Boro doom and gloom

Wednesday, 01/09/2010

by Shoot's Middlesbrough blogger, Fenton Moore.

Another week, another spoonful of disappointment, negativity and excuses for Middlesbrough fans.

The rapidity at which the optimism has leaked out of this blog is mirrored by just about every angle of the Boro’s support. 

As another seven days pass and another two games are lost even the most ardent, faithful fans are beginning to feel some familiar niggles and jangles of nerves.

A cup defeat and a defeat against the very under-rated Barnsley may not be season-ending results but it is certainly starting to feel that way!

At the start of the season the club’s title bid seemed reliant on the strength and depth of the midfield. Yet less than a month in Gordon Strachan has had to delve yet again in to the transfer market to capture Hamburg midfielder Tavares on loan for five months.

Rhys Williams, Nick Bailey, Kevin Thomson, Gary O’Neill, Willo Flood and now Tarmo Kink have all suffered injuries in the opening few weeks leaving the Boro fans scratching their heads and wondering when the club's horrific bad luck with injuries will end.

Tavares himself seems a solid if not spectacular capture. He should make his debut next week after international clearance did not arrive in time for the Barnsley match. 

Strachan will be hopeful he has uncovered something of a rough diamond after a rare dip in to the international market. Strachan is normally very reserved, even unenthusiastic, about new signings so the praise he has heaped on the player has got many fans intrigued.

The Barnsley match held some positives; we were the better team for much of the match and a few players, Kink amongst them, looked sharp and dangerous but, quite simply, there was not enough.

Despite the press’ insistence on the potential of this team from the season's start, the majority of Boro fans held back with their optimism but for the season to have started quite so shakily was not expected by any but the most pessimistic of fans. 

Boro fans; let’s not give up yet. The season is still young and the team still has plenty of time to gel together. 

We still have the FA Cup to look for a good run in and the league is still very much there for the taking. Halliday is fit, Steele looks strong, McDonald seems to be sharp and we still have time for new players to come in. 

It’s not all doom and gloom just yet, let’s sit back, wait, hope, watch listen and keep our fingers crossed for a while yet.

• 

• Have your say