After another high-profile dull distraction of predictable matters on the international stage, it's time for another gritty episode in the Championship kitchen-sink drama as Boro prepare once more to carefully tread those less certain local boards. Neil Warnock's team also resume their unblinking rivalry with the illegally blonde Donald and his never-say-dye side-kick, Rudy Giuliani, in the contest to see who will avoid conceding first - though it may require Boro to continue their shutout well into 2021 if they are to have any chance in wrestling that particular title away from team Trump with its bizarre combination of pathological petulance, surreal incompetence and irresponsible incitement from the baddest of all bad losers.
Still, by far the biggest threat to Boro's solid unbeaten run was perhaps the unfortunate and totally unnecessary presentation to Neil Warnock of the dreaded Manager of the Month award for October. 'Superstitious nonsense' I hear some cry, which they may literally do when I remind what happened to a certain Jonathan Woodgate after he proudly posed with his nervously smiling coaching team holding the same award back in early January - sadly his team failed to win any of their next ten games as Boro dropped to 21st place in the table and into a real threat of relegation. Nevertheless, the pessimists on Teesside can take solace from the fact that Neil Warnock has now won the Championship Manager of the Month award a record eleven times, two ahead of his nearest rival Chris Hughton.
Although, given its cursed nature, it's perhaps the kind of record that is more one of a relief to still be around to collect again than something that is set out to achieve. It's possibly similar to the one set by John 'the flying fish' Bream, who created new world record last month for 'jumping into water from an aircraft without a parachute' - although it's not immediately clear how you discover that you're good a that particular task. In setting a new high of 140 feet, Mr Bream fell briefly unconscious after hitting the water before being hauled out of the sea by support divers. He declared to the media the next day: "It's all good - I've just got a bit of a sore backside" and went onto explain: "I was hit by a gust of wind halfway down so didn't get the best entry but at least I didn't go in horizontal, which would have been fatal." Thankfully, the ex-paratrooper survived as somewhat ironically the jump was made to raise £5,000 to help prevent veterans suicide - surely there must be safer ways to fund such good causes!
Talking of those whose leap of faith plunged their career into troubled waters, Ben Gibson will finally return to play at the Riverside on Saturday - though he's said it's not an occasion he'll enjoy and many on Teesside will be hoping he's right. The former Boro captain is now on loan at Norwich and finally playing again after almost two years without a game at Burnley under Sean Dyche. Following a muted start, the Canaries have started singing again after flying up the table, where they're nicely perched in third spot thanks to a seven-game unbeaten run. Daniel Farke's side are now just one point off the top and three ahead of Boro, who are now just outside the play-offs in seventh after two goalless draws.
Ultimately, it's probably that failure to score that could risk Boro's prospects of mounting a serious top-six challenge this season and Neil Warnock has clearly been pondering during the break over what more he needs to do find a more potent attack. As it turned out, it was Watmore he needs - though Duncan to more precise. The former Black Cat is hopefully poised to end Boro's bad luck when the attack crosses the path to finding the back of the net. Although, signing attack-minded players is one thing but finding a way to play them in the team can prove more difficult, which has been demonstrated by the lack of pitch time Patrick Roberts has so far received.
Perhaps the return of allowing five substitutes will offer more opportunities to make an impact for players like Marcus Browne and Lewis Wing, who have become used to being mainly socially-distanced from those on the pitch. Though with eleven games in the next five weeks or so, Neil Warnock will need to utilise his squad if he is to avoid the usual winter attrition. The Boro manager has some decisions to make over whether players like Paddy McNair need resting after three games on international duty. At least defender Grant Hall has returned to fitness but Warnock may be reluctant to rest McNair for a tough game against Norwich with Hall likely to be a little rusty - perhaps next Wednesday's visit by bottom-club Derby has been pencilled in as a day off for the Northern Irish ever-present.
With nearly a quarter of games now played, Boro appear to have almost all the ingredients needed to do well this season - an experienced manager who both knows how to get results in the Championship and is a great man-manager, a team that is solid and well organised with now just one goal conceded in their last seven games, plus perhaps most importantly a good team spirit with a willingness to work hard. The only thing lacking is the team's ability to score goals - fix that and there's every chance that this will be a season to remember. In a even-looking league, a chance of promotion is there to be won and a preventing a good Norwich side from trying to snatch the points from the Riverside would certainly make that more likely - "Stop the Steal" I think is what Boro's commander-in-chief might say...
I’ve heard it said that it’s not the fall that hurts you but the collision with the ground, and I can vouch for that as already 3 times this year I’ve fallen and it’s been my head that’s taken the brunt of the fall and that’s only from a height of about five and a half feet. Now whether that has knocked some sense into me or has done the opposite is open to conjecture. However should Boro fall into oblivion after tomorrow’s match is also open to conjecture. The fact is that although Boro have now gone 10 League matches unbeaten, the pessimists might state that they have gone 180 minutes now without scoring. A defeat tomorrow won’t be a disaster but the ‘fall’ in their League position might be significant. I can’t see Norwich failing to score tomorrow, so Boro must break its goalless streak to avoid a defeat. Would most fans be happy though with a 1-1 draw, or any draw come to that? Looking back at history there have been several times that Boro have seen an end of an unbeaten run of 9 matches ending with a defeat in the 10th match usually after a 6 win 3 draw sequence. This time it’s slightly different with a 4 win 5 draw sequence, but will the curse of the 10th match defeat rear its ugly head again, because I can’t recall Boro winning the following match either? In the 1956/57 season for example it was November that Boro lost its next 5 matches following a 9 match unbeaten run. Now I’m not particularly superstitious, but the thought of a repetition of that WOULD be disastrous. But maybe this Boro side is made of sterner stuff. Let’s hope so!
Thanks Werder for another enjoyable pre match article. I chuckled at "surely there must be safer ways to fund such good causes!"
Tough game tomorrow against a team who we have struggled to beat in recent seasons if my memory serves me correctly and Ken's post about our record of losing the 10th game after a non losing run does not bode well. In addition, we are also at the mercy of the curse of the returning old boys, coupled with the recently awarded MoTM award which I see NW is trying to get rid of as quickly as possible by raffling it for charity! So all in all the runes do not look promising.
In any promotional season you need to ensure that you do not lose to your nearest rivals and take three points off the sides lower in the league so a ⚽ - ⚽ would probably not be a bad result as long as we start winning against the likes of Derby etc. I expect a tight game with only one goal at best in it and just hope it is us. CoB. 😎
PS Just ordered a new golf wet weather jacket (yes it does rain in Spain and usually when I am as far away from the club house as is possible to be) whose trade mark is Sunderland! Does it make me a traitor to the cause!
@k-p-in-spain Does the jacket have stripes, too? Keep sure nobody sees you Wear-ing it. So Wear only when playing alone.
@werder, thanks for starting a new thread, again. Good read as ever.
I think we need a win to catch Norwich. Otherwise the gap becomes too big. Minimum a draw but win will do nicely.
Interesting to see if McNair will be rested. If so, who will take over - Hall or Wood? Experince or youth and excitement?
We need to win to upper our points per game average, too. So I will go for a 2-1 win with an Assombalonga brace. Up the Boro!
Werder, many thanks for the preview as witty and topical as ever. A win would be beyond wonderful so in a burst of enthusiasm and optimism I'm going for a 1-0 to Boro. Having said that it will probably be 2-1 with Norwich scoring first.
I wonder what OFB's prediction will be?
Stay safe everyone.
UTB,
John
I think we need a win to catch Norwich. Otherwise the gap becomes too big. Minimum a draw but win will do nicely.
jarkko, I would never had you down as one of the Boro pessimists, gap too big after 12 games, really. Yes we are going to lose games and tomorrow might be the second this season but may I remind everyone that, apart from Bournemouth, the other 5 teams above us have all lost 2 or 3 matches before this weekends fixtures.
I am pleased to see that they have given Watmore a short term contract to prove himself which can be extended, mid January is about the right length.
The U23’s have got back to their winning ways with a 4-1 mauling away at Wolves.
Come on BORO.
@exmil I thought I was positive to think we belong above Norwich and near the top 😇. A win and close to the 2 points per game. In Boro we trust. Up the Boro!
Thanks Werder - superb opener full of wit as always.
Norwich look the best side in the league at present but, let’s face it, we’re bloody awful to play against!
1-1.
That's a relief! A short contract to prove himself for Watmore. Thank goodness someone is finally thinking straight. A detailed run down of his history from being a promising youth player seems to be littered with injuries which were not quite career finishing (but not exactly encouraging) so best wishes to Watmore and see what happens.
Thanks Werder - not only does NW have to overcome the Manager of the Month curse he also has the Typical Boro problem (unless we avoid defeat against Norwich and save this for Derby) and Ken has pointed out our dodgy 10th match history.
As the pubs are closed I will be able to open a bottle of wine without worrying about going over the 14 units per week limit though, having been warned after last month's checkup that I am now at high risk of diabetes, my after match cream cakes are finished with. Although I miss the crowd atmosphere, I am enjoying watching at home and am glad I don't have to regularly travel over twice a week. If restricted crowds are allowed to attend later in the season I doubt if I will apply unless I am successfully vaccinated as the train journey over, getting to and from the Riverside and the hotel look too risky at my age.
So far the season has been much better than I expected. Even against Watford I thought we were the better team and just one defensive mistake cost us a point. I don't see us as a boring team relying on a packed defence, as we do get a lot more players quicker upfield than previously and play the ball around well. It is still the shortage of goals from strikers, midfielders and even defenders from set pieces that continues to be the problem.
Not heard from Pedro in a while. Hope everything is OK. 😎
@david-in-cumbria I’ve had type 2 diabetes for over 20 years and now after losing so much weight have been told it’s gone! Dry white wine and watch your sugar I take nutrisweet. Do this and you should be ok.
OFB
Werder many thanks for your report appreciated as always.
What more plaudits we say? Thoroughly well deserved and so say all of us.
Apparently Whatmore is still rated at Sunderland and NW said in his presser that he had been impressed at his improvement over the past few weeks.
So Ben returns to his old stomping ground and to be honest his last season with us he was poor. I think Paddy will play and as NW alluded to he said that Paddy just strolls around at the back when he plays for us.
So I’ve going for......,.
Eyeballs 👀 in the sky
⚽️⚽️
OFB
Nothing to fear today......
Yes a bit odd, his last post was over a month ago now - hopefully, he's ok.
So Saville returns instead of Wing and Johnson gets the nod over Coulson on the left, otherwise it's the same team as last time. Akpom once more favoured ahead of Britt and it seems McNair is sufficiently recovered from his international exertions.
This will be a tough game and while Norwich are now top the form table ahead of Boro, they've not been free scoring so it could be another tight game that is decided by a single goal.
Prediction: It's tempting to go for another 0-0 but I think Boro will just edge this one - o.g.Ben Gibson anyone 😉
Prediction: It's tempting to go for another 0-0 but I think Boro will just edge this one - o.g.Ben Gibson anyone 😉
And the odds on a goal for the Canaries by Hugill? 😮
At least Pukki is rested for Norwich. On Wednesday he scored the only goal Wales conceded during all their Nation League mathces.
Good for Boro. I rather see Hygill than Pukki against Boro. Up the Boro!
Not a great spectacle so far with the defence and midfield looking solid. Akpom has held the ball up well and brought others into play. Need more from Spence and Johnson in the final third where again we have lacked quality.
NW may have to gamble with Roberts or Whatmore if we are to get three points. 😎
The first half was pretty much standard Boro - they've managed to prevent Norwich from having any clear-cut chances on goal but that's come at the cost of not creating any real chances at the other end either. OK, a few half chances but nothing that has really troubled Tim Krull. Spence has had some joy on the right but tends to be indecisive with his final ball - maybe we need a a Roberts or Watmore to add some quality but who is going to get on the end of those chances? Akpom has shown some good touches outside the box but unless we see some centre-forward play in the box then scoring will remain a problem. We still could nick this game but it may depend on a mistake or a moment of quality that is yet absent from the game.
The first half was pretty much standard Boro - they've managed to prevent Norwich from having any clear-cut chances on goal but that's come at the cost of not creating any real chances at the other end either. OK, a few half chances but nothing that has really troubled Tim Krull. Spence has had some joy on the right but tends to be indecisive with his final ball - maybe we need a a Roberts or Watmore to add some quality but who is going to get on the end of those chances? Akpom has shown some good touches outside the box but unless we see some centre-forward play in the box then scoring will remain a problem. We still could nick this game but it may depend on a mistake or a moment of quality that is yet absent from the game.
That accords pretty much with AV's assessment of the half, though in fewer words, for obvious reasons:
Textbook Warnock first 45 from Boro: pressing & closing & hustling a good team out of their shape & rhythm in midfield, tight at the back, occasional glimpses up front to unsettle but not yet hurt Norwich
😉
Next best thing to an OG by Gibbo: penalty conceded after a foul on Tav, but not converted. 🙁
Next best thing to an OG by Gibbo: penalty conceded after a fowl on Tav, but not converted. 🙁
He scored, but was apparently adjudged to have touched the ball twice after slipping. 🙁 Can't see it myself. *shakes head*
P.S. Pukki on for Hugill at half-time.