v Middlesbrough (a) - 26/12/25

[Hasta]

14 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Leagues ahead is some overstatement.

Alebiosu is decent, no doubts. Brittain is much better in regards to technical ability, Alebiosu looks almost clumsy but still gets past his man and has a knack of digging out a cross when it looks like he shouldn't be able to.

A game of opinions of course, though.

Alebiosu is better as a wing back (though not leagues ahead). Not sure if that would be the case in a flat back 4 where he would be defending one on one and required to defend the penalty box a lot more. 

[M_B]

15 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Leagues ahead is some overstatement.

Alebiosu is decent, no doubts. Brittain is much better in regards to technical ability, Alebiosu looks almost clumsy but still gets past his man and has a knack of digging out a cross when it looks like he shouldn't be able to.

A game of opinions of course, though.

Hypothetically, would you swap ?

 I wouldn't, I think Alebiosu has more to his game. 

[davulsukur]

11 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

lets bring that 3 points home today, would take a point now tho. 

Will be interesting what we do if Gudjohnsen isn't fit. 

I think he'll play Henriksson up with Ohashi.

[davulsukur]

1 minute ago, M_B said:

Hypothetically, would you swap ?

 I wouldn't, I think Alebiosu has more to his game. 

Yes, I'd swap back if I'm being totally honest.

Just to be clear, I'm not saying Alebiosu is bad, he's great.

[Old Codger]

To be fair, Litherland did very well against Millwall, both in an attacking and defensive sense, so we didn't miss Alebiousu as much as we might had we not had him as an option.

The major concern would have to be the lack of firepower, should Gudjohnssen be unavailable. Yuki isn't reliable enough in front of goal for us to deploy him alone, Hendriksson is untried as a striking option, and that out of favour big lad who even his own team mates take the pish out of on public media well, he would have to suddenly come good when there is nothing to suggest he has the ability to do much other than make faces and noise for social media clips.

Consequently, I'm not expecting anything other than a loss here. Rovers will huff and puff all afternoon, but Boro will certainly score, and I don't really see how we will respond other than with a whimper and capitulation. After all, Mr Brittain will be pinging dangerous crosses in at will, so all Boro need is a calm presence in front of goal..

As always I'm happy for the fickle fingers of fate and fortune to fly feverishly in the face of favour.

COYB!

VENKYS OUT!

[chaddyrovers]

 

 

 

[Elrovers]

Henriksson in strike. Pickering dropped straight away. Find that a bit strange, thought he played well against Millwall. No Gueye in the squad again, speaks for itself. 

[chaddyrovers]

[Cherry Blue]

Should be playing Pickering today but if he's told not to what can he do.

[Penwortham Blue]

2 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Very harsh on Harry but I don’t think anyone could argue that Hedges deserves his place at LWB, been really good this season. I imagine that he has gone for Pratt rather than Harry for the height. How long before we start seeing Joseph on the bench, probably would offer more than Gueye.

[simongarnerisgod]

it`s pretty clear val or the idiots in charge of the club want pickering gone😒

gueye can go for me,this season he`s looked unfit,overweight and disinterested.i just hope he can find someone who`ll take him

incidentally,thats a shockingly poor bench we are fielding today

[bluebruce]

Seems strange that we don't have a single striker on the bench. Henriksson for 90 minutes isn't filling me with confidence, and any injury to him or Ohashi will have to mean a change of formation or playing someone very unsuited to playing as a striker. None of the options even have the attributes.

[KentExile]

15 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I find the continued omission of Powell and Joseph from the bench to be a strange choice, both have been more impressive than Dlamini & Doherty this season

Edit - Doherty looks better than Dlamini & Mularkey-Matthews though

Edited 2 hours ago by KentExile

[simongarnerisgod]

iv`e no idea what is henriksons best position,i don`t think he knows either,this could either backfire or be a revalation in the fact we  finally found out where he fits in

[rock steady]

Just a very weak squad.

In for a long afternoon.

[chaddyrovers]

1 minute ago, KentExile said:

I find the continued omission of Powell and Joseph from the bench to be a strange choice, both have been more impressive than Dlamini & Doherty this season

 

Ive not surprised by Powell's omission given Pickering on bench.

Joseph is a fair point. 

Gueye no surprised he left out. 

Need the striker signing in the first week. 

[KentExile]

6 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Ive not surprised by Powell's omission given Pickering on bench.

Joseph is a fair point. 

Gueye no surprised he left out. 

Need the striker signing in the first week. 

Powell has been playing as a winger in the past few months, winning PL2 player of the month playing further forwards

 

“I started the season as a left-back and I’ve been converted into a player playing further forward on the pitch. I’m probably not used to scoring as many goals or getting around those areas as much, but I think I’ve adapted really well and made it my new position. Hopefully I can keep thriving there and hopefully keep scoring.

 

He would also be the best fit as Hedges deputy at wing back, and why are we picking 2 wingers (Doherty & Dlamini) on the bench when we don't play with any?

Edited 2 hours ago by KentExile

[bluebruce]

Apparently Tyjon has travelled with the squad and was seen getting off the bus by Elliott Jackson. Which makes the omission of a striker even more strange. Tyjon may not be an out and out number 9 but he'd be far more capable of playing in a front two than anyone else on our bench.

9 subs, and nobody that can replace the two strikers.

[simongarnerisgod]

1 minute ago, bluebruce said:

Apparently Tyjon has travelled with the squad and was seen getting off the bus by Elliott Jackson. Which makes the omission of a striker even more strange. Tyjon may not be an out and out number 9 but he'd be far more capable of playing in a front two than anyone else on our bench.

9 subs, and nobody that can replace the two strikers.

carrying the lucazade and packed lunches???

[DE.]

Odds on a Henriksson yellow card in the first 20 minutes? 

[bluebruce]

I expected to see Toth on the bench today too. Hope the rumour that he is still struggling after the surgery isn't true.

[alcd]

4 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Apparently Tyjon has travelled with the squad and was seen getting off the bus by Elliott Jackson. Which makes the omission of a striker even more strange. Tyjon may not be an out and out number 9 but he'd be far more capable of playing in a front two than anyone else on our bench.

9 subs, and nobody that can replace the two strikers.

Don't want Tyjon injured before a January sale. 

[RevidgeBlue]

6 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

9 subs, and nobody that can replace the two strikers.

No-one who can replace the one striker.

An injury to Ohashi and we're in Tony Mowbray "Bradley Johnson as a false 9" type territory.

 

[bluebruce]

Just now, RevidgeBlue said:

No-one who can replace the one striker.

An injury to Ohashi and we're in Tony Mowbray "Bradley Johnson as a false 9" type territory.

 

Structurally, we are playing two strikers. And yes, one is already not really a striker. To have decent youth strikers and not put any of them on the bench, when our formation uses two strikers, is fucking stupid.

[KentExile]

3 minutes ago, DE. said:

Odds on a Henriksson yellow card in the first 20 minutes? 

Boxing day always turns up a few surprises, so I will stick my neck out and say he will bag a couple this afternoon

I promise I have not put any funny mushrooms in my wellington 😉