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DATE:
Sunday 27th
November 2005
MATCH PREVIEW BY: Martyn Todd A rejuvenated Albion go into battle
with Steve McClaren’s Middlesbrough after picking up an impressive 4-0 win
against Everton last Saturday. Baggies’ boss Bryan Robson faces a
selection dilemma for the trip to the North-East
with inspirational defender Paul Robinson available again after serving a
three game ban.
The decision Robson must
make is a simple one, does he change a winning team?
On-loan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland was also set to
come back into the
reckoning after recovering from the bruised kidney he suffered
during the Baggies’ defeat to Bolton last month but
despite returning to training he will not be considered for selection. Boro recorded their fifth league win of
the season last weekend with their 3-2 victory against Fulham,
young midfielder James Morrison, Aiyegbeni Yakubu and Jimmy-Floyd
Hasslebaink all getting on the scoresheet. Thursday night saw Steve McClaren's men
reach
the last 32 of the UEFA Cup following a
hard fought 0-0 draw away at Dutch side AZ Alkmaar
but despite their recent good form Boro
remain arguably the most inconsistent team in the Premiership. On their day
they are capable of beating anyone, at other times they can be truly
dreadful. With
both teams having virtually full-strength sides
and with both teams picking up good wins last weekend, both should be full
of confidence and hopefully we will see an open and
attractive game. It will be hard but if Albion play how we know they
can then they are more than capable of returning
home with at least a point, as I said last week though, we all know what
Albion are like! I'm going to go for a 2-1 home win,
snow permitting of course! COME ON YOU BAGGIES!!! ALBION Albion will be without
Hungarian midfielder Zoltan Gera due to a groin injury whilst strikers
Kevin
Campbell (ankle) and Geoff Horsfield (calf) are both rated as slight
doubts. On-loan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland was expected to return to the
squad after returning to training but he is not yet considered ready for
selection. Boss Bryan Robson will otherwise
have a fully fit squad to choose from with Paul Robinson returning after
his three game suspension. Possible Line-up:
Tomasz Kuszczak,
Paul Robinson, Neil Clement, Curtis Davies, Martin Albrechtsen, Jonathan
Greening, Ronnie Wallwork, Junichi Inamoto, Diomansy Kamara, Nathan
Ellington, Kanu.
MIDDLESBROUGH Middlesbrough will
be without defender Abel Xavier who on Wednesday received an 18 month ban
from UEFA for failing a drugs test. Boro are sweating on the fitness of
Aussie keeper Mark Schwarzer who is struggling to shake off a shoulder
injury but otherwise Steve McClaren will have a fully fit squad to choose
from. Possible Line-up:
Brad Jones,
Franck Queudrue, Chris Riggot, Gareth Southgate, George Boateng, Fabio
Rochemback, Emanuel Pogatetz, Stuart Panarby, Aiyegbeni Yakubu,
Jimmy-Floyd Hasslebaink, James Morrison.
THIS SEASON
Middlesbrough
currently lie in 11th place in the Barclays Premiership with 18 points from
13 games.
Aiyegbeni Yakubu
is the club's leading scorer with eight league and
cup goals. Boro have won four
of their last six league
and cup games. Their last match saw them draw 0-0
away at AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Cup, a result that meant they qualified for
the last 32 of the competition.
They have also reached the fourth round of the Carling
Cup, beating Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park in the last round. LAST SEASON Finished
7th in the Barclays Premiership with 55 points. They were knocked out of the FA Cup in
the 4th round by Manchester United and were beaten in the 4th round of the
Carling Cup by Liverpool. The
club also reached the last 16 of the UEFA Cup before losing to Sporting
Lisbon. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink finished the season as
Middlesbrough's top goalscorer with 16 league and cup goals. ONES TO WATCH Jimmy
Floyd Hasselbaink - Strong, quick and a deadly finisher. On his day he's one
of the top strikers in the Premiership if not Europe.
Aiyegbeni Yakubu - Very much like Hasselbaink; possesses strength, pace,
silky skills and an excellent goalscoring record.
George
Boateng - Tough tackling, hard working midfielder. Full of energy and drive,
he's the cornerstone of Boro's midfield.
The first ever meeting of the two clubs came in
September 1892 when Albion travelled up to the North-East for a friendly
game at Boro's Linthorpe Road ground and returned home on the end of a 7-2
thrashing.
Albion first met Middlesbrough in competitive action
during the 1900/01 season in a third round FA Cup tie away at Boro. Albion
came out on top 1-0 thanks to a goal from Freddie Buck.
The first league meeting between the two sides took
place the following season, Albion completing the double over Boro by
winning 2-1 away and 2-0 at The Hawthorns.
Albion's biggest victory against Middlesbrough came at
The Hawthorns in January 1935, the Baggies running out 6-3 winners. The
following season Albion recorded a 5-2 victory at The Hawthorns, W.G.
Richardson scoring four of the Albion goals.
Middlesbrough's best result against Albion is 4-0,
achieved in March 1974 at The Hawthorns and in April 2005 at the Riverside
Stadium - the last meeting of the two sides.
Albion's last victory against Boro came in a
Premiership clash at The Hawthorns in November 2002 when a goal from Danny
Dichio was enough to give Albion all three points.
Albion's last victory in Middlesbrough came in February
1952, Albion running out 1-0 winners thanks to a goal from George Lee.
The Baggies have lost on 13
of their last 15 visits to Middlesbrough.
LAST MEETING AT THE RIVERSIDE STADIUM
Middlesbrough
4-0 Albion
Middlesbrough:
Jones, Cooper (Davies 37), Southgate, Ehiogu, Queudrue, Downing, Doriva,
Boateng, Zenden (Parlour 65), Nemeth (Graham 87), Hasselbaink. Subs not
used: Knight (gk), Wheater Goalscorers: Nemeth 26, 36,
Hasselbaink 32, Downing 93
Albion: Hoult, Albrechtsen (Inamoto HT), Gaardsoe, Clement,
Robinson, Gera (Horsfield 79), Wallwork, Scimeca, Chaplow, Campbell (Kanu
HT), Earnshaw. Subs not used: Kuszczak (gk), Moore
Referee:
Howard Webb (South
Yorkshire)
Half-Time:
Middlesbrough 3-0 Albion Attendance: 32,951 Conditions: Bright sunny day, cool breeze Sky Sports Match Report:
Bryan Robson endured a miserable return to The Riverside as
Middlesbrough dumped West Brom back into the relegation zone courtesy
of a 4-0 victory. A first half brace from Szilard Nemeth, allied to a Jimmy
Floyd Hasselbaink goal and Stewart Downing free kick, condemned The Baggies
to the bottom three in The Premiership. Baggies boss Robson headed back to
his old haunt looking to pick up the points to keep his current side in the
top flight but his successor Steve McClaren was the one left with a broad
smile as Boro moved into the Uefa Cup positions.
In a topsy-turvy first half, Boro were indebted to rookie
goalkeeper Brad Jones for keeping them in the contest before the home attack
ripped a shoddy Baggies back-line to shreds with a devastating three-goal
blast in the space of 10 minutes. Jones first came to Boro's rescue after 10
minutes when he produced a fine fingertip save to deny Kevin Campbell, who
showed great strength before firing across goal. Nemeth shot meekly wide
before Hasselbaink wastefully headed off target from eight yards after a
precise cross from the left by Boudewijn Zenden. Ugo Ehiogu was edgy in the
Boro defence and his lapse enabled
Campbell to utilise Robert Earnshaw's pace by slipping a ball through
to his strike partner. The Wales international, though, could not
lift his shot over the onrushing Jones, who had made himself a formidable
barrier. Jones then pushed out a Campbell header after a free kick from the
left and Boro scrambled the ball clear as they looked poised to buckle under
the weight of the visitors' pressure. But once the deadlock was broken on 27
minutes, Boro ensured former boss Robson endured a torrid return to The
Riverside. The impressive Zenden played
a delightful pass into the path of Hasselbaink, who tamely shot at Russell
Hoult. The Baggies keeper could only push the ball out to Nemeth, whose
scuffed shot meandered through a defender's legs before nestling into the
corner of the net. Boro were noticeably buoyed by the goal and they took
advantage of further hesitancy in the West Brom defence on 33 minutes.
Nemeth's change of pace left Thomas Gaardsoe on his backside before the
Slovak pulled the ball back from the by-line, Hoult could only turn it
towards his own net and Hasselbaink belted the ball over the line just to
make sure. More sloppy goalkeeping from Hoult on 37 minutes enabled Boro to
extend their advantage again, with Hasselbaink and Nemeth once more
involved. The Dutchman's thumping drive was parried by Hoult and Nemeth
reacted quickest to head home his second of the game. Nimble striker
Earnshaw had two opportunities to bring West Brom back into the game before
the interval but he failed to connect cleanly with a header when unmarked
and he was then thwarted by a decisive challenge from Ehiogu.
The match had effectively been killed off as a contest by the
interval and the second half only served to provide Boro with a lesson in
how to protect a lead.
West Brom had brought on Kanu and Junichi Inamoto at the break but
they were unable to inspire a dramatic revival as the game trundled through
the motions. The disappointing Zoltan Gera sliced wide while Neil Clement
curled a free kick over as The Baggies mustered little in the way of a
riposte. And, on the one occasion they did carve out an opening, Jones was
again on hand to foil the visitors' efforts as he smartly pushed over Kanu's
header at the far post. Geoff Horsfield could have snared a consolation for
the visitors but Jones firstly deflected the ball as the striker looked to
round the keeper and then scurried back into his goal to block the
substitute's shot from a tight angle.Downing rubbed further salt into the
West Brom wounds when he stylishly curled home a free kick late on to lift
Boro into seventh place.
CURRENT CONNECTIONS
Baggies’ boss Bryan Robson spent seven years as boss of
Middlesbrough. Taking over from Lennie Lawrence in 1994, originally
as player/manager, Robson led Boro to two promotions to the Premiership as
well as one FA Cup and two League Cup finals. Albion assistant Nigel
Pearson spent four years as captain at
Middlesbrough under Robson after signing from Sheffield Wednesday
in 1994.
Boro defender Ugo Ehiogu began his playing career at The
Hawthorns. He made his league debut for the Baggies in September 1990
but after making just two appearances for the club he left to join
local rivals Aston Villa.
Baggies’ midfielder Jonathan Greening moved to The Hawthorns
from Middlesbrough in July 2004 after spending three years at the
Riverside Stadium.
Current
Middlesbrough reserve team coach Malcolm Crosby spent 18 months as
Albion’s assistant manager under Denis Smith
(1997-99). Middlesbrough goalkeeping
coach Paul Barron played 73 times for Albion between 1982 and 1985. PAST CONNECTIONS
Amongst the
players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Mark Barham,
Andy Dibble, Alan Miller, David Mills, Stan Rickaby, Andy Townsend and Kenny
Wharton.
Former Albion boss Brian Little was a coach at
Middlesbrough during the 1980's; Another ex-Albion manager Nobby Stiles had
a spell as a Boro player; Former Baggies' keeper Bob Ward became a physio at
Middlesbrough.
ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS MIDDLESBROUGH LAST TEN MATCHES AGAINST MIDDLESBROUGH
Tickets for this game are now on general sale. Albion have been allocated 2,100 seats, priced £24 adults, and £15 OAPs and juniors. They can be purchased from the East Stand ticket office until 4pm on Friday, November 25 and up until kick-off at the Riverside Stadium's Satellite box office. |
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Downing 55 (foul)