With Werder's sabbatical I thought I would start a discussion thread for the forthcoming match against our former Boss along with a few highly regarded ex Boro Players. Its unlikely that Gorgeous George will be fit for this one but we may come up against the Juke, Clayts and Josh McEachran our one time loanee who is also at St. Andrews.
Good news for Boro is that Sam Morsy is available after successfully appealing his red card against Luton. Unfortunately I won't be reporting on the game this weekend as Mrs Red has been in Hospital and I therefore have more pressing demands of my time this weekend. She seems to be over the worst of it, fortunately it was surgical related and not Covid (not that one is lesser than the other I suppose).
Feel free to post your pre and post match comments below as well as your in game analysis.
Redcar Red, Thank you for kicking it off, a football metaphor there, and I think that Boro will do exceptionally well to get a draw because there are just too many 'hauntings', former manager, players and Birmingham doesn't seem to be a happy hunting ground for Boro. Then there's the small matter of 'which' Boro decides to pull on their collective boots.
I do't think that it will be an OFB so I'm going for a crow pleasing 1 - 1. There's optimism for you.
Stay safe everyone,
UTB,
John
Good Morsey will be playing tomorrow but I still can’t see Roberts appearing as his last 2 minute cameo only happened cos Dikjsteel was tired.
I have come to the conclusion that his style of play doesn’t fit with the vast majority of Premiership and Championship teams. His game is all about dribbling past one or two players in the opponents half of the field and releasing the ball to create chances but doesn’t offer much when opponents have the ball. In reality this type of player loses the ball more than most and is a luxury.
Who are the players whose game is all about dribbling and are regularly picked? Traore, Grealish,Son and one or two others. Players like Mane and Solah are not included because whilst they do dribble they play more in a team formation of playing ‘ one twos’.
So reluctantly I think Roberts has to be released to make room for a player who contributes more to the team play.
Philip of Huddersfield
ps I’ll be pleased with a draw tomorrow and wish we had a Jukaveich type of player than the likes of Akpom and Assombolonga
While I think a draw away from home is generally a good point, I think I’d be disappointed if we ‘only’ draw tomorrow. We’ve only won 1 game away all season, so 3 points are long overdue. And we’re playing a vulnerable and inconsistent Brum side who are close to the bottom of the table. Time to go for the jugular! Of course, there’s the Karanka factor, but I think NW is a wily old fox who might devise tactics to get round Brum’s possible defensive shape. I’ll stick my neck out and go for a 1-0 win to the reds.
Philip mentioned Lukas Jutkiewicz. Now there’s a guy I’d like to see back in our squad! It didn’t quite work for him when he was here, but I think he has proven a point since. He’s just the kind of big, awkward centre-forward we do need. Good in the air and holds the ball up well. We haven’t got anybody like that, even when Ashley Fletcher is fit. Anybody know if the Juke’s contract is nearly up?
@john-richardson I’ll go along with that John
🎄🎄
OFB
I am confused what you mean with that, OFB.
As a Finn, I first read it that you meant a six all draw. Because in Finnish the number 'six' is written and pronaunced similarly like the wood (or tree) of spruce in our language. BTW, in Swedish the number '6' is written like sex. So their number 6 has two different meanings, too.
Or perhaps you meant three each as per a tree?
I have been to Birmingam only once in my life. Then Boro won 1-3 if I remember correctly. So I'll go for the same result this time, too. A nice win and a third in succession.
Up the Boro!
Redcar Red
Best wishes for your wife and I hope she will be home for Christmas. I’m sure you’ll look after her in her convalescence.
Boro’s record at St Andrews is poor with only 3 wins from the last 19 visits there, although 2 of those occurred in the last 3 seasons. However Birmingham’s home form has been woeful this season with only 2 wins and 2 draws from 9 matches is only slightly better than Boro’s away form perhaps we can except a draw.
While I think a draw away from home is generally a good point, I think I’d be disappointed if we ‘only’ draw tomorrow. We’ve only won 1 game away all season, so 3 points are long overdue. And we’re playing a vulnerable and inconsistent Brum side who are close to the bottom of the table. Time to go for the jugular! Of course, there’s the Karanka factor, but I think NW is a wily old fox who might devise tactics to get round Brum’s possible defensive shape. I’ll stick my neck out and go for a 1-0 win to the reds.
Philip mentioned Lukas Jutkiewicz. Now there’s a guy I’d like to see back in our squad! It didn’t quite work for him when he was here, but I think he has proven a point since. He’s just the kind of big, awkward centre-forward we do need. Good in the air and holds the ball up well. We haven’t got anybody like that, even when Ashley Fletcher is fit. Anybody know if the Juke’s contract is nearly up?
The answer to the question about the Juke's contract is June 2022.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/lukas-jutkiewicz/profil/spieler/33507
Best wishes to Mrs RR for a speedy recovery.
Given our poor record at St Andrews, the old boy curse then the runes are not looking good so will go for Brum 1-0 Boro and hope reverse logic comes to our aid.
Good to see that Morsy will be playing.
So the referee on Wednesday said it was a deliberate handball offence when it wasn't, gave a red card and sent a man off when he shouldn't and then missed a double kick when the penalty was taken and gave a goal; these apart he had a good game! 🤣
CoB gives us three points for Christmas 🎄 😎
All the best to your better half, RR. Hope she is rested and recovered in time for a relaxing Christmas.
Well there shouldn’t be many goals on display today as two of the better organised and least creative sides go head to head. Cue a goal fest.
Boro haven’t turned up in recent away games but I feel that blunt Brum may allow us a foothold in the game whilst we have scored a few more as the season has gone on.
My head says 0-0 but I’ll go for Brum 0-1 Boro.
Best wishes to Mrs RR for a speedy recovery and to home to enjoy Christmas with you RR.
As for today in Brum. 2 1 to Boro... Watmore and johnson on the sheet.
Regarding the ref on Wednesday and your comments regarding his performance. At the start of the game the commentator on BBC said that the ref is the only one officiating that used to be a professional footballer so I thought oh he should have a good game then. His mistakes just proved that refs are human and do make mistakes! I never made any ! (Not!) OFB
All the best wishes for your wife. And a speedy recovery.
Life is more important than football. Up the Boro!
So no Roberts in the Squad?
Just reflecting on Neil Warnock’s remark that it has been difficult for all Championship clubs especially Boro to have played 9 matches in 28 days with the covid situation I don’t think anyone can dispute that. However playing 9 matches in the first 28 days was the norm for all 88 clubs throughout the late 1940’s to the mid 1960’s. I know I’ve mentioned this before but the second and fourth matches were usually against the same opposition as were the sixth and eighth matches, all midweek before clubs had floodlights. In fact in 1954 following relegation to the Second Division and after drawing at Plymouth, Boro then lost every one of the next 8 matches. However as recently as 2006 Boro finished the season by playing 31 matches in 103 days comprising of 16 League, 6 FA Cup and 9 EUFA Cup matches during which they played at least in one midweek fixture every week
So no Roberts in the Squad?
And Wing & Britt in for Akpom & Watmore. Is he giving Duncan a bit of a breather?
A big afternoon for Wing. I hope he takes it by storm.
Best wishes to you both, RR. Hope it goes well.
Don't fancy the team NW's put out.
No Watmore, Spence or Akpom. We are relying on Britt and Wing, both major under performers this season, to provide our fire power.
Don't see it happening
We need to give it a go away from home, but I don't see it with this team.
Hope I'm wrong, but it looks like a 2-0 to me. For them.
Just catching up with the Werder situation, but don't really understand what has happened. A great loss. He's a top man, whom I regard as a friend, as well as being a top talent. Hope he's not a permanent loss, as he's irreplaceable.
Clayts the only ex-Boro player in Brum's starting line-up, Jutkiewicz being named on the bench:
One of the worst first half performances and yet we lead 2-1! CoB 😎
Blimey! From 0-1 to 2-1 in 16 minutes, with Brum going ahead in the 15th minute, Britt equalising in the 27th (assisted by Marc Bola) & George Saville giving them the lead in the 31st (assisted by Marvin). A bit difficult to keep track... 😊
Blimey! From 0-1 to 2-1 in 16 minutes, with Brum going ahead in the 15th minute, Britt equalising in the 27th (assisted by Marc Bola) & George Saville giving them the lead in the 31st (assisted by Marvin). A bit difficult to keep track... 😊
Up to sixth, as things stand at the moment... *prays*
Vic's half-time assessment:
HT: Brum 1 Boro 2. A scrappy start with Birm on top & deservedly ahead but Britt scored a good goals against the run of play & Saville added trademark second at near post. Been brighter since then but still not in top gear.
We need another goal to close this out. Brum are there for the taking as long as we keep our shape and discipline and play football rather than hoof ball which we did early on in the game. CoB 😎
What a turn up
This is Huddersfield in reverse. Blues totally dominant for 25 minutes and getting a well deserved goal Us not at the races, then two shots, two goals, thanks very much.
Saville outstanding, putting his body on the line as he always does, contesting every ball and every header then rounding it off with a well taken goal.
Credit to Britt for showing much more energy and taking his goal well.
Morsy and Paddy also outstanding but we need Spence on for Dijksteel for the whole of the second half.
Birmingham looked deflated. They will come at us, but we need to do more than defend our lead. A third for us should finish them
Get in you beauty 1-3. Now see it out CoB 😎
Birmingham looked deflated. They will come at us, but we need to do more than defend our lead. A third for us should finish them
Right on cue, Neil Etheridge knocks in an OG in the 56th minute. Vic thinks it was scored by Lewis Wing, who took the corner that led to it.