May
31
2007
How can Middlesbrough improve this summer?
As part of our 2006/2007 Premiership season-end review, here’s a look at how Middlesbrough’s season went. Read up, then offer your own advice on how Middlesbrough can improve this summer.
- Pre-season expectations: Middlesbrough were under an inexperienced manager so the expectations were that of consolidation and building for the future instead of any big short-term gains.
- Season evaluation: Southgate has done well given his start, and he has the respect of the squad. Boro squirmed clear of the relegation battle at the end and finished 12th.
- The Big Negative: Viduka leaving on a free transfer.
- The Big Positive: Woodgate’s form - Middlesbrough have one of the best defenders in England.
- Summer Priority: To keep Downing and to bring in experience up front.
with Woodgate at the heart of their defense Middlesbrough can look forward to the future to improving the squad and pushing for a top-10 finish.
Now it’s your turn: How do you think Middlesbrough can improve this summer?
Also see:
- The complete list for the Premiership 2006/2007 season reviews.
- Do you have what it takes to be a football manager?
- Soccerlens Premiership 2006/2007 Review
- How can Watford improve this summer?
- How can Reading improve this summer?
- How can Sheffield United improve this summer?
- How can Blackburn improve this summer?
Discussion - 10 Responses
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Hi,
I think Southgate is more or less taking off were Mclaren left off, he seems to have the right idea, by looking into the lower leagues for talent, we just missed out on Varney.
He is going for Gera, Kamara, he bought Arca last year, who as been successful and will grow. I think we should sell Yakubu for £10 mil plus and bargain hunt, he as not exactly been in top form, especially when we can try to buy someone like Chopra for 2-5 mil, I think he was wrong to let Graham leave should have been given a chance.
They cant, the team is significantly weakened without Xavier, Christie, Parnaby and most importantly Viduka.
With only £5 million to spend, they will no get sufficient replacements for right back and have only one recognised striker up front. Relegation is a cert.
I disagree:
After his two goals, sell Downing for 10 million, and sell Yakubu for 10 million. Use the money to buy Championship and League One attacking stars like Nugent plus another stiker plus an attacking Right Back and a Right Winger.
Otherwise, there is no way to compete with the big money men who are buying Premiership clubs left and right.
We need 2 right wingers, a striker, a left-back, a right-back, a left winger, and idealy a new keeper so…
We’re screwed in short.
Erm, a new left winger? Downing is doing well there and Johnson is waiting in the wings. Taylor has done well at left back, and Mad Dog can play as cover. I’m not sure why we need 2 right wingers, the ball never goes down the right. Maybe best to just buy one I think.
We do need 1 new right winger, a right back and a striker. Southgate must buy players for these 3 positions or we will struggle next season.
i think they need a right back left back a right winger and a striker, but i dont think that searching in the lower leagues is the way to go for a premiership team that is trying to up its reputation, we should try and get cameronesi, aliadiere and a high profile full back.
I’m sorry, but this is bollocks. “how are we gonna improve for last season after losing our best striker?”, “I know, let’s sell all our best players and scout the lower leagues for, among others, a Geordie reject who never, ever, played well against premiership sides”. fact is, Southgate should get a target-man upfront to try and act as the foil for Yakubu that Viduka did, buy a attacking midfielder to balance it out with Boateng, stop playing Cattermole out of position on the right and either give Morrison his chance, or if Southgate’s still not willing to do that after morrison’s played well every time he’s come on for the last 3 seasons, then buy a right winger. the reason we were so terrible to watch for the whole first half of the season is that there was absolutely no midfield spark, so if we re-signed someone like Zenden and played him in the middle, like we did throughout the one season we’ve ever won anything in, then maybe we wouldn’t have to just rely on Viduka to set-up every single goal we score. Plus, anyone who thinks that Boro are a much weaker team without Xavier or Christie obviously hasn’t seen either Davies or McMahon (who’s finally fit) play at rightback, or ever seen Malcolm Christie (second only to Jason Euell in the list of worst players ever to play for boro in the premiership) do anything, ever.
I agree with Stan there. I think we will have two of the most promising full backs in english football this time next season in Taylor and McMahon, with the only problem being the dodgy fitness record of little anthony. we could possibly do with some cover, but I think he should be given his chance next season as first choice right back. they are both good pacey players, which seems to fit in with Gareth’s ‘we’re gonna be like arsenal’ mentality - which is also possibly why he’s not too bothered about losing the likes of Viduka and Yakubu and looking for pacey lads like Moore and Aliadiere. (I’m not saying thats a good or bad thing, just a fact). The only position we’re screaming out to fill is the right wing. If only Adam Johnson had a right foot.
Incidentally, a mate of a mate of a mate had a sofa delivered by a guy who’s mam babysat for the guy who steam cleans Gary Neville’s Y-fronts. He says Rooney is signing for us this summer for £20 of vouchers into the Empire and a Bolognaise Parmo. Fact.
Also…
Jason Euell.
What’s the point?
Does anyone else feel like Keith Lamb is ruining this football club?
First, he drives Emerson out, then we lose Zenden on a Bosman, almost lose Boateng on Bosman, and now lose Viduka to Newcastle ON A BOSMAN! Lamb seems to think you can just wait till a player has one month left on their contract and loyalty will prevail - well i’m sorry but that is boloocks! We should have begun negotiations with Viduka at the start of the season. If we wanted to sell him after that, we’d have got at least £3m for him - as for Zenden, at least at least £4m
Whoever said we only had £5m to spend, that is tosh. Gibson promised Southgate a decent war chest for the summer earlier in the season, £5m is hardly deceent. Yes, we’re not the richest club in the world, so now it’s up to Southgate to prove his mettle in the Transfer Market and make some good, bargain signings.
Right-Back: We definately need a RB, that has to be priority. We’ve been linked with Philip Degen (Dortmund), Steven Whittaker (Hibs), José Bosingwa (Porto), Cristian Pulhac (Dinamo) - Any of which i’d be happy with. I’d also like to see Luke Young linked.
Left-Back: We need a LB as a chaleneg to Taylor. He’s had a decent season, but his inexperience has cost us at times - but he has been thrown in at the deep-end, so good luck to the lad. Links to date: Ian Harte (Levante) & David Murphy (Hibs) - Got to say, Murphy doesn’t fill me with ecstacy, but I think Harte would be a good signing. Ideally, Queudrue would return, but can’t see that happening.
Right-Wing: Since Southgate has publically said that Morrison will operate in his preferred central role next season, we now need two right wingers. Cattermole is wasted out right and can’t cross for toffee - he’s an out-and-out hard-tackling central midfielder, play him there! Links: Mustapha Riga (Levante), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Gary O’Neill (Portsmouth), David Degen (Gladbach), Zoltan Gera (West Brom). I’d love to see Riga in a Boro shirt - seen him play for Levante and he’s a class act, same goes for David Degen. Camoranesi is ideas above our station in my opinion, and Gera is just crap.
Striker: Now Viduka has agreed a deal ‘in principal’ with the Geordie scum, we need two strikers. We have Yakubu, Lee & Craddock. Craddock is good, but still too young, Lee needs more upper body strength, and Yakubu is not consistent enough. Links: David Healy (Leeds), Steve Howard (Derby), Kyle Lafferty (Burnley), Michael Chopra (Cardiff), Rolando Bianchi (Reggina), Chris Porter (Oldham), Jeremie Aliadiere (Arsenal), Diomansy Kamara (West Brom). Right Gareth… any of those look like 20 goal a season strikers? Hmm… Aliadiere and Kamara would be alright, but not 20+ goal strikers. Bianchi i’ve not seen much of. The tohers… well, they’d be okay as fourth choice but you can’t expect any of them to fire us into top 10, which is what we should be aiming for. We should look at Victor Obinna of Chievo - Nigerina speedy little powerhouse, would work well with Yakubu. But, we’ve lost lost out chief european scout, so, unless we get a new one quickly, we’re just about screwed in the European transfer market.
Sell:
Jason Euell & Gaizka Mendieta - neither has the talent any more to perform adequately in the Prmeiership. Also, if money becomes scarce, cash in £2m on Chris Riggot. Good defender, but behind Woodgate, Pogatetz & Huth in the line-up now. Bring Bates or Wheater in as 4th choice.