Good game for Fry if he’s picked….I'm glad we've got Carrick. He is very calm which will be good next week.
I'm amazed Dael Fry has never played there. Should be a good game for him.
Looking forward to it.
I'm amazed Dael Fry has never played there. Should be a good game for him
The home crowd have been very quiet on the last couple of visits.You wouldn't believe it , but there's a 500 reply post about us (expect many, many more this week) on their message board about the attendance for this game. There are a fair few other posts about attendances too.
They're utterly and completely obsessed with it.
Badge of honour? Yes.
Well supported? Yes.
By rights should be a guarantee of three points at home because of it? "Forty thoosand roaring the laaaaads on"...they truly seem to think so.
But they don't care about us.
Amazing that both our worst ever start to a League season and best ever start for a new manager will have happened in the same season. Really highlights what a difference Carrick has made, with the same squad. Or how poor Wilder was.
Exactly this. When some say games against Boro are just like any other, it's clearly not. Teesside is 20 minutes down the road from Mackem supporting Peterlee. Mackems work on Teesside and I'm sure plenty of Teesside folk work at places like Nissan. The regular interaction between the two sets of fans sets it apart from other teams except Newcastle.Some of them say playing Boro can never compare to playing Newcastle because before that game they're nervous the week leading up to it, but never experience that when playing Boro. Well yeah, it's the same for Boro fans but that doesn't mean it's just like any other league game when we play each other.
I absolutely thought we would get a few goals and we probably should have been at least 1 up before half timeLook at yesterday if Chuba puts that chance away early in the game then it’s a different game I reckon we’d have gone to get three or four. It’s fine margins.
Obviously a massive game but like you say there's opportunity to start working a bit of daylight to 7th. A draw wouldn't be a bad result but home to Watford will be tougher and I fancy us for 3 pointsI knows it’s just another game of championship football.
It feels massive though, local derby, 2 teams with the intention of finishing in play offs, ex Boro legend managing Sunderland. Players who have played for both clubs. Live on Sky.
Most importantly a chance for us to try and extend that gap between 7th place and where we are and keep picking up points.
Come on the Boro. Can’t bloody wait.
Yeah, in fairness I remember some of them on their board saying that it's probably a big game for Sunderland fans living in towns like Peterlee and Easington, which is close to Middlesbrough, whereas Sunderland fans living in towns close to the actual city probably won't know any Boro fans, hence why it doesn't feel like a big deal.Exactly this. When some say games against Boro are just like any other, it's clearly not. Teesside is 20 minutes down the road from Mackem supporting Peterlee. Mackems work on Teesside and I'm sure plenty of Teesside folk work at places like Nissan. The regular interaction between the two sets of fans sets it apart from other teams except Newcastle.
The fact is it's a regional rivalry that doesn't compare with their game against Newcastle. It's far more than any other game.
I think the Mackems will be pushing for a play off place during the run in, as long as they start clear of injuries to key players - keeping Stewart fit is key, or maybe just keeping him full stop.
I agree, old timers in that area used to go to Sunderland one week and Newcastle the next.Exactly this. When some say games against Boro are just like any other, it's clearly not. Teesside is 20 minutes down the road from Mackem supporting Peterlee. Mackems work on Teesside and I'm sure plenty of Teesside folk work at places like Nissan. The regular interaction between the two sets of fans sets it apart from other teams except Newcastle.
The fact is it's a regional rivalry that doesn't compare with their game against Newcastle. It's far more than any other game.