r00fie1
Well-known member
It's that time again>>>>>>
EFL Championship. Saturday 6th April 2024. The Riverside Stadium. Middlesbrough v Swansea City. KO 15:00 hrs.
"In this time of the Season you can pick and choose, drive yourself mad"
Now six games unbeaten on the bounce, Michael Carrick at his most recent Media Conference, expressed his delight that the mood around the camp is still positive, and that results have added to that. Over a number of weeks, Boro have taken on some very tough teams, some, like the Owls, are fighting against relegation, whilst Southampton at the other end of the league are hoping for an automatic promotion place. Whilst some assumed the game against Sheffield Wednesday was going to be easier than the one against Southampton, they were wrong. We fought extremely hard at Southampton and that never-say-die spirit was epitomised by that 90 minute Latte Lath header from a perfectly weighted Alex Gilbert cross. Sheffield Wednesday are obviously having their own problems, but for our good goal-keeping and a few way-ward shots, they could just have easily beaten us. But we showed control and discipline, grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck and getting stuck in. In the end, we got what we deserved.
It's a team performance and everyone deserves credit. Carrick said he had got the result he was hoping for and felt the team were at that "moment" where momentum from our previous games can help drive us forward.
Said Carrick:
Through a season things come a little bit easier in terms you got a fully fit squad, everyone's in good form, you're winning games other times it's a bit more challenging, and you've got to find a way around that. The boys have been good with that adapted, being flexible and had to dig a little bit deeper than at certain points and find ourselves where we are. You know we'd like to be higher up, we'd like to be on a longer run of games than we've had, but I think at the moment we've we've had a good little burst and the boys have stuck together really well and looking towards what's left of the Season.
So, what does Carrick think of our slim chance of getting into the play-offs?
Obviously, losing games and drawing games is not going to get us there, doesn't get us where we want to be, so of course it's game by game trying to win, building on what we've got and looking ahead to Swansea. Of course, anything's possible. I think that's this league at this stage. We'veproved over the season, we can win certain games at certain times. This is when it counts, you know, towards the end and when things are sorted out. So we just got to keep trying to give ourselves the best chance and then see where it ends up.
In this time of the Season you can pick and choose, drive yourself mad. I think it's the next game and concentrate on that and keep chipping away.
EFL Championship. Saturday 6th April 2024. The Riverside Stadium. Middlesbrough v Swansea City. KO 15:00 hrs.
"In this time of the Season you can pick and choose, drive yourself mad"
Now six games unbeaten on the bounce, Michael Carrick at his most recent Media Conference, expressed his delight that the mood around the camp is still positive, and that results have added to that. Over a number of weeks, Boro have taken on some very tough teams, some, like the Owls, are fighting against relegation, whilst Southampton at the other end of the league are hoping for an automatic promotion place. Whilst some assumed the game against Sheffield Wednesday was going to be easier than the one against Southampton, they were wrong. We fought extremely hard at Southampton and that never-say-die spirit was epitomised by that 90 minute Latte Lath header from a perfectly weighted Alex Gilbert cross. Sheffield Wednesday are obviously having their own problems, but for our good goal-keeping and a few way-ward shots, they could just have easily beaten us. But we showed control and discipline, grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck and getting stuck in. In the end, we got what we deserved.
It's a team performance and everyone deserves credit. Carrick said he had got the result he was hoping for and felt the team were at that "moment" where momentum from our previous games can help drive us forward.
Said Carrick:
Through a season things come a little bit easier in terms you got a fully fit squad, everyone's in good form, you're winning games other times it's a bit more challenging, and you've got to find a way around that. The boys have been good with that adapted, being flexible and had to dig a little bit deeper than at certain points and find ourselves where we are. You know we'd like to be higher up, we'd like to be on a longer run of games than we've had, but I think at the moment we've we've had a good little burst and the boys have stuck together really well and looking towards what's left of the Season.
So, what does Carrick think of our slim chance of getting into the play-offs?
Obviously, losing games and drawing games is not going to get us there, doesn't get us where we want to be, so of course it's game by game trying to win, building on what we've got and looking ahead to Swansea. Of course, anything's possible. I think that's this league at this stage. We've
In this time of the Season you can pick and choose, drive yourself mad. I think it's the next game and concentrate on that and keep chipping away.
With Hull and Ipswich coming up next week, Carrick will have plenty to occupy him, in terms of preparation and managing players, including those who may be coming back from injury. For him, we can't afford to take our eye off Swansea, who, in spite of having a relatively poor season, have had some good results and play the possession game. To assume they have nothing to play for is clearly a dangerous approach to any game, but they will have their own reasons for playing well and hoping to take points off us.
[Swansea lost 1-0 at home to QPR following some poor defending. The Swans have conceded 60 goals so far - the fifth highest in the Championship!]
Swansea have had a change of Manager since January, with Luke Williams joining from Notts County. He faced a difficult task, with little time to get to know the squad, before hitting the ground running. He has a unique style and gradually the team are learning his game. Recently they lost to QPR, drew against Sheffield Wednesday and beat Cardiff 2-0 in the South Wales "derby". The Swans sit seven points above the drop zone, in 15th place in the league, with two wins, two defeats and two draws out of the last six. Other than Rotherham, there is no certainty of which of the eight teams below them may end up being relegated! It's very tight and the points difference is very small. One win can make a big difference, so the Swans will be up for it. Luke Williams is not a man likely to want to do us any favours.
Finally, in response to rumours in the media about various players being linked with other clubs, Carrick, as expected, put them in the bin and wasn't prepared to waste time speculating. Likewise, he commented that his focus at the moment is on the final league games and that contract talks with existing and future players will be dealt with after the end of the season. Interestingly, he refused to talk about the loan players, O`Brien, Thomas, Greenwood and Ayling as being other than "our players". "They're all our players [and] I don't treat them any different" he said.
With just Preston and Coventry between us and just six points short of Norwich in sixth place, there is hope, although a lot depends on all the other teams. Coventry went all the way last year and lost out at the final hurdle. Preston spent a large part of this season around the top six but have fallen back. North End play Southampton in their game in hand, whilst Coventry face Hull City in theirs. It feels strange, after Boro`s dreadful start, we have put a run together when it matters, but that sixth spot maybe a bridge too far. Another three points against Swansea and who knows.
This is the Boro you know, after all!
We can make it seven unbeaten!
Up The Mighty Boro!
Come On!
[r00fie1 05.04.2024]
[Swansea lost 1-0 at home to QPR following some poor defending. The Swans have conceded 60 goals so far - the fifth highest in the Championship!]
Swansea have had a change of Manager since January, with Luke Williams joining from Notts County. He faced a difficult task, with little time to get to know the squad, before hitting the ground running. He has a unique style and gradually the team are learning his game. Recently they lost to QPR, drew against Sheffield Wednesday and beat Cardiff 2-0 in the South Wales "derby". The Swans sit seven points above the drop zone, in 15th place in the league, with two wins, two defeats and two draws out of the last six. Other than Rotherham, there is no certainty of which of the eight teams below them may end up being relegated! It's very tight and the points difference is very small. One win can make a big difference, so the Swans will be up for it. Luke Williams is not a man likely to want to do us any favours.
Finally, in response to rumours in the media about various players being linked with other clubs, Carrick, as expected, put them in the bin and wasn't prepared to waste time speculating. Likewise, he commented that his focus at the moment is on the final league games and that contract talks with existing and future players will be dealt with after the end of the season. Interestingly, he refused to talk about the loan players, O`Brien, Thomas, Greenwood and Ayling as being other than "our players". "They're all our players [and] I don't treat them any different" he said.
With just Preston and Coventry between us and just six points short of Norwich in sixth place, there is hope, although a lot depends on all the other teams. Coventry went all the way last year and lost out at the final hurdle. Preston spent a large part of this season around the top six but have fallen back. North End play Southampton in their game in hand, whilst Coventry face Hull City in theirs. It feels strange, after Boro`s dreadful start, we have put a run together when it matters, but that sixth spot maybe a bridge too far. Another three points against Swansea and who knows.
This is the Boro you know, after all!
We can make it seven unbeaten!
Up The Mighty Boro!
Come On!
[r00fie1 05.04.2024]
