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Deep In My Heart
Middlesbrough vs Charlton Athletic, August 28th, Riverside Stadium
James Keen
What a difference a game makes. Even the most upbeat Boro fans were expecting a defeat at Birmingham and lo and behold, a 3-0 win!
Steve McClaren developed the spine that Bryan Robson could only dream of during his reign and dropped one of his superstars. A truly inspired decision to drop the out of sorts Mendieta and bring in the fresh and talented James Morrison.
Morrison and Downing worked in tandem providing excellent service to Viduka and Hasselbaink and allowing them both to put in their best performances of the season.
Admittedly we should be beating the likes of Birmingham, but the manner of the win and the form prior to the game is what will please Boro fans most.
Charlton are a different proposition, a more solid side but with less invention and craft. Alexei Smertin is a good player but should be no match for George and Ray. Danny Murphy is an excellent player but he cannot win games on his own and Darren Bent has so far set The Championship alight this season... scoring goals against Premier League temps Sunderland and Wigan.
Charlton are a solid, nothing too daft side, but sadly that also means they do nothing very exciting either. Alan Curbishley has done an excellent job in his time at Charlton but it may be time for him to find a new challenge. Charlton are becoming stale. They are in a comfort zone. Maybe it will take some defeats and a mediocre season for them to realise it.
Fear should not be brought into this game, unless you are a Charlton fan. Boro are the top side, Charlton are the wannabees. Admitedly past results against them have suggested this may end in a draw, especially as its live on Sky. But we should feel confident enough to get victory on our own ground.
Boro should again look to be scoring a few goals and making this a comfortable affair from the very off. With Viduka confident and our young wingers flying we should really be looking at a win.
It would be very nice to see Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink get on the scoresheet. He seems a little edgy at the moment and a goal would probably bring him back into form.
But we could also do with our midfield contributing. Ray Parlour hasn't scored since 1934. In fact i think he's forgotten how to shoot in his old age. George had a bit of a freak season bagging three last term and I think Boro fans would be happy with a similar return.
Its when your midfielders and defenders don't score that your strikers feel the pressure. Its much easier to finish a chance if you know someone else may put one in. We need to see this trend starting at the Riverside on Sunday, and we need to put Charlton in their place.
Head and heart are seemingly singing from the same hymn sheet this week. Head says 2-0 to Boro, heart is telling me we could even pinch a third and make it 3-0.
Probable Teams;
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Reiziger, Ehiogu, Southgate, Queudrue, Morrison, Boateng, Parlour, Downing, Hasselbaink, Viduka
Charlton Athletic: Andersen, Young, Powell, Hreidarsson, Perry; Thomas, Kishishev, Murphy, Smertin, Rommedahl, Bent
Form;
Middlesbrough DWDDLW - Charlton Athletic LLLDWW
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