“Werder/KP don’t forget 12.30 is 13.30 for us in Europe.
I will be setting my alarm. 🤣”
It’s also good that we can watch via Riverside Live if you don’t have Sky, as both Spain and Germany do not have a Sky broadcast partner.
A small plus that has come out of the new Sky Sports+ deal. 😎
Thank you for a really interesting and enjoyable opener, Dormo.
I’m still partially in cricket mode myself. I’m just on the way back from Trent Bridge where I witnessed Travis Head (ex Yorkshire) destroy England with contemptuous ease. It doesn’t bode well for the remaining four ODIs!
I too predicted that Boro will finish second to Burnley. That’s looking a bit optimistic at the moment, but we have to remember we’ve only played 5 games. Like others, I think we have a very strong squad and I’m sure it will turn round once everybody settles. Soon, I hope. It may come a bit too soon for Sunland, though. I’ll happily settle for a point. Having said that, as someone said, given the licence to counter-attack, rather than face massed ranks of defenders, might play more to our strengths. Everything crossed!
So, what do we expect tomorrow?
The facts are that Sunderland can score goals - 12 so far ( twice what Boro have scored), Boro struggle to keep a clean sheet, Sunderland are at home in front of 40,000 noisy fans and good teams don’t usually lose consecutive games.
Surely, it points to a home win especially if Boro play their usual slow passing style of football, insist on playing the ball out from the back which always produces scary moments plus Carrick hasn’t got a settled side with his offensive players.
So, reluctantly I’m going for a home win.
Can anyone put a different spin on the outcome other than this is the Boro we’re talking about and so anything can happen? I don’t think we can expect last years good fortune of Sunderland having a player unfairly sent off and everything going Boro’s way.
Philip of Huddersfield 👎👎
It’s also good that we can watch via Riverside Live if you don’t have Sky, as both Spain and Germany do not have a Sky broadcast partner.
A small plus that has come out of the new Sky Sports+ deal. 😎
Does that mean I can now sell my flat in Belgium 😉
@jarkko - I like to see a bit of optimism. Especially when I feel some doubts... It's a sort of antidote to doubt.
@clive-hurren - Yorkshire won today at Cardiff and are therefore 15 points ahead of Middlesex with one game to play. Only losing points for a slow over rate in that last game, or losing the game with no bonus points whikst Middlesex win easily with bonus points in their last game, can derail the promotion express! Yippee! Then iut's all eyes on the football...
@philip-of-huddersfield - I am happy to be persuaded that BORO's time has come and that, from now onwards, glory awaits the team and supporters! The Sunderland game will not determine that course, but a good result tomorrow will help. Once we get going, confidence and momentum can build.
Yes, Yorkies guaranteed promotion if we pick up two bonus points and draw or win the game! We’re at home to Northants in the final game, but Middlesex have to go to the Champions elect, Sussex. Surely, nothing can go wrong, can it? Everything crossed again!
Dormo
I’d forgotten that the stadium of you know what was built on an old colliery.
You are certainly a mine of information!
Hopefully we will shaft them !
OFB
I see you've gone all Kilroy-Silk on us 😉
Can anyone put a different spin on the outcome other than this is the Boro we’re talking about and so anything can happen?
Yes.
We’ve been strong favourites in all of our league games so far and in four of those five games the opposition has setup to frustrate us (I’m not really sure what Swansea were trying to do).
Surely Sunderland will attack us and leave space for us to play in. Leeds did the same in the cup.
Sunderland 1-3 Boro
@andy-r I hope your are correct Andy. Infact any win will do. We are out for dinner tonight with a Newcastle supporting friend, and it’s bad enough at the best of times since the Saudi’s came.
Dormo
I’d forgotten that the stadium of you know what was built on an old colliery.
You are certainly a mine of information!
Hopefully we will shaft them !
OFB
And I must write the next starter for the Stoke match AFTER the excellent piece written by Dormo. Dear me. I hope you won't be too disappointed. He has set a very high level ...
Anyway, I hope Andy' prediction will be right. We need at least a point to be hapy but I know we cannot expect to win at the Light all the time. We need to get momentum going for a good finnish in May.
Up the Boro!
At least in the Championship there is no massive gap in quality and any team can beat any other on their day - as long as they perform of course and that is the key. Boro haven't yet performed to their capability this season and that's probably down to several reasons - including injuries and lots of new players to settle in and indeed some existing ones yet to find their rhythm.
Actually only read the other day that Doak was away on international duty with Scotland so hopefully after a full week training with the squad he'll look even better. I'm also hoping at least one or two of Howson and McGree are fit to play today as well as RvdB - some experience on the pitch will be an added advantage.
@werdermouth - I can only assume that programme was short-lived as I have no memory of it!
@andy-r - I like the sound of that....
On Thursday at Grinton the sun was shining brightly from a blue sky, hardly broken by the wisps of very high cloud. Fremington Edge looked down on us, inviting and friendly, and the bells from the church clock rang in the hours (and each quarter!). Very pleasant!
Today I have woken to find I am in the middle of dense cloud which appears to be resting on the ground. There is SOME visibility low down, so I can actually SEE the Dales Cycle Centre across the fields ahead of me through the mist but, higher up, the fog is impenetrable. Fremington Edge must be there, but it's very heavily cloaked and you'd need radar to find it. I don't suppose we'll get many Hawk trainers from RAF Leeming flying their training missions up and down the valley from RAF Leeming today - certainly not at low level.
So it's breakfast for me. Then a trip to Leyburn to replace an empty propane bottle (the spare went on last night), and then I will listen to The Match Which is NOT A DERBY (Wear-siders insist) on BBC Tees. I had acceptable reception on my portable.radio yesterday. I am told the later afternoon is to be a Tilley Lamp lighting clinic and, later in the evening, extravaganza. I have brought two with me and I saw a few out last night. If the fog is still here at that stage, maybe the heating from so many lamps will burn a hole through it! Grinton may become visible from the International Space Station - it will be that particularly bright spot on the heat map, competing with a certain Russian former ammunition & weapons storage site.
Life is so busy now retirement is here. But a good performance at Sunderland will make this a good weekend whatever the weather. A good result would be even better. Performances are fine but results count for more. If Sunderland takes ownership of the possession and territory stats but Boro dominates on the goals front, I will be very happy. #UTB.
Boro team news is in! One change
One change from Preston for Boro. Morris comes in for Barlaser. Still no Van den Berg or Howson.
Bad start: the Deckchairs take the lead in the 24th minute through Chris Rigg. 🙁
ELL booked in the 20th minute.
Well, no clean sheet this after another predicable defensive mistake.
Can we score two. It is not looking like it at the movement.
MC has made the same mistake in picking Azaz, and Conway is not a number 10.
First half almost over but it's been something of a familiar story - lots of possession as Sunderland surprisingly sit deep and wait but Boro's final ball not quite creating the opportunity to score. Then a defensive error and Boro punished against the run of play. Will there be changes at HT or will Carrick be happy that his team have once again looked the better side but without looking like scoring.
Even game. Boro guilty of failing to hit the target from two uncontested headers and then a little unlucky that Edmundson’s deflection took Dieng out of the game to leave Sunderland with an unguarded net.
The hosts have dangerous, direct wingers but otherwise don’t look much better than us overall, despite them being top two.
Still in this. Need to be more clinical with our chances and cannot afford to concede another.
left back left the door open again for the opposing player to set up the goal and poor clearance from Ayling.
Jones not in it and can somone tell me what Azaz does please ?
OFB
The fog has lifted on the hill-tops here, at Grinton but not in my heart. At half time I agree with Werder: sounds like the usual loads of possession but no cutting edge up front but with the propensity to make a mistake at the back to concede a goal. Which is why we are 1-0 down at half time. We have been here before.
Let's Hope we can turn this around. If a change is to be made, I hope we don't wait until the statutory 60-70 minutes mark. At least give the subs time to make a mark!
And just as I type that, someone's message to that effect is read out on BBB Tees. (It wasn't me who sent the message!).
First half almost over but it's been something of a familiar story - lots of possession as Sunderland surprisingly sit deep and wait but Boro's final ball not quite creating the opportunity to score. Then a defensive error and Boro punished against the run of play. Will there be changes at HT or will Carrick be happy that his team have once again looked the better side but without looking like scoring.
CJ's verdict on the first half, complete with spelling mistakes:
It's another copy and paste job as far as Boro are concerned. Sunderland have gone with a tactical surprise in allowing Boro to have the ball. Boro had their chances, notably Conway's early header off the bar, but have not made it count.
Vulnerable on the transition, Ayling was sloppy to give the ball away in the 25th minute, Roberts then cut inside too easily off Borges and it was a bit of an unlucky bounce of Edmundson that took Dieng out and Rigg showed great composure to finish.
Since the goal, Boro havn't had many openings, but did show some signs of life towards the end of the half. We expect Sunderland to sit and protect their lead though. Boro have to found an answer.