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Stoke City v Middlesbrough – Preview

  As the Premier League relegation battle edges ever closer to its conclusion, the Potters will play a game of truly huge magnitude this Saturday against a Middlesbrough side one place and two points behind Stoke in the table at the Britannia Stadium. With both clubs currently sitting in the relegation places, Stoke in eighteenth and Boro in nineteenth, this fixture makes most so called ”six pointers” pale into insignificance by comparison. An eighth home win of the campaign for Stoke, which would be a first over the Teesiders for 27 years would almost certainly see as move clear of the relegation zone and take a large step towards survival, while leaving Boro with a mountain to climb to avoid the drop. An away victory however, would give Middlesbrough the edge over Stoke, and make the remaining fixtures, the next four all being against fellow bottom six sides look that bit more difficult for Stoke. In the words of one bitter old manager, it’s squeaky bum time.


These are nervous times for Stoke fans

  The season for Middlesbrough, under the guidance of the Premier League’s fifth longest serving manager, Gareth Southgate, who has beaten the odds in this cut-throat world of modern football to still be in a job after the season he’s had, with the fact that two and a half years is now enough to be in the top quarter of longest serving managers demonstrative of this, started brightly, with two wins from their first three matches, including a 2-1 success over Stoke at the Riverside Stadium at the end of August. Things have gone downhill from there though, with near constant bad form since leaving the club mired in the relegation zone and in danger of dropping out of the Premier League for the first time in eleven years.

Frank Lampard sends a header past Middlesbrough keeper Ross Tunrbull
Boro conceded five at home to Chelsea in a performance that encapsulates their season

  After naming a unchanged side, rarer than a Salif Diao shot on target, for last Saturday’s disappointing 3-1 defeat at Everton, Stoke manager Tony Pulis may have the luxury again this weekend, with no new major injury worries. Striker Ricardo Fuller and winger Matthew Etherington, both of whom being said to be fit for the game after shaking off problems in the week, will be pushing for starting places however, after having to be content with places in the bench for their first games back after returning from a shoulder injury and suspension respectively.

  The visitors will be without young defender Matthew Bates who was sent off for two bookable offences in Boro’s1-1 draw with Portsmouth last week. Midfielder Didier Digard, who assisted Tuncay Sanli’s winning goal in the return fixture will also miss out, with a partially ruptured quadricep, while Emanuel Pogatetz Justin Hoyte are doubts with knee and groin problems respectively. Gary O’Neil and Chris Riggot, who were both reportedly targets for Stoke during the January transfer window, the latter having spent time on loan at the Potters last season are also both doubtful for the fixture.


Former Stoke loanee Chris Riggott may miss out on a return to the Britannia Stadium with a knee injury

  In contrast to our excellent home form this season, Middlesbrough’s away form has been poor, with just three wins from eighteen on the road all season meaning Stoke on paper should be favourites. Despite this, and their lengthy injury list, Boro will definitely be up for the game, desperate, like Stoke to retain their top flight status. It’s at times like these that the form book can be thrown out of the window, so all we can really do is sit back and hop for the best come five o’clock on Saturday.

Key Battles:

Ricardo Fuller v David Wheater
I expect Fuller to start for Stoke for the first time in six weeks and he’ll be keen to be on top form as he stakes his claim to a place in Pulis’s first choice eleven for the rest of the season. He’ll come up against England Under 21 defender David Wheater, who, despite his aerial prowess is not the best defender with the ball at his feet. If we can  move away from our usual long ball game, and utilise the pace and skill of Fuller, we may get some joy here.

Picture of Ricardo Fuller  Picture of David Wheater

Andy Wilkinson v Stewart Downing
Downing, who missed a penalty the last time the two teams met, is without doubt Middlesbrough’s biggest threat from the left wing. Another strong showing is required from Wilkinson to keep him quiet on Saturday.

Picture of Andy Wilkinson  Picture of Stewart Downing

Middlesbrough Squad:

Goalkeepers: Brad Jones (27), Ross Turnbull (24), Jason Steele (18)

Defenders: Emanuel Pogatetz (26), David Wheater (22), Robert Huth (24), Chris Riggott (28), Justin Hoyte (24), Andrew Taylor (22), Tony McMahon (22), Jonathan Grounds (21), John Johnson (20), Joe Bennett (18)

Midfielders:Stewart Downing (24), Gary O’ Neil (25), Didier Digard (22), Julio Arca (28), Matthew Bates (22), Adam Johnson (21), Mohamed Shawky (27), Josh Walker (20), Seb Hines (20)

Forwards: Afonson Alves (28), Tuncay Sanli (27), Marlon King (28), Jeremie Aliadiere (25), Marvin Emnes (20), Nathan Porritt (19), Jonathan Franks (18)

Star Man: Stewart Downing

24 year old left-winger Downing is undoubtebly Middlesbrough’s best player. After a move to a bigger club failed to materialise for him in the summer, he has been one of the bright points of a bad season for Boro, causing opponents trouble with his pace, trickery and excellent delivery. Given this, it is unsurprising that the club turned down a written transfer request from Downing two months ago. Born in Middlesbrough, he has been at the club all his footballing life, aside from a brief loan spell at local rivals Sunderland in 2003, making 173 league appearances and scoring seventeen goals; his goalscoring being the one aspect of his game that shows room for improvement. He has already been capped 21 times by England, but has never scored a full international goal, and seems to have a bright future ahead of him. As someone steadfastly against the level of influence agents now have on the game, it’s good to know that Downing once had his arrested after complaining about the improper way he dealt with his affairs.


Comparative Club Stats:
(Superior In Bold)             Stoke                      Middlesbrough

League Position:                                                            18th                               19th

Goals Scored:                                                                  35                                     35

Goals Conceded:                                                             54                                     50

Home Record: (W,D,L)                                                    8,5,4                                7,7,4

Away Record: (W,D,L)                                                    1,4,12                              3,3,12

Clean Sheets:                                                                    8                                     7

Failed to Score:                                                                11                                    13

Form:                                                                           LWDDLW                          DLLWWD

Top Scorer:                                                                  Fuller (7)                           Alves (7)

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