The Unofficial "Official" Boro v Rotherham Match-Day Thread

r00fie1

Well-known member
Its that time again....

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Chris Wilder has no intent to throw in the towel after the poor start to the season and especially the latest league performance - against lowly Cardiff.
It was a shocker!
Make no mistake: there were no excuses and not one player really shone out under the floodlights.
Perhaps Jones could be given credit for trying, but one man cant compensate for a dire display.
A point worth mentioning is that the likes of McNair, Fry, Muniz, Mowatt, Crooks, Howson and Clarke - are all experienced Championship campaigners.
From that list of players we deserved to see a spark, a bit of leadership, and a raised voice, to spur the team on.
The same players who put Sunderland to the sword didnt turn up.
What needed to be three valuable points turned into a QPR`esque "fight - back" after going three-nil down.
But there`s no prizes for coming second in a two - horse race.

Tonight`s game takes on even more importance: Rotherham are the boing-boing club of the Championship / League 1.
Their resources are far short of Boro`s, but their Manager Paul Warne has built a successful side from the ashes of the previous seasons relegation.
They will take heart from Boro`s miserable start and have their tails up at the Riverside.
Lee Peltier and Grant Hall [even though he sits out tonights game] will know just what to look for against us - even though many of the personnel has changed. They know the Riverside and wont have any worries about going all out to get a win for the Millers.
 
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MATCH PREVIEW:
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Preview: Middlesbrough vs. Rotherham United - prediction, team news, lineups​


By Sam Varley, Reporter | 1d

Rotherham United will look to continue their impressive start to the Championship season on Saturday, when they travel to the Riverside Stadium to take on Middlesbrough.

Following a defeat to Cardiff City, the hosts sit 21st in the table with just nine points from their nine games, with their newly-promoted visitors four points better off having played a game fewer.




Match preview​

Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder on August 10, 2022
© Reuters
Middlesbrough have experienced a somewhat unexpectedly slow start to the Championship campaign in their first full season under the management of Chris Wilder, as they sat on just three points without a single win from their opening five outings. [We know!]

They were then able to put a first victory on the board at the sixth time of asking at home to Swansea City, with Riley McGree and Matt Crooks hitting first-half goals in an eventual 2-1 triumph at the Riverside Stadium but did not manage to build on that with another three-point haul as a 2-1 defeat away at Watford followed.

Boro returned to winning ways at home to rivals Sunderland, as McGree hit the only goal of the game in the 25th minute, before last weekend's fixtures were postponed due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, meaning they had to wait until Tuesday's contest with Cardiff City to try and add another notch to their wins column.

Coming in on the back of consecutive home victories, Wilder's men experienced a nightmare start as they trailed 3-0 at half time, with Callum O'Dowda, Mark Harris and Perry Ng all getting on the scoresheet for the visitors, and while Duncan Watmore and Rodrigo Muniz gave them a chance of coming back with quickfire goals in the 76th and 77th minutes respectively, Boro were unable to find a leveller and found themselves condemned to a fourth league defeat of the term.

Now only leading 22nd-placed Swansea City on goal difference and with just two sides on fewer than their nine points, with the defence a particular concern considering only Hull City have conceded more than the 15 goals Boro have shipped so far, the Riverside outfit will be desperate to turn their form around and pick up another home win on Saturday to begin climbing the division.
Rotherham United manager Paul Warne on February 13, 2022
© Reuters
They face a tough test, though, as Rotherham United arrive with confidence having made a positive start after winning promotion back to the second tier last term.
Paul Warne's men boasted nine points from five outings after an unbeaten start, but they were eventually defeated away at Sunderland, with Ross Stewart hitting a brace and Jack Clarke wrapping up a rampant display and a 3-0 home victory.

The Millers have quickly been able to bounce back, though, playing out a commendable 1-1 draw at home to Watford and triumphing over Blackpool on Wednesday after Saturday's trip to Sheffield United was postponed.

They led 1-0 going into the final 10 minutes thanks to Chiedozie Ogbene's first-half goal, and the game would be put out of sight as Wes Harding and Georgie Kelly added their names to the score sheet late on.

Having moved up to ninth spot with 13 points, while holding a game in hand on most sides around them, Rotherham will look to continue their bright start and further establish themselves in the top half with what would be a statement away win at the weekend.


Rotherham United Championship form:

  • D
  • D
  • W
  • L
  • D
  • W

Team News

Middlesbrough's Riley McGree celebrates scoring their first goal on September 5, 2022
© Reuters
Middlesbrough have several enforced absences down the spine of the team, with goalkeeper Zack Steffen ruled out alongside centre-back Darragh Lenihan and forward Chuba Akpom due to injuries.

Without Lenihan, and following a 3-2 defeat, Wilder may opt to make changes to his defence, with Anfernee Dijksteel likely to come in alongside two of Dael Fry, Paddy McNair and Matt Clarke, while Johnny Howson and Alex Mowatt should operate in the engine room.

Ahead of them, Riley McGree and Matt Crooks will likely provide attacking support from midfield, with Fulham loanee Rodrigo Muniz bound to lead the line having already found the net twice in three league starts.

Paul Warne has little reason to make alterations to his Rotherham team after their resounding win in midweek, with Lee Peltier, Shane Ferguson and Tom Eaves remaining out of contention, although he is forced into one change as centre-back Grant Hall will not be eligible to play against his parent club.
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Georgie Kelly will hope that his goal off the bench is enough to earn him a starting berth, but Conor Washington is more likely to again partner up with danger man Chiedozie Ogbene, who hit
his fourth league goal of the season against Blackpool.
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Veteran defender and captain Richard Wood also boasts four Championship goals this term, and he will continue to play at the heart of the back three, with Wes Harding bound to keep his place while Cameron Humphreys should come back in place of Hall.
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Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Roberts; Dijksteel, McNair, Clarke; Jones, Mowatt, Howson, Crooks, Giles; McGree; Muniz

Rotherham United possible starting lineup:
Johansson; Hall, Wood, Harding; Norton-Cuffy, Wiles, Barlaser, Rathbone, Bramall; Washington, Ogbene
 
How The Millers Bounced Back:

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Having been so close to Sky Bet Championship survival - despite hurdles caused by the coronavirus - the Millers were condemned to relegation in the cruelest of fashions on the final day at Cardiff City in 2020/21.

So then, another big challenge lay ahead of Paul Warne and his staff, who would once again target an immediate return to the second tier, but this time competing against big clubs such as Ipswich Town, Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth, all of whom would share those ambitions.

Would the Millers need to have a season of consolidation to overcome the heartbreak? Some suggested so.

However, Warne once again carefully structured his side. He built them to 'care' about the badge. To battle as if every game was their last.

They did just that - and in the process, recorded arguably the club's most successful season on the field, ever.

Come May 2022, Rotherham United had achieved their ambition of promotion, finishing as runners-up to Wigan Athletic as January signing Georgie Kelly wrote his name into the history books with one of the most memorable debuts of all time, scoring the second goal in a promotion-clinching 2-0 win at Gillingham on the final day.

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As is always the case whilst following the Millers, there was some turbulence, but those bumps in the road were totally insignificant compared to the overwhelming success that stole the show throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

We're talking a new club record of 21-games unbeaten along the way.

The most defensive shutouts in the club's history - an unbelievable 27 in all competitions.

Just 10 goals conceded on the road in the league throughout the course of the campaign - add into that the fact that the team went until April without conceding one of those in the first half of a game!

This season's overview sounds like we're just showing off, but you can also add in honours such as the club's second highest ever league points tally, alongside three players being voted into the EFL's League One Team of the Season in Michael Smith, Dan Barlaser and Michael Ihiekwe.


[https://www.themillers.co.uk/club/club-history/]
 
PAUL WARNE:

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Warne on constantly assessing performances in training which he reaffirms can lead to first team opportunities...

"In fairness, the only way you can possibly get in when you're not in the side is to be really good in training and show us and then we'll go back into the office and say 'wow, how good was Dan Barlaser today' or whatever.

"We do speak about it. There isn't a training session that we're not all on the side of the pitch as a staff.

"Today, the lads who haven't played have trained and the three of us were all out there and watched every kick off the ball.

"There isn't a route into the team whereby you knock on the door or sulk. I would just wash my hands of them.

"The team have been doing really well, hence why you encourage players to have a really good pre-season. If you can get through that injury free, you give yourself a right chance and the lads who unfortunately had injuries have struggled to get in.

"The season is judged over 46 games and we're not even a quarter of the way through. They'll all have opportunities and whether they grasp them is out of my hands."
Paul Warne, Manager

"We'll expect another high-octane performance and we're going to need it against a team who lost at home midweek and will be trying to put that wrong right against us."
Paul Warne, Manager

⚽

Warne on Middlesbrough and knowing Chris Wilder and Alan Knill...

"They've got unbelievable quality and they've recruited in the summer.

"I can't answer for them but knowing Chris and Knilly really well they will be looking higher up the table

"What I do know is that they're a great management team, with a good group of players and a good support.

"I was at the game in midweek and the fans got right behind their team at the start of the second half to get back to 2-3 and it could have been a draw.

"Everything is in place for them to have a great season but hopefully it doesn't all come right for them on Saturday."


[https://www.themillers.co.uk/news/2...-pre-middlesbrough-press-highlights-15-09-22/]
 
YOUR TEAM FOR TONIGHT?

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OK - its hardly likely to be a 4-4-2 formation which starts against the Millers, but who deserves a start and who on the bench.
We have, without doubt, some of the best individual quality in the Championship - its just not working as a team!
For me its Roberts in goal until proven otherwise. His performances for me have been more solid than Steffan.
Muniz needs a partner up front alongside him.
Is it time to get Hoppe on from the off?
Duncan isnt a forward - even though we love him lots.
Hes an "impact sub" at best.
Daragh Lenihan`s injury absence may prove a blessing in disguise for those in defence tonight. It gives the other lads the chance to prove themselves.
Its becoming frustrating for us fans - we are all better Managers and would all pick a different team if we could.
Now we have more options than excuses.
So who would you chose for starters tonight?

 
FLASHBACK:

27th January 2021

Boro 0 Rotherham 3

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BBC Sport: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55373137

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Rotherham boss Paul Warne:

"I don't think many people gave us a chance coming here tonight, but we thought the way we play we could cause them problems.

"I thought we deserved our win - we rode our luck at times, but the lads put their bodies on the line and we came away with a clean sheet.

"We have a small squad and playing two or three games a week now for the next 10 to 12 weeks is going to be a real test of our strength and our fitness levels."
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"Some of the chances we had to equalise were embarrassing really; if we can't score now I don't know where we go. [Warnock]
 
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Will be watching in King and Queen bar in Skiathos Town. Never seen Boro win when watching abroad previous 2 times so hope it's 3rd time lucky.
 
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