Boro Mania

Middlesbrough Squad Review

Well one game to go and we are deep in the relegation mire, needing a win away to West Ham and help from other teams to save ourselves. As we stare down the barrel of Championship football next season I thought I would give my review of the Middlesbrough squad, not pretty reading i'm afraid, feel free to add your comments at the bottom.

Middlesbrough Goalkeepers

Ross Turnbull - Ross Turnbull began the season as the number 2 goalkeeper behind Brad Jones and that is where he will end the season. The 24 year old, Bishop Auckland born keeper did play 22 games for Middlesbrough this season though after getting into the team when Brad Jones injured himself in the warmup at Anfield. Turnbull began his spell in the first team well and initially looked to be the answer between the sticks for Middlesbrough, he lost his form though and had a couple of poor games with a few notable errors. He lost his place again to Brad Jones, though some argued it had more to do with his reluctance to sign a new deal at the club, and he has sat on the bench for the remainder of the season.

Speculation surrounds Turnbull's future and it is looking like he may well be on the move at the end of the season with Leicester City and Chelsea linked with him.

Score: 5/10

Brad Jones - Brad Jones is a keeper that, before the season, most Boro fans had written off as not being good enough. Can anybody honestly say that the doubts over him have gone? He had a spell earlier on in the season where he looked a different keeper, much more confident and commanding, unfortunately he soon reverted to his previous form with errors and indecision causing unease in the Boro defence. Jones has the physical attributes to be a very good keeper, I just doubt very much whether he will ever become a solid, consistent goalkeeper.

Score: 5/10

Middlesbrough Defenders

Emanuel Pogatetz -Pogatetz has had a very poor season despite being named as captain by Gareth Southgate. His performances at left back were very poor and when everybody is fit he is not good enough to warrant a starting place in the heart of the defence.

Score: 4/10

Tony McMahon - McMahon spent a large portion of the season on loan at Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, his loan spell was very successful and he returned to the Boro squad to fight for a first team place. Injury to Justin Hoyte presented a chance for McMahon to play for the first team, a disappointing lack of consistency has seen him in and out of the side.

A player I really rated when he first broke into the side he has been fairly limited this season, in particular his use of the ball. Defensively he has had his good games and his bad games, can't fault his commitment to the cause though. If his spell with Sheffield Wednesday showed us anything it's that he can more than cope with Championship football and that should stand him in good stead for next season.

Score: 5/10

Andrew Taylor -Taylor has become a bit of a target for the boo boys this season, he certainly hasn't progressed in the way the club will have hoped. His lack of pace was shown up a few times and in general his defensive play was not good enough, I still harbour the belief that he has not fully recovered from the last injury and it has badly hampered his game. Very likely to find himself as the starting Left Back if we go down and will probably find his level in the Championship.

Score: 3/10

Robert Huth - When Huth is fit he is the best centre back at the club, not the most mobile of centre backs nor the most vocal of players but he is a solid defender. Sadly misses a lot of games through injury and his form has been patchy, particularly in the second half of this seasaon. Recently re-called to the German national team set up which is likely to mean he will not be too keen on sticking with Middlesbrough if we go down.

Score: 6/10

David Wheater - Last season Wheater could do no wrong and it looked as if he was heading for England stardom, this season has been very tough on the young Redcar born defender leading to some labelling him as Championship quality. I think the truth lies somewhere in between the two, Wheater is more than capable of playing Premiership football i just hope it will be in a Boro shirt and he doesn't move on to find it.

Wheater has been struggling with injury and is due to go under the knife at the end of the season, it's a credit to his commitment that he continues to battle for the cause but there is no doubt the injury has hampered his form.

Score: 5/10

Justin Hoyte - Hoyte looked very promising when he first arrived, definitely not as good defensively as Luke Young but he appeared to bring an extra attacking dimension to the side. An injury broke up his early progress with the team and since returning there have been a few notable weaknesses in his defensive game showing through.

Still offers a lot in an attacking sense from full back but really needs to become a lot stronger and more positionally aware.

Score: 5/10

Matthew Bates - I have put him in with the defenders despite him playing the majority of the recent games in a midfield role. Bates the midfielder was a very limited but very committed player, a keep it simple no frills midfielder. He reverted to his more favoured role in the Boro defence for the Newcastle game and did ok, I thought he was clearly fouled by Nolan for the first goal and then Boro went to pot and lost the game.

Rumoured to be leaving at the end of the season as his contract is up, I think it will be a shame because he has a lot of potential but if he is after a big pay rise I think he is getting ahead of himself, he would struggle to make the side with a fully fit squad.

Score: 4/10

Middlesbrough Midfielders

Julio Arca - Arca still has the footballing brain to play at the top, sadly since his injury against the Mackems last season he no longer has the legs to continue at this level. He is constantly getting caught in possession and seems to struggle with the pace of the game now. I was a huge fan when Southgate first moved him into the central midfield role, the injury seems to have really affected him and, sadly, I think it is time for Arca to move on.

Score: 4/10

Mohamed Shawky - The fact that Shawky is getting into the Boro team is all the evidence you will ever need for the reason we are at the bottom of the league. A very poor footballer who would struggle to get into a League One side never mind a Premier League side. Too slow for this league, his passing is dreadful and, as a holding midfielder, he is as physically imposing as Mahatma Gandhi.

The sooner he is off the wage bill the better.

Score: 1/10

Gary O'Neil - Gary O'Neil is a player who puts in a good shift and works hard for the side, he prefers to play in the middle of the side but I don't think he is good enough to play a central midfield role. For all of his work, O'Neil lacks an end product and has not provided enough this season.

One of our better players this season, sadly this says more about the quality of our squad than the performances of Gary O'Neil.

Score: 6/10

Stewart Downing - By his own very high standards, Downing had been excellent for Boro over the last couple of season, Stewy has had a very poor campaign. No goals, very few assists and missed penalties tells it's own story, Downing is our best player and when he is not playing well we suffer badly. The January transfer window seemed to really affect his game, Tottenham sniffing around and Downing asking to leave seemed to affect him on the pitch and his performances dipped.

The news that he will miss the final game is a massive blow, if the injury is as bad as first feared he may not be fit before pre-season and will anyone want to risk buying him before he returns from injury?

Score: 6/10

Adam Johnson - Flashes of the ability he undoubtedly has but when given a number of starts in the side he was unable to cement a place in the team. If Downing goes and Johnson stays then he will certainly get the chance to show he has what it takes to replace the England winger.

Johnson has shown a lot more for the England Under-21's than he has for Boro this season.

Score: 5/10

Didier Digard - Injured way too often to really have an impact on the side, it's a shame because I have been impressed with him on the whole and believe, had he not been injured so often, he may have been that bit of quality in the midfield to keep us out of this mess.

I have heard rumours he will want away if we go down, hopefully they are just rumours and he knuckles down and plays regularly for the Boro next season.

Score: 6/10

Middlesbrough Attackers

Mido - When fit and up for it the Egyptian is a formidable striker and can get goals. Sadly his attitude stinks and he only plays when he wants to, for all his ability I would be happy to never see him wear the Boro shirt ever again.

The warnings were clearly there before we signed him, Southgate obviously thought he could manage him and get the best out of him, I don't think there is a manager around that could stop Mido being a complete waste of talent.

Score: 2/10

Afonso Alves - I am probably one of the few Boro fans left who believe Alves could get goals in the Premier League. I think he has been very badly used by Southgate who seemed determined to use him as a "Kevin Davies" style centre forward, odd that you would spend so much on a striker and then not build the team to play to his strengths.

All that said his contribution this season has not been good enough and he can only be described as a massive flop at Middlesbrough.

Score: 3/10

Jeremie Aliadiere - Aliadiere is probably the most frustrating player I have seen in a Boro shirt in recent years (maybe Carlos Marinelli?). Parts of his game are superb, his pace alone can cause defenders headaches and create opportunities but his finishing is absolutely awful. It is no coincidence that when played up front he will get at least one gilt edged chance to score, his pace and off the ball running get him into those positions. It is also no coincidence and no surprise that, when given a chance, he invariably hits his shot straight at the goalkeeper. Infuriating!

Still, I think we are a better team when he plays if only for the fact that his pace and running seems to buy other players a bit more time on the ball.

Score: 5/10

Tuncay Sanli - A player capable of the sublime (the overhead kick against Villa, the outrageous flick around Carragher at Anfield) he is the most exciting player in the side. He works extremely hard for the side, chasing down and harrying defenders into mistakes, but he had a spell of a couple of months where he just went missing and seemed completely disinterested. Whether it had something to do with an alleged failed bid from Chelsea I have no idea but that spell, where he seemed to sulk, grates on me.

In recent weeks though I can't fault his commitment, he has been our best player over the last couple of weeks, and his quality shines out from the rest of the team, I will be disappointed when he moves on.

Score: 7/10

So there you go, my view on the team. I have left out a few players who haven't really played enough like Josh Walker and Marvin Emnes. Let me know what you think in the comments below.