my thoughts on the game as a boro fan.
it will be an open game, we won't fade or quite if we go behind at any point.
we will try and play fast possession football on the whole but,
we will slow the pace down in our own half when playing out at times, we will draw you into tight areas as you press and switch play quickly once the pitch open on the other side. (watch out for this) you might win possession sometimes in these situations, but if it works we will quickly get into dangerous attacking positions. we do it all the time.
hackney, morris and the fullbacks/wingbacks will pass in triangles keep your midfielders running about. if we get to much possession. you might tire early. though we work hard ourselves as second halves both teams usually tire earlier than under carrick/edwards.
basically we will try and win the game in the first half if possible and then ease off and see game out. as your a decent team i doubt that it will pan out like that. i expect a physical game and a long second half.
from what i've seen of blades you have made chances all season but liked missing sitters on multiple occasions. thats improved and you started winning. at the riverside, i was surprised how bad a side you were. put that guy got the boot and ur back on track for a late playoff push. i think it's possible but long way to go. there will be chances at both end and i guess the best team will win on the night. if you dont press us well and let us play, it will be a rough night. but same other way. if you press will and stop us setting those traps, be a long night for us to.
First game of the season i'm actually looking forward to in what has been a slog of a season with the mistakes of the summer really putting us into a situation that we should never have been in. It will certainly be a big test for us against a side we always normally have a competitive game against and we've had some decent games against you at the top end over the last couple of years. This year has certainly been different for us, dumping Wilder for Selles was madness, but thankfully these clueless owners that we have saw sense and got rid of Selles. As you said, we were awful.
The impact has and will be longer term, we've managed to return some of the loanees that we brought in over the summer and the James Bord AI experiment has seen almost all of his recruits farmed out on loan to obscure leagues or moved on. It's meant that we've now got a very different side to what you saw last time. Wilder has brought in lots of experience, strengthening the midfield with Riedewald, Phillips and Rothwell, with Bamford coming in up top, changing us completely when he plays.
O'Hare has been quality all season, Hamer not so much, but has started to find his form. Bamford, a revelation is apparently out for tonight, but that might also be Wilders usual mind games. McCallum, having looked solid under Wilder suffered a big injury, so its back to Burrows on the Left of the four to try and re-find his form from last season. At the back, bringing in Tanganga has gone a long way to strengthen the central defence, much needed, especially with Cooper being way off the levels of reliability from last season. The problem has been who to play alongside Tanganga on the LCB. Mee has looked quality at times, but is clearly no youngster anymore and it does show. McGuinness, gets exposed at the back, but is a real threat from attacking corners and then there is young Bindon, no pace but seems to read the game better. Bindon seems to get the nod mostly
Its also unlikely that Riedewald will feature, having been out for several weeks, nor will Tom Davies as he's played a few games in his usual cameo and is now out again for the foreseeable. Riedewalds absence has also coincided with Peck returning to form, bagging a few goals and performing to his levels of last season. Arblaster returning has been a boost for him and the club after more than a year out with his ACL, though he's still way off his previous level.
The recent threat has come down the right, Seriki and Brooks linking up well, with Brookes creating and scoring again. But up top, when Bamford is not involved, we tend to go with a loan striker of Cannon, partly because Ings hasn't been good enough and Campbell, just hasn't been in form and fitness.
Defensively we'll have to be on our game, the pressing will be very important as you alluded to. It'll be interesting to see who starts alongside Peck in the middle of the park. Up top, if Bamford isn't available as expected, it'll most likely be Cannon on his own feeding off scraps and chasing lost causes, we won't be bold enough to play Cannon and Campbell for a game like tonight.
A chance for Boro to go top will certainly focus the Boro players minds, sensible money will be on a tight game.
