[Archived] Rovers 3 Middlesbrough 2

[Wild Irish Rover]

Banana skin IMO:

Boro will be looking to avenge the two smacks we gave them over Christmas when they were down in the dumps. Their players will be on something of a high from their performance in Rome and the club generally has bounced back from the doldrums only a few weeks ago.

I know Hughesey will be psyching the lads up properly, but after the footballing lesson that Villa taught us in the first half last week, we will need to come out of the traps early and at speed in order to gain the upper hand against Boro.

The key will be to occupy and dominate midfield and get the front men causing panic early on - set the tone and then stay with the pace. Boro are a bit enigmatic (you don't know which boro is going to turn up) but have the players to hurt us. The same could be said about us too (yes - we have players who can hurt us (the fans) too!)

Going for a decent win though - 3-0 Rovers Bellamy, Pongolle and Lilly

C'mon you mighty Europe Chasing Blues

[Exiled_Rover]

I can't see how people are calling this a banana skin, Boro have a high quality squad (when fit!). They also have something that we dream about, three strikers who can score goals - which could very well be the difference on Saturday. Our defence has been shakey at best of late, this is one of the last teams I'd have matched them up against in their current state.

We'll be lucky to get a win I feel, a draw would be a decent result though.

[Wild Irish Rover]

I can't see how people are calling this a banana skin, Boro have a high quality squad (when fit!). They also have something that we dream about, three strikers who can score goals - which could very well be the difference on Saturday. Our defence has been shakey at best of late, this is one of the last teams I'd have matched them up against in their current state.

We'll be lucky to get a win I feel, a draw would be a decent result though.

391143[/snapback]

It's a banana skin simply because people are expecting us to win it, due in part to our excellent home form (statistically at least) and Boro's midweek exertions.

I agree with you that Boro have an exceptionally talented front three who, on their day, can run amok. But then again, I just have a feeling that Rovers will find the edge and put Boro to it, skinny bananas or not.

[Dr Gonzo]

Hmm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/e...rem/4796354.stm

Blackburn v Middlesbrough

Match preview

It is a good time for Blackburn to play Middlesbrough.

Boro did well to get through their Uefa Cup tie against Roma. They will be euphoric but it will be back to earth with a bang for them here.

Blackburn are a good side. They get the ball down and play but they still possess the physical element which is fine. The more I see them, the more they mirror their manager Mark Hughes as a player. Physical but classy.

Prediction: 2-1

[Blue blood]

Good to see Lawro keeping up with his contradictions. Wasn't it only last week that he said that our league position was more a reflection on the state of the league rather than us, or something similar?

Can remember this game last season - a very unpleasant afternoon - and the confidence displayed on this board shows how far we've come under Hughes.

[Quack]

McLaren may rest some of his first choice players - Boro are safe( ish ) from the drop but are playing Charlton in the FA cup midweek - hope the likes of the yak / Downing are not at Ewood. Let's hope for a reverse of the caning we got in the fixture last season.

3-1 to Rovers, Bellamy / Reid / Sav. Mark Verruca for Boro.

[RevidgeBlue]

Let's hope for a reverse of the caning we got in the fixture last season.

391259[/snapback]

No reason to suggest why not, Amoruso isn't suddenly fit again is he?

We had a bad day at the office last week but still got the result. We should play better this time round. It would also have been very unusual for us to win 2 consecutive home games under Souness, but we seem to be made of stronger stuff in recent times under Hughes.

I reckon a comfortable win 2-0 or 3-1.

[Flopsy]

we're so going to lose

[den]

Radio Lancs reporting that Tugay will need another week, before being available for selection.

[frosty]

we're so going to lose

391318[/snapback]

Optimism will spur us on to europe

[gazsimm]

Is Tugay fit for this match

i predict a 2-0 for us

Bellamy and Pedersen to score

fingers crossed

[bob fleming]

Radio Lancs reporting that Tugay will need another week, before being available for selection.

391319[/snapback]

Is Tugay fit for this match

391322[/snapback]

[gazsimm]

391323[/snapback]

thats a shame we could have done with Tugay back for this one to open up there defence lets hope Bentley has better game this week then he did last week against Villa

[den]

Nice quote Gazz.

[Presty On Tour]

friedel

neill todd neslon gray

bentley reid savage pedersen

pongolle bellamy

subs:enks, axe, emerton, dickov, kuqi

a well good time to be playing m'boro after their journey to rome, they should have a few back up players in the side like the team who faced charton last week.

still a tough game though, still no tugs for us and after our last 2 performances against spuds and villa i don't know what rovers team is going to turn out on saturday.

if we get the first goal early doors it will be a pasting, if though we are struggling i can see kuqi and dickov being unleashed as the 2 victorys over them at christmas time were won by them causing riot in their defense.

i'm going for 3-0

bellamy 10

pedersen 24

neill 69(pen)

att. 24, 369

[Flopsy]

so somone putting lol at the end of a post is irritating but - at the end of everything isnt?

we will lose because we are Rovers and theres too much confidence around at the moment

[Ozz]

att. 24, 369

391358[/snapback]

LOL.

[Presty On Tour]

i likes thumbs up guy, he's my buddy.

it maybe irritating to some viewers, but it is not text speech which is not aloud i.e LOL on this message board due to some oldies unable to read it and other people find it anoying.

it is a "clickable smilies" which are aloud as they are located on the left hand side of the page for use on BRFCS untill further developments are made.

deal with it

Edited March 17, 2006 by jansenpresty10@wales

[philipl]

Boro will be coming to Ewood elated by the UEFA draw.

Whilst the strength of the remaining teams should not be underestimated, Basle should be beatable and then they get the winner of the Bucarest derby in the semi (that could be tricky given the teams both of them have knocked out on the way through).

Sevilla and Schalke are in the other half of the draw and so one of them is likely to make it to the Final.

[heapbag]

I am in a football pool over here and I never pick right on Middlesborough games. I find them to be one of the most inconsistent teams in the league.

I haven't looked in depth at this but hasn't our disciplinary record been a bit better these last few games? Anyways I expect a flowing game with Rovers proving to be a tight cohesive unit. Shut-out can you say?

3-0 Rovers

[joey_big_nose]

i likes thumbs up guy, he's my buddy. 

it maybe irritating to some viewers, but it is not text speech which is not aloud on this message board due to some oldies unable to read it and other people find it anoying.

it is a "clibable smilies" which are aloud as they are located on the left hand side of the page for use on BRFCS untill further developments are made.

deal with it

391366[/snapback]

You tell 'em Jansen! Thats the funniest post I have read in a while

With Tugay out it looks like Hughes will have two real choices:

1.        Pedersen        Savage    Bentley    Reid

or,

2.        Pedersen        Savage      Reid      Emerton

Personally I would for number one despite Bentley's poor show last week. Nobody is perfect and even the Turk magician has had a few stinkers. At least we can be safe in the knowledge that if we are getting overrun we can just switch around Reid and David.

The number two midfield looks so barren of creativity it is untrue!

[bellamy11]

I never ever ever like playing Boro. We don't even have a terrible record against them, but I view them as a team like us - more than capable of beating anybody on their day. The fact that we won twice at the Riverside was amazing to me - perhaps I don't give us enough credit.

Anyway, I think we'll draw. They have firepower and are in decent form. I'm astounded so many people think this is a given three points. In my eyes, this is very losable.

1-1 Bellamy Hasselbaink.

[tcj_jones]

That's pretty much my thoughts too. However, I can see us losing this. I'm sticking to 2-1 'boro.

[Blueheart]

Much will depend on how are defense plays. If the defense is as shaky as it was against Villa, I can see us losing this one. What's happened to kishvilla ?( pardon my Spelling ) I think he is musc sounder in the middle with Nelson than Todd.

[Rover4ever]

Much will depend on how are defense plays. If the defense is as shaky as it was against Villa, I can see us losing this one. What's happened to kishvilla ?( pardon my Spelling ) I think he is musc sounder in the middle with Nelson than Todd.

391431[/snapback]

Before the past 5-6 games, Zurab-Nelsen was our best duo.

However Nelsen-Todd have had a number of clean sheets recently like Arsenal 1-0 or Villa 2-0 so theres no point in changing it