How confident about Middlesbrough?

[Bozza]

I really wanted the onus on attacking to be on Boro as I think it would really suit our game to counter-attack them.

That view was reinforced when I had a quick look at OneBoro last night, and their thread that was in progress as we played Derby. They were very impressed/scared/terrified at the pace of our breaks.

As Boro will have no obvious need to push forward in numbers, and with Karanka being naturally cautious, our chances to break are likely to be few and far between.

We may need to rely on set pieces, and Dunk is a big loss there.

 

[darkwolf666]

I'm quietly confident and believe the boys think they can do it. For those unconfident it's just 90minutes anything can happen. With Hemed up top we always look to have a striker who's going to score. With Skalák all it takes is one set piece to be whipped in with goldson to get on the end of. But for me WEVE GOT KNOCKAERT who can produce a moment at anytime to single handily win us the game.

Believe people

Yep confident that CH will have the team set up to play for the win. Yesterday was a funny day with so many variables before play.

Now the simple FACT is win for glory.

 

[Maldini]

It's the biggest game in english football this season.Bigger than a play-off final.It's the proper way to get promoted.Automatic promotion.
Personally I don't like the idea of promotion through the play-offs.

I hope we go into the game giving it our all and not letting it affect us that if we don't win we have the play-offs to fall back on.

 

[Blues Rock DJ]

feeling in my water that a certain BZ still might have a final swansong ?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I'm concerned we've only got 4 days to recover when Boro have had 8 days. Hopefully any knocks or injuries won't come into our ability to play well.

 

[Maldini]

The Amex looked great on Sky yesterday.

Usually there are a few thousand less and you have the empty seats but yesterday it was a great advert for Brighton and Hove Albion.

I have no doubt plenty of away fans want us to go up so they can have a weekend away in the town etc.

Either that or a weekend away in Boro.No thanks.

 

[BensGrandad]

I have mixed views confident that the team have the bit between their teeth and feel they can do it and also wonder how Kranka will set his team out to get a draw. But I have the sneaky feeling that we are destined for the play offs and failure and for me to not see us in the Premier. I feel it is this year or possibly not for some years to come.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

No reason not to go there full of confidence. One thing is for sure and that is the team spirit in our squad is higher than that of Boro and I know we will go there and give it a right go. Our players will be on the beach when the play-offs are on.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

I have mixed views confident that the team have the bit between their teeth and feel they can do it and also wonder how Kranka will set his team out to get a draw. But I have the sneaky feeling that we are destined for the play offs and failure and for me to not see us in the Premier. I feel it is this year or possibly not for some years to come.

This is the biggest consolation prize of all for me. It's NOT now or never. Everything about this club says that if we're not in the Premier League, we will be challenging to get there every single year from now on. Hughton isn't going anywhere. We will go up. This year (hopefully), next year, the year after that, maybe even the year after that. We WILL go up.

 

[BensGrandad]

I'm concerned we've only got 4 days to recover when Boro have had 8 days. Hopefully any knocks or injuries won't come into our ability to play well.

I dont think that will be a problem as there didnt seem any serious injuries yesterday other than possibly Goldson but I am sure that with their hot and cold baths they will over come the aches and pains and after a somewhat uninspired performance yesterday will be keen to get out on the pitch again to put it right. There is very little time for them to think and worry about it.

 

[07May2016]

I think we can do it Boro form not great ATM and we can grind it out!

Really? We're unbeaten in the last 9, 6 wins 3 draws. We've lost 2 home games all season. I'm not saying you can't come here and win, but you're clutching at straws there.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Our players will be on the beach when the play-offs are on.

Just like we were in the second half against Palace

 

[Icy Gull]

This is the biggest consolation prize of all for me. It's NOT now or never. Everything about this club says that if we're not in the Premier League, we will be challenging to get there every single year from now on. Hughton isn't going anywhere. We will go up. This year (hopefully), next year, the year after that, maybe even the year after that. We WILL go up.

I am in no rush to go up as I love this division, but for the finances and being able to continue building the team rather than rebuilding it we need to go up this season. We will lose some key players if we don't IMO.

As long as TB doesn't decide to cut his losses, being at the sharp end of the Championship is FUN and once the disappointment of not making it, if we don't, I will be full of enthusiasm for next season come August.

Re the thread title, I am not all confident and I will be less confident of going through the playoffs. We don't seem able to beat the top teams in this division, how many wins is it? One over the top 6 all season?

 

[Official Old Man]

Confident.

 

[Marshy]

Form, home records etc totally goes out of the window on this one.

Its who handles the occasion best on the day that will come out on top.

 

[Simster]

I really wanted the onus on attacking to be on Boro as I think it would really suit our game to counter-attack them.

That view was reinforced when I had a quick look at OneBoro last night, and their thread that was in progress as we played Derby. They were very impressed/scared/terrified at the pace of our breaks.

As Boro will have no obvious need to push forward in numbers, and with Karanka being naturally cautious, our chances to break are likely to be few and far between.

We may need to rely on set pieces, and Dunk is a big loss there.

Very much this, unfortunately. The loss of Dunk is almost as much of a loss as the loss of those two dropped points. We're left praying that Greer is match fit and sufficiently capable to slot in and hoping that Chris Hughton has got the lads practising set pieces all week. We do have Skalek, so that's where our initial danger is going to come from.

 

[nicko31]

Whatever happens Chris has got as much as he can out of this team, the togetherness is not just a clique. The last minute goal said everything about this team.

Think Boro have better players on paper than us but we all know that means little on the day.

 

[Simster]

Really? We're unbeaten in the last 9, 6 wins 3 draws. We've lost 2 home games all season. I'm not saying you can't come here and win, but you're clutching at straws there.

No he's not - you haven't won any of your last three games and you've just drawn at Birmingham, a team that Brighton and Burnley both saw off recently. We're undoubtedly in better form than you.

None of that changes the fact that we have to WIN at your place, and you don't lose many. And the chances are that we might even need two goals, and no team has done that at the Riverside since the middle of 2014.

 

[Loftslaces]

Anything can happen and Houghton will get the kitchen sink out for the last half an hour - will be exciting whatever happens

 

[Marshy]

If i was a Boro fan i would be confident, at home and only needing a draw.

But its a BIG game, anything can happen, whoever handles the day best will triumph