2-0 to Rovers.
A scabby win in the cup will start our slow climb back up the mountain(hopefully)
I dont think we will win but a draw is a real possibility against a team also with a stuttering start.
1-1
2-0 to Rovers.
Only the second game and I can't be bothered. I am not going to attend this one, I am not feeling this at all. I'm not looking forward to going really, so I'm off to the Lakes for a walk instead with my dog. I want a nice day. Not looking forward to seeing us play so poorly, with no defence it will probably be a tough day all-round. A mix-match of players thrown together with no real game plan, no real confidence.
Boro will likely be dour, tough to beat. But probably organised.
We just won't be. And their whole game plan will be reliant on our defence and midfield will make sure they get chances. They will be good for at least one goal, no matter how poor they are.
It may click into place, but not now or in this game, with this midfield and defence.
1-2
Champs - I have no idea how you can be so certain of things. This is football. By its very essence, it is unpredictable.
Almost every game in the Championship is guesswork!
I just can't see them being so poor as to come here and not have a game plan. Boro are a decent side, solid etc. I can't see them not scoring past our defence. And that's if everyone was fit. And without any creativity I'm not sure I see us getting more than one. Best we could hope for is a dour 0-0. Which I'd take now.
I'm often told it's unpredictable football. But yet I could easily predict who will top the Prem. Who will finish second. And probably pick the top 5. And also the bottom 3.
The PL is a completely different kettle of fish. The resources available are stacked so heavily in favour of the big six, it is very difficult for anyone else to get a look in. (Hence my argument over the years for a European super-league). The money spent on players who will barely feature is ludicrous.
The Championship is totally different. Nobody predicted Norwich's success last season, while the hot favourites, Stoke, were mediocre.
I think you could look at any set of results from last year's games and pick out three or four "surprises". One feature that stood out was how many clubs had bad runs, at various points - sometimes followed by the opposite. As I've said before, Derby looked moderate when we played them for the second time, but then went into a spell that all but got them promotion.
This season too started with several shocks. Who had Birmingham down to win at Brentford? Or Charlton to start with two victories? Boro haven't won yet. Neither have Huddersfield, despite "parachute" payments, and so on.
We might well lose this Saturday, especially if the forwards continue to miss the target, but it is very difficult to form conclusions in the early stages of the season.
Rovers 1 Boro 1
Points on the board at last 2-1
Rovers 0 Boro 0.. 2 out of form teams.. nailed on I'm afraid.