I'm glad that Boro Becky, plus her father and other family member enjoyed their outing this lunchtime. Perhaps a repetition of the outing may give a repeat performance next time?
Sadly I will be unable to attend until March now as I am heading to Singapore and Australia for a few weeks, next weekend unfortunately I don’t think I will be anyway near our Australian members. The vagaries of the two away games followed by two home games is somewhat frustrating at times.
The offspring are planning a trip for 24 February though so hopefully 2 out of 3 will still continue the winning trend!
@original-fat-bob I wonder how long it will take him to get match fit?
And where does it leave us with regard to the official squad of 25? Currently showing 30 on the Boro web site so who will be departing or not being registered?
I see Hamilton has gone on loan to Stockport but there will presumably be some more, unless I have missed some?
So it wasn’t the famous five after all but it was The Adventurous four featuring twins Jill and Mary, their brother Tom, and Scottish fisher-boy Andy.
Hope to see more of the four or five in other Boro games for further adventures!
OFB
Is it just me or is any one else disappointed following Saturday’s game
that
we
are
not playing
mid week! 😉😎
Kante, Mcabe, Castledine and Munroe don't count in the 25 as they are under 21. I haven't seen anywhere that Hamilton has gone to Stockport. Dieng is listed at the moment and I think that they are trying to offload him. So we still need to sell/loan out others and decide if Lenihan will ever play again.
Thanks for that - I had forgotten that one about the under 21s. I am sure I saw something on the Boro website about Hamilton dated 23rd but can’t find it now! Maybe someone got ahead of themselves.
Hopefully once we can a few more fit, then we can get even better!
@boro-beckys-dad Remember Hamilton spent the second half of last season at Stockport and only got five outings. Would MFC send him there again?I would be surprised.
Yes, I think the squad currently has 26 players who would need to be registered - though hard to see if Lenihan would be worth registering as by the time he is fit there won't be many games left and Boro have plenty of options. Also hard to see how Hamilton gets a game given there have been more new arrivals and the summer signings of Sene, Hansen, Nypan and Strelec have barely played since arrival.
Apparently, Dieng was going to have his contract terminated by mutual consent so he could join Hull but no further news on that - which would leave Boro with only 2 keepers so he would need replacing. Plus Sarmiento has reportedly had his medical and is due to be announced to take the total to 27 over 21.
@werdermouth Agreed Werder. Just looking at the MFC website, that is my take on the squad at today 26/01/26
PLAYERS IN BLUE, U21, DO NOT COUNT
GK. BRYNN, MCLAUGHLIN, DIENG
DEF. BRITTAIN, TARGETT, JONES, FRY, AYLING, EDMUNSON, LENIHAN, MALANDA, SILVERA,
BANGURA, MUNROE.
MF. HACKNEY, MCGREE, GILBERT, BROWNE, MORRIS, NYPAN, CASTLEDINE, MCCABE, KANTE.
FOR. CONWAY, BURGZORG, WHITTAKER, STRELEC, HAMILTON, SENE, HANSEN.
TOTAL = 26
POSSIBLE INCOMING SARMIENTO, ADDITIONAL FORWARD AND GOALKEEPER?
POSSIBLE LEAVING/NOT REGISTERED LENIHAN, DIENG, HAMILTON, TAKE YOUR PICK WE NEED FOUR. 🤣 🤣
The full list of clubs who have scored more goals than Middlesbrough (26) in the Championship since Kim Hellberg was appointed:
Do we need a striker? How many would we have scored with a prolific scorer?
@pedro My pick is Nypan. He is taking a place from one of our own players.
I think the Echo wrote, that if Dieng left for Hull, we would do with a junior keeper from our academy until summer.
Up the Boro.
The full list of clubs who have scored more goals than Middlesbrough (26) in the Championship since Kim Hellberg was appointed:
Do we need a striker? How many would we have scored with a prolific scorer?
Coventry City (61), Ipswich Town (48) and Hull City (47). These also have one game in hand on us at the moment, so could add to their tallies.
So your observation is valid. We are certainly keeping pace with Ipswich and Hull and catching up on Coventry.
We just have to hope that we have genuinely turned the corner in respect of creating/taking more chances.
Just posted this and then re-read your post to realise I mis-read .....
You are even more correctly ponting out that one has scored more than us since KH came on board ! It will be interesting to see if that stat holds good till May 🤞
For all his criticism at times, this is a good article by Craig Johns on why MFC should get an additional striker OR NOT.
I guess in terms of signing a striker this window, what you get will either be another PL misfit without much game-time under their belt like Iheanacho, a gamble from a lower level or spending big on a proven striker. I don't think the latter is possible without raising funds with a sale, so I suspect it will be the second option if one arrives unless there's somebody with a contract running down at a club not at the sharp end who would rather sell.
As we are in the last week of the transfer window, 3 questions come to mind:
1. Will we or won’t we (after Sarmiento) bring in another signing.
2. Will we be able to move anybody out.
3. Do we really need to spend anymore money this window.
What are the thoughts of Diasboro 🤔.
Come on BORO.
exmil, referencing werder’s last post, 1) We do not want another Striker/Sarmiento, that has not played since who knows when.
Possibly, as I have said before, I would look at a CB, given that Jones will probably miss the next 1 1/2 to 2 months, Edmundson is out until ? and Fry, will he last the next few games even.
2) I guess Lenihan will not be registered. Hamilton will be loaned out. I also assume someone else will have to go if the club are seriously looking to bring in another player. Hansen?
3) If we retain Targett and Browne, then maybe we can stop spending. I really cannot see us selling anyone to bring in any money.
I'd only bring in a striker if it was someone better than what we have and not sure about getting in another centre-back as Boro have managed to shuffle their defenders around without looking less secure. I think a squad of 30, if you include Munroe and Castledine as players who appear to be given pitch time, looks quite bloated once more are fit and impossible to keep everyone happy - especially those summer signings who have become almost peripheral in terms of starting.
For now, let us hope Norwich can do us a favour on Monday evening.
And the Canaries duly obliged: 2-1, the gap down to three points! 🙂
Interesting comment from a Coventry fan on the Beeb site:
Coventry have been found out. Put pressure on Grimes, he passes to one of the two centre-halves and they simply cannot pass a ball. Get caught in possession or give the ball away. Woeful.
Great defeat for Coventry. Now we have to beat Norwich on Saturday to take advantage.
Watched. Norwich2 Coventry1
In the first half Norwich looked the better team but Coventry scored and they visibly relaxed and looked a much better team.
Norwich equalised quickly in the second half and both teams went for a second goal. Coventry unlucky with 2 good chances with one shot hitting the bar. Norwich equalised and quickly came back with tremendous energy and determination .
Enjoyable game.
Good result for Boro with Coventry losing and now only 3 points ahead of Boro. But Saturday, home to Norwich , will be tough as they have done tremendously well away from home and are on a good run of results - won 6 out of the last 8 ( I think)
I am sure our Coach will have the right plan for them
Philip of Huddersfield 👍😄
Like us Norwich have won 4 straight games so something has to give. Edwards won 4 straight and KH has done it twice. Can he get 5 on Saturday. Since Clement has taken over at Carrow Road they have taken 27 from his 15 games in charge. He was appointed a week before KH. Will be a tough game on Saturday although they will come and attack which may help our cause.
Chris Rea's Steel River to continue to be played before home matches. 🙂
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/middlesbrough-make-chris-rea-pre-33305857
Very happy to have the opening bars of Chris Rea's Steel River played before the matches start at The Riverside.
I did think, in a moment of weakness (or was it a dream?) that Boro would be promoted automatically (hopefully as Champions) with either Coventry or, more likely, Ipswich as the other automatic team because Coventry's "blip" seems to be longer lasting then people thought. In that case, don't discount Wrexham, now in the Play-Off positions.
Wrexham has come with late runs in recent seasons, in whichever division they found themselves. It takes a while to come to terms with the competition in each higher division. Conventional wisdom is that newly promoted teams need a season or two to consolidate before looking upwards in the league pyramid. Wrexham's owners didn't seem to understand that conventional wisdom. Every time they are told it will be "much harder next season". It would not surprise me at all if a little club from North Wales found itself winning through the Play-Offs. That would make it FOUR successive promotions from non-league to the Premier League. Think of the money that might then be made available to the team, bearing in mind some of the original investment might be sold off by the "Holywood owners". What a cracking investment by them. And to think "it could have been Hartlepool" rather than Wrexham!
Chris Rea's Steel River to continue to be played before home matches. 🙂
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/middlesbrough-make-chris-rea-pre-33305857
”Chris Rea’s hit about Teesside was previously trialled in 2023 but abandoned relatively quickly. We Shall Not Overcome has been another often suggested option, but has often proven divisive.”
No wonder it’s proven divisive, if instead of “We Shall Overcome”, someone’s slipped a “Not” in there!
Wolves, Coventry City and Middlesbrough are all reportedly tracking Lassine Sinayoko (26) as they look to strengthen their attacking options. 🇲🇱
The Auxerre forward is understood to be available for around £8m this month.
📰 @SportsPeteO
Sarmiento has signed and Burgzog’s move to Bristol City is now back on. 😎
It is being rumoured that Delano Burgzorg is on the move (on loan) to Bristol City.
Give us your thoughts?
OFB
🚨 | BREAKING: Delano Burgzorg’s move to Bristol City is back on.
The forward will join on loan.
[Dom Shaw]
Burgzorg will not be a loss as throughout his career at Boro and Huddersfield he has consistently fluffed chances, insists on going for power when shooting , doesn’t pass to a teammate when in a better attacking position. Is that enough ? Otherwise he’s a cracking player !!
I suggest the new forward from Huddersfield is more naturally talented and had a promising debut v Preston.
It seems to me that Boro need to release a few fringe players if a new forward is signed.
philip of Huddersfield 👍👍