TEESSIDE hate figure Paul Merson delivered a damning verdict on Middlesbrough's defence and predicted a season of struggle for his old club unless manager Bryan Robson acts now to strengthen his rearguard.

Robson plans to do just that and is awaiting a response from Merson's Aston Villa over an £8m-plus bid for central defender Ugo Ehiogu.

The one-cap England international was a non-playing substitute in Saturday's 1-1 draw at the Riverside Stadium, which is likely to become his new footballing home once Villa have finally agreed how much Ehiogu's former club, West Brom, will receive from the sell-on.

Robson, also keen on St. Etienne's £4.5m-rated Cameroon centre-back Lucien Mettomo, warned that he has made his final offer for 27-year-old Ehiogu after Villa boss John Gregory hinted the bid might not be enough.

Recovering alcoholic Merson, who quit Boro two years ago claiming he had been driven out by a culture of drinking and gambling at the club, is still reviled among the dwindling Riverside faithful.

The 27,556 crowd was the lowest for a League game since the stadium opened five years ago - and this only four days after a record Riverside low of 5,144 watched Boro come from behind to beat Third Division Macclesfield 2-1 in the first leg of their Worthington Cup second-round tie.

Those attendances are a reflection on the growing disillusionment as Robson's new-look side fail to fire the imagination of an increasingly apathetic public.

Merson, who had to contend with cries of "Judas'' and boos every time he touched the ball, insists he bears no grudges and is keeping his fingers crossed for his former employers.

But he admitted he fears the worst. "I just hope they are going to turn it round because I really think they are going to struggle,'' he said.

"If you want to be successful, first of all you've got to be solid at the back.

"It doesn't matter if you've got six world-class players in front of your defence.

"Everybody can see that Boro have got problems at the back. That's where they have to strengthen.

"When I was at Arsenal, we won everything in the late 80s and early 90s by being solid at the back. That's what every team has to do.''

Goalkeeper Gary Walsh, on loan to Boro from Bradford, was to blame for Villa's opener when he slipped and allowed Dion Dublin to set up Julian Joachim.

But Walsh later redeemed himself with crucial saves. "It was down to the keeper that we didn't win,'' said Merson.

"He kept them in it and he was outstanding. He made world-class saves. He pulled off one fantastic save from me and two from Dion.

"If it hadn't been for him, it could have been embarrassing. We could have won 4-0 again like we did last season.''