Following our mid-week cup exit, this Saturday sees an early kick off against visitors who also exited the cup at the same juncture but in a far less promising style. Middlesbrough come to the CCS having been humbled quite dramatically on their own patch, losing 5-0 to Stoke. In Boro's defence, it looks very much like it was a mixed line-up from them, so we can be sure to expect a much sterner test with the team that Michael Carrick will put out to face our slowly improving Bluebirds. Who Are You? Middlesbrough are undoubtedly a ‘grand old club’ however they have now been a part of the Championship (2nd tier) scene since their relegation from the Premier League in 2017 and, much to my surprise, their trophy cabinet isn’t really any fuller than our own (certainly in terms of major trophies), with a solitary League Cup win being their only serious achievement. Current gaffer Michael Carrick has now been at the helm for the last couple of years and has made a habit of making Boro one of the better teams at our level, guiding them to the play-offs in his first season but then finishing a slightly disappointing 8th last season, albeit after a pretty poor start. This season sees them start in mixed fashion with a win, a draw and a defeat over their 3 games thus far. The Teesiders have parted ways with no fewer than 17 players this summer, though most appear to be youngsters or fringe players. Incomings include the ever annoying Like Ayling from Leeds on a permanent switch, Micah Hamilton from Man City (£3.7 million) and ex-Wurzel, Scottish international striker Tommy Conway for a reported £5 million. Last Time Out & Form Last season saw Boro do the double over the Bluebirds with a very painful 1-4 result at the CCS coming after a pretty comfortable 2-0 game at the Riverside. The only saving grace for the Bluebirds that day was the late consolation goal from Josh Bowler in the 91st minute prevented it from being our joint worst home result. In truth there was nothing riding on the game apart from pride and a chance to maybe edge a place up the table, but neither side remained in play-off contention going into the match. Apart from a 3-2 win at the Riverside in 2022 our recent record against Boro is pretty poor (that sole win is our only one in 8 games), so hopefully this weekend we start to put that right! Form wise, as mentioned, our visitors come into this one in slightly mixed form so far this season, but their end of season form last year sees them showing a healthy 10 points from the last 18 available (including the 3 picked up against us in that penultimate game of the season). With 13 goals scored across those last 6 games, our defence will have their work cut out for sure. Indeed, gaffer Erol Bulut has stated that we need to be concentrated from the 1st minute to the last. In, Out Or No Sign Of Them About According to the boss, Joe Ralls remains side-lined with his groin issue and now joins longer term absentees Isaak Davies, Kion Etete, Jamilu Collins and new recruit Will Fish. Midfielder David Turnbull is back with the squad but is only deemed fit enough for a spot on the bench at most. A similar position to Anwar El-Ghazi you’d expect, despite him coming on with a tidy if unspectacular cameo against Swansea last time out, so that could mean a start for Alex Robertson who was withdrawn during the mid-week cup game. Rubin Colwill however will no doubt be the main talking point having scored a screamer in the cup defeat to Southampton and generally showing up very well in that game. Will his inclusion mean that he will once again be benched for a league game? I expect that very much to be the case. The other possible debate will be who starts up top. Wilf Kanga was a willing workhorse against the Jacks but with no real output save for one decent curling effort from the edge of the box. After he was replaced by Callum Robinson the difference was palpable, with Robbo showing far more often for the ball and creating things around him. He may well have been assisted by the other substitutions that occurred but personally I can see Robbo getting the nod on this occasion. Predicted Starting 11 Horvath Ng Chambers Daland O’Dowda Ramsey Siopis Robertson Willock Robinson Meite The Odds Bods With several players having represented both sides, I just had to bring in one of my favourite players of recent years, the effervescent, giant hearted and all round nice guy, Big Sol… just a shame it’s not Christmas yet eh? Can you believe though that we are once again facing a side that are odds on to beat us? The bookies really have it in for us so far this season it seems. Top Boy Top Trumps Get yer tackle out!! Brief comparison between defenders for this week. Have to say, Chamber’s numbers so far look less than impressive, especially on the number of tackles. I can only assume he’s such a cultured defender that he doesn’t even need to get involved in such trivial things and is just always in the right place at the right team through his reading of the game!! Match Day Melody Games against Boro invariably bring back memories of that glorious game up at the Riverside in the FA Cup 6th round and the 2 fantastic goals we scored in what has to still be one of the best performances I think I’ve seen us put in – of course we all know now what happened thereafter but at the time the future wasn’t ours to see. So can we pick up 3 points against tricky opponents this weekend? My head says probably not but my heart is telling me to stop being so bloody pessimistic, take Big Sol’s advice, back the boys and have some faith. Thankfully I’ll be there in person this weekend to so just that, though I will also be travelling back and forth to the game from Bristol with a Boro fan and the beers afterwards are riding on the result, so no pressure City but a win will potentially save me a few quid!! C’mon the City….. Blooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds!!!
I wish my vocabulary and writing skills were anywhere near being as good as yours Brizzle. Then I could come up with something different to praise your work. It's another fantastic read and I hope the thread attracts lots of contributions. I know I do this every time this fixture comes round but I hope you'll indulge an old man and his fond memories. Yep, once again I'm immediately reminded of the Greg Farrell v Middlesbrough game. One of the best individual performances I've seen from a Bluebird. Getting back to the here and now, I have a feeling things will start to come together for us in this game. A little bit of reward for all the hard work and learning that's been going on. So thank you once again Brizzle Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds!
I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, so just in case: Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds! To those going, please give them a shout of encouragement from me.
Cardiff City XI: Horvath; Ng, Chambers, Daland, O'Dowda; Siopis, Robertson; Meite, Ramsey, Willock; Kanga. Subs: Alnwick, Goutas, El Ghazi, Bagan, Colwill, Tanner, Rinomhota, Ashford, Robinson. Hope to see a bit more of El Ghazi today. And Robinson.
Bugger. One out from my predicted line up Would have preferred Robbo but maybe he can come on and turn the game again if needed. Good strong bench
All going to plan thus far except for the injury to Daland. Good to see us a bit tighter at the back again. Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds.
A tough set of results for you guys so far this season. Can Bulut avoid the Bullet, can't see it myself.
Well that was a hard watch. I can’t remember the last time we started a season so bad. I would like to be optimistic but you can’t win games if you don’t score goals. And another transfer window closes without us signing a decent forward. Over the next two weeks there’s a lot of decisions to make. Kanga doesn’t cut it so I can’t understand why he starts. Ramsey, I’m afraid to say, is past his sell by date. He needs to be replaced by Colwill from the start. And surely there must be questions over Bulut and his selections. To be honest I can’t see how we are going to improve playing the way we are. Dare I say it. Bullet for Bulut?
When Bulut leaves (shortly) and gets a job at say York or similar, should be made to take Meite as part of his severance arrangement....or it should be his severance package in full! He has had the support of Tan, but he keeps picking a team with no goal scorers.....off with his todger!
Utter ****. Bulut out. We could be this seasons Rotherham. Any chance of staying up we need to sack him now. However there is some right dross in this squad.
Bulut’s style of football is plainly wrong. City just don’t turn up in a first half and look like they’re waiting for the substitutions to make something happen Siopis is a liability and cannot pass Meite is a waste of space Ramsey is past it - he should play either an hour from the start or he comes on with 30 to go O’Dowda is not a LB Kanga is just poor Our best midfielder was taken off City waste too much time tapping it sideways from the keeper Hogarth can’t distribute 2 poor goals to concede defensively City only had from memory 3 shots on target and they were in a space of a few minutes. Who knows what could happened if Ramsey scored and Dahland stays on but to be honest Boro were so much more direct and played through our paper thin midfield again and again. The awful reality is though which 3 clubs are worse than us? 1 point out of 12 with a gd of minus 9. Other managers have been sacked for less.
