Deep In My Heart, Middlesbrough v Blackburn || Middlesbrough F.C. news, reviews and comment

DEEP IN MY HEART 10-8-07
Middlesbrough vs Blackburn Rovers, 11th August 2007, The Riverside Stadium
James Keen

Writing my first match preview of the season has caused a very mixed bag of emotions to surface; excited that a new season is upon us and excited that I'll be able to air my views once again on my favourite Boro site, but also a little bit disappointed and slightly frustrated that Boro have once again, failed to deliver adequate excitement and anticipation in the transfer market.

Whilst I don't think spending like a sailor is the way forward - take note Mr Eriksson - because it can have an unsettling affect, we needed to strengthen more than we have, particularly considering the amount of players we have allowed to leave the Riverside this summer.

I am however delighted with the new crop of players. Luke Young and Tuncay Sanli are very good signings, Jeremie Aliadiere looks electric and my fingers are well and truly crossed for him. And Jonathan Woodgate - no need to say anything else about Woodgate really. Let's hope he gets fit and stays fit.

The loss of Viduka will hit hard, but I bare no ill feeling to the pie eating Aussie. He signed a three year contract and stayed for three years, terms of agreement met. I'd wish him luck, but he joined the Skunks so I'd rather not!

But I think that with a bit of craft we can form a decent attack without him. Manchester United won the League operating without a target man. I don't think we'll win the league, but this is a formula that can work, given time.

I am also slightly disappointed by the loss of James Morrison, a young man with a good talent and who hasn't really been given a fair crack of the whip. His goalscoring record is reasonable for a youngster trying to make his way in the game and his enthusiasm is second to none.

I hoped he would turn the Baggies down and fight for his place, I really did. He's a loss, particularly considering our lack of right sided options.

I think the main cause of my nonchalance is the fact that we've stood still a little. We've bought to strengthen our first eleven, but our squad remains young, inexperienced and wafer thin in places.

But hopefully, barring the terrible injury situation at centre-back, we should have a decent side out against the season's first visitors to Teesside, Blackburn Rovers.

Blackburn have had a summer similar to our own. Like our situation with Yakubu, they had to endure constant fending off of supposed 'Big Clubs' from trying to sign their star striker, Benni McCarthy. They've made a selection of decent signings and had several low key departures, including former Boro boy Andy Todd to Derby.

The big movers into Blackburn have been Roque Santa Cruz from Bayern, a good signing and one that will definitely add quality to Blackburn's side, and my personal favourite signing of theirs, Maceo Rigters from NAC Breda, a lively and quality player who I think will be one of the league's surprise packages, but unlikely to start against the Boro.

Blackburn will come to the Riverside with high hopes of an opening day victory, and why shouldn't they? They've already competed in the Intertoto Cup and squeezed into the UEFA Cup to face the giants of MyPa, and so should already be in prime condition to face the Boro.

But their pre-season, like the Boro's, has been an uninspiring one. A 2-1 defeat at mid-table League One side Huddersfield would have done nothing for confidence, but the 3-0 away victory at Preston was impressive and sound. Similar to our boys, the Alkmaar victory was a good one, but results against Hearts and Burnley weren't what a side of Boro's calibre should be happy with.

The danger men for Blackburn are obvious, McCarthy and Pedersen, two players of undeniable quality, but they also have the fire power of new signing Santa Cruz, and waiting in the wings they have Matt Derbyshire to call upon, a striker who impressed during the Under 21 championship and a player really pressing his claim for a place in the Rovers first eleven.

Their other players, although good, do not really have the world-class credentials that these players boast. Tugay is creative but not inspirational, and the rest of their squad is made up of steady away Premiership players and that is perhaps why Boro should be able to hurt Blackburn.

In beating Blackburn, Huddersfield Town found a weakness in Blackburn's armoury. They haven't got any player who can unlock a tight defence. Town defended in numbers and defended deep and Blackburn simply could not break through. Bearing in mind Huddersfield lost 3-0 just four days earlier at the hands of Rochdale, this was some achievement and a great result for the Terriers.

David Dunn in his prime could do this, but their current players haven't really got what it takes to break a side down. Couple this with Boro's new fast and slick approach and we could be on to a winner.

Counter-attacking football! A dangerous game to play at home, but Arsenal have done it for years, so why can't we?

Utilising the pace of Downing on the left, Aliadiere down the middle and Tuncay on the right, Boro should be able to break through sides in seconds from box to box. And a side like Blackburn, lacking in pace at the back, will be a tough nut to crack, but will crack if squeezed hard enough.

My main fear because of the loss of Viduka is the lack of aerial presence in the box. Will this dampen the effects of Stewart Downing's best asset? Only time will tell.

Maybe Mr Southgate will have to get Yak in for some heading practice, although credit where it's due, he got a header against AZ Alkmaar, so perhaps he's already trying.

It will be a tough game, and one that I am sure will be close, but, considering we are the home side I do not expect to lose. Had it been at Ewood I may have had my doubts, but at the Riverside we should beat sides like Blackburn.

Likely outcome: My heart tells me it will end in a 2-1 Boro win, but my head is saying sit on the fence, 2-2.

Last Season: Middlesbrough 0-1 Blackburn Rovers (Nonda 27)

Boro Form (most recent result first): WWLDLL

Blackburn Form: WWDDWW

Probable Teams:

Boro: Schwarzer, Young, Taylor, Davies, Riggott, Boateng, Arca, Tuncay, Downing, Yakubu, Aliadiere

Blackburn: Friedel, Ooijer, Warnock, Samba, Nelson, Mokoena, Bentley, Tugay, Pedersen, McCarthy, Santa Cruz

Man to Watch: Morton Gamst Pedersen

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