Source: Daily_Mail
Middlesbrough 0 Plymouth 1: Strachan enjoys chance to run rule over squad
Boro are yet to see the angry side of new boss Gordon Strachan, despite this whimpering defeat against struggling Plymouth. [LNB]The fiery Scot's arrival at Middlesbrough was met with a new wave of optimism on Teesside, prompting almost 4,000 more fans to head to the Riverside Stadium after Gareth Southgate's last game in charge, while stall traders were quick off the mark with their red-haired tartan 'Strachan hats'.[LNB]New boss: Strachan barks some orders[LNB]But Boro were left red-faced after their fourth home defeat of the season against a side who hadn't won away in six previous attempts. Although his players can expect the regular hairdryer treatment, Strachan is already keeping them guessing. [LNB]'We have not seen the angry side of him yet,' revealed Julio Arca, one of Boro's brighter performers. 'We know how he can be, if the performance was really bad we would see the other side of him. He has been very calm.' [LNB]Strachan was far from ruffling feathers in his first game at the Riverside and seems more than willing to give his new men time to make their impressions.[LNB]'It was good to see them in a matchday environment,' said the ex-Celtic boss. 'You don't decide who's good, who's bad and who's indifferent from one meeting. It would be very unfair for me to come in and meet you once and say 'I don't like him'. I'll have a far better idea of the players after a couple of months.'[LNB]Boro rued a number of missed chances, including a penalty 12 minutes from time which Adam Johnson screwed wide off the post after Kari Arnason felled Sean St Ledger inside the box.[LNB] Tackle: Boro's Mark Yeates and Plymouth's David Gray[LNB]Arnason had earlier cleared David Wheater's shot off the line after neat work by Arca, while Dutch striker Marvin Emnes missed a glorious first-half chance before being hauled off at half-time for new loan signing Marcus Bent.[LNB]Plymouth completed the smashand- grab raid when striker Jamie Mackie nipped in behind Wheater from a long ball to hit a firm shot past Brad Jones and the goal hero applauded Argyle's 700-plus 'green army' who'd made the 378-mile trip from Devon.[LNB]'They're second to none,' said Mackie. 'It gives us a real boost.'[LNB]Argyle boss Sturrock backed his pal Strachan to take Boro back to the Premier League, but they'll need to do better when they go to Crystal Palace on Saturday.[LNB] Cardiff 1 Nottingham Forest 1: Magic McGugan blocks a City high rise Boro 0 Plymouth 1: Argyle fail to ready the script in dreadful debut for StrachanIpswich 1 Derby 0: Relief for Roy Keane as Tractor Boys seal first win of seasonPreston 1 Crystal Palace 1: More Deepdale heartache as Ambrose strikesCoventry City 1 Reading 3: Rodgers relieved as Rasiak helps end losing run[LNB]
