00:00Thanks for joining us. Back to it this weekend after a weekend off.
00:04Much welcome, but the Borough are flying, aren't they? What's been key to it?
00:08Yeah, it's been a brilliant start for Borough.
00:10Obviously, four league wins from four and the key really has been the changes
00:14that new manager Rob Edwards has implemented this summer.
00:17He's switched to a back three with wing-backs and a complete new style of play
00:23really from what was a very kind of attack-minded Middlesbrough side
00:28under Michael Carrick, but albeit a very possession-based and patient build-up side
00:34and really they didn't have enough attacking quality,
00:37particularly in the second half of last season, to break defences down
00:41when they played in the way that they did.
00:42They were a bit too patient a lot of the time and they allowed defences
00:47ultimately too much time to get men behind the ball and refine the defensive structure shape
00:54and then didn't quite have enough quality to then break that down.
00:59So, you know, they ultimately struggled and because of how attack-minded they were,
01:03they were always very open to the transition as well.
01:06And then, you know, we saw a lot of defensive errors.
01:09I particularly remember the day of the last time at Deep Deal.
01:12That was a particularly bad day and that win in Preston goal,
01:16they made that just about summed up Middlesbrough's season really last season.
01:20But, you know, complete change this season with the four wins,
01:24they've conceded only one goal, three clean sheets.
01:28He's created a, very quickly, Rob Edwards created this kind of new defensive structure
01:33that is really compact and, you know, everyone kind of looks like they understand the rules
01:40when Middlesbrough don't have the ball.
01:41But then, you know, when they're on the ball, they still try to get men forward
01:45and the attacking side of it is still coming together, really.
01:48There's been quite a few new additions to the attack.
01:51So, still a lot of kind of integrating to do on that side of things.
01:55But no, all very positive, really, so far.
01:58How is the trip up to, well, down sort of to Deep Dale viewed
02:01and how do you think Edwards will go about it?
02:04North End have started pretty well at home, especially with wins over Ipswich and Leicester.
02:09Yeah, 100%.
02:11I think Middlesbrough will be looking at this as a difficult game with those two wins at Deep Dale in mind.
02:17I think, you know, going into the season, I wouldn't be afraid to say that Preston
02:22were one of the teams that I was tipping to kind of struggle.
02:24And, you know, so far they've, much like Middlesbrough, have kind of, you know,
02:29put those doubts to bed, really, and looked quite good so far this season.
02:33So, I think Borough will be coming, knowing that I don't think we have a particularly good record
02:36at Deep Dale in recent years either.
02:38So, we'll certainly know we're in for a tough afternoon, but hoping that, you know,
02:44with all the positive momentum that's being built up so far,
02:47hoping that, you know, they can find a way to get another win.
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