Football Poets

Boro v Skoda Xanthi (UEFA CUP – 15-09-2005)

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Tonight we’re back in Europe and we’re playing Skoda Xanthi,
The park is slippery: the breeze is stiff and the crowd is rather scanty,
One thing certain is, the Greeks won’t relish these conditions,
But, can the Boro now go on and realise their great ambitions?

¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 We’ll be seeking at least two goals and a clean sheet, to boot,
And, perhaps, a performance which we then can all salute,
The return ‘home’ of Emerson sees the interest increase,
But, can the Boro fans now expect a masterpiece?

¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 The opening ten minutes suggest a huge, resounding ‘no,’
As the Boro, apparently, have lost their get-up-and-go,
Then we awaken from our slumber and see the pressure increase,
But this will not be very easy against so-called minnows from Greece.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Now Emerson’s striding forward, as he did in ninety-eight,
He danced past three men, then a fourth, and left them all prostrate,
But Xavier recovered and Emerson’s great work was undone,
Oh, if only the Brazilian Ace had still been twenty-one.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 A terrible and blind pass from the visitors’ left back,
Must have almost caused his coach to have a heart attack,
Maccarone was alert as this opening was then gifted,
He rounded the recumbent ‘keeper then out the ball drifted.

¶ 6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Emerson passed out to the left and found his number five,
Who crossed the ball into the box, well into overdrive,
A flick, towards the far post, is then cleared by Pogatetz,
For Xavier was ball watching, something he certainly regrets.

¶ 7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 It’s a game that’s going nowhere and it badly needs a spark,
And we’re struggling against a side that we should play off the park,
There’s been too many square balls and it’s totally lacking zest,
For neither ‘keeper has, so far, been put to any sort of test.

¶ 8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 After almost half-an-hour, the Boro crowd’s finally awoken,
As the stubborn Greek resistance was ultimately broken,
Viduka played a great ball into the path of Maccarone,
And suggestions he’s not worth his place are, frankly, all baloney.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 He got into the box: left the defender on his rear,
And cleverly picked out Boateng who was standing totally clear,
He had such a simple tap-in, which he coolly slotted home,
But the visitors’ defending must have caused their coach to foam.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 This breakthrough could be crucial as the Boro seek to test,
Their skills against, what’s best described, as some of Europe’s best,
And the bench was most delighted at Viduka’s contribution,
Which goes to show – when it comes to class – that there is no substitution.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 Macca’s crowded out again with conditions getting wetter,
But what we’re seeing now from Boro is certainly much better,
Then Maccarone’s found again and he’s obviously in the groove,
Although Viduka was again right at the heart of Boro’s move.

¶ 12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 Parlour picked out Macca in what had been billed as a stroll,
Then came a really brilliant ball, but Viduka lost control,
And so we reach the interval, with thoughts of victory premature,
To be truthful, the opening half’s been, generally, rather poor.

¶ 13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 ———-

¶ 14 Leave a comment on verse 14 0 With no changes made we can but hope McClaren’s talk cajoles,
The Boro into entertainment, excitement and more goals,
Immediately we see Boateng as he charges through and shoots,
And Bernie’s of the view he’s wearing someone else’s boots.

¶ 15 Leave a comment on verse 15 0 Then we see a Greek attack as they beautifully combine,
And showed to all and sundry, the clearest warning sign,
Great skill and then a good shot for a goal for which they crave,
But Schwarzer, well positioned, then made a half-decent save.

¶ 16 Leave a comment on verse 16 0 Boro need to step things up for the Greeks are really plucky,
A glorious run: shot o’er the bar: they were desperately unlucky,
Although it can’t be said that the Boro are on the rack,
In pouring rain, the visitors are now pouring in attack.

¶ 17 Leave a comment on verse 17 0 Back come Xanthi in attack; their game is really flowing,
They’ve had three glorious chances and their confidence is growing,
In their very next attack, Lambriakos really should have netted,
But, instead, he shaved the woodwork: it could hardly have been bettered.

¶ 18 Leave a comment on verse 18 0 It appears that, for the visitors, that was just an appetiser,
As Maghradze had a golden chance to snatch the equaliser,
A wonderfully disguised ball of which any player could proudly boast,
Was then hit across Mark Schwarzer and passed just inches from the post.

¶ 19 Leave a comment on verse 19 0 The Greeks are playing well now and they’re showing great resistance,
And Lambriakos tried a shot, from some considerable distance,
It rebounded from off Ugo and then Emerson had a go,
But the super strike went narrowly wide from the Brazilian dynamo.

¶ 20 Leave a comment on verse 20 0 With Boro now under the cosh and desperately seeking goals,
They make a change, which brings the quip of, “Square pegs in round holes,”
For though a second goal – much needed – is now really overdue,
They take off Adam Johnson who’s replaced by Franck Queudrue.

¶ 21 Leave a comment on verse 21 0 Bates was, indeed, a lucky lad to escape an early shower,
When, last in line, he handled, and how the Greeks did glower,
So it’s good luck for the Boro when young Bates receives a yellow,
But he was – I’m sure that he’ll agree –a very fortunate fellow.

¶ 22 Leave a comment on verse 22 0 Queudrue somehow stumbles and he’s left out of position,
And the visiting attack’s still showing lots of great ambition,
Luciano’s tremendous run was somehow stopped by Bates,
Who blocked an almost certain goal to win applause from all his mates.

¶ 23 Leave a comment on verse 23 0 With the game now slowly dying and our clean sheet’s now preserved,
Boro get a second which was probably not deserved,
It came from Viduka with the help of a deflection,
Now this game somehow takes on a very different complexion.

¶ 24 Leave a comment on verse 24 0 Xanthi missed a sitter, but they’ve shown tremendous pluck,
And I’m sure that you’ll agree tonight the Boro rode their luck,
But we managed to survive without any last-minute hitch,
Then came great applause for Emerson who’s been the best man on the pitch.

¶ 25 Leave a comment on verse 25 0 In the second half, to summarise, we were really second best,
And, before we meet again, in Greece, things need to be addressed,
Despite the two-goal margin it was really uninspiring,
And today it’s Skoda Xanthi that many people are admiring.