Middlesbrough (a) pre-match thread (team news pg 15)

[55yr old teenager]

Need Jesus to play.

The hardest of our remaining games, we can't afford to slip up against these again.

Really?? Crystal Palace (beaten arsenal chelsea and liverpool recently) and Leicester (beat us 4-2 at their place) worry me more. I actually feel pretty confident about beating boro which is very unlike me, usually a pessimistic sod!!

 

[Scar Tissue]

Thought Sergio showed plenty of industry throughout the derby, but that he was positively buzzing when Jesus came on. It just seemed like he was ecstatic to have another genuine goal threat (at long last, after a couple of seasons) to play with in and around the box. In fact the both of them looked like they were really aware of each other and really wanting to grow a partnership.

Hoping Pep will allow us to see many more minutes of these two together, beginning with this game against Boro.

 

[Ric]

Thought Sergio showed plenty of industry throughout the derby, but that he was positively buzzing when Jesus came on. It just seemed like he was ecstatic to have another genuine goal threat (at long last, after a couple of seasons) to play with in and around the box. In fact the both of them looked like they were really aware of each other and really wanting to grow a partnership.

Hoping Pep will allow us to see many more minutes of these two together, beginning with this game against Boro.

I think playing Aguero and Jesus together for the rest of the season will carry us to a top four finish. Not sure what the best formation to accommodate both is, but hopefully Guardiola will have the solution.

 

[Scar Tissue]

im really wondering why Nolito hanse featured more...he isn't even making the bench sometimes...

I'm wondering the same thing. In recent comments made by Pep he said he would be forever wondering what it would have been like to have Sergio and Gabriel fit and playing together for the whole season. He also said that he was playing with only one striker up until the time Gabriel arrived in January. Find this interesting since Nolito took or was given the number 9 shirt.

Maybe it was just me wrongly assuming that the shirt gave an indicator as to what Pep wanted from Nolito i.e. a winger/striker. Nolito did show he knew where the goal was at the start of the season though. The whole situation looks very curious from the outside.

 

[Ric]

I'm wondering the same thing. In recent comments made by Pep he said he would be forever wondering what it would have been like to have Sergio and Gabriel fit and playing together for the whole season. He also said that he was playing with only one striker up until the time Gabriel arrived in January. Find this interesting since Nolito took or was given the number 9 shirt.

Maybe it was just me wrongly assuming that the shirt gave an indicator as to what Pep wanted from Nolito i.e. a winger/striker. Nolito did show he knew where the goal was at the start of the season though. The whole situation looks very curious from the outside.

There are vague similarities to Negredo. Spanish forward starts the season well, scoring goals and lauded as a good buy. In the latter part of the season they virtually disappear from the first team. Wouldn't be surprised to see him go back to Celta in the summer, although presumably we'd either have to subsidise his wages or take a reduced fee.

 

[Scar Tissue]

There are vague similarities to Negredo. Spanish forward starts the season well, scoring goals and lauded as a good buy. In the latter part of the season they virtually disappear from the first team. Wouldn't be surprised to see him go back to Celta in the summer, although presumably we'd either have to subsidise his wages or take a reduced fee.

Agreed. I had more of an attachment to the Beast than I do for Nolito -- possibly where your term "vague" comes in. Do wish Nolito the best if (as seems likely) he does leave at the end of the season. Sometimes things just don't work out. Still a good player and deserves a chance to try and make it into Spain's WC squad.

 

[Ric]

Agreed. I had more of an attachment to the Beast than I do for Nolito -- possibly where your term "vague" comes in. Do wish Nolito the best if (as seems likely) he does leave at the end of the season. Sometimes things just don't work out. Still a good player and deserves a chance to try and make it into Spain's WC squad.

Think he turned down a big money move to China in the January window for that reason (getting in Spain's WC squad), which suggests the club have already made a decision on his future. Seems a bit odd though after such a short spell.

 

[Scar Tissue]

Seems a bit odd though after such a short spell.

As we've seen with Bravo, Pep isn't afraid to bench one of his signings if things aren't going well. I must admit though the reasons have been far less obvious for Nolito first losing his spot (when we were winning games with him in them) then his almost complete exclusion from match day squads. Pep seems to have seen that something wasn't right and it doesn't appear to have been fixed.

 

[Marvin]

--------------Willy
Navas----Stones----Kompany---Clichy
------------Fernandinho
------KDB----------Delph
----Sane-------Aguero------Sterling

If Stones not available, then Kolarov or Otamendi.

I hope Jesus gets 45 mins, but I'd play him in the 2nd half when Boro start to tire

 

[mosssideblue]

--------------Willy
Navas----Stones----Kompany---Clichy
------------Fernandinho
------KDB----------Delph
----Sane-------Aguero------Sterling

If Stones not available, then Kolarov or Otamendi.

I hope Jesus gets 45 mins, but I'd play him in the 2nd half when Boro start to tire

why drop Otamendi? he and Vinnie are a solid partnership