A massive game tonight then and I’m really tense.
We all know what it means to the club if we don’t get promoted and I’m definitely not in the camp that says we might be better doing another season in the Championship.
It’s definitely going to be a tougher league next season, for a start, with Swansea, Stoke and Albion in there too.
No, we need promotion if it’s at all possible.
I’m feeling reasonably confident about this game, but there’s always the nagging doubt that Boro are very capable of getting the first goal from a set-piece, just the same as we did against them.
Even then, I’d expect us to get at least a draw at home to Boro and that would be enough, but it’d make for nervous watching.
Squad news and the only change on our part is Bree coming in for Elmohamady, which is no surprise.
Likewise, Boro have only made the one change, with Ayala out injured and replaced by Dael Fry. Assombalonga keeps his place after being slaughtered by his own fans after Saturday’s game.
So I’m reasonably confident then, but you never know.
Traore is again the big question mark for me and I wonder how we’re going to handle him?
Can Hutton shackle him as well as he did in the last game?
If I was Pulis, I’d give him a totally free role across the front with the expectation that he’ll pull Hutton all over the place.
Which means Bree will have to be on top of his game in keeping an eye on what’s happening.
But what do I know?
There’s been the suggestion that Boro will let us concentrate on Traore, while Pulis has some other plan based around that.
Whatever, I’m looking forward to what should be a great game with a full house roaring us on.
And I’m going for a low scoring game.
1-1 it is.
COYL!
Come on lads, just get it done.
I’ve just heard about Jloyd Samuel.
RIP fella 🙁
Gestede on bench
Team working hard and Grealish well involved.
Looking ok atm.
Adomah doesn’t look confident to me.
He’d have hit that a while back.
We’re playing too deep for my liking.
Blimey, Bree looks young.
The lad’s doing ok though.
Hutton booked.
That’s not good.
Not pretty. We seem to be set more on defending the lead. Getting too deep as well.
Interesting.
Bruce said pre-match that sitting back and hoping to hold doesn’t work.
Yet we’ve played deeper and deeper as the game’s gone on.
We need to step it up and push forward or we’re going to concede, imo.
OK but not reassuring. Worried we don’t know whether to try and defend the advantage or attack which means we are sitting deeper and Grabben is becoming isolated with us reporting to too many long balls
The Holte end 🙂
Great play then.
Grabban denied.
Bamford warming up.
Swap for Assombalonga, to speed up play?
Bamford will give us problems like last match. We need a goal to help ease the nerves – players and fans.
yes it was.
Now Gestede on.
Kodjia on for Grabban.
Besic just doen’t know how to play Grealish, like most.
And he’s booked.
Fabio on for Shotton.
All his cards played and I still don’t see a goal as it stands.
Whelan coming on for Hourihane to tighten it up even more.