BORO v Stoke 0-5 (Carabou Cup Round 2)

[marvin 301 694]

Who: The Mighty Boro v Stoke City Football Club

What: The League Cup

Where: Riverside Stadium for kids before school starts again

When: Tuesday 27th August 2024 @ 7:15pm (Earlier kick off so the kids can watch and evening game before school starts again)

Why: 2nd round fixture

 

Intro:

The 2024/25 season has started. We've covered all possible match outcomes in the league with a win, a loss and a draw, and most of the possible in game calamities to gift goals to the opposition. The biggest success so far this season came in the first round of this very competition when a Middlesbrough reserve team battered Dirty Leeds at Dirty Elland Road by 3 goals to 0. Our reserve team played better in that fixture than Carrick's first choices have faired in other games. Has there been some kind of a mix up? 

The opportunity:

Stoke City stand in the way of a third round game. After starting the season with a win against Coventry and a cup victory over Carlisle, Stoke then faced two opponents beginning with a W (Watford and West Brom) losing both games. Let's hope they are equally unsuccessful against teams beginning with M.

A quick glance a the Stoke Fans Forum The Oatcake, shows a fan base that is a little bit unhappy with how things have been going in the post Pulis era. is it a lack of ambition with the managerial appointments? Is it poor recruitment? Is it just fairly typical of a championship team that spent a good decade in the premiership relatively recently?

The reality:

We faced this team twice last season in the Championship, both at home and away. In both games, Stoke won 2 goals to 0. But this is the League Cup, and we've got a pretty decent record in this competition, both historically and recently. As long as we play the reserve team again, we'll probably win this game 5-0, to repay them for the four they put past us last season.

Some things to ponder:

1) Are we in a bizarre situation where our best 11 doesn't necessarily have our best 11 players in it? OR, is it too early to get carried away with that kind of thing?

2) Who will finish the season as first choice keeper?

3) Rightly or wrongly, Engel has been given a few pelters for his performances this season, in a bit of a hangover from last season. It was even audible on the commentary again Portsmouth, a fan or two shouting "Get him off!" Not to open up another debate about him at all... Who would be the best left back* for the Carrick system of our former left backs? (*lose a point if you use the letters R-Y-A-N - G-I-L-E-S in that order)

4) Who will we beat in the final of this seasons League Cup?

 

[Erimus74 3,595 3.7k]

I'd like to see us progress in this cup, we had an exciting cup run last season & hopefully we can go again

We've only met Stoke the once in the league cup way back in October 1973, we drew 1-1 in a 3rd round fixture at Victoria Park, losing the replay 2-1 at Ayresome Park after extra time

Alan Peacoock is credited with scoring our first ever league cup hat trick, John Hickton our first ever league cup penalty, with Craig Hignett becoming the first of two players to score 4 league cup goals in one game

Edited August 25 by Erimus74

[TLF10 4,928 6.6k]

I would go with:

Brynn

Dijk Hunt Clarke Engel

Barlaser McCabe

Hamiltpn Conway Gilbert

Coburn

I was tempted to start McCormick instead of Engel but all being well the former will be sent out on loan by end of week and get plenty of game time. Plus Engel needs to keep playing. Whether he gets any better is up for debate but he wont get any better sat on bench.

[Erimus74 3,595 3.7k]

3/10/1960 - Gordon Jones became our first ever league cup debutant in our 1st ever league cup tie at home to Cardiff City, we unfortunately lost 4-3

Sol Brynn is our 73rd LC debutant

[Erimus74 3,595 3.7k]

32 minutes ago, TLF10 said:

I would go with:

Brynn

Dijk Hunt Clarke Engel

Barlaser McCabe

Hamiltpn Conway Gilbert

Coburn

I was tempted to start McCormick instead of Engel but all being well the former will be sent out on loan by end of week and get plenty of game time. Plus Engel needs to keep playing. Whether he gets any better is up for debate but he wont get any better sat on bench.

I like Gilbert but can see him leaving on friday

Can definitely see Conway starting in readiness for starting v Cardiff 

Isnt McCabe rumoured to be injured? 

[TLF10 4,928 6.6k]

1 minute ago, Erimus74 said:

I like Gilbert but can see him leaving on friday

Can definitely see Conway starting in readiness for starting v Cardiff 

Isnt McCabe rumoured to be injured? 

I think he been back in full training for 2 weeks now. If anyone attended the opening training session on Monday then hopefully they can confirm if he was training or not?

[Erimus74 3,595 3.7k]

6 minutes ago, TLF10 said:

I think he been back in full training for 2 weeks now. If anyone attended the opening training session on Monday then hopefully they can confirm if he was training or not?

Cheers TLF

Maybe what I read was old news

Hope he plays, I liked the look of him v Watford

Cant make, or listen to this match so hopefully catch the highlights on the night, 🤞

 

[Rob 5,309 8.2k]

4-0 to the boro

[Bruce 1,955 1.7k]

I will be really surprised if Dieng isn't first choice keeper by the end of the season. However I do hope that Carrick is prepared to do what he did with Glover and give Brynn a decent run of league games at some point as he needs a chance to improve himself.

I'm not sure what Carrick will do for this game. I guess it will be in part resting the key players and giving the fringe players a chance to prove themselves. We also have a huge issue which is that we need to play Clarke but can't risk him breaking down. I think I would go with

Dieng

Dijksteel - Hunt - Clarke - McCormick

Barlaser - Morris

Hamilton - Conway - Gilbert

Coburn

Subs: Glover, Ayling, Engel, McCabe (if fit), Hackney, Jones, Azaz, Burgzorg, ELL

Bit nervous about having Hunt and McCormick in together. I think Morris is one of those players who thrives on multiple games. Conway to possibly get 60 minutes and Jones to get a breather. Dijksteel feels like he's having a bit of a redemption arc with his last two games being his best two games under Carrick by a long way. 

No idea how it's going to go. I feel like both teams may be quite open with the game being somewhere in between a friendly and a real game. Could end up 3-3 with penalties.

My feeling is that Carrick will choose Engel over McCormick and Burgzorg over Gilbert. If Borges is available he'll go straight on the bench. Also a fair chance that he'll stick with Ayling at centre-back and keep Hunt on the bench. I hope he doesn't.

[Downsouth 6,732 36.2k]

Well done Marvin can safely predict that this will be a good game and not a score draw!

[Redcar Rioja 6,770 6.6k]

It will be interesting to see if our second string put in another impressive performance or indeed if tactically Carrick gets outdone by Stoke again. If we do get another Leeds type performance I would hope that Carrick rewards them by retaining the shirt.

[Erimus74 3,595 3.7k]

8 minutes ago, Redcar Rioja said:

It will be interesting to see if our second string put in another impressive performance or indeed if tactically Carrick gets outdone by Stoke again. If we do get another Leeds type performance I would hope that Carrick rewards them by retaining the shirt.

Agree, I think it was a poor decision of Carrick, regardless of the result against Derby, that both Gilbert & Dijksteel were dropped

[KJA_mfc 55 53]

Be nice to have a half decent run and maybe go one better better than last year 🤣 in all seriousness at this stage we need to get some confidence and momentum regardless of if it's league or cup and also keep the squad happy with plenty rotation. I can see clarkey playing but if was in charge and with our centre back crisis i'd give two younguns a chance. 

 

I would go

Brynn

Dijksteel

Hunt

Wilson

Engel

McCabe

Barlaser

Hamilton

Conway

Gilbert

Coburn

[RiseAgainst 4,084 3.5k]

1) Are we in a bizarre situation where our best 11 doesn't necessarily have our best 11 players in it? OR, is it too early to get carried away with that kind of thing?

I don't think anyone has nailed down a starting spot yet, apart from Clarke and - admittedly based on limited intel - Conway. Therefore I don't think we have a best 11 yet. Burgzorg has flattered to deceive, Izzy has been poor and our defence is made up of whoever can get off the treatment table without crutches or a hoist. I'd pick tomorrow's team on merit, and for me that means Dijksteel at RB, Conway and Hamilton in midfield and Coburn up front. I'd also give Barlaser another game - he's really impressed me this season.

2) Who will finish the season as first choice keeper?

It's going to be Dieng, but I'd like Brynn to play in the cups and be viewed as a potential first-choice for next season. No point rushing the lad and damaging his confidence.

3) Rightly or wrongly, Engel has been given a few pelters for his performances this season, in a bit of a hangover from last season. It was even audible on the commentary again Portsmouth, a fan or two shouting "Get him off!" Not to open up another debate about him at all... Who would be the best left back* for the Carrick system of our former left backs? (*lose a point if you use the letters R-Y-A-N - G-I-L-E-S in that order)

It's a shame Engel is being made a scapegoat, considering his impressive form at times. But if we need to sign someone else (assuming Bangura is out long-term), I honestly don't know who to suggest.

4) Who will we beat in the final of this seasons League Cup?

We'll probably lose to Chelsea. Because they're c**** and I hate them.

[Redcar Rioja 6,770 6.6k]

1) Are we in a bizarre situation where our best 11 doesn't necessarily have our best 11 players in it? OR, is it too early to get carried away with that kind of thing?

Playing all your best players in their best positions doesn't always work. If it were that simple anyone could become Pep. Synergy, understanding, teamwork, and ethos are all key components and by no means exclusive.

2) Who will finish the season as first choice keeper?

Odds on to be Dieng but too many performances like Saturday and that could change if Brynn puts in a few stellar Cup performances. Good to have pressure on players for places.

3) Rightly or wrongly, Engel has been given a few pelters for his performances this season, in a bit of a hangover from last season. It was even audible on the commentary again Portsmouth, a fan or two shouting "Get him off!" Not to open up another debate about him at all... Who would be the best left back* for the Carrick system of our former left backs? (*lose a point if you use the letters R-Y-A-N - G-I-L-E-S in that order)

Best LB (also applies to other positions) is one who has the fans behind him, encouraging and supporting him. When the going gets tough a player needs lifting not destroying. Whoever comes in I hope the fans get behind him like they should.

4) Who will we beat in the final of this seasons League Cup?

Manchester Utd, 4-1 AET.