No More Teeslide, Boro' on the up!

DONCASTER ROVERS
V
MIDDLESBROUGH

'Boro' are sitting very pretty amongst the 4 teams occupying the play-off places, all of whom have 24 points. They have a fearsome away record showing 4 away wins in the bag already.  Not a team, who a side struggling to find their way at the minute want to be meeting.

But hang on a minute Fuzz mate, take a look at those teams and you see Crystal Palace who were beaten at the Keepmoat by a gluteus deflection; Hull, from whom we took a point and Derby, well all good runs must come to an end!  Anyway, the point remains.  All is not lost!  Do we need an omen?  OK, its another 1st of the month fixture and the last time Rovers failed to win one of those was exactly 3 years ago when we drew 0:0 with Swansea!

Last season saw Rovers swept aside 3:0 at the Riverside on the final day.  Well, we were safe, nothing more to play for and were pretty rubbish too!  At the Keepmoat Rovers beat Middlesbrough 2:1 in our last fixture of 2010.  That was a night when the temperature at the Keepmoat dropped to well below casual fan endurance levels.  In fact, probably uniquely, at half time, a local cup final that was to be played the next day, was called off due to a frozen pitch after a pitch inspection.  Rovers' winner came four minutes into injury time too so it wasn't just the cold that sent Boro' fans home bitter that evening!

Rovers also won their next fixture, on New Years' day against Scunthorpe, the last time they have managed two successive wins.

DONCASTER ROVERS

I’m going to do everything I can to help the team be successful. I love challenges. I went to Bolton and Rangers when people would not have expected me to do so. - El Hadji Diouf

Well Donny appear to have signed someone since the last game.  Love him or loath him,  El Hadji Diouf certainly seems big news, actually having Doncaster Rovers trending on twitter on the day he signed.

I can't see Diouf starting tomorrow.  Looking at the film of him taken at his first Cantley Park training session, there's a pound or two still to be lost, a point that was confirmed by "Big Sam", when West Ham decided against signing the controversial striker.

Well fitness, or lack of it should be a temporary condition for a footballer and there is no doubt about it, lacklustre performances against Portsmouth and Coventry show Donny need something or someone.  Let's hope Mr. Diouf can bring what is needed.

Other news,  Rovers are determined to keep hold of Billy Sharp.  Well that's what the headline says make of it what you will.  Whatever we make of it, a future partnership of Dioufy and Sharpy could be tasty.  Sadly, we won't be seeing Billy tomorrow as he is on leave with personal problems.  

MIDDLESBROUGH

Going to Doncaster is never easy, I remember going there last year and losing late on so I’m expecting a very tough game and I’m sure we’ll get one. - Tony Mowbray

The downward slide on Teeside looks now to have been abated as, since appointing Tony Mowbray at this time last season Boro have been generally upwardly mobile.  I don't think the success can be totally down to Mowbray, but he's a good manager with an affinity with the club.  Such things don't hurt.

Looking at the highlights and the first thing I'll do is give a shout-out for Southampton.  They do not look like a flash in the pan as they played Middlesbrough off the park on Saturday.

I can be critical of the Boro' defence.  The marking was very loose and very loose became non-existent when faced with the movement they were being subjected to.  The other sin was standing off in midfield against a Southampton side who are very capable of being patient as well as direct as this 27-pass move demonstrates.

Flash stuff.  Southampton were also brilliant off the ball, never allowing Boro' chance to settle.

So we've established the loss on Staurday was as much to do with very good opponents as it was with defensive frailty.

Moving on to the 2:0 victory gained by Boro' over Derby and it has to be said that Boro' got away with that one.  That frailty against movement was there to be seen again as Derby hit the woodwork a number of times  and had Luke Steele performing at his best.

Still, a long range effort from Hoyt that was deflected in off Willaims showed Rovers can't rest around their penalty area tomorrow evening.  The second goal was a Marvin Emnes header.  He's obviously one to watch, with 6 league goals already in this campaign.

So move them about and don't let them settle Donny and there's a win.  But work like you have in the last two and the omens will not be good.

Enjoy the game everyone!