|
|
 |
DEEP IN MY HEART
Middlesbrough vs. Cardiff, 9th March 2008, Riverside Stadium, FA Cup Quarter Final
James Keen
As I sit, dreamily staring into the sky, thinking of the elation I will feel when Julio raises the FA Cup one sunny day in May, I couldn't care less about the path we took, the teams we faced and the luck we had. Because we are the FA Cup winners!
Dreams are born from possibility, from things that could be and things that have been. The Boro have a chance to emulate the stars of 1997 and reach the nation's showpiece final under the Arch of Wembley.
This time we would go there with experience of winning a trophy but also with the bitter pill of UEFA Cup final defeat pouring its sour taste into our mouths. This could be the year when Boro and Wembley finally put to rest this little disagreement we seem to have!
Am I getting ahead of myself?
Like all Boro fans, I am starting to fantasise, starting to wonder about what could be if we squeeze past Jimmy and Co on Sunday.
We will be making our debut at the New Wembley if we make it through. And with the luck of the draw, we could be facing a side from outside the top flight once again.
It's fairytale stuff. potentially.
Like I say, the path you take does not matter when you reach the destination you have always dreamed of!
And I, like you all, have dreamed of the day a Boro captain lifts the FA Cup since the day my Dad first told me about the Boro, about how we'd never won a thing but how we've always been a good side, just a bit unlucky is all!
Admittedly, the Sheffield United game was nigh on lifeless, largely thanks to United's tactics, and the Reading match was.... Sorry, I fell asleep just thinking about it.
But when you reach a game as big as this form goes out of the window. Who would have thought we would take Manchester United to a replay last year in the quarters?
And lead twice in the first game, only to drop out thanks to two penalties?
It'd take a brave man to bet against either side this weekend.
This game is our season. This is what we have to play for if we are to speed our club ahead again. Victory in the quarters, luck with the draw and we could be in Europe again next season.
How amazing would that be?
And all of the concerns surrounding falling crowds and crowd apathy would vanish in a moment if we qualified for Europe again.
The Boro needs our support this weekend and ticket sales have boomed for the game. This is partly owing to the prospect of getting to Wembley and needing your stubs, partly owing to the reduced costs and partly owing to the excitement a good cup game instills!
Whichever has had the biggest impact I couldn't care less because now we will have the crowd to carry us through to the semis - and I cannot wait to see the lads on the Wembley turf again.
We still need our forwards to start putting the ball in the net and after a promising game against Sheffield United, Afonso Alves looked off the pace against Reading. He needs a goal and a quarter final against a Championship side is a perfect chance to make you a hero!
I think we've missed Jeremie Aliadiere's pace in the last couple of games. The ability to get round the back of the opposition defence is a vital tool in our armoury and his absence has made us very easy to defend against.
We've also missed the colossus backline that Young, Pogatetz, Huth and Wheater provide. The young lads have done well but they're not as formidable as the regular four.
Having had eight days rest in comparison to Cardiff's five, Boro have no excuses for being off the pace in this game and should be able to press on into the next round without too much trouble.
Cardiff will try to play football, unlike the Blades, and so if we out pass them we will be fine.
But they have a number of players with Premiership experience including Trevor Sinclair, Our Jimmy, Peter Whittingham and Peter Enkleman. Caution would be advised.
I've allowed myself a little dream and will continue to do so beyond Sunday I hope because if ever we had a chance to make it to Wembley, this is it!
C'mon Boro!
The Outcome: A close game but my heart says a 2-0 win will see Boro progress to meet Bristol Rovers at Wembley. My head says we'll have to scrape by 1-0. Either way, we should win.
Boro Form (most recent result first): LWLDWD
Cardiff Form: DLLWDL
Probable Teams:
Boro: Schwarzer, Young, Grounds, Pogatetz, Wheater, O'Neil, Arca, Rochemback, Downing, Tuncay, Alves
Cardiff: Enkleman, McNaughton, Loovens, Johnson, Sinclair, Scimeca, Capaldi, McPhail, Whittingham, Parry, Hasselbaink
Man to Watch: Are you Jimmy Floyd?!
RETURN TO DEEP IN MY HEART INDEX HERE
|
|
|
BACK TO ARCHIVE INDEX
© All written site content is copyright ComeOnBoro.com 2004-2008, unless otherwise stated, and is not to be used without prior permission. |
|
