Middlesbrough v Town Match Thread

[BlueValour]

Huddersfield Town’s 2-3 home defeat by Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday, 13 February 2021 means that we have now gone seven matches without victory in the league. This was the eponymous ‘game of two halves’. In the first half we played some decent football and well-merited our interval lead. However, after the break we stopped playing and when the Chairboys upped the pressure the players simply did not want to know. Whilst there are mitigating factors; a poor January transfer window and a dire injury situation, in particular, the main causation was a lack of character. Matt Glennon, after the game, said that the team was weak minded. When the going got tough, we had too few players who were tough enough to get going.

Because of this result, Town go into the next round of Championship fixtures having dropped to 18th in the division with 33 points from 29 games. We are still five points above the relegation zone.

On Tuesday, 16 February 2021, KO 19:45 we continue our league campaign away at Middlesbrough. This match is the featured game on Sky Sports Arena and will be purchasable on iFollow for £10. It will be free to season card holders. The referee selected for this match is Jeremy Simpson.

Huddersfield have a terrible record at Middlesbrough. Indeed, our last win there was on 1 January 1986. Since then we have a 0-1-8 record! Our last clash at the Riverside Stadium was on 26 December 2019 when we lost 1-0, under Danny Cowley, to a 37th minute goal. This was a competitive match in which we failed to convert our two-thirds possession into goals. Sounds familiar?

We last played Middlesbrough, in the reverse encounter, on 28 November 2020 when we won 3-2 at the John Smith’s Stadium. Josh Koroma's fine late goal sealed a come-back win with Carel Eiting and Fraizer Campbell scoring in the first half after Middlesbrough had taken an early lead.

In 2019-20, Middlesbrough finished 17th in the Championship, two points and a place ahead of Town. This season they disposed of Shrewsbury Town in the Carabao Cup before losing in the second round at home to Barnsley. They exited the FA Cup in the 3rd Round, losing 2-1 at Brentford. Following the 2-1 reverse at Derby County, on 13 February, the Smoggies are in 8th place in the Championship with 40 points from their 29 matches and are now six points away from the Play-offs.

The Teesside outfit are having their own troubles and they have taken just four points from the last 21 on offer. Notwithstanding this, with a weaker, injury hit squad I regret that I cannot see anything but yet another away loss.

Current PP odds:
Town: 10/3
Draw: 12/5
Middlesbrough: 3/4

[durhamterrier]

Warnock is going to watch the second half of that Wycombe game and set his team up to bully us like they did . CC needs to think of a way to deal with that.

Schofield

Stearman Keogh Sarr

Pipa Hogg Vallejo Bacuna O’Brien

Mbenza Campbell

(I’d love to say throw the youngsters or make drastic changes but we can’t - literally no players on bench any better ) or

[garyroberts'leftfoot]

A team managed by warnock is going to smash us.

Players like Bacuna and Mbenza have no heart or desire and Holmes, O’Brien and to some extent Hogg are not physical enough.

They can either sit back and play on the break knowing that we won’t be able to break them down or after watching yesterday they can press high, play on the front foot and we will gift them some goals.

I’d be tempted to play 3-5-2 for this to try and be a bit more solid. Something needs to change anyway.

[Million Dollar Babies]

Boro without a win in 5 games. They've been spanked in a couple of those too

Looks set to be a classic between two out of form teams.

[portugalterrier]

Drop Schofield, Bacuna for starters.

[Yuta be a terrier]

Feb 14, 2021 10:39:34 GMT 1 portugalterrier said:

Drop Schofield, Bacuna for starters.

We could do with Brown being available for this. I'm not sure Pipa alongside Keogh is ever going to work so I'd play Mbenza LW, Pipa on the RW and give Duhaney a game. I'd love to think that Carlos has realised that our defenders need to defend and just play a solid 4 at the back. Probably never going to happen though.

[Matt1908]

Time to mix it up a little whilst still retaining a little bit of experience. Hopefully picking 11 lads who actually want to be here long term
352-
Schofield
Stearman
Crichlow
Sarr
Pipa
Vallejo
Hogg
Diarra
O'Brien
Phillips
Campbell

[stanton1969]

The defence is the first thing that needs sorting out. We need to be hard to beat if we are going to have any chance of not going down. It’s damage limitation time. I don’t care if it’s not pretty now. We just need results.

[Waterloo Terrier]

I think Mbenza has got to be at the top end of the pitch. He’s the only one with any quality in the final third. Ten workhorses and him are the best way to get out of this.

Stearman has got to come in, Niasse too if that gets over the line. But we have to take our defending seriously. Pipa is basically a winger, we can’t carry on playing like that.

[garyroberts'leftfoot]

Feb 14, 2021 10:53:22 GMT 1 Waterloo Terrier said:

I think Mbenza has got to be at the top end of the pitch. He’s the only one with any quality in the final third. Ten workhorses and him are the best way to get out of this.

Stearman has got to come in, Niasse too if that gets over the line. But we have to take our defending seriously. Pipa is basically a winger, we can’t carry on playing like that.

Completely agree.

Ideally Mbenza wouldn’t be in the squad but he is one of the few players we have who can score or create. You can’t depend on him to defend so play 3-5-2 and stick him up top.

[Christ in Shades (art)]

Given yesterdays debacle no one can credibly give any argument for a victory, even the most optimistic of fan will be struggling. It's a pretty barren ground for us as it is,I just can't see anything other than a home win.

[overtonterrierspirit]

As mentioned yesterday, iFollow is showing that this game IS NOT free to SC holders and is purchasable for £10.

Others have mentioned that this is incorrect.

[bigtruck]

Character is fast becoming more important than skill in this team at the minute. We’ve got to stop the rot. Half arsed players need to be dropped.

Schofield.
Stearman. Keogh. Sarr.
Pipa. Vallejo. Hogg. O’Brien. Brown
Holmes
Campbell.

[Matt1908]

Feb 14, 2021 11:25:46 GMT 1 overtonterrierspirit said:

As mentioned yesterday, iFollow is showing that this game IS NOT free to SC holders and is purchasable for £10.

Others have mentioned that this is incorrect.

It's on sky I believe, so even if you don't have sky there should be decent streams

[Matt1908]

Sky sports arena, channel 408

[Farsley Terrier (UK product)]

I'd go something like;

Schofield.
Pipa. Stearman. Keogh. Brown.
Holmes. Hogg. O’Brien.
Pritchard. Sarr*. MBenza.

No Campbell? Too right. What did he offer against Wycombe? Nothing.

[overtonterrierspirit]

Feb 14, 2021 11:31:18 GMT 1 Matt1908 said:

Feb 14, 2021 11:25:46 GMT 1 overtonterrierspirit said:

As mentioned yesterday, iFollow is showing that this game IS NOT free to SC holders and is purchasable for £10.

Others have mentioned that this is incorrect.

It's on sky I believe, so even if you don't have sky there should be decent streams

Yes I realise that. I’ve got Sky.
I was thinking about SC holders who haven’t and who should get access to this game for free.

[Bassingham Terrier]

Feb 14, 2021 11:34:01 GMT 1 Farsley Terrier (UK product) said:

I'd go something like;

Schofield.
Pipa. Stearman. Keogh. Brown.
Holmes. Hogg. O’Brien.
Pritchard. Sarr*. MBenza.

No Campbell? Too right. What did he offer against Wycombe? Nothing.

First goal assist?
Not trying to defend him, mind...

[Matt1908]

Feb 14, 2021 11:35:02 GMT 1 overtonterrierspirit said:

Feb 14, 2021 11:31:18 GMT 1 Matt1908 said:

It's on sky I believe, so even if you don't have sky there should be decent streams

Yes I realise that. I’ve got Sky.
I was thinking about SC holders who haven’t and who should get access to this game for free.

Couldn't agree more, SC holders have been shafted really, no other word for it

[overtonterrierspirit]

Feb 14, 2021 11:36:31 GMT 1 Matt1908 said:

Feb 14, 2021 11:35:02 GMT 1 overtonterrierspirit said:

Yes I realise that. I’ve got Sky.
I was thinking about SC holders who haven’t and who should get access to this game for free.

Couldn't agree more, SC holders have been shafted really, no other word for it

Just don’t understand why a midweek game is not free.
I’m sure we were told that the only games chargeable were Saturday away games.

[Farsley Terrier (UK product)]

Feb 14, 2021 11:35:49 GMT 1 Bassingham Terrier said:

Feb 14, 2021 11:34:01 GMT 1 Farsley Terrier (UK product) said:

I'd go something like;

Schofield.
Pipa. Stearman. Keogh. Brown.
Holmes. Hogg. O’Brien.
Pritchard. Sarr*. MBenza.

No Campbell? Too right. What did he offer against Wycombe? Nothing.

First goal assist?
Not trying to defend him, mind...

oops my bad...

[ACW]

Feb 14, 2021 11:38:00 GMT 1 overtonterrierspirit said:

Feb 14, 2021 11:36:31 GMT 1 Matt1908 said:

Couldn't agree more, SC holders have been shafted really, no other word for it

Just don’t understand why a midweek game is not free.
I’m sure we were told that the only games chargeable were Saturday away games.

That's how I understood it too. Sounds like the goalposts have been moved.

[Bassingham Terrier]

Last time out...
Another dreadful performance, this time at relegation rivals Middlesbrough, saw Town lurch backwards towards the relegation zone on Boxing Day 2020 when they were the only bottom six side to lose.



And it's going to be a hell of a lot heavier defeat this time, boys and girls!

[specialun]

Stearman hasn’t played since November

I understand why we’d want him in the team but is he fit enough to play?

[rsouls]

Feb 14, 2021 10:39:34 GMT 1 portugalterrier said:

Drop Schofield, Bacuna for starters.

bacuna is the complete thing about what is wrong with our club,laziness cant be arsed attitude,would never play again for me

[stanton1969]

Feb 14, 2021 11:52:28 GMT 1 ACW said:

Feb 14, 2021 11:38:00 GMT 1 overtonterrierspirit said:

Just don’t understand why a midweek game is not free.
I’m sure we were told that the only games chargeable were Saturday away games.

That's how I understood it too. Sounds like the goalposts have been moved.

If they have, we might be able to score more and concede less often.

[tepidterrier]

Let's not get kneejerky about individuals when there's nobody behind them in the squad to push them to perform. No coincidence Schofield has regressed since Hamer left, but we've got to stick with him now haven't we.

Mbenza should be the last to get criticised, without his goal and assist contributions in the last 2 months we'd be properly staring down the barrel- yeah he doesn't run about loads but attention needs directing elsewhere.

We beat these last time. The Wycombe match is the turning point of our season one way or another. Let's have it.

[daftmidge]

This one's on sky isn't it.

The Mrs (Liverpool fan) is usually quite critical of us in comparison to her (amazing, world champs and back on their perch etc) team.

Really with how bad they are at the moment, I should be looking forward to 'making'her sit through one of our games.

But I don't think I'm gona put either of us through it.

Relegation fights (especially when you stay up) are traditionally more fun than mid-table obscurity.
At least that's what I used to think.

When I combine how bad we are, with how bad (I feel) the rules are being enforced in the Prem by the refs and VAR there.

And then add that I am pontificated to each week by millionaires on how I'm not doing enough to fight the racial injustice that I have nothing to do with...

I can honestly say right now is the least I have ever enjoyed my favourite sport.

Maybe it's a blessing though, falling out of love with the game at the point I'm watching my team implode again.

Hopefully I'm in the minority though cos even though the media and money men won't admit it.
The point the majority feel the way I do and vote with their wallets is the point the bubble bursts and they will all have to find a new trough to get their snouts in.

Sorry for the rambling rant. It was purely to make me feel better for getting it off my chest.

UTT even if we are going down.

[ACW]

Feb 14, 2021 14:42:15 GMT 1 stanton1969 said:

Feb 14, 2021 11:52:28 GMT 1 ACW said:

That's how I understood it too. Sounds like the goalposts have been moved.

If they have, we might be able to score more and concede less often.

Only if they've made them bigger at one end and smaller at the other!

[sabailand]

Feb 14, 2021 10:39:34 GMT 1 portugalterrier said:

Drop Schofield, Bacuna for starters.

I know he gets some stick but he is a player who can score, at a time when lots are saying how much we need a goalscorer, we surely have to have anyone remotely capable of scoring in the team.