Middlesbrough 0 Aston Villa 3

11:47am Monday 3rd December 2007

WITH a third of the season over, Gareth Southgate appears to be no further forward with his grand plan for Middlesbrough than he was back in August 2006.

The Boro manager has repeatedly spoken this season of how he continues to look at the bigger picture, and the current malaise the Teessiders find themselves in has to be weighed against his long-term vision for the club.

Unfortunately, 14 games into his second season in charge, Southgate still appears not to know his best starting XI, the tactics to deploy to get the best out of his side, or why exactly he bought Dong-Gook Lee.

Mido's talisman tag has quickly been replaced with injury prone' and the side's lack of firepower was clearly demonstrated in the shocking defeat at home to Villa on Saturday.

Against a goalkeeper, Scott Carson, whose confidence must have been clearly effected by Wednesday night's events at Wembley, Boro managed just three shots on target - Luke Young and two Stewart Downing efforts saved by the England man.

The big summer signing, Tuncay Sanli, found himself kept out by the recalled Adam Johnson - back after a successful loan spell at Watford where he found the net five times - and the Turkey international must be asking himself exactly why he chose to sign for Boro.

The 4-4-1-1 formation with Downing handed a free role just behind Jeremie Aliadiere failed to put Villa under any sustained pressure and it could have been worse with Gabriel Agbonlahor hitting the post late on.

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