ALEN Boksic spread gloom across Teesside last night when he admitted that Middlesbrough will find it impossible to fill the yawning creative void left by Juninho's knee injury.

Boksic looked on in frustration on Saturday as Boro sorely missed Juninho in failing to break down Southampton at the St Mary's Stadium.

Middlesbrough will learn the full extent of Juninho's injury when he sees a specialist this week, but the World Cup winner is expected to be out for at least the rest of the year with cruciate knee ligament damage.

Having planned to build his team around the skilful Brazilian in an attempt to continue last season's progress, Steve McClaren has been robbed of his squad's most inventive player.

Juninho might have opened up Southampton's water-tight backline at the weekend, but without him Middlesbrough toiled without reward under the hot south coast sun.

Boksic, 32, said: "It's a major blow for Middlesbrough and Juninho that we haven't got him at the moment, and the sooner we get him back the better.

"We've got a good midfield now that Geremi and George Boateng have joined, but Juninho has the ability to produce the crucial ball that can unlock defences.

"Middlesbrough bought Juninho because he can provide the balls that can help us get behind defences.

"We need him to open up teams."

George Boateng added: "If Massimo Maccarone had got better service, maybe he would have scored."

Both players were buoyed, though, by record signing Maccarone's performance on his debut at Southampton.

The Italian might have scored after just 100 seconds and drew a fine save from Paul Jones before he was replaced by Boksic in the 76th minute.

Boksic said: "Massimo will become a great player if we give him time. He has to get used to a new language, culture and style of football.

"But he'll know more about Premiership defenders now and you can already see he's a quality player, both in training and in games.

"I'm upset I haven't had the chance to play with him yet because I was injured during pre-season. But I think we'll be a good partnership."

Boksic's thoughts were echoed by Boateng, who also had an encouraging debut in Middlesbrough colours on Saturday after his £5m arrival from Aston Villa.

As well as squandering several opportunities, Maccarone presented Carlos Marinelli with a good chance before he was withdrawn. He did enough to suggest McClaren's £8.15m investment might be money well spent, and 26-year-old midfielder Boateng said: "I think Massimo did well for his first game but we need to give him time.

"I know from my experience that it's very difficult to move to another country, so we have to be patient.

"He had two great chances and he hit one very well with his left foot. For a striker, only one thing matters: goals. You can play badly, but if you score goals you're magnificent.

"And I know from my time at Aston Villa that everybody wants someone to do well as soon as they come in.

"But we must not worry; the goals will come. He looked sharp and bright, and he wants to score goals.

"Only a few players, such as Ruud van Nistelrooy, score goals as soon as they go into the team.

"He can understand English but speaking the language is a different matter.

"But I always say that there's only one language on the football pitch."

Meanwhile, Noel Whelan is hopeful of being fit enough to face Fulham on Saturday after succumbing to a niggling Achilles problem at the St Mary's Stadium.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.