Team for Boro

[Archie's penalty]

I take your point, but do not seem why you think Doyle would be better up front than Kitson.

Kitson is better in the air
Kitson is better at holding the ball up
Kitson is better at spotting a runner
Kitson has a better shot on him and is not afraid to shoot
Kitson has at least scored in the last 2 months
Oh yeah... Kitson is a better all round player

It's not that I think it persay it's from watching a number of games with him on his own. He looks a bit lost. Also it makes much more sense to have someone who is quick to play on his own up front, especially when we have someone like Matejovsky to put balls through.

Doyle is actually pretty good at holding the ball up. If he did play up front on his own (which he won't) our midfielders would need to get up and support him. That would mean playing midfielders who can make runs and who have pace i.e Harper and Kebe and Hunt...

All this talk is irrelevant as I think Coppell will play Lita and Kitson on sat...

[juanpablo]

coppell has said wholesale changes

i fancy dela to get a run out and leroy...

[beno]

marcus
murty sonko ivar shorey
kebe cisse harper hunt
doyle kitson

subs:
fed
matej
convey
long
lita

reasoning: we need to return to the back 5 of last season who know each other inside out, but also need a tougher midfield, so put cisse there with gunnar as backup. give kebe a chance on the wing. give kits/doyle another chance with long and lita on the bench

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Hahnemann

Rosenior
Bikey
Sonko
Shorey

Kebe
Marek
Cisse
Hunt

Kitson
Lita

[Number 9]

-----------------USA-------------------
--Dela Sonko Ingamarson Shorey---
----------------Harper-----------------
----------Fae-- Bikey --Hunt---------
----------------Marek------------------
-----------------Doyle-----------------

Fed
Rosenior
Kebe
Kitson
Long

Bikey in midfield to give a bit of 'bite'. Marek to pick the lock for Doyle. Don't need defensive cover on bench with Bikey in MF. A solid yet positive starting line up and a bench that could change the game if required.

Not picking on you solely, but I really do despair when people think that Doyle should play and not Kitson. So Kit's has had 1 bad game... Doyle has had 1 shit season

I wouldn't get into a state of despair if I was you. Probably not healthy.

Anyway, I do agree that Kitson has generally played well, while Doyle has largely disapointed this year. Plus Kitson was one of our better performers against Villa IMHO. Just think that if we play with a lone striker Doyle is more suited to that role. As SSC said, its time for loyalty and personalities to go out of the window.

[Victor Meldrew]

This idea of a lone striker is fine if played by Chelsea,Arsenal or one of the Spanish sides because other players get up to support.
Whenever we and most other clubs play the system what happens is that the front man gets totally isolated.
Anyway we have shown in the past that our players aren't that hot when it comes to changes in systems and we can't afford to be all over the place on Saturday.
Lord knows what the team will be but I think we have to stick to 4-4-2 as it's the way we normally play and the players are comfortable with it.

[Number 9]

This idea of a lone striker is fine if played by Chelsea,Arsenal or one of the Spanish sides because other players get up to support.
Whenever we and most other clubs play the system what happens is that the front man gets totally isolated.
Anyway we have shown in the past that our players aren't that hot when it comes to changes in systems and we can't afford to be all over the place on Saturday.
Lord knows what the team will be but I think we have to stick to 4-4-2 as it's the way we normally play and the players are comfortable with it.

Its a good point, and you're probably right. It just seems to me that we're not competing well enough in midfield at the moment. While Marek's quality is clear and Harper gets through a huge amount of (often under-appreciated) work, we seem a little lightweight and uncompetative in the centre of the pitch. With Boris unfit, a 5 man midfield with Bikey may be a way of making the midfield more solid. This unfortunatly means dropping a striker, but away from home I think 4-5-1 may be the way to go to try to stop the rot.

[Sir Rodger Doyle]

---------------------------------- ------------------------------
--------------------As yet unidentified Keeper

---------- ------------ ---------- ------------ ----------
-------Rosenior--------Bikey-----Ingimarsson-----Shorey------

-- ---------- ----------- --------- ----------- -----
-Doyle-------Marek---------Kitson-----Harper--------Hunt-------

------------------------------- ------------------------------------
-------------------------------Lita------------------------------------

[Number 9]

---------------------------------- ------------------------------
--------------------As yet unidentified Keeper

---------- ------------ ---------- ------------ ----------
-------Rosenior--------Bikey-----Ingimarsson-----Shorey------

-- ---------- ----------- --------- ----------- -----
-Doyle-------Marek---------Kitson-----Harper--------Hunt-------

------------------------------- ------------------------------------
-------------------------------Lita------------------------------------

Could do worse. Kitson isn't afraid to put in a tackle, and can pick a pass. Why not stick him in central mid?

[Royal Rother]

---------------------------------- ------------------------------
--------------------As yet unidentified Keeper

---------- ------------ ---------- ------------ ----------
-------Rosenior--------Bikey-----Ingimarsson-----Shorey------

-- ---------- ----------- --------- ----------- -----
-Doyle-------Marek---------Kitson-----Harper--------Hunt-------

------------------------------- ------------------------------------
-------------------------------Lita------------------------------------

That made me chuckle!

[seahawk10]

---------------------------------- ------------------------------
--------------------As yet unidentified Keeper

---------- ------------ ---------- ------------ ----------
-------Rosenior--------Bikey-----Ingimarsson-----Shorey------

-- ---------- ----------- --------- ----------- -----
-Doyle-------Marek---------Kitson-----Harper--------Hunt-------

------------------------------- ------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------Lita------------------------------------

[rg6royal]

---------------------------------- ------------------------------
--------------------As yet unidentified Keeper

---------- ------------ ---------- ------------ ----------
-------Rosenior--------Bikey-----Ingimarsson-----Shorey------

-- ---------- ----------- --------- ----------- -----
-Doyle-------Marek---------Kitson-----Harper--------Hunt-------

------------------------------- ------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------Lita------------------------------------

LOL

[loyalroyal4life]

USA

ROSENIOR BIKEY SONKS SHOREY
CISSE
KEBE MAREK HUNT (C)
LITA KITSON


SUBS:

FED
DOYLE
HARPER
LONG
IVAR

[bre]

marcus
murty sonko ivar shorey
kebe cisse harper hunt
doyle kitson

subs:
fed
matej
convey
long
lita

reasoning: we need to return to the back 5 of last season who know each other inside out, but also need a tougher midfield, so put cisse there with gunnar as backup. give kebe a chance on the wing. give kits/doyle another chance with long and lita on the bench

Agree with the back five as when you look at our best run this season starting in Nov coincides with the only run of Ivar and Sonko playing together this season

[No Hoops]

By the way 'Boro are defending tonight Lita , Doyle and Kits have to all start.

Therfore

USA
Murts
Sonks
Cisse
Shorey
Doyler
Harps
Mateyboy
Hunt
Lita
Kitson

Subs
De La
Ivar
Bikey
Kebe
USA 2

I will be in a bar on a stag do in Spain, the last time I was on a beer weekend in Spain We played Pompey away!!!! Bugger

[martin fife]

Federici

Rosenior
Sonko
Bikey
De La Cruz

Kebe
Fae
Matejovsky
Hunt

Kitson
Lita


USA
Long
Harper
Oster
Cisse

[Cookie]

Middlesborough are looking tired as they battle towards extra time against the Blades.
C'mon you Blades.

[jonboy29red]

Middlesborough are looking tired as they battle towards extra time against the Blades.
C'mon you Blades.

that could either help or hinder us

[The whole year inn]

Middlesborough are looking tired as they battle towards extra time against the Blades.
C'mon you Blades.

that could either help or hinder us

How is their players struggling through 120 minutes midweek anything but a good thing from an RFC point of view?

[jonboy29red]

im hoping downing will get another yellow