| badgerboy |
| (member) |
| 24/05/2008 16:10 |
Re: Review of the 2007-08 Premier League season
|
Middlesbrough
Final position 13th (42 pts)
----------------------Schwarzer---------------------
---Young---Wheater---Woodgate/Pogatetz---Pogatetz/Taylor
---O'Neil---Boateng---Rochemback/Arca---Downing---
-------------------Alves-------Aliadiere/Tuncay----------
Other key players: Cattermole (CM). The central midfield three (four with Cattermole) were actually pretty interchangeable.
Middlesbrough are one of those teams it's pretty hard to see progressing too much further upwards. That's really a shame because they have a promising young coach (in Gareth Southgate) and a good reputation for bringing young players through their academy - Stewart Downing, David Wheater, Andrew Taylor & Lee Cattermole all came via that route.
For the future:
Quite a few more of Middlesbrough's third & fourth year professionals had some involvement with the first team and/or went out on loan this season. Perhaps the most notable though was Ben Hutchinson - bought by Celtic (much to 'Boro's displeasure) in January.
Nathan Porritt & Jonathan Franks - two more members of England's U17 squad last year. Porritt plays as a striker & Franks on the right wing.
Ashley Corker and Richard Smallwood - defender & midfielder respectively who were the 17 year-olds given the most chances in 'Boro's reserve side this season.