Smogzilla 9,172 6.9k Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 What s up lads and l.m4a (Little audio intro for you through the link above! 👆) Now then guys and gals! the 23/24 season is underway, although for our lot it feels like we haven't really started! Boro have stumbled out of the blocks, resulting in a frustrating home loss to Millwall, followed by a hammering by a classy Coventry outfit. Carrick has some shiny new tools to play with after some signings walked through the door this week. Hopes may be rekindled with a better performance here......but something stands in our way......  Do you feel that? A chill wind. A shadow at the edge of your vision. A monster of times long gone. A terrible presence moves its way towards the Riverside on Saturday. It is the enemy of joy. It seeks to snuff out hope. The Boro boys hope to bring their season to life...but this demon seeks to destroy it once and for all.........    YouCut_20230815_210038319.mp4 YouCut_20230815_210038319.mp4  Yes, he's back again. The man with a pathological opposition to retirement makes another visit to gods country. Although Boro managed to best him recently, big Neil chose a youthful side and will be looking to ruin our day with his strongest and evilest XI at the weekend. FORM GUIDE v Huddersfield Town Games won: 45 Games drawn: 21 Games lost:35 Recent fixtures: 08 Aug 2023 Huddersfield Town v Middlesbrough W 2-3 League Cup 01 Apr 2023 Huddersfield Town v Middlesbrough L 4-2 League Championship 22 Oct 2022 Middlesbrough v Huddersfield Town D 0-0 League Championship 18 Apr 2022 Middlesbrough v Huddersfield Town L 0-2 League Championship 27 Nov 2021 Huddersfield Town v Middlesbrough W1-2 League Championship  Some questions pre match What's your line-up for this one? Are the new signings in from the off? What other transfer business do Boro need to complete before the window shuts? What's your honest assessment of Warnock's tenure here?  Bonus: CHANT CHALLENGE! With it sadly looking like the Chuba chant is not going to be used for much longer (ðŸ˜) I feel its time for us to put our heads together and come up with some new chants for fans to belt out on matchday! Please provide lyrics and the a link to the music it's set to! Best chant to be chosen by me after the final whistle. Good luck! (my entry)  And through it ALLLLL, He offers us protection, Some attack and direction, Whether we're right or wrong, And when he's on the WIIIIINGGG,  Wherever it may take us, I know that it won't break us, When he's on the ball He won't forsake us, We're loving Engels instead!   7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldManGravz 2,305 6.3k Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 What's your line-up for this one? Are the new signings in from the off? I think, given our need in both areas, both new signings have to start. Dieng McNair Fry Lenihan Engels Hackney Barlaser Jones Rogers McGree Lath What other transfer business do Boro need to complete before the window shuts? I think we are pretty much sorted for positions we were struggling with and there is decent strength in depth everywhere except up front where we could maybe do with one more as cover? (apart from RB but nobody outside the staff seems to know what is going on there). Next step is to start improving the squad in the positions we are weakest. Again I'd say RB is probably that area, I'd also like a midfielder to take Howson's place in the squad for next year. I imagine Barlaser and Hackney may be the preferred duo going forward, especially in games where we are hoping to dominate the ball, but I'd like us to go for a pacey midfielder who can put in a tackle for those games where it is getting a bit rough or where we are expected to be on the back foot, just for something a little different to our current players What's your honest assessment of Warnock's tenure here? Warnock did what he was hired to do while he was here. It was a period of cost cutting and trying to right the ship caused by the failings which came before him. It wasn't pretty and I wasnt a fan but I imagine it was necessary for the club to survive. I also think the way we got rid of him was very harsh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynamo Kev 1,816 6.4k Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 dieng howson fry lenny engels hackney payero rogers mcgree silviera latte lath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denzel Zanzibar 8,037 15.3k Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 Engel. Engel. ENGEL His bloody name is Lukas ENGEL. *sigh* Ideal lineup Realistically though you're looking at Coulson at LB and Rogers up front. McGree really should be playing in the middle instead of Crooks too but we know Carrick has a blind spot there. As usual we're gonna get Warnocked, 2-0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boro-unger 4,601 17.8k Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 Some questions pre match What's your line-up for this one? Are the new signings in from the off? Hopefully engels will start. I think Lath might be on the bench for this one.  What other transfer business do Boro need to complete before the window shuts? Another striker. Then maybe a loan or two of higher quality than what we have.  What's your honest assessment of Warnock's tenure here? Effective in keeping us up. Then stayed too long.   Change challenge: to the tune of Lukas by Suzanne vega My name is Lukas, I play in the second tier, I play on the left hand side, Yes I think you've seen me before.  If you see me play in red and white, For midddles-boro, we're dynamite, Give me the ball and someone scores, Give me the ball and someone scores, Give me the ball and... someone scores, 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boro-unger 4,601 17.8k Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 Or to abbas angel eyes Look into his Engel eyes, One touch and you're hypnotized, He'll take the ball and play it in behind, Look into his Engel eyes, You'll think you're in paradise, All of our attacks, he helps catalyse, Don't look too deep into those Engel eyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce 2,974 2.3k Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 What's your line-up for this one? Are the new signings in from the off? I would go with 4-3-3. I don't think Carrick will. I think Engel can go straight in but Latte Lath might need a little longer to adapt. Dieng McNair - Fry - Lenihan - Engel Hackney - Howson/Barlaser - McGree Rogers - Forss - Silvera What other transfer business do Boro need to complete before the window shuts? If Carrick is wedded to playing with a #10 and we're making a serious attempt at the playoffs, then a #10 like Willock and clinical centre forward. Then either an immediate replacement for Howson who is stronger defensively or a 4th choice centre midfielder to replace Mowatt. If we're more looking to develop what we have, possibly just patching the gaps with a couple of loans and another development player.  What's your honest assessment of Warnock's tenure here? He's an impact manager these days and his impact wears off quickly. He dug us out of a hole and was in charge in unique circumstances. I don't personally like the way he conducts himself towards officials. He should probably have been pensioned off after his first complete season, instead he was ditched in a classless way that doesn't reflect well on us. Has earned my gratitude.  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaCider24 17,814 22.9k Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 What's your line-up for this one? Are the new signings in from the off? Absolutely, we need them. Dieng McNair - Fry - Lenihan - Engel Howson - Hackney Forss - Rogers - McGree Lath I'd be fine with Jones and Silvera starting again though. What other transfer business do Boro need to complete before the window shuts? Assuming no more exits, we need a striker. There are positions we can improve, but it's striker where we're short still. What's your honest assessment of Warnock's tenure here? Did well to keep us up, did okay after that and kept me entertained during lockdown. Probably should have been let go after the big tail off in his full season. Don't think his overall tenure was particularly successful but we've had worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denzel Zanzibar 8,037 15.3k Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 May be a bit niche, this one but Madonna - Angel We're all standing on a cloud Everytime you're around And our sadness disappears Everytime you are near You are Lukas Engel We can see it in your eyes Full of wonder and surprise And now we've realised Ooh, Lukas Engel Ooh, Lukas Engel Ooh, Lukas Engel On the wing And this song we'll always sing  1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCWamma 517 297 Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 New signings have to feature, they're both fit from pre-season and we badly need the creativity. GK: Dieng DR: McNair DC: Fry DC: Lenihan DL: Engel (maybe we could sneak a second copy of him on and have Engels) MC: Barlaser MC: Hackney RW: Forss LW: McGree SS: Rodgers ST: Latte Lath  I'm probably meant to say we need an Akpom replacement, but I think we'll cope without (albeit be worse than last season) and more importantly nobody we can afford to bring in will be able to replace what Akpom gave us anyway, at least not this season. Given that, I'd rather we got a destroyer DM (preferably also tidy with his feet) more suited than Howson, so Howson can back them up in one midfield slot and Hackney/Barlaser can compete for the other. If we ship off Coulson then some cheap cover there too, although I honestly think Coulson's fine enough there as long as Engel is playing most of the time.  As loads of other people have done a pretty solid job of recognising Engel is a bit like Angel, I'll go with the other new kid. "Whole Lotta Love" but instead of "Want to whole lotta love" it's "Emmanuel Latte Lath" and that's the entire chant. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downsouth 8,142 39k Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 Well some creative posts already just goes to show he doom and gloom has been lifted and what a good game to start certin players campaigns. The build up wil be intense and the support Saturday should be magnificent. Boys please do not lose! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordy1000 51 73 Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 New signings should play, maybe LL coming on for second half. But how long does it take for work permits and visas to come through? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLF10 5,418 7.1k Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 9 minutes ago, gordy1000 said: New signings should play, maybe LL coming on for second half. But how long does it take for work permits and visas to come through? Stuani took forever if i recall correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downsouth 8,142 39k Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 5 minutes ago, TLF10 said: Stuani took forever if i recall correctly. Yes but communications have speeded up so much from then and documentation far easier to complete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldManGravz 2,305 6.3k Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 Dont we normally wait to announce until it is all.completed? I cant remember the last time we announced a signing when we were still waiting for clearance? Probably why our announcements take a week to come out 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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