Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
A lack of goals and more importantly a lack of positive results is dragging Middlesbrough closer to the relegation zone. They’ve not won in their last 7 league matches and Today life does not get any easier as they play host to an in form Everton.
It’s just 3 points from a possible 21 for Aitor Karanka’s men as they sit just a point clear of the drop zone. With the likes of Hull and Swansea going through a resurgence while Sunderland refuses to call it quits just yet the Middlesbrough players are now nervously looking over their shoulder.
They still have the unwanted record of being the league’s lowest scorers with a paltry 19 in 24 matches. It doesn’t take the biggest fan of maths to know that it less than 1 per game on average. Should that ratio continue they will score just 30 all season.
That in anyone’s book says relegation. It would be quite the feat for the club to score that few goals and still stay up come the end of the season. While the clubs below them seem to be moving in an upwards trajectory they seem to be edging closer and closer to the bottom three.
Their plight was not helped last Saturday Evening when they lost 1-0 to Tottenham at White Hart Lane. They were resolute in keeping Mauricio Pochettino’s men at bay but as seems to be the story so often, the opposition only needs to get in front and then it’s game over.
And should opponents Everton do the same this Afternoon then you can’t see this chapter reading any differently. Everton make the trip to Teeside not only in form but also on fire. A quite stupendous match at Goodison Park last week saw them ran out 6-3 winners against Bournemouth.
It’s now 7 without defeat for The Toffees as they look to not only solidify 7th place but also try and bridge the gap to the top 6. If only they had not had that slump in form around October and November then they could have been making life difficult for the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United.
One man who was making life difficult last weekend was none other than Romelu Lukaku as he went home with the match ball after giving the hapless Bournemouth defence a torrid time. He will be looking to carry that form over to The Riverside Stadium this Afternoon for more of the same.
And in terms of more of the same then you can’t see past an Everton win especially with Middlesbrough’s aversion to goals this season. Everton can be a bit suspect at the back as Bournemouth showed last week but their attacking might will be too much for the ‘Boro later Today. It’s an away win for me.
