Match Thread Middlesbrough (a), 3rd August 2013

[bocadillo]

Schmeichel, De Laet, Konchesky, St. Ledger, Whitbread, Morgan, Drinkwater, James, King, Wood, Vardy

 

[Jeff]

3-5-2 then.

Has the team been leaked early?

 

[Miles Away]

Vardy preferred to Nuge?

Team completely one paced?

No Knocky?

**** off.

 

[bocadillo]

Knockaert not even on the bench

 

[Jeff]

Vardy preferred to Nuge?

**** off.

Has Nugent recovered from his injury?

 

[Miles Away]

Has Nugent recovered from his injury?

He's on the bench, so presumably enough to be declares fit.

 

[Biffa Bacon]

Nugent is on the bench so must be reasonably fit

 

[FryattFox]

Hmmmm...

 

[Miles Away]

I certainly hope there is a better reason than "Waghorn is better than Knockaert" for him being dropped completely.

 

[Wombat]

We've struggeled with goals pre-season, but have an experience defence to blunt Boro's forwards.

I'm predicting a 0-0 draw, which wouldn't be a bad start to the season.

If we nick a goal and squeak a 1-0 thro Chris Wood, then the "City for auro-promotion" band-wagon can get an early start!

 

[Profondo Rosso]

Whitbread and Vardy back in? Knockaert not even on the bench? :/

Don't want to judge a game before it kicks off but I'd be lying if I said that line-up didn't worry me.

 

[From Gradel to Grave]

Knockaert didn't look fit against Monaco.

 

[homer]

Vardy ?

Feckin' fickin' fackin' Vardy FFS


The feckin' nightmare begins....

 

[The Old Fox]

Well, I'm going for a 3-0 City win. Why? Because this side looks so awful, that I cannot perceive of any way that we could win and, usually, I am proved completely wrong about such things!

Interesting bench: why would we need Schlupp, Waghorn and Nugent (Oh, and if you say Schlupp could be played wide left, I draw your attention to Dyer: AND, if you say Schlupp is left-back cover, I shall give up!

 

[Miles Away]

Has a whiff of Pearson picking the players that try the hardest. That team looks absolutely bereft of ideas.

Passhun!!

 

[atlantafox]

I am as always excited for the new season but have to say I have never been less excited by a team to start the season. Understanding with 3-5-2 Whitbread and SSL have to play but weren't they not good enough last season to even get into the squad. As far as Vardy he hasn't got a footballing brain - extremely sceptical about this season - hope I am wrong.

 

[floppus]

Not to sure what Nigel is trying to do here, perhaps hang on for a scruffy point to get us off on a start. Sadly I don't see any signs off any combination of players from our current squad being good enought to sustain any realistic hope of making a fist of a challenge in the division this year. There are too many still with us who were off the pace last time around who will have to be playing regularly. I have less expectation of success this year than I can remember in recent years. At 67 I don't have the same level of passion that I had for my first game 59 years ago but really wanted to have some lasting memories which included one more promotion season.

Best wishes to all.

 

[LeeCovFox]

We were terrible away from home last season, mostly because we'd be overrun in the middle. Sticking an extra man in seems sensible to me. I'd have put Danns in as one of them and would have Knockaert on the bench in case we need a bit of a spark later on (although let's not forget that he was crap for much of the second part of the season) but other than those areas I don't see much room for complaint.

 

[Cate Fox]

Vardy ?

Feckin' fickin' fackin' Vardy FFS


The feckin' nightmare begins....

:icon_lol: I'm off to the safe house.

 

[Graz]

Maybe Knocky picked up a little knocky somewhere? Imagine Nuge just isn't 100% yet. Seeing Vardy starting the first game of the season though is concerning!

Interesting that we do with 3-5-2. Hopefully it works.