Middlesbrough can still hit the ground running amid ongoing striker search
Middlesbrough need more quality through the door this summer, but should have enough to enjoy a strong start without
Middlesbrough may yet be a striker light when they open their Championship programme against Millwall.
The loss of Cameron Archer, the doubts over Chuba Akpom and the fact that Boro have not yet signed a new experienced forward, paint a slightly frustrating picture. Michael Carrick has operated with new boy Morgan Rogers up front in pre-season and the lad has worked his socks off. It might work out in the long run, but Rogers is essentially a second-phase attacker. This may well be where his future lies.
Naturally, most players, especially young ones, will be happy to play anywhere just to be in the team. But it’s not an ideal situation while Rogers awaits his first Boro goal. Carrick’s team was completely based around an attacking format last season because Boro scored goals for fun and were capable of outscoring opponents.
So it’s crucial that Boro don’t go into the new season without the basic fabric of what makes Carrick’s side so special. The Boro boss has experimented with Matt Crooks up front. There’s no doubt that the big midfielder can score goals. There’s also Marcus Forss, who was converted with great effect by Carrick last season from an orthodox striker to a right-sided attacker.
How Middlesbrough’s summer signings have fared so far in pre-season as new campaign approaches
Carrick could switch Forss back into the middle. Yet surely in an ideal situation the manager wants to play the Finn in a role where he believes he performs best for the team. Certainly any thoughts about the possibility of sending Josh Coburn out on loan again will be on the backburner at the moment.
What we Boro fans want, and need, is the hear the news that Akpom is staying put and will hopefully be fit for the start of the campaign. The fact that Akpom has missed the opening friendlies suggests that this will not happen.
I still retain a sneaking suspicion that Boro will get Archer back before the end of August but by that stage Boro will have played five games, including the League Cup tie at Huddersfield. Boro will clearly still score goals if Akpom is missing. Crooks and Forss are well capable of reaching double figures throughout the campaign, while the way in which the team is set up promises goals elsewhere in the team.
However, it will be a bonus if Boro can start the season with an orthodox goalscoring striker up front, whoever it is. Carrick has other matters to consider, notably at right-back following the unfortunate injury to Tommy Smith. Tommy has been a bedrock in defence and provides plenty of solidity. So he will be sorely missed if he is sidelined for a long spell.
Anfernee Dijksteel might have been the natural choice as Smith’s replacement but he, too, is injured. There is a possibility that Carrick could consider Isaiah Jones bearing in mind his previous experience in the role, though the Boro boss has operated with Jones primarily on the right side of midfield.
It means that there could be an early opportunity for Rav van den Berg, who won the vote ahead of Terrell Agyemang when Smith was stretchered off. Van den Berg is still on a learning curve, but Boro were delighted to snap him up considering his immense career potential. He may have the chance to carry on learning in the first team.
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