As many expected/feared, Chris Wilder has got Middlesbrough flying, marrying a storm into the play-off picture with an FA Cup upset away at Man Utd. We spoke to our regular contributor James Boothby and Nathan Rayner from the Boropolis podcast for a progress check.

So, how's the season gone so far?

JB: It's been a bit of a funny season really. Started off the season with hopes of battling for a play off place, but we struggled with inconsistency and injuries. Since the change of manager we have really picked up though and been on a great run of form. It's been a more 'front-foot' style of football, and with three last minute winners on the bounce you can sense the excitement not just around the town but within the squad itself. If we can keep up the same standards till the end of the season then we should be in with a good shout of joining you in the play-offs.

NR: Middlesbrough’s season so far can be broken down into two parts, with two managers having spells at the club this term. Under Neil Warnock, Middlesbrough were very inconsistent with both performances and results. Throughout his tenure as manager, Warnock faced setbacks with injuries to key players in his squad and always felt like a short-term managerial appointment. Now under the management of Chris Wilder, things have begun to change. A new style of football has been brought into the football club, with a new manager that suits the club and one that players want to play for because of the new style that has been implemented. Results have been particularly good since Wilder came in. Eight wins, three draws, and only two defeats in all competitions have found the club in the Championship play-off picture, and into the 5th Round of the FA Cup after an amazing penalty shootout victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend.

Boro league results so far…
Fulham 1-1 Boro Wilson 29 — Bola 77
Boro 2-1 Bristol City Ikpeazu 38, Crooks 70 — King 60
Boro 2-3 QPR Ikpeazu pen 7, Crooks 72 — Howson og 48, Dykes 56, Willock 76
Derby 0-0 Boro
Boro 1-1 Blackburn Howson 36 — Gallagher 17
Coventry 2-0 Boro Gyokeres 71, Waghorn 90
Forest 0-2 Boro Sporar 24, Hernandez 72
Boro 1-2 Blackpool Tavernier 8 — Ekpiteta 62, Hall og 78
Reading 1-0 Boro Halilovic 55
Boro 2-0 Sheff Utd Watmore 9, McNair 37
Hull 2-0 Boro Lumley og 81, Wilks 90
Boro 2-0 Peterborough McNair pen 85, Coburn 90
Boro 2-0 Barnsley Sporar 20, Crooks 87
Cardiff 0-2 Boro Sporar pen 35, Payero 74
Boro 0-2 Birmingham Roberts 53, Hogan 56
Luton 3-1 Boro Bradley 57, Adebayo 60, Cornick 62 — Coburn 15
West Brom 1-1 Boro Diangana 65 - Coburn 38
Boro 1-1 Millwall Crooks 15 — Bamba og 27
Boro 1-2 Preston McNair 33 — Evans 77, Riis 81
Huddersfield 1-2 Boro Daniels og 90 — Watmore 16, 23
Boro 1-0 Swansea Jones 26
Stoke 0-0 Boro
Boro 1-0 Bournemouth Sporar pen 53
Boro 2-0 Forest Yates og 17, Sporar 69
Blackpool 1-2 Boro Lavery 90 — Sporar 60, Watmore 90
Boro 2-1 Reading Crooks 84, 90 — Carroll 68
Blackburn 1-0 Boro Gallagher 76
Boro 1-0 Coventry Sporar 58

Departure of Neil Warnock - how did he do? Why did he leave?

JB: I think Warnock did a decent enough job at the club - he kept us up a couple of seasons ago when things were looking bleak and for that we should all be thankful. He was a manager for the short term however, and it was clear that with him at the helm this season was not really going anywhere. The closer to the January window we were getting, it was clear that his ideas and the recruitment/head of football's ideas were not aligned. Club were looking to recruit players that fit a certain style and with the longer term plan in mind - Warnock, understandably perhaps, was looking to bring in players to fit his way of playing with a more short term view. I think the time was right for all parties - he went with the club in a decent place and his reputation intact.

NR: When Neil Warnock was appointed, the club was in desperate need of help. Boro were on the very fringe of relegation to League One, which would’ve been catastrophic for the football club. Warnock came in during the pandemic and had eight games to save Middlesbrough from the drop, and he did just that with four wins keeping Boro up. Last season, there was some promise early in the season and by Christmas, Boro were lingering just outside of the Championship play-off picture. However, injuries to key players and inconsistencies meant Boro’s season petered out. Warnock was handed a new one-year deal ahead of this current season; however, the summer business was of two different types of thinking. Some players were evidently ones that Neil Warnock had hand-picked, whereas others were signed by the club’s new recruitment team. It looked from the outside as if the club was going in two different directions at the same time. The beginning of this season was similar to last, with inconsistencies in results and performances being all too regular. The way that the club dealt with Warnock’s dismissal wasn’t great, with the veteran being told the morning of a game against West Brom that he would not be in charge after that day’s game. However, Neil Warnock will always be appreciated at Middlesbrough Football Club for the very important job that he did.

Appointment of Chris Wilder - looked great, has been great, presumably very happy then and now?

JB: It was an appointment that went down very well with the vast majority of fans, but I think everyone has been surprised with how quick he has turned things around here. Warnock was always at pains to mention he did not think anyone can do better with the squad he had, but Wilder has proved him wrong. I always though we had some good quality players, and they are now able to show that better with the style we play in now. We are just more fun to watch - with the added bonus that results are better as well.

NR: Immediately following the sacking of Neil Warnock, Chris Wilder was the only name that was mentioned to be in contention for the manager’s position at Middlesbrough. At the time, Boro fans were very pleased with the appointment, with many looking back at how Wilder transformed Sheffield United into a fantastic side in the Championship and hoping that he could do something similar with this Middlesbrough side. Upon watching Middlesbrough under Wilder since his appointment, they have improved tenfold when it comes to consistency of results. Performances have also been much improved; however, in some games where Boro haven’t been quite at their best, they have ground out results which has also been great to see.

What's he changed?

JB: I think the biggest thing is the club now seems to have a sense of direction. For the first time we now have a head of football in Kieron Scott who came from Norwich. It was his decision to axe Warnock and bring Wilder in, with the plan of putting a style of play together that can remain when a manager departs. We are much more pleasing on the eye to watch - we play more of a possesion based game now rather than the old tactics of just knock it in the channels. We also have a more settled system and a more settled starting 11 - I think this has helped give us the consistency we previously lacked. Players like Matt Crooks and Isiah Jones have really blossomed in this system. With the additions brought in, we now also have options off the bench to help changes games - earlier in the season we often only had six or seven subs named.

NR: What has been very noticeable about Chris Wilder’s teams is that he does not like to change personnel for the sake of things. Boro have been unchanged in league fixtures in the last three games heading into the game at Loftus Road though with an FA Cup game at Manchester United ahead, anyone that impresses may be in the manager’s thoughts ahead of Wednesday evening. In terms of play on the pitch, Wilder has set Middlesbrough up to be a lot more confident in possession and try to dominate the ball. The team are now a lot more patient in their build-up play and will not try to force things or panic too much when attacking but rather, keep switching play until an opening becomes available.

What did you make of your January business? What did you need, what did you get?

JB: It was rather strange, we did most of our incoming business by January 7 I think it was - almost as if we had a plan in place. We needed a couple of new strikers, and they arrived in the form of Folarin Balogun on loan from Arsenal and Aaron Connelly on loan from Brighton. Balogun has had to make do with cameos of the bench so far but has looked lively and got a great assist against Coventry with pretty much his first touches. Connelly has started every game, but has found the going a little tougher. Getting in some good positions but nothing really happening for him in front of goal - almost a case of trying to hard I think. We brought in a midfielder in Riley McGree from Charlotte (was on loan at Birmingham) - although he has been away with Australia pretty much since signing and at the time of writing is in a hotel in Oman isolating with Covid. Pretty much covered all of out immediate needs - being greedy I would have liked cover at RWB and CB but happy with what he have done. Almost as important was the outs as well to help balance things. We managed to shift a couple of bodies who were never going to get much game time so I think a pretty good window all round.

NR: When Wilder was first appointed, Boro fans thought that the January transfer window was going to be massive for the club depending on what results had been like throughout November and December. However, nobody could have expected Boro to have gone on the run of form that they went on. As a result, the only real position that Chris Wilder wanted to strengthen was the forward areas, and he did so with the loan signings of Aaron Connolly and Folarin Balogun, from Brighton and Arsenal respectively. In addition to these signings, the club also added Riley McGree, an attacking midfielder from Charlotte FC, though he will be more well-known for his loan at Birmingham City for the last two seasons. Boro beat Celtic to the signing of McGree, with the player citing his desire to play in the Premier League as the reason for his move to the north-east — with fans being very optimistic at the way players are seeing the project that has been put in place at the club.

Summer Ins >>> Martin Payero, 22, MF, Banfield (Argentina), Undisclosed >>> Uche Ikpeazu, 26, CF, Wycombe, £800k >>> Matt Crooks, 27, CM, Rotherham, Undisclosed >>> Sammy Ameobi, 29, LW, Forest, Free >>> Joe Lumley, 26, GK, QPR, Free >>> Lee Peltier, 34, RB, Cardiff, Free >>> Luke Daniels, 33, GK, Brentford, Free >>> Sol Bamba, 36, CB, Cardiff, Free >>> Toyosi Olusanya, 23, LW, Billericay, Free >>> Andraz Sporar, 27, CF, Sporting, Loan >>> James Lea Siliki, 25, CM, Stade Rennais, Loan >>> Onel Hernandez, 28, LW, Norwich, Loan

Winter Outs >>> Lewis Wing, 26, CM, Wycombe, Undisclosed >>> Marcus Browne, 24, AM, Oxford, Undisclosed >>> Hayden Coulson, 23, LB, Peterborough, Loan >>> Uche Ikpeazu, 26, CF, Cardiff, Loan >>> Dejan Stojanovic, 28, GK, Ingolstadt, Loan

Player of the season candidates?

JB: There's two or three good candidates for this I think. Matt Crooks has been exceptional in the number 8 role, linking up play well and scoring goals. Isiah Jones at right wing back has also been superb - with Djed Spences form at Forest I think a few people were maybe questioning how on earth he was not playing for us. Jones is the reason why. One goal and seven assists so far is a pretty good return, and he is often our main threat going forward. Paddy McNair has had another solid season at the back along with Dael Fry.

NR: There have been a few standouts so far this season. Paddy McNair and Dael Fry have been fantastic at the back for Middlesbrough this term. McNair as the left-sided centre-back, who likes to step forward into midfield with the ball and link play through the thirds. Fry is the central defender in the back three and the best compliment to give him is that when he isn’t in the team, everybody can tell that he’s missing. Coming off the back of a massively impressive performance against Manchester United in which he was tasked with marking Cristiano Ronaldo, Fry will be brimming with confidence heading into Wednesday evening.
Matt Crooks in midfield has been a revelation to this side since signing from Rotherham United for £1.1m in the summer. At 6ft 3” tall, the ‘Tree’ may seem from the outside as a hustle-and-bustle-type player that particularly thrives in the physical aspects of a game, but he possesses very good ability on the ball to create chances for teammates around him. The Yorkshireman is Boro’s second highest scorer with seven so far this term, with his best coming in the reverse fixture against the R’s.
Finally, and probably the player that most Boro fans would name as the Player of the Season, is Isaiah Jones. Jones was brought into the first team squad on the opening day to fill the Boro bench but came on and set up the equaliser away at Fulham. Since then, the dynamistic wing-back has been a mainstay in the side and has registered a goal and six assists this season. His pace, trickery and end product has been outstanding so far and the Boro faithful love him!

Weak links in the team?

JB: I think our left hand side is probably the weakest link in the team - Neil Taylor has come in at left wing back and has done well, but does not really offer the attacking threat Jones does down the right. Sometimes leaves us a little unbalanced in our attacking play. We still don't score enough goals - we are now creating plenty of chances but don’t have that clinical finisher up top.

NR: The only problems that this Middlesbrough side really has is that they aren’t clinical in front of goal and also, there is a slight overreliance on the right-hand side of the team to create chances. Improvements are being made to solve this issue though, with Boro’s winner against Coventry City in their most recent Championship fixture coming from good work down the left from Neil Taylor, Marcus Tavernier and Flo Balogun.

How's Joe Lumley done?

JB: It's been a bit of a rollercoaster with Joe. Was number one for most of the start of the season - then just before Warnock left he was dropped in favour of Luke Daniels. Lumley came back in after four or five games and has kept the glove since then and has done pretty well to be fair. Has kept ten clean sheets I think and his distribution is decent enough. Made some superb saves, but he always feels capable of making a huge mistake though - we have seen it a couple of times so far this year. I think before January I would have liked to have seen a new keeper come in, but to be fair has been playing well since the turn of the year.

NR: Joe Lumley began the season as number one but didn’t cover himself in glory early on. Lyndon Dykes beating the ex-R’s keeper through his legs and at his near post at the Riverside was the first standout mistake that he made, and numerous shaky moments following this led to him being dropped from the side at the start of November. Chris Wilder came in a few weeks after this and Lumley regained his place as number one again pretty swiftly. Lumley has done well since then, keeping four clean sheets in the process, and has been relatively good with his distribution and comfortable with his feet — something that Chris Wilder really desires with his team’s goalkeepers. Additionally to on the pitch, Lumley has been taken to well by Boro fans and has his own chant that he loves to embrace when he’s in front of Boro’s traveling away fans. Again, another player who is coming into this game off the back of a fantastic performance at Old Trafford last Friday night, where he made a few crucial saves and looked relatively comfortable sweeping up behind Boro’s back three.

Revised expectations for the season?

JB: I think top six now seems a realistic proposition for us - before the Blackburn defeat we were dreaming of top two still (a win there would have taken us four points off second). I think that would take some kind of miracle run however, and see Bournemouth collapse. It is a congested pack around the top six though, and I see us being firmly in the battle. I think everyone down to about 12th will still fancy their chances of the play-offs, but I think we should have enough to get one of those spots.

NR: The general feeling amongst the fans is that this Middlesbrough team is firmly in contention for a place within the Championship Play-Offs come the end of the season. The run of form throughout December and into the New Year has proven that this squad of players are good enough to compete at the top end of the division and with some new signings in January that have strengthened the squad, Boro fans are very optimistic about the rest of the season. With a cup run now going alongside the league run-in, it will be interesting to see how Chris Wilder manages his squad.

Consequences, financial or otherwise, of not going up this season?

JB: I don't there will be any serious financial consequences - we had spent the last couple of years getting rid of all the big earners at the club. And as everyone now knows, Steve Gibson is very keen for everyone to follow the FFP rules. Bringing Wilder in was with one eye on next season to be honest - I don’t think anyone expected he would had such an immediate impact. Indeed, Wilder has said on a few occasions it is more about getting into the Premier League in the long term and not all about this season. We may see a few of our better players leave if we don't go up though - will be plenty of clubs looking at player like Dael Fry and Marcus Tavernier for instance. I think promotion or not this season, things are looking an awful lot brighter for us.

NR: In terms of consequences of not going up, the only one that sticks out is the possibility of losing some of the players that are in this current squad. Paddy McNair and Dael Fry have allegedly had Premier League interest over the last year, and with the form of Isaiah Jones, no Middlesbrough fan would be surprised if a club in the top-flight came knocking for those players.

Links >>> Middlesbrough Official Website >>> Teeside Gazette — Local Paper >>> FMTTM — Message Board >>> One Boro — Forum >>> Bonkers for Boro — Blog >>> Boropolis — Podcast

The Twitter @jamesyboz, @loftforwords, @boropolis

Pictures — Action Images

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francisbowles added 10:37 - Feb 9 Thanks to James and Nathan. Good times for 'Boro, we all enjoyed Friday as well. Hope the party was long and eventful and that your players will come back down from their high tonight.
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TacticalR added 16:09 - Feb 9 Thanks to James and Nathan. This sounds a bit like QPR - trying to play a more possession-based patient style, plus centre-backs who can bring the ball out from the back.
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