boro-unger 3,870 Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Details Teams – Middlesbrough v Swansea Location – The Rivarrrr-side Stadium Competition – The Championship Date – Saturday 22nd September 2018 Kick off – 15:00 Welcome Aboard Ahoy me hearties. Welcome aboard the good ship Boro as we raise the anchor and load the grapeshot. Tis a fine day to go swan hunting. The Last Games Boro: Boro 2 – 0 Bolton Boro avasted Boltons unbeaten away record on a windy night on Teesside. George Saville pounced after a dodgy backpass by Bolton to nab the first. Tony Pulis watched from the crow’s nest as the Bolton Scallwags grappled with Jordan Hugill and lashed out at innocent ball boys. Assombalonga waited until the 95th minute to grab his goal, plunging the Wanderers to the icy depths below. Swansea: Stoke 1 – 0 Swansea The Swans sank to 10th after Stoke scored a potentially offside goal. The ball rebounded off Afobe, who appeared to be in an offside position. As the Swansea players waited in vain for the linesman to hoist the colours, Joe Allen smashed the ball into the net. Arrr-vailability News Boro: :) - Rudy Gestede continues his return from injury. - Martin Braithwaite should be ok after receiving a bloody face on Wednesday Swansea: :( - Bersant Celina and Leroy Fer are out for the swans :) - Tom Carroll and Jay Fulton are available Form (League only - Most recent game last) Boro: WWWDLW Swansea: DDLWDL A Shot across the Bow https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/swanseacity/forum/229908/the-official-middlesbrough-versus-swansea-city-match-thread/#7 A rather good opening post in there. The Un(ger)-official Match Preview Boro will forgo the parley and go straight into battle on Saturday. Pulis’ crew will be looking to entertain the masses and keep the swans contained below deck. In the midsts of Storm Ali, Boro may need to batten down the hatches at times, but will surely claim the booty at the end of the day! Ex-Cardiff manager Davey Jones will presumably be cheering for the Boro as well. Possible line up ----------------Randolph------------------ ----Shotton--Flint--Ayalarrr--Friend--- -------Clayton--Howson--Saville------- ----Braithwaite----Ass----Downing---- Walk the Plank - What shanties will you be singing at the match on Saturday - What do you do with a drunken sailor? “Gentlemen! You shall always remember this Saturday as the day that you *almost* beat Captain George Friend!” Link to post Share on other sites
Tom 2,492 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 I think Pulis might stick with Hugill for this. Whether that's alongside Britt (with Braithwaite dropped), or instead of, I'm not sure. I also mentioned on Twitter that I think McQueen might get a start, and Downing rested sometime soon, but I don't think that will be tomorrow. The rest of the team picks itself. Link to post Share on other sites
boksicdink 1,942 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Randolph Shotton Fry Flint Ayala McQueen Besic Clayton Saville Braithwaite Britt That would be my team. No Howson just because he was holding his hamstring in the last few minutes on Wednesday. Friend and Downing to be rested. Link to post Share on other sites
Downsouth 6,328 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Mentioned about meeting McQueens father at Norwich he indicated that his son would be playing at PNE for the cup game so he might not feature from the off. Am hoping Besic starts producing his best form for this game. Swansea imo will be the one of the hardest teams to beat at home this season because you simply do not know what to expect and they keep going with a certain amount of flair for the whole game. Key absentees for the Swans and seemingly Bony not available to me indicated this is probably the best time to play them. With varied opinions on our current performances I feel that this game has to be a "must win" so I hope that our tempo and clinical side of our play improves. 5 wins out of 5 at home bodes well and that should be the aim Link to post Share on other sites
SmogDane 4,057 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Good OP,BU. Link to post Share on other sites
Foogle 2,104 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 I think we'll start to see a Midfield 3 of Besic-Clayton-Saville. Between them Besic has that touch of class, can drive forward with the ball and pick out passes between the lines. Saville will arrive late in the box and can add that finishing touch. Clayton provides the positional discipline and screening for the defence. All 3 of them are hard runners and tough tacklers, I can't think of a 3 in the league that would be more difficult to play against. Going to go for a 2-1 win, Flint to score from a set piece as we're due one. Should be winning this one really but a draw wouldn't be the end of the world. Link to post Share on other sites
Downsouth 6,328 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Swansea over recent years have a good track record when visiting The Riverside so they may very well be confident about playing us tomorrow Link to post Share on other sites
Tom 2,492 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Swansea over recent years have a good track record when visiting The Riverside so they may very well be confident about playing us tomorrow They have won one of the last 9. Not sure I'd call that a good track record. Link to post Share on other sites
Jimmy 140 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Swansea at home always brings back that horror game where we we lost 4-3 a few seasons back.. were we not winning 3-1 at one point? Changes I'd make would be Britt back in for Hugill. Keep it similar otherwise. Maybe Besic if Howson is injured (he was limping around with a hammy for last 15 mins). If not injured though I'd much rather Howson on, and straight shoot out between Saville and Besic. Link to post Share on other sites
wilsoncgp 9,283 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Honestly not sure who I'd prefer between Saville and Besic. Besic hasn't particularly hit the ground running since he's come back and Saville was pretty ordinary against Bolton barring his goal too. Hopefully we can see the best out of both of them soon, early days for both yet. Link to post Share on other sites
Tom 2,492 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Honestly not sure who I'd prefer between Saville and Besic. Besic hasn't particularly hit the ground running since he's come back and Saville was pretty ordinary against Bolton barring his goal too. Hopefully we can see the best out of both of them soon, early days for both yet. I thought Saville put in a decent shift defensively, but yeah, going forward there was less to write home about. But he's still acclimatising, and obviously got the goal, so I'd be shocked if he were dropped. Link to post Share on other sites
Downsouth 6,328 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Ok DS award up for grabs Correct full time score and name of fgs from either side. Please put time of goal in your submissions as the nearest to actual time will win in case of duplicate predictions. If you predict uniquely without time you will still win if a correct prediction. Link to post Share on other sites
Maccarone 265 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 1-0 Britass 38min Link to post Share on other sites
Foogle 2,104 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Having started all 8 games I could see Howson making way for Besic/McNair. Similar with Downing, possibly for McQueen? Saying that Pulis did keep a pretty consistent XI last season but that might have been down to a lack of options... 2-1 Flint FGS 30 mins Link to post Share on other sites
wilsoncgp 9,283 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 I can see a few goals in this. 2-2, got to be Connor Roberts to score first. Link to post Share on other sites
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