Thu 2 July - 17:00 (KCOM Stadium)
Neil Warnock looks to defends his 100 percent record as Boro manager with the short trip down to Hull on Thursday for the unusually earlier 5:00pm kick-off in order to escape back to Teesside before it gets dark. This is obviously billed as the proverbial relegation six-pointer and a chance to start to put some serious summer daylight between those in the relegation places.
Boro followers were in almost unanimous praise of Warnock for the way in which the 71-year old experienced wise head still had the knees to hit the ground running. He has somehow quickly managed to find a way to organise and instill confidence and energy into a group of players that appeared to have lost the will to fight only a week earlier.
OK another player did indeed lose the will to stay and fight as following Ayala's backdoor exit, Big Rudi Gestede was also told "he may as well go home" too for declining to stay beyond June. Though I suspect few will be asking for their money back on recently bought Gestede Boro shirts - perhaps with the exception of Rudi himself! So his £12m journey on Teesside ended with all the fanfare of its arrival - an expensive spare part that was seldom required, which in the end had costed £600 grand a start and something like a million a goal in the most valuable of lessons in recruitment.
However, the new Boro manager still has lots of riches at his disposal in order to mastermind his new team's survival in the Championship. Indeed, many had expected he'd be picking all the big blokes for his bow at Stoke but he surprised us by selecting pacy full-backs and the odd tricky little forward too. While few would declare the victory over Stoke as a spectacular performance, it certainly was effective with plenty of energy on display and demonstrated that high-pressing tactic which was supposed to be a signature of what Woodgate was hoping to display.
The question is will Warnock do what his predecessor so often did and tinker with the formation and tactics until he forgot what worked and what didn't? I suspect not as one there isn't time and I'm sure what little time there is on the training pitch may be invested on set-pieces and honing defensive patterns.
The debate on the configuration Boro played against Stoke seemed to depend on what the passage of play was, though in truth is possibly just a variation on 4-3-3 with one midfielder (Howson) shielding the defence and filling in for full-backs when they went forward plus three attacking forwards on the pitch to occupy the opposition defenders and defend from the front.
The high-press looked effective and Warnock and his staff were keen to encourage the players to compress the play in their opponents half. In that sense, I think these tactics of a solid shape where the opposition are closed down quickly will remain for the rest of the season. So probably no surprise tactics aimed at out-thinking the over 30 years younger, Grant McCann, incumbent in the Hull hot seat.
The Tigers started 2020 with a victory over the Owls on New Year's Day but they've not won any of their 13 games since and have become the Championships pussy-cats, all at sea in pea-green boat that is listing badly. With just three draws in their last ten games, including a 3-3 against Birmingham last time out and 4-4 against Swansea, Hull's problem is clearly that their defence is as leaky as their listing boat - with 29 conceded in their last ten outings.
If Boro can start on the front foot like they did against Stoke then there are probably another three points for the taking on Humberside. OK, Hull can score goals but it appear their defence will crumble if placed under pressure. Perhaps we'll see a few changes depending on fitness and injuries with possibly Coulson returning at left-back - though with five subs allowed it may be a case of sticking with those who performed to plan and saving legs later in the game.
So, give your predictions for the next game in Warnock's tenure - though is it already time for a typical Boro moment now that everyone is impressed with his start? At least there will be no booing come the final whistle - not unless the Hull pa has already been primed with pre-recorded ambience for the occasion!
A nice preview Werder and summary of the current situation relating to both teams.
NW has already mentioned that things don't always go as you think they should; teams often getting results against teams they didn't expect to and then dropping points when they expected not to, so this could be one of those scenarios after Saturday but I hope not.
We should be capable of getting at least a draw but should be looking for the win. I will stick to my Exmil prediction of a draw and go for 2-2. CoB.
On a separate note, I received an email from the club last night advising me that they had taken £117 from my payment card for what appears to be a matchday season pass for 2020/2021.
I had not applied for one and in fact had not seen anything on the club website advising that they were renewing passes but may have missed it.
Has anyone else received a similar email.
I don't remember being advised that it would be automatically renewed when I purchased one and it would have been nice to have had the option to renew or not. I probably would but if we are relegated then I may have had second thoughts and preferred to have the option of choosing individual games to watch. I have emailed the club seeking clarification.
Thanks Werder for the Hull match preview. I’m going for ⚽️⚽️
I was unsure about Warnock before he came but his enthusiasm and his ability to identify players who wanted to play for the team and those who didn’t have made him already a favourite for me.
if he can manage to keep Boro up he deserves at least one crack at promotion next season.
OFB
So I think it will be tougher than the Stoke match. We are not going there as underdogs any more as everybody will be expecting yet another Warnock miracle. Hull will be prepared.
Of course the win at Stoke gives confidence and we can get a draw or nick a win if we play with same tempo and commitment. But we also need some luck as we had at Stoke where they could have easily scored a goal or a brace.
So a tough match at Hull. Maybe a 1-1 -draw with Britt putting us in front first. Up the Boro!
Thanks Werder. Always appreciate the preview. Nothing I can debate in your post - agree with all of it.
I'm not getting too excited. Whilst delighted with the performance and points against Stoke, they could still had chances to score first and could very easily have equalised such as very early in the second half. Who knows what would have happened if they had taken one of their chances before we got the killer second. Whilst Hull are seriously struggling defensively, they can score goals and that means that those fine margins can easily go the other way. You always have a chance if you can score. It might not be the usual case of first-goal's-the-winner though.
Despite being dreadful scorers ourselves, you have to give us a chance of doing so with another of Warnock's attacking line-ups to go against Hulls' weak defence. So a solid performance is the order of the day. Work hard, press, stay disciplined, keep the defensive shape, don't give cheap free-kicks away around our box and all those other clichés and we'll get something from this game. Three points would be a hefty haul in the fight to stay in the division.
I haven't received an email from the club. Strange that you have.
BTW, the Boro match at Hull has been selected for live coverage on Sky Sports, and will therefore also be available to the EFL's international broadcast partners. This means that only Boro's Season Card holders will have access to the video stream.
Luckily I can see the match on Viaplay as I have a subscription to the Premier League matches in there. Up the Boro!
I'm feeling very strange and uncomfortable in that I'm thinking Boro could win down there. Boro and away win in the same predictive sentence just doesn't sit right. My logic is that I don't think the Boro squad was anywhere near as bad as it has performed under Woodgate, maybe not top 4 but certainly top 10 and possibly even top 8. I don't see anything special about the Blackburn or Preston squads for example.
Those few days training last week with Warnock produced a far better showing from Boro on Saturday. It was by no means perfect or even brilliant but at least battling and looking as though they wanted to win and more importantly they actually had a plan. We even knew what to do at set pieces for crying out loud! Previously we looked all season like a confused, demoralised and befuddled collective.
Those three points must have been a brilliant confidence booster and will have encouraged all the Players to buy into Warnock's philosophy. Having a plan, knowing what the plan is and their individual roles within it is a significant step forward. Synergy will achieve far more than picking eleven players where the players themselves don't even believe that they are the best eleven let alone those left on the bench wondering what on earth is going on.
Hull however can score goals albeit they leak them just as easily. We are the Championship's lowest scorers but that was under Woodgate. I reckon that will change under Warnock and the Boro we have witnessed up until Stoke is no longer the Boro that found itself fighting relegation. I don't see us keeping a clean sheet but I do see an improvement based on better understanding (and confidence) after that win and more training sessions. In short I think we could outscore Hull but we need to be aware that they will have players and a manager fighting for survival even if its away from Humberside.
Barnsley host Blackburn tonight. A Blackburn win would see them one point off a Play Off position behind Cardiff. Cardiff themselves face Charlton and will be well aware that Blackburn could close in to one point of them in the final Play Off spot. Hopefully we see two results go our way, Mogga wins at Barnsley and Warnock's old boys beat Charlton!
Elsewhere Leeds host Luton with both clubs having a lot to play for but could Luton spring another upset? Wigan v. Stoke leaves me hoping for anything but a Stoke win I suppose considering they both can't lose.
The thing that struck me on Saturday was that the team got off to a good start ( reflected in the comments from the Stoke manager). Too often in the past we have started slowly and have ended up being on the back foot for the entire game.
This is reflected in the fact we have very few wins, yet lots of draws and defeats. Hopefully the mentality instilled by the new management team that resulted in a positive and confident start can be carried on at Hull on Thursday.
I’m still going to go for a ⚽️⚽️
The thing that struck me on Saturday was that the team got off to a good start ( reflected in the comments from the Stoke manager). Too often in the past we have started slowly and have ended up being on the back foot for the entire game.
This is reflected in the fact we have very few wins, yet lots of draws and defeats. Hopefully the mentality instilled by the new management team that resulted in a positive and confident start can be carried on at Hull on Thursday.
I would say that we started slowly in most games and then became almost comatose were tomorrow afternoon's Gazette arrived before some of the passes. I do of course exclude the opener against Luton and the first 45 minutes at home to Brentford when we were all high tempo and passing.
Just thinking back to that Luton game on that Friday evening, if Britt had scored his penalty would the season have taken an entirely different turn, was that a sliding doors moment for Woodgate? Then along came Crewe so probably not.
Thanks for the Hull preview Werder and do not work too hard with your project.
Although very happy with the initial impact made under NW, I am still very concerned at the weakness of our defence and as Andy said, Stoke should have made more of their chances.
I have the Boro down for a draw in the exmil challenge. Hull do score goals, but like Boro (normally) let them in. So defend from the front, look to score goals, look to score more than Hull.
RR.......I was thinking a Wigan win would be better as that keeps them below us. We need at least three below us. Lets hope that the Luton and Barnsley resurgence does not continue.
I would say that we started slowly in most games and then became almost comatose were tomorrow afternoon's Gazette arrived before some of the passes. I do of course exclude the opener against Luton and the first 45 minutes at home to Brentford when we were all high tempo and passing.
I have often wondered the same about Brentford. We played so well in that first 45 - our best all season including the West Brom away win I would say. Two disallowed goals was it for Fletcher? Confidence seemed to drain immediately after that as we had, twice in quick succession, given up the three points.
My personal hope is that our manager has started on the path to a team with the ability to both attack and defend.
He must have thought that we did not attack with intent (true) but we know that we have 2/3 players with the mindset to attack at speed and shoot on sight.(and score)
I think that he will get them into the team on a permanent basis and insist that they are to score goals as their First task, not as an afterthought.
I had better name them, Tav. wing, Fletcher, fixtures for me.
The teams at the bottom are putting up a good fight looking at tonight’s latest scores which makes getting at least a point against Hull essential. A win would be exceptional but I’d settle for a point now.
I’ve been working in the garden today and unfortunately fell again but this time only bleeding from my right arm and knee. I’m getting too old for this hobby, when will I ever learn? Unlike me I hope that Boro have learned from their previous mistakes and continue in the Warnock mould although their history away on Humberside like that in the Potteries isn’t something to write home about. There were 4 successive goalless draws there in the late 80s so maybe OFB might know something that the rest of us don’t.
However the match I’m reviewing here is the 4-2 win in April 2011 where Hull were trying to reach the playoffs whilst Boro weren’t quite safe from relegation. Hull scored early through Jay Simpson, but a Scott McDonald hat-trick and one from Julio Arca gave Boro a 4-1 interval lead before Anthony Gerrard scored a consolation goal for City in the second half. Hull took only 2 points from their last 4 matches whilst Boro won their last 4 matches to finish 12th only 3 points and one position behind Hull so the 4-2 win was significant for both clubs. So as the present Hull side are noted for conceding a lot of goals maybe a 4-2 win on Thursday might not be too much of a surprise, although it has to be said that Boro haven’t scored 4 goals in a League match since March 2015 against Ipswich.
However I guess all of us would be happy with any win considering that Barnsley and Wigan have already won today and that Charlton and Luton have earned creditable away draws, the latter against League leaders Leeds.
Ken, I think Wigan (very impressive form of late) are all but safe now after their win last night but Birmingham could be dragged down if they aren't careful especially with the bottom clubs now pulling off some credible results.
The Blues play the Terriers at home tonight and they really need to win to keep some breathing space from the pack below them but of course the Terriers also desperately need a win to avoid being sucked down. Meanwhile Stoke are looking vulnerable. A win for Boro tomorrow would be a huge boost to survival especially as I suspect one of Barnsley and Luton may survive if not both if they continue battling!
I wouldn't be surprised to see Hull, Stoke and Huddersfield all dropping at this rate. Bottom club Luton are only two points off 4th bottom Hull and three points off 5th bottom Stoke. Luton's GD may kill them ultimately but as things stand Luton are 6th in the Form table over the last 6 games and Barnsley 7th (both earning 10 points). If they continue that form they would likely survive. Boro are 11th in the same Form table (7 points) while Hull are firmly anchored at the bottom (1 point).
I don't know why but I like Warnock as a person. He seems so genuine and happy, a manager you want to play for.
As we talk about him mainly as a manager, I googled to see about his playing career.
The highlight of his playing career was perhaps at Hartlepool, where he won the club's Player of the Season award in 1972. So just before I started to support Boro and 14 years before I visited the Victoria Park for the Boro home match.
So he played mainly in the lower leagues:
| Senior career* | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1967–1969 | Chesterfield | 24 | (2) |
| 1969–1971 | Rotherham United | 52 | (5) |
| 1971–1973 | Hartlepool United | 60 | (5) |
| 1973–1975 | Scunthorpe United | 72 | (7) |
| 1975–1976 | Aldershot | 37 | (6) |
| 1976–1978 | Barnsley | 57 | (10) |
| 1978 | York City | 4 | (0) |
| 1978–1979 | Crewe Alexandra | 21 | (1) |
| Total | 327 | (36) | |
In 1980 he was aged 30 and started his coahing career. The rest is history. I hope he will have a happy ending at Boro. I am more positive with him than when Pulis took over.
Up the Boro!
@pashley41⚽️⚽️
@jarkko⚽️⚽️
Jarkko, I agree about Warnock. He does simply seem to be stating the obvious but I think many of us on here felt that common sense has been in very short supply at Boro for a number of years now. I have no idea what Pulis was alleged to have sorted out and how much he again allegedly "saved" us but for me he killed the club with his tactics and those spineless Villa games will linger on in the memory for a very long time.
I was fully behind Pulis coming at the time and thought he would be a good fit but it just didn't work and mostly it was his own undoing with plenty of spin and hype blowing smoke up his own backside to cover his failings which gradually became worse and worse. Warnock in contrast seems to tick a lot of boxes with regards to Management and how he deals with situations and individuals. I know that at some point it will end as it does with all Managers, being booed and jeered but for the time being he is dealing with basic fundamental things and I have far more trust and confidence in him than with any other Boro Manager for a while and that would even include Karanka. Going further back I think he is probably the most astute since Venables.
My greatest fear is that he leaves us recommending George Friend becomes the next Manager. I actually think that Friend will make an excellent Manager at some point in his career but please start somewhere else lower down the leagues. In the meantime if we stay up I would like Warnock to stay and to rebuild a squad in the Summer. Even if we went down I would still want him to stay to get us back up.
He obviously knows the tactical side of the game but I'm sure when he is sitting down with one of the payers and going through the game and what they done well and where they struggled it will yield benefits both for the player and the club. Pulis seems to have done a similar thing with Traore but he still never integrated the lad into the "team".
It was interesting to hear him say in his press conference "We've still got a few problems behind the scenes but I won't go into detail about that at the minute." Not for the rumour and scandal value but for the fact that he clearly does see things that should or shouldn't have been happening for whatever reason. With his vast experience I hope SG listens to him and listens well.
Lets not forget at the moment Traore has a world class centre forward to aim for and lots of quality players around him. Even Wolves are only using him as an impact player.
I don’t recall Boro playing scintillating football before Pulis came in, nor for anytime in recent memory for that matter. He was brought in because we were in freefall. We simply don’t score enough goals, and historically never have. This is the main problem at MFC and has never really been addressed.
Sorry guys, I have been caught up in family things for the past 24/48 hours even though I had done my forecast I never got around to posting it, so I am out, mind you I only got two right BORO and Wigan matches.
I will endeavour to check entries over the next couple of days, I am willing to accept peasepudinperth entry as matches were still being played when he posted his entry, unless anyone has an objection.
Unfortunately, as well as myself, the following did not post entries for Part 2, borobrie,grovehillwallah and Ian Gill (who I am in contact with by email). Great win for Boro today.
Come on BORO.
PS
Just caught up with my emails and there is an entry from Ian Gill dated Saturday morning so he is still in.
@jarkko⚽️⚽️
I doubt that the two teams can keep a clean sheet. I hope we do but then we need luck and commitment like at Stoke. Up the Boro!
Lets not forget at the moment Traore has a world class centre forward to aim for and lots of quality players around him. Even Wolves are only using him as an impact player.
I don’t recall Boro playing scintillating football before Pulis came in, nor for anytime in recent memory for that matter. He was brought in because we were in freefall. We simply don’t score enough goals, and historically never have. This is the main problem at MFC and has never really been addressed.
I agree, scintillating and Boro are two words that don't regularly come up in a sentence.
The Play Off or I should say "Non Play Off" against Villa was inexcusable. How on earth do you qualify via a two leg knock out if you don't attempt to shoot? Made worse by the fact we were a goal down for most of it and he still made zero attempt to at least draw level. Dropping Bamford who was the reason we qualified for them in the first place made it even worse and then he brings on perma-crock Gestede who wasn't match fit in the second leg. If you gave Pulis a 40 man squad consisting of the best of a combined Liverpool and Man City select he would finish the season as lowest scorers and probably narrowly staying up. Pulis to Football is what the Grinch is to Christmas.
He repeated the same in the Championship the next season against Villa, absolutely baulked at attempting to at least draw. Then there was taking off Britt at home to Brentford when we were ahead and looking comfortable to bring Friend on, sit deep and try to hold on when we looked like we could have nicked another and the consequence of that still sticks in my throat to this day. I could rant on but despite Boro historically being anything but prolific he squeezed every last drop of enjoyment out of supporting Boro, well I say every last drop, little did we know Woodgate was up next to ring out the last few drips.
Ken, I think Wigan (very impressive form of late) are all but safe now after their win last night but Birmingham could be dragged down if they aren't careful especially with the bottom clubs now pulling off some credible results.
The Blues play the Terriers at home tonight and they really need to win to keep some breathing space from the pack below them but of course the Terriers also desperately need a win to avoid being sucked down. Meanwhile Stoke are looking vulnerable. A win for Boro tomorrow would be a huge boost to survival especially as I suspect one of Barnsley and Luton may survive if not both if they continue battling!
I wouldn't be surprised to see Hull, Stoke and Huddersfield all dropping at this rate. Bottom club Luton are only two points off 4th bottom Hull and three points off 5th bottom Stoke. Luton's GD may kill them ultimately but as things stand Luton are 6th in the Form table over the last 6 games and Barnsley 7th (both earning 10 points). If they continue that form they would likely survive. Boro are 11th in the same Form table (7 points) while Hull are firmly anchored at the bottom (1 point).
(my bold)
That could all be turned on its head very shortly: the Latics have just announced that they've gone into administration:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53247333
!!!!!
Lets not forget at the moment Traore has a world class centre forward to aim for and lots of quality players around him. Even Wolves are only using him as an impact player.
I don’t recall Boro playing scintillating football before Pulis came in, nor for anytime in recent memory for that matter. He was brought in because we were in freefall. We simply don’t score enough goals, and historically never have. This is the main problem at MFC and has never really been addressed.
Maybe being an impact player is the future for the majority of clubs, super sub if you like. It is used effectively in Rugby League the only difference being that clubs select a team of 17 players and are allowed a certain number of interchanges during a match which means a player substituted (usually a forward) can return to the field of play after a suitable period of rest.
Wigan into administration now face a automatic immediate 12 points deduction which will dump them to the bottom of the league on 38 points, leaving them 4 points from safety.
Come on BORO.