V Middlesbrough (A) Match Thread

[Millenniumram]

Saturday 27th October 12:30 KO

Well boys and girls, the millennium ram era of match day threads certainly reached a new high last match, told you all you just need a little patience through the draws?. Another bloody tough trip up next to pulis’ Middlesbrough, two words so depressing I can barely write them together. We know exactly what we’re in for here, ruthlessly efficient attacking and solid defending. Gotta be well alert, particulary at set pieces, as well as being creative enough to break down the leagues best defence. All at a ground where we’ve one only once in my lifetime, in about 15 attempts. So alls Boding well, clearly, even more so when I’ll probably be watching in a pub in York where us derby fans are more then likely outnumbered...

I would suspect the old adage of never change a winning team will be on the minds of most of you, and Lampard as well, it’s difficult for anyone to argue that whole team doesn’t deserve this game after such a great performance, me included. I will however be slightly controversial. This game comes less than 72 hours after the end of the last one, and the energy expended in that last game will no doubt have left some tired legs. Add in this really being a totally different challenge, a very well known different and pretty well perfected style of play, and I think we may need a few changes if we’re going to get the three points here as well have to employ a rather different strategy, tho naturally telling the players rested that it’s purely that and nothing to do with form, and after this game things will be different:

Carson

Wisdom Keogh Davies Malone

Huddlestone

Mount Johnson

Wilson Nugent Lawrence

Our best chance of getting the win here is a solid defence, and a team capable of countering. We’re going to face a  big aerial threat, hence the switch to a taller back 4, and our best chance of scoring is likely to be the quick counter and press, hence the addition of Nugent and moving Wilson out wide. Don’t expect that to happen by any stretch, but I think the difference in the style of boro compared to our previous opponents mustn’t go unnoticed. It’s very rare to advocate such a change to suit one match, but boro are so well drilled in their style and have such quality they need to be taken very seriously.

What does everyone else think?

 

[OohMartWright]

Last night's performance was a statement that they should worry about us more than we should worry about them. Not one of last night's team deserves to be rested, dropped or however you want to dress it up. Unchanged side for me.

[AndyinLiverpool]

Don’t drop any of them. Let it ride. 

[BaaLocks]

Any news on Tomori? He looked like he was in a lot of pain at the end, I wouldn't be surprised if it had tightened up this morning.

[Animal is a Ram]

Think it was more of an impact injury, seemed to take a boot to the knee after a shot.

[RamLad1884]

Bring in Wisdom and Nugent after last night? No chance! Lamps may have finally cracked the attacking front three, we don't want to change that unless we get injuries. Wilson seems better to the midfield runner well too. 

[Edtheram]

I watched Boro when they played against Wednesday last week and they looked average at best, Rotherham went there and got a point so there is nothing to fear. 

If we press Ayala etc at the back they will give us the ball for fun, get Wilson in the space between there immobile midfielders and we will win this game. 4-1 against one of the best sides in the league shouldn't be over looked. We are good enough to go there and do that again.

Only problem is that they have had 2 days rest on us overall....

Boro played late Friday and late Tuesday - We play late Saturday and late Wednesday, Just hope tiredness doesn't effect the result.

I would line up with.....

                        Carson

Tomori     Keogh      Davies      Malone

                        Hudds

            Wilson             Mount

Waghorn                                   Lawrence

                       Marriott

Bench: Roos, Forsyth, Bogle, Johnson, Flo Jo, Bennett, Nugent

 

Only change being Tomori at right back for Bogle, Last night WBA picked out Bogle as a "weak link" and played high balls up towards him, he was also sloppy for the Kanu chance only for Malone to save us and then at the end like Saturday he let a player stroll into the box which resulted in a goal. Tomori showed his pace last night in quite impressive fashion, he can pass a ball and is sound when the ball is in the air, he can offer attacking support too. With him playing along side Keogh still all be it at right back he should be able to slot perfectly into that position, I think he played there for Hull last season?

                                                  

[Dethorn]

Leave it the same - but probably Forsyth for Malone - he  was struggling and check on Tomori at the end too

I would also check on Wilson and Mount to make sure they are not tiring

[Alph]

Bet the miserable sods won't let us press them and they'll drop high balls on the penalty spot all afternoon. 

[therealhantsram]

Not much recovery time between games.  Weds night to Sat lunch time.  Much will depend on how players are feeling.

Pulis likes to play the ball in the air so I'd like to see Davis and Forsyth in for this game. Tomori and Malone both looked worse for wear at the end of the Baggies game, so probably makes sense.

Other than that, keep it the same as Wed.

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

Pulis is no fool. He will be playing to win the second balls and probably will be targeting our younger players for special treatment. Lets hope we have a strong referee.

[David]

4 minutes ago, Alpha said:

Bet the miserable sods won't let us press them and they'll drop high balls on the penalty spot all afternoon. 

You say that but Derby have the most accurate long balls in the Championship this season playing 497. Boro 5th with 419.

Inaccurate long balls Derby 19th with 545, Boro 20th with 537.

This is obviously where stats can be misleading as you would think we’re a long ball team, but throw in short passes.

Accurate: Derby 6th with 4621, Boro 17th with 3175.

Inaccurate: Derby 4th with 933, Boro 18th with: 829

Possession average: Derby 3rd with 54.5%, Boro 18th with 47.8%.

You never knew you wanted these stats until now. I need a new hobby.

[SuperDerbySuperRams]

Get at them. Why not after last night. Unchanged barring injuries

[Gandalf's shin pads]

No real opinions on who should play. Frank sees them every day and I'll be happy with whatever he decides to go with. 

Bit of a clichè but this game will tell us a lot about our progress and where we are as promotion candidates. We played very well and got two great results against Sheff Utd and WBA (especially as an away performance). Both those teams, however, play in sympathy with our strengths. With the players we have I fancy us to go toe to toe with any team in the league and come out on top in an open game. 

Middlesbrough's style and strengths have more in common with the sides we tend to struggle against (Rotherham, Milwall, Bolton etc) but they do it better. 

If we get a performance and a result on Saturday it will give a genuine indication that we are starting to learn and adapt and that we really have nothing to fear in this league and could go all the way. 

[Topram]

At the start of this week I’d of snapped your hand off if offered 6 points so anything on Saturday is a bonus, totally different test and I think there power will over do us just! Been a great week no matter what happens Saturday 

[SuperDerbySuperRams]

“I expect them to come and have a go at us. They’ll have an arrogance about them where they’ll probably think they’re better than us. That’ll shape the way the play. They’re challenging for the league, so they’ll be looking to get points.

Downing of Boro

[therealhantsram]

28 minutes ago, Gandalf's shin pads said:

Middlesbrough's style and strengths have more in common with the sides we tend to struggle against (Rotherham, Milwall, Bolton etc) but they do it better. 

If we get a performance and a result on Saturday it will give a genuine indication that we are starting to learn and adapt and that we really have nothing to fear in this league and could go all the way. 

This is bang on analysis.

What's interesting though is that Boro's home form has been poor of late. Their style seems more suited to playing on the counter.  When they are at home and expected to make the running they struggle.

In their last 3 home games they have failed to score a single goal and were boo-ed off in their last game. 

Home fans are a bit restless and if we can shut them out for the first 30mins, the fans may start getting on the players backs.

Will be interesting to see how this one plays out.  Will they feel they have to go for it more, and leave open spaces for us to attack?

[Carl Sagan]

Everyone will be playing for their places at Stamford Bridge, knowing that if they win through at Boro then they get to prove themselves again on an even bigger stage. It's a great incentive. Those saying they would have snapped your hand off for six points from this run of three games, that's not how the Championship works. Every game is a challenge. Everyone is hard to beat, whether top or bottom. Every game is there to be won. Promotion is not made from accepting a draw. We have to take the game to them because that's how we play best, and test our rampaging Norman cavalry against their well-organized and determined Saxon shield wall. Against Sheffield United, it was hilarious that the Sky commentators were just in the process of saying how compact and brilliantly organied our opponents were looking at the exact moment we unpicked them for the winner.

The TV schedules hae been cruel. An early kickoff after a long trip to Teesside when the home team have had an extra day's rest and we exerted ourselves massively on Wednesday night, all work against us - a little like Harold's long march to Hastings back in October 1066. But when you're young and you're winning you have boundless energy so I think we'll be OK. Can Malone play two games so quickly? I'd have no qualms bringing Fozzy back in if Scotty need a rest - they're both excellent left backs. Otherwise the same team goes again. We're becoming stronger and it's a good position to be in, when we have the luxury of the immense captai of men, Curtis Davies, on the bench.

Come on you Rams!

 

[Sparkle]

39 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

Everyone will be playing for their places at Stamford Bridge, knowing that if they win through at Boro then they get to prove themselves again on an even bigger stage. It's a great incentive. Those saying they would have snapped your hand off for six points from this run of three games, that's not how the Championship works. Every game is a challenge. Everyone is hard to beat, whether top or bottom. Every game is there to be won. Promotion is not made from accepting a draw. We have to take the game to them because that's how we play best, and test our rampaging Norman cavalry against their well-organized and determined Saxon shield wall. Against Sheffield United, it was hilarious that the Sky commentators were just in the process of saying how compact and brilliantly organied our opponents were looking at the exact moment we unpicked them for the winner.

The TV schedules hae been cruel. An early kickoff after a long trip to Teesside when the home team have had an extra day's rest and we exerted ourselves massively on Wednesday night, all work against us - a little like Harold's long march to Hastings back in October 1066. But when you're young and you're winning you have boundless energy so I think we'll be OK. Can Malone play two games so quickly? I'd have no qualms bringing Fozzy back in if Scotty need a rest - they're both excellent left backs. Otherwise the same team goes again. We're becoming stronger and it's a good position to be in, when we have the luxury of the immense captai of men, Curtis Davies, on the bench.

Come on you Rams!

 

We won at Stamford bridge though in 1066 ! 

[Sparkle]

This will be a very intresting game of differing styles, do we stick or twist because every set piece and throw in will be hurled into the our box and can we survive it or do we go to run all around them.I suspect they will will sit very deep and wait for their set pieces.

for me currently I am inclined to go with 

                       Carson

wisdom Keogh tomori Forsyth   

                Huddlestone 

        Mount.     Wilson

 Waghorn Marriott Lawrence 

with a big temptation to get Davies in if needed