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Deep In My
Heart
Grasshoppers vs Middlesbrough, October 20th 2005,UEFA Cup
James Keen
As a youngster my only dealing with the Grasshoppers of Zurich was to
see their name on the Blackburn Rovers Subbuteo team box. Apparently
they share the same kit design as the once mighty Rovers, or at least
in toy world they do.
And so we reach Middlesbrough's second successive season in Europe and
we find ourselves travelling to Switzerland for the first game in the
UEFA Cup group stage.
An unknown quantity really, many will have heard the name, but few will
have seen them play or heard of their history. The side Boro put out
will have to represent this, we need to treat them with respect, but
not too much. They have won their domestic league 27 times and
currently stand 3rd in the league. But, and I do stress, this is only
in Switzerland.
Middlesbrough are one of the top sides in this seasons UEFA Cup, with
our efforts of last season not going unnoticed. And so, a game against
the Grasshoppers should represent a great chance for the Boro to
further raise their European profile, and hopefully claim the early
lead in a group which will almost certainly be won by either Boro or AZ
Alkmaar.
Indeed, Boro were seeded higher than Zurich in the competition draw.
Grasshoppers have become the Middlesbrough of Switzerland in recent
times, employing not one, not two, but three Brazillians at the club.
Eduardo, Leandro and Rogerio are Grasshoppers greatest chance of
victory against the Boro, but they aren't the same class of Brazillian
that Boro have become accustomed to.
But knowing the Brazillian way, we can only guess that they are all
reasonable players and will almost certainly have a few tricks in their
armoury.
Boro however will play this game without their only Brazillian,
Rochemback, who is once again Cup-Tied. Boro's side has become a little
unpredictable of late, and so the choice of team for the trip to
Europe's most neutral of all venues will no doubt be different to the
side I have chosen below.
It is likely that, all being well, Jimmy Floyd and Viduka will start up
front, giving Viduka the chance to find his goalscoring feet again and
hopefully allowing Hasselbaink the chance to final break his duck for
the season.
Supporting the forwards is likely to be a defensive midfield base,
expect Doriva and Boateng to start in the middle of midfield. Where
McClaren's main decision will come is whether he starts with Mendieta
or Nemeth on the right wing, as I would be disapointed if Adam Johnson
didn't get another run out on the left hand side.
The FIFA ban on our latest recruit Abel Xavier has really put a strain
on the options we have in defence. With Stuart Parnaby recently
returning to fitness he will have to stay healthy as he will undoubtdly
be getting a run on the right side of defence.
Boro have to approach the game with the same professionalism as they
did the Villa game, and should come away with the 3 points. But only if
the players put out onto the pitch play for each other and fight till
the final whistle.
Europe for a small town like Boro is a great honour, and the players
should realise that. Because without pride and without passion Boro
will come unstuck. This is something that has been missing recently,
not least from the fans themselves. And the only way Boro are going to
find their passion is if the fans show them how much they care in a
good way.
Boro fans have always had a love without reason relationship with the
team, but now we seem to be very demanding of our side. As I have said
in previous weeks, Boro are playing better away from home because their
is much less pressure. It happens to a lot of teams. But there should
be much less pressure at home, the players should be surrounded by
warmth and love from the fans. But all they are getting is hostility
and frustration. Lets get behind the boys, firstly away to Grasshoppers
and then for the rest of the season.
We've done well to get here, lets not let impatience be our
downfall.
My head is telling me we will come away with a 1-1 draw, but my heart
says we should beat them 2-1, and Jimmy will score first.
Probable Teams:
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Parnaby,
Pogatetz, Riggott, Southgate, Boateng, Doriva, Mendieta, Johnson,
Viduka, Hasselbaink
Grasshoppers Zurich: Coltori, Stepanovs, Denicola, Mitreski,
Schwegler, Pavlovic, Dos Santos, Renggli, Seoane, Leandro, Rogerio
Form: Grasshoppers Zurich WDWLWW
Middlesbrough WDLDWD
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