Championship promotion battle: What is being said ahead of key weekend for Middlesbrough?
What are the latest quotes and predictions ahead of a key weekend in Boro's promotion push?
Make no mistake, it’s one of the biggest weekends in Middlesbrough’s recent history.
Kim Hellberg’s men travel to Blackburn Rovers still in second, but in serious danger of losing their automatic promotion spot after last week’s 1-1 draw at home to Bristol City - which leaves them with just two wins in their last seven. But perhaps more importantly, Boro’s two closest promotion rivals, Ipswich Town and Millwall, go head-to-head at Portman Road at the same time in a monumental clash that will go a long way toward deciding who will head automatically to the Premier League, and who will run the play-off gauntlet.
So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at the latest narratives surrounding this weekend.
David Prutton predicts key Championship weekend
Regardless of what Boro are doing at Ewood Park, fans will be keeping at least one eye on matters at Portman Road. The ideal scenario for Hellberg’s side would be a draw between Ipswich and Millwall, coupled with an away win at Ewood Park. Sky Sports pundit and former Nottingham Forest and Southampton midfielder David Prutton believes that’s exactly what is going to happen, predicting the dream outcome for Boro.
“Kim Hellberg has got to be very, very wary of the fact they have got Ipswich breathing down their necks,” Prutton told Sky Sports of Boro’s clash with Blackburn. “For Blackburn that win [at Millwall] was very much needed, three points above the bottom three, it’s looking very, very squeaky down there indeed. “It’s a fascinating match up between two teams who have points on their mind for different purposes. Boro are decent on the road, 1-0 to them.”
On Ipswich vs Millwall, former England youth international Prutton said: “Ipswich [are] gaining that momentum that they’re going to be having between now and the end of the season.
“I think this is a fascinating battle. We’ve had some good ones in recent weeks. We had, of course, Wrexham against Hull City, they were in the top six, and now we’ve got these two. “So, I think Alex the job that he’s done is slowly but surely getting the credit he deserves and there’s an assumption that Kieran and his Ipswich side that they should be where they are, but that doesn’t make it any easier to achieve.
“2-2.”
Kieran McKenna praises Ipswich Town squad members
Kieran McKenna believes squad depth and the ‘motivation and engagement’ of his substitutes have been key factors in Ipswich’s promotion push, and could ‘make a difference’ in helping them leapfrog Boro into second. For example, the Tractor Boys have 16 different goal scorers in the Championship this season, while 28 different players have clocked minutes.
However, it isn’t just a mere numbers game. McKenna believes the preparedness and motivation of every single player in his squad could provide an edge for Ipswich in these final weeks.
“We're happy with the depth that we have, and you certainly need it in any Championship season,” said McKenna. "As I've said many times though, it's just not about the depth because most teams now have really good depth. "I think we were one of the first teams to really utilise the five subs rule when that was introduced, in terms of doubling up for each position and having fresh forwards ready to go. There's very, very few clubs who aren't doing that now though.
"The differentiator is the motivation and the engagement of your substitutes. You need people who are willing to do a role within a squad and within a team. It's about people knowing that starters are really, really important to set games up and that those who come off the bench to finish the game, especially in those forward positions, are just as important.”
Alex Neil makes demand of Millwall players ahead of key Ipswich clash
For the above reasons and so many others - including a six-game unbeaten run - Millwall’s task this weekend could barely be more difficult, especially against the side second in the Championship on home form and with just one defeat at Portman Road all season. Lions boss Alex Neil is well aware of that fact, and believes his side will have to be ‘at their very best’ to even stand a chance of grabbing a precious result.
“They’ve got one of the best squads in the league,” Neil said. “Everybody was waiting for Ipswich to really kick into gear and be where they’re expected to be. They’re fighting at the top end of the table just now. “They’ve got a good coach. They’ve been to our ground before. They’ve spent millions and millions of pounds to put that squad together. They were in the Premier League last year. I don’t think it’s a surprise to anybody that Ipswich is up there.
“People would probably have had them a bit further ahead than where they are now. But, having experienced it myself, it’s not easy when a team comes down, and then you have to push them back up again. That’s not an easy turnaround because you’re used to not winning games in the Premier League because it’s so competitive, and then you need to try and recalibrate the mindset.”
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