@redcarred Right, that all makes perfect sense. I think I need to enrol in a night class for a deeper understanding. I love to have heard Bill Shankly's opinion that thesis. I'm sure that discourse would confuse a lot of footballers.
UTB,
John
Middlesbrough will complete a deal to sign Folarin Balogun today.
According to twitter, Boro will now only be covering 15% of his salary after reaching an agreement with Arsenal.
OFB
So Boro are reported to be interested in Hamilton Academical defender Jamie Hamilton. Are they all called Hamilton in their team 🤣🤣🤣?
BTW. Is there anybody called Middlesbrough or Hartlepool by name? Up the Boro!
Thanks Bob. Great contributions. I see that your scouting reports from yesterday formed the basis of Craig Johns' lengthy piece in today's Gazette. You might have thought he would be a bit closer to the club than the internet rumour mill.
One point of course is if Forest and Boro make the playoffs he won’t be eligible to play against Boro !
OFB
Jack Butland a great goalkeeper from Crystal Palace who is only 28 turns 29 in March could be available and is a possible option for Boro to sign on loan.
OFB
@original-fat-bob I am a little surprised at that, given that we have no other player in that LWB position to develop going forward.
Peltier as good as he has been filling in, Taylor doing OK or even Bola in my opinion are not for the future in CW’s style of play.
mcGree signing tomorrow having medical at Rockliffe
Dijon cb bids gone in for Jonathan Panzo
OFB
@original-fat-bob I am a little surprised at that, given that we have no other player in that LWB position to develop going forward.
Peltier as good as he has been filling in, Taylor doing OK or even Bola in my opinion are not for the future in CW’s style of play.
Boro signed (or are in the process of) a young Lad who Chelsea were interested in at one point called Bryant Bilongo who fills the Williams Kokola gap. Looks like a bit of joined up thinking from Boro for a change.
SKY news now reporting Boro only paying a “portion” of Balogun’s wages. Thought to around 15K per week.
Flo Balogun(ner) has joined Boro officially.
Folarin Balogun started Arsenal's Premier League curtain-raiser against Brentford back in August but then struggled for game time with the first-team, playing just 74 minutes across all competitions since the 2-0 defeat in west London.
However, the 20-year-old has been excellent for the Gunners' under-23 side, providing a whopping 15 goals and three assists in just 13 outings for Kevin Betsy's side this term.
Speaking in October, Arteta said: "Again, with Flo (Balogun) we have a really clear project. The steps that he’s making, they are the right steps.
"Don’t forget he is really young, he hasn’t played almost any professional football, and you need to go through every phase – and don’t try to jump phases when you are not ready to do so.
"Again I’m really happy with him, he’s making the right progress and in December we will see where we are and what’s the best for him as well."
As per, football.london's chief Arsenal reporter Chris Wheatley, the Teesside-based club will cover 15% of the player's salary after reaching an agreement with the Gunners.
Do we need more players in January? Life is good. Up the Boro!
BIG CLAIM: Neil Warnock wouldn’t swap any Middlesbrough defenders for Manchester United’s and tells Ralf Rangnick to put an arm round out-of-form Harry Maguire.
Read more about our former big mouth: https://talksport.com/football/fa-cup/1018831/
Hope we do not sell McNair nor Dael Fry. Luckily the window is closed the time we keep a clean sheet at Old Trafford.
Up the Boro!
Neil Warnock has told TalkSPORT that Nottingham Forest defender Djed Spence needed to sort himself out.
Up the Boro!
Do we need more players in January? Life is good. Up the Boro!
Probably depends on whether we lose Tav. There's enough chatter about a possible transfer to Leeds that I think it's possible. Our determination to get McGree also makes me think he's being bought as a like for like replacement for Tav. There's also noise about Payero going on loan and no one seems to expect Lea Siliki to ever amount to much.
Three left-sided centre backs are being mentioned (Panzo, Souttar, Simpson) and Lundstram has also been rumoured.
I could certainly see McGree, Lundstram and a centre-back coming in while Hernandez, Uche, Payero, Lea Siliki and (possibly) Tav leave.
To be honest, that much change would make me nervous.
I don’t see that many changes
OFB
@deleriad Whoever we get in, I still see the need for a first team starter in the number 10 role. We are still weak (in my opinion) in that area. More so if it looks like Payero is being discounted.
If true, it will do nothing to help settle him on Teesside.
We don't play with a No 10 under Wilder and, anyway, Payero isn't a No 10. According to his scouting report he's box-to-box midfielder who plays on the right. https://www.hudl.com/blog/scouting-time-guiliano-galoppo-martin-payero
If this is correct then he's perfect for the position that Crooks has made his own. Ironically he looks perfect for Wilderball but clearly Wilder regards Howson and probably McNair as better back-ups for Crooks than Payero at present.
I would like to see him get a run but I don't see him doing better than Crooks in the short-term and why would you want to break up the partnership between Crooks, Jones and Dijksteel.
Wilder has made it clear that he doesn't want right-footed players on the left so he's not going to get Tav's place plus he isn't a defensive midfielder. Realistically he's only getting in the team if we have Crooks and another 2-3 key players out injured.
For what it's worth, I think not playing with a No 10 is a good thing. Under Wilder's 3-5-2 we have multiple avenues of attack and don't rely on one player to provide the creativity.
As reported last night it’s happened !
OFB
@deleriad If McGree arrives, we then have back-up for Howson, too. Two good players for every slot in the team 😀.
Boro have pushed the boat out for McGree as Chris Wilder is keen to bring in the defensive midfielder as told by OFB, above.
Up the Boro!
@deleriad My mistake in saying a number 10. Apologies
What I meant to convey was in my opinion we are still desperate for a midfield player, left side or right, who can take a pass, see an opening and play a forward ball through the opposition defence into the 18 yard box for Sporar and Watmore to run onto. This would play more to their strengths and also widen the opportunities rather on our over reliance on Jones.
@jarkko: Note the 15% of Balogun's wages not £15K a week.