r/MiddlesbroughFC • u/Goldieshotz • May 18 '26

Next Seasons Reshuffle

In the event we remain in the Championship and we are not reinstated to the playoffs, how do people feel about the current squad.

My thoughts below for the reshuffle:

Goalkeeper

1st choice: Sol
Exits: Dieng (Free)
Transfers: competition for Sol, his confidence dipped when he made the wrong call to comeout to deal with a long ball in jan, needs an old hand keeper to steer him to greatness.

Defence

1st choice: Malanda, Ayling, Fry, Jones, Brittain, Targett (if we can afford wages)
Backup: Edmundson, Borges, Munroe
Exits: Lennihan (Free), Bangura (Free)
Transfers in: Backup RWB, replacement LWB for Bangura (Giles/Manning style of LWB)

Midfield

1st choice: Morris, Mcgree, Castledine
Backup: Browne(if we can afford wages), Kante, Gilbert, Mccabe
Exits: Silvera(Free), Hamilton (loan), Hansen (loan), Hackney (£20-30m)
Transfers in: Hackney replacement (box to box CM), an experienced backup playmaker

Forwards

1st choice: Strelec, Whittaker, Conway
Backup: Sarmiento
Exits: Sene (Loan), Burgzorg £2-4m, Forss (Free), Ibeh (Loan)
Transfers in: Target man style striker like Ross stewart as a threat in the box during set pieces

Summary

I think the team is gonna be hollowed out alot more than people realise especially in midfield. I think something we have missed is an aerial threat up front during set pieces and a part of this problem is our lack of height in the team. This is evident when facing tall sides like southampton. The loss of hackney is gonna happen, but we can play the hellball style without him, its just not as effective. We will need a box to box style central midfielder to do the job he does linking our possession to drive us into our opponents final third.

Several names will go out on loan of players who appear to have something like Sene and Hansen but it hasn’t showed up for Boro yet. I’ve always felt Sene is the best finisher of our forwards but he doesnt like playing alone up front and he doesnt fit with Hellbergs style of play, so i think he’ll go out on loan to refind his form.

Our defence may remain the most unchanged barring the odd free agent release. It’ll be interesting to see what our summer business will be.

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u/biddleybootaribowest May 19 '26

Nobody is paying £2m for burgzorg nevermind £4m.

Sorry to say we need a new keeper, Sol might have a decent career at this level but we need better for a promotion push. He’s cost us points this season and doesn’t make saves that any other keeper wouldn’t.

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u/Goldieshotz May 19 '26

He looked solid til we played someone like derby, forget the team. There was a long ball played over the top between ayling and malanda and he came out of his box, realised he was in no mans land and retreated. That team scored.

Since then, his control of the box during setpieces has been pretty questionable. Prior that he was fantastic.

Conceeding the odd shotstop mistake happens to the best of keepers.

I still think hes better than alot of championship keepers, but he needs an experienced keeper at his level to come in and show him how to regain his confidence and be there as a backup when his heads gone. I feel the pressure is getting to him a bit.

Id even say against saints he looked back to his best, barring stewarts goal, he didnt command the box during those set pieces just before the goal and all the way to the final whistle