West Ham Utd 1 Middlesbrough 1 (20/03/12)

[Dyer's Leg]

v

Tuesday 20th March 2012, K.O. 7.45, Boleyn Ground, Green Street, E13.



Reverse Fixture: Middlesbrough 0-2 West Ham, Tuesday 29th November 2011

Live, Sky Sports 2

After extending their unbeaten run to 8 games with a 1-1 draw at Elland Road on Saturday, Sam Allardyce's side will be hoping to end an unwanted run of 3 consequtive 1-1 draws, and 4 consequtive draws at home. Having dropped out of the automatic promotion places, West Ham will be hoping they can grab 3 points under the Boleyn Ground lights to close the gap on Reading and Southampton.

West Ham have injury worries over the versatile James Tomkins, who limped off at half time in the draw with Leeds, Juilien Faubert, Papa-Bouba Diop, and perma-crock Guy Demel. For someone called 'The Wardrobe', I'm beginning to think he may be one of those zip-up ones from Argos.

With two wins, two defeats and a draw in their last five matches, Middlesbrough will be hoping that they can grab at least a point and capitalise from a nervy atmosphere in Upton Park to help their cause in reaching the play-offs, and after suffering a 2-0 defeat to fellow play-off contenders Birmingham last time out, they will be looking to make ammends.

In the reverse fixture, it was one of the best performances of the season from The Hammers, as they cruised to a 2-0 victory over a then bang in form Boro side.

If our performance is even half as good as that one, then the West Ham punters will be going home with smiles on thier faces.

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[AJ]

West Ham win 2-0 and the start of our run in that sees us promoted

[Matt of iron]

Really need to win this.

Sod the point.

[TurnbullHammer]

4-5-1, respect the point

[RyanWHUFC]

I'll go 1-1 again, Cole to score for us.

Would like to see us line up:

---------------Green
O'brien Collins Faye McCartney
---------------Tomkins
-------------Noble---Taylor
-----------------Nolan
------------Cole------Baldock

But I reckon we'll line up like this:
---------------Green
O'brien Collins Faye McCartney
-----------Noble-----Tomkins
Faubert------Nolan-----Taylor


-----------------Cole

[JBs Caravan]

Its not rocket science anymore,draws are murdering us,unless we start winning games,its escaping us
The play-offs are in the bag,so i think throwing caution to the wind,is required for this game,4-4-2 please
finishing the season with a multitude of draws,will not get us promoted,does BFS realise we are not playing in Serie A in the 70s
If we were to finish 3rd,a possibilty,we would play the side with the best current form leading up to the play-offs,so its
time to go for it,my fear is we will play Leeds,not advisable !!!

Pos Team P GD Pts
1 Southampton 37 33 72
2 Reading 37 22 70
3 West Ham 36 21 67
4 Birmingham 36 22 59
5 Blackpool 37 12 59
6 Middlesbrough 36 3 59

[Chippenhammer]

Will be a draw. Its the West Ham way.

[osborner69]

Assuming Tomkins isnt fit.......

----------------------- Green ----------------

O'Brien------Collins------Faye-----McCartney

----------------- Noble ------- Collison
------------------------- Nolan--------------------------
---------Baldock-----------------------Maynard
---------------------------Cole---------------------------

Let other teams worry about our attack for a change.

[prophet:marginal]

They're not a dazzling array of talent, but Tony Mowbray's side showed in their televised clashes against Sunderland (in the FAC) that they can pass the ball around and create threat in an opposing team's half of the pitch.

That team above ^^ might be too open for us - there's no real width.

Despite having one of the division's biggest squads, we're getting close to 'bare bones' status in certain areas.

Its not helpful that Ricky Vaz and Tomkins might not start (or even participate in) this game.

Looks to me like

Green

J'OB-Faye-Collins-McCartney

Faubs-Noble-Collison-Taylor

Nolan

Maynard.


That front two need to gel....and quick!

[Kent-Hammer15]

Can see a goalless draw for this one.
Would like to see a 4-4-2 but honestly can't see it happening!
My line up would be:
Green
O'Brien Faye Collins Linda
Tomkins ( providing he's fit )
Faubert Noble Nolan Taylor
Cole

[WestDanUnited]

The form book goes out the window for this one,so I will go with 1-1!

[Bobby Orangeboom]

Looks to me like

Green

J'OB-Faye-Collins-McCartney

Faubs-Noble-Collison-Taylor

Nolan

Maynard.


That front two need to gel....and quick!

What front two ?

You've only got one there..

[Puff Daddy]

The crowd has a huge role to play on Tuesday night and get right behind the team. That would get the place rocking and it does intimidate the opposing team. If I were Gold and Sullivan, I would be looking up that bugler's telephone phone number this morning to get him to lead the players out with onto the pitch 'The Post Horn Gallop', That would guarantee the atmosphere and all BFS has to do, is to issue the instructions to charge from the very first whistle. Score early and then go for the jugular, easy peasy and 3 vital points

[StiffUpper]

Probably a lot us are starting to resign ourselves to play-offs, perhaps that and the players facing up to that to will make for less nerves all round.

Personally favour a 4-5-1\4-3-3 and possesion as the best way to get the win

[bubbles1966]

RETURN OF THE DIAMOND



Hopefully, one of Tomkins, Faubert will be fit to play.

Subs to include Henderson, Nolan and Cole

Reid and Tomkins to start if fit - if not Collins and O'brien(to DM)

[smuts]

Call me mad....but I fancy us to win this 2 or 3 nil.

Just have a feeling that something will click at home.

[Av it]

It's got 1-1 written all over it. Won't play badly, won't play that well. Expect suicidal thoughts in the posting on the match thread throughout the game.

[torrensvillehammer]

A loss i am afraid. We have not realy bottomed out enough in the players minds, so they have not yet hit the panic button. Won't be long though

[Voronin]

We really need to play two up front IMO, since we don´t have anyone who can play as the lone striker. assuming Tomkins is out, I´m going with:
--------------------------------Green
O´Brien-------Collins------Faye------Linda
Lansbury------Noble------Nolan-----Taylor
-------- ---------Cole--------Maynard


Subs: Faubert, O´Neill, Collison, Baldock, Henderson.

If Tomkins is available, I´d actually rest Faye, since the last thing we need is another CB injured, and his age makes puts him in the risk zone.

[D C]

DL, why do you keep jinxing us with the match threads?