Boro v Cardiff
Tuesday 13 th September 2022
Riverside Stadium
K.O 19:45 Hours
After a short break in the season as a mark of respect to our late Queen Elizabeth II we hopefully return to football on this forthcoming Tuesday evening.
As things stand, midweek fixtures look more likely to go ahead than next weekend's games, but the EFL plan meetings with the Safety Advisory Group as soon as possible before final decisions are made.
Boro who now occupy a more improved 17th place with 9 points welcome our visitors Cardiff City who currently occupy a relegation spot in 22nd place with 8 points so fine margins indeed.
Of course, given the nature of the Championship, we’re only four points away from the play-offs, so Wilder will expect Boro to improve over the coming months to ensure we are firmly in the hunt for promotion when it matters.
Nevertheless, the opening eight games have given plenty of food for thought and have shown where Boro need to improve in order to climb the table.
All of us Diasborians realise that the huge turnover of players in the summer has meant that patience was needed as Wilder is still finding his best team. The new signings are slowly integrating into the squad and learning how each other play. That’s going to take time, so whilst it might not be pretty at the moment, Boro need to keep grinding out the results as they build up an understanding.
The likes of Matt Clarke, Ryan Giles and Rodrigo Muniz have already made their mark on the team, along with the other new recruits. What is disappointing is that the midfield does tend to get overrun in the second period of the game and perhaps the signing of Massimo Luongo will assist in strengthening this department.
We all know that on paper, that this Boro team is a squad that has quality, depth and plenty of experience and know-how at this level. It should certainly be enough for Wilder to get by until January and he will be hoping for consistency from his side moving forward. The problem with signings in January though is that they tend to be very expensive, although loan signings are always available to top up the squad. As we have seen over the past few seasons having too many loan players has meant a major rebuild at the end of a season as they have returned to their parent clubs.
The Cardiff City manager Steve Morrison brought in plenty of new names throughout the summer.
However, it hasn’t quite done the job for the Bluebirds who sit in the relegation zone having lost half of their games so far this season.
One player that’s really stood out as being quite underwhelming for Cardiff City is Max Watters. Fans have been posting in their forums and I quote
“Eight games so far this season with no goals, coming into the campaign we did think that this may be his time to really set off as a Cardiff City player, got a couple of goals in the pre-season games and had quite a successful loan spell at MK Dons last year as well. Didn’t really get a chance after that with Jordan Hugill and Uche Ikpeazu coming in but this season just really hasn’t been the one for him “ unquote
So Boro are not the only team in this league who are struggling for goals and strikers.
The past few games for this fixture show some interesting results.
18/7/20 Boro v Cardiff L 1-3
24/10/20 Cardiff v Boro D 1-1
27/2/21 Boro v Cardiff D 1-1
23/10/21 Cardiff v Boro W 0-2
27/4/22 Boro v Cardiff W 2-0
Boro this season are unbeaten in four home games and the fans are creating a good atmosphere at the Riverside Stadium and it’s proven to be a tough place for the opposition to play.
If Boro are to seal a return to the Premier League, then home form is crucial and we should see a positive result on Tuesday.
Me??
I’m going for a 2 0 win
Up The Boro
God Save the King
OFB
Thanks OFB another excellent read.
Flying into Teesside tomorrow and will be at the Riverside on Tuesday night with my brother and nephew.
I am hoping that the Riverside crowd show their respect and appreciation for our late Queen and that the team go on to play well and record their first win under the reign of our new King. CoB 2-0 😎
Thanks OFB for another excellent starter.
Come on BORO.
Currently on Twitter
Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder is ready to stick with goalkeeper Liam Roberts. #ManCity had wanted Zack Steffen to play every week, but he could now be struggling to get back in the team.
OFB
Thanks for another great opener OFB
Well, as things stand , Boro have yet to lose a match in the new Carolean era. Long may that continue to be true !!
Time to hit 3 in honour of our new King, Charles 3rd. So 3-0 to Boro it is for me, should the game go ahead that is.
Thanks for the Headliner OFB, excellent as ever.
Another must win match, if only to keep up/catch up with those above us.
At least the older players will had had a period of rest, so no excuses for tired legs.
Midfield really does need to pick up and start to make their presence felt.
So probably no changes to the starting eleven if it goes ahead.
With no football at the moment and Cricket matches starting on different days of the week I’m becoming continually confused as to what day of the week we’re at never mind what year it is as I’m watching more DVDs and listening to more music instead of watching television. Sometimes I feel we must have gone completely metric with ten days in a week.
Thanks OFB for your match preview. I am disappointed to have had to make the decision that, at least until I get to see how the cost of gas/electricity works out, I must limit my spending on attending matches so I will not be there on Tuesday. With the postponement of the Blackpool game we now have a chance to win 3 home games in a row which would help improve our early season position. Cardiff's even worse (just) start hopefully makes them suitable victims. It will look better if we get a + goal difference.
It seems that barring injuries Wilder has decided his best available starting line up. Muniz starting with McGree as a, so far, goal scoring No. 10 allows Watmore to be used later as a sub to cause problems to tiring opposition defences. Our defence looked good early in the games against Swansea and Sunderland, after the usual slow start, but must show up better both at the start and end of games.
Regarding the fuel costs, I expect that most of us will have grown up before central heating became normal. I look back on life in Woodlands Road with my attic bedroom and ice covering the inside of the windows. We normally could only afford a coal fire in one room (which also provided hot water) but that was how we had to live and we got by. Even with central heating, I have always tried to reduce winter bills by wrapping up in several layers but if prices rise as much as forecast I will see how much I can put up with a cooler house though I suspect that I have allowed myself to be softened up.
Many thanks OFB.
Football has obviously taken a bit of a back step over the last few days but I’m glad that we’re back tonight.
There doesn’t seem to be too much to discuss from a Boro point of view as we all know that we expect a win tonight (and Saturday) with probably the same XI and definitely the same desire to keep a clean sheet.
A couple of wins and the season would be up and running for us.
There’s no such thing as a must win game at this stage of the season but we really can’t be letting games like tonight pass us by.
Home win for me.
Thank you, @OFB, for another excellent start for the next game.
I have been travelling with a long weekend, so I might have missed a few posts.
What I would like to say is that I am delighted that we have Massimo Luongo in the squad now. It was clever for the club to have a plan C after the agreed loan of a Brentford midfielder collapsed because another Brentford midfielder got injured the previous week.
So well done. Now we have six midfielders (incl. Boyd-Munce) for the three midfield spots if we play a 3-5-2 system. And adding another midfielder was even more important if we play 3-5-1-1 as in most recent matches.
It is good to have the 3-5-1-1 option available - and we have played quite well with that. But I think Wilder must plan to play with his normal 3-5-2 system more often in the future as we have five strikers in our registered 23 squad (which did include Fisher but not Hoppe as he is registered as an U21 player).
I hope our good home form will continue. And I will be happy with a clean sheet and a 1-0 win, for example. Let's worry about our away form after the International break when we have had more time on the training pitch.
I am feeling much more positive now, when we've got the extra midfielder available. And I think the International break will come just at the right time to have more time for bedding-in the new players.
Up the Boro!
You can find our EFL registered players (23 in all) here: https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/middlesbroughs-final-23-man-squad-24999847
Up the Boro!
Dale Stephens Is Currently Training With Middlesbrough At The Moment. Stephens is a Free Agent After Leaving Burnley This Summer. (Telegraph Sport)
OFB
Luongo and Stephens (possibly) seem to be a Bamba/Peltier type signings, which were more than useful last season. If they do well between now and January, they could be offered a contract until the end of the season (also depending on which midfielders are available in January) which would save us money for the summer transfer window. With the yellow card count as high as it is and Howson’s legs, we certainly need midfield cover.
Come on BORO.
Darragh Lenihan will miss the next matches before the international break. However, Paddy McNair has been training and is in contention to return against Cardiff tonight (Teeside Live).
OFB
This is Boro’s 77th season since the Second World War (or alternatively in my lifetime) and Boro have spent 32 of them in the top league, 43 in the second tier, and thankfully only 2 in the third tier. They have always relied on their home generally especially outside of the top tiers, once losing only 10 home matches in 6 seasons from 1968 to 1974. During those past 76 years they have rarely managed a home run of less than 4 consecutive home wins during a season whilst in the lower tiers in sharp contrast to those seasons in the top tier.
Only last season they won 8 consecutive home wins from early December to early March. Perhaps something like that sort of form may be needed to sustain at least a playoff place this season, but are they at the beginning of such a run at this moment, well we can only dream?
Of course this season I wouldn’t expect Boro to manage that in a league where surprise draws and defeats frequently occur. Although the next two home matches look inviting enough I would settle for 4 points at this time. Only Sheffield United have shown consistent form so far this season, and if Boro continue to win 3 out of every 4 home matches with a splattering of draws and maybe no more than a couple of home defeats during the season that may suffice as long as they improve their away form.
Incidentally the highest number of successive home wins was in 1954/55, the season after relegation from the First Division. After drawing the first match of the season at Plymouth Boro lost the next 8 matches 4 of which were at home, but then won 9 successive home matches. Although there weren’t any transfer windows in those days, it was the triple signing in mid September of Charlie Wayman, Joe Scott and winger Bert Mitchell that transformed the team who already had Lindy Delapenha in their ranks. It wasn’t all plain sailing though as during that spell after beating West Ham 6-0, Boro lost 0-9 at Blackburn seven days later but undeterred, continued that amazing home winning run by beating Fulham 4-2 in the next match.
I’ve been trying to buy a live pass for tonight’s game but struggling on the MFC site. Has anyone managed to buy one?
All sorted now. After yesterday’s house move a live game is just what I need. A live win would be icing on the cake.
Thanks for the match preview OFB and a thorough examination of tonight's opponents Cardiff, who are surely there for the taking. Indeed, I'm more than ready to see football resume as after 5 days I hope I'm not the only football supporter now being over the sad news that a 96-year old woman that I've only ever seen on TV has sadly passed away.
In fact, having watched the highlights of the test cricket on Saturday it seems those playing and attending were able focus on the game, enjoy and cheer their team without believing it was somehow disrespectful to do so. If you only watched BBC1 you may believe most of the UK population is somehow unable to get over the news and can't move on in what is beginning to appear like an exercise in subliminal Royalist indoctrination.
I get the news that the Queen has died and her son Charles has taken over as head of state - how many angles do I need on that story and do I need to care if Princes William and Harry may even walk together during the funeral in a show of reconciliation. Still, don't get started on the ceremonies of swearing-in of the new head of state in language barely intelligible or relevant with ever-increasing bizarre costumes being worn by men carrying medieval weapons.
OK, I know many people love it but it leaves me shaking my head at how utterly surreal and quite frankly out of touch it appears in a democracy of the 21st century! Though, the other almost dystopian images are the crowds lining the procession of the Queen's coffin where 99% are holding their smart-phones above their heads to film it as the car passes - all ready to upload to social media to prove they were there and get the likes they crave! We live in weird world - or maybe it's just me who lives in it?
OK, mini rant over and please ignore it as it's not intended to offend but I just needed to get it off my chest before I start thinking that I've suddenly woken up Alice in Wonderland - off with his head! Still, I've already stuck a few labels on the beer in the fridge in preparation for tonight that says 'drink me'...
As for the football, well Boro need to win this one if they hope to get themselves out of their early-season rabbit hole and up the table before the international break. I expect Boro will be coming out the blocks quickly and attacking down both flanks where I expect Muniz will be gleefully awaiting the service he craves. I wouldn't start McNair if he's fit but Wilder probably would - though Mowatt and Clarke need to do better than they did last time out but I agree Roberts hasn't done anything wrong to see Steffen return in goal.
Prediction: 3-0 to Boro and the return of optimism!
Werdermouth
Could win, should win, but not too sure they will win. Shouldn’t make the slightest bit of difference really I know, but Boro have only beaten Cardiff 15 times in 32 league encounters on Teesside. I wouldn’t be too disappointed with a draw as long as they beat Rotherham on Saturday.
@werdermouth I could have written that post of yours. I’m struggling to understand people’s reaction to another person dying.
Team News...
So Wilder brings McNair back after injury and McGree continues as the number ten behind Muniz. Roberts continues in goal but Steffen still injured as not on the bench. Also on the bench is new signing Luongo
@werdermouth and Martin Bellamy
It’s not the fact that HRH has died, it’s the fact that she gave so much dedication to not only the Country but the Commonwealth also and to many she was the matriarch of the people for 70 years and respected as one of THE family and deserves respect in this period of mourning by those whose life she had enlightened even though most have never actually met her.
The number of people especially sporting heroes who have met her are bereaved and genuinely speak lovingly about her. If people are nauseated by the attention that her death has received. then tough. I suppose the same people are nauseated by the attention that Jesus Christ receives to this day. Let people mourn how they wish, for I think that negative comments of what is happening during this period of mourning are quite inappropriate on a football forum.
That’s my rant over now when I’m trying not be as outspoken as I used to be. I’m not particularly a royalist nor an anti-royalist but I’ll still sing “God save our gracious King”:who ever he is or might be in the future.
All I can say is that we differ on our view on what the monarchy represents to us individually and I've never felt any personal bond with the Queen as I've never met her but only seen her on TV. Others as you say will have different experiences and different values and she herself was born into the job and carried it out by all accounts very well.
I don't agree in the concept of King or Queen in a democracy and that elected MPs can't sit in Parliament unless they swear an allegiance to the Monarch. I'm personally not in mourning as the Queen was a remote figure to me and not someone I regarded as part of the family. Still, I respect those who do but don't understand how.
I have never said or sung God Save the Queen as I'm both an atheist and a democrat who doesn't agree with having a royal family. I thought the UK had moved on from being ruled by monarchs descended by birth through a family and was now supposed to be a democracy. People are still acting if they are subjects of the King or Queen rather than citizens of a democratic country. It's a contradiction that hasn't gone away and looks like continuing for some time yet. I respect the Queen served her country as she believed was right but I'm not going to be in mourning at her passing until next week.
Had problems getting the live feed to work on the MFC site - finally got it working to see Boro already 2-0 down after 20 minutes!! If this doesn't get any better I think I'll have an early night - Not the start I was expecting.
Having to watch the match on the TV, and considering how it has started, pleased to not be there.
Two mistakes from the midfield (once again) and two goals. This has to be the worst midfield three that I have seen for many a season.
As I said I missed the goals but worrying to hear more mistakes in midfield have led to them - not seen much evidence that Boro are going to score three tonight and turn it around - another goal from Cardiff and it's all over!
Unbelievable, Boro just let the Cardiff attacker walk through the defence while they watched - I think Mowatt was beaten twice without him getting above jogging pace. 0-3 Game Over!
Thank goodness I’m not able to find the Boro match on the red button. I don’t know why it should be, but to quote a racing terminology it’s strange how ‘horses for. courses’ repeats itself. Am I the only one who thinks this Boro team might be unfit for purpose. Cardiff’s record on Teesside is quite good and if as likely Boro lose tonight it certainly cannot be classed as a surprise when only one point separated the two clubs before tonight. although the scoreline may be so. It’s almost deja-vu from 2008 when Championship side Cardiff knocked Premiership Boro out of the Quarterfinal of the FA Cup when a trip to Wembley seemed almost guaranteed.
Unfortuanately Mr Wilder is a one trick pony and half way through LAST season the other teams sussed us out.
This season as well documented on here, Boro have continued where they left off from last. This has to be the worst 45 minutes seen for many years.
We have brought in defenders, we have brought in goalkeepers, and we have brought in a mix of other players. Very few any better than we had.
We have overloaded on forwards and play with one up front using wing backs. Does Wilder actually know what he is doing. Not on tonight’s and other performances this season.
I said before the game that we needed to stop our slow starts but now we have had a no-start! A team that had acored 4 goals in 7 games have scored 3 against us in the 1st half. Ponderous play. It looks like we rely on teams allowing us time to play the way we want but if they move the ball around faster than we can they overun us. No service to the striker(s), slow midfield and defence allows opposition to walk past without attempting to stop them.
Has Wilder got the ability to get this squad to compete?