The latest fitness update on Marcus Forss means one Middlesbrough star will have to step up heading into the 2024/25 season.
Middlesbrough underachieved somewhat in the 2023/24 Championship season under Michael Carrick.
Boro made it to the semi-finals of the play-offs in 2022/23 and were expected to match or better than run in the previous campaign.
However, when all was said and done, the North East outfit were forced to settle for an eighth-place finish, sitting four points outside the playoffs.
There were a number of reasons for this, including a slow start and a large turnover of players in the summer of 2023.
But it is hard to argue that the main reason Middlesbrough did not secure a top-six berth was down to their horrible injury luck.
In total, Boro players missed 303 games due to injury in the 2023/24 season.
Carrick was unable to pick from a full squad of stars in a single game last term and, on average, the Boro boss was without 6.5 players for each match.
Marcus Forss still sidelined with injury
With Middlesbrough’s first-team returning to training last week, their injury issues from last season appear to have largely resolved themselves.
However, there are still a couple of names who are struggling to make it back to full fitness.
Right-back Tommy Smith, who ruptured his Achilles in October, is not back in full training yet but has been able to take part in certain drills with his teammates.
However, one Boro star is still to return to the grass following an injury last season. The player in question is Marcus Forss.
Forss missed the final month of 2023/24 after picking up a hamstring injury against Blackburn Rovers.
He returned for pre-season with the majority of Boro’s squad but he remains out due to injury, and a return date for the Finland forward is yet to be announced, as per Teesside Live.
Isaiah Jones must step up in Forss’ absence
With Forss not doing any form of training currently, he is unlikely to be match fit come the start of the Championship campaign on August 10th.
The 25-year-old scored seven goals and provided two assists in 21 games from the right wing before his injury last term.
His goal contributions will be a big miss for Middlesbrough come the beginning of 2024/25 and Isaiah Jones must step up in Forss’ absence.
Since making his debut for the Teessiders in 2021, Jones has shown patches of quality and was labelled ‘great’ by Carrick last year, as per Teesside Live.
However, if Forss is going to miss the start of 2024/25, Jones has to prove he can perform on a consistent basis.
The 25-year-old’s pace and quick feet make him a nightmare for any Championship defender but there have been too many games where Jones has failed to show his true ability.
The winger scored three and assisted two in his last seven league games for the club and will need to carry on that form into the new season if Boro are to reach their play-off goals.