Summer Transfer Window 2018.

[LinoJo3 3,191]

Downing should be no where near the wide positions never mind number 10, he has no impact on games what so ever.

 

I’m not a rose tinted glasses Downing fan but this is just not true. Downing had some brilliant games last season and when he was up for it he could control the game, switching play, linking play together and putting balls in.

 

Downing could still do a job but we definitely need an alternative.

 

Completely agree. Amazing how people forget he was one of, if not our best player in the first half of the season.

 

So how exactly are we improving the team?

 

So far you've argued that downing, Clayton, friend are totally fine therefore your thinking is we will challenge for promotion with a new left winger and right back?

 

Flint and McNair aren't going to improve on what we ended the season with that much if at all it's just like for like with besic and Gibson and judging by what I seen we need far more than just a rb and left winger.

[SmogDane 4,055]

Downing should be no where near the wide positions never mind number 10, he has no impact on games what so ever.

 

I’m not a rose tinted glasses Downing fan but this is just not true. Downing had some brilliant games last season and when he was up for it he could control the game, switching play, linking play together and putting balls in.

 

Downing could still do a job but we definitely need an alternative.

 

Completely agree. Amazing how people forget he was one of, if not our best player in the first half of the season.

 

So how exactly are we improving the team?

 

So far you've argued that downing, Clayton, friend are totally fine therefore your thinking is we will challenge for promotion with a new left winger and right back?

 

Flint and McNair aren't going to improve on what we ended the season with that much if at all it's just like for like with besic and Gibson and judging by what I seen we need far more than just a rb and left winger.

 

Plus 15 goals*

[boksicdink 1,942]

Interesting piece from Tallentire:

 

"There’s no doubt Steve Gibson is backing Pulis in the transfer market with an outlay of around £11m and a suggestion that there’s another couple of significant deals in the pipeline."

 

I wonder who they could be?

 

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/middlesbrough-complete-signing-aden-flint-14833710

[Foogle 2,104]

Downing should be no where near the wide positions never mind number 10, he has no impact on games what so ever.

 

I’m not a rose tinted glasses Downing fan but this is just not true. Downing had some brilliant games last season and when he was up for it he could control the game, switching play, linking play together and putting balls in.

 

Downing could still do a job but we definitely need an alternative.

 

Completely agree. Amazing how people forget he was one of, if not our best player in the first half of the season.

 

So how exactly are we improving the team?

 

So far you've argued that downing, Clayton, friend are totally fine therefore your thinking is we will challenge for promotion with a new left winger and right back?

 

Flint and McNair aren't going to improve on what we ended the season with that much if at all it's just like for like with besic and Gibson and judging by what I seen we need far more than just a rb and left winger.

 

To be fair under Pulis we were on about 1.8 points per game, the automatic promotion aim is usually 1.9-2 points per game. Over a 46 game season, these small improvements make a huge difference!

[wilsoncgp 9,280]

Downing should be no where near the wide positions never mind number 10, he has no impact on games what so ever.

 

I’m not a rose tinted glasses Downing fan but this is just not true. Downing had some brilliant games last season and when he was up for it he could control the game, switching play, linking play together and putting balls in.

 

Downing could still do a job but we definitely need an alternative.

 

Completely agree. Amazing how people forget he was one of, if not our best player in the first half of the season.

 

So how exactly are we improving the team?

 

So far you've argued that downing, Clayton, friend are totally fine therefore your thinking is we will challenge for promotion with a new left winger and right back?

 

Flint and McNair aren't going to improve on what we ended the season with that much if at all it's just like for like with besic and Gibson and judging by what I seen we need far more than just a rb and left winger.

 

Actually I think you'll find I've made the case for keeping Clayton in the team. The other two, I've said we need wingers, attacking midfielders and full-backs, just not a fan of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The way you've been going on is they're not good enough for us entirely, none of them. Like you've said, you wouldn't bat an eyelid if we got rid of any of them. But keeping them around the team is not at all a bad thing and they're in no way as bad as you keep making them out to be.

[LinoJo3 3,191]

I wouldn't want friend or Clayton to actually leave, I thought certain players leaving in January in the premiership did us a lot of damage behind the scenes. I just think we need better options in the team.

[Essuuaitch 330]

Besic did what everone elase bar Traore that was tried in the midfield since the days of Tomlin and Adomah , didnt do.  he ran forwards towards the box with the ball ,  and we benefitted from it. 

theres an arguement that what he then did or his decision once there could have been much better though.  he was worth considering re signing purely on that small plus point alone unless we can get someone able to regurarly do the same with better end product.

[Boro Badger 87]

[2plus2 290]

McNair has been reported as a box-to-box midfielder, that is pretty much what Besic did. Why sign both?

 

Because we'll probably play 3 CMs. In which case 2 box-to-box would be useful. Not that I'm confident we'll get Besic too. But I'd be happy if we did.

 

Also, a few have mentioned the possibility of Downing moving to a more central CM role as part of a 3. Under Pulis there's no chance of that. Downing will be LM next season. The only question is whether he's first choice LM or we bring in someone else to potentially start or compete to start there. We do need another option there.

 

Could see him playing Downing as a number 10, similar to how he played Morrison, which would suit him and us more. Think the main reason he was playing left wing was a complete lack of options (which was Pulis' fault). He's a good back up, but don't really want to see Downing starting next season whatever happens...

 

I'd be very surprised if Pulis uses him there.

 

I also think Downing gets more stick then he deserves. He's a useful player, controlled i guess would be a suitable description. But I agree he's not good enough to be one of an attacking 3. If we buy in a big strong lone striker that can finish then maybe you can make a case from him continuing out on the left as an outlet to cross it in, but I'm not convinced. Either way, an additional LM is needed.

[wilsoncgp 9,280]

Hopefully we'll see a lot of this this season:

 

[BearSmog 1,382]

So after signing Flint and McNair what is left on everybody's shopping list?

 

I'd like...

 

GK {to properly challenge Randolph}

RB & LB

A Left sided attacker {to compliment Traore}

A No. 10

A Striker {although I'd be quite happy to go into the new season with what we have}

[Changing Times 12,339]

A good central defender and a good central midfielder.

[Pork Slops 576]

A good central defender and a good central midfielder.

 

waheyyyyyyy

[Will 2,958]

A good central defender and a good central midfielder.

 

Good to see that you approve our two new signings

[Changing Times 12,339]

A good central defender and a good central midfielder.

 

waheyyyyyyy

 

A good central defender and a good central midfielder.

 

Good to see that you approve our two new signings

 

:D :cheese: :D :cheese: :D :cheese: