r00fie1
Well-known member
It's that time again…..
Saturday 24th February 2024. KO: 15:00 hrs. Middlesbrough Riverside Stadium.
Michael Carrick is in no mood to “throw in the towel”, despite what appears to be a bridge too far [?] between Boro and that elusive sixth spot. True, the highest place we've achieved this season has been ninth, which may not have been in the original plan, but there is always hope. For sure, the win against Leicester was a real shot in the arm and a real boost in confidence for the lads. The only team to do the double over league-leaders Leicester, it was a joy to see the performance we have been craving to see all season.
It's a good time to sort of start getting the result again because, the gap between Sixth and the rest is just starting to grow a little bit. Definitely never a bad time to get results anyway, so……listen, the situation is what it is you know. We know where we are, there's a lot of games to play, a lot of points to play for, and we can tidy up one a few things. We're doing a lot of good things and hopefully get some good results.[Michael Carrick]
Ironically, two former absentee's, Lewis O`Brien and Sammy Silvera played key roles in the Leicester game. Not taking anything away from the team performance, O`Brien has been out since the Bradford League Cup match and Silvera has only just returned from International duty.
The running from O`brien down the left, slicing open the Leicester defence for Azaz and, Silvera`s interception of the ball from McGree for the second goal, was stupendous.
The way we took the Foxes to the cleaners wasn't in the script. Or was it? When the team sheet was published, some were sceptical, especially with the absence of Hackney, Howson, Latte Lath, Jones and Coburn. But we showed we have the capability and depth in the squad to take on the toughest challenge. Let's not take anything away from the lads who made Foxes look average, even on their own turf.
Carrick: Leicester win was no shock.
We've shown we can win games against the best in the division but, it's putting it together over a period of time and that's obviously the challenge. We can try and write a whole new chapter between now and the end of the season and see where it takes us. I wouldn't call last week a shock win, but it was win that would make a lot of people sit up and take note. It's [a] kind of win, and [what a] result like that [can] do for the rest of the season. I think when you look back at it, probably it'll tell the story. I think at this moment in time, the boys are taking a lift from it naturally [and] definitely not getting carried away.
Winning in spite of injuries:
We aren't going to see Coburn or Jones back this Saturday, but Latte Lath has been back in light training, although it may be too early to see him back. It's obviously sad for Hayden Hackney that he's likely to be on the treatment table till the end of the season. Carrick is convinced that we still have the players to score goals, and was particularly impressed by the opportunities we created at the King Power Stadium.
Carrick had praise indeed for Lewis O`Brien when asked about his performance:
Just when you talk about Lewis there, he's another one who's obviously not had the ideal season that he would have wanted. When the injury happened, and it was clear it was going to be a long term one. Lewis is, as a man, as a person [with] his character and his attitude, he's thrown himself into being a player here and making it his home, and that wasn't easy after three or four games of being out. I can't speak highly enough of him in terms of that side of and how hard he's worked and, how much of a part of the group he is and has been even when he was injured. That's down to him. So, hopefully he [can] get the rewards for that. He played ever so well last week and [will] be a big player for us in the coming weeks as well. We know what he can do. We know what he's capable of. It was great to see him back playing at his best last week.
Plymouth aren't going to be a push-over, as we found out at their place back before Christmas. Their first season back after a long period out of the Championship is a learning curve. We may regret the departure of Rogers, but Plymouth must be looking on, as Azaz is demonstrating his prowess in front of goal. The Vital opener against Leicester, and his superb goal at Preston, is already making him a favourite.
Tweaking team selection:
Carrick is in no doubt he will tweak his system to get the best out of the boys. With players back in the squad, it's different, having a headache for reasons other than simply injuries. On that front we are clearly not out of the woods, but the likes of Luke Ayling is adding that little bit of extra maturity and experience. It's that blend of youth, experience and nouse, which combined our strengths and why Carrick has kept faith and belief in the squad all season.
Rav Van den Berg is showing just why we bought him: for a lad so young, we've seen how he offers leadership and not afraid to tell his team-mates when the lines come under pressure. Carrick welcomes the competition for places. It's definitely great to see McGree back. Personally, I think we've really missed his creativity, timing and class, but we win as a team, not as individuals.
Home Advantage.
Carrick says: We've got to try and take advantage of every little bit of [home] advantage…..of every little bit we can…..between now and the end of the season, because every little bit matters.
The team today [Saturday] may look different to last Saturday. There is an old saying which goes “never change a winning team”, but that's something Carrick and his staff [as we all know] have had no choice; what with injuries and absences to key players. In terms of confidence, we have it aplenty, and we've shown we can be dangerous now, particularly in attack:
The attacking players looked dangerous. I thought it was really big part of our game. The fact that yeah, we were compact at times, we defended well as a team at times but, I thought we always had that element of we could score, and we looked dangerous. I was really pleased with that part of the game.
We've got a game in hand over every team above us in the table. We are three points clear of Cardiff, just below us, who also have a goal difference of minus ten [-10]! Below Cardiff is Mogga`s Birmingham City on 38 points. Currently, we are ten points short of sixth-placed Hull.
Sounds impossible, bridging that gap?
It's not over till it's all over.
This is the Boro you know!
We can still do it!
Come On Boro!
Saturday 24th February 2024. KO: 15:00 hrs. Middlesbrough Riverside Stadium.
Michael Carrick is in no mood to “throw in the towel”, despite what appears to be a bridge too far [?] between Boro and that elusive sixth spot. True, the highest place we've achieved this season has been ninth, which may not have been in the original plan, but there is always hope. For sure, the win against Leicester was a real shot in the arm and a real boost in confidence for the lads. The only team to do the double over league-leaders Leicester, it was a joy to see the performance we have been craving to see all season.
It's a good time to sort of start getting the result again because, the gap between Sixth and the rest is just starting to grow a little bit. Definitely never a bad time to get results anyway, so……listen, the situation is what it is you know. We know where we are, there's a lot of games to play, a lot of points to play for, and we can tidy up one a few things. We're doing a lot of good things and hopefully get some good results.[Michael Carrick]
Ironically, two former absentee's, Lewis O`Brien and Sammy Silvera played key roles in the Leicester game. Not taking anything away from the team performance, O`Brien has been out since the Bradford League Cup match and Silvera has only just returned from International duty.
The running from O`brien down the left, slicing open the Leicester defence for Azaz and, Silvera`s interception of the ball from McGree for the second goal, was stupendous.
The way we took the Foxes to the cleaners wasn't in the script. Or was it? When the team sheet was published, some were sceptical, especially with the absence of Hackney, Howson, Latte Lath, Jones and Coburn. But we showed we have the capability and depth in the squad to take on the toughest challenge. Let's not take anything away from the lads who made Foxes look average, even on their own turf.
Carrick: Leicester win was no shock.
We've shown we can win games against the best in the division but, it's putting it together over a period of time and that's obviously the challenge. We can try and write a whole new chapter between now and the end of the season and see where it takes us. I wouldn't call last week a shock win, but it was win that would make a lot of people sit up and take note. It's [a] kind of win, and [what a] result like that [can] do for the rest of the season. I think when you look back at it, probably it'll tell the story. I think at this moment in time, the boys are taking a lift from it naturally [and] definitely not getting carried away.
Winning in spite of injuries:
We aren't going to see Coburn or Jones back this Saturday, but Latte Lath has been back in light training, although it may be too early to see him back. It's obviously sad for Hayden Hackney that he's likely to be on the treatment table till the end of the season. Carrick is convinced that we still have the players to score goals, and was particularly impressed by the opportunities we created at the King Power Stadium.
Carrick had praise indeed for Lewis O`Brien when asked about his performance:
Just when you talk about Lewis there, he's another one who's obviously not had the ideal season that he would have wanted. When the injury happened, and it was clear it was going to be a long term one. Lewis is, as a man, as a person [with] his character and his attitude, he's thrown himself into being a player here and making it his home, and that wasn't easy after three or four games of being out. I can't speak highly enough of him in terms of that side of and how hard he's worked and, how much of a part of the group he is and has been even when he was injured. That's down to him. So, hopefully he [can] get the rewards for that. He played ever so well last week and [will] be a big player for us in the coming weeks as well. We know what he can do. We know what he's capable of. It was great to see him back playing at his best last week.
Plymouth aren't going to be a push-over, as we found out at their place back before Christmas. Their first season back after a long period out of the Championship is a learning curve. We may regret the departure of Rogers, but Plymouth must be looking on, as Azaz is demonstrating his prowess in front of goal. The Vital opener against Leicester, and his superb goal at Preston, is already making him a favourite.
Tweaking team selection:
Carrick is in no doubt he will tweak his system to get the best out of the boys. With players back in the squad, it's different, having a headache for reasons other than simply injuries. On that front we are clearly not out of the woods, but the likes of Luke Ayling is adding that little bit of extra maturity and experience. It's that blend of youth, experience and nouse, which combined our strengths and why Carrick has kept faith and belief in the squad all season.
Rav Van den Berg is showing just why we bought him: for a lad so young, we've seen how he offers leadership and not afraid to tell his team-mates when the lines come under pressure. Carrick welcomes the competition for places. It's definitely great to see McGree back. Personally, I think we've really missed his creativity, timing and class, but we win as a team, not as individuals.
Home Advantage.
Carrick says: We've got to try and take advantage of every little bit of [home] advantage…..of every little bit we can…..between now and the end of the season, because every little bit matters.
The team today [Saturday] may look different to last Saturday. There is an old saying which goes “never change a winning team”, but that's something Carrick and his staff [as we all know] have had no choice; what with injuries and absences to key players. In terms of confidence, we have it aplenty, and we've shown we can be dangerous now, particularly in attack:
The attacking players looked dangerous. I thought it was really big part of our game. The fact that yeah, we were compact at times, we defended well as a team at times but, I thought we always had that element of we could score, and we looked dangerous. I was really pleased with that part of the game.
We've got a game in hand over every team above us in the table. We are three points clear of Cardiff, just below us, who also have a goal difference of minus ten [-10]! Below Cardiff is Mogga`s Birmingham City on 38 points. Currently, we are ten points short of sixth-placed Hull.
Sounds impossible, bridging that gap?
It's not over till it's all over.
This is the Boro you know!
We can still do it!
Come On Boro!
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