@ken strangely enough I believe he scored with a header against Sheff Utd last Saturday in the 1 nil win.
I’m not sure, it didn’t seem as if he headed it with any confidence but they all count.
@andy-r. I have not seen enough of Wood to comment. I can't argue about McNair but I am concerned that if he gets injured and Hall's injury record is not good in recent seasons then we could have problems and even more square pegs in round holes.
That being said, I suppose with the impact of the pandemic then we need to manage with what we have as it is not going to be business as we used to know it for a long time. 😎
So one confirmed.
Boro have completed the loan signing of Patrick Roberts from Manchester City, with the forward returning to Teesside to add more creativity to Neil Warnock's side.
So I think everyone is happy in here about that.
What do you think we need next if any before the deadline on Friday 16th?
I would prefer a left-footed defender to be signed - able to play at CB and left back. And possibly a young EPL striker on loan, perhaps? Or just keeping Browne and not loaning him out.
I think we have two loanees now in Roberts and Bettinelli. How many we are allowed to be named in the playing squad in a match?
Up the Boro!
Agree re Roberts. Good business for me.
I'd be happy to see a left-sided defender come in too on sensible terms, though it might be that Bola can play there as cover.
I think the difficulty with signing a young striker from the EPL would be that their parent club will expect him to play, whereas we'd more likely be looking for cover. That being the case, I'd just keep Ste Walker around. With Fletcher now possibly sidelined for a while, Walker could get chances.
And a possible left back from Tottenham Danny Rose ?
OFB
@andy-r
Agree. If NW thinks that Walker is good enough already this season. Also I would like us to keep Browne, too. He can play in 4-3-3 system as a striker if we go to that occasionally.
@Once Fat Bob
He has been to the North East before and was born in Doncaster. His main position is Left-Back and other position is Left Midfield. I don't see him playing as a makeshift centre back on the right.
Up the Boro!
I was keen on the idea of signing Baba Rahman from Chelsea on a season-long loan.
But now I read that the 26-year-old left back, who joined the Blues from Augsburg in the summer of 2015, has made 15 Premier League appearances since his move to England, with all of those coming in his first season.
The Ghanaian's career has been hampered in a recent years by a cruciate ligament rupture, which kept him out of action for more than seven months in 2017, and a knee injury, which sidelined him for virtually the whole of last season.
He might be fit now but somehow I have Rhys Williams in mind. Or Bates. I hope the player is ioer all these troubles now and can enjoy his career. But are these past troubles good for a move to Boro?
Up the Boro!
I was posting the news about Bolasie but see that Exmil has beaten me to it on the transfer day thread!
Can't say I am overjoyed given his unwillingness to join us previously and that he appears to have struggled wherever he has been in recent seasons. There again he has worked with NW before so perhaps he knows how to get the best from him, assuming the deal is finalised this time.😎
Do the rumours about Bolasie mean that Warnock intends to change to a 433 with Roberts on one side and Bolasie on the other? Against that, he has said he’s looking for a striker and not in the market for a defender, when it would appear that we need full backs for a back four.
Maybe it’s just about having options.
I see Barry Douglas has gone to Blackburn. I thought he would have been a good loan option for us.
Reports that Pears is having a medical at Blackburn and the Bolasie deal is in doubt. Still no word on another striker coming in. #Boro may have to look at free agents they could sign after the deadline. #DeadlineDay
OFB
Aynsley Pears completed move to Blackburn reported on Twitter
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Being reported we’ve signed a winger on loan Bolassie
https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-everton-attacker-agrees-last-gasp-loan-exit/
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Aynsley Pears completed move to Blackburn reported on Twitter
OFB
I, for one, am very sorry to see Pears leave.
Good luck to him. It is, I think, another astute signing by a certain Boro favourite....
We all know that Ashley Fletcher will be out until January. And we need a replacement in attack and soon.
Perhaps the solution is closer than we think. Bring in another Fletcher!
Boro's Under-23s claimed a resounding victory against Sunderland at the Academy of Light on Monday. Isaac Fletcher assisted one goal and scored a hatrick in the local derby.
Of course Isaac is just 18 as he was born in Middlesbrough on Jun 1st , 2002. He is a right winger 😀.
Up the Boro!
... Perhaps the solution is closer than we think. Bring in another Fletcher!
Good call Jarkko
I know this is stupid but if we had signed Ivan Toney as Brentford did, we could be a team now. He has scored seven goals in his six matches so far this season.
But of course you must have a good team around you if you are going to get seven goals in as many matches as Boro have scored only five in total.
Perhaps we did but he choose the Bees. That is life.
PS. Brentford have only one point more than Boro. Up the Boro!
Not really sure where to post this, but Paddy B can't seem to stop scoring for the Dirties: he's just completed his hat-trick, his 4th, 5th & 6th goals of the season, against Villa in 19 minutes. What wouldn't Boro give for that kind of fire power now... 😕
I still think if a deal could be done NW could get this boy on the right track ....
Looking round the football world, I see more and more 18-22 year olds getting a chance with all kinds of clubs. Given our squad depth problem and lack of funds, it seems inevitable that NW will have to take a chance on some of our excellent youngsters who seem to be doing such a good job in the youth teams. In his latest press interview he said that he can see at least six of our juniors making it through to the big time.
He did also say that he loves reading fans forums but never comments. He should be at home amongst all us old fogies.
It’s been a tough week. A draw would be a tremendous result today
utb
Remember Emmanuel Ledesma? He was intervied on the Finnish TV last night during the prime time. He told about his father who was drinking heavily, was beating his mother etc. He wanted to get away from the poor slum area in Argentine. And found that football was his escape.
Ledesma joined a Finnish club SJK Seinäjoki in August 2020. The team is big by our local standards but had played badly all summer (our season is in the summer because of snow in winter). Since he joined, the team has played well and Ledesma is scoring goals from right wing. He seems to be enjoying himself and is playing like Cristian Ronaldo on this level. The fans seem to love him.
As I said, he seems to be enjoying playing and living in Finland. He says he looks at young kids cycling alone to school without parents guidance. So different to his childhood when all the locals were in danger in a poor area. He seems to like the security a Nordic country can provide.
Before Boro Ledesma played mainly in Italy before arriving at Walsall where he caught the eye of the Boro scouting team. He went from Boro to Rotherham and then Brentford. Was without a club for a while and then went to the USA. He is 32 year old now and I am happy he has found his place now.
Up the Boro!
NW says he waiting for the nod from SG to sign a forward on a free transfer. Over two weeks now since that quote. Why the delay, as NW has players in mind.
@malcolm. I don't think it will happen. Given that crowds are not now being allowed in and the government have also shut down the potential income from the hospitality side, I don't think the club can afford any more on the wage bill. 😎
Boro have Duncan Watmore on trial all week and has been impressive. Former Sunderland Striker is a free contract
https://www.teamtalk.com/news/middlesbrough-ponder-contract-offer-to-watmore
OFB
Watmore was an outstanding prospect before his injuries and at anything approaching his best would be exactly the kind of creative attacking midfielder we have needed since Ramirez imploded.
It's a huge risk, of course, but if he is currently impressing Warnock then that would be a big positive.
Also positive is the fact that Warnock is giving the time of day to this kind of player rather than going for reliable old sweats from his past.
Loved him when he was at his peak, but his pace and skill always made him a target for the hatchet men, and that was his downfall. Hope we can see our way to giving him a well- deserved chance,
It makes sense to wait until the end of the international break before giving him a contract and start paying him, especially in the current financial climate. I would give him a contract until the end of January with two options for the club built in, first, the option for the club to extend it until the end of the season, second the option for the club to extend the contract for a further 1 or 2 years.
Come on BORO.
In a recent interview I found this comment by NW very interesting:
I think the lads at times need a bit of help. I think we need options not so much upfront. If Fletcher is fit and the other two are still here, it's more wide positions we need.
The comment about the “other two” especially.
Come on BORO.
In a recent interview I found this comment by NW very interesting:
I think the lads at times need a bit of help. I think we need options not so much upfront. If Fletcher is fit and the other two are still here, it's more wide positions we need.
The comment about the “other two” especially.
Come on BORO.
I suspect that if any type of offer comes in for Britt then getting him off the payroll will be seen as a result. His contribution to the cause from a Striking perspective won't be regarded as irreplaceable.