AITOR KARANKA is ready to fix Boro’s goals crisis — by axing his top scorer and turning to the striker with the worst winning record in the Prem.
Shot-shy Boro have fired the fewest goals in the top flight this season, finding the net just 19 times in 26 games.
And despite Alvaro Negredo bagging six of them — plus another in the FA Cup — he could be dropped to the bench for today’s visit to Stoke.
Boss Karanka is instead set to turn to January signing Rudy Gestede, who has not won in the Premier League for 36 games.
In fact, the last time the former Aston Villa hitman tasted a Prem victory was on the opening day of LAST season.
Karanka said: “Rudy will win a game soon but I wasn’t aware of that record, no.
“I still say that I have the best players in the world.
“I know my team but I’m not going to tell you who starts. I don’t tell you because Alvaro doesn’t know yet and I think it’s fair to tell him first.”
Negredo’s place is under threat after he was subbed at half-time in last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.
Related stories
The ex-Manchester City ace, 31, has scored just once in Boro’s last nine league outings.
And while Gestede, 28, netted a wonderful goal in Boro’s FA Cup win over Oxford last month, he has yet to start or score in the Premier League since his £6million move from Villa Park in the last transfer window.
In January, Karanka also loaned striker Jordan Rhodes to Sheffield Wednesday and paid £6m for Patrick Bamford, who was Championship Player of the Season on loan at the Riverside two years ago.
But the ex-Chelsea kid, who has not scored for nearly two years, returned to Teesside short of fitness and belief. He was dropped against Palace and Karanka has had to get tough with the 23-year-old this week.
The boss said: “It’s not easy to play because he’s been out for 18 months and he’s had four chances — against West Ham, West Brom, Tottenham and Accrington.
“He came to my office and I showed him the reason he’s not playing now and he understood.
“He needs to learn, he needs to improve, because he left here when we were in the Championship and now we’re Premier League and the tempo and intensity are completely different.”
Karanka hopes left-back George Friend (ankle) will be fit after missing the Palace defeat.
Leave a comment