I don't know about you but I certainly feel like i'm sobering up after Tuesday's 4-0 thumping of Norwich. But why? We drew with top of the table? And we are still 3rd, just a point off top.
I think it's because the nature of the Boro fan. I know that me especially, as you've probably seen, have grown old and pessimistic during the 5 years we've in spent in the Championship (yes I know i'm still 17.) And I know that's not interesting to read so I'm trying to change my way of thinking, but I still sense this uneasy feeling around the Riverside, even when we go 1-0 up in a game, you sense our lead isn't safe until a 2nd or 3rd goal is scored, and it is very rare that occurs. It is something I can't put a finger on.
For we have a very solid goalkeeper in Dimi, who added to his excellent save on tuesday night with an amazing tip-over-the-bar from a Ritchie half volley and some of the very best championship CBs ahead of him. Ayala is growing in confidence every game he plays and his distribution is rivaled only by our central midfield due and Tomlin - who I feel has also been growing despite the fact he wasn't involved in the weekend's stalemate as I'd have wished (excluding his great runs in the opening miniutes.) Gibson is a great young talent and is performing at this level. And with Omeruo on the sidelines we have a very capable replacement, along with the injured Woody and Rhys, we look unlikely to concede. We are, infact, unlikely to concede now, with 8 clean sheets so far this season.
I think I'm allowing this pessimism to shroud my view on how good a coach Karanka is. He demands excellence and I can't see a slump similar to 2 seasons ago happening under his regime, but there is this 'typical boro' idea that I think won't allow me to think we will win the league, or believe we are behind Derby as the second most likely to go up.
In retrospect, however, when we look back at the game I think that it was a very good 0-0, if that is a thing. Reach was out best out let of the game with his thunderous strike nearly costing him a weeks wages so the bar could be replaced. Tomlin's early running in the game was our only other chances we really had, and that took its tole as Tomlin was struggling with a niggling hamstring for the rest of the game, which probably should've ended up in a half time substitution. Bamford looked a frustrated figure upfront, getting few touches on the ball and even fewer sights of the goal, this would probably end up in a substitution, most games if it hadn't been for Kike's fatigue (he could've started if not for that as I feel Lee works best with Kike in front of him.) Bournemouth's pressure amounted to little too, with Dimi equal to things thrown at him, along with the Defense, who seemed more air-tight than they did against Norwich.
An optomistic approach is what is needed as we go into this international break. The last one proved fruitful as the friendly vs Sunderland meant we came back refreshed and ready to take on the league. So perhaps we have missed a trick not arranging another one, perhaps with the geordies this time. But we will see how we play on the 22nd, as Boro fans (including myself) take their seates in the DW stadium and the teams come out.
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