Season Preview - Middlesbrough

Last season: 12th, 46 points; FA Cup sixth round; Carling Cup first round

Transfers:

In: Luke Young (Charlton, £2.5m); Jeremie Aliadiere (Arsenal, £2m); Tuncay Sanli (Fenerbahce, free)

Out: Mark Viduka (Newcastle, free); Abel Xavier (LA Galaxy, free); Stuart Parnaby (Birmingham, free); Danny Graham (Carlisle, free).

Official Website: http://www.mfc.co.uk/

Official Kit: To be updated soon.

A pretty tough season lies ahead of Gareth Southgate and his boys. Many are considering this Middlesbrough squad as relegation candidates.

Middlesbrough haven’t been able to attract talent to the Teeside and lost out on the race to sign Alan Smith – a player who could have really driven the squad. They let Mark Viduka leave and got in Tuncay Sanli from Fenerbache and Jeremie Aliadiere from Arsenal to boost their dwindling attacking options. Luke Young has been a good buy and would definitely strengthen the defense.

Schedule via English Soccer Talk:

Middlesbrough's schedule can essentially be divided into three parts: Two long, extremely difficult stretches of games against teams expected to finish in, or at the very least challenge for, European places this season, and the rest of the games against mid-lower table sides that Middlesbrough will have to take as many points as they can from.

From September 30-December 8, Middlesbrough will play 9 league games. Out of those 9, they'll be favored in just one of them, and even it's no guarantee (an away game at Manchester City). Also in that long stretch are home games with Chelsea, Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Arsenal, as well as road matches at Everton, Manchester United, Bolton, and Reading.

As if that run of games wasn't difficult enough, there's also a killer finish to the season. February 23-April 26, a span of 10 league games, sees just one "gimme" (a home game with Derby County). Trips to Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Sunderland are also included, as are home dates with Reading, Manchester United, and Bolton.

Those two stretches make up 19 games in total, half the total schedule. 57 points are possible from those games but one can't see Middlesbrough getting more than 20, certainly no more than 25. That means Middlesbrough will have to take care of business in their other games to assure themselves of another season in the Premiership.

EPL08.com prediction:
League Position – 15
Last seasons 12th to 16th places were separated by only 7 points and it's pretty much going to be the same this year. Not much separating teams at these spots. Gareth Southgate isn't going to find it easy this season either and might be the first manager to lose his job this season. I cannot see a repeat of a UEFA Cup final appearance in the near future. Yakubu definitely really needs to put on his striking boots this season.