Latest news from MFC
The club can confirm that our manager Neil Warnock has returned a positive test for COVID-19 and will be spending a period in isolation in accordance with guidelines.
@original-fat-bob. That explains everything, clearly the players must have been affected on Tuesday evening hence the performance! 😎 😉
Just a word of caution. I fail to see how a choice of Captain which is at best strange and at worst frightening, can be anything but worrying to us fans. Poor Britt has never at any moment in his career displayed a single scrap of responsibility to anyone, least of all to himself. From grabbing the ball from a young teammate who was on a hat trick and had earned the penalty, to playing at two stone overweight all last season. I have no idea how or why he lost that weight, and yes, it has made some difference, he is a bit faster in his movement, but it does not alter the fact that he is a near post man, and will always be such, plus the most important speed is speed of thought, and that he lacks. None of this would matter, except that he is spoken of as an important member of this team, he is not, and he will hold back Fletcher, who is far superior, and should be our striker. Even worse is the suggestion that Wing and Tav are competing for the one position, no, they are our two best attack minded players and bring out the best in each other, together with Fletcher. To leave Fry on the bench is quite simply, foolish in the extreme. As we try all kinds and types of central defenders, and come up dry each time, and must wonder, is there a single brain trying to solve our problems, or is it all blind guess work?
@grovehillwallah. I just hope this is not Boro chuba loads of money away again!😎😉
If I look at the Boro squad now, we still need a defender or two and a striker on loan.
We have three good to excellent strikers - some will argue with me about Britt or Fletcher - and we need one more, possibly on loan. So plenty of time but we need a striker if one gets injured.
Many can say we need two or three defenders, but we definately need a left sided centre back and propably a left back, too. And generally these are easier to find than a good centre forward - e.g. costing less to sign.
I am a bit worried all has gone quiet now at a defender arriving. At least one, preferably another is needed. Perhaps the U turn in the desision to allow spectators in to the grounds have changed the finances for a defender. Perhaps we were planning to buy one, and now we need to look at free transfers. And hence a delay.
But as the injury to Hall has shown, we need more bodies on the bench now.
Up the Boro!
If we continue to play three at the back and Djiksteel and McNair can keep up their early season form then we may be ok with what we have. Including Fry and Hall we have four senior players vying for the three spots and have Wood as a further reserve, with Howson able to fill in if necessary. I think if we're on a tight budget with an uncertainty in the market and for the season as a whole, I think the numbers we have now are a risk we can carry.
I would say the same about the strikers. We have three for two positions plus Ste Walker and Tyrone O'Neill as backup, with players like Tav and Browne probably able to fill in if needed. Again, if there are constraints, it's a risk I'd be tempted to run with.
The areas I think we should be concentrating on are the wingbacks. We don't seem to have a natural on the left whilst, to a lesser extent, we could do with some competition on the right.
All things considered, I'd be happy enough if we brought in a specialist left wingback and left it at that for incoming players. This is all framed by an acceptance that promotion is not a realistic ambition this season.
See your point, Andy. But I think then we would be a couple of injuries away from panic.
I personally think we should aim for play-offs even if that sounds unrealistic now. But during the first month with Warnock last season, we made it 1,5 points per game. I think we should improve on that. And then we are close to the 6th spot in May.
We do not know how strong the pre-season barbeque was. Up the Boro!
I guess I’m pretty confident that the current squad (Poor and thin as it is) and management team will see us comfortably enough in mid-table, so why spend money when the season itself is in doubt.
Loans are probably the best bet.
Has anyone heard anything about the injury to Grant Hall?
He was supposed to have a scan on Monday but none of the local newpapers have written anything on it yet. I suppose we will not hear anything before the Barnsley presser.
BTW, some rumours about the Barnsley manager: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54343048.
Up the Boro!
I think I read that Grant Hall had torn is calf muscle - obviously being the athlete I am, I've done that a few times and I'd probably reckon he'll be out for 2-3 weeks if it's not too major. So I guess he may be back after the international break.
I had a telephone conversation with a cousin-in-law of mine who played in the 1970 Rugby League Challenge Cup Final mainly to check out his health problems having been diagnosed with prostate cancer recently. The conversation then turned to Cas and also Leeds United as he’s always been a Leeds fan as well. He was praising the form of Jack Harrison and likening him to Stewart Downing in his heyday but concerned how Leeds would manage without him against Manchester City this weekend as he can’t play against his mother club. The conversation naturally turned to Patrick Bamford and opinion seems to be divided among the Elland Road faithful as to whether he’s a Premier League player as he can’t head a ball with most of his attempts come from any other parts of his anatomy than his head. He also said that Leeds only signed Bamford because of his hat trick for Boro against Leeds two seasons ago.
I pointed out that at Boro Bamford, certainly under Pulis, rarely played as a centre forward as Pulis didn’t seem to trust him in that position. Anyway we gave our opinions as to how Leeds and Boro might perform this season. I thought that Boro would finish 14/16th but Leeds 8/9th, whilst Ian thought that Boro would finish 6/7th but Leeds 12th at best unless they could find another striker. So clearly not all Leeds fans appear to be as arrogant as we’re led to believe.
I think I read that Grant Hall had torn is calf muscle - obviously being the athlete I am, I've done that a few times and I'd probably reckon he'll be out for 2-3 weeks if it's not too major. So I guess he may be back after the international break.
Thats more than the local papers can tell on the web.
⚽ Up the Boro!
@ken strangely enough I believe he scored with a header against Sheff Utd last Saturday in the 1 nil win.
I think I read that Grant Hall had torn is calf muscle - obviously being the athlete I am, I've done that a few times and I'd probably reckon he'll be out for 2-3 weeks if it's not too major. So I guess he may be back after the international break.
Thats more than the local papers can tell on the web.
⚽ Up the Boro!
Finally some news from the Gazette:
Grant Hall's injury could also give Warnock a decision to make at the back.
Although the exact extent of the injury is still unknown, Hall could face a couple of months out if he has, as feared, torn his calf.
Asked whether he is considering adding to his defence, Warnock said: “I did enquire about a centre-back and that is still a possibility.
“If that opportunity comes up then I will ask the question. It would be a loan.
“I know if they can support me, Steve and Neil, they will do.
“If we can get the right ones in, I wouldn’t say no to bringing another defender in.
“At the moment, I’d just rather put my priority into finding a player who can help create more goals for us.”
Up the Boro!
It's getting quiet. Where is everybody?
Is it COVID or what? I hope all are well.
We have the Barnsley match coming tomorrow. Up the Boro!
EG are reporting that Patrick Roberts is on his way back to Boro for a season long loan.
I am confused, only a few weeks ago NW was saying that he needed two full backs if he was to play Roberts. Have I missed something and did we sign two fullbacks or was this NW playing mind games? 😎
I think he changed his mind when Chuba joined in, perhaps.
I do not know, but I like the idea of Riberts.
Next we need a left-footed defender who can play at CH as well as RB.
Up the Boro!
KP, maybe NW does not tell the world and his dog who he is really targeting so MFC does not gazumped.
Come on BORO.
EG are reporting that Patrick Roberts is on his way back to Boro for a season long loan.
I am confused, only a few weeks ago NW was saying that he needed two full backs if he was to play Roberts. Have I missed something and did we sign two fullbacks or was this NW playing mind games? 😎
Good news I think.
I suspect NW has decided to stick with the back three and wingbacks and see Roberts as a no.10. May mean Tav stepping down to the bench unless he wants to playa lone striker.
@andy-r. Playing only one striker is unlikely to increase our goals tally and moving us away from being the lowest scores which NW has already said is not good enough. I agree that he will probably have to play him as a No 10.
I just hope that NW gets him to release the ball at the right time and not to over elaborate which he was inclined to do on occasions last season. That being said, he is more likely to open defences than the majority of the existing players.
Any way, it's watch this space until the ink is dried on the paper and the white smoke is released from Rockliffe. 😎
Conner Malley on loan to Carlisle until January 21.
Come on BORO.
Hope it is true about Patrick Roberts, said all along that we should have him back. (Still in Turkey. Very safe here, More stricter measures here than the UK. Police always around to make sure you are wearing masks.)
From the Beeb's Transfer Gossip page (quoting Football League World) for today:
Middlesbrough, QPR and Cardiff City are monitoring Barnsley's English central midfielder, Alex Mowatt, 25, and could make a move before the EFL transfer deadline.
I thought the deadline had already passed? *confused*
That was just the deadline for international transfers deals but the PL and EFL have agreed to extend the domestic transfer deadline until 5pm on 16 October.
That was just the deadline for international transfers deals but the PL and EFL have agreed to extend the domestic transfer deadline until 5pm on 16 October.
Cheers, Werder. 👍 I find it hard to keep track! 😕
@stircrazy. I am also confused. Not about the date for closure of the transfer window but about why Boro would want another midfield player when we are awash with them. It's left footed CBs and LBs we need in my opinion! 😎
I know he might not be ready just yet but I think Nathan Wood is a left-footer. Who knows, by the end of the season he might be the one for that role but for now McNair is doing a great job.