I have some recollection of hearing that Riley McGree has plantar fasciitis - which is an extremely painful/debilitating condition caused by inflammation of the tendon which runs between the heel and the base of the toes in the bottom of the foot. My father-in-law used to suffer from it and seems to have passed it on to both of his daughters (including Mrs Dormo). After lots of exercises the condition (in Mrs D) seems to have disappeared, although she does the odd stretching exercise to avoid recurrence. If Riley McGree DOES have that condition then hopefully after it is treated, he will have a regime of exercises specifically designed for him, to ensure it doesn't recur. You'd think that the medical assistance to an international professional footballer would be as good as it gets.
Mrs OFB suffers from it as well, sole inserts and supports and special exercises.
OFB
This might be of interest to all the Karanka fans. 😉
You’re right to mention AfCon.
We may lose Dieng and Bangura as well which could be a big problem. We have some good goalkeepers out on loan but I can’t see them coming back and Glover and Jojes had much match time. I assume that Glover will play against Exeter.
UTB
I don’t think we need to worry about Latte Lath with the African Cup of Nations as he has never been picked by Ivory Coast. However Senny Dieng is a regular pick for Senegal so will be gone for over a month next January. Also it is the Asian Cup at the same time so we will probably lose Mcgree, Glover and Silvera. That’s two keepers I wonder if we have recall clauses for our loan players?
We will still have Bangura as Sierra Leone have not qualified for AFCON.
@mw-in-darwin and selwynoz
Thanks for the updates and corrections. The goalkeeping situation does look a concern
Diasborians
Thinking about the game tomorrow and weighing up the injuries, suspension of HH and the opposition I think it will be a test of the resolve of the Boro team tomorrow to see how far we have come.
Should I go for an unrealistic Boro3 ?
Or should I go for the eyeballs 🤔👀?
Well as you all know I’m never realistic am I ?
So Boro3 here we go !
Stoke 1
Good I can get some sleep now !
OFB
Just seen that Bournemouth have recalled the keeper who was on loan at Stoke. He has played every game this season so his replacement won’t have had much match time.
Just looked at the Championship fair play table and saw that we were top with 18 yellows and 1 red. In contrast Stoke are third bottom with 36 yellows but no reds. Southampton prop up the table with 37 yellow and one red. The referee this afternoon is Andrew Kitchen from Durham.
I will completely miss the Boro game today. I am attending the funeral of my favourite aunt in the afternoon. So I don't even open my phone during the match. Perhaps at the end of the day in the hotel. But for a few hours I do not care about Boro.
I hope they pick up the three points, though. Up the Boro!
Sorry to hear that Jarkko. Condolences and I hope the day goes well for you.
So sorry to hear your sad news, Jarkko
My condolences, too, Jarkko. Best wishes to you and to the family members who mourn the loss of your Aunt. I hope that when you return to thoughts of the Boro, the team will have delivered 3 extra points to brighten up the weekend.
The large number of injuries are making me a bit apprehensive for todays game. Of the injured players O’Brien, McGree and Smith would be starting plus Hackney and players such as Leniham and Forsse would take some part in the game . So it’s a massive and significant unavailability of players. Hence my concern about the result.
In the circumstances I’d take a draw now.
Philip of Huddersfield
Michael Carrick is paying no attention to the Championship league table, and is therefore unconcerned about the gap Middlesbrough will have to make up to catch Ipswich Town or Leicester City.
Promotion remains the goal for the club, and Boro's disappointing start to the season has been overturned via six consecutive league wins that leaves them outside the play-off zone on goal difference alone. But the poor start has left them with plenty of ground to make up if they were to challenge for automatic promotion, as they looked like they might do at one stage last term.
Leicester City's almost-flawless start to the campaign sees them runaway leaders at the top of the Championship on 36 points while, with a game in hand, Ipswich Town are not far behind on 31. It leaves Boro at least 11 points to make up if they are to catch Ipswich, 15 to Leicester.
READ MORE: Middlesbrough's summer squad rebuild leaves Carrick with solid foundations
But just focused on what Boro do game to game for now, Carrick said: “I don’t even know where we are in the league, to be honest. I’ve not looked at it and I’m not really interested in it at this stage. It’s about winning games and accumulating points, as many as you can.
"We can’t control Leicester or Ipswich or whoever is above us at this time until we play them. It’s wasted time and energy really, looking at the table and who might be doing what. For me, what’s coming ahead for us: Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday and planning ahead like that is what matters. Our aim is to keep picking up as many points as possible and then at some stage during the season we’ll assess where we are."
Boro's next opportunity to add another three points to their tally comes at the Riverside this afternoon as they host a rejuvenated Stoke City side. Carrick's side are looking for a seventh straight league win, but the Potters arrive on Teesside on the back of solid back-to-back wins over Sunderland and Leeds United respectively. They were both at home though, with Alex Neil's side winning only once on the road so far this term.
“They’re a good team," said Carrick. "They gave us a real tough game last season. They’re very well-organised and well-coached. They are aggressive in terms of asking a lot of questions of your backline, and the team in general. They attack very well and put a lot of bodies forward. They’ve got threats down both flanks and then have bodies on the last line through the middle.
"It will take a big effort so we’ll have to hope we’ve recovered well from the other night. It’s a big challenge and they obviously had a great result against Leeds where they played very well. We kind of know what to expect, but knowing what to expect and then putting things in place to stop and overcome that is different and that’s the challenge.
"We look forward to that though. In the end, the most important thing is us doing the things that we do and doing them as well as we can. We have the belief that if we do, that will be enough for us. The boys are in a good place, we’re on a good run and it should be a good game."
Boro's options will be depleted for the game. As well as injuries to Lewis O'Brien, Darragh Lenihan, Tommy Smith, Riley McGree, Marcus Forss and Sonny Finch, they will also be without Hayden Hackney after his fifth booking of the season at Norwich earned him a one-match suspension.
It leaves Carrick needing to manage his limited squad numbers carefully, with trips to Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle to follow next week. He said: “It can work both ways. Sometimes when you’ve got a lot more players to choose from you need to manage it in terms of keeping everyone involved.
"In times like now, for instance, it’s more trying to freshen it up and keep everyone as fit as we can because obviously we’ve lost some players. We’re in good form as well, so you want to keep that momentum going. When you’re in that rhythm, it’s good to keep playing games.
"It probably doesn’t make it easier that we have less players to choose from, it’s just a little bit different. Whether it’s Stoke in the league, Exeter in the cup or whatever, we’ll be looking to go and win every game."
Thanks for a great opener Andy with very good analysis - hopefully the depleted squad can cope with another game so soon after Norwich and Jonny Howson still has the legs to play a whole game as we'll certainly miss Hackney.
Unlikely to be able to catch the game today as we're visiting so it will be another fingers crossed awaiting the result!
I think we will need patience and perseverance this afternoon, another 1 niller in the 89th would just do it. I have a bit of distaste for Mr Neil. Likely the Norwich and Sunderland connections. Barlaser might start but I’d prefer the combative nature of Jonny today.
@jarkko sorry to read of your sad news. My sympathy to you and all your extended family.
@original-fat-bob - Mrs Dormo reminds me it was over 10 years ago that she had PF. And she had it in both feet which is apparently uncommon. Exercises were available on the internet which meant that delays in seeing a physiotherapist didn't cause any issues. She also had inserts in her shoes but doesn't use them now. She says doing the exercises is now a habit but she continues with them and has had no recurrence. She stretches her feet etc in bed before getting up and no doubt does some other stuff when I'm not looking! Maybe Riley McGree will have a lifetime of exercises, too.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Dieng; van den Berg, Fry, McNair, Engel; Howson, Barlaser; Jones, Crooks, Greenwood, Coburn.
Middlesbrough subs: Glover, Clarke, Latte Lath, Rogers, Gilbert, Dijksteel, Silvera, Coulson, Bangura.
Considering the injuries and suspension, that lineup doesn't look too weak. The key question may be how well Howson and Barlaser can work together.
Howson and Barlaser will have been training as a pair all week in preparation for today
OFB
Saddened to hear your news, a tough day for you and your family. I hope Boro brighten it a little for you.
UTB,
John
Boro a goal down after 8 minutes (Rose). 🙁
Poor start from Boro, slow out of the blocks, lots of missed place passes and poor defending at a corner leading to the goal.
Stoke have had two other good chances which they should have done better. This is going to be a hard day at the office and remains to be seen if we can come back from this early set back.😎
Poor start from Boro, slow out of the blocks, lots of missed place passes and poor defending at a corner leading to the goal.
CJ agrees:
Boro behind. It's been such a sloppy start and that shows from a corner. Rose peels away from Crooks too easily and gets a free header. Dieng should do so much better though. It goes through him.