Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
Aitor Karanka’s side come into this game with the unwanted statistic of being the lowest scorers in the league this season. Their 22 matches have warranted just 18 goals and it does not take the most brightest person to work out that’s an average of less than 1 per game.
Should that ratio of goalscoring continue then they would register 31 goals across the season and it would be quite a remarkable feat to score that few and still manage to beat the drop come May. Tonight they will look to not only score but earn a first win since December 17th when they play host to West Brom.
That mid-December saw a rare glut of goals by ‘Boro standards as they went on to beat a hapless Swansea side 3-0, since then they have failed to win any of their last 5 matches and a run that has warranted just the 2 points thanks to bore draws with Leicester and Watford.
Former Real Madrid defender Karanka has looked to rectify the goalscoring issue with the addition of both Rudy Gestede and Patrick Bamford to the side. But even with the addition of two forwards it had little effect 10 days ago when they fell at the hands of West Ham in front of their own fans.
They’ve never really been threatened with the drop as yet as they seem to be perpetually in 16th place but that comfort can surely not continue if the goals and more importantly results continue to elude them and with the buffer just 4 points from the drop zone then a win Tonight would be most welcome.
Visitors West Brom come here after a week off after being dumped out of The F.A. Cup by Derby in the 3rd Round at the start of January. But a refreshed Baggies side will be looking to make back to back wins over North-East opposition after comfortably disposing of Sunderland 10 days ago.
That home win at The Hawthorns saw Tony Pulis’ side solidify their 8th place in the table in what has been a very impressive season. Unfortunately the European places will elude them but the aim will not only be a top half finish but to finish the best of the rest with the top 6 places all but sewn up already.
After such a miserable outing at White Hart Lane when Tottenham made easy work of them in a 4-0 win, it would have been a pleasing sight for Pulis to see his side bounce back to victory over struggling Sunderland. Goals from Darren Fletcher and Chris Brunt capping off a job well done.
And they will look for more of the same Tonight perhaps not from the same players who were on the scoresheet against Sunderland but ideally with the same result and what with Middlesbrough’s lack of goals I can see that being a distinct possibility.
So with West Brom surpassing expectations this season an Middlesbrough struggling in front of goal I think this will end up as an away win which will subsequently add more pressure to Aitor Karanka as the rumblings of discontent start to pick up pace on Teesside. Baggies bounce on to victory for me.
