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Arca, Barton, Distin (and Huth on loan) would be pretty fb tbh.
Where would we fit all these CMs though? I really hope we don't play 4-5-1.
Quote:
Arca to get ball rollingJul 24 2006
Eric Paylor, Evening Gazette
Julio Arca will become Gareth Southgate's first senior signing over the next 48 hours.
Boro are close to reaching an agreement with the Argentinian left-sider after settling on a £2m fee with Sunderland.
The arrival of Arca will hopefully spark a flurry of transfer activity on Teesside as Southgate intensifies his £7m push for Manchester City duo Sylvain Distin and Joey Barton.
There is also a possibility that Boro could take Chelsea defender Robert Huth on a season-long loan, with a view to a possible permanent move.
That's in addition to saying good-bye to outgoing defender Franck Queudrue, who is expected to sign for Fulham this week despite reports in the media that Charlton have made a late intervention.
Southgate will be relieved to get the ball rolling with Arca's arrival, after having discovered the pitfalls of the transfer market the hard way in his first few weeks in management.
There are continuing reports that Spanish side Espanyol are keen on Arca, but they have not agreed a fee with Sunderland, and the Evening Gazette understands that Arca is delighted to have the opportunity to return to the Premiership with Boro.
The 25-year-old could well make his Boro debut at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday provided all the necessary forms can be completed in time.
Southgate has dismissed stories that Adam Johnson was ever lined up as part of an exchange for Arca.
The Boro boss said: "If Sunderland are interested in Adam Johnson they won't be the only ones.
"We have had more inquiries this summer about Adam than about any other player. But we expect that. He showed in flashes at Rangers what a good player he can be.
"That is why he is one of the players we believe can be the future of Middlesbrough Football Club."
Southgate is currently awaiting news of his double bid for Distin and Barton. There are reports from Manchester today that Distin is determined to leave but that Barton is expected to accept a new improved contract offer.
If Distin is eventually made available, Boro will face opposition from Portsmouth for his signature.
Southgate is sending mixed teams to both Barnsley and York tomorrow, with the stronger side likely to be in action at Oakwell.
Entry to Bootham Crescent (KO 7.45pm) is £10 adults and £5 concessions for standing and seats, payable on the turnstiles.
Boro also go to Doncaster Rovers on Friday night. Tickets are £10 adults and £1 concessions. There are 200 seats and 2,000 standing spaces available and tickets can be purchased from the Doncaster ticket office. Car parking is £3.
Boro have been given 200 tickets for the Sheffield Wednesday friendly on Saturday (3pm), £15 for adults and £10 for U16/Over 65s. Tickets from the main ticket office at the Riverside or call 0870 421 1986.
07-24-2006, 02:18 PM
The Middlesbrough 06/07 Thread. "lets get back into Europe!" Post #98
The future looks good - Rangers 1, Boro 0Jul 24 2006
Eric Paylor, Evening Gazette
The result may have been wrong - but Gareth Southgate passed his first test in football management at Ibrox on Saturday.
The Boro boss, well aware of Rangers' extra fitness - not to mention full-strength squad - adopted a "safety first" policy which almost paid dividends.
Southgate played five men across the middle and, but for one defensive lapse shortly before the interval, might have come away with a share of the spoils.
Boro effectively made it difficult for Rangers to create and have every reason to feel pleased with such a workmanlike performance on a hot afternoon.
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It's not a policy which will be too productive in the Premiership, but as an exercise in clearing the players' heads and easing them back into the routine, it was a satisfactory afternoon.
The only area of frustration was that Boro were not too creative up front, despite the constant buzzing of Fabio Rochemback.
However, with Yakubu ploughing a lone furrow as a one-man attack force in the first half and Massimo Maccarone doing likewise after the break, Boro did not get too many men in the box.
Even so, Southgate was missing up to five potential regulars, notably World Cup trio Stewart Downing, Mark Viduka and Mark Schwarzer, the injured Gaizka Mendieta, and the soon-to-depart Franck Queudrue.
Not to mention the influential skipper Gareth Southgate!
Rangers were able to field four of their new signings at the start, while Southgate had none.
So when the game is put into context, Boro's performance looks better and better.
There were some good individual performances and some rusty ones.
Rochemback tried hard to make things happen, though frustratingly he was the man caught in possession when Rangers broke quickly for the winning goal.
Dado Prso escaped down the right and the back-pedalling Boro defence was caught flat-footed as Tom Buffel had time to bring the ball down from Prso's cross and pick his spot.
Otherwise Boro defended well. Ross Turnbull made a couple of excellent saves, from Buffel and from substitute Nacho Novo early in the second half, while Andrew Taylor did well and suggested he will push Emanuel Pogatetz all the way for the left-back spot.
Pogatetz played centre back for much of the match alongside Chris Riggott and the duo did well together, though it's no secret that Southgate is still determined to bring in a new centre-back.
James Morrison and Adam Johnson were given attacking roles on the flanks and enjoyed fine games. Morrison had a few shots at goal, while Johnson had the measure of right-back Alan Hutton and was a constant thorn for the home side, though his final ball could have been a little better.
Yakubu looked particularly rusty up front, though Boro have got a month to get him fit and there should be no problems in this area.
Maccarone was the more lively in the second period, though between them the striking duo did not produce an effort at goal.
Rochemback produced Boro's only on-target effort, when his clever first half free-kick was brilliantly touched over by goalkeeper Lionel Letizi.
However there were a lot more positives than negatives from this battling team effort.
We do need to see the returning players back in the squad this week, and Southgate is well aware that new faces are needed to strengthen the squad before the Premiership season kicks off.
But if the players continue to respond in the same fashion for Southgate as they did at Ibrox then the team will have few problems in the new campaign.
07-24-2006, 02:18 PM
The Middlesbrough 06/07 Thread. "lets get back into Europe!" Post #99
A first-minute goal from Swiss striker Gaetano Giallanza gave Darlington a deserved victory against a Boro XI on Saturday.
Boro never threatened to get into the game and the Quakers were good value for the victory.
The home side had all the best chances, with Clark Keltie, Martin Smith and Carlos Logan going close to extending the lead.
Boro were limited to just one shot at goal in the second half, new boy Herold Goulon shooting straight at Sam Russell on his debut for the club.
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David Hogson, whose future seemed in doubt before the match, said: "What we asked of the players they did. We were disciplined and passed the ball around very well.
Despite media reports to the contrary on the morning of the game, the Quakers' director of football David Jones reaffirmed the manager's position in a Tannoy announcement before the kick off.
He said: "All the speculation about David Hogson being sacked is totally false.
"The chairman and directors have every confidence in him and we hope the manager, chairman, directors, players and supporters can now pull together and move this club forwards."
It was the first match in charge for Colin Cooper, Boro's new reserve team coach, though Coops will not have been too pleased with the overall performance, especially as Boro fielded seven players with Premiership experience.
Teams:
Darlington: Russell, Taylor (Close 62), Tavago (Holloway 78), Collins (Ngoma 62), James, Djente (Wainwright 45), Cummins, Keltie (R Logan 85), Duke (Rowson 62), Smith (C Logan 62), Giallanza (Johnson 45).
Boro: Knight, McMahon (Porritt 45), Wheater, Ehiogu, Davies, Grounds, Kennedy, Goulon (J Johnson 88), Liddle, Christie, Graham (Franks 82).
07-24-2006, 04:35 PM
The Middlesbrough 06/07 Thread. "lets get back into Europe!" Post #100
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