Well, here we are. After 48 games in the league, we reach the 49th and final. Promotion to the promised land is in our hands, and we trust in our heroes to deliver. This is, without a doubt, THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME OF THE SEASON SO FAR!

 

The game:

 

Middlesbrough take on Norwich on Monday the 25th of May at Wembley Stadium, kicking off at 3pm, to decide who will join Bournemouth and Watford in the Premier League.

 

The ref:

 

Mike Dean (thanks BoroTom).

 

The route to the final:

 

Boro:

 

A bore draw at home to Brighton on the final day of the regular season set up a two-legged semi final against Brentford. Two thoroughly professional performances saw Boro dispatch the league's surprise package 5-1 on aggregate. After Amorebieta's late goal at Griffin Park gave the away side a 2-1 advantage, Boro dominated Brentford for the full 90 at the Riverside. Goals from Tomlin, Kike and Adomah ensured Boro progressed comfortably through to the Final.

 

Norwich:

 

The 'Old Farm' derby made up the other semi, with Norwich taking on bitter local rivals Ipswich. For 135 minutes it seemed both sides were playing not to lose, rather than to win, but when Ipswich conceded and went down to ten men early in the second half of the second leg, the game opened up. Despite Ipswich pulling a goal back to level the scores, Norwich had too much for the Tractor Boys at Carrow Road and ran out 3-1 winners on the night, 4-2 on aggregate.

 

Boro v Norwich this season:

 

I'm sure no one in either camp needs to be reminded of the scores between the two finalists during the regular season. After thrashing Norwich 4-0 at the Riverside earlier in the season, Boro travelled to Carrow Road to win 1-0. After starting like a steam train for the first twenty minutes Boro took the lead and, despite repeated physical assaults on our front players by the Norwich back line, Boro held firm for the win. Encouragingly, Norwich actually created very little apart from one first half header despite the amount of possession they had. If Boro can defend that way on Monday then the boys in red will have a great chance to win promotion.

 

View from the other side:

 

http://services.pinkun.com/forums/pinkun/cs/forums/180/ShowForum.aspx

 

The above link is for the Norwich PinkUn forum, which appears to be mainly made up of some decent posters that have no problem with Boro, and a lot of posters who are still incredibly bitter about our result at Carrow Road in the league.

 

For all their bluster though, I bet they're worried as hell about playing us.

 

Questions:

 

1. Will Bamford be fit, and if so should he start over Kike?

 

2. What's your score prediction?

 

3. Will we play like we did at Carrow Road, or the Riverside, or neither?

 

4. Why do so many opposing players underestimate us and feel the need to be disrespectful in the press?

 

5. Does that actually benefit us?

 

6. Undoubtedly the most important game of the season, but is this the most important game in your lifetime? If not, which was more important and why?

1. Will Bamford be fit, and if so should he start over Kike?

A. Hope he's fit and yes he should start. Him and Vossen together are our most potent strike force. I'm also warming to Tomlin on the left (which will happen if Bam Bam starts) as he's learnt to play that position better

 

2. What's your score prediction?

A. Really don't know could be anything but who scores the first goal will win imo

 

3. Will we play like we did at Carrow Road, or the Riverside, or neither?

A. Neither. Norwich are a different side that we played at our place. And at CR we set up not to lose but this is a game we have to win.

 

4. Why do so many opposing players underestimate us and feel the need to be disrespectful in the press?

A. Not sure will need a reference

 

5. Does that actually benefit us?

A. No Norwich know all about us. And won't take us lightly. Nor can we take them lightly. But doubt we will

 

6. Undoubtedly the most important game of the season, but is this the most important game in your lifetime? If not, which was more important and why?

A. I've seen promotion and relegation in my time with the Boro. But this is the most important as financial security for years ahead beckons even more so now than ever

For me the over-riding factor is the ability of the players and the management team to cope with the intensity of the situation, which shouldn'tbe under-estimated. The aura of wembley, the walking out into a cauldron, the build up by the press and tv over a week, the world-wide coverage, the publicity about the biggest prize in football etc all adds up, leading to lack of sleep, legs wobbling and toilet trouble. I have seen good teams freeze at Wemble before.

The norwich boss has little experience of this sort of game. Aitor hasn't played at Wembley but he has experienced huge matches and stadiums. Our assistant manager has been there and done it with hull. We also have players in the squad who can handle it. You know who I mean and how cool and calm is Jelle Vossen.

The favourites will be under even more pressure, so lets make norwich the favourites and then take them apart!

Hi Boro fans.

 

Really looking forward to Wembley and getting into the cup final atmosphere, I have thought about little else since we beat our "good friends and neighbours" from down the road.

 

Before I do post though, I just want to convey my thoughts on the few Norwich fans that have posted negative guff on the Pink-Un forum.

 

1. They don't represent me.

2. They don't represent by far and away the large majority of Canaries.

3. You done a real number on us at Carrow Road, but if roles were reversed, I would be applauding the managers tactics. (I'm over it now... Just!! lol)

 

I am truly interested though, to know how real Boro fans are feeling in the run up? I myself think that if we fire on all cylinders, we ought to win, however, out of the top 6, I always thought that Boro would be the trickiest tie. Add into that the cup tie factor, I am sure that it will be a damn close match

 

This comes from a new member Canarychilled

I'm feeling nervous as I know what previous Boro sides have been like at Wembley.

 

I just hope AK prepares the players in the best possible way and we come out firing on all cylinders.

With all this excitement about tickets and wembley, I forgot we had to actually play a game on Monday! :P a tricky one at that.

 

Not sure I could take another game like at carrow road with what's at stake. I'm sure aitor will be ultra prepared though and i trust him to get us playing a solid defensive and exciting attacking game.

 

I reckon this will be an occasion like the Liverpool and man city games where the players really thrive on the occasion.

 

And if we win, I've put so many bets on us getting promoted over the season, I'll actually be getting paid to go to Wembley :D win win.

Do we still hold the record for quickest goal against, after that final against Chelsea? If so its time we reversed that record.

This may be a cliché, but the team ( and I include the management team here) that wants this most, will prevail. We are very close in terms of ability and individual talent. The league position backs this up. AK will have the defence set up rock solid. It will depend on the effectiveness of our strike force whether we will score enough goals to win. I think with a fully fit Bamford in the side, we will win. A unfit Bamford is easily marked out of the game and rendered ineffective. Past games have shown this to be the case. We need Adomah to be at his best, beating defenders and a typical workmanlike performance from Vossen. There is a lot of luck in football, that can often swing a game one side or the other. We have to make sure that lady luck is not playing for Norwich on Monday. We are the Boro and this is our destiny to return to the Promised Land. UTB and Wembley here I come.

In reference to what chapattheback said about being over awed. Maybe the games at Emirates and Manchester stadium will have prepared the lads. I know that the Norwich lads are having a day out at Wembley as not to be over awed when they arrive at the stadium on Monday. Makes sense and certainly won't hurt. So anyway I'll start with my Wembley line up being

 

-------------------Dimi----------------

Deano---Ayala---Gibbo----Friend

----------Clayton-----Grant--------

Adomah-----Vossen-----Tomlin

----------------Bam Bam------------

 

Adomah is the in form man at the moment. Bam bam over Kike as he's just such an intelligent player, Tomlin has grown into the left wing position although does limit gorgeous George a little bit. This is the first season that Ads Clayton hasn't scored (I read somewhere) so it's fate he'll score a 30 yarder. And with grant being a ex tractor boy he'll add insult to injury :)

 

In serious tho it's gonna be tight. I was imagining the game earlier and my stomach started doing somersaults :s

For me the over-riding factor is the ability of the players and the management team to cope with the intensity of the situation, which shouldn'tbe under-estimated. The aura of wembley, the walking out into a cauldron, the build up by the press and tv over a week, the world-wide coverage, the publicity about the biggest prize in football etc all adds up, leading to lack of sleep, legs wobbling and toilet trouble. I have seen good teams freeze at Wemble before.

The norwich boss has little experience of this sort of game. Aitor hasn't played at Wembley but he has experienced huge matches and stadiums. Our assistant manager has been there and done it with hull. We also have players in the squad who can handle it. You know who I mean and how cool and calm is Jelle Vossen.

The favourites will be under even more pressure, so lets make norwich the favourires and then take them apart!

 

Could well be right this.  I also think the pre match stadium tour is a strange decision that could backfire on Norwich?

 

That said I fully expect it to be a very tight game and the first goal will be massive but i'm hoping we can handle the pressure that bit better than Norwich.

I hope the cup games this season at Liverpool, Man City and ***nal stand us in good stead for this huge occasion.. With the experiences of those games I hope it helps keeps our players calm and they can draw from those experiences and thake it in to this game.

 

I can't stop thinking about the game even though I'm trying to do thinks to keep it of my mind... So anxious already..

 

Its going to be a tough game but I hope our team has one more brilliant performance left in them this season.

 

UTB.

If Bamford isn't fit there is no way he should start this game... When he got injured at Norwich it was almost immediate the turnaround in our performance, We were dominating and in total control but when he got injured we couldn't press from the front.. We need all our players as near to fully fit as possible its vital to our high energy pressing game.

I hope the cup games this season at Liverpool, Man City and ***nal stand us in good stead for this huge occasion.. With the experiences of those games I hope it helps keeps our players calm and they can draw from those experiences and thake it in to this game.

 

I can't stop thinking about the game even though I'm trying to do thinks to keep it of my mind... So anxious already..

 

Its going to be a tough game but I hope our team has one more brilliant performance left in them this season.

 

UTB.

The games at man city and liverpool say we can handle the big games and win. The game at the emirates says different so who knows. If we gat the team that played derby. Bournmouth etc we will do well lets hope we dont get the one that turned up at bournmouth

If Bamford isn't fit there is no way he should start this game... When he got injured at Norwich it was almost immediate the turnaround in our performance.. We need all our players as near to fully fit as possible its vital to our high energy pressing game.

 

100% agree.  If he's fit then he should start as he was causing them all sorts of problems in the away game before he got injured.

 

If he's not fully fit though then he should be on the bench.  Our squad is good enough to cope without him and we simply can't afford to carry anyone. 

I hope the cup games this season at Liverpool, Man City and ***nal stand us in good stead for this huge occasion.. With the experiences of those games I hope it helps keeps our players calm and they can draw from those experiences and thake it in to this game.

 

I can't stop thinking about the game even though I'm trying to do thinks to keep it of my mind... So anxious already..

 

Its going to be a tough game but I hope our team has one more brilliant performance left in them this season.

 

UTB.

The games at man city and liverpool say we can handle the big games and win. The game at the emirates says different so who knows. If we gat the team that played derby. Bournmouth etc we will do well lets hope we dont get the one that turned up at bournmouth

 

To be fair when ***nal play like they did that day they would probably beam all the premier league teams bar Chelsea.