Match Day Thread Middlesbrough v Swansea City

Middlesbrough v Swansea City

Competition - Sky Bet Championship
Venue - The Riverside
Kick off - 3pm
Date - 14 March 2020

Following their battling 0-0 draw against West Brom, next up for Steve Cooper’s Swansea squad is the long trip to relegation threatened Middlesbrough.

Last Saturday, West Brom were knocked off the top of the Championship after a goalless draw with the Swans.

Slaven Bilic's team were leapfrogged by Leeds United as play-off hopefuls Swansea deservedly claimed a share of the spoils.

Albion had hoped to respond after suffering a first defeat in seven league games against Wigan Athletic.

But they struggled to break down a Swansea side who created the game's clearest opportunities.

It was the Swans who threatened first as defender Joe Rodon saw a header blocked after rising high to meet a Conor Gallagher free-kick, while Andre Ayew could not divert Rhian Brewster's drive goal-wards.

Albion were probing at the other end, but the team who began the day as the division's leading scorers struggled to open Swansea up.

Freddie Woodman was forced into action just once before the break, the on-loan Newcastle goalkeeper diving to his left to save Callum Robinson's shot after Swansea had given the ball away on the edge of their own box.

The breakthrough might have come seconds after the restart as Matt Grimes' drive was parried by Albion keeper Sam Johnstone and Jay Fulton sliced the rebound over the bar.

A low Grimes free-kick saw Fulton send another effort over the top before Romaine Sawyers' deflected long-ranger whistled over Woodman's goal.

Ayew then saw an overhead kick drift too high before Albion skipper Jake Livermore shot wastefully off target in the dying minutes.

Albion remain six points clear of third-placed Fulham with nine games to play this season, while the draw sees Steve Cooper's Swansea close the gap on the top six to three points even though they slip to 11th in the table.

Whilst the Swans were drawing against the Baggies, Middlesbrough were winning for the first time in 11 Championship games as Paddy McNair's goal was enough to beat Charlton at The Valley.

McNair sidefooted his fifth goal of the season from former Bluebird Rudy Gestede's square pass after the home side gave the ball away in their own half to boost Boro's hopes of avoiding relegation.

Goalkeeper Dejan Stojanovic beat away an Andre Green shot as Lee Bowyer's Addicks strove for an equaliser.

The debutant also denied Deji Oshilaja and Macaulay Bonne after the break as Charlton suffered a costly defeat which dropped them into the bottom three - the win lifted Middlesbrough up three places to 19th in the table, to put them two points clear of their opponents in 22nd.

The Swans have played Boro on 47 previous occasions, winning 17, losing 19 and drawing 11.

In the reverse fixture at the Liberty in December, the Swans ran out comfortable 3-1 winners as Boro ended with only 9 players:

Turning to Saturday, I think that the Swans will run out 2-1 victors, maintaining their play-off hopes.

 

Swans win here 1-2 come on lads.

 

1-1

 

Nice early start at 6am on Saturday for this short hop up to Middlesborough...a place we need to win at if clueless is to be believed about with the play off scenario. The players are good enough as a squad but I think we are sadly lacking on the managerial side of things. I will go for a win for us by a clear 2 goals..2 nil as they do not score many goals....

 

Yes got a feeling we will sneak this one. So it's 2-1 to the Swans

 

https://www.fotmob.com/news/world/1...season-on-hold-as-football-acts-over-COVID-19

 

Will the Euros be called off as well?

 

Seems that euros will be postponed until next year???? Our season could resume early summer....who knows
Saves my early start tomorrow

 

back to tiddly winks it is then

 

.... or go to the Principality Stadium with 70,000 others ......

 

Should win this one, I say should, but it all depends on our crap defense, going for a 1-2, if this game goes ahead? thought the FA were suspending all games?

 

Ah! thought as much, so no football until April at the earliest. Bloody Chinese!!!...................

 

Now that's damm good idea , Local league footy football for me , under 10's then u16's , just 3 men , a dog and a large handkerchief .I was going to watch Bony but they haven't a game and no I'm not going to Penclawdd to watch the seconds either

 

Rugby off now....took them enough time.....but of course the Scots would have all arrived by now so the hotels bars and clubs will have a bumper weekend especially in Cardiff. Now they want trains cancelled and a freak snowstorm blocking Scotland off for a few days.....no I don’t like rugby much because everyone laughs at the Italian. Rugby team...

 

All local league football is cancelled until at least the 3rd April so its a weekend staring lovingly into my wife's eyes
or not. Who makes these decisions because , if they cancel kids football but not closing schools colleges universities schools wheres the logical thinking

 

Best not you might get diaitus.

 

Can't see many goals in this one......

 

Maybe it's the congregating of all the adults around kids football that will influence the decision ?