[NoSkillz]

2022/23 Sky Bet Championship - First Half Results


We would hold 56% of possession and outshoot our counterparts 20-7 (5-5 on target) but in the end, we couldn't break Cardiff down in a season-opening scoreless draw. That would be repeated four days later in our home opener, as once again we'd dominate in every stat except the one that counts...goals...in yet another 0-0 bore draw against Birmingham.

Luck wasn't on our side in those games but we were getting chances and that was reassuring. We'd stick to our gameplan and the wins would soon follow, with my first win in the Championship coming in our third game away against Aston Villa, as goals by striker Andre Gray and young fullback Ethan Laird propelled us to the 2-0 victory.

We started firing on all cylinders by game five, where we'd stroll into City Ground and destroy Nottingham Forest 7-2, with Gray notching a hat trick to lead the way.

The first half of the season went exceedingly well despite the very condensed nature of the schedule due to the 2022 World Cup taking place in Qatar starting in early November. We'd end the first half of the season on November 5th, crushing QPR 5-1 in their own stadium to finish our first 23 games with a wonderful 17-3-3 record, good for 54 points and a 12 point cushion at the top of the Championship table. Leeds and Millwall were tied on 42 points, Sheffield Wednesday was fourth with 41 points and Bournemouth was fifth with 40 points.

After going scoreless in our first two games, we'd start pumping in goals with regularity and hit the halfway point of the season with an incredible total of 62 goals with only 22 conceded, giving us a ridiculous goal differential of +40.

Key contributions were being made by goalkeeper Darren Randolph, who was playing almost every game for us, the central defending pair of Aden Flint and Jonathan Panzo, new fullback Ethan Laird, the central midfield duo of veteran George Saville and newcomer Joe Willock and we were led up front by striker Andre Gray, who showed killer instinct when in the box.



January 2023 - Transfer Window

There weren't many disappointments in that first half but we had a couple. Our biggest offseason signing, striker Eddie Nketiah, was injured to start the season and then battled incredibly poor form for almost the entire first half of the season, to the point where he couldn't even score with our reserves team. Hamza Choudhury was a slight disappointment as well, as he struggled to produce when called upon but I was hoping to give both players time to get settled before jumping to conclusions.

Unfortunately, Nketiah wouldn't give me the chance, as he handed in an official transfer request due to not getting enough playing time. I tried to reason with him and hoped that the one and a half month World Cup break would give him time to reconsider his stance but it was to no avail. That was something I'd have hanging over my head as we started back with some mid-December friendlies to get back to fitness before the second half of the Championship season would begin. I also had an unhappy Diego Polenta on the team, as he had become a backup option behind the tandem of Flint and Panzo.

As far as needs, I didn't have anything major other than depth issues, especially at striker. We were dealing with contant injuries and at one point in late December, just as the second half began, I had no healthy first team strikers available and was forced to use my top U18 striker, Matt Dickens a couple of times. With Nketiah likely leaving, I'd need some reinforcements. I was also looking for a potential backup goalkeeper, as David Burton, here on loan from Brighton, wasn't very good.



Transfers OUT

DC - Diego Polenta - £2,800,000 - Cardiff
MC - Adam Clayton - £350,000 - Sheffield United
ST - Eddie Nketiah - £5,500,000 - Cardiff

Both Polenta and Nketiah wanted out due to lack of first team football and both move to Cardiff in separate deals. Polenta joined Boro in 2020 and played two and a half seasons here, playing in 68 games, scoring four goals and adding three assists. I would have preferred to keep him but he deserves a chance to start at his age, without question. Nketiah just had no patience whatsoever and despite not producing felt entitled enough to demand playing time that I couldn't possibly take away from the prolific Andre Gray. The board and the fans are not happy with me at all but I was left with no choice, as the kid was causing issues in the locker room and I couldn't have that affect our growing chemistry. I make a small profit on him and insert some sell-on clauses just in case he blossoms at Cardiff. Nketiah leaves after scoring only two goals (one on a penalty) in 12 appearances and 3 starts. I wish he had given me more time but perhaps this is for the best.

The final transfer out sees 34 year old Adam Clayton leave the club in a modest deal with Sheffield United. Clayton was on an expiring contract and was, at best, our fourth or fifth best option in central midfield and as a result, was mostly bench fodder here this year. Clayton joined Boro back in 2014 in a £1 million deal with Hudderfield. He was a solid citizen here at Middlesbrough for many years and leaves after playing eight and a half seasons and 299 games (!), where he scored ten goals and added eight assists. He certainly wasn't prolific but we'll miss his leadership and defensive capabilities.



Transfers IN

GK - Dean Henderson (3.5/4.0) - £4,000,000 (from Manchester United) - 25 years old, England

The 32 year old David De Gea is still considered one of the best keepers in the world and has been blocking Henderson for years at United. He was transfer listed by request and we scoop him up at a slight discount as a result. After an incredible start where he had four clean sheets in our first five games, incumbent Boro keeper Darren Randolph started to see his form slip a bit, likely due to me overplaying him and I'm hoping that Henderson will provide him with some regular rest over the second half of the season, with thoughts of promoting him to first choice should he play as well as I hope.



Loans OUT

DR - Matthew Gibbins - Preston - £10,000/month
DR - Dujon Sterling - Derby - Free
ST - Ben Appleby - Plymouth - Free
ST - Jake Simpson - Cambridge - Free

I actually recalled Gibbins in early January due to some injuries and then loan him back out, this time to Preston for 10k/month. Appleby was recalled as well but this was because he wasn't getting enough playing time at Crewe. Hopefully he'd see more action at Plymouth. Simpson was playing for my U18 team and Cambridge was looking to give him a chance in the first team so I decided to let him go. Finally, Dujon Sterling was a third choice player behind the superlative Ethan Laird and Newcastle loanee Aron Potts so I send him to Derby in hopes of him seeing some first team action.



Loans IN

MC - Julian Rosales (4.0/4.0) - £25,000/week (From PSG) - 19 years old, Mexico
ST - Christian Keller (3.5/4.0) - £6,250/week (From Chelsea) - 19 years old, England
ST - Daishawn Redan (2.5/3.5) - £5,250/week (From Chelsea) - 21 years old, Holland

So I unknowingly made a big mistake bringing Rosales in - I needed some extra cover after the sale of Adam Clayton and my scouts turned me on to this new signing from PSG who they were looking to loan out for seasoning. This was my first look up close at a "Wonderkid" and I was thrilled when he decided to come over to Middlesbrough for our championship run. However, what I didn't know was that since he had played for both PSG and his hometown team Chivas in Mexico this year prior to arriving at Boro, he wasn't able to be registered with a third team in one calendar year. So Rosales would spend the next six months playing with our U23 team...very disappointing...and kind of an expensive mistake since I was picking up a good portion of his wages while here.

Keller is yet another Wonderkid and will provide able assistance to Andre Gray and Manchester United loanee Mason Greenwood. He looks like quite the prospect. Redan is a very speedy striker and I was just worried about the constant injury issues Greenwood has been having so he's decidedly a fourth choice option for us...maybe even a fifth choice behind our U18 superstar Matt Dickens, who is absolutely throttling the youth level this year.

We have a comfortable lead in the division and we're looking to push forward in hopes of earning that coveted spot in the Premier League next season.