John Powls: 'The Blackpool result was a credit to the will to win Karanka has instilled at Boro'

From Etihad to the Emirates, high flying Boro look to land at a cup opponent on Sunday with the rest of the Championship in their contrail.

Well, at least until Bournemouth take on the Terriers tomorrow.

Just as with the triumph over Citeh’s slickers, this fifth round tie against The Gunners is a free hit for the Teessiders gunning for promotion.

So long as there are no further distractions result for the only campaign that matters – like a replay, more injuries to key players or an unlikely tanking – it’s a game that all associated with Boro can enjoy.

There could hardly be a greater contrast between consecutive away-day challenges than these latest two.

From Bloomfield Road, it’s ploughed field and the rock bottom rock munchers to the Emirates, it’s lawn bowls carpet and the Prem prawn sandwich nibblers.

If you can call change consistency, the factor that likely links the two is that Boro’s head coach will rotate again with both selection and set-out.

On Tuesday, it was almost as though Karanka had had an extreme allergic reaction to going same again from the win over the Addicks.

Seven changes in the starting XI and setting out 3-5-2 was way beyond what any commentator had predicted.

In my view, Boro bested Blackpool – eventually – despite the set out change made rather than because of it.

It’s credit to the will to win Karanka has instilled in his squad and that will finding the way which got the result.

I can only think that the 3-5-2 resulted from a sudden shortage of full backs.

Though Kalas played in the back three, it seems that Fredericks was nursing a knock and Nsue was still unavailable after the African nations.

For the other flank, Gorgeous had an illness but I still haven’t heard where Husband was.

And Woody? Who knew?

Action Images / Andrew Boyers

Jonathan Woodgate celebrates after scoring against Blackpool

The club skipper played a blinder and got across Lewis and his head on a Leadbelter - the benched armband man - late corner to get Boro ahead.

Ben Gibson, another regular on as a sub after Dani Ayala had damaged a thigh muscle that looks long term, nodded into his own goal.

Big Ben’s blushes were banished by another benchwarmer, Tomlin, whose red zone assist provoked an arcing Kike header

As that went in off the bar it sent Boro top and the magnificent travelling parmo army into pleasure beach roller coaster ecstasy.

Young Gibbo tweeted the next morning, ‘I love Kike!’ – and so say all of us!

There’ll be more Valentine’s heading the Spaniard’s way if he does to Arsenal what he did to Citeh and has Wenger flustering with his coat zip again.

My guess is he’ll have to do it coming from the bench just as at The Eithad.

Despite the unavailability of Kalas, Karanka will surely find full backs from somewhere, revert to 4-2-3-1 and restore Big Ben, Bam-Bam, Leadbelter and Tomlin to the starting eleven with Forshaw cup tied and Deano making way.

I think Adomah will keep his place but Adam Reach – timid at the seaside – will be benched again.

And Woody? Well, with Ayala out and Omeruo too uncertain, who knows? But two games in five days seems unlikely.

So, what side and set out at St. Andrew’s next Wednesday? Answers on your Fylde Coast postcard.

C’mon Boro!!