-yards do you? And Dave Medley, a City fan in Carlisle wants to know who is up-front. Well Dave it is Castillo really with Vassell although he seems to have dropped back to right win and it is more 4-4-1 now. And City fan Allan Wilson in Ghana thinks there is a conspiracy against City - not too sure there Allan but it was a little harsh although in real time it looked nailed on to be honest.
37 mins - GOAL Alves fires home from 12-yards. Lovely play by fellow Brazilian Rochemback on edge of the box played him in.
36 mins - Nice play Best football of the match from Boro as Rochemback and Tuncay combine - the Turk is almost sent clear but Sun is back to slide the ball behind. Isaksson claims the corner with ease.
34 mins - City coping City are doing very well since being reduced to ten-men. Corluka has dropped in to partner Michael Ball whilst they seem to have gone for a 4-3-2 formation with Petrov pushing inside a little more.
30 mins - Boro close A Downing corner is met by Tuncay but he doesnt get a great touch on the ball and Issksson manages to claim it. Could have been two.
28 mins - Over and out A decent chance for Arca but the Argentine fires over from the edge of the box.
A first I have never had a mail from somebody inside the ground but Liam Bishop has sent me one saying Boro will win 3-1. Daniel Cooper - a City fan - also thinks Boro will win and that Sven will stay. graemebailey@hotmail.com
27 mins - Nasty challenge Young goes in on Pterov wins ball but only after flattening Petrov - Young is booked although the Boro fans dont like but it was a bad foul. City free-kick 35-yards out Garrido swings it in and it comes for Vassell who tries an overhead kick but it goes wide. Another decent City chance.
23 mins - Another air-shot Must be something in the air today as you go all season without seeing one and now we have two in one day - first Alves and now Stephen Ireland when on the edge of the box he misses the ball totally - good chance goes begging for City.
20 mins - City response Good move by City sees Fernandes combine with Castillo but Schwarzer picks saves - then the giant Aussie throws out to Pogatetz who is not expecting it and he is forced to give free-kick away luckily for Boro Petrov fires over.
Boro fans respond Some nice Boro chants coming back now - aimed at City's boss!
18 mins - Scramble Isaksson is on his toes to clear ahead of Tuncay after Sun's back-pass almost came up short.
16 mins - GOAL Downing steps up to fire home into the bottom corner.
15 mins - Penalty Dunne brings down Tuncay when through on goal. Penalty to Boro and Dunne is sent off. Not great for City's fair play hopes. Replays showed it was harsh.
13 mins - Change Benjani has failed to shae off his knock and he comes off with Nery Castillo coming on.
City winning Well in terms of fans - some great chants coming our way.
10 mins - Home pressure All Boro at the moment, Isaksson makes his first stop as he palms away Downing cross who was looking for Tuncay. It goes out for a corner but Downing's cross goes straight out.
8 mins - First corner Comes for Boro as a free-kick is knocked down for Boateng but his shot is deflcted over after great challenge from Dunne. Rochemback takes a low corner and it comes for Alves but he can only produce an air-shot - the ball then comes for Julio Arca who unlucky to see his curling effort go just wide.
6 mins - Stoppage We had a bit of a delay here as Benjani needed treatment after challenge from Fabio Rochemback caught him in the chest.
Continental feedback Well you are watching this from all over the world today - Malcolm Bewick in Taiwan thinks 2-0 Boro with Alves scoring both
3 mins - City close Lovely move by City as Martin Petrov picks out Darius Vassell and he lays it off to Benjani who fires wide from the edge of the box - good chance.
1 min - Early pressure Boro make a good start with Boateng getting stuck in and then they look to spread the ball wide as Richard Dunne is forced to hack it clear.
Kick-off Boro - in their new kit for next season - get us underway here and as predicted City fans are already getting behind Eriksson.
Differing opinions Well your mails are flooding in now - thanks for that. Muhd Khairil in Singapore thinks his Man City side will grab a 2-0 win with Benjani and Petrov scoring, but Boro man Peter Rowley thinks 1-0 to his men and to rival our friend in Singapore we have Don Pidgeon in Madras, India - he thinks Boro 2-1. Muhd also thinks that City Thaksin Shinawatra will perform a u-turn and keep Eriksson - not sure I think that will happen Muhd - but let me know your thoughts! graemebailey@hotmail.com
Sunny Teesside!! Oh my word, talk about cold - it is foggy and freezing on the banks of the Tees - you can actually see your breath in the air! So much for this heatwave! Lots of very cold fans who only came in their football shirts!
Prediction time First mail of the day is from Tom Simpson. A Boro fan who thinks they will win 1-0 today - although he is not happy the likes of Rochemback and Schwarzer are playing he would rather players with long-term futures were playing.graemebailey@hotmail.com
Team news The team sheet has just arrived and it is as you were for Boro. For City there is a change in goal with Andreas Isaksson making a rare start ahead of Joe Hart - who is on the bench. Isaksson's chance to bid farewell to the City fans, whilst a number of Boro's players - Schwarzer, Boateng, Rochemback - could be making their last appearances in a Boro shirt.
City Isaksson, Ball, Garrido, Sun, Corluka, Dunne, Ireland, Vassell, Petrov, Fernandes, Benjani. Subs: Hart, Elano, Caceido, Hamann, Castillo
Boro Schwarzer, Young, Riggott, Wheater, Pogatetz, Arca, Boateng, Rochemback, Alves, Tuncay, Downin. Subs: Turnbull, Aliadiere, Johnson, McMahon, Taylor
Reflection So a long season is coming to an end, but how has it been for you? Boro fans are you happy? Do you want changes? And well City fans, only one question for you, is this Sven Goran Eriksson's last game in charge?
Also let me have your predictions before the game, I will go through every mail I get and endeavour to mention you all - so please get in touch - a slightly different email for me today - graemebailey@hotmail.com
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| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea | 7 | 17 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 7 | 17 |
| 3 | Hull City | 7 | 14 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 7 | 13 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 7 | 13 |
| 6 | West Ham United | 7 | 12 |
| 7 | Portsmouth | 7 | 12 |
| 8 | Manchester United | 6 | 11 |
| 9 | West Bromwich Albion | 7 | 10 |
| 10 | Blackburn Rovers | 7 | 10 |
| 11 | Manchester City | 7 | 9 |
| 12 | Middlesbrough | 7 | 9 |
| 13 | Wigan Athletic | 7 | 8 |
| 14 | Sunderland | 7 | 8 |
| 15 | Everton | 7 | 8 |
| 16 | Bolton Wanderers | 7 | 7 |
| 17 | Fulham | 6 | 6 |
| 18 | Newcastle United | 7 | 5 |
| 19 | Stoke City | 7 | 4 |
| 20 | Tottenham Hotspur | 7 | 2 |