The Baggies look to bounce back from their recent defeat to Derby as they go on the road on Friday evening to top of the table side Middlesbrough.
The first evening game of the season and it’s the longest trip on the road as it’s Middlesbrough away under the lights on a Friday night. Can we end a poor run stretching back to December 2018 by winning an away game on a Friday?
I have counted there has been 15 away games played on a Friday since then and we haven’t won any of them, our record on the road on a Friday is worse than Derby’s I probably rather face Derby this weekend again than face Middlesbrough on a Friday as that form is better.
Last 15 Friday’s Away: W: 0 D: 4 L 11
Our recent game on a Friday was Coventry on Good Friday last season plus we faced Luton under the lights last season in a 1-1 game before heartbreak in the play off semi finals at Southampton the season before that I forget adding before uploading.
Lets see how we face against Middlesbrough as I don’t expect we would get a victory here as we haven’t won at The Riverside since our famous 5-0 victory in September 2009.
Player to Watch – Middlesbrough
One Middlesbrough player comes into mind and that is one that got us Hacked by Hayden Hackney last season as he scored twice in both games against us last season in securing both wins for Boro.
He has had transfer interest by Premier League sides over the summer and as the window as passed, he remains a Middlesbrough player and I rate him as probably the best midfielder in the Championship right now. He has shown maturity in his positioning and decision making especially in deep midfield roles as he is helping his side in a early promotion push and by the next January window I wouldn’t be surprised to see Middlesbrough in or around the promotion places as I think he be their key player to do that.
Even though he’s primarily a central midfielder, Hackney often makes late runs into the penalty area. I think he could pose a few threats past us where his runs could catch defenders off-guard, create shooting opportunites.
I think Hackney would be one player our defence should keep an eye on Friday evening at The Riverside.
Player to Watch – West Brom
Nat Phillips is likely to be a player to watch for West Brom against Middlesbrough on Friday because of the way his qualities align with what this fixture demands. He has established himself as a reliable presence in the Baggies’ back line, playing every minute so far this season, and his consistency makes him one of the first names on the team sheet.
His main strength is his aerial dominance, which could be particularly important against Middlesbrough, who have been vulnerable in aerial duels this season. That makes him not only a key figure in defending crosses and long balls into the box but also a potential attacking weapon at corners and free kicks.
Line Up V Middlesbrough
I would rotate the formation on Friday as I feel we need more than just one striker on the pitch, I feel Josh Maja should get his first start of the season to partner with Aune Heggebo.
I would start 3 midfielders together with Diakite, Mowatt and Molumby who would play in the heart of midfield as they can cover into defense to stop Middlesbrough’s attacking threats. I would keep the same back four and give Charlie Taylor his first start in left back.
Prediction V Middlesbrough
Last time out I predicted a 2-1 win over Derby County and however we lost 1-0, I did predict that Derby would score early but they scored late on that secured our first defeat of the season.
This prediction is another difficult one, I do think it be a tough match up in Middlesbrough on Friday especially our record against them at the Riverside Stadium ain’t the best and they always seem to beat us when it is a night game there.
First half, I think we would have a few early chances, Josh Maja trying to take on the Middlesbrough goalkeeper but would see his early effort saved. I wouldn’t see much chances in the first half but around the 35th minute mark the deadlock would be broken and Morgan Whittaker who has not scored since his big move to Middlesbrough last season would get his first goal for the club following a Hayden Hackney’s smart pass that would allow Whittaker to beat Nat Phillips and fire his shot into the net to put the hosts into the lead.
They would fight to get another before half time a few decent saves from Josh Griffiths though would put the scores 1-0 to Middlesbrough at the break.
Second half, would spell more Friday trouble for the Baggies, this time a free kick from Hayden Hackney would double their lead and give us plenty of work to do in the next 30 minutes. A few changes would see Mikey Johnston and Samuel Iling-Junior come on to try and save the game, in the next 5 minutes, Johnston would allow Isaac Price to fire in a goal to give us hope with 70 minutes on the clock and giving us plenty of time to find a equaliser at The Riverside.
With 5 minutes left to play of normal time, Heggebo would be pulled down by the Middlesbrough defender that would allow the referee to give us a penalty, the referee would put them down to 10 men. Heggebo would take the penalty and gives us the equaliser where the score would be 2-2 knowing we can do anything to get the three points here.
In Added time it be a lot of pressure and I can see last minute misery again on the road, where I’m going to predict our first defeat on the match previews this season where Morgan Whittaker would get the brace from a Luke Ayling cross where our penalty wouldn’t be enough to get anything from the Riverside.
Prediction: Middlesbrough 3-2 West Brom
Goalscorers for Middlesbrough: Morgan Whittaker (2), Hayden Hackney
Goalscorers for West Brom: Isaac Price, Aune Heggebo (P)
Our rotten Friday’s on the road would go on with a late winner for Middlesbrough, we often concede quite late of late like we did against Derby and a few times last season at Plymouth, Norwich and Bristol City but this would have goals in this encounter and I can see Middlesbrough winning this game to stay top of the Championship.