Newly promoted Middlesbrough are showing how ready they are to reclaim their place in the English first tier.
Middlesbrough will have their first season back in the Premiership in the 2016-17 season after seven campaigns in the Championship after being relegated in 2009. A runner-up finish last year in the second tier was enough to bring the North Yorkshire squad back to the Premier League.
However, promotion seems to be a poisoned chalice in recent years, as most teams who come up often get relegated the following season (see Norwich City last season and Hull City in 2014-15). Teams that cannot make the adjustment simply just are unable to hang with the fast pace of the Premiership, and are quickly demoted. There also tend to be some exceptions to this trend, such as the rapid rise of Leicester, where they only had two seasons before they won the league, but they made major changes to their squad by importing the level of talent necessary for survival.
By the looks of it, survival is exactly what Middlesbrough is poised to do. They are making plenty of moves that will add a competitive edge to their squad. In this transfer window, they have brought in proven quality and secured their key players from last season, and for extremely cheap.
Highlights of their summer include the signing of former Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes (signing on a free from Manchester United), loan signing of Alvaro Negredo of Valencia (part of Manchester City’s last title win), resigning of key centre back Daniel Ayala until 2020, and the €15 million signing of Dutch center midfielder Marten de Roon.
Middlesbrough had the strongest defense in all of the Championship, only conceding 31 goals all season, and the addition of both Valdes and former Aston Villa keeper Brad Guzan will only strengthen their backline.
The biggest challenge facing Middlesbrough is the offensive side of the ball. Returner Jordan Rhodes will face stiff competition from Negredo and up-and-comer David Nugent, especially considering Aitor Karanka’s favoring of a one striker system.
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Smoggies fans can only hope that their team avoids the same dangers that plagued them last season, like the defensive strategies employed by some managers, forcing them to step out of their own tactics and be more aggressive. Some Premiership managers are very fond of having ten men behind the ball, most notably new Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, leading them to much success. If Middlesbrough does not find a way around the defensive game, then it may be a short stay for them.
Another potential hitch along the way may be the relationship between players and manager. Aitor Karanka is known for having a hot head, and if things in the dressing room devolve (much like they did in March), there may be little hope for Middlesbrough to remain.
Overall, this upcoming season is one of promise for Middlesbrough, and it may make or break whether or not Aitor Karanka is ready to manage a top-tier team. Without a doubt, results against similar teams like Bournemouth, Watford and Hull City will decide the success of their campaign, possibly determining their viability as a more permanent mainstay in England.