Middlesbrough play host to a struggling Brentford side this Saturday as they look to improve upon their midweek defeat vs Norwich.
Boro lost 1-0 on Tuesday night in what was one of their worst performances this season. However, Brentford are 20th in the league and facing them at home could be just what Middlesbrough need to get back on track.
A win for Boro on Saturday could see them move up to 6th place. Here is how they might line-up
Formation: 4-2-3-1
This formation is now seemingly Boro’s go to formation. It can be used in a very attacking sense which is what Boro should use it for on Saturday at home to Brentford. The formation relays heavily on wingers and with Boro welcoming back both Martin Braithwaite and Adama Traore on Tuesday, a formation with wingers is exactly what they need.
GK: Darren Randolph
Randolph did not keep a clean sheet on Tuesday. However, Norwich’s goal was not his fault and there was very little he could have done.
He also pulled off several good saves during the match including one from Cameron Jerome that could have easily gone in. He is a quality keeper and should keep a clean sheet on Saturday.
RB: Cyrus Christie
Christie has played every league game for Boro this season and he is very much likely to start again vs Brentford. He is a pacey attacking fullback who will help cause Brentford’s defence some problems.
RCB: Ryan Shotton
Dael Fry made a very poor mistake on Tuesday that lead to Norwich scoring the only goal of the game. While many people will say it was a one-off with Fry, Middlesbrough have two very capable centre-backs in Daniel Ayala and Ryan Shotton waiting to get a chance in the team. So, mistakes like Fry’s could mean Monk gives the nod to one of the above-mentioned centre-backs.
In this case, Shotton may well get his debut as it is a home game against 20th in the league. Which hopefully would be a nice game to debut in.
LCB: Ben Gibson
Gibson started every Boro game in the league last season and he is on track to do that once again this season. He is a quality centre-back and if Shotton is to debut, Gibson should be able to work well with him as he has had a number of partners over the past two seasons including Ayala, Fry, Callum Chambers and Bernardo Espinosa.
LB: Fabio
Fabio did not do much wrong at the weekend. Combined this with he fact that Boro’s only other left back is an out of from George Friend then Fabio is likely to start on Tuesday.
CDM: Adam Clayton
Clayton was subbed off in the Norwich game for an attacking player as Boro tried to get back into the game.
But before then he had done very little wrong for Boro and should continue to retain his starting place.
CDM: Grant Leadbitter
Jonny Howson has been given the nod over Leadbitter for the past two games. However, Boro have drawn and lost those games with Howson not performing too well in the Norwich game especially.
So, it’s likely Middlesbrough captain Grant Leadbitter will come back in vs Brentford.
RM: Adama Traore
Brentford are a quiet poor side this season. They are 20th in the league and have conceded 13 goals already this season. This is exactly the type of team Traore should be able to dominate and Boro will be hoping for a similar performance to the one he put in at Bolton.
CAM: Lewis Baker
Baker did struggle to help get Boro going on Tuesday and didn’t create too much. However, as Boro are very short in the CAM area, he will likely start again.
LM: Stewart Downing
Downing was left out of Tuesday’s defeat but could very well return on Saturday. While some Boro fans are not huge fans of him, largely because he has yet to contribute a goal or assist this season, the fact is Boro have not lost a game with him in the team.
Therefore, he is likely to start on Saturday as Boro look to get back to winning ways.
Martin Braithwaite did return as a sub on Tuesday. But Monk may not want him to start a game so soon after returning from a long injury.
ST: Britt Assombalonga
Britt Assombalonga is having a very strange time at Boro. One game, such as at Burton he is on fire and scores two. Then in others like against Nottingham Forest, he can’t score to save his life.
Assombalonga put in another of the later performances this past Tuesday. He struggled to control anything and could have and should have scored. Granted one of his chances was cleared off the line. But even without that he still had ample chance to score.
Middlesbrough will be hoping he can put in a performance like vs Burton this Saturday. This is how they might line up:
