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Ali's Big Match Preview - West Ham v Boro
By Alastair Brownlee September 14 2007
The break for international fixtures has sharpened the appetite to see Boro back in action and to find out if they can reproduce the exciting, free flowing football that simply destroyed Birmingham City at the Riverside back on the first of September.
Two weeks will have passed since the players left the field to a standing ovation after banishing the Blues, but with Gary O’Neil and Mohammed Shawky taking advantage of the break to fully adapt to life at the Boro, it’s a confident squad that travels to face West Ham.

In recent seasons Boro have struggled against the Hammers. Remember at the end of last season when Carlos Tevez inspired the home side to a 2-0 win. Boro have in fact lost five in a row at Upton Park with a Brian Deane goal in a 1-0 win back in April 2000 their only triumph in eleven visits.

At the sight of all those statistics I can see a frown breaking out on Gareth Southgate’s forehead, as any journalist who gives the manager a history lesson in not doing well at a particular ground gets the usual response that Gareth is more interested in the future than worrying about the past.

There are certainly plenty of reasons for optimism about facing the West Ham challenge that are not solely centred on ninety excellent minutes against Birmingham City and one of those surrounds the form of Stewart Downing.

The winger’s goal against City was his second of the season in his fifth Premier League game. Last season Stewart managed the same total in thirty-four starts.

The welcome addition of goals to his excellent approach play has many fans wondering how his contribution to England’s back-to-back victories was just three minutes as a substitute against Russia?

The advantage to Boro is, however, that he arrived back at the training ground eager to get back playing again for his club.

The cameo appearance against Russia provided Stewy with his fifteenth cap and only Wilf Mannion with twenty-six caps won more whilst on Boros books. Yet when the national team fail, presumably because of a perceived link of favouritism by his former club boss Steve McClaren, he receives unjustified criticism from so called England fans.

I remember last season's game at West Ham came on the back of England’s 3-0 win against Andorra. The pressure was on McClaren but at Upton Park we had the ludicrous sound of West Ham fans booing Downing. Let's hope on Saturday he can silence the home support and inspire Boro to their second away win of the season.

The wait for an away win last season stretched to January 13 and that 3-1 win at Charlton but with three points from the trip to Craven Cottage already in the bank Boro have made a good start in the attempt to improve the points return from their travels.

One of the big questions, and the answer will not be provided until we get the team sheet, is will Gareth stick with the central midfield partnership of Arca and Rochemback which was so eye-catching in the home games with Newcastle and Birmingham?

Some wonder if they might be a bit lightweight for games away from home where you need to, on occasions, grind out results? But as Malcolm Crosby pointed out to me both players did their fair share of tackling in the recent Riverside outings and what flair and ability they provide to hurt the opposition.

If Rocky and Julio were retained then you would assume George Boateng would keep his place on the right but it underlines yet again the strength in the squad that Gareth is assembling that he has so many options with O'Neil, Cattermole and Shawky also looking for a first team shirt.

Sir Trevor Brooking's remarks that Premier League Academies are not producing enough top quality English players certainly don’t ring true at Boro. Fourteen players currently on the books have progressed from the Academy to play for the first team and in recent years Boro have produced more England internationals at all levels than any other club.

Perhaps the former West Ham star would be better employed praising our Academy manager Dave Parnaby and then settling back into his seat at Upton Park to enjoy the performances of Downing, Taylor, Wheater and Cattermole.

I have put at the bottom of the column the fourteen players who have progressed from the Academy to the first team. See how many you can name!

After the long journey to West Ham, and a trip home with three points we hope, Bernie and I will be presenting Simply Red on Century FM on Sunday from 11 until 1pm.

Special guests lined up include Gordon Jones, Stuart Ripley, Jim Platt and Franck Queudrue. We will also have Sunday lunch for two to giveaway at the Bluebell and, courtesy of Ladbrokes, a pair of tickets to see the big derby, Boro v Sunderland.

You can give us your thoughts on Boro as well by calling 08450021100 or send a text on 85102.

Academy Graduates

Downing, Turnbull, Jones, Davies, Bates, Cattermole, Johnson, McMahon, Wheater, Taylor, Kennedy, Hines, Walker, Craddock. All are English apart from Brad Jones.

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