Middlesbrough pre match chat

[Barlow Boy]

Firpo out for 4-6 weeks (hamstring).

Bogle also struggling for this game.

[1964white]

Firpo out for 4-6 weeks (hamstring).

Bogle also struggling for this game.

Hopefully, we'll have two full-backs who can defend.

[Barlow Boy]

Hopefully, we'll have two full-backs who can defend.

Seems Byram is in contention to play, generally reliable

[The Subhuman]

Who knows, as I said I think a lot of lost context with his run.

Namely the quality of the sides he faced.

He maybe has a part to play in the busy Christmas period but not a starter for me.

More a dessert

[whiteswan]

More a dessert

A meringue, breaks easily

[1964white]

Thanks, mate. It took quite a while to work out how to get back into my account as I longer had access to the email address haha.

I did wonder Kyle, as you were a regular poster on here until 2019 during the lean years & then into the Bielsa-era.

Glad to see you are OK & back with us here on MOT.

[Cjay]

Seems Byram is in contention to play, generally reliable

Is Byram even fit?

Missed Derby with hammy injury didn't he?

He's missed literally years of his career because of the fragility of that part of his body.

[1964white]

Seems Byram is in contention to play, generally reliable

An underrated defender, imo!

[Barlow Boy]

Is Byram even fit?

Missed Derby with hammy injury didn't he?

He's missed literally years of his career because of the fragility of that part of his body.

Yes, according to Farke in the presser today.

[Jammy 07]

Who knows, as I said I think a lot of lost context with his run.

Namely the quality of the sides he faced.

He maybe has a part to play in the busy Christmas period but not a starter for me.

Joseph & Bamford rarely score from the bench whilst Piroe seems to excel at that. It's just more food for thought when looking to get the maximum out of the strikers that we have.

Personally I'd start Joseph tomorrow and ask him to run in behind all the time to occupy the Boro centre halves. Whether that would work we don't know but Piroe would be available to come on if it's not.

[1964white]

Yes, according to Farke in the presser today.

So, a very tall back four, then.

[weasel]

Joseph & Bamford rarely score from the bench whilst Piroe seems to excel at that. It's just more food for thought when looking to get the maximum out of the strikers that we have.

Personally I'd start Joseph tomorrow and ask him to run in behind all the time to occupy the Boro centre halves. Whether that would work we don't know but Piroe would be available to come on if it's not.

I may be wrong but 2 out of Joesph's 3 league goals for us have been as a sub. That would be a 66% ratio of all his league goals for us have been as a sub. Joseph therefore scores even more rarely as a starter, just once.

[Jammy 07]

I may be wrong but 2 out of Joesph's 3 league goals for us have been as a sub. That would be a 66% ratio of all his league goals for us have been as a sub. Joseph therefore scores even more rarely as a starter, just once.

Good points so maybe Joseph isn't the answer then ?

My own view is he needs a decent run in the team and I'm not really sure why he's been left out so often.

[weasel]

Good points so maybe Joseph isn't the answer then ?

My own view is he needs a decent run in the team and I'm not really sure why he's been left out so often.

I think it is all about taking your chance when you get it, quite literally. Joseph had a run of games but was wasteful in front of goal. Piroe on the other hand kept coming off the bench and scoring and quite rightly, in my opinion, Farke then went with the man who was scoring. If Joseph had scored a few then he'd have kept his place, similar to how Bamford did last season.

[Cjay]

Rav van den Berg and Lukas Engel are back in training according to Carrick

They are still missing Marcus Forss, Aiden Morris, Darragh Lenihan,  Tommy Smith and Alex Bangura.

Van Den Berg clearly been a big loss, player and young player of the year last season.

Hopefully not fit enough to start

[whiteswan]

I'm concerned about this game. I think it'll be a big test for us. Michael Carrick is no duck egg.

[GreennWhite]

Can see this game ending up in a draw, and i think both teams would settle for that. A draw wont do either team any harm in regards the title race, its far too early to be saying not winning is a bad result.
Of course we want the win, so hopefully our main players turn up tonight and do the job.

[The Subhuman]

Looking forward to this one, expecting a win at home.

[whiteswan]

Looking forward to this one, expecting a win at home.

I really hope you get it faaip

[Barlow Boy]

I'm concerned about this game. I think it'll be a big test for us. Michael Carrick is no duck egg.

Just getting my hat, scarf, gloves and thermals ready .

Like you Swannie, I think this will be a big test for us.