Middlesbrough FC: Three hopes, one fear

Hope #1: That either Brad Guzan or Victor Valdes can turn back the clock.

Had Middlesbrough hired Brad Guzan or Victor Valdes back in 2008 chances are there might have been a party at Riverside Stadium. Both goalkeepers have a distinct rich history of success with perhaps Valdes’ efforts a bit prolific. At one time or another both goalkeepers were considered two of the top fifteen or twenty goalkeepers in the world.

But that was then and this is now. Guzan is coming off of a terrible campaign with Aston Villa where he was benched and lost his job with the United States Men’s National Team. Meanwhile Valdes, prior to his two starts with the Boro this season, had made just seven starts in two years with Manchester United. Both are clearly coming off difficult seasons so the hope for Middlesbrough is that at least one of them can get back their form.

Of the two, Valdes would seem the most likely primed for a comeback season. Valdes’ issues weren’t necessarily that he was having bad form it  was that he was recovering from an injury and behind David De Gea. Fully healed from his knee injury and away from a no-win situation Valdes should get back to at least 70 percent of who he was with FC Barcelona. Remember this is a goalkeeper that won  five La Liga and three Champions League titles with arguably one of the greatest club sides in football history.

Guzan’s issues seem to be more mental and more problematic. At times last season his usual stellar decision making seemed to be missing. For a goalkeeper that really does not have the physical skills that is very scary news.

There were rumors at the start of the transfer window that Guzan might be heading back to the United States which could perhaps be a clue that he knows that he knows his skills are slipping.

Next: Hope #2: That Jordan Rhodes can finally prove that he is a Premier League scorer.