Middlesbrough v AFC Bournemouth

Will be an interesting lineup. Begovic or Travers? Is Mepham fit, did Simpson play well enough to warrant a start if not (I’d argue he did)? Do we go with the diamond we used vs Palace, or stick with the previous? Have the youth forced their way in?

Light squad in some areas but, after the Palace performance, good competition in others?

Travers (Give him a chance)
Smith Mephem S Cook Rico
Lerma Billing
Stan Brooks Arnie
Solanke

Rest L Cook, Stacey and Kelly
 
Very short notice Boro had and no ballot for ST holders.

Wonder how it would have gone down with our ST holders if our club had to do the same?

This forum would have ‘exploded’. ;)
Quite true, the club has already committed to our cosseted ST holders that there will be a ballot. Imagine if there had been a sale of PAPER TICKETS on the basis FIRST COME FIRST SERVED for the first game back?

i don‘t think that the hospital would have been able to cope with the numbers rushed in choking on their Werthers Orignals.
 
I can totally understand why clubs want to get fans in asap, particularly down the leagues where gate receipts are more important, but trialing this at the same time an adjacent region is about to go into a strict lockdown just seems nuts to me.

Its almost like as a country we're lacking a sensible, joined up strategy.
 
Sounds like Boro are on the verge of signing Chuba Amechi Akpom from PAOK in Greece. I've totally lost track of the UK rules since they don't apply to me. If they get the deal over the line today/tomorrow would he have to go into quarantine or could he play on Saturday?
 
First Away Meeting Since 2016

There were mixed fortunes for the two sides in the League Cup (EFL) who meet in the Championship on Saturday. Middlesbrough went out of the competition on their own patch to fellow Championship side Barnsley 0-2. In the tie at Dean Court, the Cherries beat the Eagles (Palace) 11-10 on penalties, after the game ended 0-0 after 90+ minutes. There was an exciting penalty shootout with every player scoring from the spot, except for the two goalkeepers who both failed to score. It then went to the second round and David Brooks put his shot away, but Asmir Begovic saved Luka Meliojevic’s attempt, to put AFCB through to Round Three away to Manchester City.

From one Septuagenarian, to another in managerial roles. First we came up against Roy Hodgson with Crystal Palace and now our side travel to the North East to play against another very experienced manager’s team, Neil Warnock’s Middlesbrough. Roy is the oldest manager and Neil is the second oldest manager out of all the 92 clubs managers in the top four tiers of English football, they both have managed Crystal Palace.

Neil Warnock took on the manager’s job on the 23rd June this year, it was after Middlesbrough parted company with Jonathan Woodgate after his teams 0-3 home defeat against Swansea City, it was the first game after the lockdown. Neil Warnock had decided to leave Cardiff City in November 2019 after three years at the Welsh club. He took over at Boro when they were 21st in the Championship, under his guidance they finished the season in 17th place. Boro have signed three players so far, the latest is midfielder Sam Morsy from Wigan for an undisclosed fee. Defender Grant Hall after his contract expired from QPR. Goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli on a season long loan from Fulham.

Middlesbrough were promoted to the Premier League in second place from the Championship in 2015-16, one season after AFCB won the Championship. Boro lasted one season in the top league and finished in 19th position. Since 2017-18 season they have been in the Championship. They lost their first game of this season 1-0 away to Watford who were one of the teams relegated with the Cherries. The other side relegated from the Premier League were Norwich City, who we play at home the weekend after this Boro game.

The last time we played at the Riverside Stadium was in the 2016-17 season in the Premier League. Middlesbrough won 2-0. AFCB have never won at Middlesbrough’s ground. In all our visits to their ground in the league, AFCB have W 0, D 2, L 5.
In all competitions AFCB have W 4, D 7, L 7.

Middlesbrough Team News
Neil Warnock made a number of changes for their cup game, so expect changes for Saturday. Been no injury news so far. As has been reported, Neil Warnock will not be on the touchline having proved positive for COVID-19, we wish him a quick recovery.

Middlesbrough Player To Watch
Britt Assombalonga and Ashley Fletcher form a twin strike force and both players finished with 11 goals each last season. They have a good understanding with each other. Assombalonga has a consistent record of scoring, last season he was out for a time with injury. The previous two seasons, 2018-19 he finished with 14 goals and the previous season with 15 goals. He joined Middlesbrough for £15 million in 2017 from Nottingham Forest.

AFCB Team News
As Warnock did, Jason Tindall made a number of changes for the cup game. Adam Smith failed a late fitness test for the Palace game, so remains to be seen if he will be available for selection on Saturday. After some good performances in the Palace game, Jason Tindall will have food for thought re team selection.

AFCB Player To Watch
Arnaut Danjuma is in fine form at the moment and scored a cracking winning goal against Blackburn Rovers.
 
Sounds like Boro are on the verge of signing Chuba Amechi Akpom from PAOK in Greece. I've totally lost track of the UK rules since they don't apply to me. If they get the deal over the line today/tomorrow would he have to go into quarantine or could he play on Saturday?


The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development office (FCDO) advise against all but essential travel to the islands of Lesvos, Tinos, Serifos, Mykonos, Crete, Santorini and Zakynthos (Zante). This is based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks. The rest of Greece remains exempt from the FCDO’s advice against all non-essential international travel.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece
 
Middlesborough were great and they always give a good game.

Ravanelli, Juninho.........

Never a dull game against this lot over the years.


On that basis, probably 0-0
 
Seems game is on.

Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock has returned a positive test for COVID-19, the club have confirmed.

The Boro boss is said to be in high spirits as he self isolates at home.

Warnock went into isolation earlier in the week after feeling unwell, leaving assistant Kevin Blackwell and first-team coach Ronnie Jepson in charge of the Carabao Cup defeat to Barnsley, with the latter carrying out post-match media duties.

Warnock is believed to be isolating at home and still working on signings for the club, but has stayed away from the training ground. The rest of the coaching staff have tested negative and will take control of the team in Warnock's absence when Bournemouth visit the Riverside on Saturday.

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport...lesbrough-manager-neil-warnock-tests-18948210
 
Yep 86/87 I think we pipped Middlesborough to the title.

87/88 was when you would have seen th 0-0

They strengthened and became a formidable team in the early 90's as we all know.

Yeah I think it was late 87 as I think my dad was told to find something to do with the kids whilst my mum went Christmas shopping. Probably a boring game but I loved everything about it.
 
1986/87 I think was a cracking season.....lost 4-0 their place then won 3-1 at home.

Both good teams at the time.
That was one of the handful of games I ever saw at DC. A Tuesday night game I believe. I remember thinking that Boro had some really good players on display and were probably going to be too good for that league ( as we were to be too, as it turned out ).
We won the game but even so I was impressed by the quality Boro had on the pitch. Their players just seemed more skilful overall. It was a good game to be invited to by one of my mates from school.
 

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