AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth will be hoping to turn the history books on their head when they visit Middlesbrough on Saturday (12.30pm kick-off).
The Cherries have never beaten Middlesbrough away from home, losing six of their ten visits to North Yorkshire.
However, recent form against the Boro has been positive and goals from Philip Billing, Jefferson Lerma and Dominic Solanke earned three points in the last meeting between the two.
Under newly appointed Chris Wilder, Middlesbrough have had a recent upturn in form and currently sit just five points outside the play-offs.
Just one defeat in his opening five games in charge highlights a growing momentum at Riverside Stadium while Scott Parker’s side will be looking to end a poor run of form themselves, with players continuing to return from injury.
Ahead of the clash, afcb.co.uk sat down with Mark Drury who commentates on the Boro for BBC Radio Tees.
MIDDLESBROUGH PROFILE
Ground: Riverside Stadium
Nickname: The Boro
Manager: Chris Wilder (appointed November 2021)
Club captain: Jonny Howson
Current league position: Ninth
Leading goalscorer 2021/22: Matt Crooks (four in the Championship)
Last game: Stoke 0-0 Middlesbrough (Championship)
afcb.co.uk: How would you sum up the season for Middlesbrough so far?
MD: It’s failed to deliver so far. It’s certainly failed to deliver what was hoped for in pre-season but it is a long way from being finished. Chris Wilder’s appointment has given hope and everybody is waiting to see what happens in January – who stays, who goes, what difference that might make.
Before this weekend’s game, Boro are five points off the play-offs so it’s hardly insurmountable with just over half the season to go.
afcb.co.uk: How do you rate Middlesbrough’s play-off chances?
MD: We’re not far from them but neither are seven, eight, nine other teams in the Championship, that’s the thing!
They’re in with a shout, absolutely so. The way it’s gone, Boro haven’t shown themselves capable of stringing together the number of wins required to get in there and stay in there but as I said, things are changing, and we wait to see what sort of impact that has.
afcb.co.uk: What impact has Chris Wilder made?
MD: He's had a pretty immediate impact, the style of play has quite obviously changed, he’s brought a lot more consistency to selection, more stability in that sense.
I think he can see signs that it’s starting to work the way everybody would want it to, so he’s definitely had an impact in the short time he’s been in charge.
afcb.co.uk: How has the style of play changed?
MD: Basically, Boro are playing the ‘Chris Wilder’ way, the ‘Sheffield United’ way that everybody got so used to as they made their way up to the Premier League.
The wing backs are adventurous, the three centre-backs will step out and join in the attacking play, it’s built through the thirds – it’s very apparently a Chris Wilder team.
afcb.co.uk: Matt Crooks is top scorer with four goals – is a consistent goalscorer something that will be a focus for Middlesbrough in the upcoming window?
MD: They’ve been looking for a goalscorer for the last ten years! It is as plain as the nose on your face what the problem is, and Chris Wilder is the latest Middlesbrough manager to come in and identify that problem.
They would love a consistent goalscorer. It’s not as if they haven’t tried, Britt Assombalonga is the club’s record signing and as surefire a signing as it gets, but for various reasons, it didn’t happen.
Middlesbrough have long coveted a 20-goal-a-season striker but it feels like an awfully long time since we’ve seen one.
afcb.co.uk: Who is Middlesbrough’s one to watch?
MD: I don’t know if Matt Crooks will be fit, as he got injured against Stoke last week, but he’s probably the one I’d pick.
Otherwise, Isaiah Jones has been the breakthrough star of the season. He’s playing at right wing-back under Wilder, having played a bit further forward under Neil Warnock and he’s fantastic. He can take people on, he’s quick, he scored his first goal recently and is creative.
He came from non-league football a couple of seasons ago and had a couple of loan spells in Scotland and this has been his first season as a regular in the team and he’s done brilliantly.
afcb.co.uk: Are any key players either suspended or injured against the Cherries?
MD: Suspended, no.
In terms of injuries, Lee Peltier has a hamstring problem. Marcus Browne and Darnell Fisher have been out for a long time. Dael Fry is back, but as mentioned earlier, Matt Crooks may be a doubt given a problem picked up against Stoke.
afcb.co.uk: What’s your score prediction?
MD: I think it’ll be tight, they don’t score many but they certainly don’t let many in so I’m going to go 1-0 Middlesbrough.
Officials: Chris Kavanagh (referee), Daniel Robathan (assistant), Shaun Hudson (assistant), Leigh Doughty (fourth official).
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