Team for Boro

[Guest]

moving house this w/e

are we on telly?

Moving house, not a problem.

Now if you'd said moving telly ....

[Marky]

moving house this w/e

are we on telly?

Last on MOTD

[RedReet]

Would like to see...

--------------Reina-------------
Arbeloa-Carra-Agger-Dossena
-------Gerrard---Alonso---------
Kuyt-----Keane--------Benni
-------------Torres--------------

Same team as last week bar Sami, but more attack minded. Unfortunately I see us to sticking with the 4-4-2 though.

I can only see Babel coming on from the bench. I’m sure Rafa would like to give him more time to recuperate, and only bring him on if need be. 4 games in 9 days in extremely humid conditions is bound to take it’s toll.

Boro are confident though, their take on last weeks game...

Liverpool were rather dire going forward,

Gerrard looked out of sorts,

Xabi “best passer in the league” Alonso came on and couldn’t weigh a bag of Bon Bons never mind an accurate pass,

Liverpool’s defense resembled somewhat a curly wurly.

[Shaggy]

Boro are confident though, their take on last weeks game...



Xabi “best passer in the league” Alonso came on and couldn’t weigh a bag of Bon Bons never mind an accurate pass,

WTF?

They're liars, then, as they can't have seen the game at all.

[Roboklopp]

Moving house, not a problem.

Now if you'd said moving telly ....

Bought 2 tellies. Sony HD- 1*40" for downstairs living room + 1*32" for me "playroom" upstairs with me xbox 360.

[BFG]

I'd go with:


Reina,
Arbeloa, Carra, Agger, Dossena
Gerrard, Alonso
Babel, Keane, Kuyt
Torres

[Kenneth]

I think Boro are better than a lot of people think. We need to give them respect and I want us to put out a strong experienced side. I would like to have Babel (if he is ready) in the team as they are comparatively weak out wide (as shown by Wheater being moved to fullback last weak).

Still we need to go out and dominate them. The first 20 minutes is key for me and I'm tempted to say:

--------------Reina-------------
Arbeloa-Carra-Agger-Dossena
-------Plessis---Alonso---------
Gerrard-----Keane--------Babel
-------------Torres--------------

But I would be happy to see Yossi in for Babel. Realistically I think Gerrard will be central with Alonso and Kuyt on the right.

Does Plessis really figure in a strong and experienced side? Kuyt, Pennant and Yossi are all experienced, and pushing Stevie in the middle and sticking one of them out right would probably be a safer and better option imo.

[dww]

Without Mascher yes IMO. I think he did well against Sunderland (I know this is a minority opinion) and was let down by those around him. For me we don't have an experienced genuine alternative for the more defensive of the two deep lying midfielders so he is in my team.

I'm not a huge fan of Gerrard and Alonso in the middle as neither is great at watching runners coming past them or a natural defensive midfielder. I can see the argument for going out and dominating on the front foot with those two in the middle. However I actually think they tend to encourage us to rush forward rather than build on a lot of occasions. It can work though and while I have reservations about it I would be almost equally happy with that.

[Kenneth]

Fair enough. TBH, playing a purely defensive player in the middle at home against 'lesser' teams is one the things that annoys me about Rafa sometimes. I think Alonso and Gerrard can hold their own defensively and I would prefer it if we set our stall out to attack temas from the off. Unless we lose of course, but then we can just blame a defender.

[calvoboy]

I'd go with:


Reina,
Arbeloa, Carra, Agger, Dossena
Gerrard, Alonso
Babel, Keane, Kuyt
Torres

Me too, and I think Rafa will as well.

[Exiled_red]

I think Boro are better than a lot of people think. We need to give them respect and I want us to put out a strong experienced side. I would like to have Babel (if he is ready) in the team as they are comparatively weak out wide (as shown by Wheater being moved to fullback last weak).

Still we need to go out and dominate them. The first 20 minutes is key for me and I'm tempted to say:

--------------Reina-------------
Arbeloa-Carra-Agger-Dossena
-------Plessis---Alonso---------
Gerrard-----Keane--------Babel
-------------Torres--------------

But I would be happy to see Yossi in for Babel. Realistically I think Gerrard will be central with Alonso and Kuyt on the right.

That's the team I'd like to see, but like you I think Gerrard will play in centre instead of Plessis with Kuyt on the right wing

[dww]

Fair enough. TBH, playing a purely defensive player in the middle at home against 'lesser' teams is one the things that annoys me about Rafa sometimes. I think Alonso and Gerrard can hold their own defensively and I would prefer it if we set our stall out to attack temas from the off. Unless we lose of course, but then we can just blame a defender.

I can see that but I think played right it frees up Alonso and the fullbacks. Which can convert what seems like a defensive move into an offensive move. Especially if Agger starts as he can move the ball into midfield allowing Alonso the freedom to worry less about getting the ball out of the defensive third.

[The Erectile Banana]

while I would like to see some of the younger players getting an opportunity I don't think Rafa will take many chances against a fairly quick 'boro* side and will use the first home game as a statement of intent. :fingerscrossedsmiley:.

---------------Reina----------------
Arbeloa--Skrtel--Carra--Dossena
--------------Alonso----------------
Kuyt--------------------------Babel
--------------Gerrard---------------
----------Keane-----Torres---------

*Then again, what do I know?

I think we'll see that team tomorrow although I'd have Benni playing on the right ahead of Kuyt.

[hamshanks]

How about

---------------Reina------------
-------Carra----Skrtel----Agger- -
Pennant----Gerrard------Alonso---Aurelio
-----------Keane---------
------Torres----Babel-------

[RoadEnd]

---------------Aurelio------------
-------Pennant----Kuyt----Benny- -
----Agger----Nemeth-----Reina
-----------Hyppia-----Skrtel----
------Dossena----Carra-------


Sack Parry