r00fie1
Well-known member
It's that time again>>>>>>
Boro had managed 16 points out of a possible 24 under Carrick. A real turn-round in performance, following a poor start under previous Manager, Chris Wilder. Only the two games at the end of the season v Coventry added just a few more to beat Boxing Day's turnout. It was a scintillating Boro performance and the atmosphere was crackin. The Riverside was rocking and everything and everybody seemed absolutely fine with the world! It went on to get better, but that's for another day.
Chuba kept the Match Ball after his hat-trick against Wigan in the second half.
Before Boxing Day, Chuba had scored 9 goals - which, incidentally, is only 2 more than current top scorer Latte Lath and 3 more than Morgan Rogers right now!
After Boxing-Day 2022. Table Before Boxing-Day 2023
West Brom Result!
Michael Carrick was already prepared for Christmas Day before the West Brom game: the squad was due to meet up early afternoon, to give players some time with their friends and family, before travelling down to South Yorkshire. Christmas and New Year is usually the busiest time of the year in the Championship Callander, so Carrick knows players still need to be nurtured and remain focused throughout:
Thanks for the support. We're doing everything we can. We're trying our utmost. You can see from the performances and the effort the boys are putting in. We're all in it together. So let's hope it's a very good year.
Rotherham United have sold out all home and away tickets against Boro, which means a capacity crowd of around 12,000 on the day. Rotherham are currently bottom of the Championship, having accumulated 2 wins, 7 draws and 14 defeats in the league. But they are not to be taken lightly, and there's no room for complacency for what, at first glance, looks an easy three points to bring back home.
Although they have lost four out of their last five in the league and last won in October, looking at results so far in December - they missed out on a point at Plymouth with the Pilgrims scoring the winner in the 90+7th minute [final score 3-2]. They contained Swansea [1-2] having been down to 10 men with Daniel Ayala being sent off in the 17th Minute. The Swans scored their winner with 17 minutes to go. They also managed a 0-0 against "Wayne Rooney's" Birmingham City at St Andrews, at the beginning of the month. On Saturday, they were beaten 3-0 by top of the table Leicester City at The King Power Stadium, who have only lost 3 games all season, against Hull, Leeds and Boro! [Had to get that one in]
Leam Richardson is the latest Manager at Rotherham, following the departure of Matt Taylor, just over a month ago. It's fair to say that Rotherham have been the yo-yo team between the third and second tiers of the EFL in recent seasons. They aren't blessed with the financial resources of some of the big clubs in the Championship and compete on a very tight budget. They have players like Daniel Ayala, Lee Peltier, Grant Hall, Jordan Hugill, Shane Ferguson and Sean Morrison, who all have experience in either the Premiership, Championship and also International caps. However, like Boro, they have some key players out, which may impact Manager Richardson's tactics. We shall see.
Hopefully, another victory for Carrick`s boys in Red and White.
A chance to cement our place higher up the championship.
Come On Boro!
r00fie1 25/12/2023
This time last year, Boro gave Wigan a 4-1 spanking in front of [until then] the biggest crowd of the season: 31,046 packed The Riverside to the rafters. A second-half Chuba Akpom Hat-Trick added to the opener by Marcus Forss. Boro were riding the crest of a wave, after being second bottom in October, when Michael Carrick took up his first job as Head Coach! After 24 games, Boro moved into 10th place on 23 points! Ryan Giles provided assists for all three Akpom goals, taking his tally to 12. That gave us the double over Wigan, who were to be relegated at the end of the season. We were starting to see Carrick`s playing style stamped on the team. Fast flowing, one-touch, always on the front foot and pressing high up the pitch. It made a refreshing change and showed how the right Manager / coach can get the best out of players, individually and as a team.
Boro`s starting line up: Steffen, Lenihan, Fry, Giles, Smith, Hackney, Howson, Akpom, Forss, Jones, Watmore.
Subs: McGree, Hoppe, Crooks, Mowatt, Roberts, Bola, McNair.
Anyone recognize the then Wigan Goal-Keeper (?) who captained their side on several occasions, eventually leaving Wigan for the North East - after six years with the Latics. As memory serves, he had a busy day against Carricks side, who were "on fire"!
Boro`s starting line up: Steffen, Lenihan, Fry, Giles, Smith, Hackney, Howson, Akpom, Forss, Jones, Watmore.
Subs: McGree, Hoppe, Crooks, Mowatt, Roberts, Bola, McNair.
Anyone recognize the then Wigan Goal-Keeper (?) who captained their side on several occasions, eventually leaving Wigan for the North East - after six years with the Latics. As memory serves, he had a busy day against Carricks side, who were "on fire"!
Boro had managed 16 points out of a possible 24 under Carrick. A real turn-round in performance, following a poor start under previous Manager, Chris Wilder. Only the two games at the end of the season v Coventry added just a few more to beat Boxing Day's turnout. It was a scintillating Boro performance and the atmosphere was crackin. The Riverside was rocking and everything and everybody seemed absolutely fine with the world! It went on to get better, but that's for another day.
Chuba kept the Match Ball after his hat-trick against Wigan in the second half.
Before Boxing Day, Chuba had scored 9 goals - which, incidentally, is only 2 more than current top scorer Latte Lath and 3 more than Morgan Rogers right now!
After Boxing-Day 2022. Table Before Boxing-Day 2023 Boro had come back off a 3-1 defeat away to eventual title-winners, Burnley, with a Duncan Watmore strike in the 49th minute being our consolation. It took Burnley till after the hour mark in to score their goals [including an own-goal attributed to Jonny Howson]! Even then, Michael Carrick praised his players for their performance - and rightly so. Sounds familiar that, doesn't it? Carrick had been in place two months and was working miracles with a side who were struggling to string three passes together when he took over. He worked wonders with Chuba, and Boro were climbing the table without Archer or Ramsey, who, at that point, hadn't joined the club.
West Brom Result!
Michael Carrick was delighted with the team's performance against West Brom last Saturday. In 5th
place with a strong physical team. Against The Baggies, our players gelled and showed just how
skillfull and adaptable they are in different situations. Every player, down to a man, put in a shift.
There was no-one who deserved Man-Of-The-Match, because they all did!
place with a strong physical team. Against The Baggies, our players gelled and showed just how
skillfull and adaptable they are in different situations. Every player, down to a man, put in a shift.
There was no-one who deserved Man-Of-The-Match, because they all did!
Michael Carrick was already prepared for Christmas Day before the West Brom game: the squad was due to meet up early afternoon, to give players some time with their friends and family, before travelling down to South Yorkshire. Christmas and New Year is usually the busiest time of the year in the Championship Callander, so Carrick knows players still need to be nurtured and remain focused throughout:
We're not training in the morning, we're meeting here a bit later in the day, so the boys can have some time with their family. I think it's important, and it's getting the balance as well, in terms of the amount of games that we wouldn't be doing an awful lot training – wise….whatever day that landed on…..it's more of the balance of the day. So we'll meet up a little bit later here and do a small little bit of work and travel down there.
Carrick relishes the intensity of the Christmas / New Year period and far from seeing it as a "challenge" he believes it keeps players and coaches focused:
.........hopefully we'll get senior players back as well to bolster the group and strengthen it. Enjoy the challenge of the games coming thick and fast. Its brilliant. It's what we're used to. Done it every year for, I don’t know how long now [smiles], It's just what this period brings.
Carrick had a message for Boro fans at the end of his most recent Media Conference:Carrick relishes the intensity of the Christmas / New Year period and far from seeing it as a "challenge" he believes it keeps players and coaches focused:
.........hopefully we'll get senior players back as well to bolster the group and strengthen it. Enjoy the challenge of the games coming thick and fast. Its brilliant. It's what we're used to. Done it every year for, I don’t know how long now [smiles], It's just what this period brings.
Thanks for the support. We're doing everything we can. We're trying our utmost. You can see from the performances and the effort the boys are putting in. We're all in it together. So let's hope it's a very good year.
Rotherham United have sold out all home and away tickets against Boro, which means a capacity crowd of around 12,000 on the day. Rotherham are currently bottom of the Championship, having accumulated 2 wins, 7 draws and 14 defeats in the league. But they are not to be taken lightly, and there's no room for complacency for what, at first glance, looks an easy three points to bring back home.
Although they have lost four out of their last five in the league and last won in October, looking at results so far in December - they missed out on a point at Plymouth with the Pilgrims scoring the winner in the 90+7th minute [final score 3-2]. They contained Swansea [1-2] having been down to 10 men with Daniel Ayala being sent off in the 17th Minute. The Swans scored their winner with 17 minutes to go. They also managed a 0-0 against "Wayne Rooney's" Birmingham City at St Andrews, at the beginning of the month. On Saturday, they were beaten 3-0 by top of the table Leicester City at The King Power Stadium, who have only lost 3 games all season, against Hull, Leeds and Boro! [Had to get that one in]
Leam Richardson is the latest Manager at Rotherham, following the departure of Matt Taylor, just over a month ago. It's fair to say that Rotherham have been the yo-yo team between the third and second tiers of the EFL in recent seasons. They aren't blessed with the financial resources of some of the big clubs in the Championship and compete on a very tight budget. They have players like Daniel Ayala, Lee Peltier, Grant Hall, Jordan Hugill, Shane Ferguson and Sean Morrison, who all have experience in either the Premiership, Championship and also International caps. However, like Boro, they have some key players out, which may impact Manager Richardson's tactics. We shall see.
Hopefully, another victory for Carrick`s boys in Red and White.
A chance to cement our place higher up the championship.
Come On Boro!
r00fie1 25/12/2023
Last edited:
