Here we go....looking for the first win of the season.
Important for moral if nothing else.
Chris Wilder said in his media conference that every match is about winning.
It will also be a chance for any young hopefuls to make their mark and show they want to be more than bit-part participants.
A run in the cup would be welcome......
Time to get our own back - following that dismal afternoon in the league last season.
Middlesbrough v Barnsley: Duff is keen to emulate Wilder’s tactics at Oakwell
Tonight Barnsley will be up against the team Michael Duff wants them to be.
Not many football coaches can be described as “pioneering” but Middlesbrough’s Chris Wilder can. The way his Sheffield United played, with their trademark overlapping centre-backs helping create never-ending overloads in wide areas – was an eye-opener, especially when they finished ninth in the Premier League.
Unsurprisingly, Wilder has tried to bring the same approach to the Riverside but not as many rivals as you might expect have attempted to copy it. Duff has.
So when he prepared Barnsley for tonight’s League Cup first-round tie in Teesside, he was not just showing his new players what the opposition can do, but what he wants them to.
“Watching Middlesbrough is almost like a best practice session,” says Duff, who will be without the injured Nicky Cadden but says the Scot “has a chance” of facing Derby County on Saturday.
“We went through them in depth on Monday and Chris hasn’t gone away from what got him success – why would you?
“It’s one of those formations that if you can do it properly it’s really difficult to play against. I’ve done it myself and it feels like they’ve got bodies all over the pitch at times.
“It’s something we’ll try to emulate but it does take time and a lot of coaching because it’s different from a typical 4-4-2 or 4-3-3.
“The way I’ve played for the last three or four years is very similar in terms of the system and the personnel with a deep-lier (in midfield) and two eights that run on, then centre-forwards that run in behind.
“It’ll be good to pick Chris’s brain after the game as well.”
Barnsley’s policy in recent years of only buying young has its drawbacks, but should produce a more open-minded group.
“Pre-season was good, they showed a real good attitude and adaptability,” says Duff, who has overseen a defeat and a win in League One. “They were receptive to new information but when the real whistle blew at Plymouth a few reverted to type. That’s a cultural thing, you’ve got to change that bit by bit. Results help.
“They’re young, they’re naive, not quite sure what they need at times, what they don’t. It’s up to the staff and me to drive that to the point where they understand what best practice looks like.”
Aiden Marsh, a 19-year-old striker, is typical of the mindset. Some players do not enjoy watching football but he loves learning from others. It has been a good few days for it, with Barnsley beating Duff’s previous team Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
“When I was on the bench I was watching not only our team but their team because they’ll have been drilled into it (Duff’s strategy) a lot longer,” he says.
“I’ve been working a lot on staying inside the posts when the crosses come in. I’ve watched a lot of (Sergio) Aguero – he does it really well, he floats inside the box and gets them one-touch finishes I’m looking to add to my game.
“There’s top-quality players in the Premier League and if you can take anything from their game and add it to yours, why not? I used to like (Didier) Drogba a lot when I was younger but he’s a bit of a bigger kid than me! I like Aguero, (Alexandre) Lacazette, Gabriel Jesus.”
To them you can add James Norwood, the 31-year-old signed from Ipswich Town.
“He’s got a lot of experience so when he’s watching training and watching me, whenever he thinks he can add something and speak to me, he does,” says Marsh.
“Playing against men it helps more with the dark arts of the game. You learn that sort of stuff a lot quicker with an experienced player around.”
Like Slobodan Tedic, who could make his debut from the bench tonight, Marsh is a young striker with a lot to learn but Duff sees plenty in his favour.
“My two kids were at the game on Saturday and they were asking, ‘Who’s the 19? Every time he touched it we thought he’d scored’ because he’s the local boy everyone wants to do well,” he says. “He’s got a chance, he’s got a brilliant work ethic. It means everything to him to represent the football club. He’s got loads to learn but he’s got good basics.
“Is he ready to play week in, week out yet? No. And I think he knows that, he’s not deluded.
“But he’s a grafter and people like him and Ackers (Joe Ackroyd) are great because you see what it means to them to be walking around with the badge on every day. If they don’t make it, it won’t be for lack of application.
“It’s important for the supporters to have local boys but they’ve got to be good enough. If you have 11 boys who are all local but they get beaten every week, I’m pretty certain the supporters won’t be very happy with that either.
“And they can help me translate as well because I’m still getting used to the accent!”
Last six games: Middlesbrough LDLDWW; Barnsley WLDLDL
Referee: B Toner (Blackburn)
With Tomasson almost certainly making widespread changes to his Rovers side, Hartlepool will feel like the door is slightly ajar when it comes to causing a surprise. However, the home team should still have too much quality in their ranks to earn a relatively comfortable victory.
Despite the difference in leagues, we would go as far as saying that these two teams are relatively evenly-matched. With both also in form, it should make for an entertaining spectacle, one that we feel Sunderland will win by the odd goal in three.
Middlesbrough are yet to set the word alight in the Championship but will be hoping for more joy in the EFL Cup against third-tier opposition this weekend.
Barnsley will fancy their chances of causing an upset, but we can see the hosts coming out on top with a slender victory to open their account for the new season.
Rotherham United may rest some key players and a trip to Vale Park should pose a tough test, but we ultimately see Warne's side coming through the challenge and progressing to the second round.
Playing one less fixture at this stage of the season may prove to be detrimental in terms of match fitness. Nevertheless, that will only mean that Coventry are more likely to field a stronger side, leading us to predict a Sky Blues success by the odd goal in three.
We say: Plymouth Argyle 2-2 Peterborough United (Plymouth Argyle to win on penalties)
A closely-fought contest is set to be played out between two strong third-tier teams who will both fancy their chances of progressing to the next round.
With little to separate these two sides, they may be forced to settle the tie on penalties and we feel that Plymouth may edge through in front of their home crowd.
Very surprised neither Forss or Akpom are starting, especially after Wilder spoke recently about them needing minutes. Felt like the perfect opportunity to give them both game-time tonight.