da aposte e ganhe： No team in the Premier League last season finished with fewer wins than Middlesbrough’s five or goals scored (27).
da betsson： Only Manchester United drew more games while Boro only won once in their final 21 Premier League games.
Although they were definitively one of the worst teams in the top division last season, they are also the club with the best chance of an immediate return. As Hull City and Sunderland begin to rebuild their squads during pre-season, Middlesbrough have only a few changes to make.
While the club struggled mightily to score goals in the Premier League, their defence was the league’s tenth best and 11 of their 20 losses were only by a one-goal margin.
Their best defender, Ben Gibson, is sure to leave this summer and Calum Chambers is headed back to parent club Arsenal, but the defensive cupboard isn’t barren. It shouldn’t be a problem for the club to find players who can fill those two holes with Gibson’s transfer fee alone.
Offensively, Boro fans can find some confidence ahead of next season simply by looking at their squad.
In January, Middlesbrough purchased two strikers who have an excellent track record in the Championship but simply haven’t had a great experience in the top division. 23-year old Patrick Bamford was brought in from Chelsea after failing to feature regularly on-loan at Burnley.
The English youth international spent the 2014/15 season on-loan with Boro and scored 17 league goals en route to being named the Championship’s Player of the Year. Across the past two seasons, Bamford scored only one goal in 26 Premier League appearances for four different teams, so some consistent playing time in the Championship could get him back on track.
Benin international Rudy Gestede was brought to the Riverside Stadium in January from Aston Villa after scoring 10 goals in 58 total appearances for the former Premier League side. Gestede broke out during a two-season spell with Blackburn Rovers in which he scored 33 league goals in 66 appearances prior to joining Villa.
Like Bamford, 28-year old Gestede only scored one league goal after joining Boro, but struggling to score was more of an overall team issue. If Bamford and Gestede can create a strong partnership up front, Garry Monk’s side should have no problem consistently finding the net.
Middlesbrough also has a solid group of midfielders already at the club, so there shouldn’t be any major additions as long as no key players leave. Marten de Roon is the only midfielder definitely better than Championship level, so keeping him will be one of Boro’s top priorities.
Cristhian Stuani, Gaston Ramirez, Adam Forshaw, Adam Clayton and Stewart Downing were all key figures in the club’s promotion campaign two seasons ago and give Boro a great chance of going up again. Stuani and Ramirez contributed 15 goals for second place Boro so they can definitely take some of the scoring pressure off Bamford and Gestede.
The club’s biggest hole currently is in goal as the club’s top three keepers from last season have all left the club this summer. Getting an adequate replacement for Victor Valdes and Brad Guzan will likely be through either a loan from a Premier League club or through purchasing someone’s backup. Tottenham’s Michel Vorm, West Brom’s Boaz Myhill, or even Everton’s Maarten Stekelenberg could all be available and would be great additions to Garry Monk’s squad.
Of the three relegated clubs, Middlesbrough appear to be in the least amount of trouble. The club’s attack and midfield seem pretty reliable in the Championship and at the back, a new pair of centere-backs and a ‘keeper should put Boro in prime position to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
WIN! Take our survey below for a chance to win your favourite club’s new 17/18 home or away shirt…