@lenmasterman - The predictions business isn't easy, is it? I suppose if it were, the bookmakers would all have gone out of business many years ago,
@forever-dormo It’s a gem of a place isn’t it?
Re Malton’s foodie reputation - it’s taken a little bit of a battering since Covid, much like other hospitality based venues, but it’s still a lovely town. We had a drive out to Beverley a couple of weeks ago and it seems to be thriving.
@lenmasterman A good summary of our problems at Sunderland. Good call about the Howson yellow card.
Len, have you been able to see any matches live on Riverside or away? I hope you have. Been fabulous on TV and me and my wife were able to attend three matches in October.
Up the Boro!
A very good post, Len. I think you’re right about the Blades’ approach. Let’s hope Boro weather the storm and come out fighting. I’d be happy with a draw, personally.
Mcnair or Fry only one winner = Fry
Tavernier not missed at all now.
Zeffen cannot take such chances against the Blades. Safety first should be his mantra.
I believe Steffen will carry out what ever Michael Carrick instructs him to do, yes there are risks with playing out from the back but that is where our attacks start from and when was the last time Boro has scored 50 goals at this stage of the season with 15 games to go.
Come on BORO.
Archer might not be fit for tomorrow !
OFB
@original-fat-bob - Let's hope Archer is fit even if that decision is made late on, because his pace gives us something different and he'd certainly appear in our First XI.
Finally, and quite by chance, the YouTube algorithm (odd word that, and I had to check its spelling as I for some reason had it in my mind that it should be like rhyme at the end - ie an "h" and a "y" in it) this afternoon chose for me a video recorded a year ago by a young Manchester United supporter who attended the FA Cup game ManU v Boro. Obviously very confident that ManU would get their victory, the lad and his father were aware Boro was, at that time, doing OK in the Championship but they were aware ManU was at a different level. It didn't turn out as they expected but Boro's penalties were really something that night. We have a better team now than we had a year ago, even though we did beat ManU and Spurs in the FA Cup.
Just awoken from my afternoon siesta so perhaps I’ll be awake in time for tomorrow’s match. I’ve slept through most of the Saturday afternoon kick offs but can’t seem to change my sleep patterns and am usually at my liveliest between 1am and 2am. I’m now getting my taste buds back though the daily steroid tablets of dexomethasone and the continuous bowel incontinence are mainly the cause of my sleep deprivation.
A minority of one I suppose, but I'd stick with McNair.
His performance at Sunderland was the one bright spot on a terrible day.
Fry was very poor that day, misjudging a simple header to give the attacker a clear run on goal.
He struggled in the wake of his opponent and gave away a penalty,
He got himself sent off.
I'm a great admirer of the young man, but that was a bad day at the office.
McNair on the other hand was our staunchest defender particularly when our ten men looked like being overwhelmed soon after Fry's dismissal.
Apart from his exemplary defending he played some long cross field pin point balls which gave us another dimension going forward. He is the only central defensive player we have capable of this and of bringing the ball out of defence and using it to good effect.
He deservedly kept his place, and although I haven't yet seen the Cardiff game- and I defer to those who have- it seems that we put in a dour defensive display when under the cosh in the second half.
I think we will need Paddy's greater experience tomorrow night. Fry is more easily roughed up than Paddy(and if Sharp is unfit and McBurney plays that is certainly what will be coming our way).
In addition he is a much more potent threat than Fry from attacking set pieces. And he is our most accomplished set-piece taker.
I see that Malcolm thinks that Fry is the only choice, but I'd be genuinely surprised if Paddy is dropped.
Always prepared to be wrong, of course.
So one becomes two Len!
I agree with you that as a footballing centre back in the Boro defence, that Paddy provides options in passing the ball and stepping forward into midfield space that Fry doesn’t.
Football is a game of perceptions and whilst I know a few on the blog don’t like Paddy, I really think he offers something different to the team and I’m some ways must remind Carrick of himself who’s familiar of the role of a ball playing midfield player who’s stepped back a position into defence and can see the play in front of him.
I also agree that it was PM fault for not being alert to the pass from Steffen which lead to the goal against us the other day but I’m sure that Leadbitter and Woody have had a not so quiet word in his ear to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Boro are now looking to have a team when options are available all over the pitch when various players can be used to suit tactical changes and opponents and it augurs well for the rest of the season.
A bold statement here
“We’re going up!”
🙌🤲🙌
OFB
@lenmasterman - You are right that Fry had a game to forget, against Sunderland. I think Fry & Lenihan represent the best centre-back partnership we have at the club. McNair is, however the better footballer than Fry. As to who is selected to play - it may rest on Carrick's perception of the risks that Sheffield United's attack presents to Boro's defence. And I don't get the feeling that he chops and changes the team for the sake of it, just as part of an overall plan which may take into account the game being played and the games listed to come in the near future.
Looking at Boro's position in the table and recent form, promotion doesn't seem an unreasonable dream. Whether that is via automatic promotion or via the Play-Offs, being third in the table (well, that's Boro's position when I last looked last night) is to be in a good place to look forward with confidence, especially in light of the team's recent results and momentum. I recognise that saying this on the morning before a game away at Sheffield United may be to hold me as a possible hostage to fortune. But it's not about a single game but form over a few months and that form, in Boro's case, has been exceptional. We can dream.
Ken - your sleep patterns are fine. Well, fine if you happened to live in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii... And, just by chance, the First Test between New Zeland and England starts on Thursday 16th February 2023 (ie TOMORROW) at Mount Maunganui in NZ. Live TV coverage is on BT Sport if you have that, starting at 00.15hrs on Thursday. Or you can listen on radio - I'm not sure if it is on BBC Test Match Special which will be on Radio 5 Live Sports Extra (5LiveSpX) or on TalkSport but it will be on one of them (which you can get on DAB radio or via your TV or via various Apps on iPad). The team is selected: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Foakes (wk), Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, Ollie Robinson and James Anderson. Get ready....
Len & OFB - the Spice Boys... ("One becomes two").
Thanks OFB for the starter which I have at last got around to reading along with the comments. I spend too much time on the computer reading various news sources and more recently watching Police Interceptors/Traffic Cops and fuming at the sentences handed down (which is somewhat pointless as I don't drive). Boro to win 3 - 1! Have you got a bigger pair of foam hands? I am hoping we at least get a draw but a 1 - 0 win would be great though I am looking at the teams trying to catch us rather than 2nd place.
The way Burnley opened up our defence in the second half was disappointing but that was some time ago and I hope we will do better against Sheffield United who have only scored one more goal than us but have a lot better goals against record. (Boro scoring 50 goals in 31 games is very unexpected after so many seasons of low scoring.)
Regarding Steffen, like most goalkeepers he is a mixed bag for shot stopping and crosses but his I do worry about him playing the ball out. In the Blackpool match there was was one time when he played across the goal and it looked like there was just a fraction of a second away from Steffen kicking the ball against their player's foot and into the middle of our net. I accept that Carrick has decided that Steffen is his first choice over Roberts and Daniels.
I think McGree is playing really well though when Tavernier was playing for us he seemed to be the only midfield attacking (and goal scoring) option whereas now the midfield and strikers work together to give so many options. Like Akpom, Forss has improved with his change of position. As the central striker he seemed to be lost on his own but now he makes good strong runs on the wing and also gets into scoring positions near the goal.
The choice of partner for Lenihan is open. I am concerned about McNair's speed when chasing back but, as suggested, he may read the game better than Fry. If i was picking the team my sheet would have a lot of crossings out before it got to the referee!
I am getting concerned about the number of bookings we are picking up. Some players must be close to suspensions.
As Boro are the main SKY match I don't think it will be available for a day's subscription on NOW so I will have to follow just the commentary. I only needed 2 small glasses of Rioja to get through the Cardiff match and hopefully it will be similar tonight.
@david-in-cumbria - Maybe a glass of the bubbly stuff, too, to celebrate if the result is right?
The Old Spice boys more like.
Ver good longer post which I completely agree with.
Same with David's excellent post.
I have never liked the bubbly stuff. Alternate between Malbec and Rioja. The only whites I usually try are the year's English ones, nice though a bit more expensive than my usual choices.
Fry is in for McNair. Archer starts.
Fry starts. McNair's on the bench. Archer also in the starting XI:
@stircrazy - That's fine by me. I could see the argument for Paddy but I'm OK with Dael Fry as explained in an earlier post.
I'm off to the Battered Badger shortly. Might be a Rioja or a Merlot there winking at me...
I feel that Boro will probably need their best performance of the season to get anything out of the game. A performance like those against Sunderland or Burnley will see them rolled over.
Sheffield are an awful team to play against - very direct, lots of energy, never let up - scoring many goals in the last few minutes but above all very physical which could be a problem for some Boro players.
So, I’ll be very pleased with a draw.
Philip of Huddersfield
Meanwhile, the locals here are pretty much resigned to relegation and believe Neil Warnock was probably the best interim manager they could hope to attract.
The Club is for sale at £1 - but it comes with debts of over £20,000,000 !!
Jones not in squad
OFB
No but Ramsey is on the bench.
Come on BORO.
Sheffield are an awful team to play against - very direct, lots of energy, never let up - scoring many goals in the last few minutes but above all very physical which could be a problem for some Boro players.
No Sharp in the Blades' starting XI, so McBurnie's in. 🙁
The match is on NOW tv. Hope it is worth the £11.99 but Boro losing 1 - 0
Sheffield are an awful team to play against - very direct, lots of energy, never let up - scoring many goals in the last few minutes but above all very physical which could be a problem for some Boro players.
No Sharp in the Blades' starting XI, so McBurnie's in. 🙁
And it's bloody McBurnie who scores in the fifth minute! 😡
Sheffield are an awful team to play against - very direct, lots of energy, never let up - scoring many goals in the last few minutes but above all very physical which could be a problem for some Boro players.
No Sharp in the Blades' starting XI, so McBurnie's in. 🙁
And it's bloody McBurnie who scores in the fifth minute! 😡
Vic's comment:
Too easy, unchallenged header in box from a long throw.
Get in choo choo choo 1-1 CoB 😎
1 - 1 Akpom! Unfortunately I have lost NOW TV due to "technical problem"
Akpom equalises in the 25th minute, assisted by Forss. Back on the goal trail! 🙂