It's putting the cart well in front of the horse, but if we do win on Monday might we go for Bamford on a loan deal in the PL next season. Championship player of the season, 18 goals in 39 games as well as the ability to play as a striker or as a goal scoring AM. Could he be just what we need?
Can't see them loaning him out to a close title-chasing rival That would as stupid as loaning Lukaku to Everton, or Bassong to Watford, for example!
I hope that was tongue in cheek Cromer. I believe Chelsea would finish several points and places ahead of us in the PL next season, should we get there on Monday.
I think the wink was meant to suggest a bit of 'tongue in cheek' on Cromer's part, GE, but players like Bamford on loan could help any campaign in the PL.
Pretty sure I read somewhere that Mourinho doesn't want Bamford going out on loan to another Premiership club. With that said if we do get promoted we're not a club who competes with Chelsea, so if true I don't see the logic. In truth I'd love to see him playing for us. He's got bags of quality about him and still young so has more to come.
I don't see the logic either, Cornish. He wouldn't be able to play against Chelsea, but could help us take points off their rivals.
I am a little worried about our strikers Rick as we seem to be over-reliant now on Johnson, Hoolahan, Redmond and Howson picking up goals. Jerome and Hooper (not that he is on that long lately) appear to have dried up and Jerome has become a holding player only. The system feels like it has gone a bit negative for me and we have changed to a counter-attacking based side. This may not be the worst thing though for Monday.
Bamford fit to play if selected on Monday. http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/...ben-gibson-both-9317524#ICID=sharebar_twitter
I wonder whether Karanka is game-playing on this one. Whatever happens, I'm confident that AN will make the right decisions for this one but it all comes down to the performance on the day. It's true to say that Jerome plays a different game as a lone striker, Thurnby, but he does have a lot of options when Hoolahan, Howson, Johnson and Redmond are playing. That's the way to go, IMO. Let's see if Boro are quite so brave in attack with counter-attacking players like those.
Maybe we should get Tettey, our midfield 'enforcer', to "enforce" a few early heavy challenges on young Patrick?
I said heavy, not leg-breakers. Let him know early on he's in a contest. And hope for a recurrence of whatever kept him out of the Brentford match. <tonguefirmlyincheekemoticon>
Nothing wrong with a few firm tackles, Cromer. Boro have more yellows and the same number of reds for the season, so it could well be a robust match. Also, I wonder if Tettey might be man-marking Bamford, as Neil will certainly want to restrict the supply to their strikers. The mid-field battle is going to be very interesting and who wins that could decide the match.