Let's stop the Rut this Weekend
Middlesbrough's chances of making the playoffs this season continued to slip away on Tuesday as a dour 0-0 draw with lowly Peterborough left us six points adrift of the top six.
Having suffered four successive defeats, Boro really needed a win at the Riverside but simply couldn't force their way through Peterborough's defence.
Granted, their opponents are fighting for their lives in the Championship and rightly came in search of a point, but fans placing a football bet were still far from impressed by our performance.
Yet rather than boo the players off the pitch and call for Tony Mowbray's head we should stick by the team that did so well in the first half of the season and back them to make the playoffs.
We all knew keeping up that autumn form was going to be impossible but so are the chances of our rut continuing for much longer. Eventually, we will find a win and three points are there for the taking on Saturday at Hull City.
Granted, Hull are flying at the moment and crave an automatic return to the Premier League, yet their 1-0 loss to Watford proves they're not infallible.
Hull tried and failed to overrun Watford in midfield and Alex Bruce proved incompetent and slow in a new DM role. If the boss - Steve Bruce - chooses the same 3-5-2 formation, Boro's speed and strength should cause the home side some problems.
Grant Leadbitter proved the box-to-box midfielder we all know and love with a brace at Wolves two weeks back, while Scott McDonald - although in a dry patch - is always a threat.
- Boro hopeful of Jonny Howson return for Chelsea clash
- Luke Ayling joins Boro on loan from Leeds United
The boss may choose to start Ishmael Miller again alongside McDonald to ruffle up this Hull defence, but, whatever happens, the football odds writers believe that Boro will push their opponents to the limit this Saturday.