Middlesbrough v Aston Villa pre-match thread

[Bad English]

Has ben added by a Mod and also the unnecessary word "thread" to which I could object to but that will just amplify my incompetence.

Who is Ben and why haven't you used a capital B?

[darren woolley]

I'm looking forward to going to the Riverside I can see us winning 2-0.

[RamboandBruno]

FA Cup Third round.
Saturday 6 January, Kick Off 5.30PM
The Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough
Live on BBC1

OK no resting or rotating nonsense please Unai. We don't have a League game till 14 January so go for it with best available XI.

Completely agree with this, we only have two league games in January, we simply have to try and win something with this manager and this group of players. We’ve have had too many slips over the last decade.

                                  Martinez

   Cash.                 konsa.      Torres.       Moreno

   Bailey              Kamara.   Luiz.             McGinn

     
                            Diaby.      Watkins

[Goldenballs]

Hopefully a good game to get Ramsey and Moreno up to speed, and a confidence builder for Diaby.

[Pete3206]

Second string side please, need to rest players for our Champions League push.

I have never and will never understand this way of thinking.

[rougegorge]

Middlesbrough have injury issues and are losing 3 first teamers to the Asian and African cups, so they won't be at full strength even if they wanted to be.

I wouldn't favour playing Marschall or O'Reilly .
Marschall was 4th choice last season,  has played one game for us and the other appearances were all in the National League. I know keepers can develop later, but he'll be 25 in April so his appearances suggest he isn't at the right level.

He's 20.

Oops..I wasn't close although the month was right 🥴

[Richard]

FA Cup Third round.
Saturday 6 January, Kick Off 5.30PM
The Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough
Live on BBC1

OK no resting or rotating nonsense please Unai. We don't have a League game till 14 January so go for it with best available XI.

Completely agree with this, we only have two league games in January, we simply have to try and win something with this manager and this group of players. We’ve have had too many slips over the last decade.

                                  Martinez

   Cash.                 konsa.      Torres.       Moreno

   Bailey              Kamara.   Luiz.             McGinn

     
                            Diaby.      Watkins

Not a chance it will be anything like this team!!

[Legion]

2-0.

[The Man With A Stick]

Olsen, Cash, Carlos, Lenglet, Moreno, Donk, Kamara, Ramsey, Zaniolo, Diaby, Duran.

Would love us to win this but that should be enough to see us through.  Plenty of strength on the bench if required.

[RamboandBruno]

I really dont understand the not risking players, we have two other games in January

[Richard E]

I’d go with a starting 11 of:-

Harry Truman
 Doris Day, Red China, Johnny Ray

South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio

Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, Television

[Bad English]

I'd have put McCarthy out on the left.

[Lastfootstamper]

Is Olsen back from injury yet?

[Richard E]

I'd have put McCarthy out on the left.

Have you no sense of decency, sir?

[DB]

I really dont understand the not risking players, we have two other games in January

People will complain if we go out and didn’t give the cup a good go…another year gone etc.
Likewise before and we put the best team out.
IMO, go for it, as you say only 2 other matches in Jan and I still want us to win the damn thing.