Boro V Crystal Palace

[BoroDownSouth 63 3.8k]

Middlesbrough (5th) VS Crystal Palace (15th)

 

Welcome one and all to this nPower Championship clash between Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace at the Riverside Stadium.

 

Recent Form

Middlesbrough

Last 5 all competitions

Away - Leicester 2-2 D

Away - Sunderland 1-1 D (FA Cup)

Away - Coventry 3-1 L

Home - Burnley 0-2 L

Home - Shrewsbury 1-0 W (FA Cup)

 

Last 5 at home in the nPower Championship

Burnley 0-2 L

Peterborough 1-1 D

Hull 1-0 W

Brighton 1-0 W

West Ham 0-2 L

 

Crystal Palace

Last 5 all competitions

Home - Brighton 1-1 D

Away - Cardiff 1-0 L (Carling Cup)

Home - Blackpool 2-1 L

Home - Leeds United 1-1 D

Home - Cardiff 1-0 W (Carling Cup)

 

Last 5 away in the nPower Championship

Blackpool 2-1 L

Millwall 1-0 W

Southampton 0-2 L

Nottingham Forest 1-0 W

Barnsley 2-1 L

 

So the form books suggest that both teams have faired equally over their last 5 matches, however Palaces away form in the nPower Championship shows they have picked up 6 out of 15 points, whereas Middlesbrough have picked up 7 out of 15 at home. Two teams playing almost identically on the form books, but with 10 positions and 8 points separating them this could go either way, very easily.

 

The last time these two met in the league was a 1-0 victory to Middlesbrough courtesy of Marvin Emnes, how we would love him to get back in a***st the goals. The last meeting this season however, was in the Carling Cup which saw the Boro sink to a 2-1 defeat away at Selhurst Park.

 

Talking points

• Score Prediction
  
• Should Emnes be dropped?
  
• Who will be our key man?
  
• Who is their dangerman?
  
• Hoyte or Bennett at left back?
  
• Should we rest some players for the FA Cup Replay?
  

 

[Guest Boro-Danny 0]

Impresive format too start the thed. I like it!

[Neverbefore 13,108 27.7k]

# Score Prediction - 2-1 Boro

 

# Should Emnes be dropped? - Previous to the mcdonald injury, the answer would have been yes, Thommo looked lively when he came on and should start the game for me. But since then, we dont have any real option to play marvin. Hopefully he comes good.

 

# Who will be our key man? - Juke, needs to step up asap due to mcdonalds injury. Additionally Rhys and Bates as the spine of our time.

 

# Who is their dangerman? - Zaha can be dangerous, Clyne is excellent bombing up and down the flanks, and Ambrose as always is a threat.

 

# Hoyte or Bennett at left back? Bennett. There is no justification to playing Hoyte there.

 

# Should we rest some players for the FA Cup Replay? - No, getting back on form in the league is priority

[Downsouth 7,333 37.5k]

Wow what a first post for a match day thread and one worthy of a win......

 

Which I believe we vitally need now.No more nearly theres and oh how unlucky we were, though last two performances showed we seemed over the worse, but a steely determination to start performing at home and to ensure we are right there in the mix for the important games coming up.

 

One of the best and hardest worked away results was against Palace and we do not want them thinking they can turn us over at The Riverside.

 

Now is the time for home advantage to count and a win will set us up nicely against Sunderland

[Air Resistance 26 3.6k]

Will be at the game as always. I'm hopefully of a win, but palace wont make it easy. Zaha is one of the best players in the division. Team prediction:

 

-----------Steele-----------

Mcmahon-bates-Hines-hoyte

Haroun-Williams-Thomson-Robson

---------------Emnes-juke

 

Not what I want but I think this will be how we go.

[boro-unger 4,317 17.5k]

really think we need 3 points in this one. as long as we give our all and dont make any daft mistakes, i think we can win this one 2-0. (juke scoring both).

 

line-up i would go for:

 

----------------steele----------------

-mcmahon--bates---hines----bennett-

-haroun---thomson--williams--robson-

------------emnesia--Juke-----------

 

like the match thread BDS (must say im enjoying the variation of different people doing the MDT's, everyone has their own styles. although i will be very happy seeing BDS having to do it for the rest of the season due to a superb winning streak :))

 

[BoroDownSouth 63 3.8k]

Score Prediction? 3-0 Boro. I think we will do them, not sure why!

Should Emnes be dropped? Yes, but with McDonalds injury, as others have said, we don't have the cover.

Who will be our key man? Jutkiewicz. But also Williams and Bates.

Who is their dangerman? Ambrose and Zaha.

Hoyte or Bennett at left back? Bennett.

Should we rest some players for the FA Cup Replay? No way!

 

 

 

Thanks for the positive feedback guys! Here's hoping that I'm doing them for at least the next 6/7 matches!

[Ollie10 26 2.9k]

•Score Prediction - 2-1 Boro

•Should Emnes be dropped? - No

•Who will be our key man? - Steele

•Who is their dangerman? - Ambrose

•Hoyte or Bennett at left back? - Bennett

•Should we rest some players for the FA Cup Replay? - NO!!!!!

 

[Guest Boro-Danny 0]

 

•Score Prediction - 4-1 Boro

•Should Emnes be dropped? - No

•Who will be our key man? - Thommo

•Who is their dangerman? - Zaha

•Hoyte or Bennett at left back? - Bennett

•Should we rest some players for the FA Cup Replay? - NO!!!!!

 

 

 

[Guest SniperSmog 0]

•Score Prediction - 4-1 Boro

•Should Emnes be dropped? - No

•Who will be our key man? - Steele

•Who is their dangerman? - Zaha

•Hoyte or Bennett at left back? - Bennett

•Should we rest some players for the FA Cup Replay? - NO!!!!!

 

[Guest boro10 0]

•Score Prediction - 3-1 Boro

•Should Emnes be dropped? - No

•Who will be our key man? - juke

•Who is their dangerman? - Zaha, ambose

•Hoyte or Bennett at left back? - Bennett

•Should we rest some players for the FA Cup Replay? - NO league is more imporant

[Jamie-H 1,322 4.8k]

Another talking point could be with McDonald's injury could this game be an opportunity to give Main or Williams a chance up front, I see the potential and buzz around Williams I'm yet to be convinced - or told what he actually is good at - on how good Main is.

 

Emnes gives something to the team, I just find it hard justifying what that something is when he constantly kills build ups. Surely Williams isn't far away from having his big breakthrough? He's had over a year around the first team setup, he must be near being ready for a chance.

 

I think it is a risk putting McMahon RB vs Zaha, but I doubt he'll be dropped. Not hopeful of much, I'm expecting the usual predictable yet kind-of-unexpected poor Boro performance.

 

I'll go for 1-2 to Palace, just get the feeling it will be another lacklustre home display. If this was a genuine contender we would be convincing vs Palace ahead of the big cup replay and we'd have momentum, Boro wont do that. I imagine we'll struggle vs Palace; put up a fight vs Sunderland and lose 2-0 and then stutter to a playoff finish.

 

I wish I could be more optimistic. I'm hoping they don't unleash their new signing from Margate on us, he's the type of player I can imagine putting in the debut of the season in against us. Jedinak is key for them, makes them tick, then you have the flair pair of Ambrose and Zaha mixed in with the work rate of Murray and the tenacity of Parr.

 

Like I said, I'm not optimistic.

[Magooder 40 2.7k]

I hope we lineup like this:

 

-------------Steele----------

McMahon--Bates--Hines--Bennett

Robson--Thomson--Williams--Haroun

----------Emnes--Juke----------------

 

Think we'll win this, just. 2-1

 

Up the Boro!

[stubbzy69 38 4.9k]

Great post b.d.s exactly what I expect from a fellow Boro/fareham hybrid.

 

[Guest Noddy1989 0]

Should be beating teams like Palace. I don't rate them as anything special and in the biggest match of their season so far against Cardiff they looked very poor (even with 11 men). Hoping we can dominate this game, and get the team the confidence they need.

 

Will go with a 3-0 win for the Boro, Juke to get a brace. I think Emnes should be dropped, or dropped into a wide position instead His work rate has been terrible. Players like Haroun, Robson, Juke, Skippy and McMahon aren't the worlds most talented, but because they put in so much they get so much more out the game. When Martin and Thomson came on yesterday they both looked up for it, and again I was thoroughly impressed with Martin. Made some great tackles and worked hard for the ball.

 

I'd lineup like follows

 

-------------------Steele-----------

--------McMahon-Bates--Hines------

Hoyte-----------Williams---------Bennett

--------Thomson-----Robson---------

-------------------Haroun----------------

--------------------Juke----------------

 

I don't think Emnes offers us anything, where as Juke has the ability to play by himself up front and hold it up to let Robson and Haroun surge forward. This formation would also allow Bennett and Hoyte to get down the wings more and cause their wing backs problems, if possible they could knock in some early crosses too and hope Juke can get onto the end of it. I doubt we'll play anything close to this formation though, it's just how I would play. Defensively sure, but with creativity, pace and experience in the midfield. I think Haroun could play just behind Juke in a sort of VDV sort of role. He's strong too, has pace and isn't the worst passer of the ball.