Boro V Derby County 3-0 (Assombalonga, Clarke OG,Johnson)

[TheJew 487]

25 minutes ago, TeaCider24 said:

You really are boring, seems to be your prediction before every match.

You're probably right.

[TeaCider24 1,597]

4 minutes ago, Changing Times said:

How will you feel if we draw though?  Say we battle to a hard fought 0-0 draw, what emotions will you be experiencing then?

I'll be irritated.

We should be beating this Derby side, no two ways about it.

[TheJew 487]

A win and a loss is better than two draws. 

[Rioch's Braves 332]

I'd play Roberts he's not frightened to take a man on, and he might feel his got a point to prove to Warnock so he'd be in the starting 11 for me, rather than just giving him the last 10 minutes.

[ErimusFootball 110]

Has to be 3 points for us on Wednesday. They've only kept one clean sheet so far this season so we need to get at them and make the most out of the more attacking players in the squad. 

[Barnaby 247]

4 hours ago, Old Codger said:

Think one thing that should be drummed into their minds is avoid giving away daft free kicks as that may well be our main problem... although i suppose extra water could be applied to pitch 25-30 yards from goal

And wear boots wi Studs

[beanflickingchampion 10]

                     Bettinelli. 

Dijksteel.   Fry.  Wood.  Bola. 

    Morsy.  Howson.  Saville. 

Roberts     The Ass.    Watmore. 

 

 

[TLF10 1,049]

35 minutes ago, beanflickingchampion said:

                     Bettinelli. 

Dijksteel.   Fry.  Wood.  Bola. 

    Morsy.  Howson.  Saville. 

Roberts     The Ass.    Watmore. 

 

 

I would go for similar minus 2 changes

Bettinelli

Dijksteel Fry Paddy Bola

Morsy Howson Sav

Roberts Britt Tav

I will be positive and go for a 2 nil win. Britt x2. My positivity is based on hope not confidence.

[Boromadman 12]

Roberts surely has to start this game , would like to see watmore given a run about second half aswell . Will be happy with the three points though as derby look a shambles this season 

[sanddancer 585]

Listen let’s not beat about the bush here because this IS the defining game that will tell us more about the squad, and NW then any game to-date, period. 

Many posters have previously stated we done well against teams around the top, and there is no denying we did take points raising optimism and predictions about playoffs. The playoffs and I think one or two dared predict a top two finish, or was I dreaming, anyway these were based on BORO beating lesser teams. Now here they come because there is no lesser team then Derby.

I’ll say it others won’t. Anything but a win should be seen as abstract failure, period. No excuses, no talk about the referee, weather, subs, set up, NW, weather, just a failure and a huge question mark about our future. 
 

I expect a win, I expect us to bounce back from a horrific unforgettable previous game, I expect the players to prove, express themselves, I expect energy and pace, I expect a lot of players to get the monkey off there back, I expect smiling faces at full time. 
 

A win is expected, a win it has to be! 

[TAPOUT 361]

Our chronic inability to score or create means I never feel we will win games, though I also don't feel we will lose many. One of the poorest attacks versus one of the poorest defences. It will be interesting to see how we line up for this one. I am not sure what threats Derby have but wouldn't be surprised if we go 433 with Akpom, Britt and Watmore/Roberts up top. 1-0 Boro. 

[Brunners 2,396]

Our players HAVE to stop wearing moulded studs, we slip over far too much and it cost us vs Norwich. Wear actual studs you nerds!

[AnglianRed 1,505]

What should Neil Warnock do?

Does he play Derby the same way as most of our recent games have gone and hope that we nick a goal at some point?Does he go for their throat straight away with an attacking team (defence sorts themselves out IMO)?

Neither. I think all we really need is some minor tweaking to give us a more attack-minded lineup. It would be foolish to completely abandon the sound defensive play we've shown so far, but we definitely need to let our midfield off the leash a bit more. Derby are there for the taking and we should be looking for 3 points here.

 

Does he make any changes for the starting 11?

I'd like to see him start Roberts and play with 2 strikers...not gonna hold my breath though...

 

Does he see this as a "must win" game?

He should do...because it is. If we can't beat teams that are struggling as much as Derby are then both manager and players really need to ask themselves some serious questions.

 

Your preference:

What is your prefered starting 11?

See graphic below.

 

Are Derby any good and should we play with utmost caution?

Haven't seen them play, but based on results they must be pretty awful. Should never take any opposition lightly, but NW definitely needs to take the shackles off our attacking players. Be sensible...just more attack-minded. With our defence I think we can afford to be.

 

[TheJew 487]

35 minutes ago, AnglianRed said:

What should Neil Warnock do?

Does he play Derby the same way as most of our recent games have gone and hope that we nick a goal at some point?Does he go for their throat straight away with an attacking team (defence sorts themselves out IMO)?

Neither. I think all we really need is some minor tweaking to give us a more attack-minded lineup. It would be foolish to completely abandon the sound defensive play we've shown so far, but we definitely need to let our midfield off the leash a bit more. Derby are there for the taking and we should be looking for 3 points here.

 

Does he make any changes for the starting 11?

I'd like to see him start Roberts and play with 2 strikers...not gonna hold my breath though...

 

Does he see this as a "must win" game?

He should do...because it is. If we can't beat teams that are struggling as much as Derby are then both manager and players really need to ask themselves some serious questions.

 

Your preference:

What is your prefered starting 11?

See graphic below.

 

Are Derby any good and should we play with utmost caution?

Haven't seen them play, but based on results they must be pretty awful. Should never take any opposition lightly, but NW definitely needs to take the shackles off our attacking players. Be sensible...just more attack-minded. With our defence I think we can afford to be.

 

No Howson or Saville?

4231/433 for me. 

Tav, Roberts and Watmore behind Britt.

Morsy and Howson holding.

Same back 4.

[Redcar Rioja 702]

Has to be 433 for me with Howson and Morsy anchoring the midfield and Saville pushing up to turn the opposition and also providing an outlet for the wide players as well as arriving late in the box (not too late however ☺️). Roberts and Tav should be providing the pace and width up front with Akpom in the centre. 

Derby have only scored 5 goals in 12 game so far, we shouldn't need to be overly concerned with them exposing our defence. The Rams strangely seem to have large periods of possession in games but as Mourinho said on Saturday after beating Man City, "they won all the possession but we won the three points".

Spurs achieved that with swift counter attacking play against their opponents having 66% possession. If NW wants to sit deep and keep things tight then fine but he needs to have outlets to counter attack and so far Spence and Johnson/Coulson haven't provided that with only Johnson troubling the opposition Keepers. Tav is able to play wide left while also having the engine and the appetite to get back and defend. Roberts is borderline in becoming a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma so he should be given the opportunity to prove Warnock wrong or to show exactly why he doesn't get selected considering the opponents propensity to offer little threat from open play allied to conceding goals

Derby's one obvious threat is a Free Kick from Rooney in shooting range so for me that precludes the selection of Coulson and Johnson for fear of a stupid trip or foul twenty yards out. I'd also rest McNair in case of burn out, personally I think Wood is more mobile and up to speed than anything I have seen from Hall although either should be more than adequate stand ins.

Bettinelli

Dijksteel Fry Wood Bola

Howson Saville Morsy

Roberts Akpom Tavernier