r00fie1
Well-known member
It's that time again>>>>>>>>>
Saturday 17th February 2024. EFL Championship. King Power Stadium. KO 15:00 hrs.
Saturday 17th February 2024. EFL Championship. King Power Stadium. KO 15:00 hrs.
Even to the most optimistic, hard-core, platinum season cardholder, it's safe to say that the feeling of being left behind gets a little stronger after every missed opportunity. A good example was Wednesday night's performance at Preston. We created plenty of chances up front, but just didn't finish them off. Our defence leaks like a sieve, gifting goals to the opposition, just to give us something to chase, which eventually looks like a mountain left to climb. But not to worry! Today is just another match! With 45 points left to play for, anything can happen, and it probably will! Like Carrick said pre-Preston, the shape of the Championship table can change rapidly after just a week or two. Apart from the top one, the others are fighting for automatic promotion, with the rest on their coat-tails looking to get into the play-offs. Right now, we have to focus on today and not get too pessimistic about what may be, come May.
Michael Carrick's comments on today's game were short and sweet, if not predictable. He believes there were positives to be taken from defeat at Deepdale and is optimistic that we can still push on up the table:
Nah. I think the way they played, especially the other night, on a tough pitch [and] tough weather conditions, against a tough team that don’t let you try and play….or not let you play. If you haven`t got the belief and the confidence, in yourself [in] their selves as a team, you can't play that type of football. Both ends of the pitch we need to tidy up a bit, but there's not loads in it. They didn’t even get in our box first half. No touches in our box, and yet we find ourselves one-nil down. So, for that, there's a lot the boys are doing right. We got to stick at it. The boys got to stick at it. 15 games to go and give it our best shot.
[It was good to see Finn Azaz getting his first Boro league goal at Preston.]
Today is certainly going to be a big ask if we intend to come away with at least a point against the league leaders. Leicester have been Championship leaders for 26 of the 32 games so far. The Foxe's last home league defeat was a 1-0 reverse on the 3rd November against Leeds United. Their only other home defeat was against another Yorkshire side, Hull City, in a narrow 1-0 encounter. Altogether, they have lost 4 matches all season. The two away defeats were to near-rivals Coventry City in January and, of course, the Mighty Boro 1-0 back in November. It's worth mentioning Leicester's draws include Sheffield Wednesday [1-1 Away], Ipswich [1-1 Away] and Ipswich again [1-1 Home]. City have scored the highest number of goals in the Championship [68] and have the meanest defence, conceding only 24. With 78 points from a possible 96 and 12 points ahead of Leeds in second, it's not unwise to suggest that the Foxes look like they will be back in the Premiership next season.
Carrick is not perturbed, though, and it's easy to see how he remains positive and optimistic. Some may cynically suggest he is protecting his players, which every Manager does. But he's played in competitions and at levels facing massive pressure, under international media spotlights, in the biggest games in the world. He knows about managing himself under pressure, not just his staff and players, and knows what it feels like when backed into a corner. We must remember that Carrick is and always has been a winner. At times, he's looked tired and frustrated, but his focus always remains the next game. He doesn't throw players “under the bus” and is honest and truthful in how he believes in the importance of the squad, not just individuals. Carrick isn't worried about facing Leicester. In fact, he's relishing it and says the “boys” are champing at the bit:
You know it's a tough game. They're flying in the league. They've got a really good squad of good individuals and obviously play well as a team together, so it's a big challenge for us. But, it's what the boys really look forward to, getting their teeth into it. You know, we've had some good moments this season against the teams currently at the top so, we go down and give it our best.
We are still within touching distance of Coventry City [48 points] for the last play-off spot. With 41 points and a game in hand, we have the opportunity to close that gap and “who knows” what might happen?
It's been a while since we visited Leicester. It is in fact over seven and a half years ago, when we drew 2-2 with a brace from Álvaro Negredo in the Premier League. City at that time were thirteenth, and we were just two places behind them in the league. If Martin de Roon hadn't committed that foul in the box in injury time and Leicester hadn't scored the resultant penalty.......just what a difference that would make in our league position at the end of the season!
[Negredo scored a brace in our last visit to Leicester in a 2-2 draw in the Premier League in November 2016]
With three thousand of the Red Army on the road yet again, adding 360 miles to this season's tally Carrick expects us to be loud and get behind the team:
The fans are unbelievable. We're desperate to give them something to celebrate and shout about and, hopefully, that won't be very long for them to wait. Come down [and] support us tomorrow. Come down with loads of energy, and we'll try and repay it as best we can.
It's a coupon buster this game.
Take nothing for granted. This is the Boro you know.
Come On Boro!
r00fie1 16/02/2024
Michael Carrick's comments on today's game were short and sweet, if not predictable. He believes there were positives to be taken from defeat at Deepdale and is optimistic that we can still push on up the table:
Nah. I think the way they played, especially the other night, on a tough pitch [and] tough weather conditions, against a tough team that don’t let you try and play….or not let you play. If you haven`t got the belief and the confidence, in yourself [in] their selves as a team, you can't play that type of football. Both ends of the pitch we need to tidy up a bit, but there's not loads in it. They didn’t even get in our box first half. No touches in our box, and yet we find ourselves one-nil down. So, for that, there's a lot the boys are doing right. We got to stick at it. The boys got to stick at it. 15 games to go and give it our best shot.
[It was good to see Finn Azaz getting his first Boro league goal at Preston.]
Today is certainly going to be a big ask if we intend to come away with at least a point against the league leaders. Leicester have been Championship leaders for 26 of the 32 games so far. The Foxe's last home league defeat was a 1-0 reverse on the 3rd November against Leeds United. Their only other home defeat was against another Yorkshire side, Hull City, in a narrow 1-0 encounter. Altogether, they have lost 4 matches all season. The two away defeats were to near-rivals Coventry City in January and, of course, the Mighty Boro 1-0 back in November. It's worth mentioning Leicester's draws include Sheffield Wednesday [1-1 Away], Ipswich [1-1 Away] and Ipswich again [1-1 Home]. City have scored the highest number of goals in the Championship [68] and have the meanest defence, conceding only 24. With 78 points from a possible 96 and 12 points ahead of Leeds in second, it's not unwise to suggest that the Foxes look like they will be back in the Premiership next season.
Carrick is not perturbed, though, and it's easy to see how he remains positive and optimistic. Some may cynically suggest he is protecting his players, which every Manager does. But he's played in competitions and at levels facing massive pressure, under international media spotlights, in the biggest games in the world. He knows about managing himself under pressure, not just his staff and players, and knows what it feels like when backed into a corner. We must remember that Carrick is and always has been a winner. At times, he's looked tired and frustrated, but his focus always remains the next game. He doesn't throw players “under the bus” and is honest and truthful in how he believes in the importance of the squad, not just individuals. Carrick isn't worried about facing Leicester. In fact, he's relishing it and says the “boys” are champing at the bit:
You know it's a tough game. They're flying in the league. They've got a really good squad of good individuals and obviously play well as a team together, so it's a big challenge for us. But, it's what the boys really look forward to, getting their teeth into it. You know, we've had some good moments this season against the teams currently at the top so, we go down and give it our best.
We are still within touching distance of Coventry City [48 points] for the last play-off spot. With 41 points and a game in hand, we have the opportunity to close that gap and “who knows” what might happen?
It's been a while since we visited Leicester. It is in fact over seven and a half years ago, when we drew 2-2 with a brace from Álvaro Negredo in the Premier League. City at that time were thirteenth, and we were just two places behind them in the league. If Martin de Roon hadn't committed that foul in the box in injury time and Leicester hadn't scored the resultant penalty.......just what a difference that would make in our league position at the end of the season!
[Negredo scored a brace in our last visit to Leicester in a 2-2 draw in the Premier League in November 2016]
With three thousand of the Red Army on the road yet again, adding 360 miles to this season's tally Carrick expects us to be loud and get behind the team:
The fans are unbelievable. We're desperate to give them something to celebrate and shout about and, hopefully, that won't be very long for them to wait. Come down [and] support us tomorrow. Come down with loads of energy, and we'll try and repay it as best we can.
It's a coupon buster this game.
Take nothing for granted. This is the Boro you know.
Come On Boro!
r00fie1 16/02/2024
