A draw against West Ham in the FA Cup meant that a lot of people (myself included, I confess) had already written us off.
Why the out-of-character pessimism? Well firstly because I think Zola has decided this is his year to win the cup as a manager rather than a player, and secondly because the way we were playing not too long ago I would have favoured most pub teams over us. Harsh but fair.
However, it would appear that the players have been given the kick up the backside some of them so very badly needed.
We are starting to play football again. As a team! I know, it feels like a minor miracle.
Boro are still in the cup and while a replay was not really the desired result, we are still hanging in there, and now that we have another chance to put the Hammers to bed hopefully we can put on a show for the home support.
First we have to beat Wigan.
To do that we need to decide on our best eleven and stick to it. Sorry, Gareth Southgate needs to decide on our best eleven and stick to it.
I'm not the manager, stating the obvious, but my team given everyone (almost) is now returning to fitness would be Alves and Aliadiere up front, Downing left wing, Johnson right, Digard and Walker centre. Riggott has ruled himself out for the foreseeable future by getting injured meaning of course that Huth is not allowed to!
Huth and Wheater centre with Pogi and Hoyte left and right.
And in goal... I'm not sure. Both Ross Turnbull and Brad Jones were generally considered 'not good enough' to put it mildly to be Boro's number one. Now not only has Turnbull emerged as a promising young keeper, Brad Jones is suddenly displaying the form that made him an Australian International.
Turnbull looked like it was all getting too much for him against Chelsea and Jones kept our only clean sheet in living memory so I think on balance I would leave Brad where he is.
We actually have a half decent subs bench now, Gary O' Neil, Tuncay, Emnes, King when he's eligible, Matthew Bates, Arca?! Turnbull or Jones, McMahon...
Players are coming back to fitness earlier than expected (well done Josh Walker for sheer determination to get himself back in the minimum allotted time) and Jeremie Aliadiere, who has been missing since the Barrow match where he was stretchered off, could return in time for Saturday.
Given that Downing and Johnson seem to have figured out how to play with each other and the tiny possibility that Johnson might bang in a wonder goal like the one he scored for the England U21s last week, I would try Ali up front with Alves.
King cannot play against his 'parent club' anyway and Tuncay is still not quite back to his best. A goal like the one he scored against former club Arsenal would be a big ask for Ali, but he scored the winning goal in the corresponding fixture against Wigan earlier in the season and he will be aware that his goal tally needs some serious beefing up after his long injury spell. I'm not fussy though, should the winning goal fly into Wigan's net off Matthew Bates left buttock, at this point in the season I'll take it!
First published on www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/fanzone - Feb 09
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