Although Crooks, Hackney and Latte Lath are back in training, I only expect the latter (see what I've done there) to feature from the off with the others on the bench. As mentioned before, Villa play a high defensive line so pace will be needed at the top of the pitch to try and get behind them so I'd play the four players with the most pace as don't think Greenwood and Coburn or Crooks are quick enough for that game plan.
Defensive and midfield options are down to the bare bones so unless Carrick opts to play some of the youngsters then it's as you were as better to have Hackney fully test his groin in training than risk another setback - though he probably is the better midfielder at playing under pressure and may well start against Chelsea.
So here's my proposed XI...
Glover
van den Berg - Fry - Clarke - Engel
Howson - Barlaser
Jones - Rogers - Bangura
Latte Lath
@werdermouth I think Greenwood will start as he is cup tied in the Caraboa Cup and I wouldn’t risk both our left backs (Engel/Bangura) in today’s match, thinking of Tuesday.
Come on BORO.
I guess there will be some degree of picking the team with Tuesday in mind - but then again Boro are already risking all their fit defenders and fit midfielders to some extent.
Team News...
A few surprises with Hackney starting with Barlaser and Howson resting on the bench along with Fry - Both Bangura and Engel start but it looks like one will be playing right-back. Jones, Rogers and Greenwood playing behind Coburn with Latte Lath and Crooks also on the bench.
A statement of intent on keeping him or even maybe an attempt to add a few more millions onto any potential bids?
Here's the Villa team...
Watkins on the bench 😓
No disgrace in this defeat. Although Villa were the better team , Boro had chances and their goal took a fortunate deflection . Pleasingly Boro played to a plan and showed a lot of discipline in keeping to it .Let’s hope for a similar performance v Chelsea with a better score line. A draw wouldn’t be the end of the world as it would mean that Boro are still in the tie.
Philip of Huddersfield 👍👋😂
Immensely proud of the team tonight against one of the inform Premiership sides (2nd in the table) and it took a deflected shot to beat MOTM Gloover, glad it hasn’t gone to a replay.
Come on BORO.
Sounds like we defended pretty well and could have drawn which we didn’t want. Apparently Villa’s first FA Cup win since 2016. Internationally both Silvera and McGree played for the Socceroos. Mcgree was a sub and Silvera started but was substituted.
Carrick demonstrated yesterday, as he did against Leicester, that he is capable of setting the team up to defend and, unsurprisingly, when he does our defence looks decent. As with the Karanka era though, when you set up that way you have to make the most of your limited attacking chances.
We did really well yesterday against one of the form teams in the Prem. On another day we could have pinched a lucky win but there was no shame in going out to an unlucky deflection.
Last year we played Brighton and tried to match them. That went badly. Perhaps forced by injuries, Carrick has shown that he has grown as a manager.
Now of course we turn to Chelsea. Due to injuries, cup-ties, international duties and suspension here's who's missing.
Missing
Dieng, Dijksteel, Lenihan, McNair, Smith, O'Brien, Silvera, Rogers, Greenwood, Azaz, McGree, Forss
Returning from injury so probably can't play a full 90
Crooks, Hackney, Coburn, Latte Lath, Clarke (probs can't play a full 90 twice in 4 days)
In the end it was an unlucky deflected shot that separated teams 2nd in the PL and 12th in the Championship - Boro will have gained a lot of confidence and belief for Tuesday from this performance against Villa. I thought everyone played well against much better players and tactically Carrick set them up well and the players executed the plan well.
Boro were always unlikely to win the FA Cup and another cup run will have been at the expense of detrimental fixture congestion for a squad that will remain below strength for some time to come. So a creditable defeat was possibly the best outcome and Boro can now prepare for another huge game on Tuesday - though far more significant than yesterday.
Boro ratings vs Aston Villa as performance of grit and pride reflected
Nice to see our team on national terrestrial tv yesterday. I thought we played pretty well and with some calmer finishing we could have pinched a win, but losing to a deflected goal is certainly no disgrace.
Whether we can compete against our bogey cup team next week is anybody’s guess, but I think MC showed considerable tactical nous(sp?)yesterday - maybe he can do it again on Tuesday.
Gazette gave the Boro starting XI an average score of 7.3 - interestingly, the Northern Echo gave the team a slightly higher average score of 7.4 but only gave the Villa team an average score of 6.6 - so were Boro actually the better team on the day?
In answer to your question, funnily enough a lot of supporters around me yesterday said that we were the better team.
I enjoyed it so much I watched the whole game again on tv as I had recorded it and I was impressed with the game plan and the fast running. I thought Coburn had increased his speed from somewhere and found some gaps in the villa defence.
Villa had to bring on their big guns to try and win the game and only scored due to a deflection. Glover was superb and certainly staked a claim for the first choice keeper spot.
Most people I spoke to were not too upset about the result and certainly didn’t want a replay. Chelsea will have been watching the game with interest.
Roll on Tuesday!
OFB
Some Premier clubs will certainly be looking at Carricks masterclass tactics against high flying Villa.
Chelsea are a team I loathe. We have had many unsavoury battles with them.
The supporters attacked our bus on a couple of occasions at their ground.
Let's get at them with fire in our belly. 😉
I agree with comments above. That was a very creditable performance by BORO against a high-flying Villa team currently lying 2nd in the Premier League. But I don't think BORO was the BETTER team, or deserved to win. Having gone so late in the game and still being level, I suspect most of us harboured the thought of holding Villa to a draw and no doubt the replay would have given the club some much-needed money. But the additional fixture to be played in the midst of a very busy diary would not have been ideal.
Hopefully we are now at the time when some of the injured and unfit are approaching a state when they might be available to play games. I can see light at the end of the injury tunnel. Some of the young lads who've been picked on the bench in recent games might feel that is a pity as they foresee being relegated out of the matchday squad when the established players become available for selection, and without some of them having even got onto the pitch. I suppose if they don't get a game (not 12 minutes or so at the end of a game) we'll never know how good they are. If, for example, Kavanagh IS a really good goalscorer as he's shown in the age-group teams, we will only find out if he plays games. Hopefully we will find out before he is 25 years old, or he is farmed out or sold elsewhere.
Some Premier clubs will certainly be looking at Carricks masterclass tactics against high flying Villa.
Chelsea are a team I loathe. We have had many unsavoury battles with them.
The supporters attacked our bus on a couple of occasions at their ground.
Let's get at them with fire in our belly. 😉
I disagree with your last line, we went at Brighton and look what happened there, I would rather we kept in the game so in the second leg we have a chance 🤔.
Come on BORO.
EX Mill....what I really meant was another intense performance like yesterday, maybe it's the Scottish Blood in me, fiery and a bit like Souness and Bremner 😋Some Premier clubs will certainly be looking at Carricks masterclass tactics against high flying Villa.
Chelsea are a team I loathe. We have had many unsavoury battles with them.
The supporters attacked our bus on a couple of occasions at their ground.
Let's get at them with fire in our belly. 😉
I disagree with your last line, we went at Brighton and look what happened there, I would rather we kept in the game so in the second leg we have a chance 🤔.
Come on BORO.
Or as PG Wodehouse once said,"You wouldn't confuse a Scotsman with a grievance with a ray of sunshine".
An interesting point from yesterday’s FA Cup matches is that Hull v Birmingham ended 1-1 and if Birmingham beat Hull in the replay, week beginning 15 Jan, then our match at Birmingham on 27 Jan will be postponed because of the 4th round of the FA Cup, after the second leg of the Carabao Cup at Chelsea on 23 Jan we won’t have another game until 4 Feb v Sunderland at the Riverside UTB
Come on BORO.