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Boro vs Blackburn 1-1


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[align=center]Boro vs Blackburn

Sky Bet Championship

The Riverside

3:00pm[/align]

 

1416674484823_Image_galleryImage_Middlesbrough_s_Patrick_B.JPG

 

Eighteen games into the season and Boro are sitting pretty on a points total of thirty two in the lofty position of third in the league. Many were left disappointed after the draw last Saturday so Boro will be keen to get back to winning ways.

 

Match Preview

 

Boro go into Saturday's game with only one defeat in thirteen games. They have only leaked thirteen goals all season, conceding only seven since the start of September. Performance wise it wasn't pretty against Wigan. Karanka will want to ring the changes particularly after such a lacklustre showing in the first half. Boro will need to up their game as we head into December, some tough games looming on our horizon.

 

The squad will mostly be available for Karanka to choose from. Clayton is forced to sit this one out as he reached five yellow cards on Saturday to earn the automatic one match ban. Long term absentees Rhys Williams, Damia Abella and Mustapha Carayol are all out for the foreseeable future.

 

Last 5 Games

 

Wigan 1 - 1 Boro

Boro 0 - 0 Bournemouth

Boro 4 - 0 Norwich

Rotherham 0 - 3 Boro

Boro 1 - 1 Watford

 

Predicted Team

 

[align=center]-------------Dimi------------

Fredericks--Gibson--Ayala--Friend

----Whitehead---Leadbitter------

Bamford-------Tomlin--------Reach

----------------Kike---------------[/align]

 

Opposition

 

Blackburn come into Saturday's game off the back of a win against Leeds. Down to ten men they fought back from one nil down to overcome Leeds with a penalty in the eighty eigth minute. They have had a decent start to the season so far with eight wins, six draws and only four defeats. It is interesting to note that they have only kept two clean sheets all season so there is definitely opportunity for Boro to score.

 

Blackburn 2 - 1 Leeds

Brighton 1 - 1 Blackburn

Millwall 2 - 2 Blackburn

Blackburn 3 - 1 Reading

Forest 1 - 3 Blackburn

 

Opposition Forum - http://www.brfcc.com/mb/topic/31626-boro-v-rovers/

 

The Little Fella Returns

 

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Juninho is visiting the Riverside on Saturday. The prodigal son returns to watch the team that holds a special place in his heart. Boro plan on introducing him before kick off. I can already hear his song echoing around the Riverside. Let's hope that he gets to see a cracking game with Boro taking all three points

 

Talking points.

 

* Whitehead or Veljkovic to replace Clayton?

* Can Tomlin play on the left like he did against Wigan in the second half?

* Fredricks to start every game unless injured?

* How would you rectify the gap between midfield and attack when we play teams that press high up the field?

* Favourite memory of TLF?

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Going to be a tough game this one. First and foremost we need a clean sheet.

 

Passing needs tightening up and we need to get back to really scrapping for our lives. I felt we were 2nd to far too many 50/50's on Saturday against Wigan. Maybe we took our foot off the pedal a little, maybe Wigan upped their game. Probably a bit of both.

 

I get the feeling Blackburn may get a point out of the game.

 

The big question really is what to do with Kike and Bamford. We're getting to the point where we can't really leave Bamford out because he keeps scoring but we seem to function better with Kike up top.

 

Then there's Adomah. He's always capable of turning a game himself and yet he's been a little quiet lately. I think I'd consider dropping Tomlin as he's not produced much tangible end product lately.

 

I'd play:

 

Dimi

Fredericks

Friend

Ayala

Gibson

Whitehead

Leadbitter

Reach

Adomah

Bamford

Kike

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I'd like to think we'd walk away with all 3 points but I can imagine they might come up and play for a draw, which means an early goal might be needed to unsettle them.


Eastwood in goal for Blackburn, I think.

 

Might unsettle the back 4 with a new keeper in, that'll be a bonus

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You look at our last 5 and some of the names involved...at the start of the season you would fancy all of them (apart from Rotherham) to be in or around the playoffs - 9 points from 15 available is not a bad return at all

 

Wigan 1 - 1 Boro

Boro 0 - 0 Bournemouth

Boro 4 - 0 Norwich

Rotherham 0 - 3 Boro

Boro 1 - 1 Watford

 

Saw my Rovers mate at the weekend and he thinks Steele is fantastic...Robinson to go in January apparently, so it will be the other guy in goal. He also thinks Gestede and Rhodes are two of best two strikers in the league (I don't know if he was saying that to wind me up - Gestede part anyway).

 

Cairney and Marshall are ones to watch aswell apparently.

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i'd like bamford and kike upfront together for this one. when both are on the inablity to get anything from the wide men doesnt leave us totally toothless.

 

reach seems to go pretty much every game without beating a man or actually getting in a cross without hitting the first defender, he's almost completely inaffective in the alm/winger position imo. although he is a good footballer and has a canny shot. not suited to a aml/winger. more a left midfielder. which he would be in if we played 2 cf's. he can then be involved more in buildups and keep possession, link up with the fullback better to. i think reach could play in the centre easily.

 

i'm starting to get sick for the 4231 formation lark. poor kike is to isolated, we dont have the correct personnel to make to most effective.

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I really rate Cairney for them, but he was the one sent off last game ...does that mean he missses this , or is it the next one .

blackburn .imo are one of the the top 10 in this div so it wont be a foregone conclusion to pick up 3 points but hopefully with home advantage (it is isnt it )

and playing to our potential i think we,ll edge it .

 

ps good first MDT red rocket .

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Thanks LM!

 

Cairney will miss this match, just like Clayton is out for us with his five yellows.

 

They really do seem as though Steele is going to be a big miss for them and with only two clean sheets this term, there could be a chance for Boro.

 

I'd love to see us go 4-4-2, with Tomlin on the left and two up front. I just can't see Karanka going for that strategy.

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