THE MAGIC NUMBER THREAD

[PuntsWolf]

Hardly flat track bullies are we, if we beat Cardiff and Sunderland then we have beat every team in the league this season. Fulham and Villa games Nuno got it massively wrong and i'm not sure he will again.

More reference to how things have gone recently rather than the season on the whole. We didn’t turn up against Fulham and Villa in the second half. Losing to Boro and Cardiff would mean we haven’t turned up against anyone decent recently

 

[Tony Towner]

'Boro have 5 first team players away on International duty too...

We have 5 starters, they have two, one of which is a keeper

 

[White Wolf]

I don't feel confident about the Boro or the Cardiff games either to be honest and do expect us to lose both.

 

[darlowolf64]

We have 5 starters, they have two, one of which is a keeper

Doc won't play and neither will Douglas... Neves will be a sub, Jota U21? Saiss the fifth?

 

[White Wolf]

Doc won't play and neither will Douglas... Neves will be a sub, Jota U21? Saiss the fifth?

Afobe has been called up for DR Congo I believe.

 

[darlowolf64]

Afobe has been called up for DR Congo I believe.

Aye, I think he has

 

[Tony Towner]

Doc won't play and neither will Douglas... Neves will be a sub, Jota U21? Saiss the fifth?

Neves
Doherty
Saiss
Douglas
Afobe

 

[Carrotdude]

I don’t think Boro will be as good as Fulham or play it like their cup final like Villa did. No reason we can’t go there and win other than the fact that we never win there and records like that are meant to be broken.

We may struggle at Cardiff though I reckon we’ll be well up for revenge after losing to them at home.

 

[slink]

More reference to how things have gone recently rather than the season on the whole. We didn’t turn up against Fulham and Villa in the second half. Losing to Boro and Cardiff would mean we haven’t turned up against anyone decent recently

As i said though it was down to the circumstances. Neves being out for the Fulham game didn't help but Nuno's team selection for both games was more than questionable and while we didn't play that well in either game we were more than in the Fulham game until the goal and same with Villa until the second half. I think the reaction to the Villa result will lead to good performances in both the Boro and Cardiff games.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I think we can still win every game left.

 

[SSB]

The Boro jinx will continue for another season. Our weak point is where a Pulis team are strongest.

Don’t say that! It’s my first trip to the Riverside and quiet looking forward to it at the moment.

 

[jd1981]

Certainly don’t think it’s a given we’ll lose at Boro on the basis we always do, majority of our squad won’t even be aware of the stat nor will it bother them if they do.

 

[machin05]

I think we can still win every game left.

We'd equal Reading's record if we did that

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Middlesbrough are also the archetypal flat track bullies.

If you take a table of results for top half teams against bottom half teams they are top with us in second (they have played more games against the bottom half so far as well). In the table of top half against top half, they are 12th.

 

[Tredman]

Boro is a really long trip back after losing, particularly on an evening game.... Kudos to anyone making the trip!

 

[jd1981]

No way Pulis with have he side going all out against us, expect a cagey a game.

 

[The Bear]

He will be defensive against us and try and get something off set-pieces and long throws. Typical Pulisball.

 

[Lord Knows]

Boro will look to get Traore on the ball and attack down the side hoping to back up Douglas, Wolves will look to keep Douglas as high as possible tying to isolate Traore while dominating the game with the Wolves system.

 

[Lycan]

Boro is a really long trip back after losing, particularly on an evening game.... Kudos to anyone making the trip!

Home game for me!

 

[darlowolf64]

Home game for me!

Even closer home game for me, Aiki and SamWolf!