Boros form has dipped since their big CB Dael Fry got injured who has consistently been one of the best CBs the the league for along time now and im very suprised nobody has given him the opportunity to play Premiership football yet.
Yeah. Agree with you there. I'm pretty relaxed because, like @Teessidemackem I'm a bit fearful of going up this year
It is definitely too soon but 100m in Tv revenue is also so tempting but it would also ruin the plan we have, because the young players weve signed need more development time and that includes Neil and Hume and this time next year theyll be alot more well rounded where as promotion would be a whole new level in how we change our thinking of going forward as a club, and alot of our youngsters will need to develop elsewhere on loan. Im scared knowing how hard it is getting out of this league though and next year we will see 3 other Premiership squads relegated in our league and teams like Watford, WBA and any of the other teams around us will also be battling for 3 places again, and theyll be alot stronger. Watford can make millions selling Sarr and Pedro in the summer and i dont expect them to struggle again next year.
I keep wondering if that will enter the clubs thoughts too but then the players go and pull it out the bag time and time again so I have no doubt they’ll go all out for the win on Monday
Either way we need to pull it out of the bag in the summer. Ending the season like this with no number 9 or a fit CB is not acceptable. The squad needs big investment to take us to that next level because despite what happens we have missed a chance in getting promoted this season by bringing in no natural replacement for Simms and Stewart
Agreed, all of the young lads from this year will be much better for the experience too, I’d like to see us add in a few lads in their mid twenties who can still improve but have that little more experience about them too, keeping hold of the Cirkins/Clarkes/ballards is probably just as important as bringing bodies in
Going back up to the Premier League for me fills me with the same excitement as being invited again to the captains table after falling out of favour but then finding out and remembering quickly that i am surrounded by ****s. The fancy grub just doesnt cover it. Thats why i have a 'what will be will be' attitude amd not desperate for promotion like i would have been years ago.
Zahas apparently leaving so they need a replacement to either fill his boots or fill a place on the bench to whoever replaces him. Roberts could be next and cirkin or Ballard. Another reason why we dont want to hang around too long to get back to the Prem
Roberts is one I’m not worried about strangely whilst I think he’s brilliant I don’t think he’s consistent enough for a prem team to take a punt
I suppose you go up when you can and if it happens this summer then we make the best of it without ripping up the model that has served us so well in the last 18 months. You are right re 3 teams coming down, but we also lose Burnley, Sheff U and AN Other from the league who are all strong sides. Watford and Norwich have shown that relegation + parachute payments guarantees nothing and I'd say the likes of Leicester and Everton are basket case clubs that could easily struggle next year. There was a lot of talk that the likes of WBA have gambled on promotion and will have far smaller budgets next season, but then you will have the likes of Stoke who will no doubt invest and get stronger, Swansea, Preston, Blackburn etc It's a hard league, but an enjoyable one. I've enjoyed almost every minute of this season and whether we have 1 game left, or 4 it's been a blast
I hope that Boro are hurt by today’s defeat and they want to get back on track next week. Get the form back for the playoffs.
Cirkin is the one I'm most worried about - Spurs can take him back for £6m which is absolute pennies If we lost Ballard or Clarke for £20m (for example) and it was reinvested into the squad, bringing in 4 quality Championship players then I could live with it Losing Cirkin or Stewart for pennies will be hard to stomach
Looks very similar to the side they brought up here, morris is the only name that leaps off the page well that and marvellous nakamba for obvious reasons
Wonder if they're thinking we'll save ourselves for the play-offs..sorry but football doesn't work like that. Its not a tap you can turn on and off. Foolish imo if so.