There have been plenty of moments over the last few months when the reality of promotion has sunk in, but this weekend might be the biggest of the lot. Lincoln City are about to play a Championship league fixture for the first time in 65 years, ending an absence from the second tier that stretches all the way back to 1961.
It is not a gentle introduction either. We are heading to the Riverside Stadium to face Middlesbrough, a club with ambitions that extend considerably beyond simply surviving in the division. For us, it is the beginning of something we have waited generations to experience, while for Boro it is a home game against the newly-promoted side and one they will undoubtedly expect to win.
That makes the respective mindsets interesting. We know what we think of our team, particularly after the 2-1 League Cup victory against Derby County, but what do Middlesbrough supporters make of us? As it happens, plenty of them watched that game and there has been a lengthy discussion on the Boro forum about exactly what they might be facing on Saturday.
The thread began with a warning from Chips n gravy, who had clearly taken plenty from City’s performance against Derby.
Chips n gravy:
WARNING!!! Boro will have to be on form next week. Lincoln are a very good team.
Very very fit and organised….541 to a quick 343 when they have the ball.
Very good and fast on the counter
Physical on set pieces…got some height in their team as Matt Clarke found out.
The full back HAMER has a bomb of a long throw with pace in his locker
They have subs with pace up front M Melia(18 yr old on loan from Spurs, made his full international debut with Ireland in the summer…like a young Robbie Keane) also Olaofe.This will be like a cup final for them and also they do the 3 cheers at end like the Boro.
There are a few little inaccuracies in there, but the overall assessment is an interesting one. What clearly stood out was the organisation, physicality and speed of our transitions, all elements that were important against Derby. Tom Hamer’s throw attracted attention too, as did the options we were able to introduce from the bench.
SRV agreed with the broad assessment, pointing towards the mentality City bring into the Championship after winning League One.
SRV:
100% agree. They won the division well and are used to winning a lot of football matches. Momentum is with them and they have to be fully respected and we have to be on it.
That idea appears several times throughout the discussion. There is an acceptance among some Boro supporters that playing a promoted side on the opening day can be awkward, particularly one arriving with the confidence City have built over the previous season. The Derby result probably only reinforces that.
The tactical side of the discussion is perhaps the most interesting part. Several supporters believe City will be happy to concede possession, stay compact and then attack quickly when the opportunity presents itself. More importantly, some recognise that this has caused Middlesbrough problems before.
Block21:
Watched the second half, camped in there own half and played on counter.
Big test for us as we know we’ve struggled before in that type of game.
Be great to see if the new lads make a difference int that type of game, I think Seb and Lankshear will do just that
That concern crops up repeatedly. There is clearly a feeling that Middlesbrough can become frustrated against sides who allow them the ball but deny them space, particularly if they push numbers forward and leave themselves vulnerable to a counter.
One of the more detailed assessments came from UriaHeap, who openly identified that weakness.
UriaHeap:
We can play some very clever football. Sometimes in my opinion rather too intricate at times. We need to be more direct especially in the last third of the pitch. Last night was a good example. Sarmiento went on a few really good runs. Yes he helped bring about the goal but his efforts tended to end in misplaced passes. It’s in defence that we are weakest especially when teams break on us.Im.hoping Phillips can steady the ship. If you re run that game you will see plenty of instances where their players were in acres of space because our defenders lost them. Lincoln will exploit this weakness. A weakness that has been there for several seasons.
That is perhaps where Saturday becomes particularly intriguing. There is an assumption in parts of the thread that City will simply sit inside their own half and try to survive, but what we saw against Derby was a little more nuanced than that. We were certainly happy to concede possession for spells, but when opportunities arrived to break, we committed bodies and did so with purpose.
There is also a recurring belief that the first goal could be particularly important. If Boro strike early, the theory is that City will have to move away from the shape and approach they are expected to employ. If the game stays level, frustration might begin to build inside the Riverside.
On The Bob:
Lincoln are on the crest of a wave and will undoubtedly try to make things difficult. They played exactly the same way last season. Low % possession, long throws, set pieces and counter attacks.
I’d also not put too much weight into the opening round cup games. Several teams are still using it as part of their pre-season preparations.
It will be a tough game, especially as we’ve had such an overhaul, but hopefully our quality will shine through. First goal is key. Take a first half lead and make them come out of their shell and comfort zone.
Not everyone is expecting a difficult afternoon, of course. There is plenty of confidence among Middlesbrough supporters too, which is hardly surprising given the respective expectations around the two clubs this season.
Canyoudigit:
A full house at the riverside will inspire our players,this season is totally different to last year,we have a whole load of new players, the new American boys, lankshear, vitek, phillips, Joseph, an early goal next and Lincoln wont know what’s hit them.
Boro 5 Lincoln 0
Lankshear hattrick, joseph, Arfsten
That prediction probably sits at the extreme end of the confidence scale, but it gives a fair indication of the other side of the debate. Some Boro supporters see this simply as a game a promotion-chasing Championship side should win, regardless of City’s momentum or the awkwardness of facing a newly-promoted team on the opening weekend.
Taken as a whole, the thread is quite revealing. There is certainly confidence, and in places a little dismissal, but there is also considerably more respect for City than we might perhaps have expected before the Derby game.
They have noticed the organisation, the counter-attacking threat, Hamer’s long throw and the physicality at set pieces. They have seen the pace available from the bench and recognised that this is a side accustomed to winning football matches. Perhaps most significantly, plenty appear to think Saturday could become uncomfortable if Middlesbrough do not take control early.
For us, the occasion is bigger than any individual prediction on an opposition forum. Sixty-five years have passed since Lincoln City last played league football at this level, and throughout much of that time a trip to Middlesbrough in the Championship would have felt a distant prospect rather than a fixture sitting on the calendar.
Now it is here. Boro supporters might be expecting anything from a frustrating afternoon to a 5-0 victory, but after watching City against Derby, at least some of them have reached one conclusion already: Boro had better be on form.
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