Middlesbrough latest as Jeremy Sarmiento explains Birmingham sub and Blackburn prediction made
The latest news from the Riverside Stadium as Middlesbrough prepare to face Blackburn Rovers.
Middlesbrough travel to Blackburn Rovers in a must-win Championship clash on Saturday.
Kim Hellberg’s men have won just two of their last seven matches and neither of their last two, stumbling to a disappointing 1-1 draw against Bristol City last time out following a 1-0 loss against Charlton Athletic - both at home.
However, Boro are still somehow second in the table, and the importance of this weekend’s fixture is magnified given it comes at the same time as Ipswich Town and Millwall’s six-pointer at Portman Road. So, ahead of what is a vital week in the race for automatic promotion, let’s take a look at the latest Middlesbrough headlines.
Sarmiento explains Boro pick over Birmingham
Jeremy Sarmiento hasn’t quite got going as a Boro player so far, failing to score or assist in nine appearances since his loan move from Brighton in January - which will be made permanent if certain performance markers are hit.
However, the Ecuador international is clearly a talent, averaging 1.79 successful dribbles, 1.07 successful crosses and 1.79 chances created per 90 minutes. That’s exactly why Sarmiento was in such high demand in January, with Boro almost turning to alternative targets when negotiations hit a sticking point, and Birmingham City looking set to swoop instead.
However, the style of play at the Riverside Stadium and manager Kim Hellberg were deciding factors for Sarmiento, who says he only had eyes for Boro. “As you guys have seen and as was reported in the media, there were other teams interested but Middlesbrough was the place I wanted to go,” he said.
“I spoke to Brighton and made that very clear. The playing style suits me. I like to play as a 10 or sometimes come off the wing. I'm enjoying my football in this position. It works well. Kim has given me the confidence to do what I do well, and as a player that's all you want.
“I've had some loan spells at Championship clubs and I've played against Middlesbrough. They've always played good, attractive football. It was always appealing to me. “I spoke to the boss, he laid it out for me and it felt like the right place. As a player you want to push for big things and Middlesbrough are certainly doing that. We want to get promoted, that's the big objective.”
Sam Parkin makes Blackburn vs Boro prediction
Whatever happens in the Ipswich vs Millwall game, Boro simply must beat Blackburn at Ewood Park to stay in the driving seat for automatic promotion.
For their part, Rovers actually did Boro a favour last time out by beating Millwall 2-1 in London. However, that result will also serve to give them a huge confidence boost as they sit just three points above the relegation zone. And worryingly for Boro, ex-EFL striker Sam Parkin - who represented the likes of Millwall, Swindon Town and Ipswich during his playing days - believes this has all the ingredients for another Boro slip-up.
“Blackburn just need to play this like an away game don’t they? They have to just sit in, which I think they are capable of doing. They have shown that over the first few weeks of Michael O’Neill’s tenure,” Chelsea academy product Parkin said on the Benjamin Bloom YouTube channel.
He continued: “I think they’ll learn from the way Middlesbrough have been tearing teams apart away from the Riverside. For that reason, I might go for dropped points again here (for Middlesbrough). I’m going to go for Blackburn 1 Middlesbrough 1.”
Hellberg explains Kaly Sene struggle for minutes
A lack of a clear and reliable goalscorer has certainly hindered Boro in their race for promotion this season, especially compared to their promotion rivals - with Haji Wright scoring 16 goals for Coventry and Jack Clarke 13 for Ipswich, for example.
Summer arrival Kaly Sene was supposed to help in that regard, but has managed just two goals in 24 Championship appearances - only five of which have come from the start. The Senegalese forward has featured in just 16 minutes since 24th February, but Hellberg has insisted Sene is actually just recovering fitness following an injury, rather than being utterly out of favour.
“When you have a player coming back from injury, it’s about trying to find that balance of the right time to get them minutes. It’s difficult to not play and then just go in and be perfect,” Hellberg explained. “It’s a balance in terms of using the squad in a good way and still trying to get the best result of every game. That’s the thing. You’re trying to keep the best team, not rotating for the sake of rotating.
“Kaly started against Derby away and then he got injured and then he’s away for longer four or five weeks, something like that. So then you have to start over again. That’s a tough, tough thing about being a footballer.
“You will come down to starting over, you’re also coming down from being in a shape where you feel like you're strong. Take David, for example, he was off for five, six weeks and then you have to go back and slowly build, and that’s tough sometimes.
“Also it takes work with confidence. For example, when Riley and Britts first came back, I think it was the same thing. The first game I don’t think they were even close to the level they have, but after a while they get to that place again.
“So it's tough and that’s the thing with football - there are ups and downs for individual players in terms of being at a level where you think like ‘I'm so strong I can do everything,’ and then something happens and you have to start over a little bit again.
“Those steps backwards to go forward again. It’s always tough, and it’s important for players to be able to handle it. Kaly’s getting there, he’s getting better and better again.”
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