Promotion remains priority but Wembley trip is fans’ dream
THE daunting prospect of a winter fixture pile-up will not be lost on Tony Pulis as Boro prepare for their Carabao Cup quarter-final showdown on Tuesday.
Boro entertain League One side Burton Albion at the Riverside and will start as strong favourites to progress to the semis.
This will bring a two-legged showdown against Premier League opposition, with a Wembley appearance the prize for the winners.
Pulis has already stressed that Boro have been playing too many games, which is one reason why he has continually made changes from match to match.
So the Welshman will be keen to ensure that fatigue does not hamper the club’s promotion ambitions over the next few weeks.
Pulis fielded much weakened sides in the early rounds of the Carabao Cup but Boro were still good enough to progress, even if two of the ties were won on penalty shoot-outs.
He finally played a much stronger side in the last 16 match against Premier League side Crystal Palace at the Riverside.
The outcome was a 1-0 victory thanks to Lewis Wing’s remarkable strike from outside the box.
The youngster’s hamstring problems mean that he will be touch and go to earn the nod against Burton, though Pulis can be expected to put one or two of his regulars on the bench as he balances his squad.
The Middlesbrough boss will be hoping that his side can take early control of the tie so that some of his big guns can avoid pitch-time. At the same time this is a big game for many Boro fans, who
relish the prospect of two huge semi-finals and a possible Wembley trip at the end of it all.
I would rather see most emphasis placed on winning promotion, but there are those fans who would swap it for a Wembley appearance.
Pulis will be mindful of the feelings of the fans. So he will ensure that his team approach the game in the right manner.
The Brewers have already knocked out Premier League opposition in Burnley, while they have also beaten two prominent Championship sides in Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
Those three victories came on home soil, though Nigel Clough has already raised a war-cry ahead of the Riverside clash and has warned that Burton will “have a real good go at Boro on Tuesday night.”
Boro do have a frustrating habit of sitting back at the Riverside. So it will be hoped that don’t allow the Brewers to take the initiative in this game.
The rewards are very high. Boro have not been in a major semi-final since 2006 when they were beaten in the FA Cup semis by West Ham at Villa Park.
Boro were favourites on that occasion but paid the price for fatigue.
Steve Mcclaren’s side had just flown straight in from Steaua Bucharest where they played the first semi-final of the UEFA Cup.
Boro did have their chances at Villa Park but grew more tired as the tie progressed and eventually went down 1-0 to a late goal from Marvin Harewood.
They do not have the same European distractions this time around and can draw comfort from a previous appearance in the League Cup semis, when they also went on to win promotion.
This was in 1991-92, when Lennie Lawrence’s Boro played two stirring ties against mighty Manchester United.
The first semi at Ayresome Park was goalless but Boro dug deep to push United at Old Trafford before succumbing by 2-1 in extra-time.
Lennie’s men then shook off their disappointment to win six of their last eight league games and secure promotion to the inaugural season of the Premier League.
Promotion remains the prime target for Pulis, though the manager is well aware of the bonus which comes for a winning run in all competitions.
So Pulis will set his stall out accordingly. Naturally the fans will be hoping that he fields a dual strikeforce against the Brewers.
Boro had their backs to the wall against Blackburn Rovers after Mo Besic was dismissed, though the impact of Britt Assombalonga and Jordan Hugill in the second half was a breath of fresh air.
Assombalonga in particular works best when he has another forward alongside him. He is most effective when running on to knockdowns rather than trying to hold the ball up.
These could be the men to silence Burton – after which Pulis can try to sort out a burgeoning January fixture list which will include two Carabao Cup semi-finals and possibly two FA Cup ties.
On the Boro beat with Paylor