All bets on hold as pre-season promotion favourites meet

by werdermouth, posted in Uncategorized

OK, it’s not quite the early doors top-of-the-table encounter the bookies had lead us to believe it would be, but nevertheless the outcome of tonight’s game will potentially leave the respective supporters waiting on the promotion platform to declare their season is either full-steam ahead, safely on-track or completely derailed. Boro will be optimistic of getting a result tonight but maybe we’re getting ideas above our station after seeing off the bottom club at the weekend – though Villa only shared a goalless draw at home to second-bottom Brentford on Saturday and have won just one game this season, 4-2 at home to Norwich after losing their previous two against Cardiff and Reading.

A second successive away win for Boro could put them on the edge of one of the automatic spots and seven points ahead of their potential promotion rivals – leaving the Villa board to enter the much over-booked claret and blue, panic-button adorned bunker, recently vacated by the Palace chairman and ahead of the not so happy Hammers decision makers waiting in the queue. However, a victory for Villa would put them just one point behind Boro as both clubs would find themselves coupled together in mid-table like a pair of slow coaches waiting for a head of steam to materialise.

Steve Bruce has seemingly managed once again to get off to the kind of start his club were neither expecting or wanting from him. Perhaps he just neglected to read the Villa club badge since he arrived – which simply proclaims ‘Prepared’ – though it doesn’t state what they are prepared for, failure? disappointment? You wonder if he’ll be given much longer as the supporters appear to have run out of patience on the forums I glanced at. Some had even suggested he’ll be jettisoned after they are beaten by Boro with one less than optimistic individual predicting a 6-0 win for us, which I’m quite willing to accept as our part of the deal.

Anyway, Boro’s current red hot property Adama Traore returns to his old club tonight, though apparently he only actually made one league start before being injured and out of the picture – so it won’t be that familiar surroundings for him. No doubt he will be keen to show them his new found collection of skills, such as passing, looking up and assisting. One hopes he doesn’t do an ‘Assombalonga at Forest’ and lets the occasion cloud his new found judgement – but in the end Adama only really has one gear – Fast and furious with the turbo on max!

There’s no point in Garry Monk trying to out-think or out-bluff Steve Bruce with regard to Traore as the only plan to stop would involve double, tripple or quadruple marking him. Which is fine, even if it works it will leave gaps for our other forwards to exploit instead – besides, Bolton failed to stop him on his first assist with five players left in his wake.

However, we shouldn’t get carried away and expect Adama will be blasting away defences every week – Boro need to also build on their more solid feel against Bolton, though the Trotters still had three decent chances to score and the Boro manager needs to ensure we don’t get caught out so often. Incidentally, Boro have the third meanest defence in the league with only Leeds and Preston conceding one fewer goal with two each – so for all the talk of attacking players it’s business as usual in terms of a solid base.

Although Downing is potentially up against one of his old clubs, I’d be tempted to avoid the sentimental return and opt for Bamford instead. It may well be that clever mind of Bamford can exploit the space that may result from Villa trying to shackle Adama – plus he hasn’t really deserved to be left on the bench for the last two games. No doubt Assombalonga will keep his place and perhaps having Johnson on the left would give them something else to worry about other than Traore – the left side for Boro at the weekend was greatly ignored for much of the game until our new signing came on and perhaps we shouldn’t over rely on one weapon. Though that would mean Baker dropping out in favour of Bamford playing in the more conventional number ten role if Marvin get the nod on the left.

It would be no surprise to see Clayton and Leadbitter resume where they left off as I can’t think Monk will make a change on that successful pairing any time soon (OK when Clayton gets booked). As for defence, Monk may be tempted to rest Fry and give Shotton his first taste of action but that would be a big call if anything went wrong as there doesn’t appear to be a pressing need to disrupt the central pairing. George was replaced by Fabio at left-back at the weekend and whilst the Brazilian looked better going forward, Friend does seem to me to offer more in own box when we are defending – it may depend on the game-plan as to which one starts.

So will Boro start like an express train and shunt Villa towards the relegation places or will our promotion hopes be on a replacement bus service heading towards mid-table. As usual, your predictions on score, scorers and team selection – plus will Adama score his first goal for Boro against his old club?

62 thoughts on “All bets on hold as pre-season promotion favourites meet”

  1. I just wonder about team selection – and whether Saturday’s team had half an eye on tonight – and Friend, Howson, Bamford were in fact rested rather than dropped. If he brings people back in and we lose he will get some stick.
    I’d keep the same team I think – maybe Bamford in for Baker. He should definitely stick with the same back four.

  5. Villa Park is a ground with mixed results. I have seen some good wins, a few draws and defeats.
    I wouldn’t be surprised at a draw.
    I would like to see Bamford in the no 10 role. Boro Phil may be right about selection.

  6. It’s early days ,any team can go on a run, Villa will be up for this, and we are vunerable at the back at times,
    Important we don’t allow an early goal against,
    I’d take a draw ,keep picking up points and breeds confidance
    COB

    2. If you think the Birmingham Mail is slow try the Geordie Chronicle, you could apply two coats, clean and store the brushes and roller and still have time to watch it dry!

  8. I hope GM is now starting to refine his team selections and playing the best 11 leaving the others chomping at the bit. As Werder said our left wasn’t much to write home about on Saturday and Johnson done the business in his short stint so leave him in. Same goes for Bamford in over Baker or Downing. Grant and Clayts are like Morecambe and Wise, a dynamic double act nowhere near as entertaining when solo. Back line leaves Friend or Fabio and for me Fabio was OK so continue with that until he slips or gets injured. Goalkeeper is a no brainer.
    That leaves:
    Dimi
    Roberts Ayala Shotton Friend
    Howson Baker Forshaw
    Fletcher *Braithwaite Downing
    nb. *Braithwaite if he is back fit.
    Thats a full team in itself which is probably better than most in this league for GM to select his bench from. My only “theory” would be does Monk perhaps hold one or two back deliberately in order to be able to change things?
    I’m going 0-2 to Boro and the end of Bruce at Villa Park.

  9. My daughter’s company have a box at Villa, and she’s wangled a place for me, so I’m getting my first taste of an executive lifestyle tonight.
    Their clients from Middlesbrough have been invited but she reckons not many of them are actual Boro fans so none may make the journey, especially for an evening game. She is hoping to squeeze my sons into the box at the last moment, but otherwise they will be roughing it in the away end if they can get a couple of the 300 on-the-door tickets.*
    So if things turn ugly I can go back to consuming the freebies inside and rely on RR’s match report to find out what happened…
    I think the Villa players will raise their game for this one, in which case a draw would be a decent result, but if they don’t we will be very dangerous opponents for them.
    *Of course, my lads will enjoy singing their hearts out in the superb tradition of our fantastic away support, whereas my daughter and I will be stuck in a confined space mainly with Villa people. I’ll just have to force down more of the goodies and bear it.

    2. There”s windy and very,very windy and it sounds like the latter is forecast for Villa Park. Windy conditions usually create scrappy games and that is what I expect tonight.
      I also suspect that Monk may well tinker with the team selection with less than positive results and so I am going for 1-1 with Assombalonga the scorer.

  13. Nice one Mark, enjoy it all.
    I’m a great believer in the old adage, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
    So, no changes tonight for me at the back. I too would like to see PB start, but not sure if we saw enough of Magic to get a start. Perhaps bring him on later for a tiring Downing.
    So Paddy for Baker would be my only change.
    I imagine this will be tight tonight. I’ll hope for 1-0 to us, but won’t be surprised if it ends all square , 0-0 or 1-1.

  15. I would be inclined to go with what Chris just said! I would be happy with a point, especially if the gale starts to blow.
    Think thr only change will be George in for Fabio who gives us a bit more on the break.
    It would be a crime to lose to the Villains but i am sure Monk will set up a firm defence
    Utb

  17. For some reason I’m feeling quite confident about tonight – perhaps a repeat of the same line-up will give us a repeat scoreline – OK I’ve said it now – 3-0 to Boro (Leadbitter, Assombalonga, Adama).

    2. I think Randolph, Assombalonga, Clayts, Grant and of course Traore caught the eye but Christie, Fabio, Gibson, Baker, Fry and Downing were all OK but didn’t catch the eye so much. I don’t think Downing was any better or worse than anyone else in that second group.

  20. Oh my goodness! Four minutes. From Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench in 3 days. Now we will see if we have the quality needed to smash the league. And presumably we will be without Traore for a few games now……

  21. It looks as if a draw would be a great result now. That must have been some tackle. In future any Boro player playing for Boro at their previous club should be left in the changing rooms.
    Four minutes? Hells bells.
    UTB,
    John

    2. I lost my connection after two minutes and had to restart my browser and when I got the live feed back Adama was was apologising to a player on the ground and the commentator was saying that is going to be a yellow card and suddenly the ref pulled out a red. I didn’t see the tackle so can’t judge it but it sounded harsh – it will be a three game ban for a straight red. Anyway, I’ve been impressed by Boro’s calm approach and Leadbitter has been organising everyone and pointed and shouting. Problem for Boro is that they’re not offering much in attack but if we got a break maybe could still nick the game as Villa don’t look anything special going forward.

  23. Just seen the tackle and sending off…. Never a ref card…yellow yes, red no.
    Let’s hope we have the spirit to hang in and steal this….. Or the wind gets up and the match abandoned ….

  25. Not seen the challenge yet. It says a red card on BBC website, what we think doesn’t matter.
    The prime concern is giving the referee a decision to make.
    Settle for a draw now. Or a sneaky 1-0 daylight robbery.
    🙂

  28. Smoggy
    Still not seen it but I think the rule is endangering the player, intent doesn’t matter. Being a winger on a wet pitch wont be heeded.
    We will have to plan for three weeks without Adama whatever we think.
    And I still haven’t seen it, the commentary from Radio Tees was Adama was in trouble, Maddo the es pro said it wasn’t a red. The ref said it was. Story of end, rearrange.

  29. Tackle must have been late. The coverage had already moved on. Streaming has been poor but logging out and back in has made it a bit better.
    Typical Boro, I suppose. Now Adomah has come on. Let’s hope for the best.
    UTB

  37. A draw is fine from 86 minutes with ten men. It is good to see that Garry Monk can make us hard to beat.
    4231 with organisation may be the way to get out of the division.

  39. Solid committed performance by everyone but we did have a bit of good luck. Villa missed plenty of chances, hit the bar and cleared their own shot off our goal line.
    We had one real chance when Assombalonga burst through and their keeper saved well. If we’d won 1-0 it would have been the biggest steal imaginable.
    I’ll take 0-0
    UTB

  42. I suppose we should settle for 0-0 given the early red card but Boro didn’t seem interested in going for all three points after Villa were also reduced to ten men – though I guess the main problem was we’d spent quite a lot of energy playing with a man short for an hour before that. I thought Fry had a good game and Leadbitter organised and motivated everyone very well after the sending off – a captain’s performance. Incidentally, Johnson looks quite a decent composed player and he has a very fast smooth running action that looks effortless – could be a good signing.

  43. Regarding the red cards, I wonder if the ref deciding to even it up with Lansbury was an admission that the Adama red was harsh – though Lansbury’s tackle was completely cynical and deliberate, though he wasn’t the last man and Johnson still had a lot to do. Anyway, better sleep on it as I need to get up in less than 7 hours – Boro just one point away from 6th so not too much worse off than before the game and Garry Monk’s old club go top!

  45. A crucial away point after a diastorous start is a very good result in my eyes. A sneaky win would have been a Brucie bonus but in seasons gone by, we would have caved in and conceded.
    Still a long way to go but I will sleep happy. Just a shame that Leeds are top – Leeds chants when we play them will be ” look at what you could have won!”
    Utb

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