Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has warned the rest of the Coca-Cola Championship that his team will be even stronger when injuries abate.
Saturday's 2-0 win at Reading left the Teessiders third place in the table, four points adrift of leaders Newcastle - a feat which has been largely achieved without the likes of skipper Emanuel Pogatetz, Chris Riggott, Matthew Bates, Didier Digard and Andrew Taylor.
Southgate told the Evening Gazette: "People sometimes fail to take into account how many experienced members of the squad we are missing.
"Budget-wise, we have one of the strongest in the Championship, yet there are so many players who have played regularly in the Premier League that we are not able to call upon.
"When we get these other players back we will have terrific competition for places which can only help our promotion hopes.
"But the rest of the boys deserve great credit for the way in which they have helped turn the club around this season."










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JUST SACK SOUTHGATE AND MOST OF BORO,S PROBLEMS WILL HAVE GONE
I seriously hope I am wrong to, but please don't believe everything that comes out of the MFC.
Gibbo publically stated we were out of debt and we didn't need to sell players just before the start of the season.?
Mmm Downing/Huth/Tuncay were sold to balance the books and to keep the bank from closing us down.
Gibbo didn't wipe off the debt he merely moved it .
Come January I will be suprised to see O'Neil/Aliadier/Poggy, staying.
Even Wheaters stay as to be a bit shaky,given the right bid he could also be on his way.
The fact that we have already told Hull Cty that we will purchase that lump of lard , "Folan".
I can see St Ledger and Folan being the only purchases and they as already been arranged.
Hence why Folan is slagging off Brown cos he knows he ain't going back there.
I hope and think you are wrong Sgt Pepper regarding O'Neil and Pogatetz leaving in January. Southgate has been promised money for January and so doesn't need to sell. I think both will stay. O'Neil seems settled and is the best midfield player in the Division in my opinion, and, I can't see Boro wanting to lose him. As for Digard, Boro have different options when he plays and as I said previously I hope Southgate plays him alongside Williams and O'Neil. He's just a bit injury prone. If Riggott is match fit by January, I can actually see him going because of lack of playing opportunity with Boro.
Poggy will automatically drop in to leftback and the youngsters such as Grounds /Bennet will be shelved until he's injured again or maybe sold in the Jan window.
Digard will have to wait until Jan to become a regular when O'Neil is sold and then he will fit in alongside Williams.
The other three well Riggot may make a game this season but the other two I very much doubt.
STARS???? I hope your tongue was firmly in your cheek when you used that term jlwebber!
I think Pogatetz will add steel and experience to the defence, he can be brutal when nneeds be and the Championship is a rough league. But he will have to play as a full back as Wheater and St Ledger seem to have paired up well. Digard adds craft and class to midfield if he can stay fit and alongside O'Neil & Williams I think Boro would have a fantastic midfield. As for Riggott and Bates where would they fit in were they fit, however I don't see that being a decision Southgate will have to make for quite some time.
The returning stars will have to fight for their places. One would hope that the team will be improved but do not bank on it.
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