Just a few weeks ago both Clubs will have earmarked this game as a six pointer in their respective quests for the play offs. What a difference a drop in form makes along with diving Swans and incompetent officials. At least both sets of fans, players and managers alike can be united in their distaste for the men in black. That pacification however does not mask the fact that both teams have played their part in their downfalls via some spectacularly underwhelming performances since the New Year.
Apart from their mutual displeasure of a certain club in South Wales (who won yet another penalty last night) they both seemed linked with Sheffield Wednesday’s Kadeem Harris who is out of contract at Hillsborough come the end of the season. Stoke are sat one place and two points behind Boro and a draw is of no use to either side assuming of course that there is still some delusional optimism that play off talk it is not already over until the mathematical permutations are exhausted. As of now Boro will likely still be clinging to some faint hope that Barnsley implode, Cardiff collapse and Woodgate sees off the Cherries from the top six.
A win for Boro may keep a flickering ember alight but the reality is that both clubs have already begun planning for their assault next season in the Championship. Ex Boro man JOM and James Chester are both apparently about to nail their colours to the Stoke mast for another attempt but more relevant to the here and now perhaps is that Tyrese Campbell and Nathan Collins will be out for their Riverside visit on Saturday along with foot injury victim James McLean.
Boro will be without Dijksteel for this one along with Marcus Browne and probably Fletcher but Tav may be deemed fit enough to return form his recent niggle. Fisher I suspect will be favoured over Spence to deal with Stoke’s “robust” style. I am not overly concerned about Anfernee missing, in fact it may be a good time to rest him fully for a fresh start next season, his performances since his abscess trouble have been below his usual high standards.
Stoke ended a three-game losing streak on Saturday by beating Wycombe last time out but their three straight defeats previously were against Barnsley, Brentford and Swansea so it’s very doubtful given the calibre of that opposition to gauge how Stoke will perform any easier that it will be inconsistent Boro. I’m going for a frustrating 1-1 draw with neither side really convincing and hopefully the officials will be anonymous during the game, but the spirit and nature of both Managers tells me that it could be a busy day with plenty of cards dished out by the man in the middle.
Thanks RR for the preview and hopefully a good performance by the Boro and the match officials.
let’s dream that we can win all our games and finish in the top six. Get to the playoff final against Swansea amd the referee awards Boro a penalty in the 93rd minute which means we score and get promoted.
And that’s me dreaming that whilst stone cold sober !
OFB
Thanks RR for your pre match synopsis.
I am in agreement with your assessment of the outcome, and am just hoping the match is not as dour as it was last time when we were at the Bet365 stadium; even if it isn't I still can't see beyond a 1-1 outcome.
I just hope we play something similar to last times outing but without any diabolical decisions by the man in black. I now believe on balance we are better when the midfield comprises Howson, Morsy and Saville and I am also hoping we start with Tav, Bolasie, Watmore and Kebano. CoB 😎
Thanks for the opener RR, which I agree gives a realistic assessment of where both teams are.
Boro have been so unpredictable all season so I continue to have no real idea of what to expect on Saturday. All I have is a whiff of foam to help me hallucinate to a convincing 3-0 win for Boro.
Thanks to Redcar Red for his preview of our meeting with Stoke City this Saturday, though amazingly I’ve discovered that it took Stoke 23 encounters to record their first ever win on Teesside as Boro won 18 and drew 4 of the first 22 home meetings against the Potters. This was the longest unbeaten run against any team at home in Boro’s long history. That first defeat took place in August 1954 and was during Boro’s horrific start to that season when they lost 8 successivet matches. Since then Boro have won 11 and drawn 7 of the 25 home matches against Stoke. Of course these statistics will have no bearing on Saturday’s match but I thought it was worth mentioning.
Nevertheless Stoke have yet to win away from home this year with 3 draws and 3 defeats, so it might be set up for a typical Boro performance and an away win this weekend. Certainly a defeat for either side will surely end any vistage of hope of reaching the playoffs this season. Will this result in an entertaining game on Saturdayi is hard to say, and as both teams need a win to prolong their hopes of promotion maybe a draw is the safest bet, then Boro might blood some of their Academy players thereafter.
Thanks RR for the preview and hopefully a good performance by the Boro and the match officials.
let’s dream that we can win all our games and finish in the top six. Get to the playoff final against Swansea amd the referee awards Boro a penalty in the 93rd minute which means we score and get promoted.
And that’s me dreaming that whilst stone cold sober !
OFB
Absolutely. Karma has to catch up with Swansea at some stage. I’m hoping that they miss out on direct promotion at the last possible minute - usually a speciality of Brentford, it must be said - and then lose in the playoffs after having someone sent off for diving twice.
interesting to see Barnsley drop two home points last night. I’m hoping that this is the start of their collapse - based on the irrelevant fact that it probably would be if it were Boro in the same position. Their game with Bournemouth on Saturday should be lively. A draw would be nice as it would feel as if our close rivals had dropped four points between them (logic doesn’t come into this). Add to that a win for Watford at Cardiff and a stunning Boro home victory and its all on again.:)
it’s the hope that gets you in the end!
utb
Thanks for the intro RR
As referees are a bit of focus for us at the moment I had a look to se who we have in the next two games.
Interestingly Saturday is Andy Madley whose last Championship game was our 3-0 defeat at Preston, since then he has only done Premier League games. We have a good record under him and rarely lose. Next Tuesday its Oliver Langford. His only Boro game this season was the home win against Barnsley and last season he did several games including the 3-3 draw at Luton and the 2-2 draw at Wigan where there were 10 yellow cards.
Thanks for the intro RR
As referees are a bit of focus for us at the moment I had a look to se who we have in the next two games.
Interestingly Saturday is Andy Madley whose last Championship game was our 3-0 defeat at Preston, since then he has only done Premier League games. We have a good record under him and rarely lose. Next Tuesday its Oliver Langford. His only Boro game this season was the home win against Barnsley and last season he did several games including the 3-3 draw at Luton and the 2-2 draw at Wigan where there were 10 yellow cards.
Jarred Gillett has stood out for me this season for all the right reasons and by that I mean I haven't noticed him when he was our Referee. Whilst there will always be decisions that we don't agree with during games nothing stands out in my memory in terms or feeling really aggrieved.
I don't know why he seems more competent than the rest, maybe it's his fitness, attitude, vision, empathy, dedication, application, man management or all of those and some, but if one can get more right than wrong then it does look as though the FA are failing. Maybe it's because he started off in the Australian A League and his background, grounding and training has been different in which case perhaps the FA need to look at the Australian training and development program for their match officials.
He is in his mid thirties and no doubt will be stolen from the Championship very soon to go on to greater things in the game which is more than I can predict for most Championship Referees.
Stoke supporters deserve a medal. How many years they had to watch Pulis ball?
This is the 100th meeting of the clubs. I hope we mark it with a win. Up the Boro!
Stoke supporters deserve a medal. How many years they had to watch Pulis ball?
This is the 100th meeting of the clubs. I hope we mark it with a win. Up the Boro!
Pulis's tenure back then will have been the high point in the living memory of many Stoke fans, around forty years from their 1972 League Cup Win so they probably have a more positive memory although his football did eventually see them turn on him.
I hope NW finds a cold dilapidated Portakabin to dump on the car park near the Tees at the back of the North Stand. Mould and rising damp desirable but not essential, cold running water, no hot water and a one bar electric fire should suffice. Not wanting to sound petty of course, just a little bit of Karma.
I thought I’d make an attempt at the promotion predictor on the Gazette website, crazy I know. However if, and it’s a big if, Boro were to win all of their 6 remaining home matches, and also win at Rotherham and Luton, and draw the remaining away matches at Millwall, Bournemouth and Barnsley they may just finish 6th and a couple of points 77 ahead of both Bournemouth and Barnsley, furthermore might face Swansea in the Semifinal, then Watford or Cardiff in the Final. In other words that means going undefeated for the rest of the season. Now Boro have several times won 6 and drawn 3 as a Second Division club, noticeably once in the last 9 matches in the 1956/57 season following 4 successive defeats and actually finishing 6th with 48 points, or 67 points if it were 3 points for a win. But of course a certain Mr Clough scored 12 of the 25 goals scored in that run.
In the 21st century the lowest number of points to reach the playoffs was in 2010 when Blackpool only managed 70 points but were actually promoted from 6th position. Also Swansea finished 6th last season with only 70 points. The highest number of points for 6th place was 80 by Fulham in 2017, although the normal is 74 or 75 points. However I think it will need 77 points this season, which would seem to rule out Boro unless they finish this season undefeated from now on. Of course Villa came from nowhere to finish 5th a couple of years ago, but that run by Blackpool sticks in my memory.
So is it possible for Boro to do it? Well yes, but highly unlikely, though it’s sometimes how a team finishes the season that counts.
I thought I’d make an attempt at the promotion predictor on the Gazette website, crazy I know. However if, and it’s a big if, Boro were to win all of their 6 remaining home matches, and also win at Rotherham and Luton, and draw the remaining away matches at Millwall, Bournemouth and Barnsley they may just finish 6th and a couple of points 77 ahead of both Bournemouth and Barnsley, furthermore might face Swansea in the Semifinal, then Watford or Cardiff in the Final. In other words that means going undefeated for the rest of the season. Now Boro have several times won 6 and drawn 3 as a Second Division club, noticeably once in the last 9 matches in the 1956/57 season following 4 successive defeats and actually finishing 6th with 48 points, or 67 points if it were 3 points for a win. But of course a certain Mr Clough scored 12 of the 25 goals scored in that run.
In the 21st century the lowest number of points to reach the playoffs was in 2010 when Blackpool only managed 70 points but were actually promoted from 6th position. Also Swansea finished 6th last season with only 70 points. The highest number of points for 6th place was 80 by Fulham in 2017, although the normal is 74 or 75 points. However I think it will need 77 points this season, which would seem to rule out Boro unless they finish this season undefeated from now on. Of course Villa came from nowhere to finish 5th a couple of years ago, but that run by Blackpool sticks in my memory.
So is it possible for Boro to do it? Well yes, but highly unlikely, though it’s sometimes how a team finishes the season that counts.
It's the hope that kills us!
@redcarred. "I hope NW finds a cold dilapidated Portakabin to dump on the car park near the Tees at the back of the North Stand. Mould and rising damp desirable but not essential, cold running water, no hot water and a one bar electric fire should suffice. Not wanting to sound petty of course, just a little bit of Karma."
Sounds nothing like the warm, friendly and welcoming Boro supporters we are - but I agree with you! 😎😀
The club have just posted on the website that the match against Watford at the Riverside on Easter Monday is to be shown live on Sky, with kick off moved to 12:30 (UK)
Talking about referees ..
Middlesbrough FC has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E20 after its game against Swansea City AFC on Saturday [6/3/21] in the EFL Championship.
Middlesbrough FC allegedly failed to ensure that its players and/or club officials conducted themselves in an orderly fashion after the final whistle and the club has until Monday [15/3/21] to provide a response
As I doubt that Boro are going to be in the playoffs I’d prefer Barnsley to continue their good run and get promoted. They’re Yorkshire after all.
They should be charging the Referee and his helpers with bringing the game into disrepute never mind Boro. salt into the wound springs to mind.
UTB,
John
They should be charging the Referee and his helpers with bringing the game into disrepute never mind Boro. salt into the wound springs to mind.
UTB,
John
Agreed John.
The Football authorities love picking on easy marks, and we are an easy mark. The thing is get your kick in First, then they will be answering your complaint rather than covering their own incompetence by accusing you of misbehaviour. W should have told the club solicited to write a letter full of legalese, stating our worries about the growing threat of gambling on matches getting out of hand, and the failures of various Referees to stamp on serious foul play, such as having a player kicked very hard in the face (threatening his life and his future career) ignored by the referee, who did not consult his linesman, did not award a foul and a penalty, did not send him off, did it caution him. Consistent diving, complete with rolling over several times, and screaming. Never stopped, never booked. Our latest match, disallowed goal, no foul committed, no reason given. Penalty given last minute, no contact, no foul, no explanation, no contact with linesman, no idea.
Plus two red cards that changed the game and then rescinded by same FA. It beggars belief at how they are able to ignore incompetence on a grand scale.
If I was Mr Warnock I'd banish myself to the stands with a megaphone. The daft sods would hear that in an empty stadium, he'd be a kind of digital Aster. One for Ken there.
UTB,
John
Officer, Officer, I’ve been robbed!
Yes, we know you’ve been been robbed but he didn’t mean it
But I’ve been robbed! Disgraceful!
You’re under arrest! How dare you call us disgraceful?!
As Boro will play Stoke this weekend, I just noticed that it would be stereotypically Sunderland to end their Wembley hoodoo in front of an empty stadium - but a win on Sunday would still be special for them as most their fans are trophy virgins.
Also Hartlepool can go top of their division this weekend if they win and other results go nicely for them.
So is it OK to support the minor local clubs this weekend? Now that Boro cannot be relegated and nothing to play for ...
But of course I will watch the Boro win on TV tomorrow. I think it will be 2-0 win with Assombalonga (still with us or on gardening leave?) and Watmore scoring. Remember any of our strikers scoring for a while. Anyone?
Up the Boro!
Today's big question is, which Boro will turn up today?
If the sleepy lazy, sleepy and disinterested one turns up, well, it'll be a hard day. For starters can someone draw some simple diagrams for the goalkeeper, you know, near post, long throws, catching the ball and ball distribution. All the usuals really. Heaven forbid that Britt gets on the team sheet too, who knows he may even get his kit dirty.
Anyway I'm going for a Boro win, 2-1, fighting back from 0-1 down, and that win will give the fans some hope and allow them to make impossible calculations about the play-offs.
Stay safe everyone.
UTB,
John
John, I think there is more chance of Bettinelli catching a cross that there is Assombalonga playing let alone scoring.
anyone know much about the young striker Coburn?
A good win today think positive
2 0
spence and Bolassie (pen)
Another lad from the academy takes a place on the bench today. Josh is 6’3” a centre half who doesn’t take prisoners and only signed professional forms in January but it highly regarded. Another one to watch.
OFB
Josh Coburn is the young lad taking his seat on the bench today
Josh Coburn is the young lad taking his seat on the bench today
Is he a defender? The MFC website has him down as a striker.