Middlesbrough v Blackpool Saturday 4th February 2023 k:o 3 p.m.
RIVERSIDE STADIUM
Another trip to the Riverside to see the Boro in third place in the Championship. I just love writing that so I’ll write it again . Boro who are at the moment in third place in the championship with 45 points from 29 games, are going to play their first game in February against Blackpool who are in 23rd place with 26 points but have only played 27 games.
This is the perfect time to start and put a run together after the disappointing result against the black cats last weekend. I don’t know if anyone saw the match highlights of the Watford game on ITV SPORT over the weekend but it was very good. Interviews with Smith and Howson before the game and a Carricature summing up by the gaffer after the match. Obviously ITV were short of games due to cup ties and had to pad it out, but it was an enjoyable watch.
So will we amuse ourselves against Blackpool. Shall we play dodgems with the Tangerines? Or will we be back on the big dipper and come crashing down like we did against Sunderland. As we pier down at those below us, can we make a concert effort to light up our season and make it illuminating, for our tram p to the Premiership and Tower over everyone! We need every player involved and no one standing around looking like waxwork dummies. Enough of those then let’s be serious!
Boro have a strike force! Akpom and Forss are now complemented by the clever running into space by Archer who certainly has a few strings to his bow! He certainly has made a difference to the team and the midfield responded with some clever balls slid through to the forwards from Howson and Hackney with McCree floating around covering the ground for the team.
Tommy Smith provides a strong presence at right back and is even playing into the opponents penalty area thee days fancying a goal himself.
Paddy made a solid return to the side but fluffed his chance of a goal near the end of the game when he blazed over from 4 yards when it looked easier to score. Lenihan alongside Paddy provided a calm assured display and never looked flustered, a good buy for the Boro.
Ryan Giles seemed to be more withdrawn in his role on Saturday as the forward four roamed and made space and goal scoring opportunities for themselves.
Dan Barlaser has joined the Boro midfield on a permanent basis and provides options and cover for Howson and Hackney. It was interesting to hear Carrick talking during a recent press interview that he had followed the career of Barlaser from his days playing for Newcastle’s academy which shows his knowledge of young and talented players currently playing football professionally.
As I write this we could be on the verge of losing a few of our players. Duncan Watmore who has been a brilliant player for Boro with his whole hearted displays and opportunist goals. I must confess that he is also Mrs OFB’s favourite player and she was quite upset when I told her that he was in the verge of leaving the club.
Paddy could be on his way out of the club also and whilst he is an able deputy and squad player his place in the team has now been reduced to a squad member. It has been noticeable this season that he has a lack of pace against opposing players when they are making forward runs against him.
Another player who could be moving is Boyd-Munce but probably as a loan deal.
Saturday will probably come along and the team sheet will show the same players who started the game against Watford. Hopefully it will result in another 2-0 score line win for Boro.
Turning to Blackpool, there have been a lot of changes to both the management and player.
Curtis Nelson has outlined his clear objective on the pitch for the Tangerines will be to keep the ball out of the back of the net and get it to the forward players as best he can to keep the Seasiders up.
The 29-year-old became Blackpool's fifth signing of the January transfer window over the weekend His move was announce just after the Seasiders bowed out or the FA Cup at the hands of Southampton. Nelson was released from his contract with the Bluebirds, which was due to expire at the end of the season, to allow him to move to Bloomfield Road. He has penned a deal with Blackpool until the end of the campaign.
He is reunited with former boss Mick McCarthy, whom he played under at Cardiff. He is familiar with what the former Wolves and Republic of Ireland boss wants and believes he is 'brilliant' as he outlined his excitement at working with him and assistant Terry Connor again.
As I have said Blackpool have made a total of five signings so far this month and there is now less than 24 hours to go until the January transfer window closes.
Clubs in England have until 11pm on Tuesday, January 31, to do any further business and for any further comings and goings to take place. The clock is ticking and there is not long left to go now.
Andy Lyons is technically a sixth acquisition after being able to play for the club since the start of 2023, but his transfer was agreed in the summer.
Morgan Rogers, Josh Bowler and Charlie Goode have arrived on loan from Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Brentford respectively. Tom Trybull and Curtis Nelson have been two permanent deals done by the Seasiders.
In terms of outgoings, Grant Ward's short term contract expired and he has subseqently joined Bristol Rovers, while Callum Wright headed to Plymouth Argyle at the beginning of January. Theo Corbeanu and Rhys Williams both returned from their loan spells to respective parent clubs Wolves and Liverpool.
Tayt Trusty has also headed out on loan to Hartlepool United for the rest of the season, while Jack Moore has headed to Chorley for the next month. The young duo will pick up valuable experience.
The bookmakers have not surprisingly made the Boro favourites to win this game offering odds of 8/15 for the win, 3/1 for the draw and for a Blackpool win 11/2.
Me I’m still going for a 2-0 win at least I’m consistent in my forecasts!
Come on you Diasborians let’s see what you think about the game on Saturday and give your forecast.
OFB
Thanks, Bob. A very interesting and well researched opener.
Many thanks Bob.
It will be interesting to see what develops today in terms of transfers and how that sets us up for the rest of the season. January transfer windows have been appalling at Boro for some years but the club does feel more joined up these days and the moves so far have looked like good business.
I expect it will be the same XI as v Millwall except for the returning Dael Fry. It would be very difficult to drop anyone after such a convincing performance, though the make-up of the bench may will change with Barlaser available, maybe one more through the door and one or two leaving.
I can't imagine too many will predict anything other than a home win but I think Blackpool might prove to be tough opposition, with a threat on the break through a player I like a lot in Josh Bowler. He's had a strange season: signed permanently from Blackpool to Nott'm Forest, immediately loaned to Olympiakos and now back at Blackpool on a second loan. A left-footed right winger who has pace, drive and a stinging shot - I'd be happy to see him on Boro's books next season. He will be up against Giles which could be an area Blackpool will look to exploit. That said, I don't know how much he's played this season and whether he's fit enough to start.
An early Boro goal could see us put Blackpool away comfortably but I'm expecting us to have to grind this one out against what are usually well-drilled, determined McCarthy sides.
An ugly 1-0 win will be just fine though.
Thanks for the opener, OFB.
It's all about getting three points. I'd love a comfortable win (by which I mean that the Boro scores three goals in the first half and we can then sit back to enjoy the rest of the game unfold in front of us). Boro rarely does these things, but it would be nice if it happened more. I agree an early goal by Boro would be important after which maybe momentum takes over and Boro's players can enjoy the afternoon. A goal for Archer would be great, too. Well - that's what I'd LIKE but what actually happens might always be rather different.
I suppose "par" after the last performance at home and bearing in mind the team is now 3rd in the table would be the 2-0 that OFB predicted.
I’m so out of touch due to the house move going on, that I’d missed McCarthy’s move to the Seasiders. Moving from Lancashire means I no longer see the local news from the dark (and wet) side.
Thanks for the opener, OFB - another enjoyable read and I agree that our result should be a Big One, continuing MC’s Revolution towards Valhalla. Maybe we’ll even see our team’s name up in lights, which would be an Illumination.
Thanks for the early opener OFB. This time I have managed to read it early as well.
I watched the EFL highlights on ITV and last night I looked at the highlights on MFC. If we can continue to play at that level it would need a fast and hardworking opposition defence to stop us. It is great to see us up to 3rd and I didn't see any chance of that during Wilder's last games in charge. Archer is a very unusual central forward who opened up Watford's defence and although this time he didn't get a goal he deserved he gave other players scoring chances. Good to see Akpom keeping up his goals and Forss also joining in. The speed at which Boro played the ball around was enjoyable as was the incisive passing and I hope to see that against Blackpool.
I think I can stretch my "Boro budget" to 7 of the 9 remaining home games. I haven't been able to find out why hotels are so expensive on 14 March for the Stoke match (£99.50 cheapest) and the Good Friday Burnley match would require a 2 night stay plus trouble travelling if the rail strikes are ongoing (as I expect there would be an attempt to cause extra inconvenience at holiday time) so I will miss those.
I'm disappointed that Watmore is leaving. In spite of his injury doubts he has always worked hard when on the field and scored some good goals. I was expecting him to be with us next season so I hope we do have a replacement lined up. If he wants to move on for more playing time I wish him the best. (If we get into the playoffs I wouldn't want to be up against him for Millwall!)
As maybe someone of you are aware I had a two hour meeting with Forever Dormo (I shall refer to him as Ray) ostensibly to hand over a thick white book on the history of Sir William Turner and the formation of the Grammar School at Kirkleatham in 1709 and then on to Coatham before becoming a comprehensive school 99 ppooyears later just off Redcar Lane. However despite my being some 20 years older than Ray it was surprising that many of Ray’s teachers also taught me
Obviously we touched on the current situation at Middlesbrough FC, though as my sleeping patterns have suffered so much due to steroid tablets (on two successive nights last week I never slept at all, yet fell asleep on Saturday at 1.30 pm and didn’t awake until nearly 6.00 pm. Clearly I have a sleeping and mobility problem which hopefully may be resolved this afternoon, as steroids and I are incompatible. I was unable to comment on last Saturday’s win against Watford, suffice to say that it must have been some match.
Ray relayed some private messages he had received from OFB, Martin Bellamy, Jarrko and others to convey to me - quite gratifying and appreciative. Sorry if I’ve missed anyone out.
l"
Thanks to OFB for an illuminating opener.
I guess this match sees the next step in the Carrick evolution. Unless deadline day gets seriously high on something, it's likely to no more than 1 or 2 out plus Watmore and, maybe, 1 in.
Archer and Barlaser are significant upgrades for the team but it looks like we won't run into the same issue as the last few years where trying to integrate too many January signings saw us plummet down the table.
I'm expecting Fry back in for McNair and Barlaser on to the bench and maybe one mystery signing.
Blackpool are starting their first league match under McCarthy and you have to expect them to line up in a very defensive 5 at the back formation. Like all the managers of his era he'll be preaching a certain amount of fire and brimstone and hoping to inspire his players to bully us. He'll have seen the Sunderland and Watford games which demonstrated the best and worst ways to play against us but he doesn't have the quality in the team to do what Sunderland did.
You have to feel that we have the quality to put Blackpool to bed early but they will try some aggressive, in-your-face tactics. On paper this should be a routine win and it certainly needs to be if we are to sustain our play-off push but it's exactly the kind of game that no matter how good you are, you can lose out of nowhere. I'll keep the faith and predict a repeat of our 3-0 win from earlier in the season.
@ken - Good to have been able to see you yesterday, Ken. I was just about to send a message about having seen you, to the others you mentioned but you have beaten me to it and saved me the job!
I have always tried to be a "ray of sunshine".
Thank OFB for another interesting opener, I expect Blackpool to park the bus and try to hit us on the break, therefore I hope our fans will be patient as it could be late in the second half before we get a breakthrough, with the speed and trickery of Forss and Archer (penalty) backed up with the clinical finishing of Akpom, I am hoping for another three points.
Come on BORO.
Thanks OFB for a very informative seaside opener.
As others have said, I expect Blackpool to be rock hard to break down unless we some how are able to conjure an early goal.
MM is a wily old campaigner and will have them well set up to frustrate and if possible hit us on the break so we will need to be careful and avoid any unnecessary slip ups.
Same team as last week except DF in for PM.
A gruelling and scruffy 1-0 will do for me. CoB 😎
Thank you OFB for the excellent Headliner and the posts following on.
As others have said, I expect MM and Blackpool to have every man behind the ball and we will have to get in behind them to create the chances needed.
It will be interesting to see how Archer continues, assuming he has fully recovered from his "knock" last Saturday. He did deserve a goal one could argue for his endeavours and openings for his team mates. However one thing I did notice was his first touch let him down more than once and through it probably cost him a goal. Saying that, he is only young and not up to speed yet, when playing every week.
Negative thought, we must be due a draw. We cannot afford to drop any points if we want to keep above those close behind. So, we can keep the draw for Sheff U or WBA.
Ditto to everyone's thanks OFB. I read it in the early hours before crawling out of bed (a great read to start the day) to catch the early bus into Edinburgh, but couldn't manage typing anything remotely like a cohesive sentence at that time!
This could be a tricky fixture. Blackpool have recently given Southampton a close call in the FA Cup, and actually walloped Forest in the round before that. They also kept Sunderland to a 1-1 draw on New Years day. So this is a team capable of delivering a good result against superior (on paper) competition. That said, the benchmark for Boro has to be that Watford beat them 2-0 at Vicarage road before Watford were well beaten by the same same score at Boro.
Lets hope Archer will be the key to unlocking the tightly drilled defence we all seem to be expecting. I will not be overly concerned if it takes till later on before we do score (though I hope we might do so early on) because one of the really satisfying things that MC has given this team is patience. We will keep going and we will score.
Actually I am going to stick my neck out a bit and say we will win comfortably - 3-0. Definitely none of those eyeballs in the sky that would inhabit the rock pools on Blackpool beach!
It’s boring enough to have to list of a week’s fixture list of upcoming matches, not only for all 4 divisions of the English Football League, the Scottish League, the top European League fixtures, and steps 5 and 6 of the pyramid system affecting Northern League clubs without speculating on transfer signings now and in the future, but how is a sports statistician like me able to cope?
I’m quite happy for Michael Carrick and his staff to make all the ‘correct’ solutions in this myriad of sales and purchases, as they seem to have everything covered even if Boro reach the Premier League next season when it might be well possible to have changed 50% of the current squad. The future of our local clubs mean’s almost as much to me as does following the Boro.
What’s more the Rugby Super League starts in 2 week’s time, and there’s also two Championship Leagues fixtures and Conference Divisions to start scheduling. I’ve always taken an interest in grass roots sports, and life is difficult nowadays healthwise to give due consideration to all my favourite sports. There’s also the Speedway season due to commence later next month, plus a couple of cricket Test series including an Ashes series this year. I’ll cope as much as I’m able, though football will have to take a back seat come June.
I realise that I don’t HAVE to get so committed to other sports, but when one’s housebound watching it on television is the only outlet I have left in my armoury to keep me up to date! And that’s why music comes into play, just relaxing with no expectations as to good or bad performances. I wish that life was just as less complicated as music where it doesn’t matter if one misses part of the programme by falling asleep.
We haven’t seen many eyeballs 👀 in the sky since we changed the Carrickature of the team.
Hope the Seasiders end up being crabby after falling for our pincer movement of Akpom and Archer. AA certainly helped the breakdown of Boro and got them back onto the road to promotion!
OFB
On paper, Saturdays game looks a safe home win but Blackpool have little to lose as expectations of them winning will be small.
But we have the new manager effect where traditionally teams respond to the changes in the first few games. And the new manager in this case is a wily old character with lots of experience of this Division.
So, Boro need to be a bit wary but play at a high tempo from the start. I’m a bit uncertain of the result and so will be pleased by any kind of win.
In MC we trust.
Philip of Huddersfield
Middlesbrough vs Blackpool
Summary
Preview
Match History
Streaks
Unbeaten
Standings
Fc
1
1
Match Facts
Middlesbrough have seen over 2.5 goals in their last 5 matches against Blackpool in all competitions.
Middlesbrough have won 5 of their last 6 matches in Championship.
There have been under 2.5 goals scored in Middlesbrough's last 3 games in Championship.
Blackpool have failed to win their last 10 matches in Championship.
There have been under 2.5 goals scored in 5 of Blackpool's last 6 games in Championship.
OFB
I cannot watch the Blackpool match via RiversideLive at mfc.co.uk.
But I can see it on ViaPlay on TV instead. Please check your country's situation separately as it is highly unlikely you can see the match on mfc.co.uk. that is outside of the UK naturally.
Up the Borol
Same here in Oz. BeIn Sport are showing the Boro game on their regular channels - after the Norwich/Burnley game - so anyone who has a digital subscription to MFC can only get the commentary.
I agree with earlier comments. This could be tricky with their new players and MM in as manager. I'll be delighted if we sneak a scrappy win.
UTB
@jarkko & Selwynoz. Just discovered the good news that the EPL partner in Spain, DAZN, has chosen not to broadcast the match, so I will be able to watch via the Riverside stream. 😊😎
Why do journalists never listen to what Michael Carrick has just said, or indeed to what previous journalists have said either? They more or less ask the same questions hoping to get a different response, and Michael is too wary and polite to be fooled into giving a different response. I realise that journalists have a difficult task anyway, but they never seem to listen to what has been said before. Michael is far too canny and polite to fall for such set agendae.
In my local government career I came across certain councillors who had a certain list of questions to ask whether someone had already posed the same question previously and had received a definitive answer, but were either not pleased either with the officer’s response or unable to accept that local government officials were non-political when given the facts of the question. These people really are the most boring of people and Michael must be congratulated on his patience and tact in repeating the same answer.
Surprisingly Boro’s recent home league record at home to Blackpool is extremely poor with only one win in their last six encounters. As I recall that was in December 2012 with goals from Miller, Richie Smallwood, Scott McDonald and Adam Reach as Boro reached the dizzy heights of third position in the league table. However Boro lost 15 of their remaining 21 matches to finish in 16th position. Indeed Boro’s record against the Tangerines resulted in two defeats and three draws in those 6 matches. Not that I’m expecting anything other than a home win this afternoon, but Boro might need an early goal to settle the home crowd’s nerves. As Michael Carrick has mentioned the Tangerines have won at Coventry, Huddersfield and QPR, earned a point at the Stadium of Light and only lost 1-2 at Southampton in the FA Cup this season, and with Mick McCarthy now in charge, today’s fixture might not be the cake walk that some Boro fans anticipate.
I hope and expect Boro to win, and 1-0 will satisfy yours truly.
Today's starting XI - Barlaser on the bench:
Finally, I hope, the effects of the radio therapy are beginning to wear off. Long may it continue and I can say I never want to experience that six weeks again. They tell you it won't be a great experience but nothing really prepares you, never mind still here and I even had a glass of wine last week, the first since August. Here's hoping Boro win today although I'm not going forecast a result because my optimism will put the mockers on them.
I've always liked Blackpool just because of the colour of their strip. Are they the only team that uses tangerine as a main colour? I'm sure Ken knows and here's hoping ken is well too.
I've enjoyed reading all the posts even though my contributions have been little or nothing, keep it up DiasBoro.
A tricky game against a team with an experienced and wily manager, anyway Boro just don't concede and that will be a great start.
All the best everyone.
UTB,
John
Hayden Hackney booked in the seventh minute for what the Beeb describes as a "bad foul".
Vic's first impression:
Some snarling, tenacious battling from Boro there. Tackles, wrestling, upper body strength shrugging challenges off. Getting stuck right in. Teesside aggro!
Akpom continues on his merry way, putting Boro in front in the 32nd minute, assisted by HH. 🙂
Akpom bags his second in the 59th minute, assisted this tie by McGree.
Paddy, of all people, makes it 3-0 in the 70th minute, assisted by Lenihan after a Jonny Howson corner.
Barlaser on for HH in the 63rd minute.