Hull currently 1-3 down at home to Bristol City after scoring first. That would be a great result for the Boro.
A couple of cracking results for Boro today. Well done and thank you Oxford and Bristol City.
Coventry drawing and hull getting beat take that
Good results with Coventry drawing at home 0-0 against Oxford who played the last 15 minutes with 10 men - and Hull losing at home 2-3 to out-of-form Bristol City - a win on Monday could be pivotal!
Hull and Coventry results ease the pressure on Monday night 👍.
Come on BORO.
... but Ipswich still a game in hand..Not only top if we win but 7 points clear of 3rd place 🤞🤞
and after next weekend they will have two in hand as they are playing in the FA Cup next Friday night away at Wrexham and we play on the Monday. They make that game up against Hull on the Tuesday after we play at Birmingham.
So long as the Boro does the job we all hope for on Monday evening, it doesn't matter what other clubs do. It is in Boro's hands at the moment. Other clubs have to catch us. It feels good!
Unfortunately we won't be playing in Red and will have to play in the green and white Masham kit that was last worn in our 4-1 away win at Hull.
Somehow managed to catch up with the forum despite not entirely knowing what day and time games are being played and it gets more confusing tomorrow when we move onto Sydney.
Thanks FD for the intro which was most enjoyable- been to Bramall Lane a couple of times for football and even more times for corporate events when Sheffield was my patch for work! Not old enough to remember it as a cricket ground though.
IIRC it was at Bramall Lane when the Yorkshire team once beat Australia when Yorkshire had a strong team with many test players.
Back to football matters and the results yesterday (or is that today for me? - no idea?) went our way for a change. A win tomorrow will see us go top which is pretty damn good although it won’t be an easy game and I have a few memories of the Blades getting the better of us (was a game televised on terrestrial TV a while back or am I imagining that?)
A repeat of our home game will do nicely and maybe the kit will see a TV win - and I will be able to claim bragging rights over my niece who is a SUFC supporter!
Heres hoping that Boro will be sharp enough to blunt the blades and steal the top spot.
UTB
and after next weekend they will have two in hand as they are playing in the FA Cup next Friday night away at Wrexham and we play on the Monday. They make that game up against Hull on the Tuesday after we play at Birmingham.
Always better to have the points than relying on winning games in hand. Talking of hands, the future’s in ours now.
I think that this might be the toughest of our next three away games. We have a pretty decent record when we play away under lights in the League. No loses this season , and only one last season, and two the season before. Unfortunately, that defeat last season was on the 12th of February at, you've guessed it, Bramall Lane. Hopefully lightning doesn't strike twice. I will take a draw now.
Since November, Sheffield United have won nine of their last 15 Championship fixtures, a return more in keeping with promotion contenders than mid-table dwellers. That said, vulnerabilities remain. Defensive fragility continues to undermine their progress, with 43 goals conceded placing them among the division’s most porous sides.
Since the appointment of Kim Hellberg, Boro have found clarity and direction, with nine wins from his first 14 Championship matches reflecting a swift and effective transition.
So it will be a tough match. But we should be able to nick a draw or even a win tonight.
Up the Boro!
- •https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/25835828.chris-wilder-coventry-middlesbrough-ipswich-promotion-race /" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Wilder's Coventry, Middlesbrough & Ipswich promotion race prediction
- •https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/25835231.matt-targett-caused-kim-hellberg-defensive-worry-middlesbrough /" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kim Hellberg admits to Middlesbrough defensive 'worry' - and what it now means
- •https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/25830798.kim-hellbergs-verdict-middlesbrough-january-transfer-window /" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Middlesbrough make Seny Dieng decision after goalkeeper's transfer collapse
@malcolm - Thanks for this and similar pieces you've posted before. Your cut+paste bits mean that I can avoid having to open the original articles (which ususally means that I give the articles a miss).
I will probably start to feel nervous in a few hours. At present I merely feel "hopeful".
Who’s feeling nerves setting in? Having said that, I’m quietly confident about tonight - 1-2 win is my forecast.
CJ:
Boro injury news
Chance that we see Joe Wildsmith make the bench for the first time this evening, but that's expected to be the only change to the squad for Boro.
Kim Hellberg said on Thursday that he wasn't expecting to have any players back for this one - with the game coming too soon for Leo Castledine.
A couple of interesting selection calls to make, though. Will Dael Fry, Jeremy Sarmiento or David Strelec come into the starting XI? They feel like the ones, if any, that Hellberg could bring in.
Also from CJ:
Why tonight's game kicks off at 8:01 pm
You may have noticed the unusual kick-off time tonight. The reason for that is actually to spread a really important message. The slightly delayed kick-off time is to spread awareness of the Every Minute Matters campaign. In support of the campaign, every EFL game was delayed by one minute over the weekend, with Boro’s trip to Sheffield United no different.
To mark Heart Month, it forms part of the 'Every Minute Matters' campaign from Sky Bet and The British Heart Foundation, with support from the EFL. The campaign set out to engage 270,000 people to start learning CPR using the BHF’s free RevivR tool by May 2025. The current total sits at over 450,000, and this February, the Every Minute Matters campaign is aiming to hit the incredible milestone of 500,000.
Worth flagging up, I think.
Fry, Sarmiento & Strelec on the bench.
McGree starts. Always a huge boost 🤞🤞
I thought Hellberg might have been tempted to go for a back three tonight but looks like he's going to start on the front foot and attack Sheff Utd - probably our most expensive bench for a while too...
Paddy Bam Bam starts for the Blades. We all know what that means...
Right! It's shoes on and a sprint to the Drunken Dragon for the evening's entertainment! #UTB.
@forever-dormo If you ran to there, you might get thirsty. Remember you must have a few beers for the win and still be able to walk home. Up the Boro!