Boro Badger

Not expecting anyone in today, other than an obscure defender on loan that we'll be Googling. Adama Traore and Yannick Bolasie... can't see either happening. Feels like classic Boro transfer window 'PR'. Traore: They just broke their transfer record to sign him off us. Can't see them loaning back 6 months later. Bolasie: Wages too high in the summer. Maybe a 5-6 month loan is more affordable, but I think we'd have tied this up by now if it was going to happen. Expectations at an all time low. 'Success' for me would not adding any more defensive centre midfielders.

Pains me to say it, but we won’t stop them scoring and we’re not very capable of scoring ourselves. 3-0 West Brom.

Just a thought, but if the site was cloned to a staging server, then the database upgrade/ch***t encoding updates could be applied and the fall out could be assessed without affecting the live site. I'm sure Rob has already thought of that and it's still a fair bit of work! I just really want to see what CT can do with unlimited emojis.

VLP left Traore right Maja through the middle Backed up by Mikel plus two from our CM selection box Sounds good to me. We can dream.

It could be a rebellious son who went off the rails and only plays fluid attacking football although his 1-0-9 formation has mixed results. Sounds intriguing....But I am a TP fanboy through and through. Can't wait for till the gaffer can get his players and setup his revolutionary Formation for the world to see, people may laugh now ... but Time will judge the man, I sure believe he believes this will come good. **Disclaimer** since TP has become my gaffer I seem to only communicate with sarcasm. Otherwise I might blow my bloody head off........ One up front? A bit ambitious

Yup, this is the dispiriting world we live in now. when we comfortable beat this lot, i'm going to be back to how pointless and negative these comments are. I think the comments were pretty spot on Kev. Yes, that system worked away in patches for one match, but it’s just asking for trouble setting up like that at home. The man is a dinosaur. He’s hated by the fans of every club he’s been to for a reason. I admire your never say die support Kev and usually agree with what you’ve got to say, but not today mate!

We’re playing 4 centre backs, 5 centre mids and a carthorse up front at home against a side who are 20th. It’s going to be a scrum of a match, more like rugby than football. Still, we’ll probably win 1-0. A scrappy 6 yard finish from someone in the second half, before we retreat for the last 20 minutes to defend our lead. Oh Pulis you really are a nutcase. Is this now our game plan for the rest of the season? It would almost be funny if it wasn’t so painful. Anyway, up the Boro! Here’s hoping for 3 points. We’re going to need them looking at the other fixtures.

This team is beautiful: It has the exactly correct number and placement of hyphens. This team is unbalanced and inconsistent in the midfield area. Every club Tony Pulis has been at have improved their hyphenation for the long term and he’s said Boro will be no exception.

Happy Wing is starting, but he’ll have no outlets to play his quality through balls to. Hopefully Saville and Howson have license to get forward. We’re clearly set-up for the draw but hopefully we can sneak a 1-0 win. And if we’re chasing the game and need a goal we’ve got options from the bench. It’s not the end of the world... UTB

Love it BU!

He's out for 3 months with a hamstring injury... ...sounds even more perfect!

I like Besic in the team, he can gives us the odd special moment, but it's a good time to rest him. Would like to see Saville get 60 mins and Wing 30. Have a feeling we'll sneak this one 2-1 again.

If you added Traore to the best defence in the Championship, just imagine... that team would be 10 points clear at the top! He did manage to battle his way into Wolves' first team, but then they lost against Brighton and he was dropped to the bench. He is getting plenty of action coming on as an impact sub so no chance he moves any time soon.

I think it’s a combination of things. We used to get the 100% accurate team sheet on here a day before kick off under the Mowbray era thanks to VB. The forum has undoubtedly lost that air of being ‘in the know’. Also, as others have said, there is a certain amount of apathy around the Boro at the moment, after we toiled for so long to get back in the Premier League only to have the most terribly unenjoyable time of it. Plus nowadays there’s too much intolerance for other people’s opinions on here and too much petty point scoring between members which no-one enjoys at all. Personall

Spurs supposedly interested in Dack - that ship has sailed! Let's file it in the missed opportunities folder along with Maguire and Matic. Plus, if we sign any more central midfielders I am going to cull myself.

Top of the league. UTB.

There's only one thing for it now - ultimate Pulisball ------------------ Randolph ---------------- --Fry --- Batth --- Ayala -- Flint --- Friend -- ------------------- Clayton --------------------- ------- Howson -- Besic -- Downing ------ -------------------- Hugill ---------------------

It's happening..! Did anyone else notice that in the goal celebrations Hugill attempted to blast the ball into the net and hit it over the bar :funny:

I think there were more comments on this match when the draw was made than there are now a day before kick off... a sign of the times. But just to say, if we win we will be one of eight teams in the QUARTER FINALS! It could happen, Palace's season isn't going great so far and the league is their only priority. Maybe, just maybe, if remaining heavy weights ***nal, Spurs, City and Chelsea all draw each other along the way we might have a route through to the final. Let's win our trophy back... UTB P.S. Sorry to be a stickler but this is the 4th round, can we update the thread titl

You’re right - but we’ll set up to ‘stifle them’!

As we all know, Pulis’ philosophy is to pack the back line with defensively minded giants. Lots of valid points on the wing back positions but Shotton/Friend will always get the nod whilst Tony’s in charge. Braithwaite just has to start as they’ll most park the bus and we need some talent on the pitch. For that reason I’d also have Wing playing too, as he can run with the ball and pick a forward pass, but can’t see it happening unfortunately.

You’re right, but I’m looking at things differently. If we get promoted with this squad, I personally think we’d fair worse than the PL season with Karanka. With AK we had a settled system and it always felt like we were only a few short of a team capable of a survival challenge. This season’s formation and team sheet is chaotic, not a core nucleus/system for us to build on like those teams that have managed to solidify their PL status. I’d rather us have a plan and make good progress to building a strong to team to last, even if it takes 2-3 seasons. I really hope to be proved

Tony loathes to change his defenders, especially his trusty full backs (they’re definitely not wing backs - they’re barely full backs!). So even if Shotton is partially crocked, Tony will want his defensive physicality. He obviously doesn’t trust McNair in that role. Braithwaite in for Besic, who’s run himself into the ground. It’s got to be this lineup, hasn’t it? ---------------- Randolph ---------------- ---------- Ayala -- Flint --- Fry ----------- -- Shotton ---------------------- Friend -- ------------------ Clayton --------------- -------- Howson ----- Downing --------

We are Boro. We make daft buys. We flit between spending lots with no strategy, then spending little and playing negatively. Burnley/Bournemouth should be our model. Back a good manager that’s a good fit with the club and stick with a system. Bring our youth in as we go.

Hopefully the competition between Britt and Hugill can only improve their performances. It's an energy sapping role, so can easily see them rotating after 65 minutes each match. Will be interesting to see how Gestede fits in to the equation when he's match fit.