WBA V Boro 4-2 (Lath, Forss (pen) )

[Humpty 5,144 10.6k]

 

42 minutes ago, Denzel Zanzibar said:

Can't see the lineup being anything other than this, which is fair enough.

If Silvera takes one of his golden chances we win this. Think the lad needs to be given time to adapt, sadly we can't afford that and we need him to start delivering now. 

We know he can finish, we saw it in pre-season. Time to step up, fella!

You think we're going to keep a clean sheet?

[SouthernSmoggie 5,306 7k]

13 hours ago, Neverbefore said:

Dieng

Vdb fry lenihan engel

Howson Hackney

Forss rogers mcgree

Ell

The only way for me. Coin toss between forss and Jones but the rest of the team picks itself for me. Given silveras performances, if mcgree is left out again I'll have serious concerns about his future with us.

I think that line up has our best players in it... But it does lack pace to get in behind out wide, which is where we suffered v Millwall. I know the Milkman is quick but Forss and McGree both want the ball to their feet facing the goal. I'm having visions of us repeatedly running into an organised Corberan defence trying to thead the eye of a needle through the centre.

 So I'd start one of Jones or Silvera, even though I think Forss and McGree are better players (if that makes sense). Gives us the option of getting to the byline and turning their defence.. 

[Bruce 3,109 2.5k]

It's not exactly a crisis but this is likely to be one of our toughest matches of the season while we're still coming to terms that the club appears to have embarked on a 180 degree turn in transfer policy without telling anyone. The New Model(TM) means that Carrick is having to rapidly rebuild a team made out of players mostly bought for their potential rather than current ability. 

Still a while until the window Slams Shut(TM) but it seems likely we'll be facing probably the most tactically astute manager in the championship with a team that is a long way from finished. Also, at a time, when it seems the best managers have come to a conclusion about the best way to play against Carrick's Boro and when we haven't won for what a seems like a whole monarchy. 

Realistically, it seems only one result. Fortunately football is often anything but realistic. My head can only see us losing 2-0 but there's still an outside chance that we surprise the baggies and spawn a win.

Teamwise, we all know that Carrick is wedded to 4-2-3-1 though it's a bit more complicated. He seems to like 3 defending defenders, 1 attacking full back, 2 box to box midfielders, 3 interchanging attacking midfielders and a striker that runs in behind. Personally I feel we should just stick with a simple 4-3-3 and focus on getting the team to gel. However, I'm not Carrick. Injuries aside, I'm expecting

Dieng

Smith - Fry - Lenihan - Engel

Howson - Hackney

Forss - Rogers - Silvera

Lath

It's not the team I would pick. That's

Dieng

Smith - Fry - Lenihan - Engel

Hackney - Howson - McGree

Forss - Lath - Rogers

 

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by Bruce
got Hackney's position wrong

[Neverbefore 15,083 29.3k]

2 minutes ago, Bruce said:

It's not exactly a crisis but this is likely to be one of our toughest matches of the season while we're still coming to terms that the club appears to have embarked on a 180 degree turn in transfer policy without telling anyone. The New Model(TM) means that Carrick is having to rapidly rebuild a team made out of players mostly bought for their potential rather than current ability. 

Still a while until the window Slams Shut(TM) but it seems likely we'll be facing probably the most tactically astute manager in the championship with a team that is a long way from finished. Also, at a time, when it seems the best managers have come to a conclusion about the best way to play against Carrick's Boro and when we haven't won for what a seems like a whole monarchy. 

Realistically, it seems only one result. Fortunately football is often anything but realistic. My head can only see us losing 2-0 but there's still an outside chance that we surprise the baggies and spawn a win.

Teamwise, we all know that Carrick is wedded to 4-2-3-1 though it's a bit more complicated. He seems to like 3 defending defenders, 1 attacking full back, 2 box to box midfielders, 3 interchanging attacking midfielders and a striker that runs in behind. Personally I feel we should just stick with a simple 4-3-3 and focus on getting the team to gel. However, I'm not Carrick. Injuries aside, I'm expecting

Dieng

Smith - Fry - Lenihan - Engel

Howson - Hackney

Forss - Rogers - Silvera

Lath

It's not the team I would pick. That's

Dieng

Smith - Fry - Lenihan - Engel

Howson - Hackney - McGree

Forss - Lath - Rogers

 

 

How do you see that midfield 3 functioning? I've seen a couple of people post teams with 433 and Hackney in the middle of the 3 - does that mean you expect him to be the 6 with howson and mcgree as the 8s? Do you think he has the skill set for that?

[Bruce 3,109 2.5k]

2 minutes ago, Neverbefore said:

How do you see that midfield 3 functioning? I've seen a couple of people post teams with 433 and Hackney in the middle of the 3 - does that mean you expect him to be the 6 with howson and mcgree as the 8s? Do you think he has the skill set for that?

Oops that was a mistake. Corrected it. Meant to be Howson in the middle with Hackney and McGree playing as #8s. Howson's role is meant to be to screen the defence and dictate the tempo when we have the ball at the back.

I reckon Hackney could easily score/assist in double figures this season if he has more licence to attack.

[Neverbefore 15,083 29.3k]

Just now, Bruce said:

Oops that was a mistake. Corrected it. Meant to be Howson in the middle with Hackney and McGree playing as #8s. Howson's role is meant to be to screen the defence and dictate the tempo when we have the ball at the back.

I reckon Hackney could easily score/assist in double figures this season if he has more licence to attack.

I think it could work. The main thing stopping me thinking that it's the way we'll go is the number of attackers we've signed and the number we're still being linked to (a 10 and a striker). That's too many players for 3 positions. But we'll see how it shakes out. If we fail to get those two players in then it wouldn't surprise me too much to see us pivot.

[Bruce 3,109 2.5k]

Just now, Neverbefore said:

I think it could work. The main thing stopping me thinking that it's the way we'll go is the number of attackers we've signed and the number we're still being linked to (a 10 and a striker). That's too many players for 3 positions. But we'll see how it shakes out. If we fail to get those two players in then it wouldn't surprise me too much to see us pivot.

I agree, especially given all our links to #10s. The odd thing is we have bought 3 left wingers (Silvera, Rogers and Gilbert) plus a centre forward. In theory they can all play at #10 and maybe that will turn out to be Rogers' best position but they have all grown up playing on the left wing. If you look at our squad, we have two players in every position for 4-3-3 but not for 4-2-3-1

Dieng / Glover / Jones

Smith / Dijksteel

Fry / RVDB

Lenihan / McNair / (Clarke)

Engel / Coulson

Hackney / Crooks (best position was #8 on the right of a 3)

Howson / Barlaser (played deepest in a 3 for Rotherham)

McGree / Payero (played left of a 3 for Boca)

Forss / Jones

Lath / Coburn

Rogers / Silvera 

It just feels to me that this is putting our players in their natural positions but gives all sorts of flexibility. I should probably shut up about it.

[Humpty 5,144 10.6k]

30 minutes ago, SouthernSmoggie said:

I think that line up has our best players in it... But it does lack pace to get in behind out wide, which is where we suffered v Millwall. I know the Milkman is quick but Forss and McGree both want the ball to their feet facing the goal. I'm having visions of us repeatedly running into an organised Corberan defence trying to thead the eye of a needle through the centre.

 So I'd start one of Jones or Silvera, even though I think Forss and McGree are better players (if that makes sense). Gives us the option of getting to the byline and turning their defence.. 

Pace wasn't the issue against Millwall. We lacked incisive passing and a good outlet up front which prevented us from having useful space in the final third. We kept possession for the sake of possession which allowed Millwall to play deeper and compact their formation which made it hard for us to break them down. I don't see West Brom playing that way at home against us so as it happens pace to play on the counter would be useful!

[Redcar Rioja 9,035 8.8k]

We have been disjointed and spluttering on 3 cylinders so far this season and we now face the toughest fixture to date so logic would dictate another defeat is inevitable (where have I heard that before 🤔) with this one. I suspect that with the likelihood of getting beat the anxiety and nervousness may actually be dispelled by the sheer expectation of losing with the consequence being a mentality of having nothing to lose therefore we might just see a few Players playing without baggage or fear. 

Bizarre and irrational as it seems I think we will take WBA by surprise and come out winners by two clear goals. Silvera by now surely must know he needs to stop wetting himself when he sees the goal mouth, Rogers will be more confident finding his feet in that second striker role and Latte Lath will have become more familiar with his new manager, tactics and team mates. Engel likewise will have had a little more time to settle and gain better understanding. Apart from all that we must break our duck sometime and with the Away fans getting behind them as oppose to more audible groans and sighs at Home I think this could well be the moment our season turns.

Any alternative result is unthinkable.

[Denzel Zanzibar 8,139 15.5k]

7 hours ago, Humpty said:

 

You think we're going to keep a clean sheet?

I didn't say that.

[Erimus74 5,343 5.5k]

 

One of these beauties, as Maddo says, from Silvera tomorrow please 👌

[Erimus74 5,343 5.5k]

Are we going to win a league game yet? No

Will we have three new players in time? No

Who is your favourite player to represent both the Mighty Boro and the Baggies?

Bryan Robson

Tony Mowbray 

David Mills

Tough choice, all 3 have valid reasons to be a favourite player to play for both teams, but as much as I could sway towards David Mills, for nostalic reasons, my choice will be Mogga, our iconic leader 

How many will we actually win by?

2-0 

[Erimus74 5,343 5.5k]

On 8/23/2023 at 5:07 PM, marvin said:

TEAMS: WEST BROMICH AND THE HOVE ALBION V MIDDLESBROUGH F.C.

DATE: SATURDAY 26th AUGUST 2023

EVENT: CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH FOUR

VENUE: THE HAWTHORNS STADIUM

 

short intro:

This season for me is like when someone tells you your favourite bands new song is class and you really look forward to hearing it. Then you put it on and the first few bars are a bit…confusing. Somewhat familiar, but not what you were expecting.

You look at the sleeve and notice the new style is a bit weird. May be even disappointing. Then the song eventually kicks in and it’s every bit as good as you hoped it would be and in the end, even the start makes sense. Welcome to league match, day 4.

“Oh sorry, I didn’t realise we were starting properly!” - Michael Carrick, August 2023

me thinks:

Three games deep sees the mighty Boro slide into the 2023/24 season apologetically late. Seemingly unaware that points earned in August are counted towards the final season tally. Well, that’s what it feels like. Hopefully, Carrick is just so confident that this is the season we’ll deliver on Gibson’s promise to smash the league and return to our rightful place in the mid to lower half of the Premier League, we’ll arrive rock star late, smash the place up and leave the other teams and their fans in awe of our coolness. This seasons equivalent to throwing the tv out the hotel window will be us winning every time we’re live on sky sports. It’s going to be wild… it’s going to be proper rock and roll, isn’t it?

West Bromwich Albion offer the Boro some August redemption. Carlos Corberán’s team will provide the nest progress test for a Middlesbrough team seeking to prove that life after Akpom (and Archer, Giles, and Ramsey…) can be a good life.

Since our false start, we’ve signed a new striker (the fastest milkman in the north east, he always delivers etc.) and upgraded Giles with a player that should provide the assists and also be able to score a few belters too.

West Brom have had a stuttering start this season, much like us. Beaten by Blackburn, beating Swansea and drawing with Dirty Leeds. I can’t see that their team has changed much since last season. But do notice that Mowatt is warming their bench again after he finished warming up ours.

 

they thinks:

This place is tricky to navigate on a mobile. Far too cluttered so I didn’t stay longer than to find a MDT to share.

This is better but  I couldn’t find a MDT. I did see some suggestions that they hadn’t signed anyone, we’re only likely to sign players that would be injured and rubbish, they don’t have a leader at CB and finally, my favourite: they should get rid of Coberán and appoint Sam Allardyce. Imagine getting rid of Steve Bruce then... I can't even... If you think our transfer thread gets daft…

final thoughts and questions to consider:

I find it impossible to predict with any confidence what the outcome of this game will be. I do fully expect: Rob to predict 4-0 to us; TheJew to say defeat is inevitable and remind us of his 1 point from four target.

I think I’m still just gutted we didn’t get promoted last season. Having said that, a few wins will see me right and Saturday at the Hawthorns seems as good a place as any to get started.

Are we going to win a league game yet?

Will we have three new players in time?

Who is your favourite player to represent both the Mighty Boro and the Baggies?

How many will we actually win by?

Good post

[Rob 6,410 9.8k]

4-0 to the boro

[BoroSmoggie 4,105 4.3k]

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