Here we go, this is the one game that we have been waiting for since we were all but condemned to playoffs with that 1-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough on April 17th. Our third crack at Boro, our first trip to Wembley in three decades, and one chance to bounce back to the Premiership. We dispatched Ipswich in the semifinals, so now it is the moment of truth. Here are five things to look out for as we embark on our Wembley excursion.
1. The Occasion
We all know the pressure is on. But who has more pressure? We are the ones that were in the Premier League last season, while they languished at midtable in the Championship. There is more pressure on us, but we can’t think of it that way. Alex Neil needs to flip the mindset of the team. They beat us twice and are playing in what is a rare big game for them. We have Premier League experience, and need to show it. If we act like we have been here before, we will play like it. A match cannot be won with a good mindset, but it can be lost with a bad one.
2. Throw In Some Wrinkles
Middlesbrough have the best defensive record in the Championship. Outside of a horrible mistake from their goalkeeper, they haven’t conceded in a month. If we just line up ten vs. ten in a normal set up, we won’t break them down. We saw that with 75 futile minutes in that loss at Carrow Road. We have shown them what we have, and they beat it twice. So, if something fails twice, don’t go back to that well. Maybe change the formation, add in some confusing overlapping runs, just do something that they have not seen from us. It is very obvious that we can’t break down Middlesbrough with our normal set up, so we need to throw in a monkey wrench that they won’t expect.
3. Russell Martin
I don’t doubt the abilities of Martin Olsson. He has bad players like Johnson and Hoolahan up ahead of him, and those guys are helping cover him at the back, which in turn is increasing his attacking prowess. The transformation of Steven Whittaker under Alex Neil has been well documented. Bassong is a physical center back and does really well, so it is all up to Russell Martin. He is getting older, and struggles in the air. Bamford and Vossen are a great strike force, and will look to target Martin. Of the five goals they scored against us this season, Martin was a main culprit on at least two of those goals. He is a sitting duck, so let’s hope he can survive for just this game.
4. Set Pieces
I know that this section has been a reoccurring theme in my articles, so this may sound like I am beating a dead horse. Of the five goals that Boro put past us, the only goal that wasn’t from either a header or set piece was via the penalty spot. Ipswich scored from a set piece, and Boro can too. We need to be tightly marking every time the ball goes into the air. If the ball is off the floor for even a second, every player needs to know who they are marking, and track their every movement. That is the only way we are going to get the job done at the back. One unmarked player might be the difference between playing against Chelsea or MK Dons next season.
5. Who Will Step Up?
This game is not going to be won without a moment of magic. In the second half last week, Nathan Redmond took it upon himself to get us to the final. Bradley Johnson has been that man for most of the season, and we all remember that crazy scoring run Lewis Grabban went on at the start of the season. Somebody is going to grab this game. As I said earlier, our team probably isn’t good enough in a full strength battle. But while football is a team game, one player can change everything. Who will it be for us? Only time will tell.
Weather we win by ten, lose by ten, or it comes down to penalties, enjoy the match. Those ninety minutes on Monday are a celebration of a great half season by Alex Neil, and we need to think about it that way. The fact that we are even in this position given where we were in January is amazing. Wembley is a special place, enjoy it! This may be a one in a lifetime experience.
