Thanks for another excellent starter, OFB, produced at speed and under pressure!
i think this will be a tough game tonight. I’ll settle for a point at this stage. Like Werder, I’d like to see Dijksteel play, if Smith is out, as I think he’s a very good footballer, a natural right-back, and very good going forward.
Hope you’re feeling better, Andy.
Top work OFB, especially coming on a a last minute “super sub”!
Having read it and looked at our injury situation, then a point will be a good result for me. The key will not to concede early in the game although with McNair Fry and a much improved Engel at the back, we should be OK.
The other full back position is more of a challenge with Smith unlikely to start.
Somewhat surprised that we have the funds to allow the team to fly down and I do feel for the supporters - Norwich is a bugger to get to at the best of times.
I am going for a 1 1 draw - with typical Boro conceding a first half lead in the dying minutes of the game.
If I understand this correctly, the recent record of Norwich City is "won ONE in the last 6 games". Boro on the other hand is "won FIVE on the bounce". That suggests one team is on form and the other is not. If only football followed logic we could all have a stress-free evening whilst the team comfortably collects another 3 points. Let's hope it turns out that way...
Thanks for getting a thorough preview out at such short notice, OFB. Great work as always.
We look short of attacking options on the bench tonight so hopefully the first XI can grab a goal or two and we can bring defensive reinforcements on.
I’d take a point now to be honest despite Norwich’s general form. Still hoping for three though.
CJ:
Two changes as van den Berg and Howson are in for Smith and Barlaser. Barlaser on the bench, Smith out. Matt Clarke named among the subs, but there's no Forss Latte Lath this evening. Coulson also on a very defensive-heavy Boro bench this evening.
Van den Berg will go right back. We suspected Smith might miss out this evening after going off injured on Saturday. The other change is an interesting one, given how well Barlaser has done recently. Carrick perhaps showing respect to Norwich by going with the more defensive-minded Howson against his former side.
Smith and Forss miss out through injury this evening. Latte Lath is ill
Come on, Boro! Norwich 1-2 Boro. There: I've let the cat out of the bag ...
Boro looked a bit shaky for 20 mins but we’ve gradually started to dominate. I can’t see the second half going without goals. UTB
0-0 at half-time. A few chances spurned. CJ's assessment of that first half:
Boro probably just about edged a tight contest in that first half. Not quite been as sharp as usual in possession and struggled early on to break through the Norwich press. Have grown into it though and had a few decent chances, most notably Hackney's that was cleared off the line. Finely balanced, you might say.
I’ve found the whiskey !
Roll on the second half to see Boro3 !
OFB
Boro rode the storm of the first twenty minutes hen took control a little. Not many real opportunities from both sides.
Poor corners from Howson considering Norwich are not tall at the back. Greenwood not in it at all and we cannot sub Josh
Greenwood gives Boro the lead a minute after the restart with a little help from big Josh. 🙂
As things stand, Boro now in the play-off places, two ahead of the Deck Chairs, who are losing away to Leicester. *gets out the prayer mat*
Silvera on for Coburn in the 83rd minute & Bangura for Engel following an injury.
NINE minutes of injury time! Too much time-wasting by Boro?
Dijksteel, Barlaser & Rogers on for HH, Jones & Greenwood in the 89th minute, then Silvera makes it 2-0 to Boro in the second minute of injury time. 🙂
FD called it correctly: consolation goal for the Canaries in the dying seconds of the match.
Sat in the Algarve pressing refresh on my phone, get in 2-1 but 99 mins UTB
@stircrazy - I'd hate to CANARY about it though. Three points. Six league wins (7 of all sorts) in a row. Amazingly in a play-off position when Boro was bottom of the league last month. No doubt we will drop slightly after the other games tomorrow, but the trajectory is definitely upwards.
And SOME teams (here's looking at you, Watford and others) would have sacked their manager 6 or 7 weeks ago. Great result. I will be selling tips for tomorrow's Champions League games later...(just joking!).
I love the Boro and Michael Carrick. Up the Boro!
Another impressive performance and win. Not quite Boro3 OFB but a great win nonetheless. FD great prediction! Although we are a bit light up front, it is certainly working at the moment. Dare I say the overall squad looks stronger than last year? More options in defence and midfield certainly.......not something I would have said after the first half away at Wednesday! I am sure the club will be looking at striking options in Jan. UTB
@stircrazy - I'd hate to CANARY about it though. Three points. Six league wins (7 of all sorts) in a row. Amazingly in a play-off position when Boro was bottom of the league last month. No doubt we will drop slightly after the other games tomorrow, but the trajectory is definitely upwards.
We already have, thanks to West Brom's 2-0 (with 3-4 minutes to go) home win over QPR. Can't argue about the upward trajectory, though! 🙂
Magnificent win, if a trifle nervy at times, especially when we sloppily kept giving the ball away. I’m looking at you, Jonny Howson! But we were immense defensively and every player in every position played a key part. Engel, Fry, McNair, Dieng all superb.
No wins from our first seven games. 6 wins on the trot from the next 6! What a turn-around. The squad is now truly together, and starting to perform consistently at a high level. Incredibly, promotion is now looking a distinct possibility!
Now let’s patch up the walking wounded for Saturday - probably 2 or 3 more after tonight, I guess. UTB.
Well, that was not quite what I expected and Greenwood to be Jonny on the spot. Also well done Silvera with his well taken shot.
However if I have any complaints, it was I thought MC left the substitutions somewhat a little late in my opinion. Howson’s legs had gone half way through the second half and I agree with Clive, his passing was less than good enough.
I just cannot understand MC in picking Howson to start after the love in on here of Barlaser’s performance against WRBC. I honestly think that he still sees JH ahead of him.
Other than that, a great team performance. Let’s hope we have sufficient first team players fit for Saturday.
@pedro - I suspect that quite a few of the players who DID play tonight (let alone those who were on the bench or missed the trip altogether) have knocks and twinges and would prefer a good week before the next game. Sadly they will get only a few days before the next game hoves into view.
I am sure with 3 games in a week, Barlaser will be back in the starting 11 on Saturday. Let's hope for a few more back including, fingers crossed, Latte Lath and McGree to freshen things up at the weekend.
Just arrived at the hotel after the journey was a bit longer than expected - only glanced at my phone a couple of times - pleasantly surprised to see Boro ahead 1-0 then checked for the final score only to see 90+8 and Boro 2-0 up. Though as I checked for the table standings it went 2-1 and watched nervously as the clock ticked 90+12 until it said full-time!
Anyway, well done Boro as they march onwards and upwards.
Not a vintage performance but Boro showed plenty of grit and a good spirit with a limited squad. The original XI stayed on until the 80th minute, every player giving his all
Disappointed not to see Barlaser from the beginning but Howson's experience was invaluable.
A poor first 20 minutes with Boro rarely getting out of their own half, a situation reversed thereafter as Boro reproduced some of their Birmingham form. Good approach play with some missed chances.
The opening goal came at a good time, just seconds into the second half. A good finish from Greenwood after approach work from Jones, hackney, and especially Coburn.
As Norwich pressed to get back into the game our passing game disintegrated though our defence rarely looked like being breached.
Silvera's excellent strike in injury time settled the game, though there was just time for an even better one from Norwich in the 9th minute of injury time.
The defensive solidity of Fry, McNair, Engel and Dieng took the eye tonight as did Greewood up front. He ran himself into the ground, but that was true of the entire team, who will return to Teesside exhausted and nursing yet more knocks.
Saturday will come quickly for many and our already depleted squad may be further stretched.
In particular going into the season with only two strikers is already looking like a major mistake. Where would we be had Carrick not vetoed Josh's move to Plymouth?
Still, the great run continues with another excellent result. And there is no doubting the team's commitment and resolve.
Long may it continue.
Interesting that I had not seen either Clive's or Dormo's posts, but repeated points they made almost word for word
@stircrazy - I'd hate to CANARY about it though. Three points. Six league wins (7 of all sorts) in a row. Amazingly in a play-off position when Boro was bottom of the league last month. No doubt we will drop slightly after the other games tomorrow, but the trajectory is definitely upwards.
We already have, thanks to West Brom's 2-0 (with 3-4 minutes to go) home win over QPR. Can't argue about the upward trajectory, though! 🙂
Just to add that Boro currently sit seventh in the league, on the same number of points as Cardiff & WBA, but with a GD of +1, compared with +6 (WBA) & + 5 (Cardiff).