Fly Me To The Moon column: Signing Everton's Yannick Bolasie is a gamble but Middlesbrough fans are desperately hoping he can deliver

Time To Gamble

Boro finally got their man. If at first you don't succeed try and try again might be a description of Yannick Bolasie's tricky wing play or it might just represent Neil Warnock's redoubled efforts to finally get his man.

Then again following an absolute beast of a week, Boro fans needed some light at the end of the tunnel. Can the one-time wing wonder and super Eagle fly high again for Boro as he once did at Crystal Palace? After Wednesday night's crushing defeat at home to Rotherham our supporters are desperately hoping that Bolasie can deliver.

What a terrible week that was but it is not even over yet with a really difficult trip to table-topping Norwich City on Saturday. After being picked apart by plucky minnows Rotherham, will it be high noon for Boro at Carrow Road? We really need to dig in there and hope Bolasie can hit the ground running and help light the fires and inspire a fight back.

The one time team-mate of Boro favourite Albert Adomah was certainly a sensation when at the zenith of his powers. As a flying winger, at times he even out-shone Wilfried Zaha at Crystal Palace. I remember being scared stiff of Bolasie as a visiting fan to Selhurst Park, he had all the tricks of the trade and the pace to be devastating down his wing.

The trouble is that was five years ago now and the football he has played since has been extremely limited. Bolasie's career stalled badly and in fact went into reverse after sustaining a cruciate knee injury only four months after joining Everton for £25million in 2016. Over the past three seasons his only appearances have been in half season loan spells at Aston Villa, Anderlecht and last season at Sporting Lisbon. Since then nothing at all.

So, just how fit is he? He is obviously way short on match fitness. But maybe the biggest question of all is how hungry is he. Does he still have the drive to want to test himself against the best?

It is a big gamble and we have seen similar punts go in both directions but there have probably been more Kieron Dyers and Revel Morrisons than Mendietas. Or so it seems.

A big plus though is that Neil Warnock has managed Bolasie and worked with him at his peak. The Boro boss knows his capabilities well. He is also playing down the expectations with his quotes where he is asking Yannick to help us out while getting his fitness back. Warnock also must have a better idea than the rest of us of what exactly makes the DR Congo international tick.

After injuries upon injuries, defeat after defeat, let's hope the week from hell has done its worst to us and the fates are starting to move in our favour. January was never a good month for Boro, we all know that. Can we now turn a corner with Bolasie?

Come On Boro

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