Middlesbrough are looking to test themselves against the Premier League
Kim Hellberg, Middlesbrough head coach(Image: Getty Images)
Kim Hellberg set out his aims for Middlesbrough’s FA Cup clash at Fulham this weekend, explaining how the Championship promotion hopefuls can use it as a marker for their Premier League ambitions.
Boro sit second in the Championship this season, but head to Craven Cottage with a number of important players absent through injury. It means many have questioned if Boro should prioritise the league and rest key players for the cup.
With a week’s worth of recovery between games before and after the Fulham clash, however, Hellberg instead sees the game as a great opportunity to themselves, while learning ahead of hopefully challenging teams like the Cottagers more regularly next season.
Hellberg said: “It’s a little bit different maybe, because it’s more about, for us, to see how good we are in the way we want to play. How can we do against that good of a team, playing the way we want to play?
“I think that’s been very, very clear since in the last nine games, as the team that has the ball most in the Championship, the team that’s created most xG from open play in the Championship, the team that has been getting to the final third most in the Championship.
“We’re a team in the moment that’s been playing very good offensive football and that’s what we’re going there to try to do. Then, if we’re good enough to do it, we will see in how many minutes we can handle it.
“We are preparing to be offensive – how we’re going to solve them, how we’re going to hurt them. And then we’ll see. It’s also a good game to analyse after and see what we need to do to improve even more.
“It’s a feeling where you can just look to keep improving what we’re doing, and be brave in that, and also go and try to challenge them.”
Having watched English football for years from Sweden and dreaming of one day managing in the FA Cup, the Boro head coach admits it will be a special occasion for him.
“In Sweden there’s such a big interest in English football,” he said. “It will be special to take part in this cup. Going to play a Premier League team, going into the cup, and then, of course, first experience the FA Cup. Everything about this game… I just want it to be Saturday!
“I’ve actually been to Craven Cottage with my father, but it was like 25 years ago maybe. I remember being there watching Van der Sar in goal! It will be good to go back there and be on the pitch this time.”
Boro head to Craven Cottage with a number of injuries though, and a core group of players who have had to play a lot of football of late, as a result.
Asked if he might have to rotate his starting lineup, he insisted: “I actually don’t think so. After the Southampton game we had three days off. It was a good opportunity to give them a break, because over Christmas the players were in here every day.
“So three days was good to go home, take care of your family, enjoy, and then we were back training. Then after this game, it’s almost a week to the next game.
“So I think this game comes quite good in a situation. If you don’t play and then you wait two weeks, you don’t want them to not play. So I think this is a good opportunity to challenge Fulham at the things we’re good at.
“Then, of course, you need to be able to rotate in the game a little bit more than maybe we do normally. But I don’t think we need to do too much, in terms of how we start the game.
“This is the best chance to measure yourself against a very good team, and when you do that when it’s one week between the games, it gives you a chance to actually go at them in an even better way.”
Hellberg is under no illusions about the challenge Boro face though. Marco Silva has tended to make changes to his team for FA Cup games against EFL clubs, but they have plenty of quality options and currently sit ninth in the Premier League table.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he concluded. “It’s a very good team we face. They beat Chelsea two days ago, and a good result before that.
“The squad and the players are looking forward to the challenge and seeing how good we can play against a very good Premier League team away. That’s the aim: try to go and make the game our game for as many minutes as possible.”
Middlesbrough Whatsapp and Newsletter signup
Here at TeessideLive, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Middlesbrough FC coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest Boro news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
Your information will be hidden, you’ll only ever receive messages from the Teesside Live sports team, and you can leave any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘Exit group’. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
