From the South West Corner: Seven questions with Middlesbrough F.C.
Ahead of Sundays crucial game against Middlesbrough, we sat down with Boro fan Will Bunn to discuss the game.
Leeds welcome a familiar face on Sunday as Garry Monk and his Middlesbrough side are the visitors to Elland Road.
The departure of Monk left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Leeds fanbase, and the atmosphere will be tense. Add to that the recent poor form from Christiansen’s Whites and Sunday may become an intense affair.
Ahead of the game, we sat down with Boro fan Will Bunn to get his opinion on Garry Monk and their chances against Leeds.
From the South West Corner: Middlesbrough F.C.
Hey Will. Garry Monk left Leeds to join Middlesbrough during the summer in somewhat contentious circumstances… what are your thoughts on Monk so far?
I think the overwhelming feeling on Teesside when we appointed Garry was one of optimism. Garry seemed to be a perfect fit for the club, a young English manager with top flight and championship experience. Garry appeared to want stability at a club and will get that from working under Steve Gibson, which he probably felt he wouldn’t get at Leeds under the ownership.
In October, there were mumblings of unrest towards Monk due to his continuous changes in personnel… he didn’t seem to know his best team, along with a string of poor results. Garry now seems to have set on his starting 11 and results have improved since Reading away at the end of October.
Since the home defeat against Cardiff, Middlesbrough have gone on a decent run. What in your opinion has been the major factor for the success over the last few weeks?
The recent upturn in results falls in line with Monk appearing to have settled on his starting 11. In September and early October, there were far too many changes to the starting 11 and formation.
Another key factor in the recent good run has been Martin Braithwaite’s form since returning from injury. He appears to be the key link between the midfield and front line which is a position we have struggled to fill in recent seasons.
Who should we be watching for on Sunday?
The key man for Middlesbrough on Sunday will be Braithwaite: If he can find space between the midfield and defence, he has the skill to pick a pass and link up with Britt.
Another player to watch out for and will want to impress on his return to Elland Road is Jonny Howson. He had a difficult start to his Boro career but has had a decent run in the team and is managing to put his stamp on the game.
Why do you support Middlesbrough?
My dad has been a long-time Middlesbrough fan since the Ayresome Park days. He took me along to see the Riverside being built and took me to my first game in October 1995 against QPR. That’s when my love for the club started: seeing the likes of Juninho, Ravanelli, Emerson pulling on the red and white of Middlesbrough provided some of the most enjoyable and attractive football seen in the club’s history. In my 21 years as a season ticket holder, I’ve seen my fair share of ups and downs, multiple relegations, winning a trophy, and European nights.
Give us a reason you’ll win on Sunday?
If Middlesbrough turn up and click together as we can, we should have too much firepower going forward and steel at the back for Leeds. With this being a derby of sorts, and with the return of Garry Monk, there will be a lot of emotion around the ground and on the pitch. The Boro players will need to rise above that and silence the crowd early doors, and let their class show.
Give us a reason you’ll lose?
The Leeds lads will be up for this game with it being the return of Monk and will be cheered on by 30k+. They need to get into Middlesbrough early doors as we have started slowly all season.
What’s your match prediction then?
My prediction is a Middlesbrough victory, Martin Braithwaite to open the scoring in the first half and Britt Assomabolonga to put the game to bed in the second half. 2–0 Middlesbrough.
We would like to thank Will Bunn for taking the time to answer our questions. Check back here at Nowt For Second for the full preview of Leeds United’s match against Middlesbrough tomorrow, and be sure to follow us on Facebook or Twitter for more Leeds United coverage. MOT.
