BORO v 'Ull Tigers

THE WHERE: TS3 6RS

THE WHEN: Monday 29/12/25 @19:45

THE BECAUSE: Championship fixture 24/46

 

“TELL ME THERE’S A HEAVEN”

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. We were supposed to be riding the Hellberg Hellball wave all the way to Premeir League town, all on the back of DZ’s Bernie Taupin to AI’s Elton John inspired MDTs. I was resigned to next having to compose a thread some time in November 2026, during our point a game dry spell, after winning our opening 10 Premier League matches. Because Hellberg is so good. And Boro are the best team in the world. Full stop.

Four victories, a defeat and now a draw makes for 13 points out of a possible 18 available. Not a bad tally, that if we average out over the course of a season would give us 99.6(recurring) points over a full season. And obviously a mathematically certain 49.83 points left to get which will take our total to 92.8 points. Without checking, I think that would be the first time a team will finish a season with a decimal point points total. And, I’m pretty certain we’ll get promoted with that, given that on average you only need 88 points for automatic promotion.

Stats aside, let’s hope our 2 game winless streak ends on Monday night against Hull City Tigers.

“STEEL RIVER”

Our last match saw us go toe to toe with Blackburn Rovers in a Boxing Day clash at the home. A packed Riverside witnessed Boro trade blows with an opponent who threw as many punches as they took. Neither side could floor their opponent, with a Morgan Whittaker shot hitting the inside of the post and teasingly rolling across the line, being the closest either side got to a knock out blow. Oh yeah, and we now have about 1 fit centre back.

“NOTHING TO FEAR”

Hull City… Let me think…

Nick Barmby, Dean Windass… Danny Graham… ….Matt Crooks and errrrrmmmmm… ah yes, Ryan Giles. All players to have worn the shirt for both clubs. And all players who could arguably have some sort of legendary status at the Boro. And that is all I have to say about that.

Fourth placed Hull City also played a Boxing Day draw against lower placed opposition. Matt Crooks assisted the first equalising goal before scoring the second, to ensure Coventry are the only top six team not to drop points this round.

We last faced these opponents this very same calendar month. The second game in charge for Hellberg gave us a glimpse of peak Hellball in a 1-4 romp at their place, with Alex Gilbert finally looking like the player some of us suspected was in there somewhere.

>click here< to visit a Hull City forum where their fans have made a MDT!

They approach this game with exactly the same form over the last 6 games as ourselves. They’ve crept into the playoffs with what can be described as pretty good recent form. They have a number of players that we should probably be concerned about. Without mentioning our two former faves, Oli McBurnie has eight goals in nine games so, if we have any fit defenders, they might want to watch him…

We already know much about Matt Crooks, and Ryan Giles is actually playing like “the” Ryan Giles that we all proper loved.

“FOOL (IF YOU THINK ITS OVER)”

Well, you are actually a fool if you think we have more than this game left to play in 2025. This is actually our last game of this calendar year. Can you believe it. What a difference it is since this time last year.

We contrasted the start to last season by having our best ever start this time round.

In 2025 we’ve scored 74 Championship goals, won 22, drawn 14 and lost 11. We conceded 56.

At the end of 2024 we sat 6th in the table. We end 2025 in 2nd place.

We have a different manager, a different philosophy and a renewed sense of optimism.

“LET’S DANCE”

Starting 11?

Best player to represent both teams?

How many will we win by?

When will we build a statue for Hellberg?

Are you bothering with a New Year’s resolution?

Best thing to happen to MFC in 2025?

Starting 11?

Anybodies guess at the moment, defence is in tatters, midfield is struggling without McGree & Morris & the forwards are misfiring

Best player to represent both teams?

John Hickton 😍

How many will we win by?

3-0 Will Conway & Sene get on the scoreseet

When will we build a statue for Hellberg?

😂

Are you bothering with a New Year’s resolution?

Never do

Best thing to happen to MFC in 2025?

Getting rid of Michael Carrick 

UTMB

Edited December 27, 2025Dec 27 by Erimus74

The current top two form sides. Should we be surprised if it ends in a draw?

https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/middlesbrough/form-guide

Is this game on sky red button? Doesn’t say it is on the sky sports app 

Starting 11?

Brynn

Brittain Ayling Fry Bangura

Hackney Browne

Whittaker Gilbert

Strelec Sene

 

Best thing to happen to MFC in 2025?

Wolves taking Rob Edwards off our hands!

Only two home penalties v Hull City

 

18/9/1926 - Billy Pease became the 21st different Boro player to score from the spot  when he scored the clubs 45th home penalty in a second division 2-0 win

16/1/2007 - Yakubu became the 78th different Boro player to score from the spot when he scored the clubs 243rd home penalty in a 4-3 FAC 3rd round replay

22 minutes ago, LinoJo3 said:

Is this game on sky red button? Doesn’t say it is on the sky sports app 

No it doesn’t appear to be on. They are only showing the following games on Monday 

Championship

Coventry vs Ipswich, 6pm

Leicester vs Derby

Birmingham vs Southampton, 8.15pm

Tough game, Hull will have learned from the humiliating home defeat so it's up to Mr Hellberg to have something up his sleeve!

As usual, wind Matt Crooks up and try to get him sent off. McBurnie is a big, big threat that we didn't have to worry about in the reverse fixture.

Need to win this to keep that gap to 3rd as big as possible, and I think we will, but it won't be pretty. 2-1 to Boro

Brynn

Brit Ayling Fry Bangura

Hackney Browne

Whittaker Nypan

Sene Conway

* Think we need to rotate, some enforced and others need a refresh

------------------brynn---------------

Brittain--ayling--fry--bangura

---------hackney--gilbert---------

---whittaker--------------nypan--

-----------strelec---Sene-----------

Though id also be tempted to play browne ahead of sene and play 3 in midfield with both Hackney and gilbert pushed forward. Don't know if he'll change his system though

------------------Brynn---------------

Brittain--Ayling--Fry--Bangura

---------Hackney--Browne---------

---Whittaker--------------Gilbert--

-----------Strelec---Sene-----------

 

I have a feeling that KH will go with Burgzorg instead of Sene.

1-2.  If a repeat of yesterday's performance........

Wonder if they'll have a press conference for this today?

I think Jones might be ok for this. Morris might make it back I think.

Okay so I guess the big question is which game this week do we rest key players? Because we have 3 games in the space of a week and our defenders are all seemingly made of crisp packets