How we think Middlesbrough will line-up at Birmingham City on Monday evening
Hayden Hackney, head coach Kim Hellberg, Matt Targett and Goalkeeper Sol Brynn look dejected(Image: Greig Cowie/Shutterstock)
Kim Hellberg will be hoping his Middlesbrough side can get back to winning ways on Monday evening, as they look to end a three-match winless run at Birmingham City.
After two frustrating draws over Oxford United and Leicester City, the Boro boss has spent much of his week analysing as much as possible to try and find any potential solutions to recent goalscoring troubles.
So will that lead to any personnel changes from Tuesday’s draw against Leicester? Here’s our predicted Boro team for the game at St Andrew’s.
GK – Sol Brynn – Boro’s first-choice goalkeeper, unless he picks up any injury or suspension between now and the end of the season, he’s going to almost certainly start the remaining games.
DR – Callum Brittain – Continues to be a major attacking threat for Boro down the right flank. Could do with more to aim at, but his cutbacks from the byline could be more accurate too.
DC – Dael Fry – The first change we predict will see Fry come in for Luke Ayling. As good as Ayling has been in recent months, his last two outings have highlighted his flaws.
Simply put, Ayling may offer a little more in possession, but, when fit, Fry is the better defender. When you’re struggling for goals, you need clean sheets, and so Fry should be starting.
DC – Adilson Malanda – Hellberg admits he would have liked to have eased Malanda into English football, but injuries prevented him from doing so. Nevertheless, Malanda has handled life at Boro with real class, and looks a certain starter now.
DL – Matt Targett – Slightly off the boil in the last couple of games, Boro need him to step up. With Finley Munroe yet to play much after arriving in January with the future in mind, it seems unlikely he’s thrown in for such a big away game.
CM – Aidan Morris – So often does an unheralded role for Boro, but very important nonetheless. Boro will hope he stays fit and at his best for the rest of the season.
CM – Hayden Hackney – So often the orchestra of anything and everything positive that Boro do. Hopefully he can continue that until the end of the season.
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RW – Morgan Whittaker – Out of form right now, there’s an argument that he could do with coming out of the team. But given the goals he’s capable of scoring, and the fact that he appears to be a confidence player who maybe wouldn’t gain anything from being dropped, it’s hard to see him being left out right now.
LW – Riley McGree – Having previously warned that McGree needs to be managed amid his recent injury troubles, Hellberg suggested on Friday that the time had come to take more risks, given McGree’s importance.
ST – David Strelec – Strelec still hasn’t quite found his feet at Boro. But he could benefit from a run of games. With Conway regularly drifting out wide, Boro really need someone more instinctive in the middle. Harsh on Alan Browne, maybe, but he’s had two underwhelming performances of late.
ST – Tommy Conway – The goals still aren’t coming as often as you’d like from your number nine, but Conway remains a key player. He got a vital assist against Leicester and contributes in many other ways, even if it would be good to get more goals from him.
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