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DEEP IN MY HEART 22-9-07
Middlesbrough v Sunderland, 22nd September 2007, The Riverside Stadium
James Keen
Is there a better way to make up for a poor show last week than with a win against our local rivals, Slumberland?
I really don't think there is, and, as long as things go well all the problems and disappointment of last week will be forgotten and forgiven then we'll all be celebrating in the pub on Saturday night, safe in the knowledge that bragging rights have been secured once again.
Last weekend we saw Sunderland pick up an excellent 2-1 win against Reading, and their 'bargain' £6million man Kenwyn Jones bag his first for the club, whilst Boro and our £6million man Mido drew a blank and lost 3-0 in the capital.
But none of that is relevant, or will have any impact on this weekend's proceedings. Derby games stand alone in the fixture list. The form book has no relevance to the outcome.
In recent years Boro have come out on top in the majority of Tees-Wear derbies, but the last time the Mackems visited the Riverside they walked away with a 2-0 victory, their first in over twenty Premier League games. And to make things worse it was inspired by our man Julio, scorer of a wonderful free-kick.
But despite the result last time out, we need to be confident and vibrant going into this game. It is a must win fixture for both sides, but more so for Boro, because they're the home side and they are the better side. Undoubtedly.
I've long tipped our Mackem 'friends' for relegation, stating that a team of semi-professional former League of Ireland players cannot survive in the Premiership. And I still think the same. I've not seen anything from Sunderland that suggests they will survive and I've not seen them sign a single player that I had wish had joined the Boro.
They've spent about £40 million on absolutely nothing! A couple of bad strikers, an over expensive keeper and the worst winger ever to play for England. Bargain!
This weekend should see Tuncay start for just the third time this season, and I'm really looking forward to it, because I genuinely believe that this will be his day. After a game like he had last week against a decent side, he well get chances against Sunderland, and he will have worked his socks off this week to make sure that he puts things right next time round. He will be clinical and not clever this week.
The problem for a man like Tuncay is that he has arrived as a hero and then has to live up to that billing, but people didn't reckon on him needing a settling in period, which he does. And then, when he does get a run out and has chances to score he is so desperate to show people what he can do that he is trying the spectacular rather than just putting the ball in the net. A mistake he will not make again. He will learn.
Our defence wasn't the greatest last week, but when you miss chances it makes defenders panic a little and makes their jobs more difficult. And so we must take our chances against the Mackems, or we will come unstuck.
Southgate will probably be looking to give his latest signing a start, and will use the 'high tempo, blood and thunder' nature of the derby as an excuse to rest Rochemback. And so we should see Gary O'Neil line up in midfield with Downing, Boateng and Arca.
Midfield will be the key to our victory. Our wingers will be too good for Sunderland's full backs and our central midfielders too good for Dwight Yorke and friends, players sadly lacking in the ability department.
In recent years Boro have made a good habit of not losing derby games, but we've also not won an immense amount. We need that to change and we need to spend Saturday night celebrating our tenth point of the season because after all is said and done, Sunderland are the second worse side in our division. Just behind the Geordie slayers, Derby.
I fully expect a rejuvenated Boro side against Slumberland, and I expect victory, as I'm sure every Boro fan does. And if Boro want the fans to start reclaiming their seats around the Riverside then a win here will be a good start, and defeat would be catastrophic.
Fans speak with their feet and with their wallets. And when the club realise that by lowering ticket prices by as little as £5 a game they will sell an extra 5,000 tickets. This will then give a better atmosphere and will make a massive amount in extra chips and burger sales, and what's more, the extra 5,000 paying public will more than make up for losing that £5 on every other ticket.
Come on Boro, think about the fans, and think about the players, and let us make this derby weekend the first game of the rest of our season!
The start of a new revolution!
The outcome: My heart says we will walk away with a 3-0 win, but my head shoves me towards caution and a narrow 2-1 win.
Last Time We Met: Middlesbrough 0-2 Sunderland, 25th September 2005
Boro Form (most recent result first): LWWDWL
Sunderland Form: WLLLDW
Probable Teams:
Boro: Schwarzer, Young, Taylor, Wheater, Woodgate, Arca, O'Neil, Downing, Tuncay, Mido.
Sunderland: Gordon, Higginbotham, Nosworthy, Collins, McShane, Yorke, Etuhu, Leadbitter, Wallace, Chopra, Jones
Man to Watch: Roy Keane. Let's be fair - who else have they got?
RETURN TO DEEP IN MY HEART INDEX HERE
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