Speculation is common place in football’s summer off-season. Who stays? Who goes? Who will play in what position?
One of the key questions that faces Middlesbrough Football Club, is who will play that oh so crucial striker position this coming season?
Last season they acquired the services of dynamic young Aston Villa forward, Cameron Archer who arrived on loan in January. The England Under-21 star managed a commendable eleven goals and six assists in twenty-one games during his impressive spell for the Teesside club, leading to fans desperately hoping he returns to The Riverside again this season.
Any real hope of brokering another deal would seem unlikely at this point though, purely because of the positive press and attention his performances have brought, not only for Middlesbrough, but for the young Under-21 Lions who won the European Championships this summer. If he doesn’t command a place in Aston Villa’s first team squad, he will surely have suitors else where in The Premier League.
Nevertheless, some eagle-eyed Boro fans have come up with a theory that might imply all is not lost. They noticed that during a recent pre-season training session, returning loanee, Martin Payero was given the number 32 shirt and the number 10 (worn by Archer last season) has been left vacant. Fans quickly took to social media to point out that the number 10 shirt has not been allocated and begged Archer to ‘Come back and finish the job’.
The club have so far, understandably remained tight lipped on the availability of the loan players used last season as other clubs sort out their own squads and prepare for the new season and it is plausible that they may just be exploring all options available to them.
Could Marcus Forss play big role for Boro?
The club do have a current player who is a striker by trade and hit 10 goals last season from a newly allocated role on the right-hand side, in Marcus Forss. The Finn has pace in abundance and knows where the goal is, so could be utilised in that central striker position, depending on how Boro’s forays into the market play out.
Although there were instances where Michael Carrick preferred the more robust option of Matt Crooks up top, it is thought that our evolving style of play suits a pacey, direct striker that will stretch the play and run in behind defences, allowing the creative attacking midfielders more scope to use the ball more effectively and hurt teams with the vacant space.
In that sense, Forss would fit the bill. However, Carrick clearly saw something in the way that Forss plays that made him want to select him as a wide player coming inside. That, added to the fact that so far, Forss has started our friendlies in his customary role on the right would intimate that he won’t be the answer to the central striker quandary.
But with only Matt Crooks and a still developing trio of young forwards in Matthew Hoppe, Josh Coburn and 17-year-old Sonny Finch, they may have to turn to Forss to fill that Archer-shaped void and hope the Finn can provide the fire power until the club find an alternative.