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The Opposition View....



crodonilson

He/Him
Jan 17, 2005
13,488
Lyme Regis
Card-sharp Aitor Karanka believes Boro hold all the aces going into their final day clash with Brighton .

The boss knows the high-stakes shoot-out will be a difficult test.

Brighton are a good side on a run of 14 games unbeaten and they arrive at the Riverside knowing that only victory will see them up.

Boro are in second spot and ahead of the Seagulls on goal difference so a draw will do.

The game is finely balanced but Karanka believes Boro have a strategic edge in some key areas.

“We have this game at home in front of our support and I am really positive, these Boro fans are absolutely incredible and we know they derserve promotion more than anyone else,” he told the Gazette.

“I think the team are better this season and that I have learned.

“When you have been in football so many years you are always learning.

“When I was a player I learned, when I was a coach with the Spain Under-16 and Under-17 national team I learned, when I was with Jose Mourinho I learned, the last two years I have learned. I learn every single day.

“And the team has also learned. We are more prepared than we were last season

“I said after the final game last season, after Wembley, that we would be better and we would be stronger,” he said. “And now we are.”

And Karanka says the shape of the table and home advantage give Boro an extra edge.

“We have it in our hands,” he insisted.

“We have the final at our own stadium and we are better than we were last season.

“It will be a really tough game, a really difficult 95 minutes. But we ready. I am ready, the club is ready, the fans are ready, and especially the players are ready.

“It will be tough but I think if I had to choose Brighton’s situation or ours I would choose ours, definitely. Playing at home with the incredible support we get, I would not like to be Brighton coming here playing in front of such passion

“To play at home with our record, to play at home with our crowd, with the goal difference in our favour - I think we have some important advantages before it starts.”

But now it is down to Boro to make those advantages count he added.

“We must prepare well, we must concentrate and we must play well and in our way.

“The club is in a good moment. The players are happy. I am looking forward to the game.”
 








pasty

A different kind of pasty
Jul 5, 2003
30,178
West, West, West Sussex
Stopped reading at "these Boro fans are absolutely incredible and we know they deserve promotion more than anyone else" :tosser:
 












LlcoolJ

Mama said knock you out.
Oct 14, 2009
12,982
Sheffield
"I said after Wembley we'd be stronger....And we are."

Yeah mate, all to do with your great management that's improved team spirit so much and nothing to do with Steve Gibson's cheque book. You keep believing that, nobody else does.
 


Exile

Objective but passionate
Aug 10, 2014
2,367
Stopped reading at "these Boro fans are absolutely incredible and we know they deserve promotion more than anyone else" :tosser:

Yes - what a pointless quote. Why do they? They've had a massive three years or so out of top league, and have sat in a new(ish) stadium watching a multi-million pound line up every week. Why are they 'more deserving' than the folk who troop along to watch Darlington, or Rotherham, or Yeovil, or North Ferriby? Oh, that's right - they're not.
 






crodonilson

He/Him
Jan 17, 2005
13,488
Lyme Regis
Confident of Boro promotion? This Middlesbrough pub has already booked its party...
21:30, 29 MAR 2016 UPDATED 09:08, 30 MAR 2016
BY COLIN CORKING
There are nine games remaining this season :: Is it time to be planning Boro's promotion celebrations?

JS86076993.jpg


The poster outside the Bluebell in Acklam, Middlesbrough

Feeling confident about Boro getting promoted to the Premier League this season?

The Bluebell in Acklam is certainly feeling pretty confident about the chances of Boro going up.

So confident, in fact, that it has already organised its promotion party.

Face painting is included, and there will also be a tombola and a meat raffle.

With nine games remaining for Aitor Karanka and his side to clinch automatic promotion to the Premier League, things are getting tense on Teesside.

So the celebrations start bright and early at the Bluebell on May 7 - the day of the final game of the season - with a pre-game breakfast and a beer.

There's face painting and a bouncy castle for the kids and 25% off food for all season ticket holders.

Boro's final game comes against promotion rivals Brighton.

It is a 12.30am kick-off and could see the team return to the Premier League for the first time since 2009.

Before then though, Karanka needs to pick up the points, starting with a trip to Queens Park Rangers on Friday evening.
 




The Wizard

Well-known member
Jul 2, 2009
18,383
Sounds like a man feeling the pressure. It's a cup final between two very evenly matched teams, nothing else really matters.
 




symyjym

Banned
Nov 2, 2009
13,138
Brighton / Hove actually
He forgot to say that he is eager to leave Boro and the thought of having to go another two or three games is extra pressure because just thought of that is really depressing. I can’t wait to leave this bunch of players who have only managed to draw the last 3 games, when they could have grabbed promotion before the final day. They have made my job a lot harder than it should have been with all the childish shenanigans this season and my only motivation to win is so I don’t have an extended stay at the club.
 


worthingseagull123

Well-known member
May 5, 2012
2,575
Yes - what a pointless quote. Why do they? They've had a massive three years or so out of top league, and have sat in a new(ish) stadium watching a multi-million pound line up every week. Why are they 'more deserving' than the folk who troop along to watch Darlington, or Rotherham, or Yeovil, or North Ferriby? Oh, that's right - they're not.

Don't diss North Ferriby mate. Their fans are best in the World. Fact
 


nwgull

Well-known member
Jul 25, 2003
13,653
Manchester
Yes - what a pointless quote. Why do they? They've had a massive three years or so out of top league, and have sat in a new(ish) stadium watching a multi-million pound line up every week. Why are they 'more deserving' than the folk who troop along to watch Darlington, or Rotherham, or Yeovil, or North Ferriby? Oh, that's right - they're not.
Course they do. When I was driving to Gillingham looking forward to watching the silky skills of Andy Ansah and Jamie Morallee, I used to feel so sorry for them having to slum it in the new Riverside watching that donkey Juninho.
 






Billy the Fish

Technocrat
Oct 18, 2005
17,472
Haywards Heath
Yes - what a pointless quote. Why do they? They've had a massive three years or so out of top league, and have sat in a new(ish) stadium watching a multi-million pound line up every week. Why are they 'more deserving' than the folk who troop along to watch Darlington, or Rotherham, or Yeovil, or North Ferriby? Oh, that's right - they're not.

He's their manager, WTF do you expect him to say!!!!!
 





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