Boro's bootroom banter

IF there is a problem with turning on the style for 45 minutes in front of more than 20,000 supporters at the Riverside Stadium in the first home game of the season then it is that supporters will want to see that every week.

Aitor Karanka has encouraged that sort of thinking and wants those demands placed on his players this season. He does not want any of his men to take a game lightly and he thinks targeting a top two place at this stage is the way to progress.

Boro have started the new Championship campaign well. Not exceptionally, but solidly. Two away draws and a win at home to Bolton. The manner of that victory, though, is why supporters are excited.

Bolton are no slouches under Neil Lennon, so Boro would have expected a tougher first half than the one they enjoyed. The visit of League One champions Bristol City this afternoon would, on the face of it, look an easier challenge.

But Karanka accepts it will not be as simple as that. He wants his players to hit the heights they did against Bolton. If they can get in to the habit of that then the Championship title should find its way to the Riverside, never mind promotion.

Is it time for Nugent to shine?

KIKE has scored three goals in three games to start the season; not a bad return for a striker seemingly on his way out following a summer of chasing a new front man or two.

But will he stay in the team? David Nugent has not dropped down from the Premier League to sit on the bench, so he will be looking to start sooner rather than later.

Karanka is more than happy to take players in and out of the side if he thinks it will benefit them to have a rest. With a Capital One Cup tie at Burton lined up for Tuesday, the head coach could well opt to give Nugent his first start there, although Cristhian Stuani might also be disappointed to sit out.

Nugent was talked up by Karanka in his pre-match press conference, so you can expect to see him at some point today. Surely now, though, is not the time to name Kike on the bench.

Midfield merry-go-round

TALKING of rest, the Boro boss is also weighing up whether to leave out Adam Clayton after playing all three of the games so far. Adam Forshaw, who had a good pre-season, can count himself unlucky not to have started in the league, so this could be his chance to shine.

Clayton certainly doesn’t want to be sitting out matches, nor does skipper Grant Leadbitter for that matter, but the time has almost arrived for him to take a break. That’s the way Karanka likes to do things and that time could well be today.