So it’s the owls on Saturday as we wing our way to the end of the season not giving two hoots about the result but hoping we can ruffle a few feathers.
My memory of Sheffield Wednesday is of course the great 73/74 season when Boro won 8 -0 with a hat trick by Graeme Souness. The Owls did manage to put one in the net but it was disallowed and the crowd started chanting “ you’re not allowed to score against the Boro!”
It is well known that if you wear a hat you are considered to be a gentleman, who is not complete without a Saville row suit. Our own Saville, Gentleman George could make a striking impression again, as he did the other night playing in a more forward position which was probably his best game all season.
Our young debutant Malley has to start this game after displaying such vision in playing killer balls into open space for team mates to run onto and creating goal scoring chances.
The thing that has impressed me lately is that the Boro are playing with a smile on their faces again. It shows that if there are any dissenting voices in the squad or team mates not pulling their weight it affects all the players.
It was nice to see a video clip in the dressing room after the game that all the Boro players applauded young Connor after such an impressive debut. Malley, whose ginger hair has led to him being nicknamed ‘Scholesy’ on the training ground – “they've been calling me that since I’ve been up with the first team, the lads have been fantastic, they’re a great group” - had become the 940th player to pull on a Boro shirt since the club’s first league game in 1899. He is also the latest in a long line of academy products to have progressed through the club’s renowned Hurworth finishing school to make it into professional football.
Perhaps Neil Warnock should be looking at how goalkeepers should be impressing and supporting their team as I’m afraid that the two who have played for us in the first team this season have been extremely poor.
Sheff Wed will not be an easy opponent on Saturday but then every game in the Championship can prove to be a difficult hurdle.
So let’s have your opinions and forecasts please. Me? I’m going for the Boro to win 2-1.
OFB
So it’s the ......
Ever get that feeling of dejavu Bob? 😉
Thanks, Bob, for all of your great efforts, well beyond the call of duty. And in the middle of the night.
Hope you managed to get a bit of well-earned sleep.
Thanks Bob. Much appreciated and hope I didn't keep you up all night by not taking this one on.
Hah !
I dropped off to sleep and then woke up and thought it’s blooming late to get the opening written so went into the spare bedroom an looked at the Boro fixture list and misread who we were playing.
For some reason the Luton game was highlighted on the list and I wrote the piece putting all the hat references in (very clever I thought to myself !)
Then shock horror as Jarkko who is of course an hour ahead of us posted that i had made a mistake and we were playing Sheffield Wednesday on a Saturday!
So I quickly drafted up some opening notes and posted !
It will teach me not to leave things until the last minute so it’s not your fault it’s just this crazy compacted season when the games come thick and fast.
For next season if you would like to still write and share opening leaders with myself and Redcar Red (All others invited) we can plan accordingly.
RR and myself are on LinkedIn FB and have each other’s email if you would like to share your contact details with me my email is
robin.davison@tiscali.co.uk
Apart from this slight hiccup! we seem to have managed the leader posts quite well this season and having different writers gives differing viewpoints.
Hopefully next season we will have plenty to write about and might even have play off games and a final to write about !
UP THE BORO
OFB
Thanks OFB for this and the many other previews you have done this season. I think we all will be happy when this season is over so it's a pity we can't also fit the Luton and Wycombe games into this Saturday.
I did enjoy the rare win though I will be disappointed if that has cost Rotherham the chance to catch Derby. Our recent form did indicate that we would have found it a lot harder to recover from the early goal conceded if Rotherham hadn't had a player sent off. There have been several games in the past when the Radio Tees commentators have pointed out that Bola has been left marking the tallest opponent at corners and free kicks with the usual result. I had picked Malley as the man of the match and am always pleased to see an academy player make the grade. I hope he hasn't set too high a standard for himself and will be able to work his way into the squad as we need a midfielder who is comfortable on the ball and forward looking. It was good to see us playing the ball along the ground and Watmore and Akpom were a lot more effective.
I expect Sheffield Wednesday to put up a hard fight though their recent away form suggests they need a typical BORO performance if they are to pick up points.
I am two hours ahead of BST in Finland. So I wanted to be the first to remind about the opposition, mate.
The new Owls piece is as great work as ever and the Hatters story is there in safe waiting us after tomorrow.
Up the Boro!
Hi Bob, join the nocturnal brigade. I still haven’t got used to putting the clocks forward yet as I’m not going to bed till 1am or even later. I’ve just listed the top 57 players appearances (must be all the baked beans I’m eating 😂. I hope nobody’s expecting me to list all 940 now after young Connor’s debut. But isn’t it great to see an academy player having such a confident debut. I remember Adam Reach making a scoring debut in the final match of the 2010/11 season against Doncaster and of course Steve McClaren (or was it actually Steve Gibson?)picking a team of local lads in the final match of the season at Fulham three days before the EUFA Cup Final. I can’t see Neil Warnock doing that in our final match of the season against Wycombe though as we must preserve the integrity of the competition with the Chairboys still having an outside chance of staving off relegation at the moment.
Anyway a good prologue for Boro’s penultimate home match, surely Boro will win this one, although not 8-0. Well done, I’m wondering if Werdermouth or indeed Anthony Vickers sometimes pop in to read Diasboro to see what a fine website they created.
Hi Bob, join the nocturnal brigade. I still haven’t got used to putting the clocks forward yet as I’m not going to bed till 1am or even later. I’ve just listed the top 57 players appearances (must be all the baked beans I’m eating), but I hope nobody’s expecting me to list all 940 now after young Connor’s debut. But isn’t it great to see an academy player having such a confident debut. I remember Adam Reach making a scoring debut in the final match of the 2010/11 season against Doncaster and of course Steve McClaren (or was it actually Steve Gibson?)picking a team of local lads in the final match of the season at Fulham three days before the EUFA Cup Final. I can’t see Neil Warnock doing that in our final match of the season against Wycombe though as we must preserve the integrity of the competition with the Chairboys still having an outside chance of staving off relegation at the moment.
Anyway a good prologue for Boro’s penultimate home match, surely Boro will win this one, although not 8-0. Well done, I’m wondering if Werdermouth or indeed Anthony Vickers sometimes pop in to read Diasboro to see what a fine website they created.
Hi Bob, join the nocturnal brigade. I still haven’t got used to putting the clocks forward yet as I’m not going to bed till 1am or even later. I’ve just listed the top 57 players appearances (must be all the baked beans I’m eating), but I hope nobody’s expecting me to list all 940 now after young Connor’s debut. But isn’t it great to see an academy player having such a confident debut. I remember Adam Reach making a scoring debut in the final match of the 2010/11 season against Doncaster and of course Steve McClaren (or was it actually Steve Gibson?)picking a team of local lads in the final match of the season at Fulham three days before the EUFA Cup Final. I can’t see Neil Warnock doing that in our final match of the season against Wycombe though as we must preserve the integrity of the competition with the Chairboys still having an outside chance of staving off relegation at the moment.
Anyway a good prologue for Boro’s penultimate home match, surely Boro will win this one, although not 8-0. Well done, I’m wondering if Werdermouth or indeed Anthony Vickers sometimes pop in to read Diasboro to see what a fine website they created.
Following my last verse about David in Cumbria, which followed the same limerick rhythm pattern of all the other verses I'd written, AndyR's monicker lent itself very nicely to something different: a well known tune that those of a certain vintage might recognise if they had a black and white TV set in the house when they were younger.
Anyways, I've posted it after the Home Thoughts From Cumbria rhyme in the DIASBORO IN VERSE thread. So, bit by bit picking off some regulars. If you haven't had a verse yet, i will be trying to get around to you eventually !! For now, I hope you enjoy this latest one.
It is being reported that we are interested in GK, Wayne Hennessey from Crystal Palace, the 34 yr old is out of contract at the end of the season.
Come on BORO.
OFB,
Thanks for the header, and the confusion! I took my two midfield enforcers out early this morning and thought I'd got the game wrong, so much so that I had to look up the fixtures at when I got back at 7.00am. Getting up early is bad for you, obviously.
As for a prediction, hmmm, Mr Warnock has beed winding them up so maybe they'll be like my two Jack Russells and up for a rumble. I reckon it'll be a draw but if Boro start with a bit of energy, no, make that a lot of energy, they'll win. There I've changed my mind already, 3-1 to Boro. How's that for optimism?
At least Mr Warnock reads this site, I told him to have them into the office for the 'how long have you been with us chat' and he did and told them to sling their collective hook and Boro are playing with a smile on their collective face. Don't chicken out on testing the 'youngsters' either Mr Warnock.
If you are worried about who to put in front of the back four as enforcers I'll loan you the two terriers, their names changed to Rooks and Phillips for the team sheet. Wednesday will never see the ball mind you neither will Boro.
UTB,
John
Thanks OFB for an excellent pre match opener and your very apt avian theme.
I too was at the 8-0 thrashing of SW and can't see us doing the same tomorrow!
In fact, given their poor away record and desperation for points it's all set up for another typical Boro result with either old boy Jordan Rhodes or Adam Reach making a point. We can't seem to stop conceding so will go for 0-1 and hope I am wrong.
I just hope that we play some positive football along the lines of Wednesday night albeit with a bit more end product. If we are to get a result then we will need to try and stop Barry Bannan from playing else we will pay the price.
I hope Malley gets another start and would like to see him close marked to see how he copes. CoB 😎
Thanks again for the opener, Bob. As with everybody who writes these, and the regular match reports, this is truly service beyond the call of duty, and very much appreciated.
With Rhodes and Reach playing against us, probably, and with the Owls desperate for points, this could be a difficult game. I shall Owl with anguish if we concede first again -no doubt yelling, ‘Who was that twit-to-whoo made that stupid error?’
If we don’t give them the first goal, however, then I expect Boro to win, provided we turn up like we did at Rotherham. 2-0 feels about right.
Wednesday have had a few decent games of late and from down and out they have started to splutter into life under Moore. As a Player he was always a pain for us and I suspect with our depleted squad and their desire in a do or die season end we could come away licking our wounds.
On paper we should be clear favourites but with no recognised CB's and having a bench full of kids Wednesday may just be too strong physically and too experienced. There again it is also a great opportunity perhaps for the likes of Malley, Coburn and Hackney etc. The Owls desperation to get three vital points could leave them exposed to Watmore, Kebano, Bolasie and Akpom carving them open. Could be another open enjoyable game rather than enduring hoofball.
Hard game to call this. Warnock has made it patently clear that he doesn't think our youngsters are capable of playing at Championship level yet so I am not expecting any of them to play unless Hall is still injured. If Hall is fit, I think he may keep the same team that started against Rotherham. If injured, I think he'll add Malley in.
I do notice that Wednesday play 3-4-3 and don't have the stereotypical monster(tm) striker so a back three of Howson-McNair-Bola should be able to manage and will have the advantage of being relatively mobile.
My prediction
Archer
MacNair Hall/Howson Bola
Kebano Howson/Malley Saville Johnson
Watmore Bolasie
Akpom
Although I would like to see Coburn get a full game, I suppose it is important for Akpom to get a chance to prove he can build on a good performance. I don't think Bolasie or Kebano will be here next year but as they both delivered last game I guess you keep them in.
One thing about NW for me has been the unpredictability of his team selections. I can't think there has really been any time this season he appears to have settled on a team selection and formation. However, he does have fewer options to choose from. I would like to think he will start with the same team that finished the game at the New York. We will see..
I think with the pressure off Boro and the team playing with smiles and for each other we will see a convincing victory by 2 clear goals. 3-1. CoB
News breaking today have claimed that Sheffield Wednesdays Jack Marriott is likely to miss the rest of the season through injury.
The striker has endured a hugely frustrating season after being limited to just seven starts in 19 appearances for the Owls so far this term.
Despite regularly turning out during the first half of the campaign, Marriott has made just six cameo appearances for the club since the end of November with injuries disrupting his time at the club.
Derby County didn’t recall him in January but now it’s claimed that an unknown injury has kept him out of training in recent weeks and will likely mean that he’s played his last game for Darren Moore’s side.
OFB
How Boro start today
Archer
McNair
Hall
Bola
Kebano
Howson
Saville
Johnson
Bolasie
Watmore
Akpom
Subs: Bettinelli, Robinson, Kokolo, Hackney, Malley, Spence, Coburn
😎
Bola gives away a penalty in the 39th minute & Windass converts: 1-1. 🙁
Shocking match, we have not turned up and are only level courtesy of a SW mistake. No control, no quality, passing is appalling and there is no pattern to our play.
If we don't buck our ideas up and make a vast improvement in the second half then SW are likely to come out on top.
Come on Neil put a rocket up them or bring on some one that can make a difference. 😎
Young Josh Coburn, on for (the ineffective - according to Vic) Akpom in the 65th minute, puts Boro back in the lead, assisted by Kebano with a cross following a corner JC won.
Rhodes now on as a sub.
Make that 3-1: Dunc rediscovers his shooting boots in the 81st minute with Bolasie's assistance.
Vic's full-time assessment:
FT: 3-1. Solid show. Plenty of industry and a couple of flashes of quality. Almost let them wriggle off the hook but more assertive late on. Great moment for Coburn.
Horrible game to watch and an extremely poor performance from us in the first half and not much better in the second. It was easy to see why Rotherham were at the wrong end of the table midweek and the same again with the Owls today. To wins on the trot is great but there wasn’t a great deal to be euphoric or confident about today apart from young Coburn doing what he does best and continuing his rich form in the first team.
Archer looked a bit flappy at times but done well with the basic stuff making sure he wasn’t beaten by routine stuff. He got a bit lucky I felt when Patterson was adjudged to have fouled him but his performance was far from the poorest over the 90 minutes. MOM Hall in contrast seems to be getting better game by game and he has far exceeded my expectations of him and with a good CB partner to back up for injuries and suspensions next season he will go down as a very good signing.
Speaking of good signings, I was interested in watching Kadeem Harris who we have been linked with but there wasn’t much to get excited about and the same goes for Adam Reach who gets a mention from time to time in talk of a Riverside return. It was good to see Coburn get a chance and better still when he nodded the second in off the far post. His arrival coincided with an upturn in our hitherto drab performance to just dour and undoubtedly his goal forced the Owls into taking more risks and chase the game.
Bolasie’s goal was great but he should have done better with his earlier effort when Akpom played him through and Akpom was screaming to be played in but Bolasie’s effort went well wide. Bola looked to be struggling a little and clearly losing Fry at the back and Dijksteel at the opposite side has disrupted the defence and illustrates just how light we are in numbers.
The end of the game was interesting to see Warnock fist pump the Officials instead of berating them and no doubt three points will have helped but it was that Referee Jarred Gillett again who just seems to get most of his call correct and lets the game flow. No doubt the Championship will be losing him vey soon. The “little” chat Warnock had with Bannon at the end of the game was interesting and I suspect asking if he fancied life in League One.
@redcarred Spot on RR thank you.
I would definitely have Bannon next season, far better than Saville.