Boro v Blackburn Rovers 0-1

[Denzel Zanzibar 7,472 14.5k]

Middlesbrough FC v Blackburn Rovers

Wednesday 27th November

The Riverside Stadium

Kick Off: 19:45

On Sky Sports+

 

I'll just leave this here:

Now, a little ode to two of our best players:

Scoring For Fun

Lyrics

Right. Onto Wednesday night and we host Blackburn Rovers, who somehow managed to get their game at the weekend postponed despite all the other games in the Championship going ahead. A double edged sword really, they'll either be fit as fiddles or rusty having not played since before the International break. 

Blackburn have an annoyingly good record against us at the Riverside, we haven't beaten them at home since Boxing Day 2012, which is kind of crazy. They sit in 9th while we sit 5 points above them in 5th. 

Sol Brynn had a solid league debut against Oxford, making some fine saves (and an absolutely crucial one at 1-1!) but if he's over his illness I fully expect Dieng to come back into the side. Will Carrick rest anyone else? I mean, who would you drop after Saturday's team performance? Latte Lath, Azaz and Ben Doak are surely nailed on starters, but Forss made his long awaited return from the bench and Hackney is waiting in the wings to return.

If Hackney is fit (I don't think he will be) then you'd expect Howson to make way, especially after he gave the ball away in dangerous areas a few times against Oxford. Despite his recent performances, could Burgzorg be dropped to the bench in favour of Riley McGree, who will be raring to go after being rested at the weekend? 

I think we break the Riverside hoodoo against Blackburn Rovers and keep up this high scoring streak. Everything our forwards touch seems to turn into gold at the minute so I'm going for a 7-1 victory. Okay, maybe not. I'll say 3-1, with Latte Lath scoring a brace and Conway coming off the bench to add a third (he likes scoring against Blackburn Rovers.)

Starting Lineup?

Score Prediction?

Have you watched any Christmas films yet?

Is Die Hard a Christmas film? (Yes it is)

D.Z Out 🤓👍 (that's me, I wear glasses)

[Rob 5,555 8.6k]

7-0 to the boro

[TeaCider24 14,586 19.5k]

Lineup

Brynn

Ayling Edmundson Clarke Borges

Hackney Barlaser

Doak Azaz Burgzorg

Latte Lath

I'd probably give Brynn another game just because he did really well, but I'll be fine with Dieng being back.

If Hackney was nearly available for Saturday, I expect he might be available for this one and I thought Howson still looked off the pace against Oxford.

But I wouldn't be gambling on Hackney's fitness, if there's a doubt, stick with Howson.

McGree's better than Burgzorg, but I think Burgzorg played very well on Saturday and deserves to keep his place.

Have you watched any Christmas films yet?

Yeah, watched The Nightmare Before Christmas, which my wife hated, and some short animated film about a little girl and an owl, which she thought was really cute.

Is Die Hard a Christmas film?

Of course it is, set at Christmas, during a Christmas party, characters make repeated references to it being Christmas, and it ends with a Christmas song.

[Bruce 2,101 1.8k]

Line-up. Injuries and illness aside.

Brynn

Dijksteel - Edmundson - Clarke - Borges

Barlaser - Howson

Doak - Azaz - Burgzorg

Latte Lath

I think Carrick *might* stick with Brynn for a couple of game even if Dieng is available. Not because Brynn is better but because the only way Brynn will get better is to play and right now he's probably good enough. TBH, Carrick is risk averse with keepers so if I had to bet it would be on Dieng being straight back in if he's fit enough.

*Might* rotate Ayling out for a rest. I think Carrick would keep Ayling in if Howson wasn't playing. Alternately, might put Ayling at LB depending on how well Borges is recovering after his illness. I reckon if Borges gets a run of games in a team that is playing well and winning games that he'll go up a level or two.

Don't see any other changes. I think the front 4 in particular have made themselves undroppable. Only thing is that ELL seems to be a bit prone to fatigue-based injuries so Conway might start.

I suspect that Hackney might be recovered enough for the subs bench but not quite fit enough to start. Two starts in a row for Howson will probably do him some good as it takes him a while to get fully match sharp these days.

 

[Rob 5,555 8.6k]

he might keep Brynn in if he was happy with him on saturday,

he let glover have a bit longer than people wanted when he thought he did enough to keep his place.

I don't think Carrick likes the idea of having a place in the team that others players who step in don't have a chance at of getting after they played there, even if the first choice in most peoples minds is back available. epically if he needs to make sure Deing is 100% that might be enough excuse to let him have another game. There has often been a few runs of players plenty thought were well out the team stepping in when they had to and keeping that place unexpectedly while the first choice waits to get back in

plus maybe its a low key way of Carrick sending a message to let him know his place isn't secure and we are expecting a little more from him, without just flat out dropping him when fit to give him that message (which would be a colder way to do it for Deing)  

[Marvanelli 592 400]

Dieng

Ayling - Edmundson - Clarke - Borges

Barlaser - Howson

Doak - Azaz - McGree

Latte-Lath

 

Harsh on Burgzorg, but I'd still bring McGree in.

And even if Hackney is fit, I'd still stick with Howson/Barlaser. I've not been impressed with Howson this season, but I still think I'd start him over Hackney and then make a change early into 2nd half if it isn't working.

 

Then there's:

Dijksteel

Fry

Hackney

Jones

Forss

Conway

....all of a sudden our bench is starting to look very strong...and we still have some big players out missing - Rav and Morris to name a couple!

[edinboro 1,082 1.7k]

My like up would be

                    Dieng

Dijksteel. Clarke Edmundson Borges

                Hackney Barlaser

  Forss.             Azaz.               Burgzorg

                          Lath

I think that rests the right players and freshens things up enough. I'd be happy with Brynn playing but suspect Carrick with revert to Dieng.

Doak was bandaged up when he went off, no need to risk him.

Howson needs to be managed. If he has to play against Burnley and/or Leeds we need to manage his minutes. Same with Ayling.

We need Burgzorg to be running at teams at home. I'd consider McGree in the middle but not sure he has ever played there. But he would seem to have the attributes to pull it off.

I didn't realise it was so long since we beat them at home. That's Bristol City like. But we should see them off. I'm going 5-2.

[Downsouth 7,094 36.9k]

This poor form against Blackburn has to come to an end sometime, they are a very hot and cold team let's hope it is the latter on Wednesday.

 The Mogga factor no longer applies but yep a potential banana skin especially as we need maximum points in the next two games

[Humpty 4,085 9.7k]

Dieng

Dijksteel Edmundson Clarke Ayling

Hackney Barlaser

Doak Azaz McGree

Lathe

[RiseAgainst 4,289 3.7k]

Starting Lineup?

Unchanged, but I'd bring Forss and Hackney on for half an hour towards the end to help build match sharpness. For now at least, I think our subs should be focused on improving fitness rather than changing the direction or outcome of matches.

Score Prediction?

Do you know, I think we might win this. Blackburn might be sluggish after three weeks without a game, and confidence must be flowing through our players' veins. 2-1.

Have you watched any Christmas films yet?

Not the biggest fan, tbh, and I would rather eat my own sick than watch Love Actually yet again. 

Is Die Hard a Christmas film? (Yes it is)

I really don't understand people who argue about this. It's so obviously a Christmas film. It couldn't be more Christmassy if Santa was handing out machine guns in the lobby.

[BoroSmoggie 3,306 3.9k]

Do we think Blackburn not playing at the weekend helps them or hurts them? 

[Denzel Zanzibar 7,472 14.5k]

4 minutes ago, BoroSmoggie said:

Do we think Blackburn not playing at the weekend helps them or hurts them? 

Like I said, absolutely no idea, it really is a double edged sword. The fact Blackburn really are our bogey team at home worries me.

[Marvanelli 592 400]

 

[Borodane 6,916 26.6k]

5 hours ago, Bruce said:

Don't see any other changes. I think the front 4 in particular have made themselves undroppable. Only thing is that ELL seems to be a bit prone to fatigue-based injuries so Conway might start.

Not a chance you drop a player that just scored a hattrick and has 5 in his last three games. Maybe at the weekend but not in the match right after a hattrick.

Think it'll be an unchanged side barring sickness/injuries. 

Blackburn not playing for 18 days is hopefully in our favour. 

Pivotal week this one with two winnable home games before we have two away games at title contenders. Would be so nice to go into those two tough games with three wins after the international break. We really should have more than enough to over power Blackburn and Hull. Blackburn only have 1 win away from home which came at Cardiff before the break. The previous 4 ended in losses. Hull are currently on an 8 game winless streak with 5 losses.

Two should win games but this is the Championship. Crazy results all the time.

[TeaCider24 14,586 19.5k]

Hoping it's nobody key that's out with illness.

Borges and Edmundson both managed to play through it at first, so might not miss anybody if we're lucky.