Middlesbrough v Villa: Saturday 30th Dec, 3pm.

Thomas Holte

Thomas Holte

Vital Football Legend
I know we are still debating another Villa performance debacle from the team and Bruce & Co but we have to think ahead and this game is only 3 days away.

Will SB still be in the manager's chair at Villa Park? Personally, I hope not because I can't see anything new he can bring to the team apart from empty promises.

To make matters worse this is Tony Pulis's first official game in charge of Middlesbrough and we all know how much he appears to dislike the Villa by constantly putting us down while he was in charge of the Strippy Filth however he was also deflecting attention away from his own boring approach to football but nevertheless, he is far more effective at it than Bruce will ever be.

Thoughts and predictions here folks!
 
Out of interest, we have been given 2500 tickets which sold out the best part of ten days before the game - what’s the reason for this? Did the club not take more or is that all we are entitled to? Surely boro aren’t selling out and we could’ve sold around the 3k-3.5k mark.

It’s hard to build up a solid away history when we get poor allocations
 
Would love Bruce and his mates to be gone but can’t see us being that decisive.

You would think we would get another beating here all things considered but will close eyes and pray we turn up somehow.

We need a spark ( electric shock ) from somewhere.
 
Saturday will be my first trip to the Riverside and will be spiced up more by the sight of Pulis in their dugout.

He is sure to play 8 centre halves so I predict a 0-0 draw with neither side venturing out of the centre circle.
 
Won't Pulis be parking the bus as well. What if we kick off then both teams immediately retreat to their own box, leaving the ball in the centre circle? At least we'd get a point.
 
As hard as try I cant see anything other than a defeat.The very best alternative score would be the worlds most boring 0-0 draw ever.
 
Pulis is an interesting case. When we had Lambert he'd come out with lines like "I know Paul, he's a good manager, it'll be a tough game". And sure enough we'd get at least a draw when we were probably expecting a loss. As though he was more defensive than he needed to be. Ring a bell? However, he's a better manager than Bruce and a more successful one. He knows how he wants his team to play, knows how to coach them to achieve that. His teams are well organised, if rather boring and negative. Standard Pulis approach is be difficult to beat and make the most of dead ball situations.

Bruce needs to persevere with Grealish and Hogan. Play Davis up front and he'll be marked out of the game. Drop Whelan and stick Hourihane back in. A back line of Hutton, Elphick, Chester and Taylor with Jedi and Hourihane in front ought to be able to keep Middlesborough out; Monk improved their attack but from a pretty low level.

It all depends on what we do higher up the pitch. Drop Snoddy, forget about Onomah. Bring in Bjarnason as at least he has a motor (I think) and by the law of averages he has to click sometime. He has to at least put O'Hare, Doyle Hayes, and maybe Suliman on the bench. Hope Adomah isn't out for too long.

But he won't do any of these. Yes, I expect him to still be here. After 2nd Jan is another matter.
 
After about 100 posts saying 'clearly an Aston Villa win :94: ' I think I'm quitting.

Clearly an Aston Villa loss :21:

(now watch us win!!!!!)
 
Did they sack Monk for not playing entertaining enough football and then appoint Pulis? If so football has finally gone mad. I can see no further than a defeat and another nail in SB,s coffin. I so so hope im wrong though for the away faithfuls sake mostly.
 
FFS. Do we have to play again so quickly. No sooner am i over the disappointment and frustration from the previous game then another one comes along.

Pulis is a tool and will bore the pants off Boro fans. But he will start his regime with a win.
 
I'd like to see us go out with an attacking team, press high and get some goals.

....................Johnstone
Elmo.....Chester.....Elphick.....Taylor
.......................Jedi.........
Adomah.....Hourihane......Grealish
.............Davis.......Hogan

I'd usually accept a more sensible approach to an away game but I feel sorry for those making the 3hr one way trip up there to see us lose anyway.

Boro 2-0 Villa
 
Pullis previous jobs to keep team in the league.
Boro will want him to get them out of the league.

So we might see a different Pullis

 
Pullis previous jobs to keep team in the league.
Boro will want him to get them out of the league.

So we might see a different Pullis

 
Melon Donkey - 28/12/2017 02:53

FFS. Do we have to play again so quickly. No sooner am i over the disappointment and frustration from the previous game then another one comes along.

Pulis is a tool and will bore the pants off Boro fans. But he will start his regime with a win.
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Just what I was thinking, Mr Donkey. A few weeks ago I couldn't wait for the next game, now I wish we could take a couple of weeks off.

As for the match, I expect Bruce and his coaches to have a new tactical plan for this game. I don't even care if it works or not. Going again with the same players in the same formation that's not working is madness.
 
danvilla2 - 27/12/2017 11:04

Out of interest, we have been given 2500 tickets which sold out the best part of ten days before the game - what’s the reason for this? Did the club not take more or is that all we are entitled to? Surely boro aren’t selling out and we could’ve sold around the 3k-3.5k mark.

It’s hard to build up a solid away history when we get poor allocations
Click to expand...

When I did a few away games a season Boro was always easy to get tickets for , just like us they never fill the ground .
 
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