WELCOME TO THE IT'S NOT A DERBY!

The Riverside Sunday 4th of February  13.00 CET 
Ref = Darren England

Injured: Lenihan, Smith, Dieng, Bangura, Lath
Unavailable: Riley McGree, Sam Silvera (Asian Cup)

Since Birmingham had a cup game, the mighty Boro didn't play last round, so our players should be hungry and up for this one. The fact that it's the It's Not A Derby v the Black Cats should make our chosen 11want it even more! 

Our last game in the league was a terrible 1-1 draw with bottom Rotherham, while Sunderland beat Stoke 3-1, which put The Black Cats 3 points ahead of The Boro in the table.

The January Transfer Window closed a few moments ago - And the team we now have, must finish the season for us. 
One could say that we have used our injury quota for the full season, so if it evens out our players should stay fit 😛 

Questions: 

1: Choose your 11 
2: Result and Boro scorers?
3: Are you happy with our January Transfer Window?
4: Are you satisfied with the clubs "new" bussines model? 
5: Will Rogers find his feet at Aston Villa?
6: Are you going to the game?
7: What's your favourite thing coming from Sunderland?

View From The Other Side: https://www.not606.com/threads/middlesbrough-fc-v-sunderland-afc-–-sunday-4th-february-2024-ko-12-00.410993/




 

26 November 1887 FAC 3rd round 

1st ever meeting on Teesside between Boro & Sunderland

Game finished 2 all at Linthorpe road

Iconic goalscoring legend George Elliott who was born in Sunderland.

Between 1909-1925 he played for the mighty Boro, scoring 213 goals in 365 appearances

Edited February 2, 20242 yr by Erimus74

Have we got 2 players called Smith injured? God we have so many injuries I actually cant remember

1.

2. 2-1 Boro, Forss & Azaz

3. Fairly happy, would have liked to have seen us bring in another striker (but not just anyone for the sake of it. If Lath is due back soon we should be okay.)

4. Can't really argue with the Rogers transfer, that much profit after only 6 months is a no brainer

5. I'd like him to but I can't see how he fits in at Villa right now. He may have to be patient.

6. No

7. Nothing. Absolutely nothing good has ever come out of Sunderland. Not even Sam Greenwood.

Edited February 2, 20242 yr by Denzel Zanzibar

1 hour ago, Denzel Zanzibar said:

1.

2. 2-1 Boro, Forss & Azaz

3. Fairly happy, would have liked to have seen us bring in another striker (but not just anyone for the sake of it. If Lath is due back soon we should be okay.)

4. Can't really argue with the Rogers transfer, that much profit after only 6 months is a no brainer

5. I'd like him to but I can't see how he fits in at Villa right now. He may have to be patient.

6. No

7. Nothing. Absolutely nothing good has ever come out of Sunderland. Not even Sam Greenwood.

Wrong, George Elliott for one as mentioned in my thread

1: Choose your 11 
 

Dieng

Ayling Fry Clarke Engel

Hackney Barlaser

Forss Azaz Greenwood

Coburn

I'm assuming Coburn will come off injured in the second half for Crooks.

2: Result and Boro scorers?

6-0 to the Boro, all from Dieng.

3: Are you happy with our January Transfer Window?

I'm happy with the players we've brought in, they're all decent acquisitions, but I'm not particularly happy with the window. I think we're weaker than we were before January now we've sold Rogers, and I think that the failure to bring in a striker will cost us.

Azaz is a great buy, but he's not going to be a utility player like Rogers was for us, and we're still missing plenty of players.

4: Are you satisfied with the clubs "new" business model? 

No, if only because I'm sick of fans all circle jerking over "the model" in every discussion now.

5: Will Rogers find his feet at Aston Villa?

I think he'll be a bit part player who'll occasionally show his worth.

6: Are you going to the game?

I am, and I'm looking forward to it, it's a huge game that could decide the shape of the rest of our season.

7: What's your favourite thing coming from Sunderland?

I like going to the Empire with my partner to watch musicals now and again, and the taco place across the road from it was really nice.

It's not a city that I'm fond of though, Newcastle is better in almost every way.

4-0 to the boro

9 minutes ago, TeaCider24 said:

1: Choose your 11 
 

Dieng

Ayling Fry Clarke Engel

Hackney Barlaser

Forss Azaz Greenwood

Coburn

Luke Thomas starts, surely? And isn't Dieng still injured? 

6 minutes ago, Denzel Zanzibar said:

Luke Thomas starts, surely? And isn't Dieng still injured? 

I expect he will, but I've went for what I'd pick.

I think Dieng will be back.

1: Choose your 11

No idea who's actually fit but I'm assuming Dieng, Izzy and Latte Lath are all out and Coburn is fit.

Glover
Ayling Fry VDB Engel
Hackney O'Brien
Forss Azaz Greenwood
Coburn

2: Result and Boro scorers?

2-1 Boro, Hackney and Forss

3: Are you happy with our January Transfer Window?

I'm happy enough, yeah. 2 loan players in for positions we've lost players to seemingly significant injuries. Azaz seems to be someone people like, as much as I'm yet to really see it but it's early days for him here. Getting a striker in would have been nice but it's a tricky one with LL and Coburn vying for that spot when fit, too. We just put a lot of money into LL in the summer, too. The issue there seems to be more rushing strikers back rather than giving them a chance to recover.

4: Are you satisfied with the clubs "new" bussines model? 

Yeah. There has been some connected thinking between the last 2 managers despite a change in shape. There is an effort shown to focus on younger players who can get better and make a profit. It's not a 1/1 success rate with those kind of signings but just as Rogers has just shown, any one of them coming good is good money in your pocket to reinvest. The fact some people are just disappointed we couldn't hold onto him for longer or push for more out of the deal, despite the fact he has quite justifiably not spent the whole season in the first team, that's the kind of disappointment you want over splashing millions of pounds on players like Aden Flint and George Saville with nothing close to a good return on investment in the team and little to no hope of selling on for profit in the future.

5: Will Rogers find his feet at Aston Villa?

The lad has the attributes and I'll say this again, the biggest thing for me with Rogers is how much he improved whilst he was out of the team. The lad has got it in his mind that he is going to make it as a player. He's determined, he's hard-working, he's got something between his ears and listens and takes on feedback well, I'm pretty convinced of it. Given where he finds himself now, with a manager who clearly wanted him, I think he will find his place there in time. It's a level above and Villa are flying high, he might not go into it all guns blazing and have the best start but I think he'll find his way.

6: Are you going to the game?

Nah, I'll watch it but got too much on to make the trip.

7: What's your favourite thing coming from Sunderland?

Me. I'm moving back to the Boro from Sunderland in the next month or so, if all goes well. I suppose I should say the missus as she's making the move too but you know what, I've already written it now. Me. Me, me, me. Self love.

(Neither of us are Mackems, stop worrying, both from the mighty Boro)

11 hours ago, SmogDane said:

1: Choose your 11 
2: Result and Boro scorers?
3: Are you happy with our January Transfer Window?
4: Are you satisfied with the clubs "new" bussines model? 
5: Will Rogers find his feet at Aston Villa?
6: Are you going to the game?
7: What's your favourite thing coming from Sunderland?

1. Hope we go with a back 5 to add some stability at the back and cut down on the passing out from the back a little to avoid unnecessary self inflicted pain.

Glover

Ayling RVB Fry Clarke Thomas

Howson Hackney

Forss Azaz Greenwood

2. Result 3-1 to Boro

3. Not Happy but the Window has been a quiet and poor one for many a year so without movement elsewhere it's difficult to get the Players we wanted.

4. Maybe not "satisfied" but it's realistic and sustainable without a multi billionaire owner so it's the most feasible.

5. I have no idea if Rogers will find his feet at Villa, don't wish the lad any ill but I don't really care other than the better he does the more money in add ons come to Boro.

6. Nope

7. Charlie Buchan (for his Football Annuals) 

 

Is there any update on Jones's injury?

Massive loss if he will be out for more than a few games

2 minutes ago, Leesider said:

Is there any update on Jones's injury?

Massive loss if he will be out for more than a few games

Think he's expected to be back on Sunday

Hard to know who's back and who's not. I think the 10 day break may have helped quite a lot. So my guess is that quite a few will be back but most will still not be ready for a full 90. Think Thomas will come straight in.

1. Dieng

Ayling Fry Clarke Thomas

Howson Hackney

Jones Greenwood Azaz

Coburn

Subs: Glover RVDB McNair Engel O'Brien Barlaser Forss Latte Lath Crooks

2. Result. A traditional 3-1 to us. (Not actually optimistic so I am indulging in some magical thinking. Don't really want to contemplate a loss.)

3. Think the window was about a 6/10. Clearly it would have been better if we could have landed whoever our main striker target is and not lost Rogers.

4. It is probably what we need to do but not convinced we are doing it well. Feels like this summer will be when we learn if we are making any progress. All well and good talking about a business model but fundamentally it has to enable the club to meet its goals of competing in the Premier league and I'm not sure that our scouting is up to much.

5. I was impressed with the way he developed with us. Hope he does well as he seems a genuinely decent person but it's a massive step up and he could easily end up back out on loan next season.

6. Nope.

7. Once spent 3 months doing door to door sales in Sunderland. Was glad when it ended.