adminOxford United Warned of Potential Nightmare Showdown with Coventry as Injury Crisis Leaves U’s Down to Bare Bones!
Middlesbrough have another defensive injury crisis to manage against Coventry City.
If failing to take all three points at Oxford United wasn’t bad enough for Middlesbrough, they’re left facing a potentially nightmare scenario for Coventry City’s visit next up, as a result of it.
On a frustrating day for Boro at the Kassam Stadium, they once again failed to make their possession count for much as their attacking struggles of recent weeks showed once again. With impending new boss Kim Hellberg no doubt watching on, he had a clear picture of his first priority as Boro head coach.
But before he takes the reins at the Riverside, Boro have a huge game to overcome on Tuesday evening. League leaders Coventry City visit the Riverside on Tuesday, and as well as attacking issues to work through, Boro could go in against Frank Lampard’s free-scoring pace-setters with depleted defensive options.
Already without Dael Fry, George Edmundson and Darragh Lenihan at Oxford, they then lost Matt Targett to a calf problem at half-time, with Sammy Silvera playing the second half at left-back. While Silvera got to grips with things at Oxford and did his role well, the prospect of facing up against the league’s best attack is an altogether different proposition that Silvera feels ill-equipped for.
In the days between the Oxford and Coventry games, Viveash will be desperately hoping Boro’s injury picture improves. It was too soon to determine exactly how bad Targett’s injury was, but the fact the calf stiffened in the break, he said, was not a positive sign. The Newcastle United loanee is now highly unlikely to be available on Tuesday.
Edmundson remains out with a hip problem that didn’t sound particularly close to a resolution, making him a huge doubt for the game too. Most realistically, would be Fry, who ultimately failed a late fitness test for the Oxford trip, while suffering from his own calf issues. If Fry can make the Coventry game, Boro should be able to get through.
Fry’s involvement would allow Viveash to either go with a back three, and Silvera at wing-back, or with a back four, with either Callum Brittain or Luke Ayling swapping their usual right-sided spot for the left. Neither would be perfect, but would be better than the options Boro will have if Fry doesn’t make it back in time for Coventry.
Alan Browne recently played centre-back in a three too, and is the most senior option Viveash could consider if Fry is unavailable. George McCormick would be another potential. It would mean the 20-year-old making his first league start for the club. To his credit, he didn’t put a foot wrong when required for the final 30 minutes against Birmingham City recently. Again, Coventry’s attack is an altogether different challenge, however.
Alex Bangura is also there, but has strangely not yet been used. He’s played a couple of under-21 games since returning from injury, and has been a regular on the Boro bench for recent games. For whatever reason, however, the Sierra Leone international is yet to actually get on the pitch, however, even when Silvera has been needed at left-back a few times now.
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