How one man with a fitsful of rail tickets is trying to save our season

With his determined efforts to turn Celtic into a five-a-side team, Gordon Strachan has certainly put his own stamp on the Boro squad during his first transfer window as manager. Seven players have come in, presumably after stringent medicals confirmed they were indeed “men”.

Scott McDonald is the headline signing. At a smidge over ÂŁ3million, the Aussie is an expensive purchase by Championship standards. Bitter experience has taught us to be wary of expecting January acquisitions to suddenly solving our goalscoring issues, even before the official website recklessly described the new man as a “goal machine”. At least we won’t need a new banner…

McDonald will be under immediate pressure to score as Strachan’s other new strikers come with less than prolific records. Chris Killen has provided a physical presence up front but rarely looks likely to score – the Gazette will have to keep their ‘Killen in the name of’ headlines under wrap for a while yet. Lee Miller looks to have been recruited for a similar role.

 The midfield has had an injection of Celtic blood too. Barry Robson has made an encouraging start, brainless sending off aside. Robson and Gary O’Neil should be able to a bit of nous and organisation to an area of the pitch that, even being generous, has been fundamentally knackered for well over a year.

The sale of Adam Johnson does, however, leave the squad short of creativity. One flank is likely to be taken up by Willo Flood – but despite his surprising tenacity, he looks unlikely to add many goals, at least on purpose. Johnson’s spot on the left has been vacated and in the short term, I fear Strachan will turn to Julio Arca. As a foursome, it looks stodgy and one-paced. Strachan must add a more attacking element on loan before the month is out.

The defence has looked sturdier in recent weeks with David Wheater finally taking some small steps back towards the kind of form he showed in the early months of his career. The nervous and tentative partnership with Sean St Ledger has thankfully been terminated but a permanent partner has yet to be established. Further upheaval seems inevitable as Strachan tries to cement Stephen McManus at the heart of the defence.

Changes at full-back look on the cards too. Every time Tony McMahon shanks the ball ten rows back,I die a little inside. He makes me profoundly unhappy. In that context, the short term signing of Kyle Naughton, an astute acquisition anyway, becomes even more commendable. On the other flank, Justin Hoyte has been occasionally uncomfortable but on the whole down has done a solid job in an unfamiliar role. With Joe Bennett consigned to the naughty step, Boro have a range of options with Emanuel Pogatetz and Jonathan Grounds both capable of filling in, looking a bit awkward and wishing they were playing in the middle.

As a squad, Boro are stronger than at the beginning of January. The loss of Johnson was a necessary price to pay to plug the gaping holes in a squad that was broken. Even so, Boro need to improve quickly if a play-off place is to be won. The team looks well-equipped to maintain the decent away record on the basis of an improving defence and a workmanlike midfield. However, the fear remains that Boro lack the pace or imagination to break down opponents at the Riverside. Until playing at home becomes an advantage again, Strachan’s Boro are going nowhere fast.