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

DEEP IN MY HEART
Mansfield Town vs. Middlesbrough, 26th January 2008, Field Mill, FA Cup Fourth Round
James Keen

As cup ties go, this could be the easiest we'll get for a long, long, long time.

This glorious competition has found new life this season, with the third round throwing up shock after shock and seeing the backsides of eight Premiership sides in the process.

But against the side twenty-third in League Two, Boro should learn from the mistakes of Birmingham, Everton and Fulham and put in a performance that will brush Mansfield aside.

On top of that, if there was ever a year for the Boro to march on to the arches of Wembley and grace the turf we last graced in 1998, it is now.

With at least four more Premiership sides guaranteed fourth round exits, there is a fifty percent chance of being drawn with a lower league side for a place in the quarter finals. At this point, we can raise our game and enter the lottery of the last eight.

Billy Dearden has already stated that he feels Mansfield have no chance of victory if "Boro turn up" and so we should take that as great motivation to go to Field Mill and put on a show, not only for the travelling Boro fans, but for the success starved North Midlanders too.

Going into the tie, there are a number of questions hanging over the Boro squad. Rumours surrounding Downing, Woodgate and Rochemback can't be helpful, even though suggestions that all three will be departing during January are possibly wide of the mark.

We also still haven't solved our goal scoring problems, with Mido still not guaranteed to make his return and our moves for Afonso Alves and Chaves Fred seemingly stuck in neutral.

My instincts tell me that the stories surrounding departing players are a little exaggerated. Perhaps they may leave but I think the summer will be the earliest they will go. Even Southgate is clever enough to understand that our squad isn't big enough at the moment.

I also think that a deal will be made for one of our striker options, if not for Alves then possibly a loan deal, with players like Lucas Podolski at Bayern now being allowed to leave temporarily.

You may be able to tell by now that I'm largely avoiding the subject of Mansfield. There are two reasons for that.

Firstly, Mansfield Town is not a very exciting club and my knowledge of them is very limited. The main point, however, is that I don't want to say anything I may live to regret.

With every prediction of a Boro win I am touching wood. I can see why the BBC is televising it as if there is a shock then they don't want to miss it.

But, really? Can we lose to Mansfield?

In recent years Boro have come close to losing against some very poor sides - indeed, we lost to Notts County in the League Cup at the Riverside last year - but in light of our league position and knowing that the season is already winding down, we need this cup run.

Our performance against Bristol City showed that the players believe the same.

The Stags have one player of note - Michael Boulding. He is the former Aston Villa front man who became so disillusioned with football whilst at Villa that he gave it up for tennis.

Boulding is man with a good talent but also without the guts to cut it at the top. He will be a man out to prove a point. So Boro need to be wary of him.

Another player of whom the Boro need to be aware is his brother Rory, who looks very useful.

Boro though, with the right attitude and players, will win this game.

The Mansfield supporters will be desperately trying to put Boro off and inspire their players.

Any inspiration they supply should be easily countered by the hardworking and solid Boro backline. We just have to make sure that the efforts of our defending players are not in vain and that the Boro have been working hard on their finishing in training.

Tuncay and Aliadiere really have to stand up and be counted on Saturday, as does the rest of our squad. This is because the FA Cup does have a little magic left in it and should that magic strike tomorrow, this season will be a write off.

With the press focusing their attentions on the minnows of Havant & Waterlooville, let's sneak under their radars and push on to the fifth round and to glory!

Up the Boro!

The Outcome: My heart tells me it may be closer than I'd hoped but still 3-1 to Boro, whilst my head says don't be daft, we'll walk it 4-0.

Last time in the FA Cup: Mansfield 2-0 Middlesbrough (1967)

Boro Form (most recent result first): DDWLWL
Mansfield Form: LWLWLL

Probable Teams:
Boro: Schwarzer, Young, Pogatetz, Wheater, Huth, Boateng, Arca, Rochemback, Downing, Tuncay, Aliadiere
Mansfield: Muggleton, Jelleyman, Mullins, Martin, Hamshaw, Buxton, Brown, D'Laryea, Dawson, Bell, Boulding

Man to Watch: Michael Boulding

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