Michael Carrick was looking ahead to the second leg of the Carabao Cup Semi Final at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea at the press conference at the training ground on Sunday. You know it is a special occasion when the media are called in on a Sunday and that means less than 24 hours after the matchday media have questioned the Boro boss following the draw with Rotherham. It was a quick turn around then and a retuning from League to League Cup but there was no doubting the level of excitement, the strength of focus and the determination to try and go out there and make history.
I had a chance to ask a handful of questions at the end of the media session. Actually, it was 3 questions each, another sign that it was not an ordinary media session.
Q: With Luke Ayling signing and Matty Clarke's comeback does this give us a really good mix of experience with youth. They all look very hungry.
MC: Obviously Luke can't play v Chelsea because he is cup-tied. It is experience really.
I do feel we have got a good blend within the group of experience and certainly the younger ones with talent and hunger. I look at the boys and I see them hugely motivated and hugely driven to get better all the time. It is a really good group for that. So, there are not many times where I could ever fault them for that side of things. They are all pulling in that right direction and trying to succeed, which is great to have.
Q: Obviously we lost Chuba Akpom and Cameron Archer in the summer but Marcus Forss was right behind them with the goals last season. And he just looks absolutely lethal right now. And it must be great to have his goals in the team.
MC: Yes, it is what Marcus does you know, it is what he is really good at, is sniffing out opportunities and hitting the target. He hits the target an awful lot when he gets chances and makes the keeper work for it.
Yeah. He has got a natural eye for goal and I know we have played him wide at times but he always finds himself drifting in into position and sniffing chances out. He has come back really well Marcus, he has come back sharp. He has had a long period of time out but he's done a lot of training actually without the ball so he is in good shape. You can see that he has got a right spark about him, so it is great.
Q: Finally, there will be 4000+ fans at Stamford Bridge and they are bound to make a lot of noise. Will that help the team?
MC: Oh for sure it helps. We have got to put things on, on the pitch as well to help them create that noise and to obviously help try to quieten the atmosphere as best as we can within the stadium and take control of the game as much as we can.
So, the fans play a massive part, you know. They support us so well and especially the second half (1st leg v Chelsea) when the boys needed a lift and an energy boost, when they were digging deep and we will need something similar.
UP THE BORO
I had a chance to ask a handful of questions at the end of the media session. Actually, it was 3 questions each, another sign that it was not an ordinary media session.
Q: With Luke Ayling signing and Matty Clarke's comeback does this give us a really good mix of experience with youth. They all look very hungry.
MC: Obviously Luke can't play v Chelsea because he is cup-tied. It is experience really.
I do feel we have got a good blend within the group of experience and certainly the younger ones with talent and hunger. I look at the boys and I see them hugely motivated and hugely driven to get better all the time. It is a really good group for that. So, there are not many times where I could ever fault them for that side of things. They are all pulling in that right direction and trying to succeed, which is great to have.
Q: Obviously we lost Chuba Akpom and Cameron Archer in the summer but Marcus Forss was right behind them with the goals last season. And he just looks absolutely lethal right now. And it must be great to have his goals in the team.
MC: Yes, it is what Marcus does you know, it is what he is really good at, is sniffing out opportunities and hitting the target. He hits the target an awful lot when he gets chances and makes the keeper work for it.
Yeah. He has got a natural eye for goal and I know we have played him wide at times but he always finds himself drifting in into position and sniffing chances out. He has come back really well Marcus, he has come back sharp. He has had a long period of time out but he's done a lot of training actually without the ball so he is in good shape. You can see that he has got a right spark about him, so it is great.
Q: Finally, there will be 4000+ fans at Stamford Bridge and they are bound to make a lot of noise. Will that help the team?
MC: Oh for sure it helps. We have got to put things on, on the pitch as well to help them create that noise and to obviously help try to quieten the atmosphere as best as we can within the stadium and take control of the game as much as we can.
So, the fans play a massive part, you know. They support us so well and especially the second half (1st leg v Chelsea) when the boys needed a lift and an energy boost, when they were digging deep and we will need something similar.
UP THE BORO
