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Boro v Sunderland 1-0 (Tavernier)


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BeardySmog Matchday Solutions

Presents

Middlesbrough vs Sunderland

Kick Off - 12.15pm

The Riverside Stadium

5th November 2017

 

Intro

So another win tucked firmly under our belts and it appears we have turned a corner and there are definite signs of a cohesive unit forming. Sunday sees us face another fellow relegated side from last season and it's fair to say that Sunderland are struggling a bit. But derby matches are unpredictable at times and throw in the fact that they parted company with their manager midweek makes this weekend far from straightforward in my eyes.

 

Last Game

Hull City 1-3 BORO

As convincing an away win as we are likely to see this season, another goal apiece from Britt and Leadbitter followed a strike from my new favourite player Martin Braithwaite capped off a fine nights work from our much maligned boys in red. A wonderstrike from Kamil Grosicki at 2-0 threatened to sour the evening but a comeback never materialised and for the first time this season everything seemed to click.

 

 

Sunderland 3-3 Bolton Wanderers

Sunderland twice came from behind but stuttered to a draw which turned out to be the end of the road for Simon Grays and saw them go 19 games without a win at home.. If only we were playing them there this weekend.

 

 

 

Oh.. He used to play for us...

Lee Cattermole. Tends to split opinion a***st Boro fans, limited in skill and discipline he more than makes up for it in determination and is not afraid to get stuck in. I was sad to see him go when he left us but I wouldn't be in a rush to have him back. I have a similar view on Jason Steele, sad when he left, wouldn't have him back.

 

Beard Watch

Lewis Grabban has one of my least favourite beards in football, an example of someone who can't really grow a proper beard but trys way too hard.

 

The tip of the Beard

 

Middlesbrough 7/10

Draw 13/5

Sunderland 17/4

 

The bookies can't only see one winner here and on a normal day I would be inclined to agree with them, but this is a derby and there will be a different man at the helm. Anything can happen, I'm just hoping it won't.

 

My BeardyBet this week is on our goal machine to score a brace @ 5/1. Sunderland's leaky defence + a striker in form = money

 

Pre Match Questions?

Have we finally "clicked" or is there still a lot more work to be done?

Same XI again or would you change it?

Seriously though how good is Braithwaite?!

How many minutes before Cattermole is booked? (if he plays that is)

Score prediction?

 

 

Prediction

I'm going to risk tempting fate by predicting a positive result. 3-0 Britt x2 and Braithwaite to carry on his good form with another goal. COME ON BORO

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As well as Tav has done when he has come in, i'd have Traore in for him for this one. Sunderland's defence need to be put under a lot of pressure, the fear of him tearing them a new one is something we need to use to our advantage

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Good OP BeardySmog and let's all hope your run continues.

 

We have not clicked at home yet have we? though there at signs that we are getting our act together away from home so the question is do we continue with what could be said as a settled team for the Sunderland game? In my opinion the answer is yes because I feel the starting 11 we have witnessed in the last two games will be perfectly able to go on the front foot straight away and cause and create problems for Sunderland.

 

I think HB has a point about Traore, he will cause havoc to Sunderland but maybe we do have the luxury to bring him on if we have the game under control, so why change things at this stage?

 

Actually would anyone complain if we did continue with the same starting 11? I don't think so as I hope we do see that certainly would give me a boost!

 

Yep it is a derby match but let's not kid ourselves Sunderland are in disarray at the moment and we do not know who is in charge at the moment (or do we? I may have missed that) and I do not see them suddenly clicking and becoming a force for concern.

 

We all know that they are there for the taking and for us a brilliant chance to end the week before the IB on a real high, as suddenly the break will be accepted with a better frame of mind.

 

Hopefully we do not have any injury concerns ourselves so as mentioned to me the same starting 11 should be allowed to improve our home form.

 

I think it is fair to say that this is a "must win" game, come on who would accept a draw or imagine a draw, loss at this moment?

 

Momentum has to be maintained especially now and with all of the reasons stated I am going to say that in my very humble opinion that the match on Sunday is THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME OF THE SEASON...................so far!!!!!

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Massive game this. Not only is against another north east team but a team in complete dissaray. We need to show that the last two away wins weren't just another start-stop moment in this season but that we are ready to move on and beat the teams at home that we are expected to believe. We need to give the crowd a good showing and go home with three points. It'll be a tough game I have no doubt about it. SUnderland will want to keep a clean sheet first and foremost and live on the breaks and set pieces. We need to keep Grabban quite as he has shown how dangerous he is with 8 goals so far.

 

Have we finally "clicked" or is there still a lot more work to be done? Lots of work to be done but still plenty of time to make up the wrongs.

 

Same XI again or would you change it? Same 11. Think tthey deserve it after two good away wins. No need to freshen things up, and if it doesn't go to plan and we need Traore then by all means bring him on at half time.

 

Seriously though how good is Braithwaite?! Good and looks to have slotted in well now after getting back up to speed.

 

How many minutes before Cattermole is booked? (if he plays that is) If he starts then 35 mins. If he is on the bench then 5 mins after he gets on.

 

Score prediction? A frustrating 1-0. If Grayson was still in charge I'd have said 3-0, but with a caretaker manager I think they will just set up camp.

 

Edit: DS, Robbie Stockdale is caretaker manager.

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Same team for me. Incorporating Traore for Tav would mean moving Downing out to the left, which would negate the good work he's been doing. Without the pace of his younger game, his utilisation of Christie's over/underlap and his bringing the ball inside to dangerous areas means, to me, we should keep Stewy wide right.

 

Have we clicked? Foundations are there. The battling mentality that won us points despite performances earlier in the season has been back in the last 2 wins, added to improved performances. That's gone hand in hand with Ayala finding his feet and us being stronger from our base.

 

Braithwaite - He's God. Hate to say I told you so ;)

 

Cattermole - 19 mins after being on the pitch!

 

Score Prediction - 2-0 Boro. Britt & Braith.

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It's been great to win away from home but to get the fans onside Monk needs to get the team performing at home as well.

 

This is a game where we need to win and play well, Sunderland are the worst team in the league at the moment and are there for the taking. Results are more important than performances but I hope to see both on Sunday.

 

If we start well and stay tight at the back I think we'll win and win well. 3-0 Boro.

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I'd say we/Monk's back to square one if we don't beat Sunderland.

 

I imagine most will think the same, Humpty. Not myself but those expressing concerns will soon forget the last 6 points if it doesn't turn into 9 on Sunday afternoon.

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Have we finally "clicked" or is there still a lot more work to be done?

I think to some extent we have. The team are playing as a unit, or at least they have done in the last two games. But you have to consider Monk's comments are indicative that work on the team is not finished. We might be getting the points but we're not playing how Monk really wants us to play. Which almost seems a bit counter-intuitive. Do we change the solid, goal-snatching team to fit into a more open philosophy if we're still getting points on the board? Not for me but if Monk really believes that we aren't at our best yet then I think to say we have 'clicked' would be very premature.

 

Same XI again or would you change it?

Same again for me. We're winning, we're scoring goals, what's to change?

 

Seriously though how good is Braithwaite?!

Amazing.

 

How many minutes before Cattermole is booked? (if he plays that is)

27.

 

Score prediction?

2-0. Grabban seems to be their most potent threat but as long as we stick together like a unit like we have in the last 2, the man should get very few chances to score. At the other end, Sunderland are creating their own problems and as long as we're sharp and clinical, we should win this comfortably if not emphatically.

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I agree with Humpty.

Derby or not, we're playing a team that look absolutely dreadful, and we have to win. Getting 6 points from 2 away games against potentially tricky opposition is great, but you need to back that up by winning the games you should win at home.

Their defence is rotten.

I think we'll boss this one, and win it 2-0.

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Just talked to a Sunderland fan and he is less confident with Stockdale and McKinley as caretakers than if Grayson was still on board. They really are shambles and we need to take advantage. I'm sticking by my prediction that it will be a tough and ugly game which we will battle to a 1-0 win. However if we can get a quick goal, like at Reading and Hull Sunderland could crumble.

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It may just be my natural pessimism showing through here but this game concerns me. We’ve looked much better the last 2 games when we’ve got an early goal and teams at home have had to come at us. With a new manager in (albeit caretaker) sunderland will sit and defend all they can, that’s where we have a tradition of struggling to create chances.

 

I can see them grabbing a scrappy goal and us not managing to break them down… hope I’m wrong though.

 

It’s going to be vital to come out of the blocks flying and getting some good attacks going early. The longer the game goes without us scoring they will gain confidence, need to make sure that doesn’t happen.

 

Feels like a key game in the season though, a win will really breed confidence and build up some momentum going into the break, a loss will make it a long couple of weeks…

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If we can't feel confident about this game, then what game can we feel confident about?? What an opportunity to smash Sunderland in front of the Sky cameras and remind the league that we're still here. Lose/draw and the negativity will be straight back and we have a tough game at Leeds next.

 

Have we finally "clicked" or is there still a lot more work to be done?

- Definite improvement, but for me I would need to see us beat a decent team to say we've 'clicked'. Good wins but Reading & Hull were pretty rubbish if we're being brutally honest.

 

Same XI again or would you change it?

- Same XI. I've seen calls for Traore but he is ineffective against teams that park the bus.

 

Seriously though how good is Braithwaite?!

- Still class.

 

How many minutes before Cattermole is booked? (if he plays that is)

- He'll be nursing a hangover on the bench, won't play.

 

Score prediction?

- 3-0

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