STEWY DOWNING COMING HOME!

When the news broke about Stewy coming back to the club, I thought na, can’t see it being possible he’s had a fine season at West Ham last season playing under Sam Alladyce in the no10 role. On big premier league wages, if we had got promoted I thought Stewy would sign no problem. So I ruled it out and have tried to dismiss it every time I have seen news on it.

2-3 weeks later and he is on the verge of returning to the club after leaving the club 6 years ago. What can I say? I am excited to see the best player out of the Boro academy in my opinion return and play for the club again. I can only praise Steve Gibson yet again for pulling this deal off and making it possible. What a signing the signing of the summer! After the disappointment of the playoff final back in May, I think the timing of this is spot and has created a great buzz on Teesside ahead of the new campaign. 

I have always been a big Stewy Downing fan since watching him break through into the first team at Boro. The UEFA Cup game v Steaua Bucharest been his best game for us, having followed his progress since leaving us in 2009. I never really understood the criticism he receives, he gets a lot of unnecessary stick. Stewy has a lot of quality, he’s going be a massive player for us. Creating chances, scoring goals and plenty of experience to help our younger players, it can only help players like Adam Reach’s game. 

It’s a win win situation. Stewy wanted to come back home, he always said the day that he left the club he had unfinished business, it be a fitting return to take the club back to the premier league. We are getting a hell of a player for a good price in today’s market, he could have easily walked in to most premier league clubs. Get promoted and we will still see a good few years of him at the top level. It really is massive capture from Steve Gibson. It is a real state of intent, ambition to get out of the Championship and back to the Premier League.

I can’t wait to see the first images of Stewy back in a Boro shirt! Exciting times ahead! Nothing beats seeing a local player pull on the shirt of the team you support. Stewy Coming Home! Maybe he can be the DJ at the promotion party! UTB! 

Home V West Ham

The three injury doubts before the game were Barry Robson, Scott McDonald and Marvin Emnes. The team news was announced that our forwards would make the game and Robson missed out through injury.

On to the game, I sit in the North Stand and never like it when we lose the toss and have to swap ends! Meaning we are shooting towards the North in the first half rather than the second half! Boro had a shaky start with passes going astray, bad control by a number of players and by the way we started I would have liked all the players to go off and change their boots!

The way we started the game it was only a matter time before we got punished, West Ham put the ball in from the left and Piquionne headed in from six yards. We weren’t at the races and you need to be to play the top teams in the division. As the half went on we got better and had a few good chances through Scott McDonald and Haroun had a good chance that lacked real power. Any power and it would have been a certain goal.

2nd half we had a lot of possession without creating a clear cut chance despite three corners in quick succession they all coming to nothing as there wasn’t enough Boro shirts attacking the ball. We were certainly missing Barry Robson’s drive, determination, runs forward and another leader on the pitch. I thought the game was crying out for a winger and a centre forward, hopefully it may be possible to do a bit of wheeling and dealing in this department. Haroun on the right won a lot of headers though they was no one for the knock downs and he doesn’t really have the pace to beat people out wide.

When four minutes of injury time go up, it gives you a bit of hope getting a chance to grab an equaliser. Not this time, West Ham were keeping the ball in corner and when the game was just about up Matthew Bates pass back to Jason Steele was short and Carlton Cole latched on to the ball and had an open net to make it 2-0.

It was the manner of the defeat for me against West Ham and away at Southampton, we never really played to our full potential and started so poorly. That is the disappointing and frustrating thing. I like to see us at our best against these sides and I’m sure we would take at least a point. I felt we had the more clear cut chances and West Ham weren’t that good. You really need to start a game well against any team with plenty of premier league experience.

I would like to see Curtis Main get a chance to come off the bench between now and January, he could offer us something different until we can do something in the transfer window. Since the news came out about Rhys Williams not signing a new contract while he was on international duty he has not been the same player.

That was our first home defeat since February when we lost to QPR, a great record and real progress. Time to start another home run starting against Brighton, before then we go to Bristol City and need to get a result. The main thing is we are still in a good position and must go put a decent performance in at Bristol City this weekend. As long as we keep collecting point to keep within the top 6 we are in with a chance of promotion. There will be plenty twists to come in this league and it’s important we bounce back quickly from this defeat.