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Deep in my heart...
Middlesbrough vs Liverpool, August 13th 2005, Riverside Stadium
James Keen
Another season, another hope, another chance to dream. and dream we should, because in the seasons since Stevie Mac arrived at the Riverside we have seen many of those dreams fulfilled!
A first major trophy, two successive European qualifications and a youth academy that provides a massive chunk of today's England youth squads.
And yet, in the face of all this glory and progress, Liverpool will arrive on Teesside as favourites, and with many Boro fans praying for rather than expecting the win.
But let's look at the facts. Last season's fixture ended in a comfortable 2-0 victory. We were denied a win at Anfield late on in the campaign thanks to a Steven Gerrard wonder strike and Liverpool are this season pinning their hopes on a 6ft 7" lad who makes Andy Campbell look handsome. and good!
Admittedly this very same striker has scored the winning goal in his two previous visits to the Boro (2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, 3-1 defeat to Southampton), and would have been brimming with confidence. Luckily injury will save us from the indignity of Crouchy scoring at the Riverside again.
One man that does not require a second word is Mr Gerrard. Scoring for fun in the Champions League, one of the few genuine world-class players in the England squad and certain to give George and Gaizka something to think about.
Another interesting element of the fixture comes with the return of our latest money grabbing mercenary, Mr Zenden. He began his Boro career slowly and was referred to as one of the laziest members of the Boro squad. But after a barnstorming 2004 he was embraced into the hearts of even the most sceptical of Boro fans.
He will be missed from our engine room and injury has now put paid to the chance of him making an early Riverside return. He was a big fish in a relatively small pond at Boro, but will he sink in the ocean that is Liverpool's history? Only time will tell.
For the Mightier Reds - the Boro in case you didn't know - the forward line will provide our greatest chance of success. The development of a partnership between any two of the big three - Hasselbaink, Viduka and Yakubu, not Nemeth, Job and Christie - will surely give us exciting times in the coming weeks.
Steve McClaren's choice will rely heavily on fitness levels and whereas in the past he has only had two good strikers to choose from, he now has three. That means that he doesn't need to start an unfit striker. And if the forwards do gel then Liverpool's (often suspect) back line will be tested severely and one or two cracks may begin to appear.
I suspect that Mr Hasselbaink will feature prominently again this season, in probably his last for the club. But I would love to see the re-emergence of Massimo Maccarone in the Boro side. Massimo has always, and will always give 110% to any club he plays for, and with proven goalscorers by his side he will flourish and learn a lot.
I'm sure many would be happy with a repeat of the 1996/97 opening day 3-3 draw but settling for a draw is not good enough. They may be European champions but they finished just two points ahead of us last season in a year of so many unfortunate injuries for the Boro.
Verdict: Heads are saying it'll be a close game, 2-1 to Pool, but hearts are telling me 2-1 to the Boro is on the cards. It just depends which you think tells the most truth!
Form:
Boro: DWDDWD -
Liverpool: WWWWWW
Danger Man: Stevie Gerrard
ProbableTeams:
Boro: Schwarzer, Rieziger, Queudrue, Southgate, Riggott, Boateng, Mendieta, Downing, Parlour, Hasselbaink, Yakubu
Subs: Jones, McMahon, Bates, Maccarone, Viduka
Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Riise, Carragher, Hyypia, Gerrard, Alonso, Warnock, Sissoko, Garcia, Cisse
Subs: Carson, Whitbread, Morientes, Hamann, Diao
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