Boro vs Saints next Saturday (12.30pm) 1st leg

[Pilchards]

I believe Hackney who’s Boro’s best player is still injured.

Edited Saturday at 13:57 by Pilchards

[Jack]

Flights to Newcastle only £330. Get them while you can 

[Saint Fan CaM]

17 minutes ago, Jack said:

Flights to Newcastle only £330. Get them while you can 

Two tanks of fuel and a hotel room will cost more?

Edited Saturday at 14:16 by Saint Fan CaM
Typo

[Edmonton Saint]

So no rotation and time to play our strongest XI, here’s what I would go with :-

 

Peretz

Bree, THB, Stephens, Manning

Downes, Jander

Fellows, Azaz, Scienza

Larin

[Barton Saint]

What play that nutter who thinks he’s a sweeper in goal???

[Pilchards]

Swap Fellows for Matsuki and pray Stephen’s is back as we look leaky.

 

[skintsaint]

Draw will do ...smash em at home.

[Patches O Houlihan]

I thought I'd take a look back at our playoffs team from 2 years ago and see who we still have around:

1st Leg - Away at WBA 0-0   Played 3-5-2

 McCarthy
THB, Stephens 

Downes in centre,  Manning (LWB)

Subs: Stewart '72, 
Unused Subs: Bree, Charles, Edozie

-----

2nd leg - Home 3-1.       Played 4-3-3

McCarthy
THB, Stephens (RB)
Downes

Subs: Charles '90, Manning '66, Edozie '74
Unused Subs: Bree, Stewart

----

Final - 0-1 v Leeds          Played 3-5-2

McCarthy
THB, Stephens
Downes   

Subs: Edozie 35' - 83', Manning '83  
Unused: Bree, Charles, Stewart

 

Surely it is bound to be helpful that some of the big leaders in the team have already done it once.

 

              

[Mixedkebab]

15 minutes ago, Edmonton Saint said:

So no rotation and time to play our strongest XI, here’s what I would go with :-

 

Peretz

Bree, THB, Stephens, Manning

Downes, Jander

Fellows, Azaz, Scienza

Larin

Hoping for this lineup in the next 3 games but Matsuki for Fellows is fine 

 

[RedArmy]

36 minutes ago, Barton Saint said:

What play that nutter who thinks he’s a sweeper in goal???

We could always have stuck with Baz and finished bottom half if you’d have preferred. 

[die Mannyschaft]

33 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

Draw will do ...smash em at home.

That's what I think.  

My son thinks Saints win 3 nil away then draw home 

[Tamesaint]

What will be the qualifying number of credits for tickets?? 

[musesaint]

Weirdly I feel far more confident about the Playoffs this season than I did two years ago. We can win at Wembley - and should win tbh. We are the form team by a mile  

If we don’t go up we’re definitely at risk of losing some key players.  Says a lot about the quality of parts of the team we have this season compared to a couple of years ago. 

[Barton Saint]

12 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

We could always have stuck with Baz and finished bottom half if you’d have preferred. 

I was only joking of course as you probably realise but on a serious note you would have thought after his head rush at Wembley he would have learnt his lesson 

[Sheaf Saint]

6 minutes ago, Barton Saint said:

I was only joking of course as you probably realise but on a serious note you would have thought after his head rush at Wembley he would have learnt his lesson 

He just slipped today though. He was clearly favourite to get the ball and I have no issue with him coming for it. 

[HKsaint]

We need McCathy?

[Harry_SFC]

19 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

He just slipped today though. He was clearly favourite to get the ball and I have no issue with him coming for it. 

Yeah, just very unfortunate.

[Harry_SFC]

Peretz, Bree, THB, Stephens (Wood), Manning, Downes, Jander, Matsuki (Fellows), Azaz, Scienza, Larin.

[SaintTex]

another early  Sat. morning for us North Americans

[Turkish]

9 minutes ago, SaintTex said:

another early  Sat. morning for us North Americans

Hey buddy. That must be pretty gnarly for you. Let’s hope the Southampton Saints can play a fricking awesome tie. With our strong offense, Taylor Bellis leading the d-fence and Peretz able to make some awesome hand denials in the goal minder zone I’m pretty sure we can give them an awesome game of soccer ball!

[Micky]

1 hour ago, Sheaf Saint said:

He just slipped today though. He was clearly favourite to get the ball and I have no issue with him coming for it. 

You only needed to listen to our fans reaction to their goal to know that absolutely nobody blamed him for it.  

[Lord Duckhunter]

18 minutes ago, Micky said:

You only needed to listen to our fans reaction to their goal to know that absolutely nobody blamed him for it.  

Of course it was his fault, he misjudged the long punt so had to turn quickly and slipped. There’s not a goal keeper alive who hasn’t made a horrendous balls up once or twice a season (or game, in Baz’s case), but let’s not pretend this one wasn’t 100% down to him. I’m just glad he got the inevitable cock up over and done at a meaningless time in a pretty meaningless fixture…

[SaintJakko]

I’m sorry but anyone that is calling for Mccarthy, after Peretz slipped, needs to check themselves. He has been a solid wall and even made vital saves in that match. He has been a difference maker to our season turn around and I wouldn’t want anyone else in goal. 
 

This take is literally the definition of bed wetting and utterly ridiculous. He slipped that is all. 

Edited Saturday at 17:09 by SaintJakko

[Saint In Cornwall]

Middlesbrough have announced ticket pricing and details for the game on Saturday for their fans https://www.mfc.co.uk/tickets/home-tickets

Note they are not posting out any tickets so fully expect ours to be digital also.

[Miltonaggro]

I think we have squad of players who really want to play in the Premier League, and a good few who deserve the chance given the last six months. Previous play off experience will count as will narrowly losing at Wembley. I think we have too much for all four teams in it, they will be dreading playing us, but still hope Hull can do a job on Millwall. COYR!

[Sheaf Saint]

13 minutes ago, Saint In Cornwall said:

Middlesbrough have announced ticket pricing and details for the game on Saturday for their fans https://www.mfc.co.uk/tickets/home-tickets

Note they are not posting out any tickets so fully expect ours to be digital also.

While our OS currently isn't even displaying the fixtures, let alone even announced when tickets will go on sale 😕

[LGTL]

3 hours ago, Jack said:

Flights to Newcastle only £330. Get them while you can 

We’re flying out of Southampton on Saturday morning and back into Heathrow later that evening. Lift home sorted. £56 return alongside a few avios 👌

[SNSUN]

Just realised I'm working next Saturday but off the following Tuesday so I can make the home leg. Thank god we finished 4th then. Cheers Tonda. 

[bpsaint]

Really hoping Stephens is back for this, defence hasn’t looked as strong the last few games.

Really intrigued to see what a fully rested squad is capable of now that they’ve got a week to rest.

[Jack]

51 minutes ago, LGTL said:

We’re flying out of Southampton on Saturday morning and back into Heathrow later that evening. Lift home sorted. £56 return alongside a few avios 👌

Well played. Think it’s a 5am start on the road and a night out up north for us 

[SaintBobby]

Are they likely to screen the first match in a lounge at St Mary’s?

Edited Saturday at 18:38 by SaintBobby

[kwsaint]

I’m assuming these will be sold out with a significant number of aways

[Willo of Whiteley]

We should’ve beaten them at home had it not been the classic McCarthy beaten at his near post and us doing everything but score

[macca155]

It will be another day at the office for Saints. Team picks itself if they are available. The only decisions are Fellows/Matsuki and Stewart Larin.

Whilst it would be great to see Stephens back, he has to be 100% fit, but I'm sure Tonda is on that. 

Being behind the goal for once does give you a very different perspective. Wood really is a massive physical presence in defence. I wouldn't underestimate how important that is. I just wish his positioning was as sharp.

[Swaythling Saint]

Would take a draw but would be nice to nick a win of course.   We've looked so good over recent games, Wembley experience (last time and the FA cup) will be so useful 

[LGTL]

Team picks itself really;

Perez, Bree, Stephens (Wood), THB, Manning, Jander, Downes, Scienza, Azaz, Matsuki, Larin

[Football Special]

48 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

Really hoping Stephens is back for this, defence hasn’t looked as strong the last few games.

Really intrigued to see what a fully rested squad is capable of now that they’ve got a week to rest.

Agree we look quite open, Preston could and should have scored a couple more today, need to tighten up as Boro will punish us, they looked very good at Ipswich few games ago 

[Turkish]

6 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Agree we look quite open, Preston could and should have scored a couple more today, need to tighten up as Boro will punish us, they looked very good at Ipswich few games ago 

I expect us to play similarly to how we did v Man City in the first game. Deep, keep A solid 8 behind the ball and hit them on the break. Seen Boro a few times at home this season and they’ve dominate the ball. It’ll be a tough couple of games they’re a good side but with a week to recover and prepare for what seems like the first time in months we should be able to get a positive result and set the second leg up nicely for a great might game at St Mary’s 

[RedArmy]

I think we need to approach this like the Wrexham game. 
 

They wont fancy playing us at all, get at them relentlessly early and get them on the back foot. 

They’ll get their chances but if we can take a lead back to St Mary’s we’ll be pretty much there. 

 

 

 

[Jack]

12 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

I think we need to approach this like the Wrexham game. 
 

They wont fancy playing us at all, get at them relentlessly early and get them on the back foot. 

They’ll get their chances but if we can take a lead back to St Mary’s we’ll be pretty much there. 

 

 

 

Agreed, take it to them. Their confidence must be fragile and especially without Hackney they’re not all that. If we go a goal down, they know how poor they are at keeping a lead and we tend to keep plugging away so will fancy it 

[Harry_SFC]

12 minutes ago, Jack said:

Agreed, take it to them. Their confidence must be fragile and especially without Hackney they’re not all that. If we go a goal down, they know how poor they are at keeping a lead and we tend to keep plugging away so will fancy it 

Their manager said he's hopeful Hackney will play some part in the play off semi. Whether that's in time for the away game we'll see. 

[Turkish]

34 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

I think we need to approach this like the Wrexham game. 
 

They wont fancy playing us at all, get at them relentlessly early and get them on the back foot. 

They’ll get their chances but if we can take a lead back to St Mary’s we’ll be pretty much there. 

 

 

 

 Nah it’s not a one off game, we won’t win it there but we can lose it by giving ourselves too much to do at SMS. Keep it tight, be compact, hit them on the break we can do that really well as we showed against Arsenal and Man City. A win would be brilliant but a draw or even one goal loss and I’d fancy us at home against anyone 

[Lighthouse]

1 hour ago, bpsaint said:

Really hoping Stephens is back for this, defence hasn’t looked as strong the last few games.

Really intrigued to see what a fully rested squad is capable of now that they’ve got a week to rest.

We’ve not kept a clean sheet in a league game Wood started since Millwall on New Year’s Day. I’m not saying it’s all him but the defence has never looked settled and confident with him in it.

[Turkish]

22 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Their manager said he's hopeful Hackney will play some part in the play off semi. Whether that's in time for the away game we'll see. 

Fuck Hayden Hackney. Even if he plays he’s not kicked a ball in 6 weeks. Good player but even if he plays won’t play a full game and even if he does fuck then he’s not Maradona FFS

[Football Special]

54 minutes ago, Turkish said:

I expect us to play similarly to how we did v Man City in the first game. Deep, keep A solid 8 behind the ball and hit them on the break. Seen Boro a few times at home this season and they’ve dominate the ball. It’ll be a tough couple of games they’re a good side but with a week to recover and prepare for what seems like the first time in months we should be able to get a positive result and set the second leg up nicely for a great might game at St Mary’s 

Fair point mate, our cup run this season should help us in these games,  fingers crossed 

[SNSUN]

Win the first leg 6 nil and we can rest everyone for the home leg. 😁

[RedArmy]

19 minutes ago, Turkish said:

 Nah it’s not a one off game, we won’t win it there but we can lose it by giving ourselves too much to do at SMS. Keep it tight, be compact, hit them on the break we can do that really well as we showed against Arsenal and Man City. A win would be brilliant but a draw or even one goal loss and I’d fancy us at home against anyone 

I don’t think we really need to play with any fear or show them that much respect. 
 

I’m not saying go and try and win the tie in the first leg but get them on the back foot as much as possible and as early as possible. Let them know we’re there and have their players looking around at each other thinking fuck we’re up against it here. 
Don't let them get comfortable. 
 

 

[Turkish]

7 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

I don’t think we really need to play with any fear or show them that much respect. 
 

I’m not saying go and try and win the tie in the first leg but get them on the back foot as much as possible and as early as possible. Let them know we’re there and have their players looking around at each other thinking fuck we’re up against it here. 
Don't let them get comfortable. 
 

 

I agree but it’s not about showing fear. It’s managing the tie over two games. I thought tactically we were brilliant in the 3 cup games against premier league teams so I’d expect us to play a similar way up there. 

[Whitey Grandad]

4 hours ago, SaintJakko said:

I’m sorry but anyone that is calling for Mccarthy, after Peretz slipped, needs to check themselves. He has been a solid wall and even made vital saves in that match. He has been a difference maker to our season turn around and I wouldn’t want anyone else in goal. 
 

This take is literally the definition of bed wetting and utterly ridiculous. He slipped that is all. 

That's not the point. He shouldn't have been that far out. He did much the same at Wembley. 

[Football Special]