Agree with that RR. Tav and Wing seem to enjoy playing together, though they all too rarely do. I liked the way they conspired together recently to entice Nick Powell into a red card tackle in the Stoke match.
We've had far too little of that kind of synergy in Boro sides in the recent past. Bamford and Britt showed some of it very briefly when they were allowed to play together. Adomah and Nsue definitely enhanced each other's game and always seemed to be on the same wavelength. And then, of course there was Leads and Clayton. But successive managers seemed to be largely oblivious to the benefits of these kind of combinations.
I think that we are the cause of our own problems, being told that he scores wonder goals, which he duly did, we ignored the fact that he is a goalscorer not a midfielder. He gave Britt a Knockin after being brought on with the match lost, but the most important thing about it was he was inside the box, he is definitely not a defender. Britt scored the winner at Wednesday with Wing on the pitch very late. The annoying thing is, both him and Tav. Will have good careers, but possibly not here.
I completely agree that Tav and Wing work really well together and need to be on the pitch and would add Fletcher to them.
its then a question of how to set the side up to do that and get the best out of them.
You could play both behind the striker ala Hignett-Barmby. I advocated that many times during last season with a back three, wingbacks and two more defence-minded midfielders behind Wing and Tav for balance.
I’m not sure about three at the back now unless we can do some good recruitment in that area. Maybe we can.
There are few things more sickening than sports players with a short fuse who think they are above the law.
Had Stokes not been seen as an essential part of England's future by the cricketing establishment he would now be serving at Her Majesty's pleasure.
Far from being a victim of discrimination he has been almost uniquely privileged.
My sympathies go to the actual victims of his thuggery.
Much as I admire his sporting prowess, he is no victim, but an extremely fortunate young man
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/18610439.neil-warnock-decide-middlesbrough-future-weekend/
So we will know in a few days.
NW has agreed to be our next manager. Great news.
I'm happy about that Malcolm
Interesting that the Warnock news seems to have broke on Twitter just before 19.00 then the Gazette run the story at 21.30. It appears to me that the news "dripped" out rather than formally announced and that things were being kept quiet presumably until everything was definite and cut and dried.
Shocking from the EG.
Warnock has shook hands with Steve Gibson
Warnock shock hands with chairman Steve Gibson
I know we don't speak queens English but a professional establishment in the media should at least write correctly. What sort of example is this to the next generation.
I guess the author didn't know that the correct word was ..shaken... and when he came to the part when shook was the correct word he became a little confused.
Shocking really...Mr V. this is not like you really. Unless I am wrong . I used to think I was infallible etc etc.
AJ
@allan-in-bahrain I think that is AV using local parlance. He also does it with worse/worst from time to time. I think it’s part of giving his articles a Boro accent.
Shocking from the EG.
Warnock has shook hands with Steve Gibson
Warnock shock hands with chairman Steve Gibson
I know we don't speak queens English but a professional establishment in the media should at least write correctly. What sort of example is this to the next generation.
I guess the author didn't know that the correct word was ..shaken... and when he came to the part when shook was the correct word he became a little confused.
Shocking really...Mr V. this is not like you really. Unless I am wrong . I used to think I was infallible etc etc.
AJ
Surely it should have been: "at the conclusion of a long and stimulating debate the two parties bumped elbows to seal the dawning of a new era for football at the Riverside"
Problem is that the comments would have been full of "Wot yer talking about like?", "Does this mean the owld Gadgie is stoppin here like?" "Has Gibbo been avin a party during lock down LOL?"
I think the choice of Teesside vernacular was probably the lesser of two evils for AV, as the saying goes "know your audience".
Neil Warnock said on @5liveSport he’ll give his first set of transfer targets ‘til Monday’ to decide if they want to join Boro and will move on if they don’t fancy it. In one action that’s improved upon years of waiting far too long for answers and being left to look daft
The players am hearing are. Karlan grant Huddersfield. Duncan watmore Sunderland
Marcus Maddison. Too.
But we shall see what comes of this
Karlan Grant, that’s the player I mentioned before, he’d be a great signing.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/karlan-grant/profil/spieler/314183
Here in Huddersfield ,Grant is well thought of. He’s a natural goal scorer and has played most games this season on the left wing. Not blessed with great pace and not a centre forward who brings others into play but a good finisher .
Strong rumours towards the end of the season that he’d be leaving for a better Club . Also public knowledge that Huddersfield turned down £11 million in the January transfer window and so will be expecting something approaching that fee as adjusted for the effects of Covid.
So unlikely he’ll be heading up the Al to Middlesbrough.
Philip of Huddersfield
I think we need a minimum of five or six players and that excludes Friend and Johnson. As their staying is not yet announced.
- 1 or 2 left backs depending on Bola. Coulson or Johnson never were defending defenders
- 2 centre backs, 3 if Friends goes
- 1 right back
- 1 right sided attacker if Browne staying
I have calculated Spence and Coulson as wingers/midfielders in here. And if we sell a player or two, we need to replace them, too.
We might still need a nr 10 but I presume Wing or Tavanier can play there. And a striker is a must, too.
As RR said earlier even ten or twelve new players could do, but I do not think we are able to buy more than five or six as the pre-season starts in two weeks' time and the season will start in five weeks.
So I hope Friend and Johnson sign up soon and we have a couple of new defenders signed up next week as planned by NW.
Up the Boro!
Adding to OFB link, here is the one to NewsNow. Keep the rumours going until we sign somebody.
Then we can all say..........WHO is he????
https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Football/Championship/Middlesbrough
I wonder if NW will look at any Cardiff players. Curtis Nelson would fit the bill.
This lad should be familiar to Dael Fry from his England squads ......,
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-worrall/profil/spieler/415970
The year is 2045. Football is played in space, with players using jet-powered boots and a ball made of liquid helium. Games are now 18-a-side, and keepers have swords.
Everything has changed beyond recognition. Apart from the fact that Mike Ashley is still trying to sell Newcastle....
Exmil challenge 2020, semi final results and rules for final posted on the challenge link.
Come on BORO.
Grant Hall is set to undergo a medical at Boro ahead of a free transfer after the centre-back departed #QPR following five seasons at Loftus Road
OFB
I'm guessing that we are maybe offering him an extra £3K a week over QPR (rumours he turned down £12K at Rangers) which seems a lot but over three years its not even £500K for a battle scarred Championship veteran CB with years of experience in this League.
Obviously he will still be getting just over £1.5M over the three years on an estimated £10K that QPR were maybe paying him but we would need to pay that £10K a week salary in any case. I would think for that type of experience £500K represents a very cheap transfer fee.
Challenge now is for him to pass his medical. He missed a few seasons with a knee injury a while back. Having said that he doesn't seem to have an annual "January ankle" like the previous incumbent.
@original-fat-bob. Well we seem to have got that one over the line without too much fuss for a change! He's to a few more! 😎
In my opinion early indications is that NW is true to his word on signing new players, firstly MFC pull out of the race to sign Wigan’s Kieffer Moore because NW believes he is becoming too expensive, a refreshing change to us throwing money at players to get them over the line, secondly with Grant Hall as an example of requiring a reasonable quick response to yes or no to joining Boro. Hopefully more to follow soon.
Come on BORO.
Karanka becomes Birmingham boss on a 3 1/2 year deal.
Come on BORO.