A Big Bang for Boro?

Boro’s 4^th game of the season is a long journey to Portsmouth and with the injuries against us we could be in for a long day or could we?

Tuncay is out, Mido is out and Shawky is out, a huge test for Gareth and to be honest if a mini injury crisis is going to hit you it’s better off at the beginning. 

One thing I have realised is that with Tuncay and Mido out it may give Marvin Emnes a starting place, I’m sure he’s craved getting on to the pitch in the PL, well we all hope so.  He looked impressive in pre-season and the versatility of the player means you have 2 players both with two possible (Aliadiere the 2^nd) so do you play Ali on the right and Emnes up front? Or vice- versa.  Personally I would go with Emnes has he has a better centre forward quality than Ali. 

Seeing as it appears Shawky is out and the forgotten man Julio Arca is out too, perhaps it’s inevitable that fellow new boy Didier Digard will get the nod and partner Gary O’Neil. 

Portsmouth could be tricky opposition on the day, following the goal-scoring scoring partnership of Defoe and Crouch’s bonding session.  At the back Sol Campbell captaining the side is fit and more than likely partnered by former Boro target Sylvain Distin. 

In their midfield it’s tough in stature and power with Papa Bouba Diop and Lassana Diarra most likely to be in the middle of the Pompey pack. 

We haven’t done that badly at Fratton Park apart from the obvious Yakubu romp (through which  he earned a nice 7.5 million move to us).  As well of course the last player to wear the no13 shirt in Marlon Beresford saving a penalty earning us a point in the old first division.  (Ed; have you and S71 been texting each other ?)

Last season however I got the best Christmas present I could have got, through a Tuncay poke in the back of the net the chocolate, socks and dodgy aftershave went flying. 

Can we do that again?  Can we show resilience against a club who haven’t got off to the best of starts?  I think we can as Boro could be the surprise package of this season and we could get something today. 

It won’t be pretty but nevertheless I am going for a stalemate. 

Predicted team would be;

M’bro - Turnbull, Hoyte, Wheater, Huth, Pogatetz, Aliadiere, O’Neil, Digard, Downing, Emnes, Alves

Now I don’t know the Portsmouth team that well in terms of picking a line-up but here goes.

Ports - James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Heriedasson sp, Mveumba, Kranjcar, Diarra, Bouba Diop, Utaka, Defoe, Crouch.

So it’s 1-1 draw for me.

C’mon Boro!

MarkA