AnglianRed 6,229 Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 Hey folks...first time I've done one of these in a long time, so be gentle! Summary Boro travel to Derby with a realistic chance of getting something from this fixture. While the visitors’ form has been generally wretched so far, the hosts haven’t been exactly brilliant. Both teams have drawn a fair number of games, while neither has exactly set the scoring charts alight. Expect a fairly turgid game with goalscoring chances at a premium. Form Derby have a pretty good home record (W3 D3 L1), however Boro can take some encouragement from 2 clean sheets in their last 2 games and a narrow defeat to table-toppers West Brom. They just need to remember how to score… If Boro can keep main threats Chris Martin & Martyn Waghorn quiet (Tom Lawrence has also chipped in with 3 from midfield), they may not return to Teesside empty handed. Thats a big ask however, since (until recently) Boro’s defence has been leakier than Julian Assange’s website, while for the last 3 games, our forwards seem to have forgotten you’re meant to aim for that big white rectangular thing with a net on the back. Last Time Out Boro failed to land a single shot on target, at home to 10-man Fulham, in a bore draw. Derby conceded 2 late goals at Hull, so will be looking to bounce back with a good home performance. Team News TBA Questions - Will Boro score a goal (if so...who and how)? - Can we keep a third consecutive clean sheet? - What would be your team / formation? - Does anyone know the number of a good exorcist to cleanse the Riverside while we’re away? - In the absence of good leadership, would a squad hypnotherapy session help improve morale...and performances? - Has anyone managed to get Boro promoted in a football management game lately (if so, please submit your CV to Steve Gibson)? Prediction I was originally inclined to go for another draw...but now fancy Boro to snatch their first win in 4 games (maybe its my anti-depressants kicking in). I think Boro’s improving defence may just negate Derby’s less-than-stellar attack and Fletcher, Britt...somebody...may just finally score one off their backside. DERBY 0 – 1 BORO 7 Link to post Share on other sites
SmogDane 4,052 Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 Good post AR! If you change the topic headline to Boro v Derby (Away) then the admins don't have to 😄 I did my first one with the same type of headline and they corrected it, cause the standard is as above 😉 But good job 💪 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
SmogDane 4,052 Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 Will Boro score a goal (if so...who and how)? Yes! Some one will man up and start the goal scoring which will lead to more from others. - Can we keep a third consecutive clean sheet? Yes, Derby are not the same team this year either. - What would be your team / formation? Pears, Howson, Ayala, Paddy, Fry, Coulson - Wing, Tav, Browne, Burrel, Fletcher 3-4-1-2 - Does anyone know the number of a good exorcist to cleanse the Riverside while we’re away? We could burry a parmo under each corner flag - In the absence of good leadership, would a squad hypnotherapy session help improve morale...and performances? Absolutely 1 Link to post Share on other sites
boro-unger 3,817 Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 5 hours ago, AnglianRed said: If Boro can keep main threats Chris Martin & Martyn Waghorn quiet (Tom Lawrence has also chipped in with 3 from midfield), they may not return to Teesside empty handed. I reckon one of our strikers will get a rush of blood to the head, dribble past the hypnotised defence and manage to score. The hardest part is that it feels like it's us against the world at the minute. It's the gaffer's job to get the players in and tell them not to panic, then we might just be able to cause them a bit of trouble. We need to start winning as the clocks ticking on the season and we need to be going up&up, not down&down! Also, I hope every player on their team gets a card and that they're all yellow. Link to post Share on other sites
thomas 501 Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 - Will Boro score a goal (if so...who and how)? Derby own goal (would that count?) or Ayala power header - Can we keep a third consecutive clean sheet? no I think 2-1 result either way. - What would be your team / formation? Pears, Howson, Ayala, Fry, Coulson Clayton McNair Fletcher Wing Tav Walker Got to try something different upfront, Britt and Fletcher just not doing it i cant see an end to them missing sitters, just tell him no expectations just enjoy it, play his game and see what comes of it. You never know we might be surprised. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Johnmfc81 902 Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 - Will Boro score a goal (if so...who and how)? Yes, but we are more likely to hit our own net these days. - Can we keep a third consecutive clean sheet? I doubt it, I think young pears will be tested more in this game. I can see us conceding a few. - What would be your team / formation? Gk - Mejias RB - Dijksteel CB- Ayala CB - Fry LB - Coulson DM - Wing CM - McNair CM - Howson LW - Johnson RW - Browne FW - Britt -Does anyone know the number of a good exorcist to cleanse the Riverside while we’re away? Maybe if Gibson can offer some kind of sacrifice to the sun god during the warm ups 🤷♂️ might help.. - In the absence of good leadership, would a squad hypnotherapy session help improve morale...and performances? Or the opposite of hypnotherapy, as our strikers wander around as if they are half asleep anyway. - Has anyone managed to get Boro promoted in a football management game lately (if so, please submit your CV to Steve Gibson)? Yes but I cheated and must of spent about £50 million on foreign players and 'smashed' the league. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Downsouth 6,175 Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 SmogDane knows me so well! Good OP AR and hope you are the catalyst to at least do 2 threads on the run! 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Borodane 6,246 Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 Can't see us getting anything here. We simply can't score. Comfortable 2-0 home win. 3-5-2 looks like the best formation we have going for us as we have no wide players of any significance to play with traditional wingers in a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2. I'd even be enclined to play a half fit Gestede up top alongside Britt and just try the old hoofing to a big targetman alongside a finisher. Surely that's simple enough a tactic for Woodgate to make the players understand. Link to post Share on other sites
TeaCider24 12,401 Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 We'll win 1-0, Assombalonga will score it. There will be a lot of missed chances but the slide will be halted. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites
SmogDane 4,052 Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 (edited) Woodgate out saying, that it is not time to unleash the youngsters at the moment (yet) .. Does that sort of mean, that the seniors have one more chance to man up? We really need some creativity .. I would take the best creators from the U23 team .. and promote them .. Our strikers particularly but the whole team would benefit from someone who can create something .. It cannot be much more lost for ideas than last game, so why not give them one more chance and then .. rest the ones who are supposed to create. Rather radical, I know .. But doing the same thing over and over .. is insane 1 Link to post Share on other sites
ChipBarrington 313 Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 I think theres only 1 way for us to guarantee something from this game.... WHO HAS THE LAMP???? I would go: Pears Howson Shotton Ayala Fry Coulson McNair Wing Tav Browne Fletcher Until we start clicking in attack we need 3 cb. If Shotton is still out I would put Dijksteele at CB (believe its his natural position). Coulson can hopefuly find some form down that left. I would like to see us get some confidence then switch to a back 4. Not sure we have a permanent RWB to justify the formation. Howson is a great pro and does a good job but he aint a natural fit. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Prowler 197 Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Won't answer the questions but can see us getting a hammering here. Link to post Share on other sites
AnglianRed 6,229 Posted October 30, 2019 Author Share Posted October 30, 2019 18 hours ago, SmogDane said: Woodgate out saying, that it is not time to unleash the youngsters at the moment (yet) .. Does that sort of mean, that the seniors have one more chance to man up? We really need some creativity .. I would take the best creators from the U23 team .. and promote them .. Our strikers particularly but the whole team would benefit from someone who can create something .. It cannot be much more lost for ideas than last game, so why not give them one more chance and then .. rest the ones who are supposed to create.Rather radical, I know .. But doing the same thing over and over .. is insane Well, no less a genius than Albert Einstein said that the very definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. 😉 1 Link to post Share on other sites
pokeyjoe 110 Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Derby 2-0 9/1 printing money 👌 1 Link to post Share on other sites
RiseAgainst 3,777 Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Questions - Will Boro score a goal (if so...who and how)? No. Our strikers couldn't hit a cow's *** with a banjo, and the midfield largely seem phobic about shooting. - Can we keep a third consecutive clean sheet? Hypothetically, though I doubt we will against Derby's classy forwards. - What would be your team / formation? Since we've tried a variety of other formations which haven't worked, I'd go back to the 4-2-3-1. Hopefully there'd be some muscle memory in the players from Aitor's time which would ensure we could actually play that way, Britt could get some support from an ACM (God knows who, but maybe Wing) and the defence could get some much-needed protection. The current midfield is pretty ineffectual, so dropping 4-3-3 wouldn't make any difference as far as I'm concerned. - In the absence of good leadership, would a squad hypnotherapy session help improve morale...and performances? You are feeling sleeeepy...that's it...your eyes are so heavy...and so are your legs, because you've stayed here two seasons too long. When you wake up, you will be 25 again, and you'll have an uncontrollable desire to get close to the opposition goal...you will forget everything Mr Pulis said about tigers eating you if you go into the opposition penalty box...and then you'll shoot...shoot...shoot... - Has anyone managed to get Boro promoted in a football management game lately (if so, please submit your CV to Steve Gibson)? I got Boro relegated in FM13, and immediately retired from football management. I am the gaming equivalent of Paul Jewell. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
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