Match Preview: Derby County v Middlesbrough
Tuesday, 16th Mar 2010 10:54

Are the wheels coming off Nigel's Barrow? Do we need Kris Commons back ASAP to stay up?

Derby County v Middlesbrough
Coca Cola Championship
Pride Park,
Derby
Tuesday 16th March 2010 - 7:45pm

Middlesbrough:

Current League Position: 10/24

Leading scorer: Adam Johnson 11lg
1cp

Manager: Gordon Strachan

Kit home: Red shirt with white Trim/white
shorts

Kit away: All sky blue

Last Game: Middlesbrough 2-2 Newcastle

Quotes from the manager:

Gordon Strachan on the referee following the weekend game
against Newcaste:

"We should have had a penalty in the first two minutes, and the referee
just to make it up, allowed us to get away with a free-kick 30 seconds after
it."

"If you are going to make a decision, referee, don't try to even it up.
It's not right, we don't want that."

"Be brave and stand by your decisions."

Current Boro Squad:

No. Position. Player

1 Keeper Brad Jones
2
Defence Justin Hoyte
3 Defence Andrew Taylor
4 Defence Matthew Bates
5
Defence Chris Riggott
6 Defence Emanuel Pogatetz
7 Striker Scott
McDonald
9 Striker Leroy Lita
10 Striker Jérémie Aliadière
11 Midfield
Marvin Emnes
12 Striker Chris Killen
14 Midfield Willo Flood
16
Midfield Gary O'Neil (captain)
17 Midfield Barry Robson
18 Striker Lee
Miller
19 Defence Stephen McManus (on loan from Celtic)
20 Midfield Julio
Arca
21 Keeper Danny Coyne
23 Defence Jonathan Grounds
24 Midfield Seb
Hines
25 Defence Rhys Williams
27 Defence Joe Bennett
28 Striker
Jonathan Franks
29 Defence Tony McMahon
31 Defence David Wheater
33
Defence Kyle Naughton (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
35 Striker Luke
Williams
37 Midfield Bruno Pilatos
38 Midfield Cameron Park

The
Rams:

Quotes from the manager:

Nigel Clough talking to BBC Radio Derby after the Doncaster
game:

"We were beaten today by a dubious penalty and what can only be
described as a wonder goal."

"I can't remember David Martin having too much to do."

"We have looked nervous away from home, not enough people grasping the
nettle."

"(They are) always looking to someone else to do something. I want them to
take responsibility for themselves and then to help their mates on the
pitch."

"When it is not going well everyone retreats into themselves a little."

Current Rams Squad:

No. Position. Player
1 Keeper Stephen Bywater
2 Defender Paul
Connolly
3 Defender James McEveley
4 Midfield Paul Green
5 Defender
Miles Addison (vice-captain)
6 Defender Dean Leacock
7 Midfield Lee
Croft
8 Midfield Robbie Savage (captain)
9 Striker Rob Hulse
10
Midfield Kris Commons
11 Midfield Gary Teale
12 Striker Chris Porter

13 Keeper Saul Deeney
14 Defender Shaun Barker
16 Midfield Stephen
Pearson
17 Defender Jake Buxton
18 Midfield Ben Pringle
19 Midfield
Michael Tonge (on loan from Stoke City F.C.)
20 Striker Steve Davies
21
Defender Dean Moxey
22 Midfield Arnaud Mendy
23 Defender Mark O'Brien

24 Defender Nicky Hunt (on loan from Bolton Wanderers F.C.)
25 David
Martin (on loan from Millwall F.C)
26 Midfield Lee Hendrie
27 Defender
Russell Anderson
28 Defender Mitchell Hanson
31 Defender Javan Vidal (on
loan from Manchester City F.C.)
32 Striker Gilles Sunu (on loan from Arsenal
F.C.)
33 Defender Mark Dudley
35 Striker Callum Ball

What the
Bookies think:

Home Win: 11/8
Draw: 21/10
Away win: 13/8
First Scorer: - Rob
Hulse 11/2, Scott McDonald 6/1

Information for travelling fans:

Driving: Middlesbrough to
Derby is 136 miles. The best route South is the A19/A1(M) South until the M18.
Then take the M18 to the M1 and come off the M1 at J25 for Derby. Take Brian
Clough Way (A52) towards Derby and then take ring road South. Follow the signs
for away supporter parking to London Rd.

Drinking: There are a few pubs
very close to the ground but if you come by train, the locale around the station
is fairly inviting. The Crown and Cushion at the junction of London Rd always
seems to be full of away supporters.

The Brunswick is a must for any real ale
fans and the Alexandra next door is my personal favourite.

Fans tend to
mingle in these pubs and as long as you’re not being aggressive, the atmosphere
is good. The Waterfall opposite the station is okay as well. If you are driving,
the Navigation Pub on London Rd opposite the parking area is your best
bet.

Around the ground there's a Frankie & Bennie's, Harvester and the Pride
Park but these tend to be very busy.

Mick’s Preview:

It was a dodgy
penalty and an unstoppable shot that beat us on Saturday - but lets not let that
be an excuse for another poor performance by the Rams.

Once again we were poor all over the pitch and it's no coincidence that we
didn't start really performing until Robbie Savage went off.

I'm not Savage's biggest fan. I still dislike him for his antics pre-Derby.
Having said that, he has put in some good performances for us and he has
fulfilled the captains role well.

However at his age, two games a week is asking a lot and we can't have a
key midfielder who can't keep up with the ball.

Our best midfielder is Paul Green but if he's having to do the work of two
men he's bound to struggle - as he did against the totally dominant John Oster
on Saturday (he also seems to always struggle against his old club).

Oster did
the simple things well. Tackled, retained possession and passed to his own team.
He looked like he had all the time in the world and it's galling to think we
could have had him on a free the other year.

I would play Tonge or Pearson in the inside role and put Sunu out on the
right. If we're going to play with two big strikers in Porter and Hulse.

That said, Nigel started with Davies on Saturday - and he was largely
ineffectual alongside Hulse. Depending on whether Porter is fit, he may start
again.

We don't seem to have won against 'Boro for an age. Hopefully we can
rectify that tonight.

The match ball tonight will be presented to the Referee by
a very brave lady who used to post on RamZone in the Rivals days - Lets hope the
Rams can win it for Carmen - AKA: DCFC_Blondie.

Mick's Team:

Martin, Hunt, Barker, Buxton, McEveley, Green, Tonge, Pearson, Sunu,
Davies, Hulse - Subs: Deeney, Savage, Pringle, Anderson, Porter, Martin, Leacock.

Mick's Prediction:

Derby 2-2 Middlesbrough

Photo: Action Images

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