Boro V Rovers match thread

[Gareth]

Boro 3-1

So that's 3 seasons in a row we've lost away by 3 goals on the first game of the season

[Jordan]

Boro 3-1

So that's 3 seasons in a row we've lost away by 3 goals on the first game of the season

We only lost by 3 goals last season.

[Baz]

Team Will Be:

Friedel

Ooijer Nelsen Samba Warnock

Bentley Savage Tugay Pederson

Roberts McCarthy

Subs:

Brown

Santa Cruz

Derbyshire

Dunn

Emerton

Score:

Smoggies: 0

Rovers: 1 (McCarthy)

[shraffy]

me thinks 2-0 for rovers ... roberts and mccarthy

new season! wooohoo!

[Gareth]

We only lost by 3 goals last season.

Should have said lost and conceded 3 goals

[tcj_jones]

2-0 Rovers.

[AggyBlue]

Smoggies 0 : 1 Rovers (Benni)

We have the lions share of possession but spend the last 10 minutes hanging on.

[RevidgeBlue]

2-1 Rovers.

[Cocker]

NO MORE SLEEPS - - ITS HERE

[Wolverine]

Rovers will stuff them. Two questions - parking and meeting points? Talk to me.

[pksrover]

Team prediction:

Friedel - Ooijer, Nelsen, Samba, Warnock - Bentley, Dunn, Savage, Gamst - Roberts, Benni Mac

Subs: Brown, Emerton, Tugay, Roque, Derbyshire

Emerton and Tugay might start instead of Ooijer and Dunn though..

Score prediction:

Boro 0 - 4 ROVERS

Benni 8, 28, 69

Roque 85

top of the league

[savage8]

Anyone else think the Axe will start?

Think Hughes will go for him for a bit of extra cover with the others bombing forwards trying to make the headlines first game of the season

No messing about in our defence this weekend,

0-2

Roberts scrambled goal 29'

Pedersen free kick 76'

[Italian Rover]

Team prediction:

Friedel - Ooijer, Nelsen, Samba, Warnock - Bentley, Dunn, Savage, Gamst - Roberts, Benni Mac

Subs: Brown, Emerton, Tugay, Roque, Derbyshire

agree with the team.

Boro 2 Rovers 3 Ped Benni (pen) Dunn

MOM Dunn. Benni marked out of game. Our midfielders dominate. No way will keep a clean sheet.

[robbojohnno]

Boro 0 - 0 Rovers

Benni misses a pen and Dunn gets sent off...

[Lathund]

2-0 Rovers.

[vizcaya]

Boro 0 Rovers 1 (Warnock)

Santa Cruz comes on for the last 10 mins and then gets sent off in injury time...

[Daremz]

To give the lads some special luck I want to quote my girlfriend:

"Morten Gamst we love you!".

That will do.

0-1. Roque. Or Gamst

[Hanks]

3-1 to rovers, just hope i can find somewhere close where i can watch it.

[Finch]

In their match day score predictions Talksport have just said we are going to lose 2-1 this afternoon

[Blue blood]

Very encouraged by Boro's injury problems, the fact we have a fairly fit squad to choose from and the fact that we should be not too nervous having played a couple of meaningful games in the inter toto (albeit against weak opposition).

I'm guessing the team will be as follows - more for continuity from the pre season than anything else - although I believe with emerton and santa cruz we'd be a stronger team.

Brad, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Bentley, Savage, Tugay, Pedersen, Benni, Roberts

subs: Brown, Emo, Dunn, Mokoena, Santa Cruz

To me their weak defence is a big big plus. It's not great at the best of times. Our wingers should terrorize them, and Roberts is at his best where using his hustle and physical approch against nervy defences. He should really get in the Boro's defence faces. Mind you I wouldn't be unhappy with Roque starting as Boro are fairly weak in the air. Their keeper doesn't like crosses as I recall so hopefully with our wingers in form Benni and whoever should have lots of opportunities.

My only worry is that they have a fair bit in attack and the cover from the midfield is a worry. Tugs and Savage are no spring chickens and with Sav still coming back from a broken leg whether the defence gets enough cover and protection is a big worry. In fact I'd be very tempted to start either mokoena (for sav) or dunn (for tugs) just to better protect the defence. The sooner reid is back the better.

Even so, despite these doubts rovers should win. I'm going for 2-1 as we never do things the easy way. We'll give them a pasting early on, getting a goal (Benni) before letting them back into it. We'll then have to work really hard to get the winner - which Roque will provide.

Come on rovers - this is our season!

[Cheeky Sidders]

I'm surprised so many people are predicting an easy win for us. Yes, Boro are eratic and we do have a good record against them, but despite the loss of Viduka (who is a lazy slob for 80% of every game he plays in) I think most people seem to have vastly underestimated newboy Tuncay Sanli. If he gets the opportunity to run at us could be a lon afternoon for our defenders.

Tuncay

Nuff said.

[Eddie]

Tuncay is a very good player, as I said a while back I think he could be the signing of the season and they did well to really slip it in under the radar, although it does appear other sides were interested. The reason why we should win is because we are better in every area of the pitch, these are the sorts of games you have to win if we want to challenge for the top 6 or beyond.

[cletus]

Sorry ,not read the whole thread, but found this......

Boro v Rovers league results since start of premiership.....

Boro 3 v Rovers 2 (92/93)

Boro 2 v Rovers 0 (95/96)

Boro 2 v Rovers 1 (96/97)

Boro 2 v Rovers 1 (98/99)

Boro 1 v Rovers 3 (01/02)

Boro 1 v Rovers 0 (02/03)

Boro 0 v Rovers 1 (03/04)

Boro 1 v Rovers 0 (04/05)

Boro 0 v Rovers 2 (05/06)

Boro 0 v Rovers 1 (06/07)

total.....

Boro`s goals =12 Rovers goals= 11

Boro =6 wins, Rovers= 4 wins

I 'think' the info is correct

[modes98]

Main page on official site says: McCarthy and Roberts to lead the line for rovers. No full team news yet though.

EDIT:

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Davies, Wheater, Riggott, Taylor, Tuncay, Boateng, Arca, Downing, Yakubu, Aliadiere.

Subs: Jones, Gook, Cattermole, Johnson, Hines.

ROVERS: Friedel, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen ©, Warnock, Bentley, Savage, Dunn, Pedersen, McCarthy, Roberts.

Subs: Brown, Tugay, Santa Cruz, Mokoena, Derbyshire.

[pksrover]

I was pretty spot on with my team prediction, although Mokoena got a place on the bench instead of Emerton. Let's hope my score prediction is that close as well