Bolton 1-2 Middlesbrough

Our next up and coming is against Middlesbrough.

Are we going to get another tonking considering that Boro are currently top of the Championship table or will the lads play better now that the pressure is off knowing that we are already relegated and maybe even push for a draw perhaps?

Will Jimmy Phillips be trying out the youngsters again and giving them some much needed first team experience?

Here are some stats for you all...

Boro's last 5 Championship results (most recent first):

Middlesbrough 2-1 Reading
Middlesbrough 1-0 Preston
Middlesbrough 3-0 Huddersfield
QPR 2-3 Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough 1-0 Hull City

Last 5 meetings between both teams (most recent first):

Middlesbrough 3-0 Bolton
Middlesbrough 1-0 Bolton
Bolton 1-2 Middlesbrough
Bolton 2-2 Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough 1-0 Bolton

I can only feel that it will be another loss.

My prediction: Bolton 0-3 Middlesbrough

Dread to think what it might be. We've talked often enough about playing with pride- but a notion such as that seems to bypass them. It'll be a damage limitation exercise again with us scoring nil and trying to limit them to only a couple of goals.

0-2 would be a good result

Can't wait to be subjected to the massed ranks of the Smoggy army singing their pathetic "You are my Boro" anthem at us in triumph as well as "Going down, going down" etc.

I would have predicted 0-4 to them but Captain Pratley's been rallying our troops for the last couple of days so I'll now say 0-6 to them.

Doesn't matter now ... they will tonk us ....all we can do is try to give them a game. Of course stranger things have happened.....they take us lightly and come out a half speed and we nick a goal....

But for us generally we are just giving experience to our kids now.

Ref watch: Keith Stroud to run the rule over Middlesbrough meeting

Keith Stroud will take charge of Wanderers’ televised lunch-time clash with Middlesbrough at Macron Stadium on Saturday.

Boasting Premier League experience, the Hampshire-based official has refereed five Whites matches in the past – the most recent being last season’s away victory over Cardiff City.

So far this season Mr Stroud has controlled proceedings in 40 matches, handing out 171 yellow cards and 11 red cards.

Peter Wright and Jonathan Hunt will run the line, while David Coote is the fourth official.

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Preview: Bolton v Middlesbrough

SETTING THE SCENE
With relegation to Sky Bet League One confirmed last weekend, Bolton Wanderers host promotion-chasing Middlesbrough in front of the Sky cameras this weekend.

The second tier’s lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, defeat to Derby County sealed the Whites’ fate in their last outing, with their last victory coming back in early-February.

Although boasting the superior record in this fixture with 51 victories to Boro’s 42, it is the visitors who have the upper-hand over Bolton in recent meetings, emerging triumphant in four of the last five clashes between the two sides.

Currently sitting top of the Sky Bet Championship after Tuesday night’s victory over Reading, the Teessiders come into Saturday’s televised match on the back of five-game winning run.

Despite showing inconsistency on their travels having won twice on the road in 2016, Middlesbrough did clinch all three points from their last away outing against Queens Park Rangers at the start of the month.

With every point vital for Boro at this stage of the season, the scene is set for an intriguing clash at Macron Stadium as the Trotters look to end their season positively.

TEAM NEWS
Dorian Dervite, Gary Madine and Wellington Silva are all making good progress as they look to return from injury before the end of the campaign.

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Jay Spearing is unlikely to play for the club again this season while Max Clayton (hamstring) remains a long-term absentee despite recently stepping up his rehabilitation.


LAST MIDDLESBROUGH XI (v Reading, W2-1)
Konstantopoulos, Friend, Ayala, de Laet, Gibson, Leadbitter (Forshaw 59), Clayton, Downing, Nsue (Ramirez 67), Adomah, Rhodes (Nugent 87). 

ONE TO WATCH
Moving to the Riverside Stadium on loan for the remainder of the season from Southampton back in January, Gaston Ramirez has certainly made his mark on the club so far with six goals to his name already. 

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Previously on the books at Penarol and Bologna, he moved to St Mary’s in 2012 for £12m but has seen his opportunities limited so far. 

Also loaned to Hull for the 2014/15 season, the midfielder is a full international with Uruguay and hoping to continue his fine form for Boro as they look to secure promotion to the Premier League after last season’s Play-Off Final defeat to Norwich City.

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We may as well give the younger players match experience in preparation for next season and let the out of contract cowboys find another sucker club.

Totally disagree. We could lose this 10-0 if we put out the kids. I'd rather see the experienced players out there - they may be shit and will probably lose 3 or 4 nil - but it's better than the humiliation of double figures.

how are the younger players ever going to get experience if we don't play them Nat? We are already down and we will be relying on quite a few of the younger players next season so we have to start blooding them now

Norpig wrote:how are the younger players ever going to get experience if we don't play them Nat? We are already down and we will be relying on quite a few of the younger players next season so we have to start blooding them now

If you put all the kids in and they get trounced 10-0 do you honestly think that is helping their development? A losing mentality is difficult to shake off - you should know that better than most, Norpig.

Bring kids through one or two at a time, not all at once.

what do mean i should know about a losing mentality? you looking for a punch up? 

i do get your point Nat but do we really want to see the likes of Moxey, Wheater and Pratley in a White shirt again? I know i don't. I suppose we need to keep some of the senior players but not many of them fall into the acceptable wage category for next season i would think.

Norpig wrote:what do mean i should know about a losing mentality? you looking for a punch up? 

Keep your wig on, it was only a joke.

Norpig wrote:i do get your point Nat but do we really want to see the likes of Moxey, Wheater and Pratley in a White shirt again? I know i don't. I suppose we need to keep some of the senior players but not many of them fall into the acceptable wage category for next season i would think.

Don't get me wrong, I'd ship the lot out at the end of the season, the useless wankers.

However, a trouncing for the last few games will help no one, certainly not the kids.

Oh, and I should say I expect everyone to abuse Nugent.

I know it's a big ask but we could do with you lot doing us a favour here.

Hope we dont.

Copper Dragon wrote:I know it's a big ask but we could do with you lot doing us a favour here.

 you're right Copper, it's a big ask 

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Norpig wrote:how are the younger players ever going to get experience if we don't play them Nat? We are already down and we will be relying on quite a few of the younger players next season so we have to start blooding them now

If you put all the kids in and they get trounced 10-0 do you honestly think that is helping their development? A losing mentality is difficult to shake off - you should know that better than most, Norpig.

Bring kids through one or two at a time, not all at once.

Stunningly I agree with this .....
Although even if we fielded 11 kids Boro would not likely score more than 5 or 6 due to taking their foot of the accelerator and subbing their own players out.  But Nat's point is correct.