Hometown Boy Returns With Wigan
Thursday, 19 February 09, 07:00 AM · Comments(2)
Afternoon Peeps and Boro fans,
I'm very interested to see how Lee Cattermole reacts to the reception that will greet him at the Riverside this Saturday. The local Teesside boy, now playing at Wigan, will get a warm welcome from the Boro fans on Saturday, but that will be where the pleasantries stop because I expect Lee to get at his former team-mates from the off.
The boy who cried for his team
If Southgate chooses to play Downing in a more central role again this Saturday, then I think Cattermole will be the player to track Downing'd movements. It will be a very interesting encounter to see two former team-mate battle against each other in the middle of the park.
A lot of Boro fans raised their eyebrows in the summer when Cattermole was allowed to move away from the Riverside. Lee was a very likeable player especially after he shed tears during a match against Aston Villa one season. Southgate has made the slightest of alterations to the centre of midfield since Boateng and Cattermole left last summer. Didier Digard was the only viable replacement leaving us with just two experienced Premier League midfielders, O'Neil and Julio Arca - something that will be a talking point if we get relegated.
The boss will be looking to put one over on Wigan in many ways, not just because of the three vital points needed, but also to prove a point to onlookers that he was right to sell Cattermole and also prove a point that Ben Watson chose the wrong club in the transfer window.Ben Watson chose to join Wigan after he was offered more money, which is fair enough, but Southgate will be slightly peeved that an up and coming England player chose to sign for a rival club other than Boro.
There will be scores to settle in Saturdays game between players on the field and also players off it. No matter what the outcome of the game is I'm sure a certain Egyptian will have his say. Mido is injured at the moment, which is a massive shock to the football world because he never sustained an injury at Middlesbrough. The 'Boro' striker is ineligible to play on Saturday anyway, which I am pleased with because he is the type of player that always scores against former clubs. Yes I said former club there. If Wigan beat us I expect Mido to go on a rant about how happy is at Wigan and that Boro are a team on the way down. By the way, did I mention that Mido will definitely leave the Riverside in the summer?
I'm looking forward to the game on Saturday. It should be a classic.
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james laville said:well i am a hardcore boro fan and i wouldnt want boro to go gdown but if we do ...
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BigBoro
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2 Comments · Add yours
We need some fresh tactical formation.if asking me.i'll go for 5-3-2 formation against wigan.Pogga,Huth,Wheater at back.Hoyte and Downing in flank.Oniel,Digard,Wheater in center.Emnes,Tuncay infront.I will let Alves come in fresh leg at second half.Tuncay might be see off form now.he frustrated with no first team place.i dont understand why SG put international player on bench rather to see dencent player on field.so go for 5-3-2 tomorrow!Play Tuncay!
Yeah Tuncay is a definite for me in any game. He is a world class player. To think that he was catching the eye of Chelsea not so long ago makes it even worse. Something has broken down between Southgate and Tuncay, not sure what. It can't be just a dip in form surely because the whole team has been in bad form for the past 12 games.