Friday, September 7, 2018

By Tom Wardle
‘Anti-Football’ is a modern footballing term, usually used on Twitter to describe a team’s style of play which doesn’t meet the agenda of the media. All fans want success, but the media only seem to give credit to successful teams if they play the ‘right way’, i.e. playing out from the back with the ball on the floor in a passing style of play. In this article I ponder over the question, is there a right and wrong way of playing?
Ideas about the right and wrong way of playing have been around for the entirety of the game’s existence. In the early international games, England national team players refused to pass the ball because it was unsporting. When they played Scotland, who did pass, they were beaten comfortably.
In recent years, the phrase ‘anti-football’ has risen in popularity and is attributed to any team which doesn’t pass the ball into the net, or are more conservatively set up than the likes of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side. Rightly or wrongly, Jose Mourinho, Sam Allardyce, Sean Dyche and Tony Pulis have become synonymous with the term.
Although Boro have scored enough goals to sit in 2nd place, the phrase has been used to describe Tony Pulis’ side this season. Despite the losses of Ben Gibson and Adama Traore to Burnley and Wolves respectively, Boro have played their way to the automatic promotion places. Pulis must be doing something right. So, why have we been labelled as a team which plays in the wrong way?
It started with the appointment of ex-Stoke City and West Brom manager Tony Pulis. His ‘defensive’ football has been analysed for years on Match Of The Day and long balls, long throws and parking the bus are criticisms which encapsulate how he is perceived.
Having been portrayed as an unadaptable dinosaur whose sides were never capable of anything more than mid-table mediocrity, I was expecting the worst. However, at times during this season Boro have looked like a complete team, creating chances for fun whilst keeping five clean sheets on the bounce. Not playing football the right way? I question whether you understand the job of a football manager if you don’t think we are playing the right way.
Garry Monk, a manager moulded to the modern game, saw his style of play and general game plans hailed by the media during his time at Swansea City and Leeds United. The man Boro thought was the perfect fit, the man who’d get us playing football the right way - according to the media anyway. But, was it the right way? Every Boro fan will agree with me it was not the right way. In fact, the football we witnessed was awful.
For me, the ‘right way’ of playing is when a team excites you and when a squad of players put 100% effort into their performances week in, week out. Surely, if you’re winning games at ease and making the supporters believe the success will keep on rolling then that’s the right way?
Football is not a style but rather a game in which you score as many points as possible.
Therefore, ‘anti-football’ shouldn’t be a term which encompasses all styles of play which aren’t identical to or imitating of Guardiola or Wengerball.
When Boro played Bielsa’s Leeds, who are supposedly playing the better football and prioritise getting the ball on the ground and attacking throughout, Pulis’ anti-football side had a superior expected goals ratio. How can it be anti-football if you have a greater chance of scoring, and thus securing the three points?
Diego Simeone plays in a similar, if not more cautious, style to Boro and his side are regularly lauded. I’d argue, given the same calibre of players, managers such as Warnock, Pulis and Allardyce wouldn’t be too far off the job he has done with Atleti.
You may think I’m going crazy at this point? I’m not.
The season Middlesbrough were promoted in 2016, all three managers who guided sides to promotion – Karanka, Dyche and Bruce - were labeled as cautious and defensive yet all three managed to finish ahead of free-flowing attack-minded sides like Derby and Brentford. If getting promoted isn’t the right way to play then I don’t know what is.
Last season, Neil Warnock managed a Cardiff team which was promoted playing in a cautious style, too. When Newcastle United’s Rafa Benitez played defensively against Manchester City and Chelsea, he was criticised for playing anti-football in the media. Somewhat hypocritically, the media wouldn’t dare to criticise managers such as Eddie Howe who consistently lose by three or four goals to the top six teams. It’s funny how that works. I’ve always thought 2-1 was a better result than 4-0.
The media and fans of clubs are slowly being dragged into a footballing world where only attacking football should exist. This has contributed to the short lifespan that many managers are now judged to have because fans become impatient when the team don’t play in the way Sky Sports tells them they should.
I want fans to realise that teams like Boro deserve credit for the results they are getting through the style of football they are playing. Our success shouldn’t be discredited because we are anti-football.
At the end of the day, if you’re winning games, scoring goals and keeping clean sheets, you’re playing some bloody good football.

Tony Pulis and his 'Anti-Football' Style of Success

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

By Michael Richardson
What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object? It’s the age-old question – and on Friday night, Tony Pulis gave us the answer.
A defensive masterclass by Pulis’ Middlesbrough side – one reminiscent of the Aitor Karanka era, was on display for all of the Championship to see under the Sky cameras last Friday. Boro lined up in a 5-4-1 formation, and maintained a solid defensive structure throughout. However, the back five weren’t the only players who contributed to the clean sheet.
Attack is the best form of defence?
As shown, lone striker Britt Assombalonga, along with the two most forward-minded midfielders of Boro's four, Stewart Downing and Jonny Howson, combined to form a flat, three-strong press whenever Leeds looked to play out from defence. This forced whoever was on the ball to look to the flanks for an option as the pressing triumvirate, with Mo Besic and Adam Clayton lying in wait behind them, effectively cancelled out any possibility of central distribution.
As a result, Leeds were forced to attack down the wings and attempt to deliver balls into the box whilst their main creative outlet – Samuel Saiz – remained isolated in the centre of the park. These attempts to pump the ball into the box – their only option given the circumstances, were easily countered by the obvious height advantage that Dani Ayala, Aden Flint and Dael Fry held over United striker Kemar Roofe.
Again here, the midfield is shown to maintain a tight and compact shape and thus prevent Saiz from picking out any midfield options. Instead, he opted to go out wide to Alioski, who found himself with no option but to cross the ball in or pass backwards, and he chose the latter.
Pressing
The Gegenpress is a term quite often used by football analysts when discussing Jürgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool teams, and Middlesbrough showed glimpses of it on Friday. Downing and Howson pressed full-backs Ayling and Douglas whenever the ball came within their “trigger zones”. A trigger zone in football implies a zone in which a player should press the opposition if the ball enters a set area of the pitch they have been designated to protect.
Here is an example of a trigger zone involving Jonny Howson:
Boro used this pressing tactic to good effect against Leeds as a method of stopping the ball being played into danger men Saiz, Alioski and Roofe, meaning that whoever was on the ball was consistently and repeatedly forced to pass backwards and sideways in the hope of forcing an opportunity. However, due to the discipline and narrow nature of Boro’s 5-4-1 formation, such opportunities were few and far between.
The Back Five
It’d be reckless to argue against the fact that despite the midfield’s excellence, Boro’s defence ran the show on Friday night. Shotton and Friend defended excellently against the overlapping duos of Harrison-Ayling and Douglas-Alioski, whilst Fry, Flint and Ayala mirrored the movement of the Leeds frontline and cleared away any long balls that came their way, as shown here:
As seen in the video, two of the three centre-backs (Ayala and Flint) mirror Klich and Roofe’s attempts at a break away, and remained goal-side whenever they attempted to make a move, as the defenders knew they had an aerial advantage. This effectively took Leeds’ two main goal threats out of the game whilst also allowing Dael Fry the opportunity to assist Adam Clayton in containing the other Leeds players. At the same time, Friend provided cover on the left, and Ryan Shotton tucked in as auxiliary centre-back should the ball be played into the box from Leeds’ right flank.
When Boro’s midfield resumed their normal shape, the defence followed suit, and a flat back five allowed Tony Pulis’ Boro to outnumber Leeds’ attacking options and nullify any chance on goal that came about if the midfield failed to win back possession.
The Final Word
So, all in all, it was an excellent defensive display from Pulis’ Middlesbrough side and ultimately a perfect away performance. Clayton and Fry were the standouts, but let’s not forget the heroics of Darren Randolph, who did especially well to save Barry Douglas’ pinpoint free kick towards the end of the game. Boro’s boss will be hoping for more of the same this season from all those who played on Friday, and one thing’s for sure – this side will not be easy to beat should such discipline be maintained.
Let us know what you think about Michael's analysis via Twitter, and be sure to keep up to date with our latest activity on Twitter and on Instagram @boropolis.

How Tony Pulis’ Middlesbrough thwarted Marcelo Bielsa’s ‘unstoppable’ Leeds United attack

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

By Tom Wardle
Leeds United don’t like our Dani Ayala, do they? In fact, most despise the Middlesbrough centre-back. Us Boro fans, on the other hand, have a gleaming smile on our face every time we see another one of those anti-Ayala tweets by a Leeds supporter and his most recent antics against them, too. It’s becoming a common theme, isn’t it!
First of all, let’s start by talking about the Spaniard himself. At times he can be frustrating, a man who is one of them players who seem to be guaranteed to miss at least a month of the season due to an injury of some kind. However, when fully fit, the 27-year-old is an impressive, dominant figure and arguably the best defender in the league.
His aerial ability compliments his neat footwork meaning his performances are usually of a very high and well-rounded standard, especially when you consider he is a defender. His Spanish roots provide him with an unerring possession-keeping, ball-playing calmness which many English defenders lack. However, his experiences in English academy football and the Football League have moulded him into a tall powerhouse of a centre-half who possesses the defensive discipline enforced by Aitor Karanka. He’s not just a ball-playing continental stereotype.
His defensive ability isn’t the only thing which has been a noted characteristic throughout his career, and especially since the Leeds game, however. Plenty of videos shared around by Leeds-based Twitter accounts showed our Spanish centre-back pushing and pulling opposition players, diving and play-acting, and trying to gain an advantage in every situation in any way possible.
The term used to describe this form of play is ‘shithousery’, and it is a term which has become increasingly popular in South Yorkshire and many other places since a certain Mr. Ayala found his way into English football. The antics that he and many other players of both foreign and domestic origin go through to gain an advantage can cast an entire fanbase into uproar and indignation, see Leeds as an example. Yet, those who support the player who is doing the ‘shithousing’ couldn’t feel anything further from such anger. They’re usually in a state of manic glee.
The benefits of Ayala’s antics can be absolutely huge. Whilst some may label this ‘style’ as cheating, it’s a skill which English players have struggled to utilise and/or counter over the years. Diving, pushing and pulling became popular in the Champions League, and have now found their way down to the Sky Bet Championship. In England, winning free kicks after a slightest touch is becoming increasingly common as the benefits of easing the pressure and quickly changing the phase of play begin to be realised.
English football is slowly becoming less and less of a contact sport; the chances are if you fall down in the area, it’s either going to be a free kick to the opposition or a penalty. Pushing and shoving is what Ayala loves, does and has mastered, and he can’t help himself. Boro fans may well have their hearts in their mouths when he does it, but he always seems to come out on the right side of the referee's decision. Maybe it’s his Spanish charm?
The negatives of having a player being a ‘shithouse’ to try and gain an advantage is the area of the pitch this is done in. As previously stated, Ayala pushes and pulls defenders in either box as he tries to rile up the opposition and gain an advantage. However, the referees have started to cotton on to these tactics and have started to penalise those who utilise it. Harry Kane being pushed and pulled every corner at the World Cup is when people have seen this tactic shown on the world's stage, however, the tactic didn’t work as every opponent will have hoped. England won numerous penalties after opponents tried to gain an advantage through ‘shithousery’.
After watching the World Cup, and how most of the antics that are usually labelled as ‘shithousery’ were brought to the attention of the referee to the detriment of the ‘shithouses’, I questioned whether we’d see it in the Championship given the risks that it creates. Yet we have, and it works.
But is it needed?
If Boro had a side full of their current British players without Ayala, the team would lack a side of the game which is seen as cheating, but can gain an advantage. English players tend to slide into a player they are up against a few minutes into the game to let their opponent know who they are and that they are there. You know, the Adam Clayton and Grant Leadbitter-type players. In many ways ‘shithousery’ is a similar way of letting the opposition know you are there but in a cleverer, less blatantly obvious way. 
Whilst being a very dangerous tactic to employ in the modern game, the need and reward for it can be massive, especially when you are under pressure in a game. Simply falling over in the box can win a free kick, and stop pressure building. Ayala is the perfect centre-back to go alongside the aerial Flint and young Fry.
His presence in both boxes is massive, and with most other clubs in the Championship having a few players who are prepared to use this tactic, Boro need to have an element of bastardry to their game in order to compete. No supporter will accuse their own player of being a cheat, and would rather applaud them for risking a card for the badge on their chest. Boro’s man is a master of the tactic, and I’m sure we’ll have a few other clubs commenting on him come the end of the season. 
Remember, it’s not cheating, it’s gaining an advantage. But only when Ayala does it!

Dani Ayala: El Rey de Shithousery

Monday, August 13, 2018


By Tom Wardle
The myth about Tony Pulis being an extremely defensive coach has slowly disappeared during his tenure as Boro manager. Instead, his style has become known as one in which the Welshman simply gets the best out of each and every Boro player. This was proven last year with the rise of Adama Traore and has been proven once again so far this season; players such as Ryan Shotton and Stewart Downing have been transformed into vital cogs in the mechanics of Boro’s tactical engine.
When he came in, Pulis set up his Boro side in a 4-5-1 formation, and very rarely changed from that foundation for the remainder of the season. This brought consistency in a Boro side which hadn’t found any consistency under former boss Garry Monk during the opening half of that season. However, Boro’s attacking prowess was centered on one man, Adama Traore. Going into this season, following the departure of the maverick Spaniard, Boro fans were worried as we didn’t know how well we’d cope without last season’s main, and sometimes only, attacking threat. We needn’t have worried.
After failing to bring any wide attacking players into the squad to replace the outgoing Traore, Pulis didn’t have a lot to work with. So instead of keeping with the same system, Tony worked his magic and brought a new 5-3-2 system to the fore. So, what exactly is this new 5-3-2 Boro have started the season with?
With only two fit senior centre-backs at the club, Pulis had to find a third to play this system. Cue George Friend, the now former full-back was given the left centre-back position to fill, probably because he is left-footed. Friend is the most attacking player of the current back three, but will only push up if Boro are in and around the opposition’s penalty area.
New boy Aden Flint and youngster Dael Fry are the height of the back three, and win virtually everything in the air. Flint is positioned at the centre of the three as his ball-playing abilities are inferior to those of Dael Fry, whilst his aerial prowess allows him to head the ball more effectively when in the centre. This also means he's able to cover both the left and right when the ball is played in the air towards the Boro box.
Fry provides right wing-back Ryan Shotton with an alternative, backwards option for a pass every time. This has been important because Shotton is not as direct and dynamic as a typical wing-back so an insurance option to recycle possession is useful to ensure Boro keep on top of the opposition.
Stewart Downing and Ryan Shotton are currently Boro’s wing-backs. If you’d have said that at the start of last season, most Boro fans wouldn’t have believed it, yet, they have proven us wrong and have been key contributors to Boro’s early season success. Both drop into defence to form a back 5 when the opposition is in possession and then transition further up the pitch when Boro have the ball.
Downing tends to drive forward with the ball and come inside rather than crossing the ball and this allows our centrally based players to then get hold of the ball. Shotton, on the other hand, usually crosses when given the chance. This gives Boro much more creativity and many more offensive options than last year, as the team now possess a wider variety of ways to bypass and break down opponent presses and blocks.
Our 3 central midfielders haven’t changed so far when using this formation apart from when substitutions are taken into account. The starting three have been Adam Clayton, Jonny Howson, and Lewis Wing. Clayton sits as the deepest of the three, with Howson to the left and Wing to the right. Both Howson and Wing have been given a box-to-box type role which has seen them excel.
Wing has been a revelation and deserves all the credit he is getting at the moment after going from playing Northern League football with Shildon and working in a factory to bossing Boro’s midfield in just 18 months. Howson has shown why Boro coughed up £5 million for the Norwich midfield last season, too. Both players have been key in creating chances for Boro so far, and have been making surging runs into the box, which is something we didn’t really see last season.
Surpisingly, Martin Braithwaite has been simply magnificent after a summer where everyone expected to see the back of him. He may still leave yet, though. The Danish international drops into pockets of space in front of the midfield three which allows him to pick up the ball, and use his trickery and technical nous to provide a link with Britt Assombalonga. His performances have been what Boro have been craving since the departure of Gaston Ramirez one year ago.
Assombalonga has been hard working, strong and so far a good fit for the system. His presence allows him to hold up the play to get more players involved or to win set-pieces, which as you can imagine under Tony Pulis are real goal-scoring opportunities.
Boro’s new system fits perfectly with the players available and has allowed the likes of Downing and Friend to find the right position for their aging legs. The 5-3-2 does give Boro balance when both attacking and defending, but it shouldn’t be understated how desperately the team needs cover in the wide areas of the pitch.
If Pulis is to carry on deploying this well-performing system, Boro could be left desperately short at left wing-back, centre-back or right wing-back if (or when) injuries occur. This is likely to force a change in shape, something Pulis will not want to be doing if the system continues to work as well as it has done in our first three games.

5-3-2: A Tony Pulis Tactical Revolution?

Wednesday, August 8, 2018


By Tom Wardle
It’s over. He’s gone. Adama Traore has been one heck of a rollercoaster ride. One of the rides at your local fair, you first see it in action and it looks truly magnificent. You step on and you’re thinking ‘this is shocking’. Then you hear the voice, revealing you're about to go faster, then… excitement. It ends, but it always ends too soon. Blink and you’d have missed Adama’s rapid rise to success.
The start. Adama came on against Tottenham with 30 minutes to go. Little did we know us Boro fans were about to witness possibly the most exciting player to ever play at the Riverside Stadium. The Spaniard picked the ball up on the edge of the Boro box countless times, he’d dribble, dribble a little bit more and just keep on dribbling. Passes going astray at the end of his runs because he just couldn’t slow down quick enough, yet every time he got the ball, Boro fans rose from their seats to witness him single-handedly take on a whole team.
From then on every time that season, when Adama Traore got the ball Boro fans were excited. Yet, apparently, he had a poor season? Sure his crossing could have been better at times, but I counter that argument by saying, who was he crossing to? Alvaro Negredo? He struggled to keep up. Adama essentially played wing-back that season, and still looked like Boro’s only attacking outlet throughout the season. Especially after the Gaston-saga.
Aitor Karanka never got to finish his ‘project’ with Adama, in fact, he barely even started it. Steve Agnew didn’t give him a chance. Who next to try and turn the youngster into a world-beater? Garry Monk.
Boro’s best game under Monk was Bolton away in September, and it was all about one man. Adama Traore got a standing ovation from both sets of supporters when the game ended. Bolton supporters said his performance had been the best individual performance they’d ever seen at the stadium. A game later the rollercoaster ride started to slow. He was sent off in the 2nd minute against Aston Villa just when we thought he was about to become a star. He started just 3 more games under Monk. Maybe if he’d have played Traore more often the now Birmingham City manager would have still been at Boro. I for one am glad he isn’t.
Next up to try and get the best out of our Spanish winger was current Boro boss Tony Pulis. By the time he arrived, many thought Adama’s Boro career was over. It wasn’t by a long stretch. Pulis was given a shy Spanish man who didn’t look a part of the team. He turned him into a confident Spanish man who became the most exciting attacking talent in the league.
Away at QPR, Traore ran the show. Boro were 2-0 up and cruising to a well-deserved away win; going 3-0 up wouldn’t make much difference, would it? To Boro fans it meant the world. Comments online from opposition fans and our own saying Traore hasn’t got an end product really did get on our nerves. Adama scored his first ever Boro goal, the travelling fans went mental. It’s as though we were in his shoes. We were all so desperate for him to score, our emotions just came flowing out in abundance.
After that, the Adama Traore show became somewhat normal for Boro fans as week after week he’d provide masterclass after masterclass. Yet it wasn’t. I don’t care if his goalscoring numbers weren’t out of this world, I don’t care if he misplaced a few crosses. In six months, Garry Monk turned our football club into a mess. But there was one shining beacon of hope which kept our promotion hopes alive, one player who kept bringing supporters to their feet, producing out of this world performances on Teesside.
Football is an entertainment sport, where a very small percentage of players and clubs are successful. People forget that when watching football matches. Appreciate what you have when you have it because you're going to miss it when it's gone. Adama Traore is one of a kind, and I have every confidence he is going to be a huge talent.
We have to return to normality now, passing our way to the penalty area as opposed to giving it to Adama on the edge of our own area and asking him to run the full length of the pitch. His departure hasn’t truly settled in yet because he’s not only one of a kind, he’s also one of the nicest players to ever play for the shirt. His mindset is clear; he wants to be the best that he can be. But on the journey there, he had enough time to thank Boro fans, giving shirts away. A truly remarkable gesture.
This is not an over the top article, this is an article appreciating a player who we won't quite know what we are missing until we see him on Match of the Day being praised by Gary and Alan.
Goodbye, our magic Spanish winger. I’m sure our paths will cross again someday.

An ode to Adama Traore

Sunday, August 5, 2018

By Tom Wardle
Boro supporters yesterday thought Fletcher had rescued a point at the death after being 2-0 down. He hadn’t. Why did we all think he had? Even after everyone realised the Boro twitter page got it wrong, there was THAT photo going around Boro twitter. That photo which had Ashley Fletcher sprinting in front of the away fans, screaming, a beaming smile glowing on his face.
Fletcher is a player who wasn’t born 'n' bred in Boro, who has only made a handful of appearances and has had a significant number of supporters on his back since day one, questioning the £7 million Boro paid for his services whilst Garry Monk was manager. Yesterday proved he still has a place at the football club. Any player who is 100% committed to the badge is welcome to play for my club.
Last season Fletcher was criticised at times, not because he had necessarily done anything wrong, but because his performances failed to justify his price tag. He went out on loan to Sunderland when his confidence was low, and if there was one club you didn't want to join when your confidence was low, it was Sunderland. So unsurprisingly, he didn't do well.
Cue this summer, a transfer window during which most supporters either thought he was off or had forgotten he was at the club. Yet there he was, on the opening day of the season, as one of the three young substitutes who helped drive a lacklustre team back from 2-0 down to draw with just seconds remaining.
Does Fletcher still have a place at the club?
Following yesterday’s cameo, it’s hard to say he hasn’t. Maybe he’s the reason why Pulis didn’t fight tooth and nail to keep Bamford? His style is a lot more balanced than Britt's and Rudy's, who at the moment are the two likely starters ahead of him. Fletcher is quick, direct, a willing runner and at 6’1, he offers more height in the box than Assombalonga, whilst holding more creativity than Gestede. In many ways, he could be considered to be the perfect Tony Pulis striker.
However, in short, not at the moment. He's not ready to be the so-called ‘main man’ of a side striving for promotion. Pulis likes a strong, physical center-forward. Britt and Rudy, whilst their game vary from each other’s, both have that physical edge and that little bit of streetwise attitude successful strikers have under Pulis. Because of his inexperience, Fletcher lacks that at the moment. But to gain that, he needs game time.
He could still have a very important role in the squad though. As proven yesterday, his athletic ability allows him to either play in a central position, or in a wide role. We haven’t found out which role he suits better yet, although at 6’1, I think Pulis would prefer to develop his game in a central position.
Having said all of that, he didn't start yesterday in what was at best, an average Boro side. With players coming in, he is only going to keep falling down the pecking order. So what do I think will be next for the 22-Year-Old? After yesterday he deserves a chance. I want players at my club who celebrate like fans, exactly like Fletcher did. He’s shown glimpses of what he’s capable of, and with Pulis explaining in more or less every interview recently that he doesn't want to waste the club’s money, then it’s time he was given the chance to prove his worth.
Whilst the positions on the pitch expected Boro arrival Martyn Waghorn takes up differ from Ashley Fletcher's, his arrival would provide even more competition at the front-end of the team. It’s down to Pulis to develop and get the best out of his players, and I believe we are yet to see the best of Fletcher. He’s 22, the same age as Adama Traore, so if supporters want to give Traore time to develop even further, then the same should be done for Fletcher, a player who both Manchester United and West Ham saw potential in. Just because he doesn't come from Boro, doesn’t mean he just be treated any differently than the likes of Fry, Chapman and Wing.
There’s a player in there, and it’s up to Pulis and the coaching staff to bring the best out of him, and prove why Steve Gibson agreed to pay big money to bring the youngster in. But more importantly for his development, Pulis needs to give him a chance in the first-team.

Ashley Fletcher: Is it time to give him a chance?

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

By Daniel Ragusa
On August 1st 2014, Middlesbrough announced the signing of free agent Emilio Nsue on a 3-year deal.
He arrived on Teesside as an unknown quantity, having only ever played in the lower reaches of the Spanish top flight for RCD Mallorca. However, once he deparated Teesside, he had managed to forge a fantastic relationship with the Boro fans and leave a legacy of commitment, passion and success.
Here’s a look back at the journey of a player who was patient, and took his chance when it mattered most.
Arriving on Teesside
When Emilio Nsue signed for Middlesbrough, there was no doubt that this was Karanka’s signing. Although he turns out for the senior Equatorial Guinean international side, Nsue had previously worked with Aitor in the Spanish Youth set up.
This pre-existing relationship played a key part in why Karanka chose to sign Nsue, as Boro’s Head Coach explained in an interview with the club website:
"He is a versatile player, a good lad with a good mentality and approach to the game. I know the type of person he is, and that is important." Although Aitor’s comments weren’t always agreeable and/or accurate towards the latter stages of his time as Middlesbrough manager, I’m sure that now, looking back with hindsight, every Boro fan can agree that this initial description would be affirmed by Nsue’s later performances.
Settling In
Emilio wasn’t the typical build of a championship full back, being fairly short and nimble, so Boro fans originally saw him as competition for the wing positions.
In the pre-season friendly against Villarreal, Nsue came on as a winger and excited those present with pace and dynamism. Although he didn't have the blistering pace of Adama Traore, he was no slouch and also had a trick or two in his locker.
However, despite the promise shown in pre-season, Nsue had to settle for a place on the bench in the season opener against Birmingham City as Boro set up with an attacking midfield three of Adam Reach, Lee Tomlin and Albert Adomah behind new signing Kike, who lead the line as a lone striker. Nsue came on for Adomah to make his debut late on in the 2-0 win but failed to make an impact in a game which was already beyond doubt.
Appearances Few and Far Between
Nsue struggled to nail down a starting place in the squad at either right-wing or right-back during his first season on Teesside due to the form and strength of his competition.
Then Chelsea Loanee Patrick Bamford often played on the right flank, as did Albert Adomah. At right-back, depth was also strong with Ryan Fredericks, Tomas Kalas and the injury-stricken Damia Abella competing for the starting berth.
This meant that Nsue found himself as third choice in both of his favoured positions, resulting in a lack of game time for Boro’s number 24.
Play Off Defeat
After a successful season in which the squad achieved beyond what was expected of them, Boro reached the Play-Off Final.
Their opponents, Norwich City, had surged up the table following the appointment of Alex Neil, and after Kalas’ loan ended and Fredericks fell out of favour with Karanka, Dean Whitehead was chosen to start at right back.
However, two first-half goals from Cameron Jerome and Nathan Redmond left Boro needing an improved attacking threat for the second-half. Nsue came on at half-time and was given the role of dealing with the dangerous Bradley Johnson whilst also supporting teammate Albert Adomah in attack.
Despite the changes, Norwich ran out deserved 2-0 winners. However, despite the defeat, optimism was high on Teesside and things were looking up for Boro; their fourth position achieved during the 2014/15 season had been their highest finish since being relegated from the Premier League in 2009.
Nsue ended up making 26 appearances during the season, mostly as a substitute, but did develop his English speaking skills. He adapted to the English game and also became popular within the Boro squad, where he developed strong friendships with the Spanish contingent within.
Finding His Position
During the summer of 2015, Boro announced that the club had resigned Tomas Kalas on loan from Chelsea. However, after Dean Whitehead and Ryan Fredericks left the club, Nsue now found his competition at right-back down to one.
Kalas had shown his defensive solidity during the 2014/15 season and had won over the majority of the Boro fans. However, Nsue hadn’t really had a real chance to prove himself there as of yet and also was much stronger offensively.
Although Kalas started as right back in Boro’s opening fixture away at Preston, he was moved inside to centre back for the next fixture against Bolton Wanderers as cover for the injured Ben Gibson and in place of the youthful Dael Fry.
This created an opening at right back for Nsue, who impressed, kept a clean sheet, and supported Albert Adomah as Boro cruised to a 3-0 victory. However, for the next game away at Derby County, Aitor returned Kalas to the right-back position following Ben Gibson’s recovery.
For the next few games after that, Nsue and Kalas battled for the starting birth as Karanka fluctuated between the two. Eventually, he realised that Boro looked a better and more balanced side with the overlapping runs of his wing backs. With the marauding George Friend on the left, Nsue was chosen over Kalas as first-choice right-back due to his similarly strong offensive capabilities.
As the season went on, a back four of Nsue, Ayala, Gibson and Friend became a constant outfit, and Boro boasted the best defensive record in the league. Not too bad when you’ve a winger at right-back, is it?
Big Goals
As well as being part of the Boro brick wall in his own box, Nsue was also prepared to get into the opponent’s box, too.
He’d often link up with Adomah and be an option on the overlap, and occasionally he’d pull out a Neymar esque skill move (although Leadbitter wasn’t too happy with his failed rainbow-flick away against Fulham).
Nsue’s first Boro goal came away at Huddersfield Town in November 2015 after he broke forward in the 84th minute and latched onto a brilliant Adam Forshaw back heel before stroking the ball into the back of the net.
This goal made it 2-0 to Boro and eased all the nerves in what had been a frantic game during which the Terriers had spurned chance after chance. Nsue’s next goal came less than a month later, as Boro played promotion rivals Burnley at the Riverside. A clinical finish just inside the right-hand post sent Boro top of the league; Boro’s in-form right-back was quickly becoming a fans favourite at the Riverside.
He then scored his last goal for Boro against Reading in April 2016, a scrappy goal that rebounded off the post to his feet nonetheless but still one of great importance as Boro edged closer to promotion from the Championship.
Promotion
As the season drew to a close and Boro played in numerous amounts of crucial games, Karanka stuck by Nsue and played him ahead of Kalas and Leicester City loanee Ritchie de Laet.
Despite only needing a point against Brighton to win promotion, Karanka stuck by Nsue even though the superior experience and defensive abilities of de Laet and Kalas could have justified their inclusion.
Boro were, as expected, bombarded with wave after wave of Brighton attacks but Nsue played the full game and defended brilliantly as the Riverside roared it’s way back to the top flight.
The celebrations following the promotion were nothing short of brilliant and Nsue was rightly given a standing ovation as his name was read out before the 2nd place trophy was lifted. His efforts during the season were second to none and he’d improved his defending drastically to keep both Tomas Kalas and Ritchie De Laet out of the side.
Moving On
After a summer of celebration, hard work had to begin for Nsue and the Boro squad if they were to retain their place in the Premier League. However, Aitor Karanka knew that the level of the opposition was going to improve and he had to strengthen his squad.
The signing of Valencia’s Antonio Barragan and Arsenal’s Calum Chambers on loan indicated that it was going to be an uphill battle for Nsue if he was to remain Boro’s first-choice right-back.
Although he started in the season opener against Stoke City, to the sadness of fans around Teesside and the player himself, Nsue quickly lost his place in the starting eleven. He stuck around until January when he was sold to Birmingham City in a deal worth £2m including add-ons.
Nsue left knowing that he’d improved the team, his individual game, and given joy to the fans who he stated he would hold dearly in his heart forever. He also left us with memories of a promotion, his large array of huge, precariously balanced baseball-caps and a chant that is simply unforgettable even to this day.
Felix Jaehn’s ‘Aint Nobody’ will never be sung again on Teesside without evoking memories of a special player from Equatorial Guinea. It was sung in the stands during games, and in clubs in town on nights out.
There wasn’t a person on Teesside who didn’t know the lyrics by the end of the 2015/16 season and rightly so.
There really wasn’t anyone, like Nsue.

Ain't nobody, like Nsue

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